PTE Recons

[jlspec]

Big Lots near work started restocking PTE
2 different watch towers - green or tan
Main Battle tank
little bird helicopter
3 playset - with camel and wall, with motorcycle or divers with raft
Patrol boat
several figure packs

[Wrights Collectables]

Wrights Collectibles;

Hello, I am glad I helped with the postal issue!! And thank you for working with me to get the J-10's .

Looking forward to getting the jets in hand! Thanks again!

My pleasure and thank you again for your patience. They should be with you soon, hopefully in one piece!

Big Lots near work started restocking PTE
2 different watch towers - green or tan
Main Battle tank
little bird helicopter
3 playset - with camel and wall, with motorcycle or divers with raft
Patrol boat
several figure packs

Sounds like Big Lots is still a long way behind UK releases..

We have the Humvee's, Base Transportation Units, Su-27's and more J-10's coming soon.

Do you US collectors have the Power Team Fire Fighter range? Are they any good?

http://www.peterkin.co.uk/Store/Categor ... hters.aspx

[holensock]

Big Lots near work started restocking PTE
2 different watch towers - green or tan
Main Battle tank
little bird helicopter
3 playset - with camel and wall, with motorcycle or divers with raft
Patrol boat
several figure packs

Yep! They were at my local Big Lots too!
The boys are back in town!
One set has a white drone in it!
Let the fun begin!

[aferguson]

i gather the watchtowers are the same design, just different colours?

which set has the drone? Is it a realistic looking drone? Ii'd like to see a pic of it.

edit: oh, it's not a 1/6 drone is it? I've seen a 1/6 powr team set that has a little white drone in it.

[Jesse James]

Nice and early this year... Bob, snap pics! Was that weird wall/playset there, and the "trench" thing? I really want those.

[holensock]

Wish I could include pictures..don't know how to do it. I know it's been posted here how to do that, probably hundreds of times, but I never took the time to learn how...sigh...
There are pictures posted on 'the fighting 1:18'. Even of the drone, aferguson. The drone is in the $10 set of 3 soldiers, motorcycle, and a bunch of equipment. I didn't see any 1/6 stuff yet. Only 1:18.
The watchtower is the same design, only in tan color. No other sets yet from what jlspec listed. And it looks like everything went up about a couple of bucks.

[aferguson]

found a picture of it on the118th. Looks pretty cool and pretty much in scale. I can't identify it as a specifc design, just looks like a generic mini uav to me but i'm not very familiar with all of them. Would like to get it at some point.

http://www.fighting118th.com/2011/08/02 ... 4895764-2/


Edit: i found it. It's a Patria mini UAV made by a Finnish company. I found it on the Sino defense forum, so maybe it's being adopted by the chinese, which would make sense as power team does a lot of chinese weapon systems. It's about half way down on the page:

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/world-a ... -3994.html

[Jesse James]

Bob, be prepped.

I didn't buy much though. My Big Lots had not a great selection. I did see the new "Deluxe 3-Packs" with the bigger gear, including the one with the mini drone for recon. Neat, but not worth the price of the set to me ultimately.

I got a couple Hedgehog sets and a SEAL set because the headsculpt looked different to me on the coverless guy.

Otherwise, lot of loose figures to sell off to someone.

I'm hoping to see those "trench" sets, and the set with the bunker type thing, and tan towers wouldn't hurt either. Sandtroopers need love too.

[B-29]

found a picture of it on the118th. Looks pretty cool and pretty much in scale. I can't identify it as a specifc design, just looks like a generic mini uav to me but i'm not very familiar with all of them. Would like to get it at some point.

http://www.fighting118th.com/2011/08/02 ... 4895764-2/


Edit: i found it. It's a Patria mini UAV made by a Finnish company. I found it on the Sino defense forum, so maybe it's being adopted by the chinese, which would make sense as power team does a lot of chinese weapon systems. It's about half way down on the page:

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/world-a ... -3994.html

There's a better pic here: http://forums.fighting118th.com/showthr ... 247&page=3 Also, I am fairly sure it is a Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk UAV, which was used commonly by the UK in Afghanistan.

[aferguson]

ah very good. I was wondering why Power Team would make such an obscure uav. As i said i don't know much about them and just scanned pics looking for a butterly tail and the finnish one is the first i saw.

The desert hawk is far more interesting. Have to snag one of these for sure.

[Castroww]

Man I wish I knew what was up with my local big lots, I'm in Mass and I've been to mine and I've yet to see any major vehicles or towers. All they ever have is the little 3 figure sets.
I really want one of the Dauphin look a likes. I've got some great plans for that one.
I see them on ebay but way to much money.

[Jesse James]

I've seen a different mix at my two nearer BL's... One had not quite as much, but the other had Humvees, towers, dune buggies (Friend & Foe as it were), and some other items my nearer store didn't have.

The disappointment for me is that bunker thing and the "trench" playset appear to not be coming this year.

I got a tan tower, but that's not going to cut it for cool this year.

[aferguson]

there's usually been a full year lag between when pte comes out with new things and them showing in north america.

[aferguson]

there's usually been a full year lag between when pte comes out with new things and them showing in north america.

[Jesse James]

Yeah, but usually when it's been made available in Europe it's come here. Asia, not so much, but Europe yes... If it's over there it's 99% available to US buyers unless these items were picked up far earlier in the year which is possible.

Then there's stuff like the tan tower and the mini UAV/new deluxe 3-packs that seem to have largely flown under the radar and surfaced here first.

I was really hoping since Europe was getting them, that we'd see them as well. It's still early... PTE was showing up till October last year. I'd like something new... That trailer even would've been nice enough.

[aferguson]

europe had the chinese tank, ifv, dauphin and other stuff a year before we got it here. That's the usual way. No idea why it takes an extra year to get over here but it may be that Big Lots, which is pretty much the only place that carries the stuff for the US places their toy order waaaay in advance and misses new releases and so it's a full year later that they order the new stuff.

[tmanthegreat]

At least one of the Big Lots in my area has received their annual PTE stock. Its pretty much like what's been described above:

The Type 98 tanks, FAVs, DPVs, cammo Humvees, lookout towers (in both green and tan), RIB boats, littlebird helos, carded figure sets, boxed figure sets (including the one with the drone), and the single figure accessory packs. No SWAT figures or other Humvee variants and no 1:6 figures this time around.

Overall, not a bad selection with some diversity, but certainly not the largest selection this same store has had either. It was nice to see PTE restocked, but there was nothing new over what was there last year, and nothing I was in dire need of (yet). I did notice the slightly higher prices as well. Oddly enough, I didn't walk out with anything this time around...

[Nugget]

I need to hurry up and get my permit/license so I can drive over and check this out. I need some jeeps and perhaps a boat (or 2...or 7 ). Maybe some more little birds and Delta Force guys too.

Screw it, I'm buying everything! *evil laugh*

[MCalamari]

The Woodland, CA Big Lots has placed their Halloween stuff on the shelves, but no PTE reset.

I really want the howitzer and the tan watch towers have me intrigued (meaning I'll buy one).

Here is a photo of my PTE IFV. Unpainted these are fairly unappealing, but some of the customized versions are awesome.

[MCalamari]

Update:
One of the Sacramento, CA Big Lots had its PTE reset. Same basic items, such as tan towers, showing up further south in the valley.

Interesting that the tower went from $10 in 2009, to $12 in 2010, and now to $13 in 2011. Though the Big Lots I was at had *1* green $12 (older box). The Camel and Horse single pack boxes went from $3.50 to $4. The Humvees seemed to cost more, past one two last night (though I'm regretting it ... one of my nephews really loves cramming figures in the Hummers).

Question: Is it worth it to join the Big Lots saving program?

[aferguson]

much of the price increase you're seeing is due to the drop in the US dollar. It started years ago but became pronounced in 2007-8. With the onset of the recession the US dollar went back up for a time but is now at the 2007-8 levels again. It takes time to have an impact on imported goods prices (like PTE) but that's mostly why the prices have spiked. The other reasons are the increase in oil prices and the increase in chinese labour costs. They're still a heck of a deal though. I wonder if the price increase is having an impact on sales? Doesn't seem to be as they keep restocking every year but maybe they are stocking less now?

[Jesse James]

Big Lots Saving Program is ok if you shop there a bit... Around this time of year I hit them a bit, but you have to have like 5 trips over $20 each to make the 20% off coupon or something.

Off-Topic here, but K-Mart's rewards program is awesome. Everything turns in some points, and you can redeem the points at any point, and they save for a year. Pretty slick. I've gotten Star Wars figures for pretty cheap thanks to that program.

[MCalamari]

much of the price increase you're seeing is due to the drop in the US dollar. It started years ago but became pronounced in 2007-8. With the onset of the recession the US dollar went back up for a time but is now at the 2007-8 levels again. It takes time to have an impact on imported goods prices (like PTE) but that's mostly why the prices have spiked. The other reasons are the increase in oil prices and the increase in chinese labour costs. They're still a heck of a deal though. I wonder if the price increase is having an impact on sales? Doesn't seem to be as they keep restocking every year but maybe they are stocking less now?

Interesting, and makes total sense.

I've only really been "stalking" PTE for 4 years now, and didn't notice the price and product changes until last year.

Their playsets and vehicles are actually really nice. I wouldn't be surprised if they were a well selling line. However, I rarely have seen anybody else at the store carting off a PTE item ... and yet between visits items disappear.

As to the larger debate ... will I spend over $100 via 5 visits. Could be if I bought other items at the same time.

[Rowsdower]

Picked up three of the $3.50 blown-up wall packs and the checkpoint pack. I already have a few towers which I really like. I was surprised to find one whole side of the aisle devoted to PTE at my Big Lots. As for the figures, use them for drivers in GI Joe vehicles when you want to display the real figure on it's own or give them to a kid. I must say that I wish they would quit making those gummy weapons.

Another surprise was that the dog included in the checkpoint set is really well done.

[Jesse James]

Rows, what's the "checkpoint" exactly?

I've not seen that.