Raskolnikov

Yeah, I love the way Vader towers over other Imperial minifigures now. The old version was shorter than most other Imperial minifigures with hats or helmets, and a short Vader doesn't look right at all. I also don't mind the bobble-headed design, since it matches other modern variants of Star Wars minifigures. They're all bobbleheads -- that's just current "Lego style."

I agree completely when it's the Imperials that we're talking about. I kind of like mix-and-matching my rebel troopers, though, since I think they should look a bit ragtag. I like the lookout tower and recognized it immediately from Yavin. It's not from ESB, you're right, but I like it when they take creative license like that. I do plan on correcting the generator forthwith, though -- probably an easy fix with parts I have on hand. I am sure the designers intentionally reduced the size of the generator to three modules to save pieces or something.

I don't totally understand the repeated criticism of it having multiple component builds. That's exactly what I expected. It is Echo Base, after all, which is a primarily underground facility with four iconic features above the surface: a hangar bay door, a giant ion cannon, a shield generator, and a defensive line of trenches and turrets. So of course it's going to be a bit disjointed if it's going to hit each iconic feature. It's not like they're going to come out with a set with 4000 white bricks so you can build a subterranean base that connects everything with tunnels (as much as I would like that). I like the fact that this is the first Hoth set that includes all the major iconic features. I do understand criticism based on price (although I don't think it's too unreasonable, in comparison with recent sets), the inclusion of the snowspeeder and wampa cave, or the exclusion of the medical bay. The wampa cave isn't really an iconic part of the base. They are in the deleted scenes, though, and the last set with a wampa was quite a while ago, so I'll give that a pass. I think the inclusion of a snowspeeder is less necessary, since we just had a snowspeeder in 2014. I would rather have the medical bay and more of an interior. The exclusion of Leia also is a bit strange. But if you buy a 7879 Echo Base and put it behind the hangar bay, you fix all the major omissions. That's exactly what I'm going to do -- and I also bought a pile of white bricks.

Perhaps it could displayed in a place of honor between your UCS Darth Maul Bust and UCS Naboo Starfighter?

I'm relatively pleased. I had hoped that there would be no snowspeeder, since it's kind of a waste of parts, but I had already resigned myself to its inclusion. Apart from that, I like that we're getting a representation of all the key parts of the Echo Base, including the generator, hangar, and ion cannon. It's the first time they've come out with that. I also think this is a set that lends itself to creativity, since it looks easy to modify. I plan to add interior sections and add to the trench almost immediately after I finish it. Finally, I like the fact that it has the UCS label, simply because it will probably irk some of you. The arguments about what is or is not truly "UCS" are so tiresome.

Well, that's kind of reassuring to us OT fans, since it gives them a reason to keep coming out with timeless OT sets periodically.

I think it's very possible that Lego could come out with another A-wing at some point in the future, perhaps even within a year or so. As we all know, they have recolored and released sets of small fighter craft a bunch of times. But it seems exceptionally unlikely that they would do this at the exact same time that they release a set where an A-wing is bundled with a TIE. It just doesn't make any business sense. All current A-wing rumors stemmed from the bundle set, and the rumors of Ahsoka coming with an A-wing don't seem to be based on much other than speculation about which minifigures were going to come with the bundle set.

It's pretty easy to make a few Cantina patrons, though. Lego recently released an Ithorian, and they all look the same (alienist?). They previously released a Talz alien guy in a clone wars set (although it has a mohawk, unfortunately -- cantina one doesn't). The yellow spaceman is easy: Bossk body, white helmet with solid black visor. Wuhur also is pretty easy: bland Jedi robes, angry sideburns face (from Lone Ranger sets, maybe?), and tussled brown hair. There also are some bat ears headpieces to make the short guy in orange, wolf headpieces for the wolfman, bug headpieces for the fly alien. And we have a brand new blue head for the one alien, from the rebel battlefront pack. Ponda Baba is probably the most recognizable one that has no decent Lego substitutes at this time. I hope they come out with him or another Aqualish. Here's hoping they do that in sets connected to their new IP. I really wouldn't be surprised if they did, considering the way substitutes for other patrons have been trickling in.

It's amazing how much you learn about a Star Wars vehicle from trying to recreate it in Lego. You must have every detail of the different AT-ST models used in the movies memorized by now. I'm working on a Star Destroyer and going through a similar process. I've noticed details about those ships that never would have occurred to me otherwise. Anyway, great job on the new version. I already bought some parts with the intention of building your previous version but I hadn't yet gotten around to it. Still on the to-do list, though.

Fantastic -- and so many pictures to help guide us along. Once I finish my current project, I'd like to build a few A-wings in different colors using this design. One thought: Not sure if it's been covered already, but there now are inverted white 2x2 tiles (as well as inverted 2x2 tan tiles) available. Did you try to use those on the inside of the fins, at all? When Jerac made his version, I don't think those pieces existed, and the inverted round tiles always looked a little out of place, to me.

This is a particular interest of mine. There aren't many, unfortunately, but it's worth noting that there are two relatively recent variations of the imperial officer with 3 blue and 3 red insignia squares (i.e., captain/commander rank). Once has two code cylinders (from tie fighter 9492), the other has one code cylinder (star destroyer 75055), so you can have some variation in officer ranks using those two. There's also an admiral figure with six blue and six red insignia squares, and a Grand Moff figure (but it's a little dated and looks weird next to other figures). A lot of fan sources claim that the two-code cylinder officer with six total insignia squares should be a lower rank than the one-code cylinder officer, but there's essentially no basis for this claim in the movies. It's also directly contradicted, at times. In virtually every situation where we can discern ranks from the movies, more code cylinders tends to mean higher rank, so I'd treat the two-cylinder version as a superior rank. You also can make lieutenants fairly easily if you just cover up some of the insignia squares with a tiny dark bluish gray sticker.

So there's a report that a Grand Moff minifigure comes with the TIE Advanced. Anyone at the toy fair know whether the unfirom was dark bluish gray or tan? Since it's rebels, I'd expect it to be tan. But here's hoping for dark bluish gray.

Agree. I know who Zev is but I've always treated his minifigures as "generic pilots." Apart from the helmets, it's almost impossible to differentiate Rebel pilot figures because they all end up with pretty much the same face except for Biggs and Porkins (which is one of my favorite minifigures now and was a wonderful surprise in that last X-wing set).

Yeah, I think a new UCS Star Destroyer is a fairly realistic possibility (although I kind of don't want it to happen because I'm working on my own). Next to the X-Wing and the Falcon, it's one of the most iconic ships of the series. Also, the design of the old one seems to cry out for an update. New wedge plates are available that would close up some of the gaps. And the magnet system that everyone seems to complain about could easily be replaced with new ball and socket joints. So I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see the ISD receive the UCS treatment some time over the next couple years.

Thanks, that's my view, too. If you think about it, a lot of smaller sets and vehicles are not really to scale with real life. The Lego versions of the DeLorean and the Ghostbusters Cadillac both would be much longer than the real life vehicles they are based on if a minifigure is supposed to represent be a six-foot-long human. The cars that seat a single minifigure in the middle of the vehicle are more "to scale" but they sacrifice other kinds of realism and detail to do that. I'd rather have the detail and treat most small Lego vehicles as being stylized in a typically "Lego" way. In any event, the official speederbike suffers from the same issue, since mine's only like 1.5 studs longer.

I thought "chuffed" was a good thing? Like, proud of yourself, etc. Do you still have your Avenger, by the way? Um, to stay on topic, there is a roughly 100% chance that TIE Advanced and A-wing set is from Rebels. Vader's two-piece helmet was a step in the right direction, in my opinion, and I expect the Rebels variant to be the same mold but maybe different printing. Also, on the continuity issue, the A-wing does appear in Rebels, and there's no going back on that any time soon. I, too, was suprised at that because I thought it was a fairly advanced fighter. But maybe the ones in Rebels are prototypes or earlier variants. They are slightly different from the ROTJ A-wings, since they're based on the McQuarrie concept art like everything in Rebels.

Yeah, Jerac may be my favorite Lego MOCer, but if something is going to be minifigure scale, I think it ought to fit minifigures. Interior space for minifigures can turn a cold, sterile model into something that it's easy to imagine living in.

I love the snot solar panels, the lines from the bricks really add to the look of the ship. I like the blue, as well. Is this ship from your own imagination or is it from part of the extended universe?

Thanks, I agree on the size but I decided that I was OK with the somewhat cartoony scale if it meant a sturdier build They're also less than 2 studs longer than the official versions -- looks a bit deceiving in the comparison picture. The extra length mostly comes from having the minifigures legs swept back and adding detail to the back section. Oh wells. Also, here are directions, if anyone is interested: http://imgur.com/a/s7bWl

I've never been a big fan of LEGO's speeder bikes, so I tried to rework them. Here's the album: http://imgur.com/gallery/6gmW3/new Credit to Larry Lars for inspiration. My goal was to create a model that looks similar to his 2009(ish?) version, while using new pieces and techniques to improve durability and aesthetics. The way the stabilization bars (for lack of a better term) attach in the front is essentially the same as the Lars version, while the rest has undergone some significant redesigns. I also spent a lot of time trying to improve the way the front bars attach, since they rattle a bit, but I came up short. While there are more durable ways to connect the bars, they don't look nearly as nice.

I don't have a clear image of the First Order officers who stand behind Hux during the speech/First Order rally, could the general be one of them? They were in black officer uniforms of some kind. They also appeared to be older, which would match the minifigure's face. I remember that clearly because I was thinking that everyone in the First Order was very young except for them. Either way, I like it and will try to pick up several of them. I'm glad it's not Hux since he's already in a set.

Excellent work. It looks good next to the Eclipse, even if they're not intended to be exactly to scale. As a Star Destroyer enthusiast, I hope you continue to churn out Imperial capital ships.

Yeah, I plan to buy several of this set just for the caps as soon as it comes out.

We have a black uniformed female officer torso with insignia who could use the cap, at least. The original trilogy Imperials are pretty much a boys-only club, though. Also, there seem to be some black uniformed officers without isignia in the movies, so presumably there are some officer ranks that don't always display their insignia. The "you rebel scum" guy definitely seemed to be an officer in charge of people in that scene, and I don't believe he had a visible insignia. He can be created by using the black cap and any ordinary double-breasted navy trooper torso.

I like the black Imperial Officer cap so much that they could have filled the Empire Battlepack with 4 Friends minidolls and I'd still be happy as long as that cap was included. It was an excellent, unexpected choice for Lego to finally come out with that cap. As for the battle damaged Stormies, I'm sure I'll find a use for them. Lego already came out with multiple versions of the Sandtrooper, so I plan to see if I can mix and match them to avoid the battle damage/dirt appearing uniform.