Kodan Black

I like the little tank and the moisture farming equipment lends it the proper Tattoine vibe. I just wish there were a few more pics to see it all.

Once again I found myself on a shuttle somewhere wondering why I was the one on the shuttle. I could swear we had whole groups devoted to this sort of thing, but when the military "asks", you do as you are told without questioning the logic or lack thereof. I was headed to Tattoine. Apparently the Rebels were attempting to influence a pod race and the Empire didn't wish to appear weak, so they were trying their hardest to prevent that from happening. I'm not sure why we didn't just post some AT-ATs by the finish line and prevent any Rebel racers from winning, but maybe that is just too much of a direct approach. Imperial intelligence had provided me with profiles of racers not known to be solidly under the control of Rebels, the Black Sun, or any of the other myriad criminal enterprises. I read through the most viable candidates and selected my primary target. It was a racer who wasn't a #1 finisher, but was consistently in the top racers and he was reliable. I didn't want a risk taker that would end up making a dangerous move that ended in disaster. His name was Romero. Well, it's name was Romero, I guess it was analogous to the male of the species. He had a spot he liked to hang out at on the edge of Mos Espa attached to a bar. A bar called Oasis that, through many dummy corporations, he part owned. I'd do my best to catch up with him there as he would most likely be more comfortable on his home turf. When I got to the bar I asked the bartender who I needed to talk to in order to see Romero. He asked what for and I told him a "business opportunity" and showed him my briefcase. He had a busboy lead me to a door at the back of the bar that opened out onto a patio area. As I approached the seating area I could see Romero's sycophant sidekick, a Gungan named Jug-Jug, get up and head towards me. He inquired what I was doing and said that I needed to talk to his boss about a mutually beneficial enterprise. I could see Romero nod at Jug-Jug as the Gungan looked over his shoulder. I approached Romero and introduced myself simply as Kodan. He silently stared as me, so I proceeded to tell him that I wished to help fund his pod racing endeavor and that further I had at my disposal a secured shop with all the tools he could need. "And?" was his only response. I knew he wanted to know of my sudden benevolence -- no one gives you a bunch of money and facilities to use for free. Providing him with an abridged version of the truth I let him know that the Empire wished to aid him while simultaneously decreasing the odds of some of his stronger competitors. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "I'm not one to turn down money, but my pod is in need of a new engine, one that I haven't been able to locate here on Tattoine. I've been running on one and a half engines the past 2 races, but it just won't fire up anymore." I asked him for details on the engine he needed and excused myself to make a call. Fortunately there was one on a freighter not too far away and it was being rerouted to Tattoine suddenly. "Well, then I suppose I better arrange to have the rest of my pod racer moved to your facility!" he said. I gave him the location of his new shop and told him I would see him there tomorrow. Upon his arrival he looked around before declaring it would do quite nicely. He seemed to be most interested in the new engine and even remarked that it wasn't "new" it was "new new" -- from the factory. I assured him that any technicians he needed or other parts or supplies would be acquired. All we needed was for him to win. He seemed to grin as he said "Hey, I bet on myself for a change!" Extra pics:

Wow, as always I'm blown away. There is so much here. The pod racer with hangar, the outdoor scene ... perfectly Tattoine and perfectly Empire. The rock work is great and the differing levels of the sand is great too. The humor with the dewback and the leavings is a very nice touch. You always bring your A game.

I'll echo Mr Goatman's post.

Really great build. I like that you included the greebled part, it is sort of a "inner workings" view below what we normally see. Plus the symbol built into the top is well done. Love the Phantom too.

I concur with Mr Goat's updated list.

That is great and really funny. The rancor doing the drawings is great. I wonder if his name is Simon? (Hopefully someone gets this old reference!)

I like the clever parts usage on the little fighter. And the big ship has a nice smooth feel to it. Great builds!

A very clean and modern design. I like the 2nd floor amenities too!

Still not showing.

Some really good humor throughout and while that underground tavern is cool, the space parrot ship really takes the cake!

That stripped out hull is crazy! This is really amazing! You've nailed all the details and conveyed a fantastic sci-fi vibe.

I'm just getting "This photo is no longer available"...

I like that you included a lot of play features in your build. The lightsaber storage was probably my favorite "surprise"! A really neat build with a ton of detailing and clearly lots of time and effort went into it. Your kid is in for a lot of fun builds in the future I'm sure!

Very well done translation of the scene from the trailer. The only part that troubles me is the uniformity of the elevation change ridge. It is a bit too perfect and draws the eye a bit too much for me. But aside from that one minor point a fantastic build.

A very faithfully done representation of the original! Looks great and is instantly recognizable.

I like the overall look and all the little design details you've included. Some great parts usage in hidden little spots too! The limited use of color also works well.

Great smoke and fire. Really nice MOC!

Put Lord Tyrus on place 1

Awesome! As a big Mechwarrior/Battletech fan this is right up my alley! The legs look fantastic and the angled cockpit is a great look. The ammo/machinery under the arm guns is a very well done part. Really an impressive build.

That is really cool, has a very Mad Max vibe to it.

Awww! Very good representation. My brother had several guinea pigs growing up, they were cute little critters.

That is a really creative use of those horse carriage pieces in the wall (sorry, no idea what they are called, the angled ones you have 4 of). At first I wasn't sure what it was until it clicked and I was very pleased to see such a simple piece used so well. The torture device is instantly recognizable, the one thing I'd have preferred would be to have tiles covering the exposed studs. It just looks a bit unfinished. The floor and the wall are great. Minor nitpick but your fig's face seems a bit too happy. I know it is tough since not all faces come in different emotions, but it did stand out a bit. It looks like you tried to hide the face as much as possible, maybe incorporate turning the head away into the story. Also the medical droid's view of you is hidden by the device, I'd say he should ideally be closer to the side to monitor things more. If you draw a straight line out from the wheel on the wall, I'd say there roughly by the corner of the device would both put him nearby but not obstruct the officer from viewing you. Overall a really great build and a good lead in to the episode.

I loved the original build but then all the replies took this thread into a brilliant blend of creepy and awesome! Innovative parts usage and color abound in your builds.

The look, shape, and detailing are all fantastic. I too wish that the minifig could "ride" it, but sometimes you have to make choices.