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Fantastic work BaronSat! These creations are so much fun to look at and of course, come with a great pinch of nostalgia. Anyone looking to creat dioramas or playsets should definately look up your work for ideas and inspiration. Thanks for sharing this with us.

I saw this in TRU the other day and from what I could make out this was not the case - the trays hold lots of the flat board pieces and the features individually. I could be wrong though - this was just from looking at the box.

Slipped under the radar a bit... kind of forgot about it myself! Looking forawrd to seeing the results.

Superb work Anio, looks spot-on accurate. Love the sheer attention to detail you always invest in your creations. Surely deserving of a frontpage post!

Hmmm, you make a discouragingly good point... but then LEGO aren't always accurate with their character placement and also duplicate characters throughout different sets (Clone Wars, POTC). If we see a Theed playset it'd be daft for LEGO not to include Panaka, Qui Gon and Obi - who've all just made their appearance in this most recent release. That sounds like an amazing playset! Though I did feel a pain in my chest upon reading that last comment... . In this land of specualtion I'd like to think it'd be more akin to Home One.

Ah, Mos Espa would make more sense! I missed a lot of the original PT releases but I'm really pleased with these new versions. And you're right - it's super-swooshable! Aye, that'd seem to be the case. It's not a big complaint at all - the 'fig selection is great!

Man, this thread is moving fast! I still don't think that rules it out as a possibility. By the sounds of it TLC will be going above and beyond with the range of sets next year. So maybe not chrome... what about metallic silver as used on the newer lightsaber hilts? How about both? Seriously though, TLC have given us versions of many sets that I would have considered a challenge to build, with great results. I wouldn't rule anything out at this stage. I'd be keen to see Theed playset too of course.

Great review parchioso, does the set justice. I built mine yesterday and was very pleased with all aspects of the model: parts, techniques and of course a nice selection of minifigs. Bulding Sebulba's pod was the highlight, interesting use of techniques to create some complex shapes and lot's of greebling. Great fun. Really like the new minifigs: Wald is cool and provides a new Rodian head for MOCers and Watto is a massive leap over his original counterpart If there were are any drawbacks it would have to be the lack of printed parts and the DSS. I literally groaned when I saw just how many stickers there were. I would have been over the moon had just the bonnet/hood piece of Anakin's racer been printed. O well. Also, it would would have made more sense for Qui-Gon to have appeared in this set and Obi in the Infiltrator set. No big deal though. Are you implying that 7159 is better than THIS set? Seriously, the Star Wars Bucket? Given that the Bucket is an old set, even for it's time it was bad. It's your choice, I'm just very surprised. 7962 is lightyears ahead in my opinion.

Great thread. I picked up Draid Bay today and had a chance to play quite a few games of Battle Heroica with a friend. We play boardgames a lot and are big fans of the dungeon-crawl genre (Heroquest, Castle Ravenloft, Descent, etc.) and so I'm glad TLC has forayed into this wonderful genre. It's great to read input into amending the game. Already I've got a few ideas of how to improve/expand the game but first wanted to share this quick little tweak that makes a BIG difference to combat. We felt that hero and monster player are penalised too heavily when rolling to hit and getting a skull 50% of the time, thus taking damage and sometimes resulting in your character's death (all of the time for the monster player). It seem to work better for normal Heroica where the monsters are static barriers to be destroyed. So we used these results for combat instead: Shield - HIT, inflicts 1 damage to opponent and/or special. Sword - HIT, inflicts 1 damage to opponent. Skull - MISS. Opponent receives no damage. Skull and Sword - FUMBLE, inflicts 1 damage to self. So change here comes from missing rather than receiving damage. It makes the combat feel more engaging and fair. You can still take damage from your own attack but it's much reduced. Alternativly, remove self-damage completely by replacing the Skull and Sword die face (or fumble) with another shield. This is a quick and easy way to bring specials into the game more. We noticed that the Goblin General needed some extra love too, so when he took a hit that caused him to lose his crystal, like the heroes, he'd move back one space, stopping him from getting immediately thumped again. If anyone is looking to give their boss monsters hit-points agood start might be to use the strength rating. Themeatically this makes a lot of sense when it come to creating our own Heroica Realms. The scorpions and mummies could be found in an ancient desert city lost beneath shifting sands, uncovered by our heroes after many centuries. Armies of skeletons could plague a dark and sinister Necropolis where our heroes have to venture to destroy an ancient evil... brick built monsters provide a conduit for some of the great experimental rules we've seen here already (roll 2 dice, pick worst seems great in theory).

Is it completely beyond LEGO to create a ship with a lot of chrome? 3 words: UCS. We've seen a step in that direction before with the UCS N-1 - and it was reasonably priced for it's time. Once you're assuming a higher price point, a chrome starship isn't beyond the realms of expectation at all.

I asked a colleague who was over at SDCC if he could scoop me one (and the Green Lantern promo fig). He said he tried, but the queues for anything LEGO-related were just ludicrous. O well! It's not too long 'til they're available here.

Impulse bought 7962 Anakin & Sebulba's Podracers today and got a small discount on it too. Turned on Episode I to get me in the mood for the build! And a good build it was, lots of fun and some really nice techniques. God knows where I'm going to display it...

We may not have had AOTC specific sets but we've certainly had many models of vehicles, craft, droids and of course, characters that have featured in AOTC such as the Geonosian Fighter, AT-TE, Republic Gunship, Homing Spider Droid, Dooku's Solar Sailer & Spider Droid, etc. I guess the only difference would be the different style faces. In a sense you could say that AOTC has actually been very well covered.

Not so much a purchase, rather that I got a 8098 Clone Turbo Tank at the weekend for my birthday. It was a fun build, lots of features and a great line-up of minifigs. I reckon I'll MOD it with a lower hull section where the wheels attach.

It'll sink in eventually Doc.

Thanks everyone who supplied the pictures and links! The NEW TIE fighter is looking really nice. The detailing on the panels is really, really nice especially the SNOT edges. I agree the cockpit may be a little too bulbous; it does look like the designers ahve tried to take this into consideration when creating the cockpit shape, but I think I would've been happier with a solution using a 6 x 6 dish. That said it looks great overall. The big bonus come with those new minifigs. I own several of each of the current versions, but these new release have been tweaked to make them that bit more special: the TIE pilots's evil grin, the Death Star trooper's new helmet, the awesomness of R5-J2! It's such great line-up, TLC have been very shrewd in including them with such an iconic starfighter. Certainly, I reckon this has guarenteed mutltiple purhcses from ME... I'm sure from more than a few others here! As far as PRICE goes, I feel the Bounty Hunter Assault Gunship is about as close a set gets for comparison to this from what I can see with parts useage/count and the number of minifigs. I reckon that puts the TIE fighter firmly at the £40.99 level - $49.99 for our US pals. NEW Queen Amidala looks lovely. I think this is a sign that we'll be seeing the Naboo Royal Starship. I'm keen to hear more news on this. There's a fair bit of wishful thinking along the lines of price on this forum, but what about this: a CHROME Naboo Royal Starship in the UCS range? With this minifig as an exclusive? I reckon if TLC released THAT people would be ecstatic! I've collected LEGO Star Wars from release and the only Stormtroopers from that era that I owned had blank yellow heads. I'd say that was the traditional format for production set releases. Traditional Scout Troopers have goggles and an expressionless mouth. I haven't seent he newer versions.

Much thanks for the review StoutFlies. Think I've been outspoken enough about my disappointment in this set. Even now things are popping out that make me want to shake someone! The exterior ROCK wall with lots of gaps, the cave-like back wall of the medical bay... I could go on. I won't. I'll still buy this. The minifig and parts selection are actually really bloody good in my opinion, and I own the rest of the Hoth sets apart from the most recent AT-AT. The price point isn't bad either. Sure it'd be hard, it'd be a challenge; but that's excalty what it is whenever any of us come to build something new - and this especially so with LEGO designers. Any of the best builders here on EB could create something more accurate and with a comparable parts budget. I'm sure of that. A modular series would've been brilliant but in a sense that what they've done with the previous Hoth sets and this combined... just not in a thoughtfully planned way (or seemingly so). You'll have a good while to wait for those... and we still haven't seen the actual sets yet. I agree. Each section was easily iodentifiable being fully representative of that in the movie. The hangar actually held a fighter too - what a novel idea! If they'd used that same template for Hoth, we could have had a decent sized command centre, med-bay and hangar with entrance... You must be lucky! There are widespread problems with stickers and so naturally many are loath to see them included. The transparent versions aren't quite as bad as far as I've seen, but the paper versions are terrible. I've seem many of mine crack and flake over the years for no apparent reason other than age. Not only that, but hey are really difficult to move when reduced to this state as they become crumbly and tacky. Applying any type of sticker to a grained surface is just ridiculous and just won't last. You mention that there haven't been many location based Star Wars scenes that are a perfect replica, but they've been closer than this. The Death Star is a great example, Home One, the Endor bunker - all recent successes. I don't beleive that LEGO managed to simplify the most important parts well at all. If anything it looks like their designer struggled or just disregarded much of what made Echo Base in this much loved scene in Star Wars. Even the use of dark grey BURPS goes against the carved walls and interiors of Echo Base. This has been discussed many, many times. TLC are well aware that kids aren't their only market. LEGO Star Wars as a whole is marketed at a broad demographic which includes adult LEGO/Star Wars enthusiasts who expect a certain level of accuracy. It's a balance they have to maintain when they create any new set and it seems that tis time the see-saw is tipped way over to one side. I'm sure this will still sell to their youger market but unfortunately they've frosted out the adult market on this one I reckon. Let's hope if there's a lack of sales here it's recognised for what it is - bad set design - and not that playsets as a whole are just not marketable.

Man... I never knew Argos had that much sway. I was hoping to just order through S@H but I may just have to go for it and hit up Woolies! Nice saving and bonus you made there though...

Bit confuzzled as to why these are showing up for EVERY region in the world on S@H... except the UK? What's going on?

Thanks for the new round of pictures Hinckley. This is such BIG news. Some of these minifigs are stunningly good! I'm really excited about this new line. A few thoughts on each of the minifigs... Superman - Looks older a la Kingdom Come. The creases as his eyes lead me to think this. Makes me wonder if they'll cover KC too. That'd be so very cool. Wonder Woman - Hopefully she'll be included with her invisible jet, impulse set. Really nice printed details and I like her lasso prop, though I think it could've been longer to curve down over another minifig - it's a small niggle. Batman - Good 'ole Batman. I've got a few of him already, still a great fig though. Catwoman - They've tightened up the detail on her outfit... and her waist-line! Looks that bit sexier... Joker - Love his new expression, looks more manic/crazed/evil. That hairstyle suits him better too. Poison Ivy - Always felt the original Ivy had a pinched face - this is a huge improvement. Hair and torso pritning look superb. Wolvering - Logan looks great. I reckon he'll come with both hair AND mask... maybe not a cigar. Iron Man - I believe this quote sums it up: "Look at the size at o' that boys heid, it's like an orange on a toothpick!". Normal printed head would be best for this guy. This far into production I doubt it. Hulk - Great decision to make Hulk big methinks - can't wait to see his "HULK SMASH!" exprssion! Thor - Movie/Ultimates version? Looks fine to me though I'm probably least interested in him. Captain America - Very early stage for this guy by the looks of it. Will surely have those wings on the sides of his head. Hopefully LEGO will create the WWII version - I've always preffered that look. Then he can be fighting off some of my IJ Nazi's! I really am SOLD on these. Hope that the models themselves can backup the minifigs nicely. Now that's a fight I'd like to see! I reckon that'll be a given. Spidey's black suit is about as famous as his regular suit! I really like the Wolverine fig - I don't think LEGO will miss an opportunity to provide his mask with the figure. Curses! Foiled again! Back to the Nerdmobile!

It was a great exhibition with plenty to see - I was happy I managed to get along. I must say all the MOCs and UCS sets were so much more impressive in person - as you'd expect - and it was really nice to meet everyone. Though only after leaving did I realise I'd not seent he new minifigs with the Executor! Nevermind... I've taken a few photos too so will post them when I get the opportunity.

Nice review - emphasises all our thoughts and feeling on this set. The minifig line-up is pretty good; the model itself incredibly mediocre. It really is just a mash-up of fragemnts from different scenes with no decent amount of attention given to any - and a few completely RANDOM bits thrown in. Glad to see that the stickers sheet is transparent (a small mercy). I spoke to soon about those aforementioned slopes which DO appear to be grained. Shame on you, LEGO. I really do wonder: who at LEGO HQ signed off on this one? There appears to have been a fair lack of accuracy control! I think the figures are one of the most appealing components of this set: new(ish) Han, new(ish) Leia, R-3PO, med droid... Luke in a nappy. Where it falls short on Hoth rebel troopers can easily be addressed by picking up aone or more Hoth rebel battlepacks of which there are plenty still on the shelves. You're NEVER going to get all the figures you think there should be in one set (Rieekan is so obscure I had to look him up - and I know my Star Wars) - case in point: there was much complaint about he lack of gunners in the 24+ strong Death Star!

My Mum told me to NEVER eat yellow icicles/snow... As much as I hate DSS (very much part of a club there), the transparent stickers are slightly more tolerable - I've not had quite the same degree of problems with them as with the paper variety. Seeing as there are transparent elements present this would seem to indicate designers have opted for those - it's a lesser of two evils! Hopefully the use of the slope you mention is just an oversight Anio and the production set will include smooth elements. Something like that! As others have mentioned maybe in form the 2x2 round brick represents a magnet/clamp os some kind; but also note that all the containers have jumper bricks which will easily attach to this. Cheers! Think I'll go and check it out right now...

Words escape how dissapointed I am that a set of this size carrying a price tag like this lacks a reasonable selection of unique printed elements. I wouldn't be half as disappointed if the quality of these stickers was any good, but after a few years they crumble and flake becoming a useless mess (and a bugger to remove). Maybe not. But maybe this should have been a serious consideration when it came to the creation of this set. Look at the Cars 2 theme: low cost sets with printed elements everywhere. It can be done. All the same, I still like this set. If I have the oppotunity, I'll head down to see the model in the flesh next Sunday.