betaplayer

Yes and no imo: a Tie avenger f.e. is recognizable enough to get sold as a cool tie fighter regardless of familiarity with the actual show, I think. I find it hard to believe it would sell worse than the force burner snowspeeder f.e.

I like the idea, but it kinda works better when you replace it with the smartbrick: “I doubt anyone here is unaware of the difficulties we've had making Lego Star wars playsets a reality. Now I hear the rumours, I know the stories - setbacks, delays, grovelling for designer funding. I met with Christiansen yesterday. He suggested I remind you that the smartbrick remains the centrepiece of his agenda. Access to stable unlimited play will transform the LSW theme and solidify Imperial authority.”

I second that. Skeleton crew is a great, fun adventure. If this was released after the force awakens, it would have been a huge hit and Onyx Cinders would have flew off the shelves. Unfortunately being set in the Star Wars universe has become more of handicap than an advantage. Andor is an absolute brilliant show, often named along things like breaking bad, GoT (S1-4), the wire, better call Saul... Yet it doesn't have the same hype despite the huge brand. I often daydream and wonder what might have been if the sequels were good, like really good. Just got the Holiday catalogues from local toy stores, besides the Lego pages, there is not a single page dedicated to Star Wars anymore. Harry Potter, whose last movie was almost 2 decades ago(2007), has significantly more presence in those catalogues. More doesn't equal better.

I'm thinking those two (Yoda's hut and the X-wing) might be in one and the same set. Pilot Luke will be in another set, like a snow speeder. 😇

My money is betting 75424 is a regular snow speeder, using the new canopy. Suspiciously same piece range 349 vs 347 Same age (7+) Same price (€49) Even the set number is only one digit different (75414) :D

Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of the prequel era, but I agree on the general appeal for toys from that era. Still, the same must somewhat go for OG stormtroopers: recognizable, featured in ton of media etc. And yet, Lego doesn't put out as much of readily available battlepack sets featuring stormies... (That zombie abomination from Ahsoka, doesn't, doesn't count.)

It probably doesn't have a smart brick. Only the large/expensive sets will, other sets will have other ways to interact with the smartbrick-system, I think. Rumors still say the entire wave could be retailer exclusive, I really hope those rumors are wrong. Retailer exclusive means no discounts.

I absolutely loved Andor. And I'm very much rooting for a set of that TIE, simply because it's a no-brainer that has a wide enough appeal, audience-wise. But honestly that entire opening scene seemed like something demanded by the higher-ups in order to appeal to a wider action-oriented audience. It's fine by all means, as you said, it's a prop to tell a larger thematic story. And it doesn't really break lore/Cannon imo: we don't know if the specifications are really better than the tie advanced in terms of flight characteristics, shields, power output etc. All those things matter. So yeah, where is our Tie avenger, Lego? 😭

I agree. Luke's appearance made sense and was done reasonably well. But then there was the need to return all these other characters for some reason? Mando S1 was great because it expanded the universe. Andor also showed how you create good, new, stories, new characters all tying into the bigger picture, without having all the main characters of the era around. Not that you couldn't give us with Thrawn or others, but focus on the story, your main characters and do it a bit more sparingly, so you can do it justice. Speaking which, where are my Andor sets and figures? We deserve another Krennic and Mon Mothma at the very least. Don't get me started on B2-EMO, Bix, Maarva, Kino and our boy Brasso 😭

The problem is they do that with seemingly everything. Grogu goes with Luke? -> BOBF reverses that. Mando (seemingly) gets over his cultist ways -> nope, undone in S3 Razor crest destroyed? -> reversed in the movie Gideon captured in s2? Only to escape off screen (I think?) with barely any consequence? Owning the dark saber? Conveniently passed on. It's jarring, if such crucial events bear no consequences, why even watch imo? It hits even harder now, after we got an incredible show with Emmy-winning writing. I'm a bit excited we might finally get another stormtrooper battlepack and a Zeb minifigure. But other than that? This will probably be the first SW in my lifetime I won't go see in Cinema. Simply not worth my money, let alone my time away from home and my younglings.

Various sources say that there will be sets with the brick and separte expansion sets. Apparently when this was tested, it also was conceived this way, a bit like Mario. I wonder if the smart tiles are really smart or just contain a unique print? It could mean a huge difference in cost. I wouldn't see how you get a chip in a regular tile tbh. If the smaller sets are just regular sets, which fut in the smartbrick-system, without a ridiculous cost... That could be alright imo.

Yeah I agree, the set numbering seems to suggest that as well. If the other sets are far less heavy on the smartbrick-thing, they could turn out okay value wise? I hope so. While I'm sceptical about the smart gimmick thing, I do appreciate the clear focus on kids-oriented play and sets. Last January had 7 sets, of which 3 adult/display oriented. 8 playsets is good news imo, now let's hope the smartbrick doesn't hurt the value too much... For that matter, I really hope that the entire wave isn't exclusive to one retailer, that's usually bad news. Can't believe Lego would do that with an entire wave and a new feature like this, limiting the availability like that is setting it up for failure imo.

Nice job! I really like these alternative builds, the engines and wings in particular are great.

This, 100%. I could see them making 5 or so smaller sets, like the hangar, Luke vs Vader, trash compactor, the prison block and maybe a battle pack featuring a gun and a couple of stormies/gunners. You could make those so they combine in a grey circle, without costing too many additional pieces. It would be smaller for sure, but it would be accessible for kids and more adults, who both will feel inclined to complete the collection after getting one of those sets. Same goes for Hoth, however it's not like they spend the better half of a movie there, like they did on the death stars, so the appeal might be less big. Still... Most of us don't have a ion Cannon, GR75 or power generator, so plenty of potential there, especially with the new snow speeder canopy...

I think it's more the result of the dollar being weaker? Tariffs don't apply for Lego from Mexico (or Canada), as it resorts under the usmca exemption. Unless there are some minor parts in those specific sets who have to be shipped from elsewhere to the states? Can't wait for day 100. Also: clone/republic commando battle pack would sell like hot cakes, I think.

Nice work, really captures the sleek look of it, and the color choice is accurate imo. But isn't it too big to be minifigure scaled though?

Do the larger retailers not negotiate their prices with Lego directly? I know this happens for a lot of other stuff at least. It's not unthinkable that the high MSRP and the lack of sales without very large discounts will be a factor at such negotiations? That being said: you're right of course that the best way to deal with all of this is not buying at all, which is what I will do. With the exception of the U-wing, there is nothing of interest to me. They focus on either 18+ (dust) collectors stuff or overpriced clone wars playsets. While mostly neglecting possibly the best Star Wats content of this century. Good for my wallet, unfortunately.

Honestly, this is just proof they would better give us a true minifigure scaled (play-able) set, rather than an expensive slightly oversized UCS set... I know which one I would buy: it's not the one that comes in a 'fancy' black box.

Honestly these seem no-brainers to me. I don't get why they weren't made already all three were clearly featured in S1 or the promotion material for S2. They are either well established designs, with a little twist, or a fan favorite ship.

Nice build! Like the details (guns) and cockpit a lot.

Does anyone still have the files? Links went dead :(

Major Lio Partagaz? (The ESB leader from Andor) (I have scrolled through the last 5 pages, please don't shoot me if it was hidden somewhere in a comment already)

They speak of two large sets, 150 and 170.. sounds like the right price for a haulcraft and/or star destroyer. If they're doing S3 Mando stuff in june, additional Andor stuff shouldn't be too far behind it in terms of planning? Andor is rumoured to be released in August also.

For some reason they are not in Flanders / the Netherlands. But otherwise they are indeed available throughout most of Europe.

No one should ever be insulted over something as trivial as Lego Star Wars...