Navy Trooper Fenson

Because most of my sets are from Star Wars and Indiana Jones, I like to take Flick-Fire missiles or other senseless lasers away or swap some pieces from the model that are unnecessary or could be used otherwhere much better. Like the new AAT. I took a Flick-Fire missile and shortened it. The little speeder was taken apart and one half of the parts was used to make a wall for the back of the model. Inside is every grey brick, that is not visible swapped with a coloured brick or just taken away. From the dish at the front were the 4x4 round dish in light bley and the black 2x2 round plate taken away, because they tended to fall of and it looks much better. The dish falls of when I open the cockpit, but without anything in it, it is not necessary to open it. It is a real plague with my modding. I only own 6 models that I didn´t mod (GGs starfighter, Magna Guard Starfighter, 2x Clone Scout walkers, Droid Gunship, Echo Base (2009) and the spider walker) and that only because I rebuild the AT-RTs, the HMP and GG fighter were EXCELLENT and I didn´t had any time to mod the other sets.

New topic: Much collectors that I know want to have more real UCS sets. Big models with much detailing, instead of just big minifig-sets like the LAAT/C and AT-OT or statues like Grievous. For the anniversary of TESB they maybe could make a real UCS AT-AT with detailing and maybe one meter big. That would be the first UCS set that I would buy.

In the TRU description, they said that it would be Palpis office with Palpatine and the four Jedi and not only Kit and Mace. But I think that this will stay a dream because I can´t imagine a working picture for the box (also the Home One set doesn´t look good on its box...).

A nice german parlance: Stay lithe... The set looks decent, but it really has nothing that attracts me. I don´t like starships, I don´t need yellow, I don´t need a fourth TCW Anakin or Ahsoka and the R2 will appear in another set in the future. The only interesting point are the dome pieces for Ahsokas cockpit. Seems they improved the "solar cell" domes from the past. I would have liked individual pilots like Broadside, but LEGO seems to don´t want to produce Phase 2 pilot helmets. I really don´t get it: They made a new mold for the Hoth rebel glasses, which was more than unnecessary and they still refuse to make accurate helmets from figures we see quite often in SW.

Did LEGO ever reveal anything new on a Comic-Con? I only remember real gold 3POs and silver 3PO raffle and Millenium Falcon first production run raffle. I guess they will release Cloud City when TESB has its 30th anniversary, next year.

My feelings says it´s the Tantive IV (playset or normal UCS) and we get our Cloud City remake in september 2010 or as 100 bucks + set in the regular summer wave. I can already imagine the box art. One or two Cloud City rooms in the bottom right corner with big walls and a door, in the upper left corner a big landing platform and a Cloud car speeding towards the viewer. God, this has to be a set!

No, the four weeling pursuit is still missing. I really wonder where the Fezes are or when the sets start comming up. The german shopping site where they had hi-res pics of Getaway, Airial defense and Pursuit says that they are getting these three sets on first June. When they are getting the robot or River Heist is unknown. WHYYYYYYYYYY??? Off-Topic: What summer sets are already available in UK? My sister goes to London for a few days and maybe she has a bit room for new LEGO.^^

I don´t really know how to explain, so I scanned a few pictures from the instructions.

The Endor bunker gives me the hope for another playset. Maybe a 7754-style Executor bridge or Cloud City playset. Maybe even a Geonosis arena.

Ooops! I didn´t swapped the rating numbers with the original. The original rating is: Design: 7/10 Build: 8/10 Playability: 9/10 Minifigures: 8/10 Price: 10/10 Overall: 42/50 or 8,4/10 Unfortunately, I sold my two 7258 tank droids to afford the money for the two new ones. If you want to be correct it´s 56 chain pieces (and a 57th as left over).

Name: 7748 Corporate Alliance Tank Droid Theme: Star Wars Subtheme: The Clone Wars Year: 2009 Pieces: 216 Minifigs: 4 (two Battledroids) Price: 26.99Euro, 24.99US Dollars, 29.99 Canada Dollars Resources: Brickset, Brickshelf, Peeron For my third Academy review I chose another new Star Wars set of the new TCW line which seems to be very popular. The Corporate Alliance droid shows that the Confederacy knows what tanks they need, or should they spend more money on AATs? Let s find out! BOX The box shows the NR-N99 Persuader-class tank droid driving on a street in the crystal city of Christophsis with two of his bst friends, while two Jet Troopers of the republic are trying to stop him. The back shows us a friendlier scene, where the droids and clones just stand there without fighting, while red squares show us the few functions of the set. Something that I found strange is that the box of the tank droid with 216 pieces is thinner than the one from 7749 Echo Base with only 155 pieces. INSTRUCTIONS The instruction booklet is the same size as from the 7670 Hailfire Droid and 8016 Hyena Bomber. Random instruction page showing a tiny hand using the CC (Clone Catapult) FIGURES / WEAPONS The set includes four figures: Two republic Clone Jet Troopers and two generic Battledroids. Weapons are only four normal blasters and two jetpacks. The jetpack is one of the best accessories in any Star Wars sets this year. With a little hope we might get a new Boba and/or Jango Fett with separate helmet and jetpack. It can be put on every standard figure. Here a modded Captain Rex and Clone trooper with pirate epaulet. BUILDINGS Clone Catapult The CC is one of the most ridiculoust things I ever saw in a LEGO set. It s just seven pieces, but they could have put something better than that stupid pieces. Like backpacks for the BDs or some transparent pieces as stand for the Clones. The catapult doesn�t really work. The clones get into the air but they only do a somersault and land on their face. NR-N99 Persuader-class tank droid The feature of the set is the infamous NR-N99 tank droid. The tank droid was first deployed by the Corporate Alliance, which used it against worlds that weren�t pleased with their buisness. When the Alliance allied with the Confederacy, they were also used against the republic clone army on several worlds including Geonosis, Christophsis and Kashyyyk. The tank appeared in both, the movies and the Clone Wars TV series but the design differs between the show and the movies. The tank seems to be more like in The Clone Wars, but I am more a fan of the design from Revenge of the Sith because it looks more like a Confederacy vehicle in the movie, with its more blue looking colors. TCW tank droid and ROTS tank droid. The little feet are napless. The droids have to cling to the lasers if you want to rebuild the battle of Kashyyyk from Revenge of the Sith. Many people like to cover their MOCs with tiles like this, but I prefer studs, especially when the studs could have helped the playability. You can also adjust the feet for cragged ground. This reminds me strong on the cut scene from Attack of the Clones, where the tank droids rode about a small hill. The lasers (one per side is flick-fire). They look fine and the flick-fire has a point of being there, quite contrary to sets like 8014 Clone Walker BP or some Space Police sets, where they just seem to be shown to the "Function-Editor" who was to lazy and only stack them there for adding more play-ability and destroying the realistic design. The eyes have an ingenious building technique. They are 1x2 SNOT bricks. The eyes and antennas are attached with minifig neck pieces and the whole eye is hold up with droid arms. Like The Penguin raved for the technic in the Star Wars 09 Discussion topic, I also prefer this eyes much more over the poles with satellite dish which seemed very cartoony and tended to fall of every time you only viewed them. The chain is flabby and seem to long for the small chassis, but if you make the chain smaller, the chassis gets compressed. This may helps the ability of the chains to better roll on the ground, than the last tank droid did, but it makes the set look less well designed. Flabby: Compressed: The big dishes are printed. I don t know if it s me, but the tubes look out of place and unnecessary. Extra parts: YEJ! Another grey droid arm for my MOC Droidekas! COMPLETE SET Sarge: Okay, I am standing here and you jump when I count to three. One, two... Clone: Sir? *pointing to the jetpack* The Final Verdict Design: 7/10 I don�t like the TCW version as much as the ROTS version, but I think they could have made the back a little more detailed. Build: 8/10 The build was very quick and had a noteworthy amount of technic. Luckily not as much technic than in the Twilight. Sticking together the chain was also very boring, but you may reckon that. Playability: 9/10 A nice tank that rolls on every ground and a few figures are fair, but you can play better with a few other sets. Minifigures: 8/10 The set doesn�t offer any special thing figure-wise except for the jetpacks, which I can see comming in other future sets. The clones could have used another printing with blue stripes, like in the show instead of being just plain-white. I already have around 30 white clones and I think that this is enough. Price: 10/10 The european price is ordinary but it seems unusual for the US where prices were always like X9.99. This seems a little bit to much in a too short time, to me. In Europe the prices were only adjusted with one buck each year, but with one hit 5 bucks? Oh no, I am going to much into price ranting... Overall: 42/50 or 8,4/10 I recommend this set to diorama builders only. Confederacy fans maybe have enough NR-N99s from 7258 Wookie Attack and minifig collectors can wait until we know what is coming next spring. I have a feeling that the jetpack will return in a few other sets.

Yes, no stickers in sight! After a few hours it happened only to one of them, and I solved the problem with swapping the brickbuild backpacks with standard backpacks from my numerous Soldiers Arsenal Impulses. The poles on the bikes are different pieces. Gunship: http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/4095 Endor: http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/63965

You are right but they also could have build the ship with basics and without connection. It only connects the front with the hull pieces with the passenger room. When I am thinking of it, it seems that the ship could have been more stable with the normal bricks...

The Toys´r ´us stores in Germany and Galeria Kaufhof have the sets already on the shelves. Only missing the three exclusives Home One, Pirate tank and the Falcon.

AT-ST: We are now finished with the first two bags, so we start our next two with the AT-ST walker Version 3.0 (5.0 if you count UCS and mini versions). The legs aren t really well designed. They strong remind me of chickenlegs. Even in futuristic worlds we still need hammers.^^ The tan wheel can be used to let the walker "walk". The mechanism behind this technic The walking function isn t very easy to describe, so I just link to a video from Toy Fair 2009 that shows it "walking". The cockpit: All three cannons: The hatch: The hatch is our well-known trap door piece, but the plate can be completly lifted up, too. The trapdoor will not stay open due to the way the At-ST leans forward in the standing position. Inside the cockpit is only one seat. Chewbacca inside the ST. Back of the cockpit. Another view of the tan wheel. Imperial Shieldbunker: Unfortunately we are near the end of this review with our last building: The Endor shieldbunker. The Bunker is built on a 32 x 24 base. The corners have the ability to blast their darkgrey wallsections out to create the destruction of the bunker. The walls of the bunker are normal plates with 1x4 tiles. They are only inserted in the walls and can fall out of the place if you transport it from one room into another. The closed doors: Like I mentioned in my review of 8036 Separatists Shuttle, the doors can t be closed synchronally, they only open separatly. Open: Inside the bunker. Look at the doors. It won t be easy but it can be possible to mod the doors with the function from 8036. The walls have clips for four objects. In the instructions you put two rifles and two blasters there but it can hold shovels, brooms, lightsabers and several other things, too. It will be difficult to throw Ben Burtt down there. The bunker can be opened for more room to play. The bunker locks in place with 1x1 bricks with clips and black telescopes in the walls. The electric thingies that create the Death Star shield Computers for the Navy trooper. Oh noes! My friend gets caught by the rebels! Extra parts. Complete set: The Final Verdict Design: 8/10 The set is nicely designed with many details. My only problems are with the Speederbikes which were better in the 7676 Gunship and with the AT-ST legs. Also the bunker could have been better with a normal brick wall and a sticker of the death star or Han in AT-ST driver uniform. Build: 9/10 The build was straight-forward but includes a few technic parts. Numbered bags in a Star Wars set are also a welcomed addition. Playability: 9/10 The walking function of the ST is more than useless and I really miss imperial reinforcements. 5 rebels and three heroes with a walker, catapult and flyer against three imperials with two bikes? The battle is as good as lost without some 7667 Dropships. Minifigures: 9/10 I know, it s impossible to include every figure we need for this battle in one set, but I really miss them. Imperial officers, C-3PO, another Navy, maybe some Stormtroopers (but that can be forgiven if we get new imperial BPs in 2010). Price: 9/10 Again it seems overpriced for most of the people, but I think that every set with a Navy trooper deserves 100 Euros.^^ Overall: 44/50 or 8,8/10 I recommend this set to every army builder, minifigure collector, diorama builder and fans of the rebel alliance.

Name: 8038 The Battle of Endor Theme: Star Wars Subtheme: 10th Anniversary Year: 2009 Pieces: 890 Minifigs: 12 (including one Astromech) Price: 99,99 Euro, 99,99 US Dollars Resources: Brickset My second 2009 summer wave set is, of course, the epic battle of Endor, the climax of the whole Star Wars saga and one of the best battles ever made. BOX: The boxart shows us a forest with explosions and blasterfire. The bunker stands in the middle while Chewie watchs from his AT-ST over the scene, an Ewok flies over the bunker, a magic catapult fires itself and a Scout chases Wicket W. Warrick. The back of the box shows the various play features. INSTRUCTIONS: The set has two instruction books. The first book shows how to build the figures, glider, catapult, bikes, AT-ST and one part of the bunker, while the second book shows the other part of the bunker build and the partslist. The set consists of eight numbered bags and one extra bag with Ewok glider wings. The build is divided into three parts: Bag one (two bags) = Minifigures, 2x Speederbike, Ewok Glider, Catapult Bag two (two bags) = AT-ST Bag three (four bags) = Endor bunker Didn t know that Wicket is the tribe leader now. The last few pages of the second instruction book show again the functions and all 12 figures. FIGURES / WEAPONS: Our 12 figures are 4 "heroes", three imperials, two rebels and three Ewoks. Princess Leia has a new hairpiece that comes also with the new Castle queen. Her pants are sandblue. It seemed sandred in the LEGO videogame and movie. Her torso has a front- and backprint The hairpiece from above. The camera didn t want to get it in focus. Our new rebel pals have nice, new vests and helmets. The bearded rebel is new, the one without facial hair is a recycled Starkiller from 7672 Rogue Shadow. I knew he survived the game!^^ Backprints are normally covered with dark green teeth plates. A comparison of the old and new Scout trooper, the old one on the left and new on the right. The printing is updated with the new grey colours and instead of the yellow head with glasses we get all black heads. Wicket and Paploo have all new headparts and printings. The hoods are dark orange and tan printings with details like feathers and fissures. Chief Chirpa has the same headpart, but in grey and with a teeth at his hood. Old and new Ewoks JOINED! Our Navy trooper comes with an extra black circle at his belt. The set consists of many weapons. For the Ewoks we have got one spear, arrow with bow and one shaman staff. For the Imperials and rebels we have three rifles and five normal blasters. At the Speederbikes were two extra megaphones. Like in the old times... *remembering* BUILDINGS: Ewok Catapult: The first building of the set is the Ewok catapult. It can be fired through tapping at the grey part in front of the building. It has two Spear/Arrow holders and fires round 2x2 bricks. Four are included. Ewok Glider: The next building is the infamous Ewok glider that was showed in the Return of the jedi for only a few seconds and prooved its uselessness It can drop 1x1 round bricks and has three in this set. The wings can be folded like you wish (with the wave in front or back). The glider is holded in the air with this stand. You see the other two 1x1 bricks are placed in the air. The controlling Ewok stands on the black plate. The base is an old Scala piece and can stand on studs just this way around. This piece strong reminds me on the bucket from the 10 Dollar/Euro Fantasy Castle catapult. Speederbikes: Next in the line are two Speederbikes. They are very similiar to the one we saw in 7676 Republic Gunship. Back = 7676 Gunship Speederbike Front = 8038 Endor Speederbike The poles are different pieces. Different plates. Different back. End of part one, next part when somebody replies to this topic, because I made too many pictures as allowed in one post.

Do not despair, Citizen!^^ My reviews of The Battle of Endor, Alliance Tank Droid and Echo base are coming up in the next few days. Sorry that I didn t graduate the Acadamy earlier, but I am a lazy person when it is about photos.^^

Name: Separatists Shuttle Set: 8038 Theme: Star Wars Subtheme: The Clone Wars Year: 2009 Pieces: 259 Minifigs: 2 (and three Battledroids) Price: 36.99 Euro, 29.99 USD, 39.99 Canada Dollar Resources: Brickset The new Star Wars summer wave has hit Germany and when I heard from the first sight of sets at TRU I ran several miles to the next TRU in Cologne and to my surprise, I wasn t fooled. The whole summer batch is there, except the three exclusive sets 7753, 7754 and 7778. I "only" took one tank droid, Echo Base, neimodian shuttle and Endor playset and disrupt my marathon-build after the first part of Endor playset for doing this review. Here is the european box. It is as big as 8017 Vaders TIE and has the exact same piececount. Poorly the ship alone seems to unexciting, so LEGO had to fill the boxart with function pictures to make it more attractive. The back has another view to the functions. The instruction booklet is as big as the one from 7681 Spider Walker. Sorry, in my haste to enjoy and review this set, I didn't take any pictures of the sealed bags. The stickersheet: To the figures! We got 2 "normal" figures and 3 reinforcements for our trade army. Nute Gunray isn t the happiest guy in this set, but I feel happy for him finally being made. It took ten years for our grey friend to be made and he is one of the mayor baddies in the new Star Wars movies! Gunrays Back I don t know if it s me, but this hat really looks like an egg chair. Also a long travel needed Senator Farr. His head is recycled from Greedo from the now astronomical overpriced Mos Eisley Cantina in wich it had different printing. The senator looks good, but I find his torso a little plain. Well, it didn t really had much to offer. Back of the head. And underneath. The droids don t really need much explanation, but it was strange that after the build two new arms and one old arm remained, when it s normally one new and one old arm. Maybe they just put the extra arm into for swapping, when the pilot is needed to fight. The shuttle without stickers: And with stickers: With retracted landing strut. Little and nice detail under the ship. The cockpit has the same eyes as the vulture droids. Under the big coverage piece are three blue eyes. When you open the coverage, the little antenna goes into the big wing. The cockpit has one standing room and no corellian leather like the 7678 Droid Gunship. Behind the pilots head is storage room (3x4x1 studs). Maybe for blasters and extra arms. The shell is very detailed The aft-wing. Now we come to the most interesting function: the synchronal doors. Lego have come up with an ingenious way to make both doors open at the same time. This is a great play feature that is an accurate adaption from the Clone Wars cartoon. What a shame that they couldn t build the same function in the 8038 Endor playset. Closed Open Inside the ship With Gunray Trying to put all three figures in the ship Gunray outside of the ship. At the ceiling are yellow lights. The mechanism All extra parts and arms The complete set The Final Verdict Design: 10/10: Excellent, couldn t have been better. Build: 9/10 Everything is fine and normal. Poorly no new parts except from Gunrays head. Playability: 7/10 Nice functions, but the shuttle hasn t as much action-scenes in the movies and the show than other ships like the Nu-Class shuttle or Jedi starfighters. Minifigures: 10/10 Great selection, maybe a new Jar Jar Binks could have been nice, but not necessary. Price: 7/10 For some people it seems that it s only worth 27Euros but the EXCELLENT figures make me satisfied. Overall: 43/50 or 8,5/10 I recommend this set to every minifig collector and army parade builder.

On imperiumdersteine.de is a member who reports that he saw Snail tank, Echo Base, Y-Wing, Endor and Venator in Toys´r´us Duisburg Mercator Center (Germany) and another member says that his TRU in Viernheim (Germany) has the Venator. It costs 139.99€. Pictures: 7748 Snail tank: http://www.imperiumdersteine.de/attachment...mp;d=1242757527 7749 Echo Base: http://www.imperiumdersteine.de/attachment...mp;d=1242757171 The Tauntaun looks a little like it had under sleep.

This set just came in time for my Dr. Horrible minifig. XD Really, this set is even better than the command center truck, who already was unbelievable detailed, but I find it a little uncreative to have 8 metering apparatuses instead of a few consoles like in Star Wars sets. Well, I´ve got enough spare tiles, so thsi won´t be a problem. Can´t await the release next month. Yes, it has the classic space fig on his torso, in different colors. The torso is available at PaB Online since April and I ordered it. Pretty retro. But not more retro than the robot.^^

A few barley bigger pictures from Superspielwaren.de. Car: http://www.superspielwaren.de/catalog/popu...ge.php?pID=7480 Breakdown van: http://www.superspielwaren.de/catalog/popu...ge.php?pID=7469 Camper: http://www.superspielwaren.de/catalog/popu...ge.php?pID=7470 Auto garage: http://www.superspielwaren.de/catalog/popu...ge.php?pID=7472 Loader with helicopter: http://www.superspielwaren.de/catalog/popu...ge.php?pID=7473 The Camper is definatley on my list. Great figures, a few basic bricks in white and a bike are really what I need.

From http://www.superspielwaren.de/ a few new set pictures. Poorly no new pictures of "Random huge Robot". Agents Jeep: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/NavyTroo...s-2009/8969.jpg Agents helicopter: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/NavyTroo...s-2009/8971.jpg

This sets look really interesting and exciting. Most of the aliens look very childish and power-rangers-villian-like, but some like the guy from Hyperspeed Pursuit strong reminds me on a german rapper, called Sido. The impulses and three smallest sets are must-haves for me. Maybe a few of the Hyperspeed Pursuit guys, too and I´ve got a few commanders for my battledroids or better fitting aliens for the Mos Eisley Cantina.

I guess that, if more people get Chrome Vaders and sell them on Bricklink, the prices will drop. They already are at 50$ each, after three days. I have a feeling that the employee missunderstand the Chrome Vader as another LEGO figure, because this response does gets everybody who wants to claim a LSW figure part (like a helmet).

In the first post of this page, in a cuote, stands: The german Wikipedia says that there are 58 stores in Germany, 13 in Austria and 5 in Switzerland. In the german forum, the users said that their stores had two to five boxes with Vaders (100 in every box). That means there are 15.200 to 38.000 Vaders alone for Germany/Austria/Sitzerland.