TeddytheSpoon

I'd add the podrace to that list. I think the lack of two big distinct factions works against TPM - rather than Republic vs Separatists or Rebellion vs Empire, it's a rag-tag group of Gungans, Jedi (even then there's only two of them and they don't really take part in the battle at large) and Naboo security forces vs Trade Federation. As a TPM fanboy this is a shame. That said I finished my Tantive IV yesterday and was just thinking I'd love to see an updated Radiant VII in a similar style.

I think the main difference is Bricklink prices tend to vary over time, and of course with multiple stores the shipping can add a lot to BL orders, so it depends on the market situation. Whenever I need pieces from BL for a certain model I won't tend to buy the pieces if they come from more than 3 or 4 stores to avoid getting mugged by shipping, I should probably use the LEGO store more.

Nice work, the greebling is lovely. Looks great next to the M68 as well!

The simplest solution would probably be use mixel joints. Replace the grey 2x1 with bar with one of these, and put one of these on the end of the gun. That way you can flip it up and down and get a good range of motion, without doing a complete redesign of the interior. In other news, there is a Star Wars contest on LEGO Ideas to make Christmas versions of SW material. The prize haul is pretty lucrative as expected, with the Cantina and Sith mosaic in there along with some other stuff. The weird thing is that one of the other prizes is 75005 Rancor Pit, which was retired *checks notes* six years ago. Do LEGO just have a bunch of those lying around? It seems so odd that they would throw that in alongside a bunch of contemporary sets.

General Kenobi! Sorry, I couldn't resist. sounds great, it's a very impressive MOC.

It's all automated - it's not unheard of to have some missing pieces, though I can't say it's ever happened to me personally. If you get in touch with LEGO customer service they'll normally send you some replacement parts.

Finally picked up a 501st set (in stock in Leicester Square), as well as the Bantha and Skyhopper microfighters. I was going to part these out and use the figs but that bantha is just too cute.

Hm, quite possible. Do it in red then, I don't mind!

I agree, I'm not sure why it hasn't seen a re-release as it's an ideal candidate for a £20ish set. I guess it's not as recognisable or playable as other options, but still - I'd pick up a Cloud Car with Lobot, a Bespin Guard and maybe a Stormtrooper in a heartbeat.

They did this with the imp v-wing a while ago, but then I got annoyed I didn't have anywhere to put the body when swooshing.

Good shout! I couldn't think of any beasts from TFA other than the Rathtar, but that's a much a better idea. And as you said, anything Quadjumper related I'm all for.

I guess you'd have to call this Stonk Wars... But that just sounds like a film about warring meme factions. Sorry your thread has been hijacked a bit @Evilkirk... Or should that be EvilKonk?

I've seen a similar one pertaining to the helmets. My German isn't great but I can't see any more clues as to what they would be.

These are great, they remind me a bit of the drones in Silent Running.

Of course! How did I forget the Wampa?! Great shout. I did consider the Space Slug... I did wonder if they would make the whole thing or have it coming out of its hole.

An idea prompted by @Redroe - what other microfighter beasts could we see? So far we've had a Dewback and a Bantha, and we're getting a Tauntaun next year. Since they're double packs, I've tried to keep them to one named character and one 'generic' character. Some are more far-fetched than others... The obvious one is Boga vs Wheelbike. I'm not sure they'd put Grievous and Obi-Wan in a set this small (though stranger things have happened) so maybe swap him for a magnaguard or B2 battle droid. Kaadu vs MTT - Captain Tarpals or Jar-Jar and a pilot droid. This one would also be high on my 'want' list out of all of these. Bongo vs Gooberfish - Jar-Jar and... a B1 battle droid, I guess? To be honest I just want to see a gooberfish, and it could be a funny alternative to the above. Reek vs Acklay - two for the price of one! AotC Obi-Wan and a Geonosian. Obi could be swapped out for Anakin or Padmé. Zillobeast vs Gunship - probably zero chance of this one happening, but it was the first animal that came to mind when I thought of TCW. A Dug and a Clone pilot. Rancor vs Skiff/Sailbarge - the rancor trainer (I should know his name as I literally just read the Aftermath books...) and Lando in his Skiff disguise. Lots of brown pieces in this one. Rathtar vs Erevana - Guavian Death Gang member and TFA Han. Like the gooberfish, the idea of a Rathtar microfighter is quite funny to me. Fathier vs Canto Bight Police Speeder - Rose Tico and Canto Bight Policeman. Orbak vs Sith Star Destroyer - Jannah and a Sith Trooper. I thought I'd be scraping the bottom of the barrel with the sequel ones but I think this one especially would be pretty neat. EDIT thought of another one, from Rebels this time - Lothwolf vs TIE Defender. Ezra and a TIE pilot. Lothwolf could be swapped for the weird spacefaring whales but I thought a Lothwolf was a bit more memorable. As with the Zillobeast, chances slim to none.

Not a purchase per se, but discovered last year's advent calendar that had gone unopened for some reason. Which means I got to do something I've always wanted to do... Open all the doors at once! It's got a decent figure selection, but opening it all at once did make me realise just how much single-use plastic goes into these things, and this was the first year with cardboard trays IIRC. The move to paper bags cannot come soon enough. On a separate note - was this thread always unpinned?

As @Bardan_Jusik said, probably the Solo one, though why they would put that with the OT Falcon is anyone's guess (a Kessel Run Falcon would've made a nice change for the MFs). Since it looks like the figure has his open white shirt on it I assumed it wasn't Hoth Han, but then again these are supposed to be prelims, so who knows. Agreed on the MF beasties, it gives the line something really unique which it was crying out for. I need to pick up the Bantha one soon before it gets retired for good.

I doubt it, since these sets are February releases (we got these leaks three months early. Damn!) and the helmets are April releases, I think. It appears that the Han in the microfighter isn't Hoth Han after all, just brown jacket Han, which is a shame.

Exactly this. This feels like LEGO returning to their roots a bit, I'm all for it.

To be fair we haven't seen the figures yet, but valid points otherwise. I completely forgot about the Mandalorian set. Would the fact it isn't in these photos suggest it's from season 2 rather than season 1? Surely it would be in there otherwise...

I do find it quite funny how Luke's lightsabre just clips on to the side of the Tauntaun like some kind of jousting knight or something out of Robot Wars. It's genius, why didn't the Jedi just strap their lightsabres to the front of their speeders?

X-wing looks great, any missing details should be easy to fill in (namely the engine ports). TIE looks fine as well, shame about the ball joints but not major. The shuttle looks... odd. I think either the cockpit is too small, the body is too tall, or both. I have the latest version which is fantastic so I probably wasn't going to get this one anyway. It looks like there's an imperial pilot in the cockpit but it's hard to make out. Figure selection for the microfighters is nice - Hoth Han and Luke? Yes please! The Tauntaun's legs do look really short, even for the chibi-fied style. All in all these don't look too bad. The move to smaller sets seems to have worked, and I'll probably pick up the X-wing, TIE and microfighters. It's just a shame there aren't more sets. It certainly looks like Luke, but this must be pre-Wampa as I can't make out any bruises. Could be a double-sided head though?

I forgot to mention that actually - agreed, I'm no great fan of either Marvel or DC, but every exclusive does seem to centre around minifigs, which sucks for fans. I guess it's a bit trickier since the iconic things in superhero media tend to be... Well, the superheroes, which are best represented as minifigures. They should probably move to Brickheadz or busts.

Although this may have a tinge of European bias to it, I think TLG have made a decent effort with the SW SDCC exclusives this year. The only new exclusive parts are either stickers, or a figure that will soon be available with a magazine. Everything else can be made from personal collections or Bricklink, which is definitely the way to go. Obviously for those in Australasia and South America it sucks, but at least it shows TLG are willing to make the effort. My counter to the above point is that LEGO are a multi-billion dollar company (in revenue, not profit, lest we forget) precisely because they make smart decisions regarding the supply chain. With years worth of planning, it really isn't worth the colossal time and effort, and therefore money, to overhaul everything for a few extra thousand Bespin sets that wouldn't have been available elsewhere anyway.