Flieger

Thank you! @ duboismerci, it is around 138 parts. It could be reduced a little, though, without losing much in appearance. Well, yes, it would have been nice, but it is not a deal breaker. But they could have printed the ridge of the Captain's helmet: http://threads.rebelscum.com/photogallery/data/500/medium/IMG_09854.JPG ... and arm printing, but that is really nit picking now.

Thanks for the review! I would like to read your opinions on the set. A little advice: your pictures are a bit too small. A width of 800 is pretty good to view on this forum, and perhaps better suited for review purposes.

Thanks a lot!

That really looks a lot better!

I finally took some pictures. I think the Mandalorian Speeder is a nice vehicle for the Senate Commandos when escorting a VIP. The cannon's basics are 100% unchanged. I started by removing the red parts, then added some parts here and there... and in the end, it looks more menacing (although I still need to work on the legs - I'd appreciate tips ):

This may be a stupid question... but does Lego ever announce the death of a line? I mean I love the Tolkien-stuff, it brought me back to Lego after all and I hope for more, but it is heartbreaking to wait for more sets that never come - while Lego teases us with CGI characters... So couldn't they just say it is over, instead of keeping me on the edge?

I did modify the cannon of the BP to good effect, I think. When the sun is so kind to actually shine a bit in my country, I'll post some pictures. It is amazing how well the cannon's mechanics work when you beef up the build. I consider the build of this BP a mere sceleton for us to improve. That is the beauty of Lego. We can do it rather easily. So do I! Although I do have some 501st troopers already, because they were available when I came out of my dark age. And I had to get them all. Don't get me started on the lack of Rebels's sets! I can understand why Lego does not do more TCW sets, but Rebels is currently running and deserves a better line-up. But that is probably off topic...

I don't think there is anything wrong with letting personal opinion affect the review. It is about your personal feelings after all. Even though there are a few objective criteria like price-to-parts ratio, in the end we decide with our hearts. I for one like the very idea of the Senate Commandos, their design (I am a classicist - guess what I like about it! ) and how Lego recreated them. So for me personally this set is very important, especially since the previous releases were before I rediscovered Lego. While it is perfectly understandable that people want, say, a 501st BP more than the Senate Commandos, we have to remember it is not a competition. It's not like Lego had to choose between a 501st and a SC BP... at least I don't think so. I really hope it is not, but I am afraid you are right. Perhaps between all the sequels, there will be a place for future TCW sets.

I agree with these sentiments entirely. I hope the microfighter line continues; it would be a great opportunity to introduce clone commanders (Cody, Fox, Wolffe etc.), non-droid Seperatists, or generally figures we may not get otherwise. The cute builds are a nice bonus, but I must admit I usally disassemble them quickly and reuse the parts...

Thanks for the review! Other than the stud-shooters I have not much to complain about. Even the cannon can be easily modified, I think. I will try this weekend. I think it is important to say that the printing is totally different compared to the old figures. Of course they both base on the same source, so they naturally look similar, but the take on this source material is notably different. I am not sure if it is really better except for the leg printing obviously. Recently I rewatched TCW, and I noticed how many Senate Commandos there were. Even in Season 6 they could be seen fairly prominently (considering they are background characters). I like the design so I am happy we got them. While the timing of the set is indeed a bit strange, there are a few Lego sets benefitting from them: Palpatine's Office first and foremost, but also the Coruscant Police Gunship and the Mandalorian Speeder with their Blue&Grey colour schemes. If Lego had released more PT playsets like Palpatine's Arrest, there'd be more sets for them... But hey, you can build them. The biggest problem is that we don't have Senators to protect! There is a youtube review calling it the worst of the worst BPs, arguing there'd be other sets more desired (like 501st clones). But this wave has been full of exotic choices: Shadow Troopers and Geonosis Troopers are both non-canon and I personally don't care for them, although I do understand that people like them for their looks. Actually, my choice for a "better" BP instead of the Senate Commandos would be the Senate Guard: 2x TPM/AotC-style and 2x RoTS-style... and perhaps even TCW-style.

Thank you, good idea! I hope I can get this pilot for a reasonable price somewhere... Agreed. Non-Droid Seperatists are quite rare, especially from TCW. I'd love to have a Neimoidian officer e.g.

How can I make a Vinis Valorum TCW-minifig? Is it even possible without custom parts? The torso is what worries me and I hope there is an Lego torso which at least resembles this tunic. http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140914220905/starwars/images/4/47/Valorum_Yoda_The_Lost_One.png

Thanks for the review! I like the swamp speeder of the Kashyyyk BP better, but I agree it is a fine little build.

Thanks a lot! I like picture reviews and since they are about to die (it seems) I am happy about every one we get. I am feeling a bit stupid that I wasted so much money on the polybag back then, but that is my fault alone. However what I could blame lego for is the choice of a Hailfire droid for a set of this size. Perhaps other buildable droids would have been better...

In that case, chances are naturally better for a remake (although I am left to wonder why Lego chose white in the first place...). The lack of a tank transport pilot is sad; he could have been in the Stormtrooper BP. Three Stormtroopers and one pilot would have been nice. This is yet another reason why I am unhappy that the Gozanti is the only Rebel's set in this wave. So many opportunities wasted.

I feel the same. We have been talking a lot about the minifigs, or what other vehicles could have been a better set, but there is another problem. I personally dislike capital ships in Lego-form. Even if the outer model is done well, they transform to playsets when opened up - and due to the limits imposed by the model the space and playfeatured are very much inferior when compared to real playsets (like Palpatine's Arrest or Final Duel). Starfighters, gunships, and most walkers work much better because they harmonize with the minifigs, whereas capital ships don't. You can put a pilot mimifig on a fighter and it usually looks good; if you put a crewmen on the ISD it looks surreal. The Assault Carrier suffers from that problem even more. I am not sure if that is going to happen. The official colour code used by the show said they are plain white (just like they said Kallus's uniform is black), and Lego slavishly adhered to the colour codes. Of course that was before the show aired and maybe Lego designers will go by what we see (subjectively), rather than what the codes say. http://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-rebels-costume-color-guide-for-imperials

Because it is only sensible to judge a set before you spend, say, 130€ on it. Thanks to pictures, videos, and reviews this is a perfectly valid practice. (I also look at the completed builds on display in the stores as soon as possible). I can positively say that the minifig selection, the looks, and the play features of the Assault Carrier do not appeal to me enough to buy it. It may not be a fair judgement, and I may change my mind. That is why I do not call it an ultimate judgement or a review.

The Rebels line-up itself is pretty good imo. The AT-DP and TIE proto are excellent sets, well sized with perfect minifig selection. The Ghost and Phantom are ok, albeit not well sized. The Stormtrooper BP was perfect except for the blasters... The speeder bikes are well executed within the Lego-limits of oversized speeder bikes. Etc. There are only two sets I really dislike: the Wookie Gunship and the Assault Carrier. But I have to be fair and say the Gunship is a nice set; it is just that it was in the show for about a few seconds. And the Assault Carrier... I really think it deserves all the flak it gets. Beside that astromech droid the only good minifig is a Sabine variation with helmet – and we should have had that helmet before. Kallus's hair is not really much of an attraction to me, and two extremely plain pilots plus an officer are easily called bad. Had this set come with a different minifig selection, I would be more inclined to buy it. Imperial crewmen were seen on that ship, why not two of them? Also what about the Imperial courier droid colouring of chopper? Even the design itself is less than inspiring. Where is the ramp so prominently featured when seeing the Gozanti in the show (when Kallus disembarks or when Sabines jumps on it)? Why would I want to drop micro-TIEs? They are not bombs to drop. My biggest disappointment with Rebels is the sets we do not get. The later Season 1 and soon (June 20) Season 2 offer so many characters and vehicles left undone until at least Winter 2015/16. Lego literally just provided sets for the first two episodes, stretched those out over a year (included the delayed release of the Assault Carrier), and then ignored the show altogether. Just getting a costly, early Season 1 set with either unattractive minifigs or minifig variations we should have had already, at a time when Season 2 premieres... no, that is not cool. Technically, Fulcrum's identity was a secret, even if an open secret. But there were plenty of other options: imperial crewmen, courier droids, a junior officer, perhaps even Valen Rudor with his distinctive red stripes (although he would have been better in the TIE set).

No problem.

I am afraid it is a little more complicated than that. Cody for example requires far more than just a visor (even if the current 212th Phase II helmets could mount it, which they cannot). The print of Cody's torso is very much different, because Cody sports a unique paintjob and rank insignia to set him apart: The helmet would best require a new mould, which then can be used for a number of Clone Commanders including Fox. Of course one can argue how important they are. Thorn may be rather obscure, but Fox and Wolffe certainly have much greater roles in TCW than, say, the 501st clone pilot who got a new mould. Especially when you consider the target audience of Lego, the children, it makes sense to have these named clones for they love them. Maybe their attention has shifted to SW:Rebels now, but back when TCW was running the kids could not get enough of them. Fox's paint is also very different from the usual shocktroopers, as is Wolffe's.

Sorry, I meant recent versions. Technically there is a Phase I Fox from 2008 e.g., that is true, but it does not help me for 2008 was still my dark age, nor does it help anyone who wants a Phase II Fox. Same goes for Phase II Wolffe and Cody. Yes, I would think clone commanders would sell very well...

I am not the biggest Clone fan, but I can easily understand their appeal. I also like the fact that they come in so many versions and colours. But I am wondering why Lego has neglected named Clones, especially clone commanders in Phase II gear recently. There are many good characters that could have been minifigs, like Cody, Fox, Thorn, Doom, Wolffe. It is not like Lego has been hesitant to create new moulds; just think of the Airborne Troopers (blink-and-you miss them RotS-only Clones) or the TCW Clone Pilot's helmet in the Z-95. So why not the more famous commanders? ...many of them could be done with the same helmet mould. Edit: I do know that we got a few recently. Especially Gree was really nice.

Due to the 20% discount at TRU, I finally got the set. I must say it is far better than I expected. When it was finished on my desk, it looked fabulous. It also holds a special meaning being one of the last TCW sets for a while. I can only second the review, it is well designed and the few design flaws it has can be solved easily. The storage area for example is extremely basic but can be retrofitted with all kinds of stuff. The good design features like the sliding cockpit windscreen are just big fun. And the transparent red reminds me so much of my first Lego sets, the Space Police I. http://vignette1.wik...95/6886_Box.jpg The only negative thing I have to mention is the minifig selection. I do understand why Lego chose the minifigs they chose, it makes sense with Ahsoka being the hunted and Anakin plus the Shock Troopers being on the ship. Still it somehow feels like Lego wasted the opportunity to give us Commander Fox.

Thank you very much! I immediately got to TRU and made good use of that discount. Not only is it better than the Lego Store's it is also for all sets. I got the exclusive Police Gunship for ca. 48€ rather than 60€ for example. I am a little sad that I missed Yularen, but since it is the ANH Yularen I can live with it. (The TCW Yularen would have been a must buy for me, though).

The flyer I got from Lego said so ("Gratis Admiral Yularen Minifigur für jeden Lego Star Wars Einkauf über 55€!"). However it also mentions "solange der Vorrat reicht". In any case, I'll just ask at the store whether or not I get him before I buy something.