Flieger

Having had the opportunity to review all the OT 2014 sets at the local Lego Store close up, I have to say I am not that impressed by the builds themselves. I expressed my concerns on the AT-AT in the review thread (lack of playfeatures mainly) and the Star Destroyer's inside is just too small with too many rooms which are too cramped - it would have been better of with just one big main bridge, that is what we see in the movies after all. Especially the bridge loses a lot of its appeal having been downscaled to badly. The only build I liked was the Cantina, it is amazing for such a relatively small set. Clever designed, really. However, the redeeming features of all sets are the minifigs. The ISD is worth the minifigs alone, especially since you can redesign the inside. It is Lego, redesigning it yourself is its very purpose. The new imperial officer and enlisted man are just great, finally sporting their cap. I could go on forever, but let's just say the minifigs of all the new sets, except perhaps the Snowspeeder, are the real stars of this wave. They demonstrate Lego is always trying to improve them. Granted they screwed up with Luke (although it is not that bad when seeing him for real), but the others are flawless. Finally a Weers I can recognize as such, to name just one example. I am tempted to buy either the ISD or the AT-AT because of my childhood memories and these figs, even though I am a PT collector...

Hey Mitch, I share your sentiment on the Republic Commandos, but please don't forget they are a TCW clone variant. The fact that they showed up in TCW are actually the only hope that we will ever see them in Lego form after all that has happened to the EU. ....and Karen Traviss relationship to the franchise for that matter. You are also right to doubt that the Geonosis pack will be RC. Why would Lego call it Geonosis troopers if it is Delta Squad? Makes little sense imho. Thinking about the name, Geonosis troopers: remember the Death Star troopers! They were actually gunners and guards who happened to be featured on the Death Star. With that in mind, and Lego's policy to fill the recent BPs with 2x2 minifigs, I think we will see two white generic clones from AotC without rank insignia. The other two are the big question. I hope for Geonosians, but then all the 2014 BPs had minifigs from the same side. Maybe two pilots? (could use them for the AT-TE as well?). Also, will the clones feature leg printing unlike their 2013 versions (if it is AotC)? Questions... lots of questions... I can't wait for more news on that set.

No problem! Thanks all for the mo(u)ld explanation. To get back to the GFFA... I wonder about the micro Homing Spider Droid. I mean there is a small version of that, the Dwarf Spider Droid. Why not just take this one? Anyway I hope the seperatist sets include non-droid minifigs. The main selling point of the microfighters, at least for me, is the minifig. Sure, the build can be nice and sometimes you get interesting parts as well, but that alone is not enough for me. I want that minifig, and I surely don't want a battle droid (except the Magna Guards). Here is my minifig wish-list for the microfighters: - Vulture Droid: Neimodian (will likely be a droid) - AT-AT: imperial officer in armour (will likely be a pilot, which makes sense anyway) - Republic Gunship: Phase I pilot (needed to complete the big Gunship) - Homing Spider Droid: Geonosian (will likely be a droid; but the HSD has been first seen on Geonosis and Poggle is pretty lonesome...)

I am sad about it too, especially since the Turbo has shown up in TCW as well. I guess Lego was done in terms of Kashyyyk minifigs and you cannot deny the AT-AT will not only appeal to kids but also the (grand-)parents who actually pay for them. The Turbo just does not have the same attraction. It is a bit ironic since the AT-AP was never even seen once in a close-up, nor does it appear in TCW. All the same, I am quite sure we will see another Turbo Tank sooner or later. The microfighters line proves Lego has not forgotten them. Maybe combined with a small AT-RT and the Kashyyyk camouflaged driver...

Indeed. Just think about the TCW Clone Pilot. I doubt we will ever see this mould again, unless perhaps in the new LAAT microfighter (although I doubt it and think it will be the AotC Pilot otherwise missing; only one in the big LAAT when you you need two). Also the Kashyyyk trooper of my avatar may remain the only use of that helmet mould... But: I suspect new moulds will either be for current media (Rebels and ST) or classics (OT, PT - yes, PT is a classic in that sense...). I am afraid CW is pretty much dead in Lego terms, and the EU has never been a Lego favourite. The better elements of the EU have been incorporated into various SW media anyway, I am just waiting for Thrawn to be tied in. Perhaps Rebels will do me that favour. He would not even need a new mould. PS: is it mould or mold? My dictionary says it is "mould" but I read mold all the time... Is that American English?

The problem is not the flametrooper's visor, it is that of the snowtrooper because it is physically modelled, not just printed on. Sure, you could print on a T-Visor, but the goggle-like visor of the snowtrooper - which has no place in a flametrooper helmet - would still be present as part of the mould. A T-Visor printed on that? I don't think so. (that is without going into other differences like the breathing filters of the flametroopers which are naturally not part of this mould, etc.)

I am afraid that would not work, the flametroopers look quite different. But the RotS marines (Republican cold weather gear) could use the new snowtrooper mould. I would very much like to finally have them. I wonder what keeps Lego from doing them... I hope for Spec Ops Clone Troopers as well. This would be nice: I actually think a Spec Ops trooper is more likely than a flame trooper, as a flamethrower may be a too gruesome weapon. Note: it is just "more likely". I don't think any of those will be released, I am still quite sure it is the AotC clones. Neither the gunners nor the guards are minifigs you need in great numbers. And the Red/Royal Guards have quite some uses having appeared in three episodes (2,3,6) and in very different locations. So I don't think the set is imbalanced, as it would have been with actual Death Star Troopers/Imperial Navy Troopers, who can be seen in greater numbers in all of the OT movies.

I can only speak for me, but I have soft spot for the Black Falcons because they were my very first Lego sets back when I was a kid loving knights and history. The Lego castle line was my dream toy, followed by the pirates. So I have a massive nostalgia about them. There is also the reason that the Falcons and the Crusaders/Lions did not come across as good vs evil, although Lego probably intended for the Falcons to be bad and the Lions definetely became the good guys later on. But back then, I did not care. They were just two factions. I liked that. And btw, in my kid's world the Lions and Falcons were not even enemies, just different noble families with their retinue.

Gamling and Hama would be nice to have indeed, however not really crucial compared to Eowyn or the adversaries, especially the Haradrim. The slaying of the Black Serpent was my personal highlight of RotK. Although the movie did not directly show it, the battle between the southrons and the Rohirrim is still nice. Most of the scenes I would like to have (Helm's Deep, Rohan vs Harad, death of the Witch King) work without Gamling and Hama, although they would work better with them of course. But they don't work at all without the Witch King or the Haradrim or the elves for the movie version of the Battle of HD.

What else would it be, if not based on AotC or CW? I don't think a Republic Commando set is likely, they probably would have called it accordingly if it were about them. I also don't think it is for Rebels, as they would have listed it with the other Rebels' sets, wouldn't they? Phase I movie clones are the best bet imho. We lack a real battlepack, which is a shame since high priced sets come with officers only. However I would not mind being wrong in this case. CW had some very cool troopers on Geonosis!

Well the old helmet mould was ok for the Imperial scout trooper. But for the clone Kashyyyk trooper it is totally inadequate. These are two different helmets. They share the basic design features, as to be recognizable as related to one another, but they are different. Hence a new helmet was needed and welcome from my part. Yes, the visor printing is a bit off, I did say that already. (Although it should be noted that many visors nowadays are too high, not only those of SW minifigs; it is even a design feature of Batman. Of course, Lego helmets have never been terribly realistic, when it comes to size). Other than that it is about as close as it gets. Onto the main point, the details. While I do understand that some people dislike the model for aesthetic reasons, even though it is screen accurate (and I need to stress that again!), I cannot understand how anyone could prefer the old less detailed printing. Neither the colour nor the "pattern" resembles anything on screen: I personally would not even call that a pattern, much less an accurate one. There is so much wrong, and it is not just the colour. It is a result of the inferior printing technique applied; just six splotches to make a pattern. I am absolutely fine if you like the old one, it is just that I for one fail to see anything good about it. It is a repainted Imperial scout trooper - one badly repainted.

Not many surprises on my list: 1) Witch King 2) Eowyn x2 (armour and dress) 3) Haradrim soldiers 4) Haradrim leader 5) armoured Elves (Helm's Deep) 6) Rohan armoured Merry 7) armoured Dwarves I am a Rohan fan, so I need these figures to complete the Rohan scenes, except the Dwarves - I just think they are cool.

I have to disagree on that one. It is one thing to say the helmet mold is ugly, but it is another to say it is bad. The new Kashyyyk trooper is far more screen accurare, including the helmet model, than the old one. Just take a look: The old one does not even remotely capture the look of this. Wrong model, wrong printing in terms of camo pattern and colours. The new one has its weakness in the too small visor print, but it still is indefinetely better than the old version - which is in no small part a result of the advanced printing techniques.

That is why I got Palpatine's arrest! And it also seems to have sold badly, didn't it? Anyway I could think of easily selling playsets for the PT, like the Duel between Yoda and Palpatine: two very popular minifigs and a small platform (similar to the Wizard Battle of LotR; only that the platform is not a part but complete!). Instand buy for so many people, I am sure. I am a fan of camouflaged Star Wars characters and Lego's printing is finally up to the level as to represent them well, but... CW is dead, it was not just cancelled; it was murdered by Disney. I really don't think we will see another CW set, at least not any time soon. It would be very odd timing to release a CW set now, much less a season 2 set. If anything Yoda's season 6 mini-starfighter would be my first guess, as it perfectly fits Lego's sizing.

You are right I guess. Completeness and swooshability (if that is a word...) are important, and I am no exception in that. I like having a complete vehicle on my desk that I can (ab)use to toy around a little when I am bored... Sceneries can never be complete and integrating play features is also a pain - just think about Palpatine's Arrest.

Question is: when is detail "too much" and when is it necessary? Take my avatar for example. Is there anyone who would prefer the old print? I think the screen Kashyyyk trooper is indefinitely better represented by the 2014 version just thanks to the detailed camo print, even if the they had not updated the helmet mold to be more accurate.

I guess many of the more serious Star Wars fan my age know that, perhaps even the majority. The Skyhopper always had a strangely large fan base and there have been many toys of the ship although it was never seen flying until the special edition... It is still a rather odd choice and maybe aimed at afols, for the younger kids - grown up with the PT and CW - probably could not care less about the Skyhopper. Due to my age I am entirely sympathic to the OT sets, and even I care little. If anything I'd take this as a sign that Lego prefers vehicle sets over scenery sets like the Cantina. I mean we are lacking a lot of sceneries, both OT and PT (or at least have not seen remakes in many years), but missing vehicles? Now even the Skyhopper is remade, a mere toy/seen once briefly flying vehicle. I don't want to sound bitter about it though, as I know vehicles are easier to make and perhaps sell better.

Thanks for the tips! I would like to have avoided licensed sets, but let's see. PS: I saw the holiday special on youtube a while ago...

While Bail may not be featured prominently in the first episodes, I hope that he is still there: I want to see what is going on in the senate, how it deals with becoming obsolete and irrelevant. I want to see how Palpatine tightens his grip. I know the show won't deal with big politics in the first place but I hope to see some glimpses - and Bail could be the perfect opportunity for such a perspective. I can imagine him helping the crew from time to time. From what I have seen so far, Rebels is more Disney than SW and I have very little hope for it atm. But if it produces some nice minifigs, I am ok with it.

The only bad thing I could say about the new system B-Wing is that the wings are too thin, but at that price/piece count some compromises have to be made. It still looks nice on display and the minifigs are great. The Grey Squadron pilot is the best pilot minifig imho (but that is because I have a soft spot for the design). A word on displays: I think that a Lego display should feature minifigs. It is Lego after all, not Revell. Hence the quality of the minifigs is an important point to me and the recent waves have loads of quality minifigs. A question: What are the best buys to build a Kashyyyk scenario? Nothing fancy, I am just thinking about the platform Yoda was on when Order 66 was issued and Gree tried to kill him.

The AT-AP and the Kashyyyk troopers - a perfect match and the walker looks amazing. I was initially torn between AT-TE and -AP, but the forum recommended the -AP. ... and what can I say, it is a great. Thanks!

Lego sadly has the tradition of filling CIS sets with important Republic characters like Chewie in the Droid Gunship or Palpatine in the Tri-Fighter. And with Boss Nass in the recent Lego mini movie... For me, any seperatist set with with a seperatist character other than a droid is a must-buy. The "problem" with the council is that the characters would sell badly, I think, at least when it comes to the target audience of Lego. All of these would make sense and would be nice, except perhaps for Sidious. There is a new Sidious minifig coming next week, albeit one with the post-scarring look. But for me, that is good enough. (You can change the faces easily enough anyway with the twoPalpatine heads from the Arrest and the Tri-Fighter).

Boss Nass was in the recent Lego mini movie, so there is a chance... I personally would prefer Padme or Sabe in their dresses of the last battle in TPM, because we lack females; or a new Neimodian, because we lack non-droid seperatists.

I think especially General Veers looks perfect and so much better than older versions! I have to agree though that Luke looks older due to the added lines, but that is more of a problem specifically for younger characters - and female characters. Grown-up men are well represented. Lego is taking the right direction, it just needs to finetune the face printing. The torso and leg printing is so superior nowadays that I cannot even stand looking at the old figures.

You also have to remember Lego is a European company. The ACW is not much of a big deal here, and certainly it does not fuel much controversy. Even the Confederate battle flag is more associated with bikers and country music than with political issues. Of course you could make a political controversy out of it, especially since there are people whose only job is to be offended and sue somebody for it. (Remember the Vienna representatives of the Turkish immigrant community complaining about Lego Star Wars's Jabba? This kind of low life.). But as others have said, you can create such issues on the basis of many Lego sets and figures; I mean there is even a Conquistador iirc. I don't think the ethnic ambiguity of a Confederate army is a problem for Lego. They are just the baddies and that's it. Btw., like Cyberbricker I had my share of Confederate Playmobil soldiers and I liked the gray suits and the flag, even though I knew they were the bad guys. (A bit like the Stormtroopers, I knew they were evil but they were cool).