TeddytheSpoon

I'm a big fan of that AAT too! Is it doable in Trade Federation colours, do you know?

Ha! Love this. Even putting the fun part to one side for a moment, the design is really good. If you showed me this without the bricks on the pontoons, and told me it was a Legends TIE variant, I would have believed you. But what a fun concept.

The helmet alone is a work of art.

I don't think you can really compare a set like this to Rivendell. Sure, they have similar part counts, but one is a minifigure-scale, minifigure-centric scene, which is supported by a nice wide base. The other is a scale model, nowhere near minifigure-scale, that has to be able to float and support its own weight on stands that don't take away from the model. I'm not saying the Venator is immune from criticism, but comparing it to Rivendell feels a bit like apples and oranges to me. As for play features, that's sort of been discussed already; but for a set like this which first and foremost is a display piece, what play features would you like to have seen included? Not a jab - genuinely curious.

Hm, can't say I see the same thing anywhere. I guess reviews will be out in a few weeks so we'll see then, but I would be very surprised. Having now had a good look at the underside off the back of that, I kinda wish they'd broken up the surface a bit more with tiles or greebles. I'm all for studs on a LEGO model, and I get that the underside isn't as visible as the rest, but it looks quite unfinished.

Don't think so. There's a lifestyle video on S@H which shows it partially built, and you can see that at least the back half has Technic pins holding in the lower panel. The last LEGO set to use magnets structurally I believe was the 2002 ISD, and by all accounts it wasn't a great solution. On a related note, the same shot I mentioned is also great for a look at the internal structure - as expected it's a big ol' block of interlocked Technic bricks. Does Yularen have anything on his arms that would warrant arm printing? I thought it was just plain gray sleeves.

I'm all for a bit of pedantry! I stand corrected, I'm not so familiar with Tartakovksy's Clone Wars. Out of curiosity, were there any differences between the Venators in the 2003 show and those in TCW?

I'm a little torn on the bay doors thing. On the one hand, I'm surprised that the lack of a feature that didn't even exist until TCW showed it is a deal-breaker for so many. Especially when it would have likely been pretty complicated while retaining the structure of the ship, which presumably has a big Technic spine running down the middle. But then again this ship is very clearly from TCW, so if any Venator was going to have it, it should be this one. Other UCS sets have had moveable features implemented: the X-wing's S-foils open and close, so do the flaps on the Snowspeeder, the Gunship has opening doors and turrets that can be folded away inside. These are hardly play features, so I don't think it's unreasonable to have expected some form of hangar door here. For me it's not a deal-breaker; if I can ever justify spending that money, it's just going to sit there looking pretty anyway. But it could have sat there looking pretty with teeny-tiny gunships coming out the middle.

I'm having the same quandary. Between the gunship and the Ghost, both of which seem to be LEGO exclusives here in Finland, I was going to prioritise the gunship. But the gunship is 180eur as opposed to 140 most elsewhere in Europe, while the Ghost is the same price at 170. So I'm actually thinking of getting the Ghost first, because it's a better deal here. While I love the gunship I don't want to go spending more for less.

That is a good question, and a good answer - if LEGO revisited the U-wing, I think they could improve on it a lot. From a movie secrecy POV, the Knights of Ren transport is surely one of the most egregious examples. It's a cool ship design that reminds me of a Space Police set, and if they'd just done it in that style I think it would have been great. As was though it just ended up looking like a speeder with no bottom that couldn't transport much at all. Otherwise, having looked through the back catalogue and bearing in mind design restrictions at the time of release, I'm not sure there are too many that haven't had an update. I don't think LEGO have ever nailed the V-wing design even though they've had multiple cracks at it. IMO they've all been too flat at the front, so that would be my pick.

The one type of clone we haven't had so far that I want is an AT-RT driver. A 212th airborne that doesn't cost 50 bucks would be nice too... Otherwise I agree that P1 clones are sorely lacking. I don't mind getting P2s since I prefer the design anyway, but since 2020 we've had what, two sets with a P1 clone of any sort? And even then, one was impossible to find and the other was in a $350 set.

Bit much, no? It's a good MOC. It might not be the most detailed (bearing in mind Narkina 5 isn't exactly ripe for the greebles), but it's a good representation of the source material, and the way it's all combined in a Cloud City-esque layout is nice IMO. Criticism is fine, but respectfully, this doesn't sound very constructive - least of all calling it low effort. The time or energy put into a MOC does not always correlate with how good or bad it is perceived to be. I can definitely see the effort put into this. The detail will come with practice. Keep it up OP!

Phenomenal! The 41st colours look great on this. I love the way those angles come together at the top of the wing.

As expected SolidBrixStudios has shown off some small mods to improve the Coruscant gunship. I'll definitely be doing Ewok Pilot's double doors, and maybe the ball turrets as well.

I haven't looked in that many places admittedly, but they have been the notable omissions from shelves I've seen here in Finland... Which is annoying, as the only place to get them may well end up being S@H, where they've jacked up the prices. There is a local LEGO store I intend to check tomorrow though so let's see.

Well, yes - but let's remember said series of which this is spun off is fifteen years old now (even nine if you count her first appearance in Rebels, of which this is basically a direct continuation). With things like Young Jedi Adventures I'm not sure Ahsoka is the main draw for kids any more, especially in an era where nostalgia=€€€.

You've been killing it of late! Love these, the T-6 is absolutely gorgeous. Big fan of the V-wing as well. I know you said these weren't minifig compatible, but how close is that to minifigure scale? Next to a figure I think it wouldn't look out of place. Do you plan to build these IRL?

I couldn't speak to whether there would be a significant market for them, but the technical side is interesting! Are the colours themselves printed, or are they painted? Since the problem is normally small features at printed resolutions, might it be an idea to print them oversize and then turn them down using a desk lathe (or files or sanding paper if you're patient!)? It miiight help structurally, and might also make it easier to control the tolerance to fit to other LEGO parts.

Interesting review. Putting this side-by-side with the previous iteration, it is really noticeably smaller. Personally I don't mind that (I always prefer the smaller end of "minifigure" scale), but the dodgy access to the main bay is a shame. I'm looking forward to seeing how people mod it to add the second door, I suspect he's right that that would improve accessibility somewhat.

As much as we talk about army building in this and other threads, it does seem like it's a dying art. The sets to do so are fewer and further between, and they're generally more expensive. It can't be easy for kids to build their own armies of several of the same soldier, or at least it's harder now than it was 5-10 years ago.

It's largely semantics of course, but for TLG, the design of the minifigure is patented and trademarked. Droids like these don't use any minifigure parts, so don't (or can't?) get described as minifigures. Huyang and C-3PO are still described as minifigs, for instance. But for sites like Bricklink, if someone is looking for a droid figure, the association is with minifigures, since they're figures at minifigure scale. Therefore it makes sense to classify them as minifigs to make it easier for people to find. So are battle droids minifigures? Well, yes and no. Depends why one would want to make the distinction.

I like to think one of the rebels managed to score a hit on him just on that button, but when he went to replace it they'd run out of stock of the white ones

Luke, Obi-Wan and Yoda are probably the three most recognisable Jedi in Star Wars, and Mos Eisley is, well, Mos Eisley. Dexter had one scene where all that really happens is Obi-Wan gets some information, and it's never seen again. It probably would sell, but certainly not in the numbers the other three would/did (and even then I seem to remember Obi-Wan's hut being something of a shelf-warmer). I'd love to get the Diner as much as the next guy, and we definitely need some more non-clone AotC sets, but even among them the Diner is surely some way down the list of priorities.

What I've found interesting is that, unlike where some sets are divided by love it/hate it reactions, this really does feel like we get the whole spectrum. Some love it, some hate it, some think it's decent but imperfect, some think it's mostly bad with a few highlights, some are not bothered by it at all, some think it's just fine. It's honestly kinda great seeing such diverse opinions on a set. And of all the sets for this to happen with, I'm surprised it was a gunship of all things!

Gunship looks good, mostly. A few bits of exposed Technic I'm not crazy about, and the tip of the nose does look a little squared off, but this is a really tricky area to pull off well. Otherwise, glad it's dark red, and will never say no to a bit of variety! I think I'll pick this up, almost more for the Padmé figure than anything. Is this the first time we've had the version of the gunship with completely sealed doors and no bubble turrets as well? I think so, right?