Advent day 17

 

  • Advent day 17

    Posted by bluemoose, 17 Dec 2012 16:59. Filed under Advent countdown.

    Advent day 17Continuing on with the snow-fight theme from yesterday, the City advent calendar gives us a snowball (or toilet roll) chucking device. Not very complicated, or particularly interesting from a parts' perspective.

    Advent day 17In the Friends calendar, we get get a cutesy mail box for sending Christmas letters and cards to friends and family ... and Santa, of course. A bit like the City model, it isn't very interesting, but the pink 'cheese' pieces are quite nice. 

    Advent day 17Now this is more like it; another of the popular mini vehicles from the Star Wars calendar.  Today it's the Flash Speeder (from Episode 1), Captain Panaka's ride. A nice little model, but fairly simple (14 pieces). A few nice parts.

    Overall, a bit of a slide back from yesterday, but not the worst day.

    City -- 3, maybe okay for play value, but a bit of a low-point.
    Friends -- 4, again, maybe okay for play value, but not a great model.
    Star Wars -- 7, another great mini vehicle model.


    24 comments, latest one posted 5 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by huntlll in United States, 17 Dec 2012 17:42

If Huw does the toilet paper jokes again. I have no clue what I would do.

Posted by Isabella and Lego Liker in United States, 17 Dec 2012 17:59

I was about to think of such.

Posted by TheJake in United States, 17 Dec 2012 18:04

@huntlll bluemoose said that today, not Huw.

Posted by DrDaveWatford in United Kingdom, 17 Dec 2012 18:05

Cheers for the updates, Ian.

That Star Wars Flash Speeder is excellent - almost up there with the (yellow) Naboo Starfighter as the best mini model so far....

Posted by Dragon_Master_48 in United States, 17 Dec 2012 18:17

I would've like to see a better catapult, aside from the generic "open-sided" we always see.

The Friends looks interestingly mediocre in a somewhat good way.

Agree completely on the Star Wars; maybe even an 8?

Posted by Admiral Phil in United States, 17 Dec 2012 18:18

that naboo speeder deserves at least a 9, as it teaches a fairly new (to lego) building technique and has several parts that are fairly rare in green.

Posted by Thelegoguy421 in United States, 17 Dec 2012 18:29

The flash speeder is really nice. I suspect a mini droid AAT is coming soon from the calender.

Posted by Keladeekadys in United Kingdom, 17 Dec 2012 19:01

For the first time in 17 days, Star Wars is now in the lead based on daily scores :)

(Apologies if anyone gets bored with bits of stats analysis)

Posted by Albus in Australia, 17 Dec 2012 19:25

City and Friends do look pretty ordinary, but the Flash Speeder is excellent, The technique is pretty cool, it is a smooth, accurate looking model, and it's brighter than most models so far (aside from the Naboo Fighter). I would give it a 9.

It's about time LEGO did a remake of the old Flash Speeder... anyone else agree? The first one was one of the very early sets, and it hasn't been seen since. Even the generic Naboo Security Officer hasn't been done again (as far as I am aware).

:)

Posted by Starwarsgeek500 in United States, 17 Dec 2012 19:39

I wish they would do it! I could use some Naboo guys for militia. Also, I have a wish list of Ep. 1 sets for remake. Do you want to see it?

Posted by DrDaveWatford in United Kingdom, 17 Dec 2012 19:57

^^ I wouldn't say no to a System Scale Flash Speeder remake...

Posted by Trandoshan in Canada, 17 Dec 2012 20:47

I wouldn't either. I'm rather surprised that there hasn't already been a remake.

Posted by itsaturkey in United States, 17 Dec 2012 21:02

Wait, how is a box with flames in it two points better then a fun catapult? At least with the catapult you can fire at minifigs... Just saying :P It seems like Friends is absolutely crushing all the other calendars by miles. Maybe because its actually Christmas oriented?

Posted by SI Builder in Canada, 17 Dec 2012 22:32

Captain Panaka never rode a flash speeder in Star Wars episode 1, so how can you call it his ride? And I was wondering why isn't Huw doing the advent calendar reviews anymore?

Posted by Albus in Australia, 17 Dec 2012 23:42


http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Seraph-class_urban_landspeeder

It isn't clear, but I am pretty sure one of those is Panaka sitting in the Flash Speeder in the first image on the Wookiepedia link above.

Either way, he, as head of Security for Amidala, would have definitely ridden a Flash Speeder at some point, even if it is not seen in the movie. They are the main vehicles used by the Security Force, so I think it is fine to call it his ride when Panaka is the most important person in the Force.

Huw has gone on holiday, so Bluemoose has kindly taken over for him :)

I would hope that a remake would contain a Captain Panaka as well as a generic Officer, (cheaper than his Panaka's set), especially given LEGO's more recent minifigure trends.

^^ I totally agree with you there, on the box of flames... The only problem with the otherwise fine system of rating the daily models is that as you get more, you slowly begin to compare, and previous ratings can look harsh or generous.

:P

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 18 Dec 2012 01:12

I rather like the Flash Speeder as well, a nice little build for such a tiny model as well. I might have been a little more generous as others have mentioned, perhaps and 8 or 9.

Posted by Plasmodium in United Kingdom, 18 Dec 2012 03:47

@Albus: DEFINITELY time for a Flash speeder re-make. It would make a change from the apparently infinite variations of speeder bikes and chicken-walkery things we've had recently. Plus, they've done a lot of fairly nice EP I remakes recently, so I reckon they could do a decent one.

Posted by Albus in Australia, 18 Dec 2012 06:34

@Plasmodium: Exactly! With the recent podracers, Sith Infiltrator, Gungan Sub, Battle of Naboo, and all the updated PM minifigures, it makes sense. I think it would be an interesting vehicle to see again, with all the new colours, shapes and pieces. I can just imagine it in dark green now... :P

I am enjoying these "waves/collections" of sets that LEGO has been doing recently, such as the wave of EPI sets, and the Yavin sets from early this year, and the ongoing Jabba the Hutt "collection". Maybe that has always been the case, and I am only just noticing, but I just think it has been more apparent since about 2011. It makes the sets all feel more connected and wholesome when they are part of a neat, organised collection, telling one whole segment. Does anyone else feel this way, that the sets nowadays seem more organised, rather than just random selections from random places? I know that when the movies came out, obviously there were whole waves of related sets, but now that they are finished (until 2015...), the connectedness is more apparent.

Anyway, just random observations... Let's hope these "interconnected sets" flow into segments like Bespin and Geonosis.

Posted by TheCahleySlash in United Kingdom, 18 Dec 2012 10:58

The Star Wars calender seems to be quite underrated. I mean the building techniques are brilliant, superb job with so few parts used.

Posted by blounty23 in United Kingdom, 18 Dec 2012 11:40

I tested the catapult and it fired around 1 and a half metres, so it's actually pretty good. I say no to Flash Speeder re- make it's not anything important in the films and they're quite dull.

Posted by vamproe in United States, 18 Dec 2012 13:15

Seems like the new reviews don't like Friends...... the scores have gone WAY down since HUW is no longer scoring.
personally the mailbox is great...... and fits the holiday theme.

Posted by 15810123am in United States, 18 Dec 2012 16:08

I think that this day was one of the best in my opinion the catapult deserves at least a 6 and the mailbox should get some points that were not deserved from day 18. These have all been underrated and the minifigs seem to be way overrated based on a 9 from the snowtrooper!?

Posted by huntlll in United States, 18 Dec 2012 18:36

@TheJake sorry im used to Huw

Posted by Psymon in United Kingdom, 19 Dec 2012 08:16

With the turret backwards it looks more like a dodgem.

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