Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 16
Posted by CapnRex101,
Separatist forces have appeared within the Star Wars Advent Calendar recently and I expect our next item for day sixteen will be based upon the Prequel Trilogy too.
Hopefully it will be more exciting than yesterday...
9509 Star Wars Advent Calendar contained one of the weakest Advent creations I have seen, depicting an MTT. This rendition includes greater detail and captures the shape of its onscreen counterpart, albeit lacking the forward blaster cannons which should flank the troop deployment hatch. The hatch can open but there is nothing inside, unfortunately.
The bridge section should probably have been elevated slightly more as well, although different shots of the MTT provide varying information. The black roller skates are superb though, presumably forming the power plant which is partially exposed on the original vehicle. The trans-clear 1x2 plate situated beneath this MTT is similarly effective and replicates its repulsorlift design from the movies.
Overall - 3.5 - Despite certain issues, this rendition of an MTT includes some splendid details and seems reasonably accurate to its source material.
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Eh. It’s cool, looks good, but I’m not the biggest fan. I think Harry Potter won this round.
Star Wars Advent Calendar Drinking Game: Every time there is a roller skate, you take a shot.
Anyway, the model is... OK, I guess.
Battle of the Licensed Advent Calendars continues. After stumbling through Days 9-13 of the Advent Calendar, HP has made strides recently, taking two points to restore a precarious one-point lead. Will Day 16 see SW even the score or will HP gain put some distance between the opposition? As we begin the last full week before Christmas, let’s find out.
Behind door 16 of the HP calendar is a mini version of Wizard’s Chess. This build contains the most pieces in a single advent calendar offering this year. The reviewer rightfully points out that Wizard’s Chess is a quintessential aspect of HP- especially Christmas at Hogwarts and especially in the Philosopher’s Stone novel/film. Micro-scale building requires imagination and this build has captured the spirit of the game concisely. While 1x1 tile would have looked cleaner, the presence of 1x1 plates allow pieces to be moved around the board. Furthermore, the studs themselves could also represent pawns, depending upon your imagination. The inclusion of the black/white nano-figures is a welcome sight. The base of the board would have been better served in reddish- brown and while it does not fit on the table, there’s something to be said about a slightly “oversized” version for Harry, Ron, & Hermione to play on. Paired with the mini Hogwarts Express, I’m certain that the child versions of Harry, Ron, & Hermione would welcome this under their tree. Overall, today’s entry is a great standalone gift but when incorporated with the developing overall scene, it’s even better.
On the flip side, SW produced a Multi-Troop Transport (MTT) on Day 16. This buildable rendition has been represented in advent calendar’s in the past however has received an upgrade this year. The reviewer points out the superb use of the roller skate element, as well as the trans-clear 1x2 plate. Certain aspects of the mini-build are lacking but that is to be expected in small builds. The entry is immediately recognizable but does not induce a “wow” factor, and this is reflected in the reviewer’s score. The brown clip on the rear of the transport is a nice part and its inclusion here is welcome. Today’s entry could best be described as good but not great.
Overall, based on the reviewer’s scores (a perfect 5.0 for HP vs 3.5 for SW), HP’s entry is indeed a slam dunk- it is a build that is parts intensive and a great representative for the calendar’s theme. With that said, HP takes another point on Day 16. The score is now:
HP- 9
SW- 7
To be continued…
I was thinking this was Rey's speeder until I folded the flap down.
Really building up my stash of roller skates.
It was only when I finished it did I realise what it was! Losing 2 days in a row to the Harry Potter Advent Calendar is intolerable!!! Star Wars better come good tomorrow!
is that it? i had it backwards and thought it must be some kind of Geonosian starfighter or the like
The MTT turrets are there represented by the skates.
Improvement over the 2011 one which looked like a pile of poop.
@Lordmoral - The blaster cannons should extend much further forward, hence I think the roller skates are intended to represent the engines.
This is the fifth gift this year that I don't even build and sort the parts straight after opening and seeing what it is. I cannot say that it is a bad mini model, but i guess I have now seen enough of them, having collected all the SW advent calendars since they are existing. I nonetheless really appreciate to add this reddish brown 1x1 round plate with handle to my spare parts!
Errr...I thought it was Rey's Speeder...
I honestly couldn't tell what it was after I finished and it took me a good ten minutes to figure it out.
@Matt_Z the clip represents the front of the MTT.
Rey's speeder would be more convincingly represented by dark red, not reddish brown (which was already done for the calendar in 2017: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=158331 ).
The rollerskates don't quite work there, but it's still a reasonable build. Pretty neat that they made a workeable door.