Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 14
Posted by CapnRex101,
Following various items which focused upon the Sequel Trilogy, an appealing vehicle based upon The Phantom Menace appeared on day thirteen. Another should emerge today.
Let's open door number fourteen...
Battle Droid variants have appeared in several LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendars since 2011, frequently depicting the standard B-1 Battle Droid. These figures are exceptionally common so their individual appeal is relatively limited, although they are fantastic for army building which is beneficial for Star Wars Advent Calendars in my opinion.
Furthermore, I think the pearl dark grey blaster rifle is more appealing than the standard black accessory. These weapons have appeared with Battle Droids before, although not consistently. Nevertheless, there are myriad other characters which would have been preferable to this droid and their repeated availability with Advent Calendars is dull, despite their obvious suitability for army building.
Overall - 3.0 - Battle Droids are decidedly unappealing for many LEGO fans, although one can never have too many and I appreciate this pearl dark grey blaster rifle.
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34 comments on this article
Meh. I would've preferred a Super Battle Droid, which have appeared in SWAC in the past.
Why doesn't LEGO make better BP instead?
Hasn’t almost every swac had one of these? It’s too easy—advent filler.
There's a stud on the back of every single battle droid. Why doesn't Lego use it to give them their "backpacks" anymore? Except for commanders, security droids and pilots they're all supposed to have one.
@Graupensuppe said:
"There's a stud on the back of every single battle droid. Why doesn't Lego use it to give them their "backpacks" anymore? Except for commanders, security droids and pilots they're all supposed to have one."
ikr, i always have to make them ones
“I have too many LEGO battle droids”
Said no one ever
@BulbaNerd4000 said:
"“I have too many LEGO battle droids”
Said no one ever"
I have one and consider that having too many.
I'd like these more if they were a more stable build. They fall apart too easily when kids play with them.
Kids... yes.
@hermez said:
" @BulbaNerd4000 said:
"“I have too many LEGO battle droids”
Said no one ever"
I have one and consider that having too many."
If you know someone that has a kid who loves lego, then gifting random lego out of the blue is a great way to part with stuff you don’t need/want! You make a kid happy AND get some clutter out. It’s a win win.
I can't believe that the design of these droids hasn't changed (except for the right arm) since LITERALLY 1999; Lego battle droids have been identical for over two decades... I don't believe any other Lego Star Wars minifigure can make that claim.
I know the whole "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" saying, and the 1999 look is still plenty serviceable; but that hasn't stopped Lego before!
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All the same, two of these guys were in the first piece of Star Wars merchandise I ever got, 7121, before I knew barely a thing about Star Wars, so it kinda pokes me in the nostalgia to see that they're still around ^^
@PixelTheDragon said:
" @hermez said:
" @BulbaNerd4000 said:
"“I have too many LEGO battle droids”
Said no one ever"
I have one and consider that having too many."
If you know someone that has a kid who loves lego, then gifting random lego out of the blue is a great way to part with stuff you don’t need/want! You make a kid happy AND get some clutter out. It’s a win win."
My kids get those. Updated count of battle droids in my personal collection: Zero. :D
@LegoSolo77 said:
"Meh. I would've preferred a Super Battle Droid, which have appeared in SWAC in the past. "
I agree. The Super Battle droid hasn't been produced since 2015, which is pretty sad considering that Lego is still making lots of regular battle droids.
I was hoping that the Super Battle droid would show up in the new Clone Wars sets for the final season, but this turned out to be another disappointment.
An extra gun os always useful to help offset the hundreds of stud shooters I have from battle packs. Not so fussed about the rest of today's offering.
I prefer the Rocket battle droid or the classic blue B2-series super battle droid.
I also like it if Lego can make the D-wing air support droid from season 7.
Yeah, kinda disappointing. I love that blaster, tho. The pieces snapped on really firmly this time—I was surprised.
@ThatBionicleGuy :
Beru Lars hasn’t changed in all that time:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?M=gen013
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Too soon?
It's about time they gave those a design with independently moving legs.
Are they supposed to just bunny hop into battle or what?
@Zoniax said:
"I'd like these more if they were a more stable build. They fall apart too easily when kids play with them."
They reinforced the legs this year.
They are much stronger now.
Roger roger!
Can we give a negative number rating?
Have we had a B-1 Battle Droid every year? I feel like yes, but I'd have to check to be sure.
This is, seriously, the 10th Star Wars Advent Calendar. If you've been getting them every year, 10 Battle Droids isn't horrible at all.
Battle Droids have appeared in:
2011: (B1)
2012: (B2)
2013: (B1)
2014: (B2)
2016: (B1)
2018: (B1)
2019: (B1)
2020: (B1)
Looks like 2015 and 2017 are the only years that skipped?
Would like to see at least see an alternate battle droid
I generally try to be positive about most things but...
Boooooo.
One up on a weapons rack. Although it's better than an IG droid. Why can't we get a 2-1B?
Unbeknownst to myself I am slowly building up a battle droid army these past years!! Now all I need is a few "Republic Dogs" for them to fight!
This is this years weapon rack.
Ah yes, the inevitable. You know you're not doing great when the colour of your gun is the most interesting thing about you.
@BulbaNerd4000 said:
"“I have too many LEGO battle droids”
Said no one ever"
I have like 60 of the damn things and that's honestly too many.
Thanks for the review Cap'n. I'm disappointed in this offering. It just feels lazy to me. I agree about the blaster, but that could have been included with any number of more interesting mini-figures (Leia from 75244 in her elegant dress perhaps?) A stain on an otherwise exceptional calendar so far.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
2011: Pilot Battle Droid
2012: Security Battle Droid and grey Super Battle Droid
2013: Plainvanilla Battle Droid
2014: grey Super Battle Droid
2016: Plainvanilla Battle Droid
2018: Plainvanilla Battle Droid
2019: Plainvanilla Battle Droid
2020: Plainvanilla Battle Droid
So at least the first two years they opted for some less common variants over straight up walking targets. No command battle droids, Geonosian battle droids, or blue super battle droids to date.
If there has to be a battle droid, why not Kashyyyk printing? Its obviously more expensive than a plain battledroid but can't TLG give us a little Christmas treat? We've paid them heartily all year, so I think we deserve it :)
The less common blaster colour feels like a stingy attempt to give it slight appeal and deter criticism about their continued inclusion.
However, my issue with battledroids isn't really about the figures themselves, its that their presence takes up a valuable minifig slot in the calendar. What with the army builder figs, festive figs, brick-built figs and festive brick-built figs, the opportunities for any new or uncommon "traditional" minifigures rapidly diminish.
I'm just glad this one is out of the way now. The only reason I got this calendar this year was for the Holiday sweater torsos. At least most of the other builds are a bit better than last year.
@lamby750:
I was thinking it might be cool if they did one in Christmas colors. Red torso, green arms and legs...
@PurpleDave said:
" @lamby750:
I was thinking it might be cool if they did one in Christmas colors. Red torso, green arms and legs..."
:) I think you’ve zeroed in on my personal advent minifig hell! May I add a Santa hat wedged on to the back of the head for good measure?