January 2014 Update - Dreams Come True

now here's a better news..
i just managed to get some of my top priority target items in the local market..
i actually bought them at different dates this past December..
i asked some of my blood relatives to buy them for me..
and i just got them last New Year's day...



GALACTIC SENATE:

Padme Amidala (Geonosis execution arena torn outfit version)..
this is Senator Amidala's form in the Geonosian execution arena, after a Nexu slashed her from the back, thus ripping off parts of her nearly all-white outfit..
(the picture on the right shows the back view of  Padme, with her lovely bun and that fresh Nexu-inflicted wound)...

i wanted this figure very much because it's highly articulated..
and the sculpt, especially the head, looks more realistic compared to earlier Padme Amidala sculpts..
also, this design of her is from an iconic scene in the movie, so it's really a 'must have' action figure for me (being a Natalie Portman fan ^_^)..
even though it's a pre-opened item, i immediately bought it upon seeing it on ebay..
i've been hunting for it for months, and it was a long and hard search because most dealers only sell it as part of a set..
luckily, i still managed to get a copy of her before the end of the year..
and now that i have this one..
i guess i'll just use my Padme Amidala in Naboo Pilot outfit as a decoy-bodyguard for her...

at the topmost is a comparative view of Padme Amidala in her pilot outfit, Padme in the Geonosis execution arena, and her decoy, Sabe, as the Queen of Naboo..
and at the bottom is Obi-Wan and Padme in their very cool and pleasant-looking white-based outfit...



IMPERIAL VEHICLES:

All Terrain Attack Pod (AT-AP)..
is a tripedal walker that evolved from the AT-PT (All Terrain Personal Transport) and AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) walkers..
it is also called a Pod Attack Walker (PAW), and earned the nickname "sniper tank" due to its highly-advanced targeting systems..
considered as a two-legged walker, the AT-AP did have a third leg hanging from underneath the fuselage, that can convert it into a tripod..
it can be used during combat to provide stability to the walker, when overcoming rough terrain, and when firing its main gun...

this unit has been on my targets list ever since i've read about its 30th anniversary release online..
it's the very first AT-AP unit being sold (online) within the country for less than 2,000 Php, which i've spotted after a very long hunt (which actually lasted for years)..
i could have waited for the auction to end, and i might still get it for a much cheaper bidding price (Php 200 less)..
but i got too excited, and i just hit the 'Buy It Now' button after thinking it over for only a few minutes..
and so now i have my very first vehicle for my imperial army.. ^_^
i owe all of this great experience to ebay, because without it, my Star Wars collection will be doomed...

referring to the photo above..
at the top left is the AT-AP standing on two legs and in a much higher recon position (the other 3 photos showing the AT-AP on tripod mode and in a lower scouting position)..
at top right is a comparative view of the size of the vehicle compared to a Kashyyyk trooper..
at bottom left shows that a trooper can fit and ride its turret gun..
and at the bottom right shows that a trooper can fit inside its cockpit which actually has 2 seats...

here's a comparative view of all the vehicles that i have so far..
one for the droids, one for the empire, and one for the Jedi Order..
here you can compare their overall sizes, and also their respective heights...



these 2 featured units are the best year end gift that i received for 2013..
but after buying the vehicle, i got more than Php 10 increase in my overall collection's price rate..
actually, it has increased due to my last 3 purchases..
and so, i'll have to work on my next purchase(s) to lower it again...



WOMEN OF STAR WARS 2013:

this is my new list which is composed of 12 gorgeous action figures..
on the protagonists' side, my favorite unit is Jarael..
and for the antagonists' side, my favorite sculpt is that of the Nightsister...

October 2013 Update - Infiltration Units, Etc.

sorry for the late update..
my very own computer went down even before I could post this particular collection update a few months ago..
but anyway, here's what's new back then...



REBEL ALLIANCE:

Mouse (in Stormtrooper disguise)..
a Duros agent in the Rebel Alliance..
a specialist for demolition and sabotage...

Duros (or occasionally Durosians) are humanoid species native to the planet Duro..
years before the formation of the Republic, the Duros colonized the planet Neimoidia, giving rise to a genetically distinct "newer version" of Duros called the Neimoidians..
the Neimoidians retained many similarities to their Duros cousins including basic form, noseless faces, and green skin (though Neimoidians tended to be grayer)..
however, in contrast to their ancestors, Neimoidians possessed pupils that split horizontally, lumpy foreheads, and perpetually frowning mouths..
in addition, Neimoidians tended to be cowardly, greedy and fearful of death, whereas the average Duro was adventurous, gregarious and peaceful..
not surprisingly, one of the most powerful insults among the Duros was to be called a 'Neimoidian'...

here's a comparative view of a Duros and a Neimoidian..
the noticeable difference being on their facial or head structure...

Basso (in Stormtrooper disguise)..
a member of the Rebel Alliance from the planet of Ralltiir...

originally, i bought the Comic Pack in which these first 2 units are included..
first, because of the Neimoidian-like protagonist, Mouse (coz i've always thought that Neimoidians are bad species, without knowing about the Duros specie before)..
and second, because this is the Comic Pack variation where Basso gets a Sandtrooper pauldron...



JEDI ORDER:

Barriss Offee..
a Mirialan Jedi Knight, from the planet of Mirial..
she trained as a padawan under Jedi Master Luminara Unduli..
she's a skilled Jedi Healer..
and a practitioner of Form III: Soresu, also known as the Way of the Mynock, or The Resilience Form, which is the third of the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat that was recognized by the Jedi Council prior to and during the Clone Wars..
Soresu was developed during the widespread emergence of blasters as an offensive weapon..
essentially a development on Form I blast-deflect training, Soresu relied on tight bladework and subtle dodges to provide maximum defensive coverage, minimizing exposure to ranged weaponry..
over time, Soresu transcended this basic origin, and came to be considered the ultimate expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy...

Barriss Offee actually had a bad record as a Jedi..
so i'll just use her as a Jedi Padawan like Ahsoka Tano...

here's a comparative view between Barriss Offee and an old sculpt of her master Luminara Unduli...



IMPERIAL TROOPERS:

Clone Trooper Officer (Captain)..
this is a First Generation Clone Trooper..
there are clone trooper armors which are marked with color-coded flashes..
at the beginning of the Clone Wars, the colors signify rank (yellow for commanders, red for captains, blue for lieutenants, and green for sergeants)..
by the end of the war, the flashes come to identify specialized units such as the Galactic Marines and Shock Troopers...



NEUTRAL GROUNDS:

Lt. Dannyl Faytonni..
a con artist from the planet of Corellia, and friend of Achk Med-Beq..
he originally aspired to serve the Republic as an officer, but was conned into fronting a phony spice mine by a changeling..
on the run from the law, he decided to make a living as a con artist and teamed up with his inventive friend Achk Med-Beq..
they set off across the galaxy, gambling and conning their way to Coruscant..
upon reaching the galactic capital, the partners in crime were arrested and detained at CoCo Penitentiary, but not for long..
they made a newsworthy escape from the prison, and set up shop in the Outlander Club, where they constantly hunted and pecked for "marks"...