February 2014 Update - The Rebels Finally Got a Starfighter

i got these new items last February 26, 2014..
i have mentioned on one of my previous posts that i'll try to lessen the rate of my expenses per action figure, after it has continuously  increased due to recent purchases..
but unfortunately, i found this drool worthy item on the local ebay, and so i was forced to commit to buy it immediately..
well, it did increase my estimated rate just because one of the items which i bought is a vehicle, but i think it was a good decision coz i think they're cheap considering their size and condition... ^_^



UTAPAU:
these are units that i'll assign to the planet, Utapau...

Clone Trooper 212th Battalion..
they are troopers assigned under Clone Commander Cody..
these troopers were distinguished by the orange markings on their Phase II armor..
they are particulary assigned to the planet of Utapau...

well, this one has a quite discolored helmet, that can be easily noticed if compared to the condition of its armor..
and the inside of that helmet seems to have a greenish staining substance (probably due to the paint that was used for this action figure's hair)..
but in a way, i find that defect helpful in distinguishing units of the same name and design (considering army-building)..
plus, this trooper got me a very nice clear plastic glass-like action figure stand, so it's not a bad deal after all... :)



REBEL VEHICLES:
these are vehicles that i'll assign to my Rebel Alliance...

V-Wing Starfighter..
named the Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-Wing starfighter, but often called the V-Wing Starfighter or Nimbus Fighter..
it is a short-ranged starfighter..
the V-Wing were later succeeded by the Imperial TIE Fighter and its variants, as well as the Rebel RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor, all of which incorporated aspects of the V-Wing into their designs (i find this a helpful trivia coz i really plan on getting some TIE Fighters and an A-Wing in the future)...

the photo at the top left shows the side view of the V-Wing Starfighter with its landing gear: 1 at the front and 2 attached to the wings (they require the wings to be folded in order to perform the landing)..
at the top right shows a comparative view of the V-Wing Starfighter and a sample pilot..
at bottom left is the V-Wing Starfighter in flight mode (with the wings open), and it also shows that a pilot can actually fit inside its cockpit..
and lastly, at the bottom right is a clearer view of the pilot sitting inside the cockpit...

because this is a generic starfighter, the astromech droid that goes with it doesn't have a unique or proper name...

this was the very reason why i made this latest purchase..
i thought it was cheap (only Php 50 higher compared to my Aayla Secura Jedi Starfighter), so i bought it ASAP..
this is the red and clean version of the V-Wing Starfighter(s) that are already available in the market..
although it has the Imperial Crest on it, i've decided to just assign it to my rebel forces..
actually, i don't have much vehicles assigned to the Rebel Alliance, and the A-Wing was my 2nd choice for their spacecraft (after losing interest on the vintage X-Wing), (my 1st choice being the Naboo Starfighter)..
but after recognizing the resemblance between the V-Wing and the A-Wing, i thought that the V-Wing would be a better choice for my army...

 

the photo at the top shows a comparative view of the size of an actual astromech droid figure (R2-D2 in this example) and an astromech droid attached to an Eta-2 Actis-class Jedi Interceptor (Aayla Secura's R4-G9)..
they are almost of the same size, though the starfighter's astromech droid doesn't have a full body..
and at the bottom picture, shows a comparative view of an astromech droid figure and an Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-Wing Starfighter's astromech-droid-attachment..
this time, the V-Wing Starfighter's astromech droid's head is smaller compared to that of a full astromech droid action figure...

and here's a comparative semi-top view of an Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-Wing Starfighter and an Eta-2 Actis-class Jedi Interceptor..
the compressed form of the V-Wing Starfighter (because you can actually pull the wing portions, thus extending the wings to the sides.. i'm not sure if it's actually meant to work like that since i haven't seen or read any V-Wing visual guide that discusses that, and also, extending the wings to the sides disables the wings' spring-open feature) is narrower compared to the Jedi Interceptor, but after attaching the front portion of the V-Wing Starfighter to its main body, it becomes quite a long spacecraft (longer than the Jedi Interceptor)...

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"...

December 2012 Update - The Vintage Collection Wave 16

finally done with the low quality photoshoot..
so this is my good news before the end of 2012..
i got myself a Vintage Collection Wave 16, consisting of 12 action figures - my most expensive transaction for the year..
i already added 8 units to my official collection..
and the remaining 4, well i'm planning to sell them but unfortunately i still can't use the selling feature on ebay coz for some reason i just can't complete the registration process using my mobile number...



REBEL ALLIANCE:

Republic Trooper..
this particular armor design was that of the Havoc Squad...

although the action figure wasn't named after Jace Malcolm, it's armor and head sculpt looks exactly like him, thus this figure can already play his role..
it seems to me that this armor design (particularly the helmet and the color scheme) is based on Commander Cody of the Clone Troopers..
this particular sculpt has a noticeably small head compared to other figures..
but a good thing about it is that you can also turn it into an ordinary Havoc Trooper by removing the bandolier..
i'll be assigning this unit together with the rebels, and i think they'll look great battling against the Imperial Troopers...

here's a comparative view of Commander Thire (a Phase II-based Clone Trooper armor) and the Republic Trooper..
not much difference in terms of size (height), except for the helmet - the Republic Trooper's helmet is a bit smaller..
i would like to do the comparison with Commander Cody so we can see the resemblance, but unfortunately i still don't have that unit coz i can't find any copy on the local ebay...



ROYAL GUARD:

Emperor's Royal Guard..
the Royal Guards are Emperor Palpatine's elite security force..
they are respected and feared throughout the galaxy for their elegant and deadly fighting skills..
candidates are chosen from the ranks of the Imperial squads and are trained on the barren world of Yinchorr..
they work hard to master the lessons being taught to them, for their very lives are at stake..
the basic royal guard usually wear red themed masks and robes, while some special units may wear a black themed outfit or a combination of black and red...

like the Republic Trooper, this one is also an interesting figure..
aside from being a Royal Guard, an alternate helmet and accessories are available so you can convert it to Crucible attire..
actually its head sculpt looks somewhat similar to a unit featured in the Legacy Collection's Crimson Empire (Crucible Arena) set, but this action figure was not named after him...

here's a comparative view of a Senate Guard and the Royal Guard...



JEDI ORDER:

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Knight version)..
this armor is based on the animated series, but was provided with a non-animated head sculpt...

i really like that Jedi emblem on his left shoulder armor - makes him look more legitimate as a Jedi..
and i prefer this armor compared to his Clone Trooper Phase I-based armor..
he is my third and probably the last Obi-Wan figure that i'll ever need..
here are related articles to Obi-Wan: Jedi General version and Old version...

here's a comparative view of the Jedi General version and the Jedi Knight version..
the Jedi Knight's armor has dirt on it and the color is more of cream already and it's lightsaber is a darker shade of blue compared to the Jedi General version..
and in the picture below, i equipped it with the Jedi General's big Clone Trooper helmet...

Ahsoka Tano..
a female Togruta from the planet of Shili..
a Jedi padawan assigned under Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker..
she is nicknamed 'Snips' by her master..
an interesting aspect about her is that she wields two lightsabers - one with the usual length and a shorter blade called a shoto...

like Obi-Wan Kenobi's Jedi Knight version, she's also a crossover figure from the animated series..
she's my very first Jedi padawan unit (i mean every Jedi started out as being padawans, but there are some like her who never made it to being full pledged Jedi or Jedi Master)...



NEUTRAL GROUNDS:

Aurra Sing..
she looks like she's near-human, but is actually an unknown hybrid from the planet of Nar Shaddaa..
also known as Nashtah..
she's a bounty hunter specializing in Jedi and political assassinations, once a Jedi padawan under An'ya Kuro or Dark Woman..
she has worked as a commander in the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars and has also served as an imperial agent under Darth Vader..
she has an antenna implant and a Rhen-Orm biocomputer on her head...

due to multiple affiliations i'd put her under neutral grounds, serving as bounty hunter to anyone who would ask for her service except for the Jedi Order...



NABOO:

Naboo Pilot..

this figure has an interesting headgear, particularly the helmet with the goggles up in the cap..
i noticed that the glasses of the goggles was made transparent, but the cap underneath it is still painted with red - excellent effect...



TATOOINE:

Weequay..
a skiff guard working for Jabba the Hutt...



EWOKS:

Lumat..
an Ewok..
he is the chief woodcutter of his tribe..
husband of Zephee and father to Latara, Nippet and Wiley...



LIGHTSABER COLLECTION:

and just an update to my lightsaber collection..
i included Jarael's staff coz it has a lightsaber look, not to mention the fact that i like Jarael a lot..
this is as of December 2012...

October & November 2012 Update - Army Builder

so yesterday my second batch of orders from the local ebay finally arrived..
like i said in my previous text update, it was handled by Air21..
now i know that they don't deliver on a day-to-day basis, but operates according to a certain schedule..
actually the second batch is still composed of two different packages from a single seller and were sent on two consecutive days, but due to the scheduled delivery of the courier both packages were delivered to me at the same time..
the good thing is that they may not be very quick in terms of delivery, but they are organized..
in addition, the text update from their company is once again available...


now here's the actual update for my collection..
the first batch:


JEDI ORDER:

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi General version)..
this is the Jedi Master during the time of the Clone Wars..
click here for a related entry...

this version goes with a full Clone Trooper Phase I armor mixed with some Jedi cape/clothing and equipment that makes him look like a medieval knight...



IMPERIAL TROOPERS:

ARC Trooper Commander (Red variant)..

actually the color coded ranking of ARC Troopers as well as other military forces is as follows: yellow for commander, red for captain, blue for lieutenant, and green sergeant..
so i'm still confused why this one is denoted as a commander...

Clone Trooper (Heavy Gunner) (Clone Trooper Squad version)..
they are armed with reciprocating quad blaster also called by names such as cip quad and heavy quad cannon...

i only realized recently that their armor is almost similar to the basic AT-RT Driver's armor..
you can view some AT-RT Driver design here..
the major differences are: the helmet's antenna or optical instrument (in it's case) being on the right side instead of the left, the paint pattern, the backpack, and the belt and kama...

Clone Scuba Trooper (Clone Trooper Squad Version)..
this form of imperial trooper is deployed in aquatic environments or planets, the most common being the planet of Dac or Mon Calamari...


and the second batch:

GUNGAN:

Gungan Warrior..
this version of Gungan warrior goes with a cesta (the long staff-like weapon) and a farseein which serves like a huge binocular for them...



IMPERIAL TROOPER:

Shock Trooper (Movie Heroes version)..
also known as Coruscant Guards, they serve as the private army and bodyguards of Emperor Palpatine..
they serve the emperor under the leadership of Commander Thire...

this one has a quick-draw feature for the right arm, which is done by pressing the right leg or specifically the thigh inward..
this is also my very first imperial trooper that goes with a black DC-15 blaster rifle with a shoulder stock painted with brown...



DROID ARMY:

Destroyer Droid..
also known as Droideka which is a compound word composed of the basic term 'droid' and the Colicoid suffix 'eka' meaning 'hireling' or 'drone'..
considered the strongest among the basic droid infantry units, they are armed with powerful weapons and are also capable of deploying force-like, semi-transparent shields..
in addition, they can also round themselves up like a wheel for faster movement...

this type has a firing-projectile feature for both arms, which is done by pressing the rear end of the missile-like red projectiles downward...



and after these recent transactions, i was able to reduce my Estimated Rate per unit from 460.45 to 452.80 Php..
plus i also got a new storage box which is the Clone Trooper Squad (Legacy Collection) packaging..
Great Deal...^_^

August 2012 Update - Imperial Trooper & Furniture Accessories

now here are the content of my latest package from a trusted local ebayer/seller..
the package was delivered by JRS Express, it's the third time for me and i'm glad that they haven't let me down yet, unlike the others..
their shipping charge is still considerate, handling is great as usual, and their next day delivery is faster compared to other courier service provider...



IMPERIAL TROOPER:

442nd Siege Battalion..
they are clone troopers assigned to capture the planet of Cato Neimoidia, home to the Neimoidians who are key members of the separatist group...

so far this is my most favorite design for a basic imperial trooper..
the green theme gives it that military-look..
this is my very first 2nd Generation Clone Trooper (with basic armor design) that has no removable helmet feature..
it is still fine though, but i do hope that Hasbro could someday release versions with a removable helmet and an officer version with pauldron..
so this is another unit that i have just taken out from my Wishlist Page..
YES!!



sad to say that i only managed to buy one Star Wars action figure this time..
but here are the other items that i purchased..
these are 3.75 inch scale furniture accessories manufactured by M&C Toy Centre Ltd., they're made of a certain durable plastic material..
i thought i could use them in my diorama project particularly for the rebels, since i'm planning to make their equipment look less high tech..
they can also serve as good reference in designing my matchstick furniture...

barrier..

with working hinge to adjust the angle or orientation..

separate barrier standing with a clone trooper action figure for size comparison...

folding chair..
beside it is a matchstick chair (model 01) for comparative view..
my design is slightly smaller..

i told you, it's a folding chair..

with Aayla Secura figure seated...

table..

with a folding chair and an action figure for size comparison...

locker..

it has a working hinged-door and a couple of dividers inside..
a clone trooper helmet can be stored inside one of those compartments..
here, it stands with a clone trooper action figure for size comparison...

Gurney stretcher..
foldable for easy storage or when it has to be lifted...

it has an adjustable bedding..
it also features foldable wheeled-legs for easier transport..

with action figures for size comparison...

bunk bed with mattresses..

Jarael and Aayla Secura standing around the bed for size comparison..
they'll be sharing the bed together while i still don't have my hands on a Shaak Ti (TFU) figure..>,<
tsk, i forgot to take a picture with a figure lying down on it...

the mattresses, made of a certain type of rubber material somewhat similar to that used in making slippers...

Star Wars Action Figures - Set 13

THE EMPIRE:
the empire is composed mainly of characters from Darth Sidious and Darth Vader's reign..
there will be two setup, one on Coruscant and the other aboard the Death Star..

Emperor Palpatine (human form)..
click here for related entry...

Darth Vader (removable mask version)..
born as Anakin "Ani" Skywalker, from the planet of Tatooine..
he's a jedi turned into sith lord, and trained under Master Obi-Wan Kenobi..
he is the husband of Padme and father to both Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa...

Darth Vader (silver variation)..

i guess i'll just use this as a monument or maybe as a robot bodyguard for the real Darth Vader...



IMPERIAL TROOPERS:
the following are troopers assigned in the Imperial Palace and aboard the Death Star..

Commander Thire or CC-4477..
is the commander of the Shock Troopers also known as Coruscant Guard..
they work directly under the emperor...



SITH ORDER:
will be composed of all other siths and apprentices from other Star Wars timeline..

Darth Krayt..
born as A'Sharad Hett..
like Anakin Skywalker he is a jedi turned into sith lord, and also from Tatooine..
he is the head of the One Sith Order...

he is my very first action figure who wields 2 lightsabers...

like Darth Sidious he is also a Sith Emperor or at least has declared himself as such (i'm not really very familiar with the publications)..
but due to the conflict with Darth Sidious' reign, i guess i'll just go with him being the leader of the One Sith Order..
or maybe i can also turn his group into a faction who is battling for the emperor position...

Darth Nihl..
member of the One Sith Order and a 'Hand' to Darth Krayt..
he is a sith from the planet of Nagi...