Acclamator-class transports serve an essential role in the Republic navy, valued for their large troop capacity and relative speed. However, the vehicle has made limited appearances in LEGO form, restricted to Advent Calendars and the Planets Series.
Fortunately, the Starship Collection excels with vehicles like this, able to include a high level of detail without becoming enormous and thus expensive. 75404 Acclamator-class Assault Ship certainly looks good in official images and I have been excited to see this vessel depicted at a scale worthy of its prominence onscreen.
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LEGO has released many versions of the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor since the vessel was introduced in 2005, including various minifigure-scale sets. However, there have been noticeably few changes between standard Jedi Interceptor designs, especially since 2012.
75401 Ahsoka's Jedi Interceptor is thus an exception. While the structure of its wings seems outwardly similar to previous sets, the cockpit has been overhauled and the original canopy replaced. Whether these updates are for the better waits to be seen, but the minifigures are undoubtedly appealing.
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Despite their pivotal role at the Battle of Endor and beyond, Mon Calamari Star Cruisers have rarely appeared in the LEGO Star Wars theme. 75405 Home One Starcruiser is thus a superb addition to the Starship Collection and looks impressive at this scale.
Of course, the bulbous shapes of Mon Calamari vessels are tricky to translate to LEGO form, although I think the designer has achieved a high degree of accuracy here. Additionally, the vessel's organic hull shape should stand out on display within the Starship Collection.
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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is the latest Star Wars series arriving on Disney+ and 75374 The Onyx Cinder presents the titular crew alongside their ship. Though little is currently known about the vehicle, it definitely captures the traditional Star Wars aesthetic.
The asymmetrical turrets and offset cockpit are interesting and I like the Onyx Cinder's worn exterior, featuring lots of rusty dark tan accents. Moreover, the interior is relatively spacious, with enough room for five minifigures and some accessories, which is exactly what I hope for when building Star Wars sets like this one.
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7667 Imperial Dropship and 7668 Rebel Scout Speeder are among the best Battle Packs ever released, given their fantastic minifigures and great army building potential. 40755 Imperial Dropship vs. Rebel Scout Speeder revisits both sets for LEGO Star Wars' 25th anniversary.
These vehicles look surprisingly detailed and the minifigures are excellent, though arguably redundant so soon after 75387 Boarding the Tantive IV, which contains similar figures. Even so, embracing the nostalgia of two classic Battle Packs is no bad thing.
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Though large-scale Ultimate Collector Series models are usually spectacular, I tend to favour minifigure-scale designs, like 75192 Millennium Falcon and 75313 AT-AT. These famous vehicles are ideal for premium recreations, in scale with minifigures, but there is potential for more.
75397 Jabba's Sail Barge is perhaps the most appropriate example and LEGO Star Wars fans have long discussed this possibility, so I am delighted to see it realised. The model definitely seems impressive from the outside and includes an extensive interior, with a number of nice surprises to be found!
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40730 Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber is the third life-size lightsaber to be designed as a gift-with-purchase, based on Luke's weapon from Return of the Jedi. Appearing during Han Solo's rescue from Jabba the Hutt, this is a fitting companion for 75397 Jabba's Sail Barge.
I think Luke's green lightsaber is among the most popular designs and its splashes of colour beyond silver and black should benefit the model, especially since it should complement the previous lightsabers in this burgeoning series.
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LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy reimagines many aspects of Star Wars, including the iconic Millennium Falcon, which obviously becomes a dark side vessel! This is an interesting idea and 75389 The Dark Falcon definitely deviates from the vehicle's established design.
Similarly, a selection of familiar characters have changed sides, resulting in some creative minifigures, as Darth Vader becomes a Jedi, Jar Jar Binks and Rey pledge allegiance to the Sith, while Luke relaxes on a beach! These characters look fantastic, although I have reservations about the Dark Falcon itself.
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75055 Imperial Star Destroyer was released in 2014 and 75394 Imperial Star Destroyer bears an unexpected resemblance to its predecessor, considering the ten-year gap between the two sets. However, the older model was superb, so maybe those similarities are welcome.
In addition, the new Star Destroyer appears to refine features of the old, as the carrying handle and triggers for spring-loaded shooters are better hidden, while the interior appears more detailed. There is also a surprising number of unique minifigures, with Cal Kestis the inevitable standout among them.
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LEGO has produced an impressive selection of large-scale droids, revisiting R2-D2 on multiple occasions and recreating several other popular droid models. However, humanoid droids have been avoided thus far, including the renowned protocol droid, C-3PO.
At last, 75398 C-3PO fills this noticeable gap in the range and looks excellent, far better than I expected would be possible, considering the natural challenges in constructing a two-legged, predominantly gold droid. After all, stability was sure to be a concern and relatively few parts are actually available in pearl gold, but it seems these difficulties have been overcome.
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7163 Republic Gunship was introduced in 2002, including a generic Jedi Knight. Though initially unremarkable, this character has since become extremely popular. Now known as Jedi Bob, the mysterious hero finally returns with 75388 Jedi Bob's Starfighter!
The updated Jedi Bob minifigure is definitely the highlight of this set, but his starfighter looks excellent too, taking the opportunity to improve upon past Delta-7 designs. There are various fun details to be discovered, but also some missed chances, in my opinion.
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Five minifigure-scale models of the Desert Skiff have been produced, becoming more complex and detailed over time. The monstrous Sarlacc has also received multiple updates and superb renditions of both appear in 75396 Desert Skiff & Sarlacc Pit.
The Sarlacc in particular is bigger and probably better than ever, while detail on the skiff has improved. Additionally, the minifigure selection is excellent, providing the essential characters from this scene, plus the exclusive Nien Nunb. However, as is often the case, the price is a point of concern.
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I was very pleased with the three Ahsoka sets released last year, but some notable characters were excluded from the range to avoid possible spoilers, understandably. 75385 Ahsoka Tano's Duel on Peridea is therefore exciting, including five unique minifigures!
Grand Admiral Thrawn is welcome in particular, as the renowned Imperial leader has only appeared once before in minifigure form. The new versions of Ahsoka Tano, Ezra Bridger and Morgan Elsbeth are appealing too, although these exceptional figures come with an expensive price of £49.99, $54.99 or €54.99.
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A trio of Star Wars mechs arrived last year and drew a mixed reception. 75369 Boba Fett Mech was broadly well received and includes a highly desirable minifigure, but the other mechs seem lacking in personality, borrowing only superficial features from their drivers.
75390 Luke Skywalker X-wing Mech appears far more interesting in that respect, translating the famous features of an X-wing Starfighter into mech form! The combination appears effective and the Luke Skywalker minifigure is welcome, rarely appearing in such small sets.
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Since the finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2020, there has been continuous demand for a LEGO model of the blue-accented 501st Y-wing Starfighter featured in the final episode. 75391 Captain Rex Y-wing Microfighter is probably not what people had in mind!
Nevertheless, I am pleased to see the vehicle in LEGO form and its pilot is highly desirable, as this Captain Rex minifigure has only appeared once before, in 75367 Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser. An affordable chance to acquire this popular character is appealing.
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Certain troopers are particularly suited to Battle Packs and the Imperial Commandos introduced in The Mandalorian season three are a fantastic example. These commandos feature interesting armour and they are deployed in great numbers, so they seem ideal for army building.
75373 Ambush on Mandalore Battle Pack includes two of these commandos, alongside a pair of unique Mandalorians. The minifigures are thus quite appealing, but I am less satisfied with the model included.
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The conclusion of The Mandalorian season three saw Moff Gideon's return, residing beneath the surface of Mandalore and heavily armoured to match his base of operations. 75386 Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle therefore introduces an exclusive Moff Gideon minifigure!
Paz Vizsla has also received an update since the character debuted in 75319 The Armourer's Mandalorian Forge and faces two new Imperial Praetorian Guards. On that basis, the minifigure selection seems exceptional and I think the model looks good too, reflecting the location from the television series.
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Entering its third year, the Diorama Collection already includes several classic scenes from the Original Trilogy, although there are other areas of Star Wars justifying similar treatment. 75380 Mos Espa Podrace Diorama is a perfect example, depicting the iconic podrace sequence.
This dynamic scene is superb for a diorama and provides ample opportunity for detail, particularly on the podracers themselves, which look outstanding. However, the detailing will need to be truly unparalleled to explain the price of £69.99, $79.99 or €79.99.
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May the Fourth promotional items have usually settled into patterns, beginning with minifigure polybags, before the launch of brick-built droids and microscale models. Recent promotions feel less predictable though, including 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier.
This model looks excellent and suitably marks the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace, but seems better suited to army building than limited promotional availability. Even so, I am curious about this set, which will be available with purchases of over £145, $160, €160 at the beginning of May.
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Various large-scale droids have been produced recently, including fan-favourite characters and some more unusual designs, such as the classic Imperial Probe Droid. 75381 Droideka joins the range this year and destroyer droids are surely unusual, but also extremely popular!
This rendition of the droid appears remarkably detailed and is even capable of folding into the rolling configuration shown in the films. It seems the designer has found the perfect balance between display value and function, so this should be a fitting successor to the brilliant 8002 Destroyer Droid, released in 2000.
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