What did you get today thread

[David]

Got my Sideshow Sandtrooper today and I agree with you about the weathering. Its OTT especially on the legs IMO. I prefer this figure to both the Stormtrooper and Stormtrooper Commander. The sculpt is excellent, I really like the material used on the pauldron, and it's great to finally hava a Sandtrooper with that gun. The leg armour was very loose on mine but I've padded them out with tissue paper and it helps a lot. Shame I can't solve the loose joints problem or the fact the backpack straps are on upside down. Overall I do prefer the look of the Marmit version even though this is one of Sideshow's best efforts. I'm looking forward to adding the squad leader to mey collection too. I hope they do a black pauldron trooper at some point. Maybe they are saving him to come with a dewback.

Other recent additions to the collection include:

TLC ROTS Wave
TLC TPM Wave
Battle Packs - Gragrub Patrol, Battle For Endor, Rishi Moon Outpost Attack, 2 x Geonosis Assault
TLC Boba Fett
CW Ziro's Assassin Droid
CW Season 1 DVD

[Commandergree]

Looks like Sideshow heard you David! Order is in for my sandtrooper coporal - will be nice to have three sandtroopers on display when they finally arrive.

My Sideshow shock trooper arrived from Play today - luckily for me, this one is for opening as they have gone back to old tricks and stuffed it into a plastic bag for Royal Mail to abuse the box on the way to my house! The paintwork is once again very impressive with the base armour being "whiter" than the Utapau clone and weathering of the red portions of the armour on a par with the excellent Stormtrooper commander. Ever since I opened it, the Utapau clone has grown on me and I definitely prefer the Sideshow clone sculpt over the Medicom one. Once again, that "pointy part" near the mouth doesn't seem as prominent on the real item when compared to the preview pictures released by Sideshow. Unfortunately, it still has the usual Sideshow problems with that rubbery undersuit that is very bulky at certain points, loose joints (although unlike some of my figures, it will stand on its own without support) and loose armour. Also, this time I am displaying it with the smaller rifle which unfolds like the Stormtrooper one - the front part is very loose and I think I may have to glue it as I don't intend to display it open. Although I really like the detail that has gone into creating a miniature rifle with an unfolding stock, I think I prefer one that didn't unfold so that it couldn't fall apart!

Overall though, very pleased with this Shock Trooper and for me it just misses out on being the perfect figure due to the little annoyances that seem to accompany all of their armoured troopers. Sideshow sculpts combined with Medicom's tight joints and well fitting undersuit and armour would be the ideal situation. Disappointingly, my two Sideshow shock troopers will overall have cost me less than the single Medicom version I ordered from the Star Wars official site taking into account the massive charges DHL ripped me off for!

[Dez]

i should start a new thread called look what i didnt get today for this. i didnt get the big millenium falcon for £60 today from an argos discount store in corby. i am such an idiot i know!! they had 3 left. when i came to my sences and went back you guessed it they were all gone.

[Commandergree]

Don't worry mate - I'm sure some more will turn up somewhere. Could be worse, some of us idiots paid full price for it on pre-order!!!!

[David]

Looks like I got lucky with my Shock Trooper. Even though Play sent it in a poly bag it arrived with only minor scuffing to the box. The joints and armour were tight and it stands up without the stand. The complete opposite of the Utapau Trooper. I've also got the same problem with the stock on the small blaster which you have Gree. I do think the weathering is a bit OTT for my taste, but other than that it is a fantastic figure. Give it's just a repaint of the Utapu version, what I do find strange is that when I got the Utapu trooper I always felt the helmet was off, yet the Shock Trooper looks spot on.

SS are getting plenty from my wallet this month as both the 12" Exclusive Thrawn and PF Dooku will be shipping in January.

[Dez]

people say that good things come to those that wait!! i got a phone call from my nephew yesterday afternoon and he said thay the argos discount store had some more big millenium falcons in, 8 in total. so i braved the icy roads and got one for £60!! they also have the at-te for £50 but i have it already, bought for same price last year. they also had about 100 harry potter 6, might be 7, pack from hp5 for £11. i think that all the figures are repacks apart from bellatrix.

[Commandergree]

My exclusive Sideshow Shock Trooper arrived via Fed Ex this week - they messed around with delivery making me stay in all day last Thursday and then when I phoned them on Friday to ask why they didn't deliver on Thursday as I had arranged, they said it was down for a Monday delivery!! Then I got a bill for £23 the day after it arrived!!! Haven't had time to bend anyone's ear about it yet but they will get a piece of my mind next week! I'm pretty angry at Sideshow for changing the way they ship to Europe now (it no longer ships from a European warehouse but directly from the US) - I'm not prepared for Fed Ex to try and stiff me each time I order from them directly. Think I'll probably only go for the really good exclusives and skip the "exclusive stand" nonsense - am going to cancel quite a few of my orders and pick up from FP or Play.

Talking of FP, went in-store to day and couldn't help but buy a second Shock trooper to display with my Darth Sidious. Was going to pick up another Utapau clone too but managed to resist!

[Ace Antilles]

Got Nahdar Vebb the other day and it's pretty nice.
This is actually the 1st Red Legacy carded figure I have got and it all works well in the package.
Probably going to leave it boxed rather than gathering dust with the rest.

But it still annoys me that they haven't re-made Admiral Ackbar yet!!

[David]

Latest Editions:

Sideshow 12" Grand Admiral Thrawn & Command Chair
Sideshow Premium Format Count Dooku - They absolutely nailed this one
TLC ESB Wave, Commander Bacara & Utris M'Toc Bespin Guard Variation
TCW Nahdar Vebb & Honda
TLC Comic Packs - Storm Commando & General Weir, IG-97 & Rohm Mohc

Gree, I know what you mean about SS's new shipping policy. I've not got a bill for Dooku yet but have got one for Thrawn. I object to having to pay £10 to Fed Ex as a "handling fee" every time and the $25 gift cards are useless as you can only use them for in stock items, and lets face it 99% of the Star Wars line sells out on pre-order. Once good thing I did notice was that Fed Ex only charged my VAT on the cost of Thrawn whereas previously SS charged VAT on the cost of the goods and shipping. Overall it's still costing more with Fed Ex though

Oh and Ace, I think there is a good chance Admiral Ackbar will be part of the Vintage ROTJ wave

[Commandergree]

David,

I got charged vat on the shock trooper and shipping (I think that is actually how it's supposed to be charged though) as well as being slapped with an extra tenner. Haven't paid it yet. I e-mailed Sideshow to complain about the Fed Ex charges and the uselessness of the gift card but got the usual brush off re-stating what the website already said - no real explanation as to why the change. Gave the usual blurb about how they have negotiated a better rate on larger items (most of which I do not collect) and how they cannot control how much Fed Ex charge for handling despite their website quoting only 1-2% handling charge. They gave me the details of an official Sideshow dealer (Amerang) in the UK to avoid the shipping costs but I've been to that site and the range is extremely poor. I will be cancelling quite a few of my items as I am not prepared to argue with Fed Ex every time they deliver something. The "exclusive" stands for the clones have been pretty unimpressive so I'll be getting more and more stuff directly from Forbidden Planet from now on.

[David]

I stopped getting exclusives a while ago as I felt the extra cost was not worth it. These days I only for the must have ones like the CW Anakin with Rota and Emperor Palpatine with the extra head. The only reason I got the PF Dooku direct was I had some points to use and was going to cut back on the 12" line. I've since back tracked over the cutting back I get most of my SS stuff from FP but I'm still having a hard time trying to justify myself pulling the rigger on Lando and Piett given the way they have jacked up prices recently.

[Commandergree]

I'm thinking the same too - the Exclusive Emperor is a must have. I'll probably keep my order for the exclusive 41st Elite Core clone now that they have confirmed my wait list reservation. Originally, I thought that the Sandtrooper Squad Leader was exclusive to Sideshow's site but seeing as Forbidden Planet had it for order, I'm cancelling my order with Sideshow - same goes for the Emperor's throne.

I'm skipping quite a few of their non-armoured figures as some of the sculpts have been terrible, others (like Lando) seem to have weird proportions and some are just not figures that I'd be interested in anyway. Oh and as you say, those prices are looking a little bit high these days - Medicom money for loose bodies and joints!

Today, I visited Toys R Us for the first time in ages and happily found that Commander Ponds has arrived so picked him up for £7.99 rather than the £12.99 that my local FPs have him on the pegs for. Almost gave in and paid that a couple of weeks ago but glad I resisted now. Also picked up TCW Commander Thire.

[David]

Latest additions:

Sideshow 12" Excusive CW General Anakin Skywalker with Rotta The Hutt
Sideshow 12" AOTC Clone Trooper
SW Advetures - Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes
CW Gambit - Stealth
CW Comic #5
CW Anakin (Cold Weather), Darth Sidious, Commander Stone, TX-20 Tactical Droid, Thi-Sen (Talz)
Scramble On Yavin BP
Kamino Conflict BP

[Commandergree]

Sideshow Phase 1 Clone
Hasbro Commander Bacarra and Ewok 2-pack

[Dez]

one of the new clone wars 2 packs liut.thire and clonetrooper rys. there was also yoda and clonetrooper jek. sainsburys £15.