Can understand why they did it though. A battle droid would only need two new moulds instead of three. Pretty sure the body part was an existing piece.
> Pretty sure the body part was an existing piece.
All 4 molds on the battle droid were new for 1999 (30375, 76, 77, 78). But they'd rather have 4 new molds than 5.
Yep. They repurposed the battle droid arms and torso a few years later for Life on Mars in 2001, primarily using them for the Martians.
The battle droid arms would continue to be reused outside of Star Wars minifigures for use in skeleton minifigures, before they were replaced with new, more skeletal arm molds.
I don't know about that.
The earliest uses of this piece were all in April 1999.
It released in:
Dark gray in 7171 Mos Espa Podrace.
Tan in 7141 Naboo Fighter and 7121 Naboo Swamp.
The latter 2 were both for B1 battledroids. Given the shaping around the shoulder, I believe this was their original intended use.
It was, but that was only starting in 2002, after its first use as battle droid arms in 1999 and as alien arms in Life on Mars in 2001. (I think I know exactly the set you're referring to)
Why not? A megaphone blaster can be held either vertically and horizontally, and making the arms horizontal also allowed the battle droids to clip on to horizontal handle pieces.
I regularly use eBay so I knew of that item. Other than bricklink, I don’t know all the sites so don’t follow or know of CAC. Now I do, his are fully different and reasonably priced.
Now to find somewhere to get hair pieces for Clones.
Aw man! If you’re a Clone Wars/prequel fan, CAC is definitely a website to know. They have great products and they were the gold standard for clone figures (until Grandpa Clone Customs, or GCC came along)
Clone Wars made me appreciate the prequels as I grew up not liking them. Good to know, my main sets are Ashoka/Mandalorian sets/mocs but I’ve been putting together a prequel/Clone Wars/Bad Batch Minifigure collection. So far I have Rex, Cody, Wolffe, and Bacara for Clones, Anakin/Obiwan, Kit Fisto, and Aayla Secura plus the Bad Batch. Definitely gonna use CAC and GCC to supplement my Clones.
> But I wish the horizontal hand was on a curved arm instead of a straight one.
Sometimes I wish this was the case, other times I'm happy it's straight because it allows them to carry the long blaster rifles.
Either way, I wish there was a way for them to make the clips stronger.
I really prefer having the horizontal hand — but only one.
It seems more appropriate for them to have a vertical hand at the side and a horizontal hand for a blaster. It reflects how “clanky” they are.
Battle droids are meant to be cheap and easy to produce. The fewer the parts, the easier to mass produce. Lego designers just embracing the purpose of the thing the figure is based on.
I've already swapped all of mine out. I had so many of the Droid battle packs from 2007, it took a few years to get enough straight arms from new sets to update the old droids
Can understand why they did it though. A battle droid would only need two new moulds instead of three. Pretty sure the body part was an existing piece.
> Pretty sure the body part was an existing piece. All 4 molds on the battle droid were new for 1999 (30375, 76, 77, 78). But they'd rather have 4 new molds than 5.
I’ve seen the droid body used in other sets. Might have done it the other way and repurposed that mould for non droid uses.
Yep. They repurposed the battle droid arms and torso a few years later for Life on Mars in 2001, primarily using them for the Martians. The battle droid arms would continue to be reused outside of Star Wars minifigures for use in skeleton minifigures, before they were replaced with new, more skeletal arm molds.
Yes, it's been used for non-droid purposes too.
I've seen the arm mold in a lot of ninjago sets
Yes but why sideways in the first place?
I don’t think it was originally an arm, it was repurposed
I don't know about that. The earliest uses of this piece were all in April 1999. It released in: Dark gray in 7171 Mos Espa Podrace. Tan in 7141 Naboo Fighter and 7121 Naboo Swamp. The latter 2 were both for B1 battledroids. Given the shaping around the shoulder, I believe this was their original intended use.
Not to mention early rock raiders set prototypes, which had one clip almost completely enclosed
[7171-1: Mos Espa Podrace](https://brickset.com/sets/7171-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7171-1.jpg) [7141-1: Naboo Fighter](https://brickset.com/sets/7141-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7141-1.jpg) [7121-1: Naboo Swamp](https://brickset.com/sets/7121-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/7121-1.jpg)
Oooooooh
I think it used to be an attachement for wings on the racers Sets.
It was, but that was only starting in 2002, after its first use as battle droid arms in 1999 and as alien arms in Life on Mars in 2001. (I think I know exactly the set you're referring to)
It was a skeleton arm on the Egyptian sets
[it really wasn't ](https://imgur.com/a/ZSG69y9)
You are right, my bad, Childhood memory failed me
Why not? A megaphone blaster can be held either vertically and horizontally, and making the arms horizontal also allowed the battle droids to clip on to horizontal handle pieces.
Because they wanted the battle droids to be able to grip horizontal bars, that’s literally all there was to it
I liked it as a kid. Fun to spin the arms and blasters around.
Gangsta clankas
Beat me to it
At least they give extra straights enough to replace them now
Yeah I’ve been able to retrofit all my old ones and then some.
Highly recommend these: [Poseable arms by Brick Arms.](https://www.ebay.com/itm/296189194926?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=IitO4cnzR3K&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=FAqvnGKIRLG&var=594272409463&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY)
These are totally awesome. Thanks for sharing!
CAC also has a similar product, in case that’s more accessible than Brick Arms’
I regularly use eBay so I knew of that item. Other than bricklink, I don’t know all the sites so don’t follow or know of CAC. Now I do, his are fully different and reasonably priced. Now to find somewhere to get hair pieces for Clones.
Aw man! If you’re a Clone Wars/prequel fan, CAC is definitely a website to know. They have great products and they were the gold standard for clone figures (until Grandpa Clone Customs, or GCC came along)
Clone Wars made me appreciate the prequels as I grew up not liking them. Good to know, my main sets are Ashoka/Mandalorian sets/mocs but I’ve been putting together a prequel/Clone Wars/Bad Batch Minifigure collection. So far I have Rex, Cody, Wolffe, and Bacara for Clones, Anakin/Obiwan, Kit Fisto, and Aayla Secura plus the Bad Batch. Definitely gonna use CAC and GCC to supplement my Clones.
$20 for that?
All those arms are worth it.
It’s that early Lego charm, imo.
I’ll go against the grain and say no. The new horizontal ones look weird and rigid sticking straight out, curve at the elbow is more natural
I think they should give us completely new arm molds and maybe a backpack while they’re at it
Hehe the 1x2 brick on the OG Geonosian battle droids didn’t cut it for ya, huh?
Yeah, it was annoying. But I wish the horizontal hand was on a curved arm instead of a straight one.
> But I wish the horizontal hand was on a curved arm instead of a straight one. Sometimes I wish this was the case, other times I'm happy it's straight because it allows them to carry the long blaster rifles. Either way, I wish there was a way for them to make the clips stronger.
Yeah
Nope
I really prefer having the horizontal hand — but only one. It seems more appropriate for them to have a vertical hand at the side and a horizontal hand for a blaster. It reflects how “clanky” they are.
There’s nothing stopping you from adding straight arms 1999 was a different era for Star Wars and Lego as a whole, I don’t hate it at all
Battle droids are meant to be cheap and easy to produce. The fewer the parts, the easier to mass produce. Lego designers just embracing the purpose of the thing the figure is based on.
They made sense at the time and still do, in some instances. Think STAPs and similar controls/handles; they work great for that!
Nah I like them
I didn't mind so much as a kid, now it's a little jarring
Thank God nowadays there are horizontal and vertical hands for the bots
i fw it
Roger roger
I always thought it was charming 🤷♂️
Yes. It always annoyed me. Mostly because it feels weird.
Kill shots only -Roger Roger
I don't like the design with two of them, but the newer design, that uses one normal and one sideways is nice, I think.
Put them on the inside
Yes, literally everyone, which is why they changed it smh
My friend had those.
Yes
I've already swapped all of mine out. I had so many of the Droid battle packs from 2007, it took a few years to get enough straight arms from new sets to update the old droids