Review: 8091 Republic Swamp Speeder

Set ID: 8091 Republic Swamp Speeder

Number of Pieces: 176

Year of Release: 2010

Minifigs: 5

Purchased Price: About SGD83

I always like to do a little research before I write a review entry, watching the parts of the movie where the vehicle or scene appeared in, looking for pictures of the "real" thing etc. This set has posed a huge challenge for me in these aspects. Forget about looking for it in the movie as they are in the blink-and-you-miss battle actions in the movie and the only pictures I can find are those of Hasbro's toy series. With the limited information, I can only conclude that this is not a really popular or classic vehicle in Star Wars.

Different sources of web search and fan sites pointed to different installment of the movie where this vehicle appeared. Some said Episode 2, some said Episode 3 and some saw it in Clone War cartoon. As I am not a fan nor collector of the Clone War series, it took me some time to consider parting with my hard earned money for this set. In the end, I relented to add this to my collection for the sole reason that the minifigs are more "Star War-ish" than "Clone War-ish. 

Propeller fan 

The completed set bears some resemblance to the Hasbro toys I saw on the internet. Judging from the design (and the name), it seems to operate the same way as the common swamp buggy that we see on Discovery Channel documentaries, propelled by the huge fan on the rear of the vehicle. The fan in this vehicle is much smaller but I guess with future technologies, this mini fan can be much more efficient that those big-ass ones found on the swamp buggies. 

Size size, I was misled by the box art to believe that this is a much larger vehicle, only to find out that it is only about the size of an adult's palm when completed. The first clue of its modest stature surfaced when I realised that the box was only half (or less than that) filled with bricks. At that moment, the 176 brick count started to make sense to me.The vehicle is driven by two pilots sitting on each side of the fan, and each of them has their own control panel printed on the bricks. The only weapon found on board are the four flick missiles located at the front of the speeder. 

Drive or fly? 

The most interesting part of this vehicle is that it comes with a very meticulously designed, yet simple, steering mechanism. As a "swamp" speeder, I suppose it is designed to float or levitate on the swamp when in motion. To simulate this, the LEGO designer has put in a couple of sets of wheels at its undercarriage, including the steerable front wheels not unlike those found in a Go-Kart. But without any rubber traction on the wheels, they are in fact quite difficult to steer, especially on the well-polished ceramic tiles at my place. Nonetheless, it is a nice touch to an otherwise boring set.

Building Experience

As mentioned earlier, I was greeted with a half empty box when I first opened the box. God knows why LEGO needs such a big box for a 176 brick count set. One possible logical explanation can be to justify the price. When I poured all the content out on the floor, my first question in mind was "That's it?" All in all, three small packet of bricks, one sticker sheet and an instruction booklet. 

That's all???

There is a wide use of Technic parts for the steering mechanism so some more refined building techniques can be expected. Not difficult though. I resisted the temptation to apply the stickers knowing that in due time, they will start to peel, especially on the curved surface. Having said that, the stickers will indeed add some realism to the vehicle if you apply them. I have to say I do like the one-piece fan propeller brick, also found in some engines of the airplane sets in the City range. 

Anyways, why are there two pilot seats when there is only one Clone Trooper included in this set? Hmmm...

Minifigs

The two "common" battle droids are the ones with a straight arm, allowing them to hold the laser guns in an upright position. Recently when I was dismantling some older sets, I realised that the head piece of these droids do become loose over time and the heads will not be able to keep upright by themselves. At a dime a dozen, I guess we can always purchase additional ones to replace when that happens.

The Super Battle Droid has much details in its design but I seemed to have some challenges locking the arms onto the torso when putting it together. The Clone Trooper has a totally black head piece and details printed on both sides of the torso. 

Barriss Offee is the Jedi Knight included in the set and the tattoo on her head piece is a nice touch of details to reflect that of the character in the movie. She carries a blue light saber and don a black cape to with hood. The Barriss Offee minifig found in the Clone War series comes with a more "cartoonish" face and a blue hood. This distinction between them settles the internal debate inside me of whether this is a Star Wars set or a Clone War set. 

Conclusion

Not a set that many will remember in the years to come. Even for a seasoned Star Wars fan, this set will hardly strike a chord. A space-filler on the shelf definitely, and not a cheap one.