Review: 75035 Kashyyyk Troopers

Set ID: 75035 Kashyyyk Troopers

Number of Pieces: 99

Year of Release: 2014

Minifigs: 4

Purchased Price: About SGD 20

Y? Y? Y???

So, why is there a Swamp Speeder in a set named "Kashyyyk Troopers"? And why are the Troopers carrying blasters that are larger than their arms? And why are there 3 "Y"s in the word "Kashyyyk" (and gives me plenty of headache when typing it)? Coincidentally, I was watching "The King's Speech" while reviewing this set and the word "Kashyyyk" kind of resonate well with Colin Firth stammering his lines in the background.

There were a few mini sets released during this latest wave of Star Wars launch. By mini set, I mean they are meant for kids who cannot afford the bigger ones and those AFOLs who are very much into the collection of minifigs. I bought this for the sake of completing (and continuing) my collection, but ended up was rather impressed by the quality of the minifigs. But up till now, I still struggle to justify the inclusion of the Swarm Speeder or its remote relevance to the Troopers.

This season, LEGO has attempted to improve the playability of the new sets with the introduction of spring loaded missiles and ejection blasters, which are found in this set. To accommodate this shooting feature, LEGO has compromised on the sleekness of design and size of the blasters. As a result, the Troopers are now seen carrying those grossly oversized guns while fighting for their life in battle. Some kids will certainly enjoy shooting those single stud pellets at some other minifigs (and will pester their parents to help them look for the lost pellets), but for a collector like myself, I hate the look of these blasters. I guess there is no best of both world here.

The mini swarm speeder is a modest version of that found in 8091 Republic Swarm Speeder, with less details and playability. Despite its modest size, the rear propeller can actually be rotated to help the speeder change direction. Two blasters are attached to its front to help provide scant attacking options for the Troopers. With only 99 bricks at our disposal, it will be unfair to compare to its 8091 "big brother".

Building Experience

My son was a little bored over the weekend and pleaded to open this set. It was too simple to keep him occupied for too long and all he took was 15 minutes to finish the building process. One small instruction booklet accompanies the 2 packet of bricks in the box. LEGO seems to have anticipated the high chance of losing the light blue pellet during play time. As such, there are 6 extra pellets included in this set in addition to the 4 that are already attached to the blasters. Trust me, it wouldn't take long to lose all of them.

Minifigs

Once again, the minifigs prevail over the vehicle in this set. A pair of identical Elite Corps Troopers and another pair of Kashyyyk Clone Troopers complete the crew list of this set. The outfit of the minifigs reminds me of the overall worn by those paintball players, who typically don the kaki colored camouflage vests with big, huge protective goggles. All four of them have the same intense facial expression, concealed behind the highly detailed helmets.

I first had the suspicion that the helmet of the Elite Corps Troopers are of the same mould as that of the Bike Trooper. Having access to one of the latter, I immediately concluded that they are different. With better technology, LEGO has managed to up the standard of details on the minifigs in recent years. Just check out the camouflage design and grilled mouth piece print on the helmet and you will be thoroughly convince.

The Elite Trooper also comes with a brown leg piece, with prints up to his knees. Kashyyyk Trooper is less visually exciting to me but it doesn't take away the pleasure of appreciating the details on his helmet. His torso is also printed on both sides with camouflage details extending to his kaki leg piece too. These 2 minifigs have are totally new ones in this wave of 2014 release. They do impress, and I can't wait to see what the minifig design team in LEGO is going to throw at consumer next.

Conclusion

A good entry level set. Will be better off getting the minifigs and combined with other more impressive vehicle or scene sets.

+ Details on minifigs
+ More playable features with the ejection blasters

- Unimpressive mini swarm speeder
- Unimpressive blaster designs. Wayyy to big fo the minifigs

Review: 8038 The Battle of Endor

Set ID: 8038 The Battle of Endor 

Number of Pieces: 890

Year of Release: 2009

Minifigs: 12!!!!!!!!!!!

Purchased Price: About SGD 200

My recent purchase of the Ewok Village has prompted me to dig up this scene set from my store. I wanted to build this set together with Ewok Village to re-create a forested Endor in my place. While I am not confident that I will open up the Ewok Village soon, I have stronger determination to pry open the seals on this 5 year old set. Although a battle scene, the fighting that took place in this scene felt much light hearted and candid as compared to those in Hoth, partly because of the Ewoks, whom by nature are adorable (Some might disagree). And the light weight armory of the Ewoks vs the laser blasting Troopers always remind me of the battle between David and the Goliath. David prevailed. Ewoks, well, needed some help. If you also possess the 2 Ewok Attack sets (released in 2002 and 2011), you may consider combining them with this set too to beef up the Ewok community.

Watching ROTJ while building this set, I have a mental checklist that goes ... AT-ST, checked. Speeder Bikes, checked. Bunker, checked. Ewok glider, checked. Primitive catapult, checked. Ewoks, Troopers, Leia, Solo, Chewbacca, R2, Endor Rebels, checked, checked, checked, checked .... Finally, I get a set that can almost reenact the entire scene in the movie, with all the right props and characters (some Star Wars sets are guilty of including characters that did not even feature in the scene or very remote relationship to the vehicle they are tagged to) The first impression of this set is therefore... very complete.

Roll call before the attack!

As there are so many elements and minifigs in this set, I will break them down into individual elements to review on, ending with the massive 12 minifigs that come with this set. 12, that's a number that only Ewok Village and Death Star sets can surpass. 

Speed Away!

There are 2 improved versions of the speeder bikes that comes with this set. Going though the evolution of speeder bikes over the years, I must say the designers are really putting effort to make them better and better. This version comes with the correct color scheme and articulated body, allowing the front portion of the bike some degree of freedom to swing side to side while turning tight corners.

I made no secret of my liking of those well-deisgned handlebars, which are very posable for the Trooper to grab while riding. A backpack is attached at the rear for Trooper to carry some additional knick knacks. However, it is hardly secured and does come off quite easily during play time. 

Rounds Away!

The primitive armory of the Ewoks include a catapult and 4 stone ammunition in the form of 2X2 round grey bricks. To improve its camouflage in the thick foliage of the forest of Endor, the catapult is made up of mostly brown (wood) and green (leave) bricks. A couple of clips provided some holding spots for the spears and bow of the Ewoks as they operate the catapult. Unlike many of the older catapult designs, this actually works, and works well. My secondary school science teacher will be happy to use this catapult design to explain the chapter on lever and system, emphasizing on the impact of the long arm on its range. Simple, but effective.

Fly Away!

Spread those wings!

Before I get too complimentary with my remarks on Ewoks' armory, the glider kind of brought me back to earth. Mounted on a transparent stand, the glider is perched high above the other elements in this set. The finished product is both flimsy and fragile. Flimsy because its wings have this tendency to flip backwards and fragile because almost every time I play with it, something will come off. It does carry a few pieces of rocks too for ariel bombardment but deploying those rocks is not an easy task. In the end, I decided the best way to deal with this glider is, to leave it alone.

Stamp Away!

I am always in awe of any vehicle that is designed to balance on 2 legs. Many versions of the AT-ST have been released over the years by LEGO, and never once am I disappointed with the design of the chicken leg-esque balancing act. To make it more impressive, the AT-ST is a top-heavy vehicle and that makes balancing even more challenging. I put the AT-ST through several tip-over test and it passed most with flying colors. The only one that it failed was when I attempted to kick it. Duh. This version comes with a knob behind the cockpit to move its legs, just by alternating clockwise and anti-clockwise on the knob.

The cockpit was a simple affair, just having enough space to accommodate Chewbacca, who can access the AT-ST via the hinged top hatch. The cockpit can be rotated 360 degree, on the turntable tile that connects the head with the legs. A point to note is that if the cockpit is rotated beyond 90 degree left or right, the center of gravity would have shifted to topple the AT-ST. Other playable features include a few rotatable cannons and a flick missile beside the cockpit.

Blast Away!

The center piece of this set is no doubt the bunker. It consists of the main entrance piece and hinged on the 2 sides with symmetrical designs. Look wise, the bunker certainly does its original proud, especially the sunken entrance and sliding main door. Opening the door requires little effort and it leads you to the main control center. The occupant of the bunker will be greeted by a whole panel of controls (all printed bricks! Thank you LEGO!) and a couple of chairs, presumably evacuated by the escaping Troopers.

The last play feature that I want to introduce is something that is totally new to me. To simulate the exploding end of the bunker, a pair of push buttons are installed on the roof of the entrance. Underneath   these buttons are is an elaborated spring mechanism, which helps to eject the wall panels in different directions when the buttons are pushed. Comparing to the LOTR Helm's Deep set, this exploding mechanism is much more sophisticated and spectacular.  

Building Experience

The box of this set is huge and I suspect the size was to justify the price and the space required for the artwork. I was very careful not to tear open the perforated lines when opening the box, but that makes accessing the bricks really difficult. At close to 900 brick counts, I would have thought there would be a good number of numbered packs. To my surprise, there were 2 packs of "1" - for all the minifigs, the catapult, speeder bikes and glider, 2 packs of "2" - for the AT-ST and 4 packs of "3"- for the bunker. The longest time taken were for the construction of the bunker as there were quite a number of bricks when I opened all the 4 packs of "3". Did not help that mostly were in different shades of grey.

Since I am still on color, I want to mention that the color representation in the 2 instruction booklets can be misleading at times. It is especially difficult to differentiate the black and dark grey. And there were occasions when I did mistook their identities. Lesson learnt: find somewhere well lit (with white lights instead of warm lights) when building this set.

There were no major drama during my 2.5 hours of building experience. Although the glider did tested my patience at times with its flimsiness. On a good note, the spring elements that came with the set offered some element of surprise during the construction process. I was very impressed with the intricate design of the exploding mechanism. Another compliment must be given to the assortment of leave elements included in this set. It is totally up to your imagination how you want to position those leaves to simulate the camouflage around the bunker.

Minifigs

There are a number of minifigs that are exclusive to this set. Let's start with the 2 Rebel Commandos. Both share the same torso and leg piece designs. What sets them apart are their facial expressions - one with bearded and the other with a frown. The torso designs are printed on both sides, with details such as an ammunition belt and camouflaged vest. Each commando also carries a small haversack for their basic survival kit in this dense vegetation. While the frown-faced commando looks generic, I did manage to locate his counterpart in the movie scene. Can't remember if he has a formal identity though.

The 3 Ewoks are rare too. Chief Chirpa, being the more senior Ewoks amongst the others, possess the stake of power. His grey body also sets him apart from his 2 other junior Ewoks, Paploo and Wicket, who are predominantly brown in color. It is worth noting that Chief Chirpa has not appeared in any other sets until the recent release of Ewok Village. All the 3 Ewoks shared the same head piece mould, differentiated by only the color combination of their body and scarf. In the movie, Paploo was responsible for dislodging the Biker Scout Trooper from his bike and Wicket was the mastermind behind flying the glider. Is such details don't bother you, you can place them what ever way you want in this scene set.

Princess Leia appeared in many variations in past LEGO sets, from bikini clad, to disguise, to this camouflaged version. I have to say her green torso and blue pants do make a weird color combination and you will probably not see her making a fashion statement with this outfit any time soon. There are quite a fair bit of details printed on both sides of her torso, including a utility belt, scarf around her neck and camouflaged designs to blend into the environment. Thank goodness Leia made a change of her wardrobe when she appears in the Ewok Village.

Han Solo comes with his trademark black vest and smirky expression. Back in 2009, I guess double sided head piece is not the "in" thing yet so there is no alternative expression for Han. The printing of his body extends to his leg piece, with his gun holster printed on his right thigh. Han's partner in crime, Chewbacca, is a common minifig in more than 10 sets released over the years. He has recently been updated (it's about time!) with more details and prints all over. This version of Chewie is engulfed in a sea of brown, to the extent that it is hard to make out his facial expression, if there is any to begin with.

The details on Scout Trooper has changed little since they first made an appearance more than 10 years ago. The Scout Trooper found in this set is therefore not an exception and offers little surprises. His torso is only printed on the front, with details of his chest armor and ammo belt. He also comes with a all black head piece, which forms part of his black visor when he dons his helmet. By the way, there are 2 of this Scout Trooper included in this set, and each has their own ride in the form of the Scout Bike.

I am starting to lose count ... Who's next? Oh yes, the all-black Imperial Trooper. His chin strap is printed on his head piece, and it connects nicely to the helmet when you put it on. The printing on the Trooper's torso cannot be seen easily, with exception of his belt as it has a silver buckle and utility pouches. Surprisingly, he is not accessorized with any hand held weapons so Han and gang will certainly have an advantage over him.A 'common' R2D2 rounds up the dirty dozen of minifigs included in this set.

Conclusion

Plenty of reasons why this set is a must-buy for the fans and collectors. It is a very complete and playable set, with elements ranging from building to vehicles to a dozen minifigs. Its a scene set that you might even write a few sub-plots on, just to get every elements involved in your play time. Works best if you can combine with other Endor / Ewok sets released over the years.

+ The balancing act of the Skinny legs of the AT-ST
+ Playable and dramatic playable features of the bunker
+ Good variety of leave elements
+ 12 minifigs!

- The design of the glider is flimsy and disappointing

Review: 75015 Corporate Alliance Tank Droid

Set ID: 75015 Corporate Alliance Tank Droid 

Number of Pieces: 205

Year of Release: 2013

Minifigs: 3

Purchased Price: About SGD 45

Snail on Wheels / Track ...

I really cannot remember seeing this vehicle in any of the Star Wars movie. I can of course run through all my Star Wars DVD collection again, but in the interest of time, I rely on my trusted Google search again. According to online literature, the Tank Droids were deployed extensively in the Battle of Kashyyyk, but given its design and lack of maneuverability, I believe it has its limitation in the offensive wave, thereby earning its place in the "easily forgotten" league of Star Wars vehicles. 

Posing with the snail

As a battleship / vehicle, it doesn't really help with a design that resembles a snail, and less said about the comical pair of 'eyes' propping up above the Droid, the better. The main propulsion of the Tank Droid is via the huge track which circumvates the profile of the entire vehicle. With a little pressure exerted groundwards, the track can actually move quite smoothly as I attempted to roll the Droid forward.

Unlike the Wheel Bike, pushing the track is not the best option to move the tank Droid forward as the track is a little tight. As for the armory, there were 2 pairs of forward facing cannons, flanking on each side of the Droid. I was surprised to find that both sets of cannons are fixed and not rotatable. Wonder how the Tank Droid deals with aerial threat ... No spring loaded missiles for this set so the traditional flick missiles are still included to provide some form of playability.

There are a number of areas I thought the design can be improved upon to stay loyal to the original design. (1) The overall length should be longer, relative to its height. (2) There should be a pair of secondary tracks beside the main disc, instead they are replaced by 2 solid blocks of bricks with a row of 2X2 round SNOT bricks at the bottom. (3) The secondary wheel at the front should be protruding much further and its size, bigger. I can be more critical with the design but shall stop at three, given the limited brick counts to accommodate more details.

Building Experience

The box appears rather longish as compared to the standard box design, but just enough to accommodate the 2 packs of bricks and 1 instruction booklet. Pack 1 contains the parts for the internal core of the Tank Droid and the stars of this set - the minifigs. Pack 2 holds the track and the other external elements.

Building was rather straightforward and simple (and boring), using a combination of System and Technic parts. The "highlight" of the entire building process is undoubtedly putting the 60 pieces of track parts together. In the event you lost count midway through the process, just ensure that you have 2 spare pieces towards the end and you know that you're on the right erm ... track.

Still on spare parts. There is only need for a single Jango's helmet antenna but I ended up with 3 extras together with 4 other weird looking parts that resemble goggles. It is quite a baffling wastage in my opinion as I only need 1 out of the 8 parts pre-packed in a single packet. I am sure there is a more prudent approach to resolve this issue.


Minifigs

While the vehicle did not impress me, the minifigs included in this set provided the best excuse for me to part with my hard earned money. With luck, the Jango Fett's minifig may even fetch a price that exceed the original selling price of this set. I kid you not.

Jango's torso is printed on both sides, although the designs on his back does not really matter as it will be covered by the jet pack anyway. The prints extend beyond the torso towards Jango's leg piece. Surprisingly, Jango's head piece is only printed on one side, with stubble ridden face and smirky expression. The details on his helmet is a joy to appreciate, although his antenna is a little too long with respect to the size of the helmet. The only slight letdown are the pistols that he carries. For this accessory, I will prefer his predecessor in set 7153 (Jango Fett's Slave I) This version of Jango Fett is exclusive to this set and I hope it will not be mass produced for future set. 

The other exclusive minifg is the orange-brown battle droid with backpack. His unique color easily sets it apart from the common beige versions. Add a 2X1 piece as a backpack and he looks a lot more valuable and exclusive. I do have to say my "brownie" feels really solid when put together as the head, arms and leg pieces clip on tightly to the torso. This is unlike the beige versions, whom I am getting increasingly frustrated with the loose head pieces which tend to droop as soon as they are fixed on.

Comparing to the first 2 minifigs, the Clone Trooper will inevitably step out of the spot light. Despite that (and the fact that they are a-dime-a-dozen), I must say I am  complimentary of the details printed on the helmet and torso. He is armed with a longer-than-neccesary rifle, made up of a long rifle with a muzzle extension.

Why am I the one to carry the biggest gun?

Conclusion

In recent years, the quality of Star Wars minifgs have been improving steadily. The same cannot be said of the vehicle sets or scene sets, with LEGO having sporadic successes with some new remake of the older versions. This is one of those sets where the minifig outdo the accompanying vehicle (yes, not the other way round). Buy this if you are a minifig collector.

+ Jango Fett minifig. Probably the only reason why this set is worth buying

+ Battle Droid minifig in orange-brown color. Probably the secondary reason to buy this set

- Proportion of Tank Droid not right

- Putting 60 pieces of track together. Great activity to induce sleep