Set ID: 75014 Battle of Hoth
Number of Pieces: 426
Year of Release: 2013
Minifigs: 7 (Maybe 6?)
Purchased Price: About SGD 100
Years ago I attended a workshop that taught me, for the fist time, the term "abundance mentality". Essentially it just means there is enough for everyone so let's just be nice and not kill each other for it. (This mentality should really apply to those people queueing outside the Telco shops for the iPhone 6 right now ...) I believe the LEGO Star Wars designers have pretty much embraced this same principle when they decided to launch yet another Hoth set. Doing a quick search on brickset.com reveals the following startling statistics: Just by searching with the word "Hoth" itself, there are already four pretty significant scene sets released over the years, Hoth Rebel Base in 2007, Hoth Echo Base in 2011, Hoth Wampa Cave in 2010 and this set that I am reviewing. These do not include the other battle packs, AT-ATs, standalone Snowspeeder, which pretty much form the landscape of Hoth. Abundance? You bet.
Then there is another interpretation of "abundance' for this set. The inventory includes a Snowspeeder, a speeder bike, a trench set, gun station, a probe droid, a tauntaun and seven minifigs. Yup, a whopping seven relevant minifigs that are featured significantly in the battle of Hoth. As a set by itself, it is adequate to form a mini battle scene without having to break your piggy bank for an AT-AT or more elaborate sets like the Echo Hoth Base or Rebel Base sets. Someone in LEGO must be in a generous mood (price aside of course).
The Snowspeeder
Just recently I reviewed the 75049 Snowspeeder so it does feel a little weird to be reviewing an earlier version with only one year between their release dates. This also explains why there are hardly noticeable changes / improvements worth mentioning.
If I should scrutinise it harder, there are a few differences: (1) The pilots (although there is only ONE included in this set, are sitting on 2X2 SNOT plates without any studs or T-shape leg slots, as seen in 75049, to secure it. I tried to execute a few barrel rolls with the Snowspeeder and Luke ended up somewhere between the two pilot seats. Poor thing.
(2) Unlike 75049 version, this set was not produced in the era when LEGO decided to squeeze in spring loaded missiles in every darn set. I do not miss the arsenal under its wings nor that ugly looking single stud "gun" at the rear. In fact, I do like the design of this rear blaster, which is made up of a double barrel gun and a pair of binoculars. (3) I do like the winch design for the grapple hook of the newer version better than this. It is simply based on the nicer aesthetic of a symmetrical design over an asymmetrical one. Both work just as well though.
The Speeder Bike
Lovely. This is the new variant of speeder bike which is made up of a customised body. Of course, for the die hard LEGO fans, this customised piece essentially dilutes the basic principles of the building philosophy of LEGO (think of Playmobil and you will understand what I mean). HOWEVER, this is a compromise that I am willing to take. It does make the whole speeder bike more movie accurate and sturdy. The front of the Speeder Bike is clipped on to the main body, thus allowing it to articulate to a small extent. Handle bar design is also spot on, fitting nicely to the hands of its rider.
Probe Droid
I can only recall the probe droid appearing in the 2007 set of Hoth Rebel Base (7666) before. In that version, it was a much flatter variant, and although it was a good representation of its movie counterpart, this re-design does go one-up with a more organic feel, especially with its uneven tentacle lengths. Minor complain over the design of its rather small round base, guilty of causing the droid to tip over constantly, no thanks to its top heavy centre of gravity.
Web Gun / Trench / Radar Gun Station
The LEGO design team seemed to have hit the right note with the web gun design since 2011 and sensibly, stuck to the winning formula with this version. The gun is rightly proportioned to the gunner behind it and the best part is, not overly complicated.
The trench is an element that brought a smile to my face regardless whether I am building or appreciating it. The three articulated parts are hinged together, each with details telling a story of their own - An oversized sausage to feed the hungry Troopers fighting in the snow, a spade and an pickaxe that reflects the harsh weather condition, and a very nicely detailed mounted gun to help the Trooper fend off the offending armies.
At the Radar Gun station, the radar dish is mounted on an elevated platform and it doubles as an observation station as well. A flick missile does fire off impressively via the middle of the radar dish but I am struggling to recollect if such a weapon exist in the movie, or is it a LEGO fantasy? Beside the radar station lies the control centre, presumably housing General Rieekan, who masterminded the defence.
The Tauntaun
Visibly I cannot tell apart this new Tauntaun from its predecessor in set 7879 Hoth Echo Base, released in 2011. Although standing on two feet, it is well balanced and steady even with a Trooper riding it. There are not many playable features except for the articulated short hands and saddle with rein. Surprisingly, there is no 2X1 body coloured brick to fill the saddle void in this set.
Building Experience
For a set that has so many elements, it is surprising to see that there are less than 500 pieces of bricks in the box. All the bricks are spread out into three polybags, and the Tauntaun in an exclusive bag by itself. Two instruction booklets and a sticker sheet complete the content of the box. The stickers are mostly applied on the Snowspeeder, and as they do add some nice details to the vehicle, I am not going to criticise it too much here. Although I will like to encourage LEGO to think of a way to protect the sticker sheet from being squashed and creased by the bricks in the box. Cardboard packs as a standard will be a good start.
There are many small parts in this set, which makes building a little challenging at times. Despite that, I managed to complete the set within 1.5 hour without any major hiccup or surprises. Some new parts (new at the point of time in 2013) are also very welcomed, e.g. The 2X2 SNOB (Stud not on bottom) brick used at the undercarriage of the Snowspeeder to assist with the gliding.
Minifigs
Officially there are supposed to be seven minifigs in this set. I counted six and trying hard to figure out who is the 7th. Is it the Tauntaun or the probe droid?
The Hoth Rebel Troopers
There are three troopers in this set, two "common" Rebel Troopers and one General Rieekan. IT must be mentioned that although they are "common", both Troopers have their own unique head piece and facial expression. I really like the oversized snow googles and helmet design, which is best showcased with the googles propping above the face. Once you bring the googles down to the face, this is how the Rebel Trooper will look like ... you be the judge. Both Troopers have identical Torso design, printed with scarf, ammunition pockets and belt.
General Rieekan comes with an alternative hair piece which he can swapped into when he is not engaged in battle. The grey hair piece and facial expression are excellent representation of the character in the movie. Even the torso prints are very movie accurate, with quilted designs, breast pockets and fabric crease lines.
Luke comes in the classic orange flight suit with plenty of printed details. He has a two face head piece, one printed with the orange visor (my personal preferred side) and the other without. The helmet design is meticulously detailed but the chin strap of the concealed face still peek out from under the helmet. Minor detail but still it spoils the rear view of the minifig. This minifig will subsequently made another appearance in the 2014 Snowspeeder set.
Not to be outdone by the other minifigs, the Snowtroopers are of good quality too. His head piece is only printed on one side (what's with the smiley face?) and totally black on another. There is a good reason why there is a need for the black side. When the minifig dons the helmet, it will look better with the black colour peeking out of the eye holes as compared to flesh colour. The torso is printed on both sides with nice details such as the battle damage and body armour. The rear torso print seems a little redundant since the back pack of the Snowtrooper almost entirely covers the back of the minifig.
Conclusion
Recommended for any one who watches the battle scenes in Hoth at least 12 times a year, or who is in the process of building up an army to re-create the battle scenes at home. This can also be a good starter pack (an expensive one though) for someone who wishes to be introduced to the world of LEGO Star Wars. May the Force be with you!
+ Soooo many elements in a single set. Enough to re-create a Hoth battle scene without getting other sets
+ Nice speeder bike and well designed probe droid
+ Enhanced playability with many details and features in the trench and gun station
+ Unique Rebel Troopers
- Only ONE pilot? Who's flying with Luke?
- Creased sticker sheet from package
 |
| Re-creating the Hoth battle scene! |
The Snowspeeder
Just recently I reviewed the 75049 Snowspeeder so it does feel a little weird to be reviewing an earlier version with only one year between their release dates. This also explains why there are hardly noticeable changes / improvements worth mentioning.If I should scrutinise it harder, there are a few differences: (1) The pilots (although there is only ONE included in this set, are sitting on 2X2 SNOT plates without any studs or T-shape leg slots, as seen in 75049, to secure it. I tried to execute a few barrel rolls with the Snowspeeder and Luke ended up somewhere between the two pilot seats. Poor thing.
(2) Unlike 75049 version, this set was not produced in the era when LEGO decided to squeeze in spring loaded missiles in every darn set. I do not miss the arsenal under its wings nor that ugly looking single stud "gun" at the rear. In fact, I do like the design of this rear blaster, which is made up of a double barrel gun and a pair of binoculars. (3) I do like the winch design for the grapple hook of the newer version better than this. It is simply based on the nicer aesthetic of a symmetrical design over an asymmetrical one. Both work just as well though.The Speeder Bike
Lovely. This is the new variant of speeder bike which is made up of a customised body. Of course, for the die hard LEGO fans, this customised piece essentially dilutes the basic principles of the building philosophy of LEGO (think of Playmobil and you will understand what I mean). HOWEVER, this is a compromise that I am willing to take. It does make the whole speeder bike more movie accurate and sturdy. The front of the Speeder Bike is clipped on to the main body, thus allowing it to articulate to a small extent. Handle bar design is also spot on, fitting nicely to the hands of its rider.
Probe Droid
I can only recall the probe droid appearing in the 2007 set of Hoth Rebel Base (7666) before. In that version, it was a much flatter variant, and although it was a good representation of its movie counterpart, this re-design does go one-up with a more organic feel, especially with its uneven tentacle lengths. Minor complain over the design of its rather small round base, guilty of causing the droid to tip over constantly, no thanks to its top heavy centre of gravity.Web Gun / Trench / Radar Gun Station
The LEGO design team seemed to have hit the right note with the web gun design since 2011 and sensibly, stuck to the winning formula with this version. The gun is rightly proportioned to the gunner behind it and the best part is, not overly complicated. |
| Taking a break ... |
 |
| Manning the trench ... |
 |
| Nice trench gun! |
 |
| Playing hide and seek with Snowtrooper |
At the Radar Gun station, the radar dish is mounted on an elevated platform and it doubles as an observation station as well. A flick missile does fire off impressively via the middle of the radar dish but I am struggling to recollect if such a weapon exist in the movie, or is it a LEGO fantasy? Beside the radar station lies the control centre, presumably housing General Rieekan, who masterminded the defence.
The Tauntaun
Visibly I cannot tell apart this new Tauntaun from its predecessor in set 7879 Hoth Echo Base, released in 2011. Although standing on two feet, it is well balanced and steady even with a Trooper riding it. There are not many playable features except for the articulated short hands and saddle with rein. Surprisingly, there is no 2X1 body coloured brick to fill the saddle void in this set.Building Experience
For a set that has so many elements, it is surprising to see that there are less than 500 pieces of bricks in the box. All the bricks are spread out into three polybags, and the Tauntaun in an exclusive bag by itself. Two instruction booklets and a sticker sheet complete the content of the box. The stickers are mostly applied on the Snowspeeder, and as they do add some nice details to the vehicle, I am not going to criticise it too much here. Although I will like to encourage LEGO to think of a way to protect the sticker sheet from being squashed and creased by the bricks in the box. Cardboard packs as a standard will be a good start.There are many small parts in this set, which makes building a little challenging at times. Despite that, I managed to complete the set within 1.5 hour without any major hiccup or surprises. Some new parts (new at the point of time in 2013) are also very welcomed, e.g. The 2X2 SNOB (Stud not on bottom) brick used at the undercarriage of the Snowspeeder to assist with the gliding.Minifigs
Officially there are supposed to be seven minifigs in this set. I counted six and trying hard to figure out who is the 7th. Is it the Tauntaun or the probe droid?
The Hoth Rebel Troopers
 |
| Goggle or face mask? |
General Rieekan comes with an alternative hair piece which he can swapped into when he is not engaged in battle. The grey hair piece and facial expression are excellent representation of the character in the movie. Even the torso prints are very movie accurate, with quilted designs, breast pockets and fabric crease lines.Luke comes in the classic orange flight suit with plenty of printed details. He has a two face head piece, one printed with the orange visor (my personal preferred side) and the other without. The helmet design is meticulously detailed but the chin strap of the concealed face still peek out from under the helmet. Minor detail but still it spoils the rear view of the minifig. This minifig will subsequently made another appearance in the 2014 Snowspeeder set. Not to be outdone by the other minifigs, the Snowtroopers are of good quality too. His head piece is only printed on one side (what's with the smiley face?) and totally black on another. There is a good reason why there is a need for the black side. When the minifig dons the helmet, it will look better with the black colour peeking out of the eye holes as compared to flesh colour. The torso is printed on both sides with nice details such as the battle damage and body armour. The rear torso print seems a little redundant since the back pack of the Snowtrooper almost entirely covers the back of the minifig.
Conclusion
Recommended for any one who watches the battle scenes in Hoth at least 12 times a year, or who is in the process of building up an army to re-create the battle scenes at home. This can also be a good starter pack (an expensive one though) for someone who wishes to be introduced to the world of LEGO Star Wars. May the Force be with you!
+ Soooo many elements in a single set. Enough to re-create a Hoth battle scene without getting other sets
+ Nice speeder bike and well designed probe droid
+ Enhanced playability with many details and features in the trench and gun station
+ Unique Rebel Troopers
- Only ONE pilot? Who's flying with Luke?
- Creased sticker sheet from package
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