75098 - UCS: Assault on Hoth

[jaisonline]

You know a set is kinda doomed when Lego has to highlight the # of helmets included.

"Accessories include 7 Hoth Rebel helmets, 2 Snowtrooper helmets, and Wes and Wedge’s flight helmets."

http://brickset.com/article/19256/assault-on-hoth-press-release-and-images

[KShine]

The downward spiral continues.

I don't really get the outrage though - since this trend has been going on for a while.

The time for outrage was when lines were first crossed, and that was some time back (this set is consistent with the trend, and we should expect nothing more).

[Crustybeaver]

I happen to think it's an excellent play set. Add a couple of additional smaller Hoth sets, snowspeeders and AT-ATs and you've got yourself a great play scene. The price is on the high side but unfortunately something we've come to expect now with Star Wars sets. I'm surprised as many here by the UCS branding, not what we've come to expect. I think if they binned off the UCS tag and dropped the price 10-15% it would have been more widely accepted.

[Roy vd M.]

58 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

 dull set designs of the 80s and 90s that were based on "play."  

The '80s arguably being Lego's greatest decade (disregarding the current), you probably mean the dull and horrid '90s and (first half of) '00s set designs.  

Agree with you on the rest. 

[Frank Brickowski]

10 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

You know a set is kinda doomed when Lego has to highlight the # of helmets included.

"Accessories include 7 Hoth Rebel helmets, 2 Snowtrooper helmets, and Wes and Wedge’s flight helmets."

http://brickset.com/article/19256/assault-on-hoth-press-release-and-images

Yeah, like when they advertise the rather unknown "stars" of a movie by highlighting which "known" movies they have been in before (typically in pretty small roles)... That's also a sign strongly pointing towards "Avoid!".

[Deanfjr]

18 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

You know a set is kinda doomed when Lego has to highlight the # of helmets included.

"Accessories include 7 Hoth Rebel helmets, 2 Snowtrooper helmets, and Wes and Wedge’s flight helmets."

That made me laugh, just like the new batman tv series batcave... "also includes a cat"

Edited February 13, 2016 by Deanfjr

[ZULU]

7 minutes ago, Crustybeaver said:

I happen to think it's an excellent play set. Add a couple of additional smaller Hoth sets, snowspeeders and AT-ATs and you've got yourself a great play scene. The price is on the high side but unfortunately something we've come to expect now with Star Wars sets. I'm surprised as many here by the UCS branding, not what we've come to expect. I think if they binned off the UCS tag and dropped the price 10-15% it would have been more widely accepted.

This one will get a short production run. Just long enough to cover the movie hype and then BOOOOOOM: time for some serious UCS (DS or MF)

[legomark3]

I think it looks decent, not great and agree that for a UCS it doesn't hit expectations. The ewok village did surprise me when i built it recently and think that is a great set, I remember when I saw the photos of the Ewok Village I wasn't impressed but after building it fully changed my mind.  This looks to be about 1/2 as good from the image but i'll have to really see it in person to see. 

[biking_tiger]

In for 50. 

[rcdb1984]

if you watch the evok scenes again, and pay attention to the detail in the set. you could use your video camera and almost create the entire scense with just that set. It's real accurate and has great play value. 

[jaisonline]

Designer Video link. Even they sorta comment as this being a collection of past sets rolled into one. 

'Star Wars' LEGO relives 'Empire Strikes Back'

http://usat.ly/1XpBpRz

[dcdfan]

I remember when I saw the photos of the Ewok Village I wasn't impressed but after building it fully changed my mind.

Wow! I always thought EV was awesome looking from the first time I saw it...

[Ed Mack]

1 hour ago, Crustybeaver said:

Due for release on April 30th

75098 Assault on Hoth

Ages 12+. 2,144 pieces.

US $249.99 - CA $299.99 - DE 249.99€ - UK £219.99 - DK 2199.00 DKK

Play out action-packed Hoth battles like never before!

This fantastic LEGO recreation of the Rebel force's Echo Base from Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back has all the details you need to create your own epic ice-planet battles. Set out on scouting missions with the Snowspeeder armed with twin spring-loaded shooters, and when you spot the enemy speeder bike, get back to base and help Luke, Han and the other Rebel heroes lock down the blast doors, ready the laser cannons, man the gun turrets with dual spring-loaded shooters and power up the devastating ion cannon, also with 2 spring-loaded shooters! This amazing model has so many more features, including a service area with crane, control room area, power generator with explode function, rotating communication dish, scout post with dual stud shooters and a Tauntaun with its own stable. There's even a Wampa cave (with Wampa) for Luke to escape from! This amazingly detailed set's modular design also means that you can create your very own Rebel base configuration. Prepare for ultimate LEGO Star Wars action!

 

• Includes 14 minifigures with assorted weapons: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Toryn Farr, Rebel Officer, Wes Janson, Wedge Antilles, K-3PO, 5 Rebel troopers and 2 Snowtroopers, plus an R3-A2, Tauntaun and a Wampa.
• Features Rebel base with modular wall and trench sections, a Snowspeeder and a speeder bike.
• Wall section features slidable blast doors, service area with crane, control room area, power generator with explode function, ion cannon with dual spring-loaded shooters, laser turret with spring-loaded shooters and space for a minifigure, scout post with dual stud shooters and space for a minifigure, Tauntaun stable and a Wampa cave.
• Trench section features heavy blasters, laser turret with double spring-loaded shooters and space for a minifigure, and a laser cannon with rapid stud shooter.
• Snowspeeder features an opening cockpit, extending speed flaps and 2 spring-loaded shooters.
• Weapons include Luke's Lightsaber, 7 blaster pistols, 2 blaster rifles and 2 blasters.
• Accessories include 7 Hoth Rebel helmets, 2 Snowtrooper helmets, and Wes and Wedge's flight helmets.
• Man the weapons and prepare to fire!
• Jump in the Snowspeeder and track the enemy.
• Keep a lookout for Imperial forces from the scout post.
• Close the blast doors and prepare for battle!
• Tend to the Tauntaun.
• Hoist up the Snowspeeder ready for servicing.
• Bring down orbiting starships with the devastating ion cannon!
• Can Luke escape the ferocious Wampa?
• Snowspeeder measures over 1" (5cm) high, 7" (18cm) long and 6" (17cm) wide.
• Speeder bike measures over 1" (3cm) high, 5" (13cm) long and 1" (4cm) wide.
• Power generator measures over 3" (8cm) high, 6" (16cm) wide and 5" (13cm) deep.
• Wall section including ion cannon measures over 5" (15cm) high, 20" (51cm) wide and 11" (30cm) deep.
• Trench section measures over 3" (10cm) high, 13" (35cm) wide and 4" (11cm) deep.

You know a set sucks when they give measurements of speeder bikes...

[biking_tiger]

14 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

Designer Video link. Even they sorta comment as this being a collection of past says rolled into one.

'Star Wars' LEGO relives 'Empire Strikes Back'

http://usat.ly/1XpBpRz

The set does have some nice play features. It's the kind of thing I would have wanted as a kid, but my mom wouldn't have shelled out the $$$. 

[Bold-Arrow]

Took about 20 sec max to describe the Empirial "forces". Hans should be looking for a new job . 

[Ed Mack]

40 minutes ago, biking_tiger said:

In for 50. 

That would be the worst investment of your LEGO life.  This set will not be bought by adults and it's too expensive for kids.   A loser...unless it's a short production run.

[Fcbarcelona101]

As I have mentioned before, I have never bought a Hoth set, so I'll get this.

However, I would be lying if I didn't say this pics greatly disappoint me. I expected something on par with the Sandcrawler and EV. Not even close. Hope seeing it built changes my opinion, but the Winter Village Market type build I just hate.

[inversion]

LEGO is being huge on Technic and Ghostbusters this year, however SW is lacking. It seems there is some internal volatility regarding set quality. On one side they are getting braver and bigger, on other they seem to be scaling down. Really don't get the business logic behind this. Maybe market research shows that adult LEGO SW fans are too conservative and always want well known stuff? Would be really nice to find out on what basis they are making these decisions.

Edited February 13, 2016 by inversion
grammar

[Ed Mack]

4 minutes ago, inversion said:

LEGO is being huge on Technic and Ghostbusters this year, however SW is lacking. It seems there is some internal volatility regarding set quality. On one side they are getting braver and bigger, on other they seem to be scaling down. Really don't get the business logic behind this. Maybe market research shows that adult LEGO SW fans are too conservative and always want well known stuff? Would be really nice to find out on what basis they are making these decisions.

Yes, other themes are stepping it up. 

[HandyHand]

Okay, this picture really says it all! Brilliant!

[KShine]

58 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

Designer Video link. Even they sorta comment as this being a collection of past sets rolled into one. 

'Star Wars' LEGO relives 'Empire Strikes Back'

http://usat.ly/1XpBpRz

Wow, that was bad (seems even worse now, after seeing the video).

But as they mention, we seem to get lots of new stickers. Plus that idiotic lookout tower/lift thing (that doesn't even exist). I like how the designer mentions it would be cold up there (almost as if he was embarrassed by how ridiculous it is). 

[Alpinemaps]

3 hours ago, Ed Mack said:

You are telling me they have run out of ideas and have to remake another UCS set?  Maybe this is a one time deal.

What worries me is that we keep saying this.  Didn't we just say this about the Winter Toy Shop reissue?  "Maybe this is a one time deal" that they decided to reissue that.

When you're on top, there's only one direction to go...

[BrickLegacy]

I showed this set to my son.  Showed him the array of pictures on Brickset.  He looked at them for about 5 seconds and went back to watching Minecraft videos on YouTube.

[naf]

15 hours ago, Roy vd M. said:

Not intending to disturb any of the current jubilation, but I think I found a weak aspect of this set: it will totally discolor after a few years of UCS-typical display life. 

(On second thought, maybe that's not a bad thing for patient investors who'll keep this set sealed...) 

 

15 hours ago, stackables said:

I took down my imperial shuttle because of the possibility of this

Doesn't matter, the bricks will yellow whether they're exposed to sunlight or not (although UV will speed up the process).  *nerd time* It's a chemical reaction with free oxygen in the air and the flame retardants in the plastic.

Having said that, I don't know if this is still a problem with modern bricks.

 

Back on topic... this set blows.  Talk about phoning it in.  I know Lego has pretty much exhausted every single Hoth scene by now, but they could have at least updated the models.  This was such a cut and paste job that I thought this had to be a photoshop when I saw the box art.  They could have focused on the hanger area and inside of the base (think 6860 but bigger).  Lego got really lazy with this one.

They can still do playsets that also make nice display models.  Ewok Village is a great example.  This one fails in both categories in my opinion.  Not enough Imperials for a real battle, and I can't imagine this will look very good on a shelf.  It pretty much requires the purchase of a now out of print AT-AT (good for investors, thanks Lego!)

[KShine]

But now for some good news: