LEGO REVIEW: Star Wars Resistance Troop Transporter #75140

[thoroakenfelder]

I remember when the leak for this LEGO set first surfaced. "What? Princess Leia wears purple and green? Admiral Ackbar is in it? Is this a new B-Wing?" It excited me inasmuch as any new Star Wars set does. Plus, we didn't know that it was called Resistance Troop Transporter. As images got larger, my enthusiasm diminished. When it hit the stores, and there was no other new Star Wars to buy, I was back on board. So let's take a look at the set that never made the Kessel Run. Let's Review.

REVIEW: SET DETAILS
Set #: 75140
Name: resistance Troop Transporter
Theme: Star Wars
Parts: 646
Price: $69.99

Before we get to the build, let’s talk value. At $69.99 the price per piece works out to a bit over $.10 each. This is on the low side of pricing for a licensed set. There are 4 minifigures. The minifigures are unique to this set. THe Resistance Trooper with suspenders does not have any unique parts, but the combination is unique.

BOX CONTENTS

Some people may wind up picking up a set that is open box or, want to verify the box contents before beginning a build. For this set, there are 5 numbered baggies, a large sticker sheet, and an instruction book.

 

THE BUILD AND EXECUTION

Bag 1: I felt that the build started out a bit weird. It felt a bit like I was building a ground structure instead of a ship. I wasn't really seeing the final product coming together in my head.

I have no idea, even after completing the build, why it made more sense to have several axels connected together here. I feel like a bracket on either side made just as much sense.

Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Now there's a rounded thing with stickers on it, very much not a small hut.

Well, I guess it could be a space hut, but, those spring shooters on the left give some hint as to it being more. Before anyone writes to point out, it took me a few more steps to realize that I had placed those gray pieces in the wrong position. I promise that I fix them in the next picture. The Resistance troopers are exactly as boring as ever. They do have the Pewter/Pearl Dark Gray blasters that I liked in the First Order Troop Transporter

Bag 2: You continue to make walls, walls with studs facing out. You really get the clue that they are going to do decorative panels here.

You add some curved pieces to the top. Now we're starting to make it more spaceshippy. Oh yeah, spaceshippy is definitely a real word. The hinge pieces on the top sides are interesting. I wasn't really thinking of what came next, so it piqued my interest 

You also make a series of fins for the back of the craft.

Finally, you add decorative paneling to the front.

Bag 3: We find out fairly quickly that the roof sections are attached to the hinges, and pegged in place by another rounded piece.

Underneath we add the curved slider pieces.

Then we build a pod of some kind. It uses car hoods to define the shape.

Sand green clips? weird choice in my opinion, but that can't be super common.

I don't know if those things are supposed to be rockets or what. The fin is just another thing that a spacegoing box doesn't really need, but helps it look spacey

Bag 4: We are gonna cockpit the heck out of this thing. Oh yeah, we're gonna make that cockpit like no one's business.

 

What started off looking spacious is starting to look a little cramped.

I don't know what happened with my picture of the dial mechanism, it looked fine in the camera, but when I loaded it to the PC, it was blurry. Suffice it to say that the dial in the next picture and the technic liftarm that you can see in the following picture are a part of the same mechanism that is used to open the cockpit. This is necessary because there's so much stuff built up around it that it's difficult to open manually.

3 stickers just for the cockpit canopy. I thought for sure that the pilot wanted to see where he was going. I may be wrong.

11 stickers just for this small portion of the overall set. That's ridiculous.

Now you make a door. Big sticker there.

It's actually starting to come together. looks pretty solid. Admiral Ackbar's got a coffee mug. Can someone explain to me why he's usually got a coffee mug? I realize its a joke, but they could have also given him a fish.

Bag 5: What's left? Well, a ship needs thrusters. Not only do you make the thrusters, which are actually a very simple design, but you're also making cowlings to cover the thruster ports.

After you get propulsion worked out, it's probably a good time to add weaponry. Here, we build the weapons pod.

Finally, Here's the whole thing. Pretty good size. Still reminiscent of the old school B-Wing. And of course there's Old Princess/General Leia.

 

REACTION

Something about this set just didn't grab me. It's an interesting enough build. Some of the details were nicely done. It's miles ahead of the build of the First Order Troop Transporter. The figure selection is dull. I think that maybe if they had really done anything in the film, or if this ship had been utilized as more than just background scene filler, I'd have more love for this set. As it is, I never really cared for the B-Wing and this just hits the same notes for me.

All of the figures have back printing. Ackbar is the only one with hip and leg printing. Leia's got a Dual sided face wrinkly serious and wrinkly happy. I think this is the first time that her hairpiece was made in that color.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With 4 unique figures and an interesting build of a design that was featured in the film, there are things to recommend this ship. My personal ennui aside, I do feel like whoever builds this set will be glad that they did. It's a troop builder set, a display piece to go with the Resistance troop battle pack.

The biggest detriment to this set is that it got limited screen time that included no action. Leia will be the part of this set that most casual collectors will want. The good news is, I doubt she's going to be showing up in many other sets. I don't think she'll maintain the early $30 price on Ebay for long. If I am right, after this set retires, she'll probably come back to that value.

It's a solid set that doesn't need a redesign as badly as the First Order ship. This one will hopefully be used again in the Episode VIII. I could only speculate here. It might not see a reissue then, if they have more vehicles to choose from. I'd think this set would go up in value later on. The specter of the B-Wing 75050 hangs heavy over this though. No one really got behind the closest cousin to this set, and I'm afraid that it will follow in the same footsteps. Early and continued apathy for this set could be longterm gold though as collectors later on try to complete a collection. It's hard to tell for sure which way collectors will jump. General Leia may have the cache to lift this thing out of obscurity.

I would recommend packaging this with a C-3PO Polybag and a Resistance Trooper Battle pack to garner more excitement. Or alternately the Battle on Takodana.

Find it on Amazon

 

Check out other 2016 Winter wave sets here:

LEGO REVIEW: Star Wars First Order Battle Pack #75132

LEGO REVIEW: Star Wars Resistance Trooper Battle Pack #75131

LEGO REVIEW: Star Wars battle on Takodana #75139

EXTRA PIECES

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[Brian Briggs]

This week I opened the set because I wanted the minifigures but the number of stickers included makes me want to sell the unbuilt model and to keep the minifigures only.

[fossilrock]

Thanks.  This set, the snowspeeder, and unkar plutts set are the only ones we havent built yet from the Force Awakens.  Looks like there is more than enough space to add at least 4 more troops to the transport.  Is that correct?  

I was able to fit 2 flametroopers, 4 stormtroopers, and phasma in the cargo area of the FO transport, and then 2 other stormtroopers flushed out the rest of the space in the ship.  So, 2 FO battlepacks were needed to add to the Troop Transport, but we used the troops from Takodana.  It looks like that is the same case here, and to fill out the ship, probably need a battlepack or two.. 

I've come to the conclusion, having the trooper packs as an additional item lot for those that plan to hold these as investment isn't a bad idea.  These transport ships seem to require some battlepacks to flush them out.
 

[fossilrock]

My son built this set today, and I like this set quite a bit, now that i've seen it in person. I will agree this ships limited shot sequences in the Force Awakens diminishes the set a bit, but the build was definitely interesting and very well thought out by the lego designers.  The stickers were a little annoying though, and there were more stickers in this set than just about every force awakens set combined.  But, other than that it's a nice set.  Just add Red Arm C3PO, and some extra troops from 2 Resistence Troop Transport sets, and you're good to go.  

 I'd rank this one of the better and more interesting build/designs of the Force Awakens line.  It's definitely a bit unique when you compare it to other star wars ships, and we've built just about every major set from the last 5 years in the star wars line.  I can't compare this one to the b-wing.  To me they aren't even the same.

[lucalego]

Really useful review, thank you. Currently considering purchasing this, I always research extensively before buying a new set.