Preview: 75098 Assault on Hoth
Posted by CapnRex101,
75098 Assault on Hoth was revealed earlier today and seems to have been met with disappointment on the whole.
The set was first seen in an animated short released on the LEGO Star Wars website in July of last year and the existence of a UCS Hoth set was confirmed even before then. Fans have therefore had a very long time to build their expectations, perhaps to an extent which could not possibly be matched by the quality of the actual set.
Nevertheless, I am going to give my full thoughts on this set, taking both positive and negative aspects into account. Read on and see whether or not you agree...
Perhaps the most obvious issue with the set is that it comprises several disparate elements, a feature which rarely suits Ultimate Collector's Series sets in my view and has never been seen before to such an extent in a set of this size. Some of these individual elements look quite good but as a whole I think the scene looks rather shambolic.
Other images of the set suggest that some of these structures can be combined using Technic pins to form more substantial sections. This would be a nice feature but the different components do not match up nicely at all and it therefore looks even worse in this form, reducing the play value as well as the aesthetic appeal of the set.
This shot also shows the exposed Technic mechanism at the back of the entranceway. It looks absolutely terrible and I am certain that this assembly could have been hidden in the roof with a little more effort on the part of the designers. The exposure of the Technic liftarms which support the structure is also frustrating and totally unnecessary.
However, from the front I think the gateway looks splendid. The interlocking design of the doors is perfect and I am pleased that both doors can be closed by turning a single gear. The shaping of the snow around the entrance is also impressive, although there is far too much dark bluish grey visible. While it is true that some rocky surfaces can be seen through gaps in the snow on Hoth, it is not apparent to the extent represented in the set. I can only assume that casting these large rock pieces in white was not possible, in which case the designers should have used a different construction method.
Even worse, however, is the lookout tower. This invented structure is referred to during the designer video for the set and I still have no idea why it was included. No such feature appears in the movie and it strikes me as a waste of pieces which could have been used to improve other areas of the model.
The interior consists of a few sections, none of which are particularly impressive. The command centre is the most significant of these and lacks detail which is very disappointing. I am particularly displeased by the lazy storage solution for additional missiles which looks absolutely dreadful and is not a necessary inclusion at all. The Tauntaun feeding station is equally unwelcome and I think more pieces should have been devoted to the command centre. I am glad to see a Tauntaun though as the set would be incomplete without one and they are important in the film.
The Wampa is also an integral aspect of the scenes on Hoth but I am not convinced that this set was the best place to include the creature and its cave. A £19.99 set containing Luke Skywalker, the Wampa, a Tauntaun and a section of cave would have sufficed and been significantly more interesting than 75138 Hoth Attack. On the other hand, I think the cave looks decent and the lightsaber launching feature works nicely. The Wampa is excellent and I am sure this will appeal to many prospective buyers as it is several years since 8089 Hoth Wampa Cave was retired.
A Snowspeeder is included too. 75049 Rebel Snowspeeder was only released in 2014 and I would not have minded had the craft been omitted here but I think it is an obligatory feature to increase the play value. It could be argued that UCS sets do not require such play features but I think that is an unrealistic demand as LEGO understandably wants every set to appeal to adults and children alike. The quality of the design is impressive but only cosmetic changes have been made in relation to 75049.
I think the external sections of the set are the best. The trench looks great as a whole, with a nice combination of slopes forming some organic shapes, although the 1.4 FD P-Tower is significantly weaker than the model in 75014 Battle of Hoth from 2014, due in no small part to the poorly incorporated stud shooter, which is a great shame. The smaller turrets, also taken from 75014, are better and I like the power packs which have been borrowed from 75138 Hoth Attack.
The light bluish grey jumper plates placed towards the rear of the trench are dispersed liberally around the set as mounting points for the two DF.9 anti-infantry batteries included. These are almost an exact replica of the model in 75138 Hoth Attack and I am not particularly keen on the design as I think there is too much light bluish grey, although I like the panels formed using stickers around the base. Once again I think one of these could have been left out in order to devote more pieces to the interior of Echo Base.
Only three models are included which have never been seen before in an official set. It says a great deal about their quality that the best of these is the tiny cargo sled simply because there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it. If only the same could be said for the dreadful rendition of the ion cannon which appears to occupy a large proportion of the total piece count. I appreciate the difficulty in rendering a spherical structure in LEGO but this is a real mess, not assisted by the ugly missile launchers which have been tacked onto the barrel of the weapon. The dual-firing feature shown in the designer video is clever, but absolutely ruins the appearance of the model.
The shield generator has been scaled down enormously but the shaping is superb and I like the exploding play function. Having said that, the design is utterly flawed due to the absence of the fourth section which is present in the film. I cannot explain why the designer has omitted this; presumably they ran out of pieces to use based on the restrictions imposed by the price or was simply not sufficiently familiar with the source material. Either way it is pretty pathetic in my opinion and is particularly frustrating given how easily the issue could have been resolved.
The minifigure selection is also an important aspect of 75098, perhaps more so than should be the case for an Ultimate Collector's Series set. The only new characters included are Toryn Farr, Wes Janson and R3-A2, none of whom are characters I really felt needed to be represented in minifigure form. Having said that, I cannot think of any other characters who would be preferable as LEGO's coverage of Hoth has been very thorough. The complement of Rebel Troopers is superb but I think Leia was a necessity and a few more Snowtroopers would have been welcome too.
Overall
The Ultimate Collector's Series range is the heart of the Star Wars theme and it is therefore a great shame to see a slot wasted as I feel it has been here. There are numerous issues with the set, not least of which is the price point of $249.99 or £219.99. The sheer number of models included is impressive but their individual quality is disappointing. In comparison with 10236 Ewok Village there is no competition whatsoever. That location based set looks fantastic and includes a number of lovely play features while this one has totally thrown away any aesthetic appeal in favour of playability.
I try my best to support LEGO designers and I think they often receive undue criticism as there are multiple factors involved in the success or failure of any set. In fact, this will be discussed in a separate article shortly. However, I can only attribute the negative aspects of this set to the designer as I think it had a great deal of potential, especially given the high price point. Perhaps my feelings will change when, or if, I own the set but I am not optimistic.
Do you agree or disagree with my views? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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111 comments on this article
I agree. It is very disappointing, especially when considering that Episode V is the most popular OT film among fans.
I'd much rather have a small Wampa set and something better and slightly bigger than Hoth Attack.
This set just seems like a mash-up of that and some other sets, but without enough Imps to have a proper assault...
Horribly underwhelmed. I really wanted this when I first heard about it because I love all things Hoth. I have virtually every set LEGO has made in the theme except three of the AT-ATs and last year's set. This, however, is just a poorly-implemented rehash of previous sets. I already have the base itself from about a decade ago. I have the wampa cave. I have the trenches and two tauntauns. I'd really like the shield generators, but, as you say, they are incomplete, and I want an ion cannon, but this one is subpar. While I really want this for maybe $150, I could never justify $250. It just is too lackluster.
Sick of Hoth sets and the UCS slot being wasted by one big mess of them is a real shame :/
I feel you were too harsh. I like how this set looks, and the minifigs especially are great!
People are complaining too much, there are supposedly 2 other UCS sets later this year, so it's not a wasted slot.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
^ I agree with pagani88 the minifigures are also an excellent part of the set. This I think needs to be taken into account when talking about the price of this set. It may not be the best set technically but due to the figs, tauntaun and wompa I will be buying this to add to my Hoth collection.
I must agree with some of the sentiments expressed here Capn, honestly this is not deserving of a UCS slot, the interior of the Hoth Echo Base with Bacta Tank and Recovering Luke offered much better interior design over this one.
If you're going to make a UCS set based on Echo Base than why waste slots on exteriors? The Base is meant to be an interior heavy thing, what happened outside during the battle was basically covered in numerous sets before and the Trenches, while iconic for the battle, have nothing to do with the base proper.
What I feel LEGO should have done was take the exterior elements with play features and include them in the other Hoth set for this year, and focus more on the interior, the command room, the medical facility and the Tauntaun feeder could have easily been much better handled, include a Snowspeeder if necessary and perhaps the Ion Cannon, but really a Base should be that, not a front façade like so many past Hoth bases have been, we've seen the doors before with previous bases, so why not take this opportunity to make a fully functional and self-contained interior with a four sided wall structure?
This set in my opinion is basically just, ok we want to make a Hoth UCS set, what was great about Hoth? Wampas, Tauntaun, Big Giant Hangar Doors, Ion Cannon, Trench Battle, Shield Generators. Ok then, let's slap that all together and voila everyone will be happy. If you're going to make a 250$ set in these trying economic times you don't turn it into a glorified play set. On top of that why include a Wampa cave that can ATTACH to Echo Base? It makes absolutely no sense to include such a structure and make it capable of being attached to the rebel base, the cave was nowhere near the base, let alone part of it.
I can see kids loving this set, and after all they are the main target audience, not us adults. I would buy the gate section, if they sold that seperatly.
I would have loved to hear your view on the minifigs too. I see Han and Luke. Is that female Rebel supposed to be Leia? I don't think her hair looked like that in the Hoth scenes.
Are the two Snowspeeder pilots just two generic Rebels, or do they represent named characters?
"It makes absolutely no sense..." I think that, fundamentally, is the issue here. Previous UCS and assumed UCS sets have felt like they were designed by people who loved Star Wars and wanted to capture the films perfectly. This feels like it was designed by someone who was given a few images and told to make a playset.
And yes the minifigs are good, and that maybe would be enough in an ordinary set. But by putting a UCS logo (and hefty price tag) on this they have set their own benchmark, and failed to meet it on this occasion.
Reminds me of the old Airfix playsets you could get back in the 70s. Structural centrepiece, a couple of vehicles, and a few soldiers from two factions to play attacker and defender.
This set WILL sell, and being UCS it'll be in production for a few years, rather than the 9-15 months other Star Wars sets remain in production. But at least we now know why everything else Hoth related was dropped last Nov/Dec.
Potentially the weakest UCS Star Wars set for some time. For £220, it seems very overpriced for a fair cluster of models.
I already own the wampa cave and attack and have no intention in buying this set.
Safe to say we've already got a candidate for the worst 2016 set I'm afraid.
The product is a decent play set, but I can't get my head around why A) it is deemed worthy of the UCS badge, given it favours play features over display qualities, and B), the extortionate pricing. If this is worth £220, then what the heck is Slave 1?
@morbiczer: They are Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson.
I'm not really a big fan of this style of set with multiple separate structures making up a set and definitely not as a UCS.
Very good write up,couldn't agree more. Picked up on things I didn't think about originally. Though I was looking for an interior design that was decent with possibly a roof,less minifigures and less cannons etc. I'm going to order Ewok Village now,I've hung on so long,but it beats the shambles that is Assault on Hoth. TRU exclusive years ago was better in son elements and I got it for £60 hen it was reduced.
Is it too cynical to think it was delayed because they identified it didn't work as a UCS, they couldn't get it up to scratch, and they reached the point where they just had to get it out?
The pricing on recent SW sets (TFA sets) has been unjustifiable and this is by far the most egregious pricing on a set that does not seem to justify the UCS badge.
I really expected something similar to the way LEGO Batman Cave has been designed in depicting the Hoth base.
My thoughts exactly... excellent article by the way. I guess i was hoping for an echo base not an assault on hoth.
It irks me that many people still holds the justification that it must appeal to children. I get that Lego is a toy and therefore implies that children are the target audience...
But lets step back and take a show of hands for the parents reading and honestly tell me that you are happy spending $250usd (I assume 379aud) on a set that will inevitably be destroyed or pieces lost? When at that price point you could purchase the three large sets from this season and have more playability, more pieces, more presents to disperse.
I'm not bill gates, but I'm comfortably financially secure, and I would not be spending 400 on a play piece when you can buy a holiday, an iPad, a term of school fees and so on... UCS sets were never targeted at children, why start now?
If my girls touched my falcon, id be less some daughters!
I'm always very wary of forming a conclusion about a set prior to seeing it "in the flesh", but on the basis of the large number of hi-res pics of the set it's hard to disagree with CapnRex101's thoughts.
This isn't a UCS set - it's a hugely expensive product collection akin to the 4-in-1 sets sold in the likes of TRU minus the bulk discount.... There's nothing wrong with releasing a Hoth play-set, of course, but to dilute the UCS 'brand' with a set like this is very disappointing. Someone states in the comments above that kids are the target market, but that's patently not the case for UCS sets which is why this is such a misstep.
And the female is Toryn Farr.
Could not agree more. I love the Hoth scenes and was very much looking forward to this set but after seeing it, I am extremely disappointed. It is an utter mess of a set.
I am missing integrity here. Bigger construction set 4000-5000 pieces would be great. More interior with inegrated exterior. This set reminds me of 5 in 1 packs. I just hope now that new Death Star is not going this way.
^I think you'd get just as many complaints if it was designed similarly to the Batcave.
Very nice writeup. I do wonder if this was delayed because people realized it wasn't working, because it was clearly finished by July 2015, and just seems like a total hodgepodge with no thought given whatsoever to aesthetics. And if you pull the card that it would have gone over budget, well, cut the needless extra stuff like the Snowspeeder or Tauntaun feeding station. This is absurd.
I mean, it'll sell well, but a whole bunch of smaller builds is so un-satisfying...
@DrDaveWatford: My sentiments exactly.
Where is the designer video that is referred to in this article? I can't seem to find it anywhere...
I think all the elements are just fine (some better, some worse) but I would've much rather seen these released as several sets instead of one really big one, and give people the option to get the bits they are most interested in. I would've surely picked up a few (a new Wampa cave for example) but I can't justify buying the one big set, really.
I get the feeling that a large part of the disappointment stems from it simply being labeled as a UCS set, and I would agree. It's more just like a really big regular playset, not really a collector's edition type of thing.
If I were young kid with rich parents, U'd absolutely love this set. Actually I think that it's one of the best SW playsets I have ever seen - the amount of elements that can be used for playing is mind blowing.
Of course, for me as an adult fan, the only value of this set is in figures (and big figures) and individual bricks. Otherwise.... These shield generators are rather nice, perhaps for some micro scale MOC... anyway, I wish that a lot of kids will have great joy from this :) I can't afford such sets anyway so no big deal for me.
As a fan of the movie and also as someone who does not have any knowledge of the previously-released Hoth sets I think this set is really great for what it is. I'm not into playability anymore as an adult, but I can say that when I was a kid this would've been a dream come true! The mechanism on the doors would have gotten my juices flowing and I see absolutely nothing bad about Technic pieces being in view. In fact, there was a lunar base in the launch of the Space theme that had a Technic (Expert Builder) beam in its construction and as a kid that made me think it was super cool and "serious" somehow.
Very well done.
I completely agree. It's a very weak set considering the price and there is not enough new stuff to justify the purchase for me. If the new items like the ion cannon and shield generator were better then I might consider it but I think I will wait and see what the second half of the year has to offer for Star Wars and save my money for then.
Good set... bad Ultimate Collectors Series set.
The moaning... People are saying that this is an "utter mess" and that it is "absurd". it's just not. You hate it because it is too similar to Hoth sets that have come before and not similar enough to previous UCS sets, not because it's an awful set. Sure, there are definitely areas that could be improved and it's price is too high, but the same can be said for most Star Wars sets nowadays. And about the "rehash" bit, why would they completley change things they got mostly right the first time? This is how the set turned out, there are more UCS sets on the way, so for now you'll just have to deal with it.
To be honest though, it doesn't look like a UCS set to me either, even though I like it.
Upon seeing more images of this set, I can't help but feel like I own almost all of it already, and certainly all of the good parts...
Maybe we will get it with a 20% reduction right out of the gate :-) At least that would make the cost per part a little better. Either way, it will not see my collection. I already feel like I own it with my other Hoth sets.
I think the "shambolic" description sums this up in my eyes. No way is this a UCS set just a collection of smaller sets added together. Such a shame as was hoping for something much more akin to Ewok Village. Really struggling to understand where Lego are coming from with this release
Pagani88 - It's not hatred. It's just reasoned discussion of the set and the choice to label it as UCS, by peope who are interested in the subject.
And surely the point of Ultimate Collector Series is that it doesn't look like ordinary sets? It's something extra special, aimed at collectors.
I agree with sprinkle otter I own enough of the previous sets to easily compile a replica of this set, Only a few new models are present. More effort could have been made in producing a more impressive base and power generator.
@StattoCampo: I'm sure you're right, but it was starting to feel like hatred to me. Sure, it shouldn't ave been labeled UCS, but that's no reason for everyone to bash it to oblivion.
Every year I think, how am I going to afford all these proposed sets? Then I see the prices and/or pictures a while later (Ghostbusters HQ - great set - too much money) and this one (awful compilation of stuff I have and stuff I want - but will not pay that price for) and think, FEW!
So much of 2016 sets are a re-hash of things I have or just a disappointment. But Friends and Speed Champions have some great sets. So, I think I will go that way. Star Wars sets are so overpriced that I cannot justify the cost.
I can only hope that Lego really do know their market - because if they keep producing disappointing large sets like this and the 1960s Batman set, sales to many AFOL are going to fall - my purchasing and collecting of large Lego sets is over if they do keep doing this - and I suspect many others feel the same way.
Has to be the most disappointing Lego release in recent times.
On the note of unique figs, does this set not also finally include Major Derlin? ("The shield doors must be closed")
I'd be quite curious to know what the disappointed part of you expected from this set? I mean, really, with no irony. Eventhough it was labeled UCS, I didn't think for a single second that it could possibly be something like these fan hoth base MOCs with massive minifig scale MF hangar, AT-ATs around... even if the brick count was double the ammount, it wouldn't be enough for such thing. So I'm wondering what more could we actually expect?
I actually think this set is pretty great. It is obvious more kids will get this than adults but I think that is the point. Think of it as a giant Hoth battle pack.
My dust will be so disappointed.
I think it is a lovely play set, but I would not consider it to be an UCS set. I had high hopes for this set, especially given the Ewok Village, but unfortunately, although a 'fun' set, this set is not something coherent or aesthetically pleasing enough for the AFOL side of me.
In my view, the problems with this set are not to do with it's size or the fact that it's a UCS set. My issues revolve around other factors in the Lego Star Wars line, which make this set a little bit redundant. For example:
- We just got a Hoth Han Solo minifig! Two of them, if you count the polybag one. Why is he included here, and not Leia?
- Lego did an AT-AT last year, which would go well with this... but it came out last year.
- Same for the recent Snowspeeder.
- Speaking of Snowspeeders, if you like them you're in luck, because there have been bucketloads of them released. Meanwhile, we're missing updates to other cool SW vehicles and locations (Bespin?) that haven't seen the light of day for years.
Agree!
There's a few nice details but it's not a patch on the recent Ewok Village or Sandcrawler UCS sets.
Disappointing effort... and at only £55 less than the recently retired mighty Death Star set it's also a very embarrassing effort
I think TheBrickPal nailed it. "Good set... bad Ultimate Collectors Series set." I couldn't agree more with that. I love it, but it doesn't seem worthy of the UCS title.
I never know if the Sandcrawler can be considered a playset (yes when you look at all the figs and playfeatures) or a UCS 'Vehicle' set like the Slave I and Tie Fighter. It does not have the plaquette, but I think it is a bit of both
This Hoth set is an abomination. Even the Snow Speeder is a remake of a previous version but now with some orange.
A quick search online reveals what *could* be done with a Hoth set - there are some amazing builds out there! If TLG really wanted to make a decent, truly-UCS product then they've completely missed the opportunity. To do it justice would take *two* UCS sets - one internal, one external - to warrant the UCS label and price point.
I think simply the fact that there is a UCS logo on the box doesn't mean that this particular item is not targeted at children.
It looks like the designers really took a hard look at the old c.1982 Kenner Star Wars Micro set "Hoth World" right down to the watch tower.
http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/04/Hoth_World.jpg
I love Star Wars Micro, but the series wasn't a commercial success. Maybe a lesson lost?
On the positive, this means that I can green light my proposed LEGO town, as I probably won't be buying this one for $300 CDN anytime soon...
Perhaps we can agree to stop caring about the UCS designation now? It has been pretty meaningless for a while.
@Pagani88 totally agree. Lego Star wars constantly updates and upgrades it's sets. Some are virtually identical, like the two most recent versions of the Spider Droid. Others were better versions of previous sets. My enthusiasm has been dashed a bit by the review, but I probably would never have gotten this set anyway because I don't have enough pocket money for it.
The attempt to build the base is nice, but I think in trying to build both they forced themselves to build with a far more limited supply of parts for both the base and the defenses. They should have committed to one or the other. Because they tried to do both they didn't have the parts to flesh out the base well or build a proper Snowtrooper force to attack the trench of Rebels.
If they had wanted to make it "Assault on Hoth" they probably should have committed to some kind of trench with turrets, cannons, etc. They could have either used the spare parts to build a snowspeeder, a proper Ion Cannon, or maybe an AT-ST. I'd gladly buy something like that if it had a large number of Snowtroopers, preferably more than the number of Rebels.
Next winter wave had better have a OT Stormtrooper, Snowtrooper, or Battle Droid pack.
This was probably LEGO's best-ever chance to get me to spring for a $200+ UCS set. I love Echo Base and a great set would tempt me to spend more money than I should. This one isn't bad--other than the hideous ion cannon--and I even like the interior details, but it simply is not special enough from a form or construction standpoint, to rationalize spending even close to this money on.
The best production Hoth base that I recall seeing is from the (Micro Machines) Action Fleet Line:
http://www.rebelscum.com/toys/mmaficeback.jpg
It's the *base* that is the key, not the snowbanks outside. Especially no when you just released a smaller gun emplacement set. It needn't have been big enough for actual ships to fit inside, but should have been focused on the rooms and passageways of the base interior.
Yeah this set really feels like they had a hard time deciding between building a nice base or a nice series of defenses. Instead of either they built a massive cross between both. I was hoping that the Death Star/Starkiller Base would be a playset since I missed the first Death Star but looking at this I am slightly less confident in Lego's ability to build great UCS or other enormous sets.
I think the preview is spot-on. Given all the repetition and the complete lack of demand for more Hoth sets, I must agree that this was a waste of a UCS slot.
It should've been Cloud City.
The figures (well, mostly the R3, Wedge and Wes) and the little utility speeder are about the only interesting things here.
Other than that, it's a collection of the various okay Hoth sets we've had over the years, including another retread of the same old, same old Snowspeeder design from twelve years ago.
The news is frustrating. I agree that the wampa cave should not part of the set, the generator is missing the fourth element, the lookout is pointless - would result in a quick frosty death, no major Bren Derlin and a very weak attempt at a planet defending ion cannon. It looks terrible and has room for a mini-figure - what were they thinking? How about a wrecked snowspeeder to make a change? I keep looking at pictures of my own Hoth sets and comparing them to this; to try to convince myself that together it makes sense to have two doors ("I haven't seen him. It's possible he came in through the south entrance") and to start saving. They are almost identical. TLG want to charge £220 - too much for a play set.
This set is really awful, and TLG should have included LEIA
Honestly, most of this set has already been produced in some form, why did they even make this? They should have made a new Cloud City set tbh
Very disappointed, this just feels like a collection of smaller sets put together and we have to pay £220.. If these small individual sets were bought separately it would come nowhere near £220.. Seriously what is Lego thinking! Lego is making so much money they must think we'll buy anything with Star Wars on the box!!
This set just doesn't look to warrant $250 to me. Maybe because I'm personally annoyed by the Hoth sets. They all seem to be exclusives and over priced, and this just looks like all of those sets put together. Oh well, nothing says I have to buy it.
I think that the mistake made by LEGO was to give this a UCS labelling. This has created a whole lot of unfulfillable expectations. We need to drop the UCS discussion as this is obviously just an expensive playset.
The other point I would like to mention is that this is LEGO and while you might not like what you have seen so far I think the wording like 'abomination' etc is over the top.
Yes it is not a UCS and yet it is expensive (becuase LEGO is normally cheap) but the minifigs look to be great and this provides a great recap for some of the earlier hoth sets for newer buyers. So just chill out a little people, this is LEGO not world politics. :)
I get the feeling that Lego is taking single comments from the Internet, and using that to design sets without critical thought or research.
The appeal to the $150+ sets is the long term display aesthetics. Modular sets are generally nice.
In trying to make everyone happy, I think they made a product that no one wants.
But, this isn't the first. I think it started with the Lego Idea's "Big Bang Theory." OK set I guess. That's something that no one really wanted or asked for. I find it offensive. The Marvel USC Carrier (the large one), is the only Marvel set that I don't like, and I do really like most of the other ones. New Bat Cave seems contrived. It's something that marketers could convince themselves that people would want, but without research, realize that no one wants one of them (much less the expected two).
I do like the USC starwars sets that are minifigure scale. The Sand Crawler and Ewok Village are great. And, I like that they made the Slave 1 minifigure scale.
But, this seems designed by committee or consensus. They could have made one really cool structure, and added some smaller sets to tie into it. Or, just done something else all together. I don't think anyone was asking for more Hoth.
Hopefully it won't sell (let's face it, it's not going to make a difference on TLG's bank account) and they'll learn by the mistake. They went down a slippery slope of poor set design many years ago!
its a play set for a younger audience yet costs a fortune, like someone has mentioned you'll need well of parents! I buy all of the UCS sets for the aesthetics and challenging builds but I work so can afford it. I wouldn't buy it for my kids so unsure who it's aimed at?
On Hoth Bricks (in French) it was noticed that the "assault" mentioned in the title of this set is represented by 2 lightly armed (suicidal?) snow troopers on a speeder bike. Could be a design flaw like all the others mentioned here but you may as well appreciate the joke if you like. At least the base won't be overrun like shown in Lego's video. Good for the rebels!
UCS sets typically offer some new exclusive elements, or at least lots of parts that are difficult to amass otherwise. There doesn't appear to be any new elements and I'm sure we all have lots of white bricks!
I reckon anyone with a Wampa and a Tauntaun could replicate this set from their own parts selection using the online instructions without the need to brick link anything
Still think a few big white floppy base boards could have helped sell it a little better - Sydney opera house came with some 'exclusive' base boards didn't it?
If you slapped a "Three-in-One" tag on the box instead of the UCS logo, you could've fooled me. Lego needs to decide whether this series should be for collectors or kids with a lot of money, because this feels like neither.
I have long since given up understanding any sense behind the UCS label.
I'll pass my final judgement on this one after building it, because build it I most certainly will.
This is the first time I've been disappointed with a SW set and there's been some awful sets over the years. I've always found something positive in any such sets though, but I'm struggling with this one. There's no justification for the price. The piece count isn't impressive and the number of minifigs is poor in comparison to Ewok Village or Death Star. There isn't even any 'cool' minifigs to entice you like with Slave 1 or the Sandcrawler and those few exclusive minifigs are mostly a helmet print variation. LEGO are taking the piss with this set big time :-(
Kids can't afford it. AFOLs who like Star Wars probably have a snowspeeder, wampa and tauntaun already and there's not much else of interest. So who do they think is going to buy it?
Darn it I really wanted those new OT Stormtroopers and Snowtroopers. WHY LEGO? WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PUT THE BEST MINIFIGS IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE SETS!!!
Lego should have just done either the trench or the base. Trying to do both gave us this.
Great article which sums up I would presume most of our feelings and thoughts for this set, mine included. I had high hopes when a Hoth UCS set is announced, which is partially due to me having collected a substantial amount of Hoth SW sets over the years, including a Hoth Base set which I believe is far more superior than this UCS set, which is a disappointment and does not live up to the name of being a UCS set.
My main problem with this is that it is not/doesn't seem to be as enclosed as I had imagined. I absolutely loved the main entrance from the front, and the closing doors are a nice touch, but I do agree that the inclusion of the watchtower is both unneccessary and unappealing. The older Hoth set feels far more complete than this UCS version of the exact same base somehow, even though it lacks the trench, snowspeeder and Wampa cave. (the ion cannon too of course)
However, I would beg to differ regarding the shield generator and the ion cannon. I personally feel that they are great models to have, perharps not detached like this in a UCS set, but still are great models which look good and have nice playability too. The shield generator looks fabulous imo, with great shaping and a decent terrain, and while it lacks a fourth section I dont believe that it should be deemed "pathetic" or "utterly flawed" as a result. A bit too harsh a verdict in my opinion =P About the ion cannon I loved the dual firing cannon feature (I would presume that a 2X1 cheese slope inside mounted upside down is responsible for this feature while the different positions of the shooters would account for its delayed firing) and it even has an interior! Creating spherical shapes in lego is a daunting task after all.
That being said though, I do agree that much more could be done to flesh out the interior of this set, making it feel more complete substantial and worthy of this UCS title (for the record, I loved Ewok Village, now THATS a UCS set).
dungeonsandflagons summed it up for me. I am going to disregard the UCS label and enjoy this set.
The only elements I will not use in my Hoth diorama are the Wampa (because I already have one), the lookout tower (it's great, just not on Hoth) and the speeder bike (I've always hated these in Hoth sets). The rest of the set is in the "good enough" to "great" category for me. The trench, doors and minifigs are undoubtedly awesome.
nate-dog7 you and I at least are going to have some fun in May. :)
Ugh, so disappointing. They could have vastly improved it by leaving out that Ion Cannon, and left the Wampa cave to be sold separately. The doors, the trench, and the power generators (so close yet so far!) are the only things that are worth getting this set for. More Echo base, and less speeders and other stuff is what was needed here.
This is really nice play set, but for 100% its not UCS .
Scathing review but entirely warranted.
Not a fan of the set. Totally agree with Capn Rex. Also very hard for Lego since many of us have been playing SW Battlefront all winter and running through and in an amazing rendition of Echo Base (for comparison of what could have been). Set seems lazy. No hood for Han Solo. How about a command room with a play feature where ice/snow falls when the base is hit like in the movie? I guess we should be happy there isn't a probe Droid in the set.
I would have to agree this set is a great disappointment.
For older AFOLs, this set is sadly redundant as most would have at least a few of the older Hoth sets, which have appreciated in value over time. For those who do not have them, there is nothing exclusive enough to warrant a purchase.
I feel this is absolutely not worthy of the "UCS" mark, as compared to the previous sets released by Lego. Ultimately i hope this won't repeat again as i'm really hoping for a great set for the upcoming rumoured 2016 Death Star :(
The other thing I final comical is that we NEVER get enough snowtroopers. Doing a quick Brickset search, Lego has never put more than 3 in any set - including battle packs. They normally travel in pairs. If they came ALL that way to assault Hoth, you'd think they would bring a few more snowtrooper friends!
If they dropped the ucs title and dropped the price to around £150 it would be a good set . But looking at other ucs sets it just dosnt work. If the price was ever rite i would buy but not at £219.99
As much as I like it I agree with you. May still get it depending how generous the wallet is at May.
If I'm buying a UCS set, my main question is where I'm going to put it and how it's going to look. The Slave-1, TIE Fighter and Death Star all look fantastic on a shelf. Those are UCS models. This is a playset. A very, very expensive playset that will not look good on a desk or a shelf. This, like the throwback Batcave, is a pass for me for that reason, and both Batman and Hoth are things I gladly would have paid a premium to own if the design of the sets wasn't just a bunch of small models clustered together.
As disgusted as I am with the set I'll still end up buying it. Probably in 2018/9, and at a heavily discounted price :-)
I must stop whinging now. There is some nice SW sets coming out after all
The problem with this set for me is that much like the Classic TV Batcave, it's a muddy and unfocused design that will cost over £200 to buy, won't look great to exhibit, and would probably have been better broken down into several smaller sets. I would have happily bought the Wampa cave or the Classic Batmobile on their own, but I'm just not interested in paying a small fortune for them and a bunch of random, unattractive lumps of Lego.
@discwo they need to create a Snowtrooper Battle pack with at least 3 Snowtroopers.
Should've made it a UCS Hoth advent calendar.
£219.99?!
Yes. Quite. Lego are CLEARLY monopolising their stance as 'market brand leaders' by simply overpricing their toys simply because they CAN...It disgusts me that this product is priced so highly. Its no wonder I've become fascinated by the likes of Star, Oxford and Cobi...their prices aren't ridiculous and the quality is just as good as Lego USED to be...Lego is clearly overrated....Yes, I've said it. This isn't worth the price and I certainly am glad I shan't be wasting money on it.
I really hope there will be people buying this, breaking it up, then selling the separate sections on eBay. I've got no desire to own another snow speeder, wampa cave or trench section, but I'd happy pay for the hanger doors and the shield generator (even if it does need one extra 'wheel' adding to it). There's not a single minifigure that makes it an essential purchase - I'll brick link the droids and download the rebel transport instructions.
OMG - uninspired collection of subsets.
Where is a command center, where is the hangar, where ist a ground crew? Where is creativity (like the path way in a trunk of ewok village)? And where are lamps and lights?
Skip - keep it!
Just had to make a comment regarding the look of this set and the price - the comments above really summed up what I believe most fans reactions will be. Coupled with the high price and the UCS tag - I am so disappointed but not surprised. With so many new sets released in a short time to meet demand off the back of the 7th film, this like a lot of the other sets released recently, highlights the quantity before quality ethos that is creeping over the theme. Have just completed 76023 tumbler and the UCS 10240 x-wing - both considerably better designed and worthy of a high price tag but 200 plus for this ??? Taking us for muppets
I'm tired of Hoth sets. There is so much in the Star Wars universe you would think they would come out with some new thing rather than keep recycling themes every other year.
Disappointing! I rather save my money or better yet throw another 100 bucks in and get the Ghostbuster set, which I think is overpriced as well.
I actually think the owners of the existing Hoth Echo Base (7879) will be pleased with this. The original Echo Base set is a fairly complete representation of the interior. When I purchased that set several years ago, I was bummed that it didn't come with the hanger door or many of the defensive positions for the exterior. I can't tell you how many times I tried to construct my own door, ion canon and power generator with very limited success.
After looking at the Assault on Hoth (75098) set, I feel that this could be the long awaited "second half" to the original Hoth Echo Base (7879) set. The door, canon, infantry positions, and power generator are all there, just as the really should have been from the outset.
I think combining the two sets will give a really great representation of the entire base.
^ good call. Putting these two sets together will make a very nice echo base. The only overlap is Han.
omg. this is like going down to a whole new low for the UCS label. lego probably thinks Star Wars AFOL fanatics will pick this up and sleep with it.
On closer look, the pieces here are not exactly rare, and the entire set is made up of different sections that have already been released previously as separate sets. If anyone needs to upgrade their older sets to this version, they can always download the instructions and fix them up themselves.
I don't see the point of getting this - unless you have never collected any of these before.
7879 is one of the only Hoth sets I have skipped ..... Maybe I might go back and have a good look at that set. I bricklinked that Leia from there I think but the medical part of the Hoth set I am missing..... Could be a good match for 75098 indeed.
This set is a great idea until the UCS label dilutes it. It's clearly a giant kids' playset -- and fantastic as that. Reminds me of that Battle of Hoth Micro Machines set I loved so dearly as a kid -- so many adventures and like a whole sub-universe in one fantastic toy!
The 'UCS' label isn't fitting that though. This is either a toy or a collectors' item. You shouldn't market it as both - and that's a big problem LEGO has.
@Richpepperell Oh God NO! I really hope no one buys this waste of money and splits it up on ebay...sadly, they will. AND at equally over extortionate prices...It truly sickens me. Toys that are fairly recently manufactured, being sold at jumped up, opportunistic prices on fleabay....disgusting.
A few things I have noticed from many commentators:
1. They just made a Hoth set XXXX time ago….I have all this already…WTF!
2. UCS?! Bah, LEGO is killing the UCS name
3. It isn’t accurate enough! I need an AT-AT/ the generator needs 4 discs!!
4. $250 for only 2144 pieces?!
I don’t believe this set was intended for the established fans. Episode VII has refreshed Star Wars and a lot of people are now newly interested in this IP. This set is aimed at those new fans; people who are now discovering the rest of the Star Wars universe and were not actively collecting/playing with LEGO previously. This is an easy way to get a “complete” Hoth set and allow children/parents/adults to play out these scenes or maybe create a larger diorama. It would be impossible for LEGO to keep putting out these many Star Wars sets and have each of them be unique for all customers.
The UCS tag is not immutable. I have no problem with the UCS tag. Maybe LEGO wants to add playability. 10188 is a UCS set and it is also a playset same thing with 75059. It is quite possible that LEGO is going to alternate UCS styles. Big sprawling playsets vs highly detailed models. Ewok Village is essentially the same thing as this Hoth set and it only has 1990 pieces. The only difference is this UCS tag.
I have personally never been really too concerned with accuracy (within reason) so I can go either way with some of these oddities in the set. For example, the generator really could have had 4 discs as I cannot see why they choose to go with 3, but I am no great designer.
I think everyone who has been purchasing LEGO Star Wars sets is going to have to make a big decision about value. Star Wars sets have been creeping up in the aggregate in price/piece and I think you are going to see the new average near the 12cents/piece and I don’t think that is going to really change.
TL;DR
This set is for people who are newly discovering the Star Wars universe from watching Episode VII.
12cents/piece is going to become the new average for Star Wars sets IMO
UCS can be both playsets and detailed models. Look at 75059
I think the point is that the majority feel it's a good deal less innovative/attractive/desirable/clever/accurate than just about any previous UCS set, and any previous Star Wars set costing this amount of money. And a large number were looking forward to a Hoth Base set that was a good deal more innovative/attractive/desirable/clever/accurate. Obviously, Lego can do what they like with their products, and no-one has a right to get what they're hoping for. But disappointment is a natural reaction.
@Dalek135 They should give those Imperial Snowtroopers leg printing and the proper backpack first, and for the idea of a Hoth Imperial battle pack I'm OK with that, but one of those troopers needs the Scout Trooper helmet. (My idea calls for: 1 trooper with the regular blaster, one with a long blaster, one with the Battlefront '15 jump pack and medium blaster and a Snow Scout with a long blaster...)
I surely hope TLG have a properly enclosed Imperial Scout helmet on the way!
I agree with one of the earlier posters that I will be saving my usual LEGO budget on not having to buy this set or the UCS Batman sets. Compensates for the whopping Ghostbusters HQ bill at the start of this year I guess.
Still, this combined with the lack of needing to (re) buy the WV Toy Shop end of last year means my expenditure on LEGO has gone down lately. Also, there are no awesome new lines yet that are tempting me like there were last year (e.g. Elves and Scooby).
All in all feeling sad there are less compelling reasons to spend money on LEGO lately... But I suspect the recently announced Technic sets including the Porsche will redeem that.
Would it be too late to ask them to remove the cave and give us the 4th module to that shield generator instead and the spare bits to become another 2 or 3 Imperials? I just feel the Cave and the associated figures belongs in another set entirely not the assault. That would be a far better trade off I think.
Additionally, looking at the price point, who is this targeted to? While I think many kids are discerning fans of SW I know for sure most of them do not have 250$ USD just hanging out to fork out on this. Parents who follow closely the LEGOverse and also which sets have what will probably be able to scrounge up a near identical build for far less money than this for their kids.
AFOL collectors seem to have largely spoken in many outlets about this set so I'll skip that but yeah just genuinely perplexed by this set's intent. Good play set, I guess but UCS display piece? Hmm..
This is actually a relief. Since it's just an amalgamation of previous Hoth sets, most of which I already have, I don't need to get it. The only thing in the set that I'd want would be the long-overdue ion cannon (cool mechanism!) and the shield generator (shame it's only 3/4s...). And maybe the new characters, for completion's sake.
Aside from that, everything else in the set has been done. Even the figure selection is strangely mediocre compared to other UCS sets. Han when we just got one? No Leia? Aside from Luke, the other named characters are basically generic troops.
Glad I don't have to get it. Hopefully there's a Cloud City in the future (please).
I couldn't wait just to see real pics of this set, let alone get my hands on it and start building. Well, that was last year, and perhaps a year of high expectations meant that no matter what the final product, it would fall short of my hopes. However, there are too many failures in one set to simply "let it slide" based on unrealistic expectations. The price/piece count is not good, it's at least 50.00 US overpriced. Pieces that could have gone to making a great interior, including command center, medical room, barracks (never before seen - all those troops have to sleep and eat somewhere!), etc. were completely wasted on another Wompa cave, another Snowspeeder, another speeder bike in white, and a look-out tower that just doesn't belong. Aside from using those needed pieces to build up the interior they could have made a decent ion canon (that thing looks like a big round ball w/a bent little pea shooter sticking out!), a fourth and much needed section on the shield generator, and covering up that cluster of parts that is the door mechanism. By definition I believe UCS sets are for AFOL, and this thing is a bunch of kid friendly little sets (that I already own except for the shield doors) thrown blindly together. Maybe I'll just save my money and buy 7666 on the aftermarket.
Here's a link to the designer's video, discussing the new set. After viewing this, I am quite a bite more hopeful and interested. I kinda really want to play with this thing!
http://www.atlantabiz.biz/video/4753842961001/1/Exclusive-Designing-the-Star-Wars-LEGO-Echo-Base