Review: 75154 TIE Striker
Posted by CapnRex101,
Star Wars: The Force Awakens received considerable criticism for failing to introduce a wide range of new vehicles but the same cannot be said for Rogue One.
75154 TIE Striker is one of several new craft which feature heavily in the upcoming film, although this was perhaps the set which least appealed to me when images were revealed at the beginning of September. The set is priced at £59.99 or $69.99 and contains 543 pieces but looks rather small in the official product images so I was a little concerned that the model would not justify the cost. Read on to find out whether or not this is the case...
Minifigures
The TIE Pilot minifigure has been revised on numerous occasions in recent years and yet another minor change has been made for this one. The helmet is printed with silver streaks just like that in 75095 TIE Fighter and the standard Clone Trooper head is found underneath. Unfortunately, some flesh is exposed at the back of the helmet so an updated piece would have been welcome, although this is hardly visible when the pilot is seated in the cockpit and it looks splendid from the front.
The torso design has been altered very slightly to include some more silver details on the belt but is otherwise unchanged, with detailed printing on the front and back. The pilot is armed with a standard blaster rifle which can be stored on the TIE Striker.
Imperial Ground Crew maintain the Empire's enormous fleet and this minifigure is accordingly equipped with a pair of directional batons. The helmet is new but recalls that of Imperial Gunners, albeit without the extended neck guard and Imperial insignia. Instead, the helmet features integrated ear defenders and a lovely moulded design reminiscent of a Death Star Trooper helmet.
The crew member wears an intricately detailed uniform which includes some armour on the upper torso, a belt which matches that of the TIE Pilot and some kneepads. It is also worth noting that the back of the torso is decorated with sheaths for the directional batons which is a nice touch.
The Imperial Weapons Research Facility on Scarif is protected by a garrison of Imperial Shoretroopers and this is currently the only set which includes one of these important soldiers, although another will appear in the next wave. The tan armour is designed to blend in with the beach environment and features some sand blue highlights which look rather interesting while the legs expose a section of the reddish brown body glove, just as on the Shoretroopers in the film.
This helmet is also worn by Imperial Hovertank Pilot in 75152 Imperial Assault Hovertank but the colour scheme and printing is completely different. Their helmets are very similar in shape but I think the piece was designed with the Hovertank Pilot in mind as the respirator on the front of the Shoretrooper's helmet is not raised as it should be. Nevertheless, the printed design looks splendid and this is among my favourites of all the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story minifigures.
A single Rebel Trooper is present to oppose the TIE Striker. He wears a grey combat jacket, dark tan trousers and a detailed helmet which look great, although none of these elements are unique. For instance, this torso is also used in 75153 AT-ST Walker which is rather disappointing as the two figures cannot easily be displayed together. The legs also appear in another new set but I think this is more effective as the design is suitably generic.
I certainly appreciate the inclusion of a fourth minifigure but it feels like a bit of an afterthought given the lack of new pieces. This trooper does not compare with those from 75153 AT-ST Walker and 75155 Rebel U-wing Fighter and I think a different torso design was required.
The Completed Model
The TIE Striker features sharp wings which recall the design of the TIE Interceptor and each one measures over 40cm in length. This impressive size is matched by the weight of the cockpit section and the model is eminently swooshable, with a sturdy grip situated towards the rear of the fuselage. Several sand blue pieces are used across the model and these look surprisingly effective alongside the typical black and grey colour scheme of a TIE-series craft.
The wings fold between anhedral and dihedral configurations for landing and flight modes. This is activated remotely by turning levers at the back of the fighter and each wing locks in place very firmly so there is little chance of accidentally switching modes during play. The TIE Striker comes to rest on two spring loaded shooters and a 2x2 slider which are mounted underneath. I would have liked to see some kind of folding landing gear but this design functions perfectly in its current state and does not interfere with the appearance of the model.
The cockpit is accessible via an opening hatch on top and the printed viewport can also be hinged open. Inside is a single seat and a control yoke which is formed using a droid body piece. The pilots in 75101 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter rested on smooth tiles so tended to rattle around but this seat has no such issues as the legs of a minifigure slot into place, ensuring that they remain seated no matter what acrobatic manoeuvres are performed.
I love the design on top of the cockpit module. This is formed using a brilliant combination of stickers, printed pieces and small elements such as binoculars which give the impression of mechanical detailing. It looks fantastic and a similar standard of design continues onto the sides of the fuselage which are nicely curved using 1x3 and 2x3 slopes.
The rear section opens to reveal a small storage area which holds some accessories. This is a useful feature but it does not exploit the space to its fullest potential and feels slightly over-engineered, incorporating some Technic elements where none were necessary.
Overall
The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story range has been very impressive so far and 75154 TIE Striker is no exception. I like the design of the vehicle and it is very highly detailed while also offering good play value but I think the price is a little high and the designer has therefore had to use an excessive number of parts in order to justify the cost. The cockpit module is absolutely packed with pieces, many of which are totally superfluous, so I imagine the TIE Striker could have been satisfactorily rendered at a price of £49.99 or $59.99.
Furthermore, the minifigure selection is not enormously exciting and I think the set would have benefited from the inclusion of Saw Gerrera who does not currently appear in any of the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sets. His role in the film is currently unclear but he could still have been included, whether or not he is seen beside a TIE Striker. Alternatively, C2-B5 could perhaps have made a more appropriate appearance.
I like this set on the whole but it is probably my least favourite of the five released to date and I think it would be worth waiting for a sale. I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on 75154 TIE Striker in the comments below.
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22 comments on this article
Great review! This still seems like a great set, but I am not sure I will pick it up this weekend. Maybe after the primer of the movie though!
Picked up all the sets on Friday, but have only built the Hovertank. Great pics of the set by the way!
I do like your picture in the garden approach...... its certainly different to the usual (also very impressive light box photos) Nice review. I have no idea how I would do it but if i did buy this set I think id have to look at adding another two wings...... its just not right... maybe smaller wings at the bottom? Think ill stick to the hovertank until Amazon knock 30% in about a month........
I guess Saw Gerrera has not been included in this wave as his scenes were part of the film reshoots this summer and going by the movie trailer his appearance changed significantly. Hair/no hair for example.
Thanks for a nice review! :)
It would be great to see the sets in one big diorama, amaizing review (so much to buy, so little cash).
I think this set is pretty cool, but a bit overpriced. The design is better than I first thought. The hovertank is still my favorite though (I don't have it yet).
Men. Good set. No main characters. Random sand blue plates!?!
Gonna get the u wing, krennics shuttle and at St. maybe hover tank.
Great review as always. Which one is next?
I still think it looks great, but I agree about the price. This set certainly says £49.99 to me, or maybe £54.99. Anyway, I absolutely love the Shoretrooper minifigure, and the small accents of sand blue are such a simple yet incredibly effective touch that I hope becomes more common. I can definitely see at least 6 places on the Hovertank that could have used it. Thanks for the review, can't wait for the next one!
The design is OK... but, I mean, this thing is $70 for two wings and a cylinder that clearly has way too many parts in it. Also, I really don't like the aesthetics... two different greys, random mix of stickers, prints, and textures, SAND BLUE for some reason... the minifigs are nothing special, except the Shoretrooper... this is the only Rogue One set I don't actually like.
Hovertank + U-Wing + Shuttle comes out to $200 anyway. It's not like I can even afford this thing. :P
This is probably my favorite set from the initial RO wave and I already have the U-Wing and AT-ST. It is overpriced, but I'm going to wait until I can grab it for about $50-55 on sale somewhere.
I seem to have the opposite opinion of most people with regards to the Rogue One sets. The tie is my favorite (how can you go wrong with a new style of tie - especially when it seems to be built so robustly in Lego form), and the sand blue is a really nice addition to just another box of grey and black pieces. The Hover tank which most people seem to love leaves me pretty cold. Likewise with the U-Wing as it just doesn't feel very Star Warsy to me in design or color. Krennic's shuttle is a must buy if only for the Death Troopers. And the AT-ST, while nice, just seems a little on the large size for my liking.
I Will Hopefully Get 2
This new TIE is pretty awesome.
Brainslugged: I'm with you all the way! The The striker is by far my favourite in this wave and the U-wing is just bland and a blocky mess if you ask me.
Does this remind you of the fury class interceptor with two wings
I think "over-engineered" describes this set rather well. I very much like the look of the craft, but going off of the instructions it seems like the interior is filled up with a lot of unnecessary pieces where instead there could have been a decent troop or cargo bay.
For just £10 more the U-Wing seems much more substantial.
I know I've commented before on this article, but why the hate for the sand blue? It's an added touch of colour to an otherwise rather muted vehicle. That's the reason I don't hugely like the Hovertank - it's just a block of light grey with another block of orange on the back. Too muted. Honestly, I look at the official models from the films and they look kinda dull without any special effects. Whether it's trans-red, trans-blue, yellow or sand blue, I don't see how such minor uses of added colour can harm a set. As long as it's used sparingly like it is here I don't see the issue. But hey, that's just my opinion.
Agreed on the color insertions. When viewed in total it really sings. The design choice reminds me of captured reflected light. I love it. I'll be getting this set for sure and hope to see more of this effort made in the all-grey vehicles released in the Star Wars universe.
Why can't the Rebel trooper from this set and the one from the AT-ST be displayed together? I mean, they are in an "army" of sorts so wouldn't it make sense for some of them to have the same outfit?
Thanks for the great review as always Captain! I like the look, design, and color choice (including the Sand Blue) of this TIE. I agree with Trandoshan though in that Lego should have made the rear bay just a bit larger (like extended it by 1-2 studs and removed the excess pieces) and used it as a small troop compartment, that could've held two Shoretroopers. An entire addition to the ship just to house two accessories seems rediculous. However, the price is the biggest drawback of this set, as it's 15.00-20.00 too high and should've included at least 2 of those awesome Shoretroopers. I'll still pick this thing up, but I'll wait for a sale. Then I'll take out some interior pieces and extend the rear bay to fit 2 stormies.
Nice main photo.
That price though.