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[Svelte]

Name: Ambush In Cairo
Set: 7195
Theme: Indiana Jones
Subtheme: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Year: 2009
Pieces: ???
Minifigs: 4
Price: $US10.99 (according to Toy Fair), yet to be confirmed elsewhere
Resources: Brickset

Introduction
Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood hit the bazaar! And the bazaar hits back! Falling fruit, a Cairo swordsman and thug, a Tommy gun in a haycart - will our sardonic archaelogist and frypan-wielding heroine live to fight another day? Find out as we go behind the scenes at this Ambush in Cairo!

Part 1: Box, Parts and Instructions
The front of the box, with a nicely Photoshopped bazaar-background, which you can build for yourself in bricks


The back of the box, showing various play features:


Side art showing the minifigs included:


The contents of the box - 2 baggies and a (small) instruction manual:


A random page from the instructions, showing the build of the market stall:


The parts inventory:


The parts, de-bagged:


For a small set, there is a great selection of proper bricks! Lots of useful small pieces in tan and brown, with a few extra special parts. This large barrel appears in tan for the first time:


The non-Batman Tommy gun piece, which also appears in 7197 Venice Chase:


The piece that launched a thousand threads saying 'bUT lEGO cancelled purple????? OMG wHat is this peece then, my BRANE HURTZ!!' and will no doubt continue to do so:


Part 2: Minifigs!

The good guys, without distracting accessories. Yay for the new Indy torso, with his man-cleavage peeping through! Yay for new peasant-maid Marion! (Neither of these torsos is printed on the back).


Check out a screenshot from the movie for comparison (also note the hay cart to the right there )


Our heroes with their accessories included:


The villains - one Cairo Swordsman and one Cairo Thug. The head on the white-clad Thug also appears in 7197. (I think the other head appears in 7199 Temple of Doom, but I'm not certain). I have to say, with all these new sets I am glad Lego made the figs in this dark flesh shade rather than the garish orange used for the Ugha tribe members in last year's 7627 Temple of the Crystal Skull set.


Only the Cairo Swordsman has printing on the back of the torso:


It's a shame we didn't get the old pointy scimitar instead of this worn-down pearly Troll one - it's fine for Fantasy sets but looks cheap anywhere else. As compensation we do get one ludicrously-sized turban and a ninja headwrap in black :


The Swordsman is a great representation of his character from the movie, with his distinctive black and scarlet garb:


All the figures together. It's a great selection and makes this set a definite must-buy for army builders or MOCers. Indy battlepack on! Even the fact that two of the characters are Indy and Marion doesn't really detract from the appeal of buying multiples; the new Indy torso could be used for military scenes and Marion's frilly red shirt is potentially useful in all sorts of situations:


The only thing really missing from this set is the treacherous monkey that plays such a distinctive part in this scene. Boo! Monkey says not fair!


Now that we have a unique female fig representing a love-interest from each of the first three films, we can organise three-way Indy catfights:


Part 3: The build
The build is simple, but fun. The parts are certainly more coordinated in colour and usage than the random bits-and-bobs that seemed to make it into the Star Wars battlepacks. First up in the build is placing the Tommy gun into the large barrel. Yes, this is a step in the instructions Think you can manage it?


While Indy fends off the villains, Marion wields her patented Pan o' Death...


...before heading for cover in the oversized basket. She really likes that frying pan!


Here's a half-way shot of the market stand under construction.


The complete stand. With lots of small brown and tan pieces, a metallic gold dish, 2 bright green apples, 2 panniers and the purple roof, this is a pretty sweet deal It's like Medieval Market Village for Juniors!


The cart is simple but effective. It's a great year for Lego hay!


The tan tiles and curved pieces will come in handy. Here is the complete cart:


All the bits and bobs together:


Alternate angle:


Part 4: The finished set

A shot from the movie showing the haycart (which Indy lobs Marion into ) and the fruit stall:


And now, the Lego version!


A more isometric view:


Indy shot first!


And finally, the spare parts:


Part 5: Overall Rating

Minifigs - 10/10 - *four* new torsos, a turban and a ninja headwrap, plus heaps of accessories. Brilliant! Indy is the best minifig line ever. I will even overlook the lack of a wicked monkey
Parts - 10/10 - there is not a useless part in this lot, with heaps of MOCing potential and many not-so-common and lovely pieces such as apples, the gold bowl, the tan barrel, tan tiles, the purple roof... etc etc.
Playability - 10/10 - Knock over the fruit stand! Hide in the barrel! Tip over the haycart! Cut off Indy's head with a scimitar! Cook apple sauce! This set offers more playability than some of its larger cousins in the same wave!
Price - yet to be seen, but if it falls around the $AUD20 mark (which I am confident it will) I'll be pretty happy.
Overall - 10/10. This is the perfect small System set, offering excellent minifigs, parts and playability. History & Adventure fans will find as much to enjoy here as will Licence aficionados. Kids would have fun with it too, and it would make a great small gift. A must-have for 2009 and a stand-out for the Indy line overall, easily triumphing over 7620 Motorcycle Chase and 7624 Jungle Duel. Buy one! Buy several!

[hewman]

Great review, I didn't even know this set existed until the review. You're right about the monkey, that'd take it from being a very good set and make it a brilliant set. I think your assumption about it being about $20 AU would be pretty spot on, I'll have to get one when there's a 15 or 20% off sale.

It must be nice to have connections (or a deep wallet) to get these sets so early, but thanks for sharing them with the rest of us here!

[cephalopoid]

Yay!
Thanks for the review! And thanks for making it funny. Waka waka waka!

[The Penguin]

Thanks for the review! )
The set is indeed awesome, I definitely ought to get several of them. ) One question: is Tommy-gun in any wat different from Batman ones?

Good day, gentlemen! )

[YG-49]

Thankyou! First I thought this set was great, now I give it a 15/10! All the rare pieces (Thug mask, bowl, apples, purple, turban, Cairo Indy.) Is the head for the thug the Kazim head from Venice Chase? If it is, I won't have to buy that overpriced boats'n a bridge set However, there is the matter of fezzes. On a side note, where did you get this?

[WhiteFang]

I am really very speechless with this review of yours.

It's just so great, and I completely agreed with your rating below. It's scored exactly full marks and trump over the earlier 2 small sets with its mighty range of unique minifigs, tons of great, useful, uncommon parts and accessories, adding along a market vendor stand and a bullock cart. What a great way to add this into your collection. In fact, this set has so much potential and usage to signify and integrate towards other themes. I think I will grab multiple sets of these and it's so much useful for adding it to your parts bin. Outstanding review, and thanks for sharing it with us.

[mikey]

Yes! This set looks superb, I will be buying just for the pieces!
A great review aswell

[Holodoc]

Thanks for another review, svelte!

This is definitely on my buy-list. If not for the minifigs then for the parts.
The only thing is: What to do with another Indy?
Well, I don´t care too much about this, the bricks included are a very good selection of rare parts in rare colors.
Good to know that it´s one of the cheaper sets this year.
10/10 - no doubt about that!

[3D Brickthing]

Thanks for the review!

This set is definitely a set that I'm getting, because although I don't have any other Indy sets, the amazingness of parts for such a small price/size is too good to pass up! Definitely a 10/10 set.

[UserNameInvalid]

Are you in marketing/sales: you know how to sell things!

What can I say: yes, I like the set! It'll definately be on my shoppinglist.
I think Indiana Jones has a few very good sets coming this year.

Good: 4x minifigs, barrel, plate, tommy.

A donkey in front of the cart would have been nice.

[Sandy]

This is definitely on my "to buy" list, and this review only strenghtened that determination. So thanks!

I'm in love with Marion's torso, by the way, and she seems to have a new head as well.

YG-49, on May 5 2009, 11:35 AM, said:

Is the head for the thug the Kazim head from Venice Chase?

No, Kazim is the one with the longer moustache. This head is the same as the other fez-guy has.

UserNameInvalid, on May 5 2009, 01:50 PM, said:

A donkey in front of the cart would have been nice.

Wouldn't that be asking a bit too much? A whole new big animal mold just for this set?

[Natman8000]

Cool review! I really like all the rare parts here whic is to me what most of the indy sets are like. There isnt too much depth to the set but who cares? It has a tan barrel.

[diabloiij]

wow. for $11 this is a steal, so many rare elements in this set. new torsos new head. and the ninja cap. nice.

[Svelte]

Sandy, on May 5 2009, 09:52 PM, said:

This is definitely on my "to buy" list, and this review only strenghtened that determination. So thanks!

I'm in love with Marion's torso, by the way, and she seems to have a new head as well.

I hadn't realised Marion had a new head; I'll try and take a comparison shot with the old one. I guess this must be the one that some people were seeing in the Flying Wing set. I also like the torso, the way the print has been used to 'pinch' in her torso is effective without looking cartoony.

And yes YG-49, Sandy is right, the head here is the one from the 'other' guy, not from Kasim

[The Cobra]

I voted "Above average".
I think this is the only 2009 IJ set I'm going to buy.It's good to have 4 figs (since one is Indy, and we've seen too many of him!) and some unusual pieces!