Review: 7869 Battle For Geonosis

[Masked Builder]

I had just gotten the older Luminara minifigure when Lego gave us the pictures for this set. I was presently surprised to see that this Luminara was quite a bit better than the old one. I was also very happy that it came with Captain Rex because I missed him when he came in the AT-TE. Let's move onto the set!

Name: 7869 Battle For Geonosis

Set Number: 7931

Pieces: 331

Price: $39.99

Ages: 8-14

Minifigs: 5

Theme: Star Wars

Year of Release: 2011

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Help Captain Rex™ and Luminara Unduli™ fight the droid army!

The Battle for Geonosis rages on! The devastating Separatist proton cannon leads the droid army in the greatest battle of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with a missile launcher, adjustable turret and poseable legs. The Separatists seem unstoppable until Captain Rex and Jedi General Luminara Unduli arrive on the BARC speeder and turn the tide!

Box:

So the front of the box has some great Geonosis art. There's also a small oval box that says; "New Luminara Figure." This seems to be standard for the 2011 sets with new minifigures. The special edition bar along the left side is the new way Lego is marking special edition sets.

The back of the box has art for the different features of the set and a different setup for the display of the minifigures. We also have the typical Captain Rex art in the upper right hand corner, that I really think is cool, and some ads for some of the other sets.

The top of the box features a 1:1 picture of all of the minifigures rather than just one as Lego used to do it.

Contents:

Out of the fairly full box spills three numbered bags and one manual. No sticker sheet! Numbered bags for a Star Wars set is fairly new. Just last summer is when Lego started numbering these.

Manual:

Now the front of the manual has about the same art as the box but it doesn't have a picture of the minfigures individually. The blue band along the bottom looks great!

The inside of the manual shows what each bag builds. As I mentioned earlier this is fairly new. But it does make building the set easier.

The page after the parts layout shows us the minifigures, (and their names but you already knew them right?), and the functions. Though I'm not sure how positing the legs of the cannon is a function.

Parts:

Here are all of the parts for this set. Not a bad layout, with some cool new parts too. Lots of plates and Technice parts.

The first bag yields us the parts for the minifigures, and a Barc speeder. Nothing two special here, though the Grey cama armor has not been seen in a set for two years or so.

So here we have all five minifigures built along with the speeder. Everything looks okay so far.

Bag two gives us the parts for the lower section of the cannon with quite a few Technic parts. This is also where the gearbox is installed.

This is where it starts getting interesting. The gearbox has been installed, but note that the dark Grey gear is just sitting in the box rather than attached to it.

The last bag holds most of the cool parts, including the curves and the round grey 2x2 brick with ridges. While there aren't very many parts here they all come together to make a great section of the cannon.

After completing the build for the last bag you get the top half of the cannon along with a chair. All of the round parts went towards making the cannon's barrel.

Before I show you the completed model I'm sure you want to see the new/interesting parts for this set. We get some very cool new curved bricks, a Technic gearbox, and a round 2x2 with groves. I would love to have a bunch of these but as we only get one is this set it might be a bit expensive.

Minifigures:

Okay we've finally gotten to the minifigures which are great for this set. The battle droids are pretty generic though the super battle droid has only appeared in one other set. Which was also a Separatist vehicle, the AAT.

Now the only minifigure to have back printing is Captain Rex I would like to have seen some printing on Luminara though. And I've always wondered why the super battle droid back isn't filled in but I’ve always assumed it was to save on plastic.

Captain Rex does have the same face print as the one from the AT-TE. Which I believe is every ones favorite clone face right guys? Luminara's head has been flipped to show the goggle side of her head. I think they very good looking. If her face color wasn't so weird maybe it could be used for a blind person.

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Here's a nice comparison picture with Lego's Luminara and the animated one. They look pretty identical but Lego's version doesn't have a cape thingy. Lego's version does have a double sided head which is probably the coolest part of this set.

Somehow I've managed to acquire the older version of Luminara, from a friend, and here's a nice comparison picture. I think it's fairly obvious which one is better as the new one has a TON more detail to her.

The Finished Build:

Here's the completed set! Looks good doesn't it? If you don't think it does I do. The cannon is fairly large next to the speeder.

This would have a comparison picture next to it but I couldn't find one! (What's with these Star Wars people?) But if you ask me this is the most accurate speeder design we've ever gotten. While a bit blocky it still looks good.

From the front of the speeder has the air intake, and two of the four white skis that come in this set as air scoops. Lego used this piece for the guns I think they're fairly accurate.

Now it looks great from the side! The dark red is very prominent here. It is also the only thing that makes it different from the battle pack speeder.

The back view is a bit unsightly. Not really anything interesting going on here, just a dark grey slope on the back of the speeder.

And of course a minifigure can grab the handles and drive it. Here I've flipped Luminara's head around to show the goggles side.

Now for the cannon, otherwise known as the Proton Cannon, Lego's version is fairly accurate. The legs could be meatier, and the cannon barrel longer. Other than that it looks great!

So from the front we can see that nothing fires out of the cannons actual barrel, and how thin the legs are. In fact it looks kind of cute from this angle.

From the side it looks a bit more menacing. The chair is a bit of an odd color. You can also see where the new curved brick come into play. Really they make it look a lot better.

From the back it sort of looks like a bug. I'm guessing it's supposed to. The curvature on the top of the cannon doesn't really line up with the rest of it though.

These big eyes really help make it look like a bug too. You can also see that the missile fires from between the eyes.

Now as this cannon is not a droid it does require an operator. So Lego gave us a nice chair and some simple controls for the droid.

Functions:

So we'll start with the firing function. You push the little red bar in the back up to fire the missile like so.

Turning this gear either direction results in the barrel going up or down accordingly.

Final Thoughts:

Ratings:

Playability: 8/10 The playability is great. I would like for a companion set to come out for something for the cannon to shoot at but other then that it was fine.

Design: 7/10 The design was a bit lacking in my opinion. Now the Barc speeder is very nice and over all the cannon is okay but it's a bit small.

Price: 9/10 Now the price was a-okay. While a bit over priced it's still a great deal with the minifigures it comes with.

Minifigures: 8/10 The minifigures were amazing! This is the second time we have seen Captain Rex but oly the first time Luminara has appeared in a clone wars set.

Parts: 10/10 The parts selection in this set is great! All the new curves and the grooved brick are really good looking.

Total: 42/50 Over all pretty good!

"Start talking clone!"

[Dumbfire]

Nice review. You made me want to get the set, which is always a good thing. Too bad I can't find it around here yet :(

[Nightshroud99]

I really want this set

[XimenaPaulina]

Great review MB! I love the comparison pic of the old and the new Luminara fig. My views haven't changed about this set, this is one of the best-valued new SW set for its price since you get a new updated jedi, rare Rex, a bunch of BDs and a couple of vehicles which is a good source of parts.

[Brickdoctor]

Great review, Masked!

As for the set, my views are unchanged. I own the old Luminara and still think it looks better than the new one, even with an LUL attached; I don't like the design or the parts of the BARC, and the good parts of the proton cannon aren't worth $40.

[prateek]

Noice. I think this set is the best of the Winter wave, although it could be at least $5-10 cheaper. Other than the size and price issue, I give this set a

P.S. Luminara really needs a cape

[XimenaPaulina]

and the good parts of the proton cannon aren't worth $40.

The parts alone of course aren't certainly worth the price, but getting an updated Luminara and Rex with a bunch of BDs and these 'extra parts' is already a good deal for $40 IMO (particularly for those who still don't have them, like me), considering those two figs alone cost almost the same as the set itself in the minifig market.

P.S. Luminara really needs a cape

The problem is this Luminara fig is based on the CW series, who doesn't wear a cape, unlike the previous version which is based on RoTS and hence the cape. A skirt like Assajj's would have been a better addition instead.

[Ceroknight]

thank you for the review, cant wait to find it in stores!

[CommanderFox]

Thanks for the fantastic review Masked!

Good description of the set. I think it is one if not the best set for this wave like KDM said.

BTW, thought i'd mention that TLG have been doing numbered bags since 2009.

Thanks again for the review, just makes me want to get the set even more!

CF

[commanderneyo]

Thanks for an excellent review of an excellent set Masked Builder

The New Luminara is way better than the old one IMO it has so much more detail including Leg Printing.

Would have been slightly better if the Battle Droid in the last picture had a blaster aimed at Rex's head but with a cannon barrel aimed right at the back of his head I guess it doesn't matter

[lightningtiger]

Thanks 'Masked Builder' for this review, COOL cannon in my opinion....it would take you aim at the AT-TE eh ?

Another speeder for CW......excellent !

Best part is Luminara - fantastic printed head , sad to cape though !

I will be buying this one that's for sure......may the brick be with you !

[Surfer]

I like the new Luminara better, but I think the old one is not so bad too.

[Mr Man]

Hmm

Great review Masked Builder.

I voted for the old Luminara over the new one, if it wasnt for the LUL the old one would be perfect. I wonder who cast the other vote for the old one.

I still wont get this set though, great review.

[Dumbfire]

I wonder who cast the other vote for the old one.

Brickdoctor did, I think:

As for the set, my views are unchanged. I own the old Luminara and still think it looks better than the new one, even with an LUL attached

[Brickdoctor]

Brickdoctor did, I think:

Nope. I hadn't voted yet.

Now there are four votes for the old one.

That's why I always make my review polls public.

[charlieboy]

Me and my boy built this set today,have to say its fantastic! The new Luminara is so much better than the old one,there is no comparison!

Great review

[Masked Builder]

Thanks guys! This is my 6^th reviewers academy review so I got my badge!

Great review MB! I love the comparison pic of the old and the new Luminara fig. My views haven't changed about this set, this is one of the best-valued new SW set for its price since you get a new updated jedi, rare Rex, a bunch of BDs and a couple of vehicles which is a good source of parts.

Thanks! Yeah I really quite like it.

Great review, Masked!

As for the set, my views are unchanged. I own the old Luminara and still think it looks better than the new one, even with an LUL attached; I don't like the design or the parts of the BARC, and the good parts of the proton cannon aren't worth $40.

I knew you'd stand by the old one.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Masked Builder

[Brickus]

Great review, this is my favourite set of the first half of 2011.

[Piranha]

Hello thank you for a great review!

Do you think you could please take a picture of the back of the instruction manual?

I am working on a personal gallery, and the generic TLG one won't do.

Thanks!

[pedro]

Thanks for the review Masked Builder.

I feel the Proton Cannon could've been much better. The main body doesn't look solid - flimsy somehow - which could've been a sacrifice to accomodate the firing missile and technique for making for connecting the legs (which isn't the best). The eyes are too high, the legs are too stubby and the feet way too big. I've attached an image below which shows how it should be proportioned:

I still kind of like it... I'm a big fan of the big droids... but still feels like it should've been better. I quite like the new BARC speeders so am happy enough they've thrwon one in with set.

Lumiara looks superb! I do wish she and Barriss were in the same style though... nevermind! The additional minifigs are all good - Rex is a great minifig.

Thanks again for sharing this with us MB.

[Masked Builder]

Do you think you could please take a picture of the back of the instruction manual?

I am working on a personal gallery, and the generic TLG one won't do.

yeah I'll see what I can do.

I feel the Proton Cannon could've been much better. The main body doesn't look solid - flimsy somehow - which could've been a sacrifice to accomodate the firing missile and technique for making for connecting the legs (which isn't the best). The eyes are too high, the legs are too stubby and the feet way too big. I've attached an image below which shows how it should be proportioned:

Lumiara looks superb! I do wish she and Barriss were in the same style though... nevermind! The additional minifigs are all good - Rex is a great minifig.

True true. The one in the game is much more accurate.

Yeah she's a great minifigure!

[Piranha]

yeah I'll see what I can do.

True true. The one in the game is much more accurate.

Yeah she's a great minifigure!

Thank you

[Ki-Adi-Mundi]

Thanks for this excellent review! You could almost seduce me into buying this set which never stood on my agenda. Now i know that it's better than expected in regards of how one can make a show out of it. I won't get it but your review is great.

[Masked Builder]

Do you think you could please take a picture of the back of the instruction manual?

Here you are:

[stackables]

Great review. Too bad this set is a Toys R Us exclusive. If I can find it for around $40, I might pick this up.