REVIEW: 8083 Rebel Trooper Battle Pack

[DarkFader]

(Warning!: This is a pic heavy topic)

I was out yesterday and in one store I noticed that some of the new SW sets for 2010 were out already. Today I went to that store again and got my hands on the Rebel Trooper Battle Back which I will be reviewing now in my second review.

(The pics are a little better than the ones in my previous review but I think that some of them look a bit odd.)

Set Name: Rebel Trooper Battle Back

Set Number: 8083

Theme: Star Wars

Year Released: 2010

Number of Pieces: 79

Minifigs: 4

Price: $14.99

The Review

So this is my first 2010 set and I was lucky to finally get my hands on one, I picked this one over the Snowtrooper one because I thought that this one looked a bit more interesting. To start things off, here's some pics of the box:

Front:

Back:

The back of the box reveals that the rebel pilot indeed is Zev Senesca and not a random pilot. I believe that this is the first time a named and more prominent character is in a battle pack:

Top:

Left Side (On which you can see an ESB 30th anniversary logo with Yoda on it):

Here are the pieces in their bags:

And here they are loose and in a pile:

The front page of the instruction manual has the same art as the box:

And a random page from it, showing the construction of the Ice Cutter:

Two more pics of the contents of the manual (the latter showing some of the other sets in the early 2010 wave):

Here's a front and then back view of the four minifigures with their weapons (The printing on Zev's torso is new of what I can tell and as you can see below, it also has a printed back):

The helmet of the troopers is a new mold and it's great that it's more movie accurate; however they look a bit bulky on the figs and sits a bit too far up on their heads as the above pics shows:

And now on to the Ice Cutter which I think is a nice speeder-type vehicle; it's bulky, rather sturdy and most of all canon to the movies (despite that scene it was in was cut). There is flick-fire missiles at it's sides and they look quite good on the set in my opinion, but they aren't really needed:

There is a gray box placed in the hatch infront of the cannon and it can easily be slid out. It reminds me of the compartment box in the first Snowspeeder set:

The biggest piece in the set is this one which is the one in the middle of the Ice Cutter and also the piece the chair sits on:

The leftover parts:

Conclusion

Design: 7/10 - I don't know how many shares my opinion but I really like the design of the Ice Cutter, now matter how the back of it looks; it's definitely one of the better battle pack vehicles out there.

Parts: 7/10 - The set has a really good selection of parts and the big grey one (pictured above) is a great and classic piece which I haven't seen in years.

Build: 7/10 - The build of the vehicle isn't that hard, but it's not to be expected of such a set. The build is quite interesting if I may say so.

Minifigs: 8/10 - Cool minifigs, despite that the Hoth trooper helmets looks a little odd when the soldiers are wearing them. Zev is definitely my favorite of the bunch.

Playability: 6/10 - Perhaps not that fun to play with on it's own (but hey, which battle pack is?) but if you have other Hoth sets including Imperials, like the Snowtrooper battle pack, it's most likely a lot more fun.

Price: 7/10 - Standard battle pack price, it could of course be a bit lower but it doesn't matter since the pieces and the minifigures are worth it.

Overall: 8/10 - It's a really nice little set; there's really nice minifigs and an equally nice vehicle in one package. It would look great displayed next to a set such as the Echo Base trench set from this year and that's probably what i'm gonna do with it.

Edited June 1, 2011 by DarkFader
added poll

[Dennimator]

Nice review, and nice set.

I´m surprized TLG actually included a "named" fig, as they usually don´t do this in BPs.

The back of the Ice Cutter is poor. Most of us will probably MOD it to be more... well, just more. :tognue:

I will probably just get 1 or 2 of this. The Snowtrooper one is way better (better figs, and kick-a$$ white speeder bike)

Edited December 12, 2009 by Dennimator

[UsernameMDM]

Thanks for the review. I really like that the troopers' legs are dark tan. Hopefully I can trade for a bunch of the legs for my Castle MOCs.

[Darth Legolas]

May I note that I was the first to figure out this was the ice cutter? Sorry, I just love to say that.

Anyway, it's a great set! I really don't like the pants on the rebels, but I suppose they are more accurate. Hats off to whoever it was that had originally said it would be Zev!

But what I'd really like to know is: where did you get this? Please, please tell me you're in America, because that would mean me running to the store right now!

[ILikePi]

Thanks for the review!

The ice cutter does look pretty badly designed, but I like the inclusion of that hidden storage crate.

The figs are looking even better now, but the helmet looks a bit thin and tall with the two different places to place the goggles.

Also I personally think that TLG should have just called the pilot a "Rebel Pilot" on the box art, since then the people who buy more than one copy will have 10 Zev Senescas

(this is a battle pack, so you're supposed to buy more than one copy).

However I do like how you get a brown mustache head instead of the grey one.

But since this is a battle pack, I'll be getting one when they are released in all stores (I can't stand TRU's overpricing!).

[The Crazy One]

I love you so much for this review.

Anyway, I will pick up 3, maybe 4 of these, but IMO, the Snow Trooper BP is better, so I will get 5 of those.

Forgot to say: Wow, that pilot is so amazing, Lego are really excelling themselves this year, I can't wait to see more.

Edited December 12, 2009 by The crazy one

[Alldarker]

Thanks for the review DarkFader! Some of the pictures are slightly blurry, but the most important ones (figures and vehicle) are just fine!

It's an interesting set: nice figures, although I agree fully about the weird caps for the rebel troopers: they really are too tall. Especially with the goggles over the eyes they look very weird to me! The Ice Cutter itself is a bit boring. It's not often that I think a set needs stickers, but in this case they might have improved the look of the vehicle. Still it's close enough to the movie vehicle, or at least as far as it's visible.

Zev Senesca being named is cool, though! And for those who worry about too many Zev's: apart from the helmet he seems pretty generic. And you can always swap some heads around: I'm, sure those goggles would look just as good on any SW pilot.

[prateek]

Cool review, but 2010's BP's aren't as good as 2009's IMO. I'm actually surprised that they named the pilot and that the ice cutter is actually in the movie (kinda)

[Ben Kenobi]

(Warning!: This is a pic heavy topic)

I was out yesterday and in one store I noticed that some of the new SW sets for 2010 were out already. Today I went to that store again and got my hands on the Rebel Trooper Battle Back which I will be reviewing now...

Review Stuff

Nice review. I feel sorry for all of the people who complained about the brown mustache in the Indy Flying Wing, only to haqve it come out in a £10 set a year later.

Really, really want this. But in the UK, we have to wait until the correct release dates.

Ben Kenobi

[Rubik]

May I note that I was the first to figure out this was the ice cutter? Sorry, I just love to say that.

Anyway, it's a great set! I really don't like the pants on the rebels, but I suppose they are more accurate. Hats off to whoever it was that had originally said it would be Zev!

But what I'd really like to know is: where did you get this? Please, please tell me you're in America, because that would mean me running to the store right now!

I picked this up last night at Toy's R Us. Anyway, nice review DarkFader.

[Artizan]

wow i really hate those new helmets, the prototype in the visual dictionary looked better. also the hoth troopers should be more whiter, they look more like desert troopers this way. the ice cutter is very stupid especially the rear, notice how they knew it and have hidden the rear with the pilot on boxart.

[Swash Buckler]

Wow thanks for a review- where do you live by the way i thought they come out 17th december in Scandinavia? I agree with hats they are nice molds but sit a little bit too high- anyway i want that set and i'm gonna do a huge battle with my echobase/at-at/at- st and snowspeeder oh i actually need more white bricks as well but this and imperial versions are great battlepacks i want at least one of them both

[Nightshroud99]

Wow great set and battlepack, probably the best battlepack yet. It IS surprising that lego put a named character in there, but I like it.

[Svelte]

Thanks for the detailed review!

Your pics do look a little orange, if you have time or access to a photo editing program try auto colour correcting the pics to tone down the orangey shades.

This looks like a great little parts pack, too, apart from the sweet figs

Thanks again!

[lightningtiger]

Thanks for an excelent review, 'DarthFader'.

Nice to see a character in a battle pack for a change. Also their faces look like they are fighting a war, realism in Lego at last.

Ice cutter looks to be the best of the battle pack vehicles so far.

At least one or two of these are on my shopping list now.

Edited December 12, 2009 by lightningtiger

[Ben Kenobi]

I've just noticed something.

The rebel pilot had is the same as the clone pilot head.

So, as the printing on the normal rebel is the same as the pilot without the visor...

Those rebel heads can be used as clone heads!

I know what I'm doing with a Swamp Speeder Phase 2...

Ben Kenobi

[David Thomsen]

What does the helmet look like with the visor down? I'm curious because I think it would look good on some of my Indiana Jones Nazis, in particular the guy on the motorbike.

[Ben Kenobi]

What does the helmet look like with the visor down? I'm curious because I think it would look good on some of my Indiana Jones Nazis, in particular the guy on the motorbike.

The picture of the top of the box shows it clearly.

Anyways, could you post a pic with a normal rebel head on top of a clone body? I want to see what it would look like. (See my last post to see why.)

Ben Kenobi

[MrTools]

I love it! The helmets and goggles are perfect! And just look at the new updated torso for the pilot! I am going to have to get a lot of these cant wait to see the next battlepack.

[David Thomsen]

The picture of the top of the box shows it clearly.

Yeah, I realised that after I posted...

It doesn't look as appropriate as I had hoped. Which makes me think of another thing... what does the beige helmet look like with standard round goggles on it instead of the big white goggles?

[The Green Brick Giant]

Was this at an official LEGO Store? $15 is way way too much for that. I would have picked one up for $11-$13, but never $15.

And it's still better than 2009's, which were a joke. A robot BP? That was a failure.

[Ras 74]

Good review! Nice to finally see much better pics of the really great sets coming out next year or a little early

[posades]

Please tell me you got this at Toys R Us, and thus the $4 mark-up?

Battlepacks are great and all, but if that's the new MSRP then I'm not buying. I'll probably be the only one to take a stand like this, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Prices have gotten out of control in my opinion, so until they do something about it I'll have to make do with what I have.

Having said that, it is a nice little set for those that can afford it.

[SWMAN]

What a great set and a great review. While the vehicle is kind of corny (as is with every BP), the figures look superb. I find it interesting that they decided to make the Hoth Trooper torso they have used for years an officer and develop a new torso for the regular troops. I love the detail of the new helmets, but I wish they had some brown on them to add some color. While I agree with you that they sit too high on the figures head, they are still better than the old ones.

[The Green Brick Giant]

Please tell me you got this at Toys R Us, and thus the $4 mark-up?

Battlepacks are great and all, but if that's the new MSRP then I'm not buying. I'll probably be the only one to take a stand like this, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Prices have gotten out of control in my opinion, so until they do something about it I'll have to make do with what I have.

Having said that, it is a nice little set for those that can afford it.

I completely agree. $15 when I go "megabluck you" to LEGO.

However this time of year TRU does not mark their prices up, I don't know why, but the early sets are the correct prices until sometime after Christmas / January.