Hoth- what will we get this time?

chuckp

^ You can't beat Robot Chicken Star Wars, good stuff! "What the hell is the aluminum falcon?"

paul88

I don't think I've ever seen a designer video where they were so un-enthusisastic.  At times, it's almost as if they are sitting there with nothing to say.  As was mentioned earlier, I do think a couple base plates would have made a WORLD of difference (if only in value perception). 

Bumblepants

Even a half-hearted attempt at an AT-ST would have gone along way to redeem the 'assault' aspect of this set. That is 150-200 pieces you could easily stick in this set and keep the price where it is. Or charge $300 for. Whatever.

chrisalddin

paul88 said:

I don't think I've ever seen a designer video where they were so un-enthusisastic.  At times, it's almost as if they are sitting there with nothing to say.  As was mentioned earlier, I do think a couple base plates would have made a WORLD of difference (if only in value perception). 

Hell a white base plate 32x32 would have pushed this set in to the "it's ok. But could be better" category. and not the "its a complete ripoff." category that it is in now.

a white base plate would have been big news, i don't think there been one before.

Rainstorm26

According to bricklink there were two sets with a 32x32 white baseplate in 2006/7. I would imagine one could corner the market on these and sell them to the folks who buy this set. 

Rainstorm26

I have four 16x16 white ones I picked up with some old arctic sets years ago. Definitely need a  larger plate than that as these are hard to interlink and tend to float around when building on. 

[Deleted User]

LEGO made a major mistake by printing that Ultimate Collectors Series badge on the box...

- Fear not!
I've managed to find the actual badge printing for the set.
Maybe the UCS badge was simply a stand-in?
It appears that LEGO have started a new series of sets... The Kids' Ultimate Playsets! Yaaaay!

brumey

paul88

I still can't believe the price point on this.  It would be a total ripoff at even 199.  The way it's all sprawled out like that in the image really drives the fact home that it's nothing more than a handful of $10-$30 sets.

Patrik78

I agree, it is 4 in 1 pack, not an UCS. It is classified wrong, thus with a wrong price (at least for me). Do not get me wrong, the set is not that bad, just not worth it. I have nothing against huge SW playsets, I own Death Star and Ewok Village

legomatt

From that image, I almost feel it should come with a 24-compartment plastic insert and snow wookie. ;o)

monkyby87

Honestly, my biggest problem is the inaccurate shield generator.  I'm not sure the thought process or their references, but it clearly has 4 discs, not 3.  That was the first thing that struck me when i saw the images.  I know I'm preaching to the choir of course...

madforLEGO

They had a template to use in the old Kenner die case hoth play sets, at least most of that would make sense here (though I think someone did appear to use that as inspiration with what is included).. The glaring thing missing to me is the AT-AT, or even the AT-ST. For whatever reason or excuse used to explain why an AT-AT is not in here does not make it right IMO.

bandit778

^ one of the most obvious things missing from this set is a decent amount of the Empire Troops to actually assault anything. At best the set should be called " probable intent to cause malicious harm on Hoth"

tamamahm

I think the problem and advantage is that it is a set made of smaller sets.
I have found here that those sorts of sets have zero appeal for us. . For some people these sorts of sets do appeal, but for a collector... It is like the difference between the Mixer and the Ferris Wheel or the winter village market  versus the other winter sets. This problem is a larger problem, though, because of the UCS label, and the other comparisons are ok sets. 
This has minimal storm troopers.

Now, I think with some effort, and white plates, one could make this more like cool large collector display piece with different areas, and it might look cool then, but a UCS set should not have to add additional storm troopers, white plates, AT-ATs, etc. 

i would like to see it in person, though, to determine if I am being to harsh on this set,

ObiWanKenobi

I was very excited about this set, but I will definitely not buy it. For me it doesn't worth it to spend that amount of money on it.

paul88

tamamahm said:

i would like to see it in person, though, to determine if I am being to harsh on this set,

I would as well, but at this price point, I will never see this in person.  I could never justify spending $249 for what is presented here.  Look at the sandcrawler or ewok village, this pales compared to either of those 2 sets.

monkyby87

paul88 said:

tamamahm said:

i would like to see it in person, though, to determine if I am being to harsh on this set,

I would as well, but at this price point, I will never see this in person.  I could never justify spending $249 for what is presented here.  Look at the sandcrawler or ewok village, this pales compared to either of those 2 sets.

A Lego store may have it on display though.

TheBigLegoski

Okay so these people at Billund, when they determined the price for this set for The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, must have been just totally delirious, as the price tag is a gobsmacking €279,99!!!
And I thought €249,99 was already insanely expensive. I would have been happy to get it for €219,99, but this is just too much, way too much.
I agree with most people that this set did not live up to the hyped up expectations I had, leaving the price tag out of the equation, I would still love to have this set since I do not have any Hoth sets except for the couple of minifigs that were included in the last two SW advent calenders, and the AT-AT #75054 and the Snowspeeder #75049 which I think are both very nice sets. Also I don't understand why they retired the AT-AT already?

What this set lacks IMO:
This set (at €249,99) should have contained a proper TESB Scout-walker (with a crew of two) instead of the speederbike, more imperial snowtroopers (at least four in total), a second Tauntaun. Perhaps a frosty Darth Vader with some white snowy accents on his helmet etc. would have been nice too.

Although, still I don't understand why they did not approach this set in a similar way as they did with the Ewok Village, which isn't only a proper playset, but a very fun, enticing display set. This Hoth set instead is comprised of twelve loose small builds, of which some could have very well been released as a bunch of separate small and medium sized Lego sets.

Also, I don't understand why they did not put a Bacta-tank along with comatose underpants Luke and those medical droids 2-1B, and FX-7, and Leia in this set. I would very much like to see TLG release a Hoth Bacta-tank Med-bay set with at least these four figures in it.

On a positive note, the Wampa, Tauntaun, white protocol and astro mech droids are really cool, and so is the female figure (although it seems they did not give her a unique torso print with female hourglass curves, which is kind of lame). The other rebel figs look nice too, especially the two pilots with their unique helmet prints.

Anyway those are my proverbial two cents.

TheBigLegoski

What the Hoth base actually should look like ;-)

Mynatt

TheBigLegoski said:

What the Hoth base actually should look like ;-)

When you scroll between this image and the "UCS" set that we got, it really puts the UCS version to shame. 

Lego had the chance to do something really cool (Pun intended) with this set and it is a real shame that they missed it. 

All that I can do to this set is give it the cold shoulder. 

Mynatt

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but I am not seeing a tonton feeding bay in that image.

Pitfall69

^"tonton"? Disgraceful ;)

SumoLego

^ Tsum tsum?

Pitfall69

To @Mynatt , "Possible he came in through the south entrance." ;)

Pitfall69

Mynatt

Pitfall69 said:

^"tonton"? Disgraceful ;)

Well now I am disgusted with myself. Tauntaun.

Jaur Jaur, please let me know if this time I correctly spelled the star wars terminology!

TheLoneTensor

A @Mynatt, just what I thought.  Chewie!  Check the rest of the ship, make sure there aren’t any more attached.  They’re chewing on the power cables.

SumoLego

^ Not everyone has the precision testicle typing skills and absolute command over their auto-correct.

RomanticWarrior

Don Don

ethanjwall

@SumoLego: Congratulations on 5k likes! :)

SumoLego

(Not quite - 4955 - but it rounds up.)

paul88

monkyby87 said:

paul88 said:

tamamahm said:

i would like to see it in person, though, to determine if I am being to harsh on this set,

I would as well, but at this price point, I will never see this in person.  I could never justify spending $249 for what is presented here.  Look at the sandcrawler or ewok village, this pales compared to either of those 2 sets.

A Lego store may have it on display though.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Lego store :(  The nearest one is, I believe, about 3 hours away.

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

Lego store distance complaints always amuse me - my closest is 2 CONTINENTS away...

chrisalddin

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA said:

Lego store distance complaints always amuse me - my closest is 2 CONTINENTS away...

ok you win. the "it's to far to go to get to one" award.
however, it don't change the point that others also can not get to one even if it is closer then your one is.

SumoLego

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA said:

Lego store distance complaints always amuse me - my closest is 2 CONTINENTS away...

Two continents?  

Perchance do you live in Antarctica?

(Upon further thought, maybe Australia would count.)

monkyby87

I speak for several people I think that would be willing to pay a bit more for this set if it were an actual assault or base.  At $250 for that collection, I would pay $300 for something more defined. 

Steve_J_OM

Wow, that front page article is very, very telling. They know they've made a balls of this.

All I could think of while reading the piece:

bandit778

**(did post in another thread, so apologise if you have read this twice)

IMO the AT-AT and Snow Speeder that were discontinued last year should have had a box redesign and be kept out for the release of the new Hoth Set (the AT-AT's are used in Rebels,  are in Battlefront and in the upcoming movie). This would have freed up some parts from the Snow Speeder to put in a more substantial offering from the Empire, whether it be with an AT-ST or more soldiers. That coupled with the release of #75138 (which most, if not all is in #75098 anyway so more parts saving there.) could have given us a good base, a decent representation from the Empire with the ability to make it as big as you want with the add on sets.
Still should not be classed as a UCS set though.

Bumblepants

Now that we have seen the Rogue One trailer I am guessing the lack of an AT-AT in the Hoth set is to avoid competing with the one sure to be released this fall for that film. Doesn't excuse two stormies being the entire assault force in a $250 set called assault though. 

catwrangler

It's really unsettling to see them having to counter the swell of disappointment in the set; I can only imagine that other fan communities must be as annoyed as we are. :(

[Deleted User]

Actually I did rather have a complete microscaled battle of Hoth much like the Avengers' Helicarrier, Tatooine Mini Build and Dagobah Mini Build with some cool minifigures aside.
Full base, 4+ walkers, an AT-ST?, 4+ snowspeeders, turrets, transport ship, shield generator, ion cannon - all fitting onto some white baseplates or a new 48x48 white baseplate.

madforLEGO

monkyby87 said:

I speak for several people I think that would be willing to pay a bit more for this set if it were an actual assault or base.  At $250 for that collection, I would pay $300 for something more defined. 

Exactly. What bothers me about the supporters of this set are these two arguments:
1) 'It is for kids': I cannot imagine a majority of parents buying this set for their kid. A set which is, IMO, incomplete as well (ie no AT-AT and the probe droid is in another stand alone hoth set for sale now, so this one already hardly is a 'UCS'). I'm sure there will be those who will buy this for their child, but I think LEGO is trying to aim for the majority if they are aiming something for kids, and the majority of kids into Hoth are likely not getting this set (that is if most do not immediately ask 'where is the AT-AT?' when seeing it). As for its 'UCS' moniker, it fails miserably due mainly to the points above (apparently enough so that LEGO has to start sending out 'puff piece stories' to get people to buy it).
Heck the bat cave is horrendously expensive as well, but at least it has unique figures and the Batmobile.. Imagine if the bat cave was sold without the batmobile?

2) 'the price per part is 'x' so it is a good deal': As far as I'm concerned with the introduction of parts like 2/3 cheese slopes that cost nothing to make, or sell (along with other small parts), this argument no longer holds water. Not if the price per piece is 9 cents, but the majority of the parts are actually 3-4 cents per part.

mathew

While the UCS set is still crappy (or un-inspired I believe) I think a lot of your expectations are way out of line.  No way would we get a fully featured Hoth base.  That would be impossible with anything less than 5K bricks.  And a fairly monotonous build.  What you want is a MOC.  But most of you don't MOC.  You could feasibly use the elements from this set along with 5,000 assorted white and gray bricks and a couple of AT-AT's and build the "Assault on Hoth" set of your dreams.  But at a cost of around $1,000.  Where Lego dropped the ball is not keeping the previous system AT-AT in stock for another year or two.  I suppose they may have a UCS AT-AT in the pipe line but probably not for another year or so at least.

mathew

Another direction Lego could have went with this set is a micro-scale similar to the Helicarrier. That way they could've fit in an AT-AT or two along with snow speeders. And made the base a more physical presence.  For me the play value is really only in the AT-AT vs. snow speeders which is more doable in micro-scale.

xwingpilot

^ I really like the idea of micro-scale Star Wars sets.

gmonkey76

While I will buy this set eventually(Empire being the first movie I remember my mom taking me to when it first came out.) I have every other Star Wars Lego set that came out to the general public up to 2015/16, so I will get this to make my collection complete. Here is my two biggest problems with the set. The look out tower above the doors that is not in the movie, and ONLY TWO SNOWTROOPERS! How can it be a "assault" with only 2 bad guys? Take out the watch tower and the Wampa (it could of been it's own set again) and we could of gotten some more Imperial troops or a vehicle to make a proper assault.

tallblocktoo

Sariel on YouTube has as review out for those that like video reviews.  

chrisalddin

just watched Sariel video review.
i know i did not like this set,
but after watching that review seeing the set up close. and watching the build.
this is what i think.
i would go buy the Sandcrawler.
and pretend that this Hoth set was NEVER made.

MaffyD

I've looked at the first page of this thread, and compared it to the last page here, and it's very interesting to note that exactly what the posters on the first page were hoping would not happen is exactly what has come to pass now (some parts highlighted by me as particularly apt):

"the Imperial Speeder Bikes that litter a few sets can be left at home, they never appeared in the films and are an add on that only takes good Lego parts away from other parts of the set"

"Almost every company with a licence has had a crack at Hoth and very few have pulled it off"

"the mandatory speeder bikes, snowspeeder, detachable trenches, lollipops, random radar dishes, spring-loaded ION cannon etc will eat away at the part count and we'll end up with a tiny shell"

"not simply a re-hash of older sets stuck together"

I'm not really invested in this debate as I only buy UCS spaceships, but it seems like the combination of the UCS sticker and high price point when compared to the look of the thing and the assertion that it's for kids has created a good deal of cognitive dissonance. Price per piece doesn't even come into it!