The latest wave of Summer Star Wars sets have been released and there are some good looking winners already. One of them is the Scout Trooper & Speeder Bike. The Constraction series or buildable figures as LEGO refers to them these days usually come standalone, but this set has a included some play factor and a vehicle built using the familiar technic parts.
Box Experience
All LEGO box art is designed with great care, and this one is no less of a champ. The front showcases the Imperial Scout Trooper riding his 74-Z Speeder Bike in the forests of Endor and shooting his blaster while maintaining control of the bike. A silhouette of another speeder bike is seen racing to the scene. A sub-image on the bottom right shows a preview of the blaster cannon play feature
The back of the box shows the build once again but now the Scout Trooper and the Speeder Bike are separated and standing on an artwork of what looks like a hologram. Three sub-images showing some features of the build. Blaster can be holstered at the right knee of the Scout Trooper, Thruster flaps can be opened to reveal the afterburners of the Speeder Bike and the mechanism of the blaster cannon is shown. On the upper right, some basic dimensions of the build are shown. Speeder bike including stand is 42.5cm in width. Scout Trooper is 23.5cm in height when fully upright.
Contents are 2 instruction manuals, 3 main bags, a sticker sheet and 3 loose parts which were probably too bulky to be inserted into the main bag.
Instruction manual 1 covers bags 1 & 2 while instruction manual 2 covers bag 3
Build Review
The build starts off with Bag 1 which will complete the entire Scout trooper. The Torso and Head is printed and no stickers are used.
The light armor and black body suit of the Scout Troopper is decently represented.
The utility pouches on the cummerbund and hip belt are done with simple System bricks and the back of the trooper features a tank represented by a technic piece.
The build for the Scout Trooper took about 30 minutes.
Next up, we have bag two, this will start the Speeder Bike build. Firstly, the mechanism of the cannon blaster is built up and before long, the stand is up and it can be propped up as shown in the picture. The body is then built and continued by the outrigger and directional vanes. The end to Bag 2 is abrupt with a start of the maneuver controls. This is how it looks like after Bag 2 where some hoses are seen at the back and the basic shape of the speeder bike is truly formed.
Bag 3 starts off where Bag 2 left off, the respulsor lift engine is built and thereafter, essentially the bike is shelled up including the directional steering vanes and finally the altitude controls. A lot of hinges are involved to get the shell shape formed nicely and it was nice to see it all come together in the end. A total of 7 stickers are used at the end of the build including 2 for the thruster flaps, two for the top vanes, two for the an area near the control panel and one for the HUD (Heads Up Display)
Getting the Scout Trooper on the bike is relatively simple. First you pose it so that it assumes a sitting position, next attach the feet to the technic pin on the altitude controls and then attach the hands to the maneuver controls via a similar connection. While in this position, the hands can be moved front and back to represent the Scout Trooper maneuvering the bike and feet can be pivoted up and down to represent ascent and descent controls.
Very early on in the build we already had access to the blaster cannon and once the build is complete, there seems to be no major hindrances to the play feature. I find it much easier to use the middle finger to pull the trigger and to rest the index finger next to the power unit for increased grip/accuracy
Final Thoughts
A great set to have and muck about with. Be wary that it is 54 studs wide, and would make a worthy and relatively cheap display item at this size.
I was immediately reminded of a great MOC done for LEGOLAND Malaysia's Star Wars competition in 2015 when I first laid eyes on this set.
Credits to designer Syafiq Amiruzan for an impressive build. Both aree great on their own merits though you have to wonder if LEGO design team might subconsciously get their inspiration from AFOL builds.
