Review: 75083 AT-DP
Posted by CapnRex101,
I made no secret of my disdain for this wave of LEGO Star Wars sets, although there are a number which stood out as being a little better than the rest. 75083 AT-DP was one of these for me as the design of the vehicle looks accurate to the Star Wars Rebels TV show and there are some great minifigures included. Having now purchased the set though, my feelings are mixed.
The set includes 500-pieces and is priced at £49.99 or $49.99, so represents reasonable value in that regard, particularly since one of those pieces is brand new. The model is fairly substantial and there are plenty of features, so I am sure this will be a popular set with young fans of Star Wars Rebels, particularly since this vehicle appears very frequently.
Box and Contents
The box is a very unusual shape to accommodate the shape of the model displayed on the front. Orange is definitely the dominant colour on Star Wars packaging this year and the artwork is certainly action packed, so this one really stands out on the shelf. On the back there is an image of the AT-DP from above which is surrounded by shots showing each of the play features. Rendered images of the minifigures and the set in action appear once again which look fantastic.
Inside the box are four numbered bags, one instruction manual and a sticker sheet. There are only six stickers included but I wonder if the shape of the box will make the sheet more liable to be crumpled in transit as they are not cardboard backed.
Minifigures
Three of the four minifigures included in this set are exclusive and I am sure Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) will be particularly popular as he plays a significant role in Star Wars Rebels. Kallus' helmet is brand new and is perfectly accurate to the show with a detailed mould and print design. His head is printed on both sides with one frowning expression and the other a sinister grin. Common to both sides are his impressive sideburns, although they are concealed when he is wearing his helmet. The torso is printed with an armoured breastplate and rank indicator while his legs are plain black and he carries a Lasan Bo-Rifle, which is in fact two blasters fitted to a lightsaber hilt piece. This is one of my favourite minifigures of the entire wave as I love the character and am not sure how the figure could be improved!
Equally interesting in my opinion are the two AT-DP Pilots included. This title is not entirely accurate as these troopers are also seen riding 614-AvA Speeder Bikes and Imperial Troop Transports in the TV show. Their helmets look superb in my opinion, although they are formed quite unusually using the common AT-ST Pilot helmet in white and a printed head rather than a single new piece. Both components are highly detailed and match nicely with their equally impressive grey and white torso design The legs too are brilliant white and the two pilots are armed with blaster pistols.
The fourth and final minifigure is a standard Stormtrooper. This a lovely figure and they are pleasingly common now, but another is always a welcome addition to an army. The helmet is detailed with vents and the stylised mouth design typical of Imperial armour from Star Wars Rebels, although the shape of the helmet is the same as it was in 2001, which I consider just about perfect. The torso is printed on the front and back with the simplified design seen in the show and his legs are detailed with more armour. The design cuts off at the knees a little too sharply for my liking, but this is easily overlooked so I have no issue with it.
The Completed Model
The AT-DP looks fantastic on the box and closely resembles the vehicle seen in Star Wars Rebels. Once built I was a little disappointed though as although the model is accurate to the show and contains some fun play features, it is not perfect.
The legs are almost entirely unposeable, which impacts greatly on how one might display the model as it has to stand in a stationary pose rather than as if it were walking. The joint towards the hip is the only moveable one and even that can only move backwards for some reason making it a total waste as it is impossible to balance the model with one leg pushed behind the other. I am sure the designer could have improved this by adding in another ratchet joint at the ankle and replacing the 7-3 Technic liftarm that hinders forward movement with a simple 1x7 liftarm. I suppose we can make this modification ourselves, but it would have been nice to see some improved articulation on the official model.
Now that I have that major criticism out of the way I can move on to the many positive attributes of the AT-DP. For me the most impressive area of the model is the head which forms a fairly solid armoured shell thanks to the appropriate use of the wedge shaped plates. The printed 4x4 domes on each side look brilliant and there is plenty of space inside to seat both pilots with a control panel for each of them. The entire top can be hinged open and there is a small round hatch to be opened as well just like in the show. There are a few yellow highlights sprinkled around the vehicle which do appear on the walker in Star Wars Rebels, although I think there are a couple too many yellow pieces here.
The back of the vehicle is a jumble of Technic pieces which is a bit distracting but from the front and side the AT-DP is a perfect representation of the vehicle in the show as far as I can see. The turret on the front is mounted on a ball joint and has a wide range of motion, as does the entire head which can turn from one side to the other. As you turn the head it launches a spring loaded missile which is a nice feature, particularly since their range is as impressive as ever!
The legs look great with some detailed SNOT building and excellent shaping when compared to the 'real' AT-DP. However, I cannot overlook their lack of motion which is reminiscent of 75043 AT-AP from last year's Winter wave.
Overall
I want to love this set as it is almost entirely perfect but for one critical issue which really damages the model as a whole for me. There is quite a bit of playability here with opening hatches and firing missiles, and the AT-DP looks reasonable on display simply because the model is such an accurate recreation of the vehicle, but since you cannot place it in a dynamic pose it always looks totally static which is unfortunate.
I have no qualms about the minifigure selection which is superb. All four are highly detailed and look very faithful to their appearances in Star Wars Rebels. I would certainly recommend this set and it is among the best of the wave in my opinion, but I wish it were that little bit better!
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24 comments on this article
Thanks for the review!
That lack of articulation is annoying but for me the minifigures are the main draw.
Nice review, Capn. As you say, it's really a shame that the official set does not have pose-able legs, leaving the builder to customise it themselves. I'll add it to my wishlist.
Thanks Rex! Nice review.
Indeed I too think it is disappointing that the legs are not fitted with 'real' articulate joints, and that the legs are thus not really pose-able.
I love the the minifigs too, especially agent Kallus, and the two AT-DP pilots / Imperial cadets. One episode of Star Wars Rebels revolves around Ezra enlisting in the Imperial Navy, in order to infiltrate a training facility/Imperial base, he poses as a cadet. In this episode Ezra is wearing this white uniform too. I don't know if only cadets wear this type of uniform and armour, but that is what I was led to believe from the cartoon. Anyway I like the cartoon series, and this set very much too.
Neat review, but why is Brickset skipping the build process in your reviews? But besides from that I cannot wait to get this bad boy (along with the Tie Advance Prototype and Skyhopper for the May The Fourth be With You, Admiral Yularen has some things to say to Kallus).
You know, I only half-heartedly watch Rebels when it's on. Is this supposed to be a prototype AT-ST, or does it actually serve a separate purpose?
I got the polybag version last week, which I think I like better since it's small enough that I can pretend it's an AT-ST and nobody can tell me otherwise.
@Lordmoral - I am not going into any detail about the build process unless I think there is something particularly notable to comment on. It also speeds up writing the reviews which is useful when they are being published in such quick succession.
Construction for most of these sets is pretty much a case of what you see is what you get to be honest!
@ResIpsaLoquitur - I suspect the AT-DP is a forerunner of the AT-ST but it does serve a different role. In the show it seems to be put to use patrolling the capital city and acting as a visible presence of the Empire while the AT-ST is used as a scout and for pursuing small pockets of resistance.
Nice review! Anyone else see the Blacktron 1 logos on the pilots? I was so happy when I saw them in the show, as Blacktron is my favorite theme... Probably stands for something else in SW lore, but to me it's a Blacktron logo...
> I am not going into any detail about the build process unless I think there is something particularly notable to comment on
Ditto. For this size of set and smaller there isn't a lot of point of going into a lot of detail about it.
So... It's a walker that can't even move it's legs without falling?
And that for €65? That definetely overpriced. I have really been looking forward to this set, but it is a huge disappointment.
By the way, nice review!
I think the people writing these reviews (Huw and CapnRex101) should add overall ratings into their reviews, like they did for the advent calendars.
Cannot wait to add this to my Rebels shelf (probably shelfs after this year). Thanks for the review!
I dont mind so much that the vehicle isnt posable. As an AFOL, most of my terrestrial vehicles get set up in static displays anyway, but I swoosh the heck out of my starships!
@Lama-mantis
I agree at €64,99 the set is overpriced, and guess what?! In Germany this set is cheaper, like so many other sets, there it is €59,99.
Still looking forward to getting this set, even despite the fixed leg-joint construction, which I believe TLG should have designed to include more pivoting joints.
ps.
What I wrote earlier about Ezra wearing that AT-DP uniform is incorrect. I just watched an excerpt from that episode (ep.4 'Breaking Ranks') ; the cadets wear a different white and grey uniform, and the helmet he wears, and is part of that outfit, is the same helmet that is included in set 75048 'The Pantom'.
The AT-DP was used as a heavily armored weapons platform, used to police planets under Imperial occupation that had suspected Rebel activity. They filled the gap between the AT-ST and the AT-AT.
I personally love this set because its been in the star wars EU for a long time.
That really sucks about the legs. I recently built 75043 at a friend's house, and that (lack of)articulation is a major disappointment. Minifigs rock, cockpit rocks, even that missile firing system is pretty sweet... but why?!
There's too much yellow though.
Came here to see if they got kallus' chops right. AND THEY DID. I was already gonna buy this , but man , that makes this like the coolest set of this part of the year asides from anakins azure angel.
Hey CapnRex, are you going to review the rest of the Justice League sets?
Nice review.
Great Review! I was going to get this, but LEGO.com in the US has both the Mini AT-DP and Flower cart sold out. Seriously! The first week of January isn't even over!
That AT-DP pilot's colors are all wrong. All the white needs to be turned to light bley and all the light bley needs to be turned to dark bley. You can see if you Google a picture of him.
@glamdring804 - Indeed I am. A review of 76027 Black Manta Deep Sea Strike will be up in the next day or two.
@Packer221 - Very true. I considered the overly bright colours, but I wondered whether it might be designed like that to allow them to create the darker suited version seen here in a future set: http://starwarsrebels.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_Combat_Driver/Gallery?file=Fighter_Flight_concept_10.jpg
thats great i am building the ship from Darkseid Invasion and i was going to build the Black Manta Deep Sea Strike set next.
by the way great review.
I was at Target today and they had a lot of the new Star Wars sets, so I had a chance to really look them over. I haven't seen any of the Rebel series or anything so most of the Star Wars theme I'm really not familiar with, but I have to say I was tempted to get several sets just because they make them look so appealing! The boxes look phenomenal! Artwork, the colors of the box and the sets, the designs, they are just really attractive. This set, the speeder bikes, the sky hopper, the hailfire droid, Tie advanced prototype, and others, just look great. I'll probably be returning to get one or two, I won't be able to resist for much longer. :-)
@CapnRex101- Yeah but the armor color is the same, just the jumpsuit and helmet is different. The jumpsuit on the dark one is the same color as Kallus's, and LEGO represented that in black. It should be light bley jumpsuit and helmet (white face) and dark bley armor for the normal one; black jumpsuit and dark bley armor and helmet for the other one. And I think thats just an artist's rendering of his own version, I don't know for sure, but the explantation at the top suggests so. Too bad, it seems this is a trend with LEGO, Vader's face, the Clone Wars 212th trooper, etc.
Just wondering: Is it possible to give the legs more articulation without changing the whole shape of the walker? If you think it's possible? Could you please make an article about it? That would be awesome!
LEGO big mistake is no regulation of the feet!