Review: 75133 Rebel Alliance Battle Pack
Posted by CapnRex101,
75133 Rebel Alliance Battle Pack is one of two sets based on Star Wars Battlefront which have been released as part of the latest wave, provoking great excitement among fans of the Original Trilogy. It has been six years since we last saw Battle Packs based on the Rebel and Imperial factions so the opportunity to assemble a relatively inexpensive army of Stormtroopers and Rebel Troopers is a very appealing prospect.
While images of 75134 Galactic Empire Battle Pack provoked some disappointment due to the specialised nature of the minifigures included, this Rebel set seems to have been warmly received on the whole. A variety of species and scruffy uniforms are found in the set, reflecting the eclectic mix of characters which make up the Rebel Alliance!
Minifigures
Four Rebel Troopers are included and they all look superb, with an appropriate balance between ramshackle uniforms and practical attire which seems better suited to warfare than the stark white of Stormtrooper armour. The camouflage printed on the legs is very impressive, giving the impression of some kind of netting which might be stitched into the fabric of their trousers. This piece is shared by two figures in the set and I have assigned each garment as shown in the instructions, although there is plenty of opportunity to mix and match if you wish.
I am delighted to see alien species represented in such a small set. Characters like these rarely appear in Battle Packs and both the Duros and the Rodian heads are sufficiently generic that they could become part of the background for a larger Star Wars diorama. The designs look superb and I am particularly pleased with the spotted pattern on the Rodian which differeniates him from previous Rodian minifigures such as Wald, Greedo and Onaconda Farr.
Two brand new jumppacks are included which is excellent given that they provide an important tactical advantage in Star Wars Battlefront. They appear in white in 75134 Galactic Empire Battle Pack but here they are cast in dark bluish grey and a 1x1 tile is affixed to the back which is printed with some additional detail. The thrust nozzles are the size of a stud so trans-light blue 1x1 round plates can be fitted to represent the jets eminating from the pack and four are found in this set for that purpose.
The other two Rebel Troopers are human. They both have common face prints and their torsos are the same as those of the alien troopers. It is a little dissapointing that only two different leg and torso elements are included, although they have been cleverly designed so the printing lines up using any combination of components. Their helmets have both appeared before but feature new colours and printing on this occasion which helps to differentiate them from previous minifigures. I like the helmet on the right in particular as both the moulding and the printed designs look absolutely brilliant.
All four soldiers are armed with stud shooters, one of which features a stock and can be held in the hand of a figure or mounted on the speeder as you can see below.
The Completed Model
Speeder bikes have been redesigned more times than I care to remember but the latest version is somewhat unusual as it allows two minifigures to sit back to back. A similar design was employed back in 2007 for 7655 Clone Troopers Battle Pack, one of the earliest Star Wars sets of this kind, but has rarely appeared since.
The reddish brown armour plating is appropriately earthy for Rebel Alliance equipment and the accents of grey and black complement this perfectly. Only the 74-Z speeder bike has appeared in Star Wars Battlefront so far and this craft has obviously been inspired by that one as it includes similar steering vanes and handlebars, although the rear section is designed very differently. I think the changes look superb and this certainly seems like the kind of vehicle which might be seen supporting infantry in battle.
The minifigure sitting in front is a little higher than the gunner at the back and both are armed with stud shooters. The rear turret can be raised, lowered and turned to face any direction while the forward facing weaponry is fixed in place on the side of the speeder.
In addition to being well armed this craft is also very well detailed considering the limited piece count. Elements which usually act as intakes appear for the first time in reddish brown and are placed on either side of the gunner's seat to represent exhausts of some kind. A variety of curved slopes are used to form the bodywork surrounding the seats and bumper panels are placed on the sides for close quarters combat.
Overall
Rebel Battle Packs are typically less appealing than their Imperial counterparts due to the inherently generic nature of Stormtroopers but this set bucks that trend in spectacular fashion. The four minifigures are absolutely brilliant, offering adequate army building potential while also looking great as individuals due to the impressive level of detail printed on each one.
The speeder bike is also a decent model which provides considerable play value and looks rather nice on display. It is reminiscent of the well known 74-Z model but the option of seating a gunner facing towards the rear is pleasing.
Whether or not you have any interest in Star Wars Battlefront, this is a worthy addition to any collection. Of the four Battle Packs released this season, this is my favourite and I will certainly be purchasing a couple more in the coming months.
JANGBRiCKS' Video Review
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27 comments on this article
Is there a reason why this, and many of the Winter wave (except Buildable Figures), haven't reached the US yet? I don't remember hearing an explanation on why we are missing these here.
I have the 4 sets based of TFA, but I really want the OT sets.
@rcmadiax - I believe this is down to a distribution issue but they are supposed to be arriving in the next couple of weeks, or so I have heard.
@CapnRex101 Awesome thanks!
Please review the Imperial Battle pack.
@Dalek135 - Will do.
Ahhh.... 7655... Good memories :)
This looks like a good set, but I think I prefer the Imperial battle pack.
Like the engine/air intake piece in reddish-brown. Will look good on a Mad Max type car, or an old hot rod rusting away in a juck yard or field. Great just talked myself into buy two sets.
So Sweet! I'm flipping for the Rhodian. I love the new jet packs as they have finally enough connection points to be utilised fully in MOC. Also, the A-wing pilot helmet is super awesome! It is one of my faveroute head cover pieces ever.
I've gotten word from my locally Lego store these and the regular ot sets won't be available to March. Blows... This is the stuff I'm really looking forward too!
Well they are available on amazon now... at inflated prices.
l didn't even realize it was from the game until l read the review. l even play the game.
This sets is a must buy for me, if the cash permits I will be getting two of these and four of the Imperial BP, which is fair if you consider that the Empire tends to have more troopers than the Rebels.
What an excellent set! The only Battle Pack set I have is one of Super Battle Droids. This sure is a pack worth buying. Love the pieces and minifigs!
Man, battle packs are so…
I feel guilty buying a whole set just for the minifigures and ignoring the pile of bricks that comes with them. I like to see vehicles but this one isn't canonical to the SW universe or even the game. And stud shooters: BLEH!
I've used the Galactic Empire battle pack to crew my Shuttle Tydirium with Imps rather than those freeloading Rebels.
The minifigures are just superb. Great rodian head and the duros is far superior to either of the previous incarnations. The torsos and legs are suitably generic to fit into dioramas from any Star Wars scene. Sold.
Those jetpacks look great, and I like the aliens included.
One of the key features that make FPS games appealing is the variety of weapons, but these four minifigures all come with the same weapon (the stud shooter) and it's not even in the game. Additionally, the speeder bike is only meant to hold one person, with no gun on the back. Both of these inconsistencies improve the play value though, so that must have been the reason.
I love this set and definitely intend to buy it, for the great rebel uniforms, alien heads, and useful peices. Awsome to have a third version of the A-wing pilot's helmet, jet packs will go to other sci-fi builds, parts to build a proper speeder. Stud shooters straight to the parts bin.
This is the Star Wars set that I am most impressed by and excited by so far in 2016! Those minifigs are fantastic... even better than I had hoped. My Mos Eisley cantina is about to get a few more patrons :D I can't wait for these sets to come to Canada :P
The only way this could've been better is if we got new DLT-19 and EE-3 molds.
Shame there's only one of the new Rebel helmets. They're infinitely better than the terribly oversized Hoth hats that sit way too high on the head.
Nice review capn. I Just picked up mine a couple of days ago, and the only things I'm disapointed about is the inclusion of stud shooters and the design of the jet-packs. But besides that, it's a great set, and the price is only 19$
I liked that the Cpn mounted the minifigs on the glass bricks
I would have liked it if there had been TWO studshooters mounted on either side of the front instead of one.
Great looking set, and great that its included a Rodian and Duro as well!! I do think that it could have put in a Zabrak or Quarren in to replace one of the Human minifig.
I kind of wish there was a female human minifig instead of two male ones. Then all the minifigs would be different.
Any word from Lego when North America is going to see these sets.