Many moons ago, LEGO released what can only be described as an atrocious attempt at an AT-ST (7127 Imperial AT-ST). Its atrocity was due in large part of it's terrible looks. It just didn't quit capture the look and feel of the chicken walker. Let's not kid ourselves here, it didn't even come close. The other negatives piled against it were the "shuffle" walking mechanic, the fact that it was called "Imperial AT-ST" without an Imperial in sight and instead you get Chewbacca, and the terrible color scheme. What's with the brown nose? The only positives I can list are that it included yet another cheap way to obtain Chewbacca, the legs were actually poseable in different strides, it briefly re-introduced the 2x2 inverted slope with a printed design, and if memory serves me correctly, it also brought back the 4x4 radar dish.
So back when I found out that the AT-ST was going to be redesigned, I looked forward to the set with cautious optimism. The price point was double than its previous incarnation which could only mean that the model would be a little better. LEGO's track record of redesigned sets have been stellar and I can happily report that the AT-ST does not disappoint.
When I ripped open the bags of parts, I immediately noticed that the color palette was minimal. I could count on one hand the number of different parts that were not light grey, dark grey, or black, and this is including the tan head for the pilot. There is a 1x2 trans-red grille tile and an assortment of TECHNIC pins. That's it. The rest of the model is grey, light and dark, and black. There isn't even a red brick of any kind that you stick in the middle of the model that ends up being "hidden" after the model is built like previous models.
Here you can see the front and the back of the completed model and it's quite impressive just how much of an improvement this new AT-ST is compared to the last set. Even if you never had a copy of 7127, I'd bet you would still be quite surprised at how well designed it is. They captured the essences of the vehicle and got it "just right".
You can see a close up of the head front and back. I don't have a pic of the chin cannons unfortunately, but the front shot shows it off pretty well. More on that later. In the photo of the back, you'll notice there's a TECHNIC gear. That gear is attached to an axle and on the other end is another gear inside a gear box which is connected vertically to the head. Following me?. Turning the gear in the back actually rotates the head from side to side allowing you to scan for pesky Ewoks.
The top of it is pretty simple with an opening hatch that opens and closes freely. Why I didn't take a pic of it with the hatch open is beyond me, but it's a trap door element that works really well. On each side of the head, is a corner slope tile whose main purpose I think is to give the illusion of a sloped angle for the head.
The chicken walker's eyes are probably the only things I complain about. The eyelids are actually supposed to be hatches or covers, like window shutters that tilt up. However, these are tiles with a clip on the back most commonly used for signs in old LEGO Town sets, so they'll never close really, which I guess is a moot point since you'll always want to keep them open anyway. It does give it the eyes the right look, but construction is a bit of a miss.
The ear weapons are different between the right and left sides. While accurate, the right ear cannon seems a bit disproportionately small and the left ear weapons array could benefit from a few more elements to beef it up a bit, but overall, these are minor points of detraction.
The chin cannon only has about a 15 or 20 degree range of motion, but my guess is most everybody would have it pointed down anyway.
The legs use a series of click hinge bricks and 1x2 plates with a grooved edge to prop up the walker. While it gives the model a nice solid foundation and allows the AT-ST to stand properly without any tricks, props or anything else, the major drawback is that the legs cannot be positioned in any other stance while standing. Now if the walker got knocked down by some pesky Ewoks that threw down some cut tree logs in front of it, then that's a whole other matter since the legs can be positioned in any old fashion, but as a walker, it works great just standing there. The AT-ST's feet look great, so much better than 7127 and the designers even included the toe fence-cutters.
Going back up to the head, the interior of the cockpit really has only room for one. The neat thing I discovered when taking these pics was that the pilot is actually positioned to look out of the view ports. I'm not sure what that 1x2 trans-red grille tile is supposed to be, but a 1x2 printed computer tile would have been a much better choice. The clip to hold the weapon is a nice touch.
And finally, I present to you the AT-ST Pilot minifig. The goggles and chin strap are painted on the fig naturally, but the helmet is a new design as is the torso. You also get one of the new Imperial blasters that the pilot can feebly grab for before Chewie tosses him to the ground. This is probably one of my favorite minifigs of all time probably cause it was a long time coming. Now if only they'd make an Ithorian.... oh and a Rebel Fleet Trooper..../sigh
One more note about this set: the piece count is 244 pieces for about 20 bucks which is better than the average 10 cents / piece. The construction using those 244 pieces is outstanding. LEGO did not cut any corners on the design. Sometimes you get that sense, you know? That the designer took shortcuts on element selection. While building this model, I didn't get that sense at all. Probably one of the best models at it's price point that LEGO has ever produced. Hats off to the designer.
Price/Parts ratio: 8/10
Parts Selection: 9/10
Minifig: 8/10
Construction: 10/10
Design: 8/10
Swoosh Factor: n/a
Reviewer's Tilt: 10/10
Final Score: 8.8/10
Images used in this article:
Published 01/2007
