Easily one of the most iconic Star Wars vehicles from the prequel trilogy, the All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer, or AT-TE first appeared in the dramatic conclusion of Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, but fans of the Clone Wars animated series which premiered in 2008 with a theatrical movie pilot will remember the excitement of watching a group of AT-TE’s scaling a vertical cliff on cables, with Annakin’s Padawan Ahsoka Tano leaping from one to another. This vehicle is clearly also a fan of LEGO designers, with this version being the 5th set since 2003. Let’s find out how this latest set stacks up against its predecessors. 75337 LEGO® Star Wars™ AT-TE™ Walker includes 1,082 pieces and will be available August 1 for US $139.99 | CAN $179.99 | UK £119.99

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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Unboxing the parts, instructions, and sticker sheet

The front of the tab-sealed box shows the AT-TE in action on what looks like Utapau. The troopers are engaged in a shoot-out with Separatist forces consisting of three B-1 battle droids and a dwarf spider-droid. The lower right corner of the box shows the line-up of Minifigs from the set, which includes Commander Cody, 3 troopers from the 212th battalion under Cody, and General Kenobi. There is also the 212th gunner with gray markings on his helmet instead of the orange on the other troopers.

On the back of the box, the AT-TE is shown from the back with the real panel folded down. There are also inset images showing some of the set’s play features like the rotating front cannon, interior seating for 5 troopers, the usual lift-up handle, and the detachable front windscreen which like many of the previous models includes the pilot’s chair.

Inside the box, there are 10 numbered bags (1-6), a sticker sheet, and an instruction booklet. Like many recently released sets, the instruction booklet sports the new minimalist look, with a photo of the completed set over two white bands featuring the collage of outlined LEGO elements that matches the announced but yet-to-be-seen paper parts bags.

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The build

The build starts off with the 3 B-1 battle droids and the dwarf spider droid, which is identical to the 2016 edition except that the stud shooter is replaced by the gun design closer to the 2013 edition.

The AT-TE starts off much like previous versions with a central section of technic beams and uses the same attachment system for the angled panels as many of the previous models. There is a much more detailed rear interior with room for 5 troopers, gear, and a targeting system for the two rear cannons. There are also a pair of lift arms mounted to the frame which will attach to the rear panel. This is a change from previous models where the rear panel was attached to the angled section of the roof.

The middle section where the larger central legs attach is built much like previous versions but with a few newer parts like the 1×1 rounded piece used alongside the click hinge attachment plates. This model also uses angled wall panels common in castle sets, which provide a great transition to the forward and rear interior spaces and give the partly visible body a bit of visual interest compared to the large sloped piece used in the 2013 model.

Moving on to the front section, this is also largely the same construction as previous versions aside from the 2016 model which was heavily modified. The front section ends with the same detachable windscreen section with the pilot chair built in.

Now it’s time to give this walker some legs… for walking… And so we come to the first thing that really caught my attention as a dramatic improvement over previous versions of the set. The front and rear pairs of legs have smaller feet than the larger middle legs, which is much more screen-accurate. Also, where previous sets used radar dishes for the joints that attach the legs to the body, this set uses a 4×4 round plate with 2×2 quarter circle tiles, and as these attach to the ends of the modified axles that the legs connect to they rotate slightly as the leg moves forward and backward. It is a small detail but one that fans are sure to appreciate.

After completing the first 4 legs, we get the set of forward-facing cannons mounded to the side and front of the frame. Before we move on to the 2 remaining legs, the angled Technic joint that the middle legs attach to is a slightly smaller angle, which brings the legs closer to the body, another small detail that more closely matches the source material, and has the added bonus of helping the planted feet maintain their position where, with previous sets, the middle legs tended to flop around.

With all six legs complete it’s time to move on to the 4 largely identical angled side panels. This version uses the newer 2×6 wedge plates which give the central leg mounts a bit more space, and also leaves a slight gap at the edge of the angled top sections since the side panels are 1 stud shorted on the inside corner.

As we move on the top rear and back panels we get another difference from many previous versions of the set, which is the way the two rear sections attach. The top section attaches in much the same way as another set, but the rear-facing panel mounts to the back of the main frame via Technic lift-arms.

This allows the rear panel to fold down to reveal a targeting station for the rear cannons. The top and rear sections loosely connect with clips inserted into the middle of a pair of click hinges. At this point, you can see the slight gap I mentioned earlier, where the 2×6 wedge plate meets the back of the 3×10 angled slope. The seam at the connection point between the top and the rear panel is very smooth compared to previous versions where the rear section is attached to the underside of the angled top section.

Next, we add a very similar angled section to the top front of the walker. This section includes a turntable for the large top-mounted heavy artillery cannon. Each version of the AT-TE Walker has used different designs for the main cannon, taking advantage of newly available parts and this one is no exception, using the new pinched axle connector in black. The cannon is also mounted slightly forward, extending the reach of the barrel by about 2 studs.

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The Minifigs

The set includes three identical B-1 battle droids, each carrying a blaster rifle. There are three standard troopers from the 212th battalion which feature printing on the front and back, including front leg printing. Two of them are equipped with the almost comically long rifles made by adding a black candle part to the end of the already long barrel.

The set also comes with Commander Cody and another 212th trooper, a gunner to man the forward cannon. Both figures include printed details front and back, including leg printing on the front. Cody is also equipped with an orange visor and other accessories.

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The finished model

As I have stated before, the finished model is the most accurate version of the AT-TE yet, and to make my point, I wanted to compare it to the most recent version of the set from the same era. Since the 2016 set from Star Wars Rebels was a highly modified AT-TE from the later years of the Empire, I chose the 2013 model. I didn’t have this set originally so I used the instructions from LEGO.com and as a result, a few substitutions were needed.

The most noticeable difference as I have said before is the sizes of the front and rear feet relative to the middle feet. The angle of the middle leg is smaller, bringing the legs and as a result, the feet closer to the main body, and more stable on the ground. The anchors where the legs meet the body look much more mechanical than the previous medium and large radar dishes.

The front crew compartment is larger and more detailed than previous versions, with room for more troopers and some gear. The small seating area is removable.

The rear interior is more spacious than the unmodified 2013 version but smaller than the 2016 modified AT-TE. With room for five troopers to sit, and space for a couple of gear boxes. The addition of a rear cannon targeting system is a nice added detail.

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Conclusions and recommendations

As I have said more than once in this review I think this is the most screen-accurate model of the AT-TE yet, and is my second favorite, after the modified Rex’s AT-TE from Star Wars Rebels. The more mechanical-looking leg joints, the lower overall profile, and the extra crew space all add up to a solid model. The only thing taking away from my otherwise stellar review is the price, with LEGO raising prices on many sets releasing this year the $140 US price tag is a bit on the steep side. I would still recommend the set for all of the reasons previously stated despite the price but I am sure some fans may decide to give it a pass. 75337 LEGO® Star Wars™ AT-TE™ Walker includes 1,082 pieces and will be available August 1 for US $139.99 | CAN $179.99 | UK £119.99

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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