The excitement for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story grows as we get closer and closer to December 2016! I was fortunate enough to pick up the largest Rogue One LEGO set to be released this weekend, and wanted to give my thoughts on the build! Let's dive in and open this set. . .

When we open the very large box, we are given 7 numbered bags, a brick separator, one average sized sticker sheet, and a fittingly large instruction book. Though the build is complex, I actually was able to finish each bag rather quickly. A lot of the techniques were fairly repetitive, but used great techniques none the less. If you like a lot of technic, this set is definitely the Star Wars set for you!

As you can see in this image, the entire internal structure of this craft is technic. I found myself building sections individually, and then finding that they connect beautifully to a section I built in a previous bag. The designer of this set did a fantastic job at giving the builder a great experience.

Let's talk about these minifigures! They are a definite draw towards this set. Each minifig is exclusive to this ship alone (at least until future sets are released), and is extremely cool! I believe the most popular characters from this set will (obviously) be the Deathtroopers - and rightfully so! Before we talk about those troopers, let's talk about the Rebels we get in this set:

Pao (left): Not much is known about this character as of yet, but that doesn't change how detailed this figure is with all his accessories. The body printing is well detailed and could be used outside of the Star Wars universe for some military creations. It's always great to get more printed legs, and Pao's are no exception. Pao's secondary expression, though, is phenomenal! Pao is also wearing a brand new headpiece element.

Bodhi Rook (right): If I am correct, Bodhi is a former Imperial cargo hauler that has defected to the Rebel Alliance. In the movie trailers, Bodhi can be seen with an Imperial insignia worn on his shoulder. That design did not make it onto the minifig, unfortunately. I personally love Bodhi's face with the goggles design, which I think could also be useful in other MOC's, along with his jacket printing. Lastly, both figures have some unique backpacks that look very cool for the number of pieces used, and also have double-sided faces.

K-2SO (left): A former Imperial enforcer droid, K-2SO will be assisting the Rebels in the film, it appears, after being reprogrammed by Captain Cassian. One thing that should be noted is that the head and torso of this droid character are connected, which does not allow the head to turn. This is definitely another great droid figure to add to any Star Wars collection, especially with the amazing printing on him!

Director Krennic (center): The Director's printing is a bit more basic than the other figures in this set, but that is accurate to his movie appearance. It's fantastic to get another white Imperial uniform, which are rare both in LEGO and in universe. He also is sporting a newer cape with the softer fabric. My only critique with this figure is that I think the hair should have been gray instead of this faded blonde color, but that's just my opinion. Krennic also does not have a second expression, but does have some nice back printing.

Deathtroopers (right): What can I say? These figures are fantastic (and a bit scary)! The new helmets are spot-on and super cool pieces. Each figure also sports an exclusive pauldron, which also add to the accuracy of these figures. Thankfully, we never have a reason to see the expressions on these guys, which is the in-accurate "Angry Clone" face. The body printing on these deadly soldiers is also well done and incredibly detailed! I would have preferred if they had larger blasters, but that's something I can fix when I do a MOC with these soldiers.

The extra pieces in this set are pretty generic, but they definitely can be useful in other creations. The more interesting parts are the modified stud with hole, the brown neck bracket, and the nozzle element. K-2SO did come with two extra arms, these having the hands available to hold a blaster. I like that you don't have one of each arm on the figure, you can choose between which style you'd like, and then put both on the droid to make it look consistent. A nice inclusion!

Once the ship is together, it can hold roughly 5 minifigures. There is a possibility it can hold more, but I think that would be pushing it. Krennic and the Deathtroopers already have their assigned seating areas, but when you add two more figures it can cause a little bit of trouble when closing the ship, though it can be done. The ship has two spring loaded shooters for playability, and of course the large wings fold up and down to give it that Imperial shuttle look. The cockpit up top is an exclusive piece, and lifts up to reveal Krennic's chair. The craft also features a rear cargo door and a little ramp in the front for Krennic to enter the ship. Lastly, the very front panel of the ship, along with both sides, can lift away to give you better access to the inside in order to load your troops!

All in all, I am incredibly happy with this set! The build was really enjoyable, and yet created a very strong model that I can swoosh around all I wish! This craft will definitely look good on display with other Star Wars spaceships. In fact, I'd love to see this beside the standard Imperial shuttle. The minifigures from this set are well detailed and will fit into your Alliance or Imperial armies well. I give this fantastic set 5 out of 5 Nerdlys!