The set clocks in at 1137 pieces with five minifigures. The AT-AT itself is pretty big, measuring in over 12" (33cm) tall, 12" long (32cm), and 4" (11cm ) wide. I normally don't focus on the actually measurements, but felt it was warranted this go around due to it's size. The minifigures included in this set are two Snowtroopers, a Snowtrooper Commander, the AT-AT Driver, and General Veers. As a heads up, there are no "good guys" in this set, but it is very much a companion piece to the 75049 Snowspeeder, so you might want to pick that up so your Snowtroopers have someone to beat them. And if you're interested, check out my Snowspeeder review to see if it's worth the extra cost.
The Minifigures
In terms of color, the minis in this set aren't that dynamic, being mostly different shades of white and gray. So I'll start with the AT-AT Driver since he has the most going on visually.
I love the driver's helmet. It's the helmet seen with the Tie-Fighter but molded in gray with black, red, and shiny silver highlights and decals. The torso also has some shiny printing, which looks pretty cool under the right lighting. I'm a bit disappointed the back of the torso doesn't use shiny printing, but I suppose it's the result of the mini spending most it's time hidden away in the cockpit. That being said, there is a lot of fine detail on the torso and legs, printed in light gray to add wrinkles and creases to the driver's suit. The face used is menacing, and reused throughout this set for all minis with helmets. This minifigure also comes with a blaster pistol.
The two Snowtroopers are the same figure found in the Snowspeeder set, so there isn't that much to say. Both figures also have shiny silver print on their front torso. The backpack is a separate piece, adding depth to the mini but makes it easier to knock the figure over. They are solid figures, and my only complaint is the way the clothgoods skirt stick out once folded. Along with the helmet and backpacks, both minifigures come with a blaster rifle.
Upon first glance, it's easy to think the Snowtrooper Commander is the same as the Snowtroopers, but there are a good amount of difference, particularly in the detail. There is no gray on this figure. Where the snowtrooper uses gray hands and hips, the commander is all white. The printing on the front torso is different on the commander, showing his higher rank over the left part of his chest. There is no shiny silver details on the commander's front, but there is on the back. And overall, there is more wrinkle and crease detail on the both sides of the commander. He does not come with a backpack, but he does come with a helmet and blaster rifle.
Finally we have General Veers, the only named character in this set. In line with movie outfits, the color of this mini is a very dark, mute gray. The details are well done, of course, but the front is more plain than the back, which features clothing wrinkles and some shiny silver printing. The face used is different than the other figures in this set, with lots of lines that make Veers look a combination of worried, tired, and inquisitive. It's a good look for someone that isn't supposed to make it out of the Battle of Hoth alive. He also has a headset printed on his head, and comes with a pair of binoculars as his accessory.
The AT-AT
So let's get this out of the way, if you are looking for color, you've come to the wrong place. And if you're looking for a build that isn't incredibly tedious, you've definitely come to the wrong place. The build is time consuming, and somewhat boring, BUT the end result is worth it. What you get with this set is a great build that really shows off the scale of the Imperial AT-AT Walker.
The AT-AT is also pretty detailed, making up for the fact that this set is nothing more than gray on gray on gray. Just look at how imposing the head looks. It's fantastic. My only complaint with head is the lack of up and down motion. The side to side motion is great, on the other hand, and if you open the panels that cover up the walker's innards, you can get an even wide range of motion. The two spring-loaded shooters are located on the underside of the head. It's not the ideal location, but it's movie accurate.
The cockpit works well, but it isn't very spacious. Once you seat the driver, it get's pretty cramped in there, leaving little room for Veers to stand in. Of course both figures do fit, you just can't do much with them in terms of poseability. It isn't that big a problem, but it is something that sticks out.
The sides of the walker opens up to allow access inside the build. You could probably fit about seven minifigures standing upright inside the AT-AT. It's not an ideal situation, but it can work if you want to use the build as troop transport (or just to house your minis, whatever).
The AT-AT also has a trap door on the underside of the body, activated by the plunger pictured on the right. It's a good addition to the set, and something I really wasn't expecting.
Once you get inside the set, you can see there are a lot of technic pins and pieces holding this thing together. It's well done, but sadly helps add to the tediousness of the build.
The legs are also constructed of technic pieces, allowing them a good range of motion. Due to the size of the walker, and the fact that it's very top heavy, I was concerned about this build's stability. Thankfully, there's nothing to be worried about. There are a few poses that can't be maintained, but you really don't have to worry about it tipping over. I gave it a few pokes, and it seems like the AT-AT will stay upright unless you're really trying to knock it over.
The Verdict
Apart from the tediousness of the actual construction of this set, I'm really happy with it. It's big, imposing, and looks the part of the AT-AT. The minifigures aren't anything special, but considering the source material was designed to have the Imperials look similar, I can't fault Lego for that.
So do what I did: get this set, start watching the original Star Wars Trilogy, and build this set. At the very least, get some background noise going when building this thing. That aside, the 75054 AT-AT is worth the $109.99 price tag.
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