STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP All Terrain Defense Pod

STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP

Presenting a knock-off - KO - version of the LEGO STAR WARS Rebels AT-DP - All Terrain Defense Pod.

To the uninitiated, these are the walkers that are seen in the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series. Before you go out of your way to call them "AT-ST-lites", we should note that the AT-DPs were taller than the AT-STs (11.6 m versus 8..6 m). The final history of the AT-DP versus the AT-ST hasn't been written yet so that's as far as we can go in terms of comparison.

But the two were definitely built with the similar idea in mind: "Let's put two men in a lightweight, decently armored mobile platform that can do quick reconnaissance. hold the fort if necessary, ad tote the Empire's penchant for looking incredibly intimidating while doing so."


The AT-ST though has modular weapons pods and supposedly better armor, while the AT-DP comes armed with a single huge MAAD-38 heavy laser canon - which, all-in-all makes the AT-DP look like a Kiwi (The bird, not the fruit).

Anyway, this particular LEGO KO AT-DP comes from the manufacturer Bela, who hides his copyright infringement under the name "Space Wars". As with the original, the set comes with an All Terrain Defense Pod, one Stormtrooper, two AT-DP pilots, and Agent Kallus (We actually find it ironic that a white-character clad completely in black is voiced by a black-guy: David Oyelowo - who once played the great Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP

WHAT'S TO LIKE ABOUT THE STAR WARS REBELS LEGO KO AT-DP ALL TERRAIN DEFENSE POD?

FIRST: Once again, the price. An original STAR WARS Rebels Lego AT-DP set would set us back US$ 54.99 (Roughly PhP 2, 639 plus shipping) on Amazon.. A brand new one here in the Philippines would set us back twice that amount (We really don't understand why LEGOs are so expensive here).

So walking away from a black market stall with this for only PhP 920 (Roughly US$ 19), made us very-very happy.

SECOND: The design. It's incredibly awkward looking - just like in the animated series, yet it has those sleek cockpit lines that speak of light armor and that massive cannon that screams "Yes I look like a flightless bird, but I can kill you."

STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP

The cockpit is mounted on a swivel that actually ratchets when you turn it. The cockpit has around a 45 degree level of play from left to right. Completing the swivel sometimes sets off the spring loaded missiles on the left and right sides of the cockpit (Those don't exist in the animated series). The cockpit swivel enhances the reach of the forward MAAD-38 heavy laser canon that is mounted on a ball joint, making the AT-DP's deadly forward reach quite extensive.

STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP

THIRD: The AT-DP's interior is actually pretty accurate. It fits two: A gunner and a pilot. The AT-DP opens up quite differently though. Ingress into an AT-DP happens through a top hatch. To accommodate the entry of the two pilots. LEGO designed the AT-TP's top portion to completely open up.

Two peas in a pod. Literally.

THIRD: The AT-DP's rear screams what a technological marvel it is. It also screams: "Shoot me here!"

STAR WARS Rebels LEGO KO AT-DP

FOURTH: The Bela Space Wars AT-DP's comes with four nice little LEGO figures: Agent Kallus - who comes with two faces (One happy, one sad); a Storm Trooper (You can never have enough Storm Troopers); and the two pilots:

Agent Kallus

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THE STAR WARS REBELS LEGO KO AT-DP ALL TERRAIN DEFENSE POD?

FIRST: Not all the pieces fit nicely - particularly the discs hanging outside the body. I guess we can't rely on Bela to make quality plastics. Some bits and pieces of the Bela Space Wars AT-DP are held in place with blue-tack.

Not that it's obvious we suppose, and as a whole the AT-TP is still holding in place as it should. It may look like a spindly kiwi but it is well balanced and has yet to collapse on it's own or due to unintentional accidents.

SECOND: The leg articulation. Only one joint per leg works, that's it. To.... walk... the AT-DP has to throw itself forward. It would really have been cool if all the joints worked.

Still. It looks cool, it's a solid plaything, and it was fun to build. A definite must have.