I have to admit I was sceptical at first, but now I've got 7666 Hoth Rebel Base I've grown to love it. It's not perfect (and it could really do with some Tauntauns) but it has many possibilities. You don't need too many extra bricks to make a really neat diorama.

I've taken a LOT of photographs of my mods so I'm going to post up a few at a time. I'd love it if in between my posts other people would post their comments, and any pics of their own Hoth dioramas, especially if they use all or part of 7666.

Part 1: Exterior

The Rebels man their trenches waiting for the Imperial attack.

The door is exactly the same as in the original set, but I used four 1x2 tiles to plug the anoying gaps!

I modified the 7666 gun turret to get rid of the useless missiles and built a second one to go with it. The radar dish here is the one from the 4500 Snowspeeder set. Note the commander sitting up in the observation post, giving him the best view of the battlefield.

A Snowspeeder getting ready to go out to defend the base.

Edited June 15, 200816 yr by kimt

This really is a set with unlimited possibilities.

If I was still collecting SW I would buy this one for sure.

I'm not the best judge on those changes you did since I don't have the original set.

But the overall the pictures you posted look very good.

Edited September 8, 200717 yr by Bonaparte

That looks really realistic. KUTGW.

Part 2: Interior - Old Skool Style!

Extending out from the back of my modified 7666 is the Echo Base hanger space. Before you all point out that the old Falcon and X-Wings will never make it through the door, it can be seen in both the movie and the Trilogy Locations book that there are some much larger back doors for the giant Rebel transports ships etc. :-D

Chewie works on the Falcon. This is my heavily modded Falcon which has a belly gun and a proper tunnel to the cockpit all using just the parts in the original set. I should post some more detailed pics sometime.

An R2 unit is hoisted aboard an X-Wing. Judging by the wing markings this X-Wing is Gold 2.

Luke says goodbye to R2-D2 before boarding his speeder. I've divided the pilots into squadrons based on the colour of their helmet markings. Here you can see some Gold Squadron pilots heading for their X-Wings and some veteran Red Squadron pilots getting ready to board their speeders.

"Oh my, we're all doomed!" C-3PO, Han and Leia wait tensely to see if any of the Rebel Transports can break the Imperial blockade. Note K-3PO in his recharging cubby hole. I really need a Hoth Han and Hoth Leia to complete this scene, but I don't really want to pay

Looks like it really does have more potential than originally imagined. Still thinking of building a much larger door and having the included one serve as a tauntaun exit (for those mythical ones we'll never get). :'-(

Bit disappointed that they really did use x-pod lids as regular parts, considering the unnecessary slots, but I guess they're passable.

Especially like some of your interior work. Could always use one of your Hoth rebels to make a Hoth Leia and Han isn't really that obvious. I'd use this torso if you really want something closer.

(dustiest pic I've ever seen on there)

Definitely interested in seeing how you modded that Falcon to give it a proper hallway, all within the original parts selection. 8-

That looks great! *wub* You're making me want a set that I decided I wasn't going to buy... 8-|

Very nice PaulC *y* . You have shown why this is such a great set! A few extra bricks and the set looks fantastic. I personaly want to get 4 in total so the door can be twice as high and twice as wide. I love the hanger too!! :-)

*wub* I really like these espeically the first one! Just some white baseplates and bricks really makes that 7666 look soooo much better! *y*

Edited September 9, 200717 yr by SirNadroj

These are real nice mocs PaulC I love the trench in the first pic. I haven't seen that set in the shops yet but when I do I will buy it just to make something like that! 8-

Fantastic work Paul! It's amazing how much better this set looks when you add a few pieces. I'll have to try something like this myself (when get the set ;-))

Thanks for your comments, all.

Bit disappointed that they really did use x-pod lids as regular parts, considering the unnecessary slots, but I guess they're passable.

Especially like some of your interior work. Could always use one of your Hoth rebels to make a Hoth Leia and Han isn't really that obvious. I'd use this torso if you really want something closer.

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Definitely interested in seeing how you modded that Falcon to give it a proper hallway, all within the original parts selection. 8-

Edited September 9, 200717 yr by PaulC

A very cool Hoth Base indeed! Neat MODs, and a overall very lovely scenery! *y*

Awesome! You've done a really nice job here, the exterior looks really nice, and the interior is cool too. The modifications make it that much better. Overall a really great job! *y* *y*

Edited September 11, 200717 yr by iamded

Very cool speeder transition, it really does have that "we're rebels and we're doing the best we can with what we've got" feel. The thing that the prequels missed, the worn universe so nicely shown in the original trilogy and represented in your speeders *y*

Very nice MOC, that successfully captures the look and feel of Echo base, but keeps a sort of 'official' feel.

Nice work.

Thanks guys.

it really does have that "we're rebels and we're doing the best we can with what we've got" feel.

That's exactly what I was aiming for. The Rebels had a rag tag bunch of ships of vastly different ages and designs in various states of repair.

But wait, as well as stretching out the interior from the back of the doorway, what's going on out front? It's...

Part 4: Battle for Hoth

In the midst of battle, my modified Imperial Landing Craft has dropped off it's cargo and the Snowtroopers are disembarking.

Close-up showing an unmodified 4483 AT-AT and my stripped down speeder bike design.

My way cool AT-ST is based on my favourite incarnation: the design from the Lego Star Wars II video game, with a few tweaks of my own for good measure.

Snowtroopers exit the drop pod and race across the battlefield with a folded up heavy repeating blaster.

And that uses up my entire collection of Hoth-themed Star Wars sets, mods and mocs! I had to present this series in parts because I don't have a space large enough at the moment to set it all up together. Maybe some day...

Wow, that AT-ST is *wub* . Much better than the new lego model. The thighs look a little too big IMO, but that makes it look better.

I like that blaster cannon from what I can see of it. Do you have a better picture of it?

Hi,

I made a simple yet effective mod to the door mechanism on the Hoth base set. Now both doors will slide at the same time/same rate with only one knob.

.

And the simple solution is the addition of two wheels and a crossed over rubber band.

Now to beef the whole playset up a bit, remove firing mechanism from the turret and add decent legs to the probot...

And maybe use a LEGO motor to control the door remotely....

That looks nice Jp :-)

Edited September 16, 200717 yr by Wout

I like that blaster cannon from what I can see of it. Do you have a better picture of it?

It's pretty much the same blaster cannon as you get in 7666 Hoth Rebel Base. I modded it slightly to make carrying handles for the snowtroopers.

Hi, I made a simple yet effective mod to the door mechanism on the Hoth base set. Now both doors will slide at the same time/same rate with only one knob... And the simple solution is the addition of two wheels and a crossed over rubber band.

And maybe use a LEGO motor to control the door remotely....

That's a very neat mod jp, and a neat video. I was trying to figure out how to get the doors slaved together but couldn't work out how to do it easily. Motorised...? Now you're talking!

Paul, I really like what you did to this set. The trenches look great as well as the 2nd cannon.

I just picked the set up today and getting ready to build it. I'd be interested in seeing how one can add walls to the set for closing it up. I need more white bricks.

Nice job though. This looks like a great set. My only thought is why Lego did not add four of the 1x2 plates as you did.

Wow, awsome! You should use the base to re-create the battle of Hoth!

Everything I've seen so far is awesome!

Why did you have to dig up a 2 year topic? Talking about being desperate to post... Anyway, its good but I think the set is better.

While I know this is an old thread, I just bought the 7666 set a month ago, and this indeed has given me a lot of ideas on what to do with the set!