It was nice to have a brief respite after weeks upon weeks of rapid-fire LEGO 2015 sets being revealed, but now it’s time to dig back in and continue looking at the 2015 LEGO sets coming our way this winter! First up, let’s take a look at one of the ever-popular LEGO Star Wars Battle Packs. Not only will we be getting a new entry in the beloved line of Clone Trooper army-builder packs next year, but the set will also include an AT-RT with an all-new gimmick: the multi-stud shooter! It’s the LEGO Star Wars 2015 Geonosis Troopers 75089 set!

Before the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon series was even cold in its Mickey Mouse-mandated grave this year, people were already declaring that the LEGO Clone Wars sets would end in 2014 as well. Clone Wars has been a big part of my life for over six years now, so I sincerely hoped that that wasn’t the case. Thankfully, while LEGO will certainly phase out LEGO Star Wars Clone Wars sets completely in future years, that won’t be happening in 2015!

And what better way to celebrate what’s very likely the final year for Clone Wars specific LEGO sets, than with an all new Battle Pack full of… LEGO (Geonosis) Clone Trooper minifigures!

Geonosis Clone Trooper minifigures from the Second Battle of Geonosis are one of the few major Clone designs from the Clone Wars that we hadn’t seen in LEGO minifigure form yet, so it’s gratifying to see clones from such a major battle being given their due before the Clone Wars LEGO sets retire forever. LEGO 75089 will net LEGO Star Wars collectors four new LEGO minifigures: two LEGO Geonosis Clone Trooper minifigures and two speciazlied LEGO Geonosis Clone Troopers.

I’m not sure exactly what LEGO is intending with the specialized-looking LEGO Geonosis Clone Troopers. They’re certainly not the famous Geonosis ARF Troopers or Geonosis Flame Troopers. They look like just palette-swapped versions of the Airborne Clone Troopers, but I don’t recall this particular type of clone being part of the Invasion of Geonosis. But oh well! They look great nonetheless!

In addition to the four Geonosis Clone Trooper LEGO minifigures, the 75089 LEGO Star Wars Geonosis Troopers set will also include a specialized LEGO AT-RT Walker vehicle. LEGO has produced small LEGO AT-RT Walker sets before, but this particular AT-RT minirig has got something (besides its brown color scheme) that sets it apart from all its predecessors: a multi-stud shooting gatling gun!

I’m rather surprised to see a fresh gimmick like the multi-stud shooter debut in a $12.99 Battle Pack, but it’s definitely a feature that makes this new version of the AT-RT LEGO vehicle feel fresh. And while $13 for a 105-piece set isn’t an outstanding value on paper, this set really is value-priced when you consider you’re getting four new LEGO minifigures plus a neat vehicle for less than the cost of four LEGO Minifigures Series 12 blind bags from most stores!

The 75089 LEGO Geonosis Troopers set is part of Winter 2015 LEGO Star Wars sets wave, and is scheduled to be officially released on 1/1/2015. However, like the rest of the non-exclusive LEGO Star Wars 2015 sets, I’d be very surprised if this set doesn’t end up showing up in stores before the end of 2014. I’ll post an update here and to the Bricks and Bloks Facebook Page as soon as this set is spotted in stores, so keep your eyes open for the arrival of the LEGO 2015 Star Wars sets this winter.

How do you like the LEGO Star Wars Geonosis Troopers 75089 set, LEGO fans? Are you excited to see one final type of Clone Wars Clone minifigures, or are you ready for LEGO to move on to newer Star Wars characters and designs?