Hasbro
Released July, 2003
Reviewed by Adam Pawlus
Photography by Michael Sullenger
Reviewed on July 25, 2003
Revised on November 21, 2003
MORE IMAGES

Not only did Hasbro step up to the plate when they realized we wanted armies, they also decided to make them in various colors and shapes. As of now, it seems that there may be more than one version of the red trooper, and there will be four different colors applied to up to four different figures.

This review will look at figures from three different sets-- the all-white set, the set with the yellow trooper with binoculars, and the set with a blue "standing" trooper. Updates will be made as additional releases show up in stores.

There are a grand total of five sets. The aforementioned all-white set is joined by a set with a figure painted in one of four colors: blue, red, yellow, or green.

Each set includes three figures with non-removable weapons and in the case of the binocular Troopers, removable binoculars.

Position 1: Crouching

So far, this figure has been released only in white or green.

As you can see in the images, he pretty much just kneels. He looks great on the front lines or inside a Republic Gunship, but is not capable of doing much else. Jointed at the neck, shoulders, and two places at the waist plus a wrist joint for his weapon hand, he's capable of a little more moving than you might expect due to his fairly restricted ball joint at the neck. He can aim up and down and look up and down, so it's better than a posed soldier, even if only slightly so.

The figure's deco is right what it should be, plain white, with a bit of black where it counts. While some may lament the lack of dirt, at least there's room to add your own.

The figure's sculpt is about on par with the Clone Troopers released so far-- it's solid, the sculpt is right on the money, it's just more or less incapable of much movement. There's a lot to like here if you build armies, dioramas, or just need figures to flesh out a shelf. If you aren't a fan of this sort of thing, though, this isn't going to interest you much.

Position 2: Standing

Currently available in basic white or with blue rank markings.

This one stands. Due to the preposed pose, he's capable of quite a bit more than his cohorts. There's a greater range of motion for the arms and he has the same neck joint with two waist joints, plus a bonus left wrist joint allowing for much more variety in the way of how he stands.

Like the other clones, the paint is where it should be. It doesn't seem to bleed much and I didn't see anything where it shouldn't be.

Again, the sculpt is right on the money-- everything's where it should be. Additional articulation would make this a much better figure, but it's not bad as it is. As an added bonus, those not satisfied with the basic white have a blue option to pursue.

This figure is identical to the white one except for the blue. The coloring is placed on the figure in the same way that the 2002 Red Clone was colored, and the end result is a very striking looking soldier. The paint is very clean in some places, and in others, like the helmet, there appears to be some bleeding.

Overall, the standing clone is the finest of the lot, offering the largest range of motion and the figure that would be the most desirable-- after all, a standing clone looks better than a crouching one usually.

Position 3: On The Ground

Currently available in basic white and red.

As the one that pretty much can just lay there, there's not a lot he can do. He's got one joint in his waist, one in his weapon wrist, one at each shoulder, and the ball joint at the neck and can do a little bit of moving around for variety's sake, which will be good when you get six of these. Sculpt and paint are on par with the rest, and there's not much to say about it other than it appears to be a good, solid, quality piece.

Position 4: Binoculars

Currently available in basic white and yellow.

This seems to be the most versatile figure as it can either be a scout or a combatant. He's easy to pose and it's a snap to make him look different, and it's a shame that this was the least frequently used mold of the four because it's easily the best. Army builders probably already know this, but he's a real winner.

This figure is jointed at two places at the waist, as well as at the neck, shoulders, wrists, and left bicep. The neck is a ball joint, making it easy to pop the head off if you're so inclined.

For the curious, the binoculars are strikingly similar to the ones packaged with the individually carded Power of the Jedi Sandtrooper figure.

Accessories

Each figure has a weapon stuck to one of his hands, except for the troopers that include binoculars. Each hand is jointed, so swapping may be possible, but one of my review figures appears to have gotten stuck and will therefore snap if I turn it. Also, since the two figures that have their guns in their right hands have the same weapon, it would be somewhat futile.

Packaging

The Clone Wars troop packaging varies from piece to piece, and this one has a nifty character cut-out on the sides of the bubble. The mock-up of the figures looks pretty nifty, and the coloring stands out from the pack, but it isn't the kind of packaging you don't want to open.

Availability

A variety of flavors keep this figure set fresh, and at two per case in the two assortments they've been in thus far, it seems they'll be popular for a while.

Fin

Clones by the bushel-- this is a fan's dream come true. If you need a vast army of the Republic, this is the set for you. Buy one, two, or a dozen, you can't go too wrong. Truly, one of Hasbro's shining moments. Here's hoping the various versions make it to the stores for all to enjoy.

Our samples were obtained from Action-HQ and Toys "R" Us.