SANDTROOPER in Muddy and Dirty FlavorsRevenge of the Sith Evolutions
Item No.: Asst. 85553 No. 85726
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD30
Includes: Grenade launcher
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Star Wars
Bio: The evolution of the galaxy's most powerful army is captured in these figures! The clone troopers fight for the Republic, to try and save the galaxy from chaos. But secret plans change their loyalties, and they help the evil forces of the Sith to take control! No longer known as clone troopers, they are now stormtroopers, the loyal soldiers of the Emperor, enforcing his harsh will throughout the galaxy! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's yard.
Commentary: This figure was unique because Hasbro generally doesn't make significantly new Sandtrooper sculpts. From the ground on up, this was released in 1995 not as a modified Stormtrooper, but as something new and different. The most obvious change from previous figures is a lack of a waist joint, but a bizarre addition of a fully-removable belt. It looks good, but it's not perfect-- there are all sorts of little differences between Stormtroopers and Sandtroopers which it seems not everybody knows about just yet. The figure has a good range of movement with 13 joints, and has little problem posing with his gun-- although his hands are quite stiff, so getting it in there could be tricky. He looks excellent in either version, so I'd definitely suggest picking up one or both. It's fun, and I'd say better than the ones that came with the prod later.
Collector's Notes: This figure has been on the market for a while, on and off from 2005 to 2008. The lighter brown version came first, by the way. The Evolutions pack came first, and later samples shipped in the Saga Legends assortment, creating quite possibly the most variants ever on a single SKU-- but I could be wrong. This mold would be repainted with a grey pauldron as a super-dirty release, and a few years later would be released sans sand gear as a plain white Stormtrooper.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 1,278: May 7, 2010
5 comments:
The clean white saga legend ones are awesome,take off the pauldron and pack and you've got a standard stormtrooper. They were on the tail end of the last cardback run, and I've picked up lots of them on the cheap, as a re-re-release they didn't generate excitement.
It's funny, they released this thing like a dozen times, and only once with the T-21 lewis gun shown on the card back. WTF? Not that they got it right, the rifle is way too skinny. Perhaps that's why it went to the Evo trooper? Seems like they tried the T-21 again and got the thickness right, but they made it too short, and it went to the space trooper. I only need one of the damn things, guess I'll have to make my own.
Anybody want to buy several dozen of those stupid sticks they gave us instead of rifles? You could build yourself a scale stockade fence, or scratch that spot on your back you can't reach.
Clean white one only came with the Tantative IV battle pack, IIRC. D'arthy, you mean the Saga2 2006 release repaints, which is a different mold.
Anyway, I like this mold, except the lack of waist. I can live without mid torso joint, but a simple swivel waist is a plus. In terms of weathering, one paint deco looks like vomit, the other spray paint. Neither are good movie representations, but that's not as significant as whether it looks good or not.
The subtle differences between Sandtrooper and Stormtrooper armors are production details, not in-universe distinctions. I mean, if they want to make specific Sandtrooper sculpts...that's cool, but a few fans nitpick that too much.
The T-21 "grenade launcher" (so the EU claims) is coming with some of the 2010 Legends figures extra weapons assortments, but so far Sandtrooper isn't among those being repackaged.
Yeah, the pikes that were for Dewback riding, which is impossible for any recent Sandtrooper mold besides last year's Dewback rider. As non-lethal crowd control weapons, they are sort of useful.
Oh, that's right Bravo, there's no thermal detonator or holster, just ammo packs on this one? I bought a boatload of the Tantive IV packs too!
:D
And yeah, the torso joint is overkill.
It's so nice to be flush with stormies that can hold a weapon in both hands. I remember having to fight for each and every one of the commtech grunts who couldn't even bend their arms, though I preferred the heavier DL-19 from the 4-LOM and the dewback trooper. Back then I was so happy to get rid of my beefcake troopers!
Is it the same T-21, or a new sculpt?
They really nailed the MG-15 with the new dewback. I bought and sold a few of them to stock up. Funny they wouldn't include a rifle most the troopers have instead of a stick that one or two of them had.
"Oh look, another sticktrooper."
The Legends T-21 will be whatever mold came with the Entertainment Earth Mandalorians and Omega Squad set, since the "new" weapons for the Legends are taken from those sets. It appears the strap will be unpainted.
Ah. I pulled up an image on rebelscum. Same rifle, different paint job. Thanks for the tip, though!
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