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INTRODUCTION
Falling in line to join Sideshows Imperial Ranks is the Sandtrooper Squad Leader
12-inch Figure! This highly detailed figure is completely equipped with modified armor and gear specialized to withstand harsh desert climates and extreme temperatures.
The Empire encompassed thousands of worlds, with countless climate and terrain challenges. Their Stormtrooper ranks reflected this through specialized units trained and equipped to operate in specific environments.
The Sandtrooper is a desert terrain Stormtrooper. Their armor consists of an
18-piece anti-blaster cocoon shell with heat-reflective coating worn over a
temperature-control body glove. The Sandtrooper helmet features automatic polarized lenses, a
built-in comlink and breathing filters. These Stormtroopers are specifically designed for high temperature environments. Instead of depending on machinery that may not function in hostile environments, Sandtroopers make use of local creatures for transportation.
The Stormtrooper detachment dispatched by Lord Darth Vader to investigate a crashed escape pod on Tatooine just prior to the Battle of Yavin consisted of Sandtroopers. They had heavy weapons, survival gear, and shoulder pauldrons denoting rank.
PACKAGING: 9.1
I do not collect a lot of the 12" Sideshow figures but when I saw that they were making Sandtroopers with the different colord pauldrons I just knew I had to have them.
Upon opening the multifold box there are two window compartments: one for the accessories and the other for the figure. After opening up this amazingly detailed figure set I came to my first dislike of the piece. This figure has super articulation, which is fine, but the joints themselves are very loose and weak. However you
can't take away from the awe when you open any of these figures, they really are impressive.
SCULPT: 9.3
After looking over all the included pieces of this Sandtrooper I did notice that there is some really amazing details incorporated into this piece. First off the armor for the Sandtrooper is correct and not just repainted Stormtrooper armor. It includes the proper chest detail and knee plate. The helmet is sculpted appropriately with paint details and even includes the green tint to the
lenses.
PAINT: 9.2
The armor itself is yellowed as if it has seen the harsh light of the twin suns of Tatooine and dirtied up nicely as any Sandtrooper would be, we all know that they are not pretty boys like the Stormtroopers on the Death Star with their shiny white armor, No Sandtroopers get down and dirty and that is what Sideshow delivered. To my surprise
Sideshow did not just use the first release of the Sandtrooper, no the paint job and dirtiness is completely different.
ARTICULATION: 7.9
This figure is kind of hard to pose and stand on its own, you have to use the included display stand if you plan on keeping this out on display for it will not hold a pose for long before one of the joints gives way and he topples
over.
ACCESSORIES: 9.5
If you do not know how a Sandtrooper backpack goes you may have some trouble on figuring out where two pieces may go. The best way you can figure it out is by looking at the box. There is the side pipe with the little round thing at the bottom, but the other is more difficult. It is a side pipe fixture that snaps onto the backpack opposite of the other piece that you just snapped on. The backpack is made up of many individual pieces just like the real backpacks in the film. Again
Sideshow delivered and the backpack is a little different from the first release of the Sandtrooper. It goes to show that
Sideshow did their homework and noticed that not all the Sandtroopers backpacks were the same.
The backpack itself is highly detailed and a great physical reference for those who own Sandtrooper armor might be attempting to construct one. Then comes my second dislike of the piece, it has a drawback that I do not like. It has actual straps that need to be threaded just like a real backpack. The straps are small and I found it difficult to lace them. Luckily you can lace up the backpack straps before placing it onto the Sandtrooper figure. The straps do not hold the backpack snug to the Sandtrooper. Though Sideshow tried to be accurate as can be with these figures, they could have used a better material, perhaps elastic straps. Also just a minor thought, the backpack could have used a little weathering but the way it is does not distract from the overall piece itself so I can let that slide.
The two included weapons are the standard
E-11 Stormtrooper Blaster and the T-21 Light Repeating Blaster which is used by a Sandtrooper Squad Leader in
"A New Hope.""Both weapons are highly detailed and very impressive. Again if someone has a Sandtrooper outfit they are working on and wanted a physical reference to build a
T-21 Light Repeating Blaster this would be sufficient.
OUTFIT: 9.0
On the Sandtrooper figure itself there are the proper pouches attached. These are also highly detailed like the rest of this piece. Before you place the backpack onto the Sandtrooper figure you will first want to attach the orange (Squad Leader) shoulder pauldron. Sideshow decided not to include a little snap for the
pauldron, which is fine by me. To get the pauldron onto the Sandtrooper figure you have to remove the helmet. Do not worry it just pops off a little too easily. Slide the pauldron up the right arm and place the open end over the neck post and then reattach the helmet. Included with the Sandtrooper is a second set of hands. I find these useless since the first pair of hands already hold the weapon of your choice since there are two. They are not posed much differently than the set of hands that are already attached to the Sandtrooper figure, so this makes my dislikes up to three now. The hands are an unnecessary addition, if they can cut costs this could be a good place to start.
VALUE: 9.9
So what is my opinion of this 12-inch figure? I think it is a very amazing piece and I am pretty much happy with it. Beside the few dislikes I found I am looking forward to the next Sandtrooper which is the
"Retailer Exclusive" Corporal wearing the black shoulder pauldron. Yes Sideshow is sucking me in with the Sandtrooper figures. Now I can only hope they make a Snowtrooper.
OVERALL: 9.8
I am very happy with the Squad Leader Sandtrooper. SideShow did their homework and changed it with the backpack and paint job to make it different from the first Sandtrooper with the white pauldron (sergeant), it is not a simple repack with a different colored pauldron and accessories. I can only hope that Sideshow will continue with their standard and I look forward to the next release of the Sandtrooper in the black pauldron which I hope
Sideshow gives it the backpack seen on the "Special Edition" Sandtroopers that were inserted into
"A New Hope."
RATINGS RECAP
Packaging- 9.1
Sculpt- 9.3
Paint- 9.2
Articulation- 7.9
Accessories- 9.5
Outfit- 9.0
Value- 9.9
Overall- 9.8
SPECIFICATIONS
Edition Size of the Sandtrooper
Squad Leader is 3500. SOLD OUT!
PHOTOS
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