Monday, May 5, 2014

Review II: Star Wars Sandtrooper: Squad Leader Sixth Scale Figure by Sideshow Collectibles

continued from previous post...

Besides the T-21 light repeating blaster, the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale Sandtrooper: Squad Leader 12-inch figure is also equipped with the standard-issue weapon for all Imperial Stormtroopers, the E-11 Carbine blaster. The BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle was a blaster rifle used during the time of the Galactic Republic, and manufactured by BlasTech Industries during the Galactic Civil War. It was the standard blaster rifle of the Imperial stormtroopers. A powerful, light and compact weapon, the E-11 was used widely through the galaxy.


The Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Sandtrooper: Squad Leader Sixth Scale Figure came with the following: Fully articulated male body (armored body) with 30+ points of articulation. Fully detailed Sandtrooper armor set, featuring helmet faceplate, left shin armor, abdomen armor, and pauldron with orange rank designation. Black Full Bodysuit, Shoulder Pouches, Belt Pouches, T-21 Light Repeating Blaster, Detailed Backpack, E-11 Carbine blaster, 12-inch Figure Display Base with Star Wars Logo

Scroll down to see all the pictures.
Click on them for bigger and better views.



The Sideshow Collectibles fully articulated male body is crap: the joints are too loose and the 12-inch figure can hardly stand on its own without falling over. A figure stand is required for displaying the figure otherwise it will fall over and if it's being displayed with other 12-inch figures, be prepared for the dominoes effect. Worse if the figures are not displayed inside a glass shelf but left out in the open. Things are going to come tumbling down and it might just get messy really fast. That is a surety!


The sandtrooper armor is not white like the stormtrooper's because they are supposed to be weather bitten and terrain tested. One of the most revolutionary things about Star Wars when it came out was, that the things in the movies did look like they were used. Everything was dirty, sooty and worn-out. Before Star Wars it was more common for science-fiction-movies to look clean and futuristic. This dirty worn-out look, that George Lucas called a “used universe”, heavily supports the believability of the Star Wars universe.


The classic Imperial stormtrooper, with its simple yet elegant white armor, ominous and anonymous helmet / mask, gave the Galactic Empire its grand army. Sandtroopers were the first variant on the standard stormtrooper design, showing up early in "Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV)" during Darth Vader's quest for R2-D2 and C-3PO on Tatooine (Giving rise to the famous saying "These aren't the droids you are looking for"). The Sandtrooper looked very much like the stormtrooper, except that their armor has "advanced cooling systems" – the SD-48 Survival Pack – for the harsh desert heat. They also wear shoulder pauldrons that denote rank and best of all, they get to ride around on giant lizards called dewbacks (see my posts on dewbacks HERE and HERE).


Close-up pictures of the Star Wars Sandtrooper: Squad Leader Sixth Scale Figure. I really like the timeless design (the movie came out in May 1977 - that's 37 years ago) and it doesn't ever seem to look outdated.


Another closer look at the T-21 light repeating blaster which was a standard-issue, rapid-fire weapon. It was built from the WWI Lewis light machine gun, with the drum magazine removed and minor cosmetic alterations made.


The E-11 blaster rifle props used in ANH and ESB were built from a British-made Sterling L2A3 sub-machine guns. To give the actors something to react to and to give rotoscoping artists timing reference when animating blaster bolts, the E-11 rifle props in the original trilogy — which were still fully operational firearms — were loaded with blank cartridges that were then fired to provide a practical effect. Because of this, expended 9mm casings can be seen ejecting from the props in several scenes in A New Hope, particularly during the assault on the Death Star's detention level. This can also be seen briefly in a closeup of Lando firing one in The Empire Strikes Back.


Related posts:
May 4, 2011 – May 4 is Star Wars Day or Medicom RAH Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker REVIEW posted HERE
May 4, 2013 – May the Fourth be with you: Review of Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 Snowtrooper 12-inch figure HERE and HERE

Other Sandtroopers:
December 24, 2009 – Star Wars 1/6 scale SandTrooper 12-inch figure Comparison pictures HERE
December 22, 2009 – Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale Imperial Sandtrooper Reviews HERE and HERE
March 26, 2008 – Marmit Star Wars Sandtrooper Sergeant 12-inch figure posted HERE
March 25, 2008 – Marmit Star Wars 1/6 scale Sandtrooper figure pictures HERE
April 29, 2009 – Star Wars 1/6 scale Imperial Stormtroopers group pictures

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