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Captain Toy/Michael's Review of the Week

Review of Imperial Stormtrooper - Jedha Patrol
Star Wars Rogue One Sixth Scale Action Figure

Hot Toys
Date Published: 2017-01-02
Written By: Michael Crawford
Overall Average Rating: 3 out of 4

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Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Introduction

We've barely scratched the surface of Hot Toys figures from The Force Awakens, and we're already getting the start of Rogue One. With Episode VIII right around the corner, I think everyone at Hot Toys is going to be tied up for a very long time with this particular license.

I know it was keeping you up a night but fear not, with the release of Rogue One it looks like there's plenty of new Imperial Stormtrooper designs for them to produce. The first to hit is the Jedha Patrol Trooper, which is really a Sandtrooper in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm checking out the exclusive version tonight, but they have a two pack and a regular release coming as well. There's a fair amount of difference, and I'll mention the key points when we get there in the review.

This guy was only available through Sideshow Collectibles in the states, where he ran around $220. You won't find him there any more, although they still had the waitlist open the last time I checked.  The other releases are available through multiple online retailers, and some sponsors of mine have them at great prices.

Click on the image below for a Life Size version
Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Packaging - ***
Nothing too special - it's a Hot Toys shoebox style release. They do have a new feature on the outside, special to all the Rogue One figures I've seen so far. They've added a band over the top cover, with the name of the figure covering the standard name on the box top. I'm not sure why, and I'm not sure it's an improvement, but it's certainly different. Everything inside is collector friendly of course, and there's the usual interior cover card with additional artwork as well.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Sculpting - ***1/2
We've seen Hot Toys do Imperial Stormtroopers before, and I've been very happy - like four star happy - with the results. There's not much more that can be said here, and all the excellent detail (particularly on the helmet) is sharp and well defined.  They've captured a realistic look with the armor, and the fit on the underlying body is good. Those all critical proportions are great as well, especially the helmet.

He's right about 12" tall, fitting in nicely with the rest of the line, and the various hands are designed to work properly with the accessories.  Swapping is easy.  The figure stands great on his own as well, and the armor is less restrictive than you might expect.

I do have a nit though that pulled this version down slightly.  The torso is designed to be a little longer on this chest plate, pushing the belt down lower on the hips.  Because of the fancy detail on the abdomen, you can't bring the belt up either, making the pouches on the sides ride down on the hip armor. (it's kind of a moot point, since the belt is not removable). If you look at stills, you'll notice that the chest armor is usually down further on the abdomen armor, which would fix the problem...but I couldn't get it to slip in that position. The fit is just too tight, particularly with the permanent backpack, so it's not quite as screen accurate as I'd like.

Which leads to my bigger issue overall.  Unlike every other Trooper they've produced with a pack, this one comes attached and non-removable. That was a surprise and a disappointment.

The pack itself is actually one of the differences between the regular releases and the exclusive. The regular release has a very different pack from pretty much anything we've seen with any other trooper, while this exclusive version has something a bit more traditional in appearance.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Paint - ****
There''s nothing to complain about in this category - it's a beautiful paint job, right down to the sand staining on the white shoulder pad.

This isn't a figure with a lot of small paint detail work, but the pack shows it off the best.  There you can see some unique mechanical wear, and along with the sandy dirt lightly covering the rest of the armor, it's a truly realistic application.

Even with the wear and tear, the white armor remains bright and shiny. It matches the on screen look extremely well, and looks close to perfect in hand.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Articulation - ***
The underlying body has all that great TrueType articulation, but the armor does cut a bit of that usefulness out.  The body suit is a nice stretchy material too, much better than the rubbery material that we get with the TFA troopers.

But the permanent belt and pack makes the upper body less mobile than previous releases, and I found that the lower hanging pouches on the belt made some leg stances difficult as well. While it's the normal solid, strong, sturdy body, you can't do quite as much with it as you did with the first Imperial Troopers Hot Toys released...but it's better than the recent TFA suits.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Accessories - ***
This is the one area where the figure falls a bit short, particularly at this price point.

There are several sets of hands, including fists, gun grips, open grips, a special grip for the light, and a posed left. They swap easily, and there's a couple extra wrist pegs just in case. There's a couple extra of the little buttons for the pauldron too, something they've been doing for awhile with figures that have false buttons.

As I said, there's the torch, which can be held in the specific right hand. It looks great, but it's not exactly a 'wow factor' extra.

Of course, he has a blaster, but only a heavy blaster. Nothing smaller for this guy.  Great sculpt and paint of course, and there's a folding tripod for the front that works quite well.

There are also two small canisters that I *think* are grenades, although I'm not sure.  They aren't mentioned in the marketing materials, and they attach to the side of the backpack. They are held there by magnets, but the fit is actually tight enough that the magnets are overkill.  If you twist them, the two halves open up a bit, which is why I think they are grenades of some sort.

Another extra that attaches to the pack is the antenna. Once it's in place it stays in place, so be sure you want it there before attaching it.

The exclusive also includes a cardboard backdrop, which I've used in one of the photos. It's not particularly useful however, thanks to the odd shape. I think most collectors would prefer something square, about the same width as a Detolf case...

Finally, there's the base. The exclusive version has a little removable card with art for the top, as well as a removable name plate and an extra piece that wraps around the name plate. It's a bit fancier than the basic hexagonal designs, and it's useful for long term display. I've included a photo, to better show the differences.

If you were wondering, I believe the exclusive is the only place where you get the torch and hand to hold it, as well as the fancier display base and cardboard backdrop.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Outfit - ***
The other difference with the exclusive is in the outfit.  I'm pretty sure this is the only way to get the white pauldron on the shoulder - the two pack and single figure will all have a different color.

It looks great, and is properly fitted.  I've already raved about the armor, but it's really the changes to the pack and belt - making them non-removable - that brings this score down.  It's not just the permanence, but the difficulty in adjusting the rest of the armor and getting fluid poses, something that was simpler with removable pieces.

It is worth noting again however that this fabric undersuit works much better than the stiffer suits we see with the TFA Troopers. It's much more flexible, allowing greater mobility in the joints.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Fun Factor - **1/2
He's reasonably fun, although with only a handful of useful accessories and a slightly less poseable outfit, he's not going to be one you adjust and re-adjust a lot.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Value - *1/2
At $220, you're paying full market price for a high end sixth scale figure, but getting a lot of re-use.  If you're looking for that white pauldron, this is the way to go...otherwise, you might be better served with the regular release. Let's face it, that new backpack on the regular release is pretty damn cool.

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. This guy is quite sturdy, with little to break or damage. Take a little extra care with the blaster, but with normal handling you should be good.

Overall - ***
This exclusive is quite a bit different than the regular release Jedha Patrol figure, from the pack to the pauldron. And yet, since it's more like the regular Sandtroopers than the normal Jedha Patrol is, somehow it's less appealing.  For the Trooper completists, it's a must have, but whether the differences are enough for the average collector is a question.

That's not a bad thing, however.  In fact, that's the recipe for an exclusive. A company should never make a critical figure or even an important variant an exclusive - it shouldn't be impossible to have the key characters.  But something like this?  It makes for an ideal exclusive.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***
Accessories - **1/2
Outfit - ***
Fun Factor - **1/2
Value - *1/2
Overall - ***

Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Sideshow has him on a waitlist for $220.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
My most recent Hot Toys Star Wars review is Resistance Outfit Rey. Before that I had my review of the regular Rey with BB-8, a fantastic set.

I've covered lots of other Hot Toys Star Wars figures, including the Battlefront Shock Trooper, Finn and Riot Control Trooper, Captain Phasma, the FO Flametrooper, the FO Snowtroopers, and the First Order Shock Trooper, and of course their regular Imperial Stormtroopers. Other Hot Toys Star Wars figures include Kylo Ren, Darth Vader, C-3PO, Tatooine Luke Skywalker, Luke in his Stormtrooper Disguise, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Han and Chewbacca from ANH. If you'd like a bit more of a regular Shock Trooper, they've done him as well, along with a Blackhole version.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
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Star Wars Rogue One Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper sixth scale figure by Hot Toys

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This product was provided for the review by the manufacturer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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