Introduction
Just two days ago, I checked out Sideshow's new Snowtrooper
sixth scale action figure. And yes, I was pleased.
It only made sense to follow that up with a look at a weapon/diorama piece that goes perfectly with said Snowtrooper - the
E-Web Heavy Repeating Blaster. This is one of the weapons from Hoth, making it the perfect companion piece.
This guy runs $150, and was a limited edition of just 2000. He's not a Sideshow site only item though - you can find it at
other retailers as well.
Click on the image below for a Life Size version


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Packaging - ***
The package here is not quite as cool as the work we see with Sideshow's sixth scale figures. It's the same graphic style,
but it's a regular box with Styrofoam interior trays. It's all collector friendly - no damage necessary - but the outer box
is pretty thin and can easily tear if you're not careful.
And while this is a pretty limited item, there's no Certificate of Authenticity or numbering.
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Sculpting - ****
I love the sculpt on this gun - there's a ton of texture and detail work, both on the components of the weapon and what I'll
call the ammo box, for lack of a better term.
Along with all the sharply cut and well defined details, the scale is just about right. That's critical for something like
this, and isn't always the easy win you'd expect.
My one complaint would be how they packed the big rubber hose that runs from the gun to the box. Mine was crimped in a
couple spots due to how it was packed in, and these crimps don't easily come out of the soft rubber.
Something that I failed to notice when I reviewed the Snowtrooper is that he has two hands sculpted specifically to hold
this gun. That's probably because I didn't opened this up before I reviewed him, but now that I see that extra detail, I
have to say it's much appreciated.
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Paint - ***1/2
The gun, box and tubing is all basic black, as you'd expect. But there's some nice weathering added to give it a bit more
realism, and increases the metallic appearance.
I don't know if it fits better here or in the Sculpt section, but I also really like the addition of the translucent red
plastic piece on what appears to be some sort of scope to aim or set range. The little spot of color breaks up the overall
black surface nicely.
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Articulation - ***1/2
The tripod is nicely articulated, with ball joints at the feet, moving pistons, and a pin joint at the top. This allows the
legs to move out and in, and still keep the pads flat on the floor.
The gun itself also turns in place, and can lean back and forward. It leans forward much further than it leans back though
- it's going to be much more effective firing from a position above the enemy.
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Fun Factor - ****
The gun is sturdy and well built, and even with the articulated legs, could hold up to normal play. Any kid that loves Star
Wars and collects the sixth scale figure would love the chance to play with this - but we know they won't be getting it.
Still, it's nice to know that even a collector will have a great time posing this with their Snowtrooper figure.
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Value - **
This is a very nice addition to the display, but $150? That's a stretch, especially with some of the cool dioramas we've
seen from other companies. I'm sure the low production run of just 2000 pieces causes some of the problem, since it's not
like they can re-use any of these molds, but it's still a stretch to convince me this guy is worth the full price.
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Things to Watch Out For -
No real problems here, but you do want to remember that the legs and gun don't fit together tightly. Pick up the gun by
itself, and the legs will drop off. That might be something to keep in mind over a concrete floor.
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Overall - ***1/2
I really like the overall look of this sixth scale weapon - it fits in great with the Snowtrooper, and may drive me to pick
up another...or two.
The price is the biggest issue here, but if you shop around you may be able to save $20, at least for now. With a run size
of just 2000, I suspect these will sell out over the next few weeks, and once they do, getting one away from the collectors
that bought them will be tough.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **
Overall - ***1/2
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Where to Buy
Online options include these site sponsors:
- Sideshow
has it for $150.
-
comes in at just $135.
-
is at $140.
- or you can search
ebay for a deal.
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Related Links -
There's a ton of sixth scale Star Wars reviews here, but the most related is Snowtrooper.
You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case
any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.
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