Let us start off by clarifying that looking at the archive photos it would appear that we hoarded three Sandtroopers. Don't worry, we left some on the shelves for everyone to get a fair shot at, it's just computer trickery and not a Sandtrooper buying binge. Anyways, if secondary market prices are any indication, the Sandtrooper appears to be the favorite among the first wave of Hasbro's Black Series 6-inch figures. Yes, it's an army builder, but it's also a well-researched and executed figure, though not without its flaws.

What's the difference between the armor on a Sandtrooper and a Stormtrooper? A lot of small, sometimes unnoticeable details. If you want an in-depth breakdown, we recommend checking out Look Sir Droids' Sandtrooper / Stormtrooper Comparison page. After going through the list of differences, you'll see that Hasbro did a fine job making this as screen accurate a Sandtrooper as possible. With that in mind, this review will be more of a critique on how the figure can be improved rather than pointing out what works because really, it's a pretty fantastic figure.

As an accurate representation of the character, Hasbro's 6-inch Sandtrooper has some surprisingly good articulation that doesn't interfere with the overall aesthetic. We did find that the armor on the shoulders and hips hinders the full range of motion on those articulation points, preventing the figure from easily achieving some quintessential poses. This is unfortunate and we hope Hasbro addresses the issue with the upcoming Stormtrooper figure. We think replacing the swivel in the hip with ball-and-socket articulation would be a solution that would improve mobility and poseability of their 6-inch figures. And we beg, I mean BEG you, Hasbro, please lose the unsightly visible pins!

The figure comes with enough accessories to make several screen-accurate versions of the Sandtrooper. Besides the three different blaster rifles to alternate among, you can add or remove the pauldron, backpack and shoulder pouch. The backpack is slightly larger than it should be, but it doesn't cause the figure to tip over. The figure maintains its balance well, even when fully equipped. We did expect a folding stock and bi-pod on the E-11 and DLT-19 blaster rifles, respectively, since Hasbro set the precedent with the E-11 in the 3-3/4-inch line. At this scale, accurate accessories are an important part of the overall aesthetic in order to achieve realism.

All in all, this is a very solid figure for a first wave of a new line. Yes we dinged it on the articulation and accessories, but those are improvements we expect to see as the line matures. With one Sandtrooper out of the way we have two more to go, as well as a handful of new accessories that can make each version unique. But the real question is, does the future hold a 6-inch scale Dewback?


View the photo archive entry for Hasbro's The Black Series 6-inch Sandtrooper figure.