AT-AP Walker - TCW [B] - Vehicles

Designed as mobile battlefield armor, the All Terrain Attack Pod is an essential walker for the clone troopers. The center leg gives the AT-AP additional stability for crossing rough terrain, as the clone troopers who operate it blast the enemy with the vehicle’s projectile launcher and cannons. AT-AP walkers were used on Felucia and Kashyyyk, where dense ground cover required the use of stable yet highly mobile vehicles.

Hasbro produced a whole bunch of all-new midsize vehicles for the 30 (77-07) line. Some were so good that both Hasbro and collectors felt they didn’t get enough time at retail. When it came time to shift the line from collectors to kids for The Clone Wars television show, Hasbro still had plans to incorporate some of their most recent midsize vehicles into The Clone Wars line provided that they had some Clone Trooper focus to them. One of these vehicles, the AT-AP Walker was a major hit in the 30 (77-07). Seen during the Battle of Kashyyyk and the Battle of Felucia in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, collectors couldn’t wait to scoff these up from store shelves and add them into their collections. Thankfully this popular vehicle is part of the first wave of midsize vehicles in The Clone Wars [Blue] line and it’s expected to be a hit again in 2008 just like it was in 2007. The AT-AP Walker is accurate in scale to the onscreen vehicle and it interacts beautifully with various 3.75” figures quite well. Whether you have one seated at the cannon, or two in the cockpit area or both, the AT-AP Walker will undoubtedly become a favorite for most Star Wars collectors who buy this. Now collectors of all ages can work this vehicle into their own battles from The Clone Wars at home. It’s destined to be a hit once again for sure.

After scanning the Battle of Kashyyyk , we did notice that evidence exists that there are differently decorated AT-AP vehicles in these scenes. But it appears that Hasbro went with the most common “Grand Army of the Republic” color scheme to develop this toy which works perfectly for us. The scenes from Episode III certainly speed by very quickly and when you pause the scene it becomes too blurry to see anything too clearly. Still, with a couple of screen captures you can see just how appropriately this vehicle has been approached and decorated. As a toy, the AT-AP Walker is a blast. It’s loaded with play features and none of them affect the aesthetics of the vehicle. The two rear legs are articulated in two spots and the third leg is articulated at one joint. While it would have been so much better for all three legs to each have multiple points of articulation, there is certainly “enough” here to make this vehicle functional. But the third leg has a special feature where it can fold up into the body when it isn’t needed for traveling over various terrains. With careful positioning, you can get all three legs to be flush with a flat surface, but it honestly will take you sometime to calibrate perfectly. Also included is a firing projectile, spinning turret, two opening cockpit halves, and of course the firing projectile. All cannons rotate as you need too.

We’d like to reemphasize how attractive the vehicle looks from a deco perspective. Between the insignia on the hatch doors to the panels of green, you’ll quickly discover just how much effort went into making the AT-AP Walker look as good as it does. The only thing it really needs is some extra dirt throughout its body to show that it has been involved in war against the Separatist Droid Army. What’s great about the AT-AP Walker is that it will interact with figures both realistically styled and done with a more animated look. Both look natural in it and we’re so glad that Hasbro decided that realistic vehicles would accompany the animated figures. While vehicles like the AT-AP Walker seamlessly blend in with the look of the overall line, it really pokes holes in Hasbro’s argument that they only want to produce vehicle that have an important role in the film. Background vehicles are just as cool. With the AT-AP Walker, they are literally choosing some of the most obscure background vehicles possible, some that we don’t even see in too much action. Perhaps the AT-AP Walker wins for us because it is an aggressive battle vehicle and kids love to play. The AT-AP Walker is a picture perfect example of the vehicles they should be choosing to make in the toy line. It’s unknown if the AT-AP Walker will make an appearance in The Clone Wars television show, but even if it doesn’t, it still looks like its fits wonderfully in The Clone Wars toy line.