Republic Scout Speeder With ARF Trooper - TCW [SOTDS] - Deluxe

Advanced Recon Force (ARF) troopers use Republic scout speeders on reconaissance missions. The speeders are heavily armed with laser cannons, laser blasters and light blaster cannons. With room for two troopers, the speeders pack a lot of firepower in a compact vehicle.

We are really beginning to see a trend in Hasbro’s newly reenergized Deluxe line. Just as Kenner did during the vintage era, Hasbro is following a relatively similar protocol and making recognizable miniature vehicles out of larger ones. This scaled down assortment isn’t really meant to fill the shoes of the larger vehicle line, but instead enhance it. By touching the nostalgic value of collectors’ hearts, Hasbro can assure themselves that this will be a line to gain some respect for collectors. Kids are easier to please, but Hasbro has found a way to make this line appealing to both sects. The vehicles in the Deluxe line are not exact replicas of the full size versions obviously, but they have enough key features to make it “familiar enough”. Just like how the Attack Cycle With General Grievous set is completely reminiscent to the vehicle we saw him ride in Revenge Of The Sith, so is the Republic Scout Speeder somewhat reminiscent of the Republic Swamp Speeder that was released in the mid size vehicle assortment in 2010. There are a lot of new and different concepts of course brought to the table for the smaller scaled down Deluxe vehicle, but we appreciate the similarities and personalized touch the Scout Speeder has.

The Republic Scout Speeder has six separate cannons of varying size throughout its hull. They are simply removable attachments that plug into various holes but they can also swivel back and forth for extra play value like trying to reach a certain military target as needed. This vehicle is very simply made, but it looks fantastic and fits like a glove in the Deluxe line. All of the contents in this set are new in one way or another, so it’s a rewarding purchase for collectors since we’re not getting rehashed the same old thing over and over again. The coloring of the vehicle is that typical light gray color (that so many other The Clone Wars vehicles have) and accented in a light maroon/red in various spots found throughout the vessel. And it will absolutely enhance any kids’ play experience if they already have the larger vehicles like 2009's TCW [S2] Clone Turbo Tank or the AT-TE. The pack-in figure is a generic ARF Trooper with no specific name and this flavor of clone trooper (from what we can tell) has yet to makes its appearance in any The Clone Wars episode. The ARF Trooper is a newly decorated version of the 2009 TCW [S2] ARF Trooper (CW10) basic figure from the red phase/Season 2 line look of The Clone Wars basic figure line.

The ARF Trooper fits nicely inside the seating area of the Republic Scout Speeder. And you can have him hold onto the controls so he can steer it into battle. The great thing about this set is that Hasbro made it seamless for The Clone Wars. Anyone (child or collector) who is a casual fan of the television show will have no inkling that this is a Hasbro concept and to date not seen in any multimedia event of The Clone Wars. That’s how well done this simple but excellent miniature vehicle and figure are! Hasbro buckled down it seems to ensure good health of this line. They are getting quite clever by including a mix of new ideas with screen specific ideas. The mix is smooth and the line as a whole is already starting to shine. These are excellent toys and aside from an expensive price tag, we think there some of the nicest secondary items in the Star Wars market today. We personally love this unique take on the ARF Trooper and we hope Filoni gets this flavor into the TV show at some point. From the rotating exhaust fans to the three rolling wheels at the bottom, the Republic Scout Speeder With ARF Trooper has it all and should bring some smiles to your face. Definitely check it out!