Armored Scout Tank With Tactical Droid - TCW [SOTDS] - Deluxe

Tactical droid TA-175 drives an Armored Scout Tank (AST) during the Battle of Ryloth. ASTs are light reconnaissance vehicles armed with twin laser cannons and often used for small hit-and-run missions. Tactical droids have more advanced programming to command Separatist groups. Each one has a unique paint scheme, so that no two units are identical. Like all tactical droids, TA-175 is impatient and demanding as he pilots the single-operator AST to assess the battle.

If we’re any closer to getting Wat Tambor in The Clone Wars line, the release of the Deluxe Armored Assault Tank With Tactical Droid should be proof that we’re closer than ever before or at least strengthen our hope the slightest bit more! While the packaging calls this droid a “Tactical Droid,” it’s actually TA-175, Wat Tambor’s right hand droid as seen in the Liberty Of Ryloth episode. Tactical Droid TA-175 drives an AST during the Battle Of Ryloth to help out with the smaller battles on ground. The set gives collectors another chance at the Tactical Droid sculpt (first seen with 2009’s TCW Commander TX-20), but maybe Hasbro should have first released Commander TX-20 since he was nearly impossible to find at retail. With an all-new paint job, TA-175 ranks as a new figure for us and makes this set worth buying in and of itself.

Still, for those of us that have TX-20, it’s pretty cool to get this model droid in a new flavor. Although the standard light yellow, dark blue and gray are utilized again for TA-175, they do have their own unique paint jobs and look quite different when next to each other. No new articulation exists in the droid for this release and that is more than alright because this action figure really does have enough articulation as is. What is lacking here is the included vehicle. We’re not sure how many more times we will need another Armored Assault Tank in the Deluxe line, but there are certainly quite a few mini vehicles they love to rerelease. And the AST is one of them. It’s not that the vehicle doesn’t have a cool design or look awesome outfitted with an action figure. It’s just that is unfortunately has become rather boring. It does however flesh out displays and dioramas nicely, so there is something to be gained with it.

If you have any other AST (dating as far back as the Episode I line) vehicles, then you already have this piece. Of course deco has changed with each release and that should be expected. Hasbro has to give us some reason to buy and rebuy these toys, right? We don’t mean anything harsh by this. We are actually talking tongue-in-cheek here. We do love all of the sets in the third wave of “Shadow of The Dark Side” Deluxe figures. We still have a big problem swallowing the higher-than-average price tag, but Hasbro is really including some great concepts in them. Someone’s brain at Hasbro is really keeping The Clone Wars line fresh. If you’re not into paying more than $15 for a “newish” figure and a rehashed vehicle, then this may not be the sub-line for you. But we think if you give them a chance that you may be swayed towards really enjoying them.