Clone Turbo Tank - TCW [R] - Vehicles (100th Review)

The Republic’s Clone Turbo Tank is bristling with weapons and covered with thick armor. This ten-wheel titan plows through every obstacle in its path. Clone troopers take aim from laser turrets and missile ports as this heavy assault behemoth crushes anything under its massive wheels. A true mobile fortress, the Clone Turbo Tank can deploy a company of troopers and a full recon speeder team, and also serve as an armored command bunker for extended ground sieges.

Well, here it is! A big review for a big milestone for our 100th Research Droids Reviews entry: The Clone Wars Clone Turbo Tank. This massive vehicle is the next for Hasbro's seemingly annual big vehicle release! And although its scale is a bit small for what it should be, collectors and kids alike are going to be hard pressed to find anything to complain about since Hasbro has added amazing value and incredible features for where the vehicle may lack with its size. The Clone Turbo Tank came to fruition based on sketches by Joe Johnston for The Empire Strikes Back (it was the precursor to the Imperial AT-AT). In fact, it has a very cold weather feel to it. For starters, the Clone Turbo Tank has ten large "big rig" wheels that function awesomely once attached and help to drive home the point that this is one massive and tough battling beast. They allow the vehicle to roll flawlessly and they are durable. They also are able to be removed easily for whatever the reason, like if the clones have to change a flat tire, we suppose. The Turbo Tank has many surprises and removable compartments and play things. The back of the tank (caboose?) comes off and serves as a command center or bunker and looks cool set on its own. It can hold a couple of clone troopers and it gives "playset fans" just enough temporary satisfaction to call this vehicle a playset. Or is it only whetting our appetites for more playset goodness? Nevertheless, the more you play with this vehicle, the more surprises you are going to find. And as these surprises get summed in your mind, you will be thoroughly pleased about how much value you have gotten for your money. The Turbo Tank also has some impressive "muscle" mass too! This vehicle has quite a bit of weight to it. And its separate pieces are very sturdy and will no doubt last over time through heavy play.

The vehicle is loaded with electronics that include phrases, lights and sound effects from the popular television show. There are missile-firing projectiles at every corner of this "beast on wheels" and they as expected, but it seems that Hasbro has made them a little bit more authentic to the TV show. Of course projectiles add great play value and provide for additional play ideas. So Hasbro could never do wrong by adding a whole bunch to a vehicle. One thing you won't get tired of is the amount of space on this vehicle. The Turbo Tank has the capability to house quite a few clone troopers (actually a lot more than a few). There are nooks and crannies of space on the front, back, and center of the vehicle to place your figures. And the activities of the environments of these spaces (battle planning, steering, firing weapons) allow the child or collector playing with it to create an exciting play war. The center of the Turbo Tank opens up where it can house most of its clone trooper army. This is obviously the place where a lot of this action can happen. There are battles to plan and was to win and it has to be executed somewhere. But the play value just doesn't stop there. It is quite impressive what Hasbro is capable of doing in a small space. Yet, that small space in invincible from being cramped at any time due to the excellent sculpting and construction of the toy. The Turbo Tank has definitely gone through some impressive engineering. Not only is it beautifully constructed, it is also loaded with realistic characteristics that make this one of the best toys out there. In other words, there are some artistic elements that make this vehicle extra special. When all the panels that hold the figures are closed, you will see the cool projectile heavy artillery side guns that pull out from the vehicle's side and then rotates as needed to fight its enemies. Below the removable command center is a "hidden" docking bay for a speeder bike that will launch out once the appropriate button is pressed to shoot it out. It only works once the hatch is opened, but it is a very cool function nonetheless. These are just some of the impressive hidden gems of hidden treasure this vehicle contains.

The exclusive Tank Gunner figure is a repaint of the figure we received in the 2008 TCW AT-TE Assault Squad Battle Packs set. This time he has a lighter paint job and it is just different enough to call him a new figure. (A third version of this figure was also released as 2009's TCW Clone Tank Gunner (CW36) figure.) He can perfectly fit into the Turbo Tanks crow's nest. This little detail is very simple on this big vehicle, but it is a very effective ornamentation. It just gives this vehicle an extra dose of spice and it works very well on this one. We have been getting quite a few Republic vehicle in the mid-size line and the coloring has been very pale and boring: white and maroon. The Clone Turbo Tank is painted very beautifully. Most of its color is various shades of gray, but there are hints of red, green, black, white, and others that just provide the perfect combination of contrast to make this vehicles "skin" realistic as can be. Not only is the paint job beautiful, but the sculpting is a masterpiece. The vehicle is loaded with so many details to show texture, grain and overall shape. Hasbro clearly spent a great deal of time study photos and other reference materials to imitate the precise style of this very special vehicle. The Clone Turbo Tank is a vehicle that has created moans in the most picky of collectors because of the scale Hasbro had to use to make it fit into their plan. We are thrilled to have it and think that it is a definitive Star Wars vehicle that was long overdue. It is great that we are still getting large vehicle. Only with our support can we guarantee ourselves that Hasbro continually brings out one new large vehicle a year. And even if a vehicle is not your bag, you should still support it in some way. It is truly the only way we can ensure we will see one of our big vehicles for a future release.