Assault Walker/Riot Control Stormtrooper Sergeant - TFA - 12-Inch Figures

These mobile assault walkers operate as mechanized calvary units, storming enemy positions and running down fleeing troops.

Whether or not you liked or enjoyed anything about The Force Awakens and the corresponding Hasbro toy line, one thing you cannot deny is that Hasbro went above and beyond to introduce new formats to it. Whether you look at the Armor Up sub-line or the complementary 12-Inch Figure Vehicles assortment, Hasbro wasn’t shy to see what types of new products might leave their mark on the Star Wars collecting market. Sadly, not too many new innovations survived after the product launch. You can’t fault Hasbro for trying new things, but perhaps a wiser approach might have made new formats like those mentioned earlier more of a success. Take for instance the Assault Walker/Riot Control Stormtrooper Sergeant two-pack. Why couldn’t Hasbro go for screen-accurate Original Trilogy type of vehicles? Heck, why didn’t they imitate some of the classic Kenner Mini Rigs and made them in 12-Inch Figure scale? It seems their options were endless, but they decided to follow suit and just make a larger version of a toy that they produced in their The Force Awakens Class I vehicles assortment instead. They should have tried something completely different to see what our response would have been. We almost feel that a 12-Inch Figure version of Greedo and Ponda Baba with a 12-Inch Figure scaled Chalmun’s Cantina bar section would have been a safer bet here. But we digress.

The Assault Walker is simply but nicely manufactured. It is of low quality, but it has been given a tremendous amount of detail. The Assault Walker has a hollowness to it that almost can’t be described. It has weight; the parts are merely shells of plastic that snap-fit together. It comes with very little articulation, but the handlebars in addition to the legs (at the “hips”) move to allow for additional play value. Just like the 3.75” version, the included Riot Control Stormtrooper Sergeant stands up while piloting the Assault Walker. But Hasbro did a great job to ensure that vehicle and pilot interact flawlessly. The 12-Inch Figure can hold onto the steering of the Assault Walker very well and looks great doing so. One of the nicest features of the Assault Walker is that Hasbro has tooled a special storage area which allows you to place the Z6 riot control baton in it when not in use. Little details like this have always been appreciated by Star Wars collectors. Also included are two differently sized torpedoes that plug into the front of the Assault Walker. They don’t fire or anything but provide another avenue of play. From the antenna on the back of the Assault Walker to the rotating chin gun at the bottom of the vehicle, the Assault Walker/Riot Control Stormtrooper Sergeant two-pack offers a great deal of play value for Star Wars collectors interested in this format.

The Riot Control Stormtrooper Sergeant 12-Inch Figure included here is nothing special. It is a repaint of the figure that was included in the 2015 TFA “The Force Awakens” 12-Inch Figure six-pack which was released as a TARGET exclusive. The plastic was cast in a beautiful shiny white color, but it also easily picks up the scuffs and defects caused by the production process. You might find some imperfections like paint splatters here and there, but overall the contour of the figure is painted very nicely. The First Order Stormtrooper comes with a blaster. It can be housed on his right thigh armor when not in use. We did notice that he doesn’t hold it all that well, but with some determination, it is possible to situate it in his hands. He just doesn’t have a firm grasp on it which we find a bit disappointing. He also comes with a black pauldron which according to Hasbro designates him as a sergeant. For what it is, he looks good. Collectors often pan Hasbro’s 12-Inch Figures line because of its simplicity. It's an easy target to attack. These aren’t exquisite collectibles, but they serve a purpose for kids that like larger toys. The figures allow them hours of play while developing motor skills while introducing them to articulation and how action figures can move. The MSRP for this set is $29.99 which is about twice the rate we think it should be. They also didn’t move very well at the line launch.