May the Fourth be with you: Review Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 Snowtrooper 12" figure

May 4 is considered a holiday by Star Wars fans to celebrate Star Wars culture and honor the films. It is called Star Wars Day because of the popularity of a common pun spoken on this day. Since the phrase "May the Force be with you" is a famous quote often spoken in the Star Wars films, fans commonly say "May the fourth be with you" on this day. So I'm celebrating May 4 with a toy blog post on Star Wars :)

Snowtroopers, also known as cold assault stormtroopers, were Imperial stormtroopers trained to operate in arctic climates. Some snowtroopers were deployed under Death Squadron's Blizzard Force, as well as other arctic forces. The snowtroopers were the successors of the clone cold assault troopers and the Galactic Marines under Clone Commanders Keller and Bacara, respectively, during the Clone Wars.

One of the first missions involving the snowtroopers was the surprise Imperial assault on the Rebel founders on Corellia. Darth Vader had tracked his Sith apprentice Galen Marek to the planet, in a secret plot to both capture the would-be founders of the rebellion and destroy Marek. Snowtroopers stormed the shelter atop the snowy mountain, quickly wiping out Rahm Kota's guards. Snowtroopers were utilized on many different icy worlds, including the Imperial garrison on the planet Akuria II. Their most notable conquest was at the Battle of Hoth, where the Imperial Blizzard Force defeated the forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and overran Echo Base. (source: wookiepedia)

This is the recently released Sideshow Collectibles Militaries of Star Wars Sixth Scale figure collection, the Snowtrooper. Outfitted to withstand the arctic climate of Hoth, the Snowtrooper Sixth Scale figure features detailed armor, accessories, and weaponry.

The Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale Snowtrooper 12-inch figure comes in a tray with Survival backpack, Thermal detonator, Heavy cold weather gloves (extra four pieces for multiple poses), E-11 Carbine blaster and Snow covered display base packed separately.

Here's a closer look at the Survival backpack and Thermal detonator

Close-up view of the E-11 Carbine blaster with stock extended. The E-11 blaster rifle props used in ANH (A New Hope) and ESB (Empire Strikes Back) were built from a British-made Sterling L2A3 sub-machine gun.

Snow covered display base and Heavy cold weather gloves (extra four pieces for multiple poses)

The figure display base / stand with the snow base easily removed

The Snowtrooper Sixth Scale Figure features: Fully Articulated Prometheus 1.1 body with Cold weather assault gear including: Helmet, Face shield, Armored body shell, Survival backpack, Arm guards, shoulder pauldrons, knee guards and elbow guards, Heavy cold weather boots, Heavy cold weather gloves (multiple poses), Insulated thermal body suit, Thermal detonator, E-11 Carbine blaster and Snow covered display base

Snowtrooper armor was well suited to the climate extremes of frozen worlds such as Hoth, Rhen Var, and Toola. Unlike other troopers, snowtroopers wore a white, rugged body glove, which provided camouflage, and provided thermal insulation from the cold. Over this was an eighteen-piece outer shell altered to include more powerful heating and personal environment units, and an airtight fabric oversuit for additional protection from the cold.

To facilitate breathing in extremely cold or dangerous atmospheres, a breather hood enveloped the snowtrooper's faceplate and fed into the suit liner. Each trooper was equipped with terrain-grip boots, a standard utility belt containing high-tension wire, grappling hooks, ion flares, additional blaster ammunition, a survival kit, and ration packs.

The troopers' backpacks housed the main heating unit, main power cell, communications unit, and a homing beacon. The pack also had the ability to work as a power source for other equipment. Snowtroopers could survive up to two weeks in even the harshest frozen environments on their internal suit power and supplies.

They also wore white heated pants with pockets.

Snowtroopers were armed with the standard issued E-11 blaster rifles of stormtroopers, SE-14r light repeating blasters, two concussion grenades, and one fragmentation grenade. Elite snowtroopers were given the DLT-20A blaster rifle as a replacement for the E-11, and two stun grenades. Snowtroopers commonly employed E-Web heavy repeating blasters.

The chest plate worn by the snowtroopers was constructed of a plastoid composite armor. Near the center were all of the controls for the completely self-sufficient troopers' life support systems. These included an external temperature monitor, power cell monitor, and the controls for the suit's heater.

Close-up shot of the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale Snowtrooper 12-inch figure with his E-11 blaster rifle held in the ready position. Check out the Snowtrooper's Heavy cold weather boots

A close-up view of the side showing the Survival backpack with Thermal detonator at the bottom, shoulder pauldron, Arm guard and Heavy cold weather gloves

Here's the full view of the Snowtrooper's Survival backpack with Thermal detonator

And this is how he looks before both items are attached.

The Snowtroopers' helmets had built-in polarized snow goggles for better vision in the snow

Related post:
May 4, 2011 - Star Wars Day or Medicom RAH Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker REVIEW

MORE Snowtrooper pictures in the NEXT post, showing an unobscured view of the chest plate ;p