442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper - Militaries Of Star Wars - 1:6 Scale Figures

At the time of their introduction, the Republic clone trooper represented the future of galactic warfare. Far superior to the battle droid armies of the era, the clone troopers formed the backbone of the Republic's new military initiative that battled against the forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Identical in form, physical prowess, stamina and mental capacity, each of the first generations of clone troopers were fully encased in hard white armor, each identical face concealed behind a t-shaped visor. Color-coded flashes on the armor denoted rank and eventually came to signify individual units, who often became more customized with mission specific gear and armor modifications. Units such as the Galactic Marines, the Shock Troopers, the Siege Battalion and the Star Corps had distinct armor variations that made them stand out.

True to their namesake, the 442nd Siege Battalion specialized in besieging enemy fortifications. Equipped with All Terrain Recon Transports and Infantry Support Platform speeders, the 442nd distinguished themselves during their participation and aid in the capture of Cato Neimoidia, a key Trade Federation stronghold.

If there was one group of clone troopers that we desperately wanted to see get some screen time in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, it would have to be the 442nd Siege Battalion. And if time permitted in the film, maybe George Lucas would have seen it fit to include various scenes of Plo Koon fighting in some battles alongside this battalion on Cato Neimoidia. (Actually, we think it was quite a shame we didn’t see any battles on the planet where the the Separatist movement began.) Many clone trooper designs were created for the final Star Wars film and some of them made the final cut. Sadly, many other cool concepts didn’t. Obviously George Lucas found something interesting about the color flash pattern on the 442nd Siege Battalion armor because he had it changed to orange and developed Clone Commander Cody’s 212th Attack Battalion. And technically that’s exactly what the 442nd Siege Battalion looks like, a green version of the 212th Attack Battalion. (It’s also the basis of the Utapau Shadow Trooper as well.) Despite only having appearances in concept art for Revenge Of The Sith and the Revenge Of The Sith: The Visual Dictionary book, Hasbro developed a few action figures based on them so it was only a matter of time before Sideshow Collectibles took part in the fun.

First available as a statuesque figure in 2005’s Revenge Of The Sith Deluxe three-packs, Hasbro in 2006’s The Saga Collection developed the Clone Trooper 442nd Siege Battalion (SAGA 057) action figure and it was warmly welcomed by all collectors for the most part. But perhaps even more tremendous than Hasbro’s figures is Sideshow’s 1:6 Scale Figure rendering of this now classically awesome clone trooper. To say that this character was even on Sideshow Collectibles’ radar would be an understatement. Being that this 1:6 Scale Figure came out almost seven (7) years after the release of Revenge Of The Sith, it’s been clear for years now which clones are concepts and which ones became actual characters in Episode III. But we’re assuming that due to the popularity that the 2006 TSC Clone Trooper 442nd Siege Battalion (SAGA 057) figure created, it’s caused enough of a buzz for Sideshow to feel it should be realized in their line as well. Sideshow’s version of the 442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper is excellent, and it actually makes us feel bittersweet because we wish their incredible Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau) 1:6 Scale Figure would have developed with the enhancements that this figure has.

First updated with Sideshow Collectibles’ 501st Legion Clone Trooper, the 442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper is fitted with the much improved fabric body glove. But the better enhancement also carried forward is the tightened joints. The Armored Body type is such a wonderful buck for the various Militaries Of Star Wars figures. There is no denying that. We still would like to see Sideshow Collectibles add a little bit more meat to the thighs of this body however, especially for the clone troopers. The thigh armor falls to low revealing too much of the black body glove underneath. We constantly have to pull these armor pieces up during photo shoots and even gravity has forced them to hang lower than desired. The Militaries Of Star Wars line is nearing perfection and we hope that Sideshow Collectibles can just alter this last annoying setback to get these figures to definitive status. If you’re tired of clone troopers (which is a VERY string possibility at this point), then the 442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper may not be for you or your collection. But we love him and hope that the rest of the concept art clone trooper are on tap for release one day. (Hey, Hasbro made them all, so why shouldn’t Sideshow Collectibles?) We’re happy to see this clone and we will be happier to see more.... even if they’re not seen in the films.