NEW PRODUCT: HOT TOYS: SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY HAN SOLO (MUDTROOPER) 1/6TH SCALE COLLECTIBLE FIGURE

This is by far my favourite of the Disney era trooper designs.

I still object to the silly label "mudtrooper." I am fairly certain these are just regular infantry units (which is in fact how they were referred to in the film) that happen to be deployed in a muddy environment. The mud part seems to be just happenstance, unlike the equipment of the "snow trooper." But anyway.

Their actual name is Swamp Trooper, which is still silly because, like Shore Trooper, it means there's a trooper type for every occasion.

Wookieepedia says they're a unit outside of the Stormtrooper Corps. So maybe a bit like Warhammer40K soldiers who aren't classed as Space Marines.

I like the classic design of the breastplate which recurs in K-2SO, then in Snow Troopers and as officer armour.

Asta wrote:Their actual name is Swamp Trooper, which is still silly because, like Shore Trooper, it means there's a trooper type for every occasion.

Wookieepedia says they're a unit outside of the Stormtrooper Corps. So maybe a bit like Warhammer40K soldiers who aren't classed as Space Marines.

I like the classic design of the breastplate which recurs in K-2SO, then in Snow Troopers  and as officer armour.

Oh no, "Swamp Trooper" is even worse -- at least "mud" would be findable in a variety of less specific locations. The same breast plate is found on all snowtroopers and on the AT-AT commander (which is actually an imperial general in the movie -- he had the same helmet, and so did the so-called AT-ST drivers).

There is also nothing specifically appropriate for mud in the design and uniform -- except perhaps (perhaps!) the earthy coloring.

The naming of troopers made sense once.

There was the basic Stormtooper for space and general planet operations.

Then Snow Troopers, who were designed for their environment. AT-AT Drivers shared a style similar to TIE Pilots.

Scout Troopers were lightly armoured reconnaissance . AT-ST were lighter armoured drivers.

Then Rogue One introduces Shore Troopers and tank troopers (plus Death Troopers), and Solo brings the Swamp Trooper and the Patrol Trooper (?)

Their titles are becoming so specific that they're little more than names to identify them on figure cards, so customers remember where they saw them in the films.

Asta wrote:The naming of troopers made sense once.
There was the basic Stormtooper for space and general planet operations.
Then Snow Troopers, who were designed for their environment. AT-AT Drivers shared a style similar to TIE Pilots.
Scout Troopers were lightly armoured reconnaissance . AT-ST were lighter armoured drivers.
Then Rogue One introduces Shore Troopers and tank troopers (plus Death Troopers), and Solo brings the Swamp Trooper and the Patrol Trooper (?)
Their titles are becoming so specific that they're little more than names to  identify them on figure cards, so customers remember where they saw them in the films.

Well, it certainly made more sense than it does now.
Technically, the Snowtroopers were simply Stormtroopers in winter gear. Likewise, Spacetroopers (with special oxygen equipment) and Sandtroopers (with unfinalized early version of Stormtrooper armor). AT-ST Drivers wore the basic imperial infantry (non-Stormtrooper) uniform, a more basic variation of the general's (from the AT-AT scenes in ESB); presumably AT-ST drivers on Hoth wore the same uniform as AT-AT drivers, though there is something not fully thought-out in the disparity of design there.
Rogue One introduced Shore Troopers, Death Troopers, Hovertank Drivers, and AT-ACT Drivers (which look almost the same as the Tank Drivers) -- none of them really necessary.
Solo also introduced four new trooper types: Patrol Troopers (the coolest design), Range Troopers (which look like heavier and winterized Scout Troopers), Mudtroopers, and Mimban Stormtroopers (slight variant on regular Stormtroopers and very dirtied up) -- again, none of them really necessary -- the first two could have been just Scout Troopers, the Mudtroopers are just infantry, and the Mimban Stormtroopers might have had some specific extra gear without the actual minor modification in armor.

There is a reason some claim that Star Wars is just fiction, not science fiction, and all this silliness seems to be part of it.

GubernatorFan wrote:There is a reason some claim that Star Wars is just fiction, not science fiction, and all this silliness seems to be part of it.

Yes, I see them as 'fantasy' as opposed to 'science fiction'.

They owe their origins to the 1930s/40s Flash Gordon serials, which are really fun when you give them a chance.

Which is why it doesn't pay too much to try and rationalise everything. But people will do just that, to the point of descending into petty arguments and name calling on message boards. As on Sideshow Freaks whenever the subject of the Sequels is raised. Even Solo is getting the same disdain from some - even the ones who say they're boycotting it and won't watch it.

With the figures there's a certain style I like, and it really pertains to the 'classic' Original Trilogy era. Mudtroopers will fit right into that.

Actually, the term goes back even further than Flash Gordon, all the way back to Edgar Rice Burroughs, and it’s referred to as Science Fantasy, because it has elements of both.

Stryker2011 wrote:Actually, the term goes back even further than Flash Gordon, all the way back to Edgar Rice Burroughs, and it’s referred to as Science Fantasy, because it has elements of both.

I meant Lucas' original inspiration for making the films, rather than the term.

But Burroughs is a good source for the genre, considering that Star Wars is characterised by guns and sword fighting wizards.

Asta wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:Actually, the term goes back even further than Flash Gordon, all the way back to Edgar Rice Burroughs, and it’s referred to as Science Fantasy, because it has elements of both.

I meant Lucas' original inspiration for making the films, rather than the term.

But Burroughs is a good source for the genre, considering that Star Wars is characterised by guns and sword fighting wizards.

Well, Lucas' inspiration owes to plenty more sources, from Fairy Tales to Westerns to Samurai movies. And the whole thing has been called a "Space Opera."

GubernatorFan wrote:Well, Lucas' inspiration owes to plenty more sources, from Fairy Tales to Westerns to Samurai movies. And the whole thing has been called a "Space Opera."

The impetus to make it was that the couldn't get the rights to Flash Gordon.

He loved the cliffhanger serials of the 30s to the early 50s. He would pay homage to them, and from that base drew inspiration from many sources. He certainly hit on a winning blend, which, as you said, became known as 'Space Opera'.

Having tackled the 'space' genre of cliffhangers with Star Wars, he and Spielberg re-watched numerous spy/agent/jungle/adventure serials to create the world of Indiana Jones.

I gathered up and watched almost sixty serials, which was a fun exercise in finding Lucas' sources. There were times were he lifted complete scenes and remade them.

Yeah officially known as Swamp Troopers informally known as Mud Troopers but they also got their name Mud Jumpers - below from Star Wars Wiki. Researching more, they were also in Rebels, where they were part of the Galactic Armored Division and helped the Mimbanese fight off Trade Federation Droid army, but obviously became the Imperial one when it became the Empire, and they went back to fight the Mimbanese for control.

Swamp troopers, known informally as mudtroopers, were a type of Imperial Army soldier used by the Galactic Empire that existed outside the Stormtrooper Corps. The swamp troopers of the 224th Imperial Armored Division fought on the swamp planet of Mimban during the Mimban campaign, which saw the Empire do battle with forces of the Mimbanese Liberation Army for control of the planet and its vital resources.

Medics fought alongside standard swamp troopers, and they could be identified by a white bicep band on their right arm. Standard troopers were denoted by a red bicep band. Swamp troopers were equipped with helmets similar to those of Imperial officers' battle armor. Due to the often hazardous nature of the various worlds the Empire found itself subjugating, troopers wore goggles for eye protection and oxygen masks to filter out potentially deadly substances. Swamp troopers wielded E-10 blaster rifles, E-11 blaster rifles, and E-22 blaster rifles

Blogger pics are starting to show up:

I wonder if they'd ever release one that was just a trooper....

I never saw the movie and still have no real desire to. Unless The Mandalorian comes out on DVD, Star Wars will end for me with Rise of Skywalker.

Rogerbee wrote:
I wonder if they'd ever release one that was just a trooper....

I never saw the movie and still have no real desire to. Unless The Mandalorian comes out on DVD, Star Wars will end for me with Rise of Skywalker.

That's tragic, Rog. Solo wasn't bad (it wasn't great, either) -- I just wish it hadn't been about Han Solo. But to end Star Wars on ROS is just... sad.

Looks pretty sweet. I'm getting this one, despite not particularly liking the movie (Mark, you might be right that it might have been better if it didn't mess with established characters, but that was hardly its only problem). Of course my interest in it is because it is a close representation (and possibly kitbash material) for imperial regular troops (not stromtroopers), whom we have seen as the so-called AT-ST drivers in Return of the Jedi.

Stryker2011 wrote:

Rogerbee wrote:
I wonder if they'd ever release one that was just a trooper....

I never saw the movie and still have no real desire to. Unless The Mandalorian comes out on DVD, Star Wars will end for me with Rise of Skywalker.

That's tragic, Rog. Solo wasn't bad (it wasn't great, either) -- I just wish it hadn't been about Han Solo. But to end Star Wars on ROS is just... sad.

I guess, but, other than The Mandalorian, what else is there in film form that will be worth seeing? The further you get from the story and universe that George set up in the 70's, the less interesting to me it becomes. The story he wanted to tell really ends with Rise of Skywalker. You can still revisit, ie watching the movies again, but I'm not sure how much further forward you can go.