Star Wars Republic Commando, released in 2005, introduced us to the Clone Trooper Commandos via Delta Squad and their leader Republic Commando RC-1138, otherwise known as 'Boss'. While not canon at the time, the Clone Commando Trooper would go on to appear on The Clone Wars in Season 3 and their armour and equipment would form the basis for The Bad Batch. It is the Bad Batch figures of Hunter and the like that have opened the door for the release of the Clone Commando into the Star Wars Black Series Gaming Greats line, utilising sculpted parts from The Bad Batch to bring Boss into the 6-inch figure format.
RC-1138 is the 7th release in the Galaxy Collection Gaming Greats Series, and he follows on directly from the Jet Trooper from Battlefront 2. The Gaming Greats use the same packaging as the mainline with the addition of a foil logo on the window and a repeat of this logo on the side of the box. Unlike standard releases, the back of the box artwork also includes a logo attributing the figure to its source material and that is also covered in the brief text write up that accompanies the image.
"Republic Commando introduced the elite Delta Squad, a team of clone commandos dispatched to handle the most dangerous missions for the Republic."
Boss is created using the body of Hunter from The Bad Batch, down to the slot in the left forearm where Hunter's knife holster goes which is left unfilled. The shaping of the amour is OK in terms of the overall design of the Clone Commando but the body is too slim - particularly in the waist - this was noticeable on Hunter and is even more apparent on Boss who is meant to be a bulkier Clone Commando packing heavier duty armour and protection. The body appears to have been drawn up from an animated source rather than translating it to a real-world setting, with the chest and waist actually slimmer and smaller than a standard Phase 2 clone.
The Armour is all cast in white, and a duller white as opposed to the gloss we have seen on other Clone Troopers. Over this is painted the orange markings for Boss including the large chest section and shoulder pauldron. The markings are all executed as though applied by hand by the Trooper themselves which leaves rougher edges. The upper arms are cast in black rather than white and therefore the orange painted over the two upper arms is much duller than the other armour panels. The helmet is a new piece to the line and is a full solid piece with no sculpted head underneath. It is also cast in white with the orange stripe allied with rough edges. We also have a blue metallic, almost mirror-like visor, and grey details on the breathing apparatus and to the sides of the helmet.
There is an attempt to weather the figure with the application of a final paint app in certain areas. It doesn't quite make up its mind what it wants to be with the shoulder looking like the orange has scratched off to reveal the white beneath - while the midriff and legs have grey almost silver splashes which are either meant to be dirt or indicate the white armour is scratched and revealing a metal silver underneath - which of course is not possible as the armour is a Plastoid
The backpack is also taken directly from Hunter and slots into a hole on Boss's rear back area via a t-shaped plug and socket. The fit is snug and secure and the backpack does add a bit of much-needed bulk to the Commando body.
The backpack is also cast in white with more orange added over the top of the main section. There are also two silver-painted panels lower down. Unlike the original 3.75-inch Clone COmmando, the pack on this larger 6-inch version is a solid piece and does not open - this would have been a cool function to include!
Boss is armed with a single weapon, the DC-17m Clone Commando Blaster Rifle. Once again this has been taken directly from Hunter and is a relatively detailed piece cast in black plastic but with zero paint applied to bring out the detail. It is crying out for the silver highlights we see when playing Clone Commando.
The weapon also feels small in comparison to what we see in the game and on-screen and on The Clone Wars coming in more around the size of a single hand blaster and not a two-handed blaster rifle. Boss has the same hands as a standard Clone Trooper figure, allowing the weapon to be held in the right hand where a trigger finger engages into the gun. The left hand can then be attached to the underside of the barrel for a two-handed grip.
Boss has a good range of articulation with 19 points of articulation in total. He is a newer body so is pinless throughout and while the knees and elbows are single jointed, they have a good range allowing for having the blaster raised to eye level in a sniping pose, or putting Boss into a kneeling pose. When the knees are bent, the knee armour can look a little strange when the knees are bent as it is left attached to the upper thigh so does ride up on the leg.
The shoulder armour is sat on a flexible tab allowing the panels to move up and down with the arm articulation - this will likely be a weak spot over time. The arms are meant to be further enhanced by the new butterfly shoulders which are sat back within the chest section, this does limit their movement.
The Clone Commando feels disappointing in hand, all stemming from the original decision to slim down Hunter from The Bad Batch. The re-use of this armour for Boss has left us with a figure that is too slim and smaller in stature than the other Clone Troopers in the line. Like the body, the blaster also feels a touch too small and the figure lacks a presence you might expect from the more elite Commando Troopers.
The new helmet is well-executed, and most of the paint-work is well applied although I am not convinced by the patch weathering. Articulation is spot on and this is perhaps the saving grace allowing you to pose Boss in a way that the slim waist and upper torso are less noticeable.
Sadly with this Clone Commando body now established in the Black Series, we are unlikely to see any updates to a more accurate version and are likely also to see the body re-used for other Commando Troops from the game like Fixer, Scorch, or Sev - or for someone like Gregor in The Clone Wars series.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...