Hot Toys Star Wars Stormtrooper

[jkno]

What are your thoughts on accuracy? HT vs SSC vs Marmit (and I guess Medi)

I had my own issues with the HT TK regarding glued parts, but they were easy fix, and thus this will not affect my judgement. HT is a big improvement over the SSC, this can also be seen if you read carefully on the box, regarding who was involved in its development, and on HT FB page (some older posts and replies). Anyway HT has a better body, better shiny ABS armor (no need for chest plate futzing) and a better helmet compared to SSC. While the HT Stormie helmet is not totally accurate (not meaning asymmetry, which is not necessary at this size) is much better shaped than SSC.

SSC lid has the big jaw, enormous mic tips, and when putting the helmet on body, the trooper has no neck anymore. Not to mention the freaking ugly tiny SSC codpiece - I'm even thinking maybe to re-purpose my SSC Stormie and transform it into a female TK some day in the future... On the SSC plus side I'd add the E-11 which is better than any 1:6 blaster and the thermal detonator clips (better and more solid steel than on HT).

The Marmit still has a better overall helmet sculpt, but HT is very close. On the armor part the Marmit is great, but has its own issues already addressed (accurate but softer general sculpt, comes as a kit that needs assembly, legs/feet armor connected, thermal detonator not so good, soft PVC armor instead of hard ABS like SSC and HT, Marmit body is not that good compared to HT but stil not as floppy as SSC, and E-11 is weak in design for today's standards). And the fact that HT is comes already assembled, and not as a kit neither you need to futz the armor, and with good body and armor adds up to the HT.

So is HT better than Marmit and SSC? Yes. Is it perfect? No. Is it the best 1:6 Stormtrooper? In some parts it indubitably is, in some still needs improvement. Do I like it with all its issues? I love it and cannot wait for the pair to arrive. And as I said I'll have my glue ready once again if necessary.


PS. TK = Stormtrooper

 

[jkno]

Would you mind doing a side by side with the blasters? I'm curious what the inaccuracies and differences are...I no longer have my sideshow ig88 which had the same blaster....

Ok, had some free time since it rains, and took a few pictures of the two 1:6 Stormtrooper E-11 blasters from Hot Toys and Sideshow. The blaster on top is HT and the one below is SSC. They are very similar in appearance, I have a hunch HT copied it from SSC, or back then when they helped SSC with their Stormtrooper figure, they had their hands involved in making this as well.

The difference lays in some details like scope, scope rail, t-tracks, magazine, magazine ejector port, folding stock back/shoulder plate, and weathering. The SSC scope is clearly sculpted after an M38/M40 Sherman tank scope with rounded foot, as for the HT seems it is made after an M19 - but this way it should have been a bit bulkier, shorter, and with different sculpted feet. The scope rail on HT is too high. Way too high. The HT has an issue on the right side of the blaster (the opposite part of the magazine), they are not glued where they should be and thus showing the holes in the barrel.

The ejector port is better shaped on SSC blaster and also better weathered (I painted the HT with silver but will go more metal grayish in the future). The SSC blaster I have here doesn't have the best ejector port weathering either though - some others I own are better. The magazine is longer on the SSC and shorter on HT, both are accurate so no problem. Magazine cylinders are very similar, so are the Hengstler counters. Both blasters have the same way of extending the folding stock - we've never seen this in movies, but cool to have nevertheless, since it is a feature the original Sterling Mk4 L2A3 has. The SSC folding stock back plate has better detailing with the hole on each side just like a real Sterling.

In the end I think the SSC E-11 is better (10), but HT is pretty good too (9). Both are much better than Marmit (6) or Medi (7) Stormtrooper blasters, that's why all my figures have now SSC E-11 blasters including my Medis and Marmits. The last thing I'll mention is that for the SSC Snowtrooper the E-11 shouldn't come with cylinders or Hengstler counter, it should be a bare blaster something like the Master Replicas E-11 version.

 

[demorathis]

Ok, had some free time since it rains, and took a few pictures of the two 1:6 Stormtrooper E-11 blasters from Hot Toys and Sideshow. The blaster on top is HT and the one below is SSC. They are very similar in appearance, I have a hunch HT copied it from SSC, or back then when they helped SSC with their Stormtrooper figure, they had their hands involved in making this as well.

The difference lays in some details like scope, scope rail, t-tracks, magazine, magazine ejector port, folding stock back/shoulder plate, and weathering. The SSC scope is clearly sculpted after an M38/M40 Sherman tank scope with rounded foot, as for the HT seems it is made after an M19 - but this way it should have been a bit bulkier, shorter, and with different sculpted feet. The scope rail on HT is too high. Way too high. The HT has an issue on the right side of the blaster (the opposite part of the magazine), they are not glued where they should be and thus showing the holes in the barrel.

The ejector port is better shaped on SSC blaster and also better weathered (I painted the HT with silver but will go more metal grayish in the future). The SSC blaster I have here doesn't have the best ejector port weathering either though - some others I own are better. The magazine is longer on the SSC and shorter on HT, both are accurate so no problem. Magazine cylinders are very similar, so are the Hengstler counters. Both blasters have the same way of extending the folding stock - we've never seen this in movies, but cool to have nevertheless, since it is a feature the original Sterling Mk4 L2A3 has. The SSC folding stock back plate has better detailing with the hole on each side just like a real Sterling.

In the end I think the SSC E-11 is better (10), but HT is pretty good too (9). Both are much better than Marmit (6) or Medi (7) Stormtrooper blasters, that's why all my figures have now SSC E-11 blasters including my Medis and Marmits. The last thing I'll mention is that for the SSC Snowtrooper the E-11 shouldn't come with cylinders or Hengstler counter, it should be a bare blaster something like the Master Replicas E-11 version.

View attachment 182702

View attachment 182704

View attachment 182705

Thanks for that! I see what you mean about the rounded foot and the misplaced strips on the hand guard, etc....very cool

And in terms of the stormtroopers themselves, I agree the hot toys versions are most impressive....had they the artists who worked at marmit from 95 it'd be the perfect storm! But I am satisfied nonetheless and they've done an excellent job...
As a vader collector, it's times like this I am compelled to get more than 4 stormtroopers....but I may settle for the 3 I have....considering the others coming out!

 

[ZE_501]

Thanks for the detailed breakdown, Sergiu.

The SSC also appears to be slightly closer to scale (by around 0.2mm or so...I posted measurements somewhere back in this thread) but that's something maybe only a trained goldsmith would see. It just looks that much more "right" in their hands when compared to screen shots, and I think the big reason for that is the exposed holes and high rail on the HT.

 

[TaliBane]

Thanks for all the input, guys! It's always so impressive when I see the depth of knowledge on here.

 

[Aliaz]

Thanks for all the input, guys! It's always so impressive when I see the depth of knowledge on here.

Agreed. Very interesting to read.

 

[Matt S]

I did pull out my SSC weapons and they do seem a tad more in scale than the HT one. The HT one looks smallish......but they are very close

 

[ZE_501]

I did pull out my SSC weapons and they do seem a tad more in scale than the HT one. The HT one looks smallish......but they are very close

Really? The Hot Toys is actually larger by a small margin...

 

[Matt S]

Really? The Hot Toys is actually larger by a small margin...

Maybe its the giant HT hands then...I dunno but too my eyes, the HT one just looks smaller when in a two handed grip

 

[ZE_501]

Maybe its the giant HT hands then...I dunno but too my eyes, the HT one just looks smaller when in a two handed grip

"Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them."

I measured them with a digital Vernier gauge. The SSC is definitely smaller.

 

[Matt S]

"Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them."

I measured them with a digital Vernier gauge. The SSC is definitely smaller.

That's interesting. And I have no doubt its me. But I am surprised...........

 

[ZE_501]

That's interesting. And I have no doubt its me. But I am surprised...........

There is a slight possibility there was variance in the SSC E-11 production pieces. I've seen it in Marmit helmets and other plastic toys, and now that I think of it, some SSC E-11s really did look more bulky than other SSC blasters...

 

[Pixelpiper]

If these figures were made by the prop department at Lucasfilm, then no two would be the same.

 

[ZE_501]

If these figures were made by the prop department at Lucasfilm, then no two would be the same.

It was like...the '70s man.

 

[joda76]

Finally opened this up. It really is a great figure!

 

[bransen2099]

Did this for Star-Lord but thought I share it here

 

[jkno]

It was like...the '70s man.

Exactly. Lower budget compared to other films at that time and still they managed to bring to life some of the most iconic characters of all time. Stormtroopers included.

 

[TaliBane]

Star Wars cost $8 million to produce in 1977. That same amount adjusted for inflation to 2015 dollars is $31.5 million. Avengers 2 cost nearly $300 million.

 

[jkno]

Exactly

 

[momaw]

Star Wars cost $8 million to produce in 1977. That same amount adjusted for inflation to 2015 dollars is $31.5 million. Avengers 2 cost nearly $300 million.

With less convincing effects.