-=Salute=-

Greetings from the Recon Office.

Only a little news from my off this week.

RA Shay'la has contacted ex-ROA Major Loor and he has given Shay'la all codes and items related to the RO Website. She is now in full control of the site and plans alittle change.

She has also contacted AD Zsinj and is working with him on updating and possibly improving the Recon Office's Convention Database. Hopefully thease two projects will be in full swing within a week or two.

The letters/interviews (atleast the first set) is going out either tomorrow or the next day. We have approval on both so we are finally getting them off. I will draw up the next 5 lucky actors/actresses this week too. Hopefully we can get this to be a bi-weekly or atleast monthly process. Keep your fingers crossed.

Last thing.. I have been looking at the RO Banner on the EH News page.. and it's kinda outdated. I am thinking of running an EH-wide comp in a week or two to see if we can get a better one. If that's okay with the FC and XO that is. ;)

That's it from me, Time for your weekly dose of SW News..

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~* Collectings *~

Hasbro Sneak Peek from Wizard World 2003

Hasbro continues their summer Star Wars toy convention tour at the Wizard World Convention in Chicago today. For those unable to attend, we have a sneak peek at new items that will be revealed there. Click here to see a picture of them.

New Basic Figures :

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Coruscant Night Club
Includes a bar glass and part of the Night Club bar. Available around the end of the year.

Elan Sleazebaggano
Also includes a bar glass, death stick container and part of the Night Club bar. Obi-Wan and Elan's bar segments (sold separately) can interconnect to re-create the Outlander Club banter from Clones. Available around the end of the year.

Ayy Vida, Coruscant Night Club
Also from the Outlander Club, Ayy comes with a bar stool and cocktail glass. Available around the end of the year.

Clone Wars Kit Fisto
Kit is ready for underwater battles! He comes with a lightsaber and will be available around the end of the year.

Clone Wars Saesee Tiin
Comes with a lightsaber and communications headset so he's ready to pilot a Jedi Starfighter into battle. Also available around the end of the year.

Hoth Trooper
Comes with a blaster rifle, communications pack and display stand. Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.

R-3PO
Also comes with a display stand. Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.

Luke Skywalker, Hoth Attack
Comes with a lightsaber, goggles and part of the Wampa's cave. Plus Luke's base interconnects with the Wampa's base (each sold separately) to recreate their life-and-death struggles. Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.

New Deluxe Figures:

Wampa
This new creature figure features new torso articulation and comes with part of his ice cave and a tauntaun part. As mentioned above, the Wampa's base connects with the Luke Skywalker Hoth Attack figure (each sold separately) to recreate the scene. Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.

General Rieekan
The General comes with a tactical display map. Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.

C-3PO
Features an escape pod that can fit him and R2-D2 (sold separately). Available around the end of 2003 / beginning of 2004.


Vader Invades U.S. while Greedo Busts Out

When Koto, Inc. released this striking 1:7 scale soft vinyl kit in Japan last year with little fanfare this side of the Pacific, it took a groundswell of buzz from the online collector forums to bring this gem to the attention of the Star Wars collecting community. It became an instant hit among collectors and fans alike, quickly draining the inventories of many major importers. For those who missed it, Dark Horse Comics has stepped up and closed the geographical gap to bring us this masterfully sculpted Dark Lord of the Sith. Beckoning confrontation, this dramatically imposing figure stands 13" tall and bears full homage to the elegance of his sinister design. It's sure to please both figure collectors and admirers of cinema's most celebrated villain.
Darth Vader is the first of a series of figures already released by Koto (Kotobukiya) in Japan, including a clonetrooper, Jango Fett, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and a Mace / Yoda combination kit which follow the dramatic tradition established by the Vader figure. Exciting times are ahead for fans of this popular series as Dark Horse works on plans to bring these items to a broader audience.
The Darth Vader figure comes packaged in a large window box, and will be priced at $99.99. Because of its new domestic distribution, this price is relatively low compared to what fans have been paying to import the figure directly from Japan. This kit is scheduled to be available December 3.

Meanwhile, Dark Horse continues the tradition of distributing the quality Gentle Giant mini-busts with a new release. Greedo, the first in a long line of bounty hunters introduced to Star Wars fans, is making his Gentle Giant debut on November 12. Using cutting-edge technology of three-dimensional scanning, Gentle Giant Studios scans the actors, models, costumes, and props to assure 100% realism, making these statues the closest one can come to owning a piece of the Star Wars universe.
Greedo will measure 6.5" tall, and retail for $45. You may want to shoot first if you want to take this famous Rodian home!


Update From The Floor
As reported by Rebelscum.com

"We've updated our Wizard World coverage with new images from the Hasbro booth. Stop by our Hasbro Gallery now for images of the latest basic and deluxe figures announced for later this year!"


Blue Clone Troopers In Chicago
As reported by Rebelscum.com

The Gentle Giant Blue Clone Trooper mini-bust (a Lieutenant ranking in the Clone Trooper army) will be making an appearance at Wizard World this weekend in Chicago. Distribution of the bust will be handled a bit differently than what they did at the recent San Deigo Comic Con, however.

For the first several days of Comic Con, those who were willing to wait in the line could generally expect to snag a bust (it was about two per person the first day, and one per person after that). Supplies at Wizard World won't be quite so plentiful, so the method of distribution will be a little different.

According to the Gentle Giants booth, the Clone Troopers will be raffled off. One ticket per person, and that ticket is good for the whole show. Drawings will take place each day at 3 o'clock. The winner will be allowed to purchase a single mini-bust, and must be present with their winning ticket by the close of the show on the day the ticket was drawn.

Difficult to get, but a fair method just the same. Good luck to attendees hoping to walk away with one of the 1000 busts!

Update: We just got word that there will only be 25 busts available for purchase today (Friday). Still waiting to hear on the other two days, though the numbers are very likely going to be similar...



~* Books & Comics *~

November 2003 Comics

Jungle Vader, alternate Return of the Jedi plots and female Dark Jedi: here's a look at what Star Wars fans can expect from Dark Horse Comics this November.

After the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader attempts to make it to an Imperial safe haven in his crippled TIE fighter, only to crash land in a savage wilderness. Forced to make his way on foot, attacked by ferocious native carnivores, Vader shucks off the restraints of Imperial order and Sith schemes and embraces his raw, wild power. Star Wars: Empire #15 delivers a rare view of Vader like you've never seen him before. The story is written by Paul Alden and Raul Trevino, and features cover art byFrancisco Ruiz Velasco. Star Wars: Empire #15 is scheduled for release in November.

The third installment of Infinities, a series that asks the question, "What would happen if you changed one little thing from the story in the film?" takes on the plot of Return of the Jedi. In this version, an accident puts C-3PO out of commission, and he is unable to act as Jabba the Hutt's interpreter during his negotiations with Leia (disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh) for her "prisoner" Chewbacca. One misunderstanding leads to another, and before they realize it, thermal detonators are flying and everybody's shooting! When the smoke clears, Boba Fett has reclaimed Han Solo's frozen body, Leia has commandeered Jabba's sail barge, and Luke is going to be late for an important rendezvous on Dagobah. Star Wars: Infinities - Return of the Jedi #1, the first in a series of four, is written by Adam Gallardo, Ryan Benjamin and Saleem Crawford, and features cover art by Rodolfo Migliari, and is scheduled for release on Nov. 12.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive, but maybe not for long. He and Alpha, the ARC trooper, are prisoners in the castle of the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. Not knowing how the Republic forces on Jabiim are faring, or even if Anakin is still alive, Obi-Wan and Alpha make a bid for freedom. But their only chance lies in General Kenobi temporarily casting off his Jedi training and fighting Ventress with the same ruthlessness that she herself brings to the battle!Star Wars: Republic #60 is written by Haden Blackman and Brian Ching, with cover art also by Ching, and is scheduled for release on Nov. 19.

For more information about Dark Horse Comics, visit their official website here.


A Galaxy Not So Far Away

In honor of Star Wars' 25th anniversary last year, a book was put out called A Galaxy Not So Far Away: Writers and Artists on Twenty-Five Years of Star Wars. It features a collection of essays by some semi-famous faces on how Star Wars impacted their lives, and how it's affected our culture as a whole. Amazon.com called the book "a pleasure to read and an interesting foray into the passionate media culture surrounding the Star Wars universe." If this sounds interesteing to you, it can be ordered here.


Matthew Stover Internet Radio Interview

The guys from SW en Direct, an internet radio talkshow formerly hosted on sithclan.net, will be having a LIVE interview with Matthew Woodring Stover, this Sunday, August 10th at 2pm Eastern (that's 11am Pacific, 7pm if you're in the UK, or the early hours of Monday, August 11th at 4am if you're in Sydney).They will be talking about his Clone Wars novel, Shatterpoint, and also his New Jedi Order novel, Traitor. If you have any questions for Matt Stover, just send them by e-mail to swlive@hotmail.com.To listen to the show, when they are “On the Air”, just click on the “ECOUTER SWENDIRECT” button at the top left corner of their website. WinAmp is the suggested listening device.
NOTE: This is a french-Canadian show and only the interview will be entirely in English.



~* Games *~

Galactic Conquest Mod for Battlefield 1942 Released

The first build of the Star Wars “Galactic Conquest” mod for Battlefield 1942 has been released. It's 293.7mb and is available to download at Jolt.co.uk and FilePlanet.You can discuss it with other gamers in the forums in this link. Thanks Jeff, Vesp and Vezner for the alerts.


Rebel Strike Bonus Disc Announced

LucasArts has officially confirmed on IGN a bonus disk for the upcoming GameCube title, Rebel Strike. Only available if you pre-order the game ahead of its release, the disc will feature a host of bonus material including a game demo of Rebel Strike and the previous title in the series, Rogue Leader, plus Gladius and (here's the big one) the original Star Wars arcade game, fully emulated. Now that's something worth waiting for. More on this soon.



~* TCG, CCG & RPG *~

Star Wars CCG Rulings Q&A

The 2003 Star Wars:CCG World Championships are fast approaching. Only three weeks remain, and we know that all of you are busy gearing up your latest and greatest decks. However, we also know from past experience that a lot of you are going to incorporate combos that may hinge on questionable interpretations of the rules and card texts. In an effort to avoid such problems at the Star Wars CCG's most important event of the year, Greg Anderson, SW:CCG Rules Advocate, will be hosting a 90 minute Q&A session on Decipher's Star Wars Gameplay Messageboard. This will be held at 5:30 PM EDT on August 14, 2003 and will run until 7:00 PM EDT. As was the case last year, 'Rules theory' will not be entertained. All questions must relate to specific cards or combos. Then, based on the questions asked during the Q&A, Greg expects to publish a new Rule Sheet on August 19, so that everyone has at least a week to look it over before Day 1.

We hope to see you there!
The Player's Committee Advocates


Equipment and Stormtrooper Net.Guides

The Star Wars Online Journal is hosting two Net.Guides for the players of the SWRPG D20. They are the Arms and Equipment Guide Supplement and the Net.Guide to Stormtroopers. Both are created by the community for the community. The .pdf files can be found here.


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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
CA:RO Tiny Report

Well there is not much for me to say but the RO webpage has been updated. I am planning on adding some sections and maybe refresh it a little bit. I will get to work on the convention database soon and shall keep it up and running the best I can.

It's tiny and it's all from me!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Non-EH Site of the week:
http://forums.starwars.com/thread.jsp?forum=3&thread=130362

And that wraps it up for my end. I'll see you guys next week!

-=SALUTE=-

-- Reconnaissance Office Staff --

((((((((((((O#O))))))(ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ>
RO/AD "Six" Joe/CS-12/SSSD Sovereign
IC/GOE/GS/BSx3/PCx2/ISMx6/MoI/MoT-1gh/MoC-6BoC-7SoC-4GoC-27PoC-3DoC/CoL/CoB/OV-5E
[DRAG]

CA:RO/RA Shay`la DuKahn Ludsorkim/CA-12/SSSD Sovereign
PC/ISMx3/CoL/LoA/OV-2E {IWATS-GFX-ICQ-IIC/1/2-M/1/2-PHP-PHP-SM/2-VBS}

ROA/AD Zsinj/SSSD Sovereign
IC/GSx3/SSx6/BSx2/PCx2/ISMx5/MoT-3rh-1gh-3bh/IS-1SR/LoC-IS-CSx4-Rx3/DFC-BW-Rx2/MoC-6BoC-9SoC-6GoC-12PoC-19DoC/CoS/LoAx5/OV-4E [GLDR] {IWATS-CBX-ICQ-IIC/1/2/3-M/1/2-R-SM/1/2-TM-TT-VBS-XTT}