This is an example of Hasbro creating a new sculpt and then squeezing every possible penny out of it.  From a business perspective, there’s certainly nothing wrong with this, and it makes perfect sense.  From a collector perspective, we have to ask ourselves if the deep cuts that inspired the later uses of the sculpt inspire us to buy them.  In this case, we have the excellent (but not perfect) Advanced Recon Commando.  Hasbro first used it for the 2020 convention exclusive 501st Legion ARC Troopers.  That set was delayed, since the conventions were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  I loved the set, because of my 501st focus collection, but I recognized the near-fatal flaw in the kama, which used too-hard plastic, and limited the range of motion of the legs.  Otherwise, the sculpt was amazing.  Of course, Hasbro re-released each of the 3 figures in the mainline as VC172 Fives, VC176 Echo, and VC250 Jesse.  Hasbro then re-used the sculpt to create 3 repaint looks based on the Battlefront II video game.  The characters were unnamed, and unless you had played the game, you probably had never seen them, let alone had any connection to them.  These included the VC235 ARC Trooper, VC236 ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker), and VC237 ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative).  Now, we are getting 3 more, but unlike the BFII figures, these are once again named characters sourced to The Clone Wars.  Joining Havoc, will be VC276 ARC Commander Colt, and VC282 ARC Commander Blitz.

Havoc, Colt, and Blitz were featured in the 2-episode arc that launched season 2 of TCW (although they were supposedly separated in the official timeline, as the episodes were not created/aired in chronological order.  Colt was the commander Rancor Battalion, with Havoc and Blitz (and another ARC named Hammer) being additional members of this unit.  The episodes showed them as ARC troopers wearing experimental Phase 2 armor, and they were responsible for training the clone cadets on Kamino, and then were called upon to defend Kamino against a Separatist attack led by Grievous and Ventress.  Havoc was killed by Aqua Droids that had breached the walls of Tipoca City.

Each character had different color flashes on their uniforms, although they were apparently all part of the same unit.  Notably, there was another clone trooper named Havoc who served in Tango Company during the episode “Brain Invaders” where parasites hijacked their bodies.  However, this seems to be a different character altogether, even though the hairstyle and facial hair are a close match. 

As for the figure, we’ve already seen it 6 other times so far, so we know it well.  It’s a tremendous sculpt, with great detail, articulation, paint apps and several accessories - 2 pistols, a blaster, a rifle, a removable helmet with articulated range finder, and a removable backpack/pauldron.  The figure would be nearly perfect, although the aforementioned kama is a bit of a killer when it comes to the range of motion for the legs.  I would have hoped that Hasbro could have switched to soft goods for these later releases, but it’s not to be.  It’s too bad, because the ARC’s are pretty awesome.

I’ll keep the score of a 9/10, although I’m tempted to lower it to an 8.  I specifically gave the 501st ARC’s a 9/10, stating that I gave a bonus because of my love of the 501st.  However, since I carried this through with the BFII ARC’s, I guess I’ll keep it.  However, it’s a weak 9, and in a few years, if they continue to release this sculpt without a soft goods update, I may have to penalize it a point.  Hasbro has been warned.