A new version of the Republic Commando maquette is here! And like a bad version of Casablanca, they're colorized!

Okay, maybe a squad of Republic Commandos don't fit everyone's definition of beauty, but to me, they represent skill, loyalty and the bonds of brotherhood.

I'm not even talking about the squad ethos-- I'm thinking about the team that developed the game. Every time I see these guys I think back to the hard work and creativity of LucasArts' Republic Commando team.

The colorization came from a suggestion by George Lucas, but the team decided on the various paint jobs. A few of us came up with the core personalities and the artists went to town, creating custom paint jobs that were appropriate for each member.

For "Boss," the highly-visible red chevrons. They say "I'm in charge, and if you feel brave enough, target me." I also like to think maybe he's referencing the Corellian bloodstripes peripherally.

Scorch wears the "danger yellow" scheme. Like a wasp or poisonous snake, his paint says "warning, step back."

Fixer, true to his persona, wears an understated green. The blue-green part of the color wheel suggests calmness and grace under pressure, and that's Fixer all the way. He's not flashy, he's not concerned with his appearance, he's just doing his job.

And finally, we have Sev. There's really no explanation necessary: blood-red hand print, smeared on his helmet. Classy.

Republic Commandos-- gotta love 'em. (I'm still on the lookout for a Scorch 3 3/4 at my local Target, but evidently children keep buying them up to "play with." I've heard they even take them out of the boxes! Please explain this concept to me.)