What does the Joes and Cobra forces need? After looking at the 2010 Toy Fare photos, I now have some thoughts to share with everyone.

In another thread I wrote "I don't see Cobra marching into a city, taking the highways, occupying large open spaces like an airfield with Alley Vipers. I see that more for regular troops with HISS's, Stingers, and even STUN's." I see Alley Vipers moving around in places like NYC where there are lots of tall, brick buildings, fire escapes, dark and narrow alleys between the firewalls of old buildings, warehouse battles, railyard battles, Alley Vipers securing or protecting quays at a port city. I don't see them very well roaming around NYC or New Orleans, or Chicago with a Rage. It's so wide. I don't see Alley Vipers roaming around a narrow European city with streets as old as medieval times. Or streets like those in Bangkok, or those of Guatemala City. It's so wide and ground clearance isn't very great.

Urban warfare in my mind has a lot of cornors, narrow spaces, and rubble. What I want to see are vehicles that can fare well in an urban environment. For instance, an armored Ferret. Or something more futuristic like a mini-tank. Or even a mini-tank on legs.

What I liked about GI Joe when it first started was the attention to vehicle designs that could actually be. The VAMP with remote operating guns is not that far fetched. Helicopter pilots, like those of a COBRA attack helecopter has the ability to aim the gun remotely via the helmet. A HAL is more far fetched, but still for it's size to be believable to be designed by some secret government project.

So, what I want to see truly are futuristic stuff, but practical. Things that could be 10 or 20 years from now. It seems more robotic and A.I. type stuff are coming about today. UAV's exist now. Talk is of more advanced UAV fighters. Cobra has BAT's. How about BAT like vehicles, such as T-1's. I'm glad the HISS has done away with a man in the turrent. I never did like an unprotected gunner.

What I also want to see are more interchangeable weapons. Classic HISS's with other weapon systems besides a cannon. Missile pods, gattling gun, combinations being added to a HISS. The 2010 HISS has these holes like the Rhino does, which I imagine are for adding weapons. So I guess that's good.

And what about the Firebat? It used to have a Terror Drome for launching. How it's gonna launch now without one? There needs to be a trailer to tow a Firebat to location and launch it.

So, if I had my way, I would arm my Cobra espcially with mini-tank like robot walkers. Larger versions to take a driver. Interchangeable weapons, and the ability to load up cargo.

And lastly, the Joes do need a good advanced attack chopper. Something like Airwolf. The new Dragonfly doesn't cut it for me. It looks last century. The Dragonhawk would be good.

Anyway, that's enough for now. ;-)


.

__________________
*~~~{==========- Death at Midnight -==========}~~~*