to buy or not, Fury, Vamp, and others...

I like the Rage, and now the Fury is coming available, as is the new VAMP.

After reading thoughts on the new HISS, which really only came out a few weeks ago, I'm glad I didn't try harder to find it. I think it still looks cool, but if that smooth playability isn't there, I'm not sure I want to spend that much money on it... plus, if the black one is coming out at another time, I would rather have that...so no hurry on my part with the HISS.

With the Fury, though, I was kind of hoping it would match the HISS in color. In various early pictures on the internet it looked almost like both vehicles were the same color as the Snake TRAX, which I would have bought both these vehicles for that reason. As is, the Fury looks mostly purple in what has been posted in pictures. And that is just fine, I would like something to match my FANG II's.

Now, I had one old '90 Rage and two of the '98 Rages. All three really complete, and at the time, I think the "most" numerous of any one type of vehicle. While I really liked the '90, it was the first to go. I can't remember to whom or how I traded it. I wanted a more cohesive looking Cobra force, and since I had two Rages that were the same, I picked those. Eventually I think I sold them as I thought I found the Rage rather limited, and I wanted more HISS tanks. I think I was going for a more versatile traditional tank like selection for what I wanted to have; in some ways just a HISS-Stinger-ASP-FANG-like collection; simple. Unlike in the cartoon, I did could not imagine the Rage barreling over sand dunes.

The Rage was rather limited to its flat urban street environment. The wide stance of the vehicle is really a great design decision to spread its "weight," and allow for an even lower profile. I like the rather large array of weapons the Rage has, too. One pair of huge cannon, a pair of gatling cannon, several mines, an aircraft-grade-like rocket pod, four rockets, a nose "chin-gun," a battering ram/ brush guard, and two features I like: engine hatch and troop handle-bar. That's a lot of fun features. And it carried, what, nine figures with ease? A very fun fighting vehicle, and as I write this, I want to go buy the new FURY. The thing might just sit on the shelf, though, and it's probably got all modern sized foot pegs. And that's how it should be. It still looks pretty cool, though.

My Cobra-verse has been on the more covert side of vehicles, too. Where, with the exception of a few "named" Cobras getting ownership of a "big" vehicle each, I don't think I can think of a "named" Cobra that would need a Fury. My big vehicles are really vehicles that can go a big distance and carry a big load...like the Moray, or Hurricane. Each can cover a variety of areas in the sea or air and bring some destruction or other uses. The Fury would, in my imagination, be limited to flat urban areas, despite the new tires; it would "imagination-wise" get hung up a lot. Very cool vehicle, but, in my mind a very environment specific vehicle. And who would "own" it? My Vipers don't "own" anything and are mostly foot infantry.


Red undercarriage and yellow missiles or not, I think the VAMP looks pretty decent and fun to play with, it seems that it might handle some adventures under use by my 4 year old better than my 25th VAMP. And it would be more fun. I don't know if I want to incorporate the new VAMP into my Joe-verse, though. I'm not big on the tan vehicles. Even though I would like to have it all and more some day, I wanted to have more a green/ woodland camo force. It isn't really working, though; I may have more black and tans in the vehicle department overall (mean dog, night rhino, '01 AWE, tomahawk, etc.).



In my Joe-verse, mobility is my key motor pool issue. I have a dedicated small armored strike vehicle team, but would this new VAMP fit in? My Mean Dog is my LAV, the Night Rhino is my armored transport and battlefield tractor, and the Equalizer is the fast armored tank that counters everything from MBTs to aircraft. Each one of these can tow field support things like the Whirlwind and mountain howitzer to an operating forward location. Had my mobile battle bunker had a tow hook, it most likely would have stayed in this group. The 25th VAMP is the multi-purpose towing vehicle in this setting... it has four-wheel drive, and just enough armament to support the armored vehicles. If anything, the 25th VAMP is something that would mostly likely do perimeter scouting and provide transport for the mobile field pieces. Would the new VAMP add much to my current arrangement? This is a possibility... if it had doors I think it would very much fit with a bit of a light armor look.

Could the new VAMP replace the Mean Dog?

My AWE strikers are more the cavalry scout type vehicles. These guys are their own separate strike team in many ways, but could the new VAMP fit? I'm thinking not. While the new VAMP can carry more and bring a few more guys out in some 4wd action, it's more truck. The AWE strikers are lighter, faster. I can see my Tomahawk or even the Dragonfly lifting an AWE striker, not so much a VAMP. So, for my AWE Striker team, the new VAMP might not be the best fit, but I'll no doubt ponder this more. A classic VAMP fits better with an AWE anyway.

I'm not stressed out over buying toys, but, I'm not sure if I want to get these new vehicles. For now, I'll wait and see how different opinions are posted. I don't want to get something that might just sit on a shelf for no other reason than being somewhat cool.

I was hoping to get everything out for some pictures, too, this weekend, but doesn't look like that will happen. I wanted to set up everything, figures and vehicles in faction shots and all the divisions I've made. Oh well, later than sooner, I suppose.