A picture taken today:
Below here is in what must be 1996. Except for the WHALE and the HQ, all the other vehicles have been traded and sold away. Interesting in that I did not place the L.A.W. in this picture? But one can see my make-do Stargate All-terrain Cruiser taking the place if the AWE striker. On the couch, though, the HQ has a decent sized foot print.
Just typing the title in makes me feel this thing is old...1983, wow! The above picture is from maybe 1994 or 1995, I think. I used a cardboard poster backer underneath and balanced it on the shelf top.
Of my G.I.Joe collection, this is one of my oldest things, an original item that has been in my possession since as long as I can remember!
Back in the day of true play, I used the WHALE hovercraft as an HQ about as much as the HQ itself. The HQ took up a good amount of space, and set up time, at least it seemed like it. The L.A.W. often became a bit of a base at times, too. Of course, with only about a dozen good guys and bad guys, the weapons trays were utilized; still have the code-names on the side on masking tape labels from around 1988-89 or so.
As the force grew, the HQ became a little more crowded. It's never been on a shelf-set-up long, like most all the vehicles I've had, although, I sort of would have liked to. I think having it set up I wanted to have good access to all the playing points, like, I could put it on a big shelf, but, driving a vehicle in wouldn't work. Turning it around, well, then Cobra wouldn't be able to front assault it.
It's really a floor-playing item. Of course, being the older person I am, leaving it on the floor I'm not comfortable with. Not in the open floor of a house with many people. I'm too afraid of it getting stepped on or tripped over.
Plus it is getting old. The jail cell front wall sections have had broken slider tabs for as long as I can remember, and some tabs are showing wear on other sections. I don't think it's a fragile-delicate piece where it's gotta be packed in bubble wrap, but it won't stand up to "rugged play." at least I don't think so.
This base could use a back wall, too, in my opinion. I think I, like many other fans, have used the Mobile Command Center or a '92/'00 HQ, or something similar, as a back wall. A 360* perimeter of action, essentially.
Nowadays, I have a deep enough figure pool where I can really afford to have the HQ manned by its own team. However, as far as stations of action go, the 1983 HQ was really built as an action outpost. With 2 seats at the computer station, and room for a few Joes to stand in that area, that area fills up quick. The main cannon and upper deck fills up fast, too, and the jail only needs a couple guards at most. I like the generator, too, many sabotage missions attempted...
Past that, it's a real come and go base of action. The vehicles can hunker down in the bays and get repaired while being used to fight back! And if no vehicles, all the rifles can be hanging on the walls. I've only really used these because they were there, just to see the rifles hanging there...only to get knocked down when a vehicle is placed in there.
The file card holder bay was more a storage area for weapons, or for hiding all smuggler-style in the event of emergency invasion-assault. The jail bunks were also used as a medical bay, and r-n-r room; hot-racking indeed.
I have this all packed up right now. I would like to have it out, and I did for a short while on a board, but, it just sat there. I would like to set it up on a HUGE board where I can have access all around it and have room for all the various battle stations to be placed in proximity. Of course I would like to have the Terrordrome in my possession in a similar arrangement someday, too.
Edit, new development! Well, more like I wanted to bust this thing out since it was in a box right next to me. It's been packed up since the past February, essentially. I set it up, and snapped some pictures, which I'm not the happiest with. I was thinking I should make a header with my HQ, as my blog is titled, "Icebreaker's HQ." I then thought I should put in some of my "command staff." I may re-think this whole idea.
