Since I've been moving stuff around a little bit in the basement lately, I've wanted to play with some Joes. I took my X-30 out of storage for the first time since April '10 and then that's when I decided to play a little with that and share some thoughts and photos here on the blog with you. The Night Rhino, however, has been out almost always since I got it. I consider this vehicle more in the "new" era of Joes, but it's getting on 10 years old already!
This Night Rhino is something I probably could have bought, but passed on it, back when it was on the shelf. It probably wasn't until a couple years after these were all sold from the market that I decided I wanted one. I traded an '85 Moray Hydrofoil for this one.I tell ya guys, this is one ugly vehicle. There is nothing stylish here, and I bet that is why the original name of this vehicle is the 1988 Warthog. I already forgot they had this convention version, too, but it doesn't add much as nice as it is.
But over the years it has made the cut, surviving my motor pool reduction. Where it comes up short in sleek looks, I think it makes up for it in sheer usefulness. It's a tank, it's amphibious and does float, it's an A.P.C., and it has an engine cover, hatches, and a tow hook!
As I take a close look at this machine now, I really notice how all the details are topside. The whole top deck is where the action is, and I suppose that is fitting considering that this is an amphibious assault vehicle. Being amphibious is another reason why I chose to keep this vehicle, as my Joes are on the move, this transport complements the WHALE and the Tomahawk nicely in the big assault picture. The old '83 A.P.C. is a vehicle I had, but loading up 28 Joes in a truck was a bit much, plus I thought that the Night Rhino had more action potential, sort of doubling as a tank; to a point.
As a tank, it has what I like most about tanks: hatches! I've got Cross Country and Steamroller operating this thing most of the time, as both those guys are heavy vehicle oriented and the Night Rhino is close to the biggest land vehicle I have left now. I've been putting Bazooka in with my vehicle teams a lot lately, and I think he fits great with the Night Rhino. A former tank driver turned anti-armor soldier works for me in the fairly lightly armed Night Rhino. If they happen to meet up with an M.B.T., I can totally see Bazooka stepping out with his anti-armor bazooka to zap it. Bazooka will probably be riding on top of this thing doing some fishing, anyway.
Like the Equalizer and Mean Dog, the Night Rhino has view ports. I like these details.
And an engine, even though it looks small, it's right up where I would expect to find it. Even though mechanical breakdowns are rare in my adventures, just for the play-option to have them through this included feature is nice.
This is no '83 A.P.C., it's a nice open area with seating for six. The bars work well enough for keeping figures in their seats securely, but getting guys situated in there is more work than the old pop-top of the '83 A.P.C. There are two windows or ports on either side door, and I would like to have better ability to have figures turn and take advantage of the "infantry fighting" part of A.I.F.V., perhaps Hasbro will retool this craft in 25th-style niceness?
It is kind of nice that it is open toward the sideways facing seat, too. It's kind of like the commanders seat, or the communications station. In some imaginary adventures, this is where I have had Dial-tone operating, while the Night Rhino serves as a mobile bunker rally point for the Joes on foot.
If there is one thing I don't get, is why no foot pegs on the side decks or on the rear bumper for added troop-carrying capacity? I know it is amphibious, and they would get wet, but did Hasbro forgo the addition of foot pegs so kids would not lose figures in the pool or on the beach; being they would all be safe inside?
The small gun on top is a little underwhelming, and the two top missiles are something I wouldn't mind a small turret in place of. Although, I do understand why the two missiles are there, in the next post, I hope to get some old FMC publications scanned and I'll see if you agree, but stay tuned for that.
Other than that, the smoke launchers are about the only outward battle action points on the Night Rhino.
The Night Rhino is not a front line solo vehicle, but I think it really adds in as a transport vehicle that supports the Joes go-anywhere missions. That's why I kept it. I sort of wish it would fit in the tank bay on my HQ, but can't have it all.
