Here's a small unit from 1985. I guess officially it is known as just, "Check point." (?!?) But I think most of us GIJOE fans always call it Check Point Alpha.This was also the name of primary discussion area on SgtSavage.com if I remember correctly, and currently JoeBattlelines. I think that's fitting, it's the big gate, the "alpha" point where GIJoe discussion kind of started.
As far as the actual toy goes, I only got this about 2009, and really didn't complete it (with the clipboard) until a little later in 2010. So, it is really new to me, and I think I got all I'm going to get out of it.
It's a neat little guard tower, even has a speed bump. Really, it matches the Transportable Tactical Battle Platform almost perfectly in color and style. I was really interested in building a big base layout with all the little sets like the Check Point. This was going to be the only way in or out of my HQ, but when it came to trying to actually put up a big layout with everything, there was really the issue of space. When it all gets laid out, for what I wanted it would have taken up a huge spot that I really don't have. (well, on a permanent basis, anyway.)
Because of the fact that I can't really get a big HQ base set up on permanent basis, I'm going to send this Check Point off for trade. The Check Point really seems more like something that would be the main gate guard post of a large installation, ya know?
Going forward with my collection, I'm thinking of taking my Joes into camping mode. Back to basics, on the move, a real mobile strike force that is out there in the action; not so much maintaining a large HQ. (not that my HQ was THAT large, but still...)
This kind of "explains" in my heads imaginative JoeVerse why the Check Point is not here anymore. I've got other things happening in my JoeVerse that will explain my "re-alignments" that I'll post about in upcoming topics.
The Check Point is a really nice set, though. My Security Team almost became the exclusive users of the tower. This alone shows me that I was building a big base in my thinking, where I should have the Security Team more focused in a law enforcement role, instead of being like guards. Not that the HQ doesn't need guards, but the Security Team is much more fun in action, somewhat like urban missions. I'm thinking like Shockwave doing his S.W.A.T. thing.
