One part of that "real-life" aspect that was part of the GIJoe team was that the only Coast Guard member on the GIJoe team was Cutter. (I wanted to have Marine, Navy, Air Force each represented.) Originally, Cutter did not make my team..., well, he made my "B" team. In the end at that time, some figures were swapped into my 28-man "A" team selections, but Cutter did not make it (it was close). I think it was the removal of the WHALE that led me to let Cutter go at that time. Plus, my "security forces" were no longer, and the D.E.F. was more or less broken up in the process, but most importantly my "sea squad" was all but wholly decimated.
However, Cutter is a figure/ character from my original back-in-the-day days, as well as still being the only Coast Guard originating GIJoe member. Those are two criteria that weigh strong with me, but this figure of Cutter is going to be a little altered so he isn't stuck in his PFD and can more effectively fit in. So, Cutter is back, .... but someone has to leave.
And that someone is going to be Steamroller. I lose my "local" character in a sense, but since I am not using "big" armor in my motor pool any more, I think a "heavy equipment operator" and "armor" character is not going to be a versatile character figure for the team (despite it being a good figure). I think Heavy Duty and Wild Card can supplant these skills.
Plus, I'm going to reverse on my no water adventures decision just a little, but on a smaller scale. No WHALE, but the smaller craft, the Devilfish will fit alongside my other smaller vehicles. It can actually be towed by them, too. (And it can be deployed anywhere via my imaginary C-130.)
I am also considering bringing back some other characters as I've re-evaluated my motor pool. This is why the post is called the "weak links."
Right now, and this can all change, these are the three figures I feel are the weakest.
Repeater is decent figure, but sentiment may be the thing keeping him enlisted. I have my Roadblock figure that I totally dig, as well as my Rock & Roll figure that originally moved Repeater to a side seat back in the day. I've already questioned whether I need three machine gunners, too.
Hit & Run is a GIJoe figure I got from my "best bud" back in the day. I think the "need" of an infantry trooper is possibly ably filled by Recoil and Big Ben. Even with the small team approach, Hit & Run just hasn't been a "go-to" guy.
Downtown is there, too. In some ways, I wanted to emulate that whole "original 13" GIJoe team line up in my picks. Like Infantry, Commando, Ranger, Machine Gunner, etc. Well, Downtown IS Mortar Soldier. Downtown has a great sculpt form, it is a really solid figure, too. I just haven't used the guy, but I do think he might be the stronger of the three in that he IS the mortar guy. Since my team isn't using big artillery these days, I think Downtown can bring in some extra help in that respect, but he is on the "weak links" list here because I haven't felt him shine in many other ways as a character.
Who would you pick to leave out of these three as the weakest link?