Night Rhino

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.

GIJoe Mean Dog

Here is my GIJOE Mean Dog, the Mean Dog being a vehicle from 1988. Being from 1988, it falls into that post-'86-era where it's a vehicle that just doesn't seem like a very popular, or at least discussed on line, vehicle.
I think it was about 2002 when I traded a Sand Razor for this beast. I think I had a figure or two to up my end of that trade, but at least vehicle-wise, I came out on the better end of the deal. At least I think so.
Now, also, I think many out there in the Joe world of collectors may pass this vehicle over, possibly since they may think more in lines with the Cobra Maggot, with that vehicle being another "separating" vehicle. Well, I had a Maggot for a few months, and I think play-wise and aesthetic-wise, the Mean Dog was a lot more fun. Let's take a walk around this thing in some pictures:

The seats are a little on the narrow side, a guy like Backstop doesn't slide into that center/ uppper seat very easy as he has the twin holster detail on him. But, really, the whole top opens up for access to this neat action area. There's even some space for gear flanking that center/ upper seat. I put some "leatherneck" M16 rifles to show this.
Exactly which of the two up front is driving, I'm not sure. Every other station is pretty easy to reason out which figure does what, except the front two. A little steering stick, sort of like the Tomahawk put in there would have been a fun feature!

What would have knocked the front turret design out of the park is a hatch cover!

Here everyone is pretty buttoned-up in that shell. Say what you may about the open slot front, but compared to "glass" canopies and open top gunner seats, the Mean Dog is looking like a better option to me.

I imagine the Mean Dog being a 6-wheel drive type of vehicle with two engines, one in back and one packed up front. The bigger engine is in the rear section, in my imagination, but everything is balanced out so each axle gets similar power, but in battle conditions, the power to just one axle can keep this machine moving! The whole thing turns in a similar fashion to the heavy dump trucks or large tractors that utilize the "articulated" steering. The actual joint that connects the two ends has a great range of motion that makes any imaginary off-road adventures possible. Unlike many GIJOE vehicles, I think steering is something that is a very important feature to take into account, even if it is "just a toy." The AWE striker, the Thunder Machine, and even the Desert Fox, are GREAT examples of how a GIJOE toy should have some semblance of a realistic operation. Tanks are easy to explain in plausible imagination.

Well, all this comes apart into three sections. I think of the splitting up of the vehicle as more of that of "independent redundant survivability systems." This battle vehicle is meant to get into the fight, stay, and survive. Up above there is the only little tab that has any stress on it on this Mean Dog. The gun stays pretty good even with the little bend on it. But otherwise the gun really just stands in there.
I don't usually separate these, and this picture is probably the 2nd time only that I deployed the balancing legs on that gun turret. That gun is BIG, no doubt about it, and it doesn't balance the best on its own.
The rear section becomes an rocket artillery unit by itself. That's 10 nice sized missiles and I think the rear section alone replaces the Wolverine in the order of battle.

Together, all these parts add a ton of action to the vehicle. Unlike, say, the Mauler, this thing has so many degrees of action, it is more like a baby Rolling Thunder. This Dog is ready for battle 360* around.
I think Thunder is one of the few Joes that might actually enjoy sitting in that station under a gun that big! Even in that spot, though, a figure sits a lot lower than many other GIJOE vehicles will allow.

The Mean Dog has seating for 5, but also has standing for two more on the back deck. And it has a tow hook. Having a tow hook was one of the reasons alone that this vehicle won out on staying in the collection when I started to draw down my motor pool a couple years back. However, at that time, I did not have a lot of towed weapons, just the Whirlwind. The tow hook on the Mean Dog is just a little bit lower, though.

I think I had trouble with the MMS, especially, as it dragged a bit, and even the Mountain Howitzer did, too.

But, it is nice that the tow hook is there. The whole back deck is interesting, too. One thing I've wondered is how other collectors and kids would imagine just how that HUGE gun is going to be lifted out of there and lowered to the ground? I would think a battle field crane would be needed, or do the two riders on the back get to figure that feat of engineering out?
I like the "tail light" details, and the flat bumper look, too. The missile boxes are very detailed, as well, having that little circle 'back blast' detail added in. And the boxes slide out and away from the main body, as well as turn the full 360* range!!
There's also ample detail and lift that gets the body up off the ground. So many modern vehicles will have the bare minimum detail, even 20-some years into the high-tech future on toys, so Hasbro designers: details, details, details!!

Even the bottom of that HUGE gun has some details. It could have been left flat, much like that NAC choppers chin gun, but someone had the passion to have fun and make the whole thing a lot more interesting back in the day!

All in all, this is a really nice battle vehicle that has many avenues of action. I'm considering sending it off actually as of this writing, but we'll see what I can get for it. The brown/ tan is the really only thing I can say I really don't care for at all. And the "separation" feature is something I don't really use.

X-30

The Conquest X-30 is my premier attack/ fighter jet here. The 1986 Conquest was my first Conquest (fun fact, that goop around the "eyes" on there is where I spilled fake blood on it back in the day). This version of the X-30 that I have is from 1998. While I never did buy the original Python Patrol Conquest, I did buy the 2003 version when that came out.

My original X-30 is a vehicle I had since at least 1987, but when I made my draw down on vehicles I decided one X-30 should be sufficient, so the other two had to go. Nostalgia got kicked in the knee with my decision to keep the 1998 release, though. The 1998 has a great coloring, black missiles, and little improvements that made the canopy connection hinge much better, as well as some refining in the landing gear.

I kept my original Slipstream, however. Here's a figure that has been more or less limited to being a pilot. I can't recall having him do much else, even back in the day. Decent enough, and he really fills my personal connection back to my original X-30.

Truth is, I bought the 2003 X-30 mostly for the Slipstream figure that was included with it. I don't know why. The sound attack on the 2003 X-30 really made me not want that plane, even though it does have a pretty nice camo style on it otherwise. The 2003 Slipstream is the active figure in my Joeverse, he's the pilot. Pair him up with Ace, the figure that came with that 1997 A-10 Jet and it really makes me wish for a two-seater X-30. As is, I'm considering trying to snag the new Skystriker coming out this fall so Ace will have a proper fighter. As much as I do not need another fighter.

But, I have to consider that I do have extra pilots around. I do have an X-19, but I'm considering trading that rebuilt craft in. And I do not have a Vector, nor am I about to get one, but I do have Ghostrider and Maverick available for some flight time. Perhaps a new Skystriker would be a good buy?


As much as I like a lot about the X-19, for me, my X-30 is small and fast enough to take on any air and ground opponents that may come up against it. I think with the X-19, it seems a little more "bomber" like. The cruise missiles in themselves could come from anywhere, that's a role the RPV could really fill in some aspects. Or even that imaginary attack sub just off shore that is able to assist the Joes on missions....

I think the little fighter, the X-30 is plenty good for my Joeverse. It has 4 missiles, 2 drop tanks for extended missions, but it still has that simple dogfighting aspect: guns! The twin nose guns are a detail that I've enjoyed, this bird is gonna get right up close to the action!

End of Winter

I think it is just about the end of winter here. We most likely could get another big drop of snow for even the next couple weeks, but if anything it will only amount to a fairly slushy mess. That means, the "winter operations" are coming to an end in the GIJOE world for me.

I didn't really get out into the snow with the Joes as much as I thought I would. We did take a couple figures out for some skiing adventures back when it was nice cold dry powder that we had packed out in the back yard. This was the first time I had put a GIJOE figure out in the snow, on skis. It ended up being more fun in my head than actual.

I did draw down on my vehicles, as I mentioned in previous posts, between 2005 and 2009 fairly heavily. "Arctic" vehicles were completely eliminated when I did this however I did pick up the "Wolf Hound" and Arctic Blast in the past few months. Now that it is getting more spring-like and sunny, I'm going to put these away.


I've gotten a fair number of cold weather/ arctic style Joes accumulated here. When they are all laid out there is a whole team in and of itself. Of course, there are still the "doubles" which I am going to keep for awhile. With the exception of the Frostbites (where I would easily keep version one), the other duplicated Joe characters are harder to pick just one to keep, while trading away the other.
As much as I do not need another green Rubbermaid case sitting on the pile of others, I'm going to try and see if I like keeping these separated from my usual "by year" storage arrangement. I'm going to add in all things arctic in this bin, both Joe and Cobra, as these guys are very much suited for their respective battle environments; they simply don't jive anywhere else for me. Except for Stalker (1989), he "could" mix it in a little farther south (or north) of the poles than the others, but I think he will be placed in the tundra exclusively here.


My whole two arctic vehicles are going to sit in the Rubbermaid with all the figures, too. This is really a "battle in a box" approach to storing/ organizing that I haven't taken. It seems obvious, so I'm going with it.

I might do this with the (more or less) naval style Joes as well. The old divers are very much more limited in my imagination to water adventures, however, some like Topside, Shipwreck, Cutter, Rampart, etc., are more adaptable in placement on land. And I don't really have any exclusive on-the-water-naval-battles occurring in my HQ, these are more coastal actions which may include coordination with a Tomahawk for beach assaults, coverts night landings off the WHALE, or downed aircraft rescue. Mutli-layered operations essentially, that include some other part of the GIJOE forces.
If I did separated it all out, as I did with the Winter Operations teams, I would have to squeeze a WHALE and a Hydrofoil into one Rubbermaid to make it worth the one-pull "battle in a box" organization idea. And this "battle in a box" organization idea could go across the board to my vehicle teams, perhaps one box armor, one box artillery, and another the "cavalry scouts?"

Really this might not all happen, yet. I'll see if I like having the arctic arena in a separate bin first. If it works out, then when I want to pull stuff out for a battle, it would be a little faster than thumbing through my figure-by-year file system in one set of bins, and then selecting vehicles, and enemies for the adventure to be had. If anything, it's the whole set-up process of getting stuff out that's really become almost a chore in itself!

Iron Grenadiers pt. 4 MARS invades!

MARS invades!!!
That's what happened at the 2005 GIJOE collectors convention. This was my first convention attended, and my first convention set purchase.

The set really pumped up my Iron Grenadier forces in number and firepower. In one fell swoop, Destro doubled the size of his force here.

The new "heavy" Iron Grenadier quickly outnumbered the two regular 1988 Iron Grenadiers I had at this time. I've only added 4 more 1988 Iron Grenadiers more recently from 2008-2009. Now, if you know the GIJOE club and how these sets go, it's all a mash-up of old parts for the most part. The "heavy" Iron Grenadier is mostly Cobra's old NIGHT VIPER. Nowadays, I'm a little less thrilled with original designs being re-used for the most part. On this Iron Grenadier, though, it hasn't bothered me as much. Mostly since I don't have a single Night Viper and never have. Night Vipers were expensive, and even at the convention in 2005, were probably some of the highest priced troop builders I've seen.

The heads are the same from the 2005 Iron Grenadier as they are from the 1988 Grenadier, and together the 2005 really looks like there is really a bit more combat gear layered on, the figures standing a little taller than the 1988 counter part.

The Iron Anvil is a neat take on the old 1994 Viper. The Iron Anvil kinked my plans to army build the 1994 Viper. Yes, it's a little more purple than blue, and a little more orange than red, but for me the 1994 Viper represented a more modern Cobra design for many years. With 6 new Iron Anvil troops around, I have decided to not use the 1994 Viper at all. In my Joe-verse, or my imagination, I chalk up the Iron Anvil uniform design as that of a design that Destro/ MARS was going to use to sell to Cobra....but (in my Joeverse) Cobra was decimated soon after the first uniforms were sent over (around 1994). The Iron Anvil design was shelved until General Mayhem came in and the troops that were not official Iron Grenadiers were assigned to the Anvils.


Since General Mayhem is three figures in one, and I have all those figures, the obvious use of body parts bugs me a little big here. Mayhem makes for a nice General, and the file card is kind of neat. Mayhem is staying around for now, but, maybe I'll let the Oktober Guard catch him in some imaginary battle some day. Needless to say, I think the box art is way better than the figure...had some other head been used with another helmet.... I think that would have been better.
Destro was in the set, but I decided to trade this version away. I don't have a Crimson Guard Immortal, but I was sort of planning on building up the Crimson Guard Immortal for quite some time. Getting all the '91's original accessories for that version 2 is going to be quite an endeavor, and will probably not happen. I think the Crimson Guard Immortal v2 is a very nice figure in that it not only has just enough "crimson" to be an elite trooper, but unlike the very ceremonial version 1 Crimson Guard figures, these v2 'blue' Immortals make for more visually realistic combat troopers. And with all that armor on them, this works great. But for 2005 Destro, it was a bit too much I think.

I didn't put Metal Head in any pictures. He's the 1994 figure straight repainted. It looks nice in the matching uniform department, but so does his 1990 version. I actually kind of like the 1990 version better, since as a tank destroyer and anti-armor specialist, he actually has the weapons to do it. The convention Metal Head really doesn't add much more to this character for me to like him better simply painted to match.

The 2005 GIJOE convention also is where we heard of Marauder, Inc. for the first time. For a few months just before the convention, I was buying single pack "new-sculpt" figures and others at retail mostly for the accessories. I think I mentioned that to "marauder" at the convention. I bought the "pulse rifle" first. Just one, but after messing around with the new Iron Grenadiers the first night after getting the convention set, that pulse rifle just fit well. I really liked it, and the next day, went back and got the 12-pack of "pulse rifles" and some singles of the first wave.
Since then, in later Marauder, Inc. waves, I've added the "NCM" rifle and the "modified" Sterling for use by Iron Grenadier forces. They've got just enough "sci-fi" feel to them for me, and really fit the cutting edge of arms that I think represent Destro to a "t."
For the most part, the MARS invades set really matches in with the 1988 crew quite well. As of this writing, the bulk of my Iron Grenadiers are now in the black, red, and gold, color scheme. Figures like the TARGAT and the Annihilator stand out among the crowd a bit more. I haven't used the gray convention set weapons much, though, except for the Iron Grenadiers leg rifle.

BONUS figures!!!

I had the 2006 GIJOE club Nullifer, two of them actually. I traded them off in my "no new-sculpts" phase, but they weren't too bad of figures. It was a nice way for the club to get more Iron Grenadier figures out there.
I think the better one is the clubs Undertow release. This is my last club figure that I got with the subscription membership. It is very nice and having it all complete is outstanding. However, now I have two very nice Undertow, each with a different coloring. I'm not likely to army build the divers any time soon, but which one would make THE Undertow to build?
Also, in my head, Destro has been a gold headed guy since 1988 in my head, is there any place in the stand alone army for a silver Destro? (and no, I don't "Alexander" in my Joe-verse.)

Iron Grenadiers pt.3

I totally dug the Iron Grenadier when it came out, and if you remember I dug it so much I bought a 2nd one. As a young kid, that's something that didn't happen for me much. It didn't stop with 1988 for the Iron Grenadiers, they had releases in 1989 and 1990.

Continued from part 2, since my original 1988 Iron Grenadier force of two Iron Grenadier troopers, I've slowly but surely been adding I.G. troops to my ranks as you've seen so far.

On the "new" front back in the day, it started with the T.A.R.G.A.T., and this figure became the rocket man of the bad forces. Heck, his backpack alone was fun enough to become its own little space ship. Over the years I've added 2 more "used" TARGATs to my ranks. I'll be straight, since getting more straight-line troops I haven't really used TARGATs much. They get Destro into space, actually becoming a part of the Star Brigade line up for Cobra. I did buy those but never opened them. In the end, Destro has troops in space....that don't even need a shuttle! That's efficiency. Where in 1988, the black, gold, and red played a part in visually connecting the Iron Grenadiers a little, 1989 really broke away with TARGATs black, BLUE, and red. Had the blue on these guys been all gold, I wonder how that would have affected their popularity?


Sometime in my younger days, I found a rather beat-up, missing everything but wheels, Awe striker ('85). That darn cartoon made me want that thing quite a bit, but in played-out form as I had it, it wasn't very fun. I think I traded it to another kid in town for an Evader (but this is where my memory starts to fuzz out, as I think I got a fairly stripped HAVOC around this time, too...). Either way, not the Evader pictured, though. I've actually had 3 Evaders total, and was on the path to "army building" them. The Evader is a neat little cycle, bizarre as it is.
I think Darklon might have came along in trade with the Evader, once again, memory isn't what it used to be. And Either way, that is the actual Darklon, whomever I got it from. I got trade help online to get the gun, and well....here's Darklon! He's Destro's Cousin. I've played this part, as Darklon is really a figure that seems to have gotten thrown in a fodder bin, and heck, even blown up in the Marvel comics. I like the guy well enough. Yet another move away from traditional 1988 Iron grenadier colors, but something about the figure says this guy is a little younger than Destro and not as well to do. Essentially a merc with his own small forces at one point.
The Annihilator also had one figure join my ranks early on back in the day. The helicopter backpack was already broke by the time it got traded over to me. After we moved back around 1991, I found myself in civilization! I think the first figure in the new place was an Annihilator...$2.89! With tax it was $3....man I miss Childrens Palace. This guy kind of puzzled me, where he is Destro's elite trooper, but, the Iron Grenadier is Destro's elite trooper, too. What I get from the file card that these are simply Iron Grenadiers with airborne assault training. What do you think? I've placed Annihilators in a few roles, even so far as comparing them to the Crimson Guard...., but then again, isn't a normal Iron Grenadier just as elite as a Crimson Guard?
On the Annihilators, I've often wondered why with twin holsters, there are no guns included? The TARGAT figures have this, too. Either way, I totally dig the I.G. gold buckle they have, further helping me place Destro as his own force.
And into 1990! 1990 is becoming a favorite year for me lately, there was just such a large amount of gear for figures, and really, there isn't that much in loud neon colors :) .
So, here's Metal Head, here's a guy I bought in 1991, and I'm glad I had a second figure of him that I picked up from who knows where to fix all the broken pegs! So, parts of this figure are my original Metal Head. I really liked this guy and he got a lot of use. A walking missile-slinger.
Then there's that Undertow, (not sure if I want to build water troops, so much right now...) which I've only had for a couple years really, so a new-to-me figure, but one that really adds dimension for the Iron Grenadiers. Destro goes from the sea, land, air, and space!


In the vehicle department, I've only got the 1989 Evader. I've seen the Razorback in person once, and actually know about where that one is in a guys attic right now...but he's hanging on to it. (drat) I had the GvC Dominator with that Destro who didn't look comfortable. It wasn't a bad vehicle, but, my (so-called) grown up imagination wasn't feeling a flying tank. It didn't seem light enough to fly with the heavy tracks, and then didn't have much "tank" feel on the ground. Neat as it was, it was a vehicle I axed out on my first motor pool reduction.



So, in summary, my Iron Grenadier forces have been growing slowly but surely.
Starting with the 2 1988 Iron Grenadiers,
Adding a TARGAT, an Annihilator, Darklon, and Destro...
Joined by another Annihilator, and Metal head...and then others...
The Iron Grenadiers have grown strong....

2005 gave a pretty big boost with the GIJOE convention for my Iron Grenadiers, but I'll take a look at that next!

Iron Grenadiers pt. 2

From part one, I've been taking a stroll down memory lane while taking a look at one of my favorite parts of GIJOE, the Iron Grenadiers.

The DEMON (Dual Elevating Multi-Ordinance Neutralizer) is up next. There are strange vehicles, and really this is a strange tank. Or, would you call it a tank?
This particular DEMON is one I found at a flea market along with an X-19 back in about 1995/1996. When I found the DEMON it only had the missiles. Every red part, and the docking port gun was missing, and for ten years was still incomplete. With the help of many online traders and a last minute find at the 2005 GIJOE convention, the DEMON is now back in fighting form!

The Ferret is the driver, and really matches well in uniform with both Destro and the Iron Grenadier, but he brings in the khaki pants. It works well enough for me, I'm happy they weren't gold pants! The Ferret really packs in most of the interest in his helmet design and whatever technology gizmo thing that is on his upper chest. The helmet really lookes heavily armored to me, unlike a standard Cobra Viper with faceplate, the Ferret almost looks Iron man-ish in this area.
And a Ferret can use that armor especially if he gets stuck on the rear gunner position of the DEMON. In this picture the Ferret has his hands on the nearest controls pegs for that rear gun, and yes, he sticks out. I forgot about this aspect of the DEMON until I starting playing with it for my little write up. A figure could easily stand up, turn forward and man that big gun on the top of the tank, too. Is that the way it is supposed to work? I would think a gunner or all the crew would be wanting to be protected under armor, but, maybe not in this case? What do you think about this?
The "backwards" gunner spot really reminds me of the Cobra STUN, mostly since it also has a rear gunner station, and extra seat.
The rest of the crew area doesn't take up much more room. In my imagination, I would have the side ways facing seat, one that also has an "open" window facing the weapons bank, be the spot that that very "weapons bank" be operated from.

That's six big missiles from where the DEMON can assault land and air targets it seems (TRI-C.A.A.A.A.P missiles....is that the longest acronym in Joe land?). And then the triple-barreled cannon that has a full range of motion on its own independent cradle. That's why I call this a "weapons bank."

And what's kind of cool about the DEMONs missiles, and this carries over to many classic "ARAH" vehicles, is the ability of the missiles to be used on other vehicles. A feature I forgot about until just taking a look at the DEMON for this write up is that the DEMON missiles have that slot that isn't needed for use with the DEMON itself.
Yes, it fits right on the A.G.P. and matches color nicely!
Even Darklon can get some use out of the DEMON missiles.


Having a crew of three is nothing unheard of for a tank. I think the DEMON driver has the best spot, though. The spot with the most armor! Now, the driver not only has a big "infrared" light bar in front, there is also that big red light box which on the blueprints make it a high-intensity spotlight and solar collector (this is my most unused feature on the DEMON, though). Destro, ahead of his time on battlefield energy conservation, huh? So, the driver has some technology all around him, and nose-to-nose, I think an edge on the HISS tank.

Very much so. While the HISS has the narrow shape making it less of an easy target head-on, the DEMON is not much longer or that much taller. Well, in normal configuration.

As you probably already know, the treads can be brought inward together. I like the extra details that were placed under the DEMONs hull. Even pointless details like this make it much more interesting to look at, especially when the DEMON has the ability to raise up so much higher in the air.
Why does a DEMON do this? Maybe so it can ride in low behind protective obstacles, spring up and strike? Perhaps it is a feature that enables water crossings? Perhaps this is simply to mow down anything in the way, letting the wide treads chew through anything under the tank? No matter what, it's a feature that adds just another dimension of play. Perhaps Destro knew that Cobra Commander would make a Strike HISS and even the HISS V (2010)!?

All in all I think this is kind of a fun tank. Even with my traditional thinking with a grown-up brain, where the Equalizer is much more my minds definition of a tank, I still enjoy the DEMON. While the DEMON has some visual weight to it, it really is a pretty "light weight" vehicle. Two sets of treads, the "weapons bank" and the crew compartment make up the bulk of the vehicle.

Heck, my imagination almost sees a space ship in the thing, much like that Star Trek Borg ship (not the Cubes or Sphere, but that rogue one...). If the treads weren't keeping it down I'd give it thrusters and start taking on Star Wars pod racers. I also see a little F-117A stealth fighter in it.

Not a very traditional tank, what do you think about it?


Other than the vehicles, the first year of Iron Grenadiers really only had two single release figures. Here they are with their accessories.

More to come in Iron Grenadiers part 3....


Other peoples stuff on the Iron Grenadiers (these are not mine is what I'm saying!):
JMMs information on the DEMON in comics!
a custom DEMON
JBLs views
Joecustoms Spin Doctor's modern I.G.s
Violent fix
GIJOE Club Nullifier
OAFE Sigma six I.G.
Spytroops Iron Grenadier