[IzzyTipsy]

Feel like the Snow Cat should be sized up to fit a couple troops inside. It always felt dumb to me to let the guys ride on the back and freeze their asses off.

The Tiger Force one was absolutely stupid though. I always assumed Tiger Force was jungle based so what was the point of a jungle snow vehicle...and that strange colored Frostbite.

[Ash Talon]

Some people are saying the Haslab can't be a "generic" tank. I think some of us aren't saying the tank would be generic. Just borrow aspects from both the MOBAT and Mauler. Or make a Mauler in green. Someone even mentioned the tank being two-tone (from a focus group?). Which could work. The Dragonfly wasn't an exact match as the RAH vehicle. Half of it is black, which isn't RAH.

I prefer the Mauler to the MOBAT. There's just more to it feature wise. Granted, the Classified MOBAT likely wouldn't be motorized, so there'd be more an opportunity to put in features, like having room for seated drivers. I love the Mauler but wouldn't mind it being in green (certainly not ever Mauler in the Joe arsenal is painted orangish-tan). Or have some green paneling (alternate parts as a tier?).

I think an alternate weapon for the turret would be a good tier. While the add-on weapons for the HISS were cool, I don't know if I'd want to see the same thing on a Mauler. Weapons just hanging off it. If you could swap out the main cannon for something different. Or even the whole turret with something like the top to the Equalizer, it would be cool. Hence, maybe a green or green camo Mauler would be cool. You could also make something like the Equalizer out of it with unlocked tier weapons. And the Equalizer goes along with the Marauders sub-team we've been getting.

[RedAlert Rescue]

I do get a degree of amusement watching Hsbro trying to sneak in the occasional admission that is adult buying their toys in increasing numbers without scaring the horses.. as Walmart and Target's mindset on these matters seems stuck decades in the past.

It is low key hilarious that Hasbro designers know they are making this stuff for people increasingly old enough to be someone's grandfather and at the same time trying to hide that they are doing that and pretend that it is all still for "Little Jimmy".

If any "Little Jimmy's" are getting Classified Rattlers for Christmas 2025 then they should count themselves very lucky is all I can say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

There was a rumour that the Snow Cat and Thundermachine would be via retail/Pulse and at a new price-point. We've seen no evidence to support this being a reality. Yet people are still running with it.

There is lots of sources available to get info from. Not sure if the Snow Cat or Thunder Machine have shown up in those or not sometimes it takes time to lock an item with its code name (if that is available).

It Was Transformers leaker JT Prime who said they were doing them (before he retired) one was listed as being preorder for October and the other next year (feb possibly) but this is pretty old info so subject to change.

Price point info varies too but the most recent accounts suggest $150+ rather than $125+ I think if they ever did medium large stuff that would be Titan Class Transformers Money. (and would likely shelf warm badly at over $200) so Medium small I expect they will want to try for $150 as to be honest if they push a snow cat to $180 it isn't going to have a snowball's chance of selling unless it "screamed" premium... they'd have to throw the kitchen sink at it (light working treads etc) to justify the higher price.

To be honest i'd rather have it be $180 and have working tread and lights.. but Hasbro are pretty stingy so I they might want to cheap out as much as possible rather than think "what would appeal to an adult collector" who would be buying these things.

[firefly069]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IzzyTipsy

Feel like the Snow Cat should be sized up to fit a couple troops inside. It always felt dumb to me to let the guys ride on the back and freeze their asses off.

The Tiger Force one was absolutely stupid though. I always assumed Tiger Force was jungle based so what was the point of a jungle snow vehicle...and that strange colored Frostbite.

The snow cat was definitely a more interesting vehicle than the mobat and possibly the mauler too. I actually liked the tiger force version as it was a cool vehicle. As far as guys riding on the back and freezing their asses off what in gi joe after 84 actually made sense hahaha.

Anyway would make a great haslab just offer 4 figures and maybe an alternate weapon system and you are golden. You can even offer a polar bear or something from that sunbow episode.

[Ash Talon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IzzyTipsy

Feel like the Snow Cat should be sized up to fit a couple troops inside.... I always assumed Tiger Force was jungle based so what was the point of a jungle snow vehicle...and that strange colored Frostbite.

You're assuming the Snow Cat by design can only be used in the Snow. What would prevent it from also being effective in other climates or on different terrain? It's not on skis. Although it does have ski-torpedos. I think something like the Snow Cat in green, with maybe something other than ski-torpedos would have been a neat variant.

Fitting troops inside would alter the Snow Cat quite a bit. You need to essentially double the height of the rear half. Which raises the missile rack quite a bit. Maybe not the worst thing. Maybe someone can sketch up what that would look like. Probably gets it close to the Rise of Cobra era Snow Cat.

[RedAlert Rescue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IzzyTipsy

The Tiger Force one was absolutely stupid though. I always assumed Tiger Force was jungle based so what was the point of a jungle snow vehicle...and that strange colored Frostbite.

I think you are supposed to consider it as a generic Half-Track when it is used outside a snow-environment on some of the later repaints.

I supposed one would say it is operating in a somewhere that has that combination of high altitude snow and low level jungles in the same country.. and it isn't just a Jungle Warfare Snow cat exclusively.

I can see it navigating mudslides and busted up dirt roads to get to the Mountain or remote location for a mission. It might be a more sensible choice than says a HAVOC which would be slower and use more fuel.

But if it was operating only in snow.. yeah bring the normal deco one instead.

Tiger Force does seem to require a degree of "Imagination" though what with the vehicles being yellow and the troops often being green.

[JeepJedi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

The Dragonfly wasn't an exact match as the RAH vehicle.

If you look at the ARAH Dragonfly and the Haslab Dragonfly.. there is zero doubt what it is. Adding a bit of black is not the same thing as making the Dragonfly part Tomahawk as well (admittedly an extreme comparison but it's easy to visualize what I'm saying).

If you look at a Mauler.. you sort of expect it to be tan. I'm not saying it can't be green but when you're building a brand based on nostalgia.. it probably should pass the eye test. And let's not kid ourselves.. this is a brand 100% based on nostalgia. Maybe a two tone similar to the Dragonfly is a good compromise but I think it has to be Tan forward to capture the look (assuming it's a Mauler for instance).

If the fandom cries for a pseudo tank blended from others then I'm happy for them to get it. I don't mind sitting on the sidelines for things that don't speak to me. I just personally don't see it.. .but I don't run a multi billion dollar toy company either..so there's that.

[nighthawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

You're assuming the Snow Cat by design can only be used in the Snow. What would prevent it from also being effective in other climates or on different terrain? It's not on skis. Although it does have ski-torpedos. I think something like the Snow Cat in green, with maybe something other than ski-torpedos would have been a neat variant.

Fitting troops inside would alter the Snow Cat quite a bit. You need to essentially double the height of the rear half. Which raises the missile rack quite a bit. Maybe not the worst thing. Maybe someone can sketch up what that would look like. Probably gets it close to the Rise of Cobra era Snow Cat.

Well, they can hallow out the back and just leave a raised platform for the missile launcher. I converted my Ice Sabre to a troop carrier type. I think if they did something like that, then figures can sit under the launcher.


Like put a pole for holding a missile launcher in the area beside where Shipwreck is in this picture.

[firefly069]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nighthawk

Well, they can hallow out the back and just leave a raised platform for the missile launcher. I converted my Ice Sabre to a troop carrier type. I think if they did something like that, then figures can sit under the launcher.


Like put a pole for holding a missile launcher in the area beside where Shipwreck is in this picture.

I don?t think it?s realistic that they risk a failed haslab by straying from
What makes them
Successful. Iconic vehicles and NO patches as well as 4 figures. A Frankenstein vehicle they can test out at the $100 price point maybe?.but why risk even that

[RedAlert Rescue]

I don't think I'd mind a (very) subtle desert camo wash on a Mauler.

I think the whole "unmanned" turret thing is a very specific design choice.. it looks like there is someone in there, but much lower down and they are using a periscope. I don't think I have a preference either way though for including or not including a top hatch on a Mauler.

But I would prefer an MBT got at least 1 driver position added to it as well as the top hatch (one that can close ideally unlike the hiss tank) Maybe someone should make a glass Raptor style turret top for the Hiss Tank. or just a closing top hatch at least.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxwell

Regarding the Snowcat (To Haslab, or not to haslab)..
Is there going to be some kind of $129.99 or $149.99 price point for vehicles moving forward? Has Hasbro mentioned this? It seems to me that the Vamp shows there's a hunger for "mid-size-ish" vehicles and customers are willing to fork out enough to where a product sells-out. Is Hasbro taking this experience and thinking that maybe just going a little bit bigger and a little bit more expensive might just work?

I absolutely love the Snowcat and would back it as a Haslab day one. However I'm also wishing Hasbro would give us a Snowcat (and Thunder Machine) with drivers for $130 or $150. That way they could save the Haslabs for larger items like tanks and hovercraft (or hydrofoils!)

Sorry if this possibility has been discussed and I just missed it....

Well every time someone manages to catch Lenny at a show in the last few years quite often they will ask him about "medium" stuff like Firebat, STUN, Snow Cat, Thunder Machine... and I think someone even asked it about the Conquest X-30. He usually says the same thing though that this Medium size thing people ask about isn't outside the bounds of being made normally and is to small or not iconic enough to be a Haslab.

I tend to agree with him.. why make a (tiny) Firebat as a Haslab when they could do a Night Raven ?

& in combination with things Emily seems to say (in her own little marketing speak ways) it does seems to imply that the broad middle of things (like the Persuader Armoured vehicle or X-30 Conquest even) might be open to being done at some point rather than being Haslabs. Once each tier of price point they try "works" it unlocks a higher one I'd say.

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Speaking entirely personally I think The Havoc is about where the pivot point is where it might be the absolute biggest thing they'd likely do as a Pulse exclusive or it could be a Haslab (all be not for a few years).

Or as I said before Take the Maggot Tank.. that could be a Haslab.. easily but they could also say that is the upper limit of "normal" or even as I suggested something they could release in 3 parts [which I'd be totally fine with to be honest as I think they'd have to make sure each part was better than they otherwise would if it was sold as a single unit]

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I have a feeling they "Might" sell the Thunder Machine 1st if they think they Dreadnoks would cross-sell it better, Maybe in 2025 and beyond then then they can sneak in the likes of Iceburg or Avalanche. But we already have plenty of Dreadnoks which adds to the appeal of the Thunder Machine & actually would help a bit will selling Zanzibar later on too (the idea being that he'd be completing a collection).

Where as the Snow Cat currently has it harder as it has very little (Other than enemies) to cross-sell it. That is why I think it would be useful to release something like a Polar Battle Bear 1st or at least around the same general time along with extra snow themed figures.

I don't hate the idea of a Ferret repaint in white either.. I'm just not sure if it should be a Cobra or Gi Joe vehicle is all.