I've started a project to make a small sub-team of Joes, led by Lt. Falcon.
I chose the name Rawhides to reflect that Falcon started out as one in the toon universe. However, I took the concept of the Renegades and applied it to them team. The team consists of Joes who have gotten in trouble with authority, or who simply are not on the main roster due to their primary specialty. The team I have planned consists of 5 members, with Falcon bringing it to a total of six. Some will have familiar names, some are brand new characters.
A couple of the characters are nothing more than parts/gear swapping with very little painting involved, and some are a little more. My Goal is to get one posted every other week.

First up is Rascal.
Parts used: Renegades Tunnel Rat, with Steel Brigade legs, and Alley Viper goggles and new Lt. Falcon scarf.

Rascal is the team's sniper/all around infantry specialist. He is a gun expert, and can handle and shoot most anything out there. His reason for being on the team is he doesn't speak much English, and is not an American citizen. He is from somewhere in Southeast Asia, and is rumored to be the Nephew of Captain Minh, whom aided the Joe team during the 1st Cobra Civil War. His limited English isn't too much of a problem, as a couple of other members on the team are fluent in various languages. Despite his limited Vocabulary, he does a dead on impression of the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and often uses various catchphrases from Savage.

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Besides the wanting to see him dirtied up a bit ie.. some dry-brushing.
I think it's a very cool mix of parts

Nice reference to a forgotten Marvel character!

I'm not feeling the red hankerchef. Not for a snkeaing around sniper anyway. I like everything else though. Good character.

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Sweet custom, can't wait to who's next!

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The second figure is of a long forgotten joe from the brief Arah revival of the last decade. The figure is Sidetrack, version 2 (John Boyce)
The figure's filecard mentions that he is a former professional wrestler with a bellowing voice and belligerent attitude. Makes him a perfect candidate for a bunch of misfit Joes led by the original misfit Joe, Falcon.

My take: When Sgt. Boyce was a rookie, he had not yet achieved the distinction of a codename, and was simply known as Sgt. Boyce. In only his second mission, Boyce's eagerness to fight and take the battle to Cobra ended in tragedy, when the leader of the squad's position was compromised and the original Side Track (McLaughlin) was seriously injured, and was unable to continue to stay on the active roster. Sgt. Boyce was given the codename Side Track by the McLaughlin, which he considered a huge honor. Although McLaughlin bore no ill will towards Sgt. Boyce, Sgt. Boyce, now known as Side Track, bore a large amount of guilt, and over time caused him to slip into a depression. He was cut from the Joe team sometime later. He took his attitude and buried guilt, bottled up and ready to blow to the MMA circuit, where he competed for several years. Last year, after a particular brutal fight, he was contacted by McLaughlin, now a scout for the Joe team, who told him it was time to come home where he belongs. Due to his reputation for being loud, belligerent, and quite frankly a bully, he accepted a roster spot on the new Rawhides. His teammates have no issues with him, to the point that they almost consider him friendly..almost.
His new best friend in the world is Rascal, who thinks he is the coolest thing ever since Rascal is obsessed with Pro Wrestling. While Side Track won't admit it and acts annoyed by Rascal, he likes the little guy.

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I love the reinvention of Sidetrack Boyce, Volstagg's head works. I'd trim the beard down a bit maybe but everything else works (he's far cooler than Benchpress)

Rascall is all kinds of damn cool. Great mix of parts and totally unique from the Tunnel Rat figure he started as. I don't know the character, which is fine because it's a solid custom.

Crap, now I need a Volstagg head!

Nice work on this one....

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I'm not familiar with these characters at all, but great work. Interesting bios, too.

I dig the full beard on the Boyce character, which somehow seems to bring out some of those ornery qualities you had mentioned.

Well done.

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I agree with plug on Rascal's kerchief. Too loud for his spec.

But it's amazing how different his and Sidetrack's base figures look with new heads.

I really dig this project of yours and am eager to see more.

Another less known, yet familiar name for the group this go around.

Rampage started his military career as a Ranger, and was recommended for the team in 2004 by an old friend, Beach Head. He served off and on for several years, with stints in rehab for substance abuse and alcoholism. It never seemed to stick, as Rampage would fall back into the same bad habits every time they brought him back. In late 2009, he was involved in an accident which put him in the hospital for the better part of a year. During this time, his old friend Beach Head helped him get his act together, and Rampage has been clean ever since. He was contracted by the Joe team to work with Clutch and develop the blueprints for the new Vamp, which went into production in 2011. Rampage took some of the ideas for that Vamp and incorporated them into a one-off prototype, the Split Fire mark 2. The brass was pleased with the new Vamp enough to give Rampage one more shot on the team, starting with a stint in the new Rawhides.

Didn't really put alot of effort into the vehicle, I actually have had it in a pile since I flat blacked it in 09. I added some stickers, and I'm cool with it. The straps and pouches are from various webgear that I have been cutting up to make custom webgear for some other upcoming customs that will be posted in June.
figure is:
Roc Ripcord head
City Strike Snake Eyes Torso and Arms, with pouches and Straps added.
PoC Duke Legs
Vest from Resolute Trooper
Helmet from Cpt. america figure



next time, a new face and force of nature joins the team, and sooner than two weeks away this time!

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couple random shots.

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#4 Rawhide:

Toa

Toa is the Samoan word for Warrior, which is exactly what Toa is, and what he lives for. Whether it is with hand weapons, or guns, Toa is a force to be reckoned with. Recruited by Falcon, Toa was well known in his home town of Apia. Toa was known as the local vigilante, issuing justice where he deemed fit. Loved by his people, but not so much by the authorities, until he took out the local Dreadnok affiliate with his mace, machete, some guns and two very large fists. That was the last of any Dreadnok activity in the city. Wiping out the Dreadnok's brought the attention of Cobra to the Island, which proved a bit much for Toa to handle on his own. When the Joe team sent a team in to counter Cobra, the team's leader Falcon took a liking to Toa, whom proved instrumental in helping the Joe's move about the city and thwart Cobra's plans.

When Falcon started a new team of Rawhide's, he once again called upon Toa, whom joined the team.



The figure is not anything more than the JP figure, with a Crossbones vest. I really did not know what to do with the figure, and ended up deciding that he might be an interesting addition to the team. The Crossbones vest has bits and pieces of other webgear on it (most of it from the VvV Dusty webgear that went to my PoC Ambush (http://www.joecustoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=33185). The Back of the figure consists of renegades firefly's machete holder, and some scrapping off a VvV Communicator to hold the Mace. The space also hold the UZI when the Mace is in the hand. I added some scrap of some pit trooper gear as well to the wrists, to do something different. Almost like gauntlets or something.

Next update should be May 5th or so.

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Some more!

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Subteams are cool and these guys are full of character. I really like taking lesser developed characters and giving them more personality. Can't wait to see the other two members.

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