1990.
Vehicles from Sky Patrol will get a separate poll.
Let us know which vehicle you like best and please explain why!

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/90

Tim 121RVC

Without Sky Patrol, this year was not a good one for GIJoe vehicles. (Cobra is a different story.) None of these are particularly good. The General was large and had a couple of nice features but in the end was just odd. I wanted to say the Retaliator but those midget rotor blades always annoyed me. I went with the Avalanche.

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This was a tough one for me, because there were quite a few interesting vehicles. I ultimately went with the AVALANCHE as representing the largest arctic vehicle ever devised for the line, and impressive in its own right.

But we also had the GENERAL, which was arguably the last of the truly massive machines, and certainly didn't lack for play value, and the HAMMER, which although it somewhat inappropriately dwarfed the VAMP, a similar "type" of vehicle, was pretty cool.

I also liked the LOCUST. An attack helicopter that could get away with being called "cute", just about...

this was, in my opinion, a pretty decent year for joe vehicles. considering all of them had some form or function.

The General had its merits as a mobile battle fortress, but it lacked the streamlined design of the Mobile Command Center, or intimidating lines of the Rolling Thunder. It was kinda just,... There. This big Hulking base thingie. Like if your high school football stadium moved, and had guns
Howeven I agree it had TONS of play value, plus it came with a Locust!

The Avalanche was a GREAT snow Vehicle ((only the Blockbuster that came out later was bigger) I did question a large tank like vehicle in Ice territory, but all that doubt melted away when I found out it came with a Hovercraft pod! With Hidden Milsslies!!!! Even better, the Avalanche came with a disc firing weapon,.. not to mention I though Coldfront was a great sculpt for a cold weather soldier.

The Hammer made a pretty decent Humvee vehicle (until the new sculpt version) I liked best was that it carried as many as 9 figures, which in my opinion trumped ther Vamp, which could only carry two, and without their gear. The Hammer not only carried their gear as well, but came with an ammo box, missiles AND a point defence gun on top, as well as turrents on the side.
If I had to pick a gripe, it would be that the side turrents were really fragile and prone to breaking, not to mention awkward looking.

The Locust makes a great small skirmish air vehicle, kinda a Joe replacement ofr the Little Bird Helicopter. I loved the Missiles that could be used as bombs (from a lower drop bay) as well as the side cannons. My only gripe would be the side cannons "usage" as figure controlled guns. It just wouldnt work on a helicopter that small, not to mention the guys would fall off with the slightest maneuver.
I have two locusts (original and general version) and use them as Wild Bill V2 and Major Storm's rides.

The Mobile Battle Bunker Fails in its name. It wasnt a "bunker" at all, sort of a big, turtle-like tank. the Clamshell missile firing mechanism was odd as well. but it did have some merit as an armoured vehicle, maybe stationed as a checkpoint (I guess thats where the ""Bunker" function comes in.) It just didnt work for me as a viable vehicle (about one step up from the Coastal Defender)

The Retaliator was my only oddball vehicle in this lot. It just didnt look right at any angle. and the winch thingie is odd as well... not to mention the cockpit. I don't know if they were mimicing the Hind cockpit, but they failed in the attempt.

ultimately, I went with the Avalanche as well..

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Though I never had an Avalanche, I've seen a few up close. Nice big arctic vehicle, but it never really worked for me. The hovercraft idea was cool but it looks like it is missing front wings. The disk launcher bit just ruins it for me.

The General is a pure flight of fantasy, but actually has some redeeming qualities. Definately impressive in size and firepower, and the included Locust helicopter is a big bonus as well. But for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to work as either a base or a vehicle.

The Hammer has since been replaced by better versions of the Humvee (best of all being the DTC Night OPS Humvee), but in its day it was the first Humvee on the Joe team and actually worked quite well. The storage bay in rear, the nice removable machine gun with tripod, and the adjustable rocket pods were all big plusses on this vehicle. I believe the side guns detracted from this vehicle a bit, and so I removed them from my Hammer. Overall this vehicle hits more than it misses, and gets my vote.

The Locust is one of those vehicles that shouldn't have worked, but in reality it wasn't a bad vehicle. The name gives you the impression these were small, cheap, fast little short range helicopters that could be launched in swarms. Not as iconic, but similar in function to the Cobra FANG. An odd, but likeable Joe helicopter.

The Mobile Battle Bunker is one of those ideas that kind of works on paper, but the vehicle fell way short. Doesn't really work convicingly as either a bunker or a vehicle.

The common complaint about the Retaliator is the size of the rotors, which I must agree with. I actually like the Hind-esque cockpit, but the winch grip was gimmicky and not integrated very cleanly, so ultimately this helicopter just looks bad.

Echo the Avalanche and the Locust. Like the Hammerhead and its drones, I am a HUGE fan of smaller crafts that launch off of larger ones.

The Locust won points with me purely because it was a small aircraft, with a closed canopy. I have never been a fan of open air aircraft like Fangs, and especially Trouble Bubble partial canopies. Winds and elements alone people, winds and elements alone.

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MBB only tank launched from space and one of three with an emote on this site... nuff said!

I wont regal you as to why I love this vessel but I do allot (i have seven)


Steve

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Wow, since Tim has been doing these polls, I don't think I've ever seen the voting split so evenly between all the different vehicles.

Don't really know what that says about this particular year of Joe vehicles. Maybe it says this year was pretty good and had something for everyone. Or maybe it says all the Joe vehicles from this year were mediocre and none of them really stand out.

Either way, very interesting!

I like the Retaliator a lot, it got my vote! OK, those blades are too short, but if you replace them for another two pair of longer blades, it looks a lot better. Indeed, a nice HIND-like cockpit and the missile pods are nice features. Same thing for the bomb ramp, great addition! I don't use that capture claw at all. Because of that thing, the tail looks a bit weird. Maybe I'll cut off the end and glue it back on the other way so it points upwards.

MBB looks like a tough rhinoceros, too bad they placed two seats on top of it so the bunker function doesn't work anymore.

Locust is an excellent small helicopter for 1, 2, or 3 men missions (the kind of scenarios I like to play) Good thing they have a closed cockpit. I never thought of them attacking in swarms, but I can see that working. The two guns are big enough. And bomb dropping features are always winners for me.

Tim 121RVC

The Avalanche wins!

Tim 121RVC