Well, I finally scored a Cobra Shock Trooper earlier this week, at an out of town Walmart. I'm glad to have him, but...

Is it just me, or does this figure have either a really long neck (probably due to the hood-like mask), unusually sloping shoulders, rather low-placed arms, or a combination of all of the above? It just looks like his head is "perched" rather high, and I'm not entirely sure why.

Thoughts?

I figure it's due to the whole assembly in the neck area to allow the collar and helmet. He looks fine with the helmet and gear on, but once you take it off you start noticing things. His torso is a little stumpy also to me. I don't think I'd use him for a custom but he works as what he is as long as he keeps the gear on.

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The only thing that "bugs" me about the figure is the lack of holster for the pistol and some hooks on the vest to hang the shotgun and the sledge hammer.

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Yeah that too. I think the figure needs accessorizing a little better. Or rather outfitted I guess I should say. He has to leave some of his stuff at home since he has no place to carry it.

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Well, for comparative purposes, I stood the Shock Trooper next to another 25th-style figure, in this case the Cyber-Viper (found his Mech on clearance the same day I got the Shock Trooper). And the Shock Trooper's arms ARE placed lower relative to his overall proportions, and the head-and-neck slightly longer, compared to the Cyber-Viper. But it's the arms that are especially noticeable in comparison.

Again, not an excessive complaint, it's still a cool figure, but I'd like to hope for just a little more consistency.

I feel that any figure should be able to carry all of the equipment that he comes with. The Shock Trooper is an example of how easy it would have been to make that happen but they didn't. A backpack would work, but if not that, then connection points to hang the stuff. Here is what I did with mine to all the gear on.

Rifle - right hand
Shield - left hand + forearm
Sledgehammer + Shotgun - wedged between the shield and left forearm
Nun-chucks - looped over the handle on the back of the vest
Radio - peg under the C on the back of the vest
Tazer - hooked under the handle on the back of the vest
Helmet and Gas mask - on head
SMG - tied some thread to it to make a strap, hooked over his shoulder

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Since I don't display my figures with their equipment usually, this isn't that big of a factor for me. I will say that the Shock Trooper certainly has plenty of equipment, and I'm impressed with the supply. I just wish he wasn't quite so -- slump-shouldered?

I don't think that need necessarily apply to an army builder figure, since you 're basically getting enough weapons and equipment to make several different characters.

Just a guess, but this might be deliberate; 1/6th scale modern military figures often have somewhat giraffe-like necks and sloped shoulders to give the impression of proper proportion when all kitted out in their body armour. The same logic might apply here, since, as J_Man, commented, the figure looks all right with all his stuff on.

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Maybe, but at this scale, it doesn't work as well. The figure IS wearing his helmet, and his vest or whatever you want to call it, and it still just looks like his arms are a bit too low, and/or his head a bit too tall. I don't see as how other equipment would help this, since none of it is intended to fit on his shoulders. I realize I'm making something of a "mountain out of a molehill" here, but this is otherwise such a really impressive figure, that it does bother me a bit. And relative to other 25th-style figures, the arms are slightly lower at the shoulder.

Are they? I've just now been comparing mine (thanks Spin Doctor!) to some of my other Joes and the shoulders don't seem to be any lower than PoC Beachhead, PoC "Desert" Snake Eyes or Resolute Duke, for example. I think it's just the tremendously long neck that's out of proportion (though it does make him look rather snake-like with that hood on...).

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He could have had a backpack like the BBI Navy Seal Breacher:
http://www.ojitoys.com/ProductDetails.a ... =BBI-21037