Vests for Low-Light

[K-Tiger]

So there you have it, there are Joes out there that can hold their guns properly. Yes there plenty that don't, such as the Alley Viper, Shock Trooper, the 30th Cobra Trooper (which is a surprise because the Viper has a much easier time holding weapons despite the vest he is wearing). But even some of those can come close, and besides, who cares if the bad guys hold guns correctly? They're suppose to miss and die anyway.

I care. Apparently you hardcore Joe guys like incompetent OpFor. Bet you like the blue uniforms, too?


Back to the topic at hand, The 30th Troopers issues shouldn't be a surprise at all, considering he uses the Shock Trooper torso and arms. All the issues present in one are there in the other, minus the tacvest. The Shockie has issues geting his arms across his chest. It vexes me to no end.

 

[lancelot]

I care. Apparently you hardcore Joe guys like incompetent OpFor. Bet you like the blue uniforms, too?

They're Cobra, not the Waffen SS or Spetznas. Veitcong and Taliban fighters are traditionally more effective than Blue Shirts. Didn't someone make a comic panel where storm-troopers from star wars and Cobra troopers all shot a ton of fire at each other, and missed at point blank range?

 

[lancelot]

I did some experimenting with the 30th Cobra Trooper, and I found out that with the right gun and web gear, you can get him to hold the weapon properly too. Because the arms bend at an obtuse angle, rather than an acute or 90 degree angle, you have to have web-gear that you can use to wedge the stock of the rifle into. Its what I did to make Recondo hold his rifle too.

Once again I have to stress that Hasbro should strive to make all figures that can hold their assault rifles like this, without modifications or web gear tricks.

Also, the Cobra trooper on the right has derp-tastic eyes.

 

[WildBill]

DERP!

 

[lancelot]

Yeah, he can't hold his rifle very well. The eye does not help.

 

[Giga Bread]

There is always going to be one major limitation and that's wrist movement. Wrists bend nearly any way you want, but we're limited to back and forth or up and down.

 

[lancelot]

I wonder if someone could make ball jointed wrists, and double jointed elbows.

 

[Obi-Shinobi]

^^^

That, and the fact that the shoulders can't roll inward. Man, I hate that.

Another thing you can do is - remove a small amount of plastic from around the elbow, on the bicep side. This will allow for slightly better angles, 99% of the time. After that, you can also make a notch on the forearm, directly in front of the elbow joint. This will further allow the forearm to seat itself further back on the bicep. I do these mods on most every fig I work on.

And of course, adding a more encompassing wrist joint helps out tremendously.

 

[K-Tiger]

I remember the best figure I ever saw at prone rifle poses was the X-Men Classics Archangel. He has that neck pivot and ball combo that some of the ML figures have, as well as additional shoulder articulation that allowed them to roll in as Obi mentioned.

 

[Obi-Shinobi]

I wonder if someone could make ball jointed wrists, and double jointed elbows.

Ball-jointed wrists have been done. Many times in fact.

Double elbows have been done by a few people, but it really depends on how well it's put together and what you're using, for proportional sake. Not too difficult, but it takes a bit more finess to pull it off well.

 

[Giga Bread]

The torso I was designing before I started working on some projects for people, were going to have the shoulder inside of a partial cup that rotates into the torso, to simulate that collar roll motion.

I've got hands designed where the hand swivels on that joint which is closer than what we've got. I just have no realistic way of producing it right now.

 

[lancelot]

I remember the best figure I ever saw at prone rifle poses was the X-Men Classics Archangel. He has that neck pivot and ball combo that some of the ML figures have, as well as additional shoulder articulation that allowed them to roll in as Obi mentioned.

I noticed She-Hulk had that. I also heard there was a new Star War ROTJ Scout Trooper who could do that too, which would make him an excellent candidate for sniping poses.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

That, and the fact that the shoulders can't roll inward. Man, I hate that..

What I've found works really well is to remove some material from the inside of the bicept...it creates a recess in the arm that allows the whole arm to pull closer to the chest...and it's less unsightly as its kind of hidden in the armpit of the figure than trimming away at that chest...though I imagine doing both would help immensely...

Also, She Hulks double elbow joint makes me happy in the pants...ALL figures need that like they need double joint knees...and swivel ankles...and ball jointed wrists...and the bicept swivel of MU figures...and the double joint of MU necks...