XC2V to replace the HummVee?

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Mr. Oragahn
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Re: XC2V to replace the HummVee?

Post by Mr. Oragahn » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:34 pm

Lucky wrote:
Mr. Oragahn wrote: I'm not saying the humvee is perfect, but at least it's sturdy and voluminous on the sides and is clearly shaped like a brick, has no fancy shapes (no radars, we don't care) so that makes the addition of defense systems easier.
I have heard it said that the Humvee's size is a major draw back for using it. It has trouble fitting through city streets, and on narrow roads.

Why not just get a Marauder if you think being large is a good thing?.^_^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDoRmT0iRic
I've seen that one already. Nice toy, mate. :D
Mr. Oragahn wrote: Oh and I love the inspiration intro in the first document. They forgot to add the batmobile, Pikachu, Freddy Mercury and lazorz.
In all honesty i can see how those things influenced the design, particularly the ant.
Err... it eats leaves, digs tunnels and dies to insecticide?
Mr. Oragahn wrote: Looking at the original article, they're literally skipping one major testing phase to go straight to production?
I'm honestly confused as to what part of the design phase they are trying to avoid/shorten. I thought they wanted to shorten the design phase, and start working with prototypes as quickly as possible?
They could shorten the design phase if they had a good enough model, eventually allowing them not to bother improving on it and already offering a basic but reliable compromise.
But here, they seem to have skipped the common sense phase.
Mr. Oragahn wrote: Yes, their fighters do look ace. There's the whole F-117 vibe to them. The Vampires also had it. I just love the idea that all of them can be packed and transported. It's a good plus on the logistics side. Starcom's Battlecrane is too cool. It can carry containers and also fold into a shape that precisely is the same as one of those containers.
When you look at the Shadow forces, it's actually stunning how the mobility of those vehicles is so flexible.
http://www.virtualtoychest.com/starcom/starcom.html
It's rather odd they put so much thought into the designs to make them practical, and it is rare that the toys have a gimmick that matches the show nearly perfectly.
I wish the website had all the pictures, although I didn't know that there had been so many models.
I just realized that the Shadows' Shadow Bat had two slots for the Parasites. Damn damn damn. Those toys are too ace not to be exploited again.
Mr. Oragahn wrote: It would need to be enhanced. The toys clearly are the best part by far.
Well, I don't really think it would be hard to come up with a scenario where a single human space force came to be. Earth already has multinational scientific projects, and we have an international space station. Starcom could start out as a NASA like origination that later gets something like anti-space piracy duties added years after mining and colonies start being set up.

The real problem is figuring out what the conflict is over. It might work best if the Shadows are just a group of well funded pirates. It would explain the heavy use of robots if they are few in number.
Yes. Unless this is some Solar system centric issue in a distant future, there has to be a reason why the US in space are such a prime force against some enemy made of other white-skinned dudes.
Pirates sounds good, like anything else that is, err... shadowy.
Mr. Oragahn wrote: It's understandable, back then, why it would be considered logical that the USA could still be so powerful in the future. Our current view is quite different than what we enjoyed back then. Thus, the Space Marines Corps in ALIEN for example which seem to be the main force several LY around, although in reality they'd probably be one army among many.
The Space Marines in Aliens were U.S.A. military?
Well, unless the U and S in USCM means something else than United States (implied: of America), I don't know. But perhaps it was the United States of dah Urth.

Mr. Oragahn wrote: The bit that cracked me up:

"...and carry up to five passengers, including up to three people lying down. (This is medevac, after all.)"

Err... there has to be room for three peeps lying down now? And a minibar, perhaps?
Why not make its aft as large as the front? Also, as an extension of what Robert pointed out, how are those wounded people going to be accessed? There's no opening on the rear section safe the aft roof's hatch and eventually, that theoretical door that I can't even see here. There's not even enough room to squeeze two people lying on their backs + one medic at the back, etc.
I mean this piece of junk really cries failure. All I can see from the beginning is its silly coolness factor.
That makes me wonder if that is full size? I'm not sure why they would build a scaled down version however?
They would. I don't know if I can talk about it here, but have you ever heard of DARPA's midget breeding program?

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Re: XC2V to replace the HummVee?

Post by Mr. Oragahn » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:49 pm

This website has more Starcom/Shadow models (but less pictures of each).
These things were insanely too cool.

Talking about the plot:
Here are some more interesting notes from Martin.
One question that did arise on the board sometime back was why random character figures appeared in vehicle boxes. The policy in the US was (I believe) to sell the figures separately after the First Wave. In Europe, it was decided to continue to include a figure. Therefore, from Skyroller/Bandit wave onwards, when shipments arrived in the UK from the Far East, they were taken to our subcontractors in Abingdon, Oxforshire, where the taped boxes were carefully opened and a loose figure (taken from a standard single-figure pack, and usually still in its plastic bubble) was dropped in and the box resealed.

There were at least three different kinds of packaging in use by Coleco. The original US packaging was in deep red; the Canadian English/French packaging was much more orange in color, and the European packaging had German, Spanish, Italian, French translations - again, in deep red. I imagine when Mattel went on to produce their own packaging purely for the European market the decision was taken to remove the more obviously US-based insignia. I always wondered why the original line was called 'The U.S. Space Force' , as it did seem to limit its applicability outside the US.
Check these Starcom pods:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrLLG3X3vUo

Yeah, that XV2thing thread is hijacked.

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Re: XC2V to replace the HummVee?

Post by Lucky » Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:29 am

Mr. Oragahn wrote: I've seen that one already. Nice toy, mate. :D
Have you seen this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Xh1LMpDzE
What is the difference between an H2 and the military version?

Mr. Oragahn wrote: Err... it eats leaves, digs tunnels and dies to insecticide?
It looks like an ant to me. The rear third or half of it looks like an ant's abdomen.

Mr. Oragahn wrote: They could shorten the design phase if they had a good enough model, eventually allowing them not to bother improving on it and already offering a basic but reliable compromise.
But here, they seem to have skipped the common sense phase.
Isn't that what they are trying to do?

Mr. Oragahn wrote: I wish the website had all the pictures, although I didn't know that there had been so many models.
I just realized that the Shadows' Shadow Bat had two slots for the Parasites. Damn damn damn. Those toys are too ace not to be exploited again.
You would think someone would re-image the series so they could sell the toys again. Given how the series doesn't have the following of a series like G.I.Joe or Transformers they could make drastic changes to the story and no one would really care.

Mr. Oragahn wrote: Yes. Unless this is some Solar system centric issue in a distant future, there has to be a reason why the US in space are such a prime force against some enemy made of other white-skinned dudes.
Pirates sounds good, like anything else that is, err... shadowy.
USA doesn't has to stand for United States of America. U.S.A. can just as easily stand for United Systems Alliance.^_^

Emperor Dark was a purple skinned guy. I don't think the Shadows were human in the series.
Mr. Oragahn wrote: Well, unless the U and S in USCM means something else than United States (implied: of America), I don't know. But perhaps it was the United States of dah Urth.
Well, I never really followed the Aliens series because horror is not really my thing. U and S are the first letters in a number of words that would fit.
Mr. Oragahn wrote: They would. I don't know if I can talk about it here, but have you ever heard of DARPA's midget breeding program?
That is the program where they are trying to engineer genetically perfect pilots and drivers, right?^_^

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