G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra: Cobra Sting Raider

Dude, I don't think we're moving.

Presenting the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra: Cobra Sting Raider. As previously mentioned in a news break here on Dark Lord Dungeon, the Cobra Sting Raider used to be available for PhP 1,699. It is a solid vehicle that came with two G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra action figures: Copperhead and Swamp Viper. However I did not feel any real motivation to buy it. I didn't feel any motivation to buy the Cobra Sting Raider when its price dropped down to PhP 1,000. But when Toy Kingdom finally dropped it to PhP 500, I grabbed it and quickly recommended it as a nice troop builder. The Cobra Sting Raider is available on Amazon for US$ 31.75. Two solid "drone" figures and a vehicle for a price that's less than the cost of a regular Pursuit of Cobra Action Figure? You can't go wrong.

It might help if you got out and pushed

The queer part about the Cobra Sting Raider is that this is a re-issue of a Cobra Water Moccasin. The original Cobra Sting Raider is a Cobra one-man personal submarine. It's actually still for sale on Amazon(Click here). I'm not sure why Hasbro felt the need to rename the Cobra swamp cruiser.  The Cobra Sting Raider (Water Moccasin) is essentially a PT Boat (Patrol Torpedo boat) which is said to be an answer to the G.I. Joe's Killer WHALE, Devilfish or SHARCs - though it shouldn't be as its design puts it as a fast, flat-bottomed swamp vehicle. As a swamp vehicle, the Cobra Sting Raider should be pretty efficient. It does have a flat bottom which reduces the Cobra Sting Raider's chances of beaching on a muck-ridden swamp bed and a powerful engine driven fan for speed and maneuvering. I can indeed imagine this vehicle pushing along a reed covered swamp as one of the most visible pickets to a Cobra Fortress.

The Cobra Sting Raider also boasts having action figure pegs on the fore and aft allowing for as much as six additional action figures riding the Cobra Sting Raider - though six action figures would look like overkill. The two I have mounted seem fine enough. 

The Cobra Sting Raider's primary weapons, two forward mounted heavy machine guns and a hidden ski-mounted torpedo are pointed forward and aft - which again should not be a problem for a vehicle that can practically turn on a dime thanks to its fans which should allow the Cobra Sting Raider to easily pan port or starboard as needed to track it's enemies.

If panning fails, the Cobra Sting Raider has a top mounted machine gun turret operated by the Swamp viper. However, after re-watching Black Hawk Down, I realized that unless this fires caseless shells, Copperhead would be pelted by smoking hot spent bullet casings. Which would be bad.

The Cobra Sting Raider also has two quite spacious rear storage compartments that come with removable covers to store the gear of those accessory heavy G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra figures. No I did not put Zartan's bird in the storage compartment. 

You can also remove the cover of the engine to reveal what I personally thought was a disappointing engine. I though it would look tougher, meaner, more detailed. It looks pretty smooth. Almost like a car engine. Turning that dial in front of the engine turns the fan rotors on the back. Blowing at the fans does the same thing :)

And for a more realistic look for a vehicle that's supposed to operate in humid weather, you can remove the cock-pit cowl over Copperhead. You have to do that anyway to get him in there. I just think it looks better without it on. 

As mentioned the Cobra Sting Raider comes with two fine "drone" figures: Copperhead and the Swamp Viper. Each has a rifle and each has a knife, though the Swamp Viper's knife is kinda small and he can't really grip it. 

Dude, we're still not moving.

All in all for PhP 500 (US$ 11.36 Approx)? How can you complain. If I could I'd probably buy two more just to keep things interesting and build an army. The Cobra Sting Raider/Water Mocassin is a fine vehicle with two average figures inside. that makes for a wonderful troop builder. Get them while they last.