Even as a youngster I had absolutely no love for the MOBAT. The battery powered goodness in mine died shortly after I got it and I just couldn't rationalize (even back then) why the tank driver would be sitting way out in the open like that just waiting to be popped by enemy fire.

Still, as bad as that MOBAT mold was, the first time I saw that first C.A.T., I loved it. It took a famous Joe vehicle, added some cool COBRA colors to it, and you had a whole new ball of wax. I never had the cash to buy it, but always thought it was great, and still do. I guess this would be the "poor man's" C.A.T., in any case.

I never would have thought that a MOBAT repaint would have interested me in the least, even with my love of the original C.A.T., but I'm happily to report that this new C.A.T. has the same magic of the original, and with some simple paint changes, I've become a MOBAT fan. Well, sort of.

Even with these cool drastic new paint applications, I still will not be able to find a use for this tank. It's small, it's too open, and it just doesn't have the same threatening appeal as say a Mauler or even the Patriot Grizzly. On COBRA's side, I'd much rather have a few HISSes than even one C.A.T. on my COBRA team.

But, this tank does have an appeal besides use on the battlefield. It just looks downright cool!

Rather than the bland olive drab color of the MOBAT, this version has a striking red foundation with black trim and weapons.

That massive black cannon stands out on the red tank just perfectly. It's really a virbrant paint scheme that looks amazing, even if the vehicle itself is not all that useful. Personally, I don't see the elite, undercover Crimson Guard using a massive tank for their operations, but as a display piece, this new repaint is pretty nice.

But really, the shining star of this exclusive set is not even the tank, it's the figure that comes with it. I know what a lot of people are saying...he's a Crimson Guard Immortal who isn't even Crimson! How could that work? Well, in this case it does.

This mold has been a fantastic one since it first appeared in 1991 and still holds up to this day. His large, muscular mold is now famous, mostly due to India's production of this figure a year or so ago. Up until that point, the CGI was a relative unknown...but any kind of Crimson Guard that could be purchased for $4-5 was an instant hit, and this figure was no different.

Now, evidently Hasbro America has gotten the mold back, and I like the way they're using it. Even though this "Crimson Guard" isn't Crimson, I love his blue/gray color scheme and would use this guy in a second as COBRA command'er personal bodyguards. CGI's are meant to be used in the capacity anyway, it only makes sense that the Immortals assigned to that duty would be in a slightly different uniform. It really works.

Honestly, if this figure hadn't come with this set, I might not recommend this exclusive quite so highly. The tank is a very nice display piece, but I'm not sure it's worth $20.00 on it's own; with this very cool version of the Crimson Guard Immortal, it is definitely worth the cash, and I'd say pick up at least one with no hesitation. They're still a little expensive to army build, but everyone should have one in their army.