With the sources of vehicles getting lower and lower, one has to wonder just where the Club will continue to get material to generate their exclusives on an annual basis. While I don’t know precisely what tooling is still available, it seems to me that things have got to be running somewhat low, especially from a vintage variety. If that’s the case, I think the Club should consider looking towards some more modern vehicles, and the Mantis is a great subject.
Granted, the Club used the Mantis tooling just a couple years ago for the Sea Adventurer’s vehicle, and I loved it then, too. One of the highlights of the new sculpt era, the Mantis is small, sleek, but very fun, with folding wings, rotating engines, and a cool, unique appearance. Unlike many other of the new sculpt era vehicles, it feels like something that could have existed in the good old days, and has many nuanced characteristics to add to its fun. The contoured canopy is a small touch that adds some coolness.
Utilizing it as an Iron Grenadiers vehicle is actually an unexpected stroke of brilliance. The black, red, and gold suits the vehicle perfectly, and it almost desembles Destro’s Despoiler upon quick glance. I can totally see this thing as either General Mayhem’s personal aircraft or as a squad craft for an Iron Anvil Officer, who might pop the canopy and leap from it. Heck, it’s water based, too, so maybe it even belongs to the Undertow Officer. It’s really versatile and really fun, and as the free attendee vehicle, I think the Club made a remarkably great choice.
Mantis
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Vehicle Design
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Paint Deco
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Play Features
Summary
Small in stature, with a lot of fun crammed into it, I don’t think anyone was expecting an Iron Grenadier themed Mantis sub to be the free attendee vehicle this year, but here we are. With a great Iron Grenadier deco and awesome red tinted windshield, it’s a very fun vehicle with some good play value. One of the neatest small vehicles of the new sculpt era, it translates to the modern day quite nicely.
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