One other tidbit from the video.

At one point it is mentioned that apparently there has been a change in plans and the talk about the Snow Cat, or Thunder Machine, being offered at "retail" with a new price point ($150+) is no longer being considered.

With the Snow Cat being part of the choices for a Haslab I guess that could be the case now.

Had I known Hasbro was going to turn into a videogame game company (mild sarcasm), I would've bought a Rattler. I pegged the Rattler as thee vehicle I was okay passing on for space considerations so I'd have room for mid-size non-Haslabs and a 2025 Haslab. I apparently have an open slot for it and its stupid folded up wings.

If they released a snow cat with no figures at “retail” or pulse or what have you at 150.00 we would be complaing that we couldn’t find them.

they would be -scarce-

id make sure they were…😒

snow cat from BBTS or something is my first choice.

since that isn’t likely to happen, I’ll choose the HAVOC.

The design stands out and would work as a support vehicle for the ramen tank many of us are buying.  They could include swappable accessories/ options for the clear canopy to make it look more modern/armored. (See: Hiss tank)

additional armament/missiles 

an optional armored plate plus canopy for the gunner? (Hiss tank)

the recon sled is an awesome concept to me and always has been. 🤷🏾‍♂️ 

Maybe it could have utility arms or something so it can function as a remote controlled drone

Did they mention the reason why the plans changed  for the Snow Cat and Thunder Machine being sold at retail?  Almost seems like they are trying to justify selling those things at a higher price point aka the Haslab when it should be retail level. 

I'd love to know the logic behind it. The other vehicles sold ridiculously well. They must know there's a hungry market for that $100-$150 price point Joes vehicles. Maybe their profit margin on crowdfunding is that much bigger. 

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd rather two differently painted Snow Cats at VAMP level of quality (I don't even care about working treads - put wheels on static treads like the old days). They'd get me for $300 on preorder, with or without one figure. It almost feels like they've either got dollar signs in their eyes, or they're just getting overly ambitious. (I also think there are so many more, ah, what's the word I'm looking for, over-the-top ridiculous Joe vehicles that could use the crowdfunding technique? The 'cat feels like it would benefit from less is more whereas an eight-pound hunk of plastic tank might appeal more.) 

Maybe I'm crazy but man, I like the VAMP and Stinger MORE than the HISS. The HISS feels like work when I set it up. The other two feel like happy lil stress-free toys. 

Of course maybe they're watching these discussion boards and are like "these dudes LOVE the Snow Cat, let's sell them a $350 deluxe model and hook them with all the characters they've been waiting for to put on the shelf with Snow Job." 

(I think the thing that throws me most about the Haslab choice is why they'd pick something that's not an easy repaint. They haven't tried to repurpose the HISS yet so clearly they don't think that's an option.) 

I wonder if they found the upper limit retail's willing to go with the Vamp so they feel like anything bigger has to go Haslab.  I would be perfectly fine if Haslabs were under $200.

@chooch555 I'd back a lot more Haslabs if they kept them under $200. It's the commitment they ask for on these bad boys that gives me pause, not the sales method.

Under $200 range would be great.  I think the majority of fans don't need lights, we certainly don't need stickers, we don't need a bunch of swappable parts.  Just a good vehicle with one figure.  Haslabs always feel like Hasbro reaching for a price tag.  But I have to say, the sales method does give me pause, now, after how goofy the figures with the Skystriker turned out.  They lost my trust.

@vicious7171 That's a good point about the bells and whistles. I wonder how many folks back Haslab because they want the vehicle and characters they know won't be produced elsewhere versus being swayed by all the extras. I find the more that can go wrong with a toy (lightbulbs dying that can't be replaced, a leaky battery, stickers fading) the less it appeals to me. My ideal line is just, as you say, a solid vehicle with one figure. They could string me out for YEARS with one of those very other sales quarter.  

Which isn't to say the Haslab vehicles aren't beautiful work, they are fantastic. Just a bit overkill for my tastes. And I don't hate on the weird plastics of the last figures included as much as most. 

(Sidebar: last time the weird heads on the Haslab figures came up I mentioned that they felt like they were made of the Selfie Series plastics and that I'd lost my own mini-me from the Selfie Series and that felt like the start of a horror movie. I did find the figure and frankly... I'm even less impressed with the likeness now than I was when I got it originally. Probably why he's never been on display. Wish I'd gotten the Snake Eyes version instead of the Mando one.) 

I’m thinking they should phase out those Haslabs and just morph it with how they kinda did that ML Sentinel. Made to order and we pay when it actually ships. I’m really starting to hate paying a hefty price tag after about a month and the bloody thing doesn’t ship til next year….with possible delays. 

But if not, then yeah let’s keep these Haslabs under 200 if possible. I don’t need lights and electronics that will significantly boost the cost. And yes, I’m still hoping they offer a gutted version of the Hiss down the line. No working treads needed. The Haslab Hiss can be the royal vehicle for the higher ups like Serpentor, CC, Destro, etc. The budget Hiss can be for all our cobra troop builders. 

I totally agree.   The lights and electronics feel like wasted extras that are simply an excuse to charge more that don't add to my experience of the item.    I don't use them with the the Sentinel and Galactus I have.       I felt like there was so much stupid added cost in the Engine of Vengeance for the dumb extras no-one wanted or cared about.

A simple vehicle and driver combo is all I'm looking for.

Posted by: @docsilence

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And I don't hate on the weird plastics of the last figures included as much as most. 

It helps that they come with helmets 🤣 🤣  But it's not just the plastic quality, it's the bland expressions too.  It's a far cry from fantastic sculpts and paintjobs like on Bludd, CI Firefly, TF Outback, Zarana, Torpedo, Snow Job etc. which transcended this line from what was possible in smaller scales.  

Just how bored can Crazylegs look for a guy who's career is jumping out of helicopters?  These headsculpts deserve personality.

Chad from the YouTube video said the Snow Cat and Havoc had backends to hold troops. It seems like hasbro is trying to make things larger and more expensive than they need to be. Troop transport is fun, but I wouldn't miss it. Sticking with the ARAH design would be perfectly valid.

Of those listed, my preference in order is HAVOC, Snow Cat, Mauler and Hammer. Of those I only had the HAVOC. I had Frostbite but didn't have the Snow Cat, and as far as the plainer tanks go I had MOBAT but not Mauler, so MOBAT gets the sentimental edge. But I loved the HAVOC and the separate Fan-Propelled Reconnaissance Craft was superduper cool. 

But with that said, I don't want any more Haslabs, because as has been said it's just an opportunity to staple unneeded price gouging onto things. I don't use any of the extra things that came with the HISS Tank, and to be honest the effort put into making it a troop-carrier made it larger than it really needed to be. And the last thing the HAVOC needs to be is expanded into a "carrier" type of vehicle. And I'm kind of hesitant with vehicles in general because of whatever unnecessary changes might be made in the interest of "upgrading" that end up not being positive changes anyway. Like the AWE Striker and its little baby wheels. 

Regardless, my most wanted vehicle remains the Thunder Machine. With absolutely no changes to the original design, please and thank you. It's perfect.

Backends as in part of the vehicle or something detachable like the HMS? If detachable it should be offered separate from the vehicle itself like how the HMS was for the Hiss to keep costs down. I don’t know if a lot of people will want something like that that boost the costs up more than necessary. It’s sounding like an excuse to bring the Haslab over $200 when it can be broken down to separate sales.