I recently began my vintage reviews with a review of the Mauler. I figured I couldn't review the Mauler without also reviewing its cousin, the Equalizer. I like the Equalizer even more than the Mauler...in my humble opinion it is the best Joe tank out there.
I call the Equalizer the Mauler's "cousin" because they share a lot of the same parts. The Equalizer and Mauler both share the same chassis/body, but the turrets are different. Also, the Equalizer is NOT motorized, and has the traditional static plastic treads with hidden wheels for rolling around. The Equalizer also comes in the jungle camo scheme that is shared with the other two "Slaughter's Marauders" tanks, the Armadillo and the Lynx (which, incidentally, the Lynx uses the Mauler's cannon with the Wolverine's body for another nice vehicle).
Everything I wrote about the Mauler's chassis minus the motorization and the control stick on the back holds true for the big E. There are individual, closing hatches for the driver and one other figure in front. Removable side skirts protect the treads. There is the standard GI Joe hitch on the back for hauling stuff around. The Equalizer, like the Mauler, also originally came with one of those damned fragile and easy-to-lose tow ropes, which attaches to the right side skirt when not in use. The covers for the air intakes on the rear and stowage compartments on the side are removable, also just like the Mauler.
And now it's time for the main part, the part that sets the Equalizer apart from the Mauler and makes it (in my opinion) the best Joe tank ever. That part is, of course, the turret.
My biggest complaint about the Mauler was that there was no place for a figure in the turret. While there's not a place with a closing hatch, there's definitely a place for a figure in the top rear of the big E's turret. The turret itself is massive, over twice as high as the chassis. It's well-outfitted too. There is a large radome in the front center that can adjust in several different directions. On the top rear is another radar mast, one that can spin realistically. The Equalizer shares its antennae and its smoke grenade launchers with the Mauler, and they are also mounted on the top rear of the turret. The meat and potatoes of the turret, and of the tank itself are the 6 missile tubes (3 to a side) and the twin cannons, one on either side of the turret. These combine to give the Equalizer a mean look and some serious firepower...and it looks like it could be effective either against troops & vehicles, or even aircraft, hence the multiple radar. The cannons and missile tubes all elevate together when you raise or lower them, so whatever you're pointing the Equalizer at is staring at some SERIOUS firepower.
So, what kind of investment are we talking about here? The Equalizer seems to be much more rare than its Mauler cousin, and we all know what "rare" means. Most loose, complete-except-for-that-damned-tow-rope examples go for around $100 online. Personally, I got lucky and managed to score all three Slaughter's Marauders tanks for $100. I don't know others' opinions on them, and the Armadillo and Lynx are not nearly as valuable as the Equalizer, but I thought that was a pretty good deal...and I really like all three tanks! So yes, the asking price is kind of steep, and if you get an incomplete one, parts are kind of hard to come by...mine was missing one of the skirts, and it took me three months to track one down (finally did thanks to Condor Knight & HJL Collectibles...shout out!) so be aware of what you might be getting into.
If I were building a GI Joe armored assault column, I would probably lead it off with both Armadillos (the regular cannon-carrying version and the Slaughter's Marauder's, missile launching version as scout vehicles. Since they were shown as being exceptionally fast in the comics, those little tanks could draw enemy fire and distract them from the big heavies following. Starting off the beef of the column would be the Joe vs Cobra/Spytroops Patriot Grizzly, followed by the Equalizer, then the Mauler, Lynx, MOBAT, and so forth so on. Lord help any Cobra tanks (ok, any except the HATE because we all know it's the baddest tank of them all
) that gets in the way of THAT armored column.
To conclude, I love the Equalizer, and I think it's a worthy addition to any Joe collection. I can also see why Sarge would choose it as his personal tank, because it's flat badass. Whether you decide to spend the coin to add it to your armored collection is of course up to you...but I honestly don't think you'll be sorry you did.
