The 1st Annual Cross Continent Cobra Capture Classic CCCCC!!

[roshan]

Hello all!  For years, I've been thinking about a cross community contest that is open to all Joe collectors and today I've finally set one in motion.  If you don't know me, I am Roshan on the hisstank forums and you may have met me at Joe cons in the past.  Regardless if you know me or not, you're all invited to join a contest that you can play in the field or keep track of on your computer.  I've put together a contest that spans a great deal of Canada and the United States called the Cross Continent Cobra Capture Classic. Here's how it works:

Cobra action figures will be placed in hidden locations throughout the land. These figures will be found in plastic zip lock bags with a code inside. I will be putting clues to all of their whereabouts on my blog and on various websites so that you may find them. If you locate a figure, he's yours to keep, but we need that intel, so please post a picture of the figure with his code either here, the intel hub blog or at any of the various joe websites on the net. This intel is two-fold. First it will unlock greater information for the rest of the contest, and more importantly for you, it will register you in the grand prize drawing.

Each basic trooper found will be worth one entry into the great drawing, while every cobra raid leader (four total) will be worth three entries into the grand drawing. The drawing will be held at the GIJoe Canada Con in August and the winner will receive a Cobra Terrordrome with Avac and Firebat. You will not need to be present to win, I will ship it to you.

Now where will these guys be hidden? That I cannot say, but intel will come in throughout the year when we get it, and I will say that the figures will find their way to at least 30 states and three provinces, with about 60-70 total troopers dropped so your chances of being in on the hunt are pretty good.  I will be updating a lot of the contest in this thread, but for the quickest updates for drops and intel, check the central hub for all the info at:  http://cobracaptureclassic.blogspot.com/

Additionally, the forum that finds the most figures by the end of the contest I will donate $50 to help fund their server costs. So when you find a figure and you post it on the site of your choice, that will be one tally for that collector group.  If you post straight to the blog, you can designate which site you belong to if you wish.  

There are further prizes in the contest, but they need to be discovered as figures are found by the clues they give. So go out there and let's hunt some Cobras!

Here's the first intel pic of the Cobra troops on the loose.  There whereabouts will be revealed soon!

[Realboss]

Pretty neat idea.  Thanks for including us!

[roshan]

Well it'd be kinda silly to draw the grand prize at Canada Con and not even have one cobra dropped in Canada previous



Intel has tracked down the first of many operatives.  This Cobra trooper is hiding out in the following building:



Although we do know that the location is in Iowa, we do not have the city as of yet.  We also received a code that could help pinpoint his location.  The code is
fGN 2
                                                                       fGN 772.32
We're not sure what this code means, but we will be on the lookout for further information.

UPDATE:  We have a new clue.  Apparently this cobra trooper is attempting to gain information from a German authority on Anthropology in Iowa City, IA.  We hope this information helps in your search.  

UPDATE!  We now have the exact location where the trooper is doing research, the code is now clear:

[roshan]

On February 23, 2010 at 12:06 AM Joe operative Knomadd of TheTerrordrome.com successfully reported in that he captured a Cobra Tele-Viper in Iowa City, IA at the University of Iowa Library.  Congratulations Knomadd.


After reviewing the data on the Tele Vipers laptop, we have come across some promising information.  From the looks of things, the Tele Viper's unit commander was none other than Copperhead.   Although we do not know his location we have been informed of two meetings that will take place in the following week in Chicago, IL and Sacramento, CA.  It is at these meetings that the Tele Viper was to relay his information.  If we can capture any Cobra troops at these meetings, we might just find someone able to give the whereabouts of Copperhead, who is now our primary objective. 

[THE Mike™]

I gotta say, the idea of this contest is just damn cool.

[pdaat]

On the pic above, where did the black Crimson Guard come from?

[THE Mike™]

On the pic above, where did the black Crimson Guard come from?

Toys R Us exclusve Crimson Shadow Guard set
http://www.yojoe.com/action/05/crimsonguard8.shtml

[roshan]

That Black Shadow Guard is on his way to the West Coast right now.  But you guys will be getting your first crack at a figure in the next two weeks as long as customs is being a pain in the butt. 

[roshan]

After a lengthy search, we have a new operative spotted in Sacramento, California. Our spies have submitted this picture, and one clue: ZOOM! Prepare your search NoCal troopers.





http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/SSPX0172Large.jpg

[roshan]

CHICAGO UNDER ATTACK

Our intelligence has intercepted a communique between what we believe to be a cobra defector and another cobra agent. It revealed an imminent attack in the city of Chicago. Thankfully, we have men on the ground already breaking up the plot. Here is that letter:

My love, my life,
I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore. I'm staring into a flotsam and I can see clearly now for the first time. This is not who I am, I'm leaving the operation. Don't worry, I haven't given away our positions. Although I may be considered a coward by some, I will not be labeled a traitor. I told the black horned beast that I was leaving...in my own way. Despite my retreat from this madness, my love for you still remains. Everything to this point, every sacrifice, I have done for you. But as the dawn rose over the shores of the lake yesterday, the sun blazed the monolithic skyline golden, and the beauty of it left me with a feeling of guilt at what we were preparing to do. It was too much, not even love should force one to commit such crimes. So now I ask of you, if you truly care for me, renounce this cause, and come to me and we can live out our lives together, without fear. If your answer is yes, I am here, where we first met, waiting, at Lover's Leap. Look out from the leap, turn around and look up, I will be waiting beneath the top.
                                      Waiting anxiously, H


We believed the attack to be in Chicago and our hunch was correct. Counter terrorist operation led by GIJoe operative Shockwave broke the main thrust of the attack forcing their operatives to splinter and hide themselves throughout the city. Interrogations of Cobra agents captured revealed clues to four Cobra operatives.

Two Cobra agents have hidden themselves in this location:

The only other information revealed on their location was the following. Within the walls surrounding the horned black beast, and The edge of the cave of the whiskered ones.

The third cobra operative is a Crimson Guardsmen who is attempting to blend into his surroundings by taking a new identity as a pizza chef. Fortunately the management at the establishment deduced his identity and have held him, and are waiting for you to retrieve him at this location (the greatest pizza place in town so we hear):

You only need ask for the Cobra trooper that is captured and they will turn him over along with all the pizza the Guardsman made before being found out. Anthony is the point man at the pizza place.


Finally a Cobra BAT seems to be malfunctioning and running rampant in the outer suburbs of the Chicagoland area. This was the last known location of the BAT. Interrogation revealed that if the BAT is malfunctioning, he was to reboot and rendezvous where the edges of the estates meet.




Additionally, we have the defector to deal with. Given his qualms about working for Cobra, he could be a valuable asset to locating the officer in command of this operation. Find him at his "lovers rendezvous" before his love interest can either join up with him, or get rid of him for deserting. His letter was postmarked from the city of Utica, IL and included this picture:

[roshan]

Time for more clues!

In Sacramento, we have zeroed in on the location. 
Here is the storefront it is near:

The Cobra agent is hiding somewhere in this photo:



As to Chicago, the Cobra agents in the zoo have hidden themselves well, but we now have pinpointed which habitats they are hiding around. 
The cave of the whiskered ones seems to be the Sea Lion exhibit:

and the black horned beast would be the Black Rhinoceros exhibit.


For Utica we have narrowed the location of Lover's Leap to Starved Rock State Park just south of the city.


There's your latest set of clues.  Go get em troopers!

[roshan]

Target: Tampa Bay!

Intelligence has reported two new cobra troops in the Tampa Bay area.

The first troop has been spotted in Clearwater Beach.  

He is currently hiding out amongst the branches in a palm tree on the beach.  Follow these pictures to find him.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture437Large.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture458Large.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture459Large.jpg


The second cobra trooper has been spotted near the entrance of Lowry Park Zoo!

Follow the pictures to track him down

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture446Large.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture447Large.jpg


All four Chicago locations have been captured but the Starved Rock target is still at large.  Intelligence gathered on Chicago will be posted this weekend.  (since the junkie laptop I've got on vacation at the moment really sucks)


EDIT:  Lowry Park Zoo Crimson Guard has been found by 03mach1 of the Hisstank
EDIT: Clearwater Beach Incinerator has been found by X-factorz of the hisstank

[rob0213]

This is such a cool idea.

[grunt 4 mvp]

Hilarious!

[roshan]

OK its been way too long since an update.  Sorry Canada, a busted up tire completely screwed up my canada trip and I was stuck in Northern Ontario sitting at a Canadian Tire for way too long and I had to drive straight through the night to get to New York.

Speaking of New York, anyone want an unproduced figure?
Well here's one:

He's currently hiding at the top of Mt Marcy in a cairn on the summit.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture482Large.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture483Large.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture484Large.jpg
Basically, you get that guy, you earned it and then some.  The mountain is not a technical climb but its about an 18 miles roundtrip hike


But Canada I did get to you at least once before getting out of town.  A Heat Viper is currently hanging out at a place that serves the best French Fried in the World (or at least northern ontario)  Go to this restaurant/motor home to ask for the gijoe figure and you'll get the HEAT Viper, and a large fries on me.  the restaurant is just outside of Bonfield, on and Highway 17

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture479Large.jpg

Wisconsin, you get your first drop too, also kinda outta the way a bit.  Also near a highpoint.  This cobra is hidden in a coffee can at the Highpoint Village restaurant, just below Timms Hill near Ogema, WI

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc184/phillinley/CCCCC/Picture473Large.jpg


Now some of you might be thinking 'this sucks, they are in really out of the way places'.  Well part of this is my car broke down so I have less time, but secondly, there have already been two instances where people looking for figures have either had the cops called on them or have the cops question what they were doing.  I don't want that to happen.  So from now on I'm either leaving the figures in a public park outside of cities, or in a restaurant or venue where the owner knows what's going on.  I do not want anyone to get in trouble looking for toys so thats why there is this change in drop spots.