ACTION FORCE 1982-1983 (SECOND SERIES)

ARMOURED TROOP CARRIER (A.T.C.)

Armoured Troop Carrier

The A.T.C. is a powerful amphibious vehicle which has been developed for the rapid deployment of a large Action Force squad of up to 18 people. Its rugged, wide-section tyres allow it to cross rough terrain very easily and also give extra buoyancy in water. The lower leverl of the A.T.C. is completely watertight. When in amphibious mode, the water level comes up to the top of the wheel arches. It’s armed with a rotating gun turret and an elevating missiles-launcher.

The Armoured Trooper Carrier (A.T.C.) is a fantastic vehicle! The front of the vehicle has a part which covers the front seats. This has two windows that can be looked through. A driver and front seat passenger can be placed in the front seats. There was a steering wheel for the driver.

A top hatch (which opens and closes) gives a figure access to the top gun and upper part of the vehicle. The top gun rotates and makes a clicking sound as it does so. The top gun is fragile and often found broken.

As well as a top gun, the A.T.C. also has a missile launcher which holds four red missiles. The top hatch also came with a hole for a small green aerial (which tends to be missing). The aerial fixed into a hole on the top hatch but it was fragile and vulnerable to loss or breakage.

 Four figures can be placed in the rear of the A.T.C. and a black seat belt device holds them in place. On the floor there are a number of pegs for figures to stand on.

In the back of the vehicle there is a stretcher which is held in place by four pins. There is also a storage box for ammo and weapons. The stretcher was made from brittle plastic and is often found damaged. It is the same mould as Doc’s stretcher but it is a different colour.

The bar at the rear of the vehicle pulls out. The rear ‘trailer’ part of the vehicle has a removable top so that the rear can be accessed. 

Inside the vehicle a number of stickers really gave it life. Computer panels were made, as well as a tool box and medical area. 

The vehicle came with some fantastic parts which made it such a great toy. However, most of the parts were made from brittle plastic and were easily damaged. The small green aerial is very hard to find. The missile holder is also very hard to find as it is very fragile and easily damaged. The red missiles were also notorious for breaking off in the holder. The part of the missile holder that held it in place was very thin and easily broken.

The ATC appeared in a television commercial battling the Roboskull here

OUTER VEHICLE

INNER VEHICLE

PARTS

The A.T.C. came with a lot of parts. Many of the parts were fragile and easily broken. 

The aerial is very hard to find. It’s position on the hatch would have led to many getting snapped if it was pulled to get the hatch open. The missile launcher is notorious for being broken or missing. The plastic it was made from was very brittle. The part that connected it to the vehicle was made from thin plastic. It came with four red missiles that connected to the launcher.

It came with a steering wheel and also a belt that secured figures in place. The belt keeps figures in place even if the vehicle is turned upside down! A top hatch was included that figures could be placed into. A top green gun was also included that has quite thin easily breakable pieces. 

PACKAGING

The A.T.C. came in a box. Despite being one of the larger vehicles it did not come with any figures (unlike other vehicles). 

 

VARIANTS

The A.T.C. was originally released as part of Z Force. It was later released as part of Action Force with a different box and the same stickers. 

U.S. GI JOE RELEASE

The Action Force A.P.C. was not released as part of the G.I. Joe toy line. In 1983 the G.I. Joe Amphibious Personnel Carrier (A.P.C.) was released. The vehicle looks similar to the Action Force A.T.C. but there are lots of differences. It has no top hatch, missile launcher or aerial. Inside it only has seating for troops. It had no stretcher or ammo storage box. 

DATAFILE

Datafiles could be found in the Battle Action Force comics. They contained lots of information about the vehicles and characters and had some great artwork. There was no datafile for the 1983-1984 A.T.C

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