Or hanging off the back.

Didn't Joe get some magnetic Bug Stomper signs made up?

I kinda replied to this in Joe's Jeep thread so I'm... uhh... cross-replying here.

I'll ask about the minivan in the parade.

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Does it really matter how big the Bugstomper decals are? If we're going for recognition, then maybe 0.5% of the crowd will recognise the Bugstomper.

If you were putting the decals on just because it looks cool then you wouldn't consider using an MPV as the vehicle. A minivan might make you look virile, but never cool!

I know guy, but we gotta go with what we have.... I'm volunteering my minivan 'cuz I'm driving down, so unless someone else has a more awesome vehicle to volunteer (*cough*Joe Ranger*cough*), we'll have to go with it.

Well, I wasn't going to go. Reasons are complicated this year. But I did gut the jeep just to put the Bugstomper logos on it.
I might be working with a client in Atlanta, If I can set a meeting on fri or tues i will try to swing it.

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No, they are not going to see this coming...

Not another D-Con without Han Soloaded!


Well here's hoping you can make it regardless of whether you have the jeep or not!

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Han so loaded, han so hiliarious

I'm looking into it. i will post logistical questions in the dcon thread. I just checked hotels and they are obviously sold out.

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No, they are not going to see this coming...

Nothing against any of you personally (except maybe for Spat ), but I'm not a fan of doing anything related to a mini-van or go-kart as far as an APC look-alike goes. So far we've been really good at keeping the accuracy and realism of the Colonial Marines when marching in the parade (even when Airborne Mike gets repeatedly attacked by that facehugger), so much so that many people actually believe we are an active military group. Even our mock bug hunts have an air of realism to them, but we're still able to have fun with it.

I believe the moment we introduce something as cheesy as a mini-van APC is the day we lose all credibility and are that much closer to being the 'goofy costumers' that we would really rather not be associated with. For some groups, like the Klingons, apparently an old 1970 Ford Fairlane mocked up to look like a Bird of Prey is acceptable. Entertaining? Hell yes -- but now I look at those Klingons as a bunch of abnoxious redneck drunks (as opposed to abnoxious outerspace drunks). Not to mention they took a classic musclecar and desecrated it. Suddenly Klingons are not so cool or badass -- they are now portrayed as silly and people laugh at them. As much as I would absolutely love to have an APC or other military vehicle in the parade with us, I would not want to taint the 'cool' factor of the USCM with something like this driving in the parade...



If it's your own personal vehicle, that's one thing. But if it affects the image of the entire USCM Corp, that's something else.

And for Joe, it appears to be something else entirely. Who else here would go out and purchase a $20,000-$30,000 vehicle specially chosen in dark green so that he could slap $10 magnetic Bugstomper decals on it? Now that's hardcore! That would also be quite acceptable as a USCM military vehicle stand-in. I don't know if his has the spare wheel mounted on the back door or not, but I recall another APC interest thread that talked about turning such an option into the upper gun turret in its 'stowed' position.

Jeep or not Joe, I sure hope you can pull some strings to make it down to DCon -- even for one day.


That would rock! Even if it was just a stuffed bug suit attached to the back... for safety reasons.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

I think I'm with Rick on this as far as a vehicle goes... A van would be extracting the urine a little.

I'm still crazy for the drum roll being played though; I'll happily carry a car battery and a sound system if someone can rig it up to fit in a rucksack.

Ok Dom's volunteering his minivan was for the sole purpose of blasting the drumbeat/drop sequence music. This was to take our group to another level with (for lack of a better way of putting it) re-enacting the movie so to speak . The idea of of passing off a minivan as an APC and guys hanging off of it "helicopter doorgunner" style was really an after thought.



Very true that we get recognized as a genuine military group- people yell out "MARINES!" to get our attention for pictures during the parade.

They also yell out "The only good bug is a dead bug!"... which is close... but no cigar. Still better than "Hey GI JOE!"

And I think there is a youtube video of us from '06 floating around titled: "Army guys at D-Con".

Please appreciate that the main reason for having the minivan is that (for now) it is the easiest viable solution for having loud enough music in the parade. With the Aliens soundtrack playing it may actually help get us recognized as being from that movie for a change.

If someone comes along with a more military looking vehicle that is going to D-Con, and can have it there without any trouble I'd be all for it as I'm sure Dom would be too.

Or failing that- if someone has a portable sound sytem loud enough that is willing to tote it in the parade- that would work too I guess.

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

There is a tiny something that you will have (hopefully in abundance) that is the most recognisable thing in the film. If that doesn't make people recognise that you guys are from Aliens then the movie soundtrack won't help!!!!

LOOK AT YOU!!!!

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A72/TQ6.6.95356E8





"I plan to live forever.........or die trying!"

We had a Bug and two Predators in the very front of our group, spread out in front of the two Marines carrying our ALIENS LEGACY banner, last year... and there were still people who didn't get it.

If that didn't get the message across, maybe the music will be the last little nudge it takes.

_________________

CPL Sean Maio A01/TQ2.0.72156E1
Public Relations Division (Temporary Cross-Assignment)
M-56 Smartgun Operator, A/3Btn, II CMEF, USS Sephora

Aye, I know. I was tempted either to insult the knowledge of the crowd or suggest you ditch the Preds (big s ), but I'm nice enough not to do either ...

In all fairness we have come a loooong way from...

"Who are you guys?"


And believe me having several or even just one alien makes all the world of difference. The music would be icing on the cake... not the cake itself.

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Marines and Aliens (and Preds ), music or not, the parade is gonna be a sight to see. At least 30 of us will manage to get out of bed in time, surely?

What he said.

I still remember how it felt to hear people I passed in the parade (I was on the right edge, close to the front, so I was right in the audience's faces) shouting things like "Game over, man!" and the like. Those were the ones I would turn and interact with, 'cause they'd go nuts for it every time. My voice was DEAD afterwards.

Man, I can't wait for August. It's hard to imagine that this year is going to be even bigger.

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CPL Sean Maio A01/TQ2.0.72156E1
Public Relations Division (Temporary Cross-Assignment)
M-56 Smartgun Operator, A/3Btn, II CMEF, USS Sephora

That's what you get for going Semper Psycho.



Because nothing screams screen accuracy like a Nerf Longshot?

I concede your point though Rick. So... when are we building the full size APC at your place?

Russ

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

As much as that is greatly appreciated, such a task might be a little tough. Big sound (especially during a parade) will be hard enough, but even more difficult I would think to fit into something as small as a rucksack.

But don't lament just yet, read on...


Understood.


Hmmm... or perhaps something like this would be capable of hiding a car battery and a stereo system with truly big speakers for that BIG sound?



There's nothing like hiding in plain sight.

Just a thought.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Being a nugget I am not sure if there are any other vehicles in the tech manual? I have an older full size Bronco. OD paint. Top off Gunner standing in the rear bed area. Just not sure if I'm going to be able to drive from Washington (state) to D-Con this year.

Don't even go there Russ. I know you know what I mean. This isn't so much about 'canon' or being a purist -- this is mostly about public 'perception'.


Shhhhh!

Something's already in the works...

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

No offense Rick... But I hope you're kidding with that.

A rifleman pulling a kid's wagon? I don't care how you dress it up... it's still a wagon. I'm thinking this is how you felt about "dressing up" a minivan and calling it an APC.

Maybe maybe if it was a WY tech pulling it, maybe it could look acceptable. But I can't help but feel that someone pulling something along when we are supposed to be state of the art badasses with futuristic technology falls into that "goofyness" category you mentioned. ("Let's roll Marines!" squeak squeak squeak).

Sorry Bro- I don't mean to be brutally frank or sarcastic. I just can't see how this would win over a van.

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Oh my god... I just about fell out of my chair from laughing so damn hard!

No Kevin... I promise not to make a rifleman pull the wagon.

Perhaps one of the captured 'bugs' should pull it?

In all honesty, I was thinking of something more like the payload dollies that you see on the tarmac when fighter jets are getting loaded out (A Weyland-Yutani Tech would indeed be the perfect candidate to pull it). Unfortunately I couldn't find any photos to post, so I settled for a custom Radio Flyer.

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Rick "Ripstick"
A03/TQ3.0.12142E1

Well, make it a bergen then... I'll just make sure I stay well hydrated.

But if that 'something in the works' pitches up on parade, I'll pass out from excitement, never mind dehydration!

You ain't shackling the bugs to that! We need to roam free to 'interfere' with the crowd.

SAS

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Alan T. Alien
1st Lt Smith, SA "Sidewinder"
A13/TQ1.4.19720EX CMA
Founder of UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters
Founder of Special Armaments Section (Heavy Weapons)
"People don't understand. people like me"

Now this wagon thingy might work.

Hear me out Take the wagon idea, forget the OD paint.

WY Logo on side maybe Yellow Box, Then we need a Big Wheel.
Hook the two together then get a kid put him/her in jumpsuit with
WY patches.

It would work and I might be able to supply the kid to ride Big Wheel.

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SFC
Michael Larson
Minnesota-USA

A03/TQ1.0.92141E1