BTR-Ticles: Freedom Defense Outpost

by Twitziller

Though a part of the second series of Built To Rule sets which debuted with a limited release in 2004, the Freedom Defense Outpost received a delayed release in 2005, and is one of only two playsets in the BTR line.

The Freedom Defense Outpost partially shares a name with one of the 1986 G.I. Joe Battlestations, the Outpost Defender. The primary mode is a two-story armored tower with a garage bay below and a communications/weapons station above. In this mode, the set includes a motorcycle with dual missile launchers.

The included figure is the Joe team’s first sergeant, Duke. Featuring O-ring construction, Duke is a straight repaint of the 2003 BTR Duke included with the Armadillo Assault set.

The Freedom Defense Outpost’s secondary mode is a structure with 2 walls and an exterior deck. In this mode, the set includes a minigun-armed motorcycle that somewhat resembles the 1982 RAM motorcycle.

There aren’t an enormous number of possibilities with the motorcycle parts, but, with all the other detail parts and the motorcycle body at your disposal, a number of crazy flying motorcycles can be constructed.

With the deck platforms and other structural pieces in the set, a landing craft can be constructed to carry troops and a reconnaissance motorcycle ashore.

With a combination of structural pieces, moving parts, and wall panels, a Joe mech can be constructed.

It’s actually possible to make an even smaller Helicarrier than Hasbro did.

Getting back on track, the structural parts in the set lend themselves to all kinds of well-armed and heavily armored defensive buildings. The Freedom Defense Outpost’s weapons include four of the ubiquitous BTR miniguns in black with black mounts, one of the standard BTR missile launchers in black with a red missile, and two of the smaller, wave 2 BTR missile launchers in black with red missiles.

Notable parts for the Freedom Defense Outpost include the large black column footings, the green motorcycle rear fender, the green motorcycle cowl and front fender parts, the olive green motorcycle body and the two black motorcycle wheels. Several panels, columns and associated details parts are shared with the Headquarters Attack playset, which uses similar construction techniques.