GI Joe Classified Series Army Builders: Complete Guide
Every army builder in the GI Joe Classified Series — Cobra Troopers, Vipers, Alley Vipers, Crimson Guard, Iron Grenadiers, B.A.T.s and more. Which to buy, how many to get, and how to build the best Cobra formation display.
GI Joe Classified Army Builders: The Complete Guide
Army builders are the backbone of the Classified Series display. Named characters give your shelf its personality — Cobra Commander commanding, Destro scheming, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow facing off — but army builders give it scale. A Cobra Commander standing alone is a character portrait. A Cobra Commander with six Troopers, four Vipers, two Alley Vipers, and a Crimson Guard flanking each side is a faction. That is what army builders do.
The Classified programme has produced 42 army builder figures in the main numbered series across six years — everything from the foundational 2020 Cobra Trooper to the 2026 Iron Grenadier Despoiler set. This page covers every army builder in the programme: what it is, which channel it’s in, how many you need, and which ones are worth prioritising.
The Core Cobra Infantry Tier: Start Here
If you’re building a Cobra army and don’t know where to start, these four figures are your foundation. Buy these before anything else.
Cobra Trooper (Cobra Island) — Target, 2020, $19.99
The original Classified army builder and still one of the best. The dark navy blue Trooper from the Cobra Island Target sub-line set the standard for what a Classified army builder should deliver: all-new tooling, strong paint applications, removable helmet, rifle and pistol, and the anonymous blue infantry identity that communicates Cobra’s mass at a glance. Secondary market has these above retail given age and demand — but they still appear at Target and online at reasonable prices. Buy three minimum. Six is better.
Cobra Infantry — Retail, 2021, $19.99
The standard retail counterpart to the Cobra Island Trooper — slightly different colour palette (slightly lighter blue), different accessory complement. The two versions displayed together communicate Cobra’s infantry programme across different operational configurations. At standard retail pricing this was the most accessible Classified army builder for years. Buy at least two. Works alongside the Cobra Island Trooper in the same formation.
Cobra Viper (Cobra Island) — Target, 2021, $19.99
The elite infantry upgrade. Where the Trooper is foundational infantry, the Viper is the frontline assault specialist — full-face visor, body armour, more aggressive weapons loadout. The Cobra Island Viper has fragile goggle straps on some examples; handle with care on first deployment. One of the programme’s strongest single-figure designs. Buy three to four. Six creates a proper assault element in front of your Trooper formation.
Alley Viper — Retail, 2022, $22.99
Urban assault specialist. The blue-and-orange colour scheme is immediately recognisable and creates the strongest visual contrast of any Cobra army builder in the programme. The forearm shield, the riot gear aesthetic, the aggressive close-quarters posture — displayed in formation, Alley Vipers communicate the breach-and-clear mission. Buy two minimum. Three to four creates the breach team the design implies.
The Elite and Specialist Cobra Infantry Tiers
Once the foundational formation is in place, these figures add the specialist layers that make Cobra’s army tactically coherent.
Crimson Guard — Retail, 2023, $24.99
The elite tier above the standard Trooper and Viper. The crimson red ceremonial/combat uniform with chrome helmet face shield communicates the Crimson Guard’s dual identity — both parade ground and operational — and creates the strongest colour contrast in any Cobra formation. Displayed flanking Cobra Commander or forming the honour guard around Tomax and Xamot, the Crimson Guard changes the entire tone of a Cobra display. Buy four to six. Anything less and they look like an escort; four or more looks like an elite unit.
S.A.W.-Viper — Retail, 2025, $24.99
Heavy fire support. The squad automatic weapon fills the sustained fire role that the standard Viper assault infantry can’t provide. Position these prone or behind cover, weapons deployed, covering the Viper advance. Buy two minimum. Three creates the proper fire support element.
Frag-Viper — Retail, 2025, $24.99
Grenadier and area suppression specialist. Gives the Cobra infantry formation its indirect fire capability. Buy two. Positioned at the rear of the formation with throwing posture, they communicate the layered attack that makes Cobra’s assaults tactically convincing.
Night-Viper — Retail, 2025, $27.99
Nocturnal infantry specialist. The night operations colour scheme differentiates this from the daytime assault infantry and adds the covert operations dimension to the Cobra display. Buy two to three for a dedicated night operations element.
Grim Viper — Retail, 2025, $24.99
Elite specialist tier above the standard Viper programme. Buy two. The elite tier needs representation without overwhelming the standard infantry that forms the formation’s body.
Crimson Viper — Retail, 2024, $24.99
Crimson colour scheme on Viper tooling — the assault infantry component for a pure Crimson programme display. Connects the Viper’s aggressive assault identity to the Crimson Guard’s elite programme. Buy two to three for the complete Crimson force structure alongside the standard Crimson Guard.
The B.A.T. Programme: Cobra’s Android Infantry
The Battle Android Trooper is the Classified programme’s most systematically covered army builder concept — five distinct versions representing the same android platform deployed across different Cobra factions.
B.A.T. — Retail, 2022, $22.99
The original yellow-and-black standard B.A.T. First Classified android, interchangeable forearm attachments, transparent chest panel. The army builder that proves the Classified format can make a non-human infantry type work. Buy three to four for the android support line behind the human infantry.
B.A.T. (Python Patrol) — Target, 2022, $22.99
Scale-print Python Patrol colour scheme. The faction recolour that established the B.A.T. programme’s multi-faction deployment logic. Buy two for the Python Patrol display’s android component.
Crimson B.A.T. — Retail, 2023, $24.99
Red B.A.T. for the Crimson programme display. Buy two for the elite tier’s android support.
Iron Grenadier B.A.T. (M.A.R.S. Industries) — Retail, 2025, $24.99
Dark-and-gold M.A.R.S. Industries B.A.T. Completes Destro’s force structure. Buy two for the Iron Grenadier formation’s android tier.
Displaying all four B.A.T. variants together communicates something specific: the same platform deployed by four different Cobra-adjacent organisations. That’s world-building through army builder design.
The Iron Grenadier Programme: Destro’s Private Army
The Iron Grenadiers are distinct from standard Cobra forces — Destro’s M.A.R.S. Industries private army in dark uniforms with gold accents, answerable to Destro rather than Cobra Commander. Building the Iron Grenadier display requires three figures.
Iron Grenadier — Retail, 2025, $24.99
The rank-and-file. Dark uniform, gold accents, M.A.R.S. Industries visual identity that reads as corporate military rather than government military. Buy four to six. Destro commanding four Iron Grenadiers is a faction; six is an army.
Iron Grenadier Metal-Head — Retail, 2024, $24.99
Anti-tank specialist. The heavy weapons tier for the Iron Grenadier formation. Buy one to two.
Iron Grenadier B.A.T. — Retail, 2025, $24.99
Android infantry support. Buy two for the complete Iron Grenadier force structure.
The Steel Corps: Joe Team Army Builders
The Joe team’s army builder programme is less developed than Cobra’s but has a coherent three-release structure.
Steel Corps Troopers — Fan Channel, 2024, $54.99
Multi-figure army builder pack for the Joe team’s generic infantry. The Fan Channel format delivers multiple figures in a single purchase for efficient formation building. Buy one pack minimum. Two gives you the formation depth the display needs.
Steel Corps Commander vs. Twilight Guard — Pulse, 2025, $54.99
Command tier for the Steel Corps plus the Twilight Guard as a new Cobra army builder faction. The versus format advances both sides simultaneously. Buy one.
The Multi-Figure Sets: Efficient Formation Building
Some army builder releases deliver multiple figures in a single purchase — the most economically efficient way to build formation depth.
Cobra Viper Officer & Vipers 3-Pack — Fan Channel, 2023, $89.99
Three figures — one Viper Officer plus two standard Vipers with improved goggle straps over the Cobra Island version. The most efficient single Viper purchase available. Improved accessories make these the best Vipers in the programme. Buy one pack. Two if you want a substantial Viper formation.
Cobra H.I.S.S. Fire Team 788 — Pulse, 2024, $79.99
Three-figure HISS Tank crew set: Officer, Range-Viper, and Infantry. Primarily a vehicle support set rather than a general infantry purchase. Buy one if you have the HISS Tank HasLab.
Army Builder Economics: How Many Is Enough?
The question every Classified collector eventually faces. Here’s the practical breakdown:
For a display shelf (4-6 figures per faction):
- 3 Cobra Troopers or Vipers
- 2 Alley Vipers
- 2 Crimson Guard
- 1 B.A.T.
For a serious faction display (10-15 Cobra figures):
- 4-6 Cobra Troopers/Infantry
- 4 Cobra Vipers
- 2-3 Alley Vipers
- 4 Crimson Guard
- 2-3 B.A.T.s
- 2 S.A.W.-Vipers
- 1-2 specialist figures
Total investment at $24.99: Six Cobra Troopers + four Vipers + three Alley Vipers + four Crimson Guard = $425 for a substantial formation. Budget accordingly and build gradually — army builders at standard retail are available for extended periods, so there’s no urgency to buy everything at once.
Secondary Market and Availability
Standard retail army builders (Crimson Guard, Alley Viper, S.A.W.-Viper, Frag-Viper, Grim Viper, Night-Viper, Iron Grenadier, B.A.T.) are available at launch and typically for several months after. Secondary market on recent releases stays near retail. Older figures like the Alley Viper and Crimson Guard command 15-30% secondary premiums.
Target exclusives (Cobra Viper Cobra Island, Python Patrol variants) can be harder to find outside launch windows. Secondary market runs 20-50% above retail on the most popular.
Fan Channel (Steel Corps Troopers, Viper 3-Pack) are available through Entertainment Earth and BBTS for extended periods. No urgency, but prices occasionally increase.
Walmart exclusives (Crimson Alley Viper, Range-Viper) sell through at launch and command 30-60% secondary premiums.
The Complete Army Builder List
Every army builder in the Classified programme:
Core Cobra Infantry: Cobra Trooper | Cobra Infantry | Cobra Viper | Alley Viper | Crimson Guard | Range-Viper | Crimson Viper | Crimson Alley Viper
Specialist Cobra Infantry: S.A.W.-Viper | Frag-Viper | Night-Viper | Grim Viper | Techno-Viper | Tele-Viper | Trench Viper | Night-Creeper | Hydro-Viper
B.A.T. Programme: B.A.T. | B.A.T. Python Patrol | Crimson B.A.T. | Arctic B.A.T. | Iron Grenadier B.A.T.
Iron Grenadiers: Iron Grenadier | Metal-Head | Iron Grenadier B.A.T.
Steel Corps (Joe Team): Steel Corps Troopers | Steel Corps Commander vs. Twilight Guard | Steel Corps Sentry
Ninja: Red Ninja | Blue Ninjas 2-Pack
Part of the G.I. Joe Classified Series guide. See also: Cobra figures | Sub-lines guide | Exclusive buyers guide.