This is how I have evolved, ... helps that I didn't have any "blue shirt" troopers, too.

I have come to think of the Trooper = Viper, though. And then most "specialty" Vipers are Vipers with extra gear and training. Some Vipers become a little more elite, like Strato Viper or Hydro Viper; guys that want to do bad and are willing to undergo surgeries so they can be bad in extreme places. Cobra makes being bad more fun for Vipers.

I always pictured the Vipers as the invasion force and once an area is secured the blue shirts move in to maintain Cobra's grip.

_________________

I'm with AdrienVeidt and harlie. They're the same guys, just in different uniforms. Guard duty, maintenance, etc? They dress in their blues. Going on an assault mission? Viper suit. The exceptions are guys like the Stinger and HISS drivers, where the extra bulk of the armor would interfere with operating the vehicle.

That's pretty much my take. Viper uniforms would be too expensive and uncomfortable to wear around a base all the time. (They need to be washed at some point.) So the Trooper uniform is the "lounge wear" so to speak of the Cobra world. The blue uniform also works better for disappearing into crowds. If Cobra carries out an urban operation, guy in body armor would stand out in a crowd. But, they wear the blue uniform, put a jacket over the top and they can disappear into the gawking masses.

_________________

I don't know... the helmet and face mask might give them away. Not to mention the kneepads, combat boots, and survival knife on the thigh.

_________________

That's my normal Tuesday attire. Isn't that normal?

This ^

Came on here to write this ^

I'm still working on what I want the Troopers to be but I'm leaning towards them being the cannon-fodder of Cobra. Cobra sweeps into an underdeveloped nation, starts recruiting from the ignorant masses and hands them a blue Trooper uniform and an AK-47 and sends them out to fight. Whereas the Vipers are the professional soldiers, hired by Cobra to be the actual backbone of their true army. If you manage to survive as a Blueshirt Trooper and show some skill and potential then you could become a Viper. Otherwise you're a disposable soldier, easily replaced by one of the many other disenfranchised and disillusioned looking for a quick, easy buck.

_________________

That works perfectly well with my thing. Call it COBRA's version of the Delayed Entry Program.

_________________

For me, troopers are the entry level cobra's. Once they've been trained and have served a certian amount of time, then they become vipers and get the more advanced weapons and uniforms. Once a viper, then the doors open up to move to other specialty units.

^I like this^

_________________

This is similar to what I do. The Vipers are troopers that have survived. They not only have experience, but show promise. They then receive extra training, and the better equipment. Once they've shown they can hack it in the Viper Corps, they can start work towards specialty training.

_________________

In terms of what's official, post-vintage Hasbro canon on "cannon fodder" says they coexist. Heck, they even invented quite a few trooper spin-offs, confusing Cobra's structure more (just how many anti-tank and flame thrower specialists are there?)

If I had to dump one, I'd dump Vipers. There's too many visored Cobras, and it cheapens Cobra Commander's battle helmet look.* We've seen upgraded troopers with Resolute, so there's no problem modernizing their gear. Or I'd combine the trooper and viper into one look, meaning half-visor/half mask or no visor. Some special missions issues show the Vipers sans faceplates...that would be an interesting look.

*1986, the reset year, the new leader Serpentor has a face while the basic cobra nobodies are totally faceless. Arguably Mindbender fills or takes over some of Destro's role, and he has an unmasked face, too. It's interesting, but probably all coincidence.

When these figures came out and I read the comics where Serpentor was obviously going to be a usurper, I had the idea that Serpentor had re-outfitted Cobra Troopers and gave them visors just like CC had as a way of mocking him.

A year or so later when I got my Battle Armor CC and my own little Cobra Civil War storyline was hatched, It was basically Cobra Commander and Cobra Troopers vs Serpentor and his Vipers.

_________________