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Sunday, November 9, 2014

Crossbolt Questions

As many blogs, websites, and news sources around the Nerf Nation have reported, there's yet ANOTHER crossbow-based blaster on it's way to shelves.  This latest one, the N-Strike Elite Crossbolt, is a bit more puzzling in terms of how it works, but has also been spotted for sale on the Amazon.com.uk site.

Originally, the Crossbolt was part of the handful of blasters featured on a larger image that was leaked in September of 2014.  Most recently, the MEGA Cyclone Shock (as reviewed by our friends at SBNC), is out and about, so one-by-one, they are becoming a reality.  However, there's a cloud of confusion currently around the Crossbolt.  There's really only one photo of it out on the interwebs that simply shows a bullpup style magazine-fed blaster with a gray priming handle on top, a tactical rail on the bottom, and bow arms on either side.  Personally, I think it looks awesome, but then I try to figure out how it works.

Many fans have been going off of the "It says 'real crossbow action' so it must be string-powered" assumption, but the Crossfire Bow in the ZombieStrike lineup says that too... and it's not actually using the crossbow bits to fire.  The only other bullpup-style blaster in the N-Strike or N-Strike Elite lineup currently is the Rayven, but this appears to be a manually-primed blaster.  It also lacks any signs of being battery operated like the Rayven (no accelerator trigger for the flywheels or battery box) so that strengthens the idea that this is some kind of plunger-system blaster.  Considering the space things are in, there's got to be an arm that sits above the magazine that moves the dart into position.  Then there appears to be two jam doors on the top side of the Crossbolt.  One is over the magazine well but the second seems to be over the middle portion... presumably where the mysterious internals are.  The bow arms are in-line with the barrel too... which toys with the idea that it is, somehow, a functional use of "crossbow action".  Suddenly, that idea of it actually utilizing the bow arms to sling a dart forward start to make sense.  Does the priming handle simply move a faux string back and forth while plunger internals do all the work?  Or could a string-based firing system actually shoot a dart to Elite ranges?

That deadly mix of "not enough information" and "we're basing this off of existing tech" information start to conflict with one another.  After being fed Flywheel after Plunger after Flywheel blaster over and over, it's tough to accept the possibility that this could be using something new.  There is, after all, that Nerf SlingShock that's coming out that looks to utilize functional strings to launch that dart... so there are newer ideas at work in the Hasbro office.  And with all the faux bows that have been out there before, there's nothing really trustworthy about "real crossbow action" other than just being a fancy selling point and not an accurate description of how it actually works.

The other bit to the puzzle is availability.  With no other photos of this blaster in existence at the moment, and with no sightings or leaked photos showing different angles, it's hard to believe that it is currently listed for sale on the UK site for Amazon.  This 12-Dart blaster has supposedly been available since last week... but still no other photos or information exist.  The plot thickens!

What say you, Nerf fans?

10 comments:

  1. I think the fact that the Slingstrike, a confirmed string powered dart launcher, is on the way strengtheners the idea that the Crossbolt is too. It would make sense that if they're going to bring in a new launching mechanic, that they would do a little and a big version...

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  2. I feel like you havent played with a diamonista. Might want to try one.

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  3. Your all wrong, it's powered by pixie farts & dreams :-)

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  4. I agree with what anonymous said. It is kind of true. They did the same thing with the hammershot and the doublestrike because they both had hammers, a new concept for elite.
    You can tell that they know they have to come up with new ideas.My proof:
    1. The slingfire. Lever action!
    2.The sledgefire. Shells!
    3. The demolisher. Grenade launcher and banana clip!
    4. The mega series.

    All of these prove my point.

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  5. Judging from the pictures so far:
    The barrel is pretty low compared to the height of the blaster. Perhaps something is stored up there?
    Similarly the back jam door is at least an inch or two above the actual start of the clip assuming the barrel goes straight all the way back.

    Looking through the crossbow arms, it looks like there is a gap between the top part and the handle, which also seems to be the midpoint where the barrel should be. That seems to me that the real barrel is much shorter, possibly in the front. It could also be white paint, but it doesn't look like it is.

    Maybe the darts get fed up through a tube on the top half of the blaster to a front barrel? That would fit a plunger nicely in the middle of the blaster.

    The description on Amazon says to pull the string back to load, but I can't tell whether that's connected to the gray pull bar on the top. Then again I don't see a track for the pull bar either.

    Fun times.

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  6. U stupid! Its powered by pop tarts, sugestion of unikitty and nyan cat.

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  7. picture a mega dart roughcut! Prepare to have your mind blown....
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vL9BmoQDyhE/UuZR59TpkcI/AAAAAAAACio/5uYd0ZQwNww/s1600/Hex+Shot.jpg

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  8. I wish they would just go ahead and make a real crossbow...

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  9. Taken from my blog post relating to the same topic.

    "It's clearly not electric due to the lack of of an acceleration trigger and the priming slide on top but it's also not spring judging by it's design. What I really think it is is a clip fed bullpup Diamondista which was actually a fairly solid blaster despite it's very chintzy appearance. Amazon UK says it hits 90 feet and considering the elastic firing system is very quiet, this thing would be the ultimate stealth weapon."

    I would say this is probably the most accurate assumption one can make on how the heck this thing works. My biggest fear though, is what if elastic firing systems become the new flywheels. Unless you can find stronger elastics that fit, kiss mod potential goodbye.

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  10. http://girlygamer.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/nerf-modding-dry-brushing-lanard-total-crush-segment-detailing-single.jpg

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