https://surlybikes.com/bikes/midnight_special/geometry
Takes up to 650b x 60mm. Bit of a departure from the Surly norm but looks like a good one. Always liked horizontal top tubes on a drop bar bike

Was looking at that, but the write up here makes its sound like a light tourer really with road geometry and it says 'for some gravel and rougher roads...'

700c max is 42mm, 650b Max 60mm

https://surlybikes.com/blog

Still it looks great, but not so sure for full on bike packing? Hoping to get a vagabond frame set this year to swap my drop bar MTB set up on to so its a little less frankenbike looking, but I'm not sure this frame would work for it?

I think its more likely it'd be a replacement for my genesis equilibrium that I can run with 35mm on anyway. A replacement I'd like

Looks like a decent muddy commuter. I'd have one.

At first glance and without paying any attention to the geometry, it doesn't look too different from my Disc Trucker albeit, that has 26" wheels ... but big tyres

Kind of grabbing the space left by the Fargo when it went 29 plus. Like all Surly stuff now, way too long and low for me. Id be looking at the Fairlight Faran for that kind of bike!