tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70416026432664971242024-02-20T00:37:06.420-08:00Phil's Transformer ReviewsPhilip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-89206601326698589532019-07-20T07:26:00.003-07:002019-07-20T07:27:51.237-07:00WFC-GS05 Generations Select Series LancerLancer is the final member of the Female Autobot team started in Power of the Prime with the Voyager Elita-1 and deluxes Moonracer & Novastar. The team was continued with WFC-S15 Greenlight in Siege, who we've known about for months, and Lancer, whose existance was suspected for ages but only revealed a week and a half ago: <a href="https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/generations-selects-lancer-pic.1177414/">Generations Selects Lancer pic</a>
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Bright isn't she?
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The colours are broadly correct for her cartoon appearance in 1985 - see <a href="https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Lancer">Lancer - Transformers Wiki</a>
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You know what you're getting here as she uses the Greenlight version of the Moonracer body, with new forearms and hands cast as a single unit. Fourth outing for the Moonracer mould, with a few parts additionally reused on Siege Chromia. Lancer comes with a black version of Novastar's gun which has a 5mm port in the barrel. The Prime armour is now bright orange with purple fingers and a clear purpler cover/gun.
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Vehicle mode is unchanged as a mould from her three sisters.
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Lancer completes the Oritha combiner, the first combiner to use versions of the same mould for each limb. Previously Elita-1's combined form was announced as <a href="https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Elita-Infin1te">Elita-Infin1te</a> with the <a href="https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Orthia">Orthia</a> name first appearing on a graphic unlocked by Greenlight's code:
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Oritha is the third all female combiner toy after CW Victorion and UW Megatronia. The name Oritha is another name for the Greek goddess Artemis. By luck or judgement it's also a play on words on the name of soul singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aretha_Franklin">Aretha Franklin</a> who sung on the Eurythmics hit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisters_Are_Doin%27_It_for_Themselves">Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves</a>, which is rather appropriate for an all female team.
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Where as one of the Novastar/Lacer guns forms the rear of a cannon made with Moonracer's gun, the other is now spare. I suppose you could mount Dazzlestrike in it ....
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Lancer is the end of a nearly two year journey for fans of this team since the POTP members were leaked and it's nice to see the team & combiner completed. Two more jets for Starscream's team now please!
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(Yes, I know these photos are especially rubbish even by my standards. Better are available with a brief search and in the Lancer picture thread linked above)Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-84513809691822141182019-07-05T09:06:00.001-07:002019-07-05T09:18:37.786-07:00Siege WFC-S27 Decepticon Phantomstrike Squadron: Skywarp, Terror-Daxtyl, Fracas & Shrute
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<b>Skywarp</b> - Starscream repaint
Can't say I'm wildly keen on the Voyager Decepticon jet, purely from the point of view of seeing the Strike Planes show up regularly in various scales. Yes I know 2+ repaints of every Strscream probably keep the line in business. I've got some friends who think Voyager forms of their Earth modes would be nice, but what I'm after are the 1984 colours for all three on CW Starscream.
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Null rays are rather lose on the arms, holes slightly too big if trying to attach Bttlemasters there was anything to go by.
Jet and Tank mode
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What you mean it's *NOT* meant to pop apart like that?
Jet with Starscream
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Had Starscream two months, first time I've transformed him, which is probably a measure of what I though.
<b>Terror-Daxtyl</b> - Pteraxodon repaint
One of my favourite Battlemasters, glad to see him get a second go.
Would like one in Swoop colours - both sets - though!
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Gun mode was VERY tight in the fists, had a fist pop off rather scarily but attached again easily.
<b>Decepticon Fracas</b> - Firedrive repaint
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I prefer the inverted colours he has on the box which make him look much more different to Firedrive
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Introducing our guest stars: Legends and Titans Return Scourges
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That works well. Now to decide which one gets him long term!
<b>Shrute aka Hairsplitter</b> - Aimless repaint
Now this is seemingly aimed at being one of Spinister's Targetmasters - see [URL="https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/siege-astrotrain-apeface-spinister-and-crosshairs-revealed.1176654"]Siege Astrotrain, Apeface, Spinister and Crosshairs revealed![/URL] if you didn't know Spinister was en route. Obviously he's not out yet so I can't get a photo of them together.
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Love the blue blast effects but I can' help but ask why aren't they orange to match the rest of the set?
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Triple Threat Skywarp!
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My set came from Taiwan via eBay.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-61123106589036603292019-07-05T09:05:00.002-07:002019-07-05T09:20:52.132-07:00Siege WFC-S26 Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce: G2 Sideswipe, Slamdance & Trenchfoot
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Slamdance..... that wretched ridge is still there, have the knife ready
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Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-19106056652123972032018-05-23T04:03:00.001-07:002018-05-23T04:03:41.691-07:00Generations Power of the Primes Moonracer<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/moonracer-2-52799 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Moonracer</a></h2>
Like many UK fans the source of my Transformers fiction pre Beast Wars comes mainly from the comic so I had no idea who <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Moonracer_(G1) target="_blank">Moonracer</a> was. I thought I vaguely recognised her when the toy was revealed but I was probably confusing her with one of the many repaints of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Arcee/arcee.htm target="_blank">Energon Arcee</a> like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2005/Cybertron/ArielPT/ariel.htm target="_blank">Superlink Paradon Medic</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2005/Autobot/BCChromia/chromia.htm target="_blank">Botcon Chromia</a>, both of whom have a similar colour scheme to Moonracer's mint green and white. Research revealed that she appeared in one episode of the cartoon's second season, <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Search_for_Alpha_Trion target="_blank">The Search for Alpha Trion</a>, which wasn't broadcast in the UK or released on video, and was part of a group of <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Female_Autobots target="_blank">Female Autobots</a>. The later point will become relevant later.
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Robot: She feels very Arcee, different colour, new head even though there's never been a Combiner Wars Arcee, though if TFCC were still going I'd lay money on that being done as an exclusive. The robot mode feels very tall & thin but she's the same height as her wavemate Snarl so I guess that's her thinness emphasising her height. Beyond her almost generic female Transformer body the dominating feature is her backpack formed from large parts of her car mode folded up: it's HUGE, about twice the size of her Prime armour which is the same mould as Jazz's but in mint green with white thumbs and a clear blue gun/cover. The Prime armour attaches to her chest with slots in the chest's sides fitting the tabs on the Prime armour thumbs. In addition to the Prime armour she comes with a black gun with a 5mm peg handle and 5mm peg rear.
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Articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, elbow, and hips. The ball joint on the neck on mine is very loose on both the copies I hve. The neck also folds forward & back at it's base. There's a turning waist joint, actually two waist joints as we'll see from the transformation. Double bending knee and a very odd ankle joint which has a bar at the side of the foot & leg which swings up at the top where it joins the leg, but no further back than a 90° angle with the leg. Where the bar meets the foot the foot can pivot sideways giving her the equivalent of an ankle rocker joint.
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Slightly worryingly the ball joints on the shoulders are made of clear plastic as is the entire chest, which folds forward as part of the Transformation. Clear parts that move and take stress have a habit of breaking
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Can't say the robot is thrilling me, sorry!
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Transformation: bring the feet together then rotate the feet forward and up so the slot near the toes fits over the tab sticking out the side of the leg. Rotate the waist joint 180° and fold the clear par of the backpack down over the legs, locking the feet into it. Rotate the upper waist joint 180°, lift the chest up, fold the head back into it, and fold the chest back down. Bend the elbows 90°, rotate the arms at the shoulders so the lower arms point up. Fold the white sides of the backpack up, making sure tabs on them fit slots on the shoulder and that tabs on the robot's lower arm panel meet slots in the rear of the white back panel. Fold the hands in.
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Car mode is long and thin, which is vaguely what you'd expect from the robot. Unfortunately it looks little like her Cybertronian vehicle mode which she had in the cartoon which may be a black mark for some people. It's also the first Combiner Wars deluxe to be moulded as a a Cybertronian vehicle rather than an Earth based one although several, notably the Technobots, were adapted from Earth vehicles. There's a single Prime Master footpeg on the top of the vehicle, enabling them to use the car as a giant skateboard! A 5mm hole is on either side of the vehicle at the back and they're the best place to mount the gun and the Prime armour: She's got a 5mm hole at the front of the car, but that points down slightly allowing insufficient clearance for either item at the front of the vehicle. The hole at the rear also doesn't point directly back, it's slightly pointing up meaning the gun looks at an odd angle and the Prime armour needs it's peg hinge bent. As a further complication the hole at the back has a cut in it severely reducing the clutch between it and anything placed in it.
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So neither of the stand alone modes has set my world on fire. Nothing disastrous in either of them, just nothing wildly interesting. The limb modes however, and their transformation in particular is a different story:
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Arm mode: bring the feet together then rotate the feet forward and up so the slot near the toes fits over the tab sticking out the side of the leg. Rotate the upper waist joint 180°, lift the chest up, fold the head back into it, and fold the chest back down. Bend the elbows 90° then rotate the arms at the shoulders so the lower arms point forward. Fold the white sides of the backpack up, making sure that tabs on the robot's lower arm panel meet slots in the top of the white back panels. Fold the hands in. Fold the combiner connector out. Transform her Prime Armour into hand mode and place into the hole in her robot mode feet/front of the car.
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Does what you'd expect though th part of the robot's backpack that covers the legs in car mode either needs to hang off the arm or be folded up and gets in the way in either case.
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Leg mode: This proved interesting! I thought it was move the arms forward, fold the combiner connector out and stick a foot in the 5mm peg hole on the front of the car, but that produces a leg that's far too long. Useful paired with itself or a longer leg made from her repaint Novastar maybe. I haven't experimented to see if any of the other hidden socket limbs, Rook I'm looking at you, match her in length!
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The actual transformation to leg mode is much more complex than any other Combiner Wars style combiner: Fold the front section of the car, containing the front wheels, forward 180° under the car so that the tabs on it's underside recess into the holes on the robot's legs:it's a bit fiddly and you'll need to use both knee joints. Raise the part of the robot's backpack that covers the upper legs in car mode and fold out a mint green piece with a 5mm socket in it from the front. Fold the backpack flap back into place, locking the 5mm socket between the robot's knees. Fold the white car sides containing the arches for the rear wheels out to the sides, unlocking the robot arms which you then swing up 90°. Fold the car sides back in with the tab on the upper arm panel fitting in a slot on the top of the car sides. Fold out the combiner connector out and push a foot into th hole at the bottom of the leg.
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OK when you get there but the lock between the robot's knees and the piece holding the 5mm hole isn't good, it feels like it's more reliant on the stiffness of the hinge to the piece than the connections between the piece and the knees.
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Then we have the thorny issue of who to combine her with. To reiterate, in <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Search_for_Alpha_Trion target="_blank">The Search for Alpha Trion</a> Moonracer was part of a group of six <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Female_Autobots target="_blank">Female Autobots</a> with <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Firestar_(G1) target="_blank">Firestar</a>, <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Chromia_(G1) target="_blank">Chromia</a>, <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Greenlight target="_blank">Greenlight</a> & <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Lancer target="_blank">Lancer</a> which was led by <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Elita_One_(G1) target="_blank">Elita One</a>. Power of the Primes has toys of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/elita-1-4-60320 target="_blank">Elita-1</a> and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/novastar-60404 target="_blank">Firestar, renamed Novastar</a> but no other members of the group. Since <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenChromia/chromia.htm target="_blank">Chromia has been done in Generations</a> and has gone on to have a reasonably independent fictional existence you'd expect Greenlight & Lancer to be filling the roles of the two remaining limbs for the combiner? No. Unless they show up as exclusives, Hasbro has shown no signs of doing them. I suppose, given that they're Cybertronian vehicles, they might show up in the next toyline War For Cybertron. There aren't spare female Autobots in Power of the Primes, or Combiner Wars for that matter, to complete an all female combiner like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/CWVictorion/victorion.htm target="_blank">Victorion</a> or <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Megatronia target="_blank">Megatronia</a>. Of course it needn't be an all female combiner: mixed sex combiners were established twenty years ago in <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beast_wars_ii target="_blank">Beast Wars II</a> with <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Scylla#Toys target="_blank">Scylla</a> forming part of <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/God_Neptune_(BWII) target="_blank">God Neptune</a>. There aren't even enough spare Autobots in the main line with just <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/jazz-10-52012 target="_blank">Jazz</a> being not definitively assigned to a team, although his packaging artwork does picture him as part of Elita Infinite alongside a grey/black Jazz repaint. The remaining unassigned deluxes in the line, <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Dreadwind</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/blackwing-52014 target="_blank">Blackwing</a>, are both Decepticons which seem to gravitate more naturally to being used with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Starscream</a> and I don't have Elita-1 down as having the cross faction combining powers that <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/galvatronus-38798 target="_blank">Galvatronus</a> and maybe <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/grand-scourge-37621 target="_blank">Grand Scourge</a> seem to have. The exclusive <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/wreck-gar-9-61202 target="_blank">Wreck-Gar</a> seems the best bet to complete the team but then it doesn't quite have the coherency that a robot formed from the all female group in the cartoon would seem to have. The solution I've reluctantly gone for is to buy doubles of Moonracer & Novastar to act as stand ins for Greenlight & Lancer temporary limbs for Elita 1nfinite until better alternatives emerge.
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So yeah. OK but not thrilling robot and vehicle but the some very interesting transformations.
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Moonracer is sold at 1 per case in Power of the Primes Wave 2 alongside 2 each of Snarl, Sludge & Rippersnapper and one of Blackwing. Blackwing and Rippersnapper return in Wave4, the wave which introduces Moonracer's repaint Novastar, but wave 2 is the only place to get Moonracer making her statistically the hardest to find Power of the Primes deluxe. Why not continue her into Wave 3, alongside the remaining Terrorcons, instead of bringing the unwanted Jazz back again?
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/novastar-60404 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Novastar</a></h2>
The <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Female_Autobots target="_blank">Female Autobots</a> group member <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Firestar_(G1) target="_blank">Firestar</a> is renamed Novastar for Power of the Primes, presumably not to infringe any trademark Marvel has on the name through <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firestar_(Marvel_Comics) target="_blank">the super heroine seen in Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends</a>.
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To make the new toy everything green becomes red. The white piece in her body becomes grey. The white of her upper legs, hands and Prime Armour thumbs turns orange. The rest of the white turns red. The gun and head are replaced with new ones to further distinguish her from Moonracer.
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<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
<a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Greenlight target="_blank">Greenlight</a> and <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Lancer target="_blank">Lancer</a>. Let me finish my <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Female_Autobots target="_blank">Female Autobots</a> combiner.
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Wouldn't be 100% surprised to see this back as either <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenArcee/arcee.htm target="_blank">Arcee</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenChromia/chromia.htm target="_blank">Chromia</a> either.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-87795582110480937702018-05-22T03:15:00.002-07:002018-05-22T03:15:28.920-07:00Generations Power of the Primes Rippersnapper
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/rippersnapper-2-52793 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Rippersnapper</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Rippersnapper/rippersnapper.htm target="_blank">Rippersnapper</a> was the Shark monster Terrorcon. For some reason I never cottoned on he was meant to be a shark when I was younger, the significance of the fin on the back of his gun evading me. The arms and legs, not noted features on a shark, distracted me and I think I thought he was a T-Rex or similar, something reinforced by <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grimlock_(AOE)#LegionClass target="_blank">the reuses</a> of his <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Rippersnapper/rippersnapper.htm target="_blank">Cyberverse Legion version</a>. But an odd shark monster with arms and legs he is!
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The original Rippersnapper was always short and squat in robot mode, with very small arms, so it almost feels odd to see the same design stretched out to the proportions of a Combiner Wars/Power of the Primes deluxe: he almost feels too tall and thin now! The arms especially feel quite long & spindly, but as we'll see they're pulling double duty as the beast mode arms too and to facilitate this he has Wolverine style claws on the back of his hands. The hands are worth drawing attention to because they turn! I can't remember the last time I saw a rotating wrist on a deluxe and nowadays they're increasingly rare on Voyagers and Leaders! In addition to the wrists he has ball joints at elbow, shoulder, neck & hips, his waist turns and his knees bend.
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Rippersnapper come with two long thin symmetrical guns, attached to his back out the package. I think they're meat to be each barrel of his old Shark's fin gun but they just lack the character the older weapon did. They can be rotated down out the way, or left pointing up over the shoulders, or removed to act as hand guns. However before you remove them it's worth noting that there's probably a right way round to be mounting them on the back and it's not how they're mounted out the package. The reasoning for this won't become clear till beast mode though!
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He also come with Prime armour, which is moulded the same as that found with the Dinobots, and both the armour and it's cover/gun are in the same blue as his arms. I've got two Rippersnappers but one of them has a cover/gun that doesn't quite hold in place. It's the only Power of the Primes toy I've had this problem with. The Prime armour itself attaches to the chest via a 5mm peg hole, concealed under a flap on his combiner connector.
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Transformation: Remove the Prime Armour and, if you've moved them, attach the guns to his back. Turn the head 180°. Fold the beast head forward over the robot head, concealing it, and tab into place. Rotate the waist 180°. Open the back of the lower legs and fold the upper legs down into them before closing again. Tab the robot lower legs and tail halves together, folding the tail out. Unpeg the beast legs, a shallow peg on the body recessed into the inner side of the knee, and pose. Rotate the wrists so the claws are on top of the hands.
<P>
The beast mode is the original toy's shark monster but upscaled and with added articulation. Arms retain what movement they had in robot mode, legs have ball jointed hips and bending knees. The mouth opens, revealing his face if you've forgotten to rotate the head during transformation. The fin is now moulded into his back giving the gun barrels the freedom to fold forward or back. Now I think that when folded forwards, pointing out beside his head, the little Primemaster peg on each gun should be on top, allowing a Prime or Titan Master to stand on the gun and for the sight to be on top of the barrel. Another pair of footpegs is provided just behind the fin plus a pair of tabs on his lower back for attaching his Prime Armour in this mode.
<P>
The Dinobots were good updates of their originals but on the strength of these two mode alone Rippersnapper is the stand out deluxe in Power Of The Primes so far. He's just so fun.
<P>
But Rippersnapper also functions as a combiner limb, primarily for <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Abominus_(G1)#Generations target="_blank">Abominus</a>.
<P>
Leg Mode: take the beast mode and fold the tail forwards under the body. Fold each knee forward and peg onto the rear of the body. Bend each arm then rotate 180° at the elbow so the arm points back and then tab onto the body. Fold the beast head back, fold the combiner connector out rotating the robot head into the body. Fold the beast head onto the beast's back.
<P>
Solid functional leg. No complaints here.
<P>
Arm Mode: Take the robot mode and tab the legs together. Fold each beast leg knee forward bringing the feet in. Bend each arm then rotate 180° at the elbow so the arm points back and then tab onto the body. Fold the beast head back, fold the combiner connector out rotating the robot head into the body. Fold the beast head back onto the robot's back's back.
<P>
Decent arm mode too. All the beast parts lock easily enough, no loosely hanging kibble.
<P>
Win Win all round. Best POTP deluxe.
<P>
Rippersnapper is sold in Power of the Primes deluxe wave 2, with 2 of Sludge, 2 of Snarl and 1 each of Moonracer and Blackwing.
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/blight-4-52791 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Blot</a></h2>
Since Blot & Rippersnapper are both bipedal monsters, it's not a surprise to find them sharing parts but it isn't a huge amount. The Prime Armour, waist, hips, upper legs and Combiner Connector are the same on both toys albeit cast in pale purple for Blot.
<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
The Terrorcons have led something of an interesting life as recolours of their Beast Hunters versions: <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Rippersnapper/rippersnapper.htm target="_blank">Rippersnapper</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Blight/blight.htm target="_blank">Blot</a> appear in Predacons Rising as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/PRRippersnapper/rippersnapper.htm target="_blank">Clear Rippersnapper</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/PRBlight/blight.htm target="_blank">Clear Blight</a>, in Transformers Go as the purple <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Jurara/jurara.htm target="_blank">Jurara</a> and red <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Burara/burara.htm target="_blank">Burara</a> and in Transformers: The Last Knight as the black <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Glug target="_blank">Glug</a> & <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Gorge target="_blank">Gorge</a>.
<P>
Ripprsnapper has also been used as <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Cindersaur_(Prime)#Cyberverse target="_blank">Cyberverse Cindersaur</a>, though a repaint as that is unlikely thanks to the <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/cindersaur-5-60400 target="_blank">forthcoming Legends</a>. However Rippersnapper has also been a Cyberverse version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> no less than four times now for <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grimlock_(AOE)#LegionClass target="_blank">Age of Extinction</a>, the
<a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grimlock_(G1)/toys#LegionClass target="_blank">Generation One Legions</a>,
<a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grimlock_(AOE)#Legion_Class_toys_2 target="_blank">another Age of Extinction Legion</a> and a <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grimlock_(AOE)#MtCTRU2pack target="_blank">Toys R Us 2 pack</a>.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-8190744578913775222018-05-21T13:41:00.002-07:002018-05-21T13:41:10.895-07:00Generations Power of the Primes Snarl<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/snarl-12-52721 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Snarl</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a> was the first Dinobot I got when I was younger, a weapon less 1990 purchase off a market stall in Kingston that had previously only ever supplied me with bits of the matchbox version of Judge Dredd's Land Raider. It would be a years or so before I acquired <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a>, courtesy of their gold box classic versions an my first <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a> was a green G2 version, with an original following shortly after: to this day I have never owned <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a>. So I have something of a soft spot for Snarl.
<P>
Straight out the packaging he's evidentially the original Dinobot. Legs are spot on, with the dino head halves now hidden behind the legs instead of at the sides. The body has been thinned down, with his combiner connector replacing the cockpit for a Diaclone warrior. The arms are slightly beefed up and in an odd choice the shoulders are now clear plastic instead of the grey used for the legs. As this piece has the ball joint for his shoulder embedded in it it is a worry for later. His forearms have been lengthened and are now gold, another odd choice: I'd have made them black but then that would be too much like Sludge maybe? Like the original his tail is split in two and spread out as wings behind and just above his shoulders but, if I'm being picky, the flat inner face now face front rather than the curved one.
<P>
Articulation: ball jointed head & shoulders, bicep swivels & bending elbow. Rotting waist. Ball jointed hips, thigh swivel and bending knee. 5mm hands to hold his weapons, but he's missing his signature gun coming with just a clear sword, not even red like <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Swoop's</a> and the original Dinobots. Like the other POTP land based deluxe Dinobots, <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Sludge</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a>, he has 5mm ports on both shoulders and on the middle of his chest though the chest port is mounted on his combiner connector. As per the other Dinobots he comes with Prime Armour, which can be attached to his chest, used as a weapon or forms a combiner hand: you can pick his out easily as the 5mm peg is gold on his, not black like the others.
<p>
Transformation: remove his weapons. Pull the tail halves back and fold the head back into the exposed cavity. Fold the tail halves closed and swing up covering the robot's neck. Fold the hands into the forearms, bend the arms and swing the shoulder joints back 90°. Swing open the panels on the rear of the legs, tab the legs together, fold the lower legs back 180° at the lower knee joints, close the panels , fold the head forward and position the forelegs.
<P>
So very nearly spot on: the tail has too muck silver grey in it's base and isn't gold. The gold robot forearms now make sense as they're serving as the Stegosaur's rear lower legs which always were gold but folded back under the arms on the original Snarl. Arm articulation for the robot is transferred to the rear Stegosaur legs, forelegs rotate at the hips & bend at the knees. Rear legs hips have 5mm peg holes on the side for mounting weapons, they're the only ones on the dinosaur mode. The top of the rear of his body has a Primemaster footpeg on either side and there's another on the inner faces of the largest pair of plates, which can fold to the sides.
<P>
Apart from the robot shoulders, which worry me, a pretty decent go at reinterpreting Snarl. Needs his original gun though!
<P>
Snarl also serves as a combiner limb, principally for the Dinobot combiner <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Volcanicus target="_blank">Volcanicus</a>.
<P>
Leg mode: Take the beast mode. Fold the head down underneath the beast, exposing a 5mm port. Swing the rear legs down and tab onto the grey front of the beast, swinging the forelegs up. Fold the tail forward & up, don't split the tail as some of the first pictures of the combiner did, and fold up the combiner connector.
<P>
Solid leg, with the tail covering a large part of the combiner's upper leg.
<P>
Arm Mode: take the robot mode, fold the tail back & bring the tail halves together. Fold the head back and raise the combiner connector. Bend the arms at the elbows, rotate 180° at the bicep and tab the gold forearms onto the sides of the red body. Open the panels on the rear of the legs and fold the 5mm port down behind the feet. Close the panels up again, tab the legs together, rotate the waist 180° degrees and insert his Prime Armour's peg into the hold under the legs to act as a hand.
<P>
Again a decent arm. No complaints.
<P>
So a pretty good update of the original toy plus two decent limb modes. A definite win!
<P>
Snarl is sold in Power of the Primes deluxe wave 2, with 2 of Sludge, 2 of Rippersnapper and 1 each of Moonracer and Blackwing.
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/twinstrike-4-52787 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Sinnertwin</a></h2>
The Power of the Primes version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Sinnertwin/sinnertwin.htm target="_blank">Sinnertwin</a> reuses a number of parts from Snarl, notably most of those moulded in black on the Dinobot. The fists, elbows, combiner connector, waist, hips and upper legs are all reused on the Terrorcon, but in a greeny blue colour. The only obvious black part from Snarl not reused is his head!
<!--
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Yen ¥6,800
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slash-2-52723 target="_blank">Slash</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Sludge</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/snarl-12-52721 target="_blank">Snarl</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/grimlock-28-52725 target="_blank">Grimlock</a>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Swoop</a>
<a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Volcanicus target="_blank">Volcanicus</a>
-->
<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
When Snarl was released as a <a href=http://www.diaclone.net/orid/diadino/d089.html target="_blank">Diaclone Toy</a> his chest was black instead of red. His Generation 2 toy was available with his silver grey swapped for either <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/SnarlGreen/snarl.htm target="_blank">Green</a> or <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Snarl_(G1)#Generation_2 target="_blank">Red</a>.
<P>
When Snarl's toy was unveiled at <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/hascon-2017-generations-power-primes-display-case-pics-348335 target="_blank">Hascon 2017</a> images showed him with an <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/09/DSC05036.jpg target="_blank">additional gun in Dinosaur Mode</a> which was missing from <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/power-primes-pics-hascon-2017-348452 target="_blank">later images</a> and the finished toy. This gun resembles the weapon on the front of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Doryu/doryu.htm target="_blank">Dinoforce Goryu's Pretender Shell</a> which, coupled with the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Yokuryu/yokuryu.htm target="_blank">Yokuryu</a> head for POTP Cutthroat <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/new-york-comic-con-2017-power-primes-display-terrorcons-windcharger-black-rodimus-prime-351444 target="_blank">accidentally shown at NYCC 2017</a> makes many people think a Dinoforce/Dinoking repaint of the POTP Dinobots/Volcanicus might be coming. However I'm not sure Snarl will stretch to being Goryu's Monster Pretended repaint <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Scowl/scowl.htm target="_blank">Scowl</a>.
<P>
Sinnertwin's Beast Hunters version <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Twinstrike/twinstrike.htm target="_blank">Twinstrike</a> has a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/PRTwinstrike/twinstrike.htm target="_blank">Clear Yellow repaint in Predacons Rising</a>, a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Garara/garara.htm target="_blank">Green version as Transformers Go Garara</a> and a <a href=https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Thrash target="_blank">Grey/Black version as Transformers The Last Knight Thrash</a>.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-8244085494397741702018-03-27T06:08:00.001-07:002018-03-27T06:08:07.285-07:00Generations Power of the Primes Sludge<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Sludge</a></h2>
The original <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a> always had vaguely similar lower legs, formed from the rear of their beast modes, so it comes as little surprise to find them sharing parts on their Power of the Primes versions. They share robot legs, arms, hands, combiner connectors & guns. The arms have black paint on the forearms, as per the original Sludge but this will have an effect later. The unique pieces here are the body and head: From early pictures I thought that Slugs's chest appeared to form Sludge's back but in hand it's obvious they're different pieces, but I could see that maybe this was the plan at one stage. It's somewhat of a surprise not to see the combiner connector in Sludge's chest: done in black that would have made for a decent simulation of his Diaclone pilot's compartment. Instead there's an area painted black with a 5mm peg hole in it for mounting Sludge's Prime Armour on. The wings, formed from the front of the dinosaur body, are still there but sit slightly lower than we're used to with Sludge. The head, modelled on his animation bucket like design, can turn freely on Sludge which is the only change in articulation to Slug. His only real weapon is his gun, identical to Slug's. It would be nice to have something closer his original and I'm sure Shapeways will provide. It would also be nice to have his sword. However since I've doubled up on my Dinobots so I can have them individually and as Volcanicus I have a spare set of weapons from those combined so Sludge gets Snarl's sword.
<P>
Transformation: Remove the gun and Prime armour. Raise the arms, fold the hands into the forearms and fold the wings closed across his chest. Rotate the waist 180° then transform the legs just as you did for Slug. The back of the wings, now the front of the dinosaur, tabs into Sludge's robot feet. Rotate the biceps 180° then bend the elbows and swing the shoulders back so the bottom of the feet on what is now the front legs are level with the feet on the rear legs. Raise the flap on the Dinosaur's neck, which is down the robot's back/underneath the dinosaur, and fold the neck over the robot's head closing the flap to conceal it. Rotate the mid neck joint so the head is the right way up.
<P>
Bar some slight colour differences, the back is grey instead of chromed silver and the front lower dinosaur legs are now painted black thanks to his forearms not being stored under the dinosaur, this isn't a bad go at doing a new Transformers Brontosaurus, a beast mode that's been frequently skipped when the Dinobots were re-released. Before his <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Sludge_(G1)#Platinum_Edition target="_blank">Film and Platinum Editions</a>, the last time Sludge was a Brontosaur was in the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Classics_(Europe) target="_blank">Gold Boxed Classics line</a>, when only he, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a> were released. These later two also appear in G2 but Sludge is replaced by <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a>, creating a further link between the two, and the only appearance of a Sludge between then and Age of Extinction is <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Sludge_(Dinobots) target="_blank">as a Dimetrodon</a> in the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(Dinobots) target="_blank">Wal*Mart exclusive Dinobots line</a>. The head's nice, complete with opening jaw. Forelegs are identical to Slug except Slug's inner leg is the outside of Sludge's resulting in the loss of two 5mm peg holes. The new back legs worry me: solid units made out of clear plastic. I'd have made them in grey plastic like the original! A pair of Titanmaster footpegs are on top of the shell, with a 5mm peg hole on each side for the gun and Prime Armour. In theory either could fit in the 5mm looking hole on the top of the back of the neck but the earlier feels a bit loose, and already has stress marks on mine, while the latter is a bit too small for a 5mm peg.
<P>
Sludge also forms a limb for the Dinobot combiner Volcanicus.
<P>
Leg Mode: Start from the dinosaur mode, fold the tail back, fold the forelegs along the sides of the dinosaur, then fold the neck back onto the back of the dinosaur. Initial pictures showed the dinosaur head upside down in this mode, putting a lot of people off, but the swivel mid neck allows it to be put the right way up. Fold up the combiner connector.
<P>
Arm Mode: Start from the dinosaur mode, transforming the rear of the dinosaur into the robot legs and tab them together. Repeat with the neck and forelegs as above.
<P>
Generally really happy with Sludge. Very good modern interpretation. The back legs worry me, but I'll be careful with them.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-45210344033625471162018-03-26T11:29:00.001-07:002018-04-06T03:50:33.397-07:00Generations Power of the Primes Blackwing<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/blackwing-52014 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Blackwing</a></h2>
When Blackwing, a new version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Darkwing/darkwing.htm target="_blank">Powermaster Darkwing</a> was revealed at the <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/20/san-diego-comic-con-2017-collector-preview-breakfast-344837 target="_blank">San Diego Comicon 2017 Collector's Preview Breakfast</a> it was clear he was an obvious retool of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWAirRaid/airraid.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Air Raid</a>. But like his brother <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Dreadwind</a>, a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSkydive/skydive.htm target="_blank">Skydive</a> retool, the story when in hand isn't as simple as it first looked.....
<P>
Large amounts of the toy are the same: everything from the waist downwards is constituting the grey used on the waist, tail wings and lower leg halves, the harder cyan plastic used for the hips, upper legs & inner leg strut, the rubbery cyan plastic used for the tail find and blue plastic used for the knees. Elsewhere on the toy the blue plastic recurs on the lower arms, unchanged unlike his brother, while the rubbery cyan gets painted grey on the jet nose. Everything else is not found on Air Raid despite parts looking quite similar in jet mode. What's interesting is Blackwing seems to share a sprue with Dreadwind which wasn't present on either Skydive or Air Raid: this is moulded in the same blue plastic as the lower arms & knees and consists of the lower part of the combiner connector, marked with an upside down trapezium, and the fingers, thumbs & hinge of the Prime Armour. The top of the combiner connector is new, in a contrasting grey, but it's obscured from the front by a blue fold down panel which, with the rest of the new blue body, does a good job of impersonating the original Darkwing body from the front. The head is a spot on replica of the original, moulded in grey with a lovely painted purple visor. The wings on his back look the same as Air Raid's but aren't: although the same general shape they're missing all the detail of the original's wings. The appear to be purple but a small tab sticking out the bottom reveals them to be moulded in blue plastic, so probably on the same sprue as the body & chest panel. The base of the wings, in grey like most of the robot's black is a new piece. The wings can no longer fold back like they could on Air Raid which is a shame because if the could he'd have looked more like Darkwing in robot mode. Instead they now rotate at their base for reasons that will become apparent. Blackwing comes with two small guns that vaguely resemble the original's but aren't anywhere near big enough.
<P>
The robot mode isn't a bad go: if you said "Make Darkwing from an Combiner Wars Aerialbot" this is about what you'd imagine it would look like in robot mode.
<P>
Transformation: almost the same as Air-Raid, but the head needs to be reversed first. Where the jet nose was previously pointing up on the robot's back and needed folding up & forward, it now points down and is just folded up on a hinge that looks far too thin! Two nabs on the back of the nose notch into the body to secure it.
<P>
The jet mode is very very similar to Air Raid's. In fact looking at it you wonder what the point is with the parts that have been changed and remoulded! He now has a Titanmasater foot peg on either side of the body and the 5mm hole on the top of the jet is still there which, like Dreadwind, allows the Prime Armour to be mounted like a G2 Decepticon jet voice box. Gone are the 5mm holes under each wing so to mount the guns in this mode you'll need to use the 5mm holes on the side of each arm, inherited from the original Air Raid forearms.
<P>
The point of the new parts becomes clear now: they're needed for the combined Dreadwing jet mode, a signature feature of the original Dreadwind and Darkwing toys. The nose & top of the jet, anything that was on the back of the robot, all folds back at what was the robot's waist bringing the robot head with it, attached to the back of the jet by a thin strut and not to the combiner connector. The wings then rotate 180° at their base: they're attached by ball joints but seem to pop off really easily on my copy. I notice the grey plastic the socket pieces are made of looks a flatter, less glossy, grey than the rest of the toy and feels a bit rubbery. A strut with a 5mm peg on it folds out the robot's back into the space previously occupied by the head on the top of the combiner connector. Fold the back of the jet back down into place, with the nose folded onto it's back, like in robot mode, and the robot head folded back into the base of the nose. Take the Dreadwind jet, with it's wings moved so they're alongside the rear of the jet, and plug the post on the front of Dreading into the hole on the back of Blackwing.
<P>
Yup, that's it, one 5mm post securing the two halves of the combined Dreadwing jet together. The connection is poor, as both halves turn in relation to the other and it easily falls apart. The wings from Blackwing have tabs sticking up from them in this more which looks like they should lock into something but I have no idea what! The don't slip under Dreadwind's wings and there's no tab holes there for them to fit into! It looks sort of like the original Dreadwing, albeit with Blackwing's head obviously on display. It's a very odd thing, they've gone to a lot of effort to make it possible to combine the jets and then just given up at the last minute. Whereas the changes to Dreadwind are minimal, though the wings would have been better kept behind the shoulders in robot mode, Blackwing's changes destabilise the mould a bit by having wings that pop off and don't fold away in robot, arm or leg mode. I can see why they did what they did but that combined mode needed to connect together much more solidly to work and if it didn't do that then they were almost better off not bothering: both Dreadwind and Blackwing would have been better toys with just the robot mode changes.
<P>
Arm Mode: From robot mode, tab the legs together and fold the head bck into the nose. The shoulders need to be folded up onto the top of the body, with the arms pointing out to the sides and then bent at the elbow so the lower arms are along the side of the body allowing the unused tabs on the wings to attach to slots in the forearms.
<P>
Leg mode: From plane mode fold the jet nose and back, not just the nose, back onto the tail fins. Fold the nose and first portion of the back forward so the tabs on the underside of the air intakes tab onto the slots on the rear of the body. The wings can be then swung in and then folded straight up the back similar to how they were on the previous Air Raid leg mode. The wing base ball joints do tend to pop out when you do this though!
<P>
Blackwing is one per case of 8 in Power of the Primes deluxe wave 2: he is due to return in Wave 4.
<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
If there is any justice in the world then <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Dreadwind</a> and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/blackwing-52014 target="_blank">Blackwing</a> should be repainted into <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/Buster/buster.htm target="_blank">Buster</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/Hydra/hydra.htm target="_blank">Hydra</a>.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-43068366474594591712018-02-26T02:28:00.003-08:002018-02-26T02:28:52.930-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Alpha Trion with Landmine and Alchemist Prime with Submarauder<hr><h2>Prime Masters</h2>
The Prime Master size is the successor to Titans Returns Titanmaster. Both sizes use identical figures, down to footpeg holes, ankle spur, articulation, size and transformation. Gone is the Head on their back, replaced by one of the symbols of the twelve Primes, which leads us to believe there will be twelve Prime Masters. The Prime Masters bear the names of the Prime whose symbol is on their backs. The Prime Masters have replaced the chest screw with a pin which makes customising them much harder: several were intending to replace the Prime symbols with the faces of the Pretender robots that their Decoy Suit represented.
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The Transforming accessory is now replaced by a Decoy Suit, about 5cm high x 3.5cm wide x 1.5cm deep, based on the shell of a <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Pretender target="_blank">1988/1989 Pretenders Character</a>. This opens up, via a hinge on the feet, to accommodate a Prime Master inside. Since Prime Masters & Titan Masters are the same size your old Titan Masters can also fit inside the Pretender Shell. The shell has holes in it's feet the same size as the Titanmaster footpeg holes, but the spacing varies from toy to toy. The shell's arms are articulated at the shoulders allowing them to raise. The hands are a 3mm peg hole which it can use to hold it's weapon. The weapon can also be attached to the Pretender's back via studs on the side of the weapon which fit dimples either side of a gap on the back. The gap size varies between the different shells so a shell can only store it's own weapon like this. The Pretender shell itself can transform into a weapon: the weapon on the back folds up so it's pointing out from the head and a 5mm handle folds out between the shell's feet enabling it to be held with the plainer back of the Pretender shell facing up. The transformed Prime Master can attach to the top of the weapon via two footpegs, forming a cube that powers the weapon, or the Prime Master can sit in it and act as a gunner. The weapons are perhaps a little large for a deluxe, suiting the Voyager and Leaders toys better.
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The shell & Prime Master are seemingly constructed with just two frames of plastic: One contains the back of the shell, the weapons mode handle and the chest & lower legs of the Prime Master. The other contains the weapon, the arms of the shell and the arms, upper legs, head & backpack of the Prime Master.
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There is something of a discontinuity having a different character inside the shell instead of who the shell originally belongs to!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/alpha-trion-landmine-60030 target="_blank">Alpha Trion with Landmine</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/Landmine/landmine.htm target="_blank">Landmine</a> was missed out from the retail range in Japan, with <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/Metalhawk/metalhawk.htm target="_blank">Metalhawk</a> taking his place in the Wave 1 Pretenders. So it's kind of funny that Alpha Trion with Landmine is a repaint of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/vector-prime-metalhawk-60034 target="_blank">Vector Prime with Metalhawk</a>. Blue becomes off white, Dark Grey becomes yellow and the chest of the Pretender is a new piece moulded in grey plastic, then painted yellow, resembling Landmine's original shell. The gun is unpainted here and does a better job than on Metalhawk, resembling Landmine's original gun
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The inner robot is a little way off for Landmine: they've got the grey arms & head, with it's yellow painted face, right but everything else is all over the place. As for being Alpha Trion, well yellow & grey are not Alpha Trion's colours!
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Landmine's release, opposite <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/liege-maximo-51886 target="_blank">Skullgrin</a>, completes the ground based Pretenders from the 1988 Wave 1.
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/alchemist-prime-submarauder-60032 target="_blank">Alchemist Prime with Submarauder</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Submarauder/submarauder.htm target="_blank">Submarauder</a> was the seagoing Decepticon in 1988's Wave 1. He has a pale blue Decoy Suit, with white arms and a front moulded in the same colour but heavily painted to match the back of the Decoy Suit: for both Landmine and Submarauder you wonder if Hasbro might have been better breaking the "front moulded in the same colour as the arms" pattern! Suiting his nautical status he's armed with a trident which sadly he can only hold in front of him and not upright! However if you're a <a href=http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/diaclone/product_details/ target="_blank">Diaclone Reboot</a> fan you might have <a href=http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/diaclone/product_details/ps_gyroseptor.html target="_blank">DA-12 Gyroseptor</a> or <a href=http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/diaclone/product_details/ps_dartloader.html#ver_cd target="_blank">DA-13 Dartloader</a> both of which contain a piece for turning a 3mm peg through 90°
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The Alchemist Prime Primemaster is white, with blue chest & lower legs and looks nothing like Submarauder's inner robot!
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I'm borderline on the weapons mode: the stabbing trident works much better than Skullgrin's claw, but it still has a big blocky base. However it can be held upright. If there was a Power of the Primes version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Piranacon/piranacon.htm target="_blank">a certain seagoing Combiner</a>, he'd make a good weapon for it.
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxKbf><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4719/40451350422_4ffb96ef62.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxJFC><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4612/40451348762_106fff9bbd.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxJkN><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4711/40451347612_6d727b6c9d.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/23k8HER><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4716/39597925465_7feff21035.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxHMy><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4678/40451345742_60f07de44d.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/23k8Gyn><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4627/39597921725_18e45907ea.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxH5w><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4677/40451343362_515570b212.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/23k8Fy6><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4627/39597918345_99d827049c.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/24CxG93><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4715/40451340202_a32c856acc.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/23k8EsD><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4678/39597914665_7e59a171c6.jpg></a><p>
<a href=https://flic.kr/p/21Wkayd><img src=https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4605/38683522600_8a36daf2ac.jpg></a><p>Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-49177968377455385262018-02-02T14:55:00.000-08:002018-02-02T14:55:15.955-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Tailgate<hr><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Tailgate_(G1)#Power_of_the_Primes target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Tailgate</a></h2>
In 1986 five of the 1984 Mini Autobots, inherited from the <a href=http://www.microforever.com/MC04MiniCAR.htm target="_blank">Microchange toyline</a>, were remoulded and redcoed to become new characters:
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Brawn/brawn.htm target="_blank">Brawn</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Cliffjumper/cliffjumper.htm target="_blank">Cliffjumper</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Gears/gears.htm target="_blank">Gears</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Huffer/huffer.htm target="_blank">Huffer</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Windcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">Windcharger</a> became respectively <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Outback/outback.htm target="_blank">Outback</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Hubcap/hubcap.htm target="_blank">Hubcap</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Swerve/swerve.htm target="_blank">Swerve</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Pipes/pipes.htm target="_blank">Pipes</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Tailgate/tailgate.htm target="_blank">Tailgate</a>. Of the 1984 Minibots only <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Bumblebee/bumblebee.htm target="_blank">Bumblebee</a> missed out on a redeco primarily because he was <a href=http://www.fredsworkshop.com/1986.html target="_blank">still available in the 1986 cases</a>. This makes the decision to paint the similarly moulded Cliffjumper yellow as Hubcap look even more odd but <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:ToyFair1986-TFpage01a-TailgateHubCap.jpg target="_blank">evidence exists that Hubcap should be white and Tailgate yellow</a> which is how things have remained. We missed out on a white repaint of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Windcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">RTS Windcharger</a>, he instead gets coloured black as <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Wipe-Out#United target="_blank">Wipe-Out during Transformers United</a>. So when Tailgate gained in popularity after the launch of <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers:_More_than_Meets_the_Eye target="_blank">Transformers: More than Meets the Eye</a> it was no surprise to see <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenTailgate/tailgate.htm target="_blank">Tailgate</a> released first during Generations Thrilling 30 and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWWindcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">Windcharger</a> become the redeco during Combiner Wars. The problem here is the T30 Tailgate is strongly modelled on his More Than Meets The Eye appearance, and not his 1986 toy or <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Tailgate_(G1)#Generation_1_cartoon_continuity target="_blank">briefly seen cartoon appearance</a> and Windcharger inherited those characteristics leading to a toy many were not satisfied with. That lead to
<a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Windcharger_(G1)#Power_of_the_Primes target="_blank">Power of the Primes Windcharger</a> in Legends Wave 1 and since a toy/cartoon style Tailgate is an easy redeco it quickly followed in Wave 2 to avoid any possibility of money being left on the table rather than in Hasbro's bank account.
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So this is nearly a straight colour swap: red plastic and paint turn white, grey turns a greeny blue. A new head appears to mimic Tailgate's original. It's cast in the blue green plastic with white paint on the head surround and silver on the face plate. Silver is also used on the chest to make it look more like the original Tailgate's. I had thought from the photos that it was a new chest but something looked a little odd about it. In hand I can see it's the same and I can also see why it looks odd on him and Windcharger: It's an amalgam of their chest designs with paint and decals used to bring out different details here, but ultimately it doesn't look 100% right on either toy.
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Transformation and articulation is the same, there isn't a lot you can say to describe it other than this is a repainted Windcharger with a new head. Ultimately if you want the MTMTE character, this isn't the toy for you and you should track down the T30 version. But if you don't care which Tailgate, or specifically want the toy/cartoon version than this is the toy for you.
<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
Repaint Tailgate in black as <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Wipe-Out target="_blank">Wipe-Out</a> from Transformers US #27 please!
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-78453419100971810292018-02-02T12:35:00.001-08:002018-02-02T12:35:52.922-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Battleslash, Roadtrap & Battletrap<hr><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Battleslash#Generations target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Battleslash</a></h2>
When Battleslash was first leaked to Transformers fans he appeared to be called Battleclash. Somewhere along the line that's become Battleslash which looks a little odd when there's already a <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Slash_(Generations) target="_blank">Dinobot Slash</a> in the previous wave of Legends toys.
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Battleslash is a new character appearing for the first time in Power of the Primes. He's mainly white robot with a slightly odd looking stance thanks to his wide waist and legs. The chest is pushing big buttons for me reminding me of SOMETHING, with a Decepticon symbol in the middle and two barrel ends set into purple panels to the sides. His right arm has a helicopter blade on it, reminding me a little of <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Searchlight_(PCC) target="_blank">Power Core Searchlight</a>. He's got 5mm Fists but no weapon, a rotating head and ball joint knees, hips, elbows & shoulders. The shoulders are very odd: the base of the ball joint points back rather than into the body so you'll be pushed to get a full range of movement from them: they'll raise from by the side to pointing forward but no further, bu swing them out to the sides and he can raise his arms above his head.
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Transformation: fold the chest forward, fold the head into it and fold the chest back up. Fold the back down, releasing the tabs into the shoulder hinges, and fold each shoulder hinge 90° out to the sides. Fold the sides of the lower leg down under the feet and rotate each lower leg 180° at the knee. Separate the waist and fold each waist half up through where the arms were so the legs meets and tab together above the robot's neck, where the head was. Swing each arm round on the shoulder hinge so they're pointing out to the sides. Fold the arms down so they point the same way as the legs.Swing each lower arm in 90° at the elbow. Bend the elbow 180°, a motion it couldn't manage in robot mode, so the front of the lower arm lies along the inner face of the upper arm and tabs into place. Fold the arm halves up over the robot's thighs and tab together, then tab into the robot's knees. Close the back of the chest, the helicopter's cockpit and fold the helicopter's nose into place.
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Yes.... those arms weren't fun to Transform. You can see what's meant to happen but the series of steps you need to go through is somewhat complicated.
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As helicopters go Battleslash feels quite chunky. It's also got a massive square hole in the front of the nose which looks rather unsightly. A weapon that fitted into the gap might have been nice. There's accommodation for a Titanmaster on the tail against the tail fin but, like Slash, he needs to bet sat with the knees bent the wrong way. He looks like he'll be decapitated but incredibly he blades will spin and miss him ..... but it's close.
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Compared to recent vehicle Legends Battleslash feels a little sub par: the vehicle isn't quite right and there's nowhere to sit the Titanmaster inside him. However Battleslash has one more role to play .....
<hr><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Roadtrap#Generations target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Roadtrap</a></h2>
Roadtrap is a squat chunky blue robot with some yellow, pink and silver detailing. Like Roadtrap his chest design, panels on the upper chest slanted in towards each other reminds me of someone but I'm not sure who. He's got ball joints at the knees, hips, elbows and shoulders.
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Transformation: Pull the black struts the wheels are attached to down under his feet. Fold the pink painted upper portion of the lower leg back 90°, taking the upper leg with it, and fold the pink bits forward again so they're sitting further back than they were previously. Fold the chest down so it covers the lower legs. Fold the shoulders out to the sides and back so the arms are under the vehicle and tab the arms into the top of the vehicle. Fold the wheel struts back so they rest against the hands. Fold the robot head & neck down under the rear of the vehicle.
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The slightly odd shaped chest now produces a slightly odd shaped load on the back of the van/pickup (I'm pretty sure it should be a van but I'm being generous here) which tries to help disguise what a mess the rear of the vehicle is. It fails completely, it is a huge mess and not helped by being one of those Transformer modes that wants to undo itself and needs regular massaging back together.
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Once again, like Battleslash, there's nowhere for a Titanmaster to sit inside the vehicle so he's perched on the back, either with his knees bent the wrong way, or hanging off the back of the load, or awkwardly sloped backwards.
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The robot is OK, the transformation is novel and clever but the alternate mode looks a load of rubbish. Fortunately there's a bit more too it.
<hr><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Battletrap#POTP target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Battletrap</a></h2>
A long long time ago there was a Transformers Van and Helicopter who had no alternate modes but combined to form the robot <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Battletrap target="_blank">Battletrap</a>. Personally I think Battletrap had the wrong name and that name should have gone to the tank & fighter jet combination known as <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Flywheels target="_blank">Flywheels</a> whose name I think is more appropriate to the car & van. Your mileage may vary on this theory. In both cases the air vehicle was placed onto the land vehicle and they would autotransform into the robot.
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The general thought on how to update these characters was to turn them into Triplechangers as was done with <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Battletrap#Generations target="_blank">Botcon Battletrap</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Flywheels#Generations target="_blank">Titans Return Skytread (Flywheels)</a>. However when two toys named BATTLEclash and RoadTRAP were leaked, emphasis intentional, fans mediately spotted what the names were suggesting that each individual mode had been given a robot and they combined, a bit like <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Multiforce target="_blank">Multiforce</a> or <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Powerlinx#Energon_2 target="_blank">Energon Powerlinx toys</a>.
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So to combine the toys start from robot modes:
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Fold Roadtrap's chest down over his upper legs, folding the arms back behind the legs and tabbing in place: simple.
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Battleslash on the other hand.... fold Battleslash's chest forward, fold his robot head into his chest and fold he chest back into place. Straighten the arms to the sides, pull the back down releasing the shoulder hinges and fold the arms across the chest. Separate the hips and fold them up onto the sides of the body to form Battletrap's shoulders with Battleslash's legs as Battletrap's arms. Fold Battletrap's head out of Battleslash's back and fold Battleslash's back closed to form Battletrap's chest. Fold the helicopter nose down under Battletrap's chest and put Roadtrap's head into the hole in the helicopter nose.
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The combined robot is around deluxe size: <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Perceptor_(G1)/toys#Titans_Return target="_blank">Titans Return Perceptor</a> is on my desk and they're a very similar height. The connection between the two halves is surprisingly good, pick him up by the upper body and there's no hint of he legs wanting to come away. The connection is so good that you're happy using his waist, formed from Roadtrap's neck, to turn the upper body to the sides. He looks very similar to the original Battletrap, blue legs & head and white body, just the arms have changed colour now being white.
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Articulation: head turns as does the waist, which we've already said. Ball joints at the shoulders, elbows and hips. All of Roadtrap's leg articulation is within Battletrap's legs but effectively it's all been immobilised by the small robot's arms. Folding the small arms out would give you more place the legs could bend but I imagine without the they WOULD bend and it's better to settle for less articulation but a robot that will stand straight and stably.
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Battletrap has 5mm peg holes in his hands but these are obscured by Battleslash's heel spurs sticking out the front of the hand: you'll have trouble getting a lot of weapons into those holes in a way the Battletrap will be able to hold them pointing straight in front of him. The point is rather moot in that neither he or his components have any weapons for you to use.
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Both components have their downsides, especially in vehicle mode, but I rather like Battletrap himself. My enjoyment will be improved later on if they do Flywheels using the same combination system allowing you to connect Battletrap's top half to Flywheel's lower half and vice versa.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-37769013326608723712018-01-16T02:39:00.001-08:002018-01-16T02:39:22.786-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Slash<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slash-2-52723 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Slash</a></h2>
There have been several attempts to add new characters and dinosaur forms to Transformers Holy Quintet of Dinobots <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> (Tyrannosaurus Rex), <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a> (Triceratops), <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a> (Brachiosaurus), <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a> (Stegosaurus) and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a> Pteranodon. Notable additions are found in <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(BM) target="_blank">Beast Machines</a>, <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Dinobots target="_blank">RiD/Armada</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Grimstone/grimstone.htm target="_blank">Power Core Combiners</a> and <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(AOE) target="_blank">Age of Extinction</a>.
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There were Dinobots in Beast Wars both, the character <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a>, a Velociraptor, and as <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(BM) target="_blank">group of original characters in Beast Machines</a>. However in several cases there it was obvious who was meant to be which original Dinobot so it was no surprise to see the appropriate toys reused as the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Dinobots target="_blank">RiD/Armada packaging Dinobots</a> featuring colouring closer the originals. In this group <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> is a Velociraptor again, a Beast Wars Dinobot repaint like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1997/Maximal/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Beast Wars Grimlock</a> was, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a> becomes a Dimetrodon recolour of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1999/Destron/Sling/sling.htm target="_blank">Beast Wars Neo Sling</a> and they're joined by a new character <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Slapper/slapper.htm target="_blank">Slapper</a> a Euoplocephalus and repaint of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1999/Destron/Bazooka/bazooka.htm target="_blank">Beast Wrs Neo Bazooka</a>. After this we got Dinobots in <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Mega-Dinobot target="_blank">Energon</a> and <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(Animated) target="_blank">Animated</a> but the next injection of newness comes in Power Core Combiners with <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Grimstone/grimstone.htm target="_blank">Grimstone</a>, a Styracosaurus, who comes with with Ankylosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Parasaurolophus & Spinosaurus Drones. These are the closest to the original Dinobot's colour schemes and you can happily stand Grimstone with your older toys. More additions were made to the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(AOE) target="_blank">Age of Extinction Dinobots</a>.
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<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Triceradon/triceradon.htm target="_blank">Triceradon</a> (Slag)
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1996/Maximal/Dinobot/dinobot.htm target="_blank">Dinobot</a>
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However in the Classics/Genertions line there's only been one real Dinobot previously, the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/ClassicsGrimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">2006 Classics Grimlock toy</a>. 11 years later all the Dinobots are being redone and they've got a new friend, the female Velociraptor Slash.
<P>
Slash's robot mode has got the Dinobot look of silver, black and red dead on but something doesn't feel right: the figure is far too slight for a Legends class toy with a thin body and limbs that feel more like an old Best Wars basic. This is most obvious in the hands, a thin strip of plastic round what looks like a huge 5mm hole. They look oversized and I'm worried that a few years down the line we'll see quite a few of these broken.
<P>
Articulation: ball joints at hips & shoulders. Bending knees & elbows. A turning head. Thigh swivels, which are used mainly for the Transformation. I'm wondering why we don't see ball joints at the elbows and knees, would have saved the need for those thigh swivels.
<P>
Transformation: fold the tail up off her back over her head. Swing each thigh round 180° then Tab the lower legs together. Bend both knee & hip forward 90° bringing the legs up over the chest where they tab in place. Fold the robot feet back. Bend the arms 90° at the elbow then swing each arm forward about 45°. Fold the dino feet out under the hands. Open the flap on her back folding out the dino head nd bringing the dino arms forward with it. Position both and close the hatch on her back.
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No real complaints here about the dinosaur mode: it's a velociraptor done in the original Dinobot style. The small arms move up & down at the shoulder, the mouth opens and the head leans back as well as the arm articulation for the robot being carried over to the dinosaur legs.
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My problem here is the Titanmaster compatibility: the Titanmaster is supposed to sit in the compartment on her back the dinosaur head is stored in during robot mode. The problem is it's not long enough to accommodate a Titanmaster with it's legs bent at the hips and stretched out in front. To seat a Titanmaster in there and secure it's ankle spur you need to bend the knees forward and keep the hips straight which looks wrong. There's no footpegs in the compartment so standing the Titanmaster in there isn't an option and it's difficult to seat it naturally on the back of the dinosaur with the legs inside the compartment.
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It's nice but you feel she could do with being a bit bigger and bulkier. It almost feels downsized from a normal Legend by 10%-20% to make it clear she is a she rather than a he. Slightly larger would make her feel more appropriate for her size class and fix the problem with the Titanmaster not being able to sit in her properly.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-13359114577659093712018-01-10T08:43:00.001-08:002018-01-10T08:43:45.734-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Leader Optimus Prime<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/optimus-prime-orion-pax-52729 target="_blank">Power of the Primes Leader Optimus Prime</a></h2>
There's not been a Leader Class original <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Optimus Prime</a> toy in Generations before: the cab only <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/ClassicsOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Classics</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Optimus_Prime_(G1)/toys#TRVoyager target="_blank">Titans Return</a> toys were all Voyagers while the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/ClassicsDVDOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Classics 2 Pack</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/RTSOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Reveal The Shield</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/GenOrionPax/orionpax.htm target="_blank">Thrilling 30 Orion Pax</a> were deluxe. The only Optimus with a trailer in the Generations line is <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRPMOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime</a>, clearly modelled on the original <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optmiusprime.htm target="_blank">1988 Powermaster Optimus Prime</a> but missing the original's cab turns into a robot gimmick going straight from cab & trailer to Super Robot. This irked some people at the time and has led to <a href=https://www.kapowtoys.co.uk/brand-new-perfect-effect-pc-16-jinrai-upgrade-kit-figure.html target="_blank">at least one third party solution</a>.
<P>
Straight out the box Optimus Prime is a leader sized version of the familiar 1984 robot. But even here there's bits that don't feel right: grey panels on the outer side of the arms and legs mar the appearance and indeed turning the toy side and to the rear on you discover he's nearly entirely grey on the side & reverse of the arms & legs as <a href=http://www.16bit.com/fotd/180110-tf-potp-optimus-leader.shtml target="_blank">Adam@16bit.com's photos show</a>. So straight off the bat this is a toy whose robot can only really be front on. The arms are especially annoying as there's a grey portion on the upper arm above the shoulder joint. Worse still the fists are grey: they've always been the same colour as the legs, usually a variant on blue, for 1984 Optimus Primes. The fists are grey because they're part of the lower arms which are painted red on the exposed surfaces: why not make them a separate piece in blue, on the same sprue as the legs & head and in the bargain give us a rotating wrist, sadly missing on this toy?
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Articulation: ball jointed head, rotating shoulders that raise out & up to the sides, bicep swivels, bending elbows, universal hip joints with high thigh swivel beneath them, bending knees and ankles that bend forward at the bottom of the leg and forward, back & to the sides at the foot. As well as the lack of wrist swivels there no waist swivel either.
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Optimus has two accessories: his gun and a matrix.
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The gun is nice, possibly my favourite bit of the toy. Looks a lot like the original Optimus gun with an extra 5mm handle half way down. The barrel is a 5mm hole so you can plug extra weapons into the end and there's a pair of 5mm holes either side of the rear of the gun. It can be held in his hands or plugged into 5mm ports on the outside of his forearms. Personally I'd have put these on his upper arms so the super robot could use the Powermaster shoulder cannons!
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The matrix is modelled after the movie matrix with a silver surround that unfortunately he can't hold, and a clear blue core, painted orange over the outside that glows when held up to the light. The core has the same proportions as as a Titanmaster head, Primemaster or Combination enigma so lots of odd swapping can be achieved as shown in these tweets: <a href=https://twitter.com/wa_bu_ki/status/945149794204270592 target="_blank">one</a>, <a href=https://twitter.com/wa_bu_ki/status/944795591799738369 target="_blank">two</a> & <a href=https://twitter.com/wa_bu_ki/status/944847627614425088 target="_blank">three</a>. The Matrix fits into Prime's chest: open his cab windows and you find underneath..... another set of cab windows? Right ..... Open those too and there's a slot in there for the matrix. Manoeuvring it in is somewhat tricky though and is somewhat easier when the cab is removed and in vehicle mode without the second set of cab doors and rim of the body obscuring it.
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Prime's cab is released by pushing down on a button on the rear of his waist and pulling the cab out. Once removed it's obvious that the cab has it's own arms and the blue flatbed forming the rear of the body is also a pair of legs: Leader Optimus Prime has Powermaster Optimus Prime's power up gimmick. Fold the legs down off the back of the cab: they're tabbed into the sides of the yellow rectangle. This reveals the smaller robot's chest. Rotate each leg 180° at the thigh and fold the feet out. Fold the chest down, fold the super robot head in and fold the smaller robot head out. Fold the chest back and fold the head onto the body. Unfold the arms and fold the hands out. Pull the gun apart and place one in each hand.
<P>
Oh dear, it's Orion Pax, Optimus' form pre Optimus Prime as seen in the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_(cartoon) target="_blank">Transformers Cartoon</a> episode <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/War_Dawn_(episode) target="_blank">War Dawn</a>. Cards on the table: I'm a <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_(Marvel_comic) target="_blank">Marvel Comics</a> fan, in particular the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_(Marvel_comic)#Marvel_UK target="_blank">UK version</a>, where there's no Orion Pax so I'm not particularly fond of this aspect of the character. But Cartoon fans are equally entitled to their toys as are Comics fans, more so as it's arguably better known in most markets, so I'm not opposed to Orion Pax toys existing. I can see what they're getting at here: Orion Pax is remade in the cartoon to become Optimus Prime, in a similar way to how <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/HotRod/hotrod.htm target="_blank">Hot Rod</a> becomes <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/RodimusPrime/rodimusprime.htm target="_blank">Rodimus Prime</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm target="_blank">Megatron</a> becomes <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Galvatron/galvatron.htm target="_blank">Galvatron</a>. But I'm not really liking the figure. They've done his curved form some justice here but that's going to cause trouble in a minute. Articulation isn't bad: head leans forward & back and turns, but isn't ball jointed. Arms are ball jointed at shoulders and bend double at the elbows. Ball jointed hips, thigh swivels and bending knees.
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I think one of my big problems with this mode is the rest of the super robot, the vehicle's trailer, just sits there doing nothing. No base mode, no weapons platform, it's either the trailer or the empty chested super robot. Titans Return Powermaster Prime might have had a poor base mode but at least he had one!
<P>
Orion Pax becomes the cab of the vehicle mode. Unhitch the head from the body and fold it and the chest forward. Fold the arms up at both elbow joints and fold the fists in. Swing each arm back 180° at the bicep and fold the arms over where Orion Pax's chest was. Fold the feet down under the legs, turn each leg in 90° at the thigh swivel and tab the bottom of each leg together. Fold the super robot fake chest halves out to the sides and back to form the sides of the vehicle with the window parts then folding down to become the lower sides with their attached wheels.
<P>
From the front, great, and as I've hinted it's much easier with less obstruction to get the matrix in and out in this mode. From the sides and the back, a complete mess with the arms and Orion Pax chest & head hanging out the back of the cab. It feels like no effort has been made to conceal them. There's some indication the forearms for Orion Pax should tab onto the back of the chest: slots on the forearms match tabs on the back of the chest. However this does nothing to improve the look of the vehicle. Hopefully the trailer will:
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Start by folding the exhaust pipes back into his shoulders.
<P>
Fold the knees forward about 20° and the hips back by about the same amount. Fold each foot forward 90° at the top ankle joint and back 90° at the rear ankle joint. Fold the sides & rear of the legs, made up of grey panels, out to the sides of the leg. At the first joint fold that up 90° so the second third of the folded up panel is level with the first. The third third is pointing down: fold the side of that forward 180° then fold the entire panel towards you 180°. Then fold the entire panel assembly forward & in 90°, meeting over the front of the legs to form the roof of the trailer.
<P>
Raise each arm up 180° to the sides: there's a grey flap at the top of the shoulder that will lift up to allow you to do this. Rotate each shoulder 180° so the grey rear of the shoulder and the truck strip panels faces forward. Fold the bottom of the truck strip panel down to cover the hands. Raise each arm 90° out to the sides and fold out a panel from the side of the arms to sit along the side of the fist. Fold the panel on the bottom of the arm down 90° so it's flush with the panels on th side of the arms. Fold the body panels the shoulders are connected to forward 90°: the arms now point forwards. Fold the arms down to the sides as best you can before folding the body shoulder panels in a further 90° so the shoulders are in front of the chest. Tab the panels folded out from the rear & sides of the arms, now both on the sides of the vehicle, into slots on the panels from the legs. Peg the gun halves into the roof. Fold down the trailer hitch from the front of the vehicle and hook into the back of Orion Pax's head.
<P>
That was a nightmare. A whole load of panels that need to be folded in the right order or you'll stress something trying to do the next step. But was it worth it? In one word: no!
<P>
To be fair the basics of the trailer is right with the silver sides complete with stripes and Autobot symbols. But there's far far too much red on the front, the top of the super robot's chest, and the top, the front of the robot's arms. This last part is particularly vexing as the robot's arms were spoiled by having trailer panels hanging off two sides of them and now the trailer is spoilt by the arms being exposed. Neither mode is right, compromised by the other. The original Powermaster Optimus Prime had the super robot arms exposed at the front of the trailer but that kind of word, more so on the Japanese version with the retracted fists. Functionally it's poor as well. There's holes in the rear of the roof showing a compartment inside but the trailer door, formed from the super robot feet, don't want to fold down to form a ramp and when you do get them open what looks like a big space is irritatingly too small to get a Legends sized car in. Trailer does have a pair of 5mm holes on the roof, for mounting guns on, and four Titanmaster pegs.
<P>
This toy is a mess. It works if you want a large Optimus to look at front on or possibly an Orion Pax. The Pax compromises the vehicle's cab and the super robot and trailer compromise each other. The grey on the super robot arms stands out a mile and the grey fists is unforgivable on a toy of this size.
<P>
Effectively this is half of the gimmick they didn't stick in Titans Return Powermaster Prime done with a 1984 Optimus Prime and it hasn't worked at all. It almost feels like Powermaster Prime has been split between two toys, one in Titans Return and one in Power of the Primes with neither quite working properly.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-82960589746339983012017-12-21T05:13:00.002-08:002017-12-21T05:13:44.499-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Beachcomber<hr><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beachcomber_(G1)#Generations target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Beachcomber</a></h2>
The <a href=http://tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Beachcomber/beachcomber.htm target="_blank">original Beachcomber</a> was a 1985 Mini Autobot alongside <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Cosmos/cosmos.htm target="_blank">Cosmos</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Powerglide/powerglide.htm target="_blank">Powerglide</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Seaspray/seaspray.htm target="_blank">Seaspray</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Warpath/warpath.htm target="_blank">Warpath</a>. All 5 have a slight mystery to them they're the only 1985 toys that don't seem to be sourced from a previous toyline. Beachcomber stands apart from the rest as he's the only one that fits the Autobot car pattern established in 1984. When I first saw these I question what some of them, notably Warpath's Tank and Powerglide's plane, were doing amongst the Autobots.
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Beachcomber's most recent remake was as a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFUBeachcomber/beachcomber.htm target="_blank">2008 Universe 2 Legend</a> which was generally held to be OK, but since then all four of his colleagues have been done, to varying degrees of success <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWLegWarpath/warpath.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Warpath</a> I'm looking at you, in the larger Legends size which has been running since 2013. So Beachcomber was very due for an update.
<P>
Robot mode looks fab, just like a chunkier version of his original toy, more in line with his comic & cartoon depiction. My only real nitpick is the hands which are inexplicably painted grey. If they'd have left them moulded in blue plastic they'd have been fine!
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Articulation: ball jointed shoulders, elbows & hips, bending knees and a turning head. Top stuff.
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Transformation: Slide the body up round the head. Straighten the arms and tab into the sides of the body. Fold the heel spurs down under the feet and tab them & the lower legs together. Fold the lower legs back 180° at the knee, pegging the front of the roll cage into the rear.
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As a replica of the original Beachcomber's vehicle mode, job done. No complaints.
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My problems come when I try to get it to interact with the Primemasters.
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Most Transformers Legends cars, bar <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Brawn_(G1)/toys#TitansReturnLegends target="_blank">Brawn</a>, need an element of Transformation to get the driver in. I was somewhat expecting Beachcomber to beat it, thanks to the open driver's compartment. No. If it were the Titanmaster/Primemaster by itself then you could probably get the figure in. Unfortunately his backpack, his face/Prime symbol catches on the bars of the roll cage meaning you have to open it up to get the figure in. Annoying. Then on the back of the vehicle there's a 3mm peg. Presumably this is for mounting the weapon from a Primemaster's Decoy Suit. Unfortunately it can only face backwards! Beachcomber bares a startling resemblance to <a href=http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/85/awestriker/ target="_blank">GI Joe's Awe Striker</a> and they'll be several fans who'll be wanting to properly recreate that with guns projecting forward over the roll cage. Fortunately I have the Diaclone Reboot Powered Suit <a href=http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/diaclone/product_details/ps_dartloader.html#ver_cd target="_blank">Dart Loader</a> & <a href=http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/diaclone/product_details/ps_gyroseptor.html target="_blank">Gyroseptor</a> add ons, which both contain the necessary parts to build a 3mm socket riser!
<P>
Top stuff as a stand alone toy,
<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
Beachcomber's <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Beachcomber/beachcomber.htm target="_blank">Generation 2</a> repaint is an obvious choice as is the previous Legends' <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/LegSandstorm/sandstorm.htm target="_blank">Sandstorm</a> redeco and the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Beachcomber/beachcomber.htm target="_blank">Energon Voyager</a> original colour scheme found on <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Cliffjumper/cliffjumper.htm target="_blank">Energon Cliffjumper</a>.
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I'm sure GI Joe fans won't say no to an Awe Striker repaint to go with <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWLegViper/viper.htm target="_blank">2015's Viper</a>.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-44226655698912075202017-12-21T03:15:00.000-08:002017-12-21T03:15:00.751-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Windcharger<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/windcharger-7-60046 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Windcharger</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Windcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">Windcharger</a> started life as a <a href=http://www.microforever.com/MC04MiniCAR.htm target="_blank">Microchange MC04 Mini CAR Robo 06 Trans Am</a> and I've been rather fond of him ever since I acquired my first one, a <a href=http://20thcenturytoycollector.com/mb-transformers-part-2/ target="_blank">Joustra Trans Am</a> - see <a href=http://www.tf-1.com/articles/pretf/joustra_template.html target="_blank">TF1.com</a> for more on Joustra Transformers - from a pop up shop in Kingston in 1986 alongside his fellow minibot <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Gears/gears.htm target="_blank">Gears</a>. He's appeared more regularly the last few years than most Transformer characters outside of the big names: in 2011 he was a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Windcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">Reveal The Shield basic</a>: this was during Generations "redesign the classics" phase so although he has the right legs his chest is a "fold the car front over the head" job. He's the only minibot done in that size, although which was cancelled just after depriving western fans of the new <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Rumble_(G1)/toys#Transformers_.282010.29 target="_blank">Demolition Rumble</a> and a couple of repaints, <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Downshift_(TF_2010) target="_blank">Downshift</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bodyblock_(TF_2010) target="_blank">Bodyblock</a>. In 2015 Windcharger turned up again as a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWWindcharger/windcharger.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Legend</a> repaint of the previous year's <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenTailgate/tailgate.htm target="_blank">Tailgate</a>. The chest is better this time but because Tailgate is modelled on his <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers:_More_than_Meets_the_Eye target="_blank">More than Meets the Eye</a> design, the distinctive legs are now wrong! So you could argue that Windcharger was a Minibot who needed a redo, though perhaps not ahead of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWHuffer/huffer.htm target="_blank">Huffer</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/CWPipes/pipes.htm target="_blank">Pipes</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenCliffjumper/cliffjumper.htm target="_blank">Cliffjumper</a> who've only had one modern Legends sized version so far.
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In robot mode the new Windcharger feels a bit of a chunky chap which doesn't rally suit him. Everything is the right colour in the right place, but the proportions are a bit off, too wide arms, too short upper legs, too small a head. The head looks very odd and I think that's down to it missing the rim that's generally surrounding the tops & sides of the face. The head is also set a little bit too far back and once you get high enough to see how far back it is a lot of space between the back and front of the toy is revealed.
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Articulation: head turns. Shoulders raise at the body and are ball jointed at the arms. also ball jointed are the elbows & hips and the knees bend. 5mm fist holes, which look too large for him, enable him to hold weapons but the Prime Master Decoy Suits in weapons mode are way, way too big for him.
<P>
Transformation: Straighten the arms to the sides. Pull the back panel out of where it's tabbed into his backside. There's two hinges where the neck meets the body: in robot mode the body side is bent and the neck side straight. You want to reverse that by straightening the body hinge and bending the neck hinge, raising the neck up but bringing the head closer the front of the body. Fold the back panel, the car front, up over the head. Swing the top of the arms up, under the bonnet, bringing the arms into the sides of the vehicle. Unfold the heel spurs under the foot to become the car roof & windscreen then swing the lower legs back 180° at the knee to become the rear of the car allowing you to tab the front window into place.
<P>
This last step is an ideal point to sit a Titanmaster or Primemaster in the car's driving seat because you'll need to fold back the top of the car to do it later, a bit like how the same feature was accessed on <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bumblebee_(G1)/toys#Titans_Return target="_blank">Titans Return Bumblebee</a>. Slightly annoying. Among the Titanmaster compatible Minibots <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Brawn_(G1)/toys#TitansReturnLegends target="_blank">Brawn</a> is still the winner for ease of accessibility for a minifigure driver.
<P>
Windcharger's car mode looks decent enough. A little high off the ground, maybe, and yes you can see the chest hanging down under the car from the side, but you could put that down to the car's undercarriage hanging low. I can get the smoked clear panels in the roof are meant to be evoking sunroof but the odd design, with a rim only halfway down he door side, is distracting me. Those pieces might have been better in solid red plastic.
<p>
The most cartoon accurate Windcharger yet. Nothing really wrong with it at all and it's only a few subtle tweaks that would make it any better.
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<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
Windcharger returns the favour done to his previous version by producing the as yet officially unrevealed Tailgate in Power of the Primes Legends Wave 2.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-76899381988112065512017-12-15T14:55:00.001-08:002017-12-15T14:55:27.243-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Prime Masters Vector Prime with Metalhawk, Micronus with Cloudburst & Liege Maximo with Skullgrin
The Prime Master size is the successor to Titans Returns Titanmaster. Both sizes use identical figures, down to footpeg holes, ankle spur, articulation, size and transformation. Gone is the Head on their back, replaced by one of the symbols of the twelve Primes, which leads us to believe there will be twelve Prime Masters. The Prime Masters bear the names of the Prime whose symbol is on their backs. The Prime Masters have replaced the chest screw with a pin which makes customising them much harder: several were intending to replace the Prime symbols with the faces of the Pretender robots that their Decoy Suit represented.
<P>
The Transforming accessory is now replaced by a Decoy Suit, about 5cm high x 3.5cm wide x 1.5cm deep, based on the shell of a <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Pretender target="_blank">1988/1989 Pretenders Character</a>. This opens up, via a hinge on the feet, to accommodate a Prime Master inside. Since Prime Masters & Titan Masters are the same size your old Titan Masters can also fit inside the Pretender Shell. The shell has holes in it's feet the same size as the Titanmaster footpeg holes, but the spacing varies from toy to toy. The shell's arms are articulated at the shoulders allowing them to raise. The hands are a 3mm peg hole which it can use to hold it's weapon. The weapon can also be attached to the Pretender's back via studs on the side of the weapon which fit dimples either side of a gap on the back. The gap size varies between the different shells so a shell can only store it's own weapon like this. The Pretender shell itself can transform into a weapon: the weapon on the back folds up so it's pointing out from the head and a 5mm handle folds out between the shell's feet enabling it to be held with the plainer back of the Pretender shell facing up. The transformed Prime Master can attach to the top of the weapon via two footpegs, forming a cube that powers the weapon, or the Prime Master can sit in it and act as a gunner. The weapons are perhaps a little large for a deluxe, suiting the Voyager and Leaders toys better.
<p>
There is something of a discontinuity having a different character inside the shell instead of who the shell originally belongs to!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/vector-prime-metalhawk-60034 target="_blank">Vector Prime with Metalhawk</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/Metalhawk/metalhawk.htm target="_blank">Metalhawk</a> is probably the most popular Pretender behind <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm target="_blank">Thunderwing</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Bludgeon/bludgeon.htm target="_blank">Bludgeon</a>, who both did stints as Decepticon Leader in the Marvel Comics. Thunderwing's popularity though is more based on infamy than anything else: he was a Japanese exclusive and the last original Transformer to feature die cast metal. In recent years he's been used by IDW in the Robots in Disguise comics and been released as a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2012/Autobot/BCMetalhawk/metalhawk.htm target="_blank">2012 Botcon exclusive</a> and <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Metalhawk_(Masterforce)#Titans_Return target="_blank">another exclusive in Titans Return</a>. We'll have some fun with this last toy later.
<P>
The Decoy Suit is a near perfect reproduction of the original Metalhawk's Pretender shell with the proportions slightly altered to fit the standard Prime Master size. The body is moulded in dark grey plastic with the arms & front of the suit in blue plastic, with generous paint applications to the front of the suit. He comes with a large silver cannon for him to hold. The Metalhawk decoy suit has no face, just a gap through which you can see the Primemaster looking out. Opening the shell reveals the Vector Prime Primemaster who is blue with a grey chest & lower legs and a painted silver face, which gives it a very different look to the original Metalhawk's inner robot and previous versions of <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Vector_Prime target="_blank">Vector Prime</a>.
<P>
The weapons mode essentially looks like and old Targetmaster gun, with a dark grey main body, blue arms to the sides and silver gun barrel.
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This one has attraction just because it's Metalhawk. Unsurprised to see it repeated in the second wave. Works well for me.
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/micronus-with-cloudburst-52727 target="_blank">Micronus with Cloudburst</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/Cloudburst/cloudburst.htm target="_blank">Cloudburst</a> was the flying Autobot Pretender in the wave of 1988 Pretenders distributed to the US and the UK and was also available for retail sale in Japan. His Decoy suit version has a grey body and red arms & front. Like Metalhawk he has a gap instead of a face for the Titanmaster to see out of but the gimmick doesn't work nearly as well here because the slot is smaller and positioned higher so all you can see is the Prime Master's forehead! He comes with a dual Gatling gun weapon.
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Opening the suit reveal the red Micronus Primemaster, who has grey lower legs and chest, with a painted blue face. Thh grey and red may be moved round a bit but he looks much more like the Cloudburst inner robot than Vector Prime in Metalhawk does.
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Thje weapons mode is proper 90s big gun madness and again feels very Targetmastery.
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Another success. Cloudburst/Micronus is only packed 2 per case in wave 1, compared to the others 3 per case, and unlike them he doesn't return in Wave 2 either!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/liege-maximo-51886 target="_blank">Liege Maximo with Skullgrin</a></h2>
Behind Metalhawk, Thunderwing & Bludgeon, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Skullgrin/skullgrin.htm target="_blank">Skullgrin</a> probably counts as the most popular of the rest thanks to his distinctive appearance and starring role in a comics episode. The shell is a good rendition of him, but I worry for the longevity of the horns made out of hard plastic. Unlike the Autobot Decoy Suits there's no hole for a face, instead a series of smaller holes for eyes, mouth and oddly the side of the waist. His body is a much paler grey than the Autobots, with purple arms and chest which is again heavily painted. Since Liege Maximo is generally depicted as having horns in his comics appearances you can see why they chose Skullgrin to be his Decoy Suit!
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The purple Liege Maximo Primemaster, with grey lower legs & chest, is probably the closest to the original inner robot of the Wave 1 Decoy suits thanks to some grey paint on the heads helmet and some moulded detail including tank tracks on the legs which makes him look just like Skullgrin's robot!
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The point this toy falls down is the weaopon, a 3 pronged bent fork/claw. It looks odd hand held and odd attached to the shell in weapons mode. What little we can see so far suggests the Decepticon Primemaster Decoy suits turn into melee weapons and the Autibot Decoy Suits into guns but on the evidnce here the Autobots got the better deal.
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Shame about the weapon, the rest is great!
<hr><h2><a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/10/takara-transformers-legends-greatshot-grand-maximus-announced-351917 target="_blank">Legends Grand Maximus</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/GrandMaximus/grandmaximus.htm target="_blank">Grand Maximus</a> is a Japanese repaint of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/FortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm target="_blank">Fortress Maximus</a> that comes with an extra Pretender shell for the larger head robot, Grand. When <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6178.html target="_blank">Takara announced</a> they were to recolour <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRFortressMaximus/fortressmaximus.htm target="_blank">Titans Return Fortress Maximus</a> as
Legends Grand Maximus there were conditions: The first was it needed to reach 2000 preorders at <a href=http://takaratomymall.jp/shop/g/g4904810963691/ target="_blank">TakaraTomyMall</a> to get made. The second was that if it passed 3000 preorders then an additional Primemaster Decoy Suit would be included for Grand Maximus's smaller Headmaster, Gran, to use. These targets needed to be reached by midday on November 2nd 2017. Pictures of the toy showed us the Decoy Suit was superficially a recolour of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/micronus-with-cloudburst-52727 target="_blank">Cloudburst</a>, with the twin Gatling guns and clear green arms & suit front. Close examination of the details on the suit revealed that it was actually a repaint of an as yet unrevealed <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/Waverider/waverider.htm target="_blank">Waverider</a> remould of Cloudburst:
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/philip_ayres/37629108951/" title="primemaster"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4490/37629108951_a5c60cbe5e.jpg" width="500" height="255" alt="primemaster"></a>
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On 27th October 2017 <a href=https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/923841650706628608 target="_blank">Takara announced the 2000 unit limit has been passed</a>. However on 2nd November <a href=https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/926014776223895552 target="_blank">Takara announced that Grand Maximus had not reached the 3000 order level</a> and thus the Decoy Suit for Gran was cancelled.
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I'm not convinced that this is the end for the Gran decoy suit and suspect it may show up as a convention exclusive down the line. If anything Gran's suit has confirmed to us that a Waverider Prime Master is in the works.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-35985681903547400872017-12-15T08:59:00.000-08:002017-12-15T08:59:03.100-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Jazz
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/jazz-10-52012 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Jazz</a></h2>
First there was the repaint: paint a Transformer toy in a different colour.
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Then there was the remould: change some of the parts so the toy looks different.
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As time has gone on the remould has got so extensive that the number of parts changed or replaced vastly outnumber the parts kept and it gets hard to see what's been reused. The Titans Return <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRBlurr/blurr.htm target="_blank">Blurr</a>/<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRChromedome/chromedome.htm target="_blank">Chromedome</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/TRScourge/scourge.htm target="_blank">Scourge</a>/<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRHighbrow/highbrow.htm target="_blank">Highbrow</a>/<a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Windblade_(G1)#TitansReturnRetail target="_blank">Windblade</a> are excellent examples.
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And now we have the case of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWDragstrip/dragstrip.htm>Combiner Wars Dragstrip</a> and Power of the Primes Jazz which takes it to another level again.
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Combiner Wars Dragstrip only got two repaints in Combiner Wars, and he's the only Hasbro originated toy in Combiner Wars without a remould/retool so he rather stood out as everything else was reused and turned into something else. When <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/20/san-diego-comic-con-2017-collector-preview-breakfast-344837 target="_blank">Power of the Primes Jazz was unveiled at SDCC 2017</a> it took some while for people to notice he had reused parts from Dragstrip. Not many parts, just the Combiner Wars connector in his chest, with the ridges on the corners, and the wheels, larger at the back than the front, but nevertheless they are the same parts from Dragstrip. It's almost as if there was an acknowledgement when they designed Dragstrip that reusing it was going to be hard so they made these parts separate so they could be reused, and on Dragstrip they are obviously different colours to the rest of the toy. This is nearly at the stage where X is using Y's gun or A has B's Titanmaster head!
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But apart from those parts Jazz is all new.
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Part of the reason it took so long to spot the similarities is that Jazz is quite a departure for Combiner Wars style cars: his car bonnet folds over onto his chest! None of the other Autobots done in Combiner Wars who had this feature on their original version, like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm target="_blank">Prowl</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Smokescreen/smokescreen.htm target="_blank">Smokescreen</a>, could mimic that on their Combiner Wars toy to the detriment of those figures.
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I think the most important thing to remember when looking at this figure is that he isn't <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/Jazz/jazz.htm target="_blank">Reveal The Shield Jazz</a> and he isn't trying to do the same thing. RTS Jazz was manufactured as an upgraded articulation version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Jazz/jazz.htm target="_blank">the original Jazz</a> and is generally thought to be he best Generations Transformers toy. Power of the Primes Jazz is being manufactured to be a Jazz that combines so there's slightly different priorities here. But nonetheless the comparison is inevitable. Putting the two next to each other reveals POTP Jazz is slightly shorter, but only slightly: I had it in my head that RTS Jazz would tower over him as memory says it's one of the largest deluxes. The other most obvious difference between the two is that POTP Jazz has no door wings. A couple of minor colour quibbles: I'd have moulded the hands and waist in black instead of white: the waist at least has it's front painted but it would have looked better solidly black. Going back to the SDCC pictures to see if these were originally black - a few years ago Combiner Wars Wheeljack changed significantly between <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2015/07/08/sdcc-2015-transformers-combiner-wars-at-hasbro-booth-preview-night-296016 target="_blank">SDCC 2015</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/CWWheeljack/wheeljack.htm target="_blank">his release</a> I see that they were the same there, but note the Combiner Wars connector has changed from silver, like Dragstrip's, to white, which blends in more in the small gap in the car bonnet chest. In fact it blends in so well you don't really notice the gap.
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Articulation: Head turns, shoulders raise to the sides at the body and also turn, ball jointed elbows - hurrah! Easy way to save on parts and still get a bicep swivel plus they're easy to fix, turning waist, ball jointed hips, thigh swivel & bending knee.
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Weapons: Jazz come with a gun which kind of resembles his original shoulder cannon and missile. Sadly there's no peg holes to mount it on his shoulder but, in addition to his hands obviously, he has one on the side of each forearm, one on his bottom and one either side on the rear of his waist. His second "weapon" is his Prime Armour, a big black lump superficially looking the same as the one the Dinobots use. However the moulding is different here: gone are the knuckle spikes replaced with the tops of two large barrels. This improves it's usefulness as a weapon and also looks good as a jet pack, though mounted low on his bottom it looks a little odd. It would have been better mounted higher up the back where as a bonus you could have used the thumbs as shoulder mounts for the gun. I've seen it resting there, but the connection isn't solid. The official connection isn't too great either: the tabs on the thumbs, used for holding the armour on Swoop, peg into slots on the car front in the grilled inserts bellow the headlights. As per the other Prime Armours the cover, clear again here like the Dinobots, is removable as a square hand gun. Another connection that could be better is that between the body and the front of the car: if it's lined up right it's fine but it can be a bit tricky to line up ok.
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Transformation: Remove the weapons, straighten the arms to the sides and fold the chest back 90°: You can see the slots either side of connector on the top of the body that tabs under the hole in the chest tabbed into. Fold the head down through the gap in the chest, and then the chest strip up through the hole,, straightening it out revealing a number 4 then tuck the striped end under th curved front window, you may need to bend the car bonnet forward a bit to do so. After that check the points at the back of the chest have tabbed in either side of the car windows: they may need some very gentle manipulation to get them to lock in right. Fold the arms back 90° at the shoulders so they're level with the car windows then fold down under the windows to become the sides of the car: there's a slot on the piece of plastic under the hand that locks onto a clear peg under the windows. Fold the robot's head forward under the bonnet between his shoulder. Fold the feet up into the legs. Open up the lower leg: it's hinged along the front inner side and splits along the rear outer side, and to be fair the whole process would have been easier with the hinge on the front outer side of the leg as the legs could have been locked together first. Instead you need to spread the legs out, fold the upper leg into the lower leg, close the legs and bring them together! The lower chest then, via the hinge on it's back, folds into the cavity under the windows and between the arms, with the rear of the windows tabbing into the legs.
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Jazz vehicle mode isn't his original <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_935 target="_blank">Porsche 935 Turbo</a>, but he does appear to be a Porsche still, in this case <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_962#Road_versions target="_blank">a 962 variant, the Schuppan 962CR</a>, or close enough to one to get it past the copyright lawyers.
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The vehicle mode features another big step forward for modern combiner cars: clear plastic windows, which is very nice to see. He's got the traditional Jazz racing stripes over his roof and onto his bonnet with the number 4, <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Japanese_ID_number_list target="_blank">his Japanese ID number</a>, on it. There's three 5mm peg holes on the car: Centre of the rear of the roof and two slightly forward of that to the sides of the windows. The middle one is a perfect mounting point for his Prime Armour. On the flatter rear of the car, between the 5mm hole and spoiler, are 4 individual Titanmaster footpegs. An additional 5mm hole is on the rear of the car.
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Leg Mode: From car mode swing the roof, sides & front of the car up & back to rest on the rear of the car. Tabs from the side fit slots just in front of the spoiler and the combiner socket is exposed. Place a foot in the peg hole at the rear of the car.
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Surprisingly stable as a leg, though the roof & sides keep wanting to pop out their tab holes.
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Arm Mode: From car mode swing the roof, sides & front of the car up. Split the rear of the car in two, open each half up then extend them into the robot's legs. Fold the Combiner Wars connector out the chest. Transform the Prime Armour into a hand and insert in the hole in the rear of the car. Fold the car roof, sides & front back towards the body.
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At this point the instructions are rather unclear, suggesting at one point that the front, roof and sides of the car should be folded back round the body and in the next that they should be sitting some way back. The second version is doable, with the advantage of freeing the waist up for movement, but the connection feels very tenuous on my toy with black tabs sticking out the rear of the body tabbing into the robot arms. I suspect I shall end up folding the car shell right the way down round the body even though it will hamper the waist movement.
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Then there's the matter of who to use him with..... I am a great fan of the idea of doing all 18 of the Diaclone Autobot cars as Combiner Wars toys. Looking at Jazz he would seem to me to automatically gravitate towards the Wave 3 Voyager <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6291.html target="_blank">Inferno</a>. The problem here is there are, as yet, no other Diaclone cars spare in Power of the Primes, though if you've collected all the Combiner Wars cars you should have a <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bluestreak_(G1)/toys#Combiner_Wars target="_blank">Blue Bluestreak</a> and one of <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Smokescreen_(G1)/toys#Generations target="_blank">Smokescreen</a> or <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Ratchet_(G1)/toys#BotCon2016 target="_blank">Ratchet</a> spare. However <a href=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/possible-new-potp-jazz-repaint.1128236 target="_blank">Jazz's card art</a> shows him as part of Elita-1's Combiner, seemingly twice! However since Elita-1 has a ready made team in the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Female_Autobots target="_blank">Female Autobots</a>, of which Moonracer has been revealed and Novastar leaked, I'd expect her team to be completed with another two of the Autobots seen with her in the cartoon, Greenlight and Lancer. Further complicating the matter is that <a href=http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products-lineup/tf_pp/pp-07 target="_blank">Jazz is the first combiner limbs released on his own</a>, and not part of a combiner boxset, in the <a href=http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_pp target="_blank">Japanese Power of the Primes line</a>. Since complete combiners in Power of the Primes are staggered through multiple waves of toys we may not know the answer to who, if anyone, Jazz is meant to combine with for some time!
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So.... Car Design is a little different, but a reasonable choice for an update. However it doesn't tab together that well an issues which also affects arm & leg mode. Robot isn't bad but is missing the wing doors. As a Combiner Wars car it's a big step forward in terms of car front chest and clear windows. As a Generations Jazz it feels a step back from the RTS version. If you want a Jazz to be Jazz, track the older RTS version down, if you want one that combines, buy this toy.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-6366641704689724222017-12-14T07:36:00.001-08:002017-12-14T07:36:42.468-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Starscream<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Starscream</a>
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The Decepticon planes were first done as Voyager toys in Armada, when the size was introduced and that line did their versions of the full 1984 trio of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Starscream</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm target="_blank">Skywarp</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm target="_blank">Thundercracker</a>. Starscream became a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Deluxe in Energon</a>, a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2005/Destron/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Voyager again in Galaxy Force</a> which was
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">supersized for Cybertron</a>, before returning to being a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/ClassicsStarscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Deluxe in Classics</a>, which was repainted into all the other 1984 & 1985 jets during Universe and Generations. By that time they'd been Voyagers in the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">the Movies</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Animated</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/WFCStarscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Prime</a>. Generations then did them as everything but Voyagers: Their <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/FOCStarscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Fall of Cybertron</a> versions were deluxe, their <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/GenLegStarscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Thrilling 30</a> versions were far too small as Legends and then in <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWStarscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars</a> they were far too big as Leaders! A couple of Voyager fighter jets in Titans Return, <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Broadside_(G1)#Generations target="_blank">Broadside</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Blitzwing_(G1)/toys#Titans_Return target="_blank">Blitzwing</a> proved the concept of Voyager jets, and as a bonus gave us Titanmaster pilots sitting in the cockpit, but the 1984 trio were ignored during that line.
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Starscream was first shown at <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/20/san-diego-comic-con-2017-collector-preview-breakfast-344837 target="_blank">San Diego Comicon 2017's Collectors Preview Breakfast</a> and was immediately derided by certain fans for it's odd proportions. Then some of the pictures revealed Combiner Wars connectors in his boots which led to speculation of what his Combined mode looked like. We saw an illustration quite quickly <a href=https://flic.kr/p/Xj9898 target="_blank">on the side of his box</a> but we had to wait until <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZIV2HxgrN4 target="_blank">for a video review</a> before we saw it in the plastic, Hasbro proving surprisingly secretive about the combining function in Power of the Primes.
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Out of the box Starscream comes with two rather spindly null rays, which are far less bulky than the Classics missile launching versions, a shocking pink Enigma of Combination and a pair of Voyager Prime Armours/combiner feet. Starscream's Prime Armour is a different shape to Grimlock's and is also slightly different functionally: there's no hole on the underside replaced by a fold down handle which lets them be held as weapons a lot better. The hole in the rear end can have the null rays inserted into them as launcher and missile, but now the combined unit looks too big for his arms!
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The initial opinions are right about Starscream: both his forearms and lower legs look far too big for the rest of him, but he is recognisably Starscream with all the grey, red and blue in vaguely the right places. The blue is particularly dark, almost <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Optimus Prime</a> legs blue, but that's reasonably close to the original toy. I think because of the size of the forearms, and it extends back from the gloves over the elbow, there is an awful lot of it. The feet look a bit too big on the legs, totally the wrong shape and are made even worse by having a sticker plonked over the top of them obscuring some of the moulded detail and looking a mess because they're not on a flat surface. Those stickers may have to go. The ones on the knees work better but again bits of them are on moulded detail. The ones on the air intakes by his head are best but those areas inside the intakes I'd have painted black! The chest design, very similar to the Legend and Leader, is Starscream down to having a cockpit canopy in the middle. Unfortunately it's a fake again and not the jet's cockpit. I can just about see the owl face visible in previous versions in it!
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Articulation: head and shoulders turn, arms raise to the sides at the shoulders, bicep swivels, bending elbows. No waist swivel. Hips turn and the legs move to the sides at the hip. Thigh swivels and the knees bend. The knees are quite clever: they're held in place on the inner side of the leg by a panel that fold up beside them with a peg on the top that fits into the leg. I do worry that that might wear over time though. Already giving me trouble in this mode are the jet's wings, which are mounted on Starscream's back and which turn in the middle for Transformation. There's a peg that should hold them in place in this mode but it doesn't. At all. Then there's the wings themselves, covered in silver stickers which as, you've guessed it, obscuring moulded detail. They're all peeling slightly at the edges already, I'm so tempted to pull them off!
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Transformation: Rotate the wings on the back 180°. Fold down the panel holding the knee in place and collapse the upper legs into the lower legs, which tab together. Fold the feet up. Straighten the arms to the side and tab into the lower legs. Fold the jet nose off his back and into place over the head. Fold the panels beside the nose down and peg into the air intakes. Fold the wings out, tabbing onto the robot's lower arms. Mount the null rays either on the side of the arms or under the wings. Fold down the landing gear under his nose. Fold down the tail wings.
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Yeah, that was simple, but not fun. Getting everything lined up right takes some effort. The plane design is vaguely <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-15_Eagle target="_blank">McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle</a> but only very vaguely. The top looks a mess from panel lines, most misaligned, and peeling stickers. I'm tempted to pull them as I said but I like the Autobot kill heads, the D-22 designation, referring to his <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Japanese_ID_number_list target="_blank">original Japanese ID number</a>, the "Ghost Attack" reference to his cartoon season 3 and Beast Wars existence, and the amusing "No Step" marking right next to a Titanmaster footpeg! There's three footpegs per wing: one on the outer edge, one near the engines and one near where the wings meets the body. The final two protrude through holes in the stickers as does a slot, used in the combined mode. I'll be interested to see what Starscream looks like without the stickers. I'd hoped Takara would produce this for me but their <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/12/07/takara-power-prime-line-revealed-354944 target="_blank">their near identical Power of the Primes Wave 1 toys</a> have poured some cold water on that idea.
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So yeah, both jet and robot could be better. Will the combined mode redeem the toy?
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Fold the landing gear under the nose and fold the tailfins up. Fold the robot arms down & forward 180° at the shoulder. Swing each arm in 90° at the bicep so the large outer plate is facing the same way as the top of the jet. Lift these plates up. Fold the hands back 180° into the forearms exposing Combiner Wars sockets in their place. Fold the panels down, but further up the arms than they say previously, locking the Combiner Wars sockets in place. Look at the underside of the jet with the rear at the top. Separate the rear of the jets/robot lower legs and swing each half out to the sides at a 45° angle: effectively you've spread the legs at the hips and rotated at the thighs. Bring the lower legs together to form a V shape between them: a tab behind on knee will slide into a slot behind the other and the point of the V should be above the waist. The tab needs to be slid in from the side, it won't click in on my copy, but that does mean the connection is surprisingly secure. Fold the wings up so the nose wings tab into them and then fold the outer half of the wings back down. Fold the red panels along the rear of the nose so they tab onto the tail wings. Open the fake cockpit chest: in it is the combined robot's head looking out the through the Voyager robot's back with the top of it's head at the top of the Voyager robot body. Swing the head out and fold it into position between the V so it's looking out over the back of the robot's nose. Push down on the back of the blue neck panel and fold the head into the body cavity. Put the null rays wherever you want, I favour the sides of the Voyager robot arms still, now the Combined Robot's upper legs.
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As yet Starscream doesn't have his own complete team. His instructions show him with the wave 1 deluxe, his boxart with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Dreadwind</a> and a Terrorcon with the rest obscured. Either way it looks like Dreadwind should be with him and if Dreadwing should then so should his twin <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Darkwing_(G1)#Generations target="_blank">Darkwing/Blackwing</a>. Several theories exist as to the identity of the rest of this team. One says they don't exist, and you use whatever toy you want. Another says it's <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm target="_blank">Thundercracker</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm target="_blank">Skywarp</a>, using <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSkydive/skydive.htm>Combiner Wars Skydive</a> with the Decepticon jet head seen on his <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(G1)/toys#Unite_Warriors target="_blank">Ghost Starscream</a> repaint. A third says the team is completed with Dreadwing & Darkwing's own Japanese repaints <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/Buster/buster.htm target="_blank">Buster</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/Hydra/hydra.htm target="_blank">Hydra</a>. I'd be happy with either of the last two as it would give me my much longed for Decepticon Jet Combiner All bar one of the all jet combiners have been Autobot, mainly versions of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Superion/superion.htm target="_blank">Superion</a>. The exception is <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Destron/Sixwing/sixwing.htm target="_blank">Micromaster Destron Sixwing</a>, who <a href=https://www.facebook.com/CombinerWarsSixwing/ target="_blank">I thought would make a great repaint</a> of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSuperion/superion.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Superion</a>.
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So in order to form my combiner, which I'm christening Emperor Starscream, due to the Movie crown on the combined mode head, I'm using Dreadwind as one arm with <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Starscream_(SG)#Generations target="_blank">TFSS 5.0 Shattered Glass Starscream</a>, standing in for Power of the Primes Blackwing until wave 2's release, as the other arm. The legs are formed from <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Predacon/BCTerrorsaur/terrorsaur.htm target="_blank">Botcon Terrorsaur</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Fractyl#Generations target="_blank">TFSS 5.0 Fractyl</a>.
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What's surprising me about Starscream is quite how strong and stable he is structurally! I'd half expected him to be a bit of a floppy mess to be honest! Almost all this down to the tab holding the two lower legs together: I think it and it's slot are slightly wider at the top than the bottom, which is why it needs to be slide in from the side and not pushed in. Indeed pushing the tab into the slot like you normally do would probably wear the connection down somewhat making it less stable, and there's a nagging worry in the back of my mind that this might happen anyway. But for now it's rock solid, unlike the chest armour made from the jet's nose, back and wings. This locks onto the body courtesy of two tabs on the wings which the tops of the air intakes fold over. The connection, like when the structure was on the back of the Voyager robot, isn't great. Maybe if the moving post in the middle had pulled out & in and had a larger circle at the top of it's peg but with inserts in it so it could only sit in two positions? That idea has been used in Transformers before.
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In many ways the torso design reminds me of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSuperion/superion.htm target="_blank">Superion</a> with <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSilverbolt/silverbolt.htm target="_blank">Silverbolt</a>'s arms acting as the combined robot's upper legs. The head with a crown resembles the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWGalvatronus/galvatronus.htm target="_blank">Galvatronus</a> combined mode of Silverbolt's remould <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWCyclonus/cyclonus.htm target="_blank">Cyclonus</a>: that always looked a bit odd as Galvatron and I wonder if it was meant to be Starscream but the Hasbro designer got confused as to which henchman was possessed by Starscream's ghost in season 3 of the cartoon? We half expected Cyclonus to get a Starscream recolour, and <a href=http://i.imgur.com/dpu2l7d.jpg target="_blank">some good repaints are out there</a>, but it never happened. But Starscream finally has his combined form now and on the whole it's rather good. The head is slightly annoying me: it's just sitting there between the Voyager robot's lower legs, suspended in mid air on it's hinge: you feel like it should recess into or connect to the chest armour in front, which in turn would stabilise that piece somewhat. The chest armour itself gives the entire combiner torso something of a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Movie Starscream</a> look.
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Yes there's no real weapon for the combined mode again here: the null rays for the Voyager look too small. The Primemasters should provide one but somehow neither of the Decepticon ones revealed so far, both melee weapons rather than guns, suit him. He can use his Enigma of Combination in this mode: twin doors in the nose just behind the cockpit open to hold it. I feel this could maybe have been done better using the cockpit itself and providing a space for a Primemaster to ride in the jet mode. We've had one wrestling match with the little doors and a pair of pliers already trying to reattach them when they came off!
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If you're looking at Starscream, as a Voyager toy then the robot has odd proportioned limbs with a loose back and the plane is difficult to line the parts up properly plus is covered in stickers which look like they might peel off any second! But, wobbly chest plate aside, the Torso mode, which is really what I was buying this toy for, is great!
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-43496225482238303982017-12-11T08:27:00.001-08:002017-12-11T08:27:53.385-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Dreadwind
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Dreadwind</a></h2>
Hasbro seemingly went out of the way in the early days of Power of the Primes to conceal that there was a combining gimmick in the line. Unfortunately the <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/20/san-diego-comic-con-2017-collector-preview-breakfast-344837 target="_blank">San Diego Comicon 2017 Collector's Preview Breakfast</a> where the new versions of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Darkwing/darkwing.htm target="_blank">Darkwing</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Decepticon/Dreadwind/dreadwind.htm target="_blank">Dreadwind</a> were revealed immediately made it clear they were obvious retools of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSkydive/skydive.htm target="_blank">Skydive</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWAirRaid/airraid.htm target="_blank">Air Raid</a>, himself a Skydive retool! However a closer look when in hand reveals an even more interesting story.
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Obviously his head and shoulders are new, as is his body, surrounding the combiner connector. The top half of the connector is new, to accommodate a fold out flap with a 5mm port underneath, and the bottom half of the combiner connector is different too: same basic shape as always but the detail at the bottom has changed from a slatted rectangle to an inverted trapezium. Upper arms look the same, but there's an added shallow tab on the side. Lower arms look very similar but there's now an odd shaped indent on the front and the slot on the side is now a 5mm peg hole. Looking on the back of the lower arm the internal construction of the piece has altered slightly. Most of the waist downwards looks the same but there's some new moulding connected to a bar, same green plastic as the shoulders, which is in turn connected to a piece of plastic which the wings are hinger onto. So there's lots of pieces here which are the same, a few new ones and some which are either close copies of the original or genuinely retooled.
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The head and the shoulders are the defining feature of Dreadwind's robot mode and they've got these dead on. The pipes on the shoulders have a 5mm internal diameter enabling you to mount weapons on them. The front of his new combiner connector folds down revealing another 5mm peg hole and that's used to attach his Prime Armour. Dreadwind's Prime Armour is a different shape to the Dinobot one used with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Swoop</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a> and different again to <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/jazz-10-52012 target="_blank">Jazz</a>. The main body is purple, the cover/gun is the same green as the shoulders and the thumbs & peg are the same off white as most of the body. Gone is the dual cannon, now very familiar to owners of this mould but unfortunately it's replaced by only one gun. His original had two so the absence here is odd especially when his wave 2 team-mate <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Darkwing_(G1)#Generations target="_blank">Blackwing </a> has 2.
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Identical articulation to Skydive.
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Transformation: Broadly similar to Skydive: Fold the jet nose off the back over the head. Shorten the legs using the internal hinge transformation common to many Combiner Wars toys. Straighten the arms to the sides and then swing them down on a hinge between shoulder & body so the shoulders sit near the middle of the chest. Then comes the new bit: fold the wings out to the sides and pull out to the sides, up and back in so they're over the shoulders: a tab on the back of the shoulders recesses into a slot on the base of the wing. Fold the tail wings down.
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What you get looks very, VERY similar to <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWSkydive/skydive.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Skydive</a>. All the wing bases do is move the wings maybe 5mm further out on each side and add a Titanmaster footpeg to each side of the jet. You'll notice the new shoulders under the wings and that will be that. The wings themselves are the same as before, changing them would have justified changing their attachment to the body but when you use the same wings was it really worth doing? This more feel like Hasbro has gone to a lot of trouble to produce something very similar to what they had before in this mode and Dreadwind's wings were behind his shoulders anyway in robot mode and from Dreadwind alone the reason for the new location for the wings and their new transformation isn't obvious. However Dreadwind was <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6035.html target="_blank">shown combined with Blackwing at SDCC 2017</a>. There's no hint of this on the instructions for Dreadwind, but the picture on the internet suggest Dreadwind's wings should be next top the back of the jet for that mode.
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If I was forced to justify it I'd say that the wings look passable mounted on the back of the plane, although their bases aren't flush with the jet there, so I'm guessing there's a retool coming with wings further back, maybe like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Decepticon/Dirge/dirge.htm target="_blank">Dirge</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Decepticon/Ramjet/ramjet.htm target="_blank">Ramjet</a>.
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Oddly the only thing that is new in this mode, the tail wings, will escape people's notice!
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The one gun is annoying again in this mode. You'd like two so one could go under each wing. You'd also like the back of the gun to be a 5mm peg so you could put one in each shoulder pipe. His Prime Armour mounts on the jet's back here using the existing 5mm peg hole to imitate Dreadwind's original Powermaster function if you have a Primemaster to use with him. Yes it looks like an unsightly big box on his back but turning the armour block round so it faces backwards with the peg at the front makes it look like the sound boxes found on Generation 2 <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Decepticon/Starscream/starscream.htm target="_blank">Starscream</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Decepticon/Ramjet/ramjet.htm target="_blank">Ramjet</a>
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As per Skydive he can also form the arm or leg of Combiner Wars or Power of the Primes combiner.
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Arm Mode: as before, but with the wings folded round the rear of the jet/robot legs. Unfortunately the robot arms have nowhere to lock onto any more and just sort of hang there.
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Leg Mode: again as before, but with the wings by the rear of jet/robot legs folded forward next to the tail wings & tail fins.
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Dreadwind doesn't have a defined combiner, like the Dinobots and Terrorcons do, but the theory is he & Blackwing are meant to combine with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Starscream</a> and two as yet unrevealed limbs.
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I liked the Skydive limb and, if anything, Dreadwind is an improvement on it. They've captured the Powermaster well with limited changes.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-71606122706528001952017-12-11T03:03:00.001-08:002017-12-11T03:03:19.764-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Grimlock & Volcanicus<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/grimlock-28-52725 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Grimlock</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> is the only Dinobot to have been done previously in Hasbro's Generations ranges. In fact he's been done twice: In the second Classics wave as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/ClassicsGrimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">a deluxe</a> that I have all sorts of issues with THE LOWER LEGS ARE THE WRONG WAY UP AND SHOULD BE WIDER AT THE BOTTOM and as a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/FOCGrimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Fall of Cybertron Voyager</a> which makes for a better Grimlock than the Classics toy. His head was also mode last year as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRClobber/clobber.htm target="_blank">Titanmaster Clobber</a> and along the way there's been various other versions in various other lines. The problem is few of them compare well to the original or his <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/MasterpieceGrimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Masterpiece</a>, effectively the original upscaled with added articulation which is what I think fans really want with their Classics toys.
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Grimlock comes boxed in robot mode, with a pair of Prime Armours and his Enigma of Combination.
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The Enigma is a non transforming block of plastic roughly the same size and shape as a Titanmaster's head mode. It has a blank head sticking out the bottom, and tab sticking out the back the same size and shape as a Titanmaster heel spur. You can attach it to Titans Return toys as a static forward facing head. Grimlock's is silver with a red dot in the middle. I'm not that impressed with it to be honest. Although I don't think the Primemaster robots are as good as the Titanmasters some value would have been added to this by making it transform into a miniature robot even if they had to recycle the body!
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The Enigma, or a Primemaster or a Titanmaster can fit in the slot on Grimlock's Prime armour: the cover guns from the deluxe Prime Armours can too but lacking the heel spur they won't secure. There's a 5mm peg hole underneath the Prime Armour, another towards the back of the top and one on the rear plus a 5mm peg on a side to side ratcheting pivot. The name suggests they're designed to be used as armour but all they do is sit there looking bulky. The ones on <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Starscream</a> can at least be used with his weapons but these are all the weapons Grimlock has!
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For the purposes of this review I want to start with the Dinosaur mode: bring the legs together and fold the tail tip down behind it. Split the chest in two straight down the middle then fold each half out to the sides, down and then back together round the upper legs: tabs on the side of the legs lock onto slots on the inside of the chest halves. Fold the hands into the forearms and the "wings" closed round the exposed body spine. Fold the dinosaur head over the robot head.
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Modern dinosaur theory suggest Tyrannosaurus Rex had a horizontal body, and this Grimlock can achieve that pose just fine. But I'm a traditionalist and want my Grimlock in a more upright Godzilla pose and he can do the too by rotting the legs back a couple of ratchet clicks and bending the tail back at the robot knees by the same amount.
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From the front, the T-Rex mode looks like a slightly wider version of the original Grimlock, with the head being a highlight. His jaw opens, his tiny dinosaur arms are ball jointed at the shoulders and his legs turn at the hip & bend at the knees. The hips also bend to the sides but that was no use here. Early pictures were at pins to hide the rear of the toy, prompting fear of a square tail end. It's not, there's a distinct point to it but only after a distinct jump down from the blocky section of his legs that makes up most of the tail. It could have been worse, but it could have been so much better with a more smoothly sloping tail. A pair of Titanmaster pegs can be found on the base of the tail and another pair is on a panel halfway up his back. The back of the dinosaur body is a bit of mess with lots of red, gold, black and silver grey parts mixed together. On his gold neck there's a slot, used to secure the neck in other modes. Here it's exposed and it's exactly the right size for a Titanmaster heel spur to fit in, enabling a Titanmaster to ride him. This can be also used to store his Enigma of Combination in Dinosaur mode. The mouth opens and there's a designed slot for the Enigma there too but since Enigmas have the same tab as a Titanmaster heel spur you can stick disembodied Titanmaster Heads in hi mouth as if he's just ripped them off a body. The only place you can really mount the Prime Armour in this mode is the side of the legs, which makes him look very wide indeed!
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Returning to robot mode is easy enough, with the possible exception of pulling out the fists - there;s a groove on the back of the hand you can get a finger nail into though. Be careful when joining the chest halves up though and don't rely on the small pegs at the front to hold it together: the black body core has a tab on each side at the back which needs to sit in a slot on the body halves. A good tight connection there now will save you some grief later in combined mode.
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Grimlock's robot mode is undeniably Grimlock, but it's a case of having got the basics right but a lot of the detail could be better. The head is fabulous, they've nailed his vaguely Prime-like black head with red visor down to a tee. I'd had plans to see if a 3p could come up with a way of integrating Titanmaster Clobber but I much prefer this head sculpt. The head is on a ball joint.
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The look of the chest is a bit odd: they've gone for the clear plastic with gold paint underlay used for parts where the original Dinobots were chrome under clear plastic. Grimlock's chest was straight gold chrome however and the clear plastic gives it an strange colour. It also means his chest panel, previously clearly defined as the only bit of the chest which was clear plastic over chrome, blends into the rest of the chest. Perhaps they might have used a darker background here rather than the gold paint, to make it stand out more? There's a clearly discernible line down the front of his chest, used in the transformation when the chest splits in two. I can see it's function but not sure I can see why they've done it that way instead of having the chest fold down to the front as a solid unit. I'm guessing it's to be different for difference sake but it's unsightly here and can cause problems in his torso mode. There's also two odd looking vertical slots on his chest which are used in combined mode but they impact the look here.
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The arms are generally really good too: they look good from the front, though from the back there's a little bit of bulk behind the forearms, which is used to house the Combiner Wars sockets for the combined form's arms. The shoulders turn and swing out to the sides, he's got a bicep swivel and double bending elbow. 5mm peg hole hands allow him to hold his Prime Armour as weapons, via their 5mm peg, there's another 5mm peg hole on the outside of the wrist to mount them on there, and a 5mm peg too if you want the gap facing out. If I'm picky I'd say I'd like 5mm peg holes on his shoulders like the FOC version does. The problem here is the Prime armour are his only weapons: <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Starscream</a> also has his null rays which can be hand held, plugged into his arm and plugged into his Prime Armour. Grimlock has nothing: no Galaxial Rocket Launcher, no Twin "Stunner" Lasers, no Energo Sword. Nothing! Even the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/FOCGrimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Fall of Cybertron Voyager</a> did better than that, having a sword. The temptation is to steal that sword and get hold of another <a href=http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Search?SearchText=rex+blaster target="_blank">ArtTek Rex Blaster</a> but I think the unstated insinuation here is that you're meant to use the Primemasters Decoy suits other mode as his weapons. <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/micronus-with-cloudburst-52727 target="_blank">Cloucburst/Micronus</a> twin Gatling gun would be a possible substitute for his twin gun, but they're in red so Cloudburst's probable repaint/remould as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/Waverider/waverider.htm target="_blank">Waverider</a>
, accidentally <a href=https://www.flickr.com/photos/philip_ayres/37629108951/in/album-72157634022758321/ target="_blank">revealed through the cancelled Grand Pretender shell</a>, would work better. But the problem here is Grimlock's sword and twin gun are so iconic that something looks missing when they're not there!
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His waist is picked out in red, looks good and rotates where the wide belt piece meets the thinner groin. I'd have cast the D shaped hip pieces that turn at the waist and the legs swing out to the sides on in black rather than red so they blended in with the upper legs. Similarly the knees, with a low thigh swivel at the top and a bending joint at the bottom, are also red where they would have blended in better as black. Since the patchwork quilt that was <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRHardhead/hardhead.htm target="_blank">Titan's Return Hardhead's upper legs</a> I'm getting quite picky about hips, thighs and knees all being the same colour!
<p>
Then there's the lower legs..... Well they got the colour right. From the front they're straight up and down, no spreading to the sides and only a poorly defined foot at the bottom. It spreads a little to the back, the only area where most Grimlock legs are reasonably flat! Not only are the lower legs the wrong shape they're also too short. In a straight standing pose the top of POTP Grimlock's head is level with the line above the chest box on FOC Grimlock, who is a full inch taller. Although the upper legs could be a bit longer most of this difference comes from the lower legs which are far far too short. Looking straight at the toy the proportions between his top and bottom half look very strange: It almost seems like he has a Deluxe's legs on a Voyager's body! Since the legs also caused problems as the tail in T-Rex mode this is an all round design fail and in my opinion they should have stuck to the fold the lower legs over the upper legs approach that worked for the original and the Masterpiece. I know *why* it's been done like this, in order to accommodate the very visible Combiner Wars sockets in the sides of the ankles but there's two or three examples here of Grimlock also being a combiner core that have seemingly harmed the Voyager figure, which is a shame because Power of the Primes <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Swoop</a> and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a> re great and hide their Combiner role REALLY well.
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In both modes it looks more like the original Grimlock than any other mainline non Masterpiece Grimlock toy, but still falls short on the details. The legs needed to be bigger and better and it needed weapons. The Grimlock design is iconic and they got it so right the first time that any messing with it is obvious and none of the messing here is for the better. Yes it gives him a new function but this is the first really good go at a Generations G1 Grimlock for a few years and you can't help feel that it falls slightly short of the mark.
<HR><h2><a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Volcanicus target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Volcanicus</a></h2>
Every since 5 member combiner teams were introduced in 1986 fans have wanted a Dinobot combiner. I can remember the subject coming up regularly in the UK comic's letters pages. Japan got a Dinosaur combiner in 1989 in the form of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Dinoking/dinoking.htm target="_blank">Dinoking</a>, albeit a Decepticon one. Hasbro combined Energon <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> in 2004 to form <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Mega-Dinobot/mega-dinobot.htm target="_blank">Mega-Dinobot</a> and then paired a new Dinobot, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Grimstone/grimstone.htm target="_blank">Grimstone</a>, with 5 dinosaur drones in Power Core Combiners. So there's been some skirting round the subject for years.
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The initial set of Power of the Primes leaks in July 2017 showed the Dinobots and the presence of several other combiners in the range leg to speculation they would combine. Volcanicus was announced at the <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/hascon-2017-transformers-brand-team-panel-meets-eye-347982 target="_blank">Hascon Transformer Brand Panel</a>, <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6128.html target="_blank">shown as a resin prototype</a> at a private function at the same event, and revealed in colour at <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/new-york-comic-con-2017-coverage-hasbro-transformers-panel-screenshots-351297 target="_blank">New York Comicon 2017</a> where it was also <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/new-york-comic-con-2017-power-primes-display-terrorcons-windcharger-black-rodimus-prime-351444 target="_blank">on display</a>.
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So to form the torso of Volcanicus, start with Grimlock's robot mode. Fold the T-Rex head up covering the robot head. Leave the hands folded in, don't be tempted to turn them in. Turn each arm in 90° at the bicep so the outer side of the arm faces forward. Raise the arm 90° out to the side. Fold both elbow joints on each arm down 90° so the forearm is under the shoulder: there's a tab under the shoulder and a corresponding slot on the forearm that need to connect. Check the tabs at the rear of the chest are securely connected. Fold the wings on Grimlock's back forward so the slots in their underside meet the tabs on what was the top, now the rear, of the shoulders. Pull the armour plate on his backside away from the waist. Rotate each lower leg out 90° at the thigh swivel. Bend the hips out 45° and the knees in 45°. Rotate the waist 180°. Fold the armour plate down into a lower position than it was sitting before. Pull the waist away from the body, down & forwards, exposing a hinged joint and two tabs which went up into the body. Fold the body forwards 90° so the waist tabs lock into the slots on his chest. Fold the grey panel on what was Grimlock's back forward 90°. Fold the red panel behind that, at the rear of the top of the torso, back 90°. Fold the grey panel forward a further 90°, bringing Volcanicus' head up & out with it and tab the grey panel into the back of the T-Rex neck. Fold the red panel at the rear back down. Fold the head down onto the chest. Choose which Power of the Primes deluxes will be your legs, attach Grimlock's Prime Armour to them as feet and slide into place. Peg the legs' Prime Armour into 5mm peg holes in the sides of Volcanicus' chest.
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I suspect the default configuration for my Volcanicus is going to be <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Sludge</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a>, remoulds of each other, as the legs and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/snarl-12-52721 target="_blank">Snarl</a> &
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Swoop</a> as the arms. But as of Power of the Primes Wave 1, when Grimlock was released, there's only Swoop & Slug available. In order to make Volcanicus look as Dinoboty as possibly at this stage I'm using them as the arms with substitutes <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Maximal/BCTigatron/tigatron.htm target="_blank">Tigatron</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Maximal/BCUnit-3/unit-3.htm target="_blank">Unit-3</a> serving as the legs. They were on my Botconicus combiner mainly made up of Botcon and TFCC spares paired with <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Grand_Scourge#Unite_Warriors target="_blank">Grand Scourge</a>. However it's other two limbs <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Predacon/BCTerrorsaur/terrorsaur.htm target="_blank">Terrorsaur</a> & <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Fractyl#Generations target="_blank">Fractyl</a> have been half inched to give <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/starscream-28-52010 target="_blank">Starscream</a> an all jet combiner they were the easiest to get hold of.
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Be careful attaching the arms: the downward movement and, in Slug's case, the weight can cause the shoulder tabs to pop out the wings. If the tab between chest half and black core isn't good Volcanicus will completely collapse at this point. The weight pulling down here at Volcanicus' shoulders looks like it will eventually be pulling on the chest halves which as we've seen are clear plastic. Really this feels like it need a larger longer tab at the front, possibly a 5mm peg, and a second connection at the back onto the wrists. I've had Volcanicus for 4 days now and unfortunately I've had to retab the shoulders nearly everytime I've touched the toy and especially if I've moved the arms. Now I'm used to combiner toys with shoulder problems: Combiner Wars <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Optimus Prime</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWMotormaster/motormaster.htm target="_blank">Motormaster</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWHotSpot/hotspot.htm target="_blank">Hotspot</a> all have slightly suspect shoulders which cause things to pop off if moved in a certain way. But here I could see the chest halves distorting under the weight if not properly secured. Worrying.
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Fortunately things are a lot better functionally lower down the toy. The legs are like Optimus Prime/Menasor but without the locking plate holding them in a fixed position. The knee/hip ratchets are excellent so you've got the option of going between shorter widely spaced legs, longer legs closer together or anything in between. You also have the option of spreading the legs to the sides thanks to the rocker joint in the ankle.
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Then there's the look of the toy. I quite like it actually, with some reservations. Most combiners with a unified colour scheme looks good and we know the Dinobots silver grey, red, gold and black works. Yes it is perhaps a little spoilt by the very visible blue on Swoop which is peaking out from the shoulder. I like the T-Rex head folded forwards on the chest, less keen on it looking out, don't think it looks too bad with the jaw opened and the Enigma inserted. For comedy, replace the Enigma with Titanmaster! I'm not as bothered by the way the body tapers in in the middle as some people are: we've seen similar on other combiners. The thin lower body can be bulked out by spare Dinobot Prime armour attached via 5mm peg holes in the sides of the chest. I am bothered by the square holes either side of the Dinosaur head, cut outs on the top of the Grimlock chest to enable the folding down to the side hinges to pass through in Dinosaur mode. Using a 1985 style Grimlock chest would have avoided this problem. The head is great, a beefed up Grimlock with a silver chin strap and gold crest.
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Like Grimlock, Volcanicus has no real weapons to speak of. The Dinobots hand weapons look tiny on him so I'm guessing you're meant to be using the Primemaster weapons with him. Unfortunately as soon as you give Volcanicus a weapon and raise an arm the familiar lean forward seen on many combiners is visible. There's nowhere for the Primemasters to stand in this mode though which is a shame: The waist plate is too close to the waist to use and even then the head would be hidden with the T-Rex head/jaw folded down. A couple of pegs on the shoulders or in front of the neck would have been nice.
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I like the concept of a Dinobot combiner and , bar the holes in the chest, I quite like the look of the combiner, but the shoulders really don't work functionally and are desperately in need of reinforcement which is a major down point and a great shame because the Grimlock Voyager feels compromised in order to make him a combiner, which in turn is the complete opposite to the deluxe where I don't think they'd have been much different.
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I want desperately to like this toy but through beast, robot and combiner the overall feeling is Could Have Been Done Better.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-12407416550758691682017-12-07T15:22:00.001-08:002017-12-12T08:25:52.666-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Slug
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Slug</a></h2>
Yeah, it's <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a>. Hasbro may have finally learnt that some names have an offensive meaning outside of the USA, but in this case I'm rather attached to the older one. I think "waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore" is rather appropriate for the Dinobot's flame thrower who's going to be getting things hot. So it's probably going to be Slag throughout the review.
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At the point I started acquiring my first set of Dinobots in the early 1990s, Gold Box Classics was in full swing, which supplied most of them for me. However Slag was missing so my first Slag was the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Green G2 version</a> in 1994, quickly upgraded to second hand cast off. I've gone through couple more since then.
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Straight out the box there's no argument this is Slag, a bit taller and thinner than what we're used to with perhaps the red slightly too cherry but apart from that..... dead on. Where Swoop only got a sword from his original weapons set, Slag has a big bulky black gun modelled on his original silver chrome, and easily breakable, weapon. Upsacled and thickened but it essentially is the same weapon. I miss his sword, but I'm sure Takara, a third party, or Shapeways will provide. There's no hole in the shoulder for a missile launcher, like the original one had, but he has extra 5mm holes on his forearms, dino legs on his ankle, back and chest. The last of these is for attaching his Primemaster armour via the same peg that it uses to become a combiner hand. The clear cover on the front of the armour removes, becoming an odd square hand gun for him to hold, revealing a space for a Primemaster to recess into to power Slag up. Despite sharing no use here the armour has the same tabs & slots as Swoops. I imagine the hands are the same across the Dinobots, I can't tell which is Swoop's and which is Slag's, but having a quick look I can see the same feature on both of the hands with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/dreadwind-3-52016 target="_blank">Dreadwind</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/jazz-10-52012 target="_blank">Jazz</a> even though the majority of those are different moulds.
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Articulation: Principally identical to Swoop with bending knees, thigh swivels, ball jointed hips, rotating waist, rotating head, ball jointed shoulders, bicep swivels & bending elbows. Here it's the head not the waist that's limited with the surrounding dino head limiting it's movement.
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Transformation: remove the gun and Primemaster armour. Fold the hands into the underside of the arms. Good luck getting them out again by yourself, they're very stiff on mine and need the gun handle place in them to get them to move! Fold the chest cover up in front of the face. Then the legs.... there's some cleverness here and some worry too: Look at the backs of the legs and fold the dino legs down so they're out the way. Fold the tail halves up from within the legs so they're pointing out behind the knees. Swing each half 90° out to the sides. That joint scared me, there's going to be a few of those broken down the line. Fold the heel spurs up inside the legs. Yes they will move, and they will swing round so their underside is facing towards you. Getting them out again is difficult till you realise that they'll start to swing out if you rotate the rear legs back at the hips. Tab the robot legs together and fold back at the robot knees 180° so they meet the body and the tabs at the top of the body click into place in the feet. Swing the tail halves in together pegging into each other then fold up into place. Position the dino legs and stand.
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Something is not quite right with the prescribed Triceratops mode, the frill looks too small and too close to the body. Fortunately that's easily fixable: the entire head and frill pulls up and moves back as part of his limb mode and fractionally doing that really improves the look. Jaw opens, front legs are ball jointed at the shoulder and bend at the knees, rear legs turn at the hip and kind of bend at the knees thanks to the transformation. 5mm mounting points on both forelegs, both hips the top of the dinosaur and under the chin while there's two separate Titanmaster footpegs on the Dinosaurs back for your Titanmasters to play at being Dinoriders.
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The lack of weapons is an issue again, the frill could have been bigger and more distinct from the body without needing adjustment and some of those transformation joints are a bit worrying. But other than that no complaints!
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Arm Mode: From Dinosaur mode split the tail, fold out to the sides and fold the the robot legs out, swinging the heel spurs down, and storing the tail halves in the legs. Swing the rear dino legs up out the way. Fold the hands in, rotate each arm 180° and put the 5mm holes on the forearms over the tabs on the body. Swing the dinosaur head up & back. Fold out the Combiner Wars connector. Transform his Prime armour into a hand by folding out the fingers and putting the thumbs into the correct position and peg into the hole in the feet. Turn the waist 90° to allow the leg articulation to act for the arm.
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A decent enough arm but since I see Swoop as the other arm and Slag pairing with his remould Sludge, they're probably going to end up as legs.
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Leg Mode: Remove the Prime armour hand. Return the lower part of the arm to dinosaur mode but keep the legs folded up and fold the tail down under the beast inserting the pegs on one of Grimlock's Prime Armours into the revealed 5mm hole. Fold the Combiner Wars connector out the front of the beast and slide into place.
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Decent solid leg! Good, that's what I was aiming for!
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Power of the Primes Dinobots going well for me so far: 2 out of 2!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Sludge</a></h2>
It's kind of fitting that Slag and Sludge share a mould seeing as it ws one or the other of them in the 1990s between Gold Box Classics and Generation 2! Sludge & Slag appear to share robot legs, arms, combiner connector, gun and even Slugs's chest which appers to form Sludge's back!Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-12047078687994444332017-12-07T06:53:00.001-08:002017-12-07T15:14:51.853-08:00Generations Power of the Primes Swoop<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/swoop-8-52717 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Swoop</a></h2>
The UK's relationship with <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Swoop</a> is long and mainly defined by us not getting him. In 1985 we got four Dinobots: <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Sludge/sludge.htm target="_blank">Sludge</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a>, toys which really boosted the Transformers line. But when we read he comic and saw the cartoon, and we did get the first season of the cartoon in chunks on breakfast television, there was a 5th Dinobot! To this day nobody is 100% clear why we didn't - the usual safety test rumours abound. We missed out on him in Classics in 1990/1991 (Grimlock, Sludge and Snarl) and again for G2 (<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlcok.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a>, <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Slag/slag.htm target="_blank">Slag</a> & <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/Snarl/snarl.htm target="_blank">Snarl</a>). We didn't get his <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">RiD</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Energon</a> versions either, and to add insult to injury his fellow Energon Dinobot <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm target="_blank">Grimlock</a> was reissued for the 2014 movie and he wasn't! By that time we'd had the <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Animated Swoop</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/FDStrafe/strafe.htm target="_blank">Legion Strafe</a>, a blue repaint of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Windrazor/windrazor.htm target="_blank">Beast Hunter Legions Windrazor</a> itself a new version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Cutthroat/cutthroat.htm target="_blank">Terrorcon Cutthroat</a>, which as you'll see will turn out to be quite amusing. But none of these really fit with the original Dinobots or work on your shelves of Classic toys.
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Power of the Primes Swoop was leaked With the rest of the first four waves of deluxes and three waves of everything else in July 2017. Like the other Dinobots he wasn't shown at <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/20/san-diego-comic-con-2017-post-panel-transformers-display-images-345116 target="_blank">SDCC 2017</a> instead making his début at the first Hascon later that year and immediately there was some trouble. Swoop was shown as being red on the leaks, matching the other Dinobots and the original Transformers toy. <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/transformers-generations-power-primes-official-images-hasbro-348404 target="_blank">His official images</a> show him as red but when they were shown at Hascon he appeared in silhouette and then <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/09/08/hascon-2017-generations-power-primes-display-case-pics-348335 target="_blank">was shown in the display cases as blue</a>. The blue/red Swoop debate has gone on for a long while: As I said the original Transformers toy was red but it's <a href=http://www.diaclone.net/orid/diadino/d090.html target="_blank">Diaclone predecessor</a> was blue and for some reason those colours were used on the Transformers cartoon, making the Diaclone toy highly desirable to Transformer fans. Indeed his recent <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/Strafe/strafe.htm target="_blank">Movie version</a> was also blue. So I can understand the desire to do Swoop as blue but feel that the cartoon adherents at Takara will make their version blue so the Hasbro version should have been red! <a href=https://www.facebook.com/HasbroMakeRedSwoop/ target="_blank">HASBRO! Make a red Swoop too!</a>
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Swoop's robot mode is mainly silvery grey, no chromed wings this time, with as we've said a blue chest that looks a little on the thin side. Upper limbs, waist and heads are black plastic, with the back of the head painted red. Oddly the hip pieces are silver grey and not black, like the rest of his legs and his waist, giving him a slightly odd looking appearance there. The head looks very similar to that on the <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Swoop_(G1)/toys#Titans_Return target="_blank">Ptero Titanmaster</a> about a year previously.
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Articulation: Bending knees, thigh swivels, ball jointed hips, rotating waist - odd choice that because it's effectively immobilised by the pteranodon's beak passing over the waist joint, being recessed into the body & tabbed into place, ball jointed head, ball jointed shoulders, bicep swivels & bending elbows. The wings are pinned to the body at the top: they pivot upwards and ratchet at 4 positions from straight out to the sides to resting against his neck frame not quite pointing straight up. A couple of centimetres out from there is a joint that lets the wings fold back & forth: with the wings straight out to the sides this is straight down the wing. A couple of centimetres further out from that is another pivot for the outer portion of the wing.
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Swoop comes with just one obvious weapon: a clear plastic sword painted red. This has the standard 5mm peg so he can hold it but also a 3mm peg for storage and in this mode he has 3mm peg holes in his backside, presumably for a flight stand, and two on his belt, which result in a slightly odd mounting angle to make it fit. In addition to his 5mm peg hole hands he has 5mm peg holes on the outer face of each lower arm, a little inconvenient for storing his sword: was he meant to, or will the Takara version, come with his twin missile launchers too?
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Swoop comes with one of the Dinobot's Primemaster armour pieces. In robot mode the thumbs on each side fold under the weapon and tabs on the thumbs allow it to attach to the side of the beak. The clear cover on the front of the armour removes, becoming an odd square hand gun for him to hold, revealing a space for a Primemaster to recess into to power Swoop up. After some trouble attaching the armour the connection is holding far better than I expected: pulling up on it causes the beak to raise and not the armour to pop off like I expected!
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Transformation: remove the armour and sword. Fold the hands into the wrists. Rotate the arm 90° out at the bicep so the peg holes on the forearms face back. Bring the arms in towards the side of the body, bending slightly at the elbow, and tab into place on the sides of the waist. Fold his feet down & back 90° and tab the legs together. Raise the wings up one ratchet click so the crossbars on the flat wide T shaped slots are horizontal. Fold the legs onto the back tabbing into the wings. Fold the pteranodon legs & feet off the robot upper legs, now the pteranodon's back, and tab them onto the upper robot legs, now under the pteranodon. Fold the beak up off the chest in front of the robot's face.
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As initially transformed Swoop is in a standing position and he holds this pose perfectly well. But I think most people associate HIS pteranodon with being in a flatter flying position and the toy can do that too: Fold the head up 90° via a joint at the back of the neck, fold the feet up and lie him on his chest, job done. It's a grey robotic pteranodon and it looks pretty good. As we've seen the head moves up & down but the jaw can also open, the wings can pivot up & down, albeit not where they meet the body nor parallel to it, and the outer parts move forward and back. He's covered in Titanmaster/Primemaster pegs: two on the first wing section near the hinge and two on each piece of robot leg forming the back: on on each leg is close to the break between the parts and together they form a pair the right distance apart to fit each hole on each of the same Titanmaster's foot.
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Weapon's storage is a bit poor: peg in under the beak or the holes in his robot waist. It does just about fit between the robot legs but that's neither secure or intentional. I'm seeing no exposed 5mm sockets in this mode for potential Takara or third party missile launchers either. The Primemaster armour can store on the pteranodon's back: tabs sticking match slots in the underside of the armour.
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With the exception of the missing weapons and poor sword storage in pteranodon mode this is almost exactly what I'd expect a Blue Generations Swoop with no additional gimmicks to be like. Since it also functions as a Combiner limb, I think we can say Hasbro did a good job here.
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Arm Mode: From pteranodon mode, fold the entire head down 180° in front of the robot's chest. Fold the dinosaur legs onto the back of the pteranodon and then fold the robot legs out from the back of the dinobird and, keeping the legs tabbed together, fold the feet down. Fold the Combiner Wars connector out of his back. Straighten the wings on the back so the sides are flush with the connector then fold forwards tabbing into the sides of his shoulder. Fold the outer section of the wings down. Untab the robot's forearms from the waist then rotate the waist 90° to allow the leg joints to provide arm movement. Plug the Prime armour into his feet as a hand.
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I always pictured the thinner smaller Swoop as an arm rather than a leg on a Dinobot combiner and he seems to adapt to that role well. The only surprise is he retains his wings: like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Divebomb/divebomb.htm target="_blank">Divebomb</a> on <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Predaking/predaking.htm target="_blank">Predaking</a> I'd picture them ending up on the Dino combiner's back.
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Leg Mode: from arm mode rotate the waist back, tab the forearms back into place and straighten the robot's legs. Remove the robot hands, and untab the wings, purely so they're out of the way. Unused so far, Swoop's legs have a concealed joint in them, similar to those found in the Combiner Wars toys, to shorten the robot legs. It's VERY stiff on my copy of the toy so I'm needing to start it going by passing something down between the hinge and the side of the leg. Swing the lower legs up so they cover the upper legs and tab together. Insert the peg on one of Grimlock's Prime armour pieces into the peg hole on his feet.
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It's a functional leg mode, surprisingly square and blocky considering where it's come from. It'd work as a leg on a Dino combiner but I'm convinced <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sludge-5-52719 target="_blank">Sludge</a>, <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slug-4-52712 target="_blank">Slug</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/snarl-12-52721 target="_blank">Snarl</a> will make better bulkier legs.
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Since the toy worked for me by itself and worked as both combiner limbs, I'm going to chalk this one up as a big win for Swoop. Well done Hasbro!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/windrazor-6-52789 target="_blank">Generations Power of the Primes Cutthroat</a></h2>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Cutthroat/cutthroat.htm target="_blank">Terrorcon Cutthroat</a> and <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Swoop/swoop.htm target="_blank">Dinobot Swoop</a> have always been vaguely similar: Cutthroat's one and only new version <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2013/Predacon/Windrazor/windrazor.htm target="_blank">Beast Hunter Legions Windrazor</a> was repainted in blue as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/FDStrafe/strafe.htm target="_blank">Legion Strafe</a>, a new small Swoop. So <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/new-york-comic-con-2017-power-primes-display-terrorcons-windcharger-black-rodimus-prime-351444 target="_blank">when he was revealed at NYCC 2017</a> it was no real suprise to find Cutthroat reusing Swoop's general design and in particular his arms, waist and upper legs.
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<hr><h2>Future Repaints</h2>
<a href=https://www.facebook.com/HasbroMakeRedSwoop/ target="_blank">HASBRO! Make a red Swoop too!</a>
<a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/new-york-comic-con-2017-power-primes-display-terrorcons-windcharger-black-rodimus-prime-351444 target="_blank">Cutthroat's toy reveal at NYCC 2017</a> shows him using a different head to the normal square Terrorcon head seen on <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Cutthroat/cutthroat.htm target="_blank">his original toy</a> and <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/10/05/power-primes-terrorcons-official-images-351593 target="_blank">his official images</a>. The head used looks terribly like the one on <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Wildfly/wildfly.htm target="_blank">Pretender Monster Wildfly</a>/<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Yokuryu/yokuryu.htm target="_blank">Dinoforce Yokuryu</a>, leading to speculation of either <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Monstructor/monstructor.htm target="_blank">Monstructor</a> or <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Dinoking/dinoking.htm target="_blank">Dinoking</a> being done in Power of the Primes.Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-24647543723077197142017-10-09T04:06:00.000-07:002017-10-09T04:06:01.853-07:00Hascon Arcee, Leinad & Ultra Magnus<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/ultra-magnus-24-52032 target="_blank">Hascon Ultra Magnus</a></h2>
To recap:
<P>
We know from <A HREF=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/transmissions-podcast-titan-wars-leaks-rumors.1046898/ target="_blank">the Transmission Podcast rumours</a> that <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-chaos-on-velocitron-giftset/ target="_blank">Choas on Velocitron</a> was originally the Speed set, which is reflected in it's <a href=https://flic.kr/p/WGfscS title="Speed Set Logo" target="_blank">Speed Tech Spec quadrant highlighted on the packaging</a> and that set's <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/02/18/toy-fair-2017-titans-return-official-images-continued-334247 target="_blank">Rodimus Prime</a> having the "Ultimate Speed Boost" power revealed on the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6040.html target="_blank">List of Titanmasters</a> found on the
<a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6037.html target="_blank">Trypticon Cereal Box</a>.
<P>
Similarly we know from <A HREF=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/transmissions-podcast-titan-wars-leaks-rumors.1046898/ target="_blank">the Transmission Podcast rumours</a> that <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-siege-on-cybertron-giftset/ target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron</a> was originally the Strength set, which is reflected in it's <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/philip_ayres/35241096314/in/album-72157634022758321/" title="Strength Set Logo" target="_blank">Strength Tech Spec quadrant highlighted on the packaging</a> and that set's <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/thunderwing-5-50204 target="_blank">Thunderwing</a> having the "Ultimate Strength Boost" power revealed on the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6040.html target="_blank">List of Titanmasters</a> found on the
<a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6037.html target="_blank">Trypticon Cereal Box</a>.
<P>
There are four areas on the current Tech Specs: Strength, Speed, Intelligence and Fireblast. These were also shown in the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-5380.html target="_blank">SDCC 2016 Titan's Return Storybook</a> which divided the first few waves of toys up between the four tech spec quadrants. The four quadrants are all illustrated as symbols on the <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-chaos-on-velocitron-giftset/ target="_blank">Chaos on Velocitron</a> and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-siege-on-cybertron-giftset/ target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron</a> boxsets with the <a href=https://flic.kr/p/WGfscS title="Speed Set Logo" target="_blank">Speed</a> and <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/philip_ayres/35241096314/in/album-72157634022758321/" title="Strength Set Logo" target="_blank">Strength</a> logos highlighted accordingly.
<P>
So.....
<P>
What happened to the Intelligence and Fireblast boxsets?
<P>
The <A HREF=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/transmissions-podcast-titan-wars-leaks-rumors.1046898/ target="_blank">the Transmission Podcast rumours</a> places the Speed & Strength sets in development in March & April 2016. At around that time the Combiner Wars <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/superion-generation-2-40505 target="_blank">G2 Superion</a>, <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/menasor-generation-2-40506 target="_blank">G2 Menasor</a> and <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/victorion-38804 target="_blank">Victorion</a> sets were on sale. These sold poorly, ending up sitting with retailers for quite some time, and indeed some retailers still have them now even at large reductions some 18 months later. So I'd like to suggest this possible scenario: the numbers come back to Hasbro saying the boxsets aren't doing well and Hasbro pulls the plug. The last Combiner Wars boxset <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/liokaiser-3-48546 target="_blank">Liokaiser</a> gets produced in smaller number and made an exclusive to Entertainment Earth in the US. The Speed & Strength boxes get given catchier titles, Chaos on Velocitron & Siege on Cybertron, which disguise their "one of four" origins and turn into exclusives for TRU and BBTS respectively.
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We know a little about what would probably have gone into the Intelligence & Fireblast sets. Two Clones <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/fastclash-50196 target="_blank">Fastclash</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/pounce-2-50206 target="_blank">Pounce</a> had been packed with Chaos on Velocitron (Speed) & Siege on Cybertron (Strength) respectively. I think it's likely that <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/wingspan-3-51512 target="_blank">Wingspan's</a> function of "data processor" meant he was destined for Intelligence and thus <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/cloudraker-2-51579 target="_blank">Cloudraker</a> was for Fireblast. With the Intelligence and Fireblast sets not happening they end up in a 2-pack together for Walgreens. It's thought likely that a <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1993/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm target="_blank">G2 Green</a> version of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/megatron-33-48469 target="_blank">Titan's Return Voyager Megatron</a> would have ended up in Fireblast as a counterpart to <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-chaos-on-velocitron-giftset/ target="_blank">Choas on Velocitron's</a> <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/laser-prime-50192 target="_blank">Laser Prime</a> remake of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1995/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Generation 2 Optimus Prime</a>, possibly alongside a US release of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/godbomber-2-49356 target="_blank">Legends Godbomber</a> to go with <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/magnus-prime-50202 target="_blank">Magnus Prime</a> the mild recolour of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/super-ginrai-2-48602 target="_blank">Legends Super Ginrai</a> found in the <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-siege-on-cybertron-giftset/ target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron</a> set.
<P>
But we had no idea about which Titanmasters would be in which set until the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6037.html target="_blank">Trypticon Cereal Box</a> was released at SDCC 2017 on Thursday 20th July. A <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6040.html target="_blank">List of Titanmasters</a> found on that box gave a number of then unknown Titanmasters, one of which was an Ultra Magnus listed as "Ultimate Intelligence Boost", just as Rodimus Prime and Thunderwing were listed as "Ultimate Speed Boost" and "Ultimate Strength Boost". Our Intelligence Titanmaster had been found. <P>
<a href=http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/UltraMagnus/ultramagnus.htm target="_blank">Ultra Magnus</a> toys generally take one of two forms: either a white Optimus Prime or a blue, red & white super robot. Very seldom do they do both so it's something of a surprise to find it attempted on a Titanmaster. The Titanmaster robot itself is all white, using exactly the same parts as <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/thunderwing-5-50204 target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron Thunderwing</a>: the metal chest first found on <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/02/18/toy-fair-2017-titans-return-official-images-continued-334247 target="_blank">Chaos on Velocitron Rodimus Prime</a> plus the arms, legs & head from <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/fangry-2-48676 target="_blank">Fangry</a>. The only paint is a blue mouthplate & crest plus red eyes. It's a good attempt at a white Optimus in Titanmastr robot form. OK you could have done better using <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/alpha-trion-6-45980 target="_blank">Alpha Trion's Sovereign</a> in white but....
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Transforming to head mode is then a bit of a surprise as given the white Optimus robot you're probably expecting the white Optimus head. That's not what you get, what's here instead is a small version of the blue Magnus super robot head with silver pipes & face and blue eyes. It looks really nice, a lot better than photos made me think it would! Like Thunderwing, if Ultra Magnus had been done as a full size toy he'd have probably have been a leader so the Titanmaster there would have just supplied the face which would have been beefed up to a leader sized head by a helmet. Personally I'd like to see a redone version of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2015/Autobot/CWUltraMagnus/ultramagnus.htm target="_blank">Combiner Wars Leader Ultra Magnus</a> with more 1986 like weapons, 5mm peg hole hands and a Titanmaster covered by helmet head, ala <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRPMOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm target="_blank">Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime</a>, but there I would want a white Prime face if it was being completely covered.
<P>
As it is what we have here gives us a perfectly Ultra Magnus head for a smaller toy. No complaints there!
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/arcee-13-52068 target="_blank">Hascon Titans Return Arcee & Leinad</a></h2>
The Future Repaints section for the Blurr/Chromedome reviews had this section in it:
<blockquote>
Concept drawings exists showing the original Chromedome repainted as <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenArcee/arcee.htm target="_blank">Arcee</a> and I've already seen a <a href=http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/95976-exvee-photoshops-toys-updated-february-2016-titan-master-arcee/page-4#entry3154395 target="_blank">Titan Return Arcee digibashed from Chromedome</a> which was also <a href=https://twitter.com/Cheetimus/status/773372715130499072 target="_blank">turned into a custom</a>. I've also seen an <a href=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/transmissions-podcast-titan-wars-leaks-rumors.1046898/page-253#post-13668466 target="_blank">Arcee from Blurr</a> and <a href=https://twitter.com/Adam16bit/status/773274862710292480 target="_blank">another from Hot Rod</a>!
</blockquote>
The obsession for a Headmaster Arcee starts from her appearance in The Rebirth cartoon story where she binary bonds with Spike's son Daniel. As we've seen there was a cancelled proposal to do her as a Chromedome repaint that leads to it being suggested whenever Chromedome turns up. <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRBlurr/blurr.htm target="_blank">Titans Return Blurr</a> was suggested as a good body base for a female robot, a concept proved when he was used to make <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/02/18/toy-fair-2017-titans-return-official-images-continued-334247 target="_blank">Chaos on Velocitron Nautica</a> which in turn for me eliminated the idea of the Blurr Arcee being done as I couldn't see Blurr appearing in two boxsets.
<P>
Then on Thursday 20th July 2017 at that year's SDCC a <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6037.html target="_blank">Trypticon Cereal Box</a> was released showing a <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6040.html target="_blank">List of Titanmasters</a> which included number of then unknown Titanmasters, including Leinad whose power was listed as Healer. It was quickly spotted that Leinad is Daniel, the name of Arcee's Cartoon Headmaster, in reverse leading to many concluding a Titans Return Arcee was on the cards. Sure enough a few days later trading card art for first <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6043.html target="_blank">Arcee</a> then very quickly afterwards <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6045.html target="_blank">Titanmaster Ultra Magnus</a>, also found on the Trypticon Cereal List, were leaked onto Weibo. A few days later a 2-pack of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/arcee-13-52068 target="_blank">Arcee</a> & <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/ultra-magnus-24-52032 target="_blank">Titanmaster Ultra Magnus</a> were <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6057.html target="_blank">announced by Hasbro</a> to be premièring at their <a href=http://tfwiki.net/wiki/HasCon_2017 target="_blank">first Hascon convention</a> held in Rhode Island on September 8th - 10th 2017 and then to be released at retail at a later date.
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<a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/07/28/hascon-transformers-exclusive-revealed-345751 target="_blank">The Official Images of Arcee</a> are quite interesting - they're all of the form "C3542AS00_TRA_HTC_COLLECTOR_CLUB_1_" and then an image number. <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/10/18/new-transformers-fan-club-announced-hasbro-326530 target="_blank">Hasbro announced a new fan club in October 2016</a> but since then nothing has been heard. Was Arcee originally destined for there? I had thought that Arcee might be, like we think Titanmaster Ultra Magnus is, a refugee from one of the cancelled Titans Return boxsets. Exhibit A for that argument is her trading card art which is presented in landscape format and looks cropped from a larger image rather than in portrait format, with the head landing on her shoulders, like the other Titans Return Deluxe and Voyagers. However in hand she feels like she has slightly too much retooling to be a repaint from a boxset. So I think she was more likely originally intended for the cancelled/postponed Collectors Club or Titans Return Deluxe Wave 6, which in the end only featured one new toy in <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slugslinger-3-50320 target="_blank">Slugslinger</a>.
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The retooling is itself rather interesting. With two major exception the parts changed are the same parts changed to turn Blurr into <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/brainstorm-titan-force-47628 target="_blank">Brainstorm</a>: they both have new shoulders, hand flaps, spoiler/fin, vehicle nose and robot faces. The new parts change the look of the front of the vehicle considerably, into a kind of squared off version of her <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenArcee/arcee.htm target="_blank">Generations Thrilling 30 toy</a>. You can see the Blurr in there, and she looks more like Blurr than Brainstorm does, but the flaps covering her hand and vehicle nose easily do enough to differentiate them.
<P>
The two changed parts don't really affect this mode too much: one is that her Titanmaster Leinad has a new, rounded head painted silver. Together with the white of the figure it's suggesting Daniel's exo suit from The Movie & the Rebirth. Unfortunately it looks a bit odd, not like it's on-screen appearance and worse will cause some problems later! Th other changed part, hallelujah, is that the gun has gone! I didn't mind it on Blurr but disliked it's inclusion on Brainstorm where I thought his new vehicle nose should have had removable side guns like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Brainstorm/brainstorm.htm target="_blank">the original Headmaster</a>. It's also one of the few parts that was carried over to <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRChromedome/chromedome.htm target="_blank">Chromedome</a>, who I think also should have had twin dual guns like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Chromedome/chromedome.htm target="_blank">his original toy</a>, and thus to Titans Return Chromedome's repaint <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/getaway-2-48464 target="_blank">Breakaway</a>. So I think I now own 4 of the guns on Titans Return toys and another three on the Legends version and am thoroughly sick of the sight of it! In it's place are two small pistols modelled after ones Arcee uses in the IDW comics. Some distinct thought has gone into these as their handles aren't the typical 5mm peg, they're a thin rectangular piece of plastic which is 5mm from, front to back. They'll fit 5mm peg holes just fine but they'll also fit the narrow hands of the previous Generations Arcee. As per previous versions of the Blurr mould you can attach the guns under the nose in vehicle mode and that can be separated to act as a mini vehicle for a Titanmaster.
<P>
The robot mode is shaped very similarly to Blurr, but the pink and white used helps differentiate them a lot. The new rounded shoulder pieces, with fake car front sides on them help a lot as does the great new face. I want to say the chest looks wrong but some great attention to detail duplicates the pattern on Arcee's animation chest onto a differently shaped surface. Yes the legs are the same, but they work. The only real problem here is the Titanmaster: the rounded shape of Leinad's small robot head doesn't make for a secure connection at the back of the Titanmaster socket so turning Arcee's head to the side can cause Leinad's head to shift in the socket and Arcee's head to pop off.
<P>
I think Hasbro have done a really good job with Arcee here. Great remoulded parts, with the exception of the Titanmaster head, and fab colours have produced a toy which has made a really good Arcee. I think her US price of $24.99 looks very reasonable for her, a bonus Titanmaster in Ultra Magnus and some fancy packaging. <a href=http://www.robotkingdom.com/c3542as00.html target="_blank">Robotkingdom's $29.90</a> doesn't look too bad but it's still the best part of £40 before it gets to me in the United Kingdom, assuming it doesn't get customed.
<a href=https://www.kapowtoys.co.uk/transformers-titans-return-hascon-arcee-ultra-magnus.html target="_blank">Kapow</a> & <a href=http://www.idtoys.co.uk/transformers-titans-return-hascon-exclusive-arcee/ target="_blank">ID Toys</a> were both asking £35 for it initially, which given the far east price plus shipping plus customs plus overheads doesn't look absurd for them to be asking. However once again is all but £40 taking postage into account which feels a bit expensive for deluxe plus bonus Titanmaster, but I can't see these finding a home at UK retail so if you want it, that's the price you need to pay.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-20073172412105504572017-10-09T04:04:00.001-07:002017-10-09T04:04:36.948-07:00Siege on Cybertron Thunderwing<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/thunderwing-5-50204 target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron Thunderwing</a></h2>
<a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/multipack-name/titans-return-siege-on-cybertron-giftset/ target="_blank">Siege on Cybertron's</a> Titanmaster Thunderwing uses the same die cast metal chest as Rodimus Prime with a new faceplate and limbs & head taken from the <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/fangry-2-48676 target="_blank">Fangry</a> Titanmaster. The arms are lavender, legs black chest white and head blue, so the aim here with the figure is to make it look as much like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm target="_blank">Pretender Thunderwing's Inner Robot</a> as possible. The head mode looks more like <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm target="_blank">Generations Thunderwing</a> than the original putting it on the top 50% of Thunderwing heads: the last Thunderwing head, used on <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/thunder-mayhem-44417 target="_blank">TFSS 5.0 Thunder Mayhem</a>, was a disaster!
<P>
The Siege on Cybertron set highlights a <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/philip_ayres/35241096314/in/album-72157634022758321/" title="Strength Set Logo" target="_blank">Strength Set Logo</a> and just like the Speed Logo on Chaos on Velocitron led top Rodimus Prime's power being "Ultimate Speed Boost", the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6040.html target="_blank">List of Titanmasters</a> found on the <a href=http://snakas.blog95.fc2.com/blog-entry-6037.html target="_blank">Trypticon Cereal Box</a> reveals Thunderwing's Power to be "Ultimate Strength Boost", which given Thunderwing is traditionally shown as a strong Transformer makes some sense.
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There's no Thunderwing Titans Return to to pair him with, though I've seen several photos using him as a replacement head for <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/nitro-2-50322 target="_blank">The Last Knight Nitro</a> which makes sense as he's a jet who doesn't have his own Titanmaster. With <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/rodimus-prime-5-52008 target="_blank">Rodimus Prime</a> having been unveiled as a Power of the Primes leader and <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/01/23/power-primes-fan-vote-open-now-331405 target="_blank">Thunderwing appearing on the Power of the Primes fan vote</a> some have seen the boxset heads as a hint to the identity of Power of the Primes leaders. Personally I'm a little surrprised that Thuderwing wasn't done as a leader in Titans Return as a retool of <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/sky-shadow-4-48973 target="_blank">Sky Shadow</a> just as his original toy <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/BlackShadow/blackshadow.htm target="_blank">Blackshadow</a> and his <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/SkyShadow/skyshadow.htm target="_blank">Generations successor</a> were a retool of Thunderwing and his Generations version. Of course if they went down that route the Titanmaster there would end up supplying the face, which would then be surrounded by a helmet to boost it to leader size, rather than being the whole head like this one is.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041602643266497124.post-6885247336255776262017-09-28T07:45:00.001-07:002017-09-28T07:45:06.268-07:00Titans Return Slugslinger & Caliburst
<hr><h2><a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/slugslinger-3-50320 target="_blank">Slugslinger & Caliburst</a></h2>
Misfire and his retool Slugslinger were <a href=http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/03/04/titans-return-deluxe-misfire-slugslinger-revealed-334978 target="_blank">revealed at the Australian Toyfair</a> via an <a href=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/2017-australian-toy-hobby-fair-transformers.1101301/page-2#post-14393957 target="_blank">Australian fan event</a>. And Slugslinger is a retool of Misfire as well as both being retools of Triggerhappy: there's a parts frame in common between the two toys that Triggerhappy doesn't have making up the bulk of his waist section, but not the front, the hinges connecting the shoulders to the body and the hinges connecting the front of the plane to the robot's back. If you look at the back of Slugslinger's shoulders you'll see the hole that Misfire's wings are attached to.
<P>
Slugslinger feels a lot like Misfire in robot mode: same legs as peg Triggerhappy, same articulation as Misfire, and jet nose, or in this case noses on his back! The blue and the off white/grey he's coloured in, while a close match for the original, look a little off colour.
<P>
The gun, or guns, are disappointing me. Both Triggerhappy & Misfire had attach side by side guns, though <a href=https://www.shapeways.com/product/K3ZLZGRWF/handle-and-filler-for-tr-triggerhappy?optionId=61735393 target="_blank">Triggerhappy needed some help to hold his horizontally</a>. Slugslinger has two guns: a blue dual cannon with a seat and a grey single barrelled gun. The latter fits between the barrels of the former to form a longer combined weapon but it isn't really doing it for me. The space for the Titanmaster only really accommodate his feet so he ends up sitting on rather than in the weapon.
<P>
Transformation: with the exception of the wings being on a hinger fixed to the body rather than one linked the shoulder this transforms identically to Misfire. Relatively simple, though tabbing the arms into the wings and the body seems a bit of a pain here, but simple is a relief after the nightmare that was <a href=http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/Slugslinger/slugslinger.htm target="_blank">Energon Slugslinger</a>
<P>
The jet mode is a near perfect replica of <a href=http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Slugslinger/slugslinger.htm target="_blank">the original Slugslinger jet</a>. However because of the size of the toy his Titanmaster Caliburst has to sit in the body of the jet between the twin jet noses and not in one of the jet nose cockpits themselves. To accomplish that would have needed a Voyager sized toy. Your mileage may vary depending on how essential you thought this feature would be. Like his mould mates he also lacks anywhere to mount the combined weapon on the top of the toy, which to me is a major failing, but still has 5mm sockets on his shoulders and under his wings.
<P>
I can't say Slugslinger is setting my world on fire. He hasn't got the mad transformation of Triggerhappy or the insane colours of Misfire. Part of this is probably due to him being an end of line toy I feel I've paid too much for. When he was revealed at the Australia toy fair it was expected he'd have new deluxe wavemates and indeed toys in other sizes released at the same time. I can name you a good half a dozen possible repaints and remoulds that could have been done from existing toys to help further or complete various head & Targetmaster groups. Hasbro tried to compensate for the toy being the only new one in his case by packing him 3 per case but since he was packed with 2 x <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/rodimus-7-48467 target="_blank">Rodimus</a>, 2 x <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/kup-2-49445 target="_blank">Kup</a> and 1 x <a href=http://toys.tfw2005.com/hardhead-3-44301 target="_blank">Hardhead</a>, none of which were terribly in demand, it presented online retailers with a problem. Kapow passed on the case, IDToys sold Slugslinger at an inflated price and BBTS only sold him in sets with other toys. The possibility of solid cases at a later date has been mooted but I hope Hasbro have learnt that the initial case strategy they used for Slugslinger is a bad idea.
Philip Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056519803620199653noreply@blogger.com0