The Energon Pub

RANDOM POST ALERT! ADHD MOMENT!
So the recent combiner picture with an oversized Devastator got me thinking. Yes, scale is a joke in the G1 series. But if you look at TRUE scale, true 1:1 for the bots who are trying to be "in disguise" would be ideal. So...what would combiners be like if they were to scale for the average size of their vehicle modes? (keep in mind the combined heights are VERY rough estimates).

Predaking would be very small. As a matter of fact, the Seekers would be much taller than the Predacon's combined form. WHile potentially dangerous, his strength plus the combined power supply would make him ridiculously quick and agile.
Razorclaw- Lion: 9.5 feet plus 3 foot tail
Divebomb- Eagle: 3 feet plus 8 foot wingspan
Tantrum- Bull: 7 foot plus 2 foot tail
Headstrong- rhino: 13 feet
Rampage- Tiger: 10 feet
Estimated total height: Approx 20 feet.

Devastator would be in the middle of height but would be one of the stronger combiners due to having six power cores working in sync vs 5 for other combiners.
Long Haul- Dump truck: 24 feet (10 foot width, 10 foot height)
Scavenger- Backhoe: 26 feet
Bonecrusher- Bulldozer: 24 feet
Hook- Crane: 36 feet (10 foot width, 12 foot height)
Scrapper- Frontloader: 20 feet
Mixmaster- Cement truck: 33 feet
Estimated height: 70 feet

Bruticus has probably two of the most mismatched size discrepancies of any of the combiners. Using a missile truck as a guide, ONslaught's vehicle mode would be about 50 feet, but Blast-off...oh, Blast-off. A space shuttle? 122 feet in length. If you want a normal humanoid shape, then Blast-off would make up the entirety of the legs and most of the lower torso. My guess would be Onslaught would make up most of the upper torso and shoulders, with Vortex and Brawl (with some additional upper arm support from Onstlaught) making up the arms. Swindle? "And I'll form the head! Head and back. Up side, Bruticus would be a BIG bruiser but likely slow. Swindle could be a potential target and weakness.
Onslaught- Missile carrier: 50 feet long (10 foot width)
Brawl- Tank: 26 feet
Vortex- Apache chopper: 58 feet
Swindle- Military jeep: 16 feet
Blast-off- Space shuttle: 122 feet long
Estimated height: 120 feet

Menasor ends up on the short side here. THe only real way this would work is similar to how the current toy is set up. Motormaster is going to make the majority of the frame, with the MUCH smaller cars making up essentially filler. This, again, could make him one of the faster of the combiners but would fall in as one of the weakest based on total mass.
Motormaster- semi with trailer: 72 feet
Dragstrip- F1 car: 18 feet
Dead End- Porsche: 15 feet
Wildrider- Ferrari: 14 feet
Breakdown- Lamborghini: 14 feet
Estimated height: 60 feet

Superion is the juggernaut. He's just enormous. The average size of ANY fighter just is around 50 feet and there are FOUR of them here. There is no doubt that Superion would be able to fly, but on the ground he'd probably be pretty plodding. As fare as sheer firepower though, this bot would be absolutely off the charts, especially if he was able to access all of the vehicular weapons he would be mounting. WHile the Concorde SST isn't armed, it wouldn't have to be considering the available armaments to the limbs.
Silverbolt- Concorde air transport: 202 feet
Air Raid- F-15: 64 feet
Slingshot- Harrier: 46 feet
Skydive- F-16: 50 feet
Fireflight- F-4: 58 feet
Estimated height: 170 feet

Defensor would be easily the weakest of the vehicle combiners, if made with the usual suspects. While the fire aerial vehicle adds some serious bulk, the other vehicles lack mass to truly make Defensor an offensive force. His shield makes him a great protector. The most likely configuration would be Blades making the upper body and shoulders, Hot Spot the lower body and legs with First-aid and Streetwise the arms and Groove doing the head and upper chest or upper back, protected by the ladder from Hot Spot.
Hot Spot- Fire Pump/Ladder truck: 41 feet
Streetwide- Police cruiser: 18 feet
Blades- air-ambulance: 40 feet
Groove- Honda Goldwing: 8.5 feet
First-aid- Type 2 ambulance: 15 feet
Estimated height: 60 feet

I know Volcanicus is not a true G1 combiner, but since he is made of G1 chracters, I figured I'd include him. I also used the 6 bot configuration, adding in Skarr (just because the ankylosaurus is a badass dino). Using the 1:1 scale though, Sludge would likely make up the majority of the torso bulk with Swoop forming the head and back, giving the bot wings. This allows for the Dinobots to potentially flip their positioning since Grimlock, Slag, Snarl, and Skarr have very close to the same length. IMagine being able to swap Grimlock from a leg to an arm to use the t-rex head or Skarr's tail as a giant mace and his shell as a shield. This makes Volcanicaus the most dangerous and balanced combiner between size, strength, and speed.
Grimlock- T-rex: 40 feet
Snarl- Stegosaurus: 30 feet
Sludge- Brontosaurus: 70 feet
Swoop- Pteranodon: 9 feet (20 foot wingspan)
Slag- Tricerotops: 28 feet
Scarr- Ankylosurus: 26 feet
Estimated height: 85 feet.

Abominus and Computron are NOT included here as their alt modes are completely fictional and could be any size. I'm including a few basic alt modes for comparison.

Other common G1 characters:
Optimus Prime- Day Cab semi: 20 feet
Seekers- F-15: 64 feet
Average autoboot car: 14.7 feet
Omega Supreme- rocket booster only: 170 feet

Yes, this is a long post. I apologize. But I'm interested in other fans' thoughts on this. I myself would LOVE to see a set scale line (think Binaltech but for ALL alt modes) because, as noted above, it would force some really different takes on combiners that could be fun.

Always loved this image.

F Prime wrote:Always loved this image.

True dat.

I always thought that if real life scale were applied, it would make sense that the largest member of each team would form the torso, whether that member is the leader or not. Considering that in combined mode their minds methe as well, the leader can still be in control, he would just take over the body of the largest member in torso mode, so long as they're connected.

I think CW Devastator got it right, with Long Haul being the majority of the torso, and everyone else kinda latching on to him. Same with Menasor. With Predaking I'm not sure how it would work, as Divebomb would be practically useless due to his size. It would be like Soundwave and Laserbeak. As for Bruticus the way you described him is probably the only way it would work. Same with Defensor.