The Energon Pub

[no-one]

So what is this weird thing I hear that Apeface isn't made of plastic but some biodegradable stuff?

My uncle works for Hasbro and told me it was made from Transformium™.

[Nemesis Primal]

A question for you guys, I see some people hating on Mirage, anyone know why? I thought he was pretty solid.

I think most of the Mirage detractors don't like the faux robot mode chest that just hangs out on the back of the vehicle mode, as well as the arms forming a huge engine block crammed under the spoiler. I'm with you, though, and I love this new Mirage. He's a fantastic representation of the original cartoon character model, has some clever stuff in his transformation, makes use of negative space in the mold to help the transformation and overall silhouette, and the clear blue plastic parts look really neat. Mirage is definitely one of my favorites from the Siege line.

My only issue with Mirage is that he's the only Siege figure I own who broke, because those dumb clear plastic tabs on his legs required too much force to peg and unpeg and they ended up breaking even though I knew there was risk of that because I felt I couldn't use any less force than I was and still be able to transform him. The alt mode still holds together fine due to the other tabs holding it together, but it really bothers me that he was made in such a way so that happened.

[SiegeFan]

If I'm keen on both a bot and their alt mode I buy two, as I'm a heretic who can't be arsed transforming

Currently trying to get a second Mirage cheap for that very reason. And I'm secretly pleased when I only 'have' to buy one figure!

[Skritz]

So what is this weird thing I hear that Apeface isn't made of plastic but some biodegradable stuff?

My uncle works for Hasbro and told me it was made from Transformium™.

But Transformium give kids butt cancer when they lick it!

[AcademyofDrX]

If I'm keen on both a bot and their alt mode I buy two, as I'm a heretic who can't be arsed transforming

Currently trying to get a second Mirage cheap for that very reason. And I'm secretly pleased when I only 'have' to buy one figure!

To each their own, and I know there's a population that also hold this view, but I can't fathom it for a mainstream line like Siege. Transformations are generally relatively quick and painless, with notable exceptions like Springer. This isn't Masterpiece or even Studio Series, where it might not be worth the trouble.

I've had the urge in that past, like for the update to my favorite Dinobot Slag, but I can never justify it. At the end of the day, I'd rather save the cash, or even use that money on a different character.

[SiegeFan]

If I'm keen on both a bot and their alt mode I buy two, as I'm a heretic who can't be arsed transforming

Currently trying to get a second Mirage cheap for that very reason. And I'm secretly pleased when I only 'have' to buy one figure!

To each their own, and I know there's a population that also hold this view, but I can't fathom it for a mainstream line like Siege. Transformations are generally relatively quick and painless, with notable exceptions like Springer. This isn't Masterpiece or even Studio Series, where it might not be worth the trouble.

I've had the urge in that past, like for the update to my favorite Dinobot Slag, but I can never justify it. At the end of the day, I'd rather save the cash, or even use that money on a different character.

I have almost the entire Siege line, so getting into transformations is the last thing I wanna do! Plus I'd absolutely struggle to remember what I was doing with some of them! It all adds up to a cool-looking shelf and/or little battle scenes that don't need continual switching out.

Plus there's nothing quite like just a cool collection of vehicles, or Leaders on their own etc.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Mirage is really a good figure. He isn't the absolute best but he is up there.

Sad thing is, he is totally far better as a Slapdash instead of Mirage, the transformation scheme and design all fits. I wish they had made Slapdash

[Jelze Bunnycat]

So what is this weird thing I hear that Apeface isn't made of plastic but some biodegradable stuff?

Since when is nylon biodegradable?

Apeface is made of the same materials as any other toy: (M)ABS, PA, POM. He's unusual in the amount of PA or nylon: all the "white" is that stuff, a consequence of his construction necessitating something with a bit more resilience than ABS.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Thanks to our old pal chuckdawg1999, we have a new video review for you today, starring the final deluxe class Autobot from Siege: Crosshairs!

Crosshairs is a repaint of the wave 2 Ironhide figure, complete with a new head that is accurate to his animation model from the 4th season of the G1 Cartoon, AKA The Rebirth. Crosshairs comes with the same weapon as Ironhide did, though you can give him the Trenchfoot Battlemaster that came in the Autobot Amazon package that included G2 Sidewipe and Slamdance.

Crosshairs is showing up in stores now, so head on out and hunt him down! And if this video review wasn't enough, you can always check out our Seibertron.com gallery for Crosshairs.

Crosshairs is a repaint with a new head of Ironhide based on the late G1 Targetmaster. Thankfully, the leg panels are tighter on Crosshairs than on Ironhide and hold in place during transformation. All the joints are just as stable as on my copy on Ironhide which is a tip of the hat to the Hasbro design team that in the Siege line all repaints were just as good as their original versions.

[Deadput]

How doesn't it fit exactly? It feels a lot like Shockwave to me. A voyager with extra accessories to add to the alt mode which can then be used in other modes. The whole trilogy was planned by the same people at the same time, and its all g1 based anyways. Whoever comes out first feels rather dubious then and the different yearly lines are just so that retailers know to stock new toys. Sideswipe and Flywheels could have come out in Earthrise just as much in Siege so the debate, if one is even worth our time, goes beyond simply Astrotrain.

A question for you guys, I see some people hating on Mirage, anyone know why? I thought he was pretty solid.

He doesn't fit because he's literally the one guy who turns into 100 percent Earth Vehicles in a Cybertronian line, say what you will about how Earth like the other figures in the lines vehicle modes were but they were just futuristic/cybertronian enough, Astrotrain is literally Earth mode in both forms.

Neither of his modes fit and he seems a lot more like Earthrise Optimus Prime with the accessories and trailer component.

It's so obvious he was meant for Earthrise, wave 5 wasn't planned, he's part of the first wave of Earthrise and there absolutely was a comment about what was intended and like another poster says he has a connector tab that doesn't exist in Siege outside of Omega Supreme but is a big feature of Earthrise

[william-james88]

and there absolutely was a comment about what was intended

Then please give a link. I don't get how something can be so absolute and yet no one is bothering to show any confirmation. This could just be your interpretation of something you read, like people who were sure we'd get the coneheads in siege.

[Deadput]

and there absolutely was a comment about what was intended

Then please give a link. I don't get how something can be so absolute and yet no one is bothering to show any confirmation. This could just be your interpretation of something you read, like people who were sure we'd get the coneheads in siege.

I don't bookmark what I read, it's just something I remember.

Trying to find it on Tfw2005 right now, I found a post on there so far from a user named tigatron2002 who claims that

not likely, wave 5 wasnt planned, it was a late addition to the line because retailers wanted more. astrotrain and spinister were pulled from earthrise (we know this for fact thanks to early distributor listings), ratbat and rumble were also likely pulled from earthrise along with the battle patrol (ratbat and rumble look significantly more like earth tapes than ravage and laserbeak), rung was probably pulled from earthrise with singe being an easy repaint to release alongside spinister to get both his partners out and crosshairs was likely pulled from generations selects

Still trying to find more info but I'm leaving this for now.


Edit: Here's another older post from another user named JtPrime17

We don't have 100% confirmation or know if they were supposed to be wave 1, but we do have evidence that At least Apeface and the Micromaster Rumble and Ratbat pack were originally supposed to be released in Earthrise but were brought forward to siege.

Let me Explain. For Hasbro's internal listings they usually use abbreviations for their placeholders for their products. For example all the Earthrise figures use "TRA GEN WFC E" and all the siege figures just use "TRA GEN WFC". Lets just say we could of known a lot sooner about Earthrise than before the NYCC reveal. Back in July when Siege's wave 5 internal listings were found in Walmart's system all the figures used the Usual Siege abbreviations besides Apeface and the one Micromaster pack. Of course I didn't dig deeper into it a the time because I thought it was just a Typo. Of course after Earthrise was revealed I went back and looked into it. And What do you know Hasbro didn't cleanup their listings all the way and the original product descriptions listed Earthrise right there in the title. It's been all cleaned up now unfortunately, but listings can still be found of Apeface and the Mircos still using the Earthrise abbreviations.

https://hasbropulse.com/products/tra-ge ... r-ape-face (look in the URL)

https://brickseek.com/walmart-inventory ... =864234039 - BrickSeek

Still looking, but doesn't it seem strange that Starscream is the only Decepticon (not including the Micromasters) at all?

[Sentinel_Primal]

Didn't the leaks for wave 5 pre-date any leaks for Earthrise and people assumed that the leaks were for part 2 given the time of year?

[ZeroWolf]

Problem there is if wave five wasn't planned then they must have done a very quick turn around on the Astrotrain and other designs, as we know there is a lengthy design process.

If course it isn't clear cut as you could say that they were developed early on for incursion but dropped from the regular waves then picked back up again with Wave 5

[william-james88]

Thanks for those links and effort Deadput, but yeah as you might have guessed I am still not convinced of anything since there isn't anything related to astrotrain and there is no word there from Hasbro, just fans guessing things and wrongfully claiming it as fact (like that first quote which misremembers the listings). Memory works in a funny way and maybe you put two comments together and remember it in a different way. Plus, the one with the "evidence" for being part of earthrise is apeface who has a cybertronian ship mode and casettes to go with a siege toy? Any logic just falls apart right there. Lets just say I remain skeptical about any absolutes (as anyone should) and I truly think there are just a bunch of toys ready out there for the trilogy as a whole and when they come out specifically doesn't matter that much.

[AcademyofDrX]

News staff: known faker makes list of "leaks," we'll post it as a rumor

Also news staff: I don't care what reasoning you have, I won't acknowledge the possibility of this supposition unless you have a notarized letter personally signed by John Warden

To your actual point, it's totally fair to challenge it as accepted truth when it's just stuff that people are batting around forums. There's evidence to suggest that Astrotrain was intended for Earthrise, but nothing to prove it. I'm personally happy that there's a high level of continuity across the WfC sub-lines so that they all fit well together.

[Hellscream9999]

News staff: known faker makes list of "leaks," we'll post it as a rumor

Also news staff: I don't care what reasoning you have, I won't acknowledge the possibility of this supposition unless you have a notarized letter personally signed by John Warden

To your actual point, it's totally fair to challenge it as accepted truth when it's just stuff that people are batting around forums. There's evidence to suggest that Astrotrain was intended for Earthrise, but nothing to prove it. I'm personally happy that there's a high level of continuity across the WfC sub-lines so that they all fit well together.

I mean, to be fair, they could have seen the demand and pushed up the timetables for 2 of the earthrise molds - remember, though new, crosshairs is the pre-tooled partner for ironhide and thus the mold for his head should have already existed and may have been an easy out to freshen up this new wave.

All they would have had to do would be to focus finishing spinister and astrotrain and then make them, and push back earthrise, it would give them solid pr to back up that siege was very successful for them in their earnings reports.

Both astrotrain and spinister have very earthen aspects about them and makes sense that they were set to be released in earthrise, but had qualities surrounding them that made them the choice to be released early, this, I feel is logically the most likely answer, but I would be fascinated to hear an argument against

[Wolfman Jake]

Just got notice today from Hasbro Pulse that my Siege Crosshairs and Spinister have been shipped out! I should have them by Monday.

Now, I just have to wait on Astrotrain, and I'll be all set. I got Apeface and all the Micromasters already, and Rung and Singe are on the way from BBTS.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Scourge with Fracas, looking good

[aronjlove]

Just got notice today from Hasbro Pulse that my Siege Crosshairs and Spinister have been shipped out! I should have them by Monday.

Now, I just have to wait on Astrotrain, and I'll be all set. I got Apeface and all the Micromasters already, and Rung and Singe are on the way from BBTS.

AAarrrgagashdgahsdgka, I feel like a fool. I cancelled my Hasbro Pulse preorder and preordered Spinister on Amazon 3 weeks ago. Now he's sold out on Pulse and gotta wait for Amazon to release

[Deadput]

Thanks for those links and effort Deadput, but yeah as you might have guessed I am still not convinced of anything since there isn't anything related to astrotrain and there is no word there from Hasbro, just fans guessing things and wrongfully claiming it as fact (like that first quote which misremembers the listings). Memory works in a funny way and maybe you put two comments together and remember it in a different way. Plus, the one with the "evidence" for being part of earthrise is apeface who has a cybertronian ship mode and casettes to go with a siege toy? Any logic just falls apart right there. Lets just say I remain skeptical about any absolutes (as anyone should) and I truly think there are just a bunch of toys ready out there for the trilogy as a whole and when they come out specifically doesn't matter that much.

I suppose I'm misremebering but what I remember was a comment from Warden or some other Hasbro rep at I think a recent convention (the one where wave one of Earthrise was revealed)

But yeah, I have no real proof and it's speculation, now I'm personally on the belief that Astrotrain absolutely was an Earthrise figure that was moved up to Siege, Crosshairs I'm certain was just one of those pre planned head sculpts that Hasbro does for figures and they decided to use him as line filler instead of something like Selects or not using them at all (Remember things like Hardhead from generations Warpath?) but overall the rest is speculation.


And personally justification on why Apeface is a tad of a disaster, being rushed would explain it's issues besides the other probably idea that Hasbro dropped the ball entirely with him.

[Fuseflow]

If astrotrain was brought up from earthrise, we may never know for certain, that could only be a good sign.

It means Siege sold well enough that they added more to the line, and will probably add more to Earthrise to compensate.

I'd imagine they always hold prototype molds for testing and concept just sometimes they don't make the final cut. If demand is there they'll get to do more. It's probably what happened with those who didn't win the fan vote.

[SiegeFan]

I appreciate the Siege G1 Refraktor pack's RRP is usually insane, but if it's ever on sale like at In Demand Toys here in the UK grab it. The camera mode is absolutely worth it, total showpiece.

Actually ordered another one to split into the three bots!

Also another Spinister; that dude's brilliant in both modes, really dynamic in every way and the colours that might look initially horrible really are great when he's posed.

[Rogue-Primal]

Small problem with siege ravage. The instructions arent very helpful but his small silver feet often get tangled and his black transformation joints are literally too tight.
How do i avoid breaking him? I've been keeping him in panther mode since i got him.

[Skritz]

Also another Spinister; that dude's brilliant in both modes, really dynamic in every way and the colours that might look initially horrible really are great when he's posed.

How DARE you bismirch the neon glory of late G1?!