The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1350 · by **ZeroWolf** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:08 am

Anything could happen but I doubt it would be till after the war for Cybertron trilogy ends (though Warden could suprise us all and have part three could be beast wars, via beast machines, but I'm not holding my breath).

I've said it before in a different thread but a three part structure covering the beast era could be fun.
1st part: Beast Wars (including fuzors and Transmetals)
2nd part: Beast Machines
3rd part: Trans Tech (this is where they could have the most fun)

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 10:26 am

There's something I've been wondering for some time when it come to toy engineering during the Beast Era in Japan. Why were so many of the original molds rather guilty of shell-forming? Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying the first two years of the BW toyline, pre-Transmetals, was perfect. The designers clearly struggled with hiding the robot kibble and many figures also have huge animal chunk just clumsily hanging off the robot mode. However, looking at the Japanese BW stuff especially during Neo which had many more new molds you get some mess like Big Convoy or Break.

That said I'm tempted to get reissue Big Convoy to complete the 'trinity' of Beast-era leaders, with POTP primal and Legends Lio Convoy as the version of these characters I got.

News Credits: 1350 · by **ZeroWolf** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 10:36 am

Without knowing fully, I'd say it could be due to the turn around time from design to production as Japan had to wait a bit longer for seasons of Beast Wars.

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:01 am

I always wondered why the Neo guys were rather shell-formery too, they just didn't integrate Beast parts as well. there are still some really dang good figures, like Bog Convoy, and really fun ones like Stampy, Magmatron, and Longrack, but the kibble got excessive

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:33 am

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Bog Convoy

Great now I imagine a giant, fat toad that turns into an Optimus Prime lookalike. I want one! :lol:

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:33 am

Skritz wrote:
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Bog Convoy

Great now I imagine a giant, fat toad that turns into an Optimus Prime lookalike. I want one!

that would honestly be incredibly fun!

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:35 am

Btw what size is Big Convoy, anyway?

News Credits: 1350 · by **ZeroWolf** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:43 am

Skritz wrote:Btw what size is Big Convoy, anyway?

Masterpiece sized, as in he is the same height as MP 48 and whatever number Optimus Primal is.

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 12:17 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:
Skritz wrote:Btw what size is Big Convoy, anyway?

Masterpiece sized, as in he is the same height as MP 48 and whatever number Optimus Primal is.

How does that scale with a Titans Return Voyager so I have an idea how he'd scale with Legends Lio Convoy.

News Credits: 6 · by **AllNewSuperRobot** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 12:21 pm

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:
Skritz wrote:
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Bog Convoy

Great now I imagine a giant, fat toad that turns into an Optimus Prime lookalike. I want one!

that would honestly be incredibly fun!

We did only have the one Amphibian Bot, in Spittor. A Larger, Leader Class one would have been really interesting. Like one in the form of the largest toad in the world: The African Bull Frog -

News Credits: 1350 · by **ZeroWolf** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 12:34 pm

Skritz wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:
Skritz wrote:Btw what size is Big Convoy, anyway?

Masterpiece sized, as in he is the same height as MP 48 and whatever number Optimus Primal is.

How does that scale with a Titans Return Voyager so I have an idea how he'd scale with Legends Lio Convoy.

Best bet is to ask D-Max, as he's got two versions of Big Convoy at least so should be able to do a size comparison with a voyager to help you match it up.

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:04 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:
Skritz wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:
Skritz wrote:Btw what size is Big Convoy, anyway?

Masterpiece sized, as in he is the same height as MP 48 and whatever number Optimus Primal is.

How does that scale with a Titans Return Voyager so I have an idea how he'd scale with Legends Lio Convoy.

Best bet is to ask D-Max, as he's got two versions of Big Convoy at least so should be able to do a size comparison with a voyager to help you match it up.

I'll take a picture here shortly

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:12 pm

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 2:21 pm

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Scale is just fine! Thank you.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:43 pm

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:I always wondered why the Neo guys were rather shell-formery too, they just didn't integrate Beast parts as well. there are still some really dang good figures, like Bog Convoy, and really fun ones like Stampy, Magmatron, and Longrack, but the kibble got excessive

Different design teams. The Beast Wars and Beast Machines designs were done by Kenner, a recently acquired company at the time that Hasbro shuffled all boy toy lines to, including Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (which explains the size of the Transmetal II range). The TakaraTomy design team may have decided on the shell former technique for Neo to increase of the number animals that could be used, like penguins and other "offbeats".

Mind you, Lio Convoy and Galvatron for BWII weren't shellformers in the traditional sense. Plus, look at Stampy and Archadis.

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:47 pm

I adore Stampy, he's a bit awkward, but so cute and fun. Just wish his beast eyes weren't red

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:55 pm

Btw if I was to get Big Chungus Convoy should I go for the reissue or the Matrix buster version? I'm not sure if they are the same, coloration seems 'off' in the pics.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:12 pm

Skritz wrote:Btw if I was to get Big Chungus Convoy should I go for the reissue or the Matrix buster version? I'm not sure if they are the same, coloration seems 'off' in the pics.

Deco is the same, it's just the Matrix Buster plus some other accessories added.

News Credits: 1642 · by **D-Maximal_Primal** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:07 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Skritz wrote:Btw if I was to get Big Chungus Convoy should I go for the reissue or the Matrix buster version? I'm not sure if they are the same, coloration seems 'off' in the pics.

Deco is the same, it's just the Matrix Buster plus some other accessories added.

Jelze, which one are you talking about?

The encore from last year is in anime colors, and the Matrix Buster one is in original toy colors, very different. The one i took the picture of was the anime encore one with the Matrix Buster.

I recommend the Encore with the anime colors, that one is super nice and easily the better of the 2 options, though the Matrix Buster is a really cool giant ass cannon

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:33 pm

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Skritz wrote:Btw if I was to get Big Chungus Convoy should I go for the reissue or the Matrix buster version? I'm not sure if they are the same, coloration seems 'off' in the pics.

Deco is the same, it's just the Matrix Buster plus some other accessories added.

Jelze, which one are you talking about?

The encore from last year is in anime colors, and the Matrix Buster one is in original toy colors, very different. The one i took the picture of was the anime encore one with the Matrix Buster.

I recommend the Encore with the anime colors, that one is super nice and easily the better of the 2 options, though the Matrix Buster is a really cool giant ass cannon

O bah... TFWiki should have worded it a little bit better.

Anyway, go for the reissue: the clear plastic used in the left shoulder had breaking potential on the original, and I could see that happening again.

by **Skritz** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:21 pm

Thanks for clarification. Definitely going with the Encore, despite the Matrix Buster looking absolutely great.

MyFigureCollection.net collection · by **Emerje** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 9:22 pm

I plan on getting the Matrix Buster version eventually, but I'm hoping it'll go on sale at some point. Meanwhile I've got the Encore and Blue versions to hold me over. Takara Tomy really saturated the market with Big Convoys so I think some cheap ones will turn up later this year, especially when Mandarake is able to ship to the US again. Noticed the original Big Convoy has been going down in price there as well if you don't care about the package quality.

Emerje

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 9:26 pm

Emerje wrote:I plan on getting the Matrix Buster version eventually, but I'm hoping it'll go on sale at some point. Meanwhile I've got the Encore and Blue versions to hold me over. Takara Tomy really saturated the market with Big Convoys so I think some cheap ones will turn up later this year, especially when Mandarake is able to ship to the US again. Noticed the original Big Convoy has been going down in price there as well if you don't care about the package quality.

Emerje

Original/Encore, Blue and Nemesis. That's all I'm asking :-P

MyFigureCollection.net collection · by **Emerje** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 9:35 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Emerje wrote:I plan on getting the Matrix Buster version eventually, but I'm hoping it'll go on sale at some point. Meanwhile I've got the Encore and Blue versions to hold me over. Takara Tomy really saturated the market with Big Convoys so I think some cheap ones will turn up later this year, especially when Mandarake is able to ship to the US again. Noticed the original Big Convoy has been going down in price there as well if you don't care about the package quality.

Emerje

Original/Encore, Blue and Nemesis. That's all I'm asking

I would love a Nemesis, even if it was a new deco made by Takara Tomy and not the original. I also would like to Ultra Mammoth some day, but I doubt that'll happen. Really regret not subscribing that year.

Emerje

by **Rogue-Primal** » Fri May 01, 2020 9:50 am

Does anyone know if Rattrap is considered hard to find, sought after or expensive? Either anniversary or "original transmetal" version. (how much value does he have without the transmutate piece and dvd disk). Ebay 24.95 seems a lot for a deluxe without signs of flaking.

Never liked generations rattrap because it's bulky in robot mode and the clear plastic accessories.

also the armada recolor of transmetal megatron (the hasbro megatron remake who doesn't have gps problems) how much value does he have with or without his minicon?