The Energon Pub

by **cloudballoon** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 2:35 pm

King Kuuga wrote:Enough squabbling about dictionaries and changing times, let's talk about Victory Saber.

I finally opened mine. He seems free from defects except some paint splash here and there. I'm not a fan of the wing stickers. I really wish the underside of the cannons, which are the side you're going to see most of the time, were filled in. Everything else? Amazing. So glad I got this guy. My only problem is I have nowhere to put him. But I'm getting new shelving soon so that should be remedied. He's currently occupying a spot on a low dresser beside my Lego Optimus Prime and some other miscellany.

Surely some 3P upgrade kit company is already working on a set with a pair of shoulder cannons replacement. I like a longer sword blade too (that can be stored at the back of the flight stand). I hate paying crazy money for it, but without a 3D printer to DIY, and really want VS stand up to Deathsaurus in a sword fight, I'll have to shell out the dough.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:16 pm

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:24 pm

Did someone here have a problem with their Victory Leo having a broken transformation joint on the right hip? It's the joint that swings out for boot mode, there's missing/broken plastic so it doesn't latch in properly.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:25 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Did someone here have a problem with their Victory Leo having a broken transformation joint on the right hip? It's the joint that swings out for boot mode, there's missing/broken plastic so it doesn't latch in properly.

Got a picture?

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:27 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Did someone here have a problem with their Victory Leo having a broken transformation joint on the right hip? It's the joint that swings out for boot mode, there's missing/broken plastic so it doesn't latch in properly.

Got a picture?

I don't, but the person who had the issue did. I have the same issue and I wanted to chat with them, God I hope it wasn't on Twitter.

News Credits: 4 · by **King Kuuga** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:52 pm

cloudballoon wrote:
King Kuuga wrote:Enough squabbling about dictionaries and changing times, let's talk about Victory Saber.

I finally opened mine. He seems free from defects except some paint splash here and there. I'm not a fan of the wing stickers. I really wish the underside of the cannons, which are the side you're going to see most of the time, were filled in. Everything else? Amazing. So glad I got this guy. My only problem is I have nowhere to put him. But I'm getting new shelving soon so that should be remedied. He's currently occupying a spot on a low dresser beside my Lego Optimus Prime and some other miscellany.

Surely some 3P upgrade kit company is already working on a set with a pair of shoulder cannons replacement.

No sooner did I post when someone shared an upgrade part for the cannons (and Saber's arms). So that's good news.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:10 pm

Did I miss something? I can't believe that Victory Saber CAN'T hold the V-lock cannon up. The shoulder lasers are blocked by the wings so the arms are barely pulling of 45° at best.

by **cloudballoon** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:56 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Did I miss something? I can't believe that Victory Saber CAN'T hold the V-lock cannon up. The shoulder lasers are blocked by the wings so the arms are barely pulling of 45° at best.

That's how it is. The only way I can see Victory Saber's arms can be raised above 45° is the lasers can be retracted into the shoulders - which it can't.

VS's limited articulation is one of the myriad minor disappointments of this HasLab, and it adds up. Looks great, doesn't pose well, especially if you consider it as a swordman (more like daggerman). The sum of its part is a bit underwhelming for me as a total package after the initial "new car smell" phase.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:03 am

He can still hold it upright in normal Star Saber mode, though, right?

It's one of Victory Leo's weapons, but when the two are tag-teaming, Victory Leo could theoretically just toss it over to Star Saber to let him use it. Victory Leo still has his two other guns to use in the meantime.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:05 am

I have him only hold the tip of the handle. That allows his elbow to bend enough to get the cannon higher. It's not ideal, but it's possible.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:25 am

I can't believe the G1 toy did it better.

News Credits: 4 · by **King Kuuga** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 2:52 am

Come on, people, it's not that hard.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 1:47 pm

Grahf_ wrote:Just got done looking over my set. Everything looked good at first while I was getting them out. I then checked for the handle for the cannon and it was there. I checked the face cover on Victory Leo and while tight at first, it loosened up just a little bit with a few opening/closings and it now perfectly toleranced like others have said. Holi and Fire are a bit loose but wasn't as bad as I've seen from others.

Next up was Victory Leo proper. I started to check the joints working from the head to the arms and then to the legs...and I found a problem. Not just one of my quibbling over nothing either. I first noticed that the figure's right leg, the one on my left when looking at it head on, has a loose transformation hinge. Meaning that when I move that leg outward, instead of the leg moving at the hip joint, it moves at the transformation hinge. At first I thought that it was just a little loose and some water based polyurethane/Kiki would fix that.

However I then noticed the actual problem. The part of the hip that's supposed to lock the leg together was actually broken. So that when the leg closed up, the tab that's on the lower thigh that's supposed to lock into the upper thigh had nothing to latch onto. The plastic was caved into the thigh. Meaning that it happened when they put the leg together at the factory. If I had broke it then it would've been pulled outward from when I first tried to move the leg outward at the hip.

*QUICK EDIT/ADDITION: Everything else was fine.*

Some pictures for reference that I took of it upside down so it looks like I'm talking about the wrong hip and am going to retake before sending to Hasbro so they don't get confused:

This is what I was talking about. This happened to mine too. Although on mine it looks like an intentional missing of plastic like the mold wasn't poured right.

King Kuuga wrote:
PXL_20221221_074713290.jpg

PXL_20221221_074729160.jpg

PXL_20221221_074737345.jpg

Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Do you have the wing pushed back? If so that means the backpack has to be untransformed since the lion's paw pegs underneath the wing.

by **cloudballoon** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:34 pm

King Kuuga wrote:Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Nor should it be hard & unsightly either tbf. VS's articultion is limited and just not that fun to pose.

Thanks for the photos though. The way to do that without detaching the backpack is to use the butterfly joints to swing the arm forward, then bend back the shoulder lasers and bring back the arm into position.

News Credits: 1 · by **MeGrimlock78** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:26 pm

King Kuuga wrote:
PXL_20221221_074713290.jpg

PXL_20221221_074729160.jpg

PXL_20221221_074737345.jpg

Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Exactly. Took me about 30 seconds to figure out I could just swing the laser down to get an awesome pose.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:40 pm

MeGrimlock78 wrote:
King Kuuga wrote:
PXL_20221221_074713290.jpg

PXL_20221221_074729160.jpg

PXL_20221221_074737345.jpg

Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Exactly. Took me about 30 seconds to figure out I could just swing the laser down to get an awesome pose.

I tried it, if you don't swing the wing back, thus untabbing it from Victory Leo's arm it doesn't work, UNLESS you try the other method of using the hidden arm joints to bring the arm forward, thus creating a huge gap in the torso. Victory Saber cannot point the V-Lock cannon forward the way the figure is transformed normally, period.

Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:55 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?

Nope. Jet mode is very wobbly on my stand too.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:08 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?
Nope. Jet mode is very wobbly on my stand too.

The stand is just a stand. It's not a rocking chair and it's not meant to shake around like a cat toy. You stand the ship there, you leave it alone. That's it. Nothing will break this way.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:08 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?
Nope. Jet mode is very wobbly on my stand too.

Ooof, another one.

by **cloudballoon** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:33 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?
Nope. Jet mode is very wobbly on my stand too.

The stand is just a stand. It's not a rocking chair and it's not meant to shake around like a cat toy. You stand the ship there, you leave it alone. That's it. Nothing will break this way.

Mine's fine. However, I feel even the stand have a design issue. I find if I connect the stand to the port located ar the top of the yellow "V" of the base, one side of the little stabilizing "winglets (?)" at the bottom of the stand slide over the yellow paint of the "V," risking paint scratching. So I only connect the stand to the other port of the base, and that one is not as stable, as the V & the autobot logo is turned 90° CCW.

News Credits: 1 · by **MeGrimlock78** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:47 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
MeGrimlock78 wrote:
King Kuuga wrote:
PXL_20221221_074713290.jpg

PXL_20221221_074729160.jpg

PXL_20221221_074737345.jpg

Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Exactly. Took me about 30 seconds to figure out I could just swing the laser down to get an awesome pose.

I tried it, if you don't swing the wing back, thus untabbing it from Victory Leo's arm it doesn't work, UNLESS you try the other method of using the hidden arm joints to bring the arm forward, thus creating a huge gap in the torso. Victory Saber cannot point the V-Lock cannon forward the way the figure is transformed normally, period.

Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?

The stand is a little wobbly in jet mode, but I don't think it'll break. The plastic for the stand is different...almost rubbery. I feel like it could take a licking and keep on ticking.

News Credits: 4 · by **King Kuuga** » Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:32 am

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
MeGrimlock78 wrote:
King Kuuga wrote:Come on, people, it's not that hard.

Exactly. Took me about 30 seconds to figure out I could just swing the laser down to get an awesome pose.

I tried it, if you don't swing the wing back, thus untabbing it from Victory Leo's arm it doesn't work, UNLESS you try the other method of using the hidden arm joints to bring the arm forward, thus creating a huge gap in the torso.

WHAT huge gap? Surely not this gap that is not even noticeable from the front and which you can tab back in after you've moved the arm to its desired position.

Victory Saber cannot point the V-Lock cannon forward the way the figure is transformed normally, period.

He clearly can. After moving the turrent down, you can either untab the wing for a minute or use the butterfly joint that was advertised as a selling point of the product to generate enough clearance to rotate the arm, and then fix everything back in place. This isn't some damnable offense.

Now, I assume to use the stand in spaceship mode you peg the bracket into the crotch piece of Star Saber, am I the only one that finds the arm terribly wobbly, to the point that it might break?

I'll attest as well that I did find it to be a bit unstable on the stand in jet mode.

News Credits: 3597 · by **Seibertron** » Thu Dec 22, 2022 11:24 am

Has anyone put together a complete list of problems people have encountered with Victory Saber? I know there is at least two other issues in addition to the Dec 9th news story with the chrome wear and one of lion head eyes missing.

News Credits: 18 · by **Immortal Starscream** » Thu Dec 22, 2022 12:00 pm

Seibertron wrote:Has anyone put together a complete list of problems people have encountered with Victory Saber? I know there is at least two other issues in addition to the Dec 9th news story with the chrome wear and one of lion head eyes missing.

idk. I did contact hasbro about mine, they set up a ticket and are working on options now it seems, though I imagine I wont hear back again until after the holidays. ticket status is "Agent Follow up" current response is:

"Hi Haslab backer,

Thank you for reaching out about the Transformers Victory Saber HasLab. We understand your frustration and are investigating as quickly as possible. We will be back in touch with you shortly regarding the remedy and next steps.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth Leary
Senior Manager - Hasbro Global Consumer Care"

News Credits: 12 · by **Sentinel_Primal** » Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:57 pm

So apparently Zavvi's cancelling a bunch of European orders for Victory Saber... Really wondering if Deathsaurus got lucky with timing so that most of the poor fulfillment wouldn't impact him, or if Hasbro told affiliates to wait to cancel or something