The Energon Pub

Hi all,
I’m getting into the hobby after a while and I’m a bit out of the loop. I’m using Stufio Series 32 Optimus as my benchmark/yardstick for my Movieverse collection so which Brawl, Ironhide and Ratchet (official or KO/3P) scale best with SS32 and have the most screen-accurate look/finish?

I’d be grateful for any recommendations!

I don't really have figures of any of those designs, so I unfortunately cannot make any personal recommendations, but I can offer a link to a Studio Series scale chart that was put out in 2018 that includes the SS representations of all of them: https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... ges/41658/
SS32 Optimus is a retool of the SS8 Optimus shown on the chart, so the scale should still line up, plus this chart does include both versions of SS Ratchet so you can see which deco you prefer.

Hope that helps!

Thanks a lot NP, that’s very helpful!

I think you should stick with the SS versions, the line did a hell of a job being both scale and screen accurate. I used to have SS 16 Ratchet, though I never got Brawl or Ironhide. Ratchet was pretty much on the mark.

Thanks RP, I really appreciate your input. Part of me wants to chase down a 2007 Leader Brawl because he *seems* like he should be big!

RotorstormNZ wrote:Thanks RP, I really appreciate your input. Part of me wants to chase down a 2007 Leader Brawl because he *seems* like he should be big!

Thing is, his bigness is mostly in chonk. The M1 Abrams' hull is only 4' longer than a GMC Topkick, so him being close to Optimus and Ironhide size-wise checks out.

Aha! I was tempted to say “chonk” to describe him.

I mean if you want your Brawl to be a giant that's far out of scale then knock yourself out, but SS Brawl is a good figure. SS Ironhide is a must, but he's probably going to cost you since he was never reissued or repainted. For Ratchet Studio Series is the best for this size, but if you've got the money then go with Premium Finish Ratchet, it's the best looking version of the SS mold and a lot cheaper than most of the aftermarket prices on the original SS release.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:I mean if you want your Brawl to be a giant that's far out of scale then knock yourself out, but SS Brawl is a good figure.

Thanks, I am a bit of a size queen (is that the term?) so SS it shall be! And I’ve been told about PF Ratchet, I’m definitely keen to track him down. Ironhide will be interesting…

Did I mention that to add to my hunting challenge I’m in New Zealand?

No, size queen is not the term you want here. Size queen is something decidedly naughtier.

Size fanatic or size stickler would be more apt.

Ironhide... You could see how DotM or HFTD Deluxe Ironhide would work in lieu of Studio Series.

TlDr: Stick with the Studio Series for ALL the characters. Most are mini-masterpieces and are MADE with the robot scale in mind. As for vehicle scales, they are usually close enough and looks well together appart some giants like the jets.

Thanks all, having been away for a while it’s a bit daunting to see the different options available. I really appreciate everyone’s advice.

-Kanrabat- wrote:TlDr: Stick with the Studio Series for ALL the characters.

Sounds good to me! Thank you!

-Kanrabat- wrote:TlDr: Stick with the Studio Series for ALL the characters. Most are mini-masterpieces and are MADE with the robot scale in mind. As for vehicle scales, they are usually close enough and looks well together appart some giants like the jets.

Ironhide would be another exception on the vehicle mode front lol, his looks small

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:TlDr: Stick with the Studio Series for ALL the characters. Most are mini-masterpieces and are MADE with the robot scale in mind. As for vehicle scales, they are usually close enough and looks well together appart some giants like the jets.

Ironhide would be another exception on the vehicle mode front lol, his looks small

"Small?" The SS is still a voyager and scale pretty well with Ratchet and Optimus.
Unless you go fokkit and go for the DOTM leader.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:TlDr: Stick with the Studio Series for ALL the characters. Most are mini-masterpieces and are MADE with the robot scale in mind. As for vehicle scales, they are usually close enough and looks well together appart some giants like the jets.

Ironhide would be another exception on the vehicle mode front lol, his looks small

"Small?" The SS is still a voyager and scale pretty well with Ratchet and Optimus.
Unless you go fokkit and go for the DOTM leader.

I said he's small on the vehicle front. At least if I'm remembering the altmode group pics right - I seem to recall his truck mode ending up smol next to Optimus'.

I did go for the DOTM Leader, but that's because I didn't go into Studio Series and its dinkier scale. I still prefer ROTF Leader Optimus and HFTD Battle Blade Bumblebee. The only regular SS figure I've bought so far was Blackout, since he was bigger and better than the 2007 Voyager and thus a better choice even for going with the older stuff. And my only others are Rampage, who was a gift, and an SS05 Optimus I wound up with as compensation for my Rampage being defective. I probably will pursue the other Constructicons, for the sake of completing Devastator (And most of them are also improved or don't have a proper old counterpart anyway).

So I gather we have the awkward situation where SS (such an unfortunate acronym/abbreviation!) Ironhide is scaled right in bot mode, but not altmode?

RotorstormNZ wrote:So I gather we have the awkward situation where SS (such an unfortunate acronym/abbreviation!) Ironhide is scaled right in bot mode, but not altmode?

Yup. But that's going to be true for basically every TF line that tries to keep some level of scale, it's always based on robot modes, never alt modes (well, except for Alternators).

To add to the Ratchet discussion, if all of the SS variants are more expensive than you want to pay, DotM deluxe Ratchet is also a pretty good option. It's a tad less accurate than the SS version, but it's mostly the same figure and size. Premium Finish SS Ratchet is still the best overall though.

RotorstormNZ wrote:So I gather we have the awkward situation where SS (such an unfortunate acronym/abbreviation!) Ironhide is scaled right in bot mode, but not altmode?

I dunno what Zelda was smoking but that Ironhide in vehicle mode is anything but "too small".
Unless his memory is confused with the old HFTD deluxe.

Video reviews are your friend:



Skip to 2:43 for vehicles comparisons.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:I said he's small on the vehicle front. At least if I'm remembering the altmode group pics right - I seem to recall his truck mode ending up smol next to Optimus'.

As you saw above, you remembered this wrong. Oh so wrong. It's rather Optimus who have a tiny, tiny truck mode.

So as far as scales go, maybe the HFTD voyager Battle Blade Optimus Prime is the best choice for an Optimus actually in scale in all modes.

Tuned Agent wrote:

RotorstormNZ wrote:So I gather we have the awkward situation where SS (such an unfortunate acronym/abbreviation!) Ironhide is scaled right in bot mode, but not altmode?

Yup. But that's going to be true for basically every TF line that tries to keep some level of scale, it's always based on robot modes, never alt modes (well, except for Alternators).

A valid point!

Tuned Agent wrote:To add to the Ratchet discussion, if all of the SS variants are more expensive than you want to pay, DotM deluxe Ratchet is also a pretty good option. It's a tad less accurate than the SS version, but it's mostly the same figure and size. Premium Finish SS Ratchet is still the best overall though.

Thanks, I've had DotM Ratchet recommended a few times too. It's nice to have options!

-Kanrabat- wrote:Video reviews are your friend:

That's one of the videos on my watchlist! Excellent...

-Kanrabat- wrote:So as far as scales go, maybe the HFTD voyager Battle Blade Optimus Prime is the best choice for an Optimus actually in scale in all modes.

The big attraction of SS32 for me is his combined mode with Jetfire. I know the older toy does this too but I'd rather have the Studio Series Jetfire so will take OP's scale issues on the chin...which kinda makes my whole thread moot

If it's the Jetpower configuration you want, I think there's now a 3P add-on for SS32 that does it better than a Jetfire toy ever could (especially at this scale). Although Jets himself is probably cheaper.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

RotorstormNZ wrote:So I gather we have the awkward situation where SS (such an unfortunate acronym/abbreviation!) Ironhide is scaled right in bot mode, but not altmode?

I dunno what Zelda was smoking but that Ironhide in vehicle mode is anything but "too small".
Unless his memory is confused with the old HFTD deluxe.

Actually, maybe I was thinking of Ratchet? Idk... I'm pretty sure I remember one of them ending up looking tiny in altmode and it wasn't Optimus (his is a bit dinky tho, although that works out for using him as a "long shot" model).

I do agree that Battle Blades Optimus scales better with Studio Series overall than any of the actual SS Optimus Primes.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Video reviews are your friend

Pictorial reviews are much friendlier for this sort of thing lol. Video reviews, you have to skip back and forth through a bunch of crap to find where the reviewer stuck the comparison - and pray they held the figures still long enough for you to get a good look.

RotorstormNZ wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:So as far as scales go, maybe the HFTD voyager Battle Blade Optimus Prime is the best choice for an Optimus actually in scale in all modes.

The big attraction of SS32 for me is his combined mode with Jetfire. I know the older toy does this too but I'd rather have the Studio Series Jetfire so will take OP's scale issues on the chin...which kinda makes my whole thread moot

Why limit yourself?
Get the right optimus to combine with SS Jetfire to display in combined mode, and Battle Blades Optimus to enjoy one of the best Optimus toy ever and to display him by himself.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Why limit yourself?

Money, to be blunt! But I do like your thinking!

RotorstormNZ wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:Why limit yourself?

Money, to be blunt! But I do like your thinking!

Money, PAH!
Like life, money finds a way.

Still HFTD Battle Blades Optimus and even the Studio Series voyager ROTF Optimus or the SS DOTM Leader Optimus goes for a hefty sums on the secondary market. Finding them just at the normal retail price will not be easy.
It apply also to most of the SS that can no longer be found in stores.

Being a latecomer collector is always painful.

Good luck on your hunt!

-Kanrabat- wrote:Being a latecomer collector is always painful.

The struggle is real!

-Kanrabat- wrote:Good luck on your hunt!

Thank you!