The Energon Pub

[Insurgent]

First Aid and Takara Strafe are already remoulds (Off-Road and Takara Blast Off respectively).

Actually, Hasbro strafe was a remould of an aerialbot. So would they count as being not released a second time with no remoulding?

[william-james88]

I think that happened with both Strafes actually. Trailbreaker has his hand thing? I don't think First Aid got re-used by Hasbro, not counting Botcon custom Ratchet. He totally should have been used for Ironhide though...

Without looking at whos a remold of who (since they were all thought up at the same time so their release isnt all that indicative) First Aid is a great choice. I totally didnt realize that it was never reused for a mainline hasbro toy. Although thats because they never did make a G2 Defensor. I think the reason I didnt think of him is because takara reused the first aid mold for ratchet as part of their mainline while they never did reuse Roller for another character in their mainline. It still makes Rook quite unique.

And yes both Strafes are unique enough even though they came out after another toy which uses that base mold.

[Kurona]

First Aid and Takara Strafe are already remoulds (Off-Road and Takara Blast Off respectively).

Actually, Hasbro strafe was a remould of an aerialbot. So would they count as being not released a second time with no remoulding?

Yes, but we're looking at major tooling beyond the head that was not reused. Strafe, First Aid and Took are all molds that Hasbro used for other mainline toys, but not those specific toolings.

[william-james88]

And then youn have Brawl who never got an extensive retool, just the redeco with new face/weapon type.

[Kurona]

And then youn have Brawl who never got an extensive retool, just the redeco with new face/weapon type.

Yeah, funnily enough among Hasbro's toys he's the only version of the mold to have that specific combination of head and weapon. Nosecone had the brawl head but the ramhorn drill, then every other tank had a different head.

Also, know what would have been cool? If Takara used the First Aid mold for their Ironhide, but Hasbro still had the version we got. That way you could choose between having either a modernised Ironhide with the pickup truck mode, or go with his old dodgy campervan. Choices!

[Overcracker]

I think that happened with both Strafes actually. Trailbreaker has his hand thing? I don't think First Aid got re-used by Hasbro, not counting Botcon custom Ratchet. He totally should have been used for Ironhide though...

Without looking at whos a remold of who (since they were all thought up at the same time so their release isnt all that indicative) First Aid is a great choice. I totally didnt realize that it was never reused for a mainline hasbro toy. Although thats because they never did make a G2 Defensor. I think the reason I didnt think of him is because takara reused the first aid mold for ratchet as part of their mainline while they never did reuse Roller for another character in their mainline. It still makes Rook quite unique.

And yes both Strafes are unique enough even though they came out after another toy which uses that base mold.

Well Takara did use the Rook base for their Nosecone. Not the Swindle retool, but a completely different retool with treads instead of the 6 wheels while maintaining Rook's arms, hands, legs and feet.

But yes, the Rook base was never released in any other color in a mainline. Which Makes Rook an oddity in Combiner Wars.

[Kurona]

So this is pretty impressive.

https://twitter.com/tsukumo_TF/status/8 ... 9873087488

[Bumblebee21]

dont have lokaiser
dont need it


but i need it

[Sabrblade]

Jallguar needs to be the Swindle/Hound/Greejeeber mold, darn it!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Add-on parts? Cheater

[o.supreme]

Greetings All,

Well with the reveal of the final figure for TFSS 5.0, I guess we can say Transformers Combiner Wars is now, officially ended. However it was a great line, one that brought me out of a 10 year self-imposed ban on collecting. Of course many an argument could be made about the fatigue caused by the repetitive nature of the line, but it still offered some great toys in spite of this drawback. I just wanted to provide a final list, including all unique toys offered from Hasbro’s Combiner Wars line, Takara-Tomy’s Unite Warriors, as well as any convention and subscription service exclusives. KO’s and fan customs are not part of this list.

I did not post the Devastator componants in this list because of their unique nature, but we all know they are composed of 6 Voyager Class figures, and what their names are . Additionally, aside from paint apps if a particular toy is exactly the same in the CW line, as opposed to the UW line, it will not be listed twice. Names will default to CW unless specifically noted. Enjoy.

[ExciKaiser]

I had hopes still the end, but I'll now have to admit it'll not happens.
How did they missed / didn't think of a retool of Hotspot as Fire Convoy ? It was so easy to do.
They could even have done a whole set, with retooling some of the cars into the Cars Brothers.

[Sabrblade]

How did they missed / didn't think of a retool of Hotspot as Fire Convoy ? It was so easy to do.

Cuz this current Hasbro team is dead set on only doing G1, Japanese G1, and Armada. English RiD 2001 isn't any of those.

Plus, it has been implied that Hot Spot's unused head pretool was Inferno.

[o.supreme]

There were many, many opportunities still for these molds that could have come about. Fans like myself would have been thrilled, others would have been even more outraged at the continued reuse. We can only *hope* that these molds will be put to use again one day, as one thing can be said, the system of combination was one of the best engineered for Transformers ever. If by chance we get Beast themed combiners using the same combining system in a future toy line, we may yet see some of the older molds come back as new characters.

[Kurona]

There were many, many opportunities still for these molds that could have come about. Fans like myself would have been thrilled, others would have been even more outraged at the continued reuse. We can only *hope* that these molds will be put to use again one day, as one thing can be said, the system of combination was one of the best engineered for Transformers ever. If by chance we get Beast themed combiners using the same combining system in a future toy line, we may yet see some of the older molds come back as new characters.

I wouldn't say it's one of the best - I'd say it's THE best for these styles of combiners. Past attempts just don't seem to match up.
If I had to nitpick one thing about the combining system - and it is one little thing - I wish there were more extra locks like on Bruticus' arms. The chestplate there tabbed in to stop whoever you used as arms from coming out. It's not like they come out easily - another testament to how bloody great this system is - but I still would've liked that.

[o.supreme]

I wouldn't say it's one of the best - I'd say it's THE best for these styles of combiners. Past attempts just don't seem to match up.

That's basically what I was going for, and staying specifically with Transformers as I cannot attest to things like Super Sentai, Brave Series, etc....as I 've never had any of the toys in hand. In fact video reviews of the new Playmates 17 inch combining Voltron for Legendary Defender scared me off with is seeming fragile/clunkiness.

As for Transformers...as much as I am a fan of the original series, I seemed to be the only one that enjoyed mixing & matching scramble city combiners (the idea was promoted in Japan only, never in the U.S.). But my friends at the time all thought it was a "dumb" idea, and wanted to keep their combiners in "standard" mode. Admittedly, not all configurations worked as some limbs were just too long or to short.

CR/RiD had JRX & Landfill. Both had engineering problems that seemed to make them difficult to stay together IIRC.

The Energon combiners were fairly good, engineering wise, but their vast departure from the characters I knew weren't much of a draw. Power Core...I never had them, and something tells me I am glad I skipped it.

I never got any Transformers Go! toys. My son had the Beast Hunters Abominus, which was pretty cool for a smaller toy, but it seemed to brake fairly easily.

[william-james88]

How did they missed / didn't think of a retool of Hotspot as Fire Convoy ? It was so easy to do.

Cuz this current Hasbro team is dead set on only doing G1, Japanese G1, and Armada. English RiD 2001 isn't any of those.

TOO F*%KEN BAD, Optimus Primal won the vote so John warden is stuck designing a new toy!!!!!!!!!!! Take that hasbro Team!

[Kurona]

I like mixing and matching myself; heck, for the longest while I couldn't get Vortex so Alpha Bravo had to stand in for him on Bruticus.
Regardless it's just one of the funnest things about this. You can just go mad and make whatever

[william-james88]

In fact video reviews of the new Playmates 17 inch combining Voltron for Legendary Defender scared me off with is seeming fragile/clunkiness.

Its not, that toy is freaken awesome! And if anyone likes combining robots, that Legacy Ninjazord is freaken gorgeous!

CR/RiD had JRX & Landfill. Both had engineering problems that seemed to make them difficult to stay together IIRC.

Landfill is not easy since that midline connection is given a lot of weight to hold. But JRX is great and stays together really well. His arms dont split in half like many of these combiner wars figures

[o.supreme]

^ Don't get me wrong, I loved JRX (Rail Racer) in the show, I just seem to rememeber the toy being *not* that flexible, of course its been 10+ years since I had him, and Buildking (Landfill) .

I may reconsider the Voltron, my son really wants it, and I miss the Trendmasters reissue of the Playmates original I got in 1998. But to me the feet being covered, the tails having basically nowhere to go etc...just didn't look right, I wish I knew someone who had one I could see in person before deciding to buy.

[william-james88]

^ Don't get me wrong, I loved JRX (Rail Racer) in the show, I just seem to rememeber the toy being *not* that flexible, of course its been 10+ years since I had him, and Buildking (Landfill) .

I may reconsider the Voltron, my son really wants it, and I miss the Trendmasters reissue of the Playmates original I got in 1998. But to me the feet being covered, the tails having basically nowhere to go etc...just didn't look right, I wish I knew someone who had one I could see in person before deciding to buy.

Covering the feet is optional and the tail recedes into the toys, the main problem with the toy is lack of head articulation but not much else.

[RiddlerJ]

I wonder if these figures could be retooled for other lines.

For example, Dragstrip mold into Titan Returns Slapdash (to go with Getaway).

[Kurona]

I wonder if these figures could be retooled for other lines.

For example, Dragstrip mold into Titan Returns Slapdash (to go with Getaway).

Of all toylines I'd rather they not, as the CW Deluxes are extremely simple and basic. Which I'm fine with because they needed to be to allow for the Combination gimmick, but if that level of engineering was just used for a standalone figure... it'd feel kind of terrible after what TR has spoiled us with.

Still, Dead End's engineering has been used for Chromedome while the Aerialbots' has been used for Stormshot, so make of that what you will.

[o.supreme]

Covering the feet is optional and the tail recedes into the toys, the main problem with the toy is lack of head articulation but not much else.

well that's good to know, every video I saw just had the tails of Blue & Yellow sticking out randomly in and around the upper legs.

[Cobotron]

Still, Dead End's engineering has been used for Chromedome while the Aerialbots' has been used for Stormshot..........

.....and TR Megatron, and Topspin, and Galvatron, and Blurr, etc. etc.

I think we just have to accept that this leg transformation design is the new standard to replace the old telescoping leg design of old. Which I'm sure became to expensive to produce under Hasbro's new budget guidelines. But you know what? It works really well and it may be less likely to break over time like the telescoping method.