The Energon Pub

[sol magnus]

I really like the look of First Aid with the exception of the backpack. I also like Blades, because he's a retool of the Amazing Alpha Bravo, but neither of them are my main priorities. That honor goes to Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook.

So you are not necessarily getting the combiner as a whole?

Of course I'm buying the whole thing. I'm just saying, if I was at a store and couldn't buy them all, then I would get Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook first, and First Aid, Blades, and Streetwise second.

Oh I see. Though I do suspect there will be some people out there who will only get hotspot.

I don't see why, because all of the Protectobots look fantastic.

Some of us won't get any of em.

[Autobot N]

I really like the look of First Aid with the exception of the backpack. I also like Blades, because he's a retool of the Amazing Alpha Bravo, but neither of them are my main priorities. That honor goes to Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook.

So you are not necessarily getting the combiner as a whole?

Of course I'm buying the whole thing. I'm just saying, if I was at a store and couldn't buy them all, then I would get Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook first, and First Aid, Blades, and Streetwise second.

Oh I see. Though I do suspect there will be some people out there who will only get hotspot.

I don't see why, because all of the Protectobots look fantastic.

Some of us won't get any of em.

Your loss then.

[phantom1592]

Seeing things like Optimus and Cyclonus makes we wish we could get not special team based limbs or maybe Limb gift sets with repaints/retools, so we don't have to use things like the Stunticon or Aerialbots limbs.

You mean like just random limbs that you can attach anywhere? I like that idea.

But isnt that what they are doing with the remaining 4 deluxe limbs of 2015?

Sort of yes. If they're going with Fake Menasor then they've still got sort of a unifying team thing going on, but they're also not characters who are usually part of a combiner, so it goes both ways. It's certainly more random than the Aerialbots, Stunticons, or Protectobots, I grant you that.

Thanks man! I actually think they were never going for fake menasor, its just that a lot of autobots are cars and thus the stunticons are the best molds to reuse (although they could be reusing the retools of the protectobots too, which doesnt really make it fake menasor anymore). I think this was just a fun idea to make the most of this line and the molds and to attract kids and parents to the idea since they are more conscious of Optimus than any other character in this line. It's a calculated decision to them but not really a theme for hardcore fans, hence why it looks more random and "fun" to me.

This sounds legit to me.

The idea of 'fake Menasor' always seemed a little iffy to me. The fact that it was such and obscure episode... they are picking characters that weren't involved in that episode, and even in the episode fake menasor looked just like menasor... the justification never really sounded right to me.

I think a more realistic one was that a lot of other Optimus Primes combined in later series... and MotorMaster and Prime were both Semis...

[sol magnus]

I really like the look of First Aid with the exception of the backpack. I also like Blades, because he's a retool of the Amazing Alpha Bravo, but neither of them are my main priorities. That honor goes to Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook.

So you are not necessarily getting the combiner as a whole?

Of course I'm buying the whole thing. I'm just saying, if I was at a store and couldn't buy them all, then I would get Hot Spot, Groove, and Rook first, and First Aid, Blades, and Streetwise second.

Oh I see. Though I do suspect there will be some people out there who will only get hotspot.

I don't see why, because all of the Protectobots look fantastic.

Some of us won't get any of em.

Your loss then.

Nope. I stay in my lane as a collector, but I keep up with everything.

[fenrir72]

Courtesy of Sol Fury from TFW

Vortex(?)

[King Kuuga]

Someone over there suggested that, rather than art for a future retool, it might be concept art for what became the Alpha Blades mold. Given the strange design of the combiner hand, I'm inclined to agree. And if anybody would have rockets on their arms, it would be Vortex.

[Sabrblade]

Target Hawk, please and thank you.

[Bradimus]

After seeing in-hand pictures of the Protectobots I thought I was doomed to go for Defensor rather than possibly getting Mirage and Ironhide. But...

I watched Peaugh's Protectobot reviews earlier, and I just saw his Defensor review, and I am underwhelmed. Maybe it's the difference in lighting, but suddenly the Protectobots don't look as good in actual hand (video review). I'll have to wait for EmGo to review them before making my final decision, but as I have no attachment to the team (I played with Hot Spot at a friend's house, but he didn't have the others to form Defensor) this might be another easy decision.

Here is Peaugh's review:

And here is an update on Groove (I don't know why he keeps attaching Groove upside down )

[prjkt]

"Upside down" is how Groove actually pegs in properly to Hotspot - there's a post on Hot Spot's chest that plugs into Groove, then you can peg Groove's arms into Hotspot.

I've tried the other way around, but just can't get him to sit right

[brokenchopstick]

Given CW Cyclonus/Galvatronus' ability to mind-control others, it's a shame we're not getting Jazz as a limb, or we could recreate this...

[Bradimus]

"Upside down" is how Groove actually pegs in properly to Hotspot - there's a post on Hot Spot's chest that plugs into Groove, then you can peg Groove's arms into Hotspot.

I've tried the other way around, but just can't get him to sit right

Really? That makes it even easier for me to skip Groove if I do decide to get Defensor.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Autobot032]

The official Transformers Youtube channel has posted two new Designer Desk videos, featuring designer John Warden and this time, their focus is on Superion and Menasor.

In both videos, Mr. Warden gives us a little peek behind the curtain mixed with a little bit of "How It's Made" in which he discusses the enjoyment he had in helping to bring these characters to life in plastic and shows off a few of the designers notes as to their inspiration on some of the design choices. For example, Menasor's horns came to be after receiving a bit of inspiration from Viking Gods!

You can watch both videos in the embeds below and when you're done, come on back to the forums and share your thoughts with us! After watching the videos, if you're still on the fence about these guys, check out the new toys of the Combiner Wars line in our high resolution galleries, betcha can't hold out after that!





Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest in news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

[steve2275]

2 good video combo

[Bradimus]

I have the Aerialbots standing guard on the coffee table in the den, and I can't help but be disappointed with Hasbro. No, not because Alpha Bravo has replaced Slingshot. I like helicopters and have no issue with the aesthetic of Superion. My disappointment lies with Firefly, who could have been best of the bunch.

As seen in the picture below, Firefly has a sleek upper body design. In fact, the figure could easily be turned into a fembot by simply swapping out the head. However, the figure has what looks to be a cape.



Contrast that with Skydive, who also has a tapered sculpt with broad shoulders and a slim waist.



What makes this look work for Skydive is a shorter pin that attaches the nosecone assembly to the back of the figure.



Unfortunately, Firefly has a significantly longer pin, for whatever reason I do not know. Looking at the picture below, imagine if the pin was shorter, like Skydives. That would allow a crease for the red part of the wing assembly to fold back first, and then the wings to fold out parallel to the cockpit assembly.



I can see it now, the classic G1 look with the small plain on the back of the Aerialbot. Still a good figure, but an unfortunate missed opportunity.

[Starsaber468]

I wonder if we are getting a tf collectors club nexus prime (made out of combiner wars fugures) lets see jets check possibke tank figure check and possible onslaught figure CHECK

[koolkollectibleskhai]

TF haul that came in today. Great start to the weekend! Reviews coming soon

[phantom1592]

I have the Aerialbots standing guard on the coffee table in the den, and I can't help but be disappointed with Hasbro. No, not because Alpha Bravo has replaced Slingshot. I like helicopters and have no issue with the aesthetic of Superion. My disappointment lies with Firefly, who could have been best of the bunch.

As seen in the picture below, Firefly has a sleek upper body design. In fact, the figure could easily be turned into a fembot by simply swapping out the head. However, the figure has what looks to be a cape.

I can see it now, the classic G1 look with the small plane on the back of the Aerialbot. Still a good figure, but an unfortunate missed opportunity.

I'm a little surprised that this bugs Transformers fans so much... I've always felt that the 'kibble' was what gave the robots their charm... made them stand out from each other. Things like Prime's Grill and windshield... and Prowl's Door wings were the kind of things that I loved as a kid. To look at the robot and know exactly what he turned into.

I'm really on the OTHER end of the spectrum. I don't mind the plane parts on the robots. I'd be disappointed if they weren't there for the Aerialbots. No, what always bugged me about the G1 Superion parts was the whole 'plane stands up' brick that the robots were. Seeing all that Robot kibble underneath the plane just breaks up the 'disguise' purpose of the Alt Mode and with no moving parts, the robots were pretty boring to play with too.

CW fixed a great deal of that for me. The arms on the sides still feels a bit cheap (though I do like them broken up a bit with some reprolabels... makes it less noticeable) and Silverbolt still has way too much under him... but I have three modes now and all three look pretty awesome and can do cool poses.

Honestly... I never saw Firefly as having a cape. Honestly, I love capes... Since you brought it up, I wish that had been intentional and they went a bit further with it

[Va'al]

Get those speculation engines revving - it's tIme for Mr Chaos, from the TFW2005 boards, to bring some more fuel for upcoming Generations Combiner Wars figures. What they provide in the quoted post below is a list of new names and item numbers (nothing else) from a so-far unnamed toy retailer.

We seem to be getting confirmation for Bruticus and the Combaticons, the addition of three new deluxes in Wheeljack, Smokescreen and Trailbre-- cutt-- breaker, and Legends Rewind, Stripes and Wreck-Gar. Make of them what you will as you read through below, but be aware that none of this is currently set in stone.

Well, it is that time again... it's new toy listings time! All of these were given to me by a friend who works at a large retailer. I will be providing names and Item Codes. Please keep in mind these are merely names; I have no idea what they look like or the mold choices. Everything is subject to change, of course.

Alright, first up is Combiner Wars. I already revealed that we are getting Bruticus but I can now confirm his limbs... and breaking the trend Superion, Menasor, and Defensor began, the entire Combaticon original team will be released as deluxe limbs! They are:

Vortex-b4659
Brawl-b4660
Swindle- b4661
Blast-Off- b4662

But while we knew these guys were coming we didn't know about these next 3 deluxes , which make up, for now, their own wave.

Wheeljack-b5605
Smokescreen- b5607
Trailbreaker- b5608

While there were no new Voyagers in the list I was given, there were some new legends and they are quite interesting.

Rewind-b5612
Wreckgar-b5611
Autobot Stripes- b5610

[SW's SilverHammer]

Interesting, provided these are fact, and honestly some of them are odd enough that it could be fact (over the years with hasbro i've learned the truth in rumors can be stranger than fiction) like pretty reasonable listings for winter 2015/16.

For the deluxe combaticons, I'm willing to believe that at least two of them, Blastoff and Brawl, could be new molds. However it wouldn't be to surprising if much like the stunticons, they were all new molds that could get re-purposed/retooled later, maybe into technobots, maaaaaaaaaaaaybe Road Caesar or Liokaiser; keeping with those Authoritative pseudo latin combiners (Victorion). Or maybe just other characters who knows.

But i'd love, love, love it it Takara at the least repainted the set into Battle Gaia (never gonna happen)

Wheeljack makes sense in that it's a been a bit since they've made a neo-classics figure of him, and you can tell in recent years there are character outside of prime and bumblebee the staff likes to throw a bone at every once and awhile. And who knows, maybe this could lead to generations exhaust dohohoh......ho. (also never gonna happen)

Smokescream also makes sense because even though i'd think he's the one with the least demand, he's still one of the Datsun brothers. It makes sense for hasbro to open with the nice colorful one. This could lead to Bluestreak because MTMTE, and prowl; which I know prowlistator I want it to but yeah even for how much love hasbre's giving the comics and visa versa, maybe in another 30 years.

And speaking of comics, Trailcutter's an interesting addition considering he's, you know Dead. And not like just stabbed oh magic can bring him back if you clap you hands, no I mean the DJD **** him up. But seeing as we got a pretty great generations figure year before last, i'm curious, yet mildly indifferent.

Rewind, Yes, all my yes. All i can hope is that this signals an eventual Chromedome headmaster. Yes i know the gimmick or brainstorm was a bit... twitchy, at best, but that was more of QC than anything else. If you got the revision instead of the early release, 9 times out of 10 it would play nice. And don't say hasbro won't do it because of the club, this wouldn't be the first time hasbro's done a character after the club/.

Wreckgar, probably a repaint of Groove. Maybe not, but it feels like it. Stripes, no idea maybe another Joe homage, or something from one of their other properties. I feel this one's probably going to be a new mold though. It could be something cat themed, maybe a new version of the cassetticon stripes, or maybe even tigertracks with a dumb name. Though i'm still leaning to joe something, due to the name stripes, and the inclusion of viper recently. If it isn't a cat, it's gotta be something super patriotic, like robot zombie George Washington patriotic. Stars and stripes 4eves baybe. Murica.

[Thadicon]

Get those speculation engines revving - it's tIme for Mr Chaos, from the TFW2005 boards, to bring some more fuel for upcoming Generations Combiner Wars figures. What they provide in the quoted post below is a list of new names and item numbers (nothing else) from a so-far unnamed toy retailer.

We seem to be getting confirmation for Bruticus and the Combaticons, the addition of three new deluxes in Wheeljack, Smokescreen and Trailbre-- cutt-- breaker, and Legends Rewind, Stripes and Wreck-Gar. Make of them what you will as you read through below, but be aware that none of this is currently set in stone.

Well, it is that time again... it's new toy listings time! All of these were given to me by a friend who works at a large retailer. I will be providing names and Item Codes. Please keep in mind these are merely names; I have no idea what they look like or the mold choices. Everything is subject to change, of course.

Alright, first up is Combiner Wars. I already revealed that we are getting Bruticus but I can now confirm his limbs... and breaking the trend Superion, Menasor, and Defensor began, the entire Combaticon original team will be released as deluxe limbs! They are:

Vortex-b4659
Brawl-b4660
Swindle- b4661
Blast-Off- b4662

But while we knew these guys were coming we didn't know about these next 3 deluxes , which make up, for now, their own wave.

Wheeljack-b5605
Smokescreen- b5607
Trailbreaker- b5608

While there were no new Voyagers in the list I was given, there were some new legends and they are quite interesting.

Rewind-b5612
Wreckgar-b5611
Autobot Stripes- b5610

COMBATICONS!!!!!

And rewind.

I'm wondering if there is going to be some completely new molds and only a couple of retools or just major retools all round of existing molds

[RhA]

Stripes?

[Autobot Roadburn]

Awesome, I'll definitely be grabbing Bruticus! I already have the FoC version with the Military Titans Onslaught, but he's always been my favorite combiner. I don't mind having two, especially if one has Hot Spot for the torso. Love the look of that mold.

Rewind and Wheeljack are also probable buys, but I'll have to see what WreckGar and Stripes look like first. I'm going to try to avoid buying the other deluxes, because with FoC Bruticus, CW Superion and Menasor I'm running out of space. I do want to see what Wheeljack looks like before making a final decision too. If he looks IDW enough, I'll get him. If not, Takara Lost Age and MP will be fine.

[robotmel]

Stripes?

'Autobot' Stripes used to hang out with Twincast back in the day!

I guess if this is listed as a Legends class figure then it wont be a repaint of Ravage from the Universe Hound Deluxe from yesteryear?

I need Rewind AND Eject (bring back Perfect Effect!) so can we guess we'll see a repaint before the end of the year?

Those three 'Deluxe' figures, if they are actually Deluxe seem somewhat an odd choice as we have had all three characters represented very recently with their Generations Deluxe versions...?

[RhA]

Stripes?

'Autobot' Stripes used to hang out with Twincast back in the day!

I guess if this is listed as a Legends class figure then it wont be a repaint of Ravage from the Universe Hound Deluxe from yesteryear?

I need Rewind AND Eject (bring back Perfect Effect!) so can we guess we'll see a repaint before the end of the year?

Those three 'Deluxe' figures, if they are actually Deluxe seem somewhat an odd choice as we have had all three characters represented very recently with their Generations Deluxe versions...?

Well damn. I own a Stripes. Sign me up!

[Evil Eye]

I may very well have to replace my ancient and floppy FP Bruticus...