Seibertron wrote:I'm still hoping for deluxe class Constructicons that solves the 6 deluxe figure problem. Then we could get Raiden, Liokaiser done right, Landcross, and some of the Micromaster combiners but done as regular sized. I'd be very happen with that. They just need to figure out how to get 2 deluxes to become the torso instead of a Voyager.
At this point, this is essentially my 40th Anniversary fantasy:
"Power Master" ($5)
- Titan Master Liokaiser
"Minicon 2 Pack" ($10)
- Jaguarbeast and Lionbeast
- Hawkbeast and Komoribeast
- Hornbeast and Bisonbeast
"Combiner Warrior" ($15)
- Guyhawk
- Hellbat
- Ironbison
- Drillhorn
"Powerlinx Commander 2 Pack" ($25)
- Leozack & Jallguar with Titan Master head swapping partners.
So you open up the Powerlinx Commanders 2 Pack first. The figures are roughly deluxe sized, and they have the old Titan Master gimmick, and - for the first time in a long time, the much older Powerlinx gimmick from Transformers Energon. The two figures can be combined into a single (slightly awkward but still viable) robot, with either figure forming the top or the bottom, and their Titan Master heads swapping to determine who has control of the combined form. (Really, engineering this sort of thing is actually easier when the heads come off anyway.) After transforming them into a robot mode that has Leozack on top, you collapse the limbs down and locking them into place, and find yourself with a solid Combiner Wars compatible torso in hand.
So you open the deluxe class Combiner Warriors - Hasbro, admittedly, skimped on these. They're just re-releases of the boxset figures from Combiner Wars years ago, with new accessories and a bit better paint jobs (if you had the Liokaiser boxset, you might not even bother). In a moment, you've got them all turned into their appropriate limbs, and clipped to your powerlinxed torso.
So then you open the minicon two packs... Each minicon is advertised as a robotic animal that become a weapon for a deluxe class figure, or a vehicle for a Titan/Prime Master. Additionally, however, each minicon becomes an upgrade part for a combiner. Hornbeast and Bisonbeast each become boots, replacing the dinky little vanilla feet on your combiner. Hawkbeast and Komoribeast become fists, likewise replacing his awkward little hands. Jaguarbeast becomes an armored chest plate that powerlinks to the torso like the old Power Core Combiner Minicons. Finally Lionbeast becomes a
helmet, that clicks onto the top.
So that's when you pull out the last and smallest of the figures - Titan Master Liokaiser and whatever other 'master' figures you've collected from the line. There are titan masters, of course, that transform into faces or heads (like Liokaiser) but being a 40th anniversary line there are also Sparkmasters (who have shiny Beast-Era spark crystals on their backs), Energonmasters (who have ports of Energon Stars on their backs), and Micromasters (who have Minicon Ports on their backs), Cybermasters (who have Cyber Key parts on their backs), and even Spymasters (who have rub decals on their backs).
Titan Master Liokaiser folds up and fits into the Lionbeast helmet, just like the Titan Master for any Leader Class figure, forming the face of your combiner. Your other 'master' figures slot into the boots, fists, and chest armor of the figure (just like they do in the Power of the Primes figures).
Feeling less whimsical today than you some times do, you plug an Energonmaster into each boot (adding energon stars for a little flair), a Micromaster to the back of each fist, and a Decepticon Sparkmaster to the chestplate. In the end, the result looks very much like G1 Liokaiser, albeit a bit bulkier and heavier than his Combiner Wars release. However, thanks to his Minicon kibble-armor, he's studded with places to attach more minicons, energon weapons, etc., making him a potential bling-monster covered with four decades of gimmicks.
Most importantly, though, you now have a combiner that's
technically made of eighteen different figures.
i have a couple of issues with Swoop 
. Maybe they were trying to hard, but I think they were going for something unique that would not be easily confused with any other Transformers name. It's ok, it certainly could have been much worse. I wonder if 
will name him differently, or if they'll just go with Grand Grimlock. heh...
