The Energon Pub

[chuckdawg1999]

Is that one of the Takara Targetmasters? Gotta say, these look really good, especially Sideswipe.

It looks so very similar in terms of design, aesthetic, and engineering, but the details don't seem to match up quite with any of the Takara Targetmasters from Legends, not even Firebolt. It's very CLOSE to Firebolt, but with some aspects either remolded or new detailing added to the sculpt.

100% new molds. They're much simpler than Takara Tomy's including lacking knees. Judging by the size compared to Sideswipe and Prime they're probably about the same size as a Decoy Armor.

Emerje

Any chance these use the same mold but modified to remove the articulation?

[kurthy]

I'm happy about the targetmasters. They might be the only thing I go all in on. Not sure if I have a reason to upgrade my old Sideswipe. That can looks like it's made of Lego.

<Runs out and buys the entire line as soon as it's out>

[bacem]

So, the smallest line up that replace the pretenders will be targetmasters. This is a very welcome change for me, as i enjoy targetmasters.

Sideswipe and optimus looks great to me, dig the new look on the vehicle. However, i am a bit concerned with the gritty rust effect, particularly because their last attempt at sqweeks makes it looks like poop smear instead on the actual toy. If they are using the same technique for those effect, those two won't look gritty, but look more like they just come back from poop battle.

[BombshellDaBug]

I have mixed feelings about this line, based on what we've seen so far. While I think that the toys will turn out be pretty solid, my frustration lies entirely with the direction the designers have taken it. I was kind of expecting the vehicle modes to be leaning more on the sci-fi side (hovercars, futuristic jets, etc.), as opposed to "weird looking G1 Earth modes." That, in my opinion, comes across as playing it way too safe. That being said, let's see what the rest of the line is going to look like at SDCC next week.

I will also add that I'm intrigued by the return of the Targetmasters. Probably won't get Firedrive in particular, but I'm curious to see some of the other designs for them. I still think the Titan Masters are the best of the Master size class.

[william-james88]

he has worse arm kibble than the Classics Voyager,

Dunno if I agree with that. It's fairly tidy in comparison to those huge almost flappy wing like things on Classics Prime. Could be better but heck i dunno...

I know I do not agree with that, the arm kibble here is much much better than on the classics toy. That is the main flaw of that toy, otherwise I think it was a pretty awesome voyager prime. I do not know if this one will replace it yet.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Nice looking so far!

Sideswipe is a definite, my boy finally. I've been waiting for him. (No I didn't want to hunt down the old classics one).

Prime I'm not sure about. On one hand, I would like a non-gimmick Prime (I have a combiner, a headmaster, a headmaster combiner, and an Evolution figure) but this guy kinda looks wonky.

Yay for Targetmasters!!!

I'm not sure how many of these I will get overall, as starting here I intend to get far more picky with them, but they look good so far.

I like the 5mm blast effects. I may give them to my minibots as small lightsaber like weapons.

[Wolfman Jake]

he has worse arm kibble than the Classics Voyager,

Dunno if I agree with that. It's fairly tidy in comparison to those huge almost flappy wing like things on Classics Prime. Could be better but heck i dunno...

I know I do not agree with that, the arm kibble here is much much better than on the classics toy. That is the main flaw of that toy, otherwise I think it was a pretty awesome voyager prime. I do not know if this one will replace it yet.

Yeah, the arm kibble is much better on this new "Siege" Optimus Prime as compared to the Classics mold. I'd even say the Combiner Wars mold has more obtrusive panels on his arms than this. The other problem as I see it with the original Classics mold of Optimus Prime is that it's a bit undersized compared to many other Voyager figures. Classics Optimus Prime is particularly dwarfed by Universe 2008 Inferno and his mold-mates. (I try to keep them far away from "Classics" Optimus in my displays.)

[Ironhidensh]

Yeah, no. Easy pass.

[Rodimus Prime]

Apparently, their idea of "Cybertronian" modes is just Earth modes with some weird exhaust ports at certain areas.

My thoughts exactly. I do like the robot mode on Optimus, looks like a good voyager. Truck mode is As for "Firedrive," isn't that supposed to be Firebolt's new name? And he's Hot Rod's weapon. I like Sideswipe as well, but just the fact that we're getting a new Sideswipe in this line makes the omission of him in the CW/PotP line even more glaring. (I mean, how hard would it have been to slap a new head on Sunstreaker and paint him red? )

Anyways, I was right on it being called Seige.

So was I. And so was Va'al.

[Hellscream9999]

This is a frickin joke, right? Like, with all the cybertron based media we have, this is the best they could do? This looks like stuff you'd see at a car show right now, eff this. I'd have been down for some war within style stuff, or, hell, resurrect the old war for cybertron aesthetic.

That being said, I'd be down for a Nemesis repaint of that prime mold

The targetmasters are the only thing that I'm seeing as being worth anything at this point; just more uselsess G1 rehashes that I'm so f'ing sick of

Hopefully the 's will at least look better than this mediocre slop

[durroth]

Oh dear. The Targetmasters are pretty much the same as Takara's but without knees (or a waist swivel), Prime's truck mode is an unholy mess and he has worse arm kibble than the Classics Voyager, and worst of all, we'll be getting bad customs tier paintjobs as standard.

Wonderful.

... I don't think I agree that the arm kibble is any worse, but the joint between the arm and the shoulder looks kind of questionable. the Takara TMs were great so I don't see anything wrong with hasbro's except the simplification of the knees and waist. It looks like, somewhat ironically considering they didn't participate in it at all, hasbro is trying to make a successor to Arms Micron only without the quirky transforming AM figures we loved.

[Autobot Roadburn]

Oh dear. The Targetmasters are pretty much the same as Takara's but without knees (or a waist swivel), Prime's truck mode is an unholy mess and he has worse arm kibble than the Classics Voyager, and worst of all, we'll be getting bad customs tier paintjobs as standard.

Wonderful.

... I don't think I agree that the arm kibble is any worse, but the joint between the arm and the shoulder looks kind of questionable. the Takara TMs were great so I don't see anything wrong with hasbro's except the simplification of the knees and waist. It looks like, somewhat ironically considering they didn't participate in it at all, hasbro is trying to make a successor to Arms Micron only without the quirky transforming AM figures we loved.

As far as that shoulder to arm joint on Optimus, it looks to me like it's a similar design to the shoulder armor on Last Knight voyager Megatron. You can see there's a little slot on the top of the shoulder where, I'm guessing, the outer side panel of the shoulder can fold out on a pin so the arm ban get more movement. I think if that's how it works it should look fine.

Also I just want to say it again but I'm really excited for this Optimus Prime. No gimmicks, voyager size, isn't a Combiner torso with a pin head...

[Bonfireben]

Based on Emerje’s guess (in an earlier post) for the structure of Siege Wave 1 and the pattern Hasbro established with Power of the Primes, here are my predictions for War on Cybertron: Siege. Just for fun. Feel free to copy and fill in your own guesses.

ALL WAVES
Blind Pack Micro Masters

WAVE 1
Battle/PrimeMaster/Titan Class
S1 - Firedrive (Hot Rod’s TM)
S2 - Recoil (Kup’s TM)
S3 - Haywire (Blurr’s TM)

Legends Class
S4 - Fly (Flywheels Jet)
S5 - Wheels (Flywheels Tank)
S6 - Cliffjumper

Deluxe Class
S7 - Ironhide
S8 - Hound
S9 - Wheeljack (Punch/Counterpunch Retool)
S10 - Sideswipe

Voyager Class
S11 - Optimus Prime
S12 - Straxus

Leader Class
S13 - Starsaber
S14 - Deathsarus (PRetool for TransMetal Megatron for the next year - Beast Wars)

Titan Class
S?? - Omega Supreme

WAVE 2
Battle/PrimeMaster/Titan Class
S15 - Hairsplitter (Spinister’s TM)
S16 - Sunbeam (Needlenose TM)
S17 - Peacemaker (Pointblank TM)

Legends Class
S18 - Grandslam (part of Slamdance)
S19 - Raindance (part of Slamdance)
S20 - Runabout (Blackjack Redeco)


Deluxe Class
S21 - Needlenose (Air Raid Heavy Retool)
S22 - Spinister (Vortex Heavy Retool)
S23 - Sunstreaker (Sideswipe Redeco)
S24 - Impactor (Hound PRetool)
S25 - Mirage

Voyager Class
S26 - Springer (Straxus PRetool)
S27 - Shockwave

Leader Class
S28 - Doubledealer (Will be heavily Retoolrd into Magnabosd for the next year - Beast Wars)
SXX - Repack

WAVE 3
Battle/PrimeMaster/Titan Class
S29 - Pinpointer (Crosshairs’ TM)
S30 - Spoilsport (Sureshot’s TM)
S31 - Ricochet (Stepper’s TM)

Legends Class
S32 - Squawktalk (part of Squawkbox)
S33 - Beastbox (part of Squawkbox)
S34 - Runamuck (Blackjack redeco)

Deluxe Class
S35 - Crosshairs (Hound Redeco)
S36 - Sureshot (Mirage Redeco)
S37 - Pointblank (Wheeljack Redeco)
SXX - Repack

Voyager Class
S38 - Galvatron (Shockwave Retool)
SXX - Repack

Leader Class
S39 - Thunderwing (Starsaber Redeco)
SXX - Repack

WAVE 4
All Repacks except:
Deluxe Class
S40 - Stepper (Black Jazz Redeco)

[Flashwave]

Gire Drive looks like fun and I even almost like the flare burst. If thatd removable, all the better.

Sideswipe is cool but I will probably pass in favor of the Classics figure.

I do not like Prime's Truck mode,but I will biy ot and I have a sneaking suspicion rhat I will like thr bot mode enough to warm up to the Truck. I thibk he'll suceed in replacing CW Prime

I will say this: I do like the presence of the clear plastic as accents. And it looks like the truck mode dome lights angle straight down off his back: jetpack?

[procyon]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet, or if they did, I apologize for not noticing, but... Kinda funky that it looks like they stole MP-12's headsculpt for this sideswipe. Like how they tried to make PotP Op an homage to MP-10. I wonder if this is a new trend, making the Generation toys budget versions of the MP line...

[Flashwave]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet, or if they did, I apologize for not noticing, but... Kinda funky that it looks like they stole MP-12's headsculpt for this sideswipe. Like how they tried to make PotP Op an homage to MP-10. I wonder if this is a new trend, making the Generation toys budget versions of the MP line...

More likely, its just thst both the MP and Generations lines are working from the same source material

[ToaLeePrime]

Unpopular opinion, I like primes truck mode. It remimds me of the animated cybertronion optimus truck mode while still being very much its own entity. Definitely intrigued to see the rest of the line and if they follow similar design cues.

[Autobot Roadburn]

Unpopular opinion, I like primes truck mode. It remimds me of the animated cybertronion optimus truck mode while still being very much its own entity. Definitely intrigued to see the rest of the line and if they follow similar design cues.

Me too. I actually love the four giant headlights, makes me think of him navigating the Sea of Rust or some giant storm. Also echoing what Flashwave said, I hope those lights can be used as a jetpack. Not necessary but pretty cool regardless.

[Hellscream9999]

Unpopular opinion, I like primes truck mode. It remimds me of the animated cybertronion optimus truck mode while still being very much its own entity. Definitely intrigued to see the rest of the line and if they follow similar design cues.

It kinda reminds me of those Japanese show trucks with the large roof, I really don't mind it, I just want a Nemesis Prime out of it

[-Kanrabat-]

IMO, the WFC design for Optimus is still the one to beat for a Cybertronian look. Too bad we never got a voyager. I'd buy a MP version though.

[ToaLeePrime]

Unpopular opinion, I like primes truck mode. It remimds me of the animated cybertronion optimus truck mode while still being very much its own entity. Definitely intrigued to see the rest of the line and if they follow similar design cues.

It kinda reminds me of those Japanese show trucks with the large roof, I really don't mind it, I just want a Nemesis Prime out of it

I would absolutely adore a Nemesis Prime out of this mold!

[Hellscream9999]

Unpopular opinion, I like primes truck mode. It remimds me of the animated cybertronion optimus truck mode while still being very much its own entity. Definitely intrigued to see the rest of the line and if they follow similar design cues.

It kinda reminds me of those Japanese show trucks with the large roof, I really don't mind it, I just want a Nemesis Prime out of it

I would absolutely adore a Nemesis Prime out of this mold!

It would even fit with them being the edgy, beefy version of o/p

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Any chance these use the same mold but modified to remove the articulation?

Why go through the expense of retooling, in order to make it cheaper?

Seriously though, Firedrive (aka Firebolt) is all-new as the molded detail is different, and the transformation is flipped. The render does feature a small error as the pegs on the arm aren't connected to the hips.

[Octobotimus]

to the people complaining about the price going up 5 bucks..... don't complain. it was either pay an extra 5 bucks to get pretty good mold with painted details, or pay the usual and get meh mold with stickers for details. so i say, let it be 5 bucks for more paint.

[Skritz]

I've got very mixed feelings on this, so I'll get the negative out and vent: At this point, 'MOAR GEEWUN' is becoming a very tiring trend. It's fine when they're giving updates to characters which haven't received much move (Which Prime Wars was excellent at, for all it's flaws) however this is a **** disgrace. You call that a 'cybertronian' mode? Honestly this seem like some diehard fanboy G1 purist was ordered to 'design a cybertonian mode' and he only vaguely complied, stacking some random parts on what is otherwise a pure modernized G1 design. If there are better molds in this line (and I hope there are) then it seem Hasbro decided to show the worst first.

On to the more positive: these aren't bad in robot mode and that Optimus seems like they were really aiming to release a new CHUG Voyager Optimus. However, like the stubborn and spiteful hipster I am I'll pass on this guy and stick to my heretical choice of making the TR Voyager my 'main Optimus'. In even more positive news: Yay. Targetmasters. Now watch them **** this all up and not release Pointblank, Crosshair and Sureshot.

This just scream to me how much Transformers, like any corporate-owned IP, has utterly ran out of any worthwhile ideas and is stuck repeating the same motions by the same fanboy designers appealing to the same jaded aging fanboys. You had an entire **** line, nay will have THREE lines worth of cybertronian designs and this is what you do? Shame on you Hasbro.