The Energon Pub

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Instead of Cratermaker, they should've just made the Flak redeco Dropshot

Funny you should mention him, because Siege Flak's alternate head is that of Dropshot's gang-molded partner Bombshock:


Transformers G1 1990 Bombshock Gallery

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

[Wolfman Jake]

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

My expectations for most of the "humanoid" Battle Masters is already pretty low, honestly. They couldn't even get the colors of Firebolt, Blowpipe, Aimless, and Caliburst right, let alone individual molded detail or even the correct number of gun barrels. The fact that "Shrute" and Singe actually are pretty much the right colors is pretty fantastic.

[Vic Zanzibar]

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

My expectations for most of the "humanoid" Battle Masters is already pretty low, honestly. They couldn't even get the colors of Firebolt, Blowpipe, Aimless, and Caliburst right, let alone individual molded detail or even the correct number of gun barrels. The fact that "Shrute" and Singe actually are pretty much the right colors is pretty fantastic.

I just wish they had knees.

[Hellscream9999]

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

My expectations for most of the "humanoid" Battle Masters is already pretty low, honestly. They couldn't even get the colors of Firebolt, Blowpipe, Aimless, and Caliburst right, let alone individual molded detail or even the correct number of gun barrels. The fact that "Shrute" and Singe actually are pretty much the right colors is pretty fantastic.

I just wish they had knees.

They would be 1000% better if they had knee's, it works for the micromasters

[Skritz]

Singe is just a pair of new arms away to look pretty spot on to his G1 self. Not that it was the most detailed Targetmaster.

[Ultra Markus]

rumble needs to cut back on the energon snacks

[shikyrie]

So, does anyone know yet if the Rainmakers 3 pack are only going to select target stores, or if they will be available online as well? I live near Harrisburg PA, and of the 4-5 closest target stores near me, the site is saying "not sold at this store", and the closest stores that have even had them are over 50 miles or more away. Getting a bit impatient.

[Emerje]

So, does anyone know yet if the Rainmakers 3 pack are only going to select target stores, or if they will be available online as well? I live near Harrisburg PA, and of the 4-5 closest target stores near me, the site is saying "not sold at this store", and the closest stores that have even had them are over 50 miles or more away. Getting a bit impatient.

It just started showing up in a few stores only two weeks ago, way too early to be impatient. It should be a wide release just like any other Target exclusive, give it a few more weeks before you panic. You're lucky you have options, I only have one local Target, there's only four or five Targets in my entire state.

Emerje

[william-james88]

So, does anyone know yet if the Rainmakers 3 pack are only going to select target stores, or if they will be available online as well? I live near Harrisburg PA, and of the 4-5 closest target stores near me, the site is saying "not sold at this store", and the closest stores that have even had them are over 50 miles or more away. Getting a bit impatient.

It just started showing up in a few stores only two weeks ago, way too early to be impatient. It should be a wide release just like any other Target exclusive, give it a few more weeks before you panic. You're lucky you have options, I only have one local Target, there's only four or five Targets in my entire state.

Emerje

At least you have a Target.

[-Kanrabat-]

So, does anyone know yet if the Rainmakers 3 pack are only going to select target stores, or if they will be available online as well? I live near Harrisburg PA, and of the 4-5 closest target stores near me, the site is saying "not sold at this store", and the closest stores that have even had them are over 50 miles or more away. Getting a bit impatient.

It just started showing up in a few stores only two weeks ago, way too early to be impatient. It should be a wide release just like any other Target exclusive, give it a few more weeks before you panic. You're lucky you have options, I only have one local Target, there's only four or five Targets in my entire state.

Emerje

At least you have a Target.

I missed it...

Still, at least we still have Toys R Us!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

So, does anyone know yet if the Rainmakers 3 pack are only going to select target stores, or if they will be available online as well? I live near Harrisburg PA, and of the 4-5 closest target stores near me, the site is saying "not sold at this store", and the closest stores that have even had them are over 50 miles or more away. Getting a bit impatient.

It just started showing up in a few stores only two weeks ago, way too early to be impatient. It should be a wide release just like any other Target exclusive, give it a few more weeks before you panic. You're lucky you have options, I only have one local Target, there's only four or five Targets in my entire state.

Emerje

At least you have a Target.

I missed it...

Still, at least we still have Toys R Us!

That hurt... That TRU gave me an excuse to visit that third Target in my area

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

My expectations for most of the "humanoid" Battle Masters is already pretty low, honestly. They couldn't even get the colors of Firebolt, Blowpipe, Aimless, and Caliburst right, let alone individual molded detail or even the correct number of gun barrels. The fact that "Shrute" and Singe actually are pretty much the right colors is pretty fantastic.

Going to have to disagree with you re: barrel count, colors, and individual molded detail on Firedrive and Blowpipe. And re: Barrel count and colors on Aimless.





There are some deviations in detail, admittedly, as a result of Hasbro copying the Legends versions instead of referencing the original figures directly (yeah, I said it again; sue me):


This copying of the Legends versions is also why some of the detail on Aimless' new-mold parts is wonky. But he does at least have the right colors and number of barrels, if I'm any judge





Were you perhaps thinking of the bungled Fracas (According to the boxback, he was supposed to at least have the gray and black switched, but they blew it!) that comes with Skywarp when you talked about wrong colors, details, and barrel count? I agree with you that "Caliburst" is completely wrong. He is not really Caliburst at all, he is G2 Blowpipe. I can only assume he was spawned by some fool operating under the delusion that it was a good idea to use "The TrainwreckRebirth" as a reference.

[o.supreme]

At least you have a Target.

I'm not going to lie, the Targets have been pretty good in my area, keeping stocked with TF (certainly better than Walmarts) , but I'd still trade you 10 Targets (yes I can drive to that many) for JUST ONE TRU.....

[Stargrave]

I love Refraktor's vehicle mode. The lens piece on the back gives me a sun shade feel, like on Star Wars Jabba barge or something. The canon off the front like a bowsprit and the way the gun shield almost evokes a small sail, with a flat deck behind that leading to the 'cockpit' if you will. I mean there's no pilots but we all know, you know. Just seems like a cool little space cruiser with some nautical inspiration.

More than anything though it totally looks like a Sonic Screwdriver.

A Deceptisonic screwdriver.

[Stargrave]

At least you have a Target.

I'm not going to lie, the Targets have been pretty good in my area, keeping stocked with TF (certainly better than Walmarts) , but I'd still trade you 10 Targets (yes I can drive to that many) for JUST ONE TRU.....

I second that. Nothing will ever compare or exceed or outdo a TRU. That's just me. I know there's better deals all over heck and gone I'm not trying to make a semantics argument I'm just saying personally, Ten Targets vs. One TRU? TRU wins for me. Every time. I miss that damned giraffe...

[Stargrave]

I love this Longarm fanmode. I haven't tried this loadout with my Shockwave yet but of course now I've got to try it out:

[sol magnus]

I like it. I would keep his head straight, but I wouldn't be going for "exactly" the TF Animated look.

[blackeyedprime]

At least you have a Target.

I'm not going to lie, the Targets have been pretty good in my area, keeping stocked with TF (certainly better than Walmarts) , but I'd still trade you 10 Targets (yes I can drive to that many) for JUST ONE TRU.....

I second that. Nothing will ever compare or exceed or outdo a TRU. That's just me. I know there's better deals all over heck and gone I'm not trying to make a semantics argument I'm just saying personally, Ten Targets vs. One TRU? TRU wins for me. Every time. I miss that damned giraffe...

Thought I missed toyseus until my Japanese toysrus fixes (half of them didn't stock transformers and those that did only had studio series) reminded me how bad they were at getting stuff in over the nostalgia.

[Stargrave]

At least you have a Target.

I'm not going to lie, the Targets have been pretty good in my area, keeping stocked with TF (certainly better than Walmarts) , but I'd still trade you 10 Targets (yes I can drive to that many) for JUST ONE TRU.....

I second that. Nothing will ever compare or exceed or outdo a TRU. That's just me. I know there's better deals all over heck and gone I'm not trying to make a semantics argument I'm just saying personally, Ten Targets vs. One TRU? TRU wins for me. Every time. I miss that damned giraffe...

Thought I missed toyseus until my Japanese toysrus fixes (half of them didn't stock transformers and those that did only had studio series) reminded me how bad they were at getting stuff in over the nostalgia.

Oh man it got so bad over the last ten even twenty plus years, it bummed me out every visit. I hear you. But there really was a golden age that passed. And maaan, it was golden.

[ZeroWolf]

The tru near me was always hit and miss with everything, especially in the months leading to the end. Then, being a UK fan, hunting in physical stores always was a challenge...

[Wolfman Jake]

Really? Singe is a straight redeco of Firedrive with Misfire's Effect Parts?

What did you expect? With the exception of Rung, every gun Battlemaster since Firedrive and Blowpipe has been decidedly phoned-in.

New arms and legs for Firedrive for starters. They did that with Aimless.

My expectations for most of the "humanoid" Battle Masters is already pretty low, honestly. They couldn't even get the colors of Firebolt, Blowpipe, Aimless, and Caliburst right, let alone individual molded detail or even the correct number of gun barrels. The fact that "Shrute" and Singe actually are pretty much the right colors is pretty fantastic.

Going to have to disagree with you re: barrel count, colors, and individual molded detail on Firedrive and Blowpipe. And re: Barrel count and colors on Aimless.





There are some deviations in detail, admittedly, as a result of Hasbro copying the Legends versions instead of referencing the original figures directly (yeah, I said it again; sue me):


This copying of the Legends versions is also why some of the detail on Aimless' new-mold parts is wonky. But he does at least have the right colors and number of barrels, if I'm any judge





Were you perhaps thinking of the bungled Fracas (According to the boxback, he was supposed to at least have the gray and black switched, but they blew it!) that comes with Skywarp when you talked about wrong colors, details, and barrel count? I agree with you that "Caliburst" is completely wrong. He is not really Caliburst at all, he is G2 Blowpipe. I can only assume he was spawned by some fool operating under the delusion that it was a good idea to use "The TrainwreckRebirth" as a reference.

I wasn't trying to say that each and every Battle Master has the colors, sculpting, and number of barrels wrong, but that each of them has something wrong with them, and it's one of those three things (sometimes more). I was thinking of Fracas, by the way, when talking about the incorrect gun barrels. Admittedly, the colors are the most egregious errors to me. Firebolt should have black arms, and his legs should be gray. Instead, the arms and legs are stark white. Blowpipe should have gray arms, but they're the same blue as his legs, which is an off shade to begin with. Aimless' arms are gray when they should be blue, and the shade of blue is again off. Luckily, you can switch Blowpipe's and Aimless' arms to get a more accurate color layout for each character, though the grays and blues between the two don't match exactly. As you said, Caliburst is just a mess, even if you squint and try to make it a darker colors "The Rebirth" version of the character. Overall, Takara's Legends Targetmasters turned out MUCH more accurate, with the odd and glaring exception of poor Firebolt. The guy can't catch a break.

[AcademyofDrX]

I wasn't trying to say that each and every Battle Master has the colors, sculpting, and number of barrels wrong, but that each of them has something wrong with them, and it's one of those three things (sometimes more). I was thinking of Fracas, by the way, when talking about the incorrect gun barrels. Admittedly, the colors are the most egregious errors to me. Firebolt should have black arms, and his legs should be gray. Instead, the arms and legs are stark white. Blowpipe should have gray arms, but they're the same blue as his legs, which is an off shade to begin with. Aimless' arms are gray when they should be blue, and the shade of blue is again off. Luckily, you can switch Blowpipe's and Aimless' arms to get a more accurate color layout for each character, though the grays and blues between the two don't match exactly. As you said, Caliburst is just a mess, even if you squint and try to make it a darker colors "The Rebirth" version of the character. Overall, Takara's Legends Targetmasters turned out MUCH more accurate, with the odd and glaring exception of poor Firebolt. The guy can't catch a break.

I get what you're going for here, but I bristle at the use of "wrong." By color-blocking arms and legs against the torso rather than by top and bottom, the colors aren't toy- or show accurate. Of course, the reason for the original toy coloration is that there were only two or three different parts, with the arms molded as part of the torso. I personally prefer the more dynamic visual design of the current incarnations. That said, I understand why it's "wrong" to you, and I wish there was more overall variety in the parts across the Battle Masters to make it easier to customize by swapping arms.

I seem to be in the minority, as I want Battle Masters to serve as Targetmasters for the TR movie toys. I didn't buy any of the TR Targetmaster cons. Unfortunately, aside from Fracas and Firebolt, none of the other available Battle Matters seem to be good substitutions.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

WJ, I wouldn't call that a "stark white" on SIEGE Firebolt so much as a very pale gray. Stark white would be Jetfire and Red Alert's color. It's a paler gray than the original toy, but it's still very much a gray. Speaking of color matching, you might call SIEGE Blowpipe's blue "an off shade" but it's a hell of a lot closer to the original toy than the Legends version's blue is. As for that "Fracas"... He's a lousy Fracas, but he's a great Premium Firedrive

Regarding the arms... as AcademyofDRX pointed out, the arms are a different color because they're actually separate pieces from the torso (unlike the original toys). That and Hasbro decided to put all the separate pieces on one sprue (rather than the arms and torso sharing a sprue); this may have been influenced by cartoon!Firebolt having gray arms, or maybe they just wanted the arms to be visibly separate pieces.

As for Takara's Legends Targetmasters turning out much more accurate, IMO that's only half true. They may all have unique parts and more accurate color layouts, but Aimless' details are wonky and they all transform wrong.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Regarding the arms... as AcademyofDRX pointed out, the arms are a different color because they're actually separate pieces from the torso (unlike the original toys). That and Hasbro decided to put all the separate pieces on one sprue (rather than the arms and torso sharing a sprue); this may have been influenced by cartoon!Firebolt having gray arms, or maybe they just wanted the arms to be visibly separate pieces.

Since TR each "<insert name> Master" figure has only 2 molds/plastic colors to play with, compared with the Legends Targetmasters 3. That makes for easy switching out of molds to make the figure look different if certain parts (arms, legs and gun barrels) use the "switch out mold" instead of the "main mold". This may also explain why they have no knees

As for Takara's Legends Targetmasters turning out much more accurate, IMO that's only half true. They may all have unique parts and more accurate color layouts, but Aimless' details are wonky and they all transform wrong.

Recoil is a retool of Peacemaker even, believe it or not. So either one of them is inaccurate.

[Stargrave]

We have a few additional new views of Transformers Siege Ratchet. It could be the lighting but it does appear as though the boom arm at his back is cast in a different shade of white which hasn't been clearly seen before. We also get a nice side by side with his G1 counterpart in both robot and vehicle modes.

These assorted in-hand Ratchet images come from Twitter user singgg4. Also ExVee over at Tformers rounded up images from several Facebook users such as Victor Wong, Marco Sze, and David Ng through HK-TF.

Enjoy the Ratchetfest and share your thoughts in the forums. And as always stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!

Images from Singgg4 on Twitter:






And images from Tformers: