The Energon Pub

[Nathaniel Prime]

I was playing around with Skytread last night and found he had a gerwalk mode.

Genius. Now we have another reason to forgive the jet component's undercarriage

[Albatross250]

I was playing around with Skytread last night and found he had a gerwalk mode.

Genius. Now we have another reason to forgive the jet component's undercarriage

[Wolfman Jake]

We've already got a taste of SIEGE Wave 2 from Australia with the recent siting of Battle Masters Pteraxadon and Aimless. The rest can't be far behind. Who's hyped for which upcoming Wave 2 characters?

I can't wait to get Ironhide, especially now that we know he's going to be a relatively tall Deluxe figure. I'm ready for both Voyager Starscream and Soundwave. I've wanted a decent looking Voyager-sized Starscream for so long now. I was thinking of skipping Chromia before, opting for keeping the Takara Tomy Legends version instead. Now, though, with the knowledge that the rest of Elita One's team (very likely) will be done in the same style as Moonracer and Firestar, I'm warming up to the idea of having SIEGE Chromia so that they all "match" each other, though SIEGE Chromia will still be shorter than the rest (though, I don't know if she's as short as the Thrilling 30/Legends version). I'm also eager to see some good fan transformations to turn SIEGE Chromia into a weapon for Elita Infin1te Orthia to wield. Prowl, I'm also not too sure on right now. There are things about that figure, like the sculpt, that I love...but then there are a lot of paint apps that I think are a miss. I don't know yet if this new Prowl is better than his Universe 2.0/Henkei figure.

[Flashwave]

We've already got a taste of SIEGE Wave 2 from Australia with the recent siting of Battle Masters Pteraxadon and Aimless. The rest can't be far behind. Who's hyped for which upcoming Wave 2 characters?

I can't wait to get Ironhide, especially now that we know he's going to be a relatively tall Deluxe figure. I'm ready for both Voyager Starscream and Soundwave. I've wanted a decent looking Voyager-sized Starscream for so long now. I was thinking of skipping Chromia before, opting for keeping the Takara Tomy Legends version instead. Now, though, with the knowledge that the rest of Elita One's team (very likely) will be done in the same style as Moonracer and Firestar, I'm warming up to the idea of having SIEGE Chromia so that they all "match" each other, though SIEGE Chromia will still be shorter than the rest (though, I don't know if she's as short as the Thrilling 30/Legends version). I'm also eager to see some good fan transformations to turn SIEGE Chromia into a weapon for Elita Infin1te Orthia to wield. Prowl, I'm also not too sure on right now. There are things about that figure, like the sculpt, that I love...but then there are a lot of paint apps that I think are a miss. I don't know yet if this new Prowl is better than his Universe 2.0/Henkei figure.

Some of the Universe Prowls have an issue with literal tacky paint. As in the paint turns sticky with age. Theres also a LOT of paint on clear parts and by now mine and a lot of others are seeing it scuff and flake.

Strictly as comparing 2 Prowl Figures, no, this one is not "Superior" to Universe Prowl. Prowl needs his shoulder launchers and its odd Siege omitted his. The vehicle mode is also obviously alien, missing several important car windows.

BUT, I think putting Siege onto a shelf of CHUG figures, amd Siege Prowl will outshine his Universe counterpart. The Universe Prowl figure is somewhat mousy, being short AND somewhat thin. And the legs have something going on that gives him naturally a very closed legges almpst knock knee stance. Transformimg Universe Proel is not hard, bit if its been a while, getti g the door and fender wings to wrap around that hinge posr WITHOUT popping the ball joint can be obnoxious.

Compared to other CHUG guys like the broad shouldered Rts Jazz and tge Siege Prowl is going to be much more at home.

[william-james88]

CW Prowl for the win!

[no-one]

CW Prowl for the win!

To me CW Prowl seems more like a make due bookmark as he doesn't have any of the features I identify with Prowl. While I do like that mold and I feel Prowl may actually wear it the best, Siege Prowl seems like a better representation of the character (door wings, hood chest). The universe mold is a great representation of the Datsun bros (shoulder cannons), it's just a bit awkward (that neck, them ball jointed doors).

I'm very much looking forward to getting Siege Prowl

[Sentinel_Primal]

So, with toy fair in less than a month, do you think we might get some surprise reveals that we didn't know about before? Or at least in hand images for the other figures like Springer, Barricade, maybe a grey model Omega?

[Skritz]

So, with toy fair in less than a month, do you think we might get some surprise reveals that we didn't know about before? Or at least in hand images for the other figures like Springer, Barricade, maybe a grey model Omega?

I'm hoping we finally get to see the fan voted charaters, Mirage and Impactor. Even if there's a chance Impactor is an Ironhide retool. Granted, if the retooling involve replacing the wheels with threads and some kind of tank turret (which engineering-wise could just be his accessory stuck on top of the vehicle mode) then I'd be all for that.

[Evil Eye]

CW Prowl for the win!

Amen, CW Prowl is probably the best out of the "Because we said so" CW Autobot car retools. I actually like how it looks better than Streetwise, and I still kinda sorta want him (especially as Siege Barricade will likely be a retool of Prowl).

Though to be honest, the Prowl I REALLY want is the 2001 RID Prowl. He just looks so cool.

[Skritz]

To be fair, Combiner Wars was very much the 'budget line' of Generations, in spite of it's sheer size. The thing with such a line is that retooling manage to strike a balance between practicality/efficiency and the cheapness of making a line entirely of retools. Combiners aren't exactly easy to engineer, so presumably when the line got drafted up at the concept stage someone, somewhere, figured out that the line would be easier and cheaper to produce if they retooled as many figures. Yes, it's arguably cheap, but this wasn't a bad thing in this case because it allowed them to do Scramble City-style combiners on modern engineering for mass retail.

Sure, we can complain about the retooling abuse or the fact that some characters were made into Combiners as 'filler' but it's worth noting that each of these cases was entirely because they had a pre-existing combiner part in mind and decided to get their money worth out of it. Motormaster? A quick and easy Voyager Optimus. Got a few car molds already planned out for Stunticons? Might as well use them as Autobots, especially since there wasn't a pre-existing 'car combiner' for Autobots.

If anything I'd argue Combiner Wars was truly a genius line in terms of engineering and mold usage efficiency. And it had to be, because the entire line was built around a mix-and-match play pattern. The only time I think they dropped the ball, mold-wise is with Computron but it seem like the poor guy was some last minute combiner they originally planned (hence Scattershot making it to retail) but scrapped the wave...only to make it a boxset at the last second.

While I don't expect to see a line this retool-heavy, there is no denying Hasbro learned a lot about mold reuse and modification in that line and that these improvements continued through Titans Return and Power of the Primes. I would not be surprised if later War for Cybertron trilogy figures have a level of retooling and reuse similar to CW deluxe or the case of TR Powermaster Prime being an Ultra Magnus retool. But only time will tell for sure.

[ZeroWolf]

To be fair, Combiner Wars was very much the 'budget line' of Generations, in spite of it's sheer size. The thing with such a line is that retooling manage to strike a balance between practicality/efficiency and the cheapness of making a line entirely of retools. Combiners aren't exactly easy to engineer, so presumably when the line got drafted up at the concept stage someone, somewhere, figured out that the line would be easier and cheaper to produce if they retooled as many figures. Yes, it's arguably cheap, but this wasn't a bad thing in this case because it allowed them to do Scramble City-style combiners on modern engineering for mass retail.

Sure, we can complain about the retooling abuse or the fact that some characters were made into Combiners as 'filler' but it's worth noting that each of these cases was entirely because they had a pre-existing combiner part in mind and decided to get their money worth out of it. Motormaster? A quick and easy Voyager Optimus. Got a few car molds already planned out for Stunticons? Might as well use them as Autobots, especially since there wasn't a pre-existing 'car combiner' for Autobots.

If anything I'd argue Combiner Wars was truly a genius line in terms of engineering and mold usage efficiency. And it had to be, because the entire line was built around a mix-and-match play pattern. The only time I think they dropped the ball, mold-wise is with Computron but it seem like the poor guy was some last minute combiner they originally planned (hence Scattershot making it to retail) but scrapped the wave...only to make it a boxset at the last second.

While I don't expect to see a line this retool-heavy, there is no denying Hasbro learned a lot about mold reuse and modification in that line and that these improvements continued through Titans Return and Power of the Primes. I would not be surprised if later War for Cybertron trilogy figures have a level of retooling and reuse similar to CW deluxe or the case of TR Powermaster Prime being an Ultra Magnus retool. But only time will tell for sure.

Actually if I recall correctly, Warden got hasbro to okay the line by pointing out all the retools, thus saving them money on such a big line. The retools were part of the concept from the get go

[Skritz]

Which only further prove how much of a stroke of genius it is, then.

[Wolfman Jake]

Some of the Universe Prowls have an issue with literal tacky paint. As in the paint turns sticky with age. Theres also a LOT of paint on clear parts and by now mine and a lot of others are seeing it scuff and flake.

That's true about the paint. Reportedly, some samples of the Henkei release had the same tacky paint issue. I'm apparently lucky in that my figure hasn't had that problem over the years. In fact, I was playing around with it last night, doing some size comparisons with other figures in my collection, before posting my thoughts on the upcoming SIEGE version.

Strictly as comparing 2 Prowl Figures, no, this one is not "Superior" to Universe Prowl. Prowl needs his shoulder launchers and its odd Siege omitted his. The vehicle mode is also obviously alien, missing several important car windows.

I'm passing off the alien/Cybertronian aesthetic in a lot of these alt modes as "futuristic" Earth vehicles. Some, like Optimus Prime, pull this off better than others, admittedly. As for the shoulder launchers, it looks like SIEGE prowl can accommodate some over the shoulder accessories on either side of his head. There seem to be holes there, anyway. Prowl didn't feature those in the cartoon, but Bluestreak and Smokescreen did, so, if we get retools/repaints of SIEGE Prowl into those characters in the future, I'd be surprised if they didn't come with snap-on shoulder launchers, since they are kind of iconic to their respective silhouettes.

BUT, I think putting Siege onto a shelf of CHUG figures, amd Siege Prowl will outshine his Universe counterpart. The Universe Prowl figure is somewhat mousy, being short AND somewhat thin. And the legs have something going on that gives him naturally a very closed legges almpst knock knee stance. Transformimg Universe Proel is not hard, bit if its been a while, getti g the door and fender wings to wrap around that hinge posr WITHOUT popping the ball joint can be obnoxious.

Compared to other CHUG guys like the broad shouldered Rts Jazz and tge Siege Prowl is going to be much more at home.

The size of Universe/Henkei Prowl works well for my "modern" Classics collection. He's taller than many Deluxes from the Prime Wars Trilogy and Thrilling 30, but he doesn't tower over them like some older Deluxe Class figurs do, like Reveal the Shield/United Jazz or Universe/Henkei Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Red Alert. The real test for me will be if SIEGE Ironhide is taller than Universe Prowl. The biggest appeal of staying with Universe Prowl right now, for me at least, is that we already have a trio of Datsun Brothers established with that mold. We've yet to hear about or see any evidence of a repaint/retool of SIEGE Prowl into Bluestreak and/or Smokescreen. I'd be surprised if they didn't eventually come, but they may be a few years off, perhaps spread into the second or third year of the current War for Cybertron Trilogy. Since all three Datsun Brothers shared a mold in G1, I want to be reflected on my display shelf too. Universe/Henkei Prowl isn't without its flaws, of course. The feet are weird, the legs are hard to pose and straighten out, and the figure is hard to ballance. The elevated "neck" platform is not ideal, and the head sculpt could be much better. For now, though, that still trumps a new version with lackluster paint apps that will stick out from his classic mold-mates in my display. I may change my mind once I have SIEGE Prowl in hand, though. We shall see.

[william-james88]

CW Prowl for the win!

To me CW Prowl seems more like a make due bookmark as he doesn't have any of the features I identify with Prowl.

There are many features missing, but I think he has the best alt mode of them all and probably the best face sculpt too.


Transformers Universe - Classics 2.0 Prowl Gallery


Transformers Universe - Classics 2.0 Prowl Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Prowl Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Prowl Gallery

CW Prowl for the win!

Amen, CW Prowl is probably the best out of the "Because we said so" CW Autobot car retools. I actually like how it looks better than Streetwise, and I still kinda sorta want him (especially as Siege Barricade will likely be a retool of Prowl).

Though to be honest, the Prowl I REALLY want is the 2001 RID Prowl. He just looks so cool.

He's great!

[Sabrblade]

Prowl needs his shoulder launchers and its odd Siege omitted his.

It's because of how Prowl in the G1 cartoon didn't have his shoulder launchers, differentiating him from Bluestreak who did have them.

[no-one]

CW Prowl for the win!

To me CW Prowl seems more like a make due bookmark as he doesn't have any of the features I identify with Prowl.

There are many features missing, but I think he has the best alt mode of them all and probably the best face sculpt too.

I mean I did say...

While I do like that mold and I feel Prowl may actually wear it the best, Siege Prowl seems like a better representation of the character (door wings, hood chest).

I do agree that CW Prowl has a damn fine head sculpt, but overall the figure doesn't have the features I'm looking for in a Prowl. For me the universe mold's alt mode is the most Prowl-ish, where CW seems like a super car evolution with Siege being a prevolution (that's a word right?).

On the subject's of head sculpts; I like the the CW, but I love Siege's take. The Siege crest is almost over exaggerated with his face being rounder and looks grumpier.

CW left - Siege Right

a_tale_of_two_prowls.jpg (21.32 KiB) Viewed 10064 times

When it comes down to it, we have some damn fine CHUG options for Prowl.

[Wolfman Jake]

a_tale_of_two_prowls.jpg

When it comes down to it, we have some damn fine CHUG options for Prowl.

Each has their own appeal, highlights, and flaws. None are "perfect," per se. It's that which makes choosing one "definitive" version for my display so difficult.

[Skritz]

Honestly the only thing bugging me with CW-style cars is that it took Jazz, two lines later, to finally get one with both a 'combiner-boner' and a 'hood chest' at the same time.

[no-one]

a_tale_of_two_prowls.jpg

When it comes down to it, we have some damn fine CHUG options for Prowl.

Each has their own appeal, highlights, and flaws. None are "perfect," per se. It's that which makes choosing one "definitive" version for my display so difficult.

For me Prowl's an easy choice, Siege wins as my definative CHUG figure as my only other option is CW (and I generally don't care for the universe mold). Sideswipe wins by defacto as I have no others. Hound is giving me the most fits right now between Siege and universe. Same reasons as you are having with Prowl, neither are "perfect".

If I've learned anything from the last several lines or so; it's that they'll keep chugging out more versions of the same characters and to be prepared to either upgrade or skip figures. Unlike the completed or separate lines or series, this ongoing generations line is just a money pit. Sometimes I see the appeal to collecting something that has a finite end.

[Hellscream9999]

a_tale_of_two_prowls.jpg

When it comes down to it, we have some damn fine CHUG options for Prowl.

Each has their own appeal, highlights, and flaws. None are "perfect," per se. It's that which makes choosing one "definitive" version for my display so difficult.

For me Prowl's an easy choice, Siege wins as my definative CHUG figure as my only other option is CW (and I generally don't care for the universe mold). Sideswipe wins by defacto as I have no others. Hound is giving me the most fits right now between Siege and universe. Same reasons as you are having with Prowl, neither are "perfect".

If I've learned anything from the last several lines or so; it's that they'll keep chugging out more versions of the same characters and to be prepared to either upgrade or skip figures. Unlike the completed or separate lines or series, this ongoing generations line is just a money pit. Sometimes I see the appeal to collecting something that has a finite end.

I love CW prowl, I don't know what it is, but the white and black are just so crisp and bright, and his headsculpt is maybe one of the best, just so geometric and geewunney. I actually kinda like the G1 car-bot design and I think he deserves better than the weird siege figure with its bulbousy legs, I think if they had downscaled the masterpiece and doing a design to the windscreen like what they did to sideswipe, it'd be much cooler

[Nemesis Primal]

So, with toy fair in less than a month, do you think we might get some surprise reveals that we didn't know about before? Or at least in hand images for the other figures like Springer, Barricade, maybe a grey model Omega?

I'm hoping we finally get to see the fan voted charaters, Mirage and Impactor. Even if there's a chance Impactor is an Ironhide retool. Granted, if the retooling involve replacing the wheels with threads and some kind of tank turret (which engineering-wise could just be his accessory stuck on top of the vehicle mode) then I'd be all for that.

Given the length of this line being the same as PotP, I'm expecting Toy Fair to go almost exactly the same, in that we'll see almost the entire remaining retail lineup save for one or two figures in the smaller size classes.

Also I STILL don't understand why people are so adamant that Impactor will be a retool of an existing figure, that would break convention with every other non-CW fan vote and Impactor only turned into an Ironhide-like vehicle once.

Unrelated, the gerwalk picture reminded me I hadn't posted this yet: I was messing around with Cog the other night and I basically turned him into a Metal Gear.

[Skritz]

I guess expecting a retool for Impactor is just us preparing for the 'worst case scenario'. Of course I want to be wrong and him to be a badass deluxe tank. We meed a lot more of those.

[Sabrblade]

Unrelated, the gerwalk picture reminded me I hadn't posted this yet: I was messing around with Cog the other night and I basically turned him into a Metal Gear.

Metal Gear Cog.JPG

Also looks like the robot from the original RoboCop.

[Skritz]

Unrelated, the gerwalk picture reminded me I hadn't posted this yet: I was messing around with Cog the other night and I basically turned him into a Metal Gear.

Metal Gear Cog.JPG

Also looks like the robot from the original RoboCop.

ED-209. "DROP YOUR WEAPONS. YOU HAVE TWENTY SECONDS TO COMPLY."

[Nemesis Maximo]

I finally found Shockwave! I like to imagine that all the extra Shockwave-y bits were constructed from another universe’s Shockwave, like maybe after Time Wars, when Shockwave snaps, he goes on a murderous rampage through time-space against other Shockwaves for...reasons.