The Energon Pub

Blast Cannon wrote:As a teacher on a wage just over the national average, I've got to ask how on earth some of you afford to bulk buy in the ways that you do on such a regular occurrence? I can barely scrape enough together to keep up with the comics and an occasional toy.

Let's have a survey of UK Seibertronian's professions (and no HAWOOO! HAWOO!! I'll have no Gerard Butler moments).

IT Nerd-ish. I suppose I could say I'm a drainage and sewerage surveyor, I process CCTV inspection data of surface water and foul water pipe networks. I map the lot and assess structural integrity and how well it's all flowing for the client.

I pull in 16k PA. And my wife is disabled so she doesn't get much besides ESA and DLA. We just manage money tightly, we live in a cheap area, and budget stuff out well. Neither of us drive and we have no kids so we don't have much in terms of outgoings. Limit this further by not having a house phone and declaring that we don't have a TV so we don't have to pay a licence.

I can throw down 100- 200 or so on toys a month if needs be. Preordering whole waves of combiner wars feels majorly decadent.

Blast Cannon wrote:As a teacher on a wage just over the national average, I've got to ask how on earth some of you afford to bulk buy in the ways that you do on such a regular occurrence? I can barely scrape enough together to keep up with the comics and an occasional toy.

Let's have a survey of UK Seibertronian's professions (and no HAWOOO! HAWOO!! I'll have no Gerard Butler moments).

Just shifted my hobby-spending focus for a while. For example: Today, instead of a litre of scotch and three-thousand cigarettes, I've got Alpha Bravo and the Protectobots Evac Squad. Finally something to put on my shelf and call 'Inferno'; that should last longer than a blackout and twenty-odd hours of impending doom.

Mr O wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:As a teacher on a wage just over the national average, I've got to ask how on earth some of you afford to bulk buy in the ways that you do on such a regular occurrence? I can barely scrape enough together to keep up with the comics and an occasional toy.

Let's have a survey of UK Seibertronian's professions (and no HAWOOO! HAWOO!! I'll have no Gerard Butler moments).

Just shifted my hobby-spending focus for a while. For example: Today, instead of a litre of scotch and three-thousand cigarettes, I've got Alpha Bravo and the Protectobots Evac Squad. Finally something to put on my shelf and call 'Inferno'; that should last longer than a blackout and twenty-odd hours of impending doom.

Forgot to mention, quitting smoking and the fact I don't drink helps keep the wallet healthy too.

MemphisR56 wrote:quitting smoking and the fact I don't drink helps keep the wallet healthy too.

Alarmingly so right? I'm at a point where I often feel bad about how many figures I've bought this year but then I remember how much more I'd have spent on other things and realise I'm actually way better off than I would have been otherwise. February is when things are going to start looking bleak on the impulse-buying front but I'm forewarned.

Renketsu wrote:

Syn_13 wrote:whether I want to get Menasor or not. Still not sold on him, think he looks pretty weak

I don't think he looks as good as Superion either, but a CHUG combiner is a must for me. Combination mechanism is really sturdy and joint ratchets are great, so am looking forward to hopefully a few more combiners after these two

The prime combiner looks daft with the open chest compartment:


Looks like it doesnt need to be open and the addition of the legend figure BlackJack to the chest seems to make it a bit bulkier, which could help on Menasor:

There are pics confirming that the chest compartment can close, although it leaves a hollow gap underneath that you can sort of make out. I'm not sold on Menasor because, a) I'm not keen on his head sculpt, and b) The chest compartment. I hate the look of the Legends figure in there as it makes it look bulky, and I'm not keen on the idea of having target/powermasters for my Combiners. I'm hoping in-hand pics, particularly of him with the chest compartment closed, will sell it for me.

As for questions about jobs and salaries. I work in procurement for a hospital in London and earn a few grand below the national average. My wife and I share the bills equally (she earns a little more than me so has more disposable income) and it leaves me with about £150 a month to spend freely, of which about £100 goes on TF stuff (comics/figures). Going away in Feb to Lapland so I've had to spend on winter gear, and after that I want to save up for PC parts to build a new rig, so I'll be curbing my spending in 2015.

Edit: Just noticed that Smyths have got the CW figures up on their site now (albeit not able to purchase yet). Powerglide, Drag Strip, Firefly, Skydive and a "Slpha Bravo", whoever that is.

Here's the pic for Drag Strip. Menasor still looks a little underwhelming to me.

Picked up cw silverbolt from the Gateshead Smyth's. Only had him and prime, so hope they turn up in tru at some point as the nearest Smyth's is Derby and I don't fancy that trip in the off chance. But wow. Silverbolt is a seriously well built toy. If I didn't have my own custom atunticons, it would have sold me on picking up menasor.




Spending wise, once bills and whatnot have been done, I have myself a strict fun budget that I refuse to go over. And any leftover goes into the savings fund. What my fun budget entails can vary greatly, but that's how I run my things. Keeps me from overspending. Saying that, I don't usually get more than 2 or 3 figures a month.

I've finally got my Dad to drive me to my nearest Smyths in Bolton this weekend. Hopefully they still have some Combiner wars stuff when I get there.

You should be able to check the instore availability of the deluxes and legends now that they're listed on the smyths website. I plan on checking out if Speke has the legends stuff in yet and then pestering my dad to drive me up there and get them. I cannot stress enough how much I need those legends figures. Bombshell is just too perfect.

Anyway, as it's now new years eve, all the best men!

MemphisR56 wrote:I plan on checking out if Speke has the legends stuff in yet and then pestering my dad to drive me up there and get them.

When I went there a week or so back, they had only Voyagers and the manager said they were a "60% store" getting only the core stock.

If you can get there, head to St Helens, it's twice the size (I got Bombshell from there) and quite easy to find (if you take the right exit of the big roundabout).

Thanks buddy! I'll give it a shot.

Oh not sure if this is news post worthy or not but Omegalock and Kapow now have preorders open for combiner wars wave 2! Omegalock lists the due date as 31st January

MemphisR56 wrote:Omegalock and Kapow now have preorders open for combiner wars wave 2!

Pity that there are no early bird discounts on any of the sites, or full waves.

Also a bit late to wanting Metroplex... having just moved house and now I have an office with display cabinets to put him in with the other CHUG figures. Don't suppose anyone is selling one or seen anywhere not immediately obvious (kapow, omegalock, ID Toys, star action figures etc) that still stocks him?

MemphisR56 wrote:

Mr O wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:As a teacher on a wage just over the national average, I've got to ask how on earth some of you afford to bulk buy in the ways that you do on such a regular occurrence? I can barely scrape enough together to keep up with the comics and an occasional toy.

Let's have a survey of UK Seibertronian's professions (and no HAWOOO! HAWOO!! I'll have no Gerard Butler moments).

Just shifted my hobby-spending focus for a while. For example: Today, instead of a litre of scotch and three-thousand cigarettes, I've got Alpha Bravo and the Protectobots Evac Squad. Finally something to put on my shelf and call 'Inferno'; that should last longer than a blackout and twenty-odd hours of impending doom.

Forgot to mention, quitting smoking and the fact I don't drink helps keep the wallet healthy too.

You don't drink? How the bloody hell do you get through the day?

Hope all you UK Seibertronians have a decent New Year!

Happy New Year to all transformers fans! Here's to a fantastic 2015! My last buy of 2014 was the last cw toy left in smyths in Leeds! Drag Strip rules!

Blast Cannon wrote:

MemphisR56 wrote:

Mr O wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:As a teacher on a wage just over the national average, I've got to ask how on earth some of you afford to bulk buy in the ways that you do on such a regular occurrence? I can barely scrape enough together to keep up with the comics and an occasional toy.

Let's have a survey of UK Seibertronian's professions (and no HAWOOO! HAWOO!! I'll have no Gerard Butler moments).

Just shifted my hobby-spending focus for a while. For example: Today, instead of a litre of scotch and three-thousand cigarettes, I've got Alpha Bravo and the Protectobots Evac Squad. Finally something to put on my shelf and call 'Inferno'; that should last longer than a blackout and twenty-odd hours of impending doom.

Forgot to mention, quitting smoking and the fact I don't drink helps keep the wallet healthy too.

You don't drink? How the bloody hell do you get through the day?

Hope all you UK Seibertronians have a decent New Year!

Well, I don't... Not drink. I just dont make a habit of pissing several quid up a wall every weekend. I enjoy the odd carribean dark rum, and a bit of bubbly on special occasions. Must admit though, I'm presently 6 beers an half a bottle of asty deep.

Happy New Year Knight Seibers! Happy hunting for 2015

(on topic, I got Jhiaxus and Nightbeat at Liverpool Forbidden Planet today, almost picked up crosscut there too. Only went in on the offchance they might still have sandstorm, but they seemed to be knee deep in springers, had 4 of the buggers)

Just pre-ordered Air Raid from Transbridge Omegalock.

Happy new year!

Happy New Year to all transformers fans! Here's to a fantastic 2015! My last buy of 2014 was the last cw toy left in smyths in Leeds, Drag Strip. Guess I will have to complete Menasor now!

The Year! It is New! Have it Good and/or Happy!

Happy new year all!

My first Plastic of the Year MP Wheeljack has been opened and he is a beauty. I technically got him yesterday but I was to busy to open him then. Now onto Combiner Wars

Happy new year you nuts.

Happy new year everyone!


I've made my first purchase of the year. Generations Arcee from Kapow. Was tempted by either toyworld fortress or unique toys blaster, but decided I didn't like the characters enough to pay 3rd party prices for them.

Hapy new Year my fellow TF Nutters No new Plastic yet but I'm off to Smyth's this weekend

First purchase of 2015, generations cosmos from forbidden planet.com
just couldn't say no to the little bugger.

Payday on the 7th, so provided it's all still in stock i'm gonna group preorder all of combiner wars wave 2 from kapow. Dunno whether to grab huffer or not, iGear rager just already seems so perfect. Any thoughts?

MemphisR56 wrote:First purchase of 2015, generations cosmos from forbidden planet.com
just couldn't say no to the little bugger.

Payday on the 7th, so provided it's all still in stock i'm gonna group preorder all of combiner wars wave 2 from kapow. Dunno whether to grab huffer or not, iGear rager just already seems so perfect. Any thoughts?

I say stick with Rager the Prime Mould doesn't work as a Huffer in my Opinion. Glad you like Cosmos he is an awesome Figure

Happy New Year to all.

Would have said something yesterday, but most the day was day was spent in IKEA and then assembling purchased furniture.

Just picked up a Generations Hoist from Masterforce.
No idea when it came back into stock, but must have only been one cos its back out of stock again now.

Renketsu wrote:Just picked up a Generations Hoist from Masterforce.
No idea when it came back into stock, but must have only been one cos its back out of stock again now.

To quote Bill Hicks: "Do you go up to crippled people dancing too..?"

Oh well, Happy New Year everyone!