The Energon Pub

So Combiner Wars is nearing the end of its run. It's been an interesting journey, if a bit of a disappointing one. Still, for all its flaws it did give us some gems.

So anyway, suppose you were hired by Hasbro to make a new combiner team for Combiner Wars. You could use any theme you wanted, any faction and any colour scheme. The only restriction is that it must be an all-original team, or at least not a rehash of an existing combiner (though taking pre-existing names is fine). What would you make?

EASY MODE: You can make your own original molds as you see fit.

HARD MODE (optional): It must be made entirely from existing molds (though retooling and reshelling is permitted- so for example, you'd be permitted to use the Skydive mold with an entirely new vehicle shell, weapon and headsculpt to create a new character).

For me, I'd do the following.

EASY MODE: A space themed Decepticon combiner team named the Cosmicons.

COMBINED MODE:

Voidlord- An extremely capable fighter, however being combined causes all 6 members huge existential pain, meaning they rarely stay combined for very long.

TORSO:

Darkstar- Transforms into a space shuttle. Bitter but driven with intense loyalty to Megatron, although he questions some of his leader's decisions. Colours: White, black and mauve (like G1 Astrotrain's original toy).

LIMBS:

Astrolabe- Transforms into a space probe/satellite. A mixture of Afterburner's and Breakdown's personality- paranoid, neurotic and brimming with rage, believes his team are conspiring against him and plots their downfall. Colours: Equal parts black and white with metallic blue detailing.

Comettor- Transforms into a small rocket (more like the Apollo command module than a full-scale rocket). Scatterbrained and easily confused, tends to wander off if not constantly supervised. Colours: Dull silver with copper detailing.

Sunburn- Transforms into a "solar sailor" space plane. Fembot, preening and arrogant, believes combining into Voidlord is beneath her. Colours: White with grey detailing and gold chrome/metallic accents.

Spacejunk- Transforms into an orbital cannon thingy. Outwardly humble and timid, but has a closet love of chaos and destruction. Colours: Dark grey and copper with red detailing. In arm mode, can form a Shockwave style "arm-cannon" mode.

LEGENDS PARTNER:

Moonraker- Transforms into a moon/Mars rover, and can also form a chestplate for Voidlord. Constantly grumpy about his small size. Colours: Silver and blue with copper solar panels.

I'll do a hard mode writeup later, to prevent complete wall of text syndrome.

Anyway, fire away!

This could be fun! All of these are "hard mode":

Herald
Torso: Sky Lynx, Armada Predacon colors
Limbs: Fireflight in Armada Airazor colors, Dead End in Armada Cheetor colors, Rook in Armada Rhinox colors, Air Raid in Armada Terrorsaur colors.
Legends partner: Viper in Armada Thrust colors

Rainmaker
Torso: Cyclonus in Acid Storm colors
Limbs: Pick four jets, whatever mold(s), do yellow, purple, teal blue, and orange

Velocitron
Torso: Motormaster in Crumplezone colors
Limbs: Breakdown in Cybertron Hot Shot colors, Prowl in Override colors, Off Road in Dirt Boss Colors, Dragstrip in Cybertron Breakdown colors
Legends partners: Legends Hot Rod in Clocker colors, and/or Legends Groove in Ransack colors

I wouldn't something new. I would just make Computron and Predaking

I'd just redeco/mold the Aerialbots (with Slinger not AB) as some Decepticon limbs for use with Cyclonus. The line (and most lines) really need more cons.

LegendaryAntiHero wrote:I wouldn't something new. I would just make Computron and Predaking

Great minds think alike.

OK, so, here's a Hard Mode one I thought up. I might at some point actually make a custom of this using Shapeways parts and my trusty airbrush.


TEAM NAME/THEME: The Shriekers- A punk metal band of Decepticon fembots who seamlessly blend the arts of war and musical performance, making the battlefield their stage and the sound of heavy weaponry their music. They have travelled the cosmos in search of inspiration to create the ultimate record, an album so cacophonous that even Unicron himself will tremble with fear at the sound. Particularly hate the Torchbearers, whose dedication to order they see as an affront to their music.

COMBINED MODE:

Crescendo- The ultimate embodiment of the Shriekers' chaotic style of warfare, Crescendo is ruthless in the extreme, seeing all other lifeforms as nothing more than toys to be used and abused as she sees fit. Violently insane and insanely violent, but disturbingly competent. Her biggest weakness is her arrogance- she is genuinely convinced she is invulnerable, and would take on Primus himself if she had the chance.

TORSO:

Butcherbird- A retool of Cyclonus with new heads for both individual and combined mode, new combined mode chest pieces that resemble a spiked corset, new shoulders and plug-in missile pods on her arms (giving her heavy weaponry in vehicle and robot mode and giving the combined mode more feminine hips and thighs) and a new poleaxe weapon that can also function as a microphone, and as part of a larger combined weapon for Crescendo. The chief vocalist of the Shriekers and also their leader. The founding member, she believes she is a prophet of Liege Maximo, bane of all that exists, and has decided it is her sworn duty to plunge the universe into an age of chaos and bloodshed. Despite her delusional behaviour she does care deeply for her fellow Shriekers, considering them her "beloved disciples of disorder". Her name is actually a homage to the nickname of the Focke-Wulf 190, officially codenamed the Flugelwurger by the Luftwaffe, which is the German name for the bird known as the Shrike, a bird of prey also known as, you guessed it, the butcher bird. Colours: Black, magenta, brass.

LIMBS:

Razequeen- A retool of Dragstrip with a new head, blade/guitar weapon resembling a bat'leth and a new vehicle mode front end, turning her into a 3-wheeler (a bit like Cybertron Crumplezone). A guitarist for the Shriekers, the only thing faster than her riffs is her vehicle mode. She loves chasing down pedestrians. Name is a pun on "race queen". Colours: Black, bright green, silver.

Jetscreech- A retool of Air Raid with a new head, new wings and a keytar/sonic cannon. Plays the keytar for the Shriekers, which she has programmed with all sorts of noises sampled from the battlefield, from the staccato fire of bullets to the screams of dying Autobots. Colours: Black, yellow, dark bronze.

Cudgel- A retool of Offroad with a new head, new spiked wheels, a pair of hammer/drumstick weapons and a pair of drums/rocket boosters that plug into her sides in vehicle mode. The Shriekers' drummer, not the brightest but more than makes up for it in musical ability, loyalty and destructive power. Colours: Black, orange, dark iron.

Shellshock- A retool of Rook with a new head, a ball-and-chain weapon and 2 speakers/sonic blaster weapons that plug into the top of her alternate mode and her robot mode shoulders. Backing vocalist for the Shriekers, is physically incapable of feeling pain or remorse after most of her head was torn away and rebuilt. Colours: Black, bright teal, copper.

LEGENDS PARTNER(s):

Sound and Fury- Retools of Powerglide with new heads. The songwriters for the Shriekers, form dual sonic blasters for the combined mode. One is black and green, the other is black and yellow, but nobody can remember which is which.