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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Combiner Components (Limbs / Torsos) from Combiner Wars and Unite Warriors

Let's face it, Combiner Wars brought in a new golden era for Transformers fans. The G1 combiners were brought back in a bold new way with toys that were stylish, well articulated and had fun conversions. It kept the nice G1 tradition of Scramble City where you had bigger bots which became torsos (this time with the Combiner head being integrated within the toy rather than an add on) and the smaller bots could become either an arm or a leg to fit to the torso. And you could mix and match them as you please. Not only did we get several of the original G1 combiners but we also got some new characters (hello Alpha Bravo) and new versions of classic characters which could now also combine. With Power of the Primes right around the corner and bringing back the combiner concept and compatibility, I wanted to have a quick look back on the combiner components (limbs and torsos) we got under the Combiner Wars and Unite Warriors line (that latter one is the Takara line where these same toys were released). The way I did it is I broke it down to the different molds used in the lines and separated them by their idiosyncratic body molds. So pretty much I looked at all the different molds, not counting the head, and these are my top 5.


5. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Dragstrip Gallery/Mirage

This was the first Combiner component I held in this line and I knew then and there that this line would kick ass. It had a similar engineering and quality to one of my favourite toys of all time, Cybertron Hotshot. It's an efficient design that maximizes distinction between vehicle and robot mode while reusing the same parts to thus has no extraneous kibble. With the 10 plus years since Hot Shot the engineering advancements mean we get that smart transformation with the added bonus that the figure combines. As a combining component, this mold has the cool ability to alter it's length so you could give your combiner longer legs if you would like. It's also awesome that this time around it is Dragstip who is the main use of the mold with Mirage being secondary (unlike the previous classics rendition of these characters). And I just really love Hasbro's take on Dragstrip's face.


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Dragstrip (Drag Strip) Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Mirage Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Dragstrip (Drag Strip) Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Dragstrip (Drag Strip) Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Menasor Gallery


4. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Onslaught

This toys had a lot going against it. The character already had a wonderful classics toy (which still holds up) and it was based the Hotpsot mold with seemingly not enough retooling since it still had the emergency lights. And I had really found Hotspot to feel cheap with that squishy plastic and pieces popping off. But man, this Onslaught answered the call and gave us an incredible new rendition of the character, faithful to his G1 self, with a sleeker physique than the previous Universe toy, but with some new additions such as a better looking military truck mode than his very long and flat G1 self. The torso transformation is just as good and inventive as Hotspot's but he feels far more solid. You also have the choice of how to finalize the torso transformation to give it different looks and I personally really love the colour Hasbro chose for the Bruticus head.


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Onslaught Gallery






Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Bruticus Gallery


3. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Air Raid/Unite Warriors Curse Armada Thrust/Guy Hawk

In a very G1 fashion, all the combiner jets transform pretty much the same way (and the same way as Offroad and First Aid). But the Air Raid mold mixes things up by having the wings swing around. This small extra brings a lot since it adds to the ways you can distinguish this limb from others depending on the combination you want. It also adds a step to the transformation and makes for a cooler looking backpack. And I don't know if it's this mold that makes the characters that use it look so good or vice versa but the best looking combiner components end up using it. Like Guy hawk in Liokaiser, easily the best individual Liokaiser figure, and Armada thrust, a toy which the Takara designers and whoever chooses the deco poured their hearts into. That deco is incredible and the headsculpts on both Guy Hawk and Thrust are some of the best in a line filled with awesome headsculpts.


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Air Raid Gallery


Transformers Unite Warriors Curse Armada Thrust Gallery


Transformers Unite Warriors Curse Armada Thrust Gallery




2. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Swindle/Hound

The Rook mold was good and I feel the Swindle/Hound retool just takes it up a notch. It ends up with a more manageable backpack which means these end up looking better as arms than the initial mold (and they still look great as legs). I love the sculpting work too, which is more minute than one may assume. They even sculpt in a steering wheel. Plus, we finally have standard hands to go with this fun mold, so we can get all the standard posing with weapons. I also really love how this works so well for both Swindle and Hound and it allows you to add a shoulder mounted gun to further distinguish Hound from Swindle, aside from the terrific headsculpts of course. This was always a solid mold and now we get two awesome G1 characters with it in a great jeep alt mode.


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Swindle Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Hound Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Swindle Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Hound Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Hound Gallery


1. Transformers Generations Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors Cyclonus

I will admit, I did not pick this mold up at first. I had Silverbolt and while it was an amazing torso, I didn't care for a retool, especially one that wasn't originally a scramble city combiner. But then things changed. Firstly, I really got into the goal of this line which was to bring back a G1 concept but for a new audience. There were no restrictions (not that there ever were) and the point was to have fun. So this was a torso which begged for you to have fun and come up with your own combinations. What really sold me was when Takara, who was usually very G1 oriented, used this torso as an opportunity to show just how much fun one could have and gave us the most bat **** crazy combiner yet, Grand Galvatron (a Galvatron II combiner made from Zombies and Roller ?!). When I finally picked him up, I fell in love. Cyclonus, in both version (which I own) is a thing of beauty. His alt mode is the closest we have ever gotten to his spaceship mode and does look better than the previous Universe one. The alt mode just has so much style, it oozes sexy! He feels super sturdy too. I love the detachable wing tips that become daggers and while the whole robot under a jet didn't look great for Silverbolt, I didn't mind it as much for a cybertronian vehicle where the robot wasn't trying to conceal itself. And we also finally got a voyager Cylonus which works great in anyone's Lost Light or G1 Season 3, or Movie collection. And might I remind you, this is based on the best Combiner Wars torso mold. The combined mode looks amazing with a great headsculpt (better looking than the next Galvatron we got) and a fun transformation. All around a great use of the best torso mold inspiring us all to find our inner child and have fun with combiners. I can't ask for more.


Transformers Unite Warriors Tactician Cyclonus Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Cyclonus Gallery


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Cyclonus Gallery



Transformers Unite Warriors Tactician Cyclonus Gallery


Transformers Unite Warriors Grand Galvatron Gallery

Say what? Dragstrip made this list?

I'd choose alpha bravo over that thing any day, and I quite dislike alpha bravo. I mean, dragstrip is supposed to be an arm but fails miserably at it.

SEE?
CYCLONUS WILL BE ALWAYS #1
Yes i have him, he's quite fun, now waiting for PoTP so i can get some Hands and Feet

I also love Cyclonus too because those side fins can be used as Daggers for Cyclonus

It's a shame it's only limited to the limbs and torsos since Shockwave deserves a spot on the list.

Oh, cool, Draggy made the list. I love mine, I think he's my favorite out of all the Stunticon modes. Beautifully proportioned, awesome and fun transformations, fun vehicle mode, and both limb modes are just spectacular. I peg the H/F/E bit on his right shoulder facing up, and the shield look really works for him.

My favorite actually turned out to be Dead End (with Onslaught and Alpha Bravo/Vortex very close behind). He had a really neat, fun transformation and then got redesigned/molded/shelled/whatever into Chromedome once Titans Return hit, and he's one character I was crazy happy to get after reading the comics.

Alpha Bravo?
Deluxe Groove??
Sky Lynx???

I agree with Onslaught and Swindle's inclusion on this list. Great figures that are perfect updates to their G1 selves.

Now, a figure that I don't see talked about much is CW Wheeljack. That's a fantastic figure right there. He's pretty much the ultimate CHUG Wheeljack. He turns into an almost exact Lancia Stratos Turbo, his weapon is really cool, his HFG integration makes for a cool looking silhouette, and his chest piece is animation accurate (it just stays on his chest and doesn't cover half his body like the G1 toy and the previous Generations figure.) All that's missing is his shoulder-cannon thing, which you can easily pick up from Toyhax or Shapeways.

RiddlerJ wrote:It's a shame it's only limited to the limbs and torsos since Shockwave deserves a spot on the list.

Agreed. That amazing little figure deserves more recognition than it gets. It's a new mold that's incredibly accurate to how Shockwave's appeared in various mediums, he's got his original alt-mode, and he can be held by Bruticus and USED AS A GUN. He's perfect!

As I had mentioned earlier in the week, I think Defensor is still the most underrated. I thought that Hot Spot was the better use of the mold. I don't know where the "squishy" part is coming from. I never had any issues with pieces falling off. PLUS his back kibble actually transforms into something. Where as Onslaught/Bludgeon's back kibble haphazardly folds with no appropriate+official configuration.

I do concede, however, the the Onslaught AND Bruticus face sculpts were better. Otherwise, I prefer Hot Spot in every other aspect.

Otherwise...

I think I would put the Dead End mold on here. Probably instead of Swindle/Hound. I know it was used all-to-hell-and-back. But it IS a good transformer.

Alpha Bravo mold, for sure. ONLY downside of that mold is the offset combiner-hinge-ratchets. HUGE bummer for arm-coptors.

Also, I thought the Offroad mold was quite good.

I don't own all of the combiner wars figures, but my personal favorites are Rook, Alpha Bravo/Blades, and the Streetwise/insert ten other characters here. Streetwise had a sleek alt mode, and the robot mode was a lot of fun to fiddle with. Blades is a helicopter, so you wouldn't expect that to be that particular vehicle to be the sturdiest in a fight, but his robot mode just has a kind of "don't mess with me" vibe going, not to mention his exceptional job as an arm or a leg. Rook's position as part of a rescue team, and the ability to attach combiner hands to his arms just cracks me up. His big hands are comical, but useful for rescue. I could totally see him lift lift rubble with giant hands to rescue a trapped 'bot.

Wow, no Protectobots at all?

My list:

5. Combiner Wars Blades (headsculpt)
4. Combiner Wars First Aid (headsculpt)
3. Combiner Wars Fireflight (mold and color scheme)
2. Combiner Wars Onslaught (transformation)
1. Unite Warriors Silverbolt (color scheme and transformation)

Honorable mention: Unite Warriors Cyclonus (color scheme and transformation)

And yes, the legends class figures should get their own list.

TL;DR
Tell me I'm missing something, where is Rook?
1. Rook
2. Swindle
3. Air Raid
4. Cyclonus
5. UW Blast off UW Groove

Seriously, how did Rook not make the list??? I don't care if Swindle is already there. HULK HANDS!!



P.s. don't boot me

Bronzewolf wrote:Alpha Bravo?

He sucks. This list validates that.

Even though this list lacked Rook.

Let see the G1 version of this list ...

Someone actually liked that horrible color choice that Hasbro made for Bruticus' head? How is that even possible? It's wrong for the original you and the cartoon alike!

A decent list! I think Rook deserves at the very least an honourable mention for his cool gimmick and awesome APC mode. I was very glad to see Dragstrip on there too, he's a really cool figure.

My personal list would probably be...

5: Dragstrip (For the reasons you mentioned)
4: Any fixed version of the helicopter mold (The transformation is simple but effective, the vehicle mode actually works pretty well and the robot mode is fun)
3: UW Megaempress (Hilarious concept, amazing execution, and a really solid mold anyway)
2: CW Rook (Best HFG integration of the line in both vehicle and robot mode, and a really solid toy)
1: UW Nosecone (Everything that made Rook amazing, plus even more 5mm madness! Also, drill)

Honourable mentions: UW Flowspade (Looks amazing and is fun to play with, but not quite top 5 material), UW Trickdiamond (Sweet vehicle mode, nice colours, robot mode looks great but isn't the best to pose), UW Strafe (Great design let down by the poorly done neck), CW Skydive (substandard jet mode but IMO great robot mode, works amazing as a Seeker with appropriate Shapeways bits).

Sky Lynx is the only toy I got that'd fit in this list. He IS really fun, though.


CW was just really boring to me. Cars and jets and little else, plus all the robot modes looking the same...

So many people complaining that Rook isnt on the list even though he was ugly as hell with that stupid hockey mask.

But remember Swindle is a retool of Rook so technically the mold did make the list, just in a better form. Actually the best use of the mold is Nosecone.

Nosecone is definitely the best use of the mold but Rook is still pretty awesome. Really cool vehicle mode, nice colours, great headsculpt and the best use of combiner kibble ever. Also he sent certain portions of the fandom into an absolute fit because of...reasons, so even more reason to like him.

Kinda disagree with Drag Strip myself. Nothing wrong with him, but he is a bit of a boring mold and I find myself liking Dead End or Alpha Bravo a lot more.

Onslaught is out of this world good. What amazes me is that as an update to the original toy, he manages to integrate the kibble and keep the same transformation (even down to the combiner head coming over the robot head)... and yet he's a retool; AND Hot Spot also was an update of his original toy's transformation with all the kibble integrated! That's next level mold sharing right there and you can see the genius that would come to envelop Titans Return's mold sharing.

I feel Rook's backpack actually makes him a better arm than Swindle, as it gives any Combiner wearing him like that an awesome shoulder armour pauldron thing. It especially works well for Defensor since as his name implies, his whole thing is beating up Getaway defence

Don't really agree on AirRaid or any other aerialbot.
Thay all suffer from the undercarriage issue where you can see 90% of the bot.

We tolerate it because they're combiners limbs, but that doesn't made them a great mold.

I personally would have put dead End mold instead.

Decent list, I will give you that!

My list though:

5) Hot Spot - while maybe not the best torso toy, he is the most fun to me. The ladder kibble does not bother me, he has some pretty great colors, and his ladder can be used by titan masters, so he is a functional figure that crosses figure lines. He also forms the best looking torso to me, with the head and chest and colors killing it. He is a great torso and the most fun to me.
4) Trailbreaker - This mold deserves a spot on the list, but the new tooling and HFG made this mold more fun than others (also separate from First Aid due to massive tooling differences). He has a forcefield pincer hand, and the black on this guy is rich and looks pretty awesome as an arm. He made the mold worth it, and while it was the 4th use, it feels like the best of the plain truck guys, and better than a lot of figures (he had feet, which why Dead End isn't here).
3) Air Raid/Strafe/Guyhawk - My favorite aerialbot mold. Yes the robot and jet kibble are very obvious, but it still looks good, and the swinging wings makes for some better kibble placement. Guyhawk looks the best paint wise of the uses, Strafe has some awesome tooling that I love and a nice head, and Air Raid was the first and a close second compared to Guyhawk
2) First Aid - Really great mold here, and it was not bland either. The massive tooling differences, such as a brand new vehicle mold, was great and it looked really sporty but still emergency vehicle-y. He also makes the best leg of any figure, and his arm mode is nice and bulky. Looks like he will hurt when he hits you.
1) Rook - Best figure of the entire line, honestly. He was suitably new and creative, and aside from Roller in UW, he was a rare mold in CW that was not straight repainted/new headed into a new character. Swindle/Nosecone were extensively retooled, so he remained relatively unique. The head was great, the colors meshed beautifully, and the alt mode was awesome. One of the rare alt modes with HFG integration that looked good. Also, he is hands down the best arm mold. Legs not so much, but everything else more than makes up for that.

Dragstrip is honorable mention because his leg-gineering is a bit wonky. he has a habit of his thighs falling back into his lower legs. And he is a bit thin for a great looking limb.

Silverbolt is honorable mention too. Scattershot did the mold the best justice in my opinion, but his thighs are just a bit too skinny and combiner leany to beat out Hot Spot

Nik Hero wrote:Someone actually liked that horrible color choice that Hasbro made for Bruticus' head? How is that even possible? It's wrong for the original toy and the cartoon alike!

I know, its better than both!

ExciKaiser wrote:Don't really agree on AirRaid or any other aerialbot.
Thay all suffer from the undercarriage issue where you can see 90% of the bot.

We tolerate it because they're combiners limbs, but that doesn't made them a great mold.

I tolerate it and adore it for the awesome bot mode it gives us. How does this not look good?




As for Rook, I knew there were lots of Rook fans out there, and I am thankful you are all here to say all the great things I couldnt say. Thats because I am not as big a fan of his. I just dont like hands. Takara's Strafe/Blastoff proves that you dont need to compromise fist holes (which I find to be essential) with the added front hole. But instead we get a toy that can only hold a weapon as if he is Cyborg, turning his hand into stuff. Fun for a while, but it wears out for me and it limits you greatly to fun poses and what weapons you can give him (they need to have pegs in their butts or else they plug in weird). This is a perfect example to an invasive gimmick and he results in being a toy I simply dont pose with others. UW nosecone is not all that great either. Its a fun and smart retool for sure, but it doesnt fix the hand problem, and has a really plain altmode with nothing covering the hands. The big drill at the front blinds us from how there is nothing else to this alt mode, behind it on the top, just bot parts with his arms completely uncovered. Plus he ends up with a really wonky looking back in bot mode. In the end, while I dont dislike him and value him for what he is, there are other toys I much preffer in this line.

As for Deadend, he totally fails as a combiner arm for always splitting. I would never recomend him for the purpose of combining and thats what this list is to me, recomending awesome toys. He is not terrible, but there are many toys in this line better than him. He also stands for everything wrong with this line by being the poster child for all the retools and repaints. He himself is actually a "pretool" since that alt mode is really Wildrider's. Plus, it looks like his feet are cut off. Here is a variation of that mold next to chromedome:



And I wouldnt recomend skylynx over any of these either. I do like his torso, I think it looks great but he has major flaws. Not only is he so much less of what his original toy was, but that plastic in his wings feels so off. It's Hasbro seeing how much little plastic they can leave on a toy before he falls apart. And there is no inventive sculpting to disguise the hollowness, its just cheese grater slits. He also starts this thing with the designers sculpting fake hinges onto him which is bonkers and frustrating.

The helicopter molds I have all have the exosed hands in vehicle mode. Plus the smaller pieces that make the nose always pop off for me. I have also heard of breakage for this mold. I am also not a fan of how the rotors go all willy nilly in arm mode.

As for Offroad/Trailbreaker or First Aid, I actually really love those guys. A lot. And I debated in putting those or the jet mold since they share a similar transformation. But in the end I went for the jet since Armada Thrust and Guy Hawk are just too awesome to ignore.

Anyways, those were my opinions if anyone wondered why some didnt make the list. But you know what, what matters more is knowing what your favourites are so I thank you all for those wonderful lists you shared

ExciKaiser wrote:Don't really agree on AirRaid or any other aerialbot.
Thay all suffer from the undercarriage issue where you can see 90% of the bot.

We tolerate it because they're combiners limbs, but that doesn't made them a great mold.

I personally would have put dead End mold instead.

Hastak does need to make some significant improvements on their jet modes. Most of them don't make much of an attempt beyond a jet backpack. They're not even trying to hide the arms anymore. At least try to do something like powerglide where the arms form engines or whatever is under the wings of a warthog. That at least was hiding them in plain sight.

kurthy wrote:

ExciKaiser wrote:Don't really agree on AirRaid or any other aerialbot.
Thay all suffer from the undercarriage issue where you can see 90% of the bot.

We tolerate it because they're combiners limbs, but that doesn't made them a great mold.

I personally would have put dead End mold instead.

Hastak does need to make some significant improvements on their jet modes. Most of them don't make much of an attempt beyond a jet backpack. They're not even trying to hide the arms anymore. At least try to do something like powerglide where the arms form engines or whatever is under the wings of a warthog. That at least was hiding them in plain sight.

I can totally agree on hasbro needing to improve their jets. My list of best jet toys (coming out eventually) has nothing past 2012. I didnt mind it in Combiner Wars too much since, like with Silverbolt, it was in line with their G1 toys. Its a lazy reason, I agree, but still a reason and I dont mind getting behind it if the toy does still combine. Its when the toy doesnt have to deal with such a gimick and still comes out simple that I cringe a bit.

Oh wait, I take it back, there have been 2 jets that arent just the bot under it: RID Starscream and Voyager TLK megatron.