The Energon Pub

as far as autobot toys go... it seems like there are more and more autobots that count as what i would call "War-like" correct em if i'm wrong but should Tanks/weapons/ and other forms of militatry hard-ware be reserved for decepticons? I mean, I thought there was a time when autobots where more likely to be automobiles like cars ans trucks. and decepticons, being the warmongers they are, would be more likely to be tanks or other military vehicles.
I'm not sure what it means really, theres little diference between the two factions anymore. but whether or not thats the case, I kinda like haveing alot of military vehicles on both sides of my TF collection.

and I should say I wish there were more scout class figures these days... but i think they are gone for good, or getting close to it anyway. I'm begining to miss all the different figures in that scale I wanted to get.

I also just bought a set of Power core figures 2 packs. the local CVS still had some. I just got lucky, I only had 20 bucks and I got two sets. I would like to think we could see them back in stores someday, but I won't get my hopes up.
so, with all that said, any thoughts on all this I just talked about?

I can only think of a handful of 'war-like' autobot vehicle modes. Ex: DOTM Guzzle, and Flak. I find for the most part that autobots still retain more common place vehicle modes like cars and trucks, etc. I can only think of Warpath from the Generations line and honestly his name is 'Warpath'.

As far as Scout Class goes, I think it has become the newer Commander Class just as Legends Class has become Legion Class (I could be wrong here).

I think it's more the Decepticons are getting more automobiles than the Autobots are getting more military vehicles. The few military Autobots I can think of are either "off-screen" characters or Warpath (does Prime have any?). On the other hand, DotM Megatron, DotM Soundwave, the Dreads, Knock Out, and Breakdown are all major Decepticons and automobiles.

I miss Scouts, too. Mostly because of the spectacular range of alts we got from the RotF Scouts: toasters, forklifts, biplanes, spy boats, 1930's cars, UAVs; lots of cool stuff we don't normally get.

PCCs were pretty neat. Sad we never got a train team.

Drift082111 wrote:As far as Scout Class goes, I think it has become the newer Commander Class just as Legends Class has become Legion Class (I could be wrong here).

They aren't the same class (Scouts are much larger than Cyberverse Commanders), but they did basically take their place.

Blame the tendency to repaint. Very few molds are faction-only, usually we get one Autobot version and one Decepticon version, even if it's across lines or time.

Of course YOU could just collect military vehicles for Decepticons and cars for Autobots.

Noideaforaname wrote:

Drift082111 wrote:As far as Scout Class goes, I think it has become the newer Commander Class just as Legends Class has become Legion Class (I could be wrong here).

They aren't the same class (Scouts are much larger than Cyberverse Commanders), but they did basically take their place.

Cyberverse Commanders are about the same size as the old Scouts. If there's any size difference, it's a very small difference.

The more substantial difference is that the Scout class used to be used for unique characters that didn't get made in larger classes, while the Cyberverse Commanders are mostly just smaller versions of Voyager figures.

Seeing as they can change form at will (movie 07 Bumble updates car mode, Lazerbeak in DotM, Starscream in TFP telling Knock Out that he can't imagine why anyone would chose a ground vehicle) I don't understand why they don't get alt modes more suited to the war they're in.

mechabot wrote:as far as autobot toys go... it seems like there are more and more autobots that count as what i would call "War-like" correct em if i'm wrong but should Tanks/weapons/ and other forms of militatry hard-ware be reserved for decepticons? I mean, I thought there was a time when autobots where more likely to be automobiles like cars ans trucks. and decepticons, being the warmongers they are, would be more likely to be tanks or other military vehicles.

The Autobots haven't been car & truck exclusive since the very first year of G1. Neither side had a tank until year two when the cons got Blitzwing and the bots got Warpath AND Omega Supreme.

Granted the cons did have a gun and three fighter jets right from the get go, so you're not totally wrong, I just thought it funny after I thought about it and realized the bots started out with more tanks.

Also, these days anyway, there's usually a way to attach weapons to the car/truck mode and/or some sort of attack mode, so is it really any less of a "war vehicle" if you've got a huge-ass cannon on the roof of a racecar? ;

and I should say I wish there were more scout class figures these days... but i think they are gone for good, or getting close to it anyway. I'm begining to miss all the different figures in that scale I wanted to get.

Basically replaced by Cyberverse commanders, though they seem to be a "downsizing" more between scouts and legends than full scout replacements. They're pretty nice, though, at least the few I have.

Cyberverse legion, though, I can't say I care for, they seem really cheap (in quality, not price) compared to the old legends. I only have a few, but I was pretty disappointed in comparison.

Optimum Supreme wrote:Cyberverse legion, though, I can't say I care for, they seem really cheap (in quality, not price) compared to the old legends. I only have a few, but I was pretty disappointed in comparison.

I think the quality, of engineering at the very least, has improved dramatically in Legends/Legion class over the years. Deluxes have seen a lot of improvements too, but also some downsizing. Too many of the old Legends looks downright terrible, so I skipped them. There was also a tendency to make smaller versions of the larger characters in this scale, so I didn't really want them to begin with. I'm no movieverse fan, but had to admit that whilst I wasn't keen on the aesthetics, the engineering of the Legion guys was great.

Take Henkei Legends Cliffjumper. He has swivel arms, and arguably he has posable thighs on sort of ball joints, and minor swivel ankles. If we're being really generous. Compare him to Prime Legion Cliffjumper who has ball jointed shoulders, elbows, thighs and swivel knees and almost ball jointed feet/ankles. AND he can hold a weapon. The Prime one is less than a head shorter than the Classics version and they're about as equally wide, but the Prime version has a much slimmer profile due to having far less kibble. Vehicle modes are of comparable size (Legends has a far taller roof, but Legion is much longer, they're similar width) so really, I can only see it as an improvement over time.

I did like it when Scout Class was used for smaller, unique characters as opposed to larger-scale legends versions of the Voyagers though.

GuyIncognito wrote:Cyberverse Commanders are about the same size as the old Scouts. If there's any size difference, it's a very small difference.

Scouts always have a heck of a lot more mass than Commanders, and usually are taller.

PCCs or the Human Alliance Basics are much closer to Scouts, size-wise, and awesome-wise.

craggy wrote:PCCs or the Human Alliance Basics are much closer to Scouts, size-wise, and awesome-wise.

That's because the PCC "bulks" and the Dotm HA Basics are scout class. The PCC line were called "Scout Commanders" because they came with either a minicon or the drones. And the HA "Basics" use the old scout-class moniker from Beast Wars up to Armada.

so you agree?

craggy wrote:so you agree?

Pretty much; I was just clarifying.

In most continuities, the Autobots have some version of the Dinobots or some other strike force as their counter to all the Decepticon war machines. That said, I do like a Decepticon car now and again. I like variety in my factions, and "Autobots are always cars and trucks, Decepticons are always jets and tanks" gets old fast.

I just wish they reserved the Scout Class for cars. I'd love a Scout version of Botcon Kick Off, Nightbeat or the Stunticon cars to display with my old favourites from the G1 Diaclones.

Scout class was the only size Movie Bumblebee DIDN'T come in and the only size I wanted him in.