POST YOUR NEWEST ACQUISITIONS!

[Clay]

BBTS have already marked down the Super7 stuff, so I went ahead and grabbed a Bludgeon on a slight discount. Haven't fully experimented with him yet, but initial thought is that, well, he's huge! He's far more substantial than I was expecting.

Also, given how the tank turret was included, and given how simple the Pretender inner robots are, I wonder how long it'll take for someone to whip up a 3D print of the little dude.

Also, have recently acquired... lots of things. Retail therapy is a thing, y'all.

[Denyer]

Sounds like a load of inventory has come in at the same time and they're trying to shift it before it becomes a problem. Even higher mark down with other sellers on some Thundercats Ultimates minor characters, which was nice insofar as I picked up a Mandora for about half price (including international shipping). Lot of nostalgia for that episode and audio cassette, the character always reminds me of the ST:NG Denise Crosby type of action hero -- Thundercats was pretty good for competent female characters and not just having a token one or two. Anyway, guessing retailers might be more cautious ordering with the way things have logjammed over the last few years.

Still no sign of Bludgeon over here.

https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... 6/page-117

^ Considering the size difference between the voyager and the Super7 and them almost being the same price with voyager RRP vs BBTS Super7 mark down, seems like a good deal. And I almost typed that without mentally screaming "voyagers are a rip off at RRP".

[Warcry]

Every Transformer is a ripoff at retail price these days. That weedy little Core Snarl cost $17 plus tax or something ridiculous like that. I could buy a new-release console game for what a Leader costs! Heck, I bought my kid a pretty good tablet that cost less than a Titan.

[Tantrum]

The Army Builder 4-pack (3 Deluxes and a Voyager) is a pretty good deal at RRP of US$78. Though, that may just go to show how overpriced every other TF is. Sure, these are all redecos and retools of pre-existing molds. But how many TFs aren't? I opened mine this weekend, and am pretty happy with it:

G2 Cybertronian Trooper - The alt mode and transformation haven't improved any since Skullgrin, but that's OK. He's there to look good in bot mode, which he does, especially with Fossilizer bits attached to him. I haven't been able to detach the default head to try the green-helmeted one, but I haven't tried too hard since I prefer the all-white bonehead.

Splotch - The spiky Blot. This is the only mold I didn't already own, and it's pretty fun. He's quick to transform, and the gator head is distinctive enough that it's OK that it's the only real difference from bot mode. Sure, they have different arms, but each mode's arms are clearly visible in the other. But that's OK, because he can chew on his own alternate bot head. Yum!

Autotrooper - I already owned this mold twice, but don't mind having it again. The white is much crisper than Ratchet. I've given him Energon Arcee's weapons to add some color. I don't remember if I had any trouble with Ratchet or Crosshairs rolling, but I definitely don't with this guy. My only issue is the front bumper popping off during transformation, and even that seems to be improving. Maybe there was a stray bit of plastic that's rubbed off.

Thunderhonky - The shade of blue means he isn't Thundercracker, but is quite close. This might qualify as the low point due to QC issues. The head had some gray paint of the brow, which I was able to cover with a Gundam marker. But, one of the wings falls off during transformation. It's fine in either mode, but getting from one to the other is a pain. Given RRP for this set, and RRP for the 3 Deluxe molds ($20, $20, $25), this guy was $13, so I can't complain too much.

[Denyer]

The G2 trooper head isn't quite a full head, if it isn't clear from the instructions. The top sort of slides off. Very annoying that it isn't simply a ball joint and two full heads, but only intended to be usable on one figure.

[HeavyArms]

Toxitron Collection G2 Universe Autobot Mirage - Bought from JB Hi-Fi.

[Denyer]

Someone pointed out Hasbro Pulse have the Transformers Legacy Wreck ‘N Rule Collection G2 Universe Leadfoot and Masterdominus set for £17 plus shipping (nothing says "please help before this stack of them accidentally crushes us" like a limit of 20 per customer). And it's worth that for Leadfoot and I like the design of MD even if everyone seems to agree quality control (and implementation) is piss-poor.

https://uk.hasbropulse.com/products/tra ... terdominus

https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... s.1235925/

The plan is to soak mammoth-boy in alcohol and get the black paint off. Tighten up the joints a bit. And maybe paint the yellow parts silver.

IMNSHO fossilizers would've been a lot better as just transforming articulated skeletons rather than the fall-apart-and-get-lost gimmick. And sticking to bone/gray rather than rainbow vomit, in several cases. I hope they come back occasionally and we can get more Dinobot analogues and maybe a smilodon.

edit: Work in progress, some of that black is going to be tricky, but already tons better for being able to see the shape of the skull clearly.


https://i.imgur.com/RnYRJXo.jpeg

[Denyer]

Kingdom Mainframe as I saw one loose and had gotten the Ark without him. Would like to do the same sort of thing this person has with a hybrid AM colour scheme:

https://twitter.com/TheClutterdDesk/sta ... 5706707968

Not intending to go this far: https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... n.1244185/

But I'm thinking this might be a good time to experiment with more durable paint.

[HeavyArms]

Toxitron Collection G2 Universe Laser Cycle - Bought from JB Hi-Fi.

[Skyquake87]

I've been dipping back into some older toys when Transformers were fun toys and not po-faced Collector-orientated fun sponges with 94 points of articulation that'll never get used.

HFTD Payload
I think this is my third time buying this guy, so I clearly like the toy so will try not to resell it again. I love the chunky Tonka-toy vibes this has in vehicle mode and like the muddy tyres and that. Looks great! Robot mode is a gangly oaf but has some excellent paint apps and two big red lollipops he can wave at enemies or use to ferry children across a busy main road. Excellent stuff

Energon Hot Shot
Always wanted a go on this one, as it looks nicer than the Armada version of the character. I love it! The vehicle mode is swish and nice and bright and yellow. Robot mode is compromised by the combination gimmick, but it's by no means awful. The colours are great and his arms can wave around and the legs are decently articulated. Face is a bit long and mournful looking, but it's alright.

Energon Inferno
Another one I've always wanted a play with and it's also great. It follows the same design layout as the original 1985 toy, just chunks it up for the 2000s. Decent looking stout fella with a big shooty arm cannon - that can also rotate about like Landmine's crane thingy, which is neat. Vehicle mode is good, but pretty small next to the other Deluxe Autobots. Had a bash with combining Inferno with Hotshot and it's great fun. What a neat couple of toys.

Energon Treadshot w/ Rollbar
Like much of the Universe 2008 figures, this is easily found cluttering up eBay as no-one seems to like the pair of them that much.It's a chunky bit of a nonsense with a comical walking action and clanking sound effects. Rollbar can sit in the cab and plugs into the Treadbolt to launch the kidney missile. Not a glamorous set by any stretch, but a pair with quirky charms.

A bunch of Super 7's ReaAction figures
Picked up ten of these on clearance. I got Shockwave, Rumble, Sharpnel, Galvatron, Soundblaster, Prowl, Jazz, Mirage, Blaster and Arcee. They are decent 5 POA retro styled figures and work well as modern Action Masters for me. They're colourful fun, but not essential really, and look nice with the similarly styled Marvel Retro figures.

[Denyer]

Payload's the Longhaul equivalent? Never touched the one I got to round out a mixed assortment of 3P/KO Constructicons but yeah he does look the part in the alt-mode.

Treadshot looks like a swish Energon generic, very Cyberjet-y.

[Tantrum]

The G2 trooper head isn't quite a full head, if it isn't clear from the instructions. The top sort of slides off. Very annoying that it isn't simply a ball joint and two full heads, but only intended to be usable on one figure.

I can see it's like the Autotrooper heads, more of swapable masks than heads. I just couldn't get a good enough grip on the head stump to pull the skull face off. I didn't try that hard, though. The green helmeted head is in a box with other parts I don't use.

Over Thanksgiving, I got Legacy wave 2 (Tarantulas, Elita-1, Wildrider, Knockout). These were in 2-for-1 packs at Walmart, so the whole wave only cost me $50. There were a dozen 2-packs available. I didn't see all of them in stores, but I got the two I most wanted.

I'd've paid retail for Tarantulas on his own, but I only saw him once, and the line was too long. My patience has been rewarded with a free Elita-1 figure. I'm not too thrilled with the Strongarm version of this mold, but it looks to suit Elita better, and this tooling may have a less annoying backpack. She can baby sit my Terrans since her Earthspark figure seems pretty poor.

Wildrider and Knockout each seemed OK when they first came out, so I don't mind getting them for $12.50 each. I've liked Dragstrip and Deadend better than I thought I would; hopefully Wildrider continues this. Still, I don't think I'll get Breakdown. I don't know much about sports cars, but a Lamborghini is one of the few I recognize, and I'm bummed that Breakdown isn't one.

I already have the Jackpot version of the Knockout mold. I like it, but the lumpy head makes him a poor action figure, so hopefully I like this one better. I never thought it was a bad looking figure, just a bad incarnation of Knockout. In Prime, he was sleek, while this seems more of a beefy muscle car.

I found Buzzworthy Kup at Burlington for $10, which I bought for myself. I also got 3 blue Silverstreaks and 2 Energon Armor Sludges for $8 each to donate to toy drives.

[Skyquake87]

Payload's the Longhaul equivalent? Never touched the one I got to round out a mixed assortment of 3P/KO Constructicons but yeah he does look the part in the alt-mode.

Treadshot looks like a swish Energon generic, very Cyberjet-y.

Ooh 'eck, I think I meant Treadbolt? It's the Armada Scavenger repaint with a generic off the shelf name. Turns into a bulldozer thing with what looks like a meat tenderizer ont back.

Aye, Payload's the Long Haul repaint from Hunt For The Decepticons and a looks a lot better than Long Haul.

[Denyer]

A lot of the Unicron Trilogy stuff looks better in retrospect, doesn't it? Largely chunky and substantial stuff compared to what gets released now, interactivity that's also been cut from modern releases like Laser Prime, and the simple virtue of not just reusing the same small pool of characters.

[HeavyArms]

Studio Series Nightbird (Rise of the Beasts)

Studio Series Optimus Primal (Rise of the Beasts)

Bought discounted from JB Hi-Fi.

[Warcry]

SS86 Frenzy is a bit of a surprise. I mostly got it because Soundwave feels incomplete without someone to stuff inside his cassette door, and I never managed to find any of the previous options. But all in all I'm quite happy with it. It feels like a streamlined downscaling of the MP tapes. I actually find that I enjoy handling this one a lot more because the articulation on the MPs was too much for their small size. If I was going to judge solely by pictures, this one is also a much nicer-looking toy than the Siege two-packs or the recent Blaster's translucent pack-ins.

Frenzy needed to be tiny to fit inside the recent Soundwaves they've put out. That winds up working out alright though, because the obligatory piledrivers use up a lot of mass on their own. The accessories might have more mass than the toy itself, actually. It also comes with the twin guns that were sorely missing from the Siege iteration of this design. I was wary of paying Core-class prices for the thing but it feels significantly more "worth it" than Snarl did.

[Denyer]

The promo photos look good, depending on what price it can be found at.

Talking of cassettes, opened up the Noise and Graphy part of the weird SKU throuple Hasbro cassette reissue pack (not calling them Gurafi and Noizu, f*ck that attempt at trademarking phonemes).

IIRC half-price Kapow bargains that I was going to leave on card, then realised the card backs are in the wrong order, then removed the Frenzy and cut down the card back and stuck the bits together, and finally got sick of looking at carded rectangles in a display because something else is on the way that will take its place.

And with the chrome bits and positioning that's nothing like their stock photography they're really rather charming and go nicely with some other Japanese characters.

[Denyer]

Autobot Stampede

Motto: "One for all, 'til all are one!"

The lone survivor of an early team of beastformers known as the Anibots, Stampede has found new purpose with a magnificent, unstoppable team of guerrilla fighters including Prowl, Jazz, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker and Inferno. Inseparable on and off missions, the six are looking for at least one additional member for the posse. The only way is up!

Transforms into a robotic bull, a type of alien known from classified time-lost broadcast transmissions for its easygoing nature and darts-playing prowess.



Yeah, so I wouldn't recommend Generation Toys GT-11D Darknight (Black Beast Sideswipe) -- see that link for official photos -- unless you have a high tolerance for expensive collectables that break or get one particularly cheap and are expecting to have to fix it (raises hand). Apparently the design is based on an unofficial art book that features more TFs with particularly Japanese styled animal alt-modes. There's a Starscream as a bird from another 3P that leans even more into this.

Red Bull / Darknight is more of a cenobite puzzle box than a transforming toy. Specifically, despite being forewarned and extra careful, a plastic cylinder on the robot mode right knee sheared off, and there's every likelihood the same piece on the opposite side will too in future. It still pegs together well enough to stand and I suspect will be okay in alt mode too, but this is many things I normally hate in Transformers: sharp tolerances and generally an unnecessarily complex CAD designed nightmare.

Which I'm quite deliberately not fully transforming because it'll undoubtedly break further and I don't want it to look more like Sideswipe anyway. It's a clever idea and sight gag to do SS as the Lamborghini logo, but doesn't really fit in a collection display unless you're into multiple versions of characters and in black they haven't gone for the G2 colour scheme but a more anime nice black/gold/silver affair. Subbing as a character we're never going to get an MP type (or probably any) figure for is most of the reason I picked up this up. They're being heavily clearanced right now by Bombusbee for $30 + shipping but I got this one from a UK seller for not far off the import price.

The bull head is designed to (somehow) wedge as the middle of the chest, which I tried experimentally and couldn't quite get to fit, and was quite grateful that some of the parts in that assembly are metal otherwise they'd have lasted five seconds. What I was hoping for is possible, and it can be moved somewhere visible. I always prefer robots with just enough kibble to indicate their alt modes and it's more reminiscent of the very rough design from that UK annual story with it behind the robot head, plus leaving the shoulder pads gives somewhere to stick an Autobot symbol and further differentiates from Sideswipe. Takes some cues from Tantrum too, if the horns weren't a big enough clue.

But yeah, couldn't in good conscience recommend to anyone without a streak of masochism. Even switching the face plate requires the total disassembly of the head. Which I might do again to do metallic blue eyes.

Now... how to do a custom Megadeath?

[HeavyArms]

Toxitron Collection G2 Universe Grimlock

Legacy Evolution Strongarm

Bought discounted from JB Hi-Fi during Black Friday sales.

[Warcry]

Autobot Stampede

Whenever I've seen pictures of that mold, I've always been struck by how cool it looks! I'm sad to hear it's not actually any good. Glad you could make it work for you, though.

Now... how to do a custom Megadeath?

If you're aiming for the Pretender shell-ish look of the original and not concerned about it transforming, maybe look into finding a figure of the modern DC OMAC to use as a base? The blue robot with the metal spikey "hair", I mean, not the 70s dude with a mohawk. If Mattel or McFarlane have done a proper 6-inch figure at some point, I think it'd be passable painted up in Megadeath's colours. Not fully accurate, but it could be a "before he was melted by radiation" version easy enough.