Phil's Robots In Disguise (repaints) Reviews

[Philip Ayres]

I've split my RID reviews in two. This thread contains all the toys that were repainted during the RID line that I'd not written about previously.

Not really started yet but ....

I need some info (as ever):

Ruination/Baldigus/Bruticus: Did Battle Gaea come with the individual vehicle weapons and base parts for Great Cannon ?

Are there any decent pictures of all of Battle Gaea's components on the net ?

Some revised reviews to get us going:

Skid-Z

Windsheer

Tow-Line

Skyfire

Dreadwind and Smokejumper

If you spot any hideous mistakes please lmk - the Flipchangers are made from the previous big Flipchanger review cut up and I think I've done it OK.

[Jaymz]

Dec 5, 2008 22:50:22 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Did Battle Gaea come with the individual vehicle weapons and base parts for Great Cannon ?

Are there any decent pictures of all of Battle Gaea's components on the net ?

Yes

[Philip Ayres]

Ta !

The Power Warriors vs packs poundland had: Can anyone remember which flipchanger came with which ?

[blueshift]

I got the pack with um, the Mirage mold vs the Megatron mold. The Mirage one exploded in a shower of brittle plastic the first time I transformed him, the Megatron one just stands about in a floppy mess.

[Philip Ayres]

Ta ! The info was on the old hub but I never got round to noting it down in the Flipchanger reviews

[Philip Ayres]

Another Q: What lights up on Laser Rod Prime ? I think it's the headlights in vehicle mode, the hand in robot mode but not the eyes whixch are light piped.

[Philip Ayres]

we'll kick off RID week with some of the toys I don't own at present (I'm away for a few days and won't have access to my TFs so it makes sense to do one I don't need the toys here for)

The first toy up I've owned in two of it's forms. You might well be able to guess what the next six reviews will be !

Onslaught

Onslaught is the leader of the Combaticon team and forms the body & head of their combined form Bruticus.

Onslaught is a Military Flatbed Transporter armed with a set of elevating dual cannons behind the cab. There's 3 sets of wheels: a pair at the front, two pairs about half way along and a third pair at the rear - it's a long vehicle with space at the back for carrying extra equipment - Brawl might be quite good ! The majority of the truck is cast in dark blue/green except the sides of the front & the cannon body which is olive green and the cannons themselves & all the combination accessories which are a silver grey.

Like all the Special Team/Scramble City combiners Onslaught has a third mode: Separate the cab halves and fold back so they cover the second set of wheels. Pull back and then separate the flatbed at the back of the truck down the middle, fold to the sides at the joint behind the cannon, then fold back in at the second joint and push the sides of the flatbed up so the joints are covered. Place the supplied ramp in the opened out back of the truck. Remove the dual cannon. Rotate the exposed robot head till it faces up and place the cannon over the robot head.

Of all the combiner leaders base modes this looks the most realistic, almost like a bridge layer.

Now onto the real base mode fun !

He combines with Metroplex & Trypticon ! At the end of what Metroplex's leg transforms into there's a rectangular hole that perfectly fits the back of Onslaught's head (or Silverbolt's landing gear) Use this to fasten Onslaught into place as extra space for Metroplex. You might ask why would a Decepticon toy couple to an Autobot toy ? Well it's generally believed that both toys are what Diaclone would have produced next if Takara had continued that line and there are no sides in Diaclone. Trypticon has a number of connectors included that allow you to link combiner bases up to it's base mode - Trypticon is believed to be a latter designed toy.

The other point about Onslaught's base mode is there is a specific variation relating to the Japanese version - it contains a launcher on the back of the base where the olive green panels are that propels vehicles down the ramp. For more details see the Japnese Launcher Version at Fred's Variation Quest

TF to robot mode: Fold up the back of the truck, pull down on the same piece and then separate to form the legs. Fold the cab halves back to cover the wheels at the side and extend the fists. Place the small chest plate in the hole on the chest and place the gun in the fist.

Onslaught has a very Prime like head - was he originally intended to be a new version of Optimus in Diaclone ? He has little meaningful articulation in this mode with what's in the legs just used in TF'ing to base mode so really all you have are the shoulders which shrug up as part of the TF and move back & forth.

In the west Onslaught was available by himself only - there's no G1 Bruticus giftset issued by Hasbro. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Onslaught was numbered toy D-64 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69. Onslaught was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s.

Overall: Better than Silverbolt & Motormaster all round, on a par with Hotspot for the robot, slightly ahead on vehicle mode due to Hotspot's silly colouring and winning hands down on base mode. Well worth a look.

Operation Combination Great Cannon

Great Cannon was only available in the Battle Gaea giftset ( see here for pictures ) labelled TF-10 - not all numbers were used in this brief transformer series.

The main vehicle is cast in blue plastic with grey for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and black for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.

Great Cannon is another of those "Don't even bother trying to look for" toys. Doesn't come up too often.

Generation 2 Onslaught

This time Onslaught comes in yellow painted with purple camouflage ! Purple is used for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and black for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts - thought the large chest plate also suffers from purple camouflage patterns !

This version of Onslaught includes an extra missile launcher, same as Jazz & Sideswipe. The G2 version is the only version of Onslaught to have this launcher (his G2 Counterpart Silverbolt includes a pair of the launchers used on the G2 Decepticon jets and extra holes under the wings to attach them to). The missile launcher is a modified version of one sold with the 1991 version of the GI Joe Snow Serpent (see Yo Joe.com) The dual cannon on the back of the truck has an extra hole to mount the small peg on the launcher's handle in in vehicle mode and this hole is carried over into all subsequent versions. The larger portion of the peg is held by both Onslaught & Bruticus' hands.

G2 Onslaught was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.

Car Robots Dollrailer

This time Onslaught comes in olive green painted with sandy camouflage - different pattern to G2 Onslaught. Orange is used for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and gold for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.

Onslaught gains a second new hole on the launcher to carry the large gun in vehicle mode. The large gun gains a hole through it for combining the small robot weapons in combined robot form. The cab has an upside down G2 Autobot symbol on the side - see the Car Robots Black Convoy review for info on *why* this is there.

Dollrailer is Car Robots toy D-010 and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.

Robots in DisguiseMega-Octane

I have a problem with the name for this toy. I associate the word Octane with fuel and Laser Rod Prime (re-released in RID as Scourge) is a fuel tanker - a big one too. Therefore the name Mega-Octane is appropriate to the Laser Prime mold whereas it's less appropriate to the G1 Onslaught mold.

Mega-Octane is part of one of the frequent problems that afflict the UK TF line:

RID UK Cases:
1) 3 each of 2 of the cars, 2 each of the other
2) 1 each of each of the combiner limbs + 1 of Mega-Octane + 3 random ones from the case. Exclusive to Woolies (The limbs for Ruination weren't exclusive and sold later on)
3) 3 each of 2 of the super versions of the cars, 2 each of the other

This meant that Mega-Octane sold slowly at the time because of no limbs, and all the limbs sold very badly everywhere due to no body for the combined form. A US case with the Super Car brothers, Mega-Octane & the Build Team later shows at TRU on grey import and instantly helps to clear up their Combaticon limb problem.

What the RID UK Cases *SHOULD* have been:

1) 2 each of all 3 cars, 1 Skid-Z vs Windsheer, 1 TowLine vs Skyfire
2) 2 each of each of the combiner limbs
3) 2 each of all 3 super versions of the cars, 2 of Mega-Octane (this wave shipped concurrent with the limbs for Ruination)

Mega-Octane is broadly similar to Car Robots Dollrailer. However all the gold parts are now cast in grey, the G2 Autobot symbol is gone replaced by a large Decepticon symbol on the roof.

Mega-Octane was only available on a deluxe card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.

Wal-Mart Mega-Octane

Mega-Octane gain a darker grey on grey camouflage pattern for this release - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. Black is used for the sides of the transporter & cannon body, the gun, the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.

This makes for a rather plain looking Transporter and Robot but aids the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.

Mega-Octane was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Universe Mega-Octane

Mega-Octane this time comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown.

Orange is used for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and gold for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.

Mega-Octane was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

[Stomski]

Pics of Onslaught combined with Metroplex at www.cobraislandtoys.com/tf/1986/metroplex.html

[Philip Ayres]

Brawl

Brawl is a green Tank with grey fixed treads containing a small wheel at front & back on each side and a black gun barrel. The turret on the tank turns but the gun barrel does not elevate. Like many of the Scramble City/Special Team limbs Brawl comes with extra weapons that can be used in vehicle mode. The first is a dual cannon that plugs into a pair of sockets behind the turret and bends over it. This can also be plugged into the rear of the tank. The second is the robot's hand gun which can fit into the robot's hand holes on the sides of the front of the tank even when the toy is in tank mode.

Like all the combiner limbs Brawl can be either used as an arm or a leg for any of the combiner bodies - see the Bruticus review for how to transform him for that purpose. However he can also combine with Metroplex: fold the peg out from the underside of the tank and plug into either Metroplex's knee or shoulder as a power up mode for Metroplex. When attached to the shoulder the hole at the back of Brawn can take Metroplex's fist but it's important to note that the extra attached limb will not move independently of Metroplex's own arm !

TF: Remove the double cannon. Fold the back of the tank back to form the legs. Bend down the front of the tank exposing the head and forming the chest. Bend the sides of the tank down further to form the arms. Place gun in fist.

Nice chunky robot revealing a body & head the same colour as the tracks. Bends at the shoulders and at the knees - though there's not a lot you can do with the knees because they're attached to the same metal rod and there's no hip movement.

Overall: I have a soft spot for Brawl as it's the only combiner limb I had when younger. It's a decent tank for the size and a good chunky robot. There are worse combiner limbs than this.

In the west Brawl was available by himself only - there's no G1 Bruticus giftset issued by Hasbro. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Brawl was numbered toy D-67 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69. Brawl was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s.

Operation Combination Sandstorm

Sandstorm was only available in the Battle Gaea giftset ( see herefor pictures ) labelled TF-10 - not all numbers were used in this brief transformer series.

Sandstorm is casts the main body of Brawl in a sandy white colour and the tracks, robot body & add on weapons in a browny gold.

Sandstorm is another of those "Don't even bother trying to look for" toys. Doesn't come up too often.

Overall: Not a bad desert repaint, but Brawl will see better .....

Generation 2 Brawl

G2 Brawl is coloured bright green with purple camouflage and has purple tracks, robot body & add on weapons - aping the G2 Megatron that appeared a year earlier.

G2 Brawl was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.

Overall: There are worse G2 repaints. Brawl got off rather lightly.

Car Robots Danger

Danger D-007 is Car Robots toy and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.

Danger is very similar to Sandstorm - sandy coloured body this time with brown camouflage paint on it and darker brown tracks, robot body & additional weapons. He sports an upside down G2 Autobot symbol like all the other Car Robot Combaticons.

Probably the best of the three desert versions of Brawl.

Robots in Disguise Armorhide

Every so often you get a recolour that you think "Why ?" RID Armorhide is one of them. Armorhide swaps the sandy colour for blue (!) brown camouflage for darker blue camouflage in the same pattern and makes the tracks, robot body & add on weapons a gun metal grey. He looses the G2 Autobot symbol and gains a Decepticon badge in the same position.

Blue ? What Blue for it to be camouflaged against ? Such an odd choice of colour ! Why change it ? It's sandy coloured in the cartoon !

In the UK the Basic case containing Armorhide was not available at the same time as Mega-Octane which lead to the four combiner limbs just sitting on the shelf as nobody wanted them without the larger body component.

Overall: Mystifying. But because it's different to Danger it generated some extra sales to people who had the Car Robots version.

Armorhide was only available on a deluxe card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.

Wal-Mart Armorhide

Armorhide gain a darker grey on grey camouflage pattern for this release - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. Tracks, robot body & extra weapons become black for this release.

The tank looks better than Onslaught did in these colours and it aids the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.

I like this set, would get one if I could find it cheap enough !

Amorhide was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart Universe Armorhide

Armorhide this time comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown. The tracks, robot body and add on weapons come in a slightly metallic brown shade.

To me the desert camo looks a bit of a mess here - I suppose they're going for a form of dazzle camouflage.

Armorhide was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

[Philip Ayres]

Ta for those combined pics. There used to be some really good ones at the original location for the text I've linked to.

[Philip Ayres]

Vortex

Vortex is a grey helicopter with black rotor blades and green for the robot upper legs, head and add on weapons. The underside of the helicopter - robot chest - is purple. He has a large four bladed rotor mounted horizontally behind the cab and a small four bladed rotor mounted vertically on his tail. Both spin freely. There's a gun under the cab and two large cannons mounted on round pegs on the tail.

Like all the combiner limbs Vortex can be either used as an arm or a leg for any of the combiner bodies - see the Bruticus review for how to transform him for that purpose. However he can also combine with Metroplex: To attach to his leg just flip out the peg on the underside of the toy. For his arm you additionally need to remove the chin gun, rotate the section holding the larger rotor back & fold down the cab at the front. When attached to the shoulder the hole Vortex can take Metroplex's fist but it's important to note that the extra attached limb will not move independently of Metroplex's own arm !

TF: Remove the chin gun. Rotate the section holding the larger rotor back & fold down the cab at the front. Split the tail in half and fold down to the sides turning the halves round so the inside of the tail is against the outside of the body.

Vortex's only real articulation in this mode are his shoulders which move. He has no hands but the tail cannons can be attached to the side of the arms as weapons.

Overall: more limited than Brawl but an adequate design for the size and price point.

In the west Vortex was available by himself only - there's no G1 Bruticus giftset issued by Hasbro. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Vortex was numbered toy D-66 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69.

Vortex was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s. Operation Combination Target Hawk

Operation Combination Target Hawk

Target Hawk swaps the grey for green, purple for darker green and the green on the head and weapons for grey.

Nice looking more army coloured helicopter, robot's not bad either

Target Hawk was only available in the Battle Gaea giftset ( see here for pictures ) labelled TF-10 - not all numbers were used in this brief transformer series.

Target Hawk is another of those "Don't even bother trying to look for" toys - Battle Gaea doesn't come up too often.

Generation 2 Vortex

Vortex swaps the grey for a pale blue with purple camouflage and uses dark purple for all the previous purple and green pieces. Compared to some G2 repaint Vortex is perfectly sensible - a sea colour schemed helicopter.

G2 Vortex was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.

Car Robots Hepter

Hepter swaps the grey for dark metallic blue with some white painted round the bottom, the purple for orange and green for red. It's almost a sea rescue colour scheme with the orange on the chest representing a life jacket. There's an upside down G2 Autobot symbol on the tail - see the Black Convoy review for why these keep occurring in RID.

Hepter is Car Robots toy D-009 and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.

Robots in Disguise Ro-tor

Ro-Tor simplifies Hepter's colour scheme by making the blue cast a darker more plasticy blue and loosing the white paint. The symbol on the tail becomes a proper Decepticon one.

Hepter looks the better of the two versions.

The basic case containing Ro-tor was not available at the same time as Mega-Octane which led to the limbs being big shelf warmers for a long while in the UK.

Ro-tor was only available on a basic card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.

Universe Ro-tor

Ro-Tor gains a darker grey on grey camouflage pattern for this release - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. Robot chest, head and weapons are all black.

Of all the Combaticons Vortex suits this colour scheme the beast and it aids the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.

Ro-Tow was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart

Walmart Universe Ro-Tor

Ro-tor this time comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown. The chest is orange and the head & weapons are red as per the normal rid release.

Again the colour scheme suits Ro-tor better than the two Combaticons I've reviewed so far.

Ro-tor was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

[Philip Ayres]

Blast Off

Blast Off is a space shuttle. I'm going to spend a good proportion of this review slagging off the colours he's in so start as you mean to go on: Blast Off is dark green, with black wings, head and add on weapons plus a purple cheat. All Space Shuttles in the real world are white. Anything else just isn't acceptable. He's got a pair of big guns mounted on the wings and these have the effect of looking a little like solid fuel rocket boosters. (until I saw the pictures of Shuttler bellow I *never* realised the guns for Blast off plugged into the engines over the wings - I'd always mounted them on the pegs under the wings !)

Like all the combiner limbs Blast Off can be either used as an arm or a leg for any of the combiner bodies - see the Bruticus review for how to transform him for that purpose. However he can also combine with Metroplex: Fold the peg out of the back of the shuttle and attach it to either Metroplex's knee or shoulder as a power up mode for Metroplex. I'm not keen on the placement of the peg on Blast Off, I'd have had it on the underside so the hole shuttle is the limb. Instead the tail needs folding down and the bottom of the shuttle/robot chest is facing out.

When attached to the shoulder, the hole at in the engines on Blast Off can use Metroplex's fist but it's important to note that the extra attached limb will not move independently of Metroplex's own arm !

TF: Remove the guns and fold the wings up. Separate the nose cone in two and fold down to the sides rotating the nosecone so the insides are against the side of the vehicle. Rotate the front of the nosecone round so the pegs face out and insert the gun. Pull on the back of the shuttle to extend the legs. Plug guns onto underside of wings.

Articulation here is limited to the shoulders and the wrists. Unlike some of the Scramble City/Special Team combiners Blast Off can use his vehicle weapons in this mode (and combined mode) as they are plugged to the side of his feet.

In the west Blast Off was available by himself only - there's no G1 Bruticus giftset issued by Hasbro. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Blast Off was numbered toy D-65 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69.

Blast Off was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s.

Operation Combination Shuttle Gunner

Shuttle Gunner repaints the green as white ! Score for Operation Combination ! The wings and chest are black in this mode, the head, legs & add on weapons are white.

Dead on colours for what this mold should be. And an appropriate name for a Space Shuttle with guns.

Shuttle Gunner was only available in the Battle Gaea giftset ( see here[/size] for pictures ) labelled TF-10 - not all numbers were used in this brief transformer series.

Shuttle Gunner is another of those "Don't even bother trying to look for" toys. Battle Gaea sets come up too often.

Generation 2 Blast Off

Blast Off represents a solid try by the G2 recolour team. He's basically Shuttle Gunner's colours *but* spoiled with the G2 Combaticons purple camouflage.

1) Purple on a Space Shuttle ?
2) Camouflage on a Space Shuttle ? ?
3) Purple Camouflage on a Space Shuttle ? ? ?
4) Purple Camouflage Full Stop ? ? ? ? ?

Loose that and we'd really be in business and I'd be hunting one down right now.

Blast Off was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.

Car Robots Shuttler

Shuttler is again based on the Shuttle Gunner colour scheme, this time with an orange chest. He's been modified to include re-entry heat scarring but all that does is emphasise the edges of the panels in vehicles mode. The upside down G2 symbols are on the wing - again see Dark Convoy for *why* but at least here they're partially covered when the guns are attached.

Shuttle is Car Robots toy D-008 and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.

Robots in Disguise Movor

Movor is one of the least altered of the Car Robots toys imported into RID loosing the G2 Autobot symbols and gaining Decepticon symbols.

The basic case containing Movor was not available at the same time as Mega-Octane which led to the combiner limbs shelf warming.

Isn't Movor a silly name ?

Movor was only available on a deluxe card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.

Wal-Mart Movor

Here Movor looses the white and gains a darker grey on grey camouflage pattern for this release - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. The robot head, upper legs and all weapons become grey. but the wings and body remain black.

I refer you to G2 Blast Off for my comments on camouflaged Space Shuttles, but this does aid the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.

Movor was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Universe Movor

Movor this time comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown. The weapons, head and upper legs also become the same sandy colour.

As above - a camouflaged Space Shuttle ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Movor was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

[Philip Ayres]

Swindle

Swindle is a jeep painted in a sandy colour on his body, a purple underside/robot chest and black head, combining peg and weapons. He comes with two guns that can be combined together and mounted on the back of his jeep mode. The windscreen for the jeep is solid plastic with a sticker on it but can fold down.

Like all the combiner limbs Swindle can be either used as an arm or a leg for any of the combiner bodies - see the Bruticus review for how to transform him for that purpose. However he can also combine with Metroplex: For leg armour just fold out the combining peg and plug into Metroplex's knee, for arm augmentation also fold down the back of the jeep and peg into the shoulder where he can be used to mount Metroplex's hand instead of Metroplex's actual arm. When attached to the shoulder the hole it's important to note that the extra attached limb will not move independently of Metroplex's own arm !

TF: Remove & separate weapons, fold the back of the jeep over, fold the windscreen down, fold the bonnet back, pull the sides of the vehicle out to form the arms. Insert weapons into the hands. Weren't TF's simpler back in 1986 ?

Although the robot will bend at the knees articulation is effectively limited to the shoulders here.

The combining weapon that can be used in both modes is the real star of the show here.

Swindle is only available carded by himself in the west. There's no G1 Bruticus giftset. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Swindle was numbered toy D-68 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69.

Swindle was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s.

Operation Combination Leland

Leland was only available in the Battle Gaea giftset ( see here for pictures ) labelled TF-10 - not all numbers were used in this brief transformer series.

Leland is another of those "Don't even bother trying to look for" toys. Battle Gaea giftsets don't come up too often.

Leland seems an odd name for a jeep. The only Leland/motor vehicle link I can think of is British Leland and they didn't make Jeeps. A search of the internet reveals nothing.....

Leland is bright red with a grey chest and keeps the black from Swindle. Not the greatest colour for a jeep but it could be worse I suppose....

Generation 2 Swindle

..... they could put Purple camo all over it, make the red brighter and make the chest purple again. Along with Onslaught, Swindle is the real looser in the G2 recolouring stakes !

Swindle was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.

Car Robots Grejeber

Grejeber is a much more sensible dark green with US star on the front and upside down G2 Autobot symbol on the back - see Scourge for why it's there ! Weapons remain black and chest becomes orange.

Grejeber is Car Robots toy D-006 and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.

Best of the lot so far.

Robots in Disguise Rollbar

Rollbar lightens the green, looses the star and swaps the G2 Autobot for a Decepticon symbol. Better than the other repaints, but not quite as good as Grejeber.

The basic case containing Rollbar was not available at the same time as Mega-Octane. Rollbar was only available on a basic card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.

Wal-Mart Rollbar

Rollbar gains a darker grey on grey camouflage pattern for this release - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. The robot chest is grey and the weapons and head remain black. The colours work quite well on Rollbar and aids the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.

Rollbar was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Universe Rollbar

This time Rollbar comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown. He retains the orange and black from the previous Wal-Mart Rollbar. Of the set he probably suits the colours used here the best.

Rollbar was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.

[Philip Ayres]

Bruticus

Like all Scramble City/Special Teams combiners Onslaught can be connected together with each of the smaller vehicles serving as an arm or a leg. Therefore I'll include TF instructions for both along with comments as to which is the preferred mode for what part and the pluses and minuses of using them in either way.

Brawl

Leg Mode: Fold down the front of the tank and plug a foot into the back of the tank. This is Brawl's proffered mode for combination. I've seen Brawl attached with the tank barrel facing out or behind the leg, I'd go for on the front of the leg.

Arm Mode: Fold the peg out from the underside of the tank. Plug a fist into the bottom of the tank. Quite good as an arm as it mounts the rotating tank turret on the outside of the arm.

Blast Off

Leg Mode: Fold the nose of the shuttle down to the sides and turn them round so they're flush with the body. Plug a foot into the engines at the back of the shuttle.

Arm Mode: Fold the peg out from the top of the shuttle. Fold down the tail fin. Remove the weapons, fold the wings up and plug the weapons onto the wings. Plug a fist into the engines at the back of the shuttle. This is the proffered mode but I think it looks a little odd as the underside of the shuttle faces out which is coloured significantly differently. I'd have had the tail fin side facing out.

Vortex

Leg Mode. Form the robot mode by removing the cockpit gun, folding the tail down to the sides of the vehicle and flipping the cockpit over to form legs. Plug a foot into the underside of the cockpit.

Arm Mode: Just flip the cab over and plug a fist into the underside of the cab. This is it's preferred combination mode which I quite like because it mounts Vortex's cannons on the shoulders.

Swindle

Leg Mode: Fold the front of the jeep & back of the jeep back and attach a foot to the back of the jeep. Again like Brawl this is the preferred mode for combination, and again I've seen Swindle connected either way round though in this case it's probably best to have to robot chest facing out as then you don't get the hollow back of his robot legs.

Arm Mode: Fold the front & the back of the jeep up, fold out the post from the underside and fold the front of the jeep back. Plug a fist into the back of the jeep. Doesn't work so well for me due to the hollow sides of the legs being visible.

Onslaught

Fold The cab halves apart and back along the sides of the vehicle. Turn so the cab halves are facing up. Fold the back of the vehicle up. Pull back on the back of the vehicle lengthen in. . Separate the back of the vehicle in two. Fold out to the sides at the robot hip and then back in at the robot knee.

Look at the underside of Onslaught: Plug the legs into the bottom of the folded up back of the truck and the arms into the exposed inside parts of the cab. Plug the large chest plate into his chest. Place the helmet over Onslaught's head. Place Onslaught's gun into the robot's hand.

The resulting combined robot is better proportioned than the earlier two combiners using this combination system (Superion was too tall and thin, Menasor was too blocky on his torso) Personally I still prefer Defensor to him when combined but Bruticus does look like he works as a combined form.

Battle Gaea

Battle Gaea was sold only as a giftset numbered TF-10 in the Operation Combination series. The packaging shows off the limb swapping idea by displaying all four limbs in all four combinations - in particular it has Brawl with tank barrel to the back when in leg mode. Although three of the limbs are sensible colours and the armour is nicely coloured in black, the blue from Great Cannon and the red from Leland do rather draw your eye towards them and effect the balance of the toy.

See

here

for pictures

Generation 2 Bruticus

Although brightly mutli coloured Bruticus is united by the purple camouflage I was so rude about in all the reviews of the limbs. However it's missing from the front of Onslaught's legs resulting in large areas of really bright yellow. Fix that and maybe colour Onslaught more sensibly then I reckon you'd have a better toy.

There is no G2 Bruticus Giftset - he could only be formed by buying the five individual toys, none of which were released in the UK.

Car Robots Baldigus

The colours on this toy work well together and are brought together by the gold combined robot armour.

The individual robot weapons combine for the first time on this toy: Hepter & Shuttler wear their vehicle mode weapons, but Dollrailer's gun has Shuttler's and Danger's pegged into it. Grejeber's two gun are combined with Hepter's cockpit cannon and the dual cannon for Danger to from a second hand weapon. This continues to be the case for all subsequent versions.

Robots In Disguise Ruination

Ruination is spoilt by making all the combined robot pieces silver. Where the gold unites it the silver breaks it apart.

There is no Ruination giftset - he could only be formed by buying the five individual toys - but the basic limbs were never available at the same time as the deluxe main body who was a Woolworths Exclusive. Way to go Hasbro UK !

Wal-Mart Ruination

This Ruination is the first time the Combaticons have had a real unified colour scheme - described widely as Artic Camouflage it's probably more appropriately termed Urban Camouflage. It's maybe a little plain all in grey camo with grey armour though. Not sure who decided to make the feet purple though, that doesn't work and detracts from the rest of the toy.

Ruination was available solely in the Ruination giftset in only available at Wal-Mart - there are no individual parts sold separately. The packaging was an Armada style rounded front box with the Robots In Disguise name on it.

Wal-Mart Universe Ruination

This time Ruination comes in a Desert camouflage scheme - a sandy colour on which is a pattern in two shades of brown. The gold is back for the add on robot parts and armour and works well with the sandy colour scheme - Ruination fans - buy the RID version and this and use the armour from this with the RID version to make a more Baldigus Ruination !

I don't like the individual toy colours in this set, and when combined there's lots of red exposed on Ro-Tor which pulls the eye to that limb - especially if it's the one holding Mega-Octane's gun.

Ruination was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart - there are no individual parts sold seperately. The packaing was Transformers Universe.

[Philip Ayres]

Wow. Did those faster than expected. Using the same basic form for each of the limbs helped !

Now I want a Bruticus !

[Philip Ayres]

Laser Optimus Prime

I come not to praise Laser Prime but to bury it. I know Laser Prime is a very popular Transformer toy amongst fans but I've never been that fond of it for a whole load of reasons and I'm prepared to state my case.

Laser Optimus Prime was released in 1995 at the end of the Generation 2 line. He's the third Prime in G2, and the second larger Prime after the repaint of the G1 version. This version updates Optimus's vehicle form from a flat fronted truck to a long nosed petrol tanker. I suppose because I'm English and the majority of out trucks are flat fronted I'm naturally biased but I don't particularly like the long nosed look on Prime.

I'm less concerned about him being a petrol tanker - there's something about the leader providing energy for his troops that sits right with me.

Even less forgivable is the colours of the truck - Optimus is in basic form primarily red. Here the red is limited to the front of the nose and under the sides with most of the rest just being black. Doesn't sit right with me. As a repaint, maybe. As the primary form, No. However in some ways it's paving the way for Prime's future form as a black gorilla .....

The tanker is a mixture of black round the front, back and top with grey sides. I'd have gone for an all silver grey look to make it resemble the original Prime's trailer a bit more - the black here however ties in with the G2 Prime trailer. Unfortunately they've decided to jazz the sides of the tanker up with a picture of Optimus firing his gun and the words Optimus Prime in large letters (also written on the cab door)

Both the components of the vehicle have action features. On the top of Prime's cab there's a button that light up the headlights. On top of the tanker there's two round protuberances like what are used to pour oil into tankers. Turn the one at the rear and the front one fires a succession of discs out the front bearing the G2 Autobot symbol. These will return to haunt us later.

To TF: Uncouple the tanker, stand on it's end and press the button behind the trailer hitch. The tanker then folds out to form the base mode. Then fold out the missile launchers and place the disc launcher facing forward over one wall. Take the cab, remove the sword from underneath and fold down the feet at the back of the cab. Pull out the back of the cab and separate the legs. Stand. Pull the front of the cab out to the sides - with the sides of the cab and pull down to form arms. Open up the blue chest plate, fold the head up and close the chest plate. Place sword in one hand and the double barrelled gun from the trailer in the other - doesn't matter which but they both need to be in his right hand for the lightup gimmick to work.

It was in Japan during late G1 that someone hit upon the idea that a Prime cab doesn't need to have the same front as the robot opening up the way for long nosed Prime's. Star Convoy was the first followed by Combat Hero Prime (although Action Master Prime drove a long nosed truck before these came out !). This follows the tradition by making the underside of the cab the Prime chest and by molding it so it resembles the typical Prime look so the G1 Prime homage is obviously intentional here. Unfortunately the colours bring it down - it's mainly grey which looks so dull. Then the grill on the chest - which should be silver or at least grey - is painted blue. Finally the windows commit a double sin by being the one part of the chest that is actually red and by having his name plastered across them "Dave & Sharon" sun visor style. The shoulders are much larger than is typical on a Prime and are also grey on the front. They extend up someway and have two holes molded in the front of each shoulder which look like a forward facing missile array (I recall not if you can stick any of the smaller missiles from the trailer into these holes) The arms turn up & down at the shoulders - bellow which they're cast in red - and bend at the elbow. The fists are painted in light blue which matches the head, chest grill & feet. While his left arm moves freely at the shoulder the right arm is limited by the wires required to power the gimmick in the fist and to me that's not a good thing (this too will be back to haunt us later)

The head on the robot is light blue with the a silver faceplate. The eyes are lightpiped in the same clear colour as the sword - plus points scored here. When I was younger the head used to bother me as being a bit too plasticy - I suppose the blue could be darker - and cartoony but I'm not finding that so much now. The head turns at the neck.

Further down the body I'm pretty sure the waist turns, the legs bend & fold to the sides at the hips and bend at the knees. The waist looks like a continuation of the body molded in grey, as are the top of the legs but here it feels more suitable. The lower part of the legs are black which works, but having the feet molded in bright blue looks odd against the black.

The base mode consists of a tower and two walls either side of it. On one of the walls is mounted the disc launcher from the tanker mode. The other has a five barrelled missile launcher - each missile has it's own launch button on the back of the launcher. In the tower is stored an air powered missile and it's launcher. The space for the missile isn't quite big enough and you'll end up with at least one missile with a squashed tip - there are two other missiles stored within the tanker as are five spares for the more conventional spring loaded launcher.

Given this is a high price point Prime toy my expectations are raised but this doesn't meet them. There are obvious colour flaws in the intended G1 design on the robot mode that could have been fixed, and the cab mode could have looked more Prime like too - even just repainting it in red. The sides of the truck are too gaudy and the base mode feels like it's thrown together as an after thought to do something with the trailer and throwing in all of Hasbro's then favourite forms of missile launcher without any regard for the design being a decent play environment for small toys (Gobots and Cyberjets) to use.

A big disappointment to me in 1995, and I'm not that fond of it now.

Laser Prime received a Japanese reissue in 2006 at which point there was an e-Hobby exclusive repainted version - see bellow.

Car Robots Black Convoy

Black Convoy was released in Japan in 2000 as part of the Car Robots line. The grey bits of the cab/robot and trailer remain but most of the rest of the toy - red and blue parts - are cast in black plastic. There is some added blue and silver detailing. The sides of the trailer are chromed silver. The clear pieces are now red.

It's obvious there's some attempt at cost cutting on this toy. Gone is the light up gimmick and although the toy is now a Decepticon the G2 Autobot symbols remain on the disc weapons. This then forces him to use this symbol so it appears upside down on his shoulders and just looks odd. Because one Decepticon has the symbol they all must so the Car Robots Decepticon symbol used on the Combaticons is an upside down G2 Autobot symbol.

Black Convoy is the first black Optimus Prime repaint (followed by Jafcon Black original Convoy) He wouldn't be the last.

The black works well on the toy and it's a better colour scheme all round. However You feel cheated having the light up gimmick removed and still being left with the problems moving the arm that contained it !

Robots In Disguise Scourge

I reviewed this shortly after it's Toys R Us exclusive release in 2002: "Rehashed Laser Op, in black and silver, no electronics. There's been a couple of Con symbols added, and the G2 Autobot symbols have been removed from the discs, though the air holes are still there. I'm not sure if red works as the warhead colour on the missile, surely blue would have been better. Buy if you're a completist, a RID fan or don't know where to get a Laser Rod Prime cheap. (No I'm not a fan of this mold, not sure why I got it ....) "

Near identical to the Japanese version with the exception of the swapping of symbols.

I do have a problem with this toy's name. Rather I think it got the wrong name. Onslaught's RID repaint became Mega-Octane. I associate the word octane with fuel, indeed the G1 Decepticon Petrol Tanker was Octane. Therefore I feel the name Mega Octane more appropriately suits a large tanker truck (like this) than a Transport vehicle.

A quick check on eBay reveals this version is worth 2 to 4 times as much as the Japanese one !

E-Hobby Laser Ultra Magnus

Laser Magnus is as you'd expect a White cab pulling the fuel trailer. The cab has dirt marks on it and ends in a dark blue flatbed. The tanker is (somewhat appropriately) mainly petroleum blue (It's the shade used for the Daleks in Destiny of the Daleks) and is unadorned. While the original Laser Op looks gaudy this looks plain - maybe some fictitious stickers for the "Autobot Energon Fuel Company" would have been nice. The base mode mixed the petroleum blue with grey for the walls. While the robot .... oh dear. Now I don't mind white Prime as Ultra Magnus toys - one of my favourite repaints is one (Battle in a Box Magnus), and one of my fantasy repaints would be one (Beast Convoy in white as Yeti Ultra Magnus) But to do it it needs to be white in robot mode. This one's got dark blue on the chest, wrist, round the shoulders and on the lower legs with red upper legs and lower chest. Head is white with a silver faceplate. What they're aiming for is I think Ultra Magnus combined mode colours on Optimus Prime's body, but that doesn't work and to make it worse they've botched the colours.

No thank you.

So as you can see I'm not fond of this mold. I'd like to see it getting the repaint I suggested above (red cab, red robot with blue lower legs & head, grey/silver upper legs & grill and a better painted trailer)

[Jaymz]

Dec 10, 2008 22:36:41 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Near identical to the Japanese version with the exception of the swapping of symbols.

RiD Scourge has red sword and eyes, Black Convoy had pink. Which looked much cooler.

[Dark Stranger]

Wow, you really don't like Laser Rod Prime Phil. He's probably my fave Prime (on a par with the awesome Classics one), and Scourge is probably my favourite TF toy ever. It's odd to hear a critical review! I love how poseable he is.

[Philip Ayres]

He's not my favorite. I'm aware how everyone else loves him but it just doesn't float my boat. On the other hand though .....

[Philip Ayres]

Optimus Prime

In 1994 Hasbro decided to release smaller more affordable versions of both of their leader toys in the Combat Hero line. Both would be armed with an air powered missile launcher.

Optimus Prime appears as a long nosed truck - white cab with a red front and an orange & yellow stripe on the front leading some to liken him to a McDonald's truck. He's molded into a red flat bed at the back - a little more engineering would have been required to make it turn behind the cab like previous Primes. The white cab contains clear blue windows and the smokestacks are molded in blue plastic. He's a bit of a departure for western Primes being the first long nosed truck (though the Action Master Prime did drive one) and the first not to feature a red cab or blue flatbed. The red flatbed trailer section carries two white missile ending in a red rubber trip, a yellow air pump mounted on a white base which is in turn connected to a blue cannon (same colour as the smokestacks) that's got a blue gun mounted on it. A missile can be placed over the cannon's gun barrel and can be fired by removing the air pump and pushing down on it sharply. The cannon can turn but it's point of rotation is off the centre of the vehicle - so much so that when pointing backwards it will cover one side of the vehicle and not the other. He's got ten wheels - two under the front of the cab, four under the middle of the vehicle where the white flatbed becomes the red flatbed trailer and two more towards the rear.

The white cab should look odd on a Prime toy but somehow it isn't too bad - the red at the front might be helping me here. It's be interesting to see this mold painted in the traditional Prime colours of red front & cab and blue rear.

TF: Fold in the flaps on the middle of the front bumper. Pull the cab in two and fold forward - you might need to wiggle the cab halves a bit as the joint they're being folded on required them to move slightly to the sides. Remove the missile and the gun.. Look at the bottom of the vehicle, split the back of it down the middle and fold out to the sides. You'll be able to see the Prime chest and head clearly now and be able to see the backs of the vehicle will become the arms. Turn the arms at the shoulders till the stickers face front. Pull the forearms out to the sides and bend down. Push the fists out using the lever on the back of the forearms. Turn the forearms so the wheels are at the back. Put the missiles onto the clips now on Prime's back with the tips pointing over his shoulders like Smokestacks. Place gun in either hand or in the mounting hole on his left arm.
From the knees up he's a big chunky Prime toy, much larger arms than usual, black fists, dead on head with pale blue light pipe eyes, a chest that looks like Prime though spoilt by having the words Optimus Prime written Kevin & | sun visor style over the windows. The waist is in white and the upper legs are also. The lower legs aren't the traditional Prime blue, they're the white cab halves with the cab and smokestack end providing a large and stable foot base. He's stable either way round so I wonder if a little retooling could add on a pair of blue doors (like Cybertron Clocker) which would give us the blue legs to complete the look.

What's really impressive about the toy is the articulation - in 1994 the message had got back to Hasbro that we wanted TFs that were poseable in robot mode. Prime bends at the knees, his hips move forward & backwards and to the sides. The waist and neck turn. The shoulders shrug up as part of the tf, move forwards & backwards and to the sides. He has bicep swivel joints and his elbows bend. In short Prime has more articulation that the average GI Joe figure did at the time and is easily the most poseable TF to that point - he's one of the first that can kneel down and aim his weapon. And this is the year before Hasbro really discovered ball joints (though Dreadwing and Smokescreen do have some later in the year)

Prime is a little limited in this mode by his gimmick - for the air pump to be mounted as a back pack the hose coming out from the pump is on the opposite side to the side the arm carrying the missile launcher is which really limits the poseability of the arm. Some extra hose length can be gained mounting the pump upside down but a longer tube and/or mounting the out hole on the other side of the pump would have worked much better. The missile launcher still works in this mode and thanks to the articulation the arm can be rotated so the launcher - normally side mounted - is on top of the arm.

If you get *really* bored with the missile launcher in robot mode it can be turned into an optional extra: Unscrew the lower arm it's attached to and then it's a simple matter of removing the screw that holds the launcher in place. The launcher has a peg at it's base so can still be mounted in robot or vehicle mode but it gives you the option of a more symmetrical Prime. I recommend you try this as it's one of the easiest TF customs you can perform.

Overall: Do you get the feeling I like this toy ? It's one of my favourite Prime's ever. Yes I have some issues with the colouring on the vehicle mode, the colour of the robot mode's legs, and the tube on the air pump. But the air pump gimmick works and works well. The robot mode is superb and there's no mistaking that you're looking at a Prime toy even given the legs and if you can ignore the slogan on the chest windows. The head is superb, lightpipe used perfectly which is the main reason I became such a fan of lightpipes.

You need to own one of these.

Well actually you don't. What you need to own is.....

Sureshot

.... who's the European version of Combat Hero Prime but for some reason known only to Hasbro released under a different name. However this then means that they've changed the chest window stickers to remove the words Optimus Prime which in turn makes the robot mode look even better !

Unreleased G2 Optimus Prime

One of the great parts about reviewing G2 toys is that you frequently come up with some cool unreleased versions. This is one of them, shown in the 1995 Hasbro catalogue. All the red on Prime plus the white of the cab becomes blue. All the rest of the white - upper legs, waist & missiles becomes red. The dark blue and the yellow air pump become black and the black remains black. The missile tips become white.
It's an odd and different colour scheme for Prime that's also different to the other Prime recolour that should have come out that year (see the forthcoming Dirtbag review)

Robots In Disguise Destructicon Scourge

Deep into Robots In Disguise's life as a repaint line both Combat Heroes are re-released as the Destructicons. The black Laser Prime version Scourge had been introduced in RID with some success so that colour scheme was applied to the similar looking Combat Hero Prime toy.
All the solid colours become black with the exception of the blue which becomes a silver grey. The clear blue becomes a clear red. The missiles are now silver with a red tip - personally I think Bludgeon's missiles (black with a silver tip) work better with him and have swapped them round. A large Decepticon sticker on the front of the vehicle and metallic cyan trim are added.

Fabulous repaint. A KB Toys exclusive in the US and a TRU exclusive in the UK. Now worth a little bit of money !

Possible Other Repaints

Since Scourge has shown us the mold in a single colour an obvious repaint would be an all white Ultra Magnus version. Alternately - and similar to his Energon form - a little remolding of the head and chest might give us a decent Rodimus Prime. But if the cab became dark blue, the rest of the truck green and the weapons became black it might also make a decent Onslaught. Don't forget the possibility of a red cab & legs Optimus either. I feel there's some more mileage left in the mold yet !

[Andy Turnbull]

A repaint in the colours of Powered Convoy(Diaclone Magnus) would be awesome.

Andy

[Philip Ayres]

Megatron

In 1994 Hasbro decided to release smaller more affordable versions of both of their leader toys in the Combat Hero line. Both would be armed with an air powered missile launcher.

Megatron is once again a tank, of a similar form to his 1993 talking version but this time with the gun barrel replaced by an air powered missile launcher with the pump stored behind the gun barrel. On the right of the turret is mounted an additional gun with turns - unlike the turret which is sadly fixed and will only elevate when the air pump is removed to fire the missile. The missiles can be stored on the sides of the turret in two fold down panels. As per Prime a missile can be placed over the cannon's gun barrel and can be fired by removing the air pump and pushing down on it sharply.

The tank is painted purple - not a 100% appropriate tank colour, but very Decepticon. The treads (molded with little embedded wheels) and the base of the tank barrel are blue. The base of the pump, gun barrel and missiles are black and the tip of the missile is blue rubber. The air pump here is bright orange - more of an effort could have been made to blend it in. The front of the tank has a sticker on it proclaiming "Megatron Rules !" together with several hash gates no doubt counting Autobots eliminated.

To TF: Virtually the same as the larger G2 version. fold the back of the tank down, and then on the folded down piece fold down from what was the middle of the tank to form the legs. Tank folds out to the sides and then is bent down to form the arms with the bottom half rotated to reveal the hands. The tank gun barrel slides onto his right shoulder. Flip the chest flap up to expose Megatron's head. Remove the gun from the shoulder and place into a hand or keep mounted on the shoulder as a shoulder cannon.

The robot keeps the purple but adds in a lot of grey on the robot forearms, upper legs, waist and head. The face plate is painted purple - no lightpipe here sadly. Hands are the standard 5mm peg hole so he can hold the gun and the clips for the missiles are now on the arms which allows the toy to mount them in a position similar to where Megatron had his Fusion cannon - not that the shoulder mounted air missile launcher is that far away !

Articulation: We've got knees that bend, a universal joint at the hip that doesn't use a ball and socket, a waist, shoulders that can shrug due to the tf, as well as move up and down, an odd joint that folds out to the side of the arm just below the shoulder, a bicep swivel just above the elbow and a bending elbow. Both heads turn at the neck & the gun barrel raises as long as the air pump isn't attached. Although only a year later than the main G2 Megatron this version has increased articulation bellow the shoulders and at a smaller size.

Overall: Toy mold wise this is for me the definitive non gun, non beast Megatron. Great tank, decent gimmick, fabulous robot.

Like Prime I would say buy one if it wasn't for ....

Archforce

.... this toy which is the European version under a different name. Once again like Prime/Sureshot the European version eliminates the text slogan with the character's name printed on the toy making this the version of choice.

In TMUK fan fiction Archforce is a separate character to Megatron. See www.theunderbase.co.uk for details.

Unreleased G2 Megatron

One of the great parts about reviewing G2 toys is that you frequently come up with some cool unreleased versions. This is one of them, shown in the 1995 Hasbro catalogue. This version of Megatron is mainly grey with thin green tiger stripes. Light blue plastic becomes black, and black stays black. Grey becomes white as does the air pump. The missiles become dark green with black tips.

Possibly a lost gem of the TF line this imposes a version of the G1 colours on the tank Megatron mold.

Robots In Disguise Destructicon Bludgeon

Deep into Robots In Disguise's life as a repaint line both Combat Heroes are re-released as the Destructicons. The problem with recolouring a Megatron toy (as we saw with the flipchanger Megatron) is that the head still look like Megatron. So the designers went looking for another Decepticon tank and settled on Bludgeon - the former Pretender. The main colour of the tank is yellow, like Pretender Bludgeon's shell, but covered in green markings, like the green of his robot mode. Air pump, base, gun barrel and hand gun all become green while tank treads and tank barrel base are black. Head and body parts stay grey/silver and he gains a Decepticon symbol where the Megatron Rules sticker was. The missiles are black with silver tips and to my mind suit Scourge more than Bludgeon.

Decent attempt at recolour Megatron and it not being Megatron or Galvatron.

Robotmasters Reverse Convoy / Rebirth Megatron

This is my 2005 review of the toy reproduced in it's entirety so apologies for a little repetition:

Reverse Convoy or Rebirth Megatron is a new version of the G2 Combat Hero toy. Originally released in 1994 in the US as Combat Hero Megatron in Purple Plastic and the following year in the UK as Archforce with the stupid Megatron rules sticker removed, he's been re-released in 2003 as Destructicon Bludgeon Surprisingly this exclusive made it to TRU in the UK.

Included here is what I assume is a special insert booklet showing lots of previous Convoys, the RM range and some recent books.

What we have here is a blue tank. Hmm, blue's not terribly camouflaged is it ? Unlike previous versions of the toy he's missing the air bellows missile launcher replaced instead with an Armada Megatron style pull back missile launcher. The rear of this launcher flips up to form a missile array. The tank turret does not turn.

To TF fold the back of the tank down, and then on the folded down piece fold down from what was the middle of the tank to form the legs. Tank turret folds out to the sides to form the arms. Tank barrel slides onto his right shoulder, and the rear detaches to form a hand gun/missile array. You then have a choice. Flip the chest flap up to expose an Optimus Prime style head and an Autobot symbol. Or flip the back of the gun round to form a Megs head. Both the Prime and Megs heads are slightly different from the usual versions - both seem to have something under their chins, and a double gun barrel effect on either side - Op's is reminiscent of PM Prime. The blue of Prime's head is too light - the same colour as the tank - and his crest is a very odd inverted trapezium shape. Meg's head from certain angles looks like it's just hanging their. Odd.

We've got knees that bend, a universal joint at the hip that doesn't use a ball and socket, a waist, shoulders that can shrug due to the tf, as well as move up and down, an odd joint that folds out to the side of the arm just below the shoulder, a bicep swivel just above the elbow and a bending elbow. At the time this toy and his Op counterpart were the most articulated TFs ever, toy makers were starting to realise the importance of posability in toys. Both heads turn at the neck. The gun barrel raises slightly in Megs mode. Hands are a standard size so you can arm this guy up with Minicon/Energon weapons and there's an additional socket of this size on the shoulder where the original gun would have gone.

Pros: Good toy to start with - my favourite non animal Megatron. Nice update to the main weapon and a new hand gun.

Cons: Lack of a decent original weapon. Removing the perfectly decent original Megatron head - same parts tree as the gun and the cannon perhaps ? Slightly iffy use of the new heads. And biggest of all - not only using a bad colour scheme for a tank but passing up the opportunity to use the green Megatron colour scheme on this mold which needs to be done at some point.

So overall: Good, but could have been better still.

I await the inevitable Combat Hero Prime as RM Ultra Magnus. I reckon an all white version of that toy would look good.

Possible Future Repaints

There's a real obvious repaint of this toy which needs to be done - one just like the G2 Megatron in camouflage green. When that's done a version of this mold will be even more definitively Megatron !

[grahamthomson]

A pox on Phil for saying such nasty things about Laser Rod Prime!

Mind you, I'm in agreement about the colours, I never liked them on the original. In fact, I believe I gave that one to Mr Turnbull! But I heard that the Japanese Reissue version has a chrome trailer.

But Black Battle Convoy is the best version of the mould, for sure.

Actually, Phil: I'm planning on a mammoth photo session of my Car Robots collection over the Christmas break, so hopefully in the New Year you'll have some photos to go with your reviews.

[The Doctor]

Laser Rod Prime remains my favourite Prime/Convoy mould and one of the few TF moulds I'll happily buy in any colour! So many fun features.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

You won't persuade me. I know it's not a popular opinion but the toy does not float my boat. I much prefer the Combat Hero.

Two RID repaints to go and then it's onto the new Car Robots molds. Thesae two have got a great repaint history: Unproduced versions, exclusives and versions in other lines.

FYI: The Fortress/Grand/Brave Maximus review has been moved to it's own thread here

[Philip Ayres]

Generation 2 Road Rocket

The laser Cycles are the sequel to the laser rods released the year after (1995) when ball joint technology had really taken hold.

You don't get too many TF motorbikes - Protectorbot Groove, Triggerbot Override, Pretenders Iguanus & Vroom and Micromaster Glide are the only robots that turn into motorbikes that I can think of (though Action Master Prowl & Axer do ride them)

Road Rocket is a sleek looking red motorbike complete with moving wheels, wind shield and stand. A button on the petrol tank causes one side of the rear fork to light up - sadly the headlights don't light up off this same gimmick. The handlebars and front fork don't turn but the handle bars do have brake grips molded into them..

TF: Pull the light up side of the fork and the bit of bodywork it's attached to away. Fold down the plastic the stand is attached to - that's one arm. Pull the other down with the front wheel from under the wind shield. Rotate the entire wheel section round so the black panel on the piece of body connecting them faces back. Fold the body work back so it locks with the front of the bike - there's a hole for the peg on the back that previously attached to the panel you removed. Pull the back of the bike back to reveal the upper legs, separate the legs, turn at the waist and fold the rear of the saddle up to form feet. Fold the black panel on the body down. Fold his left arm up and rotate down into position. Turn the mudguard on the other arm to the rear and mount the removed bike panel and fork half on his arm as a blade weapon.

Said blade weapon is shaped like a circular saw at the end. When you press the fuel tank button - now on the robot's back - the weapon lights up. A lot of the revealed robot parts are molded in black. His elbows are ball jointed, the shoulders bend to the sides as well as move forwards & backwards. The head turns - the images I can see show painted eyes but I believe the part should be light piped. The waist turns and he has ball jointed hips & knees. The poseability is a little limited - in the legs by the short upper legs and in the arms by the cable for the light up gimmick - which is proportionately longer than Combat hero Op's but still mounted on the wrong side of his body.

Very decent bike, ok gimmick, ok robot. Well worth a look

You'll have to go a long way to find a toy with a more interesting repaint history than the G2 Laser Cycles. We've got unproduced repaints, repaint in other lines and exclusive repaints to look at here !

Unreleased G2 Jazz

Jazz would have been a lime green and white repaint of Road Rocket. Not the best colours, surely a jazz bike would have been all white.

Speaking of Jazz and Bikes - I remind everyone of my theory that the Protectorbots are new versions of G1 Autobots and point out the similarity in theme between the names Jazz & Groove.

Microman Mach Speeder

The Laser Cycles then make an appearance in Takara's Microman line, in the year they did their LED Power figures. Microman & TFs have strong links - many early TF toys were Microchange (the successor to Microman) toys and could be used with Microman figures - especially Perceptor & Megatron. All the figures this year had light up gimmicks so it made sense for them to include these toys. Unfortunately they took the light up gimmicks away ! They also committed an additional remold and removed the brake grips so Micromen could hold onto the handlebars. Said remold would continue through all subsequent versions.

Mach Speeder is a very similar colour to Road Rocket - the red is slightly more metallic though. An attractive but minimalistic repaint. He comes with a Microman called Arthur in similar colours.

Microman Hyper Speeder

Hyper Speeder is a Japanese TRU limited edition of Microman Mach Speeder. The red becomes clear yellow and some of the black becomes orange.

I love a clear repaint but this looks a little odd coloured. He comes with an alternate colour version of Microman Arthur

Sideways vs Axer

In 2002 I wrote "Not a lot I can say about these as most of us have seen their G2 counterparts. Essentially they're 2 basic sized toys with an added electronic light up gimmick.

Sideways is a repaint of Road Rocket, who was a red, blue and black Kawasaki. I have to admit that I always thought this toy looked very plasticy and artificial, but the new yellow & black paint job makes it look fabulous in Bike mode and improves the robot no end.

Axer is a repaint of Roadpig (mainly black with some red and gold) still mainly in black but with more authentic silver accents (mainly on the forks and engine blocks) and some gold highlighting, all of which is carried into the robot mode.

Both feature a lot of transparent plastic (lights, windshields and light pipe eyes) which you can easily light up by detaching the lamp from the weapon piece (though Sideways could do with a slightly longer wire !) Not bad repaints, but perhaps not an essential buy if you have the originals. "

What is said there, except it's more black than yellow. Very nice repaint. The name would later show up on the Armada motorcycle.

Robotmasters Road Rocket

In 2004 I wrote "he Autobot bike gains a nice yellow paint scheme which looks nice and sporting on this design. I imagine the reason it's not red this time is that the just released Galaxy Force Gasket is! Good choice for the better of the 2 molds in my opinion."

This bike is mainly yellow with some red painted on detail. Another decent repaint.

[Philip Ayres]

Generation 2 Road Pig

The laser Cycles are the sequel to the laser rods released the year after (1995) when ball joint technology had really taken hold.

The name Road Pig does of course belong to a GI Joe Dreadnok so joining a band of names used on both toys. Like his compatriot Road Rocket, Road Pig is also a motorcycle, this time a black Harley Davison type bike resembling Groove in form and more blocky than the sleek form used for Road Rocket. A button on the petrol tank causes the exhaust pipe to light up - sadly the headlights don't light up off this same gimmick. The handlebars and front fork don't turn but the handle bars do have brake grips molded into them.. `

TF: Fold the arms out from under the sides removing the hands from the pegs they are mounted on as you go. Turn each elbow out 180 degrees before you push the arms against the side of the bike. Fold the front wheel back and the windshield forward. Pull the back of the bike apart. Fold the rear wheel under and to one side of the bike. Straighten the back of the bike out with the saddle box moving behind what is underneath it - the saddle box makes several plastic breaking type clicks as you move it. Stand on the back of the bike.

The resulting robot ends up with the bike's wind shield upside down on it's chest. His light piped head - red like the forearms - turns but he lacks Road Rocket's waist. He's got ball joints at shoulder, elbow and knee. The legs bend the wrong way at the knee but the right way a little lower down. The exhaust pipe - mounted fixed on the arm - light up if you press in the chest or the front wheel on the back.

Somehow lacking in every respect compared to Road Rocket - bike isn't as sleek, robot's more blocky, bad leg articulation, windshield on chest gets in the way of the arms ....

He does however have the same wonderfully varied repaint history though !

Unreleased G2 Soundwave

Soundwave's bike mode is mainly silver with some blue on the saddle box and windshield. For a Soundwave repaint I'd be looking for more blue.

Microman Road Bison

The Laser Cycles then make an appearance in Takara's Microman line, in the year they did their LED Power figures. Microman & TFs have strong links - many early TF toys were Microchange (the successor to Microman) toys and could be used with Microman figures - especially Perceptor & Megatron. All the figures this year had light up gimmicks so it made sense for them to include these toys. Unfortunately they took the light up gimmicks away ! They also committed an additional remold and removed the brake grips so Micromen could hold onto the handlebars. Said remold would continue through all subsequent versions.

Road Bison is like Soundwave mainly silver but once he's transformed he reveals the same red on the head and forearms plus the black of the revealed robot limbs that Road Pig had.

Road Bison comes with a blue Microman named Walt.

Microman Tornado Bison

Tornado Bison comes in clear orange and clear yellow with some of the robot limbs molded in a bronzey colour. The weapon & eyes are clear blue.

I'm a fan of clear repaints but neither of the bikes really does it for me.

Tornado Bison comes with a clear red and clear yellow Microman called Laser Shakunetsu

Sideways vs Axer

In 2002 I wrote "Not a lot I can say about these as most of us have seen their G2 counterparts. Essentially they're 2 basic sized toys with an added electronic light up gimmick.

Sideways is a repaint of Road Rocket, who was a red, blue and black Kawasaki. I have to admit that I always thought this toy looked very plasticy and artificial, but the new yellow & black paint job makes it look fabulous in Bike mode and improves the robot no end.

Axer is a repaint of Roadpig (mainly black with some red and gold) still mainly in black but with more authentic silver accents (mainly on the forks and engine blocks) and some gold highlighting, all of which is carried into the robot mode.

Both feature a lot of transparent plastic (lights, windshields and light pipe eyes) which you can easily light up by detaching the lamp from the weapon piece (though Sideways could do with a slightly longer wire !) Not bad repaints, but perhaps not an essential buy if you have the originals. "

Axer is named aster an Action Master that rode a motorcycle. The paint scheme used looks nothing like AM Axer !

Robotmasters Double Face

In 2004 I wrote "The Decepticon bike meanwhile gets the colour scheme of Sideways the agent of Unicron from Armada. Seeing as they're both similar looking motorbikes it's quite a nice touch."

What I missed at the time was that Double Face is of course the Japanese name for Sideways ! It's a bit bright and the colours clash awfully.

Of the five Axer is probably the best coloured of the molds but I'm feeling like a really good definitive version is yet to be done.