Post by Philip Ayres on Oct 31, 2010 20:20:38 GMT
BTS-03 Matrix of Leadership Accesory Set
BTS' Matrix of Leadership add-on set is a collection of additional pieces for the original Optimus Prime. As the name suggests, you get a Matrix of Leadership in this set. This isn't the first attempt at a Matrix for Optimus Prime - the first was found in Takara's 2002 New Year Convoy. The Matrix in this set is made from a central clear blue piece with a piece of plastic forming the shield and the handle on each side. Pulling on the sides of the Matrix opens it with the covers sliding to each side. The Matrix sits in a plastic surround which in turn sits in the Diaclone drivers compartment in Prime's chest, and is happy there in either robot or vehicle mode. A hole in the back of the surround lets light through the clear blue centre of the matrix when the chest is open.
Of course it would be nice if Optimus Prime could actually hold this Matrix wouldn't it? But Optimus Prime has closed 5mm peg hole fists so you can't get loops of plastic into them. No problem as there's a new set of fists supplied in this set. Designed to be an improvement on the original the new hands still have a 5mm O shape formed between thumb and fingers. The new hands feature a joint at the knuckle which allows the four fingers in opposition to the thumb to open and for you to slip the Matrix in between them. With a little positioning of Optimus' arms you can get him holding the Matrix with both hands in front of his chest. An Opening hand also allows him to hold some non standard weapons like the sword and large gun in iGear City Commander add-on set. The connection between the hand and the arm has changed as well from a straight 4mm peg to a ball which in theory should allow the wrist some up & down and side to side movement in addition to the rotation. I've found however that the fist balls need to be sunk quite deep for them to support the hands properly.
Like the Matrix, there have been Optimus Prime Energon axes before, as used in the Dam battle in the Transformers cartoon] Again the first was an official one in Takara's 2003 Transformers Collection #0 Convoy. The axe in the Matrix of Leadership is a slightly cloudy clear yellow, with a spiked ball near the base. It features a peg equal to the hole found for the fists in Optimus' headlights, but between that and the shaft of the axe is a larger section built up to the standard 5mm diameter allowing Optimus and other Transformers to hold it.
One of the major faults on the original Optimus toy is the gun. Behind the 5mm peg that lets him hold the gun is a moulded handle which he hasn't a hope of holding even with these new articulated hands. The handle prevents the gun from sitting pointing straight along the arm. So in this set we get a new black gun, in a similar style to the original but simplified slightly. Gone is the useless handle with the 5mm peg moved further back. The barrel of the gun becomes a plain cylinder now loosing the tapering look it had before. Because Optimus Prime has the now standard 5mm peg holes this gun can be leant to other Optimus Prime toys (and indeed other Transformers) for them to use. The linked gallery shows Classics Optimus Prime and Generations War For Cybertron Optimus Prime,amongst others, using it.
The last new piece of equipment for Optimus Prime in this set is a Jetpack, modelled after the one he borrows from Sideswipe at the climax of More Than Meets The Eye. A tab on the base of the jetpack fist into the slot on the rear of Prime's waist while a slot at the top of the jetpack fits the tab on the back of Prime's neck panel. The connection feels relatively secure until you push up slightly on the pack at which point it just drops off. However there's no other real way to anchor it to Prime. The jets at the bottom are painted silver, as is the middle panel which folds up to reveal a storage compartment for some of the smaller pieces in the set. On either side of the back of the jetpack and either side of the top are 5mm peg holes allowing you to mount weapons like Prime's gun, his Generation 2 Missile Launchers, Energon weapons or even several Requiem Blasters to him. The pack has a 5mm peg in it's panel facing the robot's back which allows it to be hand held, mounted on Optimus Prime's Roller or worn by Classics Optimus Prime. At the bottom of the jet pack is a slot, which attaches to a small silver plastic adaptor, which in turn slides over the launching trigger for Roller on Optimus Prime's truck allowing it to be carried on the front of the trailer.
My Matrix of Leadership set came from BigBadToyStore.com and includes an additional piece: A second rifle is included, but this time cast in a rather fetching clear blue, making it appear to be a weapon similar to those found with many of the Energon toys.
This is a great set of extra pieces, a superb set of additional parts containing nearly ever accessory you could want for your Optimus Prime, except possibly a mini Megatron gun like the one found with Transformers Collection 09 Starscream. My only complaint about the build quality is that the thumbs on the hand look to be a separate piece that's glued on and may come off so be careful. Otherwise a fine addition to your Transformers collection.
BTS' Matrix of Leadership add-on set is a collection of additional pieces for the original Optimus Prime. As the name suggests, you get a Matrix of Leadership in this set. This isn't the first attempt at a Matrix for Optimus Prime - the first was found in Takara's 2002 New Year Convoy. The Matrix in this set is made from a central clear blue piece with a piece of plastic forming the shield and the handle on each side. Pulling on the sides of the Matrix opens it with the covers sliding to each side. The Matrix sits in a plastic surround which in turn sits in the Diaclone drivers compartment in Prime's chest, and is happy there in either robot or vehicle mode. A hole in the back of the surround lets light through the clear blue centre of the matrix when the chest is open.
Of course it would be nice if Optimus Prime could actually hold this Matrix wouldn't it? But Optimus Prime has closed 5mm peg hole fists so you can't get loops of plastic into them. No problem as there's a new set of fists supplied in this set. Designed to be an improvement on the original the new hands still have a 5mm O shape formed between thumb and fingers. The new hands feature a joint at the knuckle which allows the four fingers in opposition to the thumb to open and for you to slip the Matrix in between them. With a little positioning of Optimus' arms you can get him holding the Matrix with both hands in front of his chest. An Opening hand also allows him to hold some non standard weapons like the sword and large gun in iGear City Commander add-on set. The connection between the hand and the arm has changed as well from a straight 4mm peg to a ball which in theory should allow the wrist some up & down and side to side movement in addition to the rotation. I've found however that the fist balls need to be sunk quite deep for them to support the hands properly.
Like the Matrix, there have been Optimus Prime Energon axes before, as used in the Dam battle in the Transformers cartoon] Again the first was an official one in Takara's 2003 Transformers Collection #0 Convoy. The axe in the Matrix of Leadership is a slightly cloudy clear yellow, with a spiked ball near the base. It features a peg equal to the hole found for the fists in Optimus' headlights, but between that and the shaft of the axe is a larger section built up to the standard 5mm diameter allowing Optimus and other Transformers to hold it.
One of the major faults on the original Optimus toy is the gun. Behind the 5mm peg that lets him hold the gun is a moulded handle which he hasn't a hope of holding even with these new articulated hands. The handle prevents the gun from sitting pointing straight along the arm. So in this set we get a new black gun, in a similar style to the original but simplified slightly. Gone is the useless handle with the 5mm peg moved further back. The barrel of the gun becomes a plain cylinder now loosing the tapering look it had before. Because Optimus Prime has the now standard 5mm peg holes this gun can be leant to other Optimus Prime toys (and indeed other Transformers) for them to use. The linked gallery shows Classics Optimus Prime and Generations War For Cybertron Optimus Prime,amongst others, using it.
The last new piece of equipment for Optimus Prime in this set is a Jetpack, modelled after the one he borrows from Sideswipe at the climax of More Than Meets The Eye. A tab on the base of the jetpack fist into the slot on the rear of Prime's waist while a slot at the top of the jetpack fits the tab on the back of Prime's neck panel. The connection feels relatively secure until you push up slightly on the pack at which point it just drops off. However there's no other real way to anchor it to Prime. The jets at the bottom are painted silver, as is the middle panel which folds up to reveal a storage compartment for some of the smaller pieces in the set. On either side of the back of the jetpack and either side of the top are 5mm peg holes allowing you to mount weapons like Prime's gun, his Generation 2 Missile Launchers, Energon weapons or even several Requiem Blasters to him. The pack has a 5mm peg in it's panel facing the robot's back which allows it to be hand held, mounted on Optimus Prime's Roller or worn by Classics Optimus Prime. At the bottom of the jet pack is a slot, which attaches to a small silver plastic adaptor, which in turn slides over the launching trigger for Roller on Optimus Prime's truck allowing it to be carried on the front of the trailer.
My Matrix of Leadership set came from BigBadToyStore.com and includes an additional piece: A second rifle is included, but this time cast in a rather fetching clear blue, making it appear to be a weapon similar to those found with many of the Energon toys.
This is a great set of extra pieces, a superb set of additional parts containing nearly ever accessory you could want for your Optimus Prime, except possibly a mini Megatron gun like the one found with Transformers Collection 09 Starscream. My only complaint about the build quality is that the thumbs on the hand look to be a separate piece that's glued on and may come off so be careful. Otherwise a fine addition to your Transformers collection.