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Post by Philip Ayres on May 10, 2014 14:55:12 GMT
G1, Animated, RTS.
That's it I think....
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Post by Shockprowl on May 11, 2014 8:42:40 GMT
Even though Ironhide is one of my favorite characters, I'm finding it hard to come up with a top 5. Some of the Movie figs were ok, but I'm not a fan of the movie style.
1. Botcon from Towline. I think the Ironhide and Ratchet repaints are fantastic. I love them, but no chance of ever owning them! Why this mold wasn't released generally as Ironhide and Ratchet is one of the grestest crimes against collectors EVER. And I swear vengence.
2. G1. Brilliant very robot looking robot. As classic/iconic as you can get!
I eagerly await a Masterpiece Ironhide/Ratchet. They must do one, surely.
Ironhide (& Ratchet) is, sadly, responsible for the most disapointing mold I have ever encounter in all my years of collecting.
Classics/Generations....
I hate it I hate it I hate it's ruined my life.
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Jim
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Post by Jim on May 11, 2014 9:12:34 GMT
I haven't owned many Ironhides, so a few places have to be filled going on looks: 5. Animated - he looks the part! 4. RID - Obviously looks nothing like classic Ironhide, but the cow deco on a pick up truck feel like they suit the personality, and he certainly looks unique. 3. Movie Recon Ironhide - c-clip weapons galore! I ought to pick one up just for those... (or, seeing how much he and his repaint go for these days, maybe not) 2. Prime Cyberverse - one of my favourite Transformers in years, a high-fiddle-factor toy with an interesting design and transformation and which successfully blends G1 and Movie Ironhide in a Prime aesthetic. 1. G1 - Truly iconic and a really fun toy that looks great in red. It does look good in black and I do like my eHobby Ironhide, but nostalgia wins here. -Jim
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 11, 2014 16:49:12 GMT
3. Movie Recon Ironhide - c-clip weapons galore! I ought to pick one up just for those... (or, seeing how much he and his repaint go for these days, maybe not) I got a near complete set of them from Ken a few years back. They're fab. Kup is tooled up with them.
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Post by legios on May 13, 2014 21:08:19 GMT
The rotary gun, marksman rifle and knives are probably the best bits of Recon Ironhide in my view. Mind you, if Kup is toting all that lot then he isn't really going to get much mileage from his Shotgun. He'd probably do as well lending the marksman rifle out to Classics/Universe Perceptor. :-)
Still pondering this weeks list. Having a hard time actually coming up with five Ironhide toys which really stand out for me. (Without the cheat of treating the "The Transformers" and "Diaclone" versions separately.)
Karl
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Post by Bogatan on May 13, 2014 21:28:14 GMT
I've always found it odd that Ironhide was the only one of the 1990 Autobot car classics that didn't also get an Actionmaster. Aside from being the character (Ratchet too) that most needed an animation model version it's also to my mind the one that would have looked best in actionmaster proportions. I can picture an Actionmaster Ironhide as clearly AM Jazz, Prowl, Sideswipe etc.
Also baffling that so few of the obvious repaints were actually made. Plenty of the new characters got repainted, but the only existing G1 character that got repainted into another G1 character was Starscream and even then we ended up with AMTC, which with all due respect to the greatest of Transformers was mental. Where was Grapple, Red Alert, Bluestreak, Smokescreen and Skywarp?
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Jim
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Post by Jim on May 13, 2014 22:01:54 GMT
I have been hoping against hope for Takara reissues and accompanying eHobby exclusives to remedy this bizarre oversight for years.
-Jim
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Post by Stomski on May 14, 2014 8:37:40 GMT
Protect Black Ironhide
Henkei Ironhide
Movie Voyager Ironhide
DOTM Cyberverse Ironhide
DOTM Leader Ironhide
Yeah, I like the Movie version.
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 15, 2014 6:23:17 GMT
Thursday Tease:
Did the controvesy recover the flickering flames of the ancient belief in your heart?
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Post by legios on May 15, 2014 12:34:30 GMT
Week 53: IronhideYour top 5 Ironhide toys please! 5. Botcon Ironhide: A decent fist of getting an Ironhide-esque toy out of an Energon mould. Colour scheme works pretty well on it, and it is great that he has a decent stand-in for the original's weapon platform. 4. Prime Cyberverse Ironhide: Decent attempt at crossbreeding the "The Transformers" look of Ironhide with the Live-Action Movie version. Quite fun to fiddle about with, and the flat colour scheme works pretty well at this size. 3. Superlink Ironhide: Different character, different alt mode, but nevertheless - a toy called Ironhide. I love this mould, the transformation is very clever, it has the right sort of sets of gimmicks, and it has great shelf presence. 2. E-Hobby Protect Ironhide: A decent Diaclone Car Robot paint scheme which always worked really well on the mould. 1. "The Transformers" Ironhide: Love the only quasi-humanoid appearance, always thought it was a striking look even as a child, and to this day I prefer this look to the animation model. The security platform element to him as fun as well. He almost comes with his own integral playset. (If Superlink Ironhide is deemed ineligible then consider the trailing two bumped up by a slot each) Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 16, 2014 6:32:42 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 16, 2014 10:21:33 GMT
Honourable mentions to: All the rest of the molds that originate on cards Huffer, Searchlight, Leadfoot (the repaint is better colours but the limbs and controversy bring it down), Icepick & SkyhammerOf the larger packs Bombshock for being a decent toy and packing a real Onslaught vibe & Steamhammer because we love Construction vehicle combiners 5) UndertowThere ain't enough boat bots. This one looks gorgeous in black, his Minicon is fab and his combined mode head is seven shades of madness. 4) HeavytreadGood solid tank and robot mode. Possibly the best core robot for the combiners. 3) Sledge Good small excavator, with a fabulous unconventional Minicon. In any sane world he'd have had a green repaint and been the centre of an all green Devastator with green recolours of Steamhammer's limbs (see tfwiki.net/wiki/Gravedigger#United_EX_2 for the Japanese all green Steamhammer) 2) SmoulderMy first PCC toy - arrived with Bombshock and HFTD Seaspray on the morning of the first Swincon. It's is the PCC Optimus - a Red Fire truck, with the right headsculpt and an orange axe. Superb combined mode head again, but great as a standalone robot. 1) The DinopopeLike there's any winner other than Grimstone. TF fans love Dinosaurs, especially in the G1 colours. They love combiners. They've never had a proper western Dinosaur combiner. All the pieces work, which is more than can be said for some of the other 5 packs. They're all Dinosaurs not in the original G1 team. They're all the same colours, which helps team identity, and they're all the G1 Dinobot colours which means you can display them with the older toys. It also gives the combined robot a coherency that the others are missing. Demand for this far outstripped that for the other 5 packs and the best tribute that it can have is that in the Japanese United EX toyline, which repainted everything in PCC, Grimmaster is all but the same colours. I love mine and he's still on my display shelves to this day.
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 16, 2014 10:26:12 GMT
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Post by legios on May 19, 2014 18:59:06 GMT
Week 54: Power Core Combiners Ah, PCCs, such rather fun toys. Honorable Mentions - Grimstone (who so nearly almost made it onto the list) Searchlight, Ice-pick and Bombshock 5. Heavy-Tread - hurrah, a Tank alt-mode which hails from outside the US. I always like when they go a bit further afield for their inspiration - something which seems to be creeping back into some of the lines recently. The Tank mode is a creditable stab at getting the look of the Merkava right - and has a traverseable turret, always nice when they go that extra mile - and the humanoid mode looks suitably stocky and tough. 4. Undertow - A new boat, something we don't get very often, and what looks like a homage to a Cobra vehicle into the bargain... Love the look of the alt-mode, and the transformation is a lot of fun. The humanoid mode looks fantastic with those large rotary cannon hanging under the fore-arms. Gives him some presence, and a look like he has the firepower to give the Autobots a serious problem. 3. Smoulder - An evil Decepticon fire-truck. Lets look at that again, an evil fire-truck... Brilliant idea, which gives me the image of Smoulder going around spraying flame out of what should have been a water cannon whilst cackling madly. The fact that his Mini-con becomes a double-headed hand-axe just adds to the wild-man sensibility to him. Love the "breathing gear" face-mask, and the colour scheme really works on him. 2. Skyhammer - A fantastic alt-mode (back-end of a Su-27 crossed with the front end of god only knows what, giving him a lovely cut-and-shut look), great colour scheme and an interesting transformation resulting in a humanoid form which is very different from what we tend to see with aircraft transformers. An added bonus is that his head is rather Jhiaxus-like. (in fact, I'd say he looks more Jhiaxusish than either of the official Jhiaxus toy's we've had) 1. Huffer - love this guy. Like the idea of giving him the Huffer name - original Huffer was a COE tractor unit like Optimus, Prime has been reinvented as a long-nose unit and now so has Huffer. He also has a fun transformation, and I love his humanoid form design and his head-sculpt. I also like his Mini-con and think it is one of the better integrated ones from the PCC line. Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 22, 2014 5:35:15 GMT
PCC is on course to be the least popular week of this feature!
Meanwhile the Thursday Tease:
It's back to basics as we pay Money for nearly Nothing new in one of Hasbro's early attempt at reissuing old toys. Watch as the Autobots try to claim an alt mode that should have been theirs all along.
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Post by Shockprowl on May 22, 2014 12:53:41 GMT
Hmmmmmm. I was wondering 'Classic Heroes' or maybe Action Masters, but the bit about the Autobots claiming an alt mode has me stumped.
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Post by Jim on May 22, 2014 21:50:23 GMT
5. Sledge - always a sucker for construction-themed TFs, and this one does it well with another nicely designed robot mode and an absolutely brilliant mini-con. 4. Undertow / Marine Master - nice unique alt-mode and pleasingly designed robot mode which looks good in both releases, though could really do with a proper Manta-Ray colour scheme (shame the Takara designers came up with the deco before the bios which tied them to classic characters were written). 3. Grimstone - great set of dinosaurs and the most cohesive and posable combined form. The Takara version edges it. 2. Smoulder - love the Decepticon fire truck theme, should stand alongside Rampage. Both modes are nicely executed and Chopster is a fun mini-con. Shame he didn't see a United Ex release, might have been fun to see what direction Takara took the mould and character in. 1. Heavy Tread / Tank Master - a fantastic toy by any measure. Lots of fun to fiddle with in both modes, a suitably versatile Mini-Con (soon to have an official Tampograph mode!) and the Heavy Tread bio is great. On top of that Takara gave him an achingly beautiful redeco. So many bubbling under! This could have been a great line if it weren't plagued with engineering and QC issues, especially on the early waves. Honourable mentions to Bombshock, who has a great commander and looks suitable menacing and militaristic in combined form, Skyhammer who should totally be Jhiaxus, Steamhammer for his awesome combined form and drones (commander a bit weak in robot mode) and Searchlight for being fun and having a great mini-con. Props also for giving the 5-packs eminently reusable boxes where everything can easily be placed back in the plastic inserts securely and nothing has to be destroyed to open them. Also to Takara for taking a surprising amount of care around this line, giving them high-quality repaints, lovely back-of-box art from Hidetsugu Yoshioka and an interesting story. -Jim
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 23, 2014 6:56:35 GMT
Week 55: TargetmastersYour top 5 Targetmaster toys please! See www.tfu.info/subgroup/targetmasters.htm for help but I'm not sure what Chro's doing on there.... And if you want to produce a top 5 list of modern Targetmaster type toys too.....
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Post by Stomski on May 23, 2014 8:17:55 GMT
Artfire - Lovely recolour or a decent older mold. Cyclonus - Love the jet, bias due to owning the non-tm as a child. Stepper - I just love Jazz and that Porsche. Always resonanted with me somehow. Trigger Happy - Best looking of the new molds in both modes. Quake - Just looks so menacing in alt mode. That's a scary tank!
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 23, 2014 15:23:59 GMT
Targetmasters 5) ScoopCostruction vehicles build things. So why weren't they Autobot vehicle modes from the start? Finally in year 6 The Autobots start to claim that type of mode. Scoop's just got something and gets my fifth place vote. 4) QuakeI never liked the Dual Targetmasters on initial release but they've grown on me lots over the years so much so that I now possess all six. Quake's ability to swap his tank barrel out (a late addition by someone who didn't get the toy?) and replace it with a Targetmaster is a fab feature. You just have to try every dual TM you own as his gun barrel! 3) Reissue StepperStepper was one of THE big Japanese wanted toys when I grew up. The reissue version goes all out modifying the TM, which would only previously mount on this shoulder, so he can hold it and packing in all of Jazz'a weapons recoloured in Stepper's colours. The only reason it ranks this low is because the other two reissued Targetmasters are better packages! 2) Reissue TM KupTM Kup was probably always going to be a hit. One of the upgraded 86 toys, and harder to find, he not only features his TM but a modified normal Kup gun for him to hold and Wheelie too. And yet could still be had cheap relatively recently. 1) Reissue TM Hot RodimusThe first reissue TM set the bar high. Japan had never had TM Hot Rod and this was a popular toy in the west. We get TM Hot Rod but we also get modified original HR guns. Stepper might have better kit, and Kup might have Wheelie, but TFC TM Hot Rod came first and set the standard for what followed. I'll have a think about modern TM type toys too....
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 23, 2014 15:26:24 GMT
It only hit me while doing this how little I like the NEW 87 Targetmasters. The Decepticons have something over the Autobots but in both case either side has better toys elsewhere inn the year.
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Post by Shockprowl on May 23, 2014 19:37:46 GMT
TARGETMASTERS!!!! YEEEAAAAYYYY!!!!
Hadn't realised how much I liked Targetmasters 'till now! Only owned a few though.
1, Quake. Owned and still have. Great tank, GREAT transformation, and great allround toy. And a fun personality. Ahhhh nostslgia rush!!!!!!
2, Scoop. Owned and still have. As above, great all round toy, with a wonderful personality. I can see Scoop and Prowl getting along really well.
3, Spinister. Never owned, but I just love his personality! There's so much in his Techspecs to evolve.
4, Triggerhappy. Never owned, but always thought he look like the best of the first 'Con TMs. Neat aircraft.
5, Crosshairs. As Triggerhappy, not owned, but he looks the coolest and has a good personality.
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 23, 2014 20:54:55 GMT
So for the confused out there Meanwhile the Thursday Tease: It's back to basics as we pay Money for nearly Nothing new in one of Hasbro's early attempt at reissuing old toys. Watch as the Autobots try to claim an alt mode that should have been theirs all along. "back to basics" TMs are Autobot cars vs Decepticon jets "Money for nearly Nothing new" all you're paying for is the extra weapon. But Money for Nothing is the most famous track from the Dire Straits album Brothers in Arms. Brothers in Armor is the name of the story which is the first appearance of the TMs. "one of Hasbro's early attempt at reissuing old toys." 87 TMs contain 5 re-released toys from 1986 "Watch as the Autobots try to claim an alt mode that should have been theirs all along." See comments about the Autobots and Construction vehicles above
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Post by Jim on May 23, 2014 22:40:20 GMT
5. Misfire - I did like these futuristic looking vehicles when they turned up, and Misfire really looks the part even though at the time I would have preferred either of the other two Decepticons. 4. Pointblank - didn't like him as a kid, I found he looked a bit like a mundane car that had been poorly suped up, but is actually a really good toy. 3. Landmine - Very beefy, intimidating looking robot mode from a good vehicle. Love double Targetmasters. 2. Crosshairs - Still have a clear memory of buying him in the Nottingham Co-op and exasperating my Grandma by being unable to decide between him and Sureshot. Pretty sure I made the right decision that time. 1. Quickmix - my love of Quickmix is documented elsewhere in this thread! By Targetmaster-type are we looking at explicit homages and related repaints (e.g. all those who use the Universe Cyclonus Nightstick, Gen Scoop) or would, for example, Arms Microns count? Armada Overload? (though with the dual Head/Targetmaster thing going on he's a bit of an odd one) -Jim
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 24, 2014 6:43:07 GMT
Any modern toy who has a gun that turns into a humanoid robot companion.
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Post by Kingoji on May 24, 2014 9:40:24 GMT
This list takes no thinking about for me, since we only ever had five Targetmasters in our house growing up, so the list is just them.
5 Blurr ~ It was the first time we were able to find this character. 4 Pointblank ~ Ben's other Targetmaster. 3 Sureshot ~ Ben's first Targetmaster. 2 Misfire ~ Ben's only Decepticon Targetmaster, we both love the uniqueness of his alt mode and colour scheme. He definitely stands out in the line-up. 1 Slugslinger ~ My first Targetmaster. I remember being impressed with his leg articulation. Less so with the brittleness of his wings.
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Post by Bogatan on May 24, 2014 11:45:46 GMT
5. United EX Buildmaster - fantastic repaint and I love the random back story of Gravedigger. I still find the moulds a little forgettable. 4.Undertow - great mould but should have gotten a Manta Ray repaint, which would have likely topped the list. 3. Heavytread - a great little figure that wouldn't look out of place in the classics line or one of the movie lines, also makes probably the best combiner body of the lot. 2. Leadfoot and Pinpoint. Leadfoot is my favourite of the core figures, actually tied with Heavytread, but pinpoint is a great targetmaster and tips the scales. Would have liked a G2 Leadfoot repaint. 1. Dinopope, yeah captured the look of the Dinobots so well. Grimstone doesnt even look to out of place with the G1 dinobots, by some distance the best looking combined form too. bubbling under Overrun, name controversy aside this is one of the better boxsets. Maybe unlucky to miss out on the top 5 but the arms not matching very well bugs me greatly. I think I swapped out one or both.
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Post by Bogatan on May 24, 2014 12:17:25 GMT
Week 55: TargetmastersYour top 5 Targetmaster toys please! See www.tfu.info/subgroup/targetmasters.htm for help but I'm not sure what Chro's doing on there.... And if you want to produce a top 5 list of modern Targetmaster type toys too..... 5. Sureshot 4. Landfill - not as good as Scoop but an fun toy al the same. 3. Stepper/ Ricochet - Jazz is one of my favourite moulds so adding a tagetmaster and painting black and gold is all kinds of win. 2. Scoop, the only dual targetmaster in the house growing up. We chose well as its its also the best. 1. Kup - My first Targetmaster and possibly my first autobot car. Of all the early Hasbro/post diaclone etc toys Kup is the one that feels most like what came before, probably thanks to those articulated arms. Recoil is also my favourite targetmaster. Really oddly Kup also has a better placement for recoil than all the new moulds designed to work with targetmasters. Honestly after the top 3 I struggled, I'm not that huge a fan of most of the original targetmasters (as opposed to the Headmasters which are generally great), I don't dislike them but they seem overly large and simple (even to 6 or 7 year old me) and as mentioned when the targetmasters are attached they sit really awkwardly. The Dual targetmasters on the other hand were much better and all were sat just outside the top 5 as was Artfire, who light have made it but for the half hearted repaint.
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Post by kayevcee on May 24, 2014 12:33:04 GMT
Haven't been in here for a while.
1) Mail-away Henkei Stepper: one of the best CHUG moulds for my money, in a cracking colour scheme with added Targetmaster joy. Only downside was the incredible price retailers were asking for it initially. 2) Universe Cyclonus: really nice vehicle, great looking robot, options of using Nightstick as hand-cannon or arm-attachment. Nifty. There's a reason Hasbro and Takara have released him like 5 times. 3) Quickmix: I've always liked the way he looked- a very convincing cement mixer that turns into a chunky, barrel-chested robot. His articulation is as limited as anybody from 1988, but at least he can move his arms laterally as well as up-and-down... a bit. 4) Quake: Nifty tank, nifty robot, extra turret gun and option to switch it out with one of the partners. Fun. 5) Sureshot: Doesn't get enough love, possibly due to his being *everywhere*. I think there were actually more Sureshots in a Targetmaster case assortment than anybody else, like Triggerhappy in the 'cons. He's a big chunky dune buggy type dealio with a very quick and satisfying transformation. Only let down by the lack of shoulder articulation.
-Nick
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Post by Bogatan on May 24, 2014 12:40:58 GMT
Modern Targetmasters
Bubbling under Leadfoot - Pinpoint is a great targetmaster even if its two handles aren't the most effective. Strafe - Strafe from Cyconus isn't obvious, but remove the head spikes and rearrange the wings and it works well and gets an upgrade to Targetmaster.
5. Arms Micron Megatron Darkness - Monkey Cannon.
I didn't realise how many versions of Gora there were till just now, but this is the one I bought at AA last year after someones Grandad had dropped a door on it, apparently.
4. Supercon Prime - one of the few Armada toys to ever impress me (at least when the hips are reverse) and comes with a great triple changer targetmaster.
3. Artfire - Becomes a dual targetmaster with the addition of Pinpoint who as mentioned previously is a great targetmaster.
2. Cyclonus - so many version to choose from that its hard to pick a favourite. Henkei or the ehobby clear version maybe.
1. Stepper - one of the best modern moulds. Beautifully repainted with added targetmaster.
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