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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 6:54:53 GMT
Razorbeast wins
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 6:55:32 GMT
Week 181: What is the best Beast Wars Basic Flipchanger Predacon?We're still with the European Year 1 Beast Wars Basic Assortment: With the exception of one repaint released much later, these are all the mainline Beast Wars Basic Flipchangers. In the US these were divided into TWO waves, with Terrorsaur & Iguanus, the retool of vs pack Megatron, in wave 1 who were joined by Snapper & Insecticon in Wave 2. You will note there's one less Maximal than Predacon and the Maximals don't have a retool from the vs pack. Iguanus tfwiki.net/wiki/Iguanus_(BW)#Toys Insecticon tfwiki.net/wiki/Insecticon_(BW)#Toys Snapper tfwiki.net/wiki/Snapper#Toys Terrorsaur tfwiki.net/wiki/Terrorsaur_(BW)#Toys
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 6:58:00 GMT
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Post by Llama God on Aug 6, 2021 7:24:05 GMT
I'm trying not to be influenced by the TV show, but it's still got to be Terrosaur for me. He's a flier with some sharp red colouring and blue and black robot mode highlights - it's just a great colour scheme. Snapper comes in close second, with his own set of good colours and an interesting-looking alt-mode - btu Terrorsaur just pips it.
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Post by The Huff on Aug 6, 2021 7:47:39 GMT
Snapper gets my vote this week too. Nice colours and detailing and he seems to be made of sturdier plastic than the others. Shame the arms/back turtle legs don't retract - unless snapping turtles do have long back legs like that.
Best bit is where his 'turtle head' slides in and out of during transformation. Heh heh!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 8:12:56 GMT
Terrorsaur is the motherload of BW Basic repaints being reused as Lazorbeak, BW Neo Hydra - they are different - Botcon Fractyl, RiD Dinobots Terranotron (briefly released as Swoop), the AOE Walmart Strafe (my BW Swoop), and an unreleased Transcon version as an actual BW Swoop Iguanus missed out in the main Japanese BW line only available as an import with Japanese stickers on it, but he gets a repaint in Neo as Crazybolt using the Snapper colours and looks much better for it. We've already seen him as Megatron who in turn has several repaints. Neither Insecticon or Snapper have a repaint or remake - how Insecticon was not done in black (for the darker green) and purple (for the lighter green) is a mystery I will never understand! Terrorsaur has a Transmetal remake, one of three show characters to get a TM form but not use it in show, and is due to have a new version in Kingdom's Golden Disc collection. Iguanus one of two non show characters to get a second form in Transmetal 2 - the other is his fellow Predacon basic Spittor
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 6, 2021 9:52:22 GMT
TERRORSAUR.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 10:03:14 GMT
Bit more variety this week, not all quadrupeds, some differences in the TF. Iguanus is possibly the weakest: quadruped, transforms the same way as the Maximal flipchangers - pull the tail up, head folds onto the chest - colours are a bit drab and most importantly very VERY similar to the basic Megatron from the two pack. The BW Neo Crazybolt repaint improves it no end. Terrorsaur has a completely different beast form, a winged dinosaur, and tips the TF round so the pulling on the head powers the lever. It's a very good, solid mould as evidenced by the number of times it was used. These two form the Predacons in the initial US basic wave - see www.fredsworkshop.com/1996.htmlInsecticon and Snapper were added for the second basic wave and see something of an evolution of the flipchanger design: gone is the lever that pulls out the spine of the beast replaced by internal mechanisms powered by pushing on a body part - Insecticon's head or Snapper's tail - to the point where it unclips from the rest of the body and folds down to become the robot's chest. Functionally they're a big improvement and it's almost a shame that these are the last flipchangers as it would have been interesting to see where the gimmick went next. (The MW Flipchangers were released later but we're pretty certain they were created BEFORE the BW Flipchangers) Insecticon's nice, very different beast form with the opening wings and crossbow halves secure underneath. In Japan he ends up in a late BW VS pack with Airazor: as a non show character with an insect alt mode I wonder if there was any thought to holding him back to serve as a BWII Insectron? First use of a G1 group name as an individual's name - that annoyed me at the time - and we will see more of this. As I said, how this never got a redeco in the G1 Insecticon colours I don't know (there *is* a prototype in the Diaclone Insecticon colours - www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/BeastWars/ProtoInsecticnPurpleLoose1.html - unreleased repaint or a coincidence?) BW Insecticon's colours return on the Forrest Type variant of Superlink Chromehorn. But Snapper's the winner: unique beast mode, nice TF, great colours, nice bit of weapons storage for a gun that can be hand held or mounted as an array over the head. Opening mouth, like Terrorsaur and Iguanus, but here the jaw is much smaller. How this never got a repaint beats me: Nowadays we'd see a 4 pack of them with new heads and the pink swapped for each of Red, Orange, Blue & Purple. He might look nice in something like black & yellow as a repaint, or even all green like Basic Megatron.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 10:03:35 GMT
Ralph is a Terrorsaurist!
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 6, 2021 10:23:36 GMT
It's the only mould here I have owned.
-Ralph
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Post by The Huff on Aug 6, 2021 15:17:18 GMT
Vote for the constipated Turtle!
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Post by Jaymz on Aug 6, 2021 17:06:56 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 6, 2021 18:59:51 GMT
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 19:06:37 GMT
Oh it's all a bit mad. Basically there's two separate but nearly identical Terrorsaur moulds. One was used for the original US Terrorsaur and one for Lazorbeak.... except the Euro Terrorsaur uses the US Lazorbeak mould!
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Post by The Huff on Aug 6, 2021 20:39:46 GMT
Which US Terrorsaur mould does the Euro one use? I'm confused. If the Euro Terrorsaur uses the US Terrorsaur mould then what's different?
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 6, 2021 21:34:31 GMT
Euro Terrorsaur is US Lazorbeak
I've amended the above post to clarify
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 6, 2021 21:43:45 GMT
Snapper.
I feel quite strongly about this. And have done so ever since.... last week when we were talking about the other Beasty Flips.
SNAPPER is simply the best. A turtle. Former. Turtleformer. Inspired.
And I'll tell ya sumat- SUCH PERSONALITY IN THIS TOY. Jumps out the plastic. Brilliant Transformer.
Oh, and he's a goodie.
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Post by Jaymz on Aug 6, 2021 21:47:12 GMT
Euro Terrorsaur is US Lazorbeak I've amended the above post to clarify Nah, we got both. I've seen both come off a Biocombat card.
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Post by Pinwig on Aug 6, 2021 21:54:14 GMT
Oh exciting! I must check mine and see which it is. Ooooh.
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Post by The Huff on Aug 7, 2021 6:55:50 GMT
Euro Terrorsaur is US Lazorbeak I've amended the above post to clarify Ah thanks. That makes sense now. I got my Terrorsaur from the US in 96. Was comparing it to Lazerbeak last night. In fact, I had all my Basic Predacons out for a fiddle. Such fun toys.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 12, 2021 7:40:11 GMT
Finishes tomorrow......
#VoteSnapper
...... when we move on to the first toys of 3 much loved show characters and a toy UK fans cursed because we couldn't get it!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 12, 2021 22:46:52 GMT
It's not too late for the Terrorsaurists to relent!
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Post by Bogatan on Aug 12, 2021 22:50:19 GMT
Insecticon for me. Terrorsaur is nice and all but Insecticon can fly too. And is green. And has a crossbow. And stuff.
Mad that there has never been another use of the mould.
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Post by Benn on Aug 12, 2021 23:16:05 GMT
Almost tempted to flip my vote to Iguanus, so the poor bugger doesn't get a complete wipe out.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 13, 2021 6:44:18 GMT
Insecticon for me. Terrorsaur is nice and all but Insecticon can fly too. And is green. And has a crossbow. And stuff. Mad that there has never been another use of the mould. Black and purple Hasbro, you know it makes sense!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 13, 2021 6:45:14 GMT
Terrorsaur wins!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 13, 2021 6:45:50 GMT
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Post by The Huff on Aug 13, 2021 7:21:23 GMT
Never thought if it before but all the show characters on the Maximal side have anoying attributes. Dinobots awkward robot legs in Beast mode. Cheetors cheetah head is odd in robot mode. Also thick back cheetah legs. But he does have nice colours. Rhinox has way too much kibble in robot mode and is a bit dull in Beast mode.
Whereas Wofang (who not many know much about) is pretty much flawless.
Will need to think.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 13, 2021 8:01:32 GMT
The picture we're using this week and next week is the Euro wave 1 Deluxe assortment, which we in the UK are used to seeing on the back of Cheetor, Dinobot, Rhinox, Tarantulus & Waspinator's cards: We didn't get this in the UK, by the time the UK got Beast Wars in 1997 European distribution had switched to the Wave 2 deluxe assortment: The second assortment does not contain Wolfang but the card backs on the five toys inherited from the first assortment continued to show him leading to much pain and anguish from UK fans! Was it reasonable to drop Wolfang? He's the only deluxe from that first six who ISN'T a show character so purely on that grounds if one has to go it probably SHOULD be him. But, in a case of eight toys, why not just do 1 of each of the 8 Euro deluxes, instead of (as wave 2 did) having 2 x Cybershark, 1 of each of the other and 0 Wolfang? To this day I have never seen any proof that any Wolfang made it to the UK as any randomly shipped/grey imported Euro cases. He definitely *DID* get sold in Europe, unlike certain toys which we'll come to in a few weeks time. Here's a picture of the AniMutants backing card for my Wolfang that a friend bought for me in France: We even know that Wolfang did ship on Biocombat cards to other countries that recieved that assotrtment: It just didn't get sold in the UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 13, 2021 8:29:45 GMT
WOLFANG BIOCOMBAT.
-Ralph
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