FansProject's Crossfire 2: Bruticus Upgrade

[kup]

I won't go into much detail on the Crossfire 2 set as enough has been said and discussed about it. However I will say that the hype is justified as the set is freaking AWESOME! The improvement from the base mold is immeasurable as you can see in the pics bellow.

Munitioner and Explorer are very nifty figures even if not at the same complexity level as Defender. However they are extremely well executed and although their plastic quality seems a little less than previous FansProject products, they are still miles ahead of any Hasbro/Takara figures.

Most of the accessories for the individual bots fit superbly and several of them have a transforming aspect with different configurations at an individual bot level. In Gestalt mode they either combine or transform into larger weapons or parts for Bruticus such as joints and waist plate. Unlike the Crossfire1 accessories, these fit more naturally to individual figures as they do look like proper weapons rather than makeshift accessories from combiner kibble. The accessories also effectively upgrade the vehicle modes, specially Onslaught and Vortex.

Bruticus also gains new shoulder joints which allow for much greater shoulder movement as well as better upper body proportions.

I will however point out some of the Cons of the design so that I don't sound like a raving Fanboy lunatic :p

- Onslaught's missile pods do not stay securely and severely limit articulation.
- Bruticus waist piece is a little easy to pop off (although I could be putting it in wrong)
- Explorer's shuttle nose is fairly thin on plastic given it's mass and it seems that during factory assembly mine developed a couple of tiny stress marks.
- Explorer has no landing gears as such but it's ability to mount up on Onslaught's launch platform makes up for it.

The Control: Bruticus as displayed before the upgrade.

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-1.JPG

Comparison between Energon and G1 Bruticus (Scale Control)

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-2.JPG

Xfire 2a & Xfire2b boxes front/back

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-3.JPG

Combaticons in Vehicle Mode: Surprisingly, Onslaught's new flatbed truck is actually pretty solid
http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-4.JPG


Combaticons in Robot Mode

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-5.JPG

Onslaught in Launch Platform mode

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-6.JPG

Onslaught with an alternate (not as instructed) and more G1 configuration

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-7.JPG

Comparison with G1 Bruticus

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-8.JPG

Bruticus with Rifle and Combat knife

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-9.JPG

Bruticus weilding his dual shotguns

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-10.JPG

[liegeprime]

Sweet I got mine today as well. My cousin dropped by and I immediately put him together!! Erm my Bruticus' waist doesnt pop off easy - did you peg it in the screwholes it was designed for it to fit in properly? I had a little dull moment though, I didnt figure out imediately that you have to remove the old Bruticus head and replace it completely with the new one... had to take a second look at the picture instructions , and then duuh?! after that everything went well. I guess it is just your explorer's quirk kup, mine has no stressmark.... I wont be putting any pics as youve extensively covered it already. Swweeeeeettt!!! :D:D:D

[kup]

Sweet I got mine today as well. My cousin dropped by and I immediately put him together!! Erm my Bruticus' waist doesnt pop off easy - did you peg it in the screwholes it was designed for it to fit in properly? I had a little dull moment though, I didnt figure out imediately that you have to remove the old Bruticus head and replace it completely with the new one... had to take a second look at the picture instructions , and then duuh?! after that everything went well. I guess it is just your explorer's quirk kup, mine has no stressmark.... I wont be putting any pics as youve extensively covered it already. Swweeeeeettt!!! :D:D:D

The stress marks on my Explorer are very tiny.You have to know where to look to see them, it's just me being pedantic. However still be careful with that section, it still seems rather thin for the pressure it's expected to hold with the pegged arms being popped in and out.

Both Explorer and Munitioner are awesome toys in their own right. Both figures have a lot of appropriate personality in them. I may take more pictures just of them, they are almost worth the price alone even without the Gestalt.

[5FDP]

Haven't taken much interest in these upgrade kits but this looks very impressive.

So... are these just snap-on pieces which attach to Hasbro's Bruticus toy?

[kup]

Haven't taken much interest in these upgrade kits but this looks very impressive.

So... are these just snap-on pieces which attach to Hasbro's Bruticus toy?

Some parts are snap in, others are peg in and others are 'clamp' in. The result is overall pretty solid, much more so than the original Energon Bruticus set up.

There is only one part replacement as LiegePrime mentioned, the Energon Bruticus head needs to be unhinged and remove from Onslaught; then replaced by the new head but since it's a 'snap out' part, you can easily put the old head back in but who would want to do that? :p

[Hursticon]

Awesome write up and pictorial Kup, I really like the comparing of the 3 incarnations of such a Brutal set of Characters (Couldn't resist). :p

This, along with all the acquisitions posts, is causing me to grind my teeth with anticipation for my sets to arrive, of which I'm annoyed with coz people who paid 1 week ago are getting theirs before myself and I paid 2 months ago!. :(

Please do take some more pics of Explorer Blastoff and Munitioner Swindle please, as I'd like to see them more closeup than previous pics released. :D

[iceburn]

Awesome write up and pictorial Kup, I really like the comparing of the 3 incarnations of such a Brutal set of Characters (Couldn't resist). :p

This, along with all the acquisitions posts, is causing me to grind my teeth with anticipation for my sets to arrive, of which I'm annoyed with coz people who paid 1 week ago are getting theirs before myself and I paid 2 months ago!. :(

Please do take some more pics of Explorer Blastoff and Munitioner Swindle please, as I'd like to see them more closeup than previous pics released. :D

Try here for a review of both figures and combined mode:

http://www.tformers.com/transformers-video-review-of-fp-explorer-and-munitioner-by-peaugh-/14234/news.html

[bruticus]

Bruticus weilding his dual shotguns

but if hes wielding dual shotguns at the same time, how is he suppose to pump them and reload??
hehehe... j/k. :p

nice review and pics dude.

just have 2 questions.
1) does the set allow you to switch swindle and brawl around in the combined mode. say for eg, if you wanted brawl as the right leg and swindle is the left leg? just curious.
2) in combined mode are all of the parts used up and there are no left over pieces/kibble?

[5FDP]

Some parts are snap in, others are peg in and others are 'clamp' in. The result is overall pretty solid, much more so than the original Energon Bruticus set up.

There is only one part replacement as LiegePrime mentioned, the Energon Bruticus head needs to be unhinged and remove from Onslaught; then replaced by the new head but since it's a 'snap out' part, you can easily put the old head back in but who would want to do that? :p

Thanks Kup :) It's amazing what they come up with. It looks like a completely different bot and 100 times better.

[kup]

but if hes wielding dual shotguns at the same time, how is he suppose to pump them and reload??
hehehe... j/k. :p

Haven't you seen Terminator 2? :p Look at Arnie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ETNeeZBe4)@3:05. Just imagine him with a shotgun on each hand ;)



just have 2 questions.
1) does the set allow you to switch swindle and brawl around in the combined mode. say for eg, if you wanted brawl as the right leg and swindle is the left leg? just curious.
2) in combined mode are all of the parts used up and there are no left over pieces/kibble?

1) Yes you can but the feet will be not have the ankle joint bending in the correct direction as each foot is individually tailored for the figure. However there is little negative impact visually as the feet are symmetrical enough to not look awkward or 'wrong' even with the wheels now in the inner side than outer but due to the ankles, there is some minor poseability lost.

2) All parts are used except for the now obsolete Energon weapons and old Bruticus head.

[LordCyrusOmega]

Like it, Need it, Want it.

Something else for the unattainable wish list

Seriously though it looks great. fantastic pics!

[gdmetro]

Awesome pics!!

One thing on mine, is that on explorer, the peg that connects the bruticus hands, it is slightly loose, so that when I place a gun it sags down... dont know why this is- doesnt look like Kup's one has that problem.

Other than Onslaught's lack of articulation with the missile pods attached- not that many flaws with the kit.

[liegeprime]

Awesome pics!!

One thing on mine, is that on explorer, the peg that connects the bruticus hands, it is slightly loose, so that when I place a gun it sags down... dont know why this is- doesnt look like Kup's one has that problem.

Other than Onslaught's lack of articulation with the missile pods attached- not that many flaws with the kit.


That peg is loose in mine as well, you can fix that by having the combined feet of Explorer slightly like he's tiptoeing, so that even though his wrist ( where the peg connects) is limpy it's stable and doesnt swing up and down unwantedly.


Im liking the heads of the two very much - its blocky but daaaayuum so detailed and the paintjob aint bad. Now I wish they made a Stunticon set ( combines to Menasor of course hehehe) - purely on their own figures, since there's no new Hasbro version anyways..... now those would be an awesome awesome gift set!

I really like the feet with all the wheels makes it look like them feet of Voltes V ( one of the Great robots series) - Volt Lander. and gotta love the ratcheting on the big back cannons that can fold forward for more ballistic attacks. Speaking of which, if only I can photoshop a whole buncha missles launching in different directions from the knee launchers and armpit launchers that Bruticus now has so wonderful - I imagine it like them gundam spray of cluster bombs racing towards enemy troops... now I need to find a WST Starscream to perch on his shoulder and WST Shockwave for him to hold.:p

[kup]

That peg is loose in mine as well, you can fix that by having the combined feet of Explorer slightly like he's tiptoeing, so that even though his wrist ( where the peg connects) is limpy it's stable and doesnt swing up and down unwantedly.


My Explorer has that too, I think that's how it's supposed to be and that the way you positioned the feet is the correct form. The peg on mine secures well to the wrist.

The small figures are really cool. The sculpts are awesomely done and as mentioned, they have a lot of personality with a nice vibe to them.

[bruticus]

1) Yes you can but the feet will be not have the ankle joint bending in the correct direction as each foot is individually tailored for the figure. However there is little negative impact visually as the feet are symmetrical enough to not look awkward or 'wrong' even with the wheels now in the inner side than outer but due to the ankles, there is some minor poseability lost.

thanks for checking.
so you just cant plug swindle/hummer in the left foot plate and brawl/tank in the right foot plate?
i thought that the pegs and holes would be identical at the ankle joint?

[llamatron]

Looking cool but I wish that had just gone all out and made the whole team from scratch. Would kill for a new Vortex and Brawl. =/

[valkyrie_76]

Looking cool but I wish that had just gone all out and made the whole team from scratch. Would kill for a new Vortex and Brawl. =/

+1

[kup]

thanks for checking.
so you just cant plug swindle/hummer in the left foot plate and brawl/tank in the right foot plate?
i thought that the pegs and holes would be identical at the ankle joint?

Unfortunately not but you can switch the whole leg assembly from left to right.

[kup]

Looking cool but I wish that had just gone all out and made the whole team from scratch. Would kill for a new Vortex and Brawl. =/

I would have preferred a new Onslaught head and a Brawl. Vortex seems ok.

[Hursticon]

Happy, Happy... Joy, Joy!!! :D:D:D

Just got an email from TFSource, notifying me that my Munitioner Swindle and Explorer Blastoff are on their way as they were shipped today! :D:D:D
(Crap!, that sounded almost Wheelie-ish)

Liege, a High-Five to you! :p
A FansProject Stunticon Giftset would be absolutely friggin' Awesome!
That, would sell like bloody Hotcakes, no questions about that!

Interesting that the feet aren't switchable? maybe that was one of the reasons they were held back, maybe they were trying to come up with a way around that?

Also, is the 'limp wrist' issue a major one?
Being that, especially with a shotgun, he would need sturdy wrists is it just a 'looseness - not plugged in right' thing? or more like a 'they should've done this' thing?

[kup]

Also, is the 'limp wrist' issue a major one?
Being that, especially with a shotgun, he would need sturdy wrists is it just a 'looseness - not plugged in right' thing? or more like a 'they should've done this' thing?

I don't think there is a limp wrist issue. Mine is fine. The wrist is indeed on a pin hinge on the Explorer arm but it doesn't limp down or anything. But it does move a bit up when you push it but it's not an issue as it stays in place unless you move it.

[liegeprime]

Happy, Happy... Joy, Joy!!! :D:D:D

Liege, a High-Five to you! :p
A FansProject Stunticon Giftset would be absolutely friggin' Awesome!
That, would sell like bloody Hotcakes, no questions about that!


Also, is the 'limp wrist' issue a major one?
Being that, especially with a shotgun, he would need sturdy wrists is it just a 'looseness - not plugged in right' thing? or more like a 'they should've done this' thing?

Stunticons/Menasor would be so absolutely awesome wouldnt it?! Especially if they are able to incorporate all the vehicle back cannons into parts for Menasor like they did here in Bruticus kit. Im really interested to see how will their take on the faces will be, Im really impressed with the detailed square heads these Xfire figures have. Also Menasor has a freakin looking Sword weapon, I can just imagine how awesome they're modern version of that sword would be :D

Its not a looseness in the connection that's an issue with the aforementioned wrist but that if you position the feet of Explorer as straight on youll find that the hand goes down and not stay straight ( thereby limp wrist) forward as it would if you have the feet it attaches too slightly tiptoe like to serve as a breaker so that the hand just plainly sits straight on... I guess I need to take a pic to better explain what I mean... Ill do so later. :) it's not a big issue, so easily corrected.

I got to play with it more in individual upgraded pieces mode... hmm Onslaught just became too top heavy hmmm, like the launcher opening part for the feet ( which become the shoulder launchers for Onslaught.

It's kinda funny that every vehicle got an upgrade and now has multiple weaponry attachments and yet Explorer and Munitioner themselves , well left so plain,.... altmode ( vehicle) wise.:p

also does anyone know where to store the tailfin/axe/blade when its not being held by Bruticus? the shotguns have their storage peg, so's the foldable main gun, but I dont see any for the blade/axe/fin, where does one keep it?

[KaRNiV8L PRiME]

also does anyone know where to store the tailfin/axe/blade when its not being held by Bruticus? the shotguns have their storage peg, so's the foldable main gun, but I dont see any for the blade/axe/fin, where does one keep it?

There is a peg on either side of Vortex's forearms to store his "knife"

[kup]

More pics of Munitioner and Explorer:

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-11.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-12.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/collection/crossfire2/crossfire2-13.JPG

[Tallestblue]

Look at the smile on Munitioner! Awesome!!!
Still waiting for my order to be shipped. :(

[kup]

Look at the smile on Munitioner! Awesome!!!
Still waiting for my order to be shipped. :(

The toys have a lot of character. Those lively sculpts beat any electronic gimmick or spring loaded missile any day!

[Hursticon]

@ Liege & Kup:

Cheers for the heads up guys, I just thought I'd ask so I've got an idea of what to expect when mine arrive and so I don't freakout! :p:D

Loving the additional photos Kup, reckon you could take a couple more? - aimed at the Gestalt's wrist problem-area that's been identified?

[kup]

@ Liege & Kup:

Cheers for the heads up guys, I just thought I'd ask so I've got an idea of what to expect when mine arrive and so I don't freakout! :p:D

Loving the additional photos Kup, reckon you could take a couple more? - aimed at the Gestalt's wrist problem-area that's been identified?

I'll take a photo but honestly, I don't see any wrist problem.

[liegeprime]

I concur, it's just how the design is. but I'll take shots at it later, right now gotta catch zzzzzs I bushed doing dialysis and sh*# from an all nighter :o

[Hursticon]

I'll take a photo but honestly, I don't see any wrist problem.


I concur, it's just how the design is. but I'll take shots at it later, right now gotta catch zzzzzs I bushed doing dialysis and sh*# from an all nighter :o

No probs guys, probably a poor choice of words on my behalf, looking forward to the pics. :D

Indeed Liege, catch some Zs mate, Shift work is a killer. :)

[FFN]

Does anybody know how the hell are you supposed to get the cannon "backpack" to stay on securely?

The peg and socket ont he backpack goes into Onslaught/Barricade's 5mm peg hole and Mini-Con port on his shoulders (which ends up on Bruticus' back when combined). However, the shoulder pieces and thus the pegs on Onslaught are space too far apart.

I can't push them inwards (as if it's some sort of Hasbro QC problem), because the panel for Colossus head has specifically-spaced holes to lock the chest into the torso. So the cannon backpack is only secured on one side if I lock the chest in. So I've decided to not bother locking the chest/head panel in so the backpack can fit. (I've noticed the beginnings of white stress marks already, so probably for the best). Fortunately the chest's joint is tight enough to hold the ehtire thing up



This is one of several design issues I have with this set.

[kup]

Here are pics of the hand as requested - Sorry about the amount of pics but the figure is so pose-able that I couldn't help it :p

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand1.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand2.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand3.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand4.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand5.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand6.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand7.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand8.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand9.JPG

http://kupscigar.com/bruthand10.JPG

[kup]

Does anybody know how the hell are you supposed to get the cannon "backpack" to stay on securely?

The peg and socket ont he backpack goes into Onslaught/Barricade's 5mm peg hole and Mini-Con port on his shoulders (which ends up on Bruticus' back when combined). However, the shoulder pieces and thus the pegs on Onslaught are space too far apart.


You need force to get the backpack peg to fit in both holes - Once you accomplish this, it's very secure. Also make sure the figure is aligned. Mine has no problem at all with this.

I also managed to figure out the waist plate, it fits in securely now. With the upgrade this toy is much more solid than the original set up despite the vastly increased poseability.

[FFN]

I can't do that. I am looking at it now - with the backpack secured properly to Onslaught's shoulders, the tiny pegs that the head panel fit to are now spaced too closely together to fit into the Colossus head panel.

As I am already seeing some whitening marks (the beginning of stress marks) on the silver plastic of the panel, I'm not going to bother securing the head panel to Onslaught's shoulders. As far as I can tell, this is not a QC issue with either toy, but some dodgy design.

Was I unlucky and somehow got a pre-production run toy? (I heard this set was delayed because there were problems getting parts to fit.


I think the waist plate is a piece of crap. The problem is it's ball jointed, not hinged, so it can't move up along with his thigh. Coupled with the fact Onslaught's knees (thus Bruticus' thighs) have Mini-Con ports right at the top, moving the thighs forward will inevitably pop the waist plate off. A better design would have been two hinged panels, like on, I dunno, MP Convoy or a higher-end Gundam.

[kup]

I can't do that. I am looking at it now - with the backpack secured properly to Onslaught's shoulders, the tiny pegs that the head panel fit to are now spaced too closely together to fit into the Colossus head panel.

http://kupscigar.com/brutaligned.JPG

As you can see, it's aligned. To me this is one of the most secured pieces.


I think the waist plate is a piece of crap. The problem is it's ball jointed, not hinged, so it can't move up along with his thigh. Coupled with the fact Onslaught's knees (thus Bruticus' thighs) have Mini-Con ports right at the top, moving the thighs forward will inevitably pop the waist plate off.

As I wrote in the first post, I originally fell into the same trap. After I read that LiegePrime managed to place the waits plate securely, I tried again and you are actually supposed to shape the ball hinges of the plate so they go over the minicon ports. The result of this was a solid plate so the biggest flaw that I found on the gestalt was just me not positioning the piece properly.

The only real design flaw that I see in the set are Onslaught's missile pods at the individual figure level. They hinder articulation severely and seem to easy to pop off despite looking pretty cool.

[FFN]

The waist plate is fine for relatively static poses, but being ball jointed means they have a limited degree of movement. Which is why I think it's a piece of crap. If the two side pieces were hinged at the top, they would move up as the thigh moved, like on MP Prime and Gundams.

As for the backpack/headplate - I can do what you do with force, but I feel as though I am stressing parts whilst doing so (and in any case, the backpack can still detach if Vortex's arms bump into the stored left shotgun).


Looking cool but I wish that had just gone all out and made the whole team from scratch. Would kill for a new Vortex and Brawl. =/ Not me. I am not enthused with how tightly-fitting the parts are in vehicle mode. While it looks better and less "gappy" than a real Transformer, the trade off is it's more difficult to get the parts to separate so it can transform.

Another problem I have (and this goes back to City Commander) is that the CAD modellers didn't round off the corners on edges and such of, so the finished products end up with unnecessarily sharp and pointy corners.

[kup]

The waist plate is fine for relatively static poses, but being ball jointed means they have a limited degree of movement. Which is why I think it's a piece of crap. If the two side pieces were hinged at the top, they would move up as the thigh moved, like on MP Prime and Gundams.

As for the backpack/headplate - I can do what you do with force, but I feel as though I am stressing parts whilst doing so (and in any case, the backpack can still detach if Vortex's arms bump into the stored left shotgun).

Not me. I am not enthused with how tightly-fitting the parts are in vehicle mode. While it looks better and less "gappy" than a real Transformer, the trade off is it's more difficult to get the parts to separate so it can transform.

Another problem I have (and this goes back to City Commander) is that the CAD modellers didn't round off the corners on edges and such of, so the finished products end up with unnecessarily sharp and pointy corners.

You seem to be trying really hard to hate this set :p

[gdmetro]

Not me. I am not enthused with how tightly-fitting the parts are in vehicle mode. While it looks better and less "gappy" than a real Transformer, the trade off is it's more difficult to get the parts to separate so it can transform.

Another problem I have (and this goes back to City Commander) is that the CAD modellers didn't round off the corners on edges and such of, so the finished products end up with unnecessarily sharp and pointy corners.

This is a valid point, one I never even thought to complain about. I rarely transform FP pieces, for reason, that Im scared to break, chip something, and the value of them. Their designs allow for transformation, but not with the engineering smoothness of Hasbro/Takaras designs- since those are obviously designed for kids and actual play wear.

I guess just being able to get these upgrades outweighs and masks flaws from my eyes.

Hopefully these flaws will be improved upon as FP continues to release newer designs.

[kup]

This is a valid point, one I never even thought to complain about. I rarely transform FP pieces, for reason, that Im scared to break, chip something, and the value of them. Their designs allow for transformation, but not with the engineering smoothness of Hasbro/Takaras designs- since those are obviously designed for kids and actual play wear.

I guess just being able to get these upgrades outweighs and masks flaws from my eyes.

Hopefully these flaws will be improved upon as FP continues to release newer designs.

I disagree with calling those flaws. They seem more in line with opinions.

[FFN]

You seem to be trying really hard to hate this set :p I am far tougher on a specifically fan-designed, collector-focused, high-priced toy than I am with a much cheaper toy that was not made with people my age in mind.


This is a valid point, one I never even thought to complain about. I rarely transform FP pieces, for reason, that Im scared to break, chip something, and the value of them. Their designs allow for transformation, but not with the engineering smoothness of Hasbro/Takaras designs- since those are obviously designed for kids and actual play wear.

I guess just being able to get these upgrades outweighs and masks flaws from my eyes.

Hopefully these flaws will be improved upon as FP continues to release newer designs. Yeah, that's what I mean - they lack the engineering smoothness of transformation in an actual Transformer. Also, peg are a little *too* tight on this - you shouldn't need to use such force to get the shotguns into the backpack for storage, for example. You can possibly pull the entire backpack off whilst trying to extricate the guns.

But granted. It looks FANTASTIC. Just that they're not quite as playable or as user-friendly as a real Transformer.

[kup]

I am far tougher on a specifically fan-designed, collector-focused, high-priced toy than I am with a much cheaper toy that was not made with people my age in mind.

But granted. It looks FANTASTIC. Just that they're not quite as playable or as user-friendly as a real Transformer.

To me the upgraded gestalt is much, much, MUCH more playable than the base toy combiner ;) He now has extended articulation and poseability. He is also much more stable and with multiple weapons which immensely add to the play value. The individual figures also get a lot of play value by having multiple transforming weapons and even upgrades. I wouldn't call the base toy user friendly, the energon weapons and ill thought out joints and weight ratio make it unstable which is something that has been largely fixed with the upgrade.

Please don't tell me that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the better toy :p

[Hursticon]

Cheers for the pics Kup, they really show how incredibly articulate they are and how many different poses the hands alone are able to achieve. :D
(I especially like the last pic) ;):D

[liegeprime]

okay to address the wrist issue:

Normally the right hand will not be limp down its own but will fall down (thereby limp wrist) when it is holding on to a gun as it becomes heavier than the peg it attaches to can handle

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/liegeprime/Miscellaneous/Wristissue001.jpg
for purposes of demo pic I have the hand limp down as it would if it was holding a gun...

a simple modification to this to aid it in keeping the hand straight while holding a gun is by tiptoeing the foot of Explorer a bit so it helps keep the hand in position, really minor...

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/liegeprime/Miscellaneous/Wristissue002.jpg

hope that clarifies what I meant in the previous posts. Sorry I didn't post much pics Hursty hehehe, kup has it all covered actually.

[VERT]

I got my set today. Im so happy with it and have had no troubles at all. Swindle and Blastoff are perfect and its kinda sad to combine them. But combined its amazing!!

Just so easy to put together. Had no stress mark issues and the Cannon backpack took only seconds to put on. Its all love :D

[primatives]

anyone find it hard to pull swindle out from the feet part?? its on very tight!!

[jaydisc]

Easily the best combiner to date. Absolutely remarkable. My wrist is limp too, but I used same solution as liege.

[gdmetro]

I disagree with calling those flaws. They seem more in line with opinions.

I should clarify. Maybe "flaw" isnt the best word to describe it, but in anycase, I think there is always room for improvement, and Im just stating in what ways future designs could be further improved upon.

Why cant we have an awesome looking figure and the engineering smoothness of a proper transforming toy from Has/Tak?
Obvioulsy I understand that realistically, there will be sacrifices towards this smoothness and play wear since "looks" and poseability are the most key traits.


Easily the best combiner to date. Absolutely remarkable. My wrist is limp too, but I used same solution as liege.

Totally agree- although the g1 combiners have such a special quality, and I dont think they can be directly compared.

Cant wait for subsequent projects. FP please give me Menasor PLEASE!!!!:D
Although this is a long shot- Im interested to see how the TFC devastator is released, as 5 or six individually designed figures will cause problems- i.e. distribution- scalpers would have field day. And the price points.

[kup]

okay to address the wrist issue:

Normally the right hand will not be limp down its own but will fall down (thereby limp wrist) when it is holding on to a gun as it becomes heavier than the peg it attaches to can handle

for purposes of demo pic I have the hand limp down as it would if it was holding a gun...

a simple modification to this to aid it in keeping the hand straight while holding a gun is by tiptoeing the foot of Explorer a bit so it helps keep the hand in position, really minor...

hope that clarifies what I meant in the previous posts. Sorry I didn't post much pics Hursty hehehe, kup has it all covered actually.

I am going to try to replicate this limp hand because as you can see, I don't have that at all. I suspect that you are meant to lock the feet in place as my hands are pretty secure in place while holding weapons, etc.

Edit: I just gave it a try - You are supposed to place the feet like Liege has. Having it 'limp hand' is having the wrist mistransformed. Once you lock it in with the feet, it stays pretty much in place no matter how you pose the hand so this is how it's meant to be.

[kup]

anyone find it hard to pull swindle out from the feet part?? its on very tight!!

I had a bit of trouble the first time but after that it was fine because I knew which parts are supposed to separate. The articulated feet through me off at first because I thought the jeep separated at the 'ankles' due to the joint that forms a small gap when separated.

[gdmetro]

I am going to try to replicate this limp hand because as you can see, I don't have that at all. I suspect that you are meant to lock the feet in place as my hands are pretty secure in place while holding weapons, etc.

Edit: I just gave it a try - You are supposed to place the feet like Liege has. Having it 'limp hand' is having the wrist mistransformed. Once you lock it in with the feet, it stays pretty much in place no matter how you pose the hand so this is how it's meant to be.

Tried this too!! it works!! wow... and i thought I had a dodgy peg or something. That tight feeling is awesome :D

[Sam]

anyone find it hard to pull swindle out from the feet part?? its on very tight!!

I find that they are hard to put back in after, as the way the feet join means that if you get one foot in first, it's very hard to get the other in. If you try to combine both feet first and then push both in, it's also hard as there is very little room to move. I ended up twisting and turning and using a bit of brute force (gently) to get the feet tucked.

Overall, these are two great kits. Clearly there was a lot of thought that went into the design of the weapons and various configurations. Nothing is "wasted".

[FFN]

To me the upgraded gestalt is much, much, MUCH more playable than the base toy combiner ;) He now has extended articulation and poseability. He is also much more stable and with multiple weapons which immensely add to the play value. The individual figures also get a lot of play value by having multiple transforming weapons and even upgrades. I wouldn't call the base toy user friendly, the energon weapons and ill thought out joints and weight ratio make it unstable which is something that has been largely fixed with the upgrade.

Please don't tell me that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the better toy :p I already told you that I don't like the execution of the PCCs. I don't even own any PCCs yet, so don't try to deflect my criticism of this set by suggesting my support of the much-derided PCCs.

[kup]

I already told you that I don't like the execution of the PCCs. I don't even own any PCCs yet, so don't try to deflect my criticism of this set by suggesting my support of the much-derided PCCs.

I was only joking, dude hence the ':p'

And I already addressed your criticism. It has not been deflected ;)

[Hursticon]

okay to address the wrist issue:

Normally the right hand will not be limp down its own but will fall down (thereby limp wrist) when it is holding on to a gun as it becomes heavier than the peg it attaches to can handle

*snip*

for purposes of demo pic I have the hand limp down as it would if it was holding a gun...

a simple modification to this to aid it in keeping the hand straight while holding a gun is by tiptoeing the foot of Explorer a bit so it helps keep the hand in position, really minor...

*snip*

hope that clarifies what I meant in the previous posts. Sorry I didn't post much pics Hursty hehehe, kup has it all covered actually.

Awesome pics there Liege, that shows exactly what was in my head of what both yourself and Kup were describing, cheers mate. :D

I'll have to see if this is the case with my set when it arrives and in regards to the amount of pics Liege, lol, your not wrong, Kup really did cover almost every pose possible with just the one post. :p:D

[kup]

I'll have to see if this is the case with my set when it arrives and in regards to the amount of pics Liege, lol, your not wrong, Kup really did cover almost every pose possible with just the one post. :p:D

No, there is one more hand pose that I could have done but this is a family friendly board :p

[Tallestblue]

My shipping Order was confirmed from TFsource! Explore and Munitioner are on their way! YAY!!

[kelvinchang99]

Just received mine from RobotKingdom. Boy they ship fast. Only took 4 days.

This is the best kit around. Love it. Get it !

[Soundwarp]

Wow, i had no interest in those models until that upgrade

[1AZRAEL1]

Wow, i had no interest in those models until that upgrade

You'll find that alot of us were like that. Then trying to hunt for the main part was fun.

[Hursticon]

You'll find that alot of us were like that. Then trying to hunt for the main part was fun.

Not me though :p, I bought my Bruticus Maximus set 1. to offset the Aerialbots and 2. to bolster my rather fleeting Classics/Universe 2.0 Decepticon forces at the time. :D

I think both sides are more or less equal now, maybe a few more members on the Autobot's side but the Big guys are on the Decepticons. :D

[jaydisc]

I had always intended to go back and get the Energon/Superlink versions of the two combiner molds, so I was thrilled with the Universe Bruticus release, not only because it was cheaper than buying the older version, but because I felt the colors were superior than the older version, and they shine even more so with this accessory.

As to Superion though, I do prefer the old version as I'm not really into the baby pink and blue used with the Universe version.

Back on topic, one thing I have to add about this figure is that the new feet and wider shoulders make it quite huge in comparison to the accessory-less version and Superion (with or without accessories). It's truly menacing and I love it.

[King Atlas]

This is my first third party-kit. Man-oh-man, the photos just don't do it enough justice. It's so much better in-hand.
Get this is you love combiners, (especially if you like the character). Get this if you love g1 and/or 'classics'.
Get this if you love playing/fiddling/displaying your figures.

Even if your not into third-party, just give it a thought. It's just so clever and rewarding, you will not (shouldn't imo) be dissapointed.

p.s. this = Crossfire munitioner + explorer

[Sam]

Once you get these kits and combine them to make Bruticus as he should be, a part of you looks at the bulkiness of the figure and imagines him saying "Bruticus! RAAHHH!!!"

[liegeprime]

Back on topic, one thing I have to add about this figure is that the new feet and wider shoulders make it quite huge in comparison to the accessory-less version and Superion (with or without accessories). It's truly menacing and I love it.

yep Bruticus is definitely bulkier and taller than Superion

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/liegeprime/2010%20Acquisition/SeptemberAcquisition002.jpg

[Soundwarp]

Man that arc set is cool

[liegeprime]

Man that arc set is cool

Cheers Warp, takes a lot of clips and blutack to keep the wall panels in place though, but so nice for a playset/ backdrop for shots heheh:D

[primatives]

Man I can't explain how AWESOME this set is!!!! Its soo detailed! The effort and thought put into this set is fantastic!!! Makes this combiner set the most badass ever I reckon! I really do like it how FP has given us a really modern take on the G1 series toys. I feel like it fills a void that has been left by Hasbro since they introduced other series because I grew up with G1 and in my opinion G1 is the BEST series ever. The classics line is kind of cool but I think FP is small enough to give fans what they want in a toy and not have to worry about safety,target market etc. and like their slogan says by fans for fans :)

After you get the poses right this guy looks awesome in the cabinet! If I could describe it, I'd say it looks like the Bruticus that was fighting Predaking in the DW comics that was drawn by Don Figueroa. Or Japanese/Manga style??? With the small head, small waist huge cannons and big guns to go with it :) I say get it if you can!!!

I'm definately looking forward to the Rodimus Prime add-on if they made some more combiners that would be soo cool!! :)

[Hursticon]

My set finally arrived today! :D
They also took up most of my time today too, playing around with them, taking photos and generally exploring the 'Epic-ness of Cool' that this set, once apart of Bruticus, really is!. :D
Didn't really seem to have any weighting problems with the weapons in the hands of Bruticus, lucky I guess, but I had a lot of fun fiddling with those articulate hands of his. :p:)

Below are some pics, Some Adult in Nature and displaying my feelings towards the PCC Bombshock & The Craptaculacons, I've taken with some captions underneath. :p


http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus01.jpg
Scared!?, That's Right!, You two should be... You Know who's Coming!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus02.jpg
That's Right Bombshock, Better Vehicles!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus03.jpg
Yeah! and Better Armed Vehicles at That!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus04.jpg
Oh Look Bombshock, Onslaught's Combaticon Team have actual Bot Mode's with Individual Personalities... does Yours!?

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus05.jpg
Ah! :D, I see it's starting to Sink In Now!, Bruticus - As He was Meant to Be!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus06.jpg
Uh Oh!, Guess who's noticed you Bombshock?, I don't think calling yourself a Combaticon was a particularly wise move!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus07.jpg
Grovel all you like!, Mercy Pleas are foreign concepts to Bruticus!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus08.jpg
Bargaining wont help you either! It only serves to infuriate Him!, causing Blastoff to lose his A.I. control over Bruticus!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus09.jpg
Well..., You'll only make that mistake once! Bruticus prefers the 'Hands On' approach!

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus10.jpg
Mind you kids, He has a sense of Humour too! :p:D

Hope you guys like :)

[kaiden]

great photos! hopefully kyle will reply soon about mine :3

[liegeprime]

NIce one Hursty!, oh I see mini megs in the corner there, trying to look inconspicuous I believe hehehe.

[jaydisc]

Great pics and narrative. Man, I love those quasi-shotguns. I can't overstate how awesome this set is.

http://itfdb.com/temporary/tf/IMG_0144.jpg

[adds]

Great set of photos Hursticon.

I really like how tough Bruticus looks in this shot. :)



http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus05.jpg

[Paulbot]

Great set of photos Hursticon.

I really like how tough Bruticus looks in this shot. :)

+1

I don't regret selling my Bruticus and my Crossfire sets, but that is an impressive looking robot in that shot

[Tallestblue]

I got mine yesterday and it is a very nice set, I love the articulation and the personality in the two add-ons, and the much needed upgrades to weaponry.
These guys seriously put the COMBAT into COMBATicons. was a lot sturdier than I expected.It didn't help I had dreams about the set breaking last night. My crazy subconcious.

[FFN]

Judging by the photos, I think some of you guys left the tank guys as-is from the packaging. The factory slightly mistransformed them for packing by rotating the lower of the two panels that the chest & arms/turret are attached to into robot mode position, so the entire turret assembly is placed too far back, exposing an unsightly gap in vehicle mode and covers up Bruticus' knee pad when combined.

[Hursticon]

great photos! hopefully kyle will reply soon about mine :3

Cheers Kaiden :D
Much appreciated and I too hope that you guys hear something on that front in the near future. :)


NIce one Hursty!, oh I see mini megs in the corner there, trying to look inconspicuous I believe hehehe.

Thanks Liege :D
Hehehe, I honestly didn't even notice Pop-Megatron until you pointed him out, he really does look like he's just trying to 'slip' into the pics huh? :p


Great pics and narrative. Man, I love those quasi-shotguns. I can't overstate how awesome this set is.

*snip*

Hehe! Thanks Jaydisc :D
I can't remember where I said I would, but I posted somewhere that I would display my thoughts on PCC Bombshock & The Craptaculacons using FP Bruticus as my weapon :p:D, took me about 4-5 hours, lol.


Great set of photos Hursticon.

I really like how tough Bruticus looks in this shot. :)

Cheers Adds :D
I wanted to try and pose FP Bruticus in such a way that it would really show off the Awesomeness and Brutality that the set exudes, your sentiments tell me that I managed to succeed in capturing that, thanks. :)


+1

I don't regret selling my Bruticus and my Crossfire sets, but that is an impressive looking robot in that shot

Hehe, Cheers Paulbot :D
I don't know how you could've parted with them dude, but thanks for the compliment. :)


I got mine yesterday and it is a very nice set, I love the articulation and the personality in the two add-ons, and the much needed upgrades to weaponry.
These guys seriously put the COMBAT into COMBATicons. was a lot sturdier than I expected.It didn't help I had dreams about the set breaking last night. My crazy subconcious.

You've hit the nail on the head TB, I'm glad to hear that yours have also arrived and dude, that is one hell of a nightmare! :eek:


Judging by the photos, I think some of you guys left the tank guys as-is from the packaging. The factory slightly mistransformed them for packing by rotating the lower of the two panels that the chest & arms/turret are attached to into robot mode position, so the entire turret assembly is placed too far back, exposing an unsightly gap in vehicle mode and covers up Bruticus' knee pad when combined.

I tried to see what you meant with Crap Blastoff FFN, but I couldn't quite figure it out. :(:p
Reckon you could elaborate a little more or even post some pics?

[jaydisc]

You can see what FFN is talking about in my earlier pics here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2785), specifically:

http://itfdb.com/temporary/tf/unibruticus9.jpg

Notice how my tanks' turrets do not go above the kneecap? The turret rotator sits on top of another rotator. On yours, and everyone else's, the lower rotator needs to be rotated.

(that's a lot o' rotatin') :D

[liegeprime]

oooh I see now what FFN means, cheers Jay.

[Hursticon]

*Face Palms* :p

Ah!, I too see it now, lol, now it looks less like a Trade Federation Tank. :rolleyes::)
Cheers Jaydisc and FFN. :D

[primatives]

hmm how do u rotate the gun on the tank???? I tried to do it but it wont budge!!!!! maybe some pics??? Thanks

[1AZRAEL1]

hmm how do u rotate the gun on the tank???? I tried to do it but it wont budge!!!!! maybe some pics??? Thanks

Spin the whole thing around so the guns are facing the other way, then twist the top layer with the arms/slash guns around. I too didn't realise they could do that, but it looks much better when you do it.

[kup]

I didn't know about that either. I have readjusted Brawl so that the canons point up for a more G1 look.

[Hursticon]

I have readjusted Brawl so that the canons point up for a more G1 look.

Ooh!

That's an awesome idea! :D

[King Atlas]

I was sick today so, I decided to take some pics. So much potential for playability, but I didn't have all day. Some shots didn't come out that well and I Edited some of the lighting, since the originals were a little dark. Oh and cropped aswell :). (Please advise me if the pictures are too big.)

Combaticons Vehicle mode
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0277.jpg

Combaticons Robot mode
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0235-1.jpg
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0253-1.jpg

Bruticus
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0289.jpg

Halt!
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0303.jpg

Kneeling (for accuracy) *no cod piece*
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0285.jpg

Stalking
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0311.jpg

Prisoner
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0359.jpg

What manner of hideous beast are you? You sicken me!
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0317.jpg

[King Atlas]

Light em up'
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0280.jpg

Last resort
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0387.jpg

Great Cannons
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0383.jpg

Pose
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0370.jpg
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0284.jpg

Bonus :)
http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq164/octane123456/SAM_0364.jpg

[kup]

Awesome pics!

I can't believe some people complain that the toy isn't poseable or lacks in play value when you can do so much with it.

[Hursticon]

I can't believe some people complain that the toy isn't poseable or lacks in play value when you can do so much with it.

People are actually saying that?, do they even own the bloody thing? :rolleyes:

I too share Kup's opinion, those are some excellent pics King Atlas, really well thought out and executed. :D

And to answer your question, no your pics aren't too big IMO, I'm always wondering if the pics I post are too big too. :p:D

[kup]

People are actually saying that?, do they even own the bloody thing? :rolleyes:

D

Unfortunately a couple of indoctrinated Hasbro purists have been trying really hard to bash this set, specially in other boards. One of them went as far as to say that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the superior toy.

[Hursticon]

Unfortunately a couple of indoctrinated Hasbro purists have been trying really hard to bash this set, specially in other boards. One of them went as far as to say that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the superior toy.

Well if that is the case, I'm glad my one and only Transformers Forum Membership belongs to OTCA.
You should show them this then Kup :p:D:


http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a409/Darkone666au/Crap/Bruticus07.jpg

[Paulbot]

Unfortunately a couple of indoctrinated Hasbro purists have been trying really hard to bash this set, specially in other boards. One of them went as far as to say that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the superior toy.

Hmm, what does Crossfire'd Bruticus have to say about that?

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l90uo348HP1qbguy1o1_500.jpg

[gdmetro]

Unfortunately a couple of indoctrinated Hasbro purists have been trying really hard to bash this set, specially in other boards. One of them went as far as to say that Powercore combiner Bruticus is the superior toy.

haha... What? That is like comparing chocolate to sh..

No reason to get worked up over that.

Fans that are purists of "Transformers" by Hasbro/Tak or for other reasons cannot acquire it- I respect that. But the active haters whom are bashing it purely based on ignorance or blind faith due to the brand?... I pity them, because they don't know what they are missing out on and its their loss.

[kup]

Hmm, what does Crossfire'd Bruticus have to say about that?

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l90uo348HP1qbguy1o1_500.jpg

lol Right on!

[SharkyMcShark]

Minte arrived today. I've got some minor gripes but its nice overall.

One thing I really liked it show solid it is in the combined mode.

[chuttla]

got mine last week, cant believe how much bigger he is in combined mode:D. looks a s@#t load better to! i have say i to have some minor issues, but averall im pretty happy with the level of detail of the kits and the increased articulation.

[SharkyMcShark]

Right so now I've been messing with them for most of the evening in between uni stuff, here are some more extended thoughts.

The Figures

The figures themselves are nice. NotSwindle and NotBlastoff look really nice in both modes. I also quite like their headsculpts. Not Swindle is a bit backheavy if you're standing him straight up and down but if you get a bit of an Animated forward lean going on it's fine. Their individual weapons are nice as well, especially NotBlastoffs sword, which he is adequately articulated to work with. My main issue when them is plastic quality - it feels poor, and more than one member on other forums have had the main figures break at or around joints. There is definitely a fragility there, so handle with care.

The weapons

The weapons included are really nice. The shotgun halves make really nice individual guns for the figures and while they might be out of place for the character the missile blocks look very menacing on Vortex in both modes. The weapons also work more or less in vehicle mode. I'll talk about Onslaught more later on, but I feel that the weapons that were given to him were pretty much taking what was left and then pegging them flimsily onto Onslaught, especially the missile racks which severly limit articulation and fall off all the time. Also the hand/gauntlet half guns aren't brilliant by any means, and again feel like FP just whacking a handle on excess bits of the combined mode and calling it a weapon. Oh and the crotchplate doesn't do anything really, and falls off the back of the main cannon too easily.

Onslaught

The only original figure to undergo any massive transformation due to the set. The new vehicle mode is absolutely fantastic. It rolls well and you can put any of the other team members on there. The artillery cannons secure to the roof of the cab reasonably well, and the feet forming the rear of the vehicle really works well. It looks particularly nice with NotBlastoff or Vortex sitting on the tray. However, the new head is larger than the standard one and the head having to fold into the same sized cavity at just the right angle leaves me cringing every time I do it, because I feel that one day one of the antennae on the head will snap off. Robot mode isn't brilliant, as the backpack just sort of floats there because again the head is larger than before, and thus it can't fold up. Attaching the weapons reduces the arm poseability to nil effectively - any attempt to eke out a bit of movement from the arms causes the missile racks to fall off. To be fair it looks nice standing there but it's effectively reduced to a statue.

Bruticus

As poor as Onslaught is, Bruticus more than makes up for it. The combined more is absolutely amazing. Everything plugs together really really firmly (except the crotchplate - why can't FP seem to make crotchplates that plug in properly?) and the broader shoulders and bigger feet compared to the original release make this one of the most imposing transformers ever. I don't know if it's all the added bulk but it seems to have gained a ton of height over the original Energon Bruticus. The way that the main cannons expand for the combined mode is really nice, and the fact that they can flip down over the shoulders is a nice touch. I've really got nothing bad to say about this mode, crotchplate issues aside. It looks nice, it's really sturdy, it plays well, there's plenty to do with it. It's a thing of beauty.

In summary I don't think these can be compared to the original Universe or Energon Bruticus, or even the later PCC Bruticus. You get what you pay for and for the retail prices for those mass releases you cerainly get a hell of a lot. However, if you're willing to pay roughly $60AUD per kit and postage, as well as for the original set of figures as well, despite approaching $200AUD of outlay it is a fantastic set. In that sense I'd compare it to other Transformers releases priced at this level, the only recent example of which I can think of is the Buster Prime/Jetfire leader two pack. Would I get FP NotBruticus over that? Well, probably not. It's a set with it's faults. As much as the majority of it is excellent stuff, there's more than one element of it that feels roughly shoehorned in (the 'hand' guns, Onslaught's weapons, etc) and there are question marks over the durability of the figures. While these have tempered my enjoyment Crossfire 02 set they're still a lovely set to own and I'd recomment it if you've got the spare cash lynig around. Otherwise, play with a mates first.

[jaydisc]

Couple of comments on your comments:

1. The crotchpiece clips VERY firmly in place to the back of the cannon and crotch. I think you just might need to give it a bit more force.

2. In the instructions, they instruct you to put Bruticus's antennas into Onslaught's fist holes while transformingn to vehicle mode. I managed a different position before noticing that, and had the same trepidation you mention. However, once doing it as instructed, i'm much more comfortable with it. It's still a bit nerve racking though, and I'm sure there will be a few broken antennas over the years.

P.S. Thanks for the great pics King Atlas! I had no idea Bruticus's toes opened up to reveal those missile silos!

[1AZRAEL1]

You know, looking at peoples pictures, I never noticed it until I looked at my Bruticus, but is there meant to be paint missing on Onslaught's thigh right below the minicon plug? One leg has paint, the other doesn't.

[kup]

You know, looking at peoples pictures, I never noticed it until I looked at my Bruticus, but is there meant to be paint missing on Onslaught's thigh right below the minicon plug? One leg has paint, the other doesn't.

Yes, I noticed this when I looked at Zed's. At first I thought it was just me having bad QC. It seems everyone who got a Universe Bruticus ended up with a missing paint app.

[1AZRAEL1]

Yes, I noticed this when I looked at Zed's. At first I thought it was just me having bad QC. It seems everyone who got a Universe Bruticus ended up with a missing paint app.

It's funny, because I was looking at King Atlas' and his has the paint missing on his left leg, while mine is missing on the right leg. Glad I am not the only one though.

[SharkyMcShark]

Couple of comments on your comments:

1. The crotchpiece clips VERY firmly in place to the back of the cannon and crotch. I think you just might need to give it a bit more force.


Now that I've leaned the entire weight of my body onto it its clipped in. I retract my comment.


2. In the instructions, they instruct you to put Bruticus's antennas into Onslaught's fist holes while transformingn to vehicle mode. I managed a different position before noticing that, and had the same trepidation you mention. However, once doing it as instructed, i'm much more comfortable with it. It's still a bit nerve racking though, and I'm sure there will be a few broken antennas over the years.


I gathered that was where they were meant to go first time out, but if there's a 'sweet spot' I'm yet to find it - it feels like there's an uncomfortable amount of friction each time I put Onslaught into his now excellent vehicle mode.

[SharkyMcShark]

Oh, and some things I missed when I wrote my thoughts on it in the middle of the night last night.

I really like the way that each bot now dual wields. While some of the weapons feel shoehorned in it's a nice touch that everyone now has two weapons. Oh, and the combiner head panel thing, despite not integrating with the vehicle and robot mode of Onslaught very well stays on much more firmly than the standard one did.

[Lord_Zed]

I finally put my (not) Bruticus together, and despite not being a big Gestalt fan this thing is awesome. Pretty much what everyone else has already said, this kit adds so much to what was a mundane combiner at best, and yeah it's really solid for a combiner too, more so than most Hasbro ones.

I do find that (not) Bruticus backpack pops of sometimes when I try to attach his shotguns or pose him, however it's pretty minor compared to the old combiners.

Overall considering that I picked up the Hasbro Combaticon set on a whim and for a steal from the Kmart clearance trolley which helped offset the cost of the upgrade packs this guy has all been win win for me.


I'd be keen to see FP make a full (not) G1 gestalt from scratch. I reckon they could make them scramble city style and release a whole set over a few years if they kept them compatible with existing combiners.

[Hursticon]

I'd be keen to see FP make a full (not) G1 gestalt from scratch. I reckon they could make them scramble city style and release a whole set over a few years if they kept them compatible with existing combiners.

Glad you like them Lord Zed. :D

Also, in reference to what you were saying above, checkout what they've got in the pipleline:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/attach/4/0/5/9/7/P2504090016_1240740807.jpg

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/attach/4/0/5/9/7/P2504090017_1240740807.jpg

More of what they're planning can be seen here (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tfcon-2009-update---new-products-from-fansproject-announced-springer-broadside-and-a-combiner-167418/page3.html).

[jaydisc]

I do find that (not) Bruticus backpack pops of sometimes when I try to attach his shotguns or pose him, however it's pretty minor compared to the old combiners.

Same

[Sam]

I do find that (not) Bruticus backpack pops of sometimes when I try to attach his shotguns or pose him, however it's pretty minor compared to the old combiners.

I noticed this on mine too, but you can use (gentle) brute force to kinda force the backpack in a little... and it usually stays.

[jaydisc]

Saw this comment at Loppy Details (http://www.loopydetails.com/blog/?p=899), a TF (and numerous other things) review blog:


It's amazing enough when you consider that the combined Bruticus mode now looks like the best Transformer product ever made. But then you realize that the drone and jeep modes of these two figures are perfect also… and so are their robot modes. Plus, the accessories included instantly upgrades the lackluster Hasbro figures into sheer awesomeness. If the guys at FansProject keep things up, they just might be able to create their own global toy empire one day (and we TF fans should help them whenever we can by buying their stuff). I'm giving this set a 10+/10 (Phenomenal). Any and all TF collectors should own this set along with their Bruticus Maximus. If not then you'd better get on it (I don't care if you have to sell a kidney… which you don't).

The bolding added by me. I couldn't agree more.

[kaiden]

Sometimes it feels like i wont be getting mine until next year :(

[SharkyMcShark]

It's not a Transformers product.

And a 10/10 rating implies that there are no flaws, and this set has some reasonably large flaws.

Not that it isn't a fantastic piece mind you.

[autobreadticon]

hi is this two-pack MISB heavy??, trying to calculate shipping on RK returns ridiculous shipping quotes..

[Hursticon]

hi is this two-pack MISB heavy??, trying to calculate shipping on RK returns ridiculous shipping quotes..

Not really, no.

The pair of them aren't all that weighty at all and I paid $25-28USD postage from TFSource :D, so I guess that isn't much help as you intend on getting them from Robot Kingdom, but I hope that it gives you some sort of an idea or guideline. :)

Just out of curiosity, what is RK charging for the shipping of these guys?

[autobreadticon]

im getting 2x wst, encore vol2 cassettes , takara voyager seaspray and FP set

charging $40 shipping total T_T,

i think they are charging around $17-22 just for that additional FP item

[Hursticon]

im getting 2x wst, encore vol2 cassettes , takara voyager seaspray and FP set

charging $40 shipping total T_T,

i think they are charging around $17-22 just for that additional FP item

Looking at what your ordering dude and taking into account the size of the packing of these items, you're actually getting a pretty sweet deal IMO.

The FP's at $17-22 is fairly spot on considering your order will be coming from HK whereas mine had to come from the US so it's quite comparable I reckon. :)

[autobreadticon]

thanks for the info Hursticon