... I would have waited an eternity for these...

[heroic_decepticon]

... this is #8 of 6 (?) or Epilogue #2...

Operation Combiner, TF-10: Battle Gaia MIB, unused

• This the final G1 combiner to make a clean sweep (I thought Dinoking was difficult, this guy was even harder to find).
• This is arguably the final Decepticon in the Japanese exclusive line for G1.
• Since its TF-10, the last TF in the Operation Combiner series, it is also arguably the last Transformer in the Japanese exclusive G1 line.
• It is also the final Japanese exclusive TF that is missing from the collective collection thread.
• It is, quite fittingly, the final chapter of this thread (sadly )

Side note: I have also addressed Botch's blog-post with this thread...

To me, as a repaint, Battle Gaia is superior to Guard City in many many ways (of course the Defensor mold is much nicer than the Bruticus mold, don't get me wrong). This repaint is better executed than Guard City I think.

I actually bought this from the same shop and at the same time I bought Guard City, heh. What a good day it was. Love it when these things comes in pairs (like when I bought Goodbye Convoy and Goodbye Megatron at the same time).

The demand and corresponding 2nd hand market value of this piece cannot be underestimated. It is far more expensive than Guard City. A set, not as good condition as mine, sold for US$1850 on eBay recently. Even loose Battle Gaias command up to US$1000 in normal instances.

For a mold that has a repaint in so many post G1 toylines, its quite confounding why this particular incarnation commands such stratospheric prices.

Be that as it may, here it is.... Battle Gaia!

The box art is magnificent


Great Cannon and Shuttle Gunner (flash fact: FansProject explorer was repainted into Shuttle Gunner as "Flameblast")


Target Hawk and Sandstorm (I really like this repaint of Brawl)


Leyland (flash fact: FansProject Munitioner was repainted into Leyland as "Warcry")


Back of box showing "free-combination" / Tech Specs (slightly smarter than Bruticus huh)


Inside package / paperworks and unused sticker sheet


Together with TF-04: Guard City

[swoop]

Of all the stunning pieces you have posted in this thread battle Gaia is the only one that in jealouse of. It's my personal grail and I've only ever seen 2 besides the one you posted above that I'd actually buy. The 2 I found, both on eBay I bidded on and lost and they were 4 years apart. Congratulations on your acquisition it's gorgeous

[bowspearer]

Nice work, how much did it set you back?

[LordCyrusOmega]

Nice one HD, you truly are the king of the hunt.
Though if I'm really honest (and this is just my opinion) it doesn't do as much for me as the others in this thread. Not a fan of the colours.
Still, for such a rare toy (I didn't even know it exissted) it's an amazing find.

[gamblor916]

Amazing again HD! The bots look kind of naked though I don't think you'd be applying the stickers

[theheretic]

How o you find such (seemingly) perfect toys and packaging of all these?

[Verno]

Wow

I don't know jack about G1 stuff, but even I know they are something you don't see every day.

Those cassettes are incredible!

What's left to buy now? Are there any Holy Grails left out there?

Congrats Man!

[heroic_decepticon]

Amazing again HD! The bots look kind of naked though I don't think you'd be applying the stickers

I'm actually really tempted to apply the stickers. I think the stickers for this set is so so important, it's really what sets it apart from all other releases of this mold. I don't really care about resale value because it's unlikely, but even. If I did want to resell, doesn't mean I can't have some fun applying the stickers first.

How o you find such (seemingly) perfect toys and packaging of all these?

it's lots of hard work actually! =)

But a lot easier here in HK than it was in Sydney. Here I just make it a point to visit the shops on a weekly basis. There is this shop here that specializes in G1. They have a massive ops budget and have people trawling Japan every other week (it's a 6 man operation and they have apartments all over Japan and at least 2 ppl are in Japan every week). I get a lot of my stuff from this shop. Also when I'm here, I don't buy online anymore. No point when I can just cash and carry.... Heh.

But for dinos I did get them online, no other choice, just too hard to find.

[heroic_decepticon]

Of all the stunning pieces you have posted in this thread battle Gaia is the only one that in jealouse of. It's my personal grail and I've only ever seen 2 besides the one you posted above that I'd actually buy. The 2 I found, both on eBay I bidded on and lost and they were 4 years apart. Congratulations on your acquisition it's gorgeous

With Battle Gaia, I don't recommend looking on eBay - the prices and competition there is just too extreme.

Recommend that you look on Yahoo Japan. Pieces do come up from time to time. The condition is usually very good (comparable to mine) but could end at about 100,000 yen or more.

Also, keep your eyes peeled on TFW toy selling section. And try to join these 2 groups on TFW (invite only):

1. G1 Holy Grail Owners Group
2. I own a lucky draw or something Uber rare

Lots of sales happen there and these power buyers would have snapped them up before they even hit the 'open market' if at all.

I know that there were 2 Battle Gaia transactions on Group (1) that I mentioned above sometime late last year.

I can recommend your entry into the groups, but you need to have something rare or 'grail worthy' (whatever that means). It's snobbish I know, but I didn't make the rules

Nice one HD, you truly are the king of the hunt.
Though if I'm really honest (and this is just my opinion) it doesn't do as much for me as the others in this thread. Not a fan of the colours.
Still, for such a rare toy (I didn't even know it exissted) it's an amazing find.

hey LCO, I tend to agree with you. While Battle Gaia is a great milestone, it actually does less for me than the dino-cassettes. But that doesn't mean I haven't been quietly on the hunt for it and grab it if it surfaces... heh.

Re the issue of colours. I think this is a good attempt. Usually fans have an issue with the colours because they have Bruticus imprinted in their minds. Had this been "Bruticus", I think the colours would still have been very acceptable and in fact considered nice. The one combiner with weird colours is Monstructor.

[swoop]

With Battle Gaia, I don't recommend looking on eBay - the prices and competition there is just too extreme.

Recommend that you look on Yahoo Japan. Pieces do come up from time to time. The condition is usually very good (comparable to mine) but could end at about 100,000 yen or more.

Also, keep your eyes peeled on TFW toy selling section. And try to join these 2 groups on TFW (invite only):

1. G1 Holy Grail Owners Group
2. I own a lucky draw or something Uber rare

Lots of sales happen there and these power buyers would have snapped them up before they even hit the 'open market' if at all.

I know that there were 2 Battle Gaia transactions on Group (1) that I mentioned above sometime late last year.

I can recommend your entry into the groups, but you need to have something rare or 'grail worthy' (whatever that means). It's snobbish I know, but I didn't make the rules

Thanks for the advice I'll remember to check yahoo japan, I'd pay $1200 for the set.

As for tfw I'm a member and I considered trying to join the group when I first heard about it with my mib stepper but I never go on their forums so I didn't bother. I'm moving early next year and planning a holiday so my cash is pretty much spoken for but when I do get all that sorted and I go after it again I'll remembre to check tfw as well.