TFSS 4.0

[griffin]

To be fair, no one is forced to do anything they do not want to do. People can choose to not go there. I feel for those with weak bladders.

I know they aren't forcing anyone, but when there is a tight schedule with these images, or just from curiosity, or even people wanting to see the images while they are a topic of conversation, they are being told to go to one fansite instead of FunPub's own website or twitter. I just hope that they have taken a hit on their subscriptions this year because of this selective outlet decision... but I think they'd be too stubborn to do anything different.
For members of Seibertron, it's probably a great coup, but for those who aren't members, or have had past issues with that site, it is as if Hasbro had struck up an official exclusive deal with one fansite instead of using their own site for their news and press-releases.

I think you are supposed to affix the gun/s to the top of the alt-mode, turning it into a quasi-tank rather than just an odd coloured SWAT vehicle

I guess if they have a special display format for a toy that they can't replicate from colour photoshopping, I wonder why they don't think about doing up a hand-painted custom for things like this special vehicle mode.
After seeing two of their hand-painted figures at this year's botcon of two of their boxset toys, it's certainly possible.

[Paulbot]

Combined mode is Thunderwing as people had speculated (although called Thunder Mayhem)

Picture on Twitter https://twitter.com/The_TF_Club/stat...26083811151872

Matrix of Leadership not necessarily included.

[fatbot]

The combined mode is hideous! The head looks good, but the colour scheme is horrible, even when compared to G2 figures

[UltimateGalvatron]

That is a disgusting colour scheme! The Thunderwing head looks ok not a huge fan but i think I, glad I'm not getting this TFSS, although I like Impactor

[BigTransformerTrev]

That is a disgusting colour scheme! The Thunderwing head looks ok not a huge fan but i think I, glad I'm not getting this TFSS, although I like Impactor

I always wish they had done a Thunderwing from the TFPrime Wii game - he looked awesome!

[griffin]

You gotta hand it to 'em though, each year they keep pushing the envelope with the added features and changes.
If it includes the die-cast matrix from MP Rodimus, of maybe 1000-odd units, that's quite an achievement to secure from Hasbro. Plus having weapons from a different toy mould (Arcee & Go Prime) that isn't included in the set (all seven are noted as being Combiner Wars moulds)... similar to this year's subscription toys having Microns and Kreo, it can't imagine that it would have been something Hasbro would have been keen to do in such limited numbers without some considerable expense... especially if moulds are at different factories (China & Vietnam) for them to be transported to a single location for packing (if in bags like BotCon toys and on card like Club store exclusives) and THEN sent to America.

[Deonasis]

The combined mode is hideous! The head looks good, but the colour scheme is horrible, even when compared to G2 figures

I think the combined mode chest wings should be mostly grey or at least more like Thunderwings black shoulder pads.

[UltraMarginal]

You gotta hand it to 'em though, each year they keep pushing the envelope with the added features and changes.
If it includes the die-cast matrix from MP Rodimus, of maybe 1000-odd units, that's quite an achievement to secure from Hasbro. Plus having weapons from a different toy mould (Arcee & Go Prime) that isn't included in the set (all seven are noted as being Combiner Wars moulds)... similar to this year's subscription toys having Microns and Kreo, it can't imagine that it would have been something Hasbro would have been keen to do in such limited numbers without some considerable expense... especially if moulds are at different factories (China & Vietnam) for them to be transported to a single location for packing (if in bags like BotCon toys and on card like Club store exclusives) and THEN sent to America.

The cost of shipping one box of 2000 plastic guns would not be that high surely.
the matrix is a nice touch.

[griffin]

It's not just the shipping, it's the logistics of only producing 1-2 thousand at a factory that is geared for hundreds of thousands, and moulds that have multiple parts, not just the guns. So the added hassle of picking out parts from whole toys would add to the cost of the factory being able to do it... plus the cost of specially shipping that small amount of parts or toys from different factories to the one location for construction or packing.


A closer look at the Combiner head, sculpted to look like Gen1 Thunderwing.

[UltraMarginal]

It's not just the shipping, it's the logistics of only producing 1-2 thousand at a factory that is geared for hundreds of thousands, and moulds that have multiple parts, not just the guns. So the added hassle of picking out parts from whole toys would add to the cost of the factory being able to do it... plus the cost of specially shipping that small amount of parts or toys from different factories to the one location for construction or packing.


A closer look at the Combiner head, sculpted to look like Gen1 Thunderwing.

true it's a small run but I get the impression that weapons are commonly gated on moulds these days, unless they are entirely separate. the big expense would be the setup overhead for the mould and plastic for the short run. It's obviously something they can afford to do though.

I do like the combined mode head, it looks like that's a actual photo given the comments which is impressive, it looks very crisp.