Toy Review - TFSS Bludgeon

[BigTransformerTrev]

Bludgeon
Series - Timelines
Sub-line – TFSS 4.0
Size/class - Voyager
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of CW Onslaught
Wave - 1 (Fifth figure of the service)
Released here - Nope
Approximate Retail Price - US$50 + Shipping
Approximate Size - 18cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – Anti-aircraft truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - Combiner torso
Main Colours – Gree, Orange, Brown
Main Accessories – 2 x Laser Cannons, 2 x Tironium Blades




Vehicle Mode
Whilst not a tank which most Bludgeons over the years have turned into, this feels like a tank on steroids that mutated into a anti-aircraft truck. Whilst the green is a bit strong and garish, the browns help even the colour out somewhat, though then you deal with the two purple cannons on top. It’s pretty cool overall but there is one significant drawback – the dome of Thunder Mayhems head is very noticeable sticking out of the top. Really looks like he is about to pop up at any moment like a freaky jack-in-the-box.




Robot Mode
By far his strongest mode. Bludgeon is a character that is strongly associated with his Pretender Shell and it’s not been often he has been depicted just as the robot beneath (the G2 and DW WW comics do spring to mind however). I found this to be a most excellent representation of how Bludgeon would look without his shell if he just concentrated on beefing up his robot mode. The proportions are really good, the colour scheme works a lot better and they did the headsculpt very well. Add in a couple of giant swords and the robot mode is a real winner overall!



Transformation
Same as CW Onslaught, not particularly tricky and you can do it without the instructions.

Overall
Look, it’s pretty damn hard to beat ROTF Bludgeon, that was (and still is) such a brilliant figure on so many levels. However this figure is pretty good as a representation of Bludgeon if you took all reference to the Pretender shell completely out of the equation. Really does convey a sense of this is what the original toy would look like grown up. The quality of the toy itself is a bit better than we are used to from Funpub as well, the joints on mine were nice and tight and the plastic didn’t have that cheapy feel you get with a lot of their figures. And of course, he combines with the rest of the Mayhem Attack Squad!

So yeah, if you are part of the Subscription service you wont be disappointed, if you are not then you would have to decide for yourself if this figure would be worth tracking down. Now to spend my afternoon putting together Thunder Mayhem






For a full review of the 5 bots of the Mayhem Attack Squad, please see my blog HERE.

[GoktimusPrime]

Bludgeon's inner robot has made brief appearances in G1 and G2, although rarely.
Megatron female-dog slaps Bludgeon
Bludgeon using his tank mode in the Decepticon siege of Klo
Bludgeon tries to lay waste on G2 Megatron

Then there's the only time Thunderwing's inner robot was ever seen in G1. Still... it's one brief appearance more than Ultra Magnus' inner robot ever had in any G1 medium.