Human alliance Frustration

Figures, collectables, customs and collecting.
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Knightdramon
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Human alliance Frustration

Post by Knightdramon »

Irregardless of how fantastic they look in either mode, they're a bitch to transform aren't they? It seems that each one has a problematic area that makes you wonder how come they aren't breaking to pieces when you go at it.

For Skids, it's that goddamn annoying hood\roof that took me over 5 tries to lock together because one side of the grill wasn't going in all the way. Oh and...his hands touch the ground regardless of how you transform him to vehicle mode, so he doesn't roll that well.

For Sideswipe, the entire process is SMOOTH until you get to, you guessed it, the bloody arms. Much easier than Skid's bonnet\roof but still felt as if I'm stressing the plastic. The way they have to compress into themselves and align with the back part of the car really kills an otherwise perfect transformation.

Tonight I was so frustrated with my Bumblebee I slammed him on the wall. You guessed it again, the damn arms. Mine came with the head facing down in car mode, so I guessed this was the official transformation, and always wondered why the hell it always, always dislodged itself. The rotating cockpit panel is set to rotate in a way you'd think would break it, and the waist is SUPPOSED to rotate 180 degrees but either leg gets caught up in the back windshield. Thankfully he can transform perfectly without rotating it.

I mean, all three are definite improvements over their deluxe counterparts, they really rock in vehicle modes but their transformation finesse is something I'm sure many fans won't have the patience for. And this is coming from the guy who never had a problem with BT Grimlock and Tracks.

Anybody else feel that way about any of the three of them? I'm going to play for a while with my SOC Ideon and Voltres V, remember how a transformation can be complex, fun and not frustrating at all...:wave:
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Post by Cliffjumper »

YAY IDEON!!!!

Sorry, I have little else to add. Being scale's bitch means I'm unlikely to buy any HA figures, unless they do something awesomely random like Grindor and Ron. Although the topic title sounds like an IDW comic...
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Well, to their defense they're pretty much in scale to each other, but not to the voyagers [Ratcher and Ironhide] and definitely not Leader Prime.

Would kill for a HA Ironhide, assuming it's as easy to transform as the voyager version.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Ironhide would make sense - paired with Lennox, of course.

I just wish there was a set of little people in scale with the Deluxes and other figures that more-or-less keep to the same rough scale. Lego minifigs are just too big, and mine only have one assault rifle between them...
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

I think some sets were released back in the 07 movieline. Screen battles or something was their name, usually consisted of one deluxe and 2-3 static mini figures.
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RID Scourge
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Post by RID Scourge »

I haven't grabbed any. They do look like Alternators, but more expensive so that's a double turnoff for me.

There were very few Alternators I enjoyed playing with tbh. Nice to look at, but a pain in general.
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Post by Paul053 »

Knightdramon wrote:Mine came with the head facing down in car mode, so I guessed this was the official transformation, and always wondered why the hell it always, always dislodged itself.
Mine came with the head facing down also, but it looks really stupid. So I never bother rotating it. For more fun (and could be frustrating in the beginning), you could try this leg fix, which will bring you a more movie accurate bee. I did and I think it still looks good so far. Only requires one to two more transformation steps.

If you want more fun, you can try replacing his cannon to a hand. But this requires you to have two figures, which I have totally no interest at all.
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

I actually find that the head and arms assembly fits perfectly fine if the head is not turned around [faces up]. Oh and the damn instructions make it difficult to see but the waist does not need to turn around 180 degrees for transformation, that was the upper legs.

Many problems solved. I'm always tempted to do that mod with the legs but I never did find a suitable screwdriver for it :lol:
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Heinrad
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Post by Heinrad »

I haven't had too much trouble with the arms on my HA 'Bee. The only part that I've really had a problem with, oddly enough, is his head. Popped off the first time I transformed him, and tends to come off every time I transform him. I blame Sam for this. I've got him in the only station that I don't think he'll pop loose from if the figure falls over, so Sam is manning the 6-pack launcher on Bumblebee's right shoulder. If you stand 'Bee the way I've got him(looking to his right, probably 45 degrees off of looking straight ahead), most of the missiles from that launcher are going to slam into, and apparently knock, his head off.

The only other HA figures I want are the in-the-release-pipeline-somewhere Barricade w/Frenzy, and the apparently-announced-but-have-yet-to-see-pics Ironhide w/Lennox.
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Rack 'n Ruin
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Post by Rack 'n Ruin »

Barricade w. Frenzy is definitely top of my "To Get" list atm.

I'm still thinking about getting HA Sideswipe, but have read some iffy reviews. Anyone want to sing its praises as a counterbalance?

Also, as this thread has touched on mods to HA Bumblebee, I'll mention what I've done to mine. As I'm no fan of firing missiles I always display my figures without said annoyances. This left an unsightly cross shaped hole in HA Bumblebee's launcher arm. I've covered this with something I created that is meant to look like the blue plasma seen within the weapon in the first film. First I created an image I was happy with, then I printed it on glossy photo paper to give it a dynamic, fluid look. I next applied double sided sticky tape to the rear before hole punching the plasma disc out. This may take a few attempts to get right. The plasma disc can then easily be stuck inside the launcher. I found the hole punching to be the easiest way of getting a perfect circle cutout of the right size.

I'm certainly very happy with how it looks. If anyone fancies having a PDF file with multiple "plasma discs" sent to them by email send me a PM and I'll be happy to oblige.
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Detective Barricade
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Post by Detective Barricade »

I'm pretty sure all HA Bumblebees have the head backwards out of the package.
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