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I think the explanation for not doing a full dedicated Breakdown mold is just "They had to economize somewhere, the leg robots were the only place they could really do it, and sharing parts between a Lambo and a Ferrari works reasonably well anyway because they both have similar lines and straight-edge fronts."
To elaborate: Drag Strip and Dead End can't share parts because their altmodes are too dissimilar. Dead End can't share parts with Wildrider or Breakdown because he's an arm robot and thus his transformation into limb "flesh" is incompatible (plus his Porsche curves aren't a great match for them so altmode part sharing would be limited). So, they didn't really have much choice but to make them be different molds.
Wildrider and Breakdown, however, have no such obstacles to mold sharing, and HasTak evidently took advantage of the one area where they could save the money on moldmaking. And I don't mind, although I'm still unsure if I'm gonna get any of the other limb Stunticons.

I'm annoyed at Breakdown's spoiler, myself. Both it being 1-piece and thus needing to detach for transformation, and it needing to detach if you want to mount the guns. They couldn't have set it up with a tab on one side and a slot on the other (kinda similar to RiD Prowl), to take advantage of the tabs and slots his guns use to combine?

I also feel like a more accurate Breakdown would not have made the people at Lambourghini happy. Obviously we've had a few licensed lambos in the past few years, but I'm sure that digs into the budget each time.

Well it's a nice looking Breakdown and I like Breakdown so I'm all into this one.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:I'm annoyed at Breakdown's spoiler, myself. Both it being 1-piece and thus needing to detach for transformation, and it needing to detach if you want to mount the guns. They couldn't have set it up with a tab on one side and a slot on the other (kinda similar to RiD Prowl), to take advantage of the tabs and slots his guns use to combine?

Correction: gun, singular. The person who took the images where Breakdown is dual-wielding has stated they got the second gun from someone else's copy of the figure (which also explains why they are identically asymmetrical, as opposed to one having a port on the left and the other the right). That shot of the gun under the car is probably the intended alt mode storage.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Overcracker wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Overcracker wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Overcracker wrote:Looks better with the spoiler, but he's still basically just a white Wild Rider. Really lazy way to end the set. But as there's no other way to compete the set, so one must buy it.

I will be supper annoyed if they release Ana ctual Breakdown later with a completely new car shell, like they did with CW members.

You do understand that wildrider from combiner wars was literally deadend with a new head right?

How was that more accepting than this a figure that has a new rear car, spoiler, guns torso and head.

The combiners wars version legit didn’t look anything like wildrider aside from his head and you folks are treating it as if hasbro gave you what you wanted. You got two limbs that were identical in alt mode. That’s not what you’re getting here

I mean things like Blastoff. Were we got an actual Blastoff later. Not repaints of the same. mold in basically the same line with a wave difference.

Oh please let’s not pretend that takara blastoff pulls off the shuttle mode at all and has decent proportions. He was a box with wings. His arms hung off the side his chest was ridiculous unless you configured him how hasbro chose to he has thrusters for hands and his deco wasn’t right plus he did the thing this fandom things is taboo and parts formed. Takara! Takara the company that can’t do wrong did that by themselves! If anything hasbro at least took the mold and decoed it better and for cheaper

Not the point. Whether Blastoff was good or bad is not relevant. The fact it exists in addition to the jet blastoff, and would have been a better option form the get go is the point.

If Takara decides to make a new Breakdown a year form now and Hasbro decides the also want to release it 2 years from now, and that BreakDown is better than this one because it at least looks more like BreakDown is kind of a cheap tactic.

I don't think any of the other stunt icons are bad. I did not criticize them for what they did. I just think making Breakdown the same mold as Wild Rider after all the ingenious engineering and design of the other figures was lazy.

Would you be o.k if they just repainted DragStrip brown and called him Dead End? We got a distinct mold for Dead End even though they both do the same thing to combine with Menasor. Would retooling the front to look more like a Lambo be too much to ask for?

Looks like we're gonna have to ask Mark about why Wildrider and Breakdown are (forced to have) the same base mold.

Thank you, I also was not overly critical of dragstrip, wildrider or motormaster, but I view this as setting out to complete a relay race and then giving up on the last leg "pun intended" of the race. Sorry my opinion differs from others but such is the nature of fandom I guess.

BLIX007 wrote: Cant wait to see what corners they cut on SS86 Snarl and Swoop. So disappointing.

Not that I'm defending some of their laziness, but in all fairness those two do not combine and realistically wouldn't even be able to share parts with another bot.

While a bit disappointing he's not all new outer shell parts it's not too noticeable I can understand then trying to save costs when they can. Maybe because I'm not as big a fan of the Stunticons as others may be I'm able to overlook it. That said, it can't be that costly to simply tool new lambo parts to fit the basic Wild Rider body. I'm curios if they will also make Offroad or Blackjack at some point that can also connect to Menesor?

If they ever wind up redoing the Aerialbots that is one team they can utilize reuse even more since two of the jest are identical.

Is it weird to me that this retool doesn't seem extensive enough?
Just a slightly different rear window with a spoiler to slap on, and the robo only getting a new torso and chest?
I feel like they could've done some heavier retooling - while the front does scream "Ferrari" more than "Lamborghini", I was hoping the shins would've been changed to look more like the OG BD toy. I mean this is at least more changed up than the old CW WR (new head and paint, nothing else.)
But it does feel weird that the other four limbs are entirely new molds and BD gets a sloppy second.
Especially since CW pretty much gave us that with Offroad. (Granted those base molds got retooled/redecoed to all hell).

Now that being said I don't hate this, just perplexed. He still looks like Breakdown in crucial areas and the spoiler/chest just about differentiates him from Wildrider.
I have the CW version anyway so while I'll still get this one, if I really want a whole-new-mold BD I got one right there!
I wonder if CW overusing molds so much is why we just kinda accepted "Brake-Neck" more easily than this.

Till-all-R1 wrote:I'm curios if they will also make Offroad or Blackjack at some point that can also connect to Menesor?

Very unlikely for Offroad, as the cartoon style Menasor body is not very adaptable, especially for a larger vehicle. Velocitron Shadowstrip shows there's an opportunity for straight repaints, though, so maybe Blackjack will happen. If we're getting a Stunticon-adjacent SUV-type, my vote is for Prime Universe Breakdown.

Overcracker wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Overcracker wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Overcracker wrote:Looks better with the spoiler, but he's still basically just a white Wild Rider. Really lazy way to end the set. But as there's no other way to compete the set, so one must buy it.

I will be supper annoyed if they release Ana ctual Breakdown later with a completely new car shell, like they did with CW members.

You do understand that wildrider from combiner wars was literally deadend with a new head right?

How was that more accepting than this a figure that has a new rear car, spoiler, guns torso and head.

The combiners wars version legit didn’t look anything like wildrider aside from his head and you folks are treating it as if hasbro gave you what you wanted. You got two limbs that were identical in alt mode. That’s not what you’re getting here

I mean things like Blastoff. Were we got an actual Blastoff later. Not repaints of the same. mold in basically the same line with a wave difference.

Oh please let’s not pretend that takara blastoff pulls off the shuttle mode at all and has decent proportions. He was a box with wings. His arms hung off the side his chest was ridiculous unless you configured him how hasbro chose to he has thrusters for hands and his deco wasn’t right plus he did the thing this fandom things is taboo and parts formed. Takara! Takara the company that can’t do wrong did that by themselves! If anything hasbro at least took the mold and decoed it better and for cheaper

Not the point. Whether Blastoff was good or bad is not relevant. The fact it exists in addition to the jet blastoff, and would have been a better option form the get go is the point.

If Takara decides to make a new Breakdown a year form now and Hasbro decides the also want to release it 2 years from now, and that BreakDown is better than this one because it at least looks more like BreakDown is kind of a cheap tactic.

I don't think any of the other stunt icons are bad. I did not criticize them for what they did. I just think making Breakdown the same mold as Wild Rider after all the ingenious engineering and design of the other figures was lazy.

Would you be o.k if they just repainted DragStrip brown and called him Dead End? We got a distinct mold for Dead End even though they both do the same thing to combine with Menasor. Would retooling the front to look more like a Lambo be too much to ask for?

okay man first thing is you need to understand this is not all hasbro. these figures are a joint collaboration with takara and hasbro. Hasbro isnt just designing and telling takara to engineer them to make them work. they are working together to make these figures now. literally go see any of the hasbro BTS posts that have been released or watch the past streams where mark or evan or sam discusses their work with takara on the past 3 years of toys. takara has stepped in numerous times if they dont think whats being done represents the character properly. hasbro orignally pitched cosmos to be a Origin Bee retool. Takara said "we can do a new figure with the budget" hasbro said "okay lets!" override was conceived as a Hotrod retool. takara said "we can make a new mold with only 4 mold sheets instead of the standard voyager 12" hasbro said "we can?! okay lets do it!"

if takara didnt step in and say "no we can make a better breakdown" or "we can retool breakdown to give him a better hood" than i think we can conclude theyre not going to make a brand new breakdown in a year. something, yes, they did EIGHT YEARS AGO. theyre not doing it now. if takara wanted they could have stepped in but they didnt. theyre also the company that slapped a new head on a deadend and painted him like wildrider for thier unite warriors set and made a boxy blast off that doesnt look anything like his alt mode so let ease up on "takara will fix this"

as for your question of if i would buy a brown dragtrip as deadend. thats a pretty ridiculous example and question since breakdown is not just a white wildrider. He's extensively retooled.

If takara didn’t “fix” wildrider’s backpack or dead ends feet or take away his yellow stripe then I have news for ya. They’re not gonna “fix” breakdown for you in a year especially since they’re releasing everyone else the same as the hasbro figures. But for $20 more. Mall exclusive after all.

Dr. Caelus wrote:I also feel like a more accurate Breakdown would not have made the people at Lambourghini happy. Obviously we've had a few licensed lambos in the past few years, but I'm sure that digs into the budget each time.

weve had zero licened lambos outside the MP line and only the MP line and only from takara because that was a takara agreement. hasbro never released them because they woiuld also have to pay a licensing agreement. the CHUG lambos are not licensed lambos. they have been modified to evade licensing. The only licensed car we've gotten in G1 CHUG is the WFC Bumblebee mold.

I'll take the lazy reuse over not having legs or feet. Wildrider and Breakdown are the best out of the four. Not so keen on Breakdowns car mode, not quite lambo, lotus or ferarri mash up but it might look better in hand.
Not so sure that it is needed to complete motormaster when you cant really see the back of his legs anyways. For the most part I'm glad I'm skipping this but might up getting a motormaster if he gets reduced down the line.

I hope there's a better way to store the spoiler on Breakdown in robot mode.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:(...) Plus while people here are dissatisfied, this has prompted a full-blown flamewar at other sites, and hopefully we can avoid that.

Cooler minds will always prevail!

Except in real life where I leave the bodies in dumpsters.



I guess this is what we are getting and have to accept it, I do hope someone makes 3D printed spoilers that actually separate better than this.

BLIX007 wrote:Thank you, I also was not overly critical of dragstrip, wildrider or motormaster, but I view this as setting out to complete a relay race and then giving up on the last leg "pun intended" of the race. Sorry my opinion differs from others but such is the nature of fandom I guess.

I don't think it's a particularly reasonable opinion. Drag Strip, Dead End, and Wildrider all had to be separate molds, due to the differences between them and the way Menasor's combination system works.

SpaceEagle wrote:Is it weird to me that this retool doesn't seem extensive enough?
Just a slightly different rear window with a spoiler to slap on, and the robo only getting a new torso and chest?

Rear window's actually completely different: Slats climbing to the roof, 5mm pegholes in different spots, Countach vents and side scoops.

SpaceEagle wrote:I feel like they could've done some heavier retooling - while the front does scream "Ferrari" more than "Lamborghini", I was hoping the shins would've been changed to look more like the OG BD toy. I mean this is at least more changed up than the old CW WR (new head and paint, nothing else.)

New shins would have been nice for preference, although because of combining they still would have needed the pegholes and a boxy detail in the same place as on Wildrider's shins.

SpaceEagle wrote:But it does feel weird that the other four limbs are entirely new molds and BD gets a sloppy second.

Other four limbs, you say? Ribbing aside... as I've said, I'm pretty sure it's because with the others they had no choice but to make them new molds, but in this case mold sharing was actually feasible so they took advantage where they could.

SpaceEagle wrote:Especially since CW pretty much gave us that with Offroad. (Granted those base molds got retooled/redecoed to all hell).

Ah, but you see, when they made Wildrider-colored Ruckus Offroad I think they were deliberately trying to give Menasor a fourth limb with a more distinct silhouette, same deal on the Aerialbots' end with Alpha Bravo.
CW was a mess of conflicting priorities and visions between the various designers.

SpaceEagle wrote:Now that being said I don't hate this, just perplexed. He still looks like Breakdown in crucial areas and the spoiler/chest just about differentiates him from Wildrider.
I have the CW version anyway so while I'll still get this one, if I really want a whole-new-mold BD I got one right there!
I wonder if CW overusing molds so much is why we just kinda accepted "Brake-Neck" more easily than this.

I think it might also have been that he was a sports car instead of an offroad pickup.

Myself, I'm still waiting for an affordable CW arm adapter kit to come out (as opposed to trash like pointless crappy height extensions that make him overheight because either the drugged-out mushroom fairies that 3P add-on companies seem to increasingly consult, or whiny fools with money, forget that CW Menasor with the Imperfect Effect parts was overheight). </salt>

Cyber Bishop wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:(...) Plus while people here are dissatisfied, this has prompted a full-blown flamewar at other sites, and hopefully we can avoid that.

Cooler minds will always prevail!

Except in real life where I leave the bodies in dumpsters.



I guess this is what we are getting and have to accept it, I do hope someone makes 3D printed spoilers that actually separate better than this.

I mean, you could just very carefully cut this spoiler down the middle.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

BLIX007 wrote:Thank you, I also was not overly critical of dragstrip, wildrider or motormaster, but I view this as setting out to complete a relay race and then giving up on the last leg "pun intended" of the race. Sorry my opinion differs from others but such is the nature of fandom I guess.

I don't think it's a particularly reasonable opinion. Drag Strip, Dead End, and Wildrider all had to be separate molds, due to the differences between them and the way Menasor's combination system works.

SpaceEagle wrote:Is it weird to me that this retool doesn't seem extensive enough?
Just a slightly different rear window with a spoiler to slap on, and the robo only getting a new torso and chest?

Rear window's actually completely different: Slats climbing to the roof, 5mm pegholes in different spots, Countach vents and side scoops.

SpaceEagle wrote:I feel like they could've done some heavier retooling - while the front does scream "Ferrari" more than "Lamborghini", I was hoping the shins would've been changed to look more like the OG BD toy. I mean this is at least more changed up than the old CW WR (new head and paint, nothing else.)

New shins would have been nice for preference, although because of combining they still would have needed the pegholes and a boxy detail in the same place as on Wildrider's shins.

SpaceEagle wrote:But it does feel weird that the other four limbs are entirely new molds and BD gets a sloppy second.

Other four limbs, you say? Ribbing aside... as I've said, I'm pretty sure it's because with the others they had no choice but to make them new molds, but in this case mold sharing was actually feasible so they took advantage where they could.

SpaceEagle wrote:Especially since CW pretty much gave us that with Offroad. (Granted those base molds got retooled/redecoed to all hell).

Ah, but you see, when they made Wildrider-colored Ruckus Offroad I think they were deliberately trying to give Menasor a fourth limb with a more distinct silhouette, same deal on the Aerialbots' end with Alpha Bravo.
CW was a mess of conflicting priorities and visions between the various designers.

SpaceEagle wrote:Now that being said I don't hate this, just perplexed. He still looks like Breakdown in crucial areas and the spoiler/chest just about differentiates him from Wildrider.
I have the CW version anyway so while I'll still get this one, if I really want a whole-new-mold BD I got one right there!
I wonder if CW overusing molds so much is why we just kinda accepted "Brake-Neck" more easily than this.

I think it might also have been that he was a sports car instead of an offroad pickup.

Myself, I'm still waiting for an affordable CW arm adapter kit to come out (as opposed to trash like pointless crappy height extensions that make him overheight because either the drugged-out mushroom fairies that 3P add-on companies seem to increasingly consult, or whiny fools with money, forget that CW Menasor with the Imperfect Effect parts was overheight). </salt>

Cyber Bishop wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:(...) Plus while people here are dissatisfied, this has prompted a full-blown flamewar at other sites, and hopefully we can avoid that.

Cooler minds will always prevail!

Except in real life where I leave the bodies in dumpsters.



I guess this is what we are getting and have to accept it, I do hope someone makes 3D printed spoilers that actually separate better than this.

I mean, you could just very carefully cut this spoiler down the middle.

Terribly sorry to make this thread super long with the replies, I'm still awfully rusty with trying to condense this stuff

Also d'oh, did i really say four limbs? Looks like i counted too many sheep...

I do think I was probably too hyperbolic with BD's rear end, the louvres do help a lot with getting rid of the Ferrari influences - and admittedly I was ribbing on how nothing was changed between Wildrider and Dead End in CW beyond the heads and paint! The changes for this Breakdown are still much appreciated.

D'oh again on the shins thing, completely forgot they have actual functionality...

And true on both points for Offroad, though I quite love the change up done in CW to give us an extra mold and I still happily have him amongst my Stunticon crew.

(Also thank Primus someone else agrees about the unnecessary heigh extensions in unofficial add-ons...I always roll my eyes whenever I see some sort of knee extender or something - it probably doesn't help that I love smaller toys as is. )

In the glimpses of the combined form the other day, I mentioned that I hoped they would at least give him an optional spoiler accessory. I'm glad to see they did that. Not having that spoiler would have been majorly sukky.

But I share with many the disappointment that this is only a partial remold of Wild Rider. Right down to that weird, split-apart backpack. I could have been OK with it, if they had done so much as remold the car HOOD as well as the back, so it looked more traditionally Breakdown-ish.

Most of us will get it just to top off Menasor. And there are some mitigating factors. 1) We're probably going to leave it in combined mode most of the time anyway. 2) In combined mode, you can't really see EITHER of the leg components. They're almost completely hidden when looking at the figure from the front. So, we won't be able to really 'see' how non-Lambo Breakdown is as Menasor's leg. But we'll know that he isn't, and that will be constantly gnawing in the backs of our minds. Bah!

Will Hasbro or somebody eventually make a completely updated version? Maybe. We shall see. In the meantime we can only wince as we watch Hasbro fumble Menasor's innovation in the end zone.

DeathReviews wrote:In the glimpses of the combined form the other day, I mentioned that I hoped they would at least give him an optional spoiler accessory. I'm glad to see they did that. Not having that spoiler would have been majorly sukky.

But I share with many the disappointment that this is only a partial remold of Wild Rider. Right down to that weird, split-apart backpack. I could have been OK with it, if they had done so much as remold the car HOOD as well as the back, so it looked more traditionally Breakdown-ish.

Most of us will get it just to top off Menasor. And there are some mitigating factors. 1) We're probably going to leave it in combined mode most of the time anyway. 2) In combined mode, you can't really see EITHER of the leg components. They're almost completely hidden when looking at the figure from the front. So, we won't be able to really 'see' how non-Lambo Breakdown is as Menasor's leg. But we'll know that he isn't, and that will be constantly gnawing in the backs of our minds. Bah!

Will Hasbro or somebody eventually make a completely updated version? Maybe. We shall see. In the meantime we can only wince as we watch Hasbro fumble Menasor's innovation in the end zone.

Personally I don't like displaying my teams combined (ironic for a combiner team, I know) especially since I'm not a fan of 'toon Menasor, but you're not only 100% right - I think most of us display our 'bots in 'bot mode so we really won't be able to see how non-Lambo it is anyway!
Still a bit of a shame but hey...at least he has changes where it counts.

DeathReviews wrote:Most of us will get it just to top off Menasor. And there are some mitigating factors. 1) We're probably going to leave it in combined mode most of the time anyway. 2) In combined mode, you can't really see EITHER of the leg components. They're almost completely hidden when looking at the figure from the front. So, we won't be able to really 'see' how non-Lambo Breakdown is as Menasor's leg. But we'll know that he isn't, and that will be constantly gnawing in the backs of our minds. Bah!

If this is the worst thing I think about in any given day, then I won't have anything worth worrying about.

Randomhero wrote:...as for your question of if i would buy a brown dragtrip as deadend. thats a pretty ridiculous example and question since breakdown is not just a white wildrider. He's extensively retooled.

Extensively retooled?

2 ports on the back of the car and a new chest and head qualify as extensive?

Don't think so.







Its clearly a budget cutting decision. But its still a dissapointing one.

Who thinks the 3P companies will either release a (clip on?) front piece and/or other add-on parts for our lad here, or even a whole new figure to replace this, like Fans Project did many moons ago?

primalxconvoy wrote:Who thinks the 3P companies will either release a (clip on?) front piece and/or other add-on parts for our lad here, or even a whole new figure to replace this, like Fans Project did many moons ago?

I think they knew that enough people would be disgruntled over the whole Breakdown/repaint thing that it would create a market for a completely revamped version....

primalxconvoy wrote:Who thinks the 3P companies will either release a (clip on?) front piece and/or other add-on parts for our lad here, or even a whole new figure to replace this, like Fans Project did many moons ago?

Well, no third parties have created a replacement chest piece for Velocitron Scourge to give him a correctly-colored chest (all 3P add-on kits for Scourge have shown more care for arming up his trailer instead), so we can't always count on third parties.

Overcracker wrote:

Randomhero wrote:...as for your question of if i would buy a brown dragtrip as deadend. thats a pretty ridiculous example and question since breakdown is not just a white wildrider. He's extensively retooled.

Extensively retooled?

2 ports on the back of the car and a new chest and head qualify as extensive?

Don't think so.







Its clearly a budget cutting decision. But its still a dissapointing one.

I would say new back if the car, head, chest, spoiler and guns is extensive especially since a lot of times it’s a new head some characters get like say I don’t know 7 years ago when takara just repainted a dead end and put a new head in him. A figure some people say Takara “fixed” and hasbro followed with making it an exclusive.

And there’s plenty of folks who don’t even notice and a lot that are satisfied with the end result. Myself included, and breakdown is the only stunticon I like from the group.

"I can't wait to drop $100 on a 3P figure to clip to Menasor's calf" - many people in this thread, apparently.

Randomhero wrote:I would say new back if the car, head, chest, spoiler and guns is extensive especially since a lot of times it’s a new head some characters get like say I don’t know 7 years ago when takara just repainted a dead end and put a new head in him. A figure some people say Takara “fixed” and hasbro followed with making it an exclusive.

And there’s plenty of folks who don’t even notice and a lot that are satisfied with the end result. Myself included, and breakdown is the only stunticon I like from the group.

Heck, Leadfoot was just a simple head and paint swap from Mirage and I didn't see many complaints about him, at the very least Breakdown is changed where it counts so he still resembles Breakdown.
So yeah, I'd say the retool is extensive enough despite my jokey statements earlier.