Post by Rodimus Prime on Apr 8, 2009 21:30:25 GMT
Takara Reissue Star Convoy
According to various sources, there are many different ideas of what Star Convoy's role in the Transformers universe means.
Near as I have been able to establish, the idea for Battlestars was that the Destrons(Decepticons) bring Convoy(Optimus Prime) back to life, following his demise in the Headmasters series, in order to battle the Cybertrons(Autobots). He is, however, defeated and with the help of Hot Rodimus(Hot Rod) brought back to life and reborn as Star Convoy - the super powerful future version of Convoy. In this case, Hot Rodimus is a micromaster, which according to certain Manga, happened when Rodimus Convoy(Rodimus Prime) left midway through Headmasters.
He apparantly spent some time on Planet Master, home of the Headmasters(Chromedome, Brainstorm, Fortress Maximus etc) and came back in a significantly scaled down size. As such, he can sit inside Star Convoy.
This information is based on translated Manga comics and stories, as Battlestars: Return Of Conoy never made it to an animated format.
Star Convoy - Vehicle Mode
Convoy, in his vehicle mode, shares much in common with his Armada incarnation. He's a long nosed cab with a very strange, yet I suppose "futuristic", trailer.
This is also, for the first, that any Prime has been so armed with so many weapons. 2 double barrelled cannons are mounted on the top of the cab, his main blaster cannon is in the middle of the trailer, and on the rear is a double barrelled cannon.
Colourwise, the toy has the traditional Optimus Prime paint job from top to bottom. The cab is red, the trailer metallic grey and the underneath and top rear of the trailer are blue. Black is used for the wheels, guns and ramps on the back of the trailer with grey on the treads(which are rubber) and 2 blocks of yellow on the top. A foil sticker(silver and blue) runs from front to back with a large Autobot emblem on the rear.
At the front of the truck are plastic wheels that are freewheelers, and to the rear is a large battery powered platform connected to the underside of the trailer. When switched on, the treads turn either forward or backwards(depending on your choice) and the truck will move, and with some serious speed as well, as I found out.
Star Convoy - Base Mode
To transform to base mode, split and separate the cab, fold back and twist the now revealed torso to the side so that it points out over the hips of the robot legs. Then split and seperate the legs from the rear panel holding the battery operated treads unit. Slide the treads unit out and bring both the legs and the flap that held the unit flat out to the sides, so that the body frame forms an upside down "T".
The tread unit has a hole that a peg on the flap slots into. Join the two. On the side where the legs are, open out the shins and pull down the black ramps, which will reveal a garage/bay area. Insert the black truck into the front bay until it clicks. It needs to click because the yellow block on top connects with the orange tab on the truck, which will activate the spring mechanism to dispatch Hot Rodimus or whomever you have in there(more on that in the "Component 1" section).
Straighten out the folded cab parts so that they point directly out, pull on the grey tabs at the front to reveal the fists and insert Convoy's cannon into one of them. Open the chest and flip the head up. Leave the chest open as this is the main control deck for Hot Rodimus to sit/stand in.
On the tread part of the base, connect the "U" shaped ramp to the slots in the back. A small lip will hang loose and when you put a Micromaster on the back of the ramp and push down on this lip, the car will roll forward.
On the front of the tread part are hinges for a large rectangular ramp to be attached and in the center of this is a small round black platform. Attach the blast shield that was on the rear of Convoy's trailer, along with the smaller of the double barrelled cannons. A Micromaster can now stand here and the gun emplacement(which harks back to Rodimus Prime's own trailer deck) can be swivelled 360 degrees.
Convoy's base mode seems a good deal larger than say, Metroplex's, and it's certainly alot bulkier. It's also long more than anything else.
Colourwise, it's more of the same here. Primary Optimus colours along with some translucent blue on the now opened chest. A foil sticker graces the wall on the inside of Convoy's chest cavity, though the sticker itself could've been bigger, and is adorned with various coloured buttons.
I do like this mode alot, but the robot head being on show is something that doesn't sit right with me. Maybe there was a purpose to it in Battlestars that was never communicated well because the idea was axed before it had a chance to grow.
Star Convoy - Robot Mode
To transform to robot mode, close up the ramps and shin parts on the leg parts of the base, remove all blaster extensions and ramps on the tread deck, insert the tread deck back into the flap it was in originally and bring the legs and tread part back together. Close the chest cavity and swivel the torse the rest of the way around(clockwise), flip the feet out and the waist plate down and Star Convoy is in full robot mode.
There's no denying that he's a big and impressive toy. He stands head and shoulders above most other toys in the G1 back catalogue, clocking in at maybe a couple of centimetres taller than God Ginrai.
He is, however, undeniably a brick of tremedous proportions. And due to the battery pack on the rear, he more or less has to be. Poseability is all from the waist up here. The torso can swivel back and forth, the arms up and down and bend at the elbows, but his head doesn't turn. It's a solid piece of blue plastic.
This is a little bit disappointing as previous toys had gotten passed this idea of a solid head moulded to the body.
On the rear, where the tread deck has been inserted, you can again switch it on and make Convoy roll either forwards or backwards in robot mode, and at an alarming speed. So alarming that mine slammed into a wall and fell backwards.
Along with the same truly Prime colours, black is in use on the waist and feet, with yellow on the knees, waist and headlights on the torso and the "dreaded" gold plastic making up a star shaped emblem on the chest and between the window panes. Convoy's eyes are a lighter blue than the rest of the shade used, and the crest on his helmet seems to be a dulled gold or bronze.
Stickers here continue the foil theme and are blue and red on the shins and yellow with an Autobot emblem on the shoulders.
Star Convoy - Component 1
Accompanying Convoy is a small black truck on push-a-long wheels. The truck is solid black out of the box and has an orange tab on the front and a flap of the same colour at the back. Stickers to be applied are metallic blue on the cab and a metallic orange, yellow and black Autobot emblem sticker along each side. This little fella is an independant launcher for Micromasters, but when combined with Convoy's base mode, adopts the same function through the garage bay. On the inside, the orange flap is spring loaded. When you push Hot Rodimus or a character of the same size in far enough, the inner platform will click. Close the flap, press the tab on the front and whoever is inside will burst out and roll away ready for action.
Star Convoy - "Roller"
Though not confirmed, the tread deck is supposedly the rebirth of Roller.
The unit is two tone, taking on the same blue as Convoy and the grey from the rubber treads. A foil sticker with a lighter blue tone can be applied to the "windows" on the front.
Not alot to be said about this unit really. He's really more of a novelty for the bigger robot. He's flat and battery powered and has some wallop when he gets going.
Star Convoy - Hot Rodimus
Bringing Convoy back in this new form is Hot Rodimus in Micromaster threads.
Anyone who know's the Micromaster figures will know how small he is, but to put it into perspective for those who dont, he's kinda like Armada Optimus Prime's Mini-Con buddy Sparkplug. Teeny tiny but oh so cool.
I'm a Hot Rod/Rodimus nut(obviously), so I dig this little thing very much. When I bought Star Convoy, I didn't even realise there was a tiny Rodimus in here. I was too enamoured with owning Star Convoy.
In vehicle mode, he's identical to, though less detailed than, the original Hot Rod. His colour is closer to Classics Rodimus and he comes with the yellow spoilers and foil flame stickers on the hood. He's also got a little metallic blue windscreen.
To transform, flip the rear of the car out to form the legs, flip the hood of the car down to reveal the head and arms.
He stands well with good balance and can be put in a sitting position for going inside Convoy's chest. The only colours revealed in robot mode now are the silver on his face.
Star Convoy - Connector
The above connector allows for Grandus, the Battlestars Autobot Space Base, to be connected to Star Convoy.
By itself, there's not much to say.
Notes
The Takara reissue of Star Convoy comes with different colours on certain parts of his body. As an example, the reissue has a metallic grey/silver trailer and faded gold/bronze crown on the head where as the original is white for both of these.
Weapons
Convoy has quite a few weapons. He has a large cannon that's an updated version of his old blaster from the early days, 2 double barrelled cab/shoulder mounted cannons and when in truck or base mode, another double barrelled cannon.
Roller, the truck and Hot Rodimus have no weapons.
Overall
This was the first toy that I picked up when I found Modelmania in Temple Bar, and was the first purchase, along with Anime Galvatron and Blaster.
A great but overly melodramtic alt. mode turns into a great base mode and then into a fantastic robot. I can't really complain about anything other than the brick like quality of the robot mode. However, given that so many of the Transformers toys are bricks by nature, it's not a big issue for me.
Also given that not many core Battlestar figures were realeased, especially ones that aren't Micromasters, there is something very special about this toy. It's a reborn Optimus Prime who's a triple changer with a motor that makes him move and an Micromaster Hot Rodimus.
Plus, he's the character from a line of toys that was never really produced in large numbers.
There's too much good going for him to really give him a hard time. And besides, it's pretty clear that Star Convoy was the inspiration behind the design of Cybertron Optimus Prime.
Score - 4.5/5
