I really want this set and plan to get it!

 

It isn't impossible to do just Minigun/Backpack, but they are big and heavy pieces. The backpack and minigun combo gives it a good balance. But since the legs and knees are on balljoints, it isn't too hard to put him in a pose to stand up with just minigun or backpack.

 

they look really cool. if they were the size of the original g1 reflector then i'd probably buy them.

 

Yes.

 

This is tempting but the $100 price tag is a bit much for tiny guys.

 

Depending on whether or not I get money for my 21st next month or not, this guy is near the top of my to buy list. The only 3rd party figure I own is HoS Prime, because I've always wanted to see toys based on that comic series. But this guy right here just exemplifies what I like from the various third party toy reviews I've seen, just how every little part and weapon has a place and purpose, just how cleanly everything goes into the alt mode is amazing. And the little guys just look so cool all armed up and displayed together.

I really, really want this set.

 

Am i the only one that puts the flash parts on 03? It works better(in my head anyway)that the guy with the minigun should have the rocket packs and not the sniper.

 

Long range support. Makes sense if you think that they're transformers and not human soldiers. Sniper spots AND sends down guided weaponry onto target! Since he isn't suppressed, once he engages he will typically be detected.

 

What's the general consensus of QC so far. I see some of the issues people have been having but are they really wide spread of thin? Was there a second batch of these made or is whats in stock of TFSOURCE and BBTS still the first run?

 

Mine was free of QC. From what I've been seeing, QC issues run the gamut of either missing parts, incorrect parts, poor molding, etc. BBTS has been very willing to help fix issues though if you came across them. Doesn't seem to be too widespread, but there's always that thought that there are those who have QC that never report it on the boards.

 

I was on the fence about this guy because of the price but I'm definitely ordering him. Besides, he will look beautiful in the hands of Not-Devastator

 

I had a BAD QC incident with my set. The waist on Shield just SNAPPED off unexpectedly. Thankfully BBTS was very helpful and a new one should be arriving soon.

 

I cannot recommend these guys enough, i too was turned off by the price and size but after having it i have no regrets and can't seem to put them down... ssssooo many possibilities!!!

 

Review: Perfect Effect Night Ops SFX

 

Hi there, I picked upone of these at Auto Assembly, so I thought I'd post my review here.

Scouting Force X
Something which has been a point of contention for the Transformers fanbase for some time now are the increasing numbers of companies offering unlicensed versions which seem purpose built to appeal to collectors. Most of the time I don’t mind this or see it as notably unethical, though this is because it sits in a grey area. A small company selling weapons or new heads is arguably increasing sales for Hasbro. There is also something to be said for those making toys Hasbro never would, as the economics and market don’t make it sensible, like the assorted steampunk robots from Mastermind Creations. That said, certain companies are just asking for a lawsuit, like iGear, which started out doing add-ons and is now selling flat-out bootlegs. Staying on just the right side of Intellectual Property laws so far, there is Perfect Effect, a company that specialises revamping in the small, obscure, and neglected Transformers that first appeared in the 1980’s, and never really became a regular feature of the franchise. Case in point: PE-11 Scouting Force X, or as they are nicknamed, “Not-Reflector”.





One of the very first Transformers was “Reflector”, notable if only for the fact no one seems to know if he was some kind of gestalt entity, creepy triplets, 3 guys with similar forms, or just one guy who could clone himself. The toy bore little resemblance to the animation model used in the cartoon, and comic book depictions have been all over the map on this one. One thing that was consistent was its somewhat odd transformation scheme; a trio a robots that would combine into a single camera, one that a child could use. In the cartoon, this was a camera scaled to Transformer hands, and yes, this makes almost no sense. The toy was soon forgotten, and although the camera-robot concept was revisited for the Real Gear line, and there’s supposedly a repaint coming, the Reflector trio has been gone from mainline Transformers since their first appearence. Then came in Perfect Effect, with this Reflector inspired set.


Robot Mode(s)
The Scout force favours the old animation model overall, but the lower legs follow the toy design, as does the transformation, which I will come to shortly. Two things struck me as I got them out of the box, the first was their tiny size, and the second was the presence of flash and other production scars on the toys. I felt buyer’s remorse almost immediately, as these aren’t cheap, but once I got playing with them I got their appeal. These are superior robot toys, examples of what you can do if you don’t have to deal with child safety restrictions. Not only do they look nice, with vibrant purple and grey, but also they pose incredibly well and carry enough guns for three consecutive wars. I am not going to talk about play value too much, this really isn’t something you can leave with your kid, but these are very well designed. Each robot features 14 points of articulation, with 9 ball joints. There is no wrist articulation, though I suspect that wasn’t for a want of trying, but there are hinged ankles that allow far more motion than the blocky appearance suggests. Its almost all the articulation you could possibly want. Furthermore, each robot gets their own selection of accessories, giving a nice spread of display options. I find it very difficult to fault the basic design philosophy of this set. It is however very fiddly at times, with pieces like the knife clips and the sniper scope are a pain to attach and easy to loose. Also be aware that some joints are tighter than others, and attempting to force something into position is very unwise.

Let’s look at the individual toys.

Edge: The apparent leader of the trio, Edge carries two rifles, a knife, and four additional pieces of armour on his shoulders and forearms. He is slightly more limited at the shoulders thanks to that armour, but the loss is manageable, given that this guy will be duel wielding by default. As he features the shutters and lens in his belly, he can borrow bits from his two squadmates to form a kind of gun emplacement deal, but it isn’t that convincing.



Shield: A sniper seeming fellow, Shield carries, well, a shield, a long rifle, a knife, and two shoulder missile packs. There’s a couple of nice touches here, like the way his rifle is same make as Edge’s pair, but with barrel extension and scope attachment. The shield is a bit on the unwieldy side, it’s as big as he is, but there’s an articulated handle, and a vision slit.




Bullet: The heavy of the team, this guy has a gatling gun, a knife and what is either a jetpack or two big ammo drums. Happily there is no issue with weight or balance, given the size of the gun in proportion to the robot. Also, he can borrow Edge’s forearm guards and reform his kit into a big beam bazooka, though I find the gatling gun preferable.




Transformation
There is a dirty word in the fanbase, one which refers to some of the worst toys from G1 and one that engineering advances have more or less eliminated from main line Transformers. The word is “Partformer”, and refers to a Transformer that changes from one form to another by switching out parts. It’s basically considered a form of cheating, and an easy way to lose pieces. Perfect Effect have made extensive use of the concept here, and while I could complain, it doesn’t feel right to do so. Every single component is either stored or actively involved in the camera mode, parts cast in such a way so that it’s hard to misassemble them. This is partforming done well, and makes for an easy, but by no means simplistic conversion. Essentially, each robot collapses into a rough cube, which then connect to each other, with the shield forming the base, and the gatling gun barrels forming a stand. The overall scheme is very similar to the original toy, with the assorted weapons stored in the lens assembly, and shield, with the missile pods forming a flashbox. I enjoyed the process more than I thought I would, but be aware my earlier comments about fiddly bits are very true. Take care of a movable clip that each robot has on its back, not only does it prevent transformation if folded down, you’ll need a toothpick or similar to move it up. I just left it up on all of mine; it saves a lot of hassle.



Camera Mode
Continuing the theme of modernisation rather than reinvention, the camera mode owes a lot to the G1 version, in that it’s recognisable as what its meant to be, but its very obviously a toy. Modern cameras don’t look like this as a rule, and there’s little attempt to conceal the robot mode bits. Is this a bad thing? Perhaps not. It helps with the character of the set, and it pays homage to the original, warts and all. I can’t see anyone buying the set just for this, but its does the job.


Conclusion
Let’s break it down to two questions. Is this a good set of transforming robots? Yes, though the small size works against them at times, its difficult to fault them on their own terms. Are they worth £65 or say three voyagers? Uhh, tricky. This is something you buy if you want to treat yourself, or maybe take a plunge into the world of third party toys. You won’t regret if you do, but I think 3 voyagers are better value, though it is an apples and oranges comparison.

 

I was lucky enough to get a set of these guys and boy are they great. I liked them so much I picked up a second to have them displayed in both modes. They really are a great throwback to the figures we remember from the original show. Their added gear to make their seemingly clone bodies individuals is a great plus.

 

I love these guys. Just got the Reprolables set for them today, it makes them 10 times better looking. the chrome really makes the camera illusion much more plausible. Just don't mix up the two smaller chrome rings. One is for 01's belly, the other is for the center of the shield. the thicker one goes on 01, the thinner one, the shield. They are well worth the price and seeing it say "Reflector" just makes you smile, not to mention the nice reflection you actually see in the mirror finish on the lens sticker.

 

I love this set. I love the colors and the way everything works here. They may be small but it works here. The price tag is a little steep but I want this guys. Going order them when I get my check.

 

the reprolabels set is a nice addition, (added wst rubsign)