I would LOVE a Machine Wars Starscream. Plus I'm sure the repaint potential into Skyquake would make lots of Euro G1 fans happy.

 

i'll join in on this:

Definitely picking up:
Legacy Skids
Legacy Prime Knockout
Legacy Elita One
Legacy Blaster
Legacy Armada Starscream
Legacy Laser Optimus Prime
Legacy Blitzwing
SS 86 Wheelie
SS 86 Perceptor
SS 86 Sludge
GS Clampdown
GS Lift-Ticket
GS DK-3 (Blue Trailbreaker)
Target Silverstreak
Amazon Jackpot
Walmart Hauler
Walmart Clampdown
Walmart Burnout
Walmart Scourge
Walgreens Minerva

Need to see it first:
Legacy Prime Arcee
Legacy Kickback
Legacy Pointblank
Legacy Crankcase
Legacy Prime Soundwave
Legacy Prime Bulkhead
SS 86 Spike
SS 86 Rumble
SS 86 Hot Rod Variant
GS Guard
Walmart Armada Blurr
Walmart Cybertron Override
Shattered Glass SG Soundwave
Shattered Glass SG Ultra Magnus
Shattered Glass SG Blaster
Shattered Glass SG Wheeljack

 

the biggest problems I see with it are the hands, which have a fix, and the fact that you cant carry all but the smallest WFC cars in it, which isn't great but not unique to him. The whole package is still quite good, good enough for them to wait a few years before trying their hand again.

If they want to do a proper Arcee, 86 is a fine place to do it. That's the one mold I think everyone can agree needs a do over.

 

There was some speculation at one point that it could be IDW2 Straxxus, which I could see potentially working in terms of proportions and engineering, especially if the yellow part on his chest is meant to be a nosecone (I don't know what his alt mode is supposed to look like):

The only other candidates that I think are close enough to Armada Starscream's design for a retool to make sense would be Animated Starscream (or perhaps Slipstream), a G1 toy-inspired Jetfire, the G2 Cyberjets, or a BW Uprising-inspired Jetstorm:

 

yes please. I'd buy all 4 of the big guys, and the small guys make Skid-Z and Tow-Line possible.

 

I like what I see here. If they can tool the wings, null cannons, and the nosecone onto that body it's basically perfect.

Also had a thought: what if instead of putting hardpoints onto the new bots, the mini-cons are Combat compatible? That could increase their play value beyond however many Armada guys they decide to put out this year.

 

What's this now? My interest has been piqued

 

Extremely heavily hinted to be coming as a new mold in next year's Wal-mart exclusive subline. It's apparently going to be Velocitron-themed, and aside from Cosmos they all turn into wheeled vehicles.

If they make that version of Straxus, I really hope they at least give him a faceplate, but otherwise I'm not too attached to his earlier designs so I'd be fine with it.

You mean putting the pegs on the Mini-cons and just using regular 5mm ports on the main figures? That's what I'd like them to do, it'd make the main figures a lot cleaner. I always hated how Mini-con ports obstructed otherwise nice silhouettes.

 

What if Hasbro dusts off the Transtech concept?

 

Exactly, you get combat and powerlinx all in one. Wont be enough to bring Mini-Cons back in full swing, but it's a good start.

 

Just to clarify, I still don't know anything about what Jhiaxus will look like.

He could be a new mold, he could be a retool, he might be a different partial from the original mold Armada Starscream is based off, it's all up for grabs.

 

I just double checked because I always want to say that Lift-Ticket is technically a Fembot, but it turns out I had my wires crossed and it was Burn-Out who's female (rather, her pilot, but the robot had a female face in the comic story with her and Lift-Ticket).

Now I'm curious if the upcoming Skids mold will have an alternate feminine face for the Walmart line's Burn-Out similar to her comic face, alongside a Crosscut/Reboots head. If not whatever, I'll probably just say Lift-Ticket is female anyway for my shelf whether Burn-Out has a female face or not, then they'd just both be girls for me. I'm also not treating them as mechs, but actual Autobots.

 

I must have totally missed that... what was the "Shine" leak? some computer listings or something?

yeah, that's also why I feel like there's such nuance to what "remold" means, from "repaint with new head" to "hey, this guy shares like 7 parts (or whatever CW Magnus to TR PM Prime was)"  

 

Truth. I think the majority of the Pretenders who are popular showed up mostly in their shells in the comics.

  Sorry, it's hard to keep track of everything you guys say.   Honestly though I definitely appreciate getting the information from you and the other leakers. Helps me plan my budget and balance my expectations on what's coming.

Yeah, like how TR Highbrow, Scourge, and Windblade all share the same thighs and inner skeleton of the upper torso but that's it. They've been doing some amazing things with retools for a while now.

 

Any hope for Armada Skywarp and Thundercracker as exclusives?

 

I'm really curious as to why there is an embargo on the Armada Starscream re-tool reveal. It can't be due to any Transformers character being kept super secret. I can't imagine a Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon or Walgreens exclusive would cause fear among the leakers either. So my hunch is a Crossover/Collaborative figure. And the most fearful owner of IP brands that give leakers pause is Disney.

 

Because leakers hate being transparent i guess? I have no clue anymore

 

could also just be that whatever the unrevealed bit would compromise the source...

 

I'm hoping for a Thundercracker repaint at least.  

 

Funny thing is, as a kid, the only pretender that interested me was Waverider. Now ask me who the least popular pretender is.  

As for retools, all that Hasbro does is retools! I guarantee that most of the bots share wheels! And, sigh, there's nothing to be outraged about with WFC besides Fangry, Tracks, and Target exclusives anymore is there... Well, and my blue text not working but that's more of a me issue.