well we know that the theme is Machine Wars now. so let the speculation begin
(also if someone wants to digibash any of these ideas please feel free too

i'm thinking that Classics Silverbolt would make a great MW Starscream with a new head

Energon Starscream could make a cool MW Megatron and Megaplex

Powercore combiner Leadfoot could make a good MW Mirage and Prowl

 

I'd like PCC Leadfoot as Prowl/Mirage, PCC Huffer as Hoist/Hubcap, PCC Skyburst as Thundercracker/Skywarp, PCC Skyhammer as Megatron/Megaplex.

 

well until we have some indication if Botcon will stick with not using older molds or not its hard for me to speculate. as if they do the best fit for soundwave can't be used or would my choice for sandstorm which is energon bulkhead.

 

I could see Universe 2.0 Inferno making a nice MW Optimus.

HFTD Terradive would make a nice Megatron with a new head.

And just repaint egatron into the Megaplex drones for the troop builder.

 

For now, I'm sticking with my theory that most, if not all, molds used for the set will be Prime molds.

I also theorize that this set will have as much to do with Machine Wars as the Generation 2 Redux set had to do with Generation 2. The spirit will be there, but very few characters we think we'll get will we actually get.

That said...



No, he's not a Machine Wars character. But he is the big bad in the magazine comic this year. I guess the question is, is the magazine comic serving as a lead-in to the Botcon comic?

 

oh wow. that Jhiaxus looks amazing.

 

Except WoH Jhaixus looks nothing like that, and I don't see him changing his body anytime soon.

 

Thanks. Been a while since a digibashed anything, Jhiaxus there is kinda crude, but it gets the point across.

But the story is all about cloning, if I remember it correctly. (Need to dig it out and re-read it.) It's a poor megalomanical cloning mastermind who doesn't clone himself. Emperor Palpatine taught me that.

Digibash #2:



Nobody's suggested anything but Cybertron Defense Red Alert for ol' Soundwave here. And while I agree the mold's an almost perfect fit, it's also seven years old. FunPub doesn't use molds that old very often.

 

I could see Universe Countdown/Cybertron Defense Red Alert's mold for Machine Wars Soundwave, and the Cybertron Evac/Universe Blades or the Movie Blackout mold for Sandstorm.

Unless somewhere it was revealed no movie molds were being used...

 

Man, that's a hot photoshop. Let's see the alt mode! I think that's the best Jhiaxus custom/photoshop I've seen yet. I didn't realize how well that mold would work. Still think it needs a new head though  

Regarding fiction - I thought they told us at the 2012 club panel that the fiction was going to swap around, and do exactly as you said. That 2012's comic was going to feed into the 2013 story, and the 2012 story was going to feed into the 2013 comic.

My memory kinda sucks, but yeah. Maybe someone can correct me

 

Movie molds that actually appeared on-screen are 1000% off-limits.

Thanks for the compliment on my hasty Jhiaxus. I put a lot more time and effort into the Soundwave. I'll see about 'shopping up an alt mode. And yeah, Jhiaxus' head is iconic enough that he'd need a new one. I just colored the Dreadwing head 'cause it was easier.

 

i could see dotm Skyhammer as Sandstorm
and either cybertron defense red alert, or rts perceptor as soundwave

movie 07 longarm/rotf hoist as hoist/hubcap, or barring that, generations kup

Classics Seeker mold as mw skywarp and thundercracker



one more idea: take generations thrust, deco him up in the cancelled "Sandstorm" seeker, have one of the souvenir packs be Autobot Sandstorm(helicopter) vs Decepticon Sandstorm(jet)

 

I would be mire than happy with the machine wars molds, especially Soundwave in correct colors.

 

I was discussing this on Facebook with someone, and this is what came to mind as a possible layout:

Box Set of 5:
Prime (Voyager or Deluxe)
Megatron (Deluxe, looks like his mold would be Energon Starscream from the teaser)
Skywarp (Deluxe)
Hoist (Deluxe)
Starscream (Voyager or Deluxe)

Pack of 2:
Soundwave (Voyager or larger, betting he's Cybertron Defense Red Alert)
Hubcap (Hoist repaint)

Pack of 2 :
Sandstorm (Voyager, betting on Skyhammer)
Mirage (Deluxe)

Pack of 3:
Thundercracker (same as Skywarp)
Megaplex
Prowl

These are all molds that are used elsewhere, and not a traditional troop-kit, but that may make them feasible in itself.

Freebie:
Electro (his head and Hoists...work)


Now you could obviously rearrange them a bit with the same basic result, for instance, Mirage, Prowl, and Hubcap could all be interchanged.

 

Okay, here's an off-the-wall guess: Generations Warpath redecoed into Killbison from Victory.

They did Leozack in 2009, so it's not totally unprecedented. They've said they're adding characters who were not originally part of the Machine Wars line. They need a tank character, and Warpath is ripe for a re-use.

Hey, why not?

I've also been thinking about what large molds (Voyager and Ultra) they could potentially use. They don't have many options. Of the ones they haven't used yet (and leaving out the possibly-unavailable Prime molds): Universe 2.0 Powerglide and Silverbolt, ROTF Mindwipe, DOTM Skyhammer, HFTD Highbrow, and RTS Lugnut and Grappel. Notice anything? With the exception of Grappel (who they pseudo-used in 2010 when they did Pyro from Inferno), every mold is either a plane or a helicopter. Not much variety.

Here's an add-on set I kind of like: Bumper (or Bumblejumper, if you prefer) from Classics Bumblebee and Hauler from Grappel.

Just throwin' out ideas as they come to me, here.

 

Love the Killbison idea, I could see him being done from the United Rumble/Frenzy though since they're supposed to be the same kind of tank. and in the same regard HFTD Terradive could work as Gaihawk and Hellbat, enegon Cliffjumper as Jarugar, and HFTD Tomahawk as Deathcobra, and a buncha Arms microns as Breastmaster partners.