Dave's Armada Supercon Rant: Powerlinx Wave 2

     Powerlinx Demolishor with Blackout
     Nemesis Prime with Run-Over

     As far as I know, these are the last gasp of mass-release Armada toys
(not counting Armada figures redone for Energon, like Unicron or Tidal
Wave).  These are recolors of Demolishor and Supercon Optimus Prime:

     http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Armada/Deluxe1 (Demolishor)
     http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Armada/Deluxe3 (Prime)

     Please refer to these reviews for details on physical aspects and
transformation.  This review will concentrate on color schemes and any
differences between originals and recolors.

     I suspect that the "running change" Wheeljack and Thrust new color
schemes will ship with these guys soon, but I didn't find either where I got
these.

CAPSULES

     Powerlinx Demolishor: Decent "dazzle" colorscheme, although the paint on
Blackout was chipped in-package.  Strongly recommended if you have no
previous Demolishor, mildly recommended otherwise (it's not a blow-me-away
color scheme).  $9.96 at Wal-Mart.
     Nemesis Prime: Supercon Prime redone in the ever-popular Scourge black
and metallic blue.  Strongly recommended if you don't already have the mold,
recommended otherwise (it looks REALLY good).  $9.96 at Wal-Mart.


RANTS

DECEPTICON: DEMOLISHOR

     This was another last minute color scheme.  One of the earlier designs
would have given him G1 Sixshot's white, teal and purple scheme, since his
tank mode resembles Sixshot's tank mode.  However, the packaging shows him
with no change from his first color scheme, and the trading sticker even has
the exact same art as the original (although the saturation is a tiny bit
lighter).  

     http://www.protoformproject.com/dvd/images/demolishorpx.JPG  is the
color scheme they settled on at last.  The turret is a mix of two different
light grays and the tread armor is a mix of red and light gray.  In both of
these cases, the pattern is what's known as "Dazzle" camoflage, designed for
battleships in WWI before sonar and radar came into use.  Dazzle doesn't stop
you from seeing that something's there, instead it makes it difficult to tell
what the shape is and what direction it's going.  So you'd know there was A
ship there, but not how big, nor would you have much luck aiming at it with a
torpedo.  Red and light gray make up much of the rest of the armor, with gold
at the front and some black char marks on the front.  A dark brown/gray
is used for several other parts such as the missiles and inner joints.
There's a few blue accents on Demolishor, and several blue parts on Blackout
(the blue paint on the chest was already chipped on mine).

     There is no mold change to allow both shoulders to fire missiles,
sadly.  And while the Blackout on mine doesn't stay in place well for the
launching gimmick in vehicle mode, I'm currently writing that up to
variations within mold...I got lucky with the original, unlucky with the
recolor.  I got enough reports of bad launchers in the original, after all.


DECEPTICON: NEMESIS PRIME

     Ever since Black Convoy from Car Robots got brought here as Scourge,
Hasbro has been in love with the color scheme of black and gray with metallic
teal accents and red windows.  We got a Spychanger Scourge and a Destructicon
Scourge, and now Armada Sc...Nemesis Prime.  Unlike PX Demolishor, Nemesis
Prime gets all new art on his trading sticker (although it's not totally
accurate, as the sticker shows the feet as silver, rather than black).
     Of course, this isn't EXACTLY the Scourge color scheme.  Sure, it has
blood red windows and metallic teal accents all over.  It has a Decepticon
symbol on the hood and a silver bumper.  But the grille, stacks and several
other parts are a very light sandstone tan.  And except for the wheels, the
"black" parts are actually a very dark blue.
     Nemesis Prime's chest has several red parts, including the panel
normally covered by his sandstone-colored grill.  The stacks don't stay on
any better than on Supercon Prime, so I'd recommend leaving the rubber bands
on his forearms.
     Run-Over (clever name) is mostly sandstone, with dark blue shoulders and
nosewheel, red cockpit and visor, black wheels.  It looks a little better
"stock" than Over-Run did, although I still went ahead and Dremeled the gun
barrel as I did with Over-Run.

     And that's it.  Two good molds given new color schemes.  Both worth
buying if you don't have the molds yet, but only Nemesis Prime is a recolor
good enough to buy the mold again.

     Dave Van Domelen, still can't find the second set of Armada puzzles,
months after their supposed release.  Sigh.