Dave's Hunt for the Decepticons Rant: Scouts Wave 3 Sunspot (Skystalker redeco) Firetrap (Scattorshot redeco) Permalink: http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/RotF/ScoutH3 An all-redeco wave, but good enough molds to be worth picking up a second time (a bit ironic that both molds came from the same wave and were the only new molds in that wave). Although it's a little annoying that at the time I bought them, Walmart was charging only three cents more for Deluxe than for Scouts. http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/RotF/Scout5 - both molds CAPSULES Sunspot: Original version was recommended (really good mold with a glaring flaw). This one doesn't fix the problems of the original, it's rather garish, and at least mine is very floppy. Mildly recommended, and then only if you never got Skystalker. $8.97 at Walmart. Firetrap: Original version was recommended (solid overall). The new colors are good, I like the character personality, and they didn't mess anything up. Recommended. $8.97 at Walmart. RANTS Packaging: Same as previous Hunt waves. Sunspot's instructions include the gerwalk-ish Battle Mode, but do not mention connection to Mindwipe (not that Skystalker's did either). DECEPTICON: SUNSPOT Altmode: Stealth Jet Licensor: None Transformation Difficulty: Easy (2) Previous Name Use: None Previous Mold Use: RotF Function: Decoy Motto: "I think so, Mindwipe, but where are we going to find rubber pants in our size this time of night?" SUNSPOT has memory problems. Mission objectives, target data and the names of his allies slip from his mind like sand through a sieve. He remembers how to fly most of the time, which is lucky, because he finds a simple joy in being airborne. What's unlucky is that he tends to forget the AUTOBOTS are constantly on the lookout for DECEPTICONS operating on their own, so he often wanders directly into a surprise attack. STR 6 INT 2 SPD 9 END 6 RNK 2 COUR 3 FRB 9 SKL 4 Avg 5.125 This is Derpy Pony. But with inexplicably heavy firepower. Packaging: Four rattan strings hold robot mode into the blister. The axes are rubber-banded onto the hands. Color Swaps: Black becomes white...mostly. The black plastic in Skystalker's torso that's painted red is now dark gray plastic (that's painted red), as is the black of the backs of the lower legs. The gray of the forearms, feet and thighs becomes a darker gray, but not as dark gray as the backs of the legs. The other gray parts become bright yellow. Paint Apps: The torso paint apps are virtually the same as on Skystalker, dark red on the inner chest and pelvis front with a silver strip down the front of the pelvis. The top of the head is silver with a black optic. Otherwise, it's all paint meant for vehicle mode. Lots of yellow paint in vehicle mode, because a merely white stealth jet might still be able to conceal itself in some situations. Unfortunately, the yellow paint is noticeably orange-r than the yellow plastic, so where a little yellow plastic shows on the mid-fuselage it's clearly discontinuous. At least the black vs. gray on Skystalker in that position looks intentional. It's less obvious on the landing gear, since that's not touching any painted parts. The air intakes and exhaust vents are gloss black, and there's dark purple Decepticon roundels with little winglets on the tail end where Skystalker has 808's. They're the same shape as the ones on Skystalker's wings, but smaller. Mold Changes: None that I could find. Still has those dumb spring feet. Other Notes: Since Skystalker came out, we have all been introduced to the joys of the 3mm clip system, which the axes exploit. The forearm "bones" in robot mode are 3mm in diameter. Not sure if this is an overall issue problem, but the joints on mine are REALLY loose. It also doesn't hold together as well in vehicle mode as Skystalker. Overall: Other than the amusement value of a Decepticon that is almost literally too stupid to live, there's not much reason to get this one if you have or can still find Skystalker. Even if the looseness of mine is just bad luck, white and yellow just aren't a good look for this design. AUTOBOT: FIRETRAP Altmode: Armored Truck Licensor: None Transformation Difficulty: Easy (2) Previous Name Use: None Previous Mold Use: RotF Function: Fire Support Motto: "Let's see what THIS one does!" To say that FIRETRAP is enthusiastic about specialized ammunition is an understatement. He takes every chance he can to try out unusual shells for his cannons. He's especially happy whenever he can spring strange munitions on an unsuspecting DECEPTICON target. It's just bad luck for SUNSPOT that he happened to be flying over right after FIRETRAP secured some brand-new anti-aircraft ammo. STR 7 INT 4 SPD 3 END 7 RNK 4 COUR 8 FRB 9 SKL 8 Avg 6.25 Unlike Hailstorm, it looks like Firetrap is just a consumer of funky munitions, not an inventor. So he's Wheeljack's go-to guy for testing stuff. :) Packaging: Four rattan strings hold the robot mode into the blister. The one around the torso feeds up inside the chest, so you have to partially transform the toy to get it out. A rubber band holds the right hand gun in place. Color Swaps: You know, if they hadn't already done Brawn, this would make a good Brawn. Blue becomes olive green, black becomes medium gray, gray becomes caramel brown, and pale gold becomes dark brownish gray. Paint Apps: In robot mode, the face is painted silver, and part of the upper arms is painted a sort of silver wash. The fake vehicle bits on the chest and the outsides of the upper arms are painted olive green in a very good match to the plastic. In vehicle mode, the difference between the green paint and green plastic is detectable, but not nearly as blatant as the yellows on Sunspot. The plow and headlights are painted silver, the windows are painted bluish- silver, and there's a gold stripe starting above each headlight and running back all the way to the rear (but not extending onto the pickup gate). Behind the side windows are printed silver Autobot symbols with silver outlines, a symbol variant I don't recall seeing before. Mold Changes: None that I noticed. Other Notes: The gray tires feel a little too "Armada Mini-Con" to me, but that's just a minor issue. It's not like the tires are green or brown. Overall: Definitely worth picking up, it's a pity Scouts now cost so much, though. Dave Van Domelen, digesting turkey.