Review: #11
Name: Warpath
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations (Wave 8)
Year of Release: 2011
Size Class: Deluxe
Variations: None
VEHICLE MODE:
Warpath transforms into a maroon "H-Tank" (in reference to the "H" shape of the tank) that is not based on any real vehicle. The shade of maroon used is nice, and fits the character well. It's a good tank, although not entirely realistic and not everyone's cup of tea.
While looking good from the front, some work needs to be done at the back as there are some gaps, which is part of his waist in robot mode. One minor complaint would be that his missile is just too long, protruding very far from the back, and looks a bit ridiculous.
Side profile is also good, and he has "K4-9OW" and "Z0W-333" on either side in reference to his speech patterns in the original G1 cartoon ("Kapow" and "Zowee" respectively). His cannon is proportionally smaller than a normal tank, but he has a missile launcher and a gatling cannon on either side of the turret to boost up his firepower.
He doesn't have too much paint in this mode, but it is sufficient. He also has four clip on points for C-joint weapons, one on each tread. I really like how they had painted the treads silver as it brings out the detail beautifully.
Warpath's turret can rotate 360 degrees, and in addition to that, the cannon can tilt up, which is a rare feature seen on tank figures. Couple with the missile launcher, this makes him quite fun in this mode. He also has four little plastic wheels on the bottom of each tread to allow rolling, although he tends to slide.
Perhaps the biggest flaw and most annoying thing would be his size, in his alternate mode, Warpath is the length of a scout sized figure. Granted, he's a bit wider and taller, but short nonetheless. In the picture above, you see that he is the same length as PCC Heavytread and Generations Wheeljack seems way bigger despite being in the same size class.
TRANSFORMATION:
You would expect a really simple transformation for this type of tank (with each of the 'arms' becoming an arm or a leg) but Warpath's transformation is surprisingly satisfying. When I first transformed it, he was a lot more involving than I had expected, and was really fun to do. It wasn't terribly complex, but he has some really ingenious designs such as how his arms form. The speed and ease of going between the two modes completely sold Warpath to me, and is a great toy to play with.
ROBOT MODE:
Robot mode is where Warpath truly shines, and what makes him worth every cent spent on him. It is AMAZING, hands down one of the best robot modes I had seen, his stature and proportions is just so perfect, and what's more, he's really accurate to the cartoon model.
Warpath keeps the iconic turret, complete with the cannon, as his chest, and treads for feet. The turret is locked as part of the transformation, and although a really bland shade of grey appears, the other darker granite plastic offsets this.
As bad as the length of the missile was in tank mode, it's even worse here, just shooting off his back by a ridiculous amount. Warpath is pretty much kibble-less, something which I love, only a part of the turret extends out of his back, everything else is integrated very nicely.
The head sculpt is PERFECT, capturing the character well. A missed opportunity would be his eyes, they could have been lightpiped as you can see the solid black plastic used for the eyes also appearing as the back of his head. He lacks a handheld weapon but he has two weapons on either side of his head as well as the cannon chest (which can extend back to it's original length if you so desire), making him a formidable opponent.
Pose-ability is decent, mainly swivels and hinges for his shoulders, elbows and knees. His big feet anchors him in a lot of poses, making him very stable. Two aesthetics gripes with his robot mode, the first is the gap above his hands, which is unsightly, but required for his transformation. The second would be the panel which is behind his head, it's a bit awkward there with no real place to go.
Despite being such a small tank, it's amazing that after conversion, Warpath is normal deluxe height!! The selected silver paint highlights brings out the details nicely and the clip joints are now situated on his arms and legs, although the ones on his legs aren't really that useful.
OVERALL:
A passable tank mode and a great robot mode makes Warpath a great toy, and pretty much a must-have, as I cannot completely convey his awesomeness in words. The stature of the robot is great, Warpath seems like a robot that no one wants to mess with! The colour, head sculpt and details are spot on. Sadly, he is a bit hard to find due to being released at the tail end of Generations (right before Dark of the Moon), but if you can find one, he is worth the hunt.
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If my photos leaves more to be desired, you might want to head over here for some better taken ones.
Credit: pictures and text is all mine, but I've linked a few pages to TFwiki.net as reference for some terms
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