DSC_8631
Cog, for the uninitiated, is the small bot that came with the original G1 Fortress Maximus. I don't know what role he filled (servant wench?) or whether or not Cog was cognitive - lets just say the entire Headmasters line was glossed over in the American show, and I honestly can't recall if Cog was ever mentioned in the Japanese Headmasters series.
Well, seeing how the Titans Return Fortress Maximus didn't get a Cog, I guess Hasbro decided it was a good time to backfill that particular sore spot by releasing Cog into the Seige lineup as it's own Deluxe sized figure.
Now, I was going to get this figure one way or another. I love the fact it goes well with the Fort Max figure, and I love the update that Cog received, like how Full Tilt received an update with the recent Trypticon. $29.99 price tag be damned.
However, my love for Cog isn't shared by I'd say roughly half the fandom. You see, Cog has a dark secret - not only does he transform into some random shamble of parts, but *GASP* he's a Partsformer.
Let me explain.
A Partsformer is a transforming toy that doesn't really transform, but rather relies to some degree on pieces that come off the main figure and then reconnecting somewhere. It doesn't bother me, personally. Some of my favorite figures have been Partsformers, for example God Magnus/Ultra Magnus from the Car Robots 2000/RiD line and the more recent Rodimus Prime from the Power of the Primes line. Some people, on the other hand, absolutely hate this fact and will refuse to buy a toy simply because of the nature of their conversion.
Now that we got that out of the way, let us continue.
Fancy box? Check. Glad we got that out of the way. For weapons, Cog comes with twin guns. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
The overall look of Cog is reminiscent of the original G1 design, from the predominantly silver and blue colour scheme, to the silhouette of the character. The original toy was technically the combination of two smaller vehicles, whereas this Cog I guess is really one vehicle. As with all other releases thus far, the quality of plastic and number of paint apps is a pleasant surprise.
I'm also pleasantly surprised with the amount of articulation they gave Cog (though honestly, anything less would cause me to riot on the streets for the $30 price tag), though that head articulation is pointless given the shoulder pads from Hell that Cog possess.
Now, the surprises with Cog don't end here. As mentioned in other blurbs, the gimmick of the Siege line is the attachment of various pieces to the 5mm ports on the Deluxe and up sized figures, known as the C.O.M.B.A.T. system.. some fancy acronym I'm not going to spend any time looking up.
Well, Cog is a Partsformer because he breaks up into various components for combination.
According to the manual, there are two "forms" these attachments can take - Defensive Loadout and Offensive Loadout. Defensive is the one where Hound is wearing platform shoes, where as Offensive is the one where Cog turns into the most ridiculous backpack of all time.
Cog is clearly designed for combination with Deluxe sized figures. While Megatron I'm sure has the necessary ports, I'm going to guess if one attached Cog to Megatron in Defensive mode, it would look like he was trying to walk around on Lego bricks.
So that about sums up my overview of Cog. I personally like it, but can understand it's not everyones cup of tea. I am quite happy with how well the Cog figure itself turned out, with the C.O.M.B.A.T. system being a quirky addition. But remember, I like ambiguous alt modes and parts forming.
Owning a Fort Max also makes this figure a no-brainer.
DSC_8631
Cog, for the uninitiated, is the small bot that came with the original G1 Fortress Maximus. I don't know what role he filled (servant wench?) or whether or not Cog was cognitive - lets just say the entire Headmasters line was glossed over in the American show, and I honestly can't recall if Cog was ever mentioned in the Japanese Headmasters series.
Well, seeing how the Titans Return Fortress Maximus didn't get a Cog, I guess Hasbro decided it was a good time to backfill that particular sore spot by releasing Cog into the Seige lineup as it's own Deluxe sized figure.
Now, I was going to get this figure one way or another. I love the fact it goes well with the Fort Max figure, and I love the update that Cog received, like how Full Tilt received an update with the recent Trypticon. $29.99 price tag be damned.
However, my love for Cog isn't shared by I'd say roughly half the fandom. You see, Cog has a dark secret - not only does he transform into some random shamble of parts, but *GASP* he's a Partsformer.
Let me explain.
A Partsformer is a transforming toy that doesn't really transform, but rather relies to some degree on pieces that come off the main figure and then reconnecting somewhere. It doesn't bother me, personally. Some of my favorite figures have been Partsformers, for example God Magnus/Ultra Magnus from the Car Robots 2000/RiD line and the more recent Rodimus Prime from the Power of the Primes line. Some people, on the other hand, absolutely hate this fact and will refuse to buy a toy simply because of the nature of their conversion.
Now that we got that out of the way, let us continue.
Fancy box? Check. Glad we got that out of the way. For weapons, Cog comes with twin guns. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
The overall look of Cog is reminiscent of the original G1 design, from the predominantly silver and blue colour scheme, to the silhouette of the character. The original toy was technically the combination of two smaller vehicles, whereas this Cog I guess is really one vehicle. As with all other releases thus far, the quality of plastic and number of paint apps is a pleasant surprise.
I'm also pleasantly surprised with the amount of articulation they gave Cog (though honestly, anything less would cause me to riot on the streets for the $30 price tag), though that head articulation is pointless given the shoulder pads from Hell that Cog possess.
Now, the surprises with Cog don't end here. As mentioned in other blurbs, the gimmick of the Siege line is the attachment of various pieces to the 5mm ports on the Deluxe and up sized figures, known as the C.O.M.B.A.T. system.. some fancy acronym I'm not going to spend any time looking up.
Well, Cog is a Partsformer because he breaks up into various components for combination.
According to the manual, there are two "forms" these attachments can take - Defensive Loadout and Offensive Loadout. Defensive is the one where Hound is wearing platform shoes, where as Offensive is the one where Cog turns into the most ridiculous backpack of all time.
Cog is clearly designed for combination with Deluxe sized figures. While Megatron I'm sure has the necessary ports, I'm going to guess if one attached Cog to Megatron in Defensive mode, it would look like he was trying to walk around on Lego bricks.
So that about sums up my overview of Cog. I personally like it, but can understand it's not everyones cup of tea. I am quite happy with how well the Cog figure itself turned out, with the C.O.M.B.A.T. system being a quirky addition. But remember, I like ambiguous alt modes and parts forming.
Owning a Fort Max also makes this figure a no-brainer.