Reviews (4)

The Ultimate Ravage
This figure is just beautiful in both modes. Some people don't like Ravage being a robot (basically like any other Transformer) with a Beast head. It can look kinda weird if you focus on that. I just love this mold. Tracks and Battle Ravage (who is molded from Tracks). Both have beautiful forms in both robot mode and car mode. Great details, armed to the teeth and dynamic color scheme.

His Decepticon symbol is one of the bigger, bolder symbols in this line. As far as the Decepticon Alternators I own I consider him the best looking all-around. I might move him down a notch when I recieve my Alternator Shockblast (which Amazon now has so go buy it while you can!)

What would have been really cool is if they had a way for Battle Ravage to store his original cassette mode. In the Alternators storyline (well Binaltech which is basically the same thing) Battle Ravage is capable of storing his cassette mode.

Unlike Silverstreak, Smokescreen & Grimlock, Battle Ravage is among the new line of Alternators that look good even in plastic. If you want the best and metallic I'd recommend the Binal Tech line. They are in the $40-50 range. Personally, I never shelled this much out and don't have one of the figures because the Alternators are satisfying and cheap enough for me.

Overall, this is a great figure. I highly recommend buying him.

Don't let this "Kitty" go Away
The Alternators line is truly one of a kind, none other come as detailed, and Lives up to the motto "Robots in Disguise" than this one (maybe the early Generation One figures), Autobot Tracks was the hardest one to find, I never got him, but we finally have his "decepti-clone" to add to the collection, I bought this one mostly to complete the "void" that Tracks never filled in my collection, I wasn't dissapointed at all, the black 'Vette really looks nice in both modes, he is a little hard to Transform, mostly the legs will give you trouble, but totally worth it, with the current troubles with alternators distribution(Check the Transformers discussion forums), I consider it awesome that they are back on Amazon, so don't let this opportunity go (I also recommend Grimlock, Windcharger and Swindle)and get Ravage for yourself.

A Jaguar becomes a Corvette. Decepticons Forever!
Battle Ravage is a repaint/redeco of the earlier released Tracks. Ravage differs from Tracks' coupe vehicle mode with him being the 2004 Chevy Corvette Z06 convertible. He has new wheels and a sleek black paint job that reminds us of the panther he once was.

One of the fun things about this new release is that collectors of the Beast wars line can use him as "Covert Agent" Ravage in that line as well.

Transformation wise, this one is going to be a challenge. Tracks/Ravage is one of the harder figures to change into a robot. It took me a good twenty minutes to get Tracks/Ravage transformed to robot mode and several weeks to figure out how to change him back. It's tricky getting those legs underneath the windshield and those arms back into position. But once you memorize where things go it should be no problem. The engine becomes the gun on this vehicle.

Ravage/Tracks sports an amazing amount of articulation. Ball jointed neck, shoulders, shoulder pivot, ball jointed elbows, bicep, mid bicep, wrists, trigger finger other, three fingers, semi ball hips double knees (hindered due to car kibble,) and ankles Ravage even has an articulated Jaw!
If you have the Autobot alternators, you have to get the "Covert Agent" to build up your Decepticon ranks.

Werewolf of Cybertron!
Battle Ravage is one of the latest in Hasbro's Transformer's Alternators line, which features realistic 1:24 scale licensed cars that turn into robots who are inspired by the original Transformers toy line from the 1980s.

I should note quickly that these alternators are not children's toys, they are basically marketed toward the older collector, so even though the box says ages 5+ we are not talked about Tonka trucks here. They are somewhat fragile and would probably become broken easily in the hands of someone under 11 or 12.

So, here we have Battle Ravage, who comes packaged as a Black Chevy Corvette convertible (I was never too big into Corvettes, but he looks to be the '04 model). The first thing one will notice upon looking at the car is the fact that there is a seam running the length of the hood and down the back of the car. Most of the toys have avoided this by making the hood a solid piece but I guess they couldn't here because of the way a vette's hood opens from the front.

I mention this because in the rest of the Alternators line the car modes in most cases could more or less pass for a standard model car. But with ravage (and Tracks, whom he is re-molded from) the seams kind of ruin this. That is not to say that he does not have a very nice looking car mode. He is a jet black vette with chromed 5 spoke rims, and even very detailed brakes behind them. Both doors open as well as the hood. As with the rest of the alternators line he sports a fairly well detailed interior as well as a pretty nice looking engine sitting under his hood. The red seats also look nice with the black paint job.

The toy comes with an instruction sheet detailing how to convert it from a Corvette to robot mode, which is what we will talk about next.

Ravage's robot mode is somewhat odd in that (according to my 4 year old son) he looks like a werewolf. The alternators traditionally sport robot modes that are inspired be characters from the original transformers line and it would seem that Ravage here is based on the character from 1984 who shared the same name and was a robotic cougar who turned into a cassette tape. The only inspiration we get from the first Ravage is the cougar head and black color, but over all it is still a very nice looking robot with smatterings of gray and a few details that are painted in metallic red. Also a detail not covered in the instructions is the fact that his jaw can be opened and closed (though not much). I would like to add that like Tracks (whom he shares a body with, save for his head) he is "armed to the teeth" with two shoulder missiles, double barreled guns on each arm, and an engine that turns into a handgun. He is very well articulated and can be put into a wide variety of poses.

Overall ravage is a nice looking robot and car, if not a somewhat odd homage to a character that did not originally have a humanoid robot mode. He looks good on my shelf along with my other two Alternator Decepticons, and is a nice addition to the line. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Windcharger is awesome!
I'm just a sucker for red figures. And when you compare the G1 original Windcharger (a very weak bad-looking robot) to this, it is light-years behind this wonderful figure. First off he comes with two hoods. A covertible mode (which looks better) and a full hood which can be used as a shield in robot mode.

While not being too impressed with the car mode (just isn't my type) his robot mode if very impressive and great to look at. His transformation is relatively easy with a catch. I had a bit if a struggle to transform the front end on my Windcharger. Sometimes it's just a matter of being patient. If you force things they can break.

Windcharger did not have any pieces come off in transformation (unlike Grimlock, Silverstreak, Smokescreen & Hound). That's a big plus even though the pieces that come off can be put back together easily (unless really broken).

I highly recommend Windcharger. A great figure.

Now, this guy was a surprise
I'm a big fan of the Alternators line, I have all of them up to Battle Ravage, with the exception of Tracks (Lucky people, the ones who found him), I have to admit, I was kind of unsure about WindCharger, he didn't look good on the pictures, specially on vehicle mode, man I was wrong, he is so full of detail, and easy to transform compared to the others, his pieces stay in place on both modes, my only complain would be about his gun, is not complete, the "cannon-exhaust pipe" was cut off, if you want this wait for the binal-tech version (Named Overdrive).
Bottom line is that Windcharger is a great addition to any collection, and fun to play with too.

Better then Gee-Wun!
Now I"m a long time fan of Transformers and Alternators are a welcome release next to the Reissues that are out. Windcharger is a nice mold and a fun figure to play with. His converteble top doubles as a sheild not shown in pics. But overall I recomend buying this figure for the kid inside. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is not one of those el cheapo plastic Transformers; it’s high quality, metal, and collectible, with superb details and sturdy construction. Even old people (such as this reviewer) who aren’t exactly big Transformers fans can’t help but marvel at the ingenious design that allows a sleek sports car to become, with the right sequence of folds and flips, a ferocious towering robot. And if you can’t figure out exactly how to achieve the transformation, you’re not alone; but don’t worry--just ask your nearest eight-year old for help. Includes decals and weapons.--David Stoesz ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WING SABER!
The Product name for this item is wrong. His name is not "Six Saber" it's "Wing Saber". Wing Saber is the the toy that is not much fun on his own, but he is GREAT when combined with Optimus Prime. Don't bother getting him if you don't have Prime, but if you do, then you NEED Wing Saber ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Energon Perceptor
This set plaes in conparison to the old one. They are ugly, flopy, and undetailed Im much better of with my CD exclusive street action team

(BTW im15 not 12 i dont have time to register)

A new perception of Perceptor
Not content to do a mere repaint of the Street Action Mini-Con team from the Armada line, rename the robots, and then repackage the whole shebang under the Energon brand, Takara/Hasbro took a different tack here by almost completely redesigning the pieces in this set, leaving little resemblance to the Armada versions except for the names. The resulting reboot managed to pull off the night-impossible task of making the new toys look cooler than the old ones, as well as making it one of the few pieces in the Energon line that I actually like. Also improved somewhat is the degree of articulation (poseability) in both the single pieces (Grindor the submersible/hovercraft-looking thingy, SureShock the four-wheeled ATV, and High Wire the motocross dirt bike) and the big piece they combine into (Perceptor)-- although the improvement is marginal. The new version of Perceptor is more visually appealing to me, and has a slightly greater range of poseability than his previous self. The new big guy also has less 'clutter' (robot parts) in the way, allowing him a greater range of movement on top of the slightly superior articulation.

On the downside, Energon Perceptor set isn't quite as durable as his immediate predecessor. There were a couple occasions where parts popped off as I was transforming the little boogers (please note that parts of this toy were designed to detach if excess force is applied, and can easily be reattached), something I never encountered with the Armada Street Action set. Then there's Perceptor's elbows, which bend in the opposite direction elbows normally bend. I'm also not too hip with High Wire's vehicular mode, which tends to 'misbehave'.

I'm also not too keen on the company the big guy and his components are keeping. Personally, I think they should ditch those annoying kids if they know what's good for them. Preferably smack in the middle of an intense firefight, if you know what I mean. And finally, I'm gettin' really sick and tired of Perceptor's incessant stories about how he was a microscope in a previous life. I swear to God, if he does his little Shirley MacLaine thing in my presence one more freakin' time, they're gonna need a microscope to identify his remains!

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Swindle is OK
Maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of yellow or orange or whatever Swindle is, but I am not too crazy about this figure. Maybe it's because I already have Hound and like his looks far better. The only real difference between the two seems to be color and the eyes and symbols.

On the other hand Swindle is very easy to trasform if you already have Hound you know the routine. His arms also seem more stable and did not come off in transformation like Hound's did.

I'd buy Swindle at the cheapest price $(...) but I wouldn't spend more then that. There are far cooler Alternators to pick ahead of him.

The Combaticon ready for off road battles...
Swindle is the repaint/redeco of the earlier released Hound. With the new head, larger tires chrome grille and wheels and bright paint job it seems like a totally different toy altogether. If you're into these updated Transformers like I am, build up your Decepticon ranks with this conniving soldier who stole Trailbreakers Binaltech body. (I'd rather see Trailbreaker as a Dodge Magnum or Ford F-150 myself.)
Transformation wise, Swindle and Hound are some of the easiest to transform out of all the Alternators figures. Once you do it three times it should come naturally.
Swindle has the same amount of articulation as Hound. Ball jointed neck, Semi ball shoulders, semi ball hips, double knees, elbows, index finger, other three fingers, wrists, ankles and ankle pivots. His weapon is the same as Hound's this time colored black.
Pick this guy up because Dead end needs a fellow Decepticon to fight the Autobots.

Hounded and Swindled
After geekin' on SmokeScreen from the first wave of Alternators (check out Alternator SmokeScreen at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000XO8DW/ref=cm_aya_asin.title/104-0488135-0118334?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance), neither offering in the second wave looked all that great to me at first. For one thing, Silverstreak was just a repaint & slight redeco of Smokescreen. But when I got a closer look at Hound (who would be recolored and slightly redecoed into Swindle here) at a local B&M Toys `R' Us, he actually looked kinda cool. So I dropped my double sawbuck (plus tax), and took the little big guy home to meet his new buddies in my little alcove of geekin' collectibles. BTW I also picked up Hound's "evil twin" Swindle when he came out, despite the fact that I wasn't too keen on the newer guy's bright yellow paint job. The grille cover bar is a neat addition, though...

One thing I really liked about Alternator Hound/Swindle is that, compared to SmokeScreen, he was a snap to transform from one mode to the other and back. Still, I encountered a few frustrations during my initial conversion efforts. But with experience, those frustrations were significantly diminished. One downside that will always hound me (heh), however, is the toy's (almost) all-plastic makeup made, which made me a little squeamish of changing it around too often, `cuz I was afraid I'd snap somethin' clean off and not be able to fix it.

As for the aesthetic appeal: well, the vehicle mode's pretty good, with nicely sculpted details both inside and out. Not only are his interior and exterior details a fair sight more intricate than that of other TransFormers toys I've seen, in `bot mode Hound commands an appearance that is highly reminiscent of his Gen 1 forebear (as well as a head and facial expression that hearkens back to the Gen 1 `toon show). The only real problem I have with this appearance is the chest (AKA the front end & hood of the Jeep), which is a bit too bulky for my taste. Thanks to relatively large size of the chest piece, Hound's kinda stubby arms make him look like a robotic thalidomide baby. Speakin' of arms: this bad-boy's got some pretty good upper-limb movement, including rotating shoulders (although the shoulders are ball-jointed, they aren't able to do anything but rotate), elbows that bend at a 90 degree angle, and rotating wrists. Hound/Swindle also sports hands that are articulated at the knuckles, which allow his hands to open and close, as well as help him keep a firm grip on his laser pistol (which is stowed in his spare tire cover). Each index finger is individually articulated, which means he can do the "Bring-it-on!"-index-finger-beckoning gesture, or the "O.K." sign (although I don't recommend you have him do the latter gesture if ya live in South America). I only wish they'd included swivel joints above the elbow...

Other articulation includes a ball-jointed neck, which allows the little guy to look left & right somewhat, as well as peer skyward. Weird thing is, when I look at Hound/Swindle from above, his head looks like it's suspended above a void, which is a little eerie. Headin' further south, Hound/Swindle boasts a rotating waist and ball-jointed legs at the hips. Unfortunately, both of these points have fairly limited movement thanks to various "kibble" (robot parts just hangin' `round) gettin' in the way. Also keepin' him limber are bending knee and ankle joints; the latter can move side to side as well as back and forth thanks to strategically-positioned ratchet joints.

As a few TransFans have pointed out, the Alternators are basically on the same scale as the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime die-cast collectible toy (check it out at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001206P6/qid=1109286058/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl21/104-0488135-0118334?v=glance&s=toys&n=507846 ), making Hound a decent sidekick for the main man, and Swindle a not-half-bad adversary. Hey, now that I've brought up the whole "scale" subject, I think I'll start lookin' round for one of those Tonka-size car carrier trailers for my deluxe Optie, hitch him up to it, and stash alla' my fave Autobot Alternators (Including SmokeScreen, Hound, and Grimlock (check Grimlock out at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B0007PGJLC/qid%3D1109286552/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-0488135-0118334 )) on the trailer for him to haul to the next big skirmish against the Decepticons (just Swindle so far). Matter o' fact, I've already figured out the perfect venue for the battle: the laundry room in my parents' basement! It's only ten feet away from my bedroom, so it won't be too big a schlep...

My ratings breakdowns:

FUN FACTOR: 3.5 stars (rounded up to four). While the transformation process both ways isn't too much of a hassle, I'm not too hot with Hound/Swindle's bulky chest piece and limited range of movement despite reasonably extensive articulation.

EDUCATIONAL FACTOR: 2 stars. Aside from teaching the average toy collector how much cooler Japanese toys are than American ones, neither Hound nor Swindle are likely to improve your SAT scores.

DURABILITY: 3 stars. Although I haven't broken anything off of either Hound or Swindle -- yet-- their all-plastic design is an accident just waiting to happen if one gets a bit overzealous tryin' to convert one or the other. `Course, you can get around this by buying the original Japanese "BinalTech" versions of these bad-boys, as they're mainly composed of die-cast metal. Sure you'll hafta shell out `bout three times as much cash for `em as ya would their Alternators counterparts, but at least they're more durable...

`Late

That's not Trailbreaker...
Here's the remold of the Jeep Wrangler formerly known as Autobot Hound. If you own Hound you know what you're getting, except it's evil this time.

Swindle's got a good amount of poseability, just like the rest of the Alternator gang. On a scale of 1-5 his difficulty to transform him rates about a 3; not too easy and not too hard. The legs are tricky.

Overall, this is a nice toy. He comes in the newer style of red box, making him easier to play with and display it on the shelf; next to the other 10 Alternators you should have by now :p ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is not one of those el cheapo plastic Transformers; it’s high quality, metal, and collectible, with superb details and sturdy construction. Even old people (such as this reviewer) who aren’t exactly big Transformers fans can’t help but marvel at the ingenious design that allows a sleek sports car to become, with the right sequence of folds and flips, a ferocious towering robot. And if you can’t figure out exactly how to achieve the transformation, you’re not alone; but don’t worry--just ask your nearest eight-year old for help. Includes decals and weapons.--David Stoesz ... Read more