TFW2005 member nstanosheck dropped by our 2005 boards to let us know that he’s spotted the new Robots in Disguise toys in their running change “Mini-Con Weaponizers” packaging. This packaging sports the green band along the bottom, playing up the Mini-Con interactivity with the other toys.
In the process, he also reported to us that there’s some new toys on the shelves. There new releases include the Mini-Con Weaponizers Wave 3 – a white redeco Sideswipe with Windstrike, and Strongarm with Sawtooth – along with the third Mini-Con Four Pack. This set includes slick alternate decos of Lord Doomitron, Lancelon, Dragonus, and Bashbreaker. These were all spotted in Walmart, Target, and Toys’R’Us stores in Dallas, Texas.
Sirtank
People have spotted them at Kmart. I haven't seen them in person yet. The Takara Strongarm was just released last week. It looks 100% better than the Hasnro version.
scottywan82
Has anyone found the Strongarm and Sawtooth Battlepacks recently? I have not seen this wave at all.
Smitty.1981
So a Targetmaster.
Nevermore
There are some shots in this gallery from BotCon 2016. The figures are named Autobot Dragonus, Bashbreaker, Lord Doomitron and Lancelon, but I'm afraid there aren't any bios on the packaging.
EDIT: The Transformers Wiki Twitter account has a photo, also taken at BotCon 2016, which confirms what I just wrote above:
scottywan82
Can someone get a shot of the back of the minicon box so we can see their names and bios?
MrSoundmeister
Yeah, Dragonus is a great companion piece with Smokescreen.
Toker
– Thanks. He looks like he could be an interesting weapon for the Combiners. Not sure if it will work or not.
Nevermore
Not yet, that one is still several waves away.
(Pre-Weaponizers waves 1 and 2 have been released at US retail; pre-Weaponizers wave 3 is available at European retail and from US-based online retailers but hasn't been found at US retail yet; pre-Weaponizers wave 4 is currently only available in Asia; Weaponizers wave 1 is listed for preorder in some places; and black Decepticon Dragonus is in Weaponizers wave 2.)
Toker
I'm not that familiar with this line. Is the black Decepticon Dragonus available anywhere? I remember seeing pictures of it.
Nevermore
The difference is that this isn't a redeco or a retool, but an entirely new figure representing the same character but now under a different faction.
There is going to be a redeco ("predeco"?) of this figure as a Decepticon (but still as the same character) coming up in a future wave of the general retail Mini-Con assortment, though.
All things considered, this is somewhat unusual, though not entirely unprecented.
worldsgreatest
My mistake. For some reason I was thinking of Hammer, and that he switched factions in the 3rd box set. All kinds of wrong on that post!
Nevermore
"Mini-Con Weaponizers" is the name of this year's subline imprint for the RID line. It refers to the fact that the new Mini-Con figures turn into weapons for the larger figures to wield.
The second Mini-Con 4-Pack contained Slipstream, Hammer, Anvil and Undertone. This is the first 4-Pack that contains Dragonus.
Smitty.1981
What is a "Minicon Weaponize"?
worldsgreatest
Hey was an Autobot in the second Minicon box set too.
LegoLover58
Sweet Solus Prime. We finally got a decent non-legends Strongarm.
ZapRowsdower
No, they haven't shown in the USA yet. The RID line may not be a favorite, but a lot of collectors are into the Minicons enough to report a sighting like that. I wonder if they'll end up another Europe-only wave (like Prime BH's last wave of Legions and Cyber Commanders).
It's interesting when a repaint/retool changes original allegiance? Did you just join the TF collector club?
nstanosheck
Interestingly, Dragonus in his new form is no longer a Decepticon, but an Autobot!
Sol Fury
Yeah, I fubared that one good! Oops.
Underlord
Yeah, I was a little confused at first, hoping that CW Groove had been sighted at retail too
Wars
FYI, it looks like this news post got mixed with the news post regarding the CW Groove gallery on the first page