Transformers X-Transbots MX-2T Andras Metallic 2020 Version (Masterpiece Scourge)
Item comes shipped with an outer plastic baggie.
Box is pretty tall, spans about 14 inches in height.
The 2020 release version is the Toon color version and indicated with a “T” on the front of the box.
Since this is a Third Party, non-official item, it doesn’t come with a faction symbol. It’s best to get some stickers from Reprolabels/Toyhax.com to make this guy more “toon-accurate”. Alternately, you can also use “water slide decals” to make them look even more flawless (you won’t see the edges, unlike with stickers) but I’ve never really had the proper skills, or time (usually needs to be individually cut first) to work with those.
For water slide decals, most folks recommend the one from Ocean Studio. Here:
http://www.unclebillyshop.com/decals-poster/ocean-logo-decals.html
To apply stickers, I find the best way to stick the stickers on is to use the tip of a blade, or a flat, small-tipped object, this way you have more control over the application, as compared to using one’s stubby fingers. You can also use the blade to help gently peel off a corner of the sticker in case you didn’t center it right and need to re-apply.
Andras stands roughly 9 inches and weighs 406Grams.
Diecast parts include:
-Feet and heel
-Internal hip ratchets(?) Something is feels heavy for the legs.
Do take note of these pins, as Andras has three of them and they can all be popped off. They’re small and can be easily lost. They’re supposed to plugged into the back of the “Disintegrater Rays” of his ship mode.
While he does have double elbows, using them leaves a huge gap in between the arms.
Waist joint is present but no ab crunch.
Deployable landing gears.
Weapons can be plugged into the spring-loaded port on the top of the vehicle mode.
Lastly, he can also pop his face out in vehicle mode, just like in the 1986 movie.
Sadly, for some reason, I can’t get the face on my unit to close in on the cover. That gap just won’t go away. I wonder if this is an issue for all Andras units?
To return him to vehicle mode from robot mode, the feet are supposed to be folded up like this.
Andras
Scourge is the leader of the Sweeps, Galvatron’s wolf-pack of tracker-terminators designed to hunt down and destroy Autobots. Created from Decepticon wreckage (Thundercracker) by Unicron, Scourge is merciless and powerful. He once was even powerful enough to store the stolen Autobot Matrix of Leadership in his chest panel, which “corrupted” him but gave him incredible power. Scourge has an array of scanners which make him an excellent tracker-hunter for the Decepticons.
Andras has pink fingernails. Groovy. I’m not 100% sure but I think the rest of his “Swarm” have pink nails as well?
Aside from the Desintegrater Ray on his head, he also comes with his laser blaster which shoots bursts of intense heat.
Plasma (Energy Chamber) key – as seen in the first episode of the Rebirth storyline. The key is molded in place and is not removable and is actually present in all of the XTB Swarm/ Sweeps figures. The key was later used to open the chamber and activate the energy of the Earth’s sun.
To pop the ab plate, just push on the bottom half of the plate.
The figure also comes with light up LED eyes and Disintergrater Rays. They run on 3x LR521 batteries each, for a total of 9 batteries needed (only 3 for the one on his head for robot mode). I didn’t have these on hand so I couldn’t try it out. Too bad.
While the “Swarm” all have the same body molds, there are subtle differences in the head sculpt between Andras, Bane, Curse and Warth. Andras and Wrath both have “open” lips. While Bane and Curse have closed lips.
Likewise, all four variants of this mold have opening chest panels. Each figure actually has a slightly different molded internal chest panel, which is unique to each “Swarm” figure.
There’s actually a second “inner” chest panel that you have flip open. This is for the Masterpiece MP-09 Matrix to fit in. This is a gimmick for Andras/Scourge is based on the episode “The Burden Hardest to Bear”, where Rodimus gets the Matrix knocked out of him by the Stunticons and the Matrix ends up in the hands of Scourge, who places it in his chest panel and becomes an insane powerhouse.
Each Swarm figure also comes with a different accessory.
-Andras – Rimfire/ Targetmaster Fracas
-Bane- Starscream parts.
-Curse -Metroplex’s Transformation Cog (from “Five Faces of Darkness”)
-Wrath- Metroplex’s eye (from “Ghost in the Machine”)
Rimfire (Targetmaster Fracas)
Fracas is a violent and angry Nebulan. Always volatile and looking to scrap. Making his weapon mode as an incendiary cannon an ideal choice for his personality.
OK, I gotta admit, this figure looks really good for a Targetmaster type accessory.
Incendiary Cannon mode
Target On!
Lastly, he comes with this little connection attachment piece. It’s not mentioned in the manual (at least for the T version) but it’s meant to plug into his folded wrist. This will in turn connect to Apollyon’s (X-Transbot’s take on Megatron) weapon accessory, the energon mace. I had to look this one up since I couldn’t figure out what this piece was for with nothing in the manual to go on.
Display base
Be careful how you post and remove the connection to the base, it actually connects to Andras’ crotch. It’s a sore sight to see it become warped. Strange choice to place a connection port. I wish the base had some sort of clip on that end instead.
Overall, a very, very good figure. I love the new deco and I’m really glad X-Transbots decided to reissue this mold as this was already on the crazy side of prices by the time I started backtracking the Third Party Masterpieces. Lots of ratchet joints abound on this figure. The light up eyes was also a nice touch, but I think I would’ve preferred painted eyes.
As another plus, the original release of this mold had a huuuuge problem with flipping out the feet. A lot of collectors had trouble getting the feet out due to the minimal clearance and uber-tight joints. XTB addressed those issues here with some redesigning supposedly and flipping out the feet isn’t as hard as it once.
With regards to getting the other “Sweeps” figures, I decided against it for now. Maybe later down the road? We’ll see.
Now, for pairing with the other MP scale 1986 movie ‘Cons, while Andras is not as tall as the Fans Toys Sovereign (Galvatron) and Quietus (Cyclonus), which are in the 10+ inch range (Andras is 9 inches tall), this figure still scales decently enough with them as Scourge is supposed to be shorter than the other two. I didn’t have time to break out the others to do a side-by-side photo since it was already super late (early?) into the morning. I’ll have to do a proper group shot down the road.
Finally, Fans Toys has teased a silhouette of their take on Scourge a few months (years?) back, but no prototypes were ever shown. I’m not sure when (or if) they will ever release Scourge but I figure getting this XTB version was a safer bet for now.
Gold
