Machine Wars

Last updated October 13, 2019

Machine Wars was a short-lived toy series in the Transformers toyline, introduced in 1997. The series was initially exclusive to KB Toys and its subsidiaries, although overstock/unsold surplus eventually appeared at other retailers.^[1]

Machine Wars was Hasbro's first attempt at returning to vehicle-formed Transformers after it had revolutionised the toyline with Beast Wars, where all toys had animal alternate modes. The Machine Wars subline lasted only for one wave of toys, which contained twelve toys - six Autobots and six Decepticons. With no TV show or comic book to back the story up, the line generated little interest and sales were so low that the line ended after the first wave. The line also seemed somewhat rushed, with most of the toys even lacking original packaging art (the Basic-sized race car mold used altered art from Generation 2 Laser Rod Jolt, the two basic jets used recycled European packaging art, Optimus Prime's art was altered from his Generation 2 Laser Rod version, and the other three boxed toys used recolored art from their original counterparts).

Hasbro, Inc. is an American worldwide toy and board game company. It is the largest toy maker in the world in terms of stock market value, and third largest with revenues of approximately $5.12 billion. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of Kenner, Parker Brothers, and Milton Bradley, among others.

A vehicle is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles, railed vehicles, watercraft, amphibious vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft.

Animals are multicellular eukaryotic organisms that form the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and grow from a hollow sphere of cells, the blastula, during embryonic development. Over 1.5 million living animal species have been described—of which around 1 million are insects—but it has been estimated there are over 7 million animal species in total. Animals range in length from 8.5 millionths of a metre to 33.6 metres (110 ft). They have complex interactions with each other and their environments, forming intricate food webs. The kingdom Animalia includes humans, but in colloquial use the term animal often refers only to non-human animals. The study of non-human animals is known as zoology.

Fiction

Although no official Machine Wars fiction was ever made outside the toy tech spec biographies, Hubcap and Prowl did make brief cameos in various Transformers: Timelines stories.

Toys

The toys in the Machine Wars subline came in two size classes. The eight toys in the smaller size class were new molds left over from Generation 2, with two toys from each of four molds. The four larger toys were repaints of earlier European-exclusive Generation 1 toys.

The Transformers: Generation 2 was a Transformers toy line which ran from 1992–1995, in conjunction with a corresponding comic book series and edited reruns of the G1 cartoon beginning in 1993. The prior Transformer television series, comic books and toys became known as 'Generation 1' or G1 retroactively, and are now officially referred to as such by toymaker Hasbro, even though the term was never used during the days of G1. Generation 2 was discontinued as the first Beast Wars: Transformers toys began hitting the shelves.

A repaint is a toy that was created entirely from a mold was previously available; however, the colors of the plastic and/or the paint operations have been changed. Repaints differ from redecos in that repaints do not alter the actual placement of paint applications while redecos do.

Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Asia to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia.

The eight smaller toys had a spring-loaded "instant transformation" feature like the smallest toys of the first Beast Wars line also had. These toys were designed to have transparent windows and "light pipe" eyes, but those parts were cast in opaque plastic, much like the first year Beast Wars toys, probably to lower production costs.

Changes from the original European versions

The original European versions of the four larger molds had spring-loaded guns capable of firing oblong plastic bullets, but because of the heightened child safety laws of the United States, the spring-loaded guns were not included in the Machine Wars versions.

Bullet projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or an air gun

A bullet is a kinetic projectile and the component of firearm ammunition that is expelled from the gun barrel during shooting. The term is from Middle French and originated as the diminutive of the word boulle (boullet), which means "small ball". Bullets are made of a variety of materials such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. They are available either singly as in muzzleloading and cap and ball firearms or as a component of paper cartridges, but much more commonly in the form of metallic cartridges. Bullets are made in varied shapes and constructions depending on the intended applications, including specialized functions such as hunting, target shooting, training and combat.

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City. Most of the country is located contiguously in North America between Canada and Mexico.

The original European Predators had a "scope" system where smaller Predator aeroplanes could be locked onto scopes on the two bigger Predators, and looking through the scope would present a picture of an enemy Turbomaster. This feature was not fully carried over to the Machine Wars versions - the scopes were retained, but they no longer contained any pictures. The smaller Predator planes were not included in the Machine Wars toyline.

Autobots

Optimus Prime: Futuristic tractor trailer. Repaint/remold of European-exclusive Turbomaster Thunderclash.
Sandstorm: Futuristic helicopter. Repaint of European-exclusive Turbomaster Rotorstorm.
Mirage: Lola T-95 Racing car. Based on a mold prototyped in late Generation Two, but never produced as a toy.
Prowl: Racing car, shares the same mold as Mirage.
Hoist: Tow truck. Based on a mold prototyped in late Generation Two, but never produced as a toy.
Hubcap: Tow truck, shares the same mold as Hoist.

Decepticons

Starscream: Futuristic bomber aeroplane. Repaint of European-exclusive Predator Skyquake.
Soundwave: Futuristic missile carrier tank. Repaint of European-exclusive Predator Stalker.
Megatron: F-22 Raptor. Megatron's blister card had Megaplex's art and vice versa. Based on a mold prototyped in late Generation Two, but never produced as a toy.
Megaplex: F-22 Raptor, shares the same mold as Megatron. The only toy in the entire line whose name hadn't been used previously.
Skywarp: Dassault Rafale. Based on a mold prototyped in late Generation Two, but never produced as a toy.
Thundercracker: Dassault Rafale, shares the same mold as Skywarp.

History

The four previously unreleased Generation 2 molds introduced in Machine Wars were eventually used in the Beast Wars II and Transformers: Car Robots/Transformers: Robots in Disguise toylines. The line later served as inspiration for the 2013 plotline of BotCon, Machine Wars: Termination.^[2]

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References

↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 128. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9.
↑ http://www.botcon.com/botcon2013/bc13exclusives.cfm

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[1] Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 128. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9.

[2] ttp://www.botcon.com/botcon2013/bc13exclusives.cfm