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"The road is my playpen, cars are my toys."
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Cackling like a mechanical wildman, this Battlecharger is a twilring, tumbling two-lane terror. Spreading fear is his favorite pasttime. Admires junkyards like humans admire art museums. Maximum Speed 180 mph. Range: 600 Miles. Uses friction rifle that increases kinetic energy of its target's molecules for 5 minutes. Even the slightest movement resulst in tremendous friction, causing flames and melting. Afraid of heights.
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STRENGTH | 6
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INTELLIGENCE | 6
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SPEED | 7
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ENDURANCE | 7
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RANK | 6
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COURAGE | 5
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FIREPOWER | 7
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SKILL | 8
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OVERALL | 52
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Click the image above to see the alt mode, or view more photos here
First Appearances
First/Last Comic Appearance (US) - Issue 23, December 1986 / Issue 75, February 1991
First/Last Comic Appearance (UK) - Issue 255, February 3rd 1990 / Issue 279, July 21st 1990
First/Last Cartoon Appearance - Episode 80 (Season 3 #15), October 21st 1986
First Toy Appearance - 1986
Click here to see Figure Details and review
Figure Details
Manufacturer - Hasbro
Toyline - Transformers Collector's Club
Additions/Mods:
- Added a large Decepticon symbol to the roof, covering the rubsign
Review
I received the original Runamuck as a kid, and my first thoughts were 'well, this is crap'. The Battlecharger robots were designed to transform automatically if you pulled them back and let them fly, in much the same way that the throttlebots later would. Because of this, they had zero articulation. The robot mode absolutely sucked. But not all was lost, because the vehicle mode was pretty cool. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that the excellent Wheeljack mould would be used to finally do Runamuck justice. FunPub couldn't possibly mess this one up, or did they?
Appearance (Robot Mode) 9/10
After all the furore surrounding his 'brother, Runamuck's arrival was extremely uncomplicated (Thankfully). He shares the same headsculpt as Runabout, and his off-white and orange colour scheme is very nice indeed. Unlike Runabout, most of his parts are moulded from plastic of the correct colour, whereas Runabout's red parts were all painted. Runamuck wins on that. He obviously shares all of the plus points as his mould mates, but, like Wheeljack, his legs are transformed from the front of the bonnet, rather than the rear, and for some reason this makes him a bit stumpy. A real shame because his big chunky feet are great.
Appearance (Alternate Mode) 10/10
I didn't think that I would prefer Runamuck to Runabout in this mode, but I do. Something about the almost pearlescent white with gold stripes and orange/purple accents is just perfect. I think I even prefer this alt mode to Wheeljack's. The gold paint lines are immaculate, as is the tampographed Decepticon sign on the bonnet. Funpub did a brilliant job.
Transformation 7/10
Tricky and seems impossible until you have successfully transformed him a few times, then everything clicks into place. The automorph feature worries me slightly, because the arms and head are both slid into position by the roof, which feels a bit flimsy for me. The best thing about this mould is that it allows you to differentiate the look of the figures quite a bit, so I have Runamuck/Runabout transformed to homage their G1 counterparts.
Poseability 8/10
Nice long feet coupled with multiple points of articulation make this guy a pleasure to pose, but he looks a bit squat in some poses, owing to his inexplicably shorter legs.
Quality 8/10
This mould feels well thought out and put together. My only concern is the automorph feature, as I worry about the stress put on the roof.
Overall - 42/50
When I first got Runabout, I didn't think that Runamuck would be able to hold a candle to him. But, surprisingly, this guy turned out even nicer, for my money. I am so pleased that I have them both, and that they have both turned out so well. For me, Runamuck just about edges it, mainly due to the staggering beauty of the alt mode.
