Transformers Generations Tailgate (and Groundbuster)

        I guess Tailgate is a little bit of a fan favorite when it comes to the More Than Meets the Eye comic series.  That's probably because he's the "new guy" through which the world of the Transformers get introduced... and also because he's adorably clueless for a good chunk of time.  Plus, well, I saw him on sale at HasbroToyShop.com and with coupon magic, got him for super cheap, so.  Advantage taken.
        And he comes with Groundbuster.  For some reason.

        I like easy transformations.  You know, relatively.  The kind of transformations which don't have you cursing incoherently because that is absolutely not fitting the way it should and are you sure you want to do that with the leg... and this is almost easy.  Ages 5+.  I'm ages 5+.

        I mean, you gotta appreciate a guy who can bullshit his way out of any situation.  (Unfortunately he... can't, but that should never stop anyone from trying.)  He hasn't got the highest intelligence, but Tailgate's brave and fast and... um... not very skilled.  Well.
        But Groundbuster's a tiny bulldozer, look at that.

        Vehicles!  Now, scale has never made a lick of sense in all the Transformers universe.  Tiny bulldozer, enormous sports car?  Sure, something like that.  The blue flames amuse me so.  Despite how small and simple these are (and were at a decently low price point), there's actually a fair amount of sculpted detail.

        Groundbuster is dead simple to transform; you flip him over and there he is.  Tailgate's a little more complex, though still easy... once you get the plastic "loosened up" a little.  Such is the world of transforming robots, you kind of need to transform them a couple of times before things actually slide into place as they should.  Getting Tailgate's legs to fold underneath him and actually stay where they should was far harder than it should have been, but the following two times I transformed him were much easier.  Practice and plastic... loosening.

        This is actually the suggested weapons mode according to the booklet.  I'm pretty sure if you saw this driving past you, you'd know something was horribly wrong.  This is not a robot in disguise.  These are two obvious robots being morons and playing chicken.

        Transformation!  And there's just not much to Groundbuster.  But he does have a little face and... I guess technically "arms".  Tread arms.  You can't hug your loved ones with tread arms, man.
        And then there's Tailgate.  Admittedly he looks just a tiny bit badass despite having some limited movement in his arms.  It's not really all that bad, though, and any Transformer perfectly capable of standing on their own is sort of automatically a high score for me.  (I love Beast Wars toys... but.  But.)  You will probably also notice that he has some obvious plastic "issues" on the gray areas of his legs, but I just haven't gotten around to sanding those off.  Not that big a deal and easy to take care of.

        Ass shots!  Except... there are no asses.  No asses at all.  Tailgate looks pretty badass from the back, too, now that I look at it.  People complain about the hollow legs, but those people should look up the price of plastic and then shut it.
        Groundbuster is a bulldozer.

        It's not as if they have no movement or poseability at all.  Just ask Tailgate to dance!

        And now Groundbuster's "other" feature.  He stretches out and becomes a... weapon.  Of some kind.  I don't know, a... claw.  Because there's nothing that's going to help you out in battle like a bulldozer that turns into a claw.  ...The hell, Hasbro.  Still, it's kind of neat.

        But much better when you add Jiro!  Look out, world!

        The actual size of Tailgate, because.  For a small figure with a reasonably low price point, I have to say I'm happy with him.  He's sturdy, has a fun alternate mode, and even comes with a buddy... even if Groundbuster makes no sense at all.  You get used to it.
        As a side note, what's with all the blue Transformers lately?  It's getting a little weird.  I have too much blue on my shelf.  Welp, gonna have to solve that problem by looking out for other colors, right?