Hello everybody,

 

Sorry for my bad grammar but I am at a desperate situation here. Everybody lists their total amount of transformers in their collection but I just can't seem to do it.

I'm an accountant (from Latvia and 23 hello) always working with figures, but this is just ....... impossible.

It’s probably a special method everybody knows except me. So please fill me in.

 

How do you count transformers.

 

Sure The first Generation 1 releases are easy, megatron = 1 TF and when you have megatron and starscream you have 2 TF.

 

But my collection is an awkward collection. I have a lot of micro masters, action masters and the new lines.

 

1) Do you count by sentient being?

Bomb-burst = pretender = 1 TF, as his shell is a utility.

Bumblebee = pretender = 1 TF, as his shell is a utility

 

Jackpot = action master = 2 TF, as his partner sights is an animal with his own profile

Bumblebee = action master = 1 TF, as his partner is a helicopter backpack.

so can a single card of the same line jackpot = bumblebee have a different count in your collection. As several action masters have sentient partners and several have non-sentient partners this has great effect to my collection

 

and were do you draw the line, what in sentient en what not/

 

2) Do you count by packaging

 

Jackpot = action master = 1 TF

Bumblebee = action master = 1 TF

 

Six-pack Micro masters = 3 vehicles = 1 TF

 

Predacon gift set = 6 bots = 1 TF

individual packaged predacons = 1 TF each = 6 TF

 

Minicon team of three mini-cons = 1 TF

Minicon booster pack of 1 minicon = 1 TF

 

So different packaging gives different results

This also happens with RID spy changers available in 6 packs, 2packs and individual packs, and Armada minicons available in 3 packs and single (Tiny Tin) packs

 

3) Do you count by alternate modes.

six-pack micro masters = 3 vehicles = 3 TF

Bomb-burst = pretender = 1 TF

double-dealer = duocon (white helicopter and blue truck of G1 don't know his name) = 2 TF as he has 2 altmodes

 

3) Based on character

 

Action master Jackpot = 2 TF as there are two characters

Action master Bumbleblee = 1 TF as there is one character

Pretender bomb-burst = 2 TF as there are two distinct characters, in the TV show masterfore bomburst has an arguement by

 

4) By name,

 

Everything that has its own name counts.

micro master sixpack = 6 TF as all six have a seperate name

pretender bomb-burst = 1 TF as both have the same name

action master bumblebee = 2 TF as both have a seperate name

action master jackpot = 2 TF as both have a seperate name

 

How would you count micro master bases, they can transform but do not have a sentient form (base to attackmode) or

 

 

Please somebody let me in on the secret, as my collection is with each count different, between 340 to 871.

 

what is the method, please teach me how to count. It means a lot to me, I really want to know if I am big, or just a beginner

 

 

 

Rastaban

Well Lett me see...

 

a) The following do not count as Transformers:

- Pretender shells (without the robot)

- Nebulans (without the main robot) - ditto Action Master partners. Like Nebulans, they are just accessories for the main TF toy.

- Peripheral figures like PVCs, Gum Kit models, Happy Meal Toys etc. - I personally don't count LoC, although Hasbro does market them as action figures, so lots of other fans do count them.

- Yeerks (Animorphs)

B) The following do count as Transformers:

- Individual Micromaster robots - e.g. if you have the entire Race Car Patrol, then you have 4 Transformers.

- Individual Combiner Micromaster robots. e.g. Sledge and Hammer count as 2.

- Animorphs figures but not Yeerks.

- PlaySkool Transformers, Go-Go-Go-Bots, 1-2-3 TFs etc.

c) Multiples do not count. I don't care how many Tank Drones you have, they count as 1.

d) Gestalt robots do not count separately.

e.g.: If you have all 6 Constructicons, then they count as 6. Do not count Devastator separately and say that you have 7 G1 Constructicons.

e) "Common" variants as multiples do not count. If you have a variation of a Transformer, but the variation is "minor," then it does not count. Examples of this include:

- Re-releases. e.g.: if you have 1984 silver gun Frenzy and 1986 gold gun Frenzy, then they count as 1, not 2.

- Production variations. e.g.: if you have Kup with rubber tyres and Kup with plastic tyres, they count as 1, not 2.

- Reissues. e.g.: if you have original Prowl, Classic Prowl and TFC Prowl, then they all count as 1, not 3.

A "common" variant is basically a variant that was designed to substitute for the original.

f) "Exclusive" variants do count. Unlike "common" variants, these variants were never intended to be substitutes for the original. Examples of this include:

- G2. e.g.: If you have G1 Slag and G2 Slag, then they count as 2, not 1.

- European recolours. e.g.: If you have original, European and G2 Mixmaster, then they count as 3, not 1.

- Transformers Universe and Robotmasters repaints.

- Convention exclusives repaints, e.g.: if you have original Optimus Prime, reissue Convoy, TFC reissue Convoy, TRU reissue Optimus Prime and JafCon repaint Convoy, then you have a total of 2 (all the OP/Convoy variants count as 1 and JafCon Convoy, being a con exclusive repaint, counts as another 1 giving a total of 2).

- Special exclusives, e.g.: CD-ROM Convobat Vs Megalligator, X-Dimension Microns, chase repaints etc. e.g.: if you have original Waver, reissue Waver and reissue chase-black Waver, then you have a total of 2.

Thank you  :clap

I understand the logic.

 

but I have a couple of small question,

 

1) If actionmaster partners and nebulan partners are accessoiries what are mini-cons.

are they also accessories, as they are similar in playvalue to the larger items.

actionmaster partners become weapons, similar to armada-megatrons Minicon leader one.

 

2) you mentioned - Special exclusives, e.g.: CD-ROM Convobat Vs Megalligator, X-Dimension Microns, chase repaints etc. e.g.: if you have original Waver, reissue Waver and reissue chase-black Waver, then you have a total of 2.

 

3) what is the difference between G2 and reissues

I have G1 Inferno and 2x G2 Inferno, they are all 3 similar.

G2 inferno has no difference (except for a squirt cannon) from the original. My opend G2 inferno has the same production date as the European reissue G1 Inferno. does it still count as 2 transformers or does this make 1 TF?

 

Thanks for your reply

 

Rastaban

Goki, I agree with most of what you say.  I still count Head/Target/Powermasters as Transformers, as they do transform, and without them, the main toy is hindered IMO.

 

Minicons are their own TFs.  each one counts as one.  Each micromaster that combines to form a vehicle still counts as one.  Yeah, Hammer turns into the backend of a dump truck, and is useless alone.  He is still a robot that turns into something, and aligned with the Decepticons.  That makes him a Transformer. 

 

Gestalts don't count, I agree, I don't count Devastator in my count, I count his six components.

Thank you  :clap

I understand the logic.

 

but I have a couple of small question,

 

1) If actionmaster partners and nebulan partners are accessoiries what are mini-cons.

are they also accessories, as they are similar in playvalue to the larger items.

actionmaster partners become weapons, similar to armada-megatrons Minicon leader one.

 

I don't consider them accessories, they're little partners.  Would you consider Rocky an accessory to Bullwinkle?  Well, maybe that's a crappy comparison...but it's a little guy teamed up with a big guy.  To me, an accessory is a weapon, jetpack, Matrix, base, etc.  Not anything that has a name, and a personality.

 

2) you mentioned - Special exclusives, e.g.: CD-ROM Convobat Vs Megalligator, X-Dimension Microns, chase repaints etc. e.g.: if you have original Waver, reissue Waver and reissue chase-black Waver, then you have a total of 2.

 

3) what is the difference between G2 and reissues

I have G1 Inferno and 2x G2 Inferno, they are all 3 similar.

G2 inferno has no difference (except for a squirt cannon) from the original. My opend G2 inferno has the same production date as the European reissue G1 Inferno. does it still count as 2 transformers or does this make 1 TF?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In my opinion that's 2.  I count my vintage and reissues as separate.  One is listed as "Vintage..." and one as "Reissue..."  this occurs with Soundwave, Blitzwing, and the Insecticons. (for me)

If I buy a 3 pack of minicons, I'm buying 3 transformers.

 

If Two have to go together to make a bot mode (A. Overload), I count them as one.

 

A combiner like Bruticus is 5.

 

Repaints/reissues count separately.

I start at 0, point my finger at them, and count up from 1, 2, 3, etc :P

 

Shell's don't count, neither do actionmaster vehicles/partners, micromaster bases, or targetmaster/headmaster/powermaster partners.  Multi-pack TF's however do count individually (micromaster & minicon packs, etc).  Combined characters do not count, individual component TF's however do (Superion does not count as one, but all 5 Aerialbots do, etc)

It must suck to be that anal retentive.

Aside from not counting multiples, (like I have 2 G1 Slags), I think everything counts.  Everything with a face.  Everything with a name.  They're all Transformers.

*counts pvcs, repaints, doubles, partners and even statues* :redface