So we come to perhaps the most vanilla of Transfomers Combiners – Defensor. There is no way rescue vehicles can be as sexy and exciting as wild jungle animals or merciless military vehicles, it’s just not possible.

For a character I never cared for or had any interest in, out of all the Combine Wars line combiners, Defensor is the most well built, sturdy and reliable. He has a classic super robot broad chest and emotionless face.

Simply put, he looks heroic, or at least beyond competent at his job. The color scheme with blues, whites and red sings out like a patriotic flag. Defensor is here to serve and protect. There might be a battle with other robots on the horizon, but his priorities are making sure we humans stay alive to even see those battles in the first place from the sidelines. Bruticus might be my favourite Combiner character, but Defensor wins the toy war hands down.

Standard Hasbro Defensor is a good looking robot, and the first combiner I bought online as a whole set as I knew he was worth it. Not until over two years later did I have the opportunity to add the third party kit “C+” that rebuilds about 60% of Hot Spot, adds in the best combiner feet since feet were invented, wonderful solid poseable hands, thigh fillers and all sorts of fantastic looking kibble bits – as well as two freaking huge guns – giving us a bit of the old Studio Ox / TF Visual Works style to this behemoth.

You may have noticed Jazz in there, and the main reason (other than he looks cool as a leg) is so I can have more of the other bots on display at the same time. They do look more like a proper team than perhaps any other Combiner. Well except maybe Devy – but can you really call those arguing dysfunctional evil idiots a “team”?

Check out Streetwise holding the second big gun. Big enough for ya? It’s practically a cannon.

Up close and personal with Rook, Streetwise, First Aid, Blades and their animation models. Sadly I won’t be transforming Hot Spot as he is staying in torso mode. Best headsculpt goes to Streetwise imo. First Aid has become a sleeper hit as a solo purchase thanks to his years in IDW comics. Rook (left) has also become a popular solo purchase for just being a great all around toy.

I like all the robot modes for the Protectobots, but find motorcycle Groove to be the weakest link. He started out an exclusive in the Takara release of Defensor, and later got a single Hasbro release online, as well as his smaller legion class figure that I never bothered with.

Hot Spot looks imposing and his color scheme really pops. He has a classic prime-like head, ear antennae and slightly darker shade of blue on his mouthplate that makes him look unique. He doesn’t pose that well, but he’s still a really fun toy, and does most things you could reasonably demand of him, including improvised unofficial base/repair bay fan mode if you are so inclined.

Hot Spot transforms into a crane-truck. There are a few different type of these vehicles around for various purposes eg Rescue, Construction, Demolition etc.

Hot Spot’s vehicle mode most closely resembles a crane truck with the shallow wide cab at the front and the usual oodles of wheels for support when the crane is elevated. I’ve used pics from Seibertron.com here as my one is staying combined with his various upgrade kit pieces, and I don’t have my original photos from like two years ago. You can extend the thing up at an angle, but mostly it just gets in the way when you transform him and it’s a fire…vehicle…thing so I don’t really care one way or another.

Hot Spot’s G1 classic toy was the more traditional fire truck with box shaped cab, the kind we’ve all seen at some point on the highway or main road going to an actual fire.

The Combiner Wars version is a bit of a mash up, as it has the body of the long crane style truck, but has the rescue ladder of the boxy fire truck, rather than actual crane. Ironically this sort of thing also happened with the Classics / Universe Hot Spot, Inferno and Grapple who had all kinds of mixed up weird combos going on.

In this part of the world we have red or red/white Fire Trucks, so a blue one like Hot Spot is a bit of a novelty for me and would certainly be noticed if I ever saw one on the road.

Oh, I found one of my old photos stashed away on an upload site – it’s low rez sorry but at least my HOT SPOT gets to be in the article. Take THAT fancy pants Seibertron photos in ultra glorious mouth watering detail!

Let’s take a look at those vehicle modes then, with Classics Hot Spot standing in for the CW version – boxy cab is back baby! I love the “Police” “Rescue” and “Swat” tampos or whatever they are, they are very crisp and I can even read them from across the room. The silver bits of paint and dashes of color look good.

The helicopter and police car being my favourite decos. APC Rook is a really cool new addition to the team, and one of the BEST figures by far of the entire Combiner Wars line. One does wonder about the intended use of those “Rescue Missiles” on the side of Blades though. Cybertronian Fire retardant chemicals perhaps? The machine gun is clearly just for crowd control.

Here’s the lads all together then in vehicle mode. Defensor has Prowl and Jazz on for legs making this group photo possible. No jokes about “Jazz Legs” thanks.

A quick look at the business end of that bloody Blunderbuss….

Then we’re off to the faces… uhh, races.

Rev Up and Roll Out!

These Rescue Badasses mean business.

Don’t forget after the mission is complete to kick back with your can of robot oil either.

Once the day is saved, better get in a good glamour shot for the fans at home along with some reserve members.

IMAGE CREDITS

*CW Hot Spot bot and vehicle pics courtesy of Seibertron.com https://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/generations-combiner-wars/hot-spot/3695/1/

*Real life Fire Truck / Fire Engine photos:

RED http://www.fire-engine-photos.com/picture/number16330

BLUE https://www.designcrowd.com/design/8843723

*Defensor illustrated art from TF Visual Works published by Million Publishing