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Yes, Super Fire convoy is awesome. Sure, Optimal Optimus rocks, but my favorite has always been.... the-powermaster-version-with-Hi-Q-on-it's-stomach. OK, I admitted it, I feel better now. Ok, ok, so this wasn't the best version of the Big Bot, but I've always been a sucker for multiple transformations, which this piece hi-lighted; truck and trailer to battle-station and Optimus to super-robot form. Granted, the 'battle-station' mode was... heck, it sucked. Nonetheless, it was a logical form; this is the leader of the Autobots, so it made sense to have some sort of headquarters form. Unfortunatley, things didn't get better in Japan. The Japanese version of Powermaster Optimus, called Ginrai, could be attached to another piece called God-Bomber.(No, I couldn't make this up if I tried.) This created an even LARGER version of Optimus. Unfortunately, this tranlsated into Optimus with reeeeeeeeally big feet and this big shiny thing stuck to Big Bot's chest. Ugh. So what could we do to this to make the Big Bot cool again?
First, articulation, articulation, articulation. Time to use the Beast Wars/Machines techniques and get some articulation into this thing, beyond just the shoulders. Heaven forbid Optimus is able to move it's legs and knees. This increase in articulation applies to the super-robot form as well. Second, let's mess with the weapons a little. The original version came with a decent armory; a pair of rifles and a pair of double-barreled cannons. How about adding a few missile launchers, hidden beneath sliding panels on the trailer?
As much as it grieves me to say this, the HQ/battle-station form has to go. I liked it, but it just doesn't work well on the toy. To make this work, and look cool, you would have to re-work the entire piece, which basically turns it into Metroplex, not Optimus. What we can do is tinker with the truck and trailer mode a little. Those missile launchers I mentioned could be designed to be usable from the trailer mode as well as super-robot mode, and lets put a few spots on the trailer so that the other weapons can be plugged in and used like turreted cannons. You end up with an armed version of Optimus in it's truck form.
Here ya go. Megatron, eat your heart out.