Combiner Wars Swindle

Series: Combiner Wars
Allegiance: Decepticon
Categories: Deluxe
Year: 2016

Prelude: The Combaticons have often been likened to the A-Team (just evil), so that would make Swindle the equivalent of Templeton “Face Man” Peck, played by Dirk Benedict. Of course Face has never tried to sell off his own teammates for parts, but that’s where the “evil” part comes in, I guess. So here is Combiner Wars Swindle, ready to sell you his own action figure. Let’s say go!

Robot Mode: Swindle is a retool of Combiner Wars Rook, whom I have previously reviewed. It’s been a while, though, so let’s take a full look here. Swindle is a pretty big Deluxe class figure with very broad shoulders. In fact, for all that he was the smallest of the Combaticons back in the days of G1, Swindle is actually the biggest one now apart from Onslaught. Like all Combiner Wars Deluxe figures, the figure is built around the big peg that that allows him to dock with a combiner torso as either an arm or a leg, but it’s nicely integrated into the torso, so you don’t really notice. 

The resemblance to the original Swindle (cartoon character, not toy) is mostly accomplished through the colors and the new head, which isn’t one hundred percent Swindle, but close enough. One thing that’s been retooled from the Rook version of this mold are the hands, as Swindle has more or less regular fists instead of the socket-like things Rook had. 

Articulation is standard for a Combiner Wars figure, meaning pretty good, and Swindle can do quite a few cool poses. No twisting wrists or ankle tilt, but that wasn’t really standard yet at the time. He comes with black minigun as a weapon, as well as the usual combiner foot/fist/gun thing. 

So bottom line: a good robot mode that does a decent job of looking like Swindle.

Alternate Mode: Instead of the SWAT vehicle that Rook transformed into, Swindle turns into a somewhat futuristic looking military jeep (possibly a hummer). The vehicle can’t quite disguise the robot arms that form the back part, but overall it does a pretty decent job. The minigun can be mounted on top and you can also mount both weapons stacked, too, but that doesn’t look that great in my mind.

Bottom line: a decent vehicle mode. Not spectacular, but works.

Combiner Mode: Swindle can become an arm or a leg of a Combiner Wars style combiner, specifically Bruticus in his case. I’ll do a separate review of Bruticus once I’m done with the individual figures.

Remarks: The Combaticons were probably the best G1 combiner team in the sense of actually giving the individual members personalities of their own. Swindle fully lives up to his name, swindling people left and right, including his own teammates. Unlike the others, he also broke out on his own several times, such as in Animated or Binaltech. 

Combiner Wars was a series rife with repaints and Swindle is no exception. That said, the Rook mold works pretty well for him. One can debate whether he looks too muscular, but that’s just about the only flaw. So bottom line: a nice Deluxe figure that does a decent job of portraying a classic character. Probably not the best choice if you’re looking for a G1-accurate Swindle, but fun.

Rating: B-