In sincerity:
Springer is one of my favorite characters in the tf franchise, full stop. His original g1 toy is not great but whatever, it was g1. We went basically three decades without getting a proper triple changer Springer toy. Thrilling 30 voyager is, simply, one of the best mainline toys in the entire chug line. The sandstorm retool tightens it up and improves it, but it doesn't have the charm or character that Springer does. He's a lean, poseable, svelte toy that honors the original design, takes cues from Nick Roche's utterly fantastic illustrations, and adapts it all into a wonderful update. It's a fun, big car mode and a solid chopper.
For my tastes one of the more uninspiring aspect of potp and now siege is the seeming emphasis on "g1, but with more articulation!" That isn't as interesting to me as creative updates of the characters. It's just rehashing.
I haven't handled siege Springer. I've seen him in hand. I'm disappointed in just how boxy he is. It's like an exaggeration of the original toys simplicity. But... That's also not necessarily g1 Springer. Tf:TM and s3 Springer isn't a chonking square of chunk. The deco is good, nice greens, good contrast...
Until they cover him in what to my eyes appears to be the biggest "battle damage" deco of the line. It's a line-wide choice that doesn't improve the look of any figure, imo. Maybe Soundwave has more, but it doesn't look so horrible. YMMV. For my money it ruins any appeal the toy might have. It looks like he has been sprayed by a sewage truck. It's not battle damage, it's poo spray. Fine. Mud spray if you must. It's ugly and unnecessary.
I can't speak to if he is or isn't fun to play with; I'm not going to buy like, my favorite character,because he looks like shit and I already have a fucking tremendous toy to represent him. Enjoy him if you do! Don't if you don't! For all my cheek, i do have reasons.
