D1 Stormcloud
D2 Blight
D3 Blackout
D4 Kickback
D5 Barricade
Stormcloud or Blackout's Limb mode involves some origami and you end up with this sort of extended thing with the vehicle mode cockpit ad the legs at one end. The gun assembly fits into the ends of the feet either as a hand or folded out as a foot. Limb looks odd but functions OK in either mode
The limb mode for Kickback & Blight is the tank with the weapon attached straight (as a foot) or folded up (as a hand)
Barricade forms the chest of Bruticus Maximus: The arms peg - solidly - into the body and the legs retract exposing the connecter pins. The backpack is the chest, and the large robot head folds up from it.
Good solid chest piece - the best of the 3 combiners - lends itself to a much better combiner. The Tanks are great legs, and the Helicopters good arms.
Nexus Maximus is formed from the following fan club exclusive toys:
2005 Skyfall (repaint of A2 Sky Shadow / A3 Terradive)
2006 Landquake (repaint of D2 Blight /D4 Kickback)
2007 Breakaway (repaint of A1 Treadshot / A4 Windrazor)
2008 Topspin (repaint of D1 Stormcloud / D3 Blackout)
2009 Heatwave (repaint of C5 Barricade)
3 out of 5 parts of the toy are Energon Destruction Team repaints - including the central core piece - which is why we're talking about here with Bruticus Maximus. The planes fit the general combat theme of the Destruction team members, but they don't function as well as limbs. I find it hard to fathom the mixed allegiances of this toy as well - the planes are still Autobots while the rest is Decepticon.
And then we get to the colours. Good lord, no ! Purple, red, blue & orange all in both solid and clear shades. This is a real mess. The only saving feature is the new Prime like combined robot helmet and even that's in bright orange plastic.
Avoid for the sake of your eyes !
Vortex & Swindle (repaints of D1 Stormcloud / D3 Blackout)
Brawl & Blast Off (repaints of D2 Blight /D4 Kickback)
Onslaught (repaint of D5 Barricade)
Bruticus is an odd beast when combined. Overall the look is one of slight drabness, a subdued set of colours. Yet you have the bright orange Energon pieces that stand out from the rest of the toy drawing your eye - the orange only really worked with Swindle, a clear purple might have worked better both with the individual units and the combined form.
Bruticus was a Target exclusivein the USA and at time of writing hasn't been released in the UK unlike his opposite number, Superion.