Partial
From Transformers Wiki
A partial (an abbreviation of "partial tool", "partial new mold", "partial tooling", or "partial remolding"), is when one toy either has newly-sculpted parts added to it or when a new toy borrows parts from another, distinct toy. The term "partial," functionally, has a lot of overlap with the term "retool," but "partial" has a broader implications and can cover not only when a toy has merely new head or chest tooled for it but also a toy being an entirely new sculpt except for borrowing a few small pieces, such as tires, from another toy. As long as a toy uses any new parts not originally from itself, it's considered a partial.
The term "partial" found favor over the term "retool" with the Transformers team beginning with the War for Cybertron trilogy, but dates as far back as the Titans Return and The Last Knight toylines.[1]
A partial or retool is not to be confused with gang-molded alternate parts, wherein a toy has alternate heads built into the tooling from the beginning for future use. Historically, gang-molded alternate parts were commonly referred to as retools or pretools, simply because from an outside perspective it wasn't easily possible to tell when a head was either strictly new or always existed on the mold, but modern transparency with the current Transformers team has made this less of an issue.
References
- ↑ Hasbro Transformers Brand Interview at Toy Fair 2018: TLK Hot Rod, TR Scourge and Highbrow are examples of Partial Tool – technical shorthand klaxon – good deal of model making involved, plans are thought out strategically, already working on War for Cybertron.
