Ironworks (facility)

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This article is about the building that is sometimes a character. For the small eponymous character, see Ironworks (Micromaster){{#switch:{{#sub:Ironworks (Micromaster)|-1}} != .= ?= .

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The Ironworks is an Autobot Micromaster base or Modulator from the Generation 1 continuity family.
I'll blow 'em away! HAHAHAHAohgod

The Autobots' construction station (also known as Ironworks) is an unusual building, home to such diverse and random elements as a crane, a windmill interstellar communicator, an iron forge, and a missile launcher. This can perhaps be attributed to its operator, who has a lot of spare time on his hands and is prone to creating strange bits of structure around his post. The station normally functions as a construction site, but can convert to a heavily armed communications tower mode.

Sometimes, the base itself transforms into a sentient Modulator communications specialist who's just as eccentric as the base's odd form would suggest. Other times, the base is a mass-produced body-type of Selectors.

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Fiction

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Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

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Zone cartoon, comic, and story pages

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Upon the creation of the Zone Base, Ironworks was put in charge of the Build Base. Zone Part 4

When the Decepticon Generals invaded Zone, the Build Base attempted to fend the villains off. It transformed from its construction station form into a massive artillery platform and let the Decepticons have it with volley after volley of completely and utterly pointless firepower. No matter how much firing was done, no actual damage was done to the Decepticons, who managed to make off with a sample of Energon Z. Transformers: Zone Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!

Generations Selects Special Comic

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A type of Selector created by humans with the power of Angolmois Energy, Ironworkses were used to dig the very energy used to create the Selectors from within the Earth. Volcanicus comic 1

Classics

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Jeez...how big does that make Countdown's base in this timeline?

By 2012, Ironworks had become a major fortress to the Autobots in Oregon, housing Rarified Energon. Ironworks came under attack from Gigatron's Decepticons, who were fended off. Invasion Prologue Not long afterward, the base became a battleground for the fight against evil Autobots from another dimension. Invasion

Sometime later, Wheeljack and Perceptor were in the lower levels of Ironworks when they observed the Rarified Energon behave strangely, as though it were alive. Soon afterwards, the dark god Primus destroyed Ironworks, and with it the heroic Autobots' shuttles. Fortunately, Grimlock came in his own ship to evacuate all his comrades. Meanwhile, the Rarified Energon itself turned out to be the lifeblood of Gaea. The Future Buried...

Wings Universe

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By the year 2984, the Build Base was in operation on Cyberion. It was subjected to a test of Cybertronian Knight Flare-Up's homemade explosives. Hoist the Flag

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

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After Cybertron fell, the Autobots left their homeworld aboard the Ark, traveling through space in pursuit of the Allspark. Ironworks was a Space Command Engineering Captain, Earthrise toy packaging whose functions were Communications and Construction. Their primary objective was to fortify anything they could to keep Decepticons out, and their primary weapon was the Surface-to-Air Proton Missile Launcher. Earthrise webpage<ref name="earthrise"/>

When Sky Lynx was sucked into a volatile rift, Ironworks, Overair, and the Astro Squad encountered the roving comet carrying a densely populated city known as Botropolis. They set up base and hitched a ride on the moving comet to search the universe for signs of Sky Lynx. Encounter 5: Botropolis Rescue Mission

Toys

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The Transformers

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Windmills do not work that way! GOODNIGHT!
  • Ironworks (Micromaster Station, 1989/1990)
  • Takara name: Build Base
  • Takara ID number: C-344
  • Accessories: Crane/rocket launcher, crane staging, ramp, rocket
Released in the sixth year of Hasbro's US Transformers toyline (fifth year in European markets), the "construction station" has a movable crane which can rotate and elevate, and can be connected to other Micromaster Stations (and other Micromaster base-like things) with the included ramp at two different points. It can unfold into a "radar station" tower mode, with a rotating (but sadly not free-spinning) three-bladed "radar dish", and a non-firing missile launcher. The crane base becomes a platform to attach to the tower-side.
It came packaged with the Micromaster Ironworks.
In Takara's markets, this set was released as the "Build Base", released in the Zone portion of Takara's Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers toyline. The toys are physically identical to their Hasbro counterparts.


War for Cybertron: Earthrise

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Dude, where's my windmill?
  • Ironworks (Deluxe Modulator, 2020)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-E8
  • TakaraTomy ID number: ER-04
  • TakaraTomy release date: May 30, 2020
  • Accessories: Two-piece blaster
  • Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy){{#if: |, {{{2}}}}}
Rebranded with the name of the Construction Station's operator, Earthrise Ironworks is a "Modulator", transforming via part-forming into either a construction base with crane or a communications tower, both based on the original Micromaster station. They also transform into a new elevated ramp, though this and the communications tower are omitted in the instructions. They can be found in Ironworks's stock images and in Greasepit's instructions. Additionally, an official gun emplacement mode can be found in the Botropolis set's instructions (below). Several of their pieces have A.I.R. Lock System connection points, which allow them to link up with other toys in the line to form larger fortifications. The instructions also include a bridge made from their legs, waist, and backplate.
The deco and head sculpt is inspired by the Micromaster Ironworks.
On some copies, the port on Ironworks's left wrist is blocked by a small amount of excess paint. Simply shaving it down somewhat with a small knife or another sharp tool will make it usable once more. In addition, while their stock renders shows a grey mouthplate, the final product has it painted the same red as their visor. Ironworks is not made of any actual yellow plastic, instead using sloppily-applied yellow paint resulting in a very "dirty" looking yellow. This may be intentional given the nature of their alt-mode, although the paint pattern is inconsistent across all figures.
Their parts can also be used to augment other figures as armor and add-on weapons, similar to the Weaponizers of the prior Siege toyline.
Like all Earthrise toys, the inside of the back of Ironworks's package includes an exclusive clip-and-save piece of a larger star map. Also in the box is a thin red piece of transparent plastic with which to read the star map. Ironworks' piece of the map contains the labeled location of the planet "VELOCITRON"
This mold was redecoed to make Generations Selects Greasepit and heavily retooled into Kingdom Slammer.


The Sky Lynx Expansion Pak.
  • Botropolis Rescue Mission (Galactic Odyssey Collection, 2021)
  • Accessories: Two-piece blaster
  • Known designers: AJ Piejko-Brown (packaging){{#if: |, {{{2}}}}}
Released as part of the Encounter 5 set of the Earthrise Galactic Odyssey Collection, Ironworks is redecoed to color-match Commander Class Sky Lynx.
According to the giftset's stock photography, Ironworks is intended to combine with their pack-in mate Overair to form a giant space station not too dissimilar to the Rocket Base, which is enhanced by the addition of Earthrise Doubledealer's two-piece missile, which attaches to Overair.
The instructions lack the official armor/weapon configuration and elevated ramp mode, though of course, Ironworks can still form them. The instructions also include a new gun emplacement mode, as well as the previously mentioned communications tower.
Ironworks is part of an Amazon-exclusive six-pack consisting exclusively of Autobots, bundled with fellow Modulator Overair and the Astro Squad Micromasters.


Notes

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  • The construction station, so named on the instruction booklet, was redubbed communications station in Dreamwave's More than Meets the Eye profile series.
  • This and the other three Micromaster Stations were later re-used in Takara's Brave Police J-Decker toyline, omitting the Micromasters and adding a pair of non-transforming PVC mini-figures from the series. More on the Brave Police release at a Japanese toy photoblog.
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, no version of Ironworks to date actually resembles an actual ironworks, which would consist of one or more blast furnaces, Cowper stoves, and other adjacent facilities.

Foreign names

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  • Japanese: Build Base (ビルドベース Birudo Bēsu), Ironworks (アイアンワークス Aianwākusu)

References

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