Autolauncher

Autolauncher is a Predacon Autoroller from the Beast Era of the Generation 1 continuity family.

I got your "ultimate frisbee" right here, bitch.

Even though Autolauncher (オートランチャー Ōtoranchā) is supposed to be a bodyguard for Galvatron, he often abandons his post to rush into enemy camp and be the first to blast away at the Maximals. He wants the glory and the fame so bad it sends him charging off at the least provocation. This doesn't please Autostinger at all, but on the positive side it can be a decent distraction tactic in battle, and Galvatron doesn't really need a bodyguard anyway.

He is especially anxious to defeat the Insectron Mantis, who he sees as his only rival in the art of the Discmaster.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Beast Wars II cartoon

Voice actor: Hiroki Takahashi, Masami Iwasaki (Japanese)

Autolauncher and the other Autorollers were aboard the Galvaburg II when Galvatron came to the planet Gaea. They assumed vehicular modes based on scans from the super-computer found in the planet's ruins. White Lion, Run! They were sent to construct a Predacon base near an isolated lake, secretly a trap to capture any unwary Maximal. The Lake Trap

After the Combatrons failed to eliminate the Insectrons or get them to turn on the Maximals, Autostinger volunteered his team to take up the job. Megastorm accepted, and so the Autorollers rolled out. Autostinger and Autojetter went to Bigmos of the Insectrons to cash in on an old debt while Autolauncher and Autocrasher... went somewhere else? Autorollers Roll Out!

After several failures that Autolauncher technically wasn't even a part of, Megastorm put the Autorollers back on fortress construction duty. Although Autocrasher appreciated the work, Autojetter felt slighted and wanted to show he was the most fearsome Predacon of all. Autostinger was moved by Autojetter's passion, and they came up with a plan to reroute the Angolmois they were digging for to create an eruption that would destroy the Insectrons' lands in the name of the Predacons. A crazed Galvatron upset their plans, drilling into the Angolmois pipelines to disturb the flow, and the Autorollers ended up joining forces with Scuba and the Maximals to bring down the rampaging Galvatron with an overdose of Angolmois energy. After the battle, the Maximals and Autorollers parted peacefully. Galvatron Rampages

The Autorollers continued to work on Megastorm's behalf, devastating much of the South Continent in their efforts to build an Angolmois powered fortress. Predacon General Offensive!

At one of their construction sites on the Eurasia, Autolauncher and the Autorollers were joined by Starscream and BB, who intended to capture the Jointrons for study. Most of the Autorollers got involved in the side mission, but Autolauncher it seemed wisely stayed out of the melee. Who Is the Leader!? While excavating some ancient ruins back on the North Continent, Autolauncher and his team found an old Copy Machine which they brought back to Galvatron. Hijinks ensued. The Black Lio Convoy

Who Is the Strongest Warrior!? Gigastorm's Treachery Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger! Knock Out Nemesis Fly Out! Planet Gaea Assemble, Thirty-Nine Warriors Breaking into Nemesis

Beast Wars Neo cartoon

After the defeat of Unicron, Autolauncher returned to Cybertron, where he helped with reconstruction. Graduation Ceremony!!

Beast Wars II comic

Infiltrate the Mystery Island! Make a Surprise Attack on the Super Weapon Base! All Hands, Make a Special Attack on the Evil Planet!

IDW Beast Wars comics

Autolauncher was one of Galvatron's personal guards. Beast Wars Sourcebook 1

Classics

Grimlock used Dinobot schematics to form Autolauncher's structural components, in an attempt to create a better breed of soldier. Scylla's bio Autolauncher was one of three Autobots stored in stasis pods aboard the Graviton. The stasis pods were lost overboard when the ship crashed over prehistoric Earth in an alternate universe, and the trio were converted into Decepticons by Megatron. They attacked Ultra Magnus and his team, however the arrival of Depth Charge turned the tide of the battle as he blasted the three new Decepticons. Shattered Expectations

The Decepticons pursued the Autobots to a chasm, where they watched Megatron take on Ultra Magnus and be defeated. They climbed to the bottom of the chasm to retrieve their fallen leader and found a giant face hewn into the rock. It cheered Megatron up immensely once they dug him out of the rubble. Shattered Paths Within the cavern they'd located, Autolauncher and the others watched Megatron utilize the ancient equipment. They got the opportunity to fight the Autobots, now calling themselves Maximals, again and Autolauncher blasted Magnus and Grimlock while Autojetter secured the Maximals' energy purifier. Shattered Hope The Predacons including Autolauncher accompanied Megatron as he used the giant mech he'd built to try and claim the matrix the Maximals had found. Shattered Balance They battled the Maximals once more, until they were all sucked into a dimensional rift thanks to Ultra Mammoth. Shattered Destiny

Toys

Beast Wars

• Autolauncher (Auto-Roller, 1998)
  • Japanese ID number: D-20
  • Accessories: Launcher rifle, 2 missiles, 4 discs

Autolauncher transforms into an armored personnel carrier. He has a disc-launcher in his front end/robot chest that is activated by the front wheels, with a switch to allow him to roll without firing. He also has a small hand-held spring-loaded missile launcher that stores in his trunk. Like Autojetter, he has a three-setting switch that changes how the toy reacts to being rolled on a smooth surface. In the center setting, it rolls free in whichever mode it’s in. The other two activate the toy’s auto-transforming gimmick; with the switch to the left, the toy transforms from robot to APC when rolled forward (and back when rolled in reverse), while the right position transforms him from APC to robot when rolled forward (and back when in reverse).

Autolauncher was reissued in the Korean Car Bot toyline, reassigned as an Autobot and renamed Scoutlauncher.

• More information on Autolauncher at TFU.info

• Showdown of Saucers: Mantis VS Autolauncher (Multi-pack, 1998)
  • Japanese ID number: VS-20
  • Accessories: Launcher rifle, 2 missiles, 4 discs

Autolauncher was also made available in a two-pack with his rival Mantis. Both toys are identical to their individual releases.

Notes

• Autolauncher's mold was originally created for Generation 2, but was one of several items that ended up canceled. This release would have been blue and white; although its intended name is unknown, it is noteworthy that the mold's head is almost identical to the comic model for Crankcase, who is blue. Why would anyone make a new-mold Crankcase toy in 1995? Who knows.
• All of the Beast Wars II Autorollers have 2-D card art, rather than the CGI model art made for the entire rest of the line.

Foreign names

• Korean: Autolauncher (오토레인쳐 Otoreinchyeo)