Ironworks (facility)

This article is about the building that is sometimes a character. For the small eponymous character, see Ironworks (Micromaster).

Ironworks is an Autobot Micromaster base from the Generation 1 continuity family.

I'll blow 'em away! HAHAHAHAohgod

The Autobots' construction station—sometimes 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 an Autobot communications specialist named Ironworks, who's just as eccentric as the base's odd form would suggest.

Fiction

Zone cartoon, comic, and story pages

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!

Classics

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

Some time 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

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

Toys

The Transformers

Windmills do not work that way! GOODNIGHT!

• Ironworks (Micromaster Station, 1989)
  • Accessories: Crane/rocket launcher, crane staging, ramp, rocket

The construction station was sold in a small boxed package, along with The Transformers Ironworks. It contains a crane which can rotate and elevate as well as stow a (non-firing) missile, a spinning three-bladed "radar dish", and a basket for Ironworks to stand in when the base is converted to its radar station mode.

Ramps allow the construction station mode to connect to other Micromaster stations to form larger "city" complexes.

• More information on Ironworks and the construction station at TFU.info

Zone

• Build Base (Micro Transformer Station, 1990)
  • ID number: C-344
  • Accessories: Crane/rocket launcher, crane staging, ramp, rocket

The construction station was sold in Japan as the Zone "Build Base". There are no notable differences between this release and the Hasbro one.

Generations

War for Cybertron: Earthrise

File:TF-WFC-E-Deluxe-Ironworks.jpg

Dude, where's my windmill?

• Ironworks (Deluxe Modulator, 2020)
  • ID number: WFC-E8
  • Japanese ID number: ER-04
  • Japanese release date: May 30, 2020
  • Accessories: Blaster

Part of the first wave of Earthrise Deluxes, 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. Several of his pieces have A.I.R. Lock System connection points, which allow him to link up with other toys in the line to form larger fortifications.

On some copies, the port on Ironworks's left wrist tends to be blocked by a small amount of excess plastic. Simply shaving it down somewhat with a small knife or another sharp tool will make it usable once more.

His 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".

Notes

• 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.

Foreign names

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