Barrage (Insecticon)

This article is about the Generation 1 Insecticon. For the Generation 1 Autobot Micromaster, see Barrage (Micromaster).

Barrage is a Decepticon Insecticon from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Crotchguns!

Barrage believes winning is not enough, all must be leveled to the ground, and then the rubble should be burned and the ashes scattered to the wind. Merciless and cruel, he feels kindness of any sort is allowing the enemy hope, and that is unacceptable. He will shoot the retreating and the wounded, and even those taken prisoner. Barrage takes no prisoners. Then he'll keep firing until the battlefield is a smoldering crater. When he's deployed to a battlefield, even the other Decepticons take a few steps back. He's disliked even among their ranks. Maybe it's those beady, creepy little red eyes.

Fiction

Dreamwave Generation 1 continuity

Barrage speaks a delicious pun to an equally delicious hologram.

After the fragmentation of the Decepticon forces following Megatron's seeming destruction in a space bridge accident, Barrage joined Ratbat's Ultracons. Along with fellow Ultracons Chop Shop and Venom, he was involved in an altercation with Ultra Magnus, Blaster and Grimlock. Barrage accompanied his leader to the Autobot/Decepticon peace ceremony at Tyger Pax, where he granted a brief, violent 'interview' to the holo-image of Slamdance. The Age of Wrath

When Megatron and his Aerospace Extermination Squadron retook Cybertron and reunified the Decepticons, Barrage was assigned to supervise enslaved Autobot miners at Internment Camp Pi in Praxus. While there, he and Octane delivered a brutal beatdown to the rebellious Cliffjumper, but were beaten back by Brawn. The Age of Wrath Pt.2

Barrage, along with Chop Shop, Ransack, and Venom, remained on Cybertron following the departure of the Ark and the Nemesis. The planet's chronic energon shortage reduced them to a vampiric existence, forcing them to capture Micromasters and drain them of their fuel. While pursuing Falcon and Flanker in the Wastelands, they ran into the middle of a conflict between the Hot Rod Patrol and Race Track Patrol. Destined for Nothing

After devouring Falcon they soon set upon the other Micromasters, but were driven back by the timely arrival of Groundshaker, who left with the Hot Rod Patrol. The subsequent arrival of Shockwave prevented them from devouring the Race Track Patrol, but he did toss them Flanker as a snack. The Gray Race The Insecticons subsequently abducted the Race Track Patrol and several other Micromasters from Little Iacon, in an attempt to ferret out the Hot Rod Patrol and gain some new recruits in the process. When Blaze Master refused to sign up, Barrage shot him unconscious. En route to Decepticon HQ, Barrage's sonic rifle was stolen by the kleptomaniacal Chop Shop. Recipe for Hate Upon reaching headquarters, Barrage and his cohorts were caught in the middle of a Micromaster invasion. After watching Ransack fall, Barrage was decapitated by Roadhandler. Victims of the Revolution

Devil's Due G.I. Joe vs the Transformers comics continuity

As part of Serpent O.R.'s forces, Barrage defended the newly unified Decepticon army's base against a combined Autobot/G.I. Joe strike force. In the course of the battle, he was shot by Lady Jaye. The Art of War #5

IDW comics continuity

YOOOOOOOOOOOO...Cons?

Barrage was stationed on board the Thanatos. When Thunderwing returned to decimate Cybertron once more, Barrage joined the battle under Headstrong's command, serving as ground forces backing up Optimus Prime and the Wreckers in their struggle. Stormbringer #4

Toys

Generation 1

Don't laugh at his guns.

• Barrage (Deluxe Insecticon, 1985)
  • Accessories: Gun, sword

A redeco of Armored Insect Battalion Beetras Beet-Gadol, Barrage transforms into a predominantly green and yellow rhinoceros beetle. As a robot, it is among the most posable of all Generation 1 toys. It is also notable for being among the very few insect Transformers to have all of its beast mode legs folded away and out of sight in robot mode.

• More information on Barrage at TFU.info

Notes

• Barrage, like all of the Deluxe Insecticons, was designed and originally produced by Takatoku Toys for inclusion in their Armored Insect Battalion Beetras toyline (機甲虫隊ビートラス). Decoed in black and grey, the mold first saw release under the name Beet-Gadol. Takatoku Toys went out of business a short while later in 1984, and their assets were purchased by fellow Japanese toymaker Bandai. At that time, the American market was one Bandai was not very active in, which made it a competitor of Takara, but not of Hasbro. Due to this, the company had no objection to licensing various Takatoku molds to Hasbro in 1985 for sale in the American market primarily as part of their version of the The Transformers toyline. Nowadays, Bandai has a worthwhile interest in every market and since it only once licensed the molds, there is little likelihood that Chop Shop and company will ever be put up for reissue.
• Since Hasbro and Takara shared the Generation 1 cartoon as promotional material for their respective versions of the toyline, Barrage and the other Deluxe Insecticons were not included in its cast to avoid giving Japanese market-competitor Bandai free publicity. The group was also omitted from the US Marvel comics and barely appeared in the UK Marvel comics, making them the least "successful" of the Takatoku molds. This trend has continued in fiction since, the team's current highlight being their role in the Micromasters comics.
• Poor Barrage was one of several Transformers that never got a The Transformers Universe bio. One was written by Budiansky but was rarely seen until it was put on the Disciples of Boltax blog.

External links

• Beet-Gadol at Diaclone.net (Japanese)