Concussion weapon

Concussion weapons cause the bulk of their damage through sheer physical force. For whatever reason, they appear to be used almost exclusively by Decepticons.

Soundwave uses a concussion blaster with its own adorable battery altmode. Horri-Bull can hit targets over twelve miles away with his. And while Stranglehold's manly Pretender shell gets its job done with a brawn blaster, the tiny terror lurking inside prefers a concussion blaster in both robot and rhino mode.

Ransack uses a high-intensity concussion blaster when he isn't eating, kicking, shredding or shocking his enemies, and Sixshot wields a pair of similarly amped-up hypersonic concussion blasters, which presumably use soundwaves to do their job.

Razorclaw has a twin concussion blaster that knocks his opponents down with capsules that add injury to injury by releasing a volatile gas.

Perceptor bucks the Decepticon trend, using a concussion rifle when he finds himself facing a problem without a solution in the back of the textbook. Living up to his name, Breakdown totes a concussion rifle that instantly causes mechanical failures in whatever it hits. While the vibrations from his engine have the same effect, he can pick off his targets more easily with this gun, and it's more potent.

Former Decepticon Catilla's concussion cannon projects a brutal blast of air. Even more forceful is Over-Run, whose Attack Copter transforms into a concussion cannon emplacement. Also the cannons can fire magnetic missiles. Because that's just how Over-Run rolls.

Finally, they aren't guns, we're afraid, but Dirge's air-to-air concussion missiles still pack a big kinetic punch, as do those of Blitzwing's fighter mode. Bonecrusher can mount an optional concussion bomb launcher on his bulldozer form to help him break stuff, while Powerglide prefers to drop his from the sky.

Fiction

Marvel The Transformers comics

During an altercation with RAAT, Breakdown used his concussion rifle to shoot down one of their helicopters. He may have been a little insecure about its size, as he referred to it as his concussion cannon. Heavy Traffic!

Toys

Generation 1

• Soundwave (Decepticon, 1984-1986)

Beginning life as the Micro Change toy "Cassette Man", Soundwave came with a range of accessories including his concussion blaster.

• Grimlock vs Soundwave (1985)

This Japanese edition of Soundwave, packaged with Grimlock, also came with his concussion blaster.

• Ransack (Deluxe Insecticon, 1985)

A redeco of the unreleased Armored Insect Battalion Beetras Beet-Vadam, Ransack came with a high-intensity concussion blaster and his "Reflector Shield".

• Razorclaw (Predacon, 1986)

Know that Razorclaw transforms into a lion with a Twin Concussion Blaster mounted on his back. In robot mode he wields his Sonic Sword.

• Soundblaster (Decepticon, 1987)

As a redeco and retool of the original Soundwave toy, Soundblaster also came with a redecoed concussion blaster.

• Horri-Bull (Headmaster, 1988)

Horri-Bull came with Kreb, a double-barreled "flamethrower"-tail and a concussion blaster.

• Transformers Linkin Park Soundwave: Special Edition (September 23, 2013)

A Linkin Park gold and black redeco of Soundwave, with a redecoed concussion blaster.

The Transformers Collection

• Soundwave (2003)

The first reissue of Soundwave's original toy also reissued his concussion blaster.

• Soundblaster (2005)

Takara also reissued Soundblaster as part of the Transformers Collection, along with his concussion blaster.

Smallest Transforming Transformers

• Soundwave (2003-2004)

Standing at only two inches tall, Smallest Transforming Transformers Soundwave came with a tiny concussion blaster.

Titanium Series

• Soundwave (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)

Titanium Series Soundwave is a new toy cast in the image of his original Generation 1 figure. He retains his transforming weapons, which still store as batteries in a compartment on his back.

• Soundblaster (6" Cybertron Heroes, unreleased)

A planned redeco of Titanium Soundwave in his black and red Soundblaster colors, this toy would have come with another concussion blaster but was ultimately cancelled.

Your bargaining posture is highly dubious. Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Classics

• Soundwave (Commemorative Edition, 2007)

Hasbro's first reissue of the original Soundwave toy was released as part of the Classics toyline and came with a reissued concussion blaster.

Encore

• Soundwave (2007)

The original Soundwave toy was made available once again as part of TakaraTomy's Transformers Encore series of reissues, along with his original weapons.

• Soundblaster (2012)

Soundblaster was also available again as part of Transformers Encore and came with his own concussion blaster.

Universe (2008)

• Soundwave (Exclusive, 2009)

In 2009, Hasbro released yet another reissue of Soundwave as part of the Universe line with all the usual weapons.