Astro Squad

The Astro Squad is a team of Autobot Micromasters from the Generation 1 continuity family.

They picked up a nasty case of jazz-hands on Rigel 6.
Top row, L to R : Phaser, Blast Master, Moonrock
Bottom row, L to R : Barrage, Heave, Missile Master

The Micromaster Combiner Astro Squad is a self-sufficient deep-space exploration and battle team, the Autobots' first line of defense. They take pride in their capacity for great speed; in fact, it is said that they can travel at the speed of light, and also that they can traverse galaxies in seconds. (We must assume either that one claim is exceedingly modest, or that the other is a massive exaggeration.) Whatever the case, their speed is not always an advantage, as they sometimes overshoot their destinations. Luckily, it's not their only ability: Their cyclonic steel coating is impenetrable to Decepticon photon blasts, plus they can use an anti-gravitational device to nullify tractor beams. Defensive maneuvers are aided by a micro-circuitry array that also assists in exploratory operations.

The six squad members are:

• Barrage and Heave the radar rover
• Phaser and Blast Master the Space Shuttle
• Moonrock and Missile Master the rocket transport

In Japan, the Astro Squad was split up between the Shuttle Rocket W Team and the Radar Hover W Team.

Fiction

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

The strong-willed leader of the squad, Missile Master, chose the thorough and endlessly double-checking Phaser to be his second-in-command. More than Meets the Eye

Toys

The Transformers

• Astro Squad (Micromaster Combiner Squad, 1990)

The Astro Squad was sold as a carded pack of three vehicles, themed around space exploration. Each vehicle splits into two robots. Any squad member can combine in vehicle mode with any other, or with any other Micromaster Combiner. The team shares a common color palette of red, light gray, white and light blue.

Generations

War for Cybertron: Earthrise

• Fuzer & Autobot Blast Master (Micromaster, 2020)
  • ID number: WFC-E16
  • Japanese ID number: ER EX-11
  • Japanese release date: October 23, 2020

Part of the second wave of Earthrise Micromaster two-packs, Fuzer (presumably renamed due to trademark reasons) and "Autobot Blast Master" transform from robots into a licensed NASA space shuttle — a rarity in modern Transformers toys. The NASA logo is printed twice on the shuttle mode's rear.

The shuttle has ports on the back thrusters to add blast effects or to stand up on a post to simulate taking off. However, if one wants to keep the Micromasters separated, Fuzer bears a comically small set of thrusters on his rear. It tucks away out of sight when Fuzer combines with Blast Master. Also, as with Blast Master, Fuzer has a fold-out 5 mm post, allowing the combined duo to be held as a C.O.M.B.A.T. System weapon, with Blast Master's rockets serving as gun barrels.

Fuzer has several extra points of articulation owing to his transformation; he has both hinge and socket joints at his arms as well as a small amount of waist swiveling. Fuzer has two guns that cannot be removed, as they are molded into his hands. Of course, due to his back panel causing obstruction in robot mode, Fuzer's legs easily pop off at the thigh if one tries to move them.

Blast Master suffers from his back weight; getting him to stand up properly without altering his knees is a monumental challenge.

• Botropolis Rescue Mission (Galactic Odyssey Collection, 2021)

Released as part of the Encounter 5 set of the Earthrise Galactic Odyssey Collection, the Astro Squad are a team of Micromasters consisting of two Micromaster Combiner pairs—a space shuttle and a missile transport. Earthrise Fuzer and Blast Master are redecoed with red and black accents, and Siege Direct-Hit and Power Punch are redecoed into Moonrock and Missile Master respectively.

Missile Master receives a notable retool—instead of a plain cannon, the figure has a black ladder carrying a white missile, giving the combined missile transport mode a distinct appearance from previous mold iterations. Additionally, the missile can detach from the ladder and attach to the 5 mm post on top of his head. However, the retooling results in a hard-to-hold combined mode weapon, as it relies on the tab on the missile.

The Astro Squad are part of an Amazon-exclusive six-pack consisting exclusively of Autobots, bundled with the Modulators Overair and Ironworks. According to the set's stock photography, the Modulators are designed to combine into a giant space station, enabling the Micromasters to interact with the base in their combined forms. Fuzer and Blast Master specifically dock onto a redeco of Earthrise Doubledealer's missile, which attaches to Overair.

The original toolings of the Direct-Hit and Power Punch molds were also used to make Earthrise Roadburner and Fireguard.

Notes

Foreign names

• Italian: Squadriglia Interstellare ("Interstellar Squadron")