Direct-Hit

Direct-Hit is a Decepticon Micromaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Touché-feely.

Direct-Hit is a victim of the Peter Principle. As a low-ranking grunt in the Decepticon military, he was a skillful and tenacious warrior, bringing in the kill more often than not. Since his promotion to leader of the Battle Squad, his teammates have discovered that his long-term strategies... well, the problem is that Direct-Hit doesn't have any long-term planning skills to speak of. He's a decisive, powerful warrior in short-term engagements, swiftly crushing his foes in close-quarters combat. But all of this falls apart when he's asked to actually plan a mission or campaign or what have you. At best, he can just about order his team to deal with whatever's going on around them, and then hope that it somehow works out for the best.

So incompetent is he in his new role, that news of Direct-Hit's failures have already started to circulate through the Decepticon ranks. Most Decepticons rightfully believe that the poor shmuck's been promoted far beyond his actual capabilities. His combiner partner is Power Punch.

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Direct-Hit was an Autobot and a member of Cannon Team portion of the Crane Cannon W Team, a group of mighty Micromasters. With their cranes and cannons, they were able to concurrently chop up enemies and send them afar. Return of Convoy bio

Regeneration One

Direct-Hit was a member of Soundwave's group of Neo-Decepticons at Fort Scyk in Polyhex. Counterpoint

Beast Wars: Uprising

On a post-war Cybertron, Direct-Hit and Power Punch were among the few Builders of Cybertron who maintained their mobility due to their more energy-efficient Micromaster bodies. The pair were posted to guard Tesarus Arena in anticipation of a Resistance attack. They encountered the Maximal terrorist Grimlock and his underlings sneaking into the arena, and attempted to bar their progress. When one of the intruders shot Power Punch in the back, the psychic link between the two Micromasters caused Direct-Hit to reel in pain, giving Grimlock the opportunity he needed to overpower him. Direct-Hit was killed when Grimlock punched through his armor and ripped out his innards. Micro-Aggressions

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

During the war for Cybertron, Direct-Hit was a Ground Force Weapons Raider. Siege toy packaging

2019 IDW continuity

Direct-Hit was part of a team of Decepticons who tried to melt their way into the Pyramid using Acid Storm's powers. Before they could finish the job, however, Optimus Prime broke through the wall and forced the Decepticons into retreat as he helped lead the evacuation efforts. Titans He was later part of a large army deployed to the Sea of Rust under Sixshot's authority to capture the Enigma of Combination. Sea of Rust II

Toys

The Transformers

Baby blue dreamteam of Death

• Battle Squad (Micromaster Combiner Squad, 1990)

Direct-Hit transforms into a powder blue wheeled armoured car which is intended to be the front half of a cannon transport which he forms with his combiner partner Power Punch. He can, of course, be connected to any other Micromaster Combiner.

Direct-Hit was only available in a six-pack with his squad mates Power Punch, Half-Track, Fireshot, Meltdown, and Vanquish.

• More information on Direct-Hit at TFU.info

• Crane Cannon W Team (Micro Trailer team, 1991)
  • ID number: C-368
  • Accessories: Micro Trailer #8

Direct-Hit is physically identical to the Hasbro-release, transforming the front half of a cannon transport truck. He can, of course, be connected to any other Micromaster Combiner. Though Power Punch nominally forms the back half, Direct-Hit can combine with any other Micromaster Combiner, Combiner Transport or Micro Trailer in vehicle mode to form new weird vehicles.

He was only available in a complete set with Power Punch, Stonecruncher and Excavator. The set also comes with Micro Trailer #8. Like all Return of Convoy characters, he was marketed as an Autobot instead of a Decepticon.

War for Cybertron: Siege

• Direct-Hit & Power Punch (Micromaster, 2020)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-S47
  • TakaraTomy ID number: SG-44
  • TakaraTomy release date: February 22, 2020

Part of wave 5 of Siege Micromasters, Direct-Hit is a member of the Battle Squad and transforms into the front half of the Cannon Transport vehicle along with Power Punch as the back end, which can be flipped upside down to be used as an over-the-shoulder weapon. As a part of the C.O.M.B.A.T. System, their weapon mode can be attached to any toy with a 5 mm post-hole. "Fire Blasts" can also be attached to various hardpoints on the toys. They're painted and molded such to stay as separate vehicles. Instructions show to attach the barrel to Power Punch, however, it is packaged already attached.

Direct Hit comes packaged together with Power Punch.

Though designated for release in the first quarter of 2020, Direct-Hit's wave reached U.S. store shelves in late 2019.

This figure was redecoed into Earthrise Fireguard and Moonrock.

War for Cybertron: Earthrise

• Direct-Hit & Power Punch (Micromaster, 2020)
  • ID number: WFC-E40

Direct-Hit, along with Power Punch, received a package refresh in the subsequent line, Earthrise. The two releases are virtually identical aside from the packaging.

Like all Earthrise toys, the cardboard back of the Earthrise version of the Battle Squad's package includes an exclusive cut-out collectible piece of a larger star map.

Notes

• The original Generation One box art of Direct-Hit has his head swapped with Power Punch.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Direct-Hit (ダイレクトヒット Dairekuto Hitto)
• French: Touché (Canada)
• Italian: Omega