Battle Patrol

This article is about the four-bot Autobot Micromaster team. For the six-bot Decepticon Micromaster Combiner team, see Battle Squad.

The Battle Patrol is a team of Autobot Micromasters from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Are they all throwing sand in our faces?
Left to right: Big Shot, Sunrunner, Sidetrack, Flak

The Battle Patrol is, for an Autobot team, rather ruthless in its assaults on enemies. Known to talk tough and back it up with harsh action, their many battles have hardened them into purveyors of brute-force destruction. They launch into combat hard and fast and will not slow down until their target is nothing but scrap.

The Battle Patrol consists of:

• Big Shot the team leader and self-propelled gun
• Flak the multi-missile launcher
• Sidetrack the anti-aircraft tank
• Sunrunner the plane

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

The Battle Patrol were created on Cybertron in the 20th century using the Micromaster process, under the oversight of Emirate Xaaron. Because the Micromaster process was so revolutionary, each Autobot Micromaster was outfitted with a self-destruct button in case they were captured, to prevent the Decepticons from acquiring the technology.

Big Shot led his team on a mission deep inside Decepticon territory, only to learn that they had been lured there by Thunderwing, in order to get ahold of the Micromasters for examination. Big Shot momentarily considered using the self-destructs in his team, as he had been ordered to do, but ultimately the "Never say die!" Autobot fighting spirit won out, and the Battle Patrol resolved to go down fighting. Well, they did. Thunderwing captured the Battle Patrol and used their circuitry to reverse engineer the process, creating the first Decepticon Micromasters. Roadhandler and a team of Autobot Micros managed to retrieve the Battle Patrol before they were finally disposed of, though. A Small War!

The Battle Patrol were later stepped on by Bruticus during a football match between Defensor United and Bruticus All-Blacks that they were refereeing. Darn 'n' Blast #327

Transformers Comic-Magazin

Template:TransformersComicMagazin The Battle Patrol and Air Strike Patrol appear from an air vortex that leads from a gate to another dimension, to join their fellow Decepticons (yes, Decepticons) on Earth. Later, they are present when the Decepticons unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York; however Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings. Transformers — Transforming Robots in Action: New York — A City Sinking in Terror

Zone OVA, manga and story pages

Zone version of the Battle Patrol.

When Victory Saber initiated the "Zone Project", the Battle Patrol helped rebuild planet Micro into planet Zone. To counter this threat, Violen Jiger began conquering planets in order to create his own Decepticon Zone. The Race Car Patrol and all other Micromaster teams were then sent on patrol across the galaxy, specifically to planets where their unique skills could do the most good. Zone Part 1

When Bruticus attacked the planet Feminia, the Battle Patrol were among several units of Micromasters deployed to stop him. Through teamwork, they proved triumphant. Zone Part 2

The Battle Patrol Team were present at the Zone Base on planet Zone when it was attacked by four of the Nine Great Demon Generals, who tore through the counter-attacking Micromasters to steal the powerful Energon Z kept there. The Battle Patrol Team did its best to stop the mighty attackers, but their weapons caused little more than mocking laughter from the huge Decepticons. Undeterred, they boarded Moonradar's rocket and pursued the villains to Earth, where they battled the other half of the Demon Generals. Again being absolutely incapable of even hurting their opponents, the Battle Team Patrol along with their fellow Micromasters were on the verge of extinction only to be saved by the Powered Masters Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber, who arrived just in the nick of time to kick the Decepticons' butts. The Battle Team Patrol's members all survived and later cheered for their new Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas. Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas! Transformers: Zone

When the Powered Masters flew off to the Tenth Planet for their showdown with Violen Jiger, all the Micromaster teams took command of Zone and vowed to keep it safe in their Commander's absence. Zone Part 10

Toys

Generation 1

Red pants, blue pants, brown pants, and no pants.

• Battle Patrol (Micromaster Patrol, 1989)

All four members of the Battle Patrol came packaged on a single card, as part of the first year of Micromasters assortments. Their transformations are fairly diverse in comparison to the legions of identically-engineered Micromasters that came later.

Zone

• Battle Patrol Team (Micro Transformer team, 1990)
  • Japanese ID number: C-332

The Japanese version of the Battle Patrol comes in a considerably different coloration: Big Shot (Gunlift) and Sidetrack go to deep brown and dark olive, while Flak (Powerbomb) and Sunrunner go blue and white. Early versions of this set also used yellow (!) plastic rather than the medium gray found on everyone but Sunrunner. This variation naturally goes for a fair bit more than the "corrected" version on the secondary market.

It could potentially be argued that, given their different names and coloration, the Battle Patrol Team are different characters from the Battle Patrol, but as they never received any characterization, it's really not worth the time or effort. We're sure they were childlike and precocious and such.

Return of Convoy

• Battle Patrol Team (Micro Trailer team, 1991)
  • Japanese ID number: C-374
  • Accessories: Micro Trailer #11

The "corrected-color" version of the Battle Patrol Team was re-released in Return of Convoy with no alterations. It did come with an extra that the Zone version lacked; Micro Trailer #11.

Notes

• Amusingly, their on-package bio quote has a typo that significantly changes its meaning. "It's better to strike first, then to not strike at all" was probably meant to say "than" instead. So instead of celebrating a shoot-first bravado, the quote as written seems to suggest picking fights and then running away.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Battle Patrol Team (バトルパトロールチーム Batoru Patorōru Chīmu)
• Italian: Pattuglia mezzi d'assalto

External links

• Transformers #327 Letters Page on Transfans.co.uk