Combaticon (G1)

The Combaticons are a sub-group of Decepticons from the Generation 1 continuity family.

The Dirty Half-Dozen Minus One - from left to right Vortex, Onslaught, Swindle, Blast-Off and Brawl.

The Combaticons consist of:

• Onslaught (leader)
• Brawl
• Blast Off
• Swindle
• Vortex

They combine to form Bruticus.

Japanese name: Combatron

Fiction

Animated continuity

When Starscream was banished from the Decepticons for Yet Another Failed Coup Against Megatron, he was deposited on the Guadalcanal, the site of one of the major battles between the United States of America and Imperial Japan during World War II. There he found and rebuilt several abandoned US military vehicles to pass the time. After he finished, he decided that if Megatron can have a Decepticon army, then so can he!

After bluffing his way past Skywarp and Thundercracker to use the Space Bridge, he travelled to a detention center on Cybertron and liberated the personality components of several Decepticon political prisoners before destroying the rest. Back on Earth, Starscream installed the sparks into the rusting military vehicles and ordered the to transform.

The reborn Combaticons were less-than pleased with their 'new', primative bodies, nor were they particularly thankful to Starscream for freeing them after millions of years of imprisonment. That is, until the former Decepticon Air Commander revealed that he had neglected to install energy absorber units into their bodies, so they would have no way of refueling. As he was the only one with the knowledge and expertise to install them, he demanded their allegiance in his aim to overthrow Megatron. The Combaticons agreed to obey Starscream, for now.

Under Starscream's leadership, the Combaticons manage to capture several prisoners, then use their energy absorbers to recharge themselves at a power plant. Unfortunately, Megatron and the Decepticons attack, while the Autobots rescue their comrades. The Constructicons form Devastator, who is quickly defeated by the Combaticon's much more powerful, but dull-witted combined form, Bruticus. Starscream orders Bruticus to grab Megatron, forcing his former commander to acknowledge Starscream as the new leader of the Decepticons. Under duress, Megatron does so as the Stunticons watch nearby. The latter group, deciding that Starscream would be too dangerous as a leader, quickly form Menasor and defeat Bruticus with a single attack.

Starscream and the Combaticons are banished from Earth on a small asteroid, left to wallow in their own misery and blame each other for their failures. Starscream's Brigade

Toys

Generation 1

• Onslaught (1986)

Japanese ID number: D-64

Onslaught transforms into a dark green mobile anti-aircraft truck of made-up origin, armed with a large double-barrelled cannon mounted on the flatbed of his vehicle mode. He can also assume a base/gun emplacement mode with a ramp that smaller Combaticons can use. In an undocumented feature, this base mode can be connected to the Decepticon city Trypticon.

In robot mode, Onslaught is armed with a long olive laser rifle and is accessorized by a small chest plate. He forms the central body component of Bruticus, protected by an even larger silver chest plate and Bruticus' head. He also comes with Bruticus' hands and feet.

This mold was redecoed as Operation Combination Great Cannon, Robots in Disguise Mega-Octane, and Universe Mega-Octane.

• Brawl (1986)

Japanese ID number: D-67

Brawl transforms into a green Leopard 1 main battle tank. In vehicle mode his armament is supplemented by a large silver anti-aircraft gun mounted of the back of the tank's hull. In robot mode Brawl is armed with a small silver gun.

Brawl normally operates as Bruticus' left leg, but as a Scramble City-style combiner, he can also act as any other limb.

This mold was redecoed as Operation Combination Sandstorm, Generation 2 Brawl, Robots in Disguise Armorhide and finally Universe Armorhide.

• Blast Off (Combaticon, 1986/1990)

Japanese ID number: D-65

What are you talking about? I see olive green space shuttles driving down the road all the time.

Blast Off transforms into a Rockwell International NASA Space Shuttle. In this mode, he is armed with two laser cannons mounted his engines.

In robot mode Blast Off is armed with a small laser pistol and his two laser cannons, which are now mounted on his legs. Along with fellow Combaticon Vortex, Blast Off is the first Transformer figure to use ball joints, located in his shoulders. He usually forms Bruticus' right arm, but as a Scramble City toy, he can be connected with any limb slot on Bruticus.

This mold was also used to make Operation Combination Shuttle Gunner, Robots in Disguise Movor and Universe Movor.

• Swindle (Combaticon, 1986)

Japanese ID number: D-68

File:G1Swindle toy.jpg

Eh, I'd rather have elbows than shoulders anyway.

Swindle transforms into a tan FMC XR311 combat support vehicle. He features a large, back mounted anti-tank missile launcher with a small laser pistol attached to its side.

In robot mode, he is armed with both the smaller pistol and the large missile launcher. Swindle normally operates as Bruticus' rightt leg, but as a Scramble City-style combiner toy, he can also be used in any other available limb slot.

This mold was later redecoed into Operation Combination Leyland, Robots in Disguise Rollbar and Universe Rollbar.

• Vortex (1985)

Japanese ID number: D-66

Vortex transforms into a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. He is armed with a small chin-mounted machine gun and two large tri-barrel gattling guns mounted astern on his tail.

In robot mode Vortex is armed with his helicopter chin gun, and along with fellow Combaticon Blast Off, is one of the first Transformers figures to utilize ball-joints, located in his shoulders. Vortex normally becomes the left arm of Bruticus, but as a Scramble City design, he can also occupy any other limb slot on Bruticus.

This mold was redecoed as Operation Combination Target Hawk, Robots in Disguise Ro-Tor, and Universe Ro-Tor.

Combined form

• Bruticus (Multi-pack, 1986)

Japanese ID number: D-69

"Rargh... many transform Bruticus wrong... and blame Bruticus design..."

Bruticus is formed from all five Combaticon toys. The four smaller Combaticons attach via sockets in Onslaught's shoulders and the bottom of his feet. Fists and feet pads attach onto the four limbs, and Bruticus is completed with a large chest plate and a helmet covering Onslaught's head. He wields Onslaught's rifle in battle. As with all Scramble City-style combiner teams, his limbs can be rearranged into any slot of one's choosing.

In most markets, only the individual Combaticons were released, and the giftset was only avalible in Japan and Italy.

This mold was redecoed and later retooled to make Operation Combination Battle Gaia. Robots in Disguise Ruination and Universe Ruination.

Trivia

Floro Dery does odd things.

• Before the Combaticons were animated, there were apparently two different character model sheets made up for them. The ones we know use the toy heads, but bodies that, for whatever reason, have little resemblance to the actual vehicles or robot modes of the actual Combaticon figures. Another one appears to be based heavily on the toys... but with new heads. These went unused in any media.

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.