This article is about the 2019 gimmick. For the 2014 franchise, see Battle Masters.
"When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go, you know, I went."
Battle Masters are small Transformers that can transform into weapons compatible with the C.O.M.B.A.T. System. Not only can they provide adequate firepower on their own, they can also combine with other C.O.M.B.A.T. weapons to form bigger and badder guns.
Introduced in the Siege toyline, Battle Masters are small robots that transform into weapons, sold either individually or as pack-ins with larger figures. In the Siege line, they are split into two rough categories:
The overwhelming majority turn into guns, most being modern updates of prior Targetmaster characters—though nearly all use the same two base molds from the first wave: Firedrive and Blowpipe (and the latter's retool Aimless). Rung also falls into this category.
Each Battle Master (except for Enerax, Sheeldron, and Giza) also comes with one or two "Fire Blast" effects: transparent soft-plastic parts with a small hole that lets them attach to the Battle Masters' weapon modes to simulate blaster fire, energy-swipes, or impacts. As all larger Siege and Earthrise toys also have numerous 3 mm posts on their weapons and bodies, these effects can also be used with these toys as well. Some blast effects have 5 mm posts as their base, letting them plug into the barrels or thrusters of larger toys.
The Battle Masters and included blast effects play into the larger C.O.M.B.A.T. System.
Private Turbo Board, one of several Action Master partners the game used as Battle Masters.
Battle Masters were introduced to the Transformers Trading Card Game across the game's third and fourth waves, both of which tied into the War for Cybertron: Siege toyline. Naturally, the majority of the Siege toyline's standard retail release Battle Masters made it into the game. Wave 4 further supplemented the Battle Master ranks with a handful of characters that were originally Action Masterpartners.
Unlike most character cards in the game, Battle Masters begin a match in robot mode and are unable to transform by typical means. Instead, they can only use their alt-mode upon being KO'd, causing them to go from being a character card to an upgrade card that the player equips to one of their still living characters. The Battle Master cards were also smaller than a typical character card, being the size of a typical trading card rather than the double sized cards used for other characters. Oddly, every Battle Master card was of Uncommon rarity.
Raider Sights, Air Force-Artillery/Multi-Maneuver Glider Wings
Notes
Many owners have reported a gradual change in the chemical composition of Fire Blast effects, causing the soft plastic to ah, melt into surrounding paint and plastic. Caution is advised, as is storing blast effects separately from the toys they are intended to complement.
