Micromaster

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This article is about the Generation 1 subline and the characters contained therein. For the Dreamwave miniseries, see Micromasters.

Micromasters are Transformers with extremely small, extremely fuel-efficient bodies. Some were created that way, others were created as ordinary Transformers (or guzzlers, as Micromasters sometimes call normal-sized Transformers) and rebuilt into Micromasters. Transforming into tiny cars, planes, and other vehicles, they are depicted as roughly human-sized in robot mode in most continuities.

Some Micromasters are also Combiners, and can each form either the front or back half of a combined vehicle. They are not constrained to joining only with their Combiner partner; they also can join with any other Micromaster Combiner, as well as to the back of any Micro Trailer. (See also Combi-Micromaster.)

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.
Makin' Micromasters!

The Micromasters were created by the Autobots as a downsizing means to increase fuel efficiency. Though at first the technology was created by the Autobots, the Decepticons were able to capture and study the Battle Patrol to learn the secrets themselves, and the first Decepticon Micromasters were born. A Small War!

The Micromasters served under Emirate Xaaron, with Fixit acting as one of the base's medics. Demons! Dawn of Darkness

Two of the Micromaster squads were deployed to Earth to assist Optimus Prime's forces, but they quickly went their own way. King Con! Soon they had all but integrated into New York City society, their small size allowing them to interact easily with humans. Only the arrival on Earth of the Decepticon Air Strike Patrol shook them loose from this position. The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!

The Air Strike Patrol sooned proved to have ulterior motives for coming to Earth, as they, along with the Sports Car Patrol, were working for Megatron. Back from the Dead! While the Air Strike Patrol manipulated Scorponok and Optimus Prime into a battle, the Sports Car Patrol kidnapped Ratchet and laid explosives aboard the Ark. The Resurrection Gambit! Blackjack wasn't able to maintain control of the Ark, however, and the rest of the patrol were defeated by Grimlock's Pretender team. All the Familiar Faces! Skin Deep

The Micromaster Autobots continued to play roles in the Autobot insurgency on Cybertron, though the Rescue Patrol prepared to leave for Earth. A teleportation accident transported them to the center of Cybertron, Yesterday's Heroes! where they nearly but not quite managed to defeat the Mayhem Attack Squad with help from their larger brethren. Primal Scream

On Earth, the Air Strike Patrol met their fate in Louisiana at the hands of a pissed-off mutant oil rig worker. The Human Factor!

Having arrived on Earth, Fixit served as the chief medic aboard the Ark, in the absence of Ratchet. Eye of the Storm! The Price of Life!

A few of the Micromasters were still active many years later, when the Autobots followed the Dinobots to Hydrus 4 to rescue them and prevent the resurrection of Megatron. Another Time and Place


Dreamwave continuity

Destined for Nothing The Gray Race Recipe for Hate Victims of the Revolution


IDW continuity

The Micromasters (never identified as such) are by-products of Jhiaxus' attempts to further the evolution of the Transformer race. The Sports Car Patrol confront Nightbeat beneath Gorlam Prime, Spotlight: Nightbeat and they (along with several other teams) pursue him again when he and Hardhead return. Spotlight: Hardhead Jhiaxus' Micromaster lackeys are last seen being dismembered by Arcee. Spotlight: Sideswipe


Toys

Generation 1

The Micromasters were first released in the US and European markets in the two final years of the Generation 1 toyline, 1989 and 1990, as a market response to the growing popularity of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Machines" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Micro_Machines">MicroMachines</a>. The Generation 1 Micromasters were either grouped as Patrols, Squads, Transports, Stations or Bases.




The Patrols came carded in four-packs beginning in 1989, with a couple following in 1990. All were sold at the $5 price point. Each patrol's alternate modes generally have a recurring common theme—for example, military vehicles in the case of the Military Patrol, or planes and helicopters in the case of the Air Patrol.


<div class="noprint">Main article: Micromaster Combiner</div>
The Combiner Squads were sold in carded six-packs in 1990. Each Squad consist of six Micromaster Combiners, thus making three vehicles in their alt mode. Micromaster Combiners transform into half of a vehicle form, which can use standardized connection plugs to combine with any other Micromaster Combiner to form a complete vehicle. Not all combinations make a lot of sense - the rear half of a dump truck connected to the front half of a space shuttle isn't anything you can win a war with, eh?


<div class="noprint">Main article: Micromaster Transport</div>
The Micromaster Transports are single Micromasters that come with a transforming vehicle with which they can interact in some way. Flattop transforms into a jet and comes with an aircraft carrier, whereas the other three transform into trucks and pull transforming trailers. Except for Erector's trailer, all the additional vehicles transform into jets. They were released in 1989.


<div class="noprint">Main article: Micromaster Combiner Transport</div>
The Combiner Transports consist of a pair of Micromaster Combiners and a big transforming trailer. Each trailer can optionally transform into a big battle station or into two separate fighting vehicles, each manned by one of the Combiners.


The stations are big bases commanded by a single Transformer and disguised as human buildings. Hot House's station stands out a bit, as it is mobile in its alternate mode instead of being a stationary base.


The Micromaster Bases are huge fighting vehicles that transform into even bigger battle stations. They are commanded by a single Micromaster. Countdown's and Skystalker's vehicles are a big chunk taller than those of Groundshaker and Skyhopper, indicating that these two should be seen as the respective leaders of their Micromaster factions.


The Combiner bases are large vehicles commanded by a combiner duo. While the Decepticon Anti-Aircraft Base is pretty similar in concept to the previous year's Bases (transforming from a tank into a battle station), the Battlefield Headquarters lacks a base mode, instead transforming from an earthbound vehicle (a truck) into two airborne ones (a space shuttle and a attack jet).

Generation 1 (Japan)

Japan as well released lots of Micromasters during their Zone, Return of Convoy and Operation Combination toylines (and later rereleases during Micromaster Collection). Most of them were identical to their western releases, but some were recolored or renamed and most Decepticons were depicted as Autobots. Next to this, the characterization they received in fiction differed heavily from their Western appearances, depiciting them as childish, young and inexperienced compared to the bigger transformers. See Microtransformers.


Micro Trailer

Micromaster Sixteams

Apart from releasing US-made Micromasters, Takara also developed the Micromaster concept further on their own, resulting in the Micromaster Sixteams, Micromasters that combined in robot mode to form a bigger robot similar to the full-size Transformer combiners.

Autobots



Decepticon


Universe

The Micromasters returned to Western markets in 2004 in the wake of Universe with the release of redecoed Japanese Generation 1 Micromaster Sixteams. Those Combiner teams were generally given the names of old Generation 1 Full-size Combiners (except for Rail Racer, who has no equivalent in Generation 1).

Autobots



Decepticon



Trivia

Absolutely, positively not inspired by Micro Machines. No sir. Not at all.
File:Transformers micro.jpg
GiG continues on its parade of weirdness.
  • An early name for the original Micromasters line was simply "Micro Transformers", having been featured on the packaging of the early 1989 Micromaster Patrols. The name was quickly dropped in favor of the now more common "Micromasters", possibly due to its similarity to Galoob's "Micro Machines".
  • Interestingly, Hasbro's early logo was used for the entirety of Italian company GiG's release of the Micromasters figures.
  • At least three of the four Micromaster Station molds were reused sans Micromasters in Takara's Brave Police series a few years later, under the subline name "Distortion Machines".
  • A number of Micromaster characters have recently been homaged and/or recreated as redecos of newer toys, primarily in the Universe toyline.
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