Red Alert (Armada)


 * Red Alert is an Autobot from the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.



Red Alert was once a fierce warrior. It was not until he was seriously wounded, losing his hand permanently in battle, that he was able to sit back and realize how terrible war is. He is now a reluctant fighter, and somewhat emotionally detached, preferring to repair his friends than tear his enemies to shreds. This does not mean he is now a coward. To the contrary, when a fellow Autobot on the battlefield needs his immediate medical attention, he will be there no matter what it takes. He's a brilliant medic and scientist, but he's also extremely cautious.

His nominal Mini-Con partner is Longarm, though during the search for the Cyber Planet Keys, he was accompanied to Velocitron by Dirt Boss.


 * Japanese Armada name: Ratchet
 * Japanese Cybertron name: First Aid, First Gunner ("Cybertron Defense")
 * Hungarian name: Riadó ("Alert")
 * Polish Armada'' name : Alarmus

Armada

 * Voice actor: Brian Dobson (US), Ikuya Sawaki (Japan), Claus Brockmeyer (Germany)

Red Alert was one of the frst three Autobots to arrive on Earth in response to the Mini-Con beacon. Shortly after arriving, he aquired the alternate form of an patrol rescue SUV, along with a ravamped robot mode. He made a flashy appearance along with Hotshot and Optimus Prime just in time to fight the Decepticons who happened to be their in their own new forms chasing some humans. After Megatron combined with Leader-1 and fell on his back from "turning it up", Red Alert and Hotshot discovered two more Mini Cons, conviniently buried there (of whom Longarm would become Red Alert's partner) and combined with them to win the battle. The Autobots then formally introduced themselves to the Humans and then proceded to build up a base.

In subsequent battles Red Alert was shown to conflict with Hotshot. The two were shown to be at odds with their personallities, but their relations mended when Hotshot was taken hostage because he had encountered three Decepticons while searching for a Mini Con in the Arctic. Red Alert was also the primary medic of the team, and was adept at both fighting and healing. He was revealled to have been working with Prime much longer than Hotshot. Red Alert frequently fought with Starscream as an equal.

On several occasions Red Alert chose to stay behind with the children at the base, indirectly participating in the battles. When Scavanger revealed his true colors and joined the Autobots, Red Alert was the only one besides Prime to trust Scavanger, knowing full well the two went way back together. His unfleeting trust proved true when Scavenger saved Prime by scooping him up in vehicle mode thus preventing from falling into a cliff. When the Autobots and Decepticons fought on an island, with the tides both literally and figuratively turned by the arrival of the massive Decepticon Tidal Wave, Sideways chose to contact the Autobots base, occupied by the Street Action Team, the children, and Red Alert, and revealed of the existence of the Requium Blaster. After the Mini Con Skyblast both awoke and was discovered in the deeper parts of the Autobot's base, Red Alert warped to deliver the kids and the Minicons to the battle field just in time for the Space team to unite and combine. After the Decepticons broke in and stole the blaster, Red Alert was able to salvage Smokescreen's spark. Despite an initially grim diagnosis Red Alert was able save Smokescreen and make a completely new and more powerfil body.

After Optimus Prime temporarily died Red Alert helped calm Hot Shot down along with the rest of the Autobot crew. He was one of the first to realize what was going on when Scavenger attacked Hotshot and subsequently chose to join in the fray along with the rest of the Autobots and all the Mini Cons as well. He was the main worker in building the Autobots' new ship.

After the return of Prime, Red Alert and Hot Shot were sucked into a wormhole only to find themselves on a planet made entirely of salt. They were then joined up with by a dark gray and red windowed Prime. They were found by Megatron, Starscream, and Demolisher who proceded to attack them and were then furthur dismayed when the Prime who had followed them revealed himself to be Nemesis Prime. While all parties were being pummeled by the brute, the Minicons suddenly began to rise and glow; they then upgraded the two Autobots and three Decepticons present, with all of them appearing in new colors. The Decepticons proceeded to esacape, with Megatron firing the Requium blaster at the Autobots' ship.

When the Autobots returned to Cybertron, they discovered that the Decepticons had already begun conquering the planet. When Hotshot wanted to invade the Decepticons' lair on Cybertron, Red Alert helped him by disguising one of the landing pods as an asteroid. The plan worked as Hotshot was able to pass through the Decepticon armada unnoticed. After the attack on Unicron began, Red Alert helped the children to get to Unicron by brining them back to the small teleporter beneath Cybertron where they had been once before. He manaaged to get them through in time just as the place began to crumble and he found himself buried. He managed to free himself from the heap in time to see the Chaos Bringiner staring right at Cybertron. After Unicron's defeat Red Alert helped rebuild Cybertron and must have had a lot of bots to fix up.

Cybertron
Somebody cleans it up. Besides, too many "then".


 * Voice actor: Brian Dobson (US), Yasuyuki Kase (Japan), Robert Kotulla (Germany)

Throughout the series, Red Alert spoke with a Cockney accent. Red Alert was on the space station that tried to stop the Unicron Singularity with a net of lasers. Obviously, it failed, so he was shipped off to Velocitron with Hot Shot (poor guy). He had to constantly nag him to "Stay away from the natives!" then Hot Shot saved Brakedown and Clocker from Crumplezoneand Ransack. Hot Shot went off to race Override and ran him self ragged. Then here came Optimus Prime. Red participated in the big race along with Landmine and a few other Autobots.

He then went back to Earth. He almost got turned into slag by Megatron and his new toy later. Then he got repaired by some light and was shipped off to Cybertron tho exterminate the Scrapmetals.

3H Universe comics
Red Alert (or an alternate-universe incarnation of him) was one of the countless Cybertrons captured by agents of Unicron and held prisoner in the Cauldron arena. The quick thinking of Trailbreaker and Silverbolt released them, and Red Alert participated in the great escape. Presumably he was transported back to his proper dimension thanks to the power of Primus. If this wasn't an alternate-universe incarnation of the character, his appearance in the Universe fiction may explain why he was absent during the Energon series.

Transformers Playstation 2 game

 * Voice actor:: Daran Norris

When Optimus Prime took to the field, Red Alert served as his dispatcher, alerting him via radio to mission objectives and giving him warnings.

Cyber Key Code content
Red Alert fought beside Optimus Prime, Landmine and Jetfire until one day Starscream used his Energon Saber to cut off his hand. Red Alert has never forgiven him.

Armada



 * Red Alert w/Longarm (Max-Con, 2002/2003)
 * Japanese ID number: MC-02
 * Accessories: Claw-missile, disc, 2 hand-attachments


 * Red Alert transforms into a white Nissan Patrol rescue SUV. When a Mini-Con is attached to his hood-mounted Mini-Con port, the grille springs open. Pulling back on the attached Mini-Con launches a rescue disk/missile. Similarly, when a Mini-Con is used on his emergency lights port and is pushed forward, the sirens flash and a voice chip proclaims "RED-ALERT! WOO-WOO-WOO-WOO-WOO!" (Naturally, the Japanese version has different sounds.) In robot mode, pulling back on the Mini-Con unlocks a shoulder-mounted missile/rescue grappling claw launcher, which can also be detached and held in his hand.  His right leg guard contains several tools that can be attached onto his left wrist socket, while his left leg guard can be unfolded to become a Mini-Con repair bay.  He comes with his Mini-Con partner Longarm.


 * The Takara version has some slight paint application differences from the Hasbro version, mainly a "separated" Autobot insignia and the addition of dark blue paint on his kneecaps.


 * This mold was later used to make Energon Prowl and Movie Inferno.


 * Red Alert (Fast food premium, 2003)


 * This simplified version of Red Alert features a pull-back motor that zips him along in SUV mode. The toy also features Powerlinx plugs, which enable him to form the "leg" of a really silly-looking "super robot" along with the Happy Meal versions of Optimus Prime, Smokescreen and Hot Shot.


 * Powerlinx Red Alert w/Longarm (Max-Con, 2003)
 * Japanese ID number: MC-12
 * Accessories: Claw-missile, disc, blaster hand-attachment, triple-blaster hand attachmrnt


 * This is a predominantly orange redeco of Armada Red Alert, with white stripes and 'RESCUE' tampographed lettering, giving him a more beach-rescue vibe. He retains all of the same gimmicks and sounds as the previous version of the mold, and also a redecoed Longarm.


 * The Japanese version has some slight paint application differences, mainly additional metallic red paint on his arms (notably his right hand), and the removal of the "EMERGENCY" text on his hood.


 * Red Alert w/ Longarm (Built to Rule, 2003)
 * Accessories: Three missiles


 * One of the larger Built to Rule sets, Red Alert can be built into an emergency SUV, robot, or whatever your imagination can make out of the blocks provided. The set features a large pressure-launch triple-missile "gatling" cannon.  He also came with a block-version of Longarm.

Cybertron

 * Red Alert (Deluxe Class, 2005)
 * Japanese ID number: GC-11
 * Accessories: Clamp attachment, hammer attachment, Earth Cyber Key


 * Cybertron Red Alert transforms into a Dodge Magnum emergency vehicle. Plugging a Cyber Planet Key into the back of his car mode causes two rear side-panels to pop out and reveal two spring-forward non-firing blasters.  This gimmick is retained in robot mode, where they become over-shoulder blasters. He features an unusual transformation sequence where both the front and rear halves of the vehicle mode come together to form his legs.  His hood halves opens to reveal storage space for extra tools (a hammer-head and an opening claw) that can be attached onto his left arm blaster.  He came with a silver-bordered Earth-style Cyber Planet Key which, in the Hasbro version, has the Key Code "d26w" tampographed on the back. Later releases of the mold had slight indents made in the leg pieces to allow them to clip together better.


 * The Takara version of this toy lacks the gold paint on the robot-mode shoulders.


 * This mold was later used to make Cannonball, and the live-action movie-verse Crankcase.


 * Red Alert (Fast-food premium, 2005)


 * Available only as part of Burger King's Cybertron promotion, this version of Red Alert is a very simplified version of the original toy, transforming into a Dodge Magnum emergency vehicle, devoid of any gimmickry... and that includes functional wheels. That's right, this toy doesn't even roll in vehicle mode.




 * Cybertron Defense Red Alert (Ultra-Class, 2005)
 * Japanese ID number: GC-21
 * Accessories: Rocket, small missile, clamp attachment, hammer attachment, Cybertron Autobot Cyber Key


 * An upgraded, all-new tooling of Red Alert. He now transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier mounted with a top-mounted missile similar to a SCUD launcher.  The left side of his vehicle mode has a flip-up non-firing double-blaster, which can also be "used" in robot mode.  Inserting a Cyber Key into the rear of the missile pops it in half, activates the electronic sound and lights, and exposes the inner spring-loaded missile launcher "laser cannon".  In robot mode, Red Alert finally has two normal robotic hands, but he comes with a shield that, when a Key is inserted, flips out a multi-tool arm that can be equipped with several tools stored in his shins (a spring-loaded hammer-head or a gripping claw), emulating his old tool-arm.  This shield can be mounted on either arm.  He comes with a Cybertron-Autobot Cyber Planet Key; the Hasbro version has the Key Code "up0t" tampographed on the back.


 * This mold was also used to make the Botcon 2006-exclusive "Dawn of Future's Past" Megatron and Universe Countdown.


 * Red Alert with Dirt Boss (Multi-pack, 2005)
 * Accessories: Clamp attachment, hammer attachment, Earth Cyber Key


 * This is a Wal*Mart-exclusive version of Deluxe-size Red Alert packaged with a Tiny Tins version of the Armada Mini-Con Dirt Boss. Red Alert himself is identical to his normal release.


 * The Critical Path (Multi-pack, 2005)
 * Accessories: Clamp attachment, hammer attachment, Earth Cyber Key


 * This two-pack of the Deluxe-size Red Alert and Cybertron Sideways toys was made available only at Target stores, retailing for $16.99. The toys are identical to their individual releases.


 * Red Alert (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)


 * A much-simplified version of the "Cybertron Defense" incarnation of Red Alert in terms of detail and articulation, this toy was made available in the third wave of the Legends of Cybertron series. The missile is permanently in its split-open state.


 * This mold was later used to make Classics Perceptor and Universe Onslaught.

Trivia

 * The Armada Red Alert toy's "WOO WOO WOO" sound effect has since become a famous in-joke within the Transformers fandom. For a short time, it also became something of an impromptu chant among fans at Transformers conventions. Reportedly, at the start of the OTFCC 2003 Hasbro Panel, several fans started chanting "WOO WOO WOO WOO!" to the initial confusion of Hasbro designer Aaron Archer, until he realized what was occurring.


 * One concept drawing in the Micron Legend Yearbook 2003 depicts Red Alert as having a large siren perched atop his cranium.


 * According to the Armada Playstation 2 game instruction booklet, Red Alert's Armada body has the following statistics:
 * Mass: 3,838 lbs
 * Robot height: 19' 8"
 * Robot top speed: 37 mph
 * Vehicle height: 7' 3"
 * Vehicle top speed: 155 mph
 * Vehicle power: 450 hp @ 6600 rpm


 * According to Aaron Archer, Red Alert's head sculpt seems to be based on RoboCop, hence his personality and trait.