Combaticon (G1)


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



The Combaticons are a unit of fierce Decepticon soldiers, operating with (mostly) military precision under the watchful eye of the tactically brilliant Onslaught.

The Combaticons consist of:


 * The cunning Onslaught (leader)
 * The destructive Brawl
 * The aloof Blast Off
 * The opportunistic Swindle
 * The unhinged Vortex

They combine to form Bruticus.

Japanese name: Combatron

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 them to transform.

The reborn Combaticons were less-than pleased with their 'new', primitive 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 managed to capture several prisoners, then used their energy absorbers to recharge themselves at a power plant. Unfortunately, Megatron and the Decepticons attacked, while the Autobots rescued their comrades. The Constructicons formed Devastator, who was quickly defeated by the Combaticon's much more powerful, but dull-witted combined form, Bruticus. Starscream ordered Bruticus to grab Megatron, forcing his former commander to acknowledge Starscream as the new leader of the Decepticons. Under duress, Megatron did so as the Stunticons watched nearby. The latter group, deciding that Starscream would be too dangerous as a leader, quickly formed Menasor and defeated Bruticus with a single attack.

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



Starscream and the Combaticons quickly had a falling-out. After Starscream left, the Combaticons attacked Cybertron, easily defeating Shockwave and his drones. Thirsting for revenge, Onslaught reprogrammed the Space Bridge to pull Earth closer to the Sun, in the hopes of destroying it and every Transformer there. The Autobots and Decepticons temporarily joined forces to retake Cybertron and prevent Earth's destruction, and with Starscream's help, they deactivated the Combaticons once they formed Bruticus through a failsafe device built into the treacherous giant's back. Optimus Prime and Megatron agreed that Bruticus must be destroyed, but the Decepticon leader fooled the Autobots by using Shockwave's holographic simulator to make it appear as though Bruticus was destroyed, when in reality the combiner was reprogrammed to be loyal only to Megatron.



Soon afterwards, during Megatron's latest scheme on Earth involving the theft of fighter aircraft using Middle-Eastern criminals, the Combaticons were called into service to defend Megatron's Giant Purple Griffin, a large... thing that apparently pumped oil. Or something. Struggling against the Aerialbots, the Combaticons formed Bruticus, yet was still knocked over when the Autobot planes twisted a tow cable around his legs. The Decepticon combiner was finally defeated when the Aerialbots ignited the nearby oil wells, causing a massive explosion that sent Megatron, Rumble, Bruticus and gas prices flying away.



While attacking a human city, Bruticus was destroyed in battle with Defensor (man, this guy can't seem to catch a break). Only Swindle survived, and he sold the remains of his comrades to various mercenaries and third-world dictator-types, only to be forced to locate and rebuild the Combaticons by Megatron. The reformed Bruticus was then defeated when Megatron's disruptor cannon was overloaded by the human-built B.O.T., once again sending the Decepticon flying into the sky.

When the Earth was infected by the Hate plague, the Combaticons (Bruticus) were among those infected. Brawl was last seen droving along the roadway and Vortex was seen attacking a plane on the runway

IDW comics continuity
Swindle is one of the worst violators of the Tyrest Accord, constantly selling Transformers technology to alien races, and has gone AWOL from the Decepticons. The other four remain Combaticons, and are a dangerous tactical unit capable of taking on and beating superior numbers (even ones backed up by total loonies). Under orders from Banzaitron, they successfully raided the Garrus-9 Autobot prison and abducted Monstructor. They also enjoy killing things.

Generation 1

 * Combaticons (1986)
 * Onslaught
 * Brawl
 * Blast Off
 * Swindle
 * Vortex
 * Japanese ID number: D-69




 * As a Scramble City combiner team, the Combaticon team includes four small toys, sold carded at the $5 price point, and one large leader toy, sold boxed for $12 or so. They were available as part of the 1986 and 1987 assortments.


 * Like their counterparts the Protectobots, the four small Combaticons feature unique transformation schemes. All have attachable weapons for their vehicle modes.  Posability varies from figure to figure; Brawl and Swindle have knee and elbow joints, but their legs are conjoined at the knees.  Blast-Off and Vortex feature an early use of ball joints in their shoulders, giving them near-universal range of motion, but are otherwise similarly limited.


 * In most markets, the Combaticons were sold as individuals. The combined giftset was only available in Japan and Italy.


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

Generation 2

 * Combaticons (1993)
 * Onslaught
 * Brawl
 * Blast Off
 * Swindle
 * Vortex
 * A redeco of the Generation 1 molds that looks like they just went through a paintball war... and lost.

Alternators

 * Swindle (2004)

Universe (2008)

 * Onslaught (2008)

Trivia



 * 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.