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- Payload is a Decepticon and a type of mass-produced drone in the Movie continuity family.
SWAT? Maybe more like SMITE.
Transforming into an exceptionally fast and powerful armored truck, Payload is the one the Decepticons rely on to procure the money and energy they need to function on Earth. Whatever they need, whereever they need it, in their quest for the All Spark it's Payload's job to get it to them, even if he has to smash right through Autobot lines to do it.
Both the Autobot and Decepticon armies make use of drones based on his design, which are heavily-armored, brutal melee fighters.
Sometimes there are lots of him.
On both sides.
Fiction
IDW comics
Payload was one of the Decepticons who took part in the Battle of Tyger Pax. He was also with Swindle during the interrogation of the surviving Autobot defenders. Prime Directive #1 Later, Payload was part of the crew of Starscream's ship that pursued the All Spark and Megatron to the Eshems Nebula. They were forced to turn back for repairs when the ship was damaged by an Autobot concussion chain. The Reign of Starscream #1
Later, Payload joined Dreadwing in a coup against Starscream. He got beat up by Stockade. The Reign of Starscream #5
Battle For the Allspark online game
Payload units can be either Autobot (top) or Decepticon (bottom)
Payload units of both sides have a strong defense, good attack, but poor speed. They are differentiated by little more than the make of their noggins; Autobot versions use a facemask-with-optics model, while Decepticons have a circular lens-face.
Transformers: The Game (console)
Payloads show up in Mission City to put the hurt on both Autobot and Decepticon alike. Their primary attack is an unstoppable running charge that can send even the likes of Optimus Prime and Megatron reeling. The only way to break them out of this attack is to nail them with a thrown object or melee attack when they briefly pause between charges.
Payloads also appear in the bonus Cybertron levels on both sides.
Aside from the aforementioned head differences, Decepticon Payloads are dark blue, while the Autobot versions are silver-white.
Transformers: Autobots/Decepticons
Payload's body frame has been shown in numerous forms: his Armored Truck mode, the Peace Van, the Moving Truck, the School Bus, the Ice Cream Truck, the Death Truck, the Funky Bus, the SWAT Van & the Prison Bus. Certain forms have either the Autobot head or the Decepticon head, but which game is unimportant; the same vehicle has the same head in both games.
Titan Magazines
In a timeline where the Decepticons won, Payload units are used in the occupation of Earth. They have no personality or higher consciousness, their dialogue being things like "Classification: Autobot. Identifying...".
Ironhide smashes them real good. Transformers Comic issue 10
When the Savannah All Spark facility's Swindle drones all magically turned into Payloads between issues, they almost overwhelmed the Autobot rebels but eventually failed to kill them or save the facility. Also, Bonecrusher smashed them real good simply cos they were in the way. Not the best boss on Earth... Transformers Comic issue 13
As part of Starscream's campaign of American infrastructure destruction, a horde of Payloads attempted to destroy a pipeline in Crooked Creek, Alaska. Transformers Comic issue 16
Toys
Transformers (2007)
- Payload (Deluxe, 2007)
- Japanese ID number: MD-17
- Payload transforms into a Bulldog II Armored Truck model based on the Decepticon-drone coloration and face type. In robot mode, his midsection has a large push-out grabber-claw that extends waaaaaaaaaaaaay far out. However, in order to do this, the claw-shaft sticks far out of his back in robot mode, making posing and display in narrow spaces difficult. It also makes him hard to balance.
- Several pieces on Payload tend to pop off easily: his brush guard, midriff-plate/claw-center, and even his upper shoulder/head assembly. The mold was later retooled to include larger pegs for the shoulder/head assembly and an added tab on the brushguard, to connect to the new slot in the claw plunger. While this was intended to give the pieces a better fit, it actually puts more pressure on the parts and causes them to pop off even easier. The chest piece, however, fits fairly well on either version but is still easy to remove.
- Payload's toy is very different from his video game version. Also, Payload has a tendency to sit on shelves for weeks, with some examples of end displays filled completely with Payload figures.
Merchandise
- Payload (3D Battle Card, 2007)
- In the Transformers 3D Battle Card Game, the Payload is on the Decepticon side. Pieces punched out from two different cards can be assembled to form a SWAT truck or a robot, while a third double-sided card gives its stats and attacks for each mode. He uses the same piece layout as Ratchet, though his lens-head peeking up over the back end of his vehicle mode looks less doofy than Ratchet's does. His card art was done by Lucio Parrillo.
Trivia
- Payload's drones are apparently known as "Class Beta drone units". [citation needed]