The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

Fellow Transformers fan site the Allspark has provided a translation of the United EX back story printed on the packaging of United EX Combat Master Prime Mode, "Prelude to the Siege". Check out the translation below, image courtesy of Alfes 2010.

The battle between Autobot and Decepticon for the Power Core Drones was one that would determine the course of a new generation. Two Transformers crouched in the snow, both precariously low on energy. Around them were scattered four drones. Then, laughter rang out beside them.

“You should know that victory all comes down to strategy… Unite!”
As another Transformer, Combatmaster, calmly appeared on the battlefield, the four drones obeyed his will and merged together with him.

“Ung.. How could the Decepticons know about the project… They’ve got their own Master Class?”
Paying little attention to the gravely wounded Choppermaster, the cool-headed strategist Combatmaster lifted his injured comrade up off the ground.

“We’re called ‘Master Chaos.’ Of course, you’ll be the first and the last Autobot to ever know that name. Farewell.”

Speaking these words, Combatmaster fired off a barrage that struck the snowy slopes far above them. Moments later, the area resonated with a soft echo. The sound grew louder and louder, and soon a thundering avalanche swept toward them. Leaving the wounded Autobot to meet his fate, Combatmaster flew off into the distance.

Inside the secret Decepticon underground base, Combatmaster saluted the visage that appeared on a wall monitor.

“Very soon, High Regent. All of the Power Core Drones will be under our control.”
The figure he addressed showed not even a hint of emotion in response, with a face as expressionless as a mask.

“Use the combiner created from your data as a diversion… While the Autobots are occupied, we shall seize victory. We are the rightful masters of the next generation.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Combatmaster
Function: Strategic Commander

[Prime Mode]
Strength 8 10
Intelligence
8 8
Speed 3 7
Endurance 7
10
Rank 8 8
Courage 6
10
Fireblast 8 10
Skill 9
9
Total 57
72

Combatmaster:
A strategist who has been active seen the early stages of the war. Usually prefers to issue commands to his subordinates rather than enter battle himself.

Morser Drone:
A missile tank drone that transforms into an arm.

Panzer Drone:
A heavily armored tank drone that transforms into an arm.

Kanonier Drone:
An APC drone that uses a machinegun to attack. Transforms into a leg.

Spaher Drone:
An armored car drone used for scouting. Transforms into an arm.

Combatmaster Prime Mode:
Combining with the four Combat Drones gives Combatmaster full command of power that formerly required five Transformers to harness. Its awesome firepower can obliterate targets from dozens of kilometers away.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

"High Regent"? Try "Führer", and his identity is a lot clearer Still no where closer to who Combatmaster is supposed to be. Stalker perhaps?

[Sabrblade]

Combatmaster is Onslaught. With his American counterpart already being a Commander of Combaticons and forming the torso of a Bruticus-inspired combiner, this kind of feels a bit uncreative and like taking the easy way out.

But, the notion of Battle Gaia having been created from Onslaught's data almost rectifies this, as it gives an in-story explanation for why Battle Gaia resembles Bruticus so much, and Onslaught would have to still be around in some form to have Battle Gaia be directly made from him. Granted, not a lot of the other same-molded redecoed characters (like the Seekers and such) needed such explanations, but I digress.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Combatmaster is Onslaught. With his American counterpart already being a Commander of Combaticons and forming the torso of a Bruticus-inspired combiner, this kind of feels a bit uncreative and like taking the easy way out.

Onslaught would have been too obvious, but his preference for planning strategies above fighting himself... Bah, how could I forget that!

[Sodan-1]

Using that tremendous firepower to cause an avalanche instead of just blowing Choppermaster away, he's just asking the Autobot to make a grand comeback.

[DISCHARGE]

It's an interesting story so far.
Just wish more had been done earlier.

With of the lack of media associated with the PCC versions
I have already created a world where they fight(I play), only
mine requires the use of mini-cons to capture and control the
drones, not all drones are mindless though.
Adding more mini-cons and different drones unlocks new modes, the commander becomes even more powerful.
A defeated commander must surrender his drones. A captured drone may be recovered if a mini-con reconnects a previous bond to the drone. At that point there may be a defending mini-con to fend off the reunion.

At the moment:

Megatron has gained control of the dino-drones and Icepick has been given the use of the Predacon drones. While they gloat with their power Stakeout has them under surveillance. Grimstone's condition worsens, but the dino-drones are too powerful to allow Megatron wield them for long.
Stakeout's radio seems to be jammed, backup is questionable. He'll have to rely on the power of his own drones and that of his mini-con allies.

[Rushie]

So what does this mean for continuity? The PCCs are generally considered Movieverse characters because of Smolder & Chopster (appear in Cyber Mission episode 9), Bombshock (makes a novel appearance alongside RotF Gears), Salvage (bio references his Dropkick repaint origin and the AllSpark), and Icepick (has the same stats as the DotM Human Alliance snowmobile).

With the United EX series being firmly set in a version of G1, are the two lines considered incompatible and thus two different series, or is this simply the Japanese (and only) official story behind PCCs, making them all G1? It wouldn't be the first time for repaints to be released in different lines and thus continuities from their original use. But the PCCs were unique to their own small line and have a specific aesthetic, making it all very confusing. It's a bit like the WFC molds being released in Japan as G1 versions, yet FOC Shockwave is released as a Prime version.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

So what does this mean for continuity? The PCCs are generally considered Movieverse characters because of Smolder & Chopster (appear in Cyber Mission episode 9), Bombshock (makes a novel appearance alongside RotF Gears), Salvage (bio references his Dropkick repaint origin and the AllSpark), and Icepick (has the same stats as the DotM Human Alliance snowmobile).

With the United EX series being firmly set in a version of G1, are the two lines considered incompatible and thus two different series, or is this simply the Japanese (and only) official story behind PCCs, making them all G1? It wouldn't be the first time for repaints to be released in different lines and thus continuities from their original use. But the PCCs were unique to their own small line and have a specific aesthetic, making it all very confusing. It's a bit like the WFC molds being released in Japan as G1 versions, yet FOC Shockwave is released as a Prime version.

First of all, don't even attempt fitting two lines together based on molds alone. Your head would explode.

With that, in a nutshell:
- US PCC are generally placed in the Movie-verse with their appearances in Cyber Missions and novels. It can still be debated however as G1 pops up now and again in the toy bios. Lazy writer perhaps?
- United EX is firmly placed within Japanese G1, concurrent with Operation: Combination, even though it uses the same molds. To solidify the placement:

• The battle between Battle Gaia and Guard City is mentioned
• The simulations with Novabots calls back to Dark Nova and his Novaroids from Return of Convoy
• In the background of Combatmaster's image, you can see a familiar silhouette: Skyquake, who's thought to be cast as Scrash, the Decepticon Führer.
• Though not explicitly stated, these characters got upgraded: Tread Bolt, Breeze Master, Straxus and Onslaught.

[Va'al]

Wait, I just spotted this: three arms and a leg?

[Rushie]

Wait, I just spotted this: three arms and a leg?

Yeah, the Spaher Drone (armored car) should be a leg. You could view this error as a reference that one has to pay three arms and a leg to get the United EX repaints.