The series after that, Operation Combination, is primarily a series of battles between Battle Gaea (recolored Bruticus) and Guard City (recolored Defensor), with various six-combiners such as Sixturbo, Sixbuilder, and more. Both series were never animated, told instead in stories through the Japanese publication TV Magazine.
Links to scans of the catalogs for both series can be found at the bottom of the page.
Click on a link here to go directly to an entry, or scroll down:
Battle Gaea
Grandus
Guard City
Sky Garry
Star Convoy and Hot Rodimus
Super Megatron/Ultra Megatron, Dark Nova,
and Star Giant
- Front of box (50K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Back of box (47K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Front of giftset box (39K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Battle Gaea himself (30K, figure, 10/27/00). Compared to any other Bruticus-based figures past and future, Battle Gaea has a lot more stickers on his chest/torso plate.
- The recolored Combatrons' robot modes (28K, figure, 10/27/00).
- The recolored Combatrons' vehicle modes (16K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Great Cannon (Onslaught) in base mode, with Sandstorm (Brawl) in front of it (16K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Vehicle modes (16K, figure, 2/23/00). The front of the boxes are also shown, including one for Guard City.
- Robot modes (10K, figure, 2/23/00).
- Battle Gaea (10K, figure, 2/23/00).
- Larger picture (a scan) of Battle Gaea (99K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Great Cannon (Onslaught) in truck mode (40K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Great Cannon (Onslaught) in robot mode (71K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Shuttle Gunner (Blast Off) in space shuttle mode (27K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Shuttle Gunner (Blast Off) in robot mode (39K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Leeland (Swindle) in jeep mode (37K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Leeland (Swindle) in robot mode (35K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Sandstorm (Brawl) in tank mode (31K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Sandstorm (Brawl) in robot mode (27K, figure, 5/1/00).
- Scan of Target Hawk (Vortex) in helicopter mode (45K, figure, 5/1/00).
Battle Gaea, also known as Battle Gaia, is the main villain after the defeat of the tentacled Unicron-like creature Dark Nova and his successive versions of Megatron (Super Megatron and then Ultra Megatron) in Battlestars. He battled Guard City, who looks like a recolored Defensor, in the Operation Combination series. This series took place after the Return of Convoy / Battlestars series.
The Destron figure is basically a recolored Bruticus who can split into five robots: Great Cannon (Onslaught), Shuttle Gunner (Blast Off), Leeland (Swindle), Sandstorm (Brawl), and Target Hawk (Vortex).
Here are a few pictures of Battle Gaea which I found:
The following are pictures contributed by Yao Pang ([email protected]) of Battle Gaea figure and the individual recolored Combatron (Combaticon) members: LATEST!
The following are pictures of the Kabaya model kit for Battle Gaea, supplied by Red ([email protected]). Note: The black and red Transformer is actually a Micromaster named Gunrunner (recolored Roadhandler of the Autobot Race Car Patrol) of the Cybertron Sports Car Patrol Team. He is not part of the Battle Gaea combiner team. The dime coin is just for size comparison.
Yao Pang's scans of the instruction sheet that comes with Battle Gaea
can be found
here.
- Robot mode (21K, figure, 11/24/98). As far as I know, Grandus has the most blocky Transformer body of all Transformer figures.
- Battlestation mode (26K, figure, 11/24/98). Like Star Convoy, his robot head still is visible in this mode.
Grandus is a Cybertron who joined
Sky Garry
to resurrect Convoy (the original Optimus Prime)
in a new body,
Star Convoy.
Grandus transforms into a large Micromaster battlestation. His figure
has an operable elevator, which can be run automatically by the Star
Convoy figure's motorized platform. In the series he and the other
Cybertrons battled and eventually destroyed the main villain, Dark Nova,
a tentacled Unicron-like creature, and his successive versions of
Megatron.
Grandus can link up as a secondary trailer to Star Convoy and have Sky Garry
land on him to form the Battlestars.
Here are some pictures I found of the Grandus figure:
For more pictures of Grandus, check out JTF Online and my catalog section below.
The 1996 Brave series, Dug-On, The Heroes' Command, has a rerelease of
Grandus with a new color scheme and some mold changes as Dug-Base.
To see pictures of him contributed by Evan Johns, go
here.
- Front of box (32K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Inside the box (17K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Large view from a catalog (119K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Front of giftset box (29K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Guard City himself (28K, figure, 10/27/00). His colors remain largely unchanged from the original mold's colors. Some of Hot Spot's blue became Fire Chief's red, Blade's red became Fly-Up's dark blue, and grey colors became white.
- The Protectobots' regular vehicle modes (18K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Fire Chief's base mode and the others' armed vehicle modes (23K, figure, 10/27/00).
- The Protectobots' robot modes (30K, figure, 10/27/00).
- Boxes (16K, figure, 2/23/00).
Guard City is a Cybertron gestalt who battled Battle Gaea, who looks like a recolored Bruticus, in the Operation Combination series, which took place after the Return of Convoy/Battlestars series. The figure is a recolor of Defensor who can split into five robots: Fire Chief (Hot Spot), Fly-Up (Blades), Safety (First Aid), Sparkride (Groove), and Streetstar (Streetwise).
The following are some pictures of Guard City which I found:
The following are pictures contributed by Yao Pang ([email protected]) of Guard City and the individual members: LATEST!
The following is a picture of the Kabaya model kit for Battle Gaea, supplied by Red ([email protected]), which contains a box of the Kabaya model kit for Guard City.
- Front of box (22K, figure, 11/24/98).
- In robot and base modes (25K, figure, 11/24/98). For more pictures like this, check out JTF Online.
Sky Garry is a Cybertron who joined
Grandus
to revive Convoy (the original Optimus Prime)
in a new form,
Star Convoy.
Sky Garry transforms into an air carrier (which can carry up to three
Micromaster trailers) and a small Micromaster base.
He worked with Star Convoy and Grandus to stop and destroy the
series' main villain, Dark Nova, a tentacled Unicron-like creature,
and his successive versions of
Megatron. Sky Garry can land on
Grandus, who can be linked up with Star Convoy to form the Battlestars.
Here are some pictures which I found of the Sky Garry figure:
Pictures of Sky Garry can also be found in the Battlestars
catalog, which I scanned in and placed in its own section
below.
- Front of box (22K, figure, 11/24/98).
- Side of box (45K, figure, 11/24/98). Notice that only his lower body is actually transformed to form his base mode.
- From the series' catalog (68K, figure, 11/24/98). Notice that Star Convoy's lower torso here seems to have a different color (white) than in the previous picture (black), which might be of a prototype or a variation. There are also two scenes of Hot Rodimus here.
- Star Convoy and Hot Rodimus (67K, figure, 11/24/98). This is a close view of the drawing in the upper part of the previous picture.
- Battle scene (74K, figure, 11/24/98).
Notice the conversion of Optimus Prime into Star Convoy. There are also
Hot Rodimus to the lower right of him, Sky Garry and Grandus to the left
of him, and the gestalt Sixliner (made of six trains) to the lower left
of him. Superion was re-released for the series and is visible under the
Japanese word for Transformers to the left. The superjet
Big Powered,
a combined form of Sonic Bomber, Dai Atlas, and Roadfire, has a tail
section just visible peeking out from the word.
Interestingly the domed fortress with the Cybertron (Autobot) symbol on it resembles Iacon. - In space (78K, figure, 11/24/98). This came from a catalog or ad, with a comparison of Star Convoy to the original Convoy (Optimus Prime). There is even a picture of the battle scene found on the back of the boxes for the early Transformers.
- Cover of one of the series' catalogs (65K, figure, 11/24/98). In case you haven't noticed yet, his chest does not actually become the front of his vehicle mode. The cab for the vehicle mode comes from his lower arms, so the cab and the trailer are a single piece.
- Drawing of Star Convoy's various modes (108K, figure, 11/24/98). This came from the series' 2nd catalog.
- Front of Star Convoy's box (93K, figure, 5/20/99). This was scanned in two parts and then joined together. Note the motion blur on his Powered Master-like treads. Like for Dai Atlas and the other Powered Masters of the preceding Zone series, his treads give him great speed in both vehicle and robot modes. The treads are a major feature of his toy figure, too, making him faster than Trypticon, Gigastorm, Omega Supreme, and Sky Lynx, as far as I know. ^_^
- Star Convoy's robot points and tech specs bar graph (31K, figure, 5/21/99). As can be expected, his tech spec readings are all tens. ^_^
- Star Convoy's bio card (33K, figure, 5/21/99). This is from one of the inside flaps at the bottom of his box.
- Right front view of Hot Rodimus in car mode (14K, figure, 4/21/99). Note that the figure is totally red except for the silver chrome used for his face. The colors are actually provided by the stickers. Unlike the earlier Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod) figures, the exhaust pipes has no chrome and curve over his rear tires.
- Upper front view of Hot Rodimus in car mode (10K, figure, 4/21/99).
- Right front view of Hot Rodimus in robot mode (16K, figure, 4/21/99). Note that the spoiler are molded into his lower legs, so unlike the earlier versions of Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod), the spoiler doesn't form his back in robot mode. Interestingly this figure has more posability than the earlier ones, with bendable legs at the knees and pelvis, and arms that can rotate at the shoulders (though not at the elbows).
- Front view of Hot Rodimus in robot mode (15K, figure, 4/21/99).
- Very close view of Hot Rodimus' head and upper body (23K, figure, 4/21/99). His head is remarkably like the one he has in the Transformers movie and afterwards.
- Star Convoy's microtrailer
(28K, figure, 4/21/99).
The microtrailer can hold Micromasters like Hot Rodimus. When the rear door is opened as a ramp, you can push down on the button at the front end to launch any Micromaster vehicle pushed into it. Star Convoy's microtrailer can be stored inside either of his legs in any mode, and you can still launch any Micromaster inside it (after opening all the doors) by pushing down on one of Star Convoy's yellow knee pads. - Star Convoy's microtrailer and Hot Rodimus (23K, figure, 4/21/99). Here Hot Rodimus is rolling down the microtrailer's rear ramp.
- Tread Unit (16K, figure, 6/23/99). This is a detachable part of Star Convoy, providing the treads and motor for the rear part of Star Convoy when in vehicle mode. With four AA batteries inside him, he can roll forward or backward depending on the position of his switch when you turn it on. He can move fast, faster than Trypticon or Sky Lynx at least.
- Star Convoy in vehicle mode (27K, figure, 6/23/99). With the treads underneath his rear section, he can actually roll out! As part of the motorized action, the twin-barrel weapon at the rear rotates around and around in a circle, as if spraying the area with massive firepower. ^_^
- Star Convoy in Micromaster base mode (61K, figure, 6/23/99). The two Bumblebees are there as size references. In the lower right is Micromaster Hot Rodimus standing on a small platform, secured to it by a peg which holds onto a hole on the bottom of his feet. The twin-barrel weapon is connected to the platform, so the motorized action will still work in this mode.
- Left side view of above
(53K, figure, 6/23/99).
Star Convoy's microtrailer can be locked inside either one of his legs,
and still work by pushing down on the corresponding yellow kneecap,
which in turn pushes down on the trigger in the front of the microtrailer
to launch any Micromaster loaded inside. This still works in Star Convoy's
vehicle mode.
As noted before, the upper part of Star Convoy doesn't actually take part in the transformation to base mode. - Top view of Star Convoy's base mode (36K, figure, 6/23/99). Here you can see clearly the extra dark grey ramps attached to the Tread Unit on the far right. The back ramp allows you to put Micromasters on its sides and send them rolling down onto the moving treads when you push down on the center part. This would launch them down the front ramp.
- Star Convoy in robot mode with Hot Rodimus (53K, figure, 6/23/99). Hot Rodimus has a hole on the bottom of his feet that allows him to stand on a peg inside Star Convoy's chest compartment. This also can be done in base mode.
- Star Convoy in robot mode
(36K, figure, 6/23/99).
The chest panel is now closed with Hot Rodimus inside. Star Convoy is now
ready to take on the evil Destrons! ^_^
Note that I left off the stickers from his body's headlights, since I think he looks better without the yellow circular lights on a black background for his headlights. - Above left view of robot mode (41K, figure, 6/23/99).
-
Star Convoy is the return in a new body of
Convoy (Optimus Prime),
who died in the earlier Headmasters series.
Originally revived as Evil Convoy in this series, he was later defeated and
rebuilt by fellow Cybertrons into his Star Convoy form, to whom
Dai Atlas
transferred the Zodiac.
Star Convoy transforms into a long-nose tractor trailer and a Micromaster base, and comes with a Micromaster-sized version of Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod). Both Star Convoy and Grandus can merge into a single battlestation, with Sky Garry capable of landing on this, to form the Battlestars.
Joined by the Cybertron six-combiner Sixliner, a gestalt of six trains, the three giant Cybertrons fought several battles against Dark Nova, a Unicron-like creature with tentacles, and his successive versions of Megatron. Here (43K, series, 11/24/98) is part of the story with the Cybertrons, Dark Nova, and Super Megatron from the back of one of the series' catalogs. Here (25K, series, 3/23/99) is another scene from the story, with Dai Atlas in it, from the back of the series' 1st catalog and the front of the series' 2nd catalog.
Here are various large pictures I found of Star Convoy:
For more Star Convoy pictures like the ones above, check out The Wildrun and JTF Online.
Here are my own scans from Star Convoy's box:
The following are my own pictures of Star Convoy, Hot Rodimus, Tread Unit, and the black microtrailer that comes with them all:
