ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
FUNCTION: AIR & SEA ASSAULT
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION 2 # 1
“I like the sea far away and my feet on the ground.”
Profile: Broadside is very uncomfortable about transforming to aircraft
carrier or jet mode, and with good reason. Floating on water upsets his gyro-balance
circuitry, making him feel as if he’s functioning at less than peak performance
– the mechanical equivalent of seasickness. And he’s even more distressed while
flying since he has a natural fear of heights. He strongly detests these Earthen
forms and is quite vocal about it. But, despite everything, he manages to overcome
these problems in battle. He is an effective and valiant warrior, and his fellow
Autobots value him for these qualities. They just wish Broadside would do his
job without griping so much about it.
Abilities: In aircraft carrier mode, Broadside expands his form to a
1200-foot length, giving him the capacity of landing jet aircraft and carrying
other Autobots and vehicles. Having little offensive capability of his own in
this mode, Broadside relies on these “passengers” for protection.
His titanium-steel hull and deck protects him from most artillery fire, but
he’s vulnerable to high-energy beam weapons. An internal fusion reactor powers
him in this mode, allowing him a speed of 40 knots and a range of 15,000 miles.
In jet mode, he can reach speeds of 1800 mph and has a range of 2500 miles.
He can project a powerful electric field around his jet form that will jolt
anything within 1.5 miles of him with 80,000 volts. Of course, for this weapon
to be effective, his target has to be electrically grounded somehow. In robot
mode, he carries a high-energy plasma-pulse gun and a vibro-ax that shatters
whatever it cleaves into by emitting powerful high frequency vibrations.
Weaknesses: Aside from the aforementioned seasickness, fear of heights,
and lack of offensive capabilities while in carrier mode, Broadside also suffers
severe corrosion when exposed to salt water for extended periods. His armored
skin flakes and peels if he’s at sea for longer than two days.
