Armorhide (RID)

Armorhide is a Decepticon Commando originally from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.

"Damn it, Lupin!"

Armorhide (aka Dangar) is a member of the Commandos, the team that combines into Ruination. Like your typical weapon-wielding army vehicle, he favors active aggression over elaborate planning. His favorite tactic is to wait under scorching desert sands (which he finds really comfortable) then leap out in explosive fury at an unsuspecting target. His Cybertitanium caterpillar tank treads enable him to traverse even the roughest terrain with ease.

Despite his violent nature, he is often partnered with the more easy-going Rollbar.

After battle, he looks forward to a nice sand bath.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Voice actor: Richard Epcar (English), Takayuki Kondō (Japanese), Mikhail Tihonov (Russian), Gabriel Chávez (Latin-American Spanish), Maurício Berger (Brazilian Portuguese)

"Why no, I've never seen David Cronenberg's Crash. Why do you ask?"

Armorhide was originally one of a group of Autobots led by Scourge, who traveled to Earth in a protoform state. Their ship crashed, and years later was dug up by a group of Predacons under Megatron's leadership. Taken to McKinley Army Base, the Predacons scanned army vehicles as Megatron infused them with his spark energy. For Armorhide, Slapper scanned a tank, claiming it would make a great Decepticon. Though the newly born-Decepticons were ready to fight, Megatron ordered them to retreat so they could re-power. The Decepticons The new troops' first mission was to destroy a dam, giving Armorhide the chance to use his plasma mortars. They planted pulsar bombs on Sherman Dam, however when Sky-Byte took control of the bombs, preventing them from firing, Mega-Octane, Armorhide and Rollbar blasted a hole in the dam. This released the Autobot Brothers from their watery prison, and Armorhide ended up tussling with Side Burn. The subsequent arrival of Team Bullet Train and their combination into Rail Racer led the Commandos to undergo their first merging into Ruination, but the combined power of the Autobots was too much for them and they beat a hasty retreat. Commandos

The Commandos unsuccessfully fought against the Spychangers on Montrose Island Volcano after which they substituted Movor for a real space shuttle, shooting the Decepticon into orbit so he could try to find the Autobots' secret base. The most Armorhide found during the search was a comb and an old cola bottle. The Commandos were eventually lured to Pier 7B, where the Autobots sprung a trap. Armorhide suggested forming Ruination, missing the fact that Movor was still in space, and things subsequently didn't go too well. Attack from Outer Space

"Worst thing of the Gulf war?, those camel spiders, freaking things crawled between my tracks, Gross!"

The next cunning plan was to try to make the Autobots think that the Decepticons were defecting. The Autobot Brothers tested them by forcing them to do various menial tasks, which they threw themselves into in an attempt to lull the Autobots into a false sense of security. Armorhide went along with it, complaining whenever he felt he could get away with it, but at the last minute, Scourge snapped, giving the game away and resulting in Optimus Prime chasing the Decepticons off. The Test

Scourge, Mega-Octane, Armorhide and Rollbar attacked a power plant, only for Sky-Byte and his three sidekicks to show up disguised as Autobots. Armorhide used his armor blast on Sky-Byte, setting the Predacon alight, but the Decepticons didn't have as much luck against the real Autobots. Attacks at several other power plants didn't go much better, despite Megatron lending a hand. The Fish Test The Decepticons later interrupted one of Sky-Byte's plans, and obtained a disk which appeared to be a map to the Global Space Bridge system. Unfortunately when they used it, it turned out to be a map of the local sewer system, and the Decepticons found themselves on the business end of Optimus's blizzard storm. Wedge's Short Fuse

When once again, X-Brawn slipped through the Decepticons' fingers using the Global Space Bridge, Armorhide complained that they really needed to find a way to blow it up. They eventually did find the control center for the space bridge, and Armorhide was ready to go in and trash the place, but Scourge decided to go with Rollbar's plan to sabotage the controls instead. Soon Armorhide and the other Commandos were causing havoc across Metro City in an attempt to lure the Autobots into using the space bridge. The Build Team soon realised what had happened, defeated the Commandos and repaired the space bridge. Landfill Later the Decepticons attempted to intercept Optimus Prime, who they believed was taking the O-Parts to Sky-Byte, however even combining into Ruination didn't help them and the Autobot leader once again defeated them. Sky-Byte Saves the Day

Stompy stompy!

After their raid on the East Power Station was foiled by the Build Team, the Commandos resolved to get their revenge on the Autobots. To this end, they started attacking construction sites in an attempt to goad the Build Team into fighting them. Armorhide appeared to take particular relish in stomping on construction machinery. Eventually they drew the Build Team out and were able to dominate them in combat, at least until Landfill led Ruination into an oil-filled cavern and ignited it, blasting the Commandos into the ocean. A Test of Metal

A later raid on an oil refinery went better—while the Autobot Brothers did turn up, they were prevented from stopping the Decepticons by the arrival of Ultra Magnus. Still, the Decepticons only got a portion of the fuel and, at Megatron's orders, set up a trap for the Autobot Brothers. Instead they got Ultra Magnus, whose fighting skills outclassed theirs. Even forming Ruination didn't help, and the Decepticons were forced into a retreat with the arrival of Optimus Prime. Ultra Magnus Back in the Megastar, they watched the fight between Optimus and Ultra Magnus, as Movor spied on it from orbit. When Megatron demand to know why the Decepticons hadn't been able to defeat Prime, Scourge claimed that a recurring problem was Armorhide's periodic inability to fly. Though Optimus lost, he was taken by the other Autobots to an island to recuperate, and Megatron and his troops went there to finish the job. Despite the Commandos forming Ruination, they were no match for Omega Prime, the combined form of Optimus and Ultra Magnus, and retreated hastily. Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!

Dangar, don't you know that you are cool as slag on the inside?

Some time later, the Decepticons were able to take the Autobot Brothers captive, allowing the Decepticons and Megatron to inflict some punishment on Optimus and Rail Racer, who were unable to fight back. Unfortunately Ultra Magnus rescued the three brothers, and Megatron's forces were soon in retreat once again. The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus Armorhide joined Scourge, Sky-Byte, Megatron, and the rest of the Commandos in watching archival footage of Ultra Magnus in order to get a better understanding of their newly arrived enemy. Mystery of the Ultra Magnus Scourge attempted to get Ultra Magnus to join him in destroying Optimus, but Magnus turned him down, resulting in the Decepticons springing a trap on the Autobot. Though Side Burn and Prowl attempted to help Magnus, the renegade Autobot promptly left them to it, and they were little match for Ruination. Of course, the arrival of Optimus and return of Magnus turned things pretty firmly back in the Autobots' favour, and the Decepticons retreated once again. Power to Burn!

More information was gleaned from the captured Doctor Onishi's mind—there were strange ruins beneath Metro City which emanated powerful energy. The Decepticons set out to find the ruins and promptly ran into the Spychangers. Armorhide and Rollbar were left to do battle and easily dispatched the six Autobots, before rejoining the other Decepticons in a tunnel dug by the Build Team. As they neared the source of the power, Rollbar started hallucinating that Armorhide was Sky-Byte, which seemed to irritate Armorhide no end. Finally they reached the ruins, and combined into Ruination to fight the Autobots. Fortress Maximus Chased off by Fortress Maximus's defense systems, the Commandos formed Ruination to keep Rail Racer busy while Scourge attempted to access Maximus again. Koji Gets His Wish

With the hunt for the O-Parts on, the Decepticons confronted the Autobot Brothers and Build Team, who had found an O-Part, and demanded they hand it over. The Autobots promptly disappeared through the Global Space Bridge, starting a game of cat and mouse. The Decepticons eventually cornered them in Egypt, however Sky-Byte's bungling made recovering the O-Parts impossible. A Friendly Contest Spying from space, Movor spotted the Autobots in the Sahara Desert, and Megatron and the Decepticons arrived in time to attack Side Burn. Venturing into the subterranean ruins, they found the Autobots had located the Orb of Sigma, and the Decepticons fought them while Megatron went for the Orb. Ultimately they were unsuccessful and, with the loss of Megatron, the Decepticons retreated back to the Megastar. Peril from the Past

Without Megatron's leadership, the Decepticons had a lot more freedom to do what they wanted. They tracked the Autobots to an old temple, where they were able to snatch Cerebros, the key to controlling Fortress Maximus, away with the help of the Predacons. Maximus himself was soon located and, despite the Autobots attempting to defend the giant, Scourge was able to use Cerebros to activate him. The Commandos combined into Ruination during the following battle, however Scourge's lack of ability to control Maximus and the return of Megatron as Galvatron resulted in the Decepticons retreating. Maximus Emerges

A second attempt in the desert to control Maximus, with Ruination providing backup, didn't go any better The Human Element and during a third attempt, Scourge's treachery was revealed to Galvatron. Mistaken Identity This resulted in Galvatron forcibly reprogramming all of the Decepticons to obey his will, and putting them under the command of Sky-Byte for an assault on Autobot headquarters. Pursuing the fleeing Optimus Prime, the Decepticons and Predacons were led into a trap, though the arrival of the Megastar and Fortress Maximus rendered them superfluous anyway. They watched as Maximus defeated the Megastar, and Galvatron fell to the ground. Surprise Attack! Galvatron was not out, however, and the Decepticons defended him while he drained energy from Fortress Maximus. He sent Ruination and Scourge into the Global Space Bridge after the retreating Autobots, before himself flooding the tunnel with lava by rupturing the tunnel wall. Galvatron's Revenge They survived the lava, only to be swiftly defeated by the Autobot forces. After Galvatron's defeat, they were shipped off to the asteroid prison colony with Galvatron and the Predacons. The Final Battle

Dreamwave Robots in Disguise comic

Assigned to help Scourge attack an energy research facility in Arizona, Armorhide sat around in tank mode until the arrival of Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. Then he was shot repeatedly by Magnus, and that was pretty much his contribution to the operation until Scourge ordered the Decepticons pursue the Predacons, who'd snatched the nuclear generator they were after. Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?

Unite Warriors/Legends

Back in their own time after being captured by Fire Convoy's Dimensional Patrol, Armorhide and the other combining Combatrons were placed on trial for their actions. Found guilty, they were sentenced to forcible reformatting in order to return them to their original Autobot selves.

Unicron appeared before their sentence was carried out, offering to save the Combatrons and give them new bodies, in exchange for their service. Mega-Octane agreed on behalf of his troops, and Unicron transported his new servants to the year 2021. The Combatrons occupied the Autobot and Decepticon forces while Unicron's loyalists assembled an enormous joint cube to let his head connect with Cybertron, making it into a new body for him.

Their mission accomplished, the Combatrons asked for permission to depart. Unicron granted it, suggesting they proceed...on their way to oblivion. By taking over Cybertron in the present, Unicron would ensure that the Combatrons were never born in the future! The Combatrons turned on Unicron before they were erased completely from history, forming Ruination. Ruination Chapter, Part One After Unicron was defeated thanks to the efforts of Ruination and other combiners, the Combatrons rejoined Scourge and Sky-Byte on their quest to rescue their leader Devil Gigatron. Ruination Chapter, Part Two

The Combatrons stopped by Earth and occupied a bathhouse while discussing their next move, giving Armorhide a chance to enjoy a nice steamy bath. Strategy Meeting in an Earth Bath?!

After recovering the ship they once arrived on Earth with, Scourge led them in an attack Neo Brave Maximus where Devil Gigatron was being held. While they managed to infiltrate the ship, the Combatrons were shocked to learn that their leader had joined the Dimensional Patrol in the meantime. LGEX Scourge Prologue With Scourge forcibly reverted into a heroic protoform as well, the Combatrons fled to the Legends World where their former commander began to hunt them down. Armorhide was converted into a protoform while attempting to help a turned Rollbar, but was restored after Scourge turned on the Patrol. Bonus Edition Vol. EX

Scourge and the other Combatrons continued traveling together with Dark Ai, seeking their own destiny. Epiloge

Universe comic

The Armorhide of Viron 704.31 Epsilon came under the command of Megazarak after the death of Megatron. However, the Commandos, Constructicons, and Megabolt were abducted by Unicron for the Universe War. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/30

As part of Ruination, Armorhide and the Decepticons were sent by Unicron along with Reptilion, Sunstorm, and Perceptor to intercept some extra-dimensionals Unicron wanted for the Cauldron. Ruination's group was successfully fought off by the Children of Primus. Voice Actor Drama

Ask Vector Prime

Bio Ranger Iga selected a Viron Ruination from Greengard to be one of his Thirteen Great Demon Generals. Presumably Armorhide was part of this Ruination. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/27

Beast Wars: Uprising

Dangar was part of a special unit of commandos in the Resistance called upon by Lio Convoy to do the unthinkable. As weapons of last resort, each was fitted with an alt-mode adaptation and a core bomb connected to their sparks. When they now transformed, these K-Class Maximals became living bombs, weapons of mass destruction. Even Lio Convoy never expected the Grand Uprising to grow so dire to require their use, but the Vehicons changed all that. These sparkless, unstoppable drones infected their victims with nanites, changing the fallen into more Vehicons. The cities of Carpessa, Damaxus, and Protihex fell to the Vehicons before the Resistance even knew they existed. In Operation: Amputation, Lio Convoy deployed the K-Class Commandos to wipe out the cities before the Vehicon plague spread. Dangar struck Carpessa successfully, but Movor's delay over Protihex led to an incomplete burn, and the Vehicons spread beyond its borders anyway. Derailment

Velocitron Speedia 500

Armorhide was one of many spectators for the Speedia 500 race on Velocitron. Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 2

Games

Transformers Roleplaying Game

So anyway, I started blasting!

The untrustworthy Armorhide was an ex-Autobot who became a Decepticon commando after ignoring the Autobot code. Merciless and untrustworthy, even his own teammates struggled to trust him. Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook Decepticon Directive

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2001)

Does he have a German accent? (Car Robots Dangar)

Thomas the TANK! (Robots in Disguise Armorhide pictured)

• Dangar (2000)
• Armorhide (Basic Class, 2001)

• Takara ID number: D-007
• Takara release date: July ??, 2000
• Accessories: Pistol, large cannon

A redeco of the "Generation 1" Brawl toy, Robots in Disguise Armorhide transforms into a Leopard 1A3 MBT. He has a large non-firing double-barreled blaster that attaches to the back of his vehicle mode; this piece was also slightly retooled from the original which lets his pistol be mounted between the barrels in tank mode.

As the toy uses the "Scramble City" style of connection, he can form any limb to any combination of similar robots, though naturally he normally forms a limb to the combined robot Ruination; as the left leg in the more-common "Flight Mission" mode (where his turret ends up in the back of the leg, as opposed to in the front as in other versions of this mold-set), or the right arm for "Land Mission" mode. The double-cannon can be mounted on Rollbar's cannon to make one of the super-robot's combo weapons.

He was first released as part of the fifth wave of Takara's Car Robots line in 2000 as "Dangar", colored in a tan-and-brown desert camo scheme.

In 2001, Hasbro released the toy in the third wave of Robots in Disguise Basics. Armorhide is the most drastically-changed of all the Commandos between the two releases, now sporting light blue and dark gray plastic with black-with-white camo. Though it has never been officially confirmed why the change was made, it is possible this change was done in order to sell the toy in German shops, where "realistic military" toys like tanks in "realistic military" decos are verboten. And of course, like his fellow Commandos, the Takara version's "Anti-Cybertron" badge was replaced with a Decepticon symbol.

This mold was also used to make the Operation Combination Decepticon Sandstorm.

• More information on Armorhide at TFU.info

"But then again...they do make nifty boxsets."

• Baldigus (Multi-pack, 2000)

• ID number: D-011
• Release date: July ??, 2000
• Accessories: Pistol, large cannon

In Japan, "Dangar" was also made available as part of a complete team multi-pack with his teammates Dolrailer, Shuttler, Greejeeber, and Hepter. All of the toys in the set are identical to their individual Japanese releases, but the set only came with a bio card for the combined form.

Sonokong also released this gift set in Korean markets with no differences other than the packaging.

• Ruination (Ultra Class multi-pack, 2003)

• Takara release date: September 26, 2003
• Accessories: Pistol, large cannon

The entire Commando team was redecoed in various shades of gray and black with "urban camo" patterns, as well as an amazing amount of robot mode paint detailing and some dirt-washes, as part of a Walmart-exclusive gift set. This was oddly released well after the end of the main Robots in Disguise line.

This set was made available in Japan as a "USA Edition" release, available only to retailers participating in Toy's Dream Project's "Toy Card" program. This was a straight release of the toy in Hasbro packaging, with some extra stickers added for "USA Edition" branding and Japanese legal information.

• More information on Walmart Armorhide at TFU.info

Universe (2003)

Now covered with delicious caramel and chocolate drizzle!

• Ruination (Ultra Class multi-pack, 2004)

• Accessories: Pistol, large cannon

The entire Ruination team was redecoed again to make another Walmart exclusive set, this time with a unified "desert camo" theme, under the Universe banner. The deco was seemingly inspired by Ruination's original Takara colour scheme, with gold combiner kibble and beige "desert camo" not unlike Armorhide's original plastic (albeit with a different pattern), allowing fans to Frankenstein together a show-accurate Ruination. It came out at the same time as five other Walmart Transformers exclusives, which led to a rather severe glut. Ruination seemed a particularly slow mover in this batch.

• More information on Universe Armorhide on TFU.info

Unite Warriors

OHHH MMYYYY PPPPRRRIIIMMMAAASSSS!!!

• Baldigus (Giftset, 2017)

• ID number: UW-EX
• Release date: March 31, 2017
• Accessories: Cannon barrel/rifle, handgun

Unite Warriors Dangar is a redeco of Combiner Wars Brawl (of course), transforming into a tank of indeterminate, probably-made-up model. Though the turret cannot rotate, the barrel can hinge up and down. Said barrel can also pop off for Dangar to wield in robot mode as a rifle. He also comes with a redeco of Unite Warriors Scavenger's gun.

As a Combiner Wars Deluxe-sized figure mold, he can combine with any compatible Voyager Class torso to form a super-robot limb, though once again he is meant to combine with his box-set-mates Dolrailer, Greejeeber, Hepter, and Shuttler to form Baldigus.

This set was the sixth TakaraTomy Mall exclusive set in the line, and the final Unite Warriors release period. It was also the fourth toy to have the "UW-EX" ID "number", shared with Grand Scourge, Lynxmaster, and Megatronia.

Notes

• Armorhide's Japanese name is meant to be a pun on "tanker" (タンカー tankā), replacing the consonant sounds with their voiced versions (indicated with minor changes in Japanese writing); this fits with the other Combatron names all being based on corruptions of their vehicle modes (Greejeeber = green jeep, etc.). This wordplay is difficult to retain in English while maintaining the -er ending that all the Combatrons share. Interestingly, TakaraTomy officially chose to go with an "-ar" and not an "-er" Romanized spelling for the Unite Warriors release.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Dangar (ダンガー Dangā), Armorhide (アーマーハイド Āmāhaido)
• Korean: Dangar (단가 Danga)