Real name: Swindle Other known aliases: Crasher (name of release in Italy), Leland (reissue in Japan), Onshore Brain (name of
Chinese made reissue). Occupation: Munitions Expert Current group affiliation: Decepticons/Combaticons Rank: 6 Past group affiliations: Starscream's Brigade Major enemies: Autobots, particularly the Protectabots. First appearance: Transformers: The War Within #2 (Dreamwave comics), Transformers #24 (Marvel comics),
Starscream's Brigade (television series). Origin: Starscream's Brigade (television series). Description: Swindle is a 24 foot tall tan and purple robot who turns into an FMC XR311.
Characteristics
45 STR 10
20 DEX 30
21 CON 22
15 BODY 0
18 INT 8
10 EGO 0
17 PRE 7
10 COM 0
10 PD 6
10 ED 6
4 SPD 10
9 REC 2
44 END 1
38 STUN 2
Characteristics Cost: 104
Powers and Skills
3 1" Change Environment (Light),"Headlights",OIF(-1/2) 0
10 EC (10),"Transformer powers"
26a) 12/12 Armor
13b) 8" Flight,x8 Non-Combat,Only in robot form.(-1/4) 2
27c) 5 LVLS Growth (stats already included),Always On(-1/2),0 END
Persistent(+1) 0
18d) 16" Running,1/2 END(+1/4) 2
7e) Shape Shift,"Truck",Concentrate(-1/4),Cannot change if takes
more than half Body.(-1/4),0 END Persistent(+1) 0
5 5 Flash Defense,Hearing Group
22 Life Support,doesn't breathe,safe in vacuum/pressure,safe in
radiation,safe in heat/cold,immune to aging
78 MP (157),"Weapons",OAF(-1)
8u 10 1/2D6 Drain,"Gyro-gun drains Dex.",fade rate: per minute,
17-32 Charges(+1/4) 0
8u 6D6 RKA,"Scatter Blaster",vs physical defense,17-32 Charges
(+1/4),Area Effect(+1/2) 0
3 Radio XMIT/REC,OIF(-1/2)
6 +3" Running,"Wheels",x4 Non-Combat,has turn mode,OIF(-1/2),
Linked(-1/2),"to Shape Shift.",1/2 END(+1/4) 0
11 45 STR,1/2 END(+1/4) 0
3 Combat Driving 13-
18 6 Levels: with punch, gyro gun and blaster.,tight group
3 Conversation 12-
3 Navigation 11-
7 Persuasion 14-
3 Systems Operation 13-
4 WF,Small Arms,Heavy Weapons
Powers Cost: 286
Disadvantages
Base Points: 250
15 Accidental Chg,"to robot form if stunned.",common,occur 11-
15 Hunted,"By anti-Decepticon forces.",as powerful,harsh,appear
11-
10 Distinctive,"Giant Robot",easily concealable,major
5 Physical Lim,"No hands in vehicle mode.",infrequently,
slightly
5 Psych Lim,"Obsessive",uncommon,moderate
10 Psych Lim,"Loves new weapons.",common,moderate
15 Psych Lim,"Greedy",common,strong
10 Psych Lim,"Violent",common,moderate
5 Rep,"Wheeler Dealer",occur 8-
10 Rep,"Evil alien robot.",occur 8-,extreme reputation
10 Rivalry,"with other Decepticon warriors.",professional,PC
rival
20 Unluck,4D6
10 Watched,"By Decepticon leaders.",more powerful,non-combat
influence,mild,appear 11-
Disadvantages Total: 140
Experience Spent: 0
Total Points: 390
Explanation of the conversion: Swindle's Unluck should usually manifest as him flipping over on sharp turns. Since
Bruticus is impervious to radiation, I decided all his component robots should be too. Although this conversion is intended
for the Generation One version of Swindle, it also works for his Cybertonian and Generation Two forms.
History (Dreamwave comics): Swindle was recruited as a Decepticon under the leadership of Megatron in his war against the Autobots on the planet Cybertron.
Swindle was teamed up with fellow Decepticons Brawl, Onslaught,
Vortex and Blast Off in at attempt to duplicate the success in creating the combiner robot
named Devastator. Their team was called the Combaticons and the united form for the five was
created called Bruticus.
After the Great Shutdown the Combaticons were locked away in a detention center, being seen as too dangerous to allow to
run loose. They were freed by Starscream, who planned to use them to conquor Earth.
Returning to Earth with the Combaticons, Starscream reformatted them into Earth-style
vehicles and attacked the
Autobots remaining on Earth. Forming Bruticus, the Combaticons defeated Jazz, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack and
Windcharger. Only Ratchet and Brawn escaped capture, but as they made their way back to the Ark, they discovered it's
defenses on automatic, and had to fight their way inside. Bruticus followed them and Ratchet had to destroy the Ark in
failed attempt to destroy Bruticus. Starscream eventually captured Ratchet and Brawn, right as an Autobot shuttle and
Sunstorm arrived on Earth (Transformers: Generation One III #1).
Starscream took the Combaticons to an island where they were to train with their prisoner, the Autobot Sky Lynx. They were
attacked by Predaking under the command of Megatron. Predaking defeated Bruticus and Starscream retreated to the Nemesis,
where he found Megatron waiting for him (Transformers: Generation One III #10).
History (Marvel comics): The Combaticons were created on Earth in 1987 by Megatron when
he used one of Bombshell's cerebro-shells to tap into Optimus Prime's Matrix. When Prime
used the Matrix to create the Protectabots, Megatron created the Combaticons.
Don't let Swindle's easygoing, good-natured personality fool you; within him beats the fuel pump of the most greed-driven
street hustler. Without blinking an optical sensor, he'd trade Decepticon leader Megatron's right arm for a toaster if he
needed the toaster badly enough (and if he could get the arm off of Megatron!). He is an opportunist without peer. He
thrives on wheeling and dealing and seemingly is capable of procuring anything to fulfill the design and equipment needs
of his armaments work. Although the weapons he builds are much appreciated, his fellow Combaticons know that Swindle's
efforts on behalf of the Decepticons are a mere sideline to his actual purpose: He is solely concerned with himself, and
most of his entrepreneurial activities are for his own personal material advancement. If he thought it were in his
interest to trade with the enemy, the Autobots, he probably would. He is truly a one-robot "black market."
Trivia: On the Transformers television show, the voice of Swindle is
played by actor Johnny Haymer. Although the toy of swindle is a brown FMC
XR311, he is often depicted as a yellow jeep. The toy of Swindle was made in two versions, one with a metal chest, and
one with a plastic one. Besides the original form Swindle took, he
was also released by a Chinese company as Onshore Brain. There have even been versions of Swindle which are larger and smaller than
the original. The toy of Swindle is similar to that of Rollbar II. Swindle has also been released as an Alternators toy.
Powers: Perhaps Swindle's greatest talent is his gift of gab. He could probably sell oil to an Arab sheik, if given
the chance. In both vehicle and robot modes, he uses two weapons: a scatter blaster that shoots bursts of explosive
buckshot-type pellets over a wide area, and a gyro-gun that disturbs the balance centers of Transformers, severely
hampering their driving, flying, and/or walking. His armor is impervious to most radiation. He forms the left leg when he
combines with his fellow Combaticons Onslaught, Brawl, Vortex and Blast Off to form the giant robot, Bruticus.
Weaknesses: In vehicle mode, Swindle can't handle sharp turns at high speeds very well and is prone to overturning.
Although his exterior is fairly well armored, a direct hit on his unprotected and open dashboard can easily disable him.
Links to other Swindle pages:
Character created by Hasbro.
Champions rules conversion by Mathew R. Ignash - mathewignash@comcast.net.
Last Updated - September, 2005
Trivia: On the Transformers television show, the voice of Swindle is
played by actor Johnny Haymer. Although the toy of swindle is a brown FMC
XR311, he is often depicted as a yellow jeep. The toy of Swindle was made in two versions, one with a metal chest, and
one with a plastic one. Besides the original form Swindle took, he
was also released by a Chinese company as Onshore Brain. There have even been versions of Swindle which are larger and smaller than
the original. The toy of Swindle is similar to that of Rollbar II. Swindle has also been released as an Alternators toy.
Powers: Perhaps Swindle's greatest talent is his gift of gab. He could probably sell oil to an Arab sheik, if given
the chance. In both vehicle and robot modes, he uses two weapons: a scatter blaster that shoots bursts of explosive
buckshot-type pellets over a wide area, and a gyro-gun that disturbs the balance centers of Transformers, severely
hampering their driving, flying, and/or walking. His armor is impervious to most radiation. He forms the left leg when he
combines with his fellow Combaticons Onslaught, Brawl, Vortex and Blast Off to form the giant robot, Bruticus.
