Onslaught is a Military Flatbed Transporter armed with a set of elevating dual cannons behind the cab. There's 3 sets of wheels: a pair at the front, two pairs about half way along and a third pair at the rear - it's a long vehicle with space at the back for carrying extra equipment - Brawl might be quite good ! The majority of the truck is cast in dark blue/green except the sides of the front & the cannon body which is olive green and the cannons themselves & all the combination accessories which are a silver grey.
Like all the Special Team/Scramble City combiners Onslaught has a third mode: Separate the cab halves and fold back so they cover the second set of wheels. Pull back and then separate the flatbed at the back of the truck down the middle, fold to the sides at the joint behind the cannon, then fold back in at the second joint and push the sides of the flatbed up so the joints are covered. Place the supplied ramp in the opened out back of the truck. Remove the dual cannon. Rotate the exposed robot head till it faces up and place the cannon over the robot head.
Of all the combiner leaders base modes this looks the most realistic, almost like a bridge layer.
Now onto the real base mode fun !
He combines with Metroplex & Trypticon ! At the end of what Metroplex's leg transforms into there's a rectangular hole that perfectly fits the back of Onslaught's head (or Silverbolt's landing gear) Use this to fasten Onslaught into place as extra space for Metroplex. You might ask why would a Decepticon toy couple to an Autobot toy ? Well it's generally believed that both toys are what Diaclone would have produced next if Takara had continued that line and there are no sides in Diaclone. Trypticon has a number of connectors included that allow you to link combiner bases up to it's base mode - Trypticon is believed to be a latter designed toy.
The other point about Onslaught's base mode is there is a specific variation relating to the Japanese version - it contains a launcher on the back of the base where the olive green panels are that propels vehicles down the ramp. For more details see the Japnese Launcher Version at Fred's Variation Questl
TF to robot mode: Fold up the back of the truck, pull down on the same piece and then separate to form the legs. Fold the cab halves back to cover the wheels at the side and extend the fists. Place the small chest plate in the hole on the chest and place the gun in the fist.
Onslaught has a very Prime like head - was he originally intended to be a new version of Optimus in Diaclone ? He has little meaningful articulation in this mode with what's in the legs just used in TF'ing to base mode so really all you have are the shoulders which shrug up as part of the TF and move back & forth.
In the west Onslaught was available by himself only - there's no G1 Bruticus giftset issued by Hasbro. However GIGI in Italy did issue one, as did Takara in Japan where Onslaught was numbered toy D-64 or in the Bruticus giftset numbered D-69. Onslaught was re-released in the UK & Europe in the gold Transformers Classics packaging in the early 1990s.
Overall: Better than Silverbolt & Motormaster all round, on a par with Hotspot for the robot, slightly ahead on vehicle mode due to Hotspot's silly colouring and winning hands down on base mode. Well worth a look.
The main vehicle is cast in blue plastic with grey for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and black for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.
This version of Onslaught includes an extra missile launcher, same as Jazz & Sideswipe. The G2 version is the only version of Onslaught to have this launcher (his G2 Counterpart Silverbolt includes a pair of the launchers used on the G2 Decepticon jets and extra holes under the wings to attach them to). The missile launcher is a modified version of one sold with the 1991 version of the GI Joe Snow Serpent (see Yo Joe.com) The dual cannon on the back of the truck has an extra hole to mount the small peg on the launcher's handle in in vehicle mode and this hole is carried over into all subsequent versions. The larger portion of the peg is held by both Onslaught & Bruticus' hands.
G2 Onslaught was only available by himself - there's no G2 Bruticus giftset.
Onslaught gains a second new hole on the launcher to carry the large gun in vehicle mode. The large gun gains a hole through it for combining the small robot weapons in combined robot form. The cab has an upside down G2 Autobot symbol on the side - see the Car Robots Black Convoy review for info on *why* this is there.
Dollrailer is Car Robots toy D-010 and is also available in the Baldigus giftset D-011.
Mega-Octane is part of one of the frequent problems that afflict the UK TF line:
RID UK Cases:
1) 3 each of 2 of the cars, 2 each of the other
2) 1 each of each of the combiner limbs + 1 of Mega-Octane + 3 random ones from the case. Exclusive to Woolies (The limbs for Ruination weren't exclusive and sold later on)
3) 3 each of 2 of the super versions of the cars, 2 each of the other
This meant that Mega-Octane sold slowly at the time because of no limbs, and all the limbs sold very badly everywhere due to no body for the combined form. A US case with the Super Car brothers, Mega-Octane & the Build Team later shows at TRU on grey import and instantly helps to clear up their Combaticon limb problem.
What the RID UK Cases *SHOULD* have been:
1) 2 each of all 3 cars, 1 Skid-Z vs Windsheer, 1 TowLine vs Skyfire
2) 2 each of each of the combiner limbs
3) 2 each of all 3 super versions of the cars, 2 of Mega-Octane (this wave
shipped concurrent with the limbs for Ruination)
Mega-Octane is broadly similar to Car Robots Dollrailer. However all the gold parts are now cast in grey, the G2 Autobot symbol is gone replaced by a large Decepticon symbol on the roof.
Mega-Octane was only available on a deluxe card - there is no Robots In Disguise Ruination giftset.
This makes for a rather plain looking Transporter and Robot but aids the combined form by giving it a unified colour scheme.
Mega-Octane was available solely in the Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart
Orange is used for the sides of the transporter & cannon body plus the gun, and gold for the dual cannons, ramp and combined robot parts.
Mega-Octane was available solely in the Universe Ruination giftset only available at Wal-Mart.