Build Team (RID)

The Build Team is an Autobot combiner team from the 2001 Robots in Disguise continuity family.

We inexplicably follow a young boy for reasons we are not entirely clear on!

The Build Team is a team of Autobot engineers and architects, responsible for building the Global Space Bridge on Earth. They can also combine into the super robot Landfill. Optimus Prime values them as builders, but would generally prefer to keep them away from the battlefield. It's easy to see why: They are the worst fighters on his team, bar none. (They got their asses handed to them by the Predacons, of all beings). Unfortunately, the Build Team has a tendency to charge recklessly into battle, often with very painful results for them.

This team consists of:

• Wedge (Leader)
• Grimlock
• Hightower
• Heavy Load

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

Ginyu Force ?

The Build Team accompanied Optimus Prime's team to Earth, and were responsible for constructing the Global Space Bridge. While they worked hard to build and maintain the Autobots' infrastructure, they really wanted to prove themselves as warriors, especially Wedge. They eventually got the opportunity to do just that when the Predacons attempted to steal a massive load of diamonds in Antarctica. With the tunnel connecting Metro City to Antarctica incomplete, the team demanded that they be the ones to take on the Predacons, threatening not to complete the tunnel unless they got permission. Optimus Prime and T-AI reluctantly agreed.

The team quickly built the tunnel and attempted to engage the enemy, but it turned out to be a trap set by Sky-Byte as part of a poorly thought out scheme to gain favor with Megatron. Nonetheless, the Build Team rushed in recklessly, and got totally creamed. Wedge was taken prisoner, and so Heavy Load offereda complete map of the Global Space Bridge in exchange for the commander's life. Sky-Byte eagerly accepted, at which point the Decepticons showed up and the villains started fighting among themselves. Optimus Prime and the Autobot Brothers arrived to bail them out, but the villains ended up escaping. Fortunately, it turned out the disk Heavy Load had traded for Wedge's life was a fake, containing useless data. Even though Build Team had screwed up royally, Optimus Prime considered that they had strong potential and could be mighty warriors with the right training. Wedge's Short Fuse

Later, shortly after completing the Arctic tunnel link, the team was trailed by Ro-Tor to the Global Space Bridge server bunker. The Decepticons were thus able to screw around with the network, throwing the Autobots into complete disarray. After being read the riot act by Rapid Run, Build Team searched in vain for the source of the malfunctions. The tampering was eventually detected by T-AI, allowing the team to restore functionality and then join the rest of the Autobots in attacking Scourge's operation in the Arctic. In an effort to make up for their screw-up, Build Team charged ahead of their comrades and combined into Landfill for the first time, defeating both Scourge and Megatron. Landfill

They would next be seen at the CGA Tower, when a Predacon general destruction operation accidentally turned into a hostage situation. Wedge managed to negotiate, offering Sky-Byte whatever he wanted in exchange for the humans' safety. They were able to build a stable foundation to save the hostages, and later combined once again into Landfill to drive off Scourge. Sky-Byte Saves the Day After that, they took back a shipment of energy the Decepticons had stolen, and Scourge ordered that they be destroyed to deprive the Autobots of their Space Bridge advantage. When the Decepticons attacked various construction sites to draw out the Build Team, Optimus Prime initially kept them in the dark so that they could focus on expanding and maintaining the Global Space Bridge. When Wedge found out what was going on, he decided to deliberately sabotage the Bridge so that they would take on the Decepticons themselves. Build Team managed to win by blowing up a cavern full of oil. A Test of Metal

Some time later, the team was sent to excavate some ruins that Doctor Onishi was investigating. Despite trouble with hallucinations, they dug up the chamber, Fortress Maximus revealing the burial site of Fortress Maximus. They then built him a rather dodgy hiding place to prevent the Predacons getting their hands on him. Koji Gets His Wish

Around the same time, Dr. Onishi was rescued, and the Autobots searched for the O-Parts in earnest. When Wedge and Side Burn's ambitions got the better of them, Build Team challenged the Autobot Brothers to see who could find the most O-Parts. Build Team won. A Friendly Contest

Build Team were later responsible for diggin up the ruins where Cerebros was buried; when he was stolen by the Decepticons, they were among the Autobots who helped get him back. Maximus Emerges When the Decepticons managed to activate Fortress Maximus in the desert, the Build Team cooperated with Team Bullet Train to bring in 1,000 children to regain control. The Human Element They also took part in the final battle against Galvatron. Though they formed Landfill to attack the Megastar, the combiner was quickly blown apart by the battle station's firepower. Wedge didn't fare much better on his lonesome. Surprise Attack! They formed Landfill again to fight Ruination, however when Galvatron used cyber-bats to take the world's children hostage, the Autobots were forced to retreat into the space bridge, which Galvatron flooded with lava. The Autobots dug their way out, only to face Galvatron again. Galvatron's Revenge The Build Team battled on in the form of Landfill, but Galvatron held them in an energy field until his defeat at the hands of Omega Prime.

Afterward, the Build Team returned to their tunnel-building duties. The Final Battle

Universe comic

In Viron 903.0 Beta, the Build Team joined the Dimensional Patrol Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/13 and were abducted by Unicron, becoming briefly involved in a battle between the Children of Primus and the Minions of Unicron. Voice Actor Drama

Shell Game continuity

In Viron 704.31 Epsilon, Megazarak used the Robo-Smasher to convert the Build Team into the Constructicons. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/30

Toys

See Landfill (RID)#Toys

Notes

• The English bios for the Hasbro toys of the individual Build Team members refer to the group instead as both the "construction Autobots" and the "Construction Team".
• A set of alternate heads for Combiner Wars Devastator based on the Build Team was pre-tooled, but never released. The team would have been supplemented with the Generation 1 Autobot Targetmasters Quickmix and Scoop; the remaining Autobot "Double Targetmaster", Landfill, would have been homaged in the combined mode of the same name.
• Either by coincidence or intention, the Build Team homage a group of robots with the same name from Brave Police J-Decker, with a crane, dump truck and excavator, though the RID version differs with a bulldozer instead of a flying drill tank. Additionally, the J-Decker Build Team can also combine with just three members, something Landfill is unable to do.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Buildmaster (ビルドマスター Birudomasutā)
• Italian: Super Costruttori