Setting:Transformers

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Optimus Prime and his Autobots on the left, and Megatron and his Decepticons on the right.

Long before humans took to the stars, the technological race known as the Transformers were a driving force in the galaxy. While not necessarily as ancient as the Eldar or Necrons, the Transformers had forged a thriving civilization long before humanity had begun to even crack rocks together to create fire. At the cusp of the 41st Millennium, however, they are scattered across the galaxy; fragmented and more divided than they have ever been. The lines between their original factions, Autobot and Decepticon, have been blurred and are probably nonexistent to some. The chief reason most Transformers fight is simply for survival. Ever since their Great War some 50,000 years ago, the scattered remnants of their race have the galaxy in search of more of their lifeblood and energy source: Energon. It can be found either in its pure, natural form within a planet’s crust or refined from other types of energy, such as electricity or fossil fuels.

Transformers, like the Necrons, are living machinery composed of an almost “living metal.” However, unlike the Necrodermis of the Necrons, the biology of the Transformers is much more akin to that of organic beings. From their core structure of cybernucleic acid (CNA), to their robotic-skeletal structure, and even their mechanical parts similar to that of biological organs, the Transformers are like a strange, larger than life mimic of most humanoid races. Despite that, the ability that serves as their namesake makes them far more different than any other race that has ever existed. All Transformers have an innate ability to copy and transform into an alternate mode, typically a vehicle of some type. Because of this they're often called “robots in disguise” due to their ability to mimic literally any kind of vehicle they set their optics on. Anything from an Ork Trukk to an Imperial Baneblade is within the realm of possibly as long as the size is appropriate to the Transformer. However they are not necessarily limited to vehicular forms. Some are known to take the forms of animals and beasts, while others can turn into lethal weapon platforms, signal arrays, or even, according to legend, entire cities. Imperial xenologists are unsure how a Transformer’s body adjusts when it acquires a new form.

Relations with the other races of the Milky Way galaxy are hesitant and strained at best. Overall the Transformers are on the defensive, only enacting a major campaign when their very existence is threatened, such as a Tyranid incursion. Both Autobots and Deceptions have been known to fight on the basis of their ideologies, typically derived from the ancient words of their past leaders. Decepticons may also conquer in order to subjugate and enslave the local population, or to simply wage war for the sake of fighting similar to the barbaric Orks. Of course, age old rivalries may transcend quarrels with other species. Autobot and Decepticon are known to clash to this very day, mimicking their civil war all those centuries ago. Despite that, there have been a few occasions where the two band together against a greater threat, such as Transformers under the command of Ultra Magnus and Soundwave holding back the Ork WAAAGH! McSmasher on Sampson II. After the battle, despite simmering hatred between the two factions, both commanders withdrew their troops in peace.

Factions

Autobots: Eons ago, it was said that the Autobots were heralds of peace; bringing justice to all sentient races and defending the inhabitants of the galaxy from the Decepticons. While that may be true, survival is now their first priority. They fight a constant war of attrition with the other races and empires of the galaxy, so simply staying alive is an achievement in of itself. After the disappearance of Optimus Prime during the Horus Heresy, Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus founded the Covenant of Primus; a coalition of the various Autobot subgroups and factions, similar to that of the Dark Angels and their various successor chapters. While each faction has their own tactics and leaders, member groups of the Covenant are in constant contact with one another and often heed the call to aid another faction. Although they are not necessarily united, all Covenant factions proudly wear the Autobot insignia of old, in memory of Optimus Prime, wherever he might be.
- Wreckers: Led by Ultra Magnus, the Wreckers are the most proactive group of the Covenant of Primus. They are always on the front lines, harassing or outright obliterating enemy scouting teams and armies. Currently they are in a hasty but mutually beneficial agreement with the Imperial Inquisition in sabotaging supply lines to Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade. The wreckers bring with them a hefty amount of firepower to the cause of dealing with Abaddon's legions; tearing through the traitor legions as only bots with millions of years of continuous experience and some of the most eclectic weapons and gadgets ever designed by the autobots' scientists and engineers. Though the battles are hard fought, Abaddon's advances have begun to stall, and the Wrecker's assaults on his fleet have contributed heavily to the 13th black crusade's defeat in the space lanes, leaving it trapped on the planets it's assaulted while splinter Warbands from Chaos lords; whether travelling by fleet or portal after tiring of the stalemate on Cadia can be dealt with piecemeal. The Cybertronian's immunity to the zombie plague also assisted in clearing out many of Typhus' attempts to overrun Imperial worlds with his legions of infected cannon fodder.
- Knights of Primus: The mighty warrior known as Grimlock had always struggled under Optimus Prime's authority. Although in the end he respected Optimus like he did no other being, he had little intention of bending his knee to a whelp like Rodimus or someone as cold as Ultra Magnus. He also desired to search for his missing team, fellow ancient Cybertronian Knights who were some of the Autobots' most powerful combat units. He has also vowed to find Optimus Prime and return Cybertron to Primus' children. Those who follow Grimlock into battle are therefore known as the Knights of Primus, a name that Grimlock himself bestowed upon the group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Knights are split off from the Covenant of Primus. Grimlock was always one of the very strongest Autobots excluding abnormally massive transformers, and most foes who crossed blades with him soon paid a heavy price for having the audacity to think that they were his match. Grimlock's Knights of Primus enact justice in their own way, crushing evil in its den whenever they come across it, and doing so almost without restraint or hesitation. As Grimlock primarily respects strength and nobility, he lacks much of the concern for organics that most autobots have. At the same time, he does not have the burning hatred towards humans, for example, that many Decepticons do. He simply does not really care enough to save them, most of the time.

Decepticons: Few things have changed about the Decepticons over the millennia, even after the disappearance of Megatron. A large number believe that the Great War with the Autobots continues to this day. Many Deceptions will still attack an Autobot on sight, particularly if they have the advantage, but that is not necessarily always the case. After Megatron vanished the Decepticons fell into civil war, known to them as the Fracture. Unlike the Autobots who typically seek peace, the Decepticons see the other races of the galaxy as nothing more than than slaves at best, and target practice at worst. The Decepticons overall split into three separate factions, though a great many Decepticon Warlords pay no homage to any of the three:
- Starscream: Megatron’s former conniving lieutenant, his initial attempt to seize power led to the Fracture in the first place. The only Decepticon who advocates ending the Great War entirely arguing that the Cybertronians have allowed themselves to become too weak and scattered in this hostile galaxy. Though smallest of the major Decepticon factions, he is the most ready to ally with the Autobots and has even made tentative attempts at brokering peace. Starscream is determined to exploit any potential source of strength the galaxy offers, and whereas the other Decepticons ignore or despise organics, he recognizes their potential usefulness. To this end, as well as raiding, he makes heavy use of Pretenders, transformers imbued with the unique ability to disguise themselves as organics and walk amongst them, in order to infiltrate and subvert organic societies. Mostly this takes the form of Pretenders attaching themselves to positions of power in order to fund fuel and physical resources to Starscream's forces, but the ever-ambitious Decepticon warlord is more than willing to make use of cults and attempt to subvert organic societies to a near-religious reverence of Transformers, that he may use them. This has led to Starscream's forces controlling a small, but slowly increasing, number of colonies where humans and/or other aliens work for the service of Decepticon masters. All of this would be acceptable to the other Decepticons, but Starscream has gone beyond that; when the warlord recognizes an organic's potential, he takes them and places them under the cyber-conversion process, transforming them into near-Cybertronian mechanical entities that are partnered with other Decepticons, creating Targetmasters, Powermasters, and rarest of all, Headmasters.
- Soundwave: Megatron's former right-hand mech. While Soundwave was known for unflinching loyalty to Megatron, it would be a mistake to assume that Soundwave was a mere servant; in truth, he was an indispensable asset, even a colleague to Megatron in some ways, and he genuinely believes in Megatron's cause. He still believes Megatron lives and is determined to find him, leading a small but hardcore faction of loyalists. Their goal is to find Megatron and lead him back to his rightful place. He frequently clashes with Autobot groups as he remains focused on winning the Autobot/Decepticon war that, in his view, never ended. He is loosely allied with Shockwave's faction, but looks down on him for abandoning the Great War; their relationship is based on Shockwave's need for Soundwave's fighting skills (his own hyper-logical processor often proving disadvantageous in the madness endemic to the 41st Millenium) and Soundwave's need for Shockwave's resources and strongholds. Soundwave is the most zealously anti-organic of the Decepticons, often unleashing his forces against organic targets for no reason but their destruction. Why this is remains unknown; he may simply enjoy using such rampages to keep his troops sated, but others have proposed alternative reasons - a grudge against all organics for interference when Megatron ruled the Decepticons, or that their presence pains this biomechanical pseudo-telepath.
- Shockwave: Former chief strategist of Megatron, Shockwave is driven by logic. He has turned many Decepticons to the cause of surviving and rebuilding their power base, earning the loyalty of the vast majority of remaining Decepticons. He holds an unsteady peace with Soundwave; he needs Soundwave's fighting skills, but he considers prosecuting the war at this current state of affairs to be illogical. Shockwave is dedicated to recovering Cybertron from wherever it may be so that he may claim it for his growing empire of logic, though he remains at odds with the Cyberformers as he believes such xenocidal policies will only cause more problems than they will solve. And of course, if the leader of the Cyberformers is who he expects them to be than he has little chance of taking control over the organization to begin with. Shockwave has a policy of assimilation regarding the many rogue, unaligned Decepticon warbands that traverse the galaxy, offering them a place in his growing empire. If they refuse, then they are told to make their business quick at the very least. For those who refuse his offers of a place, he has them monitored to see what it would take to bring them into the fold.
- Assorted Warlords: In the old days Megatron united the Deceptions through fear and sheer will. While many Decepticons followed Megatron to further their own ambitions or simply to indulge their own psychopathy, very few ever dared to cross him. While the three main Decepticon factions have been able to swallow up the lion's share of the great Decepticon army, many 'Con warlords have spread across the galaxy and possibly beyond, carving out their own little empires and ruling them as they see fit. Many of these warlords were simply too prideful to bend knee to Megatron's second in commands while others fundamentally disagreed with their visions for cybertronian society. Running the gamut from firm but fair dictatorships to horrific tyrannies whose cruelties would draw smiles from the Dark Eldar, these warlord states and roving warbands are a continuous plague on the galaxy. The speed and reliability of space bridge travel allowing them to strike with near impunity with little regard for established warp routes. Some of the most infamous warlords include Gigatron, who is capable of an impressive six transformations, as well as "Megatron", a predacon with a Saurian alternate mode who has the gall to claim Megatron's name for his own. Of course there is also the mighty Predaking, who vascillates between the main three lords of the Decepticons as he sees fit.

Cyberforms: Originally a splinter group of Decepticons during the early stages of the Great War, they have evolved into their own distinct faction. What differentiates them from the other Transformer groups is their discovery of a new form of reproduction: bio-morphic reproduction, or "budding." The process is asexual, where a "bloodline" is formed via copying of the parent Transformer. The main downside to this is each generation is increasingly less sentient and emotional, making Cyberform society as a whole more logical and detached from other Transformers. They view themselves as the peak of all life, and have taken on a harsh expansionary policy similar to the Tau. Even though they abhore being associated with their Decepticon brethren they oftn take the former's beliefs to the extreme. They are known for exterminating entire planetary populations and cyberforming them before colonization. They are at odds with quite literally every race in the galaxy and are considered the foremost threat among all Transformers. The leader of the Cyberforms is unknown, but many suspect that it is the Liege Maximo, one of the two sons of Primus who went astray, though this is based on the rankings of the Cyberforms which typically include the title of "Liege" followed by their rank. If it is truly the Liege Maximo who leads them, then the Galaxy is surely in grave peril, for the Liege Maximo, like all his brothers, was essentially a god and would have only grown more powerful since, especially with so many individuals slaved to his will through the network of worlds made part of the Cyberform Empire.

Quintessons: Though not truly Cybertronians, their nature as a species created by Quintessa Prime gives them a close connection to the children of Primus in any case. While many Quintessons have peaceful relationships with the Cybertronians and even other Xenos, the Quintessons who belong to the euphemistically named Quintesson Co-Prosperity Sphere have a notorious reputation as slavers and invaders and at one point even invaded and occupied Cybetron for a time before being driven off after years of their cruel and harsh overlordship. The tentacled mechanical xenos however to use their armies of xenos auxilaries to do the fighting for them rather than engage in battle themselves, as the standard quintesson form is poorly suited for battle without the right form of powered exoskeleton to make up for their physical weakness. Key among these are the Sharkticon and Allicon servant races who constitute the Quintessons' main corps of loyal, brutish, and extremely expendable troops. The Quintessons of the Co-Prosperity sphere in particular enjoy holding farcical trials for the supposed crimes of those they capture and deem unsuited for slavery. When the five faced judges who rule the Quintesson species reach a verdict, that verdict is inevitably guilty, and the sentence is invariably death.

Unicronists: Those who say that they willingly serve Unicron are despised by virtually all other cybertronians, regardless of factional allegiance. Unicron is the antithesis to the very existence of Cybertronian society, and he is the embodiment of all that is evil in the cosmos. He occupies a place in Cybertronian society very similar to what Chaos does in Imperial or Eldar society: that of the archenemy. Above all other enemies, Unicronists are hated by Cybertronians. This feeling is very much mutual as the Unicronists see the children of Primus as the servants of the disgusting and wretched order that their lord and master has worked so long and hard to tear down. Though their presence was at one point minimal in the galaxy, in the centuries leading up to Unicron's arrival, they have begun to explode in number and with Unicron's arrival they have taken their activities to a fever pitch, undertaking a dark crusade to see the cosmos themselves reduced to nothing but ash. Unicronists have no interest in conquest in the conventional sense, they cannot be reasoned with, negotiated with, or bargained with, they will not stop until everything is destroyed and the stars themselves die for the glory of the arch-destroyer.

Notable Planets and Colonies

Cybertron: The birthplace of Transformers and the original catalyst for the Great War, Cybertron is believed to have been lost since the Fall of the Cybertron. Though when it disappeared into the Transwarp portal it could've ended up anywhere, many believe it is currently within the Eye of Terror and none know of its current state or the condition of Primus within its core. However; lost transmissions and recordings have recently been discovered that Cybertron had been active as recently as M36. Given the fickle nature of the Warp it is possible that only several hundred years have passed for them instead of several millennia. If any of the Chaos Space Marine warbands are aware of Cybertron's continued existence they refuse to say. The Cybertronians who still hold to their ancient religion with fervent belief instead of the more usual lip service firmly believe that as Unicron has yet to bring about the apocalypse that Primus and thus Cybertron must yet endure.

New Kaon: Named after the Decepticon city-state of ancient Cybertron, New Kaon is a fortress world so armed to the teeth the planet itself can be considered a weapon. Once a feudal world during the Horus Heresy, it is now covered in many miles of steel and metal and is home to countless Cybertronians, and some say there are three gun batteries for every one individual. After the Fracture it is now maintained by delegates nominated by Soundwave, Shockwave, and Starscream themselves in a type of council. One might call it an "organized chaos" of sorts, but the fortress world has withstood everything from an Ork WAAAGH to an attempted Exterminatus by a radical Inquisitor with ease. The most famous feature of the planet is the gladiatorial area, where the Decepticons showcase glorious battles with themselves and captured prisoners. Everything from Canifexes to Necron Flayers have been let loose on those bloodied metal floors.

Fortress Maximus: Ultra Magnus' personal base, Fortress Maximus is actually a transformer despite being the size of a planetoid, comparable to a craftworld, dwarfing even Metroplex and Trypticon, who have the alternate forms of cities and massive starships. However, Fortress Maximus rarely transforms into his robot mode save for extreme situations, and very few planets short of the gas giant sized world of Cybertron itself have ever seen Fortress Maximus walk on them. Fortress Maximus has earned its name however, by being essentially impervious to attack, and is considered one of the best defended places in the entire galaxy, rivaling even holy Terra. Fortress Maximus houses the covenant of Primus as well as a massive autobot garrison, research and development centers, energon refineries, and manufacturing facilities; essentially meaning that even if Fortress Maximus were the last autobot stronghold they would still be able to continue their duties; though fortunately such is not the case. When Fortress Maximus goes to war however, whole fleets are splintered from Maximus' presence alone and even during the Great Crusade, the Emperor's legions were smashed against the shields of Fortress Maximus, with even the combined efforts of Rogal Dorn and Perturabo's sons failing to crack the mighty autobot who at times literally swatted battleships out of the void like annoying insects. Fortress Maximus is constantly kept moving to prevent the autobots' enemies from getting a fix on it.

Relationship with Organics

Imperium (General): In general, the Imperial/Transformer relationship is very similar to that of the Imperium and the Craftworld Eldar, with a little Imperium/Tau relationships thrown in for spice. The two races will collaborate on occasion, especially given that the Autobots claim to remember helping humanity in ages long past. However, Imperial doctrines of xenophobia, combined with Decepticon depredations and the occasional need for Autobots to interfere to try and prevent the Imperium from doing something too stupid (especially when it comes to messing around with things the Autobots are guarding for a reason), keep the two races well at arm's length. In general, an icy distrust that occasionally flares up into small conflicts is the norm.

Adeptus Mechanicus: The Transformers and the Tech-Priests of the Imperium are bitter enemies. The Adeptus Mechanicus loudly proclaims the Transformers to be Abominable Intelligences and seeks to destroy them on religious grounds, but even as they do so, many Tech-Priests, especially those of a more radical bent, eagerly seek to plunder the secrets of Cybertronic technology and bio-mechanics. Decepticons generally squash Tech-Priests and Skitarii on principle, though a surprising number of Hereteks have found their way into Starscream's forces, some even being promoted to the level of Headmaster. Autobots try to be more patient, in theory, but often end up brutally killing the Mechanicus in self-defense.
Inquisition: The primary interaction between the Transformers and the Inquisition comes with the Ordo Xenos, though of course firebrands of the Ordo Malleus are eager to justify Transformers as "mechanical daemons" as well. The Ordo Xenos is locked in a constant cold war with Transformers, constantly trying to understand their enemies. Many come to display intense paranoia as they learn more about the capabilities of their foes. Starscream's use of Pretenders to steal precious resources, subvert human civilizations and found Decepti-cults has made him a particular enemy of the Ordo Hereticus as well.
Space Marines: As the Imperium's elite warriors, it should be unsurprising that the Adeptus Astartes and the Transformers have battled frequently, and with far less success than the Imperium likes to admit. Though bitter enemies, as with all outsiders of the Imperium, some Chapters have developed the begrudging respect for Transformers that one may come to feel for a particularly skilled and dangerous foe. Autobots are known to sometimes profess a similar respect, even lamenting on how the Space Marines have fallen from the days of the Heresy; they might have been enemies all along, but when one's enemy has visibly declined over the centuries, and you've lived through it, that becomes mortifying. Decepticons usually don't show similar respect, except for the more honorable members of their ranks, but do delight in taunting the Astartes on how their prowess and technology has crumbled since the Heresy.
Adeptus Soritas: The Ordos Militant have a particular hatred for the Transformers, as much because their Cybertronian enemies often dismiss them as inferior compared to the Adeptus Astartes as because of their fanatical faith in the Imperium's xenophobic credo of manifest destiny. A number of sisters of the Ordo Dialogous are dedicated to studying the language of Transformers, and are often found in the entourages of the Ordo Xenos; some allow this to become an obsessive drive, to the extent that there have even been rare occasions where they have willingly worked with the Adeptus Mechanicus to mutual benefit.
Rogue Traders:It is not unheard of that some Rogue Traders harbor a Transformer or two on their ship, ranging from mercenary work to simply refuge aboard their vessel. It usually ranges from trader to trader how they interact, as no dynasty openly associates with Cybertronians. Despite that, there have been many famous trader out in the frontier of space that are known to often work with Autobot and Decepticon alike.

Chaos: The Warp is something that terrifies all Transformers. While not as suceptable as humans, Cybertronians are still capable of being corrupted and falling to Chaos. If this were to happen, their link to Primus will be severed, meaning that their spark will travel to the Warp instead of becoming one with the Allspark after they die. The possibility of not joining the Allspark is nightmarish to even the most deviant of Transformers, but the offerings of the Dark Gods are sometimes so tantalizing it makes it hard to resist. When fallen to Chaos, Transformers are so thoroughly corrupted through spark and mind that it is impossible to reverse them to their old selves. For the most part they avoid anything Warp related since most Chaos forces are extremely dangerous to engage.

Chaos Space Marines: The Traitor Astartes are some of the most dangerous enemies the Transformers have ever faced. Not only can they not see reason, their strength and firepower can rival most Cybertronian weaponry. And even then, they're still buffed with gifts from the blasphemous gods. Even though they generally stay away from them, there is only one group that most Transformers have a "kill on sight" policy towards: the Iron Warriors. Whenever the iron skull of the sons of Perturabo is seen, most Cybertronians are reminded of the horrific memories of the Horus Heresy, when the IVth Legion enmasse experimented on Transformers to turn them into daemon engines. The hatred for the is shared by every Transformer, and it is not unheard of for Autobot and Decepticon alike to rendezvous and join forces when an Iron Warriors warband is spotted.
Daemons: The fear of daemons come from the fact that not only are they terrifying, but they are also a paradox of everything that is. Besides the worship of Primus, Cybertronian society is for the most part based on reason and science. So to see a literal embodiment of emotion and fear tearing at their sparks is a deeply disturbing sight at odds with most of their beliefs. While they see Unicron as their greatest enemy, the Daemons of Chaos remain deeply despised foes who are among the rare few enemies that the Autobots would destroy an entire planet to deny the plans of, and the idea of Daemonic possession is a very troubling one to most Cybertronians.
Lost and the Damned: Besides heavy artillery and the occasional daemons, renegades aren't terribly dangerous to Cybertronians. Most are incompetent, violent warbands that fall into disarray when their leader is killed. Decepticons, however, aren't above hiring them to do their dirty work. Some have even pledged their devotion to them, usually called "Decepti-cults." On the flip side, individual Transformers might join some of these renegade groups, exchanging their services for energon and protection.

Orks: Living to fight as they do, Orks particularly enjoy the chance to fight Transformers, who are "big, stompy and shooty - right proppa scrappin'!" Big Meks in particular enjoy the prospect of stripping down Transformer wrecks to rebuild them into machines for the Ork Waaagh! Needless to say, the Transformers do not appreciate the attention and make it their duty to exterminate Orks wherever they can. Orks are one of the few occasions where even Autobots will unleash their most powerful anti-biological weapons, capable of breaking the cycle of Ork reproduction. Some of the most common sightings of Autobots in Imperial territory have come when one or more emerged from hiding/dormancy to annihilate an invading Ork Waaagh! or to purge its adopted world of Feral Ork tribes.

Eldar: Though Eldar arrogance prevents them from ever truly allying with any race, if there is one species they can admit to holding some respect for, it is the Transformers. Both races have no home world(s) to return to; both are dying and scattered; and both have extreme longevity and ancient wisdom. Thus, Transformers and Eldar have formed a strange but peaceful kinship that few races can claim to have. Though their relationship with the Decepticons is more strained, it is not unheard of for a Craftworld to allow Cybertronian refuge if they seek help. Autobots and Eldar have one of the few relationships that can be considered relatively close in the 41st Millennium.

Exodites: More so than their Craftworld Kin, Exodites can admit to respecting the Transformers, most specifically the Autobots. Although they generally keep them at bay, this is because the Cybertronian ability to assume the form of labor-saving machines is against the codes their lives are built on. Transformers who assume the shape of beasts or weapons have been known to live alongside Exodites, and when under attack by superior forces, even war-machine-formed Autobots are welcome; Exodites are many things, but they are not stupid.
Harlequins: As a race on generally good terms with the Eldar, as much as that is possible between Eldar arrogance and the realities of the 41st Millennium, Transformers are amongst the very few individuals who can be said to have met Harlequins on peaceful terms. There are even accounts of Autobots, or more rarely Decepticons, who have seen the Harlequins perform.

Dark Eldar: If Autobots and Craftworld or Exodite Eldar can be said to be on good terms, that cannot be said to be the case for their dealings with the Dark Eldar. Even the Decepticons don't like the Dark Eldar. These vampiric degenerates disgust the Transformers, especially since there are elders who can remember the time before the Fall and see how the Dark Eldar have learned nothing. Meanwhile, the existence of the Transformers offends the Dark Eldar to the depths of their shriveled, bleeding souls; by their very existence, Cybertronians put a lie to the Dark Eldar's claims to be the only race that really matters, diminishing the glory of their heritage. They eagerly seek the destruction of all Transformers, striving to draw them into their labs to be tormented; the soul-stuff of a Transformer is unimaginably potent, compared to that of a human or an ork.

Tyranids: Although one might think that their artificial nature makes Transformers inedible to Tyranids, to do so is to underestimate their drive for raw material. They absorb minerals as readily as protein and calcium, but even beyond that, Transformers are organisms in their own right, with their own alien genetic materials to assimilate. The Transformers respond to the Tyranids with the same ferocity they show against the Orks, deploying their most powerful weapons and striving to burn them from the stars. The Decepticons and Autobots readily find common cause, as both races see the Tyranids as needing to be exterminated. Just they prospect of an entire Hive Fleet assimilating Cybertronian biology is terrifying enough for the Imperial Inquisition to cooperate with the defense of a Transformer world.

Tau Empire: Cybertronian/Tau interactions are... well, they're better than Cybertronian/Imperium interactions. But that's a bit like saying a broken toe is better than an amputated foot. Many Autobots have a great deal of hope for the Tau, but interactions with them are still often stifling, awkward and prone to backfiring. The Tau have a tendency to assume an ironically Eldar-like arrogance in such meetings, seemingly being incapable as a whole of thinking of the Cybertronians as being any different to the drones they already use for mundane and dangerous tasks. Individual Tau can be an exception, especially amongst the Fire Caste, who have learned very pointedly that no drone could hope to match the processing complexity of a Cybertronian warrior and found them to be honorable and worthy allies, but as a whole, the Tau have a strong tendency to put their foot in their mouths by either dismissively assuming the Cybertronians are inferiors due to their cybernetic nature, or by proselytizing to the extent that even the Autobots - who already hold a belief roughly similar to the Greater Good - are annoyed by it. The Decepticons in particular tend to find the Tau warriors respectable, but the race as a whole irritating.

Necrons: Transformers and Necrons have a unique relationship, being alike yet different in so many ways. They're both races of living machines with highly advanced technology and many seek to rebuild their once great ancient empires. Yet Necrons are soulless while Transformers have souls in the form of sparks, and Necrons are almost always zealously seeking the extermination of other races or driven by insanity and their own selfish goals. Autobots will sometimes have shaky alliances with Necron Lords in exchange for fuel and protection. Decepticons, however, are not above either taking Tomb Worlds for themselves or ally themselves with more extreme and omnicidal Dynasties, most notably the Maynarkh Dynasty. On another note, there have been terrifying but unconfirmed sightings of Cybertronians who have fallen victim to the dreaded Necron flayer virus. The truthfulness of these claims is unclear, but the simple premise of Flayed Transformers is terrifying enough for both Autobot and Decepticon alike to take extreme precautions when dealing with Flayed Ones.

Relationship with Organics (Unicronist)

Imperium (General): Unicron regards the Imperium like he has all versions of humanity he has encountered; insignificant pests. Far beneath the children of his hated brother Primus in notice, he was somewhat surprised to find that humanity, which has generally been of little import in most realities he visits; is one of the dominant species here and that there is a presence of unexpected power on Terra. This has lead to a comparatively greater effort to find cultists and beings to corrupt to his service among humanity. Despite the best efforts of the Inquisition, Mechanicus, and Ecclessiarchy; his cult grows as the legend of his power spreads with tremendous speed. Some say that Unicron and his heralds are on a course for Terra though such things cannot be certain given Unicron's lack of need of the warp for travel, what is certain is that Unicron is very much out to destroy the Imperium, and the High Lords of Terra are terrified of the possibility of his arrival in Sol given the contemptuous ease with which the arch-destroyer has smashed through virtually every obstacle presented to him. Roboute Guilliman though, is looking into making peace with Rodimus Prime in the hopes of defeating Unicron for good in the belief that the Matrix of Leadership could be the one thing to destroy the Chaos Bringer and save existence.

Adeptus Mechanicus: The Adeptus Mechanicus officially regards Unicron as a tremendous evil, a blight on creation itself and the foulest manifestation of evil technology. A xenos and a dark deity, many have come to see him as the antithesis of the Omnissiah and have pledged to see him and his servants destroyed. Mechanicus armies are often the first to attempt to destroy known Unicron cults and fight manifestations of Unicron's heralds and his armies, but like with the Necrons and Chaos, some cannot resist the lure of power. Many Mechanicus have come to see Unicron as the truest manifestation of the Omnissiah and have started to join his cult, hoping to curry favor and earn dark power from the chaos bringer should they prove worthy of his notice. Such Uniteks seem entirely unconcerned that the goal of Unicron is to end the universe.
Inquisition: The Inquisition is rather unsure of which Ordo should be responsible for dealing with Unicron's influence. The Ordo Malleus argues that as Unicron is described as being a dark god of chaos (though they are confused as to why they never felt him in the warp before) by Cybertronian legend that he is their purview. The Ordo Xenos however, is adamant that as he is a xenos god that he is very much their jurisdiction and that the Malleus is not equipped to handle such a threat. The Ordo Hereticus argues that due to the rise in Unicron cult activity and the defection of Imperial assets to Unicron's service that they should be the ones to take the fight to his servants. Inquisitor Amberly Vail has pushed for a compromise solution so that the entirety of the inquisition can work together when his influence rears its ugly head, but some believe it may be time to form a new Ordos entirely. Rumors persist however, that some Inquisitors have fallen to his service.
Space Marines: Unicron himself cares very little if one variety of insect is slightly larger than another, in the end they remain insects to him. However, sensing that the Astartes have a large role in the Imperium, Unicron has put effort into corrupting or seducing some into his service, which has produced some results as a number of space marines have come to serve in Unicron's growing armies of destruction. The majority of Astartes however, are very much loyal to the God-Emperor and see Unicron's advance as a dire threat that needs to be halted; though few dare to try and assault his form they strike hard and fast at his cults and his armies wherever they are spotted. Tu'shan of the Salamanders has organized a task force of Astartes chapters who are involved in operations to stop Unicron's forces and to try and track and predict his movements so that worlds in Unicron's sight may hopefully be evacuated before they are laid waste.
Adeptus Soritas: Unicron's Cybertronian servants find the Sororitas's faith in the Emperor amusing generally, with the same snide contempt they hold for any faith beyond their own and Primus' whom they reserve burning hatred for. For the natives of the galaxy corrupted to Unicron's service, particularly among humans, the Sisters of Battle are among the first of the Imperium's elite who confront them to try and crush them into the dirt, and are thus equally often the first targets of Unicron cults. The Sisters for their part see Unicron the way they do every deity who is not of the Emperor; a blasphemous false idol to be cast down and reduced to ash in the omnipotent sight of the golden throne.

Chaos: Unicron regards the Chaos Gods' claims to being gods of chaos as an insult. He sees them as weak pretenders to the throne of entropy, mewling children who content themselves with corruption of a single galaxy when he has been scourging existence itself for longer than any of them have existed. He particularly delights in hearing them rage when their warbands betray their former gods to serve him, whether out of a hope that he will spare them when he puts an end to the cosmos or out of coming to see him as the greater deity. Chaos for its part, holds Unicron with a great deal of fear not only because Unicron is in truth more powerful than they are, the four dark gods knowing very well that Unicron intends to not only destroy their food source, but destroy them and their realm just as surely as he will the materium. They are even considering forcing Abaddon to redirect his war effort to stop Unicron as he consumes his way through the galaxy, and Unicronist and Chaotic cults spill each other's blood profusely. All Chaos Gods stand to lose equally if they fail to stop the Chaos Bringer's rampage; even Khorne would surely perish if Unicron ends the universe, and so they make their malign schemes to try and stop the Dark God from completing his apocalyptic feast.

Chaos Space Marines: The Traitor Astartes' view of Unicron varies depending on the legion. The Alpha Legion and the Night Lords generally do their best to evacuate when the skeins of fate tell them of Unicron's coming to their worlds, deciding that there is little to be gained by fighting him without the benefit of great numbers. The legions and warbands dedicated to single gods and the word bearers however; see Unicron as a dire threat and insult to their deities for daring to call himself the god of chaos, and gladly throw themselves at his cultists and the summonings of his followers' armies, though only the foolhardiest of Khornate warbands try attacking Unicron directly, with most having learned their lessons after he crushed the first few fleets that tried to strike him down. Abaddon considers him a personal threat, after all, how can the Warmaster rule his empire of darkness if Unicron destroys everything?
Daemons: The Daemons of Chaos are terrified of Unicron and his ability to not just banish, but completely destroy them and blast aside warpstorms and devour daemon worlds. When facing those of his followers away from the body of the dark god himself however, they unleash a terrible fury to try and crush a cult of Unicron before it can grow enough to lay waste to the world it inhabits, and many terrible battles have been recorded between Unicron's followers and the Daemons of Chaos, with some even claiming to have witnessed the Daemons battling Unicron's heralds themselves. When Unicron himself comes to destroy a system though, most Daemons try to flee if at all possible, or let out a last warcry of defiance before he ends the world.
Lost and the Damned: Unicron for his part hardly notices the rabble of Chaos most of the time save for when some warbands decide he is the most worthy god to worship. The rabble of Chaos for its part mirrors their greater kin in their view of Unicron, and some worlds are consumed with battle between Unicron's dregs and the slaves of Chaos.

Orks: Orks enjoy taking the fight to Unicron's dregs and his huntsmen, finding them to be proppa fighting as the maddened slaves of Unicron know little of fear and are all too willing to indulge the Orks in the bloodletting they so enjoy. Few Orks will ever reject Gork and Mork, and so almost no Orks have come to serve in Unicron's legion of darkness. Some warbosses even dream of looting Unicron himself, though such fantasies are rather detached from reality; this hasn't stopped some warbosses from commissioning enormous planet sized warships in the hopes of fighting Unicron on even terms.

Eldar: If the Eldar have some fondness for the children of Primus, they have none for Unicron and his slaves. With their foresight, the Eldar are highly able to eliminate Unicron cult activity before it becomes a major problem and have frequently taken it upon themselves to thwart the machinations of those who serve the Chaos bringer at every turn. Many Eldar deployments have been committed to stop the formation of Unicronist armies long before they can ever occur, and the Eldar are busily looking for relics and weapons with the hopes of finding something that can defeat Unicron himself, though some believe that it would take Ynnead to save the galaxy for the rebirth of ancient days. A handful though, wonder if even that will be enough. Unicron has yet to attempt to consume a craftworld, but for his and his herald's part, scorns the Eldar for reminding him of the children of his hated brother.

Exodites: The Exodites have come to loathe and fear the eater of worlds, for he will devour their maiden worlds as surely as any other. While almost no Eldar would ever worship him or join his armies, they will despoil the maiden worlds of the Eldar all the same if given even a small chance. The Exodites often call on both their kin and the Autobots to give them a chance of stopping the depredations of Unicron cultists or with evacuating worlds predicted to be consumed by the Chaos Bringer. If Unicron has thoughts regarding the Exodites, he has not voiced them.
Harlequins: The Harlequins consider the malice of Unicron to be a very serious threat, much like that of the Necrons, Slaanesh, Chaos as a whole, and the Tyranids. The Harlequins claim that Cegorach has at his disposal a grand jest that will see the dark god's scourge lifted from the universe, and have created a number of performances concerning the dark one, while a number of troupes have dedicated themselves to foiling the plans of Unicron and his heralds, famously ruining Ramjet's plan to have an entire sector twisted in Unicron's vision. Unicron has a particular loathing for the Harlequins and looks forward to breaching the webway and seeing their wretched troupes and god devoured with the rest of existence.

Dark Eldar: No matter where the Dark Eldar choose to hide, Unicron is certain that he will find them and end them in good time with the rest of the universe. No matter how grand they think their cruelties are, they will not be spared anymore than the rest of this wretched universe. They will all die screaming with the rest. The Eldar have at times called on the Dark Eldar for aid in opposing Unicron's machinations when the Autobots and Decepticons are not available, though the worshippers of Unicron are not the best food sources for the Dark Eldar; being twisted by their experience in a way that makes them very deadened to pain. The Dark Eldar of course, have no wish to see the galaxy wiped away by Unicron and will often work of their own accord to crush the actions of cults when they can find them.

Tyranids: Some theorize that the Tyranids might actually be fleeing from Unicron, though in the encounters between the hive fleets and Unicron's servants it seems that neither act as if they have any real knowledge of the other. As both are seeking to devour worlds, Unicron's armies frequently battle with the swarms of the great devourers so that their master will be the one to claim the world instead of the hive fleets. As it is essentially impossible to discern what the hive mind truly desires or plans, none are sure if the Tyranids have their own plans to save the galaxy so that they can devour it themselves. Unicron himself has no particular need for a world he devours to have anything in the way of biomass or materials useful for organic life, he just prefers to consume inhabited worlds for the deathscreams and suffering of the living as he ends their pitiful lives, so for his part he is not overly concerned with the movements of the Tyranids despite what his cultists believe. However, he recognizes that the Tyranids will likely oppose him and that he will need to deal with them as well.

Tau Empire: The Tau Empire at large believes that Unicron is simply a fairy tale, mere superstition held by the Cybertronians whenever they aren't trying to downplay their intelligence. However Unicron's cult has designs on the young empire like it does on the rest of the galaxy, and the upper reaches of the Tau Empire are aware that the Imperium and the Autobots are terrified of something rampaging through the galaxy and that they must prepare for it. With their spy networks, the Tau ethereal caste gathers what knowledge it can about Unicron to prepare a defense, while some engagements with Unicronist cults have provided further valuable intelligence to the septs as they start to become aware of the lethality of the galaxy.

Necrons: Most Necrons have no interest in bowing to Unicron anymore than they did the C'tan. The Necrons have no use for gods as they overthrew their own, and they will not abide by the destruction of the galaxy that they intend to rule in an eternal, deathless order. With their possession of the galaxy's most advanced technology and far more tricks up their sleeves than anyone has yet seen, the Necron dynasties are preparing to make sure that the galaxy will be theirs to enslave to their will, and some of the most difficult consumptions of worlds have been of worlds protected by the Necrons. Even those rogue C'tan active in the galaxy regard Unicron as a dire threat to their harvest of souls and have often stopped his cults' attempts to lay waste to planets or prepare them for Unicron. But a number of Necrons have come to see Unicron as a worthy master or useful to their plans and have been sighted working alongside his hordes as they despoil the galaxy, or even the fleets that follow his massive body as it travels across the galaxy.

Specialist Transformers

Multi-formers: Although all Cybertronians can transform, shifting between more than two forms at once is a specialised skill, and one held in much esteem by the majority who cannot. Most multi-formers are only capable of shifting between three different forms, though often diametrically different. The process requires a considerable amount of mental flexibility to master, and there are stereotypes portraying multi-formers as dangerous and/or unstable as a side effect. Even if the skill is developed, actually achieving it requires extensive physical modifications to the chassis, allowing a Cybertronian to actually shift between its various forms. Multi-formers are about equal between the Autobot/Decepticon divide; the Autobots are generally more mentally stable and disciplined, making it easier for them to successfully attain this status, whilst Decepticons are more likely to care about the combat boost over the risk to the Cybertronian's mental health.

Combiners/Gestalts: Akin to multi-formers, combiners and gestalts are unique transformers on both a mental and a physical basis. On a practical level, both variants are the same; transformers who can physically merge together in order to assume a single, more powerful form. The difference is in the numbers; combiners consist of only two individuals, whilst gestalts consist of three or more. Beyond that, the actual mechanics for the merging varies widely from partnership to partnership; a merging transformer may come together to form a unique vehicle mode, a beast mode, or, more iconically, a gargantuan humanoid mode. As a general rule, combiners tend to be more stable than gestalts, and many combiners are in fact transformer mutants who can divide their sparks between two chassis as once. Gestalts, however, are always based on multiple individual transformers, and this resultant combination of minds often goes wrong. Many gestalts in their merged form are insane, as personality conflicts are magnified and exaggerated, leading in the worst cases to transformers literally at war with themselves. Others are too sane, with their mental similarities intermeshing and strengthening each other until they become equally deranged. Stereotypically, combiners are more common amongst the Autobots, who tend to be better at getting along in such a fashion, whilst the Decepticon prize of lethality over sanity means they are more willing to risk gestalts becoming dangers to their own side as well. In truth, both types of merger can be found on both sides of the alignment divide.

Pretenders: Although any Cybertronian can assume any kind of form, when it comes to organic based alternate forms - beast forms - the results are less than convincing. Even the best of such disguises are clearly mechanical, cybernetic monstrosities that can't hope to walk amongst organics. The pretenders, however, have achieved a whole new level of realism. Using rarer advanced mechanisms for transformation, these Cybertronians can alter their size and mass as well as their bodies, allowing them to walk amongst organics undetected. Though one may think that the Autobots make greater use of this technology, in truth, they have almost as little need for it as most Decepticons do; the Imperium is a nightmarish horror that the Autobots want nothing to do with, whilst amongst Tau or Eldar, their true form is better for mingling. Only one faction makes extensive use of this art as a group; Starscream's Brigade. These elite Decepticon agents infiltrate, manipulate and subvert human civilisation to further their own goals, and are one of the greatest nightmares that the Inquisition has faced. For as realistic as the shell may look, that is all that it is; many Imperial Assassins have fatally underestimated their targets and been torn apart when their victim proved more than meets the eye. Some of the early attempts at pretenders, as done by Thunderwing and Bludgeon; instead tried to create a sort of Cybertronian super soldier of tremendous size and strength, though those of Thunderwing's generation are completely mad and are used more like bombs than anything else; awakened out of stasis on planets to destroy everything on them and collected once they run out of energon. Bludgeon's cadre is more stable, and continues to further pretender research for Starscream, or lay waste to a world if needed to.

Minicons: While most Transformers are "Zoggin' 'uge" as Warboss Metalkrakka put it, the Minicons are generally about the size of a human or even a human child. This is said to be the result of them being templated on Micronus Prime, the first minicon and one of the original thirteen transformers created by Primus; the archangels of the god of Order whom the Transformers revere in a manner between that of saints and polytheistic gods. Minicons tend to partner with a larger Cybertronian, offering them weaponry, power boosts, or even direct aid in battle. Soundwave in particular is a keen user of Minicons, preferring them to the so called "masters" and employs an elite squadron of them that he is capable of deploying from his chest at his command to aid him in battle.

Masters: Another breed of Cybertronian associated mostly with the exploitative Decepticons allied to Starscream in these dark days, transformer masters form unique partnerships with organics. Cybernetically converted into pseudo-cybertronians, these "partners" are mentally and physically linked to a Cybertronian warrior, enhancing both in specific and deadly ways. This level of trust is almost unheard of in the 41st millennium; most "partners" are recruited from Decepti-cults, or, more likely, were literally bred for the role, on lost human or xenos worlds that have fallen under the sway of Cybertronian influence or been completely conquered by transformers for generations.

Targetmasters: The most common of the master types, the partners for these Cybertronians assume the form of powerful weapons. With the partner's own independent mind and senses, they have unparalleled accuracy and drastically heightened response time - at least, such is the theory. Stereotypically, targetmasters tend to be either elite snipers, delivering death with nanometer precision, or walking artillery batteries, sweeping the enemy aside under a torrential deluge of firepower.
Powermasters: Rarer than targetmasters, powermasters are Cybertronians whose partners transform into their engines. Such transformers are typically incapable of independently transforming, requiring the interlink of their partner to catalyze the shift between forms, but they gain considerable advantages; their partners are capable of fighting alongside of them in either form, ensuring they always have an ally literally to hand. Furthermore, when interlinked, a powermaster's partner supercharges the Cybertronian's physical structure. Such a transformer has increased speed and strength, their reflexes are heightened drastically and even their self-repair systems operate more smoothly. Powermasters are often adrenaline junkies and speed demons, with a propensity to nervous twitches.
Headmasters: Rarest of all, even amongst Starscream's Brigade, a headmaster is the ultimate Cybertronian-organic interface. Physically transforming into the cranial processing unit of their transformer partner, a headmaster is a fusion of two minds, offering increased perspective, knowledge, skills, processing power and abilities. When they interlink, the two can think faster and clearer than ever... assuming their personalities are compatible; the risk of lethal madness is another factor keeping these transformers rare. What makes them especially valuable, particularly to Starscream, is that headmasters are the only transformers who can use psychic powers. The organic mind within grants them a connection to the warp, whilst the Cybertronic mind enhances the organic's ability to protect itself from daemonic predators and channel warp energy. Though active skill in traditional psionic powers is uncommon among them, headmasters tend to be experts at countering psychic powers and to be master daemon-slayers, rending daemons asunder by channeling warp energies in ways even the Eldar are hard-pressed to match.

Famous Transformers

Primus

The creator god of the Transformer race and the living core of their home world Cybertron. He has existed since time immemorial, providing the spark of life for all Transformers and guiding them through their darkest times. His only weakness is that his Spark is grounded in this reality, and his wellbeing is connected to the health of Cybertron. At the moment many are unsure of his current condition, as Cybertron itself is currently believed to be lost in the Eye of Terror. Many theories abound among Transformers and others who know of their history. Cybertronians believe he possibly ascended from his physical planet body and now resides within the Warp. Ordo Mallus of the Imperial Inquisition assume Primus is now tainted by the spiraling Warp energy, while the Eldar theorize that Primus was forcefully dragged into the Warp and may have been devoured like the majority of their pantheon during the Fall. Those who claim to have contact with his disciples, the thirteen original Transformers, instead claim that Primus is merely dormant, beyond the ability of even the Chaos gods to ruin, and that if the Matrix is allowed to reunite with him, he will awaken and bring a new golden age of Cybertronian civilization. With the current state of the galaxy, such a prophecy would be difficult to fulfill. That none of the Chaos gods boast of consuming him only adds to the mystery, though the faithful of Primus say that as Unicron has yet to enter his most destructive state, clearly Primus must still be limiting his dark brother somehow.

Thirteen Original Transformers

The first children of Primus can be thought of as his Archangels. They are revered to a greater degree than a saint, but less than a pagan deity (similar perhaps to the Valar in Middle Earth). The Thirteen are the template on which all modern Cybertronians are based. Each one is said to have incredible and divine powers and a sacred duty to oversee a critical function of reality itself, though most had ascended to a higher realm long before the modern age of the Cybertronians and now mostly serve to answer prayers, offer miracles and blessings when the circumstances permit them to, and provide guidance to Primus' children in his absence. Each has an immensely powerful artifact to their name, and the more pious believe that one day the Thirteen will walk the materium once more and restore a golden age of peace to the universe. The Thirteen Primes (or more specifically, the Nine known and untainted Primes) are frequently compared to the nine loyalist Primarchs, much as how Primus-worship is often compared to Emperor-worship. Though as most Cybertronians will point out, only three of the Primes went rogue, and none ended up falling to the same master; whereas half of the known primarchs turned to the service of Chaos. The standard Imperial rebuttal is that the Primes decided to ascend and leave their supposed followers to tear themselves apart, largely of their own volition; whereas the Primarchs who remained loyal continued to address the material needs of Man until they were forced out of the picture through some means. And of course, Roboute Guilliman now walks alongside man once more while none of the Primes have returned yet. The thirteen are as follows:

Prima: Primus' first son and the leader of the original thirteen, Prima is the warrior of light, an incorruptible paladin of all that is virtuous. The first bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, Prima is the Prime that took the most after his father and is held in the highest regard by the Autobots, and even the Decepticons will admit to some grudging admiration despite their generally more secular bent. The closest comparison in Imperial Culture to Prima would be Sanguinius or perhaps the recently revived Roboute Guilliman, and for their part the Cybertronians do not regard comparing the thirteen primes to the primarchs as unwarranted. Greatly opposed to evil and destructive forces, particularly Unicron but not exempting such foes as the Dark Gods, the Tyranids, the Orks, or the Necrons, Prima has yet to provide an answer on his father's fate or that of Optimus, but he encourages the Cybertronians who still hold Primus close to their heart to stand fast and strong in the face of darkness. His legendary artifact is the star saber, a sword said to be capable of immense destructive power, a sword of the purest light and order said to be able to destroy evil and even entire planets; with treasure hunters from Chaos lords to Ork Warbosses all looking for clues as to where to find it.
Vector Prime: Primus' appointed guardian of time and space, Vector Prime is perhaps the most active of the original thirteen, working to ensure that the timeline continues to flow safely and without issue. An order of those dedicated to Vector Prime work to try and stop acts of time travel or at the very least minimize their destructive influence and have been reported as having worked with the Ordo Chronus before its disappearance. Vector Prime has a particular grudge against the Necron cryptek Orikan, having become aware of the Astromancer's manipulations of the timeline and has thus started to command his order to deal with Orikan. His artifacts are the blades of time, which are capable of altering time and space and are thus desperately coveted by those who have heard of them. Vector Prime has rather enigmatically stated that this reality is not "wholly part of the multiverse we call home" and worries about "our wars coming to their worlds", though as most of the Cybertronian lore regarding the Cybertronian study of other realities was lost with Cybertron, few can parse such statements any longer.
Alpha Trion: One of the last of the Primes to have disappeared, Alpha Trion is the lorekeeper and the guardian of knowledge and wisdom among the thirteen. More a scholar and a philosopher than a mighty warrior, Alpha Trion is nonetheless a very powerful and capable combatant like all his kin and should never be trifled with. Thanks to the work of those dedicated to him, the Transformers have maintained a good understanding and record of their past despite the loss of Cybertron, and as the writer of the covenant of Primus it is he who is the most tied with the religion of Primus worship. His artifact is the quill, which is capable of revealing the past, the present, and the future to degrees that no mere mortal seer can.
Solus Prime: The first female cybertronian upon whose form all female cybertronians today are templated on (even Quintessa, as she came into being after she did), Solus Prime was the forgemaster and the artificer of the original thirteen and was said to have been adored by all her brothers. Out of the original thirteen, it is only she who was forced out of this realm outside of her own terms, with her physical form being murdered by the one who would later be known as the Fallen; whom she continues to maintain a great deal of bitterness towards in her ascended state. She continues to work her heavenly forge in her realm, crafting the weapons with which the original thirteen keep their realms secure against those who would seek to defile their plane of reality, once using the artifact known as the forge; a mighty hammer said to be capable of crafting nearly any device the wielder can imagine. Some of the devices she has forged include the Requiem Blaster; said to be the ultimate (cybertronian) portable ranged weapon in the galaxy (or "da ultymate dakka" as many warbosses who have obsessively searched for it have called it) capable of annihilating planets at full blast, and the skyboom shield; said to be able to stop any attack conceivable.
Micronus Prime: The first of the Minicons, Micronus was never the most physically imposing or powerful, but he served as the groups' conscience and maintained at least cordial relations with all his kin. Micronus is perhaps the most easily sought of the Primes, and will generally be the first to speak for them when a sign is asked for. Micronus is also deeply concerned with the actions of his fallen brothers and sister, and his followers work tirelessly to seek out those who have fallen from Primus' grace or have even turned to the service of Unicron. Micronus' artifact is the Chimera Stone; which he used to link up with and enhance the powers of any of his brethren.
Alchemist Prime: The co-founder of Cybertronian civilization with Alpha Trion, Alchemist Prime was also a scholar, though he was more of a scientist than a philosopher like Alpha Trion was. He intensely studied the elemental nature of the universe, recording in great detail his scientific discoveries as he studied the make up of all things; and Cybertronians devoted to the sciences frequently invoke his name when they need to crack some mystery involving the material sciences. Alchemist Prime got on well with Solus, Alpha, Quintessa, and Onyx Prime in particular, working with them to better understand the universe as he studied them with his lenses, artifacts that let one peer deep and far to see the true nature of anything they examine in a safe manner.
Nexus Prime: The first Gestalt transformer, Nexus Prime was the physically strongest of the original thirteen even if Megatronus and Prima were expected to wield the most power. Nexus Prime is largely unpredictable, finding himself fascinated by change and the alterations to the cosmos it can bring, and is a lighthearted prankster who has played a great many jokes on evil powers as much as his own kind, though when the time for battle comes; few have been able to withstand the power he has brought to bear against those who would seek to do evil. Nexus Prime has the power to divide himself and others or combine them through his artifact; the Enigma of combination, which can split apart a being or object into many fully functional parts that represent aspects of itself or combine them at will.
Onyx Prime: Out of Primus' first children, Onyx Prime was the Prime closest to organic life and nature, and when Amalgamous Prime introduced the power of transformation to his siblings, Onyx chose the form of a beast, making him the first such Cybertronian to take such a body. Largely rejecting most forms of advanced technology, Onyx Prime was heavily spiritual and advocated a simple life for Primus' later children, believing that too much reliance on labor saving devices could lead one astray from what mattered most in existence. His artifact is the three-faced Triptych Mask, which can allow one to see other times, places, souls, and even into afterlives; peering into spiritual realms as easily as Alchemist Prime's lenses could into the material.
Amalgamous Prime: The first Cybertronian who could properly be called a Transformer, gifted with a transformation cog by Primus, Amalgamous Prime was a shifter; gifted with unlimited forms and capable of disguising himself as anything he desired to. A joker and a trickster, Amalgamous Prime conspired with Nexus to play a great many jokes on both his kin and their enemies and greatly pleased Primus with his actions in these early days of myth and legend. Though sometimes his jokes could take on somewhat meanspirited natures, he at heart remained a figure for justice, and worked with his kin to repel Unicron and cast out their fallen brethren. Having ascended, he has left his transformation cog behind, which is said to grant the wielder the power to take on any shape or form they could ever desire to.
Quintessa Prime: A daydreamer and perfectionist who joined Alpha Trion and Alchemist Prime in the pursuit of knowledge, Quintessa Prime was particularly fascinated by life in particular, seeking to replicate her father's ability to create life from nothing. Believing that life was the universe's greatest gift and should be encouraged to spread and live in peace and harmony, Quintusessa Prime's take on life is more akin to that of Isha than Nurgle's fascination with plagues, for Quintessa has little use for life that only exists to make other life suffer, though she isn't above exterminating some forms of life to advance other forms of it. The most intellectual but least physically imposing of the original thirteen, Quintessa succeeded in her quest to understand life, and those who wield her artifact; the Emberstone, can too create life as she did, with one of the products of her work being the Xenos race known as the Quintessons. Lately however, Quintessa has become increasingly disturbed; becoming obsessed with restoring Primus by destroying humanity and Unicron; believing that humanity is the spawn of the Chaosbringer; and as such she has become one of the "fallen" primes, alongside Megatronus and Liege and lords over the Quintessons to beget her mad schemes for restoring her father.
Liege Maximo: While Megatronus would be known as the Fallen for his decision to side with Unicron, it was the Liege Maximo who first turned to evil. A manipulative genius, the Liege Maximo was also amoral and did not share his kin's love of justice and nobility, believing that they had to be made of sterner stuff in order to be strong enough to give order to the cosmos. It was he who manipulated Megatronus into cutting Solus Primes' physical body down and set him on the path that would lead to Megatronus seeking out Unicron; believing that this would demonstrate the need for a much sterner approach then his brothers and sister had taken. However in the midst of his schemes, he was discovered and was forced to flee into the depths of space. His whereabouts are unknown, but some suspect that he is the leader of the Cyberformers, while others believe he has struck an accord with the C'tan, and some even believe him and the Deceiver to be one and the same. Though his artifact is said to be the toxic Liegian Darts capable of felling any being save himself, his real skill is his silver tongue.
Megatronus Prime: (See below)
The Unknown Prime: One of the original thirteen is not known to the Cybertronians at large, though it is said that he was a mediator among his kin, the first to raise an arm in greeting to his fellows and the one who worked the hardest to create peace among the children of Primus. While the others were said to have ascended, the Unknown Prime is stated to have chosen to reincarnate himself among the mortal followers of Primus so that he could guide them more directly and keep them safe from darkness.

Unicron

He goes by many names. The Lord of Chaos, the Chaos Bringer, the Planet Eater, among many others spoken hesitantly over the centuries. His goal is singular; to destroy anything and everything within known existence, the Warp included, until there is nothing left in the void of space and he destroys that as well. While he is the polar opposite of his twin brother Primus, he assumes the form of a living planet just like him. He gains substance by devouring worlds, stars, and anything in between. His current whereabouts are unknown, but there has not been a reported sighting of him since the tail-end of the Great War when he was supposedly defeated until the very end of the forty first millenium. It is thought that the opening of the Eye somehow reawakened Unicron, the turbulent energies attracting him like a moth to a flame. Some believe he has the capability to transcend his physical planet form and travel to different dimensions or even different universes at will. It is possible he can never truly be defeated, simply escaping to another plane of existence.

Many Transformers and even organic beings who seek power might end up in Unicron's corrupting hand. Like the Dark Gods, Unicron gathers followers and boons them with unnatural gifts so they can fulfill his blasphemous dreams. Many are stripped of their free will in the process but some, like Ramjet, follow him willingly out of their own twisted desires. Many believe he his gathering his own army of darkness, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal himself and consume the Galaxy. Still, in the end his followers will simply be devoured along with everything else, and he will move to another galaxy or even another dimension to consume again. Those who worship Unicron are mad and nihilistic, craving little more than power and the end to all things. The lucky among them are even transformed into his heralds; dreadfully powerful beings who enact his will.

In some of the ancient, forgotten texts of the covenant of Primus, it is said that Unicron is not truly of this or any universe, but is instead a traveller between realities who ends each one in turn as he awakens them unless he is stopped. These texts speak of an apocalyptic process of the devouring of worlds and stars until he at last gains enough strength to release a chaos plague that devolves reality itself until all crumbles into formless entropy and the universe itself dies; allowing him to continue onto his next target to pursue his nihilistic rage against every possible iteration of existence. Whether or not this is true, even the followers of the Chaos gods fear and loathe Unicron, for the all-devourer will leave nothing for even them to corrupt and may even destroy them for the insolence of claiming to be lords of Chaos when he has come to claim the stars.

Unicron's cult finds little acceptance even among the Decepticons, being viewed as a threat to its major warlords who have more secular motivations and aims and many of whom still hold some loyalty to Primus' name. But given that Unicron's cult wants nothing more than to end existence itself, when it makes itself known it can at times generate strange alliances of those opposed to the ender of worlds. The Inquisition considers the cult of Unicron to be a class platinum AAA moral threat to the integrity of the Imperium as some madmen in the Imperium try to invoke the Dark God's name in the hopes of his favor, occasionally even summoning some of his more infamous heralds who have only ever been repulsed with great loss of life. The Harlequins dedicate a number of troupes to thwarting his schemes, and even Chaos warbands, Necron Dynasties, and Tyranid Hive Fleets will oppose Unicron cultists if they are known to them and many seers report that he will bring about the end of days, though those who make such defeatist predictions in the Imperium are usually executed.

In a sort of ironic twist, Unicron prefers the services of Cybertronians above any other species despite the Cybertronians' nature as his enemy's children. This is likely due to the greater size and strength of the Cybertronians compared to other species, as well as the Chaos bringer's delight in corrupting that which his brother has created. That is not to say that members of other species deranged enough to pay homage to that which seeks to destroy every last living soul in the galaxy in unspeakable torment are not sometimes rewarded with his favour. But he will prefer to grant his gifts to the children of Primus, with only a relative handful of members of other species having ever have found themselves in enough of Unicron's graces to ascend to the coveted status of Herald to enjoy the vast powers offered by such a position. Lesser gifts brought about by his corruptive influence however, have been often recorded in non-cybertronian cultists in a manner reminiscent of chaos marks or mutations.

Some of these include chaos warbands and loyalist astartes, with the Nurglite warband known as the Purge renouncing Nurgle to serve Unicron in the hopes of joining the Destroyer's cleansing of the galaxy after witnessing his destructive power, to Nurgle's rage and Unicron's amusement, while others like some of the most extremely destructive Necron dynasties see him as a worthy master and have pledged their fleets to him. It cannot be denied that Unicron's armies are slowly but surely growing as many succumb to his corruption, his dark energon raises deceased transformers into his unliving legions, and others begin to follow him out of a love of his carnage and a belief that they may join his crusade to end all there is and all that ever will be. Wiping out inhabited worlds and systems at a truly frightful pace, the very mention of Unicron's name now brings fear to the hearts of courts across the galaxy as Unicron adds himself to the many factors that make it seem like the forty second millenium will be the galaxy's last.

The Fallen

Unicron counts a number of beings as his greatest servants, those who have traveled with him since time immemorial to serve him; first and foremost being the Fallen, Megatronus Prime and Primus' wayward son. The Fallen, like Unicron, is said to be a divine being, not truly capable of being destroyed even if his body appears to die, and is said to have taken on many shapes. Made into a guardian of entropy, the orderly dissolution of all things; whether great or small to oversee and curtail its destructive powers and ensure that it did not devolve into chaos and thus become an tool of Unicron, the nature of the force that Megatronus tried to control in the end consumed him and with the prodding of the Liege Maximo; the first of the original thirteen to spurn the path of good; turned to madness and betrayed his brothers and sister to Unicron, slaying his sister Solus Prime and siding with Unicron in the first war before sharing his fate of banishment. The Fallen has occasionally reappeared, with some accounts even claiming to have seen his body destroyed; but such a formless evil can never truly be destroyed by mundane or even divine means, and it is said that even if the Fallen is shattered in a way he cannot reform from; Unicron himself will reconstitute his favored servant to plague the stars once more.

The first of Unicron's servants and the burning herald of entropy, the Fallen is worshipped in his own right by the cult of Unicron. Those cultists of Unicron who choose to hold the Fallen above all other Heralds of Unicron are the most apocalyptic of his servants. Just as the Fallen wants to see all of reality reduced to ash and embers, to burn in the fires of entropy until nothing remains and nothing can live; so too does the Fallen sect seek to destroy and ruin, rather than corrupt or enslave. Those of the sect of the Fallen have at many times tried to destroy entire planets at a time with the aid of dreadful artifacts or schemes meant to do little more than destroy everything they can as thoroughly as they can; purposefully trying to beget the act of Exterminatus so that what they see as another bastion of the wretched nature of existence will perish. Apocalypse cults in every sense of the word, the Fallen's favored are at the very least, generally unsubtle in most cases. His artifact is the Requiem Blaster, which he has used to end entire worlds with a single shot and is a weapon of such power that it can destroy, not simply banish; even Greater Daemons with a single shot though he no longer needs it; having ascended and left it behind for mortals to destroy themselves over a chance to fire it, and were that not enough, his physical prowess and other artifacts make him such a terrifying opponent to face that he has yet to ever lose a battle in the few times Unicron's favoured servant makes himself known. If Unicron is to the Cybertronians as the Chaos gods are to man, then the Fallen is very much Horus ascendant to their kind, the embodiment of just how far they can fall.

"You call yourselves servants of Chaos and yet you continue to try and build and corrupt, you seek to make your own empires in dedication to your young gods and merely seek to pervert what order has created. You and your gods do not even deserve the moniker of Chaos, you are nothing more than another set of squabbling children who call their petty cruelties defiant of the nature of creation. Let me tell you of real chaos then. I will see all things reduced to ash, I will hear you scream as you watch your beloved gods dissolve into the primordial soup of oblivion as every last star goes dark and their planets become as dust. I will savour your agony as your "chaos" perishes as the shriveled husk of life breathes its last, and then as you realize that everything you have achieved in this existence was for nothing, only then will I allow you the mercy of final oblivion. These are the terms of my bargain with you and your little princedom. - The Fallen to the Tzeentchilist Daemon Prince Imargathulas.

Nemesis Prime

There are two accounts of who Nemesis Prime is. One account says that he is a dark doppleganger of Optimus Prime created by Unicron himself to mirror and oppose the greatest of the autobots, infused with his own dark matrix that is rife with the power of evil. In this account he is essentially a being of nothing more than pure evil, a malevolent presence who has never known good or order and will simply corrupt and decay all as surely as a fire will burn everything it touches. Another, more blasphemous account however, says that he is in fact Nova Prime; a long past predecessor of Optimus and even Sentinel. During the golden age of cybertron, Nova Prime organized an expedition beyond the galaxy and even beyond the known universe and the warp, looking for glories to catalogue and conquer for Cybertron. Seen as the greatest Prime since the original thirteen, a blade winged angel of Primus whose white and noble form brought those who beheld it to ease and spread the Cybertronian Empire far and wide, Nova's preparation for departure was eagerly followed by the Cybertronians as he brought with him the cream of Cybertron's crop; with such brilliant figures as Lord Straxus and Jhiaxus following him in his voyage.

However, Nova Prime and his fleet never returned after their voyage; most assuming they had activated the space bridge and entered a reality incompatible with their existences and were thus snuffed out instantly. Others, however, say that Nova Prime came across Unicron in a place where life could not exist, and was slain and then raised as an undead creature along with the rest of his crew. Unicron rebuilt the prime as Nemesis Prime, his undead herald of corruption who would seek to bring low all that Unicron's brother stood for not with raging fire and flame, but with a deep physical corruption, where even the spark would not be spared being turned to Unicron's dark and twisted services. Those of Unicron's cult who hold Nemesis in the highest regard seek to spread forth dark energon and other forms of Unicron's corruptive power, engaging in acts that can only be described as Necromantic to mimic the undead nature of Nemesis Prime and his acolytes. More subtle than the Fallen's burning rage, Nemesis Prime's influence leaves withered worlds in its wake, worlds where the dead do not rest quietly.

Galvatron

Unicron's servants outside of cultist dregs who have relatively little idea of just what they serve are a rarity, but some claim to be his heralds, his princes of entropy and darkness, one of the most active and notorious among them is Galvatron. The massively powerful and violently insane Galvatron has a startling amount of charisma to him, at times being as charming as Starscream, but such moments of clarity are but a thin veil over a being who can be considered deranged even by Unicron's standards. Most would do well to stay on his good side however, as his cannon has been known to be the cause of the destruction of at least one moon and his fists have been known to turn whole land raiders inside out in a single blow.

What makes Galvatron even more terrifying is that he claims a connection to Megatron. Indeed, although he also seems to see Megatron as somehow disconnected from him, he actually claims to be the Slagmaker, reforged to serve the true lord of all Transformers. Though this is naturally greeted with skepticism, and violent opposition by some of Megatron's more devoted followers, it is true that Galvatron often makes surprisingly accurate references to events that Megatron partook in before his disappearance. Even chiming in with details few, if any, other than the Slagmaker himself should have known!

Some have wondered if Galvatron might be some sort of failed reconstruction effort, or perhaps a clone. One outlandish theory suggests that Galvatron is, in reality, a version of Megatron from a different timeline, dragged here to this reality to assist in Unicron's quest of devouring this dimension. If the Fallen is the embodiment of Unicron the destroyer and Nemesis Prime stands as Unicron the corruptor, Galvatron is Unicron in his most chaotic form, with little in the way of lucidity, a being whose rampant insanity makes him difficult, if not impossible to fully control even for the mighty Unicron. Those who offer their services to him tend to share this madness and can be as unpredictable as they are terrifying. In recent years it appears that Galvatron has slipped his leash and is actively attempting to subjugate his former master, the demented goal appears to have directed his unchecked rage and insanity into one avenue which has afforded him a starling amount of clarity especially when tempered by his dedicated second in command Cyclonus and the brilliant yet modest constructicon leader Scrapper.

Servants of Galvatron

Cyclonus: Galvatron's second in command, a loyal and intelligent 'bot Cyclonus is a deadly aerial combatant, his sleek fighter form allowing flying circles around any who try to fight him in his domain. Despite his general contempt for humanity Cyclonus feels a certain respect for the Adeptus Astartes.
Scourge:A tireless tracker Scourge revels in the chase, leading his tireless legion of huntsmen: the Sweeps Scourge is a merciless tracker, hunting down those who oppose his master. Despite his robot mode being lightly armed compared to his companion Cyclonus Scourge's weapon; a lethally corrosive acid blaster that not even the Tyranids have managed to counteract.
Abominus: One of the Decepticon Gestalts found by Galvatron, Abominus is the combined form of the animalistic Terrorcons. The five Terrorcons consist of the Gluttonous commander Hun-Gurr, the "so bloodthirsty he'd give a Bloodthirster pause" Cutthroat, the sadistic Sinnertiwn, the unhygenic Blot, and Rippersnapper, who has a massive inferiority complex. The Terrorcons are brutal, animalistic killers, which reflects in Abominus' complete drive to kill anything and everything in the nearby area.
Menasor: Another of the Decepticon Gestalts in service of Galvatron, Menasor is the combined form of the Stunticons. The Stunticons, consisting of the vicious and cruel leader Motormaster, the victory-obsessed Dragstrip, the eternally depressed Dead-end, the psychotic Wildrider, and the paranoid Breakdown. Menasor can be described as insane, a reflection of the sheer loathing every member of the squadron holds towards Motormaster. As such, Menasor is prone to tantrums of pure rage, and can be described as a "walking destruction derby." This makes him a weapon not to "point and aim", but to "set loose and get away from."
Devastator: The last of the three Gestalts under Galvatron, Devastator is unique in that he has six components instead of five. His composing members, the Constructicons, are the brilliant team leader Scrapper, the manic chemist Mixmaster, the berzerker Bonecrusher, the insecure Scavenger, the massive Long Haul, and the perfectionist medic Hook. Devastator was the first Decepticon Gestalt, and has the simplest mind as a result. Due to his having six components, he is the largest of the Gestalts, and has enhanced strength as a result.

Ramjet

Said to have been trapped in a "space between spaces" before Unicron reconstituted him, Ramjet is often said to be the "mouth of Unicron", an almost gibbering creature who bears resemblance to Starscream's seekers. Seemingly comprised out of anti-matter only prevented from exploding through his sheer force of will and Unicron's dark favor, Ramjet chooses to follow Unicron in his aspect of the remaker. Just as Unicron remade him into the wretched abomination that he is now, his followers "remake" things in shapes more pleasing to Unicron, in a manner that in its own way, is perhaps more horrible than the corruptive withering that Nemesis Prime creates. Whereas Nemesis drains life and goodness to leave a withered husks that Cybertronians call Terrorcons and "dead worlds", Ramjet's methods are much more brutal, much more painful, and much more sudden. Autobots and decepticons are left as shuddering, mangled wrecks; still alive in a manner that most would consider death a preferable alternative to.

Ramjet's followers make monsters out of heroes and bedlam out of paradise. There is not the cold, stale corruption of Nemesis here; but a frenzied mass of forcible and horrific change. Ramjet particularly delights in disfigurement and urges those who consider him Unicron's greatest speaker to partake in more such acts of abomination. This makes them particularly hated by the worshippers of Slaanesh, who share the Dark Prince's love of excessive beauty mixed with a tinge of horror; whereas all Ramjet sees is something that needs to be broken into a form that will make Unicron smile at its ruination before they too are destroyed by Ramjet's dark master. This is not to say anyone else is particularly safe from Ramjet's vision, as Ramjet sees the ideals of the galaxy's natives as amusing concepts all in need of being torn down; whether it be the blood and fury of Khorne or the ancient nobility of the Eldar, all will be reshaped for Unicron's pleasure.

Sideways

Embodying Unicron the deceiver and the liar, nobody is sure where Sideways comes from or if he was ever anything but Unicron's servant. Sideways is infamous for his ability to deceive people into aiding Unicron's designs, playing on any emotional weakness he sees to fuel that which Unicron feeds on; which includes conflict to Khorne's rage as Unicron leeches power that should be the Blood God's to feed his rampage to destroy this universe. Sideways is not as physically powerful as his fellows, though he is tremendously agile and maneuverable and is seemingly impossible to kill; regenerating even from total atomization, but that is not his power. Much like the Liege Maximo, his greatest strength has always been in getting people to do what they want when he wants them to. Brothers are set against brothers, allies become enemies, pacts that should have been forged against mutual enemies come undone, the true threat is concealed until it is far too late to do anything about it, all of this pleases Unicron and all of these are things that Sideways has brought into being. Having once nearly brought the Autobots and Decepticons both to their knees with a number of aliases that lead to disastrous conflict until it was almost too late to stop Unicron, even Sideways' very name has become a byword for duplicity and treachery among the Cybertronians.

Though once he had seemingly dismissed organic species as incapable of seriously affecting Unicron's plans, the great strength shown by organics, including the Eldar who had helped to stop Unicron from emerging in the galaxy the last time and the times that human children have helped to interfere in his plans, he has decided that they too shall know the chaos and strife of Unicron's influence. It is he who decided to start spearheading efforts to turn the efforts of mortals to folly through a long series of cat's paws and cults to the dark glory of his master, leading to upheavals and conflicts across the galaxy to weaken those who would seek to deny the Chaos Bringer his right to destroy the very stars themselves. His anarchic and duplicitous nature has earned him the particular ire of Anrakyr the Traveller, who has vowed to see Sideways destroyed after a number of conflicts with Unicron's trickster and most insidious of servants. Out of the original children of Primus, Vector Prime in particular opposes Sideways' manipulations. After tricking both Lufgt Huron and Logan Grimnar into thinking he was an ally and setting both up for a fruitless conflict before revealing his hand by trying to have both devoured by an army of Terrorcrons, he has earned the hatred of the red corsairs and space wolves too.

Other Dark Gods

Though Unicron is the greatest of the dark multiversal gods of Cybertronian lore, others exist, all ultimately subservient to Unicron in the end, but all working with Unicron in his quest to see every possible iteration of existence wiped away without even the barest trace left for posterity. These include the energy beast Tornedron; who voraciously consumes any and all energy that can be found, the D-Void; a beast born of a stillborn reality who hungers for the energies of life, and Hytherion; a wayward superweapon that consumes the very essence of time itself. Through these dark powers, Unicron's influence has been said to have spread across countless realities in a vast war with creation itself with all manner of legendary warriors being said to be fighting this war across all manner of realities.

Optimus Prime

The great leader of the Autobots, the face of freedom and the bringer of hope. For untold eons he led the battle between Autobot and Decepticon, until he mysteriously vanished during a final, fatal confrontation with Megatron. To this day, the Autobots mourn his loss, seeing him as the best of a noble breed, the likes of which may not be seen again.

Originally coming online with the designation Orion Pax, the Prime who came to be known as Optimus was originally a humble factory worker, a transporter who used the guise of a Cybertronic cargo freighter to convey vital goods and materials where they were needed. A friendly and gregarious youth, the mech was content with his humble life, though he felt a great admiration for the rabble-rouser Megatron, who was preaching against the inequalities of the current system. That admiration faded when Megatron himself led an assault on the factory where Orion worked, killing Orion's friends and mortally injuring the confused mech when he pleaded with his hero-figure to stop. Found clinging to life by the enigmatic scientist Alpha Trion, one of the last of the thirteen who had not ascended and the chooser of primes, he was rebuilt in a more powerful form, which he used to inspire other Autobots to take up arms to defend thesmelves against Megatron's revealed tyranny and brutality.

Always a humble soul, Optimus Prime looked forward to the possibility that the war would end and he could go back to a simpler time. As a result, in contrast to some Autobots, he always retained a fairly close semblance to his original alternate form; originally a Cybertronian cargo hauler as Orion Pax, the alternate form of Optimus Prime is based on that template, but heavily armored and given attached energy blasters for self defense. This form suited Optimus fine, for he preferred the more honorable approach of using his true mech body to do battle with his enemies, rather than crushing them under the tracks of his vehicle body. To concede to war's grim necessity, he made use of several specialised trailers, which he could access from and dismiss to a subspace pocket when he required them. These allowed the Prime to double as a mobile artillery battery or an armored personal carrier, among other roles, when the need was great.

Preaching that freedom was the right of all sentient beings, Optimus strove to engage in diplomatic relationships with other races where possible. He is said to have had a particular soft spot for humans... what he would think of the modern Imperium is a touchy subject amongst Autobots.

Megatron

The most feared and dreaded Decepticon warlord to ever arise, the disappearance of the Slagmaker was less of a relief than many had hoped. After all, who could really dare to trust that the mech responsible for the greatest civil war until the Horus Heresy - indeed, Cybertronians would argue that their civil war was worse, since the Horus Heresy barely lasted more than a decade whilst theirs has raged for millions of years - had just crawled off into the darkness and died? Even in the Imperium, those poor souls cursed with the responsibility of awareness of Megatron's deeds and history find it harder to sleep at night when they contemplate the possibility that he might still be out there...

Megatron's past is an enigma, even to his own followers, but it was known that he had originally worked as a miner before abandoning that career to find a more lucrative one as a professional gladiator. In the oil-stained, fluid-spattered arenas of Kaon, the formerly obscure figure climbed to stardom on a pile of broken bodies and crushed wills, the powerful frame and inexhaustible stamina that had once torn Energon crystals and valuable ores from living earth now finding a gorier function. But Megatron was no mere dumb brute, alas for the galaxy, for if he had been, he may have found peace there. But beneath his brutish shell lay the processor of a charismatic and intelligent soul, who educated himself as best he could, and used his reputation as a gladiator to force a way into the political arena for himself.

To this day, it's argued in dark corners whether Megatron really was sincere when he began his preaching against social inequality amongst Cybertonians, only to be corrupted into a tyrant, or if it was a fraud all along. What is known is that it was not long before Megatron grew tired of peaceful protests and began demanding change - by force. He and his followers became violent rebels, committing terrorist actions that soon sparked a full-scale war, forever dividing their people into warring factions.

Megatron's alternate form was a thing of terror to all who saw it, an armored and heavily armed flying vessel, of a design archaic even when he chose it, capable of soaring through the stars and delivering death wherever he chose. He bore a massive energy blaster, one so unstable that few others could have hoped to carry it and survive its energy fluctuations, but Megatron wielded it with ease. Worlds burned and died at his command, entire species were rendered extinct at his whim. He was a monster, and amongst the Decepticons who have faced the Space Marines, it is said that even Primarchs were leery of doing battle with their dark lord.

"See what they have done! Look upon the ruin they have caused, all for this manifest destiny they call the 'Great Crusade'! How foolish Prime was to protect them and to not destroy them when they were in their infancy... But that is the past, and this is now! It is now our time to take back what is ours, to avenge our fallen and push the pathetic humans back to the festering hole from once they came! Decepticons! Transform and rise up!"-Megatron, just before the Fall of Cybertron

Rodimus Prime

On that dark day when Optimus Prime disappeared, only one soul was able to confirm the Hope-Bringer's disappearance. The mech called Hot Rod was infamous amongst the Autobots at the time; charismatic, fearless, and a deadly warrior, but also immature, foolhardy and lighthearted. He had great potential as a warrior and a leader, but most considered him to squander it, as he refused to, in his own words, "let this war drag (him) down". All that changed when he returned to the Autobots, bearing the sacred symbol of their cause; the Matrix of Leadership, collective repository of the wisdom of all Primes, last born by Optimus himself. Contrary to the dark rumors some still whisper today, Hot Rod made no attempt to claim leadership for himself; indeed, the idea visibly horrified, even sickened him. The first thing he did was present the Matrix to Ultra Magnus, asserting that the scarred and grizzled veteran was the only possible candidate to take Optimus' place. Only when the Matrix refused to open and share its power with Ultra Magnus was Hot Rod forced to confess that Optimus had not only given him the Matrix to bear from that fateful battlefield, but asserted that he was to take Optimus's place.

To the disbelief of all, Hot Rod took up the Matrix and was transformed, becoming Rodimus Prime. Knowing in his spark of sparks that he was not the unequivocal leader that his predecessor was, Rodimus formally allied himself with Ultra Magnus, and the two have been staunch allies ever since; though Rodimus has matured greatly since taking up the Matrix, his hotblooded and passionate nature nicely contrasts the cool and logical nature of the grizzled old veteran. Still, this was not enough to prevent the Autobots from splintering, thus necessitating the founding of the Council of Primes.

Formerly an alien speedster, Rodimus Prime's new alternate form is a sleek yet deadly skimmer with a disproportionately vast amount of firepower and a surprising level of armor. Quick in both body and mind, Rodimus is capable of feats even Eldar jetbikes have been hardpressed to match, and has several confirmed Titan kills to his name. Rodimus firmly believes that one day Optimus Prime will return, feeling in the depths of his spark that Optimus Prime can never truly die and that on that day, he will once again return the Matrix of leadership to Optimus; whom he (and many others) never felt like a truly worthy replacement for. And that on that day, Optimus will bright light to the galaxy's darkest hour. And with Unicron rampaging through the galaxy, the Necrons awakening en masse, Abaddon's thirteenth black crusade going at full tilt, more and more hive fleets arriving in the galaxy every day, and Ghazghkull uniting the Orks, he believes that hour is fast approaching.

As the bearer of the Matrix of leadership, he is a target for all of Unicron's heralds, with the Fallen and Nemesis Prime in particular hating him, the Fallen for Rodimus represents the latest in a line of succession of Primes established by his hated brother Prima, and Nemesis Prime as Nemesis seems to be the antithesis of all that Optimus Prime ever was and stood for. Against these threats, Rodimus has often worked with the Eldar and humanity to oppose the machinations of Unicron, and has even engaged Ramjet; though only as a distraction to let Eldrad Ulthran and the Grey Knights close the entropic gate that Ramjet had opened and he barely held his own against the insane ex-seeker even with the aid of Kaldor Draigo, Ulthwe's avatar of Khaine, and a number of some of the mightiest Ulthwean, Grey Knight, and Autobot warriors at his disposal, withdrawing via mass teleport the instant Eldrad had succeeded.

Metroplex

When the Imperium assaulted Cybertron, they could not believe how huge Metroplex was as an entire city complex transformed into a warrior who was kilometers tall and single handedly annihilated whole titan legions, often simply stepping on imperator class titans as if they were nothing more than ants and laying waste to whole corps of the Imperial army and devastating grand companies and chapters of the legionnes astartes at a time. Metroplex was simply unstoppable, and when the Primarch Mortarion tried to battle Metroplex and rally his wavering legion, bidding his sons to stand and fight after seeing metroplex crush a titan legion, Metroplex slammed his fist once into the primarch, smashing him into the ground and leaving him able to only weakly retaliate with his pistol while his legion looked on with horror, before a second punch knocked him out entirely. In the end it took the intervention of the Navy and a legion or ordinatii to drive Metroplex back, and he was for a time thought lost with Cybertron when it was drawn into a wormhole. Rodimus however, managed to rediscover the enormous cityformer and has recruited him to his cause, with Metroplex soon serving as a symbol of hope for the autobot cause as the giant can single handedly turn the tide of battle in his spaceship, fortress, or robot forms.

Optimus Primal

A relatively young autobot heavily inspired by the legend of Optimus Prime, Optimus Primal is a Maximal; a subfaction of Autobots who take on more techno-organic forms capable of passing for animals; and takes on the form of a great and powerful ape. Bearing a great physical resemblance to Optimus, some even wonder if Primal is a reincarnation of the great Optimus Prime himself, though he denies such claims. A formidable and compassionate warrior in combat, Optimus Primal frequently offers his enemies a chance to surrender before facing the full wrath of the autobot army, though he certainly will not hesitate to lay his enemies low with lethal force if such is needed to protect those he sees as innocent. While more adept at physical combat than he is at range, Optimus Primal is certainly capable of tearing apart most enemies at any range, and his leadership credentials have made him among Rodimus Prime's favoured lieutenants.

Hot Shot

Young and Brash, Hot Shot was a peer of Hot Rod (and often confused with him) when they were young bots fresh out of the academy; getting along well with Hot Rod and Bumblebee. Being seen as having had a great deal of promise, Hot Shot went on nearly every mission with Hot Rod before the fall of Cybertron. When the Matrix chose him as the next prime, Hot Shot served as Rodimus' lieutenant with honor, supporting his founding of the covenant of Primus. Still holding out hope for humanity, remembering what it used to be back in ancient days, Hot Shot still defends Rodimus' human friendly policy in spite of all the Xenophobia and ignorance mankind has allowed to consume itself. He ever holds out hope that things will be better, even when what seems to be the darkest of nights is approaching the entire galaxy as galaxy ending threat after threat emerges with little in the way of reprieve for those who would seek to fight for the light. Preferring fast and swift wheeled vehicles for his alternate forms, Hot Shot's bold and brash approach to warfare has allowed him to get in and out of battle with lightning speed.

Arcee

One of Rodimus' colleagues from the academy with rumors of her even being his consort (whatever that entails), Arcee ranks as one of the fastest autobots who isn't an actual flier, though with a combat bike for an alternate form she is certainly quite petite for a cybertronian; even using size shifting technology. She herself was once quite close to humanity, though she sometimes despairs of it as she reflects on how far its fallen from the kindness she remembered it being capable of. Highly educated, having been a teacher before joining the war effort as a special ops commando, Arcee often helps with the planning stages of combat, but she is one of the best sharpshooters in the entire autobot army, and in battle is utterly merciless to her enemies, knowing that she'll need to be in order to protect her friends and that which she so dearly cherishes. Lightning quick in close combat with a fighting style meant to keep on hitting the enemy constantly and never let them rest or recover, she has a deep seated grudge against Airachnid and Starscream for the deaths of her previous partners.

Ultra Magnus

Grim, thoughtful and methodical, only a fool mistakes Ultra Magnus for being slow-witted. One of the largest Autobot leaders, he wields the mighty Magnus Hammer, an electricity-manipulating xenotech device that is far beyond the capabilities of the Imperium's thunder hammers. Transforming into a slow-moving but nigh-invulnerable mobile battery, he has crushed entire armies of organics singlehandedly, and few command the respect he does. Humble by nature, his alliance with Rodimus Prime benefits them both, and despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences, the two are, in fact, staunch friends and will gladly risk their lives for each other.

Omega Supreme

A titanic Autobot more than a hundred times taller than the average Cybertronian and the commander of the mighty Omega Sentinels patterned off of his form, Omega Supreme is large enough to house other autobots inside of him when he serves as a transport and a warship. Omega Supreme is bristling with weapons, shielding, and incredibly thick and durable armour that allows him to withstand the most punishing of blows. It is said that even the Primarchs did not dare to confront Omega Supreme in physical combat anymore than they would have battled a Titan without backup, and he has certainly humiliated a great many combatants who thought themselves his match. In space, he often rams other warships, transforming to literally tear his way into battleships; swiftly dooming the warship as the Autobot colossus rampages through them with such a fusilade of firepower that dodging his wrath is essentially impossible. A great many titans and gargants have fallen at Omega Supreme's hand, and with his great size, his usual method of dealing with the likes of greater daemons and alpha hive tyrants is to simply step on them, crushing them into a fine paste, which tends to apply even more to the likes of Chaos lords, space marine chapter masters, Archons, and the like. While not the largest autobot there is, Omega Supreme is more mobile and maneuverable than most of the autobots who exceed him in size, and is more stable than most of the gestalt transformers.

Bulkhead

Said to have had a great fondness for humans (and children in particular) due to excursions made in Terra's ancient age to the planet, Bulkhead mourns what humanity has become and does not enjoy fighting human enemies; whether Chaotic, Imperial, or Xenos controlled. He nevertheless ranks as among the strongest of the autobots discounting Gestalts and others who are exceptionally large and with his launchable flail weapon, is capable of unleashing a great deal of devastation in melee combat; and he can carry some of the heaviest weapons in the autobot arsenal with ease thanks to his great size. He prefers the forms of heavily armoured military vehicles such as land raiders; preferring durability to firepower when given the choice. Bulkhead strongly believes that Optimus will return one day, though he chooses to work with Ultra Magnus as he has some issues working with someone he'll always consider a newbie, even if they have been chosen by the Matrix itself.

Bumblebee

A companion of Hot Rod and Hot Shot when they were all fresh out of the academy, Bumblebee may be small but he packs a great punch and a big heart. Heartbroken by humanity's present state, Bumblebee is believed to have once been close friends with many humans in more peaceful ages, having a preference for hanging out with human children in particular due to his youthful attitude and nature. Even to this day he'll always be the first to argue against putting humans, especially innocent humans such as civilians and children; in danger, and has actually refused to shoot back against Whiteshields even when they're threatening his life. When people are tragically orphaned in battlefields in which he is present in, Bumblebee has taken to adopting some of those who have lost family to the horrors of war. While Rodimus was a close friend in their youths, Bumblebee has stuck with Ultra Magnus due to his lifelong friend Bulkhead's presence there.

Grimlock

Of all the senior Autobots, Grimlock was the only one that refused to join the Covenant of Primus. After the establishment of the Covenant, Grimlock went out on his own, obsessively searching for his team of Dinobots and Optimus Prime who had disappeared in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. If there are any sightings of his teammates or Optimus in a given system, one can be sure that Grimlock will be the first there, cutting bloody paths through whoever gets in his way. The most famous occurrence was on the moon of a dead world, where Grimlock dueled a Bloodthirster in order to find his comrade Slag. When Grimlock discovered he wasn't there, he proceeded to butcher every daemon on the moon, from the smallest Bloodletter to the lead Bloodthister. Rodimus Prime and other members of the Covenant worry that the Blood God is somehow manipulating Grimlock into falling to Chaos, but whether he has succeeded in doing so has yet to be seen, with some joking that Grimlock is simply too cranky to bend knee to the Blood God, noting that Grimlock refused the Fallen's offers of power and succumbing to rage when he appeared on Cybertron so many millenia ago. Over time he has developed a retinue of Autobots, both great and common, who gather around the powerful Dinobot for protection and to help him in his quest of searching for his brethren and their missing leader. Grimlock has a particular hatred of Trazyn the Infinite, who has deceived him into thinking he had Optimus Prime in his possession only for Trazyn to pull one of his old tricks; revealing that he did not and that this was just a lure to take Grimlock for his collection. Grimlock tried to crush the Necron Phaeron into oblivion, but was lead into a chase that ended with Grimlock crashing into a completely unrelated dynasty to release his frustrations. He has recently been able to engage a supermode by combining with Jetfire and Elita One like Optimus was once able to; using it to fight the fallen primarch Perturabo and with the aid of a weapon forged by Solus Prime herself known as the Chaos Hunter; defeated the Primarch in single combat to stop the master of the Iron Warriors from intervening in the thirteenth black crusade; turning the tide when he fully unlocked the power of the weapon and going from struggling to hold his own to severely overmatching Perturabo, who was unable to tolerate the orderly power radiated by this weapon of the thirteen, with Grimlock inflicting lasting damage on Perturabo's very soul.

Jetfire

One of Optimus Prime's right hand men, Jetfire was devastated by the disappearance of his old comrade and was for a time, lost and without purpose. However, he came to hear Grimlock's call for those who could fight, those who would help him find his old comrades and bring back the Dinobots and bring Optimus to take his rightful place back. Not feeling entirely at home with the Covenant of Primus, Jetfire soon lent a hand to Grimlock and was one of the first to join forces with him. With his peculiar method of speech and skill at aerial combat as well as his long experience on the field of battle, Jetfire made an ideal companion for Grimlock, and the news that Jetfire had sided with Grimlock inspired many to join with Grimlock's growing Knights of Primus. A powerful companion in his own right, Jetfire is no mere yes man despite his loyalty to Grimlock, if he thinks Grimlock is making a mistake he won't be afraid to challenge him on that and offer his own plan, and thanks to his down to earth friendliness, he's managed to get on Grimlock's good side, a rare feat for anyone, even if he disagrees on Grimlock's apathy regarding organics, believing that organics are worth saving. Jetfire's minicon partner Comettor is a staunch ally of the Autobot and has served him well across many battles, including the gothic wars where Grimlock's forces prevented Abaddon from escaping with his final two blackstone fortresses and forced Abaddon to flee empty handed.

Elita One

Once Optimus Prime's consort (though what exactly a consort in a mechanical race entails is the subject of conjecture), and once known as Ariel before being rebuilt like Optimus was, Elita One made the decision to join Grimlock when she thought that Ultra Magnus and Rodimus did not have the same drive Optimus had and that Grimlock's quest to refind Optimus Prime and save Cybertron from its current state would need her hand in it. In many ways a warrior equal to her consort, Elita One forms part of Grimlock's war council, as despite the image he creates for himself to make enemies underestimate him; Grimlock is far from stupid in any sense of the word. She tends to promote caution to temper Grimlock's preference for hard hitting assaults or Jetfire's love of lightning hit and run raids, preferring relatively complex schemes to allow for an optimal effort to effect ratio. She, like Jetfire, also holds more compassion for organics than Grimlock, and the two often butt heads with the master of the Dinobots regarding how much effort should go into minimizing collateral damage or saving organics.

Hound

Hound likes guns. Hound has enough guns of every shape and size to make a flash git mob green(er than usual) with envy regarding his massive amount of "dakka". A grizzled autobot war veteran who never took any form of peace with the Decepticons particularly well, Hound has drifted to Grimlock out of their mutual enjoyment of battle and their compatible personalities. Hound has stuck with Grimlock as a confidant and friend, and isn't above putting humans in their place when it suits him to do so. Hound frequently speaks to the engineers and inventors that follow Grimlock around, looking for ever more destructive weaponry to wield. Some worry that Hound's quest for ever increasing amounts of firepower will likely lead to the destruction of at least a few planets, and the quartermasters already dread the amounts of munitions his combat style expends in each and every fight. That is not to say that he is incapable in melee however, as he has single handedly held his own against a chaos warband and when the helbrutes tried to approach him in melee; he soon delivered to them the death they were all so desperately searching for.

Drift

A former Decepticon who later became a Mercenary and then even an Autobot when he realized he couldn't in good conscience continue to serve Megatron's genocidal schemes, Drift ultimately sided with Grimlock when Grimlock declared the covenant of Primus too weak to bring safety to a dark and maddened galaxy; having served alongside the honorable warrior for millenia at this point. A triple former capable of transforming from a wheeled vehicle into a VTOL aircraft, Drift is a highly mobile and maneuverable fighter and strikes with tremendous swiftness with his twin energon swords; capable of carving through even the toughest of armor and shields with ease. Drift has even crossed swords with the mighty Tyranid Swarmlord and managed to hold his own thanks to his mastery of ancient Cybertronian martial arts; and his minicon students Slipstream (not to be confused with the Seeker who shares the name) and Jetstorm have proven to be worthy and capable fighters despite their small size; allowing them to strike at angles unexpected by Cybertronian sized combatants and help him handle smaller opponents.

Ironhide

Also a lover of firepower and big guns, Ironhide is responsible for the destruction of at least one moon, though if you ask him the moon was about to explode anyway. Extremely tough and resilient, Ironhide has earned his name by taking punishment that would destroy lesser combatants many times over against all the enemies that the galaxy has to offer him. With a spark as stubborn as his personality, he seems to simply refuse to die no matter how hard he's been hit and can ignore otherwise debilitating injuries as if they weren't an issue at all, and this of course requires injuring the monstrously durable autobot in the first place. Having never been quite the same since Optimus Prime disappeared, Ironhide was one of the first to defect to Grimlock's side rather than join the covenant of Primus to the surprise of many and has left a trail of corpses in his travels with Grimlock, even blowing off the head of a gargant with his firepower in one particular mission when Grimlock heard rumors of Sludge being present.

Blackarachnia

Once part of the Decepticon subfaction known as the Predacons, Blackarachnia eventually defected from the Decepticons to find a better path for herself. She came to join Grimlock's unit in time, and when Grimlock decided to break with the covenant of Primus, she followed him. Though not as tremendously strong as some of the combatants who have signed on with Grimlock, her agility is second to none, as is her devious ability to set and lay traps for her enemies and her Cybertoxins can quickly disable even the hardiest of enemies. Her skill in poisoning and assassination also leads to her having some skill at medical aid, so when no knight of Primus more skilled at such a thing is available immediately, she'll often pick up the slack and provide field support, with her webs finding a new use in helping to move wounded autobots out of the way quickly. Despite her seemingly small size for a Cybertronian, she, like the spiders she bases her form on; is much stronger than she looks.

Airazor

Cold and Impersonal, Airazor and her minicon companion Nightscream help provide Grimlock's personal retinue in the Knights of Primus an aerial component to keep flying enemies off of his back while he gets to work on the ground. A believer in constant self improvement and that no matter how well one thought they did, one can always find some room for improvement, Airazor can frequently be found training herself when not on active combat duty. Due to her ability to fly under her own power, she often works directly with Jetfire where like some predatory bird she swoops over the battlefield, looking for weak points that she can strike against and bring them down to earth - literally!. She has a particular loathing for the Decepticons and usually advises against any alliances or cooperation with them, and prefers engagements with the Decepticons above any other enemy that the Knights of Primus might face.

Soundwave

Unflinching in his loyalty, Soundwave stood comfortably as Megatron's communications officer throughout most of the Great War. While Shockwave and Starscream earned their ranks through cold-blooded ruthlessness and suave persuasion, respectively, Soundwave crawled his way to the top with his zealous attitude to the Decepticon cause and his unwavering faithfulness to their leader Megatron. His stoic and monotone persona was a harsh juxtaposition to his tactics, sometimes resorting to blackmail or even undercutting allies to suit his needs. After the Horus Heresy and the disappearance of Megatron, something akin to sadness came over the forlorn Decepticon. He wouldn't speak for years after and it was noted that his tactics became far more aggressive, borderline suicidal. Now in the 41st millenium, Soundwave vehemently believes that his master is still out there in the darkness of space. Currently he and his warband of Decepticons are based on the annexed worlds of the Necron Akhera Dynasty, taking full advantage of the confiscated technology and resources.

Espionage and tactical warfare are his forte. While Starscream is known for his use of Powermasters and Pretenders, Soundwave is not above using the latter as spies to discover and undermine his enemy. He himself can be see out in the field disguised as various pieces of technology, from lampposts to communication arrays. His miniature army of Recordicons; an elite cadre of Minicons bound to Soundwave; have become something of a legend to those who have seen it; a small array of Transformers whom Soundwave can deploy directly from his chest and can fill a variety of combat or tactical roles.

Lugnut

Lugnut is hardly a very smart cybertronian, a being of rather average intelligence in an army of schemers and manipulators. However Soundwave values Lugnut because he has something that can be quite rare in the Decepticons; loyalty. Unwavering, unquestionable, incorruptible, and unshakeable loyalty in the Decepticon cause and the glory of Megatron. Of course, Lugnut's colossal brute strength, heavy armament and tremendous durability are also factors in Soundwave keeping Lugnut close at hand. Fervently believing that Megatron is waiting to be discovered and in fact drove the human Emperor away after besting him in battle, Lugnut's fists tend to silence anyone who dares to suggest that Megatron is dead in front of him. Infamous for what has been nicknamed the "punch of kill everything", Lugnut can essentially convert his fists into enormous bombs that deal no harm to himself but can level everything in a huge area around him, incinerating even astartes caught by the blast as he rants and raves about his leader, and if that weren't enough, Lugnut also carries a deadly mace capable of cracking open even the hardiest of targets as well as a huge arsenal of missiles, grenades, and rapid firing blasters to pulverize anyone who challenges the Decepticon cause.

Believing Soundwave to be Megatron's regent, Lugnut obeys Soundwave as blindly as he obeyed Megatron and fervently protects Soundwave from anyone who would do Megatron's regent harm. Such fanatacism has meant that Soundwave often uses Lugnut on tasks that would test the faith of the less loyal, and both Unicron and the Chaos Gods have found Lugnut's dark loyalty to his cruel and tyrannical master essentially impossible to corrupt or subvert. He has no ambition to lead a Decepticon warband of his own, believing it is his place to work with Soundwave until their proper master is returned and the great vision of Megatron is realized and the entirety of the galaxy belongs to the Decepticons.

Bonecrusher

Bonecrusher hates everything. He hates Primus, he hates Unicron, he hates the Imperium, he hates the Autobots, he hates the Eldar, he hates the Orks, he hates the Tyranids, he hates the Necrons, he hates Cybertron, he hates Terra, he hates the Tau, he hates space, he hates being on planets, he hates the Decepticons, he even hates himself for being a revolting misshapened hunchback. Hate is at the very core of Bonecrusher's being, and its that hate that Megatron and now Soundwave has turned into a weapon. With enough hatred to give even Khornates or the most fervent xenophobe of the Imperium pause, Bonecrusher's anger at the universe would have turned him to Khorne if he didn't also hate Khorne as well. Bonecrusher has even engaged in vicious battle with Skarbrand, who shares Bonecrusher's perdicament of hating everything. The duel lasted for a day and a half, the two hatred fueled beings stalemating one another as their loathing for one another only grew until the Decepticons caught up to Bonecrusher and banished Skarbrand with massed firepower. Bonecrusher's alternate forms tend to be heavily armored vehicles with some form of grabbing claw to aid in melee combat, which is his preferred method of combat; generally disdaining ranged shoot outs and even having wheels on his feet to allow him to skate into battle.

Duststorm

A decepticon "after megatron's own spark" Dust-storm is a cruel and ruthless sniper, who has has acquired more kills in her lifetime than many astartes chapters' scout companies have in their entire history. Loyal to Megatron and thus loyal to Soundwave, Duststorm follows Soundwave's crusade to return Megatron to his rightful place and rebirth a great decepticon empire that will at last win the great war and conquer the entire galaxy in Megatron's name. Though it has been more than ten thousand years since she last saw her beloved master, she remains faithful that soon Megatron will return and all will be right with the universe in time. Preferring sleek and fast alternate forms such as buggies, Duststorm does have the means and the ability to deal a great amount of damage at close range as well thanks to her many melee implements, but she's not a very durable combatant, preferring to leave taking the blows to hardier Decepticons and getting away after she strikes the enemy so that she can do so again. Stealthy and fast, she's made for a masterful assassin in Soundwave's army of Megatron's faithful.

Blitzwing

One of the first triple changers, Blitzwing demonstrates certain...personality issues due to the earliness of his adoption of such technology. Namely he has three personalities, a hot headed one that is manifested with a redface, a cold and analytical one that manifests with a blue face, and one that manifests with a black face with jack-o-lantern esque features that is quite mad and deranged, prone to spouting off nonsensical babble at even the slightest opportunity. The hotheaded personality is only capable of using his tank alternate mode and his heat based weapons while his cold one can only utilize the flier mode and deeply cold and chilling weaponry. His insane personality can utilize both modes and sets of weaponry but of course suffers from a severe lack of lucidity. Nevertheless, Blitzwing remains highly loyal to Megatron's cause, and has pledged himself to Soundwave so that he may help restore the Decepticons to their proper glory and punish humanity for all of its crimes against the true and rightful rulers of the galaxy, which certainly do not include any wretched and disgusting organics.

Trypticon

Resembling a great reptillian beast of ancient Terran fiction, Trypticon is both the most powerful decepticon in Soundwave's service as well as his personal flagship; the Nemesis. Standing kilometers tall in robot mode and exceeding the size of the majority of battleships in the galaxy in ship mode and being able to form an entire fortress city in base mode, Trypticon is one of Soundwave's most valuable assets, though the sheer destruction his presence entails means that he only takes to the field in robot mode in the most epic of engagements. With a level of firepower that made him infamous in the great war, Trypticon was undefeated throughout the Imperial-Cybertronian war until at last the combined fleets of elements from the Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Luna Wolves, Salamanders, Iron Warriors, and Alpha Legion came together under the joint command of Roboute Guilliman and Alpharius to stop him and his Decepticon fleet. In a terrible battle that many battleships and battle barges left twisted hulks in space, Trypticon was finally forced to transwarp away from Cybertron. In the aftermath of the war, Soundwave sought out his giant comrade and enticed him to serve once again for the glory of Megatron, a task he has taken to with relish.

Shockwave

Before the Great War between Autobot and Decepticon erupted, Cybertron's Golden Age had come to an end and been replaced by a Gilt Age, with the gloss of the old order covering a growing rot from within, as corruption and selfishness claimed the ruling class. One charismatic, if somewhat vainglorious, senator spoke against this trend, and was a mentor-figure and friend to both Optimus Prime and to Megatron. But rivals in the political arena grew tired of his moral crusading, and they united against him. Getting him captured under false charges, they sentenced him to the most terrible punishments of those days; Empurata and Shadowplay. The former; physical mutilation, restructuring a Cybertronian's body into a clumsier, more utilitarian form, stripping away their face and leaving them devoid of anything but their voice to communicate with. The latter; mental mutilation, forcibly inverting a Cybertronian's personality with extensive reprogramming. From their efforts was born the mech who became known as Shockwave; coldly logical, ruthlessly pragmatic and viciously driven to have power.

He allied himself with Megatron, but always as an equal, in his own mind. When Megatron was lost, Shockwave stepped in to fill the void, and in due fairness, he is in many ways a more practical and efficient leader than Megatron was. But his cold-booted logical approach is, in many ways, just as terrifying as the Slagmaker's passionate one. Shockwave's minions tread warily around him, knowing that to become expendable is as good as death. Shockwave will do anything that he considers appropriate or likely to acquire what he desires. And he is no mindless drone, either; although he will sacrifice lives as readily as the most stereotypical of the Imperial Guard's commanders, he will never do so unless it will ensure victory. Indeed, one of the few beings capable of eliciting something in him close to rage is Commander Kubrik Chenkov; the fact a commander can actually get away with a tactic so... mindless as drowning his enemies in wave after wave of his own men, actually profiting from such wasteful expenditure of his soldier's lives, goes completely contrary to everything his millions of years of tactical study and practical leadership dictates should be acceptable. For similar reasons, he's deeply opposed to the Orks and the Tyranids, and he is the Deception Commander most likely to "come to the rescue" of Imperial units facing against such threats. On the purely logical creed that Orks and Tyranids are enemies that must be obliterated, and other races are comparatively minor nuisances who can be ignored until then.

Though officially allied with Soundwave, it is not so clearcut. Shockwave is out for his own power, first and foremost, and whilst his mental damage makes it impossible for him to wield his former charisma, he can understand and, in his way, appreciate the tactical value of Starscream's diplomatic skills. Thusly, although formally united with Soundwave, it is far from unknown for Shockwave to covertly make deals with Starscream, or use the Brigade's greater skill at manipulating and subverting organics to his advantage. Likewise, sabotaging Soundwave's efforts to find Megatron is not beyond Shockwave, for he long ago formed the realization that Megatron's efficiency as a leader was growing... sub-par.

Shockwave rarely takes to the battle himself, but is a devastating force, assuming the form of a mobile weapon capable of slaughtering whatever he aims himself at.

Blackout

A giant who stands taller than some bio-titans Blackout is huge and very, very powerful if perhaps on the simple side; though others would say that he is certainly quite intelligent, he is simply unconcerned with the fineries of life. He is highly loyal to Shockwave, and some would say he was always more loyal to Shockwave than he was to Megatron, but he and his twin Grindor have served as Shockwave's enforcers for a very long time. Capable of disabling electronics around them and crushing armies with enormous omnidirectional sonic pulses as well as a heavy arsenal of weaponry and tremendous strength and durability, one of Blackout's more unique traits is that he is a twin; having an identical spark and chassis to the Transformer known as Grindor, whom he is never far from. Blackout has been at the forefront of a number of power plays by Shockwave and can be trusted to handle most situations with the directed applications of brute force that he was infamous for during the great war; frequently using his identical appearance to Grindor's to confuse enemies.

Tidal Wave

A colossus who stands equal in stature to Omega Supreme in his transformed state, the giant known as Tidal Wave has allied himself to Shockwave out of a belief that the cyclopean titan of logic is the best hope for the decepticon cause; though he's often loaned out to Soundwave's forces when they have need of the monstrosity's all surpassing brute strength and power. Dwarfing even Titans; tidal wave is a one con army; capable of laying waste to whole worlds on his own if left unchecked and frequently needs the direct intervention of space based assets to drive away. Frequently using the tactic of disguising himself as a watergoing cargo ship or a submersible, the devastating tsunamis caused by his emergence from the water have given him his name as the colossus displaces enough water to destroy whole armies on the coastline simply by emerging from the waves. Out of all of the Decepticon legions, it is Tidal Wave who is perhaps Omega Supreme's closest match and many Titan legion Princeps have learned to fear Tidal Wave's presence as Shockwave often deploys him to single handedly take out entire titan legions, to say nothing of the tiny insects who accompany them.

Strika

One of Shockwave's right hand cons, Strika is a giant of a woman, as large as her consort Lugnut and the leader of strike team Chaar, Shockwave's personal retinue of his most trusted cons. Once Megatron's personally chosen "general of destruction", Strika has laid waste to more worlds than even an Eldar will ever get to visit in their life time over the course of her millions-of-years-long military career. Whereas her team mate Blackout prefers the forms of massively powerful gunships such as the Stormbird and her consort is fond of the alternate mode of heavy bombers, Strika prefers the shape of superheavy tanks. With heavy armour and weaponry, Strika's fighting style leans towards the slow at times, but the force at which she strikes her enemies should leave very little doubt as to why it is a poor idea to allow oneself to be struck by this awesomely powerful Decepticon at the helm of Shockwave's resurgent Decepticon Empire's military forces. Having even managed to hand military defeats to the Primarchs with her command skills, she has a safe place at Shockwave's side as the Cyclopean juggernaut plans to restore the ancient Decepticon Empire to its full glory as the Imperium begins to collapse.

Oil Slick

A chemist and biologist who claims to be working to further Alchemist Prime and Quintus Prime's teachings (though doubtlessly Alchemist and Quintus Prime would disapprove of the ways he pursues chemical science), Oil Slick has created all manner of extremely dangerous chemical weapons to advance the cause of technology in Shockwave's empire. He's created a weaponizable form of the cosmic rust that won't affect decepticons, destroying the technology of his enemies as well as the so called reverse evolution virus; which was capable of altering the minds of Autobots to convert them into Decepticons. Though during the great loss he terrified many humans by creating the Devolution Pox with Scalpel's help, a virus which would rapidly cause afflicted humans to regress to a much more primitive state, leading to the White Scars legion trying to chase him across the galaxy. Having managed to escape Jaghatai Khan's attentions, Oil Slick has been hired by Shockwave, who recognizes the value of Oil Slick's scientific skills when the advancement of technology is a foundation of Shockwave's empire. When in combat, Oil Slick prefers to do battle in his tank based vehicle form instead of his comparatively weak and gangly robot mode, and usually tries to let his concoctions do the fighting for him, but he wouldn't have survived this long if he didn't have some skills.

Scalpel

The chief medical scientist of Shockwave's Empire, Scalpel is tiny for a Decepticon, being the size of one's hand. But Scalpel is one of the most feared of all Decepticons as the cruelties he can conjure at his medical tables will shake even the hardiest of souls to their core. Older than the likes of Fabius Bile or Urien Rakarth and only surpassed in age by the likes of Illuminor Szeras, few who have gained reputations as mad scientists can match the horror of being one of Scalpel's experiments. Though certainly an able and skilled healer by all means, Scalpel prefers harming to healing and when the rising Imperium assaulted the worlds of the Decepticons, it was he who had the files on human gene sequences retrieved to unleash a number of horrific bioweapons targeted at the Imperium's people and studied the Astartes to find a weakness in the imperium's superhuman soldiers, and it was he who organized a raid on the Night Lords to recover the body of Konrad Kurze to learn how humanity could have created such powerful warriors for his experimentations; an insult for which the Night Lords have never forgiven Scalpel. Scalpel has helped many of his fellow Decepticons gain some "modifications" to make themselves more able warriors, though he can charge steep fares for his personal attentions.

Spittor

Spittor is generally seen as...disgusting by most of his fellow cybertronians due to the ooze he gets on everything when he fights, but he remains a capable enough combatant to be placed on Shockwave's elite force known as team Chaar. A walking offense to Olfactory sensors everywhere and an extremely lazy and shameless liar, were it not for Spittor's capabilities in combat, Shockwave would have long dismissed him as a drain on resources. His alternate form is a somewhat frog like bipedal all terrain walker which can lash out with its many tentacle like tongues to swallow enemies whole, either digesting them or spitting them back out covered in explosive (and smelly) slime to function as living bombs. Repulsive even to his allies, most who interact with him tend to quickly seek the nearest decontamination chamber once they no longer have to interact with him, and even Shockwave has Spittor keep his distance at all times unless absolutely necessary; the time spent decontaminating his chassis would be much better spent elsewhere after all.

Barricade

Loyal to the strongest, when Megatron disappeared Barricade swore fealty to Shockwave when it was clear that he would emerge from the fracture on top. With a big mouth that he nearly always uses to taunt, criticize, jeer, or demoralize someone at any opportunity, it is perhaps for the best that he fell under Shockwave's empire rather than the others, who may have had less patience for Barricade's constant usage of his vocalizing hardware. Preferring the forms of lighter wheeled vehicles to the heavy war machines that many Decepticons seem to prefer, Barricade is the smallest regular member of team Chaar but he's still a very lethal and destructive member of it at that. Using the wide array of weaponry available to him as part of the cream of the Decepticon crop, Barricade can meet just about any challenge set before him; striking with a tremendous amount of agility and sheer tenacious meanness. As a skilled hunter and tracker, Barricade is usually the first encountered member of Team Chaar; leading the rest to pounce on the enemy once they've been detected and continually keeping them off guard with his usual barrage of insults and jeers that can drive even the most stoic of individuals into a fury.

Starscream

Formerly the Air Commander of the United Decepticon Army, Starscream began his existence as a scientist, a xenobiologist and prospector whose simple joy in life was traveling the cosmos and exploring strange new worlds. When he was drafted into Megatron's army, he found a new calling in life; death and destruction, delivered from high above or at supersonic speeds. Initially a loyal warrior grateful for his prestigious position, Starscream soon soured on his master when he came to realise that Megatron had little use for independent thought or tactical input from anyone other than himself. Soon, Megatron went from rebuking Starscream for his "arrogance" to brutally insulting and physically assaulting him - of course, when Megatron's own schemes failed, the blame for that likewise found its way to Starscream's feet as well. No wonder, then, that Starscream sought to usurp and overthrow his master.

Some wonder, then, if this may not be the root cause of Starscream's willingness to "cooperate" with organics - if he doesn't see something of himself in the small and frail creatures. Few bring it up where he can hear them.

Though he can be arrogant and vainglorious, Starscream is a skilled strategist and possess a tongue that could sweet-talk an Adepta Sorita. His band of followers, known as Starscream's Brigade, may be small compared to some Decepticon forces, but is loyal and well-motivated, and his plans have caused countless problems for the Imperium. What truly frustrates the Imperium is that, even though Starscream may be the weakest of the Cybertronian leaders, he is also literally unkillable.

All Cybertronians possess a "soul-flame", a strange power gifted to them by their Spark. This can be as mundane as preternatural strength, durability or agility, even by Cybertronian standards, or it can be something more exotic, as is the case with Starscream: he is immortal. Though his body can be blasted apart, any damage he sustains will repair, and even if the destruction is total, his spark can abandon its shell and recreate it somewhere else. Indeed, slaying Starscream only makes him more dangerous, as his spark can possess other technological items and bend them to his will; it is rumored that sustained possession of a singular "host-machine" will actually cause it to kindle to life as a new Cybertronian. This tale is unconfirmed, but the rumors of Starscream subverting an entire forgeworld in this fashion, reducing it to a grand broodnest for his own followers, remain unchallenged. It is not as if the Imperium hasn't tried, but it has always failed. Indeed, Starscream seems to have taken to regarding the killing of Officio Assassinorum agents as a hobby, displaying tokens of each defeat with the pride of a devout collector.

Starscream's alternate form remains unchanged over millions of years; exemplifying his personal preference for high-speed, high-mobility assaults, Starscream's vehicle form is a Cybertronic jet fighter, capable of operating in space and in atmosphere with equal ease. Not satisfied with that, Starscream has taken the unheard-of step of upgrading himself into one of the minority of Pretenders. Favoring the guise of a nobleman or a rogue trader, few realise the true deadliness that lies behind his typically foppish and narcissistic demeanor until it is too late.

Bruticus

Certainly one of the oldest and most iconic members of Starscream's Brigade, the Gestalt known as Bruticus is the combined form of a team of five Decepticon warriors - Onslaught, Blast Off, Vortex, Swindle and Brawl - who were once de-cerebrated on Megatron's orders under accusations of treachery. During the fall of Cybertron, Starscream personally snuck into the cerebral cortex storage unit, the infamous "Mind Prison", and rescued their brain-units. Once the Slagmaker had disappeared, Starscream rebuilt the five and they swore loyalty to him as a result; despite their reputed treachery, the "Combaticons", as they call themselves, are renowned as the most loyal of Starscream's followers, something that has attracted skeptical curiosity from other Decepticons.

Although each of the Combaticons are deadly warriors, it is as Bruticus that they most shine. The Gestalt is a hulking figure the size of an Imperial Titan, a juggernaut of destruction that ruins everything in his path. Adorned with thick armor and protective forcefields, and sporting a truly impressive array of weaponry, Bruticus would be a one-bot army anyway, but it is perhaps his flaws that make him truly deadly. Bruticus' component identities mesh together quite smoothly, united by a love of fighting and destruction, but this combined affinity for carnage is so strong as to overwhelm him. Bruticus appears in many aspects to be a simple-minded brute, incapable or perhaps just unwilling to listen to orders and thus limiting his tactical skills beyond being a "fire and forget" weapon.

When truly excited he goes into a rampage, singlemindedly obliterating anything not actively registered as friendly that happens across his path. Like his ally Piranahcon, he has been known to get so lost in the throes of combat that he will rampage for months at a time, stopping only after he completely exhausts himself. Starscream has sometimes had to go so far as to install a limiting device to keep Bruticus from going berserk, but his success record with this is rather spotty.

Sunstorm

A Seeker and reputedly one of Starscream's clones or offspring - the mysteries of Transformer reproduction are beyond the Inquisition, Sunstorm may be perhaps one of the craziest Cybertronians in the galaxy. Like Starscream, Sunstorm possesses a unique mutant power from his "soul-flame", and it specifically has turned him into a walking solar flare. Sunstorm's spark generates immense levels of gamma rays, x-rays and other radioactive isotropes, almost identical in nature to those produced in the hearts of active stars. This imbues Sunstorm with strength, speed and reflexes far beyond the normal abilities of his kind, as well as giving him an inexhaustible supply of energy, but those powers are almost secondary. Sunstorm cannot contain the energies radiating from inside his chassis, constantly emitting radiation in levels even his fellow Decepticons find uncomfortable, and which can literally cook organics alive on the spot with prolonged exposure. And that's just when he's feeling calm! When his emotions grow more intense, his power output similarly increases, until he becomes a walking inferno that simply incinerates whatever else comes his way. As a side-effect of this aura of scintillating energies, most projectiles are incapable of harming him, as they are deflected, absorbed or destroyed by his radioactive output.

All of this has given the Seeker a case of megalomania that is truly a wonder to behold. Sunstorm believes himself to be nothing less than a living god made manifest, demanding adulation and worship. In an almost Slaaneshi-fashion, his fickle whims and vanity fuels an explosive temperament, resulting in potentially deadly outbursts of spite and hate at unpredictable intervals. Most other Decepticons want to avoid him for these dangerous outbursts; as much of a whiny, narcissistic fop as he may appear to be, it's hard to argue with his deadliness. Only Starscream's silver glossia gives him the ability to reliably manipulate Sunstorm, and even he is wary about calling on the fiery Seeker unless he has to. Usually, Sunstorm is only called to assist other members of the Brigade in missions of Exterminatus, as his burning aura tends to make him unsuited for missions that require leaving the surrounding area intact as opposed to being scorched to a cinder.

Skywarp

One of Starscream's seeker clones, Skywarp is considered one of the most valuable thanks to his ability to teleport over tremendous distances and bring assets with him, allowing for Starscream's forces to enjoy the benefits of tremendous maneuverability and agility and get the drop on the enemy time after time. However, Skywarp has long struggled with one particular issue that prevents him from truly unlocking his full potential as one of the most dangerous Cybertronians of all; his cowardice. Skywarp is very easy to scare and his teleportation abilities only allow him to further indulge in his constant dread of nearly everything that moves; teleporting out of engagements at the first sign of things going awry. However, this has lead to him creating a skittish, teleportation heavy fighting style where it is extremely difficult to land a blow on him as he constantly teleports out of the path of enemy projectiles or their aim, which he has gotten very good at. In spite of, or perhaps because of his cowardice he's also fond of quite malicious practical jokes to get back at those who taunt him for his lack of courage, and this mean streak hidden behind his outer layers of meekness has made him very skilled at sabotage.

Slipstream

Another seeker clone of Starscream who is surprisingly a female for reasons even Starscream does not know and that Slipstream has declined to reveal, Slipstream is perhaps the most competent of Starscream's clones, lacking their general laundry lists of crippling personality issues brought about by their origins as expressions of various aspects of Starscream's personality. Largely identical to Starscream in capabilities, if not quite as ambitious and thus content to let him lead while she serves as his right hand, Slipstream helps keep the larger than life personalities of her comrades in check with her level headedness and often caustic wit. Starscream generally keeps her close to him, considering her a reliable and trustworthy subordinate and her similarly eternal spark lets her survive nearly any kind of engagement. Having no particular grudges against the autobots or humanity, she often comes with Starscream to broker deals and pacts.

Thrust

Though not a clone of Starscream, Thrust is nevertheless one of the seekers thanks to his preference for fighter aerospacecraft alternate forms. A brilliant military mind well versed in the doctrines of tactics, operations, and strategy and one of the foremost military commanders of the Decepticon army, Thrust drifted to Starscream due to him having had prior conflicts of command with Shockwave and Strika and being much too ambitious to remain with Soundwave's Megatron fanaticists. Certainly a capable combatant in and of himself, Thrust however, prefers to fight as part of an army than stand as a single almighty champion and while certainly not a coward, would generally rather back off from duels to avoid being distracted from his proper duties of command than embroil himself in wasteful personal combat that many other Decepticons in Starscream's army are much better suited for. Thrust is however, staunchly ambitious and many in Starscream's brigade wonders if he's trying to build his own empire within Starscream's tally of conquests.

Dreadwing

Highly unusual even for the Brigade, Dreadwing (also known as "Darkwind") is a semi-Gestalt made of a Powermaster Combiner duo - Darkwing and Dreadwind - and their respective symbionts, who have taken the names Throttle and Hi-Test respectively. Both Seeker-type models, the two Powermasters can transform into Cybertronic starfighters that can then interlock to become a battleship-sized super-fighter. With the power of two symbionts fuelling it, and their respective dark, vicious, brooding and sadistic personalities leading to a twisted form of mental harmony, Dreadwing is capable of unleashing a barrage of firepower even the Imperial Navy has learned to respect, and tanking it just as well as he dishes it out, but moving with the speed and grace of an Eldar ship.

Dreadwing is a shameless pirate, who revels in raiding any potential space-traffic he can set his sights on. Because the semi-Gestalt features two former humans as members of its group-mind, Dreadwing is one of the Brigade's members most respectful towards the decepti-cultists who swear service to Starscream, and likewise he can respect the capabilities of Imperial opponents. Although too vicious and cruel to allow this to breed the weakness of sympathy, it means that Dreadwing has never fallen prey to the weakness of underestimating his organic adversaries, something that has given him a high rank in Starscream's force.

Bomb-Burst

(Creepy "Cybertronic Vampire" Pretender that even the other Decepticons fear. Will flesh out later.)

Skullgrin

(A decadent and mercenary Decepticon Pretender whose natural intelligence and logical disposition struggle with the bloodthirsty sadism of his shell. Will flesh out later.)

Mercenaries

Not all transformers are beholden to any one side beyond those who can afford their rates and those who meet whatever moral standards they set for employers. These mercenaries are some of the galaxy's deadliest warriors and assassins and can be found all across the galaxy, with some even in such dark places as Comorragh, Freeboota fleets, or the Maelstrom to seek employment, though other mercenaries would never countenance service with such foul beings.

Sixshot

A tremendously powerful transformer who has been known to single handedly lay waste to entire worlds with an armature made from regenerative elements extracted from a black hole's core and a self regenerating dark matter fission core for his power supply that makes him not only nearly impossible to harm and provides him with unlimited endurance and enormous power supply for his weapons; it also means that injuries that are inflicted on him are quickly healed. But more than that, Sixshot is a multiformer with an incredible six transformations that lets him take on virtually any enemy in the galaxy and stand out on top. In addition to his robot mode, he has the ability to form into a battle tank, a faster than light capable spaceship, a wolf, a handheld laser weapon, and a fast off-road wheeled vehicle; making him extremely versatile in combat. Far from a mindless beast, Sixshot is actually deeply intelligent and will respect a worthy adversary a great deal, refraining from most of the usual insults and taunting. Of course, Sixshot has very high standards for what counts as a worthy adversary, as most beings are simply not capable of matching him in combat. Working as a mercenary, Sixshot will offer his services to various causes that can afford his extortionate prices and can swiftly go from having his name sung praises of to being cursed depending on which end of his guns the enemy stands at now. He has at times, single handedly taken on entire Astartes chapters and left them worse off for the encounter, and finds the likes of Titans and Greater Daemons to be challenging sport rather than an enemy to be feared. However, with the price he charges to acquire his services; he tends to only engage in the most apocalyptic of battles or serves as a one man lord of war on the battlefield.

Lockdown

Lockdown is a mercenary renown for his cruelty and his love of taking trophies from particularly worthy enemies he defeats, possessing an eclectic arsenal of weapons and equipment harvested across the galaxy. A holy multimelta from a dreadnought, autocannons torn from an Imperial Knight, soulstones taken from Eldar (he does enjoy their wailing as he takes them), power field generators ripped off the back of slain big meks, and all manner of personal weapons and modifications stolen from his fellow cybertronians are but a handful of the trophies he has taken to remind him of past victories, most startlingly of all however is an immense and brutal looking chainaxe Lockdown claims to have taken from the bloodthirsty daemon primarch Angron during the great crusade after beating him half to death, the world eaters of course, claim that this is a lie and that both gorefather and gorechild are accounted for. Rumor has it that he works closely with the Quintessons, working to advance their goals even as he takes contracts from various corners of the galaxy. Having his own fleet with a flagship identified as an ancient quintesson warship as well as a band of vicious cybertronian or even organic mercenaries and cyberformed beasts, Lockdown has had millenia to hone his skills as a raider, a soldier of fortune, and an assassin.

He is particularly skilled at taking powerful individuals alive as captives, and has frequently taken contracts with the Dark Eldar to kidnap individuals that the Archons eagerly seek to torture, and has forged a number of pacts with the enigmatic Necron Phaeron Trazyn the Infinite to fuel their mutual fondness for collection. He and Grimlock have a particular hatred of one another, Grimlock remembering his time in Lockdown's captivity well and believing that the bounty hunter might have some clue as to where his comrades went; or even have them in his possession. For his part, Lockdown is willing to sell his services to any who can afford his steep price; and is lacking in Sixshot's sense of honour and fairness. While perhaps lacking the six-changer's colossal firepower and raw durability, Lockdown has no qualms about utilizing underhanded tactics to get what he wants and while certainly very dangerous in close quarters; he is regarded as one of the best snipers in the galaxy; able to take down even cybertronians with just a single well placed shot from a great distance.

Transformers Timeline

M30:

950-996.M30 The Great Loss: Unexpectedly and horrendously, the Great Crusade sweeps through most of the major Transformer colonies and territories. The path of fire the Emperor's Astartes leave behind razes the surprised Cybertronian worlds to the ground, archives and artifacts dating back to the Great War now lost forever. Whatever few precious items and information not collected by fleeing Transformers is either destroyed or collected by the Adeptus Mechanicus for study. The Thousand Sons Legion, however, is rumored to have collected and preserved many of the archives in secret on the orders of Primarch Magnus the Red himself. How many of these Cybertronian artifacts that survived the Burning of Prospero is uncertain. The Emperor himself is unusually keen on seeing the extermination of the Transformers through, and it seems he at least had some beforehand knowledge of their technology and tactics.

997.M30 The Fall of Cybertron: With the mighty God Emperor himself and at the helm, they and a strike force of Iron Warriors, Dark Angels, Iron Hands, their respective Primarchs, and a Titan Legion make planetfall on the Transformers' ancient home world of Cybertron. A call is made out to the rest of the galaxy by the panicking defenders for help of any kind. Within eight hours of the call, a whole armada suddenly arrives in orbit via Transwarp travel. But what surprises most is that the Decepticon and Autobot insignias of old are standing side-by-side, their eternal rivalry at least momentarily forgotten for the sake of their home world. Soon the legendary Optimus Prime of the Autobots and infamous Megatron of the Decepticons join their brothers on the ground in the fight against the Astartes.

What follows is carnage that will only be dwarfed by the Ullanor Crusade a few years later. The battle goes over the course of a few months, the tide of war switching back and forth constantly between Imperial and Cybertronian, reinforcements arriving for both sides on several occasions. All the while Optimus and Megatron are in the fray, leading their fellow Transformers. At one point Megatron even engages in close-combat with Ferrus Manus, who was forced to retreat as even he could not withstand the blows of his Dark Energon Mace without suffering irrevocable damage.

The battle reaches its climax at the ancient area floors of the former Decepticon capital of Kaon. The Emperor of Mankind strategically isolates Megatron and Optimus from their respective forces and engages them in single combat. What happens next is debated by multiple sources. Ancient Imperial scriptures say that the Emperor smoke both xenos singlehandedly and the Transformer forces crumbled soon after. The Autobots remember the battle going in the favor of Megatron and Optimus, but Megatron abandoned Prime to the mercy of the Emperor. The Decepticons, however, say the opposite, that Optimus bailed out on his former brother and the fight was lost from there. Whatever the outcome, the Transformers were soon routed from Kaon and the bulk of the armies were forced to evacuate from their home world. With heavy Sparks, the second-in-commands of the Transformers forces, Ultra Magnus and Starscream, ordered the troops on the ground to overtax the Kaon space bridge, causing a chain reaction of other bridges all over the planet activating and beginning to swallow Cybertron in a Transwarp portal. Miraculously, the majority of the Astartes forces were able to escape the vanishing planet before it was sucked into the wormhole. From this point on, both the Autobots and Decepticons lost any singular leadership they had and their rivalry reached its highest peak since the Great War. Many of the Cybertronian forces are too scattered and weak to participate in the Horus Heresy. Amongst the Autobots who fought at Kaon, only one survivor is known; Hot Rod, who returns traumatized and bearing the Matrix of Leadership. It is unknown if Optimus Prime or Megatron survived the Fall of Cybertron, as their bodies were never recovered and sightings of them persist into the 41st millenium.

M31:

003.M31 Darkness Rises: A daemon world, a world of ashes and fire in the realm of Khorne, disappears. All that's left in its place is rubble and spiraling Warp energy. It becomes the first in the next several millennia to disappear in and around the Eye of Terror.
016.M31 Fall of the House of Constantine: The planet Pyroran, once an prosperous feudal world home to the Imperial Knight House Constantine, fell in 7 days and 7 nights during the Horus Heresy to a constant onslaught of the Decepticon war machine. During the last week of the battle the noble houses and the remaining Knights were pushed back to a walled citadel where they held a valiant line against continuous energon and ion bombardment. On the 7th day the wall finally fell and the combiner Bruticus led a frenzied charge into the citadel. While most of the Knights and nobles fell back to the center, one Knight Gallant by the name of Palaeologus decided to stay and fend off the charge long enough for the remaining nobles to set up a defensive position. Palaeologus engaged Bruticus in single combat, but was widdled down and eventually struck down. House Constantine fell later that night, and Pryoran was soon cyberformed into New Kaon, with the citadel now a gladiatorial arena.

M32

842.M32 The Shattering of the Forge of Contempt: An Iron Warriors-held space fortress is assaulted by Autobot warriors under the command of Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime, who painstakingly slaughter the Chaos Marines whilst trying to spare their slaves. Though they offer these survivors the freedom to return to the Imperium, most choose instead to swear themselves to the Autobots, perhaps driven by awe of the Autobots, perhaps grimly aware that the Imperium would have no welcome for them.

M33

950.M33 The Massacre of Metabelus III: An Imperial Shrine World is wiped out to the last by a Transformer invasion. In reality, they had disturbed an ancient Cybertronian weapon and unleashed the deadly Hate Plague, a pseudo-psionic contamination that drove the colony to self-destruct; the Transformers who attacked did so to keep the surviving "rage zombies" from potentially infecting the rest of the system with their madness.

M34

347.M34. A Successor Rises: A Decepticon referring to himself as "Megatron" rallies a group of Predacons to his cause. Employing the mighty Predaking, this pretender masterminds a series of devasting attacks on Imperial and Ork territory in the Rynx warzone, at one point manipulating Ork and Imperial forces into a battle which drains both of their forces and allows his own to maneuver into a position which allows him to seize control of several planets. What ensues is the enslavement of several Hive cities and agri worlds, along with a mass genocide of Ork populations. Catachan Jungle Fighters and the Death Korps of Krieg mount a last stand at the most heavily populated of these worlds, however, with even the surviving Ork Warbosses of WAAAGH! Headcruch forming an uneasy alliance with the humans. The allied forces fully expected to be defeated, however, one of Megatron's own troops, a Predacon rumored to be related to Grimlock himself, defected, feeling there was no honor in his former commander's actions. Under his guidance, a mass evacuation ensued, resulting in many civilians escaping Megatron's ambitions. However, the defenders, Ork and human, are slaughtered to a man, their Cybertronian ally disappearing from the aftermath, his location unknown.

M35

397.M35 The Defense of Powrie: A Dark Eldar raid on a presumably defenseless Imperial world goes horrifically astray for the fear-eating marauders when it turns out that a small tribe of Cybertronian deserters has come to call the world home. With their advanced technology and skills, they launch their own counterattack, tearing apart the Dark Eldar and stopping their invasion cold. Though the Archon in charge escapes back to Commorragh with his life, his status is lost and he quickly becomes food for his rivals in the wake of so humiliating a defeat.

M36

705.M35 The Crimson Wars: The insane Quintesson psyker Mara-Al-Utha, known as the Crimson Wizard, defects to Chaos and launches a crusade aimed directly at destroying the Covenant of Primes. Autobot forces from across the galaxy are summoned to aid in the battle. Unexpectedly, however, Chapter Master Dante of the Blood Angels calls for the formation of an armada to drive back the Crimson Wizard's forces and prevent them rampaging in Imperial world territory. On the advice of Inquisitor Amberly Veil, this advice was heeded by the Flesh Eaters, Black Templars, and Imperial Fists, alongside several Imperial Guard regiments. Dante's call proved prophetic, as Mara-Al-Utha's forces proved far stronger than initially thought by both Autobot and Imperial troops, containing several armies enslaved by Quintesson technology, from an Ork WAAAGH! to an entire Tyranid fleet that Mara-Al-Utha acquired. Hard pressed, both Autobot and Imperial forces call for reinforcements. The ensuing conflict becomes one of the bloodiest in the history of both Autobots and the Imperium, Mara-Al-Utha's deviousness revealing many unexpected surprises. Eventually, the arrival of the Eldar, led by Farseer Eldrad, tips the balance enough for allied forces to gain the advantage. In response, however, Mara-Al-Utha has his top scientist, Primacron, release his most deadly creation: Tornedon, a creature forged from Chaos energy and Cybertronian technology that began consuming the allied forces in its path. With seemingly no way to stop this monster, Mara-Al-Utha's victory seemed certain until the arrival of a Nekron Dynasty, led by the Silent King, who offers his aid to the beleaguered allies. Though unsure at first, they are forced to accept, and the unusual alliance proves just enough to destroy Tornedon and finally break Mara-Al-Utha's forces in the Battle of the Sundered. In the aftermath, Mara-Al-Utha is destroyed by Rodimus Prime and Dante, while Primacron is captured by the Silent King, who has use of his talents...

M37

632.M37 The Cargis VII Siege: Imperial Fists and Aurora Chapter Space Marines arrive along with the 34th Betic Centaurs and 55th Alphic Hydras to aid in the siege of the planet Cargis VII whose heretical Planetary Governor declared independence from the Imperium. The situation becomes dire due to the fact that the governor not only was found aided by the Iron Warriors, but also used an uncovered Cybertronian artefact that generated a forcefield around the capital. The shield proved indestructible and none of the Imperials could penetrate it. However a group of Autobots led by the ferocious Grimlock arrived to Cargis VII when they found out Iron Warriors were on the surface. Despite being powerful, with their numbers the Cybertronians would be overpowered by the defenses. An uneasy alliance is made between Grimlock and the Imperials and the Dinobot orders some of his band to assume the forms of the Land Raiders of the Space Marines. Although disgusted to ride inside the Transformers, the Imperials pass easily through the forcefield. Both factions massacre the governor and the Iron Warriors, the Imperials reclaim the planet, while Grimlock disappears with his Autobots along with the forcefield artefact before anyone notices.

M38

335.M38 The Tainting of the Righteous Indignation: Transformer raiders assault an Imperial battle cruiser, the Righteous Indignation, broadcasting some alien signal. To the horror of the survivors, the Righteous Indignation goes renegade, killing its crew and attacking its former allies before fleeing with the raiders into deep space. When the vessel later returned, it demonstrated the same shapeshifting ability as the other Abominable Intelligences; the Mechanicus officially states that the vessel was enslaved and mutilated into one of the twisted entities, but the Inquisition has its suspicions that it may have been a transformer in stasis the whole time.

M39

700.M39 The Shattering of Paradron: An attempt by the Imperium to reclaim the lost world of Paradron for humanity runs into conflict when one band of heathens refuse to accept the Emperor's Light. Sworn to the defense of the City of Light, they wield foul techno-sorceries to try and stymie the Imperial assault. When defeat is inevitable, all of the surviving heathens flee to their "holy city-god"... which transforms into a massive starship of alien nature and departs from the planet, fighting its way through the unprepared defense fleet in orbit and warping away. Paradron promptly explodes, annihilating the loyalists still on the surface and crippling the fleet.

M40

450.M40 WAAAGH! Oilguzzla: An ambitious Big Mek leads a Waaagh! against a transformer colony-world, seeking to harvest the natives as the raw materials to build Morkanauts and Gargants. The colony survives only by unleashing ancient archeo-tech weapons from the Great War.
781.M40 The Cyber-Plague of Toxus II: The Adeptus Mechanicus retrieve objects from an ancient Cybertronian tomb and, fighting past their guardians, brings them to the Forge World of Toxus II for study. One item turns out to be a bio-weapons canister containing a sample of the hyper-corrosive ferrovirus known as Cosmic Rust; it leaks and rapidly infects the entire Forge World, destroying it utterly.

M41

700,M41 Madness Unbound: The Forgeworld of Hephaestia is suddenly assaulted by the deranged Galvatron and his Unicronist cult, as they obliterate factory after factory they discover a hidden vault buried in the main bastion of the world. Coming under fire from the fortress' macro cannons Galvatron descends into a mindless rage, obliterating a massive section of the stronghold including a vital generator causing an immense chain reaction that vaporizes the bastion, leaving the vault exposed. Tearing through the door the Unicronites made a spectacular discovery; the vault was in fact a fortified prison-lab containing the Constructicons, Stunticons and the original Terrorcons, these three combiner teams had been missing ever since the fragmenting of the Decepticons. After releasing them Galvatron extends the offer for them to join his forces, the three combiner teams agree. As he revels in this most recent victory three Unicronites known as Hook, Line and Sinker who the Adeptus Mechanicus believe to be something akin to attendants to Galvatron as well as reporting to Unicron on his deranged heralds actions, come forward and claim that his master will be pleased with these results. These words apparently caused the chaotic cybertronian to snap, roaring in outage he was heard howling "I BELONG TO NOBODY!". After mutilating the three, Galvatron orders the leaders of his new forces:Hun-grr,Motormaster and Scrapper to slaughter half of his cultists. The survivors of this rampage swear their loyalty to Galvatron over their former lord Unicron.
740.M41 The Metal that Eats: Driven mad by the omnicidal whispers of their dark master, a cannibalistic warband of Unicron-worshippers sweeps out of the stars and lays waste to multiple worlds as part of a rampage of destruction for destruction's sake. Their path of bloodlust only comes to a halt when they encounter a tendril of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Cybertronian fought Tyranid as the two sides tore each other asunder, causing metal and flesh to fly through the air and rain down like hail. Eventually the Unicronites were devoured by the Swarm, thrashing and screaming in rage the entire time.
890.M41 The Tornetron Heresy: The Imperial World of Tornetron is wracked by heresy when a new subversive group, the Spark of Divinity, rises from amongst the underhive and spreads through the foundries. Ordo Hereticus agents and Callidus Assassins learn all-too-late that the heresy is being promoted and led by Decepticon Pretenders allied to Starscream; their effort to subvert the world into providing resources to Starscream's forces thwarted, they instead lead the surviving heretics to flee their homeworld, being absorbed into Starscream's forces as Targetmasters, Powermasters and even Headmasters.
900.M41 The Fallen Rises: The ancient figure of Cybertronian religious lore, the Fallen is spotted in the midst of a battle between the Nurglite warband known as the Purge and Eldar of craftworld Ulthwe, summoned by a Unicron cult seeking to bring about the end times. The Fallen and his armies of entropy slaughter the Eldar and crush the Daemons of Nurgle, with the mighty and ancient Great Unclean One Thraxus being personally ripped apart by Megatronus with ease, his ancient and evil might that once laid waste to an entire sector being like a fireplace's flame next to a volcano. The Daemon screams with terror as he realizes that the chaos-flames of the knight of entropy are causing him to experience a true death; feeling his Daemonic spirit being shorn apart with each blow of his enemy before the Fallen plunges his hand into his chest and burns his daemonic essence out of existence. The Purge swiftly swears fealty to the Fallen and to Unicron, renouncing Nurgle and kneeling to Unicron's archangel, Abaddon is left unaware of this betrayal of the Chaos Gods as they soon work to spread carnage in Unicron's name.
905.M41 Sixshot's deadly dance: Hired to purge an ork world for Autobot settlement, Sixshot lands on the world well ahead of any other autobot forces and the legendary sextuple changer stands alone against the green tide. Despite the aspirations of every warboss on the planet Sixshot is undefeated throughout his rampage on the battlefield, destroying everything in his path with his customary mass application of firepower. By the time the main autobot force arrives via space bridge after marshalling their troops Sixshot has wiped out over a third of the planet's greenskins in his one man war on the orks, having even killed the Warlord Zogkikka in single combat after wrecking the Warlord's personal Stompa and being challenged to a duel. Sixshot's payment is steep, but it is a price that Ultra Magnus is willing to pay to grow autobot civilization.
910.M41 Annexation of the Akhera Dynasty: After a skirmish that left his forces badly mangled, Soundwave and his retinue of Decepticons fell back to a seemingly uninhabited world as a warband of Word Bearers gave chase. When the Word Bearers made planetfall and seemingly cornered the Decepticons, Scarabs scurried from the earth below and began to maul at the Chaos Space Marines and their vehicles, and it came as a surprise to both sides that they had reawakened a Necron Tomb World. Even stranger, however, was that the Scarabs only focused on the Word Bearers and none of the Decepticons. Soon enough, Necron Warriors rose from the ground and began laying down a barrage of gauss, not paying mind to and even aiding the Decepticons in their plight. After the Chaos Space Marines made their hasty retreat, a fabulously adorned Necron surrounded by a pack of Lychguard and a few Cypteks approached Soundwave. He introduced himself as Erikahn; Phaeron of the minuscule but powerful Akhera Dynasty. As the Phaeron spoke Soundwave quickly decerned that the Necron was delusional and insane, mistaking him and his Decepticons as their Necron brethren. Seeing a unique opportunity, Soundwave annexed Erikahn and his nine Tomb Worlds under him into his ranks. Now those worlds serve as Soundwave's main base of operations and serve as a Decepticon colony.
993.M41 The Tidal Conquest: With the Imperium embroiled in the second Tyrannic wars, the Tau third sphere of expansion, and the lead up to the third war for Armageddon, thirteenth black crusade and the lead elements of hive fleet Leviathan and an ever increasing number of awakening Necron dynasties and resurgent or newborn Xenos empires and chaotic raids and rebellions, Shockwave and Soundwave decide that now is the time to strike and expand. A wave of sudden conquests begins as the Cybertronians pour out of their borders and seize large numbers of poorly defended worlds. At the same time, the Quintesson Co-Prosperity sphere and the Cyberformer Domain also begin their own rapid expansions. Support is also sent to the conquest hungry Necron Sautekh dynasty and the biocidal Maynarkh dynasty as well as the mysterious Anrakyr the Traveller with the hopes of building a lasting alliance. Many attempted Imperial counterattacks are forced to be diverted elsewhere as the last decade of the forty first millenium is rife with one catastrophe after another, and by the Millenium's end the campaign seems undeniably victorious as the Imperium is besieged on all sides by all manner of enemies new and old.
999.M41 The Foul Flame of Tulzscha: The fringe world of Tulzscha, already the sight of attention from the Imperium due to whispers of growing independence movements, comes under attack by Hive Fleet Eviscerix, a Tyrannic Splinter Fleet. As the Imperial defenders are pushed to the brink of extermination, Starscream's Brigade makes a daring strike in unprecedented numbers. Monstrous gestalts like Piranhacon and Predaking tear apart bio-titans, and the Powermaster Combiner known as Dreadwind leads Seeker squadrons to the death of the hive-ships, but it is the dreaded Sunstorm who truly turns the tide in favor of the Decepticons. Manipulated by his "father's" silver tongue into directing his attention to the dying world and coaxed into the depths of narcissistic fury, the hypercharged Cybertronian mutate ploughs heedlessly into the thickest frays. Like a corrupt and incandescent angel of destruction, his electromagnetic fusion aura incinerates the lesser bio-soldiers where they stand, burning gaunt-strains to ashes before they can hope to close within arm's reach of him, their bio-bullets disintegrated almost as soon as they leave their weapon-morphs. Singing to himself with slaughterlust, Sunstorm whips himself ever-deeper into his rapturous fury, blazing so brightly that even his fellow Decepticons cannot come within a mile of him before their own armored chassis start to melt like wax, the very bedrock boiling to magma beneath his feet. Unable to adapt fast enough to destroy the insatiable Decepticon warrior, the Tyranids are obliterated, the surviving humans bowing in homage to these mechanical gods. Thus another world is drawn to serve Starscream.
999.M41 The Madness Silenced: The notorious Daemon World of Zarathrax at the outer reaches of the galaxy's northern fringe is visited by a grey knights strike force, only to be found to be gone entirely, along with every planet in the system; even its sun having found to have vanished. Radiation-ghosts of a vicious battle in orbit can be found, consistent with the Chaos Fleets of the Daemon Prince Agrazantha, but the only survivors are the crew of badly damaged cruiser so stricken with fear that even the daemons bound to the ship have become insane with terror as once vicious chaos Astartes shake and shudder like children; ranting and raving as the Ordo Malleus takes them in for questioning; the barely coherent madmen babbling about a living planet that came into their system and forced through their fleet with impunity. Though the Daemons of the planet raged at the monstrous being that sunk its mandibles into the planet and the traitors fought with all their dark bravery against the tide of monsters spat forth by the gas giant sized mechanical construct as their world died, they could not stand against such power, and the daemonic essence of every daemon on the planet was said to have been snuffed out like candles in a hurricane, destroyed utterly without even their faintest whispers being left in the warp. Executing the traitors once the interrogation was finished and examining the footage gathered by the cruiser's sensors, the Ordo Malleus comes to a terrible conclusion; the legendary figure of Cybertronian myth known as Unicron has entered the galaxy.