ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
FUNCTION: CITY COMMANDER
FIRST APPEARANCE: THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE # 1

“Consistency is victory.”

Profile: Ultra Magnus is all soldier. He is most comfortable
when he is carrying out Optimus Prime’s orders – giving it all of his magnificent
fighting skills, courage and gift for battlefield improvisation. And he is uncomfortable
when the mantle of leadership is placed over his broad shoulders. He sees himself
as a follower, not a commander, and is reluctant to assume authority until it
is clear that he has no choice but to lead. And when he does finally lead, he
is resolute, fair and courageous beyond reproach. He is ever-ready to sacrifice
himself for the good of his companions and mission, and unstinting in his preparedness
so that his “people” will be as protected as possible.

Abilities: Ultra Magnus carries missile launchers capable
of hitting a target 30 miles away.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
FUNCTION: RECONNAISSANCE

FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“My bite is worse than my bark.”

Profile: Given his reputation for civility and sophistication, it might
seem surprising at first that Buzzsaw is also one of the cruelest and most destructive
of all Decepticons. But his two sides are not contradictory. He carries out
his lethal tasks with the careful, reasoned approach of a fine artist, with
the cool precision of a neurosurgeon. He views every awful undertaking of his
as the beginning of a new masterpiece. Every opponent he defeats marks a completion.
And, like any true artist, nothing can sway him from his commitment to his deadly
craft. He will only end his career when the Autobots are no more.

Abilities: Using his optical sensors, Buzzsaw can pinpoint and photographically
record a thumbtack at 20 miles, making him invaluable on spy missions. He can
fly virtually soundlessly at speeds up to 250 mph for a distance of 1500 miles.
He’s equipped with twin mortar cannons that can fire five rounds per minute.
His most feared weapon is his beak, which, with its diamond-hard, micro-serrated
edges, he can use to carve up all except the most strong-skinned opponents.
And, like the artist he is, he uses his beak with great finesse.

Weaknesses: Buzzsaw has a tremendous ego. If one of his carefully planned
operations should go astray, ruining what he considers a work of art in progress,
he will often stop and sulk rather than improvise and proceed.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
FUNCTION: MEDIC
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 1

“You break it, I’ll remake it.”

Profile: Ratchet was known as the best tool-and-die man on Cybertron.
In his work-area bay, he can fashion anything from a pin to a cruise missile
and repair most of the Autobots and their specific parts, given the right materials.
His rough language and manners belie his gentle touch on the operating-assembly
table. He knows how to have a good time despite his involvement in a combat
group. “When does the party begin?” is his usual query after he’s
completed patching up his latest fallen comrade. He’s more prone to giving his
leader, Optimus Prime, a lot more backtalk than the other Autobots, but does
his job as well as anyone.

Abilities: Ratchet has an assortment of laser scalpels, arc-welders,
electron microscopes, electrical circuit sensors and fluid dispensers (both
lubricating and super-cooled) at his disposal.

Weaknesses: His preference for partying to anything else sometimes interferes
with getting his job done. Otherwise he’s only limited in doing his work by
time and materials available.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
SUB-GROUP: CONSTRUCTICON

FUNCTION: TRANSPORT
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 10

“A battle front is only as good as its supply line.”

Profile: Long Haul isn’t too thrilled with his unglamorous role in the
Decepticon cause, but he understands its importance. Along with his fellow Constructicons,
his function is to help build the massive energy-recovery installations that
fuel the Decepticon onslaught. But he’d much prefer the excitement and glory
that come with being a full-time warrior. And he knows better than to tell anyone
of his secret desire – Megatron allows no dissent among the Decepticons ranks.

Abilities: In vehicular mode, Long Haul can carry up to 90 tons for
1200 miles. He can also add on a dual heat-seeking missile launcher. In robot
mode he carries a laser pistol. When combined with his fellow Constructicons,
he serves as the torso module in the giant robot known as Devastator.

Weaknesses: Long Haul is slow and sometimes his unhappiness reduces
his effectiveness. He’s sensitive to teasing about the mundane nature of his
job and can often be goaded into fights in which he may be clearly overmatched.

ALLEGIANCE: AUTOBOT
SUB-GROUP: THROTTLEBOT
FUNCTION: SCOUT
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 30

“Hunters drive; targets park.”

Profile: Chase is usually ten miles down the road before his fellow
Autobots even have had a chance to shift into gear. He’s impatient and overeager.
He doesn’t seem to know how to stand still; the phrase “put it in park”
had no meaning for him. As fast as he drives, he talks even faster. His coarse,
simple language is seemingly at odds with his sleek, sophisticated design. He
usually dominates the conversation in any group, regaling all who will listen
with tales of past exploits and predictions of future conquests. But he does
all this in a most engaging manner. He’s extremely popular among the Autobots.

Abilities: In car mode, Chase can reach a cruising speed of 240 mph.
He has extremely well developed optical sensors in his head and his headlights.
He can see an object the size of a tennis ball at two miles and his excellent
peripheral vision gives him approximately a 270 degree viewing range; i.e.,
he can see simultaneously in front of him and on both sides. Embedded under
his car mode’s roof is an array of small radar dishes that allow him to detect
moving objects as small as a toaster from horizon to horizon. He also has the
ability to lock in on passing orbiting satellites and bounce radar signals off
of them, which allows him some over-the-horizon radar abilities.

Weaknesses: High speeds exact a heavy toll on Chase in car mode, particularly
on his drive shaft and transmission. Sometimes he’s too busy talking or running
off somewhere to listen to good advice. Consequently, he gets into trouble that
a cooler-headed individual might avoid.

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON

SUB-GROUP: POWERMASTER
HUMAN COMPONENT: HI-TEST
FUNCTION: AIR DEFENSE
FIRST APPEARANCE: TRANSFORMERS # 42

“Fear is a friend whose presence is felt long after he’s left!”

Profile: Dreadwind is the proverbial “deactivation of the party,”
a mournful presence always first to look on the bleak side of things. Grim and
gloomy, he always acts as if his best friend has become permanently inoperative.
Most other Decepticons avoid him like the plague, knowing that however buoyant
their mood, Dreadwind is sure to bring them to Earth with a bump! As ominous
as a storm cloud and as chilling as a winter breeze, Dreadwind somehow manages
to convey his doom-laden message when he’s in battle, even in jet mode! Foes
have been known to feel despair at Dreadwind’s approach, even at a vast distance.
Dreadwind doesn’t appreciate the advantage this gives him in battle; it just
serves to further depress him. He’s been known to wade through a battlefield,
blasting Autobots and shouting, “Why does no one like me?” But Dreadwind
has been known to come close to reveling (in his own low-key way) in the carnage
he wreaks, knowing that perhaps his only true friend is fear. He sees it in
the visual receptors of enemies and feels slightly better himself. Though the
two profess to hate each other, and certainly detest combining to form Dreadwing,
Dreadwind and Darkwing are the perfect partners in crime, almost trying to outdo
each other in the bleakness stakes. The same cannot be said of Dreadwind’s binary-bonded
human component, Hi-Test. He’s a thrill-seeking, overachieving perfectionist
who can’t understand Dreadwind at all! How can he be so gloomy when there’s
so much wonderful badness in the world? Hi-Test does his best to bully Dreadwind
into enjoying himself, or at the very least concentrating his morose mind on
the job at hand.

Abilities: In jet mode, powered by his high-performance Powermaster
engine, Dreadwind can reach speeds up to Mach 2.6, and is able to climb to sub-orbital
altitudes. When combined with his fellow Powermaster Darkwing, as the vehicle
Dreadwing, they become capable of space flight, reaching light speeds and beyond.
His jet mode is armed with air-to-air missiles, thermal melters, rapid-fire
machine guns and lasers. He’s a flying armory with a vast capacity for devastation.
In robot mode he’s more cumbersome and less effective, presenting an easy target.
But at close quarters, his bulky strength and multi-shot wrist guns give him
an advantage.

Weaknesses: All of Dreadwind’s weaknesses stem from his continual brooding
and permanent depression. He’s so busy feeling sorry for himself, he tends to
forget he’s in the middle of a battle, leaving himself wide open to attack.