Post by Breakdown on Feb 4, 2016 2:14:32 GMT -5
-Player Info-
NAME/ ALIAS Dei
-Character Info-
NAME Breakdown
AGE Early to mid 20's.
GENDER Mech/Male
SPECIES Cybertronian
FACTION Decepticon
ORIGINAL OCCUPATION
Courier to Scout to Team Captain
OCCUPATION / SPECIALIZATION
Warrior/Soldier specializing in demolition and wrecking stuff, as well as acting as Knock Out's medical assistant when needed.
Appearance/Altmode:
Important Dimensions
Height: 26ft 2inches | 8 meters
Shoulder width: roughly 20ft || 6.2m
Up Here.
Large, loud and blue are what most people think upon seeing Breakdown for the first time. Most of the time other don't even consider that Breakdown isn't that tall, but the eyes have a funny way of making someone more imposing than another seem a lot bigger.
While no taller than Megatron's chest and barely able to see over Starscream's head, Breakdown's broad girth is almost oddly disproportional to his stature. Everything about his upper chassis screams 'I'm gonna wreck shit', and you probably wouldn't want your face to be on the receiving end of a punch from his over-sized fist. Every piece of his body a testimony to industrial efficiency, his budget of appealing curves and swooping lines removed by solid, straight lines and blocky armor. Width wise, his shoulders are just over half his height and mount the front end wheels to his vehicle mode while a spare tired is positioned almost strategically between his shoulders, a protective shield over where segmented parts finally meet. His chest is something straight out of He-man: a massive loud, proud and in your face mass of metal, more befitting on a bulldozer or a freight train than any mech. The spark chamber beneath is well protected behind that intimidating battering ram with several other overlaying layers folded over securely for added security.
His arms follow suit, with towering shoulders, thick, gun-metal grey biceps stolen from an automated factor line and forearms thicker than his waist. His segmented, black hands are worn at the knuckles from countless brawls, the paint chipped away to reveal factory grade silver. On his left shoulder is a mounted shoulder cannon. Previously it was a rocket launcher of sorts, but after his capture by MECH, he upgraded it to a laser pulse cannon for some added distance fire power.
Moving across to his waist, we find a rather odd sight; a curve! Well, more of a dented line but it's the closest we'll get. His abdomen and pelvis taper down to an appropriate width, capped with a builder's belt motif wrapped around his waist. His thighs thick and sturdy, rivets lining every metal plate and thick, black lines to his upper legs. At the bottom of this tremendous mass of Decepticon, we find two blue pillars making up his shins, capped at the top with a thick, blunt knee spike. His pedes are thick with supportive struts and heavy joints that balance out the odd distribution of gravity to his top front end.
Breakdown has an odd pair of yellow optics that almost have a gold shimmer to them with a yellow screen overlay. During his capture, MECH removed the right one, so now he parades around like a pirate with a fixed eyepatch covering the injury. Courtesy of Knockout, of course.
Alt Mode:
Breakdown's alt mode is a Mowag Eagle IV pictured here and here.
Heavily armored and equipped with the pulse cannon to the roof, Breakdown's alt mode is certainly a nervous sight to see for anyone who sees it coming up in their rear-view mirror. While quite common around military facilities, Breakdown's alt mode is hardly something you'd see just cruising around on the streets away from one. The front end is enough to get someone to just pull their tiny cars over and get out of the way, for to challenge the 'driver' is a sure way to just have yourself run off the road while he continues trekking.
History:
Act 1. Activation
Breakdown wasn't always the stocky framed mech everyone knows him for today. He started off as a tiny guy, built on a sort of conveyor as stock with so many others who were just activated and placed in various professions based on what turned out to be their favor. Breakdown's small stature and relatively passive nature earned him a spot to try out for some level of law enforcement. At first it seemed like a perfect fit, but the issues with a manufacturer defect in his personality soon became present. Breakdown would be fine one minute and then would be huddled up in a corner somewhere whining about everyone watching him and judging everything he did the next.
It would be an escalating problem that would lead to much more crippling outbursts and eventually push him into mediocre work with other defective mechs. Waste disposal, carrier work, testers- each needing a grunt to work it, each pushing the workers to the point where their defections would overload their spark and they would extinguish. Breakdown saw this happen several times as he was handed off between one job description to another and he struggled to keep it from happening to him. Being fast gave him a foot in the door to work as a courier, but it did nothing towards helping him run away from the shadows that hovered over him.
At least the labor work gave him a great work ethic... even if it were fueled by the thoughts that if he didn't get the parcels to the paying customers on time they would judge him and blow up his spark themselves. But hey, at least nothing was ever late or damaged.
Act 2. Joining the cons
With the whispers of war passing through Cybertron, sides were slowly being taken- Autobots and Decepticons- each with their own opinions on how to overthrow the cast system. Breakdown wasn't happy with his strained living conditions and he had seen just how those not up to certain par were disregarded to the wayside, but his choice to a side came with knowledge that a war would make things quite a bit more unstable for him than he was comfortable with rather than 'Yes! Lets start and uprise!'. He went with who he thought to be the stronger side, who he thought would have all of this over quickly and provide some sense of security for him- Decepticons.
Still the little guy with the paranoia tic, Breakdown was tasked with the job of recruitment. He spread the word of Megatron all across Cybertron. To him this was not unlike his previous job but it did make him feel like he was at least making a bit of a difference. He wasn't rushed, just ordered by the ranked on where to go and off he went. Most of the time he was alone which did wonders with settling his nerves. He finally felt like he was fitting in and he figured that as soon as the ones who ran the stupid system were removed from power everything would go to being civilized and equal.
Instead? All out war, a war he never saw coming, and it was his team- his faction- against the other side. Everything was in chaos and before he knew he he was forced into another line of work.
Scouting.
It wasn't so bad... unless you happened to cross into enemy territory or a battle ground and you were caught up in the crossfire. Otherwise it was nice to just tear your wheels up on Cybertron's highway system and GO.
Act 3 - Bloodsport
One scouting mission didn't go as planned. Breakdown had been doing his orders as required, but he was still just the little guy who no one had much respect for. Instead of staying back and reporting in like he usually did, he took the opportunity to try and prove himself. If he could get inside the bunker and steal some intelligence to bring back to his base, he figured he would surely gain some bit of the respect he wanted. So after sneaking past the guards ( which he only managed to do successfully because they were busy chatting with one another and not paying attention to behind them ), he went in and attempted to carry out his personal mission.
Untrained in such things, he didn't really know how to sneak. He was a 'get in, go fast, get out' kinda mech, which made everything just snowball downhill starting from the tiny bot finding him to the end result. He had managed to overpower the smaller bot and in a blinding paranoid outbust, struck him until his helm was completely smashed in and his upper frame grossly busted in. Still in his state of panic, Breakdown transformed and drove out of the bunker as quickly as he could; empty handed, and followed by a barrage of gun fire.
Though reprimanded for his failure, he did receive minor praise from his fellow Decepticons over his slaughter of 'The Autoscum'. Was this the key to earning their good graces int his war? Killing? Well, it was something he'd have to get used to, because more was to happen in his future as he partook in more and more missions. He was the little guy who could, and damn it, he was going to do it!
And did it... well, he did. Breakdown was making a name for himself in the group he was assigned to and actually making friends and being comfortable. It was a welcome change, one that was making his personality defect a thing of the past and replacing it with a confidence that was hard to bust through. Perhaps there was some ego there ( or a lot of ego ) but that was at least better than what he HAD been dealing with his entire life. It was a a breath of relief and a welcomed change.
His confidence would come to a grinding halt at the hands of the very faction they were up against. While his team had been making short work of the smaller mechs in their dismal state of a barracks, they hadn't expected a very large adversary to come on scene and pretty much crush their hopes of a clear sweep. Foolish as Breakdown was and blind to not wanting his ego crushed, he went toe-to-toe with the larger Bot... and was put in his place like the overconfident fool he was. The team retreated to their own base and hunkered down to lick their wounds. Breakdown, on the other hand, had come to see that the frame he had was no longer going to work. They were going to face even more powerful adversaries and, with the promise that one day he would face off against the one who had made a fool of him, Breakdown committed himself to the painful ( and extensive ) process of undergoing a complete frame overhaul.
This new Breakdown... he fully intended to 'bring down the house'... and nothing was going to stop him from getting even. Ranks didn't matter to him, only getting to his goal. He successfully completed mission after mission, most of the time with only minor injuries to his fellow teammates. In due time that team would become his to be in charge of and they continued their sweep through minor Autobot holds, taking captives as well as lives. Breakdown's name did not go without various titles attached to it and even though it was strange to hear it did not change how he handled things or the strong will he showed. At various points Breakdown would run into the mech who had forced his hand to change himself, and their brawls were a sight to see, with both sides usually having to back down and retreat because of reinforcements. The two would form an arch-rivalry that would carry over through future meetings, even while the times were changing and events out of either faction's control were in motion.
Cybertron during this time was falling into ruin, becoming unstable and uninhabitable. Both sides were becoming desperate and everyone was a target, including the medics. To protect what few they had, each was assigned a special bodyguard to keep their backs covered while they were providing field support. While generals and high ranked warriors couldn't be spared from the front lines, field captains provided both the strength and skill needed without having to waste what was considered more valuable. That reassignment notice hit Breakdown hard- like a spear right through his spark chamber. Breakdown's instability in the face of change was enough, but even if the lunk didn't have his issue, being ordered to guard someone like the little red medic would have been enough TO give him one. With medics being at the forefront of attack and the Decepticons being in rather short supply, this order had been given as a matter of necessity, so his personal grievances were something that needed to be tossed to the backburner.
Act 4- The Hot Shot and the Nut Job
Knock Out was cocky, narcissistic, self-centered... they were probably all the same thing, but they were the three words he would have picked to describe the mech. Right from the start the partnership was strained, with Breakdown not trusting him as well as just his utter dislike for him, which threw up his walls and hardened his 'I'm gonna wreck you if you look at me funny' front. Wherever his charge had to go he was forced to follow, with Knock Out usually talking at him instead of to him. The strain on Breakdown would only become worse the longer he was in his company, waiting to explode.
That eruption didn't take long to happen. While assisting Knock Out with some things around the medical lab, Breakdown managed to step on something on the floor he hadn't seen. The noise that came from it would have startled anyone, but Breakdown's stressed mental state exaggerated the situation. Everything in Knock Out's lab was ruined; smashed to pieces and unusable... including the exhausted Breakdown who had managed to move off behind one of the lab tables and hide there until his nerves collected themselves. The reserve and patience Knock Out showed to him after that changed the relationship between the two forever, with a level of trust and loyalty Breakdown needed to keep himself from further... well... 'Break downs'.
The inseparable duo continued their partnership during the rest of the war on Cybertron, developing a very ingenious way of communicating with one another from a distance without having to use their Communication channels. Hijackings into the links was not unheard of and many times Breakdown could not be right over Knock Out's shoulder, so the two devised a method of signals through everything from flashing lights to gestures, to 'code words' that could spring the other into action. The unusual form of communication would prove beneficial in other ways. During a rather routine field mission, knock out had left to tend to the patient while breakdown explored further to ensure the area was clear. The distress signal that had gone out was a ploy, an Autobot trap. No sooner had Breakdown left the side of Knock Out was the medic attacked by opposite forces waiting out of sight. Knock Out managed to distract the ambushers long enough for Breakdown to make it back to him and dispatch them before they even knew what- literally- hit them. The two would later develop that unusual tactic into a more strategic way of fighting for themselves, which gave them an edge on the battlefield; utilizing their own differentiating abilities.
With Cybertron dark, Autobots had left for Earth and the Decepticons were in hot pursuit. The planet they sought was Earth, rich with resources that the Decepticons wanted for themselves. Small teams were sent to exploit the planet's untapped potential, which included Breakdown and Knock Out. So off they were!
Act 5- Human Interference
The summoning from Starscream to return to the Nemesis came during a hot lead on a major Energon source. Several small deposits had been retrieved successfully, but a large haul like the one they had picked up on would be icing on the cake. While Knock Out reported in, Breakdown scouted out the Energon deposit, only to run into a familiar face in his history. After a short lived brawl, he left to meet up with Knock Out to retrieve the Harvester and came across more Autobots- including his rival and the Autobot leader. Though odds were against them, their tactic of 'switch hitters' proved to lead to the success of their mission and the two delivered the Harvester to Starscream. While he remained silent most of the time, the fact that Starscream not only aimed the artifact at Knock Out more than once, but he had taken the life of an innocent Vehicon for no more reason than to scare them into submission. That was not the way to earn Breakdown's favor.
Breakdown only wished he had the speed to match Knock Out and could have escaped the Nemesis with him, but while his partner was off street racing, he was busying himself with buffing Megatron's inanimate form. The clash between the acting leader and his partner was always tense with the cattiness of the two but, while he remained quiet about it, he was always waiting for any moment when Starscream would raise a hand to him. Should he need to step in, he would, but the red sport car always seemed to have it under control. At least until he failed the mission Breakdown had partnered up with him in involving the capture of a human. While he couldn't do anything at the time to prevent the punishment resulting in the damage of his finish, he could at least help him repair it thereafter.
Knock Out was much more careful after that, and, as always, Breakdown was right there at his side unless he was commanded to go elsewhere. While whatever was happening on the Nemesis was going down, Breakdown was doing just that: Following a stray Energon signal. After another confrontation with his rival at the abandoned site, Breakdown was incidentally captured by MECH and laid out as subject of their experimentation. His right optic was removed, leaving the other to watch as various parts of his frame work torn open. This had been the first time that Breakdown had experienced this level of fear on this conscious plane. The thought of slowly being torn apart without being able to feel, unable to fight back and left utterly helpless did not sit well with him and the fact that fleshlings had been the ones to instill that fear? It was unacceptable. After his surprising rescue by Bulkhead and the arrival of Starscream and the Vehicons- in which he was given warning to remember that moment when the time came to chose leadership sides- Breakdown returned to the ship a changed mech. The optic probably could have been replaced by the delicate hands of his partner but that would have required major re-patch work and trying to find any ol' optic laying around, but he chose to have it mended with a fixed eyepatch as a constant reminder of his mission failure. Lesson learned and all that.
As well as a reminder to when he was forced to realize that humans, as small and insignificant as he thought they were, had tricks up their sleeves that made them dangerous.
With Megatron's return, Breakdown retains his position as Knock Out's partner and medical assistant. Time will tell when that loyalty may be put to the test, but, at least for now, he has a secure place where he's comfortable at.
Personality:
Driven, honorable, loyal to the Decepticons and their cause ( rivaled only by his loyalty to Knock Out ), temperamental and easily triggered to engage in combat, with random ticks of paranoia that can be blinding and lead to devastating results.
No one would ever imagine that a wrecking machine like Breakdown would have anymore more than 'smash this and destroy that' running through his processor, but only a small handful are aware of issues that lay within his dysfunctional processor.
From the time of his activation Breakdown suffered from an acute case of paranoia. 'You're a nut case who should have never been activated, you defective glitch' was a phrase quite often to describe his spurts of "STOP LOOKING AT ME". While being sent into a spiraling panic each time he thought he was being watched or judged by someone was hardly a way to live, but Breakdown did so each day. If there was one thing positive about the situation, he was at least able to gain a respect for those who were disregarded, belittled, or just 'dumb lugnuts'.
Since his joining the Decepticons and partnering with Knock Out he has been able to control much of his defect- or, at least hide it behind the facade of the overly confident and eager Decepticon with a mean punch and equally mean temper. He's a very loyal and honorable soldier with high regards for even his adversaries, especially if they show honor in the heat of battle. He never puts himself above anyone else, not even the Vehicons who are often regarded as nothing more than cannon fodder to the other Cons. Breakdown has also gained a very well substantiated chip on his shoulder towards humans- Particularly MECH. The incident involving his capture and evident torture at their hands has warped his paranoia some, allowing for his anger to be fueled by the insecurities with many more triggers and shorter fuses. Incidentally, the Nemesis has gained a few new dents in her interior walls during this time and Knock Out has been needing to spend a little more time keeping the big clunker calm.
Likes: Quiet time, driving around, partnering with Knock Out, smashing things...
Does kicking Autobrat tail sound too cliche?
Dislikes: Autobots, laziness, dishonor ( even among fellow Decepticons ), running away from a fight, and a blatant disregard for the lives of others. He also hates those who put themselves above someone, or makes another feel like they're unworthy. He's still a little iffy around crowds, and he definitely has an ax to grind with MECH after the whole 'torture and eye removal' thing ( which, you know, don't bring up unless you want to risk having your face smashed in )
Strengths/Weapons:
Hammer time!
Breakdown is built for hand-to-hand combat. His bulk usually gives him the upper hand against most others since his frame is both solid and joints well protected from direct hits. When his fists just don't do enough talking, and sometimes he doesn't, he has two very not-so-secret weapons at his disposal. Breakdown can morph each of his servos into pulverizing hammers and swing with enough force to knock the larger mech silly and turn the smaller ones into little squished things if they're not careful or quick enough to get out of the way.
Shoulder Mounted Pulse Cannon
When hand-to-hand combat isn't the immediate option, there's a shoulder cannon threatening to say hello, with damaging results if it connects directly with its intended target. Originally this weapon was a much simpler turret with rocket firing capabilities with very short reload speed. Shortly after his capture he upgraded to the new pulse cannon to provide him with more long-distance firepower. He's not the best shot nor the fastest at targeting enemies, but he makes due with what he's got. Most of the time it's just used to throw opposition off kilter, disrupting a consistent distant shot from a stationary position or to provide cover fire for Breakdown to get himself closer to the target. If his alt mode's bulk wasn't devastating enough on the road, this weapon is also fixed to his rooftop while in alt mode and is able to be fired from that position as well which makes him a monster on the roadway and a real threat on wheels.
Why run when you can fight?
Even against odds stacked against him, Breakdown would rather stay and fight it out instead of running. Usually the 'drive' request is passed along to him from Knock Out and he's typically the one to follow him if just to make sure he doesn't take on heavy fire as he retreats. Not that he complains...
Okay, maybe he does.
Can't touch this
Breakdown has a heavy frame with very little access to vital tidbits. His framework is reinforced with several underlying layers of mesh and metal that makes getting through a problem. His joints are protected by a metal overlay, which provides movement as well as security. Good luck getting a shot through this guy.
The Loyal Lapdog
If Megatron were to snap his fingers, Breakdown would rush to his side at command. He's loyal to the Decepticon's cause and fights for it with everything he has to offer on the field. Whether this is due to him either not knowing anything else or that the Decepticons allow him to smash up pretty much whatever he wants is a great unanswered question.
Weaknesses:
You want me to shoot... what?
Whereas Breakdown does have the ability to actually shoot approaching targets, he much rather wait like a planted rock until they come within range of a good left hook. Long range fighters prove to be problematic and, as difficult as it would be to get through his armor, it wouldn't be impossible should they be enough of a sharp shooter to hit the same location numerous times before he could get to them. While his long ranged weapon is damaging when it connects, it takes too long for it to charge up another round to be of any more use than a single shot, since if the target is close or fast enough, they'd be face-to-face with him before round two even had a chance to leave the chamber.
The bigger they are...
The very frame that gives Breakdown his protection is also his downfall. The added build around his joints gives him limited movement and he's super top heavy which makes sharp twists and turns virtually impossible. His feet are always needing to be planted strategically to keep his balance, especially when swinging those heavy hammers of his, so should someone be aiming to get underfoot and knock him off key, down he'd go like London Bridge. The weight of his framework also makes him fairly slow in bot mode so he's a very slow clunky runner. He's not going to win any bipedal racing contests, that's for sure.
Where'd You Go?!
Since his incident with MECH, Breakdown has been missing his right eye. The patch keeps him from being able to see anything so he has to lean accordingly to avoid being blind to peripheral attacks at that side. His exceeding girth aides in this problem as it provides enemies with plenty of blind spots in which to sneak up on him.
Knock Knock!
Breakdown is not the brightest crayon in the box. Whereas he can understand strategy and plan accordingly, it's restricted to the basics. He's clearly altered for bulk and not for brains. Sometimes it's a wonder if anyone is really at home the way he can just stare at things for the longest time and never change his expression. Someone with enough fancy words in his vocabulary could probably convince him that something he shouldn't do is the right thing to do, and he would be none the wiser. Hey, sometimes you just got to double check that all the lights are on at home is all.
They're Always Judging Me!
It's been quite a journey from the mech he was before to the one he is today, but there's still a long climb that will probably never be completed. His paranoia continues to flare up from time to time, though hardly as bad as it used to be and never infront of anyone but Knock Out. These days it's hidden behind a fussy temper triggered by the irritation from the paranoia which drives him to blindly start swinging while in battle. Since MECH's intrusion into his psyche it's been more of a mix of the two, where he finds himself stalling when faced with a crowd ( or even just humans in general )- and then goes into a blind fit in which everything in his path is fair game. At that point it's best for even Knock Out to stay out of it unless he can talk him down from a distance.
I devote myself to...
There's no question that Breakdown is loyal to the Decepticons, but recent events have caused him to question just how deep that loyalty is. While he's not ready to completely jump ship and sing com-by-ya with the Autobots, there is an edge with him that could probably easily be exploited and cause him to stray. That is, if you could get him away from his partner long enough since he's usually the one to snap him back by reminding him that they are, in fact, Decepticons.
Special skills (that are not weapon related):
Patience
When he's not being forced into an uncomfortable situation or into battle, Breakdown has the patience of a saint. He can sit through hours of pointless Starscream rambling then return to the lab and listen to Knock Out complain about the latest failure in this and that or how someone managed to screw something up and keep a straight face all the while. But don't worry, he's listening, because he can repeat all of it back to you! Even the things that maybe you wish you didn't say.
Silent Communication
Breakdown's early fears of having their communication channel hijacked by enemies were not completely unrealistic so he rarely used them and just remained as close to Knock Out's side as possible. Sometimes this was not the best idea, as it was usually just Knock Out being assigned as field medic and Breakdown as his Scout, so the close quarters would allow for an enemy pick them off in one blast. The two devised their own silent form of communication, where Breakdown could stay hidden off at a distance, unseen, and wait for a signal from Knock Out to alert him that there was trouble. Then, while Knock Out played distraction, Breakdown would be able to sweep in and take the opposer(s) by surprise.
Varying hand gestures are also quite common between them, a sort of secret language that only they understand.
Basic First Aid
Having been appointed Knock Out's medical assistant ( not really his first choice in jobs on the Nemesis, but hey, you won't find him complaining ) Breakdown has sat through many of his procedures from the basic bumps and scratches to full on surgical care and has managed to pick up knowledge on basic medical care. Don't expect him to be rewiring a faulty T-Cog anytime soon, but if you're leaking energon he at least knows ways to patch it up and stop the flow. Now, there's always the matter of the less-than-delicate-looking mech coming at you to 'assist' that could be a little terrifying to a helpless patient...
Attention To Detail
Having been a scout in a past life, Breakdown as a keen sense to detail. He's always observing what's happening around him and making notes to save for later. While he only has one eye now, it's a damn good eye and it easily does the job of two! That keen eye is also quite handy when Knock Out needs a repair on his paint job and doesn't feel like doing it himself.
Buff This
Heavy handed, strong armed, attention to detail and patience... all these ingredients make up the perfect buffing machine. Whether it's a hard-to-reach spot or just an all over shine request, Breakdown is the perfect mech for the job. Knock Out is quite aware of this and tends to use those services on a regular basis. Nothing like a personal buffer, afterall.
NAME/ ALIAS Dei
-Character Info-
NAME Breakdown
AGE Early to mid 20's.
GENDER Mech/Male
SPECIES Cybertronian
FACTION Decepticon
ORIGINAL OCCUPATION
Courier to Scout to Team Captain
OCCUPATION / SPECIALIZATION
Warrior/Soldier specializing in demolition and wrecking stuff, as well as acting as Knock Out's medical assistant when needed.
Appearance/Altmode:
Important Dimensions
Height: 26ft 2inches | 8 meters
Shoulder width: roughly 20ft || 6.2m
Up Here.
Large, loud and blue are what most people think upon seeing Breakdown for the first time. Most of the time other don't even consider that Breakdown isn't that tall, but the eyes have a funny way of making someone more imposing than another seem a lot bigger.
While no taller than Megatron's chest and barely able to see over Starscream's head, Breakdown's broad girth is almost oddly disproportional to his stature. Everything about his upper chassis screams 'I'm gonna wreck shit', and you probably wouldn't want your face to be on the receiving end of a punch from his over-sized fist. Every piece of his body a testimony to industrial efficiency, his budget of appealing curves and swooping lines removed by solid, straight lines and blocky armor. Width wise, his shoulders are just over half his height and mount the front end wheels to his vehicle mode while a spare tired is positioned almost strategically between his shoulders, a protective shield over where segmented parts finally meet. His chest is something straight out of He-man: a massive loud, proud and in your face mass of metal, more befitting on a bulldozer or a freight train than any mech. The spark chamber beneath is well protected behind that intimidating battering ram with several other overlaying layers folded over securely for added security.
His arms follow suit, with towering shoulders, thick, gun-metal grey biceps stolen from an automated factor line and forearms thicker than his waist. His segmented, black hands are worn at the knuckles from countless brawls, the paint chipped away to reveal factory grade silver. On his left shoulder is a mounted shoulder cannon. Previously it was a rocket launcher of sorts, but after his capture by MECH, he upgraded it to a laser pulse cannon for some added distance fire power.
Moving across to his waist, we find a rather odd sight; a curve! Well, more of a dented line but it's the closest we'll get. His abdomen and pelvis taper down to an appropriate width, capped with a builder's belt motif wrapped around his waist. His thighs thick and sturdy, rivets lining every metal plate and thick, black lines to his upper legs. At the bottom of this tremendous mass of Decepticon, we find two blue pillars making up his shins, capped at the top with a thick, blunt knee spike. His pedes are thick with supportive struts and heavy joints that balance out the odd distribution of gravity to his top front end.
Breakdown has an odd pair of yellow optics that almost have a gold shimmer to them with a yellow screen overlay. During his capture, MECH removed the right one, so now he parades around like a pirate with a fixed eyepatch covering the injury. Courtesy of Knockout, of course.
Alt Mode:
Breakdown's alt mode is a Mowag Eagle IV pictured here and here.
Heavily armored and equipped with the pulse cannon to the roof, Breakdown's alt mode is certainly a nervous sight to see for anyone who sees it coming up in their rear-view mirror. While quite common around military facilities, Breakdown's alt mode is hardly something you'd see just cruising around on the streets away from one. The front end is enough to get someone to just pull their tiny cars over and get out of the way, for to challenge the 'driver' is a sure way to just have yourself run off the road while he continues trekking.
History:
Act 1. Activation
Breakdown wasn't always the stocky framed mech everyone knows him for today. He started off as a tiny guy, built on a sort of conveyor as stock with so many others who were just activated and placed in various professions based on what turned out to be their favor. Breakdown's small stature and relatively passive nature earned him a spot to try out for some level of law enforcement. At first it seemed like a perfect fit, but the issues with a manufacturer defect in his personality soon became present. Breakdown would be fine one minute and then would be huddled up in a corner somewhere whining about everyone watching him and judging everything he did the next.
It would be an escalating problem that would lead to much more crippling outbursts and eventually push him into mediocre work with other defective mechs. Waste disposal, carrier work, testers- each needing a grunt to work it, each pushing the workers to the point where their defections would overload their spark and they would extinguish. Breakdown saw this happen several times as he was handed off between one job description to another and he struggled to keep it from happening to him. Being fast gave him a foot in the door to work as a courier, but it did nothing towards helping him run away from the shadows that hovered over him.
At least the labor work gave him a great work ethic... even if it were fueled by the thoughts that if he didn't get the parcels to the paying customers on time they would judge him and blow up his spark themselves. But hey, at least nothing was ever late or damaged.
Act 2. Joining the cons
With the whispers of war passing through Cybertron, sides were slowly being taken- Autobots and Decepticons- each with their own opinions on how to overthrow the cast system. Breakdown wasn't happy with his strained living conditions and he had seen just how those not up to certain par were disregarded to the wayside, but his choice to a side came with knowledge that a war would make things quite a bit more unstable for him than he was comfortable with rather than 'Yes! Lets start and uprise!'. He went with who he thought to be the stronger side, who he thought would have all of this over quickly and provide some sense of security for him- Decepticons.
Still the little guy with the paranoia tic, Breakdown was tasked with the job of recruitment. He spread the word of Megatron all across Cybertron. To him this was not unlike his previous job but it did make him feel like he was at least making a bit of a difference. He wasn't rushed, just ordered by the ranked on where to go and off he went. Most of the time he was alone which did wonders with settling his nerves. He finally felt like he was fitting in and he figured that as soon as the ones who ran the stupid system were removed from power everything would go to being civilized and equal.
Instead? All out war, a war he never saw coming, and it was his team- his faction- against the other side. Everything was in chaos and before he knew he he was forced into another line of work.
Scouting.
It wasn't so bad... unless you happened to cross into enemy territory or a battle ground and you were caught up in the crossfire. Otherwise it was nice to just tear your wheels up on Cybertron's highway system and GO.
Act 3 - Bloodsport
One scouting mission didn't go as planned. Breakdown had been doing his orders as required, but he was still just the little guy who no one had much respect for. Instead of staying back and reporting in like he usually did, he took the opportunity to try and prove himself. If he could get inside the bunker and steal some intelligence to bring back to his base, he figured he would surely gain some bit of the respect he wanted. So after sneaking past the guards ( which he only managed to do successfully because they were busy chatting with one another and not paying attention to behind them ), he went in and attempted to carry out his personal mission.
Untrained in such things, he didn't really know how to sneak. He was a 'get in, go fast, get out' kinda mech, which made everything just snowball downhill starting from the tiny bot finding him to the end result. He had managed to overpower the smaller bot and in a blinding paranoid outbust, struck him until his helm was completely smashed in and his upper frame grossly busted in. Still in his state of panic, Breakdown transformed and drove out of the bunker as quickly as he could; empty handed, and followed by a barrage of gun fire.
Though reprimanded for his failure, he did receive minor praise from his fellow Decepticons over his slaughter of 'The Autoscum'. Was this the key to earning their good graces int his war? Killing? Well, it was something he'd have to get used to, because more was to happen in his future as he partook in more and more missions. He was the little guy who could, and damn it, he was going to do it!
And did it... well, he did. Breakdown was making a name for himself in the group he was assigned to and actually making friends and being comfortable. It was a welcome change, one that was making his personality defect a thing of the past and replacing it with a confidence that was hard to bust through. Perhaps there was some ego there ( or a lot of ego ) but that was at least better than what he HAD been dealing with his entire life. It was a a breath of relief and a welcomed change.
His confidence would come to a grinding halt at the hands of the very faction they were up against. While his team had been making short work of the smaller mechs in their dismal state of a barracks, they hadn't expected a very large adversary to come on scene and pretty much crush their hopes of a clear sweep. Foolish as Breakdown was and blind to not wanting his ego crushed, he went toe-to-toe with the larger Bot... and was put in his place like the overconfident fool he was. The team retreated to their own base and hunkered down to lick their wounds. Breakdown, on the other hand, had come to see that the frame he had was no longer going to work. They were going to face even more powerful adversaries and, with the promise that one day he would face off against the one who had made a fool of him, Breakdown committed himself to the painful ( and extensive ) process of undergoing a complete frame overhaul.
This new Breakdown... he fully intended to 'bring down the house'... and nothing was going to stop him from getting even. Ranks didn't matter to him, only getting to his goal. He successfully completed mission after mission, most of the time with only minor injuries to his fellow teammates. In due time that team would become his to be in charge of and they continued their sweep through minor Autobot holds, taking captives as well as lives. Breakdown's name did not go without various titles attached to it and even though it was strange to hear it did not change how he handled things or the strong will he showed. At various points Breakdown would run into the mech who had forced his hand to change himself, and their brawls were a sight to see, with both sides usually having to back down and retreat because of reinforcements. The two would form an arch-rivalry that would carry over through future meetings, even while the times were changing and events out of either faction's control were in motion.
Cybertron during this time was falling into ruin, becoming unstable and uninhabitable. Both sides were becoming desperate and everyone was a target, including the medics. To protect what few they had, each was assigned a special bodyguard to keep their backs covered while they were providing field support. While generals and high ranked warriors couldn't be spared from the front lines, field captains provided both the strength and skill needed without having to waste what was considered more valuable. That reassignment notice hit Breakdown hard- like a spear right through his spark chamber. Breakdown's instability in the face of change was enough, but even if the lunk didn't have his issue, being ordered to guard someone like the little red medic would have been enough TO give him one. With medics being at the forefront of attack and the Decepticons being in rather short supply, this order had been given as a matter of necessity, so his personal grievances were something that needed to be tossed to the backburner.
Act 4- The Hot Shot and the Nut Job
Knock Out was cocky, narcissistic, self-centered... they were probably all the same thing, but they were the three words he would have picked to describe the mech. Right from the start the partnership was strained, with Breakdown not trusting him as well as just his utter dislike for him, which threw up his walls and hardened his 'I'm gonna wreck you if you look at me funny' front. Wherever his charge had to go he was forced to follow, with Knock Out usually talking at him instead of to him. The strain on Breakdown would only become worse the longer he was in his company, waiting to explode.
That eruption didn't take long to happen. While assisting Knock Out with some things around the medical lab, Breakdown managed to step on something on the floor he hadn't seen. The noise that came from it would have startled anyone, but Breakdown's stressed mental state exaggerated the situation. Everything in Knock Out's lab was ruined; smashed to pieces and unusable... including the exhausted Breakdown who had managed to move off behind one of the lab tables and hide there until his nerves collected themselves. The reserve and patience Knock Out showed to him after that changed the relationship between the two forever, with a level of trust and loyalty Breakdown needed to keep himself from further... well... 'Break downs'.
The inseparable duo continued their partnership during the rest of the war on Cybertron, developing a very ingenious way of communicating with one another from a distance without having to use their Communication channels. Hijackings into the links was not unheard of and many times Breakdown could not be right over Knock Out's shoulder, so the two devised a method of signals through everything from flashing lights to gestures, to 'code words' that could spring the other into action. The unusual form of communication would prove beneficial in other ways. During a rather routine field mission, knock out had left to tend to the patient while breakdown explored further to ensure the area was clear. The distress signal that had gone out was a ploy, an Autobot trap. No sooner had Breakdown left the side of Knock Out was the medic attacked by opposite forces waiting out of sight. Knock Out managed to distract the ambushers long enough for Breakdown to make it back to him and dispatch them before they even knew what- literally- hit them. The two would later develop that unusual tactic into a more strategic way of fighting for themselves, which gave them an edge on the battlefield; utilizing their own differentiating abilities.
With Cybertron dark, Autobots had left for Earth and the Decepticons were in hot pursuit. The planet they sought was Earth, rich with resources that the Decepticons wanted for themselves. Small teams were sent to exploit the planet's untapped potential, which included Breakdown and Knock Out. So off they were!
Act 5- Human Interference
The summoning from Starscream to return to the Nemesis came during a hot lead on a major Energon source. Several small deposits had been retrieved successfully, but a large haul like the one they had picked up on would be icing on the cake. While Knock Out reported in, Breakdown scouted out the Energon deposit, only to run into a familiar face in his history. After a short lived brawl, he left to meet up with Knock Out to retrieve the Harvester and came across more Autobots- including his rival and the Autobot leader. Though odds were against them, their tactic of 'switch hitters' proved to lead to the success of their mission and the two delivered the Harvester to Starscream. While he remained silent most of the time, the fact that Starscream not only aimed the artifact at Knock Out more than once, but he had taken the life of an innocent Vehicon for no more reason than to scare them into submission. That was not the way to earn Breakdown's favor.
Breakdown only wished he had the speed to match Knock Out and could have escaped the Nemesis with him, but while his partner was off street racing, he was busying himself with buffing Megatron's inanimate form. The clash between the acting leader and his partner was always tense with the cattiness of the two but, while he remained quiet about it, he was always waiting for any moment when Starscream would raise a hand to him. Should he need to step in, he would, but the red sport car always seemed to have it under control. At least until he failed the mission Breakdown had partnered up with him in involving the capture of a human. While he couldn't do anything at the time to prevent the punishment resulting in the damage of his finish, he could at least help him repair it thereafter.
Knock Out was much more careful after that, and, as always, Breakdown was right there at his side unless he was commanded to go elsewhere. While whatever was happening on the Nemesis was going down, Breakdown was doing just that: Following a stray Energon signal. After another confrontation with his rival at the abandoned site, Breakdown was incidentally captured by MECH and laid out as subject of their experimentation. His right optic was removed, leaving the other to watch as various parts of his frame work torn open. This had been the first time that Breakdown had experienced this level of fear on this conscious plane. The thought of slowly being torn apart without being able to feel, unable to fight back and left utterly helpless did not sit well with him and the fact that fleshlings had been the ones to instill that fear? It was unacceptable. After his surprising rescue by Bulkhead and the arrival of Starscream and the Vehicons- in which he was given warning to remember that moment when the time came to chose leadership sides- Breakdown returned to the ship a changed mech. The optic probably could have been replaced by the delicate hands of his partner but that would have required major re-patch work and trying to find any ol' optic laying around, but he chose to have it mended with a fixed eyepatch as a constant reminder of his mission failure. Lesson learned and all that.
As well as a reminder to when he was forced to realize that humans, as small and insignificant as he thought they were, had tricks up their sleeves that made them dangerous.
With Megatron's return, Breakdown retains his position as Knock Out's partner and medical assistant. Time will tell when that loyalty may be put to the test, but, at least for now, he has a secure place where he's comfortable at.
Personality:
Driven, honorable, loyal to the Decepticons and their cause ( rivaled only by his loyalty to Knock Out ), temperamental and easily triggered to engage in combat, with random ticks of paranoia that can be blinding and lead to devastating results.
No one would ever imagine that a wrecking machine like Breakdown would have anymore more than 'smash this and destroy that' running through his processor, but only a small handful are aware of issues that lay within his dysfunctional processor.
From the time of his activation Breakdown suffered from an acute case of paranoia. 'You're a nut case who should have never been activated, you defective glitch' was a phrase quite often to describe his spurts of "STOP LOOKING AT ME". While being sent into a spiraling panic each time he thought he was being watched or judged by someone was hardly a way to live, but Breakdown did so each day. If there was one thing positive about the situation, he was at least able to gain a respect for those who were disregarded, belittled, or just 'dumb lugnuts'.
Since his joining the Decepticons and partnering with Knock Out he has been able to control much of his defect- or, at least hide it behind the facade of the overly confident and eager Decepticon with a mean punch and equally mean temper. He's a very loyal and honorable soldier with high regards for even his adversaries, especially if they show honor in the heat of battle. He never puts himself above anyone else, not even the Vehicons who are often regarded as nothing more than cannon fodder to the other Cons. Breakdown has also gained a very well substantiated chip on his shoulder towards humans- Particularly MECH. The incident involving his capture and evident torture at their hands has warped his paranoia some, allowing for his anger to be fueled by the insecurities with many more triggers and shorter fuses. Incidentally, the Nemesis has gained a few new dents in her interior walls during this time and Knock Out has been needing to spend a little more time keeping the big clunker calm.
Likes: Quiet time, driving around, partnering with Knock Out, smashing things...
Does kicking Autobrat tail sound too cliche?
Dislikes: Autobots, laziness, dishonor ( even among fellow Decepticons ), running away from a fight, and a blatant disregard for the lives of others. He also hates those who put themselves above someone, or makes another feel like they're unworthy. He's still a little iffy around crowds, and he definitely has an ax to grind with MECH after the whole 'torture and eye removal' thing ( which, you know, don't bring up unless you want to risk having your face smashed in )
Strengths/Weapons:
Hammer time!
Breakdown is built for hand-to-hand combat. His bulk usually gives him the upper hand against most others since his frame is both solid and joints well protected from direct hits. When his fists just don't do enough talking, and sometimes he doesn't, he has two very not-so-secret weapons at his disposal. Breakdown can morph each of his servos into pulverizing hammers and swing with enough force to knock the larger mech silly and turn the smaller ones into little squished things if they're not careful or quick enough to get out of the way.
Shoulder Mounted Pulse Cannon
When hand-to-hand combat isn't the immediate option, there's a shoulder cannon threatening to say hello, with damaging results if it connects directly with its intended target. Originally this weapon was a much simpler turret with rocket firing capabilities with very short reload speed. Shortly after his capture he upgraded to the new pulse cannon to provide him with more long-distance firepower. He's not the best shot nor the fastest at targeting enemies, but he makes due with what he's got. Most of the time it's just used to throw opposition off kilter, disrupting a consistent distant shot from a stationary position or to provide cover fire for Breakdown to get himself closer to the target. If his alt mode's bulk wasn't devastating enough on the road, this weapon is also fixed to his rooftop while in alt mode and is able to be fired from that position as well which makes him a monster on the roadway and a real threat on wheels.
Why run when you can fight?
Even against odds stacked against him, Breakdown would rather stay and fight it out instead of running. Usually the 'drive' request is passed along to him from Knock Out and he's typically the one to follow him if just to make sure he doesn't take on heavy fire as he retreats. Not that he complains...
Okay, maybe he does.
Can't touch this
Breakdown has a heavy frame with very little access to vital tidbits. His framework is reinforced with several underlying layers of mesh and metal that makes getting through a problem. His joints are protected by a metal overlay, which provides movement as well as security. Good luck getting a shot through this guy.
The Loyal Lapdog
If Megatron were to snap his fingers, Breakdown would rush to his side at command. He's loyal to the Decepticon's cause and fights for it with everything he has to offer on the field. Whether this is due to him either not knowing anything else or that the Decepticons allow him to smash up pretty much whatever he wants is a great unanswered question.
Weaknesses:
You want me to shoot... what?
Whereas Breakdown does have the ability to actually shoot approaching targets, he much rather wait like a planted rock until they come within range of a good left hook. Long range fighters prove to be problematic and, as difficult as it would be to get through his armor, it wouldn't be impossible should they be enough of a sharp shooter to hit the same location numerous times before he could get to them. While his long ranged weapon is damaging when it connects, it takes too long for it to charge up another round to be of any more use than a single shot, since if the target is close or fast enough, they'd be face-to-face with him before round two even had a chance to leave the chamber.
The bigger they are...
The very frame that gives Breakdown his protection is also his downfall. The added build around his joints gives him limited movement and he's super top heavy which makes sharp twists and turns virtually impossible. His feet are always needing to be planted strategically to keep his balance, especially when swinging those heavy hammers of his, so should someone be aiming to get underfoot and knock him off key, down he'd go like London Bridge. The weight of his framework also makes him fairly slow in bot mode so he's a very slow clunky runner. He's not going to win any bipedal racing contests, that's for sure.
Where'd You Go?!
Since his incident with MECH, Breakdown has been missing his right eye. The patch keeps him from being able to see anything so he has to lean accordingly to avoid being blind to peripheral attacks at that side. His exceeding girth aides in this problem as it provides enemies with plenty of blind spots in which to sneak up on him.
Knock Knock!
Breakdown is not the brightest crayon in the box. Whereas he can understand strategy and plan accordingly, it's restricted to the basics. He's clearly altered for bulk and not for brains. Sometimes it's a wonder if anyone is really at home the way he can just stare at things for the longest time and never change his expression. Someone with enough fancy words in his vocabulary could probably convince him that something he shouldn't do is the right thing to do, and he would be none the wiser. Hey, sometimes you just got to double check that all the lights are on at home is all.
They're Always Judging Me!
It's been quite a journey from the mech he was before to the one he is today, but there's still a long climb that will probably never be completed. His paranoia continues to flare up from time to time, though hardly as bad as it used to be and never infront of anyone but Knock Out. These days it's hidden behind a fussy temper triggered by the irritation from the paranoia which drives him to blindly start swinging while in battle. Since MECH's intrusion into his psyche it's been more of a mix of the two, where he finds himself stalling when faced with a crowd ( or even just humans in general )- and then goes into a blind fit in which everything in his path is fair game. At that point it's best for even Knock Out to stay out of it unless he can talk him down from a distance.
I devote myself to...
There's no question that Breakdown is loyal to the Decepticons, but recent events have caused him to question just how deep that loyalty is. While he's not ready to completely jump ship and sing com-by-ya with the Autobots, there is an edge with him that could probably easily be exploited and cause him to stray. That is, if you could get him away from his partner long enough since he's usually the one to snap him back by reminding him that they are, in fact, Decepticons.
Special skills (that are not weapon related):
Patience
When he's not being forced into an uncomfortable situation or into battle, Breakdown has the patience of a saint. He can sit through hours of pointless Starscream rambling then return to the lab and listen to Knock Out complain about the latest failure in this and that or how someone managed to screw something up and keep a straight face all the while. But don't worry, he's listening, because he can repeat all of it back to you! Even the things that maybe you wish you didn't say.
Silent Communication
Breakdown's early fears of having their communication channel hijacked by enemies were not completely unrealistic so he rarely used them and just remained as close to Knock Out's side as possible. Sometimes this was not the best idea, as it was usually just Knock Out being assigned as field medic and Breakdown as his Scout, so the close quarters would allow for an enemy pick them off in one blast. The two devised their own silent form of communication, where Breakdown could stay hidden off at a distance, unseen, and wait for a signal from Knock Out to alert him that there was trouble. Then, while Knock Out played distraction, Breakdown would be able to sweep in and take the opposer(s) by surprise.
Varying hand gestures are also quite common between them, a sort of secret language that only they understand.
Basic First Aid
Having been appointed Knock Out's medical assistant ( not really his first choice in jobs on the Nemesis, but hey, you won't find him complaining ) Breakdown has sat through many of his procedures from the basic bumps and scratches to full on surgical care and has managed to pick up knowledge on basic medical care. Don't expect him to be rewiring a faulty T-Cog anytime soon, but if you're leaking energon he at least knows ways to patch it up and stop the flow. Now, there's always the matter of the less-than-delicate-looking mech coming at you to 'assist' that could be a little terrifying to a helpless patient...
Attention To Detail
Having been a scout in a past life, Breakdown as a keen sense to detail. He's always observing what's happening around him and making notes to save for later. While he only has one eye now, it's a damn good eye and it easily does the job of two! That keen eye is also quite handy when Knock Out needs a repair on his paint job and doesn't feel like doing it himself.
Buff This
Heavy handed, strong armed, attention to detail and patience... all these ingredients make up the perfect buffing machine. Whether it's a hard-to-reach spot or just an all over shine request, Breakdown is the perfect mech for the job. Knock Out is quite aware of this and tends to use those services on a regular basis. Nothing like a personal buffer, afterall.
