Blitzwing
Jul 23, 2021 11:33:16 GMT -5
Post by Blitzwing on Jul 23, 2021 11:33:16 GMT -5
--PLAYER INFO--
Name/Alias: Kavac
Discord: Kavac#3260
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Blitzwing
Age: 50’s
Gender: Mech
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Decepticons
Original Occupation: Triorian Guardsman
Occupation/Specialization: General of Aggressor Division
Appearance: Blitzwing clocks in at Dreadwing and Skyquake’s height (as well as their general build), marking him as one of the larger Decepticons, save for Megatron. The core of Blitzwing’s frame is a deep shade of purple, marked with several black accents around his joints. His face is a soft shade of blue, marked out by a red and black right optic, and a red targeting/rangefinding suite for his left optic. Much of Blitzwing’s body is covered in tan heavy armor plating, which dominates his form. On his back sits his primary cannon, resting pointing upwards at all times. While his cannon rests in the small of his back, Blitzwing’s wings and primary thrusters sit proudly displayed from his back. Both of Blitzwing’s treads sit on the backs of his lower legs in root mode, as well.
Altmode: Blitzwing is blessed as a triple-changer, and has been able to assume two altmodes upon traveling to Earth: A Panavia Tornado for his jet mode, and a Leopard 2 for his tank mode.
Pertinent History: Blitzwing of Hyperious was forged just prior to the Age of Wrath, though the Quintesson occupation kept him from his true calling as a soldier, instead being forced to perform manual labor. When Guardian Prime sounded the call for rebellion, Blitzwing was one of the millions of Cybertronians who eagerly took up arms. Compared to most of Guardian Prime’s other soldiers, many of whom were fighting to free their home, the rush of battle and the hum of joy as the Quintessons were cut down served to motivate Blitzwing, something his superiors took quick notice of.
As Cybertron was freed and Guardian Prime slipped into legend, some of his soldiers (including Blitzwing) were anxious about transitioning to a more peaceful mode of existence, as the thrill of a victorious war was still fresh in their minds. Thankfully, Nova Prime was next up on the docket, and his warlike ways would provide Blitzwing the chance to go stomping across a dozen alien worlds in the name of Cybertronian expansion. During the Subjugation of Arax however, Blitzwing was nearly killed in action when he (foolishly) attempted to attack an Araxian brood mother one-on-one. He survived his encounter, and as a reward for his years of exemplary service, Blitzwing had the honor of being rebuilt as a triple changer.
Blitzwing would go on to proudly serve in Cybertron’s military under every Prime up until Zeta, although he never held any of them in as high of a regard as he had held Nova. With the expansion largely concluded, Blitzwing was reshuffled back to Cybertron on the senate’s orders, and folded into the Triorian Guard just as the Golden Age kicked off. Being a member of the senate’s elite triple changer guard was incredibly prestigious, though Blitzwing hadn’t become a soldier to sit outside of the senate halls in parade rest for days at a time.
The (glorious) daily duties of the Triorian Guard included presiding over special ceremonies, protecting senators, and cracking the helms of any protestors who gathered outside the senate. Occasionally, they would block an assassination attempt or two, something Blitzwing was both saddened and gladdened by. He wasn’t particularly keen on many of the senators in his charge, as they were largely fat and corrupt, though he’d still relish the chance to fight the odd assassin.
Functionalism went unnoticed by Blitzwing as it swept across Cybertron, as he was perfectly happy to fill his little niche as a combat unit, though he was beginning to chafe under the political interference of the senate. Blitzwing was loyal to strength above all, a lesson Nova Prime had taught him, and in his eyes the senate could no longer embody that strength. His convictions were galvanized upon hearing the rhetoric leveled against the senate by a lowly miner once named D-16.
Blitzwing had seen a ghost. He saw much of his old master, Nova Prime, within Megatron as he first began his crusade against the senate. Though he was ultimately still bound to serve the senate, Blitzwing took it upon himself to disseminate Megatron’s writings and ideas amongst the guard itself. While not able to swing the entire Guard Megatron’s way, Blitzwing managed to make a few early converts.
When the title of Prime was bestowed on Orion Pax, Blitzwing could only see it as the senate and the high council betraying everything that the Primes had once stood for. He and his troops blasted out of the Triorian Guard barracks as Megatron sounded the call for revolution, killing many of his fellow triple changers who wouldn’t bend the knee before he left.
Ready to kick off another war, Blitzwing was appointed as the commander of Aggressor Division, a Decepticon armored unit whose main goal was to counter the heaviest of the Autobot ground forces. Blitzwing and his tanks conducted sweeping offensives from the Toraxxis Plains to the Koriolis Desert, managing to almost destroy the Autobot’s heavy armor capabilities by the end of the war, though they were always shy of dealing a death-blow.
Aggressor Division was stopped for refueling in southern Proximax shortly before the Exodus, when it was caught by a surprise air raid. Autobot bombers managed to destroy a decent number of Decepticons as they sat in root mode before being chased off by Decepticon Seekers. Blitzwing was among the casualties of the attack, having been critically injured by a bomb landing on his command center.
Though Aggressor Division would not see further large-scale action for the rest of the war, Blitzwing managed to miraculously survive the attack. With a small caveat, though. A chunk of shrapnel had shredded part of his brain module during the bombardment, and had done enough damage to prevent a complete repair. However, Blitzwing managed to make nearly a full recovery with almost no cognitive impairments.
Save for his emotions.
It had been Blitzwing’s emotional regulation center that sustained most of the damage, leaving him with a much less inhibited personality. The Blitzwing that awoke was a much, much different person than the one who’d been brought in for surgery. He was quick to anger, violent, wild, but also much colder at times. Though the early months were absurdly difficult to get used to, Blitzwing found out just what set him off, giving him at least some degree of control over his emotional states.
Blitzwing later took part in Megatron’s desperate assault to prevent the Ark from leaving Cybertron, though he was unable to join his leader as the Nemesis left the planet in pursuit. He remained on Cybertron for a time in order to chase around a few pockets of Autobot resistance, although even they began to dry up as the years passed. Eventually, Blitzwing simply left Cybertron in his jet mode, moving on for more violent pastures. During the intervening years, Blitzwing hired himself out as a mercenary working for worlds independent of the Galactic Council, before he ran afoul of the Black Block Consortia. After successfully raiding several of their convoys, Blitzwing heard the tale of Megatron’s passage through known space, and more importantly, the fact that he had been looking for soldiers.
Through a long trek through space, Blitzwing ultimately managed to follow his master’s trail all the way back to Earth.
Personality: Blitzwing, as he was initially forged, possessed an incredibly unrefined personality. Rude, arrogant, easily angered, crude, and basic were but a few often-used and frequently accurate labels used to describe him. Fortunately, he found his personality well suited to the skull-crunching duties of a Triorian Guard, a position that never required subtlety, tact, or politeness in any situation.
Later when he joined the Decepticons, his uniquely unrefined nature served him well as leader of one of Megatron’s armor divisions. Blitzwing was a draconian, iron-fisted commander, who tolerated nothing but the best from his troops.
A head injury sustained late in the war ended up robbing Blitzwing of his personality, much to the relief of his troops. A chunk of shrapnel managed to shred part of his brain module after entering through his left optic, and exiting out through the top of his head. After making a miraculous recovery, it became extremely clear that the old Blitzwing was gone for good. His emotional regulation center having been destroyed, Blitzwing emerged as a completely changed Con. Patient, thoughtful, cunning, and ice cold, many of Blitzwing’s troops had hoped that this new personality would stick forever. It didn’t of course, as Blitzwing proved himself to be exceptionally easy to anger, and even the faintest slight could send him into a blinding rage. Even without provocation however, he was still prone to delusions, flights of fancy, and even downright lunacy.
Generally speaking, Blitzwing is (usually) cold, dryly polite, and slightly condescending. Fancying himself a refined tactician rather than a brute, he approaches his problems with a ruthless, pragmatic mindset. That is of course, until the problem throws him a curveball. To insult his vast intellect, capacity for strategy, and prowess in combat is to effectively switch off his resting demeanor, and replace it with a fiery, brutal, and volatile mood. Even between these two extreme polar opposites, there is more than enough room for chaos and mania, and Blitzwing is always slightly at risk for adopting a mood that doesn’t fit the situation in the slightest.
Through the ice, the fire, and the chaos however, loyalty to Megatron and the Decepticons has never once slipped Blitzwing’s mind. It is one of the few (and perhaps the only) things that centrally governs his actions at any time. Though he’d be more than happy to dish out a wailing on any Decepticon that manages to set him off, his fear of Megatron’s wrath manages to shield their leader from any undeserved ire.
Blitzwing’s new lease on life has effectively transformed him from just another guns-and-steel officer into one of the most terrifying, unpredictable, and violent executors of Megatron’s will.
Likes: Creativity. Innovation. People passionate about their work. People that are unafraid to get a little crazy. Soft, smooth music. The arts. Mathematics. The army, Statistics.
Dislikes: Being insulted over any detail. Reductive attitudes. Being mocked. Taking things too seriously. Doing it only for the money. Monotony, anything ‘dull’. Seekers interfering in army business. Political interference in military business.
Strengths:
The Big Chair - Blitzwing still has a keen mind for armored cavalry tactics, despite his current shortcomings in the cognitive department. The speed of an attack, its intensity, its location, and its duration are all factors that he carefully considers when planning an assault, and when struck with a bout of pragmatism, Blitzwing won’t commit until he believes his plan will succeed without a doubt. Having decimated Autobot armored units during the war, he also has a healthy amount of experience in analyzing the strategies of his enemies, and even deducing who their commanders are. Needless to say, Blitzwing still requires troops to command in order to execute his brilliant plans.
Supply and Command - While battles may be won with troops, tactics, and weapons, good generals know that wars are won through proper resource allocation and command support. While he is doubtlessly an authoritarian officer, he is by no means completely autocratic. Delegating command power to his officers and NCO’s, as well as ensuring his troops are well supplied (and the enemy’s aren’t) is how Blitzwing wins wars. In spite of his recent bouts with lunacy, Blitzwing remains an excellent military organizer for the Decepticon ranks.
Warborn - Blitzwing’s frame is heavily armored and flexible for a multitude of roles (that involve killing things). In addition, he commands great strength in accordance with his size, being able to punch out bots that also share his weight class.
Just Dropping In - Taking advantage of the mobility options afforded to him by his jet mode, Blitzwing frequently swaps from tank to jet in order to reposition himself on the battlefield.
Gotcha - After his injury, Blitzwing’s left optic was replaced with a much more robust rangefinding suite, which allows him to range his targets much more effectively than before, though this aim is still not perfect. A second lens is built into Blitzwing’s functional optic too, allowing him to see accurately at almost up to 3 miles.
Have Another One in ‘Ya? - Given that Blitzwing unintentionally masks his experience of pain by rapidly shifting emotions, interrogating him with conventional methods is astoundingly difficult. He still dislikes pain, but the relationship warms up after that point.
Weapons:
I’m About to be Hilarious - A single heavy plasma cannon represents Blitzwing’s main gun, and functions as his primary weapon in tank mode. It rests on his back, and it can be fired elevated from over his head, or over his shoulder. The weapon fires a volatile, violet plasma bolt capable of penetrating heavy armor at roughly 100 meters, though it can only damage it at farther ranges (with a muzzle velocity of mach 5, and a range of 2.5 miles). The weapon generates its own ammunition using excess energy from Blitzwing’s spark, however its capabilities to do so are limited. A total of six energy lodes are stored within the gun’s power chamber, and after one lode is spent the next one may be loaded after a 4-second gun cooldown. 30 seconds are required to recharge a single lode, meaning that after spending all six lodes over 24 seconds, it will be a full three minutes before Blitzwing is able to fire again.
Chill Out - An unusual armament for a tank/jet, Blitzwing possesses a set of three cryo-burst missiles, which function in accordance with their nomenclature. Each weapon is heat-seeking, capable of traveling at mach 4 at a range of roughly 20 miles, classifying it as a purely short range missile. Either when reaching a pre-set proximity, or when Blitzwing throws the switch, each missile breaks into three smaller sub-munitions, each carrying a cryogenic payload. Each sub-munition instantly saps the heat from the point of impact, effectively flash-freezing it. They do no damage whatsoever to Cybertronian and inorganic targets, merely disabling or incapacitating them for other weapons to finish off. Against organics however, the weapons are much more lethal. Sufficient heat is able to melt Blitzwing’s ice, as well as sufficient impact force. A single sub-munition is unable to completely freeze a single target however, though a saturation of blasts will be more than enough. A frozen or partially-frozen target will throw off a missile’s heat seeking capabilities however, meaning that after a single hit, Blitzwing will need to dumb-fire the weapon to hit his target again.
Both Barrels - Blitzwing’s secondary weapons take the shape of two twin-barrel, low-energy cannons built into his forearms. Far weaker than his main gun, each set of cannons makes up for it in the rate-of-fire department, able to spit out a storm of energy blasts at a reasonably low price. A single blast can penetrate light-armor, and minimally damage medium armor, though it is useless against heavier armor. Their ability to deliver a sustained barrage is what has kept these weapons around as some of Blitzwing’s favorites. In his tank mode, one gun is mounted beneath his primary cannon, while the other sits on a swivel atop his turret. In jet mode, both weapons function as Blitzwing’s main weapons. Overuse of these weapons invariably leads to overheat, requiring Blitzwing to refrain from their use for a short period before firing again.
Weaponized Warcrime - So impressed by the tenacity of the Autobot defenders of Bleak Point, Blitzwing decided to take some home with him. Melting down the corpses of 13 heroic Autobots who gave their lives in the line of duty, he had them subsequently fashioned into a two-handed sword for his own personal use. Aside from its disgusting and disrespectful construction, it is fairly average for a weapon. Just as tall as its wielder, it is a heavy and powerful offensive weapon, though it’s weight robs it of some of its defensive utility. When not in use, it folds up neatly into a more compact form, much like its constituent parts once used to do. It is capable of shredding up to medium armor, and even damaging heavy armor with enough force, and even though Blitzwing is more than strong enough to wield it, it’s sheer size keeps it from being swung too fast. Still, Blitzwing seldom uses the weapon in favor of his ranged arsenal.
Weaknesses:
Inflexible - If anyone were to throw a wrench into Blitzwing’s plans, his immediate response would be reliably predictable: brute force brute force brute force. His capacity for tactical flexibility was lost along with his emotional regulation, and he is unable to cope with the sudden appearance of a third variable in most situations.
Master of None - Being a triple-changer has its drawbacks. To name but a few:
In root mode, Blitzwing is able to fire all of his weapons. However, they all face forward, unlike in his tank mode. Where his main gun was afforded a full 360 degree field of view in tank mode, it only occupied a measly 60 degree field of view in root mode, not to mention it is incapable of being fired in jet mode. Blitzwing’s cryo-missiles are also incapable of being fired in tank mode.
Where his heavy armor plating is a boon in tank and root mode, it is a hindrance in jet mode. Though his speed fits the bill for a Decepticon Seeker, Blitzwing’s maneuverability is severely hampered by his armor. Thanks to his lowered maneuverability, and lack of any explosive heat-seeking munitions, Blitzwing is at a decided disadvantage in a turning dogfight.
The damage to Blitzwing is shared through all of his alt modes. His wings in jet mode, in addition to his treads, his rear, and the slit between his turret and main body in tank mode, all constitute fatal weaknesses in Blitzwing’s body. Critically damaging him in one area may result in his inability to transform or assume one of his other two alt modes, effectively grounding him to whatever mode he currently occupies, and making him more vulnerable as a result.
With all of his extra equipment, Blitzwing is noticeably top-heavy, especially thanks to his main cannon. Coupled with his cannon’s inability to turn very far in root mode, he is especially vulnerable to flanking, pincer, and surprise attacks. In addition, Blitzwing cannot fire his main cannon accurately unless he is standing stock still in root mode. As his plasma cannon’s projectiles have very little drop after being fired, Blitzwing cannot fully implement indirect fire, and requires a direct line of sight on his target in order to hit it.
Despite his namesake, and his jet mode, Blitzwing’s real place is on the ground, where his armor and weapons suit him best. He has accepted this, begrudgingly.
Precarious Balance - After a long time living with his new self, Blitzwing has grown accustomed to his sudden emotional shifts. When shifting, he will deviate from his pre-planned strategies, engage targets against his better judgment, fight with his allies, be lured into traps, break into song, ruin plans, fire inaccurately, and break promises. Blitzwing sees no fault in any of this, having simply accepted that this is how things have to be, now.
Skittish - Blitzwing is well aware of his many weaknesses, almost overly so. Anyone attempting to take advantage of them will lead to Blitzwing engaging in a quick retreat. He will retreat when approached in tank mode, usually when the offender is advancing in their root mode; some bad memories of being stepped on by combiners, evidently. Getting behind him is a big no-no, as well, and he will immediately reorient and retreat in order to re-approach from a position of strength.
A Little Mad About It - A taunt is enough to send Blitzwing off the deep end, regardless of what faction it came from. To those in the know, taunting Blitzwing is a good way to get him to abandon any plan of attack and focus solely on the offender.
Sadistic - Blitzwing has never been a fan of one stroke kills, and in fact, he usually goes to certain lengths to avoid them. He finds satisfaction in the terror and squirming of a wounded enemy, something that may save the occasional foe from a killing blow. It would be unwise to rely on Blitzwing’s sadism to survive an encounter with him however, as his body count is high, even by Decepticon standards.
Recuperation - Rest is important, especially for Decepticon killing machines. After sustained periods of combat, Blitzwing requires roughly an equal amount of time to recharge before he becomes combat effective again, though this time can be reduced with Energon supplements. Given how rare and important Energon is these days however, he has taken a cautious approach towards throwing himself into combat. However, chaos will sometimes dictate otherwise, of course.
The Quick Brown Fox - For all his weapons, strength, and armor, Blitzwing is ultimately a large, slow target easily exploited by someone smaller and faster, in all of his modes. When engaging foes at any range other than what he prefers, he finds himself at a disadvantage. Given how crafty and small most Autobots are, this tends to come up often.
Special Skills:
Something of a Scientist Myself - As a member of the Triorian Guard whose daily routine usually consisted of mindless thuggery toward the occasional activist, before the war, Blitzwing was surprisingly well-read. In his free time, he occupied himself with subjects like mathematics and psychology, though he suppressed his more intellectual side when serving with the Guard, and later the Decepticons. This side of Blitzwing only became much more pronounced after his injury threw all emotional regulation to the wind, and while he doesn’t consider himself some great scientist, he knows that he’s more intelligent than the average Decepticon stair-thrower-downer.
To the Stars - Blitzwing, in his jet mode, generates enough thrust to break the confines of a planet’s gravity, allowing him to operate in space.
RP Sample:
“CEASE FIRE!!”
Blitzwing’s spoken command inaudible over the absolutely stentorian barrage of gunfire, he instead simply raised a hand to the sky, palm open. At his unspoken request, the legion’s guns behind him fell silent one by one, in a relieving decrescendo which allowed the general to think unimpeded once more.
He let out a huff of air from between his plates, massaging the sides of his helm with two digits. “FINALLY, I may think again!!” Though to be honest, Blitzwing hadn’t been doing much thinking up until this point; not for a while, at least. Bleak Point had been sheared from the Autobot supply line two days ago. Any further action on the Decepticon’s part would be, for lack of a better descriptor, target practice.
The sounds of blaster fire were gradually replaced by a veritable army of Decepticons all checking their weapons and equipment at once, something infinitely more pleasing to their general’s audials.
“LIEUTENANT!!”
“Yes sir?”
“Oh. There you are.”
Blitzwing cleared his vocal processor.
“LIEUTENANT! Have the Autobots surrendered yet?"
The officer in question (Blitzwing had to admit he’d forgotten his name after hearing nothing but weapons fire for two days), shot a side-eye toward the rest of the legion assembled around the fortifications they’d erected a week before. “Allow me to check for you, sir.”
Saying this, the officer took but a few steps to the left, and climbed the command post defense wall to spy a peak at the enemy in question.
Ping!
The Lieutenant’s left audial whizzed past Blitzwing as a sniper’s bolt ripped it clean off, though to his credit, the officer didn’t seem concerned in the slightest. He seemed tired enough, as is. They climbed back down, servo clutching the side of their head, with an extremely neutral expression on their face.
“No general, I don’t rightfully think so.”
Blitzwing didn’t immediately respond. He seemed lost, judging by the expression on his face.
“Sir?”
A large Decepticon mitt came down to pat the now-wounded officer on the helm.
“Excellent work, Burnout. Be sure to have that little scrape patched up before we leave.”
“Oh, I… yes sir.”
Mentally, Blitzwing turned back to the task at hand. They could simply leave, as option 1. The fort was only garrisoned by a handful of defenders at this point. Those that had tried to flee their post had been strung up on the few power lines that were left in this part of Kalis. Partly as a warning, partly for fun.
“I must give credit to their tenacity, at least. But, I believe I shall do so in person.”
Then, with an explosion of emotion, Blitzwing roared, “THE HARD WAY!!”
Nearly flattening his assembled general staff with the down-thrust, the Decepticon general blasted sky-high, his flight path carrying him directly over the lone Autobot fort. Burnout, now with a ringing in his audials, could only watch helplessly as the glorious leader of Aggressor Division shifted into his tank mode, and dropped into the center of Bleak Point, anti-aircraft fire bouncing off his armor, like a hammer.
A large plume of dust and smoke, followed by a sudden staccato of gunfire was all that Burnout needed to see and hear to know they were thankfully going home soon.
Name/Alias: Kavac
Discord: Kavac#3260
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Blitzwing
Age: 50’s
Gender: Mech
Species: Cybertronian
Faction: Decepticons
Original Occupation: Triorian Guardsman
Occupation/Specialization: General of Aggressor Division
Appearance: Blitzwing clocks in at Dreadwing and Skyquake’s height (as well as their general build), marking him as one of the larger Decepticons, save for Megatron. The core of Blitzwing’s frame is a deep shade of purple, marked with several black accents around his joints. His face is a soft shade of blue, marked out by a red and black right optic, and a red targeting/rangefinding suite for his left optic. Much of Blitzwing’s body is covered in tan heavy armor plating, which dominates his form. On his back sits his primary cannon, resting pointing upwards at all times. While his cannon rests in the small of his back, Blitzwing’s wings and primary thrusters sit proudly displayed from his back. Both of Blitzwing’s treads sit on the backs of his lower legs in root mode, as well.
Altmode: Blitzwing is blessed as a triple-changer, and has been able to assume two altmodes upon traveling to Earth: A Panavia Tornado for his jet mode, and a Leopard 2 for his tank mode.
Pertinent History: Blitzwing of Hyperious was forged just prior to the Age of Wrath, though the Quintesson occupation kept him from his true calling as a soldier, instead being forced to perform manual labor. When Guardian Prime sounded the call for rebellion, Blitzwing was one of the millions of Cybertronians who eagerly took up arms. Compared to most of Guardian Prime’s other soldiers, many of whom were fighting to free their home, the rush of battle and the hum of joy as the Quintessons were cut down served to motivate Blitzwing, something his superiors took quick notice of.
As Cybertron was freed and Guardian Prime slipped into legend, some of his soldiers (including Blitzwing) were anxious about transitioning to a more peaceful mode of existence, as the thrill of a victorious war was still fresh in their minds. Thankfully, Nova Prime was next up on the docket, and his warlike ways would provide Blitzwing the chance to go stomping across a dozen alien worlds in the name of Cybertronian expansion. During the Subjugation of Arax however, Blitzwing was nearly killed in action when he (foolishly) attempted to attack an Araxian brood mother one-on-one. He survived his encounter, and as a reward for his years of exemplary service, Blitzwing had the honor of being rebuilt as a triple changer.
Blitzwing would go on to proudly serve in Cybertron’s military under every Prime up until Zeta, although he never held any of them in as high of a regard as he had held Nova. With the expansion largely concluded, Blitzwing was reshuffled back to Cybertron on the senate’s orders, and folded into the Triorian Guard just as the Golden Age kicked off. Being a member of the senate’s elite triple changer guard was incredibly prestigious, though Blitzwing hadn’t become a soldier to sit outside of the senate halls in parade rest for days at a time.
The (glorious) daily duties of the Triorian Guard included presiding over special ceremonies, protecting senators, and cracking the helms of any protestors who gathered outside the senate. Occasionally, they would block an assassination attempt or two, something Blitzwing was both saddened and gladdened by. He wasn’t particularly keen on many of the senators in his charge, as they were largely fat and corrupt, though he’d still relish the chance to fight the odd assassin.
Functionalism went unnoticed by Blitzwing as it swept across Cybertron, as he was perfectly happy to fill his little niche as a combat unit, though he was beginning to chafe under the political interference of the senate. Blitzwing was loyal to strength above all, a lesson Nova Prime had taught him, and in his eyes the senate could no longer embody that strength. His convictions were galvanized upon hearing the rhetoric leveled against the senate by a lowly miner once named D-16.
Blitzwing had seen a ghost. He saw much of his old master, Nova Prime, within Megatron as he first began his crusade against the senate. Though he was ultimately still bound to serve the senate, Blitzwing took it upon himself to disseminate Megatron’s writings and ideas amongst the guard itself. While not able to swing the entire Guard Megatron’s way, Blitzwing managed to make a few early converts.
When the title of Prime was bestowed on Orion Pax, Blitzwing could only see it as the senate and the high council betraying everything that the Primes had once stood for. He and his troops blasted out of the Triorian Guard barracks as Megatron sounded the call for revolution, killing many of his fellow triple changers who wouldn’t bend the knee before he left.
Ready to kick off another war, Blitzwing was appointed as the commander of Aggressor Division, a Decepticon armored unit whose main goal was to counter the heaviest of the Autobot ground forces. Blitzwing and his tanks conducted sweeping offensives from the Toraxxis Plains to the Koriolis Desert, managing to almost destroy the Autobot’s heavy armor capabilities by the end of the war, though they were always shy of dealing a death-blow.
Aggressor Division was stopped for refueling in southern Proximax shortly before the Exodus, when it was caught by a surprise air raid. Autobot bombers managed to destroy a decent number of Decepticons as they sat in root mode before being chased off by Decepticon Seekers. Blitzwing was among the casualties of the attack, having been critically injured by a bomb landing on his command center.
Though Aggressor Division would not see further large-scale action for the rest of the war, Blitzwing managed to miraculously survive the attack. With a small caveat, though. A chunk of shrapnel had shredded part of his brain module during the bombardment, and had done enough damage to prevent a complete repair. However, Blitzwing managed to make nearly a full recovery with almost no cognitive impairments.
Save for his emotions.
It had been Blitzwing’s emotional regulation center that sustained most of the damage, leaving him with a much less inhibited personality. The Blitzwing that awoke was a much, much different person than the one who’d been brought in for surgery. He was quick to anger, violent, wild, but also much colder at times. Though the early months were absurdly difficult to get used to, Blitzwing found out just what set him off, giving him at least some degree of control over his emotional states.
Blitzwing later took part in Megatron’s desperate assault to prevent the Ark from leaving Cybertron, though he was unable to join his leader as the Nemesis left the planet in pursuit. He remained on Cybertron for a time in order to chase around a few pockets of Autobot resistance, although even they began to dry up as the years passed. Eventually, Blitzwing simply left Cybertron in his jet mode, moving on for more violent pastures. During the intervening years, Blitzwing hired himself out as a mercenary working for worlds independent of the Galactic Council, before he ran afoul of the Black Block Consortia. After successfully raiding several of their convoys, Blitzwing heard the tale of Megatron’s passage through known space, and more importantly, the fact that he had been looking for soldiers.
Through a long trek through space, Blitzwing ultimately managed to follow his master’s trail all the way back to Earth.
Personality: Blitzwing, as he was initially forged, possessed an incredibly unrefined personality. Rude, arrogant, easily angered, crude, and basic were but a few often-used and frequently accurate labels used to describe him. Fortunately, he found his personality well suited to the skull-crunching duties of a Triorian Guard, a position that never required subtlety, tact, or politeness in any situation.
Later when he joined the Decepticons, his uniquely unrefined nature served him well as leader of one of Megatron’s armor divisions. Blitzwing was a draconian, iron-fisted commander, who tolerated nothing but the best from his troops.
A head injury sustained late in the war ended up robbing Blitzwing of his personality, much to the relief of his troops. A chunk of shrapnel managed to shred part of his brain module after entering through his left optic, and exiting out through the top of his head. After making a miraculous recovery, it became extremely clear that the old Blitzwing was gone for good. His emotional regulation center having been destroyed, Blitzwing emerged as a completely changed Con. Patient, thoughtful, cunning, and ice cold, many of Blitzwing’s troops had hoped that this new personality would stick forever. It didn’t of course, as Blitzwing proved himself to be exceptionally easy to anger, and even the faintest slight could send him into a blinding rage. Even without provocation however, he was still prone to delusions, flights of fancy, and even downright lunacy.
Generally speaking, Blitzwing is (usually) cold, dryly polite, and slightly condescending. Fancying himself a refined tactician rather than a brute, he approaches his problems with a ruthless, pragmatic mindset. That is of course, until the problem throws him a curveball. To insult his vast intellect, capacity for strategy, and prowess in combat is to effectively switch off his resting demeanor, and replace it with a fiery, brutal, and volatile mood. Even between these two extreme polar opposites, there is more than enough room for chaos and mania, and Blitzwing is always slightly at risk for adopting a mood that doesn’t fit the situation in the slightest.
Through the ice, the fire, and the chaos however, loyalty to Megatron and the Decepticons has never once slipped Blitzwing’s mind. It is one of the few (and perhaps the only) things that centrally governs his actions at any time. Though he’d be more than happy to dish out a wailing on any Decepticon that manages to set him off, his fear of Megatron’s wrath manages to shield their leader from any undeserved ire.
Blitzwing’s new lease on life has effectively transformed him from just another guns-and-steel officer into one of the most terrifying, unpredictable, and violent executors of Megatron’s will.
Likes: Creativity. Innovation. People passionate about their work. People that are unafraid to get a little crazy. Soft, smooth music. The arts. Mathematics. The army, Statistics.
Dislikes: Being insulted over any detail. Reductive attitudes. Being mocked. Taking things too seriously. Doing it only for the money. Monotony, anything ‘dull’. Seekers interfering in army business. Political interference in military business.
Strengths:
The Big Chair - Blitzwing still has a keen mind for armored cavalry tactics, despite his current shortcomings in the cognitive department. The speed of an attack, its intensity, its location, and its duration are all factors that he carefully considers when planning an assault, and when struck with a bout of pragmatism, Blitzwing won’t commit until he believes his plan will succeed without a doubt. Having decimated Autobot armored units during the war, he also has a healthy amount of experience in analyzing the strategies of his enemies, and even deducing who their commanders are. Needless to say, Blitzwing still requires troops to command in order to execute his brilliant plans.
Supply and Command - While battles may be won with troops, tactics, and weapons, good generals know that wars are won through proper resource allocation and command support. While he is doubtlessly an authoritarian officer, he is by no means completely autocratic. Delegating command power to his officers and NCO’s, as well as ensuring his troops are well supplied (and the enemy’s aren’t) is how Blitzwing wins wars. In spite of his recent bouts with lunacy, Blitzwing remains an excellent military organizer for the Decepticon ranks.
Warborn - Blitzwing’s frame is heavily armored and flexible for a multitude of roles (that involve killing things). In addition, he commands great strength in accordance with his size, being able to punch out bots that also share his weight class.
Just Dropping In - Taking advantage of the mobility options afforded to him by his jet mode, Blitzwing frequently swaps from tank to jet in order to reposition himself on the battlefield.
Gotcha - After his injury, Blitzwing’s left optic was replaced with a much more robust rangefinding suite, which allows him to range his targets much more effectively than before, though this aim is still not perfect. A second lens is built into Blitzwing’s functional optic too, allowing him to see accurately at almost up to 3 miles.
Have Another One in ‘Ya? - Given that Blitzwing unintentionally masks his experience of pain by rapidly shifting emotions, interrogating him with conventional methods is astoundingly difficult. He still dislikes pain, but the relationship warms up after that point.
Weapons:
I’m About to be Hilarious - A single heavy plasma cannon represents Blitzwing’s main gun, and functions as his primary weapon in tank mode. It rests on his back, and it can be fired elevated from over his head, or over his shoulder. The weapon fires a volatile, violet plasma bolt capable of penetrating heavy armor at roughly 100 meters, though it can only damage it at farther ranges (with a muzzle velocity of mach 5, and a range of 2.5 miles). The weapon generates its own ammunition using excess energy from Blitzwing’s spark, however its capabilities to do so are limited. A total of six energy lodes are stored within the gun’s power chamber, and after one lode is spent the next one may be loaded after a 4-second gun cooldown. 30 seconds are required to recharge a single lode, meaning that after spending all six lodes over 24 seconds, it will be a full three minutes before Blitzwing is able to fire again.
Chill Out - An unusual armament for a tank/jet, Blitzwing possesses a set of three cryo-burst missiles, which function in accordance with their nomenclature. Each weapon is heat-seeking, capable of traveling at mach 4 at a range of roughly 20 miles, classifying it as a purely short range missile. Either when reaching a pre-set proximity, or when Blitzwing throws the switch, each missile breaks into three smaller sub-munitions, each carrying a cryogenic payload. Each sub-munition instantly saps the heat from the point of impact, effectively flash-freezing it. They do no damage whatsoever to Cybertronian and inorganic targets, merely disabling or incapacitating them for other weapons to finish off. Against organics however, the weapons are much more lethal. Sufficient heat is able to melt Blitzwing’s ice, as well as sufficient impact force. A single sub-munition is unable to completely freeze a single target however, though a saturation of blasts will be more than enough. A frozen or partially-frozen target will throw off a missile’s heat seeking capabilities however, meaning that after a single hit, Blitzwing will need to dumb-fire the weapon to hit his target again.
Both Barrels - Blitzwing’s secondary weapons take the shape of two twin-barrel, low-energy cannons built into his forearms. Far weaker than his main gun, each set of cannons makes up for it in the rate-of-fire department, able to spit out a storm of energy blasts at a reasonably low price. A single blast can penetrate light-armor, and minimally damage medium armor, though it is useless against heavier armor. Their ability to deliver a sustained barrage is what has kept these weapons around as some of Blitzwing’s favorites. In his tank mode, one gun is mounted beneath his primary cannon, while the other sits on a swivel atop his turret. In jet mode, both weapons function as Blitzwing’s main weapons. Overuse of these weapons invariably leads to overheat, requiring Blitzwing to refrain from their use for a short period before firing again.
Weaponized Warcrime - So impressed by the tenacity of the Autobot defenders of Bleak Point, Blitzwing decided to take some home with him. Melting down the corpses of 13 heroic Autobots who gave their lives in the line of duty, he had them subsequently fashioned into a two-handed sword for his own personal use. Aside from its disgusting and disrespectful construction, it is fairly average for a weapon. Just as tall as its wielder, it is a heavy and powerful offensive weapon, though it’s weight robs it of some of its defensive utility. When not in use, it folds up neatly into a more compact form, much like its constituent parts once used to do. It is capable of shredding up to medium armor, and even damaging heavy armor with enough force, and even though Blitzwing is more than strong enough to wield it, it’s sheer size keeps it from being swung too fast. Still, Blitzwing seldom uses the weapon in favor of his ranged arsenal.
Weaknesses:
Inflexible - If anyone were to throw a wrench into Blitzwing’s plans, his immediate response would be reliably predictable: brute force brute force brute force. His capacity for tactical flexibility was lost along with his emotional regulation, and he is unable to cope with the sudden appearance of a third variable in most situations.
Master of None - Being a triple-changer has its drawbacks. To name but a few:
In root mode, Blitzwing is able to fire all of his weapons. However, they all face forward, unlike in his tank mode. Where his main gun was afforded a full 360 degree field of view in tank mode, it only occupied a measly 60 degree field of view in root mode, not to mention it is incapable of being fired in jet mode. Blitzwing’s cryo-missiles are also incapable of being fired in tank mode.
Where his heavy armor plating is a boon in tank and root mode, it is a hindrance in jet mode. Though his speed fits the bill for a Decepticon Seeker, Blitzwing’s maneuverability is severely hampered by his armor. Thanks to his lowered maneuverability, and lack of any explosive heat-seeking munitions, Blitzwing is at a decided disadvantage in a turning dogfight.
The damage to Blitzwing is shared through all of his alt modes. His wings in jet mode, in addition to his treads, his rear, and the slit between his turret and main body in tank mode, all constitute fatal weaknesses in Blitzwing’s body. Critically damaging him in one area may result in his inability to transform or assume one of his other two alt modes, effectively grounding him to whatever mode he currently occupies, and making him more vulnerable as a result.
With all of his extra equipment, Blitzwing is noticeably top-heavy, especially thanks to his main cannon. Coupled with his cannon’s inability to turn very far in root mode, he is especially vulnerable to flanking, pincer, and surprise attacks. In addition, Blitzwing cannot fire his main cannon accurately unless he is standing stock still in root mode. As his plasma cannon’s projectiles have very little drop after being fired, Blitzwing cannot fully implement indirect fire, and requires a direct line of sight on his target in order to hit it.
Despite his namesake, and his jet mode, Blitzwing’s real place is on the ground, where his armor and weapons suit him best. He has accepted this, begrudgingly.
Precarious Balance - After a long time living with his new self, Blitzwing has grown accustomed to his sudden emotional shifts. When shifting, he will deviate from his pre-planned strategies, engage targets against his better judgment, fight with his allies, be lured into traps, break into song, ruin plans, fire inaccurately, and break promises. Blitzwing sees no fault in any of this, having simply accepted that this is how things have to be, now.
Skittish - Blitzwing is well aware of his many weaknesses, almost overly so. Anyone attempting to take advantage of them will lead to Blitzwing engaging in a quick retreat. He will retreat when approached in tank mode, usually when the offender is advancing in their root mode; some bad memories of being stepped on by combiners, evidently. Getting behind him is a big no-no, as well, and he will immediately reorient and retreat in order to re-approach from a position of strength.
A Little Mad About It - A taunt is enough to send Blitzwing off the deep end, regardless of what faction it came from. To those in the know, taunting Blitzwing is a good way to get him to abandon any plan of attack and focus solely on the offender.
Sadistic - Blitzwing has never been a fan of one stroke kills, and in fact, he usually goes to certain lengths to avoid them. He finds satisfaction in the terror and squirming of a wounded enemy, something that may save the occasional foe from a killing blow. It would be unwise to rely on Blitzwing’s sadism to survive an encounter with him however, as his body count is high, even by Decepticon standards.
Recuperation - Rest is important, especially for Decepticon killing machines. After sustained periods of combat, Blitzwing requires roughly an equal amount of time to recharge before he becomes combat effective again, though this time can be reduced with Energon supplements. Given how rare and important Energon is these days however, he has taken a cautious approach towards throwing himself into combat. However, chaos will sometimes dictate otherwise, of course.
The Quick Brown Fox - For all his weapons, strength, and armor, Blitzwing is ultimately a large, slow target easily exploited by someone smaller and faster, in all of his modes. When engaging foes at any range other than what he prefers, he finds himself at a disadvantage. Given how crafty and small most Autobots are, this tends to come up often.
Special Skills:
Something of a Scientist Myself - As a member of the Triorian Guard whose daily routine usually consisted of mindless thuggery toward the occasional activist, before the war, Blitzwing was surprisingly well-read. In his free time, he occupied himself with subjects like mathematics and psychology, though he suppressed his more intellectual side when serving with the Guard, and later the Decepticons. This side of Blitzwing only became much more pronounced after his injury threw all emotional regulation to the wind, and while he doesn’t consider himself some great scientist, he knows that he’s more intelligent than the average Decepticon stair-thrower-downer.
To the Stars - Blitzwing, in his jet mode, generates enough thrust to break the confines of a planet’s gravity, allowing him to operate in space.
RP Sample:
“CEASE FIRE!!”
Blitzwing’s spoken command inaudible over the absolutely stentorian barrage of gunfire, he instead simply raised a hand to the sky, palm open. At his unspoken request, the legion’s guns behind him fell silent one by one, in a relieving decrescendo which allowed the general to think unimpeded once more.
He let out a huff of air from between his plates, massaging the sides of his helm with two digits. “FINALLY, I may think again!!” Though to be honest, Blitzwing hadn’t been doing much thinking up until this point; not for a while, at least. Bleak Point had been sheared from the Autobot supply line two days ago. Any further action on the Decepticon’s part would be, for lack of a better descriptor, target practice.
The sounds of blaster fire were gradually replaced by a veritable army of Decepticons all checking their weapons and equipment at once, something infinitely more pleasing to their general’s audials.
“LIEUTENANT!!”
“Yes sir?”
“Oh. There you are.”
Blitzwing cleared his vocal processor.
“LIEUTENANT! Have the Autobots surrendered yet?"
The officer in question (Blitzwing had to admit he’d forgotten his name after hearing nothing but weapons fire for two days), shot a side-eye toward the rest of the legion assembled around the fortifications they’d erected a week before. “Allow me to check for you, sir.”
Saying this, the officer took but a few steps to the left, and climbed the command post defense wall to spy a peak at the enemy in question.
Ping!
The Lieutenant’s left audial whizzed past Blitzwing as a sniper’s bolt ripped it clean off, though to his credit, the officer didn’t seem concerned in the slightest. He seemed tired enough, as is. They climbed back down, servo clutching the side of their head, with an extremely neutral expression on their face.
“No general, I don’t rightfully think so.”
Blitzwing didn’t immediately respond. He seemed lost, judging by the expression on his face.
“Sir?”
A large Decepticon mitt came down to pat the now-wounded officer on the helm.
“Excellent work, Burnout. Be sure to have that little scrape patched up before we leave.”
“Oh, I… yes sir.”
Mentally, Blitzwing turned back to the task at hand. They could simply leave, as option 1. The fort was only garrisoned by a handful of defenders at this point. Those that had tried to flee their post had been strung up on the few power lines that were left in this part of Kalis. Partly as a warning, partly for fun.
“I must give credit to their tenacity, at least. But, I believe I shall do so in person.”
Then, with an explosion of emotion, Blitzwing roared, “THE HARD WAY!!”
Nearly flattening his assembled general staff with the down-thrust, the Decepticon general blasted sky-high, his flight path carrying him directly over the lone Autobot fort. Burnout, now with a ringing in his audials, could only watch helplessly as the glorious leader of Aggressor Division shifted into his tank mode, and dropped into the center of Bleak Point, anti-aircraft fire bouncing off his armor, like a hammer.
A large plume of dust and smoke, followed by a sudden staccato of gunfire was all that Burnout needed to see and hear to know they were thankfully going home soon.