We all know we the leaders are on the Autobots and Decepticons. But who is 2nd in command, Lieutenant, City Commander and so on?
Yup, oddly enough Prowl has served just about every leadership role in some capacity: (temporary) faction leader, high command, city commander, lieutenant, chief military strategist, chief of security, conspirator, and even the head of a combiner team. The real fun part is that those roles weren't all for the same faction.
In most cases, most of the IDW fiction has taken place during "chaotic" events were a full chain of command isn't really working. Most of the fiction isn't taking place during a proper war. We only really see proper wartime in the earliest part of Furman's run before infiltration protocol gets broken. From there, things get chaotic and messy and spread over several planets. During AHM we get more organized groups, but they're both so small that they're really two small teams rather than a military with extensive ranks. Post-war we have three+ sides vying for power on Cybertron and the formal militaries are effectively disbanded. Oddly enough, the one non-military unit, the Lost Light has the most clear roles and titles. lol
Really? I think that the past run has established a somewhat clear chain of command... Autobots High Command Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Bumblebee, Rodimus, possibly even Xaaron and Tyrest. Unit commanders aka bots above the average soldiers Sunstreaker [had his own unit pre-AHM, possibly demoted], Hound, Grimlock, Impactor, Springer, Kup, Grimlock, possibly Fortress Maximus, Bluestreak [commands a unit in more than one occasions in both stormbringer and LSOTW], Silverbolt Decepticons High Command Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave Unit commanders Pretty much all the seekers, Bludgeon, the phase sixers, Skyquake, Banzaitron, Tarn, Razorclaw
Just to say Decepticon High Command is called The Conclave and Black Shadow was one level below it before MTMTE #7 (Tarn mentions that Black Shadow was all but guaranteed a spot).
Hot Rod and Ultra Magnus is not part of that group? I've read that Hot Rod is captain. Or am I wrong?
They are. MTMTE 23 when they're hanging out at the bar states exactly that. That the decision rests with High Command, those 3, Bumblebee and Prowl. I think Xaaron is in as well, I recall him being in Ongoing 22 when they had that discussion about Megatron's fate as a prisoner, and Tyrest most certainly is/was High Command or affiliated with them.
I'd think that Ratchet has some say in at least a branch of some kind, him being the chief medical officer and all.
Yep he is the Bones of the group. Dr. McCoy.... Pretty Much it goes like this now Optimus Prime Megatron Rodimus Ultra Magnus Prowl Jazz Decepticons Galvatron Soundwave Tarn Mostly I see to little organization in the Decepticons camp
How The Autotots see it: Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Prowl How Prowl sees it: Prowl (doing what must be done), everyone else How The Decepticons see it: Galvatron, Soundwave, DJD How Galvatron sees it: There is NO chain of command! The strongest shall conquer!
I wish I could quote this into my sig. In all seriousness, there´s a few hints here and there, but since this takes place in a chatoic time, the writers ahven´t felt the need to create an organized ranking system. What we know is that for example during the Senate days, there was a Praetorian Guard, called the Tritorian Guard, of which Blitzwing was part off. During the war we get references to 113th Battalion, so we can assume there´s many other battalions and such.
Thanks It is interesting that there hasn't been anymore set command-structure generated, especially given that these factions have been known to leave any planet, warring in different places for MILLIONS of years at a time. "Shockwave...I leave Cybertron in your very capable hands...for the next 1-4 millions years". "Prowl...take Jazz, Hound and Jetfire and get back to Cybertron and see what's happening while we handle this situation on Earth..over the course of the several decades." Even though they may experience the passage of time the same a fleshing does, the fact is that time itself travels in the same fashion for everyone. Poor Overlord had been pining away for the ultimate battle with Megatron..that someone else had already fought and won. Even Bots need structure!
