Special Ops Teams

[Rodimus Prime]

We have, over time, gotten quite a few characters who are part of some variant of 'Special Ops' teams, and we've decided that we're well overdue making these teams 'official' in the game. Part of the delay was concern over things like numbers of the group overall, or of too many characters trying to get in on a 'Special' team, and consequently making it less special. As a result, we are establishing a few OOC and IC rules in place before making them official.

In order to join a 'Special Ops Team', you must:
1) Shoot a quick application to the [e-mail] telling us which character you want to get on a particular team and why you think it makes sense for that character to get on the team. This doesn't have to be over-long, but you'll want to write enough to convince us.

2) Roleplay out the actual joining. The other characters are not under any obligation to force it to work out if it doesn't seem to fit, ICly.

Examples:
1) Joecon thinks that his character fits in well in the Mayhems. He sends in the application and it's approved. Then we roleplay out the recruitment, where the Mayhems notice that he has potential, watch him for awhile, and then decide that he is, indeed, a good fit. The plot wraps up, and he is a Mayhem.

2) Sarabot wants to be a Wrecker. She sends in her application and it's approved. She roleplays out her attempt to join, but Springer decides she can't cut the mustard. The plot finishes, and she is not a Wrecker.

Canon characters who are part of a Special Ops team in canon receive an auto-in in the application process, but it's possible that they won't work out in the DZ incarnation of the team. Canon characters who are not normally part of a Special Ops team can apply for it normally, as can OCs.

The current available Special Ops teams are:

Decepticons
- Mayhems. Current members: Spinister, Needlenose, Oil Slick
- Rookies. Current members: Establishment still needs to be roleplayed.

Autobots
- Wreckers. Current members: Springer, Ultra Magnus, Guzzle, Twin Twist, Topspin, Oracle
- Elite Guard. Current members: Sentinel Prime
- Autobot Air Corp. Current members: Breakaway
- Rookies. Current members: Establishment still needs to be roleplayed.

Players can propose new Special Teams, and then roleplay out their establishment. If a player can think of a canon team that we're missing, they're free to suggest them.

Players cannot currently join combiner teams.

Mayhems are outside of the Decepticon command structure. Members of the other teams are still considered part of their divisions. So if, say, First Aid joins the Wreckers (haha), he still reports to Botanica, but he also reports to Springer.

The Wreckers are not quite going to be used in the same way as the comics (they'd end up edging out everyone else if they did!), but the special teams can be used mostly as a means of deploying a group of robots who have trained as a group. "Hmm, okay, we've already got the Wreckers on the scene of the battle, but something else has come up downtown. Let's send the Elite Guard in there."

The Rookies are a special group category. ICly, they are to receive extra training (not all of this will be roleplayed out in detail, but it can be assumed to be happening 'behind the scenes'), but they generally won't get 'deployed' as a group (unless it would make for a good plot). There might be times when they get assigned as temp members to other groups in order to get the characters some IC combat experience. "Here, Springer, take this newbie with you when you go."

If there are any further questions or a need for clarification, let us know. Now, game on!

[Rodimus Prime]

The Wreckers are now ICly established. Their initial roster has been added.

[Rodimus Prime]

Two characters who have been OOCly approved for special teams (but still need it ICly played out) have been added. Topspin and Twin Twist added to Wreckers.

[Emirate Xaaron]

One of the reasons it has taken us as long as it did to introduce a true Deadzone Wreckers team was concern that players would start to mentally divide Autobots into 'the AWESOME Wreckers' and 'guys who are less capable.' Since we're starting to see hints of that anyway, we'd like to bring up a point about the actual storyline niche that the Wreckers filled, and add an OOC guideline for picking Wrecker material from non-Wrecker material that reflects the tradition in which the comics used them.

If your character is already wildly acclaimed as a badass or is a fandom favourite, that is actually a sign that s/he is a bad fit for the Wreckers. Almost all the canon Wreckers are redshirts who got very little attention and exposure compared to other characters. Being Wreckers gave these characters some attention and something 'cool' to be to make them more than just background redshirts. Consider the original line-up of the Wreckers:
- The Jumpstarters, Topspin and Twin Twist, who were not used in the cartoon and did extremely little in the US Marvel comics. Their gimmick is that they transform fast. That's it. Aside from that, they're completely average soldiers.
- Whirl and Roadbuster, who were not used in the cartoon and did nothing in the US comics. While they’re solid combatants, there's nothing really special about either of them.
- Impactor and Rack and Ruin. They're UK-only obscure comic characters.
- Even the Triple-Changers, who get the most non-Wrecker 'face' time, weren't really being used in the US comics at the time, and of them, only Springer really makes it big. Broadside's afraid of heights and water, and Sandstorm got stuck on the plant of deserter coward pacifists in the cartoon.

The rather popular Last Stand added:
- Ironfist, Rotorstorm, and Pyro, who before then, hadn't done anything except in their toy-only comics and in the Collector's Club comics.
- Guzzle, who was a pretty obscure Sparkler Mini-Bot in the UK comics.

None of the Animated Wreckers showed up in anything except as a bust in the background of an episode and in the Almanacs.

So if a character is someone who is a really popular fandom favourite like Bumblebee, he's probably not going to fit in the Wreckers. He already has all the love and cool that he needs. If your character is a big badass like Ironhide or Marvel Blaster, he probably doesn’t need to be a Wrecker, either - Ironhide and Blaster are already cans of whoopass all by themselves. On the other hand, if your character is a toy only character or otherwise obscure, and s/he fits the other guidelines of working well in a team, having varied skills and abilities, being able to handle multiple or unusual terrains, et cetera, then maybe your character might benefit from some special teams love.

This is just a guideline, of course. There will be exceptions. However, even Dreamwave Ultra Magnus wasn't doing anything in the main comic line when he was made a Wrecker, and usually Ultra Magnus is a pretty big player.

[Victoria Raines]

Bumping this thread, because with the establishment of the Elite Guard, it is relevant.

Remember that anyone wanting to apply for a special ops team needs to send in an OOC application to Adminimus. Thanks.

[Rodimus Prime]

Elite Guard updated and Autobot Air Corps both added to the list, but the Air Corps is really a lot less formal. All Autobot fliers are assumed to be 'members'.