The principle behind this can be summed up to a Latin saying.
"Try not to look important, the enemy might be low on ammunition!"
If you take a good look at dogfighting and warfare in general, overall the best way to not get hurt is to not get shot at, and what's the best way to not get shot at? Not be seen, the next best way is to put on a disguise! And considering how the Decepticons have numerical superiority by the buttload, then that is a lot of Seekers the Aerial-bots have to avoid the attention of.
In dogfighting, you don't "have" to dominate the enemy crafts, just showing up where you're the least expected is also really important in terms of getting an edge, and if the Decepticons go into a fight with air superiority, not expecting fighters, the Aerialbots would be godsends to every Autobot on the ground when they ascend to the skies. The Aerial-bots who transform too slowly, or their forms are too big (IE: Stratosphere is too awesome) would be confined to the defense of the Autboot strongholds and cargo duty, the ones who the Autobots would be willing to risk sending out on offensives are those that can have dettachable fake kibble installed onto them, or a, and be sent as part of larger attack groups, and I think that the original 5 we see in G1 would fit nicely in such a redesign.
Imagine you're playing as a Decepticon in some Transformers game, trashing the Autobots from the air, and suddenly, this cutscene plays and you see a group of Autobots cheering, with a few even praying on their knees, and in the center of the group is this...group of Autotroopers swaggering forward who look exactly the same as the rest of them? Then they leap into the sky and transform into a squadron of jets that proceed to decimate your aerial squadron, and this would be a moment of the game where you would find it very difficult to not go on without taking heavy losses in your own aerial detachments.
I wonder what such "disguises" would look like?

Welcome to my G.I. Joe Rewind, where I’m going back to re-read the original G.I. Joe comics and hopefully spark some discussion on them.
Link to previous Rewinds: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #53 #54 #55 #56
Cover
Cover Thoughts: Not a team-up I saw coming. Consider me intrigued.
Title: Strange Bedfellows
Synopsis: Destro teams with the Joes to take down a fake Destro.
Page 1: Major Destro retcon, back in #14 “Destro” was supposed to be a new name for him, now it turns out it’s his legal name. First appearance of Mainframe in the main series. I like how the tech boys are Flash (I assume), Mainframe, and Dial Tone, though Breaker should definitely be there too.
Page 2: Should we take the Skystriker or Conquest? Nah, how about this new non-toy plane. You can tell sometimes it’s a chore to place vehicles in the issues, so it always surprises me when they decide to use a vehicle that's not part of the toy line.
Page 4: Glad we never got a Joe named Jingles (though Chuckles isn’t much better). Last panel seems like an odd bit of information to include, I’m sensing a callback to this later.
Page 5: I find it odd that Destro has a private security force, but no driver.
Page 6: We have a Destro imposter, nice twist. First time through, did anybody have any guesses who it was? I agree here though, why did he fly commercial? Remember back in #29-30, Destro had to steal a boat and sail all the way up the coast to make it back to Cobra? Why couldn’t he have just called people back at his castle/company to arrange more appropriate accommodations?
Page 7: Lady Jaye says they don’t have days, but what’s the rush? Researching Terror Drome parts seems like a slow and non-urgent project.
Page 8: Just like when Snake-Eyes was in prison in Miami, always find it interesting when police allow prisoners to keep their masks on. Again, why are they on a tight schedule exactly, and why do they need Destro out of prison. They should be glad he’s there. If anything they should be calling Interpol to make sure he never gets out.
Page 9: Good thing they broke Destro out of prison just to ask him about Terror Drome parts. What was the straw that broke the camels back with his relationship to Cobra? He should be glad Cobra Commander is gone. Maybe he thought he was next in line to rule, but got jealous Serpentor leapfrogged him out of nowhere?
Page 10: And there’s that callback to the seemingly useless information on Page 4.
Page 15: Why the heck does Imposter Destro think the Terror Drome plans are so important? Or even know about them for that matter?
Page 18: Why is Lady Jaye telling Destro about his doors? He should be telling that to her.
Page 20: The ol’ don’t-shoot-we-don’t-know-which-one-is-which trope, used for the 2nd time in the last 10 issues (#48 with Zartan/Gung Ho).
Page 22: Major Bludd revealed as the imposter. Having read the Devil’s Due run already, I thought it was going to be Destro’s son. Bludd hasn’t been seen since issue #38, so does he even know who Serpentor is or what is a Terror Drome? I can appreciate Destro’s charm and Flint’s face in the last panel.
Postbox: We’re told GI Joe leadership goes Hawk then Duke then bounces around between Wild Bill, Cutter, and Ace. Never really saw any of them as leaders, though Cutter makes the sense for sea missions, but Wild Bill and Ace just seem like pilots.
Overall Thoughts: This issue felt a little filler-ish and unnecessary to me, only really providing a back story to Destro (even though it’s all a big retcon). Only one story line going on here, but it’s not any of the ones I care about.
Everything just seems to come out of the blue and/or unnecessary, and the whole plot was too convenient. What’s the rush? Why did the Joes need to free Destro? Why did Major Bludd impersonate Destro? Why did Major Bludd want or know about Terror Drome plans? (Not that far ahead in my read, maybe it will be revealed later though). You’re telling me the Joes and Destro can just work together and part ways amicably? Isn’t Destro responsible for the destruction of the two Pits and the deaths of General Ryan, Admiral Dyson, and General Flagg?
Destro’s troops are about as capable as Cobra’s
Yearbook Cover
Yearbook Cover Thoughts: Now this is a cool action shot cover. Can’t believe they burn a great cover like this in a spinoff series. Save this for the main run.
Yearbook Main Story Title: Hush Job
Yearbook Main Story Synopsis: Snake-Eyes is rescued by his friends.
Page 1: First actual shot of the Cobra Consulate building.
Page 4: Slipstream and Scarlett fly from NYC to the Sierras like it’s nothing.
Page 5-6: Is the brainwave scanner finally working on Snake-Eyes?
Page 7: First panel, on the far left of the subway car it looks like we have half a U and a CK. On the far right we have MO on an open door followed by ER, and below it a FU followed by ER. Hmmm.
Page 7-8: Why did Storm Shadow need to pretend to be blind? Thought maybe this was going to be an introduction to the Blind Master.
Page 9: Would have never guessed that was Scarlett unless the showed us one of her signature throwing stars, eye roll.
Page 10: Ever play P.O.W. on NES? Level 2 where the frogmen try to sneak up and attack you in waste high water, that’s what this reminds me of.
Page 13-14: Do the red ninjas just hang out like bats in the boiler room of the Cobra Consulate? Storm Shadow still rocking the Cobra insignia on his outfit.
Page 16-17: All this time being tortured by the brainwave scanner, and Snake-Eyes is finally able to destroy it with his mind? Give me a better end to the Snake-Eyes brainwave scanner relationship than that please (not the last we’ll see of the brainwave scanner though, but last time I think it’s used on Snake-Eyes).
Page 22-23: I like the setup and initial reveal though, but I don’t like that Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow seem so surprised. I figured the reason they went with the “Baroness” so willingly in the first place was because they knew it was Scarlett, apparently not though. What happened to their superior ninja observational skills?
Yearbook Main Story Thoughts: I’m not a big fan of the original Silent Issue to begin with, so less than thrilled when I realized we were getting another one here, but this one was great, I really enjoyed it, I just don’t like how it was set up (buy the Yearbook to see what happens to Snake-Eyes!). I feel like the huge payoff I was looking for wasn’t there (especially how Snake-Eyes finally conquers the brainwave scanner). Also I like my overpowered-ninjas-single-handedly-infiltrating-and escaping-an-enemy-stronghold-stories kept to a minimum, and I think this is the 3rd time it’s happened now (#21, #46-#47, and now here). But still, I really enjoyed this one.
Joes on Television Starts off a little odd talking about the ’86 season and characters like it’s upcoming and nobody has seen them yet. Not sure what the stunning climax of the season they’re referring to is though (the movie maybe?). What makes this all so odd is that last year’s Yearbook was also taking about the upcoming ’86 season. The 2nd half of the write up though gets interesting for the first time ever as it talks about how the episodes are made: writers, budgets, storyboards, production times, etc. Small paragraph at the end about big changes coming in the ’87 season that we never get.
And the Adventure Continuies… Recap of 44-56, when we get to the Generals touring the Pit before Cobra’s attack, it says Hawk was asked to step down. I never assumed that when reading the story. In the reprinted panels of #55 where Destro has on his disguise his hair is now brown instead of white in the original comic.
Yearbook Bonus Story Title: My Dinner with Serpentor
Bonus Story Thoughts: Janet Jackson does the colors (not that Janet Jackson though). Apparently Cobra has Kitchen-Vipers, so all you hardcore collectors out there, your collection ain’t complete unless you have some Kitchen-Vipers. This is a short 5 page story of Serpentor’s “past” and pizza. Nothing of value here for me. Feels like a complete miss to me. Also art looks terrible.
Overall Thoughts – Yearbook: The main story is good and tied to the main series, so for once it’s actually something you want to read. The bonus story is a bomb though. Same extras from previous issues, so if you needed to catch up on last year’s stories this would have been a good grab. I always enjoy the art on the pinups, but wish they came with a quote about the characters or something. Overall, best Yearbook yet, thanks to the cover and the main story.
Order of Battle Cover
Cover Thoughts: It’s okay, but I feel it’s a step down from the prior 3 since it doesn’t have the wrap-around cover. I think a wrap around cover could have made a nice big epic action shot.
Order of Battle Overall Thoughts: Just a bunch of 1 page profile pictures of Joe and Cobra vehicles, not action shots. Like the filecards, but for vehicles, listing things like weight, speed, etc. Could have thrown in a quote about them though to fill it out a little more. I don’t know why, but I enjoy looking at and comparing the weights and speeds of different vehicle (but not enough where buying this issue would be a good idea). Of those listed, the Nightraven is the heaviest at 160,000 lbs and the FANG is the lightest at 890, wonder what the USS Flagg would have been (or the Defiant or Mobile Command Center). Nightraven also the fastest, and of land vehicles the Wolverine is the slowest.
Only ’87 vehicle featured was the Mamba. Main vehicles from ’86 and earlier not included: Chameleon, CLAW, Armadillo, Ferret, Snow Cat, USS Flagg, HAVOC, LCR Recon Sled, Triple T, Air Chariot, Hydro Sled.
Comparing a few speeds, wondering how there was ever even battles between a few of them. Skystriker (1,544 mph) vs Rattler (450 mph), Conquest (1,600 mph) vs Firebat (470 mph).
VAMP Mark II is lighter, faster, and with more range (probably thanks to the extra gas cans) than it’s Cobra counterpart Stinger.
…and the Transformers Cover
Cover Thoughts: Not sure what to think of this one, kind of cool, kind of weird, kind of I don’t know about these floating heads. Are the Joes and Cobra going to Cybertron this issue?
Title: Ashes, Ashes…
Synopsis: The Decepticons turn on Cobra, Cobra then allies with the Autobots. Hawk gets his heart broken.
Pages 1-4: Not a fan of this kind of opening. “Alpha releases”, “Alpha bores”, “Alpha concentrates and releases” those are all present tense, written like that is what’s happening now, only to find out on Page 4 that this is only Shockwave’s plan. Then those phrases should have been written in future tense unless you’re purposely trying to swerve the reader, which is a cheap tactic.
Page 5:-6 Kind of like it when they show the characters saying one thing but thinking something else. Last panel at the end of page 6, at first I thought that wasn’t supposed to be Baroness going to deliver the wreath to the destroyed Pit in honor of Destro, but turns out later it’s not.
Page 11: The Senator telling us Cobra created jobs in her state. That could have been a cool angle for the main series.
Page 14: While I like the romance between Joes and civilians, I hate how they always seem go from a brief first date to head-over-heels in love. Hawk has had half of one booty call with the Senator (just like Ripcord had half of date filling up balloons with Candy). No way Hawk gets flustered over a woman in a major meeting like this.
Page 15: It hasn't been that clear one way or the other yet, but it’s clear here that we’re not getting the cool, calm Serpentor from the main series. This is more of the cartoon Serpentor, fool!
Page 18: Instead of just Mainframe, it would have been cool if they could have worked in all the egghead Joes (Breaker, Flash, Airtight, Dial Tone come to mind).
Page 19: Was a fan of the fling, not a fan of Hawk acting like he just caught his 7th grade girlfriend passing notes with someone else. I loved you? Get out of here.
Page 21: Hawk drinking and smoking. (Maybe it’s Yo-Joe Cola though).
Page 23: Cobra teaming up with the Autobots, now there’s an alliance I didn’t know I wanted to see. I’m intrigued.
Overall Thoughts: So far this series has some interesting twists I never thought I’d see, starting off with the Joes destroying Bumblebee, and now Cobra teaming up with the Autobots against the Decepticons. At least they didn’t stick with the typical good guys teaming with good guys, bad guys teaming up with bad guys trope. Hate how Hawk’s depicted though, and that we’re getting a more cartoony Serpentor.
No Megatron this issue, because I guess he committed suicide in last month’s Transformers issue #25.
Next Issue: It get's a little dusty for some Joes in the Middle East…

Total War: Cybertron. Two main factions, Autobots and Decepticons. No diplomacy between the two. Lots of smaller, weaker factions, rebels, partisans, and stragglers, struggling to survive and expand, whom you can negotiate with or absorb, if their ideology matches yours or your persuasion is enough. Energon is the core resource; construction and recruitment requires Energon, and production of it is only viable at major strongholds. Energon is required to give life, constructing combat teams and transformers. Campaign map is double-tiered in a way; both the standard ground segment, as well as Cybertron's orbit. Cybertron's orbit houses plenty of space stations and other various base points. The main unit here is starfighters, but there's also larger transformer craft such as corvettes and gunships, as well as larger capitals.
The surge of conflict means there will rarely be a moment of peace, with the double-tier Campaign Map meaning if you leave either ground or space uncontested in an area, your strongholds could be subjected to an intense atmospheric starfighter raid, or an orbital station assault.
Units would be heavily diverse and varied and all bots would have a transformation, unless otherwise specified. Hovertanks, cybercars, starfighters, artillery, scorpions, dinosaurs, you name it. This dual-mode between bot and vehicle would offer various attributes to units, but both would allow ranged attack and melee attack depending on the unit itself. For example, Hovertanks have increased accuracy while in their vehicle form, as well as more durability, but cannot attack with melee. In bot form they gain faster movement rate and their heavy melee attack, while firing slower and being more inaccurate while slightly less durable. Starfighters would move exceptionally fast depending on type when in vehicle form, but again do not gain melee and can only attack ground targets with laser cannons, using missiles and lasercannons for air. When deployed in robot form, they are much more slower, but can attack ground units with missiles.
Massive titan units (Like Metroplex ♥) Would effectively be walking siege engines, able to destroy entire armies, but require ridiculous Energon upkeep and be unable to stack with other units as the massive Titans would easily outpace them. Titan units would also be visible through the fog of war, and have a challenge with fast-moving fighter craft.
Armies and factions are lead by various-type Leader bots, Transformers whom have led by example in their own particular field. This follows 3K's General System, with duels also being an option between leader types. Medics, Scientists, and Strategists are less combat-oriented but offer in-battle heals, buffs, and debuffs, as well as campaign map boosts. Soldiers, Scouts, and Heavy leaders are the primary war Leaders, Soldiers acting as frontliners, Heavies as both brawlers and artillery, and Scouts as rapid flankers or Starfighters. Some more legendary Transformers can be a mix of types, leading to high damage dealers and soldier-inspiring frontliners.
Loyalty plays a heavy, but vaguely readable part in Cybertron, with allegiance being strong with some bots, and fickle with others. You just can't make everybody in your faction happy, as they all will have opinions on your leadership. 'War-drunk soldier-type Leaders' (Can't think of a better title), for example, will be upset if you go around trying to protect smaller factions instead of focusing on your main enemy. Scientists and Medic Leaders will be upset if you don't give priority to research installations, or the well-being of your armies, giving them time to repair at friendly strongholds before the next battle.
The chaos of the constant war and the struggle for survival breeds all types of warriors, many bots will rise to Cybertron's call for racial unity. From the wreckage, new factions will periodically form to replace those lost, either declaring allegiance to one, the other, or less commonly none of the two main factions. All will be lead by a Leader bot.

Tanjiro and Kanao both didn’t know what a Maximal nor a Predacon were. All they knew that the Predacons were experimenting with the demons and they and their allies just got involved in a other conflict.
This led to a battle on the streets of New York, where the Predacons and Maximals clashed. While the Predacons were able to defeat the Maximals, their victory was short lived as the Predacons were soon blasted to pieces by the combined fire of the Maximals and the Autobots. A short time later, a new Decepticon attack occurred. After a brief war, the Predacons and Maximals were back up to their old tricks of attacking each other.
After the Battle of New York, the Predacons attacked their homeworld once more. After the Maximals and Predacons destroyed the Decepticon stronghold, the Maximals returned to Earth and the Predacons returned to their homeworld. The two forces soon began to rebuild their forces, while Optimus Prime was busy trying to convince Ratchet to get started on his Maximals.
When Rodimus Prime returned to Cybertron and helped Megatron return to his senses, the Predacons followed him back to Earth. Megatron, however, turned on the Predacons, capturing Orion Pax and bringing him before Megatron himself. Once Megatron had the Maximals distracted at the time, Megatron took on Orion Pax and freed him. Megatron took the Maximals out of the equation while he took Orion into the black hole.
Megatron returned to his ship and Megatron Maximus used Megatron's new fusion cannon on Orion's chest. As Megatron watched on, Megatron Maximus was revealed to be a Predacon clone.
After Megatron's experiment failed, the Maximals and Predacons were once again embroiled in another war on Earth. This time the Autobots and Predacons were unable to stop the Decepticons and the war continued on into the late 21st century. The war finally came to an end when Optimus Prime and Megatron Maximus battled on the planet Nebulos. The battle was eventually joined by Rodimus Prime, who had learned of Megatron's deception and tracked him down to Earth.
When the war was over, the Autobots and Predacons were once again divided and the war was once again between the Autobots and the Maximals. In 2032, the Maximals and Predacons were once again on good terms, and the Maximals once again worked together to protect Earth.
During the 22nd century, the Autobots and Predacons were once again divided and the war was once again between the Autobots and the Maximals. This time, however,

Decided to take it in a literal sense of the name and tried something fun. Enjoy~
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"One shall stand, and one shall fall." said Optimus Prime. "In a few generations we are sure to have one of these robots at hand."
​
Optimus Prime and his comrades took advantage of the situation to create their robot army. They were ready, however, for the war between their robotic enemies and their human allies.
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The next decade, as the Prime Guard struggled to find its place in Cybertron, there was another Autobot victory. All hail Cybertax, says Optimus Prime, as he flies his ship over the planet Ecratea, setting the planet on fire and the Autobots to work to destroy the last Autobot stronghold on Earth.
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The final battle
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Cybertron's inhabitants began to flee. The last Autobots made a desperate attempt to defend it from the onslaught, but the Prime Guard's superior firepower did not hold. It was cut to bits and scattered over a vast area!
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"Well, that was close, you know," Prime told his comrades before he disappeared, leaving Cybertron to burn to the ground. The destruction in its wake was so great, the city eventually gave up its defenses at the hands of the last Autobot. The remnants fled as the planet itself was incinerated by the immense energy beam used to destroy Ecratea.
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After the battle, Optimus Prime was found by the team as the remains of Optimus Prime were being removed for shipment. Optimus Prime was among the team in an attempt to locate the remains of Optimus Prime and, although Optimus Prime and his team had been captured by the Predacons, he returned to find Predacon forces had broken through and were now battling Prime again.
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Return and rescue
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"It's a great thing that the Autobots can work with us again! Not only in the battle but in the long run."
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"Well, now I need more ammunition. I want to use my powers once more. And my team will have to figure out something..."
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Despite the team taking a terrible beating they took up the opportunity of meeting their new best friend, Optimus Prime, who was helping the Cybertronians rebuild and rebuild the Cybertronian city of Cybertron. Despite some fighting between the Autobots, the Transformers managed to help rebuild the Cybertronian city of Cybertron and the city's leaders, Primordax and Glamco, became friends. While in the battle, Optimus Prime, Cybertronian Prime of Energon, Prime Minister of the Predacons, and many other Autobots were found by Optimus Prime and his team.
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While the others could not return to normal until the Predacons were dead, Optimus Prime was present with them, but he was injured badly at the time of Megatron's attack on the Autobot base. The Predacons had taken Optimus under their wing and had become their primary targets. Before he could fully recover, Optimus returned to Autobot City and helped out with healing the survivors, who were still shaken by Megatron's death. He then was joined by his team in battling the Predacons again, helping evacuate their survivors in time.
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After the Predacons' death, the Autobots rebuilt the city of Starscream as their new leader, and Optimus and other Autobot leaders were among their ranks. During the aftermath, they decided to work with the Insecticon government at the behest of Megatron in order to prevent further bloodshed in Cybertron. They fought off the Insecticons and saved the remaining Autobots. Starscream subsequently came to Earth, hoping to take the city of Bader and use it to gain greater numbers for his own purposes.
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Aftermath
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During the aftermath of Optimus Prime's mission, he returned to Cybertron where one last Autobot named Vastra would become ruler of the once-doomed world.
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In the chaos created due to the loss of Optimus, the Autobots were unable to destroy the Insecticons after Megatron had defeated them all of the first few times. When it became apparent to the Decepticons that the Autobots were on the verge of defeating them, Optimus used a massive battle to get everyone to turn themselves in in the hopes that the Insecticons would make the Autobots pay for their actions and not try to control them anymore. The Insecticons then made a deal with the Autobots: Megatron promised to let them get away but he would stop interfering with Megatron's plans after Optimus proved that he could defeat him.
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Optimus came out of hiding after Decepticons attacked the Autobots and destroyed all of the infrastructure of Cybertron, though it is clear that the Insecticons also planned to take back Cybertron in order to replace them with their own. He was able to hold off Megatron and stop the Insecticons from destroying all Cybertron, only realizing that Megatron had gone along with them because he knew that the Insecticons could bring them to power once again. When the Autobots finally fought back, Optimus fought off the Insecticons before he could attack them, but he was mortally wounded when the Insecticons broke into Decepticon HQ.
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Uncanny X-Men
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The Autobots were in a great deal of turmoil as the Decepticons and Decepticon soldiers clashed in the arena of Cybertron. Optimus Prime, a devious Autobot leader who wished to use their military might against the opposing Autobots and their leader, Galvatron, the Decepticon leader, arrived unannounced and quickly seized control of the arena by using Megatron as an extension of himself. In the ensuing battle, Optimus Prime was defeated and his brainwashed body crushed in Optimus Prime's body by a blast from the Death of Optimus Primal. In the aftermath, Prime's head was smashed into a wall.