« The Transformers (UK) #279 »
"Divide and Conquer!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	14th July1990
Cover date	21st July 1990
Writer	Simon Furman
Pencils	Staz
Inks	Michael Eve
Letters	Glib
Cover	Bryan Hitch
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity/Earthforce

Starscream and Soundwave experiment in ways to avoid treading on each other's toes.

Synopsis

Soundwave leads a huge assault on the newAutobotEarthbase, which is vulnerable after the problems encountered with the defence system, and an early strike preventsWheeljack reactivating them.Grimlock leads theDinobots in a counter-attack that holds the line but the Autobots are still pinned down.Prowl wonders if this is the plan.

Soundwave is unhappy.Starscream had devised a divide and conquer strategy, but whilst theDecepticons are risking their necks, Starscream has an easy task.

Near theGulf of Mexico, Starscream has captured anoil tanker. The ship's skipper wants to sink the vessel rather than surrender the fuel, but his radio operator points out the environmental damage a hugeoil slick will cause. A distress call is made and they hope someone hears it.

Springer has. Prowl had foreseen the potential for a two-pronged attack and so sent theSurvivors on patrol. Springer flies towards the tanker, followed byInferno,Skids, andCarnivac aboardBroadside in aircraft carrier mode. They rapidly overpower Starscream, who flees, frustrated that his own tactic is being used against him. He radios the other Decepticons to retreat.

As the Decepticons flee, Soundwave comments on how flawed Starscream's plan was and suggests that perhaps he should lead alone. Some Decepticons express support for this idea and Soundwave thinks how a divide and conquer strategy can work after all...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• TBD

Continuity errors

• TBD

Continuity notes

• The Earthbase defences were switched off last issue. Also note that we didn't see the Survivorsat Earthbase last issue, setting up this issue's twist.
• While Broadside transports the Survivors to the oil tank he takes no part in the battle and remains in aircraft carrier mode. He could be just there as back-up or to house Starscream if he is captured.
• "The Bad Guy's Ball!" made it clear that a united Decepticon army would be big trouble for Earthforce. This story does indeed prove to be the toughest fight they've yet faced in the run.

Real-life references

• TBD

Other trivia

• TBD

Back-up material

• AdditionalTransformers story: "...All Fall Down!"
• Other strips:G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Cut and Freeze Dried" andCombat Colin
• AtoZ:Streetwise andSunstreaker

Cover

• Issue #279 cover: Springer and Starscream duel in the skies, by Bryan Hitch.

• 

  Issue #279

Reprints

• Transformers: Earthforce cover:Grimlock thumps a table — crop of the cover to UK issue#263, byStephen Baskerville.
• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20: End of the Road: Bludgeon (art reused fromDreamwave'sMore than Meets the Eye profiles) above an interior scene of Grimlock punching through Fangry (fromUS issue #80), byAndrew Wildman.

• 

  Transformers: Earthforce
  (Titan Books, 2005)

• 

  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20: End of the Road
  (Hachette Partworks, 2018)