Light Unit

Light Units are a type of Decepticlone from the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Don't get attached, he won't last long.

Light Units are the most common cannon fodder foot soldier variety of Decepticlone. They are described as "cheap" and "easy to manufacture", hence their large numbers.

Games

Transformers (PS2)

Light Units are the weakest humanoid-shaped type with minimal armour and firepower, and they also possess only rudimentary intelligence and combat skill. Although small in both size and threat, Light Units are effective in groups, but only when a Medium Unit or Command Unit is present to give orders; should their squad leader be destroyed, Light Units have a tendency to quickly become disorganized. Their reaction time is very poor, not noticing approaching Autobot vehicles until they are right on top of them.

Light Units' only weapon is a small laser-blaster in place of their right hand. This weapon is somewhat ineffective. However, Light Units will not waver from attacking once they have located a target; the only thing that will make them cease is their own destruction, and they will disregard anything going on around them, such as a Limpet mine sticking to them or their comrades being destroyed. This persistence means that, if ignored, a Light Unit can chip away at an Autobot's armor considerably. Light Units can still be used as "runners" to acquire reinforcements, but they are not as fast as Medium Units. If a Light Unit tries to engage in melee combat with an Autobot, they are easily batted away. Transformers

Merchandise

Attacktix

• Transformers Booster Pack (2-pack, 2006)

Released in the first (and ultimately only) wave of Transformers-themed Attacktix toys, the Decepticlone piece is a minimally-posable figure permanently affixed to a base that "ticks" off movement points when rolled forward, based on the Light Unit model. A "Shooter"-type figure, its right arm ends in a massive (and fairly powerful) spring-loaded missile launcher used to knock down other pieces. It features swivel articulation at the neck, shoulders and waist. Despite being a small-based figure with a large arm, the Decepticlone is surprisingly well-balanced. He's especially difficult to knock down when supporting himself with his launcher arm in a 'tripod' configuration.

The figure's "Attackback" Special Power provides any of your active Decepticon figures an immediate free move and attack.

The Decepticlone was randomly packed into the 2-piece "Booster Pack" assortment. Each box contained one "Rare" piece (like the Decepticlone) and one "Super Rare", with there being twice as many potential Super Rare characters available. On top of that, each piece has a roughly 1 in 8 chance of coming with a super-shiny silver-chrome base rather than the standard black; this is merely a cosmetic difference and no point values have been changed.

• More information on the Decepticlone at TFU.info

Does your spark pulse true for the red, white, and blue?

• Starter Set (Multi-pack, 2006)

A white and red redeco of the Decepticlone piece was available only in a Walmart exclusive release of the Series 1 Starter Set, which also contained Overhaul, Dirt Boss, and Skyblast in both robot and vehicle modes.

Its new "Rally" power allows the Decepticlone to bring another figure back from the graveyard.

• More information on Starter Set Decepticlone at TFU.info

Third time is apparently not the charm.

• Transformers Booster Pack (2-pack, 2007)

A second redeco of the Decepticlone, in purple with bronze and black detailing, was seen in catalogs and promotional displays for the second series of Transformers Attacktix, but went unreleased (along with the rest of that series).

It is uncertain what its "Shootback" power actually did, but it likely meant that any active "Shooter"-type unit could get a free attack in.

Game over. This Attacktix item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Notes

Lower your shields and surrender your ships.

• Early designs for the game had the Light Units capable of transforming into a box-like storage form. However, like several other ideas, this did not make it to the final version of the game.
• It seems the Attacktix toy takes inspiration from an early color scheme for the Light Unit, where it is primarily gray with some subtle blue highlights. This early design shows up in some promotional renders, with a red chest variant also showing up in the strategy guide.
• An augmented version of this drone can be seen on a lab table in the Starship level, which has all the characterisitics of a regular Light Unit, except being much larger. It also has a laser blazing into its chest, which is likely meant to be powering it up. Fortunately, you never have to face it.