RBFATE

A great many of the Earthbound conflicts of the Great War contained common elements in the strategies of heroic Autobot and evil Decepticon forces alike. The eventual deciding battle of all these campaigns is known to history as the Really Big Fight At The End, or RBFATE.

''Step 1. EI/AD'' Discovery of EI/AD leads to early Decepticon victories and collection of significant quantities of energon.

Ending State (Decepticons) - triumphant  Ending State (Autobots) - desperate  Ending State (Earth) - groaning under Decepticon rule 

''Step 2. Regrouping.'' While the victorious Decepticons party hearty, sit on thrones made of used cars or Autobots, and generally rest on their laurels, the Autobots retreat to their base and discover a means to combat the EI/AD.

Ending State (Decepticons) - lazy, possibly intoxicated  Ending State (Autobots) - hopeful  Ending State (Earth) - usually down to its last chance 

''Step 3. RBFATE'' Autobots and Decepticons meet in a Really Big Fight At The End. Megatron fights Optimus Prime. Battle ends when Megatron calls for a retreat, or in some cases, when Decepticons are Gone Forever.

Ending State (Decepticons) - probably not gone forever  Ending State (Autobots) - laughing at somebody's pathetic joke  Ending State (Earth) - none the worse for being down to its last chance