The Survivors are the disgruntled remains of the Wreckers and Mayhem Attack Squad following the Time Wars (plus Skids). All feeling abandoned and ignored by their comrades, Carnivac proposed they form their own breakaway faction and do their own thing.
They had several undocumented adventures saving humans before a second Mayhems incarnation caught up with the Decepticon deserts; Catilla was killed and Carnivac went rogue to get revenge. Following this, the Survivors were absorbed into Earthforce (or possibly not, due to tricky Earthforce continuity issues).
The team's line-up was:
Springer appears to have been in charge as far as the Autobots were concerned, but Carnivac did not recognise his authority.