Volkov

*"Error four-zero-four detected. Unable to find executable: 'fear'."*

~ Volkov, to Fred Harrigan.

## Introduction

**Object 554**, codenamed **Volkov** by his designers, is a specialised combat robot, technically in the service of the Mecharussian Armed Forces but not given any military rank nor serial number. The collective brainchild of Grand Curatrix Elena Trotskaya, the Chthonian Drakolich and Supreme Marshal Anzhela Sokolova, he is specially designed for the purpose of hunting down and eliminating Frenkish Colonel Fred Harrigan, the Imperial Military's most powerful single asset and nemesis of the Final Thirteen.

Volkov is also the prototype for the Fobos-class hunter/killer hypersoldiers, of which three were built in the mid-to-late 2150s.

## Physical characteristics

Volkov's AI is not artificially sentient, a design feature suggested by Trotskaya so that he cannot feel emotion and is thus immune to the terror tactics usually employed by Harrigan. His personality is instead designed to transfer microseconds before a lethal blow to a distant mainframe, fitted with a powerful neuronet processor that collates the data acquired in the battle and develops new tactics based on said data. In short, Volkov is able to learn from his experiences.

To cope with his powerful opponent, Volkov is outfitted with high-density magnetic armour designed to defeat plasma bolts and projectiles launched by infantry-grade Gauss weaponry used by Dragoons and allow him to stand off for long periods of time against the ork without tiring or losing fighting strength. In particular, the extremely-heavy armour plating on the front of his torso, fashioned by Trotskaya herself from the same hyperalloy as Persey's aspis shield, is almost completely impenetrable, able to deflect any blow short of a direct hit from a tactical nuclear warhead – even a strike from the edge of a monomolecular blade.

In the same respect that he can take a ferocious beating, Volkov – with a rotary hot-ion repeater and high-power plasma cannon built into his right hand and storm-fist (using the same technology as a stormhammer) and flamethrower into his left – is more than capable of reciprocating with equivalent measure.

## Personality

Although Volkov lacks true sapience, he has been shown to possess a sardonic streak, at times literally laughing off blows from his opponent. On the very rare occasion that he speaks, it is almost always to taunt and belittle his enemies. He is also notable for having no self-preservation instinct whatsoever, likely on account of knowing that, when he is about to die, his personality will 'eject' at the last second, delivering him to salvation.

## Notable appearances

* Volkov's first and only appearance is in *Operation Fobos*, where he is the centre of the titular operation.

## Trivia

* Volkov is named after a Soviet cyborg commando from *Command and Conquer: Red Alert*. Like the Volkov in *C&C*, the Frencoverse Volkov is ridiculously tough and heavily-armed.
* Appearance-wise, he is based upon an Adeptus Astartes Terminator from *Warhammer 40,000* (also a loose reference to the *Terminator* franchise, since Volkov is a combat droid very similar in function and some characteristics to the Terminators).