Andross's Army

Lore & Background

Andross rose to power through a combination of raw psychic force and ruthless political ambition, building an army that answers to no council, no senate, no shared flag—only to himself. His soldiers are drawn from across the Andromeda Galaxy, united not by ideology but by the simple promise of strength or the threat of annihilation. The result is a force that hits hard, hits often, and rarely shows mercy. In the corridors of Andross's base, the hierarchy is brutally simple: Andross at the apex, his lieutenants like General Muro and Pico managing the middle ranks, and thousands of troopers and pilots filling the gaps below.

Tactically, the army favors overwhelming numbers and heavy armor. Mechs lumber through asteroid fields and planetary surfaces, fighter wings swarm in coordinated passes, and the capital ship looms as a mobile fortress. Yet the force is not without vulnerability: it is deeply dependent on Andross's personal command, and when he is knocked from the cockpit or the bridge, cohesion frays. Pico, for all his small stature, often operates key support systems or pilots a mech, making him a surprisingly critical node in the army's operational chain. General Muro, by contrast, projects the image of a seasoned field commander, barking orders and coordinating ground operations with a grim efficiency that fans find compellingly menacing.

The army's relationship to the Star Fox team is one of perpetual, escalating conflict. Fox McCloud and his crew—Slippy, Peppy, Falco—have dismantled Andross's forces repeatedly, and each defeat seems to embolden Andross rather than humble him. The rivalry is less a duel of equals and more a hero-versus-monster dynamic: Fox fights with skill, teamwork, and a stubborn refusal to quit, while Andross fights with psychic power, superior numbers, and an almost supernatural patience. Fans endlessly debate whether Pico or Muro is the more dangerous lieutenant, whether the army could theoretically function without Andross, and whether a single well-placed Starman could tip the balance permanently.

In Their Own Story

The hangar bay groaned under the weight of a hundred fighters lining up in perfect rows. Pico's small hands fluttered over a console, his single eye blinking rapidly as he cross-checked fuel loads. "General, the third squadron is still cycling," he muttered, not looking up.

General Muro's heavy boots clanged across the grated floor. "Then cycle them faster, Pico. Andross does not wait for slow mechanics." He paused at the viewport. Beyond the glass, the planet's twin moons hung low and amber, and somewhere out in the dark, a small blue-and-white Arwing was already burning through the outer perimeter.

Pico finally looked up, his round body swaying. "Do you think they'll actually come this time, General? Fox and his little team?"

Muro's jaw tightened. "They always come. That is the problem."

A psychic pulse rippled through the hangar—Andross's will, unspoken but felt, pressing against every soldier's skull like a thumb against a bruise. The third squadron's engines roared to life. Pico swallowed, tapped his console one last time, and whispered, "Here we go again."

Reader's Guide

COMMAND STRUCTURE Andross sits at the absolute apex. Below him, General Muro handles field operations and ground coordination, while Pico manages logistics, support systems, and occasionally pilots a mech. The middle and lower ranks consist of alien troopers, fighter pilots, and mech operators drawn from across the Andromeda Galaxy. Loyalty is enforced, not earned.

OBJECTIVE The army exists to conquer. In its most iconic campaign, the goal is to seize the Starman, a relic of immense power, and use it to bend the galaxy to Andross's will. More broadly, the army projects force, suppresses resistance, and holds territory through sheer overwhelming presence.

SIGNATURE TACTICS & HARDWARE The army favors heavy armor and coordinated swarms. Mechs stomp through terrain, fighter wings execute layered attacks, and a massive capital ship serves as both command center and mobile fortress. Andross himself pilots a personal mech and wields telekinetic force in combat. The army's weakness is its dependence on Andross's direct command; remove him from the loop and coordination degrades noticeably.

RELATIONSHIP TO STAR FOX Andross's Army is the Star Fox team's defining enemy. Fox McCloud, Slippy Toon, Falco Lombardi, and Peppy Hare have clashed with this force across multiple campaigns. The rivalry is asymmetric: Fox fights with agility, teamwork, and grit; Andross's army fights with numbers, armor, and psychic might. Fans love to debate whether Pico or Muro is the more effective lieutenant, and whether the army could survive long without Andross's direct hand on the tiller.

Did You Know?

• Pico, despite his small, round appearance, is a recurring operational linchpin in Andross's army, often managing key systems or piloting support mechs across multiple entries.
• General Muro appears as a field commander in Star Fox 64, projecting a more militaristic, less whimsical face of the army than Pico's comic-relief energy.
• Andross's psychic abilities allow him to influence events at a distance, meaning the army can coordinate attacks even when its leader is not physically present in the cockpit.
• The army's capital ship functions as both a mobile command center and a heavily armed fortress, making it a recurring high-value target for the Star Fox team.