Cyber-Planner

Cyber-Planners were used by the Cybermen to create and direct battle plans and strategies.

Physical Characteristics
In the 20th century, the Cyber-Planner was approximately six feet tall and consisted of a framework of metal and transparent tubes with a number of lights and a rotating head section, completely immobile and concealed in a secure place.

The shape of Cyber-Planners differed between the 20th (TV: The Invasion) and 21st centuries. The later "head" section had a more a bulbous, egg-like appearance (TV: The Wheel in Space). The Cyber-Planner's consciousness could take over the mind of an organic life-form and use the knowledge and capacity within to fulfill its function. The minds of children in particular were targeted for their imaginative potential. (TV: Nightmare in Silver).

Functions
The Cyber-Planner gathered data from a large variety of sources. It could scan local media transmissions and even channel data from certain human subjects. It used this data to formulate strategies and make decisions based upon probability of success.

The Cyber-Planner had no defensive capabilities and could be destroyed by emotions created by the cerebration mentor, suggesting that they had organic components. (TV: The Invasion)

History
The first Cyber-Planner was formed when the Central Committee of Mondas abandoned their individual personalities and funneled their collective intelligence into a mechanical shell. This Cyber-Planner was sabotaged by the Fifth Doctor, who poured wine into its nutrient vats, severely impeding its thought processes. It was later destroyed by a swarm of Cybermats, which had been reprogrammed by the Doctor. (AUDIO: Spare Parts)

It is not known when the later versions of the Cyber-Planner were built, although the fact that, in the late 20th century, one had knowledge of the Second Doctor's visit to Planet 14 might suggest certainly before that encounter. (TV: The Invasion)

Years before, Tobias Vaughn had a Cyber-Planner (known as the Cyber-Director) installed in his office at International Electromatics in London where it acted as a communications channel between Vaughn and the Cybermen. (TV: The Invasion)

The Second Doctor found another Cyber-Planner at work on Earth during a movie shoot of a film based on the Tobias Vaughn incident. (PROSE: Scientific Adviser)

In the 21st century, Cybermen deferred to a Cyber-Planner while advancing their plan to take Space Station W3. (TV: The Wheel in Space).

Later when another Cyber-force attacked Space Station W3, after Zoe Heriot was returned there by the Time Lords, the Cybermen, noticing her superior intelligence, planned to convert her into a Cyber-Planner. This failed when the conversion machine, unlocked the locks the Time Lords placed on Zoe's mind, and she piloted the fleet into the Land of Fiction. Whilst in the Land, the Cyber-Planner of the fleet, commanded the Cyber-attack on the Land. It was later destroyed when Zoe and the Sixth Doctor reprogrammed a Book Worm to make the Cyber-planner believe that Cybermen didn't exist, and due to the nature of the Land of Fiction, it blipped out of existence as well. (AUDIO: Legend of the Cybermen)



Another Cyber-Planner led the Ninth Cyber Legion to invade Earth in London during 2012. The Cyber-Planner used a piece of the Eternity Clock to power the Cyberfactory. The Eleventh Doctor and River Song destroyed the Cyberfactory, along with the Cyber-Planner and the Ninth Cyber Legion and collected the piece of the Eternity Clock. (GAME: The Eternity Clock)

The most clever Cyber-Planner was created from the Eleventh Doctor during the battle on Hedgewick's World. At first the Cybermen targeted the Doctor's companions Artie and Angie, for the creative potential of the childrens' minds. After discovering the Doctor, the Cybermites instead partially converted him, giving him a Jekyll & Hyde mind. The Cyber-Planner and the Doctor fought for control, eventually playing a game of chess to win control of the Doctor's mind. (TV: Nightmare in Silver)