Cobras
| Strength 6d * |
Agility 3d * |
Intellect 3x |
Willpower 4d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
2 (10) 0 |
* Cobras will generally have either Boxing or Martial Arts as a skill, but not both - unless they are exceptional fellows. If a Cobra goes with Boxing, he or she will have a d code for both Strength and Agility; this is the standard Cobra's choice for the most part. On the other hand, if he or she goes with Martial Arts, they will have an x code for Strength and a c code for Agility.
Origin:
The nameless, faceless legions of Cobra are the backbone of that terrorist organization, existing in overwhelming numbers to do the bidding of the maniacal Cobra Commander - or any of his subordinates. Each of them is simply an ordinary human, though one who has at least some combat training, and is well-versed in the use of several firearms.
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances / Augmentations:
(none)
Equipment:
Dragunov Sniper Rifle (a): this Russian-built, semi-automatic rifle is built primarily with assassinations in mind, though it can be used in a firefight when necessary. The gun itself fires rounds capable of inflicting one's Agility +5 damage per shot, though it can inflict their Agility +6 in piercing damage in a semi-automatic burst. It is also equipped with a scope, offering a +1 bonus to hit during ambush attempts.
Helmet (s): all Cobras wear a helmet, to increase relative safety on the field and to protect from the ever-deadly head shot. Made of material strength 10 metals, this helmet offers its wearer intensity 4 (+1) protection from any attack striking them in the cranium. This may not be enough to deflect all damage in a given instance, but it nonetheless helps to save lives.
Knife (s): though they'd rather not do so, all Cobras are equipped to fight hand-to-hand in the event that they completely run out of ammunition (and they usually carry several magazines to prevent this). These blades are of material strength 12, and in a Cobra's hands, they can be used to inflict his or her Strength +2 in slashing damage with each deadly strike.
Pistol (a): in the event that one's Dragunov is disabled, a Cobra often has a spare handgun handy, stored in a convenient shoulder holster for quick access. These firearms can discharge a single round which inflicts one's Agility +4 in damage, or a short burst which drains the entire magazine, but inflicts their Agility +5 in damage. The magazine can presumably hold 8 rounds before it needs to be swapped out.
Skills:
Boxing (s): all Cobras are trained in at least one form of unarmed combat once they hook up with the group, if they don't already have one under their belt. A majority learn the fine art of boxing, allowing them to divide their pre-card play action score between two unarmed melee attacks per exchange, the second of which will occur as a contingent action. *
Guns (a): a given prerequisite, all Cobra operatives must have the ability to wield firearms in combat; if they don't have it upon joining Cobra, they are trained - and quickly. Any Cobra can wield a regular, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol with proficiency, doing so at one difficulty level lower than is normally necessary.
Martial Arts (a): a rare few Cobras transform their unarmed fighting style into an art form. Those who have managed to do so will be able to resolve unarmed attacks at one difficulty level lower than would otherwise be required, a benefit which extends to any actions they attempt to dodge incoming damage or to catch weapons thrown at their person. *
Military (w): a quasi-military organization, Cobra encourages an easily recognizable (to those within, at least) command structure. As such, those not bringing experience in such matters tend to pick it up quickly, to rise through the ranks; those who can't typically don't get this far. This skill gives Cobras an edge concerning military protocols and regulations.
* Remember: Cobras will generally have either Boxing or Martial Arts, but not both. Were some to indeed have both they'd be quickly promoted out of this rank into something more flashy and/or better paying.
Contacts:
Cobras theoretically have their entire namesake group as their contact, in that they are members of the organization and supposedly have the same goals. However, if it is more convenient to let a Cobra (or squad of such) get captured or otherwise take a fall, the Cobra Command is more than happy to let this happen. Unless a specific Cobra has something the Command requires, he or she is ultimately expendable.
Calling:
Various Callings: the vast, vast majority of Cobra operatives have joined up for their own, evil purposes, so choose a villainous calling and go with it! Nominally, Cobra Troopers are motivated by Greed for material possessions or aspirations of World Domination, but anything else can really apply. For instance, Storm Shadow hooked up with Cobra to gain Vengeance, etc.
Costume:
The standard Cobra uniform consists of a blue jumpsuit with the Cobra sigil, in red, on the front upper torso, accompanied by a blue helmet and blue gloves. This ensemble is then complemented by black leather boots, black knee-pads, a black strap-on knife sheath, a black, pouch-laden belt, black webbing with a shoulder holster for the Cobra's pistol, and a black face mask.
Notes:
Cobras are highly trained and motivated terrorists, who hooked up with the organization they were named after to further their own, personal agendas. While criminal minded, these folk still know what they are doing, and though they might fail in their missions, they aren't necessarily bumbling fools. Cobras are either former soldiers of any nation, or trained by Cobra to fight.
The Cobra is the ground floor of this organization. Though there are several ranks below the basic member of Cobra, most are provisional (the Cobra Recruit and Cobra Recruit Officer) and the rest are disciplinary in nature (the Toxo-Viper or the Desert Scorpion). Similarly, as the base level of Cobra operative, these guys basically have nowhere to go but up, in both pay scale and advanced training.
1989 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
AK-47 Assault Rifle (a): this Russian-built, semi or fully automatic rifle is built to last, being readily adapted for almost any duty imaginable. Pythons may discharge a single round with this firearm to inflict their Agility +4 in damage, a rapid, semi-automatic burst of rounds to inflict their Agility +5 in damage, or a continuous, automatic burst of fire to inflict their Agility +6 in damage.
Wraith Suit (i): the primary benefit of being a member of the Python Patrol, other than the increase in pay, is that the Cobras who accept this duty receive the use of a handy wraith suit. This suit, which doubles as their uniform, makes the Pythons transparent to infrared scanners and all manner of radio wave technology. This stealth technology functions at intensity 15.
Skills:
Additional Skill: those Cobras who are chosen to also serve as Pythons are a step above their cohorts, men and women with additional specialties above and beyond the norm. A Python, in other word, will typically have at least one more skill with which to serve the Patrol. This might simply be the fighting style they did not begin their career with, Marksman, Computers, or anything else useful.
Costume:
Those Cobras who earn a place within the Python Patrol, colloquially referred to as Pythons, wear a uniform that strongly resembles that of a Cobra Officer - if in different colors. It includes a red turtleneck under a long-sleeved, green and yellow snake-skin shirt, black snake-skin trousers, gray boots, gloves, holsters, sheathes, and webbing, and a black helmet and face mask.
2007 Variations
Costume:
Cobras mostly utilized the same uniform in 2007 that they traditionally have, though it's been revitalized with modern materials. Their ensemble consists of blue trousers, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a red Cobra sigil on the center of the chest, black leather boots, black leather gloves, black knee pads, a black face mask, a blue helmet, and black web gear.
Some Cobras instead have a silver Cobra emblem on their chest, possibly to denote operatives being groomed to become Officers. Alternately, they made use of a red face mask instead of the usual black accessory, yellowish-green web gear instead of the usual black equipment, and would forego the use of their black leather gloves entirely - possibly when just doing work around some Cobra base or another.
2008 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
Chemical-Resistant Suit (v2) (s): Desert Assault Squad members trained in the use of chemical warfare invariably don this suit when going on missions, because the idea is to kill the other guy with noxious gases, not themselves. These specially treated fabrics provide Cobra chemical warfare experts intensity 16 (+4) protection against corrosives, regardless of whether they come in a solid, liquid, or gaseous form.
Flamethrower (v1) (i): as flamethrower experts, those members of Cobra's Desert Assault Squad armed with these weapons naturally carry them into conflict alongside their other gear - even if their fuel is particularly heavy. These weapons can fire a jet of burning, jellied fuel anywhere within near missile distance of their Cobra operator's location, inflicting intensity 10 SD energy damage with each deadly assault.
Gas Cannon (v2) (s): fed by a back-mounted tank, these guns can be used by the Desert Assault Squad's chemical warfare experts to fire a cloud of noxious, caustic gas anywhere within near missile distance of their person - though air currents can be used to spread this even further over time. This gas acts as a corrosive of intensity 10 potency, which is concentrated enough to cause chemical burns even on exposed flesh!
Heat-Resistant Suit (v1) (s): Cobra flamethrower experts don this suit whenever they intend to use a flamethrower in combat, because burns are for chumps. Primarily, this bulky, multi-layered suit provides them intensity 16 (+4) protection from both fire and heat damage. Its full face mask and respirator / air filter also provide intensity 12 (+3) filtration of ambient air versus smoke and other particulate matter.
Mine Detector (v3) (w): since a part of their job description involves the disposal and disarmament of various mines and explosives, Cobra explosives experts carry a handy dandy metal detector to sweep for such implements of destruction. This device can detect metallic objects anywhere within near missile distance, whether said objects be buried or are otherwise hidden in the area.
Shaped Charges (v3) (i): since the other half of their job description involves blowing things up, Cobra explosives experts carry several shaped charges in their backpacks. These devices can, once triggered, explode to inflict intensity 12 Armor Piercing damage to a vehicle, structure, or person (!), armor piercing since the force of their blasts is focused (primarily) in a specific direction.
Skills:
Additional Skill: those Cobras who are chosen to also serve in the Desert Assault Squad are a step above their cohorts, and usually on the fast track to a specialized Viper promotion. These Cobras, in other word, will typically have at least one more skill with which to serve the Squad. This might be Chemistry, Demolitions, or anything else that can help these Cobras to fulfill their specialized duties.
Costume:
Cobras chosen to work alongside the Desert Assault Squad gain one of three special new uniforms. The first is essentially a high temperature suit that allows a Cobra to utilize their special weapon: the flamethrower. It is a bulky, padded khakis suit with black boots, brown gloves, a black belt, a brown helmet with a silver visor reminiscent of the Cobra Viper's, and a brown harness that holds fuel for the Cobra's weapon.
The second of three Cobra uniforms given out to those Desert Assault Squad operatives is a chemically resistant suit that lets a Cobra wield toxic, caustic gases in battle. It is a slightly less bulky affair than that of the flamethrower specialist's, and includes black rubber boots and gloves, brown chest, bicep, and thigh pads, a black rubberized belt, a khakis helmet with a gas mask attachment, and a red face mask.
The third special Cobra uniform granted to Desert Assault Squad members is closest in composition to their original ensemble, helping them to serve as explosive experts. It includes a long-sleeved, khakis collared shirt beneath a khakis and red vest, khakis trousers with red pouches sewn on, black leather boots, gloves, and knee pads, a khakis helmet, and a red face mask to protect this Cobra's identity in the field.
2011 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
Rocket-Propelled Grenade (a): the Cobra's conventional equipment payload was enhanced by this projectile weapon in 2011. These one-shot weapons allow Cobras to dramatically project their destructive potential, inflicting their Agility +7 in Armor Piercing damage to vehicles or structures they attack. Though not fragmentary, the shaped charges inside these projectiles are most effective against mobile armor.
Costume:
Cobras mostly utilized the same uniform in 2011 that they traditionally have, with only the slightest of modifications. Their costume includes dark blue trousers, a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with a red Cobra sigil on the center of the chest and a gold Cobra sigil on the sleeves, black leather boots, black leather gloves, black knee pads, a black face mask, a dark blue helmet, and black web gear.
2012 Variations
Costume:
Some Cobras in 2012 made use of a much darker version of their standard ensemble - it was all black! Particularly suited for nocturnal operations, this costume consists of black trousers, a black long-sleeved shirt with an oversized, silver Cobra sigil on the center of the chest, black leather boots, black leather gloves, black knee pads, a black face mask, a black helmet, and black web gear.
2013 Variations
Costume:
Cobras utilized a slight modification of their traditional uniform in 2013, leaning more heavily on the color blue than ever before. Their costume includes blue trousers, a blue long-sleeved shirt with an oversized, red Cobra sigil on the center of the chest, dark blue leather boots, dark blue leather gloves, dark blue knee pads, a blue face mask, a blue helmet, and yellow and red web gear.
* Note: 2007 saw three versions of the Cobra (versions 3, 4, and 5), as did 2008 (versions 6, 7, and 8).
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of the Cobra:
| 1982 | 1989 | 2007 | 2008 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
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