Grand Slam
| Strength 7d |
Agility 4c |
Intellect 6d |
Willpower 4d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
3 (17) 1 |
Origin:
Like the vast majority of the GI Joe team, James J. Barney lacks super-human powers to speak of. However, he might be considered a high tech hero, in that he wields a highly advanced laser assault weapon, the HAL - and is often seen wearing the JUMP jet pack, as well!
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances / Augmentations:
(none)
Equipment:
HAL (i): the HAL, or Heavy Artillery Laser, is a potent laser cannon too heavy to actually carry around; it must be towed from place to place, as it cannot move under its own power. This device is described properly in its own equipment entry!
Mirrored Helmet (s): this mostly ordinary military helmet comes equipped with a ray-shielded visor, which is handy when you work with lasers. This visor is proof against laser (or other photon beams) at intensity 16 (+4), protecting Grand Slam's eyes from all but the strongest light.
Thermal Pads (s): worn on his chest, arms, and thighs, these pads diffuse the impact and heat damage caused by explosions or laser weaponry (though the latter offers no impact). These pads offer the protected areas intensity 12 (+3) resistance to heat and kinetic attacks.
Skills:
Advanced Guns (a): unlike most of the original Joe team, Grand Slam is skilled in the use of advanced energy weapons as well as your standard slug-throwers. He can use these weapons just like any other gun, and this skill offers him a reduced difficulty while doing so.
Boxing (s): part of Grand Slam's Basic training involved his receiving essential self-defense training, should he find himself unarmed. During an exchange, Grand Slam can divide his pre-card play action score between two melee attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Electronics (i): having a serious degree in engineering, Grand Slam really knows his way around high tech, electronic gear. He can reduce the difficulty of any action used to resolve attempts to build, design, repair, or de-engineer any electronic device by one level.
Guns (a): while his preference does lie in the advanced laser weaponry he's testing out for the Army, Grand Slam can nonetheless use standard, semi-automatic, and fully automatic slug-throwers with competency, doing so at one difficulty level lower than is usually required.
Military / United States (w): a member of the Army as well as GI Joe, Grand Slam is well-versed in military protocols and procedures. He can easily pose as a member of almost any military body, assuming that he has the proper materials, and can lead soldiers if necessary.
Contacts:
Grand Slam is a member of the GI Joe team, and as such, can easily rely upon them for help should he need it - especially since he's one of the original Joes. Furthermore, as a military man, he can also call the Army a reliable contact as well, since they generally look after their own.
Calling:
Explorer: like his pal Anthony, another laser weaponry operative in the first wave of Joes, Grand Slam enjoys unraveling the mysteries of high tech devices. He does so to learn how they work - and to be better able to both reproduce and counter them. And, because, they're cool!
Costume:
Grand Slam originally wore a green pair of Army fatigues on the job, adorned with red thermal pads on his arms, chest, and thighs. Furthermore, he wears gray leather boots and gloves, and a green helmet with a mirrored visor while in action.
Personality:
Grand Slam is a shy and unassuming sort.
Unlike a lot of the other Joes, his personality doesn't fill the room, and he usually keeps to himself unless somebody needs him for something. He often spends his off time reading, usually science fiction materials, either because he likes it or likes making fun of it.
But don't underestimate his combat prowess, especially with advanced laser weaponry. He loves using his high tech gear to blow things up or otherwise render them useless, and he gets more than his fair share of opportunities to do so with the Joes. Thus, he's a happy man!
Real Name: James J. Barney, grade E-5 (later E-7)
Occupation: GI Joe techie, security, laser artillery
Legal Status: American citizen with no known criminal record
Marital Status: presumably single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe
Height: 5' 10"
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Weight: 175 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none
Story:
Grand Slam was a kid fascinated, obsessed even, with comic books and science fiction. This naturally led him to drool over high tech gear of all kinds, and he grew up to become an electronics engineer. Joining up with the Army soon after, he quickly got involved with their advanced weaponry.
Completing both Special Weapons and Advanced Technology schools, he graduated at the top of his class in both thanks to his true love of devices. This drew the attentions of one Colonel Hawk, who was at the time assembling an elite force to serve on an anti-terrorist team.
This team was GI Joe.
As their laser artillery trooper, it was Grand Slam's job to utilize the HAL - a heavy assault laser - on Joe missions that needed staggering firepower. He used it on several missions, including the Joes' rescue of Doctor Adele Burkhart, during which he used the HAL to annihilate Cobra tanks.
On another mission, Grand Slam found himself in conflict with the would-be poet, Major Bludd, when the villain hijacked a bus to flee the Joes. Riding up on a RAM cycle with Stalker, he smashed his way through the bus' windshield, and pummeled Bludd unconscious - a lot.
Soon after this, Grand Slam was taken off active duty, along with several other original Joes, to allow the team to perform its own administration; in other words, he was given a desk job. Of course, Grand Slam used this opportunity to get involved in the development of the Joes' new equipment.
During one such test, of the new SLAM - Strategic Long-range Assault Machine - Grand Slam and several other mobilized Joes were attacked by Raptor, an insane Cobra hawk master, and Cobra Commander himself, wearing his battle armor and wielding a freakish Pogo assault pod.
Still later, Grand Slam was assigned to the training of prospective Joes. During an exercise for new trainees Budo, Repeater, and Lightfoot, Grand Slam wound up getting seriously injured, but his students managed to finish the operation without his help, thus proving their worth.
Grand Slam's final assignment was to the security of the new, third Pit, the Joes secret headquarters in Utah, and he helped to repel an invasion attempt by Cobra Commander during this time. He filled this role until the Joe team was disbanded back in '94.
(Historical Divergence)
Having nothing else to do, Grand Slam returned to the Army as an advanced weapons researcher. However, with a recent resurgence in Cobra activities, Grand Slam has returned to the Joe team, lending his expert knowledge to their efforts against Cobra and other terrorist organizations.
Grand Slam then stuck with the organization as Cobra's threat grew greater than ever, culminating with their instigating World War III, where they almost took over the entire planet in one fell swoop. Helping the Joes win this battle, Grand Slam has remained on the team ever since.
Someone's got to help hold the world together while it rebuilds its infrastructure, after all.
1983 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
JUMP (i): the JUMP, or Jet Mobile Propulsion Unit, is an advanced, back-mounted device that allows Grand Slam exceptional mobility in battle. Though somewhat heavy, it lets him fly about a battle zone with impunity, and is described in its own equipment entry.
Costume:
Grand Slam's second uniform was darker than his first, olive drab outfit. He switched his boots and gloves to black, and his laser reflective pads were altered to be silver in color (presumably for a greater mirrored / refractive effect). Other than the color change, though, it's the same suit.
2006 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
Grenades (i): carried on a convenient bandolier, Grand Slam can fling these explosive devices at a person, place or thing to inflict considerable damage. They inflict intensity 10 damage to every uncovered target within near missile distance of where they detonate - and he has three!
Laser Rifle (a): a lot more portable than his old HAL, this unit is devastating in Grand Slam's hands. He can fire a coherent light beam from this weapon at any intensity up to his Agility +5, inflicting like Armor Piercing energy damage for a long as he maintains fire.
Sidearm (a): a backup in the event that his laser cannon fails him, Grand Slam can wield this handgun just as effectively. He can fire it to inflict his Agility +4 damage in a single shot, or his Agility +5 damage in a magazine-exhausting burst of lead.
Costume:
Grand Slam's third uniform is like his first in coloration. It includes olive drab trousers, an olive drab long-sleeved, collared shirt, an olive drab helmet (with mirrored goggles), black leather boots, gloves, belts and webbing, and bright orange thermal / reflective padding on his torso.
2007 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
JUMP (i): the JUMP, or Jet Mobile Propulsion Unit, is an advanced, back-mounted device that allows Grand Slam exceptional mobility in battle. Though somewhat heavy, it lets him fly about a battle zone with impunity, and is described in its own equipment entry.
Assault Rifle (a): should the laser emitter on his JUMP fail him, Grand Slam can wield this slug-thrower as a backup. It can be fired to inflict his Agility +4 damage in a single shot, raised to +5 when firing a semi-auto burst, or +6 when opening it up fully automatic.
Costume:
The fourth uniform that Grand Slam wore as a Joe is evocative of his second, albeit different. It includes a long-sleeved, olive drab shirt, olive drab trousers, black leather boots and gloves, a black leather belt, a green mirrored helmet, and silver pads on his chest and lower legs.
2008 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
the Night Specter (i): instead of a JUMP or his HAL, Grand Slam made use of a flying submarine this year! The Night Specter is a variation on the Joes' original such vehicle, the SHARC, and has comparable capabilities that are described in its own vehicular description.
Costume:
Grand Slam's fifth uniform is identical to his second. He switched his boots and gloves to black, and his laser reflective pads were altered to be silver in color (presumably for a greater mirrored / refractive effect). Other than the color change, though, it's the same suit.
2014 Variations
Additional / Substitute Equipment:
Assault Rifle (a): instead of directed energy weapons, Grand Slam relied on conventional hardware this year. This firearm can be used to inflict his Agility +4 damage in a single shot, raised to +5 when firing a semi-auto burst, or +6 when opening it up fully automatic.
Missile Launcher (i): of course, never let it be said that Grand Slam isn't ready to blow something up real good. When he has time to prepare, Grand Slam can set up this launcher to fire either one or two projectiles, inflicting intensity 11 damage if one hits, raised by +1 if both do.
Costume:
The sixth uniform Grand Slam wore in the field is virtually identical to his first. It includes olive drab trousers, a long-sleeved olive drab shirt, a green helmet with a mirrored visor, black leather boots, gloves, and belts, and red thermal pads on his torso, arms, and thighs.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Grand Slam:
| 1982 | 1983 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2014 |
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