the HISS Tank, Mark 1
The HISS, or High Speed Sentry is a powerful assault vehicle that has been a mainstay of the Cobra arsenal for years. The HISS is Cobra's equivalent of a tank, bearing a set of twinned, 30mm cannons on its turret. Versatile in many operations, the HISS has a maximum speed of 75 miles per hour, and an operating range of 275 miles. The Mark 1 HISS has the following features and characteristics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Ex 20 |
B Rm 30 |
P Ex 20 |
Armor Plating: built to go toe to toe with most American and Soviet tanks, the HISS is naturally heavily armored. It is possessed of high density armor plating on most surfaces, and is also equipped with a shell-proof, tinted canopy to protect the driver from 'called shots'. These measures account for the High Speed Sentry's overall Body and Protection ratings.
Communications Suite: while HISS Drivers and other Cobras are usually given their marching orders before being deployed, it is often the case that the Cobra Command has a change of plans once its operatives are in the field. They thus equipped the HISS with a two way radio transceiver, which functions at Excellent (20) rank, thus giving it the ability to communicate with other Cobras within 100 miles.
Gear Cases: the HISS has, spread throughout several lockers mounted in the vehicle's armor plating, various cases filled with useful gear. It has fully stocked first aid kits, tool kits, and ground working equipment, allowing the HISS driver or any infantry working alongside the vehicle to take care of most minor emergencies in a pinch, and even quite a few major calamities when necessary.
Infrared Detectors: though the HISS canopy provides a rather wide view of the surrounding terrain, that is occasionally not enough to win in a firefight. As such, the High Speed Sentry has been equipped with full infrared frequency detectors, allowing it to spot, target, and eliminate foes that would otherwise be invisible to the driver. These sensors function at Good (10) rank.
Rear Personnel Platform: strictly speaking, the HISS is a two man vehicle - it allows for one driver (in the cockpit) and one gunner (in the turret). However, the engineers of the High Speed Sentry allowed for a small number of personnel (two comfortably) to ride on the back of the assault vehicle in the event that this should become necessary - or is more convenient than walking.
Self-Sealing Fuel Canisters: these handy gas tanks, mounted right over the HISS' odd tread structure, have an intermediate layer between the gas and the tank itself, a layer of material that immediately seals the can in the event that it is punctured (or shot), preventing a loss of fuel or explosion. These tanks offer the High Speed Sentry's fuel the vehicle's full Protection rating.
Twinned 30mm 'Diablo' Cannons: the principal weapon of the High Speed Sentry (aside from a ramming attack), these two 30mm cannons can be fired in sync to inflict Remarkable (30) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, raised to Incredible (40) Shooting damage in a fully automatic, tank-penetrating hail of lead. It is fueled by a 2000 round ammo drum, so it can fire away for a long, long time.
Tungsten Lamp: while similar vehicles built in the High Speed Sentry's day and age had moved over to more efficient Halogen bulbs, the designers of the HISS preferred to go with old-fashioned, highly effective tungsten filaments for this front mounted lights. Functioning at Remarkable (30) rank, this array of light emitters can illuminate an area at similar rank.
1985 Variations
the Crimson Sentry
As they became a force to be reckoned with in Cobra's ranks, the Crimson Guard began to make use of its very own hardware. Distinct from standard Cobra gear due to its brilliant, crimson coloration, most of these vehicles were either borrowed from other Cobra legions or simply stolen from GI Joe. The Crimson Sentry, for instance, was a regular, Mark 1 HISS that had been painted in the Guard's colors.
1989 Variations
the HISS, Mark 2
Six years after the original was rolled out in Cobra's war on freedom, they issued an update to their iconic HISS. The Mark 2 comes in a metallic red and blue instead of the previous model's glossy black, and has an armored compartment in the rear within which troops can ride - as opposed to hanging onto the rear. Its now-three barreled turret inflicts +1 CS damage, and it has these additional weapons:
Laser Guns: mounted on each side of the Mark 2's cockpit, these weapons can be used to chew up an enemy which is too low for its main gun to target - or to just soften them up a bit, first. Each of these guns can be fired to inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage, and while not twinned, can both be focused on a single target to increase their damage output by +1 CS.
Missile Launchers: mounted on each side of the Mark 2's rear, towards the door where additional passengers may ride, is one missile. The operators of the Mark 2 HISS can use these weapons to soften up targets outside the range of their vehicle's turret and laser guns, or for any other reason they deem necessary. Inflicting +1 CS damage if both strike a target at once, these missiles function as follows:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
1991 Variations
the Septic Tank
The Septic Tank is a bright red and neon yellow delivery system for Cesspool's weaponized Sludge. A heavily modified version of the original, Mark 1 HISS, a Septic Tank is especially treated to resist corrosives, from the cockpit to the bumper, with Incredible (40) ability. Furthermore, instead of the usual, twinned 30mm cannon turret, a Septic Tank is equipped with the following armament:
Sludge Gun: the singular armament on the Septic Tank, its Sludge Gun is fueled by a large chemical container. This system carries enough Sludge within to fire off about twenty blasts at anything within three areas of the Tank. Each burst of Sludge inflicts Incredible (40) Metabolic damage, per conventional corrosives. This is -3 CS versus organic matter, but still enough to dissolve it in short order.
2000 Variations
the HISS, Mark 3
At the cusp of a new millennium, Cobra retooled one of its original vehicles, the HISS. Its Mark 3 variant on this tried and true design features modern mechanics and electronics, meaning that it's overall much cheaper to field a Mark 3 than the original, Mark 1, and that with the same functionality. Of course, the Mark 3 also features a new, Cobra blue paint job.
2002 Variations
the Crimson Strike HISS
Upon resuming their place as the elites amongst Cobra's forces, the Crimson Guard began to use its own, customized hardware once more. Distinct from standard Cobra gear due to its brilliant, crimson coloration, most of these vehicles were either borrowed from other Cobra legions or simply stolen from GI Joe. The Crimson Sentry, for instance, was a regular, Mark 1 HISS that had been painted in the Guard's colors.
the HISS, Mark 4
A further refinement of HISS technology, the Mark 4 takes the best features of its predecessors, and runs with them! It has a powerful chain gun turret on the back that inflicts the Mark 1's normal damage, two launchers on the front whose projectiles operate identically to the Mark 2's missiles, room for multiple passengers in the rear, and the cab even elevates twelve feet to attain fire superiority in close quarters!
The missiles launched from the Mark 4 HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2003 Variations
the HISS, Mark 2b
Like the original HISS before it, the surviving Mark 2 units have received an electrical and mechanical upgrade, modernizing them for continued use. It's cheaper to do this than build all new Mark 2 units, after all! Receiving a coloration that matches more conventional Cobra hardware, being Cobra blue and blood red in hue, the Mark 2b HISS otherwise function identically to the original Mark 2.
The missiles launched from the Mark 2b HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2004 Variations
the Crimson HISS
Almost twenty years after they initially rolled out their own version of the Mark 1 HISS, the Crimson Guard decided that their old Crimson HISS vehicles required a refresh. Still painted in a brilliant crimson hue befitting the Guard, these vehicles feature all the mechanical and electrical upgrades that the Mark 3 HISS benefited from. In other words, they work the same, but are cheaper to build.
2005 Variations
the HISS, Mark 1b
The Mark 1b HISS is a combination of the capabilities of the Mark 1 and the Mark 2. It is thicker to support the additional passenger capacity the Mark 2 has, while sporting the glossy black paint job and one-man cockpit of the Mark 1. The offensive profile of the Mark 1b has been greatly changed from either of its predecessors, however, and each of these vehicles have the following weapons on board:
Chin Guns: instead of oversized, 30mm cannons on a turret, the Mark 1b HISS features two independently swiveling guns under its cockpit. These weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a fully automatic hail of bullets. Training both of these guns on a single target can increase either damage rating by +1 CS.
Missile Launchers: the primary weaponry on the Mark 1b HISS, it sports four distinct missile launchers, each of which can house two ground to ground or ground to air missiles. When firing one such projectile, the operator of the Mark 1b HISS can inflict the listed damage, but can boost it by +1 CS if they hit with two missiles, +2 CS if they hit with four missiles, or +3 CS if they hit with all eight missiles.
The missiles launched from the Mark 1b HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
the HISS, Mark 4b
A running change to the Mark 4 HISS, the Mark 4b represents a slight improvement to the technology overall. It mostly features the same capabilities as before, though it adds a missile launcher to the rear turret as well - one which its operator can remove and use outside the vehicle when necessary! Furthermore, instead of coming in two-tone maroon, the snake pattern of the Mark 4b is black with blue spots.
The missiles launched from the Mark 4b HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2008 Variations
the HISS, Mark 3b
In this year of Cobra's eternal conflict with the forces of freedom, it issued three different versions of the Mark 3 HISS. Coming in the original, Cobra blue, these vehicles were also available in the Mark 1's black, as well as the Crimson Guard's, well, crimson. Aside from the cosmetic differences, however, all three of these HISS models are functionally the same as the Mark 1 (and 3).
2009 Variations
the Arctic HISS
Like the previous three years' models, the Arctic HISS is built from the Mark 3 HISS. The primary difference between the 2008 HISS variants and the Arctic HISS is that this model replaces the vehicle's twinned, 30mm turrets with a large missile launcher. This rack can launch up to four missiles at a time, inflicting +1 CS damage if one hits, and +2 CS if all four do so. They have these characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2010 Variations
the HISS, Mark 5
The designers of the Mark 5 HISS considered the many failings of its predecessors, and fixed them! It has a chain gun turret on the rear, which inflicts damage per a Mark 1's cannons, missile launchers on the side, which inflict damage per the Mark 2's, and has chin guns like the mark 1b. Furthermore, the entire body of the vehicle elevates instead of just the cab, to keep its rear turret in the game.
What further differentiates the Mark 5 from its fellows, however, is that when elevated, its body can rotate a full 360 degrees. This allows the driver to attack anything nearby, not just what's in front of it! Finally, the Mark 5 was initially issued in two color schemes: the traditional, glossy black of the Mark 1 HISS, and a dark maroon that calls back to the Mark 4 somewhat.
The missiles launched from the Mark 5 HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2011 Variations
the Crimson HISS
As is its wont, the Crimson Guard tends to claim certain Cobra implements for their own. The Mark 5 HISS is no exception to this rule, and as such one can spot the occasional Crimson HISS roaming around on missions. Of course, by the time you've spotted the Crimson Guard's vehicles, they're probably already done what they came to do. Or, more distressingly, you're their target!
The missiles launched from the Crimson HISS have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
2012 Variations
the HISS Scout
A pared down version of the Mark 3 High Speed Sentry, this vehicle takes the 'Sentry' part to heart. Shedding everything superfluous in its design, the HISS Scout has a +2 CS Speed rating, but can carry no passengers, has no emergency equipment, and is essentially a driver's seat between two large tank treads. Aside from that, the Scout is only armed with a HISS' twinned 30mm cannon peeking over its driver.
2014 Variations
the Septic Tank, Mark 2
The upgraded, Mark 2 Septic Tank is a bit more reliable a vehicle than its predecessor. Based on the Mark 1b HISS instead of the venerable Mark 1, this new Septic Tank has no messy liquid projectors. Instead, it can be reconfigured to launch projectiles with various hazardous compounds, which keeps the vehicle's output away from its operators - who can all ride comfy inside its extra passenger space.
The Septic Tank, Mark 2, is armed with these weapons:
Chin Guns: instead of oversized, 30mm cannons on a turret, the Mark 2 Septic Tank features two independently swiveling guns under its cockpit. These weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a fully automatic hail of bullets. Training both of these guns on a single target can increase either damage rating by +1 CS.
Missile Launchers: the primary weaponry on the Mark 2 Septic Tank, it sports four distinct missile launchers, each of which can house two ground to ground missiles. When firing one of these missiles, the operator of the Mark 2 can inflict the listed damage, but can boost it by +1 CS if they hit with two missiles, +2 CS if they hit with four missiles, or +3 CS if they hit with all eight missiles.
The missiles launched from the Mark 2 Septic Tank have these vehicular characteristics:
| C In 40 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) |
However! Instead of a conventional payload, the Septic Tank's missiles can be loaded up with awful biological weapons. These inflict the same damage as the Mark 2's conventional warheads, but can instead feature Sludge, a horrible corrosive agent (per the Mark 1 Septic Tank) or Compound Z, a pathogen that transforms ordinary humans into terrible, violent undead monstrosities!
2015 Variations
the Rail HISS
For the most part, this variation on the HISS is identical to the Mark 3 in its overall electrical and mechanical make-up. However, along with a neon orange paint job, it replaces its predecessor's dual, 30mm cannons with twinned rail guns! These dual weapons can be fired by the gunner in the Rail HISS to inflict Amazing (50) 4x AP Shooting damage to its target, flattening almost anything they hit!
the Chimera
As often as Cobra steals GI Joe technology, it's almost novel when the reverse occurs. Thus, it was a bit of a surprise when GI Joe confiscated several Rail HISS vehicles, slapped a grass green paint job on them, and rechristened them the Chimera. While barely less conspicuous than the original, Cobra model, GI Joe's Chimeras are functionally the exact same vehicle.
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of the HISS:
| 1983 | 1985 | 1989 | 1991 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2008 |
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 |
GI Joe directories featuring a version of the HISS:
| 2015 |
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