GI Joe Battle Field Kits
In addition to their large stock of vehicles, the GI Joe team maintains a wide array of pre-packed, prefabricated kits that are ready to be shipped and assembled to virtually any location on earth when needed. Some are more involved than others, but all are vital to the team's never-ending fight against the forces of Cobra and other terrorists. Known GI Joe Battle Field Kits include the following:
1984 Field Kits
the Bivouac Battle Station
The Bivouac battle station is a forward observation post kit. It includes a handy tent to deflect the sun, a cot to nap when the opportunity arises, an accessory rack, light gear for use on reconnaissance missions, such as an axe, a shovel, a machete, a field radio (material value 20, with a 100 mile range), a 16 ounce water canteen, and in the event of trouble, a rocket launcher!
This launcher, an XM-65 fiberglass rocket launcher, fires large (98mm) rocket propelled projectiles at whatever the occupants of the Bivouac determine to be be a threat that requires immediate, direct action. It can only fire one laser-guided rocket at a time, but presumably the crew could carry more if they were expecting serious trouble. These rockets have the following vehicular statistics:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 10 |
Damage RV 30 Slashing (fragmentary) |
the Machine Gun Defense Unit
The Machine Gun Defense Unit is a quick pre-fab kit that the GI Joe team can assemble around an area they wish to fortify in a hurry. It consists of several Czech hedgehogs (good for creating confined spaces and denying tanks entry), a rather large and obvious sign indicating that you are now in a Restricted Area, and that you should stay clear, and of course the eponymous machine gun.
The gun provided for the Machine Gun Defense Unit kit is a 750 rpm EX-344 universal, 50 caliber machine gun. This gun can be fired in short, controlled bursts to inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage, or full-auto in a pinch for rank value 30 Piercing damage. It also comes with a box full of spare ammunition belts, so the operator of the Machine Gun Defense Unit can fire for a long time if needed.
the Missile Defense Unit
The Missile Defense Unit is a quick pre-fab kit that the GI Joe team can assemble and scatter around an area they wish to fortify in a jiffy. It primarily consists of a small, cornered section of brick wall (effective cover from enemy fire), a handy sign indicating that you've reached an ammo depot (pointing to the operator of the Missile Defense Unit) and the star of our show, a missile launcher.
Hence the name. The Missile Defense Unit's offense is an EX-83a 55mm missile launcher, which can fire several rocket propelled explosives at whoever the operator of the Unit deems to be a threat. The kit also includes several spare rounds, so that he or she can continue to pelt the opposition with explosives for as long as is possible. These missiles have the following characteristics:
| Handling RV 20 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 10 |
Damage RV 20 Slashing (fragmentary) |
the Mortar Defense Unit
The Mortar Defense Unit is a quickly packed and assembled, prefabricated kit that the GI Joe team can place around an area they want to fortify fast. It mainly consists of several dozen sandbags (effective cover from enemy fire), a series of fuel drums (50 gallon) and cans (18.9 liter) to assist friendly vehicles on patrols, and of course the mortar that makes this a Mortar Defense Unit.
This is an EX-335 LWCM 60mm lightweight company mortar, and fires shells that can reach any target within three miles easily, thus providing ample deterrent to ground personnel and vehicles. These shells will inflict rank value 40 Slashing damage to everything within the sector they strike, and the kit comes with several crates full of them so the Unit operator can keep firing for hours.
the Mountain Howitzer
The Mountain Howitzer is essentially a large, towable gun - an EX-700 series, 105mm gun, to be precise. It is similar in raw power to the FLAK, but does not have a seat to sit in, nor stabilizer legs. However, it can be towed anywhere by any GI Joe vehicle with a tow hook. When fired, the Mountain Howitzer will inflict rank value 40 Slashing damage to the entire sector it strikes.
The Mountain Howitzer is usually equipped with a large supply of its high explosive, anti-tank rounds. In addition to the gun itself and spare ammunition, the Mountain Howitzer 'kit' includes a pair of 50x zooming binoculars, to better sight a target from afar, as well as a large tripod to hold them steady; so armed, the operator of the Mountain Howitzer can hit anything within miles easily.
the Watch Tower
The Watch Tower is a prefab, ready to assemble, 10 foot tall tower the GI Joe team can readily erect in the field to provide early warning of enemy movements and cover in a pinch. Its steel walls are of material value 30, and in addition to the tower proper, it comes with several sandbags for additional cover while on lookout, a flag, a spotlight (rank value 20 light) and a mini-gun.
This cannon, an all-purpose 7.62mm mini-machine gun, can be fired in three ways. A single shot will inflict rank value 6 shooting damage (and serve as a good 'warning shot' in a pinch), a short, controlled burst will inflict rank value 10 Piercing damage and down standard foes, and a full-auto bracket of lead will inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage, and easily damage personnel and vehicles.
1985 Field Kits
Air Defense Battle Station
The Air Defense battle station essentially consists of a radar-guided, surface-to-air missile launcher. It uses an all-weather variable-wave radar tracking system (rank value 30 power) to identify threats from the ground, and can then fire missiles which are guided by an infra-red optical targeting suite. The Air Defense battle station can be controlled remotely by a central command station, or by troops in the field.
It can be loaded with two rather large, EE-14N Long-range surface-to-air defense missiles at one time (firing more requires a reload by ground personnel). These missiles are armed with proximity fused HE-5 warheads, which can explode to inflict considerable damage on aircraft of any type. These fragmentary missiles affect every non-covered target in the sector they detonate within, and have these vehicular statistics:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 150 |
Durability RV 20 |
Damage RV 40 Slashing (fragmentary) |
the Ammo Dump Kit
The Ammo Dump kit is essentially a big box of projectiles that Joes can bring with them, mostly as ammunition for other battle kits. The box itself is heavily armored, since you don't want a stray shot to set all this stuff off after all, possessing a material value of 30. Its reinforced body lends itself to being used as cover in a pinch - though hopefully after you've emptied it out.
Goodies that are typically packed in the Ammo Dump kit include a bullet resistant gas can (to refuel friendly vehicles when needed), heat-seeking short-range AEM-8 missiles, 109mm HE-5 multi-fuse option rockets, a huge supply of 7.62mm ammunition, and grenades (which detonate to inflict rank value 30 Slashing (fragmentary) damage). The missiles and rockets have these vehicular capabilities:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 10 |
Damage RV 30 Slashing (fragmentary) |
the Checkpoint Alpha Battle Station
Checkpoint Alpha is a prefab, two story tower the GI Joe team can readily erect in the field to control entrance and exit to a given, secured area. It is of material value 30, and in addition to the tower proper, it comes with a tungsten spanned-beam spotlight (rank value 20 light), an electric release gate, an infra-red camera, a radio (rank value 20 communications) and a gun.
This cannon, an I-15 sub-machine gun, can be fired in three ways. A single shot will inflict rank value 6 shooting damage (and serve as a good 'warning shot' in a pinch), a short, controlled burst will inflict rank value 10 Piercing damage and down standard foes, and a full-auto bracket of lead will inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage, and easily damage personnel and vehicles.
the Forward Observer Kit
The Forward Observer is a pre-packaged kit that a Joe can carry into the field to perform reconnaissance in enemy territory. It includes a short, bullet-resistant tent for long-term stays in the field (material value 10), a 2-way polycarbonate bullet-resistant radio (of m.v. 10 and rank value 30 communications range - 500 miles), and a 40x infra-red monocular (usable in day or night).
But wait, there's more. It also comes with an EX-29 55mm reusable mortar, which fires shells that can reach any target within three miles easily, thus providing ample deterrent to ground personnel and vehicles. These shells will inflict rank value 40 Slashing damage to everything within the sector they strike, and the kit comes with several crates full of them so the Observer can keep firing for hours.
the HALO Parachute Pack
Though this is standard gear for Joes like Ripcord and Airborne, it sometimes comes to pass that the rest of the Joes need to make use of some HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachutes on a mission. As such, the GI Joe team keeps several of these kits on hand and ready to be packed for when such situations come to be, and often have a few ready on their cargo planes and helicopters.
What they essentially do is allow a Joe to hop out of an airborne conveyance and open the parachute at the last possible moment, minimizing exposure to enemy scouts and/or fire. They're equipped with a special breathing apparatus and face shield that lets the jumper see clearly and breathe easily despite their almost reckless velocity, and of course an altimeter (so they know when they should open the 'chute).
1986 Field Kits
LAW Battle Station
The LAWBS (Laser Artiller Weapon Battle Station) is a powerful laser array with a very low vertical profile that the GI Joe team can get running at a moment's notice. The 'star' of this kit is the Infinity variable-intensity dual beam emitter, mounted on a turret that can rotate 360 degrees - or pivot up to 90 degrees in the vertical. This powerful laser beam can inflict rank value 30 Armor Piercing Energy damage.
The rest of the LAW Battle Station is devoted to operating the laser. From a powerful DC electrical supply to perimeter video sensors to thermal imaging sensors (which the Joes can use as rank value 10 night vision, if using it to target in the dark), this support gear lets the team use this weapon to inflict devastating damage to Cobra forces before they even know what hit them!
Outpost Defender
A slightly less high tech kit, the Outpost Defender is nonetheless another quick way the Joes can dig into a location. Once this kit is assembled, the Joes can fire on a foe with the built-in 14.7 mm NX air-cooled machine gun, which can be fired to inflict rank value 10 Piercing damage in a single shot, rank value 20 Piercing damage in a short burst, and rank value 30 Piercing damage when fired fully automatic.
In addition to this, the Outpost Defender comes with a crate of spare M-16s and the ammunition to run them (-1 RS versions of the 'big' gun here), not to mention a heavy duty radio array, with rank value 30 communications range (500 miles) and signal encryption, and of course the actual Outpost itself, which offers its occupants considerable (material value 20) cover from enemy fire.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring GI Joe Battle Kits:
| 1984 | 1985 | 1986 |
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