Roadblock
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ex 25 |
E Rm 30 |
R Gd 10 |
I Ex 20 |
P In 40 |
Res In 40 |
Pop Ty 5 |
| Health: Karma: |
85 70 |
Origin:
As are the vast, vast majority of his fellow GI Joes, Roadblock is but a normal human, lacking super-powers of any stripe. However, he is remarkably strong (within human limits, if barely), and possessed of a patriotic drive and will to succeed that dwarfs that of most others.
Known Powers:
(none)
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun: his personal weapon, this back-breaker normally needs to be fired with a tripod (unless you're Roadblock). Incredibly powerful, the .50 cal inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage when firing a short burst, +1 CS if opened up full-auto.
J2J Pineapple Grenades: Roadblock's always got at least one grenade with him while 'on the job', helping him to disassemble any opposition in his way. These explosive devices can be thrown to inflict Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) damage to all within one area.
Helmet: a useful battlefield accessory, this headgear helps to increase Roadblock's mission survivability considerably. In essence, it offers him Good (10) protection from physical damage striking him in the cranium. At the very least, it protects his brain from injury!
Knife: in the event that he's got to cut something (or somebody) in a fight, Roadblock always carries a useful utility blade. Made from Incredible (40) m.s. metals, it can be used to cut through items of like m.s., and allows him to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee.
Sidearm: a backup for his main gun, Roadblock carries one of these pieces on him at all times. He can fire this one-handed firearm to discharge one round, inflicting Typical (6) Shooting damage, or Good (10) Shooting damage in a magazine-expending burst of leaden doom.
Quirks:
Compulsiveness (cartoon variant): when simulating animated Roadblock, one must account for his love of rhyme. Constantly. Every sentence, preferably. If you would like to include this aspect of his character, he must pass a Psyche FEAT at -2 CS to restrain his rhymes.
Talents:
Artist: his true passion in life, Roadblock loves to cook. He's worked all his life to become a master chef, and has become something of a celebrity in this capacity. He's written several cook books, and just about any dish Roadblock prepares is irresistible!
Guns: Roadblock is an expert in the use of most firearms. Whether wielding a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, or even his trademark .50 cal cannon, Roadblock may do so as though his Agility score was +1 CS higher than is listed above.
Marksman: supplementing his knowledge in the use of firearms, Roadblock has also been well trained in the use of heavier weaponry. Whenever using any distance weapon that requires line-of-sight to hit (rocket launchers, mortars, etc.), Roadblock does so at his Agility +1 CS.
Martial Arts type B: physically impressive when you get down to it, Roadblock can use what his momma gave him - and how! When making unarmed melee strikes of any variety, Roadblock may do so as though his Fighting was +1 CS higher than is listed above.
Military / United States: the origin for most of Roadblock's impressive skills, this talent represents the hard work he's put into being all he can be. Thanks to his military training, Roadblock knows military protocols and procedures instinctively, and can lead soldiers into battle when necessary.
Contacts:
As one of the most rock-steady members of GI Joe, Roadblock can naturally rely on the entire team for assistance should he need it - he's saved their bacon more times than they can count. He also has several additional contacts in entertainment and intelligence circles.
Costume:
Roadblock's original GI Joe field uniform is rather simple. It includes brown trousers, a green camouflaged tank top, green leather gloves, a green leg holster, black leather boots, a black leather belt, black webbing to hold grenades and other useful gear, and a green helmet.
Personality:
Roadblock is amiable and well-liked. He's very patriotic, and has no problem going out of his way to make a point to those who don't appreciate the freedom they have. He also loves to cook, and is just as home producing a soufflé as he is laying down cover fire.
Real Name: Marvin F. Hinton, grade E-4 (later E-7)
Occupation: GI Joe operative, celebrity cookbook author
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe
Height: 6' 6"
Hair: black (usually shaved)
Eyes: brown
Weight: 280 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Roadblock is an incredibly large, imposing fellow. He usually wears a goatee, though the exact cut of this fashion accessory varies with time.
Story:
Since he was a child, Roadblock has always loved cooking. Wanting to become one of the world's greatest chefs, he dreamed of attending the prestigious Escoffier School in France. To this end, he worked hard as a bouncer, to accumulate the necessary funds.
On the cusp of earning his way there, things changed for Roadblock when he was contacted by an Army recruiter with a penchant for tall tales. This man fed Roadblock a line about the Army having the world's greatest chefs, and mentioned all the things they could teach him.
Buying into this astounding fabrication, Roadblock readily enlisted in the Army, only to quickly discover that he found their cuisine atrocious. Having no intention of participating in the preparation of such swill, he rapidly effected a transfer - to infantry.
Though not doing what he initially wanted to, Roadblock grew to love the Army life, using his impressive physical abilities as a heavy machine gunner. In fact, he's one of the few people who can fire an M2 .50 Cal machine gun without bothering with a tripod or gun mount.
His exceptional ability saw Roadblock being assigned to an elite unit alongside the men who would become Duke and Flint. This trio, along with several others, participated in numerous special missions, the specifics of which have been classified to this very day.
When he was appointed to the GI Joe team to serve as its 'first shirt', Duke brought Roadblock along with him for the ride. Their very first mission on the Joe team was quite a success, too, in that it saw them capturing, at long last, the one and only Cobra Commander!
Even if the villain escaped shortly thereafter.
The point is that Roadblock showed that he was a valuable addition to the Joes' ranks, and has proved it time and time again over the years. This earned him a spot on the team's elite 'Tiger Force' unit, not to mention it's highly classified 'Star Brigade' squad.
Over the years, Roadblock grew to become the veritable heart of the GI Joe team, as he's incredibly patriotic yet not preachy about it. Being incredibly likable, not to mention one of the greatest cooks the Joes have ever experienced, has only helped to bring this about.
Of course, all good things come to an end, and GI Joe was disbanded in 1994, the threat that it was formed to fight supposedly no longer serious enough - as if terrorism ever sleeps. Seizing the opportunity, Roadblock decided to get back into cooking, and did so with style!
(Historical Divergence)
In the next couple of years, Roadblock wrote two popular cookbooks, and gained national fame as one of the country's best - and coolest - chefs. He was even offered his own cable television show, presumably on the Food Network, but once again life threw Roadblock a curve.
With a massive upswing in terrorism, one punctuated by the return of Cobra itself, GI Joe was reactivated. Though he would have preferred to cook for the country on television, Roadblock answered the call of duty (and Duke's personal request) and returned to the fold.
The idea was for Roadblock and several of his returning compatriots to serve as senior members and leaders of this new GI Joe team, one populated by a large number of new recruits, but Roadblock has taken to participating in its missions directly - he just couldn't help himself!
Roadblock has remained with GI Joe to this very day, through thick and thin, even when Cobra instigated World War III. Fighting hard with his cohorts, Roadblock helped to turn the tide, and Cobra was ultimately defeated as a result of the Joes' hard work and sheer indefatigability.
Now all that remains is to secure a world whose infrastructure was devastated by Cobra, and to round up all the stragglers from that organization who evaded capture when their leader was brought down. Naturally, Roadblock is more than up for this challenge, as well!
1986 Variations
Costume:
Roadblock's second costume is a bit more complex than his first. It includes gray trousers, a green vest with orange trim over a white T-shirt, black leather boots and gloves, tan webbing to hold some gear, a tan belt with a silver buckle, and Army green wrist bands.
1988 Variations
Costume:
Marvin's third, 'Tiger Force' uniform is a variant on his first. It consists of brown trousers with orange tiger stripes, a green tank top, dark green leather boots and gloves, a green leg holster for his sidearm, and light green webbing to hold grenades and other gear.
1992 Variations
Equipment:
M-90 Machine Gun: a stand-in for his old .50, this weapon is also one of Roadblock's favorites. It inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage when fired full-auto. The M-90's top-mounted scope provides +1 CS to hit in ambushes.
Rocket Launcher: for a time, Roadblock carried a rocket launcher in the field, since you never know when you need to blow something up at a significant distance. This laser-guided (for a +1 CS to hit) launcher fires missiles with these statistics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Mn 75 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Submachine Guns: complementing his rocket launcher (when not just waving his M-90 around), these weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when fired continuously (or, as they say, rock 'n roll).
Costume:
Roadblock's fourth outfit was different than the others, but similar at the same time. It includes blue jeans, a tan vest over a black T-shirt, black leather gloves, black and brown leather boots, a black leather belt, and red webbing to hold grenades and other useful items.
1993 Variations
Equipment:
M-90 Machine Gun: a stand-in for his old .50, this weapon is also one of Roadblock's favorites. It inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage when fired full-auto. The M-90's top-mounted scope provides +1 CS to hit in ambushes.
Pistol-Grip Shotgun (v2): Roadblock can fire this weapon to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage to everything in a thirty degree arc with birdshot, Good (10) Shooting damage to adjacent targets with buckshot, and Excellent (20) Shooting damage to a single foe with slugs.
Rocket Launcher: for a time, Roadblock carried a rocket launcher in the field, since you never know when you need to blow something up at a significant distance. This laser-guided (for a +1 CS to hit) launcher fires missiles with these statistics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Mn 75 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Space Suit (v2): worn while fighting evil in outer space, this environmentally sealed suit was built using NASA technology. It offers Roadblock Monstrous (75) protection to cold and pressure variance, along with an eight hour supply of 'fresh' air.
Submachine Guns: complementing his rocket launcher (when not just waving his M-90 around), these weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when fired continuously (or, as they say, rock 'n roll).
Costume:
Roadblock's fifth uniform is like to his fourth, save for the coloration. It consists of blue jeans, a deep blue vest over a black T-shirt, black leather gloves, black and brown leather boots, a black leather belt, and neon green webbing to hold grenades and several other devices.
His sixth uniform wasn't a uniform so much as it was a space suit! Roadblock's first 'Star Brigade' get-up is a white, custom-fitted environment suit with red trim. Of course, it has plenty of blue accessories, and a nifty blue helmet with a red face plate.
1994 Variations
Equipment:
M-90 Machine Gun: a stand-in for his old .50, this weapon is also one of Roadblock's favorites. It inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage when fired full-auto. The M-90's top-mounted scope provides +1 CS to hit in ambushes.
Pistol-Grip Shotgun: Roadblock can fire this weapon to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage to everything in a thirty degree arc with birdshot, Good (10) Shooting damage to adjacent targets with buckshot, and Excellent (20) Shooting damage to a single foe with slugs.
Rocket Launcher: for a time, Roadblock carried a rocket launcher in the field, since you never know when you need to blow something up at a significant distance. This laser-guided (for a +1 CS to hit) launcher fires missiles with these statistics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Mn 75 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Space Suit: worn while fighting evil in outer space, this environmentally sealed suit was built using NASA technology. It offers Roadblock Monstrous (75) protection to cold and pressure variance, along with an eight hour supply of 'fresh' air.
Submachine Guns: complementing his rocket launcher (when not just waving his M-90 around), these weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when fired continuously (or, as they say, rock 'n roll).
Costume:
Roadblock's seventh outfit was another space-suit. It is another custom-fitted environment suit that is orange in color this time, accented with black trim, black boots and gloves, and other black accessories. It also has a sleek, black helmet with (again) a red face plate.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
Ghille Suit: Roadblock's preferred 'Spy Troops' gear, this disguise helps him insinuate himself into overgrown environs. Ghille suits inflict a 2 CS penalty upon attempts by others to spot Roadblock (or anyone else wearing one) while he's motionless.
Mini-Gun: Roadblock's current weapon of choice, this is the sort of offense you normally only see on aircraft. This rotary barreled weapon of mass destruction inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage full-auto.
Costume:
After rejoining the Joe team, Roadblock donned a more down to earth ensemble. It includes grass green trousers, an orange padded vest, black and brown leather boots, black fingerless leather gloves, brown webbing to hold some gear, a brown leather belt, and brown wrist-bands.
His ninth uniform is like his eighth, used on his second stint with Tiger Force. It includes black trousers, an orange padded vest with black tiger stripes, black and brown leather boots, black fingerless leather gloves, green webbing, a green leather belt, and orange and black wrist-bands.
2004 Variations
Equipment:
M-60 Machine Gun (v2): Roadblock exchanged his chain gun for a M-60 for his stint with Night Force. This deadly weapon inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage in a fully automatic hail of vehicle-stopping lead.
Mini-Gun (v1): an imposing weapon, this is the sort of offense you normally only see on aircraft. This rotary barreled weapon of mass destruction inflicts Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage full-auto.
Rocket Launcher (v1): for a time, Roadblock carried a rocket launcher in the field, since you never know when you need to blow something up at a significant distance. This laser-guided (for a +1 CS to hit) launcher fires missiles with these statistics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Mn 75 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Submachine Guns (v2): complementing his rocket launcher (when not just waving his M-60 around), these weapons can be fired to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when fired continuously (or, as they say, rock 'n roll).
Costume:
Roadblock's tenth field outfit is a desert version of his eighth. It consists of khakis trousers, a khakis and white camouflaged vest, black leather boots and gloves, black knee pads, black webbing, dark green wrist-bands, and a black leather belt with a chromed GI Joe belt buckle.
When he joined the elite Night Force, Roadblock donned his eleventh field uniform. This outfit includes black and gray camouflaged pants, a green and black long-sleeved shirt, black leather boots and gloves, a black leather belt, and green webbing to hold grenades and other gear.
Roadblock's twelfth uniform is like his fourth in composition. This Anti-Venom strike force ensemble includes khakis and orange camo trousers, a dark green vest over a black T-shirt, black leather gloves, black and brown leather boots, a dark green leather belt, and black webbing.
2005 Variations
Equipment:
Assault Rifles (v2): Roadblock wielded more conventional weaponry in 2005 - albeit in an unconventional manner. He can fire both of these weapons to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when fired full auto.
The trick is he'll often fire both weapons at the same time, gaining a +1 CS to the overall damage he inflicts. The only downside is that when he does so, Roadblock suffers a -2 CS to hit his target. Of course, when firing full auto, the odds are still in your favor.
Furthermore, each rifle has an underslung accessory. His Heckler and Koch G-36 has a grenade attachment that fires explosives that inflict Remarkable (30) Edged Attack damage of a fragmentary nature, affecting everything in their detonation area equally well.
His M-16 has a shotgun attachment, which can fire birdshot to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage to everything in a thirty degree arc, buckshot to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage to adjacent targets, or slugs to inflict Excellent (20) Shooting damage to a singular foe.
Uzi 9mm (v2): complementing his much larger weaponry, Roadblock tends to use this weapon when he's not trying to completely obliterate a target. He can fire this weapon to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage in a short burst, raised to Excellent (20) when fired continuously.
Costume:
Roadblock's thirteenth costume is another variation on his first. It includes a green camouflaged tank top, yellow trousers, black leather boots, grass green leather gloves, a brown leather belt, a green helmet, and brown web gear for grenades and the like.
His fourteenth uniform is again like his fourth in composition. This outfit includes of gray camoflaged trousers, a green vest over a black T-shirt, black leather gloves, black and brown leather boots, a dark green leather belt, and black webbing to hold grenades and such.
2008 Variations
Costume:
Roadblock's fifteenth uniform is another variant on his first. It consists of orange trousers, a green and yellow camouflaged tank top, dark green leather gloves, black leather boots, a cream colored leg holster for his sidearm, and gray webbing to hold grenades and other gear.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Roadblock:
| 1984 | 1986 | 1988 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2008 |
* Note: 1993 saw two versions of Roadblock (Versions 5 and 6), as did 2003 (Versions 8 and 9), while 2004 saw three (Versions 10, 11 and 12). 2005 saw two versions of Roadblock (Versions 13 and 14).
* Note 2: while a 'Roadblock' action figure was in fact released in 2002, it included all the personal details of the Joe known as 'Double Blast'. This fellow is assuredly not Roadblock, though he used Roadblock's original, 1984 mold (both of Double Blast's figures do, actually).
Some confusion has come about as a result of this, and I don't treat this as a new Roadblock figure, but instead as a new Double Blast figure - Roadblock 2, as it were, an action figure that's likely to get a good pounding from Roadblock 1 as soon as he figures out what's up!
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