Tele-Vipers
| Strength 5d * |
Agility 4d * |
Intellect 6d |
Willpower 4d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
2 (10) 0 |
* Tele-Vipers generally have either Boxing or Martial Arts as a skill, but not both - unless they are exceptional operatives. If a Tele-Viper goes with Boxing, he or she will have a d code for both Strength and Agility; this is the standard Tele-Viper's choice for the most part.
On the other hand, if he or she goes with Martial Arts, the Tele-Viper in question will have an x code for Strength and a c code for Agility.
Origin:
Cobras who show a predilection for the operation and maintenance of electronics often find their way into the ranks of the Tele-Vipers. These specialized soldiers are the telecommunications experts amongst Cobra's forces, with one usually serving in each Cobra facility.
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances / Augmentations:
(none)
Equipment:
Communications Gear (i): Tele-Vipers all wear a back-mounted radio transceiver, which allows them to send and receive audio, video, and data between themselves and another subject, most often a Tele-Viper stationed near the person or facility they need to communicate with.
Generally, this system can operate within a 25 mile range, as it functions at intensity 5, but this assumes a given Tele-Viper is on the surface. Should they transmit from higher ground, they can greatly increase their effective range, generally doubling it.
Tele-Vipers typically transmit in an encrypted fashion, their transceivers capable of encoding and decoding Cobra signals of up to intensity 10 complexity. They can broadcast 'in the clear', however, allowing anyone privy to their current frequencies to view their transmissions.
They can also prevent communications instead of facilitating them. Tele-Viper gear can jam radio transmissions with intensity 8 ability, preventing the radio equipment of others from operating within their broadcast vicinity, should they so choose.
While jamming conventional communications, Tele-Vipers can transmit and receive signals using alternate methods. Their equipment can make use of microwave or laser transception when necessary, giving them line-of-sight range to share information with others.
Finally, a Tele-Viper can see what he or she is sending and receiving through a heads-up display in their eyewear, wired to them through their helmets. This makes it a lot easier for them to broadcast signals that will be appealing to those watching on monitors.
Helmet (s): in addition to serving as a mount for their twin microphones, the helmet that Tele-Vipers wear serves to protect their heads from combat injuries. They provide these non-combatant Cobras intensity 8 (+2) defense against assaults striking them in the cranium.
Knife (s): though they rarely have reason to use them, Tele-Vipers are nonetheless issued blades with their standard gear. These m.s. 12 implements can be used to inflict +2 slashing damage in melee, or to cut through items of up to like m.s.
Sidearm (a): though primarily serving in a non-combat capacity, Tele-Vipers are nonetheless armed, even if lightly. Their sidearm can be discharged to inflict their Agility +4 in damage in a single shot, raised to +5 damage in a semi-automatic burst.
Skills:
Boxing (s): some Tele-Vipers, instead of working at punching harder, will insted focus on hitting faster. These Tele-Vipers may divide their pre-card play action score between two attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Guns (a): all Cobra operatives can effectively discharge a firearm, and Tele-Vipers are no exception to this rule. They may wield standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifles or pistols at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary.
Martial Arts (a): some Tele-Vipers, instead of working at punching faster, will instead focus on hitting harder. These Tele-Vipers may reduce the difficulty of actions intended to dodge attacks, catch thrown weapons, or strike in melee combat, by one difficulty level.
Military (w): Cobra's organization mimics that of a real military, though discipline is... sketchy, at best. Nonetheless, Tele-Vipers are well-versed in how the group's byzantine rank structure works, and can command Cobra operatives in the field if they must.
Electronics (i): not only are Tele-Vipers effective radio telecommunications operators, they can also design, build, maintain, and repair any electronics gear. They may attempt to complete such actions at one difficulty level lower than is normally required.
Contacts:
As vital Cobra operatives, Tele-Vipers can theoretically rely upon their fellows for assistance, especially since they're often the difference between life and death in the field. If it would serve Cobra's interests to let a Tele-Viper down, though, they'll do so in a heartbeat.
Calling:
Various Callings: the vast majority of Tele-Vipers joined Cobra for their own, evil purposes, so choose a villainous calling and go with it! Nominally, Tele-Viipers are motivated by Greed for material possessions or aspirations of World Domination, but really, anything goes.
Costume:
The Tele-Viper uniform consists of a short sleeved Cobra blue work shirt under a purple padded vest, baggy Cobra blue trousers, purple leather boots, a black leather belt, various purple gear pouches, a Cobra blue radio headset, a Cobra blue helmet, and silvered goggles.
Notes:
Tele-Vipers maintain Cobra electronics in addition to their role as radio operators, and often serve vital roles in that organization's criminal schemes, whether setting up illicit call centers or actually telephoning unsuspecting citizens to bilk them of their cash.
Though an uncommon, non-combat role for Cobra, Tele-Vipers are filled with the ranks of former Cobras, or even the older Cobra Technicians, who seemed a good fit for the role. Those Tele-Vipers who crave more combat in their day often move on to become Techno-Vipers.
1989 Variations
Equipment:
Wraith Suit (i): the primary benefit of being a member of the Python Patrol, other than the increase in pay, is that Tele-Vipers who join are given a wraith suit. This ensemble makes them invisible to infrared scanners and radio wave detectors with intensity 15 ability.
Costume:
Tele-Viper Python Patrol uniforms include a yellow short sleeved shirt beneath a pythonized padded vest, baggy gray pythonized trousers, black leather boots, a red leather belt, various pythonized pouches, a black radio headset, a yellow helmet, and red goggles.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
Grenade Launcher (i): occasionally, a Tele-Viper will carry much heavier ordnance, because why not? This weapon can fire grenades as far away as far missile distance from its wielder, which explode on contact to inflict intensity 10 fragmentary damage to uncovered targets.
Costume:
Third generation Tele-Viper uniforms consist of a purple short sleeved shirt beneath a blue padded vest, baggy purple trousers, gray leather boots, a gray leather belt, various blue, yellow, and gray pouches, a gray helmet, and gray goggles.
2004 Variations
Equipment:
Grenade Launcher (i): occasionally, a Tele-Viper will carry much heavier ordnance, because why not? This weapon can fire grenades as far away as far missile distance from its wielder, which explode on contact to inflict intensity 10 fragmentary damage to uncovered targets.
Wraith Suit (i): the primary benefit of being a member of the Python Patrol, other than the increase in pay, is that Tele-Vipers who join are given a wraith suit. This ensemble makes them invisible to infrared scanners and radio wave detectors with intensity 15 ability.
Costume:
The second Tele-Viper Python Patrol uniform features a gray short sleeved shirt beneath a pythonized padded vest, baggy gray trousers, black leather boots, a black leather belt, various pythonized pouches, a gray helmet, and gray goggles.
2005 Variations
Equipment:
Shotgun (a): every now and then, a Tele-Viper adopts the use of a shotgun. These weapons fire birdshot that inflicts their Agility +4 in damage in a sixty degree arc, buckshot to inflict their Agility +5 in damage to adjacent targets, or slugs to cause their Agility +6 in damage to a single foe.
Costume:
The fifth Tele-Viper uniform is similar to the first, consisting of a short sleeved Cobra blue work shirt under a purple padded vest, baggy Cobra blue trousers, blue leather boots, a purple leather belt, various purple gear pouches, a Cobra blue helmet, and gray goggles.
2008 Variations
Equipment:
Cold Weather Gear (v2) (s): when assisting Cobra units active in the polar regions of the earth, Tele-Vipers wear gear designed to keep them warm. Their heavy coats and padded trousers allow them intensity 8 (+2) resistance against adverse, cold weather conditions.
Flight Pod (v1) (i): a vehicle that went into service about the time they themselves started appearing during Cobra actions, the Flight Pod, or 'Trubble Bubble', is a great way for Tele-Vipers to achieve greater transception range, and is described in its own entry.
Submachine Gun (a):Submachine Gun (v2): Tele-Vipers are expected to pull more weight within cold weather squads. These weapons can be fired to inflict one's Agility +4 in damage in a single shot, raised to +5 when fired semi-automatic, or +6 when fired fully automatic.
Costume:
The sixth Tele-Viper uniform includes a short sleeved Cobra blue work shirt under a purple padded vest, Cobra blue trousers, black leather boots, a black leather belt, various purple gear pouches, a Cobra blue radio headset, a Cobra blue helmet, and a silver visor.
Their cold weather gear, on the other hand, consists of a heavy gray overcoat, Cobra blue trousers, gray leather boots, black leather gloves, a black leather belt, various gear pouches, a Cobra blue radio headset, a Cobra blue helmet, and a silver visor.
2011 Variations
Equipment:
Submachine Gun (a): when assigned to Python Patrol units these days, Tele-Vipers are a lot more heavily armed. These weapons can be fired to inflict one's Agility +4 in damage in a single shot, raised to +5 when fired semi-automatic, or +6 when fired fully automatic.
Wraith Suit (i): the primary benefit of being a member of the Python Patrol, other than the increase in pay, is that Tele-Vipers who join are given a wraith suit. This ensemble makes them invisible to infrared scanners and radio wave detectors with intensity 15 ability.
Costume:
The eighth Tele-Viper uniform is their third Python Patrol ensemble, having a yellow short sleeved shirt beneath a pythonized padded vest, gray pythonized trousers, black leather boots, a red leather belt, gray leather gloves, a black radio headset, a yellow helmet, and a red visor.
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of Tele-Vipers:
| 1985 | 1989 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2008 | 2011 |
* Note: 2008 saw two versions of the Tele-Viper (Versions 6 and 7).
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