Dial-Tone
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ex 20 |
I Ex 20 |
P Ex 20 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
36 60 |
Origin:
As are most GI Joes, Dial-Tone is a normal human. He has a talent for high tech toys, but lacks inherent ascendant powers of his own. In other words, he's never been exposed to cosmic rays, occult chicanery, or been bitten by a radioactive mongoose. He gets by, though.
Known Powers:
(none)
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Communications Pack: since his primary role on the GI Joe team involves his acting as their RTO, Dial-Tone carries comm gear with him on all missions. This usually consists of a back-mounted radio with Good (10) range - 25 miles - and Remarkable (30) signal encryption.
Grenades: Dial-Tone carries several of these on missions, whether they be fragmentary (Edged Attack damage), incendiary (SD Energy damage), or even just tear gas (Stunning effect). His grenades work at Remarkable (30) rank, affecting everything within their current area.
Knife: Dial-Tone usually has at least one blade on him, most often contained in a boot sheath for easy access. This blade is built from Incredible (40) m.s. metals, can cut through materials of up to like m.s., and allows Dial-Tone to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee.
Sidearm: because it never hurts to have a backup, Dial-Tone typically has this weapon handy on the job. He can discharge a single round with his handgun to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage, or a semi-automatic burst of such to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage.
Submachine Gun: in addition to whatever other gear he has on a mission, Dial-Tone can use this weapon to discharge one round, inflicting Typical (6) Shooting damage, Good (10) Shooting damage in a small burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a fully automatic spread.
Quirks:
(none)
Talents:
Electronics: Dial-Tone has been taking electronic devices apart, and putting them back together again, since he was a child. He's a whiz with all manner of electronic devices, and should receive a +1 CS on any FEAT required when building, repairing, or modifying them.
Guns: along with everyone else in the modern military, Dial-Tone mastered this talent in his Basic Training. Whenever he's wielding a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, Dial-Tone may do so as though his Agility was +1 CS higher than is listed above.
Martial Arts type B: another skill Dial-Tone picked up in Basic Training, this talent represents Dial-Tone's ability to defend himself without weapons. In unarmed melee, Dial-Tone may launch any attack, whether it be a punch, kick, head butt, or whatever, at his Fighting rank +1 CS.
Military / United States: though he enlisted as a means to an end, Dial-Tone found he enjoyed the military life. As such, he's happy to hone his understanding of military protocols and procedures, as this allows him to also further his knowledge of radio technology!
Contacts:
As a member of GI Joe, Dial-Tone can naturally rely upon his allies should he require their assistance. After all, he's the one that usually calls in backup, extractions, and so forth. Of course, the man has several additional contacts in military and amateur radio circles, as well.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's first field uniform includes black trousers, a long-sleeved, collared khakis shirt under a green vest, silver wrist bands, green leather boots and knee pads, black leather gloves, web gear, holsters, pouches, and sheathes, a brown leather belt, and a black beret.
His second uniform, worn on certain special missions, consists of red trousers, a long-sleeved, collared black shirt under a brown vest, silver wrist bands, green-gray leather boots, knee pads, web gear, holsters, pouches, and sheathes, a brown leather belt, and a black beret.
Personality:
Dial-Tone enjoys his job as a radio operator as it allows him to engage in his hobby, all while performing a worthwhile job. At first, he didn't seem at home as a Joe, but Dial-Tone quickly came into his own both on and off the field, and can definitely carry his own weight.
Real Name: Jack S. Morelli, grade E-4 (later E-6)
Occupation: radio telecommunications expert
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: 5' 10"
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Weight: 170 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Dial-Tone usually wears a moustache while on the job - though not always.
Story:
Dial-Tone has always enjoyed tinkering with electronic devices. He'd made his first crystal set by the time he was ten, and had his very own ham radio station by the time he was sixteen. He even built his own equipment, doing so with money saved bagging groceries after school!
Dial-Tone truly loved his hobby, and figured the easiest way he could get more education in such matters was through the Army as a RTO - free college, and all that. Once he had enlisted, though, Dial-Tone quickly found that the job he'd applied for was a worth-while calling.
This caused Dial-Tone to both enjoy his job and what it meant, making him highly effective at what he does. As such, when GI Joe expanded to the extent that they needed to supplement the already overworked Breaker, Dial-Tone found himself at the top of the candidate list.
Upon making it through the brutal GI Joe entrance exam, Dial-Tone was quickly put to work on the team. His first mission saw him in Brazil on a team with Clutch, Recondo, and Roadblock, where they mixed it up with several MOSSAD operative and some bonafide Nazis!
Dial-Tone played a vital role in most GI Joe operations afterwards, working with Breaker to keep the team synched at all times. Sure, other Joes such as Airwave and Dee-Jay were almost as qualified, but one of these two seemed to be attached to almost every GI Joe field mission.
Not content to simply call in backup while his fellows were under fire, Dial-Tone grew more proficient as a combat over the years. He's seen more than his fair share of action in his time, even testing out experimental GI Joe sonic weaponry in the field when asked to.
Serving as one of the Joes' Sonic Fighters for over a year, Dial-Tone returned to his regular job with the team only to see his good friend Breaker killed in action in the desert nation of Benzheen. After this tragic event, he became the regular 'face' of GI Joe communications.
(Historical Divergence)
Continuing on in this role until GI Joe's deactivation late in 1994, Dial-Tone then retired from the military, and began his electronics career in earnest. Developing and patenting several new technologies, he either sold or licensed them to make make himself a considerable fortune.
Most of these developments were, of course, utilized by the Mainframe's software company, and the two former Joes did a lot of lucrative business together. They were perfectly happy as techno-moguls, and would've continued in that capacity if GI Joe hadn't come calling again.
Reformed after the threat Cobra once again became too much for the government to ignore, the GI Joe team needed a strong core of inventors to level the playing field against their mortal enemies. After all, much of Cobra's high command consists of literal mad scientists!
Working for the military once more, Dial-Tone and Mainframe jointly developed the team's Joe-Com wrist units, along with several other bizarre devices that were less useful in the field. Furthermore, Dial-Tone helped Mainframe to design a new headquarters: the Rock.
Though sidelined when the GI Joe team was greatly streamlined by the government, Dial-Tone nonetheless answered the call to help his brethren when asked, particularly after Mainframe was killed in action during the second Cobra Island Civil War. He developed a bit of a grudge, you see.
After Cobra was seemingly stamped out a third and final time, in the wake of World War III, Dial-Tone presumably continued his work with the Joes. He's helping them to round up those members of the organization that had, at least thus far, managed to escape justice.
1990 Variations
Equipment:
Grenade Launcher: in the early nineties, Dial-Tone began carrying this weapon on the job. It can be used to lob grenades (like those listed above) at anybody within a three area range. Considering the area effect that grenades have, this makes him very dangerous in combat.
Laser Pistol: another weapon he picked up at the dawn of the nineties, while testing out advanced combat gear for the Joes, this pistol can be fired to inflict Typical (6) Armor Piercing Energy damage per blast. This weapon can be discharged ten times before it must be recharged.
Sonic Cannon: this advanced weapon generates tightly focused sound waves that inflict Excellent (20) Force or Energy damage, depending on its setting. This device is energized by a large power pack mounted on Dial-Tone's back, and can fire ten shots before it needs to be recharged.
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's third Joe uniform is a variation on his first, comprised of blue trousers, a long-sleeved, collared gray shirt under a black vest, silver wrist bands, a black leather belt, boots, knee pads, gloves, pouches, holsters, and sheathes, silver web gear, and a black beret.
1994 Variations
Equipment:
Helmet: shortly before the GI Joe team was temporarily disbanded, Dial-Tone adopted the use of a helmet while in the field; this, of course, because he had become much more 'into' the action of late. This helmet provides him Good (10) protection from attacks striking him in the head.
Rocket Launcher: adopted in the late nineties, this weapon can fire large projectiles at a foe, hitting anybody within Dial-Tone's line-of-sight. Even deadlier than his grenade launcher, this weapon emits sonic missiles that possess of the following characteristics:
| C Ex 20 |
S Am 50 |
B Ex 20 |
Damage Rm 30 Force Damage |
XML-3000 Laser Rifle: while he tested this weapon out during his Sonic Fighter days, Dial-Tone didn't adopt it fully for several years. He can fire the XML-3000 to inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage per blast, doing so ten times before it must be recharged.
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's fourth suit is an all-new affair. It includes brown slacks, a blue T-shirt, green leather gloves, a green leather belt, black leather boots, black pouches for his gear, a blue helmet, and a rather large, yellow electronics package that replaces his backpack in this uniform.
2000 Variations
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's fifth field uniform is similar to his first three. It consists of olive drab trousers, a long-sleeved, collared olive drab shirt, olive drab knee pads, an olive drab beret, a brown leather belt, brown leather boots, and brown holsters, pouches, sheathes, and web gear.
2002 Variations
Equipment:
M-203 Machine Gun: this cool firearm is one Dial-Tone picked up recently. Mechanically speaking, this weapon functions like the submachine gun and grenade launcher listed above, all combined into one incredibly lethal package with which to smite Dial-Tone's enemies.
Rocket Launcher: Dial-Tone started occasionally carrying rocket launchers during missions in the nineties, a habit he irregularly pursues to this day. This one-shot rocket propelled grenade fires a vehicle-busting projectile represented by the following characteristics:
| C Gd 10 |
S In 40 |
B Gd 10 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's sixth field uniform is another variant on his first. It is comprised of black trousers, a long-sleeved, collared olive drab shirt under a green vest, a black leather belt, gloves, web gear, pouches, and holsters, deep green boots and knee pads, and a black beret.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
AWE Striker (v1): though normally a passenger on the job and not a driver, Dial-Tone turned in his rocket propelled grenade for the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of this rugged off-road engine of destruction. This GI Joe vehicle is described fully in its own entry.
M-203 Machine Gun (v2): this cool firearm is one Dial-Tone picked up recently. Mechanically speaking, this weapon functions like the submachine gun and grenade launcher listed above, all combined into one incredibly lethal package with which to smite Dial-Tone's enemies.
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's seventh field uniform is almost identical to his sixth. It includes black trousers, a long-sleeved, collared olive drab shirt under a green vest, a black leather belt, gloves, web gear, pouches, and holsters, deep green boots and knee pads, and a black beret.
His eighth, Tiger Force ensemble consists of black trousers, orange and black 'tiger striped' boots and knee pads, a collared, deep blue shirt under an orange and black 'tiger striped' vest, a black beret, black gloves and web gear, and various black and silvered pouches and holsters.
2011 Variations
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's ninth GI Joe field uniform is comprised of a black jacket over a red T-shirt, brown trousers, olive drab leather boots and fingerless gloves, olive drab web gear, sheathes, and holsters to hold his gear, a leather belt, and his signature black beret.
His tenth uniform is almost identical to his first, and includes black trousers, a long-sleeved, collared khakis shirt under a green vest, silver wrist bands, green leather boots and knee pads, a black leather belt, gloves, web gear, holsters, pouches, and sheathes, and a black beret.
2015 Variations
Talents:
Advanced Guns: while he was trained in the use of conventional firearms by the Army, Dial-Tone found that as a member of GI Joe, he needed to master the advanced stuff, as well. To this end, he's trained extensively in the use of directed energy weaponry, wielding it at a +1 CS.
Costume:
Dial-Tone's second Tiger Force uniform consists of black trousers, a brown collared, long-sleeved shirt under a black and orange, 'tiger-striped' vest, brown leather boots, a black leather belt, gloves, and web gear, black and orange knee pads, silver wrist bands, and his black beret.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Dial-Tone:
| 1986 | 1990 | 1994 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2011 | 2015 |
* Note: 1986 saw two versions of Dial-Tone (Versions 1 and 2), as did 2003 (Versions 7 and 8), and 2011 (Versions 9 and 10).
Return to the Tiger Force main page!
Interested in using Technoholic content in your own project? Please read this beforehand!