Leatherneck
| F Ex 20 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Ex 20 |
R Gd 10 |
I Ex 20 |
P Ex 20 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Sh 0 |
| Health: Karma: |
56 50 |
Origin:
Like the vast majority of his fellow GI Joes, Leatherneck is nothing but a normal human, albeit an exceptionally loud one. He lacks ascendant powers altogether, having avoided genetic mutations, scientific mishaps, divine providence, and any other inexplicable happenstance.
Known Powers:
(none)
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Grenades: Leatherneck always carries grenades while on the job, just in case his M-203 is indisposed. These explosives will inflict Remarkable (30) Edged Attack (fragmentary) damage to whoever Leatherneck chucks 'em at, as well as everyone else in their target area.
Knife: you never know when you'll need to cut a rope, parachute strap, or even a Cobra operative. Made from Incredible (40) m.s. materials, this serrated blade can cut through materials of up to like m.s., and can be used to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee.
M-16: his personal favorite, Leatherneck can discharge a single shot with this firearm to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage, a three-round burst of ammunition to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage, or fire continuously to inflict Excellent (20) Shooting damage.
What's more, it is equipped with an underslung M-203 grenade launcher. This accessory chucks grenades anywhere within three areas of Leatherneck's current location, explosives which inflict damage identical to his individual grenades, listed above.
Smith & Wesson Revolver: something of a non-standard military personal piece these days, this weapon is nonetheless one that Leatherneck feels comfortable with as a backup for his M-16. In battle, he can fire it to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage with each deadly shot.
Quirks:
Temper: in addition to being generally unpleasant to be around, Leatherneck also has a very short temper. He easily gets in shouting matches over the smallest things, and must pass a Psyche FEAT roll at -2 CS to keep his cool in stressful situations.
Talents:
Education: a Marine drill instructor, Leatherneck knows how to hammer lessons into somebody's head, no matter how obstinate they happen to be. This is because his skill in Marine matters, in addition to his incredibly stubborn attitude, makes him an effective educator.
Guns: one of those basic skills the Marines instill within their troops, Leatherneck has the almost innate ability to wield firearms in battle. Whether brandishing a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, Leatherneck can do so as if his Agility was +1 CS in rank.
Marksman: in addition to his skill with firearms, Leatherneck is also well-versed in the use of heavier weaponry, such as his M-16's grenade launcher. Not only does he receive a +1 CS when firing such weapons, but Leatherneck suffers no range penalties with this hardware.
Martial Arts type B: a true brawler at heart, Leatherneck has shown a prowess for hitting things over the years above and beyond that of your garden variety Marine. Whether punching, kicking, head-butting, or anything similar, Leatherneck may do so at his Fighting score +1 CS.
Military / United States: having made his beloved Marines a way of life, Leatherneck has this talent as a general matter of course. In addition to acting as an 'origin' for his other skills, this talent provides him additional military contacts, and an understanding of military protocols.
Contacts:
Like the rest of his fellows, Leatherneck can call upon the entire GI Joe team for assistance in a pinch, since the only time he's likely to need it is when he's on a mission. He's also got innumerable contacts in the Marines, since he was a drill instructor there for years.
Costume:
Leatherneck's first GI Joe field uniform consists of green and brown camouflage trousers, a similarly hued collared, long-sleeved shirt under a tan and green vest, black leather boots, holsters, and web gear, a black leather belt, and a green Marines cap.
His second uniform, worn on special occasions, is a variation on his first. It is comprised of tan trousers, a collared, long-sleeved tan shirt beneath a dark brown vest, a tan Marines cap, black leather boots, holsters, and web gear, and a brown leather belt.
Personality:
The man is an uncouth, opinionated, and overbearing animal. He'd just as soon fight than talk. And he has no patience at all with the indecisive, the lazy, and the dishonest. Men that have gone through his training say they'd rather crawl over broken glass than be on his bad side.
Real Name: Wendell A. Metzger, grade E-7 (Gunnery Sergeant)
Occupation: drill sergeant, infantryman
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'
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Weight: 180 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Leatherneck usually wears a thick, bushy moustache whenever active as a Joe.
Story:
Leatherneck has a long history in the Marines - he's the quintessential 'Jar Head'. He's been the meanest corporal in Gitmo, the roughest tech sergeant in the 1st Recon Battalion in 'Nam, the toughest drill sergeant on Parris Island, and hardest gunny in Camp Lejeune.
The man was born hard, having been downright mean before joining the Corps, and would have been almost as nasty had he not become a Marine. Almost. The Marines just managed to focus Leatherneck's meanness into a laser-like intensity of raw, coarse surliness - and how!
While bad-tempered and highly opinionated, Leatherneck is also highly motivated, and he mastered most infantry functions before anyone else in his boot camp. Heck, he was usually awake before his drill sergeant, getting ready for the day long before his fellow recruits.
This intense focus on all things Marine got Leatherneck noticed, and this earned him a place on the GI Joe team - they are always on the lookout for the military's best, after all. With his personality, though, it didn't take him too long to get noticed there, either.
Leatherneck's continual ranting on the superiority of the Marines finds itself constantly challenged by his Navy counterpart, Wet-Suit, who joined the Joes at the same time. While these two Joes have different specialties and histories, they are far more alike than they will ever admit.
And despite the fact that these two are always engaged in shouting matches, they're nonetheless friends, and have saved each other's lives on more occasions than they can count. They remained antagonistic friends, in fact, until the Joe team was disbanded in '94.
(Historical Divergence)
What Leatherneck did while GI Joe was inactive is unknown, but Cobra didn't rest while the Joes were shut down. When the group reformed years later, Leatherneck eventually rejoined, though he didn't do so as early as the others; it took him awhile, but he eventually showed up.
And just in time for World War III! A plan years in the making, Cobra finally attempted its mass invasion of every major world power in an attempt to take over the entire globe in one fell swoop. Thanks to Leatherneck and his compatriots, however, this plot failed spectacularly.
With Cobra broken up yet again, Leatherneck is presumably staying on with the GI Joe team, helping them to round up all the Cobra operatives who managed to escape in the wake of their latest, greatest failure.
Note:
Personality snippet written by Larry Hama (albeit slightly condensed by me)!
1993 Variations
Equipment:
Rocket Launcher: something he used for a time in the nineties, this heavy duty offensive item allows Leatherneck to fire small (yet deadly) rockets at his many Cobra foes. Aided by an infra-red targeter (for a +1 CS to hit), these rockets have the following characteristics:
| C Gd 10 |
S Am 50 |
B Gd 10 |
Damage Rm 30 Edged Attack |
Semi-Automatic Shotgun: Leatherneck can inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage in a sixty degree arc when firing birdshot, Good (10) Shooting damage to adjacent targets when firing buckshot, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage to a single foe when firing slugs.
The above assumes standard ammumition, of course, instead of the more fancy shells in production today. Furthermore, this shotgun is semi-automatic, and when firing in this fashion, Leatherneck can add a +1 CS to the already devastating damage he inflicts while doing so.
Costume:
Leatherneck's third GI Joe outfit includes yellow and brown camouflage trousers, a brown collared, long sleeve shirt over a yellow T-shirt, brown leather boots, a yellow belt, yellow holsters and web gear to hold various supplies, and a brown Marine Ranger hat.
2001 Variations
Equipment:
Helmet: a recent addition to his equipment roster, this headgear helps Leatherneck to stay alive in combat. When worn, it offers his cranium Good (10) protection from attack. While he usually doesn't bother with helmets, he seems to while operating the Mobile Command Center.
Costume:
Upon rejoining the Joes, Leatherneck adopted a new uniform. This one has the same brown leather belts, straps, and holsters his previous uniform did, adding brown leather gloves, black trousers, a green T-shirt, and a practical green helmet to replace his usual Marine caps.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
Helmet: a recent addition to his equipment roster, this headgear helps Leatherneck to stay alive in combat. When worn, it offers his cranium Good (10) protection from attack. While he usually doesn't bother with helmets, he seems to while driving the Mobile Command Center.
Mobile Command Center: when the Joes recommissioned the MCC, they gave Leatherneck the job of operating them. These vehicles are several stories high, and not all that maneuverable, but have more than enough firepower to compensate. They're described in their own entry.
Costume:
Leatherneck's fifth GI Joe ensemble is the same as his fourth. This one has the same brown leather belts, straps, and holsters his third field uniform did, adding brown leather gloves, black trousers, a green T-shirt, and a practical green helmet to replace his usual Marine caps.
2004 Variations
Equipment:
Defense Mech: Leatherneck traded his usual gear in for something even better in '04 - fire power that walks! This oversized, armed and armored suit transforms Leatherneck from an ordinary Marine into an ambulatory engine of wanton destruction, and is described in its own entry.
Helmet: a recent addition to his equipment roster, this headgear helps Leatherneck to stay alive in combat. When worn, it offers his cranium Good (10) protection from attack. While he usually doesn't bother with helmets, he seems to while piloting his Defense Mech.
Costume:
Leatherneck's sixth uniform consists of an olive drab vest over an olive drab, sleeveless T-shirt, a pair of olive drab trousers, an olive drab helmet, light brown leather boots and gloves, light brown leather belts and holsters, and a pair of mirrored black sunglasses.
2008 Variations
Equipment:
the AWE Striker: because he's shown a predilection for operating various vehicles in combat over the years, Leatherneck was given his very own AWE Striker in '08, one with a tan color scheme to match his current uniform! The AWE Striker is described in its own vehicular entry.
Costume:
Leatherneck's seventh uniform is a variation on his second, and is comprised of tan trousers, a long-sleeved, collared tan shirt under a brown vest, a tan Marines cap, brown leather boots and holsters, a black leather belt, black web gear, and a brown spaulder.
2011 Variations
Costume:
Leatherneck's eighth uniform is a variation on his first, and includes a long-sleeved, collared shirt, trousers, and a Marines cap, all in green and brown camouflage, a brown, pouch-laden vest, brown knee pads, black leather boots and holsters, and a black leather belt.
2014 Variations
Equipment:
Machine Gun: when his M-16 just can't cut it, Leathernet breaks out this beast. He can discharge this heavy weapon to inflict Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short, controlled burst, or Remarkable (30) Shooting damage when firing it continuously at his foes.
Costume:
Leatherneck's ninth uniform is another variation on his first, and is comprised of an long-sleeved, collared olive drab shirt, green camouflage trousers, a green Marines cap, a green and tan, pouch-laden vest, a black leather belt, and black leather boots, gloves, and holsters.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Leatherneck:
| 1986 | 1993 | 2001 | 2003 | 2004 | 2008 | 2011 | 2014 |
* Note: 1986 saw two versions of Leatherneck: His standard figure (Version 1), and his Special Missions: Brazil figure (Version 2).
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