Cobra's Motorized Micro-Accessories
Cobra operatives began to have access to numerous miniature, motorized accessories in 1987, equipment which can be hauled into place and put to use by any of these villains on the go. This can be accomplished by loading them on a vehicle or simply carrying them on one's back, like unto a two-legged mule. While they are versatile, they come in pieces; in other words, 'some assembly required'.
1987 Micro-Accessories
Earth Borer
While Cobra's Buzz Boar provides the organization the ability to quickly burrow through earth for numerous tactical purposes, its use is sometimes impractical for various reasons. To this end, when Cobras need to devise a tunnel in a less aggressive fashion, or simply aren't as pressed for the speed of a Buzz Boar, they unpack one or more of the Earth Borer.
Light enough that it can be hauled into position by a stronger member of Cobra on their back, the Earth Borer is, well, a miniaturized boring device. When ready for use, it can be positioned on the ground or before a rock face, and may then begin to bore a tunnel as its operator sees fit. Such tunnels are transient at best, and only last more than a few feet behind it unless manually bolstered by a construction crew.
The Earth Borer can burrow through solid surfaces per rank value 40 super digging, though it can only move at a speed of 'as fast as its handlers can physically move it forward'. So, approximately walking speed. The Earth Borer itself has an effective m.v. of 30, though its drill bit is a lot more durable, having a material value of 40.
Mountain Climber
Since most of its operatives are neither qualified or brave enough to engage in mountain climbing unaided, Cobra has developed the Mountain Climber to sidestep this limitation. Those Cobras who need to traverse mountainous terrain can carry this unit as an oversized backpack when not actively in use, and then unfold it on the ground, firing a hook attached to a rope to ascend a vertical (or mostly so) surface.
The Mountain Climber can support up to three hundred pounds as it ascends a mountain, building, or other vertical plane - this on top of its own weight. This gives the device an effective Brawn trait of 10 for this purpose, hauling a maximum weight of four hundred pounds upwards. This can be exceeded per a normal Brawn ACT, but failure will cause the device to fail - possibly in a spectacularly fatal fashion.
Built rather ruggedly, the Mountain Climber has a material value of 20. Its design is such that it provides its operator partial cover regardless of what mode it is currently in. As a backpack, it provides -1 RS (or rank value 10) body armor to the upper body of the Cobra carrying it, while when unfolded to perform its designated function, it offers like body armor to their lower body.
Pom-Pom Gun
The Pom-Pom Gun is a large unit that can turn any Cobra operative into an anti-armor specialist in mere moments! It consists of two, well, pom-pom guns, which when fired alternate between the left and right barrels. The recoil of each barrel, upon firing, ejects the spent casing of the round it just discharged, allowing the mechanism to load another round without operator supervision.
Firing high-explosive armor piercing (HEAP) ammunition, each barrel of the Pom-Pom Gun has a relatively low rate of fire, its two barrels achieving an effective firing rate equal to conventional machine guns. However, its devastating ammunition allows it to inflict rank value 30 AP Piercing damage with each burst, which it can manage once per turn.
The Pom-Pom Gun can be carried by Cobra operatives wherever it is needed on their back, and rapidly folded out into a firing position on the ground. Alternately, a strong Cobra can instead fire it while it is strapped onto their back, though this can be incredibly taxing, the gun and its water-coolant system rapidly sapping both their strength and relative accuracy from the strain.
Rope Crosser
Once Cobra has access to a remote location, possibly as a result of using the Mountain Climber, they can cross from their current location to that one by utilizing the Rope Crosser. Like Cobra's other micro-accessories, these miniature vehicles can be worn like an oversized backpack when not in use, or alternately when being carried into position by one of the organization's more muscular minions.
Once ready for use, a rope line can be fed through the device, and it will traverse its length when activated. The Cobra taking a ride on the Rope Crosser sits below it, suspended above the terrain on a thick canvas seat, allowing them to perform other duties while making their crossing - whether mapping enemy locations for later assaults or firing on them immediately. As a vehicle, the Rope Crosser behaves as follows:
| Handling RV 2 |
Velocity RV 2 |
Durability RV 10 |
Protection RV 0 |
1988 Micro-Accessories
Battle Axe
As is their wont, the Dreadnoks stole GI Joe and Cobra's idea for miniature combat mechanisms and ran with it, producing an example of dubious utility. The Battle Axe is a contraption that can be used to hack away at obstacles before its operator, using an automated, two-handed battle axe - hence the name. Ostensibly, it can be set up to cut through barbed wire and other impediments to Dreadnok chicanery.
The axe itself is manufactured from m.v. 30 materials, but it can't usually hack its way through items of like m.v., as it engages in an overhead chopping motion instead of a sawing action, by design. Generally it can inflict rank value 10 Slashing damage each time it cleaves through someone or something, but it can do so without tiring, the chopping action continuing until the device runs out of fuel.
The oversized mechanism of the Battle Axe has an m.v. of 20, and this is the rank value one must attempt operations checks against incoming damage or difficult situations (such as grit or detritus getting jammed in its inner workings). It can be set up to cut a specific object in front of a Dreadnok, or worn as a highly offensive backpack, attacking on its own while its Dreadnok performs other combat tasks.
Gyrocopter
When Cobra can't land larger aircraft at a given location, they often break out the crates holding their Gyrocopters, and get to work! Before they've been unpacked and assembled, Gyrocopters can be carried like an oversized backpack by Cobra operatives. They can then drop it on the ground, fold out its control surfaces and pilot's seat, and then fly themselves wherever they need to go!
The Gyrocopter isn't particularly fast, ferrying itself and whoever is operating it at a meager 54.54 per hour. This rank value 4 flight definitely beats entering or exiting a location on foot, particularly where extreme altitudes are involved. And while it is unarmed, the Gyrocopter's sole purpose is to deliver a Cobra somewhere, at which point they can wield their own weapons. The Gyrocopter functions as follows:
| Handling RV 6 |
Velocity RV 4 |
Durability RV 10 |
Protection RV 0 |
Machine Gun Nest
Most Cobra operatives don't carry or train in the use of particularly heavy firearms, generally wielding whatever gear is specific to their specialty and/or current mission. However, when the organization knows its minions are going to need a whole lot more firepower than they usually have at hand, they crack open the Machine Gun Nest crates, and dispense these contraptions to the troops!
Cobras can carry these heavy duty weapons strapped to their back when not in use, ostensibly when on the way to some operation or another - or perhaps returning to base after one. Though heavy, a fit enough Cobra can haul these into the field easily enough, giving them considerable offensive capability - with a bit of built-in cover to help keep them alive, no less.
When set up, the Machine Gun Nest can be fired to inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage in a short, controlled burst of ammunition, or rank value 30 Piercing damage when firing continuously. Thanks to the built-in stabilizer legs, recoil isn't an issue when operating this weapon, and the additional shields it provides allows a prone Cobra operative the benefit of rank value 20 cover, as well!
Rocket Sled
While Cobra's Gyrocopter is designed to help its operatives to travel to locations that are otherwise vertically out of reach, or at least inconvenient, their Rocket Sled is intended to help them cross vast swathes of territory in a hurry. A minimal ride, the Rocket Sled is literally a small jet engine on wheels, which ostensibly has handlebars to steer, but in practice they're just to desperately hang on.
Once a Cobra straddles the Rocket Sled and fires it up, they can careen across the landscape at reckless speeds, reaching a velocity of up to 272.73 miles per hour. Carried via a backpack strap when not in use, one could utilize the Rocket Sled as a makeshift jetpack if desperate, though steering isn't an option in this mode - but burned legs are quite likely. The Rocket Sled has these characteristics:
| Handling RV 4 |
Velocity RV 40 |
Durability RV 20 |
Protection RV 0 |
Twin Missile Radar
A perfect complement for their Pom-Pom Guns, Cobra's Twin Missile Radar is an instant anti-aircraft station! This device can be folded up to be carried like an oversized backpack by a strong Cobra operative when not in use, only to be dropped in an instant to menace any aircraft operating within the area it is active. And rest assured, the Twin Missile Radar is devastating in this regard.
Its miniature radar functions with rank value 20 ability, identifying targets within one hundred miles of itself - assuming it is positioned in a high enough location. If on level ground, it is limited by the curvature of the earth, and ground targets can only be identified within a maximum of 25 miles. The two miniature missiles it fires has these vehicular capabilities, inflicting +1 RS damage if both hit at once:
| Handling RV 20 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 20 |
Damage RV 20 Slashing (fragmentary) |
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of their Motorized Micro-Accessories:
| 1987 | 1988 |
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