Taurus
Strength 7c |
Agility 7c |
Intellect 4c |
Willpower 5d |
Hand Size: Edge: |
4 (25) 2 |
Origin:
Taurus has no special powers of any variety, even if he seems like a freak of nature. He doesn't even use high tech gear like most of his fellow GI Joes for the most part, simply relying on a hand cannon and his scimitar while working with the Renegades!
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances / Augmentations:
(none)
Equipment:
Grenade (i): Taurus always has one grenade on his person, usually pinned to the webbing holding his shoulder holster. He can fling this device to inflict intensity 10 damage to all uncovered targets inside near missile distance of where it detonates.
Knife (s): while his scimitar is all about offense (or cleaning his nails), Taurus uses this shorter blade more as a tool than anything else. It can be used to inflict his Strength +2 in melee, and can cut through items of up to m.s. 12 (its own m.s.)
Rifle (a): his primary combat weapon, unless he closes into melee, Taurus can inflict serious damage with this firearm. He can discharge one round per turn with it to inflict his Agility +5 in damage, though it is not capable of engaging in semi-automatic or fully automatic fire.
Scimitar (s): Taurus likes this blade, and has a habit of brandishing it all the time, toying with it when he's bored. He can use this large weapon to inflict his Strength +4 damage one-handed, raised to his Strength +5 if he's using it two-handed.
Sidearm (a): sometimes a rifle is too much and a scimitar just isn't enough. For these occasions, Taurus breaks this weapon out of his chest holster. He can fire a single shot with it to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, raised to +5 when attempting semi-automatic fire.
Skills:
Acrobatics (a): his stock in trade (aside from the two-by-four thing), Taurus is quite an acrobat despite his huge build. He may attempt actions to dodge attacks or reduce falling damage, along with complex aerial maneuvers like tight-rope walking, at a reduced difficulty
Boxing (s): Taurus didn't need military training to learn how to fight, but it did help him brush up some. He may divide his pre-card play action score between two separate unarmed attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Demolitions (i): Taurus has been trained by the military how to handle explosives properly. Whether he finds himself setting up a bomb to destroy something or disarming explosives he happens across, Taurus may do so at one difficulty level lower than is normally necessary.
Guns (a): he might prefer to use his scimitar in a real scrap, but Taurus has been trained in the fine art of gunplay by the Sarge. He may attack with any standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary.
Linguistics (i): Taurus has traveled extensively as a member of various circuses around the world, and has picked up numerous languages as a result. He is a master of no less than twelve different languages, all of which he can speak quite fluently.
Military / United States (w): though he never really intended to join the military - any military - Taurus was convinced to do so by the recruiters of the GI Joe team. It took some doing, but Sgt. Slaughter has pounded the SOP into his head quite soundly.
Skill / Swords (s): Taurus loves his scimitar. He has trained extensively in its use, both as a part of his circus act and in its practical, intended use. He may make attacks with his scimitar, or any other sword-like blade, at one difficulty level lower than is usually required.
Contacts:
As a member of the GI Joe team's Renegades, Taurus - working under the code name of Taurus - can rely upon his fellows for assistance, as the Renegades have all endured Sgt. Slaughter's training. He has countless other contacts in circus and criminal circles.
Calling:
Adventurer, with a secondary calling of Demolisher: Taurus is no soldier. He enjoys seeing the world, doing generally exciting things, and smashing objects up with his face. Of course, doing this while enlisted at least gives him a reliable paycheck.
Costume:
Taurus wears an unconventional uniform while active as a Joe. It consists of a gold V-necked T-shirt with black shoulder pads, loose fitting, Army green trousers, black web gear, black leather boots and kneepads, a brown belt, and a steel (left) wrist guard.
Personality:
Taurus may come across as a bit gruff, not to mention more than a little bit unhinged, but he's really a nice guy at heart. Even if he's the kind of party animal who can open beer bottles with his nostrils, and refuses to do anything without consulting his horoscope.
Real Name: Varujan Ayvazyan, Grade E-5
Occupation: demolitions, espionage
Legal Status: citizen of Turkey with a likely criminal record, possible dual citizenship with the United States
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe, the Renegades (GI Joe sub-group)
Height: 6' 3"
Hair: red, shaved bald
Eyes: blue
Weight: 234 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Taurus wears a large, curly red moustache atop his large, curly red goatee at all times. He also has a red bull tattoo on his left bicep.
Story:
The strange GI Joe operative known to his peers as Taurus (well, to those Joes that even knows he exists, at any rate) got his start in the circus. He was an acrobat, not unlike fellow circus star Starduster, but Taurus's similarity to his teammate ends there.
While Starduster likes to wow the crowds with acts of staggering agility, Taurus instead impresses people with his astounding pain tolerance, startling the rubes by breaking two-by-fours with his face. You can only imagine what this has done to his nose over the years.
Of course, one might easily mistake him for an uncultured brute, but they'd be wrong. Taurus is a connoisseur of languages, having the ability to speak fluently in no less than a dozen tongues. He's somewhat superstitious however, and always has his horoscope for the day at hand.
In addition to working as a freak under the big top, Taurus often moonlighted for Interpol when he had the time, doing undercover work whenever they had a need for someone with his... unique... skills. This arrangement ended when the GI Joe recruiters saw him in action.
Offering him a more steady position with GI Joe, if in a completely unofficial capacity, Taurus readily agreed to sign up. Strong and stubborn, he had no idea what he was getting himself into, as it turns out his drill instructor was none other than Sgt. Slaughter!
Once he was squared away at the Slaughterhouse, the strange and remote bunker that the Sarge uses to deal with rare discipline cases in the Joe team, Taurus was slowly hammered into a state of military precision, alongside his fellow 'Renegades', Mercer and Red Dog.
When he was ready, Taurus and his cohorts accompanied the Sarge on a number of missions that were so classified that they remain a mystery to this very day. But you needn't worry about that; the Renegades only do really bad things to really bad people.
(Historical Divergence)
Though the Joes' direct need for the likes of the Renegades has waned over the years, Taurus is always ready to answer the call if they need him for anything, which they have done on several occasions, like during World War III itself, when Cobra almost took over the entire planet!
2006 Variations
Costume:
Taurus' second GI Joe uniform matches the other Renegades. It includes a brown and white camouflage vest, Army green trousers, a brown leather belt, brown leather boots, brown and white camouflage shin and thigh pads, a black bandoiler, and a black thigh holster for a sidearm.
2011 Variations
Costume:
Taurus' third GI Joe uniform is similar to his first. It is comprised of a golden T-shirt under brown and black web gear and black shoulder pads, Army green trousers beneath light green chaps, a brown leather belt, and black leather boots, gloves, and knee pads.
2018 Variations
Costume:
Taurus' fourth, Marauders ensemble is a variation on his first. It features a blue T-shirt under a brown and black vest, light green, dark green, and brown trousers, a black leather belt, black leather boots, blue leather gloves, and light green pads.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Taurus:
1987 | 2006 | 2011 | 2018 |
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