the BUGG
The Battling Underwater Global Guard, or BUGG, is a large submersible vehicle Cobra utilizes to secure shorelines, whether those on its Island or in any other territories it has taken control of. Primarily operated by Secto-Vipers, a BUGG can hold numerous additional Cobras.
About the size of a bus, the BUGG can function on the surface or under the sea equally well, albeit a bit more slowly in the latter. It can switch between the two environs merely by driving from one to the other, doing so on its six durable, puncture-resistant tires.
Far more than meets the eye, the BUGG is equipped with the following features:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 6 * |
Durability RV 30 |
Protection RV 10 |
* Ground Velocity.
Carrier Bay: capable of serving as a troop transport, the BUGG has a dedicated, armored personnel space in its stern. It can comfortably seat four Cobras, though many more can squeeze in when necessary, gaining the benefit of propulsion and the BUGG's Protection.
Cobra-band Radio: to get their marching orders and communicate threats to the Command, Cobra operatives manning the BUGG have use of its radio transceiver, which has rank value 10 transmission range (twenty-five maximum miles), and features rank value 20 signal encryption.
Double Bubble Cockpit: the BUGG is primarily controlled through this control room, situated on the port side of its bow. It can hold two Cobras, and is both watertight and pressure-sealed, allowing them to perform their job even without proper diving gear.
Environmental Independence: an amphibious vessel, the BUGG is equipped to supply its operators with enough breathable air to function undewater for long periods of time. While they must bring their own food and drink, they have up to four days of breathable air (rank value 100).
Forked Tongues: these trident-themed, surface-to-air missiles are mounted on the side of the BUGG's double bubble cockpit. They inflict the damage listed below when used singly, raised by +1 RS when both of them strike a target simultaneously:
| Handling RV 20 |
Velocity RV 150 |
Durability RV 20 |
Damage RV 30 Slashing (fragmentary) |
Hover Skis: the BUGG features two of these vehicles, one housed behind its double bubble cockpit, and the other behind its detachable submarine pod. These can propel a Cobra operative beneath the sea or a few feet above the surface, and behave as follows:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 4 |
Durability RV 20 |
Protection RV 0 |
* Flight / Levitation / Super Swimming: when underwater, the BUGG's hover skis can shuttle a Cobra around at approximately 13.64 MPH. While floating above the surface, whether liquid or solid, it can move anywhere between zero and 54.54 MPH.
* Missiles: their sole armament, the BUGG's hover skis benefit from two miniature projectiles, one mounted on each side of its control handle. They inflict the damage listed below when one hits, raised by +1 RS if both strike an unfortunate target simultaneously:
| Handling RV 10 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 10 |
Damage RV 20 Slashing (fragmentary) |
Machine Gun Turret: mounted towards the top stern of the BUGG, this twinned .50 cal machine gun turret is protected by a ballistic glass canopy. It can fire a short bursts to inflict rank value 30 Piercing damage, or fire continuously to inflict rank value 40 Piercing damage.
Personnel Platforms: towards the stern of the BUGG, over its propulsion units, are two personnel platforms. These are designed such that one Cobra may cling to them and effectively ride outside the BUGG while prone, whether it is on the surface or below the waves.
Puncture-Resistant Tires: the BUGG's six wheels are built to withstand withering assaults. Their m.s. is -1 RS of the BUGG's body, but their construction reduces the intensity of Piercing damage by up to 5 RS, making them resistant to all but the strongest of gunfire.
Rotary Barreled Cannons: the BUGG has two of these rotating, pivoting .50 cal cannons, one on each half of its top bow. They can fire a short burst of rounds to inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage, or be fired continuously to inflict rank value 30 Piercing damage.
Short Throw Cannons: mounted beneath the BUGG's double bubble cockpit, these twinned, auto-loading .50 cal cannons can each fire a short burst of ammunition to inflict rank value 30 Piercing damage, or be fired continuously to inflict rank value 40 Piercing damage.
Submarine Pod: this two-seat, undersea ride can detach from the BUGG proper, to fight underwater with more flexibility than its parent vehicle. The BUGG's submarine pod benefits from the following characteristics:
| Handling RV 20 |
Velocity RV 4 |
Durability RV 20 |
Protection RV 10 |
* Environmental Independence: the BUGG's submarine pod is both watertight and pressurized, allowing its operators to act underwater for long periods of time. It provides this ability, at least for air, with rank value 20 ability, offering such for up to twenty hours.
* Machine Guns: beneath the submarine pod's ballistics-resistant canopy are two linked .50 cal machine guns. These twinned weapons can fire a short burst of ammunition to inflict rank value 30 Piercing damage, or be fired continuously to inflict rank value 40 Piercing damage.
Super Swimming: while it can trundle along the sea floor at around five MPH, the BUGG can also float beneath the waves, being a fully functional (albeit slow) submarine! When acting thus, the BUGG can move underwater at rank value 2 speeds - or 13.63 MPH.
VT-60 Strikes: these four alcohol-powered torpedoes are mounted on the BUGG's personnel platforms, and can be fired to devastating effect underwater. They inflict the listed damage when one torpedo strikes a target, adding +1 RS for every doubling of them that strike at once:
| Handling RV 20 |
Velocity RV 50 |
Durability RV 20 |
Damage RV 40 Slashing (fragmentary) |
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of the BUGG:
| 1988 |
Interested in using Technoholic content in your own project? Please read this beforehand!