Cobra Recruits Melee: RV 6 Coordination: RV 6 Brawn: RV 6 Fortitude: RV 6 Intellect: RV 6 Awareness: RV 6 Willpower: RV 6 Health: 24 Fortune: 18 Lifestyle: RV 6 Repute: RV -5 Origin: The teeming hordes of Cobra's military, its Recruits are absorbed from the ranks of the world's murders, terrorists, thieves, and other scum of the earth. Cobra Recruits are the absolute bottom rung of the Cobra organization. Those who show promise are quickly promoted to Cobra Recruit Officer and beyond, and those who don't, well, let's just say they're very, very easy to get rid of. Known Powers: (none) Limitations / Enhancements: (none) Equipment: AK-47 Assault Rifle: this Russian-built, semi or fully automatic rifle is built to last, being readily adapted for almost any duty imaginable. Cobra Recruits may discharge a single round with this firearm to inflict rank value 6 Piercing damage, a rapid, semi-automatic burst of rounds to inflict rank value 10 Piercing damage, or a continuous, automatic burst of fire to inflict rank value 20 Piercing damage. Grenades: the shiftless masses of Cobra Recruits have been equipped with two grenades apiece, in addition to their other hardware. They carry one incendiary and one fragmentary grenade, both of which inflict rank value 30 damage to everything within the sector they detonate inside. The former causes SD Energy damage, and the latter causes Slashing damage. Nasty, yes? Helmet: the lowest rank of Cobra operative, all Recruits wear factory second Viper helmets. Theirs are blue with a golden, acrylic/composite face plate that acts as a one-way mirror. The helmet offers rank value 6 protection against head attacks, -1 RS against those targeted on their face plate. It also has a rank value 6 RTO suite built in, offering communications within ten miles. Knife: though they'd usually rather not do so, all Cobra Recruits are equipped to fight hand-to-hand in the event that they completely run out of ammunition (and they usually carry several magazines to prevent this). These blades are of material value 30, and in a Cobra Recruit's hands, they can be used to inflict rank value 6 Slashing damage with each deadly strike. Multi-Layer Body Armor: similar to their helmets, Recruits receive factory second versions of the Viper's utilitarian, Kevlar weave body armor, which offers them some defense from assault. This handy costume offers the Cobra Recruit rank value 4 protection from physical attacks. This may not defend against heavier artillery, but it dulls small arms fire for the most part. Pistol: in the event that one's AK-47 is disabled, a Cobra Recruit often has a spare handgun handy, stored in a convenient shoulder holster for quick access. These firearms can discharge a single round which inflicts rank value 6 Piercing damage, or a short burst which drains the entire magazine, but inflicts rank value 10 Piercing damage. The magazine can presumably hold 8 rounds before it needs to be swapped out. Quirks: (none) Skills: Guns: a given prerequisite, all Cobra operatives must have the ability to wield firearms in combat; if they don't have it upon joining Cobra, they are trained - and quickly. Any Recruit can wield a regular, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol with proficiency, doing so as though his or her Coordination trait was +1 RS higher than is listed above. Martial Arts style A or B: furthermore, all Cobra Recruits are trained in at least one form of unarmed combat once they hook up with the group, if they don't already have one under their belt. Most learn style B, allowing them to attempt unarmed attacks at their Melee trait +1 RS, but some opt to learn style A, allowing them to Pound or Concuss opponents more easily. Military: a quasi-military organization, Cobra encourages an easily recognizable (to those within, at least) command structure. As such, those not bringing experience in such matters tend to pick it up quickly, to rise through the ranks; those who can't typically remain right here. This skill allows a +1 RS on any Intellect or Awareness ACTION based on the workings of military dogma. Contacts: Cobra Recruits theoretically have the entire organization of Cobra as their contact, in that they are members of the group and supposedly have the same goals. However, if it is more convenient to let a Recruit (or group of them) get captured or killed, the Cobra Command is more than happy to let this happen - in fact, this is a proven Cobra strategy, since even BATs are more valuable to the organization. Costume: The bottom-of-the-barrel Cobra Recruit's uniform is actually a variant of the Viper's, using factory seconds. It consists of blue trousers, a blue vest, and a blue, short-sleeved shirt, coupled with a blue helmet that bears a mirrored, golden face plate that completely obscures the features of its wearer. The uniform also has a black belt, black boots, and steel wrist guards. Notes: The dregs of society, these are the people who fall for Cobra's recruitment propaganda. Typically murderers, thieves, terrorists, or other scumbags, they like the idea of making lots of money to do what they'd already be doing anyway. Of course, the trick for Cobra is to decide which of these louts are worth keeping and which they need to 'get rid of' in a hurry. It's one of the occupational hazards of a Cobra Recruit. * 2004 VARIATIONS * Costume: As the supply of second-hand Viper gear dried up, Cobra Recruits adopted a uniform resembling that worn by the first Cobras. It is primarily comprised of a Cobra blue jacket, with a red Cobra logo on the chest, and Cobra blue trousers. These are accented with black leather boots, gloves, knee pads, belts, web gear, and holsters, a black face mask, and a blue helmet protecting their cranium from injury. * 2006 VARIATIONS * Additional / Substitute Equipment: Bazooka: one new tool the Cobra Recruit carries with him or her into the field is a bazooka! This implement allows them to inflict staggering damage to enemy armor or personnel, mostly by firing large shells at their foes. This weapon can only hold one projectile at a time, and reloading is a feat which requires a full turn to accomplish, but each shell inflicts rank value 40 Piercing (fragmentary) damage. Costume: A few years later, Cobra Recruits were given a unique uniform style. It consists of a blue jacket with a red Cobra sigil on the left breast, blue trousers, black leather boots and gloves with red patches on each, a black leather, pouch-laden belt, black webbing, a black bandolier with grenades attached, a blue face mask, a blue skull cap, and a blue helmet with a red Cobra sigil on the front.