Barracuda
(Heavy Mettle)
Context
Heavy Mettle is an obscure Marvel Comics criminal team. They fought the New Warriors during the 2000s.
They are a convenient, low-powered bunch that is easy to use in your own stories.
Background
- Real Name: Unrevealed.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Heavy Mettle.
- Base Of Operations: Formerly New York City.
- Height: 5’11” Weight: 185 lbs.
- Eyes: Unrevealed Hair: Unrevealed.
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Powers and Abilities
The Barracuda suit has some level of superstrength and is armoured. It can operate on land, underwater and in the air. The latter evokes a flying fish.
Barracuda prefers to grapple an opponent who does not seem able to breathe underwater. He’ll then jump/glide into a nearby body of water to fight under the surface.
History
Heavy Mettle is a team of operatives wielding high technology weapons, usually as light power armour . They were assembled by Joe Silvermane when he started running the Silvermane family of the Maggia.
Firestrike seemed to be their leader, and Warbow their tactical leader. Other members included Barracuda, Blackwing II, Riot and Stronghold. Our guess would be that the armours and weapons were contracted from Madame Menace.
Sea, air, land
In 2000, Silvermane’s Heavy Mettle clashed twice with the New Warriors. The criminals performed well despite their generally lower power level. Still, they were defeated when their leader, Firestrike, betrayed them after falling in love with Turbo, one of the New Warriors. The members of Heavy Mettle were all arrested, including Firestrike.
In 2009 they registered with the Initiative. Heavy Mettle members were tapped for the second version of the Shadow Initiative. This no longer was an elite black ops squad, but a trap for cannon fodder troops. The Shadow Initiative was spent retaking the 42 Prison in the Negative Zone . They softened the alien opposition therein before more valuable assets would move in.
Though the assault was eventually successful, it was reported in the heat of the fight that half of Heavy Mettle had fallen. How many of them, who exactly and how gravely they were hit wasn’t revealed. Secondary sources list Blackwing and Riot as having been killed, and Barracuda and Stronghold as having apparently been retired, perhaps due to wounds.
Description
See illustrations.
Personality
Barracuda is as disciplined and professional as the rest of Heavy Mettle. Yet he seems to be a bit of a bully.
Quotes
“You’re in my territory now, punk. Oh, but wait — you can’t talk underwater, can you ? Hell, you can’t *breathe* underwater.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Barracuda
| Dex: 04 | Str: 03 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Mercenary |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 03 | Min: 04 | Occupation: Mercenary |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 004 |
| Init: 011 | HP: 020 |
Skills:
Martial Artist (AV): 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
Martial artist only while operating the Barracuda suit (which bumps his Initiative to 012 when suited up).
Advantages:
None demonstrated.
Connections:
Underworld (Low), Heavy Mettle (Low).
Drawbacks:
None demonstrated.
Equipment:
BARRACUDA ARMOUR [/STR/ 07 /BODY/ 06, Jumping: 03, Gliding: 01, Sealed systems: 05, Shade: 01, Swimming: 05, Water freedom: 05. Initiative becomes 013 (total) underwater].
Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Barracuda — Averaged PL 5.5
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX | FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 (06) | 02 | 01 | 01 | 04 | 01 | 01 | 01 |
Powers
Specialised power armour training ● 2 points (Removable – must wear the Barracuda light power armour) ● Descriptor: Skill
Close Attack 2, Favored Environment (Aquatic)
Devices
Barracuda light power armour ● 28 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
– Power armour — Enhanced Strength 5.
– Armour, goggles, filters, etc. — Enhanced Fortitude 3, Protection 5.
– SEAL mobility — Leaping 4, Flight 3 (Limited 1 to Gliding), Swimming 4, Move-by Action.
– Diving suit — Immunity 4 (Cold, Pressure, Drowning, Toxic atmosphere), Movement 1 (Environmental adaptation – aquatics).
Combat Advantages
Close attack 2, Defensive Roll 1, Move-by Action.
Other Advantages
Favoured environment (Aquatic).
Skills
Athletics 2 (+3), Expertise (Mercenary) 5 (+5), Insight 1 (+2), Perception 3 (+4)
Offense
| Initiative +1 |
| Unarmed +5, Close, Damage 1 |
| Unarmed whilst armoured +7, Close, Damage 6 |
Defense
| Dodge | 5 | Fortitude | 6 (9) |
| Parry | 6 | Toughness | 8**/3/2* |
| Will | 4 |
* Without Defensive Roll
** With armour and Defensive Roll
Complications
- Mercenary Heavy Mettle members serve the underworld for money.
Power levels
- Trade-off areas Attack/Effect PL 7, Dodge/Toughness PL 7, Parry/Toughness PL 7, Fort/Will PL 7.
- Point total 74. Abilities 24, Defences 13, Skills 6, Powers 2, Devices 28, Advantages 1. Equiv. PL 5.
Notes
Favoured Environment is not taken into account in PL computations, but Barracuda will try to use it if at all possible.
Source of Character: Primarily New Warriors v2 (Marvel Universe).
Helper(s): KalEl el Vigilante.