Blackwing
(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: 5’7” Weight: 135 lbs.
- Eyes: Unrevealed Hair: Brown
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Powers and Abilities
The Blackwing suit is an unusual-looking flying suit. It has a jet pack and powered membranous wings worn like sleeves. It is lightly armoured and can fly quite fast.
Blackwing demonstrated considerable agility in the air. Thus, a favourite tactic is to use her superior manoeuvrability to make pursuers crash into obstacles. In DC Heroes RPG terms, that’s a Dupe Manoeuvre.
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.
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. He had fallen 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 unit 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, to soften 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
Blackwing seemed to be the least disciplined of Heavy Mettle’s members. She is somewhat flighty and temperamental. She apparently was very happy with her life (especially the money and the freedom she enjoyed as a merc), and had somehow developed the theory that super-heroes were just jealous of people like Heavy Mettle.
Quotes
“You’re just mad because you don’t have the courage to do what we do. We use our talents to suit nobody but us. And you’re so jealous I can smell it.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Blackwing II
| 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 |
Powers:
Enhanced Initiative: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Enhanced Initiative is a Skilled Power.
- Enhanced Initiative only when flying, using a suit she has extensive training with (such as the Blackwing II suit).
Skills:
Evasion (Aerial only): 07
Bonuses and Limitations:
Evasion only when using a suit she has extensive training with (such as the Blackwing II suit).
Advantages:
None demonstrated.
Connections:
Underworld (Low), Heavy Mettle (Low).
Drawbacks:
None demonstrated.
Equipment:
BLACKWING II ARMOUR [/STR/ 04 /BODY/ 05, Blunting: 05, Flight: 08, Sealed systems: 06, MIA (deprives the user of the use of their fingers while worn)].
Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Blackwing II — Averaged PL 5.8
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX | FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 (03) | 02 (03) | 01 | 01 | 04 | 01 | 01 | 01 |
Powers
Specialised power armour training ● 7 points (Removable – must wear the Blackwing light power armour) ● Descriptor: Skill
– Evasion, Favored Environment (Aerial), Move-by Action.
– Agile Feint, Enhanced Dodge 5, Enhanced Parry 2, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative (all are Limited 1-must be in the air).
Devices
Blackwing light power armour ● 15 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
– Power armour — Enhanced Strength 2.
– Armour, goggles, filters, etc. — Enhanced Stamina 1, Protection 2 (Protection is Limited 1 to Sharp Impact), Immunity 4 (Cold, Pressure, Drowning, Toxic atmosphere).
– Flight — Flight 7 (Winged).
Combat Advantages
Defensive Roll 1, plus her in-flight Advantages.
Other Advantages
None demonstrated.
Skills
Athletics 2 (+3), Close combat (Unarmed) 1 (+5), Expertise (Mercenary) 4 (+4), Insight 1 (+2), Perception 3 (+4).
Offense
| Initiative +1 |
| Unarmed +5, Close, Damage 1 |
| Unarmed whilst armoured +5, Close, Damage 3 |
Defense
| Dodge | 6 (11) | Fortitude | 6 (7) |
| Parry | 5 (7) | Toughness | 4**/3/2* |
| Will | 4 |
* Without Defensive Roll
** With armour and Defensive Roll
Complications
- Mercenary Heavy Mettle members serve the underworld for money.
- Temper Blackwing is less disciplined than her team mates.
- Disability While wearing her suit her hands are covered by her wings.
Power levels
- Trade-off areas Attack/Effect PL 4, Dodge/Toughness PL 8, Parry/Toughness PL 6, Fort/Will PL 6.
- Point total 66. Abilities 24, Defences 13, Skills 6, Powers 7, Devices 15, Advantages 1. Equiv. PL 5.
Notes
Favoured Environment is not taken into account in PL computations, but the rest assumes her in-flight scores. Her armour’s Protection is counted at 50% for defensive PL computations.
Source of Character: Primarily New Warriors v2 (Marvel Universe).