Howitzer
(Shaka)
Context
This profile is best read after our S.T.O.R.M. and Gene Dogs organisation profile.
Which is where all the context is to be found.
Background
- Real Name: Shaka.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Gene Dogs (S.T.O.R.M. superhuman squad).
- Base Of Operations: S.T.O.R.M. Central, Northern Wales.
- Height: 6’8” Weight: 300 lbs.
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
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Powers and Abilities
Shaka is an accomplished warrior and soldier, and a veteran commando. His DNA has been enriched with sequences coming from an unspecified “sea reptile”.
This may refer to a dinosaur, since sea reptiles are not too common nowadays (except for sea turtles, obviously). Perhaps plesiosaur DNA was used, since S.T.O.R.M. is know to have access to prehistoric DNA sequences. In any case, the treatment made Shaka amphibious and superhumanly robust, and reportedly prolonged his life span.
The enhancements made him unable to properly regulate his body temperature, as odd as it may seem. Though room temperature is liveable, he’d likely experience problems in cold weather. This is compensated by wearing a heavy suit. Said hardsuit is armoured, equipped with sensors, and armed with shoulder-mounted weapons. The latter seem to be concussive cannons.
In combat, Howitzer prefers to fire at a range. He tends to engage other large, armoured opponents.
One panel vaguely implies a weakness detection ability. But for this writeup he’s just considered to have rolled a good double on that one.
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History
As per the Gene Dogs main entry.
Description
See illustrations.
Personality
Shaka is calm. He has a moderating influence on the rest of the team. He sees balance in all things, and live by his own code of honor and justice.
Generally speaking he does the Noble African Warrior thing, with a dash of cautious wisdom and some occasional vague mysticism.
Quotes
“You must purge yourself, Tyr ! Expunge any guilt you feel at her death ! Your anger damages our effectiveness as a team.”
“You are strong my enemy, but there is weakness in you, too…”
“Pacer is right — the real threat here is Hurricane — not Banzai or the rest of Q7 !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Howitzer
| Dex: 04 | Str: 09 | Bod: 07 | Motivation: Soldier |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 04 | Min: 04 | Occupation: S.T.O.R.M. operative |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 003 |
| Init: 014 | HP: 015 |
Powers:
Growth: 01, Lightning immunity: 01, Swimming: 03, Water freedom: 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Growth is Always On and Already Factored In.
- His autonomy underwater might be limited – perhaps 30mn – but there’s no data about that.
Skills:
Acrobatics (Climbing): 04, Medicine (First aid): 04, Martial artist: 05, Military science: 04, Thief (Stealth): 03, Vehicles (Land): 04, Weaponry (Firearms, Heavy): 05, Weaponry (Melee)*: 04
Advantages:
Credentials (S.T.O.R.M., Low), Familiarity (Military equipment and protocols), Slowed Ageing, Misc.: S.T.O.R.M. sensors can focus on the Gene Dogs’s gene chips to monitor them and their vital signs.
Connections:
S.T.O.R.M. (Low, from Credentials).
Drawbacks:
Fatal Vulnerability to lack of specialised genetic maintenance, MPR (poor body heat retention), Attack Vulnerability (- 1CS OV/RV vs. cold attacks).
Equipment:
BODY ARMOUR [BODY 09, Defensive adaptation: 05, Detect (Movement): 04, Energy blast: 08, Shade: 01, Skin armour: 02, Thermal vision: 04, Ammo (Energy blast): 10, Bonus: Compensates for Howitzer’s MPR whilst worn, Limitation: Defensive adaptation only against attempts to manipulate the ARMOUR’s systems (technopathy, EMPs, hacking, Interface, etc.)].
Design notes
Given the modest amount of material to benchmark them with, some of the stats are speculative. It has been assumed that all Gene Dogs had the generic Special Forces Skills suite from the generic soldiers entry on writeups.org.
Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Howitzer — Averaged PL7.8
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX | FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 06 | 01 | 02 | 06 | 02 | 01 | 01 |
Powers
Maritime reptile physiology ● 8 points ● Descriptor: Genetic enhancement
– Feature 1 (Large, body mass is 3 Ranks).
– Feature 1 (Can breathe underwater, prolly up to 30mn or so).
– Feature 1 (Extended life span).
– Enhanced Advantages (Second chance (Electrical attacks) and Favoured environment (underwater)).
– Swimming 3.
Devices
Howitzer hardsuit ● 16 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
– Armoured — Protection 2, Defensive Roll 1.
– Sensors — Senses 3 (Infravision, Ranged Detect (movement)).
– Concussion cannons — Ranged energy Damage 7, Quirk 1 (about 10 shots before a reload is necessary).
– ECM — Hardened Protection 6 (Limited 2 to attacks against the armour’s OS, Limited 2 to the latest specific of attack that affected the armour within the last hour).
Combat Advantages
Defensive Roll 1, Favoured environment (underwater), Improved Smash, Second chance (Electrical attacks).
Other Advantages
Benefit 1 (S.T.O.R.M. sensors can focus on the Gene Dogs’s gene chips to monitor them and their vital signs).
Skills
Athletics 1 (+9), Close combat (Unarmed) 1 (+6), Expertise (Commando) 5 (+7), Expertise (Unspecified spirituality’s lore) 3 (+5), Insight 3 (+4), Perception 3 (+4), Persuasion 1 (+2), Ranged combat (Heavier firearms) 5 (+7), Stealth 3 (+4), Treatment 4 (+6) (Limited 2 (Limited to Revive and Stabilise)), Vehicles 4 (+6) (Limited 1 to land vehicles)
Offense
| Initiative +1 |
| Unarmed +6, Close, Damage 8 |
| Concussion cannons +7, Ranged, Damage 7 |
Defence
| Dodge | 05 | Fortitude | 10 |
| Parry | 06 | Toughness | 06*/07/10** |
| Will | 05 |
* Without Defensive Roll
** With Defensive Roll and Howitzer Hardsuit
Complications
- Fitted genes Shaka needs regular genetic maintenance or he’ll become very sick.
- Agent of S.T.O.R.M. Shaka works as a covert agent for an agency with a contrasted track record.
- Heat retention Shaka’s body cannot quite regulate its temperature and easily loses heat.
- Heat retention Howtizer’s Toughness and Fortitude are halved against colt-based attacks.
Powers Levels
- Trade-off areas. Attack/Effect PL 7, Dodge/Toughness PL 8, Parry/Toughness PL 8, Fort/Will PL 8.
- Points total 108. Abilities 54, Defences 13, Skills 14, Powers 8, Devices 16, Advantages 3. Equiv. PL 8.
Notes
As with the rest of the Gene Dogs I’m not bothering with writeups.org-style Powers with Enhanced Attributes and the like. Since without their Powers/genetic enhancements, the Dogs would soon die.
Source of Character: Gene Dogs limited series (Marvel Universe).