Steel Commando is a typical mercenary villain, interested only in making lots of money and satisfying his urges for excitement, danger, and beating people up. He’ll gladly go to work for anyone who can afford his exorbitant fees, though he’s always wary of a possible Warlord trap. Steel Commando is certainly foul-tempered and cruel enough to Hunt a hero who captures or defeats him, but he’s too self-centered to keep at it for long. Eventually he’ll decide it’s not worth it and turn to other pursuits... unless repeated encounters with, and losses to, the hero keep stoking the fi res of his hatred. As a Hunter, he pulls no punches, going straight for the kill and attacking at inopportune moments.
Biography[]
Heinrich Kappel, denied entrance into the German army due to “psychological problems,” and tossed out of the French Foreign Legion after several episodes of “conduct unbecoming a soldier” resulting from those psychological problems (including nearly beating one of his commanding officers to death), decided mercenary work was the best way for him to make use of his “talents.” But he realized he needed an edge. In a world where superhumans existed, just being good with a rifle wasn’t enough. Aft er robbing a couple banks to raise working capital, Kappel got in contact with agents of the Warlord, who was well-known for his ability to supply advanced technology and weaponry to customers with enough cash. Aft er receiving Kappel’s down payment, scientists working for the Warlord built him a suit of light powered armor and a multi-function energy rifle. Aft er taking delivery of the equipment, Kappel skipped out on paying the rest of the money owed, causing the Warlord to pursue him ever since to get his technology back. Christening himself “Steel Commando,” Kappel soon made his mark in the mercenary world. Today, only Lazer and Mechassassin are considered his equals in most circles, and as far as he’s concerned, all doubts will be dispelled when he next meets up with either of them.
Personality and Motivation[]
The Steel Commando is completely self-centered and amoral. If he wants something, he goes after it, and he doesn’t care what he has to do — or who he has to kill — to get it. If someone bothers him, he usually doesn’t think twice about brutally beating, or even killing, that person. His inability to see beyond his own needs and desires has gotten him into trouble on numerous occasions. Th e only thing that ever seems to give him pause is his mercenary’s code. He refuses to release any information about his employers that he’s not authorized to, and won’t give up on a contract he’s promised to fulfill. Sometimes, his self-centeredness and professionalism war with one another, but the code has won out every time... so far.
Quote: “So what if he can bounce bullets off his chest? Get down there and set up the ambush like I told you to, so you drive him toward me. I’ve got something in this rifle that he won’t shrug off so easy.”
Powers and Tactics[]
The Steel Commando’s abilities result partly from training, and partly from the light battlesuit he wears. Although not as advanced as the armor worn by Lazer or Mechassassin (see Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks), the Commando’s armor is nevertheless tough. Its energized gauntlets allow him to punch his foes with extra power, knocking them around like tenpins. However, the cybernetic leads and circuitry in the armor cause it to generate painful feedback if hit with an electrical attack.
Most of the Steel Commando’s offensive capabilities come from his Energy Rifle. He favors the Automatic Fire Mode (especially in conjunction with his Autofire Skills), but switches to Direct Fire (or even the energy-intensive Power Blast) when facing particularly tough opponents. The rifle even has a system attached to the underside of the barrel that drains most of a shot’s worth of energy into a tiny explosive capsule, then uses the rest of the energy to launch it, resulting in a grenade-like explosion.
To move quickly around the battlefield, Steel Commando has jump jets that let him make long, compressed air-assisted leaps. He has separate omnidirectional jets for changing direction in midleap, so he can dodge obstacles or “leap around corners.” (In game terms, Steel Commando makes a Half Move with his Leaping, and at some point in the arc of the leap makes a second Half Move with his Flight to change direction.) In appropriate situations, the GM may award him a Surprise Move bonus for this.
Associates, Allies, And Adversaries[]
The Warlord hasn’t forgotten or forgiven the Steel Commando’s treachery and pursues him whenever the gets a lead on the Commando’s whereabouts. Once he catches him he’s going to take the battlesuit back and then kill Kappel in the most painful method easily available at that moment.
Appearance[]
The Steel Commando battlesuit is a menacing grey and black. It has a sleek, streamlined look that sets it apart from bulkier, stronger suits of true powered armor. The boots have obvious jump jets on the left and right side of both legs; the omnidirectional jets for mid-course changes of direction are concealed at several places around the suit. Th e gauntlets are stylistically similar to the boots, with a series of small raised studs along the knuckles that reveal their Energized Gauntlets power. Th e helmet covers the entire head, with a large one-way viewscreen covering the entire face. A small backpack like attachment contains a power unit and other technology necessary for running the suit.
Th e Commando’s Energy Rifle was obviously designed to go with the suit; it has a similar aesthetic. It resembles a high-tech assault rifle, with the odd-looking “grenade launcher” attached beneath the barrel.
Out of his armor, Heinrich Kappel stands 6’5” tall and has short, dirty blonde hair, pale blue eyes, no facial hair, and ruddy skin. He speaks English well, but with a noticeable German accent. To make the Steel Commando more powerful, increase the size of his Multipower reserve and slots, and/or create more slots (additional settings for his Energy Rifle). Or, you could emphasize his personal combat skills, giving him even better HTH Combat abilities (such as more Martial Maneuvers, Extra Damage Classes with his Martial Arts, and the like). If he needs to be toned down a little, reduce his Multipower to a 60 Active Point reserve and get rid of one or two of his Autofire Skills.