Grunt
| Strength 6d |
Agility 4b |
Intellect 4d |
Willpower 4d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
4 (25) 2 |
Powers:
(none)
Equipment:
Backpack (s): this pack is filled with all sorts of necessary, though indeterminate survival and combat gear. For instance, he likely has flashlights, field rations, at least one survival knife, a compass, maps applicable to the mission he's on, and more within (though this has yet to be seen).
Fragmentary Grenades (i): Robert usually carries a belt full of these things at any one time. Each of these thrown explosives will, three seconds after their pin has been pulled, explode with intensity 10 force, causing like damage to everybody within striking (near missile) distance of their detonation point.
Helmet (s): if not otherwise replaced by some other equipment, Robert also makes use of a standard Army issue helmet, which offers him +3 protection against non-face attacks striking him in the head (of course, such hits still hurt some...).
the Joe-Com (i): this is a new device given to all Joes since the group's reactivation. This high-tech wristband functions as an audio/video transceiver with various other goodies built in to help a soldier on the go, and is described in greater detail in its own equipment entry.
Knife (s): though he's usually heavily armed with guns, Robert carries a blade around, just in case. He can use this in melee or as a thrown weapon as a +2 weapon; sure, his knife throwing skill sucks, so Robert most likely just uses it in hand to hand, or to cut objects in a pinch.
M-16 Machine Gun (a): his primary assault device, this gun can be fired as a +4 weapon using a single round, +5 in a semi-automatic burst, or +6 with a full-auto spread. It can fire twenty rounds before changing clips is necessary (Robert usually has bunches of these things).
Robert has this gun (or one of like capabilities) on him at all times while on a mission.
Semi-automatic Handgun (a): in the event that his M-16 fails him in combat (it happens), Robert can make use of a backup pistol, which he keeps in a shoulder holster 'just in case'. He can fire this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 damage with one round, +5 damage semi-auto.
Hindrances:
(none)
Skills:
Aerial Combat (a): about a year after signing up with the Joes, Robert received a basic crash course in aerial combat, enough to get him going with his Falcon Attack Glider. As such, any combat actions Robert attempts while in the air have their difficulty reduced by one level.
Boxing (s): one aspect of Robert's basic training, as given to him by the United States Army, involves his ability to fight if unarmed. When engaging in melee, Robert can divide his pre-cardplay action score between two attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Engineering (i): going to college after leaving the Joe team, Robert became an engineer under the Gi Bill, which allows him to reduce the difficulty of actions used to build anything by one difficulty level, as well as giving him a good heads up when de-engineering or repairing an item.
Marksmanship (a): a well-trained infantryman, Robert has been schooled in the use of all kinds of assault rifles and pistols, whether they be standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic in nature. As such, he can resolve gun-based attacks at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary.
Martial Arts (a): Robert's military training has provided him the basic tools of self-defense. If unarmed, Robert can utilize either his Strength or Agility score to trump in combat, and can reduce the difficulty of actions meant to reduce falling damage or to catch thrown objects by one level.
Military (w): having been in the Army for a while, Robert knows military protocols like the back of his hand. Further, any Intellect or Willpower action he attempts in regards military matters, such as commanding troops, knowing rules and regulations, and so on, are made at a reduced difficulty level.
Calling:
Youthful Exuberance, later Soldier: when he first joined up with the Army, Robert was simply there for the fun, the adventure, the butt-kickin' glory. However, after being involved in several real combat missions, this reckless enthusiasm quickly transformed into a more refined and subdued love of the military life.
Costume:
Robert's eighth, Night Force uniform is similar to his last three. It includes a grass green tank top, black and brown camouflage trousers, brown leather combat boots, brown, pouch-laden leather belts, a brown shoulder holster for his pistol and grenade, and green and black camouflage face paint.
Personality:
When he first joined the Joe team, Robert's exuberant and light-hearted attitude was apparent from the start. He was always eager to go on special missions for the team, and seemed more than ready to do anything to help out his fellows.
But don't let his happy-go-lucky attitude make you underestimate him. For under that youthful exterior lies an infantry expert, a man extremely well trained in the use of modern combat techniques, and he can likely deal with any threat easily... and with extreme prejudice.
Real Name: Robert W. Graves, Grade E-4 (later E-5, then E-6)
Occupation: Gi Joe infantryman, engineer
Legal Status: American citizen with no known criminal record
Marital Status: presumably single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: Gi Joe
Height: 5' 9"
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Weight: 160 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none
Story:
Robert was a very young man when he signed up with the armed forces; sure, lots of other folks are, too, but they aren't as good as he is. You see, Rob graduated near the top of his class in Advanced Infantry School, and not specializing like most military folks, he simply got really good in his chosen area.
This extensive infantry expertise got him a job on a nascent anti-terrorist strike force known as Gi Joe. A member of the team from the start, Robert happened to be on the team's very first mission, an operation to rescue George Strawhacker, who was being held hostage by middle-eastern terrorists.
He also participated in several other major missions for the Joe team, including the rescue of Dr. Adele Burkhardt from Cobra forces and the invasion of the town of Springfield, which was being controlled and used as a headquarters by Cobra.
Soon after this latter operation, however, Robert left the Joe team, since it was full to bursting with infantry folks like himself, and went to college. Though his thoughts occasionally returned to his military fellows, and he even re-upped for a time, he eventually got his degree.
This gave him a head-start on many of his former team-mates, as the Joe team was dismantled in '94. However, with a resurgence in Cobra activities of late, the team has been reassembled once again, and missing his pals, Robert went ahead and rejoined along with the rest of the original Joes!
He remained on the team for the duration of its second, public active state, and was held in 'reserve' during its third, more covert operations until Cobra set off World War III, during which time the entire team was placed into active duty (yet again).
Robert helped the Joes fend off this final, immense push at world conquest by Cobra, at which time it seemed the group had been finally defeated 'for real'. Of course, Robert remained to help maintain world peace while the earth's governments went about reconstruction.
Someone had to hold the place together after all...
Extra Goodies:
Return to the Night Force main page!
Gi Joe directories featuring a version of Grunt:
| 1982 | 1983 | 1991 | 1997 | 2003 | 2004 |
* Note: 2003 saw three versions of Grunt (Versions 5, 6 and 7).