Hero's Agents of UNTIL

[Boll Weevil]

Hi, Heroes. As one who mostly sets my campaigns in the established Champions Universe, I have been thinking lately about the events unfolding in the Marvel cinematic universe and how it could be reflected in my games. If UNTIL is like SHIELD (in my games, it is) and VIPER is HYDRA, how much effect on the rest of the world would it have to have a full-blown attack from within? Also, where can I get me a used helicarrier? Has anyone done something similar in your games? 

[Lord Liaden]

An attack from within UNTIL, like what HYDRA did to SHIELD, would have huge implications for the security of the rest of the world. For most of the globe (at least outside the USA) it's the first line of defense against both supervillains and supercrime organizations, which are far more widespread and pervasive threats than in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. UNTIL is larger, more overt, and more heavily armed than SHIELD ever was -- subverting a significant fraction of it would greatly boost the army VIPER could field.

 

As for a "used helicarrier," officially UNTIL maintains a sophisticated "hovership," the Ragnarok (detailed on pp. 71-72 of UNTIL: Defenders Of Freedom), the headquarters for UNTIL's Project Shiva for dealing with Dr. Destroyer. While it's much smaller than the SHIELD Helicarrier (160'/75'/60'), it does carry a few smaller flying vehicles. The Ragnarok also mounts numerous heavy weapons (maybe even more than the improved carriers from the Winter Soldier movie), lots of electronic sensors and countermeasures, and not only flies and floats, but is completely submersible.

[Boll Weevil]

LL, you never disappoint. I did find the Ragnarok writeup and the interwebs (particularly minecraft sites), are helping me pull together a rough play map. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled about the turn of events in the Marvel CU as it undid everything the phase one built up to. Also, I think it ruined Marvel Agents of SHIELD but that is another story. It happened and it looks like it is here to stay. That said, I am intrigued by the SHIELD vs Hydra struggle. My group, The Abnormals, are very closely affiliated with UNTIL and as much as I like VIPER, I have never been able to use them much except for bank robberies and Hunted complications. This could open up a worldwide theater of power struggle that plays well with my team. Like Avengers Age of Ultron, the campaign can start with a mook fight and Mcguffin search and move toward a big finale. 

[Cassandra]

In the UNTIL article in one of the supplements it was implied that the UNTIL A.I. and the VIPER Supreme Serpent A.I. were in cahoots.  The top UNTIL Bureaucrat was aware of this fact and used it for his own agenda.

[Lord Liaden]

Ah yes, that article was in Hero System Almanac II, for 4E Hero, updating the old write-ups for UNTIL from Super Agents to Fourth Edition, and compatible with the 4E version of VIPER.

 

BW, did you ever look over VIPER: Coils Of The Serpent for the Fifth Edition of the CU? I find there's a hella lot more potential for the group offered there than just bank robberies.

[phydaux]

IMCU VIPER leadership is a group of international bankers and industrialists.  These bankers and industrialists make their money by financing legitimate world governments and selling high tech anti-metahuman weapons to governments and groups like PRIMUS and UNTIL.  These people wear suits, not costumes.  Think "Military Industrial Complex."

 

Second tier VIPER is an international terrorist organisation.  They keep the demand for high tech anti-metahuman weapons high by conducting terrorist attacks against industrial companies that AREN'T part of the top tier VIPER network. Cutting down on the competition.

 

Manpower isn't a problem for VIPER because Telios pumps out Jango Fett clones in job lots, along with the occasional Generic Brick clone, Generic Martial Artist clone, Generic Power Projector clone, etc.

 

Top Tier VIPER sub-contracts most of its R&D to ARGENT, through cut-out and shell companies, naturally. ARGENT is nothing more than a loose affiliation of researchers and inventors who ignore FDA & EPA guidelines.  Not "evil" so much as "irresponsible."  But since they operate outside the system, they have no recourse when one of the top tier companies patents one of their inventions.

[Boll Weevil]

...BW, did you ever look over VIPER: Coils Of The Serpent for the Fifth Edition of the CU? I find there's a hella lot more potential for the group offered there than just bank robberies.

I have the book and have enjoyed every page of it. I just have never found a plot arc worthy of it, To be fair, most of the games I have played in and GM'ed have been short and combat-heavy. I did play in a game on HeroCentral where we played VIPER agents. That was a lot of fun but the game fell apart after a month. Bummer