The Death Adders

[Twilight]

Just read VIPER: Coils of the Serpent again and I got to thinking. In addition to the Dragon Branch several elite units of agents were mentioned, most notably VMS-Alpha and the Golden Serpents. The one that interested me the most however was a passing mention of the Death Adders. The unit where agents too wild to be controlled but too competent to be offed are sent to serve VIPER.

 

Now my curiousity is piqued: How do these guys operate? What sort of agents are part of the unit? How large is the unit? What sort of missions do they get sent on?

 

So naturally my second thought was to ask you fine people on the HERO message boards and see what you could come up with. I'd appreciate serious answers mostly please.

 

So let's hear those ideas!

[Eyendasky80]

Suicide missions, lots and lots of them. I bet they do a lot of, "Keep that rampaging monster who just squashed ten of our best guys occupied while we get away." kind of duty.

[Hugh Neilson]

VIPER is always doing R & D on new equipment. These guys would be good choices to test it out. Hey, if it works, we have a new item for the arsenal. If it blows up or leaks radiation, we lost a guy who was a wild card anyway.

 

Considering they're testing prototypes, they'd also come in contact with heroes "Hunted by VIPER" a lot, wouldn't they? After all, here's this new gadget specifically designed to deal with Amorphous Man - let's get it some field testing!

[Twilight]

Originally posted by Eyendasky80

Suicide missions, lots and lots of them. I bet they do a lot of, "Keep that rampaging monster who just squashed ten of our best guys occupied while we get away." kind of duty.

 

Can't say that makes sense to me. If they were so competent at thier duties that VIPER put them with the Death Adders rather then kill them outright, why would they then send said unit on missions they won't survive? It seems counterproductive to me.

[Hugh Neilson]

Originally posted by Twilight

Can't say that makes sense to me. If they were so competent at thier duties that VIPER put them with the Death Adders rather then kill them outright, why would they then send said unit on missions they won't survive? It seems counterproductive to me.

 

Competent enough to potentially succeed (maybe even survive). Less downside if they do die than if we send a more stable operative. Sounds like the ideal candidate for a high risk mission.

 

Note that (at least in adventure fiction) a "suicide mission" does not mean "you go out, you die and you accomplish nothing". It means "you may accomplish the objective, but making it back alive isn't likely". For example, the rebel attack on the Death Star was a suicide mission. Slim odds of success, and slimmer odds of getting out alive, but a very important objective.

 

If the Death Adders in this role worked for the good guys, they'd be classic heroic figures, actually.

[Twilight]

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson

Competent enough to potentially succeed (maybe even survive). Less downside if they do die than if we send a more stable operative. Sounds like the ideal candidate for a high risk mission.

 

Note that (at least in adventure fiction) a "suicide mission" does not mean "you go out, you die and you accomplish nothing". It means "you may accomplish the objective, but making it back alive isn't likely". For example, the rebel attack on the Death Star was a suicide mission. Slim odds of success, and slimmer odds of getting out alive, but a very important objective.

 

If the Death Adders in this role worked for the good guys, they'd be classic heroic figures, actually.

 

Ok when you put it that way, I guess it makes sense. Though I never really thought of the Death Adders as unstable as such, at least not more so then the average VIPER agent, just unable to fit themselves in to the day to day workings of a Nest.

 

Still, thanks for the info.

[Chuckg]

These guys sound like VIPER's version of the Suicide Squad. Or the Dirty Dozen.

[freakboy6117]

I kind of imagine them as being the most psychopathic agents viper there competent but they are kill crazy they like to do unspeakable things to people stuff that would make even viper agents ill so when you want to send a very clear message the death addresser up torture them and there family and there pets to death then burn down there house. They probably turn up during a dinner party too there the kind of sick puppies that are to unstable fop normal fieldwork but too useful for those jobs even normal viper agents would throw up at the thought of. Murder mayhem torture maiming acts of barbarity of all forms that’s the death adders.

[Battlestaff]

From the way they are described, I would say these guys (a) are highly competent in their individual abilities, ( know they are highly competent in their individual abilities, and © have trouble submitting to the average team leader. It could be because they felt the missions they were sent on as regular agents were beneath their abilities, or that they knew how to run things better than their officers, or they just didn't respect the other 'average' agents around them.

 

You could play these guys a number of ways. You could have one clearly dominant member leading a group of highly independent individuals through force of will. He could require discipline at certain times, but also know when to cut the individuals loose to allow them to do whatever it is they do best.

 

You could have a group of individuals who now work together well because they have found themselves teamed up with other people who they respect due to their skills and abilities. Or they finally found a niche, doing the jobs no one else can do (with appropriate recognition from their superiors). Or their just a bunch of adrenaline junkies who are finally finding the rush they've been looking for all their lives.

 

Or they could just be a bunch of loose cannons that the higher ups keep around for some other nefarious purpose. Who knows what they are really up to. This could be fun for the characters to try and figure out why they are kept around and haven't been offed yet.

[Supreme Serpent]

Aside from the psycho route, you could also use this category for people that are extreme specialists. For example, the agent that would be an average covert actions agent, but has PS: Safecracker at 21-. Extremely useful in specialized situations, and therefore too valuable to "waste" on normal operations. And central can hire them out to various nests as appropriate.

 

Especially if used as R&D field testing, could inadvertently end up as "Supervillain Prep" - take antisocial agent, give him a superweapon, he takes off on his own. Have to be careful not to give these guys equipment that is TOO good!

 

In general, if they are classified as "doesn't play well with others" then "Death Adder" would probably be more of a classification than an actual "unit".

[Guest Champsguy]

You guys ever watch GI Joe? What am I saying, of course you did.

 

I think the Death Adders would be like some of those groups that worked for Cobra (like Zartan and his hillbilly swamp boys). They're competent (well, as competent as GI Joe [or Viper] villains get). They're also crazy. They aren't people you want wearing a Viper uniform. That's bad for PR.

 

Which would you rather have on the news?

"The supervillain organization known as Viper struck again today, robbing a hi-tech research facility located outside the city. The local superhero team The Amazos, intercepted Viper, and prevented them from carrying away a top-secret government research project, though the majority of the Viper agents did escape. Captain Superior had this to say..."

 

or this

 

"The supervillain organization known as Viper struck again today, capturing a school busload of children. A tape sent by Viper to this station states that the children will make "a mighty fine meal, and are good for living out our darkest fantasies as well". Captain Superior had this to say..."

 

The second one will bring down a hammer on Viper so fast that they won't know what hit them. That doesn't mean that these agents aren't useful, just unstable. You want to equip these guys (with non-standard Viper weapons and vehicles), give them their own insignia, and have them working on their own. That way, nobody blames you when they do something galactically stupid (and they will).

[Twilight]

The only problem with that Champsguy is that the book clearly says that the Death Adders are already part of VIPER. They've already recruited and trained these guys, it's too late to pretend they're not part of VIPER.

 

Besides, I'm pretty sure even VIPER would shoot Dreadnok wannabes.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Twilight

Can't say that makes sense to me. If they were so competent at thier duties that VIPER put them with the Death Adders rather then kill them outright, why would they then send said unit on missions they won't survive? It seems counterproductive to me.

How about high risk missions. Ones they might not survive, but since they're very competant, they wind up doing OK.

[Twilight]

Originally posted by lemming

How about high risk missions. Ones they might not survive, but since they're very competant, they wind up doing OK.

 

Yeah that works. Just the term suicide mission calls up images of troops being tossed away like garbage to achieve some goal, with very little care. At least the way Eyendasky put it [no offence meant to Eyendasky of course.]

[Hugh Neilson]

Originally posted by Supreme Serpent

Especially if used as R&D field testing, could inadvertently end up as "Supervillain Prep" - take antisocial agent, give him a superweapon, he takes off on his own. Have to be careful not to give these guys equipment that is TOO good!

 

That describes a fair chunk of Champions villains, doesn't it?

[pinecone]

I just figured these are the guys who get to enrage grond so the rest of Viper can carry out Master plan 726 A-3.....

[Chuckg]

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson

That describes a fair chunk of Champions villains, doesn't it?

 

In 4e, God yes.

 

In 5e, no -- I think there's what, two or three supervillains who've betrayed VIPER and lived?

[Twilight]

Originally posted by pinecone

I just figured these are the guys who get to enrage grond so the rest of Viper can carry out Master plan 726 A-3.....

 

Why? If these guys are the ones deemed too skilled for VIPER, who's notoriously unshy about offing lousy agents remember, to kill despite thier inability to fit in with the nest system then why risk them against Grond when there are less valuble agents about?

[Twilight]

Originally posted by Chuckg

In 4e, God yes.

 

In 5e, no -- I think there's what, two or three supervillains who've betrayed VIPER and lived?

 

Two that I can remember right off the top of my head Brainwave and Signal Ghost I belive they were called.

[Chuckg]

Yes. What I'm having trouble doing is remembering any /others/. Is Power Crusher still around, or did he stiff ARGENT this time, or what?

[Lord Liaden]

Pulsar still owes his origin to VIPER experiments, and he left their employ and is being Hunted by them, although only on 8-. Interestingly, Pulsar didn't even make the list of VIPER's Top Ten Most Wanted in the new VIPER: Coils of the Serpent sourcebook. They probably think he's as big a loser as everyone else does, and not worth wasting a lot of effort on.

 

No 5E version of Power Crusher yet, though. Pity, I always considered him a good concept, and a handy way to deflate PCs who think they're invulnerable.

[Guest Champsguy]

Originally posted by Twilight

The only problem with that Champsguy is that the book clearly says that the Death Adders are already part of VIPER. They've already recruited and trained these guys, it's too late to pretend they're not part of VIPER.

 

Besides, I'm pretty sure even VIPER would shoot Dreadnok wannabes.

 

Oh, they'd still be part of Viper, just not a part anybody talks about. Their commander still makes his monthly report, and they still cash their checks from Viper, but it's all done secretely. Think of them as "undercover". You want an Archbishop assassinated? You call these guys. Just be sure to keep the Viper name off the checks. You pay them in... other ways. A load of merchandise just happens to fall off a truck, and they find it. Guess what? They just happen to know somebody who'll give them top dollar for it.

 

But you don't want the public to associate these nutcases with Viper. They don't hang out at the Viper base, they don't wear Viper uniforms, and they don't use Viper standard equipment. Note that I said "standard" Viper equipment. If a few special weapons researched by a weapon company (secretly a front for Viper) just happen to fall off a truck...

[Chuckg]

Isn't this kind of thing what Lazer, Mechassassin, Steel Commando, Hazard, etc. are all there for?

[Twilight]

Originally posted by Champsguy

Oh, they'd still be part of Viper, just not a part anybody talks about. Their commander still makes his monthly report, and they still cash their checks from Viper, but it's all done secretely. Think of them as "undercover". You want an Archbishop assassinated? You call these guys. Just be sure to keep the Viper name off the checks. You pay them in... other ways. A load of merchandise just happens to fall off a truck, and they find it. Guess what? They just happen to know somebody who'll give them top dollar for it.

 

But you don't want the public to associate these nutcases with Viper. They don't hang out at the Viper base, they don't wear Viper uniforms, and they don't use Viper standard equipment. Note that I said "standard" Viper equipment. If a few special weapons researched by a weapon company (secretly a front for Viper) just happen to fall off a truck...

 

Why would VIPER care really?

 

They're willing to be associated with Ripper, who rips people in half and destroys cities. Why would a few extra violent agents bother them? They consider sociapathicness to be a GOOD thing remember.

[Chuckg]

Well, if you're going to (for example) shoot the Secretary of State or something, you probably want the full outrage of the US government to land somewhere other than on you.

 

However, this kind of mission is not for the 'shadowrunners', so to speak -- it's for the 'out-and-out patsies'. Of which these guys aren't.

 

I prefer my Suicide Squad or Dirty Dozen analogy -- you know whose side they're on, you know whose colors they're wearing -- and you also know that they've gotten kicked out of every other unit in their army before they finally got sent to the wacky platoon.