Battle Android Trooper

The Battle Android Trooper are robots that feature in G.I. Joe.

History

Original

The Battle Android Trooper (B.A.T.) were a series of bipedal humanoid robots that were used by the Cobra Organization.

A further generation of B.A.T.s came to suffer a glitch in their visual IFF targeting module. This caused them to mistakenly identify Shipwreck of the G.I. Joe Team as a high-priority target. Techno-Vipers suspected that the B.A.T.s IFF systems came to be confused by his tattoos that resulted in the glitch in their programming.

Cobra later came to recruit the scientist Hotwire after he was kicked out of M.I.T. and employed him as a B.A.T. technician where he came to be responsible for building as well manufacturing new versions of the androids.

When the Headhunters reformed, Hotwire was set on loan to their secret factory in East Asia where he used Mark 1 B.A.T.s that were converted into workers to man the facility.

A consignment of B.A.T.s were shipped to a secret Cobra factory located in the United Kingdom where the mechanic Hotwire infused all the units with Nanomite technology.

Marvel Comics

They were robotic creations of Doctor Mindbender, who used them to gain entry into Cobra. Use of the B.A.Ts was sporadic. Their limited artificial intelligence prevented them from performing more complicated strategies and maneuvers. Still, that did not stop Cobra from using them altogether. They can still push farther than regular troops and take more damage. Nothing short of rendering them absolutely inoperative would stop them. They were later used in attacking the Joe Team's headquarters the Pit, which ended up being beneficial to the G.I. Joe team. The Pit was currently empty of all but General Hawk and three high-ranking military officers. During the battle, two of the inspecting generals sacrifice themselves—and eventually the Pit—to save the others. The third general uses his influence to reinstate the team, as he and Hawk look over the remains of the headquarters.

A new type of android is developed by Cobra, which mimics human appearance and movement. Since the purpose of these androids were infiltration and espionage rather than warfare, they were never really called B.A.Ts. These androids were destroyed by Scarlett, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. Another Cobra scientist named Dr. Knox, developed a more highly advanced version of the B.A.T., which was sent to go after Scarlett. Cobra is unable to produce more of it, as the only prototype was destroyed.

IDW Comics

They acted as guards for Cobra high command during a Joe siege. [10] In a slightly different continuity, a B.A.T. serves as a guard for the resources Cobra stores in its seemingly abandoned town of Springfield. As part of defending this, it injures Ripcord and kills Crankcase.

Overview

In appearance, B.A.T.s were bipedal androids who served as artificial troopers that operated with an extremely primitive logic circuit in conjunction with sophisticated targeting sensors. They were highly durable as they were able to absorb large amounts of damage and yet still function on their missions so long as their circuits were intact. These android troopers were usually deployed from low-flying aircraft without the use of a parachute with this delivery system being demoralising to enemy troops who witnessed the machines drop onto the battlefield.

Certain models had modular arm components that allowed them to swap ordnance for their mission. Basic models could recharge their system from ordinary household electrical outlets. The newest advances in battle android technology featured specialised interchangeable arms with built-in weapon modules. Such modules included long-range laser rifles, grenade launchers and long swords. The B.A.T. v3.2 were capable of changing these modules by themselves in the field making them highly versatile and dangerous when deployed against enemies.

Production of these android troopers was noted to be cheap and they were easy to replace. Components were manufactured cheaply in foreign factories and assembled in secret plants by Cobra Vipers on punishment duty. Final assembly was expected to be completed by the B.A.T.s themselves who are handed tools once their arms were installed.

However, B.A.T.s were noted to have poor reaction times towards changing field conditions on the battlefield. In addition, they did not discriminate against targets and in fact shot at anything that moved whether they were friend, foe or even an animal. A further issue for some models was their tendency to burst into flames when struck from behind. These issues had led to Cobra infantrymen not wanting to operate on the same field as B.A.T.s. Typically, this saw these androids being deployed on losing battles where the distraction they offer allowed Cobra forces to evacuate more easily.

Variations included:

• Arctic B.A.T. : these android troopers were designed for cold climate missions and built with a winter camouflage exoskeleton along with components that were optimised for use in sub-zero conditions.
• Jungle B.A.T. : a robotic variant designed for the specific environmental conditions of the jungle where they were built to be extremely resistant to heat and humidity with them able to easily navigate their way past jungle foliage.
• Inferno B.A.T. :
• Sky B.A.T. :
• Ninja B.A.T. : these highly advanced android units were programmed for martial arts combat with them having built-in weaponry designed to capture, disable or destroy.
• Nano B.A.T. : a variation of the B.A.T. that were infused with Nanomite technology that operated on a molecular scale to improve the host equipment whilst destroying or repurposing enemy material. This allowed for instantaneous repair of battle damaged B.A.T.s during combat thus greatly adding to their destructive potential. Nano B.A.T.s were known to emit a strange green alow and left an adverse impact on the environment to everything they touched.

B.A.T.s were created to be the perfect Cobra trooper as they never questioned orders, shirked duty or surrendered. In addition, they were both cheap and easy to replace. However, BATs did not react well to changes in field conditions, or discriminate well between targets. They would shoot at anything that moved leading to Cobra Infantrymen not liking to be on the same battlefield as the machines. Cobra sometimes deployed B.A.T.s into a losing battle, by kicking them out of low-flying aircraft without parachutes. B.A.Ts also had a tendency to burst into flame when hit from behind.

Members

• Overkill :

Notes

• The Battle Android Troopers were created by Hasbro where they featured in the setting of the G.I. Joe universe.
• Their first appearance in the comics was in G.I. Joe v1 #44 "Improvisation on a Theme" (February, 1986).

In other media

Television

• In G. I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the B.A.T.s made their animated television debut with their first appearance being in the episode "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!". They were creations of Scrap Iron and Dr. MindBender during their first encounter with the Joes they participated in an assault on GI Joe Headquarters were basically unstoppable. If not for the intervention of Sgt. Slaughter, who made short work of them, the Joes would have most likely been defeated. In subsequent appearances, the B.A.T.s were used mostly as cannon-fodder, and were ineffective as soldiers, as they were usually easily defeated.
• In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, B.A.T.s appeared in the setting of the anime television series. More variants with certain functions were introduced that included; Ninja B.A.T.s, winged Aero-B.A.T.s, vehicular Cobra Mantis, a snake-torso Overlord Vector, a ninja Overlord Virus, the single red-eyed Overlord Vortex armed with two laser arm cannons and moved on tank-like wheels and finally the Zeus that was a Mega-B.A.T. with an AI created by Destro to destroy Megalo City.

Appearances

• G.I. Joe:

External Link

• G.I. Joe Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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