[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Phantasm]

SHIELD

The Superhuman Hazards Investigation, Elimination, and Lockdown Directive, better known to the general public simply as SHIELD, is a U.S. government agency charged with policing the growing superhuman population. SHIELD's mandate specifically calls for investigation into criminal activity conducted by superhuman suspects when federal law is violated. In addition, SHIELD is to assist in handling superhuman criminals when called upon by state and local police forces.

Founded in 1958, SHIELD was originally a branch inside the FBI and headed by celebrated FBI agent Jimmy Woo, who had fought against the Chinese mastermind known as the Yellow Claw for years. Over the years, as the superhuman population inside the U.S. rose and diminished several times, SHIELD grew to rival its parent organization in size and resources. In the mid-1990s, President Clinton authorized SHIELD to function independently from the FBI, though the two organizations still operate on a friendly rivalry, pooling resources and intelligence when needed. SHIELD has offices in every major city in the United States.

SHIELD maintains an overall structure identical to that of the FBI. SHIELD agents are trained alongside their FBI counterparts, and are typically armed with Glock 22 semiautomatic pistols chambered in the popular .40 S&W round; these agents are usually issued special APHP ammunition. (This round is a hollow-point round with a dense core protruding into the hollow cavity. Against "hard" or armored targets, the bullet acts as an armor-piercing round, while against "soft" fleshy targets, such as a human body, the bullet acts like a standard hollow-point round.)

Since becoming autonomous from the FBI, SHIELD has been run by Director Henry Peter Gyrich, who has been noted for his contempt of superhumans in general, and mutants in particular (see Gyrich, Henry Peter). Under Gyrich's leadership, SHIELD has instituted a number of programs for subduing and detaining superhumans, including obtaining advanced weaponry from AIM, the construction of a federal penitentiary designed for holding superhuman prisoners known as the Vault in the Colorado Rockies, and most recently the controversial robotic Sentinel program (see AIM; Sentinels).

Agent Maria Hill: And what does that mean to you?
Agent Grant Ward: It means someone wanted our intials to spell out "shield".
- Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, #1.1

Typical SHIELD Agent
150 points
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs., HP 11 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 9.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Legal Enforcement Powers 2 [10]; Natural Copper 2 [20]; SHIELD Rank 3 [15].
Disadvantages: Duty to SHIELD (15) [-15].
Skills: Criminology/TL8 (A) IQ+3 [4] – 14*; Current Affairs/TL8 (E) IQ+0 [1] – 11; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Security) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Surveillance) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Fast-Draw (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Intelligence Analysis/TL8 (H) IQ+1 [2] – 12*; Interrogation (A) IQ+2 [2] – 13*; Law (United States Federal Criminal) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 11; Observation (A) Per+2 [2] – 13*; Running (A) HT+0 [2] – 11; Savoir-Faire (Police) (E) IQ+2 [1] – 13*; Search (A) Per+1 [1] – 12*; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [1] – 12*; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4] – 12; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 12.
Techniques: Disarming (Wrestling) def+0 [0] – 12.
Starting Spending Money: $4,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +2 from Natural Copper.

Design Notes:
1. SHIELD Rank is built from Social Engineering: Pulling Rank, treating SHIELD as a base 20-Point Patron (large national agency), with the average agent pulling in assistance on a 3d roll of 7 or less. It does not indicate how many subordinates he has under him.

2. The APHP round exists in real life, typically marketed for wide rounds as the AP-HPF (pretty sure the "F" stands for "frangible" or something along those lines). I know it exists for .45 ACP, and fairly certain it can be made in 10mm and .40 S&W rounds (whether it is or not is something I'm not certain of). Not really sure if its RL performances match up to the game stats claimed. However, as this is a cinematic superhero universe, I see no reason why they shouldn't be treated as regular AP rounds against anything with DR, and as HP rounds against soft, fleshy targets. Call it either Stark-tech or AIM-tech. ;)