I've been going back through my character WIPS written down on 3x5 cards and thinking about some simple specialties that would have worked for the early years of the GIJOE Team.

These characters *might* have been shown on those computer consoles way back in Marvel's GIJOE #1 when Generals Flagg and Austin selected the thirteen JOEs to participate in the rescue of Lady Doomsday, but weren't chosen (go figure).

I have an EOD guy, who would deactivate explosive devices. I have a Combat Engineer too, to build a bridge, defensive positions, etc.

I decided I needed a Sapper and am I'm looking for a suitable codename. According to my research, a Sapper is a more offensive type specialty kinda on the opposite spectrum from a Combat Engineer, although there may be a lot of shared duties. A Sapper is more a quickly breaching an enemy position, using explosives to take down a bridge, or to destroy a building. A Combat Engineer is more a building type, rather than demolishing.

There is the trouble. I have a few rules when it comes to creating a codename:

1) Has to fit the time period, so no current technology words.
2) Simple name to fit in with the first thirteen.
3) No name that could be confused with a command that requires immediate action, like calling a Flagg Pilot, "Bolter".
3) Spread out along the alphabet. The first thirteen used five S's (Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, Short-Fuze, Steeler) I have already added three more S's already.

Not counting the first thirteen, I have added 4x Bs, 4x Cs, 2x Ds, 3x Fs, 3x Gs, 2x Ls, 4x Ps, 6x Rs, and 2x Vs.

Any thoughts?

Help and suggestions appreciated.

EDIT: I would use the Combat Engineer with appropriate heavy equipment, while the Sapper would be on foot.

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Not all codenames are job-related, so why not pick something personality-related?

What time period is your team set, aside from 'the beginning of the team'?

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I have characters from the beginning all the way to current.

Basically I have a character called the Recruiter. He is the guy that was politically appointed by the Jugglers to go out and get new JOEs for the Team. It's my explanation as to why we got all the new characters every year from Hasbro.

He took over after General Austin retired and Hawk got promoted. He has a Reserve contingent that trains any new JOE recruit to operate any item the JOEs use. That's why someone can come in and know how to drive/shoot anything.



For this specific character, the Sapper, I don't have anything written down yet. Just an idea for a specialty I've been considering for about a week after watching a war movie recently.

Figured I'd start with a really good codename and see what happens.

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First thought, glancing over the wiki page, is "Charge", though I think that probably violates your third rule. A little dictionary/thesaurus crawl on explosives lead to "Burster".

Aaand given my recent google search history, I'm probably on a watch list if I wasn't already.

Going with the bridge building/path finder angle, "Vanguard," "Fixer," "Pilgrim," or "Shortcut." (though that's another S).

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That's my placeholder Chaplains Assistant nickname... LOL

I'm not resistant to another S or C, if it is a really good codename.

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I was referring to the no names that sound like orders for Charge. I'd never considered that but it makes a lot of sense.

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I recall making a Navy SeaBee figure back in the JvC days named after a fellow Board member that might work better for a Sapper: Digger.

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Breacher
Counter-punch
Pioneer
Rook (probably better for an ACE since the castle is their logo)

And (drum roll, please!)
Aunt Jemima

(sappers clear mine fields, and the nick names of some flat, pancake like mine rollers on tanks are ... Aunt Jemimas.)

Dasaffe?

Crater
Trench
Radius
Pinpoint
Kicker

SAPPER!

War Path.
Bit of a stretch but it was the subtitle of the last book in the Leatherstocking Tales. A series of stories about one of America's most well known (fictional) pioneers, Natty "Deerslayer" Bumppo. You probably recognize the character as Nathaniel from Last of the Mohicans.
I thought it was fitting since Pioneer is another term for Sapper. I view Sappers as more of a guerrilla fighter than Combat Engineers/ Sea Bees and Hawkeye (how many names did that guy have!?!) was certainly one of the best.

Well, I used to be a sapper, and had you considered that Sapper itself is not a bad code name (other than it also starts with S)?

Also maybe look at some of the tools or implements we used:
Bangalore
Breach (as mentioned above)
Det cord (I like this one the best, and it is on my list of code names for customs)
Crater (for road cratering charges)
Cherry knot (not my favorite)
Picket pounder
Concertina (not a good one either)
Minefield
Barricade (from barrier materials)
Fixer (not a good one either, but from the fix effect of obstacles)
Abatis
Woodchuck (I am reaching here, but we referred to FM 5-34 as the woodchuck manual)

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Pothole and Speedbump occurred to me while driving.

Oh, or Detour.

Going with the roadway/obstacles idea here.

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Tsunami, I'm loving Concertina. All I picture is a figure made using Chuckles as the base (the Hawaiian shirt), and with Weird Al lookin head, and along with his gear, an accordian.

Ummm ok.....
I was referring to concertina wire (aka razor tape).
The coiled type.....
Not sure I am getting the weird al reference.

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