B.A.Ts first appeared in issue #44 of the "G.I. Joe" comics published by 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 (i.e., destroy all vital core components) would stop them.