Batch variable usage

[neiroatopelcc]

Hi. I'll be needing a feature soon, which I don't quite know how to implement.
It involves using the first character of an enviroment variable as part of a command.

ie. if var1 equals Intel I want to do something along the lines of :
echo this %var1[1]% is wierd
and end up with a line on screen saying : this n is wierd

Is that doable without third party programs or the use of vbscript or powershell?

 

[neiroatopelcc]

Solution: %variable:~x,y% where x is start position in chars and y is the length