CT Only: Book 4 Lessons

[Supplement Four]

One thing that I can't find in the book (curious about the rules as written) is a rule for having no weapon expertise and using one of the weapons in Book 4.

Certainly, there's a penalty for no experience when trying to use a LAG, or a grenade launcher.

There's lots of Book 1 reference in Book 4, at least as far as character generation goes, so one could argue that the Book 1 penalty rule is in place.

But, if that rule is in place, should also the rule that says that all professions in Book 1 also have all weapons in Book 1 at Level-0...shouldn't that translate as well? Which, of course, makes no sense practically.

So, what do you think the RAW rule is for having no weapon expertise when using a Book 4 weapon?

 

[ffilz]

One thing that I can't find in the book (curious about the rules as written) is a rule for having no weapon expertise and using one of the weapons in Book 4.

Certainly, there's a penalty for no experience when trying to use a LAG, or a grenade launcher.

There's lots of Book 1 reference in Book 4, at least as far as character generation goes, so one could argue that the Book 1 penalty rule is in place.

But, if that rule is in place, should also the rule that says that all professions in Book 1 also have all weapons in Book 1 at Level-0...shouldn't that translate as well? Which, of course, makes no sense practically.

So, what do you think the RAW rule is for having no weapon expertise when using a Book 4 weapon?

I've thought a bit about this.

One thought would be that PCs still get level-0 in all weapons, or at least all personal weapons.

I DO allow my Book 1 PCs (at least Marine and Army) the option of taking a heavy weapon for Gun Combat.

My inclination is that heavy weapons should not be included in the all weapons at level-0.

On the other hand, there is some SF fiction where the protagonist (PC) seems to be able to just walk up to any kind of heavy weapon and use it as competently as some personal weapon he picked up.

Frank

 

[whulorigan]

I would suggest that since Book 1 Army and Marine characters seem to represent Infantry based on their skill set in the Skill tables, that 0-Level Gun Combat ought to apply to whatever a given infantryman would have been reasonably exposed to in both basic training and over the course of a typical term of service in the Infantry Arm (for a given TL and the equipment-availability of the given campaign setting, of course).

So if a plasma weapon or other heavy infantry support weapon is considered standard for the given military as a squad support weapon system, then the character should have level-0 skill (representing familiarization, but no skill-specialization).

 

[BlackBat242]

I was an avionics tech in the USMC - had the rating as "guaranteed slot in the school" at enlistment, but basic training still involved throwing grenades, firing a .50mg at least once, firing the grenade-launcher (M79 or M16/M203 combo), drills on a LAW mockup, etc.

We were also taught how to read a weapon's operator manual so as to be able to figure out how to fire a weapon we hadn't seen before.

Currently, all Marines, no matter their specialty, go through infantry school in addition to basic - so they get more training on basically everything.

Heck, in high school my JROTC unit spent a weekend with a 105mm field artillery battalion - they had us partially crew multiple howitzers, and by the end at least one of us had done every single job except set the fuzes - and as the SSgt that was doing that was a few feet from where I was screwing the fuzes into the shells, I saw clearly how to do that as well.

So in a pinch, my high school could provide a full 105mm howitzer crew that had fired off over 20 rounds.

 

[aramis]

Heck, in high school my JROTC unit spent a weekend with a 105mm field artillery battalion - they had us partially crew multiple howitzers, and by the end at least one of us had done every single job except set the fuzes - and as the SSgt that was doing that was a few feet from where I was screwing the fuzes into the shells, I saw clearly how to do that as well.

So in a pinch, my high school could provide a full 105mm howitzer crew that had fired off over 20 rounds.

Unfair! We only got to use the mortar trainers. (NJROTC)
But I did get simulator time for the P-3 Orion (and a 1/2 hour scenario with a pass: 3 engine out crosswind, from the side with the 1 remaining engine, landing at night. I crashed it, but in a "walkaway landing" - and the Naval FI wrote pass in my logbook. My CAP CFII was pleased.)

And we got about as much actual M-16 instruction at Alaska Joint JROTC summer camp as I later would get in Army Basic. The riflery instructors were part of the 172 INF BDE. And noted those of us who qualled and issued us the appropriate orders to wear the correct Army rifle awards... (Always looked silly on my NJROTC dress blues. Looked worse on my CAP dress blues. Then again, the worst ribbon ever was the NJROTC Academic Team - hunter safety orange with two narrow white stripes in the center...)

I also got some time at the helm of an LST... near Seattle.

Now, in my (short) time in Army Basic - we fired M-16's, M-203 training rounds, threw training and live hand grenades (only one live one - at qual), got some time on the M-60 on a tripod, used the LAW Trainer, trained for bayonet (mounted and in hand) and e-tool combat, plus "Army Akido" (per SFC Meyers). I was on sick call during the MILES-gear bivouac. (Strep. Then psych hold.)

Everyone who shot Expert had prior riflery experience. I can only think of one guy who failed to qualify by third attempt - he went home for being caught in the female barracks next door.

 

[whartung]

So in a pinch, my high school could provide a full 105mm howitzer crew that had fired off over 20 rounds.

There's a movie in there somewhere, or at least a TV episode of some kind.

 

[Supplement Four]

I wanted to use Book 6 to create a character. Let's see what I get.



1. Attributes.

Riece Siige
577B67



2. College.
Not Admitted.

--. Homeworld.
I added this. I rolled randomly from the worlds in the Regina subsector.

Kinorb. A663659-5

Class A Starport
Surface Gravity = 0.75 Gs
Standard Atmo

Kinorb is settled by people who reject the Imperial feudal system locally but submit to it as a member of the Imperium.

Rich world. Non-Industrial.

Kinorb is a beautiful world with a low population (less than 10 M on the entire planet). It was settled by ex-Imperial Naval officers who found the world during the colonization efforts of the Rule of Man.

Industry and immigration is strictly controlled.

The per capita wealth of the citizens of Kinorb are among the highest in the Imperium.

3. Enlistment.
Failed.

Draft = 4. Drafted into the Imperial Scouts.
Kinorb is an anchor point for an Imperial X-Boat route. Riece did not go to college, though he considered it. The colleges on Kinorb require service to the world for an average of two years before a person is legally allowed to leave the planet. Riece found his way through the Draft to the Scouts via some strings pulled by his family's contacts on Kinorb.



4. Office Selection.

Riece will be assigned to the Field, assigned to the Communications Office.

Riece found part time, intern-type work with the scouts at the Class A starport on Kinorb. This was parlayed into a career via the Draft (that some feel was influenced by Siige family contacts.



5. Initial Training.

Flight School.

Pilot-1

The Communications department (and the pilot skill) makes a lot of sense with Kinorb being an anchor point for the X-Boat system.



Year 2 Assignment

Special Training: Liasion-1

Special Mission: Survived.

Special Mission Skill: Ship's Boat-1

Riece was selected to pilot a delegation to the other three worlds in the Kinorb cluster to investigate a program to better serve all four worlds with communications.

Riece Siige
Age 20
577B67
Pilot-1, Ship's Boat-1, Liasion-1



Year 3 Assignment.

Mission.

The Special Mission developed into an official Mission. Riece's initial experience with this program developed into an official Scout mission for another year.

Unfortunately, Riece Siige was lost in space. His commander and crewmates, along with his vessel, simply disappeared.

Riece Siige has been coded as presumed dead by the IISS.

He had not yet reached his 21st birthday.


Riece Siige. Dead, at 20.

Rest In Peace.

 

[Supplement Four]

Try this on for a visual.

A dense forest...aflame! Forest fire.

Hover tanks, buttoned down, sliding through, breaking down flaming trees and tigs alike. A hellstorm of fire. Everywhere. The big fans on the tanks blowing charcoaled wood, smoking topsoil, and a thick cloud of bright sparks.

The are the hounds of hell. Panzers. Nothing will stop them. Nothing can stop them.

One of the turrets turns 20 degrees to the right. As if the flames could not be any brighter, the plasma weapon that serves as the tank's primary destructive tongue spits its cyan stream of death at the enemy.

Nothin' stops the Slammers.