HG CharGen Example, Please

[ArcaneFlash]

Okay, I started looking into MGT and I haven't exactly found the info I'm looking for.

I was looking over HG and I'm not completely understanding the Naval College rules. Under normal circumstances (No College), you use the service skills under crewman. you get all the service skills-0 and 1 specialty Skill-1. After term 1, you can transfer branches usually based on specialty.

If you go to Naval College, then you pick a college such as Flight. If you pass then you get the service skills of the college plus a specialty. Correct?

Also, In MT you rolled for assignments per year. How would you emplement this in MGT?

--AF

Edit: A thought occurred to me... If service skills are basic training, then what is the ramification of adding a major or minor also? And what ranks do you assign them?

 

[aramis]

MGT has no "roll yearly" career options; it's always roll term based.

 

[ArcaneFlash]

Aramis,
So if I wanted to add as a houserule to add one skill per year, will that wreck the task system, or am I better off using another system like MT for CharGen?

--AF

 

[aramis]

Aramis,
So if I wanted to add as a houserule to add one skill per year, will that wreck the task system, or am I better off using another system like MT for CharGen?

--AF

You'd fundamentally alter the meaning of a skill level, unless each skill receipt had a roll to obtain a skill that year. (Especially since MGT doesn't grant bonus skills for promotions.)

you need a 25% chance per each, roughly... 9/36. 10/36 is 9+.
The event rolls replace the CT/MT position, and MT special duty skill gains, and only grant a skill about 1/2 to 2/3 of the time (by which event table); in lieu of the CT/MT promotion skill roll, MGT has a lot more rank skills... usually one per 2 ranks.

 

[Jame]

You'd fundamentally alter the meaning of a skill level, unless each skill receipt had a roll to obtain a skill that year.

I prefer the free skill per year myself but I've taken to doing roll for term event and life event and take skill if offered.

(Especially since MGT doesn't grant bonus skills for promotions.)

Hmm, I don't remember them explicitly saying that it doesn't. Indeed, I've been doing it as if it did! And no offense, but since this is interpretation (seeing nothing saying that it does not*) I'm of the opinion that it should, at GM's discretion.

* if you shift the "s" over, you get "doe snot." So there, but only if you feel like arguing.

 

[ArcaneFlash]

Jame,

The core rulebook gives you a skill for advancement.

In HG the example gives a skill roll for commission.

So, outside background and basic training, are all other skills start at skill-1? I'm not sure how I would one skill per year. I could borrow the skill roll's from MT to cover it.

--AF

Edit: it drives me crazy that there is no medical school. I do not think someone should be a doctor in 4 years under the core rules.

 

[McPerth]

You'd fundamentally alter the meaning of a skill level, unless each skill receipt had a roll to obtain a skill that year. (Especially since MGT doesn't grant bonus skills for promotions.)

Page 9 of the Core book (not LBB):

Advancement

(...)

If you make a succesful Advancement roll, then you move to the next skill rank and gain an extra skill roll on any of the Skills and Training Tables (...)

(bold is original, emphasis is mine)

As advancement is the equivalent to promotion in MGT, I'm afraid you're wrong here.

 

[CosmicGamer]

I do not think someone should be a doctor in 4 years under the core rules.

I don't understand this statement. Could you clarify?

 

[ArcaneFlash]

It used to be that you needed Medic-3 and Med school (ideally) to be a Doctor and needed Dex-8+ to be a surgeon.

In MGT you need Medic-2 to be a doctor and Medic-4 to be famous.

An example, Suppose I pick a scholar, I get these skills at zero: Comms, Computers, Diplomat, Medic Investigate, and Any Science. (note: an earlier point using Engineering-0 then if you added a rank you then picked a Engineer(specialty)-1) in this case is it any science specialty at zero?)

Then under my specialty, I get another Science(Any)-1. If I make my advancement role, I get Medic-1, plus due to advancement I can pick another skill... I take Medic. I now have a science(any)-0, Science(Any)-1, and Medic-2. I'm now a doctor at 22 at the end of first term and never went to school.

--AF

Edit, this is based on the example from the core RB.

 

[CosmicGamer]

It used to be that you needed Medic-3 and Med school (ideally) to be a Doctor and needed Dex-8+ to be a surgeon.

In MGT you need Medic-2 to be a doctor and Medic-4 to be famous.

An example, Suppose I pick a scholar, I get these skills at zero: Comms, Computers, Diplomat, Medic Investigate, and Any Science. (note: an earlier point using Engineering-0 then if you added a rank you then picked a Engineer(specialty)-1) in this case is it any science specialty at zero?)

Then under my specialty, I get another Science(Any)-1. If I make my advancement role, I get Medic-1, plus due to advancement I can pick another skill... I take Medic. I now have a science(any)-0, Science(Any)-1, and Medic-2. I'm now a doctor at 22 at the end of first term and never went to school.

--AF

Edit, this is based on the example from the core RB.

First, where is the example?

Second, see bolded above, unless using an alternate chargen method, I believe with the default chargen system the advancement skill is not selected. It needs to be rolled. Advancement needs a 8+ and rolling on the table a has a 2 in 6 chance. So while becoming a doctor (skill level 2 medic) in one term is possible, it is by no means a sure thing.

I believe that the skill and task system would be cumbersome if for each skill you varied the skill level for a professional and/or altered the roll needed for tasks.

I do agree that Medic/doctor is one of the easier career paths to achieve in chargen while being one of the harder ones to achieve in RL. Why?
1) The skill occurs twice in the table.
Most skills only appear once in a table other than skills that are diluted with numerous specialties to choose from, like engineering and science.
2) Medic skill is given as a rank benefit at rank 1. That's pretty low.

These two items are simple enough to modify if you wish.

On the flip side, I recall trying to make a doctor and the dice gods not even allowing skill level 1 after 3 terms.

 

[ArcaneFlash]

I was modifying the Jameson merchant example.

--AF

Edit: Sorry I thought I lost or didn't post this.

 

[ArcaneFlash]

I was using the merchant captain as an example.

I concede your point about Alternative development. However I prefer to pick my skills.
I would prefer that there was a concrete school level system. I'm developing some houserules to do just that. I also have to add in some skills that are missing from previous ed. since I can't afford all the books at this time. I have to make do with the Core, HG, CB1 & 2, and a few other ship related books. But I might add back the doctor needs Medic-3 to have the title.

 

[McPerth]

But I might add back the doctor needs Medic-3 to have the title.

Well, in MT you needed Medical 3 to be a doctor, but there a difficult task was equivalent to a -4 to a medium task, not -2 as is in MGT, so, coupled with diferent targets (7+ for a medium task in MT and 8+ in MGT) and stat modifiers (in MT were never negative, and you had +1 at stat 5), makes it roughly equivalent for a difficult task (assuming the minimum to become a doctor (skill level 3 in MT and 2 in MGT) and EDU 5-8, 7+ in MT, 8+ in MGT; if edu 9, 7+ in both; if 10-11, 6+ and 7+ respectively, if 12, 6+ both), and in MGT its easier to pass a roll for a very difficult task, as target is only 2 higher, while in traveller (where de equivalent whould be formidable, as I see the formidable task in MGT as equivalent to the impossible one in MT) is 4 higher.

All in all, I see skills in MGT as more poserful than in MT, as they allow you to achieve earlier higher dificulty levels.

Of course, in MT you can try to reduce the task level By a full step) by making it careful, if you have time, while the equivalent in MGT will only give you a +1 DM.

 

[McPerth]

As for the possibilities to become a full doctor in your first term in MT (I'll compare to it again as is the paradigm I'm most familiar with) you had also some possibilities:

You could attain medical skills either directly, by the science cascade skill or by the Academic cascade skill.

If you joined the doctor career (to keep with your example about becoming scholar/physician), you achieved medical 1 automatically, 2 skills and spacial duty on 6+ (one skill, two if 10+). By rolling on the advanced education table, you could attain medical, science and academic, so you had 50% to attain medical skill. With 2-4 rolls, your chances to become a full doctor at 22 were also quite good, IMHO.

If you choose the scientist career, you have not your automatic medical 1, but your special duty roll is 5+ (9+ for two skills), and the advanced education table guives you 66% of possibilities to attain either Academic or Science. A good chance too, IMHO.

And even in Noble career, you had 33% of possibilities to attain either science or Academic in the advanced education table, but you had also position roll (5+, DM +1 if edu 9+) that can give you an (or two, on a 9+)additional skill(s), so your chances are not too bad, if you go for it (rolling mostly in advanced education table).

Most other careers give you at least one of the tree skills in the advanced education table, and you can expect about 3-5 rolls (with average luck) in most of them.

And in the advanced Chargen, the Imperial Navy medical branch gives you a good chance, even as enlisted, to become a full doctor in your first term, while the pre career options, if you can attain the medical scool, give you the doctor title for sure, but at 26 years.