Is it possible to enlist after a character is generated?

[Enoki]

This has come up in a current game. A player with an extant character wants to join the Scout service. While I see no problem with someone doing something like this so long as they meet the initial requirements (with age restrictions of course), what do others think?

After all, throughout history militaries and such have allowed people far older than 18 (and even younger) to sign up for service. Is this possible in the game?

 

[BlackBat242]

Is he just wanting to take the PC out of play for 4 years while he gets more skills (and maybe a scout ship)?

Or is he wanting to have his character functioning as a Scout while still having the PC involved in adventures (having you run Scout Service assigned missions, I suspect)?

 

[Enoki]

The later. The game is in progress and he wants to get a scout ship... Not that that will happen... but, joining the scouts would at least make it possible...

Horrible how you enlist and the recruiter "lied" to you...

 

[aramis]

THe rules in CT and MT do not allow for second careers at all; later editions usually include a DM-2 for over 19.

Mix-n-match is a standard behavior for Traveller refs.

 

[Timerover51]

I would say kill the character off and then let the player join the Scouts and see if he survives long enough to have a try at a ship. I do not like players to try to change horses in the middle of the game.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Sure, why not?

Char gen covers what happens in char gen, not in play.

You have a character who finds himself without a job. The Scouts looks promising, so he applies for a job. The referee now decides if the Scouts want him or not. Just like any other job, ticket, or adventure the character wants to have a go at...

 

[lego zhodani]

If it fits in with the game then why not! Maybe the player can convince another to join up as well. If it produces adventures that you are willing to run and they are willing to play, then that's a win for roleplaying if you ask me.

 

[atpollard]

Rules say NO for character generation (In Classic Traveller) but everything after Chargen is for the Ref to decide.

One might wonder about his motives ... why not roll up a Scout and be a scout, but nothing prohibits it.

IMTU I would allow it in a heartbeat, but I fold, bend and spindle rules to fit my mood. My only two rules are
1. Don't break the 2d6 curve with modifiers.
2. Have fun.

An ex-Merchant (or whatever) joining the Scouts does not break either of MY rules.

So my advice is: See RULE #2.

 

[welsh]

Ask him how he feels about spending four years assigned to an X-Boat tender on routine duties.

 

[atpollard]

Ask him how he feels about spending four years assigned to an X-Boat tender on routine duties.

'Routine Duties' ...
like dealing with the armed pilot who has been isolated for way to long,
fighting off a pirate boarding party,
dealing with a group of adventurers in a free trader hired to erase some data from the tender's computer before the next x-boat comes,
dealing with damage control after a bad jump leads to an x-boat colliding with the tender,
entertaining an MOOT being transported to Subsector from core with sealed orders (on the quiet)
emergency medical assistance for a Type S that comes in with battle damage and an unconscious pilot.

Those sort of routine duties?

 

[mike wightman]

It may also be a nice idea to say 'ok you enlist in the scouts - now make the survival roll...' :devil:

More seriously I long ago adopted the house rule that players could put their characters through more than one career, but with certain restrictions.

 

[Enoki]

Resolved for now by:

Requiring you are at a scout base to sign up. The nearest is several jumps away so...

If that doesn't resolve it, I'll allow an attempt to join in the normal manner but require a four year contract that pretty much takes the guy out of the game... After all, the scout service (or any other service for that matter) would expect you to actually serve once you signed up...

 

[pendragonman]

Letting him enlist will either:

1) take the character out of play for each term as the rest of the party will be somewhere else, thus requiring the player to come up with an alternate character. (a good choice if the player is suddenly unable to meet with the group for a while).

or

2) provide a huge number of unavoidable adventure hooks as the character keeps getting orders to do this or that.

 

[Whipsnade]

Your game, your rules, your call.

As you note, a four year hitch would take the character out of the game and receiving a scout/courier after discharge isn't automatic either.

Can you discuss the issue with the player OOC and bring up the various problems?

 

[atpollard]

If the goal is to just get a scout ship, that's an adventure, not an enlistment. Go for an old Seeker (surplus scout converted to prospecting) and some grand adventure after mustering out that gives the character a chance to own a ship needing millions of credits of repairs. Now he has a ship that needs lots of Engineer skill checks to keep it flying and a monthly loan payment to make. (Or some other ongoing adventure hook generatior).

 

[Whipsnade]

If the goal is to just get a scout ship, that's an adventure, not an enlistment.

Excellent advice from someone who - unlike many of us here - is actually an active referee.

I think your problem is solved, Enoki!

 

[Enoki]

Actually, this did produce an idea for a future game. That would be one with only a few players who actually play through their term(s) of service, rather than make that past history.
It also appears to be a good scenario for a game with a single player that's refereed. Might even work for a solo game. Make some charts and such for events that happen and roll out the career as you go...

 

[Enoki]

Excellent advice from someone who - unlike many of us here - is actually an active referee.

I think your problem is solved, Enoki!

It was resolved by "You need to enlist at a Scout base and the nearest one is like six jumps away. You have neither the cash or means to get there..."

 

[Whipsnade]

It was resolved by "You need to enlist at a Scout base and the nearest one is like six jumps away. You have neither the cash or means to get there..."

Ahhh... Neatly resolved by another active referee!

Regarding your other campaign ideas, one of my favorite campaigns involved PCs on active duty in the IISS.

 

[Reynard]

Once the initial character is generated, joining or continuing in a career would be the campaign. Think about it, merchant characters do that regularly; finish a few years in the service for the initial character then hop back in the ship and keep doing merchant stuff for years to come. Same for soldiers in a military campaign. Doesn't always have to be mercenary work.

The problem can be characters from mixed careers. Why is a dilettante with the scout service or a rogue in the navy assuming at least one other player character is of that career path? Obvious answer is you enlisted after gaining skills and background you wanted from another career.

I see no reason why campaigns can't be based on a particular career.