LBB1, LBB4-7 Skillflation Reconciliation

[kilemall]

Here is a take on the eternal struggle of reconciling LBB1 and LBB4-7 chargen.

Who knows, might work for people without that goal.


During chargen, after determining during each term how many rolls are possible from initial/commissioning/promotion towards PD/Service/Education table rolls- then double that number.
When a new skill is rolled, the first time it is scored as Skill-0. Second roll is Skill-1, following rolls for that skill progress normally.
Normal career and rank skills are acquired at the normal Skill-1. PD rolls for stats are normal +1.
Most homeworld and early life rolls, if allowed, will be Skill-0.



Intent here is to develop a broader set of skills closer to the LBB expanded characters and more in keeping with the general working knowledge a career professional would have.


Hopefully it will give enough rolls to make a few PD rolls more attractive.


Finally, this is much like 'learning skills' in the continuing education portion of the LBB rules. No 1/2 skills per se, but much like getting Skill-0 then retaining eventually for Skill-1. So, precedent.

 

[Brandon C]

I'd redo the Advanced Education Tables. Most skills would be replaced by schools from Books 4-7 and access would be based on Rank, not Education

For example, for the Army:

3. Advanced Education Table (Rank 0)
1 Vehicle
2 Specialist School
3 Specialist School
4 Tactics
5 Protected Forces Training
6 Commando School

4. Advanced Education Table (Rank 1+)
1 Medical
2 Commando School
3 Command College
4 Computer
5 Leader
6 Staff College

 

[Timerover51]

I'd redo the Advanced Education Tables. Most skills would be replaced by schools from Books 4-7 and access would be based on Rank, not Education

For example, for the Army:

3. Advanced Education Table (Rank 0)
1 Vehicle
2 Specialist School
3 Specialist School
4 Tactics
5 Protected Forces Training
6 Commando School

4. Advanced Education Table (Rank 1+)
1 Medical
2 Commando School
3 Command College
4 Computer
5 Leader
6 Staff College

Advanced Education for Ranks 1 and 2

1 Leader
2 Admin
3 Officer Branch School
4 Computer
5 Commando School
6 Logistics School

Advanced Education for Ranks 3 and up

1 Leader
2 Admin
3 Bureaucrat
4 Command College
5 Staff College
6 Advanced Officer Branch School

 

[Brandon C]

Advanced Education for Ranks 1 and 2

1 Leader
2 Admin
3 Officer Branch School
4 Computer
5 Commando School
6 Logistics School

Advanced Education for Ranks 3 and up

1 Leader
2 Admin
3 Bureaucrat
4 Command College
5 Staff College
6 Advanced Officer Branch School

What page is Logistics School on? I used assignments from Book 4.

I decided not to include OCS as it would require significant rewriting, and the normal commision/promotion roll seemed to handle it.

 

[GypsyComet]

An easy fix from the other direction is to give the weapon groups of Books 4-7 to Book 1/Supp 4 characters, though this does assume that you are not wedded to the stinginess of Book 1.

 

[whulorigan]

ATPollard's method

I've metioned it before, but I like ATPollard's idea:

Another option posted by atpollard some time ago concerning creating parity between CT Basic CharGen and CT Advanced CharGen was posted this thread:

[FONT=arial,helvetica]CT Only: Using advanced chargen skill tables in basic chargen [/FONT]in Post #8 .

I think it is simple and brilliant. Note that this creates characters on average with the same total levels of skills as in Basic CharGen, but the same average number of skills as in Advanced CharGen (many of the skills are 0-Level). This also takes care of the problem of high individual skill levels "breaking the 2D6 curve" that tends to occur with Advanced CharGen characters.

And you still get all of the interesting additional detail and background fluff of the Advanced CharGen system.

It is very simple and elegant, and it helps guide the Basic CT referee in assigning zero-levels skills in a sensible manner.

 

[Brandon C]

An easy fix from the other direction is to give the weapon groups of Books 4-7 to Book 1/Supp 4 characters, though this does assume that you are not wedded to the stinginess of Book 1.

I mostly did this, but did make a distinction between Rifleman and Combat Rifleman depending if the character's career was military or not.

 

[Timerover51]

What page is Logistics School on? I used assignments from Book 4.

I decided not to include OCS as it would require significant rewriting, and the normal commision/promotion roll seemed to handle it.

My apologies, I was thinking Real World verses Book 4, which I have but have never really used. Then switch it to Instruction.

I forgot that the Mercenary book assumes that ammo, equipment, and rations appear by magic from the sky.

 

[McPerth]

See that MT (that I consider a kind of advanced CT) dealed with it in a two way approach:

1. it gave more skills in basic CharGen, with the rules of 4 over roll and the special duty.
2. while Advanced CharGen keeps giving more skills, many skills in basic tables are cascade, so allowing the player more control over what skills his character has.

The rule of the 4 over is easily usable in CT, and the special duty roll wouldn't be too dificult either.

The fact of using more cascade skills, though, it's more subtle, as you use to end up with a carácter that has less skills, but more wanted ones...

 

[Brandon C]

My apologies, I was thinking Real World verses Book 4, which I have but have never really used. Then switch it to Instruction.

There is a rule that if a character has a skill taught by the school at 2+, he attends as an instructor, not student, and gains a level in Instruction.

I forgot that the Mercenary book assumes that ammo, equipment, and rations appear by magic from the sky.

It is true that Books 4 and 5 largely ignore logistics, while Book 2 is fairly Draconian about the topic.

 

[McPerth]

My apologies, I was thinking Real World verses Book 4, which I have but have never really used. Then switch it to Instruction.

I forgot that the Mercenary book assumes that ammo, equipment, and rations appear by magic from the sky.

Three's nothing wrong in having a logistics school, if logistics is what you like to focus your game (though I guess your thinking about them being fun is not shared by many of us, but evreyone has his own tastes, and all of them are legitimate).

The only problem is that it does not exist (AFAIK) in any Traveller supplement, so you should define it (mostly what skills you may receive there and on what die roll). I guess something like: roll 4+ for admin, broker, computer and streetwise (or whatever skills you see fiting) will sufice...