My daughter just graduated from the Scouts today

[sabredog]

Well, technically its the Air Force, but they are kinda "Scouty" in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, she graduated tech school for "Knowledge Operations Management" with honors and will be here tomorrow for a week home before her basing assignment at Warren in Cheyenne.

Her next youngest sister is already enlisted to go AF after her HS graduation next year and is intending to work her way into Space Command. She always pronounces it like "Spacccce Commmannnd!" like it's the title of an old serial.

Anyway that got me to wondering the hows and why's of the Scouts in various TU's - official or non. IMTU they are a kind of paramilitary group organized as an exploration and mapping force during peacetime, and integrated into the Navy/Marines as pathfinders and recon teams during wartime.

Anyone else diverge much from the official rationale behind the Scouts?

 

[SpaceBadger]

Well, technically its the Air Force, but they are kinda "Scouty" in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, she graduated tech school for "Knowledge Operations Management" with honors and will be here tomorrow for a week home before her basing assignment at Warren in Cheyenne.

Congratulations to her, and also to you!

Is "Knowledge Operations" about computer programming and databases, or more like electronics and LANs and security? My stepson just graduated from Army Basic and is now at AIT learning something of the latter; I don't recall his exact MOS, but something like that.

Her next youngest sister is already enlisted to go AF after her HS graduation next year and is intending to work her way into Space Command. She always pronounces it like "Spacccce Commmannnd!" like it's the title of an old serial.

At least it isn't "Pigggs In Spaaaace!"

Anyway that got me to wondering the hows and why's of the Scouts in various TU's - official or non. IMTU they are a kind of paramilitary group organized as an exploration and mapping force during peacetime, and integrated into the Navy/Marines as pathfinders and recon teams during wartime.

Yeah, something like that, although the real scholarly types and xeno-contact experts and other more specialized guys probably don't get mobilized.

 

[SpaceBadger]

Now there's a proud Papa; the thread so nice, he posted it twice!

 

[HiverLord]

IMTU, Scouts are kick-butt generalists.
I've changed the MgT/CT generation tables. There is only one branch: a scout is a scout. One year you may be a courier between minor systems, the next you may be on an x-boat, then surveying, then scouting for the Navy... and so on.
I've added in a Special Duty roll. But Special duty for a Scout is schooling, not 'dangerous activities', as most scout activities are by definition dangerous...
(Scout, Flight, Medical, Combat, Contact, and Engineering Schools)
Scout 'Rank' is merely an indication of experience and respect among Scouts.

Basically Scouts do what needs doing, when it needs doing, or die trying...


And congrats to your daughter!

 

[SpaceBadger]

IMTU, Scouts are kick-butt generalists.
I've changed the MgT/CT generation tables. There is only one branch: a scout is a scout. One year you may be a courier between minor systems, the next you may be on an x-boat, then surveying, then scouting for the Navy... and so on.
I've added in a Special Duty roll. But Special duty for a Scout is schooling, not 'dangerous activities', as most scout activities are by definition dangerous...
(Scout, Flight, Medical, Combat, Contact, and Engineering Schools)
Scout 'Rank' is merely an indication of experience and respect among Scouts.

Basically Scouts do what needs doing, when it needs doing, or die trying...

I'm with you in principle, but I do separate out the Communication people as that seems to me a completely different service that just got lumped in w Scouts administratively, and I expect the X-Boat guys may be looked down on by "real Scouts." I also had a branch for some of the more scientific specialties, figuring these are guys who started out as regular Scouts but got interested or especially good at a particular specialty (Xeno-Archeology, frex) and are kept in the service but not for general Scouting duties.

 

[aramis]

IMTU, the Scouts are kind of a bizarre hybrid...

The field Scouts are pretty lax - the assigned Mission Commander and Deputy Mission Commander have pretty much full legal authority, and tend to be rather lax. Think of it like the mythical 4077 MASH - uniforms for practicality, often worn laxly, rank/seniority matters little, competence matters a lot. Large units have one or more assistant mission commanders as well, splitting work into work teams of 5-20 under an AMC. If there's 2/3 consensus, leadership other than the MC may be elective; if not, pure seniority rules. MC's are always assigned by higher authority. Most are highly competent, task oriented, militarily slack, and prone to off-duty excesses.

Admin side are paramilitary, tend towards mental rigidity, and are very rank conscious.

 

[sabredog]

LOL - no, I'm just an idiot and tried to correct my spelling. But yeah - I am proud!

 

[sabredog]

Congratulations to her, and also to you!

Is "Knowledge Operations" about computer programming and databases, or more like electronics and LANs and security? My stepson just graduated from Army Basic and is now at AIT learning something of the latter; I don't recall his exact MOS, but something like that.

Yeah - it covers everything database and info management at all levels of the command structure. There are a lot of other MOS' within the overall Knowledge Operations category (like programming, db maintenance and construction, computer security, etc..) and hers would be the civilian equivalent to someone running a server farm or large company's database system depending on the size of the unit she is assigned to. At Warren and Cheyenne it could be pretty extensive I imagine.

For now, though, she's just a newly minted Airman 1st so I suspect her personal sphere of responsibility will be fairly small. But its an excellent field for her to get into for later, that's for sure.

 

[sabredog]

For the most part my scouts operate like all of the above during peacetime, with the exception of the huge bureaucracy - that is administered by the Imperial Archives, so the actual scouts themselves are limited to field type personnel. They chafe a bit at the leash, too, so when one of them gets a chance to kick out into space for some exploration/colony aid/X-boat station checking (my X-boat stations are mostly automated) he jumps for it.

No ranks, and looked upon by the Imperial Navy as difficult to handle and not properly housebroken, as good drinking buddies (and not too bad in a brawl) by the Marines, and generally as the "Everything Else Goes In Here” service by everyone. Like Aramis' they get to dress any way they like in the field so long as it's family friendly.

They all wear the slouch hat the service has as part of its actual uniform (rarely worn and often left in the bottom of a locker so long that when you look in your retired Type S's locker you might find one or two). The hat they are famous for is often infamous looking - all sweat stained and greasy, but still, the Marines will happily try to talk a Navy guy into trying to knock it off a Scout in a bar. If the Navy guy does the Scout has to buy drinks for everyone. If the Navy guy gets knocked senseless by the Scout then the Marines get to use his card to buy drinks (and then some) for everyone. It's surprising how scrappy some unkempt (disreputable, even) looking Scout can be when drinks are on the line.

They only recently were added to the TO&E for Imperial Force Command to be attached to frontline units in wartime. This was because everyone assumes that since the scouts found everything they ought to make good pathfinders in space, and good recon units on the ground. It might even be true, and the scouts seem happy to let everyone think they are that good. It gets them drinks and adds to their "reformed smuggler" mystique.

The X-boats are run under contract by private companies, but the way stations and automated facilities are run by scouts. Assignment to one is considered a punishment detail by some and a relief by others. in the case of the first the guys stuck out there in those shacks are looked upon with sympathy so long as whatever they did didn't get anyone hurt, in the second case they are looked upon with contempt and the object of amusing pranks.

The scouts do operate large ships designed to provide a mobile support base for scoutships operating throughout the Terran Empire. The ship carries enough supplies and has the facilities to repair and maintain scout ships of all 3 classes, and also acts as a transport to carry the shorter ranged scouts rapidly to areas where they are to be deployed.

The vessels are considered fleet tenders and not armed, but since they carry up to 25 scouts and are not considered a warship of the line they don’t need to be. The ships carry entertainment and relaxation facilities for the scout crews, and are available for use by “detached” scouts on a limited, first-come basis.

I always used to prefer playing scouts if I played in a game, but the expanded Scout chargen rules kind of took the fun away for me. I mean, jeez - it used to be every scout was a pilot first but the new rules just give them vacc suit instead.

 

[SpaceBadger]

I always used to prefer playing scouts if I played in a game, but the expanded Scout chargen rules kind of took the fun away for me. I mean, jeez - it used to be every scout was a pilot first but the new rules just give them vacc suit instead.

Take a look at the Scout tables I uploaded in my Homebrew Extended Chargen PDF. This was done pre-LBB6, but I notice that I do have a few similar branches, so I must have been influenced by some article that was later incorporated into LBB6.

If I did it over I would ditch Security branch (I think that was inspired by some adventure involving Security Scout special-ops team), and would expand Contact to include all of the more specialized science types that aren't maybe as rough-n-ready as your typical Scout.

 

[arbitrary.remora]

Scouts are where the weirdos go. Square pegs, exoticists, loners, intellectuals and the slightly mad.

Professional trap-springers, finding out the stuff in the universe that will you before it kills you scouts need curiosity and the ability to run for long periods of time.

Discipline and the 'yes ma'am, no ma'am, right away sir' junk that keeps the navy and army going really doesn't matter when you're lost in void making a choice between the impossible and unlikely.

All those dead scouts are the blood price galactic civilization pays in order to exist.

'Diabologic' and 'Hobbyist' are my favourite Eric Frank Russell stories that inform Scouts in our group.

 

[Patron Zero]

Kudos to you both, please thank her for her service for me.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Now there's a proud Papa; the thread so nice, he posted it twice!

LOL - no, I'm just an idiot and tried to correct my spelling. But yeah - I am proud!

And, I merged those two posts into this thread. Second thread is deleted.

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS! Aim High!!!

 

[Blue Ghost]

Well, technically its the Air Force, but they are kinda "Scouty" in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, she graduated tech school for "Knowledge Operations Management" with honors and will be here tomorrow for a week home before her basing assignment at Warren in Cheyenne.

Her next youngest sister is already enlisted to go AF after her HS graduation next year and is intending to work her way into Space Command. She always pronounces it like "Spacccce Commmannnd!" like it's the title of an old serial.

Anyway that got me to wondering the hows and why's of the Scouts in various TU's - official or non. IMTU they are a kind of paramilitary group organized as an exploration and mapping force during peacetime, and integrated into the Navy/Marines as pathfinders and recon teams during wartime.

Anyone else diverge much from the official rationale behind the Scouts?

Did she get to ride one of them 8-legged dino things, and wear a black beret?

 

[Cryton]

Well, technically its the Air Force, but they are kinda "Scouty" in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, she graduated tech school for "Knowledge Operations Management" with honors and will be here tomorrow for a week home before her basing assignment at Warren in Cheyenne.

Her next youngest sister is already enlisted to go AF after her HS graduation next year and is intending to work her way into Space Command. She always pronounces it like "Spacccce Commmannnd!" like it's the title of an old serial.

Anyway that got me to wondering the hows and why's of the Scouts in various TU's - official or non. IMTU they are a kind of paramilitary group organized as an exploration and mapping force during peacetime, and integrated into the Navy/Marines as pathfinders and recon teams during wartime.

Anyone else diverge much from the official rationale behind the Scouts?

Being an "Ex-Scout" myself, I say to you congratulations! And to your daughters, I say excellent choice in services, and enjoy your tours!

~Cryton

 

[saundby]

Sabredog, Congratulations to your daughter, and to you. It sounds like she's got a fantastic job lined up.

And congrats and encouragement to the younger one who's on DEP. Tell her to do well on the 'data test' to get lined up for a specialty in Space Command. It's a logic test. My youngest just swore in last week and is at Basic now. She's headed toward 22 months of tech school at Vandenberg for a Space Command job once she graduates from Basic. She pretty well aced the data test. It was like a game for her--she loves brain teasers and Martin Gardner books of puzzles. Her recruiter tried to tell her not to bother, he'd never had anyone pass the data test. I told her not to let him make that choice for her.

My girl, making dad proud last Tuesday:

 

[Garyius2003]

If you daughter can for her next gig, K-town or Kadena. Cannot recommend either enough.