Navy cadets adventure

[Brandon C]

So, I'm thinking of running a one-shot adventure with the characters as Naval cadets on a "routine" training exercise that, of course, goes wrong.

Character creation could be left to the players rather than pregenerated, since the characters are still in their first term. However, this does raise a couple of questions:

1) Should they roll for their skill that term?

2) Should they get any of the skills from a group skill package, even just one each? (I'm looking at 3-4 players, one bonus skill each).

If I only let them start with 0 level skills from Homeworld, Background and Basic Training skills, no one will have Sensors, which is rather vital on a spacecraft ...

Edit: Actually, lack of Engineering will be a bigger issue. Perhaps let them substitute 1-2 level 0 skills from their Specialty table for 1-2 from the Service skills table.

 

[Xerxeskingofking]

I'd say 1) depends how early in the their careers you plan to set the adventure. If they'd been out of basic for any length of time I'd let them complete the full term in a mechanical sense, with them rolling for skills, events etcm and they take whatever benefits they would get. But thats becuase i prefer slightly more capable PCs.


2)The whole point of the group skills package is to compenstate for the random nature of the skill rolls and to ensure that thier are no truely gaping gaps in the party skillset, so i'd very firmly suggest keeping it in some form or other.

But you could just go with them all having level 0 skills, and just adjust the challenge accordingly. It's really down to personnel perference.

 

[Brandon C]

I'm going to plan on this being a one-shot at a FLGS, but I am considering "advancing" the characters to age 30 or 34 afterwards for a follow-up campaign if there is interest. For the purposes of the first term, the adventure constitutes the "survival roll" and Event for them. Put another way, I see it as a way to create Connections in play if it turns into a campaign, but I don't want to make the players have to commit to one until they get the feel of the mechanics and setting.

 

[CosmicGamer]

So, I'm thinking of running a one-shot adventure with the characters as Naval cadets on a "routine" training exercise that, of course, goes wrong.

I've thought of this and many other scenarios where play begins during ones career.

Character creation could be left to the players rather than pregenerated

I've never GMed or played in a game with pregens. Just not something I'm interested in since these type of situations are often the precursor to a very pre planed, linear, game where it seams the characters are "railroaded" and have little choice or influence on the game.

1) Should they roll for their skill that term?

2) Should they get any of the skills from a group skill package, even just one each? (I'm looking at 3-4 players, one bonus skill each).

If I only let them start with 0 level skills from Homeworld, Background and Basic Training skills, no one will have Sensors, which is rather vital on a spacecraft ...

Edit: Actually, lack of Engineering will be a bigger issue. Perhaps let them substitute 1-2 level 0 skills from their Specialty table for 1-2 from the Service skills table.

Depends on how close to chargen (and any alternate rules for chargen) you want to stay vs house rules and doing what is best for the game????

1) Decide based on what you feel is best for your game concept.

General concept of training is that one has basic training then MOS training before getting assigned to first duty. So if you want, you can consider the first term skill roll as having just completed Basic and MOS training. Note: if your concept is a ship with just cadets out of boot camp on it and with no instructors or crew then something happens, I think that's a bit far fetched, sorry. You could also consider the skill roll to be skills acquired after they get to their first assignment. <shrug>

Either way, if the concept is that the cadets are still in training, then I think they probably should not have the skill yet.

2) Based on your comments of needing sensors and engineering, then I'd say let the skill package do it's thing.

The skill package is not meant to be part of a chargen simulation. It's a game mechanic for making sure almost completed characters have the skills needed for the adventure the GM has planned and it sounds like you need it.

For making some sense of it, if the characters are in the navy, and the skills are navy skills, then for you, it should be easy to explain it as part of the skills they have gained so far during their training for their first assignment.


I think it important with these young characters to take a close look at how the game will handle learning new skills.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Couple of web pages that might give you a hand with this:

Online Star Trek rpg - Cadet Cruise

Real Life Cadet Cruise Manual

 

[Brandon C]

I've thought of this and many other scenarios where play begins during ones career.

It does have certain advantages for a campaign.

I've never GMed or played in a game with pregens. Just not something I'm interested in since these type of situations are often the precursor to a very pre planed, linear, game where it seams the characters are "railroaded" and have little choice or influence on the game.

Pregenerated characters are quite common in games at conventions, where you typically also have a time limit (often 4 hours) from start to finish. While this is not a convention, it's easy to structure the time block if I do.

Depends on how close to chargen (and any alternate rules for chargen) you want to stay vs house rules and doing what is best for the game????

I'd like to stick with standard MgT rules, except when changes are needed for the unusual nature of the adventure (compared to a typical Traveller adventure).

General concept of training is that one has basic training then MOS training before getting assigned to first duty. So if you want, you can consider the first term skill roll as having just completed Basic and MOS training. Note: if your concept is a ship with just cadets out of boot camp on it and with no instructors or crew then something happens, I think that's a bit far fetched, sorry. You could also consider the skill roll to be skills acquired after they get to their first assignment. <shrug>

I was thinking of a small ship without jump operating in the outer reaches of a system. Perhaps the Serpent police cutter, or maybe a battle-weary Gazelle without jump-drives. On something as large as a Gazelle, I might include two experienced instructors -- who die early on, leaving the cadets in danger.

2) Based on your comments of needing sensors and engineering, then I'd say let the skill package do it's thing.]/quote]

Yeah, although only one skill each.

Before I run the adventure, I'll have the chance to rummage through my MegaTraveller books and I might use the Navy Academy "career" instead (I do with MgT had included the academies, schools and colleges, but I suppose Mongoose considered them boring)

 

[Brandon C]

Couple of web pages that might give you a hand with this:

Online Star Trek rpg - Cadet Cruise

Real Life Cadet Cruise Manual

Thanks. ST:NG is what gave me the idea, but I much prefer the Traveller setting.

 

[McPerth]

ITTR there was an adventure called Naval Academy on a Challenge (sorry, I cannot give you exact reference right now) were cadets from the Academy were played all their Accademy time (more alike an En Garde! campaign than a Traveller one in some aspects).

IIRC there were the mechanisms to allow the characters to achiev skills while in the Academy, and could be used as a guide about what skills can they already have learned (aside from basic training) depending on which year of th Academy are they in.

 

[whulorigan]

ITTR there was an adventure called Naval Academy on a Challenge (sorry, I cannot give you exact reference right now) were cadets from the Academy were played all their Accademy time (more alike an En Garde! campaign than a Traveller one in some aspects).

IIRC there were the mechanisms to allow the characters to achiev skills while in the Academy, and could be used as a guide about what skills can they already have learned (aside from basic training) depending on which year of th Academy are they in.

Challenge #26, p.38: Military Academy

INTRODUCTION
This article contains rules to simulate the interactions of a group of military cadets in the Imperium, through a four-year training period. It can be run as an isolated game or as a role-playing addition to the extended character generation procedures in Traveller Books 4-5. It is assumed that all player characters are natives of the planet Beauville, a rich agricultural world and have joined one of the Imperial services as officer-cadets. It is advisable that players should not be allowed access to this article during play.

 

[Limburger59]

Pre-graduation cruise after 4 years at the Naval Academy would generate some skills.

In the book Starship Troopers, the OCS cadets had a skills background before attending the school.

 

[aramis]

ITTR there was an adventure called Naval Academy on a Challenge (sorry, I cannot give you exact reference right now) were cadets from the Academy were played all their Accademy time (more alike an En Garde! campaign than a Traveller one in some aspects).

Should be no surprise - En Garde is the predecessor to Traveller.

 

[Shadowrunner]

A naval cadet story springs to mind, "The Winslow Boy". A cadet is accused and must clear his name. Perhaps a Vacc suit was sabotaged, a cadet dies and the team must find the real villain.