Scout Beret

[Blue Ghost]

I just think berets are cool, and Scouts ought to wear them.

 

[rancke]

Scout headgear for uniforms worn in the HQ and on formal parades is one thing, but what would a scout wear in the field? Different headgear for different climates, probably, but might they have an all-purpose one? Some high-tech scarf that could be cool in the desert and warm in the arctic perhaps?


Hans

 

[Blue Ghost]

I guess canon states that it's a baseball cap, but I'm thinking if you're attached as a forward observer or for a listening post, and you're still a Scout, then I think a beret would be justified. Maybe not. Just me.

 

[aramis]

I guess canon states that it's a baseball cap, but I'm thinking if you're attached as a forward observer or for a listening post, and you're still a Scout, then I think a beret would be justified. Maybe not. Just me.

Those aren't Scout Service roles. Those are Army/Marine roles, and occasionally Navy.

The Scout Service is exploration, mapping, and mail. It fills the USPS & USGS roles.

 

[Blue Ghost]

I thought I read somewhere where scouts were occasionally thrown into the ranks of other services...I can't remember the roles.

 

[Reban]

I thought I read somewhere where scouts were occasionally thrown into the ranks of other services...I can't remember the roles.

I don't think its "thrown into the ranks" so much as the existing Scout units and infrastructure switches from answering to civilian bosses to military bosses.

Most of the jobs will stay the same, mail delivery still has to happen, charting and observation has to happen. Where the Scouts will come into direct contact with the military is with their specialist information and understanding of the astrography, geography and culture of an area of operations. Attachment as advisers will happen but this might happen more at a Staff or HQ level than in the field.

The Scouts have their own paramilitary units for covert action and rescue. I think the best analogue for how these might operate is how the CIA operate "in the field" today undertaking strategic intelligence missions under the direction of the higher command authorities.

 

[Vargas]

I thought I read somewhere where scouts were occasionally thrown into the ranks of other services...I can't remember the roles.

I believe CT Book 6 mentions that in times of war and the like scouts get assigned to the Navy. (Which would be in keeping with the US Coast Guard's role during WWII).

 

[Blue Ghost]

I guess I had this image of Scouts being sequestered or conscripted to fill needed roles; notably as crew on navy ships, or to haul units around in their ships on rare occasions, or even to get put into the field with the rest of the soldiers. Just my impression. YTUMV.

 

[Ulsyus]

Scout headgear for uniforms worn in the HQ and on formal parades is one thing, but what would a scout wear in the field? Different headgear for different climates, probably, but might they have an all-purpose one? Some high-tech scarf that could be cool in the desert and warm in the arctic perhaps?
Hans

A properly bashed beret is actually easier to transport than a baseball cap - it rolls up into a little tube effectively, very easy to pop into a leg pocket in cargo pants. They keep the head at least as warm as a baseball cap, but the visor's useful on a cap, so it would probably come down to tradition for a service.

 

[MR TEK]

My vison was always a little differnt

For some reason I remember A Scout "uniform" as loud Hawaiian shirts cargo style pants, and a Aussie style bush fedora.

Specifically I recall somewhere that that is the deep spacer scouts anti-uniform to make fun of the other services. Can't say know where that idea comes from though.

 

[infojunky]

For some reason I remember A Scout "uniform" as loud Hawaiian shirts cargo style pants, and a Aussie style bush fedora.

Specifically I recall somewhere that that is the deep spacer scouts anti-uniform to make fun of the other services. Can't say know where that idea comes from though.

Well for the last 20 some-odd years the Loud Hawaiian shirt, Utility Undershirt, Cargo Shorts (often khaki, OD, black or dark Gray), field boots, Utility Belt/Shoulder rig and some service/ship's ball cap has been the Scout "Uniform" around here (Meaning my location not this board).

I know it was mentioned/discussed on the TML, so it hasn't been a quiet meme.

 

[Ulsyus]

Scout headgear for uniforms worn in the HQ and on formal parades is one thing, but what would a scout wear in the field? Different headgear for different climates, probably, but might they have an all-purpose one? Some high-tech scarf that could be cool in the desert and warm in the arctic perhaps?

Hans

You can stop being so sensible any time you want.

Well for the last 20 some-odd years the Loud Hawaiian shirt, Utility Undershirt, Cargo Shorts (often khaki, OD, black or dark Gray), field boots, Utility Belt/Shoulder rig and some service/ship's ball cap has been the Scout "Uniform" around here (Meaning my location not this board).

What Hans said, though this may be the default. What about when on board ship readying for jump or moving about? Are they likely to be suited up and ready for anything that comes, or still in Hawaiian shirts?

 

[infojunky]

What Hans said, though this may be the default. What about when on board ship readying for jump or moving about? Are they likely to be suited up and ready for anything that comes, or still in Hawaiian shirts?

Just like real life, it all depends where the ship is at and what the mission is...

At least for some of the Scouts I have played, others in my group it take a crowbar, lard and a fancy-dress party to get them out of their VaccSuit...

 

[Sir Brad]

Most Scouts I've played and in the last decade do the Slip Suit thing, you just top it with a utility vest, BDU pants when need be and a long coat or BDU top or something else depending what's called for. if they need to go Soft-Vacc safe they pull up the hood with their eyes closed till they can get their mask and gloves on, for Hard-Vacc well there are multiple outer suits racked up all over their ship and ready to dive in to.

as for covers, Bill Caps and Berets are extremely popular, as are Giggles (Bonnies for our American friends), and the occasional soft Kepi

 

[Ulsyus]

Got that, thanks Brad. Who the hell wears a giggle hat in space though? Are they the ones with the impossibly small brims favoured by ex-gruntasauri?

What about merchants? Are the crew likely to suit up for translations into & out of J-space?

 

[Sir Brad]

tends not to inspire confidence in the passengers, if they are expecting trouble the Bridge cure and Engineering will suit up since there out of sight. There was this one time we had a 5Kt Freight-liner we where expecting Pirates, instead we got Hijackers, they stormed the bridge to find the Capitan, Helm Officer, Sensors, Communications, Navigator and Tactical Officer all in Combat Armour, the Engineering & Damage Control team all in Power Assist Hard Vacc-Suits and the Medic in Battledress.

 

[rancke]

There was this one time we had a 5Kt Freight-liner we where expecting Pirates, instead we got Hijackers, they stormed the bridge to find the Capitan, Helm Officer, Sensors, Communications, Navigator and Tactical Officer all in Combat Armour, the Engineering & Damage Control team all in Power Assist Hard Vacc-Suits and the Medic in Battledress.

Yeah, making up balanced encounters can be a problem. Not much fun in being so much better than the opposition that there's no point in running the encounter¹. With you having that sort of armor and firepower your referee would need to put you up against a bunch of ex-marine pirates in BD to make it interesting.

¹ Though slightly better than the Bad Guys being vastly overpowered, of course. ​

Hans

 

[Sir Brad]

the GM didn't expect us to come over all paranoid, he was expecting Vacc-Suits and to have the Hijackers spring there plot in the middle of the pirate attack, but being smart ass PC's we detoured around the system the Pirates where waiting for us in, a quarter of our 40 passengers where in fact hijackers, we lost two PC's and a bunch of good NPC's on that one, most where soft skinned Stewards the PC's where our Chief Steward and the Navigator.

 

[Ulsyus]

...we got Hijackers, they stormed the bridge to find the Capitan, Helm Officer, Sensors, Communications, Navigator and Tactical Officer all in Combat Armour, the Engineering & Damage Control team all in Power Assist Hard Vacc-Suits and the Medic in Battledress.

Ouch. I can see a lot more damage done to the vessel than the players in that sort of situation unless something could be done to convince the hijackers to surrender quickly

 

[Sir Brad]

Morph Gas and Tranq rounds on our part, except when the Engineers and Medic decided to Punch on with their Power Assist suits armoured fists, after their Snub Revolvers ran dry, we went to Snub Autos after that.