Using “General purpose” skills

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by khorboth

We've used these a bunch. Examples:

The klaxons go off. Roll the better of soldier or spacer to know where you need to go.

You need to get into your TL10 armor in a hurry? Roll soldier to go faster.

Is the tide coming in or out? Roll sailor.

Did we remember to bring the standard kit which includes rations and a tent even though we didn't explicitly say that? Roll soldier.

Good examples. Some others:

I use Soldier for recognizing friendly or opposition military vehicles and other equipment, communication like gestures in among squad members, or knowing how to lay out or find your way around a military camp/base.

[Ulzgoroth]

I want to analyze these a little, because that's what I do...

Originally Posted by khorboth

The klaxons go off. Roll the better of soldier or spacer to know where you need to go.

In this case, I'd say they're actually acting the part of Area Knowledge. And I'd only allow the better of Soldier or Spacer if you're in a type of facility or vessel that is familiar to both soldiers and spacers of your particular experience. (I think due to the nature of those skills, they actually have an implicit specialization. Spacer [Infomerchant Lightwisp] and Spacer [Navy of the Imperium of Man] have essentially zero common ground.)

Originally Posted by khorboth

You need to get into your TL10 armor in a hurry? Roll soldier to go faster.

For power armor, this would be standing in for Battlesuit (and I'd hesitate to let it unless houseruling Battlesuit). For unpowered armor there's really nothing but Soldier or maybe something like Professional Skill (Bodyguard). There actually should be a skill suitable for people who have been trained as protectees rather than protectors and/or combatants, but I dunno what to call it.

Originally Posted by khorboth

Is the tide coming in or out? Roll sailor.

Not sure I'd give Sailor that. Identifying the state of the tide is more the responsibility of those who direct the ship, not every deckhand. A sailor might be likely to have Fishing, Boating, or other littoral skills that could encompass working out the state of the tide, but they also might not.

Originally Posted by khorboth

Did we remember to bring the standard kit which includes rations and a tent even though we didn't explicitly say that? Roll soldier.

Or Survival, and I'd be tempted to allow flat IQ for any 'did we brainfart' check.

[Vaevictis Asmadi]

Are Sports also collection-like skills?

For example, Sport (American Football) encompasses activities that could be covered by Running, Throwing, Tactics, Game (American Football Rules), and a combat ability that improves Slams.

But the running is for short-distance spurts of running, not endurance running over a mile. The Throwing is specialized for throwing American footballs, not any object. The Tactics is specialized for a particular game, and the rules knowledge isn't as in-depth as a referee's knowlede. So, each component seems like a subset of what you'd get for taking a separate skill.


I'm not sure though, where the limits are of what can or can't be encompassed by a Sports skill. Would Sport (Polo) replace Riding (Horse)? Would Sport (Water Polo) replace Swimming? Or would the player need Riding or Swimming in addition?

[Rupert]

Soldier/Sailor lets you know the slang of your military or your sailing culture.

You know how to perform everyday duties, and know what is meant and what you need to do when your section commander says to you "Take Private Lamb and go out there and set up an OP. Send Lamb back in an hour and by then I'll have a roster sorted."

You will know what sort of layout a firebase or platoon or company harbour will have, and will thus only have to ask where the command post is if it's in a non-standard location.

You will know what is (supposed to be) on a soldier's webbing, and where.

You can roll against Soldier to find your gear and put it on in the dark when something goes bump in the night. Fail the roll and you laid your gear out carelessly, and now your webbing is a great big mess, you forgot you'd put the contents of your pocket in your helmet and now they're scattered all over the inside of your tent, and one of your boots seems to be on backwards.

Sailor and Soldier mean that you know how to keep an area clean and tidy and up to inspection standards. Your gear and your part of the ship/base look great even if the gear is all falling apart under the hood because you lack the proper maintenance skills...

You know enough of your sub-culture's etiquette that normally you don't need to roll to avoid ******* off your senior NCO, etc., and can roll for slightly obscure situations to not mess up. For more in depth knowledge and to look really good, you'll want Saviour-Faire.

[Hide]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

Good examples. Some others:

I use Soldier for recognizing friendly or opposition military vehicles and other equipment, communication like gestures in among squad members, or knowing how to lay out or find your way around a military camp/base.

Oh, that one is pretty neat.

Originally Posted by Rupert

Soldier/Sailor lets you know the slang of your military or your sailing culture. You know how to perform everyday duties (...)

To some degree, I think we could use "soldier" to cover stuff from "Standard Operating Procedures". What do you think?

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Hide

To some degree, I think we could use "soldier" to cover stuff from "Standard Operating Procedures". What do you think?

Stuff every soldier would know to do, absolutely. Starting with daily life, like how to 'fall in', dress ranks, and all that. In the field, how do to the basic formations for patrolling (if infantry), or start up and cool down your vehicle (if armoured, etc.). How to set up your scrape (where/when appropriate) and camp site, and all that stuff. Knowing one's job in a standard ambush, and the standard counter-ambush drills should also be covered. Doing anything innovative or non-standard wouldn't be covered, of course.

The stuff that's listed as perks wouldn't be included.

[Bengt]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Stuff every soldier would know to do, absolutely. Starting with daily life, like how to 'fall in', dress ranks, and all that. In the field, how do to the basic formations for patrolling (if infantry), or start up and cool down your vehicle (if armoured, etc.). How to set up your scrape (where/when appropriate) and camp site, and all that stuff.

Would you roll for all that stuff? Or would you just say, if you have points in Soldier you know it?

Knowing one's job in a standard ambush, and the standard counter-ambush drills should also be covered.

What benefit would you give the characters that made their Soldier rolls in an ambush? Move them closer to cover (a bit like personal Tactics)? Something to lessen surprise?

Another thought, if two characters dig a foxhole each and one has Soldier and makes his roll, what mechanical benefits will his hole have?

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Vaevictis Asmadi

I'm not sure though, where the limits are of what can or can't be encompassed by a Sports skill. Would Sport (Polo) replace Riding (Horse)? Would Sport (Water Polo) replace Swimming? Or would the player need Riding or Swimming in addition?

You'd have to decide on a case-by-case basis, but for polo and water polo they'd definitely have Riding and Swimming as prereqs. And you'd only get to roll against your higher Sport skill in limited situations relevant to that sport. Eg: Jumping a hedge- Riding skill; shoulder charging a mounted opponent- Polo skill.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Bengt

Would you roll for all that stuff? Or would you just say, if you have points in Soldier you know it?

Generally, I would. I might ask for a roll for something I'd not bother for if they had Survival, like did they set their tent up so it stays dry in unexpected rain.

What benefit would you give the characters that made their Soldier rolls in an ambush? Move them closer to cover (a bit like personal Tactics)? Something to lessen surprise?

They remember the correct drill, and thus don't end up standing still, running in the wrong direction, etc. Mainly, it would be like Common Sense - I, the GM, would tell the player what the drill was. A Tactics roll would put them a bit closer to cover, or in a slightly less terrible spot in the kill zone, etc.

Another thought, if two characters dig a foxhole each and one has Soldier and makes his roll, what mechanical benefits will his hole have?

Any of a number of things. The grenade sump works properly, or a better view or better camouflage (so Solider acts like a Complementary skill for Observation or Camouflage), or if there's overhead cover, it also keeps the rain out. I'd probably say something like "A critical gives you three of these, a success two, a fail one, and a crit fail none".

Mostly, in a military game I'd ask for Soldier rolls to set up a position, and if someone failed in the event of an attack or bad weather or some other unpleasantness those who failed would take some sort of a penalty or have a misadventure.