Skills and skill levels for building an army, intelligence service, bureaucracy

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

I assumed he'd find it relatively easy to learn, with high IQ, or possibly good IQ plus some Talent that gives a bonus.

I'm sure the player will argue that his Planner Talent really ought to include Psychology (Applied) if that turns out to be the most important skill for what he wanted his character to be good at, i.e. being a statesman, organiser and ruler. After all, most of what a ruler does, at any TL past the small clan system, is picking good subordinates.

If picking good subordinates is not a function of Administration or Leadership, that would make Administration and Leadership skills possessed by good middle-managers, not actually be the supreme head of the organisation itself, who'd instead rely nearly on Psychology (Applied). Which seems odd.

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

How much smaller? That'd be really valuable for me to know. And to be honest, I'm more thiking about a skill 23 vs skill 14 scenario, than skill 18 vs skill 12. If that makes a difference.

If you outclass the opposition that badly, in intelligence, organisation and battlefield command, I'd think that being only 20% of his TS would still leave you a comfortable margin of victory. Remember, the opposite Strategy rolls are only a part of the picture.