Tactics Skill: any utility at all?

[Michele]

Originally Posted by BraselC5048

At least in my experience, what happens is the GM draws up a quick sketch map, and gives a description, and then the player decides what course of action to take.

So, as you yourself point out, this is the way your GM does it. It might not be the only way.

The player has all the information the character would have, and the player has to make a decision based on it, and all the skill in the world your character has won’t help you if you ‘fail the rolls,’ so to speak.

Well. Think about the Common Sense Advantage. It's an Advantage that lets an impulsive player play the role of a careful character.

Tactics works similarly. Suppose you roll 10 against a Tactics skill of 12. You are successful. Now suppose you come up with a very very bad tactical idea. The GM will warn you that, on second thought, that plan seems to have an evident flaw.

Now what if you, the player, have a good tactical idea but you have failed your skill roll? That will depend on the group's gaming style and the GM's decisions. Some groups will not accept railroading (the GM forcing them to go along with a bad tactical plan). But then the GM has other ways. For instance, the plan was good but the execution is bungled. You do go around the building looking for the stairs, but as you do so, on the spur of the moment, you decide to fire a couple bursts for suppression fire at windows on the building's sides. Bad tactical implementation of a good tactical plan.

Apart from that, look up the skill's description. Good ideas there.