The three letter codes are the skills that each feat is under. Sth for Stealth, ops for Operations, rng for Ranged, etc. They are listed on my wiki if you want to check them out. This system works a bit differently then standard D20 in that each skill has it's own feat list.
Need help with Military stuff
- Thread starter garrowolf
- Start date
El Mahdi
Muad'Dib of the Anauroch
I've always loved that about the Army...enlisted have a lot more options and responsibilities. And you have Warrant Officers. The Air Force is just too damn pilot-centered. The paradigm that if you aren't a pilot, you just don't really understand or aren't truly capable of executing the "Air Force" mission. It's a shortsightedness that can limit the Air Forces effectiveness at times. Air Force Special Operations being one of the exceptions. It's ironic that the parts of the Air Force with the most operational latitude and greatest dispersal of responsibility at lower ranks, is the part of the Air Force that works with the Army the most...
I love this idea. Skill based is definitely the way I'd go. Class level can denote "experience", but skills are the best way of defining what you know and how good you are at it. For example, the way I set up basic trainees earlier in the thread is probably about as close as you can get, at least as close to RAW, and still be relatively realistic. But it really doesn't tell the whole story. Using what I posted, the only combat difference between a 1st level Air Force basic trainee graduate and a 1st level Marine basic trainee graduate, is the Marine knows a few more weapons, can use autofire with no penalty, and has a measly relative +1 BAB bonus...and that just ain't right. In the real world, an Air Force basic trainee graduate is familiar with and basically competent with an M-16, a Marine basic trainee graduate is a seriously proficient shooter that a simple +1 BAB difference just doesn't adequately portray. If it was skill based, that would go a long way to really showing the differences.
El Mahdi
Muad'Dib of the Anauroch
I'll have to read it and digest it a bit. At first glance though, you have some interesting approaches. It might take me a while though as I'm going to be a bit busy for a little while.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Here's some suggestions to add/modify (a bit Army-centric in worldview, but hey -- that's what I know):
I'd add "Sling Load", since that'ts really the major skill AA teaches -- how to prep stuff to be moved by Helo. AA is a fun bonus.
Depending on how you define the skill, Armor and Artillery are not remotely the same. Armor (tanks & cavalry) is a direct fire maneuver capability; Artillery is indirect fire that in some forms uses a tracked vehicle to move from firing position to firing position. I'd make Artillery its own MOS, with skills like Heavy Weapons, Communications, Navigation, Calculation, Rockets, and Precision Fires. You could roll in mortars, too, though both my Infantry and Field Artillery brethren would kill me for suggesting it (Mortars are an Infantry system but have a lot of skills common with Field Artillery, and the Artillery tends to feel a bit threatened; the Infantry is always afraid the Artillery wants to take their mortars away).
In the Army, Combat Engineers and Construction Engineers are different fields in the same branch. The Combat guys get the demolitions, mine laying, mine clearing, and fighting position work plus Infantry skills; the construction guys build bridges, drive construction equipment, build buildings and airfields, handle electrical work, and in general the rest of the "engineering" skills.
Demolitions tends not to be a skill taught to many MOS -- as I recall, other than basic mine training common to all MOS (and technically, mines aren't demolitions), only Combat Engineers, Scouts, and EOD techs have real demolitions training as part of their core MOS. Other folks can pick up some basic skills, but there's a huge difference between knowing how to arm a block of C4 with a bit of det cord and time fuze and setting up a ring main or calculating the right amount of explosive and placement to construct an abatis or drop a bridge. (Hint: the P stands for "Plenty". Sorry ... demo joke most folks won't get).
I'd recommend adding an EOD MOS, too, for the real demolitions and ordnance specialists. Could be a prestige class sort of thing if you want.
Most MPs/SPs are "Grunts with a skill" in that they have infantry skills as well -- one of their main functions is Route and Rear Area security, which is basically an Infantry mission performed with too few people and no supporting artillery.
I'd add "Chemical Defense", "Nuclear Defense", "Nuclear Weapons" and "Chemical Reconnaissance" to the NBC skills, and make "Chemical Defense" something most characters can pick up. Oh, and the replacement term for NBC among the cool kids these days is CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, & (High Yield) Explosives).
Don't forget "Crew Rest" and "Tall Tales at the Club".
Other ideas include:
Recon/Scout: Infantry Weapons, Demolitions, Vehicle Operations, Stealth, Sensors, Communications, Navigation
Commando: Assault Tactics, Language, Culture, Demolitions, Light & Heavy Weapons, Airborne & Air Assault, Communications
Sniper: Light Weapons, Stealth, Long Range Precision, Communications
Logistician: Maintenance, Supply, Transportation, Planning, Calculation
Civil Affairs: Government, language, culture, diplomacy, planning
PSYOPS: Language, culture, media arts, diplomacy, bluff, deception
REMF: Administrivia, Fobbitry, Coffee drinking, brown-nosing
I'd add "Sling Load", since that'ts really the major skill AA teaches -- how to prep stuff to be moved by Helo. AA is a fun bonus.
Depending on how you define the skill, Armor and Artillery are not remotely the same. Armor (tanks & cavalry) is a direct fire maneuver capability; Artillery is indirect fire that in some forms uses a tracked vehicle to move from firing position to firing position. I'd make Artillery its own MOS, with skills like Heavy Weapons, Communications, Navigation, Calculation, Rockets, and Precision Fires. You could roll in mortars, too, though both my Infantry and Field Artillery brethren would kill me for suggesting it (Mortars are an Infantry system but have a lot of skills common with Field Artillery, and the Artillery tends to feel a bit threatened; the Infantry is always afraid the Artillery wants to take their mortars away).
In the Army, Combat Engineers and Construction Engineers are different fields in the same branch. The Combat guys get the demolitions, mine laying, mine clearing, and fighting position work plus Infantry skills; the construction guys build bridges, drive construction equipment, build buildings and airfields, handle electrical work, and in general the rest of the "engineering" skills.
Demolitions tends not to be a skill taught to many MOS -- as I recall, other than basic mine training common to all MOS (and technically, mines aren't demolitions), only Combat Engineers, Scouts, and EOD techs have real demolitions training as part of their core MOS. Other folks can pick up some basic skills, but there's a huge difference between knowing how to arm a block of C4 with a bit of det cord and time fuze and setting up a ring main or calculating the right amount of explosive and placement to construct an abatis or drop a bridge. (Hint: the P stands for "Plenty". Sorry ... demo joke most folks won't get).
I'd recommend adding an EOD MOS, too, for the real demolitions and ordnance specialists. Could be a prestige class sort of thing if you want.
Most MPs/SPs are "Grunts with a skill" in that they have infantry skills as well -- one of their main functions is Route and Rear Area security, which is basically an Infantry mission performed with too few people and no supporting artillery.
I'd add "Chemical Defense", "Nuclear Defense", "Nuclear Weapons" and "Chemical Reconnaissance" to the NBC skills, and make "Chemical Defense" something most characters can pick up. Oh, and the replacement term for NBC among the cool kids these days is CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, & (High Yield) Explosives).
Don't forget "Crew Rest" and "Tall Tales at the Club".
Other ideas include:
Recon/Scout: Infantry Weapons, Demolitions, Vehicle Operations, Stealth, Sensors, Communications, Navigation
Commando: Assault Tactics, Language, Culture, Demolitions, Light & Heavy Weapons, Airborne & Air Assault, Communications
Sniper: Light Weapons, Stealth, Long Range Precision, Communications
Logistician: Maintenance, Supply, Transportation, Planning, Calculation
Civil Affairs: Government, language, culture, diplomacy, planning
PSYOPS: Language, culture, media arts, diplomacy, bluff, deception
REMF: Administrivia, Fobbitry, Coffee drinking, brown-nosing
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
As has been mentioned about the 'call the NCO a SIR' thing in the Air Force (El MAdahi?) it is the same about the "I work for a living". I was a Sgt. E-4 in '85-86 and I made it known that I was not a sir. Just sarge for in formal and Sargent J.- in any other crowd.
Emphasis in bold: We had a literal spy-national orgin unknown to me- that did that. it was wa\hat clued every one in that something was amiss. The guy dissappeared soon after showing up.
EOD in the Ai9r Force were a different breed of people from normal humans. They were always on edge.
I guess too many of them went flying into the ceiling of a hanger on an Accidental discharge of an ejection seat. I have seen some grisly photos of that.
Thunderfoot
Hero
Scott - EOD is a different breed in ANY branch of service.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
I waas AvCom. nothing to do with that which is supposed to go *BANG*.
El Mahdi
Muad'Dib of the Anauroch
Sweet! I was a Buck Sergeant also. These kids today don't become an NCO until E-5 now. I can't imagine being a Senior Airman for as much as 6 years! (Possibly 6 1/2 if they make below-the-zone but never make Staff.) I like that I can say I was an NCO for all but four years of my service (17 out of a 21 year career). Within another 6 years, the only future retirees that will be able to say something similar, are those who make Staff Sergeant first time out. (The last retiree possibly able to say they were a Buck Sergeant, mathematically, will have to be retired by May or December 2016 if a CMSgt, May or December 2012 if a SMSgt, or already retired if a MSgt or below.)
You know what EOD troops say: don't worry unless you see me running!
Snipers are a different breed also, just in the opposite way. I knew a guy that was originally a Marine sniper, but had gotten out of it and crossed over to the Air Force to be a helicopter crew chief (predominantly at the urging of his wife who didn't appreciate the ops/deployment tempo they had to deal with). Snipers just think differently. I was joking around with him one day and got in a particularly good joke at his expense, and then commented that I should be careful picking on him. That he might just get mad at me and set up on a water tower to take me out.
Without missing a beat and as matter of factly as if he was commenting on the weather, he replied: "Nah. Water Towers don't provide an adequate escape route..."
My only reply was a non-grandma friendly version of Crap!...
The same guy drank like a liter or more of Mountain Dew every day, and still had steadier hands than me. Most outwardly relaxed and quiet spoken guy I've ever met.
Yeah, that's gruesome, but it reminds me of an old prank.
When I worked on B-52's, we used to mess with newbies about the ejection seats. When new troops first get assigned to a B-52 maintenance unit, they have to recieve egress training so they can safely work around the ejection seats. A B-52 has six crew seats, 4 on the upper deck that fire upward, and two on the lower deck that fire down. Because the two lower fire down, they have a spring actuated guard that holds the crewmembers lower legs in place so that their legs don't kick up when they eject (all one has to do is press your lower leg backwards against a little release lever, and the spring loaded guard snaps around to sit against the front of your shin). That guard however is completely unattached and independent to any of the ejection firing mechanisms. But new troops tend to get a bit nervous after all of the warnings and horror stories about not properly safing an ejection seat before working around it (upper seats aren't too bad, as they likely won't actually eject if triggered, they'll just smoke a lot unless the upper ejection hatch has been previously removed, but lower seats can eject on the ground). So, to mess with them, if a newbie accidentally triggers one of the leg guards (or you reach down and accidentally/on-purpose trigger it for them), and they haven't been previously told about what it is, you can really mess with them by saying something like: "Oh my God! Don't Move! You just armed the seat. Stay here and I'll go get an Egress troop!" Then leave them sitting there for a little bit while you laugh at them outside the plane.
Juvenile for certain, but fun none the less.
Not much different than sending them to another shop for a gallon of K9P (...sound it out...), or sending them to the SP's for 100 yards of flight line, or sending them to the avionics backshop for a 9v AC battery...
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