RECRUITING: The Battle for Threshold Orbital (houseruled d20 modern)

[This One]

That fits quite well. Note that most Terran governments avoid imprisonment as a punishment--it's seen as very inneficient. Hard labor or mandatory resettlement to a fringe colony (often to begin a settlement from next to nothing) are the two favorite punishments. Both are probably worse than prison for what it's worth.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

What races are most common on Amber? Are we playing alien races or just human? I remember reading that there is the human race and eleven others........ unless one of them is just amazingly cool, I will end up wanting to play a human if I can. Anyways, here's a rough draft of a background:

[sblock= Erin Armstrong]

Erin was an infant when his mother died. His eyes hadn't even changed from that light baby blue to his current deep brown. Maybe that was why he rarely laughed or even smiled, it was definetly the reason his father had changed to law enforcement. He just stood there in the bathroom, staring into the mirror. He just shook his head as he looked at himself. "I am muscular. I'm athletic. I'm smart....... sorta." He almost smiled when those thoughts crossed his mind; except that he realized why he had told himself. "If you are so great then, why don't you have any friends? Or better yet, why no girlfriend?"

He frowned as he was getting dressed. Erin couldn't help but realize it was going to be another bad day. He grabbed his wallet and flipped through it. He had made quite a bit of money selling the stuff he had stolen and sold last time. He grabbed his gun, tucked it safely away, and walked out the door. Today was the day he was suppose to solo hunt.

Erin ran through what he had learned about his prey. He knew the guy was from a rival gang. He knew he was a white male, about 6'0'' tall. The target had green eyes and red hair. Erin even knew where to find the guy. He had a tendancy to frequent certain areas of the city as a pick pocket. It should be an easy kill.

He worked his way through the streets, finally coming to the area where he knew his mark would be. An absent-minded hand found his gun; and Erin spun quickly to see who's hand it was......... his own. "Gods, don't freak out. It's not your first time." He stood still for just a moment, waiting for his nerves to calm down. Erin's eyes would of given him away if anyone had cared enough to look at him. They had widened to the point where they actually hurt the instant he saw his target.

He slowly walked toward the man. Erin decided it would be best to blend in. He would stop every so often and look at the buildings, or the people. He was shocked when he was ran into by his target. A sense of panic took over and he quickly pulled his gun and fired. He didn't wait to see if the rival had been hit, he just ran.

That night was one of the worst in his life. He went straight home after his little mission. Erin sat there, relaxing, drifting in and out of sleep. The living room door burst open, nearly making him fall off the couch. "What the hell?", was all he could get out of his mouth before he was slammed to the floor. It took him a moment, but he realized the man was his father. Erin tried to find the words to protest, but his father quickly commanded the situation.

"Hold still or you will make this worse than it has to be." His words seemed oddly cold as Erin felt restraints being placed around his wrists. Erin's mind was racing so fast the he couldn't seem even began mounting a protest. "Had alittle excitement today, did you Erin?"

It felt like days had passed, but it had in fact only been a couple of minutes. Erin was placed back on the couch, still restrained. His father was across the room, talking in an odd way that seemed part lecture part interrogation. Apparently the gang member had picked Erin's pocket right before Erin shot him. Witness' gave Erin's description and that was enough to get the police after him.

An hour of lecture followed after Erin had admitted what he did. It was the same lecture he got whenever he got into any kind of trouble. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the "I did the best I could by myself son. It's not easy raising a child by yourself." speech. It was true though. His dad was great. He had learned more from his father and helping (which in reality was more of a hindrance) his father track down fugitives.

Erin's father bowed his head. "You have two choices. More or less the same two that any criminal would have: go to a fringe colony or join the military." He kept talking, but Erin didn't hear any of it. One word kept pounding through his brain: Fringe Colony. He had heard stories of those places. He wouldn't survive. He didn't have a chance if he went to a colony. He made a choice in a split second that would change his life forever: he joined the military.

[/sblock]

May add personality and description later (all subject to review and revision )

 

[Alexandros]

Here is what I've come up with so far for my Military/Infiltrator character concept. Please let me know if the bio clashes with anything you picture or if you can see any errors in how I did the character setup (especially with the vitality/wounds, which I've never used before). I've left some things blank such as the stats on whatever weapons I would be using and the equipment I would have since I'm not sure what 'standard issued equipment' would be for someone in our position. But basically, I'm hoping to have whatever rifle soldiers use normally in combat but my character prefers infiltration and stealth with close-quarters SMGs.


[sblock=Rough Bio]
Alexander Colt Bio – 20 years old, 6 foot 0 inches, 180 lbs, dark blonde hair, green/blue eyes.

Nicolas Colt Sr., retired owner of the Colt Materials on the planet Magellan, and his son, Nicolas “Alexander” Colt Jr., have never shared anything more than their name. For most people, the life of Nicolas Colt Sr. would appear to be a dream: retired at a young age with enough wealth to live out a more-than-comfortable life for the rest of his days. Hence, his teachers and peers have always been confused why Alexander didn’t either join the family business or coast through his days on his father’s name and wealth. They were especially confused why Alexander chose to persue such unrefined hobbies as theft.

The reason isn’t very complicated though. Alexander has never been interested in money or comfort. With everything material so easily at his fingertips, Alexander only ever felt pride in overcoming those challenges he could find. When he was young, tales of spies and covert operatives had fascinated him, and during highschool Alexander frequently “practiced” by sneaking out of class, climbing out of a nearby window, and running off to find other mischievous “spy” activities he could partake in. For several times Alexander was caught trying to (or succeeding in) finding entrances to neighborhood homes, a habit that would cost Alexander’s father a good deal of money to bribe the victims into not contacting the police.

Nicolas Colt Sr. recently sold his business on Magellan and moved with his family to Amber where he had been told he could easily gain a position in the Government on one of the economic and business committees. Upon arriving, however, Nicolas found resistance to him getting the position. A political consultant suggested Nicolas demonstrate how civically minded his family was by sending Alexander to join Amber's armed forced. For once in his life, Alexander didn’t resist his father’s wishes since joining the newly forming OUs might be his best shot at living out his CovertOps dream one day being placed in an Elite Infiltration group.
[/sblock]

[sblock=character stats]

Name: Nicolas “Alexander” Colt, Jr.
Male Human
Occupation: Military (Hide, Move Silently)
Class and Level: 3 Military Base / 1 Bounty Hunter / 1 Infiltrator

Size: M
Base Speed: 30ft
Space: 5ft
Reach: 5ft.

Str: 12 (+1)
Con: 14 (+2)
Dex: 16 (+3) 15 + 1 at 4th lvl
Int: 16 (+3)
Wis: 10 (+0)
Cha: 8 (-1)

Vitality: 42 [3d10 +2d8 5con]
Wound: 14

AC: 16 [10base + 3def + 3dex]

Armor: Medium Armor

Action Points: 20 for now

Saves:
Fortitude: +4 (2base + 2con)
Reflex: +9 (6base + 3dex)
Will: +2 (2base + 0wis)

Init: +3 [3dex]

Base attack bonus: +4
Burst Recoil: -3 (-1 Advanced Weapons -2 Burst Fire)
Auto Fire Recoil: -1 (Advanced Weapons)

Attack:
Assault Railgun
Pop-out Mono-edge Bayonet
Railpistol sidearm
Specialist Weapon: This setting's replacement for an SMG
5 Mono-Edge Flechette Grenades
Mono-edge Longknife


Skills:
Skill points: 54 [(3+3)x6 + (5+3) + (7+3)]
Max Skill Ranks: 8/4


Climb: 5 = (4 + 1str)
Comp Use: 8 = (5 + 3int)
Demolitions: 8 = (5 + 3int)
Disable Device: 8 = (5 + 3int)
Drive: 6 = (3 + 3 dex)
Escape Artist: 7 = (4 + 3dex)
Hide: 10 = (6 + 3dex + 1comp)
Jump: 5 = (4 + 1str)
Knowledge (Tactics): 7 = (4 + 3int)
Move Silently: 10 = (6 + 3dex + 1comp)
Pilot: 4 = (1 + 3dex)
Search: 5 = (3 + 2int)
Tumble: 7 = (4 + 3dex)


Feats:
Occupation: Armor Proficiency (Light)
Military Free: Point Blank Shot
Lv 1: Advanced Firearms Proficiency
Lv 1: Burst Fire
Military Lv 2: Precise Shot
Lv 3: Armor Proficiency (Medium)

Talents
Military Lv 1: Combat Sense
Military Lv 3: Personal Superiority
Infiltrator Lv1: Evasion
Bounty Hunter Lv1: Hide in Plain Sight

Equipment:
assault railgun with a pop-out mono-edge bayonet
a railpistol sidearm
specialist weapon: This setting's replacement for an SMG
5 mono-edge flechette grenades
Mono-edge longknife (can be fixed as a heavier bayonet)
Modular body armor (medium)
2 disposable X-ray laser anti-armor projectors


[/sblock]

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Alexandros,

Are you still going with your sniper concept? Or are you falling into something closer to mine? (Doesn't matter to me, I just wanna know how to set up my character). Thanks.

 

[This One]

I was talking about a 3rd player who wanted sniper (he may not even be playing). Multiple people who can infiltrate is good. I don't see you having a somewhat similar focus causing problems.

Everyone:

All soldiers in the 96th (standard kit changes rather a lot from OU to OU)are issued (at least):

assault railgun with a pop-out mono-edge bayonet
a railpistol sidearm
an apropriate specialist weapon or underbarrel grenade launcher
5 mono-edge flechette grenades
Mono-edge longknife (can be fixed as a heavier bayonet)
Modular body armor (light or medium) or assault body armor (heavy)
2 disposable X-ray laser anti-armor projectors




Alexandros:
There are 12 major speciess in the Coalition (species with hundreds of thousands to millions of worlds) and many other minor species that control far smaller territories. Only humans are playable. It's logistically and culturaly chalenging to have a mixed-species unit. They are rare. I don't believe in rubber mask aliens--each species, while almost all bipedal, are very different in appearance and personality. You will hower have plenty of opportunity to meet other member-species.

Concept seems generally sound. Someone who took an interest in breaking and entering would have to have a fair ammount of technical skill to get into electronically locked buildings. This is by no means out of your reach as a character. I'd lose any 2 of pilot, jump, tumble (not great in a firefight, really, but of the four, your best choice to keep) and drive for computer use and disable device personally. Hide and move silently may also be useful.

Another very minor nitpick is that the 96th is a militia unit. It's only the Coalition's when they ask for it. Otherwise it's part of the Amber sector's defence force.

As crunch goes, there are a few things:

Armor: It's issued along with everything else, and doesn't provide a bonus to AC

Military occupation feat: You don't need simple weapons proficiency (see house rules on proficiency), I'd sugest picking up annother armor proficiency feat. You'll need it, and the ACP is lower then the medium armor in the d20 modern hanbook.

Otherwise I see no problems.


OnlytheStrong:
Note the above post on Terran punishment. Murder usually gets you shipped off to the fringe colonies. Prison isn't efficient given the scale of things.

Annother note, Christianity (or any other modern day relegion) does not exist in the Coalition. The collective beleif of a very large number of people creates ripples in higher and lower dimensions, producing many different gods. These gods can theoretically intervene in mortal affairs and may bless dovout worshipers or even mortals they have taken a liking to. Relegion is very much like Shinto as far as gods (and number of gods) go. Propper observance of ritual and respecting the gods is important to most Terrans. (For your and everyone else's benifit, a Terran would probably curse with the name of the god they worship most often or simply say gods!.

Also note that given the Coalition's advanced medical technology, a mother dying in childbirth is almost unheard of, though not inconcievable. People would find it very surprising if they knew.

Otherwise, no problems.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

I changed my "story" post to make his mother's death slighly more vague I figured a person would assume that she was killed herself, without having to actually go into detail about it. Hope that works..... I changed the other parts btw (put "gods" instead of "Christ", and fringe colony instead of prison).

I will try to have a character posted soon.

 

[Alexandros]

This One:

Removed some stats to make room for respectable disable device and computer use. Changed simple weapons proficiency to Medium Armor Prof. as per your suggestion. Updated weapons but did not include any stats on them. Fixed Coalition/Amber milita discrepency in bio.

I'm a little confused on armor. Is AC now basically a measure of whether or not a bullet hits somewhere on you? And if so, does armor act as damage reduction of some kind, or does some percentage of bullets hit your armor instead of you depending on how good of armor it is? I know you can call a shot to specifically hit an unarmored area (if you take the corresponding negative modifier on to hit) but how does it work if you don't aim for an unarmored area?

Is there anything else I should work on in the near future?

Only the Strong:

I had thought about playing a sniper in my first post, but This One said that another player that might play was already being a sniper. Hence, I suggested I switch to being someone who specializes in infiltrating hostile areas with hiding, jumping, climbing, etc.

It looks like our party might end up being more of a stealthy party than a brawny party, so I don't mind doubling up in some areas if you don't. If we're trying to stay as stealthy soldier type classes, we're basically restricted to military, bounty hunter, infiltrator, and marksman -- so it would be hard not to be similar in at least a few areas.

When you think about it, in a military squad it would sort of make sense if two or more people did similar things -- that way we won't ahve to go in alone without support.

Let me know if you have any problems though and we can work something out.

 

[This One]

Changes noted, both of you.


OnlytheStrong:
Just to make a minor nuisance of myself , your weapon would probably be a carbine--or PDW if it was on the smaller end. SMG technically refers to guns chambered for pistol amunition and the term probably would've fallen out of use along with chemically propelled firearms as it no longer applied.

Alexandros:
Armor provides a fair ammount of hardness (albiet reduced somewhat by AP). In general, just firing at the target's armor won't do nearly as much damage because it is reduced by the armor (though a target is, of course, easier to hit).

Armor also has inserts and plates which provide bonus wound points. Then there are personal shields. In general, being easier to hit is balanced out by reduced damage output and the bonus VP provided by a shield and the bonus WP provided by armor (unless you call a shot to ignore hardness, which is equivilant to a normal hit beating a target's AC in terms of damage). If everyone is well equiped things balance. Unarmored civilians not so much. The system is more involved, but it also scales better than the normal armor as DR rules, which fall to pieces somewhere between 5th and 8th level in my experience.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Alexandros:

Nope, I'm fine with overlap. I don't mind having a partner. I am working the stats up now, so hopefully you can look at him soon. So far he's Fast 3/BH 2 with Military as his vocation.



This One:

lol I'm fine with all the little details. I think it makes a person closer to their character.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock= Erin Armstrong]


Name: Erin Armstrong
Male Terran
Occupation: Military (Demolitions & Survival)
Class and Level: 3 Fast Hero / 2 Bounty Hunter

Size: M
Base Speed: 30ft
Space: 5ft
Reach: 5ft.

Str: 12 (+1)
Con: 12 (+1)
Dex: 16 (+3) 15 + 1 level adjustment
Int: 14 (+2)
Wis: 16 (+3)
Cha: 8 (-1)

Vitality: 31 [3d8 +2d8 + 5con]
Wound: 12
Action Points: 8

AC: 18 [10base + 5def + 3dex]


Saves:

• Fortitude: 2 (+1 fast + 0 bh + 1 con)
• Reflex: 8 (+2 fast + 3 bh + 3 dex)
• Will: 4 (+1 fast + 0 bh + 3 wis)

Init: +3 [3dex]

Base attack bonus: +4
Auto Fire Recoil: -1 (Advanced Weapons)

Attack:


Skills:
Skill points: 80 (5 + 2)x4 + (5 + 2)x 4 (remaining levels)
Max Skill Ranks: 8/4

• Climb 5 (4 ranks +1 str)
• Demolitions 8 (6 ranks + 2 int)
• Disable Device 6 (4 ranks + 2 int)
• Escape Artist 8 (5 ranks + 3 dex)
• Gather Information 10 (8 ranks +2 wis)
• Hide 13 (8 ranks +3 dex + 2 feat)
• Investigate 7 (5 ranks + 2 int)
• Knowledge (streetwise) 10 (8 ranks + 2 int)
• Knowledge (tactics) 6 (4 ranks +2 int)
• Listen 8 (5 ranks + 3 wis)
• Move Silently (8 ranks +3 dex + 2 feat)
• Navigate 7 (5 ranks + 2 int)
• Search 7 (5 ranks + 2 int)
• Spot 8 (5 ranks +3 wis)
  
  

Feats:

• Occupation: Light Armor Proficiency
• Fast Hero: Point Blank Shot
• Bounty Hunter Bonus: Urban Tracking
• Precise Shot
• Far Shot
• Stealthy (fast bonus)
• Dead Aim

Talents:

• Evasion (fast 1)
• Uncanny Dodge (fast 3)
• Hide in Plain Sight (BH 1)
• Uncanny Stealth (BH 2) (can move at full speed with no penalty)
  
  
  Equipment:
  
  assault railgun with a pop-out mono-edge bayonet
  a railpistol sidearm
  an apropriate specialist weapon or underbarrel grenade launcher
  5 mono-edge flechette grenades
  Mono-edge longknife (can be fixed as a heavier bayonet)
  Modular body armor (light or medium) or assault body armor (heavy)
  2 disposable X-ray laser anti-armor projectors [/sblock]