For my new campaign I've decided to use GURPS as the "character" system, and CODA as the "starship" system.
The plan is that each character will have 100 points to build on, PLUS the skill points below from their mandatory training. They have to use the 100 points to buy attributes, advantages,. disadvantages, and additional skills... but they get the skill points below representing the manadatory training they received. They can add to some or all of these skills from their 100 points, or purchase additional different skills. I'm planning to have the PCs be fairly green, with very experienced NPC commander, XO and Command Master Chief.
Some notes: There are several "basic" Branches that officers enter for their initial service. The Operations Branch is made up of Engineering and Tactical/ Security. The Operations Manager or similar position could be filled by an officer from either branch. "Command" includes Flight Control, Intelligence, Administration and JAG... and yes, I have Marines. Medical Officers are assumed to graduate as Nurses, then "pursue their MD" by spending enough points to raise their Physician skill to at least 16. Certified Surgeons must also purchase skill 16 in Surgery. Most will probably have to earn it in play. Lastly, these represent only the mandatory training the character would have received enroute to their current rank and position. Any extras are fluff, such as "Advanced Tactics Course", and the skills to represent the training have to be bought out of their 100 points.
Comments, opinions criticisms...
Last edited by tanksoldier; 05-20-2004 at 01:23 PM.
SCIENCE
Research- 4
Electronics Operation; Sensors- 2
Electronics Operation; Computers- 2
Electronics Operation; Holosimulation- 4
Major Field- 8
Minor Field #1- 4
Minor Field #2- 4
Minor Field #3- 4
Minor Field #4- 4
COUNSELOR
Physician- 4
Diagnosis- 4
Psychology- 8
Diplomacy- 4
Detect Lie- 4
History; Species #1 4
History; Species #2 4
History; Species #3 4
MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
First Aid- 6
Diagnosis- 4
Physiology; Species #1- 1
Physiology; Species #2- 1
Physiology; Species #3- 1
Psychology- 1
Electronics Operation; Medical- 4
I like this but instead of Tactics; Ground I would go with something more like Tactics: CQB to reflect training in regards to defending a ship or taking a ship in boading actions.
I was going to make it Tactics; Small Unit. It seems likely that most ground fighting would involve squad and platoon size elements, with a company being the largest element normally deployed aboard a starship. However, I wanted to reduce the number of skills and have each skill cover more situations to make things less complex. Players always have the option to specialize... for example, a player who has Tactics; Ground-11 could specialize in CQB, giving them Tactics; Ground (CQB)-10 (16)
Originally posted by Eric R.
I like this but instead of Tactics; Ground I would go with something more like Tactics: CQB to reflect training in regards to defending a ship or taking a ship in boading actions.
Last edited by tanksoldier; 05-21-2004 at 12:31 AM.
Minor change. I've decided to go with 150 point characters, out of which players must purchase all required courses for the character's rank and position, including required advantages, such as "Military Rank", etc.
I figure this levels the playing field between enlisted and officer characters. Note that someone who wants to be a Warrant Officer is going to be buying a lot of required courses.
GURPS uses a point-buy system, based on attributes (usually Dex or IQ) based on the difficulty of the skill. Physical skills are more difficult to advance than mental skills.
For example, Brawling is a Physical/ Easy skill. 1 point gives you the skill at Dex, 2 Dex +1, 4 Dex +2, 8 points Dex +3, 16 points Dex +4... and .5 points will give you Dex -1.
Judo is a Physical/ Hard skill. It costs 4 points to buy at Dex +0, 8 Dex +1, 16 Dex +2... and you can go farther under you Dex: 2 points buys Dex -1, 1 point buys Dex -2, and .5 points buys Dex -3. More expensive than Brawling, but also more effective.
Cooking is a Mental/ Easy skill. It's progression is 1 point for IQ, 2 points IQ +1, 4 IQ +2, 6 IQ +3, 8 IQ + 4... Mental skill cost goes up by 2, rather than doubling like Physical skills, except Mental/ Very Hard skills, which start at 8 for IQ level and go up by 4... these include Physiology and Surgery. There are no Physical/ VH skills.
So when I say that an Enlisted Physical Security Specialist has to buy Brawling (SFSD) 4 points for IET, then spend 4 more in branch training, he's ending up with the skill at Dex +3.
Incidentally, two skills listed that I've tweaked for my game are Survival and Brawling. Brawling (SFSD) gives no damage bonus, but can be used for any Close Combat manuver that isn't normally covered by Brawling at Skill -1.
For Survival, I'm assuming that Starfleet throws a little bit of everything at it's trainees, so Survival; General can be used in any environment at Skill-1, rather than the normal default of Skill-3 fron another environment-specific Survival skill. It can also be used as SERE training at Skill-2.
Instead of tweaking with the brawling thing, I'd suggest you create a martial art style for your Starfleet character. GURPS Martial Arts is your best bet on that one, but Compendium I is useful too.
On Survival, I'd say leave the skill alone, but maybe have tricorders give a bonus to survival. OR require one or two specialties at high enough levels that defaults are not a big thing.
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