CthulhuTECH: EVA and HPL s'mored in awesomesauce

Started by NotoriusBEN, January 08, 2012, 02:07:15 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ReijiTabibito

BEN?  Question.  Are we going to be doing anything outside of mecha action?  IE, would skills such as, say, Technician get some mileage in this campaign?

NotoriusBEN

yes, some skills outside of mecha action are a good thing. Even the boys in Band of Brothers did stuff other than shooting during downtime, though we never saw it. Plus, it gives me something to use for hooks and helps you all flesh out your characters.

ReijiTabibito

Also, random system question.  Do the melee weapons onboard armors - like Hyperedge Blades, Mandibles, and Hyperedge Claws - use Fighting or Armed Fighting?

NotoriusBEN

good question, reiji. hrm...

Im probably convoluting this, for mecha using blades is Armed Fighting. I know the whole OSES makes mecha an extension of the human being, but its still a machine.

For engels, using their natural abilities and weapons like claws, mandibles and stingers is just Fighting.

ReijiTabibito

No, actually, that makes a lot of sense to me.  Stuff like the Hyperedge Blades uses Armed Fighting, and 'natural' weapons such as Hyperedge Claws or Tails or Tentacles uses Fighting.  Okay!  I just wanted to know because it might affect what mecha I choose to drive because of my choice of skills.

ShadowFox89

#55
 Sheet should be completed, unless you wish for the stats for equipment to be listed as well.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: First Lieutenant Ethnia 'Cu Chulainn' ; Race: Human ; Profession: Engel Pilot

Experience: (0 spent, 0 unspent); Cheats 6 (3 spent on +6 skill points, 3 spent on +1 Tenacity); Insanity Points:

Primary Attributes:
Agility: 6, Intelligence: 5, Perception: 6, Presence: 6, Strength: 6, Tenacity: 8

Secondary Attributes:
Actions: 6 (1), Movement: 6 (32/8ypt), Orgone: 11, Reflex: 6, Vitality: 12, Drama Points: 10

Assets: Authority (3), Alluring (1), Eidetic Memory (3), Fast (2), Internal Clock (1)
Drawbacks: Duty (3), Engel Synthesis Interface (1), Short Fuse (2), Ineptitude (2, communications), Nightmares (2)

Skills: (* denotes free skills) (3 cheat for +6 skill points)
Armed Combat: Adept (3 dice)
Athletics: Novice (2 dice)
Fighting: Adept (3 dice)
Dodge: Adept, Engel Focus (3 dice)
Hobby (karaoke): Student (1 dice)
Languages (English): Expert (4 dice)*
Literacy: Novice (2 dice)*
Marksman: Adept, Engel Focus (3 dice)
Observation: Novice (2 dice)
Persuade: Novice (2 dice)
Pilot: Adept (3 dice)
Regional Knowledge: Novice (2 dice)*
Seduction: Novice (2 dice)
Support Weapons: Novice (2 dice)
Trivia: Student (1 dice)


Equipment: Engel Synthesis Interface Implant, Sentrytek Mk-IV, UT-7 Hornet, 2 clips of ammo

Engel: Hamshall 'Bob' (page 105)


Health:
Unhurt 0 | Flesh Wounds 1 to 12 | Light Wounds 13 to 22 | Moderate Wounds 23 to 32 | Serious Wound 33 to 42 | Death’s Door 43 to 52 | Dead 53+


Age: 17; Height: 5'2; Weight: lbs; Gender: Female
Personality: Ethnia's attitude varies. Most of the time outside of the cockpit, she is quiet and reserved. Thanks to the Chip in her brain, her Engel's own emotions rub off on her. This causes her to act short tempered at times, especially when her Engel hasn't seen action or when there is a chance of a battle. After a battle, she usually has pent up energy and often seeks to get rid of it in a...physical form. This has gotten her in trouble more than once before graduating.

Physical Description: Ethnia has long red hair that reaches down to her shoulders, commonly tied back to keep from falling into her dark green eyes. Her slim frame suggests a weak body, when in fact she is rather muscular under that frame. A mistake that many have made, when they attempt to flirt with her and find themselves looking at the world from a whole new angle.

Background:
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Aoife

#56
Hi! I managed to just get myself approved, and have been following this thread kind of in a creepy stalker fashion in the interest of applying.  I've got an Arcanotechnician/Medic (support personnel) character ready and made up, for those in the field repairs and necessary maintenance.  Is it okay to come in and join?

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
Name/CallSign: Captain Natalie (Nat) "Bookie" Ashcroft
Race: Human
Profession: Arcanotechnician/Mechanic
Allegience: NEG
Place of Birth: Kansas City, USA
Sex: Female
Age: 28
Virtue: Doggedly Loyal
Flaw: Highly Defensive
Distinguishing Features:  Mercurial Personality

Secondary Attributes:
Actions: 1
Movement: 9mph (22/5 ypt)
Orgone: 14
Reflex: 6
Vitality: 55 (11 per level)
Drama Points: 10


Agility 5 (4 Points)                 
     Agility Feat (Novice)
     Athletics (Student)
     Armed Fighting (Student)
     Criminal
     Dodge (Student)
     Fighting
     Pilot (Student) (AMV-3 Khopesh)
     Stealth (Student)
     Thrown Weapons

Intellect 9 (29 Points)
     Intellect Feat (Expert)
     Arcanotechnician (Novice)
     Arcanotech Engineering (Novice)
     Armourer  *
     Bureaucracy
     Business
     Communications (Student)
     Computers (Novice)
     Culture
     Demolitions  (Student)
     Education (Master) (Focus: Applied Mathematics, Medicine)
     Engineering (Student)
     History
     Language (English) (Expert)
     Larceny  *
     Law Enforcement
     Literacy (Adept)
     Medicine (Novice)
     Munitions (Student)
     Occult  *
     Regional Knowledge (Missouri/Kansas) (Novice)
     Savoir-Faire
     Science(Earth) (Student)
     Science(Life)  (Student)
     Science(Physical) (Adept)
     Security  (Student)
     Streetwise
     Surveillance
     Technician (Adept)

Perception 5 (6 Skill Points)
     Perception Feat (Novice)
     Appraisal
     Artist
     Marksman (Adept)
     Observation (Student)
     Research (Novice)
     Support Weapons (Student)

Presence 4                                           .
     Presence Feat (Novice)
     Intimidate
     Misdirect
     Performance
     Persuade
     Seduction

Strength 5
     Strength Feat (Novice)

Tenacity 8
     Tenacity Feat (Expert)
     Survival

Assets: (5)

Authority: 3
Wealth: 1

Drawbacks: (10)

Big Ego (1) : -1 on all presence related tests
Code (1)     : I will never turn my back on a friend, I will oppose the Old Ones in all their forms
Duty (2)      : Mech Pilot/Mechanic
Manic (2)
Misfit (1)
Oath (2)      : Mission of the Ashcroft Foundation
Watched (3): NEG Top Secret Clearance (Mecha/Engel diagnostics, function maps, blueprints)

Cheat Expenditure: 12 Skill Points

ReijiTabibito

BEN, question for you.  Would you say the Law Enforcement skill allows you to do detective-y things like solve mysteries and things like that?

ShadowFox89

 Hmm... I only count 3 sheets in, unless people have been sending them to Ben >.>

Only 4 days until the deadline, can't wait to get started ^-^
Call me Shadow
My A/A

ChaoticSky

I'm still here! Am lurking to see whateverone else makes, then ninja in last minute so I can help round out our team XD, or that was the plan, I could probably get a sheet up tomorrow.

At the moment I'm stuck between two ideas. One might not be workable though since it involves a sidoci. Kinda want to play one, but not interested in being a parapsychic, which you have to be, so am glaring at the book to see if I can will reality to realign for me.

ReijiTabibito

Darkling, can we discuss for a moment?  I'm stuck in much the same situation you are, and with Latooni and Muse both having characters on the board, plus now with our new arrival, maybe you and I could come to an understanding to help out the rest of the group, and thus submit our pilots.

Aoife

#61
A Sidoci could be effectively palatte-swapped by taking an Albino (misfit 2 drawback, minor sun allergy 1).  Honestly, I think the group needs two things:  An Occult specialist (for when we come up against "oh crap" scary things that defy mention) and someone who can talk their way out of trouble.  When it comes to requisitions or negotiating with command to send supplies/reinforcements/etc., it helps to have someone with a bit of personality.

I took the know-it-all track to keep the machines and people in line, as well as to cook up some explosives and generally troubleshoot random occurrences (computer/communications/science/education).

EDIT:

Also note that there are a LOT of para-psy abilities that manifest in non-corporeal states.  Ripping a Migou pilots mind to shreds can be a very effective combat tactic in a pinch against overwhelming enemy forces.

ShadowFox89

 Ethnia can do talking fairly well. She's got 6 Presence, Alluring, Persuade, and Seduction.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Aoife

Sorry about that, kind of missed it :P  I'm not the most rules-savvy of a person.  I tend to get really excited and read through something all at once, and miss like, a full third of the material.

Presence 6 and Novice Persuade works wonders.  Seduction and Alluring are more back at base, but very effective when it gets to having the quartermaster release a few things above our clearance level ;)

So, amended, probably just an occultist and perhaps someone who can serve a scouting role (Either aircraft or light mech)? I was planning to make my character a scout class as well, but i don't have the combat skills or speed to back it up.  Something slow and hefty at range was what I settled on, hence the Khopesh.

ChaoticSky

#64
Quote from: Aoife on January 16, 2012, 10:34:24 PM
A Sidoci could be effectively palatte-swapped by taking an Albino (misfit 2 drawback, minor sun allergy 1).  Honestly, I think the group needs two things:  An Occult specialist (for when we come up against "oh crap" scary things that defy mention) and someone who can talk their way out of trouble.  When it comes to requisitions or negotiating with command to send supplies/reinforcements/etc., it helps to have someone with a bit of personality.

I took the know-it-all track to keep the machines and people in line, as well as to cook up some explosives and generally troubleshoot random occurrences (computer/communications/science/education).

EDIT:

Also note that there are a LOT of para-psy abilities that manifest in non-corporeal states.  Ripping a Migou pilots mind to shreds can be a very effective combat tactic in a pinch against overwhelming enemy forces.
Um... i dunno how well youve been watching this thread, but its a mech game, there is basically no ground-level action. Anyone who isnt a mech/engel pilot is basically going to have nothing to do 90% of the time. We dont need someone to analyse Oh-Fuck things, we have very very big guns, they deal with the Oh-Fuck things in the best possible way. :P We also dont need a talker really, since, again, were not going to have a chat with the Migou or Rapine Storm, or Dagonites, were going to kill them! ;D
Edit (though i could be wrong here)

Its also been agreed that parapsychics/sorcs are operationally incompatible with mecha based combat, most of their abilities are unworkable on such a large scale, and those that are useful, are more useful elsewhere, the NGE simply wouldnt allow a high value asset like a massively powerful parapsychic into a situation with such a high chance of dying, theres even a story in the canon about a elite engel pilot who erupted para abilities being grounded, even counting her elite status and the fact her abilities were directly useful to combat (they saved her and her teams lives) she was still grounded, you cant really make a better case than that.

My comment was more about trying out a White in spite of their powers, rather than because of them.

ReijiTabibito

Well, there goes one of my possible skill tree branches, I was hoping to cover the technical aspects of this bit myself.  Maybe I can find something else...

Aoife

I know your tone isn't meant in a particularly hostile fashion, but it came across as a little strong, just saying ;)

I'm not pointing towards ground level action, more towards showing diversity among the pilots.  A Pilot team who can't field repair their mechs, scout enemy positions, communicate with superiors in a beneficial manner, and deal with unexpected circumstances that defy conventional weaponry simply isn't going to survive long. Not to mention that fact that if you're mech is critically damaged, you need to be able to survive outside of it. Naturally, one pilot can't do all these things, so you have a group of individuals with varied skillsets working in concert to achieve greater objectives.

The story that's been mentioned is of a para-psy with very specific foresight abilities (by canon very uncommon and highly valuable on a strategic rather than tactical level). It's not too much of a stretch to believe that a capable telekinetic with no other strategic level combat abilities would be barred from active duty.  In the case of an Invasive para-psy, you make a good point.  that's likely going to be snatched up by the OSI or other investigative groups.  A strictly destructive para-psy, on the other hands, isn't particular useful if they're not channeling all that bad majo in order to ruin somebodies day.

My point was meant to illustrate that you aren't constrained so long as you can work with the various disparate elements.

Addendum:

Reiji, why not double up?  If one of us gets knocked out, at least the team isn't without any form of support.  It's a relatively minor investment in Technician after all.

ReijiTabibito

Yeah, I know.  It just came out because I'd been debating the choice for some time.

And I might.  I don't have enough skill points leftover to get Arcanotechnician, but I have enough that I can buy at least a couple of levels in regular old Technician so I can fix things.

Also, I've got a level in Armorer and two levels Munitions so I can at least help keep personal and mecha-scale weapons in good shape.

Depending on how BEN answers my question, though, I might invest in Law Enforcement instead of going the techincal route, because someone who can figure out mysteries is always handy.  If not, though, then I'll probably invest in getting Technician and such.

Aoife

#68
If you're going the observation route, law enforcement (legal practice and prosecution) is less useful than say, a combination of Research, Observation, Security, and Surveillance (maybe Computers as well).  That's your basic package for mystery solving, and having all 5 at student is sufficient enough to cover any real early game action.

And yep, munitions and armorer are good for weapon systems.  I took munitions at student, so having someone savvier is always good (otherwise a damaged weapon system is going to be a big deal!). Not quite sure how useful armorer will be though, given that it deals with vitality scale weaponry.  Maybe consider assigning those two points elsewhere?

ReijiTabibito

We'll see.  I'm still going to wait for BEN's ruling before I move anywhere on the skill points I still have left.

ShadowFox89

 Can someone double check the math on my character? I've only played C-Tech once before.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Aoife

Seems spot on shadow.  37 Attribute points (+1 human, +1 Cheat) and 36 Skill Points (+2 Human, +8 Drawbacks, +6 Cheats) are assigned correctly, and secondary attributes match up.

ShadowFox89

 I wonder if I can get a Nightmare drawback for 2pts......
Call me Shadow
My A/A

ChaoticSky

#73
Quote from: Aoife on January 16, 2012, 11:00:54 PM
I know your tone isn't meant in a particularly hostile fashion, but it came across as a little strong, just saying ;)
Sorry, was typing it in a rush, maybe it came out alittle strong, dividing my attention three ways is probably a bad idea.

QuoteI'm not pointing towards ground level action, more towards showing diversity among the pilots.  A Pilot team who can't field repair their mechs, scout enemy positions, communicate with superiors in a beneficial manner, and deal with unexpected circumstances that defy conventional weaponry simply isn't going to survive long. Not to mention that fact that if you're mech is critically damaged, you need to be able to survive outside of it. Naturally, one pilot can't do all these things, so you have a group of individuals with varied skillsets working in concert to achieve greater objectives.
Well, the case could be made that the NEG is usually pretty good about equipping mecha/engel units, i doubt were going to have to push knives under the quartermasters nails to get enough ammo, or blankets. Other than that, You do have a point from a generalist perspective, its good to have a well rounded skillset, but generally thats not how it works usually (mind you, I'm not a expert on this game, so maybe you can get away with it here). real life fighter pilots are not flight engineers, and it would be a waste to train them as such, their job is to get in a plane, and kill things, sure they have a great deal of basic technically skill, but theres a whole order of education different there. Likewise, in RPs, its usually best to focus a character on what you want them to be, which in this case is a mecha or engel pilot, if you divvy up your skills to be good at other things, your hurting your characters pilot ability, which could have a disastrous effect on their ability to contribute and indeed, survive. Further, those skills are only marginally useful, NPCs will fix our mechas when we return to home, and if we are in the middle of nowhere with trashed mechas, then a character with technician skills isnt going to have the parts they need to fix it, so its still useless. I'm not saying we shouldnt have some skill in other areas, but if you have enough skill to fully repair a damaged mech, your probably going to rue that later on more than you benefit from it.

My comments were also partially directed towards your character, who is not a mecha pilot. Tis up to Ben, but I'm worried that you might be bored while we are off doing the pilot thing.

QuoteThe story that's been mentioned is of a para-psy with very specific foresight abilities (by canon very uncommon and highly valuable on a strategic rather than tactical level). It's not too much of a stretch to believe that a capable telekinetic with no other strategic level combat abilities would be barred from active duty.  In the case of an Invasive para-psy, you make a good point.  that's likely going to be snatched up by the OSI or other investigative groups.  A strictly destructive para-psy, on the other hands, isn't particular useful if they're not channeling all that bad majo in order to ruin somebodies day.
A strictly destructive one would still have been snatched up by those organizations as a troubleshooter, or if not them, then the regular military. infantry that can blow things up with their mind? Yes please.

Whileyou may technically be able to do it, pretty much everyone from the CT devs, to Ben, to myself, considers magical mecha pilots to be a loophole in the rules, rather than something you should think of as a valid option. RAW vs RAI if you will.
The concept I had, if anyone is interested, would have been a White with either student level empathy or psychometry, and nothing else, ever (she refuses to develop her powers). And those only for the social awkwardness, rather than the advantage. (no mechanical benefits to any sort of roll).



Holy crap lots of posts! well, disregard anything thats been outdated.

NotoriusBEN

Ok, lets get to answering some questions/concerns again.  XD

I enjoy your enthusiasm, Aoife, but I'd like mecha/engel pilots with secondary skills as their interests. There's nothing wrong with being an armorer, in fact, she'd be highly useful on long deployments, but she needs to be a pilot first.

yea, para-psychology has been explained a few times, notably in my second post and a couple others in the thread at the moment.  Im not in the mood for it, though it is a distinguishing facet of a character.

Like choosing armorer or law enforcement or airbrushing, They are not the focus of the story, but I will try to weave in cool little things so that they give unexpected boons so you feel justified in your character choices. All said, you should trust your mecha first and foremost.

Reading the book, Law Enforcement is the dirty work/heavy lifting of CSI:Wherever. It's definitely got the Sherlock Holmes feel to it, and you'd be able to get samples back to the cruiser for better analysis (if what your looking for is sophisticated). I see Law Enforcement being useful in a military setting, especially with civilians, non-combatants, or even resistance fighters. Just saying there's more to it than just forensics.

For Darkling, Id like to see that White pilot (for some reason I think Rei Ayanami :P). And just because Whites are all para-psychics, doesnt mean they are all Akira-class lazer-bending, tank smashing, bug popping godlings. (Much to the NEG's dismay) She has a power, she just never developed it, or didnt have a knack for it.