BattleTech 3025 - Recruitment - A Time of War and Total Warfare

[Hawkwood]

Agreed!

It's clear the desire to know what the red button does in the cockpit - strong motivational factor.

[TFcommando]

She looks pretty good so far. I see you took Fast Learner. There was actually an errata that said that Fast Learner and Slow Learner should be 20% more or less xp required instead of 10. So you would hit your skill levels at 16, 24, 40, 64, 96, etc.. You can just re-optimize right now to fix that if you'd like. Also, you should spend any leftover xp, even if it doesn't get you to the next level.

The chart for the skill value costs was correct but the listing under Traits had 10% instead of 20%. 

[Voidknight]

As I understand it:

If you get it during character creation, it applies to skills in character creation.
If you get it during play, it only applies to skills you get after you buy it.

By my calculations, Void is currently:

Attr: 3000
+ve Traits: 1200
-ve Traits: -500
Skills: 1160

For a total of 4860xp

If you were to take Fast Learner now, you'd be:
+68 points
(300 points added to +ve traits, saving 232 points from skills)
= 4928 xp

Your ability to quickly run the numbers from this game is impressive.

[Hawkwood]

It's really easy with Excel once you realise that:

Attributes / Traits = 100xp per level
Skills are 20 / 30 / 50 / 80 / 120 / 170

The Life Module system hides that simple truth. Sure, it makes for more authentic and well-rounded characters, but as you've seen, it makes for migraine-inducing maths and balancing and optimisation.

[Voidknight]

Huh- and here I thought you got special deals on skills and things through it! I'll need to remember to factor in my tech empath discount too.

[JFD99]

That's what I noticed as well.

Once I figured that out, I realized how optimization is really the bread and butter of the life module system. That's when my character really took shape.

[Hawkwood]

I'll admit that I have a real fondness for the Lifepath generator system from the previous edition. It was one of those balls-out stupid game systems where you could die / end-up-crippled during character creation. And so whilst your friends might be striding around in 100t assault mechs, you end up barely able to ride a donkey.

[Core]
[Companion]

[Voidknight]

I love those; big fan of Traveller.

[Hawkwood]

I'm really looking forward to this RP. I've been thinking about the sort of interactions that Anna will probably get into...

Voidknight - I imagine that she'll be in awe of your lass' raw, natural talent, and will do her best to train / encourage / foster positive skills and habits. The fist thing will be to try and give your lady a callsign. Because you can't fly high-performance aerospace assets with a proper nickname!

JFD99 - She's going to be in equal part fascinated and repulsed by a Marian. The idea of slaves in and of itself will strike her as barbaric. Expect a lot of questions about equality, democracy, and so on as she tries to sound your guy out as to how complicit he is in the broken system.

Tavarokk - we Canopians have to stick together, although our two ladies represent basically opposite stereotypes of the Magistracy

TFCommando - our characters will have had largely similar background and training (nobles and officers both), and so will probably have a lot in common. Again, I think the rigid social structures of the Combine will seem exotic and strange. Basically, imagine a Westerner asking a Japanese person about ... well... most things.

[JFD99]

Same here, I can't wait get to get started!

I think we have what looks like a very fun group so far. No doubt Caelus will feel right at home around all the pretty ladies.

Hopefully they can also work together, because socializing and fraternizing is all well and good, but there's no doubt also going to be work to do...   

[Voidknight]

Voidknight - I imagine that she'll be in awe of your lass' raw, natural talent, and will do her best to train / encourage / foster positive skills and habits. The fist thing will be to try and give your lady a callsign. Because you can't fly high-performance aerospace assets with a proper nickname!

At GM request to make things simpler I did retool her as a mechwarrior but I am sure a lot of the dynamic might remain!

[Stendarr]

At GM request to make things simpler I did retool her as a mechwarrior but I am sure a lot of the dynamic might remain!

Pardon? She's set up as an aero pilot right now. Which is totally good.

Does fast learner kick in retroactively? If say it was bought later?

You don't get your xp back, but the xp requirement for levels does go down. So if you're at 80 xp on a skill you'll stay there, but you'll only need 16 more to go up instead of 40.

Also amusing side note, that change to fast learner means that illiterate + language 4  actually gives you points.

Ya, I pointed that out earlier! I feel like this game wasn't playtested very well.

If you really want to be a Munchkin there's no reason not to have Fast Learner, Illiterate, and Language 4 on every character you make.

Also, Slow Learner is totally viable at 10% more cost, but insanely bad at 20% more cost.

[Voidknight]

Ah sorry I missed a few things when you were talking about them earlier, had a bit of a chaotic week! Thought you had said it'd be easier for you if she was a mechwarrior- I shall edit somethings back to Aero!
I'll admit there is a solid part of me that'd like fast learner but you're right probably would be a little munchkinny- I'll leave off.

[Stendarr]

Ah sorry I missed a few things when you were talking about them earlier, had a bit of a chaotic week! Thought you had said it'd be easier for you if she was a mechwarrior- I shall edit somethings back to Aero!
I'll admit there is a solid part of me that'd like fast learner but you're right probably would be a little munchkinny- I'll leave off.

Hey, I don't mind munchkins. I do it all the time for myself, but I've been trying not to because I usually have more fun when I don't, but you do you.

[Cessali]

I got the hard parts of the math done, and while equipment is going to take a bit more research, here's my basic idea and most of the sheet for the sake of getting feedback. 

I can also re-engineer the idea to more of a combination bureaucrat/field agent if we end up over-budget on Mechwarrior slots, though of course that will require going through Lifepaths again.  @_@

EDIT: Juggled skill points around, added Compulsion triggers.

Name: Jenika Xiaming
Age: 25
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4"
Physical Description: Jenika is lithe and wiry, much in the fashion of most 'Mechwarriors; her dress sense is modest, though not particularly shy. 
Personality Description: Jenika presents a very mild-mannered demeanor and reaction to just about everything that comes and goes.  She is far from the life of the party, but she tends to play her mild awkwardness and stand-offishenss off as a predisposition and preference for listening; she values harmony more than self-indulgence or gratification, and is content to lend her expertise to the success of the team as a whole.
Background: The Capellan Confederation has a long, florid history of its treatment of dissidents and political opponents, and Jenika is content to let the stories bring out an air of mystery for her.  She believes quite seriously that few would take her seriously if she talked about her life Before Flight: her upbringing as a child of a computer scientist and a 'Mech designer, her time in prep school rubbing elbows with other future Capellan movers and shakers, her acceptance to the Sarna Martial Academy as a Mechwarrior, and extended training in Signals Intelligence.  All of that should in theory point to a shining star who was expected to go far and bring tremendous prestige to her family and the Confederation as a whole.  But politics is inescapable in a culture so attuned to Correct Thought, and Jenika made the right decision at the wrong time.  While she escaped with her life, she left behind everything she knew in the process... and is content to let others presume she was a dissident of some sort.  Better they believe that she prefers mercenary life than that the truth -- that she was loyal, is loyal, and would go back if she knew her life was not forfeit if she ever returned -- ever come out.  Any open speculation about her origins gets her hackles up in an unpleasant way; if she can control her agitation under such questioning, she prefers to spin elaborate and transparent lies about where she came from, and has never once bothered with keeping those stories consistent.
Sexual Tendencies and Preferences: Heteroflexible
Player Ons and Offs: Dubcon, bathroom play

Attributes:
STR: 400 (0)
DEX: 500 (0)
BOD: 400 (0)
RFL: 400 (0)
INT: 500 (0)
WIL: 500 (0)
CHA: 300 (-1)
EDG: 400 (--)

Traits:
Equipped (2)
Wealth (1)
Connections (2)
Fast Learner (3)
Dark Secret (-2)
Transit Disorientation Syndrome (-1)
Compulsion/Paranoia (-1) [Trigger: Any sign of more than casual inquiry regarding her personal life and background]
Compulsion/Hatred of FedSuns (-1) [Trigger: when asked to cooperate or interact politely with Federated Suns-affiliated protocol]

Skills:
Acting 24 (1)
Archery 16 (0)
Career/Soldier 64 (3)
Computers 64 (3)
Gunnery/’Mech 96 (4)
Language/Mandarin 64 (3)
Language/English   40 (2)
Language/Russian 40 (2)
Language/French   24 (1)
Language/Spanish 16 (0)
Leadership   24 (1)
Interest/Capellan History 40 (2)
Interest/Military History 40 (2)
Interest/Psychology 24 (1)
Investigation 40 (2)
Martial Arts   64 (3)
MedTech 64 (3)
Melee Weapons 24 (1)
Navigation/Ground 64 (3)
Negotiation   16 (1)
Piloting/’Mech 64 (3)
Protocol/Capellan   96 (4)
Perception 40 (2)
Art/Calligraphy 24 (1)
Sensor Operations 64 (3)
Small Arms 40 (2)
Strategy 64 (3)
Swimming 16 (0)
Tactics/Land 64 (3)
Technician/Electronic 24 (1)
Training 40 (2)
Zero-G Operations 16 (0)

Equipment:
ITEM - MASS - COST
ITEM - MASS - COST
ITEM - MASS - COST

C-Bills:AMOUNT

Modules Taken: White Collar, Prep School, Military Academy (Basic Training/Mechwarrior/Analyst), Tour of Duty

[Stendarr]

I got the hard parts of the math done, and while equipment is going to take a bit more research, here's my basic idea and most of the sheet for the sake of getting feedback. 

I can also re-engineer the idea to more of a combination bureaucrat/field agent if we end up over-budget on Mechwarrior slots, though of course that will require going through Lifepaths again.  @_@

Character Sheet

Name: Jenika Xiaming
Age: 25
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4"
Physical Description: Jenika is lithe and wiry, much in the fashion of most 'Mechwarriors; her dress sense is modest, though not particularly shy. 
Personality Description: Jenika presents a very mild-mannered demeanor and reaction to just about everything that comes and goes.  She is far from the life of the party, but she tends to play her mild awkwardness and stand-offishenss off as a predisposition and preference for listening; she values harmony more than self-indulgence or gratification, and is content to lend her expertise to the success of the team as a whole.
Background: The Capellan Confederation has a long, florid history of its treatment of dissidents and political opponents, and Jenika is content to let the stories bring out an air of mystery for her.  She believes quite seriously that few would take her seriously if she talked about her life Before Flight: her upbringing as a child of a computer scientist and a 'Mech designer, her time in prep school rubbing elbows with other future Capellan movers and shakers, her acceptance to the Sarna Martial Academy as a Mechwarrior, and extended training in Signals Intelligence.  All of that should in theory point to a shining star who was expected to go far and bring tremendous prestige to her family and the Confederation as a whole.  But politics is inescapable in a culture so attuned to Correct Thought, and Jenika made the right decision at the wrong time.  While she escaped with her life, she left behind everything she knew in the process... and is content to let others presume she was a dissident of some sort.  Better they believe that she prefers mercenary life than that the truth -- that she was loyal, is loyal, and would go back if she knew her life was not forfeit if she ever returned -- ever come out.  Any open speculation about her origins gets her hackles up in an unpleasant way; if she can control her agitation under such questioning, she prefers to spin elaborate and transparent lies about where she came from, and has never once bothered with keeping those stories consistent.
Sexual Tendencies and Preferences: Heteroflexible
Player Ons and Offs: Dubcon, bathroom play

Attributes:
STR: 400 (0)
DEX: 500 (0)
BOD: 400 (0)
RFL: 400 (0)
INT: 500 (0)
WIL: 500 (0)
CHA: 300 (-1)
EDG: 400 (--)

Traits:
Equipped (2)
Wealth (1)
Connections (2)
Fast Learner (3)
Dark Secret (-2)
Transit Disorientation Syndrome (-1)
Compulsion/Paranoia (-1)
Compulsion/Hatred of FedSuns (-1)

Skills:
Acting 40 (2)
Archery 16 (0)
Career/Soldier 64 (3)
Computers 64 (3)
Gunnery/’Mech 64 (3)
Language/Mandarin 64 (3)
Language/English   40 (2)
Language/Russian 40 (2)
Language/French   24 (1)
Language/Spanish 16 (0)
Leadership   24 (1)
Interest/Capellan History 40 (2)
Interest/Military History 40 (2)
Interest/Psychology 24 (1)
Investigation 40 (2)
Martial Arts   64 (3)
MedTech 64 (3)
Melee Weapons 24 (1)
Navigation/Ground 64 (3)
Negotiation   24 (1)
Piloting/’Mech 64 (3)
Protocol/Capellan   96 (4)
Perception 40 (2)
Art/Calligraphy 24 (1)
Sensor Operations 64 (3)
Small Arms 40 (2)
Strategy 64 (3)
Swimming 24 (1)
Tactics/Land 64 (3)
Technician/Electronic 24 (1)
Training 40 (2)
Zero-G Operations 16 (0)

Equipment:
ITEM - MASS - COST
ITEM - MASS - COST
ITEM - MASS - COST

C-Bills:AMOUNT

Modules Taken: White Collar, Prep School, Military Academy (Basic Training/Mechwarrior/Analyst), Tour of Duty

She seems great. I'm glad we've got a diverse cast.

Her compulsions seem self-explanatory, but if you'd like to have a word about what exactly triggers them I'm all ears. I would like you to point out to me what exactly the nature of her Connections trait is.

We might have to make some changes for the Training skill to be very useful, but that's something we can do.

I would recommend bumping your Gunnery and Pilot skills up to 4, but it certainly won't be too big a hindrance if you don't.

You can post her to the character sheet thread if you'd like.

[Tavarokk]

Can Reputation negative trait be not person- or region-specific? I ended up with -2 from modules, and given that much of it came from Magistracy affiliation, I went with "that Canopian whore" - exemplifying certain stereotypes about my nation of origin. Which would, theoretically, apply wherever they've heard wild rumours about Canopus and frown on such behaviour rather than a single region.

What's the profit distribution like in our unit?

Would it be possible to have either of JR7-F, JVN-10F or PNT-9R as my mech*?

*also, would those be our mechs or are we all dispossessed and the mechs belong to the unit?

[Voidknight]

Like the look of the new lass too-

Jenner is one of my all time favourites, starting mech back in the very first mechwarrior computer game so gave me a soft spot for it- even if a few of them ruin your day in the Crescent Hawks games.

I'm looking at my sheet run the numbers myself I still have xp to spend... I'm hmming and hawing over Fast Learner myself now! Maybe grab it and fill out some flavour skills.
Nix that, filled out her skills a little with left over xp. It's funnier to image her with novelty water wings fearfully dipping a toe in water rather than having swimming as a hobby. Where could she indulge it anyway? Most up to date version of the lass is chilling in the character thread.

[Stendarr]

Can Reputation negative trait be not person- or region-specific? I ended up with -2 from modules, and given that much of it came from Magistracy affiliation, I went with "that Canopian whore" - exemplifying certain stereotypes about my nation of origin. Which would, theoretically, apply wherever they've heard wild rumours about Canopus and frown on such behaviour rather than a single region.

What's the profit distribution like in our unit?

Would it be possible to have either of JR7-F, JVN-10F or PNT-9R as my mech*?

*also, would those be our mechs or are we all dispossessed and the mechs belong to the unit?

We can totally treat Reputation as a non-region-specific thing.

Sorry, but what exactly are you asking about profit distribution?

You can certainly get one of those. I think TFCommando was eyeing up a Panther, so for the sake of diversity, I'll probably give you one of the other two. But I'm gonna wait to see what characters we end up with before making that decision.

Unless someone makes a particularly strong case, the 'Mechs are going to be yours on loan basically. If you've got a solid reason you'd own and were able to transport a 'Mech to the deep periphery I'll hear it.

[TFcommando]

Unless someone makes a particularly strong case, the 'Mechs are going to be yours on loan basically. If you've got a solid reason you'd own and were able to transport a 'Mech to the deep periphery I'll hear it.

Ah, that's an interesting thing to know.  So we were Dispossessed Mechwarriors (and pilots?) who were hired for this job in the Deep Periphery to pilot the loaner mechs.  One more reason to take a job so far out.  Perhaps we were hired separately and bonded as a team, forming a unit on the long trip there?  Or were in a unit that disbanded and were headhunted together?

Nearly done, I started a third time and copied the pre-optimization writeup and am in the middle of optimizing the copy, getting much better results.  I also think part of the problem was taking OCS and then a tour of duty.  They must want officers to be fresh into the field! :)  The -200 Edge on OCS was a big hit to deal with as well. 

[Tavarokk]

Sorry, but what exactly are you asking about profit distribution?

Um. What it is? As in, what, if any, is the flat retainer each of us gets, and what, if any, share of the profit (so, after all mission expenses are paid) from the contract pay and the loot are we entitled to?

Also, how much does "necessities will be issued for free" cover? Neurohelmet, cooling vest, sidearm, technician's tool kit, first aid kit?

[Hawkwood]

I feel justified in my munchkin-ness having blown 5TP / 500xp on title and property. I very much doubt either will be plot relevant, but I'm here for the sauce, not the crunch.

I assume we have an NPC boss?

[Tavarokk]

I feel justified in my munchkin-ness having blown 5TP / 500xp on title and property. I very much doubt either will be plot relevant, but I'm here for the sauce, not the crunch.

Title might be, both Castile and Caliphate got nobility-dominated militaries.

[Hawkwood]

Title might be, both Castile and Caliphate got nobility-dominated militaries.

Anna is currently a disenfranchised Noble heir, who is being hunted by the current title holder, who will do her best to hide her Noble status. I just liked to play around with the fairytale of someone secretly being a princess.

Mechanically I'd like to be able to swap Enemy for Title once we off Tabitha

[Voidknight]

That's true actually others have dead weight they need to compensate for, Noele is comparitively lean. Possible exception of Tech Empathy.