Character Challenge 3 of 31: Citizens of the Imperium - Bureaucrat

 While I was planning on getting a character in to SORAG (Zhodani secret intelligence) that did not work out. Neither did the assassin from Scouts and Assassins (both from Paranoia Press, and I have those books from the 80s as well as on CD. Classic indeed!)

One note on the Classic Traveller generation: normally there is a significant -5 DM for unskilled use, and so for an 8+ this means you just cannot do a lot of the specific things, specifically weapons. However, classic characters have a weapons skill of 0 (originally 1/2) so that they don't get that negative DM, giving them a distinct advantage in generalized combat. Not entirely sure if that applies to Citizens, but as the character generation is the same, I am going with Johnio can handle any weapon without the negative DM. So classic characters are a bit more powerful than the raw skills may show.  That and Traveller combat tends to the deadly, so usually you try to think your way around obstacles. 

Looking at Michael Thompson's classic character generation, think I'll do a similar format, though I'll break out the die rolls in each term. I may change my mind later.

Johnio Smason

College, Bureaucrat 5 terms (52 years old), Manager UPP: 393999

Carousing-2, Admin-1, Blade-1, Grav-1

Cr10,000 High Passage, Mid Passage, Cr4,000 yearly retirement

Quick bio: A spindly child, Johnio attended college, and worked on his business degree. He succeeded, and quickly found a job in the local government. He did an adequate job, but it took over 8 years for his first promotion. He was no wallflower and attended company parties, becoming quite the schmoozer. At one of these he finally met the right people and got a position and promotion in short order. Another 8 years with a single promotion and an aging body, Johnio took an early retirement to see the universe.

Anyway, my initial rolls for the character were: UPP 494969, and a 5 so another male. Seeing as college & NOTC helped with getting into SORAG, I used the Book 5 High Guard and managed to get him through college:

Term 1 - College

Application I rolled a 12, so obviously well-placed even without that INT DM! Rolling a 7 + 2DM from INT I succeeded in my 4 year college plan. However, rolling a 3 for NOTC means I did not get into that, nor did I achieve honors with a roll of 5. However, rolling a 4 on 1 die, minus 2 plus the +1DM for my INT I boost my EDU by three. So now I am a well educated if weak young man of 22 with a UPP of 494999. 

I failed the SORAG roll (needed a 10+, rolled a 6, so even with the +2 for my INT and a +1 for college, I did not get in. Found my Scouts & Assassins book, thought I'd give that a try. With an 11+ to get in, it was a long shot. That I failed at a roll of 5. While not counting these as a year off, it was sad but expected. Digging through the pile of books, I decided I had not used Citizens of the Imperium much, even though it did introduce the bow combat rules. Looking over the careers, for some reason the bureaucrat career seemed as though it may be a good fit. Rolling a 9 to enlist, I get in even without the DMs for my intelligence and  weak strength DM. Yes, this career you get a bonus if you have a STR <  8! Guess there are no burly bureaucrats in the Imperium!

Term 1 

Survive I rolled a 7, well above the 4 -2 or 2 I need. In fact, this character cannot die as I just have to roll a 2+ on 2d6. I still made all the survival rolls though. Rolling a 2 for position means I do not have a chance to get promoted, so I am stuck as a clerk for these 4 years. I rolled a 7 so I did gain skills. Using the Advanced skill table, rolled a 1 for Admin-1. Rolling a 6, I can re-enlist.

Term 2

Survival is automatic, but I rolled a 5 anyway. Hoping to get low rolls out of the way!. Rolling a 4 I still have no position and remain a clerk. I roll an 8 for skills, so rolling a 5 on the personal development table I gain Carousing-1. Our bureaucrat is a fairly social person - with a social class of 9 he is not quite into the noble range but high middle class. The re-enlistment roll of 10 means I can get in another round.

Term 3 - starting to age

As this is technically the 4th term, I roll against the aging table. Rolling a 6, 8 and 9, I get a Strength hit, giving me a UPP of 394999. Never strong to begin with, this does not bode well. I make a 6 on my entirely unnecessary survival roll, and finally get a position with a roll of 7. I also make my promotion roll with a 10, so I've moved up to E2, Supervisor. It only took 12 years...Rolling a 3 on the Service Skills table I gain blade weapon skill. Looking over the blade chart, I'll stick with Blade-1 so I get a +1 DM thanks to my dexterity for hitting. I handily make the re-enlistment roll with a roll of 9.

Term 4 - aging gracefully

Rolling 8, 10 and 9 I do not take any aging hits this term. I cannot afford any! Making the superfluous survival roll of 6, I move on with an 8 for my promotion, moving me to E3, Assistant Manager. Rolling on the Service Skills table hoping for a physical boost, I roll a 5, vehicle skill. I choose Grav Vehicle-1 which oddly covers TL 6 to 15. As the tech level charts show grav vehicles starting at TL 8 (and later versions I think bump that to 9) we have some early grav vehicles. Rolling a 8 I easily re-enlist. 

Term 5 - aging takes a toll

Rolling a 8, 10 and 4, my endurance drops by 1. Good thing I am planning in retiring - 5 terms is the earliest you can retire, I survive with an 8, and do move up to a Manager position, E4, with a roll of 8 for the promotion. Again hoping to gain a physical skill, I roll a 5 on the personal development table, giving me Carousing-2. A real party animal I am! I do NOT roll a 12, so I am able to retire at the age of 52.

Mustering out

Bureaucrats have an interesting range of benefits and cash. I just alternated between the tables. On the cash table I get a +1 as I am retired; there are no DMs on the benefit table as I did not get to E5 or E6 rank.

Benefit I rolled a 3, which netted me - nothing! Wow, 20 years and not even a watch (which is actually one of the benefits)

Cash I rolled a 2, +1 giving me a 3 for Cr10,000

Benefit rolled a 6, giving me a High Passage.

Cash rolled a 1 +1 giving me a 2 for again, nothing.

Final benefit roll a rolled a 2 for a Mid Passage.

There is a note that I do get retirement pay based on the terms of service and rank, but that information did not appear in the Citizens book. It is in Book 1, and with 5 terms I get a Cr4,000 yearly stipend I can pick up at any class A or B port.