Thursday, January 07, 2021

Character Challenge 7 of 31: Cepheus Ground Forces

Captain Stine Gyrante

C9CBB9 age 32, 2 years of college, Ground Forces 3 terms

Cr13,000
Leadership-1, Gun Combat (Slug Rifle 1, Slug Pistol-0), Military Tactics-1, Electronics (Computer 1), Language (English 1, Hindi 1), Streetwise-0

The Clement Sector books are based on the Cepheus system, which is based on the Mongoose Open Game License (I think, the open source version of Mongoose 1st edition). The rules are similar to Mongoose, but more specific to their universe. It also includes uplifted animals (as did T20, the d20 version of Traveller, and I think GURPS may have had uplifts). They also adjust the aging a great deal and a few other tweaks. One of the major tweaks is in rolling the stats, you roll 3d6 and take the 2 highest. It leads to some high stats, and I may forgo that in future Cephius / Independence character generation:

  • Strength [6,6,1] = 12
  • Dexterity [5,4,1] = 9
  • Endurance [6,5,4] = 11
  • Intelligence [6,5,4] = 11
  • Education [6,5,3] = 11
  • Social [5,4,1] = 9
I rolled on the sector table for which sector our Stine hails from, and with a 1 it was Earth Sector, and then a d100 roll of 19, Stine is from Earth itself. Never played in Sol Sector :)  Background skills for Earth are Language-0 and Computers-0.

They also have some optional sections if you want to roll up their childhood. There are two rolls on a d66 table for childhood events: somewhere between 4-8 Stine was abused and beaten by someone in his extended family. That took a dark turn...I play games to get away from ugly things. However, it could be a pivotal characteristic later: either he is really cowardly around some people, he stands up for the little guy more, or adopts a lot of kids. Could be a number of reactions to that. Between 9 and 12 he got lost on a trip. There were 3 options, and rolling a d3 for 4 (aka 3) I picked up Streetwise-0, finding my way home in the mean streets. For a life event, I was injured. Linking this back to the beating I took earlier, I also lost 2 to my strength (12 -> 10). I do hope there was justice in the end.

Moving on to the teen years, rolling a 2,2 my family really wants strong young people. I can choose Athletics-0 or pick up a stat. I chose to +1 in strength, getting me almost back where I was (10 -> 11). And apparently my parents, finding out about the earlier beating, thought I should learn to defend myself, so pick up Gun (slug) as a 0 level skill: I know which way to point the thing. And as with most teenagers, a relationship ended badly on that roll, losing a contact or ally. 

Deciding college is the thing for me (though he already has a high education, college, if you succeed, gives you a level 2 skill for your major and a level 1 for your minor, so is a pretty good deal for skills). I also gave it a 50/50 chance, even odd, and rolling a 2 off to college goes our Mr. Stine. His entry roll of 6 did not meet the requirements but he got a DM based on his EDU modifier and squeaked in. Rolling an 8 for success, he would pass all 4 year. With a 6 for honors, though, he did not earn honors. While normally he would get a bump in his education and the 2 aforementioned skills, rolling a 1,4 on the events table and a war has broken out. Stine gets drafted, to hopefully finish his college career later. He is forced to enter the Ground Forces for d3 terms, (rolling a 4, so 2 terms. Apparently a long war). 

Term 1

In term 1, being a recruit, he automatically picks up Gun Combat 1. Of the 3 careers in Ground Forces, I rolled a 5 so off to Heavy Weapons to learn how to fire the big guns. I barely survive the survival roll with a 6. I fail my commission roll with a 4, but do succeed on the advancement roll with a 10, making me Corporal Gyrante. Choosing the Heavy Weapons specialist table, I roll a 1 for Military Tactics. Rolling a 6,6 on the events table, Stile was very heroic and gains his commission. Lieutenant Gyrante at your service now! He also picks up Leadership-1 from his promotion. He lead the troops to a victorious defeat of the enemy in the Battle of Harcheese.

Term 2

Term 2 I rolled a 6, so there are no injuries this term. Rolling a 9, he is promoted to Captain. Choosing the service skills table, a 3 gives him Electronics, and I choose to set his computer skill up a bit. Finally, the event roll of 3,2 gets me to roll on the Life Events table, and a roll of 12 there lets me know that something wonderful has happened, giving me a +2 on a single benefit roll when mustering out. Now to decide to continue on or not as he has served his draft terms. Seeing as he is an officer, and rewarded for being brave, we'll go at least one more term

Term 3

Rolling a 9, he easily survives. A roll of 6 means he missed his promotion, even with the intelligence DM. Choosing service skills and rolling a 2, Stine picks up Melee combat. Rolling a 5,2 on the d66 table Stine took the time to learn a 2nd language. Since I never picked out the 1st language, I'll roll twice to get my primary language and 2ary language. And...it is not really a table that rolls easily. So I'll just pick English and Hindi. And not getting a promotion bummed out the captain, so he is mustering out to see the rest of the galaxy.

Mustering Out

Having served 3 terms we get 3 rolls on the mustering out table. 
Cash roll 1: 3 for Cr 8,000
Benefits roll 1: 2 (but adding 1) gives me a 4 for +1 endurance (11 -> 12). Sometimes you have to push those heavy weapons around!
Cash roll 2: : 2 for Cr5,000



Other Sites Doing the Challenge 

(let me know who I've missed & I'll add them here)


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