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Primary Skill Sets & Skills & Ranks (OOC)

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Sat 16 May 2020
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Primary Skill Sets & Skills & Ranks (OOC)

Primary Skill Sets

Military, Engineering, and Science.

Each player chooses one of these, for the purpose of this game I will assume most of you will choose Military, if anyone wants to experiment with a different PSS I will add more material as we go.

Military PSS  Your character picks up militant skills quickly and easily. Military skills include use of weaponry and setting and removing demolitions charges.

Science PSS  Your character is good with people and their environments. People with the Science primary skill area are good with biology, medicine, and how such biological beings interact with their environments around them.

Engineering PSS  Your character is good with technology in all of its forms, from steam power to weapons and manufacturing.

PSS Skills

Now that you have a Primary Skill Set, you need to specify which skills your character has. Starting characters begin play with two skills, each at first level. One of these skills must come from your selected PSS, but the second one can be any skill at all.

Example:  Trooper Jones likes to blow things up so he chooses Demolitions level 1 as his first skill and Artillery level 1 as his second skill but Hawkeye 'Doc' Pearce chooses Musketry level 1 from the Military PSS but decides to take Medicine from the Natural Sciences PSS as his second skill.

Military SkillsScience SkillsEngineering Skills
DemolitionsClassical EducationSignals
Musketry (Rifles)Natural SciencesNavigation
Musketry (Pistols)MedicineBlacksmith
Archery Steam Engineer
Martial Arts Pilot
Artillery Naval Engineer
Thrown Weapons  
Melee Weapons  
Naval Gunnery  

Learning Skills

To learn new or higher-level skills, characters must spend experience points. The experience point cost depends on the skill's level and PSS. The Skill Cost Table shows the costs for each level of skill in the different PSSs. If the skill is from the character's Primary Skill Set, the cost is the number in the column. A character can learn skills from other PSSs, but must pay twice as many experience points for them. Doubled costs are shown in parentheses.

SKILL COST TABLE
LevelMilitary PSSEngineering PSSScience PSS
Level 13(6)4(8)5(10)
Level 26(12)8(16)10(20)
Level 39(18)12(24)15(30)
Level 412(24)16(32)20(40)
Level 515(30)20(40)25(50)
Level 618(36)24(48)30(60)

A character can learn only one skill level at a time. Skipping levels is not allowed, even if the character has enough experience points to do so.  Training to improve skills takes 1 week per skill level.

Weapon Skills

Success rate: 1/2 DEX + skill level

All weapons skills work the same way. Each level of skill adds 10% to the character's chance to hit with that type of weapon. A roll of 96-00 always misses, however, no matter what the character's modified chance to hit is. Each type of weapon has its own skill, and characters must increase their scores separately in each. When a character uses experience points to increase one weapon skill, his other weapon skills are not affected.

MUSKETRY - PISTOLS skill applies to all types of pistols.

MUSKETRY - RIFLES skill applies to all types of rifles and shotguns.

ARCHERY skill applies to all types of bows and crossbows.

ARTILLERY skill applies to all cannons, gatling guns, mortars, rockets and howitzers.

THROWN WEAPONS skill applies to all grenades and thrown axes, knives and spears.

MELEE WEAPONS
Success Rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR + skill level
This skill applies to axes, brass knuckles, chains, clubs, swords, knives, nightsticks, pistol and rifle butts, bayonets, spears and whips.

Demolitions Skill

There are two subskills to the demolitions skill: set charge and defuse charge. Only a character with demolitions skill can legally buy or use explosives or detonators. Dynamite is the standard explosive, Blackpowder can also be used.

SETTING CHARGES

Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Only characters with demolitions skill can set charges. The number of turns needed to set a charge is the character's skill level subtracted from seven. At 1st level, a character needs six turns to set a charge, but at 6th level he needs only one turn.

If a character fails the skill check to set and detonate the charge, the charge has not exploded and must be re-set. The referee should feel free to have the charge explode prematurely or late.

Charges can be detonated by timer, fuse or weapon fire. A timer lets the character set a time when the charge will explode. The timer can be adjusted to delay from 1 second to 60 hours. Demolitions experts also can set off a charge with a rifle. If the expert hits the charge, it explodes.

DEFUSING CHARGES

Success Rate: 50% + [diffuser's] skill level - [setter's] skill level

A demolitions expert can try to defuse a charge that was set by another expert. Defusing a charge takes one turn, no matter what level the expert is. The expert's chance to succeed is modified by subtracting 10 x the skill level of the person that set the charge. A character can defuse one of his own charges automatically.

MARTIAL ARTS

Success Rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR + skill level

Martial Arts skill makes a character a better fighter in melee. A character with Martial Arts skill can add 10% per level to his basic chance to hit with his bare hands in melee. The skill also increases the damage caused by a successful bare-hands attack, adding one point of damage per level.

Martial Arts skill also gives the character three subskills: tumbling, defensive throws and nerve combat. Tumbling reduces damage from falling by -1 point of damage per skill level. Defensive throwing lets the character inflict damage when breaking out of a hold. When a character with Martial Arts skill breaks out of a hold, he automatically knocks his opponent down, causing damage equal to his punching score. Nerve combat increases the character's chance to knock out his opponent. The opponent must be one of the four major races. The attacker gains a +1% chance to knock out the opponent per skill level on each attack. Thus, a character with 4th level skill in unarmed combat and a Dexterity score of 40 would knock his opponent unconscious on a roll of 01-06, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60.

NAVAL GUNNERY

Success Rate: 1/2 DEX + 10%/skill level

A ship's weapons can be fired by the ship crew if no characters with Gunnery skill are aboard, but ship gunners increase a ship's effectiveness in combat. The gun commander may attempt to coach unskilled gun crew members with a successful LDR check. This skill applies to all Naval Guns including Mortars, Carronades and Howitzers.

The gunnery subskills are: Improve Accuracy and Selective Targeting.

IMPROVE ACCURACY Modifier: +10% x skill level

This subskill gives a gunner a better chance to hit a target with ship-mounted weapons. A gunner can apply this subskill to only one weapon per turn. This bonus can be combined with the pilot's Forward Firing Weapons bonus.

SELECTIVE TARGETING Modifier: -30%

This subskill lets a gunnery expert shoot at a specific system on an enemy ship. External systems only (those visible from outside the ship) can be attacked, so the galley, navigation, pumps and anchor winch cannot be targeted selectively.

To use this subskill, the attacking ship and its target must be in the adjacent hex. The gunner declares what system he is targeting, and rolls to hit with a -30% modifier, in addition to all other modifiers that apply. The gunner can use his Improve Accuracy subskill with Selective Targeting. If the shot hits, the damage is applied directly to the targeted system as described on the Advanced Game Damage Table.
If the shot misses, it is considered a clean miss and causes no damage.  If the system that is hit can receive several grades of damage on the Advanced Game Damage Table, a random die roll should be used to determine how badly the system is damaged. If the ship's hull is hit, there is a 50% chance it will suffer double damage.

EXAMPLE: A gunnery expert using selective targeting hits the drive of an enemy ship. According to the damage table, this can reduce the ship's ADF by 1, by half of its total, or completely to 0. In this case, the referee decides that the gunner must roll 1d10. A result of 1-3 means 1 ADF is lost, 4-6 means one-half of the ship's ADF is lost, and 7-9 means the entire ADF is lost. A 0 is ignored and re-rolled.


PSA Sub-skills
A number of PSA Skills include sub-skills, a player with Level 1 in these skills automatically receives all the appropriate sub-skills shown below.

Classical EducationNatural SciencesMedicineSignalsNavigationBlacksmithSteam EngineerPilotShip Engineer
EmpathyAnalyzing SamplesAdministering DrugsTelegraph:OperatePlot Ocean VoyagesBlacksmith:EquineSteam Engineer:EnginesEvasionShip Design
PersuasionAnalyzing EcosystemsDiagnosisTelegraph:Make/RepairRushed CalculationsBlacksmith:Make ToolsSteam Engineer:RailroadsIncreased AccuracyDamage Control
CommunicationFinding DirectionsFirst AidMorse CodeFind LocationBlacksmith:Make/Repair Melee WeaponsSteam Engineer:ManufacturingIncrease ManeuverStress Analysis
HypnosisSurvivalMinor SurgeryTelegraph:Identify OperatorChart New RoutesBlacksmith:Make/Repair ArmourSteam Engineer:Agriculture  
LiteracyMaking Tools/WeaponsMajor SurgeryTelegraph:Imitate Operator-Blacksmith:Make/Repair MusketsSteam Engineer: Civil  
SocietyTrackingControlling InfectionCombat Signalling-Blacksmith:Make/Repair RiflesSteam Engineer: Naval  
PoliticsStealthCuring Disease--Blacksmith:Make/Repair Artillery   
LawConcealmentNeutralising Toxins----  
FinanceNamingMedical Research----  
Languages:Latin----    
Extra Language----    

Classical Education

Classical Education gives a character an advantage when dealing with individuals or groups of intelligent people. The skill can be used when dealing with any nationality the character encounters.

There are ten Classical Education sub-skills: empathy, persuasion, communication, bluff, hypnosis, literacy, society, politics, law, finance and two language skills, Latin plus one of the characters choosing.

EMPATHY: Success rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

Empathy allows a character to get a general impression of the mood and intentions of individuals or groups. In order to use this skill, the specialist must be able to see or hear the individual or group.  The information that a character gains by using this skill is very vague and non-specific. The referee should use descriptions like hostile, curious, cautious, helpful, neutral, etc.  Empathy can be used by a character only once per encounter. If two characters in the group have Classical Education skill, each can try to use their empathy sub-skill.

PERSUASION: Success rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

Persuasion lets a character try to convince a person or group to follow a reasonable course of action suggested by the character. The character must explain their plan to the group or person being persuaded. If the character must use a translator, there is a -20% modifier.  A character can try to persuade a group or individual only once. If the character misses their roll by 50 points or more, the audience will get mad and might try to do something that is the opposite of what the character wanted.

COMMUNICATION: Success rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

This sub-skill can be used when a character must communicate with someone whose language they do not speak or understand. If the character uses this sub-skill successfully, they can communicate using very simple messages. The referee might force players to use simple messages by restricting them to two-word phrases.

BLUFF: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level

A bluff is loosely defined as a lie, evasion, or convincing someone that you are something or someone you are not. Any character attempting a bluff that does not have this skill has a base chance of 5-20%. The more difficult the bluff, the lower the chance of success. A character with this skill is smoother and more confident in their bluff if the bluff is plausible. An adventurer telling a member of a secret society that they are also a member of the society may work. The referee should modify the bluff based on other factors (unknown information, passwords, etc)

HYPNOSIS: Success rate: 20% + 10%/skill level

In order to hypnotize a character, the hypnotist must be able to speak to the subject in a common language without a translator.  If the person being hypnotized is willing, this is the only requirement. If the subject does not realize they are being hypnotized, they get to make an Intuition check. If they pass the check, the subject realizes what is happening and can not be hypnotized. If they fail the check, they can be hypnotized normally. No one can be hypnotized against their will if they realize they are being hypnotized.  A character may try to hypnotize only one subject at a time. Hypnotizing someone takes 1d10 minutes. The hypnotist can try to hypnotize a willing subject a second time if the first attempt fails. If the subject is unwilling, the hypnotist gets only one chance to hypnotize them. If the attempt fails, the subject gets to make another Intuition check to realize what has happened.  Hypnosis can be used to give a character a +10 modifier on all rolls to hit in melee. This effect lasts one hour, and can be used on a character only once every 20 hours.  Hypnosis also can be used as an anaesthetic. A wounded character that is hypnotized can ignore the wound modifier in combat. This effect lasts 1d10 hours and can be used on a character only once every 20 hours.  A hypnotist's most powerful ability is suggestion. A hypnotized subject will believe almost anything the hypnotist tells them. The hypnotized character will not do something that is against their moral code or religion, but they can be tricked into doing things they would not normally do. The hypnotist must give the subject a good reason to do something unusual, or convince them that the situation is not exactly as it seems. For example, a hypnotized guard will not let unauthorized persons into a restricted area. If the hypnotist tells the guard that they are authorized but have forgotten their pass, the guard will let them in.

LITERACY: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

Literacy. A character with this skill can read and write any language they can speak, including Indian languages and other languages using pictographs etc. The referee can require a skill check in cases where the written material is complicated or the character doesn’t get much practice.

SOCIETY: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level + 20% for Home Town/City

This skill gives the character a chance to know the social elite in a city, town, or village.  This includes knowledge of the rich and famous (including celebrities), what their status in society is, where they are located, what their interests and backgrounds are, social graces and manoeuvring, and major social activities. The skill can be invaluable when working undercover or on a specific case. The skill must be taken for every different society, except for the player character's own society, which is 20% higher. The referee may also decide that it can be a positive modifier when bluffing.

POLITICS: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character a chance to know the history and due process of various jurisdictions. This includes knowledge of political bigwigs, their aids, and how honest they all are.  It also gives knowledge of the finer arts of political manoeuvring, the basics of speech making, and allows the character a skill check on local politics after they has spent at least one month in a city or country.

LAW: Success rate: 60% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character complete knowledge of the laws of the land in which they live.  It also allows them a skill check on all civilized lands to know their laws.  Characters who are members of law enforcement or Diplomats are completely briefed on local laws before they are sent on a mission.  A character with this skill is trained to serve as both lawyers and judges. A skill check can serve to determine whether the character knows the legalities of a situation, whether he can adequately defend or prosecute a suspect, or pass a judgement that is both fair and satisfactory to the crowd.

FINANCE: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

This skill gives the character a chance to know the past and present history of corporations, their subsidiaries and holdings, to be able to read and prepare financial records and credit ratings, to know how to manipulate credit and financial investments. If the character does not know the information themself, they know where they can do research to find out, though this can sometimes take months of study. This information includes knowledge of corporation bigwigs, underlings, and what private company policies exist.
A character with this skill can work as a bank clerk, accountant, store clerk, railroad ticket agent, stock broker or in another position that involves using math and handling money.  He has a fair amount of business sense.

Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences Skill deals with relationships between intelligent life and nature. An Natural Sciences specialist has training in astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology and geology. There are nine Natural Sciences subskills: Analyze Samples, Analyze Ecosystem, Find Direction, Survival, Make Tools/Weapons, Tracking, Stealth, Concealment and Naming.

When a Natural Scientist is dealing with an unknown environment, he has a -20 modifier on his rolls to analyze samples or the ecosystem, find direction, track or use survival.

ANALYZE SAMPLES: Success Rate: 50% + skill level

A Natural Scientist can analyze atmospheric, biological or geological samples. An environmental specialist can use a variety of scientific equipment to analyze samples. Cannaries for gases in mines.  Microscopes to examine biological samples. If the analysis succeeds, it can indicate what type of plant or animal the sample was, perhaps whether it is edible or poisonous.  For geological samples, if the analysis succeeds, it indicates what minerals are present in the sample and the possibility of finding rich ore in the area.

ANALYZING ECOSYSTEMS: Success Rate: 30% + skill level

An ecosystem is the combination of all the plants and animals that make up the local environment, and their relationships to each other. If an ecosystem is upset or thrown out of balance, entire species can become extinct and whole regions devastated by floods, droughts or other natural disasters. One of the environmental specialist's jobs is to analyze local ecosystems and determine whether they are balanced and, if not, to determine what can be done to restore balance. An environmentalist must spend at least 200 hours studying the area to use this subskill.

FINDING DIRECTIONS: Success Rate: 50% + skill level

A Natural Scientist can try to find directions in a wilderness without a compass or other aid. If the specialist makes a map or marks a trail (by cutting notches in trees or lining up rocks), his chance to find a direction on that path is increased 30%.

SURVIVAL: Success Rate: 40% + skill level

This subskill gives a specialist a chance to do several things related to survival: find food or water (if any is available in the area), find or improvise shelter, and set or avoid traps. If a trap is set in a built-up area (city, farm community, etc.), there is a 50% chance it will be noticed. This subskill also lets the environmental specialist make a special Intuition check to predict natural disasters.

MAKING TOOLS/WEAPONS: Success Rate: 80% + skill level if materials are available

A Natural Scientist can make tools and weapons out of stones, sticks, cords, and other natural materials. Only bows, axes, clubs, knives and spears can be made. Only the spear can be balanced well enough to use as a thrown weapon. The referee may allow an environmentalist to improvise tools and weapons from wreckage and scrap parts.

TRACKING: Success Rate: 30% + skill level

A Natural Scientist has a chance to follow a creature, person or vehicle by watching for its trail. This skill works only in the wilderness, not in settled areas. The specialist also can use this subskill to cover his own tracks.

STEALTH: Success Rate: 20% + skill level

Stealth is the ability to move without being seen or heard. This ability is useful for stalking animals, but also can be used to sneak up on guards of follow suspects.

CONCEALMENT: Success Rate: 10% + skill level

Concealment is the art of hiding in natural cover. Once concealed there is an 80% chance the specialist will not be seen as long as he does not move or make noise.

NAMING: Success Rate: 100%

One of the benefits of being a Natural Scientist is that when he discovers a new plant, animal, mountain range, sea, etc., he is allowed to name the new discovery.

Medical Skill

A character that has Medical skill is called a doctor, nurse, medic or corpman. Medics need a medical kit to use their skill. Medics diagnose ailments, heal wounds, control infections, neutralize poisons, cure diseases, wake up unconscious individuals and prevent tissue deterioration.

There are nine Medical subskills: Administer Drugs, Diagnosis, First Aid, Minor Surgery, Major Surgery, Control Infection, Cure Disease, Neutralize Toxins and Medical Research.

If a patient is treated in a hospital or sick bay all Success Rates are increased 20% for Minor Surgery and 10% for Major Surgery. If the patient is an animal or an unfamiliar alien, all Success Rates are reduced 20%. These two modifiers are cumulative.

Natural healing in this medieval society is not great, 1 point recovered every 2 days of rest.

ADMINISTERING DRUGS: Success Rate: 100%

The drugs that are covered under this subskill include: ether, smelling salts, laudanum, alcohol and antiseptics.

A medic can use one dose of smelling salts to wake up an unconscious or stunned character, or other remedies to restore 10 Stamina points to a character that was poisoned or contracted a disease or infection. A medic can use one dose of ether to place an individual in a state of unconsciousness.

DIAGNOSIS: Success Rate: 60% + skill level

This skill will give a medic a brief diagnosis. This diagnosis will outline the patient's general symptoms and will identify the ailment as a wound, a disease, a poison or an infection.

Once the medic has a general diagnosis, they can use this subskill to get a specific diagnosis. If they pass the skill check, the medic knows exactly what the ailment is. With this information, the medic can use one of their other subskills to heal the wound, control the infection, cure the disease or neutralize the toxin.

Without a specific diagnosis, a medic can not use a subskill to treat a victim. However, the medic can use the general diagnosis as a guide to which drug the victim needs. After the medic gives the injection, the victim must roll their current Stamina or less on d100 to overcome the effect of the poison, disease or infection. If the victim fails this roll, the drug has no effect. A second dose given within 20 hours automatically has no effect.

FIRST AID: Success Rate: 100%

A medic can heal 10 points of wound damage automatically by using appropriate items from their medical kit (local anesthetics, bandages, splints etc.) FIRST AID can only be given to a character once. If a second attempt is made, it has no effect. If a character suffered more than 10 points of damage, the medic must use major or minor surgery to heal him completely. After being treated with First Aid a charcater will naturally heal 1 point per day.

MINOR SURGERY: Success Rate: 40% + skill level

Minor surgery can heal up to 20 points of damage and can be performed in the field. This is in addition to the 10 points that can be healed with first aid. Minor surgery also uses one dose of anesthetic.  If the surgery succeeds, the patient heals an additional 10 points per week for 2 weeks (total of 20 points).  If the surgery fails, the patient does not recover these additional Stamina points.

MAJOR SURGERY: Success Rate: 20% + skill level

Major surgery can heal up to 50 points of damage to a character however it cannot be performed in the field, only indoors with access to facilities i.e. hot water, operating table, instruments and assistants.  For every extra 10 points of damage (or fraction of 10 points) healed, in addition to natural healing of 1 point per day, a week of rest is required.  If the operation fails, the patient does not recover any additional Stamina points.  The medic can try minor surgery on the same patient, if they have not already.  Major surgery also requires one dose of anesthetic. Major and minor surgery are effective only on wounds.  They can not be used to heal damage from infections, diseases or poisons.

CONTROLLING INFECTION: Success Rate: 50% skill level

Controlling Infection checks may be required after any patient has been exposed to unsafe environments including Surgery in unsanitary conditions (not a hospital or aid station), wounds inflicted by infectious weapons, or failed surgery attempts.

Controlling infection may require a dose of penicillin, use of clean bandages and boiled instruments or combinations of these techniques.  If the attempt fails, the consumables are used up and the infection is out of control. Infections are rated by their infection strength (S) and duration (D). The infection causes a specific amount of damage every 10 hours. For example, an S6/D8 infection causes six points of damage every 10 hours for 80 hours if it is not controlled.

CURING DISEASES: Success Rate: 40% + skill level

Curing a disease requires a dose of the vaccine. If the attempt fails, the vaccine has been used up and the disease has not been cured. Diseases are rated according to how they modify ability checks, how long the modification lasts and whether the disease is fatal. The modifier is a negative number and the duration is in 10-hour periods. If the duration is followed by an exclamation mark, the disease will kill anyone it has infected after that length of time unless the disease is treated at a hospital. For example, a -10/D10! disease modifies every ability check the character makes by -10 for 100 hours. The victim will die after 100 hours unless he is treated successfully at a hospital.

NEUTRALIZING TOXINS: Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Neutralizing a poison inside a victim's body requires the correct anti-venom. Poisons are rated like infections, according to how much damage they cause and for how long. Poison damage is inflicted every turn instead of every 10 hours, and the duration is in turns. An S7/T9 poison will cause 7 points of damage every turn for 9 turns. Neutralizing a poison stops the poison from causing any more damage, but does not heal damage the poison caused on earlier turns

MEDICAL RESEARCH:  Success Rate: 30% + skill level

Anything from developing prosthetic limbs to researching cures, vaccines and new medical treatments.

Signals Skill

TELEGRAPH: OPERATE: Success Rate: 60% + 10%/skill level

This skill allows a character to send and translate messages via telegraph in Morse code. Except in the case of very simple messages (five words or less), a skill check is necessary to get the whole message or send the message with no significant errors. If the skill check fails, entire words will be scrambled or untranslatable.  Pre-requisite: Literacy.

TELEGRAPH: MAKE/REPAIR Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

A telegraph operator can string telegraph lines, install glass insulators or repair broken telegraph keys if they have replacement parts and tools.  They can also instruct blacksmith’s in the manufacture of replacement parts.

MORSE CODE: Success Rate: Automatic

A qualified Telegraph Operator can send or receive 10 words per minute plus an additional 5 words per minute for each level above 1st.  Morse code can also be transmitted using lights or flags.

IDENTIFY OPERATOR: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

A successful Identify Operator check allows an operator to identify the sender of a message if they have previously communicated with the sender of the message.

IMITATE OPERATOR: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

An operator can imitate another operator they have communicated with previously if they make a successful Imitate Operator check.

COMBAT SIGNALLING: Success Rate: 60% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 week/method of communication (hand signals, flags etc)

This is the art of being able to communicate silently with others who also have this skill to indicate your movement or an enemy's movement, location and numbers without revealing your own location.  This skill also includes using flags to transmit standard messages.  The character can also use other methods of long-distance signalling such as drums, flags mirrors, smoke and horns or trumpets and understands the import of the various messages. This is essentially another language, although the messages are simple and limited to warfare, etc.

Navigation Skill

Characters trained in navigation can make the complicated calculations required to take a ship on a safe course across the ocean. Navigators also have a chance to pinpoint their location in the ocean if, for some reason, a voyage deposits them somewhere other than their intended destination i.e. storms, damage to their ship etc. Navigators of all levels can perform all navigation subskills.

PLOT OCEAN VOYAGES: Success Rate: 100% on charted route with proper preparation

  A ship that makes a voyage must carry a navigator, or the pilot will not be able to predict where the ship will arrive. The time needed to make course calculations increases for long voyages, because even small errors become very serious as the distance increases.
  Normal plotting time for a voyage is 10 hours for every 500 nautical miles that will be travelled. For example, a navigator plotting an 4,000 mile journey must spend 80 hours performing calculations before the ship has any chance of arriving at the correct destination. This time must be spent actually making calculations; the referee should remember that navigators need to sleep sometime. (If a player wants to work without sleeping, the referee can make a secret Stamina check, if the character fails, his calculations are wrong and the ship will drift off course.)
  If a voyage is made along one of the established travel routes marked on a map, and the navigator spends 10 hours per 500 miles making the proper course adjustments, there is no risk that the ship will arrive anywhere other than its planned destination.

RUSHED CALCULATIONS: Success Rate: 10% x skill level + 10% per hour

  If for some reason a navigator does not spend the full 10 hours plotting each 500 miles of a voyage, there is a chance the ship will drift offcourse. Sailing without sufficient preparation is risky.
The chance that a ship will reach its destination without sufficient course preparation depends on both the navigator's skill level and the amount of time he spends planning the ship's course. To determine the exact percentage chance that the journey will be successful, follow the procedure below:
•Divide the total number of hours the navigator spent preparing the course by the number of 500 mile increments in the jump.
•Add the navigator's skill level to the result from step 1.
•Multiply the sum from step 2 by 10%. The result is the chance that the voyage will be successful and the ship will arrive at the target destination.
•The navigator rolls d100, and if the result is equal to or less than the chance that the journey will succeed, then the ship arrives at its planned destination. Otherwise, the ship has arrived somewhere else (see Fix Location subskill).
  Two restrictions apply to this process. First, if the navigator spends fewer than 10 hours plotting each 500 mile increment, a roll of 96-100 always means the ship misses its mark, even if the navigator's modified chance to succeed is above 100. Second, if the navigator spends fewer than two hours plotting each increment, the ship will automatically be off course.
  If the navigator is using high-quality navigation equipment (described in the Equipment section), he can add 5% to his chance to lay the course properly. This applies only to the most expensive equipment available.

EXAMPLE: Peter the pirate is a 3rd level navigator. His ship is carrying a desperately needed cargo from Europe to an outpost in the Caribbean. He wants to get the medicine there as soon as possible, so he spends only 25 hours plotting the 2500 mile course. The chance that Peter's ship will actually arrive at the correct port is (25 / 5 + 3) x 10, or 80%.

FIND LOCATION:  Success Rate: 30% + 10% x skill level

  When a ship deviates off course, either because the navigator spent too little time plotting the course or because the ship was following an uncharted route, the ship will arrive somewhere other than its intended destination. The navigator then must try to figure out where the ship is. The navigator can determine his position easily if the ship reaches a charted system, because the coast lines are charted in detail. The navigator will recognize a charted area after only 1d10 hours of calculation.
  A very simple way for a ship to find out whether a region is colonized is to locate a settlement or local shipping. Unless the ship is very near a colony or settlement, however, it may take several days or even weeks to reach a possible colony, and the reply will take just as long to return.  If the region is uncharted, the stars may appear in unfamiliar patterns and could be difficult to recognize. Unless the navigator can determine the ship's position, the crew may never see home again.
  Determining the ship's position in an uncharted region takes 2d10 x 10 hours of calculations. The referee rolls d100. If the result is equal to or less than the navigator's success rate for this subskill, the navigator will know exactly where the ship is when he finishes his calculations. Like course calculations, these 2d10 x 10 hours do not include time for sleep.
  If the navigator does not pass the skill check, the referee must consider how close the roll was. If the roll was reasonably close, the navigator will realize that he cannot locate the ship. If the roll was very much higher than the navigator's success rate (at least 30 or 40 points higher), the referee may decide to tell the navigator where the ship is, but deliberately give him false information.
  If the navigator cannot fix the ship's position, the ship can travel to another location and try again. The referee should simply move the ship to another randomly chosen location, because it will be off course automatically. The navigator has a -10% penalty on his location roll at the new location and, if the ship must sail blind again, an additional -10% for each new location it sails to. (By making blind journeys, the ship's position becomes more and more confused.)   A navigator using high-quality equipment gets an additional +5% bonus when trying to fix the ship's position.
  If a ship travels to a location that has never been explored, the route to that system is not considered charted or explored. Even if the navigator locates the ship's position, he must also successfully chart a new route out of the system in order to leave safely.

CHART NEW ROUTES:  Success Rate: 50% + 10% x skill level -5% x 500 miles

  A navigator has a chance to chart a new route to a destination. New routes may be shortcuts between colonized locations that are not directly connected, or they may be routes to unexplored destinations.
  If a navigator guides a ship successfully on an uncharted route, that navigator can regard that route as charted if he ever travels it again. However, the route is charted in only one direction. To completely chart the route, the navigator must guide the ship back to its starting point along the same path.  If the navigator fails this subskill check, the ship deviates off course.
  Navigators do not get a bonus for using high-quality navigation equipment when trying to chart a new route.  If the navigator chooses to tell the authorities about the route, the information will be added to their  Navy’s charts and within a year the route will be considered as marked on the navigation charts of that Navy.

Blacksmith Skill

BLACKSMITH: EQUINES: Success Rate: Automatic

This skill is used to make and fit horseshoes and to make stirrups, bits and horseshoe nails.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE TOOLS: Success Rate: 70% + 10%/skill level

The smith was a multi-faceted craftsman, whose responsibilities ran far beyond shoeing horses. In remote areas he could be called upon to fix or manufacture almost anything from metal: horseshoes, ploughs, knives, buttons, shovels, hammers, hinges, bathtubs, and barber chairs. A skill check determines whether an item can be repaired, and whether the work turns out properly.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR MELEE WEAPONS: Success Rate: 70% + 10%/skill level

Swords, maces, axes and knives are among the weapons a blacksmith can make or repair in a fully outfitted smithy with a furnace, anvil, tongs and other tools and materials needed for the art of blacksmithing.  The time required to make or repair these items will depend on the complexity of the item and the level of the Blacksmith.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR ARMOUR: Success Rate: 60% + 10%/skill level

A Blacksmith can manufacture and repair various kinds of armour, including chain mail, plate armour and shields.  The time required to make or repair these items will depend on the complexity of the item and the level of the Blacksmith.  A fully outfitted smithy is also required.

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR MUSKETS: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level
Blacksmith Skill must be level 2 to attempt this sub skill.

This character can repair or even make muskets, with the proper equipment. Any gunsmith will usually carry with them the simple tools needed for most repairs, but they need a stocked gunsmith’s shop to make a gun or perform extensive modifications. If a Gun smithing skill check fails, the judge decides whether the task is beyond the character’s skill, they don’t have the equipment they need, or it is just impossible (too badly damaged to be repaired, for example). A gunsmith can also cast and reload bullets, and modify existing guns (turn a regular pistol into a fast-draw pistol, for example).

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR RIFLES: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level
Blacksmith Skill must be level 3 to attempt this sub skill.

This character can repair or even make rifles & pistols, with the proper equipment. Any gunsmith will usually carry with them the simple tools needed for most repairs, but they need a stocked gunsmith’s shop to make a gun or perform extensive modifications. If a Gun smithing skill check fails, the judge decides whether the task is beyond the character’s skill, they don’t have the equipment they need, or it is just impossible (too badly damaged to be repaired, for example). A gunsmith can also cast and reload bullets, and modify existing guns (turn a regular pistol into a fast-draw pistol, for example).

BLACKSMITH: MAKE/REPAIR ARTILLERY: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level
Blacksmith Skill must be level 3 to attempt this sub skill.

This character can repair or even make Canons, Mortars & Howitzers, with the proper equipment. Any gunsmith will usually carry with them the simple tools needed for most repairs, but they need a stocked gunsmith’s shop to make a gun or perform extensive modifications. If a Gun smithing skill check fails, the judge decides whether the task is beyond the character’s skill, they don’t have the equipment they need, or it is just impossible (too badly damaged to be repaired, for example). A gunsmith can also cast solid shot and make loads of case shot and canister.

Steam Engineering Skill

STEAM ENGINEER- ENGINES: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

This skill is required to design, build and operate steam engines that are used to power locomotives, ships, mills & factories.  If a character has the necessary materials, manpower and tools then a skill check is required to build a steam engine.  A minimum of 3 months is required to build each engine.  A steam engineer can oversee one engine concurrently per level of skill.

STEAM ENGINEER- RAILROADS: Success Rate: 50% + 10%/skill level

There is a mistaken notion that anyone can climb into a locomotive and run a train. This is true to about the same extent that anyone can climb into a car and drive it. If you value your life, however, you might not want to be in that car or train. A railroad engineer (literally, someone who runs the engine) can operate a train safely and correctly. He knows railroad procedures and signals. A skill check can be used to avoid mishaps planned by the Judge (e.g., stopping the train before it hits a torn-up section of track), but a failed check should never be the cause of a random mishap.

STEAM ENGINEER- MANUFACTURING: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

A character with this skill can install an appropriate sized steam engine to provide power for factories and other industrial works such as foundries, trip hammers and rollers for weapons manufacturing.  This skill is also required to maintain and repair the engines, gears and other aspects of steam powered manufacturing.  Depending on the complexity of the factory this may take between 1 and 3 months.

STEAM ENGINEER- AGRICULTURE: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level

Steam powered mills and other agricultural related equipment can only be designed and constructed by characters with this skill.  This includes saw mills and flour mills as well as steam powered cranes and hoists to move heavy loads from various forms of transport into the mills.  A skill is required to construct each facility and usually only takes one month for each facility.

STEAM ENGINEER- CIVIL: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level

This character is educated in the mechanical sciences, particularly architecture, drainage, railroad construction, and street building. While the day-to-day effort of designing and building a municipal water tower is not the stuff of adventure, characters can also use this skill to spot weaknesses or flaws in such structures. Pre-requisite: Literacy

STEAM ENGINEER- NAVAL: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level

This skill is required to install steam engines into purpose built vessels or to convert suitable vessels from sail to steam power.  A successful skill check is required to install or convert each vessel and tis process takes one month.  A failed check means the engineer needs to start the process again in order to establish what went wrong and to attempt to repair the error.  A check can be made each month until the installation is successful.

Piloting Skill

Piloting skill allows a character to pilot a ship. Rising levels of piloting skill represent both an improvement in sailing ability and the ability to handle larger craft. The Pilot Certification Table lists the types of ships that can be operated by pilots at various levels.

!PILOT CERTIFICATION TABLE
LevelShip Types
1Oared vessels of all sizes
2Ships of 50 hull points or smaller
3Ships of 80 hull points or smaller
4Ships of 100 hull points or smaller
5Ships of 200 hull points or smaller
6All ships

EVASION Modifier: +3% x skill level

The pilot of a xebec, lugger or flute can increase the ship's inherent ability to avoid enemy fire. As explained in the board game rules, xebecs, luggers and flutes can try to evade enemy rams and fire ships by using their full manoeuvre rating to dodge. Besides the enemy's usual modifier for shooting at an evading target, there is an additional modifier of -3% x the evading pilot's skill level.
EXAMPLE: Horatio is a 2nd level pilot. If he evades, the total modifier is-31%: -25% because the ship has an MR of 5, and (-3% x 2 =) -6% because of Horatio's pilot skill.

INCREASE ACCURACY OF FORWARD FIRING WEAPONS Modifier: +5% x skill level

The pilot of a ship that carries forward cannons can add 5% x his skill level to that weapon's chance to hit. This reflects the pilot's skill in lining up the ship and weapons for an accurate shot.

INCREASE MANEUVER RATING Success Rate: 10% x skill level

On a given turn, a pilot has a chance to turn his ship more than its MR will allow. This chance is 10% per level of the pilot. If the skill check is successful, the pilot can make an additional 60 degree (one hex side) facing change during that movement. This subskill and the evasion bonus cannot be used during the same turn.  This subskill cannot be used by a pilot whose ship has no MR points (due to damage, etc.).

Ship Engineering Skill

Ship engineers are trained in the construction, maintenance and repair of ships. A skillful engineer often can save a damaged ship from destruction. The Engineering sub-skills are: Ship Design, Damage Control and Stress Analysis.

SHIP DESIGN Success Rate: 100%

A ship engineer must draw up plans and blueprints for a ship before a ship yard can begin building it. If a character who is not an engineer wants a custom-built ship, an engineer must be hired to do the technical design. The referee must determine whether any NPC engineers are available for hire and how much they get paid; 500 Pounds per point of hull size is standard, but this can vary with the number of engineers at the station and the amount of work available to them.

As an engineer reaches higher levels, he can design larger ships. The Ship Design Qualification Table lists the types of ships an engineer can design at various skill levels.

SHIP DESIGN QUALIFICATION TABLE
Engineer's LevelQualified to Design
1Oared vessels of all types
2Ships of 50 hull points or smaller
3Ships of 80 hull points or smaller
4Ships of 100 hull points or smaller
5Ships of 200 hull points or smaller
6Ships of all sizes

An engineer must spend 10 days x the hull size of the ship to complete the design. The entire design of a ship must be done before construction work can start.

DAMAGE CONTROL Modifier: +10% x skill level (added to ship's DCR)

An engineer can greatly aid the crew of a ship in repairing damage caused by combat or accidents. The engineer effectively increases the ship's Damage Control Rating (DCR).
The engineer's addition to the DCR equals 10x his skill level. For example, a 3rd level engineer aboard an assault scout (DCR 30) increases the ship's Damage Control Rating to 60.
Unlike the ship's regular DCR, which can be divided among as many repairs as a player wants, the engineer can use his repair ability on only one repair per repair turn (he can oversee only one thing at a time). Otherwise, the engineer's damage control points are used the same way as the ship's inherent DCR.
All or part of a ship's DCR can be combined with the engineer's damage control points to make a repair. Any part of the ship's DCR that is not combined with the engineer's ability can be used for other repairs.
In order to use his damage control ability, the engineer must be working on the repairs during all three turns (30 minutes) preceding the repair turn. For example, a character who serves as both a ship's pilot and engineer cannot be flying the ship and making repairs at the same time.
If a ship is carrying more than one engineer, each can be working on a separate repair at the same time.

STRESS ANALYSIS Modifier: -5% x skill level (to ship breakup percentage)

Because of their keen understanding of the forces at work on the hull of a spaceship, engineers can advise a pilot on how to accelerate and manoeuvre a damaged ship without tearing the hull apart with excess stress.
Having an engineer on board a ship modifies the chance that the ship will break apart when damaged. The player controlling the ship multiplies the engineer's skill level by 5, and subtracts the result from the normal chance that the ship will breakup.

EXAMPLE: Doc Evanson is a 3rd level engineer. His xebec has taken 13 hull hits in combat. This is 6 hits above the 50% mark for the 15-hull point ship. In order to get away, the pilot uses full acceleration (5) and makes one turn. The chance that the ship will break apart is (5 + 1) x 6% = 36%. Doc's advice reduces this by (3 x 5% =) 15%, so the actual chance the ship will break up is only 21 %.
An engineer cannot use this subskill during a turn when he is making or overseeing repairs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:14, Tue 06 Feb.
GM
GM, 9 posts
Sat 16 May 2020
at 08:17
  • msg #2

PSA & Skills

Miscellaneous Skills

Prior to joining the 35th Maine or 44th New York, characters have vocations and hobbies that can further add to their skill set.  Each player can also choose one Vocational Skill and any two Hobby or Language Skills.
There are also a number of additional PSA sub-skills that characters can acquire during the course of the game.
Additional Vocational, Hobby or Languages cost 1 X Point each.
PSA sub-skills cost 1 point per level from your PSA or 2 points per level from another PSA. i.e. 2nd level = 2(4) points, 3rd level = 3(6) points

Vocational Skills - 1Hobby - 1Languages - 1Military - 1(2)Engineering - 1(2)Medical - 1(2)Natural Science - 1(2)
BakerAnimal TamingAfrican* spokenCamouflageBallooningForensic MedicineAnalyze Animal Behavior
Bar/Shop KeeperAnimal TrainingChinese** spokenDrill InstructorNaval EngineerMedical InstrumentsBiology
Blacksmith: EquineAstrologyDutch spokenMilitary EngineerOpticalMedicine: HomeopathyBotany
Boat BuilderAppraisalsEnglish spokenCombat Sign LanguagePhysicsMedicine:VeterinaryCartography
BrewerBluffFrench spokenStrategyAerodynamicsMicrobiologyChemistry
Bricklayer/Stone MasonClimbingGaelic spokenTactics ProstheticsGeology
CarpenterClock/WatchmakerGerman spokenAdvanced Drill Instructor First AidZoology
Charcoal MakerConcealmentJapanese spokenLogistics   
ChefDisguiseLatin literacy    
Cooper(Barrel maker)DramaticsLiteracy    
FarmerEntertainingNative American* spoken    
FisherForgeryPortuguese spoken    
Glass BlowerGamblingRussian    
Iron WorkerGemologySpanish spoken    
Leather WorkerHaggling     
LumberjackPolitics     
MillerPumping Iron     
MiningRide Mount     
PhotographyRope Use     
Railroad HandRunning     
SailorSociety     
TailorStealth     
 Swimming     
 Tracker     
 Pre-requisites     
CowboyRide Mount-    
Finance/Banker-Literacy    
HunterTracker-    
Journalist/Writer-Literacy    
Law-Literacy    
Printer-Literacy    
Teacher-Literacy    
Theology/Preaching-Literacy    
Veterinarian-Literacy    

*Choose any specific dialect
**Mandarin or Cantonese

VOCATIONAL SKILLS

BAKER: Success Rate: 60% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months
This character is qualified to work as a baker. With a skill of 80 or higher, they could work as a desert chef in a restaurant or hotel.

BAR/SHOP KEEPER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 month,  Pre-requisite: Literacy
This character is skilled at all the various aspects of tending bar, from the simple (pouring a shot of whiskey without spilling) to the complex (telling some lout what his problem is without making him
mad). They know how to make a wide variety of mixed drinks, judge good whiskey from bad, and make bad-tempered men happy.
Shop Keepers know all there is to know about running a general store, maintaining stock levels, keeping abreast of the latest goods available within their area/society and offering customer service.

BLACKSMITH: EQUINES: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
As described above.

BOAT BUILDER: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months
The boatbuilding skill allows a character to construct all sorts of watercraft, up to a maximum size of 60 feet long. Larger vessels require the skills of a character with a skill level of 4 or more.  The time period required to build a boat depends on its size. As a general guide, the boat requires one week of construction time per foot of length. Two characters with boat building skill cut this time in half; three reduce it to one third, etc. A maximum of one Boatwright per five-foot length of the boat can work on the vessel simultaneously.  The basic boat includes the hull, masts, deck, and benches as required. Additional features such as a cabin or sealed hold add about a week apiece to the construction time. Characters without boat building skill can aid the Boatwright in construction, but it takes two such characters to equal the time savings that one additional skilled Boatwright would provide.

BREWER: Success Rate: 80%
Training Time: 3 months
A brewer or wine maker can make a passable ale or wine with the right ingredients and facilities.  A skill check is required to brew a high quality draught of beer or wine.  A failed skill check of 95-00 means the end product is overproof, potentially even poisonous.

BRICK LAYER/STONE MASON: Success Rate: 40% + half STR
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill is able to build structures from brick or stone in such a fashion that they last for many years. The stones are often, but not always, mortared together. A stonemason equipped with chisels, hammers, wedges, and a block and tackle can build a section of wall one foot thick, 10 feet long, and five feet high in a day.  On larger projects, several skill checks should be made, one for each stage of the work. When building a house, for example, one check could be made to determine whether the foundation was laid correctly, a second to check the walls are straight and vertical, and a third for the roofing. Failure does not necessarily mean that the whole job is flawed, but some part of it probably needs to be done over.

CARPENTER: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months
This character is trained to build wooden buildings, furniture, toys, and equipment. If the character tries to build something small, a single skill check at the end determines whether it turned out right (on a bad roll, for example, the lid of a chest might not fit quite right). On larger projects, several skill checks should be made, one for each stage of the work. When building a house, for example, one check could be made right, a second to check the exterior appearance, and a third for the interior finishing. Failure does not necessarily mean that the whole job is flawed, but some part of it probably needs to be done over. A carpenter can also repair wooden items that have been damaged.

CHARCOAL MAKER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
With this skill a character can build and use a kiln to dry and burn the impurities from hardwood to produce charcoal which can then be used as fuel for various types of furnaces.

CHEF: Success Rate: 60% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months
This character is qualified to work as a trail cook or short-order cook. With a skill of 80 or higher, they could work as a chef in a restaurant or hotel.

COOPER (Barrel Maker): Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
With this skill a character can make wooden casks, barrels, vats, buckets, tubs, troughs and other similar containers from timber staves that are usually heated or steamed to make them pliable.  Journeymen coopers also make wooden implements, such as rakes and wooden-bladed shovels.  In addition to wood, other materials, such as iron, are used in the manufacturing process.

COWBOY: Success Rate: 50% + half DEX
Training Time: 3 months
Herding, cutting out, branding, and rounding up are all among the skills essential to cow punchers. This skill can be used in a specific case where something needs to be done with one or more cattle. It can also be used in a general way, once every two or three days on a cattle drive, to determine whether a cowhand does something foolish, embarrassing, or dangerous.

FARMER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
This character probably was raised on a farm. He knows about planting, harvesting, and tending crops, as well as raising cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, or any other farm animals the player chooses.

FINANCE/BANKER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level
A character with this skill can work as a bank clerk, accountant, store clerk, railroad ticket agent, stock broker or in another position that involves using math and handling money. He has a fair amount of business sense.

FISHER: Success Rate: Half INT +10%/skill level
Training Time: 1 months
Fishing: The character with this skill is proficient in the art of fishing, both with a hook and line and with a net. For each hour that the character spends fishing, he can make a skill check. Failure means that no fish are caught. A successful check means that at least one fish is caught. To determine the number of fish, roll percentiles. 01-40 = 1 fish, 41-80 = 2 fish, 81-00 = 3 fish.  One fish provides 1/2 of the daily rations needed to feed a single character. The referee can modify this amount to reflect the sizes and types of fish that are caught. Of course, if an area contains no fish then none are caught, regardless of the character’s rolls.  The referee can also modify the time required for the skill checks to reflect how many fish are in the area. The check might be made every turn, for example, in a crowded pool, while it might only be allowed after six hours of fishing in an area where the fish are few and far between.

GLASS BLOWER: Half DEX + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
With this skill a glass blower can creates designs ranging from simple to complex, using molten glass. Glass jars and vases, jewellery, art work, and figurines all may emerge from the end of a narrow tube, the skill and tools of the glass blower determining the final shape of the glass.  Basic items such as jars and vases can be produced by any trained glass blower however more complex items and artwork require a successful skill check.

HUNTER/TRAPPER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level
This skill allows a character to hunt or trap animals in the wild.  They can make and set snares for smaller creatures, dig concealed pits with stakes for larger creatures or use baits and animal traps for either.  A successful skill check will usually produce enough food for a hunter and up a dozen or more people per day.  A character can make a skill check twice per day, morning and afternoon.

IRON WORKER: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this proficiency can operate a smelter, which is essentially an extremely hot forge. Using this forge and the occasional application of certain liquids, including water and acids, the smelter separates the metal from the rocky ore with which it is usually mined. The amount of ore that can be processed is more a function of the size of the smelter than the character's working rate. A small smelter can process ore as fast as four miners can produce it. A medium smelter can process the ore excavated by up to 20 miners. A large smelter can process the ore excavated by up to 100 miners

LAW: Success rate: 60% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level, Pre-requisite: Literacy.
This skill gives the character complete knowledge of the laws of the land in which they live.  It also allows them a skill check on all civilized lands to know their laws.  Characters who are members of law enforcement or Diplomats are completely briefed on local laws before they are sent on a mission.  A character with this skill is trained to serve as both lawyers and judges. A skill check can serve to determine whether the character knows the legalities of a situation, whether he can adequately defend or prosecute a suspect, or pass a judgement that is both fair and satisfactory to the crowd.

LEATHER WORKER: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
Leatherworker: This proficiency allows a character to tan and treat leather, and to make clothing and other leather objects. The character can make leather armour, as well as backpacks, saddlebags, saddles, and all sorts of harnesses.

LUMBERJACK: Success rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
A lumberjack can cut, fell and transport trees to sawmills for processing or unprocessed logs can be used for fortifications, log cabins and other structures.  A lumberjack can also assist with the design and operation of a sawmill.

MILLER: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level
This skill allows a character to build and operate a mill for the purpose of grinding wheat to flour.  The character will understand the ratio of wheel size and millstone to power their mill, the best location along a stream or river to construct a mill and the preferred stone for carving a millstone.  If no water course is available to power the mill, the character will also know how to design a mill using manual labour or even steam power

MINING: Success Rate: Success rate: 50% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level
This is the skill that lets a character locate oil, gold, or other valuable minerals and recover them safely. Skill checks can determine whether a mine shaft was dug safely, whether anything is found in the mine (modified, of course, by whether there's anything there in the first place), and whether the character even recognizes something of value when he sees it. If a character is operating a mine, a weekly skill check determines whether his work is paying off. Again, the size of the payoff is up to the Judge, based on the richness of the area.

PRINTER/JOURNALIST/WRITER: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Literacy
This character knows every aspect of the publishing trade, from writing to editing to typesetting to printing. He is qualified to run a newspaper of his own, file stories to a paper, or even write dime westerns. Skill checks can be used to determine whether a story was gripping and compelling, whether the character can get all the information he needs for a story, and as a general guide to how good a writer the character is.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Success Rate: 40% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months
This character knows how to take photographs, develop film, and even make his own emulsions. Photography was still young, and very much in evolution, during the years 1865-90. Many photographers were from the do-it-yourself school and had a keen interest in the art they were helping to both invent and develop. Cameras and other equipment were bulky and fragile, but the public clamored for photographs, from personal portraits to portrayals of fabulous natural wonders and romantic figures to ship back East. Skill checks can be required for a wide variety of photographic tasks: exposing or developing the plate; transporting the equipment safely; coating the plates with emulsion.

RAILROAD HAND: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill understands how to layout a rail line, grade the route and lay sleepers and rails.  They can also operate switches, turntables and build water tanks and railroad stations.

SAILOR: Success Rate: Half DEX + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill has learned how to handle small water craft-those that ply rivers and lakes and remain close to shore when on seas. These include canoes, rafts, hide boats, rowboats, and the like. In addition, the character can build a reliable raft from local materials (should they ever be stranded on a river island, for example). At 2nd level they can handle such craft on the open waters of the ocean.  At 3rd level the character is skilled and knowing of sea-going vessels, these include junks, sampans, galleys, sailing ships and steam ships and they can serve as a sailor on these. At 4th level the character has learned the art of navigating by the stars, studying currents and watching for tell-tale signs of land, reefs, and hidden dangers. This is not a particularly effective skill on land. At sea, a successful die roll by the navigator reduces the chance of getting lost by 20%.

TAILOR: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 3 months
Anyone who was anyone at this time wore tailor-made clothes. Clothes bought off the rack came complete with sharp creases, which were a dead giveaway of either cheapness or lack of funds. Tailor-mades, on the other hand, were always fashionably rumpled. A tailor can make, fit,and alter clothing of any style, as well as recognize the value (and possibly even the region of manufacture) of a piece of clothing or an outfit.

THEOLOGY/PREACHING: Success Rate: 40% + half PER
Training Time: 3 months
This skill is essential to the stump-riding circuit preacher as well as to the selfless missionary. Successful skill checks can bring people into worship services or hold them enthralled with the power of the word. Preachers, ordained and otherwise, were always in demand, to minister to the faithful, read over the dead and dying, and grant blessings on endeavors of every kind. Literacy is not a prerequisite for this skill but it is highly recommended.

HOBBY SKILLS

ANIMAL TAMING: Success Rate: Half PER +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
Characters trained in animal taming are skilled in the care and taming of animals. This includes dogs, wild cats, small birds, and other animals commonly trained for work or amusement.  Wild animals can be tamed only when they are young. Taming requires one month of work with the creature (although the character can also undertake other activities during this time). At the end of the month, a die roll is made. If it is passed, the creature is tamed and suitable for training. If the die roll fails, the creature still retains enough of its wild behaviour to make it unsuitable for training. Such creatures can still be kept, although they have to be constantly caged or chained.  Skill in this area enables a character to exercise a greater-than-normal degree of control over pack animals and beasts of burden. A successful skill check indicates that the character has succeeded in calming an excited or agitated animal; in contrast, a character without this skill has only a 20% chance of succeeding in the attempt.

ANIMAL TRAINING: Success Rate: Half PER +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
Tame creatures can be trained to perform simple tasks; fetching, hunting for their master, herding sheep, etc. Each task takes from 1d10+2 weeks of training. Again, the character can engage in other activities during this time. Furthermore, the referee can rule that the training takes a greater than normal time if they feel the task is difficult or can divide the task into several smaller tasks. At the end of the training, the success is checked for. If the attempt is a failure, the creature cannot be trained in that task. Each creature can learn 1d5 different tasks. Once trained, the creature must be regularly exercised in those tasks it knows, using them at least once a week. Failure to do so results in the creature losing the ability to do that task.
  A character with this skill must declare what type of creature he will specialize in at the time the proficiency is first gained. Common examples include horses, dogs, falcons, pigeons, or elephants. A character can select a more exotic species if they wish.  Additional skill levels gained add another type of animal that the character is able to train.
  An animal trainer can have up to six animals in training - at a given time. Typical roles include guarding and attack (for dogs), riding (for horses), and heavy labour (for elephants). Such training grants a +10 modifier to the character’s Proficiency Check at the end of the training period.  Animals that have been trained in their typical areas can occasionally be given additional training to increase the number of functions that they can perform. Such additional training requires another 1d10+2 weeks of training, and an animal trainer can work with no more than three animals during this type of training. Examples of additional training include training elephants, horses, or dogs for war, and training falcons to retrieve specific objects. The referee must decide the chance of success if a character attempts to train an animal to perform a task at the very limits of possibility.  After the advanced training period is over, the character must make an unmodified skill check for each animal trained. Success means that the animal can perform the advanced tasks it has been taught.

APPRAISALS: Success Rate: 20% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
This skill lets a character assess the value of gold, gems, and other minerals.  They are qualified to work in a government or private assaying office. They can identify fool’s gold automatically, and a skill check
will let them identify a metal or mineral, spot a counterfeit coin (if they handle it), or judge the value of cut or uncut gems.

BLUFF: Success Rate: 30% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
As described above.

CLIMBING: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 month
This skill increases a character's climbing ability. The character now climbs a rope at a rate of 3 meters/turn and vertical surfaces at a rate of 2 meters/turn. The character can also use the proper equipment to climb and rappel like a mountain climber. A character with this skill also learns to use such-sets.

CLOCK/WATCHMAKER: Success Rate: 40% + Half DEX
Training Time: 3 months
With this skill a character can make and repair clocks and watches if they have access to the appropriate tools and materials.  Simple repairs can be completed within a day however carving a wooden clock from scratch could take a craftsman up to a week and a pocket watch several weeks or more.

CONCEALMENT: Success Rate: 30% + skill level
Training Time: 1 week/level
Concealment is the art of hiding in natural cover. Once concealed there is an 80% chance the specialist will not be seen as long as he does not move or make noise.

DISGUISE: Success Rate:  Half PER +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
The character is trained in the art of disguise and can make themself look like any general class of person of about the same height, weight, and age as themself. This is useful for appearing as a merchant, peasant, or other harmless character. They can also try to disguise themself as a member of the opposite sex, although his chance of success is reduced by half. In addition, a character can disguise themself as a specific person and pose as them. Once a character fails to impersonate a specific person, they can never succeed at impersonating that person. The chance to impersonate a specific person is one-half the normal disguise percentage. If the character can closely observe the character they intend to impersonate for at least one month, however, the chance of success is normal.

DRAMATICS: Success Rate: 40% + half PER
Training Time: 3 months
This character has at least some talent and/or experience as an actor. His skill score gives a measure of his general worth in this regard, as well as his chance to
deliver a pleasing and convincing performance.

ENTERTAINER: Success Rate: 40% + half PER
Training Time: 3 months
This character has some talent at singing and dancing. Or, if the player prefers, the character could be a stage magician, a comic, a storyteller, a puppeteer, or any other sort of entertainer (except an actor, which is covered by Dramatics skill). The skill score is a general indicator of the character's ability to keep an audience entertained. A successful skill check means the audience likes the show, an unsuccessful check means things could get ugly.

FORGERY: Success Rate: Half DEX +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-requisite: Literacy
Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged, enough light or sufficient visual acuity to see the details of what you’re writing, wax for seals (if appropriate), and some time. To forge a document on which the handwriting is not specific to a person (military orders, a government decree, a business ledger, or the like), you need only to have seen a similar document before, and you gain a +25% bonus on your check. To forge a signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, and you gain a +10% bonus on the check. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person’s handwriting is needed.
The Forgery check is made secretly, so that you’re not sure how good your forgery is. As with Disguise, you don’t even need to make a check until someone examines the work. Your Forgery check is opposed by the Forgery check of the person who examines the document to check its authenticity. The examiner gains modifiers on his or her check if any of the conditions on the table below exist.
A document that contradicts procedure, orders, or previous knowledge, or one that requires sacrifice on the part of the person checking the document can increase that character’s suspicion (and thus create favourable circumstances for the checker’s opposing Forgery check).

GAMBLING Success Rate: 40% + half INT
Training Time: 3 months
When characters sit down to gamble, a character with Gambling skill has a significant edge. He also has the option to cheat with a decent chance of avoiding detection. Gambling skill can also be used to detect whether another player is cheating.

GEMOLOGY: Success Rate: Skill Level
Training Time: 3 months/level
This skill allows a character to appraise the worth of rare and valuable gems (which are often used for currency in uncivilized areas) to within 10% of their normal cost. He also is able to trace veins and locations of gems, plus identify their origins by their type and cut.

HAGGLING: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/Level
Training Time: 1 week/level
This skill gives a character a chance to haggle the price of an item or service down if he is buying or up if he is selling. The normal cost increase or decrease is 10%. If 01-02 is rolled, the increase or decrease is 20%. If 98-00 is rolled, the haggling has exactly the opposite result and the price goes against the character by 20%.

POLITICS: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months/level, Pre-requisite: Literacy
This skill gives the character a chance to know the history and due process of various jurisdictions. This includes knowledge of political bigwigs, their aids, and how honest they all are.  It also gives knowledge of the finer arts of political manoeuvring, the basics of speech making, and allows the character a skill check on local politics after they has spent at least one month in a city or country.

PUMPING IRON: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 week
This skill increases the amount of weight (in kilograms) a character can carry to one and one-half times their Strength score. If the weight a character is carrying is more than his normal Strength Score, they are encumbered. The movement rate of an encumbered character is cut in half in all terrain. A character with this skill can pick up an object that weighs up to triple their Strength in kg, but can carry it only a few meters. A character who has been pumping iron is quite developed and may have trouble fitting into suits of armour and equipment normally designed for his race. This skill must be renewed (as a first-level skill) every six months, as if the character kept in training.

RIDE MOUNT: Success Rate: 60% + 10% per Level
Training Time: 1 week/level
This skill allows a character to ride a tamed animal trained to carry a rider. The only time a skill check is needed is when a character first tries to mount a new species, when a difficult maneuver is performed, or when a mount is spooked or feels endangered. A character gets two chances to ride a new species of mount. Once their skill check is successful, the character can ride any mount of that species any time. If a character fails both checks, they must wait at least a year of campaign time before they can try to ride that species again. If a mount is frightened or is directed in a path that if feels is threatening (jumping a chasm, narrow ledge of a canyon, etc.), the rider may have to make a check to maintain control over it. The result area needed by the check depends on the circumstances and is at the discretion of the referee. A character with "Cowboy" as a Vocation gets an additional +5%

ROPE USE: Success Rate: 40% + half DEX (minus range mods)
Training Time: 1 week
A character with this skill can make a lasso and catch something with it. A single skill check is all that's required in most cases. In combat, throwing a lasso is the equivalent of firing a careful shot, except the character's Roping skill is his chance to hit. If the throw misses, reeling the rope back in takes at least six seconds (one combat turn). If a character is lassoed, he gets one chance to escape by making either a STR or DEX check. If the ability check fails, the character's arms are pinned at his sides (or his legs are tangled, depending on the lassoer's target). A lasso's short, long, and extreme ranges are 2, 5, and 10 yards.

RUNNING: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 week
This skill increases the endurance of a character, who can now run at top speed for a number of minutes equal to his Strength score divided by 5, rounded up. The character then must rest for five minutes before running again. This skill must be renewed (as a first level skill) every six months, as if the character kept training.

SOCIETY: Success Rate: 40% + 10%/skill level + 20% for Home Town/City
Training Time: 3 months
This skill gives the character a chance to know the social elite in a city, town, or village.  This includes knowledge of the rich and famous (including celebrities), what their status in society is, where they are located, what their interests and backgrounds are, social graces and manoeuvring, and major social activities. The skill can be invaluable when working undercover or on a specific case. The skill must be taken for every different society, except for the player character's own society, which is 20% higher. The referee may also decide that it can be a positive modifier when bluffing.

STEALTH: Success Rate: 30% + skill level
Training Time: 1 month
Stealth is the ability to move without being seen or heard. This ability is useful for stalking animals, but also can be used to sneak up on guards of follow suspects.

SWIMMING: Success Rate: 50% + half DEX
Training Time: 1 month
Surprisingly few people of this era actually knew how to swim. Anyone with this skill can swim automatically under normal circumstances, but must make a skill check in turbulent water or rapids, if seriously wounded, or if weighted down with heavy clothing, guns, gold, etc. Characters without this skill must make a skill check against one-half their Strength score, rounded up,anytime they get dunked. If this roll fails, they are going down. They get one more chance, to make a Luck check this time. Success means they drag themselves to the bank, half drowned. Failure means they can't get out without help, and will drown in 30 seconds (five turns) unless rescued.

TRACKING: Success Rate: 50% + half INT
Training Time: 1 month
A character with this skill has a chance to follow a creature, person or vehicle by watching for its trail. This skill works only in the wilderness, not in settled areas. The specialist also can use this sub-skill to cover his own tracks.

LANGUAGES

LITERACY: Success Rate: 50% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months
Literacy. A character with this skill can read and write any language he can speak, including Indian languages. The referee can require a skill check in cases where the written material is complicated or the character doesn't get much practice.

MILITARY SUB-SKILLS

CAMOUFLAGE: Success Rate: 30% + skill level
Training Time: 1 week/level
Concealment is the art of disguising military fortifications, installations and troop formations.  Once concealed there is an 80% chance the facility or troop formation will not be seen as long as they do not move, make noise show smoke or lights.

COMBAT SIGN LANGUAGE: Success Rate: Automatic
Training Time: 1 week
This is the art of being able to communicate silently with others who also have this skill to indicate your movement or an enemy's movement, location and numbers without revealing your own location.  This skill also includes using flags to transmit standard messages.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR: Success Rate: leadership + 10% per week of training
Training Time: 1 week
The Drill Instructor skill is required to teach other characters and NPC's how to move in formation and operate as part of a unit.  This includes marching in column, being able to change into battle line formation, skirmish line or into square.  Soldiers are also taught how to load, fire and maintain their weapons as well as firing together in a volley line and other unit based activities.

MILITARY ENGINEER: Success Rate: Automatic -5% Construction time per level
Training Time: 3 months
A Military Engineer has the knowledge and ability to oversee the construction of military defenses and fortifications, including trenches, abatis, palisade walls, parapets, block houses and bunkers to protect infantry and artillery positions and ammunition storage.

STRATEGY: Success Rate: 20% + 10% per level
Training Time: 2 months
Strategy skill is required for a character to be promoted to Major.  It operates the same way as Tactics but at a larger scale, with Brigades, Divisions, Corp and Army size formations.  The Tactics skill is required to learn this skill.

TACTICS: Success Rate: 30% + 10% per level
Training Time: 2 months
Tactics skill gives a character the opportunity to be promoted to Officer, usually Second Lieutenant and to ability to predict, to some extent, what an opponent will do in combat with unit sizes of platoon, company and regiment, and also grants some insight on the best course of action in a fight.  At the beginning of a fight a character with Tactics skill makes a skill check. If it succeeds, that character's side gets to add one to its initiative die rolls through the whole fight. Also at the beginning of a fight, if the players aren't sure what to do, they can ask the Judge for advice. The Judge makes a Tactics skill check behind a screen where the players can't see the result. If the check succeeds, the Judge gives the players some vague but generally good advice. If the check fails, the advice is vague but poor. The players, of course, don't know which they're getting. (If more than one character has Tactics skill and they all try to use it at once, use it as an opportunity to spread confusion. Never give more than one piece of good advice and one piece of bad, and try to make them contradictory.)

ADVANCED DRILL INSTRUCTOR: Success Rate: leadership + 10% per week of training.
Training Time: 1 month
To acquire this skill, the Drill Instructor skill is required along with the experience of having trained at least 2 Regiments (20 companys).  The Advanced Drill Instructor skill is required to instruct units to move in large formations and operate as part of a brigade, division, corp or army.  This includes entrenchment, encampment and maneuvering in large unit formations.

LOGISTICS:  Success rate: Logic + 10% per level
Training Time: 2 months
Weapons, ammunition, rations, uniforms and other supplies all have to be provided to keep large formations of troops in the field for extended periods.  Officers who cannot provide logistical support for their men may run short of these stores.

ENGINEERING SUB-SKILLS

AERODYNAMICS: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months  Pre-requisite: Ballooning
A character with the Aerodynamics skill is required to design, build or operate any kind of flying vehicle beyond a simple balloon.  The character will need to understand the concepts of ballooning before being able to improve balloons to include engines, wings and weapons.

BALLOONING: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill will know how to design and construct a basic balloon with a basket, what materials are needed to inflate a balloon (silk balloon, wicker basket, zinc shavings, sulphuric acid to make hydrogen etc) and how to pilot craft.

OPTICAL: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
This skill enables a character to build and repair optical equipment (telescopes, microscopes, glases etc). No more than one item per week can be constructed, but the price in materials is 10% less than the normal item cost. When repairing damaged optical devices use the standard repair rule.

PHYSICS: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the properties, changes, interactions, etc. of matter in any form (gas, liquid, solid, and plasma) and energy (electricity, heat, optics, mechanics, etc.). This also includes knowledge of momentum, velocity, reflection, refraction, and gravity.  Physics is a useful prerequisite skill for other fields of knowledge (Acoustics, Optics, etc.). In addition, this skill also allows the character to inspect a damaged character, structure, or ground and determine what kind of physical force caused the damage (heat, cold, pressure, momentum, etc.).


MEDICAL SUB-SKILLS

FIRST AID: Success Rate: As per skill description above.
Training Time: 1 month

FORENSIC MEDICINE: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill is able to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death of a patient, be it by trauma, disease or poison.  An autopsy can only be performed in a hospital and the chance of success is reduced over time, the longer it takes between death and the performance of an autopsy the lower the chance of success.


MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill can design and use a range of medical instruments and instruct craftsmen in the manufacture of these instruments.  These instruments are required to stock a fully functioning hospital.

MEDICINE: HOMEOPATHY: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
Homeopathy is the study and practice of ‘natural’ remedies as opposed to modern, scientific based medicine.  Those with homeopathy knowledge, such as shamans, witchdoctors and midwives can prepare poultices, powders, balms, teas and ointments to treat minor wounds, diseases and other common ailments. When treated by an experienced practitioner, success is equivalent to First Aid for most injuries.  In addition, they can prepare certain natural plant poisons. The referee must decide if any given compound is within the realm of the herbalist's knowledge.

MEDICINE, VETERINARY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/level
Training Time: 3 months  Pre-requisite: Literacy.
This is the animal equivalent of Medicine. Because of the difficulties in tending to them, however, there is often very little a veterinarian can do for an injured animal. Anesthetics for animals were, in many cases, worse than the injury or illness. If an animal needed to be unconscious for surgery, it would be done as quickly as possible to maximize the animal’s chance to survive the anesthetic. After being treated by a vet, an animal recovers three wound points immediately, though all light and serious wounds must still recover normally. Serious wounds do not begin healing until tended by a veterinarian. Light wounds heal on their own, or
heal twice as fast if tended by a veterinarian.

MICROBIOLOGY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A microscope is required to practice the study of Microbiology.  When successful, this skill can help develop cures for some diseases and other ailments and can improve the results of populations surviving a pandemic or infections as a result of surgery in non-sanitised environments.

PROSTHETICS:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
This skill allows the character to design and fit various forms of prosthetics for patients who have lost limbs.  Artificial arms and legs can be manufactured from wood and steel to replace limbs lost in accidents or combat.  Lower legs and hooks for hands are relatively straight forward, however limbs with joints are more complex and the manufacture of these kinds of prosthetics would require skilled artisans.


NATURAL SCIENCE SUB-SKILLS

ANALYSE ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months
A character with this skill can, if given four turns of observation, make an analysis of whether an animal is aggressive or harmless. Further observations, for 1d10 hours, can also inform the character of whether an animal's den or lair is nearby and what it’s eating, drinking, and other habits are. For a complete analysis of a creature and how it fits into its surrounding environment, the character would have to use the Analyse Ecosystems skill.

BIOLOGY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisites: Botanist 2 & Zoologist 2
A character who is a botanist and a zoologist can use these skills as a foundation for becoming a biologist (at least two levels in each is required).  A Biology skill allows for the integration of the two sciences and is an introductory skill of other skills, such as Exobiology and Analysing Ecosystems.
Furthermore, a biologist will be able to discern information in the following areas from a specimen: organ functions, effects of glands and hormones, chemical makeup, vitamins and proteins, life functions, and parasites. This last ability, parasitology allows the character a skill check to identify parasite, know what kind of animals the will infest, know what diseases they carry, and determine the best way to eradicate them. Biology Level 2 allows the character to remove glands and sacks from dangerous plants or animals, thus safely retrieving poison or acid. Biologists of the third level can join the Biological Society, a large and powerful group of scientists who fund many explorations to known and newly discovered lands.

BOTANY:  Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy
A character with this skill is schooled in the science of plants, their life, structure, growth, classification, etc. Only a character with Botany can name a new plant life form or analyse a botanical sample.
A successful Botany analysis indicates the type of plant the sample is and whether it is edible or poisonous. A botanist making a successful skill check when inquiring about a plant's potential medicinal or poisonous properties is told which of these uses the plant may have. Any facet of the campaign dealing with plant life should be handled by a botanist or biologist.

CARTOGRAPHY: Success Rate: 50% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months
The job of surveying and mapping is both vital (via the railroad and telegraph) and dangerous (since the areas being surveyed were generally pretty wild). A skill check determines the accuracy of the character's mapping or survey measurements.

CHEMISTRY: Success Rate: 40% + half LOG
Training Time: 3 months  Pre-requisite: Literacy
This character is educated in the chemical sciences, including pharmacy. He can mix and identify simple chemicals (bicarbonate of soda) automatically. More complicated procedures require a skill check. In any case, the character cannot produce any chemical without the proper ingredients. Even with this skill, no one can make gunpowder from cotton balls and wood shavings. However, in an emergency the judge may allow a skill check for the player to come up with an insight on how the ingredients at hand can be usefully combined.

GEOLOGY: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy
A character with this skill is schooled in the science dealing with the physical nature and history of the land, including the structure and development of the terrain, the composition of the landscape, individual rock types, the forms of life found in fossils, etc. Only a character with Geology can name a new mineral or analyse a geological sample. A successful analysis (skill check) indicates what minerals are present in the sample and the possibility of finding rich ore or gas deposits in the area. Any facet of a campaign that deals with geology or minerals should be handled by a geologist.

ZOOLOGY: Success Rate: 40% +10%/skill level
Training Time: 3 months, Pre-Requisite: Literacy
A character with this skill is schooled in the science of animals, their lives, structure, growth, classification, etc. Only a character with Zoology can name a new animal life form. A zoologist making a successful skill check when inquiring about an animal's potential medicinal or poisonous properties can tell which of these properties the animal may have. If the medicinal or poisonous properties lie in a gland or sac within the animal, only a character with Biology Level 2 can safely remove them. Any facet of a campaign that deals with animal life should be handled by a zoologist or biologist.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:01, Thu 07 Mar.
GM
GM, 449 posts
Wed 14 Apr 2021
at 12:23
  • msg #3

PSA & Skills

Military Ranks
A peculiarity of ranks in the Army of Rus, as Andrew Keane will not promote himself above the rank of Colonel but other officers in the Rus Army are promoted to General to command Brigades & Divisions.  Colonel Keane becomes the only Colonel in the army and Colonel becomes the highest rank in the army.  regimental commanders are usually Majors or Lt Colonels until promoted to Brigadier General etc

Military RankPre-requisite SkillsPre-requisite  ActivitiesFormation Commander
PrivateAny Lvl One Military SkillNilNil
CorporalDrill Instructor, Language of unitFought one engagementPlatoon 2IC
SergeantTwo Lvl One Military SkillsTrain five companys, Fought two engagementsPlatoon or Company 2IC
LieutenantLiteracy, Lvl Two Military SkillTrain ten companysCompany
CaptainTactics, Lvl Three Military SkillTrain two regiments, fought three engagementsCompany
MajorAdvanced Drill Instructor, Lvl 4 Military SkillTrain three regiments, Fought five engagementsRegiment 2IC
Lt ColonelLogistics, Lvl 5 Military SkillTrain four regiments, Fought ten engagementsRegiment
GeneralStrategy, Lvl 6 Military SkillBrigade, Division, Corp 

Engineering RankPre-requisite SkillsPre-requisite  Activities
PrivateAny Lvl One Engineering SkillNil
CorporalDrill Instructor, Language of unitFought one engagement
SergeantTwo Lvl One Engineering SkillsFive production/repair points, Fought two engagements
LieutenantLiteracy, Lvl Two Engineering SkillTen production/repair points
CaptainTactics, Lvl Three Engineering SkillTwenty production/repair points, fought three engagements
MajorAdvanced Drill Instructor, Lvl 4 Engineering SkillFought five engagements
ColonelLogistics, Lvl 5 Engineering SkillFought ten engagements or Significant Engineering Breakthrough
GeneralStrategy, Lvl 6 Engineering Skill 

Science RankPre-requisite SkillsPre-requisite  Activities
PrivateAny Lvl One Science SkillNil
CorporalDrill Instructor, Language of unitFought, witnessed or studied one engagement
SergeantTwo Lvl One Science SkillsTrain five medics/assistants, Fought, witnessed or studied two engagements
LieutenantLiteracy, Lvl Two Science SkillTrain medics/assistants
CaptainTactics, Lvl Three Science SkillTrain twenty medics/assistants, fought, witnessed or studied three engagements
MajorAdvanced Drill Instructor, Lvl 4 Science SkillFought, witnessed or studied five engagements
ColonelLogistics, Lvl 5 Science SkillFought, witnessed or studied ten engagements or Significant Scientific breakthrough
GeneralStrategy, Lvl 6 Science Skill 

Please note, the pre-requisite skills and activities are constantly being revised and refined.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:52, Mon 05 July 2021.
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