Military members & Traveller (& RPGs in general)

[kaladorn]

It seems to me that Traveller deals with Empires, with the Great Game of Nations, with Imperialism, and with Warfare, all topics which in varying degrees involve today's major powers and consequently their military forces. Thus (in some way) the game represents a variation of the reality. At the same time it offers the familiar, it offers the exotic - aliens, mind-bending bad guys, etc.

Interestingly, maybe because it is a university town, where I went to school, the gaming group there had a fair weighting of officers. Moreso now, because one of my friends went to Royal Military College (as a civilian, though he was a Sgt. in the Reserves... if he'd worn his uniform, he'd have been the only NCM at graduation and him getting a "Master of War Studies" degree was neat). After that, and after working on the Joint Space Support Team and at the Peace Support Training Center (peacekeeper and UNMO training), he had a bunch of officer friends who then blended into our regular gaming group, which had a Navy Lt. and an Army 2Lt. So now we have a bunch of officers, mostly 02 or 03.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I, for one, am an ex-Naval officer and did most of my gaming with a mix of other junior officers and junior enlisted.

Was that at all weird, especially if the Es "outranked" the Os in the game?

 

[mak]

I have not played Traveller since high school, but I did play a little AD&D after college. Most of the people in the core group had some kind of military experience. One was a lawyer who did OCS in college and was in the US Army reserve. Another was a psychiatrist serving in the US Army as a Captain. There was one other player who worked with computers and was former airforce enlisted.

I've always had an interest in firearms and military history, but never signed up.

 

[Ran Targas]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> I, for one, am an ex-Naval officer and did most of my gaming with a mix of other junior officers and junior enlisted.

Was that at all weird, especially if the Es "outranked" the Os in the game? </font>[/QUOTE]Actually, it was never uncomfortable at all. Everyone knew the rules for behaving in and out of the smokey room. When you're rolling dice, you're in character; when you in uniform, it's back to business. The only problem was in finding good smokey rooms, especially where everyone could get to.

 

[RabidVargr]

Yah, it was the same deal for us. Enter the room, collar devices come off and we're all gamers, but leaving the room it's back to real life. All ya gotta do is not put yourself into a conflicting position in real life or be too familiar in uniform and you're good. Yes sirs and no sirs, not yeah, sure Bob. That'd cut you out real quick cause we're pro's, and we wouldn't deal with that crap. Kinda like shore leave, walk off the ship and it's all fun as long as you are pro when you need to be.

RV

HM3/ET2/(now) OS2 (1?? results soon!)

 

[Ran Targas]

RV, how did you manage 3 different rates? Or are you triplets? Clones?

And do they still play on Sundays at Campaign Headquarters? Is Campaign Headquarters still there?

 

[snrdg082102]

Hello Ran Targas,

In the Navy, at least in some fields, conversion from one rate to another is relatively easy. If the current rate has to many bodies or is going to be retired then you get a choice of going into a different rate/field. Another way is to wait until your next enlistment and convert or get out and return before the 90 day is over and sign up for the desired rate. For example in submarines there is a lot of cross training at various watch stations. On my first sub, we had a Machinist Mate that qualified as a sonar watch stander and supervisor. He converted to a Sonar Technician after the second patrol I was on the boat.

Of course I could be way out to lunch, but that is one possible way that DV may have Travelled
so much.

Originally posted by Ran Targas:
DV, how did you manage 3 different rates? Or are you triplets? Clones?

And do they still play on Sundays at Campaign Headquarters? Is Campaign Headquarters still there?

 

[kaladorn]

Originally posted by RabidVargr:
HM3/ET2/(now) OS2 (1?? results soon!)

OS2? Zounds! I thought that IBM beastie was defunkt!


(Yes, I am making a joke....)

 

[Ran Targas]

Originally posted by Thomas Rux:
Hello Ran Targas,

In the Navy, at least in some fields, conversion from one rate to another is relatively easy. If the current rate has to many bodies or is going to be retired then you get a choice of going into a different rate/field. Another way is to wait until your next enlistment and convert or get out and return before the 90 day is over and sign up for the desired rate. For example in submarines there is a lot of cross training at various watch stations. On my first sub, we had a Machinist Mate that qualified as a sonar watch stander and supervisor. He converted to a Sonar Technician after the second patrol I was on the boat.

Of course I could be way out to lunch, but that is one possible way that DV may have Travelled
so much.

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ran Targas:
DV, how did you manage 3 different rates? Or are you triplets? Clones?

And do they still play on Sundays at Campaign Headquarters? Is Campaign Headquarters still there?

</font>[/QUOTE]Hey Tom,

I appreciate the insight, things sure must have changed since I counselled anyone's career. Never saw any rate changes except when BT's went away. Still, three rates before making 2nd has got to be a record. And DV ain't a bubble head, not as an OS.

 

[Ran Targas]

Originally posted by Ran Targas:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Thomas Rux:
Hello Ran Targas,

In the Navy, at least in some fields, conversion from one rate to another is relatively easy. If the current rate has to many bodies or is going to be retired then you get a choice of going into a different rate/field. Another way is to wait until your next enlistment and convert or get out and return before the 90 day is over and sign up for the desired rate. For example in submarines there is a lot of cross training at various watch stations. On my first sub, we had a Machinist Mate that qualified as a sonar watch stander and supervisor. He converted to a Sonar Technician after the second patrol I was on the boat.

Of course I could be way out to lunch, but that is one possible way that DV may have Travelled
so much.

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ran Targas:
DV, how did you manage 3 different rates? Or are you triplets? Clones?

And do they still play on Sundays at Campaign Headquarters? Is Campaign Headquarters still there?

</font>[/QUOTE]Hey Tom,

I appreciate the insight, things sure must have changed since I counselled anyone's career. Never saw any rate changes except when BT's went away. Still, three rates before making 2nd has got to be a record. And RV ain't a bubble head, not as an OS. </font>[/QUOTE]

 

[BetterThanLife]

I was definitely a gamer before going Army. Though I didn't play Twilight until after I was in a year.

I was seriously into Avalon Hill Board Games first then migrated into RPGs in college then joined the Army.

I have also noticed that the military gamers tend to be more REMFs (Rear Echelon .....) rather than the guys at the broken end of the stick. I knew a quite a few SEALs, Rangers, Green Berets, Marine Force Recon, and quite a few regular Infantry, I can't remember any of them gaming. Me, I was a REMF, Interrogator.

 

[Despasian]

The mixed varied where I was at the time.
Obviously, the barracks/shipboard crowd was all military.
All enlisted, except a few junior officers that would get in on some of the board/war games at sea (Talisman, Nuclear War, Axis & Allies, etc.).

Of the bunch at home, I'm the only vet. (except for one other who had an "abbreviated" career).

The exception was with mini-cons and weekend events around the bases I was stationed at. A local game shop would get lots of both worlds, and it was great for us in meeting local groups to game with.

Despasian

aka: Dan H
Active: MT2 USN-Bubblehead (9yrs and change).
Reserve: Terms in Seabees and Army NG Cobra Batt.