Scout ranks aren't listed on the Wiki.
Scout Ranks
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
- Start date
esampson
SOC-13
That's because scouts in the Field division (which are what PC scouts would be) don't have ranks. They never have. It and how they are able to function that way are established parts of continuity.
Scouts in the bureaucracy do have ranks, but those characters wouldn't be generated as Scouts. They would be generated as Bureaucrats (or possibly Scholars or some other career).
Scouts in the bureaucracy do have ranks, but those characters wouldn't be generated as Scouts. They would be generated as Bureaucrats (or possibly Scholars or some other career).
MGT changed that.
In the basic books there are no scout ranks, but weren't there scout ranks in the yellow LBB for scouts?
arbitrary.remora
SOC-8
Yup. LBB 6 expanded character gen.
If you were unfortunate enough to be taken away from the Field and assigned to the Bureaucracy. you can refuse once, but not twice.
Oddly (I like esampson's notion of using Bureaucrat careers) the skills assigned/available to 'Bureaucracy Scouts' were fairly similar to the Field.
Real Scouts mock hierarchy. Results, not rank is what matters.
-a.r
MGT non-3I branded books can't be used to argue OTU canon - Matt made it explicitly clear that Mongoose isn't supporting the OTU in the core books.
MGT Scouts book is 3I branded. By name it is part of Char Gen by and other places in the book.
Unless they've changed it in the second printing, no, it's not. It's MGT branded, but does NOT carry the 3I logo. It has ONE chapter that's OTU. (Pages 94-98)
This chapter is for those referees setting their campaigns in the
Third Imperium. It includes detail on the structure of the Imperial
Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) make-up and modus operandi, with
a particular operational focus on the Imperial Grand Survey (IGS).
(p. 94.)
Third Imperium. It includes detail on the structure of the Imperial
Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) make-up and modus operandi, with
a particular operational focus on the Imperial Grand Survey (IGS).
(p. 94.)
The version I have has it mentioned within the Char Gen. Not just one chapter. Anyway, you are talking about a logo on the cover. I get it now.
The general answer to why isn't something in the wiki is because no-one has put it there, yet. Consider it an invitation to contribute to the greater good of the universe.
Well, not to get too off topic, but I always wondered how Scouts were organized (well, not really, but the thought did occur to me every now and then). I always figured them to be like a university research vessel or something. You've got a captain, a second in command, and then everyone else does "their thing," whatever that may entail.
I might contribute to the Wiki. I might not. Depends on my mood.
I might contribute to the Wiki. I might not. Depends on my mood.
My understanding from other canon sources (GT: First In) is the organization is around needed skill sets. That is, if you are the best navigator in the crew, you become chief navigator. Chain of command is established by at mission inception time by agreement of the crew, modulo command experience. So depending upon who else in in your crew you may end up captain, second, or ensign.
It was very much a meritocracy, with the environment encouraging the learn by doing. That is, you gather a partial crew of old, experienced scouts, you will find the rest of the crew quickly filled by others eager to learn from best (or at least experienced) in the real world.
Nothing confuses the other services quite as much as the apparently random assignment of responsibility on a mission. And nothing annoys the Scouts more than promotions without field experience.
I do hope you can find the time to contribute. Anything and everything is appreciated.
I have always thought of it as loosely based on informal Merchant/Merchant Marine ranking. Legally, someone must be designated as the Commander (Captain/Ship Master), and a 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd Officer, all assigned to experienced Scouts as needed based on ship size and watch-standing requirements. Perhaps one or two petty-officer appointments on a per-mission basis to oversee certain critical team-oriented tasks, and perhaps a mission specialist/team-leader, if required.
In the days of sail, crewmen were simply "Ordinary Seamen" or "Able Seamen" based on experience. Petty Officer posts were assigned to Able Seamen by the Ship Master as an appointment for a particular voyage, based on experience.
arbitrary.remora
SOC-8
Agreed. I always ensure that the Ship Commander and the Mission Commander are two different people. Leads to some nifty tension.
Harry Turtledove wrote a decent novel Noninterference which has some excellent ideas as to how a Scout/ Survey crew can operate. One thing I did glean from the novel is a Scout service produces more questions and anomalies than it can solve.
-a.r
I would imagine the scouts in the Traveller Universe (vs. for your gaming group) would try to avoid this situation. For exactly the reason you describe.
Well, my "beef" I guess is kind of with the concept of a "wiki" (who the hell came up with that name anyway? wiki? what the heck?). Library Data was supposed to be purchased through the supps back in the day, and now a lot of that information, and then some, is essentially free of charge.
How this relates to Scout Ranks is that if there is an actual heirarchy in the Scouts (as I believed there way, but didn't know how it manifested because I was too lazy to grab my yellow LBB), then why wasn't that listed on the wiki entry?
And I guess that was kind of my real question as I was kicking off the rust to write some fiction.
To me, Scouts probably operate in a meritorcracy much as described, but when they're absorbed into the navy or marines for support or for added / augmented firepower purposes, then they have to operate with the guys who are regimented by rank.
I imagine there's some leeway there. How much I guess depends on personalities.
Oh well. My two bits.
How this relates to Scout Ranks is that if there is an actual heirarchy in the Scouts (as I believed there way, but didn't know how it manifested because I was too lazy to grab my yellow LBB), then why wasn't that listed on the wiki entry?
And I guess that was kind of my real question as I was kicking off the rust to write some fiction.
To me, Scouts probably operate in a meritorcracy much as described, but when they're absorbed into the navy or marines for support or for added / augmented firepower purposes, then they have to operate with the guys who are regimented by rank.
I imagine there's some leeway there. How much I guess depends on personalities.
Oh well. My two bits.
Seriously? You have never heard of a Wiki? Maybe Wikipedia?
The Traveller Wiki is hosted on the same server as CotI, owned by Marc Miller. I'm pretty sure if he had any problem with it being there, it wouldn't be.
Now you are complaining that the FREE resource isn't COMPLETE? The Traveller Wiki is user-created. If you think something is missing, you can sign up and add it yourself, for the benefit of others.
As Thomas has already explained, the reason it isn't listed on the wiki entry is that you haven't entered it. And, of course, that no one else has either. The wiki is a volunteer affair. People put in what they have the time, energy, and interest in putting in. Sometimes someone has already entered the stuff you're interested in, sometimes you're out of luck. It's as simple as that.
Hans
esampson
SOC-13
As I understand it it is something like that. Field scouts don't have rank, but during a mission the do have positions. Someone is put in charge of the mission, there is probably some other hierarchy put in place in case they become incapacitated and there might be certain sub-leaders assigned depending upon how large the mission is, but all of that is for the duration of the mission. A scout might be a mission leader for one mission but then might work as a crew for a bigger mission that has more senior scouts.
Remember that in most situations scouts in the field are working in pretty small groups. All you really need is a head person in charge who might then delegate some authority if it is required (we're flying a lab ship for this mission, so we've got three engineers on the team. I'm going to make Bob the chief engineer since he's got more experience and we've worked together before). Authority during the mission would be based around your assigned position (while the engineer doesn't outrank the pilot, in matters concerning the engine he's the last word, except for the mission leader).In the case of missions that involve large numbers of scouts positions might get a bit more definition but since most scouts have a mentality of 'just get it done' you don't generally have problems. If the engineer says he needs help you help out, unless there's a real pressing reason you can't such as you have to be piloting the ship. But then at that point the engineer isn't likely to be asking you for help in the first place.
Seriously? You have never heard of a Wiki? Maybe Wikipedia?
The Traveller Wiki is hosted on the same server as CotI, owned by Marc Miller. I'm pretty sure if he had any problem with it being there, it wouldn't be.
Now you are complaining that the FREE resource isn't COMPLETE? The Traveller Wiki is user-created. If you think something is missing, you can sign up and add it yourself, for the benefit of others.
Whatever dude. I'm just trying to discover how Scouts function. If you got something more to say to me, then you can PM me, and we can get into there.
esampson; yeah, I always figured scouts had a "team captain" and a second in command with various people doing their stuff; like a store or a company office or something. Casual, informal, but there, but not a big deal other than to make sure who is in charge of what.
When I read the scout ranks in the extended character gen, I was a little surprised. I kind of arched an eyebrow at it, and figured it was "the new thing" for the scouts. But, it didn't effect any gaming sessions I was in.
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