Skills in Service Academies, Command College, and Flight School

[shankfisher]

I have a number of questions about chargen. I'm sorry if these are simplistic, or have been answered elsewhere, but I have had little luck finding them. Here goes:

If a character attends a service academy, which skills does he get on the Academy lists? All of the them? Does he also have a major/minor? What can be selected as a major/minor? Does he get a bonus to Edu like other bachelors do?

If a character attends Command College and completes the two terms, does he get all four skills on this list, or choose a major/minor and get rating two in the major and rating one in the minor? Can you get honors in Command College?

Flight School: Do you major in Pilot and minor in something else? Do you get honors in flight school?

More general questions.
If you get a skill per promotion does that mean service academy grads get a skill when they come into service? Do you get promotion skills plus auto skills, or do auto skills count as your promotion skill?

The skills tables for marines, spacers and army seem to correlate to the assignments for each term. Are you required to roll only on those tables which correspond to your assignment that term, or can you chose any of the subtables regardless of the assignment?

Also, if you get four skills per term and are assigned to ANM, do you get the ANM skill plus the 4 skills, or do the ANM skills count as one of the four?

 

[Jazzlvraz]

If a character attends a service academy, which skills does he get on the Academy lists?

Just like College/University on the other side of the page, you get one Skill or your choice per year.

Does he also have a major/minor?

Marc doesn't make it explicitly clear, but others here on the boards have said you should have a Major and Minor of your choice, since today's US Military Academies have them.

What can be selected as a major/minor?

Major and Minors come from the Skills listed.

Does he get a bonus to Edu like other bachelors do?

EDITED: Yes (see comments below).

If a character attends Command College and completes the two terms, does he get all four skills on this list, or choose a major/minor and get rating two in the major and rating one in the minor? Can you get honors in Command College?

Command College, per the errata, is only one year, and you get one Skill from the list.

Flight School: Do you major in Pilot and minor in something else? Do you get honors in flight school?

Since it's only one year, Flight School's like a Trade School and has no Honours. You get three levels of Pilot--your choice of Knowledge(s)--since Small Craft is a Knowledge under Pilot.

If you get a skill per promotion does that mean service academy grads get a skill when they come into service?

Your promotion is your graduation present, so no extra Skill.

Do you get promotion skills plus auto skills, or do auto skills count as your promotion skill?

You get the auto-Skill just for having the rank. Getting promoted to it gives you another Skill.

The skills tables for marines, spacers and army seem to correlate to the assignments for each term. Are you required to roll only on those tables which correspond to your assignment that term, or can you chose any of the subtables regardless of the assignment?

You roll for each of your four Skills on the table appropriate to your Operation that year. If you attend ANM more than once, you select more than one Skill from the ANM Skills for that Term.

Also, if you get four skills per term and are assigned to ANM, do you get the ANM skill plus the 4 skills, or do the ANM skills count as one of the four?

Remember ANM is one of your four years that Term, so it takes the place of a roll on one of the tables at the bottom of the Career's page.

 

[Spartan159]

My view: since he doesn't get a Bachelor's Degree, I say "no".

That seems harsh, given that it *is* 4 years of advanced schooling. Megatraveller at the least gave education bonus and had honors.

For real life reference, United States Naval Academy
with attention to the section: Curricula

IMTU I say yes. furthermore:

T5 pg 78, bottom left:

Service Academy (4 years, Major
and Minor; Honors)
Flight School

T5 pg 71 upper right:

Pass/Fail Roll: success confers Honors and one level from
the Major. Failure has no effect.

Skills. Each Pass awards one level from the Major.
Each two successful Passes awards one level in the Minor.

Total skills for an honors grad: 5 major, 2 minor

My question would be, as in prior versions, does honors confer an additional +1 Edu.

BTW, just as a fluff I'd have "honors" for Command College and Flight School even if not conferring anything beyond "Right Stuff"

 

[Doyle Hunt]

Real world, West Point confers a bachelor's degree to its graduates. Often in engineering (West Point was the USA's first engineering school).

Also, at least for Army engineers, you can't get promoted to Major without completing a master's degree.

 

[pendragonman]

Jazz,

You are incorrect. Service Academies confer Bachelor's degrees. Further, just like regular universities, you can try for Honors.

Errata has already stated that if EDU is <8, EDU becomes 8 and if EDU is >= 8, you get +1 EDU. That is from official errata file.

 

[Jazzlvraz]

Jazz,

You are incorrect. Service Academies confer Bachelor's degrees. Further, just like regular universities, you can try for Honors.

Errata has already stated that if EDU is <8, EDU becomes 8 and if EDU is >= 8, you get +1 EDU. That is from official errata file.

For some reason, I'd thought the erratum referred only to College and University. Editing above...

 

[shankfisher]

JYou roll for each of your four Skills on the table appropriate to your Operation that year. If you attend ANM more than once, you select more than one Skill from the ANM Skills for that Term.

Jazz, thanks so much for all your help. That clarifies a lot of questions. However, I'm still confused on the Skill Tables. The Marines, for instance, have Personal and Avocation. I can't seem to find where those come into play on the operations roll. Do you get to choose the Personal or others instead of the Operations for each year?

 

[pendragonman]

Jazz, thanks so much for all your help. That clarifies a lot of questions. However, I'm still confused on the Skill Tables. The Marines, for instance, have Personal and Avocation. I can't seem to find where those come into play on the operations roll. Do you get to choose the Personal or others instead of the Operations for each year?

Staying with Marines...

Columns 1 and 6 are available to choose from each time. A third column becomes available from your mission that term.

If you are technical staff, you also get the technical column (7) for a total of four columns to pick from BEFORE you roll the skill.

 

[Jazzlvraz]

Columns 1 and 6 are available to choose from each time. A third column becomes available from your mission that term.

If you are technical staff, you also get the technical column (7) for a total of four columns to pick from BEFORE you roll the skill.

Aha! I'd been interpreting it that Operations Skills had to roll on that Operation's column, leaving only things like Promotion for rolling on columns 1 and 6. Your way's much more player-friendly; wish I'd thought of it.

 

[pendragonman]

Aha! I'd been interpreting it that Operations Skills had to roll on that Operation's column, leaving only things like Promotion for rolling on columns 1 and 6. Your way's much more player-friendly; wish I'd thought of it.

Just a natural extension of CT chargen...

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

[Referee] My take.

Aha! I'd been interpreting it that Operations Skills had to roll on that Operation's column, leaving only things like Promotion for rolling on columns 1 and 6. Your way's much more player-friendly; wish I'd thought of it.

While I hate working online with the iPad, this one is short, so I can get it done quickly.

As per Operations and Skills, I always ruled that Operations determine which table you roll for Skills on. However, when you are Promoted, Commissioned or attend ANM School, then you can use the other columns to get other Skills. Note that ANM School doesn't take the place of a Skill roll, it is an additional Knowledge, you still get the roll for that year.

As for Honors, if it is a College or University or Service Academy then it allows for Honors roll.

 

[Spartan159]

Well that's good, cause errata said column 6 was Mission for Marines, that left just personal. Mind you I was ending up with very fit Marines...

Character gen could be a tad more clear for us attempt to follow the rules types.

 

[shankfisher]

Note that ANM School doesn't take the place of a Skill roll, it is an additional Knowledge, you still get the roll for that year. As for Honors, if it is a College or University or Service Academy then it allows for Honors roll.

So an ANM year is two skills -- one on the table and one at the ANM school? Interesting. I would have thought the school used up that choice...

Also, is there a table for selecting ANM schools? I'm assuming the schools are a lot like the more detailed school selections in Mercenary, but they don't seem to be as random. In other words, if I hit ANM three times, do I decide whether to pick the same skill over and over, or pick three different ones, etc. I suppose it could go either way.

And for color only, anything wrong with rolling for honors at these schools?

 

[shankfisher]

Also, I seemed to have missed any mention of combat commands. What are you guys doing with that?

 

[shankfisher]

However, when you are Promoted, Commissioned or attend ANM School, then you can use the other columns to get other Skills. Note that ANM School doesn't take the place of a Skill roll, it is an additional Knowledge, you still get the roll for that year.

Just had a thought. Would that apply to Flight School? It takes up the first year of the term after service academy and is a school, like ANM. Also do you get both the skills listed under flight school?

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

[Referee] SWEET!

Disregard the title, I am just giddy to have figured out the multiquote function finally.

Now on to more serious matters.

So an ANM year is two skills -- one on the table and one at the ANM school? Interesting. I would have thought the school used up that choice...

Also, is there a table for selecting ANM schools? I'm assuming the schools are a lot like the more detailed school selections in Mercenary, but they don't seem to be as random. In other words, if I hit ANM three times, do I decide whether to pick the same skill over and over, or pick three different ones, etc. I suppose it could go either way.

And for color only, anything wrong with rolling for honors at these schools?

ANM Schools generally doesn't award Honors as far as I can tell and Flight School is iffy. Command College does.

I do believe it is page 100. Yep, with columns for Army, Navy, and Marines even.

Also, I seemed to have missed any mention of combat commands. What are you guys doing with that?

If they are eligible for a Medal or Campaign Ribbon then Officers can claim a combat command. It is mostly color for players and refs to decide.

Just had a thought. Would that apply to Flight School? It takes up the first year of the term after service academy and is a school, like ANM. Also do you get both the skills listed under flight school?

Flight School takes up all your time in that Term and generally I count it as its own Term.

 

[Jazzlvraz]

...do you get both the skills listed under flight school?

Notice the Small Craft is a Knowledge under Pilot, so Flight School, per the published Errata, has only one Skill, and you get three choices from it. For many people, that'll be two Knowledges followed by Pilot-1.

 

[pendragonman]

Disregard the title, I am just giddy to have figured out the multiquote function finally.

Now on to more serious matters.ANM Schools generally doesn't award Honors as far as I can tell and Flight School is iffy. Command College does.

I do believe it is page 100. Yep, with columns for Army, Navy, and Marines even.
If they are eligible for a Medal or Campaign Ribbon then Officers can claim a combat command. It is mostly color for players and refs to decide.

Flight School takes up all your time in that Term and generally I count it as its own Term.

Then I guess Wally has a few combat commands....

 

[Reban]

Flight School takes up all your time in that Term and generally I count it as its own Term.

Flight School takes 1 year according to p100.

If you are a service Academy Honors Graduate you may take a 1 year Flight School and since you've graduated from a service Academy you have gained a Commission with one of the Military services. So the next three years should be resolved in the appropriate career.

I assume that you can gain promotion during the year you spend in Flight School and you complete risk and reward rolls too?

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

[Referee] Ranks and Priviliges.

Flight School takes 1 year according to p100.

If you are a service Academy Honors Graduate you may take a 1 year Flight School and since you've graduated from a service Academy you have gained a Commission with one of the Military services. So the next three years should be resolved in the appropriate career.

I assume that you can gain promotion during the year you spend in Flight School and you complete risk and reward rolls too?

Flight School is a special assignment that grants the Pilot Cadet upon successful completion of training the right and privilige of, including the title, "Pilot" as well as the duties. One of those duties is you pay the Imperium for all that fine extra training with an extra year of service. The only promotion you get is from Cadet to Pilot Officer.