What do scouts do
- Thread starter Mythmere
- Start date
IMTU the Scouts in the Core region are mainly concerned with keeping the maps and navigational aids up to snuff, hauling the mail, enforcing Imperial law as well as providing security as required and providing intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities.
(This is in addition to me first resposne which is: "Why make great PCs of course!")
(This is in addition to me first resposne which is: "Why make great PCs of course!")
Just a few ideas off the top of my head.
Running the Xboat system.
Conduct surveys of the 3I or parts of it.
Surveying systems friendly to the 3I.
Surveying systems hostile to the 3I.
Publishing results of system surveys.
Establishing new navigation buoys.
Maintaining navigation buoys.
Collecting intelligence data from beyond the 3I.
Have a look at the Gurps:Traveller book First In for more suggestions.
Best regards,
Neil McGurk
Running the Xboat system.
Conduct surveys of the 3I or parts of it.
Surveying systems friendly to the 3I.
Surveying systems hostile to the 3I.
Publishing results of system surveys.
Establishing new navigation buoys.
Maintaining navigation buoys.
Collecting intelligence data from beyond the 3I.
Have a look at the Gurps:Traveller book First In for more suggestions.
Best regards,
Neil McGurk
They run around in little berets going Dib Dib Dib, and help old ladies across the road.
ninthcouncil
SOC-11
First off, they maintain and operate the X-boat network and the scout/courier "web" that runs off of it.
Furthermore, the work of the survey branch never ends - even in well mapped territory there is a requirement for constant validation and adjustment of astrographic data, scientific monitoring of any unstable or otherwise interesting systems etc.
Also, the scout service isn't just involved in physical surveying - one of the unsung but crucial tasks of the IISS is to keep an eye on the politico-cultural development of the Imperium and collect and collate information. Lots of it. Psychohistory anyone? Sometimes this sort of work might be regarded as "spying" by those with a suspicious nature.
A lot of information gathering is done on an informal basis by the Detached Duty boys - that's the deal, after all, there's no such thing as a free ship!
The interdiction programs on Red Zone worlds may be run by either Scouts or Navy, depending on why they are in place, but IMTU this is mostly a Scout thing.
Furthermore, the work of the survey branch never ends - even in well mapped territory there is a requirement for constant validation and adjustment of astrographic data, scientific monitoring of any unstable or otherwise interesting systems etc.
Also, the scout service isn't just involved in physical surveying - one of the unsung but crucial tasks of the IISS is to keep an eye on the politico-cultural development of the Imperium and collect and collate information. Lots of it. Psychohistory anyone? Sometimes this sort of work might be regarded as "spying" by those with a suspicious nature.
A lot of information gathering is done on an informal basis by the Detached Duty boys - that's the deal, after all, there's no such thing as a free ship!The interdiction programs on Red Zone worlds may be run by either Scouts or Navy, depending on why they are in place, but IMTU this is mostly a Scout thing.
Ganidirsii O'Flynn
SOC-12
Myth,
You've gotten most of it, though there are several small things the IISS does that people tend to forget...
The Imperium consists of 11,000 systems. Each system consists of several worlds. Exploration and the IGS will kept busy mapping and measuring these worlds for a LOOONG time. Communications branch runs the X-Boat service. All this you got.
Of the worlds that have a UPP, comparatively few of them have population all over that world. Even in Core Sector, there still plenty of "frontier" to go digging around in. Some of those frontiers have people that have not been contacted. This is the work of the Contacts and Liaison branch, to determine if a species is ready for contact or not. One of the spiffiest species to come out in the game was the Jgd-il-jgd, a TL 14 species whose native environment is gas giants. In Vland Sector, the most settled sector in Charted Space.
You've gotten most of it, though there are several small things the IISS does that people tend to forget...
The Imperium consists of 11,000 systems. Each system consists of several worlds. Exploration and the IGS will kept busy mapping and measuring these worlds for a LOOONG time. Communications branch runs the X-Boat service. All this you got.
Of the worlds that have a UPP, comparatively few of them have population all over that world. Even in Core Sector, there still plenty of "frontier" to go digging around in. Some of those frontiers have people that have not been contacted. This is the work of the Contacts and Liaison branch, to determine if a species is ready for contact or not. One of the spiffiest species to come out in the game was the Jgd-il-jgd, a TL 14 species whose native environment is gas giants. In Vland Sector, the most settled sector in Charted Space.
The Core regions are also where the scouts perform the role of researchers and compilers (the much malaigned "bureaucracy") of data in their base at Reference. Much interpetation from thousands of field agents goes into updating and making sure the links are correct.
For instance, the planet of Aaron has recently gone through two successive elections whereby the chairman has been relected for another term. No other party exists other than the Civic Action Party, is the regime a dictatorship - totalitarian or something else.
Consider...
As the Chairman Zugii has recently introduced a whole slew of reforms from lifting restrictions and formally abolishing censorship and encouraging free discussion about all issues. Closer examination of the facts reveal that two thirds of the members of the new planetary assembly were elected from representives selected by the people separate from the Civic Action Party (although, some were past members). The once feared Secret Police and Armed Forces was been completely dismantled in favour of peacekeepers. The new planetary council is calling for a review of all planetary treaties including the treaty binding the planet to the Imperium.
Scouts here have to move from researching the situation and figuring out what the Imperial response ought to be. Simply looking at the UPP, will not help in this situation. Furthermore, there are certain "hidden" interests that are also worried about the Planetary Assembly plans to nationalize some of the gold and zucchi crystal mines in another part of the system. Figuring out, those interests and collusion between the head of the former Planetary army and Ling Standard may not be so easy. Tracing it back to a class they once had at an exchange between Aaron University and the Imperial Martial College on Gibbon, could be just a red hering. Maybe Zuggi is setting a program in advance of a progrom of Vilani-izing the world...
This adventure could happen anywhere but the closer to the Core, the more that Imperium could worry about a minor rebellion spreading to other planets.
For instance, the planet of Aaron has recently gone through two successive elections whereby the chairman has been relected for another term. No other party exists other than the Civic Action Party, is the regime a dictatorship - totalitarian or something else.
Consider...
As the Chairman Zugii has recently introduced a whole slew of reforms from lifting restrictions and formally abolishing censorship and encouraging free discussion about all issues. Closer examination of the facts reveal that two thirds of the members of the new planetary assembly were elected from representives selected by the people separate from the Civic Action Party (although, some were past members). The once feared Secret Police and Armed Forces was been completely dismantled in favour of peacekeepers. The new planetary council is calling for a review of all planetary treaties including the treaty binding the planet to the Imperium.
Scouts here have to move from researching the situation and figuring out what the Imperial response ought to be. Simply looking at the UPP, will not help in this situation. Furthermore, there are certain "hidden" interests that are also worried about the Planetary Assembly plans to nationalize some of the gold and zucchi crystal mines in another part of the system. Figuring out, those interests and collusion between the head of the former Planetary army and Ling Standard may not be so easy. Tracing it back to a class they once had at an exchange between Aaron University and the Imperial Martial College on Gibbon, could be just a red hering. Maybe Zuggi is setting a program in advance of a progrom of Vilani-izing the world...
This adventure could happen anywhere but the closer to the Core, the more that Imperium could worry about a minor rebellion spreading to other planets.
So, I think one way of summarizing this information (not that it's necessary) is that the scouts bring in and process all information they can, handle the x-boat network (and by extension some of the courier work from the x-boat stations), and may also handle the Imperium's non-military law enforcement (which makes sense, as they would discover crimes first and there is no mention of another law enforcement body). Other than the ministry of justice, but the ministry seems to be higher level and more prosecutorial than enforcement.
Lets not forget search and rescue and education. I remember someone saying somewhere that the Scout Service was a combination of NASA, the Post Office, and the Coast Guard.
I imagine the 3I core units are more oriented toward SAR Missions, Xboat ops, recruiting and training, etc.
Of course, there is that unit from the Technical Branch working on a J12 drive in the &%$#^$@#^@^%$!% system.
This transmission has been terminated by the Ministry of Justice. Please delete it from your e-file. Thank you for your cooperation, citizen.
I imagine the 3I core units are more oriented toward SAR Missions, Xboat ops, recruiting and training, etc.
Of course, there is that unit from the Technical Branch working on a J12 drive in the &%$#^$@#^@^%$!% system.
This transmission has been terminated by the Ministry of Justice. Please delete it from your e-file. Thank you for your cooperation, citizen.
Actually, it's "11,000 worlds". According to those who has actually counted (I haven't) there is, IRRC, about 8,000 systems in the Imperium in the Classic Era (I have counted the number of subsectors, and there are roughly 300. That would give an average of 27 systems per subsector, which sounds about right).
Hans
Ganidirsii O'Flynn
SOC-12
What Hans? Eight thousand systems isn't enough work for you?
Fact still remains, even with 3,000 fewer systems, it's still the same volume of space. Who ususally finds the cometary iceball that lets Imperiallines hop a long rift? The Scouts. Who finds out that "Denuli Gems" are Shrieker eggs? Scouts. The IISS isn't just about delivering the mail, or contacting new species. It's about measuring Oort clouds, checking densitys in asteroid belts, checking and rechecking societal data, and so on.
That's why, hands down, the Scouts are my favorite prior service in CT. Even in T:20 they kick a fair amount of butt. And has anyone noticed that of all services in the 3I, the IISS is the ONLY one to stay out of politics up until the Rebellion's Real Strephon faction?
Fact still remains, even with 3,000 fewer systems, it's still the same volume of space. Who ususally finds the cometary iceball that lets Imperiallines hop a long rift? The Scouts. Who finds out that "Denuli Gems" are Shrieker eggs? Scouts. The IISS isn't just about delivering the mail, or contacting new species. It's about measuring Oort clouds, checking densitys in asteroid belts, checking and rechecking societal data, and so on.
That's why, hands down, the Scouts are my favorite prior service in CT. Even in T:20 they kick a fair amount of butt. And has anyone noticed that of all services in the 3I, the IISS is the ONLY one to stay out of politics up until the Rebellion's Real Strephon faction?
Shadow Bear
SOC-12
Fight with Jar Heads (Imperial Marines). Out drink Imperial Marines. Hassel the Squids (Imperial Navy).
I always assumed that each faction took over the Scout assets in the area under their own control in the same way that they took over the Navy. The difference with Strephon's faction was that the Scouts were his main intelligence service.
Note: "main" intelligence service. Each faction would have had at least some Scout, Naval Intelligence, Ministry of Justice and similar assets and would have used them alongside more faction-specific assets like the Vemene.
Alan
mad13142000
SOC-13
What about proper census? Is it an IISS function to count individual worlds' census' or just add up the ones reported?
But the girls spend WAY too much time selling cookies...
-MADDog
But the girls spend WAY too much time selling cookies...
-MADDog
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Fascinating (or not) bit-o-trivia I just learned today. The Girl Guide cookie business started in Regina, the real one in Saskatchewan, Canada, not the planet in the subsector of the same name. Now it was a reliable source but still I may do a little digging to verify the fact.Originally posted by MADDog:
<snip>
But the girls spend WAY too much time selling cookies...
-MADDog
Great, now I'm hungry
Where's a Scout when you need them 
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Easy. "The Rebellion Sourcebook", p40, Agencies, spells out each factions intelligence resources and loyal services. Strephon has only the IISS in his sectors to turn to after Lucan won the INI and MOJ early. After winning the loyalty of the local IISS the rest fell onside and he charged them with winning the high population worlds for him.
