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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
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Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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 Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:57 pm Post subject: SpecForce Sniper |
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I've always been interested in the USMC Scout/Snipers, arguably the best snipers in the world. When looking at the organization for Alliance Spec Forces, there is an absence of snipers or the equivalent long-range marksman. I'm considering making up my own version, called Stalkers. Like most modern snipers, their mission would be above and beyond precision long range fire; they would also use their weapon scopes to gather intelligence. A sizable portion of their missions would be successfully completed without ever firing a shot, simply because they used their talents as hidden observers to relay useful information to other units.
What I'm looking for are some suggestions:
1). What would be good stats, for both the PC and NPC versions of this character, based on the stats provided in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook and Rules Of Engagement?
2). Appropriate skills. Blaster and Firearms are obvious, along with Search, Hide and Sneak, but what are some other good ones?
3). Weaponry. What would a sniper in the SWU fire? A needlebeam blaster weapon? The disruptor sniper from the Jedi Knight video game? How about a firearm that shoots guided projectiles?
4). Other Equipment. Stealth gear? Comm gear? Ghillie Suit? I'm thinking that, rather than having a sniper and spotter team up (with the spotter using a spotter scope), the scope on each weapon can double as a spotter scope, as well as providing other options.
Feel free to discuss. I'm looking for all kinds of ideas here.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Praxian
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 30 Mar 2010
Posts: 190
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 1:33 am Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| crmcneill wrote: | I've always been interested in the USMC Scout/Snipers, arguably the best snipers in the world. When looking at the organization for Alliance Spec Forces, there is an absence of snipers or the equivalent long-range marksman. I'm considering making up my own version, called Stalkers. Like most modern snipers, their mission would be above and beyond precision long range fire; they would also use their weapon scopes to gather intelligence. A sizable portion of their missions would be successfully completed without ever firing a shot, simply because they used their talents as hidden observers to relay useful information to other units.
What I'm looking for are some suggestions:
1). What would be good stats, for both the PC and NPC versions of this character, based on the stats provided in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook and Rules Of Engagement?
2). Appropriate skills. Blaster and Firearms are obvious, along with Search, Hide and Sneak, but what are some other good ones?
3). Weaponry. What would a sniper in the SWU fire? A needlebeam blaster weapon? The disruptor sniper from the Jedi Knight video game? How about a firearm that shoots guided projectiles?
4). Other Equipment. Stealth gear? Comm gear? Ghillie Suit? I'm thinking that, rather than having a sniper and spotter team up (with the spotter using a spotter scope), the scope on each weapon can double as a spotter scope, as well as providing other options.
Feel free to discuss. I'm looking for all kinds of ideas here. |
Hmm... any template for something like this would need a -very- good Dexterity and Perception.
The skill Stamina couldn't hurt (I recall a buddy of mine who was a USMC sniper telling me stories of how he would simply lay in a given area and not move so as to not give away his position for up to 17 hours!!).
Most armors are focused around energy damage, so I'd focus more on old-fashioned slug-throwers imo. Not to mention 95% of the "scanners" are looking for energy-bound weapons. A sniper could break a rifle down and in pieces with no energy pack no scanner / sensor would get set off by it.
I'm sure there's a few other ideas, but for what they are, I'd have to be at home accessing my books (I'm at work atm).
Cheers! |
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Fallon Kell
Commodore
Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:49 am Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| crmcneill wrote: |
1). What would be good stats, for both the PC and NPC versions of this character, based on the stats provided in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook and Rules Of Engagement?
2). Appropriate skills. Blaster and Firearms are obvious, along with Search, Hide and Sneak, but what are some other good ones?
3). Weaponry. What would a sniper in the SWU fire? A needlebeam blaster weapon? The disruptor sniper from the Jedi Knight video game? How about a firearm that shoots guided projectiles?
4). Other Equipment. Stealth gear? Comm gear? Ghillie Suit? I'm thinking that, rather than having a sniper and spotter team up (with the spotter using a spotter scope), the scope on each weapon can double as a spotter scope, as well as providing other options.
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Wraith squadron had a sniper, for awhile at least.
2) Maybe an (A) Marksman skill? Lots of dice in sneak. High tactics skills and stamina, too
3) Probably a laser rifle, which I understand to be different from a blaster rifle.
4) I seem to recall an implanted comlink that lets the user speak on comm without voicing his words. It would need to be narrow beam, I think. A ghillie suit is a good idea too.
I have to respectfully disagree with Praxian. Most armors provide more protection for physical damage than for energy. I'd also assume that these are battlefield snipers, not assassins, so scanners would be less of an issue.
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garhkal
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Naaman
Vice Admiral
Joined: 29 Jul 2011
Posts: 3191
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:32 am Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| crmcneill wrote: | I've always been interested in the USMC Scout/Snipers, arguably the best snipers in the world. When looking at the organization for Alliance Spec Forces, there is an absence of snipers or the equivalent long-range marksman. I'm considering making up my own version, called Stalkers. Like most modern snipers, their mission would be above and beyond precision long range fire; they would also use their weapon scopes to gather intelligence. A sizable portion of their missions would be successfully completed without ever firing a shot, simply because they used their talents as hidden observers to relay useful information to other units.
What I'm looking for are some suggestions:
1). What would be good stats, for both the PC and NPC versions of this character, based on the stats provided in the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook and Rules Of Engagement?
2). Appropriate skills. Blaster and Firearms are obvious, along with Search, Hide and Sneak, but what are some other good ones?
3). Weaponry. What would a sniper in the SWU fire? A needlebeam blaster weapon? The disruptor sniper from the Jedi Knight video game? How about a firearm that shoots guided projectiles?
4). Other Equipment. Stealth gear? Comm gear? Ghillie Suit? I'm thinking that, rather than having a sniper and spotter team up (with the spotter using a spotter scope), the scope on each weapon can double as a spotter scope, as well as providing other options.
Feel free to discuss. I'm looking for all kinds of ideas here. |
How detailed would you like to get with this? Would you be interested in actual input from military personnel? If so, I can chime in, here.
As for omitting the spotter, that's perfectly acceptable if you're talking about a cream of the crop sniper who would be assigned to solo missions, but at that level you're most likely not even dealing with a military sniper. More of a government assassin or some such. The spotter is a sniper, too, and snipers work in pairs to help each other cover eventualities that come up during the mission. They also take turns spotting and sniping to counter the effects of eye fatigue (not sure if you want to take it to that level in the game, though).
Anyway, some of the skills that a sniper would certainly need would absolutely include an advanced skill for sniping. Sniping is much more detailed than just being a designated marksman. Mathematical calculations have to be done based on atmospheric conditions, curvature of the planet, elevation, time to impact after trigger squeeze etc. This is for the very long shots.
They would certainly need a decent running skill. They'd need survival, tactics, hide, SEARCH, sneak, climbing/jumping (maybe specialize in climbing), stamina and maybe swimming, depending on what kind of insertions you want him to be able to make. He'd need blaster repair, armor repair, demolitions (mostly for disarming booby traps, but also setting his own), first aid, and security. Those are off the top of my head.
Again, if we're talking about a lone sniper whose job is to gather intel, then that list expands into all kinds of other things: languages, alien species, planetary systems, repulsorlift/starship repair (for hot wiring when he needs a quick get away), melee combat/parry, thrown weapons, investigations, repulsorlift/swoop operation, space transports, starship gunnery etc... The solo operative is an extremely well rounded (highly skilled in MANY areas) character. It takes a lot of dedication and training to reach that level, and such a character would be either a high level PC or major villain (with PC-like stats). |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
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Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:54 am Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| Naaman wrote: | | As for omitting the spotter, that's perfectly acceptable if you're talking about a cream of the crop sniper who would be assigned to solo missions, but at that level you're most likely not even dealing with a military sniper. More of a government assassin or some such. The spotter is a sniper, too, and snipers work in pairs to help each other cover eventualities that come up during the mission. They also take turns spotting and sniping to counter the effects of eye fatigue (not sure if you want to take it to that level in the game, though). |
I was actually thinking of eliminating the spotting scope only, allowing the scope on the sniper rifle itself to have an alternate setting that allows it to be used as a spotting scope. That way, a two man team would have the same equipment, and switching between spotting and sniping missions would be as simple as flipping a switch.
What is the general make-up of a sniper team? I know about the basic sniper / spotter, but do they attach additional men for security and support? I always figured that a Stalker team (the title I use for my SpecForce snipers) would feature two Stalkers who trade off spotting ans sniping duties, plus a pair of Pathfinders.
| Quote: | | Anyway, some of the skills that a sniper would certainly need would absolutely include an advanced skill for sniping. Sniping is much more detailed than just being a designated marksman. Mathematical calculations have to be done based on atmospheric conditions, curvature of the planet, elevation, time to impact after trigger squeeze etc. This is for the very long shots. |
I know Garhkal has some rules for this, as far as special rules for sniping. I just can't remember what they are at the moment...
I also had an idea for an alternate sniping weapon. Rather than relying on an extended range blaster rifle, I have this idea for a firearm on par with the Light .50 / M107, except that the bullets it fires are actually guided projectiles that track on an active targeting beam projected from the rifle's scope. The bullets themselves could be explosive tipped, chemical delivery, or whatever is appropriate for the mission.
| Quote: | | The solo operative is an extremely well rounded (highly skilled in MANY areas) character. It takes a lot of dedication and training to reach that level, and such a character would be either a high level PC or major villain (with PC-like stats). |
Yeah, I don't want to go that far. I'm just looking for something basically along the lines of the Pathfinder, but more forward oriented. A Pathfinder's job description is pretty much based around the larger SpecForce unit, in that he helps scout and secure landing areas, then scouts ahead of the main unit while they advance to the target. A Stalker, on the other hand, is more target oriented, in that he goes out far ahead of the main force, gets into position early and starts gathering intel before the rest of the unit is even on scene, then providing sniper support during the assault itself.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Naaman
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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Ah, okay. here we go then.
Generally, a sniper team is a two-man deal, however, a third man could be added for "rear security." The third guy is basically responsible for protecting the sniper team from threats that may manage to sneak up on them while they'redoing their thing. The rear guard might as well be a sniper, too, if he's going to come along, but his armament would be more geared to fighting up close (a carbine and a pistol, for example). If only one guy is going to have a suppressed weapon, it would be the third guy (the more suppressors you can get, the better, of course). Mostly because if the sniper is going to shoot, he'll be far enough away from his target that he can begin to evade with less danger. Whereas if the security element needs to shoot before the sniper team is ready to fire, he'll give away their position unless he's suppressed. If a fourth guy is going to come along, he might as well have a light repeating blaster or something with longish range and a high rate of fire, just in case the fit hits the shan or the intel they got was "incomplete" or whatever.
Depending upon the intel they get, they may need to rely more or less on stealthy melee combat (sneaking up and cutting a throat etc) in order to get into position. This is pretty rare, but if we're talking about PCs here, they would definitely be the ones to get those kinds of missions once they've proved themselves with a solid success history.
The basic application of a sniper team is as a force multiplier. A sniper can select specific targets and targets of opportunity and hit them reliably, thereby increasing dramatically the kill ratio of the team they're supporting. They are also a psychological tool used by the military to spread despair amongst enemy ranks. If a sniper is shooting at a squad or platoon, they will generally not move until they locate and eliminate (or otherwise defeat) the sniper. So just by killing one guy, a sniper can thwart the plans of a whole company/platoon/squad of troops. If the sniper's targets are military, be prepared for them to be trained in counter sniper tactics (this type of thing is taught in basic training). So even the most basic grunt will have some idea of what to do if he becomes aware that a sniper is at large.
As for your .50 sniper rifle, understand that if you're basing that caliber on the real life .50 BMG, that is a massive round with incredible destructive potential when used against a humanoid target. The "shock wave" of the M2 .50 cal being fired can be felt from 50 meters away while riding inside of a turret on a humvee (ask me how I know). Generally speaking, the "rules of engagement" limit that round to anti-materiel duty only (it was originally designed as an anti-aircraft round). And the .50 cal sniper rifle is not actually the most accurate choice for long range shooting (but long range lethality is outstanding). According to one green beret I met, the best overall round for sniping is .300 winchester magnum (accurate and powerful). Same source claims the .308 is excellent within 600 meters (for what it's worth, even without a suppressor, most bullets will kill the target before they hear the shot if fired from 600 meters or closer).
Also, with your alternate sniper rifle, you might try using different types of rounds for different scenarios. The explosive tipped ammo may cause unwanted collateral damage, for example. But it's no problem to just bring other types of rounds that fit in the chamber. The M2 .50 for example, has several types of rounds that it will fire: ball, incendiary, tracer, armor piercing etc.
More to come later on, if you want. |
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Naaman wrote: | | If a fourth guy is going to come along, he might as well have a light repeating blaster or something with longish range and a high rate of fire, just in case the fit hits the shan or the intel they got was "incomplete" or whatever. |
I'd probably just stick with Pathfinders, maybe upgunned with suppressed slugthrowers as a backup weapon. Heavy Weapons may be just fine for hosing things with repeating blasters, but the primary mission here is stealth, which means Stealth.
| Quote: | | Depending upon the intel they get, they may need to rely more or less on stealthy melee combat (sneaking up and cutting a throat etc) in order to get into position. This is pretty rare, but if we're talking about PCs here, they would definitely be the ones to get those kinds of missions once they've proved themselves with a solid success history. |
In most cases, that's what Infiltrators are for. For these guys, I'm thinking concealment and distance are their primary protection.
| Quote: | | As for your .50 sniper rifle, understand that if you're basing that caliber on the real life .50 BMG, that is a massive round with incredible destructive potential when used against a humanoid target. |
That's why I said that it was "on par" with an M107, not identical. Since this is Star Wars, I'm figuring that this sniper rifle is big and bulky and fires caseless rounds that are either self propelled or ballistic, but in either case use active guidance systems to insure accuracy. Plus, in the SWU, I'm pretty sure SpecForces don't worry overmuch about rules of engagement when they are shooting at Imperial military. Not that they don't care whether they hurt civvies or non-combatants, but when the Alliance Army's preferred blaster rifle is the Blastech A280 (5D+2 damage), they aren't exactly stressing about overkill.
| Quote: | | Also, with your alternate sniper rifle, you might try using different types of rounds for different scenarios. The explosive tipped ammo may cause unwanted collateral damage, for example. But it's no problem to just bring other types of rounds that fit in the chamber. The M2 .50 for example, has several types of rounds that it will fire: ball, incendiary, tracer, armor piercing etc. |
All excellent points. My theory on Firearms in the SWU is that, for firearms to remain competitive, they have to offer something that blaster weapons can't. IMC, what they offer is accuracy (using guided or homing rounds) and the ability to tailor ammo loads to the mission (since this is fiction, you can put practically anything you want into a bullet, from AP explosives to chemical injectors to stun or ion charges, and so on). In addition, firing a bullet does not leave a visible trail like a blaster, and it can't be silenced.
Of course, an alternate use of firearms would be a weapon that fires a relatively small pellet at such extreme velocities that it inflicts blaster-scale damage from kinetic impact alone. I use both kinds in my SWU.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Naaman
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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So are these PCs or NPCs that you're wanting to create?
Based on this most recent post, I'd say your guys would need to have the support of a larger military force who could assist them at any given moment.
If they're going to travel in a group of 4, and not bring along a repeater, they might as well be a smaller group, or else split into two groups: one pair of snipers, another pair of "back up" who hangs out close enough to help out, but far enough that they don't compromise the stealthiness of the snipers (there won't always be enough hiding spots in natural terrain for 4 guys to remain in "unit coherency," for example).
All 4 guys would obviously need to be maxing out their stealth skills.
Basically, they would probably cause the most damage by calling in fire from orbiting ships or long range artillery. Thus, they would need to have a decent communications skill, they would also need to have survival pretty high (or specialize in survival: land navigation or orienteering or something like that) so that they could call down accurate fire. Another use for the communications skill would be to intercept radio signals from the enemy.
If this were my idea, the skill list would look like this with a bare minimum of 4D in any of the skills:
Blaster/Firearms whatever
Dodge
Running
Planetary Systems
Streetwise (for urban ops)
Survival
Tactics
Willpower (since the risk of capture and therefore torture is higher than for regular troops)
Communications
Sensors
Command
Hide
Search
Sneak
Climbing/Jumping
Lifting (they'll have to carry a considerable amount of gear over long distances... a decent lifting skill will should help them considerably; I'd rule that below 4D lifting would trigger checks to determine how quick they could move with all their gear.)
Stamina
Swimming
Armor Repair
Blaster Repair
Computer Programming/Repair (or whatever skill you'd use to repair your communications equipment; in the military, our "commo" guys do all the computer stuff)
Demolitions
First Aid
Security |
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garhkal
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Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| crmcneill wrote: |
What is the general make-up of a sniper team? I know about the basic sniper / spotter, but do they attach additional men for security and support? I always figured that a Stalker team (the title I use for my SpecForce snipers) would feature two Stalkers who trade off spotting ans sniping duties, plus a pair of Pathfinders. |
From speaking with actual snipers, at most they gain a 2nd sniper team to act as rear guard, giving them a 4 man unit.. This also allows them to rotate snipers out.
| Quote: |
I also had an idea for an alternate sniping weapon. Rather than relying on an extended range blaster rifle, I have this idea for a firearm on par with the Light .50 / M107, except that the bullets it fires are actually guided projectiles that track on an active targeting beam projected from the rifle's scope. The bullets themselves could be explosive tipped, chemical delivery, or whatever is appropriate for the mission. |
Sounds like you want the Prax arms HB-4. It is a missile weapon that looks like a high power firearm, but shoots a guided projectile.. this projectile has a 8KM range (long), and travels 1KM a round..
| Quote: | If they're going to travel in a group of 4, and not bring along a repeater, they might as well be a smaller group, or else split into two groups: one pair of snipers, another pair of "back up" who hangs out close enough to help out, but far enough that they don't compromise the stealthiness of the snipers (there won't always be enough hiding spots in natural terrain for 4 guys to remain in "unit coherency," for example).
All 4 guys would obviously need to be maxing out their stealth skills. |
See what i mentioned above.
| Quote: | If they're going to travel in a group of 4, and not bring along a repeater, they might as well be a smaller group, or else split into two groups: one pair of snipers, another pair of "back up" who hangs out close enough to help out, but far enough that they don't compromise the stealthiness of the snipers (there won't always be enough hiding spots in natural terrain for 4 guys to remain in "unit coherency," for example).
All 4 guys would obviously need to be maxing out their stealth skills. |
To repost.. here is the Sniper template i made to make up PC characters..
Rebel sniper
Dex 3D+2, skills, Blaster, Brawl parry, Dodge, Grenade, Firearms, Melee, Melee parry
Know 3D, skills: Alien species, Anatomy, Language, Streetwise, Survival
Mech 2D+1, skills: Communications, Hover vehicle ops, Repulsor ops, Starship gunnery
Per 3D+1, skills: Bargain OR Con, Camouflage, Hide, Command, Search, Sneak
Str 3D+1, skills: Brawl, Climb/jump, Lift, Stamina, Swim
Tech 2D+1, skills: Blaster repair OR Computer prog/rep, Demolitions, First aid, Firearm repair.
Of the NPC's i have had based ON them (used twice in home games) they were
Dex, Per and Str dropped to 3d, Tech/mech and Know dropped to 2d (giving them a 15d attribute spread.. Those who went blaster based were at
Blaster 4d, (S) Sniper rifle 5d+2, brawl parry 4d, melee and melee parry 4d, (S) Vibro dagger 5d+1, dodge 5d
Anatomy 4d, languages 4d, streetwise 4d, survival 4d (with 1 area of specialty),
Comms 4d, repulsor operations 4d, starship gunnery 4d
Bargaining (or con) 4d, hide 5d, camoflague 5d, search 5d, sneak 5d, command 3d+2
Blaster repair 4d, demo 3d, first aid 4d,
Those who went firearms shifted out blaster and blaster repair for firearms and firearms repair.
PS the difference between hide/camo/sneak is
HIDE by the book is to cover up objects so they are not found.
Sneak is to mask you WHEN MOVING (by the book),
Camo is to hide YOU when you are stationary.
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
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Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Naaman wrote: | | So are these PCs or NPCs that you're wanting to create? |
Both, just like the other SpecForces, in that there would be a stat block for NPC Stalkers and a template for characters who might want to play Stalkers in a SpecForce campaign.
| Quote: | | Based on this most recent post, I'd say your guys would need to have the support of a larger military force who could assist them at any given moment. |
I was thinking more along the line of Marine Corps Scout/Snipers that can operate independently or coordinate with a larger force.
| Quote: | | Basically, they would probably cause the most damage by calling in fire from orbiting ships or long range artillery. Thus, they would need to have a decent communications skill, they would also need to have survival pretty high (or specialize in survival: land navigation or orienteering or something like that) so that they could call down accurate fire. |
I agree. I figured the scope on the rifle could also work in fire designation function as well.
| Quote: | | Another use for the communications skill would be to intercept radio signals from the enemy. |
Maybe, but that seems more in line with the SpecForce CommTech's job description.
| Quote: | Streetwise (for urban ops)
Tactics
Willpower (since the risk of capture and therefore torture is higher than for regular troops)
Command
Lifting
Armor Repair
Security |
I have questions regarding all of these skill choices
Streetwise is more geared toward knowing who to talk to for certain information, what gangs are in the area and the like. IMO, Survival is a better choice, because the general skill also covers survival in urban environments.
Looking at the NPC stats, Infiltrators, who have just as much risk of capture, do not have Willpower...
Command seems to be a skill limited to officers. I'm not exactly sure what these guys would need Command for.
Lifting may be right, but I'd want to examine the skill descriptions on both and see if Stamina might be a better choice.
Armor Repair isn't a very good choice, because most SpecForce troops don't wear armor (except for SpaceOps). Firearm Repair might be a better choice.
Security might be a good choice for Infiltrators, because they are usually tasked with sneaking into facilities protected by electronic systems and/or locked doors, but with Stalkers, their primary mode of secrecy is distance and camouflage. You don't really need to bypass an alarm if you can hit a target from a couple kilometers away.
Apart from that, I'm really appreciating your suggestions.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
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Posts: 16178
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| garhkal wrote: | | From speaking with actual snipers, at most they gain a 2nd sniper team to act as rear guard, giving them a 4 man unit.. This also allows them to rotate snipers out. |
Ok, so maybe instead of 2 Stalkers and 2 Pathfinders, it could be a fire team of 4 Stalkers. That works.
| Quote: | | Sounds like you want the Prax arms HB-4. It is a missile weapon that looks like a high power firearm, but shoots a guided projectile.. this projectile has a 8KM range (long), and travels 1KM a round.. |
Very cool, and thank you. I had completely forgotten about this gun.
| Quote: | | To repost.. here is the Sniper template i made to make up PC characters.. |
Do you still have that Advanced skill for sniping drifting around?
| Quote: | PS the difference between hide/camo/sneak is
HIDE by the book is to cover up objects so they are not found.
Sneak is to mask you WHEN MOVING (by the book),
Camo is to hide YOU when you are stationary. |
So... did you make camouflage an advanced skill too?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
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Fallon Kell
Commodore
Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: SpecForce Sniper |
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| garhkal wrote: |
PS the difference between hide/camo/sneak is
HIDE by the book is to cover up objects so they are not found.
Sneak is to mask you WHEN MOVING (by the book),
Camo is to hide YOU when you are stationary. |
Why not just leave camo in with sneak?
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Naaman
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Joined: 29 Jul 2011
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:08 am Post subject: |
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| crmcneill wrote: |
I was thinking more along the line of Marine Corps Scout/Snipers that can operate independently or coordinate with a larger force.
Maybe, but that seems more in line with the SpecForce CommTech's job description.
I have questions regarding all of these skill choices
Streetwise is more geared toward knowing who to talk to for certain information, what gangs are in the area and the like. IMO, Survival is a better choice, because the general skill also covers survival in urban environments.
Looking at the NPC stats, Infiltrators, who have just as much risk of capture, do not have Willpower...
Command seems to be a skill limited to officers. I'm not exactly sure what these guys would need Command for.
Lifting may be right, but I'd want to examine the skill descriptions on both and see if Stamina might be a better choice.
Armor Repair isn't a very good choice, because most SpecForce troops don't wear armor (except for SpaceOps). Firearm Repair might be a better choice.
Security might be a good choice for Infiltrators, because they are usually tasked with sneaking into facilities protected by electronic systems and/or locked doors, but with Stalkers, their primary mode of secrecy is distance and camouflage. You don't really need to bypass an alarm if you can hit a target from a couple kilometers away.
Apart from that, I'm really appreciating your suggestions. |
Well, starting with the skills:
My combat experience is during the recent conflict. I served in Baghdad and our mission was to gather intel on the "criminal underground" (i.e. insurgents) and capture them (or kill them if they put up a fight). The corruption in the Iraqi government was (by American standards) unbelievable. "Streetwise" played a big role there. If your stalkers are trying to gather intel in an urban environment, wouldn't it make sense that streetwise would be a good place to start? On the other hand, whatever the Star Wars equivalent is to green berets would be most well-suited unit toward that role. Still, it seems like what you're describing would require this skill. If not, no biggie. it's just a suggestion.
Tactics is a simple one. Every soldier should have it. Specialize them in "sniper tactics" or "small unit tactics" or perhaps the type of tactics used by their most common enemy/target.
Willpower: any military personnel that has an elevated risk of capture due to operating on his own or in very small groups will need some kind of training to resist interrogation and demoralization. In the United States, it's called S.E.R.E training. If they are truly able to operate with NO support for more than a couple of days, then they will have this training. Think of it from a GM's perspective: why would they need to sneak around in the first place? To avoid being caught, right? But what happens when they fail their stealth roll?
Command: The "command" skill as it's described in SWD6 is NOT what officers do in real life. Coordinating the actions of specific troops is the purview of a sergeant. A fire team leader or a squad leader. The way an officer would use the command skill would be to enhance the command skill of his subordinate officers, getting them all on the same page so that they can effectively disseminate the orders from higher commands. The NCOs are the ones who actually train and lead troops. In the field, the highest ranking NCO makes all the decisions regarding how to achieve the mission. The officer just tells the NCO what the objective is. In this case, if you're going to have 4 guys running around, the "leader" (and each of them will naturally assume this role when appropriate), will take charge and get things moving.
Lifting: this skill is based on two factors: the wight to be lifted, and the duration it is to be held/carried. Simple. An average soldier is equipped with close to 100 lbs of gear. Some individual soldiers in special forces carry up to 150 pounds and must move that weight over several miles at a time (even as much as 20 miles). I would not require a roll for a character who's strength/lifting is 4D or better. Below that, I would assign perhaps a high easy or low moderate difficulty. In this case, if the roll was failed, I'd assign a speed penalty, thereby jeopardizing the mission timeline. I'd use stamina to determine how far they could go total. Lifting would affect how quickly they move that distance.
If they don't wear armor, they're idiots. But, if not, then I guess they don't need the armor repair skill.
Security: Again... where will they shoot from in an urban operation? A rooftop? How will they get up there? How will they prevent entry into a building that they are shooting from within? What if they need to break into a building to evade detection? As soon as you assume that everything will go according to plan, you're in for it. There is a saying: "no battle plans survive contact with the enemy." Which means that the plan goes right out the window as soon as the enemy is close enough to be a threat (weather shots are fired or not). Like I said: if these guys are supposed to be independent, they need to be able to improvise in hairy situations. Also, due to the high risk of capture, they may need to break OUT of wherever they're being held (that would actually be a very fun adventure for your players, I think).
As for the hide skill, they would need to be able to hide their equipment when they stop to rest as well as when they set up their observation point.
I seem to remember reading a camouflage skill somewhere... this would be appropriate for remaining hidden while observing.
Also, you mentioned that the scope would be used to identify targets. The way it's done in reality is that a laser designator would be one piece of equipment (mounted on the gun, for example) and the scope would allow viewing of the IR spectrum so that you can see where you're pointing the laser. But if they're in the wilderness, depending on terrain, a line of sight designation may not be possible (or they may need to call in support fire on targets that they cannot actually see).
All in all, it's sounding like you want a very specific role fulfilled, but in order to fulfill that role, these guys would either need a wide variety of skills or they would need to be able to count on a quick reaction force for back up if things get out of control. Otherwise they're just going to get killed or captured. |
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Bren
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Joined: 19 Aug 2010
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Location: Maryland, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:17 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Naaman. Your posts have been interesing and informative to read.  |
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