[OOC 1] THE WATER COOLER - A Place for General Discussion

[Thumper]

Is this discovered ATV (and presumably, the other two nearby) of the “fair weather” variety? Non-optimized for the Arctic?

I’d be ok looking for survivors in what must be buried companion ATVs. If all dead…take what we need that is immediately available and move out. Time’s a wastin’!

[atpollard]

Is this discovered ATV (and presumably, the other two nearby) of the “fair weather” variety? Non-optimized for the Arctic?

I’d be ok looking for survivors in what must be buried companion ATVs. If all dead…take what we need that is immediately available and move out. Time’s a wastin’!

YOU are the two ATVs near by.

Discovering why this ATV stopped and if it can get running again is a MECHANICAL CHECK task (if you care enough to invest the time). If you get it started, you have 3 ATVs and I think you officially qualify as a "convoy". [que up old 70's song]

[Thumper]

“East-bound and down
Load ‘em up and Truck ‘em…

We’ve got a long way to go
And a short time to get there…”

[Hvalreki]

Did that high hit percentage last, or was that just beginner's luck?

That was the only time I ever shot skeet so I’ll probably never know.

"Standard - conduct a field vehicle search:


Etc....

Somebody got some Force Protection Training...or was a diplomat

Google my man! I figured there had to be an Army SOP. I was Marine infantry way back when.

[Hvalreki]

“East-bound and down
Load ‘em up and Truck ‘em…

We’ve got a long way to go
And a short time to get there…”

“Breaker one nine, this here’s The Rubber Duck”

[atpollard]

“East-bound and down
Load ‘em up and Truck ‘em…

We’ve got a long way to go
And a short time to get there…”

[Thumper]

BTW, did we find/buy a cold wx suit for Jim’s dog??

[atpollard]

BTW, did we find/buy a cold wx suit for Jim’s dog??

Rule 68A says ...



... YES (minimal success): but only the "BASIC COLD WEATHER CLOTHING" for Sophia.

[Thumper]

Cool!!

BTW, I think it’s a normal thing for a little bit of conflict or tension to occur within a party. As long as it doesn’t come to PC vs PC fighting.

Remember New Group Dynamics Stages:
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing

We may be in the forming/storming phase

[atpollard]

If we're playing "food and water matter" Herbie would have a thermal camelback vest with a "no-freeze" drinking tube and TL 10 canteens keeping the water unfrozen. He'd bring a couple of high calorie combat rations in his butt pack hanging from his utility belt and keeps various cold temp friendly snacks in any available pockets.

Naw ... there is food in the ATV and about a BILLION gallons of water (snow) just waiting to be melted. Keeping track of rations or ammo count is too "fussy" for me.

If a rat ran up and bit someone, I just wanted to have an idea if they were biting layers of think hide and fur ... or a synthetic wetsuit-like covering ... or the ballistic cloth of a Vacc Suit.

If y'all open the door to Building 2 and find the original repair crew is inside but they have been transformed into zombies, I just wanted to know what weapon y'all had in hand to take that first shot.

Just a BASIC IMAGE of what everyone had and was wearing to set a baseline for "if and when" some trouble is encountered.

[Hvalreki]

If y'all open the door to Building 2 and find the original repair crew is inside but they have been transformed into zombies, I just wanted to know what weapon y'all had in hand to take that first shot.

This has got me thinking about another movie entirely....

[atpollard]

just a point of order…My DJ is Grav-0 which I think we previously determined was an Engineering discipline…just a matter of scale. Does that give Eng- 0 to Mick when it comes to Grav systems/drives?

In this case, Mick obviously lets Joe have the lead.

Well, I am not sure what "DJ" stands for ... "Day Job"? ...

However, to discuss the Classic Traveller skills: Grav Vehicle, Grav(itics) and Engineering ... as they relate under the simplified HOUSE RULES ...
ENGINEERING is the defining skill of a character with the job of Starship Engineer and includes a knowledge of the operation and repair of "Maneuver Drives" and "Power Plants". "Maneuver Drives" function by some sort of gravity magic and, thus includes the skill of "Gravitics" added in Citizens of the Imperium (to do the same thing). "Power Plants" are fusion powered. So at advanced Tech Levels, when vehicles start to be Grav Powered with small Fusion Power Plants, the "garage mechanic" that works on them is an "Engineer" and the skill is ENGINEERING.

"Vehicle (Grav)" is the skill for OPERATING a Grav vehicle. Since each skill level is 2 years of actual work experience (2000 hours) doing that task, some familiarity with your vehicle comes with the job.

Vehicle (Grav)-0 = you can fly nice and easy in good weather (like a student driver).
Vehicle (Grav)-1 = you know how to operate in normal conditions (like weather) and perform basic maintenance. (Engineer-0, roll 2D6-2 ... mostly tasks that need no roll)
Vehicle (Grav)-2 = you have flown in dangerous conditions and performed minor repairs (Engineer-0, roll 8+)

[Thumper]

My DJ is

Was supposed to be “Mick’s”. Dang spell check! Sorry!

Perhaps I should stop posting from my phone when I don’t have time to review the posts. I’m an airline pilot, and often post from all over the world as I drive to/from hotels on a crew shuttle.

So, Mick at level 0 Gravitics might actually be somewhat helpful (apprentice level) on a ship for something other than cooking, cleaning, and entertaining…

Thanks for the explanation. Was still a little confused on how Gravitics fit in. In this case at the station, Mick is feeling way out of his league for any purpose but security!!

[atpollard]

My DJ is

Was supposed to be “Mick’s”. Dang spell check! Sorry!

Perhaps I should stop posting from my phone when I don’t have time to review the posts. I’m an airline pilot, and often post from all over the world as I drive to/from hotels on a crew shuttle.

So, Mick at level 0 Gravitics might actually be somewhat helpful (apprentice level) on a ship for something other than cooking, cleaning, and entertaining…

Thanks for the explanation. Was still a little confused on how Gravitics fit in. In this case at the station, Mick is feeling way out of his league for any purpose but security!!

Let's take a look a Mick's skills ...

3- Admin, Gun Cbt (Longarm), Survival
1- Blade Cbt (Single Handed), Gun Cbt (Sidearm), Watercraft, Steward/Carouse
0- Computers, Electronics, Vehicles, Mechanic, Engineering/Gravitics


SKILL-3: Mick is an EXPERT (like College Degree/MD/6 years [12,000 hours experience]) class expertise in:

ADMINISTRATION:
that means bureaucracy and organization ... PEOPLE and DATA. We rolled "Broker" and "Legal" specialties into that, so it includes an understanding of things like "read legalese" and comprehend "market forces and dynamics". Leveraging that against Governments and TRADE could turn the tables of any deal going south ... Mick could hold his own in the Corporate World. However, THIS is not THAT, so HERE, that same skill could be turned against the data in those notebooks to mine for information.

GUN COMBAT (LONGARM):
No way to sugar coat that ... with 6 years - 12,000 hours - shooting experience ... Mick IS a SECURITY GUY! Someone with a tattoo or bumper sticker that says "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers".

SURVIVAL:
Mick has Survival-3 ... that's "Naked and Afraid" level survival skill. That's live off the land with just a kabar knife survival skill. That's skin an animal and make your own clothes survival skill. Take that skill and start searching the grounds for signs of what happened rather than searching buildings if you want to use THAT skill. Survival-0 is enough to raid the pantry for leftover MREs.


SKILL-1 is 2 years (4000 hours) training/experience and good enough to get a job doing that PROFESSIONALLY:

BLADE COMBAT/SIDEARM:
Mick is good enough with his "bad weapons" to get a job as a professional bodyguard ... or in SECURITY ... or as a Mercenary (with just his SECONDARY WEAPONS).

WATERCRAFT:
Operate and maintain all watercraft. OK, you have me here. You could go Ice-Boating ... but I don't think we have one this remote. Now back in Saint Oyland ...

STEWARD/CAROUSE:
Professionally good with people ... sadly, you are a little remote at the moment.


SKILL-0 is a familiarity with the skill and the ability to perform routine tasks:

Computers: Mick can operate a computer, search for data and perform simple programming tasks. You can also attempt more difficult tasks at reduced chance of success (if a Computer-1 needed a 6+ to succeed, Computer-0 needs an 8+).

Electronics: Operate any electronic device. Attempt basic repairs at -2.

Vehicles: Mick can drive a tracked/wheeled vehicle ... just don't get fancy or you may crash.

Mechanic: Mick can attempt any MECHANICAL check ... like locating the manual bypass for the non-powered doors ... and can attempt Mechanic-1 diagnostics and repairs at a penalty.

Engineering/Gravitics: Just like Mechanic ... except it applies to Grav Drives and Fusion Power plants. You can preform routine tasks (you know how to turn it on and power it down) and you can attempt repairs at -2 (6+ becomes 8+; 8+ becomes 10+).

I wanted EVERYONE to understand that almost nothing is "impossible". Typically, skills just make it faster and easier or slower and harder.

[Thumper]

Atpollard, hope everything is ok with you. Hoping thread life just got busy…and you’re otherwise ok.

[atpollard]

Atpollard, hope everything is ok with you. Hoping thread life just got busy…and you’re otherwise ok.

Thanks for asking.

Yeah ... just busy piled on busy.
Wife dented a bumper in a parking lot (so a quick trip to drop off and pick up car from local repair guy) and daughter had to move out of her College Dorm by noon Friday (end of semester) and a work project suddenly became "the most important thing in the world" and my ISP provider decided to stop providing service this weekend.

I finally got a moment to respond. I hope you enjoy the adventure.

[Thumper]

I do at least. Happy to hear it's just real life gone crazy!

[shaidar]

me too

[atpollard]

Mick: Is the gas grenade any safer?

I intended to post Wednesday, but it took a little time to find the answer to this question.

REAL WORLD: There are NO SAFE knockout drugs or gasses (best case = 15% mortality rate).
SCIENCE FICTION SINCE BEFORE WORLD WAR 1: A safe and harmless knockout gas goes back at least as far as Dr Fu Manchu and is a staple TROPE of the genre.

Therefore ... in Traveller, there is a safe knockout gas [but don't try this at home].

[Hvalreki]

Mick: Is the gas grenade any safer?

I intended to post Wednesday, but it took a little time to find the answer to this question.

REAL WORLD: There are NO SAFE knockout drugs or gasses (best case = 15% mortality rate).
SCIENCE FICTION SINCE BEFORE WORLD WAR 1: A safe and harmless knockout gas goes back at least as far as Dr Fu Manchu and is a staple TROPE of the genre.

Therefore ... in Traveller, there is a safe knockout gas [but don't try this at home].

Huzzah! Bring on the gas!!