Where do I set the "Normal" bar?

[sbarron]

I'm putting together generic soldiers for a Terran Empire game. I have based the skill sets for the various units on the package deals in TE. I am pretty happy about the Marine and the IASF results. However, I am now trying to create the basic Imperial Army Infantryman, and quite frankly, I'm not sure what to make his speed.

Just to give you an idea of where the other units stand...My marines came in at 3 Spd (100 pts), and the IASF at 3 Spd (125). I'm planning on having the Infantry be either 25 pt normals or 50 pt skilled normal, depending on what I make their Spd. I figure most PCs will be 3 or 4 Spd and 150 pts.

So how do you guys do it? Is 2 Spd for basic soldiers enough? Should I ratchet up the difficulty level and have the average soldier be a 3 Spd? What have people done before?

[Monolith]

I would go with the 2 SPD for the basic soldier, with squad leaders probably having a 3 SPD (it always seems like the sergeant needs to be everywhere at once). I generally do not see much need to make common grunts exceptional in any grand manner. I save that for the players. Besides, fighting 2 foes with a 2 SPD is still harder than fighting 1 with a 4 SPD. :)

[sbarron]

Thanks, Monolith. I have a tendency to have every character (PC, NPC, Joe Nobody) exceptional. I always forget the Normals are only 25 pts. 25 pts just makes them so...normal. :) I'll go with 2 Spd. Thanks again.

[Victor]

I'd suggest making two types of "basic" infantry, myself... a 2 SPD one for fresh recruits and garrison troops, and a 3 SPD for better trained and more experienced troops.

If the Imperial Army's training is anything like today's, then BCT is giving them STR, DEX, and CON (in addition to a couple <i>Familiarities</i>, and an extra bit of <i>Running</i>), whereas SPD is probably aquired in actual combat or field exercises. The last thing a Drill Instructor wants is for his 'cruits to screw up faster.

Which makes me think it might be amusing to have a small group of 75+75 Star Hero PC's in active service train a few squads of 0 point normals into their package deals... if for no other purpose than to see how fast the PC's stop distinguishing the recruits by anything other than what they've failed at.

[NuSoardGraphite]

for bargain-basement "grunts" speed 2 works. Makes the Players feel their characters are superior when they walk all over them.

I normally reserve Speed 3 for experienced troops and Speed 4 for the special forces types.

[comfortmd]

remember to include a built in "idiot check" i made space marines 50/50 point characters instead of anything less. The normal bar should only apply to what is "normal" (i.e. shop keepers, refugees, your average library attendant, etc). I have assault secret police with government nano - aug's that are 8 speed, and require about 500,000 creds a month in upkeep otherwise 1 failure roll upon startup of their augments would kill the agent. Depends on what you are using in your campaign also. And yes... one of my players went up against one of those agents, and got his but whupped. normal in hard s.f. is also different in space opera s.f., and also military s.f.

[Demonsong]

I would go with the 2 SPD for the basic soldier, with squad leaders probably having a 3 SPD (it always seems like the sergeant needs to be everywhere at once). I generally do not see much need to make common grunts exceptional in any grand manner.

Monolith is totaly right. Speed 3 should be for elite special forces types.

[comfortmd]

Originally posted by Demonsong
Monolith is totaly right. Speed 3 should be for elite special forces types.
we are not debating right or wrong, just talking about the "normal" bar in a sci fi game. Star trek wouldn't have been any good if all the klingons had been the equals of bad tempered lemmings. The only real answer is "how nasty do you want your campaign to be?"