algesan

My apologies, yes, I can recreate the wheel. It is definitely doable since I've at least modified the the wheel before when I last GM'd a game using the Hero system years ago. That was when I mixed into a 5th Edition HD template and export template what I consider the best part of 6th to cancel out the biggest flaw in 5th (IMHO at least), which was pulling the direct link between combat and DEX. My irritation is over why it would be necessary when it is, from my personal experience, trivial to have shifted the files to a new hosting as it appears so many of the 6th Ed versions of the export formats did. Of course, I did make an error, I forgot about the Wayback Machine as another poster pointed out in another thread. If, of course, all of the users who created the text based 5th Edition export formats that are no longer available chose to deny Hero Games the right to host their files, then I offer my most abject apologies for any impression you have of my tone that I reached from the absolutely and totally incorrect conclusion that such files were simply discarded by Hero Games when they changed the forum area. Of course, the files are still available at this location online: https://web.archive.org/web/20060630084337/http://www.herogames.com:80/FreeStuff/HeroDesignerV2/export templates/RPM_RTFCharacterSheetsv2.zip

Excellent, thanks again, that did the trick.

Thanks much, hopefully this will solve my problem with HD caused by Hero Games being lazy (BTW, that is the nice reason why some files for HD are missing) and not copying any 5th Ed usable word processor editable export files over to this site.

Yes, repeatedly and repeatedly downloaded different files, I mentioned in the OP just how worthless they are for 5th Edition users. Fortunately, someone mentioned the Wayback Machine in another forum below and I scooped up some pre-6th export formats that Hero Games decided not to copy over. I just downloaded some old friends I recognized and later I will see if they got fubar'd by "updates" from HD.

There were a number of .txt and .rtf export formats for Hero Designer during 5th Edition (and early 6th), what happened to them? All there is left is a bunch of uneditable (and paper hungry) HTMLs and text formats for 6th Edition that reject any data from a HD character built under 5th Edition rules. Nothing that can be opened in a word processor for editing. The only sort of functional two page format left is the PDF export...which cuts a lot of the notes and other details out...as well as being uneditable without paying for an expensive PDF editor. Just curious, since it looks like giving the finger to those who don't change up to the new vision of 6th Ed, despite HeroGames still selling a bunch of 5th Ed books. Not that big a deal I guess since I'm only using HD for my convenience in building my player characters.

The problem being they are already pretty well done. As it is, my players are having fun for the last few sessions running a Weird War Two based on the Dust 1947 (aka Dust Tactics) world. Four players filling out a squad of five (oops, the SGT is dead now and no replacements), starting out as ASOCOM Ranger privates. So far, for intro, they have confirmed the existence of Axis Zombies, haven't found out about the Gorillas yet, haven't met one of the actual super soldiers (one each from Soviets and Allies), have dealt with Soviet Steel Guard (Terminator sized, disabled Red Guard heroes wired into mech chassis), Soviet mecha (as well as watching their Allied light mecha go absolutely apesh*t with his quad 50s trying to penetrate its armor right before it gave him the heavy flamer treatment), etc. Aliens (the original concept, but not mentioned anymore) and maybe Cthulhu can be added in (Dust actually is producing some minis for the tabletop now). Ignore the pricing on each link, I just pulled the first one I saw and they might be the super premium prepainted and/or limited edition ones, so the price may be seriously high. The regular minis are at least as reasonable as GWs...to the point where I almost thought of building Guard out of them. http://www.dust1947.com/news_d.php?id=413 http://www.dust1947.com/products_d.php?sid=80&id=959 http://www.dust1947.com/products_d.php?sid=28&id=1004

Currently in my 50s. Yep, understand about eyesight, but it appears my aging issues are in the "going long" variety (IOW, I have more trouble with close vision, but not with distant vision). Correct on the birdshot, there are also other factors that reduce that range (for example, using 2-3/4" shells in a 3" magnum to get extra rounds in the magazine). Most engagements are at ~300m or less from a study done a long time ago before Vietnam, which is one reason why the USA switched from the M-14 (with 7.82 equivalent) to the M-16 (with 5.56 equivalent). The 1000m range for the .30 caliber rounds was set (IIRC) because that is about when the round goes subsonic and tumbling gets worse, and this does not speak to any ammo from the last two or three decades that might have improved on that. I agree on most civilians not having 11000m to shoot, or the skills (I don't, but I'd try it if I had to), but simulated targeting works fairly well on shorter ranges, so you can learn 300m shooting at 10m, although not as easily. OTOH, I'm more worried about the RPG aspects of this since by its nature, most PCs (and NPCs) are not decrepit, overweight, out of shape, aged individuals. They tend to be paragons (or at least a bit above average) in physical and mental skills. A non-military style PC generally has a lot more in common with Sgt York or Rambo than a civilian in most RPGs. (Yes, there are exceptions here, I've even run several, but the ability to put steel on target when needed is never a bad thing.) People not shooting that well is a function of the amount of training (which is why the Marines have a rep for being better shots than the Army, they spend more time on the range putting steel on target, at least they used to) they get as well as some natural advantages. I lean more to the training, because most of my "natural" advantages relate more to early exposure to firearms, excellent early teachers, a steady hold (but is that nature or training?), much respect but no fear of firearms, etc. That being said, I don't consider my skills all that extraordinary compared to members of not only my extended family, but my wife's extended family, as well as a number of unrelated friends. If you want insane skillz, then I'd suggest an E-5 Sgt from Poland when I was on active duty. I watched the guy use a M-60 to engage group targets at 1000m+ with a series of single shots during several qualifications. Remember that the M-60 has no semi setting, it is full auto with only user trigger control to set the size of a burst. I mention him because when I asked him how the heck he shot like that, he told me about years of Warsaw Pact training: Go to range and shoot, clean equipment, go to field and do live fire maneuvers, clean equipment, rinse, repeat.

Seriously? Wellllll, let's start with the fact that using iron sights on my old M16, I'd have no problem engaging targets at 300m with a good chance of scoring a hit, expect to hit at 200m with regularity (>75%), almost guarantee a hit at 100m (unless the target ducks on time), etc. Similar results with similar rifles. With my carbine, about 100m would be my limit, but that is mainly because it uses a pistol round, not a rifle round, so power issues would come into effect. Pistols of a variety of calibers, no problem taking the shot at 30-40m, but combat ranges work more as 10m. With high quality handguns and professional shooters, 200m isn't an unreasonable range, the weapons will work that far...with IRON SIGHTS. Oh, the 10m range I noted personally above...at that range, I can put 45 rounds (three full clips) at speed (every time the gun comes back "into battery", I put a round downrange) entirely inside the torso of a human target. I'd offer more on pistols, but IMO pistols are what you carry when you aren't expecting trouble. As for shotguns, modern 12 gauge 3" magnum shells using #1 to #000 buckshot, I've seen deer hit and killed at ~100m ranges. Note that most of my *personal* stats listed here are based on what I've fired, not what these weapons are rated for. After all, effective range on the various .30 caliber versions all are listed at around 1000m (7.62 NATO pretty much). Other than the law enforcement stats on pistols, I'd pretty much say that you are off by an order of magnitude on all of your ranges.

Heh, because it is a bit hard for most players to get into. As for En Garde! itself, it is a great game for developing a character (like Traveler), but not so hot in the playing of it (again, like Traveler, but Traveler had more support) as well as being saddled with a clunky combat system that actually appears to be more useful for an early PBM (or PBEM if you wished) style. Pretty much, without any outside support, the GM had to gather his characters, plan out broad events, get each characters' plan for the next month, then decide if anything actually happened (other than the stated stuff) and roleplay that or adjust his event timeline. Other than the combat system (which was given a fan mod in an old Dragon to be a d100 system, much more playable) and general lack of module support, it is actually one of the best PnP RPGs out there for simulating Three Musketeers era urban swashbuckling. Edit: Not to be confused with Osprey's En Garde which is a similar period tabletop skirmish game based on the excellent Ronin system (it is arguably Ronin v2, but loses some of the "flavor" from Ronin of the special rules of the different warbands....but that "flavor" included some broken stuff that the author refused absolutely to address despite having simple fixes pointed out to him). It isn't like most of Osprey's stuff based on some other combat system.

Well, that didn't work, but for another reason I had to do a reboot on the system and this morning I find I don't have a problem anymore. Go figure. Thanks for the assist.

I'm trying to create a character. In the Disadvantages tab, I already have one for Psych Limit Overconfident, but on the 5th Disadvantage, no matter what I choose, it sticks a Psych Limit Overconfident in for 5 points (including the 5 points in all the counts). It will not get rid of it until I delete enough Disadvantages to have less than five. When I go back to Edit it, it edits as a "Hunted" (the one I wanted) and when I go back, the points for the Hunted are there correctly, but it still reads as Overconfident and the text goes from black to blue. When printed to PDF, the points for the hunted are correct, but the text still reads for Overconfident with the anomaly of it having an 8- roll (same as the Hunted) It may be a similar issue since I have a few skills in my first character that I changed from 3 point stat based to 1 point familiarity that also highlighted as blue text while displaying the stat based roll. In those cases though, the PDF print correctly shows the 8- skill roll. Potential additional clues, the exact same Psych Limit Overconfident was on the first character I created in the 5th position, except for showing the base 5 points.

Re: Source for Comstar Traveller Hero books? Heh, another player with interest in the books pops up. Let me know if you have another set. If not, status on the 0.9 pdf? TIA

Re: 5th Ed Paratwa I'd handwave it that way as a GM, but that might be an idea, except how do I build the automatons? As followers? With some kind of mindlink? As totally loyal permanent Summons from a power that only works one time ever? Might be a bit too cheap that way for a PC although it would help the need to have multiple stats. I'm actually thinking this might simply not be doable by the written rules without spending waaaaay too many points.