An interesting discussion has cropped up on the Team 8 forums about training packages. One guy has suggested that they could be used as a combination of official qualification and frat house, offering a little roleplay opportunity and giving players certain advantages. Currently certain packages do offer advantages, such as scouts wearing the scout helmet and media getting their link to control. However this could be extended to all packages. The problem is, how do you balance things? So I thought I'd ask you guys.
Our current packages are:
Death Squad
Kick Murder
Investigation & Interrogation
Medical (Enables access to SLA medical database)
Mechanics
Pilot & Navigation
Business (Enables stock trading)
Strike Squad
Scout (Enables use of Scout helmet)
Media (Enables link to 'control')
Point
Sabotage (Enables access to explosives)
E-War (Enables use of hacking tools)
Some thoughts are limited access to War World weapons (like Joose and his Warbastard) for Death Squad, access to Shiver forensic facilities for I&I, temporary aquisition of vehicles for Pilot & Nav.
Hmm. Just writing this has made me want to steal the guy's idea and write my own source on packages.
SLA Training Packages
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Joose
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Re: SLA Training Packages
I like this idea.
One that comes to mind is allowing Kick Murder guys to use the Martial Arts moves and stuff from...I think its the Contract Directory book, but ive not got my sla stuff here so im not sure. The one that gives you special moves you can do. Its a tiny bit OP for general use, but fits well with the package advantage thing.
Something someone said in that thread also made me think: What about advanced training? You get your basic training as a green, SCL10 noob fresh from Meny, then as you go up the SCL ladder more advanced training packages become available to you. Dont know off the top of my head what they would be, mind. Maybe something like giving Death Squad ops the choice between advanced small arms training or advanced heavy weapons training, that sort of thing?
One that comes to mind is allowing Kick Murder guys to use the Martial Arts moves and stuff from...I think its the Contract Directory book, but ive not got my sla stuff here so im not sure. The one that gives you special moves you can do. Its a tiny bit OP for general use, but fits well with the package advantage thing.
Something someone said in that thread also made me think: What about advanced training? You get your basic training as a green, SCL10 noob fresh from Meny, then as you go up the SCL ladder more advanced training packages become available to you. Dont know off the top of my head what they would be, mind. Maybe something like giving Death Squad ops the choice between advanced small arms training or advanced heavy weapons training, that sort of thing?
I've already put in the Kick Murder martial arts thing for exactly that reason, same as the sniper rules are going in the Scout package. Advanced training has been mentioned in the T8 thread that inspired me to post here, but I'm not convinced by it. I don't want to offer up any advantages that are too powerful, and I can't think of any decent advantages anyway.
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HereComesPete
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Advantages in terms of access and ability are powerful if used well by the player. From a quite distanced stance (I've read a lot of it but haven't ever rolled a char) I think the WOP of SLA is very well balanced, the drawbacks of each uber power are enough to generally make each progression decision something to contemplate instead of gleefully throwing points at things. Unless you're grimmie and you're chasing a big gun.
It isn't well balanced, but them who said it ought to be. Ebons and Wasters can be extremely powerful very quickly if they min/max, pumping experience into protection and using the money saved in armour on weapons. Stormers have obvious combat advantages in that they're very strong, very fast, and heal themselves. Shaktar and Wraiths outclass humans in combat by a mile, although tend to attract players due to who they are rather than their stats. Humans are a pretty weak contender until you throw them into something that needs some social interaction and undercover work. The three Stormer variants in Karma are even more overpowered, which combined with their shallow personalities has seen them banned as playable races from my World of Progress.
But SLA isn't fair, so as long as everyone likes their character and can provide some good interaction I don't mind. Games often thrive on the differences between characters, even if one outclasses another, so long as everyone can shine somewhere. Try playing a Business Finance package human and see how popular you are among your squad members compared to the super-tough Brain Waster when you start raking them double your fee in.
So with regards to the package advantages, I agree that they should be fairly small. At the moment your package offers very little. I'd like to just add a little character. The martial arts rules aren't that good, but they're a nice little character perk for Kick Murder. Stuff to encourage people to play their role more. A cash rebate on ammo would encourage Death Squad trained Ops to use automatic weapons in a support role. Making them fill out loads of forms would encourage them to want a business finance Op in the squad.
But SLA isn't fair, so as long as everyone likes their character and can provide some good interaction I don't mind. Games often thrive on the differences between characters, even if one outclasses another, so long as everyone can shine somewhere. Try playing a Business Finance package human and see how popular you are among your squad members compared to the super-tough Brain Waster when you start raking them double your fee in.
So with regards to the package advantages, I agree that they should be fairly small. At the moment your package offers very little. I'd like to just add a little character. The martial arts rules aren't that good, but they're a nice little character perk for Kick Murder. Stuff to encourage people to play their role more. A cash rebate on ammo would encourage Death Squad trained Ops to use automatic weapons in a support role. Making them fill out loads of forms would encourage them to want a business finance Op in the squad.
Ideas so far then:
Death Squad: Bullet tax rebate (requires a few bureaucracy skills to get though)
Kick Murder: Enhanced Martial Arts ruleset, including some weapon options
I&I: Access to forensic labs and equipment. I do have an essay on forensics in SLA that might be useful. Probably needs more though.
Medical: Access to medical database, enhanced injury rules (already in play), medical equipment section.
Mechanics: Don't know, I'm open to suggestions
Pilot and Navigation: Access to SLA vehicle hire depending on SCL, skills and cash. Up to and including APCs and Kilcopters
Business Finance: Stock trading license (already in place), general financial benefit to squad, ability to become combat financier
Strike Squad: Access to some restricted military equipment
Scout: Use of scout helmet, include sniper rules
Media: Link to 'control', ability to negotiate footage fees
Point: Don't know yet. Something to help being undercover
Sabotage: Explosives license, rules on demolitions
Electronic warfare: Combat hacking rules and equipment
Death Squad: Bullet tax rebate (requires a few bureaucracy skills to get though)
Kick Murder: Enhanced Martial Arts ruleset, including some weapon options
I&I: Access to forensic labs and equipment. I do have an essay on forensics in SLA that might be useful. Probably needs more though.
Medical: Access to medical database, enhanced injury rules (already in play), medical equipment section.
Mechanics: Don't know, I'm open to suggestions
Pilot and Navigation: Access to SLA vehicle hire depending on SCL, skills and cash. Up to and including APCs and Kilcopters
Business Finance: Stock trading license (already in place), general financial benefit to squad, ability to become combat financier
Strike Squad: Access to some restricted military equipment
Scout: Use of scout helmet, include sniper rules
Media: Link to 'control', ability to negotiate footage fees
Point: Don't know yet. Something to help being undercover
Sabotage: Explosives license, rules on demolitions
Electronic warfare: Combat hacking rules and equipment
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HereComesPete
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Could point be something along the lines of slow speed infiltration, kind of like Al does in SR? The face man
Mechanic seems a bit tricky as I'd roll a lot of the pilot/nav stuff their way. How about access to experimental armours/gun customisation, but nothing as big bore and stompy as the strike squad stuff.
Mechanic seems a bit tricky as I'd roll a lot of the pilot/nav stuff their way. How about access to experimental armours/gun customisation, but nothing as big bore and stompy as the strike squad stuff.
Al was designed to be the SR equivalent of Point, doing exactly what he did in the current run. I can't think of any particular perks that might help with that though, other than having good skills. Ideally it would be something that would encourage him to take the subtle approach. Having SR-style contacts maybe, or a license to buy black market equipment for cover? Worth bearing in mind too that Point characters will almost certainly be human.
As for mechanic, moving them away from vehicles and towards weapons and armour might be a very good idea. There are already some rules for certain types of NPCs jury rigging stuff for freaky damage effects. Might make for a nice anti-armour package.
As for mechanic, moving them away from vehicles and towards weapons and armour might be a very good idea. There are already some rules for certain types of NPCs jury rigging stuff for freaky damage effects. Might make for a nice anti-armour package.
I've been prompted back to this by Joose's thoughts on characters. I plan on elaborating each package out to encompass different directions you can take and specialise in, enough to make a mini sourcebook. I'll probably do most of it offline, but I want you guys to play a part in it. So speak up about your package and suggest where you might like to see it go. I want to put in rules where possible to let people use their potential both in and out of BPNs, and character material where rules aren't appropriate.
I'll be starting off with Business package. Role suggestions so far:
Broker - Specialises in finance, using the stock market to make spare credits work. This is already supported with the package's trading license and the stocks and shares house rules.
Manager - Specialises in promotion, selling media footage and negotiating fees for publicity and sponsorships. This is partly supported in the house rules for selling footage, but I want to make the whole sponsorship issue much more detailed with house rules for reputation, bonus payments, and acquirement.
Financier - The financier is a player who does what Haynes currently does. Building up a network of BPN issuing contacts and negotiating fees. They also cross over a little into the Investigation package as far as internal SLA investigating goes, knowing the red tape and bureaucracy in order to get supporting information. A perk to playing a financier in my campaign is you'll have some direction over the BPNs I write by influencing which sort of mission the squad wants.
Negotiator - The negotiator is similar to the financier, but is more about being the public face of the squad. As well as doing the talky side of what the financier does, they'll also be the company man on the street, similar to a Shadowrun Mr Johnson. Dodgy dealings with a gang go down? It'll be a Business package negotiator doing the 80s corporate bad guy role.
What I aim for with the Business package is a character who can keep the costs down and push the profits up for the squad. Other characters can do the other parts that make up a Business Op, but the financial thing is unique to them.
I'll be starting off with Business package. Role suggestions so far:
Broker - Specialises in finance, using the stock market to make spare credits work. This is already supported with the package's trading license and the stocks and shares house rules.
Manager - Specialises in promotion, selling media footage and negotiating fees for publicity and sponsorships. This is partly supported in the house rules for selling footage, but I want to make the whole sponsorship issue much more detailed with house rules for reputation, bonus payments, and acquirement.
Financier - The financier is a player who does what Haynes currently does. Building up a network of BPN issuing contacts and negotiating fees. They also cross over a little into the Investigation package as far as internal SLA investigating goes, knowing the red tape and bureaucracy in order to get supporting information. A perk to playing a financier in my campaign is you'll have some direction over the BPNs I write by influencing which sort of mission the squad wants.
Negotiator - The negotiator is similar to the financier, but is more about being the public face of the squad. As well as doing the talky side of what the financier does, they'll also be the company man on the street, similar to a Shadowrun Mr Johnson. Dodgy dealings with a gang go down? It'll be a Business package negotiator doing the 80s corporate bad guy role.
What I aim for with the Business package is a character who can keep the costs down and push the profits up for the squad. Other characters can do the other parts that make up a Business Op, but the financial thing is unique to them.
Re: SLA Training Packages
Since Joose is in the process of making his Business Op, have the pretty much finished package writeup. Each package will be getting one of these, with package benefits. Death Squad is pretty much done too, and those that I've added under house rules (Point, Sabotage, possibly E-War) willbe integrated into the original packages. As always, suggestions and comments are appreciated.
Business Finance
“This package is essential for any operative who wishes to climb the corporate ladder in the business side of SLA Industries or, alternatively, if a character wishes to become a combat financier for their squad. The training comprises of administration and financial skills as well as public speaking and diplomacy skills necessary for a corporate in the harsh environment of the corporate sector.”
Base Skills:
Business Administration (DIA)
Business Finance (CONC)
Diplomacy (CHA)
Communique (CHA)
SLA Info (KNOW)
Computer Use (DIA)
Package Benefits:
Stock Trading License – The Business Finance Operative is licensed to buy and sell stocks on the open market.
Access to BPN system – Business Finance Operatives may log on to and utilise the BPN file system in order to find work for him or his squad. This allows him to contact the BPN originator and negotiate fees, register a squad for the BPN, and file completion reports so speed up closure (and therefore payment). The following functions are available:
Registering a Squad – While BPNs can be negotiated individually, forming a Squad offers a way of administrating a number of Ops in one. Issuers of BPNs can use the Squad profile to compare multiple Ops against the criteria of their BPN, allowing Squads a greater variety of work than individuals. Note that Squads can still be formed and registered in the BPN halls by non-Business package Ops, in the same way they can pick up BPNs by queuing there.
Finding a BPN – Operative Financiers may apply for BPNs up to their SCL through the system by registering themselves or their squad as available. The financier enters the Squad or Operative reference number and the system will cross reference the details against available BPNs and assign one. The financier is not given the option of refusal of the BPN when assigned in this manner in order to prevent unpleasant BPNs being overlooked for long periods of time and not getting done – the financier’s job is to sell the BPN to the squad or be faced with the option of taking it themselves or failing it.
A second option for acquiring BPNs is by applying directly. This requires the financier to know the BPN reference number, which means someone had to tell them. A good financier will have a network of contacts for just this purpose, putting out feelers for upcoming BPNs in order to avoid having to run the risks of letting the system assign one.
Negotiating the BPN – The financier has the opportunity to negotiate the Consolidated Bonus Scheme for a BPN when it is issued. The payment will already have been set when the BPN was written (by the GM), but a successful Interview roll vs the issuer’s COOL will allow them to negotiate. Negotiating payment involves rolling on the squad's reputation with the issuing department, with each point of success equating to a 5% increase in payment up to the maximum for the BPN type.
Completing the BPN – Once the BPN has been completed the financier can report in. Of course any member of the squad can do this, but a Business Finance trained Op can input the report directly into the system. Doing so, along with a successful Business Administration roll, allows him to add +1 to the reputation increase roll for the issuing department.
Roles:
Broker – The Stock Trading License makes the Business package Op useful to his peers as a way of utilising spare cash. Brokers can take money and invest them in high yield stocks in order to make more money, either by taking the profits as dividends or by using it as a form of high interest bank accounts. Of course with high risk trading losses can be made, but with a little skill the benefits outweigh those risks if the spare money is available. By handling the finances of the squad the Broker can choose to undercut the freelance brokers who offer their services to Ops, or even help them for free to benefit the squad as a whole. Brokers should concentrate on the Business Finance and Business Administration skills in order to maximise the profits for themselves and their colleague.
Manager – A manager specialises in promotion of his squad in the media, selling footage and negotiating fees for publicity and sponsorships. When working in conjunction with a Media package Op a manager can be a formidable ally to a squad. By manipulating the public and sponsors, and bartering with the TV channels, the manager strives to thrust his colleagues into fame and fortune, often with himself as the spokesman. A manager should specialise in Business Administration, Interview, Diplomacy and Communique.
Financier - The financier is an Operative who uses his skills to get BPNs for his (or sometimes others’) squad. Building up a network of BPN issuing contacts is the key to this, and experienced financiers can get in on juicy BPNs before they hit the halls, often negotiating a higher fee. Operative financiers also cross over a little into the Investigation package as far as internal SLA investigating goes, knowing the red tape and bureaucracy in order to get supporting information. Financiers should specialise in Business Administration, SLA Info and Interview in order to grease the corporate wheels to maximum effect.
Negotiator - The negotiator is similar to the financier, but is more about being the public face of the squad. As well as doing the corporate side of what the financier does to an extent, they'll also be the company man on the street. While it can be somewhat dangerous to speak on behalf of SLA, negotiators are useful for using company influence to lean on non-company groups, such as Soft Companies and gangs, either by threat or by promise. Negotiators should concentrate on skills like Streetwise, SLA Info, Diplomacy and Persuade.
In conjunction with the package, some of the house rules have been revamped:
Stocks and Shares
Operatives often invest in stocks to make their spare cash work for them. Usually they will get a financier to deal with all the paperwork, but many Business package Ops actually dabble themselves. If an Op wants to get a financier to deal with his stocks, the financier will give him monthly reports and the opportunity to reap any profits. If the Op chooses not to, the financier will simply take his percentage of the profits and re-invest the rest. If the Op wants to sell some shares, however, the financier will take a cut and give the Op the remaining profits. The broker’s fee varies, depending on the skill of the financier, but always involves a set fee. As a rough guide, the fee is usually ten times the financier's Business Finance skill and the monthly percentage is usually two times the financier's skill. If a character wants to dabble himself, he doesn't pay any fees but is probably not going to make as big a profit and has modifications according to his Business Administration skill. An Op is required to have a trade license before he can invest on the stock market himself, which is limited to the Business package.
Every month, a Business Finance roll is made to find out how well the shares are doing. The amount above or below 11 is equal to a 2% profit or loss on the amount invested. If an Op is managing his own shares a Business Administration roll must first be made, and if the total is 11+ the transactions are worked out in the normal way. SLA, however, is notoriously awkward when it comes to giving money away and there are many bureaucratic traps to fall into. If the Op fails his Business administration roll, the transactions get lost in the red tape and the shares are frozen for that month. If at any point a double one is rolled, something has gone terribly wrong. Another roll should be made with the amount rolled being used as an additional loss of 5% per point.
Reputations
The nature of the World of Progress is one of corporate intrigue. An Operative can make or break his career not only by the direct results of his actions, but also by how others perceive those actions. Operatives may not be as reliant on their public image as Contract Killers, but many media-orientated Ops can still attract sponsors to a certain extent. The media themselves are fickle, and only a good relationship with them will draw a squad from obscurity into the public eye. Sponsors must be impressed before they will consider backing any Operative.
Aside from fame and fortune, a character or squad’s reputation with departments can get them more pay from a BPN or, conversely, lead to them refusing to accept the squad for one. Reputations will change depending on the actions an Op takes, but it is far harder to build good reputation than it is to lose it. The table below shows some example modifiers, and as a general rule negatives come off automatically, while positives must usually be rolled for. Reputations can be considered a skill when rolling against them, with CHA as the governing statistic (i.e. a Reputation cannot become higher than the charisma statistic), although they cannot be bought with experience. Reputations are held as individuals, however the squad itself will also have a reputation. This is more often used for department reputations from performance on BPNs, and is similarly used when dealing with departments in a professional capacity, A few reputations, for example Public Image, can apply to both the squad and the individuals.
Situation: Modifier: Reputation:
No coverage in a month -1 (min 0) Public image
Good coverage on a BPN +1 Public image
Causing civilian casualties -1 or more Public image
Hitting a reporter (depending on popularity) +/-1 to -2 Public image
-1 to -2 Media
Deliberately providing good camera footage +1 Media
Successful BPN 1 Department
Unsuccessful BPN -1 Department
Spectacularly failed BPN -2 or more Department
Successful BPN for company +1 Company
Unsuccessful BPN for company -1 Company
Spectacularly failed BPN for company -2 or more Company
Plugging a sponsor on TV +1 Company
Dropping a sponsor -3 Company
Being dropped by a sponsor -1 Company
Causing unnecessary civilian casualties -1 or more Cloak/IA
Covering up the supernatural 1 Stygmartyr
Encountering the Truth -1 Stygmartyr
Covering up the Truth 1 Stygmartyr
As can be seen, the higher a reputation is the easier it is to maintain as long as the work is put in. Celebrities (or well thought of Ops) are more likely to be well thought of than a nobody, but complacency can cause even the most famous to become a flash in the pan.
Sponsorships
While lucrative sponsorship deals are mainly the domain of Contract Killers, successful Operatives can also attract lesser fortune if they have a knack for appearing on camera. SLA realises the potential for Ops to provide popular TV in a style that the Contract Circuit can’t provide, a sort of reality TV that is very popular. However, Operatives have a job to do and so to prevent them from being distracted too much by the bright lights and cameras there are restrictions placed upon how much they can benefit from sponsorships.
The amount of sponsors an Operative can have is limited by his SCL, but depends upon his reputations. The higher SCL an Op is, the more influential sponsors they are allowed to sign to. The quantity of sponsors a character can have is less tangible, and is dependant on their public image. As abstract a system as it is, a character can have a total of sponsorship points to allocate. Sponsors of different levels cost different amounts of points, and the total number of sponsorship points cannot exceed a character’s public image rating. If public image drops below the total sponsorship points, the highest SCL sponsor (ie, the best) will contact the Op and give him an ultimatum, either drop a smaller sponsor (to bring the sponsorship points back in line with public image) or lose their sponsorship. Public image is a fickle thing, and a particularly bad move on TV could cause an Op to lose all his sponsors in one fell swoop!
SCL Requirement Example Sponsor Points cost Income
9 Coffin Cigarettes 1 50c
8 Sigerson Airware 2 100c
7 Gorezone 3 150c
6 FEN 4 200c
5 Karma 5 250c
Sponsorships are arranged on a contractual basis. The Op may usually choose which type of deal he wants and they are by no means limited to these examples. The standard sponsorship contract works on a monthly basis. The Op wears the sponsor's logo on his armour and gets paid every month for doing so. The sponsor may cancel this contract at any time, and the Op may cancel at the beginning of the month. Another common form is for the sponsor to supply equipment for free in return for the sponsorship. This usually takes the form of working out how long it would take the Op to cover the cost of the item in sponsorship money and wearing the logo for that amount of time. The deal is then either cancelled or re-negotiated at that time. The payment and perks an Op gets from his sponsors depends upon his reputation with them. Payment is standardised by SLA to prevent Operatives becoming too much like Contract Killers, but other perks such as free clothing or equipment are not uncommon with particularly photogenic Ops.
Reputation with sponsor Effect
Less than 0 Sponsor immediately cancels contract
0 Sponsor will not sign new sponsorship
1 Op may approach SCL 8 or 9 sponsors
2 SCL 9 sponsor may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 7 sponsor
3 SCL 8 sponsors may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 6 sponsor
4 SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 25c/month
SCL 7 sponsors may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 5 sponsor
5 SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
SCL 6 sponsors may approach Op
6 SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 75c/month
SCL 5 sponsors may approach Op
7 SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
8 SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 150c/month
SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 175c/month
9 SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 200c/month
10 SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 250c/month
Operatives may attempt to artificially boost their reputation with one sponsor for a month. The character chooses the level of reputation from the table above and rolls against his Communique skill with the difference between the character's reputation and that required as a negative modifier. If successful they get the benefit of the increased level on the chart for that month. This process can also be done on behalf of other members of the squad.
Business Finance
“This package is essential for any operative who wishes to climb the corporate ladder in the business side of SLA Industries or, alternatively, if a character wishes to become a combat financier for their squad. The training comprises of administration and financial skills as well as public speaking and diplomacy skills necessary for a corporate in the harsh environment of the corporate sector.”
Base Skills:
Business Administration (DIA)
Business Finance (CONC)
Diplomacy (CHA)
Communique (CHA)
SLA Info (KNOW)
Computer Use (DIA)
Package Benefits:
Stock Trading License – The Business Finance Operative is licensed to buy and sell stocks on the open market.
Access to BPN system – Business Finance Operatives may log on to and utilise the BPN file system in order to find work for him or his squad. This allows him to contact the BPN originator and negotiate fees, register a squad for the BPN, and file completion reports so speed up closure (and therefore payment). The following functions are available:
Registering a Squad – While BPNs can be negotiated individually, forming a Squad offers a way of administrating a number of Ops in one. Issuers of BPNs can use the Squad profile to compare multiple Ops against the criteria of their BPN, allowing Squads a greater variety of work than individuals. Note that Squads can still be formed and registered in the BPN halls by non-Business package Ops, in the same way they can pick up BPNs by queuing there.
Finding a BPN – Operative Financiers may apply for BPNs up to their SCL through the system by registering themselves or their squad as available. The financier enters the Squad or Operative reference number and the system will cross reference the details against available BPNs and assign one. The financier is not given the option of refusal of the BPN when assigned in this manner in order to prevent unpleasant BPNs being overlooked for long periods of time and not getting done – the financier’s job is to sell the BPN to the squad or be faced with the option of taking it themselves or failing it.
A second option for acquiring BPNs is by applying directly. This requires the financier to know the BPN reference number, which means someone had to tell them. A good financier will have a network of contacts for just this purpose, putting out feelers for upcoming BPNs in order to avoid having to run the risks of letting the system assign one.
Negotiating the BPN – The financier has the opportunity to negotiate the Consolidated Bonus Scheme for a BPN when it is issued. The payment will already have been set when the BPN was written (by the GM), but a successful Interview roll vs the issuer’s COOL will allow them to negotiate. Negotiating payment involves rolling on the squad's reputation with the issuing department, with each point of success equating to a 5% increase in payment up to the maximum for the BPN type.
Completing the BPN – Once the BPN has been completed the financier can report in. Of course any member of the squad can do this, but a Business Finance trained Op can input the report directly into the system. Doing so, along with a successful Business Administration roll, allows him to add +1 to the reputation increase roll for the issuing department.
Roles:
Broker – The Stock Trading License makes the Business package Op useful to his peers as a way of utilising spare cash. Brokers can take money and invest them in high yield stocks in order to make more money, either by taking the profits as dividends or by using it as a form of high interest bank accounts. Of course with high risk trading losses can be made, but with a little skill the benefits outweigh those risks if the spare money is available. By handling the finances of the squad the Broker can choose to undercut the freelance brokers who offer their services to Ops, or even help them for free to benefit the squad as a whole. Brokers should concentrate on the Business Finance and Business Administration skills in order to maximise the profits for themselves and their colleague.
Manager – A manager specialises in promotion of his squad in the media, selling footage and negotiating fees for publicity and sponsorships. When working in conjunction with a Media package Op a manager can be a formidable ally to a squad. By manipulating the public and sponsors, and bartering with the TV channels, the manager strives to thrust his colleagues into fame and fortune, often with himself as the spokesman. A manager should specialise in Business Administration, Interview, Diplomacy and Communique.
Financier - The financier is an Operative who uses his skills to get BPNs for his (or sometimes others’) squad. Building up a network of BPN issuing contacts is the key to this, and experienced financiers can get in on juicy BPNs before they hit the halls, often negotiating a higher fee. Operative financiers also cross over a little into the Investigation package as far as internal SLA investigating goes, knowing the red tape and bureaucracy in order to get supporting information. Financiers should specialise in Business Administration, SLA Info and Interview in order to grease the corporate wheels to maximum effect.
Negotiator - The negotiator is similar to the financier, but is more about being the public face of the squad. As well as doing the corporate side of what the financier does to an extent, they'll also be the company man on the street. While it can be somewhat dangerous to speak on behalf of SLA, negotiators are useful for using company influence to lean on non-company groups, such as Soft Companies and gangs, either by threat or by promise. Negotiators should concentrate on skills like Streetwise, SLA Info, Diplomacy and Persuade.
In conjunction with the package, some of the house rules have been revamped:
Stocks and Shares
Operatives often invest in stocks to make their spare cash work for them. Usually they will get a financier to deal with all the paperwork, but many Business package Ops actually dabble themselves. If an Op wants to get a financier to deal with his stocks, the financier will give him monthly reports and the opportunity to reap any profits. If the Op chooses not to, the financier will simply take his percentage of the profits and re-invest the rest. If the Op wants to sell some shares, however, the financier will take a cut and give the Op the remaining profits. The broker’s fee varies, depending on the skill of the financier, but always involves a set fee. As a rough guide, the fee is usually ten times the financier's Business Finance skill and the monthly percentage is usually two times the financier's skill. If a character wants to dabble himself, he doesn't pay any fees but is probably not going to make as big a profit and has modifications according to his Business Administration skill. An Op is required to have a trade license before he can invest on the stock market himself, which is limited to the Business package.
Every month, a Business Finance roll is made to find out how well the shares are doing. The amount above or below 11 is equal to a 2% profit or loss on the amount invested. If an Op is managing his own shares a Business Administration roll must first be made, and if the total is 11+ the transactions are worked out in the normal way. SLA, however, is notoriously awkward when it comes to giving money away and there are many bureaucratic traps to fall into. If the Op fails his Business administration roll, the transactions get lost in the red tape and the shares are frozen for that month. If at any point a double one is rolled, something has gone terribly wrong. Another roll should be made with the amount rolled being used as an additional loss of 5% per point.
Reputations
The nature of the World of Progress is one of corporate intrigue. An Operative can make or break his career not only by the direct results of his actions, but also by how others perceive those actions. Operatives may not be as reliant on their public image as Contract Killers, but many media-orientated Ops can still attract sponsors to a certain extent. The media themselves are fickle, and only a good relationship with them will draw a squad from obscurity into the public eye. Sponsors must be impressed before they will consider backing any Operative.
Aside from fame and fortune, a character or squad’s reputation with departments can get them more pay from a BPN or, conversely, lead to them refusing to accept the squad for one. Reputations will change depending on the actions an Op takes, but it is far harder to build good reputation than it is to lose it. The table below shows some example modifiers, and as a general rule negatives come off automatically, while positives must usually be rolled for. Reputations can be considered a skill when rolling against them, with CHA as the governing statistic (i.e. a Reputation cannot become higher than the charisma statistic), although they cannot be bought with experience. Reputations are held as individuals, however the squad itself will also have a reputation. This is more often used for department reputations from performance on BPNs, and is similarly used when dealing with departments in a professional capacity, A few reputations, for example Public Image, can apply to both the squad and the individuals.
Situation: Modifier: Reputation:
No coverage in a month -1 (min 0) Public image
Good coverage on a BPN +1 Public image
Causing civilian casualties -1 or more Public image
Hitting a reporter (depending on popularity) +/-1 to -2 Public image
-1 to -2 Media
Deliberately providing good camera footage +1 Media
Successful BPN 1 Department
Unsuccessful BPN -1 Department
Spectacularly failed BPN -2 or more Department
Successful BPN for company +1 Company
Unsuccessful BPN for company -1 Company
Spectacularly failed BPN for company -2 or more Company
Plugging a sponsor on TV +1 Company
Dropping a sponsor -3 Company
Being dropped by a sponsor -1 Company
Causing unnecessary civilian casualties -1 or more Cloak/IA
Covering up the supernatural 1 Stygmartyr
Encountering the Truth -1 Stygmartyr
Covering up the Truth 1 Stygmartyr
As can be seen, the higher a reputation is the easier it is to maintain as long as the work is put in. Celebrities (or well thought of Ops) are more likely to be well thought of than a nobody, but complacency can cause even the most famous to become a flash in the pan.
Sponsorships
While lucrative sponsorship deals are mainly the domain of Contract Killers, successful Operatives can also attract lesser fortune if they have a knack for appearing on camera. SLA realises the potential for Ops to provide popular TV in a style that the Contract Circuit can’t provide, a sort of reality TV that is very popular. However, Operatives have a job to do and so to prevent them from being distracted too much by the bright lights and cameras there are restrictions placed upon how much they can benefit from sponsorships.
The amount of sponsors an Operative can have is limited by his SCL, but depends upon his reputations. The higher SCL an Op is, the more influential sponsors they are allowed to sign to. The quantity of sponsors a character can have is less tangible, and is dependant on their public image. As abstract a system as it is, a character can have a total of sponsorship points to allocate. Sponsors of different levels cost different amounts of points, and the total number of sponsorship points cannot exceed a character’s public image rating. If public image drops below the total sponsorship points, the highest SCL sponsor (ie, the best) will contact the Op and give him an ultimatum, either drop a smaller sponsor (to bring the sponsorship points back in line with public image) or lose their sponsorship. Public image is a fickle thing, and a particularly bad move on TV could cause an Op to lose all his sponsors in one fell swoop!
SCL Requirement Example Sponsor Points cost Income
9 Coffin Cigarettes 1 50c
8 Sigerson Airware 2 100c
7 Gorezone 3 150c
6 FEN 4 200c
5 Karma 5 250c
Sponsorships are arranged on a contractual basis. The Op may usually choose which type of deal he wants and they are by no means limited to these examples. The standard sponsorship contract works on a monthly basis. The Op wears the sponsor's logo on his armour and gets paid every month for doing so. The sponsor may cancel this contract at any time, and the Op may cancel at the beginning of the month. Another common form is for the sponsor to supply equipment for free in return for the sponsorship. This usually takes the form of working out how long it would take the Op to cover the cost of the item in sponsorship money and wearing the logo for that amount of time. The deal is then either cancelled or re-negotiated at that time. The payment and perks an Op gets from his sponsors depends upon his reputation with them. Payment is standardised by SLA to prevent Operatives becoming too much like Contract Killers, but other perks such as free clothing or equipment are not uncommon with particularly photogenic Ops.
Reputation with sponsor Effect
Less than 0 Sponsor immediately cancels contract
0 Sponsor will not sign new sponsorship
1 Op may approach SCL 8 or 9 sponsors
2 SCL 9 sponsor may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 7 sponsor
3 SCL 8 sponsors may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 6 sponsor
4 SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 25c/month
SCL 7 sponsors may approach Op
Op may approach SCL 5 sponsor
5 SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
SCL 6 sponsors may approach Op
6 SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 75c/month
SCL 5 sponsors may approach Op
7 SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
8 SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 150c/month
SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 175c/month
9 SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 200c/month
10 SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 250c/month
Operatives may attempt to artificially boost their reputation with one sponsor for a month. The character chooses the level of reputation from the table above and rolls against his Communique skill with the difference between the character's reputation and that required as a negative modifier. If successful they get the benefit of the increased level on the chart for that month. This process can also be done on behalf of other members of the squad.
Re: SLA Training Packages
I've written up a few more bits for other packages. Kick Murder feels a bit sparse, and the bonus thing feels a little like D&D's backstab rules, but it does fit the role and I couldn't think of anything better. As always, if you think of things you think would make your package more effective then please make suggestions.
Death Squad
“The Death Squad Package trains and places the operative in an advanced and heavy assault form of combat. The Death Squads are trained to analyse the enemy and are usually equipped heavily with armour and equipment, as they are faced with the toughest, most brutal missions and often battle rival company operatives and agents who are as well armed as they are. In these squads, promotion comes fast if the operative can survive for long enough. There are usually one
or two Death Squad trained operatives in a normal squad.”
Base Skills:
Auto/Support (PHYS)
Rifle (DEX)
Rival Company (KNOW)
Tactics (DIA)
Evaluate Opponent (KNOW)
Unarmed Combat (STR)
Package Benefits:
Bullet Tax rebates – Death Squad Ops are expected to operate in assault and support roles, often requiring automatic weapons to do their job. This has been hindered previously by the bullet tax, which was designed to encourage Operatives and Contract Killers into considering more melee options. Since 900SD Operatives (note, not Contract Killers) trained in a Death Squad role can apply for a Bullet Tax rebate at the end of each month. In order to do this they must first pass a Business Administration roll (in fact the vast majority of Death Squad Ops enlist a financier or Business trained squadmate to do this for them). Should this be successful the Operative will receive a return of 25% of the costs of the month's ammunition.
Combat Gestures – Death Squad Operatives are trained to anticipate and understand the actions of their colleagues in fast and dangerous combat situations. Throughout their training they are instructed in a set of gestures and motions which enable them to communicate their intentions and issue orders quickly and silently. Death or Strike Squad Ops within line of sight of each other gain a +1 modifier to their tactics rolls.
Draw Fire – While in support roles Death Squad gunners are extremely proficient at making themselves conspicuous. Firing across the enemy's line of sight and hitting their cover and the ground around them, the Op can attract the fire of an enemy shooter in order to lessen the risk to their comrades. When a Death Squad Op fires at an enemy using auto fire, regardless of whether he hits or not (but not if the weapon jams), he can attempt to draw their fire. This is done by making a successful Tactics roll with their weapon's rate of fire bonus and the opponent's Tactics skill as modifiers.
Covering Fire – Using very much the same tactics as with drawing fire, a Death Squad gunner can horse the enemy to keep their heads down. When a Death Squad Op fires at enemies using suppressive fire he may attempt covering fire. This is done by making a successful Tactics roll with their weapon's rate of fire bonus and the opponent's Tactics skill as modifiers. If successful targets in cover will duck behind it, while targets without will take their next action to change to a kneeling or prone position. Should an enemy be in the open and prone already the covering fire will have no effect.
Assault Shields – While not commonly used due to their unpopularity on camera, Death Squad Ops have the opportunity to use heavy, armoured shields in order to assault well defended positions. Various sizes are available, but all are large and very heavy. They are employed in one of two ways; either as full cover to advance down narrow fields of fire such as corridors, or as partial cover when firing. The shields have a PV of 12 and an ID of 40, and naturally only provide cover from one direction. They cost 300c.
Breach – Close quarter battle situations, such as building clearances, require special tactics in order to cover all angles and give the attacker the advantage. Death Squad Ops can use a verbal order (see Tactics) to coordinate squadmates in a breach. On a successful roll the Death Squad Op and any other comrades entering the room may bring to bear on an opponent at no action cost, provided they pass a DEX check. The breach tactic can also be used on corridor junctions or other bottlenecks, but requires the enemy to be within optimum range or less.
Roles:
Support Gunner – The support gunner carries heavy automatic weapons such as the Power Reaper in order to lay down fire on the enemy. This helps keep their heads down and therefore lessen the risk to his colleagues. Of course with such a rate of fire the support gunner can also be a very dangerous offensive weapon, assuming he can hit a target with all that firepower. Recommended skills for a support gunner are Rifle, Auto/Support and Tactics.
Assault Gunner – Assault Gunners are the point men of a squad, the first ones into combat. They are very often the focal point of enemy fire and as such need to be heavily armoured. Offensive capability is often second to surviving the withering fire they can expect when storming the enemy, although many carry heavy automatics as Assault Ops are often well skilled in supporting fire too. Recommended skills for assault gunners are Rifle, Tactics and Evaluate Opponent.
Close Quarters – Death Squad Ops employed in a CQB role are usually notable because they are less heavily armoured than those in assault or support roles. Tending to prefer lighter, more portable weapons like shotguns and SMGs, they are highly proficient at storming buildings. Tactics tend to rely on moving fast and confusing the enemy, often with the use of various types of grenades. Recommended skills for CQB gunners are Rifle or Pistol, Throw, Tactics, and Rival Company knowledge.
Kick Murder Squad
“The Kick Murder Squad Package trains the operative in the form of assassination and espionage. The trainee operative learns Martial Arts and other forms of close combat. Their missions can vary widely from murdering an important company representative to the retrieval of a secret Rival Company map or weapon. Any mission or job that involves stealth and silence is given to the Kick Murder Squad.”
Base Skills:
Hide (DEX)
Sneaking (DEX)
Martial Arts (DEX)
Climb (PHYS)
Acrobatics (PHYS)
Any Close Combat Skill
Package benefits:
Killing Blow – While many Operatives are trained to kill, Kick Murder specialists are trained rigorously in the exploitation of the weaknesses of the human anatomy. Given a little time to calculate their attack a Kick Murder Op can strike a fatal blow to an unwary victim by aiming for these weak points. A Kick Murder trained Op may take an additional action to ‘aim’ for a weak point on a human opponent unable to defend themselves (they are unaware of the attack or incapacitated). They may then make a melee attack with their next action which, if it hits, will inflict double damage.
Roles:
Infiltrator – The infiltrator concentrates more on the covert aspects of Kick Murder training, rather than the killing. Using their skills to enter places where they shouldn't be either by stealth or by deception, they take what they want and leave before anyone realises they were there. Recommended skills for Infiltrators are hide, sneak, climb, and disguise.
Assassin – The Assassin is a stealthy killer, one who concentrates on getting close to their target through deception. Usually they will be working alone and unarmoured, and very often unarmed, in order to eliminate their prey and escape. The similarities between the Assassin and the infiltrator are many, but the Assassin trades some of the travelling skills for unarmed combat. Assassins are recommended to specialise in Martial Arts, Disguise and Persuasion.
Hitman – The Hitman is the flipside of the Assassin, taking down their targets overtly after covertly getting close. Taking the other side of the Infiltrator's skillset, the Hitman will sneak into an enemy's lair and eliminate him with silent weapons, before quietly withdrawing. The weapon of choice varies by individual, but most consider there to be more kudos the close you have to be to your mark. Recommended skills include a melee weapon, hide, sneak and climb.
Brawler – Brawlers differ from other Kick Murder Ops in that they have no interest in stealth. Often large and powerful, they specialise in brutal close combat weapons and open combat. Many Brawlers become Contract Killers, if they survive long enough. Recommended skills include at least one melee skill, Gymnastics, and Evaluate Opponent.
Investigation & Interrogation
“The Investigation and Interrogation Package trains the operative in undercover work. The operative learns rapidly how to root out traitors, analyze the structure of Rival Companies, extract information from captives, gain reliable sources and recover lost information - all aspects that are essential to their company's survival. This package is usually appropriate to Ebons whose goal is knowledge and loyalty. This is also the basic training for Shiver Unit troops.”
Base Skills:
Detect (CONC)
Rival Company (KNOW)
SLA Info (KNOW)
Streetwise (KNOW)
Interview (CHA)
Forensics (DIA)
Package Benefits:
Forensic Support – Investigation and Interrogation Operatives have close ties with Shivers, training in the same facility. While this does not often lead to camaraderie, it has led to certain arrangements being made for graduates in the field. I&I Ops may freely use the forensic laboratories of Shiver stations, and commandeer field equipment and teams to conduct on-scene forensic investigations. Note, however, that the Shivers will stop short of doing the Op’s job for them.
Surveillance equipment
Roles:
Sleuth – Many I&I Operatives, particularly non-humans, use subtle but overt techniques of information gathering. Their overtly corporate nature sometimes makes the human interaction aspects of information gathering difficult, but they make up for it with a wealth of surveillance equipment and the technical skills to use it. Recommended skills include Detect, Sleight, Interview and Read Lips.
Undercover – The undercover Op specialises in blending in with the population in order to covertly gather information. While their role is primarily intelligence, they are often called upon by their squads to perform urban reconnaissance by inserting themselves into hostile locations under the guise of being an innocent bystander or even a member of the opposition. Recommended skills include Streetwise, Rival Company, Persuasion and Disguise.
SOCO – The Scene Of Crime Officer is usually a Shiver forensic role, however some Ops will train in this area in order to exploit the forensic facilities available and not be dependent on third parties. The SOCO specialises in gleaning information from the residual evidence of an event, identifying what happened and who might have been involved by the clues left behind. Recommended skills include Detect, Forensics, and Pathology.
Interrogator – Interrogators specialise in levering information from suspects by whatever means necessary. While some limit their techniques to persuasion and trickery, many aren’t afraid to use torture as one of their tools. Many Interrogator Ops move on to the Dept of Re-Education where they become feared and reviled for their reputation for brutality. Recommended skills include Interview, Persuasion, Torture, Intimidation, and psychology.
Death Squad
“The Death Squad Package trains and places the operative in an advanced and heavy assault form of combat. The Death Squads are trained to analyse the enemy and are usually equipped heavily with armour and equipment, as they are faced with the toughest, most brutal missions and often battle rival company operatives and agents who are as well armed as they are. In these squads, promotion comes fast if the operative can survive for long enough. There are usually one
or two Death Squad trained operatives in a normal squad.”
Base Skills:
Auto/Support (PHYS)
Rifle (DEX)
Rival Company (KNOW)
Tactics (DIA)
Evaluate Opponent (KNOW)
Unarmed Combat (STR)
Package Benefits:
Bullet Tax rebates – Death Squad Ops are expected to operate in assault and support roles, often requiring automatic weapons to do their job. This has been hindered previously by the bullet tax, which was designed to encourage Operatives and Contract Killers into considering more melee options. Since 900SD Operatives (note, not Contract Killers) trained in a Death Squad role can apply for a Bullet Tax rebate at the end of each month. In order to do this they must first pass a Business Administration roll (in fact the vast majority of Death Squad Ops enlist a financier or Business trained squadmate to do this for them). Should this be successful the Operative will receive a return of 25% of the costs of the month's ammunition.
Combat Gestures – Death Squad Operatives are trained to anticipate and understand the actions of their colleagues in fast and dangerous combat situations. Throughout their training they are instructed in a set of gestures and motions which enable them to communicate their intentions and issue orders quickly and silently. Death or Strike Squad Ops within line of sight of each other gain a +1 modifier to their tactics rolls.
Draw Fire – While in support roles Death Squad gunners are extremely proficient at making themselves conspicuous. Firing across the enemy's line of sight and hitting their cover and the ground around them, the Op can attract the fire of an enemy shooter in order to lessen the risk to their comrades. When a Death Squad Op fires at an enemy using auto fire, regardless of whether he hits or not (but not if the weapon jams), he can attempt to draw their fire. This is done by making a successful Tactics roll with their weapon's rate of fire bonus and the opponent's Tactics skill as modifiers.
Covering Fire – Using very much the same tactics as with drawing fire, a Death Squad gunner can horse the enemy to keep their heads down. When a Death Squad Op fires at enemies using suppressive fire he may attempt covering fire. This is done by making a successful Tactics roll with their weapon's rate of fire bonus and the opponent's Tactics skill as modifiers. If successful targets in cover will duck behind it, while targets without will take their next action to change to a kneeling or prone position. Should an enemy be in the open and prone already the covering fire will have no effect.
Assault Shields – While not commonly used due to their unpopularity on camera, Death Squad Ops have the opportunity to use heavy, armoured shields in order to assault well defended positions. Various sizes are available, but all are large and very heavy. They are employed in one of two ways; either as full cover to advance down narrow fields of fire such as corridors, or as partial cover when firing. The shields have a PV of 12 and an ID of 40, and naturally only provide cover from one direction. They cost 300c.
Breach – Close quarter battle situations, such as building clearances, require special tactics in order to cover all angles and give the attacker the advantage. Death Squad Ops can use a verbal order (see Tactics) to coordinate squadmates in a breach. On a successful roll the Death Squad Op and any other comrades entering the room may bring to bear on an opponent at no action cost, provided they pass a DEX check. The breach tactic can also be used on corridor junctions or other bottlenecks, but requires the enemy to be within optimum range or less.
Roles:
Support Gunner – The support gunner carries heavy automatic weapons such as the Power Reaper in order to lay down fire on the enemy. This helps keep their heads down and therefore lessen the risk to his colleagues. Of course with such a rate of fire the support gunner can also be a very dangerous offensive weapon, assuming he can hit a target with all that firepower. Recommended skills for a support gunner are Rifle, Auto/Support and Tactics.
Assault Gunner – Assault Gunners are the point men of a squad, the first ones into combat. They are very often the focal point of enemy fire and as such need to be heavily armoured. Offensive capability is often second to surviving the withering fire they can expect when storming the enemy, although many carry heavy automatics as Assault Ops are often well skilled in supporting fire too. Recommended skills for assault gunners are Rifle, Tactics and Evaluate Opponent.
Close Quarters – Death Squad Ops employed in a CQB role are usually notable because they are less heavily armoured than those in assault or support roles. Tending to prefer lighter, more portable weapons like shotguns and SMGs, they are highly proficient at storming buildings. Tactics tend to rely on moving fast and confusing the enemy, often with the use of various types of grenades. Recommended skills for CQB gunners are Rifle or Pistol, Throw, Tactics, and Rival Company knowledge.
Kick Murder Squad
“The Kick Murder Squad Package trains the operative in the form of assassination and espionage. The trainee operative learns Martial Arts and other forms of close combat. Their missions can vary widely from murdering an important company representative to the retrieval of a secret Rival Company map or weapon. Any mission or job that involves stealth and silence is given to the Kick Murder Squad.”
Base Skills:
Hide (DEX)
Sneaking (DEX)
Martial Arts (DEX)
Climb (PHYS)
Acrobatics (PHYS)
Any Close Combat Skill
Package benefits:
Killing Blow – While many Operatives are trained to kill, Kick Murder specialists are trained rigorously in the exploitation of the weaknesses of the human anatomy. Given a little time to calculate their attack a Kick Murder Op can strike a fatal blow to an unwary victim by aiming for these weak points. A Kick Murder trained Op may take an additional action to ‘aim’ for a weak point on a human opponent unable to defend themselves (they are unaware of the attack or incapacitated). They may then make a melee attack with their next action which, if it hits, will inflict double damage.
Roles:
Infiltrator – The infiltrator concentrates more on the covert aspects of Kick Murder training, rather than the killing. Using their skills to enter places where they shouldn't be either by stealth or by deception, they take what they want and leave before anyone realises they were there. Recommended skills for Infiltrators are hide, sneak, climb, and disguise.
Assassin – The Assassin is a stealthy killer, one who concentrates on getting close to their target through deception. Usually they will be working alone and unarmoured, and very often unarmed, in order to eliminate their prey and escape. The similarities between the Assassin and the infiltrator are many, but the Assassin trades some of the travelling skills for unarmed combat. Assassins are recommended to specialise in Martial Arts, Disguise and Persuasion.
Hitman – The Hitman is the flipside of the Assassin, taking down their targets overtly after covertly getting close. Taking the other side of the Infiltrator's skillset, the Hitman will sneak into an enemy's lair and eliminate him with silent weapons, before quietly withdrawing. The weapon of choice varies by individual, but most consider there to be more kudos the close you have to be to your mark. Recommended skills include a melee weapon, hide, sneak and climb.
Brawler – Brawlers differ from other Kick Murder Ops in that they have no interest in stealth. Often large and powerful, they specialise in brutal close combat weapons and open combat. Many Brawlers become Contract Killers, if they survive long enough. Recommended skills include at least one melee skill, Gymnastics, and Evaluate Opponent.
Investigation & Interrogation
“The Investigation and Interrogation Package trains the operative in undercover work. The operative learns rapidly how to root out traitors, analyze the structure of Rival Companies, extract information from captives, gain reliable sources and recover lost information - all aspects that are essential to their company's survival. This package is usually appropriate to Ebons whose goal is knowledge and loyalty. This is also the basic training for Shiver Unit troops.”
Base Skills:
Detect (CONC)
Rival Company (KNOW)
SLA Info (KNOW)
Streetwise (KNOW)
Interview (CHA)
Forensics (DIA)
Package Benefits:
Forensic Support – Investigation and Interrogation Operatives have close ties with Shivers, training in the same facility. While this does not often lead to camaraderie, it has led to certain arrangements being made for graduates in the field. I&I Ops may freely use the forensic laboratories of Shiver stations, and commandeer field equipment and teams to conduct on-scene forensic investigations. Note, however, that the Shivers will stop short of doing the Op’s job for them.
Surveillance equipment
Roles:
Sleuth – Many I&I Operatives, particularly non-humans, use subtle but overt techniques of information gathering. Their overtly corporate nature sometimes makes the human interaction aspects of information gathering difficult, but they make up for it with a wealth of surveillance equipment and the technical skills to use it. Recommended skills include Detect, Sleight, Interview and Read Lips.
Undercover – The undercover Op specialises in blending in with the population in order to covertly gather information. While their role is primarily intelligence, they are often called upon by their squads to perform urban reconnaissance by inserting themselves into hostile locations under the guise of being an innocent bystander or even a member of the opposition. Recommended skills include Streetwise, Rival Company, Persuasion and Disguise.
SOCO – The Scene Of Crime Officer is usually a Shiver forensic role, however some Ops will train in this area in order to exploit the forensic facilities available and not be dependent on third parties. The SOCO specialises in gleaning information from the residual evidence of an event, identifying what happened and who might have been involved by the clues left behind. Recommended skills include Detect, Forensics, and Pathology.
Interrogator – Interrogators specialise in levering information from suspects by whatever means necessary. While some limit their techniques to persuasion and trickery, many aren’t afraid to use torture as one of their tools. Many Interrogator Ops move on to the Dept of Re-Education where they become feared and reviled for their reputation for brutality. Recommended skills include Interview, Persuasion, Torture, Intimidation, and psychology.
-
The Shutting Downs
- Ninja Pirate
- Posts: 1520
- Joined: December 3rd, 2008, 21:36
- Location: Derby
Re: SLA Training Packages
So it looks like Eraser is set for the Contract Circuit :D