Chargen skill question! (help a newb out!)

[Kell Valar]

Hello!
First, english is not my primary language, so be gentle!

I have trouble understanding the character creation process, well, not the whole one. Just one step of it.

Say, I join the marines. I get all the service skills at rank 0. But how does this work?
As an example let us take Gun Combat (any). I emphasize the "any" because I think this is my problem.

Does this mean I have to pick a specialization or does it mean, because it is my first term, that I get Gun Combat 0?
Do I then make checks like this?

Gun Combat: 0
Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): 0

What does it look like if the Gun Combat (any) means I have to instantly take a specialization?
Since they start at 1 would it look like that?

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 1
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): 0

Or like this?

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): -3
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): -3
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): -3


Or is there simply no Gun Combat?
The skill stuff gives me more headaches than the whole GURPS character generation process. I think I have a thinking error in there somewhere.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Your first term will get you all the service skills at level 0. This is your boot camp training, as it were. Your next term, you can pick one of the service skills to have level 1.

You're like me when it comes to generic skills. The rule means you have this after getting your first Gun Combat and then a second Gun Combat (any) 1:

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 1
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): 0

The (any) would mean you can pick any one of the gun skills. (All) would mean all the gun skills. Gun Combat (any) 0 is a typo. Gun Combat 0 means Gun Combat (all) 0. And Gun Combat 1 means Gun Combat (any) 1, and never Gun Combat (all) 1.

Anyway, I stopped using generic skills in Mongoose a long time ago. Every skill is a specialty. In my games, it would look like:

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): -3
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): -3
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 1
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): -3

Rules lawyers and power gamers would never agree to such a thing though. Which is fine, because they aren't in my games.

 

[AndrewW]

Any Gun Combat at level 1 or above, such as:

Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) - 1

Will give you all others under Gun Combat at level 0.

This works for other skills as well (trade being an exception).

 

[Kell Valar]

Thanks people, these replies helped me!

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Watch out for Science 1. Players need to know what your rule for it is before starting any game.

 

[-Daniel-]

Any Gun Combat at level 1 or above, such as:

Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) - 1

Will give you all others under Gun Combat at level 0.

This works for other skills as well (trade being an exception).

This is how I do it but I know others don't always agree.

Watch out for Science 1. Players need to know what your rule for it is before starting any game.

Good Point Shawn, Science is a category with four skills and many specializations. One would need to be clear what is and is not included in a first term Science Skill.

 

[dragoner]

Hello!
First, english is not my primary language, so be gentle!

I have trouble understanding the character creation process, well, not the whole one. Just one step of it.

Say, I join the marines. I get all the service skills at rank 0. But how does this work?
As an example let us take Gun Combat (any). I emphasize the "any" because I think this is my problem.

Does this mean I have to pick a specialization or does it mean, because it is my first term, that I get Gun Combat 0?
Do I then make checks like this?

Gun Combat: 0
Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): 0

What does it look like if the Gun Combat (any) means I have to instantly take a specialization?
Since they start at 1 would it look like that?

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 1
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): 0

Or like this?

Gun Combat (Slug Rifle): -3
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol): -3
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle): 0
Gun Combat (Energy Pistol): -3


Or is there simply no Gun Combat?
The skill stuff gives me more headaches than the whole GURPS character generation process. I think I have a thinking error in there somewhere.

Here is the rule:

Some skills have specialities – specialised forms of that skill. A
character picks a speciality when he gains level 1 in a skill with
specialities. For example, a character might have Engineer 0,
allowing him to make any Engineer skill checks without an
unskilled penalty. He might then gain a level in Engineer, giving
him Engineer (Jump drives) 1. He would make all Engineer
checks involving Jump drives at a +1 DM, but would make all
other Engineer checks at a +0 DM. A character can have multiple
specialities in a skill – an engineer might have Engineer (Jump
drives) 1 and Engineer (power plant) 2. He would make checks
related to Jump drives with a +1 DM, checks related to power
plants with a +2 DM and all other Engineer checks with a +0 DM.
Page 51, TMR

So level 0 is "any", then as you get specialized, you pick a specialization, it is called a cascade. That means, for example, basic training, skill level 0, in all weapons under gun combat, then say picking slug rifle 1, for the next time you get the skill.