Confused about qualifications and internal career move

[Aardvark]

I'm kind of confused about some of the character generation in the various supplements (Mercenary, High Guard, Agents etc.)

Is it possible to move between one specialisation and another without risking a qualification role? (For example, from Pilot - Fighter Pilot to Pilot - Shuttle Pilot)?

If one doesn't have the previous service necessary to change careers, and one attempts, but fails, a qualification role, then does this mean one is kicked out of the service? I can kind of see this is some cases, for example, someone who hasn't put in the required terms being fired for being a jerk.

thanks

 

[rust]

As I understand the rules ...

Is it possible to move between one specialisation and another without risking a qualification role? (For example, from Pilot - Fighter Pilot to Pilot -Shuttle Pilot)?

Take a look at the character generation flowchart. Each term of the career
begins with Step 5, which is to choose a specialization. Therefore it is no
problem to move between specializations of the same career, and a qua-
lification roll is not required.

If one doesn't have the previous service necessary to change careers, and one attempts, but fails, a qualification role, then does this mean one is kicked out of the service?

If the previous service is required, like the 2 terms of military service for
the mercenary careers, and the character does not have these required
previous service terms, he cannot attempt to enter that career.

 

[Aardvark]

As I understand the rules ...

Is it possible to move between one specialisation and another without risking a qualification role? (For example, from Pilot - Fighter Pilot to Pilot -Shuttle Pilot)?

Take a look at the character generation flowchart. Each term of the career
begins with Step 5, which is to choose a specialization. Therefore it is no
problem to move between specializations of the same career, and a qua-
lification roll is not required.

If one doesn't have the previous service necessary to change careers, and one attempts, but fails, a qualification role, then does this mean one is kicked out of the service?

If the previous service is required, like the 2 terms of military service for
the mercenary careers, and the character does not have these required
previous service terms, he cannot attempt to enter that career.

So even if you have the required terms, you have to make the roll. If you fail the roll then you have to leave the service. How the heck can someone get into some of the careers in High Guard which require about an 11+ on a roll, four to six terms of service, and have a negative DM caused by being the age you are with four to six terms of service?

 

[rust]

So even if you have the required terms, you have to make the roll. If you fail the roll then you have to leave the service. How the heck can someone get into some of the careers in High Guard which require about an 11+ on a roll, four to six terms of service, and have a negative DM caused by being the age you are with four to six terms of service?

As far as I remember, those High Guard careers only have negative mo-
difiers for characters above 42 years of age (= more than 6 terms served)
and for previous non-Navy careers, so I do not really see the problem ?

Besides, I would expect it to be extremely difficult to become a member
of the High Command of the Third Imperium, with a chance of less than
one in a million for the average naval officer - otherwise there would be
a lot more chieftains than indians ...

However, you could easily house rule that someone who attempts to en-
ter one of the difficult careers and fails just stays in his previous career,
perhaps with a little "punishment" for spending too much time on trying
to change the career, for example no promotion this term.

 

[AndrewW]

So even if you have the required terms, you have to make the roll. If you fail the roll then you have to leave the service. How the heck can someone get into some of the careers in High Guard which require about an 11+ on a roll, four to six terms of service, and have a negative DM caused by being the age you are with four to six terms of service?

As far as I remember, those High Guard careers only have negative mo-
difiers for characters above 42 years of age (= more than 6 terms served)
and for previous non-Navy careers, so I do not really see the problem ?

Besides, I would expect it to be extremely difficult to become a member
of the High Command of the Third Imperium, with a chance of less than
one in a million for the average naval officer - otherwise there would be
a lot more chieftains than indians ...

Well, High Command used to be 6 previous naval terms and a -2 DM if you are aged 42 or more with a Qualification of Int 12+...

It was updated and is still 6 previous naval terms and Int 12+ but with a +1 for Tactics (Naval) or Leadership 3+ and no negative for age.

 

[rust]

Well, High Command used to be 6 previous naval terms and a -2 DM if you are aged 42 or more with a Qualification of Int 12+...

I have never seen that one, so I suspect it was in the first print run of
High Guard, the one that was recalled ?

 

[AndrewW]

Well, High Command used to be 6 previous naval terms and a -2 DM if you are aged 42 or more with a Qualification of Int 12+...

I have never seen that one, so I suspect it was in the first print run of
High Guard, the one that was recalled ?

Yeah, I've got the one with the Mercenary table of contents...

 

[ScottyG]

Like a lot of things in game an element of personal judgement has to come into play, the iconic Captain Kirk achieved his captaincy very youg (Daredevil?) and there are literary and historical examples of rapid progress through the ranks for execptional individuals.

In MTU I have used the mercenary careers in conjunction with military careers to allow Special Operations (ie Commando) backgrounds for pc's and thus generally disregard the 2 term requirement.
Given the relatively level playing field of character generation I see no game breaking imbalance likely to result.

Of course if you have a campaign plan tailored to a lowly bunch of hand to mouth tramp merchantmen/adventurers you probably don't want every character to be a former Grand Admiral, but thats where games master discretion has to be employed, the characters should fit in with the general campaign 'feel'. Or perhaps it should be the other way? The Campaign should fit the characters people want to play?

Personally I generally try to do the latter, establishing what type of game my players want and then creating something around that. In Traveller one of the beauties is that when you really must its real easy to remove an obnoxious pc... mwahahaha

 

[Techno-Guru]

Take a look at the character generation flowchart. Each term of the career begins with Step 5, which is to choose a specialization. Therefore it is no problem to move between specializations of the same career, and a qualification roll is not required.

hmmm, I wondered about that myself with regards to a Junk Dealer switching from Refurbishing or Yardwork into Junker (representing a junker who went into business for himself or is learning different aspects of the family business.) Thanks, I'll have to keep that ruling in mind.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

As I understand the rules ...

Is it possible to move between one specialisation and another without risking a qualification role? (For example, from Pilot - Fighter Pilot to Pilot -Shuttle Pilot)?

Take a look at the character generation flowchart. Each term of the career
begins with Step 5, which is to choose a specialization. Therefore it is no
problem to move between specializations of the same career, and a qua-
lification roll is not required.

Agreed. Though to be honest I missed this bit at first, and initially required rolls to swap specialism.

Egil

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

So even if you have the required terms, you have to make the roll. If you fail the roll then you have to leave the service. How the heck can someone get into some of the careers in High Guard which require about an 11+ on a roll, four to six terms of service, and have a negative DM caused by being the age you are with four to six terms of service?

As far as I remember, those High Guard careers only have negative mo-
difiers for characters above 42 years of age (= more than 6 terms served)
and for previous non-Navy careers, so I do not really see the problem ?

Besides, I would expect it to be extremely difficult to become a member
of the High Command of the Third Imperium, with a chance of less than
one in a million for the average naval officer - otherwise there would be
a lot more chieftains than indians ...

However, you could easily house rule that someone who attempts to en-
ter one of the difficult careers and fails just stays in his previous career,
perhaps with a little "punishment" for spending too much time on trying
to change the career, for example no promotion this term.

Yes, as I understand the MGT High Guard it is very difficult to reach high command, and very difficult to stay in for more than one term, probably for the reasons you suggest.

You can help your odds by acts of bravery leading to medals (and bonuses on your rolls) and some of the events could be very useful.

I think that if you try to qualify for a different naval career, but fail, you will stay in your current career.

In general I find High Guard, and the careers in most of the supplements, too specific, great if I ever run a campaign set on a warship where all players are naval personnel, but not so useful for a more "typical" traveller campaign involving retired characters and a Fat Trader. I feel a bit mean saying that, as a lot of thought has clearly gone into the more detailed career structures, and in the right kind of game they will work well, but there it is, I'm sticking with the Core book.

Egil

 

[nats]

Character gen in MT is a nightmare they have ruined the whole thing, Merc and High Guard char gen are particularly just a complete mess. I tried them and gave up with a headache. It was so simple in CT as well.

These MT people need someone to start making them sensible. Just because you can cover every minutae in large complex books doesnt mean you should.

 

[8thseadog]

Actually it is explicitly stated in both books that there are two ways to begin a career; either you roll qualification as normal, or you meet the previous service qualification.

For Mercenary that means that if you have two terms in the millitary you do not have to roll for qualification in a mercenary career. If you have not then you roll qualification.

For High Guard it is the same, however it is further complicated by the High Guard naval ranks. it is not explicitly stated; but in addition to the number of terms of service you would need to be in the correct range of ranks (which for some mean you need to be an officer) to automatically qualify, otherwise you have to roll with the -DMs as normal.

Scout uses previous service entirely differently. Previous service in the listed branch provides a +1 DM to qualification.