Melee specialities?

[Vanity Evolved]

Greetings! I recently discovered Traveller after my current Dark Heresy GM decided to switch to Traveller for a new game. I'm new to the game, and he's quite experienced, so I don't have reason to doubt his knowledge on the game.

However, one thing I'm confused on is, we're using the Central Supply Catalogue's revised gear for our game. And I noticed that weapons have things like Melee (Small Blade). Our GM is sure that I'd need Melee (Small Blades) for knives, and a seperate skill, Melee (Large Blades) to use things such as swords. But I couldn't find any mention of this in CSC, the core rulebook also only has Unarmed, Blades, Bludgeoning and Natural. Also, the Mercenaries NPCs have Melee (Blade) for daggers, and all other manner of weapons.

As standard, would I need both Melee (Small Blades) and Melee (Large Blades) 2 to use both equally well? Or is it just Melee (Blades)?

(I was particularly thrown, seeing as slug weaponry was divided into both Slug Pistol and Rifle, and it seemed like it would be true that Blades would be dividied in such a fashion).

 

[Jeraa]

Melee (blades) covers the use of all blades.

What the entries in the CSC show is the range of the weapon. Some of the tables may be misnamed. Small Blade range has a -1 on attacks at close range, while Large Blade attacks have a -1 penalty at personal range.

 

[Vanity Evolved]

Ahh, awesome. =) Thanks!

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Melee (blades) covers the use of all blades.

What the entries in the CSC show is the range of the weapon. Some of the tables may be misnamed. Small Blade range has a -1 on attacks at close range, while Large Blade attacks have a -1 penalty at personal range.

You might be right, but that is not explicit in CSC, which uses Melee(small blade) and Melee(large blade), and for that matter Melee (axe) and Melee (spear) without giving any indication that this is anything to do range.

Personally I can see an arguement for a large blade requiring a significantly different technique from a smaller one, and so a different skill, and also the arguement that it is a needless over complication.

Take your pick and go with whatever suits YTU.

Egil

 

[Jeraa]

Yeah, CSC isn't exactly clear. More work could of (and should of) been put into it before it went out.

 

[alex_greene]

If you use CSC's stats for the tools, you can also use the specific specialities listed. Specialities such as "Blades" are handy to know, but there are vast differences between the way one uses a throwing knife, a machete, a hand axe, a fireman's axe, a broadsword, a katana ...

If you want, you could be as specific as you like with the Melee specialities - all the way down to named styles and weapons such as aikido, bar-room brawling, Capoeira, judo, karate, Kung Fu, cutlass, Roman gladius, main gauche, stiletto, two swords, escrima, Irish Whisky Dance, quarterstaff ...

 

[DFW]

I could see having 2 different skills; "sword" & "dagger/knife" as they are very different to use in a fight.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

I could see having 2 different skills; "sword" & "dagger/knife" as they are very different to use in a fight.

Yeah, that's the route, "large blade" and "small blade", I have gone down.

Egil