[HOE] soldier edge seems like a waste

[Matt and Teresa Steflik <grifflik@stny.rr.com>]

Kai Tave wrote:


> Also, some of the Soldier packages are pretty good stuff.  Sniper gives you
> 9 skill points off the bat (Shootin': Rifle 5, Sneak 2, and Survival: Any
> 2), and Logistics automatically doubles your Belongin's value, no Rank
> needed.  I wonder what would happen if you took Logistics AND Rank...
> Quadruple your Belongin's?
>
Yes, good point regarding Logistics.  As written, if you took Rank 1,
Belongings 1, I'd imagine you'd first compute the effect of the
specialty, then separately compute the effect of Rank (not that order
matters in this particular case).  So one point of Belongings would
become two (for military equipment) from your specialty, then those two
would double becoming four under Rank.  But this sounds a little too
good to be true.  Lets see where it balances.

Logistics, Rank 1, Belongings 1 (7 points)
1. 4 points in skills.
2.  1 point in rank.  Get to be a Sargeant and  also get a "free" point
in leadership or professional soldier.  2 points for 1. You of course
also gain the ability to raise
skills in your specialty up to six now.
3.  The doubling of the effect for Logistics kicks in, followed by the
doubling effect of Rank.  You're not really gaining 4 points for the
cost of 1 however - you just paid for it already - its tied up in the 5
you spent for Logistics.
4.  A pull from the soldier chart (the effect of which averages out to
be a hindrance equal to approx. a -4).

So, for 7 points you get 4+2+4-4=6.  Yeah, thought so.  Even with that
great looking belongings bonus, this one ends up initially on the
shallow end of the spectrum. Without Rank (or rather with leaving
yourself at Rank zero), you're shooting yourself in the foot by taking
this specialty if you have other concerns outside of role-play value.
To get a gain however from the example above, all you'd have to spend is
an additional point for a 2 in Rank.  Then the breakdown for the 8
points would be 4(attributes)+4(rank and
attributes)+8(belongings)-4(approx. table draw value)=12, a gain of
approximately 4 points.  That's not too shabby (and of course that 1
point of Belongings would raise to 12 with a Rank of 3, to 16 with a
Rank of 4...not to mention the other bonuses through Rank
alone...whew...that's some significant point gain...I'm sure the one
gear head in my group will figure this out soon enough).


> Anyway, I approve.
>

Right there with you, Kai.  Me too.

Matt Steflik
Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com