Tactics Skill

[WillTasker]

This was a skill that was in First Ed, oddly dropped in 2nd and returned to in 2nd Ed, R&E. My group never got around to using it but we struggled when a Thrawn-like character made an appearance through out a campaign.

How did you go about using it? The whole "GM rolled a higher dice so he wins this round" seemed kinda ... odd for a skill like this

[MrNexx]

One way I can see it being used is to guess at what the other group is doin.

In a space battle, using Tactics lets you guess at the other side's plans and what they're likely to do next... and, if you know that they're going to attack your left flank, you can shift resources to deal with that.

In planning, tactics can also let you craft plans and contingencies. "Ok, Imperial protocol is it do THIS. They will probably respond to X with Y, so we need to do Z."

I would not say "The GM rolled higher, so he won", but "The GM rolled higher so it will be harder."
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[Zarn]

How about that if you won the roll, the other side needs to declare their actions first and execute last? That should give a significant advantage to whomever has the highest tactics skill. Or, perhaps moderate that a bit and just force the other side to declare their actions first but use whatever initiative system you already have in place to resolve the actions?

[MrNexx]

[garhkal]

Have a gander in these threads for some other ideas..

http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3942&highlight=tactics

http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2471&highlight=tactics

http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=226&highlight=tactics
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[WillTasker]

[garhkal]

Glad to help...
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[CRMcNeill]

In the past, I proposed an idea where a character rolling a Knowledge skill received a bonus to practical skills based on how well he succeeded. The bonus was based on a +1 bonus / 3 points of Success formula, converting pips to dice where necessary.

It gets a little complicated when trying to convey that bonus to others using the Command skill, but if you are inclined, I would suggest stacking the bonus from a good Tactics roll with the bonus from a good Command roll, with each character applying the bonus to whatever task they are going to be performing in the following round.
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[Naaman]

I agree that tactics is a lame skill as written. It assumes the GM is, or has access to a giant repositoy of tactical knowledge or experience. I think it puts undue burden on the GM who doesnt necessarily understand tactics.

That said, I DO allow for it to be used as written. But I feel it also needs some tangible benefits. Here are some situationally dependent suggestions:

Tactical approach/Element of suprise: for the first round of combat, the leader's tactics roll replaces all allies' initiative roll to carry out a predetermined course of action. Next round, initiative reverts to normal.

Battlefield surveillance: roll tactics instead of search to identify ambushes/sniper hides, etc. This skill can either oppose the enemy's sneak/hide roll or his tactics roll.

Tactical expertise: when using a specialization of tactics, roll that skill instead of command to coordinate the actions of your allies. Alternatively, this ability can be used to provide a +1, +2, or +1D bonus to a particular suite of skills determined by the GM to be relevent and necessary to the task at hand. For example, providing a bonus to blaster, search, and blaster repair when coordinating the actions of multiple crew-served weapons teams. The bonus is determined by the success of the tactics specialization roll.

[Whill]

[WillTasker]

I have only one vague memory of using Tactics that "worked" - in that it was a supplement to an actual large engagement.

Uninteresting story, very short: my old character fell to the Dark Side, was eventually given command of a small Imperial battlefleet (3, maybe 4 Star Destroyers and some frigates?) and had to lay waste to a Rebel base (which was controlled by the other players/characters).

Though I came up with how to defeat my friends on my own, the GM suggested everyone check for "weaknesses" by skill-checking with Tactics rolls. (Ex: I arrived at the planet, see the rebel forces, suggest how the starfighters should engage - then rolled Tactics to see if there was any weaknesses in the Rebel line. Depending on how high the roll was, I would get very vague or very detailed suggestions.)

And for the record, I totally out-maneuvered the other players at every opportunity. I only wish that story arc kept going, it was fun to play "versus".

[Sutehp]

Interesting story, but I'm not sure that a fleet consisting of 3 or 4 Star destroyers can be considered "small." Depending on the priority of the sector, that could be a significant chunk of the entire Sector Fleet.

(Then again, it's small when you take the entire Imperial Starfleet into account...)
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[WillTasker]

[Sutehp]

Wait, wait, wait, is a "battle wagon" actually a thing in Star Wars?

YOU CAN'T FLY THROUGH SPACE WITH WHEELS!!!
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Sutehp's RPG Goodies
Only some of it is for D6 Star Wars.
Just repurchased the X-Wing and Tie Fighter flight sim games. I forgot how much I missed them.

[Whill]