¿Imperial Army or Stormtroopers?

[Pel]

Rules of Engagement lists the Army Trooper with 1 pip better blaster & dodge than the Stormtrooper (4D+1 and 4D respectively). I believe that, because the Stormtroopers have that nice unlimited combined action bonus.

RPG 2nd Ed. (blue Vader cover) summarized this nicely. A command roll is required to coordinate the actions of multiple persons working toward the same task (e.g. shooting someone). Difficulty varies with the number of people being coordinated and their average skill levels.

In combat terms, a squad of six Stormtroopers shooting at a single target, get a combined bonus of +3D to both blaster and damage rolls. With the armor penalty, a PC is still dodging a 6D blaster shot inflicting 8D damage. Nothing to sneeze at.

Here's the super cool part: Stormtroopers, due to their intense training, don't have to roll command or any other skill to combine actions. They automatically do it. Suddenly a mere squad of Stormtroopers is twice as lethal.

I won't go into the entire chart, but the bonus gets pretty horrific around 25. I believe this is why the Heroes of Yavin always run from even a few Stormtroopers.
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Aha!

[garhkal]

Where are you getting that unlimited command/coordination from? Is it actually stated somewhere they can do that?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Pel]

Yes, it's in one of the middle books, although I'm at a loss to remember which. I'm back at work now and don't have ready access to my collection once again. *curses pesky job, etc.*

That came about before R&E if I remember correctly.
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Aha!

[Akari]

3d bonus with only 6 people? To attack AND damage? That just can't be true!

I was under the impression you needed like 2 dozen or so for a bonus of 3d to either attack or damage. Let me check up the numbers when I get my rulebooks back on the weekend.

[Camero]

Pel - you mentioned that the combined action bonus could be used on both blaster and damage, is that special to the stormies unlimited combining because the R&E rule book on page 83 says -
"If a group of characters are combining actions on a
combat task, the bonus can be split between the attack roll
and the damage roll. Likewise, if the task requires two or
more skill rolls, the bonus can be split up among any of these
rolls."
So is that full 3d bonus to both blaster and damage in the example you used just for stormies or can a group of rebels have it non-split too. Or is split the better way to do it (1D to blaster and 2D to damage or however one wished).
This is a fun thing I have never used before so I am just trying to get a grip on it.
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"What a wonderful smell you've discovered"

[Camero]

They way I read the regular rule - R&E pg82 - it is a pip bonus (3 persons = 1d) for each person succesfull combined via a command roll, so I believe 6 stormies would get a bonus of 2D...right?
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"What a wonderful smell you've discovered"

[Gry Sarth]

That is correct. Pel was referring to 2nd Edition rules.

In R&E, it's 1 pip per character (apparently with a minimum of 3 characters). The bonus can be split between attack and damage.

Apparently the only benefit of Stormtroopers under the latest rules is that they don't need to roll command in order to combine fire. This is already very good, because in order to have a squad of 6 troopers combining fire, you would otherwise need a command skill of at least 6D.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[garhkal]

In neither 2nd ed, or 2nd ed R&E do i see anything on the stormies NOT requiring command.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Gry Sarth]

It's actually in Rules of Engagement, though I'm not sure if it's also featured anywhere else.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[garhkal]

You mean where it says that in the origional game, stomies enjoyed combined fire without a roll, so a gm can make it so in 2nd ed...
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Gry Sarth]

It says something like "in the original game ST had unlimited combined fire, but that's a bit excessive, so just don't have them need to roll command".

Something to that effect.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Flynn]

There's also the factor of morale, which can make a huge difference. Stormtroopers are described as having higher morale. In my game, the leader of non-elite units must make a command role to keep their units fighting effectively when things get really tough. Less than elite units might run away if things look bleak or they've been taking too many casualties.

[Ray]

"They're infantry. 'Shakey' is their default setting."

[Pel]

I don't know if that applies to Stormtroopers. They are a fanatical bunch after all. For the average green trooper (either side), sure, I can see that. Unless you're trying to turn this into an Army vs. Navy debate...Then I say Go Navy! Beat Army! hehe 8)
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Aha!

[Jedi Skyler]

Not on your life, pal! 8)

Army all the way! HOOAH!!!