Ten Items Every Scout Needs (Cracken's Essentials)

[shootingwomprats]

TEN ITEMS EVERY SCOUT NEEDS (CRACKEN'S ESSENTIALS)
Backpack: A sturdy pack can keep your arms free and keep your gear in operating order. A good scout learns to take only the necessities into the field. You cannot be prepared for every situation, but you can bring equipment that prepares you for as many situations as possible. A sturdy pack can also be used for a fabric supply if an enviro-suit is damaged or if a bandage is needed.

Blaster Rifle: Blaster rifles can be used for defense, for hunting, and for other situations when having range on a potential enemy is an advantage. Even in close combat situations, the firepower available from a blaster rifle is preferable to that of a blaster pistol. The power packs are also easily adaptable to charge other items such as light sources and comlinks. And when set to overload, they can also be used as explosives.

Comlink: Any link to aid and civilization is a good idea. Even scouts heading to planets that have no long-range communication arrays should slip a comlink in with their gear. Comlinks are relatively cheap and can be easily disassembled. The small electronics parts can be used as spares for vital electronics in items such as enviro-suits and blasters. A quality comlink can be rewired to serve as a high-frequency emitter so that it broadcasts on a frequency that Humans cannot hear but that scares off wildlife and predators. Keeping predators away from a campsite allows for an essential element ofa successful scouting mission—sleep.

Knife: A regular knife is preferred over a vibroknife. Vibroknives are easier to use, but a vibroknife has a tendency to break when used as a cutting tool without the power pack. The power pack on a vibroknife is also not as versatile as that on a blaster, so a good scout prefers the unpowered version. A popular choice is a scout knife or a survival knife. The hollowed hilt of each type of knife contains small tools for survival, such as a compass and fire-starting tools. The hilt can also be used as a breathing tube or as a container for liquid.

Light Source: Scouts venture into dark places, so a light source can be key to staying alive. A reliable light source can be used to barter with natives or to a signal a rescue party. Simply switching the light on and off can catch sornebody's eye. Light sources can also be easily modified to function as power packs, and their components can be used to repair other equipment. Be sure that whatever you are fixing is more necessary than being able to see in the dark.

Liter of Water: Water is the most important item you can have when you go through the airlock. Even if traveling in a enviro-suit with recyclers. a good scout still finds a way to fit a liter of water into his or her pack. Recyclers can break down, especially if a trip is longer than expected. The usefulness of a watertight container in the field cannot be overstated. If necessary. a scout can pour the water into the enviro-suit recyeler reservoir and use the container to catch fluid out of a leaky repulsorlift drive.

Medpac: Ascout might be hurt out in the middle of nowhere. A medpac is the tool that scout needs to get into good enough condition to travel to a location where he or she can find civilized medical care. Another way to use a medpac is to get into the good graces of a tribe by curing any ailments being suffered by influential members. The medicine inside can also be valuable to trade with other scouts. A small packet of disinfectant can be worth 100 times its mass in valuable minerals to a scout in the field.

Mesh Tape: Many scouts put mesh tape at the top of the list to put in a pack, above even food and water. A good roll of mesh tape has multiple uses above and beyond repairing enviro-suits and holding up shelters. Veteran scouts are full of stories about how judiciously applied mesh tape saved lives. In addition to repairing clothing, fabrics. and containers. mesh tape can be used to construct these items. Mesh tape strengthens fabric and works as a decent substitute. Mesh tape also serves as an excellent restraint for dealing with hostile natives or a fugitive hiding out on an unexplored planet.

Multitool: These small items can be purchased anywhere, from gift shops on luxury liners to military supply catalogs. You get what you pay for. but a multitool can do wonders to keep you alive on a hostile surface. Equipment breakdowns are always a headache and manufacturers use many different kinds of fasteners, so a multitool can help with most repairs. A multitool can also be used as a last-ditch weapon and as a means to start a fire. A multitool saves wear and tear on a scout's regular knife, since a sharp edge has many uses outside combat. Many scouts would give up their blasters or blades before leaving a multitool behind.

Nutrition Paste: Having something a scout knows he or she can eat is extremely important. The compact size of a nutrition paste tube enables a scout to take along a supply without bulking up a pack. But scouts rarely eat the contents of the tubes. Paste makes for good bait. Animals are curious about new foods. so a more satisfying meal can be had with the creative use of nutrition paste near a watering hole.

Equipment: Blaster rifle (5D), comlink, knife (Easy, STR+1D), liter of water, multitool, backpack (glowrod, medpac, mesh tape, nutrition paste [3 days])

Sources: The Unknown Regions (p.81)
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter