Character Creation Challenge 17 of 31, Dean Gallas-Harner

For the last BattleTech character, I went with a character whose story ties in with the 2018 Harebrained Schemes game. The following year, Catalyst and the writers released a short sourcebook on integrating the video game into the official setting. Considering it's the most publicity the setting's received since 2004 or so, I was happy to buy a copy of the game and the sourcebook.

Dean Gallas-Harner is a member of the aristocracy on Itrom, where he claims a distant relationship to Finn Gallas, Hertog Itrom and CEO of Griffonwyne Unlimited. His family has a modest landholding, and he was able to train as an apprentice from age 10 to be the pilot of the family's old Griffin, Martel. Upon his graduation from apprenticeship, he was assigned a post as part of the local defenses on Itrom, mostly seeing action against various pirate bands, some who know him as 'that Griffin pilot we want to see dead'. When Kamea Arano's forces came to liberate the world, his lance promptly surrendered. Examining his options, he's considering moving on to other pastures as well as staying with the Aurigian Coalition.

Name: Dean Gallas-Harner

Faction: Major Periphery State/Aurigan Reach

XP:        5000

Attributes Score Link

STR                 4

BOD         4

RFL                 4

DEX         4

INT                 4

WIL         4

CHA         4

EDG         1     -2

Traits

Compulsion/Honorable

Connections (1)

Enemy (Pirates) (1)

Enemy (Rival Claimant) 2

Equipped (1)

Gremlins

Impatient

Property (3)

Rank Cornet (3)

Reputation (2)

Vehicle GRF-1N Griffin (4)

Wealth (3)

Skills                                    Level

Administration                         2

Animal Handling                     1 

Career/Soldier                          3

Computers                                1

Driving/Ground                       0 

Gunnery/Mech                         4

Interest/Homeworld History    0

Interest/Literature                    1

Interest/Military History          2

Language/English                    1

Language/Spanish                    0

Leadership                                2

Martial Arts                              3

Medtech                                    3 

Melee Weapons                        2

Navigation/Ground                   2

Negotiation                               1

Perception                                 1

Piloting/Mech                           4

Protocol/Aurgian Reach           4

Running                                    1

Sensor Operations                    2

Small Arms                              3

Strategy                                    0

Survival/Forest                         1

Swimming                                1

Tactics/Land                             2

Technician/Electronics             2

Training                                    1

Equipment

Revolver

Revolver

10 reloads

Flak Jacket

3 Patches

Combat Boots

Pack

2 Fatigues

Jump Suit

Advanced Field Kit

Electronic Compass

Medical Kit

Motorcycle

Clothing

Standard MechWarrior Equipment

Movement

Walking:    8

Running:    19

Sprinting:    39

Lifepaths

Nobility

Military School

Family Training, OCS

Tour of Duty: Periphery Age 21

Today, I present:

• Tardis Captain with a Last Unicorn Games Deep Space 9 Bajoran.
• Green Sage Library offering a Scientist
• Craig gives us a member of Stellagama's Space Patrol
• Chimerical Realms used Mage: the Ascension

Character Creation Challenge 16 of 31, Ava Lindsey, Dropship Pilot

Now I'm on to the final BattleTech roleplaying system I own, A Time of War, from 2009. I got my

The 3025 Successor Lords on the right

hardcopy at Discordia Games in Bremerton, WA. In the intervening years, it looks like they've managed to finish their game room. It was unfinished every time I went there! The fun thing about this, is I managed to provide some input on an input thread, so my BattleTech username is in there. This edition is set in 3075 nominally, but is adaptable to any era, given the right information

Ava Lindsey is a civilian DropShip pilot who recently was kicked off her position as the junior pilot of a Buccaneer class cargo craft. She ended up informing the AFFS of a cargo that was planted by the Citizens for Davion Purity movement, a domestic terrorist group. By turning Prince's Evidence, she saved herself, but the rest of the crew was dismissed, and the owner, in a fit of pique, sacked her, despite being an innocent party. As of right now, she's on Firgrove, looking for a berth off world, even considering a military position as well. Good pilots are hard to find, and she's one.

Name: Ava Lindsey

Faction: Federated Suns/Crucis March

XP Total: 4999

Attributes Score Link

STR                 3         -1

BOD         5         0

RFL                 5         0

DEX         5         0

INT                 7         1

WIL         4         0

CHA         5         0

EDG         2        -1

Traits

Attractive

Enemy: Citizens for Davion Purity

Equipped 1

G-Tolerance

Thin Skinned

Wealth 1

Skills                             Level         Links            TN/C          

Administration                   +1          INT/WIL    8/SA

Art/Music                           +0          DEX           8/CB

Career/DropShip Pilot       +3           INT            7/SB

Comms/Conventional         +2          INT            7/SB

Computers                           +3         INT            8/CB

Driving/Ground                   +2         RFL/DEX  8/SA

Interest/Fed Suns History    +2        INT             8/CB

Interest/Religion                  +2        INT             8/CB

Interest/Stargazing               +2        INT            8/CB

Language/English                +1        INT/CHA   8/SA

Language/German               +1        INT/CHA    8/SA

Leadership                           +1        WIL/CHA   9/SA

Navigation/Space                +2        INT              7/SB

Negotiation                          +1        CHA            8/SB

Perception                            +0        INT              7/SB         

Piloting/Spacecraft              +3        RFL/DEX    8/SA

Protocol/Federated Suns     +1         WIL/CHA   9/CA

Sensor Operations               +2         INT/WIL    8/SA

Small Arms                         +0         DEX            7/SB

Streetwise/Federated Suns  +2        CHA             8/SB

Swimming                           +0        STR              8/SB

Zero-G Operations              +2        RFL              7/SB

Equipment

Auto Pistol                 50

10 reloads                 20

Concealed Flak Jacket 150

Sunglasses                  3

Dress shoes, formal suit 250

Overcoat                         55

Clothing                         500

Work Boots                 36

Leather Jacket                 50

Civilian Communicator 45

Noteputer                 500

3 micro powerpacks 30

Kinetic Recharger         10

Grip shoes                 30

Movement

Walk 8

Run 18

Sprint 36

From other people today I have:

• Alesmiter brings Inferum into the City State of the Invincible Overlord
• Tardis Captain offers an intelligence agent
• Green Sage Library has a Free Trader with a convoluted past
• Craig gives us a Gorilla Bard
• Chimerical Realm has a current edition Vampire

Character Creation Challenge, 15 of 31, Chidi of Clan Jade Falcon

Continuing my BattleTech week, I return with a Clan Elemental. For those not familiar with the setting, Elementals are the massive genetically modified battlesuited infantry used by the Clans. Massive, at over 2.5 meters, they operate high tech suits of armor capable of feats of strength. The suits carry a heavy support weapon in one arm, an infantry weapon in the other under a claw, and four tac missiles, while capable of jumping 90 m on jets, and shrugging off any weapon short of a tank main gun or large caliber artillery blast.

Star Commander Chidi is a massive man, nearly 2.5 meters tall, and rather quick for his size. His presence scares many, despite missing his right foot. Born in the Clan Homeworlds 24 years ago, he leads twenty-four other armored giants against the foes of Clan Jade Falcon in the Inner Sphere. Like any successful warrior, he learned early on the value of making enemies. He entered the forces of his clan in 3053, as part of the rebuilding process following the Battle of Tukayyid the proceeding year. He participated in offensive operations, was badly wounded by the Wolves in the Refusal War, and now been returned to duty in the  Clans. At this time, he is examining his life, and wonders what he needs to do to earn a Bloodname in house Icaza.

Chidi Jade Falcon, House Icaza, age 24

Attributes    Value    Mod    Max
STR                8           -1        9
BOD               8           -1        9
DEX               6            -      7
RFL                7            -1       8
INT                 5            -        8
WIL                6            -         9
CHA               4             -       8
EDG               3           +1       8
SOC               7            -1        8

Traits

Custom Vehicle-3

Elemental Phenotype

Enemy/Sibparent

Enemy/Star Commander Celestino

Good Reputation

Lost Limb/Left Foot-3

Rank, Commission-1

Quirk/Clan Honor

Vehicle -2

Well-Equipped-4

Skills

Academic/Clan History    +0

Career/Soldier +1

First Aid +0

*Gunnery/Ballistic/Humanoid +3

*Gunnery/Laser/Humanoid +3

*Gunnery/Missile/Humanoid +3

Interest/Clan Rememberence +2

Language/English +1

*Martial Arts/Battlesuit +3

Martial Arts/Military +1

Navigation/Ground +1

Perception +0

*Piloting/BattleSuit +3

Pistols +1

*Sensor Operations +2

Strategy +0

Swimming +0

*Tactics/Infantry +2

XP: 1

Equipment:

Fatigues

Combat Boots

Clan Elemental Armor, Small Laser, Laser Rifle

Type 4 Advanced Prosthesis Left Foot

ER Laser Pistol, HC powerpack

*Natural Aptitude

Today's Roundup:

• Alesmiter goes for Half Orc Sorcerer
• Craig has a political operative
• Green Sage Library has a former performer
• Tardis Captian has an Everquest RPG character
• Chimerical Realm has his planned PC from Starfinder

Character Creation Challenge 14 of 31, Geoffrey Pierce

Once again into the breach, and here is a MechWarrior 3rd Edition/Classic BattleTech RPG character. At this point, I felt it was best to finish off the Successor States, and run with a character from the Federated Suns. Randomness only goes so far, and then you want to cover all the bases. In this case, I took the languages available at the start for the character, and used that to generate a name, and thus, sex. Somehow, I managed to collect all the supplements for this game, on and off over the last twenty years. FASA was able to use the MechWarrior 3 computer game logo, as this came out shortly after the release of the computer game. For once, their marketing efforts were on the ball!

Lefteant Pierce is a MechWarrior currently assigned to the First Fed Com Regimental Combat Team, where he leads a scout lance of four light 'Mechs. Originally from Antietam in the Crucis March, his father was the director of the local branch of Apple Computers Interstellar, providing them with a comfortable lifestyle. He went to a preparatory school, with the idea he'd enter some FedSuns corporation, but he committed the social faux pas of getting too close to a young woman who hailed from the newly liberated Sarna March, and was adopted locally. He refused to back down, and was instead sent away to the War College of Goshen. While there, he tested into the MechWarrior training program, earning his spurs and getting the eye of Academy Commandant Archibald Enoch, and he stayed on for a rotation at the Training Cadre. A proficient MechWarrior, his first tour with the 20th Avalon Hussars saw him transferred out to the New Avalon Institute of Science College of Military Science for Officer Candidate School, due to his performance in the retreat from the Capellan invasion. His time for commissioning caused him to spend an extra year there, getting cross training in infantry tactics. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the FedCom corps, where his company spent much of the past year out of action, and he came back withdrawn and unhappy, while starting to vocally back the claim of the deposed Archon Prince.

Geoffrey Pierce, age 27
Attributes    Value    Mod    Max
STR                5            -        8
BOD               6            -        8
DEX               7            -1      8
RFL                6            -        8
INT                 6            -        8

WIL                8            -1      8
CHA               4             -       8
EDG               3           +1       8
SOC               4             -        8

Traits

Alternate Identity

Brave

Contact (2) Archibald Enoch 

Dependent

Glass Jaw

Good Reputation

Quirk/Honorable

Quirk/Self Doubt

Rank 2, Commission (Leftenant)

Stigma/Pro Victor

Vehicle 2 WLF-2 Wolfhound

Well-Equipped

Wealth

Skills

Academic/Federated Suns History +1

Academic/Mathematics +1

Academic/Military History +2

Academic/Philosophies of Peace +2

Academic/Philosophies of War +2

Acting +1

Administration +1

Appraisal +1

Artillery +1

Bureaucracy/Federated Suns +1

Career/Solider +2

Climbing +1

Comms/Conv +1

Computers +1

First Aid +2

Gunnery/Ballistic/Humanoid +3

Gunnery/Laser/Humanoid +3

Gunnery/Missile/Humanoid +3

Interest/Holovid Games +0

Jump Pack +1

Language/English +1

Language/French +0

Language/German +1

Language/Hindi +0

Leadership +1

Martial Arts/Military +2

Navigation/Ground +2

Negotiation +1

Perception +1

Piloting/Mech +3

Pistols +1

Protocol/Federated Suns +2

Rifles +2

Scrounge +1

Sensor Operations +1

*Strategy +3

Support Weapons +1

Tactics/Ground +1

Tactics/Infantry +1

Tactics/Mech +1

Tactics/Naval +0

Training +1

Equipment

Bolt-Action Rifle

5 Reloads

Revolver

5 Reloads

Ablative/Flack Vest

Combat boots

Medical Kit

Military Communicator

Noteputer

Fatigues,3

Jump Suits, 2

Basic Field Kit

3 Micro Powerpacks

Dress Uniform

Music Chips

Slug Thrower Clean/Repair Kit

Pack

1535 C-bills remaining

*Natural Aptitude

Today's roundup:

• Alemsiter goes for FASA's other successful game, Shadowrun
• Tardis Captain goes to a Galaxy Far Far Away with WEG Star Wars
• Craig managed to roll up a Virushi Merchant
• Green Sage Library has a scientist
• Chimerical Realms has four colors in Mutants and Masterminds

Character Creation Challenge 13 of 31, Valentina Chaves

Another BattleTech MechWarrior, Valentina Chaves is very different from the aristocratic characters I previously posted. She's a native of Galisteo in the Free Worlds League, where she left home at an early age to get away from her overbearing father and grandfather in town. She joined the Free Worlds League Military, and managed to get into an Academy prep program for the Allison MechWarrior Institute. She thrived in the atmosphere, overjoyed to be taken for her own value for once in her life, not just as a pretty girl. She graduated as part of the class of 3051, and was assigned a refitted RFL-5M Rifleman heavy BattleMech, and an assignment to the White Sabers of the Twelfth Atrean Dragoons.

Attributes    
BLD     4 (8+)
REF     6 (6+)
INT      5 (7+)
LRN     6 (6+)
CHA     5 (7+)

Characteristics

Athletic 8+

Physical 7+

Mental 7+

Social 8+

Advantages: Well Equipped-1

Skills

Advanced Academy Package Allison MWI

Gunnery/BattleMech    3         (4+)

MedTech                       1         (6+)

Piloting/BattleMech     3          (4+)

Protocol                        2          (6+)

Small Arms                  1          (6+)

Survival                        2          (5+)

Seduction                     1          (7+)

Edge: 1

Assets: 500 C-Bills

Equipment

SMG

3 reloads

Deluxe Field Kit

Medkit

Ablative/Flack Vest

Clothing

Dart Gun

10 reloads

Today's featured links include:

• Alesmiter, with Space: 1889 for a Royal Engineer turned inventor
• TARDIS Captain offers another Victorian era setting with Age of Empire and Far Trek for some Original Series fun
• Craig offers a Delve 2nd Edition Half-Orc Fighter
• Green Sage Library has a Drifter who joined the Army
• Chimerical Realms has a vampire from New Netherlands

Character Creation Challenge 12 of 31, Haidar Inoue

Continuing with my BattleTech week in the character creation challenge, I used MechWarrior, Second Edition from 1991 to create this character. And yes, he counts as an Elite MechWarrior from the end of character creation. It's a remarkably simple system to min-max once you understand how the skills work with the attributes. So, here's Chu-i (Lieutenant) Haidar Inoue of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery in the year 3052.

The son of a samurai family in the Draconis Combine, he is a graduate of the Sun Tzu School of Combat, where he was completed the extensive training program and became an officer. His father was a MechWarrior as well, one of the few 'mainline' DCMS officers to serve with the Arkab Legions, where he worked closely with those warriors, and named his son after an officer he came to regard as a brother in arms. Naturally, the 'team play' aspect came to attract his father's attention, and he was sent there as a cadet, and trained as an officer. He received his daisho and was commissioned in 3049, and assigned to the famed Ryuken-ni. During the Clan Invasion, he fought in the raids against the Smoke Jaguars and Nova Cats from Wolcott. With the Truce era beginning, the DCMS and him are on edge against the invaders, not knowing what will happen in the near future. Recently, his family BattleMech was replaced by a MON-67 Mongoose.

Attributes    
BLD    4 (8+)
REF     6 (6+)
INT      6 (6+)
LRN    5 (7+)
CHA    3 (9+)

Characteristics

Atheltic 8+

Physical 6+

Mental 7+

Social 9+

Advantages: Well Equipped-2

Skills

Advanced University Package MechWarrior MOS, Leadership Training FOS

Blade                            3          (5+)

Bureaucracy                 2          (7+)

Gunnery/BattleMech    3         (3+)

Leadership                    1         (8+)

MedTech                       1         (6+)

Negotiation                   1         (8+)

Piloting/BattleMech     3          (3+)

Protocol                        2          (7+)

Small Arms                  2          (4+)

Tactics                          1          (6+)

Throwing Weapons      1          (5+)

Unarmed Combat         1          (7+)

Edge: 1

Assets: 500 C-Bills

Equipment

Medipack

Medkit

Preserving Sleeve

Ablative/Flak Bodysuit

4 Patches

Swords

2 Daggers

Autopistol

6 reloads

Rifle

6 reloads

6 smoke microgrenades

6 flash microgrenades

6 explosive microgrenades

Starlight Goggles

Today's Roundup:

• Alesmiter gives an AD&D1e Magic-User
• Craig gives us a Dame who died under nefarious circumstances
• TARDIS Captain let loose a D&D 3.5 Dwarf Cleric
• Chimerical Realm has a Silent Legions character
• Green Sage Library offers a journalist.

Character Creation Challenge 11 of 31: Aerospace Pilot Chen Sokolovsky

Today, tried to test the Mechwarrior 1e system, and created an Aerofighter pilot, and it did not work as well as intended. It was a little better than the prior attempt, but any other version was an improvement. Aerospace Pilot (Subcommander) Chen Sokolovsky is a native of Tikonov on the border with the Federated Suns. Like much of the Capellan citizenry in this area, his cultural background is heavily Russified, and he is proud to have trained there his entire life. Currently, he flies a Centurion light aerospace fighter, and is assigned to the Tikonov People's Aerospace Defense Group.

Chen Sokolovsky

BODY 5       DEX 9       LRN 8        CHA 5

        Saving Throws Base Target

BODY     9                         10

DEX     5                         8

LRN     6                         8

CHA     9                         10

Skills: Piloting/Aerospace 3(TN 5) Gunnery/Aerospace 3 (TN 5), Engineering 2 (TN 6), Pistol 2 (TN 6), Tactics 1 (TN 7), Mechanical 1 (TN 7)

Today's Selections include:

• Alesmiter using Judge's Guild Universal Roleplay Adventure
• Green Sage Library with a Scout
• Craig's Traveller Blog with a Fantasy Trip Elf
• TARDIS Captain with a Star Trek Adventures Science Officer
• Chimerical Realm offers up a GURPS 4e Victorian-era witch

Character Creation Challenge 10 of 31, MechWarrior Hedwig Gebhard

Taking a break from Traveller for the week, I'm going to one of my first gaming obsessions until next Sunday, with the various BattleTech roleplaying games. I'm starting off with the original 1986 FASA MechWarrior: the BattleTech Role Playing Game. I received my copy used some years ago, and never really touched it until I started preparing for this. It's an obtuse system that was replaced by a mechanically different Second Edition in 1991. I'll be covering that on Tuesday and Wednesday.

None of these systems are particularly random, except for portions of Third Edition, so I've had to make up my own tables for randomness of some items. For all of them, I'm running these random affiliation tables. When the time comes for the Clans, I'll roll 1D6, and on a 5 or 6, the character is a Clanner.

    Great House Table: 1 Draconis Combine

                                 2 Federated Suns

                                3 Capellan Confederation

                                 4 Free Worlds League

                                5 Lyran Commonwealth

                                6 Minors

    Minors Table 1 Mercenary

                        2 Outworlds Alliance

                         3 Taurian Concordat

                        4 Magistracy of Canopus

                        5 Bandit

                        6 Minor Independent (Aurgrian, etc.)

VLT-2T Vulcan

Then, using the information given for languages spoken in each state, I use a random name generator to produce a name and sex for the character. Now, here's the stats for my first MechWarrior 1e character:

Hedwig Theodocia Gebhard is a new graduate of the Coventry Military Academy at the age of 22. A member of a minor noble family from Ludwigshafen in the Coventry Province of the Protectorate of Donegal, she is currently the pilot of her family's 40 ton Vulcan BattleMech and assigned to the 7th Lyran Regulars, and stationed on Loric near the Free Worlds League. The Gebhards are currently involved in a running feud with the neighboring House Borge, over the right to form the militia on Ludwigshafen, and serve as planetary representative to the Estates General.

Hedwig Theodocia Gebhard

BODY 6       DEX 9       LRN 8        CHA 7

        Saving Throws Base Target

BODY     8                         9

DEX     5                         8

LRN     6                         8

CHA     7                         8

Skills: Piloting/Mech 2 (TN 6) Gunnery/Mech 2 (TN 6), Technician 2 (TN 6), Pistol 1 (TN 7) Leadership 1 (TN 7), Survival 1 (TN 8), Land Management 1 (TN 7)

Today's round up includes:

• Chimerical Realm generating an AD&D 2e Halfling Cleric
• Craig generated a Cephus Engine SRD Scout/Drifter
• Green Sage Library has a Scout who joined the Army
• Alesmiter made a triumphant return with a Warhammer healer

My full point spend on this character is below the fold.

Crossing Over with Another Game

I've long been a fan of the BattleTech setting and game. Having gotten to understand it more, I have participated in the community off and on since early 2000, after obtaining a boxed set the year before. The novels, particularly William H. Keith Jr.'s Decision at Thunder Rift, got me interested a while beforehand.

Once I started building up my Traveller collection, I ended up getting a copy of the well written Ground Forces for the GURPS Traveller line. I really enjoy how it sets up a complete force, with company and battalion headquarters, and also explains how the staff works as well as actual command. One major point for enhancing my suspension of disbelief was how the about the author mentioned Mr. Berry's expertise in not only weapons, but the floor buffer.

Almost 10 years ago, I wrote a simple, planetary militia unit for my own amusement. Not the greatest troops in the universe, but older and younger than average people who wanted to defend their homeworld, with the Commanding Officer being a MechWarrior who could not get back to his normal unit because a war broke out making interstellar travel impossible. A few years later, I wanted to update it to the end of the conflict. As the world I picked was largely untouched, so any combat experience would have been from defending against small scale raids, and some of the troops would have been given offers they could not refuse by commands higher in the food chain to join.