Starting to work on creating my merc...I know that you can choose a Primary Specialty and a Secondary Specialty (based on your randomly-rolled Attributes), but does anyone know if you can choose MORE than one Primary and/or Secondary Specialty?

Quote from: marksolino;975142Starting to work on creating my merc...I know that you can choose a Primary Specialty and a Secondary Specialty (based on your randomly-rolled Attributes), but does anyone know if you can choose MORE than one Primary and/or Secondary Specialty?

Pretty sure that's a no. Otherwise they wouldn't be "primary" and "secondary," right? They'd just be "here's my list of specialties in no particular order."

Quote from: Dumarest;975204Pretty sure that's a no. Otherwise they wouldn't be "primary" and "secondary," right? They'd just be "here's my list of specialties in no particular order."

Makes sense.

I'll have to try to remember to bring my copy of Merc to work with me tomorrow or next week so I can roll up a guy in peace. Home evenings and weekends is too chaotic with little kids running wild, especially with a birthday weekend.

Just in case anyone is interested in how characters are rolled up in Merc...I'm doing this intermittently at work so I'll post it in sections.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

A. Age: 3d6 + 20 = 14+20 = 34
B. Nationality: player choice, in this case South African
C. Name: player choice, in this case Janco van Apeldoorn (used http://www.momjunction.com/articles/afrikaans-baby-names-for-girls-and-boys_00424826/#gref and https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/dutch )
D. Height: 3d6, consult table = 14 = Average (5'7" to 5'10"), I choose 5'10"
E. Weight: based on Strength Capabilities, Frame, and Build, so I will update after we get to those
F. Hair Color: 3d6, consult table = 10 = Brown
G. Eye Color: 3d6, consult table = 10 = Hazel
H. Complexion: 3d6, consult table = 9 = Average
I. Voice: 3d6, consult table = 12 = Average (no effect on Command Control)
J: Handedness: 1d6, consult table = Left-handed

Next comes PHYSICAL/MENTAL ATTRIBUTES...

PHYSICAL/MENTAL ATTRIBUTES

There are six attributes: Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Knowledge, Intuition, and Prior Military Service. Roll 2d6 six times for results from 11 to 66. You assign the rolls to the attributes based on what Specialty you want. You may not qualify for your preferred Specialty, so it's still a bit random what you end up with. I think I'd like a Recon or Sniper/Sharpshooter Specialist, but we shall see if I get the necessary attributes.

2d6, six times = 56, 35, 16, 32, 41, 51. Not bad at all.

Recon requires Agility of 61 and Intuition of 63 for Primary Specialty, so that's out, but for Secondary Specialty it only takes Agility of 52 and Intuition of 56. So it's still out as my highest rolls were 56 and 51. So near and yet not quite enough. What about Sniper/Sharpshooter?  Primary requires Agility 52 and Intelligence 56. Can't do it. Secondary requires Agility 46 and Intelligence 46, so I could take it as a Secondary Specialty if I assign my two best rolls to those attributes and still  qualify for another Primary. But first I need to find a Primary Specialty I qualify for. It's a little frustrating because a lot of the Specialties require at least one roll in the 60s. Looking at my options, I decide my guy is a Medic (Knowledge 56 is the only requirement) primarily, which mean:

Strength: ?
Agility: ?
Intelligence:
Knowledge: 56
Intuition: ?
Prior Military Service: ?

I still have 35, 16, 32, 41, and 51 to assign to attributes.

For a Secondary Specialty, let's make him a Camouflage Expert (Prior Service requirement 36, Intuition requirement 34). So now we have

Strength: 32 (normal, no test modifier)
Agility: 16 (average, no test modifier)
Intelligence: 51 (smart, +10 test modifier)
Knowledge: 56 (knowledgeable, +10 test modifier, it also says "capable of two specialized skills (Primary)," so I interpret that to mean I can choose another Primary Specialty if I meet the requirements)
Intuition: 35 (average, no test modifier)
Prior Military Service: 41 (extended service, served at least 2 hitches, +10 test modifier)

Do I meet the requirements for another Primary Specialty? Yes, I have the requirements for Communications Expert (Intelligence 46 and Knowledge 46) but no others, so I'll take that as well.

Next comes STRENGTH CAPABILITIES, where we determine Strength Capabilities, Frame, and Build and go back to E. way up above to fill that in as well...

STRENGTH CAPABILITIES

Frame is determined by your Nationality and a 2d6 roll (results 11 to 66). Some Nationalities are larger than others. South African counts as European, so I roll on that table and get 55, Large. Large frame combined with average Strength gives me "Above Average" carrying ability on the next table. The rules should have been proofed here because reading the next section you learn that your "carrying ability" is actually what they then call your Build, which you cross-check with your Height to determine how much you can carry. My guy is Average height, Average Strength, and Above Average carrying ability, so he can carry 125 lbs. At this point in the rules there is a "Weight Table," which states that my Merc of Average Height and Above Average Build weighs 170 lbs.

MAJOR TESTS

Stress Test: base 36 + 20 (from two +10 attribute modifiers for Intelligence and Knowledge) = 56
Dexterity Test = 36 (no modifiers from attributes)
Command Control = 36 + 10 for Prior Military Service (no modifier for Voice) = 46
Skill Tests = +1 Detection for Camouflage Secondary, +2 Intercept Messages for Communications Primary, +1 Concealment for Camouflage Secondary

The last step is to pick equipment, but that would be based on the mission. So, to sum up, here we have...

Janco van Apeldoorn

Age: 34
Nationality: South African
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair Color:  Brown
Eye Color:  Hazel
Complexion:  Average
Voice: Average
Handedness: Left-handed

Primary Specialties: Medic and Communications Expert
Secondary Specialty: Camouflage Expert

Strength: 32
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 51
Knowledge: 56
Intuition: 35
Prior Military Service: 41

Stress Test: 56
Dexterity Test: 36
Command Control:  46
Skill Tests: +1 Detection, +2 Intercept Messages, +1 Concealment

Also note that a Primary Specialty Medic can Heal Light Wounds 6 and Heal Serious Wounds 8.

Thanks for your help with chargen, Dumarest. Here's the guy I came up with:

Steve Heron

Age: 28
Nationality: American
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Blue
Complexion: Average
Voice: Average
Handedness: Left-handed

Primary Specialties: Sniper/Sharpshooter
Secondary Specialty: Medic

Strength: 23
Agility: 63
Intelligence: 61
Knowledge: 45
Intuition: 63
Prior Military Service: 12

Stress Test: 51
Dexterity Test: 41
Command Control: 41
Skill Tests: none

Also note that a Secondary Specialty Medic can Heal Light Wounds 4 and Heal Serious Wounds 6.

Looking good so far.

Any objection to playing this on rpol?

Quote from: Black Vulmea;976223Looking good so far.

Any objection to playing this on rpol?

None from me. Never tried it but I'm not opposed to learning new things.

Started a character who was looking to be a sniper/grenadier due to stats.  I'll see if I can roll up another to keep from overlapping.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;976223Looking good so far.

Any objection to playing this on rpol?

Sounds good. Do you want us to Request Access over there?

Quote from: Black Vulmea;976223Looking good so far.

Any objection to playing this on rpol?

I've never used it but I'll see if they block it at work tomorrow.

(Off today for my daughter's birthday...lots of Chuck E. Cheese and Legos and Trolls...)

Quote from: Bunch;976265None from me. Never tried it but I'm not opposed to learning new things.

Started a character who was looking to be a sniper/grenadier due to stats.  I'll see if I can roll up another to keep from overlapping.

Overlapping with whom?

Quote from: Dumarest;976285Overlapping with whom?

Marksolino. He's got a sniper/medic.

Quote from: Bunch;976308Marksolino. He's got a sniper/medic.

Somehow I managed to miss his post.