I think the Roughnecks are a bit too elite to just be considered the standard grunt. Someone needs to wear standard armor and use standard equipment.
I'm not the type who likes to play weakling characters, but for those of you like the Vagabond from Rifts, I give you the Militiaman. They do get more powerful with experience, but it definitely takes a while. Use the Techno-Jacker Experience table.
Militiaman O.C.C.
“Why’d I join the Militia instead of the Roughnecks? Because I’m smart, that’s why. What’s the point of hoofing it across miles of dangerous territory to blow up a couple of robots? There’s billions of ‘em. Those idiots are risking their lives for nothin’. They’re never gonna make a dent. All they do is risk leadin’ ‘em back down here. That’s why I joined the Militia. If the Machine ever does come knockin’ down our door, I’m gonna need a little more than my shirt for protection. You sign up in the Militia and they give you all kinds of that Bio-Tech crap. No way I could afford all the stuff on my own. Sure it ain’t as good as that fancy Host Armor, but I don’t have to follow a bunch of pointless orders to get one. You sign up as a grunt and they’ll just keep ordering you topside until you’re finally gutted like a fish. You join the Militia and you don’t have to answer to anyone. Your job is to guard the home front. That’s it. You can still volunteer to throw away your life topside, if want to be a hero. They’re more than happy to chuck more meat in the grinder. Me, I’m gonna stay right here and rack up some free Bio-Weapons.” - Terry Wilcox, First Sergeant of the 31st Militia.
Some people want to battle the Machine, but they do not want to mindlessly follow someone else’s orders as a Roughneck. Most of these people had a friend or family member that served as a Splicer and died during a “pointless” mission. Others simply have no desire to fight a seemingly endless string of monstrous robots head on. Of course, these people realize that if the Machine ever discovers their underground haven, they will have no choice but to fight. There is no such thing as a non-combatant in this war. N.E.X.U.S. will kill every man, woman, and child without a moments hesitation. If and when the war comes spilling through their front door, everyone will need to fight for their very lives, whether they have the proper tools or not. Humans within the Resistance are comfortable with organic technology and use it often, but that does not mean the average person has access to Bio-Tech weapons. Unless you are a Splicer or in the Militia, the only way to get decent Bio-Weapons or Living Armor is to buy them, and they are definitely not cheap.
Some people join the Militia in order to build a stockpile of organic weaponry without having to risk their lives, but there are many Militiamen who do like taking the fight to the Machine. The only reason they do not sign on as Roughnecks is because they prefer having the freedom to choose their own missions. During “peacetime,” the Militia answers to no one. Militiamen can refuse any commands and even resign from the Militia without consequence. Of course, not much is asked of them anyway. The only thing they are required to do is report for training one hour a day and one day a week. They consider it a small price to pay for all the armaments they receive. However, if the Machine ever does invade the underground chambers, all Militiamen will immediately be absorbed into the Roughnecks, and they will be expected to follow any and all commands (although they will be more than willing to listen at this point).
Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
Attribute Requirements: None
Attribute Bonuses: +1D4 to P.S., +1D4 to P.E., and +2D4 to Spd.
O.C.C. Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to strike, and +3 to save vs. horror factor.
Base S.D.C.: 30, plus any from Physical skills.
Common Skills: Standard.
O.C.C. Skill Program: Basic Military (+20%), Athletics, Bio-Technology, and one of the following skill programs: Guerilla Warfare, Infantryman, Technical, Outdoorsman, Saboteur, Reconnaissance/Scout, or Support Man.
Elective Skills: Select any one Wilderness Skill and Bio Comms (+20%), and four Electives from the following list at first level. Select another Elective Skill at levels 2, 4, 8, and 12. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
Communications: Any (+5%)
Domestic: Any (+10%)
Espionage: Wilderness Survival only.
Medical: None.
Military: Any (+5%)
Physical: Any
Rogue: Any
Science: Advanced Mathematics only.
Technical: Any
Transportation: Any, except War Mount Combat and Host Armor Combat.
Wilderness Survival: Any (+5%)
W.P.s: Any
Secondary Skills: The character gets to select five Secondary Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
Bio-Tech Equipment: Militiamen can select 20,000 credits worth of Bio-Weapons and Living Armor when they first join. They are only given standard suits of Living Armor with no additional enhancements. These credits can be saved and used later or spent now (the character can also spend his own money on Bio-Tech equipment). Militiamen are rewarded with better weapons, equipment, and Bio-Enhancements the longer they serve. The following chart shows the rewards for continued service:
Level 2: An additional 2000 credits to be used to purchase Bio-Tech equipment.
Level 3: One Melee Bio-Weapon of choice.
Level 4: 2D10 points of Bio-E to be used to enhance his personal suit of Living Armor.
Level 5: One Light Bio-Weapon of choice.
Level 6: One Heavy Bio-Weapon of choice.
Level 7: 2D10 points of Bio-E to be used to enhance his personal suit of Living Armor.
Level 8: An additional 4000 credits to be used to purchase Bio-Tech equipment.
Level 9: One Light Bio-Weapon of choice.
Level 10: One Heavy Bio-Weapon of choice.
Level 11: An additional 4000 credits to be used to purchase Bio-Tech equipment.
Level 12: A standard Wingpack and training on how to fly it (learns the Pilot Wingpack skill).
Level 13: 3D10 points of Bio-E to be used to enhance his Living Armor or Wingpack.
Level 14: Rewarded with his own personal Gorehound.
Level 15: 5D10 points of Bio-E to be used to enhance his Living Armor, Wingpack, or Gorehound.
Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, dress clothing, survival knife, utility belt, Face Wrap, tinted goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, tent, knapsack, backpack, two water skins, two-week supply of emergency food rations, and some personal items.
Money: Has 1D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics, or trade items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can be spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
The Upside: You possess some of the best training and equipment that a human can receive outside of the regular army without having to risk your life on the battlefield. If you do have a taste for battle, you still have plenty of opportunities to prove your mettle. You decided to join the Militia over the Roughnecks because you prefer to pick your own assignments rather than have some idiot commander send you on suicide missions.
The Downside: Splicers (and even many non-combatants) look at you as a greedy coward. You sit at home collecting valuable Bio-Tech gear while they risk their lives keeping you safe. Even if you do fight in the field, [b] the stigma of being in the Militia hangs over your head the same as the Militiamen that never go topside. Until you establish a reputation on the battlefield as a capable warrior, most Splicers will want nothing to do with you in combat [/b] (most Militiamen do not last too long in the field and are usually more trouble than they are worth). Another drawback is that you are poorly equipped compared to normal Splicers. Trading lesser equipment for free reign works well if you never leave the underground haven, but those that like combat will find themselves seriously outgunned against the Machine.
Last edited by slappy on Thu Apr 21, 2005, 12:07 pm, edited 4 times in total