Metaskills

The metaskills presented here are a means by which Silhouette games can become more cinematic and characters more powerful. They represent special maneuvers, outstanding skill, a great deal of luck, practice and instinct, as well as power. These skills are all effects-based. That is, the maneuvers that can be attempted with them do not represent specifics. Instead, the skill represents the effects of a maneuver in combat. The specifics of each maneuver and how it is carried out are left to the imaginations of players and GM.

These skills make their practitioners particularly powerful. This is intended. We recommend that PCs in possession of any one of these skills be challenged and harrassed even moreso than normal.

Each metaskill is rolled before the normal skill roll. For example, in order to carry out a Combo in Heavy Gear Dueling, the Duelist would roll an opposed Heavy Gear Dueling skill roll. If the MOS of the roll was 2 or more, the Combo is activated, and the Duelist then rolls attacks as per normal (Gunnery/Piloting vs. Piloting Opposed roll). Only one metaskill maneuver can be carried out per round, no exceptions. This overrides the Advanced Controls Heavy Gear perk rule as it applies to Heavy Gear Dueling.

Mechanics and specifics:

Each of these skills are considered Complex for the purposes of skill purchase and advancement. The metaskills cannot be learned in-game without the benefit of a teacher. Each skill has a collection of sub-maneuvers that are governed by different attributes. However, all four metaskills are governed by the CRE attribute for the purposes of skill advancement. Specializations can only be purchased for each sub-maneuver of the metaskill in question.

When are these skills usable?

Heavy Gear Dueling:
All Opposed Dueling macromoves are only possible at close combat ranges or within the short range band of the weapon(s) being used.
Non-Opposed Dueling Macromoves may be attempted at any time, regardless of target presence. The sole exception for this is Duelist's Luck, which cannot be used to re-roll an attack roll beyond Short Range.

Gunslinging:
Offensive Gunslinging maneuvers may only be employed with Pistol type weapons, usually in single-fire mode only. The Sniping metaskill is not compatible with Gunslinging. Gunslinging may be attempted at all ranges, not just short or point-blank. The Gunslinger's Gambit (Zen Reroll) maneuver can affect the Gunslinger's own attacks, or be used defensively against firearms attacks from opponents provided the Gunslinger's pistols are drawn, or about to be (hands on grips).

Sniping:
In order to activate Sniping Maneuvers, the user must be stationary, employing single fire, and firing a rifle-ammunition weapon. This includes the "Lucky of the Devil" ability, which cannot be used to re-roll Camouflage or Stealth thresholds in a non-sniping context.

Martial Arts:
This metaskill can only be used in close combat, that is, any attack/defense roll that would employ Melee or Hand to Hand combat. As well, certain Martial Arts maneuvers can be used in conjunction with the Archery skill and Thrown Weapon skill (for martial arts thrown weapons like knives and shuriken). The Zen Mastery Maneuver may be used to evade bullets from firearms so long as the shooter is less than 10 meters from the martial artist.

Updates

Metaskills and other House Rules updated. Comment if something things awry.

Note that the Gunslinging skill has changed.

Metaskill: Sniping

OBSOLETE - 8 September 2010

Prerequisites: Small Arms 2; Specialization - Rifles

The Sniping metaskill is designed to represent the superior and often awesome abilities of premiere marksmen. A sniper can place extremely accurate rifle fire onto a target. This Metaskill includes some basic meteorological knowledge to calculate wind and humidity influences and some terrain recognition and evaluation abilities. In order to activate Sniping Maneuvers, the user must be stationary, employing single fire, both hands, and firing a weapon with the Sniper perk.

In addition, the Sniper metaskill allows the sniper to use PER instead of AGI for the Small Arms attack benefiting from the Sniping maneuver.

(Note that this Metaskill replaces the Sniping skill from the HG Rulebook 2E, p. 66.)

Sniping Maneuvers:

Level 1:

Called Shot (PER, opposed)
Threshold: MoS 2
This is the standard Called Shot maneuver and requires an Opposed MOS 2 for it to work. Fumbles mean that the attack misses.

Luck of the Devil: (PSY, non-opposed)
Threshold: None
Success is often largely skill-based, but there is a widespread belief that luck can play an important role. Even an elite marksmen can benefit from a sudden lull in the wind, the shadow caused by clouds passing in front of the sun, or the rare time when the target literally steps into the path of the bullet. This maneuver may be used offensively to re-roll an attack or defensively to re-roll the Sniper's static Stealth or Camouflage roll.

Level 2:

Armour Piercing: (PER, opposed)
Threshold: MoS 2
This is the standard Armour Piercing maneuver and requires an Opposed MOS 2 for it to work. Fumbles mean that the attack misses.

Ludicrous Range (PER, non-opposed)
Threshold: 6
This is the sniper skill of being able to zero in the sights on a weapon and extend its range. Ludicrous Range is double Extreme Range. The Ludicrous Range maneuver can only be applied to the first Small Arms shot after the Sniper meta-skill roll. Fumbles mean that the sight must be readjusted for 1d6 rounds.

Level 3:

Suppression (CRE, non-opposed)
Threshold: Special
This unique skill allows the sniper to use a single shot to suppress a small unit as though it were pinned by a high-ROF weapon. The sniper rolls the Sniper skill, and then the Small Arms skill to strike as usual. However, the Sniper roll result counts as a static threshold for the target group. The group must roll Leadership against the threshold. It is unable to act a number of rounds equal to the MOF of the roll. Against individuals (RPG context), a WIL roll can substitute for Leadership.

Level 4:

"Solving a system of three or more linear equations...with a bullet": (CRE, opposed)
Threshold:
This skill requires some elaboration, but essentially allows the sniper to attempt to line up multiple targets, or to take a shot exactly when two or more targets would be hit (assuming the bullet in question has enough power). Each additional target after the first additional target confers a +1 bonus to the defending CRE roll. Fumbles mean that the attack misses.

***As a rough rule of thumb, the maximum number of additional targets could be (Damage Rating)/20 (rounded down). So, a x22 rifle could conceivably kill 2 men, a x40 rifle could kill 3 men, and a x60 rifle could kill 4 men.*** If the shot does not penetrate the armour of one of the targets, it cannot effect any subsequent targets in the original shot. For example, if a x66 damage (MOS3x22) bullet hits a man with 66 points of armour for the Flesh Wound category, the bullet will not hit the second target.

Advanced: Piloting Maneuvers

Level 1:

Top Speed 180 Degree Turn
Threshold: 5
Required threshold when attempting to turn more than 1 hex facing (60 degrees) at Top Speed. Failure means the attempt to turn more than one hex facing fails. Fumble means a fall or a crash, at the GM's discretion.

Level 2:

High Speed Reverse
Threshold: 5
Usable only in Ground movement mode. Normally, a vehicle can move in reverse at only half Combat Speed. This maneuver allows the vehicle to roll backwards at higher speeds. Maximum reverse movement is half Combat Speed +1 per MOS. Failure means no exceeding half combat speed, and the vehicle loses its +1 attack bonus for half Combat Speed movement. Fumble means the vehicle crashes (roll 1d6, 1-4: additional Light Damage, 5-6: Heavy Damage).

Rapid Downshift
Threshold: 7
Allows the vehicle to suddenly shift from Top Speed to Combat Speed in the same round, without a previous declaration of intent to go to Combat Speed. Failure means vehicle remains at Top Speed, and the vehicle takes a Light Damage. Fumble means the vehicle takes a Light Damage and crashes (roll 1d6, 1-4: additional Light Damage, 5-6: Heavy Damage).

Level 3:

Drag Shifting
Threshold: 6
Allows the vehicle to suddenly shift from Combat Speed to Top Speed in the same round, without a previous declaration of intent to go to Top Speed. Failure means vehicle remains at Combat Speed. Fumble means the engine stalls, and the vehicle is considered stationary until its next activation.

Rapid Reverse Shift
Threshold: 6
Allows the vehicle to suddenly shift from forward movement to reverse movement, or vice versa, while moving at Combat Speed. Failure means the attempt to turn more than one hex facing fails. Fumble means the vehicle crashes (roll 1d6, 1-3: Light Damage, 5-6: Heavy Damage).

Sideways Slide
Threshold: 5
Allows the vehicle to continue moving in a straight line while facing up to 90 degrees either left or right, for a number of hexes equal to MOS +1. Useful for facing an opponent while moving toward cover, without exposing one's flanks to snap fire. Failure means no slide. Fumble means the vehicle crashes (roll 1d6, 1-4: additional Light Damage, 5-6: Heavy Damage).

Dressed for success

Sometimes, in terms of the routine, day-to-day sorts of things, Kain really missed the army. See, in the army, when you said "Cawfee" to a subordinate, it appeared. When you told a subordinate to do something, it was generally understood that you were speaking in a sort of short hand. "Please" and "Thank you" were implied, their absence indicated by tone rather than the lack of utterance.

The Regulators had understood. 'Course that was a paramilitary force, and the caravan wasn't a much better example, given the number of old soldiers who'd signed on.

It wasn't that Kain lacked familiarity with social graces. He'd attended more than a few functions in his time. He'd simply fallen out of practice. And every dirty look that Vermeer shot him when he thought Kain wasn't looking underlined how Kain failed to make the transition into civilian life.

It didn't have to be that way. And the first step was a new outfit. After all, one of the first things he had learned from his father was that "Clothes make the man".

Dichotomy

Strange that he should have never been there before, he has spent, after all, two seasons in this city. Nonetheless, as Dr Tom Chambers immerged onto the first terrace of Peace River he realised that he too was a subject of this corporate social experiment gone wrong.

‘Castes!’ He cursed to himself. Far from being a proletarian, to which Ben Cantor would certainly attest, Dr Chambers simply didn’t see himself as bellow anyone else and in that thought he found some empathy for the worker caste. As he subjected himself to a search and interrogation by the POC at the threshold of first terrace, this Mekong national was filled with contempt for the arrogance which saw him as a second class citizen or worse, as second class human being. He would take some more personal pleasure in hurting this system now, he realised that, but he pushed his personal feelings back and concentrated on his objectives, also personal, but of an entirely different nature. He found his way to the building he was looking for; he was soon waiting in a reception area of the administration office.

“Dr Chambers”, the smiling young man at the desk cooed, “Dr Pemberly is free to see you now.”

The Chief of bio-endocrinology at Peace River’s First Hospital was pleasant enough; at least he hid his condescension well, even when he knew that the much younger Doctor wasn’t sufficiently qualified to grasp the finer technical points of the discussion. Dr Pemberly suggested some authoritative papers to research; a few theories on holistic approaches but in spite of his experience, the conversation quickly lead to an inescapable conclusion. The expression on Tom’s face spoke eloquently to his disappointment.

“I’m sorry Dr Chambers, I really wish I could help more, but M.D.A. is simply not something I am well versed in the treatment of, the genetic technology to pre-empt it has been widely available for over two centuries and little research has been funded in the post natal treatment of it. As far as I know it is lethal and irreversible.” Dr Pemberly was speaking more openly, but Tom had retreated inside and hadn’t noted the change in candour.

“Not widely available enough indeed! And as for research grants, well who really cares do they Doctor?”

Tom was struggling to be civil, but failing in spite of his colleagues attempt to be useful.

“I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful for you assistance, please be sure I will mention this kindness to Professor Sun.”

Tom concluded on a more conciliatory tone and started opening the office door.

“Dr Chambers…a moment if you would?” Tom turned around, his host was visibly uncomfortable and nervously wringing his hands as he made a motion for Tom to come back. Tom had not notice when this change is disposition had occurred but felt compelled to sit back down in response.

“I am not entirely without sympathy for this condition Doctor” started Dr Pemberly somewhat short of breath and avoiding eye contact. “May I rely on your discretion?”

Tom searched the mature physician’s eyes and saw deep emotion then nodded in silent acquiescence. Dr Permberly closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, collecting his courage before leaning forward conspiratorially.

“In the prospects there is a clinic, it sees cases of M.D.A. we don’t discuss it, there is simply no reason for that disease to exist here but there you have it, it does and a number of us are not proud of the political realities that are to blame. The fact is we simply cannot discuss it, nor can we do much to help without being barred from practice in PR. Some of my colleagues have been braver than me though, I know of some who have decided to volunteer down there.”

Tom appreciated the seditious nature of his colleague’s statements; he also was disgusted by it, remembering what Carmichael had said about the effect of casts on treatment of Peaceriverans.

“I know they have made no progress as such, but they have been trying to contact the unlikeliest of people in order to make a breakthrough. Tell me Dr Chambers, did you serve?”

Dr Pemberly`s voice had dwindled to a near whisper. His features had lost all the clinical implacability exhibited just moments before. Once again Tom nodded quietly and Dr Pemberly squinted a moment, as if peering into Tom eyes to see his soul.

“I see, well then you know that there is on this planet one force that has done extensive bioengineering research, if there is any hope for making progress, it lies out there.”

The treason went well beyond criticizing the injustices of the caste system; this man was talking about collaborating with the CEF. If you use the verb collaborate with a scientist it evokes the noble pursuit of research with a colleague, to a Badlander, it means working with keffers, here it meant both.

“Thank you once again for your time and your…insight Dr Pemberly, it has been enlightening to confer with you sir.”

Tom meant every word. He had to acknowledge that Dr Pemberly made a reasonable assessment of who had the technological expertise to attain Tom’s goals. Could there be a team of Isabelas out there that could help? Could they expand their knowledge beyond repairing purple weapons and be used to help people?

As Tom walked the streets he was deep in thought. It might take him some time to reconcile murdering some keffers while simultaneously asking the help of others.

29 January 2009 Penance 'n patience in Peace River

Making his way across the Bazaar, he pulled his shoulders in, lest he entangle himself with some ruffian. It had never happened mind you. This mild middle-aged Peace-Riveran from a management-caste family had never swung a fist in his life nor had he experienced the brutality of others, and he planned to keep it that way.

Head down, frown on full, he walked into the relative safety of the building's lobby and up to the sixth floor. He relaxed a bit, letting his shoulders sag. As he put the key in the lock, he heard noise on the other side. He released a sigh. They were already here.

The last few days had been horrible. The Boss, or bosses as he now came to see them - not so much for their inherent authority as for the way they did nothing but make demands of his time - were not what he had expected.

The Doctor, nominally the real boss, was adequate, but his company left much to be desired; Delacroix, that Southerner, was abusive, debasing and more than a little scary when he spoke about dispatching people with the same ease as he demanded fresh coffee. Tarmalin was mostly quiet, but Trevin could find no likeness of mind in him. He wasn't an introspective person: more likely a taciturn killer. As for Vonyran, well he was the opposite: loud and rancorous. Trevin half expected to have to chase out a pack of easy woman from the office and disinfect the board room table, again.

Trevin hung his jacket and sat at his desk. Accessing his terminal, he found a number of messages waiting: instructions from the bosses.

Trevin, remind Greyson to check public records for Lt. Vance outside PR as well as in. We think they were fabricated sometime during the war. If we can get our hands on his medical records, there may be some regional idiosyncrasies that can help. Don't forget to send out the pricing for the Z-list to the encrypted recipient and demand expedited payment. Check out who we have going out of PR from the BCG in the next days that have been vetted or referred from secure sources and give me a list. Thanks Trevin, Tom.


Cordial. Friendly in fact. Not very professional, but he supposed that was Chambers' idea of leadership. 'The Doctor!' Trevin scoffed to himself. He though about Lt. Vance. There was a piece of brute-like nastiness if ever Trevin had seen one. Coming in here without cause and tearing the place apart with his Peace Officer Corps, and just as the place was finally coming together! Chambers tried to console the office clerk by telling him that it suited him, as he had some remodeling plans anyway. 'Damn it!' thought Trevin, 'more paint.'

Make sure third and fourth party connections are used when you patch us to the Granis or the Forzi next time Vemeer. Also look into independent security agencies, preferably polar, to bid on a secure telecom hub for the office. Get Prabal to double check. D.

'Would a please kill you, sir?' Trevin’s mouth twisted like he had tasted something sour even at the thought of saying 'sir' to Delacroix. And then adding insult to injury, to have Prabal verify his work. Southern prat!

“Vemeer,” the voice, silky and sinister like a well-placed blade between the ribs, came again. This time so clearly he could swear he heard it.

“VEMEER!” Trevin looked up to find the dark figure of the Southerner towering above him and nearly fell back out of his swivel chair.

“Sir” the words came out somewhat brittle at first, “Yes, what - what can I do for you sir?”

Delacroix just stood there, eying him. It might have gone on forever if Tarmalin hadn’t come in and interrupted, “so, do we have fresh coffee, or what Kain?”

The languorous delivery of the Badlander's voice helped Trevin regain his composure.

“Of course, Mr. Tarmalin. Mr Delacroix, if you will excuse me, I will finish my work, and send out the morning confirmations. Then I would be pleased to get us all some fresh coffee.”

Trevin was able to inject his words with enough regained insufferability to match Delacroix’s stare evenly, defiantly. Delacroix left in a minor huff, Tarmalin looked perplexed at the exchange and Trevin sat down, smug with his minor victory. He logged an outgoing encrypted message to a Miss Pojhola in New Baja via the Hermes scrambler program Prabal had written, and an unencrypted secured message to a Mr. Quan of Prince Gable, both from Dr. Chambers.

There were a couple waiting messages from unidentified sources; opening them, Trevin saw that one was from Lt. Fenton, Vance’s partner. The other from Roger Zahn, the terrorist. Strange bedfellows this Badlands Caravan Guild kept, strange indeed.

Trevin brought the messages over to Dr. Chambers, said good morning, and was greeted with smiles and some useless small talk. A glare from Delacroix reminded him of the urgency to procure caffeine, but he didn’t let that press him out in an undignified manner. He checked the petty cash and found it nearly empty. The funds had evaporated, and in their place were bills for some electronics, pharmacies, ground coffee from the Cimmaro cafe (a delicacy), liquor bills, as well as some sizable receipts from Claude’s.

Trevin shook his head disapprovingly, let out another sigh, and went to make some coffee. 'I can't wait until they leave,' he thought to himself.

Painstaking Pieces of Peace River

Dear Julie, we have it!

Fenton has the link; we just need to get it out of him, somehow. With that we can tie Lt. Vance to Mr. Arens without divulging the NEC conspiracy. We take that to Robert Zahn and hopefully he will see the error of his ways when we reveal to him that he is just a puppet, and the puppet master plays both sides against each other. Plan B is to appeal to his sense of loyalty and tell him about the NEC plot involving Arens and Vance. Failing his senses of shame and patriotism...plan C involves appealing to his mortality.

If he were any other man, plan C would come before B; Kain doesn’t want more people in the know as operational security demands we limit this intel. But Zahn isn’t any man. He’s a political icon sure, a hero of his caste. His death or even disappearance would turn him into a martyr. I don’t like the way that plays out for Hitachi and Simosa. I need them coming out ahead in this imbroglio - not fighting a mob crusading for a dead ideologue.

No, however impractical the political costs of his death, I have another consideration, a personal stake in this man. His wife came to me for help and I don’t want to let her down. Funny how sentimentality weights so heavily in the balance. Actually, it’s sad.

This side of the Pacificas, seems like every city I’m in, some dame I love, or used to, pulls me into all kinds of barnaby shit! Wouldn’t you say?

I think Sam’s itchy trigger finger is permeating this office with generalized anxiety. He’s all cooked up and jonesing bad for blood, I can’t say I blame him, some gratuitous violence sure would help me get my mind of you.

But right now I’ve got to send a message to Quan at SNS, see what he thinks about a new show I want to produce, I’ve also got to put together some info for Greyson, and get him to lend me a micro recorder.

I’ll ask Trevin to show me the outgoing caravans: see who we can trust, who’s been vetted. You don’t know him yet. He’s an uppity little bitch. I think I like him.

Finally, I need to call you and tell you to get your lovely ass to the Alpha Maglev junction in 2 days time to meet two Peace River refugees and get them over to Prince Gable. It would be nice if I could do so without recriminating glares of vindictive silence but I probably can’t, sorry.

I hope as Hades that you and her don’t realize what you have in common.

Lots to do, and I am wasting time typing to no one. This is the 23rd letter I haven’t sent to you, thanks as always for listening and helping me get it all straight, I love you.

Tom

>DELETE MESSAGE<
>COFIRME Y/N<
>Y<
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