Character Background Tables

Throughout character creation, you will proceed on a journey to define and improve your character. If you have a definite hard idea of what you want to play, talk to the GM and see what can be worked out. Everyone must do the post age 16 life events, plus determine when you enlisted, and if you had any years of duty since.

If you do it right, you should start above second level. You might even start with higher than base rank. Every character gets paid, and you will have a chance to buy items both on base, and away from base. When in doubt, and if I have not said otherwise, check RUE, Merc Ops, and Game Master Guide for pricing of items. Personal items are allowed on missions on a very limited basis. All salvage you take is property of the Coalition Government, to be distributed at the government's sole discretion. That doesn't mean you will never get salvage, it just means you will have to be clever about it.

The group is going to be assigned to patrol the river on a Barracuda Patrol Boat. At least half of the group MUST have Pilot/Watercratft/Patrol Boat. Everyone must have Read Sensory Equipment and Weapon Systems. Occasionally you'll be temorarily assigned to another vehicle, but that is the general assignment. If you can't pilot the boat, be prepared to be a gunner.

Step 1 : Determine Racial Ethnicity: North America was a blended continent full of people from all over the world. Those who survived may have lost something of their culture, but such things tend to survive. In any case while most people area blend of many ethnicities, some show traits of one or more predominately. This table helps determine this if you don’t have a clear idea. Roll 1d20 and consult the table below.

1          Japanese/Korean 2          Pacific Islander 3-4        Polish, Slovak, Russian, Czech, Serbian, Croatian 5          Chinese/Southeast Asian 6-8        Black 9-11       Anglo 12-14      Hispanic 15         South European (Greek, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese) 16         North European (Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish) 17         Central European (French, German, Austrian, etc) 18         Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic 19         Indian, Pakastani 20         Roll twice, combine. If 20 is rolled again, roll three times and combine. Ignore any further rolls of 20

Step 2 : Family Ranking: Use this chart to determine what kind of life you had growing up.

01-02 Corporate Owner – Your family owned one of the large manufacturing or servicing firms that hold government contracts for a variety of goods and services. Despite what the plebeians think, nothing is free, and someone has to profit from it. You are on the fast track for real rank in the military, but you can just as easily get into the family business, of you’re really motivated.

03-04 Corporate Manager – The owners of the big companies have long moved past the day to day running of their holdings, and like the stewards of medieval society, the managers are the real power in the local sense. It is their heads on the chopping block when things are going bad, and their pockets that get lined when things are going well. Your family held this position. Some may call you middle men, but you prefer to think of the job as that of a facilitator.

05-09 Corporate Technician – Your family was highly skilled, and you grew up in a well to do, though not rich lifestyle. You wanted for no necessity, but you didn’t always get what you wanted either. You’re used to making due with what you have, but not to the point of fixing something that is broken beyond service.

10-44 Non-Citizen


 * *01-14 Homeless – Some come to the military because they have a sense of duty driving them. For others, its simply better than sleeping in the streets, or dodging from one derelict building to the next. This is how you grew up. On the plus side, you really appreciate where you are now, and what you have. You’re also good at making due with minimal resources.
 * 15-49 ‘Burbie – You grew up in the ‘burbs surrounding one of the megacities. You know what it is to struggle. You joined the military to get you and yours into the city as a citizen. The only way to get the benefits is to serve the State faithfully for your allotted time.
 * 50-79 Worker – Whether it’s a shop keep in a small town, a factory worker in the ‘burbs, or a wandering operator on the roads, the life of a non-citizen can be rough. You joined to better your lot and life.
 * 80-89 War Orphan – Your family was killed in some military action or another. You were taken in as a ward of the state. You grew up in a government orphanage, and you learned quickly that it was better to get out and into the military than it was into the streets.
 * 90-00 Criminal – Not everyone can be a law abiding citizen, or even just a citizen. Whether out of boredom, a desire for more wealth, or falling in with the wrong crowd, you grew up in the underbelly of the megacities, or among the black market in the surrounding towns. Either way, such a life can color your perceptions. Joining the army was a good way out of the life, or a good way to make connections to make such a life more bearable again at a later date.

45-74 Citizen


 * *01-14 Criminal – Not everyone can be a law abiding citizen. Whether out of boredom, a desire for more wealth, or falling in with the wrong crowd, you grew up in the underbelly of the megacities, or among the black market in the surrounding towns. Either way, such a life can color your perceptions.
 * 15-44 City Blue Collar Worker – Whether it was a factory worker, construction worker, mechanic, or any of a host of other manual and lightly skilled labor jobs, your family made due with dirty, but rewarding work. Time off was spent enjoying as best you could. You didn’t have the nice things, but you had good enough “toys”, and you know how to have a good time with nothing but a bonfire and a bunch of friends.
 * 45-74 Farmer/Rancher/Fisherman – Your family provided the food to feed the masses, and while the work was hard, the family unit was tight. Maybe you joined out of duty; maybe you joined so you could see more than your family’s farm before you died. Whatever the reason, you left that world behind. Still, you know how to have a good time with nothing but a bonfire and a bunch of friends.
 * 75-89 Small Town Worker – Not everyone grows up in the megacities. Sometimes you just live in a small town, and your family might run the local operator’s shop, or perhaps your parents are carpenters. Either way, you knew everyone, and how things would happen. Not a bad life, but it can be boring.
 * 90-00 City White Collar Worker – Your family worked in one of the lower paying, but still nice jobs like being merchants, low grade technicians, medical and business professionals, and more. Long hours were rewarded with decent pay, and time off that was cram packed with activities. Still there are definitely worse ways to live.

75-84 Military Enlisted – Your family was one of the many thousands of day to day soldiers who make up the Coalition Military. For their tours you never saw them, but you loved them that much more when they were there – or at least you tried to. The life of enlisted families can be harsh sometimes.

85-89 Military Technician/Officer – Your family was highly skilled and well positioned in the CS Military, and you grew up in a well to do, though not rich lifestyle. You wanted for no necessity, but you didn’t always get what you wanted either. You’re used to making due with what you have, but not to the point of fixing something that is broken beyond service.

90-94 Military Command – You grew up on a military base, with one or more of your parents in a command position. You know the headaches associated with command, but you also know the benefits. You’ve never needed anything in your life, but you’ve wanted plenty. Still, it was hardly a bad youth, if it was a bit transient

95-98 Political Elite – Your family are among the movers and shakers of Coalition Society. No one understands the world you come from, nor can they. They only see the privilege, they don’t see how cut throat and ruthless it can be, always maneuvering and dodging. You may be on the fast track for real rank in the military, but you will have to fight your way there.

99-00 Choose one.

Parents 1-14     Both Parents are living. 15-20    Something has happened to one or both parents *1-2      Your parent(s) died in warfare. *3-4      Your parent(s) died in an accident. *5-6      Your parent(s) were murdered. *7-8      Your parent(s) have amnesia and don’t remember you. *9-10     You never knew your parent(s). *11-12    Your parent(s) are in hiding to protect you. *13-14    You were left with relatives for safekeeping. *15-16    You grew up on the street and never had parents. *17-18    Your parent(s) gave you up for adoption. *19-20    Your parent(s) sold you for money.

Go to Family Status

Family Status (Roll 1d20) 1-12    Family Tragedy *1-2      Family lost everything through betrayal. *3-4      Family lost everything through bad management. *5-6      Family exiled or otherwise driven from their original home. *7-8      Family is imprisoned and you alone escaped. *9-10     Family was murdered/killed and you were the only survivor *11-12    Family is involved in longterm conspiracy, organization, or            association, such as a crime family, or radical political movement. *13-14    Your family was scatter to the winds due to misfortune. *15-16    Your family is cursed with a hereditary feud that has lasted for generations. *17-18    You are the inheritor of a family debt; you must honor this debt before moving on with your life. *19-20    Family vanished. You are the only remaining member. 13-20   Family Status is ok, even if both parents are missing or dead.

State of Origin (Roll 1d20)

1         Iron Heart (City) 2-3       Iron Heart (Trapper, Fisherman, Farmer) 3-5       Free Quebec (City) 6-7       Free Quebec (Wilderness) 8         Chi-Town (Illinois) 9         Chi-Town (Iowa Farmlands) 10-12     Chi-Town (Chi-Town or its 'Burbs) 12-14     Minnesota (New Chilicothe) 15-16     Minnesota (Farmlands) 17-18     Lone Star (Lone Star City/Base) 19-20     Lone Star (Wilderness)

If you are from a city, you gain your choice of one of the following skills: Pilot Automobile (+10%), Pilot Hovervehicle (Ground; +15%), Pilot Motorcycle (+5%), or Pilot Hover Cycles (+5%). You also get one Domestic skill of choice.

If you are from the Wilderness or a Farm, you get your choice of two of the following skills: Pilot Automobile (+10%), Pilot Truck (+5%), any cowboy or wilderness skill, or any physical skill that can be chosen as a secondary skill, except Hand to Hand: Basic.

If you are from Chi-Town (any) or Minnesota (any), then you speak American (+5%) as your native language. You also know basic math (+5%).

If you are from Iron Heart, you speak American (+2%) as your native language, but you may also speak French (25% chance of speaking it) or Euro (15% chance of speaking it) as native languages. You also know basic math.

If you are from Free Quebec, you speak English and French as Native Languages (+8% on both). If you are from the city in Free Quebec, you also are literate in both languages (+5%), and know basic math (+5%).

Go to Childhood Environment.

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