Info Warrior

Copyright © 1996, 1998, 2002 by Kevin Clark ( kevinc AT cnetech DOT com).  All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer

I have continued thinking about my new military branch career for 2300 AD, the Info Warrior, and here is the latest updated version of the career.

Combat ( land, sea, interface, and space) has quickened its pace to almost unbelievable speeds over the last four centuries, as technology has marched forward.  Military leaders need specialized support staff to just process/comprehend the titanic flow of data, let alone the dynamic battlefield.

By 2300, there are computer expert systems ( see Wired Society: Information Technology in 2300AD by Andy Slack for an excellent look at core world tech and its effect on lifestyle) which can assist at reducing the information bottleneck, but even they need highly skilled humans to ride herd on them.  So think of the career as a super C^3IC specialist ( Command, Control, Communication, Intelligence, Computer).

I envision the character sitting in a command vehicle, sea/space vessel TAC ( tactical action/operations center), a headquarters bunker, or even ( horror) being sent into the field on foot to gather first-hand information.  So I don't think you have to worry about the player's character being left in the rear with the gear ( I hate long duration split-ups of the party when I gamemaster).

On the other hand, with high-tech communication gear/links, and just the right player for the character, then let them stay back at the tactical command post and assist remotely using drones, robots, and sensors.  Watch the other PC groundpounders cry when the Kafers' Ylii built ECM/Jammer gear kick in and cuts them off, "Man, I can't raise HQ!  Where's the arty strike?  Where's the air support?  Hey my HUD crashed!  Man, we're hosed!!!!".  Can Sparky, back at HQ, make his rolls now to save their behinds?

To make this career, I blended the Interface Military with the Core world careers, with a dash of Space Military skills.

The values listed are the career's skill points, used to purchase actual skill levels -- see page 9 of the 2300 AD Adventurer's Guide.

Initial: Combat Rifleman 1,  Sidearm 1,  Bureacracy 1,  Computer or Robotics [ see Nyotekundu Sourcebook] 2,  Information Gathering 2,  Electronic 2,  First Specialty 1,  Second Specialty 1.

Specialties: Select two different additional Initial / Primary skills from this list:
Forward Observer, Reconnaissance, Tactics, Aircraft Pilot, Ground Vehicle, Hover Vehicle, LTA Vehicle, Sea Vehicle, Imaging, Interviewing, Writing, Communications, Remote Pilot, Sensors.

Some suggested Specialty combinations:

• Artillery/Recon Drone Operator: Aircraft Pilot and Forward Observer.
• AWACS Crewman: Aircraft Pilot and Tactics.
• Combat Robot Programmer: Tactics and ( Vehicle type or Remote Pilot).
• General Staff: Tactics and Writing.
• Ground Scout Robot Supervisor: Forward Observer and Reconnaissance.
• Interrogation Specialist: Interviewing and Writing.
• Satellite/Starship Imagery Analyst: Imaging and Sensors.
• Starship TAC Specialist: ( Communications or Remote Pilot ) and Sensors.
• Tactical Command Post Staff: Tactics and one other.

Primary: Forward Observer, Heavy Weapons, Leader ( you can learn to be a calming voice over the vid/com), Reconnaissance, Tactics, All intellectual ( including Robotics), Remote Pilot, Electronic, and both Specialties chosen above.

Related:All other Combat Skills, Aircraft Pilot, Ground Vehicle, Hover Vehicle, All Journalistic Skills, Communications, Remote Pilot, Sensors, Zero-G [ see Nyotekundu Sourcebook], Psychology ( helps with calming, and also predicting enemy [ get inside their skull ] ), First Aid, Mechanical, Survival, Swim, P-suit.

I tried to balance 'reality' with a player's obvious desire not to be a total combat wimp.  Most Combat Skills are for use with remote-controlled vehicles, operated or overseen by the Info Warrior.

They do not receive a +1 coolness mod for every term passed.  Even though they are good at making snap decisions, they make even better ones with some time to think.

The reason I threw in Remote Pilot for space ops is obvious, but I can also see it used in conjunction with robotics to run semi-autonomous battlefield spotter/sensor platforms.

Please send me any feedback, as I have added the career to my Character Generation Program's database.