Skill use

[kcdusk]

I'm currently role playing a "solo" game. Single character with a couple of tasks to complete, while staying alive.

Cross a hostile country, not get detected, get intel on an enemy base in some hills, blow a bridge, delay a pursuing force, all while on foot.

I find myself using stealth, observation, navigation and forage quite a lot. Do other refs or players use these skills much? I see them as important and practical skills, can be used in non-combat situations - and can provide different challenges (again non-combat for some variety).

For example make a navigation check, and off you go in what the character thinks is the right direction. I have the character make the roll but not see the result. Of course the character thinks they are right. But its not until an hour or more later they can begin to realise they were right, or wrong (that lake shouldn't be there!). Introduces some new challenges.

I guess stealth and observation have mainly been used as opposed skill checks. Who see's whom first kind of thing. Before the rifle skill comes into play.

Anyway, i didn't know if these non-combat skills were used much by you. I like having non-combat skills being used in my game. Characters are more rounded, the game is more gritty and it stops players maxing out rifle, hand to hand and pistol skills before scattering around any other skills they have left.