Training the Teams

[Desert Mariner]

Your training regime is very similar to the one I have fleshed out. Mine is a bit longer and only includes 4 phases as I took the training times from 4e TM 1-1 (I also used the major branch breakouts listed in TM 1-1). Overall, I might like to see the Team phase extended as this is where cadre dynamics will gel and cross-training will take place. In my current regime, a (d6+1) is added to the chosen skill/specialty, this allows the players to use their full complement of calculated training points for background skills up to the time they join the project.

Excerpt from Appendix C of my OCIE Supplement…
Project training illustrated below is in addition to the character’s previous experience. As described in TM-1-1, Project training is broken into four (4) phases: Basic, Branch, Specialty and Team.

Training durations are based on the training times described in TM-1-1, Basic (3-12 months), Branch (9-12 months), Specialty (4 months) and Team (calculated at 4 months as no specifics are included in TM-1-1) for a range of 20-32 months. This would add 20+1d12 months to the characters age.

Phase I (Basic Project Training) (3-12 months)
• Athletics – physical training for all project recruits and includes time spent in all phases of MP training; though later phases may or may not be as intense physically as Phase I
• Brawl – basic hand-to-hand combat maneuvers
• Communications (Radio) – use of Project radio equipment and protocols
• Drive (MPV) – operation of wheeled Project vehicles
• Firearms – basic firearms safety and marksmanship (doesn’t provide benefit beyond 20% skill)
• First Aid – basic first aid and wound treatment
• Melee Weapon (Knife) – the basics of self-dense armed with a knife
• Swim – basic strokes
• Thrown Weapon (Grenade) – did you really think we’d issue hand grenades to everyone without teaching you what to do with them?
• Choice: Brawl, Construction, Emergency Procedures, Gunnery (Land), Hunt (Track), Maintenance (Electrical), Maintenance (Mechanical), Martial Arts, Navigation (Land), Navigation (Map Making), Observe, Psychology, Stealth, Survival (Wilderness), Tactics

Phase II (Branch Training) (9-12 months)

MARS
• Emergency Procedures (Search and Rescue)
• Explosives
• 3x Firearms
• Special Weapons
• Stealth (Camouflage)
• Tactics
• Choice: Artillery, Emergency Procedures (Search and Rescue), Explosives, Firearms, Melee Weapon (Knife), Special Weapons, Stealth (Camouflage), Stealth (Hide), Tactics, Thrown Weapon (Grenade)

Recon
• Commerce (Economics)
• Culture Other (Sociology)
• Firearms
• Hunt (Track)
• Navigate (Land) or (Map Making)
• Psychology
• Stealth (Camouflage)
• Tactics
• Choice: Bargain, Commerce (Economics), Culture (Other), Hunt (Track), Instruct, Melee Weapon (Knife), Navigate (Land), Navigate (Map Making), Persuade, Psychology , Scrounge, Stealth, Thrown Weapon (Grenade)

Science
• Chemistry
• Emergency Procedures (by specialty)
• Forensics (by specialty)
• Research (by specialty)
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 4x Choice: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Technology, Culture (Other), Emergency Procedures, Engineering, Forensics, Geology, Geography, Mathematics, Operate Equipment (by specialty), Sensor Operations (by specialty)

Agriculture
• 2x Agriculture [or if previously known Veterinary Medicine or Nursing (Veterinary)]
• Animal Handling
• Operate Equipment (by specialty)
• Research (by specialty)
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 2x Choice: (by specialty)

Engineering
• 2x Engineering
• Explosives (Demolition)
• Observe (Engineering)
• Operate Equipment (by specialty)
• Research (by specialty)
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 2x Choice: (by specialty)

Medical
• Emergency Procedures (by specialty)
• First Aid
• Medicine or Nursing (if previously known)
• Operate Equipment (by specialty)
• Pharmacology
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 3x Choice (by specialty)

Civil
• Emergency Procedures (by specialty)
• Instruct
• Law
• Legal Procedures
• Operate Equipment (by specialty)
• Psychology
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 2x Choice (by specialty)

Specialty
• Emergency Procedures (by specialty)
• Operate Equipment (by specialty)
• Research
• Sensor Operations (by specialty)
• 5x Choice (by specialty)

Phase III (Specialty Training) (4 months)
Due to the large number of variables and possibilities, each character should be allowed to choose up to 5 relatable specializations as the core of their specialization/team role.

Examples: A sniper might choose: Firearm (Rifle), Stealth (Camouflage), Stealth (Hide), Observe (Military) and Hunt (Track); while a doctor might choose: Medicine (Critical Care), Biology (Anatomy), Surgery (Vascular), Instruct (Academic) and Persuade (Interrogate).

Phase IV (Team Training) (4 months)
• Drive – (specific to assigned team vehicle(s)) or Pilot Watercraft – (if issued)
• Explosives
• Firearms – (specific to issued weapon load)
• Geography (Regional) – (specific to intended area of operations)
• Instruct – team training includes teaching others portions of your assigned job/specialty
• Maintenance (Auto) – (specific to assigned team vehicle(s))
• Navigate (Land)
• Operate Equipment – (specific to assigned team/personal equipment)
• Sensor Operations – (specific to assigned team/personal sensor equipment)
• Special Weapon – (only if issued as part of weapon load)
• Survival – (specific to climate/terrain in intended area of operations)