Setting: Suez 56 – Character templates

Standard

I’m currently working on a new setting/scenario taking place during a particular episode of the Cold War: the Suez Crisis of ’56. I intend the game to be fairly realistic, but I’m not a specialist of this period, so this is another great opportunity for me to learn (and make mistakes along the way). I will be posting the material here as I make progress.

Focus

Following a demand from my players, I put the focus on the french Intelligence Service, the SDECE (for Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage, pronounced ‘zdek’). Most of the PCs are expected to come from the military or the police; some might have had a different experience (but it is my understanding that most SDECE field agents were either former soldiers or former cops).

Templates

Ideally, I would have put together a single template, SDECE agent, and multiple lenses, one for each career the PCs might have pursued before joining the agency. However, I felt this would make character creation rather backwards, focusing first on their second career and then only on their beginings. So I did the opposite, providing instead one template for each pre-spy career and a mandatory lense grouping the SDECE-mandatory skills.

For now, the templates rely solely on the core rules but I might include a few things from Social Engineering and Social Engineering: Pulling Rank in the future.

Campaign level is at 160 for starting PC, with a maximum of 30 points of disadvantages.

Note that I haven’t playtested these templates yet, and I’m likely to have done a few things wrong here. Also, I will post these over at SJGames to get some precious feedback and advice from fellow GURPS GMs. As a result, there’s a good chance I will be updating this post in the next few days to fix the templates.

The templates are:

Ex-Military Soldier (82 points)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15].
Disadvantages: Flashbacks (Mild) [-5].
Skills: Soldier/TL7 (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (Pistol) (E) DX [1]; Guns/TL7 (SMG) (E) DX [1]; Knife (E) DX [1]; Camouflage (E) IQ [1]; Observation (A) Per [2]; Expert Skill (Military) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Military Artificer (73 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 11 [20]; DX 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: High Manual Dexterity-1 [5]; Single-Minded [5].
Disadvantages: Stubbornness [-5].
Skills: Soldier/TL7 (A) IQ [2]; Explosives (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Knife (E) DX [1]; Chemistry/TL7 (H) IQ [4]; Mathematics/TL7 (Applied) (H) IQ [4]; Expert Skill (Military) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Military Communications (72 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; DX 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Acute Hearing-2 [4]; Lightning Calculator [2].
Disadvantages: Shyness (Mild) [-5].
Skills: Soldier/TL7 (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Engineer/TL7 (Electronics) (H) IQ [4]; Electronics Operation (Communication) (A) IQ [2]; Cryptography/TL7 (H) IQ [4]; Expert Skill (Military) (H) IQ [4]; Mathematics/TL7 (Applied) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Military Officer (72 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 11 [20]; DX 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Unfazeable [15];
Disadvantages: Ennemies [-10]
Skills: Soldier/TL7 (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Leadership (A) IQ [2]; Tactics (H) IQ [4]; Strategy (Pick one) (H) IQ [4]; Expert Skill (Military) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Military Pilot (81 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 11 [20]; DX 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Acute Vision-2 [4]; Fearlessness-2 [4].
Disadvantages: Light Sleeper [-5]; Loner [-5].
Skills: Soldier/TL7 (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Piloting/TL7 (Heavy or Light) (A) DX [2]; Expert Skill (Military) (H) IQ [4]; Mathematics/TL7 (Applied) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Cop (73 points)
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; IQ 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs; HP 11 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Danger Sense [15].
Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (cops and SDECE agents) [-10].
Skills: Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Shadowing (A) IQ [2]; Detect Lies (H) Per [4]; Intimidation (A) Will [2]; Interrogation (A) IQ [2]; Forced Entry (E) DX [1]; Lock Picking (A) IQ [2]; Observation (A) Per [2]; Search (A) Per [2]; Streetwise (A) IQ [2]; Law (France) (H) IQ [4]; Expert Skill (Cop) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Cop Chief  (78 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; DX 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Contact (Pick a skill, Pick a location, Effective level 18, Usually reliable (x2), Frequency Fairly Often (x1)) [6].
Disadvantages: Overconfidence [-5]
Skills: Public Speaking (A) IQ [2]; Guns/TL7 (E) DX [1]; Leadership (A) IQ [2]; Intimidation (A) Will [2]; Interrogation (A) IQ [2]; Law (France) (H) IQ [4]; Expert Skill (Cop) (H) IQ [4].

 

Ex-Journalist (71 points)
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; DX 10 [0]; HT 10 [0].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs; HP 10 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.0 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: French (Native) (Native Language) [0], (Pick another) [6].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0], (Pick two others) [2].
Advantages: Contact (Pick a skill, Pick a location, Effective level 18, Usually reliable (x2), Frequency Fairly Often (x1)) [6]; Empathy (Sensitive) [5].
Disadvantages: Impulsiveness [-10].
Skills: Current Affairs/TL7 (Politics) (E) IQ [1]; Current Affairs/TL7 (Business) (E) IQ[1]; Streetwise (A) IQ [2]; Propaganda (A) IQ [2]; Photography (A) IQ [2]; Smuggling (A) IQ [2]; Holdout (A) IQ [2]; Filch (A) DX [2]; Diplomacy (H) IQ [4]; Writing (A) IQ [2], Fast-Talk (A) IQ [2].

 

Mandatory Lens
SDECE Field Agent (57 points)
Advantages: Zeroed [10]; Patron (SDECE) [20]; Rank (SDECE) 2 [20]; Alternate Identity (Legal) [5]; Legal Immunity [5];
Disadvantages: Duty [-15]
Skills: Intelligence Analysis/TL7 (H) IQ+1 [8]; Expert Skill (Spy) (H) IQ [4].

Notes: No Military Rank, Police Rank or Legal Enforcement Powers since PCs are retired officially.

 

Suggested Skills

  • Cryptography (B186)
  • Driving (B188)
  • Escape (B192)
  • Fast-Talk (B195)
  • Filch (B195)
  • Forgery (B196)
  • Guns/TL7 (B198)
  • Interrogation (B202)
  • Poisons (B214)
  • Observation (B211)
  • Shadowing (B219)

 

Allowed advantages

  • Absolute Direction (B34)
  • Absolute Timing (B35)
  • Acute Senses (B35)
  • Ambidexterity (B39)
  • Animal Empathy (B40)
  • Appearance (B21)
  • Charisma (B41)
  • Combat Reflexes (B43)
  • Contacts (B44)
  • Danger Sense (B47)
  • Daredevil (B47)
  • Eidetic Memory (B51)
  • Empathy (B51)
  • Enhanced Defenses (B51)
  • Fearlessness (B55)
  • Fit (B55)
  • Flexibility (B56)
  • Gadgeteer (B56)
  • Hard to Kill (B58)
  • Hard to Subdue (B59)
  • High Manual Dexterity (B59)
  • High Pain Threshold (B59)
  • Language Talent (B65)
  • Less Sleep (B65)
  • Lightning Calculator (66)
  • Luck (B66)
  • Night Vision (B71)
  • Rapid Healing (B79)
  • Reduced Consumption (B80)
  • Resistant (B80)
  • Single-Minded (B85)
  • Talent (B89)
  • Unfazeable (B95)
  • Versatile (B96)
  • Voice (B97)

 

Allowed disadvantages

  • Absent-Mindedness (B122)
  • Addiction (B122, B164, B165)
  • Alcoholism (B122)
  • Appearance (B21)
  • Bad Back (B123)
  • Bad Grip (B123)
  • Bad Sight (B123)
  • Bad Smell (B124)
  • Bad Temper (B124)
  • Berserk (B124)
  • Bloodlust (B125)
  • Bully (B125)
  • Callous (B125)
  • Charitable (B125)
  • Chronic Depression (B126)
  • Chronic Pain (B126)
  • Chummy (B126)
  • Clueless (B126)
  • Code of Honor (B127, B163)
  • Colorblindness (B127)
  • Compulsive Behaviour (B128)
  • Curious (B129)
  • Delusions (B130, B164)
  • Disturbing Voice (B132)
  • Dyslexia (B134)
  • Easy to Kill (B134)
  • Easy to Read (B134)
  • Ennemies (B135)
  • Extra Sleep (B136)
  • Fanaticism (B136)
  • Fat (B19)
  • Fearfulness (B136)
  • Flashbacks (B136)
  • Gluttony (B137)
  • Greed (B137)
  • Guilt Complex (B137)
  • Hard of Hearing (B138)
  • Hemophilia (B138)
  • Hidebound (B138)
  • Impulsiveness (B139)
  • Incurious (B140)
  • Innumerate (B140)
  • Insomniac (B140)
  • Intolerance (B140)
  • Jealousy (B140)
  • Killjoy (B140)
  • Lecherousness (B142)
  • Light Sleeper (B142)
  • Loner (B142)
  • Low Pain Threshold (B142)
  • Low Self-Image (B143)
  • Manic-Depressive (B143)
  • Megalomania (B144)
  • Miserliness (B144)
  • Missing Digit (B144)
  • Motion Sickness (B144)
  • Night Blindness (B144)
  • Nightmares (B144)
  • No Sense of Humor (B146)
  • No Sense of Smell/Taste (B146)
  • Obsession (B146, B164)
  • On the Edge (B146)
  • One Arm (B147)
  • One Hand (B147)
  • Overconfidence (B148)
  • Paranoia (B148)
  • Phantom Voices (B148)
  • Phobias (B148)
  • Post-Combat Shakes (B150)
  • Restricted Diet (B151)
  • Sadism (B152)
  • Selfish (B153)
  • Selfless (B153)
  • Sense of Duty (B153)
  • Shyness (B154)
  • Sleepwalker (B154)
  • Slow Healing (B155)
  • Slow Riser (B155)
  • Stubbornness (B157)
  • Stuttering (B157)
  • Susceptible (B158)
  • Trickster (B159)
  • Unfit (B160)
  • Unluckiness (B160)
  • Vow (B160, B165)
  • Workaholic (B162)
  • Wounded (B162)

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