I really like the comrade rules and how they benefit the squad but otherwise don't like the rules mechanics for them especially for combat. so my idea is combining them with the rules for minions for black crusade? still use the ideas for orders, cohesion etc but combine them with the characteristics and creation options for minions. what do you guys think? do you reckon this will work.

i kind of like the idea for my campaign, as i don't use comrades at all, because the style of my campaign is elite black-ops small team operations.

Our group is siege infantry and we don't even bother with comrades, they are just too much of a hassle.

Not exactly what is a hassle about what amounts to essential free buffs, and trap dispersion units (open that door, bam!).

Now to the OP,

The minion rules might be interesting. Certainly elevates the comrades to a more permanent position in the group. And it will definitely lengthen combat up by twice as much (as you'll have to track what they actually do, not that thats a problem).

I will post what I come up with and see what you make of it

We tried it, but honestly, the Comrades will quickly become a deadweight above a certain XP level (roughly 7-8000+) because they can't keep the pace with the characters.

I've seen quite a few suggestions for "fixing" comrade, but what I don't understand is what the problem is?

From what I have seen, they do pretty much what they are designed for: they fill out numbers in squads and provide an advantage, without even the risk of overshadowing the PCs.

To my mind, if you see them as just warm bodies and 'trap-detectors', you're wasting their usefulness.What makes them so special is the way they modify and improve what the PC can do.

Comrades provide extra firepower by adding to the PCs BS/WS and via the Sergeant's "Get Them!" order. Because of how the system works and the much-maligned TB-as-soak, +4 damage tends to be much more useful that more lasgun shots.

But they are also things like eyes in the back of your head or the opportunity to be 2 places at once (some specialities can buy the option for the comrade to use the PC's skills without the PC being present, ie. Medicae or Tech-Use).

We have a sergeant/commander/Master of Ordnance who can seem simply overpowered at times, because of his 5 comrades and the benefits they provide him.

And at the same time, the important point is that comrades do not overshadow the PC and thus the PCs are kept as the focus and center of the narrative. Something which everyone who've suffered through a badly handled GMPC should hopefully be able to appriciate.

this is a rough version of what i've come up with, all ideas and suggestions welcome:

Advanced Comrades

From what I have seen, they do pretty much what they are designed for: they fill out numbers in squads and provide an advantage, without even the risk of overshadowing the PCs.

The problem is the exact opposite of the last statement: Comrades are overshadowed by the PCs to the point where they tend to become burdensome. They are just too little for too much, so to say.

From what I have seen, they do pretty much what they are designed for: they fill out numbers in squads and provide an advantage, without even the risk of overshadowing the PCs.

The problem is the exact opposite of the last statement: Comrades are overshadowed by the PCs to the point where they tend to become burdensome. They are just too little for too much, so to say.

But they are supposed to be overshadowed by the PCs.

And as for the "for too much" part, what costs haven't I noticed? A comrade needs a name and that's about it, surely?

From what I have seen, they do pretty much what they are designed for: they fill out numbers in squads and provide an advantage, without even the risk of overshadowing the PCs.

The problem is the exact opposite of the last statement: Comrades are overshadowed by the PCs to the point where they tend to become burdensome. They are just too little for too much, so to say.

But they are supposed to be overshadowed by the PCs.

And as for the "for too much" part, what costs haven't I noticed? A comrade needs a name and that's about it, surely?

But this amount of overshadowing will degrade them into a simple bonus instead of actual people. And when this happens, the whole point to have Comrades becomes moot.

Their cost is time and attention in the game. They need backgrounds, personalities, social connections and all that fluff to portray them as a people... but then they would be better off as a normal NPC with a stat line and everything.

Their cost is time and attention in the game. They need backgrounds, personalities, social connections and all that fluff to portray them as a people... but then they would be better off as a normal NPC with a stat line and everything.

Thank you, this answered to question I asked above.

And they do have a statline - given on p. 372.

What I don't see is how this would/should/will change anything?

Turning them into "Normal NPCs" will do simply that - someone will still have to portray them.

The GM already has plenty to do and plenty of NPCs to handle, asking him/her to handle another 4-6 NPCs that are around all the time is a fool's errand. So who should portray them? The players? Well, they already should!

My idea was the owning player should portray them. so what do you make of my ideas, are they balanced and fair? baed them off the black crusade minion rules.

To keep it in spirit of what the comrades are supposed to do, i'd recommend dropping variable characteristics. Instead, use the profile on page 372 and modify with the following steps:

1. Charactersitics: Apply +5 to two charactestics by removing -5 to two other characterstics. Any homeworld or other regimental effects apply now.

2. Gear: Based on the owning players regimental kit.

3. Wounds: Standard as profile on page 372, can purchase Sound Consitution for them.

Combined with orders, and the comrade skills, that should be sufficient enough to have a real profile that's upgradeable.

Thanks didn't actually notice the profile on page 372 before this, will have to take a look