Hi folks,

I was reading my copy of Gadgets & Gear tonight, and the Lando/Leia wardrobe items got me thinking. For those who don't have the book, characters can basically gain a small positive effect by wearing a different outfit from, say, Leia's collection of OT outfits. For example, her dress from the end ceremony of ANH lets the wearer upgrade Charm and Inspiring Rhetoric checks once, whilst her Bespin outfit adds automatic 1 Success + 1 Advantage on Negotiation rolls, and so on.

What if we extrapolated this into Clone battalions/regiments? One of the main distinctions between clones and stormtroopers is the irony that the clones - despite being genetically identical - were encouraged to find individuality by their Jedi Generals, and giving some sort of mechanical benefit to this might help make clone battalions feel more unique in-game.

Some quickfire ideas that spring to mind at the moment, before I really write anything up in full:

212th Attack Battalion (Obi-Wan / Cody); members of the 212th do not suffer strain when targeted by the Field Commander talent. [[allows minions to benefit from the talent more frequently, as a result of Kenobi and Cody's leadership]].

501st Legion (Anakin / Rex); the Coordinated Assault talent grants members of the 501st two advantage instead of one. [[this increases their cohesion with Captain Rex, who has said talent]].

21st Nova Corps (Ki-Adi-Mundi / Bacara); remove 1 setback on Perception and Vigilance checks imposed due to environmental hazards. [[the Galactic Marines are supposed to be veterans of fighting in extreme conditions]]

I'm thinking of developing this further and including it as part of my Heroes On Both Sides project (which you can see in the relevant thread on this forum), but thought there was enough scope here for it to be its own topic. Thoughts? Alternative ideas? Go crazy!

What if the 41st Elite Corps got a version of Clanker Killer that targets non-humans, since they specialize in cooperating with alien species. Maybe they learn their strengths and weaknesses?

Would give organic Separatist forces a counter.

You could also give the 41st a Boost to Stealth check in certain environments.

Plo koon and commander wolf?

6 hours ago, A7T said:

What if the 41st Elite Corps got a version of Clanker Killer that targets non-humans, since they specialize in cooperating with alien species. Maybe they learn their strengths and weaknesses?

Would give organic Separatist forces a counter.

6 hours ago, P-47 Thunderbolt said:

You could also give the 41st a Boost to Stealth check in certain environments.

I think stealth/survival is the way to go for the 41st, but I might re-use that idea of interacting differently with organic troops for another battalion.

41st Corps (Luminara / Gree); members of the 41st gain automatic 1 Success + 1 Advantage on Stealth and Survival checks in forest or jungle environments.

5 hours ago, Daeglan said:

Plo koon and commander wolf?

Hmm, how about this:

104th Battalion (Plo Koon / Wolffe); weapons used by the 104th Battalion gain the Vicious 1 item quality, or increase the existing Vicious quality by 1.

After sleeping on it, I also tweaked the 212th's effect in the OP. I think it makes more sense for minions trying to benefit from Field Commander.

Ayla Secura and commander bly 327th?

Luminara Unduli Gree 41st

Yoda Gree 41st

Ima gun di and captain keeli

The wolfpack specialized in shock-and-awe/extraction, so maybe add automatic Success/Advantage/Boost on rescue/extraction missions? I'd strongly suggest Assault Drop for 104th gunship pilots.

Maybe give the 501st one rank of Confidence? Or the 104th a rank in Confidence?

I take it from the fact you guys are suggesting further regiments that you think the concept itself is a solid one? That's my main focus at this early stage - if this is a good way to make the different battalions distinct or if there is another method that would be better.

I don’t get why you’re putting this concept to entire battalions/regiments when the clones were “encouraged to find individuality by their Jedi Generals.”

Shouldn’t this concept be applied to the individual clones? Seems contradictory otherwise.

9 minutes ago, Flavorabledeez said:

I don’t get why you’re putting this concept to entire battalions/regiments when the clones were “encouraged to find individuality by their Jedi Generals.”

Shouldn’t this concept be applied to the individual clones? Seems contradictory otherwise.

Because different groups focused on different things. And that focus effects the group. You see this in lots of groups in real life

1 hour ago, Daeglan said:

Because different groups focused on different things. And that focus effects the group. You see this in lots of groups in real life

I guess I should’ve clarified my issue with this.

First it makes sense that the battalions have different specialities. As you said real militaries function that way. So I’m not against the idea (I’m honestly surprised it didn’t show up in the sourcebooks for this era).

What threw me off was the way you came to the idea: through the bonuses given by unique pieces of gear (which the clones display).

I’m of the opinion clones should get both of these things. There should be something that represents their group’s speciality training/experience (just a kind of tack on ability like what’s being discussed here is excellent) as well as a piece of equipment that displays their individuality as shown through unique equipment giving them another bonus like in Gadgets and Gear.

@Kualan

Ok book making page layput advice.

1. Make page 1 and 2 from and back cover. That way page 1 and 2 can be printed single sided

2. Page 3 on should be treated as if they are book pages. Odd number right side even left side. This way a person can print 3 to end duplexed and have the pages come out right

3. Sections should start on right hand page. This also gives you a good place for full page art on left or end of previous section depending on how pages fall.

4. If you plan your gutters right you can allow for full bleed 8.5x11 and have you text fall in the printable area letting the excess fall out of the printable area. Basically make the page 9x11.5 art wise 8.5x11 text wise

This way a person can print out a nice book and comv or spiral bind it.

6 hours ago, Flavorabledeez said:

I guess I should’ve clarified my issue with this.

First it makes sense that the battalions have different specialities. As you said real militaries function that way. So I’m not against the idea (I’m honestly surprised it didn’t show up in the sourcebooks for this era).

What threw me off was the way you came to the idea: through the bonuses given by unique pieces of gear (which the clones display).

I’m of the opinion clones should get both of these things. There should be something that represents their group’s speciality training/experience (just a kind of tack on ability like what’s being discussed here is excellent) as well as a piece of equipment that displays their individuality as shown through unique equipment giving them another bonus like in Gadgets and Gear.

When used in conjunction with the stats drawn up in my Heroes On Both Sides project (which this is intended to be a part of), that last paragraph is pretty much what would happen. They would get equipment-related benefits for using, say, the Scuba Trooper stat block, which gives them abilities relating to underwater movement, etc, and an additional battalion-related benefit for being part of the 212th, for example. The intention is one benefit comes from their gear, another comes from their experience in their regiment and the leadership they've served under.

2 hours ago, Daeglan said:

@Kualan

Ok book making page layput advice.

1. Make page 1 and 2 from and back cover. That way page 1 and 2 can be printed single sided

2. Page 3 on should be treated as if they are book pages. Odd number right side even left side. This way a person can print 3 to end duplexed and have the pages come out right

3. Sections should start on right hand page. This also gives you a good place for full page art on left or end of previous section depending on how pages fall.

4. If you plan your gutters right you can allow for full bleed 8.5x11 and have you text fall in the printable area letting the excess fall out of the printable area. Basically make the page 9x11.5 art wise 8.5x11 text wise

This way a person can print out a nice book and comv or spiral bind it.

Thanks for the tips, but I'm not intending to make this a separate book/PDF. Once developed I expect to add it in a single page (maybe two) at the end of my Heroes On Both Sides PDF which should already be set up with the correct bleed areas, etc.

Just remembered that the 442nd Siege Battalion is a thing. They specialize in planetary assault missions and besieging enemy fortifications and were the ground forces on Cato Neimoidia during Order 66. One of the various clone regiment colors cooked up for but unused in RotS that merchandising snapped up and pumped out figures of. Was thinking that they might be better suited for my early suggestions of a unit that interacts differently with organic troops, since they laid siege to at least one major Separatist homeworld, which was protected by the Neimoidian Home Defense Legion as well as droids.

2 hours ago, Kualan said:

When used in conjunction with the stats drawn up in my Heroes On Both Sides project (which this is intended to be a part of), that last paragraph is pretty much what would happen. They would get equipment-related benefits for using, say, the Scuba Trooper stat block, which gives them abilities relating to underwater movement, etc, and an additional battalion-related benefit for being part of the 212th, for example. The intention is one benefit comes from their gear, another comes from their experience in their regiment and the leadership they've served under.

That’s... still not what I’m talking about.

Yes, their general equipment should reflect the job they’re expected to do, but I’m talking about things that show their individuality even inside of their groupings.

That’s what is being shown as the Gadgets and Gear unique items, and I think the clones deserve that treatment too. Take Han’s DL-44. Yeah it has a couple of modifications, but its unique ability is tied to something Han did. Same with Luke’s lightsaber. Those items are not just special equipment, they’re personalized based on character actions.

I personally think you should include a section in your book that addresses doing this as a combined effort between the GM and player. We all have memorable character moments at the game table, this could be a way to reward those kinds of things outside of just giving out XP, AND it gives a clone character that much more individuality inside of his regiment and expected equipment.

I’m honestly surprised rules or a section on this kind of equipment specialization didn’t make its way into Gadgets and Gear.

5 hours ago, Kualan said:

When used in conjunction with the stats drawn up in my Heroes On Both Sides project (which this is intended to be a part of), that last paragraph is pretty much what would happen. They would get equipment-related benefits for using, say, the Scuba Trooper stat block, which gives them abilities relating to underwater movement, etc, and an additional battalion-related benefit for being part of the 212th, for example. The intention is one benefit comes from their gear, another comes from their experience in their regiment and the leadership they've served under.

Thanks for the tips, but I'm not intending to make this a separate book/PDF. Once developed I expect to add it in a single page (maybe two) at the end of my Heroes On Both Sides PDF which should already be set up with the correct bleed areas, etc.

Im not saying to make it seperate. In saying to make the one pdf set up right

2 hours ago, Flavorabledeez said:

That’s... still not what I’m talking about.

Yes, their general equipment should reflect the job they’re expected to do, but I’m talking about things that show their individuality even inside of their groupings.

That’s what is being shown as the Gadgets and Gear unique items, and I think the clones deserve that treatment too. Take Han’s DL-44. Yeah it has a couple of modifications, but its unique ability is tied to something Han did. Same with Luke’s lightsaber. Those items are not just special equipment, they’re personalized based on character actions.

I personally think you should include a section in your book that addresses doing this as a combined effort between the GM and player. We all have memorable character moments at the game table, this could be a way to reward those kinds of things outside of just giving out XP, AND it gives a clone character that much more individuality inside of his regiment and expected equipment.

I’m honestly surprised rules or a section on this kind of equipment specialization didn’t make its way into Gadgets and Gear.

Ah, okay. I think I have a better idea of what you were going for now.

I'm wary of power creep however. Between signature abilities, talent trees, weapon modding/crafting etc we as players already have the tools to make our characters impactful and unique. I was intending this idea to be something that could serve as niche, mid tier Duty style rewards for PCs or mechanical flavouring for NPCs. I suspect that's the reason why the unique items in G&G are reserved to only the most special of "Legacy" characters and why their abilities are not useable by other characters/players who pick up said item.

I'd be intrigued by such a subsystem though if someone else wants to take up the challenge - just a bit beyond the scope of what I'm looking to do with HOBS.

6 minutes ago, Daeglan said:

Im not saying to make it seperate. In saying to make the one pdf set up right

To be honest I thought the current PDF was all set up correctly for printing, etc, but I will take a second look for optimising it once the project is done. Makes more sense to do it at the end I think as there's batch actions, etc that I can use via Photoshop to change every en mass. I'll save that discussion for the main HOBS thread though.