Sorry for the duplicate posts. Yes, please read this one!

Clarification needed from p. 70.

When a comrade dies the PC "may no longer gain the benefits of any abilities or Orders that require a Comrade." OK, I understand that.

But when the PC receives a new Comrade, must he then invest more points to re-acquire Orders that he had with his old (now dead) Comrade? I'm not sure the text states this overtly.

If a PC must reinvest points to re-acquire Orders, then I don't see players ever investing points in Comrades.

Eradico Pravus said:

I automatically assumed all special Orders and Talents do carry over between one Comrade and the next, for the very reason you cite.

It'd be nice to have it clarified in the final release, though.

Morangias said:

Fluff-wise it seems like you might lose those Orders, Talents, etc. since the new Comrade might be some green, raw recruit. But with continual turnover I'd assume the unit is doing its best to integrate new members through training, mentoring, etc. That, or other experienced units get integrated due to combat losses.

On another thread I saw a poster gave his players an extra 300 points at creation because none of them spent anything on their Comrades. Seems like a good idea because my players are not spending on Comrades either. It's almost as if you need a second category of "Comrade x.p." so that players will invest in them.

Technically they're order learned by the PC that they give to their comrade. Also, the vox caster isn't lost. I thing its obviously not RAI that the comrades lose any advances added to them. I think you're trying to be a bit too simulationist by saying that you lose any advances made with those comrades when lost.

KommissarK said:

I think you're right but the wording in the beta text isn't that clear on the matter. We'll see, I guess.

As I understood it you don't lose any XP purchases even if your current comrade dies, but rather an identical one stat-wise replaces it (even if fluff-wise it's a new recruit).

Also, I'm shocked your players aren't buying comrade advances; I'll admit I have't played yet, but in my read-through so many of the comrade advances seemed fantastic, to the point where personally if I was playing I'd buy at least one immediately, if not both.

There are some comrade advances that are meh, but others are just brutal - the Sarge's "Get Them!" is a flat +4 damage boost to everyone for 200 xp. How much does Mighty Shot cost?
Then there's the priest's Curate: Every time you roll a melee Righteous Fury, you give someone a Fate Point. Remember that most priests will switch to an Eviscerator the first chance they get, meaning they roll 3D10 for every hit.
The Storm Trooper has no comrade, but his Protector and Mentor talents are pretty neat anyway, especially since the Storm Trooper is both one of the more physical guys (most tests that everyone has to make are stuff like climbing, swimming or running) and has good quality Carapace from the start, giving him somewhat along the lines of a 10 or 11 point damage soak.
And of the ratling's comrade, I shall just not say anything. That little guy is almost ridiculous - Half Action Spotter, Half Action Set-Up Shot from the comrade, half action Aim and half action Single Attack. The result is an undodgeable shot delivered with a +40 bonus. Every round. Ouch?

Ya the ratling is a pretty obscene sniper…

DJSunhammer said:

Nothing about his comrade makes him be a sniper. Put the little guy behind a lascannon, or better yet, in a vanquisher turret (assuming you allow his comrade bonus if hes say on the pintle stubber).

KommissarK said:

No, his fluff makes him a sniper. His starting Skills and Talents make him a sniper. So does his starting gear, which is one of two different sniper weapons and a stealth cloak. And his comrade not only makes him a sniper, it makes him a better sniper.

Your examples, Lascannon and Vanquisher? You might as well consider them giant sniper rifles designed to kill vehicles. Because that is what they do.

It may still be considered prudent to limit the spotter's abilities to Accurate Basic weapons so he doesn't put the poor Heavy Gunner out of a job.

Cifer said:

That won't happen ever. Comrades don't actually deal damage, they just make the PC better at dealing damage [or doing whatever it is that they do.]