I'm pretty happy with the system. I added a few systems (such as ship repair) but the only RAW tweak I've made is rolling obligation at the end of a session (to take effect in the next one) rather than at the start.

Good point about the existing group leader benefit. As I said, I do think EotE has a good system, but I am going to consider Minion groups as "multiple subjects" rather than a single unit. Otherwise, a Minion group consisting of Aqualish Thugs (which don't have Discipline on their skill list) would resist a Coercion test to make them surrender, with only a Willpower of 1. I guess this isn't so much a "house rule" as it is my read on the RAW.

Define "multiple subjects", unless you mean them acting individually? Because my understanding of the Minion rules is if they don't have Discipline on their skill list or a corresponding opposing skill vs. Coercion, then they're not resisting with a trained skill, only the Willpower 1. (And as you may see, usually the only minion group skills involved are combat skills.) Whereas them being the beneficiaries of Tactical Direction doesn't seem to require them to have a resisting skill on their group skill list.

Rookhelm pretty much cleared it up. I was using the term multiple subjects as described in the Coercion skill entry (p106, EotE Core rules). Basically, I would count a Minion Group as however many characters make up the group. Otherwise, a gang of Aqualish Thugs would be just as likely to surrender whether there are 2 or 20 of them, and that's just not realistic.

I haven't read "Long Arm of the Hutt" yet, but that example is exactly what I was going for.

I admittedly don't believe that that's RAW, so it sounds like you're house-ruling that minion group skills aren't limited to just the ones on the list, but the Long Arm of the Hutt example also describes how minion group skills work in RAW for the skills on the list (they only get the skills on the list, but a small group will lose ranks as it loses members).

I admittedly don't believe that that's RAW, so it sounds like you're house-ruling that minion group skills aren't limited to just the ones on the list, but the Long Arm of the Hutt example also describes how minion group skills work in RAW for the skills on the list (they only get the skills on the list, but a small group will lose ranks as it loses members).

I'm guessing that the example in Long Arm of the Hutt is a minion group that has Discipline on its list. The way I read your interpretation, a lone Politico, armed with a holdout blaster, facing a legion of minions with rifles, but that doesn't have Discipline on its skill list, would only have to roll vs. Willpower to make them back down. Doesn't make sense. And yes, I have a player that begins every encounter with "Throw down your weapons!" So, if counting numbers for minion groups is a house rule, that's one I'm going to use.

I admittedly don't believe that that's RAW, so it sounds like you're house-ruling that minion group skills aren't limited to just the ones on the list, but the Long Arm of the Hutt example also describes how minion group skills work in RAW for the skills on the list (they only get the skills on the list, but a small group will lose ranks as it loses members).

I'm guessing that the example in Long Arm of the Hutt is a minion group that has Discipline on its list. The way I read your interpretation, a lone Politico, armed with a holdout blaster, facing a legion of minions with rifles, but that doesn't have Discipline on its skill list, would only have to roll vs. Willpower to make them back down. Doesn't make sense. And yes, I have a player that begins every encounter with "Throw down your weapons!" So, if counting numbers for minion groups is a house rule, that's one I'm going to use.

Well, the more members in a minion group there are, the more ranks they have in a skill, right? Or does a skill have to be listed as a skill for them to gain ranks in it?

Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

I admittedly don't believe that that's RAW, so it sounds like you're house-ruling that minion group skills aren't limited to just the ones on the list, but the Long Arm of the Hutt example also describes how minion group skills work in RAW for the skills on the list (they only get the skills on the list, but a small group will lose ranks as it loses members).

I'm guessing that the example in Long Arm of the Hutt is a minion group that has Discipline on its list. The way I read your interpretation, a lone Politico, armed with a holdout blaster, facing a legion of minions with rifles, but that doesn't have Discipline on its skill list, would only have to roll vs. Willpower to make them back down. Doesn't make sense. And yes, I have a player that begins every encounter with "Throw down your weapons!" So, if counting numbers for minion groups is a house rule, that's one I'm going to use.

Well, the more members in a minion group there are, the more ranks they have in a skill, right? Or does a skill have to be listed as a skill for them to gain ranks in it?

Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

The Minion Rules entry says "A minion group gains one skill rank for each member of the group beyond the first, if that skill is on the minion's list ." (p390, EotE Core) So minions that do not have Discpline as a listed skill do not have any rank in Discipline, and would therefore only use the Willpower. Since Minion groups do not increase Characteristics, it doesn't matter how many there are, the roll will be the same. (and using only a characteristic means there's no upgrade) For the record, of all the Adversaries listed in the Core Rulebook, Stormtrooper and Planetary Defense Force Trooper are the only two Minion class that have Discipline listed.

I don't think it matters that most minions don't list Discipline as a group skill. I just perused the Coerce rules, and it appears that using Coerce in this manner is just a matter of inflicting Strain. For Minions, that's effectively the same as Wounds. A group of minions will be easier to 'talk down' if they don't have that skill, but it'll still take a while.

(It might be argued that the Triumph rule might turn the entire minion group, or it might simply split the effected minion(s) out into a 'friendly' group.)

And yes, I have a player that begins every encounter with "Throw down your weapons!" So, if counting numbers for minion groups is a house rule, that's one I'm going to use.

This is one of those moments that you don't roll unless there is a compelling reason, something more than "I use my diplomacy skill". I appreciate and encourage players that come up with creative ways of dealing with situations but it has to be within the realm of the reasonable. All some knucklehead who shouts that to a group of Stormtroopers is going to get is the honor of being their primary target for a next couple of rounds...

And yes, I have a player that begins every encounter with "Throw down your weapons!" So, if counting numbers for minion groups is a house rule, that's one I'm going to use.

This is one of those moments that you don't roll unless there is a compelling reason, something more than "I use my diplomacy skill". I appreciate and encourage players that come up with creative ways of dealing with situations but it has to be within the realm of the reasonable. All some knucklehead who shouts that to a group of Stormtroopers is going to get is the honor of being their primary target for a next couple of rounds...

I've used that as well. The one player has even said that he doesn't expect it to work most of the time, but when there is a roll, I want to have a consistent means of calculating the dice pool.