On 11:30 PM by Rev. Dr. Eric Z. Willman in The Robotech Defense Force
Human O.C.C. Requirements
Destroid Pilot I.Q. 6
Veritech Fighter Pilot I.Q.8, P.P.9
Communications I.Q. 10
Electrical Engineer I.Q. 7
Field Scientist I.Q. 12
Mechanical Engineer I.Q. 7
Military Specialist I.Q. 10, P.P. 10
Note: All O.C.C.'s can select skills which enable the character to pilot Destroids, although not quite as proficiently as the Destroid O.C.C. Considering the war torn nature, the ROBOTECHTM world, it's probably wise that all players select the Mecha piloting skill, but this is not mandatory. Only the Veritech Fighter Pilot O.C.C. skill offers the use and training of the transformable Veritech Fighter. The term "Other Skills" refers to other areas of training the character can select. These are broken into 12 categories. Each category contains a number of skills. In some cases the category contains several skills, in other, only a few, while still others will be offered only a limited number of skills to a particular O.C.C. or totally off limits.
SELECTING AN O. C. C.
When selecting an O.C.C. it is important to bear in mind the type of ROBOTECHTM scenarios or campaign your game master intends to run. Is it recapturing the basic Macross T.V. saga? Space adventures? Predominately combat? Exploration? These are important things to know before selecting an O.C.C. and building a character any further.
Generally, I think most players will be playing in the post-destruction of Earth period which picks up where the Macross Saga ends (with the destruction of the SDF-1 and 2) and prior to Sentinels and Southern Cross. This is a period of great civil unrest with local, new and old governments vying for power; continual Zentraedi uprisings and assaults; human and alien rebels, bandits, mercenaries, rogues, and cutthroats of all kinds eager to take advantage of this grim circumstance. It is a desperate world beset by famine, broken communication and the threat of alien invasion. It is a world that has been pushed to the edge of oblivion and is struggling to climb out of the abyss. It is your job to protect and aid the strong, yet desperate people who struggle to rebuild their shattered lives in a world gone mad.
As members of the Robotech Defense Force, you represent the last bastions of hope, civilization, law and order. Only you and your fellow RDF volunteers can help snatch the Earth and honest people out of the greedy hands of those who would feed on the innocent and helpless. Like the Texas Rangers of old, you are a few men and women trying to keep peace in a vast, troubled world.
Most of civilization has been destroyed. Except for a few major cities, humanity is scattered in little pockets among great desolation. In many cases, your RDF unit of a dozen or less Veritech Fighters and/or Destroids, represent the only law within 10,000 miles. More likely than not, your characters will be assigned to remote and hostile areas to enforce law and order, protect the people, hunt down fugitives, stop smugglers, investigate rumors, locate Zentraedi forces, suppress Zentraedi and rebel assaults, and generally assist the civilian populace. When selecting your O.C.C. you should definitely remember the environment you will be active in. Try to select skills that will help you and your teammates to survive. Remember, this is ultimately a war story, so all characters should probably have at least a couple of combat type skills, such as weapon proficiencies (W.P.), hand to hand combat, pilot Mecha, pilot some other type of vehicle, and so on. It is wise to have a character that is not completely helpless or without practical skills when he or she is outside of a Veritech Fighter or Destroid. Not all the adventures will be duking it out in a giant battle armor. The character in a well balanced campaign will have to step down out of his Mecha and function in the real world and in combat situations. There are also other deadly, fast and versatile vehicles like the assault helicopter and RDF motorcycle, so don't limit your options to just Mecha. The choices are yours; enjoy!
Veritech Pilots will always start off piloting the VF-1A model. After a while, if the character proves himself to be an ace or becomes a low ranking officer, he will be assigned his own VF-1J and allowed to customize it to his or her own taste (these are only cosmetic changes). Squadron leaders and second in commands are assigned the VF-1S, but only after they have proven themselves.
Destroids are automatically assigned to the Destroid pilot. Although the pilot will usually be assigned one, specific type and specific Destroid as his/hers, the pilot is trained to pilot any of the five, non-transformable battloids. Thus, the pilot may be assigned or able to select, different types of Destroids from time to time, depending on the situation or special assignment. Even the remote Robotech Defense Force outposts and bases will usually have a half dozen to a dozen back up units; commonly the Gladiator, Excaliber and Raidar X; the Spartan may also be available. The M.A.C. II is never a back up unit, but one may be assigned, with pilot, to the base, and may be available for temporary loan (50% chance of the regular pilot staying with the M.A.C. II, even on loan).
Even O.C.C.'s other than the Destroid pilot can learn to operate a Destroid, but rarely with the skill and versatility of the pilot O.C.C.
Equipment, other than those provided in the O.C.C. section, can be assigned or purchased. Each character draws a salary and has some sort of personal savings. If enlisted in the Robotech Defense Force, a modest apartment will be furnished. In remote areas, a RDF base will be established in or near a town or small city. Here additional equipment and supplies will be available upon assignment (especially weapons, missiles, repairs, etc.) or available for purchase in town. The base and/or town may or may not have laboratory or medical facilities. The remotest areas have minimal facilities.