Forums of the Megaverse®

Anyone ever seen or made a Breacher skill program or OCC?

Should be a Skill program if it exists, but what would be different about it compared to any existing program?

It would be helpful if you defined what you meant.

Long time, no post Mercalocalypse! Welcome back to the forums.

In the context of forcible entry, breaching techniques can probably better be depicted as a new skill than as an entire skill program. Given the variety of methods and tools involved this skill would overlap with several current skills, but in that the focus behind it and students receiving such training are different than for those skills I think a new entry is warranted.

Breaching: A character with this skill has received training in a variety of door breaching methods and equipment. These include the use of simple mechanical methods such as rams, prybars, Halligan tools, and kicks; a diverse array of electric and/or manual hydraulic devices; oxy-fuel cutting torches; ballistic methods including the use of purpose-specific ammunition; and a specialized, limited application of explosives. Base Skill: 42%+4% per level of experience. Bonuses:Adds a +5% bonus to Firefighting. The character gets a +5% bonus if they possess the Safe-Cracking skill and a +5% bonus for the Demolitions skill.

As for putting Breaching within an existing skill program, I can make a couple of suggestions. If in a Ninjas&Superspies game I'd consider removing Demolitions and Demolitions Disposal from the Basic Military program, replacing them with Breaching, Radio:Basic, First Aid, Land Navigation, and maybe an additional skill of choice. If using the Advanced Training rules in the Rifts:Heroes of Humanty sourcebook, I'd add Breaching to the Close Quarters Combat Program as one of the choices along with Climbing/Rappelling or Swimming. If instead one's looking at the Soldier from Dead Reign I could see folding it into either the Law Enforcement or Special Ops:Commando M.O.S..

If there does happen to be an already existing skill that covers this please let me know. If I only found out years later there was something tucked in a Rifter I'd really feel hoisted by my own petard. (edit: awkward typo)

Thanks, Curbludgeon!
That is exactly what I am looking for.
Now Ill be on the hunt for that CQC program as well.

Just curious, why this couldn't be an OCC?

My reasoning are there are military units that specialize in breaching.

Because that's not the way BTS is set up.

There are classes that represent guys who spent time in the military or are currently active military.

There are skill programs to represent what their job int he military actually was.

Because it only a skill...not an Occupation. 'At most' it would represented with a MOS skill package/skill program.

While I generally prefer that a soldier O.C.C. be modular enough to accommodate anything from an Akkadian charioteer to a deep space Ranger, Mercalocalypse, there's no reason something more specific can't be put together. I'd be happy to help.

From earlier posts I take it you're thinking more about someone trained in room clearing and door breaching as opposed to, say, a sapper deploying APOBS, or a crew member of an M1150 ABV. Given the subforum, I assume it would be for a Ninjas&Superspies game, and am guessing it might be for a character trained by the modern U.S. military.

If any of that is inaccurate please let me know. Based on the above I would just write it up as a limited version of the Academy Officer with modified skill programs.

I was specifically referring to the JSOC heavy breacher troops within the Support Squadrons. They eat sleep and breathe hard target entry!

I like to get into the weeds on background and such.

I believe the above skill program you isted combined with an 18C Special Forces program would be more than sufficient to flush out that background.