Before I start my thoughts on the title subject, I'd like to say that I've learned very quickly to ask here before putting time and effort into what I think may be a new discovery. There is so much talent, knowledge and intelligence here (from around the world) that my sons and I have quickly discovered that (if we ask) we will usually find that someone has already had (and expanded upon) our "new idea".
I also wanted to note at the outset that we have been reading both the Traverse City League Rules and the Knights of the Air Rules. I'm looking at ways to combine (or take the best from) both for the boys and I to adopt; or maybe simply adopt one or the other.
Soooo...to the subject: "Not all pilots are created equal." We've been thinking about adding a little more RPG to our pilot profiles; giving our pilots more individual "personality". Remember the old "Dungeons and Dragons" format?...where you rolled dice to "create" your character and determine his (or her) beginning skill levels? As I see it, new WWI pilots each brought their own skills and abilities, varying intelligence and physical strengths to their new profession of piloting. Let's call them aptitudes and attributes; God-given, hereditary, environmental, learned and/or other. Some absorbed and applied their training more quickly; others had more flight time and hours of training before going to their frontline units. Still others climbed into the cockpit with little more than courage or patriotism in their hearts.
What if we could reflect this in our WoW pilots? What I propose is that, when "creating" a new pilot (and/or observer) profile, you rolled dice to set a number in each category of abilities or attributes. In 'D&D' they were characterized as STRENGTH, INTELLIGENCE, WISDOM, DEXTERITY, CONSTITUTION AND CHARISMA...then ATTACK, ARMOR CLASS and HEALTH. A few basic "Ace" skills (NOT second level skills, as defined in the KotA and Traverse City rules) would be aligned with each of these attributes...maybe one each. If you rolled a high enough number, you got that skill as a new pilot coming out of training. Too low and you don't. You roll for each attribute, but (even if you manage to acquire that single skill available at each attribute), you can only keep two. You roll to randomly decide which two these are. This would keep the skill-level in check; no Supermen. Afterwards, your pilot/observer would come away from "training" with 0, 1 or 2 "enhanced" attributes.
For "Health Points" (or damage your pilot can take): in the KotA rules every new pilot starts out with 25 HP. But not all pilots were of the same physical speciman. What if you rolled a dice to determine a number higher, the same or lower than this for your new pilot? Not a lot...say, with 25 being the "average build/physical condition" of a new pilot: roll (on a d6) a 1 and start with 15 HP, a 2 roll starts with 20 HP, a 3 or 4 gets the "average" 25 HP, a roll of 5 gains 30 HP and, finally, a roll of 6 is the peek of health at 35 HP.
I'm not sure if ATTACK (damage you can do) or ARMOR CLASS (how well protected...or "lucky"...you are from attack) could be figured in somehow; but I'm playing with it. I also haven't figured out which "Ace" skills could be aligned with the different attributes. Some fit in nicely, though. Of course, the D&D framework doesn't have to be all-inclusive. We may add or trim attributes that we would roll for.
So...my question: has anyone already done it? Or should we try to develop something? Of course, this may not be something that appeals to everyone. But, for us, it would add some real "individual character" to our pilots; more than just a name that we created (or simply a choice of Allied or Central Powers). The boys are already enthusiastic about creating a little background history for their pilots (hometown, date of birth, what brought him to flight school, previous service in the trenches, etc). Yes, they have wonderful imaginations. A system like this would bring even more RPG depth to their pilots/observers. It would also give some pilots more chance than others of surviving longer in the air, while others would live the proverbial "three weeks" or less. Also realistic. As the game developers indicated, WoW is a great platform from which to add your own imagination.
Any thoughts?
Bookmarks