Psi Wars: the Commando

Clear by Lingy

The Commando is our combat expert.  If you want to play a character who has mastered the art of TL 11 warfare, this is the character for you.  The primary focus of the Trooper is, of course, the Infantry Training skillset of Action 4: Specialists.  Beyond that, though, real soldiers break down into subsets (their "MOS"), which allows their military to apply a variety of specialists to tackle a particular problem.  I find this useful in table-top games too, for the same reason that the Striker/Tank/Healer split is interesting in D&D: Dynamic enemies with unique specializations make for more interesting encounters.

So, I have built the Commando around three lenses: Assault, for those soldiers who specialize in getting close and personal with the enemy; Heavy, for those soldiers who specialize in heavy ordinance and "blowing shit up"; and Recon, for those soldiers who specialize in slipping behind enemy lines and sniping officers. Naturally, standard, humdrum soldiers exist, but they're not elite, they're not player material, they're not commandos.  They're troopers, who would be mook opponents and side-kicks, rather than full-blown characters.

Commando: 250 points

Attributes: ST 11 [10], DX 13 [60]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 12 [20]
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 22 lbs; HP 11 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [-5]; Basic Move 6 [0]
Advantages: Born Soldier 2 [10], Combat Reflexes [15], Fit [5], Luck [15]. A total of 45 points from the following: ST +1 or +4 [10/level], DX +1 [20], IQ +1 or +2 [20/level], HT +1 or +2 [10/level], HP +1 to +4 [2/level], Will +1 to +3 [5/level], FP +1 to +3 [3/level], Absolute Direction [5], Absolute Timing [2], Acute Vision [2/level], Born Soldier +3 to +4 [5/level], Contact Group (Military, Skill 12, 15 or 18, 9 or less) [5, 10, 15], Danger Sense [15], Daredevil [15], Enhanced Dodge (Dive for Cover) 1-3 [5/level], Fearlessness +1 to +5 [2/level], Gizmos 1-3 [5/level], Gunslinger [25], Hard to Kill [2/level], Hard to Subdue [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Lifting ST +1 to +4 [3/level], Military Rank +1 to +3 [5/level], Rapid Healing or Very Rapid Healing [5 or 15], Serendipity 1 [15], Signature Gear [Varies], Wild Talent [20/level], Weapon Bond [1], improve Fit [5] to Very Fit [15] for 10 points, improve Luck [15] to Extraordinary Luck [30] for 15 points. Choose one MOS Lens (Assault, Heavy Weapons or Recon) below for 50 points.
Disadvantages: Either Duty (Required if your character has Military Rank) (Space Army, 12 or less, Extremely Hazardous) [-15] or 15 points from Code of Honor (Soldier's or Mercenaries) [-10], Fanaticism (Faction) [-15], Gullibility [-10*], Impulsiveness [-10], Lecherousness [-15*], Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Duty (Team or Faction) [-5 to -10], Selfless [-5*], Workaholic [-5]. •Divide 35 points among the previous disadvantages or among Appearance (Unattractive or Ugly) [-4 to -8], Bad Temper [-10*], Bloodlust [-10*], Callous [-5], Chummy [-5], Compulsive Carousing [-5*], Easy to Read [-10], Flashbacks (Mild) [-5], Honesty [-10*], Intolerance (Rival Faction) [-5], No Sense of Humor [-10], Oblivious [-5], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*].
Primary Skills: Beam Weapons (Rifle) (E) DX+2 [4]-15, Hiking (A) HT [2]-12, Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ+2¹ [1]-13, Soldier (A) IQ+3¹ [4]-14, Throwing (A) DX-1 [1]-13, Vacc Suit (A) DX [2]-14
Secondary Skills: Beam Weapons (Pistol) (E) DX [1]-13; Stealth (A) DX [2]-13; •Either Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]-15 or Karate (H) DX [4]-13; •Either Judo (H) DX [4]-13 or Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4]-14; •Choose four of Fast-Draw (Pistol, Grenade or Longarm) (E) DX+2² [2]-15, Gunner (Beams), Guns (Grenade Launcher) or Knife all (E) DX+1 [2]-14, Spear (A) DX [2]-13, Camouflage or First Aid both (E) IQ+1 [2]-12, Artillery (Guided Missile), Leadership (A) IQ+3¹ [2]-14, Armoury (Any), Electronics Operations (Comms), Forward Observer, all (A) IQ [2]-11, Tactics (H) IQ+1¹ [2]-12, Swimming (E) HT [1]-12, or Scrounging (E) Per+3¹ [2]-14.

Background Skills: Computer Operation (E) IQ [1]-11; Pilot (Contragravity or Starship) (A) DX-1 [1]-12, and 20 points chosen from a background lens.

Commando MOS

Recon Lens: 50

Secondary Traits: Per +2 [10]
Advantages: Night Vision 3 [3], Dead Eye [1]. You may add Stalker [5/level] to the advantage options.
Disadvantages: May not take Chummy [-5]. Add Loner [-5*] to disadvantage options.
Skills: Gain Electronics Operation (Comms) (A) IQ [2]-11, Navigation (Land) (A) IQ+1 [4]-12, Observation (A) Per+1 [4]-14, Survival (Any) (Per/A) Per+1 [4]-14. Improve Stealth to DX+2 [8]-15 for 6 points; improve Beam Weapons (Rifle) to DX+6 [24]-19 for +16 points

Heavy Weapons Lens: 50

Attributes: ST +3 [30]
Advantages: Huge Weapons 1 [1]. Add “Improve Huge Weapons to 2 [2] for +1 point” to advantages options.
Disadvantages: Add Pyromania [-5*] to disadvantage options.
Skills: Improve Throwing to (A) DX+1 [4]-13 for 3 points; •Choose two of Beam Weapons (Projector), Gunner (Beams), or Guns (Grenade Launcher) all (E) DX+3 [8]-15, Artillery (Guided Missile) (A) IQ+2 [8]-13, or improve Beam Weapons (Rifle) +2 levels for 8 points, or take all of Explosives (Demolition) (A) IQ+1 [4]-12, Architecture (A) IQ [2]-11, Engineer (Starship) (H) IQ-1 [2]-10; Add Lifting (A) HT [2]-12 to the secondary skill options.

Assault: 50

Attributes: ST +1 [10]
Secondary Traits: Per +1 [5], Will +1 [5], Basic Move +1 [5]
Advantages: Fearless +1 [2]

Skills: Improve Beam Weapons (Pistol) to (E) DX+2 [4]-14 for 3 points; Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2]-13, Choose one of Fast-Draw (Any) (E) DX+2¹ [2]-15; •Choose 4 of Beam Weapons (Projector), Knife, Jumping all (E) DX+2 [4]-15, Climbing or Shortsword both (A) DX+1 [4]-14, Explosives (Demolition) both (A) IQ+1 [4]-12, Tactics (H) IQ+2¹ [4]-13, Running (A) HT+1 [4]-13, Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4]-13, or improve Beam Weapons (Rifle) or any unarmed skill by +1 for 4 points.

*: Modified by self-control value
1: +2 from Born Soldier
2: +1 from Combat Reflexes

Born Soldier can be found in Power-Ups 3: Talents on page 12, or in GURPS Martial Arts: Fairbairn Combat Systems or GURPS SEALs in Vietnam. Stalker can be found on page 15 of Power-Ups 3: Talents or GURPS Martial Arts Fairbairn Close Combat System and GURPS SEALs in Vietnam.