The Old Man

"The Old Man" Captain of the Company. He is called "the old man" because generally his age is about 28.

-Tommy's Dictionary of the Trenches AG Empey -1917

Officer

You hold a commission in the Army. You may have gone to a military academy, or had your position secured by family connections. You start the game as a subaltern but judging by the depressing casualty rate of line officers if you can just stay alive you will probably be offered a promotion. Ostensibly, your job is to lead the men of your section to victory, while at the same time keeping strict records on the quantity and condition of whatever personnel and equipment the army sees fit to entrust you with. In reality you are constantly juggling the often times conflicting demands of HQ and the needs of your men. It’s not easy to find the right balance between shrill martinet and chummy uncle that is required of a good commander, but if you are lucky you have a sturdy NCO to help.

Attribute: Charisma. An officer must have a charisma of 13 or better unless they come to the class via promotion.

Equipment: Officers Uniform, Side Arm, Field Glass, Whistle.

Rank: The Officer starts the game as a 2nd Lieutenant / Sous Lieutenant

Skills

Soldiers – The officer has command of NPC soldiers. A Lieutenant commands a section or platoon, a Captain commands a company, and a Major or Colonel commands an entire battalion. These troops are vital on missions, and can also be used to perform task during The Front turn phase. Your duties include keeping a record of these troops on your character sheet. If a soldier under your command survives 5 missions they increase in level.

Artillery Strike – Once per Mission Phase you can request artillery support. This requires the use of a soldier who will no longer be available for the mission. Make an attack roll modified by Wisdom to determine if the coordinates are correct, then roll 2d6 plus proficiency bonus.

2-9 Requests denied

10-12 light bombardment (4d6)

13-18 heavy bombardment (6d6)

Subtract two from the roll if you request a gas attack. (1916 or later)

Inspiring Commands – The Officer may inspire his soldiers and other player characters. Each day they receive a number of inspiration dice equal to their proficiency bonus. At level 1-3 this is a d4, level 4-6 a d6, and level 6-10 a d8. By issuing an order they may also give an inspiration dice that may be added to a d20 roll.

Request Assets – You may request military assets from High Command.  Section, Platoon, and Company commanders request assets from Battalion HQ, Battalion commanders request assets from Division HQ. During The Front phase of the campaign turn make a Charisma Check vs DC 15. If successful, you may select an asset from the following table.

Battalion Assets       Regimental Assets

Food                        Same as Battalion plus  

Ammo                     Heavy MGs

Kit                           Light Artillery

Light MGs                Mortar Section

Replacements          Reassignment to Depot

Batsman / Aide - At level four the Officer is assigned an orderly to assist with administration and personal upkeep.  The Batsman is a first level Rifleman with attributes and may gain experience.

The Solitude of Command – The Officer cannot share a bond with any other players unless they too are Officers.