Fighter Pilot
Unlike the spacecraft pilot who can fly just about anything, the Fighter pilot is more specialized, preferring to live in the fast lane out maneuvering missiles and dodging anti-spacecraft fire. The thrill of racing along in a small craft able to corner on the proverbial dime is only one of the traits that makes for a good fighter pilot, a total disregard for danger and risk is often another such trait. The fighter pilot is differentiated from the spacecraft pilot by a preference for craft they can fly personally or with a minimal crew such as a single co-pilot. Fighter craft and combat craft are their prime vehicles of choice, but their skills cover atmospheric fighters as well as space craft and often other very fast atmospheric craft such as hyperthrusters. Even though transatmospheric fighters are rare, dual duty atmospheric and zero-gravity skills are quite common among these pilots. Such versatility not only ensures the demand for the pilot's skill, but is often the direct result of the military training often necessary to learn the combat skills so vital to these hotdogs. That same military training also accounts for their survival skills in both space and terrestrial wildernesses. A downed pilot is helpless and can often rely only on himself.
Certainly not all red hot pilots who enjoy zipping about in small, fast spacecraft and thrill at the thought of breakneck chases and risky battles are military or former military personnel, but it is the easiest way to get such training. On the streets (so to speak), picking up these skills would more likely than not involve some kind of tutoring or mentorship under a mercenary or former military pilot, thus it is assumed that fighter pilots have some kind of military background or contacts. One other option would be to sign up as an operative for a security organization like the TMC and TGE's private armies or as a member of a criminal organization. Pirate enclaves, especially the Raiding Clans, produce some of the brashest fighter pilots known to the galaxy.
Attribute Requirements: Other than nerves of steel, a P.P. of 12 or higher is required.
O.C.C. skills
Navigation: Space
Read Sensory Equipment
Weapon Systems
Computer Operation
Radio: Basic
Pilot: Fighter craft
Pilot: Shuttle
Pilot: Jet
Pilot: Select two hovercraft piloting skills
Wilderness Survival
W.P. Energy Pistol
Hand to Hand: Basic
Hand-to-hand: Basic can be upgraded to Expert at the cost of one other skill and Martial Arts at the cost of two other skills.
Other Skills
Because of their extensive training in piloting, only a bare minimum of other skills are available. Choose four other skills from the following list.
Communications: Any (+5%)
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Basic Electronics or Computer Repair only.
Espionage: None
Mechanical: Basic Mechanics, Spacecraft Mechanics (+5%), and Weapons Engineer.
Medical: First Aid only
Military: Any (+5%)
Physical: Any
Pilot: Basic: Any (+10% to aircraft)
Pilot: Advanced: Any (+10% and +15% to spacecraft skills)
Pilot Related: Any (+15%)
Rogue: Find Contraband & Illegal Weapons only, but it only applies to spacecraft weaponry.
Science: Any (+5% to Astrophysics)
Technical: Any
Weapon Proficiencies: Any
Wilderness: None
Secondary Skills: In addition to the above skills, the character can select four secondary skills from the secondary skill list on page 47 of Heroes Unlimited, second edition. As usual, these skills receive none of the bonuses listed above. The character can select three additional secondary skills at levels 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15.
Standard Equipment: Uniform (if still in the military or other organization), flight suit (identical in effect to the driving suits in the Hardware section p. 142 of Heroes Unlimited Second Edition), light body armor (A.R. 10, S.D.C. 40), standard issue sidearm (usually a laser pistol or similar energy weapon), additional sidearm of choice (energy or firearm), a kisentite or vibro knife, wrist radio (Range: 5 miles/8 km), emergency field radio (stored in ship; range: 100 miles/160 km), portable survival kit (10 ft of rope, string, tape and bandages, pain killers, fishing materials, matches, dry rations, water purifier), ultra cool aviator glasses, protective goggles, helmet (with HUD display that links to the computers of the ship and an environmental seal that allows five minutes of emergency breathing), and insulated, no-slip gloves.
The character may or may not have his own spacecraft, depending on the gamemaster's ruling for such. If a vessel is owned by the character, it will be an older model (though in perfect working order) fighter craft with 15 tons of mass, a pair of light weapon systems (most likely lasers), an additional light weapon in a rotating turrent, and light armor. Medium armor and a single medium weapon system are also options the gamemaster may want to consider. Other systems are left up to the gamemaster, but no additional weapons or armor should be allowed to start. It might be a good idea to give the player a list to choose from with limits on total additional module points that can be spent.
Optional Cybernetics: Headjack, radio reciever/transmitter, one optic system (thermal and telescopic are common) and bionic memory modules with navigation coordinates (+10% to normal navigation rolls, not FTL).
Average Salary: 2700 credits per month. Officers in the military and pilots working for corporations can have increased salaries based on their rank and skill (anywhere from 3000 to 5000 credits per month).
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