Revisiting My Covert Ops RPG

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**Lathe Biosas**

So, I put my RPG down for a rest and moved on to other projects.

Now I've come back to it and I can see issues (and a lot bad grammar) that I missed while I was working on it every day.

For those of you who don't remember, the game is built around a group of covert operatives working in Berlin circa 1987 for a secret branch of NATO.

My issue right now is the "class names." I like some of them, but others just don't capture the essence I'm looking for.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

☆☆ 6. CLASS NAMES ☆☆☆

01. VANGUARD (TEAM LEADER)
02. SYNDIC (INTERROGATOR/MEDIC)
03. PHANTOM (INFILTRATOR)
04. DIPLOMAT (FACE)
05. SILENCER (CQC SPECIALIST)
06. ARTIFICER (ENGINEER)
07. GHOST EYE (WATCHER)

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: SILENCER☆☆☆

**SILENCER (Close Combat Specialist)**
The **Silencer** is a master of close-quarters combat, specializing in swift, silent takedowns. Trained in various martial arts, they can incapacitate targets without ever raising an alarm. Whether it's using their hands, improvised weapons, or specialized gear, the Silencer is an expert in maintaining the element of surprise and neutralizing threats before they even know what hit them. With a focus on stealth and precision, the Silencer is the team's quiet but lethal enforcer, ensuring missions go unnoticed and violence remains contained.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: VANGUARD☆☆☆

**VANGUARD (Team Leader)**
The **Vanguard** is the heart of the operation, leading covert missions with a blend of tactical brilliance and decisive action. As a force multiplier, they ensure that each team member’s skills are maximized, coordinating actions with precision to achieve mission objectives. Whether it's navigating high-stakes situations, managing resources, or making real-time decisions under pressure, the **Vanguard** excels at turning the tide of an operation. A master of stealth, strategy, and leadership, they are the driving force behind a successful mission, keeping their multinational team united and focused.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: GHOST EYE☆☆☆

**GHOST EYE (Watcher)**
The **Ghost Eye** is a master of surveillance, tracking targets from the shadows and observing the fine details others miss. With a keen eye for subtle movements and hidden clues, they gather intelligence without ever being seen. Whether following a target across the city or scouring a room for crucial evidence, the **Ghost Eye** excels in staying undetected while providing the team with vital information. Their ability to remain unseen and unnoticed makes them an invaluable asset in covert operations where stealth and precision are paramount.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: SYNDIC☆☆☆

**SYNDIC**
The **Syndic** is a master of life and death, a medic who understands the body’s fragile nature and knows how to manipulate it in the most subtle and deadly ways. Trained in both medicine and toxins, they possess the knowledge to heal when necessary, but they prefer the path of quiet incapacitation. To a **Syndic**, the sanctity of life is a mere guideline, not a creed. With a syringe as easily wielded as a scalpel, they can deliver a dose of healing or poison with equal precision. Whether crafting debilitating toxins to take down enemies or using their knowledge to sabotage targets, the **Syndic** operates from the shadows, a deadly silent operator who plays both sides of the field. In the world of covert operations, they are indispensable—healers for their comrades, executioners for their enemies.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: DIPLOMAT☆☆☆

**DIPLOMAT**
The **Diplomat** is a master of persuasion and subtle influence, skilled at maneuvering through social circles and high-stakes negotiations. In a world of secrets and alliances, they excel at gathering intel, shifting opinions, and earning trust without ever raising suspicion. The **Diplomat** knows that information is power, and they’re adept at adapting to any social environment, reading people and situations with precision. Whether impersonating a foreign official, securing a valuable contact, or extracting hidden truths, the **Diplomat** ensures that the team has the access and intel it needs—all while maintaining an impeccable facade.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: ARTIFICER

**ARTIFICER**
The **Artificer** is a master of invention and destruction, capable of crafting devices to aid their team or dismantling the most dangerous contraptions with precision and calm. Their expertise in explosives, electronics, and mechanical systems makes them invaluable in high-stakes situations, where technical know-how and level-headed decision-making are essential. Whether disarming a ticking nuclear device under enemy fire or improvising a deadly trap to sabotage enemy operations, the **Artificer** remains cool and focused. With a mind trained for both creative problem-solving and destructive solutions, the Artificer knows that the difference between success and failure is often just a few carefully chosen wires or the right explosive charge—handled with surgical precision.

☆☆☆ 2. CLASS SPEC: PHANTOM

**PHANTOM**
The **Phantom** is a master of stealth, slipping into the most secure locations and vanishing without a trace. Skilled in bypassing even the tightest security, they leave no clues, no evidence, and no memory of their presence. Locks, guards, and barriers are mere inconveniences, as the **Phantom** navigates with a fluidity that defies detection. Their expertise lies in evasion over confrontation; if seen, they’re gone before their pursuer can react. For the **Phantom**, a job well done is one where no one even realizes they were there—until it’s too late.

**Easy E**

Honestly, I would just use the names in the parenthesis as the class names.

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
Honestly, I would just use the names in the parenthesis as the class names.

The more I look at it, the more I think you're right.

I think I was overthinking the names and trying to sound like they weren't generic names.

That's my problem, I'm working alone and then playtesting and then going back to work alone.

I feel like I'm trying to be the Chuck Norris of RPGs.

**Easy E**

Even Gary Gygax didn't do it alone.

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
Even Gary Gygax didn't do it alone.

Yeah. He had Dave Arneson (who I had the displeasure of playing in a game he ran at the store I worked back in the late 90's).

I'm staring at my "over-engineered" rules, trying to figure out how many actions a player needs in a turn.

I had a system where the operative gets 3 actions a turn and can "push" for a 4th (with negative consequences for doing so).

But my "assassins" (which is what I call my playtesters) skip all my sneaking around and murder everyone that isn't them. And have been a little too overpowered.

**Easy E**

It sounds like the game does not incentivize stealth and over-rewards killing at the moment.

Which may or may not be a problem as long as they are still having fun killing everything on two legs.

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
It sounds like the game does not incentivize stealth and over-rewards killing at the moment.

Which may or may not be a problem as long as they are still having fun killing everything on two legs.

I tried to incentivize stealth and avoiding combat at all costs, since combat can go sideways really fast.

But my players are the same ones who run and gun through Shadowrun...

The Diplomat seems to be in their game to distract people so their sniper can get a better shot.

I am breaking my brain as they killed the double agent that was written as the villian of the playtest campaign... ten minutes into their first assignment.

I think D&D has given my players PTSD as they kill anything that appears unannounced.

They've removed from existence a housekeeper, a maitre'de, a cook on smoke break, a guy coming out of the restroom and a prostitute.

All noncombatants that I added to scenes to make buildings and corridors seem less empty.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
I am thinking of reducing the number of actions the players can take in a turn to 2+1 instead of 3+1.

The plus 1 action in my game is essentially a push that gives your operative an extra action, but they lose 2d6 to every skill test (including dodge reactions until the start of their next turn).

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Standard Actions

• Each operative has 3 Standard Actions to use however they want:
• Combat: Shoot, melee, reload
• Skills: Hack, disarm, interrogate
• Movement: Sneak, climb, drive

Push Action (Optional 4th Action)
• Player may attempt a 4th Standard Action.
• Player gains Disadvantage on all Skill Tests (including Reactions) until the start of their next turn.

Reactions & Free Actions
• Throughout the turn, the operative may use:
• Free Actions: grab item, adjust gear, shout a warning
• Reactions: dodge a sudden attack, counter an enemy move

Revised name list:
01. VANGUARD
02. SURGEON
03. PHANTOM
04. ENVOY
05. SILENCER
06. SAPPER
07. WATCHER

**kabaakaba**

Our DM don't liked when we was overzealous with combat, and make it very, very unforgiving to start combat in situations that not suites it. Like killing whole party with rats which feared by our actions and trying to defend their lives. Or city guards who don't like trouble makers in tavern. Or goblins. I really hate goblins after all that restarts.
Also he burn word "accurate" in our brains, by some heavy consequences to our inaccurate actions.
So virtually you can punish all gun out hot heads with your rules/in-univers laws. Without cutting available actions count

**Lathe Biosas**

I just realized something.

Since the game is essentially NATO vs the CCCP/USSR through the lense of 1980's Berlin.

Would Polish/Czech/Russian/etc gamers still play the game, even though it's told from the NATO side of things, and they are essentially the "bad guys" in the game?

**kabaakaba**

Well, we so fed with Soviet/Russians is a bad guys shown in a caricature manner that it's funny some times. And honestly there is no not Russians games with good Russians. Even our games have that evil Soviet vibe really often(but less Hollywood dumb style) cause developers want sell games worldwide. Government trying force some patriotic stuff into everything they can reach, but for players who really play rpg/wargames I think there is no problem who is bad guys if game is fun and have depth.

**Lathe Biosas**

kabaakaba wrote:
Well, we so fed with Soviet/Russians is a bad guys shown in a caricature manner that it's funny some times. And honestly there is no not Russians games with good Russians. Even our games have that evil Soviet vibe really often(but less Hollywood dumb style) cause developers want sell games worldwide. Government trying force some patriotic stuff into everything they can reach, but for players who really play rpg/wargames I think there is no problem who is bad guys if game is fun and have depth.

I had to go through my game with a German friend to make sure the Stasi weren't overly evil/dumb. I might have to do that for our Main Adversary.

**Easy E**

Do not make the Russians evil, just the enemy. If that makes sense. They have their own goals and objectives but they are counter to yours.

As for combat heavy folks, what is the consequence they will face for killing everything on two feet? Do their superiors approve their methods? Does this make them target #1 for the Eastern Bloc since they are so bloodthirsty? Does killing off the guy on break eventually lead to a panic as some other rando civilian finds the dead body in the dumpster? I mean, once your cover is blown the State can bring way more resources to bear than the party can deal with. Worse, they could get put out to pasture by their own side! Then, who they have to turn too?

Players kill things, because they think that is the easiest way forward. If you make it the hard option, they will stop killing things. I am pretty sure in most espionage games, killing people not "in-the-game" escalates stealth to hard mode every time! You will want to write in consequences for these actions into the sample adventure, you will want to add a section on what potential consequences for being bloodthirsty are for GMs to know what to do (perhaps a consequences chart?), and you will want to add blurbs and warnings in the player section about how things go sideways when you break stealth! Afterall, you do not want them to mistake your game for a James Bond movie... unless you do.

I know in my "Modern" games the players absolutely HATE when the police get involved because then they know I am going to make them squirm.

Edit: Breaking people from D&D-isms is exhausting as an RPG GM.

**Lathe Biosas**

I am working on a Discovery System (Mission Fallout or some such) that can lead to your characters becoming "Disavowed," and thus losing the game.

Along the way, the more you are known the harder missions become as it is harder for your superiors to get you everything you need do to scrutiny.

**Easy E**

So, is Disavowed the fail state for a campaign?

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
So, is Disavowed the fail state for a campaign?

Yes. I always wanted a game where there was another loss condition outside of death.

Until I finish the Supplement: Rogue Ops.

**Easy E**

Do your playtesters know this and do they know that all the wanton killing gets them closer to being Disavowed? Can it happen mid-mission?

Also, considering how kill happy players are now, I am not sure you want to make that supplement!

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
Do your playtesters know this and do they know that all the wanton killing gets them closer to being Disavowed? Can it happen mid-mission?

Also, considering how kill happy players are now, I am not sure you want to make that supplement!

The Fallout occurs at the end of the mission. It is too much to track during the mission, with Tension levels and everything else.

On a positive note (kinda)... My players have switched gears and in my latest mission starting playing my game like Hitman or
Splinter Cell, where there's still plenty of murdering, but they are trying to conceal/dispose of the bodies.

One of the latest notes asks for Cleaners to be added as a possible contact.

[In the game, you can spend Resource Points for end of the mission training (increase stats), before the mission (more stuff), or during the mission (call in favors from contacts or bribe people to make your interactions easier).]

PS. I keep hoping that my group is an outlier and other groups are not so stab-stab-shoot-shoot.

**Easy E**

Based on RPGing since the mid-80's..... they are not an outlier.

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
Based on RPGing since the mid-80's..... they are not an outlier.

Gah. Stop crushing my hopes and dreams.

Maybe if I make combat super convoluted they will avoid it...

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Copied from my master text file... Combat!

Combat in Disavowed is meant to be fast, dangerous, and decisive. A single attack can end a mission—or a life. There are no hit points. Instead, combat is resolved with skill tests, conditions, and the risk of sudden death.

---

## **1. Attacking**

* On your turn, declare the attack.
* **Melee Attack:** Roll **Close Quarters Combat** vs. Target’s **Evasion**.
* **Ranged Attack:** Roll **Marksmanship** vs. Target’s **Evasion** (if Dynamic) or against a static TN (if Static).

> **If the attacker gets more net successes than the defender, the attack hits.**
>
> The number of net successes = the **Damage TN**.

---

## **2. Resisting Damage**

When hit, the target makes a **Resist Damage Test**:

* Roll **Athletics** (physical toughness) or **Willpower** (mental grit) — player’s choice.
* Test against the **Damage TN**.

**Results:**

* **Fail:** The target is **Incapacitated** (cannot act).
* **Success:** The target suffers a **Flesh Wound**.

---

## **3. Conditions**

* **Flesh Wound:** Each wound gives –1 die on all Resist Damage Tests.
* **Incapacitated:** Target cannot act. They may still be finished off.
* **Unconscious (Non-Lethal):** If an attacker declares a non-lethal attack, an incapacitated target is knocked out for hours = Damage TN.
* **Dying (Lethal):** If an incapacitated target is struck again lethally, they must roll a Resist Damage Test vs. Damage TN. On a fail, they **die**.

---

## **4. Armor**

Armor helps you survive, but it wears down under fire.

* Armor grants **Advantage** on Resist Damage Tests against certain attacks:

* **Concealed Armor (Durability 4):** Advantage vs. light weapons (pistols, knives).
* **Standard Armor (Durability 6):** Advantage vs. firearms.
* **Combat Armor (Durability 8):** Advantage vs. all attacks; wearer suffers **Disadvantage on Stealth**.

* If you succeed on a Resist Damage Test because of Armor, you don’t take a Flesh Wound. Instead, reduce the armor’s **Durability** by 1. At 0, the armor is useless.

---

## **5. Special Cases**

* **Static Targets:** Don’t roll Evasion. Handler sets a TN.
* **Incapacitated/Unconscious Targets:** Cannot roll Evasion. Any lethal hit forces a Dying Test.

---

### **Combat Flow Summary**

1. **Attack:** Roll Close Quarters or Marksmanship vs. Evasion (or TN).
2. **Damage:** Net successes = Damage TN.
3. **Resist Damage:** Target rolls Athletics or Willpower vs. Damage TN.

* Fail = Incapacitated.
* Success = Flesh Wound (–1 die).
* Armor may negate wound but loses Durability.
4. **Follow-Up:** If already Incapacitated and attacked again:

* Non-Lethal = Unconscious.
* Lethal = Dying Test (fail = death).

---

Combat is resolved in just two rolls: **attack vs. defense, then resist damage.** Quick, brutal, and cinematic.

**Easy E**

I do not think the combat part of the system is problematic. I prefer them simple.

How often have the playtesters run afoul of the combat rules? I mean, how often have they been killed suddenly by a Soviet KGB agent who escalated quickly? How often have they been man-handled by an opposing force? Have they been riddled full of bullets, strangled from behind, or beat mercilessly?

If you want to make combat even more dangerous, perhaps make all actions simultaneous? Therefore even if you kill three guards in your turn (with three actions), they will still all assume to be shooting back at the same time, so 9 shots back at you!

Surprise should be critical for a lethal system like this, and it sounds like it is.

**Lathe Biosas**

That's an excellent idea.

You have a surprise attack and everything else is simultaneous combat.

It adds to the tactics and planning part of the game. Almost a Swat Team/Rainbow Six style of planning and execution.

You need to think ahead and think smart.

This could lead to the Vanguard/Team Leader being a force multiplier when setting up ambushes and attacks.

I could also use the Silencer/CQC to gain most of his bonuses to apply only in the surprise attack (almost like a D&D rogue). Or give him the ability to extend the surprise round by an additional round by having his attacks disorient his foe.

But once the element of surprise is lost. A battle becomes a very serious affair, as everyone gets their actions.

But... do I apply damage at the end of the turn?

Even though that attack will kill you, you still get to make your attacks back?

**kabaakaba**

Agreed, simultaneous actions must have if you wanna make you players think before they grab the guns. also if you add real world lethality it make it even harder to go crazy with combat if it not unavoidable. Like you got stabbed with knife? ok! you have 3 minuts to stop bleeding before you die. Hit with bullete? Take your shok, bleeding and impact damage.

**Easy E**

Yeah, how it would work in my head is.....

Combat turn looks like:
1. Surprise Actions
2. Heroes decide to go.no-go
3. Go team activates and determines if actions pass/fail
4. No-Go Team activates and determines if actions pass/fail
5. Resolve all passing and failing actions
6. Continue to round 2 if needed

So, in step 5 all damage gets applied, movement is completed, interactions with objects, etc. That resets the stage for round 2.

Note, that in a system like this that Initiative order does not matter as everyone will get a chance to do their three actions. In addition, people might have to "overcommit" to an action to ensure it is completed. I.e. two players use a multiple actions to fire on the same enemy soldier with an RPG. You won't know if you have taken them out until you resolve all actions.

Since you have so many actions, you may also want Evasion to be an "active skill" that they take as an action. Then, actions pasts the first have modifiers or all actions past the first modify all tests.

**Easy E**

On a different note. Congrats making it this far! You have gotten farther than 95% of the population on their RPG project!

You have a finished draft and people are playing it! Congratulations. You are a game designer now!

**Lathe Biosas**

Easy E wrote:
On a different note. Congrats making it this far! You have gotten farther than 95% of the population on their RPG project!

You have a finished draft and people are playing it! Congratulations. You are a game designer now!

I should list one caveat to this. There is no character creation.

I handed out pre-made dossiers, with names, stats and a short bio already completed.

With working on each section and doing massive rewrites, I've never gone back to write the character creation section.

Mainly due to the fact that it's difficult (for me) to make that section fun and flavorful. I've played so many games where I ran a character in super safe mode because dreaded creating a new one (Shadowrun 5.0).

**Lathe Biosas**

▪︎ REFINED SKILL LIST
• Athletics
• Close Quarters Combat (CQC)
• Computers & Electronics
• Demolitions
• Detection
• Disguise & Stealth
• Interrogation & Manipulation
• Leadership
• Linguistics & Negotiation
• Marksmanship
• Medicine
• Reasoning
• Resistance
• Tradecraft
• Tactical Driving

The core gameplay is Attribute 1-7 Skill level = number of dice rolled. Roll Attribute level or lower to score successes.

Tension Levels can lower your Attribute Levels... (more on that later)

Is this a good coverage of skills, without going insane? My playtesters said to condense what I had, due to overlapping skills.

All the skills with "&" are the newly condensed skills.

Thinking of ignoring their suggestion and splitting stealth and disguise... not sure though.

**kabaakaba**

I don't know why join them, for me it's always 2 different way. You can disguise and enter from main entrance or walk in stealth through backdoor. Hack computer system or cut off right wires, interrogate victim to get data or manipulate him and he gives you what you want.

**Easy E**

I love elaborate and long skill trees, but most normal people do not. They want their characters to be good at a broad range of things with a simple point buy. They do not want their skills to be limited, where the science guy is really only good at Geology and not Astro-physics too.

I like to put skills into categories with attributes, so you need X in an attribute OR the skill builds on the attribute etc. I.e. Intelligence 3 with an Electronic skill that adds +2 to Intelligence when dealing with electronics. I then put the skills in under the attribute that it modifys. Star Wars WEG taught me this little trick.

Like Kabaabaaka says, try to think of what you are intending to model in game and how granular you want to get on it? Does it matter if they sneak around an office in shadows, or in plain sight in a disguise? If the answer is yes, then separate them. If not, then merge them.

Some other small points.

1. Playtesters are not game designers. You are, so take any playtester feedback with a grain of salt. They do not know what you are trying to do, your design goals, or your Point of View on how espionage should be represented on the table. Only you do.

2. If you expect the game to have high lethality/disavowed rate, then character creation needs to be relatively easy and quick. Oh I died, I will make a new character is 5-15 minutes and get back into the game.

If characters tend not to die and have longevity than make it deeper with more attention to Why the character does things than on How the character does things. This depth makes them interesting to play over long periods.

3. Fewer attributes and divisions between them equal quicker and easier character building.

The minimum details you need are:

1. Physical skill
2. Mental Skill
3. Social Skill

Everything else is guilding the rose or putting lipstick on a pig depending.

I love see you work through this. Very fun and insightful to my own process.

**Lathe Biosas**

Still dislike the Driving/Vehicles Skill. Haven't figured out a decent way to add driving scenes to the game.

Revised Skills

1. Athletics
Physical power, endurance and gross motor skill: climbing, jumping, sprinting, carrying loads, swimming.
Use when: you vault a fence or outrun a patrol.

2. Close Quarters Combat (CQC)
Unarmed fighting, grapples, disarms and rapid use of improvised melee.
Use when: you subdue a guard in a corridor.

3. Marksmanship
Aiming, controlled fire, small-arms proficiency and steady shots under stress.
Use when: you need that one clean shot at distance or on a moving target.

4. Vehicles
Operating, controlling and improvising with motor vehicles, boats and light aircraft; evasive maneuvers and field vehicle maintenance.
Use when: you’re in a chase, need to improvise a roadblock, or jury-rig a busted radiator.

5. Computers & Electronics
Hacking, bypassing electronic locks, surveilling networks, and field electronics repair.
Use when: you bypass an alarm panel or pull files from a terminal.

6. Demolitions
Calculating charges, safe placement, improvised explosives for breaching or sabotage.
Use when: you need to blow a safe or create a diversion without killing bystanders.

7. Medicine
First aid, field surgery, triage and using medical knowledge for interrogation or falsifying records.
Use when: you patch a wound or fabricate a medical report.

8. Tradecraft
Surveillance, countersurveillance, dead drops, covert comms, operational security and tradecraft disguises.
Use when: you tail a target without being noticed or set a secure comms link.

9. Detection
Observing, noticing subtle signs, spotting ambushes, reading micro-behavior and searching a room thoroughly.
Use when: you sweep a room for bugs or notice a wet footprint.

10. Reasoning
Deduction, problem solving, analyzing evidence and rapid logical thinking under pressure.
Use when: you connect disparate clues under time pressure.

11. Resistance
Enduring pain, fatigue, sleep deprivation and psychological coercion.
Use when: you’re being tortured, interrogated, or pushed through a marathon march.

12. Disguise
Creating and wearing convincing covers/identities: makeup, forged papers and sustained impersonation.
Use when: you assume another person’s identity for an infiltration.

13. Stealth
Moving silently, avoiding detection, blending into shadows and short-term concealment.
Use when: you slip past a patrol corridor or pick a pocket without notice.

14. Interrogation
Coaxing information via questioning, pressure, rapport building, threats and controlled deception in an interrogation setting.
Use when: you sit across a prisoner and try to get the location of hidden files.

15. Persuasion
Social influence outside formal interrogation: charm, bargaining, manipulation and negotiation.
Use when: you talk the doorman into letting you through or broker a bribe.

16. Linguistics
Language fluency, dialects, translation, reading foreign documents and cultural fluency.
Use when: you interrogate in a foreign tongue or understand a rare dialect.

17. Leadership
Tactical command, coordination, inspiring allies, directing a team under stress and running small operations.
Use when: you organize an escape, give commands to allies during a mission.

**kabaakaba**

Still dislike the Driving/Vehicles Skill. Haven't figured out a decent way to add driving scenes to the game.

It's easy, you gonna be suprised how many criminals of all sorts(including terrorists) was areste cause their driving was cathch an eye of police. if your gave is covop that can be considered cause eastern block monitoring every aspect of life and some driver doing something wrong have good chance find himself in Stasi interrogation room. So it is a skill what work hand in hand with disgues.