===== Picking Skills =====
When [[character_creation|generating a human character]] you must assign a skill rank to every one of the skills listed below. These include both those you are good at, as well as those you may not have any aptitude for, or for whatever reason just get wrong all the time. You must select **2 skills to be Excellent** at (and choose a specialisation for each), **1 skill to be Good** at, and **2 skills to be Inept** at. The **remaining 4 skills** are automatically ranked as **Trained**.  You may achieve **World Expert** during the game by [[character advancement|spending skill points]], but you cannot start the game with it.

//For example, Dr Josephine Stone might take Researcher and Medic at Excellent, Anthropologist as Good, and Diplomat and Commander as Inept. Soldier, Scout, Engineer and Administrator would all be Trained skills. Dr Stone is an excellent biologist and all-round scientist, and they know how to apply some of the more crazy theories out in the field, and might be able to even perform surgery on an Elf while having a developing idea of their language and how to speak it. On the other hand, they always say something wrong when trying to come to an agreement with the same elves or arguing for an increase in grant money back at UNITED and don't even ever ask them to lead or direct people - they'd get too carried away with a fascinating discovery just over there. Finally, they have mastered basic combat training, and can move with an exploration team without embarrassing themselves; and at least when running their own research for UNITED they make sure all their lab equipment is correctly set up and things run smoothly.//


==== Skill Ranks ====

^ Skill Ranks ^ Competence ^ Example ^
| Inept | Serious trouble getting things right | Can't hit a target reliably 30 feet away; Struggle to do more than e-mail and word-processing |
| Trained | Formal training and instruction and limited experience | Know the principles of command and recommended responses to a situation; Learned principles of field aid and assisted squad medic in combat |
| Good | Natural aptitude, good training and useful experience | Experienced diplomat having negotiated with different factions during the wars; Engineer in charge of maintaining readiness of unmanned reconnaissance drones |
| Excellent | Natural aptitude, extensive training and copious experience | A shadow, capable of moving through a battlefield unseen; One of the scientists working on the next stage of Inter-Terrestial Particle Theory |
| World Expert | The best around | The sniper who can hit her target right between the eyes from miles away through high winds, bust into an enemy compound, fight off the guards, "commandeer" a tank, and drive it home |

===== Skills =====

Members of UNITED are amongst the finest humanity has to offer and possess expertise in a number of careers.

====Commander====
Talented commanders are skilled in both military and civilian leadership, which ranges from strategy and tactics to team-management. Given the strong links to the military, especially in the exploratory department, many of their agents and officers come with a strong background in this area. 

**Sample Specialisations:** Squad Tactics, Mass Battles, Advanced Military Formations, Forward Planning, Difficult Personnel

==== Soldier ====
The soldier's skills are about surviving on the front line of combat whilst making sure your enemy doesn't.  They have familiarity with standard issue weapons and vehicles. Greater proficiency can manifest itself in picking up new weapons and techniques faster, as well as being able to perform more basic procedures with almost instinctual ease.

**Sample Specialisations:** Hand-to-Hand Combat, Jet Fighter Pilot, Demolitions Expert, Civilian Protection, 

==== Scout ====
A scout's primary role is to perform reconnaissance, gathering intelligence without being detected.  This covers stealth, physical larceny and general alertness. One can expect a Scout to be able to stay undetected in an area with which they are familiar, or have had time to prepare, and can sometimes amplify their natural intelligence gathering abilities with technological means.

**Sample Specialisations:** Urban Infiltration, Setting Ambushes, Spotting Ambushes, Tracking

==== Diplomat ====
Whether it be by soaring oratory or intimidating whispers, the diplomat is adept at getting people to do what they want. The Diplomat is one of the most important roles in UNITED, as it is staffed and funded by the UN and world governments. Diplomats within UNITED vary from those who work inter-department to keep the cogs oiled at the top level to those journalists working for and from UNITED headquarters. And PR. PR is very important.

**Sample Specialisations:** Rousing Speeches, Haggling, Making Apologies, Journalism, PR

==== Administrator ====
Admin staff are versed in handling both dense bureaucracy and complex logistics.  They are equally at home fast-tracking funding for vital research and organising the emergency evacuation of a town. Where the Commander works on a relatively small-scope, short term, basis the Administrator can be responsible for up to millions of people or billions of dollars over a much larger time period at the highest level.

**Sample Specialisations:** Analysing Accounts, Expedition Logistics, Red-Tape Elimination, Population Logistics

==== Researcher ====
UNITED offers a fantastic opportunity for studying new phenomena and developing new technologies.  Experts in Inter-Terrestrial Particle Theory are of course vital to the project, but experts in nearly every field are present in the organisation. That being said, most of those called 'Researchers' by UNITED are those which specialize in the physical sciences; and almost all of the world experts have some connection to UNITED (however tenuous).

**Sample Specialisations:** ITP Theory, Biochemistry, Lasers

==== Engineer ====
Engineers maintain and repair the equipment used by UNITED, which is at the cutting edge of what humanity can develop.  Many of such devices are esoteric and overly complex, requiring the expertise of an Engineer to run. Some of the Engineers turn their eyes to developing new gadgets and gizmos to help UNITED both in and off the field.

**Sample Specialisations:**  Computer Hacking, Kit Maintenance, Weapon Development, Upscaling

==== Anthropologist ====
Anticipating the discovery of an alternative Earth, UNITED hosts a large collection of the world's top anthropologists.  Fortunately many of the methodologies used to study humanity can equally be applied to learning about the other races and peoples of the Nine Worlds; as such many experts on the ancient Norse people, as well as their beliefs and cultures, have been brought in at great expense.

**Sample Specialisations:** Relic Inspection, Cultural Analysis, Linguistics

==== Medic ====
Medical expertise stretches from performing field surgery under fire to developing cures for deadly alien diseases. Due to the volatile nature of the battlefield, little very helpful care can be provided immediately, and more than often a Medic is required to keep their squadmates alive until more long term care can be provided at UNITED HQ. Medics can assist scientists with Biological Technology development. 

**Sample Specialisations:** Field Medicine, Psychiatric Care, Augmentation Surgery