Thus Spake Zarataylor/UnitEffectivenessScale

From RPG-net, 02-09-04 04:40; on the scaling of the quality of Lookshy troops:

That scale really doesn't have a qualitative meaning beyond what Storytellers choose to give it, honestly - it's a guideline as to overall unit competence, equipment, preparedness, espirit d'corps, etc. The higher on the list, the better gear you're using (which means Lookshy forces will almost never fall below Good, just due to the amounts of Exceptional equipment they use), the more skilled your soldiers are (higher percentages of elite or superior soldiers, etc.), the more access you have to battlefield sorcery, Exalts, mortal sorcery, and other cool bennies. It's not an absolute scale - an actual First Age unit would be off the scale, for example - it's keyed to the Second Age's realities, not some absolute level.

It probably runs something like

Abysmal ( ... near rioting, [bad] gear, no morale, and incompetent troops and leadership)

Poor

Substandard

Average (just what it says. Majority of units in Creation will be here - average soldiers, average morale, average equipment)

Good

Excellent

Elite (Note - the Third Field Force should actually be considered Elite, not Excellent)

Superlative (extremely well equipped, outfitted with plenty of artifact gear, highly skilled, highly motivated troops with excellent morale, and extremely competent leadership. Has access to battlefield sorcery, heavy weapons, plenty of Essence wielders, etc.)

By way of comparison, most Realm units will be Good or Excellent, with some hitting Elite, and handfuls of special ops units (Talon sized or smaller) hitting Superlative. Most other forces in Creation will range from Substandard to Good, with their special ops units ranging up to Elite. Militia units will range from Poor to Average, generally, with some reaching up to Good. Few Abysmal units survive their first combat.

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Scott Taylor, Freelancer for hire