Space Marine OBAT Pt IV (S40K) - Skills and Traits

Being humanities super-soldiers, one would expect Marines to be trained within an inch of their lives and therefore extraordinarily skilled to boot.  As much as I get turned-off by 'supers' in a game, when comparing a Space Marine with your standard grunts, well there should be a significant difference in their relative skills.

The manner in which Skirmish Sangin determines a Unit's skill ratings is pretty clever: each experience level has a multiplier (typically Novice x1, Average x2, Vets x3 and Elites x4) that combined with the Unit's BODY stat (a random value between 11 and 20) and sometimes with a modifier (e.g., +10% for rifle) gives you a basic success rating. 

Just because I've got a soft spot for math hammer, here's a graph illustrating how base Rifle Skill is a factor of a unit's BODY and experience:


Looking at that graph, you can see that (for example) an Elite with a Body Rating of 12, Veteran with 15 and Average experienced soldier rated at 20 Body all have the same base 70% 'to hit' Rifle Rating skill.

Now we come to how might this be adapted to a Space Marine context.  Well amongst the easiest things to do would be (a) treat Space Marines as Elites (i.e. they get a 5-times multiplier) or (b) introduce a new 'Super Elite' 6-times multiplier. 

Then it occurred to me: why not let Marines be rated as Novices etc BUT provide them with 4, instead of 3, Action Points per Combat Phase?  See in Skirmish Sangin, a Unit can expend Action Points to buff a Skill check by +10% per AP, meaning that a Shoot skill could be boosted by +20% on account of the unit taking careful aim etc.  Like any good game there's a trade-off to be had e.g., do I Spot, Aim and Shoot or maybe Spot, Shoot and Move?  There never seems to be enough AP available, which makes for tense gaming.

Coming back to Space Marines, that extra AP provides a Marine with the opportunity to do more or at a better probability of success.  One thing that had been bugging me is how to simulate the Marine's ability to cover ground at a super-human speed when all Units in Skirmish Sangin move at the same rates (3" walking, 6" running)?  Providing an additional AP means a Marine could, instead of aiming (boosting their shooting success rate) perform an additional walk or run action.

I reckon that's solved.  Could there be Novice Marines?  Apparently yes.  Elite Marines would be 10% more skilled in any skill check than their Elite non-Astartes brethren and be materially more versatile.  I reckon it's worth a try.  So in summary, Space Marines:

• Are classified as (rarely) Novice, Average, Veteran or Elite;
• Receive 4 Action Points per Combat Phase; and 
• Can expend up to 3 Action Points to buff a Skill Check - each Action Point increases the base success chance by +10%.

By the way, there are a number of basic skills that are common to Units in Skirmish Sangin: Pistol, Rifle, Heavy Weapon, Spot, Throw, Forward Observer (calling in air and heavy weapon support) and First Aid.  I don't see a real need to mess with them presently.