Skill List (1st Edition)

This is the list of skills from the 1st edition of Twilight: 2000. It lists the name of the skill, the skill's two- or three-letter acronym, the types of character points that can be used to buy levels in that skill, and any point cost modifiers.

M: Military Skill. Knowledge acquired during military training or service.

B: Background Skill. Knowledge acquired from a job or hobby.

E: Education Skill. Knowledge acquired from school.

Aircraft Mechanic (ACM) [MBE]: Ability to repair and maintain aircraft.

Animal Husbandry (AHS) [BE]: Ability to handle and train animals.

Body Combat (BC) [MB]: Ability to make hand-to-hand attacks.

Biology (BIO) [E]: Knowledge of plant and animal biology.

Combat Engineer (CBE) [M] (2x cost): Ability to perform tasks such as emplacing demolition charges, building fortifications, and camouflaging emplacements.

Chemistry (CHM) [E]: Knowledge of Chemical interactions and compounds.

Computer (CMP) [MBE]: Ability to operate and program a computer. Soldiers from Eastern Bloc armies cannot purchase this as a Background skill.

Combat Rifleman (CRM) [M]: Ability to use small arms (submachineguns, rifles, machineguns, etc.)

Civil Engineer (CVE) [E]: Ability to plan/supervise construction of buildings, roads, and bridges.

Demolitions (DEM) [MB] (2x cost): Ability to emplace explosives charges and make/arm/disarm explosive booby traps. Costs triple when purchased as a background skill.

Disguise (DIS) [MB]:  Ability to alter appearance to avoid recognition.

Electronics (ELC) [MBE]: Ability to repair electronic devices.

Equestrian (EQ) [BE]: Ability to ride a horse.

Food Preparation (FP) [MBE] (0.5 x cost):  Ability to get the most out of food on hand and prepare it with less health risks (i.e. disease, virus, radiation).

Forward Observer (FO) [M]:  Ability to communicate fire data for indirect fire weapons.

Forage (FOR) [MB]: Ability to find food in the wild, including knowledge of what plants are edible and where to find them. Costs double when purchased as a background skill.

Forgery (FRG) [BE]:  Ability to fake a signature or document and have it accepted as genuine.

Farming (FRM) [B]: General knowledge of growing food crops and raising livestock.

Fishing (FSH) [B] (0.5 x cost): Ability to catch fish, using a hook and line or net, etc.

Geology (GEO) [E]: Knowledge of rock formations and minerals.

Gunsmith (GS) [MBE]:  Ability to repair and construct firearms.

Hunting Bow (HB) [BE]:  Ability to make/use bows, crossbows, arrows, etc.

Heavy Weapons (HW) [M]:  Ability to use antitank missile launchers, flame-throwers, and rocket / grenade launchers.

Indirect Fire (IF) [M]:  Ability to fire howitzers, mortars, and indirect-fire grenade launchers.

Instruction (INS) [MBE]:  Ability to teach others.

Interrogation (INT) [MBE]:  Ability to persuade or force a prisoner to reveal information.

Jet Pilot (JP) [ME]:  Ability to fly single- or two-seat jet aircraft (i.e. Fighter or Attack aircraft). May not be purchased unless character has LAP skill of 40 or more.

Light Aircraft Pilot (LAP) [MBE]:  Ability to fly single-engined or twin-engined light aircraft.

Large Boat Handling (LBH) [ME]:  Ability to control large water-craft (over 20 meters).

Large Caliber Gun (LCG) [M]:  Ability to fire a direct-fire heavy gun, such as a tank gun, a howitzer used in the direct fire role, or any autocannon.

Language (LNG) [MBE]: Ability to understand/be understood or read/write in a foreign language. All characters pay half cost for any language in the same group as their native language. European players pay half cost for all Germanic, Romance, and Balto-Slavic languages.

Lockpick (LP) [B]:  Ability to pick a lock.

Melee Combat (MC) [MBE]:  Ability to use a melee weapon, i.e. knife, bottle, rifle butt, fixed bayonet, etc.

Motorcycle (MCY) [MB]:  Ability to ride a motorcycle.

Mechanic (MEC) [MBE]:  Ability to maintain and repair vehicles and machinery.

Medical (MED) [ME]:  Ability to render first aid/medical care to injured or ill personnel.

Multiple Engine Pilot (MEP) [ME]:  Ability to fly large multi-engined planes (e.g., C-5s, B-52s, or Boeing 747s). May not be purchased unless character has LAP skill of 40 or more.

Meteorology (MET) [E]:  Understanding of weather and the forces governing it.

Mining Engineer (MNE) [E]:  Ability to supervise the construction and running of a mine. Also includes the ability to plan and construct tunnels and shafts.

Military Strategy (MSY) [M]:  Ability to estimate location and intentions of friendly and enemy forces. Also the ability to command and maneuver battalion / regiment, regiment / brigade, or higher level formations.

Metallurgy (MTL) [E]:  Knowledge of smelting ore into metal, forming alloys, and fundamental metalworking.

Mountaineering (MTN) [MB]:  Ability to climb steep slopes and sheer cliffs and rappel.

Nuclear Warhead (NWH) [M]:  Ability to handle, arm, disarm, repair, etc. nuclear warheads.

Parachute (PAR) [MB]:  Ability to use a parachute.

Pistol (PST) [MB]:  Ability to fire a sidearm accurately.

Reconnaissance (RCN) [MB] (2x cost):  Ability to spot concealed enemies, avoid ambushes, and to move silently and be unseen. Also the ability to hunt.

Rotary Wing Pilot (RWP) [MBE]:  Ability to fly rotary wing aircraft (helicopters). May not be purchased unless character has LAP skill of 40 or more.

Small Boat Handling (SBH) [MB]:  Ability to handle small boats (under 20 meters) - including oar-driven, wind-driven, and small motor boats.

Scuba Diving (SCD) [MBE]:  Ability to use an aqua-lung or rebreather.  May not be purchased at a higher skill level than character’s SWM skill.

Small Unit Tactics (SUT) [MB]:  The knowledge of friendly / enemy small unit tactics. Also the ability to command and maneuver squad-, platoon-, and company-sized formations.

Scrounging (SCR) [B]:  Ability to find man-made items such as spare parts, domestic food, ammunition, etc.

Swimming (SWM) [MBE]:  Ability to swim.

Tracked Vehicle Driver (TVD) [MBE]:  Ability to drive tracked vehicles from tanks to caterpillar tractors.

Thrown Weapon (TW) [MBE]:  Ability to hit a target with a thrown weapon (i.e. knife, grenade, ax).

Wheeled Vehicle Driver (WVD) [MB]:  Ability to drive wheeled vehicles, from OT-64`s and 4 -wheelers to semi-trucks.

1st Edition Notes

Certain skills the character doesn't have can default to other skills the character does possess.

• Combat Engineer defaults to 1/4th Demolitions skill when using explosives.
• Demolitions defaults to 1/4th Combat Engineer skill when performing Combat Engineering tasks.
• Nuclear Warhead defaults to 1/4th Demolitions skill when converting ordnance into booby traps or disarming such booby traps.

2nd Edition Notes

The 2nd Edition revision of the skill list modified and expanded it. "Cascades" are sub-skill specializations that grant a bonus to use the specialty, but a penalty to use the general skill.

• Body Combat was folded into Melee Combat. It can be taken with the cascades Melee Combat (Unarmed) and Melee Combat (Armed).
• Pistol (PST) and Combat Rifleman (CRM) were later combined into the Small Arms skill. It can be taken with the skill cascades Small Arms (Sidearm) and Small Arms (Longarm).
• Indirect Fire (IF) and Large Caliber Gun (LCG) were folded into the Heavy Weapons skill.
• Light Aircraft Pilot (LAP), Jet Pilot (JP), and Multi-Engined Pilot (MEP) were combined into the Pilot (Fixed Wing) skill.
• Military Strategy and Small Unit Tactics were eliminated and replaced by the Leadership skill.
• Nuclear Warhead was broadened to Warhead, which now includes grenades, artillery shells, conventional aircraft bombs, and rocket / missile warheads.
• Rotary Wing Pilot (RWP) became Pilot (Rotary Wing). It no longer needs the Pilot (Fixed Wing) skill as a prerequisite.
• Reconnaissance (RCN) was split into the skills Observation (Ability to spot concealed enemies and avoid ambushes), Stealth (Ability to move silently and be unseen), and Tracking (Ability to follow people, animals, and vehicles by the traces they leave behind them).