How can Scavenging be used?

The skill says Scavenging lets you find what you’re looking for. Is what you find just color? E.g., I’m trying to scrape together weapons for a force of guerillas. Does Scavenging give me those weapons, or just helps me find them so that I can make a Resources test to actually bring them into play?

What’s the situation man? I need more detail. Where and how are you scavenging?

Okay, I’m Fazia Grizzly and I want to help General Leaf muster a force of kerrn to go bust his crew out of the OPRC. Warm, green bodies we got in spades, but weapons are scarce; we’re miners, not soldiers. That’s what the garrison was supposed to be for.

So, Fazia’s going to use his Scavenging skill to find and compile every last weapon-like thing in every last kerrn warren. Old surplus from any citizens’ pre-mining days as soldiers, sporting rifles, heirlooms, whatever. That, or maybe mining tools and materials that could be made into impromptu explosives.

Or is this not even what you’d use the skill for, since this isn’t really a conflict?

That sounds like a linked test for a Resources test.

Each of those is a separate Intent. I’ll treat them as such.

Mining tools = shovels and picks and so forth. They’re common goods for miners. According to the Scavenging skill, that’s Ob 2. They’d be Improvised Weapons.

Sporting rifles, etc. They’re hard to find. The skill says that’s Ob 3. They’d be Jack Guns, Rifles, or Hand Guns, GM’s choice.

Since you’re looking to equip more than just yourself, I’d take inspiration from the Buying in Bulk rule for Resources (page 359) and add +1 Ob or +2 Ob.

Impromptu explosives or more powerful weapons? Here’s what Scavenging is all about. Ever watch the A-Team or MacGuyver? That’s Scavenging.

Explosive materials that can be turned into bombs and grenades? Not exactly household goods, but not impossible to find in a mining colony. Call it Ob 3 (hard to find). Add +1 or +2 Ob for bulk.

This is a linked test toward making the bombs with a Munitions test.

Note you could do the same with the Armorer skill to build assault guns and whatnot.

It’s also possible to blend it all with the Fabricating Technology rules on page 395. You could Scavenge and build part of what you need, and buy the rest with Resources.

Ah, it’s becoming clearer to me now.

And these guns and whatnot are all in play, not just color, correct?

If a Building or Conflict scene is used to acquire them, they are in play beyond Color. Of course you need to introduce the Color aspect of them somehow before the scenes with rolls start.

Gotcha. I guess the bit I’m getting hung up on is using something other than Resources to bring tech into play.