Morse Code in 7E CoC

[sverbridge]

I was just wondering where someone would place this knowledge for a character.  Would it be under cryptography, other language, or just a general knowledge skill?  Or is it too specific a knowledge to even bother with?  It probably wouldn't come up all that often.  It's for a character that is based around being a code breaker during WW1.  I was just planning on wrapping it into the cryptography skill.

Edited May 1, 2016 by sverbridge
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[soltakss]

I'd just have it as a Language as it makes things easy to use.

[K Peterson]

Not sure what is the best fit for CoC 7e. The new Delta Green rpg uses the SIGINT (signals intelligence) skill to cover signal encryption, surveillance, code-breaking, and communications intelligence (which Morse code might well fit into).

[Mankcam]

Simon is right in saying that Morse Code could be a specific Language skill.

However I think would portray it as one of many codes known under the skill of Knowledge (Cryptography), as this is a broad skill and can cover many situations and codes.

Just vary the success level required according to how much emphasis you wish to place on the decryption process for particular codes.

Morse Code is fairly well known by current times, so I would make it a Regular roll if setting the game in our contemporary era. Other codes today would call for Hard or Extreme rolls, but probably not Morse Code. 

If focusing on the pre-WW2 era, Morse Code would perhaps call for a Hard or Extreme roll with Cryptography. It all depends on whether you use Morse Code regularly, or if you are attempting to 'break' into it. Perhaps set a goal of four successes (or more) over a specific time frame to break the code, just to heighten the drama.

If you really wanted to drag it out, there may be times you could even call for a Hard Cryptography roll for each 'word' that the Morse Code spells out. A failure could indicate static or some other distraction that impairs the decryption process. Hopefully playing it like this would be useful for putting a player 'in-the-moment', and could make a scene more interesting.

 

Edited May 2, 2016 by Mankcam

[Rangos]

I don't know about making it a hard roll and any time in you have Knowledge (Cryptography) or even the Signals Intelligence skill.

Morse Code is a simple substitution code.  If you have a working knowledge of cryptography it's basically an entry level knowledge, a simple matter of remembering 26 various combinations of dots & dashes.  The time period would have little to do with the difficulty if you have a specific body on knowledge that covers it. 

Around the time when Morse Code was in heavy use someone could have Knowledge (Telegraph Operator) that would cover Morse Code and the operation of Telegraph Machines with (INT/DEX) as base stats.

All depends on the background of the character I suppose, why was your code breaker recruited, mathematics student, dab hand with a telegraph or he just showed an aptitude for it in basic training.     

[Gundamentalist]

On 01/05/2016 at 8:22 PM, K Peterson said:

Not sure what is the best fit for CoC 7e. The new Delta Green rpg uses the SIGINT (signals intelligence) skill to cover signal encryption, surveillance, code-breaking, and communications intelligence (which Morse code might well fit into).

The Keeper's Companion has the Radio Operator 01% skill (page 200) which is the same thing. Use of this skill confers knowledge of Morse.

I would argue that you would use Radio Operator to transmit and transcribe Morse. However if the message is encrypted you would need Cryptography to break it. A codebreaker wouldn't be transcribing the Morse, they would be breaking the code (see any film about Bletchley park). Morse is just the medium the code is delivered by, so for a Codebreaker knowledge of Morse is almost irrelevant.

[Mike M]

Morse Code is a language. You have to learn it to understand it.  Depending on era, the knowledge of Morse Code might be more common place, i.e. a Know or Hard Know roll might suffice - it depends on its use in the scenario and what the intention behind its use is.

[sverbridge]

36 minutes ago, Mike M said:

Morse Code is a language. You have to learn it to understand it.  Depending on era, the knowledge of Morse Code might be more common place, i.e. a Know or Hard Know roll might suffice - it depends on its use in the scenario and what the intention behind its use is.

Cool, that's how I will use it.  The scenario I am working on does not have phones readily available but telegraph services still abound.  The person interested in playing the codebreaker also wants to know Morse Code, so, in effect, he will be the main link for outside communication.  

 

Thanks for the input everyone, it is greatly appreciated.

Edited May 3, 2016 by sverbridge

[Spence]

Also remember that sending a message was Expensive with a capitol "E".  Very few telegrams (wire or wireless) were sent plain language.  Before the 1950's there were many commercial code books as well as private and government codes.

 

http://cryptiana.web.fc2.com/code/telegraph2.htm is a good read with some links to actual code books.