Paizo Tours the USS Nimitz

Great blog. Thank you for donating the rulebooks for the sailors.

What a great story. I also think it is road trips like this that help fuel the imagination. My guess is you might have left the tour thinking of how you could translate some of what you saw into some Paizo products.

That's awesome!

Be ready for Pathfinder Aircraft carriers of the inner sea region.

I served on the Nimitz back in 92-95, when they were across the Sound in Bremerton. I recognize a couple locations in your photos, but the commander obviously has access to places a lowly nuke did not, and I probably had access to places he didn't :)
but yeah I remember being intimidated by its size when I first reported aboard. You used to have a two week course called FAM&I that all aboard had to take to learn where you could go and where you couldn't.
But after a while it just becomes routine, part of the landscape. Its surprising what you can get used too.

I served on the Nimitz back in 92-95, when they were across the Sound in Bremerton. I recognize a couple locations in your photos, but the commander obviously has access to places a lowly nuke did not, and I probably had access to places he didn't :)

but yeah I remember being intimidated by its size when I first reported aboard. You used to have a two week course called FAM&I that all aboard had to take to learn where you could go and where you couldn't.
But after a while it just becomes routine, part of the landscape. Its surprising what you can get used too.

Chernobyl, thanks for your service. I was stationed aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) when I was in the Navy back 95-96. I was an electronics tech and had to go all over the ship to maintain different electronic systems.

Small gameworld, Chernobyl. I was on Nimitz from 91-95 in AIMD's calibration lab.

You might remember me as the worst cal tech in the Navy.

I was lost on an Carrier while taking a tour many years ago. It was in San Diego. I just remember getting separated from the tour group and being found by an angry officer.

Hopefully, that officer was more angry at the tour guide than he was at you, Caleb.

I don't think I lost anyone on the tour. We got all of our badges back, at least. Paizo will have to let me know if someone has been missing from work since the tour. ;)

It was an honor and a privilege to show off the NIMITZ to the Paizo team members, that day. And their thoughtfulness in bringing books for the crew was phenomenal.

Thanks, again, folks! And I hope those who celebrate it have a very Merry Christmas!

FAWESOME!

So that's what a customer service carebear looks like, and her son looks good enough to eat.

I second Aberzombie's FAWESOME!!!!!!!!

Awesome story!

Sarah, your son is adorable: I'm an expert, having my own adorable Mikey at home. :D

Very cool. Did they take you to a berthing space so you could appreciate how the sailors live? That's quite an eye opener for a lot of civilians.

Ah, coffin racks, how I miss you...

I recognize most of the Paizo family in the group picture, but who's the woman in blue on the left side?

Those pics brought back memories. I was aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt from 2000 to 2003.

About the coin thing, it's more of an Air Force thing than it was ever a Navy thing.

I recognize most of the Paizo family in the group picture, but who's the woman in blue on the left side?

That's Judy's squeeze Jessica—Paris kindly extended the offer of a tour to spouses and kids as well. :D

I was lost on an Carrier while taking a tour many years ago. It was in San Diego. I just remember getting separated from the tour group and being found by an angry officer.

Was it on the Midway?

This blog post is full — FULL — of awesome. :-D

Paris if your duties ever take you and the Nimitz to Sydney, let us know and I am sure that a few of us will buy you a beer if you have time.

I'm sure the Air Boss was nice but the real air traffic control happens in the Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC). :)

Served aboard the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) from 2000 to 2003. Quite a lot of fond, and not so fond memories. The thing I miss the most is being out to sea at night. When you are in the middle of the Atlantic, the night sky is just amazing to behold.

Small gameworld, Chernobyl. I was on Nimitz from 91-95 in AIMD's calibration lab.

You might remember me as the worst cal tech in the Navy.

Sorry, I worked in #2 plant, in Reactor Dept. I had little to no interaction with anyone from AIMD. Our jobs just didn't cross...

Merry Christmas!

Very cool. Did they take you to a berthing space so you could appreciate how the sailors live? That's quite an eye opener for a lot of civilians.

Ah, coffin racks, how I miss you...

yeah, the 4" thick mattresses I don't miss at all.

Those pics brought back memories. I was aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt from 2000 to 2003.

About the coin thing, it's more of an Air Force thing than it was ever a Navy thing.

I can't speak to Air Force or Navy, but they are quite common in the Army. I was always under the impression that it was a military-wide custom, at least in the U.S.

I think they would be an incredible addition to Pathfinder:

Challenge Coin
Caster Level: Varies by level of Coin
Description: When presented by one PC or NPC to another, the character being presented with the coin must either present their own coin of higher Caster Level or be forced to drink one beverage of the Presenters choosing.
Creation: Craft Wondrous Item, Command

Thanks for the invite 8th Dwarf! I don't know if I'll be that way anytime, soon, but if I do, I'll definitely let you know. I've had the pleasure of visiting Sydney a few times. It's definitely one of my favorite places in the world.

The "challenge coin" is what other services call them. I used that term because that's how most people know them. In the Navy, we usually refer to them as "command coins" and they are given to individuals as a special memento of a visit to the gifter's command.

I like BioNaut's idea for a special coin item, though. ;)

This is a great blog post! I grew up an Air Force brat, and my entry into Dungeons and Dragons was only made possible in my small town in Michigan due to the fact that Wurtsmith Air Force Base was also in said small town, and had enough "Flyrods" on base who played to support a gaming store in Oscoda, Michigan, a town two hours away from any mall.

I like BioNaut's idea for a special coin item, though. ;)

Already ordered for PFS and included in the updated Guide 4.3 ;-)

CalebTGordan wrote:

I was lost on an Carrier while taking a tour many years ago. It was in San Diego. I just remember getting separated from the tour group and being found by an angry officer.

Was it on the Midway?

I can't remember. This was summer of 2002, maybe 2003. The ship seemed to be having maintenance or construction going on at the time.

The officer that found us was clearly mad, but was polite as he could be considering he found two teenagers wandering around. We were actually just trying to find our way off the ship so we wouldn't get in trouble. He was about to personally escort us off the ship when the tour guide showed up. They talked in private for a moment, the officer not happy with the guide, and then we were showed the rest of the tour.

It was enjoyable and pretty darn cool. One of those would be an epic floating mega-dungeon if someone could ever write up something for a ship that colossal.

the Haunted Jester wrote:

CalebTGordan wrote:

I was lost on an Carrier while taking a tour many years ago. It was in San Diego. I just remember getting separated from the tour group and being found by an angry officer.

Was it on the Midway?

I can't remember. This was summer of 2002, maybe 2003. The ship seemed to be having maintenance or construction going on at the time.

The officer that found us was clearly mad, but was polite as he could be considering he found two teenagers wandering around. We were actually just trying to find our way off the ship so we wouldn't get in trouble. He was about to personally escort us off the ship when the tour guide showed up. They talked in private for a moment, the officer not happy with the guide, and then we were showed the rest of the tour.

It was enjoyable and pretty darn cool. One of those would be an epic floating mega-dungeon if someone could ever write up something for a ship that colossal.

Well, the closest RW example back in the late medieval period were the Chinese bǎochuán, which I think would make an awesome setting for an adventure. Particularly if they're haunted or infested with monsters. But magic maybe could make an carrier sized version...

Chernobyl, thanks for your service. I was stationed aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) when I was in the Navy back 95-96. I was an electronics tech and had to go all over the ship to maintain different electronic systems.

As Fletch said, small world. I served on the Vinson from 97-01, in A-Div.

Unexpected weekend blogs! Awesome show, Navy crew! :D

that ropework is rather humbling...

That's really cool. Those things are like floating cities. Did you get to see the engines? And PFS challenge coins would be great. I received a USS Philippine Sea challenge coin when I was a subcontractor working on the ship, they're fun to collect.

Bionaut, challenge coins are also quite common in the Air Force. Our tradition is for one airman to slap their challenge coin down on the bar or table at the "club." Then everyone has to pull out their own challenge coin and slap it down on the bar. The person who does not have a challenge coin with them buys a round. If everyone else also has a coin with them, then the person who issued the challenge buys a round for everyone!

My unit (103 ACS) makes up a special coin for each deployment.
Generally, commanders and generals have their own coins that they give out. Chiefs (E-9) and Shirts (First Sergeant) also often have their own coins.

Michael Brock, a PFS coin is a neat idea (I'd buy one). You could also make up Venture Captain coins (that have to be given/earned) and even 5-star GM coins (that require the requisite rating to purchase)!

-Aaron

Michael Brock, a PFS coin is a neat idea (I'd buy one). You could also make up Venture Captain coins (that have to be given/earned) and even 5-star GM coins (that require the requisite rating to purchase.

That would be a big frickin' cool deal.

Granted, there are only 20 of us who could buy the product ...

EDIT: We might just have to arrange for that ourselves.

Bionaut, challenge coins are also quite common in the Air Force. Our tradition is for one airman to slap their challenge coin down on the bar or table at the "club." Then everyone has to pull out their own challenge coin and slap it down on the bar. The person who does not have a challenge coin with them buys a round. If everyone else also has a coin with them, then the person who issued the challenge buys a round for everyone!

My unit (103 ACS) makes up a special coin for each deployment.
Generally, commanders and generals have their own coins that they give out. Chiefs (E-9) and Shirts (First Sergeant) also often have their own coins.

Michael Brock, a PFS coin is a neat idea (I'd buy one). You could also make up Venture Captain coins (that have to be given/earned) and even 5-star GM coins (that require the requisite rating to purchase)!

-Aaron

That's pretty similar to the way the Army (or my Brigade, at least) used them: When presented with a coin at a banquet, dining out, etc., you respond with one of your own, if you have one. If both or all parties have them then it is decided by who presented the coin with the highest rank, e.g. I have a coin from my Colonel, but you have one from a Major General, so you win. That's why I said higher Caster Level :)

On that note, I have several coins without rank, as they were given as mementos by civilians I worked with.

And I think a floating fortress dungeon would be incredibly awesome!

That's really cool. Those things are like floating cities. Did you get to see the engines? And PFS challenge coins would be great. I received a USS Philippine Sea challenge coin when I was a subcontractor working on the ship, they're fun to collect.

The engines are steam turbines, and no, no civilian tour would include that area (on a nuclear powered ship). Back in my day, even the ship's safety officer would not be allowed into the machinery spaces.

My daughter is stationed on the USS Nimitz now (she just joined the Navy late 2012)...maybe she will pick up a core rulebook to read while she is there and be ready to play next time she comes home!!

She was reporting to duty about the same time this blog was posted...

Tim

Good luck to your daughter. Good or bad, its an experience to never forget.

Still can't get used to thinking about women on board. I served on the Nimitz from 85-89 (also reactor # 2) and they were just starting to try women on board. I think the area they set aside for women's quarters had a couple of marine gaurds outside, just in case.

Also fond and unfond memories, but when I transferred to San Diego for my last year to a sub tender, things really improved. If I could have stayed there, I would have reupped.

I was aboard during the ED-SRA after the 1993 WESTPAC, and that's when the modifications for women's quarters were installed. It took quite some getting used to seeing women aboard a combat vessel, but we were sheltered quite a bit by the fact that none of them were nukes (there would have been at least an 18-month lag to open up the nuclear training program up to enlisted women and put them through that pipeline) so I never really had to work with enlisted females. We did have some female officers in nuke-school though.

Congrats to you daughter, she's now on the oldest serving nuclear carrier out there. :)