Returning After 5 Games Away

[Bushioka]

So this feels kind of awkward, but I played in the veeeery first event as Dr. Moshe Weiss with RAID.  If you were around RAID during that event in the distant past you may recall a xenobiologist who sounded a little like Dr. Zoidberg.  That was me.  Now 2 years of grad school and a stint working in Japan later, I'm eyeing a March return to Oregon and am jazzed about possibly playing in Spite in April of next year.  However I'm concerned that things may have moved on so much that I have no idea what the heck is going on.. granted, I'm definitely bringing a new character anyhow so it's basically like being a new player all over again.

Any tips or advice for someone in my situation?  I think a more combat-oriented role would suit me better than spending my time science-ing, and I nearly made it to Game 2 or 3 (I forget which now) as a Russian sergeant who was going to perform in the USO show.  I've also got a possible set of gear for a military-ish character in that I've found a seller in Japan that offers Japan Self-Defense Force patterned gear.  Granted I'm not about to look Japanese, and I don't mean to offer offense.. is a Russian-descended trooper whose parents were stuck in whatever's left of Japan after Storm Day plausible?  Or at least something similar?

Or.. dun-dun-dunn... are there any groups more in need of a new (but not totally new) player?

[Ben Thayer]

If you took Dr. Weiss and made him a bit more combat capable, with the RAID / Red River merger into Genacorp, you could have the best of both worlds and be a field researcher, outside the lab.  There is definitely space for you among the weirdos of RAIDsec.