Who better to fight the forces of evil than a warrior? Soldiers are as universal as clergy and criminals, and for many of the same reasons. From the noble knight to the cynical, battle-scarred modern-day veteran, the soldier stands on the front lines against the horrors of many a game world.
This template assumes a retired soldier; those on active duty have a hard time getting leave to go investigate haunted houses. It also supposes a combat veteran -- or at least someone whose career was more rifle-oriented than “clerk-typist.”

■Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
■Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 11 [5]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; BS 5.50 [0]; BM 6 [5].
■Advantages: 20 points chosen from among ST or HT +1 [10], DX +1 [20], Will or Per +1 to +4 [5/level], Combat Reflexes [15], Courtesy Rank [1/level], Fearlessness [2/level], Fit or Very Fit [5 or 15], Hard to Kill [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Independent Income (Military pension) [1/level], or Reputation (Decorated) [Varies].
■DisAdvantages: -30 points chosen from among Bloodlust [-10*], Callous [-5], Careful [-1], Chummy [-5], Duty (Reactivation; 6 or less) [-2] or (9 or less) [-5], Fanaticism (Patriotism) [-15], Flashbacks [-5 to -20], Intolerance (Enemy race or culture) [-5], Nightmares [-5*], Overconfidence [-5*], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Sense of Duty (Comrades in arms or Command) [-5], or Workaholic [-5]. ● A wounded vet may have physical disadvantages such as Lame [Varies], One Eye [-15], or One Hand [-15].
■Primary Skills: Guns (Rifle) (E) DX +2 [4]-13; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ [1]-10; and Soldier (A) IQ+2 [8]-12.
■Secondary Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1]-11; Driving (any) (A) DX [2]-11; Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2]-11; Spear (A) DX -1 [1]-10; and Throwing (A) DX -1 [1]-10.
■Background Skills: A total of 5 points in Camouflage (IQ/E), Electronics Operation (Communications, usually) (IQ/A), Explosives (any) (IQ/A), First Aid (IQ/E), Forward Observer (IQ/A), Gunner (any) (DX /E), Guns (any other) (DX /E), Hiking (HT /A), Knife (DX /E), Navigation (Land) (IQ/A), Observation (Per/A), or Survival (any) (Per/A).

　* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

□Lens
　NCO or Officer (+25 points): Add Charisma [5/level], Penetrating Voice [1], and Voice [10] to possible advantages, and Odious Personal Habit (“By the book”) [-5] to possible disadvantages. ● Add IQ +1 [20]; Courtesy Rank 1 [1] (minimum); and a total of 4 points in Leadership (IQ/A), Savoir-Faire (Military) (IQ/E), or Tactics (IQ/H).

□Customization Notes
　Over the centuries, soldiers’ skills vary more than do their other traits. For pre- and post-industrial military templates, consult suitable historical and science-fiction GURPS worldbooks. Elite special operators have much larger point totals, as illustrated in the GURPS Third Edition supplements Special Ops (for realistic troops) and Black Ops (for the President’s secret teams of monster-hunters).
　Even in the low-powered, modern-day campaign this template assumes, soldiers may have military specialties that demand other skills: Piloting and Electronics Operation (Sensors) for combat aviators, Mechanic for armored troopers, Parachuting and Stealth for airborne infantry, and so forth. Just within an ordinary infantry platoon, many of the background skills above rocket to primaryskill status for specialists like the radioman, corpsman, and machine gunners.