So far, we've been good off with MW3 character generation direct into AToW Skills and Traits. PCs and NPCs are fair even out depending which way you use for Character Points (Aging or CBT to MW3 Experience Rating). Sure, if you use only AToW the general PC/NPC is a bit underbuild or have an surplus of negative traits. Normaly not a bad point, if you have your PCs/NPCs all fresh from the training for a house unit.
In General, the way AToW works is good, but its too much designed toward the Jihad Era and not to a general time line. Sure addional infos are out, but only if you buy more products, and thats a major step back for the whole system.
Currently we are still in the process to convert all our units playing (most of them are 150+ PCs/NPCs strong - so that may take some time, working after duty and in the short free time home).
Before Stage 1 : Most stuff here is simple One-to-One converting, only with some traits you've to watch, e.g. Quirk / Anti-Steiner-Davion, which becomes for my current unit at 3013 to an Compulsion / Pro Steiner or Pro Commonwealth trait of the same value.
At Stage 1 : Here too, with most skills and Fields its simple One-to-One work and like above only work that have major attention is with the traits, like Brave (1) which becomes an Combat Sense (4). Also most Natural Aptitudes need a little bit to watch depending which skill it recceive due to the (3) or (5) points value respectivly (300) or (500) valures in AToW.
At Stage 2 : Nearly the same as at Stage 1, plus while now at sone paths you can use an field of skills, direct use the same named field from AToW.
At Stage 3 : Fairly the same as Stage 2, while some Job Fields now miss some valueable skills or have them replaced by Interest e.g. the Medical Assistant with its Interest / Pharmacology which we transfert simply One-to-One into an Science / Pharmacology skill, to sound and match better into world. Some with the Engineering Skill which went of the screen completly, so we spend a blank Science / Engineering / Any. Same with Gunsmith, which we sent into Science / Engineering / Small Arms or Support Weapons or Heavy Weapons.
At Stage 4 : Thats simply adding in skill- and traitpoints for finalizing. Okay traits a fair simple just 1 to 100 and so on. Only skill levels need an comparing look to both MW3 and AToW tables.
Finaly, the only real work with converting from MW3 to AToW is at the skills, Attributes and Traits simply recceive and double zero after there original MW3 value. Sure some may work that way or not, thats free to each one. Also some will gain use the old points "ahhh, Paths system. one messed up roll and the PC is for the can!", because we use the free concept work, players came up with an simple concept of there PC and so wel let them choose paths per stage as well as events, save for those which need edge to spend. What our group and me personal like on the old MW3 system is that you have the paths as an simple and good background system, too. We use it with the free concept way so nobody is frustrated with bad dice rolls atleast at this stage of the game. Stuff like the massive amount of XP spend into SOC mostly went completly for skill specializing or further build up in both skills or traits (e.g. like Rank, Vehicle, Connections or banked with Edge to a fast refresh). What i dislike with AToW is the general pointing toward the Jihad Era and the missing amount of provided background of the modules. From the general point, AToW is well overworked specially if you do much combat against mechs and vehicles. Sure there are some minor drawbacks with the equipment and wounded themes, but nothing some D&D veterans can't work over.
Final words, both Systems have some great points, and both have negative ones. Sure MW3 more than AToW, but both are valuable enough to been played. O0
