My currently campaign works on following premise for NPCs
I need an officer of XXX rank. I either have a good idea (usually from a movie, television program or historical precedent) or I need to do it randomly (this happen more often than not).
1) Roll for sex:
If MoC, roll 1D6 --> 1-5 Woman, 6 Man
If Steiner, roll 1D6 --> 1-3 Woman, 4-6 Man
If Davion, Marik, Liao, Merc, roll 1D6 ---> 1 Woman, 2-6 Man
If Kurita, roll 2D6 --> 2 Woman, 3-12 Man for combat arms, vise versa for service arms
2) Roll for age:
Roll 2D6 -->
2-3 (very young for this position)
4-5 (young to this position)
6-8 (typical age to this position)
9-10 (too old to hold this position)
11-12 (obviously too old to this position)
3) Roll for skill:
Roll 2D6 -->
2-3 (obviously incapable)
4-5 (clearly lacking)
6-8 (knows the job)
9-10 (professional)
11-12 (excellent)
4) Roll for attitude:
Roll 2D6 -->
2-3 (best when she sleeps)
4-5 (A bit difficult at times)
6-8 (Okay I guess)
9-10 (Gets along very well)
11-12 (Great to have her here)
For vast majority of times these rolls are enough to deal with NPCs.
For example the last adventure has a LCAF officer (decided that rank is a colonel) who comes to check out the paperwork related to disarming of a Lyran corporation of its security forces due suspicion that it has done illegal arms race. Roll makes her a Woman, then it makes her typically skilled in her work but shows that she has serious attitude problems. We decided (me and players) that she has "strange interests" (typically I use concept that one is very introverted or very extroverted person) and I came up with an idea that she sponsors a poet and intellectual who talks about democracy which feels quite disgusting to most officers. Everyone does work with her but no one really wants to take her with them to social affairs. Unfortunately she does outrank them all so there we go...
