One of my players asked me if King Idres of Cornwall's string of victories can be attributed to the King having the Tactics skill. After I explained that the King has Battle, like everyone else in Logres, the player then asked what makes Tactics different from Battle.

Which leads me to the actual questions here: though Tactics covers both Battle and Siege, are there any other differences rule-wise? Does Tactics grant any advantages that Battle or Siege do not?

In addition, how would a non-Byzantine learn Tactics?

One of my players asked me if King Idres of Cornwall's string of victories can be attributed to the King having the Tactics skill. After I explained that the King has Battle, like everyone else in Logres, the player then asked what makes Tactics different from Battle.

Simply that a single Glory point or successful experience roll raises both skills.


Which leads me to the actual questions here: though Tactics covers both Battle and Siege, are there any other differences rule-wise? Does Tactics grant any advantages that Battle or Siege do not?

no, and no


In addition, how would a non-Byzantine learn Tactics?

He can't
The specialty skills are restricted to the culture where one is raised
period
Yea, there are actually a few exceptions like those healers know Medicine, but that is a very special case that wont' affect the game

Personally, I dislike the speciality skills (as Greg well knows, having listened to my bitching and whining about them), seeing them as an unwelcome proliferation of special skills and rules.

But yes, like Greg said, Tactics is simply a speciality skill combining Battle and Siege, just like Spear Expertise combines Lance, Spear and Great Spear. Every time you'd normally roll Battle or Siege, you can roll Tactics instead. If you are a Byzantine, that is. If you are not, then you have to get Battle and Siege separately.