Original post by a player whose username is "FireCat", and replies by people with cat avatars. This must be a conspiracy.
To offer some help myself, beer as Senocular said gives you a +1 bonus to Charisma, and also Mentats give you a +2 bonus. Both effects can be combined and for a nice +3.
Alternatives are using a leader character or sending distress signals.
If you're playing in Real Time and your party gets into a random encounter you want to go out from, all members must stay close to each other, move to the exit grid and let the leader get out first, so that everyone else gets the "Do you want to follow..." sign. If a non-leader leaves the map, he'll be alone in the worldmap and will be lost, but you can regroup using radio distress.
If you're playing in Turn Based, there is no way of getting out of an encounter as a group, instead each member of the party will have to leave individually. And after everyone's out, you will have to use distress signal or meet in a nearby location (which could be risky, depening on the location).
So having a radio on you just in case is a wise choice. Also note that while Combat Helmets Mark II have radios in them, they *can't* send distress signals.
If you don't understand something, look for the info in the wiki.
