Traveller Retro RPG

[neuromancer]

In the past there was some interest in trying traveller (classic 3 book traveller) is any one still up for this as I have worked out an introductory scenario which would take 3 weeks I recon plus maybe a character building session.

Ps this would be in the classic universe (with a few changes striker hit location and snapshot used for combat)

No rebellion yet
No plague

[chris]

I'm in.

Looks like an interesting system. Looks like the classic books are still available on PDF for $4 each on drive thru RPG.

Just looking through the intro book (book 0) on my train home. It's a nicely written intro to RPGs I'd say. Good advice and clearly written.

Love the idea of the character backstory / creation mini game. Is your preferred method much different Maurice?

[Kev.]

I'd like to join in for some Traveller session, if you have space. I might even still have some of the old classic books in the loft.

[neuromancer]

May 12, 2014 13:16:34 GMT neuromancer said:

In the past there was some interest in trying traveller (classic 3 book traveller) is any one still up for this as I have worked out an introductory scenario which would take 3 weeks I recon plus maybe a character building session.

Ps this would be in the classic universe (with a few changes striker hit location and snapshot used for combat)

No rebellion yet
No plague

I have some rules that tweak the stat rolls an adjust to the death/mustering out ie you get a pass on your first "death" you get a purple heart instead the second one is an injury that terminates service midicene is good enough to patch you up.

[neuromancer]

May 12, 2014 17:39:29 GMT chris said:

I'm in.

Looks like an interesting system. Looks like the classic books are still available on PDF for $4 each on drive thru RPG.

Just looking through the intro book (book 0) on my train home. It's a nicely written intro to RPGs I'd say. Good advice and clearly written.

Love the idea of the character backstory / creation mini game. Is your preferred method much different Maurice?

Not much will be using the extended character generation rules I tend to fudge the enlistment roles ie if you want to play a articular career you can pick you still have to role for things ;like flight school etc

I am looking at the various online resources for extended other careers in case some one wants to be a roguish Han Solo Vala Maldoran (but scout works for that archetype as well)

Main Q is do we want a campaign base around a ships crew this requires that the party has the minim skills to run a ship piloting navigation and engineering - could always have NPC's to fill out roles I have been designing an extended duty scot that would make a good party ship.

Alien characters would be fine well apart from K'kree a hiver might be fun but tricky to roleplay well

[neuromancer]

Ok will take soundings next Monday

[neuromancer]

Proposed start of campaign

Traveller campaign outline - Easy in easy out :-)

The party is the crew of a 200 dton extended duty scout xd class which one of the payers has just taken charge of the balance of the PC's are the crew.

Easy in easy out :-)

The scout who has the use of the ship has had the urgent need clause of the agreement invoked when the party arrived in the Miriam system

The scout service is reactivating the ship for two months to deliver some urgently needed spare parts (ten tons) to ship that is stranded just outside the borders of the imperimum – pay will be scale plus 50% bonus on delivery. Cargo will be delivered palletized up FOB in 8 hours.

The delivery is to alenzar a company run colony based in a asteroid belt just outside the sector in foreven/urien – its around 6 parsecs or two jump 3's

Ships locker

4x standard vacsuits one size fits all
1 Snub Pistol and 100 rounds
1 Shotgun and 100 rounds.
1 Civilian Carbine (single shot m16 type) and 200 rounds (for hunting /camp protection)
4 Short Range Communicators 25 Km range
1 Long Range Communicator (back pack sized) planet to orbit (capable) 5000Km
2 Medipacks
2 Sets of basic cold weather gear
basic survival gear tarpaulins rope machetes and a water filtration device camping stove and set of pots and pans.

plus what ever the players want to buy collectively and their personal weapons and gear.

Note dton is displacement ton and the ship is unarmed as handed over to the players

Attachments:

[mike]

I've resisted this up until now (so many games, so little time)
But now -- OK, I'm weak, I give in
Count me in

[chris]

The short lived and relatively tedious career of trainee Scout called Marcus

(here is my first attempt at a character roll up for Traveller!)

Strength: 12
Dexterity: 6
Endurance: 7
Intelligence: 7
Education: 7
Social: 10

Born to pushy upper class parents, Marcus was always a strong yet clumsy child. He longed to get away and so when his family pushed him into college he didn't object. Got into college (roll of 11) worked hard at something which didn’t come too naturally (8 on success roll) and did manage to learn something from the process (+1 education minimum) Failed to achieve an honours degree. Education score now 8 as a result of his degree. Aged 22 he can auto enlist in Scout Service.
Marcus enlists age 22 to get away from the family for good.

First Term of Service:
Initial Training age 22 On entering the scout service assigned straight to administration (yawn! where is this life of adventure?!) Gains Admin 1 in initial training. Now 23 years old
Year 1 age 23 - Duty = 7, Routine - survival is auto - promoted to rank E2 Gains another Admin skill - now Admin 2. Gets on well with his first boss and enjoys the novelty of solid progress
Year 2 (age 24) - Duty=4, Base - survival is auto - fails promotion - is bored! no skill increase. transferred to a new base, Marcus is bored out of his mind and doesn't apply himself
Year 3 (age 25) - mission - survives on roll of 6 - fails promotion - learns Electronics  1. A brief flurry of action as Marcus is assigned to a small survey mission. He gets on well with the ship electrician and learns something

2nd Term of Service Re-enlists and longs for something other than Admin. Yay! he is offered a position in Operations! some action at last!
Year 1 - Age 26 Duty= 11 Mission survives on 8, fails promotion, no skill, Marcus gets scared and fails to impress
Year 2 age 27 Base - Promotion (just) now E3 no skill. Spends some time with his commanding officer helping with some paperwork. When another candidate drops outs, the officer promotes Marcus as the first person who comes to mind!
Year 3 age 28 Mission survives, just. No promotion - learns Mechanical 1. A brief mission delivering up to date nav charts to a deep space mining ship provides some useful learning
Year 4 age 29 Base - auto survive, no promotion no skill (yawn!)

3rd Term - offered admin - stays in operations
Year 1 (age 30) Routine - auto survive, no promotion, Gambling 1 - falls in with the wrong crowd on the base.
Year 2( Age 31) Routine - auto survive, promoted to rank E4, no skill - one of his gambling buddies puts in a good word.
Year 3 (age 32) Routine - auto survive, no promotion , no skill (yawn)
Year 4 (age 33) Mission - Dead! - Sent with a senior officer to inspect a returning scout ship. Crew are actually pirates. Marcus is executed and the senior officer is ransomed back to the service

Poor Marcus!
Back to the drawing board for me!

[chris]

My fourth attempt after several deaths turned out well! Here are the starting stats and adjustments. I used the book one character gen rules as I found the extended ones in book 6 to be cumbersome (unless I was doing this wrongly you need at least 3 dice rolls per year of service) :

Strength 6
Dexterity 10
Endurance 9
Intelligence 10
Education:7
Social 10

Enlisted unto scouts roll of 8

Skills in 7 terms of service:
1 Strength and navigation
2 vehicle and education
3 pilot and jack of trades
4 medical gunnery
5 navigation and navigation
6 vacc suit and navigation
7 medical. Gun combat

Ageing: 3 failed checks -2 to str -1 endurance

Mustering out: gun, scout ship, 20k, 20k, 50k +2 intel, skill: medical

Age 46

So we have a nav specialist and doctor! final stats:

UPP: 5A8C8A navigation-4, medical-3, vehicle-1, vacc suit-1, pilot-1, JoT-1, gunnery-1, gun combat-1
Has 90,000 credits, a scout ship, and a gun (type to be decided)

Background and name etc to follow

[neuromancer]

Ship Details

Component Displacement Cost Notes
Hull -200 22 Streamlined
Power 6 24
Manoeuvre 10 12
Jump 8 30

Bridge 20 1
Computer 3 18
Staterooms 32 4 8 SR captain has double size one
Low 2 0.2 2 Emergency
Lab Space 6 5
WorkShop 4 1
Air Raft 4 0.6
Cargo 30
Fuel 72 Double On station Endurance
Hard 0 0.2 Dorsal +Chin
Magazine 2 0.2 1 Ton Per for FC and Mag
Lyhd 0 2 Drop Tank Fittings
Purification 1 0.1

200 118.2

Computer Jump 3 0.4
Manoeuvre 0.1
Library 0.4
Nav 0.4
Generate 0.8

2.1

Note you have around .8mcr left for software for the computer - and no you cant convert this to cash :-) you will need this when you get some weapons for the ship

[Stephen Mawson]

As this means very little to me I'm assuming that you're going to go over this kind of stuff before we actually get into play.

[neuromancer]

Jun 15, 2014 19:23:05 GMT Stephen Mawson said:

As this means very little to me I'm assuming that you're going to go over this kind of stuff before we actually get into play.

Yes will give every one a quick run down before the start as you need to know what you might want to consider buying the party might want to have as a goal getting some ship weapons I wasn't planning any ship to ship stuff just yet :-)

[neuromancer]

Jun 15, 2014 23:43:34 GMT neuromancer said:

Jun 15, 2014 19:23:05 GMT Stephen Mawson said:

As this means very little to me I'm assuming that you're going to go over this kind of stuff before we actually get into play.

Yes will give every one a quick run down before the start as you need to know what you might want to consider buying the party might want to have as a goal getting some ship weapons I wasn't planning any ship to ship stuff just yet :-)

Reminder that tomorrow is traveller I goofed the TDF does start to next weekend :-)

[neuromancer]

oh who ever gets there first can we set up next to the power socket and not under the icy aircon this time I need power for the lap top