A Different Starting Age

[Timerover51]

The following quote comes from the book, A Middy's Recollections 1853-1860, by Rear-Admiral the Honourable Victor Alexander Montagu, Royal Navy. He was appointed as a Naval Cadet in the Royal Navy at the ripe old age of 12 years and 7 months, reporting for duty on 15 December 1853.

Born in April 1841, I was about six months more than twelve years old when I joined the Royal Navy. My father was the seventh Earl of Sandwich; my mother, a daughter of the Marquis of Anglesea, who commanded cavalry at Waterloo, and lost his leg by one of the last shots fired on that eventful day. It is said that when Lord Anglesea’s thigh was struck he happened to be riding by the side of the Duke of Wellington, and exclaimed, suddenly, “O the Devil! my leg is hit!” The Duke turned round, looked at him, and said, “The deuce it is!” His leg was shortly afterwards amputated. As all the surgeon’s knives had become blunt from the long day’s work, it took twenty minutes to perform the operation. I was the second of four sons, and was educated by a private tutor.

For some time before I was sent to sea, my father had often expressed a wish that, hailing2 from a naval family, one of his sons should select the Sea as his profession. Somehow or another, it devolved upon me to be the naval representative; and, though my father did not enforce this idea, I took it into my head that I should like it. My poor mother had misgivings. She loathed the sea, and could not bring herself to believe that any one else could endure its hardships. She was second to none, however, in her admiration of the Service.

No doubt I thought it a fine thing to don a naval uniform and wear a sword at my side at twelve and a half. A position of importance was assured. Of sea-life I knew but little. I had on several occasions, when staying at the Castle at Cowes (enjoying the hospitality of my grandfather, Lord Anglesea), sailed in his famous old cutter, the Pearl (130 tons); but beyond learning, when beating about the Solent, what sea-sickness was, my experience was naught. However, on the 15th of December 1853, I was gazetted a naval cadet in the Queen’s Navy.

If you allowed this in Traveller, it would make for some interesting character development possibilities. First, you could legitimately roll at least one additional D6 for further development in strength, dexterity, endurance, intelligence, education, and possibly social standing. Second, you could complete 5 full terms of service by the age of 32, which would avoid any aging rolls whatsoever, and as aging rolls only start at 38, you could get 6 full terms in if you wished. It would also be conceivable that the reason the character left the service would be to assume the duties of his or her family's noble rank, resulting in an increase in social standing, plus maybe a nice guaranteed income. As the Royal Navy was not the only one to start officer's so young, and also enlisted for that matter as ship's boys, it could be a widespread custom. I could easily see this as applying to the Merchant Service as well, possibly the Scouts, and definitely the "Other" category. I am not sure if it would work for the Army and Marines, but it could be made possible depending on your underlying assumptions.

 

[atpollard]

I always felt that a character's rolled attributes represented his natural development at age 18 (assumed physical and mental maturity), so a 12 year old should have full social (which is more a matter of birth at age 18) but only have 12/18 of his rolled Str/Dex/End/Int/Edu at the start of Term 1. I would expect that nature would increase his Str/Dex/End/Int as he naturally aged (to his rolled values at age 18), but I would expect that abandoning his education at age 12 to pursue career skills would leave the character with a stunted EDU stat.
YMMV.

It is an interesting concept.

 

[Brian Smaller]

In CT I thought Belters started at 14. Don't see why not for other character classes if you can justify it - your character might be a prodigy after all. As a GM I would think about it.

 

[McPerth]

In CT I thought Belters started at 14. Don't see why not for other character classes if you can justify it - your character might be a prodigy after all. As a GM I would think about it.

IIRC it was Barbarians that begin at 14, not Belters...

 

[Spartan159]

Belters also started at 14

 

[CosmicGamer]

Starting at an earlier age is a topic that has come up numerous times and thus a subject I've written about in my personal notes. It is done with Mongoose Traveller in mind.

Starting Young
It's one thing if this is part of an overall background that the player wants for their character. It's another thing if the player is just trying to abusing this to "cheat" and get more skills before aging rolls start at age 34. As a GM, if a player really wanted to start younger and they had a good story for it I'd allow it with some penalties, for balance.

Some of these penalties are to reflect difficulties younger characters would have to qualify for careers, survive, and gain promotion. On average, a younger person wont have the same maturity and amount of life experiences as their older piers. Some of the penalties are because a child is not as fully developed as the normal starting characteristic rolls reflect. The penalties are low enough to still allow for the exceptional character as a child to be equal or more competent than an average 18 year old.

Starting Characteristics
It's best to make a column to track the youth DMs

DEX, STR
For those starting younger, their physical development is not complete yet. I'll impose a penalty but it is reversible as the character ages back up to 18. -1DM to DEX and STR for every 2 years they start early (always round up). So a player that has their character start at age 15 would have a -2 youth DM for these characteristics.

Reversing penalties is at the end of a term. If they are over 18, remove all the youth DMs. If they are still under 18, recalculate the DM. So for a 13 year old with a -3 youth DM when they start, they will have a -1 youth DM at age 17 when they start their 2nd term.

END
General health and determination. No change here.

INT
While this is something more innate, I also see it as something that matures to it's full potential as the person matures.

I'll impose a small penalty but it is reversible. -1 to INT for every 4 years they start early (always round up). A player that has their character start at age 15 would have a youth DM of -1.

Like for DEX and STR, the penalty may be reduced or go away at the end of a term. For the 13 year old with a -2 youth DM to INT when they start, they will have a -1 youth DM to INT at age 17 when they start their 2nd term.

EDU
The characters Education would be reduced to reflect the younger start and lower level of education compared to someone older. -1 for every 2 years they start early (always round up). This is not a youth DM. This is not reversible! You've been busy with a career and not in school. Perhaps you will increase it through character generation such as rolls for EDU on personal development.

SOC: Play it loose. The noble child might start their career early when a family member passes. Same for a young person inheriting the family business. But a noble child who runs away and starts living off the streets committing petty crimes...

Background skills
Background skills would no longer be 3+ EDU DM. A youth DM of -1 background skill for every 2 years (rounded up) the character starts early will be applied since the character has not had as long to gain these skills.

Careers
At first I thought certain careers should be off limits for starting early, like the military not taking you until you are 18, but if the player gives the character a good story I'll allow it. Maybe the Imperial army won't take a child but some worlds may have groups that force able bodied children to be soldiers. A 16 year old who really wants to leave home and be a scout might pass themself off as their 18yo brother. While a good story is a must, the youth DMs above still help reflect barriers to entry and qualifying.

 

[Frankymole]

Also useful for generating children as NPCs. It's not unknown for families to be passengers on starships or present in starports, towns etc. Even hostage situations for a kidnap adventure!

 

[flykiller]

starships are too technically complex, both in operation and maintenance, for children simply "brought aboard". the only way to make this work for children is for them to be raised in this environment, for it to be their home from the beginning. c. j. cherryh has some good books in this regard.

one envisions a 10 year old piloting a shuttle, sitting on a few laptops so he can see out the window ....

 

[aramis]

Traveller's Digest has youth generation rules for MT for Human and Vargr. was pretty cool...

 

[Spartan159]

starships are too technically complex, both in operation and maintenance, for children simply "brought aboard". the only way to make this work for children is for them to be raised in this environment, for it to be their home from the beginning. c. j. cherryh has some good books in this regard.

one envisions a 10 year old piloting a shuttle, sitting on a few laptops so he can see out the window ....

Andre Norton's Free traders as well, entire ship was a clan if I recall. Need to re-read her stuff again, been too long.

 

[Jame]

In CT I thought Belters started at 14. Don't see why not for other character classes if you can justify it - your character might be a prodigy after all. As a GM I would think about it.

I took this rule and decided that barbarians automatically do this too (they start at 18 for some reason in RAW). Nobles can do this, and Army, Scouts and Hunters can start at 16.

 

[BlackBat242]

Pre-enlistment skills in TRAVELLER® by Warren Okuma
The Space Gamer #79, March/April 1985, page 13

This article also includes generating child characteristics:

Use the following chart to determine how many dice to roll for your character's basic characteristics, with any character under 12 beginning with further reductions in Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Education.

17-18 years old: 2D6
15-16 years old: 2D6 - 1
12-14 years old: 1D6 + 2

I added the following, for a bit of spice:

Psionic strength depends upon when training is started. If a character receives training before turning 18, his strength is higher than that normally generated.
Training started before age 6 must be continued past 6 to be permanent.

Add: 1 for 14-17,
2 for 10-13,
3 for 6-9.

 

[Condottiere]

If you want to become an X-Man, it would be best to join the Academy in junior high.

 

[BlackBat242]

OK, that age chart was actually from my modification of Okuma's article.

Here is the original:

17-18 years old: 2D6
15-16 years old: 2D6 – 1
14 years old: 1D6 + 2

Any character under 14 should begin with further reductions in Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Education.