Classic or Mongoose?

[mbrinkhues]

With that backing you might dislike the Tech-Systems of MGT. They tried to produce a quick, simple system that still could generate a wide range of systems and only succeded in the latter.

+ Building vehicles is at least as math-intensive as MegaTraveller. But with an end-result that offers less detail (1). And for military stuff at least two books (Mil. Vehicles and Central Supply) are needed

+ Building ships is a bit easier (But needs two books, Base and HighGuard even for below 2000dton) but not much. And with all the (useful/needed) HG options you are back at MegaTraveller complexity rather quick. Again for a less-detailed product that ends up with quite a few problem-designs compared to MT/TNE/GT systems(2)

So ultimately you get "worst of both worlds" here IMHO

(1) It's easy to ignore too much detail in-game. Difficult to generate it from thin air
(2) I.e building an orbital fortress that is fusion powered and not either mostly fuel tank or in need of monthly tankers. Easy in MT with a dual-stage P-Plant (standby and combat) but difficult in MGT without houserules (3)
(3) My first rule is: A system MUST be useabel without houserules!

 

[gloriousbattle]

My first rule is: A system MUST be useabel without houserules!

ROFLMAO!!!

Sir, please be so kind as to send a copy of this statement to every game designer and game producing company in existence.

 

[mbrinkhues]

ROFLMAO!!!

Sir, please be so kind as to send a copy of this statement to every game designer and game producing company in existence.

Why? They either deliver or I keep my money.

"Without a houserule" does not mean "can not be improved". It just means "works out of the box". Basically it is the equivalent to a Tamiya or late-generation Trumpeter model kit. You can build them into fine models "oob" (1) but if you want Eduard/Voyager etc. have some nice add-on kits that make them even better. IF you want to spend the costs in money and time.

Quite a few rules sets do the same. GURPS3E+Compendium I, Mega with the official errate, T2K V2.2 (TNE, Dark Conspiracy, T2K) or Fuzion and (within limits) Interlock/Cyberpunk. They are not perfect but with players that "play for everyones fun"(2) they work fine

Mongoose is working on it but not yet there. To much small problems (i.e Vehicle construction yielding some illogical results for seacraft) but a willingness to work (i.e CSC replacing all the lousy Merc weapons) on them.

(1) As the saying goes: Open top, add glue and colors, close to, shake, take out complete model
(2) As opposed to players that "play for their own ego" and search every loophole to make super (NOT Munchkin) chars

 

[gloriousbattle]

Why? They either deliver or I keep my money.

A good philosophy as far as it goes. My problem is that I usually don't find out that the system needs major adjustments until AFTER I buy it.

 

[Supplement Four]

Always struck me as weird about GDW, that they would come up with the most complicated mathematical formulas to accomplish the simplest things, like High Guard, that involved abominable esoteric ship contruction rules, just so you could play a zero-maneuver game that really amounted to "line 'em up and start rolling the attack dice."

High Guard is a fun game in and of itself, if the players also build the ships. HG ain't so fun to just hand the players a fleet and roll some dice to see which is damaged.

I liked to use HG as a short cut background method. For example, in one game where I ran the Traveller Adventure, I had two MegaCorp Fleets, Tukera and Sternmetal, meet over Aramanx. While the action focussed on the players down dirtside, I would throw some dice and describe the action that was being relayed over the planet news service. So, it was a quick dicing system to reveal how the NPC fleets did.

It was qsuite fun.

 

[gloriousbattle]

It was qsuite fun.

Who am I to tell someone else what he can or cannot enjoy? But I wanted to be Horatio Nelson IN SPAAAAAAAAACE! And that, High Guard did not accomplish.

 

[Supplement Four]

Who am I to tell someone else what he can or cannot enjoy? But I wanted to be Horatio Nelson IN SPAAAAAAAAACE! And that, High Guard did not accomplish.

Naw, ya needed Mayday for that. There is a JTAS article that combines HG with MD, so that combination would probably do the trick--the intricacies of building ships, HG style, plus MD style vector movement on a hex board.

They're not that hard to combine. IIRC, the hexes were quite large--half or quarter lightyear? Something like that.

 

[aramis]

Granted, and, since this hobby is full of people who are nothing if not imaginative, people use a lot of variant rules, whether for Space Dracula or adding maneuver into High Guard. I am just pointing out that this was how it was presented, even if it wasn't played that way.

The interface between HG and Mayday is actually in later (post HG2) printings of Mayday. So its not really a house rule, even. It's an official option.

 

[gloriousbattle]

The interface between HG and Mayday is actually in later (post HG2) printings of Mayday. So its not really a house rule, even. It's an official option.

Huh. I had a couple of Mayday sets, but I never remember these rules. I'll have to see if I can hunt an old one down.

 

[mbrinkhues]

A good philosophy as far as it goes. My problem is that I usually don't find out that the system needs major adjustments until AFTER I buy it.

One of the Benefits of Amazon and german laws. Two weeks to read through the stuff. And if I don't like it, it becomes a nice 1:35 scale tank or two.

 

[dmccoy1693]

My first rule is: A system MUST be useabel without houserules!

The problem with this idea is that it is SO subjective. What is perfect with no houserules required to one group is completely unusable to others.

 

[aramis]

Huh. I had a couple of Mayday sets, but I never remember these rules. I'll have to see if I can hunt an old one down.

I'll save you the effort...

____ High Guard: Book 5 for Traveller deals with an alternative starship design and combat system; that system can be adopted to the Mayday movement system (by incorporating statements as to range) while retaining its own combat resolution.
____ Two ships which have matched courses are considered to be at boarding range. Otherwise, all ships within five hexes of each other are at short range. Ships separated by more than 5 hexes are at long range. Ships beyond 15 hexes are out of range, and cannot fire.​

Mayday, p. 12, © 1980. This Edition is on the CD.

 

[saundby]

Nothing as cool as Smith! Can I be a Plooran in your game?

"But, as has been pointed out, there was one flaw inherent in the Boskonian system. Underlings, then as now, were prone to gloss over their own mistakes, to cover up their own incompetences. Thus, since he had no reason to inquire specifically, Gharlane did not know that anything whatever had gone amiss on Sol Three, the pestiferous planet which had formerly caused him more trouble than all the rest of his worlds combined."

If you want to play on that side, you get the minions to go with the job. Are you sure you wish to be as well served as Gray Roger was when Conway Costigan was roaming around?

Those mental powers are only so good, after all.

And the first time you screw up, the Eddorians destroy you and give your job to some Eich turkey.

 

[gloriousbattle]

If you want to play on that side, you get the minions to go with the job. Are you sure you wish to be as well served as Gray Roger was when Conway Costigan was roaming around?

Those mental powers are only so good, after all.

And the first time you screw up, the Eddorians destroy you and give your job to some Eich turkey.

True, but it does give me the opportunity to be a drug dealing, homicidal maniac, with psionics into the bargain. What's not to love? :devil:

 

[malchya]

Horatio Nelson in Spaaaace, eh? Have you, by any chance, ever taken a look at FGU's Space Opera? That's a meaty system when it comes to star ship design and combat. I've played it quite a bit, more than I've played Traveller, actually, and I really love the system. My take was to run it like Privateers and Gentlemen in space.

 

[gloriousbattle]

Horatio Nelson in Spaaaace, eh? Have you, by any chance, ever taken a look at FGU's Space Opera? That's a meaty system when it comes to star ship design and combat. I've played it quite a bit, more than I've played Traveller, actually, and I really love the system. My take was to run it like Privateers and Gentlemenin space.

A friend of mine really used to enjoy that system. I probably would too, but I have so much Traveller stuff it would be a waste to get into anything else.

Thanks

 

[malchya]

There isn't that much, actually. All you really need is the core rule book and Ground and Air Equipment which are both available through FGU's website for about $26 bucks (US) total. Seriously, if you enjoy star ship combat, you will find it well worth having. I've run it both as a role playing game and as a miniatures campaign.

 

[Supplement Four]

There's Power Projection, a Traveller adaptation of Full Thrust, written for T4.

I think there's the core book and one supplement.

Plus, Brilliant Lances and Battle Rider for T4.

 

[gloriousbattle]

There's Power Projection, a Traveller adaptation of Full Thrust, written for T4.

I think there's the core book and one supplement.

Plus, Brilliant Lances and Battle Rider for T4.

Heard of Brilliant Lances, though not Battle Rider. Thanks.

 

[G K Zhukov]

There's Power Projection, a Traveller adaptation of Full Thrust, written for T4.

I think there's the core book and one supplement.

Plus, Brilliant Lances and Battle Rider for T4.

IIRC (which I do:rofl, both Brilliant Lances and Battle Rider were TNE official space combat wargames. I think T4 lacked any form of official counter and hex boardgames.

And even though Power Projection is designed by the people at BITS (who usually published T4 supplements), the rules are valid mainly for CT and T20 (and maybe MT?). Adapting them to TNE/T4/GT would take some effort. I cannot be categorical here as my set of rules is currently gathering dust up in the attic.