We also did a "command and control chain" version of that required a unit to be within some distance of it's HQ unit in order to be able to initiate an attack. HQ units suddenly became important for something beyond being a defensive road block. Killing an HQ unit could shut down a offense. Fun times.
Classic Traveller getting stale?
- Thread starter Murph
- Start date
I was honestly just thinking this week about how many other gamers I know have played it, let alone even heard of it - I have many fond memories of large asphalt driveways, 30' tape measures, and fleets of Micronaughts...
D.
I can not say I have played it but I definitely studied the rules.
I couldn't afford (nor find) naval minis, so I played Battlewagon, Broadsides & Boarding Parties, and WS&IM. And some Harpoon. And a bunch of space navy wargames: Starfire, Star Fleet Battles (Des, Cdr, Capt eds), Full Thrust, SLAG!, Star Fleet Battle Manual, Babylon 5 Wars, Mayday, Aerotech, Renegade Legion Interceptor, Sky Galleons of Mars, Ironclads and Ether Flyers, Jovian Chronicles... have but haven't run Star Blazers Fleet Battles.
I've tried Star Trek Attack Wing, ACTA-SF, and X-Wing... enjoyed but not enough to get into them.
Of those, I like Starfire 3rd ed, B5W, and the 1889 boardgames best...
Played but disliked both TNE ship combat games...
Mayday holds up better than most of those...
I was blessed with the presence of several long-term wargamers, a healthy gaming club, and an amazing FLGS (Games Plus in Arlington Heights) so that gave me access to all sorts of games even in the one off. I started wargames playing WS&IM with my dad, plus a handful of other AH games. We never did minis really (though he had a bunch of old Napoleonic flats in the basement) and that was more my adult years with friends - lots of BT, 40K, SFB, and then DBM, and SM/Epic, and I found GZG's FT/DS/SG suite and really like them still. I've played more than I can remember over the years, but those are all the ones that stuck enough play a decent amount.
D.
Federation Commander is what happens when Babylon-5 Wars crossbreeds back with SFB...
I have used Traveller with SFB to run SFU games, but Bk 5/MT Advanced just don't do the setting right, and that was in the early 1990's... I've also used Bk5 to generate MT stats (really, Bk5, MT, and T20 are ratings compatible!) for the Tech Manual ships...I remember the CA being 19 KTd.
The MGT Prime Directive is, as far as I can tell, vaporware.
I have not played FC. I don't know, but I'm betting it doesn't have the magic of SFB. Just the words, the tech, etc.
The magic of SFB is all about the timing and maneuver. Even though is a turn by turn, hex by hex counter game, you can, at times, just feel the ship creaking as the player is trying to get it to turn onto the proper facing of the target ship, at the proper range, with all of the things that need to align to get it there. It's not just a slugfest. Move, fire, move, fire. Far more nuanced. Makes the one on one tournaments actually pretty dynamic.
And that all comes from the complexity of the game, unfortunately.
The magic of SFB is all about the timing and maneuver. Even though is a turn by turn, hex by hex counter game, you can, at times, just feel the ship creaking as the player is trying to get it to turn onto the proper facing of the target ship, at the proper range, with all of the things that need to align to get it there. It's not just a slugfest. Move, fire, move, fire. Far more nuanced. Makes the one on one tournaments actually pretty dynamic.
And that all comes from the complexity of the game, unfortunately.
Hey everyone,
Don't know if this is the sort of thing you are after but, in terms of new Classic material, this may be of interest:
Don't know if this is the sort of thing you are after but, in terms of new Classic material, this may be of interest:
sekalo
SOC-8
Being a big FASA and Battletech fan, I always wanted to try Renegade Legion; however, I could never find it and when I did could not afford it.
The damage process for Interceptor, Leviathan, and Centurion was ... interesting. Not terribly fast, not horribly slow. Got no traction. legionaire was meh. The Traveller influence was there, but not as good. Mechanically, I wish RL:L had been compatible with Mechwarrior 2nd... but it wasn't. I should probably offload mine.
Commander Truestar
SOC-13
Back when I worked with the FASA crew, I once bought my own spin caster in hopes of competing for naval minis.
But the deal went to Iron wind (Formerly Ral Partha) not long after I got the caster. So, it sits in the garage gathering dust.
I did have an on-going Battletech campaign and we had an "in-house" artist who carved prototypes for Aerospace fighter figures.
I would hand cast those myself, to support the fighters players used in my campaign
But the deal went to Iron wind (Formerly Ral Partha) not long after I got the caster. So, it sits in the garage gathering dust.
I did have an on-going Battletech campaign and we had an "in-house" artist who carved prototypes for Aerospace fighter figures.
I would hand cast those myself, to support the fighters players used in my campaign
That game was originally developed as one of the candidates for the Star Wars License when it was lost by Mayfair in the 90s. I think it was trying too hard to be complex.
RL:I played NOTHING like a Star Wars fight...
Inertia matters, no spin on a dime, no instaboom targets...
And the SW license was WEG, not Mayfair.
You are correct, it played wrong. I do get WEG and Mayfair confused but I’m old.
sekalo
SOC-8
I really liked the d6 WEG mechanics in the Star Wars games. It was my first RPG after D&D BECMI, and then I was hooked on d6 only game mechanics and then I found Traveller. I tried GURPS but it just seemed 'ok' to me, since Traveller 2d6 could do everything GURPS could do, but with less fuss and use the judgement call of everyone at the table.
What I do like about GURPS, but I suspect it is more with The Fantasy Trip (TFT), is the tactical hex grid game play - sometimes I want to have my players think like a chess game in combat, and save the Roleplaying for outside of combat. But again - TFT is a little more complicated then needed in my personal experience (when do I change the 3/stat dice vs 4/stat vs +3/-3 etc to dice rolls).
This is due to having a rich history with Battletech and Mechwarrior (only 2d6 game mechanics ++smiles++). 2d6 with baseline dice targets and modifications can be used with the 2d6. Sure... some can argue that only 36 combinations and a roll range of 2-12; however, do we really need 216 combinations, and a roll range of 3-18 if we limit the 'hard-core' rules to combat and 'wing-it' during the out of combat RPG roleplay?
Is "Classic Traveller getting stale" - not the basic core rules since the 2d6 can handle any roleplay out of combat, and it can handle great in depth tactical combat hex grid as well. I think what happened since the 90s, is the splat books of RPG and having a rule for every little thing - has trained a generation of TTRPG players to think "rules = rollplay" and not (fun = roleplay). This might NOT be the case for every player, but I noticed more folks that are new to the hobby, talk about "the rules on page xxx says this" and they all flip to the pages before the game moves forward. COME ON... keep the game going, have fun, if your are not sure how to handle it... just use a simple d6 x-in-6 chance of something, but keep the FUN going. It is not like we are playing Advanced Squad Leader by Avalon Hill - we are playing a fantasy or scifi game usually.
In addition, the number of game systems that have been modeled off the Classic Traveller 2d6 rules is an example of how versatile the system really is. Example: Armor vs Target number or Armar as damage reduction - the options seem endless for a simple system that has 36 combinations and a scale of 2-12. Just update the Classic Traveller items with more moden items, and scale the tech levels, and I think we have another 30+ years of fun filled nights/days with Classic Traveller 2d6 rule system.
These days I only play: Classic Traveller, WEG d6 star wars, Battletech and D&D BECMI but with only 1d6 dice rolls for everything with some 2d6 mixed in and character back story to give them some none combat abilities.
NOW - a game I wish that would come and get an offical translaion is the Sword World RPG from Japan. I have only been able to get a glimps of it, and let me tell you - what they did with only 2d6 and a combat chart and damage output tables.... is a work of modern art!!!
Side note-
All these years I had no clue that Warhammer was based on d6 dice rolls and usually limited to a single dice for outcomes. Due to the latter, I have been running super rules light RPG game nights with WarHammer rules on hex maps with the d6 (attack, wound save) mechanic. Just really flexible what can be done with equipment and items.
Look for Bill Cameron's Wounded Colossus - it let the Rebellion start, but it recovers. Or Get GURPS Traveller (not to use GURPS rules, but as a great version of the setting where the Rebellion never really happens and just keeps moving along...
The Traveller News Service has all the TNS entries for both GDW and GURPS timelines up to 1130.
Their grav tanks & AFVs were really nice though (the metal ones, not the little boxes).
sekalo
SOC-8
Many years ago I purchased GURPS Transhuman when it came along with GURPS Traveller and the GURPS 3rd edition Space. I just cannot get into the GURPS when 2d6 just feels right and I love the simplicity of Traveller 2d6 rules. I have tried to chop out so much of GURPS like advantages, quirks, disadvantages, etc and only keep some of the tactical combat moves for the hex grid maps, but in the end it just seems stale. Yet, I am not sure what feels or what makes it feel stale when compared to 2d6 Traveller. I suspect it has to do with the skills and how skills are used - Traveller and GURPS have the unskilled penalty rolls; however, it seems silly in GURPS when you have a long list of skills your players can do but that one skill they forget to Munchkin takes a penalty. A lot of times in Traveller is someone is doing something beyond their career they are rolling at a penalty or at the base level due to understanding the concepts. The same could be said for GURPS, but then why have a huge skill list on your character sheet.
Now what I like about GURPS is the hex base tactical battles, which is where the combat skills can shine. Out side of combat, and 'roleplaying' just based the probability outcome on their career history, which is easy to do with Traveller.
I am grateful for folks telling me about AHL and Striker, which I haven't had the time to check out.
Now what I like about GURPS is the hex base tactical battles, which is where the combat skills can shine. Out side of combat, and 'roleplaying' just based the probability outcome on their career history, which is easy to do with Traveller.
I am grateful for folks telling me about AHL and Striker, which I haven't had the time to check out.
