Classic Traveller Referee Screen Sheets

[creativehum]

Classic Traveller Referee Screen Sheets & Tools for Play

To prep for the two Classic Traveller sessions I'm running at a local convention in a couple of weeks, I've made two sheets of CT tables for me Referee screen.

I use the Savage Worlds GM Screen, which is a trifold, vinyl screen with six "pocket" -- three on the front and three on the back (facing the Referee). Because the screen allows me to slip reference sheets in and out, I can use it for multiple games. Because its landscape, I don't feel like I'm barricading myself from my players.

On the front side facing the players I print out art in the mood or style of the game.

On the backside, I place one or two sheets of tables I know that I'll want to reference quickly (encounters, combat, reaction rolls and such) so I don't slow down tense moments or combat.

The two sheets focus on Encounters and Personal Combat, which is what the games over labor day will be about. If I end up running games in which Trade or Starship combat becomes important, I can make reference sheets for those as well.

If anyone is interested in seeing the sheets, you can find the PDF here.

 

[aramis]

If anyone is interested in seeing the sheets, you can find the PDF here.

Uh, no I can't. Error 404.

 

[creativehum]

Uh, no I can't. Error 404.

Huh. Weird. It worked for me.
But I've rebuilt the link. Let me know if it works (of if anyone else is successfully linking or not linking... I'd love to know what's going on.)

Also, if the link doesn't work, here's the link to the blog post about the sheets. The link is at the bottom the post.

 

[Timerover51]

Working fine for me, and I am on a Mac using Safari.

 

[Emperor Valdamir]

Very nice.

 

[Timerover51]

Nice sheets, and a nice website too.

 

[creativehum]

Very nice.

Thank you!

I've been working on the pregens. I'm going to have six PCs each from each of four of the services (Navy, Marines, Army, and Scouts) for the Players to choose from.

I wanted to keep the cool TAS Form feel, but wanted it lighter on the information. We're playing a convention game, so I need everyone pointed forward toward the adventure as quickly as possible. Moreover, I like a style with the older games where the PCs background ins't as important than where they choose to go. So I removed the boxes about Homeward, Service Branches, Discharge World and the like.

I like how they turned out! I the breathing room and the information is easy to scan for and find, even though it retains the feel of a something like a personal file from the TAS form.

 

[rhialto]

Nice screens and PDS's. :coffeecup:mega:

 

[aramis]

Huh. Weird. It worked for me.
But I've rebuilt the link. Let me know if it works (of if anyone else is successfully linking or not linking... I'd love to know what's going on.)

Also, if the link doesn't work, here's the link to the blog post about the sheets. The link is at the bottom the post.

Working now.

 

[creativehum]

Working now.

Thanks. I don't know what happened, but glad it's working now.

 

[creativehum]

I've reworked the character sheet a bit from the last post (it's a stripped down version of the Classic Traveller TAS character sheet).

I've also built 24 pre-gen sheets taken from Supplement 1: 1001 Characters. (Six each from Navy, Army, Marines, and Scouts.)

If anyone is interested the pre-gens and blank sheets can be found in this PDF. (The blank sheets are on the last page.)

For my convention game, I assume the PCs have no cash, are down on the luck, have weapons matching any weapons skills, and toolkits matching any skill.

 

[robject]

I do like that "personnel file" feel of your character cards. I think it might be because I like the "process" of creating characters in Traveller, and nothing says "process" like a card file.

And white space. White space gives forms a "clean" feel.

 

[mike wightman]

Very nice work - a bit like a bigger resume card from the boxed adventures Tarsus and Beltstrike.

I will be borrowing these if you don't mind

 

[flykiller]

On the front side facing the players I print out art in the mood or style of the game.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

On the backside, I place one or two sheets of tables I know that I'll want to reference quickly (encounters, combat, reaction rolls and such) so I don't slow down tense moments or combat.

all encounters are impromptu? seems like you would have several pre-planned encounters ready to go, and fall back to on-the-fly encounters only as necessary.

 

[creativehum]

I do like that "personnel file" feel of your character cards. I think it might be because I like the "process" of creating characters in Traveller, and nothing says "process" like a card file.

And white space. White space gives forms a "clean" feel.

I'm planning on printing them on cardstock, actually, so the players can hold them. Interesting that you touched on the "card" notion.

I will be borrowing these if you don't mind

It is why I posted. Enjoy!

all encounters are impromptu?

No. But I do want the the daily and weekly rolls in front of me so I don't forget them. I discuss my thoughts about the importance and ubiquitous nature of random encounters in D&D and original Traveller in this post.

It isn't that there are no detailed situations or environments. But there is a power and advantage to encounters used in early games that, I think, has been overlooked.

 

[creativehum]

On the front side facing the players I print out art in the mood or style of the game.

These are the three I think I'm using:

 

[Timerover51]

I saw a four-foldout spread at a game store over the weekend that would allow for 4 sheets on each side, using 8.5 X 11 in landscape mode. Looked reasonable, but not quite in the budget at this time.

 

[creativehum]

Here are what I am calling "Gear Sheets."

They are designed for my convention game this weekend, and so each table is shorter than I would probably use for a campaign. On the other hand, I would probably use these shorter tables at the start of a campaign, to keep everyone focused on the tools at hand as they learn how the game works.

Each character from the pre-generated Player Characters I posted above has a corresponding Gear Sheet in the PDF you can find here. You will find two blank gear sheets at the end of the doc.

The "Personal DM" is the combination of any DMs for Weapon Skills combined with any positive or negative DMs due to Strength or Dexterity for a particular weapon.

 

[Timerover51]

Are the 9mm cartridges rimmed, or are you having your players use half-moon clips, like the .45 revolvers using the .45 ACP cartridge had to use in World War 1? So many of them were made that the cartridge makers came out with the .45 Auto-Rim cartridges for them.

 

[creativehum]

Are the 9mm cartridges rimmed, or are you having your players use half-moon clips, like the .45 revolvers using the .45 ACP cartridge had to use in World War 1? So many of them were made that the cartridge makers came out with the .45 Auto-Rim cartridges for them.

I fear I am going to break your heart with my reply. But you go into these matters much more deeply than I do.

The PCs will be using 9mm cartridges in their revolvers. I have no idea what kind they are. All I know is this, from Traveller Book 1, Character and Combat:

Revolver (1000 grams loaded; Cr155; TL 4): An older variety of handgun, the revolver fires 9mm bullets with characteristics similar to those fired by the automatic pistol, but not interchangeable with them. No magazine is used: six cartridges are inserted into the revolver individually. Reloading takes two combat rounds, or one combat round if the individual foregoes the benefit of evasion.

Length: 200mm (some versions may be shorter or longer). Weight, unloaded: 900 grams (weight of six cartridges: 100 grams). Base price: Cr150 (six cartridges cost Cr5).

That's all I've got for you. My players will know the look and general feel of a revolver. They'll know how much damage it does, how long it takes to load, that it has six shots before reloading. That'll be enough for us to use it in an adventure scenario in the far, far future.

As Traveller Book 1 says:

Individuals interested in more information on the capabilities and parameters of the weapons can use this information as a springboard.

But, for me, I have enough information on the capabilities and parameters for now.