Corsair Stats

[Condottiere]

Letters of marque directed against Imperium targets probably have to be counter signed by the subsector or Sector Duke.

 

[savage]

Letters of marque directed against Imperium targets probably have to be counter signed by the subsector or Sector Duke.

Making it official runs too close to all out corporate wars. I said earlier it might be closer to Shadowrun in approach, and a few official instances of colony defense along borders or in red zones might be the catalyst that keeps corporations armed.

 

[aramis]

Letters of marque directed against Imperium targets probably have to be counter signed by the subsector or Sector Duke.

Targeting Imperial Facilities or nobles is a sure way to get a hostile visit from the Marines...

 

[Ulsyus]

All the answers can be found in the Tradewar scenario in the Traveller Adventure. There is so much written that I can't cut and paste it under fair use policy.

Short version - the rules have been agreed for a long long time and as long as the war is conducted according to those rules the Imperium will be unlikely to intervene.

So long as the dispute doesn't hurt 'civilians' or affect the local economy too much (taxes are still being paid) the Imperium will turn a blind eye.

Yeah, p108. To quote just one element on the origins:

"The experience of the Long Night established the principle that tradewar that escalated to violence needed some controls; the result is a fairly well established set of unwrirten restrictions on tradewar, generally adhered to by all parties, which both control tradewar's excesses and lend it an air of legitimacy."

Given the relatively covert nature of the actions in a tradewar, there's almost boundless scope for PC involvement, hence it's inclusion in TTA one concludes.

Still, I'm vexed by the use of corsairs, and think more work needs to be done to explain their tactics and approaches to targets/victims between jump points and worlds before or following jump...

 

[savage]

Yeah, p108. To quote just one element on the origins:

"The experience of the Long Night established the principle that tradewar that escalated to violence needed some controls; the result is a fairly well established set of unwrirten restrictions on tradewar, generally adhered to by all parties, which both control tradewar's excesses and lend it an air of legitimacy."

Given the relatively covert nature of the actions in a tradewar, there's almost boundless scope for PC involvement, hence it's inclusion in TTA one concludes.

Still, I'm vexed by the use of corsairs, and think more work needs to be done to explain their tactics and approaches to targets/victims between jump points and worlds before or following jump...

Sweet paragraph. There are so many of these little presents in Traveller OTU.
So, we need Unwritten Trader War Restrictions, for example;

1. No attacks on Imperial facilities, forces or personnel.
2. No attacks on non-alligned civilian targets.
3. No, use of military capital ships in confrontations.
4. ...

 

[mike wightman]

Note that they break the 'no nukes' rule in an early part of the adventure...

 

[Brandon C]

I'll note that my reason for supporting this theory is the 3I. There really is no reason the Imperial Navy shouldn't be able to effectively suppress piracy as it is commonly presented (otoh, gangs stealing small craft at starports would probably replace what most people consider piracy).

If this is accepted behaviour by corporations & nobles, does that mean the 3I accepts piracy?

Officially, no. And it's more tolerated than accepted.

Or would there be rules to protect third parties and the innocent?

Not directly, no. However, pirates who are especially bloodthirsty or cruel would probably no longer be tolerated by the nobles and corporations that once supported them and would be hunted down by military forces.

Would it be a larger scale version of nobles dueling?

More like a private chess match. Even "good" pirates are too dirty and unpredictable for high society standards.

What's the impact threshold for the IN stepping in & shutting down a corsair campaign?

A pirate that slaughters crew and passengers who promptly surrender. Pirates who attack ships belonging to those who financially or materially support them. Pirates who become a public embarrassment.

 

[McPerth]

Note that the Imperial Rules of War preclude (1) general Civilian Bombing, (2) Use of CBR weapons against surface targets (tho' space is a gray zone), (3) destroying the means of life support.

(bold is mine)

According MT description of the IRW, this is not exact.

From Library Data, Imperial Encyclopedia (MT) page 28:

Imperial Rules of War: (…)Unlike the above rules, one prohibition is clear and firm throughout the Imperium: use or possession of nuclear weapons, if discovered, and regardless of size and type.

So, the use or possession of nuclear wweapons is fully forbidden in IRW, and space is not an exception (as stated learly in MT:HT page 44 when it is told that starmercs began to carry nuclear tipped missiles when they thought the Imperium was death and their laws didn't apply anymore).

OTOH, chemical and biological weapons are not so clearly outlawed by IRW (though their effects may well deserve Imperial attention).

 

[Brandon C]

So, the use or possession of nuclear wweapons is fully forbidden in IRW, and space is not an exception (as stated learly in MT:HT page 44 when it is told that starmercs began to carry nuclear tipped missiles when they thought the Imperium was death and their laws didn't apply anymore).

The library data chapter of Adventure 7 (1982) states a similar prohibition on nuclear weapons.

 

[mike wightman]

And yet we have evidence of a megacorporation using a nuke during the Traveller Adventure and getting away with it.

Proof that they have them, and proof that they use them, despite the Imperial Rules.

We also have planets within the Imperium that fight nuclear wars and blast themselves back to the stone age - so the Imperium doesn't prohibit planetary governments from owning nuclear weapons.

 

[whartung]

So, the use or possession of nuclear wweapons is fully forbidden in IRW, and space is not an exception (as stated learly in MT:HT page 44 when it is told that starmercs began to carry nuclear tipped missiles when they thought the Imperium was death and their laws didn't apply anymore).

Boy, that sure puts a (ahem) damper on the bomb pumped X-ray laser missiles in TNE.

It also negates one of the most effective space combat tools available in High Guard. We talk a lot about the queen, the spinal Meson Gun, but the nuclear missile is the real workhorse.

 

[Brandon C]

And yet we have evidence of a megacorporation using a nuke during the Traveller Adventure and getting away with it.

The Rules of War entry in Adventure 7 does say " ... will almost certainly trigger Imperial intervention". "Almost certainly" is not the same as "always".

We also have planets within the Imperium that fight nuclear wars and blast themselves back to the stone age - so the Imperium doesn't prohibit planetary governments from owning nuclear weapons.

The Imperium also tends to be reluctant to interfere in the internal affairs of member worlds, unless it spills over to other worlds, IIRC.

 

[mike wightman]

Explains where the megacorps get theirs from - unless they just make their own of course.

 

[Brandon C]

Boy, that sure puts a (ahem) damper on the bomb pumped X-ray laser missiles in TNE.

MgT HG includes rules for those little toys, as well.

It also negates one of the most effective space combat tools available in High Guard. We talk a lot about the queen, the spinal Meson Gun, but the nuclear missile is the real workhorse.

Far more Imperial worlds can build a nuclear missile from scratch than a meson gun.

 

[whartung]

So do the Imperial ROW apply to the Imperium, or is the rule of thumb that only Imperial ships would be equipped with nuclear missiles?

Does the Imperium limit civilian ownership of things like Meson screens?

 

[Ulsyus]

Boy, that sure puts a (ahem) damper on the bomb pumped X-ray laser missiles in TNE.

It also negates one of the most effective space combat tools available in High Guard. We talk a lot about the queen, the spinal Meson Gun, but the nuclear missile is the real workhorse.

The use of nukes on a planet has an impact (sic) orders of magnitude greater that one would have in the cold heartless depths of space. It'd make sense that they're available for use by navies. It's not different to owning a firearm terrestrially: you can have it, but you just can't indiscriminately shoot people with it.

 

[CliffBates]

So do the Imperial ROW apply to the Imperium, or is the rule of thumb that only Imperial ships would be equipped with nuclear missiles?

Does the Imperium limit civilian ownership of things like Meson screens?

Nukes.. No for civilian ships... Planetary Navies can and do have them, so pirates can get their hands on them.. but they often opt not to because if they used them.. then the Navy goes all medieval on them.. that is, Active Fleets from the Sector are Brought in...

Also for Meson screens and Nuke Dampers... they are most likely restricted from non-military ships/crafts.

 

[CliffBates]

Boy, that sure puts a (ahem) damper on the bomb pumped X-ray laser missiles in TNE.

It also negates one of the most effective space combat tools available in High Guard. We talk a lot about the queen, the spinal Meson Gun, but the nuclear missile is the real workhorse.

Mercs might get waivers when operating in full out war under Imperial Letters of Marque. As too with Huscarles.

 

[McPerth]

Boy, that sure puts a (ahem) damper on the bomb pumped X-ray laser missiles in TNE.

TNE is based on a setting where no Imperium (and so no IRW) exist...

It also negates one of the most effective space combat tools available in High Guard. We talk a lot about the queen, the spinal Meson Gun, but the nuclear missile is the real workhorse.

It only negates it to non Imperial ships, as:

From Library Data (referee’s Introduction), Imperial Encyclopedia (MT) page 49:

Imperial Rules of War: While the Imperial Rules of War strictly forbid the use of nuclear weapons by local combatants, the Imperium does retain the right to use such weapons himself

So do the Imperial ROW apply to the Imperium, or is the rule of thumb that only Imperial ships would be equipped with nuclear missiles?

Yes, that's the point

The use of nukes on a planet has an impact (sic) orders of magnitude greater that one would have in the cold heartless depths of space. It'd make sense that they're available for use by navies. It's not different to owning a firearm terrestrially: you can have it, but you just can't indiscriminately shoot people with it.

But the possession of nukes on a ship will allow you to use them against ground targets. And, as for having firearms terrestrially, it would depend on the Law Level where you are...

Nukes.. No for civilian ships... Planetary Navies can and do have them, so pirates can get their hands on them.. but they often opt not to because if they used them.. then the Navy goes all medieval on them.. that is, Active Fleets from the Sector are Brought in...

I don't believe Planetary Navies can have them. Only Imperial forces are allowed to have them, according MT description of IRW (see above, this same post)

Does the Imperium limit civilian ownership of things like Meson screens?

Also for Meson screens and Nuke Dampers... they are most likely restricted from non-military ships/crafts.

Why should they be restricted? They are exclusively defensive devices.

What effective precludes them in most comercial ships is its price and volume and power requirments. Unless you really expect them to be needed (so, that you can confront nukes or messons), why to spend so much money on them?

And what merchant with a little sanity will go to places where they could be needed?

Mercs might get waivers when operating in full out war under Imperial Letters of Marque. As too with Huscarles.

Or they may be considered Imperial Forces when they hold an Imperial Letter of Marque...

 

[whartung]

TNE is based on a setting where no Imperium (and so no IRW) exist…

No, it's based on a setting where the Imperium collapsed. The Regency is the remains of "most things Imperial". The TNE environ didn't crop up out of vacuum, it's a continuum.

"Oh, virus, now all the ships suddenly have HEPLar and bomb pumped laser missiles. How magical is that."