Classic Traveller gives provision to both frontal military engagement and diplomacy/trade; but it seems to pay little attention to the matters of stealth and subterfuge. The strangest thing is that even the S3: Citizens of the Imperium Rogue has no covert skill (such as sneaking or dealing with security systems).
My suggestions (using the Elliott-Golan Task System) are:
For sneaking, I was thinking about simply using the Recon skill (Mercenary p.15) as a "sneaking" skill (deducing from it's description); Sneaking is a Contest of Skills (Recon (DEX) vs. Recon (INT)) between the sneaker and any potential observer, with additional DMs for lack of skill (-2) and environmental conditions (for example, +4 to the sneaker's roll when visibility is poor, -2 to his roll when walking on a creaky floor, -4 to the observer's roll if he's drunk and so on). When trying to sneak using a vehicle (i.e. shadowing a grav-car) use the appropriate vehicle skill instead of Recon for the sneaker; the observer still uses Recon (INT).
I don't really know what to do about picking pockets, but I think that a Contest of Characteristics between the thief's Dexterity and the victim's Intelligence will do the trick. Another option will be to have two rolls: One Dexterity roll with a Target Number of 8+ (i.e. you get a +1 DM for Dexterity 8+, and you have to roll 8+ on two dice to succeed) to steal and one Intelligence roll with a Target Number equal to the thief's dexterity to notice the theft.
Mechanical lockpicking (usually TL8- or TL9-) should use Mechanical (DEX) - LBB1 p.20 - with a base Target Number of 8+; quality locks could have far higher Target Numbers and might be based on INT rather than on DEX. Using a Mechanical Tool Set (LBB3 p.18) should give a DM of -2; one should use a Lock Pick Set (LBB3 p.19) instead.
Electronic lockpicking should be based on Electronics (INT) - LBB1 p.18 - with a base Target Number of 8+; quality locks could have far higher Target Numbers and might be based on EDU rather than on INT. Using a Electronic Tool Set (LBB3 p.19) should do the job well, but it's quite heavy, big and expensive; Electronic Lock bypassing devices should also be available to do the same job with a smaller and lighter device; such devices are TL8, weight 0.25kg and cost Cr500.
Hacking is described, atleast partially, in this thread, though it's intended for big ship computers and hacking during combat, so I'll probably rework it sooner or later into something suitable for smaller systems.
My suggestions (using the Elliott-Golan Task System) are:
For sneaking, I was thinking about simply using the Recon skill (Mercenary p.15) as a "sneaking" skill (deducing from it's description); Sneaking is a Contest of Skills (Recon (DEX) vs. Recon (INT)) between the sneaker and any potential observer, with additional DMs for lack of skill (-2) and environmental conditions (for example, +4 to the sneaker's roll when visibility is poor, -2 to his roll when walking on a creaky floor, -4 to the observer's roll if he's drunk and so on). When trying to sneak using a vehicle (i.e. shadowing a grav-car) use the appropriate vehicle skill instead of Recon for the sneaker; the observer still uses Recon (INT).
I don't really know what to do about picking pockets, but I think that a Contest of Characteristics between the thief's Dexterity and the victim's Intelligence will do the trick. Another option will be to have two rolls: One Dexterity roll with a Target Number of 8+ (i.e. you get a +1 DM for Dexterity 8+, and you have to roll 8+ on two dice to succeed) to steal and one Intelligence roll with a Target Number equal to the thief's dexterity to notice the theft.
Mechanical lockpicking (usually TL8- or TL9-) should use Mechanical (DEX) - LBB1 p.20 - with a base Target Number of 8+; quality locks could have far higher Target Numbers and might be based on INT rather than on DEX. Using a Mechanical Tool Set (LBB3 p.18) should give a DM of -2; one should use a Lock Pick Set (LBB3 p.19) instead.
Electronic lockpicking should be based on Electronics (INT) - LBB1 p.18 - with a base Target Number of 8+; quality locks could have far higher Target Numbers and might be based on EDU rather than on INT. Using a Electronic Tool Set (LBB3 p.19) should do the job well, but it's quite heavy, big and expensive; Electronic Lock bypassing devices should also be available to do the same job with a smaller and lighter device; such devices are TL8, weight 0.25kg and cost Cr500.
Hacking is described, atleast partially, in this thread, though it's intended for big ship computers and hacking during combat, so I'll probably rework it sooner or later into something suitable for smaller systems.
