Errata regarding Animal Weaponry Teeth and Claws

[Major Matt Mason]

Forgive me in advance if this has been covered before, but it did not show up in my search of errata, nor in searching the forums.

The trail begins in TTB, wherein the example for creating an alien animal states "teeth inflict 1D hits" (91).

Uh, no . . . it appears that teeth inflict 2D hits (TTB, 46).

Trace it back to LLB3 (1981), with the same example and the same "teeth inflict 1D hits" (30).

Contrary to expectations, LLB1 (1981) shows that, even back then, teeth inflict 2D hits (47).

Initial Solution: LLB3 probably meant "claws" instead of "teeth," since claws in LLB1 give 1D hits. However, TTB has claws at 2D hits.

So . . . what are the correct values for teeth and claws? And the example seems like it has to be changed a bit, one way (hits done) or the other (name of weapon).

 

[aramis]

1st ed Claws did 1d6+3, teeth did 2d-3.

Having the old CT1E damages (your books are CT2E) is why I grabbed the Judges Guild Traveller Ref's Screen PDF....

 

[ffilz]

I recently noticed the change in damages between 1e and 2e. It seems like part of the change is due to how wounds are allocated. Did any of the weapons not in CT ever have nd6+m type damage?

Frank

 

[aramis]

Well, MGT pretty much used CT 1E damages as a baseline. Lots of Xd6+Z

TNE had some 1D6-1 weapons. But only 1d6-1. All others are Xd6±0

T4 was CT2 damages as a base

T20 has a few XdY+Z, but that has a lot to do with being modelled after D20, not CT.

HT has Xd6, Xd6+1, and Xd6+1d3...

 

[Major Matt Mason]

FWIW, MT used CT2 damages, altered from "D" to "points" that end up acting like dice in after-combat damage resolution. Thus teeth and claws are both "2."

There are prolly a couple in the CT big tent we haven't addressed yet, but I digress.

But yeah, Judges Guild Traveller Shield really is a fine product. Far ahead of its time, in many ways -- for just one example, the folding of two combat tables into one easy to read format is brilliant. It is inspirational, really. Too bad they never updated it to the somewhat more long-lived CT2, but then again, I suppose it didn't matter. And as has been implied, what was once old becomes new again.

 

[aramis]

FWIW, MT used CT2 damages, altered from "D" to "points" that end up acting like dice in after-combat damage resolution. Thus teeth and claws are both "2."

There are prolly a couple in the CT big tent we haven't addressed yet, but I digress.

But yeah, Judges Guild Traveller Shield really is a fine product. Far ahead of its time, in many ways -- for just one example, the folding of two combat tables into one easy to read format is brilliant. It is inspirational, really. Too bad they never updated it to the somewhat more long-lived CT2, but then again, I suppose it didn't matter. And as has been implied, what was once old becomes new again.

Snapshot has the same kind of tables for weapons. Most of them are CT 2 damages, but claws are 1D (as are hands)...

It's on the CT CD, BTW...

 

[DonM]

Snapshot has the same kind of tables for weapons. Most of them are CT 2 damages, but claws are 1D (as are hands)...

It's on the CT CD, BTW...

Hmm... should that be Snapshot errata, then?

 

[aramis]

Hmm... should that be Snapshot errata, then?

I suspect it was (literally) the interim step between the two rulesets... so yeah.

 

[Major Matt Mason]

Hmm... should that be Snapshot errata, then?

It is definitely a recurring error in TTB and LLB (1981). Starter Edition, too (47).

As far as tracing down the ultimate source of the error, what remains to be seen is the text of the animal creation example from CT1, presumably in the same "Animal Wounds" subsection of "Creating Encounter Tables." The assumption is that it says something like "claws are 1D6+3" or "teeth are 2D6-3"; or, in error, "teeth are 1D6+3."

 

[DonM]

Did we ever decide what errata should have come out of this discussion?

 

[DonM]

Bump... was there any errata from this?

 

[aramis]

My suggestion is to either errata Snapshot or to make a section of "known editional differences" and annotate it there, along with the missing route table from Bk2 Pr#1.

 

[Whipsnade]

... along with the missing route table from Bk2 Pr#1.

Wil,

Missing route table? Do tell!

Is it anything like the message traffic table in TTA?


Regards,
Bill

 

[aramis]

It's a table that tells you if a world pair hs a route by random rolls. Really, it sucks. It was in a few early printings only.

 

[Whipsnade]

Wil,

Ahhh.. okay then.

Now that you've jogged my weary wetware, I seem to recall discussions about it in the past. If I can't remember much about it now, it must not have memorable - for good or bad - then.

Thanks again.


Regards,
Bill

 

[sabredog]

Original CT weapon values: (off my old Judges Guild Shield)



Body Pistol 3D-8
Automatic Pistol 3D-3
Revolver 3D-3
Carbine 4D-8
Rifle 3D
Automatic Rifle 3D
Shotgun 4D
Submachinegun 3D-3
Laser Carbine 4D
Laser Rifle 5D

Hands 1D
Claws 1D+3
Teeth 2D-3
Horns 2D-5
Hooves 2D-6
Stinger 3D-6
Thrasher 2D+2
Club 2D-3
Dagger 2D-3
Blade 2D
Foil 1D+4
Cutlass 2D+4
Sword 2D+1
Broadsword 4D
Bayonet 3D
Spear 2D+2
Halberd 3D
Pike 3D
Cudgel 2D