Exile/Prison Worlds & Penal Colonies

[Keklas Rekobah]

I've written a quick-and-easy software program for generating random worlds.

(All together now, "Who hasn't, Keklas?")

The data is straight out of LBBs 3, 6 and 7. Thus, standard CT trade classes and comments prevail. My question is this: What criteria do you use for designating Exile Worlds, Penal Colonies and Prison Worlds? There are many possibilities.

Corporate worlds are GOV-1 (privately-contracted prisons, anyone?), colonies rely on ye olde POP-5+/GOV-6 rule, and an oppressive LAW level is A+.

But what do YOU use as criteria?

Thank you,
Keklas R.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I use Mongoose for prison rules. Sometimes though, I'll go with making Amber Zone worlds prison worlds when I need one for a system.

 

[aramis]

But what do YOU use as criteria?

See my website for the EC World Gen... that's my homebrew setting.

For the OTU, I use T5.09's tables.

 

[Timerover51]

To the extent that I have thought about it, I have one planet where they have two prison islands, one with a not so bad climate and the other with a sub-arctic climate. One is about 50,000 square miles and the other is over 100,000 square miles. Those prisoners that they feel do not deserve hanging or other form of capital punishment, but have more serious offenses than a year or so in jail, get sent to one or the other of the islands. Generally, there are not that many prisoners on the islands, as the planet's population is less than 100,000. The prisoners are dropped of with a survival kit, including fishing gear and a basic firearm (look up Marble Game Getter), along with 30 days of rations. They are told to be back at the drop-off point in a year. If still alive, they will be returned to civilization. This is for men only, women are exiled off-planet.

 

[coliver988]

As I am currently running my game in the OTU, I use whatever TravellerMap says to use as starting point. Cyan / Trojan Reach has an Imperial prison on it, and I extrapolated to my version (the Cyan write up is in the Files section under Miscellaneous).

I always figured, if I were to do another planet generating system, that prisons, capitols and so forth are by GM fiat. But I've yet to look more into the T5 rules as they expand things a bit more than the Scouts book (although I liked that book & did write a generator for all those little bits that no one actually visited).

 

[JimMarn]

Ice world for my prison planet, somne of the guard towers have guns that point outward to protect from the wild life and the locals. Asteroid hit years ago, which is now blammed on the 'star people'. This is a red zone planet.

http://travellergame.drivein-jim.net/articles/4/planet-kran-now

The Exiles are located around both Galaxy arms, as red zones, have what are considered odd ideas, like the universe is flat, or their home planet is flat, or other ideas I haven't detailed.

 

[Garnfellow]

I use Mongoose for prison rules. Sometimes though, I'll go with making Amber Zone worlds prison worlds when I need one for a system.

Where are the Mongoose rules for prisons?

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Where are the Mongoose rules for prisons?

2nd Ed. has rules for the character class of "Prisoner" (Core Rulebook, pp53-55), and the effects of Law Level on judicial proceedings (Core Rulebook, pp224-225).

Mongoose has nothing, AFAIK, that details the criteria for designating an entire world as a prison.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Where are the Mongoose rules for prisons?

The Prison Planet blue-titled book. Gareth's writing helps define where prisons might be located. MgT 2nd Edition borrowed just the chargen portion of that book. Also check with Scoundrels, Campaign Guide, Powers and Principalities, 1,001 Characters, for ideas on where prisons may turn up. Even military bases and ships have prisons. Generation ships will have them. Look for slave labor camps as well. Slaves sent off to work as belters. Penal colonies. That sort of thing. Maybe not an entire world, but on a world.

 

[kilemall]

I should think any captive government secondary world/moon would be a candidate for a prison.

Particularly ones with lethal atmos and/or animals outside.

 

[LeperColony]

I would think the characteristics of prison worlds would vary depending on the society that runs them. Different worlds are likely to have very different philosophies on justice, rehabilitation, punishment, etc.

Some prison planets are probably lawless dumping grounds on hell worlds. Others may be work farms or resource extraction centers, while others yet may be idyllic settings dedicated to personal improvement, psychological healing and job training.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Well ... according to Traveller 5 Errata, "Px" (Prison or Exile Camp) is a mainworld code, while "Pe" (Penal Colony) is a secondary code for use on non-mainworlds (subordinate worlds).

Thus, criteria for a facility for the detention and housing of criminals and exiles in a Prison or Exile Camp (Px) could include:

• Main world.
• Amber Travel Zone and Starport A through E.
• Red Travel Zone and Starport is Class-X for hardened, violent criminals.
• POP is 5+ and GOV is 6 (conforms with mainworld colony). POP could be 2+ and GOV could be 1 to conform to a corporate-run prison world.
• LAW is A+ (oppressive).
• TEC is 4 to 6 (pre-space).
• Not a Garden World (Preferred Trade Classes: De, He, Ic, Wa).
• Not on a main trade or travel route.

Criteria for a Penal Colony (Pe) could include:

• Secondary/Subordinate world.
• Red Travel Zone and Spaceport F, G, H or Y.
• POP is 2+ (Conforms with Fa and Mi subordinate worlds).
• If GOV is 1, then the prison is corporate-run.
• LAW is A+ (oppressive).
• TEC is 0 to 3 (primitive).
• Not a Garden World (Preferred Trade Classes: As, De, He, Ic, Va, Wa).

No, I don't have access to all of MgT's rules, so I usually default to CT rules, instead.