CT Only: Low Passage and You!

[BytePro]

IMTU, most long distance frozen travel is made in portable low berths (a part of them detachable as stretchers) so that they can even be transfered from ship to ship without reviving the traveller, so that he must only endure revival once, regardless the distance travelled or the number of ship transfers needed (and I must state I'm mostly a MT man, so revival problems use to be quite milder, and death an exceptional event).

That's how I do it to.

The berth 'beds' are government regulated and thus can be interchanged between ships, hospitals and morgues. This aids with the notion of investigating murder as well, since the berth goes with the passenger in the event of death. Its also useful for PCs who need evac in the field. :devil:

[MgT, IIRC has portable e-berths...]

 

[hdan]

Synthesizing some of the posts here, here is how I intend to use the Low lottery in my game:

After all passengers are aboard, make up tickets from 1 to X, where X is the number of low passengers. Each passenger draws a ticket. Whoever has the ticket with the number of SURVIVING passengers on it gets the lottery reward. If that passenger doesn't survive, the captain gets the money, though it's also customary for the Captain to give the money to the Ship's Doctor if that passenger can be revived. (Like someone said, we're only talking about a hundred Cr or so - not enough money that employed people would kill to get it.)

Consequently, unless something truly unfortunate happens, one of the passengers will get the money. To keep up the suspense, it is customary to deliver the lottery tickets with their numbers obscured by a "scratch off" back or similar technology. That gives passengers something to do while the others are revived. (That is, you wake up, scratch your card, and then "root for" your number to come up.) Since murder is illegal in the Imperium, the penalty for trying to "skew the results" is pretty high.

Low lottery isn't mandatory, but people who travel low will favor ships that *do* support the low lottery.

 

[BytePro]

Ah - and don't forget to save your tickets for a chance to improve your Social Status in the annual Holiday Imperium-Wide Mega-Low Lottery sweepstakes!

 

[Supplement Four]

Actually, S4, it says on TTB page 50:

Throw 5+ for each passenger when he is revived after the ship has landed. DMs: Attending medic of expertise of 2 or better, +1; low passenger with an endurance of 6 or less, -1. Failure to achieve the throw to revive results in death for the passenger.
​

It never says on how many dice...
You can get much saner rates by throwing 3d6... (wherin, with a competent medic, it becomes 1/216 = 0.46 death rate...)

Since it doesn't say how many let's just use 5 or 6...

Seriously, while the death rate is ridiculously high, isn't it pretty well understood that CT uses a 2 dice system?

Several throws in adventures are 3d for attribute or less. Including one in TTB. Combat and character gen are explicitly 2d throws.

The rule calls for two dice. See page 16 of the Traveller Book, under Die Rolling Conventions. "Generally, a dice throw involves two dice; exceptions requiring one die or three or more dice are clearly stated."

 

[Vladika]

The rule calls for two dice. See page 16 of the Traveller Book, under Die Rolling Conventions. "Generally, a dice throw involves two dice; exceptions requiring one die or three or more dice are clearly stated."

Thank you!

BTW, I love Rule 68A!

 

[BytePro]

Already quoted that rule back on post #7, btw.

Just adding another die is a good house ruling to decrease the odds.

Personally, I don't like the Low Berth purely random PC death thing, but do like the poor odds with Low Berth resulting in potential complications. Its nice setting flavor and my house rules dealing with such as 'merely' Clinical Death add the potential for random drama to be introduced to the game, without simply killing off a character for the sake of that flavor. It also makes more sense in a larger setting.

 

[Vladika]

Already quoted that rule back on post #7, btw.

Yes, you did. So, a thank you to you too. (Phonetically weird sentence...)

 

[Supplement Four]

Already quoted that rule back on post #7, btw.

Ooops! Sorry!

 

[BytePro]

Yes, you did. So, a thank you to you too. (Phonetically weird sentence...)

No thanks needed, of course, but you are welcome! (And yeah, 'thank you to you too' is pretty awkward. )

In defense of Aramis' post, after all these years I honestly wasn't sure CT explicitly called for two dice whenever not clearly stated, till I looked it up just a while back. Its also possible that the original edition didn't make this explicit.

After playing MgT for a while, I switched it to 3D6 for checks and combat. When I went back to (largely house ruled) CT, I did the same. Players seem to like DMs.

Ooops! Sorry!

No problem at all - I'm sure it got lost anyway, in all my other word vomit!

 

[Vladika]

In defense of Aramis' post...

Wasn't really ragging on him. I think anything that makes low passage survivable is a good idea.

I use combat damage rather than death. Even then, it is possible to die if stats are low, but then you do have a choice about getting in there to start with.

If you are old and/or feeble low passage isn't for you.

 

[Supplement Four]

When I went back to (largely house ruled) CT, I did the same. Players seem to like DMs.

I think TL DMs are the way to go. Maybe a +1 for TL 14 and a +2 for TL 15. That way, the majority of the low berths out there--which I'm guessing is around TL 13--will be as written in the book. You get a bump at TL 14. And another bump at TL 15.

But...I also think that these higher tech cold berths should command a higher price--which makes them non-cost effective for Travellers. Let's say 6,000Cr for TL 14 and 7,000Cr for TL 15, making a Mid-Passage a no brainer.

Therefore, you don't see a lot of TL 14+ cold berths in use.

That rule preserves the integrity of the original CT cold berth rule but also creates some safer cold berths for military vessels and such.





Something that you could add to this, or use instead, would be a modifier for high END scores. Characters already avoid the -1 DM if END-7+. How about a +1 DM at END-A or better and a +2 DM if END-C or better.

 

[Supplement Four]

I like BytePro's idea of using drugs, too. That's a creative use of something already in the game. Heck, with that idea, you don't really need to house rule it at all--you're just tweaking when death occurs.

The process to bring a sleeper out of cold sleep is typically automatic. Anybody can do it. Just hit the large, square, green switch on the berth. This is a 5+ throw, with a -1 DM if the sleeper had END-6 or less.

The automation probably has a lot to do with the death rate of cold berths.

If you are a Medic-2, then you know enough to operate the berth's manual controls and monitor the unit's operation, adjusting, as needed, the various drugs injected into the patient and adjusting the waking process as the patient comes out of suspended animation. This is where the +1 DM to the throw comes in.

If the throw is failed, then only a Medic-2 or better can attempt revival. He can see the patient going into arrest, and I'm sure that the panel shows red flags all over the place.

No medic means the patient is dead. People are complicated organisms, and a machine can only do so much without a human supervisor. That's why gunners are still needed for ship's weapons.

The Medic-2 gets one chance to save a patient in trouble. He has to override the berth's control unit and hit the functions that will make the berth inject Fast Drug into the patient. This will slow the sleeper's rate of death long enough for the Medic-2 to administer a drug that will heal the patient before he dies.

In game terms, the Fast Drug basically buys the berth character a second roll. Roll 5+ (-1 DM if berther END 6 or less; +1 DM for Medic-2 is automatic) to override the berth's systems and inject the Fast Drug before the character dies. If this roll is failed, the character is dead as the Medic-2 did not act quick enough.

If successful, then the Medic-2 can administer Medical Slow Drug.

Per the Medical Care rules in the combat chapter, the Medical Slow Drug will heal the patient completely in one day, and during that day, the patient will be unconscious/semi-conscious per the Medical Slow Drug rule. After that, the patient will have the effects of the Fast Drug for 60 days--they're basically comatose for two months, per the Fast Drug rule.





If the second throw is made by the Medic-2 to administer the Fast Drug, this results in substantial cost to the patient. Fast Drug costs 200Cr per dose to the ship. Since availability is not always certain, the standard mark up should be at least five times the cost, making it 1,000Cr to the low berther.

Medical Slow Drug costs the ship 100Cr per dose, so this is a 500Cr charge. Together, the low berther, in addition to his 1,000Cr Low Passage, will owe the ship another 1,500Cr should an emergency occur.



The other thing to consider is the legality of the drugs. Many times, low berthers will be brought out of cold sleep once the ship has touched down at its destination. The ship's doctor brings each low berther out of cold sleep, one by one, as the rest of the crew oversee cargo unloading and ship supple refreshment. Most starports have local extrality, but not all. If on a world where the starport does not enjoy extrality, the world could have laws against the use of some of these drugs. Use the Legality rules in the Drugs chapter.

If, indeed, Fast Drug and/or Medical Slow Drug are found to be illegal on a world, this may influence the decision of the Medic-2 to override the low berth's function and attempt to save the patient from dying. It is perfectly legal, by Imperial Law, for a Medic to ignore attempting revival if an incident occurs. (Interpolated by the paragraph describing Low Passage in the rules).

 

[Supplement Four]

FYI, the alternate Medical rules provided in JTAS 11 say, "When all three of a character's attributes are reduced to zero, death normally results. Death, however, is not instantaneous, and a character with Medical-2+ will be able to preserve the character in suspended animation for later treatment, providing that suitable hospital facilities (TL 9+) or a low berth or equivalent is available."

It also says, "Fast Drug alone will not be enough, as the patient will need extensive life supports during this period. His attributes remain at zero, and he will be vulnerable to any influence that interferes with his life supports, such as a severe jolt or depletion of needed supplies."

The rule goes on to say...

-- That the patient can be kept in suspended animation for 2-12 months and must be delivered to a TL 13+ hospital.

-- A Medic-4+ can keep the patient in suspended animation indefinitely, subject to the interference of life support described above.

-- Revival at the TL 13+ hospital is a 11+ throw, with DMs: +1 for every TL over TL 13. If this roll fails, the character dies.

-- If the Revival Throw is made, then the character remains in a comotose state with one point in each physical attribute. Treatment is needed for healing. Once per week, roll 9+, with DM +1 per TL over 12.

Making this roll means that one attribute is raised by one point. Which attribute rolled for must be decided before the roll is made.

If the roll is bricked, then that attribute is permanently reduced by one point.

The patient can do limited activity when all three of his physicals are returned to either 4 or their normal level.

-- Treatment is very expensive. The article gives the costs.

 

[Supplement Four]

If I were to use the JTAS 11 Alternate Medical Rules, I'd say that a berther coming out of cold sleep that bricked the roll can be shot with Fast Drug automatically, if the ship carries the drug, if the drug is stored for use in the berth, and if a character with Medic-2+ skill is overseeing the patient come out of cold sleep.

Then, I'd simply use the rules I outlined above. He'd automatically go back into cold sleep, with physicals at 000, and could be kept that way for 2-12 months. In which time, the patient must be delivered to a TL 13+ medical facility where the 11+ Revival throw is made. If he survives, the Treatment throw must be made in order to get his stats up to 4 or their orignal level.

And...somebody's got to pay for all this--the travel, the hospital expenses, the Ship's Medic's time, Fast Drug, etc.



EDIT: The medical bays on large Imperial warships probably qualify as TL 13+ facilities, thus minimizing the risk to the Frozen Watch.

 

[BytePro]

The rationale behind the JTAS article mirrors my own (independent - I never had any JTAS back in the day ). With respect to Low Berth revival - failed equipment will complicate the matter - and skill helps to identify the failure and work around it, of course.

My methods are not anywhere near so structured or quantified - I prefer a more flexible style where I adjust target values and DMs (and time/credit costs) situationally and around what my Players attempt to do. For starters, in the case of low berth revival - failure will be given a reason that will have an impact on what needs to occur.

It could be equipment (such as monitoring) failure, or a function of the individual - low EDU maybe they have unusual heart problems; disparate STR/DEX, maybe endocrine/nervous system irregularities. Low INT, maybe they used some counter indicated drugs prior to cold sleep. Low EDU, perhaps that did something stupid they were told would increase their survival rate. In addition, other aspects of character that are not quantified by stats may come into play. (Someone was trying to kill them; they were recently exposed to some plague; have implants designed to fool sensor readings for because they are spies, or are being spied upon; etc.)

As to just pressing the 'big green button', I only see that in the most advanced TLs, where the Low Berth functions as an Autodoc as well. For most I see big disclaimers, cryptic medical terminology and readouts with beguiling sets of controls - and a big red button under a latched flip up cover that the foolish, desperate or malicious can hit at any time! :devil:

 

[Supplement Four]

As to just pressing the 'big green button', I only see that in the most advanced TLs, where the Low Berth functions as an Autodoc as well.

It think the big green button is implied in the rule. A 5+ roll is needed to revive a character from low berth. There's a -1 DM if the sleeper has END 6 or less.

That means that any character can make that roll, without qualification. The Engineer. The Steward. The Pilot. It doesn't have to be the Ship's Doc. Any character can attempt the 5+ throw to revive a low berther.

Interpolating that, I'm assuming that the berth is fully automated. It's basically told to "go" when the big green button is hit, and it pulls a person from cold sleep automatically.





Medical Supervision

Now, if a character with Medic-2 or better supervises, there's a bonus +1 DM on the throw. This character knows enough to be able to edit the way the machine revives the patient.

Note that further Medical skill does not help. A Medic-2 and a Medic-5 both receive the same +1 DM.

That's because the machine does most of the work, and the Medic uses the interface to make alterations to the revival process.



Given the way the rule works, and the way the bonuses are set up, I think its obvious that the berth works (mostly) automatically.

 

[Supplement Four]

Note that further Medical skill does not help. A Medic-2 and a Medic-5 both receive the same +1 DM.

That's because the machine does most of the work, and the Medic uses the interface to make alterations to the revival process.

What I see happening is the berth doing something like injecting 10cc's of Adrenaline into the patient as part of the revival process. The dose is strictly calculated based on the patient's weight, and age. The Medic, considering the patient's bulk and using the medic's experience and knowledge (maybe the patient's homeworld conditions play a factor), adjusts that injection to 15cc's for this particular patient. Stuff like this earns the bonus +1 DM.

 

[BytePro]

It think the big green button is implied in the rule.

Oh, I didn't say the button doesn't exist, quite the contrary, likewise I did not dismiss automation at all...

...And automation alone results in death ~17% of the time (worse if EDU is low)!
Operation by Medic-2 doubles your odds!​

The rules therefore imply more controls and non-automatic actions than just a single button.

Lower TLs have more controls perhaps, but anyone may press them - with some precautions against accidents (my latched cover example). Would also expect some security (code/key/bio), but also some emergency provision that overrides such imperatives (at least when power is at issue).

The fact that extra medic skill gains no benefit reflects the limits of the machinery. In my version with Clinical Death, medic skill and levels definitely make a difference for those who die...

 

[McPerth]

The fact that extra medic skill gains no benefit reflects the limits of the machinery. In my version with Clinical Death, medic skill and levels definitely make a difference for those who die...

I like the idea of people failing the revival roll to be clinically dead, instead of truly dead. IMO, in this case, the best action by the medic in care would be to abort the revival at the first sign of dangerous awakening, and transfer the low berth to an advanced hospital for advanced care and awakening (where it could be reanimated from clinical death).

Of course this will abort some not so catastrophic bad awakenings, but will limit the true dead due to it.

 

[Supplement Four]

The rules therefore imply more controls and non-automatic actions than just a single button.

I think that we're preaching the same sermon. The big green button is for anybody to use. I said above, in my descritpions, that a Medic-2 can use the exteneded control panel.