OjnoTheRed's Leviathan SOLO campaign

[OjnoTheRed]

I'm sharing this at timerover51's request on the Jump Drive TL's thread. I've typed up quite a lot as my game has gone on, so I'll just post how I got started for now and post more detail as time goes on.

Firstly, these are the resources I am using:

1. Cepheus Engine SRD (well, duh)
2. SOLO campaigns for the Cepheus Engine
3. Classic Traveller Adventure 4: Leviathan
4. 1,000,001 characters for the Cepheus Engine (link in my signature)
5. World Map Generator for T5 (link in my signature)
6. Location Crafter (DriveThruRPG Link)

I'll just say here I highly recommend the Location Crafter as a way of abstracting mapping down to three lists: encounters, places and objects as part of making one's way through a particular location. It's $3 on DriveThruRPG.

Attached is my conversion of the Leviathan to the Cepheus Engine. The various workshops are included at MCr1 per ton indicating fully equipped advanced tools. Also included are the Ship's Boat and Shuttle designs using the Cepheus Engine, an example encounter table using the Location Crafter, and a utility I developed for quickly determining in-system travel times. I have found that in-system travel times are far from trivial; journeying to a gas giant for refuelling can be a matter of 4 or 5 days.

I assumed the adventure started at Berengaria / Spinward Marches and started calculating dates from 001-1107 as indicated in the published adventure. The first step was 'hiring on'.

I went a bit overboard. I looked through the 'minimum skill requirements' for the positions, and then used the character generator in my link to generate a mix of 500 characters with a mix of careers that would bring up the desired skill mix. So I had 'Bureaucrat' as well as the space careers and some military and army types for a mix of Admin, Computer, spaceship relevant, Merchant and combat skills. I then trawled my way through the downloaded text file to select the crew.

I selected six of the senior crew as my PCs for the campaign; the remaining characters have names, a stat line and a career history but I have not developed them. Here are the PCs:

Master - Captain
Captain Kuga Parikh (Female Human) B47AC7 Age 38
Navy(5) Cr20000
Admin-0 Advocate-1 Carousing-0 Comms-2 Engineering-0 Gravitics-1 Jack o' Trades-2 Leadership-2 Life Sciences-0 Natural Weapons-1 Slug Rifle-0 Social Sciences-0 Tactics-1 Turret Weapons-0 Wheeled Vehicle-1 Zero-G-1
High Passage(x4), Annual Pension from the Navy: Cr10000

Executive Officer - 1st Officer
Supervisor Phan-li Moa (Female Human) 4897C7 Age 38
Bureaucrat(5) Cr70000
Admin-2 Bribery-0 Carousing-1 Computer-1 Electronics-0 Engineering-0 Leadership-0 Liaison-1 Medicine-1 Space Sciences-0 Tracked Vehicle-1 Wheeled Vehicle-0
Mid Passage(x2), Annual Pension from the Bureaucracy: Cr10000

Pilot - 1st Officer
Third Officer Sarah Evans (Female Human) 87B482 Age 26
Merchant(2) Cr-4000
Pilot-2 Medicine-2 Steward-1 Navigation-1 Comms-1 Shotgun-0 Streetwise-0 Broker-0 Engineering-0 Slashing Weapons-0 Broker-0 Grav Vehicle-0

Chief Engineer - 1st Officer
Second Officer Rumon Ghoshal (Male Human) 88AA98 Age 34
Merchant(4) Cr70000
Advocate-1 Broker-0 Comms-2 Engineering-2 Linguistics-0 Medicine-1 Natural Weapons-0 Piloting-1 Slug Rifle-0 Space Sciences-1 Steward-2 Veterinary Medicine-0 Wheeled Vehicle-0
High Passage(x2), Ship Shares

Chief Gunner - 1st Officer
Lt Commander Vasudev Zamindar (Male Human) 625C59 Age 36
Merchant(1), Navy(3) Cr0
Broker-0 Comms-0 Computer-0 Engineering-1 Grav Vehicle-1 Leadership-1 Natural Weapons-0 Navigation-2 Slashing Weapons-1 Slug Pistol-0 Social Sciences-0 Steward-1 Tactics-1 Turret Weapons-2 Wheeled Vehicle-0 Zero-G-1

Computer Officer - 2nd Officer
Crewman Dilip Peae (Male Human) 78C989 Age 40
Bureaucrat(2), Drifter(1), Drifter(1), Merchant(0) Cr56000
Admin-2 Bribery-0 Carousing-0 Computer-2 Electronics-1 Engineering-1 Leadership-0 Medicine-1 Riding-0 Space Sciences-0 Steward-1 Streetwise-1 Tracked Vehicle-0 Wheeled Vehicle-1
Shotgun

I then rolled for life events using the SOLO rules; or selected them from the character history (the character generator outputs a full blow-by-blow for each term including survival mishaps, career changes and skills gained each term). More on that in another post. I'll just say here that for 'existing relationships' I rolled randomly between the PCs and discovered that the Exec and Captain are former lovers, and the Chief Engineer and Chief Gunner are current lovers. Interesting. There were some dark secrets added too.

Enough for now, I will post more detail about what I discovered about the rest of the crew and PC relationships. Then the 'crew shakedown' cruise.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Life Events and relationships - Kuga Parikh (captain of the Leviathan)

Before we get to the events of the campaign, SOLO suggests we establish some backstory.

Starting with our Captain Kuga Parikh. I rolled 3 life events and a relationship with another PC:

Life Events:
1. Had to create a new life event for herself
2. Was betrayed by a close friend. Today you are deadly enemies. Motivation for applying for job, perhaps?
3. Should have stood up to a powerful figure. Always regret not doing so.

Relationship:
Divorced due to past incident from Phan-li Moa (Executive Officer): previously married to Phan-li as young women, Phan-li stayed on her homeworld as a bureaucrat while Kuga joined the Navy against Phan-li's wishes. They divorced as a result. Their relationship is cordial but strictly professional now, although who knows when tensions will come to the surface, especially as Kuga has to rely on Phan-li as XO?

I then got creative with the Life Events:
A native of Regina, Kuga spent 20 years in the Imperial Navy and rose steadily to the rank of Captain. She was inspired to join the Navy as the Fourth Frontier War happened in her early teenage years and left an impression on her of the Zhodani threat, especially as the final battle of the war happened in her home system.

She is a very able-minded and highly well-read person. She quickly showed a willingness to learn how to lead people and operate communications and sensors as she focused her time on the Bridge. In rising to Lt Commander she received her first significant command - a Gazelle class Close Escort Antelope. Her competent leadership saw her promoted to Commander and given command of a Chrysanthemum class Destroyer Escort the Carinatum, before graduating to commanding a Light Cruiser.

She walked away from the Imperial Navy when a close friend who had been her equal for many years was promoted ahead of her and subsequently made some very bad calls. In particular this admiral did not send aid when requested in-system when fighting pirates, instead sending valuable fleet resources to what had been established as a decoy. Further, Kuga regrets her own actions, letting subordinates take their support craft to support the Admiral's orders instead of using her Captain's authority to keep them where they could have helped her beleaguered ship. This led to heavy damage to Kuga's ship and the loss of many of her crew. Kuga has never forgiven her friend for that, nor forgiven herself.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Life Events and relationships - Vasudev Zaminder (Chief Gunner - 1st Officer)

Vasudev has been a mercurial character in this drama, and I have added to this background after two repeated bad reactions. However, he made a name for himself in a later episode as chief gunner, winning over the crew.

Relationship:
Phan-li but feuding or cold.

Life Events:
As a young Merchant recruit, Zaminder pried through a High Passenger's belongings and was caught, which saw him sacked on the spot. However, he took a copy of some encrypted data from one of his mark's devices, and his intelligence found a compromising secret about this passenger. As he was young, the Captain gave him an honourable discharge. He straightened his ways and attempted to enlist in the Navy. But he was refused, blacklisted because someone who knew the passenger and knew of the pilfering made sure the Navy recruiting office knew (Phan Li). He was then drafted into the subsector Navy, which barred him from a Commission for 4 years. The next term, however, his intelligence shone through and he was promoted to Lieutenant. After an additional term, he advanced to the rank of Lt Commander, serving as a gunnery chief before deciding to apply for the Leviathan.
Profited from a dirty secret and owe any promotion or money to that secret: he still has the data on a personal advice; from his perspective they are a mysterious series of encrypted files. They contain financial records that would prove the business dealings of that particular high passenger were fraudulent. The megacorporation employing that passenger would pay a lot for them.
Realized your parents hate you. Why? Parents wanted him to make a name for himself in military service, but he wanted to join the Merchants. They were emotionally abusive to him as a child and growing up, although as with many emotionally but not physically abused children, he internalised it and did not realise it was abusive. He internalised some bad habits, including leading to the thieving. Phan-li is a cousin and along with the rest of the family, adopted the habit of putting him down in public. Moderate success in the Navy helped him grow up, and he resigned to take the Leviathan opportunity.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Life Events and relationships - Phan-li Moa (Executive Officer - 1st Officer)

I am now wondering if Phan-li was appointed to make sure the crew did everything in their power to keep Kuga safe.

Life Events
1. Suffered amnesia. Something bad happened to you but your memories are vague. Not used - imagination ran dry.
2. Carried out a secret task for your bosses but you were rewarded.
3. Made an enemy. It's your fault. You shouldn't have ... ?

Relationships
Share a secret past incident - Zaminder

Knows about Zaminder's incident with a high passenger.

Phan-li was tasked with tracking that particular passenger - Russell Fowler - for fraud. She still wonders what happened to the copy of the data and suspects Zaminder still has it (correctly). Zaminder has no idea she was involved in the incident and only regards her as a relation who reminds him of how inadequate he is.

The data would have been the nail in the coffin for Russel Fowler. He was convicted of much less than he was guilty, and so his connections meant he escaped a heavy penal sentence, instead servicing out 1 year of 'house arrest' in his luxurious estate. He is now a major enemy of Phan Li vowing revenge for his humiliation. He has connections to Arkesh Spacers. However, the data that Zaminder has would lead to a greater conviction, one which his connections would be unwilling to quash given the depth of his fraud.

Phan-li was rewarded with a substantial bonus for her administrative investigative work.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Life Events and relationships - Sarah Evans (Pilot - 1st Officer)

Evans has been in the background a bit as I couldn't really flesh out her story any more. Rather bland Pilot figure.

Life Events:
1. Fled your homeworld - devastated by plague, war, famine or asteroid strike.
2. A terrible crime was committed against you. It haunts you still.
3. Learnt something you shouldn’t know – you fled for your own safety.

Combine naturally: homeworld devastated by war - Hi Pop balkanized world - Ruie? Fled when family was murdered by enemy troops in front of her. While hiding, overheard the soldiers talk about ... ? Something that made her even more scared than watching her family murdered. Scraped by as a homeless war orphan until signed on to a Free Trader and spent 8 years with them before applying for the Leviathan job. Trauma explains the lower intelligence score.

Relationship:
Rumon Ghoshal (Chief Engineer) Old (and these days ex-friend) etc.
Ignored. Connections are too much like Days of Our Lives. I don't mind a little soap opera in my space opera, but, sheesh. Known Space is pretty big. Lone war orphan narrative doesn't fit a connection.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Life Events and relationships - Rumon Ghoshal (Chief Engineer - 1st Officer)

Because he served 4 terms in the Merchants and then signed-on, I ruled that he was a career merchant in the Barraci Technum. Was about to sign off after 4 terms to try something else, but interviewed successfully for Chief Engineer's job for Leviathan.

Life Events.
1. Fell in love with a professional rival. The affair flips between passion and rivalry.
2. Realized your parents hate you. Why?
3. Were forced to take part in an immoral mission or duty. Your actions still haunt you.

Relationship:
Vasudev Zamindar (Chief Gunner) - Married Couple - Rumon Ghoshal.

Is Vasudev a rival and they are also married? Would make for an interesting stormy relationship. Nah - doesn't marry up with their respective histories. Let's say the marriage is a recent thing, a whirlwind romance as they met each other through the sign-on process. (Yes - Everyone Is Gay as the YouTube clip says). It would make sense that two men who realised their parents hated them would connect with each other - but that is as far as I really got with Rumon.

I still haven't decided on Life Event 3.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

First Event: Shakedown Cruise

Dates: 001-1107 to 028-1107
Location: Berengaria / 0505 Pax Rulin

All crew positions filled although some compromises made.

Hiring lead by the Kuga Parikh with help from relevant first officers for positions they will supervise. Barraci Technum has inserted two known operatives - Jyoti MacDonald (Purser) Abram Khanna (Navigator) and two unknown operatives Jonathan Jain (Master at Arms) and Manassah Taylor (Computer Operator). Note that all crew have stats generated but I am not bothering to post them here unless everyone really wants them. It's just output from the Cepheus Engine character generator.

Rolled "Tell me, D6" for results on hiring: "bad stuff happens but not yet catastrophic" is the result. Reading the adventure module for inspiration, I decided that there are 2 concealed Arkesh Spacers operatives: Rachel Posokaa (Galley Hand) and Florence Ghosh (Steward). They don't know each other but each are aware they are not the only operative. Their brief: observe and report back on key contacts, look for opportunities to sabotage mission, especially by giving away ship position to Arkesh Spacer forces, e.g. on the ground when ship is in port.

Say two weeks for hiring on. At the time I had just been on 3 selection panels for new teaching staff at our school and I know it's slow, grinding work.

Two weeks crew shake down - initial patrolling and testing around system.

The plan: go out to gas giant, practice wilderness refueling and return. Schedule of drills and tests. Foolproof, Safe. DM+1 for extensive crew with multiple skills and assets. Rolled 7+1=8, plan succeeds. Avoid bad consequence (roll 10+1=11), but the good consequence is "tracks covered, no evidence left behind" which makes no sense so I ignore it.

Flight out to Gas Giant "Mugriatis" to trial refueling: distance between 2.4 AU (closest approach) and 8.0 AU (farthest possible). Present distance - about halfway between (random roll) - or 5.2 AU away.

3 day journey to Mugriatis. 2 days bed down shifts - roster familiarisation, ship familiarisation and routine operations. Briefings in cargo bay - all crew (2nd pilot and 2nd Engineer on duty listen in). Tone set.

Crew reaction? "Tell me, D6" said "all OK for now" for crew shakedown, so assuming everything went well.

Crew (apart from secret operatives) all eager for this assignment, listening attentively to Captain, general discipline good, perhaps only minor problems.

Day 3 drills: transfer from routine to battle stations and to evacuation. No real pressure, but more reassurance that everyone understands their stations.

Days 4-5 - refueling operations; completely refill tanks would take 15D hours - or 46 hours rolled. This would be able to be refined by shunting incoming raw gasses into holding tanks for the purifiers. Thus, 2 days completes refueling. Routine operations.

Days 6-9 - travel back to Berengaria - rest day as far as possible - quiet shifts, down time encouraged.

Day 7 - battle stations drills. Target practice, gunnery operations assessed. Kuga as Master notices Phan-li talking down to Vasudev a lot, constantly needling him (see Bad Reaction below). Chides Phan-li privately who bristles slightly but remains professional.

Day 9 - final travel day back - battle station drills continue, including launching craft.

Days 10-14 (23-1107 to 28-1107) - further drills and tests with supplies ferried up from Berengaria as shakedown reveals needs and odds and ends.

Incident occurs (see Bad Reaction below). Captain notices that gunnery crews slow to respond to Chief Gunner, catches signs of disrespect. She holds this information for now, thinking about how to raise this with him later. Wonders if it is linked to Phan-li's disrespect earlier.

Leave is rotated, with officers and crew getting 2 days' leave. One rumour for the PCs with Rumon Ghoshal (Chief Engineer) leading - mainly hanging around bars where fellow merchant crews hang around. Taking Vasudev with him (naturally).

They got talking to an old Marine. Rumour L. This retired marine (age 50, 674899) can provide general information about Ashley's Rock (0801 D100120-5 Ni) from the time he was part of a small occupation force during the Fourth Frontier War some twenty years ago. Naturally the information is a bit vague and conditions on the planet may have changed. He remembers underground warrens and constant town hall meetings on this small rock with low gravity.

The route plan: Bantrel at 0306 Pax Rulin; scout and refuel, check systems after first jump. Check out Amber Zone cautiously.

THEN -> 0805 Egryn (unknown); 0505, 0306, 0507, 0508, 0808, 0805, back to Bantrel and Berengaria. Ignoring Ashley's Rock, sounds boring.

Bad Reaction: checked weekly, and avoided a Bad Reaction until ...

Bad Reaction Week 4 - 2nd week of crew shake-down (in system). PC: Vasudev Zamindar. Bad Reaction: The PC is overcome by guilt, fear loneliness, remorse or simply retreats to a regular addiction.

Shipping out on a Merchant ship brings up memories of his crime. Constant taunts from Phan-li Moa who, like his parents, thought he was a disappointment to the family, do not help. Retreats to his stateroom to zone out on video games and relatively mild sedatives. Misses a lot of work. Loses the respect of the gunnery team.

028-1107 - jump outsystem to Bantrel

OK, this is mostly story telling but looking up the various mechanics to play this out helped me get used to how SOLO is played. I also settled on some conventions for myself for time-keeping and game play.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Event 2: Jump to Bantrel System (0306 Pax Rulin)

014-1107 to 021-1107 - in Jump
Rolled a 9 to avoid a bad reaction during jump.

Rumon new marriage and affection for Vasudev and becomes somewhat of a buffer to Phan-li. Rumon and Vasudev relay what the Marine told them about Ashley's Rock to Kuga. It confirms her decision to concentrate in the rimward part of the subsector on the projected 6-month cruise. Ashley's Rock sounds like it lacks opportunities.

Kuga runs through jump exit preparation: procedure will be immediate scan of surroundings, all crews at battle stations.

021-1107: Arrive at Bantral - see next post for brief notes on the Bantrel System.

No Space encounter (rolled using Leviathan Adventure rules rather than Solo).

Landing is routine. Nothing out of the ordinary happens at the Starport (rolled for Starport Encounters for a random PC using Solo table). Encounter a neutral maintenance crew.

Crew given one-week leave.

Abram (2nd Pilot) wanders into Scout Base to check out rumours and check-in as an ex-Scout. Lets Captain Kuga know through Sarah (1st Pilot).

Rumour found: The complement of scout boats at Bantral / Pax Rulin scout base has been increased due to interest by the IGS in certain phenomena in the Outrim. The Eshraani Protostar - 0810 Ergryn Subsector / 1610 Spinward Marches gas cloud has exhibited unusual activity - and scout vessels are being sent to investigate. Having purchased Referee's Briefing: Anomalies and Wonders, I threw this into the mix; may not be used but we'll see. May as well use source books I've read!

Refueling, including refining, routine. Routine inquiries about nature of trade off-planet, but nothing spectacular added to general knowledge of politics of subsector.

Jump out of system 028-1107 bound for 0805 Egryn and first 'mystery' stop.

Ruled that although the next stop is to a star system with no details listed on the charts, the starship can take reasonable measurements through sensors to determine the jump plot including choosing to go to the inner system, and locating the main world. TL8 doppler telescopes can spot exoplanets in the present day, so I figure TL13 sensors can do way better.

I will now be reading each 'mystery' entry in the Egyrn subsector as the ship jumps in, do a bit of world-building from the notes in the adventure, and make up something from there. I'm up to Event 7 in my notes, so several more episodes are due.

Trust me, things are going to get much more interest next episode. In fact, I'll start calling them "Episodes" rather than events.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

PLACE: Bantrel System 0306 Pax Rulin / 1906 Trojan Reach

Travellermap.com data in T5 format:
Bantrel 0306 Pax Rulin / 1906 Trojan Reach C886589-9 Ag Ni Ga Pr {0} (A44+1) [656A] PBG=503 Worlds=8 F5 V Scout Base

Some information at http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Bantral_(world)

I generated a map, changing the seed a couple of times until I got what I liked. Direct link to map.

My notes - inferring things from the adventure and UWP data and got some ideas from other places but forget where:
Government by Civil Service Bureaucracy. Bantral has high agricultural status and trade connections to both the Foederate and the Imperium.

Amber Zone due to the clashing trade connections; a warning is advised about dealing with Senlis Foederate ships and visiting crews who can be antagonistic towards Imperial ships. Bantral produces a variety of high quality agricultural products that are in demand, and local tech level, although not high on an interstellar scale, enables extremely efficient practices supported by fusion power. The world relies on imported technology but keeps it at TL9 to enable easy maintenance.

The Scout Base is a forward installation that keeps an eye on developments with the Senlis Foederate and whose reports are largely responsible for the Amber Zone classification.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

A note on my record-keeping conventions

I am using Evernote to organise my SOLO play. It is similar to Microsoft's One Note.

Each PC and each NPC including the crew have one note each. Apart from stats, I note there the 'bad reaction' rolls and any other event that has happened to that character including dates.

The ship and each ship's vehicle has a note, and so do ships encountered.

Each Place (i.e. planetary system) has a note. I dump the stats, notes from the Adventure, my thoughts, a generated map in there.

Most importantly, each Event (now Episode) also has a note, which I am transcribing here.

So there are:

• PCs
• Crew and other NPCs
• Places
• Ships
• Events

 

[Mithras]

This is fabulous stuff! The crew are coming alive, and using the Leviathan is a great move, it's a fantastic ship and well documented. I hope it works out well!

 

[Starflyer]

Very inspirational posts, I've been procrastinating over a solo campaign based on the T20 Scout Cruiser in the Gateway/Ley region for months and your posts and recommended tools have me all excited for 2018. Great stuff keep it coming.....

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 3: Jump into 0805 Egyrn (Vior system)

028-1107 - 035-1107 - in-jump

On-board events (Turned to the Scouts Campaign p. 110 SOLO for this): Shipboard training

Kuga orders battle drills and alerts. Plan for coming out of jump is immediate scan for threats and crew at battle stations. Agreed with First Officers that this should be seen as a routine procedure.

Zaminder had a bad reaction during Jump. Bad Temper: The situation has gotten to Zaminder who vents their anger at everyone around him. He is feeling the pressure of "being discovered" but in fact no-one around him (apart from Phan-li) has any idea of his history. Phan-li files the outburst away for future reference. Kuga and Phan-li both note that each has seen the outburst. They agree in private to keep an eye on it but also formally counsel Zaminder in private to 'keep it together'. No-one wants the Chief Gunner coming apart when the chips are down.

Sarah Evans is particular hurt by Dilip's anger being directed at her. She thought she had done something wrong and was made highly anxious.

System target: inner system. No navigation data; jump aimed for 100D of central star.

Ship arrives out of jump. No starship encounter.

Scanned the star system: Navigation or Comms. Difficult (-2) 1-6 hours. Scan success - 8 rolled; DM +2 for Navigation skill Crew: Abram Khanna (Navigator) [2nd Officer] , so success! 6 hours.

System mapped out: Vior 0805 Egyrn / 1605 Trojan Reach - see next post for details.

Decide to head to Inner System to investigate - to inner most world of Vior. Logical, given it is the warmest planet and a vacuum, less actively hostile world than others.

Travel Distance (randomised): 45 million km. 18 hours 38 minutes

Using the Scout / Survey rules from SOLO. I have decided to mix up the different campaign types. As this is now a survey mission in uncharted territory, the survey rules seem the most appropriate. This gives me a chance to build each world as we encounter it, structuring it around the SOLLO survey campaign. But I will use the Traveller campaign tables where appropriate to keep encounters coming.

Devote 3 survey rolls to this world (Vior, the mainworld). First roll 15 - surface anomaly. Located in 7 hours - this matches the description in Leviathan so well, it was meant to be!

036-1107
Discovered the surface anomalies indicated in the world description.

Landing party formed - to be sent down in the Ship's Boat.

Captain's Log: now wishing specific landing party or survey personnel included in crew. Selecting landing party based on range of skills - security, liaison, trading, leadership.

All are wearing Vacc Suits. Away party all carrying personal communicators; Dilip carrying hand computer. Security carrying short range communicator. Also brought a surveying toolkit.

Landing party:

1. PC: Kuga Parikh (Master) [Captain] (Rifle 4kg, 3D6 dmg, spare mag)
2. Crew: Farah Ocheedsu (Security) [4th Officer] (Laser Pistol, 4D6 dmg)
3. PC: Dilip Peae (Computer Officer) [2nd Officer] (Shotgun, 4D6 dmg, spare mag) for his Admin, Streetwise skills
4. PC: Vasudev Zamindar (Chief Gunner) [1st Officer] (Auto Pistol, 2D6, spare mag)

Ship's Boat crew:

1. Crew: Nirali Mekaraku (Pinnace Pilot) [3rd Officer]
2. Crew: Dame Lalitha Kanani (Engineer - Pinnace ) [4th Officer] (Auto Pistol)
3. Crew: Jagdish Kanani (Pinnace Gunner) [4th Officer]
4. Specialist: Mineralogist Abel Glanz - remaining in the Ship's Boat until given the all-clear to come in safely while landing party scouts around.

I forgot to mention, in addition to the crew there are four scientists to help with survey and analysis.

Crew land (less than an hour) at anomaly site. Survey Problem: Equipment lost or destroyed (9+) to avoid. Result: 7; some equipment destroyed. Survey equipment destroyed - will need to be replaced in future.

Originally planned to be a 12 hour survey. Destroyed equipment left the away-party at 24 hours.

Investigating the anomaly airlocks discovered! Rusted shut - how easy to open? Tell me, D6. "3 - OK for now". So not difficult to pry open.

Lalitha asked to rig the door so it can be closed again from the inside and inner door opened. Ship's Boat waiting outside, landed. Gunner and Pilot with specialist remain on board. Others go inside.

Initial plan is low risk, players use caution on doors, and everything goes to plan. Survey equipment destroyed, so cannot read atmosphere. Players keep Vacc Suits sealed.

Here I wanted a less abstract adventure, but did not want to draw a map. Map-drawing is fun, but at this point I wanted to keep the story moving for my own entertainment. This made me reflect on my Refereeing - there comes a time when less detail or a brief description is better because you want the cut to the good stuff - dramatic tension.

Perfect for the The Location Crafter: in brief, this product gets you to construct three lists: places, encounters and objects and then build a 3-column encounter table, randomising how these three things link up together. For each roll on each column, you add DM+1 to the roll until you get to the end of that column, then remove the DMs and start again. This way you build a story straight out of the encounter table. It's a great device and has saved my backside at the gaming table several times.

The location is basically a series of encounters with troglodyte inhabitants who want to eat the players. But overpopulated in narrow caverns / habitats. Run-down starship style interiors. Rats feed off moulds and growths which locals eat when they are not eating each other.

TL1 means metal, water wheel and other effective technology - not Stone Age! But what materials are used? Scrap metal can be re-worked, but is generally cut or filed rather than forged. What energy is available?

Loads of bone are available - cannibalistic society uses all body parts, and bones are fashioned into weapons, including bows that use gut-string from people! Oxygen has to be provided by trees or shrubs, implying the failed colony had a reservoir of water - most likely underground ice. Ice is harvested and heated - but again, fuel? How about captured heat from solar heat-mirrors angling light from the surface into heat-storage. Labour is needed to crush / melt ice to water gardens for oxygen supply; insect and bacterial cultures kept alive, and a food-chain up to rodent scavengers that are the diet of the people. Processing of fats gives some access to oil lamps and other grease / industrial products. This, in turn, implies a massive population of these rat-creatures.

Ice with dissolved minerals > enters gardens and plants > eaten by insects > eaten by rodents > eaten by humans. The dissolved minerals and particular interactions in food chain lead to the anagathic compounds mentioned in the world description.

History of degradation of technology? short - say 3 generations but long generations due to anagathic effects listed in adventure; technology still in living memory but much expertise lost. General importance of solar mirrors understood as is air supply from gardens. Eating each other a form of population control.

File attached - Location Craft table. The rolls on this table guide events.

How will the cannibal Viorans greet them on the other side?

Initial hallway is roughly carved rock where the roof has been arched for strength. Completely dark except for the lights coming from PCs vacc suits.

First encounter:
Location: Expected (hallway), Encounter: Curious Family, Object: human bones.

Family has guarded reaction (thanks, SOLO reaction table!)
Kuga attempts to talk to them, to persuade them to improve their reaction (Difficult -2, SOC, Liaison or Streetwise). Rolls a six. Family backs up, fearfully.

Dilip removes helmet, smiles and also tries (Difficult -2, SOC, Streetwise, so a +2 total for Dilip). Also rolls a six.

Head of family says 'wait here' and they go off.

Kuga Check INT: realises that they will be going to get reinforcements or other trouble. Decides to press on into the complex. All keep Vacc suits on but with faceplates lifted, oxygen turned off as atmosphere obviously breatheable.

Second encounter:
Location: Expected (hallway), Encounter: rodent scavengers, Object: human bones.

Need stats for rodent scavengers and to roll reaction, possible combat.
Omnivore Hunter (Survival, Instinct+2), 1kg : Str=1, Dex=1D6, End=1, Int=0, Instinct=10, Pack=10
3D6 appearing, Armour=0, Weapons=Claws+2, Damage=1D6, Speed=1, Attack=10+, Flee=5-

9 appear! Reaction? 7 = stand still

Characters are disgusted but don't want to attract attention and walk past them.
New reaction? stand still

Characters walk past them and are watched by the disgusting rodents.

Third encounter:
Location: Ice Crushing facility, Encounter: curious family, Object: oil lamps
Family are carrying oil lamps and they are in brackets on the walls. Come across ice crushing facility which players quickly guess is a water supply. It is the same curious family; reaction is now 6 - unconcerned. Family come up to players and sniff them, making comments like "smells good", "this one will be delicious", "this one will be good but only if you are very hungry and not fussy - better than rat." They answer some questions about the ice crushing facility.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 3: Jump into 0805 Egyrn (Vior system) - part 2

Fourth Encounter:
Location: Expected (hallway), Encounter: butcher / rat hunter, Object: mechanics toolkit
Tell Me, D6: person: bad, bad, bad; situation :Ok for now

The butcher / rat hunter is coming at the family's request; they were unconcerned because they knew a big ugly rat hunter was on his way. 'OK for now': butcher is hostile but does not manage to ambush them but he wants to kill them for food.

Used the Cepheus Engine character generation (link in my sig) to roll up the Barbarian Dash Church (Male Human) Dex DM +0

Landing party:
PC: Kuga Parikh (Master) [Captain] (Rifle 4kg, 3D6 dmg, spare mag) Dex DM -1
Crew: Farah Ocheedsu (Security) [4th Officer] (Laser Pistol, 4D6 dmg) Dex DM +0
PC: Dilip Peae (Computer Officer) [2nd Officer] (Shotgun, 4D6 dmg, spare mag) for his Admin, Streetwise skills, Dex DM +0
PC: Vasudev Zamindar (Chief Gunner) [1st Officer] (Auto Pistol, 2D6, spare mag), Dex DM -2

COMBAT. Range: short (approx. 10 meters or 7 squares).
Tactics Check by Kuga: Roll 11 +1 Tactics Skill = Effect +4
Tactics Check by Dash: Roll 8+1 Tactics Skill = Effect +1
Initiative:
Dilip - 10 +4 =14
Kuga - 9 +4 =13
Farah - 7 +4 =11
Vasudev - 4+4 =8

Dash: 4+1 =5

Dilip - holding shotgun so no draw necessary; major action: attack; -2 range (short) -3 lack of skill; impossible to hit!
Kuga - holding rife so no draw necessary; major action: attack; +0 range; -1 Dex DM; roll:3 - misses
Farah - draws laser pistol; major action: attack; +0 range; +0 Dex DM; +2 skill; roll: 11 +2=13 (effect =5), hits, 17 +5 = 22 damage -3 armour = 19 damage. Endurance reduced to 0; then applied to strength now 7.
Vasudev - draws auto pistol; attach: +0 range; -2 Dex DM; +0 skill; roll: 11 -2 = 9 (effect=1); damage 6 (roll 8 + 1 for effect -3 armour = 6). Dexterity now 2.

Dash - moves 6 meters to close range with Kuga, now at 3 meters or close range. Attacks with spear: +0 range, +0 strength DM; +0 skill; roll: 11 (effect +3); damage: 11 +3 = 14 - 6 = 8 applied to END; Kuga END now 0, STR now 10.

Combat Round 2:
Dilip - closes to Close range (minor action), major action: attack; +0 range -3 lack of skill; roll: 6 (miss)
Kuga - rifle attack - 2 range (close) - roll 6 (miss)
Farah - attack +0 range, +0 Dex DM, +2 skill: roll: 10+2 = 12 (effect=4), hits: 23 damage +4 = 27 -3 armour = 23 damage. Dash dies!

Quick search of body reveals mechanic kit, and the bone / plastic construction of spear, obviously made from scrounged plastic. Also rat pelts on his belt. Bow is a bone / plastic construction.

Kuga - temporary UWP A40AC7 - wounded.

Decision made to evacuate captain and party back to Ship's Boat waiting for take-off. If I did this episode over again, I would not evacuate the ship out of the system, but send down another, more heavily armed landing party. At the time I did this, as the Player, I was given a fright by the combat rolls. However, the recovery was straight-forward.

Encounters: ruling that there are none, evacuation proceeds without incident.

Total takes slightly better than 1 hour back to ship's boat and then into orbit.

Total expedition time: 25 hours. Now 038-1107
Kuga taken to sick bay. First aid applied: effect 1 (1 point restored, aid within hour but not 5 minutes).

Kuga orders refueling operations, Phan-li Moa to take command and jump out to 0505 Egryn

Log: filled in hostile nature of locals, notes further exploration necessary but although an interesting mystery, no apparent valuable trade. Rather, hazard marked in dealing with locals. Lack of advanced weaponry recorded - small military team would be able to secure.

Journey from mainworld to SGG - orbit 0 to orbit 1, randomly determine 0.36 AU net, or 54 million km. Travel time 20 hours, 25 minutes.

Scooping: 57 hours fuel scooping, in that time the fuel is refined as 620 per day is the maximum.

Travel to jump point from SGG: 7 hours.

Now 041-1107.

OK, finally got around to Jump mechanics in Cepheus Engine. This SOLO campaign is also about me learning and applying the rules.

Create Jump Plot: Jump-3 to 0505 Egryn. Easy(+4), Edu (DM +1), Navigation (+2), DM-3. Roll: 8 (effect=4), took 4000 seconds or about an hour.

Divert Power: Average(+0), Edu (DM+1), Engineer(+2). Roll: 6+3 = 9 (effect=1). Took 60 seconds.

Jump Success: roll - 5 +1 = 6

Inaccurate jump, required 1D6 = 1 days travel to expected destination.

Total jump time = 148 + 6D6 = 148 + 17 = 165 hours, or 6 days and 21 hours.

In jump 041-1107 to 048-1107 including 1 day travel time.

Ship suffers a critical hit - rolled Hold - 10% of cargo (trinkets and beads) destroyed; 10% of supplies destroyed, or about 2-3 weeks worth, probably shortening time of total cruise..

 

[OjnoTheRed]

PLACE: Vior System (0805 Egyrn / 1605 Trojan Reach)

T5 Data from travellermap.com (but using Leviathan Adventure UWP):
Vior X500401-1 Ni Va {-3} (631-5) [1113] PBG=301 Worlds=6 Stellar=M4 V

From Adventure 4: Leviathan
In appearance this world is uninhabited (and uninhabitable), however a detailed survey will indicate geological anomalies in one particular location. Investigation will reveal several airlock chambers giving access to an extensive underground habitat, where the Viorans lead a troglodytic existence. In one of the worst cases of regression yet found, chronic overcrowding has produced a primitive semi-cannibalistic society. Healthy crew members will be greeted primarily as a source of food.

The Viorans produce nothing of value; however, one reason for their overcrowding is longevity. After much detective work, assuming the researchers have not been eaten in the meantime, this longevity may be traced to the inclusion of a particularly repellent rodent scavenger in their diet, with remarkable anagathic properties. The planet itself has a number of extractable deposits of various minerals.

System generated using T5 rules:

Orbit        Contents
Primary    M4 V
0            Vior X500401-1 Ni Va
1            SGG
2            RadWorld Y8A9000-0 Ba
3            IceWorld Y9BA000-A Di
4            RadWorld Y9DA000-0 Ba
5            Iceworld Y785000-0 Ba
10          RadWorld Y593000-0 Ba
12          Worldlet Y140336-5 Lo

Map Link
World Map using T5 World Map Generator.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Many thanks for the encouragement!

Starflyer and Mithras, thank you so much for your encouraging words. I will keep posting!

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 4: Jump into 0505 Egyrn (Gollere system)

In jump 041-1107 to 048-1107 including 1 day travel time.

Ship's sensors could pick up planets from interstellar distance to make jump plot / calculation to HZ but as it turns out, the jump was inaccurate.

Ship suffers a "critical" (I'm reading "internal") hit - rolled Hold - 10% of cargo (trinkets and beads) destroyed; and 10% of supplies destroyed.

See more detail on Gollere 0505 Egyrn D574756-7 Agricultural below.

Shipboard events (using p. 110 Scouts): Item stolen. Bad reaction not avoided. Zaminder has a blazing row with Rumon. Explosive lover's fight much to the amusement of the crew. Imitating both of them becomes a favourite pasttime of 4th Officers and deck hands (when higher ranks are not looking).

Scan of star system: in 2 hours, success (roll 8; -2 Difficulty, +2 for Navigation skill). Although nosebleeds and irritability, the crew has several people with Comms-2 and Navigation-2.

System map revealed. Also the starport beacon located! Ship descends and makes a safe landing.

No starship encounter.

048-1107
Land without incident, local Starport authority is very curious and openly friendly towards the crew. After landing with an away party, Kuga decides to let the crew rotate on-world due to its relative safety.

Incident in port: "Military ships in port (Kinunir in Orbit, one Close Escort Gazelle dirtside, taking my lead from the Leviathan ship encounters) are causing a variety of problems for other Travellers."

Kuga pays a courtesy visit to the captain, and learns that lmperial detection agencies believe that the Psionics Institute has some major interest in the Outrim (from rumour table).

Close Escort commander has a neutral reaction; relays official Imperial Naval doctrine that a Merchant Cruiser should keep out of the area due to brimming hostilities with Zhodani. However, judges Kuga as a good naval officer. Officious attitude but not hostile.

PCs go exploring for cargo opportunities for the week. They discover what is in the planetary description, but using Travellers encounters to spice things up.

Phan-li: Local crisis; bush-fire, earthquake, hurricane, rioting.

Dilip: Harassed by a group of locals. Roll on Interesting Individuals Table: Adventurers.

Sarah: Introduced to local entertainments, spending hundreds of credits (Cr100 x 1d6) but gaining a friend and memories of a good time!

Rumon: Embroiled in legal trouble. A Lawyer with Admin 8+ roll will sort out the problem quickly, otherwise you may have to resort to bribery or other methods to get out of the situation. Allowed his Advocacy skill and +1 INT mod to play a part - he escaped trouble. This time.

Kuga and Vasudev: offered the chance to take part in a risky but rewarding venture by a Patron. Roll on S1, S2 and S3. A professor (a senior researcher in a government department/guild) wants Kuga and Vasudev to find a missing ship. Assume it's an early exploratory ship from Gollere that is missing and Gollere needs help. Imperial Navy has refused to spend resources on it and made themselves unpopular with locals as a result. Ship sent a distress call before being cut off; Gollere does not have the technology or wealth to simply send another one after it. The area is possibly dangerous. The original mission was to explore the near reaches of the planetoid belt, following up on a spaceport based there that previously service miners in centuries past. The truth: Arkesh Spacers have quietly established a foothold in the old class-F spaceport and are protecting it violently, contemptuous of the local tech level; the original TL7 ship (part early M-Drive part thrusters) was destroyed. One deep space commerce raider is present. Designed to commerce raid, it accompanies lesser armed more standard merchant (currently outsystem ferrying supplies and samples back to Arkesh fleet HQ). Substantial asset of Arkesh Spacers who see potential in reviving planetoid mining in Gollere.

Almost 5 days' travel out to planetoid where spaceport on belt was located.

The plan: Send the ship's boat and the shuttle, fully crewed and armed with a security team plus away party. Sensor sweep to be conducted by the Leviathan and its small craft on course information provided by The Professor. However, need intelligence on the the belt.

Sub-plan (chain task): research team sent to talk a university into access to historical records.

Led by PC: Phan-li Moa (Executive Officer) [1st Officer] due to her high education and administrative skills. Assisted by the Professor. Solid (8+), Safe, +1 DM for significant skill AND bringing hand computer assets with her; +1 for presence of Professor who wants to help navigate academia. 6+2=8 - Success! No DM, but information found - location / orbit pattern of planetoid on which abandoned F starport is based. Clues that this is the logical base. Bad consequence: damage to useful or valuable kit - computer assets are damaged in transport. Delays due to a hurricane meant that time taken was 2D rather than 1D days: 4 days.

In the meantime, Kuga recalls the crew. Various delays due to on-planet shenanigans above. Briefs first officers and navigator. Plan: Solid (8+), but Dangerous. Significant skills and assets (small craft and sensors) present, but matched by magnitude of task. Dilip, Sara delayed 1D days by troubles / activity; 6 and 5 days.

Ship refuels - unrefined fuel purchased from Starport is processed within one day.

Departure: 054-1107

Arrival in-system at planetoid: 059-1107

Leviathan and Ship's Boat have deployed as planned, scanning actively.

The action takes place near the planetoid containing the abandoned starport. The raider must see the Leviathan coming well before the Leviathan sees them - active sensor pings and all.

The raider ("Punisher" - design attached) will be using the planetoid to help screen itself. Its mission is to picket the Arkesh Spacer temporary base which has 12 personnel left there by the accompanying merchant ship that has since left the system with ore samples, having dropped supplies and equipment with personnel.

The following log of combat has mistakes but basically the battle boiled down to this: Every turn each leader would roll for a bonus leadership DM to hand around to crucial tasks. The pilots would attempt evasive action. Each ship would throw as many missiles as possible at each other, and sensor ops would respond with trying to destroy as many as possible with ECM, laser turrets attempting to shoot down the rest, and any spare laser capacity aimed back at the opposing ship. I got rules wrong, but I learned a lot along the way. I have learned the value of clear record keeping for both starship damage and crew roles.

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 4 - part 2

Begin at Very Long Range (25000 - 50000km)
Leviathan Sensor check - Comms (edu) check 8+ Crew: Ephraim Soares (Comms Officer) [3rd Officer] has Comm-2 and EDU Mod of +2. Roll 4 + 4 = 8; gets minimal detection on Active Radar, EM and thermal consistent with a ship of 600 tons, and basic outline indicating a streamlined ship of unknown design. Transponder turned off. Hails Punisher.
Punisher Sensor Check - rolls an 8, had a +2 because of active sensors used by Leviathan; detects Leviathan, similar to Leviathan's view of it. Ignores Hail.

Punisher orders Bay weapons to fire missiles. Roll initiative!

Assume a skilled crew for the Punisher: +1 mod from attribute if called for; +2 from skill for Pilot, Navigator, Comms and Leadership; +1 for gunners other than a chief gunner.

Leviathan; 7
Punisher: 7
Ship's Boat: 2 + 2 = 4

Turn 1
Leviathan & Punisher acting simultaneously:
Leviathan Navigator Check - close range - opposed check with other Navigator; 10 vs 12; Punisher wins, as it turns out Punisher wants to close range as well; range is closed to Long. Laser Turrets assigned to point defense. Pilot ready to react.
Punisher - Launch Bay missiles, assigning beams to point defence. Gunner Check - 6 +2 = 8 (effect +0). Will Arrive Turn 3.
Ship's Boat - close range - opposed check with other Navigator - 4 vs 5, does not close range. Fires Beam Lasers at Very Long range; misses

Turn 2
Leviathan:
Kuga - co-ordinate crew - effect +1
Navigator - close range - 7 vs. 11; Punisher wins, but again Punisher also wants to close the range and so range is now Medium.
Pilot - hold course; ready to react
Missiles launched - dual turrets - Gunner Checks: 5 and 5 (effects -3 and -3); arrive Turn 3
Dual Lasers - rolls (including skill mod): 9 , 8, 3, 10, 11, 8 (+1 - Kuga leadership) - 4 hits by dual lasers - damage rolls 1, 3, 1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 1 all less than armour, except for 5 roll, so two Single Hit - location: fuel - first hit and Hull (Punisher Hull now 11)
Punisher:
Captain - co-ordinate crew - no effect
Pilot - hold course
Gunner (Sandcasters) - 2 x react to laser hit: rolled a 2 and a 5, no effect
Gunner Triple Pulse Laser 1 (Turret Weapons-1) - 9+1=10 - hit! - Dodge Incoming Fire - roll 7+2=9 - DM-2 applied making this a miss
Gunner Triple Pulse Laser 2 (Turret Weapons-1) - 10+1=11 - hit! Dodge Incoming Fire - roll 5+2=7 - did not dodge. Damage 2D = 8 -4 = 4
Gunner Triple Beam Laser 1 (Turret Weapons-2) - 6+2=8 - hit! Damage 1D = 2 -4 = 0
Gunner Triple Beam Laser 2 (Turret Weapons-1) - 5+1=6 - miss!

one single hit - fuel first hit - Leviathan

Ship's Boat:
Navigator - close range: 9 vs 7; range closed to Long
Dual Beam Laser - roll 7 + 1 -2 = 6 Miss

Turn 3
Leviathan:
Kuga - co-ordinate crew - 7 + 1 = 8 - effect +1
Navigators - Leviathan - 7, Punisher - 8; Punisher wants to hold range
Pilot - evasive maneuvers - rolls 2 + 2 = 4, no effect
12 missiles arrive - all Smart Missiles - to-hit rolls: 11, 4, 4, 9, 9, 10, 11, 5, 7, 2, 9, 9 - 7 hits, 5 misses
Point defence: 6+2=8, 8+2=10, 10+2=12, 9+2=11, 9+2=11, 6+2=8, 6+2=8, 2+2=4 7 missiles destroyed by Chief Gunner!; 2nd Gunner: 8+1=9; 8+1=9; 5+1=6 2 missiles destroyed; 3rd turret: 7+1=8; 3+1=4; 4th turret: 6+1=7; 5th turret: 2+1=3; 6th turret: 5+0 =5 total 10 missiles destroyed, 2 still coming around
Dual missile x 2 launch: smart missiles so no need for roll - arrive turn 4
Sensor Op - electronic warfare against smart missiles 3+2=5 - no effect
Fuel Engineer attempts repairs (edu-based Mechanic check) - 7+1=8 - fuel hit repaired!


Punisher:
Captain - co-ordinate crew - 4+2=6 no effect
Pilot - evasive maneuvers - 8+2=10 - DM-1 to incoming fire
4 missiles arrive - all Smart: to-hit rolls: 7, 8, 6 and 8 all with DM-1 means 4 misses
Gunner Triple Pulse Laser 1 (Turret Weapons-1) - 7+1(skill)-2 (range)=6 - miss
Gunner Triple Pulse Laser 2 (Turret Weapons-1) - 7+1(skill)-2 (range)=6 - miss
Gunner Triple Beam Laser 1 (Turret Weapons-2) - 6+2=8 - hit! damage roll 5-4 = 1 - a Single Hit - reduce Leviathan Armour by 1
Gunner Triple Beam Laser 2 (Turret Weapons-1) - 6+1=7 - miss
Bay gunners - launch another salvo of 12 missiles (8 left) - arrive turn 4

Ship's Boat:
Navigator - roll 8+1=9, beating Punisher's 8, so range closed to Medium
Dual Beam Laser - 5+1=6, miss

Turn 4
Leviathan:
Kuga - co-ordinate crew - 7+2=9, effect +1
Pilot - evasive maneuvers - 8+2=10 - success! DM-1 to incoming fire
14 smart missiles total: to hit rolls - 7, 9, 10, 7, 8, 10, 8, 8, 9, 7, 10, 5, 10, 9 - 6 hits, 8 misses
Sensor Ops electronic warfare - 8+2=10 - success! 2nd try: 9+2-1 = 10 - success! 3rd try: 6+2-2=6 - fail; 2 missiles ECM'd - 4 hits, 8 misses left
Point defence: Chief: 6+2=8, 10+2=12, 4+2=6 - 2 hits, 8 misses left; 2nd gunner: 4+1=5; 3rd turret: 7+1=8, 7+1=8, 4+1=5 - 0 hits, 8 misses left; 4th turret: 3+1=4; 5th turret: 8+1=9, 4+1=5; 7 misses left; 6th turret: 8+1=9, 3+1=4; 6 misses left.
Damage control - Crew: Satish Gasakaa (3rd Engineer: Ship's Boats) [3rd Officer] Engineer-1 Jack-O-T-3 attempts Edu-based Mechanics check for Armour damage DM-3 unskilled but plus J-O-T 4+3-3 = 4 no effect

Punisher:
Captain - co-ordinate crew - 3+2=5, no effect
Pilot - evasive - 6+2=8, success! - DM-1 to incoming fire
8 smart missiles total; to hit rolls - 10-1=9, 9-1=8, 7-1=6, 6-1=5, 7-1=6, 5-1=4, 12-1=11, 6-1=5: 3 hits, 5 misses
Sensor Ops electronic warfare - 3+2=5, no effect
Point defence; (Pulse laser 1) 7+1=8; 12+1=13; 9+1=10, 8+1=9, 5+1=6, 0 hits, 4 misses (Pulse Laser 2): 10+1=11; 5+1=6; 0 hits, 3 misses; (Beam Laser 1): 9+2=11, 7+2=9, 4+2=6; 0 hits, 1 miss; (Beam Laser 2): 7+1=8, all missiles destroyed
Bay gunners - launch another salvo (7 left) - arrive Turn 5

Ship's Boat
Navigator roll - 10+1=11, maintain range at Medium
Dual Laser - 2+1=3, miss

I realised at this point I had forgotten that both Sensor Operators get an additional +2 for Very Advanced Sensors. The primacy of electronic warfare kicks in.

Turn 5
Leviathan:
Kuga - co-ordinate crew - 8+2=10 - effect +2
Pilot - evasive - 7+2=9, success, DM-1 on incoming
13 missiles arrive, rolls: 10, 7, 10, 7, 5, 5, 11, 3, 5, 2, 7, 10, 10 - 5 hits, 8 misses
Sensor Ops electronic warfare - (+2 skill, +2 Very Adv. sensors) - 6+4=10, 10+4=14, 7+4=11, 7+4=11, 2+4=6 - down to 1 hit, 8 misses
Point defence: Chief - 3+2=5; 2nd - 6+1(+1 captain)=8 - 0 hit, 8 misses, 3+1=4,
Gunner: 3rd: 4+1=5, 4th: 6+1(+1 Captain)=8 3+1=4, 5th: 4+1=5, 6th: 7 1 hit: 1D=1, so < 4 and no effect
2 x dual missile turrets launch another 4

Punisher:
Captain - co-ordinate - 10+2=12 - effect +4
Pilot - evasive - 11+2 = 13, success (effect +5) - success DM-1 on incoming
4 missiles arrive, rolls: 4, 9, 9, 9 - 3 hits, 1 miss
Sensor Ops elec warfare - (+0 skill, +2 Very Adv. sensors) - 5+2(+1 Captain)=8 - 2 hits, 1 miss; 8+2=10; 1 hits, 1 miss; 5+2(+1 captain)=8, 0 hits, 1 miss, 7+2=9, all missiles destroyed
pulse laser 1: 11+1-1=11 - hit - damage 7-4=3 - a single hit - Hull - Leviathan now on 35 hull
pulse laser 2: 11+1-1=11 - hit - damage 4-4=0 - no hit
beam laser 1 - 7+2-1=9 - hit - 5-3 = 2, a single hit - hull - leviathan now on 34 hull
beam laser 2 - 5+1=6 - miss
Bay gunners - launch another salvo (6 left) arrive Turn 6

Ship's Boat:
Gunner: 9+1=10, hit: D6=5-4=1 - a single hit to Hull; Punisher now on 10

Turn 6
Leviathan:
Captain - co-ord: 8+2=10, +2 effect
Pilot - evasive - 4+2=6, no effect
20 missiles arrive
Sens Ops Electronic Warfare - (+2 skill, +2 sensors): 13, 14, 4 - 18 arrive
arrive rolls: 8, 6, 4, 12, 12, 2, 7, 7, 2, 9, 3, 8, 7, 12, 8, 8, 7, 10 - 9 hits, 9 misses
point defence Chief: 5+2(+1 Capt)=8, 10+2=12, 10+2=12, 10+2=12, 6+2=8, 7+2=9, 8+2=10, 8+2=10, 10+2=12, 8+2=10, 7+2=9, 2+2=4 down to 0 hits, 7 misses
point defence 2nd; 7+1=8, 4+1=5 down to 0 hits, 6 misses
beam laser 3 - 5+1=6 miss
beam laser 4 - 6+1(+1 capt) = 8 hit - sand react: 8, no hit!
beam laser 5 - 7+1 =8 hit - sand react: 4, still a hit
beam laser 6 - 4+0 =4 miss
both dual missiles fire, 4 more will arrive Turn 7

Punisher:
Captain - co-ord: 7+2=9, +1 effect
Pilot - 7+2=9, DM-1 on incoming
4 missiles arrive
Sens Ops elec war: 9+2=11, 5+2=7
3 arrive: 10-1=9, 8-1=7, 11-1=10 2 hits, 1 miss
Suffers 4 hits: 3, 4, 3, 6 - so one Single Hit - 6 on Hull; Punisher down to 9 Hull
pulse 1 7+1=8 miss
pulse 2 11+1=12 hit 9-3=6 2 Single Hits - Hull (Leviathan 33), Hull (Leviathan 32)
beam 1 4+2=6 miss
beam 2 7+1=8 hit 3-3 no effect
Bay gunners - launch another salvo (5 left) arrive Turn 7

Ship's Boat
Gunner: 8+1=9, hit, damage 4-4=0 no effect

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 4 - part 3

Turn 7
Leviathan:
Captain co-ord: 9+2=11, effect +3
Pilot - line up shot - 8+2=10, success DM+1 to hit
18 missiles arrive
Sens-Op elec warfare: 9+4=13, 5+4=9, 6+4=10, 7+4=11, 5+4=9, 6+4=10, 4+4=8, 8+4=12, 7+4=11, 9+4=13, 2+4(+2 Capt)=8, 6+4=10, 5+4=9, 4+4=8, 8+4=12, 4+4=8, 4+4=8, 3+4(+1 Capt)=8 all missiles destroyed
beam 1 - 10+2=12 - hit sand react=8 (still a hit) - no effect
beam 2 - 2+1=3 miss
beam 3 - 7+1=8 hit sand react=2 (still a hit) - no effect
beam 4 - 9+1=10 hit - no effect
beam 5 - 4+1=5 miss
beam 6 - 8+0=8 hit - no effect
Navigator - increase range to Long - 8+2=10 (L) against 4+2=6 (P) - range increased to Long
missile turrets - 4 x smart missiles launched - arrive Turn 8


Punisher:
Captain co-ord:10+2=12, effect +4
Pilot - evasive maneuvers - 11+2=13, success DM-1 to incoming
4 missiles arrive
Sens-Op elec warfare: 7+2=9, 8+2=10, 7+2=9, 6+2=8 all missiles destroyed
pulse 1 6+1(+3capt)=10 hit 6-4=2 single hit - Armour - now 1
pulse 2 10+1=11 hit 9-3=6 - 2 Single hits on Armour - Armour now 0
beam 1 7+2=9 hit 5-3=2 - single hit on hull (Leviathan 31)
beam 2 9+1=10 hit - single hit on hull (Leviathan 30)
Bay gunners - launch another salvo (4 left) arrive Turn 8

Ship's Boat
Navigator - increase range to Long - 3+1=4 - cannot do
Gunner - 4+1=5 miss

At this point, Leviathan's armour is gone - suddenly the ship is vulnerable to beam lasers, VERY vulnerable to Pulse Lasers, and if any of those large salvos of missiles get through ... Kuga instructs the Navigator to plot an in-system jump back to the mainworld.

Turn 8
Leviathan
Captain co-ord 9+2=1 +3 effect
Pilot - evade - 6+2=8 success -1 DM on incoming
12 missiles arrive
Sensor Op elec warfare (2 or 3 is fail): 6, 4, 6, 5, 10, 8, 5, 8, 10, 4, 4, 7 - all missiles destroyed
2nd Navigator - plot jump - roll 6 +4 (easy) -1 (combat conditions) +1 (skill) - 10 - success!
1st Navigator - extend range to V Long - 12+2 =14, Punisher: 7+2=9, range extended to V Long
beam 1 - 3+2-2=3 miss
beam 2 - 7+1-2-1(+3 capt)=8 hit - damage 6, 3 - single hit (fuel - second hit - 20% fuel gone)
beam 3 - 6+1-2=5 miss
beam 4 - 10+1-2=9 hit - damage 6, 5 - 2 single hits - (sensors - first hit dm-2 Punisher, sensors - second hit, disabled)
beam 5 - 11+1-2=10 hit damage 2, 2 - no effect
beam 6 - 6+0-2=4 miss
missiles - 4 more launched

Punisher
Captain co-ord 10+2=12 +4 effect
Pilot - evade - 9+2=11 success -1 DM on incoming
4 missiles arrive
Sensor Op elec warfare (2-5 is fail): 5(+1 capt), 10, 10, 7 - all missiles destroyed
pulse 1 - 6+1-4 = 3 miss
pulse 2 - 3+1-4 = 0 miss
beam 1 - 6+2-2-1(+3 capt) = 8 hit - damage rolls 2 5 2 - 3 single hits: Hull, Hull (Leviathan 28), M-Drive (Thrust now 3)
beam 2 - 4+2-2 = 4 miss
bay gunners - launch salvo, arrive turn 9 (3 left)

Ship's Boat
Navigator - 5+1=6 - range still medium
Gunner - 6+1=7 miss

Turn 9
Leviathan
Captain co-ord - 6+2=8 +1 effect
Pilot - line up shot - 3+2=5 no effect
12 missiles arrive
Sens Op Elect warfare (2 or 3 is fail): 10, 6, 7, 11, 9, 10, 9, 11, 7, 7, 11, 5 - all missiles destroyed
beam 1 - 6+2-2 = 6 miss
beam 2 - 5+1-2 = 4 miss
beam 3 - 11+1-2 = 9 hit - damage rolls 6 and 6 - two single hits (punisher m-drive first hit - down to 3g) (punisher hull now 8)
beam 4 - 8+1-2(+1 capt) = 8 hit - damage rolls 4 and 1 - no effect
beam 5 - 8+1-2 = 7 miss
beam 6 - 5+0-2 = 3 miss
missiles - 4 more launched
Navigator - increase distance to Distant - 3+2=5 Punisher 8+2=10 - punisher reduces distance to Long

Punisher
Captain co-ord - 5+7=1 no effect
Pilot - evasive - 5+2=7 no effect
4 missiles arrive - sensors disabled! - 1 hit, 3 misses
pulse laser - point defence - 5+1=6 miss
pulse laser - point defence - 9+1=10 - down to 0 hits, 3 misses
beam laser - 4+2-2 = 4 miss
beam laser 2 - 9+1-2 = 8 hit - damage rolls 1 5 5 - three single hits hull leviathan hull 27), M-drive leviathan 2nd hit - 2G, sensors leviathan first hit -2
bay gunners launch another salvo - arrive Turn 10 (2 left)

Ship's boat
Navigator - lengthen distance to Long - 7+1=8 no, still at medium
Gunner - 8+1=9 hit - damage 3 3 - no effect

The Ship's Boat and Leviathan are a different ranges to the Punisher, and so Ship's Boat will not be able to dock! It had been trying to extend the range, but is being successfully pursued by the Punisher. Despite wanting to run, Kuga orders the Navigator to reduce the range to Medium in order to pick up the Ship's Boat.

Turn 10
Leviathan
Capt co-ord: 9+2=11 effect +3
Pilot - evasive - 8+2=10 - success -1 dm on incoming
Navigator - close range to medium - 11+2=13, punisher 9+2=11, range now medium
12 missiles arrive
Now rolling Sensor Ops before hit determination.
Sensor Ops (6+ success including all DMs including -2 for damage): 10, 6, 3(+3 capt), 7, 7, 4 - 7 missiles left: hits - 3 12 10 8 7 7 8 - 4 hits
Beam 1 point defence - hit
Beam 2 point defence - miss
3 missile hits - 5 1 2 - one single hit Leviathan M-Drive at 50%
damage control - repair M-Drive 8+1=9 success! M-Drive back to Thrust-3
damage control - repair sensors - 7+1=8 success! Sensors restored to full DM.
beam 3 - 5+1-1 = 5 miss
beam 4 - 6+1-1 = 6 miss
beam 5 - 7+1-1 = 7 miss
beam 6 - 8+0-1 = 7 miss
4 missiles launched

Punisher
Capt co-ord: 9+2=11 effect +3
Pilot - evasive - 10+2-12 - success -1 DM on incoming
4 missiles arrive
beam 1 - point defence - 6+2=8 hit
beam 2 - point defence - 5+1=6 miss
3 missile hits - 4 2 1 - three single hits - Punisher sensors damaged, fuel second hit, hull (punisher 11)
pulse - 9+1-2-1 = 6 miss
pulse - 7+1-2-1 = 5 miss
bay gunners - launch salvo (1 left)

Ship's Boat
Dock with Leviathan - 8+1 = 9 success

Turn 11
Leviathan
Capt co-ord: 9+2=11 effect +3
Comms Officer - sent message to Starport and IN ships, relaying comms information prior to Jump.
Chief Engineer - divert power to jump drives - edu-based Engineer check 7+3=10 - effect +2
Ship Jumps - 4+2 = 6 > 0 jump successful (but inaccurate). Internal hit - structure point removed.

Punisher
Capt co-ord: 5+2=7 no effect

066-1107 - arrive in-system jump back to Gollere

Leviathan reports Punisher class, hands over data to IN ship - still in-system and planning a patrol, having seen the battle via sensors. Observation points to custom design of a raiding ship clearly of Imperial design and not Navy. This compels Naval captain to investigate. However, even with a Kinuinir Cruiser and 2 Close Escorts in tow, they are not fast enough - there are several days before the ships can respond. Punisher field-repairs maneuver drive and jumps away, knowing that the jig is up.

The Professor is incredibly grateful for solving the mystery - the only payment he can offer is a trading contract and promise of positive future trading relations with the government. Phan-Li - negotiate a trading contract - Edu-based Admin check - roll 6 +2 skill +2 edu mod = 10; effect +2 on a future freight roll.

Repairs: crew ordered to make repairs thoroughly and cautiously, spending a day, assisted by starport for Hull repairs, ferrying supplies and personnel up and down by boat. Ship also refueled and fuel purified on-board. The Cepheus Engine rules don't have any caveates on repair rules like "temporary for 1D hours / 1D days until you get to a Shipyard" and so it seems that so long as you are cautious with tasks, full repairs can be attempted in the field. Given the detail of the Leviathan includes repair workshops that at TL13 would have fabricators for parts, I am happy to say this is so. It might be interesting to put a limit on a ship in terms of how many spares it can take along, but given that I haven't worried too much about cargo manifest, I'm not going to worry about it for this adventure.

068-1107 - jump out-system

 

[OjnoTheRed]

Episode 5 - Jump to 0306 (Belgard system)

068-1107 to 075-1107 - to avoid a bad reaction 8+ - 9 rolled.

During this Jump, Kuga organises public recognition of crew in combat - from Sensor Operator to Point Defence gunners who saved the ship, through to damage control and engineers and navigator who got the ship out of trouble. Spent her time mostly writing up citations. Zaminder - the Chief Gunner - is now celebrated among the gunnery crew for his point defence work, downing 7 of a salvo of 12 missiles personally.

On-board events: The ship computer is acting oddly. Why? Is it malfunctioning? Has it been reprogrammed? Communique to Imperial Navy included protocols for decrypting broadcast message with telemetry data for interpreting ship's systems quickly. This allowed the Kinunir class ship to quickly analyse and see hard evidence of a need to investigate. But the computer officer on the Kinunir saw that it exposed a security flaw in Leviathan's system, and decided to plant a recording virus that allows a back-door into secure computer records. The Naval officer is simply interested in intelligence later. Very difficult to find or remove.

In-system encounters: roll 6(+1 for D-class starport)=7 - less than 8+, no encounter (using Leviathan rather than SOLO ship encounter tables).

Star system scan: 3 hours, success - star system map provided - see next post.

Jumped into inner system, but world is inside star's safe jump point. Also jumped in with main world part-way around star - total inner system travel is 0.63 AU or 1 day, 2 hours

Jump-in was detected by Belgard Sojourn within minutes. IFF hail was sent; codes not understood by Leviathan crew; Kuga orders a general peaceful greeting hail.

The reply is a general 'stay away'. But after interaction with Phan-Li (Admin and Liaison come into play), reaction is 'guarded' rather than 'hostile'. Obtain name of system (Belgard) and the name of the government (Belgard Sojourn).

076-1107
Orbit of Belgard reached.

Seek permission to land - refused but without threats. Intentions of Leviathan sought.

Plan: BT will want mineral data and a survey of the planet as well as report of the contact. So Kuga plans to send a landing party to the opposite side of the planet (from the one starport / city) after a full scan from orbit for likely resource sites.

In the meantime, Phan-Li will lead a charm offensive, offering a delegation down to the settlement with a team. Phan-Li argues strongly that Kuga should stay aboard ship along with combat roster, and that before any moves are made, the whole planet is surveyed from orbit while she initiates dialogue. With memories of Kuga being injured on Vior, the first officers support Phan-Li's argument.

Persuade the government to allow a delegation on planet:
Formidable (DM -4), INT, Liaison, 1D days

Roll: 9 +1 (skill) +0 (INT Mod) -4 (difficulty) = 6, 4 days
After 4 days of negotiation, Phan-li does not persuade the government but she does not do any harm either.

Whole-planet survey:
9-hour scan reveals:
- A Rift Valley on land worth investigating
- Fairy Chimneys caused by wind erosion (Resource / Mountain on border of triangles 10 and 11)
- Impact crater with rich mineral content

The last two are close together, within 1000km and so the Shuttle can make one trip and land two survey parties.

Two surveys of 2 days each.

Personnel:
Team leader - PC: Dilip Peae (Computer Officer) [2nd Officer] - has Space Sciences-0 plus computer skills and some leadership. No weapons. Hand computer. Survey measurement equipment.
Survey team member - Crew: Haa Adehoere (Magazine Orderly) [Deck Hand] - experience in the Scouts including survival and physical sciences skills relevant for survey work. Shotgun-4 does not hurt either! Shotgun.
Security and Air/raft pilot - Crew: Farah Ocheedsu (Security) [4th Officer] Laser Pistol.
Survey team member - Crew: Eli Sharma (Steward) [Deck hand] has space sciences-0 and Navigation and basic weapons training. Laser Pistol.
Medical orderly - Crew: Divya Kalra (Medical Orderly) [Deck Hand]. Laser Pistol. Medical kit.

Shuttle Crew:
Pilot - Crew: Baroness Soo-Jung Marshall (Shuttle Pilot) [2nd Officer]
Gunner - Crew: Pune Chapman (Electronics Shopman) [4th Officer]
Engineer - Crew: Lady Rugeja Zoka (Engineer Shuttle) [4th Officer]

Equipment:
Air/Raft taken on board Shuttle

077-1107
Fairy Chimney Survey
2 days
Problem: some of the survey gear needs to be moved by brute force. This is because the formations, although fascinating, are difficult to get around and the best survey positions are in rough terrain. Air/Raft has no crane equipment to help. Strength checks: Divya - Strength 10, rolled 9+1(STR Mod)=10, so succeeded! Survey Points - 3; an average result, gaining general knowledge of local geology which reflects on planet as a whole.

079-1107
Impact Crater survey
2 days planned - 3 days actual.
Death of a PC! 8+ to avoid - rolled a 4; Team Leader Dilip Peae dies in the survey! How did it happen? Was it linked to government forces arriving? Need Lancer and local ship designs. Animal encounter tables?

Without going into personal combat. The party was attacked by local dangerous carnivore pack - 6 attacked, and the security team with weapons fended them off, but Dilip was caught unarmed and mauled. First aid was applied but he died at the scene a bloody mess.

The carnivore:
100kg pouncer, Dex+4, Ins+4 UPP FEF198
Recon-1 Athletics-1 Survival-0 Melee(Natural Weapons)-2
2d6 appearing
Claws 2d6+2, Stinger 2d6+2
Armour 2
Speed 1

This caused a delay to completing the survey in dealing with the shock death (080-1107). Samples including the animal were obtained. 6 survey points - an excellent result! Clear signs of zucchai crystals and rare earths.

In the meantime ...
Phan-li's charm offensive and the possibility of detecting landings.

Charm Offensive: Shaky, safe, DM+1 for applicable skill (Admin and Liaison in Phan-li).

Roll - 5 + 1 = 6 - did not succeed.
Consequence: 7 - bad consequence - the task takes four times longer than planned - 16 days. I am interpreting this has 'would have taken' 14 days to have a chance of success but the Leviathan cut off charm offensive once the landing parties were back on board.

Phan Li did not succeed in convincing the locals to let a party land for a reception to discuss a trade deal or at least opening up relations. She got constant refusals. Nothing nasty happened, but the shutters are pulled down and stayed pulled down.

Crew: Jyoti MacDonald (Purser) [2nd Officer] as purser and a BT nominee was assisting Phan Li and having some background in linguistics, made the connection that Belgard is a distortion of Beauregarde. This was noted in the logs as possibly an historical data point.

The delay gives The Belgard Sojourn enough time to recall a system defence boat and to team it up with a Lancer, putting them in an orbit complementing the Leviathan on day 11 of the "negotiations".

By this time, the survey teams have returned, including Dilip's body. His body is placed in a low berth to preserve it for a funeral on return.

Planetside sensors kept an eye on Leviathan, but at TL9 and unreliable satellites, roll has a DM -2. But allow a daily check. Day 2 would have been successful, but there was no activity to notice. Day 4 would have been successful, but the extra days' delay. On the return on Day 5 (081-1107) the return craft were noticed.

This lead to the recall of the SDB and the Lancer, which would have arrived on Day 11.

Before this time, the Leviathan was travelling to the inner Small Gas Giant - 20 hours, 24 minutes - for refueling operations.

Space encounter: 2 Lancers intercepted them near the Small Gas Giant (the Belgarde Sojourn know enough to picket an obvious refueling point). Leviathan hails them, attempts to charm them. Difficult (DM-2), Social Standing, Liaison (Phan Li) - Roll is 11 + 1(skill) - succeeds in influencing attitudes from Hostile to Unfriendly. The two ships watch Leviathan suspiciously openly training weapons and broadcasting their firing solutions as a threat, continuously questioning the reason for the drop to planetside and threatening attack if the ship returns.

Refueling half the tanks takes 8D6 hours = 28 hours. Fuel processing takes 12 hours, so fuel is processed as it is scooped.

Navigator Jump Course Plot: Easy (DM+4) - roll 6 +4(easy) +2(skill) +1(education) -2(Jump distance) total of 11 - effect is +3

Engineer diverts power: Average( DM+0) - roll 2 +2(skill) +1(education) = 5, effect -3

Jump Success roll - 6 - 3 (engineer effect) = 3 - inaccurate jump.

Jumped out 084-1107