One of the Best Supplements Evuh...

[tbeard1999]

I'm in the process of reviewing a draft of the upcoming MGT Central Supply Catalogue.

I'll post a more detailed review later, but this one initially looks like one of the best Traveller supplements ever. It's literally filled with new weapons (and of course some non-weapon stuff that I suppose some other folks might like).

Generally, I don't much care about artwork. However, with gear, I think it's a very good thing, especially for combat gear. As RPGs have almost completely separated from their wargaming roots, the percentage of players who are familiar with weaponry terminology has declined dramatically. Illustrations help them. And while equipment guides are popular RPG supplements, I find that they either (a) lack illustrations, which makes the supplement very dry to read, or (b) are lavishly illustrated but with a relatively small amount of gear. This supplement seems to hit a sweet spot for me -- lots of gear *and* lots of illustrations. Of course, many of the illustrations in the draft copy are sketches, but there's enough finished artwork to show that it's gonna be nice. Heck, even the preliminary sketches are nice.

Assuming initial impressions hold, this will be the "gotta have" supplement for MGT players and a recommended purchase for CT, MT, and TNE players. Somewhat less so for T4 players, since T4 had its own (good, but different) Central Supply Catalogue.

<golf clap>

Bravo, Mongoose.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Actually TNE has it's own supply catalog as well. Actually two, one for the Regency and one for the RefCol Setting. Everything from Handguns to Starships.

 

[tbeard1999]

Actually TNE has it's own supply catalog as well. Actually two, one for the Regency and one for the RefCol Setting. Everything from Handguns to Starships.

This one has far more gear than the TNE supplements (which often fall in the "great illustrations, but not enough stuff" category).

 

[far-trader]

Yeah, MT had a pretty complete one too in the Imperial Encyclopedia book. Good to see Mongoose getting a rather essential (imo) and by your account good addition soon.

 

[tbeard1999]

Yeah, MT had a pretty complete one too in the Imperial Encyclopedia book. Good to see Mongoose getting a rather essential (imo) and by your account good addition soon.

Actually, you hit on it -- the MGT CSC has a much higher level of information density than I've generally seen in MGT (or most modern RPG) supplements. Not quite the density per page as the MT equipment section of the Imperial Encyclopedia, but pretty good. And with illustrations. For instance, two pages cover Blunt weapons. On those two pages, you get 12 weapons (each with a paragraph length explanation that is "just enough" for me), seven nice drawings and a weapon chart. The pictures probably consume the equivalent of about 1 page. (Pages chosen at random).

 

[far-trader]

Sounding better all the time

I agree, illustrations, even simple sketches or line art (my preferred), are an excellent aid to such an equipment list.

I have to presume from your enthusiasm that nothing jumped out at you as "that is SO wrong"

 

[CosmicGamer]

tbeard1999, thanks for the detailed heads up. It sounds good.

 

[Allensh]

Actually, you hit on it -- the MGT CSC has a much higher level of information density than I've generally seen in MGT (or most modern RPG) supplements. Not quite the density per page as the MT equipment section of the Imperial Encyclopedia, but pretty good. And with illustrations. For instance, two pages cover Blunt weapons. On those two pages, you get 12 weapons (each with a paragraph length explanation that is "just enough" for me), seven nice drawings and a weapon chart. The pictures probably consume the equivalent of about 1 page. (Pages chosen at random).

Does it include the oft-talked about submachine gun?

Allen

 

[tbeard1999]

Does it include the oft-talked about submachine gun?

Allen

Yes it does.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Actually, you hit on it -- the MGT CSC has a much higher level of information density than I've generally seen in MGT (or most modern RPG) supplements. Not quite the density per page as the MT equipment section of the Imperial Encyclopedia, but pretty good. And with illustrations. For instance, two pages cover Blunt weapons. On those two pages, you get 12 weapons (each with a paragraph length explanation that is "just enough" for me), seven nice drawings and a weapon chart. The pictures probably consume the equivalent of about 1 page. (Pages chosen at random).

Yes but in the days of old a good Traveller Supplement would not only have contained PICTURES of the weapons. No, it would have contained the actual WEAPONS!

MT had a good density and TNE (Base+RefCol Equipment) delivered enough gear and then some (Maybe my TNE is clouded, I also played T2K) but MT had very little pictures IIRC. Those were left to the Travellers Digests. Sounds like Mgt uses a format similar to that. If they do that would really make a good supplement.

 

[atpollard]

Assuming initial impressions hold, this will be the "gotta have" supplement for MGT players and a recommended purchase for CT, MT, and TNE players. Somewhat less so for T4 players, since T4 had its own (good, but different) Central Supply Catalogue.

<golf clap>

Bravo, Mongoose.

Who are you and what have you done with Ty?
I suspect Hiver involvement here.

... And from the previews on the Mongoose site, I agree that this is looking to be an interesting book.

 

[far-trader]

Does it include the oft-talked about submachine gun?

Never mind that...

" Phased-plasma rifle in the forty watt range."

 

[fiat_knox]

Colloquially known in Strontium Dog as the "P - Shooter."

 

[Marchand]

Mongoose now has a preview of the CSC up, including a submachine gun variant...

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/travcscpre.pdf

 

[rancke]

Does it include the oft-talked about submachine gun?

Never mind that. Does it have a snubmachinegun?


Hans

 

[beowulf2044]

I loved those old Travellers Digest equipment pages. I was sorry that they never got around to the Combat Enviroment Suit and the Medical Kit (the 1kg portable version from Mission on Mithral and Chamax Plague double supplements from CT).

That poor old 1kg Medikit seemed to have evaporated from the early days of Traveller. It was such a handy kit for Players with at least Medical-1 skill to have.

 

[Allensh]

Never mind that. Does it have a snubmachinegun?


Hans

I dunno, but that decksweeper in the preview is sweet! I can already see the Marine in my group wanting one!

Allen

 

[Allensh]

Never mind that...

" Phased-plasma rifle in the forty watt range."

kinda makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, don't it?

Allen

 

[RandyT0001]

Ty is this the supplement that Martin Dougherty co-wrote with B Steele or am I thinking of something else?

 

[tbeard1999]

Ty is this the supplement that Martin Dougherty co-wrote with B Steele or am I thinking of something else?

Dougherty and Steele are credited in the draft I have.