Rules - INDEX Thread

[Supplement Four]

Inertial Compensation - Optional Rule

And ... Official Escape Velocity Rule

Bob McWilliams (the author of GDW's Adventure 4: Leviathan) came up with what I think is a clever rule in response to an Andy Slack article in White Dwarf Magazine.

What Bob said was: A ship's maneuver drive number rates not only the ship's M-Drive but it's inertial compensation too. So, the deck plates on a ship can be set an any G rating up to equal the M-Drive rating. Whatever the G rating set for the interior G-field, the balance was left for thrust.

For example, a ship rated with a 5G M-Drive could accelerate the ship at 3Gs, using 2Gs for inertial compensation--leaving the crew comfy in a 1G field. If the drive were set to 4Gs, then only 1G would be left for inertial compensation, and the crew would be uncomfortable stuggling as if they were on a high gravity world under 3Gs.

A ship with a 1G M-Drive accelerates at 1G, leaving 0 Gs for compensation, but compensation is not required because the crew is subjected to only 1G of thrust.

In order to figure the G rating for the interior of the vessel, simply subtract the inertial compensation rating from the thrust rating.

1G thurst - 0G compensation = 1G.

3G thrust - 2G compensation = 1G.

4G thurst - 1G compensation = 3G.

Equipment such as pressure suits, acceleration couches, or even some pressure-resistant vacc suits can be used to offset high G penalties.

Andy Slack, in his White Dwarf article that Bob was responding to, suggested that crew members take 1D damage for every G over 1G that the crew endures. So, in the example above, where the 5G starship sets drives to 4Gs, leaving only 1G of compensation, the crew would take 2D damage for the time spent in the 3G field. But, as I mentioned above, crew in acceleration couches would take no damage (or reduced damage, at GMs option). Crew in pressure suits would take no or reduced damage as well.

GMs may want to take this a step further and impose a penalty for tasks that are performed while under high G. I suggest a -1DM penalty pr every G over 1G (just like Andy's damage above) exposure. So, for a 5G ship, accelerating at 4Gs with inertial compensation set to 1G, the crew suffers in a 3G field, taking 2D damage and penalized on task checks with a -2 DM. Of course, crew in acceleration couches may take no penalty. Pressure suits may reduce or elminate the penalty as well.

This is an interesting aspect to Traveller that I use in my game. Not only does it give the ship's pilot an interesting choice during play, but it also makes discovering another ship's M-Drive rating much harder than it was before.

In Traveller, because fuel is realitively inexpensive when in normal space, a ship will travel at its highest speed, at full M-Drive thrust, to the half way point of its journey. Then, it will flip and decelerate at full thrust the other leg of the way.

Observing ships can immediately tell the M-Drive ratings of ships because those targets are always moving at their highest velocity.

With this new optional rule, that observation becomes a bit more tricky. If a ship is accelerating towards your craft at 1G, it's hard to tell if that ship has a M-Drive rated at 1G or 2Gs. The ship could easily have twice the thrust power than is evident--which can play a major role in starship combat.

Also, this type of play allows for ship captain to have "emergency High-G thrust". If the klaxon goes off, alerting the crew that combat maneuvers are imminent, then all rush to their assigned stations and acceleration couches as the crew is about to be exposed to 2+ Gs.

If you would like to read an exciting exerpt froma good novel that deals with this sort of thing, click HERE to read the first few pages of Peter F. Hamilton's The Reality Dysfunction. It's a hell of a space fight that book kicks off with--perfect for Traveller.








An Often Ignored Official CT Rule...

ESCAPE VELOCITY

With this optional rule, I'll also note an Official Classic Traveller rule that many people do not know or observe (probably because the rule gets murky in other Traveller editions). And, that rule is that if a ship's M-Drive rating is less than the G field of a world, then that ship cannot land on the world (because it won't be able to make escape velocity to leave the world again).

This is only a problem with ships that have 1G M-Drives. Those ships cannot, in CT canon, land on worlds of size 8+. They need to dock at high ports and use shuttles or ship's vehicles to reach dirtside.

Again, this rule is basically forgotten about in later editions of Traveller, so you might want to ignore it too. But, I think it's a fun rule that adds a lot of detail to the Traveller universe. I use it in my game.

When vessels do land on worlds, they use some part of thier drives to remain afloat, with the rest of the drive directed towards thurst. This means a ship with a 1G drive doesn't make escape velocity as if it had 1G of thrust. Look at the table on pg. 37 of Book 2. Subtract the world's G field from your ship's G rating. That will give you how much thrust your ship can produce on any given size world.

For example, if a ship with a 1G drive lands on a Size 7 world, the ship will move as if it's drive were rated at 0.125 Gs. You should use that whenever using the Travel Formula when inside the world's gravitational field.

 

[Straybow]

What does "inside the world's gravitational field" mean? Gravity doesn't "stop." When "inside the star's gravity field" do you have to subtract it, too? Gravity is the reason planets go around the star instead of wandering off, ya know...

What about lifting bodies and winged ships? As long as they have a suitable strip they can land and take off.

 

[Straybow]

What does "inside the world's gravitational field" mean? Gravity doesn't "stop." When "inside the star's gravity field" do you have to subtract it, too? Gravity is the reason planets go around the star instead of wandering off, ya know...

What about lifting bodies and winged ships? As long as they have a suitable strip they can land and take off.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Straybow:
What does "inside the world's gravitational field" mean? Gravity doesn't "stop."

According to CT, a ship, streamlined and winged or not, cannot land on a world unless its M-Drive rating is greater than the world's G rating. A ship with a 1G M-Drive cannot reach escape velocity of a size 9 world, for example.

Many Traveller players don't realize this about CT because it's a bit hidden in the rules. And, because this type of thing is glossed over and forgotten in later editions of Traveller. But, if you look closely, you'll see CT rulings that support this.

Off the top of my head, check out pg. 11 of Striker Book 3. There, in the design sequence description of grav vehicles, it states exactly what I've said--that 1G is needed to keep the vehicle in the air and additional G thrust is needed to move the vehicle. More specifically about starships, look at pg. 41 of Striker Book 2, under the heading Naval Vessels, it states: "The movement rate of a spaceship is determined in the same way as that for a grav vehicle; the ship's maneuver drive rating is used as its G value. A ship with a G rating equal to or less than the planetary gravity may not take part in [ground] combat actions except from orbit."

This rule is often overlooked because it doesn't make a splash of an appearance in the Basic CT rules. But note that one of CT's co-creators, LKW, uses this rule when he designs CT craft. Check out his CT Supplement for the 20 ton Launch. There, LKW states plainly in the text that that the launch is rated at 2Gs but 1G is taken away to keep the vehicle in the air. Planetary speeds for the launch are rated for a 1G vessel, not one capable of 2Gs.

And, that's from LKW, designing stuff for Classic Traveller.

Given that, I'm sure, though the rule is murky and hidden in CT, that that's the way M-Drives were meant to be played in CT.

Of course, it's your game. If you disagree, then simply ignore it.

Heck, this was ignored from MT on. No reason why CT GM shouldn't ignore it too, if he wants.








BIG FREAKIN' EDIT: This Escape Velocity rule IS mentioned in CT. In a big way. It's right in the middle of Book 2.

It's been there from the beginning, and I've never seen it. Heck, I think most Traveller players have just skimmed past this reference.

It's in a section that nobody reads because it has to do with rulers, milimeters, and math.

Yep, it's the Movement section of Book 2 space combat. It's the section that details a planet's gravitational effect on starships in Traveller.

That's what we're talking about, right? A ship's ability, with it's 1G M-Drive, to reach escape velocity on a Size 8 world.

A ship with a 1G drive that begins on the surface of a Size 8 world will accelerate to a distance of 10,000 km...that is, if we do not account for the world's gravitational field.

Do the math. Look at the vector.

Once you apply the gravitational vector adjustment to the ship lifting off a Size 8 world, the ship's velocity becomes 0.

Yep. That's right. It ain't going anywhere.

It's right there in black and white. Right there in the heart of the LBBs.

THAT's where LKW is coming from when he wrote what he did in his 20 ton Launch deckplans.

THAT's what the references in the CT magazines are talking about.

THAT's why Striker's design system says what it does.

It's right there. Plot the course of the ship. It won't go anywhere. Now, if the ship had already been moving at some higher velocity, then the ship could make escape velocity through the Size 8 world's atmo. But, a ship on the ground, with a 1G drive, is starting at Velocity 0.

That's the big CT reference, right there in front of our faces.

We all missed it. But, it's there.








Another EDIT: I've got another canon CT reference for ya!

Not only do we have the references in Striker, LKW's CT ship, the CT magazine references (an Andy Slack article in White Dwarf comes to mind), and the mathematical representation displayed in the movement formula from the starship combat section of Book 2, but we also have this...

Check out pg. 49 of Book 6 under the paragraph title Escape Velocity.

Yep. There it is.

The escape velocity for a Size 8 world is given on a table, stated in km/sec.

A ship that accelerates at 1G averages 10 km/sec.

There it is again. Another CT reference. Right there in black & white.

The escape velocity for a Size 8 world is 11 km/sec.

Just like the rule I stated above says, a ship with a 1G M-Drive can make escape velocity from any size world that is Size 7 or less. It cannot make escape velocity from a world Size 8 or greater.

Check the table on pg. 48 of Book 6.

It's right there--another CT reference for ya.







Third EDIT: If you're so sure that this Escape Velocity Rule isn't canon, then...


1....Why do CT grav vehicle design rules in Striker read the way they do?

2....Why does Stiker, pg. 41 of Book 2 explicitly state that spaceships have to subtract the world gravity from their M-Drive ratings when figuring movement rates inside the world's atmosphere?

3....Why does Andy Lilly mention the Escape Velocity rule as he tweaks it in one of his Traveller articles in White Dwarf magazine? He thinks he's tweaking a real CT rule, right?

4....Why does the LKW still design his ships using this rule for official CT publication?

5....Why does the Book 2 space combat movement rules not allow a 1G ship to lift from a Size 8 world?

6....Why does Book 6 show escape velocity from a Size 8 world at something higher than a ship with a 1G drive can achieve?

7....And, are all the high ports and port-to-ground shuttle services only meant for unstreamlined starships when most of the ubiquitous Traveller designs are streamlined?

8. ...All Solomani ships are designed with a minimum 2G accleration. Why? Terra is a Size 8 world.

The evidence is certainly starting to mount that the Escape Velocity rule is indeed CT canon.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Straybow:
What does "inside the world's gravitational field" mean? Gravity doesn't "stop."

According to CT, a ship, streamlined and winged or not, cannot land on a world unless its M-Drive rating is greater than the world's G rating. A ship with a 1G M-Drive cannot reach escape velocity of a size 9 world, for example.

Many Traveller players don't realize this about CT because it's a bit hidden in the rules. And, because this type of thing is glossed over and forgotten in later editions of Traveller. But, if you look closely, you'll see CT rulings that support this.

Off the top of my head, check out pg. 11 of Striker Book 3. There, in the design sequence description of grav vehicles, it states exactly what I've said--that 1G is needed to keep the vehicle in the air and additional G thrust is needed to move the vehicle. More specifically about starships, look at pg. 41 of Striker Book 2, under the heading Naval Vessels, it states: "The movement rate of a spaceship is determined in the same way as that for a grav vehicle; the ship's maneuver drive rating is used as its G value. A ship with a G rating equal to or less than the planetary gravity may not take part in [ground] combat actions except from orbit."

This rule is often overlooked because it doesn't make a splash of an appearance in the Basic CT rules. But note that one of CT's co-creators, LKW, uses this rule when he designs CT craft. Check out his CT Supplement for the 20 ton Launch. There, LKW states plainly in the text that that the launch is rated at 2Gs but 1G is taken away to keep the vehicle in the air. Planetary speeds for the launch are rated for a 1G vessel, not one capable of 2Gs.

And, that's from LKW, designing stuff for Classic Traveller.

Given that, I'm sure, though the rule is murky and hidden in CT, that that's the way M-Drives were meant to be played in CT.

Of course, it's your game. If you disagree, then simply ignore it.

Heck, this was ignored from MT on. No reason why CT GM shouldn't ignore it too, if he wants.








BIG FREAKIN' EDIT: This Escape Velocity rule IS mentioned in CT. In a big way. It's right in the middle of Book 2.

It's been there from the beginning, and I've never seen it. Heck, I think most Traveller players have just skimmed past this reference.

It's in a section that nobody reads because it has to do with rulers, milimeters, and math.

Yep, it's the Movement section of Book 2 space combat. It's the section that details a planet's gravitational effect on starships in Traveller.

That's what we're talking about, right? A ship's ability, with it's 1G M-Drive, to reach escape velocity on a Size 8 world.

A ship with a 1G drive that begins on the surface of a Size 8 world will accelerate to a distance of 10,000 km...that is, if we do not account for the world's gravitational field.

Do the math. Look at the vector.

Once you apply the gravitational vector adjustment to the ship lifting off a Size 8 world, the ship's velocity becomes 0.

Yep. That's right. It ain't going anywhere.

It's right there in black and white. Right there in the heart of the LBBs.

THAT's where LKW is coming from when he wrote what he did in his 20 ton Launch deckplans.

THAT's what the references in the CT magazines are talking about.

THAT's why Striker's design system says what it does.

It's right there. Plot the course of the ship. It won't go anywhere. Now, if the ship had already been moving at some higher velocity, then the ship could make escape velocity through the Size 8 world's atmo. But, a ship on the ground, with a 1G drive, is starting at Velocity 0.

That's the big CT reference, right there in front of our faces.

We all missed it. But, it's there.








Another EDIT: I've got another canon CT reference for ya!

Not only do we have the references in Striker, LKW's CT ship, the CT magazine references (an Andy Slack article in White Dwarf comes to mind), and the mathematical representation displayed in the movement formula from the starship combat section of Book 2, but we also have this...

Check out pg. 49 of Book 6 under the paragraph title Escape Velocity.

Yep. There it is.

The escape velocity for a Size 8 world is given on a table, stated in km/sec.

A ship that accelerates at 1G averages 10 km/sec.

There it is again. Another CT reference. Right there in black & white.

The escape velocity for a Size 8 world is 11 km/sec.

Just like the rule I stated above says, a ship with a 1G M-Drive can make escape velocity from any size world that is Size 7 or less. It cannot make escape velocity from a world Size 8 or greater.

Check the table on pg. 48 of Book 6.

It's right there--another CT reference for ya.







Third EDIT: If you're so sure that this Escape Velocity Rule isn't canon, then...


1....Why do CT grav vehicle design rules in Striker read the way they do?

2....Why does Stiker, pg. 41 of Book 2 explicitly state that spaceships have to subtract the world gravity from their M-Drive ratings when figuring movement rates inside the world's atmosphere?

3....Why does Andy Lilly mention the Escape Velocity rule as he tweaks it in one of his Traveller articles in White Dwarf magazine? He thinks he's tweaking a real CT rule, right?

4....Why does the LKW still design his ships using this rule for official CT publication?

5....Why does the Book 2 space combat movement rules not allow a 1G ship to lift from a Size 8 world?

6....Why does Book 6 show escape velocity from a Size 8 world at something higher than a ship with a 1G drive can achieve?

7....And, are all the high ports and port-to-ground shuttle services only meant for unstreamlined starships when most of the ubiquitous Traveller designs are streamlined?

8. ...All Solomani ships are designed with a minimum 2G accleration. Why? Terra is a Size 8 world.

The evidence is certainly starting to mount that the Escape Velocity rule is indeed CT canon.

 

[Supplement Four]

Orbit

How far does a ship have to go to achieve orbit around a world?

That's a tricky question. Many factors play a role in that determination, including the world's gravitational pull and the radius of its atmosphere.

THIS Wiki discusses non-terrestrial atmospheres.

On earth, it is commonly accepted that the line between earth's atmosphere and open space begins at the Karman Line, which is around 100 km from the earth's surface. The earth's thermosphere and exosphere actually extend farther than that, up to about as high as 10,000 km from the earth's surface. But the thermosphere and exosphere are considered "in space" and not "in the atmosphere" of earth.

THIS Wiki discusses the Karman Line.

Note that, in the LBBs, it is noted on the TRAVEL TIMES table that orbit is achieved at the 10,000 km mark. Mayday, the Classic Traveller space combat game, mirrors this.

10,000 km above a Size 8 world with a standard atmosphere can be considered High Orbit in Traveller.

100 km above the same world can be conisdered Low Oribit.




A small world example: Mercury has no substantial atmosphere due to the world's weak gravitational field. Orbit around such a world in Traveller can be considered any distance from the world's surface where the ship cannot actually collide with any of the terrain features.

A medium sized world example; Around Venus, low orbit can be considered to begin at 95 km. High oribit is around 250 km.

A large world example: Jupiter, being a gas giant, has an extremely thin atmosphere, and orbit can be achieve anywhere outside the planetary diameter.




USING THE STANDARD WORLDS TABLE

Note that the gravitational effects of planets in Traveller can be derived from the STANDARD WORLDS table in LBB2. A ship in orbit around Jupiter would be subjected to 2.5 Gs from the gas giant's gravitational pull. Any ship captain on a vessel that didn't produce at least 3 Gs of thrust had better think twice about orbiting so close to such a large planet.

The STANDARD WORLDS table can be easily used to determine orbit distance based on the ship's M-Drive.




EDIT: Although exceptions exist, most natural satellites orbit their primaries at the world's equatorial zone and in the same direction as the spin of the planet.

When picking an orbital position, a Traveller would do well not to cross (or orbit in) the equatorial zone. There's must more junk and debris orbiting in that zone with respect to the rest of the world.




THE LESSER KNOWN ASPECTS OF ORBITAL SPACECRAFT

Especially at the equatorial zone, particals of dust and debris may cloud the ship, impacting with a static charge. Bigger stuff will likely bounce off a starship's ultradense hull. If the ship isn't equipped with a cleaning system (window wipers!), then a crewmember may be required to suit up and take a space walk in order to clean the ship's ports.

Satellites of major celestial bodies typically are tidally locked with respect to their primaries. That is to say, moons around worlds typically have the same continually facing the world it orbits. If the refigeration or heating element of the ship's life support system break down, this might be an important fact for a Traveller to know.

Don't forget the Trojan Points (also known as Lagrange Points). Asteroids tend to collect in these stable positions. L-Points also make excellent spots for starports and orbital facilities. And, they also make excellent places for hiding pirates.

 

[Supplement Four]

Orbit

How far does a ship have to go to achieve orbit around a world?

That's a tricky question. Many factors play a role in that determination, including the world's gravitational pull and the radius of its atmosphere.

THIS Wiki discusses non-terrestrial atmospheres.

On earth, it is commonly accepted that the line between earth's atmosphere and open space begins at the Karman Line, which is around 100 km from the earth's surface. The earth's thermosphere and exosphere actually extend farther than that, up to about as high as 10,000 km from the earth's surface. But the thermosphere and exosphere are considered "in space" and not "in the atmosphere" of earth.

THIS Wiki discusses the Karman Line.

Note that, in the LBBs, it is noted on the TRAVEL TIMES table that orbit is achieved at the 10,000 km mark. Mayday, the Classic Traveller space combat game, mirrors this.

10,000 km above a Size 8 world with a standard atmosphere can be considered High Orbit in Traveller.

100 km above the same world can be conisdered Low Oribit.




A small world example: Mercury has no substantial atmosphere due to the world's weak gravitational field. Orbit around such a world in Traveller can be considered any distance from the world's surface where the ship cannot actually collide with any of the terrain features.

A medium sized world example; Around Venus, low orbit can be considered to begin at 95 km. High oribit is around 250 km.

A large world example: Jupiter, being a gas giant, has an extremely thin atmosphere, and orbit can be achieve anywhere outside the planetary diameter.




USING THE STANDARD WORLDS TABLE

Note that the gravitational effects of planets in Traveller can be derived from the STANDARD WORLDS table in LBB2. A ship in orbit around Jupiter would be subjected to 2.5 Gs from the gas giant's gravitational pull. Any ship captain on a vessel that didn't produce at least 3 Gs of thrust had better think twice about orbiting so close to such a large planet.

The STANDARD WORLDS table can be easily used to determine orbit distance based on the ship's M-Drive.




EDIT: Although exceptions exist, most natural satellites orbit their primaries at the world's equatorial zone and in the same direction as the spin of the planet.

When picking an orbital position, a Traveller would do well not to cross (or orbit in) the equatorial zone. There's must more junk and debris orbiting in that zone with respect to the rest of the world.




THE LESSER KNOWN ASPECTS OF ORBITAL SPACECRAFT

Especially at the equatorial zone, particals of dust and debris may cloud the ship, impacting with a static charge. Bigger stuff will likely bounce off a starship's ultradense hull. If the ship isn't equipped with a cleaning system (window wipers!), then a crewmember may be required to suit up and take a space walk in order to clean the ship's ports.

Satellites of major celestial bodies typically are tidally locked with respect to their primaries. That is to say, moons around worlds typically have the same continually facing the world it orbits. If the refigeration or heating element of the ship's life support system break down, this might be an important fact for a Traveller to know.

Don't forget the Trojan Points (also known as Lagrange Points). Asteroids tend to collect in these stable positions. L-Points also make excellent spots for starports and orbital facilities. And, they also make excellent places for hiding pirates.

 

[Supplement Four]

Optional Rules for Book 2 Space Combat

Pegasus is a gaming magazine published by Judged Guild. Typically, the focus is on D&D and other rpgs, but several Traveller articles did appear in the magazine during its run.

The first of which appeared in Pegasus #3. It's an article on sprucing up Book 2 Space Combat by Tom Holsinger.

-Highlights-

New type of defensive screen that sucks power from the M-Drive. The more power a captain puts into the screen (a type of weak Black Globe technology), the less power there is available to maneuver the ship.

Several design revisions.

Max range for beam and pulse lasers with DMs.

New computer programs including several that interact with the ship's sensors.

Notes on starship crew requirements.

New, extended damage location chart.

Character casualty rules.

To-hit DMs based on target size.

Operating the Jump Drive in combat.

2 pages of notes on various ship types.




All-in-all, there's some very useful stuff in this article. A GM could mine it for ideas and implement some changes to Book 2 Space Combat as a House Rule.

The entire article is a good read, but my favorite part is the description of the various Detect programs. It is stated in the article that "all vessels carry enough sensors to detect a gnat at a billion miles provided they can filter out background noise and occasional deliberate jamming." These Dectect programs basically measure the ship's ability to use its computer to interpret sensor data and isolate readings.

I thought this was a pretty clever way to use sensors in CT, and there is a fairly lengthly section on the use of these programs during play.

 

[Supplement Four]

Optional Rules for Book 2 Space Combat

Pegasus is a gaming magazine published by Judged Guild. Typically, the focus is on D&D and other rpgs, but several Traveller articles did appear in the magazine during its run.

The first of which appeared in Pegasus #3. It's an article on sprucing up Book 2 Space Combat by Tom Holsinger.

-Highlights-

New type of defensive screen that sucks power from the M-Drive. The more power a captain puts into the screen (a type of weak Black Globe technology), the less power there is available to maneuver the ship.

Several design revisions.

Max range for beam and pulse lasers with DMs.

New computer programs including several that interact with the ship's sensors.

Notes on starship crew requirements.

New, extended damage location chart.

Character casualty rules.

To-hit DMs based on target size.

Operating the Jump Drive in combat.

2 pages of notes on various ship types.




All-in-all, there's some very useful stuff in this article. A GM could mine it for ideas and implement some changes to Book 2 Space Combat as a House Rule.

The entire article is a good read, but my favorite part is the description of the various Detect programs. It is stated in the article that "all vessels carry enough sensors to detect a gnat at a billion miles provided they can filter out background noise and occasional deliberate jamming." These Dectect programs basically measure the ship's ability to use its computer to interpret sensor data and isolate readings.

I thought this was a pretty clever way to use sensors in CT, and there is a fairly lengthly section on the use of these programs during play.

 

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Supplement Four:
1G is needed to keep the vehicle in the air and additional G thrust is needed to move the vehicle.

So, in Traveller if one wanted to design a glider, one must include a 1G engine??



So as not to clutter this thread I addressed the matter more in the fuel purifier thread. Not that it's precisely on topic there either...

 

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Supplement Four:
1G is needed to keep the vehicle in the air and additional G thrust is needed to move the vehicle.

So, in Traveller if one wanted to design a glider, one must include a 1G engine??



So as not to clutter this thread I addressed the matter more in the fuel purifier thread. Not that it's precisely on topic there either...

 

[Supplement Four]

Fifty Starbases published by Judges Guild

In my opinion, this is the best Traveller work JG ever put out. It's a 96 page supplement, and the vast majority of that are dedicated to maps of 50 different dirtside starbases you can pull out, use, and customize in a pinch during a game.

But, that's not the part that impresses me. What I like about 50 Starbases is the first 17 pages. Because, you get a lot in those first score of pagecount.

Let's say you want to know what type of consumables are available at a Type D starport. Well, you would flip to pg. 5 and look it up. "Type D [starports] have water and basic nutrient rations processed from local life forms or tank-grown. On some agricultural planets locally grown food supplies are also available."

OK, on that same Type D starport, one of your players asks you if the berthing cost is the same as the Type A starport they just left. Again, you look at pg. 5 and see, that at a Type D starport, the standard rate is only 25Cr for landing and the first 6 days. Then, it's 5Cr a day thereafter.

And, what does the berthing fee entail? "This normally gives the use of two small scooters for local transport and the protection of the starport security force at night."

What kind of services and facilities are available at different classes of starports?

Well, you would look at pg. 10 and see this information...

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UWP Starport Orb. Port Orb. Station Orb. Dock
------------ --------- ------------ ----------
A 9+ Present No
B 10+ Present No
C 11+ 8+ Present
D 12+ 10+ Present
E 13+ 12+ 11+</pre>[/QUOTE]DM of +1 for each UWP TL above 8.

If Orbital Facility is present, then roll 2D on this next chart to determine Services offered. Use a DM of +1 for each UWP Population code above 5.

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> 2D
------
2-7 Basic Services at the Orbital Facilty
8-11 Standard Services at the Orbital Facility
12+ Extensive Services at the Orbital Facility</pre>[/QUOTE]Definitions
------------------
Basic Orbital Port: Construction of vessels up to 1000 tons displacement. Construct J-Drives on a roll of 9+. Accomodates at least 5,000 passengers and 5,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft and interplanetary vessels available for hire. Interstellar vessels of 1000 tons available on roll of 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxury food supplies available. Repairs and annual maintenance available on 7+.

Standard Orbital Port: Construction of vessels up to 10,000 tons displacement. Construction of J-Drives. 10,000 passengers and up to 10,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft, interplanetary, and interstellar vessels of up to 10,000 tons displacement available for hire. Interstellar craft over 10,000 tons available on 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxyry food available. Reparis and annual maintenance avaiable.

Extensive Orbital Port: All the capabilities of a space born city. Construction of vessels up to 100,000 tons displacement. Construction of J-Drives. 50,000 passengers and up to 50,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft, interplanetary, and interstellar vessels of up to 50,000 tons displacement available for hire. Vessels over 50,000 tons available on 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxyry food available. Reparis and annual maintenance avaiable.

Special Category: A special category exists for those extremely large Orbital Ports in systems with populations of A or better and tech levels of E and above. The Orbital Ports, in addition to the services provided by the Extensive Orbital Port, are capabile of building vessels of 1,000,000 tons displacement and above. They are a complete industrial complex in space, capable of producing any device or item their tech level will allow.

Basic Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 250 passengers and 250 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available. Small craft are available for hire, and a Type A Free Trader will be available on a roll of 11+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Spare parts for standard small craft available.

Standard Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 1,000 passengers and 500 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available. Small craft are available for hire, and a Type A Free Trader will be available on a roll of 7+. Other types of commercial vessels will be available on a roll of 11+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Roll 9+ for luxury food supplies. Spare parts for standard small craft available. Repair services for small craft available on 7+.

Extensive Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 5,000 passengers and 1000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available as well as scheduled shuttle service to other significant settelments and bases in the system. Small craft and interplanetary craft of up to 500 tons are available for hire. Interstellar craft of up to 200 tons available for hire. Interstellar vessels of up to 1000 tons are available on a roll of 7+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Roll 9+ for luxury food supplies. Spare parts for standard small craft available. Repair services for small craft available on 7+.

Basic Orbital Dock: Facility for storing cargo in geosynchronous orbit at one of the beacon positions. At a minimum, this is a pressurized bubble with standard cargo hatch adapters for transferring cargo and a series of mesh wire open cages for holding materials which can be shipped and stored in vacuum (vacuum storage container, normally). Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available on a roll of 4+. Refined fuel available on a roll of 11+. No replacement parts of any type available.

Standard Orbital Dock: Adds a small crew of cargo handlers, several small space mules, at least one small craft capable of re-entry, and a life support facility capable of handling 100 people indefinitely to the facilities offered under the Basic Orbital Dock description. Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available. Refined fuel available on a roll of 7+. No replacement parts of any type available.

Extensive Orbital Dock: Accomodates 50 passengers and up to 200 work crew. Several small craft available as scheduled cargo and passenger shuttle service world below. Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available. Refined fuel available on a roll of 6+. Some spare parts for small craft available on a roll of 9+.






So much stuff is covered in those short 17 pages. Survey Beacons. Refueling. Aramament. Repair. Annual Maintenance. Starship Construction. Passenger Traffic. Transportation. Cargo. Shuttles. Tugs. Rescue Missiles. You get the idea.

There's also a Starport Generation System where a GM can roll a couple of dice and have an entire working starport in just a few moments. The system is designed to be used while in-game, not taking up that much time (it's not like a starship design system from Book 5 or Book 2). It's designed to be used quickly, providing answers for a GM during a game.

This is a very good CT supplement. Don't let the first-grader art and the fact that its printed on recycled newspaper fool you.




This is an INDEX thread. Please help us keep it clean of clutter by posting comments in another thread.

 

[Supplement Four]

Fifty Starbases published by Judges Guild

In my opinion, this is the best Traveller work JG ever put out. It's a 96 page supplement, and the vast majority of that are dedicated to maps of 50 different dirtside starbases you can pull out, use, and customize in a pinch during a game.

But, that's not the part that impresses me. What I like about 50 Starbases is the first 17 pages. Because, you get a lot in those first score of pagecount.

Let's say you want to know what type of consumables are available at a Type D starport. Well, you would flip to pg. 5 and look it up. "Type D [starports] have water and basic nutrient rations processed from local life forms or tank-grown. On some agricultural planets locally grown food supplies are also available."

OK, on that same Type D starport, one of your players asks you if the berthing cost is the same as the Type A starport they just left. Again, you look at pg. 5 and see, that at a Type D starport, the standard rate is only 25Cr for landing and the first 6 days. Then, it's 5Cr a day thereafter.

And, what does the berthing fee entail? "This normally gives the use of two small scooters for local transport and the protection of the starport security force at night."

What kind of services and facilities are available at different classes of starports?

Well, you would look at pg. 10 and see this information...

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UWP Starport Orb. Port Orb. Station Orb. Dock
------------ --------- ------------ ----------
A 9+ Present No
B 10+ Present No
C 11+ 8+ Present
D 12+ 10+ Present
E 13+ 12+ 11+</pre>[/QUOTE]DM of +1 for each UWP TL above 8.

If Orbital Facility is present, then roll 2D on this next chart to determine Services offered. Use a DM of +1 for each UWP Population code above 5.

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> 2D
------
2-7 Basic Services at the Orbital Facilty
8-11 Standard Services at the Orbital Facility
12+ Extensive Services at the Orbital Facility</pre>[/QUOTE]Definitions
------------------
Basic Orbital Port: Construction of vessels up to 1000 tons displacement. Construct J-Drives on a roll of 9+. Accomodates at least 5,000 passengers and 5,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft and interplanetary vessels available for hire. Interstellar vessels of 1000 tons available on roll of 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxury food supplies available. Repairs and annual maintenance available on 7+.

Standard Orbital Port: Construction of vessels up to 10,000 tons displacement. Construction of J-Drives. 10,000 passengers and up to 10,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft, interplanetary, and interstellar vessels of up to 10,000 tons displacement available for hire. Interstellar craft over 10,000 tons available on 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxyry food available. Reparis and annual maintenance avaiable.

Extensive Orbital Port: All the capabilities of a space born city. Construction of vessels up to 100,000 tons displacement. Construction of J-Drives. 50,000 passengers and up to 50,000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle flights to world below as well as all other important settlements and installations in the system. Small craft, interplanetary, and interstellar vessels of up to 50,000 tons displacement available for hire. Vessels over 50,000 tons available on 8+. Refined fuel, water, and luxyry food available. Reparis and annual maintenance avaiable.

Special Category: A special category exists for those extremely large Orbital Ports in systems with populations of A or better and tech levels of E and above. The Orbital Ports, in addition to the services provided by the Extensive Orbital Port, are capabile of building vessels of 1,000,000 tons displacement and above. They are a complete industrial complex in space, capable of producing any device or item their tech level will allow.

Basic Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 250 passengers and 250 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available. Small craft are available for hire, and a Type A Free Trader will be available on a roll of 11+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Spare parts for standard small craft available.

Standard Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 1,000 passengers and 500 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available. Small craft are available for hire, and a Type A Free Trader will be available on a roll of 7+. Other types of commercial vessels will be available on a roll of 11+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Roll 9+ for luxury food supplies. Spare parts for standard small craft available. Repair services for small craft available on 7+.

Extensive Orbital Station: Accomodate up to 5,000 passengers and 1000 work crew. Scheduled shuttle service to the planet below available as well as scheduled shuttle service to other significant settelments and bases in the system. Small craft and interplanetary craft of up to 500 tons are available for hire. Interstellar craft of up to 200 tons available for hire. Interstellar vessels of up to 1000 tons are available on a roll of 7+. Refined fuel, water, and basic food supplies are available. Roll 9+ for luxury food supplies. Spare parts for standard small craft available. Repair services for small craft available on 7+.

Basic Orbital Dock: Facility for storing cargo in geosynchronous orbit at one of the beacon positions. At a minimum, this is a pressurized bubble with standard cargo hatch adapters for transferring cargo and a series of mesh wire open cages for holding materials which can be shipped and stored in vacuum (vacuum storage container, normally). Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available on a roll of 4+. Refined fuel available on a roll of 11+. No replacement parts of any type available.

Standard Orbital Dock: Adds a small crew of cargo handlers, several small space mules, at least one small craft capable of re-entry, and a life support facility capable of handling 100 people indefinitely to the facilities offered under the Basic Orbital Dock description. Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available. Refined fuel available on a roll of 7+. No replacement parts of any type available.

Extensive Orbital Dock: Accomodates 50 passengers and up to 200 work crew. Several small craft available as scheduled cargo and passenger shuttle service world below. Unrefined fuel, water, and basic food supplies available. Refined fuel available on a roll of 6+. Some spare parts for small craft available on a roll of 9+.






So much stuff is covered in those short 17 pages. Survey Beacons. Refueling. Aramament. Repair. Annual Maintenance. Starship Construction. Passenger Traffic. Transportation. Cargo. Shuttles. Tugs. Rescue Missiles. You get the idea.

There's also a Starport Generation System where a GM can roll a couple of dice and have an entire working starport in just a few moments. The system is designed to be used while in-game, not taking up that much time (it's not like a starship design system from Book 5 or Book 2). It's designed to be used quickly, providing answers for a GM during a game.

This is a very good CT supplement. Don't let the first-grader art and the fact that its printed on recycled newspaper fool you.




This is an INDEX thread. Please help us keep it clean of clutter by posting comments in another thread.

 

[Supplement Four]

Stellar Masking

Stellar Masking occurs when a starship's destination lies within 100 diameters of the system's star. Typically, we think of exiting jumpspace outside of 100 diameters from the destination world. But, if that world lies within the zone of 100 diameters of the system's star, then an exit we pick around the destination world may be masked by the gravitational pull of the system's star.

A canon example of stellar masking appears in the GDW adventure TARSUS, written by MWM and LKW. Hote, the star in the Tarsus system, is 1.16 million km in diameter. Tarsus lies just 50 million km from Hote, so Tarsus is actually masked by its star by a distance of nearly 70 million km.

Navigators (and GMs) should consider this when exiting jump in a system.







JUMP EXIT POINT

An interesting rule I see in Tarsus is the picking of the jump exit point. Navigators, when calculating the jump, will pick an exit point in the destination system. In game terms, this means the player playing the ship's navigator can simply state where the ship will exit.

For example, in the Tarsus adventure, jump exit was set for 120 million km from Hote, as close as possible to Tarsus without exiting within Hote's 100 diameter zone. Once exiting J-Space, the players' ship will still have to travel 50 million km through normal space to get to Tarsus.

The rule that interests me and is worth posting here is that of the jump exit point. A roll is given to see if the ship exits at the predetermined position. If the throw is successful (you want to fail this roll), then a slip in navigational computations has been made, and the ship will exit some distance from the predicted point.

Throw 10+ for a slip in computations to cause a mistake in navigation; DM -navigation skill. If such a mishap does occur, the ship will be 2D times 10 million km off course.








This is an INDEX thread. Please help us keep it clutter-free by posting comments in a new thread.

 

[Supplement Four]

Stellar Masking

Stellar Masking occurs when a starship's destination lies within 100 diameters of the system's star. Typically, we think of exiting jumpspace outside of 100 diameters from the destination world. But, if that world lies within the zone of 100 diameters of the system's star, then an exit we pick around the destination world may be masked by the gravitational pull of the system's star.

A canon example of stellar masking appears in the GDW adventure TARSUS, written by MWM and LKW. Hote, the star in the Tarsus system, is 1.16 million km in diameter. Tarsus lies just 50 million km from Hote, so Tarsus is actually masked by its star by a distance of nearly 70 million km.

Navigators (and GMs) should consider this when exiting jump in a system.







JUMP EXIT POINT

An interesting rule I see in Tarsus is the picking of the jump exit point. Navigators, when calculating the jump, will pick an exit point in the destination system. In game terms, this means the player playing the ship's navigator can simply state where the ship will exit.

For example, in the Tarsus adventure, jump exit was set for 120 million km from Hote, as close as possible to Tarsus without exiting within Hote's 100 diameter zone. Once exiting J-Space, the players' ship will still have to travel 50 million km through normal space to get to Tarsus.

The rule that interests me and is worth posting here is that of the jump exit point. A roll is given to see if the ship exits at the predetermined position. If the throw is successful (you want to fail this roll), then a slip in navigational computations has been made, and the ship will exit some distance from the predicted point.

Throw 10+ for a slip in computations to cause a mistake in navigation; DM -navigation skill. If such a mishap does occur, the ship will be 2D times 10 million km off course.








This is an INDEX thread. Please help us keep it clutter-free by posting comments in a new thread.

 

[rsitalyct]

Supp4 suggested to post here this one because if could help anew player in choosing the rules set; it was posted in another thread before.

As a beginner I posted a message here asking what is in your opinion the best set to start for a beginner and I received the answer I was searching; Supp4 also pointed me to the differences between the sets.

But I was curious ... why GDW published 4 sets of rules?
I have just received from FFE the complete set of CT publications on CDROM and there is also a document stating the differences from the sets of rules from the GDW point of view:

"For gamers just beginning to play Traveller, we have four sets of rules that explain the game. Each set is aimed at a somewhat different audience, although every set contains all the rules necessary to begin playing published adventures or devising your own adventure scenarios.

BASIC TRAVELLER is the original rules set, first published in 1977. It contains three books - Characters and Combat, Starships, Worlds and Adventures - which address the entire spectrum of rules required for Traveller. The Basic Set presumes some player knowledge of role-playing, and does not include any ready-to-play
adventures or information on the background of the Traveller universe.

STARTER TRAVELLER is the newest rules set. This edition presents a streamlined, slightly
simplified version of Traveller and is aimed at a younger, less experienced audience.
The most complex (and least necessary) rules for Traveller have been deleted, leaving a game that is easier to learn but still entirely compatible with all the other Traveller sets, adventures, supplements, rules, and boardgames. The Starter Edition also includes ready-to-play adventuring material and some background information.

DELUXE TRAVELLER is a large, more expensive package that includes the full range of Traveller rules, a special Introduction to Traveller booklet for new players, an Introductory Adventure, and a special map of the Spinward Marches region of the
Traveller universe. Although there is no background information on Traveller, this set is suitable as an introductory package (even though the rules are unabridged), or as a gift set.

THE TRAVELLER BOOK is the "BEST BUY" of Traveller sets. It contains the complete, unabridged rules to Traveller, special introductory information for new players, two adventures, suggestions for other adventure situations, and a wealth of background
information on the Traveller universe. The Traveller Book is suitable for new gamers
(although the rules are unabridged), but is especially aimed at experienced roleplayers
who are getting into Traveller and demand all the information on the Traveller
universe."

Hope it can be useful for other newbies like me!

Roberto

 

[rsitalyct]

Supp4 suggested to post here this one because if could help anew player in choosing the rules set; it was posted in another thread before.

As a beginner I posted a message here asking what is in your opinion the best set to start for a beginner and I received the answer I was searching; Supp4 also pointed me to the differences between the sets.

But I was curious ... why GDW published 4 sets of rules?
I have just received from FFE the complete set of CT publications on CDROM and there is also a document stating the differences from the sets of rules from the GDW point of view:

"For gamers just beginning to play Traveller, we have four sets of rules that explain the game. Each set is aimed at a somewhat different audience, although every set contains all the rules necessary to begin playing published adventures or devising your own adventure scenarios.

BASIC TRAVELLER is the original rules set, first published in 1977. It contains three books - Characters and Combat, Starships, Worlds and Adventures - which address the entire spectrum of rules required for Traveller. The Basic Set presumes some player knowledge of role-playing, and does not include any ready-to-play
adventures or information on the background of the Traveller universe.

STARTER TRAVELLER is the newest rules set. This edition presents a streamlined, slightly
simplified version of Traveller and is aimed at a younger, less experienced audience.
The most complex (and least necessary) rules for Traveller have been deleted, leaving a game that is easier to learn but still entirely compatible with all the other Traveller sets, adventures, supplements, rules, and boardgames. The Starter Edition also includes ready-to-play adventuring material and some background information.

DELUXE TRAVELLER is a large, more expensive package that includes the full range of Traveller rules, a special Introduction to Traveller booklet for new players, an Introductory Adventure, and a special map of the Spinward Marches region of the
Traveller universe. Although there is no background information on Traveller, this set is suitable as an introductory package (even though the rules are unabridged), or as a gift set.

THE TRAVELLER BOOK is the "BEST BUY" of Traveller sets. It contains the complete, unabridged rules to Traveller, special introductory information for new players, two adventures, suggestions for other adventure situations, and a wealth of background
information on the Traveller universe. The Traveller Book is suitable for new gamers
(although the rules are unabridged), but is especially aimed at experienced roleplayers
who are getting into Traveller and demand all the information on the Traveller
universe."

Hope it can be useful for other newbies like me!

Roberto

 

[Judas Iscariot]

Are there any rules about vehicles travelling in NOe other than in Striker? Could someone point the way to them if there are?

 

[Judas Iscariot]

Are there any rules about vehicles travelling in NOe other than in Striker? Could someone point the way to them if there are?

 

[Supplement Four]

Descriptive Book 2 Damage


Here are some thoughts GMs may find useful in their games. This is meant as a "creative launching point" for GMs to add some spice to their sessions.

Instead of just saying, "Yeah, your maneuver drive drops a letter code on that hit," or, "No bother--it's just another hull hit--you're ship's depressurized already," consider being more descriptive about what is actually happening to the ship. (I'm referring to Book 2 space combat, but you can use this in any type of Traveller space combat.)

A GM can tax the players' credits and set up whole side adventures as the PCs set down on a TL 4 world with a Class C starport, going in search of "a new thruster plate cowling" or "fuel pump specific to a particular make (and TL) of unit".

Have some fun with this.


=================================================
(Damage Results from Book 2 Space Combat)


2: Powerplant
Besides the usual effect described in Book 2, consider that the power distribution node has been damaged (Maybe this is why the PP just dropped a letter code). Maybe the battery backups are destroyed and need to be replaced. Maybe the local computer control system is down.


3: Maneuver Drive
The thruster plates could have taken a direct hit. Maybe the T-Plate cowling is damaged, which is causing the drive to perform at less than optimal level. The local thruster plate control could have been damaged, which will have an effect on the ship's attitude control (which may prevent or hinder the ship's pilot from orienting the ship for an optimal firing solution at the enemy). And, if the ship's single gyroscope is out of whack, the vessel will not be able to alter course--it will remain on a straight-line course until the gyroscope is fixed (the ship has to flip around, bow over stern, in order to apply thrust to "slow the ship down", and this is not possible with the gyroscope out).


4: Jump Drive
If the jump governor is damaged, a ship normally capable of either a J-1 or J-2 jump might be "stuck" at only being able to perform a J-2. The ship's jump drive has it's own, dedicated powerplant, seperate from the ship's main powerplant. If this is damaged, the J-Drive will not function. A starship stores energy inside an energy sink, which is then used, almost instantly, when the ship enters jump. Most modern starships use Zuchai Crystals for their energy sink, and if these are damaged, the ship cannot jump.


5: Fuel
When a fuel hit is obtain, typically about 10 tons of fuel are lost, vented out into space. Internally, the ship's automatic damage control system adjusts the fuel tank's baffles, automatically sealing the rupture, preventing more fuel from escaping. A GM could have fun with a inoperative baffle, requiring a character to suit up in a Vacc Suit and actually enter the fuel tank (usually through the fuel lock in engineering) to fix the baffle--all the while the ship is venting precious fuel out into space.

Of course, a character having to go out onto the hull to patch a hole in the tank from the exterior of the vessel--while the ship is engaged in space combat--could be a lot of fun too.


6-7: Hull
Create a chart for your vessel, as I have done below (my next post in this thread) for a Type A2 Far Trader. Whenever a Hull result occurs on the damage table, roll on this chart to figure which area of the ship was acutally hit.

Note that not all Hull hits have to depressurize the compartment. Depressurization certainly occurs in most cases (maybe causing an obstacle for charcters inside the ship to have to "move around" in order to get to a different section of the ship), and many times equipment and objects inside that location are destroyed. But, also consider that many other types of damage can occur as well. Maybe it's a very small, pin-hole leak, that is very hard to track down. If there are viewports in the room, a GM could scare the PCs with a "crack" that is visible in the port.

If an airlock was hit, consider that the airlock is no longer functional--or that the outer hatch is stuck closed (or even open).

Heck, maybe there's a big hole, the size of a watermelon, blown in the side of the hull (describe how, when a character passes by, he can see all the way out into space).

Look at the room location and be creative with what the damage is. For example, a roll of 56, 61, 62, or 63 on my chart below indicates a hull hit either the ship's port or starboard fuel processing stations. A hit here could mean simple depressurization, or could it also mean: (1) that fuel purification plant is damaged/destroyed; (2) the external fuel scoop on the hull is damaged (so scooping operations are not possible until the scoop is repaired); (3) the fuel pump is damaged (causing the PCs to buy refined fuel until they get the pump fixed); (4) the fuel intake cock is damaged/destroyed (which must be repaired before the ship is able to "refuel" at a starport). Even the fuel procesing waste vents, on the exterior of the ship, could have been damaged--something that will make fuel processing dangerous and cost the PCs in credits for repairs later at a starport.

Miscellaneous systems can be damaged with a Hull hit as well.

When a ship's gyroscope is out, it relies on back up attitude control thrusters. This system could be damaged. The reactor dump vent could be damaged, and if this is not fixed, it could get very hot, very quickly, inside the ship.

If the inertial compensators are damaged, then the crew will need to strap into acceleration couches (and ships with high M-Drives will be hampered in making max-G veloctiy changes).

Life Support is another system that can be damaged from a Hull hit. Think about screwing with the ship's lights, temperature, humidity, atmosphere mix...even the sonics (everytime an alarm goes off, the crew can barely hear and communication is minimal in that room!).

Life Support could also mean that some of the ship's food stores were damaged (do they have enough to eat for a week if they jump?). Maybe the fresh water tank is blasted, or leaking (or even: there's fresh water in the tank, but the piping to the staterooms is damaged, so we can get the water out!).

You could also have fun with a hit to waste storage tank--think about the mess that would make.

And, let's not forget the ship's gravitics. Make that system non-operational, and the PCs will have a very serious problem on their hands (especially if most of them don't have Vacc Suit skill have have to make that 10+ Zero-G roll to maintain control).

Externally, Hull hits can do all sorts of damage to the ship. If the jump grid is damaged enough, the ship will not be able to form a jump field bubble (making it impossible for the ship to transmit into J-Space). The ship's landing gear can be damaged, making dirtside visits tricky.

Also, a Hull hit that knocks out the ship's sensor system (maybe/maybe not it's just a dish!) or communications system (maybe/maybe not it's just an antenna!) can mean serious trouble for the PCs.

If you decide the ship's sensors have been damaged due to the Hull hit, you can knock out the entire system (making targeting with the ship's weapons impossible) or just a part of it (pick a damaged sensor system: Longwave and/or Shortwave Radio (used for broadband emergency hails! Also used for RADAR!); Microwave Radio (used for tightbeam communications, tightbeam laser targeting, and MADAR); IR Sensors (heat sensors); Visible Light receivers (that blind computer-enhanced imagery if damaged); and several other types of sensors (like Ultraviolet, X-Ray, and Gamma sensors).

Ships that are fitted with neutrino sensors or densitometers can have these systems damaged/destroyed.

And, let's not forget, the ship's transponder being damaged may lead to some interesting role-playing situations later.

The point here is: A Hull hit can be so much more entertaining in the game than a "usual depressurization and let's move on". It can lead to some interesting roleplaying, whether it's serious (Oh my! The gravity is out, and nobody can make the Zero-G roll in order to operate the ship!) to the not-so-serious but interesting (Oh my! The waste storage tank, which is located in the ceiling over the passenger common area, has been damaged. Here's your mop and bucket.).

Turn a Hull hit into the "push" of your adventure, if you need to. Or, just turn a Hull hit into an interesting problem the PCs will have to overcome.


8: Hold
I won't write a lot about the hold as the Book 2 damage description covers most possibilities. But, a Hold hit is just like an internal Hull hit. Mine the description above for ideas.


9: Computer
The "computer" on a starship is actually an assembly of a multitude of "networked" computers--from the computer used in presurizing the airlock, to the computer that monitors fuel flow into the powerplant, to the simple computer that automatically opens/closes interior hatches when crew members approach, to the computer that correlates the data input from the sensors, etc.

Pick a system on the ship, and there is a computer attached to it.

When the computer damage result is scored on the Book 2 damage tables, this means that there is a problem somewhere in the network, affecting the entire network (providing the "operation" roll mentioned in Book 2).

Besides the obvious things that can go wrong when the ship's computer network is damaged, also consider things like this: The bridge computer's storage drive has been damaged, and the ship just lost the Gunner Interact program (or pick a major program). The internal security system is damaged, and the entire ship is "locked down" (PCs will have to cut their way through the bulkheads to get to specific parts of the ship.). The fire control system thinks there's a fire in engineering, around the powerplant, and halon gas is being jetting into the compartment--those inside have only moments to get out if not already in a vacc suit.

And, maybe it's just something small--like the doppler scanners on the hatches only work sometimes--and PCs tend to walk right into a closed hatch.

Or maybe the holodynamic panels on the bridge have reverted from their user's custom configuration to the panel's default configuration--making it just a tad harder for panel users (the ship's pilot or navigator, for example) to find the controls they need.


10-11: Turret
Besides the weapon becoming non-functinal, the gunner's station could become depressurized. Or, the gunnery controls could become inoperative.

The acutal weapon mount of the weapon might have been damaged--requiring someone to go onto the hull of the ship to assess damage and possibly fix it.

And, maybe the computer link from the navigator's sensor plot to the turret's targeting computer is severed.


12: Critical
System go boom. Play hardball with the PCs.








This is an INDEX thread. Please help us keep it clutter-free by posting your comments in a new thread.