Starting a new campaign

[jappel]

I have an idea for a campigan that takes place during the 5th frontier ware where the PCs are a unit of Mech pilots (yes like in Mech Warrior but more like Mobile Suit Gundam) that are mercs for the Imperium or actual Soildiers of the Imperium. but I dont know how to do it right please any help on designing the Mechs and putting them into a first Adventure and a design for a first Adventure.

Slyen,

Well, depending on which version of Traveller you're using, you may already have rules for designing "walkers" or legged vehicles. (I think you'll find with some experimentation that they won't make military or economic sense, but hey, it's your game, knock yourself out.) I'd play around with those designs and see what the vehicles turn out to be capable of, how big they are, what kind of support requirements they might have, etc. From that point you could determine what kind of ship or ships you need to haul them and their support around.

As for what kind of missions or adventures - at first glance this falls into the classic "mercenary ticket" kind of adventure. Keep in mind that armored units (and these pseudo-Mechs are essentially another type of tank) are great mobile weapons platforms but not especially stealthy. They could be assigned to augment the defense of a particular world against the Zhodani / Vargr / Sword Worlders, or as part of raiding force sent "behind the lines" to attack enemy bases, or as a counter-guerilla force against the Ine Givar.

Of course, the war drags on for a number of years, and your PCs can't spend all their time in their pseudo-Mechs... plenty of time for "dismounted" adventures between combat ops.

John

 

[slyen2002]

thx for the help

We are using orignal traveller but i dont have any other sources for vehicle construction other than striker rules and it doesnt cover legged vehicles. High Gaurd covers starships and since the Gundams went into space and i did want to use them like the I-7 Howlhunters in star wars( better than TIE but not well use because of the relaiblilty of the TIE). So i dont know exactle how to build them.

Any help on that would be good but thx for the mission ideas. They are kind of like Shogo =)

 

[jappel]

Slyen,

Welllll.... the concept of a ground-based fighting vehicle that is also capable of space combat won't fit into Traveller without serious modification. You can do what you want, naturally, but while science and engineering in Traveller will bend, what you're looking for goes way beyond that point.

I could have sworn there was leg-based locomotion in Striker... I'm pretty sure it exists in MegaTraveller. It might be a stretch, but the CT Robots book had leg-based propulsion for sure, perhaps it could be extrapolated and adapted?

As far as missions - in the Fifth Frontier War game, the Imperials get a number of merc units that supplement their regular and colonial forces. The Zhodani get to place a secret base on a world that doesn't have an inherent garrison, so a common Imperial tactic is to use the merc units to garrison the potential locations for the secret base. Another tactic I've seen used before was to load some small units aboard a fleet made up of fast cruiser squadrons and have them raid the Zhodani worlds. And do you have a copy of the CT adventure "Broadsword"? It features a group of mercs on Garda-Vilis who are brought in to put down local guerillas but wind up facing elements of the Sword Worlds army and the Zhodani navy as well as the insurgents.

John

 

[slyen2002]

i have the adventure Broadsword but i may not be able to access it to well.
As for in the %th frontier war game i have acess to it but was only going to use to plot out the movemet of all empires as per the timeline of the war so the players may end up on Efate right as the Zhodani fleet arrives and are stuck there until they can break through the blockade.

MegaTraveller i know has rules for Leg based vehicles because in 101 vehicles they had the strider walker which looked as my friend put it "A Catapult mech out of Black Knight"

NE also has rules for making walkers in Fire, Fusion, and Steel.

But the problem with NE and MT is that the design systems for vehicles are very complex and it take me about a week to figure out the design systems.

Also the moblie suits and Gundams both had to be modified for use in space but the weapon systems where virtualy the same.

 

[slyen2002]

correction:
5th frontier war

Additional:
the lats post was the longest ive ever posted

 

[mike wightman]

slyen2 wrote:
But the problem with NE and MT is that the design systems for vehicles are very complex and it take me about a week to figure out the design systems.

Have you tried the T20 design system?
It includes leg based propulsion and is a fairly straightforward system to use, IMHO. Once you've done a few designs that is

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

It's ironic that this discussion has moved to walkers.... once I get my group off planet I plan on them having a small walker of some sort as a one-man scout vehicle. I too am using CT. For the most part I was going to fudge some things, but since it's CT I was going to take some bits from the Book 8: Robots and extrapolate them into something that would work for a vehicle.

As for mission/first adventure ideas for you, perhaps this unit is a pilot program. The other members of the mercenary group are conventional. The walkers are experimental...perhaps the unit is chosen to give them an in-field shakedown by the designing company.
That would allow you for things like unexpected breakdowns, non combat endurance missions (you've got three days to get these across that swamp...go!), or perhaps a rival corporation wants the designs for themselves.

 

[slyen2002]

dont have t20 book but would like.
problems are mainly that i dont have enough money but i was hoping to get it for my birthday or Xmas

(just so you know i turned 16 on the 2nd of march)

robots like high guard are also pretty complex for me also.

also N.I.C.E. have u seen Gasaraki? its an anime sortof like you where discribing if u havent

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Can't say that I have. Interesting is it?

 

[slyen2002]

very.
Its about war that erupts when a middle eastern country supposedly detonates a weapon of mass destruction but its really trying to summon back this demon form the past.
So the UN sends its rapid response forces into the fiction country only to be nearly wiped out by mechs but they dont realize it until the end of the 3rd episode.
Meanwhile in Japan this comapny has built these other mechs and have been testing them for use in the japanese military. The company, named after itsa founding family, Gowa, has also been trying to bring back this demon using one of the president of the company's son who ironicly is one of the test pilots for the mechs and is captian in the military even though he is a civlian.

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Sounds intriguing. If your group hasn't seen the show you could turn that into an adventure. Instead of a demon you might alter it so it's a genetically enginneered bioweapon or something

 

[slyen2002]

well my main collarbrorator (i think thats how u spell it) has seen the first 4 dvds and thats all i have seen as well as being all i have. but that sounds good way of putting the demon thingy in.

PS (this is the same character that opened up on a giant rat with two Uzis and made the kitchen into swiss cheese not to mention alerting every terriost in the building)

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Well, if he's the only one then you can make your collaborator in on the plot Perhaps he's a plant by the company into the group or perhaps he has a relative or sweetheart involved in the project and joint the military unit as a means to get them out.

 

[slyen2002]

hmm interesting
except for the fact that were all geeky kids who have no girlfriends and probly havent even thought of it because of computer games and traveller and such.

 

[plop101]

From: N.I.C.E. Labs

The world is completely uninhabited save for a dozen or so scientists in a research station on the other side of the planet who are there to study the phenomenon.

Hivers or Nunclees for scientists.

1. The Nunclees are really there for the atmospheric phenomenon. However, since they don't relate to humans very well, misunderstandings could ensue.

2. The Hivers would have a ulterior motive. Theyll be developing a bio-weapon for use against the Zhodani {IMTU, the Hivers dont like the Droyne, and they have just recently discovered the close relationship between the Droyne and the Zhodani}.
The weapon was really detonated to study wind patterns for the weapon. The Hivers will not be happy if anyone finds out about there activities.

2b. The Zhodani have found out about the Hivers, and if/when the PC's finnaly make it to the research center, they'll find themselves in the middle of a fire fight.

2c. The Imperuim has sent a scout ship to the world, but the Hivers have captured the ship and its crew. If/when the PC's finnaly make it to the research center, they'll have a opportunity to rescue the scout(s) and leave the planet.

More notions as I think of them.

 

[plop101]

Quick Note: In the case of the Hivers being involved, they will of course have a small non-Hiver security team to secure the compound. You pick em: Vargr, Aslan, Hiver War Bots, or other alien troops from the Federation.

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Interesting. I hadn't considered another race like Hivers. I might just do that.

I'm not familiar with the Nunclees race, however, perhaps you could enlighten me?

 

[slyen2002]

who are the Nunclees?
why do hivers hate the droyne anyway. ive never herad of them hating them before.

 

[Morte]

Hivers are very wary of psionics -- a form of manipulation they can't do themselves. The whole idea of somebody who could out-manipulate them is deeply unsettling.

[E.g. all hiver ships have components which just happen to leak electromagnetic radiation of a kind that jams psions.]

 

[plop101]

from N.I.C.E. Labs:

I'm not familiar with the Nunclees race, however, perhaps you could enlighten me?

There listed in T4 Aliens Archive. Basically, a hive creature composed of worms.

from slyen2:

why do hivers hate the droyne anyway. ive never herad of them hating them before.

Its strictly IMTU, and something I picked up from a TML posting by someone else a long while back, but I liked the idea.

****Spoiler alert here****

Its a modified idea of how the ancients final war started. Basically, the Droyne create the Hivers>
the Hivers learn manipulation> They become so good at it, that they start manipulating the Droyne> Grandfather, seeing this manipulation, starts the final war to excise the damage caused by the manipulation. His departure into the pocket universe was to avoid the Hiver survivors of the final war, who would eventually figure out what happened and would want to seek revenge against Grandfather. The idea has the flavor of the Shadows/Vorlon conflict from Babylon 5.

****Spoiler alert here****