Suggestions for Character type

[jaz0nj4ckal]

Folks:
I have friends over until the end of the holidays and I want to start up a CT game. I do not have all the resources yet, just the first 4 books, but I am looking for suggestions on the following items.

I have a friend that was Fleet Marine Helicopter Avionic maintenance, so I want to try and surprise him with a character related to this profession.

Since I am still new to CT – what vehicle replaced the Helicopter in the Traveller universe? In addition, I am suspecting a number of repair or maintenance skills would be required for this roll.

Looking for idea if someone has done this already and/or make the character pop! Right now he is playing a regular Marine character with no helicopter, since I am not sure what type of vehicle to replace it with – and he is playing the character as a mixture between Rick and TC ( from Magnum PI).

Thanks
JJ

 

[Piper]

The air/raft is generally regarded as the replacement for the helicopter. Check the revised price list in book 4 as it got a lot cheaper.

Don't be limited by the description, either. Any type of vehicle can be given grav lifters: trucks, armored personnel carriers, enclosed ATV-like exploration vehicles. Basic Traveller is all about referee creativity.

Electronics would be the default skill for maintenance and repair ( I think the gravitics skill wasn't introduced until a later book) and a lot of career paths offer that as a possibility. Mechanical skill might be used for certain types of damage. Keep in mind that the air/raft skill itself allows operation and routine servicing.

 

[Vladika]

Folks:
I have friends over until the end of the holidays and I want to start up a CT game. I do not have all the resources yet, just the first 4 books, but I am looking for suggestions on the following items.

I have a friend that was Fleet Marine Helicopter Avionic maintenance, so I want to try and surprise him with a character related to this profession.

Since I am still new to CT – what vehicle replaced the Helicopter in the Traveller universe? In addition, I am suspecting a number of repair or maintenance skills would be required for this roll.

Looking for idea if someone has done this already and/or make the character pop! Right now he is playing a regular Marine character with no helicopter, since I am not sure what type of vehicle to replace it with – and he is playing the character as a mixture between Rick and TC ( from Magnum PI).

Thanks
JJ

I'd suggest that the GCarrier replaced the helo. BTW if you have Books 1-3 you have everything you need meat-wise , the rest is just gravy.

 

[jaz0nj4ckal]

Wow... thanks for the quick reply you two... G-Carrier... I will look that one up.

 

[Timerover51]

If you want to get a bit more creative, and have a scanner equivalent, you might want to consider an air cargo vehicle based on the H-37 Mojave helicopter. I am not sure if I have a line drawing of one somewhere on a hard drive.

The big engine pods become the lift and drive units, with a secondary lift module under the extended tail. Rocket and gun pods can be suspended under the stub wings connecting the lift and drive pods to the main body. The power unit is located on the top of the main fuselage, where the rotor is on the H-37. You have a nice clamshell unloading door in the front for all sorts of stuff. It gives you a nice armed cargo air truck.

 

[jaz0nj4ckal]

If you want to get a bit more creative, and have a scanner equivalent, you might want to consider an air cargo vehicle based on the H-37 Mojave helicopter. I am not sure if I have a line drawing of one somewhere on a hard drive.

The big engine pods become the lift and drive units, with a secondary lift module under the extended tail. Rocket and gun pods can be suspended under the stub wings connecting the lift and drive pods to the main body. The power unit is located on the top of the main fuselage, where the rotor is on the H-37. You have a nice clamshell unloading door in the front for all sorts of stuff. It gives you a nice armed cargo air truck.

Sikorsky all the way!!! Now that is what I am talking about... In addition, would love to remodel the H-34. Would you suggestion using already established stats?

What books have vehicle stats? Is there a resource that has material to create new vehicles?

thanks.
JJ

 

[Timerover51]

Sikorsky all the way!!! Now that is what I am talking about... In addition, would love to remodel the H-34. Would you suggestion using already established stats?

What books have vehicle stats? Is there a resource that has material to create new vehicles?

thanks.
JJ

For designing vehicles, you need something like Striker, or MegaTraveller. Some of the Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society booklets have vehicle designs, along with some of the Library Data books. There are a fair number of vehicle designs that appear in the various adventures.

As for the Mojave, those big radial engines weighed a lot, so you might want to reduce the weight a bit, unless you figure that goes into a stronger fuselage. For weight carriage, given that the standard air raft is supposed to be able to carry 4 tons, you probably could boost the carrying capacity of the Mojave to its listed maximum floor loading, which is about 2000 pounds per running foot of floor space, which is 30 feet 4 inches. She could handle a 10,000 pound external load or an 8,000 pound internal load, or 23 troops in seats. Internal cubic space for cargo was 1,142 cubic feet or about 2 and a third Traveller displacement tons.

Converting that into metric for use in Traveller, I would figure a cargo load of 10,000 kilograms, internal or external, or 24 to 30 troops without seats. The troop weight for the Mojave was figured at 240 pounds per man, which is pretty standard conservative loading. You could easily mount a couple of machine guns in the side loading doors, and if you do not mind loosing the nose clamshell door, you could mount a pretty nice gun turret there.

 

[Vargas]

For designing vehicles, you need something like Striker, or MegaTraveller. Some of the Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society booklets have vehicle designs, along with some of the Library Data books. There are a fair number of vehicle designs that appear in the various adventures.

Or, dare I suggest it, do it narratively. Both of those systems require a bit of time and effort to use and may not be the best use of your time. YMWV.

 

[CosmicGamer]

what vehicle replaced the Helicopter in the Traveller universe?

None. Helicopters are still in use in some places. Lots of systems at a variety of tech levels.

 

[BlackBat242]

Exactly... and I have a later Traveller magazine with stats for a helo that is suspiciously similar to the AH-64 Apache. Unfortunately, most of my Traveller material is in storage where I used to live (~300 miles away, I moved in August and haven't had a chance to go get the rest of my stuff).

 

[Timerover51]

None. Helicopters are still in use in some places. Lots of systems at a variety of tech levels.

You do have a point there. Which makes for some interesting ideas when it comes to possible cargos and manufacturing industries.

And simply taking an existing helicopter and adapting it verbally to Traveller would not be that hard either.

 

[Piper]

If you want an actual helicopter rather than a high-tech replacement (and you're still limited to books 1-4) they're in Book 3, page 17. Use the reduced pricing from Book 4.

G-carriers are in The Traveller Book and I think, Adventure 7. You should be able to find CT descriptions online, though.

 

[jaz0nj4ckal]

Thanks team for all the suggestions. This coming weekend... our game is going to rock....

Thanks
JJ

 

[flykiller]

"AirCav son! Air Mobile!"

in the Thirteen Gigs link below I have some deckplans for various 20dton infantry vehicles. you might even consider grav belt.

"Charlie don't surf!"