The Great IMTU Poll, Part II

[Rhialto the Marvelous]

The 3rd Imperium

3i++ The 3I is a massive juggernaut, with an amazing tax base and thousands of SDBs in even minor systems. Interplanetary trade is robust. Many starports are huge city-sized affairs.

3i+ The 3I is a powerful force to reckon with, with good control over most of its member worlds and the power to back its authority. Interplanetary trade is good on many worlds. Starports are planetary trade centers.

3i The 3I is a stable confederation, held together by the nobility of its population, but not all-powerful and overall not wealthy. Interplanetary trade is regular. Starports are common.

3i- The 3I is a loose, vulnerable sprawl of worlds, which by the way is no worse off than the other interstellar states. Interplanetary trade exists on major worlds. Starports are significant on major worlds but not so massive.

3i-- The 3I is a picture of gross mismanagement over impossible distances. It's a wonder it held together so long. Interplanetary trade exists on only the best worlds. Starports are, on the whole, rather weak things.

!3i IMTU, the 3I doesn't exist or is irrelevant.

 

[Golan2072]

The only OTU version I intend to play in the near future is TNE:1248, in which there is no 3rd Imperium, only a 4th one, and my game is going to be set quite far from it (in Canopus or Alpha Crucis).

 

[Liam Devlin]

My OTU campaign is likewise set in the TNE:1248 future, and currently its placed in the Wilds of the Reft Sector (p), circa 1210.. where it goes after this story arc..I'll decide later.

 

[Hemdian]

IMTU (Classic Era) the 3I is not homogenous. While over most of its bulk I’d rate it "3i" (and "3i+" in places) it tends to fray at the edges, becoming "3i-" within a subsector of a border (even "3i—-" in some places). That means, for example, that in the Spinward Marches there are plenty of opportunities for heroic deeds by PCs ... they can correct local shortcomings and "make a difference" (corrupt nobles with private armies, unregulated megacorps, tyrannical worlds and local wars). But in Core the Establishment holds sway ... more political style campaigns with less action.

Regards PLST

 

[Jame]

I think mine is mostly 3I. Like Hemdian, mine's 3I+ in places, but very few 3I- places at all inside the Imperium.

 

[kafka47]

It is always changing for me, but again the standard 3i dead set in the middle is where I feel most comfortable voting. For instance, how does one account for the fact that I usually play in the cusps of history, ie right before or right after big changing events so as to allow players a chance to write the destiny of the OTU. Sometimes, it might mean that Capital worlds would have big starports and other times Class A just looks like JFK airport...big but not overbearing.

 

[robject]

I'm with Hemdian.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Actually, MTU (CT Rules, CT & GURPS Resources) is somewhere between 3i and 3i-

3i A stable confederation, held together by the nobility of its population, but not all-powerful and overall not wealthy.

3i- Interplanetary trade exists on major worlds. Starports are significant on major worlds but not so massive.

Otherwise, similar to Hemdian's.

I selected 3i, anyway.

 

[Sifu Blackirish]

!3i...with an explanation.

Let's see, a Merchantguild era, a ConFederation era, a Dominion era, an Alliance era...

MTU runs almost the entire spectrum, except there is no Long Night.

 

[Icosahedron]

MTU is non-canon but has a 3I. It is centred on 3I+ but is 3I++ in the core regions and down to 3I- at the rim. Beyond the rim, even 3I-- is possible. It's pretty big.

 

[Golan2072]

The only option msiing from this poll is one for a Proto-Traveller Imperium - darker, smaller, and more factionalized (nobles allowed to fight each other).

 

[Flynn]

Count me in for another 1248 vote here.

Hope this helps,
Flynn

 

[Roger Calver]

Once again a 1248 vote.

 

[flykiller]

since these polls are all tied together you ought to put in the top post of each one links to the others.

 

[Straybow]

"!3i" the OTU is as much impediment to gaming as aid.

 

[RainOfSteel]

3++

Minus the "thousands of SDBs" part.

 

[Psion]

To me, the Imperium is not ALL powerful, or the PCs would have nothing to do. Worlds still squabble, nobles duel, and so forth. But the ideas that the Imperium can pacify worlds and trade is the life blood of the Imperium is central to the concept of the setting to me.

 

[robject]

I think you've got the gist of it, Psion -- and it jibes nicely with the so-called "link and branch" method of Imperial development... lots of backwaters, nominally inside the empire.