Traveller 1889

[tim_manley]

Traveller 1889

Have any of you played or seen Space 1889? Victorian's in space, aetherships and space travel...

I've shared before that during my commute I let my mind wander. On the way home I use it as a "shut work off" time. I get ideas and work them out. Once concept was how well does CT fit into a steam-punk world... I know I've mentioned this before in another post but just had the thought banging around in my head. Since I don't have the time to run games and really don't know when I will again, I live vicariously through my thought process about the games...

So one day while at home I decided to take a gander at my old Space1889 rules. My thought was to find some time to create the professions they have and convert them into Traveller. But then I saw... they already fit perfectly.

So professions are a done deal... (call the Scout an Explorer and it fits). Both LBB1 & Sup4 are right on the money in this regard.

As for skills... some work has to be done there.
Aircraft and vehicles don't really exist per-se. Trains do... airships/balloons do... aetherships do. So Ship's Boat can be Aether Flyer skill. Pilot can be Aether Ship. Now bear in mind I'm looking *just* at LBB1 & Supp4.

Now... what about the ships....

So, how does it work?

Aether is the key. In Traveller terms the Aether Engine is the Maneuver Drive. The Slipstream Engine is the Jump drive. The Power Plant is the boiler, or steam engine. The fuel of the ship is water for the steam engine. What about something to make the steam? In Space 1889 they used a big mirror to boil the water... But, I think that'll work for the early ships. But on Venus... or Mercury, a rock was found that reacts violently with water... call it the Claudia Rock in honor of the discoverer's daughter (heh... who can get the reference?). This rock will boil water. There we go, you can now make steam without needing air or fire.

How does space travel work? Well, we take our solar system. Instead of AU we use SU.. Sol Units. 1 SU equals 3 Astronomical Units (AU). This is how many hexes it is between bodies.

The Aether Flyer engine (the M-Drive) is for flying in the atmosphere. The 'G rating' of the engine isn't really a G rating anymore but the speed in the sky. It's also for achieving orbit and flying around the planet itself (going to moons, etc.).

The Aether Engine (the J-Drive) is for flying from planet to planet. The Jump rating is the number of SU it can travel in 1 week. It doesn't "jump out" and leave real-space, it just goes really fast.

Body     AU  SU
mercury  0.4  1
venus    0.7  2
earth    1.0  3
mars     1.5  5
belt     2.3  7
belt     3.3 10
jupiter  5.2 16
saturn   9.5 29
uranus  19.6 59
neptune 30.0 90

**On a side note I toyed with the idea of having the M-Drive have its G rating how many AU it can travel in a Month and the J-Drive have its rating be how many AU it can travel in a day....just as an alternative....

 

[tim_manley]

Another thought I had was to take a map with 4 subsectors, the central axis is the star. All the planets orbit the star and folks live on these ala Fire Fly. Each hex is the SU listed above and you have the planet per LBB3 rules.....

In fact this idea was so enticing that I have been toying with making a full fledged campaign using it....

 

[G. Fieendish]

Anyone for a liftwood air-raft, or more precisely, a air-rowingboat with possibly a clockwork powered propellor system for propulsion...?
(Well, if the Aether Drive is M-Drive than Liftwood is effectively the equivalent of Contragrav Lifters...).

 

[ShapeShifter]

*Arise old post!*
:rofl:

I've been reading reviews and samples of Space 1889 and thought it was right down my alley for modelling ERBian Barsoom. However I'd like to port it into the CT ruleset. Does anyone have any more suggestions about how they have attempted this? Is anybody aware of any homebrew sites where the conversion notes are elaborated? It should not be too hard to map a 1D6 to a 2D6 system. Furthermore the abilities (strength, intellect, agility, charisma, endurance and social level) are a near-match for the CT abilities. Thoughts? Ideas? Random outbursts?

 

[spinwardpirate]

Random outbursts?!?!?
Brilliant!!!
I've thought of doing it, but never have gotten off of my duff. Space 1889 was one of my favorite GDW settings. I just never cared for the system.

 

[ShapeShifter]

I've heard many good things about it. I might just cave in and buy the pdf of the rulebook.

A sample random outburst: TREACLE!
:rofl:

 

[spinwardpirate]

Treacle!
By Jove, I think he's got it!
Brilliant!

Space 1889 skills.
Fisticuffs
Throwing
Close Combat
...Edged Weapon
...Polearm
...Bashing Weapon
Trimsman
...Aerial Flyer
...Cloudship
Stealth
Crime
...Lockpick
...Pickpocket
...Forger
Marksmanship
...Pistol
...Rifle (incl shotgun, carbine)
Mechanics
...Steam
...Electricity
...Machinist
Wilderness Travel
...Mountaineering
...Foraging
...Mapping
Fieldcraft
Tracking
Swimming
Observation
Engineering
...Structural Engineering
...Naval Architecture
...Explosives
...Earthworks
Science
...Physics
...Chemistry
...Biology
...Geology
...Archaeology
Gunnery
...Muzzle-loading Cannon
...Breech-loading Cannon
...Machinegun/Rotary Cannon
...Exotic Weaponry
Eloquence
Theatrics
Bargaining
Linguistics
Riding
...Horse
...Camel
...Elephant
...Gashant
...Ruumet Breehr
...Flying Skill
...Pacyosaurus
Piloting
...Aerial Flyer
...Cloudship
...Zeppelin
...Interplanetary Ether Flyer
...Sailing Vessel
...Steam Vessel
...Submarine
Leadership
Medicine

Most of these will map directly to Traveller skills.

 

[rancke]

Most of these [skills] will map directly to Traveller skills.

Yes, I don't see the problem with just using the Space 1889 background and the CT rules. Except for the Inventor rules. I don't see quite how to port those. Which is a great pity, because they absolutely rock.

Maybe one can use the Inventor rules as written by mapping CT stats back to Space 1889 stats for that one purpose only? Worth a try, I'd say.


Hans

 

[spinwardpirate]

You know, I recall it had rules for inventions, but I don't recall ever using them. For that matter, I don't recall ever having played the rpg. I'm sure I did at least once. I do have vivid memories of many Sky Galleons battles, and even some games of Temple of the Beastmen. (Most of my rpging during those years were either GURPS, 2300AD, or Twilight 2000.)

 

[aramis]

Quite simply put: don't convert, simply mesh. Use your favorite task system, favorite damage system (for CT style, simply halve the damage rolled), and the Sp1889 CGen and invention.

Seriously, tho', it's very similar to T2K 2.0.

 

[Darkhstarr]

I started a 1889 campaign using CT rules years ago. Game died with most of my usual gamers departing or getting transferred. Left down to two PC's. One was my wife's character: Rich Texas cattlebaron's mechanically inclined tomboyish only daughter who made the mistake of marrying a wannabe rail baron who went bust & shot himself. Her hook was she was trying to find a new direction for her dead husband's rolling stock. A human sharper working for a native martian Prince advanced her money to transport several small steam engines to Mars to build a railroad. Didn't know the lack of metal on Mars or that the Prince really wanted steam engines (& the techs to run them)for his aerial warships. So off she went to Mars.

The other player (she plays the Aslan in my Traveller campaign) ran a Scottish madam returning to the human bordello she established in the same Martian city the widow was travelling to.

Only got slightly into the kite jouney on Mars. Would have been interesting, with of the Brits getting wind of the widow's cargo & trying to stop it as well as Martian pirates. And the fact that the two players given their different social classes, the widow would have never associated socially with the madam.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Random Outbust: Cross Space 1889 with Jovian Chronicles and see what you get.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have yet to play MGT. Until I rectify that I may conduct some MGT practice combat using my old Space 1889 deckplans and various Wargames Foundry miniatures.

 

[tim_manley]

I started a 1889 campaign using CT rules years ago. Game died with most of my usual gamers departing or getting transferred. Left down to two PC's. One was my wife's character: Rich Texas cattlebaron's mechanically inclined tomboyish only daughter who made the mistake of marrying a wannabe rail baron who went bust & shot himself. Her hook was she was trying to find a new direction for her dead husband's rolling stock. A human sharper working for a native martian Prince advanced her money to transport several small steam engines to Mars to build a railroad. Didn't know the lack of metal on Mars or that the Prince really wanted steam engines (& the techs to run them)for his aerial warships. So off she went to Mars.

The other player (she plays the Aslan in my Traveller campaign) ran a Scottish madam returning to the human bordello she established in the same Martian city the widow was travelling to.

Only got slightly into the kite jouney on Mars. Would have been interesting, with of the Brits getting wind of the widow's cargo & trying to stop it as well as Martian pirates. And the fact that the two players given their different social classes, the widow would have never associated socially with the madam.

Sounds like one of those "situations make good partners" situations. Ship crashes, need to survive, they learn to rely and trust each other... etc...

 

[Horatius]

Random Outbust: Cross Space 1889 with Jovian Chronicles and see what you get.

Twitch- twitch-twitch
My nervous tick just returned at the thought of what my players would do.

 

[Darkhstarr]

Good idea. Probably the only way to make the player mix work.

Sounds like one of those "situations make good partners" situations. Ship crashes, need to survive, they learn to rely and trust each other... etc...

 

[tim_manley]

Good idea. Probably the only way to make the player mix work.

In nearly every game I ran every player picked an interesting character that meant they'd never integrate or befriend their fellow players. I alwasy ended up having to come up with some mechanism for thrusting them into a solution where they'd end up relying on each other and building a trust bond....

 

[Timerover51]

Some major thread resurrection, but has anyone considered or tried to port Space: 1889 to the Cepheus Engine? Probably the biggest issue would be the Invention System, but aside from that, going from 1D6 to 2D6 should not be that great an issue. Basically, set it up as an Alternative Universe where things work a bit differently.

Not a lot of space combat, but plenty of planetary exploration and conflict. Between the Belgians, the Germans, and the British, an American player should be able to have a lot of fun. I already have worked up a modified character generation sequence for an American player for my old Space: 1889 campaign.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

I have a invention system for Cepheus (well actually pre-Cepheus), but it uses previously published materials which might not be helpful if you are actually writing a supplement.

 

[Timerover51]

With the advent of Rider from Independence Games, you have a wide range of American character generation sequences to use to in a Space: 1889 game adapted to use 2D6.