CT Only: Traveller Population = Mostly Military

[Supplement Four]

You can make some assumptions about the universe of Traveller by taking clues from the game rules and expectations.

For example, Travellers are an exotic breed of people who travel amongst the stars. This isn't the Star Wars universe where just about anybody can go into space. There is only a select portion of the population who does so. Most people stay on their homeworlds their entire lives.

Why? Well, it is expensive to travel. A character with Medical-1 skill makes 2,000 Cr a month, employed as a medic on a starship. Travelling even a short trip of 1-3 parsecs will cost 8,000 Cr, business class. You can buy two TL 5 ground cars for that.

In addition, there may be tech level restrictions if the person is to act as more than a passenger. Starships generally are constructed at TL 13+. So, things might get confusing for a person who has spent his entire life on a TL 5 world.







So, what kind of people do become Travellers?

For that, we look at the official careers shown in Book 1 and in Supplement 4: Citizens of the Imperium. The latter book is intended to create people from all walks of life--not just Travellers. It is rare that a Barbarian or a Sailor becomes a Traveller. Those careers are meant to describe types of dirtside citizens.

On the other hand, the book also brings you careers for those that are Travellers--people who live in space. Belters and Pirates are the prime examples, and several careers can be Travellers or not. Nobles, Scientists, Rogues, and Bureaucrats fall into this category.

It is Book 1 that gives us our biggest clue for the types of people typically encountered in space--those known as "Travellers". Not only does Book 1 provide the main set of careers for the game (those in Citizens being "supplemental"), but also all are intended to create Traveller characters (unlike Cititzens, which can deliver a Barbarian character or some other non-Traveller).





The vast majority of people in space in the Traveller universe--those people who are in the "Traveller" segment of the population and not planet bound--are mostly military or ex-military personnel.

Four of the Six main careers in the game are military or semi-military: Navy, Marines, Army, and Scouts. This means that two thirds of the typical jobs available to Travellers are through the military.

And, look at the rule about failing enlistment. A character is subject to the Draft. This only increases the chance that a Traveller character will be in the military.




Therefore, Travellers (the vast majority of them) have a common background--the military. Most of them learned to live in space and aboard starships through their time in the Army/Marines/Navy/Scouts.

Most likely, if you are not ex-military, and you are a Traveller, then you are an interstellar Merchant.

A tiny fraction of the Traveller population are those in the Other career. Plus those Belters and Pirates. Nobles, Scientists, Rogues, and Bureaucrats that live and work on space stations.

 

[mike wightman]

Scouts in CT and the OTU are not a military organisation. Depending on how you design your setting the careers could be more civilian.
How about we take a look at what it says and play devil's advocate with the others?

Navy: Members of the interstellar space navy which patrols space between the
stars. The navy has responsibility for the protection of society from lawless elements
in the interstellar trade channels, and from foreign powers.

Doesn't have to be military or even paramilitary. It could be a paramilitary Galactic Patrol.
It could be a civilian coast guard with powers of arrest rather than an overtly military organisation, it could be a search and rescue organisation with a policing and customes function, it could even be Star Fleet...

Marines: Members of the armed fighting forces carried aboard starships. Marines
deal with piracy and boarding actions in space, defend the starports and bases
belonging to the navy, and supplement other ground forces such as the army.

Could be civilian private security contractors or paramilitary SWAT types...

Army: Members of the planetary armed fighting forces. Soldiers deal with
planetary surface actions, battles, and campaigns. Such individuals may also be
mercenaries for hire.

Hmm, difficult to twist this one
Civilian reservists called up only when needed?

Scouts: Members of the exploratory service. Scouts explore new areas, map
and survey known or newly discovered areas, and maintain the communications
ships which carry information and messages between the worlds of the galaxy.

Paramilitary at the outside, even in the OTU the Scouts are not a military organisation. They could be a military organisation in an ATU.

Merchants: Merchants of the commercial enterprises. Merchants may crew
the ships of the large trading corporations, or they may work for the independent
free traders which carry chance cargos and passengers between worlds.

Civilian

Other: Characters who do not serve in one of the above areas instead follow
unproductive careers with a variety of experiences. The Other service covers some
trades, ne'er-do-wells, and the shady realm of the underworld. The exact nature of
the career of any specific character in the Other field must be deduced from the
skills and benefits received during character generation.

Civilian again.

So to summarise:
Navy - may be military, paramilitary or civilian(law enforcement/search and rescue/customs enforcement).
Marine - may be military, could be private security contractors (still military really)
Army - may be military, could be reservist
Scout - civilian, paramilitary at the outside, may be military
Merchant - civilian
Other - civilian

 

[aramis]

Claims that Star Trek shows a non-military navy are a major stretch there, Mike. At it's furthest from full military, it's paramilitary, in the same way as LAPD or NYPD.

Ranks? Check.
Clear chains of command? Check.
Armed? Check.
Uniformed? check.
Separate trial rules from civilians? Check.
Governmental? Check.

Even its own claims to be non-military are political smokescreen, and called out on it.

Oh, and private security contractor, aka Mercenary, is considered military for Geneva convention purposes.

Merchants are based upon both the US and UK Merchant Marines - who are Paramilitary.

 

[mike wightman]

Sorry but we will have to agree to differ on the nature of Starfleet.
Captain Picard would explain it to you better, but even the Kirk era Starfleet is a civilian organisation. Enterprise was pretty clear on this as is Voyager.
DS9 was the most overtly militarised version in the latter series.

It was most definitely paramilitarised in the movies to cater to a certain audience...

And as I said at the beginning of my post, the Traveller careers can be civilianised if that is how you design your setting, you do not have to default to an overtly military view of the careers.

Within the OTU it is quite a stretch to claim merchants are analogous the merchant marine of US and UK naval auxiliary service type. Megacorp shipping lines may not even be conscriptable even in times of war without the invocation of an Imperial Warrant.
Note that in LBB6:Scouts character generation can throw up war mission assignments, whereas in LBB7: Merchant Prince there is no war assignment.

A bit odd if merchants are analogous to naval auxiliaries that they can not have served in the 4FW or 5FW don't you think?

 

[Supplement Four]

I'd say that Scouts are quasi-military. They're a governmental department. In the OP, they're the "Semi-military" that I referred to. I'd say that they are less military than the US Navy, but probably closer to the Coast Guard.

But, hey, let's say that they are not military. Scouts aren't a big population among the Travellers. And, it can still be said that most Travellers are military or ex-military, with merchants as the second major group.

A different view on Scouts doesn't really change my analysis in the OP.

 

[mike wightman]

What about the navy as a paramilitary or civilian space patrol - a cross between UK coast guard (civilian) and HM Customs (government law enforcement)?

A lensmen based game would have the Galactic patrol, which is a police force not a military organisation.

Actually UK HM Customs check most of Aramis' Starfleet is military boxes too

 

[Supplement Four]

The Navy is obviously military. No doubt at all there. Read the description of the Navy on page 20 of TTB. It refers to a militarized space navy.

Sigg, is it your position that Travellers re mostly non-military?

 

[mike wightman]

I posted the direct quote from LBB1 '81 edition. Since you missed it here it is again this time with italic comments from me:

Navy: Members of the interstellar space navy which patrols space between the
stars[Galactic Patrol - need not be military]. The navy has responsibility for the protection of society from lawless elements[Galactic Patrol again with policing powers]
in the interstellar trade channels, and from foreign powers.[No mention of overtly offensive military force projection]

So for my (proposed) CT LBB1-3 based setting I interpret the navy as being a Galactic Patrol type civilian/paramilitary organisation.

Like I said - this is devil's advocate; within the OTU and the 3I setting the Navy, Army and Marines are definitely military careers.
My point is that there is more than one way to interpret the basic rules without falling into the 3I paradigm.
Scouts I would still argue are civilian, especially reading LBB6.
Merchants are civilian - no mention in LBB7 of military conscription.

LBB4 and 5 make it pretty clear that Army, Navy and Marines are military - but I still think that going by the CT LBB1-3 rule of make up your own setting you could interpret as you see fit.

 

[Supplement Four]

Think about it: there are two major factors that keep most people dirtside.

First, it's the expense. At 8,000 Cr per jump, you are not going to go very far, galactically speaking, unless you are filthy rich.

Second, technology. All those worlds that are TL 9 or less have people on them that are not trained to live in space. They have to get specialized training, through a job, most likely, in operating spacecraft and living in space.

Where can you get someone to train you to live in space and pay the expense of living in space? Through the military. Through the Navy or the Marines, most likely. Or, through a job working as a Merchant Marine, involved with inter-galactic shipping.

 

[Supplement Four]

My point is that there is more than one way to interpret the basic rules without falling into the 3I paradigm.

Absolutely there is. The CT rules are very flexible. I know that you know that the rules were designed to be generic and fit many types of science fiction universes.

But, I was obviously talking about the 3I and the universe mainly associated with the CT rules in the OP.

 

[GypsyComet]

But, I was obviously talking about the 3I and the universe mainly associated with the CT rules in the OP.

I place more weight on the exposure and training factors you mentioned later than the design decisions of Book 1 careers, which were likely chosen to represent as much of the literary SF protagonist pool as possible.

And we should not forget that CT *as published by GDW* included dozens of careers, though only 19 of them are dominantly Imperial.

 

[mike wightman]

But, I was obviously talking about the 3I and the universe mainly associated with the CT rules in the OP.

When I see a thread in the CT section that says CT only I assume it's discussing LBB1-3 rules rather then the CT 3I OTU - but hey ho

If we restrict the discussion to the 3I setting as described using the CT basic careers then I agree with you - most Travellers will be ex-military and most will probably be ex-Army considering the benefits of that service (easiest commission and promotion, most skills).

Using S4: CotI it is not so clear cut.

Pirates: lndividuals crewing interplanetary or interstellar vessels, who make their
living by attacking, hijacking, or plundering commerce.

Civilian

Belters: lndividuals who prospect and mine asteroid belts in search of mineral
deposits, artifacts, or salvage materials.

Civilian

Sailors: Members of the Nautical Force Command (the wet navy) of a world.

Military

Diplomats: Members of the Foreign Service of a government.

Civilian

Doctors: Trained individuals conducting medical practice.

Civilian

Flyers: Members of the Close Orbit and Airspace Control Command (the air
force) of a world.

Military

Barbarians: Rugged individuals from primitive planets accustomed to hardship
and well-trained in wilderness and survival situations.

Civilian

Bureaucrats: lndividuals serving a government or organization in management or
executive capacities.

Civilian

Rogues: Criminal elements familiar with the rougher or more illegal methods of
accomplishing tasks.

Civilian

Nobles: lndividuals of the upper classes who perform little consistent function,
but often have large amounts of ready money.

Civilian

Scientists: lndividuals trained in technological or research sciences who conduct
scientific investigations into materials, situations, and phenomena.

Civilian

Hunters: lndividuals who track and hunt animals of varying sizes and types for
profit or enjoyment.

Civilian

Ten out of twelve are civilian.

So that's five military careers vs thirteen civilian careers.

Now you can make an argument for military scientists, doctors and the like but it still comes down to more civilian careers than military. In addition, in a culture like the 3I you could make a case for Nobles, Diplomats and Bureaucrats to be considered military/paramilitary in the same way as the Scout service.

So that is eight military/paramilitary careers vs ten civilian.

 

[Enoki]

But, you have to note, that the "civilian" careers aren't anywhere near as detailed out as the military ones.

 

[aramis]

What about the navy as a paramilitary or civilian space patrol - a cross between UK coast guard (civilian) and HM Customs (government law enforcement)?

A lensmen based game would have the Galactic patrol, which is a police force not a military organisation.

Actually UK HM Customs check most of Aramis' Starfleet is military boxes too

Police in the US only lack different trial systems (tho' sometimes have a secondary tribunal system in addition) and political acknowledgement of being genuinely military. A few don't even lack the political - the Texas Rangers are officially part of the state militia of Texas.

Militia groups, if government-run, are military. Not just axiomatically, but by treaty as well.
If government employed, mercenaries are military.

Almost all Law Enforcement is either military or paramilitary - the prime differences being level of armament and whether or not they are subject to civil/criminal law by the same process as civilians. There are exceptions - but the general rule is militarized police.

I'd say the Space Patrol of Lensman is within the paramilitary sphere.
The UK CG looks to be paramilitarized to some degree.

 

[mike wightman]

The UK police are not para-military. The rank and file are armed at best with tazers, pepper spray and batons. The coast guard are a completely civilian organisation here in the UK

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_Majesty's_Coastguard

while HM Customs have powers of arrest and often sign the official secrets act due to the covert nature of their work.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Customs_and_Excise

I will shut up now as this is dangerously close to forbidden stuff.

 

[Condottiere]

Star Trek reboot is heavily militarized, due to the arrival of the Narada from the future changing the timeline, and the Federation's realization that the universe is an unfriendly place. The loss of an entire fleet at Vulcan only reinforced the lesson, plus Vulcan and the resultant genocide.

The rereboot presumably places them back as Coast Guards.

 

[kilemall]

I don't buy the thesis that COTI careers are mostly stay at home. They get various passage tickets and TAS and SHIPS so they are Out There.

I could buy the thesis that original CT was militarized space. Heck, the vast majority of astronauts in our RL space programs were serving or ex-military up until recently, and most of the civilians would qualify under the COTI Scientist career.

I wouldn't let chargen define setting though.

If it makes sense to you that only intersellar/plantary level government/megacorps have the wherewithal to train and send large amounts of people into space, then do that.

If you want a 19th century colonial feel, have the people encountered Out There fit into whatever nationalistic/Space East India model you like.

If a full-bore post-colonial interstellar economy is working behind the Shield of Empire, depict that, with a lower military quotient or at least 'I used to do that but now sell life support units to space stations' ex-military.

I guess my take would be a nuanced ref would use all three sort of encounter mixes as part of a general 'this is what is different about being here rather then there' environmental effort.

 

[creativehum]

I don't buy the thesis that COTI careers are mostly stay at home. They get various passage tickets and TAS and SHIPS so they are Out There.

This is an important point.

I was reviewing COTI this morning for another topic and it is clear that as far as character creation goes ALL the careers are there for players to make travellers -- for the very reason quoted above.

I think it might well be possible that most people from any career track do not travel between the stars much in the setting implied by the rules -- even those with a military background.

My reading is that the character creation rules are for the exceptional sort who doesn't settle down -- no matter what the career background.

 

[RandyB]

I wouldn't let chargen define setting though.

Agreed. The character generation system is not a demographic simulation, nor was it ever intended to be. Use of it as such lies entirely within the purview of IYTU.

 

[Diveguy]

Police in the US only lack different trial systems (tho' sometimes have a secondary tribunal system in addition) and political acknowledgement of being genuinely military. A few don't even lack the political - the Texas Rangers are officially part of the state militia of Texas.

Militia groups, if government-run, are military. Not just axiomatically, but by treaty as well.
If government employed, mercenaries are military.

Almost all Law Enforcement is either military or paramilitary - the prime differences being level of armament and whether or not they are subject to civil/criminal law by the same process as civilians. There are exceptions - but the general rule is militarized police.

I'd say the Space Patrol of Lensman is within the paramilitary sphere.
The UK CG looks to be paramilitarized to some degree.

Having worked in both career fields, I will respectfully disagree, based on a number of factors:

Military - primary purpose kill people and break things
Police - primary purpose keep the public order and maintain peace

Military - external threat focused (yes, this can depend on the political structure in charge, but discussing overall concept)
Police - internal and domestic

Military - combined arms, strategic planning and the like. Offensive and defensive operations.
Police - very little in the way of "supporting arms" or the concept. Offensive operations are generally tactical in nature, defensive operations almost non-existant.

Yes, many police organizations worldwide are STRUCTURED in a paramilitary fashion, as it is (so far) the most efficient model for handling life and death decisions and commands. However, there is still (in general) a distinct difference in mindsets between the two communities, even outside of the United States.