Using the Classic Traveller combat system
- Thread starter DonM
- Start date
D&D in Space? You obviously have seen neither T20 nor T20Lite. Before I saw the T20 rules I was worrying 'what if it's like D&D?' but since I saw them I've had no such worries, T20 is a fantastic system for Traveller and other SFRPGs.
If you'd said 'D20 in Space' I could understand it, but you still wouldn't be that close as T20 is quite its own creature. But to say 'D&D in Space' deserves the response 'RTFM!'.
Paul
justacaveman
SOC-12
Have to agree with Doomhunk & Hunter.
T20 is "NOT" D&D in space, it ain't even close. Is Spycraft D&D spies? I don't think so. The only similarity is some of the the internal game mechanics.
The D20 system is a relatively generic roleplaying system. With a little modification, the D20 system can be used for any genre of game. It's not perfect (nothing is), but the system allows a wide range of game specific rules. Besides, if you don't like a rule, change it for YTU.
Are you just knocking the system because it's not what you would have done. T20 is the closest version of Traveller to the spirit of CT since the game came out.
QUOTE
T20 is "NOT" D&D in space, it ain't even close. Is Spycraft D&D spies? I don't think so. The only similarity is some of the the internal game mechanics.
The D20 system is a relatively generic roleplaying system. With a little modification, the D20 system can be used for any genre of game. It's not perfect (nothing is), but the system allows a wide range of game specific rules. Besides, if you don't like a rule, change it for YTU.
Are you just knocking the system because it's not what you would have done. T20 is the closest version of Traveller to the spirit of CT since the game came out.
END QUOTE
I dont really have anything against D&D and D20 however I dislike most systems with levels. Especially games where chars get more "life" with experience. In the real world if you want more "life" you work out like a marine does. And how you automatically get a better chance to hit your opponent even though you levelled up through piloting!
I also have a problem with experince as in many games you can buy skills with no logical reasoning (Oh I get 10 points from shooting those 3 goblins. Hmm I think I will upgrade my swordsmansip). Thats why I like the chaosium system (used in Call of Cthulhu) where you get experince points when you use a skill but those points are applied to the skill used.
However I still think T20 is a good idea as it will hopefully attract younger gamers to Traveller. And then once they like the theme and setting I can seduce them over to the dark sid.... I mean CT.
I mean there is only a certain amount of dungeon crawling one can do. Its like FPS. Yeah there fun to play but do you really want to only play FPS? I think people who don't sample other game systems and other "types" of games are really missing out.
However will T20 be as versatile as CT. You can use CT to run D&D games if you want to.
Games I play:
Call of Cthulhu (Best system)
Traveller (Easiest system)
Robotech (old with a horrible system)
Games I used to play:
AD&D (illogical)
Vampire (kinda like the system)
T20 is "NOT" D&D in space, it ain't even close. Is Spycraft D&D spies? I don't think so. The only similarity is some of the the internal game mechanics.
The D20 system is a relatively generic roleplaying system. With a little modification, the D20 system can be used for any genre of game. It's not perfect (nothing is), but the system allows a wide range of game specific rules. Besides, if you don't like a rule, change it for YTU.
Are you just knocking the system because it's not what you would have done. T20 is the closest version of Traveller to the spirit of CT since the game came out.
END QUOTE
I dont really have anything against D&D and D20 however I dislike most systems with levels. Especially games where chars get more "life" with experience. In the real world if you want more "life" you work out like a marine does. And how you automatically get a better chance to hit your opponent even though you levelled up through piloting!
I also have a problem with experince as in many games you can buy skills with no logical reasoning (Oh I get 10 points from shooting those 3 goblins. Hmm I think I will upgrade my swordsmansip). Thats why I like the chaosium system (used in Call of Cthulhu) where you get experince points when you use a skill but those points are applied to the skill used.
However I still think T20 is a good idea as it will hopefully attract younger gamers to Traveller. And then once they like the theme and setting I can seduce them over to the dark sid.... I mean CT.
I mean there is only a certain amount of dungeon crawling one can do. Its like FPS. Yeah there fun to play but do you really want to only play FPS? I think people who don't sample other game systems and other "types" of games are really missing out.
However will T20 be as versatile as CT. You can use CT to run D&D games if you want to.
Games I play:
Call of Cthulhu (Best system)
Traveller (Easiest system)
Robotech (old with a horrible system)
Games I used to play:
AD&D (illogical)
Vampire (kinda like the system)
I'm going to try to drag this thread kicking and screaming back on topic
I can understand MT as being seen as too complex, although I find it harder to imagine T4 as that. The basic CT system, though, is beyond ugly to me. However, they might enjoy using the following ideas.
These are from some CT Lite house rules that Andy Slack used to have posted on his web site. Unfortunately his current version, I feel, is nowhere near as nice.
This system assumes use of the DGP 2D6 task system.
"Combat
A combat turn is 30 seconds. During each turn all characters move, then each character may make an attack. At the start of each turn, both sides roll 1D6 and add thier best Leader skill level; the high scoring moves second but attacks first.
Movement
During the movement phase, each character many walk 25 meters, run 50 meters or evade. Attacks against a character who is evading are one difficulty level harder than normal.
Attacks
Each weapon has an effective range band; attacks at that range or less are Routine tasks using the appropriate skill, attacks at greater ranges are not permitted.
Range bands are Close (0-1 meters),Short (1-5 meters - sword point), Medium (6 - 50 meters - pistol range), Long (51 - 250 meters - rifle range), or Very Long (250 - 500 meters).
Special Circumstances
Autofire: Automatic weapons may fire 4 round bursts as well as single shots. Firing a burst uses more ammunition, but adds +2 to the firer's dice roll when rolling to hit; in addition, two bursts may be fired per turn, so long as both are fired at the same target. Finally, non-evading characters who are adjacent to the target are also attacked by the burst; deduct 3 from the dice roll when rolling to hit adjacent targets.
Explosives: Characters adjacent to a target attacked with explosive rounds, grenades, etc. may be injured by blast or fragments. Roll to hit such characters normally, but apply half normal damage.
Wounds and Recovery:
A character has as many hit points as his Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance.
Each weapon's damage rating indicates the number of D6 to be rolled for damage if a character is hit; each point of armor value negates one die of damage. (I also use: Flexable armor (cloth, flex, mesh, etc) also negates 1 die per point of armor value, however the character take one point of damage per die degated as blunt trauma.)
A character who has lost less than 1/3 of his hit points is 'just scratched'; he recovers in 24 hours.
One who has lost 1/3 of his hit points is lightly wounded and is unconcious for ten minutes; he recovers after three days or after a successfull Routine:Medical task requiring a medical kit.
One who has lost 2/3 of his hit points is seriously wounded and unconcious forthree hours; treatment is a Difficult:Medical task requiring a hospital or starship sick bay, and the patient recovers after one month. Medical Slow drug (TL 7, Cr 100/dose) shortes recovery time to one day.
A character who loses all his hit points is dead."
Andy Slack, copyright 1977 - 1998.
I use this for small and incidental combats. If a combat is more important to the story, I'll break out my copy of ACQ.
Hope this helps.
William
I actually quite like Andy's Classic Traveller Ultra-Lite. More of an AHL/Striker feel to it, which I prefer.[/QB]</font>[/QUOTE]That's OK. I just don't care for armor making you harder to hit rather than protecting from damage.
And if I really want to go totally light, I've a copy of "Big Eyes Small Mouth"
William
And you base this opinion on what facts and evidence? You posted all of twice since joining these boards, and in both posts you make this same statement. Care to back it up with some facts, or are you simply a troll?
Hunter</font>[/QUOTE]Hunter, I gotta disagree with you here. What's this about a +3/+6 v. Undead Tigress class dreadnaught on Page 57? Or the Bucknard's Everful Hydrogen Tanks on page 92? Or, I mean, come on - it says Wand of "Strephon", but I can read "Orcus" right below it if I scrape off the white-out.
You guys have to try harder.
MichaelL65
SOC-12
Wow. Gotta get me one of those!
justacaveman
SOC-12
The armor doesn't make you harder to hit, it makes you harder to damage.
Missed attack rolls don't always mean that you didn't hit, but that the attack did no damage. If you roleplay the attack it can be explained as a miss or that the armor deflected the attack completely (whatever plays better at the time). A successful attack that just does stamina damage, would be minor bruising etc.. Not insignificant, but easily recovered from. The belief that it's a hit or miss roll is a holdover from old rules, but was changed in D20.
The CT combat rules are a more complicated system that lacks a certain flexibility in some ways. But, if it's what you prefer, it's what you prefer. There are people that still play 1st Edition AD&D, or Chivalry & Sorcery.
The armor doesn't make you harder to hit, it makes you harder to damage.
Missed attack rolls don't always mean that you didn't hit, but that the attack did no damage.
(snip)
</font>[/QUOTE]I think you misunderstood - I was refering specifically to Andy Slacks current set of House Rules (see http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andyslack/html/rpg.htm for his current version.) not to any of the official rule sets, much less to CT.I feel his earlier version, which I quoted extensivly upthread, was a better way of handling combat than his current one which has become too lightwieght for my tastes.
As for the CT system, well, there is a reason I ran to the DGP task system as soon as I learned it...
William
justacaveman
SOC-12
Sorry, I misunderstood.
tim_manley
SOC-12
I used my own rules for combat which included using Striker for to hit rules and armor absorption for damage allocation. The stats are somewhere in a box....with rest of my traveller stuff.
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