OTU Only: Vilani colonization: preferred worlds?

[SpaceBadger]

I have read somewhere in the past week or so (but cannot currently find the reference) that the Vilani tended not to bother colonizing marginal worlds (at least not in the first wave), but only went for those the closest to Vland in Size/Atmo/Hydro. (I think part of the comment was that they didn't like Hydro 9 or A, because they preferred more dry land.)

(It appears to me that this conflicts w what we see in the maps, but I suppose that in the six thousand years or so of Vilani colonizations they eventually filled in the map, taking whatever appeared the best or most useful world in each system as a mainworld even if it were not-so-prime.)

The question that I am trying to resolve is, what exactly would be the criteria for these prime worlds? I want to see what the colonization pattern would have been in Daibei sector, which was settled toward the end of the Vilani colonizations, and thus might be less "filled in" beyond the first wave of colonization.

Vland is Size 9, Atmo 6, Hydro 7. I pulled all of the sector data into a database and made a query to find those w Size 6-7-8-9-A, Atmo 5-6-8, Hydro 5-6-7-8. I found that a lot of the worlds in that search result would be tide-locked worlds in Orbit 0 around M stars, just because the M stars are so doggone common. So I reckon I need to read up further on what conditions might be like on these tide-locked worlds, to see if they might be acceptable to the Vilani in their first wave of colonization.

What do you think about Tainted Atmo? Would that remove a world from qualification as a prime world, if everybody had to live in sealed buildings and go around wearing filter masks outdoors?

I did find this very interesting thread about Vilani colonization in Deneb sector, but it didn't address this "prime world" question as far as I saw.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

These are references from GURPS Interstellar Wars.
Being TL 11 prevents them from doing much (YMMV depending on which ruleset you are using to determine "terraforming").
When environmental solutions were needed, the Suerrat were called on.
The Vilani believed in a fairly strict population controls, so as a culture or by the government, they kept population down so most everyone enjoyed the same standard of living.

In generating planets the IW rules (which differ a bit from GURPS 4th ed and 3rd), determin the "world type". There are "Garden Worlds" and other types. When rolling for populations in IW the highest possible roll in generated a population of 3 Billion. The lowest would be 600,000. The ideal world would have to be (GURPS used different roll, I am only providing the summary here)
Diameter: 4500 - 9000 miles
Atmosphere: Standard or Dense (untainted, taint reduces the roll)
Water: Between 30% and 90%
High Resource Value (An Indicator of Poor or Rich Planets independent of ALL population Factors as opposed to other rulesets)

If the world was not a "Garden World', then the Vilani considered it an outpost. Outposts could only have based on rolls a maximum of 100000 population.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

On Starports: The Vilani kept "good" contact with all their worlds. This is reflected again in the die rolls and explanations the rolls. For Vilani Colonies (Terrans use the same chart but get population differently):
Basically you get Starport X only on a natural roll of 2. If this is the case, the world is also considered interdicted. If not, then use this chart
E 2-4
D 5-6
C 7-8
B 9-12
A 13+
Add the Population Exponent to the roll. Since Vilani Colonies all had populations in the 600K-3.0Billion range, that meant either X (rolling a two) or C or better (roll 3+5).
Outposts did not have the natural 2 throw or modifiers.

E 2
D 3-5
C 6-8
B 9+

 

[SpaceBadger]

Thanks! So if I understand correctly what you said about the population rolls, a world w Tainted atmo would not be considered a Garden World, so would only be an Outpost, with a reduced Pop roll?

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Government Types:
The Vilani had limited goverment types compared to the Third Imperium. Also GURPS uses words and not codes. 3d6+Population Exponent

Colonies Government (Traveller Government)
3-10 Anarchy (0)
11-13 Clan/Tribal (0)
14-16 Caste (3)
17-23 Feudal (1) (specifically corporate feudalism, the description is very close to standard gov 1, NOT Fuedal Technocracy. That is a type specifically mentioned and practiced by Terrans!)
24+ Theocracy (D) (Strict adherence to fundamental traditional Vilani culture)

Outposts Government (Traveller Government)
3-10 Anarchy (0)
11-13 Corporate State (1)
14-20 Caste (3)
21-23 Feudal (1) (specifically corporate feudalism, the description is very close to standard gov 1, NOT Fuedal Technocracy. That is a type specifically mentioned and practiced by Terrans!)
24+ Theocracy (D) (Strict adherence to fundamental traditional Vilani culture)

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Thanks! So if I understand correctly what you said about the population rolls, a world w Tainted atmo would not be considered a Garden World, so would only be an Outpost, with a reduced Pop roll?

No, it would be a "Garden World" for GURPS purposes, but the total roll for population would be lower slightly. The modifiers are to take this derived value called Affinity. So like if you have a standard tainted atmo, the modifier is +3, if not tainted +4. Size, Atmo, Water are factors looked at to get Affinity. Then you take this Affinity multiply it by 3, add 40 (because by IW time there are no "recent" Vilani worlds) and roll 3d6 compare to the chart.

World Type (Garden, Barren Rock, Glacier, Greenhouse, etc.) is the first thing you roll in making the mainworld. Once your type is determined, it automatically restricts or makes different charts for size, atmo, water, gravity, climate and so on. My description in previous post lists the best absolutely possible Vilani Colony.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

GURPS does not use the UWP. In Standard UWP Terms, a Vilani IW "Garden World" would be the following. These are Mongoose Traveller ratings:

Type: UWPRange (GURPS Range)
Size: 5-9 (Diameter:4500-9000 miles)
Atmo: 4-9,D,E,F (Very Thin to Very Dense. Defined in GURPS as atmospheric pressures greater than .01 atm and less than 10 atm. This would include standard UWP atmospheres 1-3 as a strict numeric translation. To me that is silly as a translation as you need a vacc suit for 1, and a respirator for 2-3, but hey, it is my interpretation!)
Water: Any

Also MgT Core Rules has a Temperature value,
Temperature: (a MgT Value) Cold, Temperate, Hot (Average World Temparature -20F to 160F (-29C to 71C) ).

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Hmm. I think I will write up some "standard UWP" rules. Will post in a bit.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Ziru Sirka World Generation
1.Size, Atmosphere, Hydrographics, Temperature
Roll as normal, or retreive values from your favorite data. T5 or whatever.

2.Base Resources (Used for Colony Determination and Population)

Resources	Size	
Roll		0	1+
2		-5	-2
3		-4	-2
4		-3	-1
5		-2	-1
6		-1	0
7		0	0
8		1	0
9		2	1
10		3	1
11		4	2
12		5	2

3.Determine if Vilani Colony or Vilani Outpost
A.Critera 1: If met, this is a Vilani Colony, if not go to 2B.
- Size: 5-9
- Atmo: 4-9,D,E,F
- Temperature: Cold, Temperate, Hot (Average World Temparature -20F to 160F (-29C to 71C) if not Mongoose).
B.Criteria 2: this is a Vilani Colony, if not a possible Vilani Outpost.
- If your base rources is 1 or higher, it is a Vilani Colony. Else it is an Vilani Outpost

 

[Nathan Brazil]

4.Population
Populate all colonies and only colonies first. Then read special rules concerning Vilani Outposts.
A.Colonies

Roll		Pop
2-4		5
5-11		6
12-18		7
19-24		8
25+		9
DMs
+/-	Base Resource
6	Determined as Colony from Step 2A.
4	Atmosphere 6,8
2	Atmosphere 7,9
4	Water 3-9
2	Water A
4	Temperature Temperate
2	Temperature Cold, Hot

B.Outposts
Vilani only place outposts where needed. Other types rarely. Determine Outpost Nature by category. Move to next category when you are done with determining all which fit that type.
Military - Within two parsecs of a "foreign colony". This is suggested as the Terrans and "subject races" not fully assimilated. These outposts are of military nature and have a base of some kind.
Traffic - Outposts close gaps in stellar mains. They only exist if it helps cross a gap so each step in the new path is Jump1 or Jump 2 by its existence. Both ends of the path must end in a Colony.
Other Types - Roll 2D6. Exists on a 11+ and is some sort of special reason, e.g. research station, rogue populations (kimashargur or some such)
If the Outpost exists, roll 2D6

Roll	Pop
2	2
3	2
4	2
5	3
6	3
7	3
8	3
9	4
10	4
11	4
12	5

 

[Nathan Brazil]

5.Starports
A.Colonies
Roll 2D6. Starport X only on a natural roll of 2. If this is the case, the world is also considered interdicted. If not, use chart:
E 2-4
D 5-6
C 7-8
B 9-12
A 13+
DM +(Population - 4)

B.Outposts
Roll 2D6.
E 2
D 3-5
C 6-8
B 9+
DM +4 if Military or Travel based outpost.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

6.Governments
A.Colonies
Roll 3d6+Pop

Roll	Code	Description
3-10	0	Anarchy
11-13	0	Clan/Tribal
14-16	3	Caste
17-23	1	Feudal
24+	D	Theocracy

B.Outposts
Roll 3d6+Pop

Roll	Code	Description
3-10	0	Anarchy
11-13	1	Corporate State
14-20	3	Caste
21-23	1	Feudal
24+	D	Theocracy

7.Law Level
Roll 4d6+Pop

4-14	0
15	1
16	2
17	3
18	4
19	5
20	6
21	7
22	8
23+	9

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Tech Level
Roll 1D6
Apply the Starport, Size, and Population DMs from Mongoose Core Rules

Atmosphere
Not 5,6,8 DM +1

Water
9 +1
A +2

Goverment (Notice Description Difference)
0 - Anarchy +1
0 - Clan/Tribal +0
D - Theocracy -2

Roll	TL
1	2
2	2
3	3
4	3
5	4
6	4
7	5-6
8	7-8
9	9
10	10
11	10
12	11
If the world is NOT A "Garden World" (as defined above)
and TL is less than 7 raise it to 7.

DONE!!!!

 

[mike wightman]

Are those GT TLs or Vilani era TLs?

Nvm, I think I just answere my own question be reading the previous page

Nice work.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Standard Traveller TL's. Well, specifically Mongoose Traveller.
For Future TL's I used Jump Drive as an indicator. For Historical TLs, I converted them from what they are descriptively in GURPS to what they are descriptively in MgT.

GURPS Description - Standard
TL 0 - Stone Age - TL 0
TL 1 - Bronze Age - TL 1
TL 2 - Iron Age - TL 1

The same with Governments. GURPS uses descriptive words. But GURP 3rd ed Traveller has a conversion from Standard Traveller. I reversed it making sure about that whole Vilani Fuedal
The same with Law Level. I used Control Rating and the GURP 3rd ed Traveller conversion and reversed it.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Sorry had to revise the TL chart

Roll	TL
1	2
2	2
3	3
4	3
5	4
6	4
7	5-6
8	7-8
9	9
10	10
11	11
12+	12
If the world is NOT A "Garden World" (as defined above)
and TL is less than 7 raise it to 7.

If the world is Vilani and 12, reduce down to 11.
(Terrans use the same chart and are limited by the year).

 

[SpaceBadger]

Nathan, thank you very much for your help. I was searching for my copy of IW, until I remembered that I only have it as PDF, not dead trees!

Your conversion tables in this thread will be very helpful in fleshing out the Vilani colony worlds I am creating in Daibei sector for my SBRD campaign.