What needs to be "borrowed"...

[DonM]

For many new players being introduced to CT, they are told that the explanations to how something works is elsewhere.

For example, important explanations regarding Starship Combat in CT (Book 2) are allegedly in Mayday.

I'm looking for items like this in the LBB 1-3 (1981)/TTB/ST editions, with the plan being to either:

a) place a reference in the errata pointing to the explanation, or
b) place the explanation in the upcoming Special Supplement "The Lost Rules".

So the idea is to point me to places outside the "CT core rules" where issues left unexplained but are important (sandcasters, etc) are actually explained.

 

[far-trader]

Here's one, hidden within Books1-3 though, not sourced outside them. From BlackBat242's comments in another thread, and observations previously, it seems some find the TLs Table pg 14-15 in Book 3 for various ship design bits in Book 2 a bit disconnected. Adding a note to the design section in Book 2 pointing to the table in Book 3 for the TLs of drives and weapons would be helpful, especially to new Travellers.

 

[Supplement Four]

Missiles, of course, make much more sense after reading Special Supplement 3.

 

[DonM]

That is kind of what I am looking for, but more precisely, items that really should have been in Book 2, and things simply don't work without it.

 

[Supplement Four]

Maybe it's me, but I think Books 1-3 work fine by themselves. They really don't "need" anything extra.

I will say, though, that there are some things that I would add.

The first is a better explaination of tasks (called "throws" in old CT lingo). The best "official" source for this is the section on Throws at the beginning of The Traveller Adventure, written by MWM.

That's a great section the gives the GM a better understanding of how to come up with tasks (throws) on the spot and customize them to the situation.



The next thing I'd add are some of the extra stuff that is included in the Traveller Book but not in Book 1. Darkness and Night. Cover and Concealment. Zero Gravity.

Those are some pretty important rules, especially the Cover rule. It balances some of the auto-hit attack throws, such as with the SMG sometimes, teaching the players that they have to move their characters from cover to cover and not stay out in the open.



OH...and a third thing. I think the Range Band system of movement, adapted for Space Combat in Starter Traveller, should appear in the definitive Traveller rules as an alternative to the protractor and ruler method detailed in the other books. It's a much easier way to go about conducting space combat.



More EDIT: And, the Pulse Laser rule from Starter Traveller, too. -1 to hit, but two rolls on the damage table.

 

[DonM]

All of the items you listed are in the "Lost Rules" stack. Rules printed only in one odd place, but really needed for any of the three core rulesets (LBB/TTB/ST).

I'm not sure what Marc's plans are for that. I submitted a final draft a couple of weeks ago. I should go ask...

 

[DonM]

Maybe it's me, but I think Books 1-3 work fine by themselves. They really don't "need" anything extra.

What's the vector of a starship missile at launch, and how is a missile moved after launch? You may use only the rules appearing in LBB2, TTB or Starter Traveller for your answer. No house rules.

That's probably a more solid look at what I'm searching for.

And note that the Pulse Laser rule from 1977 is in the errata already.

 

[far-trader]

Would the maximum skill total, the Int+Edu limit rule, from Starter Traveller (pg16) and The Traveller Book (pg29) apply here? Or as general errata for LBB1?

 

[DonM]

Would the maximum skill total, the Int+Edu limit rule, from Starter Traveller (pg16) and The Traveller Book (pg29) apply here? Or as general errata for LBB1?

For figuring out how to move a missile after launch? :rofl:

Actually, I'm told that the maximum skill total and Int+Edu limits aren't seen as errata for 1977 LBB1. Now, for 1981 LBB1, yes, but I thought I already had those. Let me go digging...

 

[far-trader]

What's the vector of a starship missile at launch, and how is a missile moved after launch? You may use only the rules appearing in LBB2, TTB or Starter Traveller for your answer. No house rules.

Would the maximum skill total, the Int+Edu limit rule, from Starter Traveller (pg16) and The Traveller Book (pg29) apply here?

For figuring out how to move a missile after launch?

Yes. The missile has an initial vector equal to it's Int at launch. Smart missiles are fastest initially at least. After that it can change it's vector by one point per Edu. This is the measure of the Missiles Degree and affects it's ability to dodge, and eventually complete it's assignment. The maximum vector is always Int+Edu though...

:rofl:

Context is everything, thanks for the chuckle Don

 

[DonM]

Yes. The missile has an initial vector equal to it's Int at launch. Smart missiles are fastest initially at least. After that it can change it's vector by one point per Edu. This is the measure of the Missiles Degree and affects it's ability to dodge, and eventually complete it's assignment. The maximum vector is always Int+Edu though...

Almost a keyboard kill... almost. If you had variable damage based on the career of the missile, or the number of terms the missile had served, you would have probably been successful.

Now, back to RPG archaeology.

 

[Supplement Four]

What's the vector of a starship missile at launch, and how is a missile moved after launch? You may use only the rules appearing in LBB2, TTB or Starter Traveller for your answer. No house rules.

OK. Starter Traveller pg. 41, under Ordnance Launch: "...missiles move as if they were ships with maneuver drive-6."

There is conflicting information, though. All the Traveller Book says is that missles are launched using the same vector as the launching vessel.

 

[DonM]

OK. Starter Traveller pg. 41, under Ordnance Launch: "...missiles move as if they were ships with maneuver drive-6."

There is conflicting information, though. All the Traveller Book says is that missles are launched using the same vector as the launching vessel.

And where there's conflict, there's errata. :devil: I suspect that missiles should be launched using the same vector as the launching vessel, and maneuvered as if they were ships with maneuver drive-6, but we don't have that. And for Starter Traveller, we don't have a vector anyway...

 

[Supplement Four]

And where there's conflict, there's errata. :devil: I suspect that missiles should be launched using the same vector as the launching vessel, and maneuvered as if they were ships with maneuver drive-6, but we don't have that. And for Starter Traveller, we don't have a vector anyway...

True. Not in black & white, anyways. But common sense told me to use the ship's vector way back in 1982 when I purchased my Starter Traveller box set! Maybe that's what Marc was thinking, "It's common sense..."

 

[DonM]

Where's the TTB statement? I think that should be errata for LBB2, at the least. Any good statement of the weight of a missile?

And are we completely dependent upon Mayday for how many missile rounds are carried in a turret, and loading procedures?

 

[Supplement Four]

Where's the TTB statement? I think that should be errata for LBB2, at the least. Any good statement of the weight of a missile?

No statement of the weight, except in SS3, but the vector statement is in the TTB under Ordnance.

And are we completely dependent upon Mayday for how many missile rounds are carried in a turret, and loading procedures?

No. Starter Traveller has that info.

I never had to resort to Mayday in the past for info on any of this.

 

[far-trader]

Where's the TTB statement? I think that should be errata for LBB2, at the least. Any good statement of the weight of a missile?

And are we completely dependent upon Mayday for how many missile rounds are carried in a turret, and loading procedures?

I was pretty sure that was all in TTB. Off to have a look...

...my memory hits sometimes

TTB pg 61: Weaponry: Each missile or sand canister is 50kg. Sand costs Cr400 per. Missiles cost Cr5000 per.

TTB pg 76: Reloading: Inherent launcher capacity of 3 missiles or sand. So up to 9 per turret. To reload a launcher takes 1 turn by the gunner, and you are unable to fire any other weapons in that turret while reloading.

 

[Darley51]

Missiles and Vector....

Ummm... forgive my ignorance...

...but IF a missile is launched from a turret, doesn't this allow for a DIFFERENT vector from the launching vessel?

I've always wondered about that.
o:

 

[aramis]

Ummm... forgive my ignorance...

...but IF a missile is launched from a turret, doesn't this allow for a DIFFERENT vector from the launching vessel?

I've always wondered about that.
o:

Yes, but... by physics alone, the missile starts with its own acceleration from the shared vector, since, sitting in the launcher, it's got the same vector as the ship already.

It differs from the ships starting the moment either uses it's thrusters after launch, and launching is itself is a use of thrusters.

 

[DonM]

No statement of the weight, except in SS3, but the vector statement is in the TTB under Ordnance.

No. Starter Traveller has that info.

I never had to resort to Mayday in the past for info on any of this.

If it's in TTB, and in Starter, is it missing from LBB2 '81, or am I just confused?