MGT Only: Which MGT books do you recommend?

[Golan2072]

I got some royalties from Outer Veil, and might wish to invest them in some additional Traveller books. I've got everything from CT and JTAS in CDROM form already, so I might wish to expand my MGT collection.

I already have the Core-Book, High Guard, Central Supply Catalogue and the Aslan book in print, as well as the new Vehicle Books (and if I recall correctly the Solomani book) in PDF. Which other books are worth my money?

The other option is buy the TNE-2 CD-ROM from FFE with the TNE:1248 stuff (I only have Out of the Darkness), which I'm not going to run anytime soon, but these books are typically good reads.

 

[hdan]

I recommend Scoundrel and (to a lesser extent) Agent. Some of the ground they cover is also covered in the OV rules, but both add many ideas and options.

I personally like "Dilettante" quite a lot, but I'm not sure if the OV setting has enough "culture" (media darlings, sports stars, etc.) to really milk the possibilities. Maybe if you stay in the inner circle (whose name escapes me). Those worlds are well connected and high tech (by OV standards).

[EDIT] - Doh, I just paid attention to WHO is asking the question. Yeah, you know FAR more than I do about the OV setting, LOL. I didn't mean to, as they say, "Teach your grandma to suck eggs".

I don't know anything about TNE, so I can't weigh in there.

 

[Kilgs]

I already have the Core-Book, High Guard, Central Supply Catalogue and the Aslan book in print, as well as the new Vehicle Books (and if I recall correctly the Solomani book) in PDF. Which other books are worth my money?

I'm kinda down on MongTrav but will rise to the occasion because there are some gems. I've starred the ones I would hate to run a game without but the books you do have (HG and CSC) would also be on this list. And frankly, the ones you do have are definitely enough.

*MERCENARY: Everyone hates it. I love it. I've said it before... why is everyone complaining because the artillery ranges are unrealistic? Artillery? Really? The careers are really fun with great differences between them. The expanded event tables for Army/Marines is solid. The Mercenary unit rules... can't speak to them but they do lay out the basics of mercenary contracts etc. Looks good, no experience. There are other reasons people don't like it but I think the careers alone are worth it.

*SCOUNDREL: Yeah, you want this one. Lots of new mechanics, heists, space piracy random charts... great careers. If your campaign will have none of this you can pass but I think it's a gem if you're thinking of dipping into crime.

BELTSTRIKE: Amazingly good. It's a very niche product that focuses only on mining but achieves its goals in spades. The long-term campaign in the back of the book looks like one of the most interesting plotlines I've seen. It's really mainly of use if you're planning on mining and refining in your game. But it's a great read with lots of information. (Combine this with Merchant Prince... hmm)

DILETTANTE: Honestly, I really enjoyed this book. I was pleasantly surprised. This book is another one that is very niche in its approach (see Merchant Prince). I haven't played with the mechanical aspects too much but they looked sound. The book handles fame and power very well. Unbalancing if the game isn't focused on it though.

Other less-inspiring titles...

SHIP BOOKS: These are all solid. The Fighting Ships one covers vessels so large as to be unnecessary for your standard Trav adventure. A navy campaign definitely needs it though. The Traders and Gunboats is my favorite since it has some of everything.

760 PATRONS: It's solid in that it delivers on its premise. But that's fairly weak. Just listing after listing of NPC's with possible missions. It has a goal and succeeds, it's just not a very lofty goal.

SCOUT: Careers are solid. System generation is solid... the rest of the book you can take or leave so it's not a recommended purchase. Good information in there but it's only so-so in total.

SETTING BOOKS: If you've got one (3rdImp), then you're good. Just so you understand the setting. Spinward Marches is excellent as is Aslan's Trojan Reach. Unfortunately none of the MongTrav books (mentioned above that I own) hold a candle to the GURPS sector books. (Best setting book is Gateway to Destiny though...).

MERCHANT PRINCE: I was really looking forward to this and it delivers in a couple ways, fails in others. First, the careers are good, nothing to wet yourself although that's because they're... well, merchants. Second, the Corporation rules (have yet to use them) look awesome. Really awesome. Lots of potential for a fun multi-level, metaplot game but they are very specific in their focus (you won't be using them too much in standard Beowulf mode).
The trading system adds tons of detail and, unfortunately, is broken to the point of making everyone who uses it with even a single skill level capable of becoming a millionaire on pork rinds to moldy socks. The cargo size, type charts, all that stuff is neat but the mechanics are wonked. Which, unfortunately, is a primary reason to get the book.

AGENT: IMO... unfinished and criminally deficient. The careers would be solid except no rules or even discussion of the new Mustering Out benefits. I can't believe Mongoose printed this in its current state.

Odd.. I was trying to think of others since I know I own quite a few but an internet check shows a definite slowdown in titles. That's unfortunate.

EDIT: Also just realized who was posting so ignore the beginner recommendations on setting/ships etc.

 

[Golan2072]

[EDIT] - Doh, I just paid attention to WHO is asking the question. Yeah, you know FAR more than I do about the OV setting, LOL. I didn't mean to, as they say, "Teach your grandma to suck eggs".

LOL!

Anyhow, the Core worlds has enough celebrities, old-money families and other high-society types to use Dilettante.

 

[McPerth]

I personally only own Mercenary and High Guard (both in their LBB editions).

Mercenary: it trully disapointed me. The new careers are for after mustering out of the Army/marines, not to show the raising inside and the different branches, and I didn't like the units and tickets systems.

High Guard: I personally liked it, even if I expected a CharGen more akin the Advanced one in CT/MT. Even so, the diferent careers in the Navy (and the raising on them) are nice, and I liked the Capital Ship and Small Craft designs , as well as the ship combat sytem (in fact, I like it more than CT:HG or MT).

The new rules for ship design are (again IMHO) a must in the book.

Of course, those are only my personal oppinions (though in the case of Mercenary, it seems to be shared by many others).

 

[whulorigan]

I would add Sector Fleet by MJD as a thumbs-up for MgT.

But all four of the TNE:1248 books are really a good read . . .

 

[SpaceBadger]

I would recommend the MGT books for 2300AD and 2300AD Tools for Frontier Living. Even if you don't go with the 2300AD setting, there is tons of useful stuff in here about setting up and planning colonies and outposts and watching them grow or fail thereafter (and the failures can also lead to interesting stories).

Ships are not that useful unless you have some parts of YTU where they don't have grav tech or inertial compensators, in which case the rules on spin-habs and using centrifugal force for gravity will be handy.

Also the alien races (esp the Pentapods and their biotech) make nice alternatives to some of the standard Traveller races that can seem like people in rubber suits - although I think they are alien enough to be NPCs only, unless some player really wants to immerse in alien culture and psychology to try an alien PC.

 

[CosmicGamer]

*SCOUNDREL: Yeah, you want this one.

Incarceration is not uncommon in Scoundrel but the section for what happens to the character over possibly multiple terms is quite terse. IF you do use Scoundrel, I recommend Adventure 2 - Prison Planet for it's Prisoner career that is done similar to the careers of any other book.

 

[Golan2072]

I would recommend the MGT books for 2300AD and 2300AD Tools for Frontier Living. Even if you don't go with the 2300AD setting, there is tons of useful stuff in here about setting up and planning colonies and outposts and watching them grow or fail thereafter (and the failures can also lead to interesting stories).

Ships are not that useful unless you have some parts of YTU where they don't have grav tech or inertial compensators, in which case the rules on spin-habs and using centrifugal force for gravity will be handy.

Also the alien races (esp the Pentapods and their biotech) make nice alternatives to some of the standard Traveller races that can seem like people in rubber suits - although I think they are alien enough to be NPCs only, unless some player really wants to immerse in alien culture and psychology to try an alien PC.

I already have 2300AD and Tools for Frontier Living, just forgot to mention them above.

 

[GypsyComet]

Mercenary and High Guard were written before the career book format and goals had quite gelled, and it shows. Both books have some good stuff, but can take some care and/or effort to use fully.

Love Scoundrel.

 

[Spinward Scout]

760 PATRONS: It's solid in that it delivers on its premise. But that's fairly weak. Just listing after listing of NPC's with possible missions. It has a goal and succeeds, it's just not a very lofty goal.

If I remember right, the first printing didn't have any options for the Patron Encounters (i.e. roll d6 to determine the specifics) so it was basically 760 People with some Plot Ideas.

 

[savage]

I liked MgT Sector Fleet and FS from a big picture perspective.

Getting the 1248 books seems like a waist of time and $$ to me. I have them. It's the Regency collapse, Final Virus battles, etc.. In my book it just doesn't work except for entertainment value. I like the rest of TNE and T20. There are CDroms!

 

[Shonner]

I got some royalties from Outer Veil, and might wish to invest them in some additional Traveller books. I've got everything from CT and JTAS in CDROM form already, so I might wish to expand my MGT collection.

I already have the Core-Book, High Guard, Central Supply Catalogue and the Aslan book in print, as well as the new Vehicle Books (and if I recall correctly the Solomani book) in PDF. Which other books are worth my money?

The other option is buy the TNE-2 CD-ROM from FFE with the TNE:1248 stuff (I only have Out of the Darkness), which I'm not going to run anytime soon, but these books are typically good reads.

The green title books are the advanced career rules.
The yellow title books are the tech/travel and npc/encounters. Can be used with other sci-fi settings.
The blue title books are the adventures.

Then there are the Third Imperium books for campaigns, settings, and alien modules for Traveller.

I bought the books in the order I needed them at first.

 

[Kilgs]

I already have 2300AD and Tools for Frontier Living, just forgot to mention them above.

I would definitely have mentioned them but saw the MongTrav only tag. Definitely awesome products and Tools for Frontier Living has great stuff on colonization that any campaign/timeline could use.

If I remember right, the first printing didn't have any options for the Patron Encounters (i.e. roll d6 to determine the specifics) so it was basically 760 People with some Plot Ideas.

Hmmm... my copy has them and I thought I bought it right away. /shrug...

 

[Garyius2003]

Support for the other posters advice