Which rules to choose?

[the.barwickian]

After a break of many years, I'm ready to put together a Trav game again. And I find myself very torn over which rules variant to use.

I've narrowed it down to four, by the simple expedient of ruling out Classic Trav. I have virtually no resources for TNE (which I wouldn't use anyway) or T4.

Whichever rules system I use, I'll be setting the campaign in the Marches of the Classic Trav era. Rebellion, schmebellion; it does not apply to me.

Players will be completely new to Traveller. Campaign will be a fairly typical tramp/wandering adventurer style. I plan to run them through some of the defining Classic Trav adventures: Shadows, Research Station Gamma, Twilight's Peak, Secrets and others, mixed in with my own stuff.

Here's my thoughts.

1) Megatraveller
Pros: I've pretty much everything published for it in hardcopy. Relatively complete (when using the errata and the MT Robots freebie); I have most of the DGP stuff as well. Relatively simple. Strong compatibility with other forms of Trav (UPP, UWP. All the fun of random Trav chargen.
Cons: The errata. Merchant Prince trade rules, which lack all flavour. The fact that I don't have PDFs.

2) GURPS Traveller
Pros: I like GURPS, I like GT, and I have pretty much everything for it in hardcopy and PDF. I'd probably stick with GURPS 3 (I have GURPS 4, but have never played it). Detailed chargen with detailed characterisation. Flexibility. Vehicle design appeals to the grognard in me, but is relatively simple in play. Hex grids. Far Trader trading rules are the best I've seen.
Cons: Dense. Imperial measurements. Lot of fluff over the crunch. Lacks the feel of Trav career chargen. No UPPs or UWPs - stat blocking takes a while. System seems dead even among the Trav community, so not much fan support out there. And, more of a failing of me rather than the rules, I'd want to put all the GT character options and equipment into GURPS Character Builder.

3) Mongoose Traveller
Pros: Current, active rules set. I only have the core rulebook in hardcopy, but have all the PDFs I want. Some of the classic adventures in the new format. Uses UPPs/UWPs. Traditional Trav chargen with some nice twists (career switching, events). Likely to be more forward-compatible with T5 (I don;t have the T5 playtest documents, but am a kickstarter backer).
Cons: Relative unfamiliarity with the details such as ship and vehicle design. Characters are relatively unskilled (getting skill-2 seems like an achievement).

4) Traveller Hero
Pros: I love Hero System. Hero 6 is my current go-to rules set. Great ground combat which isn't too lethal. Hex grids.
Cons: Trav Hero was for Hero 5. I'd either need to use the older edition or update everything to Hero 6. Lousy space combat system. Lots more prep work for me, the GM.

Despite the extra effort, I'm am leaning very much towards Trav Hero, but in all honesty, I'm blowing hot and cold over all these choices.

And a little nagging voice in the back of my head is muttering "EABA" as well.

 

[DaveChase]

Though I am a CT fan at heart, I would say that your best bet (IMO) would be Mongoose.

Why, because it is current, there is a strong fan base, there is lots of support, supplements and more still coming out for several years and there is lots of fan based/small publishing companies that are producing material for that version.

Dave Chase

 

[Ronnke]

Ultimately, go with the system you and your players will have the most fun playing.

Rulesets don't mean crap in the grand scheme of things, the system is simply the medium in which you tell your story. From reading your post, I would guess that Hero is your "fun" system, so use that.

GURPS Traveller is my personal favourite. I'm also a huge fan of GT:Interstellar Wars, this period of the Traveller universe is just fun to play in, but really you could also do this with any ruleset.

Fly safe and happy travels.

 

[DangerousThing]

I agree. Go with the rules that are the most fun for you and your group.

Though if you're waiting, I'd look at Traveller 5. There's a current kickstarter campaign to get it published (it's already funded and still has a few days to go).

This is the Traveller that Marc Miller has pretty much designed and written.

On the other hand, I'm running a campaign as a test and there aren't a lot of rules your characters *have* to know. Though it's a good idea for them to know where they stand with combat. I really like the task system, and I'm hoping that the next beta has some of the problems fixed.

Good luck and have fun! I remember using Hero before it had version numbers.

 

[robject]

Start with what you know and what you've already invested in - MegaTraveller. Then go from there. The MT PDFs are available from FFE's website if you've got the cash. Migration to Traveller5 (or Mongoose) can be planned at a future date.

 

[CosmicGamer]

If you have players lined up, then it's as others have said; go with what you know and like or what you think the players will most enjoy.

If you were trying to find new players, I'd suggest Mongoose or GURPS since it is on the shelf, Amazon and elsewhere. Trying to get someone new to join you would probably be easier if you are using a product they have seen around.

3) Mongoose Traveller
Cons:Characters are relatively unskilled (getting skill-2 seems like an achievement).

With random chargen characters may not be getting the skills you'd like but the connection skill can turn things around.

"I wanted a broker but didn't roll the skill even once!" Form two connections with other players and you can now have broker 2.

 

[Dragoner]

Though I am a CT fan at heart, I would say that your best bet (IMO) would be Mongoose.

Why, because it is current, there is a strong fan base, there is lots of support, supplements and more still coming out for several years and there is lots of fan based/small publishing companies that are producing material for that version.

Dave Chase

This is my opinion as well, though I am not actually a mong trav player, i have talked to other GM's who have moved over to the system and they say so as well. They also say you can use much of the CT material in mong trav, which is a big plus to me.

 

[BytePro]

Addressing your MgT cons:

Cons: Relative unfamiliarity with the details such as ship and vehicle design. Characters are relatively unskilled (getting skill-2 seems like an achievement).

The ship and vehicle design are ways easier than MT or GURPs (no idea about Hero).

Getting past skill-2 is pretty darn easy and they have lots of skills with the level-0s thrown in. Besides all the skills obtained in random chargen - the addition of Package and Connection skills allow selection of skills/added levels.

 

[robject]

OK, I'll change my tune and throw in for Mongoose. All you need is the core book, and you can mine your MegaTraveller and CT material as needed. Since these are new players, some of them will want the rulebook; so Mongoose makes it convenient for them to acquire the book, and the one book is all they need.

 

[aramis]

OK, I'll change my tune and throw in for Mongoose. All you need is the core book, and you can mine your MegaTraveller and CT material as needed. Since these are new players, some of them will want the rulebook; so Mongoose makes it convenient for them to acquire the book, and the one book is all they need.

For the same price as the MGT dead tree, they can get all of MT in PDF.

 

[the.barwickian]

Thanks for the input, folks. I'm still torn, but that's my issue.

I'm a T5 kickstarter backer (for the dead tree and some extras), so it will eventually be winging my way.

Re. the dead tree version of Mongoose: what's on the shelf is not really applicable. I'm in the Middle East and there is no FLGS, though a couple of bookshops have D&D4. I picked up my hardcopy of Mongoose a few years ago when I was back in... oh, not a million miles from Andy Boulton.

 

[robject]

Thanks for the input, folks. I'm still torn, but that's my issue.

I'm a T5 kickstarter backer (for the dead tree and some extras), so it will eventually be winging my way.

Re. the dead tree version of Mongoose: what's on the shelf is not really applicable. I'm in the Middle East and there is no FLGS, though a couple of bookshops have D&D4. I picked up my hardcopy of Mongoose a few years ago when I was back in... oh, not a million miles from Andy Boulton.

Well that changes things, I suppose.

For the Middle East, I would therefore suggest something like Andy Slack's "Traveller in One Page" rules. Of course, I can't find it on the web, although it must be here somewhere.

Barring that, simply run Traveller very light. Use a 2D task mechanic with skill levels low, or an nD task mechanic with skill levels high. Have armor absorb points of damage. Scale up and down by 10 between personal weapons/armor and starship weapons/armor. Set basic vehicle and starship armor to be equal to TL/2.

I'm trying to think of what else is really needed.