Recent content by MrBackman

Well, if the 100 diameter rule (or whatever multiple used) is in fact a gravity gradient limit one could argue that a highly skilled astrogator is simply better at precisely pinpoint the location of the ship and the local gravity effects upon it. There will be a position between Earth and Moon...

Well, you can download my free Traveller style space combat game Intercept and use that. It has everything you need for tactical space combat including a ship design system but you can also simply use the movement or sensor system and handle combat and damage through the Mongoose system. It is...

No no no, the rules are just fine. I was merely tapping the collective knowledge of the forum for any sideeffects I might have missed if I do it. You know, like when someone added the jump masking rule and changed so many adventures and settings that it wasn't even funny. (yeah GURPS Traveller...

If jump tech comes naturally for a technological civilization why is the galaxy not filled to the rim with super old hyper tech civilizations? With jump tech the Fermi Paradox is even harder to answer. I find the insane improbability of so many civilizations maturing and getting jump tech within...

I think I'll add these shorter range jump limits as optional rules to Intercept. Having jump ranges that fit on the map will allow a lot of fun scenarios to be played, escape from Mos Eisley anyone? ;)

The Notion that you need to be far away from gravitational fields to develop jump drive technology doesn't really set a limit on how far you must travel from a planet in order to jump, at least not how I see it. [SPOILERWARNING, DON'T READ UNLESS YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE ANCIENTS REALLY WERE...

The canon Traveller rule of jumping beyond 100 diameters from a planet has always irritated me; why 100? (aside from the vague concept of diameter of course). I assume it came about as a way to force characters to Travel (it is called Traveller after all) a bit before entering hyperspace. I have...

Ship listings tend to list sensor operators and gunners as separate, Pilot and Astrogator are also generally listed separately. All player controlled ships I have seen have had these skills as dual roles; The sensor operator handles the gunnery when the fighting starts, the pilot will do the...

...and Traveller ship sizes vary a bit too: http://arcas-art.deviantart.com/art/Traveller-Starship-Size-Comparison-375080388

Yes, that was the scale of the universe but don't forget that Starships also vary quite a bit in size: http://www.merzo.net/

The idea that the Sung used beam powered sails is pretty enticing. They may have huge masers to push the sails where they want them and they might have ground based lasers to launch stuff into orbit. To keep the theme they could have built huge solar stations that convert sunlight into microwave...

The drop-tanks were mentioned first time in Jornal #3 when detailing the Gazelle class Close Escort and have then grudgingly been added to whatever ship design rules there are. Drop tanks, in my opinion, causes all kinds of canon problems such as whu doesn't X-boats use them? Why are there no...

I wrote an article where I tried to rationalize the various aspects of hyperspace and jumping in Traveller. The idea of always having a human onboard was that the human side of astrogation is done at jump exit, not at jump entry, otherwise the astrogation coul be made externally and laserbeamed...

I'm off on a tangent here but if you want an alternative design system for your Traveller game, with an highly automated Excel based design system, design system rulebook as a pdf and an entire space combat system with everyrhing you could ask for and totally free you can download it from my...