Ansibles: FTL communication

[Sigtrygg]

You could build them in TNE too.

Problem is that for the 3I OTU MWM has stated nothing smaller than 100t can have a jump drive.

Which prompted a few people to come up with the inflatable jump torpedo

 

[Jeraa]

They are once again possible in Mongoose Traveller 2e High Guard. While the definition of a small craft given in the book says they aren't capable of jumping to another system, the jump drive rules give no minimum ship size (And the book notes the definitions can vary from setting to setting). The section on determining crew implies that small craft jump ships are possible as well:

High Guard doesn't specifically limit it, but the Third Imperium setting does, requires a minimum of 100 tons to form the jump bubble. Remember, High Guard is not limited just to the Third Imperium setting.

The only thing that supposedly limits it is the definition on page 4. IT isn't mentioned anywhere else in High Guard or the core rulebook (other than a similar definition in the core rulebook). There is nothing that says small craft can't mount jump drives, just that they don't for some reason. Though it specifically says they are "incapable of jumping to other star systems", there is nothing at all saying they can't jump within a specific system. Like how the Solomani originally used the jump drive - for in-system travel. So, as written you can have small-craft jump ships in the Imperium, you just can't leave the system with them.

Compare that to spinal mounts - you can mount multiple ones in a single ship. There is a sidebar that specifically says you are limited to a single on in the Third Imperium setting. Looking at it from a solely Mongoose Traveller 2e view, the ship design sequence puts no limit on what ships can mount a jump drive.

It may have been intended to limit small craft jump drives in the Third Imperium setting, but like many things in this new edition is is badly worded. If you are going to call out one Imperium exception in the design sequence (single spinal mount only), then it should of called out the other (no sub-100 ton jump drive ships) in the chapter as well.

 

[Sigtrygg]

There is lots of stuff in HG2e that is:
canonical for the 3I but not listed as such
forbidden for use within the 3I but not listed as such.

I argued long and hard for such a distinction, but alas it was not to be.

 

[AndrewW]

It may have been intended to limit small craft jump drives in the Third Imperium setting, but like many things in this new edition is is badly worded. If you are going to call out one Imperium exception in the design sequence (single spinal mount only), then it should of called out the other (no sub-100 ton jump drive ships) in the chapter as well.

A lot of stuff in High Guard isn't limited as it's a generic book meant for whatever setting, isn't specific to the Third Imperium setting.

 

[Jeraa]

It may have been intended to limit small craft jump drives in the Third Imperium setting, but like many things in this new edition is is badly worded. If you are going to call out one Imperium exception in the design sequence (single spinal mount only), then it should of called out the other (no sub-100 ton jump drive ships) in the chapter as well.

A lot of stuff in High Guard isn't limited as it's a generic book meant for whatever setting, isn't specific to the Third Imperium setting.

I know that. What I am saying is that the design sequence specifically calls out one exception (the spinal mounts) but does not all out the other (the jump drive limit). And the whole "non-canon" High Technology chapter never says that stuff isn't in use or available in the Third Imperium setting (the chapter title and opening paragraph make it sound like much of that chapter is just beyond the typical TL of the setting, not that it isn't available at all), and even some of the Third Imperium ships in the book use stuff from that chapter. So is it available in the Third Imperium setting or not?

While it had promise (the unified ship design rules are a big improvement over the 3 systems in 1e), they even messes that up. No reason space stations needed to be put in their own chapter when they use the same rules as ships (just without the maneuver drive). Several of the things available to both (like factory space) have different capabilities for the same cost/space, despite being available to be installed on both (Ships can use station parts, and stations can use ship parts). Whise bright idea was it to switch to isometric deckplans on a dark background? The symbols on the maps add nothing useful. The regular top-down view worked fine for showing the layout, and could easily be used to mark the players locations. Not to mention being easy to print off without using a crap load of ink on the dark background.

The whole book is badly done. The rest of Mongoose Traveller 2e isn't much better. I was looking forward to the Vehicles book, but after taking a closer look at what they have given us so far, I don't have high hopes.

 

[Condottiere]

20 And Marc spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the Miller thy game creator, which have brought thee out of the land of GDW, out of the house of board games.

3 Thou shalt have no other role playing games before Traveller.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any starship, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, that can enter hyperspace and has less than a fourteen hundred cubic metres of volume.

5 Thou shalt not build default jump drives below ten tonnes, nor serve them: for I the Miller thy creator am a jealous creator, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that disregard me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that honour me, and keep my canons.

7 Thou shalt not take the licence of the Miller thy creator in vain; for the Miller will not hold him guiltless that taketh his licence in vain.

8 Remember the Gen Con week, to keep it holy.

 

[AndrewW]

While it had promise (the unified ship design rules are a big improvement over the 3 systems in 1e), they even messes that up. No reason space stations needed to be put in their own chapter when they use the same rules as ships (just without the maneuver drive). Several of the things available to both (like factory space) have different capabilities for the same cost/space, despite being available to be installed on both (Ships can use station parts, and stations can use ship parts).

I agree, I didn't think space stations needed their own chapter. Some use a maneuver drive for station keeping (that's what the 0 rating maneuver drive is for).

Whise bright idea was it to switch to isometric deckplans on a dark background? The symbols on the maps add nothing useful. The regular top-down view worked fine for showing the layout, and could easily be used to mark the players locations. Not to mention being easy to print off without using a crap load of ink on the dark background.

You can download 2D deck plans:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/highguard2d.zip