Book 1: Mercenary Second Edition - Now on Drivethru

[alex_greene]

The first thing I notice immediately - the new base font is not based on some variation of Zapf Humanist Italic. Looks more like the font used in all the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters. Very World War II.
Is this going to be the new font style for all Mongoose Traveller products, including any new version of the Core Rulebook?

 

[MongooseMatt]

Is this going to be the new font style for all Mongoose Traveller products, including any new version of the Core Rulebook?

Unless you guys absolutely hate it, very possibly.

 

[alex_greene]

Is this going to be the new font style for all Mongoose Traveller products, including any new version of the Core Rulebook?

Unless you guys absolutely hate it, very possibly.

I like the sense of the beginning of a new phase for Traveller. That sense of a taste of a "bigger and better Traveller" just around the corner appeals to me. Though part of me thinks it prudent to keep at least one instance of the Traveller logo in red in the original Zapf Humanist somewhere, e.g. on the front and back covers and somewhere on the title page in black, to keep the tradition going.

 

[Nerhesi]

I actually like the font. It is much more modern and current - in my humble opinion.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Overall, I like the new mercenary book. I would have liked an example mass combat though, walking through the process step by step, to make it easier to understand. Since the new mass combat is based on regular small-scale combat, and appears to be designed to be simple to use, this isn't that big an issue though.

Layout and design is very clean and easy to follow. The new take on gun combat skills and AP, destructive and such are, as seen here on the board in previews and playtests, streamlined and improved.

I like the option of pre-career education.

One thing I dislike is that the 'tickets and missions' chapter comes between 'force organization' and 'battles and wars'. I feel the latter two should have been directly after one another, since there is a natural progression from creating units to fighting battles, and annoying to have to flick through an additional 15 pages to continue.

I was surprised at first to see that blast radius isn't taken in account in mass combat, but soon realized that it isn't needed, since every point of damage is one enemy taken out and blast weapons tend to roll many damage dice - nice, quick and simple!

The new conversion between ship and personal weapons is another thing I like. Sure, it makes ships weaker compared to vehicles and infantry, but it also stops invincible fighters from defeating entire squadrons of enemy vehicles. Most of all it gives the game a better flow.

With the new rules for destructive weapons, burst-fire looks more attractive. (1d6+4)x10 is a lot better than 10d6+4.

When it comes to destructive weapons, I can understand an auto value of 2 (the first model of PGMP) since the damage multiplies, but there are a couple other weapons in the list with auto 1 or 2, and I don't quite understand how they're supposed to work...?

Question: it seems DD in itself does nothing with regards to armor piercing, meaning that ship weapons are in some cases weaker than vehicle (or infantry (PGMP, FGMP)) based weapons, is this intentional or just a placeholder until the next high guard? A PGMP with ap 30 is more destructive than a ship-based beam laser, for instance.

Also, has flechette ammo lost its AoE?

All in all, great job!

 

[CosmicGamer]

It seams like a lot of changes. How compatible is this with the other existing rules? If one players character is made with the core rules and has core rules weapons and combat rules and another players character is created with the new mercenary book rules and is using it's weapons and combat rules...

 

[alex_greene]

It seams like a lot of changes. How compatible is this with the other existing rules? If one players character is made with the core rules and has core rules weapons and combat rules and another players character is created with the new mercenary book rules and is using it's weapons and combat rules...

I think that's the point. Mongoose are trying to centralise the weapons rules, such that you're only going to need to look them up in one place, preferably the Second Edition Core Rulebook.

 

[dragoner]

So ultimately there will be us 1st gen people, and then 2nd genners.

 

[alex_greene]

So ultimately there will be us 1st gen people, and then 2nd genners.

And the zeroth genners who remember the LBB.

 

[dragoner]

So ultimately there will be us 1st gen people, and then 2nd genners.

And the zeroth genners who remember the LBB.

What? The pocket edition rules are different? Is there a list of the changes?

 

[Old timer]

I think Alex was referring to the original LBB, I.E classic traveller, the first editions from the late 70's, early 80's.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Mongoose are trying to centralise the weapons rules, such that you're only going to need to look them up in one place, preferably the Second Edition Core Rulebook.

That sounds good, but it makes me wonder why would I get a second edition Mercenary book now if it is not compatible and the second edition core rules probably won't be here for another 1+ years?

 

[Infojunky]

So ultimately there will be us 1st gen people, and then 2nd genners.

And the zeroth genners who remember the LBB.

Which edition of CT?..... I still default to the 77 edition. Jump Tapes are still a good idea....

 

[alex_greene]

As of 2014 06 06, DrivethruRPG have made Mercenary Second Edition their Pick of The Week!

 

[simonh]

That sounds good, but it makes me wonder why would I get a second edition Mercenary book now if it is not compatible and the second edition core rules probably won't be here for another 1+ years?

Rules and supplements can have different alternate or variant rules in them, while still being compatible with each other. RPGs do this all the time and I think that's what's going on here. It happened in Classic Traveller numerous times.

It may not be perfect, but the alternative is the publisher siting on new material for months or even years before bringing a fully consistent set of products to market, meaning the fans don't get access to the new material until much later and the publisher doesn't get the revenue until much later either. Bearing in mind the razor thin margins RPG publishers operate on, reality generally trumps perfection.

Simon Hibbs

 

[Traveller-61]

Well I have the book now and very impressive it is too, and bodes well for the "new / improved" Traveller line. I am really looking forward to trying out the Stronghold rules.

One question though - will there be an update (maybe a pdf) to bring older Traveller line books like Judge Dredd & Hammers Slammers up to date with the new rules?

DW

PS. And please keep on with the 3d views of the vehicles and make it standard for all Traveller books now

 

[SSWarlock]

When will the dead tree version be available?

Call me crazy but I prefer to spend my money on Traveller products I can hold and use anywhere even during a power outage rather than waste hundreds of dollars on a laptop or tablet. Hundreds of dollars which then won't go to Mongoose.

 

[mr31337]

That sounds good, but it makes me wonder why would I get a second edition Mercenary book now if it is not compatible and the second edition core rules probably won't be here for another 1+ years?

Rules and supplements can have different alternate or variant rules in them, while still being compatible with each other. RPGs do this all the time and I think that's what's going on here. It happened in Classic Traveller numerous times.

It may not be perfect, but the alternative is the publisher siting on new material for months or even years before bringing a fully consistent set of products to market, meaning the fans don't get access to the new material until much later and the publisher doesn't get the revenue until much later either. Bearing in mind the razor thin margins RPG publishers operate on, reality generally trumps perfection.

I agree with CosmicGamer.

Yes, it is not perfect. This might be what publishers do, but it still doesn't make me want to rush out and buy the book, although I can't actually buy the book as it's not available in dead tree format yet...

When it is compatible with the other Mongoose Traveller products and is available in dead tree format I will be considerably more interested. In the meantime, I will be keenly reading any reviews.

 

[alex_greene]

In the meantime, I'm going to be recommending to any new players and Referees that they should start with Second Edition Mercenary, should they wish to go down the road of buying the Books and Supplements to take it past the Core Rulebook.

 

[MongooseMatt]

When will the dead tree version be available?

August! Just a couple of months to wait