Book 9: Pirates for Classic Traveller - on PDF & Pre-Order!

[Spirit of '77]

Do you have a link for the white book? I vaguely recall downloading this, but I cannot find it, and I cannot find a link on DriveThru. Thanks!

EDIT: Disregard, I found my white book copy!

 

[Longboat]

Sure thing.

White Book

 

[apastuszak]

The White Book is the first 3 1981 books with errata inserted, I believe.

I think the best deal is to buy the Classic Traveller CD-ROM. It contains more than what's available on DTRPG. It has the original 1977 versions of the original 3 books, which I don't think you can get anywhere else.

The Classic Traveller CD-ROM is $35, and this is all the stuff on it:

https://www.farfuture.net/Contents%20CDROM%20Classic%20Traveller.pdf

 

[Longboat]

But, the CD isn't a print item. I guess you can print from it yourself, though.

What impresses me about the White Book is twofold. First, it includes errata that has been vetted by Marc Miller--it's not the fan made errata that was developed on the TML that was supposedly blessed by MWM but really is just veteran Traveller Refs venting their opinions. I'm not a "fan" of the latter.

Second, the White Book seems to have all the rules except the hex based starship combat from Starter Traveller. It's got the cover and concealment rules from The Traveller Book. It's got the pulse laser rule from Starter Traveller. And so on.

It seems to be the most complete rulebook that exists, even more complete than the Traveller Book. Plus, it's got the errata, which you can choose to use or not (I do have a problem with one of the combat errata rules).

At $9 bucks a printed copy, it's a perfect go-to rule set for a classic Traveller game.

 

[Sigtrygg]

There was no hex based combat in Starter, it used range bands. Unlike the MgT version each range band is the same distance and momentum is converved. It is a really useful way to handle combat more "Newtonian-realistically" movement wise than MgT as part of a role play session.
The hex based system was the boardgame Mayday.

I would also consider some of the errata very carefully before adopting, not all of is is good and is more the result of which fanon opinion was shouted the loudest at Marc and the secret squirrel squad. And there is still errata missing.

But minor quibbles aside if you own the white book and the free Mongoose Starter pdf set you have everything you need to get going.

The Traveller Book is a must own by any Traveller purist. To date I have bought 4 of them pod, 3 given away to new players. The little white book pod I can not recommend enough.

 

[apastuszak]

But, the CD isn't a print item. I guess you can print from it yourself, though.

What impresses me about the White Book is twofold. First, it includes errata that has been vetted by Marc Miller--it's not the fan made errata that was developed on the TML that was supposedly blessed by MWM but really is just veteran Traveller Refs venting their opinions. I'm not a "fan" of the latter.

Second, the White Book seems to have all the rules except the hex based starship combat from Starter Traveller. It's got the cover and concealment rules from The Traveller Book. It's got the pulse laser rule from Starter Traveller. And so on.

It seems to be the most complete rulebook that exists, even more complete than the Traveller Book. Plus, it's got the errata, which you can choose to use or not (I do have a problem with one of the combat errata rules).

At $9 bucks a printed copy, it's a perfect go-to rule set for a classic Traveller game.

I bought the white book and like it. But I really don't like how they overlayed some errata on top of existing text and some is in the back of the book in its own section. It would be nice if the book got redone with the errata inserted into the book. But I don't know if its worth the time and money to do that right now.

As a fan effort with a shared document, a ton of people could edit, it would probably be something worth doing. But then that's not a commercial product you can sell.

 

[Longboat]

There was no hex based combat in Starter, it used range bands. Unlike the MgT version each range band is the same distance and momentum is converved. It is a really useful way to handle combat more "Newtonian-realistically" movement wise than MgT as part of a pole play session.
The hex based system was the boardgame Mayday.

You're right, of course. I said hex bands because it was easy to use those Range Band rules that way. I did that for years, even before I purchased Mayday (which was one of my last CT purchases BitD).

I would also consider some of the errata very carefully before adoting, not all of is is good and is more the result of which fanon opinion was shouted the loudest at Marc and the secret squirrel squad. And there is still errata missing.

I completely agree with this, but I've compared the errata with that which was created on CotI. Marc has gone in and done some work with the errata. He's edited the previous errata that was available, and I consider it a better set of errata.

Still, I've learned, as you've said, to be skeptical of Traveller errata for the reason you mention.

Bu minor quibbles aside if you own the white book and the free Mongoose Starter pdf set you have everything you need to get going.

The Traveller Book is a must own by any Traveller purist. To date I have bought 4 of them pod, 3 given away to new players. The little white book pod I can not recommend enough.

I'm not a Mongoose convert. I continue with classic Traveller. That's my ruleset. And, the Traveller Book and the White Book are both great purchases, I agree.

 

[Sigtrygg]

I still use CT77 for characters, but have moved away from CT combat. I stick with CT situation saving throws for event resolution (but...)

Picking up the MgT Starter Set pdf is free, you get enough of the rules that you may find something to adapt to CT (none of my regulars want to ditch boon/bane).
As mentioned I moved away from the CT combat matrices years ago, and now use a house rule armour as damage dice reduction adapted form T4, T20, MgT.
Ship design is usually LBB:81 drive tables but with 77 power plant fudge (power plant minimum is the same letter as your m-drive)

So Classic Traveller+

 

[Longboat]

I still use CT77 for characters, but have moved away from CT combat. I stick with CT situation saving throws for event resolution (but...)

How does that differ from CT81 chargen?

Picking up the MgT Starter Set pdf is free, you get enough of the rules that you may find something to adapt to CT (none of my regulars want to ditch boon/bane).
As mentioned I moved away from the CT combat matrices years ago, and now use a house rule armour as damage dice reduction adapted form T4, T20, MgT.
Ship design is usually LBB:81 drive tables but with 77 power plant fudge (power plant minimum is the same letter as your m-drive)

So Classic Traveller+

I usually keep my rulesets clean without many house rules, no matter which rpg or edition I'm playing.

I know next to zero about MGT having never read it. What is boon/bane?

 

[Sigtrygg]

How does that differ from CT81 chargen?

A couple of changes in the skills, I'd have to check. I mostly stick with the 77 edition LBB1 because it is the one I have had the longest

I usually keep my rulesets clean without many house rules, no matter which rpg or edition I'm playing.

I've tried, baby jebus know I have tried. But I dislike the combat matrices too much, and try as I might I can not get the whoop of baboons I game with to give up on boon/bane - we used it when playtesting MgT and they refuse to give it up.

I know next to zero about MGT having never read it. What is boon/bane?

In an advantageous situation roll 3d and sum the highest 2 individual dice. This can save a lot of time worrying about DMs, especially if a player has role played and described their character's actions well.
In an environment disadvantageous to the character's actions then roll 3d and sum the lowest 2 individual dice. This again can speed things up rather than dwelling over DMs.
Note DMs for skill, characteristic, movement and concealment still apply as normal, but the boon/bane gives me and the players a tool to add that extra fun factor.

And for some reason they really like rolling 3d every now and then.

 

[Longboat]

In an advantageous situation roll 3d and sum the highest 2 individual dice. This can save a lot of time worrying about DMs, especially if a player has role played and described their character's actions well.
In an environment disadvantageous to the character's actions then roll 3d and sum the lowest 2 individual dice. This again can speed things up rather than dwelling over DMs.
Note DMs for skill, characteristic, movement and concealment still apply as normal, but the boon/bane gives me and the players a tool to add that extra fun factor.

And for some reason they really like rolling 3d every now and then.

So, if I read you right...

I PC is exploring a derelict spacecraft. He comes up to a hatch that is flash-frozen tight. In normal Trav, the Ref would set a difficulty number for the PC to roll 2D to beat in order to open the hatch.

Instead of worrying about the effect of the PC's vacc suit and other modifiers to the roll, using Bane, the Ref would set a target number, say 10+ (if the thought it hard to open), and the player throws 3D, taking the lowest two as his roll.

Is that correct?

If so, that's interesting.





I do like Marc's T5 Flex roll, too. That's useful in some situations.

 

[WHULorigan]

So, if I read you right...

I PC is exploring a derelict spacecraft. He comes up to a hatch that is flash-frozen tight. In normal Trav, the Ref would set a difficulty number for the PC to roll 2D to beat in order to open the hatch.

Instead of worrying about the effect of the PC's vacc suit and other modifiers to the roll, using Bane, the Ref would set a target number, say 10+ (if the thought it hard to open), and the player throws 3D, taking the lowest two as his roll.

Is that correct?

If so, that's interesting.

Basically yes. Intrinsic (i.e. relatively "fixed") bonuses and difficulties of the task get a set target number and/or DM for the task. The more nebulous situational modifiers that impinge upon a task are handled by the boon/bane mechanic when the task attempt is made.

I do like Marc's T5 Flex roll, too. That's useful in some situations.

Agreed. FLUX / GOOD FLUX / BAD FLUX is both simple and brilliant. And its expandable to other distributions by simply subtracting the maximum of value of a given roll from the minimum value of a given roll to produce new FLUX ranges:

STANDARD:

FLUX [1D6] { [1D6 - 1d6] } : (Max/Min: 6-1=5) ==> Bell-curve distribution from -5 to +5 about "0" mean.

EXPANSION:

FLUX [2D6] { [2D6 - 2d6] } : (Max/Min: 12-2=10)==> Bell-curve distribution from -10 to +10 about "0" mean.

FLUX [1D3] (" ½D ") { [1D3 - 1D3] }: (Max/Min: 3-1=2) ==> Bell-curve distribution from -2 to +2 about "0" mean.

FLUX [1D20] { [1D20 - 1D20] }: (Max/Min: 20-1=19) ==> Bell-curve distribution from -19 to +19 about "0" mean.
FLUX [1D100] (" D% ") { [D% - D%] }: (Max/Min: 100-1=99) ==> Bell-curve distribution from -99 to +99 about "0" mean.

 

[nats]

This is beautiful - just as I remember the best starship plans in Traveller.

 

[Longboat]

There's a mechanic that I like from the first edition D6 Star Wars roleplaying game. I think its useful for Traveller.

Let's say that you've got a big job, like fixing the Jump Drive. The Ref sets a target number. Let's go with 24.

Obviously, you can't throw 24 on 2D +mods in classic Traveller.

Players get three rolls. Each time increment is increased exponentially. The first check may take 15 minutes. Something like a fuse needed to be replaced, if it succeeds against the target.

The second roll takes a day.

The third and final roll takes a week. (or 3 days...whatever the Ref thinks is appropriate).


Let's say the mod is +2 per level of Engineering skill. Our PC Engineer has Engineering-2. So, he's throwing 2D +4.

He throws a 7 +4 = 11 for the first throw. The problem can't be fixed in 15 minutes.

But, now, the Engineer understands more about the problem, and the target number is reduced. 24 - 11 = 13.

Now, the Engineer has a chance to complete repairs in a day if he can roll 13+ on 2D +4.



Yet, he rolls 4 + 4 = 8. No. There's a problem. He can't fix the Jump Drive in a day. If he spent a week, then maybe he could, but it's not fixed yet.

Still, the job got easier. 13 - 8 = 5.

Maybe the Engineer had to craft a part he didn't have, and that took most of the time. But, the ship will be fixed within the week as a 5+ is automatic on 2D +4.



I think that's a very neat mechanic.

EDIT: D6 1E Star Wars uses these time increments: 15 minutes, 1 Day, 2 additional Days (for a total of 3 Days). After that, no more repair rolls are allowed. The item is just broken and just needs to be replaced. Or, the Ref can allow something to change about the repair. A starport dock is needed. A part is needed that the ship's engineer cannot fabricate and doesn't have a replacement part in storage on the ship.

This can be turned into a device to use for adventuring in the game. The gravitics are out, let's say, and the crew is floating around with no artificial gravity. The ship's engineer did his three repair rolls over three days and is unable to fix the gravitics dumyflatchy that is burned out.

Now, the ship has to go after this part would only be available at Class C or better starports. Yet, when the ship finally gets to a Class C ports, they're out of the part, too! (Sounds like what happened in The Phantom Menace).

 

[Sigtrygg]

Effect number is another way to do it.
For every point you roll above your target number you earn one point, if you miss a roll you get no points on that turn (or for some hazardous tasks you may want to use negative effect as a subtraction to the point tally)

Set an effect number - the total number of points you must accrue.

Different characters can even contribute different skills to the overall task in support of each other.

 

[Longboat]

Effect number is another way to do it.
For every point you roll above your target number you earn one point, if you miss a roll you get no pints on that turn (or for some hazadous tasks you may want to use negative effect as a subtraction to the point tally)

Set an effect number - the total number of points you must accrue.

Different characters can even contribute different skills to the overall task in support of each other.

I like it!