Central Supply Catalogue Update – Comments requested!

[Geir]

Hello,

As part of the general refresh following the Core Rulebook Update, we have begun work on an update to the Central Supply Catalogue. The goal of the update is not to add a bunch of new rules, but to clean up the existing inventory, add some new items or items from other Traveller publications (but by no means all of those items) and to make everything conform to the current ruleset.

That’s the plan, anyway. But your input is certainly welcome. From the current version, what essential or useful items do you think are missing? What do you find confusing or unclear? What do you think is just plain not right? What important question did I forget to ask?

As I said, for additions, not every item from previous or upcoming JTAS articles, adventures, or sourcebooks will be included, certainly not alien-specific items. Nor does every item need to conform to the Third Imperium universe, but if something is added, it should be something conceived as more or less commonly available in some Traveller universe, at least at its listed tech level to authorised buyers.

Let us know what you think.

Thanks!

 

[adzling]

please resolve the poorly worded inexplicit rules on what armors stack.

for example what can be worn under a vacc-suit or battledress (tl 12 cloth? other stuff)?

please ensure the changes to the small arms rules in the mercenary supplement make it into the broader ruleset (specifically how Armor piercing rounds works).

 

[GamingGlen]

I'd prefer a thicker book with more stuff. I don't haul my JTAS around. I'm not one to use PDFs, but even searching through a multitude of them is tedious.

Many "high" tech (9+) ranged weapons could use more TL lines.

 

[GamingGlen]

Can we make high tech be actually high tech, and not just a number? For instance, the personal computer has the same mass for many TLs: 0.5 kg. That's over an imperial pound. By TL 12 one would think a PC might be the size of a charm on a bracelet or some piercing jewelry (nose, earring, belly button :wink: ). By TL 14 it could be an imbedded under the skin device, but maybe that should go under augments at the point (so give a page reference).

Yeah yeah, a reprint to fix errors or make clarifications, not a rewrite. I'm just exacerbated about the lack of what high tech could be like, and I'm not that good at predicting the future (but then who is for 30 centuries).

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Central supply update

1. Add gravbelts! They’re currently only found in the Core Rulebook.

2. There’s currently quite the difference between grav belts and the grav assist option that battledress can equip. A TL15 grav belt (p.119, 2022 update) has a 12 hour battery and a maximum speed of Medium, meaning a potential range of 2,400 km.

The grav assist option from the rulebook (p.104, 2022 update) is simply a built-in grav belt, but the TL15 grav assist for battledress option in CSC (p.37) has a maximum range of 50 km rather than battery time. 50 km at 200 kph is just 15 minutes of flight time, unclear if flight time in this version is dependent on speed, or if it can simply be used for just 15 minutes. Either way, quite different from the regular belt, and much more limited. Is this intended?

3. How about some additional vacc suit options, like different types of helmets? Soft foldable, transparent dome with or without visor that opens, standalone helmet (possibly with removable faceplate), some hi-tech foldable Iron Man-like thingy… ?

4. Not sure this one is needed, but how about adding some or all of the following: Scout issue field dress and grav belt, navy vacc suit, imperial marine battledress?

5. Possibly change the slot cost for integrated heavy mounts for battledress? They currently require 10 slots, which is the same as Vehicle weapon mounts. I’d suggest lowering them to 5 or 6 or thereabouts, it feels off that a machine gun that’s basically just a sustain fire assault rifle requires the same space as an auto cannon - but it could also become dangerous if too many heavy weapons can be linked together. 

Perhaps still require 10 slots, but auto-include extra ammo? That way it will be difficult to quadlink FGHPs, but you won’t sacrifice 10 slots for a grenade launcher with just 6 shots…

6. Is there a reason why grav assist can only be installed in combat armour, and not in, say, vacc suits? Can a traveller simply wear a regular grav belt over their vacc suit?

 

[GamingGlen]

[yeah, yeah, I'm on a roll; or more likely my brain is in high gear for a change (I hate getting old)]

Where's my high tech anti-grav slippers that automatically fly onto my feet as soon as I put them out from under the covers in some pre-defined way?

Where's the auto-pen that transcribes my dictation? Yeah, it's some old school overpriced thingamabob for the rich executive who has everything.

When I say "Cigar, please" have some AG tray brings me a cigar that lights as soon as I put it in my mouth.

sigh, I'd be one SOB if I was rich in the far future. One can dream, right?

 

[Arkathan]

Can we make high tech be actually high tech, and not just a number? For instance, the personal computer has the same mass for many TLs: 0.5 kg. That's over an imperial pound. By TL 12 one would think a PC might be the size of a charm on a bracelet or some piercing jewelry (nose, earring, belly button :wink: ). By TL 14 it could be an imbedded under the skin device, but maybe that should go under augments at the point (so give a page reference).

Yeah yeah, a reprint to fix errors or make clarifications, not a rewrite. I'm just exacerbated about the lack of what high tech could be like, and I'm not that good at predicting the future (but then who is for 30 centuries).

There is a limit on the usable size of a physical keyboard and monitor. I agree that there should be smaller optional versions, like with a holographic monitor, or google contact lens, and a projected keyboard allowing you to type on any surface or none at all, but a physical keyboard and monitor, with CPU storage and access ports need certain size to be universally useful. I certainly prefer a keyboard, even one that attaches to an iPad to tapping on a phone screen.

 

[Condottiere]

An index to all items ever statted out in Mongoose Second publications, even if they aren't deemed worthy of having been entered into the Central Supply Catalogue.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

I forgot two:

7. Add a Bolter-like weapon, for those alt settings where chaindrive swords and battledress are common…
We’ve got the ARL in JTAS and the Guardian in Mercenary, either of them could work fine, but something could be good to have in CSC.

8. Plasma ammo, clarify what blast x2 does for a weapon that lack blast (such as rifles or pistols)

 

[IanBruntlett]

As part of the general refresh following the Core Rulebook Update, we have begun work on an update to the Central Supply Catalogue. The goal of the update is not to add a bunch of new rules, but to clean up the existing inventory, add some new items or items from other Traveller publications (but by no means all of those items) and to make everything conform to the current ruleset.

That’s the plan, anyway. But your input is certainly welcome. From the current version, what essential or useful items do you think are missing? What do you find confusing or unclear? What do you think is just plain not right? What important question did I forget to ask?

I'd like to see a broader selection of computers. Currently we have laptops and ship's computers.
Consider:-
* PC-like computers that are more powerful than laptops
* Minicomputers that are more powerful than PC-like / laptop-like computers
* Mainframe like computers (could borrow ideas from ship's computers).

 

[GamingGlen]

Can we make high tech be actually high tech, and not just a number? For instance, the personal computer has the same mass for many TLs: 0.5 kg. That's over an imperial pound. By TL 12 one would think a PC might be the size of a charm on a bracelet or some piercing jewelry (nose, earring, belly button :wink: ). By TL 14 it could be an imbedded under the skin device, but maybe that should go under augments at the point (so give a page reference).

Yeah yeah, a reprint to fix errors or make clarifications, not a rewrite. I'm just exacerbated about the lack of what high tech could be like, and I'm not that good at predicting the future (but then who is for 30 centuries).

There is a limit on the usable size of a physical keyboard and monitor. I agree that there should be smaller optional versions, like with a holographic monitor, or google contact lens, and a projected keyboard allowing you to type on any surface or none at all, but a physical keyboard and monitor, with CPU storage and access ports need certain size to be universally useful. I certainly prefer a keyboard, even one that attaches to an iPad to tapping on a phone screen.

Ah, yes, the user interface. I had forgotten that somewhat, I was thinking of the voice activated devices people are putting in homes and car these days. THESE DAYS, the time is now as in TL 7-8 days, not 3000 years from now. Of course, our fingers and eyes are still going to be about the same. There probably needs to be some interface section in the computer chapter, but that's adding more stuff to an already filled page.

 

[agentwigggles]

Hey Gier! Excited for new CSC.
In case you're unaware, there is a discord community that is fairly active. And we had quite a active thread regarding High Guard.
And we open one for the CSC.
It would be great if you could keep an eye on the thread for comments.
https://discord.gg/gU9BGWFs

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Can we make high tech be actually high tech, and not just a number? For instance, the personal computer has the same mass for many TLs: 0.5 kg. That's over an imperial pound. By TL 12 one would think a PC might be the size of a charm on a bracelet or some piercing jewelry (nose, earring, belly button :wink: ). By TL 14 it could be an imbedded under the skin device, but maybe that should go under augments at the point (so give a page reference).

Yeah yeah, a reprint to fix errors or make clarifications, not a rewrite. I'm just exacerbated about the lack of what high tech could be like, and I'm not that good at predicting the future (but then who is for 30 centuries).

There is a limit on the usable size of a physical keyboard and monitor. I agree that there should be smaller optional versions, like with a holographic monitor, or google contact lens, and a projected keyboard allowing you to type on any surface or none at all, but a physical keyboard and monitor, with CPU storage and access ports need certain size to be universally useful. I certainly prefer a keyboard, even one that attaches to an iPad to tapping on a phone screen.

Yes but...

Holographic technology means the keyboard and monitor are now virtual, so they take up no physical space. We already have virtual keyboards - the image of a keyboard projects onto a flat surface and motion capture technology 'reads' what keys you are using. Besides, by TL9, EVERYTHING should be voice activated, so keyboards are almost never needed.

 

[Arkathan]

Can we make high tech be actually high tech, and not just a number? For instance, the personal computer has the same mass for many TLs: 0.5 kg. That's over an imperial pound. By TL 12 one would think a PC might be the size of a charm on a bracelet or some piercing jewelry (nose, earring, belly button :wink: ). By TL 14 it could be an imbedded under the skin device, but maybe that should go under augments at the point (so give a page reference).

Yeah yeah, a reprint to fix errors or make clarifications, not a rewrite. I'm just exacerbated about the lack of what high tech could be like, and I'm not that good at predicting the future (but then who is for 30 centuries).

There is a limit on the usable size of a physical keyboard and monitor. I agree that there should be smaller optional versions, like with a holographic monitor, or google contact lens, and a projected keyboard allowing you to type on any surface or none at all, but a physical keyboard and monitor, with CPU storage and access ports need certain size to be universally useful. I certainly prefer a keyboard, even one that attaches to an iPad to tapping on a phone screen.

Yes but...

Holographic technology means the keyboard and monitor are now virtual, so they take up no physical space. We already have virtual keyboards - the image of a keyboard projects onto a flat surface and motion capture technology 'reads' what keys you are using. Besides, by TL9, EVERYTHING should be voice activated, so keyboards are almost never needed.

Second sentence. I said as much. But even Star Trek uses a physical input device. Can you imagine the chaos of everyone needing to tell their stations what to do at the same time, while trying to hear a captain's orders? Or putting in a kill order on the PC sitting in front of you, without a physical input device that others can't see without being obvious? Those are in additions to, not universal replacements. There is something to be said for accessing your private information without everyone around you seeing or hearing it. options to reduce the weight - and limit utility, should reduce the weight. A standard physical set up weighs what it weighs, which is the origin of this particular argument.

 

[MonkeyX]

If you are including non-third imperium stuff please flag it as such or put it in its own section. Ancient tech devices would be a cool addition too.

 

[Varulv]

Non-leathal weapons.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[Stjarnvik]

Ah geez! I've just purchased my hard copy of the current CSC since it wasn't on the release schedule.

I also got the Core Rulebook 2022. The original post mentions conforming to the current ruleset. What's not conforming in the current version?

 

[Tupper]

Three thoughts here.

1. Combat arm armour feels very wonky. A TL13 arm gives you +6 armour, which leaves you with pretty good resistance to unarmed combat and even pistols. The arm is pretty resistant, obviously, but most hits would probably hit the rest of the person’s body, which doesn’t have armour. I can’t think of a nice fix without using hit locations, so I’d just remove the armour from them.

2. It would be good if the weapons from the referee’s briefing on mercenaries were included. The VRF Gauss gun, in particular, is an iconic Traveller weapon.

3. Nuclear rounds are very dangerous, and do fixed 6DD damage. They can currently be used with any heavy weapon. The trouble is that heavy weapons include machine guns, so you can get a 6DD machine gun. This feels like egregious munchkinery (there’s even an example of this in the vehicle handbook). I suggest that either nuclear rounds be restricted to larger caliber guns, *or* that the damage scales based on normal weapon damage.

 

[Arkathan]

Three thoughts here.

3. Nuclear rounds are very dangerous, and do fixed 6DD damage. They can currently be used with any heavy weapon. The trouble is that heavy weapons include machine guns, so you can get a 6DD machine gun. This feels like egregious munchkinery (there’s even an example of this in the vehicle handbook). I suggest that either nuclear rounds be restricted to larger caliber guns, *or* that the damage scales based on normal weapon damage.

There's a note in the Ammunition section that a weapon increased to over 10D gets 1DD, and cannot be further increased. Pg 138 Central Supply Catalogue - High Damage Weapons text.