Field Catalogue - are there plans for a 202X update?
- Thread starter apoapostolov
- Start date
I'd be happy with something that starts out with a description of what mercs do and what the various kinds are, including what kinds of equipment, vehicles and ships they're likely to have.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
We do have an actual real life example, for a large scale deployment.
Smaller ones around Africa.
It really does tend to come down to cost benefit, trying to leverage experience, and usually better equipment.
At the other end of the stick, you may end up holding it, and various inducements to get you to sign on, and an employer not too keen to pay out that success bonus.
If it gets attritional and long enough, equipment becomes cheaper, but maybe also reliable, since you know what works.
Everyone will try to get advanced combat rifles, assault rifles being a rather desperate measure, which did come up in a description of a mercenary outfit in GURPS.
Smaller ones around Africa.
It really does tend to come down to cost benefit, trying to leverage experience, and usually better equipment.
At the other end of the stick, you may end up holding it, and various inducements to get you to sign on, and an employer not too keen to pay out that success bonus.
If it gets attritional and long enough, equipment becomes cheaper, but maybe also reliable, since you know what works.
Everyone will try to get advanced combat rifles, assault rifles being a rather desperate measure, which did come up in a description of a mercenary outfit in GURPS.
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
In Frederik Forsyth's Day of the Jackal, the main protagonist commissions a master gunsmith to build him a special suppressed sniper rifle of extreme slimness with a small supply of mercury-tipped explosive bullets. Anatomy of a plot | Wikipedia. Loved this idea and would buy the FC if it allowed players to dream up similar, and if the FC feedback was not so negative from the MgT user community.
Last edited:
The Specialty Forces book kind of has that. It talks about what different types of unit specializations (anti air, anti armor, special forces, etc) are and what gear a merc unit need to have to truthfully apply that label to themselves.
apoapostolov
Mongoose
Is this book useful for running Traveller, or it is only support for Mercenary spinoff?
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Certainly useful for Traveller but consider it an experts guide. Not just Mercenary. Also for Engineering, Security and Protected Law Enforcement officers. Could be support for players or some snazzy NPCs.
ResslynHalvik
Banded Mongoose
(Apologies for the necroposting)
I recently bought the Field Catalogue and I am very disappointed the weapon design rules just don't work.
I spent quite a lot of the last few days trying to design a "heritage" Sword Worlds hunting rifle (TL9, decorated as a family heirloom, primarily around 8.5mm ball, but with APDS and sub-calibre DS "lite" rounds too), and have failed to get anything I felt was realistic. I then tried to design a TL 7+ (ie about now bleeding edge) .300-ish hunting rifle, and couldn't create anything with a realistic range and performance.
So. I think for my Sword World artefact I'm gonna give up on the FC and just right some stat blocks for it and its range of ammunition.
I recently bought the Field Catalogue and I am very disappointed the weapon design rules just don't work.
I spent quite a lot of the last few days trying to design a "heritage" Sword Worlds hunting rifle (TL9, decorated as a family heirloom, primarily around 8.5mm ball, but with APDS and sub-calibre DS "lite" rounds too), and have failed to get anything I felt was realistic. I then tried to design a TL 7+ (ie about now bleeding edge) .300-ish hunting rifle, and couldn't create anything with a realistic range and performance.
So. I think for my Sword World artefact I'm gonna give up on the FC and just right some stat blocks for it and its range of ammunition.
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
8.5mm calibre bullet is hardly "hunting" calibre ammunition. According to the FC, 8.5mm would be a Battle Rifle. But if you look at the classic Remington Model 700 rifle, it can take 6mm - 8.6mm bullets, so you might be okay.
"Range" in FC is effective distance for that damage to be effective. "Range" for actual real weapons is total distance where the bullet falls out of propulsion.
"Range" in FC is effective distance for that damage to be effective. "Range" for actual real weapons is total distance where the bullet falls out of propulsion.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
The design rules there are crap. It seriously needs an update.
ResslynHalvik
Banded Mongoose
Depends what you are hunting! A .338 Win Mag with a 220 grain ball would be good for big elk or grizzly bear at long ranges (say 400-500m). And have you seen the Iron Bears they have on Enos - I reckon they'd need an APDS/SLAP tungsten penetrator.
On trying to reproduce a current firearm, have I misunderstood the ranges, then? Is there a good reference case of a current rifle mapped to the rules in the FC? That would be good to correct myself.
Last edited:
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Duck season.
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
^^^^^ Good question.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
ResslynHalvik
Banded Mongoose
And the recoil section is completely garbled, right?
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Recoil = number of damage dice + weapon's Auto Rate score + 'mass' modifier
If the Recoil total is less or equal to the users Gun Combat skill, then the weapon is fully under control.
Otherwise, add a negative DM to the weapon attack equal to the difference (Recoil - Gun Combat skill).
If the Recoil total is less or equal to the users Gun Combat skill, then the weapon is fully under control.
Otherwise, add a negative DM to the weapon attack equal to the difference (Recoil - Gun Combat skill).
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Bugsy Malone (1976) introduced by the young Jodie Foster.
ResslynHalvik
Banded Mongoose
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Oh? My reply was meant as a condensed version of those pages.
The only difference is that I referred to the modifiers in the second paragraph as 'mass' modifiers, because the book gave no name/title to match the modifier descriptors of the second paragraph.
