General Traveller Queries

[alexpainer]

Hi all

After playing and running my first game of traditional Traveller (as opposed to the various bizarro versions ive played previously at conventions) I had some questions...
Note: I only have the new edition pocket (LBB) rulebook - if these questions are pretty much all answered in the big one, let me know!!

1. Ship Mortgages - So, I worked out our 3 man parties ship mortgage to be a whopping 83k odd per month for a standard, second hand scout ship (with no weapons!! DOH). This of course works out at 27k odd each. Considering that our noble has 250k, our navy-rogue has 90k and our marine has 120k, i cant see this lasting too long? Of course this is offset by our 8-12k pensions but still...
I guess this boils down to - how much do you expect to EARN? how much are Credits in the Spinward Marches worth?!

2. When you get a 12 for event and get auto-promoted, do you get to roll again for advancement in the same term? (I read it as no)

3. Do and How-can characters develop after generation? (i believe that they dont really change after generation and like the idea that you rely on what you have learnt thus far)

4. Other than Signs and Portents - are there any other good fansites/publications i can take a look at?

5. Finally, is there somewhere to find more players? I am currently running Secrets of the Ancients (we have had one game) in Frome, Somerset, UK (40 min South of Bath). We run on usually 2 Sunday daytimes (12-5 or so) per month, real life permitting and up until now have played multiple systems (primarily 4e D&D and Dark Heresy) however we are likely to stick with Traveller for a while because we all seem to be enjoying it!! Ive seen Stainless about on this Forum and know he is relatively nearby...

Anyways, i apologize if there is a big FAQ somewhere that i should have looked at first and thankyou in advance to anyone kind enough to answer my questions.
Cheers
Alex

 

[rust]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

1. Ship Mortgages - So, I worked out our 3 man parties ship mortgage to be a whopping 83k odd per month for a standard, second hand scout ship ...

Frankly, there should not be a mortgage on a scout ship, a scout ship
should be a detached scout of the scout service's reserve fleet. It is al-
most impossible to pay the mortgage for a scout ship with the usual me-
thods, like speculative trading, because it simply does not have the ne-
cessary cargo space. Unless your player characters are extremely well
paid experts hired by the filthy rich, you should delete the mortgage and
use a detached duty scout.

2. When you get a 12 for event and get auto-promoted, do you get to roll again for advancement in the same term? (I read it as no)

I am not sure and do not have the book at hand, so I pass on this one.

3. Do and How-can characters develop after generation? (i believe that they dont really change after generation and like the idea that you rely on what you have learnt thus far)

There are rules for improving and learning skills, but otherwise no, the
characters do not develop after character generation.

4. Other than Signs and Portents - are there any other good fansites/publications i can take a look at?

Yes, indeed. One I would recommend is Freelance Traveller:
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/

5. Finally, is there somewhere to find more players?

This is another one I have to pass on, since you will hardly have much
use for players here in Germany.

If you have any more questions, please ask.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

For player advancement, if you are talking about "getting better", I'm not sure the original LBB's even had that. But it's easy enough to incorporate the new Mongoose Rule. You simply add up the number of skill ranks, then add the skill rank the player wants to move his skill to, and that's how many weeks of training it takes...

For instance, add up all the skill ranks, say 16 total skill ranks. If a player has Pilot (2) and wants to raise it to Pilot (3) then hu must study for 19 weeks in order to add the new rank level (16 existing +3 new rank level = 19 weeks) Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong!

Scout ships are 'ALMOST' free. Since they are on loan from the Scout service to retired scouts, they can be recalled at anytime if the scout service need the ship (and the ex scout).. It's up to you as a GM to determine when that happens. As a rule, I roll 2d6 at the beginning of each setting. If I roll a 12, then the scout service comes-a-calling. It can be anything minor like... "Our transmitter on XJ172 malfunctioned and our normal ship is in the doc for annual repairs. You get to take the technicians and their equipment out to fix it. It should only take a few days out of your time...." to something more dramatic... "Our scout base was over run by a bunch of crazed cyber-psionic-penguins and we need you to dispatch an important message to the sector commander before the crazed cyber-psionic-penguins break loose and take over the galaxy..."

Anyway, like I said, no need to pay for a scout ship, with money anyway...

 

[CosmicGamer]

1. Ship Mortgages - So, I worked out our 3 man parties ship mortgage to be a whopping 83k odd per month for a standard, second hand scout ship ...

Frankly, there should not be a mortgage on a scout ship

Agreed, the Scout Ship benefit is described on page 35 of the CRb. If the group decided to somehow purchase a scout ship, they should have looked at the financial issues because it was not designed as a merchant ship. As rust says:

It is almost impossible to pay the mortgage for a scout ship with the usual methods, like speculative trading, because it simply does not have the necessary cargo space. Unless your player characters are extremely well paid experts hired by the filthy rich, you should delete the mortgage and
use a detached duty scout.

2. When you get a 12 for event and get auto-promoted, do you get to roll again for advancement in the same term? (I read it as no)

I don't know about every event, but when it states "You are automatically promoted" to me, this indicates that it isn't an extra promotion but that the roll for advancement automatically succeeds - even on snake eyes.

5. Finally, is there somewhere to find more players?

Players in your area or on line?

 

[Liam Devlin]

Greetings Alex! Welcome aboard!

The other posters here have addressed your game questions already, so I shall refrain from those. I am presuming from your statements you have a small group of 2-3 players, and they are operating a classic S-class Scout ship.

Besides the link Herr Rust has provided (and I concur--its a goldmine for the GM & player alike), might I add a few to your list?


http://www.utzig.com/traveller/iai.shtml

An excellent rsource, and user friendly! Although set up for GURPS-Traveller, the regions of the Spinward Marches are accurately portrayed with no problems. Handy to note in here are their sector, and subsector sized graphics; in adition on each planetary entry there is a link to "System detail" for each.

Plug in your game date and voila' your players will see where the gas giants and belts and main world are on the day of their entry into system (if you allow laptops for the astrogator-player in your FTF play).

For regions outside the SM, I recommend this link:
http://www.dedzone.net/traveller/

with the sublink to CT era stars here under "Sector Info":
http://zho.berka.com/data/CLASSIC/

Traveller be safe & go armed,

Liam Devlin

 

[BP]

Hi all

After playing and running my first game of traditional Traveller (as opposed to the various bizarro versions ive played previously at conventions) I had some questions...
Note: I only have the new edition pocket (LBB) rulebook - if these questions are pretty much all answered in the big one, let me know!!

Welcome aboard!

The pocket edition (I assume you mean the Mongoose version - not the original Classic Traveller LBB) is virtually identical to the larger versions, except some font conversion issues (missing multiplication signs) and missing footnotes (all are available on the Mongoose Traveller page along with other errata - note: not called errata ).

1. Ship Mortgages - So, I worked out our 3 man parties ship mortgage to be a whopping 83k odd per month for a standard, second hand scout ship (with no weapons!! DOH). This of course works out at 27k odd each. Considering that our noble has 250k, our navy-rogue has 90k and our marine has 120k, i cant see this lasting too long? Of course this is offset by our 8-12k pensions but still...
I guess this boils down to - how much do you expect to EARN? how much are Credits in the Spinward Marches worth?!

Credits, doubloons, c-notes - whatever - money isn't part of reality - its always a fiction

So its worth whatever the Ref says it is! [Conclusion: book prices are just like list prices for goods - just cause its written doesn't make it so...]

If your adventurers require 'motivation' in terms of fantasy coin - work it. If they don't give a hill of beans for counting such - i.e. not interested in Accountants in Space - you can make that happen (its easier on you anyway). Just arrange for them to get a ship free and clear or with non-monetary strings attached...

2. When you get a 12 for event and get auto-promoted, do you get to roll again for advancement in the same term? (I read it as no)

In Core (the main book you have) - yes actually!

Though it doesn't sound like it in the events table - such is explicitly spelled out at the top of page 9:

'... If an Event has already automatically promoted the character this term this is in addition to the advancement roll (so it is possible character may be promoted twice in a single term).'

3. Do and How-can characters develop after generation? (i believe that they dont really change after generation and like the idea that you rely on what you have learnt thus far)

See 'Learning New Skills' on pg 59.

4. Other than Signs and Portents - are there any other good fansites/publications i can take a look at?

Lots! Speaking of 'looking', definitely surf on over to www.travellermap.com for starters!

5. Finally, is there somewhere to find more players? I am currently running Secrets of the Ancients (we have had one game) in Frome, Somerset, UK (40 min South of Bath). We run on usually 2 Sunday daytimes (12-5 or so) per month, real life permitting and up until now have played multiple systems (primarily 4e D&D and Dark Heresy) however we are likely to stick with Traveller for a while because we all seem to be enjoying it!! Ive seen Stainless about on this Forum and know he is relatively nearby...

Got me...

Local pub?

(Actually - posting on a local College 'bulletin board' might net you some players...)

 

[Stainless]

Hey it's a fellow Fromey on the boards! Welcome Alex. PM sent.

 

[zero]

For the auto-promotion - I also allow the roll for promotion/commission as a second promotion in the term. It is possible to be promoted twice in 4 years with certain occupations after all.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Though it doesn't sound like it in the events table - such is explicitly spelled out at the top of page 9:

'... If an Event has already automatically promoted the character this term this is in addition to the advancement roll (so it is possible character may be promoted twice in a single term).'

Don't see this in my book. Is this a revision?

 

[BP]

Though it doesn't sound like it in the events table - such is explicitly spelled out at the top of page 9:

'... If an Event has already automatically promoted the character this term this is in addition to the advancement roll (so it is possible character may be promoted twice in a single term).'

Don't see this in my book. Is this a revision?

Not to my knowledge... the 3rd sentence in the very first paragraph on page 9 titled 'Advancement:'.

I have the pocket version - IIRC, there was an earlier version of CORE with different illo's, but no mention of errata changes of this nature... and a later printing than mine.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Though it doesn't sound like it in the events table - such is explicitly spelled out at the top of page 9:

Don't see this in my book. Is this a revision?

Not to my knowledge... the 3rd sentence in the very first paragraph on page 9 titled 'Advancement:'.

I have the pocket version - IIRC, there was an earlier version of CORE with different illo's, but no mention of errata changes of this nature... and a later printing than mine.

I believe mine is the original version. Page 9 first paragraph

Advancement: Each career has an advancement roll. The advancement is mandatory.

That's it. No third sentence.

It's nice that they clarified it but I'm wondering, did they change the event to say "You are promoted." instead of "You are automatically promoted".

Does the writeup under Advancement indicate if a skill should be gained with advancement from an event?

 

[BP]

I believe mine is the original version. Page 9 first paragraph

Advancement: Each career has an advancement roll. The advancement is mandatory.

That's it. No third sentence.

There you go - must have been added then. (It might be in the errata...)

It's nice that they clarified it but I'm wondering, did they change the event to say "You are promoted." instead of "You are automatically promoted".

Nope.

Thus, after reading the OP I had to go hunt down the page reference and verify that this was the only case that could apply (didn't see any other cases - only a roll of 12 on the event tables...). :roll:

Does the writeup under Advancement indicate if a skill should be gained with advancement from an event?

Yep - the quote I gave is exactly as printed - explicitly stating the possibility of double advancement due to event automatically promoting... read it again!

This makes sense considering the odds of rolling a 12 and the fact that extra promotions are possible in the other books. If you look at the event tables, you'll see that most +DMs for advancement also include another benefit or at least a skill.

IIRC, the tables are fairly balanced (odds of an event requiring a success/failure roll are the same, with 7 being a Life Event roll).

 

[Reynard]

Hi all
1. Ship Mortgages - So, I worked out our 3 man parties ship mortgage to be a whopping 83k odd per month for a standard, second hand scout ship (with no weapons!! DOH). This of course works out at 27k odd each. Considering that our noble has 250k, our navy-rogue has 90k and our marine has 120k, i cant see this lasting too long? Of course this is offset by our 8-12k pensions but still...
I guess this boils down to - how much do you expect to EARN? how much are Credits in the Spinward Marches worth?!
Alex

Remember your player's characters are out of the ordinary. Most people in the universe have regular 'day jobs'. Even other people you can generate represent contented merchants running well traveled runs all their lives and military personel fighting or patroling or garrisoning until they retire to a nice home or apartment while nobles attend parties and sit behind a desk delegating authority. Comfortable and safe incomes.

Players wander looking for more including wealth. They track rumors for some galactic El Dorado or take on those jobs that pay very well for exciting and often dangerous situations.

Having a ship is a rare gift not to be wasted! Not everyone can go wherever thay want making their own oppurtunities. You need to pay for it and maintain it so go find jobs or find that pot of gold to make it worth it and all the other items your group must have.

Do NOT accept day work!! Get in to the 'small package' trade. High Law Levels are a boon not a curse. Salvage, salvage, salvage!!

 

[alexpainer]

Firstly, Thanks for the massive amount of help with the rules etc.

After reading your comments I think spending some more time on back stories and "Reason you are all on the same ship earning money" could be important, for example we have a high ranking marine who ended up at social 14 and being ejected from the corps who has strong connections with the starbuck esque navy flyboy who is uber skilled and they both have loose connections to the third character - a lower ranking lawyer (administrator) who is all talk and no action.

My first instinct is to make the Marine and Navy guys (who did a few terms together on the same capital ships) firm friends and the administrator an old acquaintance who hired them both to help with Secrets of the Ancients adventure chain

Im also thinking that a slightly beefier ship is in order ?

 

[BP]

...
Im also thinking that a slightly beefier ship is in order ?

You're the cook!

Make it so!

 

[rust]

...
Im also thinking that a slightly beefier ship is in order ?

In Traveller a scout ship is almost the equivalent of a family car, nice as
a general means of transport from A to B through space, but not that
much use for anything else. If your player characters have to earn some
money through freight and passenger transport and speculative trade to
pay their bills, the equivalent of a pickup or truck would be a better idea
- a free trader or far trader. And if you use the rules for "experienced"
(well, old) ships from the end of the standard spaceship chapter of the
core rules, you can even keep the mortgage low and add a few ship's
quirks to make life more interesting for the characters.

 

[markrusell]

It can be any thing secondary like... "Our transmitter on XJ172 failed and our usual boat is in the doc for yearly repairs. You get to take the technicians and their gear out to rectify it. It should only take a couple of days out of your time

 

[Reynard]

Firstly, Thanks for the massive amount of help with the rules etc.

My first instinct is to make the Marine and Navy guys (who did a few terms together on the same capital ships) firm friends and the administrator an old acquaintance who hired them both to help with Secrets of the Ancients adventure chain

Im also thinking that a slightly beefier ship is in order ?

I see many careers give the option of ship shares so the group can opt to what type of ship they prefer for adventures. As you can imagine, 'beefier' ships are more expensive ships. Your group may actually find use for a mercenary cruiser but if you're keeping the campaign simple a scout type is the best (free) or any homebrew 100 tonner can work just as well. For fun I just built a very stripped down microtramp frieghter on 100 tons. Gets you places and has room to customize. Your ship at low, low financing.

The Enterprise is the powerhouse star of Star Trek yet ever notice the Millenium Falcon is equally famous and doesn't do much more than convey the cast from one plot point to the next. Until Jabba 'accidentally' died Han had large ship debts. If you really are concerned about the financial obigations of ship ownership keep it small. No matter what, your ship as like a car or a house. It's part of your life and you will be paying for it. Either take mundane jobs to make minimal payments for thirty years or go for the big payoffs that show you're an adventurer.

One last option I've GMed, the players are still in service. The mustering out is just marking their present situation. First you, the GM, have control of the adventures in the form of official missions. Ships of any type can be available. Normally the players will be in the same sevice but there can be some reasonable crossover.