New Sector idea.

[Boneguard]

I had this idea for a new sector, which could be and interesting addition to the Travellers universe. It is located to the NNE of the Known universe and was colonised by a Generation ship that had misjumps agest ago taking it beyond knows space. The Sector spreads over 6 subsector like so.

#### ---
####| A |
## -------
##| B| C |
----------
| D| E|
-------
| F|
----

The humans are colonised first the subsector F spread over all 6 of them. An agressive and hostile Insectoid (ant-like) alien controls part of Sub-sector A and C and a pre-jump Saurian race lives in subsector E.

Technology-wise they are in similar level as the current known sector with 1 main difference: Jump technology. As stated the first colony was in the (upper-right) corner of F and in order to reconnect to the rest of the known Universe they had to find a way to cross 'The Chasm' a 10 parsec gap between the closest system in order to return. They now commonly use up to J8. a J10 Ferry cross The Chasm and is otherwise used by the military.

The 2 main plot I see here are:
1: Fight the insect or find a diplomatic way to solve this conflict and
2: Reestablish contact with the Known Worlds.

What do you think?

 

[zero]

Anything happening in sections B and D? Also are the Saurians a particularly sentient race and how are relations between them, the humans and the Evil Insectoid Aliens??

 

[Boneguard]

Anything happening in sections B and D?

Subsector B-D (as well as most of E and part of A-C) are Human colonies/planet. The Sectors Capital His located in Subsector D...as well as the Sectors learning Centers. Subsector B has a lot of mining going on and now also several Military restricted world and ship/weapon manifactorer to take feed more quickly the War Front.

Also are the Saurians a particularly sentient race and how are relations between them, the humans and the Evil Insectoid Aliens??

Well the Insectoid are not Evil per say. Think of them like Ants colony that spread and create new colonies when too big. And this is how it works. Each planet-colony has a queen with telepathic/pheromone control over the rest of the hive (giving them a hive mind) and the workers and warriors travels far and wide for new colony, ressource and food. They are intelligence and semi-autonomous and have a tech-level maybe a level or two below the current tech level of the humans. But do to the different mindset communication (even less dialogue) has not yet been achieve.

The Saurian are kind of a Bipedal crocodilian race, They had reached late 20th - early 21th Century earth technology by themselves. Good relationship was finally established after initial conflict -due mostly to misunderstanding and extremist. Some of them hold position in the Human army fighting against the Insects and other have business and or Esteemed position in the Universities and in the Sector government. They are physically more imposing then human and in average not as smart, but are doing well.

 

[zero]

Hm, Insects that spread out with a TL 6 society (so they have prototype Reaction Drive rockets). Ok, so not evil but a very easy thing to place as an antagonist especially if played like Starship Trooper Bugs or 40K Tyranids.

 

[Boneguard]

That's the general idea...maybe some TL7 or TL8 element but overall a mass of ants moving forward that indeed could have a fee of the ST arachnid (especially the book one not the film) or the a bit like the 'Nids but smarter and a bit more technology...although I love the image of the Genestealer cults I got.

So it prevents the expension of the sector due to the sheet mass of 'enemy' and some Natural Stellar occurences. That's why I think a 'recontact' campaign could be interesting they would have to go through K'kree and vargr space (IIRC) which could be interesting, especially since the Generation ship would have left before contact with any of the Alien race.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Technology-wise they are in similar level as the current known sector with 1 main difference: Jump technology. As stated the first colony was in the (upper-right) corner of F and in order to reconnect to the rest of the known Universe they had to find a way to cross 'The Chasm' a 10 parsec gap between the closest system in order to return. They now commonly use up to J8. a J10 Ferry cross The Chasm and is otherwise used by the military.

Have look at the alternative drives in the core rule book, even leaving aside the best, TL 15, jump drive being J6, because of fuel constraints J8 will be almost useless, and J10 completely so.

Egil

 

[Boneguard]

It is true that the alternate drive do represent a way to circumvent the whole full thing...and I might use it instead of the J10 drive.

However looking at them you also have the possibility of nuclear fission which is more full economic (since we talk you year not weeks) but it's not the same output.

Another way around I was considering was to give them a TL of 16-18 for jump technology/power plant so they would be a more efficient Fusion powerplant which doubles the output, allowing them for higher Level of jump. This would have been brought on forward so that they may rejoin the Core worlds.

The rest of their technology would be equivalent to the Core Worlds or maybe a bit lower (say TL 11-12 to indicate lesser advancement in those field since they were focusing a lot more on the Jump tech.

That would be a descent balance I think.

 

[zero]

Whatever you want to do really, however the feel I get from the campaign is one of Raection Drives and possibly prototype J1 Drives from the TLs you mention. I would look at alternate Drives for going FTL if thats what you want.

Having a campaign where your whole PCs journey (age 30 - 72) takes them 84 AU (about 11.6 light hours) is probably the extreme you can do with hard scifi TLs in this kind of thing. Therefore you'll need some form of experimental FTL with such a large area of space :wink:

 

[Boneguard]

Interesting.

It is true that the 2 race met are Pre-jump tech (with early jump-tech element for the Insectoid). And the generation ship would have had only J1 or J2 tech, so alternate Drive seems to be a better option.

Of them I'm leaning towards hyperspace more then warp...but that could be the B5 fan in me. Unless I devise a system that either use wormhole or Quasar (IIRC) like in Wing Commander.

Here is ultimately the Whole of the Sector (with all 16 subsectors)
------------
|1 |2 |A |4 |
------------
|5 |B |C |8 |
------------
|D |E |11|12|
------------
|F |14|15|16|
------------

Subsector 1-2, 5 are mostly empty, but have a few rich system for mining.
Subsector 4, 8 and part of 12 are Antoid controled system.
Subsector 11- part of 12 are fairly rich system and there,s a natural barrier that prevent the Antoid expension (I'm guessing blackholes or a Nebula).
Subsector 14 is mostly empty also.
Subsector 15-16 will be really fairly dense and rich, another early jump culture will be there (Methane breathing amphibian race) starting their space empension.

 

[Boneguard]

I've started to work on my system but before I go too far (even though it is my personal Traveller universe in my own sector) I was woundering if anyone could see any glaring or potentail problem (CC is always welcome) that would be good for me to know.

Roughly the Antoid would all be NPCs
Their strength would be 3d6, social standing is effectively 0, education and intelligence is 1d6, they would have exosqueleton and the warrior cast would have natural weapon(mandibule), Young queen and male are also flyer

The Crocodilian would be:
Strength and endurance 2d6+2, dexterity and intelligence 2d6-2, natural armour (hide) natural weapon (bite and tail)

The Amphibious race would look a lot like Dagoth in Conan the destroyer:
They are large 3d6 to STR and End, 1d6+2 Dex (in water), athmospheric requirement (methane), aquatic(amphibious), natural weapon (claw, tail and horn), low temperature requirement.