Pirates of Drinax: GM questions

[MasterGwydion]

Is it the case then that, unlike a typical A-starport system, Theev is actually a hidden settlement? That is, while it's known that there is a star system present in that hex and that there is a high-tech settlement with a starport somewhere in that system, where that settlement is is actually a closely guarded secret? Thus, one can jump into the system but then be searching round for days or weeks before you found the starport? While that might resolve all the above points, it doesn't seem plausible, as it would be quite hard to hide an A-class starport I would have thought.

What I've done for my campaign is made a distinction between Theev (the star system) and Blacksand City (the pirate haven). Everyone knows that there's a system named Theev in the Reach, it's right there on the map and everything, but there's very little to see there. Likewise, there are loads of stories about a famed pirate haven called Blacksand City, but no one knows where it is. The true secret is that Blacksand City is in the Theev system.

And yes, the Pirates of Drinax campaign is rife with misprints, editing errors, and "wait, how TF is THAT supposed to work?" moments. You're going to do a lot of work patching plot holes and hoping your players don't notice.

and having a bipolar, drunkard of a King doesn't help for continuity either...lol...

 

[Garran]

Next question: The Harrier has a hull equipped with Superior Stealth, meaning that most sensors checks to detect it are going to fail (I am not sure if a sensors check to detect a ship is routine or average, but either way the chance ranges from low to impossible).

Does that mean that the Harrier can effectively get to boarding distance of a ship and attach a breaching tube before it is detected?

What if the Harrier starts firing? Presumably sensors still won't be able to detect it. Or once you attack is the invisibility dispelled (so to speak)?

My understanding of it is that, while you'd know that something just fired on you (either because it hit you, or because the emanations from the beam/appearance of missiles is something of a giveaway), you wouldn't necessarily be able to pinpoint the source. Calculating the beam's path might tell you where the firing ship was when it shot at you, but unless it's sitting still (which is unlikely), that won't tell you where it is now, or ensure a sensor ping.

The combination of long-range weaponry and stealth is what makes the Harrier effective as a raider/skirmisher. It's not really designed to withstand a bunch of close-range slugging, but thanks to its ability to snipe targets down, it doesn't need to.

I wonder, in all the "Pirates of Drinax" campaigns that have been run, whether any of the player groups have gone full genocide on the Aslan with the treasure trove they uncovered. The topic of the burgeoning Ihatei threat came up in my campaign when the players met Kasiyl (I inserted him into our story as a precursor to the campaign). A hypothetical genocide was discussed and it was dismissed out of hand by the players. At least they have a modicum of morality, even if it's only in a RP setting.

The one I'm running, no. Keeping it as a last-ditch "You don't want to attack Drinax, because..." defense was considered acceptable, but both moral and political considerations put offensive use off the table.

The one I'm playing in hasn't got that far yet, but... I could see one of the characters being COMPLETELY into plague-bombing an Aslan world or two, due to their background, but I doubt that any of the others would actually let it happen.

 

[MasterGwydion]

What if the Harrier starts firing? Presumably sensors still won't be able to detect it. Or once you attack is the invisibility dispelled (so to speak)?

I'm not sure the rules have anything to say about that, but a particle weapon requires 60Mw, so presumably it has a signature and a pathway whose source could be followed in reverse. While it's less than the manoeuvre drive would be putting it out, you could argue that it creates a spike that might make the Harrier detectable at least for one round.

The treasure is an interesting exercise in morality for the players. Especially once they get hold of the Seldon Plan, I mean Jaskarl report. The bombs do offer a possibility of altering things in a big way, if they are willing to go down in history as crazed madmen.

I wonder, in all the "Pirates of Drinax" campaigns that have been run, whether any of the player groups have gone full genocide on the Aslan with the treasure trove they uncovered. The topic of the burgeoning Ihatei threat came up in my campaign when the players met Kasiyl (I inserted him into our story as a precursor to the campaign). A hypothetical genocide was discussed and it was dismissed out of hand by the players. At least they have a modicum of morality, even if it's only in a RP setting.

I have seen it discussed on the forums before that, it is not so much that you are "undetectable" as it is that you are that much harder to actually target. In Traveller stealth is not invisibility, it is merely the added difficulty in accurately targeting said ship. I house rule it as if you are using active sensors or active Stealth measures, such as Broadspectrum EW, you lose your Stealth DM to be spotted, but not targeted, same thing when you power up your offensive and defensive systems. If you are "running silent" I let them keep half of the Stealth DM for the purposes of spotting the ship and no DM to targeting, since that would require using "Active Countermeasures". I know this does not line up perfectly with established Canon nor "Real-world" Stealth, but it seemed to be a decent rule compromise.

 

[Garran]

What I've done for my campaign is made a distinction between Theev (the star system) and Blacksand City (the pirate haven). Everyone knows that there's a system named Theev in the Reach, it's right there on the map and everything, but there's very little to see there. Likewise, there are loads of stories about a famed pirate haven called Blacksand City, but no one knows where it is. The true secret is that Blacksand City is in the Theev system.

And yes, the Pirates of Drinax campaign is rife with misprints, editing errors, and "wait, how TF is THAT supposed to work?" moments. You're going to do a lot of work patching plot holes and hoping your players don't notice.

and having a bipolar, drunkard of a King doesn't help for continuity either...lol...

The 'official' explanation is probably some combination of handwave and mumbling about GeDeCo's influence. And maybe the Navy having a teensy bit of a willing blind eye for the sake of intel-gathering, since one of the Lords is actually working for them - they clearly know where it is! (Someone in the hierarchy might well decide that it's better to have a known 'pirate central' that can be monitored for anything really serious, and potentially used for Imperial purposes, rather than scattering it to the four corners of the Reach and being left blind. Or maybe Krond's theory about the deliberate protection racket is closer to the mark than anyone would like to admit...)