Psion Ships?

[alex_greene]

Is it just me, or would anyone have liked to have seen a few Psion - centred ships listed with Book 4?

I mean, all that kit and equipment listed is pretty spiffing, but a retooled Free Trader built with Psions in mind, or a Psion-built 400 tonner that can take on a 1000 ton mundane destroyer or something, would have been just gravy.

And while I love that Judge Q's floating chair made it into the thing, I imagine a Psionic Interface-equipped grav belt whose performance and endurance could be boosted by Psi probably would have been better yet.

Ah, well, I guess this means I'm going to have to write up the extra equipment lists and stuff for myself.

What does everyone else think of Psion so far?

 

[alex_greene]

Quite clearly, then, it is just me who would have loved to have seen a few Psion ships, integral vessels and time/ dimension displacement craft.

H'mm.

 

[AndrewW]

Quite clearly, then, it is just me who would have loved to have seen a few Psion ships, integral vessels and time/ dimension displacement craft.

H'mm.

Nope, actually was something I suggested during the playtest...

 

[alex_greene]

Interesting.

Perhaps I can come up with a couple of designs and, I dunno, make them available somewhere? I'd have to get deckplans from someone because, man, I can't draw deckplans for toffee.

 

[Loz]

S&P is the best place. So, I'll try to get a couple of designs together for the next issue (I owe it a Traveller article anyway). But this in no way prevents you from adding a couple of your own designs, Alex.

 

[IanBruntlett]

Quite clearly, then, it is just me who would have loved to have seen a few Psion ships, integral vessels and time/ dimension displacement craft.

H'mm.

I like the idea of Psion ships and equipment (see the Shadows ships from B5), I'm not too keen on using time travel - if that is what your comment about time / displacement craft is.

 

[Loz]

Psion does have rules for time and dimension ships.

But its what fits your campaign. If I was running a 'Planetary'-style game, or even one based on M John Harrison's 'Light', then dimension-displacing ships would be a big part of it.

 

[alex_greene]

That just conjured up an image of a ship floating in deep space, its engine room dominated by the light from an active Snowflake ...

 

[IanBruntlett]

Psion does have rules for time and dimension ships.

But its what fits your campaign. If I was running a 'Planetary'-style game, or even one based on M John Harrison's 'Light', then dimension-displacing ships would be a big part of it.

OK... make my bank account scream What is a "Planetary" style game? What is John Harrison's Light? Name the books I need to read

 

[alex_greene]

Psion does have rules for time and dimension ships.

But its what fits your campaign. If I was running a 'Planetary'-style game, or even one based on M John Harrison's 'Light', then dimension-displacing ships would be a big part of it.

OK... make my bank account scream What is a "Planetary" style game? What is John Harrison's Light? Name the books I need to read

M John Harrison's Light

 

[Loz]

And 'Planetary'...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_(comics)

Yep - big, sentient, Bleed-riding dimension ships powered by psion navigators...

Y'know, I ran a Planetary scenario at a con a year or so back with BRP rules. I really ought to try one with Traveller and Psion...

 

[BP]

So does a psion ship always know where its going? Should make jump astrogation really quick!

That's assuming it doesn't just teleport...

 

[alex_greene]

So does a psion ship always know where its going? Should make jump astrogation really quick!

That's assuming it doesn't just teleport...

Psion ships would seem to have performance capabilities far beyond those of normal, mundane ships of the equivalent tonnage. There is, however, a severe cost they must pay for such performance.

Myself, I would love to see some of the equipment ideas developed for Psion ships scaled down to vehicles, as well.

 

[Zowy]

Droyne should have a good range of Psion items, includeing some ships.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

My to-do list includes making a Droyne ship that uses Psionics and an experimental Zhodani ship that has a Psion Teleport Drive...

I also think at least ONE ship design would have been cool.

 

[lastbesthope]

I also think at least ONE ship design would have been cool.

As in all good textbooks it was no doubt left as "an exercise for the reaser"

How many times did I hate seeing that when I was at university?

:lol:

LBH

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I was reading through the old Classic Traveller Zhodani Alien Race book and there is a nice section in there about how most Zho ships have Telepathically activated switches for Iris Valves, Air Locks etc. That way the Intendents and Nobles don't have to actually TOUCH a door to get it to open. Proles of course have to use the manual lock, OR, they can't get into that area. It provides a bit of security. Not that it is needed in the benificent and enlightened Zhodani Consulate.

That is something that hopefully will be in the Central Supply Catalog. It could be an option that you add to an existing piece of equipment, like telescopic sights.

 

[alex_greene]

I was reading through the old Classic Traveller Zhodani Alien Race book and there is a nice section in there about how most Zho ships have Telepathically activated switches for Iris Valves, Air Locks etc. That way the Intendents and Nobles don't have to actually TOUCH a door to get it to open. Proles of course have to use the manual lock, OR, they can't get into that area. It provides a bit of security. Not that it is needed in the benificent and enlightened Zhodani Consulate.

That is something that hopefully will be in the Central Supply Catalog. It could be an option that you add to an existing piece of equipment, like telescopic sights.

That would be the Psionic Interface option. Perhaps it comes in at a lower TL for the Zhodani than the TL 14 that is standard elsewhere.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I think there are several options related to the "standard TL Chart" that I would advance for the Zhodani.

Zhodani do not have the standard attitude about Psionics, they embrace it as no other society does (at least in the OTU). I would give them Psionic Interfaces at maybe TL 12 or so.

I figure if it is on the TL chart in Psion, then the Zhos either have it or are experimenting with it. It is what balances things out in their fights with the Imperials. The 3I has the TL advantage, the Zhos have the Psi-Tech advantage.

 

[alex_greene]

If their ships can do the things described in Psion, that would make them very, very scary foes, even before they deploy the teleporting Marine boarding troops.