Scoundrel Piracy System... Help Please

[Mawdrigen]

Hello there!

I've finally started my Traveller campaign and my players have determined they want to be Privateers taking out enemy ships for their government. I've got them in simulators for the moment so they can practice without losing their (really very expensive) ship.

I saw scoundrel, read the piracy section and though "Awesome" just what I needed... except having tried to run it I am confused!

Working out the prey I am fine with, I intend to stat out what occurs for each value on the table admittedly.

Determining where the prey is however I'm less sure on. 3d6 * diameter and it's heading? So in theory everything will be within 3d6 of the planet heading either up or down, or if it is heading down do you put it 3d6 diameter IN from the 100 diameter limit?

The next question is when does the prey become aware of the pirate ship? The moment it's in range of the sensors, the moment they make a successful sensors check, when it opens fire/hails them? Having a Stealth hull doesn't seem to help here, although should keeping your power emissions (an engineering power) roll help? Can they be jammed if you have the relevant countermeasures suite?

The prey notices the enemy, and starts shrieking... again can the comms be jammed? That would imply no one comes to help, which makes life a bit too easy, or is it a case they hear the jamming and think "oh ho that is interesting" and dispatch someone to help anyhow but coming in with no information on the enemy?


Yep, I am totally new to traveller sorry about that but if anyone has an example of the piracy system you can earn yourself great Karma!

Thanks for your time.
Mawdrigen

 

[Mongoose Gar]

The 3d6 x Diameter is the initial range between the pirate vessel and the target, not the pirate vessel and the planet. The time to get to the jump limit or surface depends on the initial location of the pirate - basically, the rules assume that the pirate's lurking around in orbit, and then sights a potential target.

As for detecting the pirate - it's likely that he's automatically detected by any competent crew, who should be making Sensors checks every so often. Unless the pirate is obviously threatening though, most targets will assume the pirate's just another random ship and ignore him. The target will only react when the pirate obviously moves to intercept/opens fire/hails them, or if the target makes a really good Sensors roll and notices the pirate's weapons.

Jamming Comms is possible (see page 53 of the rulebook), but it's pretty hard and will be noticed by the authorities in any system with the technology and population to patrol space. The response of the authorities depends on the Law Level - the higher the law Level, the more likely they'll assume that any jamming is the result of illegal activity.

 

[Mawdrigen]

Thanks for that! This does make a whole lot more sense.

Admittedly my players are more likely to be lurking round the 100Diameters limit but that just means the response will be that much further away.

Another question:

The Response times table lists some responses in times, and some in locations. (i.e. response in X hours, or launches from planet to investigate) The response in hours ones are these absolute values so if I have a response of 2 hours the ship turns up in exactly 24 turns of space combat? This seems to make sense as then the ones launching from the planet would take a long time to get up to the Limit to investigate. That said, if it assumes that they are in orbit... the "better" (from the prey's view) rolls are the ones that launch from the planet or starport surely?

Thanks for the help so far!