Egil Skallagrimsson
Mongoose
Yes, I know that the Traveller Clean up has started, and I have already submitted all this to Don, but I expect it will be a while before the official erratta come out, and I am interested in other peoples views on the following....
Ranges
On a general point there is a need to add an intermediate range for some slug throwers, i.e. submachine guns and some TL5+ carbines, between pistols and assault weapons. I get around this by increasing the penalty to hit for a “one handed” pistol at long range to -8 (practically impossible), but allow a “two handed” SMG to use the pistol table as CRB. Energy pistols fire as use the current ranges without amendment.
Specific issues;
Page Item(s) and "Issue"
37 Bayonet
Why does a fixed bayonet do 3d6 dam when spears (p34) do 2d6? Suggest 3d6 for both.
45 Bows
Ranges for many are quite excessive, e.g. the long bow (TL2 bent stick) uses the same ranges as a rifle, making it fairly accurate to 500m, and usable beyond.
52, 53 Sighting aids
Prices and weights all over the place, e.g electronic sights 2000cr, x-ray sight 300cr, bio mass sights 750cr. Nor do the prices make any sense compared to the sensor prices in the CRB. I suggest telescopic sights (TL4) 250Cr, electronic sights (TL6) 500Cr, electronic telescopic sights (TL7) 1500Cr, and the rest adjusted in proportion with more capable sights costing more
HUD
The +2 to hit is excessive. Personally, I am not convinced that a HuD helps you shoot any better, what it does do is help you shoot quicker, +1 or +2 initiative instead?
59 Cap and ball revolvers
Do these really have the range of a shotgun?
70 SMGs
Some SMGs have the range of assault rifles, which is excessive for a low velocity pistol round.
Assault Grenade Launcher
Hardly a submachine gun, in fact there was a whole thread in the Mongoose forums trying to work out what this is, or is supposed to be.
76, 77 Rifles
A lot of problems here. First, some weapons, unaccountably, have extra damage, e.g. the auto rifle (needs removing). 2nd, “assault rifle” have the same range as rifle (needs replacing with assault weapon ranges), rather than assault weapons.3rd, the ACRs have much more ammunition capacity than in the CRB, suggest that it goes back to 40 rounds for “light” ACR, and perhaps 20 for “heavy” ACR, the round might be electro-thermal, but they are not gauss needle thin.
80 Zero-G weapons
This is a mess, e.g. snub revolvers having the same range as shotguns and some pretty eccentric damage figures through. Suggest that the snub pistol and accelerator rifle stats from CRB are used, and other variants built around that.
82 Gauss pistols
A query, really, why would gauss pistol, with a shorter barrel so less opportunity to accelerate the needle, so that the slug will leave at a lower velocity (and is probably smaller than that from a gauss rifle), have the AP penetration rating? Surely should be none or SAP at most.
Gauss Rifles
CSC increases magazine capacity to 100 needles, in CRB it is 80. Again, CRB makes more sense (the increase was probably a way of keeping the G’ Rifle’s superiority over the ACR when CSC increased their magazine capacity, or perhaps a simple mistake?)
84 Laser weapons
Why does the power pack for a TL9 pistol costs 750CR, that for the more capable TL11 pistol costs 350CR? More generally, how about a bit of logical progression here, e.g. power packs cost, e.g., half the cost of the laser weapon, and why should the carbine be limited to 50 shots per power pack, while the pistol and the rifle have 100?
89 Laser weapons
Ok, not really errata, I am just not a fan of the multiplicity of funny designs, and don’t understand why a “cartridge” laser weapon can fire auto, while a power pack one cannot.
95 High energy weapons
CRB states quite clearly that these weapons use built-in micro fusion generators, in CSC they have, quite limited, magazines (however, the idea of limiting the number of times lower tech PGMPs and FGMPs can fire makes sense).Also, the PGMP-15 and -16 are clearly supposed to be FGMPs
105 LMG
Reload rules for a belt, 18 seconds, is ridiculous, suggest 1 or 2 minor actions.
LMG RF No idea what weapon this is supposed to copy, the rule and stats seems to be nonsense.
107 Advanced Light Autocannon
This weapon seems unaccountably cheap!
114 Grenades
Seem very expensive here, and in CRB. Suggest 30Cr for a standard frag grenade, and adjust the rest accordingly.
119 Launchers
Launched missiles (i.e rpgs and their variants) are almost the only place where I think CSC has understood weapons better than the CRB. Even so, medium reusable and improved heavy reusable launcher have picked up extra +4 or +5 damage for no apparent reason. Don't see why any of the rocket launchers, as opposed to the grenade launchers, should have a “magazine”,I assume another misprint. The damage for the Wrist mounted warhead launcher, and the range, seems far too great for what the description makes clear must be a micro weapon.
121-123 Direct fire artillery weapons
There is no recognition that AP effects reduce with distance for weapons that rely on kinetic force to achieve penetration and damage.
132 Encumbrance and Armour
The rules here suggest that amour magically becomes weightless when worn, which is, of course, non-sense. There is a problem with some types of armour being unnecessarily heavy, e.g. TL11 combat armour, at 18kg, is too heavy to be useful to anyone with a STR + END of less than 20 (you still need some spare for weapons ...). In MTU got around this by simply reducing the weight of some armours, e.g. TL11 combat armour reduced to 10kg. Also allow cheaper and lighter versions that cannot operate as a vacc suit, but will provide NBC protection and a respirator/filter mask, for use on planets with an earth or near earth atmosphere.
134 Personal protection
Very different prices for the carapace when compared to Mercenary.
142 Boarding vacc suits
Prices Very different stats from Mercenary
Combat Armour
CRB errata required a vacc suit skill to use combat armour. This should be added to CSC.
143-145 Assault battledress
Some description given of this, but no stats. Prices are probably following Traveller canon, but the expense of some forms of protection, especially combat armour and battledress seem far too high in relation to other products. In MTU reduced these by a factor of 10, to no ill effect as access to armour is still controlled by the need to the appropriate permits.
182 Subsistence and living expenses table
Very different from that in the CRB
To be honest I don’t like the some of the “Star wars” type weapons, e.g. “grav maces” or the “War Hammer 40K” type, e.g. chain swords, but that is my problem (these weapons don't tend to feature in MTU) and will undoubtedly suit some campaigns.
And that it.
Egil
Edited once for grammar.
Ranges
On a general point there is a need to add an intermediate range for some slug throwers, i.e. submachine guns and some TL5+ carbines, between pistols and assault weapons. I get around this by increasing the penalty to hit for a “one handed” pistol at long range to -8 (practically impossible), but allow a “two handed” SMG to use the pistol table as CRB. Energy pistols fire as use the current ranges without amendment.
Specific issues;
Page Item(s) and "Issue"
37 Bayonet
Why does a fixed bayonet do 3d6 dam when spears (p34) do 2d6? Suggest 3d6 for both.
45 Bows
Ranges for many are quite excessive, e.g. the long bow (TL2 bent stick) uses the same ranges as a rifle, making it fairly accurate to 500m, and usable beyond.
52, 53 Sighting aids
Prices and weights all over the place, e.g electronic sights 2000cr, x-ray sight 300cr, bio mass sights 750cr. Nor do the prices make any sense compared to the sensor prices in the CRB. I suggest telescopic sights (TL4) 250Cr, electronic sights (TL6) 500Cr, electronic telescopic sights (TL7) 1500Cr, and the rest adjusted in proportion with more capable sights costing more
HUD
The +2 to hit is excessive. Personally, I am not convinced that a HuD helps you shoot any better, what it does do is help you shoot quicker, +1 or +2 initiative instead?
59 Cap and ball revolvers
Do these really have the range of a shotgun?
70 SMGs
Some SMGs have the range of assault rifles, which is excessive for a low velocity pistol round.
Assault Grenade Launcher
Hardly a submachine gun, in fact there was a whole thread in the Mongoose forums trying to work out what this is, or is supposed to be.
76, 77 Rifles
A lot of problems here. First, some weapons, unaccountably, have extra damage, e.g. the auto rifle (needs removing). 2nd, “assault rifle” have the same range as rifle (needs replacing with assault weapon ranges), rather than assault weapons.3rd, the ACRs have much more ammunition capacity than in the CRB, suggest that it goes back to 40 rounds for “light” ACR, and perhaps 20 for “heavy” ACR, the round might be electro-thermal, but they are not gauss needle thin.
80 Zero-G weapons
This is a mess, e.g. snub revolvers having the same range as shotguns and some pretty eccentric damage figures through. Suggest that the snub pistol and accelerator rifle stats from CRB are used, and other variants built around that.
82 Gauss pistols
A query, really, why would gauss pistol, with a shorter barrel so less opportunity to accelerate the needle, so that the slug will leave at a lower velocity (and is probably smaller than that from a gauss rifle), have the AP penetration rating? Surely should be none or SAP at most.
Gauss Rifles
CSC increases magazine capacity to 100 needles, in CRB it is 80. Again, CRB makes more sense (the increase was probably a way of keeping the G’ Rifle’s superiority over the ACR when CSC increased their magazine capacity, or perhaps a simple mistake?)
84 Laser weapons
Why does the power pack for a TL9 pistol costs 750CR, that for the more capable TL11 pistol costs 350CR? More generally, how about a bit of logical progression here, e.g. power packs cost, e.g., half the cost of the laser weapon, and why should the carbine be limited to 50 shots per power pack, while the pistol and the rifle have 100?
89 Laser weapons
Ok, not really errata, I am just not a fan of the multiplicity of funny designs, and don’t understand why a “cartridge” laser weapon can fire auto, while a power pack one cannot.
95 High energy weapons
CRB states quite clearly that these weapons use built-in micro fusion generators, in CSC they have, quite limited, magazines (however, the idea of limiting the number of times lower tech PGMPs and FGMPs can fire makes sense).Also, the PGMP-15 and -16 are clearly supposed to be FGMPs
105 LMG
Reload rules for a belt, 18 seconds, is ridiculous, suggest 1 or 2 minor actions.
LMG RF No idea what weapon this is supposed to copy, the rule and stats seems to be nonsense.
107 Advanced Light Autocannon
This weapon seems unaccountably cheap!
114 Grenades
Seem very expensive here, and in CRB. Suggest 30Cr for a standard frag grenade, and adjust the rest accordingly.
119 Launchers
Launched missiles (i.e rpgs and their variants) are almost the only place where I think CSC has understood weapons better than the CRB. Even so, medium reusable and improved heavy reusable launcher have picked up extra +4 or +5 damage for no apparent reason. Don't see why any of the rocket launchers, as opposed to the grenade launchers, should have a “magazine”,I assume another misprint. The damage for the Wrist mounted warhead launcher, and the range, seems far too great for what the description makes clear must be a micro weapon.
121-123 Direct fire artillery weapons
There is no recognition that AP effects reduce with distance for weapons that rely on kinetic force to achieve penetration and damage.
132 Encumbrance and Armour
The rules here suggest that amour magically becomes weightless when worn, which is, of course, non-sense. There is a problem with some types of armour being unnecessarily heavy, e.g. TL11 combat armour, at 18kg, is too heavy to be useful to anyone with a STR + END of less than 20 (you still need some spare for weapons ...). In MTU got around this by simply reducing the weight of some armours, e.g. TL11 combat armour reduced to 10kg. Also allow cheaper and lighter versions that cannot operate as a vacc suit, but will provide NBC protection and a respirator/filter mask, for use on planets with an earth or near earth atmosphere.
134 Personal protection
Very different prices for the carapace when compared to Mercenary.
142 Boarding vacc suits
Prices Very different stats from Mercenary
Combat Armour
CRB errata required a vacc suit skill to use combat armour. This should be added to CSC.
143-145 Assault battledress
Some description given of this, but no stats. Prices are probably following Traveller canon, but the expense of some forms of protection, especially combat armour and battledress seem far too high in relation to other products. In MTU reduced these by a factor of 10, to no ill effect as access to armour is still controlled by the need to the appropriate permits.
182 Subsistence and living expenses table
Very different from that in the CRB
To be honest I don’t like the some of the “Star wars” type weapons, e.g. “grav maces” or the “War Hammer 40K” type, e.g. chain swords, but that is my problem (these weapons don't tend to feature in MTU) and will undoubtedly suit some campaigns.
And that it.
Egil
Edited once for grammar.
