Terminal Velocity in Traveller?

[AlphaWhelp]

R.A.W. Someone falling 200 meters on a Grav-1 world takes 100d6 damage, that is the same amount of damage as a nuclear bomb, and that is silly. I mean, sure, nobody is likely to survive a fall of 200 meters on a Grav-1 world, but would you really take the same amount of damage as if you were hit with a nuclear bomb?

What is a good cutoff for Terminal Velocity.

 

[rust]

I mean, sure, nobody is likely to survive a fall of 200 meters on a Grav-1 world, but would you really take the same amount of damage as if you were hit with a nuclear bomb?

Since a character cannot take more damage than the sum of his physical
stats, with a species maximum of 3 x 15 = 45 for a normal human, it does
not make much sense to calculate a higher damage - 45+ is certain death
anyway.

 

[AlphaWhelp]

So lets say a good cutoff is 20 dice for a 40m drop?

Sounds reasonable, I would likely spice it up with unwritten houserules about how armor protects you but also increases your terminal velocity.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

If you want to go into detail with things such as armour increasing terminal velocity, another thing to think about....

Beyond a certain point it could well be that armour (dependant on type) would likely make matters worse, as the impacting material "rebounds upwards" through the body, and the weight of the "top-side" armour crushes on downwards.

I'd just go with describing the sound of the impact.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Terminal Velocity is based on Air Density, not gravity. Gravity affects your acceleration, terminal velocity is your maximum speed.

In a Standard Atmosphere (1 Bar), the terminal velocity is about 55 m/s in the classic belly flat skydiver position. In a head first, max velocity dive, it is about 90 m/s. 90 m/s is about the same speed as a bullet.

In a 1G gravity and a Standard Atmosphere, a person will reach terminal velocity (belly flat) in about 15 seconds. The formula is complicated because your acceleration actually slows down as you approach terminal velocity due to buoyancy.

Basically a belly flop from above 100 m will cause you to reach terminal velocity before you hit the ground. A normal, uncontrolled fall is probably somewhere closer to 75 m/s, which takes about a 200 m fall.

Wikipedia has all the formulas if you really want to do the calculations.

BUT, back to the rules and your example. YES, falling 200 meters will be like a nuclear bomb for that person. They will be dead and flattened and pieces of them will be scattered around. Every bone will be broken and flesh will be imprinted into the ground. Sounds like a nuclear bomb to me.

 

[Vile]

I'd just go with describing the sound of the impact.

SPLAT

 

[Mithras]

I read somewhere that terminalvelocity is achieved at around 70m.

But most 'falling' damage is broken for any RPG system you care to mention ...

 

[Mithras]

BTW.

200m is a long, long way.