Traveller: Trade Routes

[TempestBlade]

Hey mongoose community

I recently picked up Traveller from my local game store. My group and I are completely crazy for it at the moment and are in the process of rolling up endless characters and detailing our first sub-sector.

I've come to look at the trade routes, since my players are very keen to make trade a big part of the game, and found myself a little confused.

On p169 of the Pocket Rulebook it says that if any pair of worlds matching the two columns are within four parsecs (and have jump route 1 or 2) then a trade route should be added.

My confusion arrives at what exactly is meant by the two columns? Column 1 is broken into two sections, listing Industrial or High Tech, then High Population and Rich in a separate section. Column 2 is broken into two sections, the one parallel to the first section of Column 1 listing Asteroid, Desert etc, while the section for Column 2 underneath lists Agricultural, Garden and Water World.

My question is which pairing creates the trade route? Is it an Industrial and High Population, Desert and Agricultural? Or is it Industrial and Desert, High Population and Agricultural?

I believe its the former pair, but I really didn't feel certain.

Apologies for the newbie nature of this question

Thanks for any help

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Not the writer, but I should be:

If you have a world with EITHER of the classifications in Column 1, then it has a trade route to ANY world in Column 2 (in the same row) that meets the distance and jump requirements.

Also, don't forget that EVERY Industrial world is also a High Population world...

For Example:

Galafry is an Industrial world; there are 3 worlds within 4 parsecs that also meet the Jump 1 or 2 route requirements.

Alfa is a Poor Non-Agricultural world
Bete is a Non-Industrial Agricultural world
Gami is a Rich, Garden world

So, Galafry does NOT have a trade route to Alfa, but does have a trade route to Bete (High Population to Agricultural AND Industrial to Non-Industrial) and to Gami (High Population to Garden)

Additionally, if there is a jump route, Gami would have a trade route with Bete (Rich to Agricultural).

Does that make sense?