Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
Of course they are trapped by what was written 40 years ago, that's what happens when you re-write an already existing setting - at best you have an alternative universe.I don't know that I agree that Mongoose is trapped by what was written 40 years ago. I mean, I can read all that on my own. Its all still available from FFE. One of the biggest complaints made about MgT products is how many are basically reprints. I mean, I enjoy reading the updated stuff, but I wouldn't have any trouble if they did with Fifth Frontier War what they say they are doing with 2300's Invasion, which is totally rewriting it.
My point is that Mongoose authors in the past have made some pretty glaring mistakes with established canon because they were not at the time familiar enough with what has gone before.
It's not as if they are going to have the Zhodani win, or Norris not go after the warrant.
One of the reasons GURPS Traveller was so well received was its attention to detail and prior canon. Mongoose can write a Fifth Frontier War range of supplements that takes into account existing canon and still break lots of new ground.
There are many ways a group of PCs can become involved or rather curtailed by the outbreak of war:
reservists can be called up
detached duty scouts are recalled
the PCs could be part of an active service campaign (not something I would want but many do)
the PCs could be mercenaries
the PCs could be Zhodani or other Outworld Coalition members
the PCs could be Ine Givar freedom fighters
the PCs could be a typical group trying to survive and make money while the war rages around them
We now know that there is a super secret retconned Macguffin that the Zhodani are after - perhaps a small team of Zhodani special forces can succeed where warfleets failed (although why the Zhodani went to war instead of just turning all their data over to the Imperium (who were already aware of the wave) and gaining access to Rhylanor's secret Ancient base is a true mystery.
Back in the day it was the FFW that drove me away from Traveller and towards other games, the war became the only thing of note in JTAS. It was boring.