V2.0 Rules Clarifications Thread

[Mongoose Gar]

Same ground rules as before - please keep chatter to other threads where possible, and leave this for questions & answers.

I'll be away this weekend*, and the following weekend I'll be at Dragonmeet**, but other than that I should be around to answer questions.

Feedback to mongoosetravellerplaytest@gmail.com.

*: Technically, I'm around tomorrow, but so is Mass Effect and I'm going to take most of the day off.
**: Where I'll apparently be running demos and giving a talk on the new Traveller. www.dragonmeet.co.uk for details.

 

[hdrider67]

Commission and rank.

While rolling a Navy character, I rolled advancement to rank1 enlisted. Next term, I rolled a commission and advancement.

That leaves me wondering. since rank has an effect on benefits, is the effective rank of this character 2 or 1? What if I made rank3 enlisted before commissioning? Nobody moves straight to an LT rank but it wouldn't be good to lose the accrued rank for benes, either.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

For the moment, use your total ranks for the purposes of calculating benefits.

 

[Allensh]

Commission and rank.

While rolling a Navy character, I rolled advancement to rank1 enlisted. Next term, I rolled a commission and advancement.

That leaves me wondering. since rank has an effect on benefits, is the effective rank of this character 2 or 1? What if I made rank3 enlisted before commissioning? Nobody moves straight to an LT rank but it wouldn't be good to lose the accrued rank for benes, either.

I'm fairly certain that in CT, your final rank number determined your benefit rolls, even when using Mercenary etc.

I would think, truthfully, that Mongoose's version should work the same way, else people will have way more benefits than they should.

Allen

 

[hdrider67]

What I've been doing is keeping track of successful advancement rolls for determining rank at the end of chargen. I've reset the commission rolls so that a Sgt who is commissioned starts at O-0 without losing rank as it applies to benefits.

I've also been using a negative advancement DM from previous professions.

For example, a naval char who advances in T-1and T-2, commissions in T-3 will be a midshipman (this should be the Officer rank-0 title) but is rank-2 in benefits.

If said character moves to the merchies He'd carry his rank-2 for total benefit rolls but he would roll 4 times from Navy (3 terms plus 1 rank). Any bonus rolls from advancing in the merchies would be off the new career table and ranke in the new career would begin again at 0 for rank AND benefits.

Does this sound right?

 

[AKAramis]

Questions on point buy:

Is the Point Buy process:

1. Pick terms
2. Buy Stats
3. Take homeworld skills (We did take for free, should we have purchased)
4. define prior service
5. take basic training (We bought, should we have gotten for free?)
6. buy other skills, rank
7. Roll purchased benefits
8. Roll benefits from rank
9. Connections to other characters
10. group package

My group generated 4 point-buy 3 term PCs, with pre-package "experience totals" of 11, 12, 23, and 24... and raised to 17, 18, 26, and 28 respectively. If we should not have gotten homeworld skills, two characters would have lost 3 level 0's, one would have lost 4. The other bought all but one, which he got from package.

In what order are package skill gains taken? We went around the table from lowest ExpTot to highest, in rounds.

Steve's 28 was 10 level 1, 2 level 0, and 2 level 2... quite impressive.

Does purchased rank grant free benefit rolls?

Jack of all trades and ironman need to not be normal costs, otherwise, 6 points makes you capable at EVERYTHING as tho level 0....

Can we have a way of spending points on ship shares directly?

It would be nice to have some disads if we have a point buy
For example, I'd put a 2 disad limit if using the following, or 2 points per term, or some other low limit which equates to some of the Event effects.
Also, I'd limit characters to no more than one of a given type.
Psych Limitation:

• Severity
  Mild: 1 (noticeable)
  Severe: 2 (Prevents some actions)
  Total: 3 (mandates a narrow choice of actions)
• frequency ( on 2d)
  Sometimes (10+): +0
  Most of the Time (7+): +1
  Almost always (4+): +2

Noticable feature (Tattoos, birthmarks, accents,

• Severity
  Mild: 1 (noticeable)
  Severe: 2 (causes reaction)
  Total: 3 (Causes severe reaction)
• Reaction ( on 2d)
  Social Only:+0
  Causes law enforcement reaction: +1
  triggers violence or arrest: +2
• Maskability
  Easily covered with clothing (simple disguise): -2
  Coverable with routine disguise:-1
  Coverable with Formidable Disguise: +0
  Not coverable: +1

Physical Limitation
As per Psych lim.

 

[jlcatch]

The related skills rules have all disappeared in the V2 playtest rules. Is this intentional ? I ask because with the breakdown of Engineer into so many specialities and the plethora of other skills used in starship operations, it is now *almost* impossible for a small ship to have a properly qualified crew - unless the Starship Operations section is going to put some rules back in for this.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

The related skills rules have all disappeared in the V2 playtest rules. Is this intentional ? I ask because with the breakdown of Engineer into so many specialities and the plethora of other skills used in starship operations, it is now *almost* impossible for a small ship to have a properly qualified crew - unless the Starship Operations section is going to put some rules back in for this.

I agree with this too. I specifically tried to roll up a Naval Engineer, and after seven terms still failed failed to get enough 'Engineer' skills to maintain a ship competently (you now need 5 of them to get level 1 in all areas).

Now on bigger ships this isn't a problem since you have a much larger crew to cover holes in each engineer's education. But for small interstellar ships where there isn't space for multiple engineers, this could be deadly.

For scouts its even worse. The only engineering skill is on the Advanced Education table, which means for the average scout, if your ship breaks down during a survey of an uninhabited system, you are in deep trouble. No FTL SOS messages in this game!

Perhaps this explains why so many of them in the Exploration specialisation fail their survival roll...

 

[Halfbat]

Actually, I think this is already answered in the character creation intro:

Some skills have specialities – specialised forms of that skill. A character may pick a skill when he gains level 1 in a skill. For example, a character might have Engineering 0, allowing him to make Engineering skill checks without an unskilled penalty. He might then gain a level in Engineering, giving him Engineering (Jump Drives) 1. He would make all
Engineering checks involving Jump Drives at a +1 DM, but would make all other Engineering checks at a +0 DM.

This means that anyone with Engineering has a level of 0, at least, with the other Engineering skills. That's pretty useful. Or were you thinking that a greater skill rank is required?

 

[Mongoose Pete]

This means that anyone with Engineering has a level of 0, at least, with the other Engineering skills. That's pretty useful. Or were you thinking that a greater skill rank is required?

Opps! Completely missed that... I wholeheartedly take back my previous comment!

 

[Mongoose Pete]

I do have a question about this.

Some skills have specialities – specialised forms of that skill. A character may pick a skill when he gains level 1 in a skill For example, a character might have Engineering 0, allowing him to make Engineering skill checks without an unskilled penalty. He might then gain a level in Engineering, giving him Engineering (Jump Drives) 1. He would make all
Engineering checks involving Jump Drives at a +1 DM, but would make all other Engineering checks at a +0 DM. A character can have multiple specialities in a skill – an Engineer might have Engineering (Jump Drives) 1 and Engineering (Power Plant) 2. He would make checks related to Jump Drives with a +1 DM, checks related to Power Plants with a +2 DM, and all other Engineering checks with a +0 DM.

The text is confusing me...

Does this mean that no matter how high your speciality level is, all associated specialities are rated at 0? I.e. I have Engineering (J-Drives) 3, and can use it as Engineering 0 for everything else.

OR

All other engineering checks are rated at 1 less than your main skill? I.e. I have Engineering (J-Drives) 3, and can use it as Engineering 2 for everything else.

Garreth?

 

[AKAramis]

I do have a question about this.

Some skills have specialities – specialised forms of that skill. A character may pick a skill when he gains level 1 in a skill For example, a character might have Engineering 0, allowing him to make Engineering skill checks without an unskilled penalty. He might then gain a level in Engineering, giving him Engineering (Jump Drives) 1. He would make all
Engineering checks involving Jump Drives at a +1 DM, but would make all other Engineering checks at a +0 DM. A character can have multiple specialities in a skill – an Engineer might have Engineering (Jump Drives) 1 and Engineering (Power Plant) 2. He would make checks related to Jump Drives with a +1 DM, checks related to Power Plants with a +2 DM, and all other Engineering checks with a +0 DM.

The text is confusing me...

Does this mean that no matter how high your speciality level is, all associated specialities are rated at 0? I.e. I have Engineering (J-Drives) 3, and can use it as Engineering 0 for everything else.

OR

All other engineering checks are rated at 1 less than your main skill? I.e. I have Engineering (J-Drives) 3, and can use it as Engineering 2 for everything else.

A character can have multiple specialities in a skill – an Engineer might have Engineering (Jump Drives) 1 and Engineering (Power Plant) 2. He would make checks related to Jump Drives with a +1 DM, checks related to Power Plants with a +2 DM, and all other Engineering checks with a +0 DM.

So skill list reads:
Engineering (Jump Drive) 1
Engineering (Power Plant) 2
Engineering (all) 0

So at level 1, you gain familiarity with the rest of the specialties, but it's prety obvious from the included example that no matter how high your specialty levels, no specialty you are not specifically trained in is going to get above a 0.

 

[Golan2072]

So at level 1, you gain familiarity with the rest of the specialties, but it's prety obvious from the included example that no matter how high your specialty levels, no specialty you are not specifically trained in is going to get above a 0.

If I understand correctly, a skill of 1 or more in any of the specialities confers a Skill-0 in the other related specialities, right?

I suggest that other specialities would be used at skill level minus one, ala CT's Pilot skill substituted for Ship's Boat.

 

[jlcatch]

Ah, yes, I missed that too. What threw me was the V1 doc said much the same thing, and more (about related skills) at the beginning of the skills section - and now it doesn't. It just says 'If a skill has specialities, then a character should pick which speciality his levels in the skill apply to. A character may have multiple specialities.' This implied to me that there was no level 0 equivalence for the other specialities.

Maybe this needs clarifying ?

All the stuff about related skills outside of specialities has disappeared too. That isn't as bad, but it does reinforce apparent oddities such as experienced pilots now being unable to plot a course, use the comms to talk to starport control or run the sensors.

 

[Golan2072]

P.5: "Kathya has an Education of 10, which has a DM of +1 and so gives her four background skills. She takes two skills from her homeworld, as well as Computer 0 and Medic 0 from the list of skills". So, does that mean that character with EDU 9+ may choose to take all or most of his background skills from the Education list and not from the Homeworld table? Or are they only allowed to take their extra skills (i.e. in a number equal to their EDU DM) from the Education list?

P.9: "Severly injured in action. Alternatively, roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result". What does alternatively mean in this context? That is, how is Severe Injury different from two rolls on the Injury table with the worst of them taken?

P.9: "Roll Mechanic or Vacc Suit 8+/Sensors or Gunnery 8+/Pilot or Tactics 8+, depending on your assignment". Do you have to roll one skill or one pair of skills (i.e. both Vacc Suit and Sensors or both Gunnery and Pilot)?

P.12: "You are assigned to an assault on any enemy fortress. Throw Melee or Gun 8+ to avoid injury; gain Tactics or Leadership if you succeed". Does Injury here equals one roll on the Injury table, and does such an injury force you to leave your career?

P.16: "You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of known space. Roll Survival 8+ or Pilot 8+. If you succeed, gain a Contact in an alien race and any one skill. If you fail, roll on the Mishap table". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

Why don't Tramp Trader crews have ranks (p.19)? I've always thought that the Traveller convention is that they have ones, even if they mean very little in practice.

P.22: "You An investigation takes on a dangerous turn. Roll Investigate 8+ or Streetwise 8+. If you fail, roll on the mishap table". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

P.27: "If you accept, roll Deception 8+ or Admin 8+. If you succeed, you gain a +2 DM to any one Benefits roll and any one skill, but you also gain an Enemy". What would be the consequence of a failed roll?

P.30: "Arrested. Lose one Benefit roll from this career, and you must take the Draft in your next career". Hmmm… Won't that mean that an arrested criminal would get a 1 in 6 chance to become a cop?

P.31: "You become involved in a feud with a rival criminal organisation. Roll Stealth or Gun (any) 8+. If you fail, roll on the Injury table. If you succeed, gain an extra Benefit roll". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

P.34: "You are attacked by enemies. Gain an enemy if you do not have one already, and roll either Gun Combat 8+ or Stealth 8+ to avoid a roll on the Injury table". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

P.34: "On a 1-2, you are injured – roll on the injury table". Are you also ejected from the career if you roll these results?

 

[Tychus]

1. Step 6c of the generation checklist still refers back to Step 5. Should this refer to Step 3?

2. In the previous clarification thread, it was stated that you cannot change specializations or reenter a career you've left, but I don't see this stated anywhere in v2 of the rules.

3. What is the commissioning roll for the Army? It seems to be missing.

4. When a bonus skill is awarded at Rank 0, at what point during the career is this taken? Is it before step 6, meaning I could receive [Skill] 1 at rank 0, and then roll [Skill] during step 6, pushing it to level 2? Or is it during step 8, meaning if I fail the survival roll during my first term, I don't get the skill for rank 0?

5. The bonus skills awarded from the advancement charts are all shown as [Skill] 1 - meaning that someone who has previously learned this skill (through the skill table or events) receives no bonus from promotion. Is this intended?

6. Army basic training is underpowered compared to other careers. Term 1 in the Army gives you Gun Combat 0 twice, plus Gun Combat(ER or SR) 1 for free at Rank 0 (effectively Gun Combat 0 in all other specialties).

7. Step 8c - If I roll less than the number of terms served, but greater than the advancement roll, do I still get promoted before being forced out? If not, this step should swap places with 8b.

8. Is there any consequence for failing a commissioning roll?

9. If I make a commissioning roll, what rank do I become? (I assume Rank 1 officer). Do I aslo make an advancement roll that term (Potentially going from Rank 0 enlisted to Rank 2 officer in one term)? If I previously held a higher enlisted rank, what if any impact does that have?

10. The cost of Anagathics shown in the CharGen section is different from what's shown in the Drugs section.

11. What skill is used for firing ground vehicle weapons? If Gunnery, is this a separate specialty from those listed, or are ship turrets equivalent to tank turrets?

 

[Golan2072]

P.36: "Benefits are gained when a character leaves a career for any reason other than failing a survival roll". This sentence seems to imply that characters who leave the career because of a failed survival roll don't get ANY benefits, while according to p.6 he gains benefits for all terms BUT the one in which he's failed survival in. Which is the correct rule?

Do the task DMs apply to the Timing die (p.50) in the same manner as to the effect die?

P.51: "He suffers a -1 DM to each roll for every action (so, -2 for two actions, -3 for three actions and so on)". Do these DMs apply to the Effect and Timing dice as well?

P.53: "Farming: The character can grow and harvest crops in the traditional fashion". Won't it be logical for this skill to cover modern livestock agriculture as well?

P.53: "The Athletics skill effectively augments a character's Physical characteristics; it has one speciality See also Moving in Combat". This skill actually has three specialties… Or do you refer to yet another specialty related to combat movement?

P.56: "Flyers only work in the air; vehicles that can leave the atmosphere and enter orbit generally use the Pilot skill". What about the use of gravitic vehicles near the surface of airless worlds?

Which Melee specialty (p.58) would use you for an axe?

What is the difference between Sophontology, Xenology and Psychology (pp.59-60)? Is Sophontology=Xenology+Psychology on an interstellar and interspecies scale? Also, a Sociology specialty is missing – psychology should cover the behavior of individuals, sociology the behavior of large groups.

P.61: "To increase a skill, a character must train for a number of months equal to his current Skill Total plus the desired level of the skill". During these months, could the character do other things (e.g. adventure and study while in jump-space) or does he have to devote his entire time to studying (e.g. take a full-time course or go to a university)?

P.65: "A character cannot move more than three times in a combat round without taking a combat action". Does that mean that a combat action may be used for running (i.e. instead of any other action)? How many ticks may be spent on movement if the character does nothing but move in a given round?

Does a successful Grapple (p.69) allows the winner to bind, tie or handcuff the loser or is another check necessary?

P.69: "If the squad's Initiative number at the start of the Combat Actions phase is higher than the minimum number they need to act on, then the squad may make one extra action per excess tick". Is this in addition to each squad member taking an action, or does this limit the number of squad members who could take an action?

P.73: "The character's Endurance DM is added to the damage". Shouldn't it be subtracted from damage so that a positive Endurance DM reduces damage and a negative endurance DM increases damage?

P.77: "Diseases reduce a character's Characteristics, usually Endurance". No characteristics are shown on the Disease table; do all four diseases affect Endurance?

What is the Time Increment of disease Endurance checks (p.77)?

P.77: "The character must make a series of Endurance checks, modified by the potency of the disease". Does a successful Endurance check avoid damage and a failed one causes damage?

Does temperature damage (p.78) work exactly like normal damage (i.e. Endurance first)?

P.81: "Recuperation: An injured character is restored to half his maximum Endurance after a night's rest". This means that after a second night's rest, Endurance is fully recovered, right? And what about a character who've only lost a few Endurance points and still has more than half of his Endurance maximum?

 

[Mongoose Gar]

P.5: "Kathya has an Education of 10, which has a DM of +1 and so gives her four background skills. She takes two skills from her homeworld, as well as Computer 0 and Medic 0 from the list of skills". So, does that mean that character with EDU 9+ may choose to take all or most of his background skills from the Education list and not from the Homeworld table? Or are they only allowed to take their extra skills (i.e. in a number equal to their EDU DM) from the Education list?

The restriction's been lifted - you can now take skills from either the Education or Homeworld lists freely.

P.9: "Severly injured in action. Alternatively, roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result". What does alternatively mean in this context? That is, how is Severe Injury different from two rolls on the Injury table with the worst of them taken?

Ignore the 'alternatively'. (It used to be 'killed in action; alternatively...')

P.9: "Roll Mechanic or Vacc Suit 8+/Sensors or Gunnery 8+/Pilot or Tactics 8+, depending on your assignment". Do you have to roll one skill or one pair of skills (i.e. both Vacc Suit and Sensors or both Gunnery and Pilot)?

One skill. I'll improve the phrasing.

P.12: "You are assigned to an assault on any enemy fortress. Throw Melee or Gun 8+ to avoid injury; gain Tactics or Leadership if you succeed". Does Injury here equals one roll on the Injury table, and does such an injury force you to leave your career?

Injury table roll, and no, Events can't normally force you out.

P.16: "You spend a great deal of time on the fringes of known space. Roll Survival 8+ or Pilot 8+. If you succeed, gain a Contact in an alien race and any one skill. If you fail, roll on the Mishap table". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

Nope. You stay in by the skin of your teeth.

Why don't Tramp Trader crews have ranks (p.19)? I've always thought that the Traveller convention is that they have ones, even if they mean very little in practice.

My thinking was that small traders of that sort wouldn't have formalised crew structures, but I'm open to correction.

P.22: "You An investigation takes on a dangerous turn. Roll Investigate 8+ or Streetwise 8+. If you fail, roll on the mishap table". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

Again, no. You get beaten up/framed/etc, but stay on the case.

P.27: "If you accept, roll Deception 8+ or Admin 8+. If you succeed, you gain a +2 DM to any one Benefits roll and any one skill, but you also gain an Enemy". What would be the consequence of a failed roll?

Nothing - the other guy publishes first, and your attempted crime is forgotten.

P.30: "Arrested. Lose one Benefit roll from this career, and you must take the Draft in your next career". Hmmm… Won't that mean that an arrested criminal would get a 1 in 6 chance to become a cop?

Heh. Good point. I'm not sure if that's a feature or a flaw.

P.31: "You become involved in a feud with a rival criminal organisation. Roll Stealth or Gun (any) 8+. If you fail, roll on the Injury table. If you succeed, gain an extra Benefit roll". Are you also ejected from the career if you fail?

Nope, just beaten up.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

1. Step 6c of the generation checklist still refers back to Step 5. Should this refer to Step 3?

2. In the previous clarification thread, it was stated that you cannot change specializations or reenter a career you've left, but I don't see this stated anywhere in v2 of the rules.

1 is correct, and covers the 'changing specialisations' of 2. You can switch specialisation each term. Re-entering should be banned, still. I'll need to state that.

3. What is the commissioning roll for the Army? It seems to be missing.

Edu 7+

4. When a bonus skill is awarded at Rank 0, at what point during the career is this taken? Is it before step 6, meaning I could receive [Skill] 1 at rank 0, and then roll [Skill] during step 6, pushing it to level 2? Or is it during step 8, meaning if I fail the survival roll during my first term, I don't get the skill for rank 0?

Step 6. You get it instantly.

5. The bonus skills awarded from the advancement charts are all shown as [Skill] 1 - meaning that someone who has previously learned this skill (through the skill table or events) receives no bonus from promotion. Is this intended?

For the moment, yes.

6. Army basic training is underpowered compared to other careers. Term 1 in the Army gives you Gun Combat 0 twice, plus Gun Combat(ER or SR) 1 for free at Rank 0 (effectively Gun Combat 0 in all other specialties).

That's a good point. I'll probably change the free skill to something better.

7. Step 8c - If I roll less than the number of terms served, but greater than the advancement roll, do I still get promoted before being forced out? If not, this step should swap places with 8b.

You get the promotion before leaving.

8. Is there any consequence for failing a commissioning roll?

I debated having it cost an advancement roll, but currently no, no consequence.

9. If I make a commissioning roll, what rank do I become? (I assume Rank 1 officer). Do I aslo make an advancement roll that term (Potentially going from Rank 0 enlisted to Rank 2 officer in one term)? If I previously held a higher enlisted rank, what if any impact does that have?

No, currently you just switch to Rank 0 on the officer column.

10. The cost of Anagathics shown in the CharGen section is different from what's shown in the Drugs section.

That's deliberate - the Drugs section is buying individual doses, while the CHarGen cost is the drain on your finances over the course of a four-year term.

11. What skill is used for firing ground vehicle weapons? If Gunnery, is this a separate specialty from those listed, or are ship turrets equivalent to tank turrets?

Hmm. Say Gunnery (turrets) for the moment.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

P.36: "Benefits are gained when a character leaves a career for any reason other than failing a survival roll". This sentence seems to imply that characters who leave the career because of a failed survival roll don't get ANY benefits, while according to p.6 he gains benefits for all terms BUT the one in which he's failed survival in. Which is the correct rule?

You only lose the ones for the current term. I'll fix the phrasing.

Do the task DMs apply to the Timing die (p.50) in the same manner as to the effect die?

Nope. (And I've observed in play that half the time, players don't bother applying Dms to the Effect die either).

P.51: "He suffers a -1 DM to each roll for every action (so, -2 for two actions, -3 for three actions and so on)". Do these DMs apply to the Effect and Timing dice as well?

Just Effect.

P.53: "Farming: The character can grow and harvest crops in the traditional fashion". Won't it be logical for this skill to cover modern livestock agriculture as well?

Yep. Phew. Good catch. How many Traveller games would be blighted if herdsman wasn't a valid choice?

P.53: "The Athletics skill effectively augments a character's Physical characteristics; it has one speciality See also Moving in Combat". This skill actually has three specialties… Or do you refer to yet another specialty related to combat movement?

Oops, should read three.

P.56: "Flyers only work in the air; vehicles that can leave the atmosphere and enter orbit generally use the Pilot skill". What about the use of gravitic vehicles near the surface of airless worlds?

Flyer (grav). Will fix.

Which Melee specialty (p.58) would use you for an axe?

I'd actually use Bludgeon, I think.

What is the difference between Sophontology, Xenology and Psychology (pp.59-60)? Is Sophontology=Xenology+Psychology on an interstellar and interspecies scale? Also, a Sociology specialty is missing – psychology should cover the behavior of individuals, sociology the behavior of large groups.

I'll find out (the skill table is derived from T5 directly).

P.61: "To increase a skill, a character must train for a number of months equal to his current Skill Total plus the desired level of the skill". During these months, could the character do other things (e.g. adventure and study while in jump-space) or does he have to devote his entire time to studying (e.g. take a full-time course or go to a university)?

It's part-time training. I'll make that clear.

P.65: "A character cannot move more than three times in a combat round without taking a combat action". Does that mean that a combat action may be used for running (i.e. instead of any other action)? How many ticks may be spent on movement if the character does nothing but move in a given round?

Make an Athletics check, move either 2xEffect metres or do unusual movement like scaling a high wall, jumping over a pit and so on.

Does a successful Grapple (p.69) allows the winner to bind, tie or handcuff the loser or is another check necessary?

I'd say you'd need another Grapple check - the first one to knock your foe prone. (Looking at it, the damage for Grapple is way too high now that it's no longer an extended opposed roll).

P.69: "If the squad's Initiative number at the start of the Combat Actions phase is higher than the minimum number they need to act on, then the squad may make one extra action per excess tick". Is this in addition to each squad member taking an action, or does this limit the number of squad members who could take an action?

It's a limit - squads are basically treating groups as single individuals.

P.73: "The character's Endurance DM is added to the damage". Shouldn't it be subtracted from damage so that a positive Endurance DM reduces damage and a negative endurance DM increases damage?

Oops. yes.

P.77: "Diseases reduce a character's Characteristics, usually Endurance". No characteristics are shown on the Disease table; do all four diseases affect Endurance?

Yes.

What is the Time Increment of disease Endurance checks (p.77)?

1-6 hours.

P.77: "The character must make a series of Endurance checks, modified by the potency of the disease". Does a successful Endurance check avoid damage and a failed one causes damage?

Exactly.

Does temperature damage (p.78) work exactly like normal damage (i.e. Endurance first)?

Yeah.

P.81: "Recuperation: An injured character is restored to half his maximum Endurance after a night's rest". This means that after a second night's rest, Endurance is fully recovered, right? And what about a character who've only lost a few Endurance points and still has more than half of his Endurance maximum?

No...after that, it's natural healing (2 points a day).