What should be included, or changed in the Pirates of Drinax: Anniversary Edition

[Endie]

Some more thought into character generation:

1) If the whole population of The Floating Palace is noble then what does the social status stat even mean?

2) Some actual information on the Vespexers - why are they called that? how many of them are there? are they like the Fremen and way more numerous than anyone not living on the surface imagines? How does the relationship between them and the Floaters actually work?

3) Ditto for Asim - what is the foundation other than a throwaway Isaac Asimov line? how did a planet of millions that has a TL high enough to produce small arms and high explosives get conquered by a few guys in combat armour?

4) More on surrounding planets that could produce PCs with ideally a d66 table to randomly produce characters from a wide range of Trojan Reach planets and give them event tables and backgrounds they can later work into adventures returning to those homeworlds.

5) A Florian character write-up as I do like the idea of playing a hulking simpleton and his weedy little boss.

Also can we finally address the ancient Traveller problem of how planets with no A-class starport nevertheless build and maintain starships and even have interstellar pocket empires.

And how does this all fit into the 5FW timeline?

1 - Just because I have a title doesn't mean anyone outside the floating palace will ignore that I clean toilets and live in nine square metres.

2 - One of the things that worries me a hint is that I actually like that every Drinaxian sandbox is different. GMs use the setting in a 1970s-style way, and expand a paragraph to match their imagination. To ome, the Vespexers are like Fremen. To others, they are Mad Max types. This is where imagination and sketched detail creates a fascinating array of approaches.

3 - Asim's population is only 200k, not millions. The TL is 1950s/1960s Earth, and we have seen often enough what a small unit with 2010 equipment and training was able to do to a 1970s force. Imagine when they are essentially-invulnerable personal flying tanks able to hit individuals at night behind a wall from a km away.

4 - Sounds fun!

5 - Sounds fun too, although my power-maxing group would all want two characters to play (fighty physical dude and thinker). The thing with Florian characters is going to be that they are, as described in PoD, apparently wildly far onto the autistic spectrum, and a certain sort of players don't always need encouraging to enter the "stop being an arse", "I'm just playing my character!" area...

On the no class-a starport, it just kinda makes sense to me. Many societies - especially in Milieu 0, where it was essentially all societies - start without a class A starport then build the ships that let them build the starport. So to me, the starport is highly useful but not essential. That's what the planet of Oghma has (since the starport has nothing to do with the planet) and is also what TCS explicitly states: that interstellar state capitals can build starships regardless of their starport rating.

On the FFW, again I like that I can drop stuff in while another referee ignores it. The PoD setting refers to what the impact will be of the FFW for those who wish to involve themselves in that (essentially distraction but not absence).

 

[hopsnbaer]

So Drinax does not build ship and doesn’t actually have a class A starport. Drinax’s starport runs between B and C it can’t build anything and while it does have limited repair bays it doesn’t have any support so it can use them. A class B starport can only build maneuver drive space ship it requires a Class A to build jump drives ships.

I stand corrected. Class A is needed for Jump Drives. Although in general I don't see why Jump Drives can't be imported.

 

[Sigtrygg]

"A planetary navy may procure ships at any shipyard within the borders of its subsector; alternatively, a planetary navy may construct ships on its planet, using local resources, even if a shipyard is not present." CT HG'80, never overwritten to date.

"The technological level of the world holding the shipyard governs the construction capabilities: the tech level of a ship may not be more than 3 greater than the tech level of the shipyard. All higher tech level equipment must be imported, at 50% sur-charge." CT HG'79, never overwritten to date.

This is how planetary governments can get around the lack of a civilian A port.

 

[hopsnbaer]

"A planetary navy may procure ships at any shipyard within the borders of its subsector; alternatively, a planetary navy may construct ships on its planet, using local resources, even if a shipyard is not present." CT HG'80, never overwritten to date.

"The technological level of the world holding the shipyard governs the construction capabilities: the tech level of a ship may not be more than 3 greater than the tech level of the shipyard. All higher tech level equipment must be imported, at 50% sur-charge." CT HG'79, never overwritten to date.

This is how planetary governments can get around the lack of a civilian A port.

I thought about that before I answered but didn't have a quote. Thanks. We might be drifting away from the thread though.

 

[tytalan]

Realistically most worlds in the Trojan Reach do not build any ships because it’s not practical. Most of the independent worlds are either going to buy from the imperium or one of the half dozen worlds in the reach that do build ships. In fact 90% or more of the Independent worlds don’t operate any jump drives ships and probably only about 50% of them even have a system navy Drinax has what 5 ships with the Harrier being the only jump drive ship. The only systems likely to actually be building any ships are a handful in Borderland and Thevee. The Reach is poor, being both low in TL as well as production, there’s a reason why the lion share of the traffic in the Reach goes from the Imperium to Aslan and back.

 

[JooJoo]

I would like to have a "Players Book" containing player-safe background material that I could just give to players. Background information only, no rules:

• Harrier (Chapter 12 in Drinaxian Companion, maybe some bits of Chapter 13 about difficulty of repairs)
• Code of Stars
• Welcome to the Reach (Chapter 3 of Trojan Reach)
  • excellent writeup about history and general area knowledge
• Starting the Campaign (Chapter 4 of Trojan Reach)
  • kings opening speech, short descriptions and pictures of important people in drinaxian court, short info on hierate, imperium, corps, pirates etc --> might need some rewriting so that the text feels more like rumors and general knowledge, not as "official truths for GM"

Possibly but not nearly as important:

• Chapters 14-15 from Drinaxian Companion (Crew & shipboard operations and Commerce Raiding)
  • "this is how the Harrier was originally supposed to be used, but you do whatever"
• Some bits of Exploring the Reach (Chapter 8 of Trojan Reach)
  • ancient history & Sindalian Empire, Trading etc. This was somewhat boring read for me, text could be cut by half (or more) and made more vague
• 1-4 sentences for most famous/important planets everyone would know about: Drinax, Asim, Theev, Oghma, Tobia, etc
  • more short and vague than the descriptions we get in the books, like "basic Library Data"
• Bits from Pirates of Drinax book, written for players perspective:
  • ideas what to do in ports, gathering rumors, finding contacts, snooping out info about incoming/outcoming traders
  • pirate life: realities, avoid repetition, importance of hiring (trusty?) crew
  • Port classifications (Haven/Neutral/etc) so players can see how their actions might make things more easy for them (no rules, just the general idea)
  • some adventure ideas teased and mixed to the other content as rumors or background information (Treasure Ships, Punitive Flotillas, Sindalian WMDs)

I would happily buy whatever boxed set contains something like this, even if nothing else had changed. I could then safely loan the entire book to any players who are interested for some background material, and leave it to them to read whatever parts interest them.

 

[Megadoux]

As some have been pointing before me, a rewrite is not so necessary but a reorganization of things.
Some are indicated in the main books, but others are scattered elsewhere and you have to read a lot to get them. As far as I know, Drinax, for example, has 2 Harriers (one of the players, other of the Royal Family, but not sure of this), a personal Yatch belonging to Oleb, another one of Prince Harrick (the same one as Oleb's one?), the Princess' Rao one (again, no indication that is any of the others, but I assume is not), an obsolete SDB (The Lion of Drinax IV) and some... 3? armed noble Yatchs as whole navy under Lord Wrax, and that was all for both Drinax and Asim (which should have also to be defended).
Maybe introducing the Reach Adventure 8 'Makergod' as part of the campaign, which deals with Oghma, a system not well explained but which has a nefarious influence over the surrounding systems and is a constant thorn on the side.
The Empire Building sourcebook should be a real addition, as well more information about the Tlaiowaha subsector. The Hiatei menace is like a Damocles' Sword pending over the whole Troyan Reach (or so I am dealing with it). Khusai is an Aslan system with a base that should be expanded with much more info that the one taken from the Traveller's Wiki, for example, as is just 2 parsecs from Drinax.
Vespexers are not so well explained as they should.
A Sindalian sourcebook should be great, as pointed avobe. My players are very eager to dig into that forgotten tech for their own aims, and Drinax itself built the kingdom on the same basis, so is not out of the question at all.
Info as how a corporation as the Gand Duchy of Requille would react to a new Drinaxian Kigdom would be aslo welcome. Can they be the economic muscle that Drinax needs? Are they rivals? Is there a way Drinax can bring the GDR to their orbit?
I have been improvising much of the info on the fly as my players delegated the piracy issue to some subordinates once they captured a few merchants and they focused on the comercial/political/diplomatical aspect of the campaign, to keep the face of a white knight. And i see I am not the only one with this.

 

[mavikfelna]

As some have been pointing before me, a rewrite is not so necessary but a reorganization of things.
Some are indicated in the main books, but others are scattered elsewhere and you have to read a lot to get them. As far as I know, Drinax, for example, has 2 Harriers (one of the players, other of the Royal Family, but not sure of this), a personal Yatch belonging to Oleb, another one of Prince Harrick (the same one as Oleb's one?), the Princess' Rao one (again, no indication that is any of the others, but I assume is not), an obsolete SDB (The Lion of Drinax IV) and some... 3? armed noble Yatchs as whole navy under Lord Wrax, and that was all for both Drinax and Asim (which should have also to be defended).
Maybe introducing the Reach Adventure 8 'Makergod' as part of the campaign, which deals with Oghma, a system not well explained but which has a nefarious influence over the surrounding systems and is a constant thorn on the side.
The Empire Building sourcebook should be a real addition, as well more information about the Tlaiowaha subsector. The Hiatei menace is like a Damocles' Sword pending over the whole Troyan Reach (or so I am dealing with it). Khusai is an Aslan system with a base that should be expanded with much more info that the one taken from the Traveller's Wiki, for example, as is just 2 parsecs from Drinax.
Vespexers are not so well explained as they should.
A Sindalian sourcebook should be great, as pointed avobe. My players are very eager to dig into that forgotten tech for their own aims, and Drinax itself built the kingdom on the same basis, so is not out of the question at all.
Info as how a corporation as the Gand Duchy of Requille would react to a new Drinaxian Kigdom would be aslo welcome. Can they be the economic muscle that Drinax needs? Are they rivals? Is there a way Drinax can bring the GDR to their orbit?
I have been improvising much of the info on the fly as my players delegated the piracy issue to some subordinates once they captured a few merchants and they focused on the comercial/political/diplomatical aspect of the campaign, to keep the face of a white knight. And i see I am not the only one with this.

Actually, this points out something that really needs to be added as a chapter or at least an appendix. There needs to be some discussion of integrating the various adventures and sourcebooks for the area. It doesn't have to be alot, suggestions like this adventure might be appropriate to insert here or this faction from Borderlands has an interest in this thing or planet that might affect your players in this or that way.
There is a lot of excellent content in and around the Reach and some guidance on using it is helpful and might even drive some extra sales.

 

[tytalan]

As far as I know, Drinax, for example, has 2 Harriers (one of the players, other of the Royal Family, but not sure of this), a personal Yatch belonging to Oleb, another one of Prince Harrick (the same one as Oleb's one?), the Princess' Rao one (again, no indication that is any of the others, but I assume is not), an obsolete SDB (The Lion of Drinax IV) and some... 3? armed noble Yatchs as whole navy under Lord Wrax, and that was all for both Drinax and Asim (which should have also to be defended).

There’s only 1 Harrier in fact it would have been the flag ship of the Drinax navy if it wasn’t given to the players. The Drinax navy has exactly 1 jump capable ship and that’s an old scout courier so no Lord Wrax doesn’t have 3 armed Yatchs at least not jump capable ones. From what I read Drinax has the Harrier (in the hands of the PCs), 1 Dragon Class SDB, 3 smaller SDBs. The Royal family has 2 or 3 yatchs and there may be a handful of other ships but those are likely owned by the few outsiders living on the floating palace.

 

[Megadoux]

There’s only 1 Harrier in fact it would have been the flag ship of the Drinax navy if it wasn’t given to the players. The Drinax navy has exactly 1 jump capable ship and that’s an old scout courier so no Lord Wrax doesn’t have 3 armed Yatchs at least not jump capable ones. From what I read Drinax has the Harrier (in the hands of the PCs), 1 Dragon Class SDB, 3 smaller SDBs. The Royal family has 2 or 3 yatchs and there may be a handful of other ships but those are likely owned by the few outsiders living on the floating palace.

Well, seems I should check my soruces then. I may be mixing things. Thanks for the update!

 

[tytalan]

Bringing everything together here’s what I think we are saying
1) The original 3 book slipcase the only major thing needed is updated to current HG standards
2). The companion need the most love out of the existing books
A). The section on base components is no longer valid with the VH 2026 remove it completely
B). Every ship in this book need rewriting
1). Bringing them up to HG 2024 standards
2). The Rorix needs to be completely changed it should have 2 small missile bays (3xSize reduction) 4 triple plus lasers, and remove the force linkage and breaching tube that’s literally what the harrier class was for
3). I honestly believe that someone liked the new reaction drive and went crazy with it in Drinax. The ECITS is a great ideal giving the pods reaction drive instead of maneuver 0 or 1 is one of the stupidest. The pods need to be rewritten using common sense, no reaction drive, no bridge where the pilot dies because of lack of food and sleep. If it’s a drone give it maneuver 0 and no pilot space or neeed.
4). Finish giving the worlds in it the same treatment as the worlds in borderland
C). A Drinax Cluster book like borderland
D). A Sindalian Empire book

 

[tytalan]

Well, seems I should check my soruces then. I may be mixing things. Thanks for the update!

I primarily based it on the information in the Trojan Reach book pg 24 under Lord Wrax “ The Star Guard has only a handful of ships, and while they have the benefit of advanced technology, none masses more than 400 tons, and only the 100-ton scout ships have jump drives. The Harrier would have been the flagship of the Drinaxi fleet if Wrax had his way.” (They might have a couple of scout ships the wording says ships ) and pg 16 “ All he needs is one good ship...… and the Star Guard of Drinax has just found one. She’s an old Drinaxi Harrier from the great days of the Kingdom. She jumped in to defend Drinax from the Aslan attack, but her drive malfunctioned as she arrived in-system. Her crew were blasted with a lethal dose of radiation, and the ship drifted crewless and rudderless through the system’s Oort cloud for two hundred years until she was recovered. She is as close as Drinax has to a working warship.” If the king had a harrier of his own he wouldn’t have been forced to wait. Also from this description it my opinion that the harrier they found had already seen combat and its weapon systems were part of a quick repair job done before it left for Drinax. A Particle barrette and a single missile tube doesn’t make sense for commerce raiding an ion barrette and dual particle turret makes more sense but that’s my opinion

 

[RogerMc]

So Drinax does not build ship and doesn’t actually have a class A starport. Drinax’s starport runs between B and C it can’t build anything and while it does have limited repair bays it doesn’t have any support so it can use them. A class B starport can only build maneuver drive space ship it requires a Class A to build jump drives ships.

That is to say Traveller starport classification is largely meaningless - clearly any TL9+ world with sufficient population (or even next to no sophont population at all but with robots galore) can build starships and if necessary repair them.

 

[Anstett]

That is to say Traveller starport classification is largely meaningless - clearly any TL9+ world with sufficient population (or even next to no sophont population at all but with robots galore) can build starships and if necessary repair them.

Credits can make up for a variety of societal sins.

Spend enough to import J6 drives from the Imperium and even Clarke can create a scout courier fleet.

 

[tytalan]

That is to say Traveller starport classification is largely meaningless - clearly any TL9+ world with sufficient population (or even next to no sophont population at all but with robots galore) can build starships and if necessary repair them.

You have to have the infrastructure which is what a starport is and you have to have the economy. Drinax starport classification is literally stated as being out of date “ According to the charts of the Imperial Scouts, the planet still has a Class-A Starport, but the charts are centuries out of date.” . You can have all the robots you want but if you don’t have the factory to build the components and don’t have a building slip you’re not building anything. Infrastructure is king!

 

[tytalan]

Credits can make up for a variety of societal sins.

Spend enough to import J6 drives from the Imperium and even Clarke can create a scout courier fleet.

Not if you don’t have a building slip for the ships. Not if you don’t have the power systems a starport is infrastructure and without infrastructure your not building anything

 

[Anstett]

Not if you don’t have a building slip for the ships. Not if you don’t have the power systems a starport is infrastructure and without infrastructure your not building anything

Credits buys all of that.
It might take a tanker full of them but everything for building starships is just a question of how many credits to build.

 

[tytalan]

Credits buys all of that.
It might take a tanker full of them but everything for building starships is just a question of how many credits to build.

Yes you can in theory use credits to upgrade your starport to class A and to build up your infrastructure. Credits and about 10 to 20 years infrastructure doesn’t get built overnight it takes time. You can’t just buy infrastructure it has to be built and that takes time.