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

[Leman Gunner]

Holographic Hull are in one of the core rule books specifically High Guard 2024 pg. 58. In fact I can think of anything in PoD that’s not in the core set of books (High Guard, Vehicle Handbook, CSC, Robots) that not itself covered in PoD.

I now see that according the Mongoose we have 20 Core Rule products so valid call on your part.

High Guard Update 2022 is a major expansion to the Traveller roleplaying game with rules for designing, building and operating spacecraft found throughout the galaxy. From small and nimble fighter craft to the adventure-class ships that Travellers fly, from gargantuan megafreighters to military capital ships, this book provides everything the aspiring naval architect needs to populate their universe with ships that ply the spacelanes.

So at least rules wise there should be zero need for any book other than the core rules for Pirates of Drinax.

A lot of this should be put in either a rewrite of the companion (since half of it has been replaced) or a Drinax Cluster book like Borderland. Pronunciation guide should probably be in either the Aliens 1 rewrite or the Aslan Empire book. As for rules for dealing with the political parties on Drinax that RP and probably shouldn’t be defined in terms of dice rolls.

Fair in respect to your point to the Drinax Companion and the Aslan Empire or Aliens 1.

We differ here:
It is my understanding that book 2 the Trojan Reach strifed to be a kind of Clusterbook. Seems to be named as such and has information about the planets in the reach.

As for the political Parties:
I am of the opinion that social skills are only valuable if they actually matter as much as the combat skills, but that is a matter of taste.

It does not need to be completely dice-driven.
A simple list of how to better or worsen the relationships would be helpful as well as a map on how they see each other and how helping one is seen by the others. It is a court after all and there should be rivalries between the factions.

How does Lord Wrax see Scholar Voha? How does Cleon Hardy see Chieftain Gaix?
Who has what kind of influence on Drinax and the king?

More of a starting point in the campaign and a relationship map between them. They can't all be friends after all.
There reactions should be influenced by social dice rolls and their disposion should have an effect on it.

 

[tytalan]

I now see that according the Mongoose we have 20 Core Rule products so valid call on your part.

Mongoose in fact Traveller has always had multiple core rule books but there is by no means 20. The core rule book has very limited rules for Star ship construction no rules for either robots or vehicle construction and even considering that holographic hull is in the CRB on pg 186 “ Holographic Hull (TL10) Multiple holographic projectors are embedded within the hull allowing the ship to change hull colours, add graphics and adopt a different appearance (although its shape remains the same). Changing the hull colour or adding a stored graphic can be done by anyone with access to the ship’s computer. Creating a complex colour scheme from scratch requires the talents of a skilled artist. Some young nobles try to outdo one another by changing the schemes daily or hiring artists to create the most complex scenes imaginable. Some pirates have made use of this system to simulate visual hull damage and lure other ships in with a GK distress call. However, most ship owner’s use it for the purposes of advertising. A holographic hull system costs Cr100000 per ton of hull and uses 1 Power for every two tons of hull. The projectors are small enough that they do not consume tonnage themselves.”

The fact is of the campaigns and larger adventures you’d have a major problem finding one that doesn’t have a ship that has systems that are in high guard.

But again there are only 4 none campaign type specific rule books: the CRB, High Guard, Vehicle Handbook and Robots. That’s a far cry from 20 and is pretty standard for Traveller of most editions.

 

[tytalan]

It is my understanding that book 2 the Trojan Reach strifed to be a kind of Clusterbook. Seems to be named as such and has information about the planets in the reach.

The Trojan Reach is a sector book just like Behind the Claw and all the others the only difference is it only deals with one sector instead of two it’s even significantly smaller than the dual sector books but it has the same set up when it come to the sector. It is not and was never meant to be a cluster book try actually looking at Borderland the data in a cluster book goes far beyond that of a sector book.

So at least rules wise there should be zero need for any book other than the core rules for Pirates of Drinax.

Then throw out ships of the reach and the companion as well as most of the other campaigns that have been made for Traveller because they all have stuff from high guard. There are no bays in the CRB so remove all ships with bays same goes for fusion guns, meson guns and a whole host of other ship systems. Throw out all robots while you’re at it since they are not in the CRB.

 

[Leman Gunner]

Mongoose in fact Traveller has always had multiple core rule books but there is by no means 20. The core rule book has very limited rules for Star ship construction no rules for either robots or vehicle construction (...)

The fact is of the campaigns and larger adventures you’d have a major problem finding one that doesn’t have a ship that has systems that are in high guard.

But again there are only 4 none campaign type specific rule books: the CRB, High Guard, Vehicle Handbook and Robots. That’s a far cry from 20 and is pretty standard for Traveller of most editions.

20 Products according to the Mongoose shop. 18 if you don't count the collectors edition.
That is the definition of Mongoose not mine.
Sorted by most relevant High Guard is 2nd Place, Central Supply is 3rd, Robots is 4th and Vehicle is 17th.
If those four would be presented as "Core Rules" and the others as "Source books" i would agree with your point.
My hope is this will fall by the wayside as soon as they release the Traveller Rules Compendium.

I agree that those are needed for the produced adventures and campaigns.
I don't agree that this is in any way good as long as it is not clear what books will be needed for the product.
If you want to argue this further please PM me or we can discuss in a different thread.

So for the Anniversary edition:
If they are needed that should be communicated on the product or the needed stats given in the product.

My bottom line is:
If they list what books beside the core will be needed to get all the rules it should also be fine.
If they properly display what they see as core rules in their shop it is also fine, but 10+ products is a lot.
Best if they reference a non core rule: Shortcut with naming the book and page number.

If Highguard is part of the needed books for the Anniversary Edition:

Please give us the Fleet sheets for a Game of Sun and Shadow as well as the Finale.