We will apply the following tweaks to the Mongoose 2e Traveller rules for the "Trojan Trade War" campaign. These will be updated as new situations occur.
Alternate Attributes
- MORALE - We will use the alternate characteristic "Morale" for this campaign. I keep seeing places where this would be useful, especially in RP and in long-term situations. Per Traveller Companion p6: "The Morale (MRL) characteristic represents a mix of courage, motivation, and determination. It functions in a similar manner to END, though in a psychological manner rather than physical. MRL is useful in games with a lot of combat, but can also be applied to many other situations. It provides a way to adjudicate situations where the Traveller insists they will do the most effective thing regardless of tedium, discomfort, and distractions… or hostile gunfire.
- CHARM - We will also use the "Charm" characteristic to represent some combination of personality and looks to represent one's ability to influence others. Per Traveller Companion p.11: "In some cases, SOC is less important than a Traveller’s innate ability to charm and influence people. In this case, SOC can be replaced by a Charm (CHA) characteristic that applies almost anywhere the Traveller goes. At the referee’s option, SOC can be retained a swell, indicating status in the Traveller’s home society."
- Determine the basic stats by rolling 3D for each attribute just like you did when you made the characters, taking the two highest dice for your score. You may apply the resulting numbers to Charm or Morale, and you may even swap the scores with your existing SOC score to make the character you imagine. Per the rules, "MRL is increased by +1 for every successful term the Traveller has completed in a military service (e.g. army, navy or marine) or every two successful terms they completed in a disciplined but non-military service (e.g.scout, merchant, or agent)." Do this after you have allocated your base scores for SOC, CHA, and MRL.
Body Armor Tweaks:
- Armor can be stacked in some cases, subject to GM fiat. In most cases, this nets an additional DM-1 on top of any other issues. Reflec, Diplo Vest, and TL12 Cloth specifically inflict no penalty when worn beneath other suits (per RAW), but if more than one is worn, apply the penalty. Layered armor may also cause other issues related to fatigue and exhaustion in warm climates.
Automatic Fire Damage:
- "Burst" fire is fairly useless as written, adding 1-3 points additional damage to an attack. Instead, add Auto Score x 1D damage to the attack when a burst is directed at a single target. This uses a number of rounds equal to the Auto score.
- "Full Auto" is fine as written, but it can also be used as suppressive fire. Any targets in the six-meter area where rounds are impacting take a negative DM equal to the Auto score on any actions they take that turn. Targets that are immune to that weapon can ignore this effect.
Radiation Damage and Ship Hulls:
- A normal ship hull will resist 500 Rads, while a "Radiation Hardened" hull will resist 1000 Rads. Additionally, a ship with an armored hull can resist 100 Rads per armor point beyond these normal amounts... so the MV Ruby Costa, with a normal hull and four points of armor, will resist a respectable 900 Rads of radiation from solar flares, particle weapons, and nukes.
- Ion Guns inflict temporary criticals on target vessels. TBD
3 comments:
From FB, by Goshin McGregor
Back by popular demand... well okay not really, one person expressed an interest. My homebrew world generation redefining law level in ways that make more sense *to me* at least. Law Level, translated and explained:
0-1 Anarchic 2-3 Very Free 4-5 Free
6-7 Moderate
8-9 Hierarchical A- Bureaucratic
B-C Controlled D+ Totalitarian
Note: restrictions on weapons may be tighter than indicated in places where environmental risks from atmo containment loss or damage to LS equipment is high; in particular, high-penetration weapons (support weapons, rifles) are likely to be restricted to some degree while pistols, SMGs and shotguns may not be. If this is the case, low-penetration ammo may be required (prefrag/glazer/etc). At LL4 or less this may be custom rather than law... but the custom may also be that anyone who breaches containment goes out the airlock without a suit.
A- Anarchic. Either there is no formal government, or more likely it is weak and ineffective and almost might as well not exist. At street level, "law" is whatever those strong enough to enforce their will decide it is. This may be a smallish group of clear-eyed pioneers who get along through shared values, or it may be sheer chaos, thugs/gangs/warlords and war in the streets. The latter is more likely... but bear in mind there will be customs and norms that might as well be "law". Some level of order will be maintained by someone, most of the time at least, if only to keep food and necessities coming to the market.
V- Very Free. Gov't is kept to a bare minimum. Taxes are almost nonexistent, but there are "user fees" for the few existing gov't services. The chief rule is that whatever two or more consenting adults do of their own free will is their own business; law only intervenes if there is fraud or the initiation of force against the innocent and unwilling. There are no restrictions on personal armament, but if you are careless with your grenade launcher in town there will be consequences!
F- Free. Gov't is small and taxes are light, typically 10-20%. Laws are kept to a minimum, mostly just what is needed to keep things halfway orderly. For the most part, what consenting adults do in private is private, unless there is fraud, initiation of force against the innocent or unwilling, or duress or blatantly unfair advantage taken. Personal small arms are largely unregulated, but heavy/support weapons and explosives require permits (easy to get for residents, more difficult for visitors.) Walking around town in combat armor with an assault rifle is legal, but likely to attract questions from local cops. All crimes involving death or serious injury will be investigated, but "self-defense" is very broadly interpreted.
(cont.)
M- Moderate. There is a fair bit of government, but it mostly serves the needs of the people. Taxes are moderate, typically 15-30%. Most "public servants" still remember who they work for. In rural areas, guns may be carried openly for the most part, other than overtly military loadouts. In the city, only sidearms may be carried; they may not be capable of full-auto or burst fire; they may be carried openly but are usually concealed (latter requires permit). Laser and Gauss weapons are not permitted for general carry on-person, but can be owned and transported in vehicles. Open carry may invite attention in cities; concealed carry requires an easy-to-get permit that can usually be had within 48 hours for about Cr20 (Cr40 for nonresidents; Admin check 5+ to avoid blackball.). Selective/auto-fire and military weapons require special licenses to purchase or transport that are not easy for offworld visitors to obtain (Admin check 12+, $200 per weapon). Explosives, artillery, WMD's and such are strictly regulated. Most crimes of violence are investigated... thoroughly if someone was seriously injured. A lethal self-defense claim will be investigated carefully and may take days or weeks to clear (hire a good lawyer).
H- Hierarchical, and corrupt. In theory, this is a LL M society. In practice there are three social classes: the Elite, the Masses, and the Nobodies. The elite tend to get away with almost anything; for them society is F to VF. "Elite" is a variable term, but it certainly means the ruling class, the wealthy, and those of "good family" (ie connected). Middle-class business owners might fall into the lower strata of "elite". For the masses, LL is M shading into B, but it often takes bribery to get the police to do their job for you, and you'd be wise not to cross any elites. For the Nobodies, life in the slums is anarchic and the gov doesn't care what happens there... but if you get caught bothering anyone of a higher class, let alone an Elite, you're screwed.
(cont.)
Visitors are typically treated according to their status and/or wealth; those with high connections or some wealth see LL F, the rest an inefficient LL M... but often justice will consist of how much of it you can buy. Typically blades and clubs can be carried legally in most areas; simple hunting weapons in rural areas. In the city open carry brings harassment and carry permits require bribery to obtain (d6x$500).
B- Bureaucratic. There is a lot of government, and lots of laws; some of them serve the people, but most serve entrenched interests. Almost everything requires a permit, license or fee. Taxes are rather heavy and progressive, typically 20-60% for all but the poor. Almost everyone has a law firm on retainer, because there is so much red tape.
Residents can keep registered light small arms at home, but there are regulations about storage and transport of same. Autofiring or military weapons, or explosives, are so heavily regulated as to be all but banned.
Carrying firearms on one's person is a serious crime without a hard-to-get license (for offworld visitors, an almost-impossible task without special connections or status, or expensive bribery...Admin check 12+ for handguns or shotguns only, cost $10k, takes 1d6 weeks) Knives can be carried in most places, but it is best if they are kept out of sight. All crimes of violence are investigated, self-defense is narrowly construed, and getting cleared of charges can take weeks or months and cost 1000's of Cr in lawyer fees. Bribery and graft are two ways of expediting the system, but be careful: you might run into an honest bureaucrat.
C- controlled, authoritarian. Much like bureaucratic, but almost all laws serve the ruling elite, not the people. Taxes are heavy and progressive, typically 30-80% for all but the poor. Personal firearms are heavily restricted; for the common man and most visitors they are effectively banned. Carrying a knife or etc without a very innocent-sounding excuse may result in police harassment or even charges.
T- Totalitarian. "All hail the State; that which is not mandatory is forbidden." Surveillance. Secret police. Gulags and purges. In brief, avoid.
Post a Comment