Fast Traveller 0.8

THE TRAVELLER UNIVERSE

These rules are a very simplified edit of the award-winning classic science-fiction role-playing game created by Marc Miller in 1977 for Game Designers Workshop.

Per Miller, the fictional universe of Traveller can be summed up in five points:

  • The fastest you can get information somewhere is in a starship.
  • A ship takes at least a week to get somewhere.
  • The Imperium is a government of people, not laws, and it rules space. Planets rule themselves.
  • The lifeblood of the Imperium is commerce. Don’t get in the way of the Imperium’s lifeblood.
  • There is no Prime Directive. If you want to sell guns to the locals, go ahead. Check first to see if they have anything you want.

TIMELINE OF THE FAR FUTURE

  • 3,600 years ago: 21st century on Earth.
  • 3,200 years ago: The Imperium comes into conflict with the Solomani humans from Terra (Earth), sparking interstellar war. The Imperium falls and The Rule Of Man (Second Imperium) begins, dominated by the expansionist Solomani branch of humanity.
  • 2,700 years ago: The Rule Of Man falls, beginning a period of regressive dark ages called The Long Night.
  • 1,100 years ago: Cleon Zhunastu from the Sylean Federation founds the Third Imperium (the current interstellar empire), ending The Long Night.
  • 700 to 20 years ago: Imperial and Zhodani navies fight several limited Frontier Wars in the spinward sectors.
  • 100 years ago: Solomani Rim War, Imperial forces seize control of the Solomani homeworld (Terra).
  • 36 years ago: Strephon Aella Alkhalikoi becomes the current Emperor of the Imperium.
  • Now: Current day in Imperial Year 1107.

OTHER FEATURES OF THE FUTURE…

  • It is the Imperial year 1107, or A.D. 5630 by modern Earth calendars.
  • There is no faster-than-light means of communication. The fastest ships carry messages, cargo, and passengers at six parsecs per week (about 20 light years per jump).
  • The feudal-based Imperium is made up of 11,000 worlds across 21 sectors; each sector has 16 subsectors containing dozens of star systems.
  • “Known space” includes just a portion of the Milky Way galaxy, with six rival interstellar nations – including the psionically-ruled Zhodani Consulate beyond the “spinward” frontier – surrounding the Imperium’s claimed systems.
  • Imperium society is human-centric but cosmopolitan. Hundreds of alien species freely travel the stars.
  • Colonialist attitudes and capitalism dominate, but local independent worlds vary wildly in local laws, customs, lifeforms, and environments.
  • The Imperium has a universal currency: credits (cr) for personal items, and megacredits (Mcr) for major transactions such as purchasing starships.
  • Although robots are common, computer technology and full robotic sentience are hindered to prevent the rise of hostile artificial intelligences.
  • Starships must get 100 diameters away from any planet to safely start a faster-than-light jump. Piracy during this travel is often a threat.
  • Psionics such as telepathy and telekinesis are known but greatly feared and considered illegal under Imperium law.
  • There are no teleporters, time machines, immortality drugs, or alternate dimensions (as far anyone knows).
  • Most game campaigns focus around either a free trader crew (picking up goods and passengers to transport for profit) or a mercenary company (providing military-for-hire services where needed across the galaxy).

PLAYING THE GAME

The Game Master (GM) describes a scene and players take turns describing their characters’ responses. For resolving outcomes on tasks, use six-sided dice, often abbreviated 1D, 2D, 3D or so forth (meaning roll one, two or three dice and add them together).

Task Roll
2D + one trait modifier + one skill modifier + other circumstantial modifiers

The higher the total, the better the effort. The GM sets minimum totals needed for successful results based on the difficulty of the task, or the task roll total from an opposing character.

CREATING NEW CHARACTERS

Each player should create a character with a name and brief sentence describing prior life in one of the following backgrounds: army (on planets), navy (aboard starships), marines (ship-to-ground), scout (survey and exploration), merchant (trade ship), or rogue (anything else). Players and GMs are free to create totally new backgrounds as well.

By default, new characters have +1 in each trait, six bonus points across two or more skills, and 5,000 starting Imperial credits (cr).

Example: CAPT. FYE BOLENWORTH, OF THE FREE TRADER HORIZON RUNNER
A raucous merchant chasing profit across distant worlds in order to pay off old gambling debts.
Skills: Engineering +1, Starship Ops +2, Trade +3
Life Points: 15 | Funds: cr 5,000

Example: SGT. KZO “HACK” PHYNE
A rough-and-ready infantry soldier whose tours of duty saw action in a brutal sector duke’s field army.
Skills: Brawling/Blades +1, Heavy Weaponry +1, Personal Weaponry +3, Streetwise +1
Life Points: 15 | Funds: cr 5,000

Example: DR. PHAELA HSU
A music-obsessed xenobiology specialist who served in the medical bay of an Imperial navy cruiser.
Skills: Engineering +1, Medical +4, Survival +1
Life Points: 15 | Funds: cr 5,000

Example: JOLLY JALLEX
A Terran smuggler and gun-for-hire from the fringes of the Imperium-Solomani border worlds.
Skills: Brawling/Blades +1, Personal Weaponry +2, Streetwise +2, Planetary Vehicle Ops +1
Life Points: 15 | Funds: cr 5,000

CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS

Players may add any of the following options to their characters, either lowering one trait to +0 to gain a trait at +2, or trade trait bonuses with skill points.

Alien or Mutant Feature: Add a minor physical or mental trait. Examples: Aslan gain the use of a dewclaw (like a dagger) retractable into each hand, while Hivers gain infra-red vision (able to see in low light conditions).

Battle-Scarred: A costly tour of duty dropped one physical trait to Strength +0, Dexterity +0, or Endurance +0, but added two more skill points from the experience.

Extra Ability: Due to an alien nature, bionics/cybernetics, elite training, an exotic native homeworld, genetic engineering, or mutation, lose two points from skills and gain one of the following: Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Endurance +2, Intelligence +2, or Education +2.

Noble: Lose two points from skills, gain Social Status +2 and add another starting 5,000cr.

Primitive: Drop to Education +0 and gain one of the following: Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Endurance +2, or two additional skill points.

Robot/Android: Drop to Social Status +0, and the character’s non-living body or mind gains one of the following: Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Endurance +2, Intelligence +2, or Education +2. Also, track damage as Structure Points, not Life Points.

Example: 3X-00 (“THREX-OH-OH”)
A robot navigator and knowledge archive formerly in service to a mining guild’s asteroid operations.
Traits: Education +2, Social Status +0, other traits +1
Skills: Engineering +1, Personal Weaponry +1, Planetary Vehicle Ops +1, Starship Ops +3
Structure Points: 15 | Funds: cr 5,000

Example: BARONESS KHEY OF MORA
A former diplomatic liaison whose trade talks with Zhodani guilds ended in a political scandal.
Traits: Social Status +2, other traits +1
Skills: Administration +2, Trade +2
Life Points: 7 | Funds: cr 10,000

Example: GVARRGH, VARGR EX-CORSAIR
A battle-scarred, wolf-like humanoid alien whose long raiding career was ended when a supernova flare’s radiation destroyed his ship and crew.
Traits: Endurance +0, other traits +1
Skills: Heavy Weaponry +3, Personal Weaponry +1, Starship Ops +2, Streetwise +1, Tactics +1
Life Points: 10 | Funds: cr 5,000

CHARACTER TRAITS

Below average +0, average +1, above average +2 or more.

Strength: Physical ability, lifting, carrying.
Dexterity: Physical coordination, reflexes.
Endurance: Physical determination, stamina.
Intelligence: IQ, memory, and reasoning.
Education: Technical and academic training.
Social Standing: Recognized privilege status.

CHARACTER SKILLS

Untrained +0, veteran professional +2, expert +4, master +6, legend +8, supergenius +10.

Administration: Dealing with various officials, or briding them.

Brawling/Blades: Fighting with fists, kicks, and melee weapons such as cutlasses.

Engineering: Designing and repairing all kinds of machines, especially starship systems.

Heavy Weaponry: Using starship-mounted weapons, field artillery and squad support weapons (PGMPs and FGMPs).

Medical: Diagnosing and healing lifeforms, xenobiology, drugs, biological research.

Personal Weaponry: Shooting guns of all kinds: body pistols, assault rifles, etc.

Planetary Vehicle Ops: Driving land cars, speeders, boats, planes or air-raft vehicles.

Starship Ops: Maneuvering large and small spacecraft, plotting interstellar jumps, using sensors.

Streetwise: Socializing in urban centers, gambling, and gathering information from informal contacts.

Survival: Finding water and food, plotting navigation on a planetary surface.

Tactics: Quick, decisive leadership to coordinate squads of soldiers or fleets of starships.

Trade: Assessing cargo value, negotiating commerce deals, and conducting transactions.

CIRCUMSTANTIAL MODIFIERS

Character’s Health
-1 … at half or less Life/Structure Points

Combat
-0 … melee weapon at Reach range
-3 … shooting at weapon’s maximum range
-target’s Dex modifier … Evade action

Computer-Assisted Tasks
+1 … Moderate tech computer (Model/2 to Model/3)
+2 … High tech computer (Model/4 to Model/6)
+3 … Very high tech computer (Model/7+)
+4 … Extreme high tech computer (self aware)

Multitasking
-2 to each task check to attempt 2 tasks at once
-4 to each task check to attempt 3 tasks at once

Speed
-3 … hasty effort (cut time by half)
+3 … cautious effort (double time of task)

CHARACTER COOPERATION

Characters with the required skill at +1 or higher may cooperate together on the same task for better results. Each player rolls 2D as usual, but only the highest pair total is used. Add the highest trait modifier and the highest skill modifier from among the characters in the cooperating group.

Example: A senior engineer (Intelligence +1, Engineering +4) and a science officer (Intelligence +2, Engineering +1) attempt to fix a broken FTL jump drive. The first player rolls 2 and 4 (total 6), the second player rolls 4 and 5 (total 9). The cooperating task roll would be 9 + 2 (science officer’s Intelligence) + 4 (engineer’s skill) for a total of 15.

TASK RESULTS

Range of outcomes based on final rolled totals:

5 or less … no success possible
6 to 7 … succeed at easy tasks
8 to 9 … succeed at average tasks
10 to 11 … succeed at difficult tasks
12 to 13 … succeed as staggeringly difficult tasks
14 to 15 … succeed at “impossible” tasks
16 or more … succeed as “hopeless” tasks

OPPOSING RESULTS

In direct head-to-head character tasks, compare the opposing final rolled totals. The higher result wins; in case of a tie, both succeed or outcome is a stalemate.

CRITICAL RESULTS

Rolling a 2: If a task check 2D roll results in 2, some negative consequence happens even if the task succeeds due to high trait and skill modifiers. Examples: A tool used in the task might break, a weapon jams or runs out of ammunition, an bribe attempt buys access but gets noticed by law enforcement monitors, or a fraction of cargo turns out to be ruined or mislabelled.

Rolling a 12: If a task check 2D roll results in 12, some positive consequence happens, even if the task still fails due to high difficulty. Examples: A missed shot hits a volatile piece of machinery near the target and catches fire, a negotiator refuses an offer but likes the character enough to later offer different help, a bureaucrat refunds application fees in full, or a search for safe shelter instead finds a hidden cache of unrelated gear.

AUTOMATIC RESULTS

All space-worthy Traveller characters share the following common knowledge about getting by in the universe, typically without needing any task check to measure success:

  • Basic use of a vacc suit (standard issue spacesuit).
  • Recognizing the major species of sophants (the “big six” alien races).
  • Familiarity with routine starport procedures (screenings, inspections, cargo handling, etc.).
  • Fluency in galactic standard language (Anglic).
  • Familiarity with Imperial banking standards and currencies (credits, megacredits).
  • Familiarity with up to Tech Level 14 technology (recognize and understand use, even if not proficient).
  • General knowledge about the Imperium (domains, broad history, social status system).

MOVEMENT

Each 15-second combat round, a character can move 20 meters (about 65 feet) while performing other actions, or simply run 40 meters (130 feet). Actions include firing a weapon, controlling a vehicle or ship, or repairing a damaged device.

Outside of combat rounds, a character can travel 5 km (about 3 miles) per hour. Higher or lower gravity, difficult terrain, or urban settings may drop this rate to half or worse.

LIFE POINTS AND STRUCTURE POINTS

The ability of characters, creatures, machines, vehicles, and buildings to survive damage and trauma is measured by Life Points (for living beings) or Structure Points (for non-living objects). Armor values subject from damage before rolling to see how many points are lost due to attacks or hazards.

For character’s maximum Life Points at full health, add up modifiers from Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance traits…

Str+Dex+End total 1 … 5 max. Life Points
Str+Dex+End total 2 … 10 max. Life Points
Str+Dex+End total 3 … 15 max. Life Points
Str+Dex+End total 4 … 20 max. Life Points
Str+Dex+End total 5 … 25 max. Life Points
Str+Dex+End total 6 … 30 max. Life Points

A tough character with Strength +1, Dexterity +1, and Endurance +2 would have a maximum of 20 Life Points.

Creatures will have Life Points set by the GM. As a rule of thumb, hand-held high-tech objects have 3 Structure Points, while larger vehicles have 20 Life Points per ton.

Wounds: Any living target at half or less Life Points, or machine below half Structure Points, suffers a -1 circumstantial modifier on task rolls. At zero remaining points, a living target becomes unconscious, while a non-living target becomes disabled (unable to function). At the full negative value of maximum Life Points, a living target is dead, while a non-living target is damaged beyond repair.

Example: An engineer with +1 in all physical traits (max. 15 Life Points) is caught in an explosion that does 3D damage, resulting in a damage roll of 3, 4, and 6 (total 13). Without armor, the blast reduces the engineer to 2 Life Points, wounded and almost knocked unconscious. If further damage reduces the engineer to -15 Life Points, the character dies.

Healing: Living beings recover lost Life Points per day equal to the total of one task check by a medic (2D + Education + Medicine), or the Tech Level of available medical care (whichever is greater). Characters may attempt Medicine checks on themselves if necessary, at a -1 modifier when at or under half maximum Life Points.

Repairing: For machines, vehicles, and other damaged targets under full Structure Points, the number of lost points repaired per day equals to the total of one task check by a character (2D + Education + Engineering), or the Tech Level of available automated damage control systems (whichever is greater).

PERSONAL COMBAT

When describing fights between characters and adversaries, play is divided combat rounds, each lasting about 15 seconds to the characters.

Actions Per Turn: Each round combatants may attempt one action and move, or take no actions other than a double move, in turns following the order of their initiative results. As an action, targets within range may be attacked to cause them damage or other specific effects. Combatants may also choose to Evade as an action, giving attackers a circumstantial penalty equal to the target’s Dexterity modifier. If attempting attacks on two targets, or attempting one attack while also doing a second action, all of a character’s task rolls suffer a -2 circumstantial modifier that turn; for three targets and/or actions, each task suffers a -4 penalty.

Initiative Task Rolls: Each combatant rolls 2D + Dexterity + Tactics. Higher rolls act before lower rolls; compare highest Tactics skill modifier to resolve ties, then highest Dexterity modifier as needed. If combatants are still tied, they act simultaneously. Keep the initiative order for the duration of the combat scene; do not reroll initiative each round.

Attack Task Rolls: The skills needed to make an attack depend on the weapon used.

  • Natural weapons (fists, claws) and hand-held melee weapons (clubs, blades) use 2D + Strength + Brawling/Blades. Typically a target must be within reach (up to 3 meters), but there is no range penalty for such attacks.
  • Thrown weapons (spears) and ranged weapons (bows, guns) use 2D + Dexterity + Personal Weaponry. Any attack within a weapon’s maximum range suffers a -3 circumstantial modifier.
  • Certain heavy squad support weapons (portable plasma and fusion guns) use 2D + Dexterity + Heavy Weaponry. Support weapons may have special range modifiers.

Combat Circumstantial Modifiers
-1 … attacker at half or less Life/Structure Points
-0 … melee weapon at Reach range
-3 … shooting at weapon’s maximum range
-target’s Dex modifier … Evade action
-2 to each task check to attack 2 targets at once
-4 to each task check to attack 3 targets at once

Personal Weapon Ranges: Use the following distance benchmarks to set range limits on weapons. Example: A rifle can has no penalty on attacks against targets in Long or closer range (under 750 meters), and a -3 modifier against targets in Very Long range (750m to 3 km meters).

  • Reach (1m to 3m) (melee weapons)
  • Close (3m to 25m)
  • Short (25m to 100m)
  • Medium (100m to 300m) (max. shotgun)
  • Long (300m to 750m) (max. pistol)
  • Very Long (750m to 3 km) (max. rifle)
  • Distant (3 km to 25 km) (max. artillery)

Attack Results: An attack roll of 8 or more is needed to hit a target. Any hit does a number of dice in damage, less any dice absorbed or deflected by the target’s armor or cover. Damage that gets through armor or cover reduces a target’s Life Points and/or Structure Points.

Damage By Attack Type: Dice rolled for successful hits, before figuring for target’s armor. If armor reduces damage dice to zero, the armor completely protects the target from the weapon.

  • 1D: small natural attacks
  • 2D: predator’s natural attacks, small melee weapons
  • 3D: poisonous natural attacks, large melee weapons, light firearms
  • 4D: large two-handed melee weapons, medium firearms, light lasers, light gauss coilguns
  • 5D: heavy firearms and lasers, plasma weapons at long range
  • 8D: grenades, light cannons
  • 10D: heavy gauss coilguns, plasma weapons at medium or closer range
  • 16D: fusion weapons at medium or closer range
  • 20D: land artillery

Armor and Cover: Use these values to subtract dice of damage from successful attacks before rolling remaining dice for loss of Life Points or Structure Points. Only use either the higher value from armor or cover per target; don’t subtract for both. Values greater than the weapon’s damage dice completely protect the target, even from direct hits.

  • -1D: light armor (jack, mesh, flak jacket) or light cover (interior walls).
  • -2D: medium armor (cloth, vacc suits up to TL8) or medium cover (exterior walls, pressurized bulkheads).
  • -3D: heavy armor (vacc suits of TL9 or higher) or heavy cover (vault doors).
  • -4D: superheavy armor (TL 11 combat battlesuit) or superheavy cover (starship hull).
  • -5D: advanced superheavy armor (TL 12/13 combat battlesuit, TL 13 battle dress)
  • -9D: extreme superheavy armor (TL 14 combat battlesuit, TL 14 battle dress)

DANGEROUS HAZARDS

Armor may or may not protect from damage caused by exposure to certain threats, toxins, or extreme conditions.

Acid, Chemicals, Fire, Electricity, Poison, and Radiation: Exposure to these threats range from a light injury (1D damage) to almost certain instant death (12D damage or more). When in doubt, the GM should roll one die to determine the initial severity (1D to 6D), then apply that number of dice as damage for each combat round of exposure. A quick action to get to safety may be possible or require an average to difficult task roll using 2D + Dexterity + Tactics.

Dangerous Atmospheres (Exotic, Corrosive, and Insidious): Exotic atmospheres are unbreathable by most living beings (see Suffocation rules), but are otherwise not harmful. Living beings who breath in corrosive air, typically high ammonia, suffer 1D damage per round; this air has no immediate effect on non-living beings or equipment. Insidious air, typically containing acidic compounds, causes 1D damage to living and non-living things per round of exposure.

Disease: Viruses, exotic bacteria, and alien parasites are all out there in the universe. GMs should adjust the following numbers (chance of contagion, time to symptoms, damage per day) to make diseases more or less dangerous as appropriate:

  • Exposure requires an average task roll of 8+ on 2D + Endurance + Survival to avoid contagion. If preventative medicines are taken, the appropriate Tech Level value of the treatments may be substituted for either the Endurance or Survival modifier.
  • If failing the exposure check, symptoms appear 1 to 6 days later (1D).
  • An infected character loses 1D Life Points per day for 1 to 6 days. If continuous rest under medical care is available for treatment, subtract the available Tech Level from the number of Life Points lost per day.

Falling: At 1G (standard Earth gravity), a falling object takes 1 point of damage per meter of height when landing onto a hard surface. (This simplified rule doesn’t account for acceleration over long distances, but it’s practical for game play. Above 140 meters or so, terminal velocity on Earth limits a falling human’s further acceleration.) Armor typically does not offer protection for falling damage unless it is equipped with jetpack thrusters or some other means of breaking the fall. In different gravity, multiply the damage by the local G and round down. Example: A character knocked off a 12-meter-tall cliff on a moon with a gravity of 0.22 G would only take 2 points of damage (12 x 0.22 = 2.64).

Intoxicants: Places across the galaxy offers many liquors and narcotics. In game terms, one “dose” is equal to 330ml (one-third liter) of beer, 175ml (quarter bottle) of wine, or 45 ml (one shot) of hard liquor. (The GM must rules on other substances.)

  • 1 to 3 doses in one hour … No game effects.
  • 4 to 6 doses in one hour … Reduce character’s Intelligence modifier by 1 and apply an additional -2 circumstance modifier to all task rolls.
  • 7 to 9 doses in one hour … Reduce character’s Intelligence modifier by 2 and apply an additional -4 circumstance modifier to all task rolls.
  • 10 to 12 doses in one hour … Apply a -6 circumstance modifier to all task rolls; character must make an easy (6+) task roll of 2D + Endurance + Streetwise or fall unconscious.
  • 13 or more doses in one hour … Apply a -8 circumstance modifier to all task rolls; character must make a difficult (10+) task roll of 2D + Endurance + Streetwise or suffer 1D damage and fall unconscious.

Characters “lose” doses affecting them at a rate of 1 + Endurance modifier per hour.

Sleep Deprivation: After 24 hours, a character needs to make an easy (6+) task roll of 2D + Endurance + Survival to remain awake. This task roll must be repeated every 12 hours thereafter, with the difficulty increasing by 2 each check: average (8+) after 36 hours, difficult (10+) after 48 hours, staggering (12+) after 60 hours. Some drugs may grant conditional modifiers for these task checks.

Suffocation, Thirst And Starvation: The rule of thumb is humans can go three minutes without air, three days without water and three weeks without food. After those limits, humans must make a difficult task roll of 2D + Endurance + Survival to find at least minimal resources or endure the hardship. Rolling a 10 or more avoids damage, while a 9 or less costs the character 2D damage per additional minute (for air) day (for water), or week (for food) as appropriate. Armor gives no protection against damage from these threats.

Vacuum Of Space: Long before suffocation becomes a problem, extreme cold, rapid dehydration and tissue damage will kill a human left in space. Unprotected exposure to vacuum causes 5D damage per round to any living being not protected by a vacc suit or equivalent armor. Once Life Points drop to 4 or less, the character also suffers blindness that lasts until all Life Points are healed.

DEALING WITH LOCALS

As Traveller characters navigate the galaxy, they often need to interact with a variety of non-player characters (NPCs): customs officials, planetary magistrates, mission recruiters, alien diplomats, and more. In most cases, Intelligence will be the most appropriate trait for a task roll, but Social Status may also be used. The appropriate skill is based on the method and audience of interaction, and no one offers up help or risk for free; figure 10cr to 60cr (1D) is needed per question asked.

In terms of bribery (not always overt), including a “gift” worth 100s of credits adds a +1 circumstantial modifier to the task roll, 1,000s gives +2, ands 10,000s adds +3.

Some skill examples…

Administration: Answers or help from politicians, legal officials, police, or local nobility. Cutting through bureaucratic red tape, insuring compliance with local laws and customs, and identifying the leaders of local social factions.

Engineering: Hacking into secure data sources, encrypted information, civil robots, or local surveillance systems (almost always an illegal and risky action).

Medical: Warnings about infectious outbreaks, xenobiological threats, or unusual biohazards. Legality of various drugs. Local policies about cloning, cybernetics, and genetic engineering.

Starship Ops: Gathering details on natural science questions (atmospheric composition, land masses, orbital rates) through sensors and direct access to any locally available data repositories.

Streetwise: Answers and help from local social factions, including fringe organizations, criminals, rebels, alien minorities, and other disenfranchised groups. Also useful for finding hidden gambling sites, smugglers, and covert information brokers.

Tactics: Answers or help from military officials, mercenary recruiters, arms dealers, intelligence agencies, and local veterans. Known enemy locations, hostile regions, supply line routes, and unspoken morale issues among the rank-and-file soldiers.

Trade: Answers or help from corporate and private business executives, union leaders, and officials in charge of tariffs, duties, and local currencies. Identifying the relative value of various cargo goods to local markets. Bypassing certain embargoes and regulations. Connecting with freight and passenger ships going off-world.

OTHER INTERSTELLAR INSTITUTIONS

These organizations span the entire Imperium, though they might only be found on some worlds in major starports.

Travellers’ Aid Society (TAS): For a cr 1,000,000 lifetime fee (sometimes given as a reward for terms of service), members may enjoy one free High Passage every two months, one week of paid accommodations each month, and exclusive access to TAS lounges in more developed starports. (Travel benefits may be shared or sold.)

The Imperial Navy: Warships based from key star systems, primarily to combat piracy but also critical in interstellar frontier wars. Loyal only to the Emperor and limited in authority to space itself, not planetary-bound affairs. Related forces include colonial naval forces (loyal to local world defense), mashkim (old Vland term for constabularies or civil police), and mercenaries (irregular “for hire” or long-term contractual companies).

Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS): The scouts explore Imperial frontiers, map and survey worlds to revise library data, and help carry mail through its Express Boat Network.

Megacorporations: There are a dozen interstellar corporations known to do business across the Imperium, along with thousands of smaller regional enterprises. Major megacorps and conglomerates (and their principal industries) include:

  • Delgado (military harware, miniaturization, minerals, publsihing, trading, recreatinal products)
  • General Products (heavy industry, starships, vehicles)
  • GSbAG (starships)
  • Hortalez et Cie (banking, investments, finance)
  • Interstellarms (military hardware and units, strategic planning)
  • Ling-Standard Products (mining, electronics, vehicles, weapons, consumer goods)
  • Makhidkarun (communications, computers, entertainment, recreation)
  • Naasirka (information retrieval hardware and software, robots, recreation)
  • SuSAG (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering)
  • Sternmetal (mining, manufacturing, energy supplies, food synthesis)
  • Tukera (passenger and freight transport, trade speculation)
  • Zirunkarlish (capital investment, real estate, insurance)

TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT

A shorthand number called a Tech Level (TL) summarizes major benchmarks of available tech in various societies. While various versions of Traveller have included whole “gadget catalogs” of items available at various tech levels, these board categories should help players imagine what is available on local worlds in broad society. Specialty sites such as a starport may have higher technology available than elsewhere on that world.

Circumstantial Bonuses: As a rule of thumb, tools designed at higher Tech Levels may grant a +1 modifier bonus when used for lower level tech. The inverse also applies, as using less advanced tools on higher levels of technology suffer -1 modifier per TL difference. Example: An engineer with Gravitic Age diagnotic gear (TL 10) working to repair a TL 8 portable sensor would gain a +1 modifier.

Expanded Ranges

For personal equipment…

  • Reach (1m to 3m)
  • Close (3m to 25m)
  • Short (25m to 100m)
  • Medium (100m to 300m)
  • Long (300m to 750m)
  • Very Long (750m to 3 km)
  • Distant (3 km to 25 km)
  • Very Distant (25km to 250 km)
  • Orbit (250 km to 1,000 km)
  • Far Orbit (1,000 km to 100,000 km)

Starship Ranges

For distances in space…

  • Close (within 1 km)
  • Short (1,000s km)
  • Medium (10,000s km)
  • Long (100,000s km) (civilian sensors limit)
  • Distant (millions km) (military/scout sensors limit)
  • Subsystem (100s millions km)
  • System (billions km)
  • Parsec (trillions km, 3.26 light years)
  • Subsector (10s light years)
  • Sector (100s light years)

TECH LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS

EXTREMELY LOW TECHNOLOGY (TL0): Stone Age. Crude tools made out of natural materials (stone, wood, bones, fur/pelts). Domesticated livestock, simple shelters, transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture. Tribal gatherings, shamanistic religions and medicine, barter for trade.

Weapons:

  • Hands, teeth (1D damage)
  • Club or cudgel (cr 5 or 10; 2D damage)
  • Spear (cr 10; 2D damage)

VERY LOW TECHNOLOGY (TL1 to TL3): Bronze, Iron, Medieval ages into the Industrial Revolution. Manufactured materials (metals, glass, cement, concrete). Rise of science, mathematics, study of anatomy. Astronomy, telescopes, navigation by star positions in the sky. Ocean travel in ships. Kingdoms, city states, some use of cannons in warfare. Written texts and laws, broad literacy.

Medical Care: Crude surgical procedures, herbs, simple medicines.

Armor:

  • Jack (cr 50; -1D armor) (leather armor)
  • Platemail (cr 1,500; -2D armor) (full metal suit)

Weapons:

  • Dagger (cr 10; 2D damage)
  • Cutlass (cr 150; 3D damage)
  • Pike (cr 40; 3D damage)
  • Broadsword (cr 300; 4D damage; req. two hands)
  • Halberd (cr 75; 3D damage)
  • Blade (cr 50; 2D damage)
  • Foil (cr 100; 1D damage)
  • Sword (cr 100; 2D damage)
  • Bayonet (cr 10; 3D damage)

LOW TECHNOLOGY (TL4 to TL6): Mechanized, Broadcast and Atomic ages. Widespread use of electricity to power tools, processed oil to power vehicles. Manufactured materials (plastics, fiberglass, titanium). Biochemistry, viral science and vaccines, mapping of DNA. Regional broadcast signals first in audio, later adding video. Industrial robots. Travel by aircraft common. Continent-wide nations and alliances, global trade. Widespread use of personal firearms. Use of orbital satellites for global communications.

Computers: Model/1 large electronic computers are needed for some task checks but do not grant a modifier.

Medical Care: Antiseptics, anesthetics, and vaccinations greatly improve preventative care, although trauma healing remains a slow process.

  • Vaccine dose (specific) (cr 15)
  • Antitoxin dose (cr 20)
  • Antibiotic dose (cr 50)

Armor:

  • Cloth (cr 250; -2D armor) (aramid fiber)

Weapons:

  • Revolver (cr 150; 3D damage; max. range Long)
  • Shotgun (cr 150; 4D damage; max. range Long)
  • Auto Pistol (cr 200; 3D damage; max. range Long)
  • Carbine (cr 200; 3D damage; max. range Long)
  • Rifle (cr 200; 3D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • SMG (cr 500; 3D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Automatic Rifle (cr 1,000; 3D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Light Machine Gun (LMG) (cr 1,200; 3D damage; max. range Very Long)

Vehicles:

  • All-terrain land vehicle (cr 10,000)
  • Ground car (cr 7,000)
  • Big boat/yacht/powered watercraft (cr 100,000)
  • Small submarine (cr 500,000)

Sensors: Portable detectors must be Touching (0m) to detect specific chemicals. Matching biological materials to individuals is limited (hair or blood samples, fingerprints). Local weather patterns can be predicted within hours. Travel directions limited to magnetic compasses. Telescopes and binoculars can enhance vision.

“Portable” sensors (hand-held units) cost Cr250 for one specific use (detect metal or radiation), or cr 1,000 for “broad spectrum” functionality (radiation, chemical, biological). Anything noted as a “worn” device costs cr 500.

Routine scans are easy, but to focus or rush a specific use of sensors, an average (8+) task roll of 2D + Intelligence or Education + Engineering is needed.

Communications: Based on broadcasting and receiving radio signals. Larger base units cost more and grant longer range.

Broadcast Radio Signals Cost Range
Portable Unit cr 225 Very Long
Station (100s watts) cr 750 Distant
Station (1,000s watts) cr 1,500 V. Distant
Station (10,000s watts) cr 15,000 Orbit

MODERATE TECHNOLOGY (TL7 to TL9): Information Age into early stellar/fusion age. Multiple methods of generating electrical power (nuclear, geothermal, solar). Micro-manufacturing of new materials. Bionic and cybernetic prosthetics, artificial organ replacements. Audio-commanded robots. Arcologies on planet’s surface, permanent settlements in orbital stations. Global digital data networks, broad computer literacy. Sublight spacecraft explore local system.

Computers: Model/2 to Model/3 level expert systems grant users a +1 modifier to task checks.

Medical Care: Under medical care with cyberwear, advanced medicines, and bionic organ replacements available, a treated human automatic recovers an additional 1d6 life points per day. Non-living robots and androids can recover the same amount of structure points in a machine workshop of equal Tech Level.

  • Medical slow drug dose (cr 100) (user unconscious but gains 30 days worth of healing in one day)
  • Metabolic drug daily dose (cr 1,000) (taken daily, adds +1 cirm. modf. to resist disease)
  • Slow drug dose (cr 5,000) (3 rounds after taking, perform double actions for 40 rounds, then suffer 1d6 life point loss and totally fatigued)
  • Truth drug dose (cr 5,000) (dose lasts about 2 minutes)
  • Fast drug dose (cr 2,000) (makes time seem to pass at 60:1 ratio, affected user essentially in stasis)
  • Combat drug dose (cr 750) (Strength and Endurance become +2 and gain 14 temp. Life Points for 30 rounds, then suffer 1d6 life point loss)

Armor:

  • Mesh (cr 150; -1D armor) (reinforced aramid fiber)
  • Vacc Suit (TL 8) (cr 10,000; -2D armor) (includes 6 hours air)
  • Vacc Suit (TL 9+) (cr 10,000; -3D armor) (includes 60 hours air)
  • Hostile Environment Suit (Tl 9) (cr 8,000; -3 armor) (includes 10 hours air)
  • Ablat (cr 75; -3D armor versus lasers, -1D versus other attacks) (destroyed after one hit)

Weapons:

  • Body Pistol (cr 500; 2D damage; max. range Medium) (+3 cirm. modf. to conceal)
  • Laser Carbine (cr 2,500; 4D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Laser Rifle (cr 3,500; 5D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Light Assault Gun (LAG) (cr 600; 4D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Auto-Cannon (cr 10,000; 8D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Accelerator Rifle (cr 900; 3D damage; max. range Very Long)

Vehicles:

  • Hovercraft (cr 200,000)
  • Air/raft (cr 600,000) (holds 4 plus 4 tons cargo; up to 100 kph)
  • Non-starship spacecraft (cr 10s millions)

Sensors: Portable detectors work at Close range (up to 25m) to detect minerals, metals, radiation, chemical compounds, and organic molecules. Scans can penetrate most solid surfaces at Reach/Touching range (0m), except superdense materials or shielding using high atomic number elements such as lead.

DNA samples can be matched to specific documented individuals within 1 to 6 days.

Seismic scans can predict earthquakes 2d6 hours in advance. Local weather patterns can be predicted within days.

Worn devices can expand basic senses (infrared goggles to see heat sources, light intensifiers to see in near total darkness, targeted microphones to hear Long range as if Talking range). Personal or vehicular sensors automatically track inertia (direction and distance travelled for analysis or mapping).

Communications: Although there is no faster-than-light communication, higher levels of technology do improve slower signal systems (gamma beams replace radio waves). These same technologies are used for ship-to-ship communication in deep space.

Most interstellar communications between neighboring star systems are done through X-Boat courier starships jumping up to six parsecs per week, much like the American Pony Express mail system of the 1860s. For more secure messages, private couriers are used, often traveling undercover or as part of a military retinue.

At this general level, communication drones, satellites, and planetary networks greatly extend the range, and lower the cost, for direct communications.

Digital Satellite Networks Cost Range
Portable (Local) cr 75 Very Long
Station (Regional) cr 250 Distant
Station (Continental) cr 500 V. Distant
Station (Global) cr 5,000 Orbit

HIGH TECHNOLOGY (TL10 to TL12): Gravitic Age, average Imperial. Jump drives (range 1 to 3 parsecs), grav vehicles and structures (starships, hovertanks, air/raft, speeders, floating cities). Fusion power local and common. Manufacturing of superdense materials. Implanted neural computers, personality recording. Robots with low autonomy. Instant multilingual translators. Starship meson and fusion weapons. Planet-wide weather control, regional terraforming.

Medical Care: Nanosurgery, growth quickening of natural or cloned cells, and advanced medical drugs allow a living creature to recover an additional 1d6 life points per hour. Rapid fabrication provides the same level of care to non-living damaged creatures.

  • Bandage spray (cr 75)
  • Vaccine (spectrum) (cr 20)
  • Slow drug antidote (cr 800) (counteracts slow drug)
  • Field surgery kit (cr 1,000) (about 10 kg)
  • Hand Mediscanner (cr 1,500)
  • Healing drug dose (cr 25) (restores 1 to 6 Life Points in 10 minutes; can only be taken once daily)
  • Portable hospital (cr 4,500) (about 35 kg)
  • Fast drug antidote (cr 900) (counteracts fast drug)

Armor:

  • Hostile Environment Suit (TL 10) (cr 10,000; -5D armor) (80 hours air)
  • Reflec (cr 15000; -5D armor versus lasers, no armor versus othe attacks)
  • Combat Armor (TL 11) (cr 20,000; -4D armor)

Weapons:

  • Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) (cr 1,000; 4D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Gauss Rifle (cr 1,500; 4D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • VRF Gauss Gun (cr 200,000; 10D damage; max. range Very Long)
  • Portable Plasma Gun (PGMP-12) (cr 10,000; 10D damage at Medium range; 5D at Long; 2D at max. Very Long range; req. battle dress armor to use)

Vehicles:

  • Grav belt (cr 100,000)
  • Non-starship spacecraft (cr 10s millions)
  • Starships (cr 10s millions to billions) (jump 1 to jump 3)

Computers: Model/4 to Model/6 level synaptic learning systems and positronic brains give machines low autonomy and grant users a +2 modifier to task checks.

Sensors: Portable detectors work at Medium range (up to 300m), even “seeing” through solids at range, to detect as noted for Moderate Tech but also density, mass and gravity. Starship-mounted sensors work at Long Starship range (100,000s km).

DNA samples can identify a species instantly, be matched to specific documented individuals within 1d6 minutes, or even reconstruct a virtual model likeness within 1d6 hours.

Seismic scans can predict earthquakes 1 to 6 months in advance. Local weather patterns, if uncontrolled, can be modeled and predicted weeks in advance.

(At the limit of this tech, psionic shields are possible to block life detection or psi influence.)

Communications: Systems use gravity pulse signals. Portability improves while prices and ranges match that of Moderate Tech systems, with the addition of a Far Orbit option.

Gravity Pulse Signals Cost Range
Station (In-System) cr 10,000 Far Orbit

VERY HIGH TECHNOLOGY (TL13 to TL15): Geneering Age, High Stellar, Imperial maximum. Jumps drive (up to 6 parsecs). Grav belts for personal flight, whole grav-mobile cities. Industrial nanotechnology. Fast cloning of whole bodies, memory erasure, temporary personality transfers, brain transplants. Robots with high autonomy. Pseudo-reality chambers. Meson communicators, starship x-ray laser weapons. Global terraforming (ecopoiesis on barren worlds).

Medical Care: As long as a body has been dead or off-line for less than 8 minutes, it automatically regain 1d6 life points or structure points per minute (nanomites quickly repair tissues and organs, reforming systems including neural pathways).

  • Anagathic treatment (cr 20,000) (halts aging effects for one month)

Armor:

  • Combat Armor (TL 13) (cr 25,000; -5D armor)
  • Battle Dress (TL 14) (cr 210,000; -9D armor) (powered battleuit includes vacc suit, advanced sensors, comms, effective Strength +2, chameleon surface for stealth, psionic shielding)

Weapons:

  • Portable Plasma Gun (PGMP-14) (cr 65,000; 12D damage at Medium range; 6D at Long; 3D at max. Very Long range; req. battle dress armor to use)
  • Portable Fusion Gun (FGMP-14) (cr 100,000; 16D damage at Medium range; 4D at Long; 4D at max. Very Long range; req. battle dress armor to use)

Vehicles:

  • Starships (cr 10s millions to billions) (jump 1 to jump 6)

Computers: Model/7 and up machines gain high autonomy and grant users a +3 modifier to task checks.

Sensors: Portable detectors work at Very Long range (up to 3 km), while starship-mounted sensors work at Distant range (millions km). Nanotechnology can make “invisible” detectors over specific areas.

DNA instantly matches to known individuals. Psionic influence can be measured at Talking range (up to 3m), allowing for psionic interfaces with other equipment.

Communications: Systems shift to using meson beam communications above TL 13.

EXTREMELY HIGH (TL16 to TL18): Beyond Imperial science, but found on isolated worlds. Self-aware starships. Exotic custom lifeforms. Artificial people with original minds or permanent copies from previous recordings. Short-range matter transport for cargo and people (regional teleporters). Starship disintegrators, tractor beams, Black Globe fields around elite military starships.

Medical Care: At this point, even death is not permanent thanks to brain transplants, personality transfers, and full-body cloning. Anagathics (anti-aging drugs) make practical immortality a possibility for living creatures with such means.

Computers: Self-aware machines grant users a +4 modifier to task checks.

Sensors: Portable detectors work at Very Distant range (up to 25km). Accurate models can be replicated any point within Short range (up to 100m) down to the atomic level, although organic compounds may be damaged.

ULTRA-HIGH (TL19 and higher): Generally unknown in the Imperium except as artifacts of The Ancients. Multi-parsec matter transports for starships. Jump drive range up to hundreds of parsecs. Construction of whole artificial worlds (first small planets, later ringworlds, then dyson spheres). Fields to block jump drives. Mobile planets. Hand-held disintegration weapons.

As Arthur C. Clarke wrote in 1962: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL

Starships use jump drives, devices that exploit shifting matter into jumpspace (hyperspace) and following curvatures in space-time to cross one to six parsecs (3 to 20 light years) in about a week’s time. Such drives’ navigation relies on tracking the momentum of the entire universe and large gravity wells within it such as stars, but such calculations require distancing from “distracting” smaller gravity sources such as planets.

Before safely initiating a jump, a ship must travel at sublight speeds into empty space within a star system, at least 10 diameters away from the nearest planetary body. The time this trip takes depends on the ship’s maneuvering speed.

Time To Reach Safe Jump Distance (Hours)

  1-G 2-G 3-G 4-G 5-G 6-G
Planetoid 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Small World 4.4 3.1 2.6 2.2 2.0 1.8
Large World 6.2 4.4 3.6 3.1 2.8 2.6
Small Gas Giant 12.4 8.7 7.1 6.2 5.5 5.0
Large Gas Giant 17.6 12.4 10.1 8.8 7.9 7.2

(In terms of UWP Codes, consider any world of Size Code 0 to be a “Planetoid,” Size Code 1 to 6 to be a “Small World,” and Size Code 7 or more to be a “Large World.”)

Jump Task Checks: Once clear of local worlds, the pilot of the starship must make an average task roll of 2D + Education + Starship Ops or Engineering. On an 8 or more, the jump happens as planned. On a 7 or less, the player must roll one die. On a 1, the ship is destroyed, otherwise nothing severe happens during the misjump.

Jump Task Circumstantial Modifiers
+2 … Military or scout starship
+1 … Moderate tech computer (Model/2 to Model/3)
+2 … High tech computer (Model/4 to Model/6)
+3 … Very high tech computer (Model/7+)
+4 … Extreme high tech computer (self aware)
-1 … Using unrefined fuel (hydrogen skimmed from a gas giant)
-1 … Per jump past a missed maintenance repair after two jumps
-5 … Starting a jump within 100 diameters of a world
-10 … Starting a jump within 10 diameters of a world

STARSHIP OPERATIONS

Life Support Standards: The majority of starship interiors set for humans will have 1.0G gravity; an air composition of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 0.1% other (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, ozone, water vapor); air humidity of 60% RH (relative humidity); 1 bar/101.3kPa (14.7) air pressure; air temperature of 22 degrees C (about 72 degrees Fahrenheit); and around 1,500 lux in light.

The major sophont “alien” species in Traveller closely share these environmental standards, with these difference notes from their native homeworlds:

  • Aslan (Kilrai UWP A876986-E): Tainted by human standards.
  • Droyne (unknown): Close to standard, lighter gravity likely.
  • Hivers (Guaran/Hive UWP A565800-F): Much lighter gravity, slightly drier; light levels will be much darker.
  • K’kree (Kirur/Thirty UWP B863A03-F): Much drier; often simulates smell of the herd.
  • Solomani Humans (Terra UWP A867A69-F): Earth.
  • Vargr (Lair/Grnouf UWP A8859B9-F): Slightly drier.
  • Zhodani Humans (Zhdant/Gaval UWP A6547C8-F): Thin air, lighter gravity.

Expenses: Commercial starships usually make two jumps between maintenance periods: one week at a departure world to gather new passengers and freight, one week in jumpspace, another week at the arrival world to refuel and repeat transfers, and then another week-long jump. Within this four-week cycle (roughly once a month), starship operations incur the following expenses:

  • 1/240th starship base cost per month for mortgage payments (ignore for Imperial navy ships and most scout/courier ships)
  • cr 1,000 per stateroom
  • cr 1,000 per person for life support
  • cr 100 per low berth in operation
  • cr 500 per ton of refined fuel, or cr 100 for unrefined fuel
  • cr 200 per ton for repairs and maintenance on a civilian starship, or cr 500 per ton for a military starship (including mercenary vessels)

For common starships, the following rule-of-thumb for monthly operating expenses for life support, repairs, starport berthing fees, and refueling may be used (not including NPC crew salaries):

  • cr 61,000/month … Scout/Courier (in service)
  • cr 184,000/month … Scout/Courier (wholly private)
  • cr 243,000/month … Free Trader (private)
  • cr 2,855,000/month … Mercenary Cruiser (private)

Salaries: The above costs assume all crew positions are taken up by player characters. For any NPC crew needed, the following salaries must also be paid per maintenance period:

  • cr 6,000 for a pilot
  • cr 5,000 for a navigator
  • cr 4,000 for an engineer
  • cr 2,000 for a steward
  • cr 3,000 for a medic
  • cr 1,000 for a gunner
  • cr 1,000 for a trooper

INTERSTELLAR TRADE

The majority of passengers, freight, and mail travel from world to world in the Imperium via independent commercial starships, although the Imperial Scout Service also operates the Express Boat Network of fast courier ships. The “Pony Express” model is common, where items are relayed between starships at key stations and planets.

Revenues: For a one-parsec trip into a neighboring star system, typical starship rates are:

  • cr 10,000 per High Passenger
  • cr 8,000 per Middle Passenger
  • cr 1,000 per Low Passenger
  • cr 1,000 per ton of freight/cargo
  • cr 25,000 mail drums (if fitted)

For common starships, the following rule-of-thumb for monthly operating incomes may be used, figuring full booking on two jump trips per four-week period to and from populated worlds:

  • cr 60,000/period … Scout/Courier (no mail)
  • cr 10,000/period … Scout/Courier (no mail)
  • cr 380,000/period … Free Trader (passengers and cargo)

Obviously, scout/couriers not hauling mail on standard routes need to supplement an additional cr 50,000 per month just to break even, usually done through special missions for local governments, corporations, research institutes, or extremely wealthy individuals. Mercenary cruisers don’t make money by hauling passengers or freight, instead relying on mission contracts for income.

If a merchant starship’s monthly routine for income is interrupted (delayed by misadventure, intercepted by pirates, wasted by visiting unpopulated worlds), reduce revenues should be adjusted accordingly.

Merchant Captains: Player characters in charge of a merchant ship can make task rolls for a chance to improve revenues during a four-week period. Roll 2D + Intelligence + Trade and use these results:

5 or less … no revenue
6 to 7 … half listed revenue/month
8 to 11 … average listed revenue/month
12 to 13 … +50% listed revenue/month
14 to 15 … double listed revenue/month
16 or more … triple listed revenue/month

Cargo Speculation: Instead of just getting paid to haul someone else’s goods, some merchants purchase industrial or agricultural goods by the ton in hopes of finding buyers at destination worlds where they can make a profit. These rules assume local broker fees have been included. Characters must specify how many tons of cargo are of industrial cargo (manufactured items, raw materials) or agricultural cargo (grains, livestock, other foodstuffs).

To determine the required purchase price the merchant must pay per ton for generic cargo, make a task check of 2d + Intelligence + Trade:

5 or less … gouging: cr 20,000/ton
6 to 7 … expensive: cr 10,000/ton
8 to 11 … average: cr 5,000/ton
12 to 13 … discounted: cr 2,500/ton
14 or more … bargain: cr 1,000/ton

Purchasing Circumstantial Modifiers
-3 if buying agricultural goods on an industrial world, or industrial goods on an agricultural world
-3 on a low population world (Population factor 3 or less)
+3 on a high population world (Population factor 9 or more)

To determine the destination market selling price the merchant can get for generic cargo, make another task check of 2d + Intelligence + Trade:

5 or less … dumping: cr 1,000/ton
6 to 7 … discounted: cr 2,500/ton
8 to 11 … average: cr 5,000/ton
12 to 13 … high demand: cr 10,000/ton
14 or more … extreme demand: cr 20,000/ton

Selling Circumstantial Modifiers
-3 if selling agricultural goods on an agricultural world, or industrial goods on an industrial world
-3 on a low population world (Population code 3 or less)
+3 on a high population world (Population code 9 or more)

Illegal Cargos: If a merchant wants to risk dealing with contraband (typically drugs or weapons), task rolls gain a +3 circumstantial modifier for both purchasing and selling. However, at both the departure world and arrival world, the merchant must make a task roll of 2D + Intelligence + Streetwise against an opposing value of 2d6 + the world’s Law Level code. If the merchant ties or beats both opposed checks, the smuggling goes unnoticed. If either check fails, local authorities detect the contraband and respond accordingly (triggering a new side mission run by the GM).

STARSHIP COMBAT

Space combat in Traveller is usually not like the flashy dogfights of space opera movies, but more like slow and tense submarine warfare. Enemy ships detect each other at vast distances, thousands or even millions of kilometers away, and fire weapons that may take several minutes to silently reach their targets. Continuous hits wear down a ship’s functioning systems, and rarely does a single shot cause a starship to immediately explode. (Rarely…)

Space Combat Phases: Actions are resolved in initiative order for all sides each phase before moving on to the next phase.

  • 1. Ship Initiative: Determining the order of resolving actions. Typically only done in first round of space combat.
  • 2. Detection Phase: Identifying potential targets within range (free action); optional shut down for silent running (action).
  • 3. Engage Or Escape Phase: Moving toward or away from enemies (pilot action). Evasive maneuvers (pilot action).
  • 4. Attacking Phase: Appointing point-defense fire (gunner action), deploying sandcasters (gunner action), resolving hits and damage (gunner action).
  • 5. Ancillary Phase: Damage control (engineer action), launching ship’s vehicles (an action), initiate a jump (pilot or engineer action), other other character actions.

Space Combat Rounds: Unlike in personal combat where each round is about 15 seconds, a round in space combat time is usually about 20 minutes. In cases of boarding actions, players may switch back to Personal Combat rules and 15-second rounds to resolve deck-to-deck battles.

Space Weapons: These rules simply ship weapons to either beam weapons (maximum Medium range) and missiles (maximum Distant range). Lasers are described as the default beam weapon, but some GMs may allow other types of “beams” to be used (fusion guns, plasma bolts, particle accelerators, “phasers”). Likewise, missiles can be nuclear, high explosive, “photon torpedoes,” anti-matter shells, or whatever fits the players’ style of sci-fi. Regardless of description, the rules work the same.

Player Character Actions: Each player character may take one action during a space combat round, either in the Detection, Engage Or Escape, Attacking, or Ancillary phase. The player of a ship’s captain typically makes any task rolls for that ship’s NPCs unless the action is specific to other characters’ roles, such as gunners firing weapons or engineers making damage control repairs.

Computer-Assisted Tasks: Unlike characters, a ship’s computer can work on many tasks simultaneously. The computer assistance circumstantial modifier (Model/2 or better) may be applied multiple times during a space combat round. Example: A Model/4 computer may grant a -2 modifier on attacking enemies if a pilot takes the Evade action, while also granting +2 to all gunners firing weapons during the same round..

Ship-To-Ship Communications: Sending and receiving signals at Long range (100,000s km) cross a few light-seconds and suffer minor delays. Communication at Distant range (millions km) suffers several minutes delay, up to the duration of an entire space combat round.

Space Combat Ranges: For sensor signals and weapons in space, use the following simplified scale to represent distances between targets.

  • Close (within 1 km)
  • Short (1,000s km)
  • Medium (10,000s km) (beam weapons)
  • Long (100,000s km) (civilian sensors)
  • Distant (millions km) (military/scout sensors, missiles)

Scales Beyond Space Combat Ranges: Used for stellar mapping.

  • Subsystem (100s millions km)
  • System (billions km)
  • Parsec (trillions km, 3.26 light years)
  • Subsector (10s light years)
  • Sector (100s light years)

1. SHIP INITIATIVE

Each ship’s captain rolls 2D + Intelligence + Tactics. Higher rolls act before lower rolls; compare highest Tactics skill modifiers to resolve ties, then highest Intelligence modifiers as needed. If combatants are still tied, they act simultaneously. Keep the initiative order for the duration of the space combat battle; do not reroll initiative each round or phase.

2. DETECTION PHASE

Any ships performing regular operations (using Manuever Drive, sensors, communication signals) are automatically detected by other ships within sensor range (no action required). Private and commercial ships typically have a Sensors Maximum Range out to Long (100,000 km) distance, but any ship detected in this range may be tracked even if it moves to Distant (million km) range. Military and scout ships have an active Sensors Maximum Range out to Distant (million km) range.

Silent Running: Ships seeking to avoid detection may lower their signal profiles and attempt to remain unseen by other ships’ sensors. The “stealth” ship’s crew makes a task roll of 2D + Intelligence + Engineering or Tactics (use highest skill) against an opposed roll of other ships’ task roll of 2D + Education + Starship Ops. Computer-Assisted Targeting modifiers may be applied to these task rolls for both sides.

If the “stealth” ship ties or beats other ships’ total rolls, it remains undetected and cannot be scanned or targeted by weapons. Any searching ships getting higher results detect the “stealth” ship, may track it, and share that ship’s actual location with allied ships within Long (100,000 km) range. Ships further away need to rely on their own sensors to confirm a “stealth” ship’s location.

If a “stealth” ship fires beam weapons or missiles, it is immediately detected if within other ships’ sensor range.

Scanning Detected Ships: At extended ranges, ship sensors can tell the difference between other ships and celestial objects (asteroids, comets), but beyond location and velocity, few details can be confirmed until closer.

  • High Technology (TL 10 to 12) ships at Short Range (1,000s km) automatically recognize detected targets’ external features and radiation signatures: Tonnage, Armor, Fuel Capacity, Streamlining, Maneuver Drive, and Weapons.
  • For Very High Technology (TL 13 to 15) ships, internal features including Crew, Computer, Sensor Maximum Range, Jump Drive Capacity, Staterooms, Passengers (High, Middle, Low, and Troopers), and Ship’s Vehicles can be identified at Short range (1,000s km). A target’s external features – Tonnage, Armor, Fuel Capacity, Streamlining, Maneuver Drive, and Weapons – can be recognized at Medium range (10,000s km).
  • Extreme High Technology (TL 16 or higher) ships perform as Very High Technology above but at longer ranges: external features (Tonnage, Armor, etc.) at Long range (100,000s km), and internal features (Crew, Computer, etc.) at Medium range (10,000s km).

3. ENGAGE OR ESCAPE PHASE

Ship captains respond to enemies in one of two ways: Move closer to get a ship’s weapons into range of their target, or move away to avoid another’s weapons. Often a fleeing starship will just need to keep enough distance from an enemy to clear planetary gravity and initiate a jump to fully escape.

Initial Range Of Battle: The starting distance between sides in space combat is typically determined by the following factors:

  • First, if one side has sensors of Distant (millions km) range while the opposing side only has Long (100,000s km) range sensors, the side with Distant-range sensors may choose the starting range.
  • If both sides have the same sensor range, the side with the higher Maneuver Drive rating (n-G) may choose the starting range.
  • If both sides have equal sensors and Manuever Drive ratings, the side with the higher initiative result may choose the starting range.
  • If all these factors are tied, the default starting range is Long (100,000s km).

A GM may overrule the above guidelines, depending on events happening during the game’s story. Example: A ship blasting its way out of a planetary starport and heading up into space may be engaged by enemy patrol ships already in orbit at Medium (10,000s km) range.

Distant Opening Salvos: Military and scout vessels can detect ships and fire missile attacks at targets in Distant (millions km) range before those civilian ships with only Long (100,000s km) range sensors are aware of the threat. (The general direction from which the attack came allows targets to at least begin moving in the opposite direction should they seek to escape.) Ships with shorter sensor ranges must close the distance to locate enemy ships, but once detected, such ships may be tracked even if they again move back to Distant (millions km) range.

Evading Attacks: As an action, the pilot of any ship with a working Manuever Drive (1-G or better) may choose to make defensive maneuvers against incoming attacks, creating a circumstantial modifier on attacks targeting the ship equal to either the pilot’s Starship Ops skill or the ship’s computer modifier (Model/2 or better).

Closing To Engage: The time needed to move from one distance range band to another in relation to a target varies by a ship’s Maneuver Drive rating.

Time To Reach New Distance (Hours)

  1-G 2-G 3-G 4-G 5-G 6-G
Short-to-Medium/
Medium-to-Short
1.4 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6
Medium-to-Long/
Long-to-Medium
3.8 2.7 2.2 1.9 1.7 1.6
Long-to-Distant/
Distant-to-Long
12.4 8.7 7.1 6.2 5.5 5.0

If both ships are moving directly toward each other, multiply the time of the faster ship by the Travel Time Adjustment (Converging) modifier to guesstimate the time needed for the two ships to reach the next closest range band between them.

Travel Time Adjustment (Converging)

  Faster Ship
Slower Ship 1-G 2-G 3-G 4-G 5-G 6-G
1-G

x0.50 x0.33 x0.25 x0.20 x0.16 x0.15
2-G

x0.50 x0.40 x0.33 x0.28 x0.25
3-G

x0.50 x0.42 x0.37 x0.33
4-G

x0.50 x0.45 x0.40
5-G

x0.50 x0.45
6-G

x0.50

If one ship is moving directly in the opposite direction of a chasing ship, multiply the time of the faster ship by the Travel Time Adjustment (Chasing) modifier to guesstimate the time needed for the two ships to reach the next closest range band between them. “No” means the chasing ship has no chance of closing the distance.

Travel Time Adjustment (Chasing)

  Faster Ship
Slower Ship 1-G 2-G 3-G 4-G 5-G 6-G
1-G

no x3.3 x2.3 x2.0 x1.8 x1.7
2-G

no no x5.6 x3.4 x2.7 x2.3
3-G

no no no x7.7 x4.3 x3.3
4-G

no no no no x7.7 x5.3
5-G

no no no no no x11.1
6-G

no no no no no no

Going To Ground: A ship with steamlining that lands on world with an atmosphere code of 4 or more (thin or better) can no longer be targeted by space weapons. Worlds with atmosphere codes of 3 or less (very thin, trace, or no atmosphere) offer no protection from orbital attack, but starships not directly above ground targets cannot make an attack.

4. ATTACK PHASE

Each of a ship’s weapon systems may fire upon one target each round or fire upon incoming missiles. A weapon system is either operated by a gunner (Heavy Weaponry skill) or directly by a ship’s computer (Model/2 or better). All beam weapons and missiles are figured to be heading toward their targets at the same time, meaning attacks are resolved even if the weapon system or ship that launched the attack is disabled during the same round.

Anti-Missile Point Defense Fire: Instead of firing beam weapons at an enemy ship, as an action a gunner may instead fire upon incoming missiles. No task roll is needed; the action creates a circumstantial modifier during the current round’s attack phase equal to the either gunner’s Heavy Weaponry skill or the ship’s computer modifier, applied against all missile attack task rolls targeting the ship. If more than one beam weapon system is put to anti-missile use, add the modifiers together. Example: A mercenary cruiser with four triple laser turrets, a Model/5 (+2) computer, and three gunners (each with Heavy Weaponry +3 skill) opts to put two laser turrets on anti-missile point defense fire (one operated by a gunner, another directly by the computer, creating an enemy missile attack penalty of -5), while the other two turrets fire upon enemy ships.

Deploying Sandcasters: If available in a weapon mount or turret, as an action a gunner or other character may fire ablative reflective debris into the path between a ship and its attackers. No task check is needed for this action. This “sand” interferes with incoming laser fire and adds a -3 conditional modifier to attackers targeting the ship in the next round. Sandcasters provide no protection against missiles. After the following round, the sand it dispersed and offers no further protection.

Space Combat Attack Roll: Roll once for each weapon mount and turret. For starships of 100 tons or more, use 2D + Education + Heavy Weaponry. For spacecraft under 100 tons, use 2D + Dexterity + Heavy Weaponry.

Space Combat Circumstantial Modifiers
-0 … Beam weapons at Medium Range (10,000s km)
-3 … Beam weapons at Long Range (100,000s km)
-3 … Target within sandcaster debris (vs. lasers only)
-0 … Missiles at Long Range (100,000s km)
-3 … Missiles at Distant Range (millions km)
-1 … Attacker’s ship is at half or less Structure Points
Computer-Assisted Targeting
+1 … Moderate tech computer (Model/2 to Model/3)
+2 … High tech computer (Model/4 to Model/6)
+3 … Very high tech computer (Model/7+)
+4 … Extreme high tech computer (self aware)
Target’s Anti-Missile Fire (requires beam weapons)
-target gunner’s Heavy Weaponry skill, or computer modifier (vs. missiles only)
Target’s Evade Action
-target pilot’s Starship Ops skill, or computer modifier

Space Combat Attack Results: An attack roll of 8 or more is needed to hit a target. Any hit does a number of dice in damage, less any dice absorbed or deflected by the target’s Hull Armor. Damage that gets through armor reduces a target’s Structure Points and may randomly effect one of the target’s ship systems.

Critical Results In Space Combat: If an attack task check 2D roll results in 2, the weapon system suffers a malfunction (glitch, overload, failed target lock) and becomes disabled as per roll 10, 11 on the Space Combat Hit Location table. The weapon’s use can be restored by a Damage Control action in Phase 5: Ancillary Actions. If an attack task check 2D roll results in 12 and succeeds in causing a loss of Structure Points to the target, the attacker may pick a result on the Space Combat Hit Location table instead of rolling randomly.

Damage By Weapon Type: Roll once per hit for structure damage, reduced by target’s Hull Armor. If armor reduces damage dice to zero, the Hull Armor completely protects the target from the attack. If dice remain after accounting for armor, roll remaining dice for structure damage.

Structure Damage By Weapon

  • 1D x 100: lasers
  • 2D x 100: double lasers
  • 3D x 100: triple lasers
  • 6D x 100: missiles
  • #D x 100: special weapons (spinal mounts, meson guns, or other systems as noted for big military cruisers)

Structure Damage: Any ship below half Structure Points suffers a -1 circumstantial modifier on task rolls performed by its crew. At zero remaining points, a ship becomes disabled (all systems unable to function, including life support). At the full negative value of maximum Structure Points, a ship explodes and breaks into debris.

Hit Locations: If a hit causes any structure damage, roll 2D without any modifiers on the Hit Location table below. If the same location is rolled multiple times, results add together. Example: Two hits on a ship, one from a triple laser and another from a missile, result in two Hit Location rolls of 3. The ship’s Manuever Drive would be reduced from 3-G down to 1-G until it is restored by damage control or after-battle repairs and maintenance.

Space Combat Hit Location

2D Roll Hit Location
2 Power Plant: Ship suffers an additional -1 modifier on all task rolls during the next space combat round. Multiple rolls of this result increase the penalty by 1 for the next round.
3 Manuever Drive: Ship’s Manuever Drive is degraded by one step (3-G becomes 2-G, 2-G to 1-G, 1-G to 0-G). A ship at 0-G cannot change direction or velocity. Further Manuever Drive results on this table against a ship already at 0-G are ignored.
4 Jump Drive: Ship’s Jump Drive Capacity is degraded by one step (2 parsecs per jump becomes 1 parsec per jump, 1 parsec per jump becomes zero). A ship at 0 parsecs Jump Drive Capacity cannot initiate a jump. Further Jump Drive results on this table against a ship already at 0 parsecs, or against ships without Jump Drives, are treated as Manuever Drive location hits instead (see roll 3 above).
5 Fuel: Ship’s loses 10 tons of its fuel each time this hit location is rolled. This result cannot be reversed by damage control; new fuel must be acquired after space combat ends.
6, 7 Hull: No special result, only loss of Structure Points.
8 Hold: A random Ship’s Vehicle becomes disabled. If no Ship’s Vehicles are present, 10 tons of random cargo/freight are destroyed. A disabled Ship’s Vehicle may be restored by damage control, but lost cargo cannot be recovered (and may affect revenue loss for commercial freight purposes).
9 Computer: Ship’s Computer is degraded by one step (Model/5 becomes functional as a Model/4, Model/4 to Model/3). Hit location results against a computer already down to Model/0 are ignored.
10, 11 Weapon: One randomly determined weapon mount or turret is disabled, including available sandcasters. If no weapon systems remain operational or are present, this roll is ignored.
12 Internal: Explosions and radiation within the ship cause 1D damage to each crew member, trooper, and passenger abroad the vessel. Each living being travelling in a low passage berth has a 1 in 6 chance of instantly dying. For anyone wearing personal armor, including protection from vacc suits, this damage may be negated.

Ramming: As an effective but suicidal type of attack, as an action a pilot may attempt to crash into another ship. The ships need to be within Close (within 1 km) range of each other, and the ramming ship must have an equal or greater Maneuver Drive rating compared to its target.

Treat the move as an attack using the pilot’s 2D + Education + Starship Ops as the attack task roll. On an 8 or more, the ships collide. Each ship takes damage equal to the remaining Structure Points of the opposite ship, and the hit automatically counts as a roll of 12: Internal on the Space Combat Hit Locations table.

Example: A crippled mercenary cruiser with 3,000 Structure Points remaining is rammed by an undamaged modular cutter with all of its 2,500 Structure Points intact. The mercenary cruiser takes 2,500 damage and drops to 500 Structure Points, while the modular cutter drops to -500 Structure Points, bouncing all the larger craft and becoming completely disabled itself.

Mines: In space, mines are essentially automated missiles put near strategic locations such as navy bases or interdicted/quarantined worlds. Mines float inert until objects not broadcasting safety signals come within Short (1000s km) range, at which point the mines’ 6-G manuever drives activate and speed towards their target. (Faking the correct safety signals to avoid triggering mines requires a space combat character action with a 2D + Intelligence + Engineer roll of staggering difficulty, totalling 12 or more.)

If a ship has gunners on anti-missile point defense fire, as a free action the gunner or computer makes a task roll of 2D + Intelligence + Heavy Weaponry. On an average result (8 or more), incoming mines are destroyed before causing harm. If a ship did not have any beam weapons set to anti-missile duty, or if the anti-missile defense fire task check failed, the mines hit as a missile attack (6D damage less armor, costing the target structure points and one roll on the Space Combat Hit Location table).

5. ANCILLARY PHASE

Characters not using their actions as pilots or gunners in the previous phases may use their action during the space combat round to do one of the actions noted below, or work the GM on some other action. Once all character actions in this phase have been resolved, the next space combat round begins at Phase 2: Detection Phase, following the same initiative order.

Damage Control: Each round during this phase, as an action a character may restore one ship system damaged by a Space Combat Hit Location result for each +1 point in Engineering. Systems that may be fixed include Power Plant, Manuever Drive, Jump Drive, Hold (Ship’s Vehicle), Computer, or Weapon. Lost fuel and destroyed cargo cannot be saved. This “fix” is not a full repair, but rather a jury-rig solution to get the system functional again in the heat of battle (i.e. “lock in the auxiliary power”). Example: A character with Engineering +2 aboard a starship that has taken one hit to its Jump Drive (reducing performance from 2 parsecs capacity to 1 parsec) and two hits to its computer (reducing a Model/3 down to function as a Model/1) could either restore the Jump Drive to full power and partially repair the computer from Model/1 to Model/2 performance, or the character could just focus on restoring the computer to its undamaged state of Model/3.

Launch Ship’s Vehicle: As an action, a character may board and launch any space-faring ship’s vessel during a round, starting with the same velocity and direction as the ship from which it is departing. If operating the smaller craft as a new ship in combat, the “captain” of the ship’s vessel makes a new initiative roll and joins the order at the start of the next space combat round.

Initiate Jump: Before safely initiating a jump, a ship must be at least 10 diameters away from the nearest planetary body. The time this trip takes depends on the ship’s maneuvering speed.

Time To Reach Safe Jump Distance (Hours)

  1-G 2-G 3-G 4-G 5-G 6-G
Planetoid 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Small World 4.4 3.1 2.6 2.2 2.0 1.8
Large World 6.2 4.4 3.6 3.1 2.8 2.6
Small Gas Giant 12.4 8.7 7.1 6.2 5.5 5.0
Large Gas Giant 17.6 12.4 10.1 8.8 7.9 7.2

(In terms of UWP Codes, consider any world of Size Code 0 to be a “Planetoid,” Size Code 1 to 6 to be a “Small World,” and Size Code 7 or more to be a “Large World.”)

Jump Task Checks: Once clear of local worlds, as an action the pilot of a starship must make an average task roll of 2D + Education + Starship Ops or Engineering. On an 8 or more, the jump happens as planned. On a 7 or less, there is a misjump and the player must roll one die. On a 1, the ship is destroyed or ends up completely crippled at a random point in universal space-time; on a 2 to 6 result, nothing severe happens and the ship exits jumpspace at its destination as normal.

Jump Task Circumstantial Modifiers
+2 … Military or scout starship
+1 … Moderate tech computer (Model/2 to Model/3)
+2 … High tech computer (Model/4 to Model/6)
+3 … Very high tech computer (Model/7+)
+4 … Extreme high tech computer (self aware)
-1 … Using unrefined fuel (hydrogen skimmed from a gas giant)
-1 … Per jump past a missed maintenance repair after two jumps
-5 … Starting a jump within 100 diameters of a world
-10 … Starting a jump within 10 diameters of a world

Other Ancillary Actions: Creative actions players may think up likely fit into this phase (medical aid to injured crew, boarding a crippled enemy ship, moving passengers into a ship’s vehicle to abandon ship, or other ideas). GMs and players should improvise task rolls as needed.

AFTER THE BATTLE

Ships may only regain lost Structure Points by getting maintenance done at a Class A or Class B starport shipyard. Ships unable to repair disabled jump drives (due to a lack of surviving engineers or working computer), or lacking fuel and unable to scoop enough replacement supply from a nearby gas giant, may soon become derelict hulks dead in space and ripe for salvage teams and scavengers who learn of its location.

SOCIAL STANDING CODE

Within the Imperium, the Universal Personality Profile code system includes the following scale regarding the Social Status trait:

  • 1: Outcast (criminal or slave)
  • 2: Disenfrancised (margins of society)
  • 3: Lower Low Class (indigent, homeless)
  • 4: Middle Low Class (underclass, unskilled jobs)
  • 5: Upper Low Class (working poor, minimal skill job)
  • 6: Lower Middle Class (clerical or “blue collar” worker)
  • 7: Middle Class (semi-professional or trade worker)
  • 8: Upper Middle Class (professional, middle management)
  • 9: Lower Upper Class (“top 1%” wealth holders)
  • A: Middle Upper Class (“top 0.1%” wealth holders, elites)
  • B: Knight (ruler area on homeworld or small world/moon)
  • C: Baron (ruler of one star system or major planet)
  • D: Marquis (ruler of one subsector, about 20 worlds)
  • E: Count (ruler of one sector, a dozen subsectors)
  • F: Duke (ruler of an important sector)
  • G: Archduke (ruler of one domain, about four sectors)
  • H: Emperor (ruler of the Imperium)

UNIVERSAL WORLD PROFILE CODES

  • Starports: Services to refuel and repair.
  • Size: Determines gravity.
  • Atmosphere: Breathing environment.
  • Hydrographics: Water coverage.
  • Population: Number of citizens.
  • Government: Style of social order.
  • Law Level: Restrictions, esp. weapons.
  • Technology Level: Use of advanced machines.
  • Trade Classifications: Agriculture, industry, wealth.
  • Travel Zones: Warnings about local safety.

Starport Types

  • A: Excellent, refined fuel, starship shipyards.
  • B: Good, refined fuel, non-starship shipyards.
  • C: Routine, unrefined fuel, some repairs.
  • D: Poor, unrefined fuel, no repairs.
  • E: Frontier, just a landing pad.
  • X: No starport.

Size (World Diameter)

  • 0: Asteroid/Planetoid Belt.
  • 1: Small (1600 km).
  • 2: Small (3200 km).
  • 3: Small (4800 km).
  • 4: Small (6400 km).
  • 5: Small (8000 km).
  • 6: Small (9600 km).
  • 7: Large (11200 km).
  • 8: Large (12800 km).
  • 9: Large (14400 km).
  • A: Large (16000 km).
  • SGG: Small Gas Giant.
  • LGG: Large Gas Giant.

Atmosphere

  • 0: No atmosphere.
  • 1: Trace.
  • 2: Very thin, tainted.
  • 3: Very thin.
  • 4: Thin, tainted.
  • 5: Thin.
  • 6: Standard.
  • 7: Standard, tainted.
  • 8: Dense.
  • 9: Dense, tainted.
  • A: Exotic, cannot be breathed.
  • B: Corrosive, harmful to living things.
  • C: Insidious, harmful to everything.

Hydrographics

  • 0: No free standing water.
  • 1: 10% water.
  • 2: 20% water.
  • 3: 30% water.
  • 4: 40% water.
  • 5: 50% water.
  • 6: 60% water.
  • 7: 70% water.
  • 8: 80% water.
  • 9: 90% water.
  • A: No land masses.

Population

  • 0: No inhabitants.
  • 1: Tens of inhabitants.
  • 2: Hundreds of inhabitants.
  • 3: Thousands of inhabitants.
  • 4: Tens of thousands.
  • 5: Hundreds of thousands.
  • 6: Millions of inhabitants.
  • 7: Tens of millions.
  • 8: Hundreds of millions.
  • 9: Billions of inhabitants.
  • A: Tens of billions

Government

  • 0: No government structure.
  • 1: Company/Corporation.
  • 2: Participating Democracy.
  • 3: Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy.
  • 4: Representative Democracy.
  • 5: Feudal Technocracy.
  • 6: Captive Government.
  • 7: Balkanization (rival governments)
  • 8: Civil Service Bureaucracy.
  • 9: Impersonal Bureaucracy.
  • A: Charismatic Dictator.
  • B: Non-Charismatic Leader.
  • C: Charismatic Oligarchy.
  • D: Religious Dictatorship.

Law Level

  • 0: No prohibitions.
  • 1: No undetectable guns, bombs, grenades, poison gas.
  • 2: No portable energy weapons (lasers); ship’s gunnery allowed.
  • 3: No military-grade weapons.
  • 4: No light assault weapons.
  • 5: No concealable firearms (pistols).
  • 6: No firearms (but shotguns allowed).
  • 7: No firearms.
  • 8: No long-bladed weapons.
  • 9: No weapons outside of home.
  • A: No weapons permitted.

Tech Level

  • 0: Neolithic Age
  • 1: Metal Age
  • 2: Age of Sail
  • 3: Industrial Age
  • 4: Mechanized Age
  • 5: Broadcast Age
  • 6: Atomic Age
  • 7: Space Age
  • 8: Information Age
  • 9: Gravitics Age (first jump drives)
  • 10: Basic Fusion Age
  • 11: Fusion Plus Age
  • 12: Positronics Age
  • 13: Cloning Age
  • 14: Geneering Age
  • 15: Anagathics Age
  • 16: Artificial Persons Age
  • 17: Personality Transfer Age
  • 18: Exotics Age
  • 19: Antimatter Age

Trade Classifications

  • Agricultural: Atmosphere 4-9, hydrographics 4-8, population 5-7.
  • Non-Agricultural: Atmosphere 3-, hydrographics 3-, population 6+.
  • Industrial: Atmosphere 0, 1, 2,4, 7, or 9 (vacuum, trace, or tainted), population 9+.
  • Non-Industrial: Population 6-.
  • Rich: Atmosphere 6 or 8, population 6-8, government 4-9.
  • Poor: Atmosphere 2 – 5, hydrographics 3-.
  • Water World: Hydrographic A.
  • Desert World: Hydrographic 0, atmosphere 2+.
  • Vacuum World: Atmosphere 0.
  • Asteroid Belt: Size 0.
  • Ice-capped: Atmosphere 0 or 1, hydrographic 1+.
  • Subsector Capital: Major interstellar hub.

SCOUT/COURIER

Designed for exploration, survey, and courier duties across the Imperium’s frontiers. Since such starships are rarely used for profitable commercial ventures, many “retired” scout/courier captains continue in partial service to the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) in exchange waiving finance payments. Cost: MCr 37.08.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 100 tons
(5,000 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 1 (pilot/engineer)
Computer Model/1 (no task bonus)
Sensors Max. Range Distant (millions km)
Manuever Drive 2-G (slow/average)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Jump Drive
Capacity
up to 2 parsecs per jump
(168 hours per jump)
Fuel Capacity 40 tons (20 used per parsec)
Weapons 1 turret (double lasers)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Staterooms 4
Passengers 3 to 7
(non-commercial)
Cargo/Freight
Capacity
3 tons
(non-commercial)
Mail Contracts cr 50,000 per month
(@ delivery to 2 worlds)
Operating Expenses cr 55,500 per month
Crew Salaries cr 6,000 per month
Finance Payments
(if in private service)
cr 123,000 per month
Total Expenses cr 184,000 per month

FREE TRADER

This Beowulf-class design is the most commonly encountered independent merchant starship in the Imperium, ideal for hauling cargos and passengers between neighboring systems. Cost: MCr 37.08.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 200 tons
(10,000 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 4 (pilot, engineer, medic, steward) or 6 (two gunners)
Computer Model/1 (no task bonus)
Sensors Max. Range Long (100,000s km)
Manuever Drive 1-G (slow)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Jump Drive
Capacity
1 parsec per jump
(168 hours per jump)
Fuel Capacity 30 tons (30 used per parsec)
Weapons 2 turrets (lasers or sandcasters)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Ship’s Vehicles None
Staterooms 10
High/Middle Passage 6 passengers
(@ cr 10,000 per High Passenger)
(@ cr 8,000 per Middle Passenger)
Low Passage 20 berths
(@ cr 1,000 per Low Passenger)
Cargo/Freight
Capacity
82 tons
(@ cr 1,000 per ton)
Optimal Revenue cr 380,000 per month
(@ 2 jumps per month to populated worlds, max. capacity)
Operating Expenses cr 72,500 per month
Crew Salaries cr 17,000 per month
Finance Payments cr 154,000 per month
Total Expenses cr 243,500 per month

MERCENARY CRUISER

The Broadsword-class starship is often used by mercenary groups for transport and insertion into mission zones. Cost: MCr 445.95.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 800 tons
(40,000 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 2 (pilot, engineer) to 16 (medic, 2 more engineers, navigator, surgeon, and 6 other crew posts)
Computer Model/5 (+2 on assisted tasks)
Sensors Max. Range Long (100,000s km)
Manuever Drive 3-G (average)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Jump Drive
Capacity
up to 3 parsecs per jump
(168 hours per jump)
Fuel Capacity 318 tons (106 used per parsec)
Weapons 4 turrets (triple lasers)
4 turrets (missiles)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Distant (millions km) (missiles)
Ship’s Vehicles 2 modular cutters
2 ATVs (deployed from cutters)
1 air/raft (deployed from cruiser)
Staterooms 25
Troopers 24 troopers (in 3 squads)
Cargo/Freight
Capacity
80 tons
(non-commercial use)
Operating Expenses cr 700,000 per month
Crew Salaries cr 55,000 per month
Finance Payments cr 2,100,000 per month
Total Expenses cr 2,855,000 per month

MODULAR CUTTER

Non-starships used to deploy ATVs and troops to planetary surfaces. Cost: MCr 29.8.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 50 tons
(2,500 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 2 (pilot, gunner)
Computer Model/3 (+1 on assisted tasks)
Sensors Max. Range Long (100,000s km)
Manuever Drive 4-G (average/fast)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Fuel Capacity 2 tons
Weapons 1 turret (laser)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Ship’s Vehicles 1 ATV (10 tons, pressurized, laser rifle mount, seats up to 16, max. speed 20 kph to 100 kph depending on terrain)
Troops 8 (ATV driver, medic, fire team leader, sniper, heavy support trooper, 3 troopers)
Cargo/Freight None (ATV module)

AIR/RAFT

A light anti-gravity vehicle that seats four plus 4 tons of cargo (or four more passengers). It is open-topped and unpressurized, but works fine in space. Cost: MCr 0.6.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 8)
Tonnage 4 tons
(200 Structure Points)
Crew 1 (pilot)
Computer None
Sensors Max. Range None
Manuever Drive Grav Drive (max. 100 kph)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Fuel Capacity None
Jump Drive None
Weapons None
Cargo/Freight 4 tons

SHUTTLE

A ubiquitous non-starship often serving to “taxi” groups and cargo back and forth between planet surfaces and orbital vessels, or between starships. Cost: MCr 33.0.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 95 tons
(4,750 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 2 (pilot, gunner)
Computer Model/3 (+1 on assisted tasks)
Sensors Max. Range Long (100,000s km)
Manuever Drive 3-G (average)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Fuel Capacity 2.85 tons
Jump Drive None
Weapons 2 mounts (lasers)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Staterooms 0
Passengers and/or
Cargo
71 passengers and/or
71 tons (or mix totalling 71)

MODULAR CUTTER

A “workhorse” non-starship often seen used to ferry people and cargo back and forth between planet surfaces and orbital vessels. Cost: MCr 29.8.

Ship Specs
Tech Level High Technology (TL 12)
Tonnage 50 tons
(2,500 Structure Points)
Hull Armor None
Crew 2 (pilot, gunner)
Computer Model/3 (+1 on assisted tasks)
Sensors Max. Range Long (100,000s km)
Manuever Drive 4-G (average/fast)
Streamlining Yes (atmospheres OK)
Fuel Capacity 2 tons
Jump Drive None
Weapons 1 turret (laser)
Weapon Max. Range Medium (10,000s km) (lasers)
Staterooms 0
Passengers and/or
Cargo
30 passengers and/or
30 tons (or mix totalling 30)

Travel Zones

  • Green/None: No major local dangers (“mostly harmless”).
  • Amber Zone: Caution, local risks present (civil unrest, disease, environmental crisis, crime).
  • Red Zone: No off-world visits allowed, death likely (unrestrained war, total quarantine, catastrophic environmental collapse, extinction-level events, annihilation-level technology).