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HOW TO PLAY
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PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
* Strength: Physical ability, lifting, carrying.
* Dexterity: Physical coordination, reflexes.
* Endurance: Physical determination, stamina.
* Intelligence: IQ, memory, logic, reasoning.
* Education: Technical and academic training, sciences.
* Social Standing: Recognized privilege status.
CHARACTERISTIC MODIFIERS
* +0 … Score 1 to 5
* +1 … Score 6 to 10 (A)
* +2 … Score 11 (B) to 15 (F)
* +3 … Score 16 (G) to 20 (M)
SKILLS
* Admin: Dealing with governments, officials, bureaucracy, bribery.
* Combat: Brawling, blades, guns, survival, military ops.
* Command: Leadership, group tactics, team discipline.
* Expertise (Type): Deep advanced knowledge of a specific topic or field.
* Medical: Diagnose, healing, xenobiology, diseases, toxins, drugs.
* Operations: Pilot, navigate, scan, communicate, use other starship functions.
* Planetology: Survey work, geology, atmospheres, ecosystems, terraforming.
* Rapport: Diplomacy, negotiations, deception, charm, etiquette, protocol.
* Security: Stealth, intrusion, surveillance, locks, traps, countermeasures.
* Streetwise: Urban centers, gambling, gathering information from informal contacts.
* Technology: Build, repair, program, or modify machines, computers, robots, starships.
* Trade: Appraise, buy, sell, smuggle, negotiate cargo, manage logistics.
SKILL MODIFIERS
* +1 to +2 … Trained, some experience, novice
* +3 to +4 … Extensive experience, professional
* +5 to +6 … Veteran experience, master, expert
* +7 or more … Legendary experience, epic
TASK ROLLS
* Roll two six-sided dice (2d6), add one Characteristic modifier and one Skill modifier related to the action.
* Situational modifiers may apply (rushed work, distracting conditions, poor or excellent tools, and so forth).
* A roll total of 8 or more is a success. (Else, 4 or more for an easy task, 12 or more for a harder task, or higher than other characters for an opposed roll.)
COMBAT
* Each combat round lasts 6 seconds of in-game time.
* Initiative: 2d6 + Dexterity modifier. Higher results take turns before lower totals.
* Once a turn, move a short distance (20 feet or 10 meters) and take one action (attack, evade, use a device, or more another 10 meters or 30 feet).
* A task roll of 8 or more is needed to hit a target with an attack.
* If a target is evading, the attack total must be greater than 8 or the target’s 2d6 + Dexterity + Combat roll (whichever is higher).
* On a hit, a target loses physical characteristic points equal to the total of the attack’s damage dice.
* Armor and cover reduces damage dice; if damage is reduced to 0d6 or less, the attack cannot harm the target.
* Physical characteristics are a target’s Strength, Dexterity, or Endurance scores.
* Living beings recover lost physical characteristics per day equal to the total of one task check by a medic (2d6 + Education + Medical), or the Tech Level of available medical care (whichever is greater).
* When two physical traits are reduced to 0, a living target is unconscious or a device is disabled.
* When three physical traits are reduced to 0, the target is dead, broken, or inoperable.
EXPANDED RANGES
* Touching: Held, grappled, connected
* Melee Range: Up to 6 feet (2 meters)
* Short Throwing Range (“nearby” indoors): 60 feet (20 m) (dagger, spear)
* Long Throwing Range (“nearby” outdoors): 180 feet (55 m) (light bow, crossbow)
* Short Shooting Range: 360 feet (110 m) (carbine, longbow, pistol, shotgun)
* Long Shooting Range: 1,000 feet (600 m) (rifle, laser weapon)
* Distant Range: 15 miles (25 km) (artillery, cannon)
* Orbital Range: 60 miles (100 km)
* Short Astronomical: 600 miles (1000s km)
* Medium Astronomical: 10,000s miles (or km)
* Long Astronomical: 100,000s miles (or km) (starship beam weapons)
* Distant Astronomical: 1,000,000s miles (or km) (starship missile weapons)
* Stellar Subsystem: 100s millions miles (or km)
* Stellar System: Billions miles (or km) (limits of solar system)
* Parsec: Trillions miles (or km) (a few light years)
* Subsector: 10s light years
* Sector: 100s light years
* Quadrant: 1,000s light years
* Galactic: 10,000s light years
* Intergalatic (100,000s light years
* Supercluster: Millions of light years
* Universal: Billions of light years
ATTACK DAMAGE DICE
* 1d6: small natural attacks
* 2d6: predator’s natural attacks, small melee weapons
* 3d6: poisonous natural attacks, large melee weapons, light firearms
* 4d6: large two-handed melee weapons, medium firearms, light lasers, light gauss coilguns
* 5d6: heavy firearms and lasers, plasma weapons at long range
* 8d6: grenades, light cannons
* 10d6: heavy gauss coilguns, plasma weapons at medium or closer range
* 16d6: fusion weapons at medium or closer range
* 20d6: land artillery
ARMOR AND COVER PROTECTION
* -1d6: light armor (jack, mesh, flak jacket) or light cover (interior walls).
* -2d6: medium armor (cloth, vacc suits up to TL8) or medium cover (exterior walls, pressurized bulkheads).
* -3d6: heavy armor (vacc suits of TL9 or higher) or heavy cover (vault doors).
* -4d6: superheavy armor (TL 11 combat battlesuit) or superheavy cover (starship hull).
* -5d6: advanced superheavy armor (TL 12/13 combat battlesuit, TL 13 battle dress)
* -9d6: extreme superheavy armor (TL 14 combat battlesuit, TL 14 battle dress)
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THE TRAVELLER UNIVERSE
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THE FAR FUTURE: From creator Marc Miller…
* The fastest anyone 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 FUTURE
* Long ago: Ancient aliens rule the galaxy but then vanish, leaving relics everywhere.
* 300,000 years ago: Humans exist on three planets (Vland, Zhant, and Terra).
* 3,600 years ago: 21st century on Earth (Terra in the Sol system).
* 3,200 years ago: Contact between the First Imperium of Vland and Solomani humans of Terra leads to interstellar war.
* 3,100 years ago: Solomani humans win the war, found the Second Imperium (the “Rule of Man” age).
* 2,700 years ago: The Rule of Man falls, dark ages of The Long Night begin.
* 1,100 years ago: Sylean ruler Cleon Zhunastu founds the Third Imperium.
* 700 to 20 years ago: Imperium and Zhodani navies clash in several Frontier Wars.
* 100 years ago: Imperium forces seize the Solomani homeworld of Terra.
* 36 years ago: Strephon Aella Alkhalikoi becomes the current Emperor of the Imperium.
* Now: Current day in Imperial Year 1107.
THE IMPERIUM
* A feudal interstellar military that rules space, not planets.
* Talks like a republic, budgets like an empire, behaves like a media company.
* Less oppressive than Star Wars’ Empire, less utopian than Star Trek’s Federation.
* Aims to keep interstellar capitalism working for planetary nobles.
* Also aims to keep citizens safe from “evil telepaths” and rogue Artificial Intelligences (AIs).
* The Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) explores frontiers and surveys worlds.
TECHNOLOGY
* Think “cassette futurism,” like 1970s sci-fi movies.
* Hardware is stuff you can punch, steal, hack, hot-wire, or carry in a briefcase.
* Systems are designed to need humans and isolate dangerous self-aware computers.
* Wireless tech is considered unsecure, dangerous, and easy to exploit.
* Yes: Artificial gravity, faster-than-light starships, robots, cloning.
* Maybe: Psychic powers, mutations, self-aware computers, rogue AIs.
* No: Teleportation machines, time travel, faster-than-light radio.
* Cybernetics are often chrome-plated fashion statements.
TECH LEVELS
* TL 0: Very Primitive. Stone Age technology. Fire. Spears.
* TL 1 to 3: Primitive. Bronze Age or Renaissance technology. Crude steam power.
* TL 4 to 6: Industrial. Electricity. Radio. Atomics.
* TL 7 to 9: Pre-Stellar. Colonize own star system. Gravity manipulation.
* TL 10 to 11: Early Stellar. Faster-than-light jump drives. Colonize systems.
* TL 12 to 14: Average Stellar. Planetwide weather control. Terraforming. Flying cities.
* TL 15 to 16: High Stellar. Starship force fields. Extreme human longevity.
COMMON SPECIES
* Humans (Vilani): Conservative traditionalists.
* Humans (Solomani): Maverick individualists.
* Aslan: Feline humanoids (think Kzinti), driven to expand their personal territory.
* Droyne: Small winged humanoids. Rigid castes (worker, warrior, drone, technician, leader, sport).
* Hiver: Starfish-shaped explorers. Strong curiosity. Subtle manipulators.
* K’kree: Four-legged. Descended from herbivore lineage. Travel in herd ships.
* Vargr: Uplifted wolf-headed humanoids. Defers to an alpha. Reputation for piracy.
* Humans (Zhodani): Foreigners to the Imperium. Psionic talents and mind control.
MEGACORPORATIONS
* 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.
SCANNING RANGES (Rule of Thumb)
* Medium Astronomical: 10,000s miles (or km), geostationary orbit above a planet.
* Long Astronomical: 100,000s miles (or km), high-resolution scans (life signs, energy fields, molecular compositions), limit of direct ship-to-ship communications without transponders.
* Distant Astronomical: 1,000,000s miles (or km), detailed scans identifying ships (Level, type, registry).
* Stellar Subsystem: 100s millions miles (or km), detect presence of any unidentified ships (position and velocity).
* Stellar System: Billions of miles (or km), detect presence of only 1 million-ton unidentified ships (position and velocity).
* Parsec: Trillions of miles (or km), detect another ship’s jump signature.
* Beyond Parsec: No practical scanning possible except for long-term stellar research.
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STARSHIP
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STARSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
* Agility: Maneuvering and speed in outer space.
* Auxiliary Power: Utility reserve for ship operations.
* Cargo: Space for freight goods.
* Defenses: Armor rating of ship, dice reduced from damage. Hull plating, force fields.
* Firepower (Beams): Damage dice of fusion guns, lasers, masers, particle beams.
* Firepower (Missiles): Damage dice of nuclear warheads, photon torpedos.
* Jump Drive: Number of parsecs crossed per one-week of FTL travel.
* Size: Tonnage factor of ship.
SIZE FACTORS
* +1 … Under 10 tons. (GCarrier, air/raft.)
* +2 … 10 to 29 tons. (Launch, lifepod, ship’s boat.)
* +3 … 30 to 59 tons. (Modular cutter.)
* +4 … 60 to 119 tons. (Shuttlecraft, scout/courier starship.)
* +5 … 120 to 249 tons. (Beowulf-class Free Trader starship.)
* +6 … 250 to 499 tons. (Subsidized Merchant starship, system defense cruiser.)
* +7 … 500 to 999 tons. (Broadsword-class Mercenary Cruiser starship.)
* +8 … 1,000 to 1,999 tons. (Colonial Cruiser starship.)
* +9 … 2,000 to 3,999 tons. (Destroyer starship.)
* +10 … 4,000 to 7,999 tons.
* +11 … 8,000 to 15,999 tons.
* +12 … 16,000 to 31,999 tons. (Light cruiser starship.)
* +13 … 32,000 to 64,999 tons. (Strike cruiser, frontier cruiser starships.)
* +14 … 65,000 to 128,999 tons. (Heavy cruiser starship.)
* +15 … 130,000 to 249,999 tons. (Fleet carrier starship.)
* +16 … 250,000 to 499,999 tons.
* +17 … 500,000 to 999,999 tons. (Dreadnaught starship.)
* +18 … 1 million tons.
* +19 … 2 million tons.
* +20 … 5 million tons.
STARSHIP COMBAT
* Each combat round lasts 20 minutes of in-game time.
* Initiative: 2d6 + Agility modifier. Higher results take turns before lower totals.
* Attack Task Roll: 2d6 + ship’s Firepower + gunner’s Combat skill.
* On a total of 8 to 11, the attacker rolls damage and the defender divides points on starship characteristics.
* On a total of 12, the attacker rolls damage and decides how to divide points on the targeted starship’s characteristics.
* If a target is evading, the attack total must be greater than 8 or the target’s 2d6 + starship’s Agility + pilot’s Operations skill (whichever is higher).
* Armor and cover reduces damage dice; if damage is reduced to 0d6 or less, the attack cannot harm the target.
* Repairs recover lost characteristics per day equal to the total of one task check by a medic (2d6 + Education + Technology), or the Tech Level of available medical care (whichever is greater).
* When any ship characteristic is reduced to 0, it is broken and inoperable.
* Any damage to a ship’s Cargo is permanent (items destroyed or lost in space).
ACTION IN A STARSHIP COMBAT TURN: Each crew character may…
* Analyze: Scan a target to gain more information (location, damage status).
* Attack: Fire a beam or missile weapon system, make an attack roll to hit a target.
* Damage Control: Reroute Auxiliary Power modifier bonuses to reduce it and increase another characteristic that is damaged below its original strength.
* Evade: Gain the evading benefit to become harder to hit.
* Launch: Deploy a smaller craft into space away from the main starship.
* Pursue/Escape: Each side rolls 2d6 + Agility. If the difference between totals is 8 or more, the higher side decides range between ships.
BEOWULF-CLASS FREE TRADER STARSHIP
* +2 Agility: Maneuvering and speed in outer space.
* +5 Auxiliary Power: Utility reserve for ship operations.
* +8 Cargo: Space for freight goods.
* +0 Defenses: Armor rating of ship, dice reduced from damage. Hull plating, force fields.
* +2 Firepower (Beams): 2d6 damage dice of fusion guns, lasers, masers, particle beams.
* +0 Firepower (Missiles): Damage dice of nuclear warheads, photon torpedos.
* +1 Jump Drive: Number of parsecs crossed per one-week of FTL travel.
* +5 Size: Tonnage factor of ship.
BROADSWORD-CLASS MERCENARY CRUISER STARSHIP
* +3 Agility: Maneuvering and speed in outer space.
* +7 Auxiliary Power: Utility reserve for ship operations.
* +8 Cargo: Space for freight goods.
* +1 Defenses: Armor rating of ship, dice reduced from damage. Hull plating, force fields.
* +8 Firepower (Beams): Damage dice of fusion guns, lasers, masers, particle beams.
* +8 Firepower (Missiles): Damage dice of nuclear warheads, photon torpedos.
* +3 Jump Drive: Number of parsecs crossed per one-week of FTL travel.
* +7 Size: Tonnage factor of ship.