One Year of COVID Gaming

The last year has been incredibly challenging for so many people in so many ways, and while my small little world hasn't been completely untouched by COVID-19, I’ve also been incredibly fortunate that things have mostly been OK. And I feel extremely thankful for that.

A strange silver lining of the pandemic has been that I have probably played more Dungeons and Dragons in the last year than I’ve ever played in my entire life. And I’ve played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons. It looks like I’ve logged about 240 hours in the last year, which represents two different weekly games that normally run about 2 to 2-½ hours per session.

Evidently, I’m not alone based on a spate of recent media pieces like “Dungeons & Dragons had its biggest year ever as Covid forced the game off tables and onto the web.” It’s been a very sweet outlet, allowing me to see good friends and family a couple of times a week, and I hope we can continue playing well past the epidemic. Although a weekly game requires a decent amount of effort, I find the experience much more rewarding than a less frequent game. You establish a rhythm and momentum that just can’t be sustained even playing every other week.

I have certainly gained a much greater appreciation for 5th Edition, which is probably the strongest version of the game yet. I am still learning some surprisingly basic things: because the game is so streamlined and so similar to past editions, I have missed many important changes. I don’t know how long we played before I realized I didn’t understand how critical hits worked in 5e: you roll damage dice twice and add modifiers once, which is the opposite of how it’s done in 3e. Just a couple of weeks ago I realized that shield is now a reaction to cast. Shield! As basic a spell as you can get. (I think this is a great change, and makes the spell distinct from mage armor.)

I’ve also increased my proficiency with Roll20, which we use in conjunction with Zoom. Although I have some occasional frustrations with the platform, it has the benefit of being incredibly flexible and reasonably easy to use. My biggest wish would be for Roll20 to develop an integrated chat client that actually works for all of my players.

So here’s a roundup of my year of COVID gaming:

Out of the Abyss: This was the game that started it all. We played two face-to-face sessions in December of 2019 followed by single sessions in January and February. Our last in-person game concluded in dramatic fashion, with Demogorgon rising out of the Darklake. But on March 29, 2020 we pivoted to Roll20 for our ninth session—and at that point the characters were mostly 5th level. We’ve been playing ever since and the campaign is still going strong. There was a fairly steep learning curve and probably took us until September before the campaign really kicked into gear. We just completed our 46th session, with most characters at 11th level and the game is clearly moving into the final stages. At the current pace we should be wrapping up some time in June or July, and my great hope is that we’ll be able to finish this campaign out with an in-person game.

Age of Worms: We were able to pick up and complete an abandoned adventure path. Well worth the effort and one of the more satisfying parts of the year.

Into the Interface: My Roll20 Traveller game never did quite reach escape velocity and got crowded out by too much D&D goodness. I haven’t given up on it, and in fact was able to run a pretty strong session back in February. It’s on my 2021 to-do list.

Lost Mine of Phandelver: Probably 95% of my D&D experience has been on the DM side of the screen. One of the great pleasures of the last year has been the chance to participate as a player. One of my friends ran us through this excellent adventure, and I played a bard—which is a lot of fun in 5th edition. Although we completed the main story line, we went back to finish out a couple of side quests and got ourselves way, way over our heads. I’d never really lost a character I liked so much before. 

Curse of Strahd: The same friend offered to run us through this adventure, and I lept at the chance to play again. I’m not sure why, but everyone committed to playing character classes they hadn’t played before (or at least not in a while). My cleric of the Broken God, Brother Powell, has been a blast to run and so far the adventure has very much lived up to its reputation. I really find myself looking forward to this game each week. The PCs are all 8th level and we are preparing for our journey to dread Castle Ravenloft.

Blogging: My summers are usually pretty busy and so most of my blogging gets done in the winter months. I’ve been able to maintain a pretty good pace for posting, mostly focused on Traveller, and seem to be attracting readers. While I expect the pace to slacken with warm weather, I’m hoping to post more regularly this year than in summers past. 

Miniatures: I had genuinely thought that the pandemic would give me an opportunity to catch back up on my painting backlog, but I really haven’t made much progress. In part, I’ve just been too darned busy running and playing D&D and blogging about Traveller. But in part, without face-to-face games, I’ve got far less imperative to get these models painted.

Here’s hoping the COVID situation improves over the next year, and we all have many more opportunities to play face-to-face. While Roll20 has been great, there is just something about sitting down around the same table with good friends that I miss dearly!

Doctor, Doctor

Illustration from “Introducing: The Diagnosticator Medikit!” Ling-Standard Products promotional holobrochure (1043). Courtsey of LSP Sector Archives, Dexter (MAGY 2416).

“In the course of my medical career I have, on occasion, been asked to name the single most important tool for a good Navy doctor. Is it a high tech mediscanner or laser scalpel? Maybe the diagnostic databases or gene editing techniques? Perhaps years of intensive training and experience? The answer, of course, is far more elementary, and has been the same very answer for the last thirty-six-hundred years or so: antibiotics. The best tools for your harried ship’s doctor are high dosage, wide-spectrum antibiotics. And lots and lots of them.” —Dr. Urban Zabulon Konstantinov.

In Traveller, skill levels reflect both experience and expertise. And a few skills, such as Medic, map directly to professions with specific hierarchies of licensure or titles. So how do skill levels relate to these associated professions? Both Classic Traveller and MegaTraveller have an interesting note on the Medical skill:

Medical-1 qualifies an individual as a medic on a starship crew. Medical-3 qualifies an individual as a doctor and assumes a license to practice medicine, including writing prescriptions, handling most ailments, and dealing with other doctors on a professional level. Dexterity 8+ qualifies a doctor to be a surgeon. (MT Player’s Manual 36).

While this approach wouldn’t work with all skills, Advocate 3, for example, might qualify an individual to practice law and represent clients before planetary and Imperial courts.

CT has a companion rule for starship crew: the “Highest skilled [Medic] is ship’s doctor and draws 10% more pay” (Traveller Book 59, 60). But note that this is purely a shipboard honorific and not a license to practice medicine off the ship.

Although Mongoose Traveller did not carry the CT and MT language over verbatim, the Core Rulebook specifically uses Medic as an example of what skill levels might mean within the setting:

A Traveller with Medic 1 may be a paramedic or nurse, while another Traveller with Medic 2 might be a doctor. If a Traveller had Medic 3, they would likely be a very well-regarded doctor with many years of practice under their belt. A Traveller with Medic 4 or 5 would be at least world-renowned, and may well be known across several star systems for his expertise (Core Rules 56).

Further, the MgT2 Central Supply Catalog notes that an autodoc “is capable of diagnosing and treating … medical conditions as efficiently as a qualified doctor (treat as Medic 3)” (81).

Automatically giving MgT characters with Medic 3 a Doctor’s license feels a little gamist, but I really like the simplicity of this approach: a specific level in certain skills generally corresponds to an in-setting accreditation.

Adopting such a rule would create an interesting situation for my own campaign. Consider the Starjammer’s resident medical officer, Howard. With Medic 3, Howard not only qualifies as a Doctor but with DEX 10, a surgeon to boot. This notion has never come up in play and the player has never introduced Howard as anything but a humble ship’s medic. But his career history might explain why he isn’t called Dr. Howard . . . and sets up some interesting game hooks.

The Making of a Doctor

In CT and MT, there are three potential paths to getting Medical-3 and the coveted title of doctor.

1. Happenstance

This is pretty much the only viable path using just the LBBs or The Traveller Book, and it’s not all that easy. Medical is not available on the Personal Development or Service Skills tables for any career: it only appears on the general Advanced Education tables for the Merchant and Scouts careers. While Medical does appear on every career’s second set of Advanced Education tables, those can only be used by characters with EDU 8+.

In Mongoose Traveller, Medic 3 might be a little easier to pick up by happenstance. Medic is a background skill and can be gained through a University education. It’s on the Advanced Education tables for the Agent, Citizen, Rogue (?), and Scout careers and on the Personal Development table for the Army.

2. Career

The CT Citizens of the Imperium supplement and the MT Player’s Handbook both feature Doctor careers. Either version is hard to qualify for, requiring a 9+ entrance roll with bonuses for high INT and EDU. In MegaTraveller, the character must also come from a homeworld with a tech level of 1+, which is a modest bar.

In Mongoose Traveller, the equivalent career is Scholar with the Physician assignment. Further, both the Army and Marines careers have Support assignments for combat medics, which also gives access to the Medic skill.

3. Medical School

In CT, medical school is an option only available in High Guard as part of the pre-enlistment system. This basic mechanic is also used in MegaTraveller. In either edition, getting in is tough but the basic procedure and benefits are similar: any honors graduate of college or a service academy may apply for medical school, which requires a 9+ admission roll. A graduate of medical school can gain an automatic commission at rank O3 in the Army, Navy, Merchant, or Scout services.

Mongoose Traveller has no medical school option, though maybe it should, since without it there’s no easy way to create the archetypal “Navy Doctor.” And what’s a navy starship without its own Dr. Leonard McCoy? Putting together some simple MgT rules for medical school based on MegaTraveller is pretty straightforward.

Medical School for Mongoose Traveller

In Magyar, accredited medical schools are located on any world with a Class A or B starport and Population 7+. Elite medical schools are associated with the Imperial University of Seloo, the Solomani University of Pacific, and Walpurgis University on Kline.

Any Traveller who graduates with honors from University or a Service Academy may apply for admission to Medical School.

Admission: EDU 7+.

Skills: Gain Admin and Medic.

Graduation: EDU 8+. If 11+ is rolled, graduate with honors.

Graduation Benefits

• Gain Medic and Science. Honors graduates receive Electronics and Medic.
• Increase EDU by an additional +1.
• Graduation allows the Traveller to apply for a direct commission (which is granted automatically) before the first term of an Army or Navy career. Marines have no medical officers; they are treated by Navy doctors. The Traveller enters the career at officer rank (O2).

Graduates of medical school are doctors, licensed to practice medicine, regardless of their total levels in Medic.

A Doctor’s License without Medical School

Both CT and MT assume that Travellers can become licensed doctors without graduating from medical school. In contrast, both T20 and GURPS Traveller require a medical degree. The T20 Traveller’s Guidebook states that “To be legally considered a doctor (MD), one must have a Doctorate in Medicine from the University and a Medical skill rank of 5 or greater” (124). And GT: Far Trader has “An M.D. degree requires attending an accredited medical school, regardless of skill” (85).

Even the MT Player’s Manual notes that “Formal training produces documentation that a skill has been learned. This fact is usually unimportant but can make a difference. A character with medical skill learned during combat might not qualify as a ‘genuine’ doctor” (42).

With this in mind I considered using the EDU score as a mechanical proxy for formal medical training. In Traveller⁵, the “Education” table on page 60 of Characters and Combat suggests that a graduate of medical school has an EDU score of 10 (or higher, presumably).

I toyed with amending the CT/MT rule for MgT to read something like “A Traveller with EDU 10+ and Medic 3+ is qualified to practice medicine as a medical doctor.” But in looking at the 40 sample doctors in CT Citizens of the Imperium (1979), I count 29 doctors with a EDU of 9 or less—not quite 75%, but a clear majority.

In the 21st century, the only reliable way to become a medical doctor is to graduate from medical school and complete a residency program, which represents years of intensive, hands-on learning. The thinking is that a resident needs to be exposed to the widest variety of clinical experiences under high stress conditions in order to prepare for becoming a doctor.

This regimen might not be so important in the far, far future. Computer databases, AIs, genetic testing, and advanced scanners should all greatly aid doctors in diagnosing and treating ailments. Reality simulations and maybe (gulp) clones will afford future residents vastly more opportunities to test their skills on a much wider range of patients. Today, a doctor in training might spend years in residency and never see a single patient with tonsillitis. But one week in a reality simulation program could allow a resident to examine hundreds of virtual tonsillitis cases.

So with all of this in mind, I think I will stick with simplicity: in my MgT games, any Traveller with Medic 3 can be qualified to practice as a medical doctor. They just need to secure appropriate certification, which is generally issued by accredited medical schools. A school issues medical degrees to graduates of its four-year programs, but could also issue certifications based on proof of equivalent coursework and appropriate test results.

Paging Dr. Howard?

So let’s bring this back around to the Starjammer’s medical technician, Howard, and his Medic 3 rating. Howard joined the Unified Army of Fugue and after basic combat training was assigned to combat medic training, where he showed great aptitude for the speciality. From there he went on to serve four terms with the Army, steadily increasing his medical skills through a series of deployments. Imperial worlds wracked by fierce urban fighting gave Howard all-too-many opportunities to practice his speciality. During his service Howard continued to study medicine on his own with the dream of becoming an Army doctor.

By the time he reached his fourth term, Howard was a skilled and experienced trauma nurse in line for both a commission and a doctor’s license. But while deployed on Iatur (Magyar 2628 C510A9E-B), a high-population border world, Howard discovered that Major Erk Raines, the chief emergency doctor for his Army hospital, was diverting HerkVees (SuSAG Herakles-V combat drugs) from the regimental supply to the local black market.

Howard cooperated with the military police, who rolled up the scheme and arrested all involved. But Major Raines did not go down without exacting revenge on Howard, trashing the medic’s exemplary service record and effectively blocking any future advancement in the Army.

Howard received an honorable discharge, but his dreams of becoming an Army doctor had been destroyed. Bitter, he joined the merchant interface line Celestine Transfers and served as a ship’s medic for four years before his shipmate Wayne hooked him up with the crew of the Starjammer.

Given his experience as an Army medic, Howard could easily get his ship’s surgeon certification. He would just have choke back any lingering resentment, complete his paperwork, pay a (probably hefty) fee to a medical school, and pass the appropriate certification exam.

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2021 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications' copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Who is Essential? Starship Crew and Traveller

“Sure it’s your ship. Sure you can crew it however you want. But those Shululsish Model/7s sitting in your hold are still the express property of New Walpurgis Factors. And if you don’t fly with a TAS-certified complement, our insurer will cancel our policy, and then FirstSectorTrust will call in their loan. And that, Captain, would render our contract with you null and void. So I suggest you either find that second engineer in the next three hours, or you start unloading those computers before our liquidated damages begin to kick in.” —Nashu Lushuka, NWF Principal Broker.

Beginning with the Little Black Books in 1977, the six iconic crew positions for Traveller starships are Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Steward, Medic, and Gunner. Each position in turn corresponds to a matching starship skill. The same positions and skills remain largely intact in the 2016 edition of Mongoose Traveller, though navigator is now called astrogator.

The iconic six crew positions cover a lot of ship needs, but do they cover everything? In thinking about the crew positions for my PC’s armed packet Starjammer I decided to check other editions of Traveller to see what they require. And after my review, I think there’s at least one missing crew position that might be worth adding to the MgT system.

Crew for the Beowulf

Although CT and MgT use similar calculations to compute the required crew for a starship, other editions vary greatly in how they determine the necessary positions. Traveller⁵, for example, appears to have completely abandoned hard requirements for crew—though some of the example ships apparently follow an (unfortunately unpublished) rule-of-thumb.

To illustrate the differences, let’s consider the crew requirements for a classic Type A, 200-ton Beowulf-class free trader from the following sources: 

• Classic Traveller (CT) - The Traveller Book (1982)
• MegaTraveller (MT) - The Imperial Encyclopedia (1987)
• Traveller: The New Era (TNE) - Traveller: The New Era (1993)
• Traveller Fourth Edition (T4) - Marc Miller’s Traveller (1996)
• GURPS Traveller (GT) - GURPS Traveller (2002)
• Traveller T20 (T20) - The Traveller’s Handbook (2006)
• Traveller Hero (TH) - Adventurers In Charted Space (2007)
• Mongoose Traveller 2e (MgT) - High Guard (2016)
• Traveller⁵ version 5.10 (T5) - Starships (2019) 

TNE is evidently the only edition without a direct Beowulf conversion: the TNE free trader is a 200 ton, TL10 ship.

Although the crew requirements for a free trader are similar across editions, there are some interesting differences. CT, MT, T4, TH, and T20 have four required crew positions. GT, MgT, and T5 have five required crew positions, and TNE has six required positions. It's unclear to me if this larger TNE crew requirement reflects a lower tech level or some peculiarity of the TNE design system. In any case, here are the required crew positions for a Beowulf across editions:

• Pilot: Required in all editions, though MT specifies only one Bridge crewmember while TNE specifies two Maneuver crewmembers. In T4 this position is combined with Astrogator.
• Astrogator: Required in GT, T20, TH, MgT, and T5. In CT, Navigators are only required on ships "above 200 tons [emphasis added]." In MT the solitary Bridge crewmember presumably doubles as Astrogator, as in T4. In TNE the Astrogator is presumably the second member of the Maneuver Crew.
• Engineer: Required in all editions, and both TNE and GT require two Engineers.
• Medic: Required in CT, MT, T4, and MgT. In T20, TH, and T5 this position is combined with the Steward position. Not required in GT or TNE.
• Steward: Required in all editions, though in T20, TH, and T5 this position is combined with the Medic position.
• Gunner: Required only in MgT and optional in CT, TH, and T5. Not specified in MT, TNE, T4, GT, or T20. Although a free trader has two hard points in all editions, ships working relatively peaceful, well-patrolled regions probably don’t use those hard points on weapons and thus would not need gunners.
• Freightmaster: Required only in T5, but probably worth considering further in a future post.
• Sensors/Comms Officer: Required only in GT, though TNE requires two Electronics crewmembers who presumably cover this position. Not required in CT, MT, TH, or MgT. While not required for a free trader in T4, T20, and T5, these editions all acknowledge the importance of this position.

Sensors and Communications Operators

A sensor readout of an incoming missile barrage.

As noted above, each of the six iconic crew positions correspond to one of six key starship skills. Traveller⁵, though, asserts that there are actually seven key starships skills: Astrogator, Engineer, Gunner, Medic, Pilot, Steward . . . so far, so good . . . and Sensors (Characters and Combat 160–161).

This strongly implies a seventh iconic crew position: Sensor Operator. And on reflection, that makes a lot of sense. As Traveller⁵ puts it, “Sensors are the eyes and ears” of a starship (Starships 136). Further, Sensors here include not just scanners and detectors but also the communication systems for the ship (Starships 90).

CT does not have a similar requirement, though High Guard requires, as part of the command section of ships 1,000 tons or larger, one “computer officer” and two “communication officers” (32). No real details are provided about either position, but HG does introduce the Communications skill.

While neither CT nor MT require sensor operators, TNE does—at least in some fashion. All required crew positions in TNE are grouped into broad sections such as maneuver, engineering, and electronics. The latter presumably handles on-board sensors and communications. An Electronics crewmember is required on even the smallest of ships: the scout/courier description, for example, notes that “Standard practice is for one maneuver crewmember to double as the ship's electronics operator” (TNE 366). And every sample ship in the core book, including small craft—but with the strange exception of the yacht—has at least one electronics crew position.

Most subsequent editions, with the notable exception of MgT, include a similar requirement. T4 includes provisions for an electronics crew operating on-board sensors, communicators, and computers, noting that “Small vehicles may dispense with dedicated electronics operators, allowing the pilot to monitor sensors and communications, but this results in the possibility of overload during high-stress situations such as combat or in-flight emergencies” (T4 Fire, Fusion, Steel 75, 77).

GURPS Traveller fully embraces the need for sensors and communications operators as seen in the Beowulf crew requirements. In GT, “Standard crew [for a bridge] includes a captain, pilot, navigator, sensors officer/operator, and commo officer/operator” (149). So any GT ship with a bridge should have both a sensor and a communications operator. But GT also stipulates that “Bridge crews are often smaller, with one person handling multiple tasks” (GURPS Traveller 149). The Beowulf bridge crew, for example, combines four different positions into two, resulting in one captain/pilot, one navigator, and one sensor/comms operator (GURPS Traveller 132).

While T20 does not require sensor or communications operators for the Beowulf, both positions are required for starships of 1,000 tons or greater:

Comms can be handled from any bridge position, so only large ships carry a dedicated comms officer. Anyone can operate the communications system under normal conditions, but under stress or in an unusual situation, someone with Communications skill is needed. . . . Sensor operations are often doubled up with the Pilot’s job, but in tricky conditions someone (who has Sensors skill) should be monitoring sensor data. The Astrogator often does this during normal-space flights (The Traveller’s Handbook 346).

Traveller⁵ also emphasizes the importance of the sensor and communications operator positions, while acknowledging that these functions can be combined with other positions. In T5, sensors are co-located with the Bridge and are operated by specific crew members under the general job title of Sensor Operator, or Sensop. Comms is simply a Sensop specializing in communications. The Sensop may be a dedicated, full-time crew member or may operate the Sensors as part of a greater job responsibility (Starships 90, 136).

Adding Sensops to Mongoose Traveller

Given all of this, it seems natural to add a Sensop crew position to MgT. In fact, given the importance of sensors and comms to regular starship operations, it seems a little weird not to have one already.

The MgT High Guard book has a few scattered references to sensor operators, but the position is not listed under Crew Requirements on page 21, and none of the example ships have one. The “Sensor Station” entry notes that we can find “typical numbers of sensor operators on page 41,” but there’s nothing there. The answer is actually buried in the “Multiple Warheads Incoming!” sidebar on page 28: “assume that a ship will have one sensor operator for every full 1,000 tons.” This is consistent with the T20 guidelines. The sidebar further notes that “At his discretion, a referee may specify a particular ship has more or less sensor operators.”

So what would be the case against adding a sensops crew requirement to MgT? One might argue that within the Third Imperium setting, almost any traveller should be able to use computers, communicators, or even sensor equipment—making a dedicated crew position unnecessary.

But space is big and given how utterly dependent starships are on their sensors and comms, I’m not sure that argument really flies. In nearly any kind of shipboard emergency, the most important initial activities would include a sensors sweep to assess what help might be available, and a distress signal to summon that help. Wouldn’t you want to have someone on board who not only knew which flashing button to push, but could actually repair your damaged sensor array or retune the comms system to boost a tight beam signal? I mean, if the guy who knows how to prepare a proper Vilani aperitif has a dedicated crew position, shouldn’t you have one for all those vital shipboard electronics systems?

Another argument against adding a new crew position would be that it really puts the squeeze on smaller ships—both in terms of economics and stateroom accommodations. I think this is a legitimate concern, but one we should be able address through existing game mechanics.

First, all editions with a sensors/comms operator requirement note that it can be combined with other positions. Second, both comms and sensors are just specialties of a single Electronics skill (along with computers and remote ops, for that matter), so we don’t need to create multiple positions—a single sensop position should suffice. And third, Electronics is relatively common: it’s a background skill and available through every career except Drifter. Although Electronics is not a Service Skill for the Navy career, it shows up on all three Assignment tables as well as the Advanced Education table. For the Starjammer, 7 out of the 9 crewmembers have at least one Electronics speciality of level 1 or more.

We can also avoid squeezing small ships by limiting the crew requirement to a ships of a certain size or larger. T20’s 1,000 tons seems too high for such an important position. In Traveller⁵ Starships, the 200 ton Beowulf has no Sensop crewmember requirement (44), while the 400 ton Daring-class patrol frigate has one (46).

Setting the breakpoint somewhere in between would grandfather several classic ships out of the requirement—such as the free trader or safari ship—but make it common enough to be an essential crew position for many other Traveller starships.

Putting all of this together, here’s a Sensop crew requirement for MgT:

• Position Sensop
• Skills Electronics
• Monthly Salary Cr3000
• Commercial Requirements 1 if ship is 400 tons or more
• Military Requirements 1 if ship is more than 200 tons plus 1 per 1,000 tons

While commercial starships of 200 tons or less may not require a dedicated sensops, good practice calls for at least one crewmember to possess a minimum of Electronics 0.

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2021 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications' copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Kline Charter Library Data

Below are additional Library Data entries for the Kline Charter adventure. I had printed these on 3x5 index cards to hand out to the players as needed—a technique that seemed to work well at the table. (It was also pretty darned helpful to me.)

An Agilitrix Blue-4 android, designed to serve as a skilled vehicle operator.

Agilitrix. A sector-wide manufacturer of synthetics and a principal member of the Wuan Technology Association, with headquarters on Uston (Daibei 0139 A100A98-E). Agilitrix is famed for its Spectrum line of androids, now in its fifth generation, which represent some of the most commonly encountered androids in Magyar and Dark Nebula. Spectrum models are designed with exaggerated physical characteristics for easy identification: these androids resemble well-built humans without hair, navels, or sexual organs, their skin dyed with clearly artificial pigments.

Argent Mining. A principal member of the Wuan Technology Association with headquarters on Chou (Magyar 0210 C62187B-9). Argent maintains mining, refining, and petrochemical operations throughout Magyar and Dark Nebula sectors. Argent Occasionally employs guest clones or androids for operations in hostile environments or when an important project requires a rapid build-out.

Bupaj (Magyar 0804 E420267-9). Poor, Low Population, Hot, Desert, Hellworld. A harsh Solomani Confederation world tide-locked to its K5 V primary in the Urartu Cluster of Clan subsector. Bupaj is just large enough to have a very thin nitrogen atmosphere, but is too small to retain water vapor. The world is jointly claimed by various nation-states of nearby Daftrew (Magyar 0903 B78A878-C), which maintain nine different research stations on-world, ranging in population from 30 up to 300.

carrier. A type of military starship designed to carry large numbers of small combat craft, which in turn attack the enemy’s combatants or world surfaces. Given the limited weaponry of fighters and light boats, they are little more than an annoying distraction in a major fleet action, but they can be extremely effective against ships of cruiser class or less.

Chorus (Magyar 1403 A944768-C). Agricultural, High Tech, Military Rule. A Solomani Confederation world in the Novgorod Cluster of Eery subsector. The mainworld has a temperate climate but the thin nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere is tainted with high levels of carbon dioxide. The world is a Solomani Party administrative center for Eery subsector and host to a joint Confederation naval and army base. Chorus is under military rule, as approximately 40% of the Choral population are Aslan.

Chorus was originally named Novgorod by Terran émigrés from the ancient nation-state of Russia, who established a settlement prior to -2204. During the Long Night, Aslan ihatei had established a separate onworld colony by -1200. The Aslan named the world Kherau, from which the current name Chorus is derived.

combat armor. Unpowered and fairly light-weight personal armor. Inexpensive when compared to battle dress, combat armor is widespread in military use for high technology forces, and usually contains integral communications equipment.

Class I Commerce License. A Solomani Confederation travel voucher issued by the Ministry of Information, allowing travel between any class A or B starport. The authorized ship may carry any cargo not needing a Special Cargo Transport license, though passengers may not be carried. Renewed every four years.

exit visa. A travel document granting a starship permission to leave a starport. Exit visas are normally required only for worlds with a Law Level of 9 or greater.

flight plan. A declaration of intent to pilot a vessel from one location to another; generally required at all mainworlds of Law Level 3 or higher. Flight plans let traffic control agencies program loads and sort out traffic conflicts, let ground controllers assign berths, let customs and other officials meet incoming ships with minimal delay, and let system defenses distinguish legitimate traffic from pirates or marauders. Flight plans also form the basis for search and rescue operations, as they can be used to determine when a ship is overdue and where to begin a search. Although flight plans can be filed by submitting a standard TAS Form 12 at the starport, most flight plans are simply text or voice messages sent in a prescribed format.

Fluid Oceans (Fl). A standard trade classification denoting worlds where the surface liquid is something other than water, and so are incompatible with Terran-derived life. Non-water oceans may be valuable sources of raw materials for industry.

Frontier Travel Permit. A Solomani Confederation travel voucher issued by the Ministry of Information. Allows travel to one class E starport, specified at the time of application. Under no circumstances may any landings be made to class X starports.

Goodhurst (Magyar 1605 A535649-D). Non-industrial, High Tech, Hot. A Solomani Confederation world in the Choral Cluster of Eery subsector. The government is a representative democracy and hosts a joint Confederation naval and army base.

grav plates. A standard starship component that provides a constant internal artificial gravity field, such that “down” is always more or less constant no matter what the orlentation of the craft. Grav plates are normally built into the deck flooring. Acceleration compensators are also usually installed to negate the effects of high acceleration and lateral gee forces while maneuvering.

High Passage. The best method of interstellar travel, offering first class accommodations and cuisine. High passengers have the services of the ship’s steward, entertainment, and complete attention to their comfort. There is a baggage allowance of up to 1,000 kilograms. High passage costs Cr10,000.

Kench (Magyar 2510 E310584-9). Cold, Non-industrial. A Solomani Confederation world in Anise subsector. Formerly part of the Dootchen Estates, Kench was captured by Imperial forces during the Solomani Rim War. However, the small, non-industrial world never formally joined the Imperium and in 1100 the pro-Solomani Liberti Party won a majority in the Kench senate, declaring independence on 023-1100. On 179-1101 naval forces from the 20th Imperial Fleet besieged the world for seven months, destroying the Class D starport. Under a negotiated agreement between the Confederation and the Imperium, Imperial forces withdrew from the system in 1102 and Kench was allowed to join the Confederation.

Leriss (Magyar 2208 E9428B8-6). Poor, Hellworld. An Imperial world in the Nauvoo Cluster in Clown subsector. Leriss is a dry planet with thin nitrogen atmosphere tainted by extremely low oxygen. The mainworld, with a population of 711 million, is ruled by Marshall Karel Durga, who was appointed in 1077 after the first Marshall, Rajko Porra, died in office.

low lottery. A form of gambling on some vessels, where crewmembers place small wagers on how many low passengers will not survive the trip. The winner receives all the wagers; if there is no winner, the prize rolls over to the next trip. By custom, the person actually “freezing and thawing” the low passengers is forbidden from betting, for obvious reasons. It is considered bad taste to mention the low lottery to the passengers themselves, but seasoned travelers will know of the custom, and sometimes place bets of their own.

Low Passage. A relatively low cost method of interstellar travel in cryogenic capsules (cold sleep). The passenger is placed in a low passage berth before the ship takes off, and travels the entire journey in a state of suspended animation. He does not age, and requires very little life support. Unfortunately, the low passage system involves some intrinsic dangers to the passenger, and he runs some risk of not surviving the voyage. Refunds or civil liability if a low passenger fails to survive the trip are not allowed. Low passage costs Cr1,000 and includes a baggage allowance of 10 kilograms.

manifest. A formal list of goods or passengers carried aboard a starship. A cargo manifest serves as a receipt for goods delivered, a definition of the contract for shipping the goods, and a transfer of title to a specific shipment to the captain for the purpose of transporting it from origin to destination. Cargo manifests can be recorded on standard TAS Form 14. Crew/passenger manifests identify and account for all persons on board a ship. Crew manifests often include information on position, salary and shares of ownership, and can be attached to the ship’s articles. They can be requested by immigration officials and used as a basis for inspections. Crew/passenger manifests can be recorded on standard TAS Form 11.

Middle Passage. A method of intersteller travel that includes second class accommodations (although still of reasonably good quality) and passable food and drink, and allows up to 100 kilograms of baggage. The passenger is expected to tend to his or her own affairs (maid service, laundry, cleaning, etc.) during the voyage. Middle passage costs Cr8,000 when purchased, and is subject to stand-by conditions; the ticket holder may be bumped if a high passenger appears (the middle passage ticket being returned in such cases).

An artistic depiction of a working miniphant team on a TL3 agricultural world.

miniphant (Microelephas var.). A beast of burden used on low tech worlds from Langere to the Spinward Marches. Terrans first genetically engineered Miniphants from the Indian Elephant (Elphas indicus) during the Interstellar Wars millennia ago. These beasts were ideal for overland travel in forests and lesser swamps. Later colonies carried the animals to other colonies, and over the years, numerous varieties were developed. The most popular of these are several species collectively referred to as miniphants, so-called because of their smaller size and mass. Miniphants were bred for tractability and high intelligence. They stand an average of 2.05 meters at the shoulder; males weigh 1,800 kgs, females weigh 1,600 kgs. No tusks are present, but miniphants compensate for this lack when lifting loads by having more powerful trunks. The Wuan miniphant (Microelephas wuensis) is one of the oldest and most successful variants.

Nauvoo Cluster. Also known as the Tolson Cluster, an astrographic feature in Clown subsector of Magyar comprising fourteen systems separated by jump-1 distances. Four of these worlds are claimed by the Solomani Confederation and ten are claimed by the Third Imperium. The Cluster was settled during the Interstellar Wars by Mormon immigrants from Terra, who initially established colonies on Luoh (Magyar 2110) and Lowhorn (Magyar 1808) before gradually expanding across the Cluster.

New Sol (Magyar 0503 X501956-7) [Red Zone]. High Population, Ice Capped, Industrialized, Non-Agricultural, Vacuum World. A disputed world claimed by the Solomani Confederation in the Urartu Cluster in Clan subsector. The mainworld, with a population of 9.8 billion, occupies a heavily industrialized system with six inhabited secondary worlds, including Edom (F6B48CA-A), with a population of 538 million. The mainworld harbors a remnant population of some 40 million Aslan, who call the world Tyestea. All senior governmental positions were formerly held by a hereditary leadership of the Solomani Party.

The hereditary system was notoriously corrupt, and hindered native industrial interests by limiting lucrative trade with the Aslan. In 1099 the world overthrew the Party system, establishing a Magyar Free Trade party. In response the Confederation interdicted the world, but New Sol has proven extremely resilient.

Novgorod Cluster. Also known as the Chorus or Choral Cluster. An astrographic feature in Eery Subsector of Magyar, comprising seven systems connected by jump-1 distances. This small cluster is notable as both an early site for Terran colonization efforts as well as marking the trailing-most extent of Aslan influence during the Long Night. Terran dissidents, mostly from Eurasia, first explored the Cluster during the Interstellar Wars and had established a settlement on Chorus (Magyar 1403) by -2204. Aslan ihatei established their own colony on Chorus by -1200 and steadily expanded across the Novgorod Cluster. By -500 many Slavic refugees had fled to Minsk (Magyar 1512). Between -500 and -400 the Slavic Sodality, with occasional assistance from Old Earth Union expeditionary forces, began battling Aslan across the Novgorod Cluster. These conflicts, though bitterly fought, were sporadic and generally inconclusive. Humans would not assert dominance of the Cluster until the early Solomani period.

Passenger Transport License. A Solomani Confederation travel voucher issued by the Ministry of Information. Allows a ship to carry passengers to travelled ports. Renewed yearly.

protected forces (profors). Soldiers equipped to fight in very hostile environments such as vacuum or corrosive atmospheres. Profors training is necessary to fight aboard starships, as most ships decompress before combat. Security personnel require special weapons and protective equipment to operate in this environment, and this in turn leads to a style of combat requiring its own set of skills.

Solomani Security (SolSec). Secret police force maintained in service to the Solomani Confederation for the purpose of maintaining state secrets, conducting espionage, and implementing political policies of the government. Solomani Security maintains both a network of contacts which provide information from outside the Confederation and a network of informants which provide information within the Confederation. Solomani Security agents themselves are highly trained individuals capable of conducting espionage and sabotage.

Special Cargo Transport (SCT) License. A Solomani Confederation travel voucher issued by the Ministry of Information. Required to carry shipments such as weapons, animals, Party documents, etc. Certain cargos may need other permits. Renewed yearly.

steward. A vital role aboard merchant ships, typically held by the 4th Officer. The senior steward aboard is generally designated the purser. A steward is responsible for the welfare of the passengers including meal service, entertainment, and general assistance. A steward sells tickets and arranges accommodations for passengers when in port; during voyages, he tends to the needs of the passengers (especially the High Passengers) and oversees Life Support systems. A steward typically administers the Low Lottery and is customarily designated by the ship’s owner to handle the ship’s account.

system defense boat (SDB). A nonstarship specifically intended for defensive operations inside a star system. It was developed on the principle that a nonstarship (because of the increased armament made possible by its lack of jump drives) can normally defeat a starship of equal tonnage. SDBs are typically stationed at the vital points of a system (the gas giants, the asteroid belt, the major world, and so on), and they attack invading vessels according to one or more predetermined plans.

Transstar. The largest transportation firm in the entire Solomani Sphere and the only Solomani corporation to achieve megacorporation status. Transstar is a merchant line running freight and passage service throughout the entire Confederation. Now mainly owned by the Solomani Party, it is a primary source of Party income.

Urartu Cluster. An astrographic feature that straddles Dark Nebula and Magyar sectors. The Cluster, a string of 38 worlds connected by jump-1 distances, ranges through Akuusir, Clan, and Eery subsectors. Terrans first explored the Cluster during the Interstellar Wars. By -1500 the entire Cluster supported a population of some 17 billion, and was engaged in interstellar trade with other Human worlds as well as Aslan merchants, often from the Tralyeaeawi clan. During the Long Night the Cluster’s Human population fell back precipitously and many worlds were claimed by land-hungry Aslan. During this period Wu emerged as a viable interstellar polity, successfully negotiating alliances with Reavers and Aslan to avoid destructive raids.

wall patch. A steel-backed plastic patch faced with adhesive, used to seal small hull breaches. Patches measure 10cm by 10cm (small enough to carry in a pocket) and are activated by peeling off a backing and then slapping the patch over a hole or leak. These patches are good only if applied to the high pressure side of the leak, but will serve for several days.

watchbill. A document recording the watch rotation for a starship crew. The watchbill ensures that all crewmembers know where they are to be and when.

working passage. A starship captain with a crew shortage may hire an individual to fill the vacant position, paying not money but passage in return. Working passage may not continue for more than three jumps, or the individual is considered to have been hired for standard salary. In order to be hired for working passage, the individual must have some expertise in the position for which he or she is hired (jack-of-all-trades may be substituted if necessary). Baggage totaling 1,000 kilograms is allowed. Working passage is without cost to the individual; he receives passage, room and board in lieu of a salary.

Wuans. A variant Human subspecies originating on Wu (Magyar 0203 B66A99A-E). Settled by Terran corporate interests following the Interstellar Wars, Wuan culture evolved during the Long Night to prioritize collaboration, cooperation, and efficiency. While the Vilani used social engineering to achieve similar goals, the Wuans turned to bioengineering. An ambitious eugenics project allowed Wuans to self-geneer themselves into a distinct subspecies. Nearly every niche in Wuan society has an associated, highly specialized genotype that has been expressly engineered to perform that role. While there may be dozens of different roles and hundreds of variants, the apparent conformity of Wuan society can be unnerving to visitors.

Xian (Magyar 1103 B7B48DC-9) [Amber Zone]. Fluid Hydrographics, Frozen. An inhospitable Solomani Confederation world orbiting a M1 V star on the trailing edge of the Urartu Cluster in Eery subsector. Xian’s atmosphere is primarily ammonia and methane, and the oceans are liquid ammonia mixed with compounds. The mainworld is governed by a zealous Party faction known as the Altruisti. This secular philosophy commands all adherents to undertake charitable service for the betterment of Solomani society. The world hosts a Confederation joint naval and army base, the latter used for protected forces training.

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