Classic Traveller Rules

INTRODUCTION

This abbreviated set of rules for character generation and combat is in no way intended to take the place of the actual rule books available from Far Future Enterprises. But they will help you get started so you can play Traveller using GRIP. I make no guarantees, and obviously construction on this section continues.

CHARACTER GENERATION

INITIAL GENERATION

Characters are created by rolling 2d6 six times to determine Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Endurance (END), Intelligence (INT), Education (EDU), and Social Standing (SOC) in order. All are initially 18. Players chose a service to enlist in and must roll below the indicated number (with modifiers); if unsuccessful a single die is rolled and the character is then drafted.

Each 4 year term must be survived; if failed, a new character must be started. Modifiers apply. A check for commission and promotions are made with the modifiers listed. (Note: a commission means Rank 1 is attained and further promotions are as an officer; promotions without a commission mean ranks E-1 and up through E-9.) The numbers of skills is then totaled from the Basic Skill Eligibility table, and the player checks to see if he/she may re-enlist. Rolling a 12 means that re-enlistment is required (needs of the service, perhaps due to war). Rolling below the required number means that re-enlistment is not permitted. Skills for each term are rolled below and the process continues until the character leaves the service by choice or fails re-enlistment�and is then mustered out.

PRIOR SERVICE TABLE

BASIC SKILL ELIGIBILITY

For the initial term of service.....2
Per subsequent term of service......1
Upon receiving a commission.........1
Upon receiving a promotion..........1

TABLE OF RANKS

SKILLS

Skills are determined at the end of each 4 year enlistment. Players may choose any of the four tables (the last requires a specific level of education) and then roll a single die under the appropriate service. One to four skills will be earned per term. Gun Combat and Blade Combat skills must be immediately declared as a specific weapon. Choices are listed in the tables below.

ACQUIRED SKILLS TABLES

Personal Development Table

Service Skills Table

Advanced Education Table

Advanced Education Table (if EDU 8+ only)

GUNS

BLADES AND POLEARMS

MUSTERING OUT

Once a character has failed re-enlistment or elects to leave the service and is permitted to do so, he or she musters out. One benefit roll is received for each term served. Additionally a character who has received Rank 1 or Rank 2 receives an extra roll. Rank 3 or 4 provides one more, and rank 5 or 6 provides yet another. A maximum of three rolls may be made on the cash table; the rest must be on the material benefits table.

Aging effects are consulted next. They are cumulative.

Characters who serve 5 or more terms receive an annual retirement pension, but are then subject to recall if needed. A table is provided.

Finally, Rank and Service Skills may be received as a result of service and are added in.

Once completed, characters should purchase items to outfit their characters with equipment, armor, and weapons.

MUSTERING OUT TABLES

Table 1, Material Benefits

Table 2, Cash Allowances

AGING TABLE

Terms of Service     4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14+
Age                  34  38  42  46  50  54  58  62  66  70  74+
Strength             ...-1 (8+)....  ...-1 (9+)....  ..-2 (9+)..
Dexterity            ...-1 (7+)....  ...-1 (8+)....  ..-2 (9+)..
Endurance            ...-1 (8+)....  ...-1 (9+)....  ..-2 (9+)..
Intelligence         ...no effect before age 66....  ..-1 (9+)..
Education            unaffected by aging
Social Standing      unaffected by aging

ANNUAL RETIREMENT PAY            RANK AND SERVICE SKILLS

5 terms      CR  4000            Navy Captain........+1 Social
6 terms      CR  6000            Navy Admiral........+1 Social
7 terms      CR  8000            Marine..............Cutlass-1
8 terms      CR 10000            Marine Lieutenant..Revolver-1
                                 Army..................Rifle-1
                                 Army Lieutenant.........SMG-1
                                 Merchant 1st Officer..Pilot-1
                                 Scout.................Pilot-1

PLANETARY COMBAT

1. Combat consists primarily of alternating turns wherein players either move or attempt a high enough 2d6 score that a hit is achieved despite armor worn by an opponent and distance. Damage is assessed per weapon type if a hit is achieved and the opponent is either hit but not injured, wounded but not rendered unconscious, wounded and rendered unconscious, or killed. Weapon skills increase the chance of a hit. I like fast and simple game play, so I�ve modified the classic Traveller rules slightly to take full advantage of GRIP. Basic roll to succeed is 8+. Referee will give a single modifier to apply to the roll (incorporating distance, armor, and all other factors but not including attacker�s skill level). If no modifier is volunteered by the Referee, the player needs a standard 8+ after adding in his/her weapon skill level.

2. Scales can vary and should be stated on a map, but a common indoor scale is: 1 sq. = 1.5m, and 1 turn = 15 seconds. For purposes of hit determination ranges are: Close = same sq. Short = 1-3 sq. Medium = 4-33 sq. Long = 34-166 sq. When other scales are used on maps, I use the following distances. Close = 1m or less, Short = 2-5m, Medium = 6-50m, and Long = 51m and greater.

3. Highest Dexterity goes first, second highest goes next, and so on. Cover fire interrupts.

4. He who detects first can attempt surprise. Roll 8+ w/ Tactics. If surprised, can�t maneuver/shoot when 1st detect attacker. (Unless if on "alert/GQ", then roll 8+ w/ Leader.)

5. In combat, roll 2D to hit (taking armor and distance into account). DMs are applied to dice and the result compared to tables. Add skill level to dice. All wound dice are subtracted from character�s STR + DEX + END (Hit Points). A character is rendered unconscious for 10 minutes if a third of the HP are eliminated. (Then half regained until med attention or 3 days rest.) Two thirds HP eliminated means a serious wound occurred. (3 hrs unconscious, characteristics stay at wounded level or 1 whichever higher, med attention required.) Death results when all HP are zeroed.

6. Special rules: Thrown Blades: (max range = 5 sq, wound = 2D, 18+ to hit, roll 2D+DEX+Skill-Rng to target in # sq.). Hand Grenades: explodes at turn end, max rng = 10 sq., DEX or less to hit tgt sq. or miss by # of sq. missed by. 4D damage to target and addl hits using Group Hits by HE rule.)

7. Movement: a. Characters: max movement per turn is 10m, walking is 5m, sneaking is 3m (max). To cover an opponent precludes moving (+3 DM to hit opponent. Single Attack.) b. Vehicle Movement (15 sec turn, outdoor scale normally 15m per box or sq):

		Grav Tank:	  0-80m (road)/21m        (off-road) (0-5/1 boxes)
		Tracked ATV:	  0-105m (road)/45m       (off-road) (0-7/3 boxes)
		Speeder:	  0-120m (High)/27m       (NOE)      (0-8/2 boxes)
		Landrover:	  0-165m (road)/60m       (off-road) (0-11/4 boxes)
		Air/Raft:	  0-480m (High)/12m       (NOE)      (0-32/1 boxes)
		Grav Belt:	  0-900m (High)/120m      (NOE)      (0-60/8 boxes)

8. The # of ordinary swings (sword) or blows possible before exhaustion = END; weakened swings/blows hit less often using a modifier of -3.

9. Attacking in Zero-G requires roll of 10+ to avoid losing control. DMs: Laser = 0, Snub or Accel Rifle = -2, Crossbow = -3, all others = -4. Striking with fist, blade or polearm = -6. Using handhold = +5, DEX 9+ = +2, DEX 11+ = +4, Battle Dress = +2/lvl of expertise. Once control is lost, can�t attack. Roll 10+ and lose a turn for each try to re-orient. Can continue to shoot while drifting across open area until/unless control is lost.

10. Group Hits by HE Rule: roll to see if hit in adjacent sq., if so = half damage.

11. Group Hits by Shotguns: roll to see if hit in adjacent sq. using DM -3, if so = half damage.

12. Group Hits by Auto Weapons (FA): roll against others in line of fire (DM -3), roll every 2 rounds, laser: 1 hit

13. Breaching Walls/Doors: Attack as normal; wood wall = 5D, stone wall = 8D, metal wall = 10D, armored wall = 20+D. Sliding doors can be broken for 6 AP if roll STR or less on 2D. Hatches/iris valves are treated as metal walls.

14. Decompression: 2D damage per turn until death or breach sealed or fully suited.

Optional Skill Improvement: Referee may permit the rolling of dice to determine if an additional skill has been earned due to particularly good role-playing. If permitted, the player may roll 2d6 and upon achieving a 12, may increase a single skill level used during the game session. The player must know to ask. (This is not an official rule, but I like it.)

Here are tables showing the relative merits of vaious weapons and armor, and a few additional combat modifiers. They are a simplification of the classic Traveller rules to speed up gameplay (the full rules may also be used in GRIP, it's up to the Referee).

GUNS

SWORDS, POLEARMS, ETC.

ARMOR

*Note: Ablat protection modifier decreases by one each hit it sustains until its protection value against a weapon type is the same as wearing no armor.

OTHER MODIFIERS

ANIMALS, CREATURES, AND MONSTERS

Creatures hit as per various weapon types including teeth, claws, Blade, etc. and there may be an attack modifier for that creature or attack type. Damage varies with the weapon type and is greatly effected by the creature's size.

STARSHIP COMBAT

INTRODUCTION

Starship battles are best fought by the Referee using an Entity and a Player (usually referred to as the Caller) using a starship Character. Rolls are made and seen in Chat, but ships are moved and the geographic battle is seen on the GRIPMap. Scales vary, but a common one is: 1 inch (or 1 box) = 1,000mi; 1 turn = 10 min.; starship movement alternates.

1. Starships detect each other at 500" on tabletop scale (500 boxes on a GRIPMap Battlemap with the appropriate scale; military starships detect at 2,000" (2000 boxes). Ships in complete silence in deep space can be detected only 100" (by military ships only 400"). And, if in orbit, only 10" (10 boxes) and by military 40" (40 boxes). Thus ships are best hidden in close orbit around worlds and moons. To attempt detection (at any time), roll 8+ with Computer skill as a postitive modifier. He who detects first can attempt surprise. Roll 8+ with Tactics skill as a modifier to attempt surprise. If surprised, a ship can�t maneuver or shoot when it first detects an attacker. (Unless it is already at GQ, and then rolls 8+ w/ Leader skill as a favorable modifier.)

2. Computer programs must be strictly tracked by players. Programs may only be used if they are in the CPU; programs in storage take one round to load (switch) into CPU where they can then be used. Capacities may not be exceeded in either. Mistakes will result in the least advantageous interpretation by the Referee.

3. In these simplified rules, attacker moves & fires lasers and missiles, then defender moves & fires lasers and missiles. Computer programs must already be in place or attacker cannot take the desired action.

4. Referee will move vessels at old vector + new vector (1G = 1", or 1 box). [Note: streamlined starships flying within atmos must fly at 450 kph or less below 30,000� and less than 200kph below 10,000� (or risk loss of control). Range = 0. Successful break-off possible if most aerodynamic/fastest is fleeing, or if sensors affected by atmos (fleeing using passive EMS only, atmos dense, or std w/ storm then break-off chance = 20% per 10 min turn.]

5. Hits and Damage

a. To hit = 8+ w/ Gunnery +/- Attack and Defense mods. Note: missiles hit in the following round.

b. If hit, defender still avoids if defending gunner hits incoming laser with Sand or incoming missile with laser; Roll 8+ w/ Gunnery.

c. If still hit, apply damage (missiles hit 1d6 times, lasers once) per Hit Location Table. Engines, Power Plants, Jump Drives, and Computers are reduced by one letter per hit w/ resulting limitations. Hull and Cabin decompress the interior (2D damage to personnel not in vacc suits per turn). Hold also damages cargo, lifeboats, & vehicles if any. Fuel means a fuel cell (20 tons) is destroyed; 60% loss means no jump. Turret eliminates a turret. Weaponry destroys all small craft weaponry, addl hits have no effect. Hit on smallcraft�s Drive destroys the drive.

6. Continue until conflict resolved (defeat, escape, etc.)

HIT LOCATION TABLE

STARSHIP COMBAT MODIFIERS

Attack DMs				
	Target Program����	E	
	Predict Program���..	*	
	Pulse Laser�����..	-1	
Defense DMs				
	Maneuver/Evade Program	*	
	Auto/Evade Program	-2	
	Range Greater than 150"	-2				
	Range Greater than 300"	-5
	Per �" of obscuring sand	-3	
*Depends upon exact program in use.  E indicates
that no DM is provided for that item.