My First Traveller® Campaign
 
Overview
History
Trion Subsector
Turon Subsector
Weapons
New Races
New Careers
Starships
Variant Technology
Far Futures Legal Notice
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Overview

This is basic information from my first Traveller campaign, used from approximately 1983-1986. I have moved three times since starting it, so unfortunately some material is permanently lost. I used a lot of variant technology; if I restarted the campaign today, I would get rid of the warp drives and deflector shields, though my other house rules would remain intact.


History

The campaign was set around the year 1800, after a 700 year Second Long Night caused by the the assassination of the Emporer and ensuing catastrophic civil war. The two dominate forces in the region, the Trion Empire and Turon Protectorate, were constantly fighting back and forth in small naval engagements and, sometimes, ground action. Pocket empires dot the space maps, piracy is rampant and free trader fortunes can be made or lost in one trip.


Trion Subsector
 
Hex Name UPP Bases Remarks Data Star1 Star2 Star3
103 Sunda B964535-9   Ag, Ni G      
108 Vorzat B878210-B N,S   G      
110 Malacca C68A677-9     G      
202 Ovar C576474-5 S   G      
204 Ceba C877625-5   Ag        
209 Delaric A346568-A     G      
302 Almor D875475-4     G      
304 Aleppo B531330-B S   G      
307 Badajoz C5A19C9-8            
309 Mediga A100433-C S   G      
310 Vinnitsa B7C0300-B     G      
404 Lashio X785379-3     G      
407 Songkhla B6738CB-C            
504 Emi Koussi B482378-8 N   G      
508 Trion A100614-F N   G      
602 Ndola C474451-9 S          
604 Gorna C110410-8     G      
607 Shiraz E44777A-3   Ag G      
701 Agades BA5A236-9            
702 Clug D746768-5 S Ag G      
706 Veng B5A7219-E N   G      
709 Macau B65AA67-A S   G      
802 Tirjala E436446-5     G      
                 

Political States:

The Quad Cluster
Members: Ndola, Agades, Clug and Vilinus
Military Weaponry: Rifle, SMG, autopistol (some LAGs); flak jacket
Naval Forces: 3 patrol cruisers, 8 escort cruisers, 31 scouts, 3 fleet tender

Mediga Confederation
Members: Melacca, Mediga, Delaric and Vinnitsa
Military Weaponry: ACR, machine or autopistol, heavy rifle; cloth armor
Naval Forces: 7 patrol cruisers, 11 escort cruisers, 2 battle cruiser, 18 scouts, 2 fleet tender

Trion Empire
Members: Badajoz, Songkhla, Trion, Shiraz and Macau
Military Weaponry: gauss rifle and pistol, LAG, RAM-GL; combat armor
Naval Forces: 13 patrol cruisers, 19 escort cruisers, 11 fleet cruisers, 5 scout cruisers, 4 battle cruisers, 3 fighter carriers, 2 dreadnaughts, 28 scout/couriers, 4 fleet tenders (57,000 tons w/o tenders)

The Four
Members: Ceba, Aleppo, Lashio, Emi Koussi and Gorna
Military Weaponry: Heavy rifle, revolver, assault rifle (a few LAGs); flak jacket
Naval Power: 11 patrol cruisers, 17 escort cruisers, 17 scouts, 2 fleet tender

Vorzat
Military Weaponry: ACRs, combar armor
Naval Power: 5 patrol cruisers, 8 escort cruisers, 1 battle cruiser, 1 fleet tender

Veng
Military Weaponry: assault rifles, cloth armor, LAGs
Naval Power: 4 patrol cruisers, 11 escort cruisers, 2 scouts, 2 fleet tenders


Turon Subsector
 
Hex Name UPP Bases Remarks Data Star1 Star2 Star3
103 Struan A537544-9 N Na, Ni        
208 Decantes B220657-B N,S Na, Po G      
302 Caereni A553310-A S Ni, Po G      
304 Rathadach B622201-D N          
310 Changsa E768541-2   Ni G      
404 Zhushan X967564-0   Ag, Ni, Red G      
406 Nagano BA98985-A S   G      
508 Al Muwayh D610623-6 S Na, Ni, Po G      
510 Turon A454989-E N   G      
602 Otwock C694857-5     G      
608 Bregovo C88AAA9-8 S   G      
707 Tellray E261999-4     G      
709 Norilsk B433676-6 N, S Ni, Po        
                 

Political States:

SCR Confederation
Members: Struan, Caereni, Rathadach and Zhushan
Military Weaponry: SMG, revolver, carbine, rifle; flak jacket
Naval Power: 11 patrol cruisers, 16 escort cruisers, 17 scouts, 7 fleet tenders

Turon Protectorate
Members: Turon, Norilsk, Bregovo, Al Muwayh and Changsa
Military Weaponry: assault lasers and battle lasers; combat armor
Naval Power: 46 patrol cruisers, 21 scouts, 11 fleet tenders


New Races

Turons:

Stats: STR +1, END +2, INT -1, EDU -1
Physically: 2.1m tall, 100 kg, bipedal reptillians
Psycologically: imperialistic, ruthless, seeks personal glory


New Careers

Trion Secret Service (created 7-10-85)
 
Enlist: 9+

DM +1 if INT 9+

DM +2 if EDU 9+

Position: 8+

DM +1 if any skill 3+

Survival: 5+

DM +2 if INT 8+

Promotion: 11+

DM +1 if INT 10+

Skill Eligibility:

3 for first term, 2 per each subsequent term, +1 for each rank gained than term

Automatic Skills:

Any two of Streetwise, Administration, Carousing and Disguise

Career Restrictions:

Must be a citizen of the Trion Empire. For those serving in the Trion Secret Service, Detatched (TSSD), no more than one roll per term is allowed on Personal Development.
 
Personal Development Service Skills Roll Education Advanced Education
+1 STR Mechanical 1 Demolition Medical
+1 DEX Gun Combat 2 Forgery Computer
+1 END Disguise 3 Electronics Leader
+1 INT Vehicle 4 Carousing Jack of all Trades
Brawling Streetwise 5 Heavy Weapons Adminstration
Blade Combat Bow Combat 6 Urban Survival Roll twice on another table
Ranks Material Benefits Roll Cash Benefits
Specialist Low Passage 1 0
Operative Gun 2 5000
Chief Operative Blade 3 10000
Department Assistant High Passage 4 10000
Department Head Traveller's Aid Society 5 50000
Director +1 EDU 6 100000
  +1 SOC 7 100000

DM +1 on Material Benefits if Rank 5-6.


New Weapons

Assault Laser

The assault laser is a development of the laser carbine. It uses high-tech power packs and variable power settings to allow it to be adapted to a variety of situations. It comes with a folding stock (reduces length to 450mm, -1 to-hit if folded), is capable of autofire (4 round bursts, +4 to-hit).

Empty Wt: 2 kg
Ammo Wt: 0.5 kg (PP1, in laser), 1 kg (PP2, on belt) or 3 kg (PP3, on back)
Length: 750mm
TL: 13
Weapon Price: Cr 3000
Ammo Price: Cr 250 (PP1), Cr 500 (PP2) or Cr 1000 (PP3)
Rounds: 60d6 for PP1, 100d6 for PP2, 200d6 for PP3

Req'd DEX: 6 (-3)
Adv's DEX: 10 (+2)
Max Eff Range: Very Long
 
  Target Armor
Setting Nothing Jack Mesh Cloth Reflect Ablat Combat
Max +4 +4 +2 +2 -5 -4 -3
High +3 +3 +1 +1 -6 -5 -4
Normal +2 +2 +1 +1 -8 -7 -6
Low +1 +1 +1 +1 -8 -7 -6
Vlow +1 +1 +0 +0 -9 -8 -7
Target Range  
Close Short Medium Long Vlong Hits
-2 +1 +1 +1 +1 6d6*
-2 +1 +1 +1 +0 5d6**
-2 +1 +1 +1 +0 4d6
-2 +1 +0 +0 -1 3d6
-2 +1 -1 -2 -4 2d6

* a to-hit roll of a natural 2 or 3 destroys the laser
** a to-hit roll of a natural 2 destroys the laser

Battle Laser

Similar to the assault laser, this is the ultimate development of the laser rifle. It comes with a folding stock (reduces length to 700mm, -2 to-hit if folded), is capable of autofire (4 round bursts, +4 to-hit) and uses the same battlefield sight as the gauss rifle.

Empty Wt: 3 kg
Ammo Wt: 0.5 kg (PP1, in laser), 1 kg (PP2, on belt) or 3 kg (PP3, on back)
Length: 1000mm
TL: 13
Weapon Price: Cr 4000
Ammo Price: Cr 250 (PP1), Cr 500 (PP2) or Cr 1000 (PP3)
Rounds: 60d6 for PP1, 100d6 for PP2, 200d6 for PP3

Req'd DEX: 7 (-2)
Adv's DEX: 11 (+1)
Max Eff Range: Very Long
 
  Target Armor
Setting Nothing Jack Mesh Cloth Reflect Ablat Combat
Max +7 +7 +6 +6 -3 -2 -1
High +6 +6 +5 +5 -4 -3 -2
Normal +6 +6 +5 +5 -5 -4 -3
Low +5 +5 +4 +4 -6 -5 -4
Vlow +5 +5 +4 +4 -7 -6 -5
Target Range  
Close Short Medium Long Vlong Hits Setting
-4 +0 +0 +1 +1 8d6* Max
-4 +0 +0 +0 +1 7d6** High
-4 +0 +0 +0 +0 6d6 Normal
-4 +0 +0 -1 -1 5d6 Low
-4 +0 +0 -2 -2 4d6 Vlow

* a to-hit roll of a natural 2 or 3 destroys the laser
** a to-hit roll of a natural 2 destroys the laser


Starships

(Note that most of the design stats for these ships have been lost. Consider the descriptions given more a guide to the capability of starships available in the campaign rather than the exact statistics of certain ships. Note that they use generous amounts of variant technology and house rules.)

Existing Ships

Type S Scout/Courier: These are almost completely under the control of the navy and are used as much for military scouting as normal exploration/survey duties. They are also playing a key role in the recovery from the Second Long Night by recontacting planets unheard from in decades.

Type A Free Trader: Almost as important as the scout ships, these tramp freighters are helping to open up recovering worlds, though the Far Trader variant is generally preferred as it has longer legs.

Type R Subsidized Merchant: These ships are normally only found serving worlds within one political entity.

Type M Subsidized Liner: These ships are fairly rare, generally only serving routes within a political enity. While some have routes throughout the subsector, tramp freighters (mainly far traders) carry such passengers.

Type C Mercenary Cruiser: These ships are fairly common, as mercenaries are in great demand with independent systems and small political states.

Type T Patrol Cruiser: For most political states, these also function as the standard warship. Some governments (eg, Turon Protectorate) use original designs in the same general hull size.

New Ships

Trion Battle Cruiser

1000 tons, Jump-3, Maneuver 6, Power Plant (Tybrenium) factor 18 (120 EP), Factor F armor, Factor 1 shields, 3 double sandcaster turrets, 5 double laser turrets, 2 double plasma gun turrets, 9 missile racks (3 forward, 3 left, 3 right), 12 officers, 25 ratings, 9 security, 30 staterooms, 6 low berths, 280 tons cargo, 140 tons small craft (40 ton launch, 10 10-ton fighters), Agility 4

Turon Patrol Cruiser, Mark I (entered service: 085-1744)

300 tons, Jump-3, Maneuver-3, Power Plant Factor 8 (24 EP), Factor A armor, 1 triple laser turret, 15 lasers fixed forward, 5 officers, 6 ratings, 2 low berths, 40 tons cargo, 69 tons fuel, no small craft*, Agility 0

Remarks: The most numerous of the Turon warships, the Mark I is showing it's age. Some 40-45 were built, with up to a half dozen being converted to warp drive testbeds. A significant number have been downgraded to J-1 and serve as troop transports.

* The bridge, located on a short boom in front of the hull, doubles as a 15 ton lifeboat: Manuever 6, 2 fixed lasers (normally not fired while bridge is attached). A backup bridge and a Model 3 computer is located in the hull (the bridge carries a Model 1).

Turon Patrol Cruiser, Mark IIA (entered service 153-1756)

300 tons, Jump-4, Maneuver-6, Power Plants Factor 3 (conventional) and Factor C (Tybrenium) (36 EP), Factor 1 shields, 1 dual plasma turret, 15 lasers fixed forward, 12 missile racks fixed rear, 5 officers, 10 ratings, 2 low berths, 30 security, 70 tons cargo, 3 tons PP fuel, 9 kg Tybrenium crystals, no small craft*, Agility 1

Remarks: The primary Turon warship, just over 30 have been built, with some being converted to IIB standards.

* See Mark I patrol cruiser, but Model 4 computer in hull

Turon Patrol Cruiser, Mark IIB (entered service 213-1759)

250 tons, Warp-5, Maneuver-8, Power Plants Factor 3 (conventional) and Factor E (Tybrenium) (36 EP), Factor 1 shields, 1 dual plasma turret, 15 lasers fixed forward, 12 missile racks fixed rear, 5 officers, 10 ratings, 2 low berths, 30 security, 20 tons cargo, 3 tons PP fuel, 9kg Tybrenium crystals, no small craft*, Agility 2

Remarks: Modified from the IIA by removing the 50-ton cargo bay located on the underside of the hull. Only a half-dozen or so have been converted

* See Mark I patrol cruiser, but Model 5 computer in hull

Turon Patrol Cruiser, Mark III (entered service 086-1762)

300 tons, Jump-6, Warp-4, Maneuver-8, Power Plants Factor 20 (Tybrenium) (60 EP), Factor 5 armor, Factor 1 shields, 2 dual plasma turret, 20 lasers fixed forward, 6 missile racks fixed rear, 80-ton tractor beam, 20 crewmen, 2 low berths, 20 security, 20 tons cargo, 450 kg Tybrenium crystals, 2 air/rafts and 15-ton lifeboat*, Agility 6

Remarks: A complete disaster, the Mark III was built too close to the cutting edge of Turon technology and has constantly suffered from catastrophic system failures. Only a handful were built, and it is unsure if any remain in service. All engineers associated with the Mark II project were executed publically.

* See Mark I patrol cruiser, but Model 6 computer in hull

Turon Patrol Cruiser, Mark IV (entered service 281-1777)

400 tons, Warp-3, Maneuver-8, Power Plants Factor 20 (Tybrenium) (xx EP), Factor 2 shields, 2 dual plasma turrets, 30 lasers fixed forward, 2 triple missile turrets, 20 crewmen, 2 low berths, 15 security, 45 tons cargo, 200 kg Tybrenium crystals, 15-ton lifeboat*, Agility 8

Remarks: Quickly designed by motivated engineers after the Mark III fisaco, the Mark IV is easily the best warship ever built by the Turons and is better than Trion ships of a similar size. Just under a dozen are believed to be in service.

* See Mark I patrol cruiser, but Model 5 computer in hull

Trion Freighter

300 tons, Jump-3, Maneuver 3, Power Plant A, Factor A armor, 3 triple turrets, 5-8 crewmen, 42 tons cargo, 30-tons fuel (?), 2 air/rafts, Agility 3

Jump Shuttle

55 tons, Jump-2, Maneuver 4, Power Plant B (Tybrenium), no armor, 2 dual laser turrets, 3-6 crewmen, Model 3 computer, 3+2 tons cargo, 1 air/raft, Agility xx

Trion Escort Cruiser (first flight: 348-1763)

200 tons, Jump-4, Maneuver 3, Power Plant A (Tybrenium) and 4 (standard), Factor D armor, 4 triple turrets (beam lasers port/starboard, missile racks dorsal, sandcasters ventral), Model 4 computer, 13 crewmen, 4 low berths, 21 tons cargo, 40-tons fuel, 20 kg Tybrenium, 2 grav bikes, 4 air/rafts 6 jump torpedoes and 20-ton launch, Agility xx

Remarks: EC's operated by other states are somewhat inferior, owing to a general lack of the use of Tybrenium power plants. Most of these are J-2, M-2 and carry no 20-ton launch.

Trion-class Dreadnaught

6100 tons, Jump-6, Maneuver 6, Power Plant L (Tybrenium), Factor 9 armor, Factor 2 shields, 12 turrets (4 triple sandcasters, 4 triple beam lasers, 4 dual fusion guns), 120 crewmen, 100 troops, 1350 tons cargo, 457.5 kg fuel, 20 10-ton fighters, 2 55-ton jump shuttles, 6 modular cutters, Agility 5

Remarks: The ultimate warship in the region, the Trion (and it's two sister ships) are the pride of the Trion fleet. Two more will be laid down within the next decade.


Variant Technology

Tybrenium power plants and jump drives: These are built as normal drives, but do not burn hydrogen fuel. Rather, they use a somewhat uncommon crystal (found on many worlds, but so far only in large quantities on the planet Tybrus). They had been known since the First Imperium, but their true nature wasn't discovered until some 100 years ago. When they defied cutting by lasers and exploded violently when subjected to a plasma burst (but were not considered to be of military value due to rarity), most ignored them as curiosities.

However, in 1656, it was discovered that if exposed to a steady fusion beam, the crystals slowly melted and released a large amount of energy (if the fusion bean is dropped in temperature to that of a plasma beam, the resulting explosion will likely destroy the ship -- treat each kilogram of crystal as a HE missile that ignores all defenses, including armor). The best theory is that they were extremely advanced power sources created and used by the Ancients -- why they work cannot currently be explained by existing science. For starship purposes, it was found that 1 kg of crystal provides as much energy as 10 tons of burned hydrogen fuel. However, their rarity has inflated cost; the current going price is about Cr 4000 per ton (4x-6x that to the public).

The uncertain supply (until recently Tybrus was a contested planet, but a treaty in 1776 has given nearby powers in the region equal access to the crystals, though other, disputed, supplies exist) and high cost generally make them unappealing to merchants (the added fuel costs are generally greater than the profits from the extra cargo space gained). Most ships desiring to use hyrodgen and Tybrenium require two of each drive that will use them -- however, in the past decade, Trion engineers have been able to design jump drives that can use both fuel sources.

Deflector Shields: I honestly don’t remember how these work, other than they are more useful than white globe generators. They have a greater capability than their low Factor indicate

Warp Drives: Again, my notes on these are lost. However, I do remember that they are the highest Turn secret and and Turon ship mounting war drives must initiate self destruct (fairly easy since it means dropping the temperature in the Tybrenium powerplant). Warp drives differ from jump drives in two major respects. First, the ship does not enter some alternate dimension for a week -- it remains in the physical universe during the entire trip. In addition, the warp factor is the speed in parsecs per week. However, this means that a Warp 3 ship travels a parsec every two days -- so it can reach a world two parsecs away in about 4 1/2 days.

Jump Drive tweaks: As a way of making up for the superiority of warp drives, the Trion Empire has created two modifications to enhance jump drives. The first simply cuts the travel time in half, if it works (roll 2d6: 2-6, 1/2 time, 7-9: normal time, 10-11: double time, 12: triple time) The second creates a controlled misjump, which allows jumps of up to 36 parsecs. However, it is not very reliable and not always accurate.


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