Started a thread a while back about which edition of Traveller people would recommend.  Thanks for all the suggestions.  The thread has gotten bigger and broader since I posted . . . that's the way these things go sometimes.

Got Mongoose Traveller 2e a couple of weeks ago for $37 on Amazon because ~10 bookstores/comic stores didn't carry it and I wanted instant gratification.  Looks good so far.

I want to start a campaign in a month or two.  I like some of the ideas that they have at the back of the core rules when giving basics and possible plots on a few dozen worlds.  Going to go with all humans in the known universe, but some animal, plant type life on other planets.  Might have a first contact event within the campaign.

1) For character creation, they recommend 2d6 six times and place scores on attributes you would like.  I am considering giving players an option of that or, point buy (more than 1 for 1 above 6 or 7 - haven't worked it out yet) or having set scores like 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10 or something . . .  My concern is that it might mess a lot with the workability of character's career paths and how scores tend to change somewhat as a result - for example, characters that may have too many high or low scores.  This isn't the end all be all, but I'm curious what others have tried and how that has worked.  Note I want to keep the basis for the career path creation.  The goal is to produce characters that are average to above average in skills and attributes . . . I realize that age and number of careers can influence that.  I think they are going to go the explorer or trader route for the campaign style . . . maybe some troubleshooting in there too.

2) Combat seems pretty deadly human to human even without high tech.  Is that people's experience?

More to come.  Thanks.

1) The method that other versions of the game have used, and works surprisingly well, is to have each player roll 12 six sided dice at once, and then allocate two dice to each stats as the player wishes. It is still random, technically, but it does mean that you can stop the issue with rolling horribly low at times. Another little trick is to include PSI as a characteristic, that players can dump their worst scores into - it has little value in the game unless a player desperately wants to play a psychic. It's also worth noting that there are opportunities to boost characteristic scores during careers through personal development. And there are augmentations too - we had a player who's character was essentially a cripple, but rich enough to offset his physical weaknesses through technology.

Point buy can work based on the average of 12D6 - 42 points - but I've found it hard to do scores allocation method without inhibiting the chances of rolling more extreme scores (12s are difficult to balance). Yet, with the pure random method there is actually a pretty high chance of getting high or low scores - more so than in D&D (based on 3D6 rather than 2D6). Beyond this, the upcoming Traveller Companion is meant to detail some alternative character generation methods.

2) Combat is very deadly, but strategically works in a modern warfare type of way. Unlike D&D, there is not much sense in rushing into to melee unless absolutely necessary. The real trick is to win initiative and set up ambushes. The Tactics skill is useful for this reason. If you do want to get into hardcore combat though, then high tech power armour is the way to cope with high tech weapons.

Thanks.  I'm going to play around with rolling 12 dice simultaneously.  Seems like it could work.  Not interested in a combat heavy game.  However, combat is fun and does have its place.

Any other suggestions or observations out there?

Quote from: Vic99;9402542) Combat seems pretty deadly human to human even without high tech.  Is that people's experience?

Yes. The three physical attribute values are the hit-points for your character.

Although because those are basically still hit points, it's pretty easy to tweak your game to be more forgiving to your players. In the one Mongoose Traveller game I ran (not in the Imperium), I basically quadrupled the hit points - basically if you took your physical attribute value in damage once, you were lightly wounded, twice moderately wounded, thrice, seriously wounded

Traveller: The New Era sort of did that, but also broke things up by hit location, so characters could absorb Mel Gibson level of bullets (as in the end of Lethal Weapon 2 where he's shot like 20 times)

Quote from: JeremyR;940485Although because those are basically still hit points, it's pretty easy to tweak your game to be more forgiving to your players. In the one Mongoose Traveller game I ran (not in the Imperium), I basically quadrupled the hit points - basically if you took your physical attribute value in damage once, you were lightly wounded, twice moderately wounded, thrice, seriously wounded

Traveller: The New Era sort of did that, but also broke things up by hit location, so characters could absorb Mel Gibson level of bullets (as in the end of Lethal Weapon 2 where he's shot like 20 times)

Well, no one ever said Mel Gibson wasn't committed to his craft. Most actors would have insisted on squibs and blood packs, but Mel... well... he insisted they actually shoot him.

That's why we love him, even when he's drunk and off the reservation...

Quote from: Vic99;9402542) Combat seems pretty deadly human to human even without high tech.  Is that people's experience?

Yes, indeed! Especially when you remember to randomize which stat the damage comes from when first hit. Players learn to behave realistically/with self-preservation in mind quickly, or you go back to character creation often.

Quote from: darthfozzywig;940809Yes, indeed! Especially when you remember to randomize which stat the damage comes from when first hit. Players learn to behave realistically/with self-preservation in mind quickly, or you go back to character creation often.

In MgT 2e the damage isn't randomized.  It's END -> STR or DEX (target's choice).

Quote from: Panzerkraken;940854In MgT 2e the damage isn't randomized.  It's END -> STR or DEX (target's choice).

I remember seeing this.  I think it will still give my group pause especially after the first fight when they see what could happen.  That's not a bad thing.  They enjoy combat, but we are not a combat-centric group.

Quote from: Panzerkraken;940854In MgT 2e the damage isn't randomized.  It's END -> STR or DEX (target's choice).

Even when surprised? Pity if they changed that.

Quote from: darthfozzywig;940879Even when surprised? Pity if they changed that.

They did, indeed, change that.

One of the general trends of Traveller through editions is to make combat "safer" for the Players with various options and bennies (depending on edition).

There are plenty of good reasons for doing this, of course. But there are plenty of valid reasons for keeping the blunt threat of death a vital part of the game. Each approach shifts the nature of gameplay to a different kind of game. The key is, what sort of game does one want.

Quote from: ChristopherKubasik;940883They did, indeed, change that.

One of the general trends of Traveller through editions is to make combat "safer" for the Players with various options and bennies (depending on edition).

There are plenty of good reasons for doing this, of course. But there are plenty of valid reasons for keeping the blunt threat of death a vital part of the game. Each approach shifts the nature of gameplay to a different kind of game. The key is, what sort of game does one want.

One in which combat is deadly and "Charge!" is not a reasonable tactical fallback option is the one that I prefer personally.

Quote from: jeff37923;940930One in which combat is deadly and "Charge!" is not a reasonable tactical fallback option is the one that I prefer personally.

Well, "charge" is always fallback option. If nothing else works, you might as well try to take as many of the bastards with you as you can:D!

And I don't think I've ever seen a non-deadly variant of Traveller, which is one of the things I like about the game;).

Quote from: Vic99Combat seems pretty deadly human to human even without high tech. Is that people's experience?

low tech combat is so deadly that it isn't deadly because you'd never be so foolish as to get into combat (except maybe when you totally have the drop on and and superior numbers to the other guy). Same is true as high TL unless you are talking about people in powered combat armor, in which case attack and defense are roughly equal and you might actually decide to enter combat if you had faith in your side or strategy.


As to the END > STR=DEX, I think it gives END more utility to be always the first. Not that I considered END to need boosting, I can see it (dex and str get so many active purposes, making End the main reactive one instead of just 1 of 3 makes sense). I doubt it will make combat less deadly.

Quote from: Willie the Duck;941221I doubt it will make combat less deadly.

Only in this regard: The player can work to boost his END, knowing it is the first Characteristic to get hit. With a random roll for First Blood (per the CT rules) you honestly don't know if the first time you take a blow if you're going down, as odds are one of the three might be weak.

***

In another matter, I just opened up the free Dominion Quickstart for MgT Traveller Mindjammer. There are four regenerated PCs in the book, and all the characteristics for all four characters are 7+, with several of them 10+.

Is this an artifact of the MgT character generation rules? (Maybe there's a way of boosting characteristics more easily than in CT?)

I know it might be an artifact of the Mindjammer setting, but I was wondering if I had missed anything when I skimmed the MgT rules.