Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Just Get us On the Ground - rules for landing your ship

 "Just get us on the ground." - frustrated starship captain

"That part will happen pretty definitely." - his stressed-out pilot

When the PCs arrive in a new system, do they always head for the starport? Why not put down somewhere else instead? There's all kinds of reasons to do this. The barrier between the ship and the land is of course, the atmosphere. 
 
Any time a ship wants to put down on the surface of a planet, the pilot must make the following throw:  
To land a ship: Throw UPP Atmosphere code or better. DM +Pilot Skill, + starport DM, -1 per unrepaired hull hit, +2 if small craft, +1 if the pilot is a Scout, -2 if in combat, -1 for bad weather. 
Starport DM: Class A +6, Class B +4, Class C +2, Class D/E +0, Class X -4 
Landing a ship away from the starport uses the DM for Class X (no port) 
 
Going in reverse, taking off, the planet's gravity is the major barrier.  
 
To take off from a planet surface: Throw the UPP Size code or greater. DM +Pilot skill, +ship's M-drive rating, -1 per unrepaired hull hit.
 
Familiarity: a pilot must land on a planet [5-pilot skill] times to become familiar with that planet's landing profile. After that, the pilot gains an extra +2 DM.
 
Unstreamlined ships always suffer a DM of -4. They're not supposed to be operating in atmosphere to begin with.
 
Failing the throw does not mean the ship automatically crashes. If the throw is not made, then the referee rolls once on the starship or small craft damage table. The referee can allow the pilot's player to 'bump' the roll by the Pilot's skill level. In effect the pilot chooses to spare one component and sacrifice another.
 
The referee can use the CT tables, or the tables presented in the article “New Space Combat System”. It appeared in Space Gamer issue #40 on pages 6-8. 
 
Hull hits, by the rules, result in explosive decompression. This compromises the ship's vacuum integrity. There is less danger while the ship is in atmosphere. Yet, on some worlds, the concern is that an unpleasant atmosphere will get in! Landing on a world with a high Atmosphere codes is risky.
 
Damage repair costs 2Dx10% of the new cost of the component. This leads to adventures as the PCs try to raise the cash to fix the ship.
 
Starship crashes will happen as often as airplane crashes occur on Earth. Planets with tougher landing conditions will have more of them, but no planet will be free of crashes.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Encounters in the Corridor

I present here a customized Random Encounters Table for Holtzmann's Corridor, where most of the play in my TU happens. The standard table from TTB works well, but why not have one that more reflects a particular subsector?

Die Roll

Encounter

Number

Notes

11

Peasants

4D

-2

12

Laborers

4D

-1

13

Shantymen

3D

-2

14

Thugs

2D

L

15

Local Authorities

1D

L

16

Churchmen

1D+2

L

21

Rioting Mob

5D

 

22

Imperial Noble w/retinue

2D

LGAV +2

23

Police Patrol

1D

LAG

24

Pilgrims

4D

-1

25

Company Agents

1D

L

26

Corporate Security

2D

L

31

Beggars

3D

-3

32

Imperial Merchant crew

1D

+1 V

33

Imperial Marines

3D

LGVA +2

34

Tourists

2D

V

35

Local Soldiers

3D

LGA

36

Missionaries

2D

LV

41

Researchers

2D

+1

42

Students

3D

 

43

Unemployed spacers

1D

+1

44

ICO criminals

2D

LG

45

Rebels

2D

LG

46

Revelers

4D

 

51

Prospecters

2D

V

52

Fugitives

1D

L

53

Fugitives (Imperial)

2D

 

54

Imperial Adventurers

1D

LGV +1

55

Local Noble w/retinue

1D

LGV

56

Celebrity

1D

LV +1

61

Free Trader crew

2D

 

62

Salvagers

3D

LV

63

Press Gang

3D

LGA

64

Petty Thieves

1D

 

65

LTP Merchant crew

2D

L +1

66

Anti-Imperial Protesters

5D

 

 

 

 

 

Explanations:

  • Imperials are from the Talaveran Empire, not the 3I
  • Shantymen are drifters & tramps who congregate around starports
  • Local Authorities are government officials, not law enforcement
  • Churchmen are clergy rather than missionaries
  • Pilgrims can be of any religion
  • Company Agents are businessmen or spies
  • ICOs are Interplanetary Criminal Organizations
  • Revelers are loudly celebrating something (sporting event, holiday, etc.)
  • Fugitives are wanted by either a local government, the Empire or an ICO
  • A Celebrity will have reporters around them
  • LTP Lycosky Trade Protectorate is the Empire’s main rival
  • A= some or all are wearing armor
  • G= some or all have guns
  • L= a leader (with skill) is present
  • V= the group has a vehicle, local tech & LL appropriate
  • +/- N group is equipped to local tech level adjusted by N
 
The next project is a Starship Encounter table for the Corridor!
 
What kind of Encounters will Travellers have in your game?  Share your ideas in the comments.