Nifty Things You Can Find!

Sometimes, in reading various Traveller groups and forums, you can find cool things like this "Traveller - in Two Pages." If you find yourself trying to get people interested, it lays out a great basis that most OTU players and fans can agree on.

Also, please don't forget your psi-shield when visiting the Zhodani Base. You never know what that psi might be up. (I am joking in this paragraph).

Hell No, We Want to Go! The Draft and the Third Imperium IMTU

The Draft mechanism has been around since Classic Traveller, and is an interesting artifact of the rules at this point. Considering that Marc Miller is a Vietnam War veteran, and the generation who wrote the game, the idea of a military draft seem natural to them. The problem, lies in scale and the gradual end of conscription in most countries since the 1970's.

With the changes in military technology in the past decades, a short term draftee is no longer a good idea for a solider, and considering that most Traveller characters are going to be experienced with technology at least as advanced to us as ours is to Stephenson's Rocket, the end of conscription for many forces makes sense, as the sheer complexity of the equipment most troops will be equipped with.

Then I come to scale. The massive Third Imperium has enough sophonts that mass conscription would destroy an enemy under sheer weight of numbers, yet this would be impossible due to bottlenecks in interstellar transport. Ships that can carry people are reasonably common IMTU, as anyone from most worlds should have seen one, but the idea of moving a million-man ground force is impractical. The requirements to man most military forces could easily be met by volunteers. As an example, the 1980's US military had over 2,000,000 all volunteer personnel out of a population of 224,000,000. The Imperial forces should be easily manned from volunteers in any case.

That leaves us with the 'Draft' mechanic then, and how to square the circle, metaphorically speaking, of a draft yet having an all volunteer force. Rather than the Chinese model of there being a draft board with a quota for an area that always meets it quota from volunteers, here's how I think of it.

"The Draft" is formally known as the Imperial Service Lottery in law. Unlike traditional forms of conscription, where young men are pulled into the armed forces, the Imperial Service Lottery works in reverse. Any citizen of the Imperium can apply to the Navy, Marines, Army, Merchant hiring service, Scouts, or an Imperial intelligence service or Law Enforcement agency to join. If the prospective recruit cannot obtain a volunteer slot in a service, during a set period,  the prospect is entered in to the Draft. This happens usually on a monthly or quarterly basis. The recruiting managers for the world pull the names entered into the Lottery, and thus receive a partial draft of recruits in this fashion. The service, even if they initially rejected the prospect, must take a draftee. Draftees are required to spend their first term in an enlisted status in the Navy, Marines, and Army. Merchant draftees are assigned to lines with mail contracts, or to a Subsidized Merchant. Scout draftees are infamous for their short careers. Law Enforcement draftees are often assigned to Gendarmes or Starport Security, or other manpower intensive, low skilled tasks. This is, of course, a one-time chance for any applicant.

Putting the Crew Together

Imperial Navy Base Terra, Alice Springs, Central Australia

130-1119

            Ian Brickley had gotten back to Navy HQ at Alice Springs last night, and was checking in at the Personnel Unit at 0800 local time. It had been a rough transition, as he’d been on leave in North America the until the day before. He had first found many world’s day and night cycles difficult to adapt to, as his homeworld of Anacreon is tidally locked. The proceeding eighteen years off his homeworld meant it was normal, but the human body wasn’t meant for a thirteen-hour time zone difference. Still, the time relaxing on a wooded, rocky coastline was a welcome relief from the cramped, aging System Defense Boat he’d been commanding for much of the past six months. He’d taken command of it in late 1118, and the little boat and its crew had done well enough in covering routine inspections, including supporting the still new Terran Commonwealth Navy’s customs inspections. They even had taken part in Exercise RAPID RESPONSE, where the SDB Squadron was loaded onto a dispersed structure bulk carrier to deploy to Fenris, and then ferried back to the Sol sytem.

            Now, he just had his orders to report to the Naval Personnel Unit-Terra and wait. Entering the line marked “JUNIOR OFFICERS”, he thought it could be assignment to the staff pool for a while, or else a transfer to another ship, perhaps as a Department Head, or possibly Executive Officer of a destroyer or escort. As a certainly ambitious officer, there was no limit to what he wanted to next in his career. There were about five of them ahead of him, with three terminals reserved for their use. He patiently made small talk with the engineer sub-lieutenant ahead of him, and the weapons lieutenant behind.

            At the head of the line, he went for the right-hand terminal as it opened. He inserted his ID for a scan, typed in a quick passcode, and the monitor spat up a new set of orders.

TO: LT BRICKLEY, IAN D. IN

FM: PERSSOLRIM, DET TERRA

SUBJ: ORDERS TO COMMAND INS BOXING KANGAROO (UNDER CONST)

He couldn’t believe it. He read through it again, and confirmed it. Command of a starship as a junior officer was one hell of a privilege. The terminal gave him additional instructions, as well. It turned out the Kangaroo was still building, and he would be able to take her out as new construction. Call it the chance of a lifetime, to command and build a ship. Ian knew this would be his best chance to make or break his career. The printer spat out a hard copy with more instructions. His instructions required a meeting with a personnel detailer at 0900, and a meeting at the Ship Planning Building at 1300.

LATER THAT DAY

            Following an exhausting series of meetings, Brickley reported to the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Base Terra’s office. He had mostly been talking to the yeomen and the Lieutenant Commander flag secretary about the whole process. One of the yeomen noted that her cousin was admitted to the Rim Naval Academy at Dingir for the next term.

            The Flag Lieutenant stepped out of the office, and said, “LT Brickley, the Admiral will see you now,” and held the door open.

            “Congratulations, Captain! You’d better get used to that, you know, with your upcoming position,” Rear Admiral Lady Shana Wooten Taulogo greeted him with a smile. She wore the standard office uniform of a Navy officer. White shirt with ribbons rank epaulettes, black trousers, and shoes. Despite never having met her, Brickley had a chance to examine her official biography beforehand.

            “I’m honored, Admiral, to have this opportunity,” he began. “To gain this opportunity…”

            “Well, with your MCUF as an Ensign, and handling of your SDB this year was more like an old veteran of a planetary navy than a young man whose been on larger ships. You are the sort of officer we want in command….” The Admiral continued into her speech, about how he was the kind of officer they wanted for future command positions, and this was the way to find them.

            The unspoken line is that if I mess up I’ll be pushed aside. At best I’ll find myself ashore until I hit retirement, at worst, cashiered. Brickley thought through the extended speech.

            “Bring in Haidan and Hassan!” she directed her Flag Lieutenant, who opened a door and, and a spacer with a camera, and an obviously prior enlisted Sublieutenant came through.

            “Lt Brickley, this is Sub-Lt Hassan. He’s mustang Astrogator who’ll be your XO,” she introduced him.

            “Pleased to meet you, sir, and I’m looking forward to being your XO,” Hassan spoke with a marked corewards accent, shaking Brickley’s hand strongly.

            “Right, you two will have plenty of time to get along,” the Admiral interrupted. She squared him off, with the spacer holding the camera ready to take the picture, “Lieutenant Brickley, for and by direction of His Imperial Majesty, Strephon, by the authority of the Admiralty Board, I do hereby appoint you to command in construction of the Imperial Naval Ship Boxing Kangaroo, to take affect from this 130^th day of the 1119^th year of the Imperium, 49^th of his Reign. Long Live the Emperor!” she said as she pinned a miniature of the Imperial Sunburst wreathed in laurel on the right breast of his uniform, indicating his office as a commander. They smiled together as the spacer took a picture.

            “Long Live the Emperor!” he responded, and the others in the office chorused as well. This formality underlined his new authority.

            “I’ve got an appointment tonight with my husband, so you two officers can consider yourselves dismissed,” the Admiral noted.

            “Thank you, ma’am. I understand my new duties, Brickley responded. He followed Hassan out the door into the reception room. “Sub-lieutenant, do you have plans for this evening?”

            “No, sir, your plan?” Hassan replied formally.

            “Meet me at the officer’s club at 1830, we’ll get to know each other, and figure some stuff out.”

            “It’s been a pleasure to meet you today sir, and I’ll meet you there.”

1200 local, 131-1119

            It had been a productive morning, Brickley had found. He and Hassan had moved into the command office for new ships. An aging, standard issue office building, the space they received was little more than a tiny office off a slightly larger room that had three desks and a work table. Musty, it was obviously unused in several months. Two spacers from the transfer and training division followed a Chief obviously on his twilight tour who opened the rooms up for them. The spacers had stayed with them to turn on the lights and HVAC, wiped down the table and desks, and cleaned the floor in the main room. They would be back for his office while he and Hassan had lunch. A good couple of newbies, he thought, And maybe I can get them for the Kangaroo. We’re going to need a couple of good basic hands.

One of the highly recommended spacers worked out well for their needs. Within her transfer window, Machinist Mate 1^st Class Juliana Brand had the skills and scores they wanted. She was currently assigned to a forward base and was scheduled to rotate back to Terra next month.

            For the pilot, he had one man in mind. BM3 Zabiyah, the pilot on his old SDB. A young man, but by god, he could fly a starship like it was a fighter in a precision group. A video conference with him and his current chain of command got their approval. He’d be here once the paperwork was processed.

            The final senior rating was the Gunner, and that was GM2 Chishan. He was actually assigned to the Naval Personnel Unit on Alice Springs, and he would be reporting shortly this afternoon.

            “Well, that settles it for our Navy side, sir,” Hassan spoke up, shutting down his computer on Brickley’s desk. “I’m not sure how we’re going to get our Marines though.”

            “Well, we have some time. I’d like to have them earlier to get them integrated, but to be honest, they aren’t going to be much use in the yard. Besides, we’ll just be getting a Boat from Fleet Stock,” Brickley replied.

            “Right. And we’re getting our first actual member of the crew today..” Hassan trailed off.

            “Make it a long lunch. I’m tired of mostly seeing your old mug around here,” Brickley replied jokingly.

            “But you’re going to see a lot of it! I’ll make myself scare until 1330, anyhow. Give those two kids plenty of time to goldbrick in here. They deserve it though.”

            “Right, I’ll see you about then, and get our first crewmember checked in.”

TNS Message:

Terra/Solomani Rim                  128-1119

Officials at Terra announced today that the freighter Alcibiades is reported overdue at Barnard Highport, and is now officially considered missing. The J-2 capable vessel, leased by Tukera lines to Lambeth Factors, LIC, of Terra, left Terra over a month ago, bound for Barnard en route to Nuskan, and did not exit jump when scheduled. Alcibiades transmitted the normal messages before entering jump, and reported all systems working perfectly upon arrival at the jump point. Analysis of the jump signature on departure indicated nothing unusual.

A search of expected arrival points Barnard system revealed no recent debris, and no distress calls or other messages have been received. All systems within 36 parsecs are on alert for a possible misjump. The official announcement indicated there is no evidence of hijacking or sabotage, but these and other possibilities cannot be discounted until more evidence comes to light.

Ignoring Current Foolishness

Last year, I put together a fairly long post on assigning rates in the Imperial Navy, and now there is this piece of insanity to abolish the rating system. I am not much of a fan of this for a variety of reasons. It also does not change my vision of the Imperial Navy's enlisted personnel.

Found via other social media

First, the ratings system is and was evolutionary. It has changed over time, if one looks at lists over time, the different professions have come and gone. Boatswain, Gunner, Quartermaster, and Yeoman (it doesn't matter if they are wearing short red skirts) are long standing titles that I see never disappearing as they directly relate to work being done and have vital roles. Some, like Sailmaker, have gone over time. Others may come back.

Second, it's an incredibly unpopular personnel decision. This reminds me a bit of the 1970's change to put everyone in Officer/CPO style uniforms. Those were gone within a decade. There was nobody really asking to change the system for the ratings, and the push back at this point with a petition already available tells me this will only last until there is enough time to find out how little people like the idea.

Third, it's in My Traveller Universe. I can run it any way I want. Enough for you? And I wanted to say something about the current mess we're in.

Even Obi-Wan feels it.

Just as an FYI, I am still interested in how the Royal Navy and similarly organized fleets have their divisions set up.

The Veteran's Jacket

In some regions, it is common to see men and women who have served in an armed force or who have traveled for long journeys across the stars to either purchase or obtain a jacket of this type.

Usually, it is either a jack or mesh jacket, but in some areas a synthetic fiber jacket is the base. The left breast has the individual's name, final rank, and service in all cases. Pilot will wear flight wings appropriate to their service, Army veterans may wear regimental insignia here, and Marines wear the badge of their Corps. Call signs would go here as well. The right often has a command insignia, or may be blank. The right shoulder carries the national or mercenary command logo the wearer is most comfortable with. The left may have a different command's insignia, especially if the wearer served in combat. The back of the jacket, though, is often the most intricately decorated. It often has patches of vehicles the wearer drove, ships served on, major exercises, and historic incidents avoided or participated in. It is almost a visual resume of the wearer's experiences. So if you hear the old Sarge is going out to the frontier, a good retirement gift is a mesh or jack with something to note his service. It might save his life or get him in with the right people.

Cost: Easily twice to three times the base cost for jack or mesh armor. This could be Cr 300 or more.

Legality: Because these are mostly seen as 'keepsakes' and a part of Travelling culture, most law enforcement will not overly harass wearers of these jackets. However, if the 'privilege' is being abused, expect some kind of social sanction, such as being followed, or denouncement by a local veterans organizations.

I got this idea from having seen customized MA-1 jackets by more recent US veterans, and the old flight jackets with custom paint jobs. My grandfather had a custom silk embroidered jacket made for him in Japan during the Korean War.

Adventure Seed: The Old Jacket in the Window
While going about their business in startown, one of the characters (preferably of a military or related background) notes the presence of a veteran's jacket in the window of a pawn shop. The insignia is one of the familiar 179th Fighter Squadron (The Bulldogs), with several familiar looking emblems. Examining the jacket, it turns out it was the property of one Lieutenant Willem Amador, an acquaintance of the character's. A check with the owner turns out that it had been sold to him a few weeks before by a spacer who was in need of quick cash. It's on sale for only Cr 200, well under what these jackets are made for, and it's sentimental value.

1. The jacket was sold by Amador. He was medically retired, and can barely support himself and his family. He will be grateful for any assistance, and would greatly appreciate it's return.

2. Amador died on a journey to or through this world. It was sold by the crew of the ship he was traveling on. His body is preserved in a cryogenic capsule in the starport morgue, with no next of kin on world. It turns out his homeworld is a nearby world. Would the character help an old comrade home one last time?

3. There is a storage chip hidden in the lining, containing a message. It turns out that Amador was murdered while serving as an officer courier. The message tells the characters to turn in the message to the Senior Naval Officer present in a nearby system. What the information does is up to the GM. It may start a war, prevent a war, or draw the characters into a web of espionage.

4. As above, but the message reveals the free trader Amador was on working with a pirate gang. He gives valuable information about where this gang operates from.

5. Amador is very much alive. His jacket was lost on a voyage near the system, and the man who sold it to the pawnbroker was a spacer who was ordered to get rid of it. Help Amador embarrass the man who wanted to be rid of the jacket rather than return it, and earn either a hefty reward, or an ongoing patron, as well as maintain a contact.

6. Amador passed away, but the Bulldogs would like his jacket back. It turns out their main ready room has a collection of fallen members jackets. Return it to them, and become members of their family. Merchant PC's may get charters to support them on operations, and passengers from time to time from the squadron. Who knows what help a network of fighter pilots might offer you.

Image by Rod Thompson at http://alesmiter.blogspot.com/

UPDATE: 9:46 PM:  here's my grandfather's jacket from the Korean War era.

Uniforms and Rank Insignia In My Traveller Universe

I admit: I enjoy militaria, and can get really engrossed in the minituae of uniforms. If I wore them more often, I would get a set of liberty cuffs for my dress blues. My preference for the Imperial Navy in Traveller is heavily based on modern, since World War II, navy uniforms

Interestingly, the Navy has not recieved the sort of description of it's  uniforms in the materials I have available. GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces notes:

The Marines of two levels of full dress uniform. The first, more common outfit is dress black. This uniform is a variation of the Navy's dress uniform and is cut the same way, a black high-collared, single-breasted jacket, trimmed in Maroon, with a prominent Imperial sunburst. (p.39)

Of course, the Navy's would have a gold sunburst, and no maroon trim. Marin J. Dougherty's Sector Fleet, provides for a "Duty Suit" on page 88, noting "The standard duty uniform of the naval personnel is a TL-14 tailored vacuum suit," and goes on to describe it as more of a plug-in to a ship's system than an independent duty suit. Standard vacc suits are available for personnel whose duties require them.

Sean Connery in "The Hunt for Red October." Image from IMDB

So, I am thinking the standard dress uniform looks kind of like the picture at right, except a large gold Imperial sunburst on one sleeve at the seam. I also would replace the Russian-style rank insignia with a more common one. I prefer the ranks of the Royal Canadian Navy as a basis, with the obvious addition of the Royal Navy Admiral of the Fleet sleeve insignia. Part of it is how Naval officer insignia, especially sleeve insignia, are easily recognized internationally. Another is how the Imperial Navy, like the Third Imperium, draws it's legitimacy and past from the Rule of Man, which was set up by the Terran Navy, who I would think, being descended from the various National contingents of the Interstellar Wars, would have standardized on insignia quickly. It may be parochial, but it's also an easy visual shorthand, and immediately understandable.

Artist:  http://robcaswell.deviantart.com/
Found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/travellerrpg/

Then, there's the Scout Service. Largely an informal group of people doing a great deal of things for the Imperium. In my Traveller Universe, they don't really wear official uniforms. Yes, they will have a largely similar appearance, but that's more from function. I am thinking of some sort of European Imperialist trying to set up a 'government' in Darkest Africa circa 1870, or Roy Chapman Andrews in Outer Mongolia. Hardwearing clothing, sometimes in various shades of tan, or whatever color the scout desires. The cut and design may be different, but there is always the blood-red on black sunburst, and field office emblem. Larger ships, like the Lightning-class cruisers assigned to the IISS are going to have more official uniforms, and may even wear airline style epaulets designating rank. Members of the bureaucracy working in offices are going to mostly be in pretty standard civilian dress for their jobs. Personnel, administrators would be dressed for an office, scientists will be appropriately set up for a lab, base crew ready for work in the worst possible weather. Office bound types in suits would wear the blood red sunburst as a lapel pin, while many ground crew would also have a badge or jersey denoting function. X-boat pilots, as part of their complete disregard for other sophonts and good taste, wear Aloha shirts and cargo shorts. The other exception would be security forces for large scout bases. They could wear typical police or army duty uniforms, but with Scout Service badges.

So, comments, questions, or do you think I am barking up the wrong tree here?

CPL Bartlemo Afari, Marine Ship's Boat Pilot and the Crew

I have had this character profile done for a while, I am just being lazy here.

Imperial Marine Corporal Bartelemo Afari is a native Terran who joined the Imperial Marines at the age of 18. Noting his incredible reflexes, he was quickly trained as Marine Flight Crew. Like many natives of humaniti's homeworld, Afari had to prove his loyalty to the Imperium, considering it was about a year after the end of the occupation. He found himself in a closely watched role as flight crew for the Imperial Legation, where his talent got him noticed as an excellent Marine and loyalty for the Imperium.

The next term, then Marine 1st Class Afari was assigned to support anti-terrorism forces in the Rim, where he quickly became the go-to man for flying. He worked with now GMT2 Chishan as well, who was supporting some of the operations as part of a Naval Fire Support Team, the guys calling in the fire from "Big Daddy", in support against occasions where insurgents had found heavy weapons.

He has spent the past year as a duty small craft pilot assigned to Naval Base Terra, and was on frequent runs to Luna. His assignment to the Boxing Kangaroo is much awaited as a return to a more operational role.

Mongoose Traveller 1e Stats
STR 8
DEX C
END 9
INT 8
EDU 9
SOC 8

Animals 0
Athletics 0
Battle Dress 0
Carouse 0
Drive 0
Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1
Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0
Melee (Blade) 1
Mechanic 1
Pilot (Small Craft) 2
Stealth 1
Streetwise 0
Tactics (Ground) 0

The rest of the crew is going to get very short write ups, pretty much a UPP, and skills. They will get further descriptions when they

Spacehand Apprentice Amos Owen 889986, Human Male Age 20, Discipline 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 0, Gunner (Turrets) 1, Pilot 0, Mechanic 0, Vacc Suit 0, Zero-G 0

Able Spacehand Opal Hall 698683, Human Female Age 21, Discipline 1, Gun Combat (Slug Pistol) 0, Gunner (Turrets) 1, Pilot 1, Mechanic 0, Vacc Suit 0, Zero-G 0

Spacehand Recruit Ollie Castillo 887768, Human Male Age 19, Discipline 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 0, Gunner (Turrets) 1, Pilot 0, Mechanic 0, Vacc Suit 0, Zero-G 0

Fireman Silas Kidd 758796, Human Male age 21,  Discipline 0, Engineer (Jump Drive) 1, Gun Combat (Slug Rifle) 0, Pilot 0, Mechanic 1, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0

Fireman Apprentice Valentina Maurer 764885, Human Female age 20,  Discipline 0, Engineer (Maneuver Drive) 1, Gun Combat (Slug Rifle) 0, Pilot 0, Mechanic 1, Vacc Suit 0, Zero-G 0

Marine First Class Comgan Appledorn B78956, Human Male Age 21 Athletics 0, Battledress 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Perform (Bagpipes) 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 0

Marine First Class Sadaf Fini 8A7676, Human Female Age 20 Athletics 0, Battledress 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Perform (Drums) 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 0

Marine Adan Hoedmaeker 878976, Human Male Age 19 Athletics 0, Battledress 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 0

Marine Jian Yap 886686, Human Male Age 20 Athletics 0, Battledress 0, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Medic 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 1

Marine First Class Dionyz Franke A98774, Human Male Age 21 Athletics 0, Battledress 0, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Mechanic 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 0

Marine Azubuike Binici 77B648, Human Male Age 19, Athletics 0, Battledress 0, Flyer (Grav) 1, Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 1, Heavy Weapons (Manpack Artillery) 0, Melee (Blade) 1, Stealth 0, Tactics (Ground) 0