[h=4]The Recruiting Throw[/h] After all modifiers have been fully calculated, the recruiting officer can throw his Recruiting skill 8+. It will take 1d6 weeks before all the recruits that might be hired can be located. The Effect measures how many potential recruits agree to try for unit admission. The following table shows the results.
Effect1 | Number of Potential Recruits |
0 | 1d6 |
1 | 2d6 |
2 | 3d6 |
3 | 4d6 |
4 | 5d6 |
5 | 6d6 |
6 | 7d6 |
7 | 8d6 |
8 | 9d6 |
9 | 10d6 |
1 This cannot be modified below 0 or above 9 for any reason
No matter the results of the Recruiting throw, the recruiter can attempt another throw in 1 – 6 weeks after he is finished with the last round of recruiting.
[h=3]The Recruitment Site[/h] Each of the following subsections explains how these factors can adjust the Recruiting throw and its corresponding Effect.
[h=4]Planetary Population[/h] Using the planetary Population Digit system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s population will affect mercenary recruitment. For planets with negligible populations (level 0 or 1) there will be no chance of any recruits being found since it is extremely unlikely that any amongst the population will be both willing and physically able to become a mercenary.
Population | Recruiting DM |
0 (Few) or 1 (Tens) | — |
2 (Hundreds) | –4 |
3 (Thousands) | –3 |
4 (Tens of thousands) | –2 |
5 (Hundreds of thousands) | +0 |
6 (Millions) | +0 |
7 (Tens of millions) | +2 |
8 (Hundreds of millions) | +2 |
9 (Billions) | +4 |
10 (A) (Tens of billions) | +4 |
11 (B) (Hundreds of billions) | +6 |
12 (C) (Trillions) | +6 |
[h=3]Operational Government[/h] Using the planetary Government Type system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s overall governing body will affect mercenary recruitment.
Government Type | Recruiting DM |
0 (Anarchic) | +1 |
1 (Company or Corporation) | +0 |
2 (Participating Democracy) | +1 |
3 (Self-perpetuating Oligarchy) | –1 |
4 (Representative Democracy) | +0 |
5 (Feudal Technocracy) | –2 |
6 (Captive Government) | –2 |
7 (Balkanisation) | –2 |
8 (Civil Service Bureaucracy) | +2 |
9 (Impersonal Bureaucracy) | +2 |
10 (A) (Charismatic Dictator) | –2 |
11 (B) (Non-charismatic Leader) | +2 |
12 (C) (Charismatic Oligarchy) | +0 |
13 (D) (Religious Dictatorship) | –4 |
[h=3]Type of Law Enforcement[/h] Using the planetary Law Level system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s major legal system will affect mercenary recruitment.
Law Level Digit | Recruiting DM |
0 | +2 |
1 | +2 |
2 | +1 |
3 | +1 |
4 | +0 |
5 | +0 |
6 | –1 |
7 | –1 |
8 | –2 |
9 | –3 |
[h=3]Starport Existence[/h] Using the Starport rules from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s major legal system will affect mercenary recruitment.
Starport Class | Recruiting DM |
A | +2 |
B | +2 |
C | +0 |
D | +0 |
E | –2 |
X | –4 |
Non-spacefaring | –6 |
[h=3]Base Existence[/h] Using the rules for adding Bases to a planet from the Traveller core rulebook, the table below shows how a base upon the planet will affect mercenary recruitment. As a note, there are some bases listed here that are just good examples of what could exist out in the galaxy.
Base Type (if any) | Recruiting DM |
Alien Embassy | –2 |
Bureau | +0 |
Frontier Port | +2 |
Naval | –4 |
Pirate | –2 |
Prison Facility | –6 |
Research | –4 |
Scout | +0 |
Shipyard | +2 |
Traveller Aid Society | –2 |
[h=3]Assessing the Recruits[/h] The potential recruits should be divided roughly evenly between the three tests, with each ‘class’ rolling the specified skill to see how many pass into Rank 0. If a Player Character with at least Instruction 2 and the necessary skill at level 2 or higher is selected to teach that portion of the recruits, that class receives a +2 DM to their collective skill throw for judgement. It should be noted that all raw recruits should use the statistics for Trainees (found later in this chapter). The course takes; from between 10 and 60 days.
[h=4]Combat Training[/h] The class must make a Dexterity throw 8+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect | Recruits gaining Rank 01 |
Failed roll | 10% |
1 or less | 15% |
2 | 30% |
3 | 45% |
4 | 60% |
5 | 75% |
6 or more | 90% |
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit
[h=4]Support Skill Training[/h] The class must make an Education throw 9+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect | Recruits gaining Rank 01 |
Failed roll | 0% |
1 or less | 10% |
2 | 25% |
3 | 35% |
4 | 50% |
5 | 70% |
6 or more | 80% |
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit
[h=4]Office Training[/h] The class must make an Intelligence throw 9+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect | Recruits gaining Rank 01 |
Failed roll | 0% |
1 or less | 5% |
2 | 10% |
3 | 20% |
4 | 30% |
5 | 40% |
6 or more | 50% |
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit
[h=2]Building a Mercenary Unit (
top)[/h] [h=3]Unit Size[/h] Referees can roll or choose on the table below to determine the size category of the mercenary unit, detailing the number of active members and the maximum number of members that can be sent on a normal ticketed mission.
[h=4]Mercenary Unit Size[/h]
2d6 Result | Size Category | Number of Members1 |
2 | Specialist | 1 – 6 (1d6) |
3 – 4 | Private | 5 – 10 (1d6 + 4) |
5 – 6 | Small | 6 – 36 (2d6 x 3) |
7 | Common | 10 – 60 (1d6 x 10) |
8 – 9 | Large | 20 – 120 (2d6 x 10) |
10 | Legion | 100 – 600 (1d6 x 100) |
11 | Huge | 200 – 1200 (2d6 x 100) |
12 | Expansive | 1000 – 6000 (1d6 x 1000) |
1 The unit could send far less, depending on the assessed risk of the ticket, or by employer request
[h=3]Fame/Infamy of the Unit[/h] Referees can roll or choose on the table below to determine how far the reputation of the mercenary unit has travelled, detailing any earned bonuses to their Social Standing throws when applicable. This table is based not only upon the die roll, but also the size of the unit (determined above).
[h=4]Mercenary Unit Fame[/h]
2d6 Result | Social Standing DM1 | | | | | | | |
Specialist | Private | Small | Common | Large | Legion | Huge | Expansive | |
2 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
3 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 |
4 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 |
5 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +3 |
6 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 |
7 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +4 |
8 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +4 |
9 | +0 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +5 |
10 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +5 |
11 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +5 |
12 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
1 This DM is only applicable when the Referee believes the unit’s fame/infamy can come into play
[h=3]Unit Experience[/h] The Referee must roll on or choose from the Mercenary Unit Average Skill table as to the general skill level of the unit. That skill level is then compared to the Rank Distribution in Unit table, which gives the Rank breakdown of the unit. For obvious reasons, any Player Character members are not included in the listed results – they are considered to be additional ‘bonuses’ to the unit.
[h=4]Mercenary Unit Average Skill[/h]
2d6 Result | Average Skill Level | | | | | | | |
Specialist | Private | Small | Common | Large | Legion | Huge | Expansive | |
2 | Marginal | Introductory | Introductory | Introductory | Introductory | Introductory | Introductory | Introductory |
3 – 4 | Average | Marginal | Marginal | Introductory | Marginal | Marginal | Introductory | Introductory |
5 – 6 | Average | Average | Marginal | Marginal | Marginal | Average | Marginal | Marginal |
7 – 9 | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Marginal |
10 – 11 | Exceptional | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average | Average |
12 | Exceptional | Exceptional | Exceptional | Exceptional | Exceptional | Average | Average | Average |
[h=4]Rank Distribution in Unit[/h]
Average Skill Level | Percentage of Ranks in Unit1 | | | | | | |
Rank 0 | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 62 | |
Introductory | 60% | 30% | 5% | 3% | 1% | – | – |
Marginal | 30% | 20% | 30% | 10% | 7% | 2% | 1% |
Average | 15% | 20% | 20% | 25% | 15% | 3% | 2% |
Exceptional | 10% | 15% | 20% | 20% | 25% | 7% | 3% |
1 Always round down with these percentages, with the leftover members (from the dropped remainders) falling into the Rank 0 members
2 Large, Legion, Huge or Expansive-sized mercenary units are always considered to have a phantom Rank 6 investor that takes its share of every ticket the unit undertakes
[h=3]Unit Traits[/h] Referees should choose or roll a d66 on the Mercenary Unit Traits table on page 68 to determine an interesting quality of the mercenary unit. Player Character members do not have to abide by this, but camaraderie might influence it upon them during game play.
[h=4]Mercenary Unit Traits[/h]
d66 | Trait | d66 | Trait |
11 | Untrustworthy | 41 | Well Protected |
12 | Bigotry | 42 | Well Armed |
13 | Overestimated | 43 | Well Informed |
14 | Dangerous | 44 | Well Travelled |
15 | Overeager | 45 | Well Spoken |
16 | Soft-hearted | 46 | Well Trained |
21 | Loyal | 51 | Alien Backed |
22 | Aggressive | 52 | Militarily Backed |
23 | Helpful | 53 | Corporately Backed |
24 | Cautious | 54 | Governmentally Backed |
25 | Easily Distracted | 55 | Religiously Backed |
26 | Technophile | 56 | Privately Owned |
31 | Criminal | 61 | Xenophobic |
32 | Religious | 62 | Xenophile |
33 | Fanatic | 63 | Heroic |
34 | Untrusting | 64 | Destined for Greatness |
35 | Violent | 65 | Psionically Inclined |
36 | Battle-scarred | 66 | Imperial Agents |