Help with Traveller

[Arrgh! Mark!]

I did something rash and started a traveller game as my first ever GMing a PBP game.

I only bought traveller a few days ago. I've read most of the rules and understand the combat.


But the ship design! And as it's a Cowboy Bebop style game, they all want a fightercraft of their own. While thats not an issue in itself, I have no clue as to how to design smallcraft. Or the Bebop. It's like it's in greek to me.

I don't know how starship fighting works, either. But I can work that out. Even if I have to use the Star Wars ship combat.

I know it's a big ask. But is it possible to ask for skilled Traveller vets who know either where to find stats for different kinds of fighter jets or to go over how to make one for me?

So far, I've had orders for a light fighter, name "Backslider". More a cool factor than anything.
Second ship is a speed demon fightercraft of any tonnage with decent manouverability (Character want's the Ace Pilot prestige class)

 

[Treebore]

I was getting all psyched to help you out, then I caught that your using the D20 version. I own the D20 rules, but I GM with the old D6 Traveller/Megatraveller rules. I don't know the D20 rules at all.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Are the d20 rules bad? Should I try some other system?

 

[Shadowdancer]

No, they aren't bad. They are just different in some ways from other versions of Traveller.

I've played Traveller for years, but space combat -- especially using fighters -- is something we've usually avoided. We stick to the more or less standard small merchant ships and military ships.

Here is a link to a Traveller site where there are many, many people who can help you with your small craft design problems: Citizens of the Imperium. I suggest you post your questions/pleas for help there.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Thanks, Shadowdancer.

 

[jeff37923]

Give me a general idea of the fightercraft and the mothership desired and I'll whip up some designs for you using T20.

I'm a fan of both T20 and Cowboy Bebop too!

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Join in, it's in the Talking the Talk section so far .

Mothership: Actually, the Bebop.

Fightercraft: We have a ship named "Backslider", a decent computer within but minor combat abilities. Tonnage minimal. It was a scoutcraft at some point, ended up in possession after a coup of a space station.

Fightercraft: We have as yet an unnamed speed demon craft - maybe an old model racer or something - with a lot of agility and combat systems. Tonnage anything that suits. Combat Ace wants the most out of her machine.

Thats it, so far. If you want to join, feel free to make yourself a fightercraft of some definition .

 

[jeff37923]

OK, here's the quick-and-dirty:

The Bebop for you is a scout/courier that has been retrofitted with its cargo bay now a hanger and 2 mining lasers mounted in its dual turret, total cost is MCr 1.04. I leave it up to you whether or not you want to get rid of the air/raft. (If the number of players increases then increasee the ship size to become a Far Trader, right now this set-up is optimal for the number of implied players). Tech level 13.

The Backslider is a 10 ton streamlined fighter capable of 6G, Agility 1, Model/2bis computer and sensors, armed with a mining laser and a missile launcher in a dual turret (3 missiles only, no missile magazine), and has only enough fuel for 56 hours (which exceeds the 24 hour life support limitation, 0.1 tons fuel). Tech level 13.

The speed demon fighter is a unique case.
The "Beelzabettiepage" class fighter is an experimental unit tested during the Third Frontier War as a high-G interceptor and is the only 8-G capable craft to ever have been built in quantity (2 squadrons of 10 were produced for testing). Its high acceleration exceeds the grav compensation of the fighter itself, so the pilot experiences 1G to 3G while in level flight with much higher Gs while evading or maneuvering. This has caused several instances of pilots going unconscious and the fighters being destroyed by enemy fire or collisions during high-G maneuvers. The "Beelzabettiepage" is a 10 ton streamlined fighter capable of 8G, Agility 8, Model/1 computer and sensors, armed with a triple missile turret (9 missiles total, no missile magazine), and has only enough fuel for 42 hours (which exceeds the 24 hour life support limitation, 0.1 tons fuel). Tech level 13.

(When maneuvering at over 6G, high gravity conditions are applied to the pilot. The pilot is subjected to Heavy Gravity at 7G and Oppressive Gravity at 8G as per the gravity rules in T20. When in combat maneuvering at 7G or 8G, the pilot must make a Fort save every turn due to the random high accelerations the pilot is subjected to. The DC is 16 for 7G combat maneuvering, and DC 19 for 8G combat. Yes, this fighter kills Whiskey Delta pilots so the PC had better be Sierra Hotel).

This should get you started, tonnage breakdowns can be provided at request.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

I have only one change.

The speed demon is now called the "Sunstreaker" and has a yellow paint trim.

And yeah; she rolled like a demon on statistics, and managed to get Ace Pilot during Prior History. Traveller2/Scout3/AcePilot1.


Otherwise, Sweet! And many thanks! Your traveller-fu is high.

 

[jeff37923]

Excellent.
This means that I can use the name "Beelzabettiepage" for something even more diabolical.

The 8G fighter was done using an extrapolation of the M-Drive table.
7G = TL10 / MCr5 / 10 tons / 3.5EP
8G = TL11 / MCr5.75 / 11.5 tons / 4EP

Everything else is standard. Numbers needed can be generated using the ship design sequence for SI and weapons mods.

Good luck and have fun!