The Space Pirate's Code

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

One reason why weapons like cutlasses still see use in Traveller is that fire-arms pose a risk of atmosphere-breach when used on board ships. So an equivalent of the "no handling ignition sources near the magazine" rule would be "no handling any loaded fire-arm powerful enough to compromise hull integrity without proper safety procedures". That tends to mean anything above snub pistols, which are designed for use in shipboard environments.

Solid addition. I'll definitely include that in the final version of the code I use.

 

[Pbartender]

Marooned sailors may only be recruited into the crew by popular vote; those who sneak aboard are subject to any punishment decided by the captain and crew. [This is the one whose modern reading I'm least certain of.

Not quite. The punctuation and pronouns are a little funky, and that confuses it a bit. Here's what it means...

IV. If any time we shall meet another Marooner that Man shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.​

If anybody in the crew recruits, without the consent of the rest of the crew, someone who was previously marooned, then the recruiter [not necessarily the recruited marooner] will suffer whatever punishment the Captain and crew deem fit.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I finally introduced this to the players today. Thanks for everyone's help. Here's the final version:

The Code of the Brethren of the Void

1. By signing this, you agree to follow the lawful orders of your superior officers. Such officers receive an additional total share of all captured goods, based on their position:

* Captain: 1.5 shares
* Navigator: 1.25 shares
* Engineer: 1.25 shares
* Quartermaster: 1.25 shares
* Gunner: 1.25 shares

2. If any crewmember deserts or flees battle, or keeps secrets from the company, he will be marooned with one hand weapon, one clip of ammunition, and one bottle of water.

3. Those who steal from other crewmembers (including withholding or concealing goods taken from a prize ship) will be marooned or put to death, as decided by the captain and crew.

4. Marooned spacefarers may only be recruited into the crew by popular vote; those recruiting a formerly marooned spacefarer are subject to any punishment decided by the captain and crew.

5. Fighting among the crew while in space is punishable by 29 seconds in a vacuum.

6. Handling any loaded firearm powerful enough to compromise hull integrity without following proper safety procedures is punishable by 29 seconds in a vacuum.

7. Anyone not performing their duties, or anyone who does not effectively maintain their equipment, will be punished as decided by the captain and crew.

8. If you lose an arm below the elbow or a leg below the knee, you will receive 4,000 credits; if you lose an arm above the elbow or a leg above the knee, you will receive 8,000 credits.

9. Rapists will be put to death.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hmmm...

Sounds like "Vac29!" is darn near the last thing a pirate crewman wants to hear...

 

[MarkB]

Hmmm...

Sounds like "Vac29!" is darn near the last thing a pirate crewman wants to hear...

Even though it should be survivable, I'd bet that sort of vacuum exposure must leave distinctive scars or physiological effects, especially after multiple incidents - scars around clothing seams and cuffs from where the exposed skin swells and bruises, bloodshot eyes from the repeated pressure strains, a distinctive rasp to the voice or breathing from where delicate blood vessels burst as the lungs were evacuated.

A spacer who'd received such treatment repeatedly would probably be recognisable at a glance, marking him out as a pirate or former pirate to regular spacers, and as a sloppy or wastrel crewman amongst pirate crews, to have earned so many punishments. It might be worth highlighting such folk in the game, maybe even adding some slang to identify them - something like "vac-breathers" or "vac-heads" - which eventually becomes a disparaging term referring to pirates in general, but especially to sub-standard pirates.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Good idea. I'll definitely work that in at some point.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Duplicate post.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A spacer who'd received such treatment repeatedly would probably be recognisable at a glance, marking him out as a pirate or former pirate to regular spacers, and as a sloppy or wastrel crewman amongst pirate crews, to have earned so many punishments. It might be worth highlighting such folk in the game, maybe even adding some slang to identify them - something like "vac-breathers" or "vac-heads" - which eventually becomes a disparaging term referring to pirates in general, but especially to sub-standard pirates.

Vacc Jacks? Vaccbeards? Vapor Jockeys? Airheads?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Parley?

1. By signing this, you agree to follow the lawful orders of your superior officers. Such officers receive an additional total share of all captured goods, based on their position:

* Captain: 1.5 shares
* Navigator: 1.25 shares
* Engineer: 1.25 shares
* Quartermaster: 1.25 shares
* Gunner: 1.25 shares

Generous. Were I captain I'd take 10 shares, with 3 each for navigator & Engineer.

9. Rapists will be put to death.

Come, now. Yer denyin' a traditional rite of pillage! Better:

9. Rapists who don't share will be put to death.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

While at sea (and presumably in space), the rape they were probably most concerned with occured between crew members.