Introduction
A cool set of modules for Traveller would be ones which present a spectrum of interlocking mini-games from completely strategic to completely tactical.
Material and ideas mainly from Jeffr0 unless otherwise specified.
Relevant notes can be found here:
http://www.kentaurus.com/strattac.htm
The Spectrum
[Table of Contents]Interstellar Strategy (IS)
[Table of Contents]Overview
This is played on an enlarged sector or subsector map. Production values and combat modifiers are derived directly from UWPs. Squadrons or Task forces are represented by single counters.
The Interstellar Wars, or the Civil War, or the Fifth Frontier War springs to mind. But this scale can also be used for Corporate conquests, too. Play as the CEO of Oberlindes Lines and do battle in the marketplace.
The Map
The typical map is probably one or two subsectors, with a scale of one subsector per 8x11 sheet.
When more than one or two counters clutter up a single hex, through development or conflict, then the hex can be relegated to a "Battle Map" consisting of an enlargened map which can track the maneuverings of ground, orbital, and system elements.
Interstellar War
[Table of Contents]Military Units
For example, a Squadron with 6 capital ships, moderate bombardment capability, and a solid defensive screen may look like this:
(Attack-Bomb-Defense. The filled circle could indicate that these numbers are squadron-level strengths).
This squadron would break down into these Task forces:
(The half-circle indicates a Task force rather than a Squadron).
Building IS Military Units
[Table of Contents]Definitions
Main ship - A ship of the same type as the type of Squadron; battleships and battleriders are the main ships of BatRons, cruisers are the main ships of CruRons, assault ships are the main ships of AssaultRons, tankers are the main ships of TankRons, and scouts are the main ships of ScoutRons.
Capital ship - A ship carrying a spinal mount, intended for the line of battle. Capital ships are usually armored and of high acceleration and Agility, carrying the best computers available.
Escort - A ship without a spinal mount, but intended for combat.
Fighter - A combat ship of less than 100 tons.
Attack Rating
Each spinal mount provides part of the Attack rating according to the table below. Add up the points from all the main ships in the Squadron to get the total Attack rating, rounding fractions up. Divide spinal PAW ratings in half, rounding fractions up. The minimum rating can be zero but not less than zero.
Alternately, determine the 'average' spinal mount type, find its attack value from the table below, and multiply that type by the number of spinal weapons in the group.
Wpn Value
A 0.1
B 0.15
C 0.15
D 0.25
E 0.3
F 0.35
G 0.4
H 0.5
J 0.55
K 0.6
L 0.65
M 0.7
N 0.75
P 0.8
Q 0.85
R 0.9
S 0.95
T 1.0
Modifiers (applied after the total squadron rating is calculated):
-1 if total squadron escort tonnage is not at least 10% of total main ship tonnage.
-1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.
Modifiers can reduce a squadron's Attack rating to zero, but not below zero.
Bombardment Rating
The main assumption underlying these formulas is that battleships are too valuable to risk fighting SDBs or planetary defenses while cruisers can be more readily risked in such action. The same holds true for fighters based on ships in battleship squadrons; those fighters are assumed to be needed for screening the capital ships and therefore not to be expended.
Note: To find the number of "effective missile batteries" on a ship with turret missile racks, count the total number of missile racks (not turrets, not batteries, actual missile racks) on the ship and divide by 30.
For capital ship squadrons with main ships of size R or larger (battlecruisers, battleships, and dreadnoughts):
Bombardment = (# effective missile batteries/400), rounded to the nearest whole number, + (# fighters in the squadron/1000), rounded to the nearest whole number. It is possible for the result to be zero, but not negative.
For capital ship squadrons with main ships of size Q or smaller (cruisers, battleriders):
Bombardment = (# effective missile batteries/100), rounded to the nearest whole number, + (# fighters in the squadron/300), rounded to the nearest whole number. It is possible for the result to be zero, but not negative.
Modifers:
+1 if the squadron is prepared for Bombardment action. To get this modifier the squadron must have had some of the weapons removed from its weapons bays and deadfall ordnance placed in those bays. I would think that the Zhodani BatRons in FFW have had this done. To do this, empty non-missile weapons bays equal to half that ship's number of missile batteries.
-1 if the total escort ship tonnage in the squadron is not at least 10% of the total capital ship tonnage in the squadron.
-1 if the total cargo hold tonnage in the squadron is not at least 5% of the total capital ship tonnage in the squadron.
-1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.
Modifers can reduce a squadron's Bombardment rating to zero but cannot reduce it below zero.
Defense Rating
Base value (sum up points for all capital ships in the squadron, and round up): 1 point for every capital ship hull of 30ktons or larger; 0.5 points for every capital ship hull of less than 30ktons.
Modifiers (applied to squadron value and are cumulative). The minimum any squadron Defense rating can be is 2: enough capital ships must be in a squadron to bring the Defense rating to a value of 2.
-1 if the squadron does not have escort tonnage of at least 10% of the capital ship tonnage.
-1 if the average capital ship Computer rating is less than 7.
-1 if the average capital ship Agility rating is less than 5.
-2 if the average capital ship Agility rating is less than 3.
-1 if the average capital ship Meson Screen rating is less than 7.
-1 if the average capital ship Nuclear Damper rating is less than 7.
-1 if the average capital ship Armor rating is less than 9.
-2 if the average capital ship Armor rating is less than 1.
Examples
Squadron ratings were done with 8-ship squadrons (unless stated otherwise), with sufficient escorts, but not prepared for Bombardment and only the capital ship's inherent cargo tonnage.
Ship
Class A B D Notes
Gionetti CL 5 1 5
Arakoine CS 6 5 5
Ghalalk CA 2 2 6
AHL FI 2 2 2
Atlantic CR 6 1 7
Skimkish LC 0 7 2 14 ships in squadron
Wind SC 3 6 7
Antiama FC 0 10/1 5 Bomb is as cruiser/battleship
Tigress BB 8 10 8
Plankwell BB 8 0 7
Kokirrak BB 8 0 8
Nolikian BR 6 0 4 20kt, 7 Nolikians in squadron + 1 BT
Ship
Class A B D Notes
Anzha BR 8 0 2 28kt, 8 Anzha in sqdn + 4 BTs
Idlev BH 8 6 6 560kt, 80 fighters each
Shianzpla BB 7 1 4 300kt, TL13 design, Jump-4
Viepchakl BB 8 1 6 200kt, basic BB
Vrap.*1 BC 8 1 5 56kt, factor-S meson gun
Kefchenzh CA 3 1 5 52kt, PAW spinal
Driafria CS 4 9/2 5 100kt, Bomb as cruiser/battleship, 240 fighters each
Zhdav.*2 CL 5 0 2 14kt, 12 ships in squadron
*1 Vrapkenchkinj
*2 Zhdavidlits
Tradewar
[Table of Contents]Economic Values
Economics defines value in Tradewar; every system has a value, calculated as:
1 point if the pop = 9+ (name is ALL CAPS)
1 point if the TL = A+
1 point if the starport is A or B
1 point if there's a naval base
1 point for each world connected to this one by Xboat route
1 point if there are no competing ships and no buildings (including yours!)
Values can range from 0 to 7 or higher.
These points are divided up between the transport units present, with remainders going to the largest ships. The amount shipped cannot exceed the carrying capacity of the transport used.
Note that even the most useless systems are worth 1 point, if there's noone else there. This makes startups feasible (barely) -- we assume small initial successes.
Trade Rules
Transports move goods from one world to another. They are rated by their carrying capacity, and the total quantity of goods moved determines the income, in points, for a player in a turn.
Some synergies also exist.
For example, moving goods between complementary market worlds is worth one extra point of income. The complementary market worlds are Agricultural versus Industrial worlds.
Trading with a transport from any player in deep space is worth points, equal to the lower carrying capacity. This allows a limited form of cooperation, where ships can extend trade beyond their own range. If the two transports are from complementary market worlds, they each receive one extra point of income.
Tradewar Units
[Table of Contents]Transport Units
The number of transport units can never exceed the number of installations plus one.
An Oberlindes Task force may look like this:
(Attack-Carrying Capacity-Defense. The half-circle indicates task-force-level forces. The identifier in the top left identifies the unit's carrying capacity and jump range).
Installations
There are 3 types of installations. Each requires 1 point per turn for operations and upkeep.
Warehouses. These cost 1 point, plus the economic value of the system they're placed in. Warehouses allow the player to compete with competing installations for trade. For scoring purposes, a warehouse is worth 1 point plus the economic value of its system.
Offices. These cost 2 points, plus the economic value of the system they're placed in. Offices give the same benefits as warehouses, plus allow the player to build transports in situ. For scoring purposes, an office is worth 2 points plus the economic value of its system.
Factories. These cost 3 points, plus the economic value of the system they're placed in. For scoring purposes, a factory is worth 3 points plus the economic value of its system.
Please note what the construction rules imply: it's more costly to build the first installation on a world, than to build subsequent ones.
Examples
[Table of Contents]An initial expansion
A start-up could be as simple as a tramp trader. For example, a Free Trader with range 1, capacity 2 (on the order of 100 tons cargo), working two worlds: Macene, with a value of 3 (Starport B, Tech E, Naval base) and Fulacin, with a value of 2 (Starport A, Tech A). This guy would make 2 points per turn, with no recurring costs (except for that pesky random ship overhaul). Here's the picture:
Now, supposing in four turns he earns 7 points -- enough to upgrade his Free Trader to a division of subsidized merchants. With a carrying capacity of 3, he can move his ship to a more lucrative route:
In three more turns, he earns 7 more points, and upgrades again.
After a turn or two of this, the player can then establish an office, which is worth scoring points.
An office serves another purpose. It allows a player to create an additional trader group, which is built on that world.
So this player could establish two offices: one at Macene (where he could build a Macene-Risek route) and one at Jae Tellona (where he could operate the JT-Rhylanor route).
If he establishes these two offices, then he could operate at most 2 + 1 = 3 ship counters.
His primary goal is to establish a base in a good location, so he stakes out a pair of worlds that gets him 2 points income per turn, and builds an Office on one of them.
Over the next couple turns, he improves the office by adding outbuildings (stack them underneath the Office counter). This is the money equivalent -- now that he has an office, he can stockpile. One counter for a Warehouse, two counters for an Office, and three for a Factory. When he needs to, he can liquidate the assets and buy something else.
Then, when he has enough saved up, he adds them to his income and buys a new ship, or, more likely, a small fleet of traders. And he establishes new trade routes, builds new offices, etc.
Given enough time and no competition, he will have a factory on every world that has a significant trade volume, connected by high-capacity freighter divisions.
Piracy
A player is given a secure trader: jump 2, attack 2, carrying capacity 2. His primary goal is to establish a base on a low LL, high TL system. For the pirate, carrying capacity is always one greater than the counter's face value. This reflects the profit realized from selling what you didn't pay for. (Even minus maintenance, repairs, and fencing, grabbing an air/raft or cutter once in awhile pays many times over.)
Every time a pirate enters a system, then he must roll the Law Level or less of that system to be identified and attacked by system defense forces. Resolve combat using the military combat rules. Anti-piracy come in all shapes and sizes. Attack factor = Law Level. Class A/B: Task force auxiliaries, otherwise single ship.
When a pirate is identified, all of his assets in the system are confiscated.
His secondary goal is to build a web of Informants on target worlds. On each planet he visits, he may spend one point to place an Informant. The Informant requires no upkeep, but serves as an economic enabler: with an Informant, the pirate gets to trade without rolling for the patrol. Unless his primary base is in a system with Law Level Zero or One, it makes sense to place an Informant there. This also means that a risk-taker may risk flying into a high-law-level system once, placing an Informant, then building a base.
A pirate map cannot have more than four Informants in play.
To balance things some, there should probably be one patrol task force (a squadron of type T's) for every pirate in the game. This task force would do random jumps around the map, and act as a kind of roving pirate detector. When they're in a hex with a pirate, the pirate has to roll 8+ (or something) to remain incognito. Being discovered triggers attack from the Patrol, attack from system defenses, and confiscation of assets in-system. How's that for dangerous?
I suppose a pirate's ultimate goal is to build up a fiefdom. Therefore, he may build as many bases as he likes, and may improve them with as many buildings as he likes, but can only have one ship counter (be it a single ship or an entire task force).
At some point, it would seem that he can have so much invested in a world that he essentially owns the world. That means the system defense forces become his. I'm unsure of the broader implications of this. Perhaps that means he wins, and his score should be tallied up.
Building IS Tradewar Task Forces
[Table of Contents]Concept
Tradewar ships are civilian ships, and are built in much the same way as military units; however, there are two critical differences:
(1) tradewar units have a 'carrying capacity' rather than a bombardment factor;
(2) all tradewar units are task forces or single ships; there are no trade squadrons.
Attack and Defense
Attack and Defense factors are identical, and are based on the largest escort in the Task force:
Size of Largest Escort Attack & Defense Factor
none 1
100-399 tons 2
400-999 tons 3
1000-3999 tons 4
4000-9999 tons 5
10,000-39,999 tons 6
40,000-99,999 tons 7
100k-399k tons 8
400k-999k tons 9
1m tons+ 10
Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity is calculated like so:
Cargo tonnage Carrying Capacity
1-9 6
10-99 7
100-999 8
1000-9999 9
10k-99k 10
100k-999k 11
1m-9m 12
System Strategy (SS)
A step lower is with resolution focusing on a single system. The playing field contains planets and moons of a solar system. Units jockey for position and fight using high-level rules. Individual counters represent Squadrons or Task forces.
For example, a Task force consisting of a cruiser, four escorts, and a handful of smaller craft might look like this:
(The half circle could indicate that these numbers are task-force-level strengths).
To build a Task Force unit from a High Guard ship, follow the squadron-building rules, but multiply the attack and defense factors by 8.
If you are breaking a squadron down into task forces, create N units, where N is equal to the attack rating. Give them the same ATT and DEF as the parent squadron. Distribute the bombardment points among the task forces however you like.
High Guard
Below that, abstract massed ship combat a la High Guard. Tactics finally comes into play here (with very abstract movement rules) as two forces clash in a brutal, violent conflict.
Travelling
Below this is the single-ship game, in the classic Traveller form of jumping from world to world, leveraging a subsidy and a speculative trade route to make money and fight off pirates. Completely strategic.
Mayday
The classic Traveller tactical combat model set near one or two planets. A patrol ship counter might look like this:
(The empty circle could indicate that these numbers are for individual ship-level strengths).
Attack factor is equal to the number of turrets. Additionally, points can be awarded for bay weaponry (perhaps 3 points) and a spinal weapon (perhaps 10 points).
The middle number is the ship's total weapon penetration factor, calculated by taking the average of all bearing weapons:
Lasers, fusion guns, plasma guns: pen=8
Missile launchers: pen=6
Spinal weapon: pen=250
Defense factor is equal to the ship's armor rating. Unarmored starships have a defense of 4. Armored starships and planetoids have a defense of 8. Buffered planetoids have a defense of 12.
Land War
Strategic rules for planetary warfare: conglomerate army units, with consideration of air and orbital units as well.
Land War in Asia
Strategic rules for planetary conquest -- especially under which circumstances it's possible, and which circumstances it's not feasible.
Abstract Combat Tables
[Table of Contents]Process
This is based roughly on Book 4 mass combat.
The attacker makes an attack; the resulting damage percentage is recorded along with the letter 'K' representing 'kill damage'. The defender may then make a 'defensive reaction' attack, which, if it inflicts damage, is recorded along with the letter 'C' representing 'crippling damage'.
Damage
When combat is over, damage is applied to both sides: kill damage is the volume of ships which is destroyed, in whole ships. Crippling damage is the volume of ships which is damaged and requires repair, in whole ships. The player controlling the damaged fleet decides which ships are destroyed and crippled.
For each crippled ship, roll on the table below to determine the level of damage each system has sustained. Systems which sustain damage equal to or greater than their rating are destroyed. Non-destroyed systems are assumed to be damaged but can function as-is until the ship reaches repair facilities. These ships cannot bring weapons to bear, and cannot participate in battle, save as decoys.
Roll for each system (power, jump, maneuver, computer):
1. Level -1
2. Level -2
3. Level -3
4. Level -4
5. Level -5
6. Level -6
Combat Tables
The combat tables are below:
1. DM: Offense value - Defense value
2. DM: Unit types:
. Attacker: +10 if squadron-level,
. +4 if task-force-level;
. -4 if no main ship (auxiliaries only)
. Defender: -10 if squadron-level,
. -4 if task-force-level;
. +2 if solo main ship (no auxiliaries)
3. DM: Encounter type DM
. Own surprised -2
. Own attacking 0
. Firefight +2
. Enemy attacking +4
. Enemy surprised +6
Roll d6, add the die modifiers, and check the damage table:
Result Damage Inflicted
-2 or lower none
-1, 0 1%
1, 2 5%
3, 4 10%
5, 6 20%
7 30%
8 40%
9+ 50%
EXAMPLES:
A patrol ship (Att 4) achieves surprise on a squadron of dreadnoughts (Def 6).
The initial DM is -2.
The unit type brings DM to -16.
The encounter type brings DM to -10.
The ship has no chance of doing any damage.
A task force of patrol ships (Att 4) achieves surprise on a squadron of dreadnoughts (Def 6).
The initial DM is -2.
The unit type brings DM to -12.
The encounter type brings DM to -6.
The task force has a 33% chance of doing 1% damage to the squadron.
A single cruiser (Att 6) achieves surprise on a squadron of dreadnoughts (Def 6).
The initial DM is 0.
The unit type brings DM to -6.
The encounter type brings DM to 0.
The cruiser will do from 5-20% damage to the squadron.
A single cruiser (Att 6) attacks a squadron of dreadnoughts (Def 6).
The initial DM is 0.
The unit type brings DM to -6.
The encounter type keeps DM at -6.
The cruiser has a 33% chance of doing 1% of damage.
A CruRon (Att 6) attackes a BatRon (Def 6).
Initial DM is 0.
Unit types are equal, so DM remains 0.
Encounter type keeps DM at 0.
The CruRon will do from 5-20% damage.
A CruRon (Att 6) attacks a task force of patrol ships (Def 8).
Initial DM is -2.
Unit type brings DM to +4.
Encounter type keeps DM at +4.
The CruRon will do from 20-50% damage.
A CruRon (Att 6) attacks an armored Free Trader (Def 6).
Initial DM is 0.
Unit type brings DM to +10.
Encounter type keeps DM at +10.
The CruRon will annihilate the Free Trader, of course.