A Proto-Traveller Approach to the Scout Service

[jawillroy]

I've been cobbling together a strict LBB123 TU, and exploring the possibilities of a small-ship, small-empire TU. This has led me to a re-assessment of the Scout Service, going only by interpretation of what I find in LBB123, second edition.

I started from these points:

LBB3 does NOT assume a single Interstellar Government.

LBB3 system generation tends to produce many, many underpopulated and underdeveloped worlds, whose survival separate from an interstellar community would be far from assured. IMTU, this indicates some sort of dark age similar to the OTU Long Night.

In LBB3 subsector generation, scout bases tend to be widely distributed. Going by LBB1, these all welcome detached duty scouts for free fuel and board - so a widespread, single Scout service throughout human space.

Interestingly, nothing in LBB123 says anything about the Scout Service belonging to any government, any more than do the Merchants.

Which Leads Me To Introduce, IMTU:

The INDEPENDENT INTERSTELLAR SCOUT SERVICE

The Scouts are an independent polity in the service of humanity, maintaning neutral communication links and supporting exploration. Their ultimate goal is to hold back the night: to prevent a new Dark Age from occurring.

They can be found, and serve, throughout human space and the Beyond. They are associated with no one government. They are a separate entity: they make treaty with individual worlds and empires, and to a greater or lesser extent are accepted as providing a vital service throughout human space. They provide communication via a network of couriers (long jump and short.) They explore frontiers of human space; they constantly re-survey known areas (that cr.10,000 jumpchart? A Scout probably made it.) Scout neutrality is a watchword; though in practice, it's a little difficult to maintain on the ground. Detached service scouts are a useful tool when actions that might be beneficial to interstellar humanity run afoul of the local polity.

The Scouts are financed from postal/communication charges both at the individual level and at the planetary/polity government level: by and large, having a scoutbase in your system is a boon worth maintaining.(The legendary Beowulf's distress call IMTU would be much more likely to be answered by an S-ship than a T.) They also receive a certain amount of revenue for navigation and the maintenance of local "Library" archives. Anyway, the heart of the Scout Service, the Scout/Courier, is cheap and easy to run. Detached duty scouts require no payroll, and no pension.

Scouts IMTU are renowned for their reliability and bravery. Look at LBB1 CharGen: they're resourceful (all that JOT) but straight-shooters (no crook skills consummate Spacers (all pilots, lots of spacer-type skills.) But a lot of them die - that's a tough survival roll for anyone without a lot of endurance.

IMTU, The Independent Interstellar Scout Service has for its logo a black circle, in which a hand grips a flaming torch, in gold. Motto: "We Part The Dark."

 

[Golan2072]

For the sake of this discussion, I'd repost my comments about this from the other thread:

Imperium Festerium, I like the direction your are going to for the Scouts!

From what you've said so far, I'd imagine them to be a cross between the Babylon 5 Rangers ("The Scout Service exists to prevent another dark age"), gypsies and a postal/exploration cooperative.

By a cooperative I mean a decentralized corporation, in which each employee holds a (roughly) equal amount of shares rather than having a small circle of big shareholders at the top; decisions are made by popular vote when possible and by elected deputies when nescery; dividends gets shared equally between the members. The rankless and informal structure of the Scouts given in LBB1, combined with your notes, fit this model well.

When you join the Scouts you don't automatically get a share; you'll have to "buy into the Service" by hard work as an Apprentice. After a few terms you'd earn a partial share (voting rights and partial dividends); a "detached" Type-S is actually a full share, allowing you to work both for the Service (by holding back the Night and by a few missions per year) AND for yourself (revenews generated by the Type-S).

 

[jawillroy]

The cooperative's an interesting take on it, although I imagine if there were too much of a focus on the Scouts as a corporation, then the Scout Courier might look a lot more like a Far Trader, and there might be more of a trade focus that isn't as well indicated in the skill set. Not even Admin...

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by Imperium Festerium:
The cooperative's an interesting take on it, although I imagine if there were too much of a focus on the Scouts as a corporation, then the Scout Courier might look a lot more like a Far Trader, and there might be more of a trade focus that isn't as well indicated in the skill set. Not even Admin...

They do not have to trade in material in order to be an economic entity; they trade in information and they carry mail - the Scout Courier is an efficient tool for that. My point was that a decentralized, democratic and even quasi-tribal (gypsy-style) structure would fit them well; a top-down management structure as found in most corporations won't.

 

[jawillroy]

Good points, that's a lot clearer and does indeed fit well.

And actually, going by the mustering out chart, the dividends are pretty good: Detached Duty aside, IIRC the cash payout runs high, something like 20-30,000 a shot, am I right?

Given the nature of the job, not too many get to collect...

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

I like this version of the Scouts!

One question, how does the Traveller's Aid Society integrate with the Independant Scouts?

 

[kafka47]

BTW...

pol·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pl-t)
n. pl. pol·i·ties
The form of government of a nation, state, church, or organization.
An organized society, such as a nation, having a specific form of government: “His alien philosophy found no roots in the American polity” (New York Times).

Not sure that you are trying to say polity, rather maybe change it to Intergalatic Non Governmental Organization: INGO. But, I do also find some utility for this version of Scouts and a very creative but I think that I will simply absorb them into the Zhodani Consulate rather than the Imperium which is more friendly to small ships IMTU.

 

[rhoneycutt]

how about the IISS as Knights Templar in space...kinda.

Remnants seemed to be involved in the exploration of the new world, The Maltese crosses of Columbus' sails being their symbol...etc

If you included military style 'security' branch...it could be more of a "Space Patrol"

 

[Spinward Scout]

West End Games Star Wars did a really neat take on the Scouts.

Independant Scouts - almost like early prospectors. Claim jumping and all.

Corporate Scouts - basically slavers with a license

Republic Scouts - pretty much Star Rangers or Space Marshals. Keeping the peace on frontier worlds.

Imperial Scouts - always looking for Rebels.

If you ever find a copy of WEG Star Wars: Scouts on eBay or something, as long as it's a decent price, grab it - it's worth it.

Dameon

 

[jawillroy]

Thanks, Jeff!

IMTU I'm sort of torn between a couple things. If I go with the Grand Festrian Empire I'd already devised, the TAS is actually an arm of Imperial trade policy. If I go with the non-imperial TU that I outline above, then the TAS is also an INGO (thanks, Kafka) but solving a different problem: essentially insuring that starports maintain a certan set of standards, and preventing pricegouging on the part of merchants.

Kafka, Polity might not be the right word (not bad for late lunch hour work though.) INGO works nicely though.

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

Originally posted by Imperium Festerium:

IMTU I'm sort of torn between a couple things. If I go with the Grand Festrian Empire I'd already devised, the TAS is actually an arm of Imperial trade policy. If I go with the non-imperial TU that I outline above, then the TAS is also an INGO (thanks, Kafka) but solving a different problem: essentially insuring that starports maintain a certan set of standards, and preventing pricegouging on the part of merchants.

Well, if you're still hashing it out, consider this. What if the TAS was a branch of the Scouts? TAS could be used as support for Scout veterans and retirees, and also provide a convenient central location for the distribution of communications to local governments.

 

[jawillroy]

As I've been thinking it over (and splitting my *massive* 9 subsector empire into pocket empires and isolated worlds) I've disassociated the TAS from local government; I'm starting to see partnership between the Scouts and the TAS in terms of information sharing, but I still see them as separate entities IMTU.

 

[mike wightman]

Going by what's written in the book:

The Travellers' Aid Society is a private organization...

I notice that it's only available to Navy and Marine characters in basic character generation (plus Belters, Diplomats, Rogues, and Nobles in CotI).

I wonder if it is "by invitation" to the best and the bravest naval and marine personel so that the Travellers' can also act as some sort of mercenary brokerage?
Or perhaps they have something else in mind for all those experienced in space combat...

 

[jawillroy]

Since the Navy and the Marines are the services typically in charge of protecting a) interstellar space and b) starports, I'd say that the TAS has a strong motive in maintaining good relations with these organizations, and might reward service that benefits the society thisaway.

As for CotI, the Diplomats fall in a similar category, as do the Nobles (though they're loaded and can buy memberships) whereas the others might have just been able to buy a membership after striking it rich.

 

[Sifu Blackirish]

Your posts have made me think long and hard about the exact disposition of Scouts IMTU.

The initial survey was done by volunteers who had hastily cobbled space skills. (TL-8 Scouts??)

After the initial survey, merchant houses were given exploitation contracts. Those who still wanted to be Scouts had to pretty much go it alone, without most of their former support. They became independent information brokers who basically sold survey data to the highest bidder.

With the militarism of the settled area and consolidation, the Scouts were reabsorbed into the military forces and used as trailbreakers in formerly unexplored zones (if you come back, fine, but who cares?)

I still have to think of the TAS angle, but you have me thinking hard...hence the smoke.

 

[aramis]

Cool. I like it. It is VERY different from what I'd do on my own...

How much brianwash do they do to their indoctrinées?

 

[robject]

Originally posted by Aramis:

How much brainwash do they do to their indoctrinées?

That's the angle I was looking for. That and the Templars. Yeah, it would be pretty rockin' if it were some strange, interstellar version of the Illuminati.

 

[Jame]

Originally posted by Sir Dameon Toth:
West End Games Star Wars did a really neat take on the Scouts.
-snip-

I have one of those - it might be useful, but I find I prefer the worldgen, as much because I haven't the patience to separate out the Star Wars stuff.

 

[jawillroy]

*Bump*

I've been away, but since I'm back, and since this is going to be part of MTU, I figured I'd kick the Independent Interstellar Scout Service back into play.

Even with me going from "Small Empire" TU to a "teency pocket empires" TU, the Independent Scouts seem to work. I still like 'em. I don't see them so much as a brainwashed/sinister outfit - though it would certainly be interesting to have a sort of shadow-organization operating independent of them, or even against them...

 

[boomslang]

Even with me going from "Small Empire" TU to a "teency pocket empires" TU, the Independent Scouts seem to work. I still like 'em. I don't see them so much as a brainwashed/sinister outfit - though it would certainly be interesting to have a sort of shadow-organization operating independent of them, or even against them...

As I see it, the only real issue/obstacle is operating funds. The idea that the IISS does the heavy lifting in Mail service is pretty workable; IMTU, a variety of "Mail Societies" exist, some are government agencies, some are guilds, and some are independent corporate/commercial operations. The guild and corporate groups support themselves rather nicely; figure Mail rates at Cr1 per parsec for something the size of a CD/DVD, then extrapolate that out to a dton of volume (remembering that it only pays the carrier KCr5 per dton per parsec as an operating expense), and Mail is a real cash cow for the Postmaster holding the contract...