B5-Third Imperium crossover

[Voltron64]

Let's just say the old cliche of a interdimensional wormhole somehow opens up between the station of Babylon 5 circa 2258 and the Regina Subsector of the Third Imperium circa 1120 (it's all probably Grandfather's fault to be honest). What would result when the civilizations of Traveller and B5 come in contact? What would they think of each other, of their societies, their technologies, and how greatly their respective universes would change?

I know the Imperium would get a headache just dealing with the Psi Corps courting with the Zhodani and Grandfather would probably come out of retirement, intrigued by the war between the Vorlons and the Shadows.

Comments? Thoughts?

 

[robject]

As much as I'd like to think the Solomani would accept kinship with Earthforce, I rather think that they'd be the bitterest of enemies.

Naturally, the Vorlons would set up shop playing nanny to all of the OTU races, while the Shadows would arm the more chaotic groups.

The Centauri and Vilani would understand each other very well, resulting in an escalation of political plotting and assassinations within and between both groups. The Narn would continue to nip at everyone's heels.

Sheridan and Norris would not see eye to eye. The Imperium, would trade with as many as possible. The Zhodani would want to neutralize or (even better) absorb the Psi Corps, barring intervention from someone else.

The Cardassians would try to prevent the Bajorans from accessing the wormhole... oh wait, wrong storyline.

Where was I? Ah yes, the Imperial Stormtroopers pursuing the Rebel Alliance thru the wormhole... ah, nurse, it's time for my pills...


What I'd rather see

What I'd prefer to see is a set of battles between B5 and Traveller fleets, separate from any true intermingling of setting on a campaign basis.

 

[Ptah]

The Zhodani are all the Psi Corps hope to be.

I think HG2 would work well for the battles. The episodes where we find out EarthForce StarFuries could never get a lock on Mimbari ships just screams huge Computer (and TL) difference. Also the general lack of reliance on fighters by the more advance races fits well with what shakes out of HG2 combat, at high TL fighters become useless. For example, the Narn seem not much more advanced than Earth, and still use fighters. The Centauri seem to avoid fighters and the Mimbari appear to focus on big ships as their mainstay. The fact Mimbari still retain use of fighters has more to do with the Warrior caste's sense of honor IMO.

A quick guess, Earth Force is maybe TL10, Narn TL11, Centauri TL12, Mimbari TL13, a White Star TL 14, Vorlons & Shadows are 16 or 17.

 

[Ptah]

....

Where was I? Ah yes, the Imperial Stormtroopers pursuing the Rebel Alliance thru the wormhole... ah, nurse, it's time for my pills...

....

No, no, no you have it all wrong, the Scarrans are fleeing the Peacekeepers thru the wormhole created by the...

 

[Ran Targas]

B5 is one of my favorite settings and I've ruthlessly pillaged JMS's universe for gems. In general:

Hiver = Vorlon (but now with more human and alien thralls)
Droyne = Shadows (still picking up the pieces after the big one)
Zhodani = Cartagia's Centauri (deeply intertwined with the Droyne/Shadows)
Vilani = Mimbari (minus the technology)
Solomani = Clark's EarthGov

The Narn don't translate directly but my Vargr are similarly feeling a great deal of pressure from Zhodani border expansion (as is the Imperium). Technomages have been known to show up but mostly as agents of other First Ones, making sure dangerous toys aren't left lying about where the kids can find them.

I particularly like the "giants in the playground" concept so anything that can help maintain that feel, I borrow.

 

[Blue Ghost]

B5 was an interesting series. Worth a late night viewing on a hot summer night with the windows open, kind of thing. The whole forcing evolution through war was an interesting premise, but didn't make for believable story telling (I know, it's sci-fi, but still...).

I don't see why you couldn't simply just import the EA and everything else as is into a Traveller setting. It'd be your own TU with Bab-5-ish flavoring.

In case you can't tell, I'm not a big Bab-5 fan. I liked the production values, save the CGI. Some pretty good acting however.

 

[Ran Targas]

I don't see why you couldn't simply just import the EA and everything else as is into a Traveller setting. It'd be your own TU with Bab-5-ish flavoring.

You could, but there's some things that aren't compatible, particularly FTL travel.

 

[Mark Morgan]

Let's just say the old cliche of a interdimensional wormhole somehow opens up between the station of Babylon 5 circa 2258 and the Regina Subsector of the Third Imperium circa 1120 (it's all probably Grandfather's fault to be honest). What would result when the civilizations of Traveller and B5 come in contact? What would they think of each other, of their societies, their technologies, and how greatly their respective universes would change?

I know the Imperium would get a headache just dealing with the Psi Corps courting with the Zhodani and Grandfather would probably come out of retirement, intrigued by the war between the Vorlons and the Shadows.

Comments? Thoughts?

well I have been with witht ideea of a regnecy which has devloped a jumpgate hyperive tech ala moongoose and a long ranger white have driffted off the B5 jump space beacons picks up and locks on Regina/Regina witha Human Minbari crew

 

[Voltron64]

As much as I'd like to think the Solomani would accept kinship with Earthforce, I rather think that they'd be the bitterest of enemies.

Naturally, the Vorlons would set up shop playing nanny to all of the OTU races, while the Shadows would arm the more chaotic groups.

The Centauri and Vilani would understand each other very well, resulting in an escalation of political plotting and assassinations within and between both groups. The Narn would continue to nip at everyone's heels.

Sheridan and Norris would not see eye to eye. The Imperium, would trade with as many as possible. The Zhodani would want to neutralize or (even better) absorb the Psi Corps, barring intervention from someone else.

The Cardassians would try to prevent the Bajorans from accessing the wormhole... oh wait, wrong storyline.

Where was I? Ah yes, the Imperial Stormtroopers pursuing the Rebel Alliance thru the wormhole... ah, nurse, it's time for my pills...


What I'd rather see

What I'd prefer to see is a set of battles between B5 and Traveller fleets, separate from any true intermingling of setting on a campaign basis.

Yeah I prefer the latter over the former.

 

[robject]

Yeah I prefer the latter over the former.

And of course, Mongoose's rules lets us do just that, with reasonable results.

 

[Voltron64]

And of course, Mongoose's rules lets us do just that, with reasonable results.

I was referring to the intermingling, not the battles really.

Though let's be frank, they would happen.

 

[Voltron64]

Also to make it clear, the 1120 Imperium I'm referring to is the one from GURPS Traveller, not the OTU.

 

[whitedalek]

how about a modest faction swap...

K'Kree = Shadows (scary militant vegan spiders...)
Droyne = Narn (downscale psionics, but still have history with Centauri/Zhodani)

of course that changes the map a bit, but you get to keep G'Kar... : )

 

[Voltron64]

how about a modest faction swap...

K'Kree = Shadows (scary militant vegan spiders...)
Droyne = Narn (downscale psionics, but still have history with Centauri/Zhodani)

of course that changes the map a bit, but you get to keep G'Kar... : )

Yeah, I seeing the Vilani more as the Centauri and the Aslan with the Narn.

But no thanks on the faction swap, though.

 

[Easterner9504]

B-5

Duh we're talking the 3I here. Wormhole = Red Zone. IN = destroy anything that comes through hole.

There's nothing to see here, move along.

Peeked anyways? Good, all expense paid trip to the Gash, "B'seein' ya!"

Scout team that went through to investigate? Strange they all died within months of returning, tough job Scouting.

 

[Dirk Talon]

You could, but there's some things that aren't compatible, particularly FTL travel.

Hyperdrives, whether Mimbari-tech B5 hyperdrives or Lucasian Star Wars hyperdrives, would blow the Third Imperium out of the water, both in terms of trade and in terms of military conflicts. Covering multiple parsecs in mere hours rather than weeks? Yeah, the TI would be incredibly outmatched in terms of maneuverability, since the entire battlefield could be over-run with B5 reinforcements faster than the Imperium fleet could even call for them.

The Vilani mindset (which, let's face it, rules the Imperium to a large degree) highly resists change, especially since (at least according to Mark Miller's 4E Traveller) Emperor Clean 1 set up some pretty hard-core guidelines for future Imperium technological development and along what lines it should/would advance.

The Mimbari and other B5 races had a significantly different technological base (not having to rely on First and Second Imperium-based technologies) allowing for different innovations, such as developing phased-plasma rifles and pistols long before achieving Tech Levels 16 & 17.

I agree with Robject and Voltron64 that the Zhodani would quickly OWN Psi Corps, as Psi-Corps members are rather weak in TK and lack Teleport entirely.

As for the Solomani vs Earthforce?
If Earthforce played its hand right, there wouldn't even BE a conflict there, as they could quickly take over Solomani security and the Solomani Party from within.
Voila, TWO planet Earths, each with differing technology sets to bring to the table, each with a totalitarian government structure already in place to manipulate the masses and hold onto power utterly.

 

[Ran Targas]

The real advantage to hyperdrives (as in B5 or SW) is they don't have a range limitation; if you have food and air, you can go the distance. And since life support is not a critical factor when building most ships in game, there pretty much ends up being no range limit.

Until you figure out a way to force a limitation (or remove it from Traveller ships), it is nearly impossible to just shuffle the two settings together; they are technologically incompatible.