Bounty Hunter - Single Player game

[Ron Gianti]

I'm working on a couple dozen "Mini games" that I can use while playing / learning Traveler. One that I'm close to fleshing out is simulating being a bounty hunter. The idea is that 4 or so characters are just mustered out and looking for something to do to make a quick living and an excuse to roll the dice and use as much of LBB 1-3 as possible. I will branch out to the other of the 8 books later.

If anyone has any ideas, please post. Especially I'm looking to flesh out the idea and make nice long tables for variety but keep it simple and later on to playtest it to get the numbers right.

This is in a very rough draft and now that its nice weather I don't have a lot of time to work on this so progress will be slow.

Mini Game – Bounty Hunting

Each bounty is split into 3 phases:

1.The undercover operation – 10 days long
2.The shakeout operation – The next 3 days of the 2nd week.
3.The bust – The last day of the 2nd week.

During the undercover operation (phase 1), characters are spending time discreetly trying to gather information about the perpetrator. Each character who spends time looking for information for one day is allowed to roll on the Detail category page for that day. Only one character can do research on each category per day.

During the shakeout operation, they are actively pursuing the bounty and no longer working under cover. They are trying to get him / her to panic, make a mistake, and catch them on the move.

The more information they gather, the more likely it is to corner the suspect and make the arrest.

Getting to roll on the detail page takes time, dedication and (sometimes) credits (bribery, getting through red tape, etc).

Detail Category Pages:

Roll for type of crime​

(Known on 3+. If not known, bounty *10)

Shake out +1

1 : Grand Theft
2 : Murder (Bounty * 3, Henchmen +1)
3 : Terrorism (Bounty * 10, Henchmen +5)
4 : Embezzlement

Roll for # of Henchmen​

(Known on 10+ bonus = streetwise)

Shake out +1

1D – 2

Each Henchman = +10,000 bounty.

Roll for known associates:​

(Known on 10+ bonus = Admin)

Shake out +2

1 : Family
2 : Gang members
3 : Friends
4 : Guard Pet
5 :

Roll for habits / hobbies / vices​

(Known on 10+ bonus = streetwise)
Shake out +2


1 :Opposite Sex (specific)
2 :Opposite Sex (general)
3 : Gambling (&)
4 : Drugs (#)
5 : Family ties
6 : Friends
7 : Alcohol
8 : Gourmet Foods
9 : Social Scene (Parties)
10: Music / Theatre scene

Roll for weapon skills​

Shake out +1

(Known on 10+ bonus = ??

(bounty will always have one weapon on person for each skill and minimum stat to avoid penalty's):
1 : Blade
2 : Auto Pistol
3 : Foil
4 : Laser Carbine
Roll for stats

Shake out +1

(Known on 10+ bonus = Medical)

Roll for bounty provider:​

Shake out +1

(Known on 8+ bonus = Social Skill)
1 – 2 :Imperium
2 – 4 :Local government (if crime = Terrorism, bounty *3)
5 – 6 :Corporation (if crime = Embezzlement, bounty *3)

Roll for ID marks (tatoos, etc):​

Shake out +1

(Known on 8+ bonus = bribery)
1 : Tattoo
2 : Specific hair style
3 : Specific clothing
4 : Specific vehicle (+)

Roll for specials​

Specials (if any) are not known until encounter happens.

2 – 11 : No Specials
12 : Roll on Specials table

Specials

1 : Super PSI use, roll for ability's
2 : Henchmen +5
3 : User in Combat Armor (gets Vacc Suit +2)
4 : User in Battle Dress (Gets Vacc Suit +2)
5 : Guard Pets +3
6 : G Carrier Laser Rifle (x2) turret and Henchmen +5
7 : Players setup by old bounty and Henchmen +10

Roll for wanted condition:
​

Shake out +1

(Known on 5+)

1 – 4 :dead or alive
5 :dead
6 :alive

Roll for Frequented Local location:​

Shake out +1


(Known on 10+ bonus = Computer)

1 : Starport
2 : Family home
3 : Gang member home
4 : Brothel
5 : Opposite Sex home
6 : Starport
7 : Abandoned building
8 : Office Building
9 : Coffee Shop
10 : Casino
11 : Amusement Park
12 : Theatre
13 : Night club
14 : Exclusive Party (need SOC 10+ to attend)

Roll for last known Planet location:
​

Roll 2D – 1.
Characters planet is 1.

Starting to the “north” or coreward, count planets (not empty hexes) in a circle around your current system. Go out to the next surrounding hexes until the planet is decided on.

Roll for vehicle (3D)​

Shake out +1

(Known on 10+ bonus = navigation)

3 – 6 : On foot
7 : Local car
8 : Public Transit *
9 : Air / Raft
10 : Hovercraft
11 : ATV tracked
12 : ATV wheeled
13 : AFV wheeled
14 : AFV tracked
15 : Helicopter
16 : Airplane *
17 :G carrier
18 : Ships Boat *

Roll for Bounty​

2D * 10,000 cr




(*) = Last known area, now known – Public Transit = subway, Airplane = airport, Ships Boat = Starport.
(+) = Vehicle now known, roll on Vehicle table
(&) = Last known area now known, Casino
(#) = Medical skill now can be used as + for Last known area, if not yet known.

Roll for the take down:​

1 : Perpetrator gets the jump on the bounty hunters, automatic win of first initiative, combat begins.
2 : Perpetrator gets ahead of the bounty hunters. Initiative +3
3 : Bounty and hunters show up at location together, combat begins normally
4 - 8 : Bounty gets wind scared, leaves planet, scenario ends.
9 : Hunters ahead of bounty, Initiative +3
10 : Hunters get the jump, automatic win of first initiative, combat begins.
11 – 12: Hunters surround bounty; make it clear that one move and he’s done. Bounty surrenders on 8- (dms: +1 per bounty henchmen, -1 per hunters, Leader skill). If 9+, bounty begins shooting

Takedown dm’s (in addition to the tables above):

Per bounty hunter over 4 involved in the operation -1
Per bounty hunter over 4 involved in the shake down -1


Car chases:



Roll for total reward: First add all + amounts, second multiply all * amounts. So 2d * 10,000 + 10,000 + 20,000 * 2 * 3 , roll a 5 = 80,000 * 2 * 3 = 400,000cr.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Rain Check!

I am kinda busy right now, but I promise I'll get back and actually read it!

But what I did skim was nice, was working on a system to auto-dispatch crimes, so I dig it so far, will have to test it later.

Love, me some cop stuff.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Hmmm, time to dig out my FTL 2448 - which has a Cops 2448 section. Don't forget that the biggest crimes in the Imperium would either be Ship Skipping (taking an unpaid ship off to parts unknown) or Espionage/Treason. Terrorism would be a military situation, most likely.

Looks like a nice setup!

 

[Icosahedron]

Looks interesting. Could be a useful Referee aid for NPC generation.
You might change 'opposite sex' to 'sexual partner'.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Still raining.....

Hmmm, time to dig out my FTL 2448 - which has a Cops 2448 section. Don't forget that the biggest crimes in the Imperium would either be Ship Skipping (taking an unpaid ship off to parts unknown) or Espionage/Treason. Terrorism would be a military situation, most likely.

Looks like a nice setup!

Holy Crap, Spinward! Now I don't feel quite so dork cool, I thought I was like the only one with the green book (FTL2448)! Oh and as for crimes add Piracy for Goods, Murder on the Star Lanes, and of course, my favorite Piracy for Ransom.

At a friend's now, so will check this out further later tonight.

As for Icosahedron's comment, if we are discussing what I think we are 'sexual partner' would be more accurate. Some of us are out right freaks. (and Hilfy Chanur is trouble I meet her, I know she's a perv!)

 

[castiglione]

I can't think of another situation off the top of my head but one possible "mini-game" would be how to handle possible boarding/hijacking situations.

I.e. - if there's a possibility of a hijacking, what situation the PC's are in when they suddenly realize what kind of situation they're in. I suppose most of the time, the PC's would be unarmed on board their ship except maybe a body pistol and/or a boot knife so how close any of them are to the ship's weapons locker when the hijackers make their move happens will probably have an impact on what happens and that'll depend on serendipity and whether the PC's notice anything suspicious beforehand. The initial situation could range all the way from the PC's all waking up tin their bunks o find the muzzles of pistols pressed to their foreheads or to the PC's nipping the hijacking in the bud.

Then there are possible patron jobs that the PC's might be hired for...I imagine most of these would fit in the "find the [object, person, etc.]" where the last known location of the object of interest might have to be researched (sort of similar to the shaking out period) and if the location is already known, the situation on the ground (security, etc.) would also have to be researched.

Interesting idea - I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

[castiglione]

And...there's also the always popular "let's explore that derelict space ship or strange ruin on the planet's surface" type games...basically, dungeoncrawl in outer-space.

 

[Burocrate]

This Bounty Hunter job generator is really cool. Consider it property of the "Black Hole of Quality" that resides within my computer.

Bounty Hunting on medium to high law worlds would entail some red tape. The player would need skill in Admin or Liaison in order to operate 'legally'. Perhaps operating under the radar would make the job more exciting.

I have always wanted to run a Traveller character based off the old US TV show called "The Rockford Files". The main character was a PI and always the underdog. If your interested the net has a summary of each episode so each mini-adventure is pre-written and waiting for someone to revive them.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

remember the ride

And you get a crappy free trader with a gold rust box of an air/raft

Oh and once every starport you get jacked up in your own ship....

(both of us are now dated)