General Encumbrance Rules (in Traveller)

[atpollard]

I don't generally like Encumbrance rules (too much fussy book keeping for too little game benefit) ... but I want to avoid people carrying around a metric tonne of equipment with no adverse impacts.

The OFFICIAL CLASSIC TRAVELLER RULES are up to STR in kg for unencumbered or up to 2xSTR for encumbered (with up to 3xSTR for Military Loads).

Checking that against reality ... that places a 7 kg unencumbered/ 14 kg maximum limit on the average person and a 12 kg unencumbered / 24 kg maximum limit on the top 3% of the population. I can carry more than 14 kg in a backpack (maximum encumbrance) and I am an old fart. Soldiers loads are close to 50 kg and recommended Camping backpacks are 20 kg loads (10 kg for a light day hiking pack).

Does anyone have any alternatives that they use to offer?

I was thinking maybe STR + END rather than just STR to place the GAME closer to REALITY ... for Joe Average 777777):

• 14 kg maximum unencumbered
• 28 kg maximum encumbered
• 42 kg maximum military load

 

[kilemall]

I leave endurance to define how long they can walk/run, and do multipliers on STR for ground military forces, scouts, and potentially rogues, scientists etc.

 

[atpollard]

I leave endurance to define how long they can walk/run, and do multipliers on STR for ground military forces, scouts, and potentially rogues, scientists etc.

You mean something like ... "No penalty up to 2 x STR in kilograms for up to 1 x END hours."
Exceed those limits and "bad things" come into play.

 

[MichaelSTee]

If you don't mind using rules from versions of Cepheus:

Cepheus Engine has a section on Carrying Capacity, based on the weight of all carried equipment:
Light Load: As a light load, a character can life and carry up to twice their Strength characteristic score in
kilograms without any penalties or difficulties. For example, an average character with a Strength score of 7 can
carry up to 14 kilograms as a light load.
Medium Load: A medium load is considered to be twice a character's light load, or four times their Strength
characteristic score in kilograms. Characters carrying a medium load suffer a DM-1 to all physically based checks,
including skill checks. In addition, they move at 75% of their base speed. For example, an average character with
a Strength score of 7 can carry up to 28 kilograms as a medium load. Such a character would suffer a DM-1 on all
physical checks, and move at 4.5 meters, or 3 squares, per round.
Heavy Load: A heavy load is three times the character's light load, or six times their Strength characteristic score
in kilograms. Characters can lift up to a heavy load overhead. Characters carrying a heavy load suffer a DM-2 to
all physically based checks, including skill checks. In addition, they move at 75% of their base speed. For
example, an average character with a Strength score of 7 can lift up to 42 kilograms as a heavy load. Such a
character would suffer a DM-2 on all physical checks, and move at 4.5 meters, or 3 squares, per round.
Maximum Load: A character's maximum load is six times that of their light load, or twelve times their Strength
score in kilograms. Characters can lift up to the maximum load off the ground, but can only stagger around with
it. While overloaded in this way, characters cannot undertake any other actions, and can only move 1.5 meters,
or 1 square, per round. For example, an average character with a Strength score of 7 can barely lift up to 94
kilograms as a maximum load. Such a character could perform no other actions while struggling with the load,
except to move 1.5 meters per round.
Push/Drag: Characters can push or drag up to five times their heavy load weight, moving at half their normal
speed. Favorable conditions (smooth ground, dragging a slick object) double these numbers, and bad
circumstances (broken ground, pushing an object that snags) can reduce them to one-half or less.

Cepheus Light and Cepheus Deluxe (both by Stellagama) use this rule, which is easier since it doesn't use the actual weight of items:
"To facilitate fast play, Cepheus Light avoids the careful accounting of equipment weight.
Instead, a character may carry a number of major “items” equal to their STR with no
penalty. This represents a Light Load. Characters may carry items beyond this, up
to three times their STR, which constitutes a Heavy Load. A heavily-loaded character
suffers DM-1 to all physical task throws and can only use a maximum of one move
action in a combat round."
Many items in the Equipment list have an Encumbrance number, representing the number of "items" they represent for this rule.

 

[kilemall]

You mean something like ... "No penalty up to 2 x STR in kilograms for up to 1 x END hours."
Exceed those limits and "bad things" come into play.

Something like, although more like expending endurance points at x time rate per encumbrance level and whether civilian or military/adventurer multiples.

 

[atpollard]

Many items in the Equipment list have an Encumbrance number, representing the number of "items" they represent for this rule.

If I followed the hidden math behind the logic (which I liked) ... an "ITEM" is a generic 2 kg hypothetical load. [STR 7 can carry 14 kg or 7 "items", so 1 "item" = 2 kg] ... so a typical 4 kg Rifle would be "2 ITEMS" ... a 100 kg Chest of Jewels (feeling Fantasy Adventure for a moment) would be 50 ITEMS - the Hero better get help lifting.

 

[mike wightman]

In CT there is a distinction between being carried and being worn.

The trick is to determine the equivalent carried vs worn for a bergen, webbing etc.

A fully packed bergen may have a mass of 50kg, but that is spread over shoulder straps, waist belt and often a chest strap

My rule of thumb - one point of contact for worn item - half mass
two points - quarter mass
three points - one eighth mass.

So that fully loaded bergen 50/8 = 6.25kg effective encumberance.

A 5kg rifle carried ready to use - 5kg, the same rifle with a sling so it can be worn, 2.5kg

 

[aramis]

I don't generally like Encumbrance rules (too much fussy book keeping for too little game benefit) ... but I want to avoid people carrying around a metric tonne of equipment with no adverse impacts.

The OFFICIAL CLASSIC TRAVELLER RULES are up to STR in kg for unencumbered or up to 2xSTR for encumbered (with up to 3xSTR for Military Loads).

Checking that against reality ... that places a 7 kg unencumbered/ 14 kg maximum limit on the average person and a 12 kg unencumbered / 24 kg maximum limit on the top 3% of the population. I can carry more than 14 kg in a backpack (maximum encumbrance) and I am an old fart. Soldiers loads are close to 50 kg and recommended Camping backpacks are 20 kg loads (10 kg for a light day hiking pack).

Does anyone have any alternatives that they use to offer?

I was thinking maybe STR + END rather than just STR to place the GAME closer to REALITY ... for Joe Average 777777):

• 14 kg maximum unencumbered
• 28 kg maximum encumbered
• 42 kg maximum military load

Keep in mind that daily carry weapons don't count, nor do clothing/armor worn routinely.
When that transition happens isn't clear.
But for the guy just out of service, carrying a rifle doesn't count, nor does the CES. I wouldn't count the canteens and flashlight, nor the steel/kevlar/etc pot.

I've long used "things in backpacks count half" which I got frome some RPG, but I've no idea which one anymore. If a game doesn't account for packs with rules, that's one of my few readily houseruled elements.
Current military trends are 25 to 40 kg of gear for infantry on deployment.

T2K4e uses roughly 2-4 kg slots, one slot per side of strength die each in pack and on person; in pack, one's encumbered.
Note that its dice ratings run from d6 to d12. For traveller purposes, I'd say use that mode - the raw numbers don't count the pack and the enc level used is whichever is higher - pack load or personal load,

 

[Condottiere]

I hit my limit with a thirty kilogramme backpack, and damn near toppled over; wheels help.

Speaking of which, you can pack a roller with extra ammunition, assuming the terrain (paved) is suitable.

Clothing distributes the weight around.

Shaving off weight from the rifle is appreciated.

 

[atpollard]

Keep in mind that daily carry weapons don't count, nor do clothing/armor worn routinely.
When that transition happens isn't clear.

So TRAVELLER halved what a person can carry ... and then excluded half of what they were carrying from the calculation.
I guess it balances out ... but seems extra fiddly in the book keeping department to fuss over "this is included weight" vs "this is excluded weight".

 

[atpollard]

My rule of thumb - one point of contact for worn item - half mass
two points - quarter mass
three points - one eighth mass.

Pretty slick mechanic.

 

[atpollard]

I've long used "things in backpacks count half" which I got frome some RPG, but I've no idea which one anymore. If a game doesn't account for packs with rules, that's one of my few readily houseruled elements.

I like this ... it is simple (that appeals to my rules-light style).

 

[whartung]

Keep in mind that daily carry weapons don't count, nor do clothing/armor worn routinely.

Ah, great!

Enjoy the extra security of dragging that BAR around "for free"!

 

[mike wightman]

If you are carrying it then full mass.
If you are wearing it no mass, but the list of wearables is somewhat short. hence my house rules above for webbing, backpacks etc.

Normal Load: Any character may carry a load equal to his or her strength characteristic, in kilograms. A person
with strength 12 could carry 12 kilograms. Weapons and other materials are given weights in grams and kilograms.
Load is calculated by totaling the weight of all relevant items.
Clothing, personal armor, and minor items such as holsters, scabbards, and belts are not counted.
Other items such as tools, communicators, instruments, rations, and calculators are described in the chapter on equipment, and their weight constitutes part of the total load.

 

[Commander Truestar]

In US Military jungle training (Abn Pathfinder), we were called to formation on the first day and introduced into 80 lbs of weight we had to load into our alice packs....That was back in the '80's so the variant used had three straps(shoulder x2, Waist x1) and the frame.

So, I'd say, based on @mike wightman's suggestion, 10 Lbs.

Having experienced this, I'd change his numbers to
2 pts: 2/3 weight
3 pts: 1/3 weight

I've also done the:
1) knit a shirt of chain mail
2) put if on and slog through the days until you stop noticing it
3) Wear it in actual SCA combat.
(and yes, there is a story-Not Mine- from the 1970's - of a guy wearing such a shirt under his clothes and winter weather gear while working nights
at a gas station in Chicago. That ends with a broken switch blade and a penny-ante crook who's likely still running)

The training evolution? you got over the weight after 2 weeks or you likely washed out as that added to other pressures applied
The chain mail? I got over it in under 10 days but I can't recall exactly how far "under"

 

[Daidoji Dave]

...chain mail under clothes while working nights at a gas station...

If this guy hadn't read Dumarest, he should have.

 

[Commander Truestar]

If this guy hadn't read Dumarest, he should have.

LOL,
It was the south side of Chicago in the winter in the 70's.
Robbery was a career responsibility.
The incident I related, the bad guy stuck him with a knife and it broke.... He ran.
It was just another day for him.

This is something I use in my Traveller games as a GM, because it's real.

Sometimes, my players complain I'm going overboard....
.....and, I remind then that "everything" they see is based on something I went through.
Even when I was in the military and got shot.

Having been military, and SCA, and Fandom conventions....I've seen a lot.
Those perspectives make me oddly qualified to "comment" on a lot because we are Humans and have an insane amount of opinions.
(not that my opinions are necessarily valid for you)

But under the conditions that guy faced, wearing body armor of any type was a reasonable life decision