Half remembered ship

[sageryne]

Hi,

This has been bugging me for months. I half-remember a very brief ship article from the '80s or '90s. I was in a magazine that was not focused on Traveller, possibly White Dwarf or Space Gamer or something else.

The ship was a stealthy scout ship. 100 tons I think.

Anyone with any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

- Kerry

 

[Spinward Scout]

Dragon magazine had some Traveller, if I remember right. They have an extensive Index. At least the first 250 issues.

 

[Takei]

White Dwarf issue 40 had the Explorer Class Scout Ship. There's a thread on this board:

A

CT Only: Thread 'Andy Slack's 300-ton Explorer-class Scoutship'

Apr 6, 2025

In White Dwarf #40, Andy Slack detailed a TL14 Explorer-class Scoutship, 300 tons and capable of Jump-5 and 2G. I could have sworn I remember seeing a render someone did of this, but my Google searches are coming up empty. Does anybody know of a good image or render of this ship? I'd like to use it in my game.

• AlHazred
• Replies: 21
• Forum: The Fleet

• 

 

[virushi]

You might be thinking of the Monitor-class scout from Challenge #38.

 

[sageryne]

I checked out Explorer and Monitor. Both are excellent ships, but not that vague one I remember. I really appreciate the references though. I think both of them are about the right era. Any other suggestions are welcome.

 

[agorski]

Some possibilities:

Serpent Class Scout from JTAS 2 and Scouts & Assassins
Ithilien Class Scoutships from Space Gamer 32
Scout from Dragon 59
SS-12b Stealth Ship from Third Imperium 5
Modified Scout/Courier from Jumpspace 3

 

[sageryne]

Hi agorski,

Some of those were very deep cuts, but unfortunately, it wasn't the ever elusive half remembered ship.

Thank you for trying. It is much appreciated.

The search continues.

- Kerry

 

[robject]

The ship was a stealthy scout ship. 100 tons I think.
In a general gaming 'zine -- not a Traveller-specific 'zine.

"Stealthy" in any particular way? And why stealthy?

Non-Traveller-specific is likely

• Dragon Magazine
• White Dwarf (before it went in-house)
• Space Gamer
• (what else?)

Note that we have synopses of these mags in the TravWiki. That *might* help a bit.

Dragon - I don't see any starships profiled here, but maybe I'm not looking right.
Space Gamer - I see the Ithilien but it has almost no description, so that's not it.

White Dwarf 40 has a scout ship, but I'm not sure it's stealthed. Attached.
WD70 has the "Hunter", a bounty hunter's ship, which is apparently a scout variant? Attached.

 

[agorski]

That's all the ships from periodical articles, but there's also others in obscure game supplements.

 

[sageryne]

I really appreciate all the work. I am still looking for “the one.” I will start to review all the third party books. I don’t think it was in one of those but give your thorough search I am beginning to think it must have been.

 

[robject]

Something to think about: it wasn't until relatively recently that I realized that my memory indeed drifts over time. The things I remember seeing aren't necessarily the actual things I saw.

I don't mean to compound the effort, but there it is. On the other hand, when I found the original things I had remembered, I knew those were the originals. If that makes sense.

So when you find it, you'll know, but it might not be as you remembered it.

 

[robject]

OK I have to over-share further. Here's the poster I saw back in 1978 or so.

To my eyes, it looks super corny. But when I was young the drama caught my attention.

Over the years, in my memory, the ridiculous battleship turned into something that looked more like a Dean Ellis or John Berkey ship. More like a starship SHOULD look, less like a wet-navy Battleship Yamato silliness.

P.S. Oh.... this IS a Dean Ellis poster from 1977! LOL!

 

[whartung]

Looks ok to me. Hardly wait to see @magmagmag treatment of it.

 

[Grav_Moped]

OK I have to over-share further. Here's the poster I saw back in 1978 or so.

To my eyes, it looks super corny. But when I was young the drama caught my attention.

Over the years, in my memory, the ridiculous battleship turned into something that looked more like a Dean Ellis or John Berkey ship. More like a starship SHOULD look, less like a wet-navy Battleship Yamato silliness.

P.S. Oh.... this IS a Dean Ellis poster from 1977! LOL!

View attachment 6674

Pretty sure I had a copy of that one, but lost it when I left home. Memories!

 

[agorski]

Over the years, in my memory, the ridiculous battleship turned into something that looked more like a Dean Ellis or John Berkey ship. More like a starship SHOULD look, less like a wet-navy Battleship Yamato silliness.

Space Opera goes all in on the silliness, with space combat rules to match:

Deep Space Combat in Space Opera | Space Opera

Deep Space Combat in Space Opera “Gentlemen, the Ranan are a sharing people. They are willing to share and share. They want a piece of everything we have and of everything we can produce until the end of time. Well enough, I’d hate for them to think we’re

rpggeek.com

 

[Silverhawk]

Space Opera goes all in on the silliness, with space combat rules to match:

I did try to run a Space Opera adventure once. Between trying to keep the Players focused on the adventure/mission and dealing with the rules it was too much. When the one Player killed a NPC who they needed to talk too and then one of the other PCs, I gave up and dropped an asteroid on them.