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[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

The benefit of High Natural Ability


The Marquis Terran Tukera (4C8AAD) has traveled from his estate on Aramis to the troubled world of Aramanx in an attempt to gather a summit of the world's leaders before the brink of war tips into full-scale conflict.

After he and his retainers arrive at Aramanx (the "powderkeg of the Towers Cluster"), the GM has roleplayed some interesting and different customs displayed by the high social class of the troubled planet.

The player playing the Marquis Tukera is unable to successfully figure his role in the strange customs, and he asks, "My character is a Marquis! Can't you give me a roll to figure out what's going on with these people?"

The GM replies, "I won't tell you exactly what to do--that you'll have to figure out for yourself. But, what I will do is give you a hint if you are successful on a task. You'll have to take those hints and roleplay with them as best you know how."

So, the GM decides this is a task of Routine difficulty: Carousing/SOC/+2

Terran Tukera's skill: Carousing-1


-The Task Roll-
1. Roll 2D: 2, 2

2. High Natural Ability Check: Succeeds!

3. DMs: +1 Carousing; +2 Difficulty; +1 automatic natural ability; +1 high natural ability

4. Tasks succeed on 8+: This task succeeds, barely, with the total of 9.

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

The benefit of High Natural Ability


The Marquis Terran Tukera (4C8AAD) has traveled from his estate on Aramis to the troubled world of Aramanx in an attempt to gather a summit of the world's leaders before the brink of war tips into full-scale conflict.

After he and his retainers arrive at Aramanx (the "powderkeg of the Towers Cluster"), the GM has roleplayed some interesting and different customs displayed by the high social class of the troubled planet.

The player playing the Marquis Tukera is unable to successfully figure his role in the strange customs, and he asks, "My character is a Marquis! Can't you give me a roll to figure out what's going on with these people?"

The GM replies, "I won't tell you exactly what to do--that you'll have to figure out for yourself. But, what I will do is give you a hint if you are successful on a task. You'll have to take those hints and roleplay with them as best you know how."

So, the GM decides this is a task of Routine difficulty: Carousing/SOC/+2

Terran Tukera's skill: Carousing-1


-The Task Roll-
1. Roll 2D: 2, 2

2. High Natural Ability Check: Succeeds!

3. DMs: +1 Carousing; +2 Difficulty; +1 automatic natural ability; +1 high natural ability

4. Tasks succeed on 8+: This task succeeds, barely, with the total of 9.

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM Example

The UGM and CT Combat


Dexter Bryte was successful in treating Klue Gagarrin's wounds, and Klue's heal time has been reduced to 26 minutes (see the example above).

But 26 minutes is still too long. The boarders of the ADROIT PURSUIT have infiltrated the ship. Dexter has left Klue alone in the stateroom--he left to join the others in defending the bridge.

The door to Klue's stateroom crashes open with a kick from a Vargr Corsair. But, Vargr legs are weak, and as the door flew open, the pirate lost his grip on his boarding shotgun.

Klue wasted no time. Without a weapon, the injured gunner leapt to engage the Vargr, hand-to-hand.

This is a straight-out Classic Traveller Brawling attack. And, the UGM can be used with CT combat. In fact, the UGM fits CT combat perfectly.

Klue's wounded physical stats are: 662.

Klue's skill: Brawling-1

Since Klue is recovering from the turret explosion, the GM rules that Klue must act as if he has used all of his Brawling combat blows (which means he's got to use the Weakened Blow DM).

In my game, I use a modified CT combat system, but for the purposes of this example, I'll use straight CT rules.

Klue doesn't have a weapon. It will be a straight Brawling attack with his hands. Remember that CT combat attacks hit on a roll of 8+ (a STANDARD UGM difficulty).

Luckily, Klue's STR hasn't been damaged, and his STR-6 keeps him from receiving the Required STR penalty. The Weakened Blow penalty is -2.

The Vargr is wearing some type of suit equivalent to Cloth armor (-4 vs. hands), and the Short range distance yields a +1DM. The Vargr has Infighting-1 skill, which will be used with his "parry" of Klue's blow.

Also note that STR is referenced in CT Brawling combat, so the UGM Natural Ability check is skipped on this task.

In UGM terms, this task is: Brawling/STR/+0


-The Task Throw-
1. Roll 2D: 6, 3

2. Natural Ability Check: Skipped.

3. DMs: +1 Brawling; -2 Weakened Blow; -4 Cloth vs. Hands. -1 Vargr's parry.

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task fails with a total of 3.

Unfortunately, Klue swung but missed, and we go into combat round two....

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM Example

The UGM and CT Combat


Dexter Bryte was successful in treating Klue Gagarrin's wounds, and Klue's heal time has been reduced to 26 minutes (see the example above).

But 26 minutes is still too long. The boarders of the ADROIT PURSUIT have infiltrated the ship. Dexter has left Klue alone in the stateroom--he left to join the others in defending the bridge.

The door to Klue's stateroom crashes open with a kick from a Vargr Corsair. But, Vargr legs are weak, and as the door flew open, the pirate lost his grip on his boarding shotgun.

Klue wasted no time. Without a weapon, the injured gunner leapt to engage the Vargr, hand-to-hand.

This is a straight-out Classic Traveller Brawling attack. And, the UGM can be used with CT combat. In fact, the UGM fits CT combat perfectly.

Klue's wounded physical stats are: 662.

Klue's skill: Brawling-1

Since Klue is recovering from the turret explosion, the GM rules that Klue must act as if he has used all of his Brawling combat blows (which means he's got to use the Weakened Blow DM).

In my game, I use a modified CT combat system, but for the purposes of this example, I'll use straight CT rules.

Klue doesn't have a weapon. It will be a straight Brawling attack with his hands. Remember that CT combat attacks hit on a roll of 8+ (a STANDARD UGM difficulty).

Luckily, Klue's STR hasn't been damaged, and his STR-6 keeps him from receiving the Required STR penalty. The Weakened Blow penalty is -2.

The Vargr is wearing some type of suit equivalent to Cloth armor (-4 vs. hands), and the Short range distance yields a +1DM. The Vargr has Infighting-1 skill, which will be used with his "parry" of Klue's blow.

Also note that STR is referenced in CT Brawling combat, so the UGM Natural Ability check is skipped on this task.

In UGM terms, this task is: Brawling/STR/+0


-The Task Throw-
1. Roll 2D: 6, 3

2. Natural Ability Check: Skipped.

3. DMs: +1 Brawling; -2 Weakened Blow; -4 Cloth vs. Hands. -1 Vargr's parry.

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task fails with a total of 3.

Unfortunately, Klue swung but missed, and we go into combat round two....

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM Example

The UGM and CT Combat


Dexter Bryte was successful in treating Klue Gagarrin's wounds, and Klue's heal time has been reduced to 26 minutes (see the example above).

But 26 minutes is still too long. The boarders of the ADROIT PURSUIT have infiltrated the ship. Dexter has left Klue alone in the stateroom--he left to join the others in defending the bridge.

The door to Klue's stateroom crashes open with a kick from a Vargr Corsair. But, Vargr legs are weak, and as the door flew open, the pirate lost his grip on his boarding shotgun.

Klue wasted no time. Without a weapon, the injured gunner leapt to engage the Vargr, hand-to-hand.

This is a straight-out Classic Traveller Brawling attack. And, the UGM can be used with CT combat. In fact, the UGM fits CT combat perfectly.

Klue's wounded physical stats are: 662.

Klue's skill: Brawling-1

Since Klue is recovering from the turret explosion, the GM rules that Klue must act as if he has used all of his Brawling combat blows (which means he's got to use the Weakened Blow DM).

In my game, I use a modified CT combat system, but for the purposes of this example, I'll use straight CT rules.

Klue doesn't have a weapon. It will be a straight Brawling attack with his hands. Remember that CT combat attacks hit on a roll of 8+ (a STANDARD UGM difficulty).

Luckily, Klue's STR hasn't been damaged, and his STR-6 keeps him from receiving the Required STR penalty. The Weakened Blow penalty is -2.

The Vargr is wearing some type of suit equivalent to Cloth armor (-4 vs. hands), and the Short range distance yields a +1DM. The Vargr has Infighting-1 skill, which will be used with his "parry" of Klue's blow.

Also note that STR is referenced in CT Brawling combat, so the UGM Natural Ability check is skipped on this task.

In UGM terms, this task is: Brawling/STR/+0


-The Task Throw-
1. Roll 2D: 6, 3

2. Natural Ability Check: Skipped.

3. DMs: +1 Brawling; -2 Weakened Blow; -4 Cloth vs. Hands. -1 Vargr's parry.

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task fails with a total of 3.

Unfortunately, Klue swung but missed, and we go into combat round two....

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Critical Check


On round two, the Vargr went for his weapon instead of taking a swing at Klue, but the Vargr missed that roll. The boarding shotgun went skittering under the stateroom bed when the Vargr dropped it.

Now, it's Klue's turn again (continuing the example from above). He's got to hit the Vargr, and take him out, quickly. Klue's in no shape for a prolonged fight.

Klue swings again. The task is the same as outlined above. But this time, Klue doesn't just miss--he rolls snake-eyes on his attack roll.

Under the UGM, this is a possible Critical Failure. In order for Klue to avoid the Critical Failure he must succeed at a check.

The Critical Failure check is: 3D for 7-

The "7-" target comes from Klue's skill, difficulty, and STR stat.

Luckily, Klue's STR is still at a maxium of 6. Klue's Brawling-1 raises this number a point, and the difficulty of +0 leaves the number at 7.

3D will be rolled for Klue. If the result is 7 or less, Klue avoids a Critical Failure. If the result is 8+, then the GM will impose some penalty on Klue for rolling a Critical Failure.

This doesn't look good for Klue.


(Note that the UGM check for Critical Failure is a check to AVOID the CF, and the check for Critical Success is a check to OBTAIN the CS.)

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Enhancing Natural Ability


Luukhan Pershiire (EDU-7, Navigation-2) is First Officer aboard the tramp freighter ADROIT PURSUIT, and he's had to pull duty lately as the ship's Navigator. The last guy quit when the ship made port at Natoko.

The PURSUIT is approaching one of the gas giants clusted together in the Patinir system, and Luukhan is attempting a simple Active EMS sensor scan on the area before he zips over an approach pattern to the pilot's console.

The GM allows Navigation skill to be used as Sensor Ops at one level lower, so Luukhan is considered as having Sensor Ops-1 on this task roll.

Normally, this task would be governed by Luukhan's EDU score, but since the ship's computer and sensor systems suggest approach vectors and do a lot of the work for the navigator, the GM rules that the ship's TL can be used in place of Luukhan's EDU score when figuring the Natural Ability bonus.

Note that, since Luukhan's EDU is 7, his player is obviously going to use the ship's TL 13 to govern the roll.

And, in using the ship's TL to govern the roll, this task roll becomes a task using High Natural Ability (13+).

As for difficulty, the GM decides this is an Easy roll (+4 Difficulty), but since a small amount of filtering must be done to correct for the interference created by the gas giant's magnetic field, he penalizes the difficulty one point, making the roll: Sensor Ops/EDU or Ship's TL/+3

Something that the GM doesn't tell the PCs is that, if the sensor roll results in a total of 12+, he will alert them to a small, satellite-sized object that is caught in close orbit around the gas giant the ship is approaching. A roll of 8-11 will allow a second check once the ship is closer, about to make orbit around the GG. And a roll of 7- will indicate the object has crossed the planet's horizon, and it will be on the far side of the world until the ship is deeply involved in scooping operations.


-The Task Roll-
1. Roll 2D: 2,3

2. High Natural Ability Check: Fails (by 1 point)

3. DMs: +1 Sensor Ops, +1 automatic Natural Ability, +3 Difficulty

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task is successful with a total of 10.


The roll of 10 indicates Luukhan did not detect the satellite, but he has enough information to send an approach vector over to the pilot, and the ship will begin scooping operations at the GG in a few minutes.

Secretly, the GM will roll to see if the satellite is detected once more before it passes across the world's horizon to the far side of the planet.

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Critical Check


On round two, the Vargr went for his weapon instead of taking a swing at Klue, but the Vargr missed that roll. The boarding shotgun went skittering under the stateroom bed when the Vargr dropped it.

Now, it's Klue's turn again (continuing the example from above). He's got to hit the Vargr, and take him out, quickly. Klue's in no shape for a prolonged fight.

Klue swings again. The task is the same as outlined above. But this time, Klue doesn't just miss--he rolls snake-eyes on his attack roll.

Under the UGM, this is a possible Critical Failure. In order for Klue to avoid the Critical Failure he must succeed at a check.

The Critical Failure check is: 3D for 7-

The "7-" target comes from Klue's skill, difficulty, and STR stat.

Luckily, Klue's STR is still at a maxium of 6. Klue's Brawling-1 raises this number a point, and the difficulty of +0 leaves the number at 7.

3D will be rolled for Klue. If the result is 7 or less, Klue avoids a Critical Failure. If the result is 8+, then the GM will impose some penalty on Klue for rolling a Critical Failure.

This doesn't look good for Klue.


(Note that the UGM check for Critical Failure is a check to AVOID the CF, and the check for Critical Success is a check to OBTAIN the CS.)

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Enhancing Natural Ability


Luukhan Pershiire (EDU-7, Navigation-2) is First Officer aboard the tramp freighter ADROIT PURSUIT, and he's had to pull duty lately as the ship's Navigator. The last guy quit when the ship made port at Natoko.

The PURSUIT is approaching one of the gas giants clusted together in the Patinir system, and Luukhan is attempting a simple Active EMS sensor scan on the area before he zips over an approach pattern to the pilot's console.

The GM allows Navigation skill to be used as Sensor Ops at one level lower, so Luukhan is considered as having Sensor Ops-1 on this task roll.

Normally, this task would be governed by Luukhan's EDU score, but since the ship's computer and sensor systems suggest approach vectors and do a lot of the work for the navigator, the GM rules that the ship's TL can be used in place of Luukhan's EDU score when figuring the Natural Ability bonus.

Note that, since Luukhan's EDU is 7, his player is obviously going to use the ship's TL 13 to govern the roll.

And, in using the ship's TL to govern the roll, this task roll becomes a task using High Natural Ability (13+).

As for difficulty, the GM decides this is an Easy roll (+4 Difficulty), but since a small amount of filtering must be done to correct for the interference created by the gas giant's magnetic field, he penalizes the difficulty one point, making the roll: Sensor Ops/EDU or Ship's TL/+3

Something that the GM doesn't tell the PCs is that, if the sensor roll results in a total of 12+, he will alert them to a small, satellite-sized object that is caught in close orbit around the gas giant the ship is approaching. A roll of 8-11 will allow a second check once the ship is closer, about to make orbit around the GG. And a roll of 7- will indicate the object has crossed the planet's horizon, and it will be on the far side of the world until the ship is deeply involved in scooping operations.


-The Task Roll-
1. Roll 2D: 2,3

2. High Natural Ability Check: Fails (by 1 point)

3. DMs: +1 Sensor Ops, +1 automatic Natural Ability, +3 Difficulty

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task is successful with a total of 10.


The roll of 10 indicates Luukhan did not detect the satellite, but he has enough information to send an approach vector over to the pilot, and the ship will begin scooping operations at the GG in a few minutes.

Secretly, the GM will roll to see if the satellite is detected once more before it passes across the world's horizon to the far side of the planet.

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Critical Check


On round two, the Vargr went for his weapon instead of taking a swing at Klue, but the Vargr missed that roll. The boarding shotgun went skittering under the stateroom bed when the Vargr dropped it.

Now, it's Klue's turn again (continuing the example from above). He's got to hit the Vargr, and take him out, quickly. Klue's in no shape for a prolonged fight.

Klue swings again. The task is the same as outlined above. But this time, Klue doesn't just miss--he rolls snake-eyes on his attack roll.

Under the UGM, this is a possible Critical Failure. In order for Klue to avoid the Critical Failure he must succeed at a check.

The Critical Failure check is: 3D for 7-

The "7-" target comes from Klue's skill, difficulty, and STR stat.

Luckily, Klue's STR is still at a maxium of 6. Klue's Brawling-1 raises this number a point, and the difficulty of +0 leaves the number at 7.

3D will be rolled for Klue. If the result is 7 or less, Klue avoids a Critical Failure. If the result is 8+, then the GM will impose some penalty on Klue for rolling a Critical Failure.

This doesn't look good for Klue.


(Note that the UGM check for Critical Failure is a check to AVOID the CF, and the check for Critical Success is a check to OBTAIN the CS.)

 

[Supplement Four]

UGM EXAMPLE

Enhancing Natural Ability


Luukhan Pershiire (EDU-7, Navigation-2) is First Officer aboard the tramp freighter ADROIT PURSUIT, and he's had to pull duty lately as the ship's Navigator. The last guy quit when the ship made port at Natoko.

The PURSUIT is approaching one of the gas giants clusted together in the Patinir system, and Luukhan is attempting a simple Active EMS sensor scan on the area before he zips over an approach pattern to the pilot's console.

The GM allows Navigation skill to be used as Sensor Ops at one level lower, so Luukhan is considered as having Sensor Ops-1 on this task roll.

Normally, this task would be governed by Luukhan's EDU score, but since the ship's computer and sensor systems suggest approach vectors and do a lot of the work for the navigator, the GM rules that the ship's TL can be used in place of Luukhan's EDU score when figuring the Natural Ability bonus.

Note that, since Luukhan's EDU is 7, his player is obviously going to use the ship's TL 13 to govern the roll.

And, in using the ship's TL to govern the roll, this task roll becomes a task using High Natural Ability (13+).

As for difficulty, the GM decides this is an Easy roll (+4 Difficulty), but since a small amount of filtering must be done to correct for the interference created by the gas giant's magnetic field, he penalizes the difficulty one point, making the roll: Sensor Ops/EDU or Ship's TL/+3

Something that the GM doesn't tell the PCs is that, if the sensor roll results in a total of 12+, he will alert them to a small, satellite-sized object that is caught in close orbit around the gas giant the ship is approaching. A roll of 8-11 will allow a second check once the ship is closer, about to make orbit around the GG. And a roll of 7- will indicate the object has crossed the planet's horizon, and it will be on the far side of the world until the ship is deeply involved in scooping operations.


-The Task Roll-
1. Roll 2D: 2,3

2. High Natural Ability Check: Fails (by 1 point)

3. DMs: +1 Sensor Ops, +1 automatic Natural Ability, +3 Difficulty

4. Task succeeds on 8+: This task is successful with a total of 10.


The roll of 10 indicates Luukhan did not detect the satellite, but he has enough information to send an approach vector over to the pilot, and the ship will begin scooping operations at the GG in a few minutes.

Secretly, the GM will roll to see if the satellite is detected once more before it passes across the world's horizon to the far side of the planet.

 

[Supplement Four]

MegaTraveller Products and the UGM...

Originally posted by Supplement Four:
Task Difficulty


DMs used to modify the UGM task roll with respect to the task's difficulty:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Difficulty DM
---------- --
Easy +4
Routine +2
Standard +0
Difficult -2
Challenging -4
Formidable -6
Insane -8
Impossible -10</pre>

[/quote]FYI, UGM users...

If you are using a MegaTraveller product, and you want to convert tasks to the UGM, I have (purposefully, for this reason) named some of the Difficulty categories the same as those in MT.

The EASY, ROUTINE, DIFFICULT, FORMIDABLE, and IMPOSSIBLE UGM difficulty categories will provide about the same (usually the exact same) chance of success as those same difficulty categories using the MT task system (the DGP/MT system's "official" title is the "Universal Task Profile" or UTP).

So, if you see a ROUTINE MT task roll, it corresponds directly with the UGM ROUTINE category.

The STANDARD, CHALLENGING, and INSANE categories do not have a direct correlation to the MT task system (which is why I chose to name those categories with titles "different" from what you are used to seeing in Traveller).

 

[Supplement Four]

MegaTraveller Products and the UGM...

Originally posted by Supplement Four:
Task Difficulty


DMs used to modify the UGM task roll with respect to the task's difficulty:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Difficulty DM
---------- --
Easy +4
Routine +2
Standard +0
Difficult -2
Challenging -4
Formidable -6
Insane -8
Impossible -10</pre>

[/quote]FYI, UGM users...

If you are using a MegaTraveller product, and you want to convert tasks to the UGM, I have (purposefully, for this reason) named some of the Difficulty categories the same as those in MT.

The EASY, ROUTINE, DIFFICULT, FORMIDABLE, and IMPOSSIBLE UGM difficulty categories will provide about the same (usually the exact same) chance of success as those same difficulty categories using the MT task system (the DGP/MT system's "official" title is the "Universal Task Profile" or UTP).

So, if you see a ROUTINE MT task roll, it corresponds directly with the UGM ROUTINE category.

The STANDARD, CHALLENGING, and INSANE categories do not have a direct correlation to the MT task system (which is why I chose to name those categories with titles "different" from what you are used to seeing in Traveller).

 

[Supplement Four]

MegaTraveller Products and the UGM...

Originally posted by Supplement Four:
Task Difficulty


DMs used to modify the UGM task roll with respect to the task's difficulty:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Difficulty DM
---------- --
Easy +4
Routine +2
Standard +0
Difficult -2
Challenging -4
Formidable -6
Insane -8
Impossible -10</pre>

[/quote]FYI, UGM users...

If you are using a MegaTraveller product, and you want to convert tasks to the UGM, I have (purposefully, for this reason) named some of the Difficulty categories the same as those in MT.

The EASY, ROUTINE, DIFFICULT, FORMIDABLE, and IMPOSSIBLE UGM difficulty categories will provide about the same (usually the exact same) chance of success as those same difficulty categories using the MT task system (the DGP/MT system's "official" title is the "Universal Task Profile" or UTP).

So, if you see a ROUTINE MT task roll, it corresponds directly with the UGM ROUTINE category.

The STANDARD, CHALLENGING, and INSANE categories do not have a direct correlation to the MT task system (which is why I chose to name those categories with titles "different" from what you are used to seeing in Traveller).