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[Silhouette/Traveller]Hard Times Game (online)

Kilgs

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Baron
[Silhouette/Traveller] Online Game (Hard Times or 993IY)

HARD TIMES/SILHOUETTE GAME PITCH

1124 IY/0 SD
The Rebellion has been waged throughout the Imperium for eight long years. Large-scale fighting has broken down into knife fights in various systems between all of the factions. Almost the entire Imperium has felt the rage unleashed throughout the past eight years. The Rimward sectors have seen massive losses to the Solomani Confederation, increasing attacks by reavers, and the decay of technological infrastructure. Coreward, in the Lishun and Corridor sectors, the Vargr reaver bands have swept through the crumbling Imperium domains and now hold sway over vast tracts of space either through terror or occupation and, in many cases, a liberal application of both. In Antares, the Archduke Brzk has declared independence for his domain and found common cause with the Julian Protectorates. In the core of the Imperium, Emperor Lucan’s Black Wars and incessant campaigns against the so-called real Strephon and the assassin, Emperor Dulinor, have laid entire sectors to waste and ruin. All of the sectors around Core and Ielish have seen the beast of war and felt its breath on their neck.

The Rebellion has ended. So has the Third Imperium.

The combatants no longer have the means to press their claims and have retreated to their strongholds in fear of the coming darkness. The stars shine brightly but as chaos consumes the Imperium, the lights of Humaniti and the Imperium have begun to dim. These strongholds now burn the brightest for holding back the end of Humaniti… for the Third Imperium is becoming history and the true enemy, chaos, has shown its face. Corsairs, viking reavers, military units gone rogue and far worse roam the starlanes between the worlds. Within the strongholds, one can find the amenities that we have taken for granted for so long: safety, economy and sanity. But out there it is a different story, as one progresses outside the strongholds to the growing Frontier, the Outlands and the Wilds. Out here, it is life by tooth and claw, ship and gun.

But Trailing… little news has come from the trailing sectors of the Gateway Domain. There was talk of a revolution amongst the Luriani, of loyalist Imperials holding the line against the incursion of Antares, of Dulinor’s commerce raiders, Solomani subversives, K’kree aggression and Vargr raiding. But little else is known and Lucan’s Mad War never made it to the Gateway. That’s what they say anyways. But facing the wreckage of a high-technology warfare and attempted genocide, standing amongst the twisted ruins of warzones and faltering worlds, the chance is there. A chance to get away from the war, to start anew and rebuild or return the way it was. For you and your companions, it is a chance worth taking.


Tl;dr Elevator Pitch

Hard Times Traveller campaign using DP9’s Silhouette mechanics except for ship combat. I made a Silhouette hack of MT’s Expanded Character Generation and it seems to work well. Goal is to run from 1124-onward, campaign will be dangerous, would like to try troupe play (multiple characters per player). Main goal of PC’s is to survive, prosper and get the heck out of the warzone. Scenario ideas include starmerc contracts, privateers, anti-piracy and so on. Play on Roll20/Google Hangouts OR PbP(Rpol.net). Details follow…

DING! Third floor, women’s cosmetics and men’s shoes.

MAIN THEMES/CONCEPTS

Hard Times
All of these ideas take place in the Hard Times. The idea being to follow the progression/regression of the disintegrating Imperium. Scenario ideas will involve raiders, starmercs, the Factions, emerging polities, refugee and dangerous situations. While trading is, as always, an option this will be a far more dangerous Known Space. Entering new systems will be touchy operations until present vessels are identified, local governments may be benevolent or malicious, desperate people abound and are willing to risk everything for escape, profit and power.

Ship
All campaigns will have a ship. I have the entire line of 0-hour ship products. They are non-Traveller but beautiful deck plans. The ships will be chosen from this line unless someone is dying to use black and white graphline deckplans. The range of available ships is dependent on the type of campaign but it will be your choice. (I’m not giving you a patrol carrier in a Free Trader game.)
Basic Ship Images here:
http://0-hr.com/Future_Armada/Gallery.htm

http://0-hr.com/Future_Armada/Art/Group_Portrait.jpg

No Ship Mortgage
All but one idea involves the Group having a ship free and clear of debt. Usually this is because it has been stolen/adversely possessed or something else from Lucan’s Faction. This is justified due to his involvement in the Black War so you can still be honorable despite being a ship thief. The Hard Times will put an end to reliable banking and commerce. This will make maintenance and supply hard enough on reduced trading opportunities (and more danger) without having a mortgage payment. Only one particular idea involves a ship mortgage: your classic Free Trader campaign. In that, the Group/GM will have to decide how the mortgage is handled when the theater travels outside the bank’s region… do they abandon the mortgage or try to cut a deal?

Dwindling Resources
The Hard Times make survival and keeping your ship running a much more difficult proposition. With no mortgage, the focus will be on resupply and making sure you have enough food/fuel to make it. This will require some bean-counting but I can handle the majority of it if necessary. In other words, you’re still scrimping and scraping by but it’s not because of the bank.

Escape/Going Home
Many of the ideas involve the Group heading for safety or away from the war. In several situations, they are considered fugitives. But the original goal of the group is to get out of the warzone and to somewhere else such as the Gateway Domain, Deneb Domain or elsewhere. This is due to members of the Group hailing from the region or due to news about it. These regions are spacer stories of peace, profit and stability. To find out the truth, first they must get there.

My original goal was Ley Sector/Gateway Domain since that’s my favorite location and it’s completely open for Rebellion/Hard Times interpretation. A game region encompassing six subsectors in Fornast, six in Ley, two in Empty Quarter and two in Antares is the original stomping ground that I’ve been working on.

Digging more into the material, I’ve discovered a number of other interesting areas. I’m willing to leave it up to the players where their “paradise” is located with a preference for the region above (since I’ve been working on it already). Running through devastated Corridor to get to the Spinward Marches sounds fun too.

Either way, the Group will be far away from “Home”.

Troupe Play
Most of the ideas below can also involve Troupe Play. This is where the players can have more than one Character on the ship. This is because some of the ships are large and manned by big crews, provides more versatility in scenarios, more options for the player to experience the different parts of the game. There will be general rules limiting a player to one character per scene as much as allowed. This will also assist us in covering for less players interested in this kind of game. How this is done is up to the players… a command team character and line team character or combat and non-combat? Your call.

RULES SUMMARY
Silhouette Mechanics
This will use DP9’s Silhouette (Heavy Gear/Jovian Chronicles) for all mechanics except spacecraft warfare. This includes attributes, skills, perks/flaws. Smaller fighter combat may be used in either system. The conversion is fairly obvious as skill levels are similar and the attributes use +/-. It’s a d6 system with a dice pool with attributes providing modifiers. The vehicle/tactical combat system is really good and will make military/combat expeditions more interesting and coherent.

Mongoose Spacecraft/Space Combat
Since this is the easiest and has the most ship templates available, we’ll use Mongoose for ship combat. In addition, all ships will be statted using Mongoose with a little jimmying here and there.

Megatraveller/Silhouette Expanded Character Generation
The expanded generation tables for MT have been hacked to work for this game. I’ve done a number of test chargen and it seems to work fairly well. They’re a little underpowered for Silhouette but the ability to improve skills and pick up new ones should remedy that.
AVAILABLE: Pre-Career, Army, Marines, Navy, Scouts, Merchant Prince, Agent, Bounty Hunter
EXPECTED AVAILABILITY: Noble, Criminal, Privateer/Corsair, Law Enforcer, Scientist (ie. I’m working on ‘em!)

Equipment/Weaponry
I’m merging Silhouette and Traveller equipment. It’ll work… trust me. Basically, if you want something off the Traveller equipment list, I’ll find equivalent stats/benefits in Silhouette or make them up. Ditto in reverse. Battledress is easily built as exo-suits in Silhouette and I’m open to allowing larger models (gears) if people want.
 
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CAMPAIGN IDEAS

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

With the reduction in front-line units, the factions have formed joint forces from the military forces, Scout services, conscripted merchant marine and other disciplines. These units have been issued older-model vessels, reconfigured merchants and Scout Service vessels to serve the cause. The Group is the crew of one such vessel in the Fornast Sector. Part of a small raiding/Black War element under a strict loyalist, they were witness to a Black War incident and have decided to cut their ties before they are involved in such again. While at rest, the Group left those not joining them in a lifeboat and have set their sights elsewhere.

This would be a military/scout ship with or without Starfighter capacity. It will have a larger crew that will allow for starmerc and privateer contracts. While heading for the “promised land” would be the end goal, the Group may end up doing privateer work for the Factions or new polities, hired by organizations for various purposes, starmerc escort contracts and all of the standard Traveller scenarios.
Focus: Military, Mercenary, Privateer
Character Types: Any but military/naval/scout being most common and useful
Crew Size:6-25, troupe play
Ship Range:200-800 tons
Available Ships: Mourning Wolf Light Patrol/Fighter Escort (Wolves of Albion), Shadow Wolf Covert Recon (Wolves of Albion), Cygnus Long-Range Recon, Drake/Horizon Patrol-Carrier

LETTER OF MARQUE, WAGES OF SIN

Privateers in the service of one of the Factions, the Group would raid commerce, conduct minor operations, support their Faction’s efforts in a particular region. The Group’s ship will have come from either a turned military unit (Group) or some other means. It is subsidized by Margaret, Daibei, Deneb or someone else. Commissions paid on results. This campaign would allow some latitude but confine the Group to a particular region.

This campaign and the one preceding it are very similar and interchangeable.

Focus: Privateer, Mercenary, Politics
Character Types: Any, military helpful
Crew Size: 6-25
Ship Range:200-800 tons
Available Ships: Mourning Wolf Light Patrol/Fighter Escort (Wolves of Albion), Shadow Wolf Covert Recon (Wolves of Albion), Cygnus Long-Range Recon, Drake/Horizon Patrol-Carrier, Talon

FLIGHT FROM A MADMAN’S RAGE

In the end, it was obvious that Lucan was psychotic. Some predicted it earlier but you and your peers hung onto his legitimacy because you were nobility and pledged to the Imperium. As long as someone sat the Iridium Throne, the nobility would be needed to serve them. That time has come and gone. Lucan’s madness has turned inward and nobles have been disappearing especially those who speak out against him. You and your peers have had enough. Slipped news that your own name may be on one of his rendition lists, you gathered your friends and retainers and fled! Where would you go, what will you do? Your wealth will not last forever.

Focus: Survival, Politics, Everything else
Character Types: Nobles, any others.
Crew Size: Each player would have one Noble, also there would be crew/retainers
Ship Range:100-400 tons
Available Ships: Kintaro Yacht, Talon, Gryphon, Winter Wolf (Diplomatic model), Cygnus Long-Range Recon, Renegade, Exeter

RUN AWAY, RUN A-LEY

The Group would be the crew of a Free Trader set on traveling from Fornast to Ley (or somewhere else). This campaign is your standard Free Trader campaign. While this is definitely interesting to me, I’ve noticed that Traveller games need a focus/goal to keep from stalling out. In addition, you sometimes get one crew member that wants to shoot things, 2 that want to trade things, 1 that wants to putter around in a workshop… It allows for an eclectic group but we need a goal. We can discuss this and come up with some themes that will keep everyone on the same page.
Focus: Trade, Survival
Character Types: Any
Crew Size: Depends on ship type. Regular or Troupe Play.
Ship Range:100-300 tons
Available Ships: Scarab Bulk Trader, Renegade General Purpose, Gryphon/Phoenix Armed Trader, Lakota Armed Courier, Exeter Free Trader, Jo Lynn Free Trader, Wayfarer/Shadowhawk Scout (S-type)


GAME START AND OTHER INFO
Post-Holiday/Jan 2016 start (avoid holiday lag)
I'm in CST
 
Either/and/or. Player preferences.

I'm a longtime Rpol user. I have a Roll20 full account and have run one game in it. Also familiar with Skype (used it for voice in the Roll20 game). I can do any of them depending on preferences.

PbP Positive: No Time Zone worries, more descriptive/narrative
PbP Negative: Lag/pacing/dropout/schedules

Roll20/Skype Positive: Better pacing, more action
Roll20/Skype Negative: Subject to time zones/schedules

In a perfect world, I'd use both. Real-time online for sessions with Rpol as the backup data (images, logs, maps etc) and character management area to handle things behind the scenes/between sessions. That could also be done with a wiki too.
 
My working schedule plays havoc with regular sessions but I far prefer them to PbP, I'm happy to add my name to the mix as and when you start in the new year.

I have you in my Skype contacts (from the TNE game that I pulled out of before it started) and I have a Roll20 account, post or PM a link to the RPOL so I can get with the programme there!
 
Excellent! The TNE game was fun but schedules ending up conflicting. I'll keep working on things and reach out in other places. I have two players that would do PbP but not VTT but I'd like to actually use my Roll20 account a bit. I'm hoping for actual sessions to keep momentum.

I finished Agent and Bounty Hunter careers thanks to John Law's documents on Freelance Traveller. Struggling over Elites (nobles/dilettantes), Privateers and Scientist/Scholar lists at the moment.

That and doing some mapping. I was hoping to use the Traveller Map but have resorted to redoing it within Starbase.
 
Okay, I am going to start working on this in earnest. I have two other possibles from G+ that are interested.

Also, if folks aren't interested in the Hard Times, I'm open to other genres:

-993 IY (Gateway to Destiny)

-1212 to 1219 (The New New Era with some changes)

Consensus at this time is for Roll20/Skype. If interested, please list your timezones and availability...
 
I'll read up on the options to Hard Times, at the moment, I don't have a preference.

Availability changes weekly with my work schedule, I'm in Colorado MST, GMT-7

Tim
 
I'm interested. Haven't played since the CT days, but have some of the materials. I would need a tutorial on the "Roll20/Skype" mechanics, since I have no experience except watching incredibly lousy Skype reports on Good Morning America. I am in CST and could play most evenings if it becomes a regular thing. I like the Run Away scenario best.

Also, you said that we couldn't have a Patrol Carrier (in a Free Trader game) but how about having a truly large ship that has seen better days and is marginally functional, with the crew being able to keep it aloft for the most part. Damage from one too many battles in the war and the crew just grabbed it and went on their way? Make it big enough and it could intimidate opponents up to the point of being revealed as paper tigers, etc. Just a thought.
 
Also, you said that we couldn't have a Patrol Carrier (in a Free Trader game) but how about having a truly large ship that has seen better days and is marginally functional, with the crew being able to keep it aloft for the most part. Damage from one too many battles in the war and the crew just grabbed it and went on their way? Make it big enough and it could intimidate opponents up to the point of being revealed as paper tigers, etc. Just a thought.

I thought about it but the cast likely becomes too large and... the maintenance/life support costs will stack up quickly. A Patrol Craft/Customs (crew: 16) is decent but anything larger and things start to get pretty desperate or confused. IMO.

And I am also in CST.
 
I thought about it but the cast likely becomes too large and... the maintenance/life support costs will stack up quickly. A Patrol Craft/Customs (crew: 16) is decent but anything larger and things start to get pretty desperate or confused. IMO.

And I am also in CST.

It was a thought. My mind leapt to all sorts of "amusing" (for the GM, at least) scenarios of "find the thingy" that could keep a crew entertained for hours.

Anyway, what would I need to do to get ready for an adventure?
 
Nothing at this point. I need to get everyone together for a chit-chat so I can finalize time period and some character rules. It will be done on Skype likely in the near future... recovering from holidays and firming up ideas.
 
Knee-knocker trip

Caught me sub-Forum surfing and interested. Roll20 compatible. Eastern Timezone. Skype-friendly. Mature player. Artist and writer.

Chargen concepts: Traveller Journalist, Merchant Prince, Privateer, cybernetics, psionics

Preferred settings: Rebellion, Hard Times, Collapse

Scope: Single ship, bridge crew, world-hopper, damage surveyor (Hard Times)

Antipathies: Play-by-Post, Under 21, Hot Mics, Human characters

VoIP: Mumble, TeamSpeak 3, Skype: Pakkrat

Favorite Systems: MegaTraveller, Mongoose Traveller

Favorite Races: Gvegh Vargr, Amdukan (Irilitok) Vargr, Urzaeng Vargr, Lost Clan Aslan

Barred Days of Week: Sunday (running Mongoose Traveller: The Ares Adventures (Roll20), Wednesday (meta-session)
 
I'd like to throw in if there's a spare bunk.

I'm a long time RPG player but I haven't played Traveller in a lot of years. Played classic in high school and college. I have used Skype once or twice (I'm not sure I even remember my account). I also have a Roll20 account that hasn't been used. I'm in EST but work from home so my schedule is very flexible. The only time I can't commit to is Wednesday after 8pm.
 
Multi-Theme Campaign

I like your Privateering campaign. I like your Escape From Lucan campaign. I also like your Run Away A-Ley campaign.

How about melding them like this to maximize your players' draw:

The ship is subsidized by Margaret and her Domain. It has a long history of pissing off Lucan through Privateering and being a thorn in his tail. The vessel is fully paid for and the Letter of Marque is about to expire soon. The crew will need to find something to pay the bills soon and Tramp trading during Hard Times will only go so far. The captain has decided to take on Mercenary tickets as far as the ship's specs and her crew's skill-sets will allow as they duck and dodge Lucan's mad fleet, privateers, mercenaries and sympathetic ships.

Pros: Attracts just about any type of character.

Cons: More work for the GM.

I know what I'd like to play if invited:

Female Irilitok Vargr far from her home in the Julian Protectorate. She is a corporate forward observer for the Menderes Corporation, her benefactor as a Merchant (Free Trader). If asked, she would want to punch through Lucan's territory or go around it on a crash run for home and safety beyond the League of Antares, (she backed Archduke Brzk during the Rebellion and early in her Career).

My favorite sub-game in Traveller is Merchant Prince.

The Scarab seems to fit the bill though I'd love to see her stats. Playing mostly Vargr, boxy yet streamlined hulls are the norm for that race.

Transmitting from Serue (Knoellighz 1221), this is the Pakkrat.
 
Plans delayed. I've been set for a particularly grueling trial on Feb 22. It's going to require all of my attention. I'll keep folks updated but March is likely best start date.
 
Plans delayed. I've been set for a particularly grueling trial on Feb 22. It's going to require all of my attention. I'll keep folks updated but March is likely best start date.

Anything we should do before that? Rolling characters, etc?
 
HARD TIMES/SILHOUETTE GAME PITCH
RULES SUMMARY
Silhouette Mechanics
This will use DP9’s Silhouette (Heavy Gear/Jovian Chronicles) for all mechanics except spacecraft warfare. This includes attributes, skills, perks/flaws. Smaller fighter combat may be used in either system. The conversion is fairly obvious as skill levels are similar and the attributes use +/-. It’s a d6 system with a dice pool with attributes providing modifiers. The vehicle/tactical combat system is really good and will make military/combat expeditions more interesting and coherent.

Mongoose Spacecraft/Space Combat
Since this is the easiest and has the most ship templates available, we’ll use Mongoose for ship combat. In addition, all ships will be statted using Mongoose with a little jimmying here and there.

Megatraveller/Silhouette Expanded Character Generation
The expanded generation tables for MT have been hacked to work for this game. I’ve done a number of test chargen and it seems to work fairly well. They’re a little underpowered for Silhouette but the ability to improve skills and pick up new ones should remedy that.
AVAILABLE: Pre-Career, Army, Marines, Navy, Scouts, Merchant Prince, Agent, Bounty Hunter
EXPECTED AVAILABILITY: Noble, Criminal, Privateer/Corsair, Law Enforcer, Scientist (ie. I’m working on ‘em!)

Equipment/Weaponry
I’m merging Silhouette and Traveller equipment. It’ll work… trust me. Basically, if you want something off the Traveller equipment list, I’ll find equivalent stats/benefits in Silhouette or make them up. Ditto in reverse. Battledress is easily built as exo-suits in Silhouette and I’m open to allowing larger models (gears) if people want.

From the look of it, we can't roll/equip characters as the rules are hybrids that I am guessing, no one but Kilgs has.

I prefer the second session after we've had the first that Kilgs alluded to where we meet and talk thru the ideas to be a group chargen. You know, just like the good ol' days when we all sat round a table ;)
 
From the look of it, we can't roll/equip characters as the rules are hybrids that I am guessing, no one but Kilgs has.

I prefer the second session after we've had the first that Kilgs alluded to where we meet and talk thru the ideas to be a group chargen. You know, just like the good ol' days when we all sat round a table ;)

What is this "table" of which you speak? :)
 
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