What happen to Decoration (LBB 4 Merc, LBB 5 HG) from CT to MGT or MGT2E?

[Muns]

ello everyone, I am getting back into Traveller after a long absence. So my question is, why did the generations of Traveller seem to play down (my words) the decorations from CT to the succeeding version to now they seem to be an afterthought in MGT2E? I could be totally wrong and my bad impression, but what the heck happened while this old Grounard left the game for a while (RL career in the Army).

So I am juts wondering how this happened and what was the reasoning. So I can understand.

Any of the old COTI or HIWG or SJ GURPS or Mongoose folks can help out this old Dumb Tanker understand the thought process I would appreciate it immensely!

I also posted this in Reddit and I am getting a lot of suggestions and great thoughts, but no "Hey this is why we did this".

 

[TamsinP]

I don't know if they were in all the editions after MegaTraveller, but they did appear in Mongoose 1st edition (possibly only in the expanded career books). They aren't in Mongoose 2nd edition though.

I can't see any reason why you couldn't graft the CT/MT rules onto MgT2e though, if you want to add them in for the relevant careers.

 

[Muns]

This is what I was planning on doing. I was looking for the logic or rationale behind why the decoration rolls went away.

 

[Dragoner]

I kept them from MgT1 in Kosmic.

 

[whulorigan]

The only thing I can think of is that decoratrolls were a part of Advanced CharGen in CT (not Basic CharGen) with Adv assignment resolution being done iteratively per year instead of comprehensively per four year block-term.

MgT1 Basic CharGen and MgT2 CharGen are both evolutions of CT Basic CharGen, so perhaps it was overlooked or not considered?

T5 does include a decoration system (with the old awards, plus an SEH w/ Diamonds and a fairly routine Exemplary Service Badge/Award (XS) below MCUF that covers range of more common awards). Purple Heart is replaced by the more generic "Wound Badge".

 

[Dragoner]

I no longer remember if I modified them or not:

 

[Muns]

Right, but the old CT mechanics provided for the awards to help out in promotion rolls which in turn added more chances to earn skills. IN the MgT1E and MgT2E it seems like an afterthought and no added bonus to gain skills or promotion. In post-war campaigns, awards will be seen by NPC as reputation bonus no matter if the character or player knows anything about why they are being hired. The lack of the awards in none post war game adventures can make sense.
With MG coming out with their own 5th Frontier War adventure/Modules, and some games being played in the war, it would make sense to have mechanics for this.
BUT
In the recognition to gain the medal, in MgT it is just that, here is your Gong, pat on the back and move on.
Thanks to those that answered.

 

[whulorigan]

Right, but the old CT mechanics provided for the awards to help out in promotion rolls which in turn added more chances to earn skills. IN the MgT1E and MgT2E it seems like an afterthought and no added bonus to gain skills or promotion. In post-war campaigns, awards will be seen by NPC as reputation bonus no matter if the character or player knows anything about why they are being hired. The lack of the awards in none post war game adventures can make sense.
With MG coming out with their own 5th Frontier War adventure/Modules, and some games being played in the war, it would make sense to have mechanics for this.
BUT
In the recognition to gain the medal, in MgT it is just that, here is your Gong, pat on the back and move on.
Thanks to those that answered.

It seems that it should be simple enough to add to the above Events / Life Events an associated +1 DM to the current or next commission/promotion roll when an Award is achieved. It could also grant an associated additional skill with either a sufficiently high Effect, or with a successful second D6 roll of 5-6 (for example).

 

[Hairy Jim DeGriz]

Something like this?

Army Events
9 Surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy, you hold out until relief arrives. Gain DM+2 to your next
advancement roll.
10 You are assigned to a peacekeeping role. Gain one of Admin 1, Investigate 1, Deception 1 or Recon 1.

Number 9: Roll for Award 7+ receive MCUF 12+ receive SEH
Number 10: Roll for Award 12+ for MCUF
Upon receipt of an Award roll again for a PH. On a 5 or less also receive a PH award. On a 3 or less suffer -2 to STR or DEX or END.
Awards are not Free.

Only some events will qualify for an Award. Further, for an SEH, Roll 11+ upon mustering out for SOC +1. However, a lot of US MOH winners were pulled from combat for the duration of their military service, and they were brought home for publicity. Once you win an SEH, the GM could say re-roll any "dangerous" event.

 

[whulorigan]

Further, for an SEH, Roll 11+ upon mustering out for SOC +1.

On some of the documentation accompanying the MCG Cards that were given out, there is the comment that the Emperor holds the bearer of an MCG in esteem just below that of a Knight of the Empire. Presumably an SEH is the same but senior to an MCG (NOTE: If anyone posesses SEH documentation, please share).

So should they be elevated to Soc=9 or 10 (w/o lands), or perhaps be regarded as such in certain contexts?

 

[Hairy Jim DeGriz]

MCG - that's the one I forgot about. Individual results may vary. Although the Emperor thinks you're almost as good as his nobles, not all recipients want to deal with the extra "obligations." Some veterans are humble and don't want to discuss their war stories.

I was just spit-balling, to inspire someone else to do the research and development.

 

[TamsinP]

(NOTE: If anyone posesses SEH documentation, please share).

Is this what you mean?



If so, please credit it to Minister the Lady Cayelyn Aleksandra Sirgja-Emashluii. Marchioness Capon.

 

[whulorigan]

Is this what you mean?

View attachment 7069

If so, please credit it to Minister the Lady Cayelyn Aleksandra Sirgja-Emashluii. Marchioness Capon.

Actually, some SEHs and MCGs were given out by Marc on the same Black Credit cards as the Noble Patents with an attribution as to where it was earned (i.e. "MCG . . . For the Pursuits at Dinomn", etc. ). When they were sent out, they came with an accompanying slip of paper in the envelope that noted (at least for my MCGs) that comment above about " . . . being in esteem just below that of a Knight of the Empire".

Since I did not receive any SEHs, I do not know if it had a similar (or alternative) comment.

The SEH is obviously above an MCG and likely below a Knighthood (unless it includes a Knighthood . . . but I would not know about that . . . ).

 

[kilemall]

I’ll throw on the same comment I did on Reddit, easy add on award system for almost any version Cepheus or Traveller.

Roll exactly on survival, PH.
Roll 10 commission/promotion, MCUF.
Roll 11commission/promotion, MCG.
Roll 12 commission/promotion, SEH.

 

[Pholus5]

I’ll throw on the same comment I did on Reddit, easy add on award system for almost any version Cepheus or Traveller.

Roll exactly on survival, PH.
Roll 10 commission/promotion, MCUF.
Roll 11commission/promotion, MCG.
Roll 12 commission/promotion, SEH.

I like this a LOT, but in MgT 2E it does mean that the poor sucker who earned the SEH is also forced to do another term...unless the award gives them the right to quit regardless of what the service wants?

I've been working on non-military award systems too, based on some previous works I found online that were nice but just incomplete. This does fit well because most adopted the three level system too.

 

[Condottiere]

Posthumous.

 

[kilemall]

I like this a LOT, but in MgT 2E it does mean that the poor sucker who earned the SEH is also forced to do another term...unless the award gives them the right to quit regardless of what the service wants?

I've been working on non-military award systems too, based on some previous works I found online that were nice but just incomplete. This does fit well because most adopted the three level system too.

Re term, do what makes sense for your universe.

To the extent I would add on gimmes to medals, the narrative Im painting is that the character got the commission/promotion because of the award. Not keen on rolling promotion pluses in future terms, instead I’d forego rolling random skills and let the player choose skills- MCUF 1 choice, MCG 2 choices, SEH 3 choices.

 

[kilemall]

Posthumous.

Heh maybe medals in reverse- SEH on native 2, MCG native 3, MCUF native 4.