Deep Space Fleets Alpha, Beta, and Gamma (DSF-A, DSF-B, DSF-G) are the pride of the Birach naval forces and the best system defense fleets in the entire Free Trade League!
Old, faraway empires have fallen. New and nearby confederations have taken their place. In years past, while the people of Birach suffered under various petty warlords, and then the genocidal leader known as "The General", the Birach fleets maintained their impartial distance and provided the best services they were funded for. "Courage and Competence" are the Birach Spacer's core beliefs.
Three years ago a coup overthrew The General and prevented a plague from wiping out the entire planetary population. The superpowers wanted to use Birach as their battleground. The brave, but on the wrong end of "thousand to one" odds, DSFs stood ready to fight Atrean and Confeds alike. The coup leaders brought skilled diplomacy to bear and the superpowers agreed to respect Birach, and the Free Trade League, as political entities and peers. Bracketed between the Atrean Conglomerate (TL 13) and the Star Confederation (TL 14), the Free Trade League has spent its first two years establishing safe trade and political independence. Birach's own economy, fueled by food exports and mild trade tariffs, is booming.
During the war, the new government re-established operational nobility. Those who could contribute to success were tasked to do so, and rewarded for their efforts. During the war, old ships came out of mothball fleets. The Birach Navy took anything that could cross the line, stuffed it with anyone who could more or less fit into a uniform, and sent them into space. Some of the crews excelled, some died of their own incompetence.
Some are, some how, still there. A few of those ships are funded by nobles, and rival Birach's best. Others aren't even space-worthy and their crews are likely to be sent to prison, if they ever land.
Guess which sort of ship you're on?
Overview
Metagame
Metagame
This is space opera, and we're going to have fun playing with, and busting, tropes. You are a crew member aboard one of the worst ships in the Birach auxiliary fleet. You will be expected to add to the fun, and toss out ideas, just as much as anyone else.
Chargen is Classic Traveller Book 1/Cepheus Engine (CT/CE/MgT(1ed)) to start. Figure two skills per term, average. Stat modifiers apply, and liberal use of 0 level skills. Choose skills from relevant tables. If you like detail, use High Guard for term assignments, but not skills. Life events are optional, but any good background story that gives you a Skill-0 is something will likely pass muster.
The player must decide why they are aboard this ship. Exactly who did they mess with, and why was their action so bad that they are stuck here? We'll get private forums for players, so these bits don't have to be public.
The PCs need to match up with at least one other PC. Lovers, both sentenced by the same judge, whatever. Players decide and write it up.
PC advancement is wide open. If you want your character to advance, ensure Leadership and Ship/Fleet Tactics are on their resume or growth plan.
In game rewards for back-stories that meet forthcoming formats.
This is space opera, and we're going to have fun playing with, and busting, tropes. You are a crew member aboard one of the worst ships in the Birach auxiliary fleet. You will be expected to add to the fun, and toss out ideas, just as much as anyone else.
Chargen is Classic Traveller Book 1/Cepheus Engine (CT/CE/MgT(1ed)) to start. Figure two skills per term, average. Stat modifiers apply, and liberal use of 0 level skills. Choose skills from relevant tables. If you like detail, use High Guard for term assignments, but not skills. Life events are optional, but any good background story that gives you a Skill-0 is something will likely pass muster.
The player must decide why they are aboard this ship. Exactly who did they mess with, and why was their action so bad that they are stuck here? We'll get private forums for players, so these bits don't have to be public.
The PCs need to match up with at least one other PC. Lovers, both sentenced by the same judge, whatever. Players decide and write it up.
PC advancement is wide open. If you want your character to advance, ensure Leadership and Ship/Fleet Tactics are on their resume or growth plan.
In game rewards for back-stories that meet forthcoming formats.
Last edited by Leitz on Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Guidelines
Guidelines
The universe is human, though long term genetic modifications can stretch the definition of humanity. Design your character with some flair, if you like.
Birach is a TL 10 planet. Most of the PCs will come from a "Coaster" background; 95% literacy, bump your EDU to 7, minimum. Computer-0 and one Skill-0 based off SOC (SOC 2-5 Other, 6-9 Citizen, 10+ Noble) free.
If you want your PC to be from the Atrean Conglomeration (think TL 13 over populated Medici Italy) or the Star Confederation (TL 14 bureaucracy in space), let me know. Figure out why you PC is on the ship; both Atreans and Confeds pass through Birach space.
The ship will not have jump capability, but Navigation skill will be useful.
The PCs will not start out in division Chief or Senior command slots. Those can be earned, but do you really want to be responsible for this mess? The ship will be large enough to give PCs room to cross-train or advance in their division.
While friendly rivalry is open to the players, there is no Player versus Player action. Period.
Descriptions, and situations, remain PG-13 or milder. You can shoot someone, just don't spend a paragraph on the gore. If there's an intimate moment, close the door.
PCs are expected to be "heroic", in the general "trying to be a good guy/gal" sense. Use the prickly and unrepentant sociopath in someone elses game, please.
The universe is human, though long term genetic modifications can stretch the definition of humanity. Design your character with some flair, if you like.
Birach is a TL 10 planet. Most of the PCs will come from a "Coaster" background; 95% literacy, bump your EDU to 7, minimum. Computer-0 and one Skill-0 based off SOC (SOC 2-5 Other, 6-9 Citizen, 10+ Noble) free.
If you want your PC to be from the Atrean Conglomeration (think TL 13 over populated Medici Italy) or the Star Confederation (TL 14 bureaucracy in space), let me know. Figure out why you PC is on the ship; both Atreans and Confeds pass through Birach space.
The ship will not have jump capability, but Navigation skill will be useful.
The PCs will not start out in division Chief or Senior command slots. Those can be earned, but do you really want to be responsible for this mess? The ship will be large enough to give PCs room to cross-train or advance in their division.
While friendly rivalry is open to the players, there is no Player versus Player action. Period.
Descriptions, and situations, remain PG-13 or milder. You can shoot someone, just don't spend a paragraph on the gore. If there's an intimate moment, close the door.
PCs are expected to be "heroic", in the general "trying to be a good guy/gal" sense. Use the prickly and unrepentant sociopath in someone elses game, please.
Last edited by Leitz on Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Background Research
Background Research
McHale's Navy
Down Periscope
Operation Petticoat
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer
Warship
Constitution
Naval Officer's Guide (any edition)
DM Style
A while back, a player commented that "things aren't always as they seem" in my games. The reality is that things are never what they seem, but there are some standard things you can count on:
Someone can kill you Okay, this is Traveller, not D&D. It's easy to get killed. But there's always someone who can kill a PC without much effort. If you've spent years gaming, and watched half drunk players run their PCs through villages killing innocents, you understand why. If your PC is not run by a half drunk player, you should be good.
Someone can help you The better you treat people, the better they will treat you. There's a corollary:
The Spotlight Effect Most of my NPCs have stuff going on, whether or not the PCs are there. Sometimes a PC will form a friendship with an NPC and thus be invited into whatever the NPC is involved in. It could be the ship poker game, or it might be a "change the world" secret. You never know.
What's the story? We can talk about character sheets and skills and stuff, but what's your character's story? Why are they on this ship? The more story you have, the more life the game has. That's the plan, anyway.
Total Party Kills It is possible to die in one of my games. However, unless you as a player do something totally stupid and have the PC be suicidal, your character will probably live for a while. Maybe worse for wear, and missing a bit here and there, but alive. The caveat is that you can choose for the PC to die, if there's something that's heroic but certain death. I've done that as a player, and there is some satisfaction to be had.
Someone can kill you Okay, this is Traveller, not D&D. It's easy to get killed. But there's always someone who can kill a PC without much effort. If you've spent years gaming, and watched half drunk players run their PCs through villages killing innocents, you understand why. If your PC is not run by a half drunk player, you should be good.
Someone can help you The better you treat people, the better they will treat you. There's a corollary:
The Spotlight Effect Most of my NPCs have stuff going on, whether or not the PCs are there. Sometimes a PC will form a friendship with an NPC and thus be invited into whatever the NPC is involved in. It could be the ship poker game, or it might be a "change the world" secret. You never know.
What's the story? We can talk about character sheets and skills and stuff, but what's your character's story? Why are they on this ship? The more story you have, the more life the game has. That's the plan, anyway.
Total Party Kills It is possible to die in one of my games. However, unless you as a player do something totally stupid and have the PC be suicidal, your character will probably live for a while. Maybe worse for wear, and missing a bit here and there, but alive. The caveat is that you can choose for the PC to die, if there's something that's heroic but certain death. I've done that as a player, and there is some satisfaction to be had.
Schedule
My plan is to do "move the game forward" posts Wednesday and Sunday. Usually evening time, GMT -5.
On a different, but time related note, posts start with something like this:
[1419.230.1735] Below Berths, BMM-511A2X "Too Hexed"
This is a time and location stamp. 1419 is the year (old Imperial Calendar), 230 is the day (of 360), and 1735 is the time (24 hour clock). The rest is location. Third shift starts at 1800 and goes for 10 hours. There are two overlap hours with each shift; one before and one after the main 8 hours. Thus there are 2 hours total overlap for each pair of shifts.
If First or Second actually cared to talk to you, they'd brief you on the way out, or show up on time. Usually it's just a sticky note on the console.
On a different, but time related note, posts start with something like this:
[1419.230.1735] Below Berths, BMM-511A2X "Too Hexed"
This is a time and location stamp. 1419 is the year (old Imperial Calendar), 230 is the day (of 360), and 1735 is the time (24 hour clock). The rest is location. Third shift starts at 1800 and goes for 10 hours. There are two overlap hours with each shift; one before and one after the main 8 hours. Thus there are 2 hours total overlap for each pair of shifts.
If First or Second actually cared to talk to you, they'd brief you on the way out, or show up on time. Usually it's just a sticky note on the console.