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Post by Admin Pete on Jan 26, 2017 20:54:27 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers.
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Post by randyb on Jan 26, 2017 22:56:33 GMT -5
In the three Little Black Books of Classic Traveller, there is no such provision in the RAW. I would favor house-ruling such an option. Either borrow from Mongoose Traveller 1st edition or Cepheus Engine (which is the Mongoose SRD in published form; both have rules for this action), or apply a -1 DM to the enlistment roll for the new service branch per previous term completed; normal service enlistment DMs also applying.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Jan 27, 2017 11:27:50 GMT -5
I think I agree with the above by the OP, in the merchant or other professions, age would be irrelevant compared to experience and some of the leaders might be quite old.
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Post by bestialwarlust on Jan 27, 2017 11:50:15 GMT -5
True by the RAW you can't but as the above two posters stated it's easy to house rule. Besides the 3 LBB have no inherit setting so it's easy to justify within your own setting.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Jan 30, 2017 15:21:36 GMT -5
I could see a 90 year old who started as an Other, then through an opportune circumstances jumps to the Marines and then a long, long career as a Merchant.
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Post by flightcommander on Mar 30, 2017 0:48:53 GMT -5
Re: mandatory retirement, you might think of it as "unable to continue work" for an unspecified reason. Wrong social affiliation? Blacklisted? Went to prison and reformed? Was a total company man until a troubleshooting mission crash-landed on a remote planet and he was the only survivor other than a volleyball, and years later he was rescued and decided to do something different with his life? Basically I wouldn't confine it to formal retirement — In Traveller, there are way better reasons to be out of a job!
Also, remember: it's just the character's prior career. There's no reason a Merchant character who got shoved out after two terms couldn't continue doing Merchant-type activities; same thing with Other.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Mar 31, 2017 11:31:20 GMT -5
Re: mandatory retirement, you might think of it as "unable to continue work" for an unspecified reason. Wrong social affiliation? Blacklisted? Went to prison and reformed? Was a total company man until a troubleshooting mission crash-landed on a remote planet and he was the only survivor other than a volleyball, and years later he was rescued and decided to do something different with his life? Basically I wouldn't confine it to formal retirement — In Traveller, there are way better reasons to be out of a job! Also, remember: it's just the character's prior career. There's no reason a Merchant character who got shoved out after two terms couldn't continue doing Merchant-type activities; same thing with Other. That is great advice and really livens up the backstory. |
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Post by mao on Feb 23, 2018 15:27:18 GMT -5
Re: mandatory retirement, you might think of it as "unable to continue work" for an unspecified reason. Wrong social affiliation? Blacklisted? Went to prison and reformed? Was a total company man until a troubleshooting mission crash-landed on a remote planet and he was the only survivor other than a volleyball, and years later he was rescued and decided to do something different with his life? Basically I wouldn't confine it to formal retirement — In Traveller, there are way better reasons to be out of a job! Also, remember: it's just the character's prior career. There's no reason a Merchant character who got shoved out after two terms couldn't continue doing Merchant-type activities; same thing with Other. This inspired me: Survivor as a class option, prob a kinda cross Barbarian and Hunter |
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Feb 23, 2018 16:04:51 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers. In game, yes. In later editions, yes. |
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Post by mao on Mar 2, 2018 13:58:02 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers. I would argue that this is not a great idea because it would make the char much better than a normal char. It would give them access to a wider spread a skills and make them ultimately Kirk like. |
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Mar 2, 2018 14:48:44 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers. I would argue that this is not a great idea because it would make the char much better than a normal char. It would give them access to a wider spread a skills and make them ultimately Kirk like. This is a bad thing? Not in my old Traveller games! (1978+) Just remember that each uber-character, by its very strengths, would have corresponding weaknesses which are there to (a) keep the player and the character humble, and to (b) delight the gamesmaster. The player who doesn't play the role of the character is wargaming with an individual character, not rolegaming. ("roleplaying" as a term is ruined by its association with psychiatry and with character immersion..."rolegaming" seems to be the perfect blend...but I digress. Which is OK at my age.) Taking Kirk for instance, his strengths (mainly the ability to make very quick decisions and make new ones when those don't work) actually cause many of his weaknesses: - Ability to make mistakes, and because of his authority they tend to be BIG mistakes. ("We don't need to raise shields. They're a UFP starship.") - The belief that he's a martial artist, specializing in kickfighting - thus causing himself to be prone and awaiting his opponent's killing stroke. - His abnormally good luck, which doesn't always apply to his companions, makes him ridiculously overconfident. Even in his old age. - Absolutely no respect for the timestream. - His lack of xenophobia (racism on a cosmic level) also combines with his overactive hormonal system. He would have sex with a horta if the CGI animation wasn't so dang expensive per minute. - Mind races so fast, it takes his mouth a moment to catch up with him - resulting in - LOTS of - pauses and - nonverbal - STOPS in - strange places. - This often causes him to tuck his elbows into his sides and "beseech" his hands and forearms outward. It's not a weakness, per se, but it sure looks weird and I'm sure Klingons can take advantage of it. |
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Post by dragondaddy on Mar 3, 2018 21:29:23 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers. Not that i know of... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 21:33:18 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? There was a version of that rule somewhere in Traveller, you should be able to bolt it on to the classic rules. |
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Post by Mighty Darci on Mar 16, 2018 9:19:54 GMT -5
I am curious to know if Classic Traveller allows a player to start in one service branch and then switch to something else? Between the Navy, Marines, Army, Scouts, Merchants and Other, what transfers might be possible, how would you handle them? It also seems to me that Merchants and Other would not have any mandatory retirement, although it makes sense for the other four careers. I would argue that this is not a great idea because it would make the char much better than a normal char. It would give them access to a wider spread a skills and make them ultimately Kirk like. You have a much higher opinion of Kirk's competence than I do. He constantly blunders in trouble and gets out of it more by luck that skill. |
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Post by ffilz on Mar 16, 2018 13:54:23 GMT -5
I'm not sure I like career switching. As mao points out, it widens the set of skills a single character could have. I actually like the idea that Book 1 keeps certain sets of skills separate. I haven't look at all the implications there, and I don't know how many of the separations that exist in Book 1 can be bypassed with a Supplement 4 career. Like it's interesting that Scouts get NO interpersonal skills. In later editions where the skill sets are broader and there are almost no skills only available to one or two careers, I think it's less of an issue. I also like the possibility of being forced to play a young character. I think one or two term characters ARE playable in Classic Traveller. Frank |
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Post by dragondaddy on Mar 16, 2018 20:04:44 GMT -5
I also like the possibility of being forced to play a young character. I think one or two term characters ARE playable in Classic Traveller. Frank I knew of several people in the military who switched service in real life, from the Army to the Marines, Navy, and even the Air Force. When I was active duty, military regulations at the time permitted a switch of service, and the person switching had to muster out, re-enlist in the new branch for a minimum of four years, and then successfully complete boot camp (again) an arduous twelve week basic combat training exercise, as well as qualify for some new advanced type of training known in the Army as a military occupation specialty or MOS. The Department of Defense generally allowed it, however there was an age restriction. The maximum age an applicant could be for enlistment was 38 years old, ...or in Traveller terms, they had to serve for four terms or less to be eligible to enlist in the new branch of service. At any time if an enlisted person received a four-year college degree (and even if they didn't however was nominated by their unit commanders (as I was, ...twice), they could apply to Officer Candidate School. Successfully completing the twelve week OCS program resulted in an automatic commission as a second lieutenant in whatever branch the individual happened to be in, or as a first lieutenant if the individual had graduated from college with a four year degree. Also for those without a degree the understanding was that they would continuously attend a university or college until they received a four year degree. Also, in order to receive this commission the individual had to agree to serve for a minimum of six additional years of active duty, and as an officer, is of course subject to perpetual recall to active duty, should the nation require it. My MOS was 35h Calibration Specialist, However I was assigned as a 35z, Electronic Warfare Specialist, in R&D, at my first duty assignment to White Sands Missile Range. |
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Post by True Black Raven on Mar 16, 2018 20:16:07 GMT -5
I'm not sure I like career switching. As mao points out, it widens the set of skills a single character could have. I actually like the idea that Book 1 keeps certain sets of skills separate. I haven't look at all the implications there, and I don't know how many of the separations that exist in Book 1 can be bypassed with a Supplement 4 career. Like it's interesting that Scouts get NO interpersonal skills. In later editions where the skill sets are broader and there are almost no skills only available to one or two careers, I think it's less of an issue. I also like the possibility of being forced to play a young character. I think one or two term characters ARE playable in Classic Traveller. Frank It makes sense for the Scouts to get NO interpersonal skills as they are the loners out on the frontier. Merchants and shady merchants/pirates should be well equipped for every con. |
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Mar 17, 2018 23:27:59 GMT -5
You have a much higher opinion of Kirk's competence than I do. He constantly blunders in trouble and gets out of it more by luck that skill. FASA's Star Trek RPG covered this very effectively by granting Kirk a LUCK of 98%. One could complete the Kirk icon by giving him a charisma factor of INSPIRES COMPLETE LOYALTY FROM CREW WHO SHOULD REALLY MUTINY. |
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Post by ffilz on Mar 18, 2018 0:08:10 GMT -5
I also like the possibility of being forced to play a young character. I think one or two term characters ARE playable in Classic Traveller. Frank I knew of several people in the military who switched service in real life, from the Army to the Marines, Navy, and even the Air Force. When I was active duty, military regulations at the time permitted a switch of service, and the person switching had to muster out, re-enlist in the new branch for a minimum of four years, and then successfully complete boot camp (again) an arduous twelve week basic combat training exercise, as well as qualify for some new advanced type of training known in the Army as a military occupation specialty or MOS. The Department of Defense generally allowed it, however there was an age restriction. The maximum age an applicant could be for enlistment was 38 years old, ...or in Traveller terms, they had to serve for four terms or less to be eligible to enlist in the new branch of service. At any time if an enlisted person received a four-year college degree (and even if they didn't however was nominated by their unit commanders (as I was, ...twice), they could apply to Officer Candidate School. Successfully completing the twelve week OCS program resulted in an automatic commission as a second lieutenant in whatever branch the individual happened to be in, or as a first lieutenant if the individual had graduated from college with a four year degree. Also for those without a degree the understanding was that they would continuously attend a university or college until they received a four year degree. Also, in order to receive this commission the individual had to agree to serve for a minimum of six additional years of active duty, and as an officer, is of course subject to perpetual recall to active duty, should the nation require it. My MOS was 35h Calibration Specialist, However I was assigned as a 35z, Electronic Warfare Specialist, in R&D, at my first duty assignment to White Sands Missile Range. I get that switching careers makes sense from a "how the world really works" standpoint, but I like the compartmentalization of the careers in Book 1. It's a thing that I see an elegance to the original game, that was changed over time. Frank |
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