Traveller:TNE -> Release date

Bruce Pihlamae writes:
>
> Has anybody seen a copy of Traveller - New Era in the shops yet?
>
> Our local games store (here in OZ) says he's been told to expect them
> any day now so they must already be on sale in the USA and/or UK where
> he normally gets them from.

This morning I called GDW ([phone removed] - US phone #), and enquired as
to whether Traveller: The New Era was shipping yet.  The woman who answered
the phone said no, it wasn't shipping yet.  Then I asked when it was
expected to ship.  She said mid to late-April.  Take it for what it's
worth.

Personally, I've got mixed emotions about T:TNE.  Forget about all the hoaky
explanations they've presented about a silicon eating virus etc etc.  I'm
concerned about all the rule changes.  All their adds hype their 'new'
GDW 'house rules' stuff.  So your Twilight:2000 character can join up
with some Dark Conspiracy yo-yos and 'jump' into Traveller for a few go-rounds.

Well, this one's been batted around before, but I'm going to let off some
steam... One of the first things I do when I look at a combat-oriented
RPG or one that uses combat a lot, is to read the damage rules in the
combat section and see if they 'feel' reasonable and if they're easy to use
and if they're properly deadly.  I thought the original 1st Ed T:2K did an
ok job, and I looked forward to GDW fixing it up, making it better, and
fixing the obvious gaffes such as GI Joe shooting Ivan with a .45 point
blank in the chest and Ivan smiles back and says, "May I have another?"

Well, I got Traveller: 2300 and though the combat system seemed strange
at first, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  Perhaps
a bit simplistic, it seemed, nevertheless, to be very quick to play, and
_very_ deadly.  Then T:2K (2 Ed) came out, and I quickly flipped to the
damage part of the rules, and was very disappointed!  Now Ivan can take
like 2 or 3 shots of .45 point blank in the chest.  Even the max possible
damage from a .45 won't knock an average man unconscious, let alone kill
him!  (In case you haven't noticed, I use a .45 or similar caliber
automatic pistol as my measuring rod.)  Now T:TNE will be come equally
wimpy so some snot nosed kid used to Cyberpunk won't have his character
blown away.  Sheez!  As I was admonished as I joined the PBEM, combat
in Traveller is DEADLY!  and is to be avoided!  it is a last resort!  Well
not anymore!  Hey, We can shoot 'em up!  A few holes in your body?  Hey,
never you mind!  it's ok!  This is Traveller:  The _NEW_ Era.  Yeah, right.

Anyways, I'll have to see if it's really going to be as bad as it sounds.
Oh, well.

Ok, now that I've blown off steam... I'm working on a drop-in damage
system for personal combat (i.e. smaller than vehicle vs vehicle) for
Traveller and MegaTraveller.  If it works, I think it should be easily
adapted to replace the GDW House Rules small arms damage etc.

Basically, my rules give hit location and damage to the hit location.  For
example, Joe shoots at Fred with a Gauss rifle.  He hits (he scores!) Fred
with 3 needles in the left leg (Ref says the thigh.)  One needle is only
a flesh wound, the second one shatters his thigh bone, and the third one
just generally rips up his flesh.

There are three basic rolls, more as optional rules are used, and
some very simple arithmetic:  a few additions/subtractions and one multiply
(i think only one - like 2*8 or 4*10, NOT 2.35*7.345). The first
roll is to hit, the second one is to see where you hit, and
the third one is to see how much damage you did.  This whole
 system is designed to be fuzzy.  There are no 'hit points'.  Just
probablilities that a weapon of such and such a damage class will
kill/wound/maim a character of such and such a Life Force.  Also the
Ref is free to abridge/amend what happens as s/he sees fit: i
t's up to the GM to use his/her imagination to determine what
happened.  My rules would be there to lend some framework/structure
to the madness.

If you like the way the combat works in classic Trav or MT, there's no
need to use my rules.  If on the other hand, one wants to see legs
and arms blown off and guts spilled out, my rules may be useful.

They're supposed to 'drop right in,' so if a ref just wanted to use
them to add some additional color commentary to the fight, they should
suffice.  In other words, my rules would still have a pen/dam of 2/3
for a 9mm auto pistol, and 20/3 for a laser rifle-13.  On the other
hand, I'm trying to work out some coherent rules if someone wants
to revamp the Traveller / MT weapons for their own campaign or adapt
them to another system.  If they work, they should also be able to
be modified to replace the T:2K house rules.

Anyways, is anyone interested?  I'm hoping to have a rough draft done
this week or next and could post it here for comments... Any bites?

- -steve camp
[email removed]