Here's an extended review of "Path of Tears", the RC sourcebook,
for those of you who are wondering if it's worth getting:
Price: $18 (US)
Length: 158 pages
Sections:
THE COALITION:
Pages 6-8 are mostly a reprint of the RC timeline, though some
parts have been expanded and more detail added.
Pgs 9-11 list the original 12 ships sent out by the Dawn League,
with ship name, type, sceduled course, and fate to the extent known.
Pgs 12-13 are maps and UWP data for Aubaine (ex-Nicosia) and
Oriflamme (ex-Sarid) subsectors. Each world has two lines of
UWP data, first the pre-Rebellion and then the New Era stats.
On the maps, the pop code and tech level have been added to the
traditional map symbols in order to reduce the need to refer back
to the code listing. [I've been doing this on my home-grown maps for
years. It doesn't really clutter things much, and it really helps
having that information available at a glance]
14-15 is a breif description of each world within the RC
16-17 is an overview of the RC government, such as it is, as
well as a table listing each world, its population, political
bloc it belongs to, and number of representatives in the Assembly.
PEOPLE OF THE COALITION:
Pgs 18-19 breifly discusses the eight major political issues
within the Coalition, most of which are actually matters of
the internal structure of the Coalition, rather than matters
focusing primarily on the univers outside the RC.
Pgs 20-23 gives the "typical" views of persons from each of the
RC's major worlds on the Coalition itself, the other member worlds,
and the aliens within the Coalition (the Schalli, native to Aubaine,
the Hivers, and the Ithklur). The section preface _does_ emphasise
that even though these views are "typical" for each world,
considerable diversity exists and the views are _not_ universal.
Pgs 24-27 detail the Schalli, an aquatic minor race native to
Aubaine. One of the Challenge "swimsuit issues" featured
a piece by Rob Caswell titled "First Contact" which showed
a human woman with an unidentified aquatic species. That race
is the Schalli, and the woman is presumably the author of the
"atmosphere" passage on page 24. Templates and modifiers are
given for both NPC and player Schalli.
Pgs 28-29 is a glossary of RC jargon, about half of which appeared
in Survival Margin.
RCES OPERATIONS:
30-33 outlines RCES mission types, doctrines, and general tactics.
It includes a pretty absurd sidebar of the RCES studying the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan as a "classic model of invasion planning
and execution." [I say "absurd" because surely, from the RC
perspective, there are thousands of more recent examples of the same
thing]
34-35 outlines the defensive (ground, wet, and COACC) forces oef the
coalition, and their orginization. Sidebars on RC rules of
engagement and informality among ranks.
Pgs 36-38 list the ships available to the RC, with tables of ships
complemented by text explainations. Incidentally, some errata from
Brilliant Lances is dealt with here. In BL, the Aurora-class
clippers were capable of jump-5 in some configurations, even though
their TL-12 design should have limited them to J-3. Here it states
that SOME Auroras (the so-called "Group III" ships) used salvaged
TL 14 & 15 equipement to extend the Jump performance.
Pgs 39-43 deals with the economics of the RC and the Auction(s), both
in general terms and in player-level terms (their cut from the
auction, etc.)
THE AO (AREA OF OPERATIONS):
Pgs 44-45 is an overview of RCES objcetives for the next 5+ years
(pretty ambitious. I _REALLY_ hope they have their timetable
extended due to circumstances beyond their control).
Pgs 46-49 are player maps of Promise (Diaspora L), Khulam
(Diaspora P), Thoezennt (Old Expanses I), and Shenk (Old Expanses J)
subsectors, in the same format used for Aubaine & Oriflamme. Outside
of seven parsecs of the RC proper, however, only pre-Rebellion UWPs
are available.
Pgs 50-87 gives maps and world data for 19 Wilds worlds.
[some of these worlds have appeared previously in FASA's old
HIGH PASSAGE magazine #5. I didn't notice any overt contradictions,
especially given the changes between the Imperial and New Eras]
REFEREE'S INFORMATION:
As indicated, Pg 88 starts the referee's section of the book.
Pgs 88-91 are general GM advice. Sidebar on the distinction between
Free Traders (the people, capitalized) and free traders (the ships,
lower case).
Pgs 92-97 are notes and rules on detailing worlds. Rules for
determining the size and number of surface nations on balkanized
worlds, traits of governments (as opposed to types), types of
salvagable equipement, size and composition of military forces.
[I suspect much of this section will be reprinted and perhaps
expanded in the world-building book due out later this year]
Pgs 98-141 is Ref's data and notes for the subsectors and detailed
worlds. Lots of adventure "nuggets" for a GM to expand upon.
Pgs 142-143 more notes on the Virus for a GM, with warnings
not to overdo it. Also, perhaps strangely enough, admonitions
not to treat Virus as a "disembodied intelligence" but to remember
it has to use things (cameras, sensors, etc.) to find out what
what the PC's are doing.
Pgs 144-145 introduces The Star Guild, a loose organization of
Free Traders in and around Diaspora.
pgs 146-153 gives stats on personal equipement and vehicles
154 details the Manta-class skimmers
155-157 reprints as well as expands the information on the
Aurora clippers from what was presented in BL.
Finally,
158 is an index, which, at first look, seems pretty complete.
IMHO, in terms of format at least, this is probably the best
Traveller sourcebook published _ever_. (now if only they'll
do one on an area that interests me more than the RC :-)
It lacks any central adventure, which has been a feature
of Traveller campaign sourcebooks from The Traveller Adventure
up to Flaming Eye and Knightfall, but makes up for it in providing
details and nuggets for a wider selection of worlds.
The RCES still have a high emphasis on militaristic operations and
technology salvage, but there's more information for GM's to
create adventures that depend on more than the players' arsenal
and weapons skills. Adventures dealing with intrigues WITHIN
the RC, heretofore suffering from an information blackout and
depending entirely on the GM to cook up everything, are now
possible for GM's that won't/can't/don't have the time to do
EVERYTHING themselves.
It may not be worth the price for everybody, but it's
definitely worth a close look.
John H Bogan