Rebuilding the rebuilds - Destroyer

The new "Destroyer" armoured personnel carrier is still equipped with the TL 11 upgrade of the plasma A gun, but has lighter armour.

ONI "Destroyer" APC (TL 11)
Hull: 30 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Rugged, Sealed, 10/12
Drive: Wheels, Drive Wheels (x2), Offroad Suspension, Improved Controls
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 110, Fuel Consumption: 5 per hour
Fuel: 200 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Advanced Composites 8 (14/14/14/14/8/8)
Weapons:
plasma A gun-11 (internal traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 14d6)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened (3 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Laser 20 km
Environmental: Advanced Life Support
Crew: 3
Operating Stations: 3
Passengers: 8
Cargo: 0.01 dTon
Agility: +0 DM, +2 DM (Offroad)
Speed: Cruise: 63 kph Top: 84 kph Offroad: 69 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.80

-Rognar-

Rebuilding the rebuilds - Kolossus

The new "Kolossus" has a larger power plant, but a smaller main gun. It also has no reloads for the tac missile launchers, but does have higher speed and better sensors/comms. Here's the build:

Red Blok "Kolossus" light strider (TL 10)
Hull: 10 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Rugged, Sealed, 3/5
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 88, Fuel Consumption: 4 per hour
Fuel: 80 litres (20 hours)
Armour: Advanced composites 8 (16/12/12/12/12/8)
Weapons:
medium autocannon (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 7d6 SAP; auto 6)
ammo: 30 attacks
2x light tac missile (antiarmour) (left external fixed, 9d6 Super-AP)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened (3 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Laser 10 km
Environmental: Improved Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 11 kph Top: 15 kph Offroad: 7 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.98

-Rognar-

Rebuilding the rebuilds - Fire Toad

It turns out, I've been making a very crucial mistake in my Traveller builds of AT-43 vehicles. All my vehicles, except the ONI "Enforcer" are wrong. They are way too heavy for their drive systems. So, I undertake to correct the erroneous builds. I begin with the "Fire Toad". My biggest problem with this build is finding an appropriate weapon. Currently, there is no laser weapon in between the laser rifle (7 kg including power pack) and the laser cannon (1750 kg stripped for vehicle mounting). Clearly, there is a need for a light laser cannon, so I created one. The light laser cannon (TL 11) weighs 320 kg, does 6d6+3 damage and has a maximum effective range of 10 km. Here is the corrected build:

UNA "Fire Toad" light strider (TL 11)
Hull: 16 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Rugged, Sealed, 6/6
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 176, Fuel Consumption: 8 per hour
Fuel: 320 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Advanced Composites 12 (22/16/16/16/16/10)
Weapons:
light laser cannon (left external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 6d6+3)
light laser cannon (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 6d6+3)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened Extended (9 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Laser 20 km
Environmental: Improved Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Cargo: 0.03 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 8 kph Top: 10 kph Offroad: 5 kph
Ground Pressure: 3.85

The new "Fire Toad" has a lot less armour and a larger frame and power plant. It has less sophisticated environmental capabilities, but higher speed due to its greater power output and lighter frame.

-Rognar-

ONI Enforcer build

The "Enforcer" scout car is the most popular ONI armoured fighting vehicle on the colonial worlds, where its compact size and toughness make it ideal for exploration and counterinsurgency. The standard configuration mounts twin Vulcan rotary cannons capable of directing ridiculous amounts of ordinance downrange. For this reason, many buyers of Enforcers request only a single autocannon be installed.

ONI "Enforcer" Scout Car (TL 11)
Hull: 20 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Rugged, Sealed, 7/8
Drive: Wheels, Drive Wheels (x1), Offroad Suspension, Improved Controls
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 88, Fuel Consumption: 4 per hour
Fuel: 160 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Advanced Compsites 8 (14/14/14/14/8/8)
Weapons:
2x Vulcan light autocannon (internal, traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 6d6 SAP; auto 10)
ammo: 30 bursts each
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened (3 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km
Environmental: Advanced Life Support
Crew: 2
Operating Stations: 2
Passengers: 4
Cargo: 0.04 dTon
Agility: +0 DM, +2 DM (Offroad)
Speed: Cruise: 83 kph Top: 111 kph Offroad: 91 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.54

-Rognar-

Mongoose Traveller chargen - random v. point-buy

It may be blasphemy to long-time Traveller players, but Mongoose has added a point-buy option to the chargen process. Since I have used point-buy systems for years, I'm agnostic in this regard, so I figured I'd run it through and see how a character will differ if generated with the point-buy.

I randomly created my man, Angus. He started out in the Army, but was forced out due to a conflict with a superior officer in his second term and then enlisted in the Scout Service for two more terms. Here is the result:

Angus I
St:9 Dx:7 En:11 In:7 Ed:7 So:5
Drive-0
Athletics-0
Gun Combat-0
Gun Combat (slug rifle)-2
Recon-1
Melee-0
Melee (unarmed combat)-1
Vacc Suit-1
Astrogation-1
Comms-0
Computers-0
Streetwise-0
Pilot (small craft)-2
Navigation-1
25,000 Cr

Here is an approximate recreation of the build using the point-buy system:

Angus II
St:9 Dx:9 En:9 In:6 Ed:6 So:6
Drive-0
Gun Combat-0
Gun Combat (slug rifle)-2
Recon-1
Melee-0
Melee (unarmed combat)-1
Vacc Suit-1
Astrogation-1
Computers-0
Pilot (small craft)-2
20,000 Cr

The random Angus has more 0-level skills, while the point-buy Angus has better (and more mechanically-advantageous) characteristics. Also, the random Angus has more background info, such as the aforementioned problem with a superior officer in the Army as well as a life-threatening injury suffered in his first term of the Scout Service that nearly cost him a limb and required expensive medical treatment. Still, all that background can be created by the player after the character is built.

-Rognar-

The Cartagena colony

Founded by the brother and sister team of Raphael and Jacinta Rojas, the Cartagena colony was established two years ago and currently has 19 members. Typical of many Septimus colonies, it is made up of the desperate and the adventurous looking for a better life than the one offered on the marginal worlds of explored space. All members of the colony have some basic training in hydroponics and aquaculture. Raphael Rojas is a physician, while his sister, Jacinta, is a biologist and geneticist. Other prominent members of the colony include Travis Willem, a former member of the UNA Scout Service, Natalie Tanaka, a one-time corporate espionage agent, and ex-mercenary, Roberto Morales.

The Cartagena colony site was chosen because of the presence of an alien artifact which Raphael was curious to investigate. The artifact appears to be a polished white stone obelisk some 50 metres tall and 20 metres across, perfectly hexagonal in cross-section and with a modest bevel along the top edges.



Raphael Rojas is an old friend of Boris Chevsky, famed captain of the freighter Svetlana. Before leaving for Septimus, Rojas invited Chevsky and his wife, Juanita, to join him in the new colony. At the time, Chevsky wasn't interested, but Rojas left the invitation open and gave Chevsky the colony's transponder frequency should he ever change his mind. Two years later, Chevsky is looking for a new life and has decided to take Rojas up on his offer. He bought out his crew and is looking for adventurous young men and women to join him inside the worldsphere.

-Rognar-

ONI Destroyer build

The most recognizable ONI combat vehicle is the "Destroyer" armoured personnel carrier. Thousands of these APCs patrol the hostile borders of Asia and provide support to UNA forces throughout the colonial worlds. This build describes the favourite colonial variant, armed with an upgraded plasma A cannon.

ONI "Destroyer" APC (TL 11)
Hull: 30 m³, Standard Configuration, Crystaliron, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 9/12
Drive: Wheels
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 110, Fuel Consumption: 5 per hour
Fuel: 200 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Crystaliron 12 (20/20/20/20/16/12)
Weapons:
plasma A gun-11 (internal traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 14d6)
Decoys: Multispectral smoke dispenser (6 uses)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened Extended (9 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Maser 20 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 2
Operating Stations: 2
Passengers: 8
Cargo: 0.09 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 50 kph Top: 66 kph Offroad: 33 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.67

-Rognar-

ONI Corp in the Septimus future

Although most of Asia has fallen under the control of the Red Blok, two prominent exceptions remain, Japan and India. Though both countries maintain good relations with the UNA, they realize the limits of those relations. The UNA simply will not contribute greatly to the defense of either state. As such, India and Japan have formed a defensive alliance to deter Red Blok aggression. A lucrative arms industry has grown out of that alliance and the most prominent of the arms manufacturers is ONI Corporation. With its head office in Kyoto and major facilities in New Delhi, Mumbai and Osaka, ONI has become the largest single corporate entity on the planet. Besides providing for the massive military needs of the Indo-Japanese alliance, they also provide arms to the UNA, the Europeans and the Australians. In addition, they have adapted their considerable technological prowess to the construction of starship components for the UNA. In fact, there are persistent rumours that ONI actually maintains an extrasolar colony somewhere, known only to a hand-picked elite of scientists, politicians and company men. Among the more feverish conspiracy theorists, there are even suggestions that ONI's rapid rise to power has resulted from access to a secret cache of alien technology or even contact with an intelligent alien race.

-Rognar-

Kossak build

Red Blok "Kossak" medium strider (TL 10)
Hull: 26 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 9/12
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 264, Fuel Consumption: 12 per hour
Fuel: 480 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Advanced composites 32 (46/36/36/36/36/26)
Weapons:
4x light tac missile (antiarmour) (left external fixed, 9d6 Super-AP)
ammo: 2 attacks each
4x light tac missile (antiarmour) (right external fixed, 9d6 Super-AP)
ammo: 2 attacks each
Sensors: Advanced Compact Hardened Extended (15 km +3 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 2
Operating Stations: 2
Cargo: 0.12 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 9 kph Top: 12 kph Offroad: 6 kph
Ground Pressure: 1.12

Although the Kossak is typically armed with antiarmour missiles, it can be equipped with antipersonnel and antiair missiles in any combination.


-Rognar-

Kolossus rebuild

The Red Blok "Kolossus" is the lightest mech on the battlefield. Since the Red Blok lags behind the UNA in technology, they lack the means to produce combat armour. The Kolossus fills the heavy infantry role. Here's the build:

Red Blok "Kolossus" light strider (TL 10)
Hull: 10 m³, Standard Configuration, Advanced Composites, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 3/5
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 66, Fuel Consumption: 3 per hour
Fuel: 60 litres (20 hours)
Armour: Advanced composites 16 (30/20/20/20/20/10)
Weapons:
60mm antitank gun (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 7d6 Super-AP)
ammo: 30 attacks
2x light tac missile (antiarmour) (left external fixed, 9d6 Super-AP)
ammo: 2 attacks each
Sensors: Basic Compact Hardened (1 km +1 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 5 kph Top: 7 kph Offroad: 4 kph
Ground Pressure: 1.90

-Rognar-

Fire Toad rebuild, pt.2

I needed to get the weight down a bit on my Fire Toad, so I adjusted my tech level improvements on the laser cannons, sacrificing some of the extra damage for lower mass. The lasers now do 8d6+5, but are 35% lighter. Here is the updated build:

UNA "Fire Toad" light strider (TL 11)
Hull: 15 m³, Standard Configuration, Crystaliron, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 6/8
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 132, Fuel Consumption: 6 per hour
Fuel: 240 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Crystaliron 24 (40/30/30/30/30/20)
Weapons:
laser cannon-11 (left external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 8d6+5)
laser cannon-11 (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 8d6+5)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened (3 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Maser 20 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Cargo: 0.04 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 5 kph Top: 6 kph Offroad: 3 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.23

Still pretty slow, but there's not much else I can do and still design the vehicle with laser cannons. Another issue is the firepower. Lasers are accurate and have long range, but do little more than scratch the paint on heavily-armoured vehicles. My Fire Toad build would be hard-pressed to even penetrate its own armour. So, I think it is time to abandon the laser cannons, and arm the 'Toad with plasma A guns. With a tech upgrade, I can make the plasma guns even lighter and smaller than my laser cannons and they do a much more respectable 14d6 damage. With the added space, I had room to upgrade my sensor package as well. At long last, the definitive Fire Toad build:

UNA "Fire Toad" light strider (TL 11)
Hull: 15 m³, Standard Configuration, Crystaliron, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 6/8
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 132, Fuel Consumption: 6 per hour
Fuel: 240 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Crystaliron 24 (40/30/30/30/30/20)
Weapons:
plasma A gun-11 (left external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 14d6)
plasma A gun-11 (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 14d6)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened Extended (9 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Maser 20 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Cargo: 0.02 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 5 kph Top: 7 kph Offroad: 3 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.03

-Rognar-

Fire Toad rebuild

I have updated my UNA "Fire Toad" design using the Mongoose design rules. Several significant design changes are involved, the most significant being the switch from a fusion reactor to a hydrogen fuel cell. Power demands are not as severe with the new design rules and, in any case, the power output of the fuel cells is only slightly less than fusion reactors at the tech level I'm interested in. I have, once again, had to fiddle with my laser cannons to make the Fire Toad. Lasers have always been the red-headed stepchildren of the Traveller game system, chronically underpowered when compared to slugthrowers. Anyway, I upgunned the laser cannon-9, using the tech advancement rules to give the laser cannon-11 a boost to 8d6+7. They are still enormously heavy, but the 'Toad can handle the load.

So, here is the build:

UNA "Fire Toad" light strider (TL 11)
Hull: 15 m³, Standard Configuration, Crystaliron, Very Rugged, Advanced Sealed, 6/8
Drive: Walker
Power Plant: Hydrogen Fuel Cell-10, Power Output 132, Fuel Consumption: 6 per hour
Fuel: 240 litres (40 hours)
Armour: Crystaliron 24 (40/30/30/30/30/20)
Weapons:
laser cannon-11 (left external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 8d6+7)
laser cannon-11 (right external traversing, TL 10 stabilisation, 8d6+7)
Sensors: Comprehensive Compact Hardened (3 km +2 DM)
Communications: Radio 100 km, Maser 20 km
Environmental: Hostile Environment Life Support
Crew: 1
Operating Stations: 1
Cargo: 0.007 dTon
Agility: +1 DM
Speed: Cruise: 3 kph Top: 4 kph Offroad: 2 kph
Ground Pressure: 2.74

A top speed of 4 kph is a bit low even for the lumbering Fire Toad. I don't have any volume left to upsize my power plant, however, so I have to get the weight down. I have to tweak the lasers some more. They are too heavy.

-Rognar-