Metafile: Referee Guidance

"Ref's Notes [is] an informal discussion of some aspect of Traveller from the referee's viewpoint, with the aim of helping beginniners get started and helping the experience ref add a little spice to [their] game."
— Loren Wiseman, "From the Management,"
Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society #1

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The "Metagame" Perspective

Inspired by the occasional "Ref's Notes" feature of the original Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society, Metafile presents "an informal discussion of some aspect of [the Earth Colonies campaign] from the referee's viewpoint."  Some of this "informal discussion" presents rules variants and expansions used in the Earth Colonies campaign, such as guidelines for alternative world generation and military forces generation.

3‑D Space | Character Generation | Corporations | Dolphins | Free Trader Subvention | Freeform | Languages | Militaries | World Data Code | Psionics

Three-dimensional (3D) Space

"He is intelligent, but not experienced.  His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
— Spock (Nicholas Meyer), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The three-dimensional interstellar game space of the Earth Colonies campaign is inspired by the "Stellar Display" of the 1974 science-fiction wargame StarForce^® designed by Redmond A. Simonsen:

Detail of StarForce® three-dimensional game space

". . . the large, strategic map of all the star systems within twenty [light-years] of Sol (approximately).  This local neighborhood of stars is fixed upon a plane extended out from the equator of the planet Earth.  Star systems are located 'horizontally' on this plane by being placed in the appropriate numbered hex.  Their 'vertical' distance from it is given in terms of their [Z-]coordinate, i.e. how many [light-years] above or below their plane position lies.  If the map were provided in actual three-dimensional susbstance, it would appear as a 'sphere' composed of 37,639 [hex-prisms].  Since such a map is impractical, the system of plus and minus numbers combined with position numbers on the hexagonal grid are used to produce this three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional map surface."

The "sphere" of three-dimensional "hex-prisms" centered on the Earth / Sol system depicted in StarForce is the conceptual model for the Earth Colonies Sphere.  (A list of the 74 star systems identified on the StarForce "Stellar Display" is shown in the table at the end of this entry along with their corresponding system data in the Earth Colonies Sphere.)

A second inspiration for the Earth Colonies Sphere is the variant, three-dimensional game space for Traveller described by Bob McWilliams in "3‑D Space," which appeared in White Dwarf #73 (1986):

"The system . . . keeps the one parsec wide hex.  3‑D is achieved by 'stacking' a column of hexes on top of one another, the hex becomming one cubic parsec in volume compared to the standard 2‑D hex of one square parsec in area. . . .  All that is needed to denote 'depth' is the addition of a decimal place and relevant number to the hex reference."

The sphere of three-dimensional hex-prisms centered on Earth / Sol from StarForce combined with McWilliams's conception of parsec-scale hex-prisms identified by the Traveller hex location notation system modified to denote "vertical" distance or "depth" sets the framework for the Earth Colonies Sphere.  The three-dimensional space of the Earth Colonies Sphere was first described in Melbourne Times #1:

". . . the Earth Colonies campaign utilizes a three-dimensional campaign area — a more realistic situation that is better in line with a science-fiction role-playing game.  Utilizing information developed by [Game Designers' Workshop] for its 2300 AD^® game, actual three-dimensional maps of Earth's interstellar neighborhood will be used for the campaign."

Specifically, the Earth Colonies Sphere — the interstellar region in which the Earth Colonies campaign is set — utilizes the star information provided in the Near Star List (and Map) originally included with Game Designers' Workshop's 1986 game Traveller: 2300 (subsequently reissued as 2300 AD — in order to distinguish the new game from the original Traveller).^[*]  The Near Star List provided "basic information for stars within 50 light years of Sol."  It was based "on Gilese's Catalog of Nearby Stars, edition 1969 (with updates by Halliwel and others)," and presented as "the best compilation of accurate data currently available in one place."  As such, the Near Star List and, by extension, the astrography of the Earth Colonies Sphere, no longer accurately reflects contemporary understanding of the interstellar space around the Sol system.^[†]

The Earth Colonies Sphere has a diameter of 100 light-years — approximately 31 parsecs — and includes 529 systems from the Near Star List.  Average star-system density is 0.035 (one system per 28.6 cubic parsecs), giving an average of 25 systems per district.  There may be an undiscovered system in any seemingly-vacant hex-prism beyond 15 parsecs from Earth / Sirius 1720.19.

The purpose of the three-dimensional game space of the Earth Colonies Sphere is not to be an exact simulation of actual, near-solar interstellar space but rather simply to move beyond the highly-abstracted, two-dimensional game space of traditional Traveller campaigns to a three-dimensional game space which more accurately simulates a genuine, three-dimensional astrography.  (The Earth Colonies Sphere is, after all, a fictional role-playing game simulation, not an astronomy resource.)

The astrography of the Earth Colonies Sphere was also described in Melbourne Times #1:

"The Colonies Sphere is a region of charted space centered on the Sol system.  The Sphere measures more than 30 parsecs in diameter and consists of over 500 systems scattered among 64 districts.  Each district is eight parsecs wide (spin-trailward), ten parsecs long (core-rimward) and nine parsecs high (zenith-nadirward) and contains 720 cubic parsecs,  Three-dimensional district locations are similar to standard Traveller conventions with the addition to the standard four-digit hex notation of a two-digit decimal notation for the z‑location.  Coordinates in the z‑plane increase from zenithward to nadirward, just as standard x‑coordinates increase from spinward to trailward and standard y‑coordinates from coreward to rimward."

Sirius District map with z‑plane notation for star systems

This convention permits three-dimensional districts of the Earth Colonies Sphere to be depicted using two-dimensional hex maps which are similar to those used for subsectors in Traveller, with the simple addition of a z‑plane location notation for each star system.  This notation consists of a two digit z‑coordinate on a district map replacing the starport letter notation used on a traditional Traveller subsector map.

Perhaps the most important aspect introduced by three-dimensional space is the determination of the distance between star systems, especially when considering the jump distance for starships travelling between systems.  No longer can the jump distance be determined simply by counting the hexes between the origination and destination star systems on a 2D district map.

Jump distances are instead calculated from the Pythagorean theorem, using the graphic distance in the x‑y (8 parsecs x 10 parsecs) plane — typically still by counting the hexes between the origination and destination star systems on the 2‑D district map — as one leg and the "delta‑z" in the vertical direction as the other leg.  All star systems are assumed to be in the center of their hex (as the data is presented in the Colonies Sphere system list) and all jump distances are rounded to whole numbers (no fractional jump distances).  "Jump Destination Tables" are included for each system as part of the system data that show jump distances to all neighboring systems within jump range — up to four parsecs at Technological Achievement B.  For example, the Jump Destinations Table for the Earth / Sirius (1720.19) system is as follows:

Jump Destinations for Earth / Sirius

StarForce Star Systems

Notes:
^α The "exact three dimensional position on the Stellar Display" of StarForce "rendered in terms of [its] four-digit hex number and [its] Zulu coordinate (i.e. how many [light-years] above or below the two dimensional plane that location is."  (A "LiteZulu" is a hex-prism measuring one cubic light-year in volume.)
^β Star system name from StarForce, which notes "that stars are named according to various human, present-day astronomical cataloging systems."  The star catalogue sources used to name these stars were not identified.  (In those "cases [where] the full catalog name [was] shortened to the 'declination' of the star" in StarForce, the omitted elements of the name have been added — in square brackets — when it can be determined.)  An "Ho" designation indicates those star systems — including Earth/Sol — identified in StarForce which contain the "homeworlds" of "native, sentient life forms" while an "Ha" designation indicates those systems "having colonizable planets" (all remaining StarForce systems are assumed to have "planets that require 'terraforming' before colonization").
^γ Earth Colonies Sphere cubic-parsec hex-prism location, based upon three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate distances — in parsecs — from Earth / Sirius (at hex-prism 1720.19), as determined from the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates — in light-years — for the star in the 2300 AD "Near Star List."
^δ Common name (or star catalogue designation) of the star(s) generally as listed in the 2300 AD "Near Star List."  In many cases the Durchmusterung (DM) designation shown in the Near Star List has been replaced with the corresponding Bonner Durchmusterung (BD) or Cordoba Durchmusterung (CD) designation.  In those instances where the Near Star List star is identified by a 2300 AD campaign-specific name, the star has been identified by the Gliese number designation also shown in the List.
^ε Spectral type ("spectra") and luminosity class ("size") provided for the star in the 2300 AD Near Star List.

^* B.C. Holmes has a great version of the Near Star List created for Star Hero.
^† When the 2300 AD Near Star List was created from Gliese's Catalog of Nearby Stars, "stars at a distance of greater than 50 light years [from Sol] were eliminated." (C28, p. 38)  Information for stars beyond 50 light-years — approximately fifteen parsecs — from Earth / Sirius (1720.19) has been developed specifically for the Earth Colonies campaign and does not align with actual astronomical data.

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Corporations: Campaign Corporation Generation

(Adapted from ECDL Working Paper ECDL-007)

"Millions of organizations do business within and without the Imperium.  Most of these are limited to one or two worlds.  A few thousand trade over one or more subsectors, a few hundred cover one or more sectors.  Only a few firms are truly Imperial in scope; these are known as megacorporations."
— "MegaCorporations," Traveller Supplement 8: Library Data (A-M)

Corporations can operate at the scale of a single world, a single system, multiple systems, within a single district, across multiple districts, or even, in rare instances, throughout the Colonies Sphere  Corporations typically operate at the Technological Achievement (TA) level of the world on which they are based, though some larger scale corporations may be equiped at higher TAs (and some subsidiary units may be equipped at slightly lower TAs).  Corporations can have a variety of owners, from those completely held in private to those which are entirely public entities, though most will be held by public shareholders.  Smaller corporations will have a single business line while the largest will have a widely-diversified range of businesses.

Corporations can be generated randomly using the following mechanisms but referees are encouraged to modify these randomly generated results to best fit the needs of the campaign milieu.

1. Determine corporation size (Throw 2D-2)

2. Determine corporation ownership (Throw 2D-2)

3. Determine corporation diversification (Throw 2D-7 + size)

4. Determine industry type (Throw 1D, for each industry)

(Note that duplicate results on the following sub-tables indicate additional business units in that sector.)

4a. Services industries (Throw 1D & 1D)

4b. Manufacuturing industries (Throw 1D & 1D)

4c. Production and processing industries (Throw 1D & 1D)

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Free Trader Subvention

"The government may subsidize . . . commercial vessels . . . primarily to assure consistent service to specific worlds."
— "Starship Economics," Traveller Book 2: Starships

The Commonwealth's "Free Trader Subvention" is a subsidy program intended to promote independent trade and commerce among the worlds of the Commonwealth.  The program, administered by trade commissioners stationed on most Commonwealth worlds, pays jump-1 merchant starships — despite the program name, any jump-1 merchant ship is eligible for the subsidy — an equivalent cargo shipping rate for the cargo space required to hold the additional fuel needed to make a deep space jump between two Commonwealth worlds which are two parsecs apart.  In addition, the subsidy will pay 80% of the cost of the additional fuel (at standard rates for unrefined fuel, though traders may purchase refined fuel by paying the additional cost).  The cargo subsidy pays for the cargo space being used for additional fuel on a per ton basis at 80% of the total actual shipping fees collected per ton of remaining cargo space — including any unused cargo space — for the voyage between the origin and destination worlds.

For example, assuming a standard free trader with 82 tons of cargo hold, 30 tons of which are required for the extra fuel to make the second, deep space jump to the destination world.  If 40 tons of cargo are shipped at the standard rate of Cr1000 per ton (with the remaining 12 tons of cargo space not being used to store extra fuel being "empty"), the subsidy will pay Cr18,462 for the 30 tons of cargo space used for additional fuel [([(40 tons x Cr1000 per ton) / 52 tons] x 80%) x 30 tons] plus Cr2400 for 30 tons of unrefined fuel (Cr100 per ton x 30 tons x 80%).  Because the shipping rate used to calculate the subsidy is based upon all available cargo space, speculative cargoes purchased by the ship owner should also pay standard shipping rates (to the ship) in order to maximize the subsidy.

The subsidy will also pay 80% of the standard rate for all high, middle and low passage fares collected for the voyage.

The 80% rate for the subsidy is intended to avoid undercutting jump-2 capable merchant ships entirely by ensuring a pricing advantage, in addition to the travel time advantage enjoyed by such ships, over jump-1 ships using the subsidy. Ships taking advantage of the subsidy receive a voucher for the subsidy payment on the origin world which can be redeemed with a trade commissioner on the destination world.  Only independently-owned ships registered on a Commonwealth world are eligible for the subsidy.

Similar subsidy programs exist, with variations in the details, in most of the major Colonial States.  In the Ouroran Community there is no Community-wide subsidy program but rather multiple arrangements administered by various commercial houses in partnership with trading entities on different worlds.  Of note is that these arrangements do not generally restrict the subsidy to merchant ships registered in the Ouroran Community.  On occasion, some traders have been known to make trading voyages in the Ouroran Community while collecting multiple subsidies for the same cargo.

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Free-form Role-playing

"This will be a 'free-form' (i.e. non-rules-based) role-playing game that emphasizes character (and plot) development over rules-crunching."
— "Space Viking's Daughter," 2004

The Earth Colonies campaign adopts an explicitly "free-form" approach to role-playing which was used previously in the "Space Viking's Daughter" game, an online role-playing campaign set in H. Beam Piper's Sword-Worlds.  As in Space Viking's Daughter, the emphasis of the Earth Colonies campaign is upon character, setting development and adventure plotting.  Here, for example, were the "character generation" instructions provided to players in the Space Viking's Daughter campaign:

". . . send [the referee] your character write-up (a prose description of appearance, history, experience, and personality, not a list of statistics from some RPG rules system). . . .  Your character should be the sort that one might encounter aboard a Space Viking ship (interpreted broadly — Space Vikings can have some interesting visitors at times) but should not be an actual character from Beam's novel.  (A not-too-close relative or acquaintance of a character from the novel will be acceptable but is not encouraged.)  [The referee] will review your character description (possibly suggesting some modifications) [and] we [will] begin play [once] we have agreed on your character description. . . ."

That was not the typical Traveller character generation process!  (Of course, a player could nevertheless have used the Traveller character generation rules — or a variant — to create their character for the campaign — subject to that final review with the referee.)  This approach which favors "narrative" over "rules-crunching" will be apparent throughout all aspects of the Earth Colonies campaign.  Descriptions of non-player characters won't includes statistics for characteristics nor lists of skill levels.  There will be no detailed statistics for starship capabilities, for firearms and equipment, for encountered animals.  There will be dramatic descriptions for starships, for firearms, for animals (which perhaps even point to Traveller sources for similar starships or firearms or animals which provide statistical details).

A significant exception to the general preference for narrative over statistics will be in world descriptions.  The basic and extended forms of the Traveller Universal World Profile (UWP) provided a great deal of complex information in a simplified manner which can be quite useful to game play and is mirrored in the World Data Code (WDC) of the Earth Colonies Campaign.  That said, world descriptions will also include detailed narratives meant to "bring to life" the information summarized in the WDC.

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Sentient Dolphins

"Waldoes are artificial manipulative arms, which permit a dolphin to handle objects almost as well as humans.  Grav belts or other mechanical devices overcome the [land] mobility problem."
— Roger Moore, "Dolphins, Part I," Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society #6

Sentient dolphins have been an enduring trope in science-fiction.  Dolphins which became sentient via genetic-enhancement by Terran scientists were introduced into the Original Traveller Universe, ironically, in a two-part "Bestiary" article by Roger Moore which appeared in the Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society, Issue No. 6 (September 29, 1980) and Issue No. 7 (March 31, 1981).  The concept of genetically-enhanced — "uplifted" — dolphins had previously appeared in David Brin's novel Sundiver — first published in February 1980 — and was central to the premise of his subsequent "Uplift Universe" works.

Dolphin in environment suit with integral waldos and grav belt (illustration by Matt Matteo)

These genetically-enhanced dolphins are not the sentient dolphins of the Earth Colonies campaign.  Rather, in the Earth Colonies campaign it is assumed that dolphins reached sentience naturally — and before humans, in fact — but that dolphin sentience was not recognized by humans until the early 22nd Century.  (See the Dolphins "Sophontopsis" entry for details of dolphin — and human — history in the Earth Colonies campaign.)  Naturally sentient dolphins, and the difficulty humans have in recognizing that sentience, are meant to draw attention in the Earth Colonies campaign to the difficulties inherent in recognizing truly alien sentience (particularly when that sentience does not exist in the context of artifactual technology).

The Earth Colonies conception of naturally sentient dolphins was likely inspired by the sentient dolphins of Larry Niven's "Known Space" tales, which first appeared in Niven's 1966 novel World of Ptavvs.  A key difference is that the dolphins of "Known Space" may also have had telepathic abilities; that's not obviously the case for the typical dolphin of the Earth Colonies campaign.

(It is uncertain whether Niven's conception of sentient dolphins may also have been influenced by Arthur C. Clarke's 1963 novel Dolphin Island — first serialized as People of the Sea in Worlds of Tomorrow, April and June, 1963 — which suggested the possibility of naturally sentient dolphins.  The naturally sentient dolphins of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, introduced in a 1978 BBC radio production and first novelized in the United States in 1980, were not an influence on the dolphins of the Earth Colonies campaign.)

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Languages in the Earth Colonies

"In any case, as humans spread on their respective worlds, their languages tended to split, developing new forms."
— "Languages in the Imperium," Grand Census

Languages in Traveller have seldom been considered outside the context of the canonical Third Imperium campaign.  The first detailed look at languages, "Languages in Traveller" (1983), offered some rudimentary language skills rules but entirely within the context of the Imperium setting where "Galanglic," a descendant of Anglic, is the lingua franca of interstellar society. (J16, pp. 28-33)  Rules for language skills, again in the context of the Imperium campaign, were revisited in Grand Census (1987) and a specific Linguistics skill was introduced. (GC, pp. 8-9)  A revised version of Linguistics skill, where the "level of skill represents the number of languages . . . that the character knows," was presented in the MegaTraveller Players' Manual. (MT1, p. 36)  Linguistics skill is replaced with a Languages skill in Mongoose Traveller that again is framed primarily in the context of the Imperium campaign. (MGT, pp. 55-56)

Languages in the Earth Colonies campaign are rather different from those of Traveller's Imperium campaign.  Most obviously, there is no lingua franca in the Earth Colonies.  Each world typically has its own language — or languages — that arose from the languages of the original colonists.  These planetary languages themselves have subsequently been influenced by off-world sources, particularly those of the major Colonial States.  Among most worlds of the respective Colonial States the language — or languages — of the governing world is often spoken as a second-language by most people who have dealings with off-worlders — in effect, there are multiple, regional "linguae francas."  (This is often also the case on non-aligned worlds which have frequent contacts with the worlds of a Colonial State.)

Major Languages in the Colonies Sphere

^* While Hànyǔ is generally translated into Earthish using Pinyin transliteration, some Hànyǔ words, especially world and other place-related names established prior to the Runaway (e.g. the Republic of Kiangsi), were originally translated using the now-archaic Wade-Giles transliteration and have been sustained into the contemporary Earth Colonies era.  (In some instances, both transliterations are in use which can be a source of confusion in Earthish.)

At the same time, almost all languages of the Colonies Sphere have common origins in the languages of Earth before the advent of interstellar travel.  There has been divergence between the language on a given world and the same language as it is now spoken on Earth — or on other Colonial State governing worlds — but in some instances speakers of these two related languages may be able to understand each other, at least when it comes to basic concepts.  (The referee should apply a variable DM to the second language success throw — against Education — in such situations.)

Personal language translation technology is ubiquitous and generally inexpensive in the Colonies Sphere, especially on worlds with routine contact with off-worlders.  The technology is generally adept at translating both written and spoken language and at doing so in near-real-time.  For translation to be effective language databases must be available for both languages and these will exist for the principal languages spoken on many worlds and for major interstellar languages such as those used in the respective Colonial States.  Less common languages, particularly languages spoken on more remote worlds, will not always be easily accessible, especially in regions where the particular language is not commonly encountered.

Player-characters will read, write and speak their language of origin (and possibly multiple such languages) with fluency and will have a competent, second-language ability to communicate in at least one of the languages of the Colonial State nearest to their homeworld.  Player-characters should throw Intelligence (INT) or less to determine whether they can speak any additional languages, up to a maximum number of second languages equal to (INT - 7).  Player-characters should throw their Education or less to determine their success in communicating without translation assistance in any of their second languages.

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Militaries: Campaign Military Forces Determination

"Traveller assumes a remote centralized government . . . , possessed of great industrial and technological might, but unable, due to the sheer distances and travel times involved, to exert total control at all levels everywhere within its star-spanning realm."
— "Introduction," Traveller Book 4: Mercenary

Each world has military forces determined by its population and a "military factor" which indicates its efforts to raise military forces from its population.  These military forces are typically equipped at the Technological Achievement (TA) level of the world, though some elite forces may be equiped at slightly higher TAs while some "reserve" or "militia" forces may be equipped at slightly lower TAs.  On most worlds the bulk of these military forces will be planetary forces — equipped for fighting on and from the world's surface — but for those worlds with TAs which permit space travel some of these forces will be space forces, equipped to fight in space.  At the highest TAs (and world populations), some of these space and planetary forces will be equipped to fight at interstellar distances and will be available for expeditionary warfare.

Unit types for both planetary and space forces vary widely from world to world but will typically fall into several broad categories.  For planetary forces these unit categories are anti-bombardment, bombardment, combat, patrol and transport.  For space forces typical unit categories are bombardment, combat, patrol, siege and transport.  Each world makes different choices about the proportions of each unit category with TA being an important influence on the distribution of these different unit categories within a given military force.

Some proportion of planetary forces will be available for off-world operations, including transport to other interstellar destinations.  Some proportion of non-interstellar space forces will also be available for out-system operations, assuming transport is available to other interstellar destinations.

Military forces can be generated randomly for each world using the following guidelines but referees are encouraged to modify any randomly generated results to best fit the needs of their campaign.

1. Determine total military forces available on the world:

Total military forces, M = F_m x N x 10^P

Where:
    F_m = Military factor from Military Factor Table
    N = World population significand (mantissa) (if available, otherwise use 5)
    P = Population Magnitude (PM) value from world's World Data Code

Military Factor Table (Throw 2D)

2. Determine breakdown of military forces by level of Technological Accomplishment (TA):

^* If this modification results in TA above or below a campaign maximum (i.e max TA of B in the Earth Colonies) then add fractions for those levels that exceed (or fall below) the limit.  For example, a TA 9 world in the Earth Colonies would have 0.0834 [(TA+2 = 0.0556) + (TA+3 = 0.0278)] of forces equipped at TA B (11).

3. Determine percentage breakdown between planetary and space forces at each TA:

Note: BAL = remaining balance of forces

4a. Determine percentage unit distribution of planetary forces at each TA:

Note: BAL = remaining balance of forces

4b. Determine percentage unit distribution of space forces at each TA:

Note: BAL = remaining balance of forces

5a. For each unit designation (TA 5+), percentage of planetary forces available for expeditionary (off-world) operations = 2D+3.

5b. For each unit designation (TA 4-8), percentage of space forces available for expeditionary (out-system) operations = 2D+3.

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World Data Code (WDC)
(modified from Melbourne Times #5)

"The worlds contained in the star systems on the subsector map may be further classified in terms of their gross physical characteristics and their effects on persons living on them or travelling to them.  These characteristics . . . indicate specific facts about a world through the use of single digits (the numbers 0 though 9) and letters (A through Z, omitting O and I as they may be confused with numbers)."
— "World Creation," Traveller Book 3: Worlds and Adventures

The World Data Code (WDC) is a standard coding method developed by the Prometheus Foundation as a compact, generic means to describe the natural and societal characteristics of worlds.  It consists of a string of six alphanumeric characters.  The first three characters, known as the ecosphere string, describe the gravitational acceleration at the world's surface, the breathability of the world's atmosphere for Humans and Dolphins, and the level of indigenous biological development.  The second three characters are known as the societal string and give the sophont population magnitude, the nature and source of global social authority, and the degree of indigenous technological accomplishment.  (The tables below include conversions, where applicable, to corresponding Traveller Universal World Profile codes.)

WDC values can be determined randomly by throws of six-sided dice, with some WDC elements dependent upon others.  Gravitational Acceleration (GA) is determined by a single dice throw.  Atmosphere Breathability (AB) is determined by the Gravitational Acceleration WDC and a single dice throw.  Biological Development (BD) and Population Magnitude (PM) are determined by Atmosphere Breathability and a single dice throw.  Social Authority (SA) and Technological Achievement (TA) are determined by Population Magnitude and a single dice throw.

Gravitational Acceleration | Atmosphere Breathability | Biological Development | Population Magnitude | Social Authority | Technological Achievement

Gravitational Acceleration (GA) is determined randomly by a throw of four six-sided dice minus four (4D6-4) and is given in terms of Earth's surface gravity (Earth = 1.0).

Gravitational Acceleration (GA) WDC Throw (4D6-4)

For worlds not in the habitable zone, subtract the orbit number of the habitable zone from the orbit number of the world and use that value as a DM to the throw.  Worlds which are a satellite of a small gas giant have an additional DM-6 and worlds which are a satellite of a large gas giant have an additional DM-4.

For worlds which are a satellite of a non-gas giant world the Gravitational Acceleration (GA) is the (GA) of the primary world minus a throw of 3D6.  (If the result is less than 0 then the satellite is a ring.)

Atmosphere Breathability (AB) is given for Humans and Dolphins and can be determined from the world's Gravitational Acceleration (GA) WDC using the table below and a throw of three six-sided dice (3D6).

Atmosphere Breathability WDC Throw (GA, 3D6)

Worlds not in the habitable zone have a DM-3 or DM+3, at the referee's discretion.

Worlds in the habitable zone which are not the main world have a DM-2 or DM+2, at the referee's discretion.

Biological Development (BD) describes indigenous life and can be determined from the world's Atmosphere Breathability (AB) WDC using the table below and a throw of three six-sided dice (3D6).  Each BD level includes all previous BD levels (e.g. "Advanced flora," also includes "Primitive flora" and "Microorganic" life).  (Note that a "Sophonts" result, WDC 6, can only be determined by the referee.  Also, imported life-forms may be of greater Biological Development than indigenous life.)

Biological Development WDC Throw (AB, 3D6)

For worlds not in the habitable zone, subtract the orbit number of the habitable zone from the orbit number of the world and then subtract the absolute value from the original Biological Development result.

^* There is no Traveller UWP code equivalent to WDC BD.  Nevertheless, an equivalent Traveller UWP Hydrosphere (HP) code can be determined from the world's Biological Development (BD) WDC using the table below and a throw of two six-sided dice (2D6).

Equivalent HP Throw (BD, 2D6)

Hydrographics: While there is no Traveller UWP code equivalent to WDC BD, it is possible to use the Traveller UWP Hydrosphere (HP) code to determine a world's Biological Development (BD) WDC using the table below and a throw of two six-sided dice (2D6).  (Recall that a "Sophonts" result, WDC 6, can only be determined by the referee.)

Equivalent BD Throw (UWP HP, 2D6)

Population Magnitude (PM) is for all sophont inhabitants (not including visitors), whether natives or immigrants, and can be determined from the world's Atmosphere Breathability (AB) WDC using the table below and a throw of three six-sided dice (3D6).

Population Magnitude WDC Throw (AB, 3D6)

For worlds not in the habitable zone, subtract the orbit number of the habitable zone from the orbit number of the world and then subtract the absolute value from the original Population Magnitude result.

Social Authority (SA) describes the nature of global societal governance (autarchy, oligarchy or demarchy) and the source of that governing authority's legitimacy (autocratic, democratic or consensual) and can be determined from the world's Population Magnitude (PM) WDC using the table below and a throw of two six-sided dice (2D6).

Social Authority WDC Throw (PM, 2D6)

Technological Achievement (TA) of world society is described in terms of maximum local rate of travel and can be determined from the world's Population Magnitude (PM) WDC using the table below and a throw of two six-sided dice (2D6).  (Note that technology imported from off-world may exceed local Technological Achievement.)

Technological Achievement WDC Throw (PM, 2D6)

Starport: The WDC does not have an equivalent code to the Traveller UWP Starport Class code.  Nevertheless, an equivalent Starport Class code can be determined from the world's Technological Achievement (TA) WDC using the table below and a throw of two six-sided dice (2D6).

Equivalent Starport Class Throw (TA, 2D6)

Nearby World (System) Jump Distance

Jump Distance: The jump distances from any given world (system) to nearby worlds (systems) can be determined using either of the following tables.  Both tables only consider jump distance up to four parsecs (jump-4), the technological jump limit for the Earth Colonies campaign.

Coordinates method: determine the absolute values of the differences in hex coordinates (i.e. |X1-X2|, |Y1-Y2|, and |Z1-Z2|) and arrange them in numerical order from lowest to highest (i.e. Δ1, Δ2 and Δ3), then consult the table below:

Map method: determine the distance on the X-Y plane of the map (i.e. ΔXY) and the absolute value of the differences in Z-coordinates (i.e. |Z1-Z2| or ΔZ) and consult the table below:

World (System) Commercial Operations

Out-system Commercial Operations are determined from WDC values as follows:

Ag (agricultural production): BD 3+, PM 4+
Ap (agricultural production and processing): BD 3+, PM 7+, TA 9+
Cs (communications services): PM 7+, TA 9+
Fs (financial services): PM 7+, TA 9+
Ma (manufacturing): PM 7+, TA 9+
Re (resources extraction): BD 2-, PM 4+
Rp (resources extraction and processing): BD 2-, PM 7+, TA 9+
Tr (transportation services): PM 7+, TA 9+

Equivalent Traveller Trade Classifications:

Ag (agricultural): Ap (agricultural processing)
Na (non-agricultural): Rp (resources processing)
In (industrial): Ma (manufacturing)
Ni (non-industrial): Ag (agricultural production) or Re (resources extraction)
Ri (rich): Cs (communications services), Fs (financial services) or Tr (transportation services)
Po (poor): no Commercial Operations code

World (System) Base Presence

  Naval base (N): only if TA 9+, throw 8+, if successful and TA B+, the base is a Depot (D).

  Scout base (S): throw 7+, if TA A+, the base is a Way station (W).

For bases on Independent worlds, determine base Allegiance below.  (No result indicates Allegiance of nearest major Colonial State capital world.)

World (System) Allegiance

World (System) Allegiance is determined as follows:

For major Colonial States, throw distance from capital world on 2D-2:
  Ab: Abrahamic Synod
  Ae: Aeroi Worlds
  Az: Empire of Aztlan
  Co: Commonwealth of Earth
  Me: Meren Worlds
  Ny: Federation of Nyanza
  Ou: Ouroran Community

For minor Colonial States, throw distance from capital world on 2D-4:
  He: Realm of Hejaz
  Ki: Republic of Kiangsi
  Qu: Quebecer Republic
  Ra: Rajasthani Confederacy
  Sh: Empire of Shinnihon
  Th: Theridian League

For other worlds with with TA=B, throw distance from world on 2D-6.
For other worlds with with TA=A, throw distance from world on 2D-8.
For other worlds with with TA=9, throw distance from world on 2D-10.

Unless otherwise indicated, Allegiance is assumed to be Independent (In).

World Quality Rating (WQR)

Gravitational Factors

+2 : standard (GA: 8-C)
+1 : reasonable (GA: 6-7, D-E)
-1 : poor (GA: 2-3, H-J)
-2 : extreme (GA: 1-, K+)

Atmosphere Factors

+2 : breatheable (AB: 3)
+1 : breatheable with countermeasures (AB: 2, 4)
-1 : non-breatheable (AB: 1, 5)
-2 : vacuum/hostile 9AB: 0, 6)

Population Factors

+2 : high (PM: 9+)
+1 : moderate (PM: 7,8)
-1 : low (PM: 3-)

Technology Factors

-2 : primitive (TA: 3-)
-1 : low (TA: 4,5)
+1 : good (TA: 9,A)
+2 : high (TA: B+)

Add all applicable Factors to determine WQR.  For example, Earth / Sirius with WDC "A3697B" has WQR of 8 (GA +2, AB +2, PM +2 and TA +2).

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Psionics in the Earth Colonies

"We are told that the Lucent Templars — those shadowy warriors with their vision-distorting armor and searing plasma-blades — are a cross-service, specially-trained cadre whose members are selected at the highest levels of the Synodic government.  Then we are reassured that there is no basis to the rumors which are as familiar to every schoolchild as are the popular entertainment portrayals of grav-assisted, stealth-disguised, sword-flashing, warrior-monks appearing and disappearing amongst their foes on a battlefield, leaving behind cleaved corpses and exploding vehicles before seeming to wink out of existence."
— Josefína van de Rijn, "The Lucent Templars"

Psionics in the Earth Colonies campaign are inspired by the psionics of Classic Traveller.^[*]  In terms of game mechanics, psionics in the Earth Colonies functions in a manner somewhat similar to that by which psionics functions in Classic Traveller.  Psions have a psionic characteristic akin to the more conventional characteristics — which affects their psionic "abilities and reactions."  (Indeed, all characters have the psionic characteristic, though it's rudimentary in non-psions.)  Psionic capability manifests in "Talents," broad categories comprised of specific abilities.

Lucent Templar in combat armor[†]

There are seven psionic Talents: Transmutation, Empathy, Impulsion, Kinesthesia, Ecology, Sensation and a Synthesis talent.  Transmutation is the talent which enables the transformation or transmutation of physical substances and includes abilities such as Chill, Melt and Warm. Empathy is the talent which enables contact with other minds and includes abilities such as Apprehend, Emote and Lifesign.  Impulsion is the talent which allows objects to be manipulated without physically touching them and includes abilities such as Break, Levitate and Push.  Kinesthesia is the talent which allows manipulation of one's own body (or, sometimes, another's body), and includes abilities such as Heal, Nourish and Sleep.  Ecology is the talent which allows manipulation of the natural environment (including animals), and includes abilities such as Adjure, Lightning and Wave.  Sensation is the talent which allows a person to sense circumstances at a location displaced from their position and includes abilities such as Find, View and Listen.  The Synthesis talent enables a diverse collection of especially unusual abilities (which may entail intertwined elements of other Talents) and includes Assault, Metamorphose and Precognition.

Psionic capabilities usually can only be used effectively after extensive training.  Furtheremore, most psions have at most a handful of psionic abilities and it is rare for someone to possess abilities from multiple Talents.  Typically, the more abilities a psion has, the less capable they will be with any given ability.  In all circumstances, a larger Psionics characteristic will enable a broader range of abilities of greater capability.

Psionic Talents and Abilities

Psionic Abilities

Adjure: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to send thoughts to an animal.

Antecognition: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to perceive past events.

Assault: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to mentally attack another sophont.

Apprehend: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to read the thoughts of another sophont.

Break: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to break, shatter or crush a physical object.

Chill: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to cool something.

Condense: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a gaseous material into liquid form.

Conceal: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to protect themselves or another sophont from the psionic abilities apprehend, convey, emote, empathise or lifesign.

Convey: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to send thoughts to another sophont.

Desublime: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a gaseous material into solid form.

Electroception: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to sense electric fields, including at a remote location.

Emote: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to send feelings and emotions to another sophont.  With exceptional ability Emote can be used to compel another sophont to a general action.

Empathise: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to detect feelings and emotions in a sophont or animal.

Enhance: a Kinesthesia ability which enables a psion to temporarily increase their own or another sophont's characteristic or attribute.

Entice: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to send feelings and emotions to an animal.  With exceptional ability Entice can be used to compel an animal to a general action.

Expansiveness: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to sense the most rudimentary characteristics of a remote location.

Explode: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to destroy a physical object by causing it to explode.

Find: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to detect the location of an object.

Harm: a Kinesthesia ability which enables a psion to cause injury or illness to another sophont.

Heal: a Kinesthesia ability which enables a psion to heal an injury or illness in themselves or another sophont.  At extreme levels of ability, Heal may be used to age a person.

Husbandry: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to heal an injury or illness in plants and animals.  At extreme levels of ability, Husbandry may be used to age or grow an animal or plant.

Ignite: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to set something on fire.

Implode: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to destroy a physical object by causing it to collapse in on itself.

Jaunt: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to move themselves (and perhaps a limited mass of clothing and equipment) instantaneously from one point to another point.

Levitate: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to lift a physical object (against a natural, artificial or simulated gravitational field).

Lifesign: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to detect the presence of another sophont or an animal.

Lightning: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to manipulate naturally-occurring lightning.

Listen: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to listen to a remote location.

Magnetoception: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to sense magnetic fields, including at a remote location.

Melt: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a solid material into liquid form.

Metamorphose: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to transform the physical form of themselves or another sophont into the physical form of another living creature.  The metamorphosis gives the transformed person the physiological capabilities of the new form (e.g. using gills to be able to breath underwater).  Typically, the transformation must be to a form of similar mass — though not necessarily similar shape — as the person being transformed but metamorphosis to forms of greater or lesser mass is possible with greater levels of ability.

Mimic: an Empathy ability which enables a psion to make themselves or another sophont (or animal) appear — look, sound, feel, etc. — like something else (including a background).  (This ability affects the perception of an observer rather than the physical form of the sophont who is its object.)

Nourish: a Kinesthesia ability which enables a psion to provide necessary sustenance to themselves or another sophont.

Olfaction: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to smell a remote location.

Precognition: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to perceive potential future events.

Pull: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to attract a physical object.

Push: an Impulsion ability which enables a psion to repel a physical object.

Reap: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to detect and locate a plant.

Rockslide: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to manipulate mineral substances.  With exceptional ability Rockslide can be used to manipulate metals which have been forged or otherwise crafted into objects.

Shield: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to protect themselves or another sophont from a psionic assault.

Shift: a Synthesis ability which enables a psion to move another sophont (and perhaps a limited mass of clothing and equipment) instantaneously from one point to another point.

Sleep: a Kinesthesia ability which enables a psion to temporarily place themselves or another sophont into an unresponsive state which reduces all life functions to an extreme minimum.

Solidify: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a liquid material into solid form.

Sublimate: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a solid material into gaseous form.

Summon: an Ecology ability which enables a psion to detect and attract an animal (or cause it to flee).

Tactility: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to have a tactile sense of a remote location.  (This ability is distinct from thermoception.)

Thermoception: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to sense temperature (heat or cold) at a remote location.

Vaporise: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to turn a liquid material into gaseous form.

View: a Sensation ability which enables a psion to view a remote location.

Warm: a Transmutation ability which enables a psion to heat something.

Wave: an Ecological ability which enables a psion to manipulate water.  With exceptional ability Wave can be used to transform water into ice or steam.

Wind: an Ecological ability which enables a psion to manipulate the air.  With exceptional ability Wind can be used to create a vacuum or an overpressure shock wave.