| After several years of 'punking and running the shadows, my good friend Stephen Hedditch, aka Bagh-wan, decided to mix Shadowrun and Traveller. He liked both games, and wondered why the Traveller group didn't do much on Cyberware and/or body part replacements, after all they had anagathics for aging, why not the rest? Bagh let me use the concept for my CP2020 campaigns. I am including how I went about it in what follows. |
Using UFO phenomena, the Roswell mystery and the gathered bits and pieces of over 45 years kicking around this third rock from the sun, I decided to put them all together and came up with a somewhat plausible way for cybered hotheads to wander off-world where at least the Traveller technology could be incorporated.
It went something like this....
After starting a new campaign set in 2050AD, I had my PC's take work as basic guards at a loading bay in one of the Orbital space stations generic to C.P.2020. The PC's had been to Orbital stations on some of their other campaigns, and it was a short step from there to link the two together, though using a radically altered time reference to the Traveller eras. By 2050, several colonies had been established on the moon, Mars and Callisto, asteroids are being mined, and basic in-system space travel had become almost commonplace for those of a pioneering spirit. Cargoes arrive weekly at the Orbitals.
Part of the employment deal was PC's getting free training using Vac Suits and performing in Zero-G environments. They would work in a top secret area with strict instructions to keep to prescribed loading zones only. Dire consequences could result if they strayed from these boundaries. Smelling mucho Eurobucks, the Party took the bait and the scene was set for an adventure they had not bargained for....
Once the Party had been trained, they took up positions guarding the loading bay. Several weeks passed watching innocuous-looking cargo containers coming and going. The party had tried to find out what was so secret about this facility, but had failed. When they were offered a run out to the Martian mining colony where they would get shipboard training en route as well as off-world pay, the Party accepted. Perhaps out there they would find an answer.
On board, the Party soon began to wonder why they were there. They worked as guards watching the airlock into the cargo hold. They had a security camera to watch the cargo hold, but nothing ever happened, except that twice a day, a civilian Suit would come down into the cargo bay and enter, and re-emerge after an hour or two. The strangest thing was, no visuals of this Suit ever came up on the cargo bay's security camera!
After much discussion, the party decided to follow the guy inside. They jury-rigged the alarms so they wouldn't go off and slipped in through the airlock. Once inside they saw what looked like two escapees from an E.T. film talking with the Suit! Quite excited at their discovery, they began plotting how to film them and sell the story to a big Media Corp down on the surface. However, they were caught and captured, much to their dismay.
In the ship's brig, the PC's got a visit from this nameless Suit who ended up being a Euro-government official who made them a simple offer. They either accepted a paying job off-world for 7 years with a ban on returning to earth into the bargain, or they would most likely meet with an unfortunate accident and be deep-sixed from the nearest air lock, which just happened to be "faulty". Naturally, the party accepted the first option, but insisted on being told what the story was on the two aliens. The official then took them back into the cargo hold, where he delivered them over to the two Aliens.
The Watchers, as they called themselves, explained that all the UFO sightings and Roswell had been true. Once a nuclear explosion had been detected over 100 years earlier, the Watchers had returned to Terra to inspect the planet, which had been cut off after a mega space war thousands of years ago, which had destroyed much of the galactic subsector K in the Solomani Rim Sector, where Earth, Terra, or its ancient name Sol, was located. The "north, east and south" areas were devoid of life due to the great starship battles that had raged driving out an invading force of insectoid aliens, where nuclear weapons had been used in the last desparate battle to save all "humanoid" space. Only a narrow corridor of navigable space to the southwest was still useable, even with the most advanced jump-drive systems. The other three directions were too vast in distance to be "jumped" through. Current starships had to go "the long way around" to get to other subsectors beyond K in the Solomani Rim.
The Ancients, a group known only as the original seeders of human and other species throughout the galaxy, had spread life through the entire Milky Way many eons ago. Different groups of "the seeded" developed at different rates and in different ways. The Watchers came from one such sentient group, and existed soley to keep track of each strain of life and catalog their histories. Occasionally one group or another had to be declared off-limits for lengthy periods, either to stop the spread of disease, or to keep them safe from maurading bands of rogue space travellers, or for some other reason for the common good of the galaxy and the system involved.
As life had nearly ceased for the human strain on Terra after the great wars, the Watchers had sealed off the one narrow access corridor until humans had redeveloped themselves and were ready to join other space-faring races in the galaxy. That time was almost near. But the population of earth, though technicalogically ready, still were not socially prepared for the news that life existed out amidst the stars. Too many nations still warred between themselves. History shows how violently they would react to inter-stellar creatures arriving on their territory! Thus the few governments of Earth who had been contacted by the Watchers were working to acclimatize the world's peoples, readying them for the day when they would be open to peaceful relations with off-worlders. For the moment, the truth had to remain under wraps.
Perhaps in another 7 years the population would be ready, the Watchers explained. That is why the Party had to go into exile. They had proved untrustworthy as guards, and could not be relied upon to keep this secret to themselves. Instead, the Watchers would accompany them to the nearest sentient planetary system, that of the peaceful trader race known as the Rastans.
Go to the Rastan History page
The Watchers gave each PC the gift of a galactic translator that could be worn at the throat like a choker chain necklace. Once a few words of an alien tongue had been spoken, the translator would repeat the message to the wearer almost simultaneously. This would enable the Party to be understood wherever they ventured. They also began teaching the Party more about space history and other Traveller alien races, which I altered according to my own time reference. Some of the data for history, and most of the gear, spacecraft and races are useable as is straight from theTraveller source books. The Rastans, Watchers and Voltarns (the remnent Insectoid race of those decimated in the ancient space wars. They make useful pirates for random encounters)
Go to the Voltarn NPC's page
These are the only new races, and very minor oned at that. Still, at the time I had NO Traveller sourcebooks and had to come up with something till I could get my hands on some gear, which at that stage had just gone out of print as GDW or was it GWD had just ceased to exist.
Along the way to Hermes, the nearest Rastan space centre, I had a pirate encounter with Voltarns.
Go to the Voltarn NPC's page
They boarded the ship but the Party fought them off in a fierce and bloody battle. (Any pirate encounter will do, as there are humans from other systems out there, who are little different from Terran humans, except they are much more technologically advanced due to not have to relearn 5,000 years of science!) Or use the Rastan Hijacker Stats on the Rastan History Page.
Go to the Rastan History page
Converting Stats & Skills between systems is relatively simple. The chart below compares the Stats for easy conversion both ways:
| C.P.2020 | Traveller | Optional notes |
| Intelligence | Intelligence | |
| Reflexes | Dexterity | |
| - | Social Status | Ignore or roll for this. Useful for Ettiquette checks. |
| Tech | Education | Or average DEX and EDU for this stat. |
| Cool | Endurance | Useful in Morale checks, etc. |
| Attractiveness | - | Ignore or roll for this. Useful in Persuasion, etc. |
| Luck | - | Ignore or roll for this. Is applied to any roll in advance to avoid fumbles at crucial moments. Points available only once per session. |
| Movement Allowance | - | Average DEX and STR for speed |
| Body | Strength | Or average STR and END to get BODY Stat |
| Empathy | Pscionics | See Pscionics notes below |
CP2020 Stats normally go up to 10, but can go higher with cyberware/bioware. Traveller Stats use 2d6 or 12, but even these can go up to 15 with career training. When converting either way, most values can be kept the same. If a value is at max in one system, translate it to max in the other; IE 10 in CP2020 to 12 in Trav. Or reroll the stat.
Personal Wpns and Armor were fairly simple. I gave comparable wpns and armor the same values as in CP2020 where possible. CP2020 uses "Save Points"(SP) for armor. Traveller uses a D6 system, so a Trav armor value of 1=6SP in Cyberpunk. Most die 6 values I left, some I changed to D10's. Space armor was the same: if it had a Trav value of 1, I gave it a d6 or d10 save points depending on type and against what kind of wpns were used against it. If it had a value of 2, I'd give it 2d6 or 2d10 save points, or 12 and 20SP. Conversely, if any equipment in CP2020 looks good for a Traveller campaign, simply reverse the system; IE divide SP armor values by 6 to get a 1 value in Traveller, round up or down to get the closest reasonable result.
Pricing of Wpns and Armor depends on the same things as in CP2020, or Shadowrun, for that matter, on where the party is, how illegal or rare it is, and how much money you want to take off them to keep them lean, mean and hungry.
For personal combat, I use the normal system of actions per round, and the same targeting routine. The skill resolution system for CP2020 & as noted in Ship's Combat below remains the same for personal combat. Only some of the weapons and their damage will be different, and of course new skills on occasion, such as Zero-G environments, where melee can become a farce and a shotgun can blow the shooter backwards, if slowly, if his/her magnetic boots aren't switched on or if he is floating in space. Hope the tether cord doesn't break! The same penalties apply if a PC has no skill level for what he/she is attempting to do.
Also, actions in space can be different, like Vehicle Combat noted above. For example, missed shots inside spaceships with big guns can puncture ship hulls. This can cause air leaks and loss of life-support systems. Your choice to let them know these hazards and differences or have them learn the hard way.
For spaceship combat, I reduce everything to a simple d10 roll according to the standard success formula for skill tests. For example: the sensor ops PC has to succeed using his skill number, added to his intelligence, added to his normal d10 roll, plus a luck point if desired. If the total exceeds the difficulty level (ranges govern this, and I use the Traveller Hex system for difficulty: close=easy, medium=moderate, long=difficult, etc) then he's got a sensor lock on the target and the gunner has a chance to hit. The same goes with the Gunner who must make his d10 roll, plus skill level plus reflex number. His difficulty level depends on range. If he succeeds, the wpn scores a hit. Calculate the damage. If unsuccessful, repeat this sequence next round.
Damage is according to the number of dice rolled. Armor on a ship reduces damage like any vehicle combat in CP2020. Once armor is penetrated, I use the vehicle damage chart in CP2020 for vehicles similar to those, and roll to see what gets damaged. The same can be done using the Traveller location damage chart, but if you haven't got the Traveller books, the CP2020 version works just fine.
Maneuvering works pretty much the same as with vehicle combat in CP2020, too. Just remember that in space, there isn't any friction. A ship facing 'North' and travelling North can turn and fire 'East' while still travelling North, unless the pilot jets off altering his direction of motion as well as direction of facing. Makes it pretty cool when having running gun battles--theoretically a ship can fly backwards at a set speed and fire at pursuers. Of course, doing that the ship can't accelerate, but once reaching max speed, it doesn't matter anyway! 3-D combat is fun, too!
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Cyberware/Bioware should be available at any TL11 planet or higher in Trav campaigns. Using the conversion info above for Armor should work for these 'body parts'. IE, a cyberarm has an SP of 20. Once reduced below 0, the arm becomes unusable until repaired. For Traveller, 20SP=Armor 3 (divide SP by 6). If a bit of cyberware adds +3 to BODY, add +3 to STR & END. If it adds +3 to crush/lift, add +3 to STR. If it adds 2d6 to punch damage, add 2d6 to punch damage. Etc.
If any item doesn't easily fit this conversion, I "make a new rule" and work out a reasonable alternative. Most PC's don't mind, as long as enemies & NPC's get the same treatment.
Humanity Costs(HC)-- Each bit of cyberware costs the user EMP or what makes them human. PC's multiply their EMP stat by 10 at the start of that PC's existence to get their "Humanity". The cost of cyberware is subtracted from this as HC, reducing the PC's Humanity. Below 10, the PC becomes sociopathic and violent. Under 0 and the PC goes "Cyberpsychotic" or criminally insane. Cops call them 'Borgs and hunt them down. PC's can get a license and earn big Eurobucks bringing 'em in, dead or alive! See CP2020 Sourcebook p. 62-65 for details.
Go to the 'Borg Hunt Scenario page.
In Traveller, it will affect Pscionic ability by losing PSCI points, and mental health in the same way. The more cyberware, the less Pscionic ability.
I lifted the new rules for Pscionics straight from Marc Miller's Traveller p.123ff. It gives what skills are available, how they work & Pscionic Strength Points(PSP's). In generating a Pscionic character, use the normal CP2020 method. Special Ability= Pscionics. I have Players assign Skill Points for this Spec. Ability by rolling 1d10. On 5 or less, they can only have 5 max as their skill level. Above 5, they get what they roll to a max of 10. The only way to increase this level up to 10 is to train exclusively in a Pscionics Institute for 1-2 years game time, at a cost of $25,000 per year, and an IP (experience point) cost of 10 x current level to go up each level, max 2 levels per year.
For choosing PSCI Skills, use the Traveller skills noted above. I Limit the number of PSCI skills by having Players roll 1D10/2 round down for the max number of Disciplines they can have, IE Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, Awareness & Teleportation.
Assigning Skill Points: Apart from 'Telepathy' and 'Awareness' Disciplines (See below), PC's can take as many skills as they want, assigning Skill Pts. as they wish, minimum 2pts/skill, till they run out of skill points. Later, if PC's can find training, they can put skills up by paying the going training fee ($5000/level) and the IP cost x 4 due to increased difficulty of learning psci skills as PC's age. IE going from level 2 at Shield to 3 will cost 80 IP. From lvl 3 to 4, 120 IP etc.
Telepathy Discipline Rules: All Pscionicists, whether they select this Discipline or not, automatically get the Shield Skill at level 2 for free (other points can be added to this in Character Generation time). Players must also roll 1D6 to see how many other skills in the Discipline they may take. IE, on a roll of 2, they can choose any 2 other skills in 'Telepathy' and assign skill points to them. All other skills are forever denied to them. Skills chosen can be increased by training as noted above.
Awareness Rules: Players must roll 1d4 (or 1d6/2 round up) to see how many 'Awareness' skills they can learn. IE if a player rolls a 5, he/she can learn 3 'Awareness' skills. The others are forever denied to them. Chosen skills can be improved later as noted above.
For Skill use & Task resolution A PC's Special Ability level provides Pscionic Strength Points (PSP's). for using skills. So Pscionics at Lvl 6=6 PSP's to expend. When expended, PC's must rest for 1HR to regain 1 PSP. PC's cannot do any physical or mental work during this time, but need not sleep. (Or follow Trav rules for regaining PSP's)
Using PSP's. If a PC wishes to execute a PSCI task of any sort, he/she must declare how many PSP's will be used in the attempt. See Trav rules for PSP costs, which vary. (Use of Shield is the only exception. PC's can Shield themselves for 24hrs expending only one PSP, even in Psci Combat). Then the character must roll 1D10, add EMP and Special Ability numbers and check result against the Difficulty Table. IE if a PC wants to telekines a dropped pistol, they must expend 1 PSP and roll 1D10, adding EMP and Spec. Ability numbers vs Mod. Difficulty number. If successful, they have regained their weapon at the expense of an action and a PSP.
PSCI Combat Rules follow the same steps to resolve the task. However, NPC's may resist any Pscionic attack using their EMP stat and any appropriate EMP skill, as in melee combat. IE if a PC uses Mind Assault, he/she expends 1 PSP, rolls 1D10, +EMP +Spec. Ability Number vs NPC rolls 1D10, +EMP +Skill Level Number. The highest number wins. If a target is heavily cybered, only the unused Humanity points divided by 10 can be used to resist. IE if an NPC with initial EMP of 4 has lost 20 HC due to implants, he only has 2 EMP to add to his dice roll to resist a pscionic attack. Failures/Fumbles by rolling a 1 on the d10 incur loss of the PSP plus the penalty noted on Fumble Chart p.33. If a target number is not achieved or an NPC gets a higher total, the PSP is expended and the Pscionic task has failed. PC can try again next round unless he/she has run out of PSP's.
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Go to the Strasser Airship page
Go to the Rastan History page
Go to the Rastan R.I.O. Mines Scenario
Go to the Rastan R.I.O. Scenarios Part 2
Go to the Voltarn Stats page.
Return to Stewart Wochen's page.
Strasser Airships by Chris Cox A.K.A. chriscox@ix.netcom.com
Copyright© 1996, 1997 by Lawrence C. Cox
Minor addition of optional Cargo version by Stewart Wochen, 1999, with permission by Chris Cox.
®1997. Traveller is a registered trademark of
FarFuture Enterprises. All rights reserved.