MERCHANT CHARACTER GENERATION TABLES SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT TABLES Die 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Large Lines Transfer Down Route* Route* Route* Route* Route* Route* Charter Speculative Trade Exploratory Trade Special Duty Special Duty Small Lines Transfer Down Route* Route* Route* Route * Charter Speculative Trade Speculative Trade Exploratory Trade Exploratory Trade Special Duty Transfer Up Free Traders Transfer Up Route* Exploratory Trade Route* No Business Route* No Business Charter Speculative Trade Exploratory Trade Smuggling Piracy Large Lines and Small Lines: DM + 1 if college graduate and not commissioned. DM - 1 if Educ 6 -. DM - 1 if Social A +. Optional: DM + 1 if rank 04 + . Free Traders: DM + 1 if Social 5 -. Rank O6 may disregard the first roll (if it is not No Business) and roll again. *Enlisted may take the test for promotion to O0 in their department. MUSTERING OUT TABLES Die 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Megacorporation High Psg + 2 Intel + 2 Educ Gun High Psg Travellers + 1 Social DM + 1 if rank Material Benefits Sector-wide Line High Psg + 1 Intel + 2 Educ Gun High Psg High Psg Travellers O5 + . Subsector Line Mid Psg + 1 Intel + 1 Educ Gun Mid Psg High Psg Fledgling Line Mid Psg + 1 Intel + 1 Educ Gun Mid Psg Mid Psg Free Trader Fat Trader Interface Line Mid Psg + 1 Intel + 1 Educ Gun Mid Psg Mid Psg Far Trader Free Trader Low Psg + 1 Endur + 1 Educ Gun Blade Mid Psg Free Trader Cash Table (in Credits) Die 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Megacorporation 1,000 5,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 Sector-wide Line 1,000 5,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 Subsector Line 1,000 5,000 10,000 20,000 40,000 40,000 100,000 Fledgling Line 1,000 5,000 10,000 20,000 50,000 40,000 40,000 Interface Line 1,000 5,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 Free Trader 1,000 2,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 30,000 DM + 1 if Gambling-1 +. Maximum three rolls (not counting bonuses) allowed on this table; remaining rolls must be on the material benefits table. -23-
TABLE OF RANKS AND PROMOTIONS Rank Title Exam Required Qualifications Deck Department O0 O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 O7 O0 O1 O2 O3 O4 O0 O1 O2 O2 O3 O3 O4 O0 O1 O2 O3 O4 O0 O1 O2 O3 O4 O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 Apprentice 4th Officer 3rd Officer 2nd Officer 1st Officer Captain Senior Captain Line Commodore Asst Drive Hand Drive Hand Asst Engineer Engineer Chief Engineer Steward Junior Purser Asst Purser Asst Medic Purser Medic Chief Purser Clerk Asst Manager Manager Asst Station Head Station Head Apprentice Clerk Asst Broker Broker Senior Broker 4th Officer 3rd Officer 2nd Officer 1st Officer Captain Owner/Captain 6 + 6 + 6 + 7 + 7 + 9 + 8 + 8 + Route Assignment. Navigation-1. Admin- 1. Ship's Boat-1 or Pilot-1. Pilot-1. Legal-1. — — Engineering Department 5 + 8 + 7 + 7 + 9 + Route Assignment. Mechanic-1 or Electronic-1 or Gravitic-1. Engineering-1 or Gravitic-2. Engineering-2. Engineering-3 and Admin-1. Purser Department 5 + 5 + 5 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 7 + Route Assignment. Steward-1 or Gunnery-1. Steward-2. Medical-1 . Liaison-1 and Asst Purser rank. Medical-2 and Asst Medic rank. Admin-1. Administration Department 5 + 6 + 7 + 6 + 7 + Route Assignment. Admin-1. Admin-2, Liaison-1. Admin-3. Liaison-2. Sales Department 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 7 + 7 + 8 + 8 + Route Assignment. Trader-1. Broker-1 or Trader-2. Broker-2 or Trader-3. Broker-3. Free Traders Route Assignment. Steward-1 and Engineering-1. Navigation-1. Pilot-1. Legal-1. — -24-
MERCHANT CHARACTER GENERATION TABLES ASSIGNMENT RESOLUTION Deck Survival Skills Bonus Route auto 7 + none Charter 3 + 7 + none Exploratory 4 + 5 + 11 + For Survival, DM + 1 if any Department skill 2 + . Engineering Survival Skills Bonus Route auto 7 + none Charter auto 6 + none Exploratory 4 + 5 + 12 + For Survival, DM + 1 if any Department skill 2 + . Purser Survival Skills Bonus Route auto 6 + none Charter auto 5 + none For Bonus, DM + Steward skill level. Administration Survival Skills Bonus Route auto 6 + none Charter auto 5 + none DM + 1 if any Department skill 2 + . Sales Survival Skills Bonus Route auto 7 + 13 + Charter auto 7 + 14 + DM + Broker skill level or Trader skill level. Free Trader Survival Skills Bonus Route 3 + 7 + 11 + Charter 4 + 6 + 10 + For Survival, DM+1 if Pilot-2 + . For Bonus, DM+ 1 if Trader-2 + . Free Trader Survival Skills Bonus Smuggling* 6 + 5 + 6+ Piracy* 7 + 4 + 5 + Exploratory 3 + 8 + 12 + Exploratory 3 + 8 + 12 + Exploratory 4 + 5 + 10 + Exploratory 5 + 5 + 8 + No Business 3 + 3 + none Speculative 3 + 6 + 12 + Speculative 3 + 6 + 11 + Speculative auto 7 + 11 + Speculative 3 + 7 + 11 + Speculative 3 + 5 + 9 + Speculative 5 + 5 + 7 + For Survival, DM + 1 if Pilot-2 + . For Bonus, DM+1 if Trader-2 +. *If the skill throw under smuggling or piracy is 4 or greater than the required throw, two skills are received instead of one. -25-
MERCHANT CHARACTER GENERATION TABLES Merchant Die Life 1 2 3 4 5 6 Brawling Carousing Gambling Trader + 1 Educ Carousing Shipboard Life Gambling Blade Cbt Vacc Suit Zero-G Cbt Commo Jack-o-T SERVICE SKILLS Officer Skills Brawling Vehicle Ship's Boat Gun Cbt Liaison Liaison Merchantile Skills Streetwise Broker Trader Liaison Admin Legal Master Skills Admin Computer Navigation Pilot Leader Bribery Merchant Life open to all characters. Shipboard Life available to all (including Free Traders) except Sales and Admin Departments. Officer skills available to rank O0 + . Merchantile skills available to all (including Free Traders) except Engineering Department. Master skills open to Deck Department rank O4 + . Die 1 2 3 4 5 6 Deck Skills Navigation Admin Pilot Legal Ship's Boat Leader Engineering Skills Mechanical Electronic Engineering Admin Engineering Gravities Purser Skills Steward Medical Liaison Gunnery Steward Liaison Medic Skills Steward Medical Medical Medical Computer Medical Skill columns available to members of specified Departments. Admin Skills Admin Liaison Bribery Admin Admin Streetwise Die 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sales Skills Trader Broker Computer Liaison Trader Broker Planet Bound Life Gun Cbt Streetwise Vacc Suit Vacc Suit Gun Cbt Brawling Free Trader Life + 1 Dext Brawling Streetwise Forgery Bribery Legal Free Trader Service Steward Trader Broker Admin Gunnery Leader Free Trader Business Engineering Navigation Steward Legal Steward Broker Sales available only to Sales Department. Planetbound Life available to Admin and Sales Department. Free Trader columns open to all Free Traders. CASCADE SKILLS Merchant cascade skills are: Aircraft: Select from Prop-driven Fixed Wing, Jet-driven Fixed Wing, or Helicopter, or Lighter Than Air Craft. Blade Combat: Select from Dagger, Blade. Foil, Sword, or Broadsword. Gun Combat: Character must select from Handgun, SMG. Rifle, Shotgun, Carbine, or Laser Weapons. Vehicle: Character must select from: Aircraft', Grav Vehicle, Ship's Boat, Tracked Vehicle, Watercraft*, or Wheeled Vehicle, or Vacc Suit. * Aircraft and Watercraft each require further selection by the character. Watercraft: Character must select from Small Watercraft, Hovercraft, Submersible, or Large Watercraft. -26-
MERCHANT CHARACTER GENERATION TABLES MERCHANT PRINCE CHARACTER GENERATION CHECKLIST 1. Generate Character. A. Generate the six personal characteristics (2D each). B. Determine homeworld starport. 2. Pre-Enlistment Education. College. 3. Enlistment. A. Determine specific type of merchant line to be joined. B. Merchant Academy. C. Department Assignment. 4. Assignment (one per year). No initial training. A. Transfer to new line and determine new assignment. B. Available Positions. C. Specific Assignment. Special Duty. Transfer to new Department if required. 5. Assignment Resolution. A. Survival. B. Promotion. Test for promotion may be taken if eligible. C. Bonus. D. Skills. Take skills if received. Also receive one skill if promoted. 6. Reenlistment. Throw 4 + to reenlist; DM + 1 if commissioned merchant officer. Reenlistment required on 12 + . 7. Mustering Out. 8. Resumé Writing. BONUSES Bonuses are paid to merchant characters for outstanding performance or for heroism. Each bonus is one throw on the cash mustering-out table; normal DMs are allowed. INITIAL TRAINING There is no initial training in the merchant services. Enlisted characters receive an automatic promotion to E1 and one skill during their first year. SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL DUTY The special duty table provides: Business School: Throw 5 + (1 D) for Admin, Computer, Legal, and Liaison. DM + 1 allowed on exams for Senior Line Captain and Line Commodore Transfer to Sales Department. Command School: Throw 5 + (1D) for Admin, Leader, Legal, and Ship Tactics Transfer to Deck Department. Commission: Receive rank O0 (rank O1 in the Free Traders) and Department Assignment (determine specific assignment and resolve normally). Must pass the examination for 4th Officer within four years or reverts to enlisted rank. Deck School: Throw 5+ (1D) for Communication, Computer, and Gunnery. Transfer to Deck Department. Department Test: Individual may take a Department test for promotion without regard to skill prerequisites. Drive Training: Throw 5 + (10) for Electronics, Engineering, Gravities, and Mechanical. Transfer to Engineering Department. Engineering School: Throw 5+ (1D) for Admin, Computer, Electronics. Engineering, Mechanical, and Gravitics Transfer to Engineering Department Helm Training: Throw 5+ (1D) for Navigation, Pilot, and Ship's Boat. Transfer to Deck Department. Purser School: Throw 4 + 11D) for Admin, Computer, Liaison. Transfer to Purser's Department. Security Training: Throw 4 + (1 D) for Zero-G Combat. Zero-G Weapons, Vacc Suit. Brawling, and Computer. Steward Training: Throw 4 + (1 D) for Admin, Liaison, and Steward. Transfer to Purser's Department. Trade Station: Receive Trader. Throw 4+ (1D) for Broker and Liaison. Transfer to Administration Department. -27-
MERCHANT CHARACTER GENERATION TABLES TRANSFERS Individuals may be transferred between merchant departments in the same merchant line, or they may be transferred to higher or lower lines. Transfers Between Lines: A specific assignment of transfer up or transfer down moves the individual to another merchant line. Transfers up are considered positive, and transfers down are considered negative. The individual transferred up has been hired by a larger line (in the order Free Trader to Fledgling to Interface to Subsector-Wide to Sector-Wide). Immediately re-roll for specific assignment and resolve the year of service normally. The individual transferred down had been let go (relieved, laid off, or fired) by the merchant line, and is re-hired by a smaller line (in the order Megacorporation to Sector-Wide to Subsector-Wide to Interface to Fledgling to Free Traders). Immediately re-roll for specific assignment and resolve the year of service normally. Transfers Between Departments: An individual may only transfer to another department after special training, or after one full term of service at rank O4. Training (except for security training) calls for mandatory transfers to new departments. All commissioned officers automatically transfer to the Deck Department after serving one full term of service at rank O4. ENLISTED RANK Enlisted rank is based on seniority and expressed as the number of the current term of service. The promotion (and one skill for promotion) is received during the first year of a term. For example, a merchant in term 3 is rank E3. MERCHANT PRINCE INCLUDED SKILLS Handgun: Includes skill in Automatic Pistol, Revolver, and Body Pistol. Laser Weapons: Includes skill in Laser Carbine and Laser Rifle. Pilot: May be used as Ship's Boat minus 1. Zero-G Weapons: Includes skill in Accelerator Rifles, Snub Pistols, and Snub Revolvers. Zero-G Combat must be held before Zero-G Weapons may be taken. AVAILABLE SKILLS The following skills are available in Merchant Prince. Administration, Aircraft*, Blade, Brawling, Bribery, Broadsword, Broker, Carbine, Carousing, Communications, Computer, Dagger, Electronics, Engineering, Foil, Forgery, Gambling, Grav Vehicle, Gravities, Gun Combat*, Gunnery, Handgun†, Helicopter, Hovercraft, Jack of all Trades, Jet Aircraft, Large Watercraft, Laser Weapons†, Leader, Legal, Liaison, Lighter Than Air Craft, Mechanical, Medical, Navigation, Pilot†, Propeller Aircraft, Rifle, Ship Tactics, Ship's Boat, Shotgun, Small Watercraft, SMG, Steward, Streetwise, Submersible, Sword, Tracked Vehicle, Trader, Vacc Suit, Vehicle*, Watercraft, Wheeled Vehicle, Zero-G Combat, Zero-G Weapons†. *Cascade skill (additional choice required). † Included skill. -28-
service, rather than former E-rank. There are no names for enlisted ranks. Usually, such rank is stated by department and rank. For example, Engineering E1, or Deck E4. Commissioned Ranks: The table of ranks and promotions shows the rank titles for the various levels of commissioned officer ranks. The titles vary by merchant department. SKILLS Many of the skills called for by this character generation system appear in the Basic Traveller character generation system. Each of the eight skills presented here is either new, or has been defined in another part of Traveller, but does not appear in Basic Traveller. Admin: In addition to the normal interpretation of Admin skill, DM + Admin skill is allowed on the Passenger Table for middle passengers. Broker: The individual is skilled in commercial purchase and the resale of goods. Broker skill permits a character to act as a broker (as provided for in the trade and commerce rules). The skill may be applied as a DM on the Actual Value Table. Carousing: The individual is a gregarious and sociable individual, well-adapted to meeting with, and mingling with strangers in unfamiliar surroundings. Characters with the social skill of Carousing enjoy meeting and dealing with other people. Any level of skill allows a DM + 1 on the roll for patron encounters; half of any Carousing skill (round fractions upwards) serves as a DM on the Reaction Table when used initially by the patron. Carousing is also usable when meeting individuals as potential hirelings. Carousing can be used in lieu of Steward skill at one level lower. Communications: The individual is trained in the use, repair, and maintenance of communications devices. While nearly everyone can press the button and make a communicator function, the skill is necessary to understand why the device does not work correctly, or to be aware of the details and limitations on its use. When an individual is using a communicator for contact with someone having similar skill, the chance that such communication will be detected by a third party is reduced by the average of the two skill levels (round fractions up). Communications skill also enhances the ability to jam transmissions, or to break through such jamming. Communications skill allows DMs for repair of malfunctioning communicators. Gravitics: The individual has skill in the use, operation, and repair of gravitic devices. Gravitic devices use the principles of anti-gravity modules, and include the air/raft, the GCarrier, and the speeder. Skill is a DM on throws to understand, repair, assemble, and operate; complex devices may also require a certain level of education or intelligence. Referee: Specific throws must be generated with DMs based on skill level, intelligence, education, dexterity, and tool availability. Legal: The individual is familiar with the general laws and regulations that govern interstellar travel and relations. Familiarity with the laws that control interstellar commerce is essential for any trader. Legal skill reflects a knowledge of these regulations. The character will not -29-
be familiar with the myriad laws on each individual world encountered, nor will he be able to function as a lawyer. On each call at a new planet, ships will be inspected by port authorities to check for compliance with applicable laws and regulations. On occasion, patrol ships will board and inspect merchant ships in deep space. When inspections occur, a throw of 7 + is required to be found in compliance and passed; DM + 1 for each level of legal skill, or for each two levels of Admin skill; DM -5 if anything illegal is aboard the ship. Failure of the throw detects the illegal contraband; otherwise, failure of the throw can be assumed to be a violation of some petty red tape or minor safety regulations. Other skills (bribery and forgery, for example) may also affect the matter. Legal skill can be generally used as Admin skill at one level lower than the indicated level (but not on the Passenger Table for middle passengers). Liaison: The individual is trained in the art of dealing with others; this skill is usable in relations with members of military units, citizens in a community, and with alien or foreign cultures. This individual is trained to subordinate his or her own views and prejudices where they may conflict with those held by the individuals being dealt with. As a result, greater cooperation can be achieved, and substantial progress in mutual projects made. Liaison is primarily used as a positive DM on the reaction table when dealing with other individuals. Liaison provides a DM in merchant service for locating cargos to be carried. Allow DM + Liaison skill on the throw for minor cargos when using the Cargo Table. Referee: Liaison is similar to both Streetwise and Admin skills. Streetwise tends to deal with the unsavory aspects of society, while Admin deals with the formal bureaucratic structure. Liaison is a formal training that spans both, but also extends to alien cultures. Liaison may be used as the equivalent of the next lower level of either Admin or Streetwise where necessary (thus Liaison-2 is the equivalent of Streetwise-1 or Admin-1). Ship Tactics: The individual has been trained in the operation of a starship or spaceship in battle. Ship Tactics is a skill used by individuals in command of individual ships in space combat. It basically serves as a DM in space combat in individual engagements. Steward: In addition to the normal interpretation of Steward skill, DM + Steward skill is allowed on the Passenger Table for high passengers. Streetwise: In addition to the normal interpretation of Streetwise skill, DM + Streetwise skill is allowed on the Passenger Table for low passengers. Trader: The individual has an awareness of the techniques and practice of commerce in all its expressions. Trader skill may be used to estimate resale value of items in the trade and commerce rules. Use of Trader skill allows one die on the Actual Value Table to be rolled before the table is consulted (giving the character a better indication of the actual value of specific goods). For each level of skill, the throw may be made three days prior to the actual sale. Thus, as a practical matter, Trader-3 is required to estimate actual value before transporting goods to another star system. Since conditions can change, however, throw 10 + for the prediction to hold until the time of sale; if 10+ is not made, recalculate on the Actual Value Table normally. -30-
Trader is also a favorable DM on the Reaction Table when involved in commerce. Zero-G Combat: The individual has been trained to fight in a zero-G environment. Virtually all weapons involve some recoil, and in a zero-G environment this recoil can disorient or render helpless individuals not trained to compensate for it. When fighting in a zero-G environment, any individual has a chance of losing control of his movement/position each combat round. Roll 10+ on two dice to avoid losing control. Apply the following DMs: Firing a weapon, - 4. Firing a laser weapon, - 2 (laser weapons have no recoil). Using a handhold, + 5. Striking with a blade weapon, polearm, fist, or similar, - 6. For each level of Zero-G Combat expertise, + 4. Dexterity 9 +, + 2. Dexterity 11+, +4. Using a handhold reduces dexterity for the purposes of weapon accuracy by -4. Individuals who lose control may not fire until they have reoriented themselves and regained control. Throw 10+ each subsequent combat round to regain control, with all DMs above in use except that handholds may not be used nor may weapons be fired. Weapons Choices: When a weapons skill is received, the character should select a specific weapon from the list of available weapons. Weapons choices are affected by a variety of factors: personal dexterity, personal strength, and previously received weapons skills. Personal strength determines basic ability to carry any weapon, and is used to determine required and advantageous DMs for blade weapons. Personal dexterity is used to determine required and advantageous DMs for guns. Previously received weapons skills may make selection of those weapons more advantageous than selection of a new weapon type. Cascade Skills: Cascade skills (weapon skills, vehicle skills) require the selection of a specific skill from within a range of choices. Such choices should be made immediately. Included Skills: Some skills include other skills within them. In such cases, no additional choice is required; the character is treated as having the various included skills. Skill Limitations: No character should have more skills (or combined total levels of skills) than the sum of intelligence and education. RESUME WRITING After a character has left the merchant service, a basic resume of the individual's career should be prepared listing basic UPP, age, terms served, corporations served with, ranks held, skills held, and possessions. CHARACTER GENERATION EXAMPLE The following is an example of a merchant character generated using Merchant Prince. Theo Genisand is 777777 and a native of Regina (A788899-A). At age 18, he begins his Merchant career. His application for college is turned down, so he applies instead for a position with a megacorporation (throw 9 + ; DM + 3 for Strength 7+ and Intelligence 6 +: he throws 7 and is hired on). He immediately applies to the Merchant Academy (throw 9 + : he throws 7 and is not accepted). Genisand determines his department assignment (1D: he throws 1) and is assigned to the Purser's Department. Because this is his first year of service, he receives -31-
a standard promotion to rank E1. He determines his specific assignment (2D: he throws 5) and finds he will be working a route. To resolve his assignment, he determines survival (automatic for Purser's Department on Route service), skills (throw 6 + ; he throws 7 and receives 1), and bonus (not available in Purser's Department on Route service). On Route service, Genisand may take the test for 00 in the Purser's Department (throw 5 + ; he throws 10) and passes. He now is rank 00 and has four years to pass the exam for O1. Genisand has received three skills (for promotion to E1, for the skill throw, and for promotion to O0). He consults the Purser skill column (he throws 5) and receives Steward-1, the Merchant Life column (he throws 1) and receives Brawling-1, and the Officer Skills column (he throws 3) and receives Ship's Boat-1. For the second year, Genisand determines his specific assignment (2D: he throws 9) and receives Charter service. Survival is automatic on Charter service in the Purser Department and there is no bonus; a skill (throw 5 +; he throws 8) is received. He consults the Purser Skills column (he throws 4) and receives Gunnery-1. Because he is rank O0, he can take the test for promotion each year if he has the prerequisite (Steward-1 or Gunnery-1); he does, so he takes the exam (throw 5 + ; he throws 8) and succeeds. He is promoted to O1, Junior Purser. The promotion provides one skill: he consults the Mercantile Skills column (he throws 3} and receives Trader-1. For his third year, Junior Purser Genisand must try for available position (throw 7 +; he throws 5) and finds none is available; he must work as Steward rather than Junior Purser this year. He finds his specific assignment is (throw 2D; he throws 12) special duty; his special duty (throw 1D; he throws 4) is Engineering School. At Engineering School, he receives (throw 5+ for each skill; he throws 3, 5, 6, 1,4, 5) Computer-1, Electronics-1, and Gravities-1. He is then transferred to the Engineering Department and his rank converts to O1 Drive Hand. For his fourth year, Drive Hand Genisand must try for available position (throw 8+; he throws 9) and finds one is available; because he has the prerequisite Electronics-1, he will be able to take the exam for promotion. He determines specific assignment (2D; he throws 2) and finds he is transferred down to the next lower type of line, a Sector-Wide Line. He now determines available position (throw 8 + ; he throws 11) and finds one available; he will still be able to take the exam for promotion. He finds his specific assignment is (throw 2D; he throws 11) Exploratory Trade. He determines survival (4 + ; he throws 5), skills (throw 5 + ; he throws 8 (and receives one skill), and bonus (throw 12 + ; he throws 10 and receives none). For his skill, he consults the Engineering Skills column (throw 1D; he throws 5) and receives Engineering-1. He takes the test for promotion (throw 7 +; he throws 8) and is promoted to O2, Assistant Engineer. He receives one skill for the promotion and consults the Officer Skills column (throw 1D; he throws 2) and receives Vehicle (making a further selection of Grav Vehicle immediately). Theo Genisand ends his first term and attempts to re-enlist (throw 4 +; DM + 1 as commissioned merchant officer). He throws 2, and cannot re-enlist. He musters out and receives two benefits (throw 1D on the cash table; he throws 5 ) and receives Cr30,000 and (throw 1D on the Benefit Table; he throws 6) one High Passage.
Asst Engineer Theo Genisand 777777 Age 22 1 term Steward-1, Brawling-1, Ship's Boat-1, Gunnery-1, Trader-1, Computer-1, Electronics-1, Gravities-1, Engineering-1. one High Passage Cr30,000 Service as Steward, Junior Purser, Drive Hand, and Asst Engineer.
Trade System Interstellar trade is the transport of commercial goods from one world to another in the pursuit of profit. The prime law of trade is an ancient one: Buy low and sell high. Merchants who follow it make money, grow rich, and become successful; those who don't go bankrupt. Basic Traveller provides a basic trade and commerce system for speculative trade activities. This chapter provides a more general trade system usable under all Traveller circumstances. Definitions: The following definitions govern the Merchant Prince trade system. Sourceworld: The world where trade goods are purchased by speculators. The source or origination point of any trade goods. Marketworld: The world where trade goods are sold by speculators. The market or destination for trade goods. Cost: Amount paid for trade goods by speculators at the sourceworld. Price: Amount expected to be paid to speculators for trade goods at the marketworld. Selling Price: Amount actually paid to speculators for trade goods at the marketworld through the use of the Actual Value Table. Required Data: The Merchant Prince Trade System is based on information which can be derived from the UPPs of the worlds involved. The world on which a cargo of trade goods is acquired is called the source world, while the world on which such a cargo is sold is called the market world. The UPP of the source world is required before goods can be purchased, and is necessary in order to determine the costs of the goods; the UPP of the market world is required before the goods can be sold, and is necessary in order to determine the selling price of the goods. CARGO IDENTIFICATION Cargos in the Merchant Prince Trade System are not identified by their nature, but instead by the world on which they are produced. Instead of being identified as polymers, crystals, or pharmaceuticals, trade goods are labelled Tech Level 8 Lo Ni Po Ba goods (meaning tech level 8 goods from a world with trade classifications Low Population, Non-Industrial, Poor, Barren); such goods may be polymers, crystals, or pharmaceuticals, but their precise nature is unimportant to the trade system. Some equivalences or suggested equivalences are provided for situations where individual characters want or need to use cargos from this system for their own purposes. Determining Cargo Identification: A cargo can be identified by stating its source world's starport type, tech level, trade classifications, and cost. Starport type and tech level are derived directly from the source world UPP. All trade classifications possible are determined, and then listed together (the determination of trade classifications is covered below). Cost is then determined using the cost system (cost is what the trader pays to buy trade goods; price is what the trader is paid when he or she sells the goods; the difference is gross profit). If the cargo is not -34-
of Imperial origin, it should be labelled as to origin. For example, a cargo from Regina in the Spinward Marches would be identified as: A-A Ri Cr7,000. A cargo from Zivije in the Spinward Marches would be identified as: C-B Hi Fl Cr8,100. A cargo from Chronor (a Zhodani world in the Spinward Marches) would be identified as: B-C Na Ni Ic Cr8,200 Zh. Lower cost cargos are always preferable because they allow more potential profit TRADE CLASSIFICATIONS The trade classifications for all worlds can be determined from their UPPs. The fifteen applicable trade classifications are given in the Trade Classifications List. Most are also provided in the Basic Traveller rules. Additions to the list include Fluid Oceans (indicative of hydrographies other than water), and Barren (a world without population, government, or law level). The Trade Classifications Table indicates the required world UPP characteristics for each classification. It is important to examine a world for all possible trade classifications; published materials may be at variance with the results of the use of this table. The Trade Classifications Table takes precedence over published or existing trade classification data. Trade Classification Definitions: The following provide an insight into the mean ings of the various trade classifications. Agricultural: The world has climate and conditions which allow extensive farm ing and ranching. It is a producer of relatively inexpensive foodstuffs. Agricultural goods market well to worlds which cannot produce their own agricultural goods (Desert, Fluid Seas, Poor, Water Worlds, Industrial Worlds). Agricultural worlds are good markets for goods from Industrial worlds, other Agricultural worlds. Barren worlds (for new plant and animal strains), and Rich worlds. Asteroid Belt: The world is an asteroid belt. It is a producer of raw materials and semi-finished goods, especially ores, metals, and minerals. Asteroid Belt goods market well to Industrial worlds, Non-Agricultural worlds, Vacuum worlds, and other Asteroid Belts. Asteroid Belts are good markets for the production of Agricultural worlds. Industrial worlds, Non-Agricultural worlds, and Vacuum worlds. Barren World: The world has no population, government, or law level. Shipments to the world are generally small, perhaps in preparation for eventual colonization, or for a scientific expedition. Goods from Barren worlds are generally raw materials mined or gathered by ship crew. They are poor sources, and cannot be markets. Desert World: The world has no open or standing water. Desert world goods sell well other Desert worlds, and to Non-Agricultural worlds. They are good markets for goods from Agricultural worlds, Desert worlds, Industrial worlds, Non-Agricultural worlds, and Rich worlds. Fluid Oceans: The world's oceans are not composed of water. Non-water oceans may be valuable sources of raw materials for industry, and the worlds products sell well on Industrial worlds and other Fluid worlds. Worlds with fluid oceans are good markets for goods from other Fluid worlds and Industrial worlds. High Population: The world's population is one billion or more. High population world goods, because of the economy of scale for production, sell well on High Population worlds. Low Population worlds, and Rich worlds. High Population worlds -35-
TRADE CLASSIFICATIONS LIST The following trade classifications are used in this trade and commerce system. Agricultural: Producer of foodstuffs. Asteroid Belt: Many small worldlets. Barren World: No population, government, or law level. Desert World: No water. Fluid Oceans: Oceans composed of fluids other than water. High Population: Population of one billion or more. Ice-Capped: Hydrographies contained in polar ice-caps. Industrial: Heavy industry forms a major part of local production. Low Population: Population less than 10,000. Non-Agricultural: Dependent on synthetic food production. Non-Industrial: Population less than 10,000,000. Poor: Low grade living conditions. Rich: High grade living conditions. Vacuum World: No atmosphere. Water World: Entire world surface covered by water. COST OF GOODS Base Cost: Cr4,000 per ton. Trade Class Effects: Add the price mod shown for each trade class. Tech Level Effects: Multiply tech level by Cr100 and add to base cost. Starport Effects: For starport type add to base cost— A: -1,000; C: + 1,000; D: +2,000; E: +3,000; X: + 5,000. Code Trade Class Price Mod - Ag As Ba De Fl Hi Ic In Lo Na Ni Po Ri Va Wa No class 0 Agricultural - ,000 Asteroid Belt Barren World Desert World Fluid Oceans - ,000 + ,000 + ,000 + ,000 High Population - ,000 Ice-Capped 0 Industrial Low Population - 1,000 + 1,000 Non-Agricultural 0 Non-Industrial Poor Rich Vacuum World + 1,000 - 1,000 + 1,000 + 1,000 Water World 0 Code Size TRADE CLASSIFICATION TABLE Atmos Hydro Popul Govt Law Level Ag As Ba De Fl Hi Ic In Lo Na Ni Po Ri Va Wa 0 4-9 0 2 + A + 1- 2-,4,7,9 3- 2-5 6,8 0 4-8 0 0 1 + 1 + 3- 3- A 5-7 0 9 + 9 + 3- 6 + 6- 6-8 0 4-9* 0 *Aslan rich worlds ignore government type. Vargr rich worlds may government type 4,5,6,8 or 9 (not type 7). -36-
Source MARKET PRICE TABLE Market Code Code — Ag As Ba De Fl Hi Ic In Lo Na Ni Po Ri Va Wa - Ag + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 As + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Ba De + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Fl + 1 + 1 Hi + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Ic In + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Lo + 1 + 1 Na + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Ni + 1 -1 Po + 1 - 1 Ri + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Va + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 Wa + 1 + 1 Total all intersections between source trade classifications and market trade classifications, and multiply by Cr1,000. Add this figure to the base market price of Cr5,000. If the market code includes Ba, goods may not be sold. If a source or market is As, don't count it Va as well. PRICE OF GOODS Tech Level Effects: Subtract the market tech level from the source tech level, multiply by 10%, and multiply that times the base price and add it to the base price. Note: A high source TL and a low market TL are advantageous; source TL 1 5 and market TL 1 produces an increase of 140% in base price. Source TL 6 and market TL 1 5 produces a decrease of - 90% in base price (a decrease of 100% or more means no value for the goods at that market tech level). BROKERS Brokers can influence consultations of the Actual Value Table but must be paid a commission. Brokers , however, vary in quality and availability by starport type. Starport type A Broker-4 or less. Starport type B Broker-3 or less. Starport type C Broker-2 or less. Starport type D Broker-1. TRADE AND COMMERCE CHECKLIST This checklist governs trade goods. 1. Buying Trade Goods. A. Find Source World Trade Data. 1. Trade Classifications. 2. Starport Type. 3. Tech Level. B. Find Cost of Goods. 1. Trade Price Modifiers. 2. Tech Level Modifier. 3. Starport Type Modifiers. 4. Accelerated Delivery. C. Purchase Goods. 2. Selling Trade Goods. A. Find Market World Trade Data. 1. Trade Classifications. 2. Tech Level. 3. Starport Type. B. Find Price for Goods. 1. Trade Price Modifiers. 2. Tech Level Modifiers. 3. Select Broker. C. Sell Goods. -37-
PLAYER SKILLS The following skills can be useful to player-characters in their pursuit of available cargo, passengers, and freight. Admin: Admin allows consultation and negotiation with local passenger agents in order to be given more passengers. DM +1 per skill level for middle passengers available on the Passengers Table. Bribery: Bribery may be used as a DM on the Actual Value Table (bribing a buyer to purchase goods though the use of kickbacks). Each two levels of bribery allows DM + 1 and costs a kickback of 7% of the final price. Broker: Broker allows a DM on the Actual Value Table equal to the skill level (to a maximum of Broker-4). Brokers receive 5% of the the final sale price per skill level used. It is possible to use less than maximum Broker skill. Carousing: Carousing skill (at one level lower) may be used as Steward skill (DM + Steward minus 1 on the throw for high passengers on the Passenger Table. Liaison: Liaison allows consultation and bargaining with local freight handlers in order to receive a larger allotment of freight. DM + 1 per Liaison skill level on minor cargos available in the Cargo Table. Steward: Steward skill serves as an attraction to high passengers. DM + 1 for each level of Steward skill for high passengers on the Passenger Table. Streetwise: Streetwise allows recruiting of locals to use available low passage berths. DM + 1 per level of Streetwise for low passengers available on the Passengers Table. Trader: Trader skill provides an understanding of market processes. Trader allows one die on the Actual Value Table to be rolled in advance; each level of Trader allows a throw three days in advance of the sale date. ACTUAL VALUE Roll 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Percentage Value 40% 50% 70% 80% 90% 100% 110% 120% 130% 150% 170% 200% 300% 400% Results of less than 2 are treated as 2; results of greater than 15 are treated as 15. DM + Broker (to maximum +4). NOTING CARGO IDENTITY Cargos are identified for trade and commerce by stating the following: 1. Starport Type (of source world). 2. Tech Level (of source world). 3. Trade Classifications (of source world). 4. Cost (after all modifications). 5. Nationality or Race of Source (assumed to be Imperial unless stated). Example A cargo from Rethe (in the Regina subsector: E230AA8-8 Desert World. High Population. Non-Agricultural. Poor.) is identified as: E-8 De Hi Na Po Cr3,800. PRICE VERSUS COST Cost is the amount a speculator or merchant pays to buy a cargo. Price is the amount paid to a speculator or merchant for that cargo. Base price is the price before consulting the Actual Value Table. -38-
SHIP REVENUES Ships receive the following income per trip: High Passage.....................Cr10,000 Middle Passage....................Cr8,000 Low Passage........................Cr1,000 Cargo (per ton).....................Cr1,000 Mail (if fitted)..................,..Cr25,000 Charters Non starships charter for Cr1 per ton per hour (12 hour minimum). Starships charter for two-week blocks at rates based on revenue generating capacity: Cr900 per cargo hold ton plus Cr9,000 per high passage berth plus Cr900 per low passage berth. Note: Ship owner pays overhead and crew costs when providing a charter. PASSENGERS World Popul Digit 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A Available at Source World High — — 1D2D2D2D3D3D3D3D3D Middle 1D 2D 1D 1D 2D 2D 1D 1D — 1D1D 2D2D3D3D3D3D3D 4D 2 1D 1D 2D 2D 1D 1D Low — 2D2D 2D 3D3D3D 3D 4D 5D 6D 6 1D 1D DMs for Market World: If population 4-, -3. If Population 8 + , +3. If Red Zone, - 12; no middle or low passengers. If Amber Zone, -6. Tech Level: Add (or subtract) difference between source world and market world tech levels. Skills: DM + Steward for High. DM + Admin for Middle. DM + Streetwise for Low. ALIEN TRADE EFFECTS As Dr Hv Im Kk So Va Zh As — + 1 + 1 Dr — + 1 Hv — + 1 Im -2 — -1 -2 Kk -2 — -4 So — Va + 1 -2 — Zh + 2 -1 — Goods in a row selling to a column receive the modification on base price shown ( + 1 = plus Cr1,000). As: Aslan. Dr: Droyne. Hv: Hiver. Im: Imperial. Kk: K'kree. So: Solomani. Va: Vargr. Zh: Zhodani. This table serves as a basic guide for trade effects between the major races; similar tables can be created for relationships between other races. CARGO World Popul Digit 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A Available at Source World Major — 1D-4 1D - 2 1D - 1 1D 1D + 1 1D + 2 1D + 3 1D + 4 1D + 5 1D + 6 Minor — 1D-4 1D-1 1D 1D+1 1D + 2 1D + 3 1D + 4 1D + 5 1D + 6 1D + 7 Incidental — — — — — — 1D-3 1D-3 1D-2 1D-2 1D DMs for Market World: If population 4-, -3. If Population 8 +, + 1. If Red Zone, no freight. If Amber Zone, no major freight. Tech Level: Add (or subtract) difference between source world and market world tech levels. Skills: DM + Liaison for minor cargos. Availability: Throw once per week; unused cargos do not accumulate. -39-
are good markets for goods from Agricultural worlds, Industrial worlds, High Population worlds, and Rich worlds. Ice-Capped: The hydrographies for the world are locked in ice-caps. Goods from Ice-capped worlds sell well on Industrial worlds; the worlds are unremarkable markets. Industrial: The world is heavily industrialized and is a producer of many types of goods. Industrial goods sell well on most other worlds, and Industrial worlds are good markets for most goods. Low Population: The world has a population of less than 10,000 persons. Low Population world cargos sell well to Industrial worlds and Rich worlds. Low population worlds are rarely self-supporting; consequently, they are excellent markets for goods from High Population worlds and Agricultural worlds. Non-Agricultural: The world is unable to produce enough food agriculturally to feed its population; synthetic food production generally provides basic food needs. Non-Agricultural worlds are good sources for other Non-Agricultural worlds. Asteroid Belts, Desert Worlds, and Vacuum worlds. Non-Industrial: The world has a population less than ten million. Non-Industrial worlds are markets for goods from Industrial worlds. They are sources of goods for Industrial worlds; their goods sell poorly on other Non-Industrial worlds. Poor: The world has poor grade living conditions. Poor worlds are markets for Industrial worlds. They are not good sources of cargos. Rich: The world has high grade living conditions. Rich worlds are good markets for Agricultural worlds, Asteroid belts, High Population worlds. Industrial Worlds, Low Population Worlds, Rich worlds, and Water worlds. They are good sources of cargos for Agricultural worlds, Desert worlds. Industrial worlds, High Population worlds, Rich worlds, and Non-Agricultural worlds. Vacuum World: The world has no atmosphere. Vacuum worlds are markets for goods from Asteroid Belts, Industrial, Non-Agricultural worlds and Vacuum worlds. They are good sources for Asteroid Belts, Industrial worlds, and Vacuum worlds. Water World: The world is covered with water; there is very little land above water. Water worlds are good markets for Industrial and Water worlds. They are good sources for Industrial, Rich, and Water worlds. COMPUTING COST OF GOODS The cost of trade goods is computed using the Cost of Goods Table. Base Cost: The base cost of goods is Cr4,000 per ton. Trade Class Effects: Determine all trade classifications which apply to the sourceworld for the goods, and consult the Cost of Goods Table. For each trade classification which matches, apply the price modification indicated. Tech Level Effects: Multiply the tech level of the sourceworld by Cr100 and add it to the base cost. Starport Effects: Note the starport type and increase the base cost based on the starport level. If starport type A, -1,000. If starport type C, + 1,000. If starport type D, +2,000. If starport type E, +3,000. If starport type X, +5,000. The final result is the cost of goods per ton. It is incorporated into the cargo identification, and is the price that must be paid when purchasing cargo for speculation. The Actual Value Table is not used when determining cargo cost, and brokers are not involved. -40-
For example, the Empress Nicholle is nearing completion of a voyage from Efate to Regina (both in Regina subsector of the Spinward Marches). The ship has just called at Rule (C776977-7 Hi In) and the captain has determined that the UPP listing is correct and that all possible trade classifications are shown. Modifications for Hi and In total - 2,000; modifications for tech level total + 700; starport effects total + 1,000. The captain computes the local cargo available as C-7 Hi In Cr3,700. Being in a speculative mood, he arranges for the purchase of 10 tons of the goods and pays Cr37,000 for the lot. The next day, his ship lifts off for Regina. COMPUTING BASE PRICE OF GOODS It is possible to compute the base price of goods before arriving at a world simply by analyzing the marketworld's UPP. Careful merchants do this to predict the relative marketability of goods at various accessible worlds. The base price of goods is computed using the Market Price Table. Base Price: The base price of goods is Cr5,000 per ton. Trade Class Effects: Determine all trade classifications which apply to the marketworld for the goods, and consult the Market Price Table. Total all trade classifications which match and multiply the result by Cr1,000. Apply this price modification to the base price. Tech Level Effects: Subtract the marketworld tech level from sourceworld tech level and multiply it by 10%. Multiply that result times the base price and add it to the base price. High tech sources and low tech markets are advantageous. A TL 15 source selling to a TL 1 market produces an increase of 140% (10% times 15-1) in base price. Low tech sources and high tech markets are disadvantageous. A TL 10 source selling to a TL 15 market produces a decrease of 50% (10% times 10-15) in base price. Note that the computation produces a result of -50%; the minus represents a decrease in value. A decrease of 100% or more indicates that the goods have no value and cannot be sold at the indicated market tech level. The result is base price for the goods at the marketworld. For example, aboard the Empress Nicholle headed for Regina, the captain of the ship rechecks his preliminary calculations. Regina is A788899-A Ri. He knows that his cargo (C-7 Hi In Cr3,700) has a base price on Regina of Cr5,000. Trade class modifications total +2,000; tech level effects total -30% (-2,100). The base price for the goods at Regina will be Cr4,900. COMPUTING SELLING PRICE Selling price for goods varies as the actual market conditions fluctuate. It is determined at the moment of sale using the Actual Value Table. Base price for the goods has been previously calculated (or should be calculated now). This base price is used when consulting the Actual Value Table. Broker Selection: A broker may be selected to help in the arrangement of a sale. The quality of brokers is determined by the marketworld's starport type. Type A starports have broker levels 1 to 4. Type B starports have broker levels 1 to 3. Type C starports have broker levels 1 and 2. Type D starports have broker level 1. Type E and X have no brokers. -41-
Brokers charge a fee equal to 5% times their skill level of the final sale price of the goods they arrange to sell. Player-characters may use their own broker skill (if they have it) to assist in the sale of goods. If they do, they receive the standard brokerage fee for doing so, but they are assumed to spend half of that fee in arranging the sale. Maximum Broker skill usable is Broker-4. Bribery may also be used to assist in arranging a sale. Each level of Bribery skill allows a DM of + 1/2 (round fractional DMs down) on the Actual Value Table; each level used costs 7% of the final sale price. Bribery in merchant activity is called a kickback; kickbacks do not require reaction die rolls and can be achieved automatically. Trader skill allows the partial prediction of the results of the Actual Value Table throws. Use of Trader skill allows one die on the Actual Value Table (the table uses two dice) to be thrown early; knowing one of the dice beforehand allows a more accurate prediction of the sale price of goods. For example, the two dice throw can range from 2 to 12 and indicates actual values between 40% and 170% of base price. If one die is thrown early and it is a 6, then the character knows that the final actual value must range between 7 and 12 (or between 100% and 170%). Trader skill levels increase the time span over which the prediction is accurate. Each level of skill allows three days prior to the sale. Trader-1 predicts the value three days before; Trader-2 predicts the value six days before. Because an interstellar jump takes 7 days, Trader-3 is required to predict actual value before making an interstellar jump. For example, upon arrival of the Empress Nicholle at Regina, its captain moves to sell his speculative cargo (10 tons of C-7 Hi In Cr3,700). Knowing his base price is Cr4,900, he feels that with any luck at all he can clear a profit of Cr1,200 per ton. However, just to be sure, he finds and engages a Broker-4. The broker provides DM + 4 on the Actual Value Table: the throw is 5 ( + 4 = 9); the goods sell for 120% of base price (Cr4,900), or Cr5,880 per ton. Momentarily, the ship captain thinks he has made a slight profit, but then remembers the broker's commission. Cr5,880 less 20% commission is Cr4,704; he has lost Cr196 per ton on this venture. SPECIAL RULES The following special rules also apply to trade activity. Accelerated Delivery: Normally, merchants are allowed four days to deliver goods to a waiting ship. It is possible to accelerate delivery of goods by paying a premium of 10% of base cost per day of advanced delivery. Required Execution: Once goods are offered for sale and the Actual Value Table is consulted, the goods must be sold at the price indicated. A sale may be stopped at any point before the dice are rolled on the Actual Value Table. Alien Effects: When a cargo has a nationality or race of source different than the nationality or race of market, then there may be an effect on base price. Consult the Alien Market Effects Table to determine these effects. This table indicates the effects of local taste, prejudice, and novelty in the evaluation of goods by a market. For example, Zhodani goods are generally poorly received in Imperial markets and well-received in Sword World markets; Imperial goods are well-received in Droyne markets and poorly received in Solomani markets. -42-
Trade Goods Trade between planets depends on a demand for the trade goods being shipped and sold. Trade goods have to have a relatively high value, but beyond that basic condition, they can be any of a number of things. Trade between planets depends on demand for goods at each end of the trading route. Because of the expense of interstellar transportation, most worlds strive to be self-supporting. They produce their own building materials, food, and necessities. But there are still a wide variety of trade goods that can be and are shipped between the stars. TYPES OF INTERSTELLAR TRADE GOODS Interstellar trade goods may be of any type, but some are more probable than others. Ordinary materials (such as cast iron ingots) are probably not prime interstellar trade goods. The following are examples of some probable trade goods. Raw Materials: One of the basic trade goods in interstellar trade is raw materials. The exploration of space is driven in part by a search for essential raw or basic materials in the hopes that they can be found and made available at competitive prices, even after the cost of their transportation over interstellar distances. Raw materials include: Unprocessed ores (for radioactives, special isotopes, rare metals, gems, or special compounds). Processed ores (from which the basic contaminants have been removed). flaw organics (harvested plant or animal materials usable in various manufacturing processes). Waste materials suitable for recycling (industrial chemicals, used or unfashionable clothing, radioactive wastes, scrap, and obsolete equipment). Rare Materials: In contrast to raw materials, rare materials are processed on their sourceworld and then sold and shipped out. Rare materials include precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, gallium, lanthanum), radioactives (uranium, thorium, radium, or plutonium), crystals (diamonds, emeralds, rubies, semi-precious stones), materials with special characteristics (refined isotopes, special compounds such as heavy water, metallic hydrogen). Pharmaceuticals: Medicine for the treatment of all manner of illness or human disability is a prime candidate for interstellar trade. Some medicines may be produced in excess quantity and made available for export in order to help bring down the costs of overall production. Some medicines are best processed or manufactured close to the source of raw materials; the finished product is then exported to other worlds. Special pharmaceuticals are in special demand for their effects on healthy individuals: anagathics to increase the human lifespan, slow and fast drugs to affect the subjective flow of time, and various drugs which can counteract physical deterioration or help built stamina or muscle. Novelties: New products never before seen (or sometimes just never before -43-
marketed) are powerful commodities in the marketplace. Some products are unique: an exotic wood that adds interest as a decoration or flavor as when burned for cooking; an herb which provides a special flavoring; an iridescent feather which becomes fashionable for a limited time; a pebble that makes gentle noises when heated. Others are just cheaper: bright pebbles that respond to body heat; twisted metal puzzles that can be assembled more cheaply on a high population world where costs are lower; costume jewelry in alien styles. Some novelties may be fads: they fade from fashionability after a few weeks or months. Others become staples: society may produce customs which call for a specific novelty to be given as a gift of love, a token of respect or admiration, or perhaps as an obligatory room decoration. Consumables: A constant traffic in quality consumables can be expected. Consumables are ordinarily perceived as food and drink, but may also include aromatics, simple objects (such as flowers), or disposable clothing. Consumable foods may be fashionable gourmet goods (the equivalent of caviar), or common flavorings (the equivalent of a spice like paprika). Food can also be staples- basic life-sustaining food necessary on worlds where it cannot be produced economically. Consumable drinks may be flavored waters, alcoholic beverages, milks, nectars, syrups, decoctions such as teas, or exotic wines. Other drinks may include secretions or bodily fluids of of various animals or plants, the juices of fruits or vegetables, distillations of organic materials, and even artificially produced or mixed drinks. Exotic consumable drinks may be in demand because of their novel flavors, their real or imagined health benefits, or their gourmet status. High Technology Items: The value of higher levels of technology is undisputed. Such items cannot be produced economically locally, but they can be used, often at great advantages in efficiency or quality. Information: A perennial tradegood is information. Books, tapes, and software all enjoy a continuing market as individuals pursue educations and find a need for basic materials. Creative Works: The products of the artistic sense are always in demand as decoration and ornamentation for homes and businesses. Creative works include: Art (paintings, sculpture, holographies, photographs). Recordings (videos, audios, flat projections, movies, concerts, music). Raw Scientific Data: Scientific inquiry depends on data for its continued existence. Raw scientific data from established research stations, data collection stations, or laboratories is marketable to research and development departments of various corporations, and to research faculty at institutions of higher learning. Social scientists also need raw materials for their researches. Historians need accounts of historical events; sociologists need data on alien or alternate societies; psychologists need data on individuals. After a period of time, the information available on one world becomes picked over; social scientists begin to look to other worlds for new data. Imbalance Items: When the cost of producing a trade item is very low, then it can be shipped between the stars and sold at a market for less than it costs to produce locally. Worlds with low labor costs often produce goods that can be sold interstellar at a profit. -44-
Prototypes: When the inventive mind produces new ideas, they are translated into prototypes which can be shipped to other worlds, there to be translated by manufacturing processes into row after row of finished goods. It is possible that multiple prototypes may be produced which achieve the same result, but through different means. Thus, by using different approaches, a data recorder from one inventor could be especially accurate in higher wavelengths, while another could be better at lower wavelengths. Research and development companies might continue to purchase prototypes in hopes of finding ways of improving their own products. Invention prototypes on totally new principles are equally welcome because they may allow the introduction of new consumer goods or products. Units of Exchange: Sometimes shipments between worlds consist of money itself. Interstellar trade eventually produces an inequity in the balance of payments for specific worlds, and to bring the economy back into equilibrium, a physical exchange of money is required. Some worlds have their own currencies, and some of those are produced offplanet (perhaps at higher tech level worlds). Shipments of money for local use are thus periodically necessary. Not only governments create and administer money. Some corporations may also create money for use within their organizations, especially when local governments are unable to maintain stable currencies. Red Tape: Because there are interstellar governments, the products of their bureaucracy must be distributed through its area of authority. Red tape shipments include originals or reproducible masters of regulations, files of information about citizenry and companies, and reports. Much of the red tape shipped between worlds is not sold; it is transported as cargo to archives or to other offices of the bureaucracy. But some of the information can be purchased and then shipped to other worlds where it can be sold to businesses or organizations which can use it. For example, tax records might indicate likely customers for specific goods; reports might provide clues (after analysis) for prediction of future bureaucratic decisions. Uniques: Uniques are specific items which cannot be duplicated or imitated due to their specific nature. They may be antiques, objects of art, specimens of alien culture, memorabilia, souvenirs, archeological specimens, ancient artifacts, In one sense, all interstellar trade consists of traffic in uniques: no one would transport materials which could be procured locally for less money. Specially Processed Goods: Some goods are best processed under specific or unique conditions. Materials produced under hi-G, lo-G, or zero-G conditions may have better characteristics than those manufactured under less than optimum conditions; the increased costs are offset by the increased reliability and efficiency of the goods. World-Specific Goods: The very nature of some worlds and the challenges that those worlds make to their inhabitants create world specific goods— products created to meet specific situations. Water worlds may produce exceptionally good artificial gills; asteroid belts may make good prospecting equipment; desert worlds may make especially good food synthesis equipment; asteroid belts might be a source of asteroid prospecting equipment; fluid atmosphere worlds might produce especially good equipment to sample or exploit such fluid deposits. -45-
Cargo Manifest TAS Form 14, Cargo Manifest, is a basic merchantile form for recording trade goods bought and sold in the course of everyday operations. The TAS Form 14 provided in this book is intended for photocopying. Referees and players can make enough to handle their immediate needs; by making two copies and then combining them, one photocopy can provide two TAS Form 14's. Permission is granted to owners of this book to make photocopies of the TAS Form 14 for their personal, non-commercial use. This means that players and referees may make copies of the form, but may not resell them. BASIC FORM DATA The first six entries on the form detail basic facts and background. The information merely allows referees to identify the ship involved. 1. Date of Preparation: The date the form is first used is the date of preparation. 2. Ship Name: The name of the ship being used should be entered. 3. Registration Number: If the ship has been assigned a registration number, it should be entered here. A basic High Guard USP can be entered here instead if the ship was designed using High Guard rules. 4. Ship Type: A basic statement of ship type (free trader, etc.) should be made. 5. Cargo Tonnage: The maximum cargo hold tonnage should be entered. It is permissible to include unused cargo tonnage of small craft in total cargo tonnage. 6. Homeworld: The name and UPP of the homeworld or world of registry for the ship should be entered here. TRADE GOODS LIST The heart of the Cargo Manifest is the Trade Goods List. This list allows entries of goods bought for speculation and a record of sale. When trade goods are purchased using the trade and commerce system, the quantity of goods in tons should be entered. Under Trade Goods, the identity of the goods should be noted. This entry should show (in the following order) sourceworld starport type, sourceworld tech level, and sourceworld trade classifications. Under Purchase should be noted the price per ton of the goods purchased, and the identity of the sourceworld. The sourceworld can be identified by name, by subsector and hex number, by sector and hex number, or by homeworld UPP. When goods are sold, the price and identity of the marketworld should be noted. USING TAS FORM 14 The primary use of TAS Form 14 is as a running record of merchant activity. By careful attention to entries, the players can substantiate their profits (or a referee can substantiate their losses). Examination of one (or several) completed Cargo Manifests can provide valuable information about profitable and unprofitable trade relationships between worlds. -46-
TAS Form 14 Cargo Manifest CARGO MANIFEST 1. Date of Preparation 2. Ship Name 3. Registration No. 4. Ship Type 5. Cargo Tonnage 6. Homeworld CARGO LIST Cargo acquisition and disposition information for customs and accounting purposes 7. Trade Goods List Purchase Sale Quantity (in tons) Trade Goods Price World Price World
Book 8 Robots TRAVELLER Science-Fiction Adventure In the Far Future Game Designers' Workshop ®
Some of the material in this book originally appeared (in a more abbreviated form) in the Travellers' Digest, issue numbers 1 through 3. Travellers' Digest is a quarterly magazine chronicling the exploits (in Traveller adventure form) of a band of four Imperial citizens as they journey from Deneb sector to Terra and back, visiting along the way the fabled worlds of Vland, Capital, Terra, Kuzu, and more. Rules, discussion, and background for Traveller are also included. For more information, write: Travellers' Digest, 8979 Mandan Ct, Boise, ID 83709 CREDITS Design ........................................................................... Joe D. Fugate, Sr. Development ...................................................................Timothy B. Brown Art Direction ............................................................................ Barbie Pratt Interior Art ........................................................................... Steve Venters Robots TRAVELLER, Book 8 Copyright © 1986 by Game Designers' Workshop, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 This booklet is an additional volume in the rules to Traveller, GDW's science fiction role-playing game set in the far future. Traveller is GDW's registered trademark for its science fiction role-playing game materials. Game Designers' Workshop, Inc. P.O. Box 1646 Bloomington, IL 61702-1646
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... Robot Design System ......................................................................... Robot Generation and Encounter Tables ............................................... Required Materials ............................................................................. Die Rolling Conventions ...................................................................... ROBOTS IN FUTURE SOCIETY ............................................................... A History of Robots in Imperial Space ................................................... The Shudusham Concords .................................................................. Robots in the Third Imperium ............................................................ TYPES OF ROBOTS AND THEIR USES .................................................... ROBOTS OUTSIDE THE IMPERIUM ..................................................... ROBOT BUILDERS ................................................................................. THE ROBOT BRAIN ................................................................................ An Example of Synaptic Processing ...................................................... ROBOT CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................ Pre-construction Considerations ............................................................ Summary of Robot Design ................................................................... THE UNIVERSAL ROBOT PROFILE ........................................................... URP Codes ....................................................................................... ROBOT ENCOUNTERS ............................................................................ Random Encounters ........................................................................... Robots as Patrons ............................................................................... ROBOTS IN A TRAVELLER GAME ............................................................ New Character Skills ......................................................................... Robot Intelligence ............................................................................... Combat Situations Involving Robots ...................................................... ROBOTS AS CHARACTERS ................................................................. Robots as Non-Player Characters .......................................................... Robots as Player Characters ................................................................. Role Playing a Robot ........................................................................... ROBOT GENERATION ............................................................................. ROBOT DESIGN CHECKLIST ................................................................... ROBOT DESIGN FORM (EXAMPLE) .......................................................... ROBOT DESIGN FORM ....................................................................... ..4 ...4 ...4 ...4 ...4 ...5 ..6 ...6 ...7 ..9 .11 .16 18 20 22 22 22 38 38 41 41 43 44 44 45 45 49 49 49 50 51 53 54 55
Introduction As technology increases, more and more work can be done by machines, giving intelligent creatures cheaper goods and more leisure time. But machines reach their highest potential only when they are finally able to think for themselves, as well as move about and manipulate their environment. Robots are the machines with these capabilities. Traveller Book 8, Robots, enables referees and players to confidently integrate robots into Traveller campaigns. Articles about the role of robots in the Traveller universe, types and uses of robots, robot brains. Imperial and alien robot manufacturers, and how to play robots as player characters supplement a complete design system and a robot generation/encounter system, ROBOT DESIGN SYSTEM The robot design system in this book serves both referees and players. Referees can design robots in detail for their campaigns. Players can create player character robots for themselves. The robot design system is compatible with Striker, so miniatures campaigns can also include robots. ROBOT GENERATION AND ENCOUNTER TABLES Referees can not only design robots for specific purposes in an adventure, but by using the deluxe Robot Encounter Tables they can also instantly generate detailed robots for random encounters during a gaming session, REQUIRED MATERIALS Much of the material in Robots refers to rules and equipment found In Traveller. In addition to this book, the basic Traveller rules are essential, as are at least two six-sided dice, paper, and pencil. DIE ROLLING CONVENTIONS The same die rolling conventions used in previous volumes of Traveller are in force in Robots. To briefly recapitulate: Throw: That dice roll required to achieve a stated effect. If only a number is stated, it must be rolled exactly. A number followed by a plus (such as 7 + 1 indicates that number or greater must be rolled. Similarly, a number followed by a minus (such) as 3-) indicates that number or less must be rolled. Number of Dice: Generally, a dice throw requires two six-sided dice. Throws requiring more (or fewer) dice are clearly stated. For example, a throw calling for one die would be stated 1D. Die Modifiers: Die roll modifiers (abbreviated PM) are always preceded by either a plus or a minus. Thus, the notation DM + 3 indicates that three is added to the die roll before it is used. -4-
Robots in Future Society Most worlds of tech level 12 or greater use robots to augment or even replace biological beings in uncreative, menial, or hazardous tasks that require little intelligence. The technological challenge is to build a cheap, reliable robot able to completely replace a being with intelligence. Relatively mindless robotic machines and appliances appear about tech level 8, and reliable speech recognition occurs at tech level 10. The reliability of primitive (non-creative) artificial intelligence often follows at tech 11, making the way for widespread introduction of primitive artificially intelligent robots at tech 12. One factor of overriding concern governs all robots in the Imperium: economics. Robots are possible at lower tech levels, but they are not generally practical until tech level 12. (A few industrial, high-population worlds have expensive yet primitive robots as low as tech level 10.) At the higher tech levels, robots are a cheap and reliable alternative to human labor, particularly in dull or dangerous jobs. Consider the typical tech 15 starport. Ships arrive and depart sporadically around the clock, so staff levels must be kept high enough to service any vessel at anytime, even though there may be long intervals during which no ships need to be loaded or unloaded. Robots are an efficient solution to this problem. A standard cargo robot costs 75000Cr, and can be financed over 40 years for 4500Cr per year. If maintained regularly (at an additional cost of 750Cr per year), the robot should last as long as 85 years. Obviously, using robots in this situation can cut costs significantly. Pseudo-biological robots are rare in the Third Imperium. Tech level 15 is the first tech level at which a convincing pseudo-biological robot can be constructed. The majority of the worlds in the Imperium are below tech 15 in local manufacturing capability. Besides this, pseudo-biological robots are not particularly cost effective in design (the experimental robot described later would cost 12 million credits to construct). Pseudo-bio robots also tend to be more fragile and less reliable than traditional robots. Another reason that pseudo-biological robots have been slow to catch on is the bias some sophonts have against them. Many people, even from high-tech worlds, are unsure of how to react to a human that turns out to be a machine. Some hurnanpopulated worlds harbor a general anti-robotic bias, even though robots are technologically feasible there. On such worlds, items advertised as "Human-Made" often bring a premium price. A famous example of this philosophy is the popular quasi-religious Society for the Sovereignty of Man over Machine (SSMM) in the Solomani Confederation. For these reasons, few researchers spend their time trying to re-invent man in machine form. Much more energy is spent on related pursuits that obviously help humaniti, such as prosthetics. -5-
A HISTORY OF ROBOTS IN IMPERIAL SPACE The age of modern robots was thrust upon the First Imperium by the events of the First Interstellar War. In -2389, the Terran Confederation Navy commissioned a line of mass-produced tech level 12 robots as support staff for military personnel. These were not warbots as we know them today. A few of the robots were expert medical robots or served as administrative support, but most were heavyduty, hard-working construction robots, used to build temporary installations for advanced bases. Beginning in -2204, the ambitious Solomani carried their higher technology with them as they established the Rule of Man over the dominions of the defeated Vilani Empire. The Vilani, still at tech level 11, had not yet developed true robots. Less than two hundred years later, Naasirka introduced the first line of robots for private, non-military use. Dubbed "Rashush", these housekeeping and valet robots spread rapidly, thanks to a powerful, high-prestige advertising campaign. Although expensive, ownership of these useful robots was within the reach of many rich citizens of the Second Imperium. The Rashush line is still marketed today. At the time, the future of robots and robotic appliances looked promising. But in -1776, the Rule of Man crumbled, and the Long Night began. During these seventeen centuries of regression and decay, interstellar communication and trade slowed to a standstill. Progress in robotic science screeched to a halt as many worlds dropped to lower tech levels. In - 650, the Sylean Federation began to reestablish trade between certain worlds. As the Federation grew, technology saw a rebirth, and robots became practical again. In -143, Dover-Gabe, a Sylean manufacturing and mining concern, was awarded a large contract for courier robots. These robots provided an efficient and secure means of transporting secret military communications from place to place. No one at the time realized the critical historic effect one of these devices would play in the future of robots. THE SHUDUSHAM CONCORDS A tragic attack against the Sylean Federation, which occurred in -112 in Core sector, helped shape the Third Imperium's current attitudes about robots. A terrorist group rigged one of the Dover-Gabe courier robots to self-destruct, and managed to sneak it aboard a 90,000-ton Sylean battleship. The Empire's Banner was on a goodwill mission in orbit around the world Fornol (Core 1715) when the robot's hydrogen/oxygen fuel-cell exploded. Fornol's premier, two ambassadors, and the Sylean vice-minister were killed, along with a host of ship's officers and crewmen. The repercussions from this event were so far reaching that the Sylean Federation was nearly thrown into a civil war. This disaster prompted twelve worlds of the Sylean Federation to meet on the neutral world of Shudusham to draft an agreement dealing with the issue of weaponry carried by robots. After much deliberation, all twelve worlds finally signed the completed Shudusham Concords in -110. A hardcopy is on display in the Museum of Sylean History on Capital. The Concords have no legal force in the Third Imperium, but they have served as a model for many high-tech worlds' documents governing the manufacture and use of robots. -6-
The Concords contain seven articles: Article 1: Gives a general explanation of the document, overall guidelines for robot construction, locations and occasions for robot use, and the rights of robot owners. The robot's owner is responsible for all actions the robot may perform, whether direct or indirect. Reliability is thus identified as a key issue, as is motivation for a robot equipped with a weapon or used as a weapon. Article 2: Describes detailed programming guidelines for general functions. Article 3: Covers detailed manufacturing standards to insure reliability and provide for the safety of owners and the general public. Article 4: Gives guidelines for when and where weapons are allowed or prohibited. Article 5: Describes specific programming logic for weapon control and usage. Most strongly worded of all the articles. Article 6: Describes detailed manufacturing standards to insure weapon reliability, when weapon installation is allowed. Article 7: Provides for a new agency whose sole responsibility is to enforce the articles of the Concords. Forty-three amendments were added over the active life of the Concords, dealing with technological changes, minor logic enhancements, and additional enforcement procedures. The 37th amendment is well-known; it states that no pseudobiological robot may attempt to pass itself off as a living being. The Shudusham Concords proved to be effective. An entire interstellar industry grew out of the need for sensory devices to aid in enforcement of the Concords on the original twelve member worlds and later signatories. The Concords lost their legal force when Cleon declared himself emperor of the Third Imperium in Year 0, Many worlds still use parts of the pre-lmperial Shudusham Concords as a model for their own laws to keep abuses with robots in check. Most worlds declare an owner to be responsible for the actions of his robot, even if the owner did not directly order the action. For example, if an owner orders his robot to protect his home, and in so doing the robot kills someone approaching the home, the owner can be charged with accidental murder. ROBOTS IN THE THIRD IMPERIUM In 298, Makhidkarun marketed the first line of robots with tech level 13 brains. These robots, using "high autonomous" software, were more intelligent than earlier robots, so they could be operated by ordinary individuals without special skills or training. By making robots usable by every citizen, Makhidkarun revolutionized the popularity of robots within the Third Imperium. About one hundred years later, in 404, a group of roboticists met at Shudusham to share their latest technological breakthroughs. Shudusham was chosen as the site because of its historical significance and central location. The conference was a success; so much so, in fact, that the Shudusham Robotics Conference has continued to meet every ten years. Roboticists, manufacturers, heavy robot users, journalists, and other interested parties are drawn from all over explored space to attend a portion of the one-year conference, Makhidkarun announced another breakthrough in 711: roboticists working in cooperation with the Imperial Navy Research Lab produced a reliable robot brain with twenty-five percent synaptic processing. Robots with more synaptic units are more intelligent, so these machines were capable of more powerful programming -7-
Expect robots with higher skill levels appeared more often in the marketplace. A few years ago, SURD received the Shudusham Conference Medal of Merit for the first convincing "human" pseudo-biological robot. The robot, nicknamed Telku, was the main attraction of the meeting. Pseudo-bios are not mass-produced yet by any Imperial manufacturer, but technology has reached the stage at which such robots can fool real humans. -8-
A wide variety of configurations of robots can be found in explored space. Below is a sampling of robot types; this list is not meant to be comprehensive. Certain types do not occur in certain cultures, of course, but all of those discussed here occur in more than one race. Pseudo-biological Robots: In fact, pseudo-bios are the least common configuration of robot, because of their high cost, but they continue to be the dream of scientists and technicians, particularly among some of the human races. A pseudobiological robot is designed to mimic a member of its race in every apparent feature. The perfect pseudo-bio would be externally indistinguishable from the actual sophont it represents. At tech level 15, a pseudo-bio robot can pass as a member of its race in a casual encounter. Pseudo-biological robots of lower tech levels are not as convincing. Warbots: Warbots are the tactician's dream: an intelligent, effective battlefield force that follows orders, has no fear, and costs no friendly lives if it is overcome by the enemy. For the most part, this degree of perfection in warbots is still an elusive dream, but warbots are used by several cultures (particularly the Zhodani and Hivers) with varying amounts of success. Most warbots can be classified as local protection warbots, tactical warbots, or drone warbots. On a few worlds, warbots handle all local protection duties, protecting the populace from crime, or even fending off incursions by other governments on balkanized worlds. Local protection robots do not need weapons or armor as powerful and protective as other warbot configurations. But local protection robots do need a fair amount of brains, depending, of course, on the degree of sophont intervention in their operation. Tactical warbots need good brains and armor, and some access to weapons, whether self-mounted or driven through slave robots by means of a communication link. Because of the expense and unreliability of battlefield expert systems, tactical warbots are practical only at higher tech levels. Drone warbots have good armor and weapons, but little independent computational power. These warbots are guided by master units or sophonts at the scene using remote control. Dumbots: Dumbots are the most common type of robot used anywhere. These robots are built for a special purpose, with a single application program of skill level 1 to 3. The dumbot's intelligence is commonly 4 or less, which limits it when it is asked to perform a task unrelated to its programmed skill. Typical dumbots can be found in almost every high-tech assembly line, performing tasks which are too dangerous or too tedious for sophonts to safely or efficiently perform. Some of these dumbots, especially at tower tech levels, barely qualify for the appellation of "robot". Couriers: Courier robots are specially configured to perform communications tasks. Some of these robots physically deliver messages to their recipients; others collect messages, then travel to a safe place from which the messages can be transmitted -9- Types of Robots and Their Uses
by conventional means. Many courier robots are armored; some are also armed. A few are designed to self-destruct if tampered with. Recently, the Imperium has started to experiment with combination courier-pilot robots as xboat pilots, but this is not common knowledge. Administration Robots: By tech level 7, some societies begin to experiment with crude optical character recognition (OCR) devices, which can be used to enter printed or written data directly into a computer. At higher tech levels, admin robots are the ultimate in OCR technology. Bureaucratic robots, specializing in clerical tasks, can be found in millions of offices in explored space, handling data entry and light office duties at a cost much less than using living help. A few admin robots have some expert programming, so they are able to function as higher-level civil servants. Expert Robots: These robots are basically computers programmed to function as "expert" systems, with the addition of sophisticated peripherals to achieve the desired results. Expert robots are often used to replace expensive sentient professionals, particularly in the medical field. These robots are sometimes found in a contoured or pseudo-biological configuration. An expert robot has a skill level of 4 in its primary ability. Servant: In the Imperium, servant robots are popular on very high tech worlds. For example, Naasirka retails a standard model tech level 15 servant robot with an intelligence of 5 and education of 1 for Cr77,500, The robot has a humanoid contoured chassis, understands basic commands, and has the equivalent of Steward-1, Valet-1, Vehicle-1, and Emotion Simulation. Over three-quarters of the cost is for brain and software. This cost is admittedly high, but consider that such an appliance has a useful life of 85 years at tech level 15. Purchasing such a robot using a 40 year loan and paying for regular maintenance works out to about Cr10 per day. Once the robot is paid off, maintenance costs about Cr1 per day. Non-mobile Robots: In the strictest sense of the term, these devices are not truly robots, because they cannot move from place to place. But by restricting the mobility of a robot, designing it as a room or series of rooms, a tremendous amount of space is available for power plant, brain, and peripheral devices. Such a robot can be particularly effective for tasks such as medical and surgical functions. One large nonmobile robot "hospital" admits patients at one door, ferries them from room to room while examining, diagnosing, and treating illnesses, and then discharges the treated patients through a door at the other end of the building, Research & Development Robots: This special category of robots (such as the pseudo-biological AB-101) allows many features not commonly found, with certain components actually performing at the next higher tech level. In terms of cost, these robots are the most expensive, because they are "hand-made" one at a time. Master-Slave Worker Robots: This robot configuration is particularly efficient in its use of computer power. The "master" robot has most of the brains, and may be non-mobile. The master robot also contains some type of communication linkup to the "slave" worker robots, which have only a minimum amount of dedicated computational power themselves, but contain efficient movement and other peripheral devices. By definition, the master-slave configuration needs at least one master and at least two slave robots. -10-
Beyond the borders of the Imperium, the other technological races also create their own styles of robots. These are modeled after the physical and psychological nature of their masters, and are quite different from their Imperial counterparts. Use the following as a guide to refereeing robots within these other cultures. Robots In the Zhodani Consulate: The Zhodani use robots more than any other major race in explored space, but their reliance on psionics has hindered the development of high-intelligence robots. By "flicking" electronic switches psionically, it is a simple task for any noble to give instructions to a robot. Because of this, Zhodani robots do not need high intelligence, and Zhodani research into artificial intelligence is slow. Zhodani robots deal only with things, rather than with Zhodani; this again is a result of the efficiency of psionics in dealing with humans. The Zhodani nobles do not allow much independence to robots, because they cannot be controlled as easily as citizens can using psionics. TL: 14, some 15. Highest tech level robots are warbots. Intelligence: Low. Warbots: Sophisticated semi-independent robots armed with powerful weapons participate in every Zhodani military action. Additional information on Zhodani warbots can be found later in this book and in Alien Module 4, Zhodani. Experts: None. Pseudo-biological Robots: None. Psionic: Zhodani robots can be commanded by "flicking", but otherwise cannot actively respond to psionic activity. Starting at TL14, trained Zhodani nobles can enter data into a computer by flicking, at a psionic point cost of 1 point per hour plus range. All Zhodani devices that can respond to flicking are illegal in the Imperium. Master-Slave Robots: Not used, except in the special (and common) case of a Zhodani "master" flicking a robot "slave". Quality: Good. Price: Average. Robots in the Aslan Hierate: The Aslan culture precludes any use of robots to perform male tasks; some robots are used for female tasks. TL: 14. Intelligence: Average. Warbots: Aslan prefer warbot dumbots, which are totally remote-controlled, with no brains at all. These warbots are used only when the other side also has such devices, so that the fight is fair and honorable. The Aslan do not use warbots against "defenseless" Aslan. Experts: For their tech level, the quality of Aslan expert robots is second only to that of Hiver robots. Unarmed medical robots are common in dangerous battle situations. Pseudo-biological Robots: At the Aslan tech level, some early experimental pseudobios are just starting to appear. Such robot designs are generally built by female -11- Robots outside the Imperium
researchers and are used in female-oriented applications. Psionic: None. Master-Slave Robots: Most races use master-slave configurations to save on the cost of robot brains, but the Aslan use this technique less than other races do. Quality: Average. Price: Average. Robots in the Vargr Extents: To a Vargr, it is better to boss around another Vargr than to boss around a robot, other considerations being equal. A chaotic variety of configurations and tech levels is found, including inconsistent tech-level mixes among the components in a single robot. Vargr robots can be found occupied as factory and heavy construction workers, in space and hazardous atmosphere operations (with no vacc suit required), as ship's boat pilots, air/raft pilots, and ATV drivers. TL: 13. Intelligence: Average. Vargr robots capable of understanding full commands are very expensive. Warbots: Vargr do not use armed robots: such a use of robots would portray a great weakness of character. Experts: Vargr make some use of expert robots, but their development is still at a primitive level. The Vargr charisma precludes any public use of these robots to make decisions. Pseudo-biological Robots: Vargr do not construct pseudo-biological robots, Psionic: None. Master-Slave Robots: Few, Quality: Vargr robots are generally not well cared for, and often wear out prematurely. When this happens "twine and baling wire" are used more often than the proper maintenance, Vargr robots seldom use electronic circuit protection. Price: High, considering what the buyer gets. Robots in the Two Thousand Worlds: The K'kree use robots only for menial tasks rather than as decision makers. TL: 13. Intelligence: Low. K'kree robots must be instructed with limited basic commands. Warbots: K'kree do not use armed robots per se, but they do have some sophisticated remote-control weapon systems. They have a general distrust against allowing any non-K'kree to control weapons. Experts: K'kree make all important decisions themselves; they do not use expert robots. Pseudo-biologicalRobots: The large size of the K'kree would make their pseudobiological robots easier to make, but K'kree show little interest in creating robots that look like K'kree. Psionic: None. Master-Slave Robots: Most robot systems in K'kree space reflect the herd structure of K'kree society. It is common for robots to function in groups, under a hierarchy of more intelligent directors. Many slave robots are miniaturized, built to perform tasks that would be too confining to the claustrophobic K'kree. Quality: Average. -12-
Price: Average. Robots in the Hive Federation: The Hivers build some of the finest robots in explored space. Hiver robots, like robots of other races, reflect certain societal traits, but Hiver robots are also designed to appeal to a growing export market. Hivers use robots themselves for a wide variety of applications, including designing and building large underground cities, Hivers do not use robots to clean their dwellings, but instead use the non-intelligent burrowing animals with which they live, Hiver robots often use a modified tentacle-like leg design for propulsion and as manipulative members. Hiver robots have the best sense of touch and dexterity of any robots in explored space. They also have excellent speech recognition and voder systems, despite the fact that Hivers are mute. Hiver translator robots are popular with merchants, both Hiver and human. TL: 15, with some16. Hiver robot brains are always TL 16. Intelligence: High. Hiver robots are sophisticated and robust, able to "handle themselves" in a variety of environments. Warbots: Hivers do not like close combat, and their excellent warbots have relieved them from this unpleasant duty. Some Hiver armies have consisted entirely of warbots, with no living members. Hiver warbots are of such quality that their import into the Imperium is illegal. Experts: The high intelligence of Hiver robots is reflected in the wide variety of expert robots they build and construct. Hiver robots diagnose and treat illnesses, advise on legal matters, negotiate treaty terms with member races, and perform many other tasks which would require years of training for a living creature. Pseudo-biological Robots: Hivers do not construct Hiver pseudo-biological robots, but robots contoured as humans are popular trade items. True pseudo-biological robots are too expensive to be practical as a mass-market item. Psionic: None. Master-Slave Robots: Hivers are experts at communications, and master-slave configurations are common, reliable, and powerful. Quality: Excellent. Hiver robots are reliable over long periods of use. Hiver robots are superior to Imperial robots, generally massing only 80% of the Imperial equivalent. Price: Premium robots at a premium price. In Hive space, robots can be purchased at a price of only 60% of what the equivalent robot produced in Imperial space would cost. Every sector of distance from the Hive Federation adds 20% to this multiplier; thus, a Hive robot purchased at Terra (two sectors away) would cost 100% of the robot's standard price. A Hive robot at Capital (five sectors away) would cost 160% of the standard price. In the Spinward Marches (ten sectors away). Hive robots cost 260% of the standard price, if they are even available. Robots in the Solomani Confederation: The most diverse use of robots is found in the Solomani Confederation; the original humans and their descendants have a love-hate relationship with robots. On some worlds, robots perform every task of which they are capable. On other worlds, robots are outlawed. Several organizations and "religions" have promulgated various views on the proper place of robots. Perhaps the best known among these (although not the largest, by any means) is the Society for the Sovereignty of Man over Machine (SSMM) headquartered at -13-
Thetls/Kukulkan. Solomani grav technology is often poor for its tech level, and in some locations may lag one or even two tech levels behind other technology. Because of this, Solomani grav modules use 30% more power and only produce 80% as much thrust as normal. Solomani robots use grav locomotion less than any of the other major races. Solomani have many conflicting viewpoints on the proper extent of robot independence. TL: 14. Intelligence: High for their tech level, but lower than typical Imperial robot intelligence. Warbots: Solomani seldom use warbots. Experts: Like the Hivers at their borders, many Solomani exploit the high intelligence of their robots to produce expert machines. Solomani robots are not as advanced as those of the Hivers, but their expert robots do perform many of the same tasks. Pseudo-biological Robots: The tech level of Solomani robots is not high enough to make pseudo-biological robots practical. Some initial progress toward pseudobios has been made. Psionic: None. Master-Slave Robots: Some master-slave configurations are found, especially in mass-production manufacturing systems. Quality: The quality of Solomani robots fluctuates from world to world. A few high-tech facilities are known for their robot's quality; other robots ore little better than most Vargr robots. Price: The price range of Solomani robots is also quite variable. Some worlds with low import and export duties have excellent bargains. Robots In Droyne (and the Ancients') Society: There are no modern Droyne robots, but Ancient robots were astonishing in their complexity and abilities. This section refers only to Ancient robots. The Ancients had the most diverse configurations of robots, ranging from ultraminiaturized robots to a few that were the size of small planets. The Ancients can also claim the most diverse use of robots, ranging from menial tasks to the origination (the robot actually came up with the idea) and full supervision of some research projects. Some Ancient "societies" did not use robots at all, while others used them exclusively (no work done by living creatures). Additional information on Ancient robots can be found in Secret of the Ancients and Alien Module 5, Droyne. TL: 17 + . Intelligence: Superior. Ancient robots had true artificial intelligence, and were capable of independent creative thought. Warbots: Ancient warbots were an awesome fighting force that had no equal anywhere in explored space. Experts: At the height of Ancient civilization, vast research missions were conceived of and carried out entirely by robots. Pseudo-biological Robots: The Ancients not only constructed pseudo-biological -14-
robots, which cleverly mimicked the appearance of some species (Including themselves, humans, and Vargr), but also constructed self-healing, self-reproducing robots capable of growth. These "biological" robots were not necessarily patterned after any known race. Psionic: Some Ancient robots were truly psionic in every sense of the word, able to read minds, teleport, and use other psionic abilities. Master-Slave Robots: Ancient robot configurations were as sophisticated as other Ancient endeavors. Quality: Superior. Price: Ancient robots are no longer available in explored space. No functioning Ancient robots are known to have survived the Final War. Robots Among Other Races: The Ahetaowa (on Ealiyasivw 2604 ) is a race of intelligent animated plants. Members of the race are immobile, but they have evolved simple manipulative members. The world's jungle environment kept individual plants close enough to each other that they could cooperate with these single "limbs". Over time, the plants developed a technology; now at tech level 12, they have developed simple robots that can carry out tasks such as exploring and transplanting. There are occasional planets in explored space on which robots are worshipped. Among these is Juess (Spica 0917). After a disastrous internecine struggle for power, when the world suffered from a balkanized government, knowledge of the advanced technologies of the inhabitants was lost. Since Juess is a desert world, the remaining robots were revered as "Providers" and "Life-givers". They are carefully tended by a priestly class which has no real understanding of the technology driving the robots. On the occasions when one of these robots ceases to function, the "death" of the god is mourned, and citizens may be offered as sacrifices to appease the other gods, A sudden plague on Sabmiqys (Antares 2117) wiped out its sentient Inhabitants. The world is now inhabited by a "race" of tech-level 17 self-repairing robots, which have produced an interesting body of literature. The Scout Service has interdicted this world; no other world in the Imperium has such a high tech level (this level is not the current manufacturing level, but the level of the existing technological artifacts). -16-
Robot Builders Many corporations, Imperial and otherwise, are reknowned for their construction of robots and robot components. The major robot manufacturers are listed below, organized according to race. Aslan Tlektaowa: Headquartered on Kusyu, Tlektaowa was originally designated as the "official" robot builder for the 29 ruling clans. The old firm received this plum as a political appointment for services rendered during the Aslan Border Wars. The position does not reflect any particular technical prowess. Droyne None. Hiver Star Patterns Trading: Robots carrying the Star Patterns trademark command a premium price in the Imperium, which is why counterfeit models are so often encountered. Particularly near Vargr space, let the buyer beware. Six Eyes Nest: Warbots produced at Six Eyes installations are deadly. Import of these warbots into the Imperium is a high justice crime. Imperium Several of the Imperium's corporations and megacorporations produce robots. Naasirka: Naasirka is the largest manufacturer of robots in the Imperium. Naasirka's robots rarely use innovative technology, but their aggressive marketing staff has placed more robots than either Makhidkarun or LSP, Naasirka's two largest competitors. Makhidkarun: This old Vilani corporation is not the largest manufacturer of robots, but it is the most innovative. The company's research staff is responsible for many of the Imperium's significant breakthroughs in synaptic processing. Ling Standard Products (LSP): Ling Standard Products' expert med-robots are used in a variety of medical applications throughout the Imperium. Other prominent manufacturers include: SURD: One,of the principal robot manufacturers in Core sector Is SURD, the Shinku University Research Directorate. SURD was founded about four hundred years ago by a group of academic roboticists who agreed to pool their patents together, to make robots and to make money at the same time. Today, the marketing and fiscal management are left in the hands of corporate officers trained in business matters. No research is actually conducted by SURD itself. Many university robotics departments, however, are patron members of SURD, which provides generous research grants in exchange for the right to commercially exploit useful discoveries. Spinward Specialties: In the past two centuries a number of firms have sprung -16-
up In Deneb and the Spinward Marches. Spinward Specialties, only six years old, is one of the newest. It specializes in contoured chassis courier robots, unarmed but heavily armored against attack. K'kree Kllkoog'x': Located in the Raakaan subsector, Kllkoog'x' is a group of eight K'kree families, cooperating to manufacture a popular line of cleaning robots. Solomani Panstellar: Specializing in high technology, Panstellar sells expert robots capable of designing and safely erecting a building in any environment. Panstellar, founded on old Terra, also markets spaceships throughout the Solomani Rim. Vargr Eksaekfoer: Eksaekfoer sells robots under a variety of different brand names, including those of several competing Vargr firms, and occasionally even Ling Standard Products and Star Patterns Trading. These shoddy counterfeits are not worth their freight charges. Ungzoenogzkha: This corsair band, headquartered in Meshan sector, has recently diversified its product line to include bargain-priced heavy construction robots. The low price and high quality of these robots is easy to explain: they are stolen. Zhodani Manufacture of robots above TL 13 is tightly monitored, and new consular licenses are hard to come by. Warbots are made by a number of different contractors. Among the most important are: Chiadle, IAD, and Tliazhashal. Tliazhashai is the largest Zhodani defense contractor, and is also the largest provider of equipment and civilian personnel for the Zhodani Core Expeditions. -17-
The Robot Brain It is impossible to discuss robots without also discussing the computer hardware and software that make the robot brain and artificial intelligence (Al) possible. As technology advances, the breakthroughs that finally make robots an economic reality can be seen, Tech Level 4: Primitive "computational machines" first appear. These crude devices can perform arithmetic calculations and simple sorting operations by mechanical means. From these early devices, the idea of instructing a machine to follow a given course of action, or "programming", is born. Tech Level 5: Slow and bulky mechanical calculating engines give way to slow and bulky electric calculating engines. The machines are still used strictly for numerical processing, with no real idea of symbolic manipulation until late in TL 5. Tech Level 6: The advent of electronics makes a new generation of computers possible. Miniaturization and reduced cost make computers more common, and result in a mushrooming of their applications, "High-level" programming languages make symbolic (i.e., non-numeric) manipulation easy, and give birth to the dream of a practical artificial intelligence. Tech Level 7: Computers that once filled entire rooms are reduced to desktop size, thanks to electronic miniaturization. Processing speeds and offline data storage capacity increases. Research in artificial intelligence produces the first computers that can consistently beat sophonts in complicated games. Some primitive language translators appear, and expert systems in law, medicine, geology, and other professions pique the public interest. While some great strides have been made in AI research, it is conceded that truly inductive, self-learning, self-aware machine artificial intelligence is still but a dream. Tech Level 8: Prior to this tech level, most commercially available computers execute one instruction on one data item at one time. At TL 8, however, "massively parallel" computer architectures become common. Processing power leaps as computers are able to perform hundreds, or even thousands, of operations simultaneously. The benefits to language understanding, expert systems, visual recognition systems, and other aspects of artificial intelligence are immediate, as machines can finally consider hundreds of facts at once to make their decisions. TL 8 data storage capacity increases by an order of magnitude with the introduction of optical storage devices. Also at TL 8, computers in most societies reach the "low data" stage—i.e., they are capable of storing a variety of data using a variety of means. But computers are still rather rudimentary appliances, severely limited by the capabilities of their hardware and software. "Low data" computers cannot learn by themselves, Tech Level 9: Non-volatile computer memories become common, so that no power supply is needed to preserve data when the computer is shut off. Computers can now be stored powerless for years, and yet pick up where they left off as soon as power is resumed. Using new software techniques, along with increased use of parallel processing, -18-
advanced AI research computers at TL 9 reach the "high data" stage, Such computers are programmed so they can "learn" to some degree from their mistakes, as well as from their successes. Thus, by programming the computer with a basic knowledge of a particular skill, it can improve its knowledge of that skill through "experience" over time. Computers at this tech level can also be programmed to understand limited basic commands when given vocally. These consist of one-word commands from a vocabulary of a few hundred words. No pre-training is required, but careful enunciation is necessary. Speech synthesizers are perfected at this tech level, "High" data computers remain largely in the realm of AI research, since they are outrageously expensive and subject to strange "quirks". Tech Level 10: Voice transcription devices become widespread, allowing computers to produce written text directly from spoken words. The "domain of discourse" is carefully circumscribed, so lawyers must buy different modules than doctors use, and doctors must use different modules than businessmen. The use of voders (speech synthesizers) to produce "spoken" computer output becomes common in most societies at this tech level. While the transcribers at TL 10 do not need to "understand" what is being said (they can be made less expensively if they do not understand), computers at this level can be made to understand and respond to basic commands, consisting of simple sentences. Serious AI experiments with synaptic processing begin, Tech Level 11: Primitive experiments in synaptic processing at TL 10 lead to its limited commercial use at TL 11. Prior to this tech level, computers are strictly deterministic; that is, given a certain set of data as input, a computer will always produce the same output. Synaptic processing, an attempt to model computer operation after sophont brains, is found to introduce a measure of non-determinism into the computer CPU. The synaptic processors at this level are bulky, slow, unreliable, and expensive, but they do have advantages over traditional deterministic processors for certain artificial intelligence applications. Configuring the computer to use a deterministic master coupled with a small percentage of synaptic enhancement, pattern recognition and language understanding systems can be made faster and more robust. A purely synaptic computer is not functional at all, because of the unreliability caused by the overloaded synaptic circuits. A large percentage of traditional deterministic processors in the machine can be used to reduce the number of false matches picked up by the minute synaptic percentage. Tech Level 12: More reliable synaptic processors allow true self-programming (heuristic or self-teaching) AI software to be developed, but cost and size continue to be limiting factors. "Low autonomous" computer brains appear, making possible the first self-actuating, learning machine with a reasonable intelligence. At TL 12 then, the self-mobile computer brain with developed manipulative appendages (i.e., a robot) finally becomes an economic and commercial reality. Computers at TL 12 can be made to understand virtually any spoken command, including complex sentences spoken by someone with an accent or speech impediment. Tech Level 13: The first "high autonomous" software appears. At last, robot brains possess a crude form of artificial intelligence: these machines are not only self-actuating and self-teaching, but they are able to make better use of these -19-
capabilities with their moderate intelligence. Holographic crystal data storage, first widely available at TL 13, increases the capacity of computer memory banks by another factor of 10 over optical storage. Processing rates also continue to increase with each tech level, keeping pace with the growing storage capacity. Both "low autonomous" and "high autonomous" software require the use of synaptic processors, as well as heavy parallelism. Tech Level 14: Sophonts take matters into their own hands, or rather into their own brains. Experiments with lesser animals make a direct implant possible, allowing a computer to exchange massive amounts of data at microsecond rates with a living brain. Initial use of such devices is typically restricted to correcting certain neurological disorders, rather than to enhance intelligence. Linear CPU "clock speeds" reach their upper electronic limits at tech level 14. The only way to make computers faster now is to increase the degree of parallelism or to increase the use of synaptic processing, which is becoming more reliable with each increase in tech level. While robot brains can now include up to 25% synaptic processing, the most reliable traditional computers (such as starship computers) still rely on deterministic massively parallel processing. Tech Level 15: Computers become "alive", thanks to sophisticated programming and remarkable visual imaging devices. "Pseudo-reality" machines can artificially produce the illusion of existence of whatever they are programmed to produce, with the help of holographic (3-D) displays. For example, the personality of a dead individual can be programmed into a computer, allowing one to "converse" with the dead individual (via the computer) as if that individual were still alive. Above the Imperium's highest tech level: Tech Level 16: Computers become still faster, cheaper, smaller, and more reliable, in no small part, thanks to the increased capabilities of synaptic processing. Reliable synaptic processing crosses the 50% boundary and makes "low artificial intelligence" software a reality. True creativity and unprogrammed inspiration spring from these fantastic machines. Tech Level 17: Computers with synaptic "brains" can program themselves through their hardware, with no outside software influence. It is literally possible to setup one of these computers, with the proper sensory peripherals and an almost empty memory bank, and after a few years of "eavesdropping" it can understand simple commands. Computers at this level are "self-aware". Tech 17 computers are possessed of exceptional intelligence, guided by what is, in every sense of the word, an artificial mind. This "high artificial intelligence" programming, as well as the earlier "low artificial intelligence" programming, is possible only by using massively synaptic processors. AN EXAMPLE OF SYNAPTIC PROCESSING One way to understand the distinction between earlier deterministic processing and the more advanced synaptic processing is to see the difference between deductive and inductive learning. Consider, for example, two Vilani gentlemen who wish to learn Gvegh, the most common Vargr language, Mr. D, the deductive learner, purchases a holo book of Gvegh grammar, or perhaps he attends classes at a local school. He spends much -20-
of his spare time scrutinizing charts and tables, carefully memorizing the intricacies of Gvegh grammar and vocabulary. Mr. I, on the other hand, chooses the inductive approach. He travels to Lair and spends all of his time among speakers of Gvegh. Eventually, the goings-on around him start to sink in, and little by little, he learns the language. This method is quite natural: it is the method used by all Gvegh pups, and, in fact, it is the very method by which Mr. I learned Vilani as he grew up. The inductive and deductive methods both reach the same goal: a knowledge of Gvegh, The deductive method is faster, but more difficult. The inductive method takes longer, but is a more natural method of learning and requires no "studying". Relating these two techniques to computer hardware and software, the early deterministic machines were strictly deductive. These devices were programmed with certain information, and by following a fixed series of steps, the computers could manipulate their input to produce a desired output. Synaptic hardware, modeled after sophont brain processes, is non-deterministic, and operates by a method more akin to inductive learning. There is not so much a fixed series of steps, as there is a general pattern to compare to. Input is taken in by sensors and other devices, and by comparing these data sets to patterns already known, the computer can reach its conclusions with (preferably) a high degree of certainty. Because of the way this process works, some matches will be "false" or incorrect: the computer will mistakenly think that two dissimilar things are related. At lower tech levels, the inherent unreliability of synaptic processors is so great that a large degree of linear or parallel processing is needed to "check" the results of the synaptic processing. At higher tech levels, synaptics are better able to stand on their own. As a synaptic processor makes more decisions, it inductively "learns" and revises the patterns to which it compares the outside world. -21-
Robot Construction Travellers can find a wide variety of robots throughout known space. Not only does each alien race use a different philosophy of design for robots, but within any single race one encounters many different sizes, configurations, and purposes of robots. The design rules as given here are primarily for robots in the Imperium. The needed modifications for the other major races can be determined from the section at the end of this chapter Non-Imperial Robots. The design tables use kilowatts as the unit of power, and liters as the unit of volume. To convert to Striker units 1 megawatt = 1000 kilowatts 1 meter3 = 1000 liters PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS Before designing a robot, certain items must be considered. What is the tech level of the robot? What is its purpose? Is there a price limit? Are there specific attributes that must be incorporated into the robot design? (Also see the chapter Robots as Characters.) SUMMARY OF ROBOT DESIGN The robot design process consists of several steps, beginning with the choice of a bare chassis and ending with the selection of program software and brain. A robot's components consist of: 1. Chassis (attributes of size, configuration, and armor) 2. Power plant (choose from fuel cell, fusion, or batteries) 3. Method of locomotion (choose grav, air cushion, legs, tracks, or wheels) 4. Appendages (choose head(s), arms, tentacles) 5. Equipment to install (sensors, devices, weapons) 6. Software (fundamental logic, command, applications) 7. Brain (choose CPU size and type, storage size and type) The design process is detailed in the text that follows, A design checklist and a convenient Robot Design Form (which may be photocopied) are provided in this book as an aid to robot design. The Chassis This is the bare framework onto or into which all other components are placed. The three attributes to be determined are size, configuration, and extra armor, if any. Select the desired chassis size from the Chassis Size Table. Generally, ail installed components must fit within the volume of the chosen chassis. Next, select the chassis configuration from the Chassis Configuration Table. The configuration types are: Open Frame: An open skeletal frame with no exterior covering, Box/Wedge: A square-edged exterior with few rounded edges. Cylinder/Cone: An oblong rounded exterior with few square edges. -22-
Sphere: A ball-shaped exterior. Dome/Disk: A half-sphere or flattened-sphere exterior. Contoured: Hard-skinned with a shape usually patterned after some biological creature, often the creating race (e.g., humanoid, hiver, or whatever). Pseudo-biological: Soft-skinned biological look-alike, often of the creating race. At tech 15 and above, pseudo-biological robots may pass for members of their "race". Notice that the configuration modifies the basic weight and price of the chassis as given on the Size Table. The configuration also gives a basic armor level to the robot. It is possible to increase a robot's armor beyond the basic value given on the Configuration Table, at an additional increase in the chassis weight and price. To increase the armor when using basic Traveller: for Configurations 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 from mesh to cloth: chassis weight and price x 2.5 from mesh to combat armor: chassis weight and price x 10. To polish any armor type to reflec standards: chassis price x 2. for Configuration 6 TL 13: from jack to mesh: total robot weight and price x 2. TL 15: from jack to cloth: total robot weight and price x 5. To increase the armor when using Striker, use the following formula: F = A/a Where F is the factor we are determining, A is Striker equivalent cm thickness for new armor value, and a is Striker equivalent cm thickness for configuration basic armor value. Use this factor as an additional multiplier on the chassis weight and price. Configurations 1 through 5 are limited to a maximum armor value of 18 (TL 14 battle dress). To polish any armor to reflec standards, multiply the chassis price by 2 (same as for basic Traveller). The armor value for a pseudo-biological configuration can be raised 1 per tech level over 12. Configuration 0 {open frame) cannot have armor. Note: Be sensible when adding armor to a robot. At tech 15 the maximum basic Traveller armor limit for a pseudo-biological chassis (configuration 6) is cloth. Using the multiplier of 5 above, we get a total weight multiplier of 7.5 (5 x 1.5) and a total cost multiplier of 40 (5 x 8) for a pseudo-biological robot. A pseudo-biological warbot is extravagantly wasteful, but if a pseudo-biological robot must go into battle, an armor suit used by the race they are modeled after is just as good and much cheaper. Power Plant The power plant, installed in the chassis, provides the power to move the robot and operate its many components. Types of power plants include: Fuel Cell: Advanced hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells are powerful and efficient. The fuel consumption listed on the table assumes a closed hydrogen/open oxygen design. Such a fuel cell carries its own supply of hydrogen, but draws its supply of oxygen from the air. If the robot must operate in a hostile or vacuum atmosphere, oxygen must be provided as well. Multiply the fuel consumption rate in this case by 9 to -23-
account for the relative mass of oxygen molecules to hydrogen molecules. Fuel cells produce pure water as a waste by-product. The amount of water produced is 9 times the fuel consumption rate on the table. High tech fuel cell technology typically eliminates the waste water through an evaporation process, so the problem of what to do with the waste water can easily be ignored if desired. Fusion: By its very nature, a fusion reactor can only be made so small, even at higher tech levels. Fusion reactors smaller than 1000 liters (1 cubic meter) are less efficient, and the efficiency declines as the size decreases. The 250 liter size listed on the table is generally conceded to be the lower size limit. Below this limit, fuel cells are the preferred choice. Batteries: Battery technology makes great strides at higher tech levels, with sustained power output for a given volume and weight increasing dramatically. These "super batteries" are, however, quite expensive. From these types, choose the desired power plant. The output from the power plant must be sufficient to provide all the energy needed for the robot's locomotion, brain, appendages, sensors and devices. Moreover, the power plant volume must be small enough to leave room in the chassis for power plant fuel and other necessary components. Note that at higher tech levels, power output increases, while weight decreases. Power plant output is measured in kilowatt-hours. These kilowatt-hours are assigned as points to those components which require energy. Kilowatt-hours may be distributed as needed—one kilowatt-hour will supply an item requiring one energy point for one hour, or it can supply an item requiring half an energy point for two hours, etc. Batteries can be used either as the primary power source (at a greater cost and weight than fuel cells or fusion), or to supplement the normal power plant by allowing the robot to continue to function even though the regular power plant is not operating. To determine how long {in hours) the robot can function on batteries, divide the total power requirement of all components into the total battery storage. Robots with an intelligence of 4 or more can voluntarily shut down certain systems to conserve their supply of energy. Both fuel cells and fusion power plants require fuel to operate. The Power Plant Table lists the fuel consumption of each power plant. The fuel tanks are installed in the leftover space in the chassis after the robot is designed. The space used for this purpose should be large enough to provide fuel for several days of operation, with a 30 day supply considered ideal. For game purposes, robot fuel is considered to be the same as that used in starships. The exact fuel requirements are listed on the Power Plant Table. Locomotion If the robot needs to move from place to place, locomotion units must be installed (some robots may be intentionally designed without any locomotion and are thus non-mobile). The types of locomotion available include: Anti-gravity modules: The robot uses anti-gravity modules (or more simply, "grav modules") to move about. Three types of grav modules are available: Ultra Heavy Duty (relatively cheap, with adequate power to thrust ratio); Heavy Duty (moderately priced, with good power to thrust ratio); and Light Duty [expensive, with excellent power to thrust ratio}. Anti-grav is expensive, but provides the best mobility of any -24-