MichaelSTee
SOC-12
The standard 2D6-2 roll for population works fine for Traveller with its long-settled Charted Space, with civilization having risen and fallen several times over the millennia. But many gamers prefer a more recent background, similar to 2300AD or Clement Sector. I am contemplating a variant on determining the population of worlds in such a background.
Space is divided into Regions (similar in size to a subsector). Regions are categorized by the level of development. Worlds close to each other should have a similar level of development. There are 4 settlement levels to choose from: Core, Provincial, Frontier, and Wilderness.
Core: these regions contain the homeworlds of star-faring races, and their largest, most developed colonies. Garden worlds will be well-developed; other worlds will be moderately- to well-developed; homeworlds of minor races will be well-integrated into the larger society.
Provincial: these regions have been colonized for some time. Garden worlds will be moderately- to well-developed; other worlds will by lightly- to moderately-developed; homeworlds of minor races may be integrated into the larger society or may be subjugated.
Frontier: these regions have been recently colonized, usually within the last half-dozen generations of the colonists. Garden worlds will be lightly- to moderately-developed; other worlds will be lightly-developed or not developed at all; homeworlds of minor races may be competing with the settlers (if they have FTL drive), or resentful of the newcomers.
Wilderness: these regions have not yet seen large-scale colonization yet. Worlds without minor races will not be developed, although there may be small undocumented colonies; homeworlds of minor races without FTL may or may not have been contacted by other races.
If FTL has recently been discovered, then a homeworld may be considered Core, and the rest of the region may be Provincial, Frontier, or Wilderness.
In the game 2300AD, the worlds Earth and Tirane are Core, the oldest other colonies would be Provincial, and the newer colonies would be Frontier worlds.
In the Traveller OTU, there are many Core regions, and a LOT of Provincial regions. Even the Spinward Marches would be considered a group of Provincial regions. You would have to go beyond the Vargr Extents, or beyond the Solomani Rim, to get to Frontier regions.
Under this proposed system, as a region is generated, the referee must state the Settlement Level of the region. (Note that, usually, Core regions will not border Frontier or Wilderness regions, and Provincial regions will not border Wilderness regions.)
I am considering changing the population roll to 1D6, then applying the Cepheus Engine mods (listed below), then a mod for the Settlement Level.
Cepheus Engine uses the following mods to the Population roll:
Size <= 2, DM-1
Atmosphere A+, DM-2
Atmosphere 6, DM+3
Atmosphere 5 or 8, DM+1
Hydrographics 0 and Atmosphere 0-2, DM-2
Settlement Level mods:
Core, DM+2
Provincial, DM+1
Frontier, no mod
Wilderness, DM-1
Note that a Homeworld of a Minor Race would always be considered a Core world, as it could have a large population before being contacted by FTL explorers. (A Minor race Homeworld roll would be rolled after the Size/Atmo/Hydro rolls.)
I have not run many simulations yet; I'm hoping someone has entertained a similar notion before and may have thoughts on this.
Space is divided into Regions (similar in size to a subsector). Regions are categorized by the level of development. Worlds close to each other should have a similar level of development. There are 4 settlement levels to choose from: Core, Provincial, Frontier, and Wilderness.
Core: these regions contain the homeworlds of star-faring races, and their largest, most developed colonies. Garden worlds will be well-developed; other worlds will be moderately- to well-developed; homeworlds of minor races will be well-integrated into the larger society.
Provincial: these regions have been colonized for some time. Garden worlds will be moderately- to well-developed; other worlds will by lightly- to moderately-developed; homeworlds of minor races may be integrated into the larger society or may be subjugated.
Frontier: these regions have been recently colonized, usually within the last half-dozen generations of the colonists. Garden worlds will be lightly- to moderately-developed; other worlds will be lightly-developed or not developed at all; homeworlds of minor races may be competing with the settlers (if they have FTL drive), or resentful of the newcomers.
Wilderness: these regions have not yet seen large-scale colonization yet. Worlds without minor races will not be developed, although there may be small undocumented colonies; homeworlds of minor races without FTL may or may not have been contacted by other races.
If FTL has recently been discovered, then a homeworld may be considered Core, and the rest of the region may be Provincial, Frontier, or Wilderness.
In the game 2300AD, the worlds Earth and Tirane are Core, the oldest other colonies would be Provincial, and the newer colonies would be Frontier worlds.
In the Traveller OTU, there are many Core regions, and a LOT of Provincial regions. Even the Spinward Marches would be considered a group of Provincial regions. You would have to go beyond the Vargr Extents, or beyond the Solomani Rim, to get to Frontier regions.
Under this proposed system, as a region is generated, the referee must state the Settlement Level of the region. (Note that, usually, Core regions will not border Frontier or Wilderness regions, and Provincial regions will not border Wilderness regions.)
I am considering changing the population roll to 1D6, then applying the Cepheus Engine mods (listed below), then a mod for the Settlement Level.
Cepheus Engine uses the following mods to the Population roll:
Size <= 2, DM-1
Atmosphere A+, DM-2
Atmosphere 6, DM+3
Atmosphere 5 or 8, DM+1
Hydrographics 0 and Atmosphere 0-2, DM-2
Settlement Level mods:
Core, DM+2
Provincial, DM+1
Frontier, no mod
Wilderness, DM-1
Note that a Homeworld of a Minor Race would always be considered a Core world, as it could have a large population before being contacted by FTL explorers. (A Minor race Homeworld roll would be rolled after the Size/Atmo/Hydro rolls.)
I have not run many simulations yet; I'm hoping someone has entertained a similar notion before and may have thoughts on this.
