Reaction Rolls and Morale for Mongoose Traveller 2nd ed.
Gottfried Neuner 27 Nov 2024 15:46 UTC
I am prepping for a Pirates of Drinax campaign right now, and as the
book for that is for Mongoose Traveller we are going to use that edition.
Anyway, I was going through the game when I realized it was missing
reaction rolls and morale checks that I could find. These have become
one of my favorite tools over the last few years, as they allow me to
run NPCs that do not always react the way I would personally react.
So here is an attempt to make a new table, based on CT and Cepheus Deluxe.
Thoughts?
NPC Reaction Table
This table is to be used for meaningful encounters only. Most people
encountered in daily live will ignore the PCs and be ignored. Sometimes
they will acknowledge the other side briefly, but go back to ignoring
them right after (e.g. a shop clerk taking their payment, a guard taking
note of their presence).
This table is for those encounters where Travellers are brought into a
an encounter situation that does not allow to go back to ignoring each
other.
2d6 Reaction
1- Immediate Attack
2 Violent (immediate attack on successful morale check of 9+)
3-5 Unfriendly. Will do anything short of attacking.
6-8 Indifferent, largely uinterested in PCs
9-11 Friendly, will help
12 Helpful
13+ Enthusiastic friendship
DM +1 if character served in armed forces for 5+ terms
DM -1 if world population is 9+
DM -1/-2 if biased (racially or otherwise) against characters
Depending on environments mods can be used as DMs, e.g. EDU mod for
academic setting, SOC for social setting
Follow up checks also use the DMs above and should take into accounts
measures to defuse situation.
[4:41 PM]
Morale Table
This table is used to determine how a side in a fight keeps it together
once casualties start.
2d6 Result
5 or less Break
6-8 Fighting Withdrawal
9-15 Keeps Fighting
16+ Fight to the Death
Calls for morale of one sides in a fight can be called by the referee:
when first death in fight happens
when 25% of one side is incapacitated (dead or otherwise out of fight)
when 50% of one side is incapacitated (dead or otherwise out of fight)
if changes in battle situation change outlook drastically (e.g. someone
shoots a gun in a knife fight)
Dice modificators that can apply:
DM -2 if the 25% and 50% are reached in the same combat round
DM -2 if leader dies (for 2 rounds, until new leader takes over)
DM +1 if side is military/mercenary
DM +1 if leader skill present
Optional: this rule can affect both NPCs and PC parties in a fight.