Introduction
I use several alternate rules when running classic Traveller. I have implemented these alternate rules to enhance the experience for my players who may have familiarity with more recent versions of the game. These newer versions have characters with a wider range of skills, which can make them appear more powerful at first glance. These alternatives should encourage the players to think of creative ways to use the skills they have rather than worry about the skills they don’t. Although many of my alternate rules can be used together, I have separated them for the convenience of the referee, who may not agree with all the proposed changes.
Description
Getting help, as the name suggests, is for helping another character with another action using their own task dice roll. There are many non-combat options for getting help, there are also a few combat options.
Another character can help with a task. This can improve the chances of the task being completed by another character. Normally, a task can have up to 2 helpers. Additional help is up to the discretion of the referee, or an alternative is to determine the number of potential helpers with a single die roll.
See procedures and examples below for more details.
Procedure
Helpers make a normal task dice roll (8+) by applying the skill and statistic modifiers. If successful, the character receiving the help can add a +1 to their task dice roll. A natural 12 on the dice roll results in an exceptional success, allowing a +2 DRM to be applied. If there is a catastrophic failure (rolling a natural 2), a -1 DRM must be applied.
After all the helpers have made their task dice rolls, the character receiving help makes their own task die roll and applies all the DRM from the helpers. This ultimately determines the success or failure of the task.
Example 1 (Engineering Task)
Here is the procedure as a working example. Suppose that character A is trying an engineering task. Character B can help by performing a task dice roll using the same or similar task, such as electronics or mechanical. If character 2 successfully completes the task roll with an 8+, then character 1 receives an additional +1 DRM for the engineering task. Success with a natural 12 gives an additional +2, and a failure with a natural 2 gives a -1 DRM penalty to the subsequent task roll. A second helper character C can also help, providing a DRM according to the above. Finally, character A may make the dice roll, gaining appropriate skill and stat bonuses and then gain the DRM provided by characters B & C.
Example 2 (in Starship Combat)
This example uses character A acting as the gunner for the ship, attempting to shoot a missile during a combat encounter. Character B is acting as the pilot of the ship. B can orient the ship to optimize A’s shot. Character B makes a task dice roll using the piloting skill. Character B’s success will indicate that character A will get an additional +1 DRM for the shot. If B is successful with a natural 12 will give a +2 DRM to A’s task dice roll. Finally, if character B screws up the task dice roll with a natural 2, character A gets a -1 DRM from the help.
Example 3 (in Fire Combat)
This example has character A using a rifle at very-long range. Character B has binoculars and is in communication with character A. Character A is trying to get a shot to hit a target. B helps character A by making a task dice roll using the Forward Observer skill. Character B’s success will indicate that character A will get an additional +1 DRM for the shot that helps overcome the very-long range DRM. If B is successful with a natural 12 will give a +2 DRM to A’s task dice roll. If character B fails the task dice roll with a natural 2, character A gets a -1 DRM from the help.
Example 4 (in Blade Combat)
Characters A and B are fighting the same opponent. Character B helps by using an attack with a dagger to distract the opponent from character A’s attacks with the cutlass. If character B’s attack dice roll is successful, it means character A’s attack will get a subsequent +1 DRM. A success with a natural 12 on character B’s attack will result in a +2 DRM to A’s attack dice roll. If character B’s attack dice roll results in a natural 2, that puts character A at a disadvantageous -1 DRM from the help.
Reason for Alternate Rule
The first reason for this rule is to let everyone take part and improve the group's success. I've seen players not take part in sessions because their character lacks the skills. I wanted to provide a means for everyone contributing to the success of the group.
In Classic Traveller, some characters have very few skills, which can leave them excluded from the action. I always figured that someone with an electronic skill could lend a hand at tasks associated with starship engineering. All that was needed was a mechanic to enable that participation. Helps is an abstraction added to an already abstract system.
In a collection of rules that aim to expand the concept of a character's abilities beyond their sheet, I incorporated the help rule. The help rule allows the balance to be tilted toward the characters without altering the system completely. First, you can't guarantee the help will succeed. The one in thirty-six chances of causing a negative impact balances the scales a bit.
The play of the help rule in the game has proven useful. I’ve kept most of the characters active in the plans of the players by using these help options. So far, the response has been mostly positive. Please let me know your experience has been with this addition.
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