CW and Cepheus

swordtart · 01-28-2020, 09:54 AM

Recently I have been playing around the Traveller reboot. I am surprised that I never noticed before how easily you could merge CT with CW.

They are both built around similar premises. Travel in an armed vehicle seeking fortune and glory. CT spaceship combat is not remotely crunchy but you could conduct space battles using the CW rules with very little work needed (other than having spaceships manoeuvre like cars - like they do in Star Wars). The CW role playing system is not really crunchy (but it is quite lumpy) but CT is well developed (assuming you survive the Char Gen process).

As they both use 2d6 they are ideal candidates for a mash-up.

I'd favour the revised skill system where you use stats and skills as bonuses to try to achieve a target number (based on difficulty of task). Most CW skills could be ported as is (and even the 2 dice and pray is basically the same structure). Some of the less portable skills would benefit from being recast in the Traveller mould. It would remove all those inconsistent skill mechanics (and I am looking at you Mechanic!)

It also means you can use all those random encounter tables and trade rules (with a bit of tweaking) and imbue your drivers with some background (and extra zero level skills)

Cepheus is currently available as Pay What You Want, so it's a low risk option.

01-28-2020, 09:54 AM	#1
swordtart Join Date: Jun 2008	CW and Cepheus Recently I have been playing around the Traveller reboot. I am surprised that I never noticed before how easily you could merge CT with CW. They are both built around similar premises. Travel in an armed vehicle seeking fortune and glory. CT spaceship combat is not remotely crunchy but you could conduct space battles using the CW rules with very little work needed (other than having spaceships manoeuvre like cars - like they do in Star Wars). The CW role playing system is not really crunchy (but it is quite lumpy) but CT is well developed (assuming you survive the Char Gen process). As they both use 2d6 they are ideal candidates for a mash-up. I'd favour the revised skill system where you use stats and skills as bonuses to try to achieve a target number (based on difficulty of task). Most CW skills could be ported as is (and even the 2 dice and pray is basically the same structure). Some of the less portable skills would benefit from being recast in the Traveller mould. It would remove all those inconsistent skill mechanics (and I am looking at you Mechanic!) It also means you can use all those random encounter tables and trade rules (with a bit of tweaking) and imbue your drivers with some background (and extra zero level skills) Cepheus is currently available as Pay What You Want, so it's a low risk option.