Character Challenge 1 of 31: T5 Spacer

 Finally opened up book 1 of the Traveller 5.10 3 volume set - there is a lot in there! I need to take some time to actually try & read more of that, as there are a lot of things that could apply to any Traveller game. Regardless, I went through character generation and went the the Navy as it more closely approached the example in the book. And while the example helped, there were aspects of that walk-through that did not match the rules as written. This has been a common complaint of the whole T5 process: I don't think they hired an outside editor as the BBB (Big Black Book) is full of issues, and the T5.1 3 volume set was supposed to correct a lot of them. While it did, there are still a lot of examples and walk-throughs that just don't match the rest of the text. And it is...complicated. I am not convinced I did it all correctly as some rolls are roll under, some are roll above. Or at least that is how I interpreted things.

So, let us present Billy Tharray, born in 1081 on Hefry, C200423–7 in the Spinward Marches. Using the d66 table of home worlds I rolled a 2 2 giving us Hefry. And rolling for gender (even female, odd male) I roll a 1, so a male. Growing up on a non-industrial vacuum world, young Billy picks up Vacc-1 and Driver-1. He knows how to drive those ATVs across the very small world he grew up on. He also wanted to get away - having a TL 7 on a vacuum world means bulky space suits and straining equipment. He is also small, as his initial UPP is:

UPP: 485577

Genetic: 1522

In T5, the physical stats have a genetic component, the 1st die roll of the 2. It is really used in case you want to clone yourself later; however, I doubt Billy will have the resources to do so. While not too bright, Billy decides that the Imperial University on Hefry, which is mostly distance learning via computers but still a registered Imperial University, is the place for him. Hey, we have an entire generation right now doing distance learning. I fear for our future!

Entrance roll for university: 2d6 < EDU required. I roll a 7, so Billy just barely gets into the University! Go Heffers! 

Year 1: Roll 2d6 < EDU to pass. I rolled an 8, which means I did not pass this semester. However, I attempt the waiver, which is 2d6 < SOC and roll a 3, so while Billy passed his first year, learned nothing. Apparently begging at the admissions office helps. 

Year 2: Roll 2d6 < EDU to pass. Rolled a 7, he passes, and learns something! I pick Automotive-1 as his major - he has been working on those ATVs! (Now I need to see what the automotive skill actually is for)

Year 3: Roll 2d6 < EDU to pass. I rolled a 2 (I have some bad dice rolls for this character if I was aiming for high rolls!) This gives me another skill level in my major and I pick a minor, giving me Automotive-2, Astrogation-1. For every pass, you can add to your major; for every 2 passes you can add to your minor. I do like that mechanic.

Year 4: Roll 2d6 < EDU to pass. I roll an 11, failure! I attempt the waiver, and roll a 6, so I graduate from the Imperial University of Hefry, gaining a BA, and setting my EDU to 9. So Billy squeaks by and actually graduates!

Flight School (year 5)

Looking at the rules, I notice that I can apply to NOTC, and if I have honors, I can get into flight school. A way off this rock! I roll a 6 for attempting to get honors, and I succeed, so a BA with Honors, which will allow me to apply to flight school. Just being in NOTC, and making a success roll of 5 gives me Pilot-1. Getting into Flight school with a roll of 6 and only needing an 8 or less, I succeed. This gives me Pilot-4 and a spacer rank of 01. This is also my 1st year after college: I am automatically in the Navy, in the Flight branch. I have 3 more years. And getting rank 01 also gives me another level of astrogation, Astrogation-2.

Navy Years 6, 7, 8. Rolling on the table I spent the next year in ANM school, then a year in a siege, then my 4th year as a Naval ensign back at ANM school (rolled a single die, no EDU DM, and had a 6, 3, 6 on the Naval Operations table). T5 has the risk / reward rolls which still confuse me. You have to roll below the stat you choose for both risk and reward, and you can optionally have some modifiers that can effect both. I chose the roll against DEX (8) this first term as that is the highest stat that I could. For the risk roll, I rolled 4, meaning no injury, and I get an XS (Exemplary Service) badge. On the reward roll, I rolled a 5, also well below the8, giving me an XS medal to go with my badge. Checking for a promotion, I have a low social ranking (7), and the Navy apparently promotes based on social skills. Having the medal gives me a +1 so I just have to roll under an 8 for a promotion. I roll low again, rolling a 4, so I am now a sublieutenant. I have 3 skill rolls I can use, and while I can't find what the ANM school does, I went with the technical skill table for those rolls. First roll for siege I rolled a 1, giving me Computer-1. Choosing the personal skill table and hoping for better stats, I roll a 6 to get a +1 social: I must be moving up in the world! Rolling on the technical skill table, a 2 yields a science, and I choose Robotics-1. 

The final roll, to see if I can stay in the Navy, I am not sure I got correct: looks like I needed a 4 or less to stay in based on the C1 / STR stat. Here is where the book example did not match the rules. Regardless, I rolled a 6 so going with 1 term in the Navy was all Billy managed. Rolling on the benefits table, I roll a 3 but get to add my officer rank, giving me a 5, and END + 1, for a final UPP of 486588. 

Billy Tharray

UPP: 486589 Navy Sublieutenant (02) age 26, University, 1 term Navy

Pilot-4, Astrogation-2, Driver-1, Automotive-1, Computer-1, Robotics-1.

T5 Character Generation Recap

T5 gives characters a lot more skills, but the game mechanics for T5 are dice pools: there are more dice the more difficult the challenge is. However, converting to a Classic Traveller character I've read you divide the skills by 3 or something similar - I will have to see where I found that (probably over on COTI). And the character generation has some interesting paths, but I think needs some better examples and instructions. I am still confused by some of the rolls to make: having to roll under for some and over for others is confusing and seems inconsistent. I will be trying another T5 character later this month - perhaps a few more attempts will help clarify things. I do know that from the forums there is a fair amount of confusion for those who are actually trying to generate characters as the rules and examples don't always agree. Maybe if there was the little talked about players guide that was promised almost a decade ago as a stretch goal for the original T5 Kickstarter there would be some guidance. 

Regardless, I will be trying T5 character generation again this month. Maybe someone who knows will correct me on my assumptions and character generation!