"Spaceship rules for smaller scale Traveller fights?" Topic

Am looking for something to run the "adventurer" class of ships like Free Traders and Scouts, not the bigger stuff most wargaming rules have. I came into a supply of the old RAFM line, and I am thinking about some ideas, but wondering what's out there?

Mayday

I'm pretty sure each version of Traveller has a combat system. There's also Mayday and Brilliant Lances. Maybe we need to know what's wrong with those or what specifically you're looking for in order to be more helpful.

I think either Mayday or, if you want more detail, Brilliant Lances would work.

You can get PDF versions of both games on Wargame Vault/DriveThruRPG or probably find used hardcopies on eBay.

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Kinda thinking simpler, along the lines of Power Projection: Escort? Funny thing is, I have Brilliant Lances, one question however? What is the best way to make it hexless?

Power Projection is basically Full Thrust. You could modify that. Otherwise Mayday is your best bet unless you go with something very simple or abstract for hexless. You could try Starmada, but even that is probably too high level for what you are asking.

I'm a fan of Mayday

there is also Intercept
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Vector movement.
Double-blind sensor rules without referee.
Excel based design system.
Gravity rules with multiple stable orbits.
Totally deterministic (dice-less) rules (optional).
Traveller compatible.
GURPS Spaceships conversion.

For any game with hexes all you need to do to make it hexless is to treat each hex as 1" (or whatever works) on the table. Any turn limits listed in hexes are 60 degree increments or less. In the specific case of Brilliant Lances the lack of hexes means not having to deal with that left/right/left/right movement along hex spines.

I've never come across any of the Traveller spaceship rules that I thought were workable/playable.

Then again, I have not played Mayday, or Brilliant Lances, or even the generic Traveller spaceship combat rules. For the latter, my experience is a lot of things are/were left out, or not detailed together to make that easily do-able.

I'd prefer something more like the Full Thrust rules, and IIRC, there is a Traveller version for that.

It'd be great to find a quick-play set with a decent QRS of just a few pages, where all the rules/steps are outlined together to aid game-play.

Some of the stuff I've found lacking were: details on sensor detection ranges and chances to that to occur; keeping track of player and vessel skill mods on successes; to-hit modifiers due to range and other stuff like chaff, ECM, etc., etc..

Thresher01 – You might want to give Brilliant Lances a look since it has the items you are wanting. I found it too complex for my RPG group however. Mayday is much less complex but I think is missing a good bit of that. Sensors being much less complex (if there at all) and damage to ships being a bit too simplified IIRC. I could use that during RPG sessions however so that is what was used.

Why are these decades-old rule sets selling for 20 dollars?

Yea, I can see that.

I'm looking for something fairly simple, and quick playing, while also being tactically interesting.

Would be nice if all the main rules/stats could be included on one, or two, two-sided sheets for quick reference during game play.

If you want something with hexes but easy to play heres the rules for you.

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I have played these with miniatures with friends and they work just fine, everyone had fun.

Starfire is a great game but would not work for Traveler at all. Scanners are pretty much non-existent in the game and vector movement is not involved at all (and Traveler space combat without vector movement is not Traveler space combat).

The old Start Trek from FASA might suit too. It played easy, and armor can replace shields.

Scale down the complexity.

The new triplanetary rules are vector on hexes, and are free from Steve Jackson Games.