Traveller Bestiary: Group Conflict

Traveller Bestiary: Group Conflict

Creating a hook in any context where there are sentient groups – including humans.

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Antagonist and Protagonist

Either decide one side of a conflict depending on world stats e.g. planetary government, and then roll for an opposing force or roll for two opposing forces.

Group Conflict Table

D12 (or 2D6 first 1-3 = +0, 4-6 +6)

• 1 individual
• 2 small group / family / gang
• 3 corporation
• 4 free company
• 5 sectional group (i.e. members of a particular interest group like ranchers, miners, fruit sellers etc)
• 6 political party
• 7 territorial group e.g. two sub-colonies
• 8 bureaucracy
• 9 charismatic leader
• 10 non charismatic leader e.g. challenge to ex leader’s son
• 11 charismatic group
• 12 religious / ideological group

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Sequence

• roll for conflict group
• compare with known govt type
• roll for which is the bad guy 1-2: govt, 3-4 both (diplomatic option), 5-6 rolled group

or

• roll twice for two conflict groups
• roll for which is the bad guy 1-2: first rolled group, 3-4 both (diplomatic option), 5-6 second rolled group

nb “bad” != 100% evil (although it might be)

roll until a result sparks imagination

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Examples

Example 1: assign one side of conflict e.g. local authority from world stats and roll on table

• research colony leadership vs sectional interests
• roll: neither bad guy
• some conflict over priority or resources

Example 2: assign one side of conflict e.g. local authority from world stats and roll on table

• colonial admin vs territorial group
• roll: colonial admin bad guys
• conflict over boundaries caused by colonial admin

Example 3: roll twice

• religious group vs free company
• roll: religious group are the bad guys

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Alternatives

Use the random person encounter table or the patron table to do the same thing.

Example1: assign the govt type, say it’s the local colonial admin and

• roll on personal encounter table -> colonial admin vs religious group
• roll on personal encounter table -> colonial admin vs naval security troops
• roll on patron table -> colonial admin vs ship’s crew or crewman
• roll on patron table -> colonial admin vs mercenary

Example2: roll twice on the personal encounter table

• conflict between religious group and naval security troops

Example 3: roll twice on the patron table

• conflict between ship’s crew or crewman and mercenary

Example 4: or one roll on each table

• conflict between religious group and ship’s crew or crewman
• conflict between religious group and mercenary
• conflict between naval security troops and ship’s crew or crewman
• conflict between naval security troops and mercenaries

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