Power Projection Review

As promised, here is my capsule review of Power Projection Lite.

I was actually planning on submitting this review for the Journal of the
Traveller’s Aid Society.  However, I was about three paragraphs into
it when
I got word that JTAS had just published a review by Robert Prior. 
(Curses!
Foiled again!)	Oh well, that’s life I guess.  Anyway, for your
general
perusal, I submit my thoughts and reflections on this new addition to
the
Full Thrust universe:

Review:  Power Projection Lite
Written by Dominic Mooney
Published by British Isles Traveller Society.

As long and distinguished as the history of Dungeons & Dragons has been,
Marc Miller’s classic hard sci-fi role-playing game Traveller has been
on
the market in one form or the other—from the original “little black
books”
to the current d20 version—for over 25 years.  Like all games of its
genre,
space combat plays a major role; however, I’ve never been really
pleased
with the way Traveller has handled it.	The rules I’ve seen are either
overly complex (Don’t even get me started on…shudder… Brilliant
Lances.) or
just plain uninspiring.  That was before I got my hands on Power
Projection
Lite.

Power Projection started with a man and dream:	Dominic Moony wanted to
use
Ground Zero Games’ phenomenal Full Thrust space combat game system for
Traveller scenarios.  Inspired by some home-brewed rules by Steven
Parsonage, Dominic spent five years of refining and playtesting his
ideas.
Power Projection is result.

This is a “Lite” version because it mainly focuses on combat with
escorts.
The full version, that promises to feature full sized capital ships,
spinal
mounted weapons, and gravity maneuvering (i.e. slingshot effect) should
be
out in early this year.  That, and revised version of the Lite rules
called
Power Projection: Escorts will be released by the end of January. 
(Those
who purchased the Lite rules need not despair.	You can download the
updates
from www.powerprojection.net as soon as they are available.)

Full Thrust veterans should have very little trouble easing into these
rules.	The movement system is pure Fleet Book 1 vector movement with
the
Fleet Book 2 provisions added.	The combat rules are the area where one
can
find the most revision.  Power Projection Lite takes the standard
battery
results model (i.e. die roll of 4-5 equals 1 point of damage, a 6 causes
two
points) and creates expands on it by giving the weapons an opportunity
to
cause more damage when certain conditions are met.  For instance, a
salvo on
standard missiles would start at the standard damage profile.  However,
if
those missiles struck their target on their second movement phase or
equipped with nuclear warheads, then the potential to cause damage
increases
greatly.  Meanwhile, new factors like a ship’s agility and a revised
armor
system along with devices like nuclear dampeners, meson screens,
repulsors,
and sandcasters (see below) can have negative effect on damage.)

The “hard sci-fi” nature of the Traveller setting is also reflected
in the
Power Projection rules by the inclusion of various “terrain”
effects.
These include gravity, nuclear explosions, and sandcasters.  The blast
from
a exploding salvo of nuclear missiles creates a sensor blind spot,
represented by a 1.5 inch diameter blast marker.  If your line of sight
to a
target crosses one of these markers, it adds 2 mu to the range.  That
Zhodoni destroyer that was “just” in missile range at 29 mu a moment
ago
would be safely out of range at 31 mu if a blast marker intervened. 
Gravity
from nearby astronomical bodies also can play a factor.  If your LOS
passes
with the “gravity band” of a planet template, then similar range
modifiers
are applied.  Sandcasters operate on a similar concept, but rather than
effecting range, it lessens the “oomph” from incoming fire that
passes
through the generated “sand cloud” giving the target a better chance
to
shrug off damage.

Cosmetically, the rules are well laid out with excellent illustrations
to
describe combat and movement. It also includes a pull out set of
counters
for missile salvos, vector arrows, starships, nuclear blasts, sand
clouds,
and a new version of the infamous turning lasso. The copy I bought from
Warehouse 23 didn’t survive the trip across the Atlantic too well so I
needed to retouch up the cover a bit.  In the end, I laminated to covers
and
comb bound it.	(Why don’t more companies do this?   It makes copying
out
record sheets so much easier.)	If I have any sort of gripe, it’s that
there
seems to be a lack of an “orders from” to record movement and fire
orders.

All in all, it’s an excellent game, worthy to carry the Full Thrust
engine.
Those interested may want wait for Escorts before diving in… then
again; you
may not have a choice.	Power Projection Lite was a limited release, and
I
think they may have run out of copies.	Either way, I highly recommend
this
game to both Traveller and Full Thrust fans.

Later,
Mark A. Siefert