Routes and Routs

Space Infrastructure Generator for Classic Traveller

It's somewhat unclear from Classic Traveller how busy systems are: I took them to be howling voids of emptiness at first pass, huddling round the oasis of the primary planet. But it is implied there's actually a fair bit of activity. I don't do implication so let's get some concrete infrastructure up into those heavens.

Consult the UPP to generate a dice pool: Starport/Spaceport, Atmosphere, and Population affect the number of dice. Government and Tech apply a DM to each die rolled. Roll all dice, results of 5+ indicate an item of Space Infrastructure. Note that unless corporate or captive, low tech worlds cannot have space infrastructure. If a world has space infrastructure without a starport roll 1D to generate a spaceport.

From star/space port type and a count of space infrastructure, generate a dice pool for space hazards. Each roll of 6+ is a space hazard. Do this even if there is no infrastrucutre.

Roll on the Space Infrastructure table for each item using 2D: The first indicates the tens position, and the approximate distance of the infrastructure from the primary world. High tech worlds (B to E) roll with a +1 DM for the second die. Items marked with an asterisk (*) imply the existence of correspodning infrastructure elsewhere. "Cannisters" are unpowered cargo pods fired via mass driver or accelerated via rocket to follow a ballistic trajectory. They aerobrake, are intercepted by tugs, or are slowed by gravitics at their destination, and are typically used for bulk cargo. The infrastructure table does not include those generated as part of spaceport generation (naval and scout bases, and X-boat stations and arrival/departure restricted zones).

Features near planets may be mapped on a hexagonal grid. Redefine 'Size' in UPP to be 1.5x1000 km. (e.g. size 8 is 1200 km diameter). Each space-hex is 100,000 km across. Round to get 10diameter and 100diameter jump limit in hexes. Moons generally orbit at 1+Size/2 hexes distance - throw D6 and move the orbit closer on 1 or farther on 6. Note the location of the five Lagrange points: Large space infrastructure is often located on one of these. Artificial satellites may be placed at any distance from the planet. Note that per Triplanetary (1973) and Mayday (1978), celestial bodies are surrounded by a 1hex field of vectors pointing towards planetary bodies which may be weak (1G, optional), regular (1G, mandatory), or strong (2G, mandatory).

Travel in the star system away between celestial bodies may be accomplished by generating a pointcrawl style map of distances and using the travel formula.

Spaceport Quality Table

Die Roll Spaceport Description
1 F Good quality
2 F Good quality
3 G Poor quality
4 G Poor quality
5 H Primitive
6 Y No spaceport


Space Infrastructure Count Table

Value Port Atmo Pop Gov Tech
0 - 2 0 - -2
1 - 1 1 +1 -2
2 - - 1 - -2
3 - - 1 - -2
4 - - 1 - -2
5 - - 1 - -2
6 - - 1 +1 -1
7 - - 1 - -1
8 - - 2 - -
9 - - 3 - -
A 6 1 4 - -
B 4 1 - - *
C 2 1 - - *
D 1 - - - *
E 0 - - - *
F 4 - - - -
G 1 - - - -
H 0 - - - -
X 0 - - - -
Y 0 - - - -


Space Hazard Count Table

Value Port S Infra
0 - 4
1 - 4
2 - 4
3 - 4
4 - 3
5 - 3
6 - 3
7 - 3
8 - 2
9 - 2
A 1 2
B 1 2
C 2 1
D 2 1
E 3 1
F 1 1
G 2 0
H 3 0
X 4 -
Y 4 -


Space Hazard Type Table

Die Roll Space Hazard
1 Intense solar flares
2 Kessler syndrome / orbital rings
3 Intense radiation belts
4 Minefields
5 Meteor showers
6 Jump anomalies


UPP Details

UPP Size km diameter 10 d limit (km) 100 d limit (km) 10d hexes Limit 100d hexes Limit Gravity Vectors
1 1,500 15,000 150,000 0 2 Absent
2 3,000 30,000 300,000 0 3 Weak
3 4,500 45,000 450,000 0 5 Weak
4 6,000 60,000 600,000 1 6 Weak
5 7,500 75,000 750,000 1 8 Regular
6 9,000 90,000 900,000 1 9 Regular
7 10,500 105,000 1,050,000 1 11 Regular
8 12,000 120,000 1,200,000 1 12 Regular
9 13,500 135,000 1,350,000 1 14 Regular
10 (A) 15,000 150,000 1,500,000 2 15 Regular
11 (B) 16,500 165,000 1,650,000 2 17 Regular
12 © 18,000 180,000 1,800,000 2 18 Regular


Space Infrastructure Type Table

1st Die 2nd Die Space Infrastructure
--- --- ---10s: Planetary Surface
1 1-2 Magnetic Launch Rail
1 3-4 Laser Propulsion/Antidebris Brooms
1 5 Skyhook
1 6 Space Elevator
1 7 Gravitic Landing Grid
--- --- ---20s: Near Orbit
2 1 Commercial Sattelite Network
2 2-3 Orbital Shipyard/Warehouse/FuelDepot/Habitat
2 4 Beamed Power Array
2 5 Cannister Recieving Station *
2 6 Captured asteroid mining network
2 7 Major Habitat Cluster
--- --- ---30s: Lunar/Lagrange
3 1-2 Uncrewed depots
3 3 Shipyard/Warehouse/FuelDepot/Habitat
3 4 Orbital Graveyard
3 5 Trans-Jump-Limit Commercial Station w/ shuttle service
3 6 Major Settlement
3 7 Solar Parasol/Mirrors/Attenuation cloud
--- --- ---40s: Other Celestial Body
4 1-2 Uncrewed depot
4 3 Shipyard/Warehouse/FuelDepot/Habitat
4 4 Installation (mining/researh/sensitive industry)
4 5 Terraforming Comet Impact Area *
4 6 Terraforming moholes/plants/heaters
4 7 Major Settlement
--- --- ---50s: Interplanetary Space / Belt
5 1-2 Uncrewed depot
5 3 Warehouse/Fueling/Habitat
5 4-5 Asteroid mining, or propulsion of asteroids to near orbit *
5 6 Interplanetary Cycler Station
5 7 Major habitat (asteroid, station, planetoid)
--- --- ---60s: Far insystem/outsystem
6 1-2 Commercial sattelite/probe/prospecting network
6 3 Warehouse/FuelDepot/Habitat
6 4 Epistellar Beamed-Power Station
6 5 Gas Giant fueling station
6 6 Volatile industrial station
6 7 Deep Space Observatory