Recruiting

Recruiting Unit Members

The Recruiting Throw

After all modifiers have been fully calculated, the recruiting officer can throw his Recruiting skill 8+. It will take 1d6 weeks before all the recruits that might be hired can be located. The Effect measures how many potential recruits agree to try for unit admission. The following table shows the results.
Effect1 Number of Potential Recruits
0 1d6
1 2d6
2 3d6
3 4d6
4 5d6
5 6d6
6 7d6
7 8d6
8 9d6
9 10d6
1 This cannot be modified below 0 or above 9 for any reason No matter the results of the Recruiting throw, the recruiter can attempt another throw in 1 – 6 weeks after he is finished with the last round of recruiting.

The Recruitment Site

Each of the following subsections explains how these factors can adjust the Recruiting throw and its corresponding Effect.

Planetary Population

Using the planetary Population Digit system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s population will affect mercenary recruitment. For planets with negligible populations (level 0 or 1) there will be no chance of any recruits being found since it is extremely unlikely that any amongst the population will be both willing and physically able to become a mercenary.
Population Recruiting DM
0 (Few) or 1 (Tens)
2 (Hundreds) -4
3 (Thousands) -3
4 (Tens of thousands) -2
5 (Hundreds of thousands) +0
6 (Millions) +0
7 (Tens of millions) +2
8 (Hundreds of millions) +2
9 (Billions) +4
10 (A) (Tens of billions) +4
11 (B) (Hundreds of billions) +6
12 (C) (Trillions) +6

Operational Government

Using the planetary Government Type system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s overall governing body will affect mercenary recruitment.
Government Type Recruiting DM
0 (Anarchic) +1
1 (Company or Corporation) +0
2 (Participating Democracy) +1
3 (Self-perpetuating Oligarchy) -1
4 (Representative Democracy) +0
5 (Feudal Technocracy) -2
6 (Captive Government) -2
7 (Balkanisation) -2
8 (Civil Service Bureaucracy) +2
9 (Impersonal Bureaucracy) +2
10 (A) (Charismatic Dictator) -2
11 (B) (Non-charismatic Leader) +2
12 (C) (Charismatic Oligarchy) +0
13 (D) (Religious Dictatorship) -4

Type of Law Enforcement

Using the planetary Law Level system from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s major legal system will affect mercenary recruitment.
Law Level Digit Recruiting DM
0 +2
1 +2
2 +1
3 +1
4 +0
5 +0
6 -1
7 -1
8 -2
9 -3

Starport Existence

Using the Starport rules from the Traveller core rulebook, the table shows how a planet’s major legal system will affect mercenary recruitment.
Starport Class Recruiting DM
A +2
B +2
C +0
D +0
E -2
X -4
Non-spacefaring -6

Base Existence

Using the rules for adding Bases to a planet from the Traveller core rulebook, the table below shows how a base upon the planet will affect mercenary recruitment. As a note, there are some bases listed here that are just good examples of what could exist out in the galaxy.
Base Type (if any) Recruiting DM
Alien Embassy -2
Bureau +0
Frontier Port +2
Naval -4
Pirate -2
Prison Facility -6
Research -4
Scout +0
Shipyard +2
Traveller Aid Society -2

Assessing the Recruits

The potential recruits should be divided roughly evenly between the three tests, with each ‘class’ rolling the specified skill to see how many pass into Rank 0. If a Player Character with at least Instruction 2 and the necessary skill at level 2 or higher is selected to teach that portion of the recruits, that class receives a +2 DM to their collective skill throw for judgement. It should be noted that all raw recruits should use the statistics for Trainees (found later in this chapter). The course takes; from between 10 and 60 days.

Combat Training

The class must make a Dexterity throw 8+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect Recruits gaining Rank 01
Failed roll 10%
1 or less 15%
2 30%
3 45%
4 60%
5 75%
6 or more 90%
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit

Support Skill Training

The class must make an Education throw 9+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect Recruits gaining Rank 01
Failed roll 0%
1 or less 10%
2 25%
3 35%
4 50%
5 70%
6 or more 80%
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit

Office Training

The class must make an Intelligence throw 9+ in order to pass in high numbers. The following table shows what percentage of the recruits will pass into Rank 0 depending on the Effect.
Effect Recruits gaining Rank 01
Failed roll 0%
1 or less 5%
2 10%
3 20%
4 30%
5 40%
6 or more 50%
1 Round results up to the nearest recruit

Building a Mercenary Unit

Unit Size

Referees can roll or choose on the table below to determine the size category of the mercenary unit, detailing the number of active members and the maximum number of members that can be sent on a normal ticketed mission.

Mercenary Unit Size

2d6 Result Size Category Number of Members1
2 Specialist 1 – 6 (1d6)
3 – 4 Private 5 – 10 (1d6 + 4)
5 – 6 Small 6 – 36 (2d6 x 3)
7 Common 10 – 60 (1d6 x 10)
8 – 9 Large 20 – 120 (2d6 x 10)
10 Legion 100 – 600 (1d6 x 100)
11 Huge 200 – 1200 (2d6 x 100)
12 Expansive 1000 – 6000 (1d6 x 1000)
1 The unit could send far less, depending on the assessed risk of the ticket, or by employer request

Fame/Infamy of the Unit

Referees can roll or choose on the table below to determine how far the reputation of the mercenary unit has travelled, detailing any earned bonuses to their Social Standing throws when applicable. This table is based not only upon the die roll, but also the size of the unit (determined above).

Mercenary Unit Fame

2d6 Result Social Standing DM1
Specialist Private Small Common Large Legion Huge Expansive
2 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
3 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2
4 +0 +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2
5 +0 +0 +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3
6 +0 +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3
7 +0 +0 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +4
8 +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +4
9 +0 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +4 +5
10 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +5
11 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +5 +5
12 +1 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +6
1 This DM is only applicable when the Referee believes the unit’s fame/infamy can come into play

Unit Experience

The Referee must roll on or choose from the Mercenary Unit Average Skill table as to the general skill level of the unit. That skill level is then compared to the Rank Distribution in Unit table, which gives the Rank breakdown of the unit. For obvious reasons, any Player Character members are not included in the listed results – they are considered to be additional ‘bonuses’ to the unit.

Mercenary Unit Average Skill

2d6 Result Average Skill Level
Specialist Private Small Common Large Legion Huge Expansive
2 Marginal Introductory Introductory Introductory Introductory Introductory Introductory Introductory
3 – 4 Average Marginal Marginal Introductory Marginal Marginal Introductory Introductory
5 – 6 Average Average Marginal Marginal Marginal Average Marginal Marginal
7 – 9 Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Marginal
10 – 11 Exceptional Average Average Average Average Average Average Average
12 Exceptional Exceptional Exceptional Exceptional Exceptional Average Average Average

Rank Distribution in Unit

Average Skill Level Percentage of Ranks in Unit1
Rank 0 Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4 Rank 5 Rank 62
Introductory 60% 30% 5% 3% 1%
Marginal 30% 20% 30% 10% 7% 2% 1%
Average 15% 20% 20% 25% 15% 3% 2%
Exceptional 10% 15% 20% 20% 25% 7% 3%
1 Always round down with these percentages, with the leftover members (from the dropped remainders) falling into the Rank 0 members 2 Large, Legion, Huge or Expansive-sized mercenary units are always considered to have a phantom Rank 6 investor that takes its share of every ticket the unit undertakes

Unit Traits

Referees should choose or roll a d66 on the Mercenary Unit Traits table to determine an interesting quality of the mercenary unit. Player Character members do not have to abide by this, but camaraderie might influence it upon them during game play.

Mercenary Unit Traits

d66 Trait d66 Trait
11 Untrustworthy 41 Well Protected
12 Bigotry 42 Well Armed
13 Overestimated 43 Well Informed
14 Dangerous 44 Well Travelled
15 Overeager 45 Well Spoken
16 Soft-hearted 46 Well Trained
21 Loyal 51 Alien Backed
22 Aggressive 52 Militarily Backed
23 Helpful 53 Corporately Backed
24 Cautious 54 Governmentally Backed
25 Easily Distracted 55 Religiously Backed
26 Technophile 56 Privately Owned
31 Criminal 61 Xenophobic
32 Religious 62 Xenophile
33 Fanatic 63 Heroic
34 Untrusting 64 Destined for Greatness
35 Violent 65 Psionically Inclined
36 Battle-scarred 66 Imperial Agents
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