My goodness is this chapter of The Traveller Adventure scary as I try to prepare running it tomorrow night.  (I'm so glad I've been reading it over the last month rather than just today to try and get all the STUFF in my head!).

Faffing around on the orbital starport I think I'm fine with.

Even getting to the start of the adventure proper I think I'm good for - I even have two back up plans in case the PCs don't care to follow the Bannerji sighting to get Giilaan's money.

But wow it's a complex political situation (I took the precaution of sending the players the first paragraphs of the chapter as Library data earlier in the week - up to them if they read it!) but I can kind of reduce it down to the vital bits I guess.  Governor's Mansion -> meet Kfouzorr and Bannerji -> attack by Lanax forces/vargr -> flee across country.

It's the latter I'm running into difficulties with.

The local area map in the Mongoose version (Aramis: The Traveller Adventure) is missing the hex grid so the movement rates in the key are meaningless.  Fortunately I have the original TTA to fall back on.  (The map also has a typo in Podil for what's Podli in TTA and elsewhere in A:TTA if anyone wants forewarning).  Clearly I'm going to have go with the old style map - though admittedly the new one is clearer.

(Aside: Am I missing something or is there really no movement rules in MgT1, MgT2 or even classic Traveller's core rules for movement speeds across terrain of any kind?!)

It's very hard to work out if we'll even get to this bit in the pub tomorrow or whether it will become a 2 parter (or more), but it's a daunting episode.  Not sure I've got it all in my head yet and even less sure I can convey all it's complexity to the players without it become tedious.

I have decided I might help myself but having (my very poor) accents to signify the different countries - so an American drawl for the Union of Senled (US?  yes?!), my faux Russian from last episode (see Two Days on Carsten) for their enemies the Republic of Lanax which is an oligarchy and seems appropriate.  German for Renitza maybe.  Don't know if it will help.

Up on the orbital station of course they'll all of them from various people to show it's cosmopolitan nature.

BTW I assume at TL6 for Aramanx the orbital station is heavily dependent on imported tech so might well be prone to breakdown of tech and reversion to paper, perhaps for customs checks and the like while they wait for spares.

I hope I can convey the excitement of the scenario rather than just get bogged down in it but I'll be glad when it's over!  (Although I can see Zilan Wine coming up...)

Didn't I always say I'd rather play than referee this?!

tc