Rules and Conventions

Rulebooks, Supplements and Tools

MGT2E Core Rulebook

The majority of rules, guides and suggestions for the solo game are taken directly from the core rulebook. This includes character creation, the basics of trade, starship operations, and more. Everything in the Kinorb Gambit stems from this rulebook, with extensions and additions blended in as noted within the entries below.

Sprange, Matthew — Core Rulebook (Mongoose Publishing, 2016)

MGT2E Core Rulebook Update 2022

Much of the work on the Kinorb Gambit was started before the 2022 update was released, but this is now my go-to core rulebook for all future reference. My physical hardcopy hasn't arrived yet (I ordered it alongside Secrets of the Ancients, which is yet to be released in hardcopy) but the PDF is much more responsive than the old rulebook, which is a big benefit. Note (May 2022): Both Core Rulebook 2022 and Secrets of the Ancients have now arrived!

Sprange, Matthew — Core Rulebook Update 2022 (Mongoose Publishing, 2022)

CEPHEUS Solo

I grabbed a physical copy of Solo from DriveThruRPG that was fulfilled by Lulu and it is a fantastic piece of work to aid the solo roleplayer. It was one of the inspirations for this game and will be used for the general flow of the game and to help determine some of the random aspects that lead on to interesting storylines.

Elliot, Paul — Solo (Zozer Games, 2019)

TOOL Mythic Game Master Emulator 2nd Edition

Alongside Zozer's Solo I have a physical copy of Word Mill Games' oracle-based emulator, another great resource for solo roleplaying. I intend to use this at the same time as Zozer's Solo, particularly for character interactions and for NPCs such as passengers. It opens up different ways of reacting to Solo, though it might take me a while to work out which one works best in which instance.

Pigeon, Tana — Mythic Game Master Emulator 2nd Edition (Word Mill Games, 2023)

MGT2E Traveller Companion

There are some great additions within the Traveller Companion and I used them liberally within the Kinorb Gambit. The Allies, Contacts, Rivals and Enemies as part of character creation and the Broad Skills and Specialities are used. The Jump Drive variances are also part of the game, used in tandem with the Jump Drive Operations in the Mongoose 2nd Edition Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society Volume 3 noted below.

Dougherty, Martin J. — Traveller Companion (Mongoose Publishing, 2018)

MGT2E The Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society, Volume 3

The Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society books are full of really great snippets and one that I've used so far is the Jump Drive Operations information. This gives added information for plotting the jump and readying the drive. I use this in conjunction with the Traveller Companion rules (as stated above).

Sprange, Matthew — The Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society, Volume 3 (Mongoose Publishing, 2019)

MGT1E Merchant Prince

I stick reasonably close to the Mongoose 2nd Edition rules when it comes to trade, but for the items that are actually available for trade, both speculative and freight, I use Merchant Prince to add that extra layer of detail. The book is also used for the events during character creation as there is more variety, and both Martja and Annie have used these to good effect.

Steele, Bryan — Merchant Prince (Mongoose Publishing, 2010)

MGT1E Starport Encounters

I use howebrew scripts to create trade tables and information about freight. These scripts are based on the Mongoose 2nd Edition rules (as suggested in Merchant Prince above) and include extra flavour from the trade sections of Starport Encounters. There are also some great descriptions of passengers towards the end of the book and I've created a passenger detail generator script based on the style of these passengers to help as well.

Lilly, Andy and Lilly, Sarah — Starport Encounters (Mongoose Publishing, 2013)

TOOL The Traveller Map

The Traveller map is an awesome tool that I've used widely in all of the games that I've played and has been an inspiration for adventures, world building as well as for writing my own tools. It is one of those tools that once you have used it for the first times it instantly becomes indispensable for your games.

Bell, Joshua (inexorabletash), et al — The Traveller Map (2013)

MGT2E Highguard

When it came to creating the Kalitá I turned immediately to Highguard and the Empress Marava-class Far Trader (pp. 116-117) and then added the traits for older spacecraft from the Core Rulebook on p.164. There is a lot of work they need to do on that ship!

James, Andrew, Welty, Alan, and Sprange, Matthew — Highguard (Mongoose Publishing, 2016)

Note: These house rules are currently under construction.

In-House Rules Reference

CUSTOM Planetary Systems

I use a custom script to develop the worlds in MTU described here that I have been tinkering with for many years. It allows me to generate systems quickly and is repeatable so I always get the same content. I can then build upon those systems with the effects that stand out for the homeworld and beyond. It isn't perfect, and we learn new things about astrophysics and cosmology every day, but for now it is workable. I keep itching to write a more up to date one!

CUSTOM Starship Operations

Here is some stuff with a link to the starship operations rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be starship operations in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Jumps and Jumpspace

Here is some stuff with a link to the jumpspace rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be jumpspace in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Information

Here is some stuff with a link to the information rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be information in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Computers

Here is some stuff with a link to the computers rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be computers in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Starports

Here is some stuff with a link to the starports rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be starports in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Planetary Travel

Here is some stuff with a lionk to the planetary travel rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be planetary travel in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Trade

Here is some stuff with a link to the trade rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be trade in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Medicine

Here is some stuff with a link to the medicine rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be trade in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.

CUSTOM Miscellaneous

Here is some stuff with a link to the miscellaneous rule section. Ideally we would have an overall description or summary here first to fill the box. These rules would be more general than a specific item, and would be miscellany in general pointing to a page where all of the items are held.