Ellison Class Far Trader and variants

Original sketch circa 2000

 

I often carry around a pocket sized sketchbook - Moleskine or similar - to capture random ideas, work out whatever problems I'm trying to solve, etc. For Traveller, these sketchbooks are the perfect size for a single deck plan of about 100 dtons. As a result, I've got a couple dozen of these ships deck plans (of varying quality), but they've sat unattended for about a quarter century. These were originally designed using Classic Traveller Book 2 starship construction rules or just sketched off the cuff. I decided to update the design to current Mongoose Traveller High Guard 2022 rules. I hope to do more in the future as time allows.

The class is named after one of my favorite authors, Harlon Ellison, who passed away in 2018. I wanted to do something to commemorate his writing, so all the Ships of the Class names are based on his work. 

Not  everyone gets into smaller ships, given their limits, but I find them endlessly fascinating. So anyway, here's another one to do with as you wish.

Click [HERE] to download a high resolution PDF. 

We-Babwa Class Far Trader

[Update 2025-08-19: High Guard stats have been updated to reflect Computer/10 and Jump Control/2. This decreases the cost by about MCr4.5, but does not otherwise impact the ship design.]

 

Here is the twentieth in the series of starships, small craft, and vehicles designed by members of the Traveller community using the Adventure Class Starship Geomorphs book. This series invites players and referees to test their skills as a Naval Architect, to design and share their unique geomorph-based creations, and join in showcasing the diverse creativity within our group.

Each post in this series will feature at minimum a distinct starship deck plan with a description and basic ship stats. Others may include full High Guard stats, supplemental text about the ship, adventure hooks, an illustration, and more. It is my hope these designs will provide entertainment in the long-standing Traveller "mini-game" of starship creation, and fresh inspiration for your campaigns. Enjoy!

My first Bwap ship. Geomorphs were tweaked more than usual to reflect their preferred smooth edge aesthetic. Enjoy! 

Click [HERE] to download a PDF of this ship, designed by Robert Pearce.

The Refit Yard - Florian Provincial Merchant

 

I'm introducing a new feature to the Yet Another Traveller Blog: The Refit Yard.

From time to time I will be taking previously published classic Traveller starships and giving them an overhaul; updating specifications to Mongoose Traveller High Guard rules, updating deck plan graphics to my preferred style, fixing perceived deck plan irregularities, proposing ship variants, and creating new illustrations (as time allows). My intent is to keep the flavor of the original ship as much as possible, just refit them for the 21st century. I also hope to introduce players to older, less accessible ships they may not have encountered before.

The first ship is the Florian Provincial Merchant, from the pages of The Third Imperium magazine, Issue #8. Scans of this magazine are available through Marc Miller's Far Future Enterprises website, in the Apocrypha-2 collection.

Click [HERE] to download a PDF of this updated ship, originally designed by Mike Jackson.

Doru Class Far Trader

 

Here is the nineteenth in the series of starships, small craft, and vehicles designed by members of the Traveller community using the Adventure Class Starship Geomorphs book. This series invites players and referees to test their skills as a Naval Architect, to design and share their unique geomorph-based creations, and join in showcasing the diverse creativity within our group.

Each post in this series will feature at minimum a distinct starship deck plan with a description and basic ship stats. Others may include full High Guard stats, supplemental text about the ship, adventure hooks, an illustration, and more. It is my hope these designs will provide entertainment in the long-standing Traveller "mini-game" of starship creation, and fresh inspiration for your campaigns. Enjoy!

Click [HERE] to download a PDF of this ship, designed by James Favell.