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GURPS Traveller has had a problem for some time of releasing material too quickly, only to have flaws become grotesquely apparent once said product is released. As good a GT is the line has been marred by an inordinate amount of errata and Star Mercs is not an exception to this rule.

This book covers the role of mercenaries within the GT universe. Within the GT universe mercs are used for a wide range of missions by any number of people, governments, or companies. This book covers missions, equipment (the most notorious problem being a suit of armor that is impervious to the damage a tank can give), templates, examples, and history. There's even a nice little system for resolving the various missions that a merc troop will engage in. But the stuff in here just doesn't seem to soar...darn it!

These are the guys who did the Sears catalogue of planetary guides in GT's Behind the Claw, and they do the same workmanlike job here. A job that is worsened by the fact that a significant amount of equipment wasn't even playtested. The book has some excellent background (one of the problems with this line seems to be that the GT authors either know GURPS or Traveller, but no one seems to know both systems/backgrounds very well...David Pulver being the exception.), but falls apart in its GURPS components. I'd give this book a "C." Check out GURPS Special Ops first, then return to this book later.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)

Star Mercs
Author: Martin J. Dougherty & Neil A. Frier Category: game Company/Publisher: Steve Jackson Games Line: GURPS Traveller Cost: 19.95 Page count: 128 ISBN: 1-55634-364-7 Capsule Review by Scott Shafer on 05/31/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Far_Future Space	GURPS Traveller has had a problem for some time of releasing material too quickly, only to have flaws become grotesquely apparent once said product is released. As good a GT is the line has been marred by an inordinate amount of errata and Star Mercs is not an exception to this rule. This book covers the role of mercenaries within the GT universe. Within the GT universe mercs are used for a wide range of missions by any number of people, governments, or companies. This book covers missions, equipment (the most notorious problem being a suit of armor that is impervious to the damage a tank can give), templates, examples, and history. There's even a nice little system for resolving the various missions that a merc troop will engage in. But the stuff in here just doesn't seem to soar...darn it! These are the guys who did the Sears catalogue of planetary guides in GT's Behind the Claw, and they do the same workmanlike job here. A job that is worsened by the fact that a significant amount of equipment wasn't even playtested. The book has some excellent background (one of the problems with this line seems to be that the GT authors either know GURPS or Traveller, but no one seems to know both systems/backgrounds very well...David Pulver being the exception.), but falls apart in its GURPS components. I'd give this book a "C." Check out GURPS Special Ops first, then return to this book later. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 2 (Sparse)