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GURPS Traveller: Modular Cutter details the standard 50 ton cutter small craft. The cutter is a versatile craft, first described in Traveller Book 2 and elaborated on in various JTAS articles, Supplement 7- Traders and Gunboats, and Adventure 7- Broadsword. It consists of a 20 ton craft that mounts an integral 30 ton interchangable module, providing great versatility in a convienient size...50 tons is half the size of the smallest jump capable ship, and according to most Traveller references, is the maximum size for a standard warship launch tube. The original cutter had three modules: all terrain vehicle, fuel module, and the open module, typically a mix of passengers, cargo, and fuel. Later published materials added an assult landing module, fuel skimmer (virtually identical to the fuel module), personnel transport for sixty, cargo module, shelter (a mobile base for eight), weapons module (turret), and fighter frame (four fighters!) for a total of ten modules.

GURPS Traveller has no less than sixty-six of them, not counting the 10 cutters and ships capable of carrying them. Plus assorted ground equipment and variations. Some of them are variations on the basic modules presented in earlier Traveller materials, but most are brand new, and very useful to boot. If your players want to build thier own modules, they'd better have a damn good reason for why one of the modules presented in this book won't work...

The book has an excellent description of the advantages and disadvantages of both modular construction of ships, and the economics, handling, care, and use of various cutter modules. GT: Modular Cutter can also be considered a "sneak preview" of GT Starships, as many new hulls and ship components are introduced.

The supplement also serves well as adventure support for mercantile, frontier, and exploration campaigns, or for just about any SF game or situation. The book is worth it for this alone. Adventure seeds, and character templates are also provided (the cutter pilot is a great "crossover" PC).

Drawbacks: Module overload. A bewildering variety of modules, and craft to carry them are detailed. Care should be taken when changing modules, as the performance statistics can vary wildly between modules. The table on page 126 is going to get a lot of use...and could have been done in a more readable format (how hard would have been to put headers on each of the columns on the *right* half of Page 126, Loren?).

Summary: A module you can't do without, if you play any SF campaign that uses small craft for errands.

Dave.

GURPS Traveller: Modular Cutter
GURPS Traveller: Modular Cutter Capsule Review by U Dog on 25/05/01 Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 4 (Meaty) How to build a civilisation, or at least a starport out of cutter modules.... Product: GURPS Traveller: Modular Cutter Author: Andy Akins and Loren K. Wiseman Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Steve Jackson Games Line: GURPS Traveller Cost: 20.95 Page count: 128 Year published: 2001 ISBN: 1-55634-434-1 SKU: SJG 6616 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by U Dog on 25/05/01 Genre tags: Science Fiction Far Future Space Generic	GURPS Traveller: Modular Cutter details the standard 50 ton cutter small craft. The cutter is a versatile craft, first described in Traveller Book 2 and elaborated on in various JTAS articles, Supplement 7- Traders and Gunboats, and Adventure 7- Broadsword. It consists of a 20 ton craft that mounts an integral 30 ton interchangable module, providing great versatility in a convienient size...50 tons is half the size of the smallest jump capable ship, and according to most Traveller references, is the maximum size for a standard warship launch tube. The original cutter had three modules: all terrain vehicle, fuel module, and the open module, typically a mix of passengers, cargo, and fuel. Later published materials added an assult landing module, fuel skimmer (virtually identical to the fuel module), personnel transport for sixty, cargo module, shelter (a mobile base for eight), weapons module (turret), and fighter frame (four fighters!) for a total of ten modules. GURPS Traveller has no less than sixty-six of them, not counting the 10 cutters and ships capable of carrying them. Plus assorted ground equipment and variations. Some of them are variations on the basic modules presented in earlier Traveller materials, but most are brand new, and very useful to boot. If your players want to build thier own modules, they'd better have a damn good reason for why one of the modules presented in this book won't work... The book has an excellent description of the advantages and disadvantages of both modular construction of ships, and the economics, handling, care, and use of various cutter modules. GT: Modular Cutter can also be considered a "sneak preview" of GT Starships, as many new hulls and ship components are introduced. The supplement also serves well as adventure support for mercantile, frontier, and exploration campaigns, or for just about any SF game or situation. The book is worth it for this alone. Adventure seeds, and character templates are also provided (the cutter pilot is a great "crossover" PC). Drawbacks: Module overload. A bewildering variety of modules, and craft to carry them are detailed. Care should be taken when changing modules, as the performance statistics can vary wildly between modules. The table on page 126 is going to get a lot of use...and could have been done in a more readable format (how hard would have been to put headers on each of the columns on the right half of Page 126, Loren?). Summary: A module you can't do without, if you play any SF campaign that uses small craft for errands. Dave.