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Once again Gypsy Knights Games, entreats us with a magnificent sourcebook of worlds that make up their particular Alternative Traveller Universe while using the conventions more or less of the Mongoose Traveller rule set (although, other than GURPS Traveller – the rules have remained relatively consistent for Traveller since 1977). These include worlds that have been part of their Quick World Series – impromptu worlds created for the Referee that had no official universe (although, one is hinted at but that will be the subject of the Gypsy Knights Games product review - soon).

The worlds themselves are unique in the Traveller Universe by being some of the most fully realized worlds that have been created other than when different companies have sought to do a single world – for each of the worlds described also comes with a description of the Solar System. Perhaps, somewhat oddly, only two worlds in the subsector are binaries and none of the worlds are trinity star systems – perhaps due to the quirk of Traveller that focuses on inhabited Main Worlds that are mainly Earth-like. A legacy of Traveller that it has yet to shake as Traveller was inspired by the Golden Age of SF and the literature around the Age of Sail. But, make no mistake – these worlds are not like those from GURPS or bad Science Fiction which takes a single theme in Earth history and makes a world out of it. Instead, we have worlds that seem to have an interconnectiveness with each other and with the yet to be revealed – Alternative Traveller Universe. Making these worlds, ultra believable and unlike anything that has gone before it, save in the obscure Reaver's Deep Sector guide done by Cargonaught Press. And, even the Keith was drawing upon something that already pre-existed. Still there is enough familiar about most worlds that we are not dealing with the complete alien – and because these worlds were settled by humans – they do follow human norms to historical references...but they are no Camelots pitted against the Moraine or Reich worlds locked in an intergalactic conflict with the Allies. In this way, it is going back to the roots of Traveller as being wheels within wheels – where nothing is quite black or white – but infinite shades of grey.

What has improved since the first subsector guide? The writing has been spiffed up and is much more clear and in terms of the art is certainly the Saturn image that I complained about – archetype for Gas Giants has been diversified – so while a few “Saturn” images remain they are either coloured slightly differently or replaced with a more generic looking Gas Giant. Some might think that I have a prejudice against ringed Gas Giants – not at all – and the thing is most of the Gas Giants in our own Solar System have rings – but Saturn is unique in its prominence. So, to abuse ringed worlds just to make it more SF – is where I have the problem. Also, the writing has become clearer and less obtuse. What is also nice is that Gypsy Knights has included a waft of potential adventure hooks and adventure seeds for all the worlds. Shortcutting (although, not eliminating) the need for the Referee to figure out how to flesh out these individual worlds with adventure ideas unique to each world. Gypsy Knight has spared no effort in also making the worlds stick together in an informal narrative without forcing an overarching background for the Referee. So, those people who like Traveller (like myself) for his historical sweep might be a little disappointed with this product and must wait to see yet again how Franklin and Cascadia are tied together – but a careful reading reveals little points of light connecting them together – the corridor between them is small but enough is there to reward people who loyally follow Gypsy Knights releases.

In some ways, it goes past the OTU by way of the detail on some of these worlds – rarely are we treated to worlds with such detail to highlight even their differing calendar systems. I suppose we get that with the Major Races in the OTU but not really – the Imperial Campaign or Great Game 2 (for 2300AD) is still the basis of comparison or the standard that other cultures are measured against. What’s more, Traveller does has High Ports or Asteroid cities or worlds under twin suns but all this is left in the hands of the Referee to embellish more or less – creating what I call the Star Trek world – where almost every world does resemble the continental USA either in the form of its megacities, vast deserts or just plain old Southern California or frozen plains of the Midwest during winter. In contrast with Gypsy Knight’s products we get fully realized worlds. Cities are highlighted. Orbital stations are described. We get some worlds with its unique fauna in this supplement – my one beefs is that names are very terrestrial in origin thus we get Megacobra and pseudo-dinosaurs. But, as a Referee, I recognize how hard it is to come up with alien flora and fauna without sounding too ridiculous. Each world takes the standard UWP and explodes into a great description ensuring that each world is exceptional and distinctive – thus making worlds memorable locales not merely pit stops. This is what I have always been clamouring for in Traveller – a believable Far Future whilst still keeping many of handwavium things associated with Space Opera yet not venturing into Star Wars territory – Hard Space Opera.

For one – only humans dominate this space – while there are many splinters of humanity – is humanity that is recognizable as the same humans today. Also, Gypsy Knights has done much in the way of de-Americanizing Traveller – while many would object to the categorization of Traveller as being Yanks in Space – it has only recently (say post T20) moved away from it. American influences and others are duly noted in an imaginary speech that the Emperor of the Imperium gave in one of the Mega Traveller supplement – which unfortunately, as time went on from the inception of Traveller became the norm – a natural course of events seeing how much of Science Fiction Pop Culture originates from the United States and for the longest time – Traveller had nearly exclusively American writers and companies producing the stuff. And, that was given a massive reinforcement – with the acknowledgement that Traveller and Firefly (the ill-fated television series) are brothers from different mothers. Gypsy Knight and Franklin does still have an American feel to it but it is also different – in all likelihood because America itself is different from during the heyday of Traveller which like many RPGs of the 1970s – had a distinctive vibe rooted in that zeitgeist. This is neither good nor bad. But, long time Traveller fans might just pick these worlds up just for inspiration for their own Traveller Universes (MTU). And, thus, this supplement provides its greatest service which has not seen since FASA's Old Expanses Campaign – a jumping off point for something all together different. Yet, the product is remarkably tied in with traditions of contemporary Science Fiction – now the FASA project was stillborn. I wish many great years ahead for Gypsy Knights fleshing out this universe.

What this supplement is missing is what it cannot contain? For instance, there is no great mystery or enigma in the sector – no anomalies, no campaign arcs nor descriptions of ships belonging to some pan-Galactic polity. There are a few worlds that speak of some sort of precursor alien presence. However, I am hoping that they will go the route of Niven's classic Ringworld or Charles Sheffield’s Heritage Universe series, Jack Devitt’s Academy Series or Alistair Reynolds Relevation Space (although, that might be too transhumanist SF for this setting) in regard to Precursor races – something awe inspiring but left abandoned. Traveller went the wrong way with the Ancients turning them from an enigma into a McGuffin for everything that needed a Super Science explanation. In contrast in Franklin, everything here is presented for the Referee to make of whatever (s) he will want to do with it. It is very much grounded in a small ship universe – thus, if one wants to use this outside of Traveller – this would be more Firefly or DS9 rather galactic swashbuckling adventure. Future supplements, I am sure are going to start us down that journey – as the 21 Plots reveal – something more is brewing.

The writing is clear and understandable and the fact they have taken the trouble of rewriting some of the world descriptions shows the dedication and support that one should give to this company that is quietly blazing a torch for Traveller in a different way than Mongoose yet complementing every effort that Mongoose is doing. That is why I made the comparison with the FASA Old Expanses Campaign is apt – it was very much a sandbox in its day. There is high quality art but art that is generated by computer or obtained from places like deviantart littered throughout this supplement. It is good but does not quite match the Tech Levels of the worlds described but the art has been carefully selected to match the words on the page and hence should be applauded for that which some Traveller offerings have not bothered to do.

Thus, I must say, that this is a must buy for Referees who are looking to escape the perceived stagnation of the OTU or want to colonize a new sector of the OTU (although, what Gypsy Knight Games has planned next might throw a stick into those plans) – but not entirely, I remember running a few campaigns that dealt with wormhole travel to parts beyond Chartered Space and even Chartered Space is big enough for two sectors that need not know about the larger world beyond (hey, there's an idea – set it beyond Beyond) – that is what this supplement also reminds me of – the old Paranoia Games supplements – shorn of SORAG and other 70s clichés. As a future supplement will reveal, one will have to alter the Traveller OTU timeline but is possible to have a bubble of civilization grow up elsewhere. Or they can embrace the ATU and just go with it.