Tags
Maps, Pirates, RPG, Science Fiction, Star Wars, Traveller, WH40K, White Star
A wonderful staple of science fiction of most genres is the secret asteroid base used by the pirates, a small military or para-military force, or the illegal raritanium-mining conglomerate.
Asteroid Base
This map presents such an environment, albeit drawn for those sci-fi games that also come with artificial gravity – so Star Wars and Traveller right off the bat. Built back from the landing bay designed for two small cutters or similar ships, the base consists of
- a raised command area overlooking the landing bay,
- three concealed weapon emplacements to fend off encroaching ships,
- storage and warehousing for the ore / pirate booty (just behind the bay)
- brig / prison for interlopers or high-value targets (right side, behind the warehousing)
- quarters / barracks
- entertainment & eating environments for the staff
- power plant (upper right)
- and three airlocks to the asteroid surface (one on this level beside the turrets, two reached by ladders up and down from the base to the surface above and below it)
Asteroid Base (no grid)
The map was originally aimed at a scale of 1.5m per square but works a bit better (slightly less tight hallways) using a scale of 5′ per square.
Dyson's Dodecahedron 
I’m a little confused here. Is it Friday already? 😉
That’s what happens when I get so plugged into Fallout 4 – I lose track of the days.
Thanks for spotting that for me, fixed it. 🙂
Speaking of Fallout 4 – I, for one, wouldn’t mind seeing how you would handle a few Fallout (or Gamma World) like locations, done in your mapping style.
Using a 5′ square works, but unless they’ve made drastic changes to Star Wars both WotC versions (Revised and Saga Edition) use 2m squares.
5′ and 1.5m are almost the same thing:
5ft = 1.524000m
1.524 = 1.016 * 1.5, so less than a 2% difference
One might almost guess the reason Traveller used the odd 1.5m square is BECAUSE it was pretty much the same size as the D&D 5′ square.
Interestingly, that was the same hex-size used in both The Fantasy Trip and GURPS by Steve Jackson.
1. 2.4cm of difference man. That’s like ALMOST a full inch.
2. I was actually kidding about the size difference
3. I don’t think Traveller used it because D&D used 5′ squares… because back then D&D used 10′ squares.
This can drop nicely into my next game of Stars Without Number, X-Plorers, etc.
Dyson, how I love thee.
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