Let's Read: Traveller, 1977 Edition, Characters & Combat, page 43

We’re almost done! This next page is the Range Matrix table, and we not only get to see range modifiers, we also get damage numbers. Well, that’s handy. We get the same list of weapons as the previous page, which makes sense. Why include different weapons, right?

Alright, so what do we have? The melee weapons all have two range options: Close, and Short. As I recall, positive modifiers are good, raising the target number. Negative modifiers make it tougher to hit. Got it. So, it’s interesting to see the melee weapons with two different ranges. I guess there’s ‘right in front of you,’ and ‘a few feet away’, and they have different modifiers. Hands and teeth are better at close range, while claws are better at short range. The already-legendary Thrasher is +5 to hit at close range, and +1 at short range. What the hell is a ‘thrasher’? I really, really want to know. It also does 2D+2 damage, which is 4-14, equal to a spear and better than most of the other melee weapons. The Cutlass does 2D+4, the Broadsword is 4D (but -8 to hit at close range), while the bayonet, halberd and pike are all 3D (and also have worse modifiers than the thrasher).

Ranged weapons come next. Body pistols are useless at Long range, while automatic pistols, revolvers, and shotguns can’t reach Very Long range. Laser rifles are your best bet at Very Long range, actually getting a positive modifier of +1 at VL range. Interestingly, Body pistols, auto pistols and revolvers are great at Close range, too. mind you, they aren’t great at the damage thing (although better than most of the melee weapons). The Laser Rifle is the king of all weapons, doing 5D damage and being great at anything other than Close range.

Sights and stocks are also included on this table; the sights only help if you’re targeting a Long-range or Very Long-range target, giving a +4 modifier to both of them. The Shoulder Stock is best for Medium and Long range, getting negatives for Close and Short. And the Folding Stock makes you worse at Medium, Long, and Very Long range, having no effect on Close and Short.

The notes at the bottom of the page indicate that the sights and stocks add their modifiers to the weapon’s own modifier; they don’t replace them. So, using a Telescopic Sight (+4) with an automatic rifle at Long range (+1) gives a total modifier of +5. Also, pikes only use the Short range modifier (+4) on the first combat round; after that, they’re considered to be Close (-4). So, pikes suck, even though they do 3D damage. You aren’t hitting anyone after the first round.

I think I mentioned before that I like the abstract nature of the range modifiers. It makes for a quicker game, where you can get a pretty good guesstimate of where the opponents are in relation to each other without having to whip out a measuring tape or ruler. It's more free-flowing, which is definitely old-school spirit.