Let's Read: Traveller, 1977 Edition, Worlds & Adventures, page 7

 It looks like this one will be a short entry, so I'm getting it done tonight; I didn't have time to do the Arabian Nights review I wanted. The only thing on this page is the Law Levels table, which runs from 0-9; no letters on this table.

In Traveller, law levels relate to what weapons are allowed. Basically, the higher on the table you go, the more restrictive the laws are. A 0 means nobody cares what you have; you could have an F-16 in your driveway and an ammo stock like an Army fortress if you want and can afford it. 9 means if you step outside with anything more dangerous than a safety razor, the police are going to come down on you like you're carrying the last donut in existence.

In between, you start at level 1 with poison gas, explosives, and undetectable guns like porcelain pistols and the like. Level 2 adds laser rifles or carbines (although your ship is exempt). 3 restricts any 'military' hardware, like machine guns or automatic rifles. Level 4 adds light assault weapons, which are submachine guns.

So, up to level 4 you're looking at US-style gun laws, where you're allowed to carry to defend yourself. Starting with level 5, it's going to be tougher. Level 5 restricts personal concealable firearms (pistols, revolvers, etc.). Level 6 restricts any firearms except shotguns, and don't carry anything openly. Level 7 takes away the shotguns, and level 8 takes away bladed weapons larger than daggers. You aren't allowed to carry openly, either.

Each law level is cumulative, so there's no level at which you're allowed a revolver but not a shotgun. Of course, you can always make a world that does have that split-restriction, but it's not part of the standard tables.

The law level is also your 'saving throw' on 2D to avoid arrest for something when encountering law enforcement. So, the lower the law level, the easier it is to go about your business without being harassed by the fuzz. The more restrictive the law level, the more likely it is that the cops will stop you on 'suspicion,' even if you aren't doing anything.

Finally, there's a note that starports don't cater to local laws. That suggests that starports in general are considered 'neutral ground,' or that they are run by a central authority that overrides local laws. Of course, it could simply be that the starport is super-important to the economy, so the local leaders basically order their enforcers to leave them alone so as not to disrupt trade. There could be a bunch of different reasons for this, and it's left to the referee's imagination. As it should be.

So, a quick page, but we're learning more about Traveller worlds as we go. I'm enjoying it. Now, I need to know how to actually roll them up. Let's see what the next page brings us.