Welcome to the Zhodani Base Awards 2013! 2013 has been a very good year for Traveller. There have been lots of new publications including the Traveller5 book we had been waiting for.
The first category is “Best Cover“. The nominees are:
- Quick Decks 4: Kankur-class Frontier Courier : From DSL Ironworks
- Ship Record Sheets : From Moon Toad Publishing
- Star Trader : From Zozer Games
- Freelance Traveller Issue 037 (January 2013)
The winner of the “Best Cover” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Freelance Traveller Issue 037
There were lots of Traveller products with nice covers this year. Lots of love for all nice covers. The cover for Freelance Traveller Issue 037 by Shawn Driscoll is one of the best covers for Traveller I’ve seen. I’ve been wondering for almost a year now if another cover was going to beat it. No, I still think it is the best one.
(Freelance Traveller also had one of the worst covers I’ve seen this year. It was the infamous camel-toe issue.)
Next category is “Best Fanzine or Online Magazine“. The nominees are:
The winner of the “Best Fanzine/Online Magazine” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Freelance Traveller
Freelance Traveller has once again proved that they are the best fanzine by publishing monthly issues with lots of good contents for free.
I am also impressed by the new fanzine for 2300 AD, Colonial Times.
Next category is “Best Adventure“. The nominees are:
- 21 Plots: Misbehave : From Gypsy Knights Games
- Dawn Adventures 2: Hell’s Paradise : From Gypsy Knights Games
- Flynn’s Guide To Azri Drakara: Patrons By The Dozen : From Samardan Press
- 2300AD: Salvage Rights : From Mongoose
The winner of the “Best Adventure” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: 2300AD: Salvage Rights From Mongoose
There were lots of fine Traveller Adventures for different settings published. The one I liked best was an interesting adventure for 2300 AD. This is a good adventure for an interesting setting. This winner makes me want to play 2300 AD again.
Next category is “Best Ship or Deckplan“. The nominees are:
- Ship Book:Pukharra : From Moon Toad Publishing
- Ships of Clement Sector 1: Kiviat : From Gypsy Knights Games
- Ships of Clement Sector 2: Vulkan : From Gypsy Knights Games
- Type Y Royalty Class Yacht “Spirit of the Empire” : From Scrying Eye Games
The winner of the “Best Ship or Deckplan” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Ships of Clement Sector 2: Vulkan From Gypsy Knights Games
There was lots of fine ships for Traveller published this year. Vulkan was the most impressive ship module with adventures as well. It made me think of Space: Above and Beyond.
Next category is “Best ATU Product“. The nominees are:
- Clement Sector : From Gypsy Knight Games
- Colonial Times
- 2300AD: Salvage Rights : From Mongoose
- Judges’ Handbook II : From Mongoose
The winner of the “Best ATU Product” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Clement Sector From Gypsy Knights Games
There was lots of interesting stuff for ATU published this year. Clement Sector won because it is really cool. The other nominees are also very good.
If I didn’t already owned the Judge Dredd RPG rules from Games Workshop I would be more interested in buying the Judge Dredd modules from Mongoose.
Next category is “Best OTU Product“. The nominees are:
- Star Trader : From Zozer Games
- Traveller 5 : From Far Future Enterprises
- Traveller Compendium 3 : From Mongoose
- Supplement 13: Starport Encounters : From Mongoose
The winner of the “Best OTU Product” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Traveller 5 From Far Future Enterprises
T5 is the best OTU product. It is a complete new rule-set with lots of new interesting ideas added to the existing OTU.
I am well aware that some think that a new rule-set isn’t needed and that these new rules are badly organized. I think that these rules are good enough to start playing Traveller, either if you are new to RPGs or have played for years. If you already (like me) have seven other sets of Traveller rules, then maybe it is not needed. But I bought it anyway, since I wanted to support the Kickstarter project and I wanted to see the finished product. I am happy with the way it turned out (but some things could have been made even better) and I like the new ideas in the book. I am looking forward to seeing new T5 products.
A final bonus category this year is “Best Free Traveller Product“. The nominees are:
- Guide Checklist to GDW RPG Titles : From GDW
- Through the Veil Part 8 : From Spica Publishing
- Starships Book II0I0 : Cargo Barque : From Christian Hollnbuchner
- Farragut-class Wallpaper : From Gypsy Knights Games
The winner of the “Best Free Traveller Product” category of the Zhodani Base Awards 2013 is: Starships Book II0I0 : Cargo Barque From Christian Hollnbuchner
The Farragut-class Wallpaper is pretty and the Through the Veil Part adventure is interesting, but for me the Cargo Barque was the most useful free Traveller product in 2013.
Now, go and download all of the free Traveller Products. Why? They are free!