From Traveller Wiki - Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far future
This page is a key to the pdf sector trade maps included with some sectors. The maps are largely unadorned. The trade routes are calculated in the following manner:
Each world is given a World Trade Number (WTN), a relative ranking of economic influence on outside worlds. It is based upon the world's population and starport. Larger worlds with poor starport facilities have less influence than smaller population worlds with better starports.
For each pair of worlds a Bilateral Trade Number (BTN) is calculated. This is a ranking of the volume of trade between these two worlds. It takes into account distances, allegiances of the worlds, and other economic factors. The BTN numbers on these maps range from 8 to 12, representing the most active routes.
The third number is the Traffic classification (TC). This value represents how much of the trade traffic generated by the worlds around this one stops in this world.
Worlds
Each world on the map is placed on a hex grid and given three lines of information. The first line is the
Universal World Profile in standard format. The second line is the world name. The third line consists of several pieces of information:
- A two character Allegiance Code
- A + for a subsector or empire capital or a * for a sector capital world, or blank if neither.
- A military base letter code.
- A count of gas giants in the system
- The world's WTN in hexadecimal format.
- The world's TC in hexadecimal format.
Amber and Red zones
Some worlds are marked with an amber or red circle. The
Amber Zone worlds (or
Zhodani unincorporated worlds) have some cautionary element to them. The
Red Zone worlds (or Zhodani Forbidden worlds) are forbidden to Traders. Trade routes will avoid these worlds for this reason.
[edit] Trade Routes
The trade routes on the map are shown as colored lines, each color representing a trade volume category. The trade route colors and their meaning are as follows:
BTN 8 route
The red lines represent BTN 8
minor routes. These routes are the smallest which still have regularly scheduled traffic. Usually between four and eight small
liners and an equal number of free traders ply this route, with a general average of one ship per day entering or leaving each port. As an average there is 1,000 dtons of cargo and 20 passengers per week.
BTN 9 route
The yellow lines represent BTN 9
feeder routes. These routes are served by the larger
freighters, generally between four and eight, with an equal number of smaller liners and free traders. While only two to four ship per day leave or enter port, they are larger ships than on a BTN 8 route. As an average there is 10,000 dtons of cargo and 200 passengers per week along the route.
BTN 10 route
The green lines represent BTN 10
intermediate routes. These routes are served by twenty to forty freighters and a smaller number of liners and free traders. On average ten ships per day enter or leave port. As an average there is 100,000 dtons of cargo and 2,000 passengers per week along the route.
BTN 11 route
The cyan lines represent BTN 11
main routes. These routes see the use of the very large mega-freighters, and there are still dozens of smaller freighters and liners. There may be as many as 20 ships per day entering or leaving port. As an average there is one million dtons of cargo and 20,000 passengers per week along the route.
BTN 12 route
The blue lines represent BTN 12
major routes. These routes are the largest and most active in all of charted space. A dozen mega-freighters and as many as 100 smaller ships regularly travel this route. There can be as many as 50 ships per day entering or leaving port. As an average there is ten million dtons of cargo and 200,000 passengers per week along the route.
If there is no line between two worlds, it means that there isn't enough trade to reach the BTN 8 requirements. There may or may not be a regularly scheduled ship or two between the worlds. One or two ships, probably free traders, provide service between the worlds.
