Metagame: Medals of the Imperium, Revisited.

Greetings All.

I am soon to bed but I had to post this week's obsessive nerd bit, and I do mean obsessive. Those of you who are old schoolers you might remember when I did up my first thoughts on what a couple of the standard medals in Traveller we have all seen, heard of and some lucky players won. Well, I returned to that question being unsatisified with what I had done. Basically I knew that for the most part the sucked.

Well, these ones aren't all CGIed up with real metallic renders, but I think they far outstrip the old ones. Last time (the new schoolers) I did up a MCUF, MCG, and SEH. No XS, no *SEH*, no Wound Bages. Just some really hasty hand scribbled drawings that I put together to settle the mind and move on. Well, now I have to sound like a dick Ref because one of my players is trying to bling past The Plan for the Festivities while they are onboard HMS Blackthorne [BA-27] with his former rank of Force Commander (RM), his shiny new Title, but mostly his SEH. That got me again wondering what is he wearing? 

Question answered and then some. Below you will find my first drafts of some of the Decorations of the Permatic Imperium. Meet me below the pretty pictures for some more boring word things. :D

So, as you can see I first went all nerdy Metagame by making it a Joint Forces Command (see High Command) Public Information Office handout. You know the kinda thing the military hangs in recruiting stations on Bummstickia, Planet Crap, TL-Got Metal Weapons. 

Oh, you were actually looking at the Decorations. My, bad. :p 

So, up top we have the "Big Five" or the five highest awards of military decoration given by the Imperium to those who serve and show great leadership and bravery in order of precedence.

They are the Starburst of Extreme Heroism with Diamonds, the Starburst of Extreme Heroism, the Medal of Conspicous Gallantry, the Meritorious Conduct Under Fire, and the Exemplary Service. The top shows the Ribbon for most uniform/dress wear and below that is the full medal as worn for say Court functions. After that are examples of Wound Badges for both services and indicating whether the receiptant died in the action it was awarded for.

Last we have three Campaign Ribbions from my settings most recent Campaigns. These Campaigns have all occurred within the last fifty years or so. The Third Pixiant Insurgency has its origins in Lieutenant Coronel Nick Sutton's CharGen for my meatspace crew. The Harkness Ribbon (so called in honor of Baroness Harkness who was killed by the insurgents in their initial strikes) and the Balican CRs come from notes, though LTC Sutton has has Balican due to its previous mention. The Second Kylin Campaign covers both Pixiant and Balican and any other Campaign that took place in that Subsector from roughly 170-80 PI. For example I found a TL-5 world with PGL of 000 and it is a Red Zone. Pretty sure that means either plague or got too stupid uppity and well, nuked from orbit, it's the only way to be sure. The last is the Imperial version of the Reservist Ribbon, that those Sophonts who are on the Reserve Rolls may wear to indicate their current service, if only waiting and training. The Royal Armed Forces version is the same, but the RAF ribbon is Royal Blue.

I would go on about how Baroness Harkness was exceeding brave for even taking the Post there having been two previous insurgencies directed at the Imperium. Or how in case you some how missed the gory symbolism that the pattern represents her and the other Imperials blood that was spilt in the insurgency most of hers while leading the last of defending Marines. Or how the subtle play of dark blue and black of the Balican ribbon represents the fact that most of the action took place on the Imperial Starport and ended in a surgical drop on the rebel headquarters, very little ground combat was seen. I could, but I really must hit the rack and catch some Zzzs. I have to catch up to the Ship's Cat and you never get a handicap.

Laterness,

Craig.