On 26 August 2014 15:30, Jeffrey Schwartz <schwartz.jeffrey@gmail.com> wrote:

On Tue, Aug 26, 2014 at 10:19 AM, John Geoffrey <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
> But I don't think the Draft in CT works at all like any draft in our world.
> Don't you have to subject yourself to the draft? (my main game is MongT
> though). And even then a draft normally doesn't affect everybody in the
> population. I for example got around being drafted on account of being
> nearly blind without glasses (the examiner didn't even get past her first
> question in that regard. She still measured the rest of my body, but it felt
> rather lackluster after seeing the strength of my glasses).
> Anyway, I always interpreted the draft rule as a desperate
> get-me-out-of-here/last-chance-before-fastfood ticket for people who'd be
> stuck on their world without it, not as something that affects every single
> person. (which might be rather difficult anyway, considering that some low
> pop worlds need most of their populace to just survive, taking away a large
> part of them for a multitude of military duties might be a death sentence
> for a world).
>

CT says everyone must do at least 4 years service to the Imperium.
Universal Service...
If you don't make the roll for the service of your choice, then you're
"Drafted" (roll d6, go there)
There's a comment in there somewhere (I think) that the Draft puts
people into the service that needs additional warm bodies.
I mention the Draft to say that even if 1/6 of the people _don't_
chose Merchant, then things will even out and 1/6 will end up being
Merchants.

Like others, I read the above with some surprise and was going to ask for a citation on the "CT says everyone must do at least 4 years service to the Imperium..." line as I can't find anything like it.

However, I *think* Jeffrey is referring to the section which says

"Any newly-generated character may choose one of these six services..." and goes on to say "should an attempt at enlistment fail, the character must submit to the draft." (p.18 of The Traveller Book)

For me the key word in that is "character". (and not something like "citizen") PCs not the run of the mill NPCs and much of a world's population. But correct me if I'm wrong and there's a quote about everyone in the Imperium.

Of course, the idea of a few million Scouts flying Type-S's off Earth
each day is kinda creepy.... so there is an element of tongue in cheek
to this logic.

Which of course means that this isn't quite the case either...

But interesting thought!