[Targan]

Great post, KC. Seriously, a really interesting read. I chuckled a few times though because there were quite a few terms used that non-Australians probably wouldn't understand. "Ute", for instance. I love the way you linked back to T2K in the blue sections. Very effective.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

Packing: most times people dont have enough room and have to leave stuff behind. We're seasoned travellers (we take half as much as we used to)and had more than enough room. I like our car and trailer to be at "75%" capacity so theres room to add stuff along the way (firewood) or if you need to get to something (its always on the bottom) you can move stuff around without too much trouble. Something i found on this trip was after 3 or 4 days we had too much room. Too much room in our fridge, too much room in our food store and even in the back of our car. What was happening was, we were breaking stuff. Milk container in the fridge, fridge latch broke off after bumping around in the ute tray, cordial bottle in the food box. When we left home things were packed "tight". After a few days things were no longer "tight" and also there was more room to move, and with that movement, even small movement, things broke when bouncing around on corrugated roads. Every day you need to repack. We ended up putting my ugg boots in the fridge to cushion milk containers, beer cans etc. Once you've used up some supplies, you need to "dampen" down the available movement or risk breaking gear. T2K: a good store person is a must. And along with "maintenance", it should also include "packing". I'm strongly in favour of a daily roll for random items to be damaged during travel. It mimiks real life, and it really is random what can break.

Great points. In my Gunmaster T2K I included a Loadmaster skill for exactly this reason. I also had vehicle/equipment failures as a possible random encounter on the tables, and critical failures in a variety of askills and in luck rolls could also result in breakages/breakdowns.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

You cant have enough spares. Most of what we broke were consumable items (liter of milk with a slow leak). Or "annoying" items (fridge latch. The fridge still closed and we could latch one side, but not the other). It really opened up the possibility that 50 cent items could bring you to a halt (blown light fuse, run down torch battery at night). T2K: just as random stuff breaks all the time, it pays to have spares. Its not exciting to list all your spares, but it might suit some. I dont like to list all spares and other carried items. If theres a good scrounger or storeperson in a party, i'll assign a % likelihood to the random item. If a fuse blows for example, a good storeperson is likely to have one (even if not listed), so theres an 85% chance your party has the fuse (roll for effect). If there is no one with good provision management, having that same fuse available might be 50/50.

Agreed, so very true. I made my players keep pretty detailed lists of things like spares. At least as far as my and their knowledge (or my ability to bullshit) extended.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

We had to fill up with diesel in remote communities. While we carried jerry cans (x6) we had to refuel at some point. I'd heard stories of bad diesel, or water in petrol station tanks (rains, condensation). It was a big concern i had if the motor got into trouble so far from anywhere. T2K: bad fuel is a real fear. Is your alcohol still working properly? Did you just trade for good or bad diesel?

Absolutely! What a great way to mess with characters' heads. Is there such a thing as a portable test kit for petroleum type fuels? I know that you can use black powder to "proof" alcohol fuels.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

Small cuts or splinters are a real pain, and you pick up so many. I'm not a "manual work" kind of guy. But my hands were skun and had splinters from early on. Day 1 its no worries, "We're camping and my hands are dirty!". Day 2 and its "ow, this actually hurts". Day 3 "oh boy, its infected now". T2K: Day 10 "the medic says two of those fingers have to come off".

Because of the system on which the system we used, medicine, wounds and healing were pretty detailed in my last campaign. One character actually did die from infected wounds. With his last few breaths he made another PC swear to cutting out his heart once he was dead and burying it in Texas. The other PC carried the heart for ages but never did make it to Texas.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

Personal hygene is real. I had a pair of socks on. That night it was cold and i wore the socks to bed. In the morning (-4c) it was so cold i kept the same socks on during the day, 4 days later the routine hadnt changed. I joked about getting trench foot. At the end of 3 weeks my feet had had clean and dirty socks on for 24 hours a day .... for 3 weeks. T2K: I'm lucky i didnt take my socks off when i got home and have toes rattling around in them.

Towards the end of basic training I didn't take my boots off for more than a few minutes for 5 or 6 days while we were out in the bush. I got gangrene in 2 toes but didn't tell the medics. After the passing out parade I cut out the black, stinking flesh until I hit bright blood. It was a pretty horrible experience. I was pretty sick from the blood poisoning.

Originally Posted by kcdusk

We towed a camper trailer through the Simpson Desert.

[snip]

Anyway. For those in Australia we did the Oodnadatta track (Leigh Creek to marla), Ayres rock, Kings canyon, Hermensburg, Palm Valley, through Alice Springs (2 hours to refuel and food), Chambers Pillar, Finke, Dalhousie Springs, across the Simpson ... to Birdsville, down the Birdsville track, Blinman (flinders ranges) and .... then home.

Man, respect to you and your family. That's some seriously harsh territory. What an amazing trip.