Master Abbreviation List

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This Master Abbreviation List is here to make your way traversing the Traveller fan-generated wastes a little easier.

  • Traveller has been around since 1977 and has generated an incredible number of abbreviations, acronyms, and a vast variety of fan-generated utterances.
  • All of that Alphabet Soup can be incredibly confusing.
  • The goal of this page is to establish a master list to make it easier for older and newer fans to make sense of this universe-specific language.

Please see the following Traveler RPG Wiki articles for more information:

Description (Specifications)

Background Terminology (In-Universe)

  • 3I: The Third Imperium - The star-spanning empire that forms the backdrop for much of Traveller
  • 5FW: Fifth Frontier War, as a historical event
  • AAB: The Argushiigi Admegulasha Bilanidin - The Vilani Repository of all knowledge
  • ACS: Adventure-Class Ships
  • AHL: Azhanti High Lightning - An Imperial warship class (Frontier Cruiser, 60,000 tons)
  • BD: BattleDress - Cybernetic armour, commonly used by high-tech forces in Traveller
  • BR: Battle Rider
  • BT: Battle Tender
  • Dt, dT, DT: Dimensional Ton - the amount of space (volume) considered a "ton" in Traveller (1000 kg of Hydrogen at STP, or ~ 14 cubic meters) ( aka "2 squares" on a deck plan)
  • FFW: Fifth Frontier War - One of a series of wars between the 3I and the Zhodani. To distinguish it from the Fourth Frontier War, it is sometime abbreviated 5FW.
  • FGMP: Fusion Gun, Man Portable - A high energy weapons system
  • HEPlaR: High Energy PLAsma Recombustion - The reaction drive introduced in TNE as an alternative to Thruster Plates
  • IISS: Imperial Interstellar Scout Service
  • IN: Imperial Navy
  • ISBA: Imperial Ship Builders Association
  • J#: J with a number J1, J2, etc indicating Jump drive and distance capability
  • J-drive: Jump drive
  • M#: M with a number M1, J2, etc indicating Maneuver drive and acceleration capability
  • M-drive: Maneuver drive
  • NI: [Imperial] Naval Intelligence
  • PP: Power Plant
  • PP#: Numerical PP rating, ruleset dependent
  • P-plant: Power plant
  • PGMP: Plasma Gun, Man Portable
  • RC: Reformation Coalition
  • ROM: The Rule Of Man - The Second Imperium, sometimes known as the Ramshackle Empire
  • RsA: Research Station Alpha [B=Beta, G=Gamma, D=Delta...]
  • SDB: System Defense Boat
  • SM: The Spinward Marches
  • SORAG: Study and Operations Recording Activities Group

Meta-gaming Community Terminology (Out-of-Universe)

  • ATU: Alternate Traveller Universe.
  • Canon: Officially sanctioned history or cartography of the Imperium. The definition of what makes up the canon seems to be open to debate. Most often seen to refer to GDW and DGP publications
  • DSR: The Definitive Sensor Rules
  • FLGS: Friendly Local Game Store
  • GearHead: A type of Traveller player or GM who delights in the 'hard science' aspects of the game. Typically enjoys designing new vehicles/weapons/ships using systems such as FFS (1 or 2) or 3G3.
  • GM: Game Master - The referee of an RPG session. Often the person who authors or customizes the adventure.
  • HIWG: History of the Imperium Working Group - A group of gamers who helped to flesh out the development of the MegaTraveller timeline.
  • IMTU: In My Traveller Universe. A reference to the particular game setting/rule mechanics used by a particular person
  • IYTU: In Your Traveller Universe
  • Munchkin: Derogatory term referring to RPG players who is interested in minimizing their disadvantages, maximizing their advantages and having the coolest weapons and equipment. Role playing skills are not to the forefront here.
  • MTU: My Traveller Universe
  • NPC: Non Player Character - A Character in an RPG who is not controlled by one of the players. NPCs are generally run by the GM.
  • ObTraveller: Obligatory Traveller Reference. That small snippet of traveller information needed to make an otherwise off-topic post on-topic.
    • ObTrav: OB-ligatory TRAV-eller tie in.
  • OTU: Official Traveller Universe. Traveller as published
  • PC: Player Character - A Character in an RPG who is controlled by one of the players of the game
  • THUDDD: TML Highly Unofficial and Democratic Design Derby
  • TU: Traveller Universe

Traveller Chat Board Slang

  • AFAIK: As Far As I Know
  • BTW: By The Way
  • FWIW: For What It's Worth
  • FUBAR: F'd Up Beyond All Recognition
  • IRC: Internet Relay Chat
  • IIRC: If I recall correctly
  • IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
  • IMNHO: In My Not Humble Opinion
  • IMO: In My Opinion
  • ISTR: It Stands To Reason
  • IYKWIMAITYD: If You Know What I Mean And I Think You Do
  • Keyboard Kill: The result of reading a TML posting so funny that you spray <insert your favourite hot/sticky fluid here> over your keyboard
  • OTOH: On The Other Hand
  • RW: Real World
  • TANSTAAFL: There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
  • TARFU: Things Are Really Fouled Up
  • TINSTAAFL: There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
  • TML: Traveller Mailing List
  • XTML: Xboat Traveller Mailing List
  • WAG: Wild-Assed Guess
  • WEG: Wide Evil Grin

The FU-series (in ascending order of utility, per Jeff Zeitlin)

  • SNAFU: Situation Normal All [Fornicated] Up
  • BOMFU: Beginning Of Major [Fornicate] Up
  • TARFU: Things Are Really [Fornicated] Up
  • GATFU: Getting/Gotten All Together [Fornicated] Up
  • FUBAR: [Fornicated] Up Beyond All Recognition

Traveller Publication Abbreviations (Out-of-Universe)

This category includes authors, publishers, publications, versions, and other Traveller products.

  • 3G3: Guns!,Guns!,Guns! version 3. A generic weapons design system with conversion rules for various versions of Traveller. Created by Greg Porter.
  • BITS: British Isles Traveller support. British publisher of Traveller supplements, most notably the 101 guides
  • BTRC: Blacksburg Tactical Resource Center. Publisher of 3G3 and other roleplaying aids.
  • Challenge: Challenge Magazine [GDW] - (picked up at issue 25 where official publication of JTAS was ended)
  • Cogs&Dogs or Bogs&Dogs: MegaTraveller Alien Module 1: Vilani and Vargr. Cogs relates to the Vilani's bureaucratic obsession. Bogs could be because they are bogged down in their traditions?
  • CSC: Central Supply Catalog - T4 supplement containing equipment and technology
  • CT: Classic Traveller - The three original black books and the host of support material
  • DGP: Digest Group Publications - One-time publisher of high quality Traveller supplements
  • Dragon: Dragon magazine [TSR]
  • DTRPG: Drive-Thru RPG - online publisher
  • EA: Emperor's Arsenal - T4 supplement concentrating on weapons
  • FASA: Fredonian Air and Space Agency, later Fantasimulation Associates
  • FF&S: Fire, Fusion and Steel. Version 1 was for TNE, Version 2 for T4.
    • FFS: Fire, Fusion & Steel [TNE]
    • FFS4e: Fire, Fusion & Steel [T4]
  • FFW: The Boardgame of the Fifth Frontier War.
  • FS: First Survey - T4 supplement detailing the astrography of Milieu 0. Generally held to be fundamentally flawed.
  • GDW: Game Designers' Workshop
  • GT/G:T: GURPS Traveller
  • GW: Games Workshop [company]
  • HG1: High Guard 1st Edition
  • HG2: High Guard 2nd Edition
  • HT: Hard Times (sourcebook) [MT]
  • IG: Imperium Games
  • JG: Judges Guild - publisher of licensed CT/other products
  • JTAS: Journal of Traveller's Aid Society
    • JTAS (#s 01-24): Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society # (1-24)
    • JTAS (#s 25-28): Journal of the Traveller's Aide # (appearing in Challenge Magazine 25-28, plus articles from later
  • LBB: Little Black Books. The original release of Classic Traveller. Usually followed by a number. Any of the original CT "Little Black Book" publications, known for minimalistic covers featuring a solid color horizontal stripe on a black cover - LBB# usually is referring to books 0-8, the rule books.
  • LKW: Loren K. Wiseman - One of the original coauthors and continuing contributor
  • LOM: Letters of Marque - A piracy and privateering sourcebook for CT
  • M0: Milieu 0 sourcebook
  • T20: Traveller D20 - both the system and the core book
  • MGP: Mongoose Publishing
  • MGT: Mongoose Traveller
  • MT: MegaTraveller
  • MWM: Marc W. Miller - Original author and current copyright holder [FFE, GDW]
  • PE: Pocket Empires - T4 supplement dealing with the establishment and development of interstellar polities in Milieu 0
  • QSDS: Quick Ship Design System (from the T4 rulebook)
  • Rats&Cats: MegaTraveller Alien Module 2: Solomani and Aslan. Rats relates to the general option held by Imperials of the Solomani; Cats relates to the feline physical appearance of the Aslan
  • RTT: Riki-Tiki-Traveller - A unofficial name for Mongoose Traveller, after Riki-Tiki-Tavi a famous literary mongoose.
  • SJG: Steve Jackson Games
  • SOM: Starship Operator's Manual - MT supplement concentrating on owning and operating Starships
  • SORAG: Study and Operations Recording Activities Group
  • SRD: The "System Reference Document" [MgT]
  • SSDS: Standard Ship Design System (From the T4 Starships book)
  • T4: Traveller 4th edition or (properly) Marc Miller's Traveller
  • T4.1: The next version of Traveller, also known as T5
  • T5: The next version of Traveller, also known as T4.1
  • T20: RPGRealm's D20 version of Traveller
  • TH: Traveller Hero
  • TNE: Traveller: The New Era
  • TSR: Tactical Studies Rules - Orignal D&D publisher and publisher of Dragon Magazine
  • TTA: The Traveller Adventure
  • WBH: World Builder's Handbook [MT]
  • WD: White Dwarf [magazine]
  • WTH: World Tamer's handbook [TNE]

Classic Traveller Abbreviations

{"Classic Traveller" [CT] - Many - if not most - of the "CT" publications are often referred to by their product code or a derivative of that, so they are all listed here.}

LBB ~ Any of the original CT "Little Black Book" publications, known for minimalistic covers featuring a solid color horizontal stripe on a black cover - LBB# usually is referring to books 0-8, the rule books

Rule Booklets [CT]

  • B00 ~ aka (more common) "B0" - Book 0 Introduction To Traveller
  • B01 ~ aka "B1" - Book 1 Characters and Combat
  • B02 ~ aka "B2" - Book 2 Starships
  • B03 ~ aka "B3" - Book 3 Worlds and Adventures
  • B04 ~ aka "B4" - Book 4 Mercenary
  • B05 ~ aka "B5" - Book 5 High Guard
  • B06 ~ aka "B6" - Book 6 Scouts
  • B07 ~ aka "B7" - Book 7 Merchant Prince
  • B08 ~ aka "B8" - Book 8 Robots
  • HG ~ High Guard (generically) as Book 5 "B5" is often referred to
  • HG1 ~ aka "B5" High Guard 1st Ed -These two are usually referred to by HG1/2
  • HG2 ~ aka "B5" High Guard 2nd Ed - Any reference to"B5" generally assumes HG 2nd ed.

Supplements [CT] (as LBBs)

  • S01 aka "S1" ~ Supplement 1 1001 Characters
  • S02 aka "S2" ~ Supplement 2 Animal Encounters
  • S03 aka "S3" ~ Supplement 3 The Spinward Marches
  • S04 aka "S4" ~ Supplement 4 Citizens of the Imperium
  • S05 aka "S5" ~ Supplement 5 Lightning Class Cruisers (only in game "AHL")
  • S06 aka "S6" ~ Supplement 6 76 Patrons
  • S07 aka "S7" ~ Supplement 7 Traders & Gunboats
  • S08 aka "S8" ~ Supplement 8 Library Data (A-M)
  • S09 aka "S9" ~ Supplement 9 Fighting Ships
  • S10 ~ Supplement 10 The Solomani Rim
  • S11 ~ Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z)
  • S12 ~ Supplement 12 Forms & Charts
  • S13 ~ Supplement 13 Veterans

Special Supplements [CT] (originally published as part of the JTAS - which itself was LBB format - but were not strictly speaking LBBs)

  • SS1 ~ Special Supplement 1 - Merchant Prince
  • SS2 ~ Special Supplement 2 - Exotic Atmospheres
  • SS3 ~ Special Supplement 3 - Missiles in Traveller

Adventures [CT] (as LBBs)

  • A01 aka "A1" ~ Adventure 1 The Kinunir
  • A02 aka "A2" ~ Adventure 2 Research Station Gamma
  • A03 aka "A3" ~ Adventure 3 Twilight's Peak
  • A04 aka "A4" ~ Adventure 4 Leviathan
  • A05 aka "A5" ~ Adventure 5 Trillion Credit Squadron - more like a set of rules for running HG - designed fleets in a strategic campaign format
  • A06 aka "A6" ~ Adventure 6 Expedition to Zhodane
  • A07 aka "A7" ~ Adventure 7 Broadsword
  • A08 aka "A8" ~ Adventure 8 Prison Planet
  • A09 aka "A9" ~ Adventure 9 Nomads of the World Ocean
  • A10 ~ Adventure 10 Safari Ship
  • A11 ~ Adventure 11 Murder on Arcturus Station
  • A12 ~ Adventure 12 Secret of the Ancients
  • A13 ~ Adventure 13 Signal GK
  • TCS ~ Another abbreviation for A5 - Trillion Credit Squadron
  • BCS ~ "Billion Credit Squadron" - a downsized "TCS" usage
  • MCS ~ "Million Credit Squadron" - even further downsizing of "TCS"
  • TTA ~ The Traveller Adventure

Double Adventures [CT] (as LBB - same page count as an adventure with a "flip the book and read from the back" feature to fit 2 adventures in one publication, thus the divided title)

  • D01 aka "DA1" ~ Double Adventure 1 Shadows
  • D01 aka "DA1" ~ Double Adventure 1 Annic Nova
  • D02 aka "DA2" ~ Double Adventure 2 Mission On Mithril
  • D02 aka "DA2" ~ Double Adventure 2 Across The Bright Face
  • D03 aka "DA3" ~ Double Adventure 3 Death Station
  • D03 aka "DA3" ~ Double Adventure 3 Argon Gambit
  • D04 aka "DA4" ~ Double Adventure 4 Marooned
  • D04 aka "DA4" ~ Double Adventure 4 Marooned Alone
  • D05 aka "DA5" ~ Double Adventure 5 Chamax Plague
  • D05 aka "DA5" ~ Double Adventure 5 Horde
  • D06 aka "DA6" ~ Double Adventure 6 Night of Conquest
  • D06 aka "DA6" ~ Double Adventure 6 Divine Intervention

ALIEN MODULES [CT]

  • AM1 ~ Aslan
  • AM2 ~ K'kree
  • AM3 ~ Vargr
  • AM4 ~ Zhodani
  • AM5 ~ Droyne
  • AM6 ~ Solomani
  • AM7 ~ Hivers
  • AM8 ~ Darrians

MODULES [CT]

  • M01 ~ Tarsus (boxed)
  • M02 ~ Beltstrike (boxed)
  • M03 ~ The Spinward Marches Campaign
  • M04 ~ Alien Realms
  • M05 ~ Atlas of the Imperium

BOARDGAMES [CT "period"]

  • G00 ~ Imperium [Large Flat box] 3 editions?
  • G01 ~ Mayday. -Rules. -Maps and Counters. [LBB sized Box and Books]
  • G02 ~ Snapshot. -Rules. -Counters and Maps. -Maps. [LBB sized Box and Books]
  • G03 aka "AHL" ~ Azhanti High Lightning. -Rules. -Deck Plans. -Counters and Charts. [Large Flat Box and a LBB Book (see S05)]
  • G04 aka "FFW" ~ Fifth Frontier War. [LBB sized Box and Books]
  • G05 ~ Invasion: Earth. -Rules. -Charts and Counters. -Map. [? size]
  • G06 ~ Dark Nebula. -Rules and Charts. -Maps and Counters. [LBB sized Box and Books]
  • G07 ~ Striker Miniatures Rules. -Book 1. -Book 2. -Book 3. -Book 4. [LBB sized Box and Books - Books 1-3 have LBB covers, also]

CT Rules Compendiums [boxed and/or large format books]

  • TTB ~ The Traveller Book
  • ST ~ Starter Traveller
  • DT ~ Deluxe Traveller [box]
  • A00 The Imperial Fringe. This introductory adventure was included in Deluxe Traveller.
  • A00 Imperial Fringe Map.

FFE Reprints of CT items:

  • FFE 001 The Books
  • FFE 002 The Supplements
  • FFE 003 The Adventures
  • FFE 004 Short Adventures (Double Adventures)
  • FFE 005 The Games
  • FFE 006 JTAS 01-12
  • FFE 007 JTAS 13-24
  • FFE 008 JTAS 25-36 (Challenge Magazine)
  • FFE 021 Aliens 1-4
  • FFE 022 Aliens 5-8

History & Background (Dossier)

Over the years, GDW employees as well as the associated Traveller community developed a number of terms and codes to signify what sort of Traveller universe they preferred.

Specialized Traveller terminology

These terms include:

  • OTU: "Official Traveller Universe." Traveller as published. due to the number of alternate timelines now available, this term now tends to refer tot he original Third Imperium setting from the years (1100 to 1117) . Please see Setting and OTU for more information.
  • Traveller Geek Code: There is a special code for a player's IMTU (In My Traveller Universe) called the "Traveller Geek Code". It's a way of describing how your own Traveller universe is constructed (...and how it might vary from the 'official' OTU universe). Please see External Link Traveller IMTU Geek Code for more information.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.
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