From the Introduction:
Traveller is a comprehensive science-fiction game system spanning a major portion of the galaxy and reaching far into the future and far into the past. Fundamental to the system are answers to many questions about life, society, and civilization in the universe. Yet everything is part of a cohesive structure that gradually unveils itself... to the participants and to observers (whether they are readers, viewers, or players).
Traveller describes a vast future universe in which mankind has already reached the stars and conquered thousands of worlds, but still faces the never-ending struggle to conquer more worlds and wrest more secrets from the universe.
Traveller uses a foundation of hard science, supplemented by the soft sciences to add character and flavor, and driven by characters, to explore the worlds and cultures of the future universe, all in search of adventure.
Contents
Introductions
Absent Friends
Traveller is About…
Traveller is a Role-Playing Game
The Galaxy
A Brief History of the Universe
Foundations of the Universe
Basic Information
Dice
Ehex
The Ton
Range and Distance
Benchmarks
Money
Humanity
Characters and Life
Characteristics
Characters
Careers
Life Pursuits and Experience
Genetics
Clones
Chimeras
Androids and Synthetics
Tasks
Skills
Personals
QREBS
The Senses
Combat
Personal Combat
The Armory
GunMaker
ArmorMaker
VehicleMaker
Starports and Starships
Starports
Starship Design
ShipSheets
Adventure Class Ships
Fuel Benchmarks
How Starships Work
Starship Combat
Stars and Worlds
Sectors and Subsectors
Charting The Stars
Star Systems and Worlds
Mapping Worlds
Trade and Commerce
Technology
Computers and Consoles
Personalities and Brains
Adventures
Psionics
Sophonts
Robots
BeastMaker
BeastMaker Events
The Beastiery
ThingMaker
ThingMaker Equipment
Adventures
EPIC Adventures
The Travellers' Guide to Starships