A MODERN SCOUT SPACESHIP

A while back I posted this picture of a Traveler gaming pamphlet from the late 1970's, which included a triangular spaceship of the same ilk as our friend the SWORD Scout 3.

I decided to contact Judges Guild (Steve Jackson Games) to ascertain the inspiration for thier triangular spaceship. This was Will Schoonover's reply:

"Sorry Paul, I don't think I can help you. That's an iconic Traveller ship. We're just one of the publishers who have worked on the game over the last 30 years. One of our employees used to work for GDW, the original publisher. He may be able to answer your question."

I contacted the employee in question, Loren Wiseman, and this was his interesting reply:

"Paul,

The scout/courier originated with Game Designers' Workshop, Inc (GDW). (a company in which I was a founder and partner from 1973 to 1995). The ship first appeared in a painting submitted as part of an artist portfolio

(submitted about 1978, I think) by William H. Keith, jr., who went on to become a famous artist in gaming circles and an author of a number of SF books under several names.

I am not sure of his inspiration (you have to track Bill down and ask him yourself), but I believe (based on personal conjecture) it was inspired, at least in part, by the general outlines of spaceships in the Star Wars

movies. Bill drew the ship many times for many GDW products, from a number of different angles, and it was drawn by other artists as well, each of them adding their little tweaks, as artists do.

When SJ Games acquired a license to produce Traveller material in 1997 or so, part of the license included the rights to use existing starship designs and illustrations, including the scout/courier.

Frankly, the only resemblence I see (to Project SWORD Scout 3)  is that the ship and the toy are basically arrowhead shaped. This is not an uncommon feature of SF illustrations.

Loren Wiseman"

Modern Scout/Courier published with permission from Steve Jackson Games

Items written in italics have been inserted by me, Woodsy, to make reading easier.