Is anyone adding systems to the Koronus map? It seems like it has way too few star systems compared to the Calixis map.

But I am struggling how a star can be hidden (other than the occasional odd plot hook star). Don't they have telescopes in the 861.M41?

I have decided to add them anyway, just to make more places to visit and develop - it makes for more trade routes with lost (or new colonies). What are your thoughts?

Stars are usually clustered close together the further coreward of any galaxy. The Koronus Exapnse is supposed to be a halo region, hence why there are less star systems than there is in the more inhabited regions like Calixis.

I think I am thrown off more by the gameplay aspects vs. than the realism aspect. It just seems like the game where exploration is huge only has half the stars compared to the game based on cloak and dagger stuff. And I could make cloak and dagger stuff work in just a single star system if I needed to.....

I don't think that the map shows all of the stars in the Expanse, just significant systems. If a system becomes (or is discovered to be) significant over the course of gameplay, then by all means name it and add it to the map.

HappyDaze said:

Agreed, in the descriptions in the RT book it mentions that there are hundreds if not thousands of unexplored systems in each of the areas of the Koronus expanse. Add in the poorly explored ones and the "dark" ones that no one knows are there and you have a huge number to play around with.

On the same note the book mentions that basically ALL sectors of the imperium are like that (though to a lesser extent), thus within the calixis sector you could actually go around and explore new worlds (or worlds that have not been visited for thousands of years) just like in the expanse.

HappyDaze said:

Exactly. The map shows the (few) systems that are generally known, at least by name. Just the tip of the iceberg.

Myself, I'm annoyed they mapped as much of the Expanse as they did. The PCs can find all sorts of previously unknown systems and secrets, but unless they plow through the Rift itself (good luck, make out your will beforehand) there's no astrographical region that's completely unexplored for them to play in - or name after themselves.

Incidentally, the Calixis map isn't complete either. Even the most settled Imperial sectors have systems that don't show up on the common nav-charts. Dead worlds no official has visited in millenia, lost worlds that fell through the bureaucatic cracks, systems interdicted by the Navy or Inquisition or some other Imperial faction, etc. Plenty of room for the DM to add stuff even within the Imperium proper.

Also keep in mind there is a lot of wild space between sectors as well.

Given the distribution of stars in the real galaxy, the stars shown on the maps in Rogue Trader and Dark Heresy probably account for less than 1% of all the stars in the sectors they portray. The ones marked on the maps are merely the only ones that there is some reason to visit, usually a habitable planet.

The any hidden systems are hidden by being amidst dozens of other stars. In the Calixis sector the agents of the Imperium have visited every single star and noted if there is anything of interest there. In the Koronus Expanse this process has barely begun.

Tantavalist said:

That's true. While there are a lot of stars in the galaxy, a great number of them don't even have planets or planetoids of any kind orbiting them. It would be safe to assume that the ones marked on the maps are stars that have large planetoid bodies orbiting them, instead of a fine cloud of space dust or small ice particles.