
-------- TML Message #1679 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1679
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 90 11:54:00 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!tnc!m0068@uunet.uu.net
Subject: More from Scott Kellog, part 9

From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
Here's more from Scott:
 
          Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                            BIX: sdsmith
 
*********************************************************
I have no access to e-mail so you will not be able to 
reach me very easily and there will be long gaps between
my having access to any comments to any designs or ideas
you might have but I would appreciate it
 
      Scott Kellogg      (703)-836-8352
      1202 S. Washington St. #107
      Alexandria, VA, 22314
*********************************************************
 
Lab Ship TL15 "Nebula" Class
 
CraftID:    Lab Ship Type LZ, TL15, MCr 641.2971
Hull: (11700/2925) Disp=1300 Config=0USL, Armor=40G, Unload=6990.3399
            Load=9744.601
Power:      (40/80) 10560.96Mw Fusion, Dur=30/90
Loco: (59/117), Manuver=2G, (59/117) Jump=4, Agility=2 NOE=250,
            Cruise=225kph, Top=300kph,
Commo:      Radio=System*2, Maser=System, Meson=Planet
Sensors:    P-EMS=Interstell*3, A-EMS=FarOrb*3, Densitometer=1km*3,
            Neutrino=10kw*3, Neural Activity=V.Long*3
            ActObjScn=Rout,   ActObjPin=Rout,
            PasObjScn=Rout,   PasObjPin=Rout
            PasEngScn=Simp,   PasEngPin=Rout
Off:        HPoints=3, 100 ton bay=1
Def:        DefDM=+11 NucDamp-1
            Repulsor=x90
            Batt        1
            Bear        1
Control:    Computer=9fib*3, LrgHoloDisp=16, HoloHUD=3, HoloLink=19
Accom:      Crew=7 (Command=1, Bridge=1, Engineer=2, Gunner=1,
            Steward=2, Passenger=15) Env=Basic Env, Basic is, Extend
            is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate, Subcraft=ModCutter*1,
            Modules*3, GCarrier*1(Kankurur), Air/Raft*2 (Hurricane)
Other:      Lab=1739.104Kl, Fuel=8189.445Kl, Fuel Pure=120hr,
            ObjSize=Lrg, EMlevel=Mod
Remarks:    The "Nebula" class is another Hloch design.  The ship's
repulsor is rather special.  Basically Repulsors are high powered grav
projectors. (according to High Guard) This particular one is set up as
an extremely powerful telescope/densitometer.  Essentually, you have
a device that warps time/space much like a black hole or any other
gravitational well.
 
      Rumor has it that Hloch worked extensively at an imperial
research station investigating artificial black holes before
porceeding
with the design.  It is unknown weither or not the Nebula can actually
create a black hole.  If so, the ship would be the most powerful in
the
Imperium.  (quite a bombardment weapon wouldn't you say?)
 
      In an interview the designer spoke of the ship:
 
      "The ship was designed at the request of those of the government
place.  I was tracked by those who would have vessels which could
accommodate Ael Yaels more comfortably than the human designed
closets. 
They wanted to build something like a K'Kree vessel which are widely
known for their spaciousness. Unfortunately, no Ael Yael of the
government place grasp well the K'Kree or their vessels (No
carnivorous
Ael Yael has ever met a K'Kree).  I, however, grasped their designs
were not really suitable.  I designed the ship so that it would be a
versatile and nimble flyer for any prey:  from stars to sophonts.
 
      In an effort to not just make a ship for Ael Yaels I saw to it
that the accommodations could be adjusted to suit different species,
after all we must recognize that Ael Yaels are not the only sophonts. 
I had to fly against the winds of the government place on this point
but in the end, they realized I was looking down from above their
field
of vision.
 
      At the horizon, the ship was built and the architect's fee went
mostly to the planetary development fund thus partially making the
ship
pay for itself, but a small amount went towards adding lab equipment
to the ship.  The plans have now been sold to some major ship building
yards to pay back the planetary development fund.  How the business
deals were made I do not grasp, but they did it.
 
      The ship rises much from Scout space for research, exploration
and survey.  I am much bettered for the kind thermals of the Scout
Service.  Their vehicles and setups have been flown well and withstood
many a gale.
 
      The Nebula class lab ship's talons have been made into eyes. 
The
"spinal mount" is a high powered telescope.  Instead of glass lenses,
howver, this telescope uses a gravitic lensing system to focus light
to an image.  The turrets mount smaller finder telescopes to aid in
observations." -Hloch of Jayelya
 
      Designed with the comfort of as many races as possible in mind,
the pressure, atmospheric content, gravity and even the walls and
ceilings of the staterooms are adjustable to suit the needs and
comfort
of the occupants.
 
      The ship was designed however, with Ael Yael psychology always
in sight.  The lab ceiling is a transparent dome with a protective
cover.  The sheild is usually retracted to reveal the open sky and
incidentally adding to the efficiency of the telescope as reflectors. 
The lab area is built surrounding the common area thus using the space
of both as an aviary for relaxing flyers. The main elevator of the
ship
which runs down the spine of center of the ship is uncovered, allowing
crew to fly where they are going rather than having to ride.
 
      The cutter bay holds 3 modules easily allowing the modules to be
put directly into the cutter without having to leave one in open space
while switching them.  The cutter is rotated to the proper attitude
and
the module installed.  If necessary a 4th module can be carried inside
the cutter, then incurring the necessity of having to leave a module
outside before obtaining the needed one.
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Patrol Frigate TL13 "Shivva" Class
 
CraftID:    Patrol Frigate, Type FP, TL13, MCr 334.2 (Sisters=438.59
            with carried craft)
Hull: (540/1350) Disp=600, Unload=5313.1, Load=9230.5 Config=7USL,
            Armor=40F
Power:      (29/58) 3879.45 Mw, Dur=30/90 +24 Hrs power for Laser
            Battery
Loco: (27/54), Manuver=2G, (27/54) Jump=4, NOE=170, Cruise=225kph,
            Top=300kph, Agility=0
Commo:      Radio=System*11, Maser=System*11
Sensors:    EMM, P-EMS=Interstellar*2, A-EMS=Far Orbit*2, EMS-Jam=Far
            Orbit, Neutrino=100kw*2, Densitometer=50m*2,
            ActObjScan=Rout,  ActObjPin=Rout, PasObjPin=Diff,  
            PasObjPin=Diff, PasEnScn=Rout, PasEnPin=Diff
Off:        HPoints=6
            BLasers=xx5 Missile=x03
            Batt= 1                 1
            Bear= 1                 1
Def:        DefDM=+7
            SCaster=xx4
            Batt= 3
            Bear= 3
Control:    Computer=6/Fib*3, HoloHUD*4, HoloLink*4
Accom:      Crew=18, (Command=2, Bridge=1, Eng=3, Gunner=2, Flight=10)
            Stateroom=9, Env=Basic Env, Basic is, Extend is, Inertial
            Comp, Grav Plate, Subcraft=8ton "Va" Fighters*10, 50ton
            Fuel Barge*1
Other:      Fuel=3704.7Kl, Cargo=300.3Kl, Magazine=836.4Kl, (2788
            Battery Rnds For frigate and fighters) FuelPure=50hr,
            Objsize=Avg, EMlevel=Faint
 
Remarks:    The irregular configuration allows multiple launches.
 
      "Ubiquitous Zhodani Navy design most frequently encountered of
the types deployed beyond the Consulate frontier districts.  The class
is deployed on various independant picket, communications and patrol
duties, often well beyond Zhodani boarders.  The crew is known to
include a Psionic Adept, who in addition to normal navigation duties
is believed to augment the range and strength of a special
communications system, which may explain the posting - Adepts are
usually only assigned to capital classes of vessel.
 
      Sample names (-va = light, thus Shivva = moonlight) Alekrva,
Brnava, Doruva, Jadsva, Jirtova, Loyhva, Meilrva, Shivva, Uturva.
 
      Classified Naval Files Data:  The Psionic Adept carried aboard
does not, as origially feared, control an interstellar communications
system.  Instead, he serves as as a central direction officer for the
ten fighter pilots, conveying battle infromation and tactical
instructions.  (Ship Tactics levels for the adept are conveyed as
tactical skill to each of the pilots.)" -From Adventure 4 Leviathan
 
      The ship is featured in Adventure 3:Twilight's peak,
4:Leviathan,
6:Expedition to Zhodane, and 7:Broadsword
 
Scott Kellogg
 
*****End Part 9*****
- - --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

-------- TML Message #1680 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1680
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 90 17:07:46 -0900
From: George William Herbert <gwh@ocf.berkeley.edu>
Subject: FTP site for traveller vehicles...


In case you haven't been saving them, with Robert Dean's permission
I've put a full set of his vehicle designs up on the anonymous ftp 
site here at ocf.berkeley.edu .  The files are in pub/Traveller;
there are two formats right now.  a single compressed file has all
the designs in one.  in the subdirectory vehicles.dir are files which
have the types seperated out (so you don't have to page through a 
million gravtanks to find your favorite merchant ship 8-).  

If anyone has problems or notices anything missing (or would like to
comment 8-) just send me mail.  I'm going to try to get through to
Eric? [other vehicle designer] and get his permission to add his 
designs to the archive.  

- - -george william herbert
gwh@ocf.berkeley.edu   OCF Staff

-------- TML Message #1681 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1681
From: d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se
Subject: Nuke Dampers
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 90 15:02:06 MET

Prompted by Scott Kellog's comments on nuke dampers:

  The nuke damper is a confusing chapter, at least as confusing as jumpspace,
reaction-less thrusters and extremely inefficient fusion reactors.
  Different sources have different opinions about how it works, if it works and
how much it charges per hour.

Nuke Dampers in Old Traveller:
  In 'Mercenary' it was mentioned that nuke dampers made it possible to prevent
nuclear decay. This was supposed to be used in 'americum drones', small RPV's
equipped auto-cannons that fired hollow americum (or some other superheavy
element). Upon impact the round collapsed and went critical with spectacular
results.

  One might have some doubt over whether this will work even theoretically.
An analogus round (but much larger) made of plutonium or enriched uranium will
probably not work because the collapse of the round is too slow and to coarse
to produce a real nuclear explosion.

  In any case, old traveller (and striker?) claim that the nuke damper damps
nuclear reactions by making the strong/weak force (I'm not a physisist, so I'm
not sure which one is responsible for nuclear reactions) fluctuate in nodes in
a field. It will have local maxima and minima in those nodes, and if the nodeis
placed at the location of a nuke missile that detonates, the nuclear reaction
will be supressed, and the fissionable materials will be just so much junk
metal.
  Laser-ignited fusion warheads were mentioned as a countermeasure somewhere,
but I think that this was played down because of play balance in TCS.
  The opposite nodes (when sufficiently strong) would make everything very
radiactive and even lead would dissappear in a burst of radiation (this is the
background of the disintegrator).

Nuke Dampers in MegaTraveller:
  Some newer sources (MT Refs manual (Vehicle Design) and (?) Starship OpMan)
claim that the field of a nuclear damper will make fissionable materials
(permanently?) inert when they pass through it.
  (This probably surprised many a General when everyone took the banned weapons
out of the closet at the start of the Rebelion. All those expensive americum
rounds just went 'plonk' instead of 'Ka[0.1kt]BOOOM!':)
  There apparently is another explanation sneaking around where the nuke damper
cause the fissionable materials to decay prematurely, creating a small 'hot'
cloud of gaseous plutonium on a safe distande from the ship.

Nuke Dampers in Reality:
  "What? Now he's really off the deep end!" you say. That isn't (entirely)
accurate, though. There were an short article in an old New Scientist 
(Brittish paper, Scientific American class but has many shorter articles on
 scientific news. It also runs 'Grimbledon Down' a comic strip about life at
 a military research installation:) about a curious result of quatum mecanics.

  I assume that you all know Scroedingers cat. ("Shroedingers cat, the TML.
TML, Shroedingers Cat.") ie that radiactive decay is a probability function that
will break down into one of two possible result (have decayed or havn't decayed)
when it is observed, not before. Either result will be 50% probable if we have
left it alone for the time of one half-life.
  
  If one keeps observing the atom continousy, it will be locked in the original
state, because the probability function will be be continously 'broken down'.

  The article was about how a research team had proven this in an experiment.
They had used very fast laser pulses to illuminate the atoms of an radiactive
substanse, thus forcing them into a predictable state. 
  When the time between the pulses became small enough (and that was the real
challenge) the substance's half-life became longer...

  It seems that nuke dampers is at least physically possible.

- - -bertil-
- - -- 
Nuclear Damper: device used by the referee to dampen the worst player excesses.

-------- TML Message #1682 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1682
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 90 22:19:17 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!tnc!m0068@uunet.uu.net
Subject: More from Scott Kellog, part 10

From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
Here's more from Scott:
 
          Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                            BIX: sdsmith
 
*********************************************************
I have no access to e-mail so you will not be able to 
reach me very easily and there will be long gaps between
my having access to any comments to any designs or ideas
you might have but I would appreciate it
 
      Scott Kellogg      (703)-836-8352
      1202 S. Washington St. #107
      Alexandria, VA, 22314
*********************************************************
 
Missile Fighter TL13 "Va" Class
 
CraftID:    Missile Fighter, Type FM, TL13, MCr 19.45
Hull: (8/18) Displ=8, Config=1AF, Armor=40F, Unload=222.4, Load=224.82
Power:      (3/6) 346.41 Mw Fusion, Dur=4/12
Loco: (2/4), Manuver=6G, Thrusters Agility=6 NOE=170, Cruise=2835kph,
             Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System, Maser=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Far Orbit, P-EMS=Interstellar, Densitometer=50m,
            Neutrino=100kw, ActObjScan=Rout,  ActObjPin=Rout,
            PasObjPin=Diff,   PasObjPin=Diff, PasEnScn=Rout,
            PasEnPin=Diff
Off:        HPoint=1
                  Missile=x03
                  Batt        1
                  Bear        1
Def:        DefDM=+10
Control:    Computer=2*3, HoloHUD, HoloLink*1
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy*1, Env=Basic Env, Basic is, Inertial
            Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=18.47, Mag=1.5 (Batt-Rnds=8) ObjSize=Avg,
            EMlevel=Faint
Remarks:    Sorry folks, but I find the rule that 20 ton displacement
as a minimum for thrusters to be basically stupid and arbitrary.  If
you strongly disagree, a standard grav based fighter with the same
performance is possible with agility=3.
 
      I agree it is not proper to use thrusters and anti-grav drive
units for non space craft, but for space craft, I think it is
acceptable.
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Fuel Shuttle TL13
 
CraftID:    Fuel Shuttle Type TY, TL13, MCr 19.51
Hull: (45/113) Displ=50, Config=1AF, Armor=40F, Unload=466.747,
            Load=575.4711
Power:      (4/8) 427.95 Mw Fusion, Dur=5/15
Loco: (3/6), Manuver=2G, Agility=0 NOE=170, Cruise=1431kph,
Top=1908kph
Commo:      Radio=System, Maser=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Far Orbit, P-EMS=Interstellar ActObjScn=Rout,
            ActObjPin=Rout, PasEnScn=Rout
Off:        HPoint=1
                  PLaser=x02  Missile=x02 SCaster=x03
                  Batt        1                 1                 1
                  Bear        1                 1                 1
Def:        DefDM=+2
Control:    Computer=0*3, HoloHUD*3, HoloLink*2
Accom:      Crew=2, Seat=Roomy*2, Env=Basic Env, Basic is, Inertial
            Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Cargo=74.25, Fuel=73.25, Scoops=3hrs, Fuel Cargo=464
            ObjSize=Avg, EMlevel=Faint
Remarks:    8 trips are required to top the Shivva's tanks.
 
Scott Kellogg
 
*****End Part 10*****
- - --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

-------- TML Message #1683 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1683
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 90 22:19:19 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!tnc!m0068@uunet.uu.net
Subject: More from Scott Kellog, part 11

From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
Here's more from Scott:
 
          Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                            BIX: sdsmith
 
*********************************************************
I have no access to e-mail so you will not be able to 
reach me very easily and there will be long gaps between
my having access to any comments to any designs or ideas
you might have but I would appreciate it
 
      Scott Kellogg      (703)-836-8352
      1202 S. Washington St. #107
      Alexandria, VA, 22314
*********************************************************
 
      The Viper:  put some fangs in your Air/Raft bay...
 
      "Pirates?  Corsairs?  The Viper class escort fighter is ready. 
You say you can't afford an escort?  Here's the one to fit the bill. 
For about what you pay for two triple turrets, here is a six G
capable,
multi-role fighter that fits in...  Your Air/Raft bay!
 
      A three ton fighter, the Viper is capable of taking on all
comers.  She's light, fast and carries six tons of ordinance.  Since
its procurement in 1108, The Viper has found its place in all branches
of the Imperial military.  To the Navy, it serves as an escort
fighter. 
To the Army and COACC, it's a ground attack and air superiority
fighter.  To the Scouts it is a light penetration probe.  To the
Marines it's a multi-role fighter vital to drop troop operations. 
The Viper has served the Imperium well since the Fifth Frontier War."
       -From the advertising brochure
 
                                  Development
      The Imperium is made up of thousands of worlds.  Few of these
have ship yards, and only the cream of these are capable of producing
tech fifteen ships. For example, in the Spinward Marches, there are
only three planets capable of producing tech level fifteen ships for
the Imperium, three capable of producing tech fourteen ships, and
seven
which produce tech thirteen ships out of the ninety one Imperial
planets which build ships in the sector.
 
      But there is little market for a tech level nine ship.  But how
can they improve their facilities if they don't sell what they can
build?
 
      Normally, the Imperium subsidizes these facilities out of the
Navy budget with nearly no return.  So in the tighter budgets of the
Fifth Frontier War, the Navy issued an ultimatum:  no more subsidies
until they build something we can use!
 
      The Scout service however, does use the lesser starports to a
large extent.
 
Without the Navy subsidy, the Scout service would suffer.  A
specification was issued for a craft that could easily be built that
could find a good market.
 
      The specification was almost totally forgotten.  No one had any
clear ideas on what to design, and the plan was nearly abandoned. 
However, a young designer named Hloch finally pieced together what was
to become the now famous Viper escort fighter.
 
      Most merchant ships are unarmed, allowing the commerce raiding
of the Zhodani to badly maul the Imperial commercial fleets.  But
arming a ship is an expensive proposition, and then it still comes
down
to the merchant ship coming under fire.  The idea was put forward to
build a fighter that could easily be carried on a merchantman, carry
the fight away from the ship and allow it to get through undamaged. 
Thus the tiny fighter was born.  Designed to fit inside an Air/Raft
bay, the Viper could be carried by almost all ships.
 
      Yet, Hloch did more than just come up with the Viper concept, he
made it work.  He turned a vague specification into one of the best
fighters of its class the Imperium has had for centuries.  Before he
even touched the draft computer he went out and interviewed combat
veteran pilots and ground crews asking, `What do you want in a
fighter?' and, `How can you improve maintenance?'
      Pilot's have said, `The guy who designed the Viper had wings!'
and it is true.  Hloch is an Ael Yael from Jayelya, an avian race of
far better flying ability than the Droyne.  Millions of years have
evolved the avionics in his head, and as a designer of space craft, it
shows.
 
                                Cockpit Design
      Advanced fighter are by their very nature extremely complex
machines.  The complexity of their systems place a heavy load on the
pilot, limiting the amount of time the pilot has to concentrate on
situational awareness.  Thus, a key problem in designing a fighter is
the Pilot/Machine interface.  The pilot must have critical information
available without getting swamped in data.  The less time the pilot
has
to scan panels, the more time he can devote to tactical operations.
 
      Often times, cockpit designs swamp the pilot:  the Rampart
(Rebellion Source book), the Iramda, the Magnum, the Sourz, and the
FS-15 all have vast arrays of holodynamic link panels.  The ratio of
panels per pilot is as low as ten to one in the FS-15 to as much as
eighty three to one in the Sourz.
 
      The Viper cockpit is streamlined in this regard by using two
Heads Up Displays (HUD).  One is devoted to sensors, weaponry and
navigation:  the Attack HUD, while the other displays system status: 
the System HUD.  The System HUD is mounted to the right of the
centrally mounted Attack HUD.
 
      The flight controls are designed around the Hands On Throttle
And
Stick (HOTAS) philosophy.  This enables the pilot to control the
combat
and attack phases of flight without taking his hands off the controls.

The HOTAS system is extremely necessary in the tech level nine Viper,
where the pilot is without inertial compensators and would has
difficulty in moving about the cockpit during manuevers.
 
      Also included in the software of the computers is a voice
command
and response system.  Great pains were gone through so that the
computer could understand both the meaning and urgency of spoken
commands, including the use of sudden vague expletives.  It is also
able to synthesize correct responses.
      Another consideration that has been added to the cockpit is its
comfort so as to minimize pilot fatigue.  Twenty four hours in a
cockpit will erode the performance of any pilot.  Therefore,
provisions
have been made in seating and flight control positions for a wide
variety of pilot sizes and anatomies.  With minor adjustments, the
seat
and instrument panels can be configured for pilots ranging in size
from
Droyne to Aslan.  As the chief designer is of a minor race he insisted
that the cockpit be suitable to as many races as possible.  This was
achieved with some degree of success in that the HOTAS system is built
to be operable by a minimum of a three fingered hand.  It feels
slightly less comfortable to the human hand than a specially designed
human grip but it is adjustable and can conform to the shape of the
operators hand.  (The design was actually optimized for the hands of
Humaniti and those of Ael Yael.)
 
      Of course there are limits to the design:  Hivers have found the
controls nearly unmanageable while Vegans have difficulty handling the
controls without complete inertial compensation.  Virushi cannot fit
inside the cockpit.  Racially customized designs are not unknown. 
However, no allowance for K'Kree anatomy was made because it was
decided there would be no market for anything as small as a Viper in
the Two Thousand Worlds.
 
      It is interesting to note that the Viper has earned a healthy
respect along the borders of the Two Thousand Worlds being the "Natter
G'naak" or "Winged Carnivore".  The nickname has caused some amusement
to the carnivorous avian chief designer.
 
      The HUDs use color graphics to display information.  The colors
used can be adjusted to the optimum wavelength response curve of the
pilot's eyes depending upon what the pilot's race considers to be the
visible spectrum. 
 
      The Viper also makes use of one item not used by any other space
craft.  It carries a rocket ejection pod.  The cockpit is not only the
most comfortable and easy to use, it is the safest of any fighter
craft
used by the Imperium.
 
 
*****End Part 11*****
- - --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

-------- TML Message #1684 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1684
From: d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se
Subject: Nuke Dampers (corrections:(
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 90 7:07:36 MET

Naturally, when I checked Mercenary MegaT REf's Manual and Starship OpMan, 
I found that some things I had said were not entirely true...

1. Neither of the MegaT books claimed that nuke dampers worked differently
   from the the 'old' way. I am sure that I have read that explanation
   somewhere, but I'm not sure where now.

2. Those americum drones should be carlifornium drones.
   Yet another case of 'carlifornia in space' as described on 
   rec.arts.sf-lovers I guess :-)

- - -bertil-
- - -- 
"Words on the net aren't usually worth the paper they are written on."

-------- TML Message #1685 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1685
Date: Monday 5th November 1990 12:53:16 GMT
From: Alan Huscroft <ASSHUSCR@cms.am.cc.reading.ac.uk>
Subject: Ael Yael go home

 
Scott Kellog writes:
 
>       Hloch is from the planet Jaeyelya B-484655-4.  (Location unknown
> inside the Imperium by somebody's oversight)
 
For the record, Jaeyelya is located at Gushemege 0437.  I found this in
DGP's sector files.  The homeworlds of some of the other minor races can
be found in these files, too.
 
............................................................................
: Alan Huscroft              : Janet:    A.Huscroft@uk.ac.reading          :
: Reading, England           : Internet: A.Huscroft@reading.ac.uk          :
: 6-G takeoffs AND landings! : X-boat:   A.Huscroft@terra.sol.solomani_rim :
:............................:.............................................:

-------- TML Message #1686 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1686
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 90 08:27:48 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!tnc!m0068@uunet.uu.net
Subject: More from Scott Kellog, part 12

From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
Here's more from Scott:
 
          Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                            BIX: sdsmith
 
*********************************************************
I have no access to e-mail so you will not be able to 
reach me very easily and there will be long gaps between
my having access to any comments to any designs or ideas
you might have but I would appreciate it
 
      Scott Kellogg      (703)-836-8352
      1202 S. Washington St. #107
      Alexandria, VA, 22314
*********************************************************
 
                                  Maintenance
      A typical complaint from ground crews of fighter craft is that
ships equipment typically fills every last cubic centimeter.  While
this is economical in terms of materials, it is insane in terms of
repair.  In some fighter craft, the thrusters must be dismounted in
order to change the fuel filters on the power plant.
 
      The Viper, while compact as possible, manages to get around this
problem by having an oversized hull.  All systems are provided with
convenient access panels, indeed some of the panels are sufficient for
an engineer to crawl inside the hull.  Try doing that on a Rampart!
 
      There are some drawbacks to the tiny fighters design.  The
requirement to make the fighter as small as possible as cheap as
possible led to the decisison to cut back on the backup systems. 
Typically, spacecraft carry three identical computers.  However the
Viper carries one main computer and two 0/bis computers as backups. 
The fighter is fully flyable on backup systems for most combat
missions, but it loses much of its combat effectiveness against
spacecraft.  A further complaint is by the ordainance crews.  As the
three ton Viper normally operates out of four ton Air/Raft bays, there
is not a great deal of room to crawl over the hull arming the hard
points.  This is especially true with the Navy standard load of three
multiple missile racks putting a total of eighteen anti-spacecraft
missiles on the hull.
 
      All systems are compatible and interchangeable.  A Tech level
nine fusion plant can easily replace up to a tech level eleven one
with
no adverse effects to performance while the anti-grav drive units on
all models are fully interchangable.  The systems were carefully
designed so that a fighter could be repaired at any starport
regardless
of tech level.
 
      This has made it popular with the services as it is not
necessary
to haul a fighter all the way to a tech fifteen planet to get it
repaired.
 
                                Service History
      When first unveiled to the service brass, the fighter was looked
on as useless.  The Navy looked at it and appraised it as a lightly
armed Air/Raft of no value whatsoever to their mission which at the
time was to destroy the Zhodani Fleet.
 
      For once, bureaucracy did the right thing, credits had already
been outlaid for the project, so with reputations on the line the
project was put forward despite Naval opposition.
 
      The Scouts swallowed it whole:  a light, fast craft capable of
being carried aboard a scout ship, repairable at so many of the lower
tech level planets where scout bases are.  The Scouts had good success
the with the tiny fighter, but the performance was discounted by the
Navy as irrelevant because the Scouts were using it in missions
specific to Scout operations. 
 
      The Navy reluctantly used the Vipers as trainers.  The Fifth
Frontier War created a heavy demand for trained pilots.  Here was a
cheap ship that is easy to fly, so they used it for the training of
their Naval and Marine pilots. 
 
      This was the decision that put the fighter in history.  When the
pilots had been trained on Viper's and were assigned to fly Ramparts,
Magnums, and FS-15's they nearly mutinied.  The Viper was so much
preferred by pilots it eventually saw front line service.  The first
action where Navy Vipers played a part was at the relief of Yorbund on
083-1109.  Suddenly, the Navy changed its tune.  The Viper was
reappraised and it then became a front line Navy fighter.  The number
of Viper aces began to climb and soon the Ramparts were hard pressed
to keep their kill ratio close to that of the Viper.
 
      Once it was accepted by the Navy, the Marines made use of the
Viper's versatile hardpoints mounting everything from tech level six
iron bombs to tech level fifteen fusion guns mounted in pods. 
Probably
the most original use of the hard points was in the mounting of drop
capsules.  The Viper could easily dive bomb three marines on target. 
With drop capsules retained, it could also act as a extraction
vehicle. 
Many marines owe their lives to the tiny hypersonic medevac Viper.
 
      Quickly, COACC forces realized the ability of the Viper.  By
this
point in the War, nearly all the runways were pocked with craters. 
Suddenly, an space capable hypersonic VTOL looked very appealing and
indeed it is cheaper than some comparable fighters and requires less
maintenance.  Even the Army obtained a few Vipers as scout vehicles
for
the air cavalry.
 
      The Navy finally found a proper role to utilize the fighter. 
Vipers were put aboard merchant ships to act as escort fighters to
convoys thus lightening the demand on escort vessels usable elsewhere.

It is this role in which it is most commonly found.  Merchant ships
can
easily obtain a Viper, and considering that the agile Viper can keep
raiders at a distance from the slow merchantman it tends to keep
losses
down and is considered a fully viable alternative to arming the
hardpoints with turrets.
 
      With an admirable service history in the Fifth Frontier War, the
Viper managed to live down the initial impression of the brass,
becoming a valued part of the Imperial inventory.  Indeed, the opinion
of the fighter has swung around completely.  The Viper has become the
symbol of Naval strength to many in its role as the fighter of choice
for the Imperial Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team.
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL15 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL15, MCr 7.29594
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40G, Unload=47.1424,
Load=53.2869
Power:      (1/2) 86.04 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=6 NOE=190, Cruise=2835kph, 
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+11
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=2.615Kl ObjSize=Small, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL14 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL14, MCr 8.18294
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40G, Unload=302.54, Load=335.13
Power:      (2/4) 126 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=6 NOE=180, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+11
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=1.68Kl ObjSize=Small, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL13 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL13, MCr 8.44194
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40F, Unload=80.1116,
Load=86.2292
Power:      (2/4) 126 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=6 NOE=170, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+11
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=1.68Kl ObjSize=Small, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
*****End Part 12*****
- - --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

-------- TML Message #1687 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1687
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 90 08:30:03 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!tnc!m0068@uunet.uu.net
Subject: More from Scott Kellog, part 13

From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
Here's more from Scott:
 
          Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                            BIX: sdsmith
 
*********************************************************
I have no access to e-mail so you will not be able to 
reach me very easily and there will be long gaps between
my having access to any comments to any designs or ideas
you might have but I would appreciate it
 
      Scott Kellogg      (703)-836-8352
      1202 S. Washington St. #107
      Alexandria, VA, 22314
*********************************************************
 
Viper TL12 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL12, MCr 9.85294
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40F, Unload=119.9575,
Load=126.0607
Power:      (2/4) 122.76 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=4 NOE=160, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+9
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=1.473Kl ObjSize=Small, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL11 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL11, MCr 9.83152
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40E, Unload=104.9752,
            Load=111.0514
Power:      (2/4) 93.3 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=3 NOE=150, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+8
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=1.127Kl ObjSize=Avg, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL10 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL10, MCr 12.13052
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40E, Unload=105.0875,
            Load=111.1664
Power:      (2/4) 93.3 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=3 NOE=140, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    A-EMS=Planet, P-EMS=InterPlanet,
            ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Rout
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+8
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is, Inertial Comp, Grav Plate,
Other:      Fuel=1.127Kl ObjSize=Avg, EMlevel=Faint
 
Scott Kellogg
 
Viper TL9 Escort Fighter
 
CraftID:    Light Fighter Type FF, TL9, MCr 8.92992
Hull: (3/7) Disp=3, Config=6AF, Armor=40D, Unload=108.6239,
            Load=114.7028
Power:      (2/4) 93.3 Mw Fusion, Dur=24hrs
Loco: (1/2), Agrav Manuver=6G, Agility=3 NOE=130, Cruise=2835kph,
            Top=3780kph
Commo:      Radio=System
Sensors:    AW-RADAR=Planet, LADAR=Dist, RDF, Laser Sensor, AdvImgEnh,
            Passive IR, ActObjScn=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
            PasEngScn=Diff
Off:        Fusalage HPoints=3
Def:        DefDM=+8
Control:    Computer=3+0bis*2, HUD*2,
Accom:      Crew=1, Seat=Roomy Extended, Rocket Escape Pod, Env=Basic
            Env, Basic is, Extend Is
Other:      Fuel=1.127Kl ObjSize=Avg, EMlevel=Faint
Remarks:    The tech nine Viper is the most different from the series
in that it lacks the EMS systems, the inertial compensators and the
grav plates.  As such it is not reccomended that a higher tech pilot
simply jump in.  Six G manuvers can be tiring and even dangerous if
one
does not know how to brace one's self properly.
 
Scott Kellogg
 
*****End Part 13*****
- - --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

-------- TML Message #1688 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1688
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 90 11:42:51 EST
From: Jonathan Clark <jhc@ulysses.att.COM>
Subject: Re: Nuclear dampers

In Bertil Jonell's posting on the topic of nuclear dampers in real life,
he mentioned an article in ``New Scientist'', a British science magazine.
American readers might be interested in an article in the latest ``Discover''
which covers the same topic, and with similar news - a frequently observed
system was observed to have a much slower half-life than an unobserved one,
the slowdown being proportional to the frequency of observation.

Actually, when I read the original posting I figured that it was in the
Daedalus column of New Scientist, which features wacko but plausible
inventions. Sometimes its quite hard to work out why they wouldn't work...

Jonathan Clark
jhc@ulysses.att.com, attmail!jonathan

The Englishman never enjoys himself except for some noble purpose.

-------- End of TML Messages --------

