			    TRAVELLER Digest 425

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: TRAVELLER digest 424 by library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
  2) Nitrogen/Ammonia in atmosphere question... by Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
  3) Re: [T423] RICE Papers by jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)
  4) Re: Dave's Challenge 77 Editorial by E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
  5) TNE Starship problems. by E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
  6) Re: Dave's Challenge 77 Editorial by PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu

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Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 17:34:17 -0500
From: library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 424
Message-ID: <199509230034.RAA10335@babylon5.dss.gov.au>

Dear Folks -

Sorry that some of this is old; hopefully it is not boring.

-------------------------------------------
1.      WET NAVY ARTICLES

To Christopher Griffen re digest 403:

Wet Navy is covered in the following articles:
        "Wet Navy, Pt 1", Challenge 53
        "Wet Navy, Pt 2", Challenge 54
        "Equaliser Project", Challenge 61 (Amber Zone, includes 9 ship designs)
        "Wood and Wind, Steel and Steam", Challenge 61 (low-tech ships)

Note that all of these are designed to be compatable with MT, not TNE.

-------------------------------------------
2.      ZHODANI AND THE CORE

To Alvin Plummer re digest 403:
>(Anyone wants to hazzard a guess on what cute little surprise he left for the
>Zhodani at the Galactic Core?)

The Sparklers, of course. SEE MT Journal #4. Grandfather is not a nice person.

-------------------------------------------
3.      FIGHTERS AS MISSILE SCREENS

Re digest 405:
Merrick, you may be interested to know that the idea of using fighters
as missile screens has been around for HG since 1982. There was a
game limitation imposed on the number of fighters that could group together
to shield against a battery, but it could be done:

"To effectively cover the ship being protected, one squadron must be
assigned against each attacking ship's missile fire. If desired,
additional squadrons could double-up against the fire from one attacking
ship.
The fighter's weapons are used to defend against the incoming batteries
of fire as though they were mounted on the vessel being defended, with
the followng exception.
No more than half of the weapons in the squadrons assigned to
attack a single ship's incoming missile fire may attack any one battery
of fire. Thus if a ship firing 3 x factor-9 missile attacks was opposed
by 20 ships with one fusion gun each, the player controlling the fighters
could assign up to 10 guns against a given battery of fire. Of course, the
total number of guns fired cannot exceed 20.
Missile batteries may be used, but sandcasters may not be.
The fighter's computer is used to compute relative computer level to find
penetration DM's."
(Stefan Jones, "High Guard: Optional Rules", _JTAS#14_, GDW, USA, 1982, p 26).

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4.      THE CONSULATE AND THE REGENCY

Re digest 406:
Alvin, I think that if handled right, the "Baddies from the Core" option
could be quite effective in shifting Zho focus away from the Regency, at
least long enough to give the Regency a bit of breathing space in which to
expand and rebuild. According to TD #4, many Zho fleets were destroyed, and
many of their psionic nobles went insane. If this option is used by GDW,
it could leave a hole in Zho society that they would need time to fill.

Other Points For:
1. The Zhos would still want the Regency as a barrier between the
Virus and themselves. Why didn't the US march on Baghdad and remove Saddam?
Because of the power vacuum that would have resulted. Someone "really" nasty
like Syria could have marched in and taken Iraq's oil once the West had
withdrawn.
(DISCLAIMER: please note that I realise that this was only one in a number
of political reasons that stopped them taking out Saddam. I've included it
just to illustrate my point about the Zhos).
2. The Regency has TL 16 and experimental TL 17. The Zhos have TL 14 and
experimental TL 15. The Darrians (Regency allies) have the Star Trigger.
This should help to equal out the balance of power.

PS. Why do you say that "old Japan was dominated by China"? Japan was the first
(only?) Eastern nation to even begin to operate as a colonial power, when it
fought and captured sections of China early this century. (Pressure from the
West forced the Japanese to "accept the unacceptable" and relinquish its hold
on certain areas, however - the Western nations wanted to be the only colonial
powers, thank you!). I would have said that _China_ was dominated by Japan.

PPS. Re Ben's comment in digest 424:
>finally, the Zho's DIDN'T invade. That's a 'fact'. Why is for Regency era 
>academics to discuss...

This is an example of what I call the difference between "character
explanations" and "player explanations". For example, TSR published Second
Edition AD&D, which included changes to many spells (including magic missile,
*groan*). The "player explanation" is that the changes were made for play
balance. The "character explanation" involved the "Time of the Troubles" which
caused "fundamental changes in the underlying laws of magic, space, and
time" - or whatever gobbldygook (or technobabble) you want to come up with.

The "player explanation" of the Zho-Regency peace between 1130 and 1201 is
due to GDW's decision to re-start the clock after 70 years of "hold". I would
guess that their desire is that rules changes will be easier to implement with
new character and situations (which is why retro-fitting CT with FF&S is so
difficult; eg. civilian nukes).

The "character explanation" is up to GDW and individual DM's - as always, if
the players ask you a hard question, you have to come up with something.
(BTW, I have found that this list, in itself, helps in this regard. Many
people - other than me as a sole DM - are also working on filling in the gaps.
Their work becomes an invaluable resource.

-------------------------------------------
5.      ZHO GAINS IN THE FRONTIER WARS

Jerry, sorry, but the Zhos managed to gain ground on the Imperium in almost
every single Frontier War. The Imperium had actually expanded into part
of Gvurrdon Sector (Llanic Subsector) and into Ziafrplians Sector
(core-spinward of the Marches) prior to the 1st Frontier War, and were
pushed out by the Zhos, back into Cronor. In the 2nd, they were pushed out
of at least three worlds in Jewell. Between the 2nd and 3rd, the Zhos
expanded into Querion subsector. By the end of the 3rd, the only Imperial
world in Cronor was Narval, and the Zhos had further expanded into Jewell
and Querion. Narval was lost in the 4th, becoming a Zho client-state.
The Imperium was able to gain Quar/Cronor in the 5th, but this was their
only gain.
(Source: _The Spinward Marches Campaign_, GDW, USA, 1986[?])

- Hyphen
  (David Jaques-Watson)


------------------------------

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 09:15:59 -0700
From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM, xboat@MPGN.COM
Subject: Nitrogen/Ammonia in atmosphere question...
Message-ID: <062e16a0@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

     I've got a question for our resident chemists:
     
     What sort of effect would it have on an earth-sized planet's 
     atmosphere if the atmosphere were nitrogen-rich with ammonia taint at 
     over 6 times earth's atmospheric pressure.  Also, the planet's ammonia 
     oceans cover over 60 percent of the planet and temperatures average 
     over 40 degrees C.
     
     From my layman's chemistry, I have determined that a fair amount of 
     hydrogen would also be present for ammonia to be created on such a 
     large scale.  From what I've read, there'd have to be a great deal of 
     electrical activity (e.g., lightning storms) for the ammonia to exist.
     
     I read a lot about our gas giants to try to imagine what such an 
     environment would be like, but from what I've read, the majority of 
     our system's gas giants are hydrogen and helium, not nitrogen and 
     ammonia.  I read that Uranus may have an ammonia taint, so that gave 
     me something to go on.
     
     If this all seems rather pointed, that's because it _is_.  I'm writing 
     a RICE paper on the rather inclement world, Kubishush, in Deneb 
     Sector, and I need a little help to do it properly.  Thanks in advance 
     for any and all help.
     
     --Chris

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 21 Sep 95 18:13:00 -0500
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)
To: TRAVELLER@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: [T423] RICE Papers
Message-ID: <8B18445.0100059326.uuout@execnet.com>


T::>     Incidentally, if anyone who's reading these things missed my Porozlo
 ::>     or Northammon papers during the TML Maghiz last week, let me know and
 ::>     I'll repost them or direct you to the appropriate TML number.

 I'd say offhand that _everyone_ was hit by the Maghiz.  I know I
 certainly was, and I'm a long-time subscriber to the TML.  A
 repost would be appreciated.

==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
---
 þ OLXWin 1.00a þ Land Trout migrate to earth occasionally....

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 21:51:14 EDT
From: E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Dave's Challenge 77 Editorial
Message-ID: <00996CBE.00B86180.11@v2.qub.ac.uk>


I've waited until I thought most list members have got their Challenge 77s to
respond to Dave Nilsen's editorial contained therin.

He defended the absence of Sector and Subsector data, and the lack of Vessel
designs. In the case of the former, he stated that DGP's Alien guides led to
campaigns shifting all over Charted Space, for little or no good reason, and
that GDW were telling a story, impling that they didn't want people to wander
from it. For the latter he said that without the artwork, the starships are 
the same anyhow.

I'd like to take him up on those two points. On the first point - we don't 
even have enough information to realistically explore around the RC. To 
Trailward and Rimward, we have no information on space sometimes one 
parsec from the RC's border. Is this realistic? There is an RC colony on
Poyzen, a bootstrap team on So Skire - we are given no astrographic data on
the subsector - unrealistic. The RC has no information on the Human pocket
empires to trailward, along the RC - Hive Federation supply route, again -
unrealistic. 
So GDW is telling a story - fine, I like the story they're writing, but 
don't constrain us too much. At the moment the RC is surrounded by no entry
signs save the arrow pointing to Diaspora - open it up for us.

On to the lack of starships and vehicles in H+I. I like starships, I like
the stats, but most of all I like to see what they look like. Then, if 
I'm playing or GM'ing I can see in my mind's eye what that ship looks like.
One more level of reality brought to the game, and when you are playing or
refereeing it has to feel real. I want to encounter a Hiver Battle Cruiser
escorting in a trade convoy, come across a Hiver Survey Ship exploring the
wilds and I want them to feel real.

To conclude, keep up the storytelling, but don't starve us of information
to the extent that we can't play in the New Era and feel cheated by the lack
of info on our surrounds.

yours,

Eamon Watters.  

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 23:27:29 EDT
From: E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TNE Starship problems.
Message-ID: <00996CCB.72AAFDE0.40@v2.qub.ac.uk>

There have been a few starships in TNE that I have had a problem with, as
they seem to have trouble operating in TNE, given its current rules.

(1) The Gazelle Class Close Escort. Problem - Can't refuel at Gas Giants with
its tanks attached, as its CG covers it without them, and it is streamlined,
not airframe. Does it dump tanks, refuel, rendezvous with the tanks, fill them,
refuel, connect to the tanks and scoot. Sounds complicated even if no one's
gunning for you. How about running the CG at 133.34%, risky, wouldn't want to
be in the CG's atmosphere if the CG overheated and broke. In It's original
role as a close escort to large naval ships, this is less of a problem, as 
it can refuel off the large ships. Still, limiting even in the CT era

(2) The Lab Ship. Must explore strange, new worlds but can't land. Can only
refuel at A, B, or C starports, asteroids, or by launch (how many trips?!).
Doesn't make sense even in CT era (should have kept the pinnace). 

(3) Yacht . Can't land, has CG anyway, must refuel at asteroids or A, B, or
C starports. Ok in CT, bummer in TNE.

Of course, there are ship I have no problem with - the Patrol Cruiser, the 
Fiery Close Escort - beautiful ships, if a bit tight in space for personel.
Still, infect one of the computers with the friendly virus from Vampire
Fleets, its TL 16 control multiplier should free up some crew space.
I wonder what one would do to the crew requirement of a RC Clipper?

Eamon Watters. 

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 16:34:55 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Dave's Challenge 77 Editorial
Message-ID: <01HVL0BA0XB6CWH7PJ@pimacc.pima.edu>

From:	IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 22-SEP-1995 13:52:23.48
To:	IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
CC:	
Subj:	RE: Dave's Challenge 77 Editorial

I've waited until I thought most list members have got their Challenge 77s to
respond to Dave Nilsen's editorial contained therin.

He defended the absence of Sector and Subsector data, and the lack of Vessel
designs. In the case of the former, he stated that DGP's Alien guides led to
campaigns shifting all over Charted Space, for little or no good reason, and
that GDW were telling a story, impling that they didn't want people to wander
from it. For the latter he said that without the artwork, the starships are 
the same anyhow.

I'd like to take him up on those two points.

<Much deleted>

Eamon Watters.  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As far as I'm concerned this editorial seems consistent with what I
see as GDW's new 'line', ie; "Something is only important if *we*
think it's inportant & if we don't think it's important then we
won't waste any time with it". This is an 'interesting' way to run
a business, IMO.

Phil


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End of TRAVELLER Digest 425
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