TRAVELLER Digest 552

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) RE: Rules & Tl stuff by StarWolf <myhre@sn.no>
  2) RE: Traveller Digest 550 by That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
  3) RE: Rules & Tl stuff by That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
  4) Ideas by aholt@cnj.digex.net (Alexander Wolcott Holt)
  5) Re: Reformation Coalition: the loose ends... by "Christopher Weuve" <caw@intercon.com>
  6) What does the RC need? by lewis@chara.gsu.edu
  7) White Star: Vampire Npc by lewis@chara.gsu.edu
  8) RE: Reformation Coalition: the loose ends... by lewis@chara.gsu.edu
  9) Future of Traveller by John Muir Macpherson <muirmac@uclink.berkeley.edu>
 10) Imperial Varient: Lucan Victorious by Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
 11) MegaMerchants by "Glenn M. Goffin" <sudet@well.com>

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 22:07:47 +0100
From: StarWolf <myhre@sn.no>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: Rules & Tl stuff
Message-ID: <199601172107.WAA06993@ekeberg.sn.no>

That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu> wrote:

>You know, stuff like Roger Myhre's standard laser list (speaking of
>which does anyone know where I can get another copy, mine's getting
>worn out), premade MFD's with laser and ems sensors figured in, etc...


I'm doing an update on the document at the moment. It encompasses a few new
concepts on lasers. All within the rules :) I design lasers with Excel that
are linked to another sheet with all the tables in FFS (or almost) Thus I
only has to decide for TL and a few features of the laser like
manned/unmanned, x-ray, grav focused, nongrav focused, Point defense,
difficulty level, range and effect.

As I design lasers for range it is possible to make more powerful cheapeer
lasers. The reason for this is that a 3.6m FA at TL 15, grav focused has a
max effective range of 155 hexes. Clearly an overkill when the guidance only
can track the target properly at maximum of 80. Thus the lower diameter of
the FA and that also reduces the FA volume.

I'll give more info as the work progresses.


------------+-----------------+--------------------------------------
Roger Myhre |myhre@ns.no      |http://www.ns.no/home/myhre/
Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily. All other "sins"
are invented nonsense. (Hurting yourself is not sinful--just stupid.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:10:52 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: Traveller Digest 550
Message-ID: <199601172110.QAA20866@chopin.udel.edu>

In Reply to Your Message of Wed, 17 Jan 1996 15: 23:47 EST
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:10:52 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu>

: Blair Monroe Spake thusly:
: >I agree with you.  In general the TNE rules are better written and have
: >benefited from years of "playtesting" through CT and MT.  I know some people
: >feel that TNE is little more than a military game, but it does not have to b
e
: >that way.  The "crawling your way out of the dark ages" setting will tend to
: >lend itself to more military campaigns and TNE has a lot of work invested
: >into those type of rules and suggestions, but there is no reason that a TNE
: >game has to concentrate there.  The rules are just as capable of handling
: >non-military role-playing and are in many ways simpler than the earlier
: >systems.  A lot of it depends on what the GM and his players want in their
: >game.
:
: To which I rebut:
:         The TNE Rules WEREN"T PLAYTESTED!!!!!! I found more bugs in my
: First Ed TNE book than ANY other game I own (My collection is rather large,
: in the several hundred game systems). So bad in fact, that a second edition
: was out in 6 months.
:         The mechanics have only those few areas grafted in that define
: traveller and have been unchanged since CT: Worlds, Trade, and Snimal
: Encounters. The rest are a lift of t:2k and Dark Conspiracy, NOT
: TRAVELLER!!!!!!!

Uhm no, what he's saying is that the GDW house system was a more
coherent and playable system than that presented in MT.  Typos have
nothing to do with playability.  Granted, they make the book look
sloppy, but that's not the case.  And before we go around slinging
reprintings and second editions, may I remind you that there is a
reason we call MegaTraveller TypoTraveller.

: What you are claiming is that a system which had been developed over 10
: years smoothed out a totally different system. Sorry, just ain't so. Yes,
: it's a passable system. Yes, it was a nice try. But see below:

Actually what he's claiming is that a system that developed for 10
years wasn't big enough to do what it wanted.  It became Mega-ized.
For better or worse.  Then someone decided to use a different system.
You know, I've used MT and TNE for combat.  If TNE suffers from
anything in its combat is that it's too comprehensive.  More rules
than I cared to know.  Well, not really.  I find that a minimum of
them are used for what I consider sci-fi/Traveller combat.  And except
for the dice rolled, they both run about the same.

: And upon some other TNE Matters:
:
: As for TNE Being more successful than MT: I have yet to see any proof of
: that. My friendly neighborhood game store couldn't keep MT stocked
: sufficiently; they can't get rid of TNE. Peter had to order 35 copies or
: more of MT items; He orders 5 each for TNE, and still has half a dozen 1st
: printing TNE Ruleboooks in the warehouse... That no one will buy. I ask you
: Merrick, is THAT the success you talk about for TNE? (figures provided by
: Peter Neuman of Bosco's Comics and Games, the only store in anchorage that
: carries more than TSR and WWG)

Well, figures are going to be different all over the place.  At one
shop I go too, I'm the only one that buys any TNE material.  At
another the stuff moves off the shelves, yet the MT stuff is on the
bargain rack.  I think what's going on here is that you've got
different markets buying different products.  Success should never be
measured by just your corner of the world.

: Keep TNE ALIVE YOURSELVES -- but let the REAL TRAVELLER come back.

This is the poorest attitude I've heard yet.  If you don't like it,
don't use it.  But Traveller is MegaTraveller is Hard Times is New
Era.  All have been created.  You pick the one you want to use, but if
you've learned anything from the TNE debacle it's that you shouldn't
force any version of Traveller down anyone's throat.

The issue here isn't about keeping any particular era alive, it's
about keeping Traveller--period.  And remember, all three editions
have the word Traveller in their name.

       --Jerry

8) Jerry Alexandratos                %  "Nothing inhabits my    (8
8) darkstar@strauss.udel.edu         %   thoughts, and oblivion (8
8) darkstar@canary.pearson.udel.edu  %   drives my desires."    (8

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:40:44 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: Rules & Tl stuff
Message-ID: <199601172140.QAA22336@chopin.udel.edu>

In Reply to Your Message of Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16: 30:01 EST
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:40:44 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu>

: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu> wrote:
:
: >You know, stuff like Roger Myhre's standard laser list (speaking of
: >which does anyone know where I can get another copy, mine's getting
: >worn out), premade MFD's with laser and ems sensors figured in, etc...
:
:
: I'm doing an update on the document at the moment. It encompasses a few new
: concepts on lasers. All within the rules :) I design lasers with Excel that
: are linked to another sheet with all the tables in FFS (or almost) Thus I
: only has to decide for TL and a few features of the laser like
: manned/unmanned, x-ray, grav focused, nongrav focused, Point defense,
: difficulty level, range and effect.
:
: As I design lasers for range it is possible to make more powerful cheapeer
: lasers. The reason for this is that a 3.6m FA at TL 15, grav focused has a
: max effective range of 155 hexes. Clearly an overkill when the guidance only
: can track the target properly at maximum of 80. Thus the lower diameter of
: the FA and that also reduces the FA volume.
:
: I'll give more info as the work progresses.

Thanks for the info.  However, I don't suppose that you do still have
the old list available anywhere?  Like I said, my copy is getting
kinda hagared and I figure there's no need for me to go reinventing
the wheel.

       --Jerry

8) Jerry Alexandratos                %  "Nothing inhabits my    (8
8) darkstar@strauss.udel.edu         %   thoughts, and oblivion (8
8) darkstar@canary.pearson.udel.edu  %   drives my desires."    (8

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

Date: Tue, 16 Jan 96 21:27:22 EST
From: aholt@cnj.digex.net (Alexander Wolcott Holt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: FarFutures@Aol.com
Subject: Ideas
Message-ID: <199601172151.QAA24946@cnj.digex.net>

One Idea in the new Traveller......

A bit of a holdover 2300AD.....

A 3D universe.....

This would allow more races, movement and reality.....


Alex Holt


-----------------------------------------------------------
The Truth Is Out There
Trust No One
Deny Everything
Apology Is Policy
-----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 17:28:17 -0500
From: "Christopher Weuve" <caw@intercon.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Reformation Coalition: the loose ends...
Message-ID: <9601171728.AA17474@caw.intercon.com>

Alvin Plummer said:
> A) Those referees who are playing in the New Era in the RC framework
> may want to totally ignore the Regency, or raze it down with Virus
> also.  It seems too powerful a foe for the RC to deal with. (See
> comments below regarding the Solee Empire)

I don't remember reading anything in TNE indicating that the Regency and the
RC would necessarily be hostile:  The two are a great distance apart, the
Wilds (and Virus) are in between, and they share a common foe.  I can think of
few reasons to fight and many reasons not to.

Besides, who know what other things there may be to keep the Regency busy.

Christopher Weuve  [caw@intercon.com]
Through sheer random chance, my employer may
someday agree with something I say.


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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 96 17:30:52 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: What does the RC need?
Message-ID: <9601172230.AA02404@chara.gsu.edu>

  I have been thinking about starting up a Traveller campaign with my
local gaming group.  I'll use the TNE rules, so I can use all the neat
FFS stuff that has been made.  I have been thinking about which setting to use.
  I was thinking about a Regency Campaign.  One thought was that the
players would be undercover Naval Intelligence agents posing as
merchants, with a high jump ship disguised as a common merchant.  A bit
like the Imperialine Frontier Transport, but smaller.
  Lately I have been thinking more and more about using the Reformation
Coalition.  None of the perspective players have ever played Traveller,
and most have only played AD&D, so the smaller scope of hte RC would be
nicer.  But the only problem I have with the RC, is the lack of
development for it. GDW has put out several very good sourcebooks for
the RC, but most have featured worlds external to the RC.  They
emphasize going out into the Wilds, either attacking it in Smash &
Grab, or exploring it in World Builder's Handbook. Those are both
useful, and I'll send my players out into the Wilds, but I also want to
play political intrigue and espionage adventures inside of the RC.  For
this I'll need more information on RC institions.  I thought that the
RC Players's Handbook would cover this, but with the demise of GDW, I
don't think that will come out anytime soon. :(
  So that leaves the development of the RC up to us.  I have been thinking we 
need:

1) More details on individual members worlds.  Someone asked about this
months ago, and several people said they would try to post something ,
but they never did. :(

2)Corporations, There are few such as Trybeccorp, Kruytercorp, and Dawn
Construction, but these are mostly one line references.

3)Criminals Orginzations: Need people for the players to beat up.

4)Misc groups: The League of the Imperial Way is a good example. I
forgot who posted that but I liked it.

5) Various other things to flesh out the RC.  There are only 20 worlds
in the RC, it should be alot easier to flesh out than the entire Domain
of Deneb,.. errr Regency. (Not that the Regency is bad, I still like
that too.  The holes let each GM customize it.)

6) THe RC is also a dynamic place with things constantly happening.
There should be stories about other groups of free-lancers, RCES ships
etc (ie other player groups)  Also the RC wants to expand, so there
should be new members as time goes bye.

7) More Aliens: I don't think there should be more aliens in the RC,
but in the territory surrounding it.  If you look at the Spinward
Marches, there are several aliens across the sector, and in some case
several in a susbsector, (look at Aramis, in the TRAVELLER Adventure)

8) Space around it: GDW gave us details about parts of Old Expanses and
Diaspora Sectors, but nothing to the rimward sectors. Solmani Rim and
Alpha Crucis.

Well those are a bunch of ideas, that I thought the RC needs,  I am
sure you people can come up with more.  l am also working some answers
for some of these also.  I have an idea for Transstar, the remnants of
the Solmani Megacorporation.  I have some ideas for a RICE style paper
on Oriflamme, an idea for an elite group of Oriflamme Marines, a
criminal orginization based on the Vermene and a couple other ideas.
I should have Transstar and the Ori marines done by Friday.

Well some food for thought.
Lewis


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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 96 17:43:28 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: White Star: Vampire Npc
Message-ID: <9601172243.AA02419@chara.gsu.edu>

Last week I posted the White Star, a slightly eccentric Vampire Ship.:)

Bruce Macintosh replied with some comments on the astronomy.

>lewis@chara.gsu.edu (who probably really isn't interested in hearing this)
>wrote about his amusing vampire NPC, White Star:

I always intrested in what people have to say about my stuff, even if I
did screw it up a bit.

> The nearest known one is about 50 parsecs
>away. (PSR 1929+10, which is (very roughly) coreward in Traveller terms.)

Oops, It was late at night, and I guessed about this, rather badly at that.
Well just assume the White Star wants to study a the creation of a
nuetron star, not just a prexisting one.



>Unfortunately for White Star, when white dwarfs collapse due to accumulating
>mass above the 1.4 solar masses limit, the white dwarf is thought to be
>completely destroyed in the supernova explosion, and no neutron star is
>left behind.

That is true for Type Ia supernovae, but it is thought that for Type Ib
supernovae that they actually leave behind a nuetron star.  Of course
this is a point of contention, and no one really knows, so I assumed
that the White Star could control the accretion and what other factors
so that it came out with a Neutron star.

Lewis

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 96 17:53:16 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: Reformation Coalition: the loose ends...
Message-ID: <9601172253.AA02458@chara.gsu.edu>

Another thing about the Solee Empire is that in the Regency Combat
Vehicle Guide, Dave Nielson says that the Solee Empire has a bunch of
these vehicles.  Its in the paragraph where he talks about what use is
this book for none Regency campaigns.

I also noticed last night while thumbing though the Rebellion
sourcebook is that the Old Expanses Depot is in the coreward subsector
adjacent to the Shenk Subsector where the Solee Empire is.  It might be
that the Solee staged an expedition to the Depot to salvage what ever
remains after 82 years of war and virus.  If they didn't, it would make
for a neat place for the players to go for an adventure.



Jerry Alexandratos  mentioned:
>Ah, but wait Alvin, there's more!  Don't forget that after Vampire
>Ships it now appears that the RC will begin to use Virus aided ships.
 Did anyone catch that in the Regency Sourcebook in the section where
they talk about Avery going off to vist the Empress Wave, they
mentioned that his ships used captive virus strains.
  This suggests that the Regency leadership is much less afraid of the
Virus than the common people.  So they might have Regency Military
ships outfitted with new super duper computers, and just not tell
anyone that they are based on the Virus, or maybe they will just
convince everyone that they are safe.

Lewis

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 15:17:01 -0800 (PST)
From: John Muir Macpherson <muirmac@uclink.berkeley.edu>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Future of Traveller
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9601170859.A23439-0100000@uclink.berkeley.edu>

Before we all get too excited about the number of 400 page
sourcebooks MM is going to be able to produce, let me just point out that
he still has to operate under the same business and financial limitations
that GDW did.  In fact, he likely has even fewer resources available to
him for promoting Traveller than GDW.  What made GDW fail was not that
people like us weren't buying their products, but that they weren't
getting any _new_ customers.
It is true that TNE alienated many long-time Traveller fans, and
I'm sure their loss was greatly missed, but what is going to
make or break any future Traveller products is whether they are capable
of attracting new customers in sufficient numbers.  Despite all the
gripes we may have had with GDWs typos and whatnot over the years, I
don't think anyone would dispute that Traveller has always been the best
sci-fi game on the market.  That's not the problem.  The problem is that
it hasn't been _selling_.
IMHO, the suggestions we could give Marc Miller that are most
likely to contribute to the game's future success are ways in which he
can attract new generations of gamers to the Traveller universe.  Who
plays Trav?  Who could be persuaded to play Trav?  For that matter, who
plays and spends money on the successful RPGs out there?  It is largely
the high school/college crowd, I suspect.  If Traveller is to be anything
but a game for collectors and die-hards, it must appeal to these people
and be marketed to them effectively.

--Muir


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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 19:05:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Imperial Varient: Lucan Victorious
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960117155103.22087K@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


In the offical universe, Dulinor's forces start out with enough men and
ships to give Lucan a very hard fight.

But isn't it rather unlikely that the Illeish Domain - which isn't a
high-threat region, and faces no enemies - would have at least the same
number of ship's as Corridor and COre fleets - both traditionally
overstaffed and overequipped?

Let's instead assume that Lucan crushes Dulinor's navy by about 1120, and
either intimidates or conquer's the rest of the fraction's by about 1125.
Let's also assume that he can - and did - conquer Dulinor without
stripping the ship's from Vland and Daibei, thus not provoking those
areas into rebellion.

1125: After failing for the second time in as many years to reconquer
Terra, Lucan orders an armistice with the Solomani, and finally turns his
attention to the last region to be reunified: the Domain of Deneb.

1126: Aware that Imperial fleets will soon complete the reconquest of
Vargr-held Corridor, Archduke Norris directs the Domain navy to
concentrate on the Aslan-held rimward regions of the Domain, ans swears
feality to Lucan.

1127: Excluding the Solomani Rim, the Imperium is fully reunified and at
peace for the first time since 1116.  Lucan is deemed Emperor by the Moot
in 113-1127, and coronated as such 295-1128.

1127-1145: For the remainder of his reign Emperor Lucan spends his
efforts not in rebuilding the Imperial infrastructure but in persecuting
his enemies, both real and imagined.

First the Imperial services, then the entire Nobility, and finally the
Megacorporations are ruthlessly purged by Lucan's agents, led by the new
Ministry of Loyalty and given muscle by Imperial Household troops.

Even Archduke Norris is eventually brought down.  Invited to Capital by
the Emperor to hear out his recommendations to upgrade various systems to
TL F, the Emperor instead charges him with treason during the rebellion
period, by ignoring his orders, entertaining ideas regarding Deneb
independence, permitting illegal psions to exist, and deliberately
hindering Imperial communications through Corridor.  News of his execution
on 93-1130 causes sector-wide riots in the Marches: the new Archduke (an
old noble rival of Norris') puts down the unrest brutally.

All interstellar information networks - including the Traveller News Service
- is brought under the control of the Ministry of Information, and used to
dissemminate offical propaganda.

1145-1157: Lucan - by this time only vaguely connected with reality -
relies more and more heavily on Luna Croce, Admiral of the Imperial
Fleet.  The very epitome of an officer in Lucan's Imperium*, Admiral
Croce eventually manages to obtain total control over who and what Lucan
hears.

* "The Imperial Service needs people like you: good looking, well
   educated and totally without scruples."
                    - common Imperial saying, from 1127 onwards

As Lucan continues to deteriorate, Admiral Croce uses her position as
Lucan's most trusted advisor (and eventually his mistress) to position
herself as his successor.  While Lucan - in his own delusive, twisted way
- really does thing that he is acting in the Imperial interest, Croce has
no such concern.  One of the new breed of Imperial officers, she wished
only to maximise her power over everything and everyone, and views
challanges to her desires as only rank insolense.

1157: Lucan suffer's yet another massive overdose of JoyRide, but this time
his personal physicans can't pull him through, and he dies on Holiday 1157.
Savage fighting rips through the Imperial Palace as Admiral Croce's
forces clash with Imperial Household troops.  Croce's forces are
victorious, but she is betrayed by one of her co-conspiractors, and dies
in an ambush on her own flagship.

Eventually, Duke Cleoai of Core Sector clamps down on the chaos, and
manages to get the majority of local Admirals behind him as a temporary
regent.  As part of the deal, the Duke reconvines the Imperial Moot for
the first time since 1145 (Admiral Croce managed to stifle the Moot's
operation, as part of her plans to centralize all power in Lucans - and
her - hands.)

The Moot begin's deliberations in 241-1157 (down to about 2% of it's size
in Strephon's reign.)  Even as nobles gater into the Moot Spire,
hundred's of petty rebellions break out in the wake of Lucan's death.
Under pressure to act quickly, they choose stability, and selects the
head of the Vilani megacorporation Zirunkariish Count Shigidgagilir
Shiishuginsa, as the new Emperor.

[Note: Zirunkariish focuses on banking and investment]

1157-1165: Emperor Shigidgagilir begins a 'velvet purge' of Imperial
Forces, giving Lucan's political appointees comfortable retirement
packages and replacing them with career men with proven records.

[WARNING! Unintentionally, this basically finishes off any hope for mercy
from Imperial commanders by rebels and dissidents.  At least the wastrels
could be bribed: all the 'successful' commanders left fall under the
following slots:
  A] they obey all orders, all the time
  B] they always win, all the time, and are willing to do *anything* to win
  C] they are *extremely* competent, so competent that the Imperium is
willing to overlook their 'unconventional' political views as long as
they continue to deliver such excellent results
  D] they have so much connections, it would make a computer tech green
with envy

Remember, the Imperium that Lucan created cares nothing for honour or
justice, only results.  And the Imperium promotes on that basis, alone.]

While prasing Lucan for keeping the Imperium together and destroying the
enemies of the Irridium Throne, Shigidgagilir also repealed many of
Lucan's more onerous (or simply stupid) policies.  A limited amount of
freedom is again permitted, a certain amount of dissidence is ignored
rather than prosecuted.  Especially popular, Shigidagilir dismantled the
Ministry of Loyalty, and brought several of the more despised and abusive
nobles and military men to a sticky and abrupt end.

However, much of Lucan's legacy remains.  The families of the Archdukes
remain as 'guests' of the Imperial Palace, and Shigidgagilir continued to
ban Archdukes from either collecting their own taxes or have any
involvement in military affairs.

Moreover, the policy of crushing any and all violent rebellions
continues: Sessionist movements are persecuted ruthlessly, and the
instinctive reaction to unrest is not to find out what's the root of the
problem, but to call in the Marines (and the occassional orbital
bombardment) to fix the problem.

Even planets _rumoured_ to planning to rebel tend to wake up one day to find
several hundred thousand tons of naked Fleet steel in orbit above their
heads, to say nothing of the nuclear reactors, high-explosive shells, and
massive particle accellerators.*  Cold, competent, hard-eyed Imperial
Investigators barge into the local parliement asking all sorts of
uncomfortable questions.  HUNDREDS of G6 fighters streak through the
sky, their roaring thunder shattering windows, with the shards falling
like so much rain.  Imperial marines float through the sky like the
children of Death, glistening against the clouds.

And that's the worlds _rumoured_ to soon rebel.

*stolen from Fleet: A Survivor's Guide.  The best current sourcebook for
those who want to know how a Navy with Attitude operates.  From West End
Games.

The Imperial Household has quietly taken up the Lucan-era Noble loyalty
checks (just in a more quieter, less fanatic, more deadly manner) and
directs criticism of the government, while offically tolerated, is
likely to cause serious trouble and thus rarely heard in public.

While the Imperial Household spies on the nobility (which, of course,
includes all senior military oficers), the IISS spies and reports on
populations and worlds.  Their old research mission is long gone, and
their new role as finks makes the Scouts less than popular outside of the
Imperial Core (ESPECIALLY in places like the Marches, where the
population harbors some serious eminity towards the Imperial Government).

Of course, their new authority and police powers does provide some
compensation...

"There was one guy called the Red Knave who cheated me bad a cards, but
he had more friends and bigger guns than I had.  The rest of the planet
was zip-hip, so I plotted the coordinated of the card shark's villa very
carefully and I left an orbital buoy that said 'fire one tight broadside
at these coordinated as a show of strength, and the planet's yours.'

They did.

I had a perfect rooftop view with a lounge chair and a tall glass of
chott when the strike hit.  It was beautiful.  Never got my money back,
it being fused into glass and all, but it was worth it.  I get all warm
and fuzzy just thinking about it."    - Jack Masters, Imperial Scout.

[Note: The above quote is also stolen and slightly modified from the
Fleet book.  Also, Scout's don't always have *this* kind of power: usually,
Imperial Intelligence follows up on their reports before they actually
start shooting.  Usually.]

1165 - present (1170): Emperor Shigidgagilir heads the 1165 Arrisheak
Conference on Capital.  At the Conference, the Imperial Government, the
Megacorps, and the larger sector-wide businesses finally organize their
plans to rebuild the Imperial economy to its pre-Rebellion size.  Special
attention was focused on the 'hard-hit' areass: 38 years after the
Rebellion, and those sectors still remain in Hard Times.  Most of the
worlds in these areas are impoverished or dead, many are occupied by
Imperial troops, and pirates still hit the weaker and less-defended
systems with impunity.

                Imperial Sectors, 1170

    Unharmed: Imperial core sectors (rather prosperous, due to the
    buildup of the Navy and the retread of many megacorporations to this
    area.)

               Core, Zarushagar, Vland, Lushun

    Unharmed: Not as prosperouns, but not damaged by the Rebellion, either.

      Spinward Marches, Fornast, Diaspora, Daibei, Ley Sector

    O.K./Recovering: Damaged, but is now healing up.  Tend to support the
    Imperial government most vigourously, after the Imperial core regions.
    (With maybe a few local exceptions...)

      Reaver's Deep, Deneb, Empty Quarter, Dagudashaag, Massila, Delphi,
      Old Expanses

    Hard-Hit sectors: Damaged, bleeding, violent.  Home of a thousand
    dirty little wars.  Just beginning to recieve serious Imperial aid.
    (Attached to certain political conditions, of course)

      Corridor, Reft, Trojan Reach, Gushemege, Verge, Illelish, Antares


Imperial culture, 1170 - Racism

In 1118, soon after Lucan learned that the Vargr Archduke Bzrk broke away
from his rule, Lucan banned all Vargr from the higher reaches of Imperial
power.  Even after the Rebellion, Imperial attitudes against aliens -
esp. Vargr and Aslan - continued to harden.  In 1130 Lucan specifically
declared the Third Imperium to be a *human* empire, and reduced all
nonhuman citizens to either "legal aliens" if their homeworld was within
the Imperium or "illegal aliens" if it isn't.

Limited expulsions of illegal aliens began from 1130: as the Imperial
government regained strength and stability, expulsions became both more
widespread and more harsher, with fewer and fewer exceptions.  By 1170,
there were no illegal aliens in Unharmed sectors, and only a few million
impoverished holdouts in Recovering sectors.  Now, as the Imperium begins
to regain full control over the weakest sectors, expulsions (and the
occasional genocidal incident) are beginning there.

Some debate in Imperial circles revolve on wether psionic Droyne should
be expelled from Imperial space, but hte current Emperor has ruled them
"legal aliens".  However, contact whth the Droyne and their worlds is
carefully controlled: humans on worlds with Droyne have been resettled
elsewhere; the converse is true of Droyne.

Imperial culture, 1170 - the Nobility

The power and prestige of the nobility - after many years of weakness
before Lucan and his 'advisor' Admiral Croce - is quickly growing now.
Emperor Shigidgagilir is promoting them in aneffort to balance out the
power of the Navy, while weakening the powers the military has.

[Just in the period 1165-1170, he has forced the Military to end Martial
Law in over 25 subsectors, while allowing only two subsectors to be placed
under military administration.]

He is also vigourously restoring not just the nobility per se, but also
feudalism as a concept.  Noble houses and feudal priveleges are
increasing in both number and power, and the Ministry of Heraldy and the
Ministry of Noble Affairs have been given new political sigificance.
Finally, the entire concept of birthcaste is being promoted by the
Emperor in an effort to solidify and stabilise an interstellar society
still in flux.

The basic upshot of all this is that commoners are finding it more and
more difficult to change their social status or attain any position of
power.  At the same time, a form of feudal/caste socialism is rapidly
becoming the basis of Imperial societies everywhere.

[True, it's still possible to work your way up in some megacorps, and the
Imperial military is still more interested in your ability then your
bloodline.  However, in both areas people with the right bloodline
tend to go places more faster nowadays...]

One example of 'refeudalization': it's now illegal for nobles to sell
capital (ie starships, stocks, factories, land) worth over 100 MCr to
nonnobles.  If they can't find a noble to buy their property, they must
sell to the Imperial government "at fair market value".

In 1168, a new initative with significant implications was launched by
Emperor Shigidgagilir: he commanded that all noble children MUST be
educated at Capital/Core, or forfeit their right to rule.  He also ordered
all unborn nobles MUST undergo 'genetic conditioning', to increase their
physical & mental potential to the maximum possible.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin Plummer

"Your conduct can be best described as deplorable.  The first rule of the
scout service is that you do not inform the locals about your job.  Too
many people have a... distorted... view of your duties."
      - Commander Andrew Pelking, Master Scout

"Without the Imperium around, planet-scale -- even *system*-scale --
killing would be an everyday occurance: just look at the Rebellion as an
example.  But that's not even what we're here for.  We keep the peace.
Not a fair peace, not a just peace -- and not a perfect peace. PEACE.

<snip>

One final note -- we didn't conquer the Imperium; we *created* it.  The
megacorps provide the fuel, the nobility the motivation.  We are the
skeleton and the muscle of the Imperium.  Let them fight their battles
through trade, politics, intrigue and diplomacy.  We will keep the direct
route -- the wars of chaos between the stars -- closed off and silent."
                   -- Admiral of the Fleet Duke Robert L. Lippert,
                      Imperial Navy

"The Imperial Navy can be petitioned by local governments or governing
nobles.  In exchange for clear operation parameters - no interference
whatever - and adequate material support, the Navy will deal with any
problems that arise."             -- Guide to the Imperial Navy,
                                     Emperor's Printer,
                                     Capital, 1160.

"The question is, why in the world should the Navy keep criminals in a
penal base when there are perfectly good airlocks on every ship?"
          -- Rear Admiral Dame O'Neill, from the minutes of the
             Naval Policy Council, 1170

All quotes above - excluding modifications - are stolen from Fleet: a
Survivor;'s Guide, from West End Games.

Reply to: alvin.plummer@SHERIDANC.ON.CA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 22:43:05 -0800 (PST)
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <sudet@well.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: MegaMerchants
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9601172205.A1780-0100000@well>

Alvin:
The MegaMerchant is a great concept!  I'd like to see an adventure
supplement with deck plans, personalities, more history, route maps,
financial data, etc.

Adventure seeds:
Hijack!  A bold and desperate regiment of Vargr mercenaries attempts to
hijack a MegaMerchant and take it to the Extents.  Their key bargaining
chip:  The cargo consists of a world's entire production of anagathic
plants.  Attack the ship, and the Imperial family dies -- of old age!

Salvage! One of the first MegaMerchants, the S/S Jim Beam, is found in the
Trojan point of a gas giant in an uninhabited system.  How did it get
there?  Where are crew and passengers?  What kind of cool, old, and maybe
valuable, stuff is still in the hold?  Why hasn't Brett come back from
checking out that dark passageway?

Fraud!  Ensuring that the cargo matches the cargo manifest is a critical
part of every purser's job.  When the listed 50,000 tons of lanthanum
turn out to be iron, however, heads are likely to roll!  Who switched it,
when, and how?  And how long can you keep the Captain from finding out?

Mystery!  Cargo Pod THX 1138 has always been called haunted by spacers,
but Tukera Lines refuses to believe it.  Although the original 1138 was
destroyed in the Great Strike of 904, Tukera Lines didn't skip the number
in the next series of cargo pods.  Now your ship has it.  The manifest
indicates 20,000 tons of miscellaneous radioactives (including wastes,
medical stuff, and weapons-grade) and 3,000 low berth passengers, mostly
refugees (Tukera PR:  "There's absolutely no danger from radiation.
Everything is perfectly shielded.  And the robot medtechs are more human
than human.").  Notice how 1138 has "13" in the middle, and the other two
numbers add up to 9?  9+13= that's right, 22.  You're catching on.

--Glenn


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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 552
***************************
