TRAVELLER Digest 503

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: RFT IN Troop Transport by sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
  2) Re: Two and a half civil ship designs by sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
  3) Re: TRAVELLER digest 501 by aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Boulton)
  4) Re: Two and a half civil ship designs by merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
  5) Slice o' the galactic pie... by "'Jomama' Charles Pratt" <tminus@u.washington.edu>
  6) Re: FASA? Never! by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
  7) Re: TRAVELLER digest 501 by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
  8) GDW and the Future by "Harold D. Hale" <hdhale@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>
  9) Troop Ship by broussa@ConnectI.com (David C. Broussard)

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

Date: Sun, 03 Dec 1995 16:25:10 +0000
From: sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: RFT IN Troop Transport
Message-ID: <m0tMGLg-0001IYC@kiel.netsurf.de>

In digest 501, Gary requested a design for an Imperial troop transport.
Here's my entry:

COLOSSUS class heavy troop transport

General Data
  Displacement: 40,000dt
  Hull Armor: 112
  Volume: 182m
  Price: about 12000 MCr
  Configuration: Close structure US
  Tech Level: 15

Engineering Data
  Power Plant: 42000 MW Fusion (500dt; 1400 MCr) 1 year duration
  Jump Performance: 4 (1667dt/Jump)
  G-Rating: 3G (20000 MW/G); G-Turns: 12 (+18 using jump fuel)

Electronics
  Computer: 6xTL15 St, 4xTL15 Fb
  Controls: Bridge with 50xworkstation, 150xworkstation
  Sensors: TL15 240.000km passive EMS

Armament
  Offensive: 100x50dt weapons bay, 100x3t turret, particle accelerator
(1000dt volume, don't want to calculate it)

Accommodations
  Crew: 455 (2xManeuver, 10xElectronics, 100xEngineering, 40xMaintenance,
60xGunnery, 100xTroops, 47xFlight, 60xCommand, 15xSteward, 20xMedical)
  Crew Accommodations: 40 large staterooms, 190 small staterooms, 400
emergency low berth, 5xElectronics shop(6dt), 5xMachine shop(10dt),
2xhospital(80dt), 1xrecreation(20dt)
  Passengers: 6400
  Passengers Accommodations: 50 large staterooms, 100 small staterooms, 6000
low berth, hall(200dt), 20 combat simulators(6dt), 5 conference rooms(16dt)
  Cargo: 6000dt plus 100 Grav tanks (800dt), 100 G-carrier (700dt)
  Small crafts: 3x400dt tanker shuttle (external grapple), 8x200dt armed
landing ship (external grapple), 4x95dt shuttle (eg), 2x55dt jump boat (eg),
5x10dt launch (eg)
  Airlocks: 500

Components
  160dt hull (Bonded Superdense) (63MCr)
 2000dt jump drive TL15 (8400MCr)
 6668dt jump fuel
  500dt power plant (1400MCr)
   50dt power plant fuel
  250dt secondary power plant (700MCr)
   25dt secondary power plant fuel
  285dt HEPlaR drive (40MCr)
 4285dt HEPlaR fuel
 5300dt armament (missiles and energy weapons)
 1000dt particle accelerators
 1000dt staterooms (crew), sick bays, shops
  250dt life support (1500 MW)
  100dt airlocks
   50dt computer/controls
   12dt sensors (passive EMS sensor array)
  200dt bridge/workstations
 6000dt low berth (troops)
 6000dt cargo space (supply)
  800dt grav tank hangar (inclusive machine shop)
  700dt g-carrier hangar (inclusive machine shop)
  400dt staterooms (troops)
  200dt multi purpose hall (20mx30m)
  200dt conference and simulation rooms (inclusive computers)
 3670dt small crafts

Description
  The colossus class fast troop transport looks like a big U, using the room
between the U-legs to dock the 22 small crafts aboard. The airlocks allow
the simulataneous launch of 50 G-carrier (carrying 600 troops) or grav
tanks. Two TL15 hospitals allow fast medical care and can help to relive the
cold sleep effects. The power plants allow an acceleration of up to 3G.
Including jump fuel the colossus class ship has an endurance of 30 G-hours.
Armament is plentiful, sensors are long ranging, the costs for the ship are
astromomenous :-)
  I guessed the size of maintenance crew based on the power plants. I didn't
bother with designed exact armament and sensors. I ignored the fact that the
rules demand 300 medical hands for the 6000 low berth and declare this as
passengers problem. I've included enough medi-techs to awake 300 military
medics.


            ABOVE                            REAR
  ________________________
 /            H           \      <=<< 55dt jump boats (see RSB)
|    F    F         C      \             _____________
 \_________________ C _E__  |       ____-             -____
                   \ /    \E |     /    \-------------/    \
                   || <=<< | |    |      |<>     < > |      |
                   || >>=> | |    |      |<<>>     <>|      |
  _________________/ \____/E |     \_##_/--------<< >>\_##_/
 /                  C  E    |          \_______________/
|    F    F         C       /
 \____________H___________/      #=Particle accelerator tubes
                                 <>=small crafts
 F=fuel, E=engines, H=hangars, C=Crews

bye
--
Stefan Matthias Aust  //  But it's gonna be really happening to ya


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

Date: Sun, 03 Dec 1995 16:25:08 +0000
From: sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Two and a half civil ship designs
Message-ID: <m0tMGLf-0001HPC@kiel.netsurf.de>

As Merrick explained, I underestimated the costs for sensors (something, I
never really cared about bofore). I also messed up G-Turns and power
calculations, to here's the WASP Mk II design

WASP deep space fighter

General Data
  Displacement: 12dt
  Hull Armor: 40
  Volume: 21m x 6m x 3m
  Price: 9.1 MCr (unarmed)
  Configuration: Needle US
  Tech Level: 11

Engineering Data
  Power Plant: 28 MW Fusion (2.8 MCr) 6 months duration
  Jump Performance: -
  G-Rating: 4G (6 MW/G); G-Turns: 47 (1.5m3/h)

Electronics
  Computer: 1xTL11 St
  Controls: 1xcrewstation (TL11)
  Sensors: TL10+ Imaging EMS, TL10+ 300.000km Maser communication, TL11
300km active EMS (8MW), TL11 120.000km passiv EMS (using complete hull
surface for sensor array)

Armament
  Offensive: 1xHardpoint socket (80 MJ TL11-laser turret 2.2 MW)

Accommodations
  Crew: 1 (1xFlight & Gunnery)
  Crew accommodations: 1 cramped crewstation
  Life support: Artificial 1G and 2G compensator

Components
  1dt hull
  1dt power plant
  0.12dt power plant fuel
  0.17dt HEPlaR drive
  5.10dt HEPlaR fuel
  0.03dt life support
  0.18dt crewstation
  0.17dt controls
  0.50dt computer
  0.69dt sensors (inclusive PEMS sensor array)
  3dt armament standard turret

The sensors aren't that expensive, at least with the 300km AEMS I chose. The
laser turret costs additional 2 MCr. With a 20% discount because of standard
design you can buy a wasp deep space fighter for only 8.8 MCr at a space
ship dealer near you :-)

bye
--
Stefan Matthias Aust  //  But it's gonna be really happening to ya


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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 95 17:06 GMT
From: aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Boulton)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 501
Message-ID: <memo.897842@cix.compulink.co.uk>

In-Reply-To: <199512020611.BAA13154@Ambassador.MPGN.COM>


  > From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
  > Subject: RE: FASA?
  >
  > : I mean god, if it's that bad, can't we start our own company : (and
  > yes, I *do* know what's involved in making that work, : as do several
  > other list members...) to Keep the Flame? :
  >
  > Not a bad idea.  But if we did this, then I think that we should hire
  > Joe Fugate Sr. et all from DGP.  Oh and Marc Miller.  And despite

"Traveller is in danger! Far off on the other side of Metropolis, mild
mannered Marc Miller hears the call. Diving into a nearby telephone box,
he changes from a humble insurance salesman into...TravellerMan!"

---===---
Andrew Boulton

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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 13:10:55 -0700 (MST)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Two and a half civil ship designs
Message-ID: <9512032010.AA29984@Rt66.com>

> WASP deep space fighter
>
> General Data
>   Displacement: 12dt
>   Hull Armor: 40
>   Volume: 21m x 6m x 3m
>   Price: 9.1 MCr (unarmed)

List an armed price as well (what god is an unarmed fighter? :-)

>   Sensors: TL10+ Imaging EMS, TL10+ 300.000km Maser communication, TL11
> 300km active EMS (8MW), TL11 120.000km passiv EMS (using complete hull
> surface for sensor array)

The PEMS you put on has to be a folding array.  That means that this
fighter cannot evade and keep a lock-on at the same time.  If you choose
to do this, then a LADAR would be a good idea.  The active sensor isn't
good for anything, ditch it, or give it a useful range.

>   Offensive: 1xHardpoint socket (80 MJ TL11-laser turret 2.2 MW)

Any cheap fighter would do well to have missiles.

> Components

The component list doesn't tell us anything.  It needs to list hits.


-Merrick

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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 13:18:15 -0800 (PST)
From: "'Jomama' Charles Pratt" <tminus@u.washington.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Slice o' the galactic pie...
Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.91j.951203131633.20272B-100000@homer01.u.washington.edu>


Does anyone know, off hand, what percentage of the galaxy the "known"
sectors that show up in the main book comprise?

-----

"Storm the Reality Studio. And retake the universe." -- William S. Burroughs
         Charles Pratt tminus@u.washington.edu -- when in doubt, sail.
          "No matter where you go, there you are."


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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 15:02:41 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: FASA? Never!
Message-ID: <199512032202.AA13251@ns-1.csn.net>

At 05:42 am 12/2/95 -0500, you wrote:
>I myself am vehemently opposed to FASA getting their hands on anything,

/* snip */

        The (snipped) portion doesn't sound good at all. I can't comment
from personal experience, as Traveller is the _only_ RPG I've bought
anything for since I first started with it in '81, but if that stuff is
true, keep FASA out!

>If someone must buy Traveller, let it be a group of fans, or anyone BUT

        I've no idea what something like this would involve, but I'd be
interested in hearing more, at least!
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www2.csn.net/~goldendj/index.html

 "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his
  enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes
  a precedent that will reach to himself" -- Thomas Paine


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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 15:02:52 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 501
Message-ID: <199512032202.AA13260@ns-1.csn.net>

At 12:07 pm 12/3/95 -0500, you wrote:
>In-Reply-To: <199512020611.BAA13154@Ambassador.MPGN.COM>
>
>
>  > From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
>  > Subject: RE: FASA?
>  >
>  > : I mean god, if it's that bad, can't we start our own company : (and
>  > yes, I *do* know what's involved in making that work, : as do several
>  > other list members...) to Keep the Flame? :
>  >
>  > Not a bad idea.  But if we did this, then I think that we should hire
>  > Joe Fugate Sr. et all from DGP.  Oh and Marc Miller.  And despite
>
>"Traveller is in danger! Far off on the other side of Metropolis, mild
>mannered Marc Miller hears the call. Diving into a nearby telephone box,
>he changes from a humble insurance salesman into...TravellerMan!"

        Help, TravellerMan, Help!
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www2.csn.net/~goldendj/index.html

 "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his
  enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes
  a precedent that will reach to himself" -- Thomas Paine


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

Date: Sun, 03 Dec 1995 18:38:59 -0500
From: "Harold D. Hale" <hdhale@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: GDW and the Future
Message-ID: <s0c1ee91.080@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>

Greetings all,

   I have attempted over the last week or so to keep you up to date
regarding the personnel changes at GDW so that you will be better
informed about what's going on behind the scenes.  I have also done
some research regarding GDW's financial situation, that being a rather
hot topic of discussion lately.  Being a research librarian as its
advantages, one of them having a wealth of business related information
resources at your disposal.

   Let me say from the outset that I am not ``GDW bashing``.  If anything,
I am trying to clarify a few things, something that probably Loren should
be doing, but isn't.  Yes, I know he has his reasons for not stepping in at
some point and explaining why this or that is going on, but the problem is
that sometimes the less you talk about something, the bigger the PR
monster it becomes.  As an interested party, I felt that somebody should
come forward with relevant information.

   For the record:  Yes, sales are slow at GDW, but they are not planning
on shutting down anytime soon.  That is to say, they plan on being
around for a while, and are not in the process of emptying the last
of the cash out of their wallets so that they can pay the light bill.

   For the last year that records were available, 1994, GDW's sales
were estimated to be $910,000 (all these figures are in American dollars
BTW).  That compares to sales figures in 1991 of $1.13 million, and sales
figures for 1989 of $1.33 million.  Between 1989 and 1995, there has
been a 31.6 percent decline in sales according to these numbers.
Design and manufacture of recreational games makes up 95 percent of
their business, magazines (this includes Challenge) 5 percent.  While
sales figures are down, the numbers for 1989 and 1991 indicate a trend
toward reducing the amount of liabilities owned by the company.
The debt to asset ratio in 1989 was 1.71, in 1991 it was 2.62.  There
are no figures available for later dates.  Also, in case you were
interested, 20 percent of GDW's sales are to locations outside the US.

   There are currently 14 employees at GDW.  This compares to 32 in
1990.  Frank Chadwick is listed as the president, Paul R. Banner as
vice-president, Loren Wiseman as secretary, Marc Miller as treasurer,
and Susan Schud as officer manager.  I know Frank is still with the
company, and I believe Susan is as well.  Loren is now part-time (and
has been for the last year), though he may still have the title of
secretary.  I don't know what the status of Marc and Paul are.  I've
told you the rest of the staff news in prior posts.

   Back in 1993, GDW was sued by Pepco Litho of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
for non-payment of a debt of $1,339.  Since then there have been no
similar suits filed.  The best known piece of litigation involving GDW
was the suit filed by TSR, which resulted in the death of the ``Dangerous
Journeys`` game.  There are no figures available for how much money
GDW may have lost because of this action, though TSR did agree to buy
out all stocks of Dangerous Journeys product that GDW had as part of
the settlement.  Informed *speculation* (and that's pretty much all it is
until someone at GDW fesses up) is that GDW lost a great deal of money
in legal fees as a result of the TSR lawsuit.

   I checked two sources for information on GDW's credit status:  TRW
and Dun & Bradstreet.  So far as I have been able to determine, they
are not behind at this time on paying bills to their commercial vendors.
There is a record of a few slow pays on invoices, but nothing that
involves large dollar amounts.  What the reports did not reflect, however,
is the slowness of payments to a number of freelance writers, some of
which have been waiting up to three years for amounts varying from
less than a hundred dollars to over $3,000.  No explanation has been
given (thus far) for this.

   Analysis:  Frank seems to have taken the company in for a soft
landing, downsizing the business in the face of declining sales.
Industry-wide, RPGs have been in a state of decline, regardless of
genre.  This can be attributed to the increase in popularity of other
game types (collectable card games, computer games, etc.) and to the
dramatic increase in the cost of paper (which the last I heard was up
about 350-400 percent over what it was a couple of years ago).  While
the RPG industry shows no signs of coming to an end, the market will
continue to be an intensely competitive one as companies struggle to
lower their overhead and produce products that bring in new customers
as well as retain current ones.  GDW seems to have positioned itself
over the last few years to concentrate it efforts on its core games,
namely Traveller, Twilight: 2000 (and its variants), and Command
Decision (and its many variants).  While this will allow them to release
material such as ``Armor 21`` (a T: 2000 variant), and perhaps even
2300 AD (as a Traveller variant), I wouldn't look for them to produce any
totally new games any time soon.

   Bottom line:  GDW is probably not in any kind of serious financial
trouble, but they are definitely smaller than they once were.  In the
near future they need to address the freelancer payment issue, and
consider starting up a web site.  I'm sure they could find people willing
to volunteer their time and equipment (if necessary) for this purpose if
they were to only ask.

   Loren (if you are listening), if you feel that any of the above
information is in error, please feel free to correct it.  The purpose of
this post is to clear the air, not muck it up.

Regards,

Harold

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

Date: Sun, 3 Dec 1995 23:40:23 -0600
From: broussa@ConnectI.com (David C. Broussard)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Troop Ship
Message-ID: <9512040540.AA24970@ConnectI.com>

Moving 3 regiments of troops at one time seems like a large amount, but for
the old imperium, this was probably more the standard than the strange.

First of all, allow 42m^3 3 tons for each troop.  This will allow for
personal space (not much) galleys, training areas, storage for food weapons,
gear, etc.  Each troop would get a bunk in a bunkroom with about 3m^3 of
cubage. 1m^3 for personall effects.  The rest of the 39m^3 would be needed
for all of the other space required for formations etc.

You will need LOTS of space for vehicles, 200+% of volume.  The reason for
this is that mechanics will need to service the vehicles between missions.
The crews will need room to work on them also.  Then you will have to have
cubage for spare parts etc.  As for Air/Rafts, use G-carriers instead at
least, more likely TL-15 APCs.  Same space requirements as Tanks.

Don't forget the support troops.  For each grav Tank or APC. you will need
to have mechanics to work on the vehicles.  One thing traveller doesn't
always do well is spell out maintenance costs.  You will need about 2-4
techs for each vehicle.  There is also the other areas of support such as
JAG, IG, personell, medical, etc.

Now as for the orbital bombardment, (I would recommend using other ships),
but it would be hard to beat a meson weapon.

For delivery, I would probably use a small number of Jump Drops.  You can
also Deploy some of the Grav Tanks in this manner.  These troops secure a
landing zone.  Then you use something like Fury Assault Landers to get more
Infantry into place.  Then finally you use large shuttles to deliver 10-12
Grav Tanks at a time.  Probably just to high altitude then let them fly
down.  Artillery and logistics will need 400-1000 ton shuttles to get their
equipment down.  This lends itself to an interesting question, what about
using the same method for cargo (e.g.) shuttle it to low orbit/high altitude
then let it drop slowed by Contra-Grav then chutes for the final delivery.

I would also recommend organic elements of interface fighters at least 1
squadrons.  You might also include bombers.

As you can see the forces needed to deliver this size of unit is staggering.
We are talking about a 50-100Kton ship here.  I would not worry about too
much offensive weaponry, or high maneuver.  The key here would be for the
ship to be protected by the cruisers and escorts.  Just have point defense
and some stuff for figthers or a small escort or SDB.

On a more pratical note, perhaps a better solution would be to deliver
perhaps 1-3 battalions at a time.  We are talking about 1000 combat troops
and another 1000-1500 support troops.  The combat troops would be delivered
in two manners.  First the jump troops to secure a LZ, then the smaller
(2500 ton) transports would land directly and disgorge their 1-3 battalions
of troops.  Later after a beachead is established, the support troops come
in on Shuttles (100-500 ton) with cargo etc.

Oh well, sorry to ramble.  Hope this sparks some interest.
David C. Broussard (broussa@connecti.com)
Home page: http://www.connecti.com/~broussa/
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The opinions represented herein are the sole responsibility of
the proclaimer, and should not be interpreted as dogma, doctrine
philosophy, or anything else other than blabber.  However, if you
REALLY like it, then gimme a dollar!
-----------------------------------------------------------------


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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 503
***************************
