			    TRAVELLER Digest 431

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) by library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
  2) Challenge 77, the TML Maghiz etc. by Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
  3) RE: Point defense rules by "Upton, Django" <DUpton@vtrnntov.telecom.com.au>
  4) TRAVELLER digest 430 by erich@bush.cs.tamu.edu (Erich Schneider)
  5) Aslan Invasion by Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
  6) Re: Radiation Rules for TNE by David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
  7) Regency Sourcebook efforts... by Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
  8) Misjumps by "Brendan O'Donovan" <Brendan@odonovan.demon.co.uk>
  9) various topics by fcain@st6000.sct.edu (Franklin Cain)
 10) Re: TRAVELLER digest 430 by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
 11) Zhodani pacifism by Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
 12) Grandfather & The Kids (Kubishush) by Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
 13) Re: Radiation rules by James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
 14) Re: Misjumps by Bill Currie <BILLC@teleng1.tait.co.nz>
 15) Re: Radiation rules by merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
 16) Regency Musings by Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
 17) General Stuff by broussa@ConnectI.com (David C. Broussard)
 18) Re: Questions... by john.bogan@asb.com

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 13:38:50 -0500
From: library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Message-ID: <199509282038.NAA04313@babylon5.dss.gov.au>

Dear Folks -

1.      SPARKLERS

Bob Simpson <simpson@netcom.com> asked me directly:
>If you're not going to post "Sparkler Spoilers" could you send me a copy, too?

OK, Bob. If anyone else wants it, please let me know. Note: it's about 3 pgs
long.

2.      RUBY

Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au> posted a RICE Paper on Ruby back in
digest #20. I just wanted to say that it looks *excellent*. One question:
various
TAS news reports during the 5FW mentioned "Zho atrocities on Ruby" (and other
nearby planets). I always assumed this was just meant as a beat-up, probably by
that wonderful (?) Offal of Naval Intestines (ONI). Do you agree with this?

- Hyphen
 (David Jaques-Watson)


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 13:48:58 -1600
From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Challenge 77, the TML Maghiz etc.
Message-ID: <9509280546.AA26396@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

I don't know if there are still problems with the listserver after the TML
Collapse, but I'm still not getting any TML digests...any news on the repairs?

Challenge 77 _and_ TTC 8 finally made it to the most isolated city in the
world!  Dave's editorial was, to say the least, interesting reading.  I'm
not sure that I agree with a lot of it, but I suppose that it's reassuring
to know that there _is_ a plan.  I did like the article on collapsing
subsectors - as of tonight I embark on Grand Project #42: Bugger Up the
Solomani Rim.  Now, if only 'Vampire Fleets' gets here before Christmas...at
this rate I'll be lucky to see the Regency Sourcebook before 1997!

At any rate, the Near Bootes Commonwealth needs an overhaul - with four
class A starports and a combined population of over 27 billion, it's
probably a _little_ too big.  If anyone is interested in the results, let me
know and I'll send 'em.

Ah well, back to work...
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)

"...the scum also rises..."
                          Hunter S. Thompson



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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 17:48:00 EST
From: "Upton, Django" <DUpton@vtrnntov.telecom.com.au>
To: hiwg-list <hiwg-list@fwe.com>, myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
Cc: tml <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: RE: Point defense rules
Message-ID: <306B6D33@msmailv0.telecom.com.au>


Hi Roger,

It seems your attached file (0142_17.TXT) comes out as gibberish in MSmail 
at least and may well be a problem on other systems.

Maybe you could paste it into the message directly rather than attaching it?

<transscript of your message follows:>

 ----------
From: myhre
To: traveller
Cc: GDW.support; hiwg-list
Subject: Point defense rules
Date: Wednesday, 27 September 1995 8:53PM

X-Mailer: <PC Eudora Version 1.4>
X-Attachments: D:\TNE\HIWGDOCS\0142_17.TXT;
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
 --

 --=====================_812260412==_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

As you may remember a few weeks ago we had a lively discussion on missiles
and point defense, and missile defense in general. Now I have taken action
and made some rules. Please try them out, and give me feed back.


 --=====================_812260412==_
Content-Type: application/octet-stream; name="0142_17.TXT"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64

SElXRyBET0MJOiAxNDIuMTcNCkRBVEUJOiAyNi4gU0VQLiA5NQ0KVElUTEUJOiBQT0lOVCBERUZF

<snip>

eSBhcyBidWcgcmVwb3J0cyBrZWVwcyBjb21pbmcgaW4uDQoNCqlSb2dlciBNeWhyZQkxOTk1DQoN
Cg0K
 --=====================_812260412==_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

 --------------+-------------------+-----------------------------------
Roger Myhre   | myhre@oslonett.no | http://www.oslonett.no/home/myhre/
HIWGmember 142| Some people have one of those days, I got one of
              | those lifes.
 --------------+-------------------------------------------------------

 --=====================_812260412==_--
 -------------------------------

See what I mean?

Django.

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 08:48:48 CDT
From: erich@bush.cs.tamu.edu (Erich Schneider)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TRAVELLER digest 430
Message-ID: <9509281348.AA11039@bush.cs.tamu.edu>

>
>Two questions for those with more Traveller:TNE experience than I:
>
>First:
>Space is three dimensional, yet in TNE they only really mention two 
>dimensions...How deep is the portion of the milky way that is represented 
>in the main books overview map? 

Well, SPI's old game _Outreach_ covered a fair portion of the Galaxy; 
each hex was 1200pc across and 1500pc deep. I assumed this figure was
chosen becuase it makes the spiral arms one hexvolume "thick". So the
Galaxy near Sol should be at least 1000pc "thick".

(_Outreach_ has, I think, the largest scale of any wargame ever
produced; in addition to the hex sizes above, each counter represented
an entre star _fleet_ and each turn a generation's time.)

Two-dimensional space is a convenience, and it allows people to think
of these interstellar states in terms they're familiar with, in terms
of "regions" and "territory".

>Second:
>In the copyright material on the title page of the main book they 
>conveniently list the printing place of the book as the 
>USA...Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8).  Does that sound like a 
>correct interpretation of our Earth into Imperial Universal World Profile 
>statistics?   If so, it puts it into a lot better perspective for me (a 
>relative novice to TNE).

Starport G: Spaceports, repair facilities for superficial damage,
            unrefined fuel
Size 8: 8000 mile diameter (or is it radius? I'm not sure)
Atmos 6: standard
Hydro 7: 70% of surface covered by water
Pop 9: billions of inhabitants
Gov 7: balkanized (no world gov't, multiple regional gov'ts)
Law 5: prohibited weapons: body pistols, bombs, grenades, poison gas,
       portable energy weapons (yeah, right), autofire weapons, 
       light assault weapons, concealable weapons
Tech 8: pre-stellar (superconductors, no pratical fusion power)

Sounds right to me, although the interpretation of the "law" code
is ill-defined on a balkanized world.

-- 
Erich Schneider  erich@bush.cs.tamu.edu  http://bush.cs.tamu.edu/~erich

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 09:53:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Aslan Invasion
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.950928094841.7145B-100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>

Ted7@world.std.com (Mitchell K Schwartz)

> There was also this MAJOR incursion by the aslan that ate up the Trailing 
> regions of the Regency (oh, forgot that did you? GDW hopes so).

Apparently, there was an agreement between the Aslan and the Regency:The 
Aslan pull back from their occupied territories, but keep the Trojan 
Reach "Buffer Zone" between the Regency and the Hierate.

We'll soon see what GDW thinks...

[ NOTE: If you actually analyze the starcharts, population, and tech 
levels, the Aslan shouldn't have gotten even the smallest Domain of Deneb 
world during the Rebellion.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin Plummer
"Preserve what we created, Norris, and remember what we stood for."
                               - Strephon, 179-1126

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


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 15:31:00 PDT
From: David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
To: TML <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: Radiation Rules for TNE
Message-ID: <306B2262@pc136>



Mike Basinger <dbasinge@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu> asked:

> Where can I find radiation damage rules for Traveller? I have looked
> though the TNE rule book with no luck.

Use the rules from Twilight 2000. If you don't have it, mail me directly and 
I'll look out the rulebook for you and copy the rules out.

I'm moving house this weekend, so it might be the end of next week before I 
can get to it though.

Kind Regards

Dave Elrick

 ---------------------------------------------------
dave.elrick@ps.co.uk
 ---------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 08:20:49 -0700
From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Regency Sourcebook efforts...
Message-ID: <06abd970@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

     In response to Alvin Plummer's brief comment:
     
     >>And GDW had better done it right, too...<<
     
     Y'know, I've been wondering about this myself.  If Dave Nilsen, Loren 
     Wiseman and the rest of the GDW Traveller crew have so much stock in 
     the RCES campaign, how much heart did they really put into the Regency 
     Sourcebook?
     
     I spoke with Dave about it briefly and he seemed to be pretty excited 
     about the book, but it has crossed my mind that the Regency 
     Sourcebook, because of a lack of effort concerned with this hailed 
     area of space, might not live up to expectations.
     
     I hope that I get the book next week, read it, and breathe a sigh of 
     relief, but this spectre of pessimism has crept into my mind.
     
     Any thoughts?
     
     --Chris

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

Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 16:15:33 GMT
From: "Brendan O'Donovan" <Brendan@odonovan.demon.co.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Misjumps
Message-ID: <93@odonovan.demon.co.uk>

Bruce's post about a misjump to the centre of the Solomani Rim got me thinking 
- is there any precedent in Traveller for a misjump taking a ship back in time? 
I think that some ships have reappeared in the distant future after a misjump, 
but I'm not sure whether the crew had died of life support failure/age or not. 
If it fits with the Traveller background, then it could have some interesting 
adventure possibilities:

RC exploration reveals a comparitively high tech world where a massive 
proportion of the population are in low berths in deep bunkers, along with some 
valuable manufacturing plants. Local mythology talks of 'gods' who came to warn 
the people of the danger of Virus. RC experts are unable to explain the 
warning, as other worlds before and after it along a jump main were infected by 
a battleship which passed through all of the systems, and no other worlds 
received a warning. 
While jumping back out of the system, the RC ship malfunctions and a misjump 
occurs. When the players come out of jump, they find themselves exactly where 
they started, but about 70 years too early, and with their jump drive in ruins. 
The players will have a few days before the Virus infected battleship arrives 
in the system to convince the public of the danger and organise protection. 
After sleep in a low berth, the characters wake up, back in the New Era again.

Or more subtle - the players are investigating the world mentioned above, in 
the New Era, and in a deep hangar they discover what appears to be a Coalition 
Clipper, although its registration indicates it has not yet been constructed... 

-- 
Brendan 


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 13:54:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: fcain@st6000.sct.edu (Franklin Cain)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: various topics
Message-ID: <9509281754.AA35838@st6000.sct.edu>

1) re: Regency Sourcebook
I talked with Mr Nilsen earlier this week.  He said the Regency Sourcebook
was "at the printer" (his words).

2) re: Lab Ship
  a) First, please note that the lab ship in TNE has sufficient G-turns to
jump more than once before refueling becomes necessary.
  b) For my own campaign, I created a 360 (400) ton version with a 40-ton
slow pinnace.  This way, the crew can still disembark onto a planet. 
Also, the lab ship can perform wilderness refueling much faster (fewer
trips to the gas giant).

3) re: borders of Solomani exploration
  a) When Traveller first came out, Mark Miller produced a map od
known/charted space.  This map showed the rimward border of the Solomani
Sphere right against the bottom edge of the map.  Further, as originally
presented by Mr Miller, the Solomani were insular; i.e., they wanted the
Imperium out of their space.  They weren't really interested in expanding
their borders.  (Of course, this changed with the Rebellion.)
  b) In DGP's "Aliens of the Rim: Solomani and Aslan", the map of
known/charted space shows the Solomani Sphere plus another sector or two
(I don't have the map right in front of me, so I'm going from memory) to
rimward.  In this module, they alos make reference to the Perseus Project,
a long-range (1,000+ parsecs) expedition.

-- Franklin W. Cain


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 23:13:12 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 430
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9509282334.A22628-0100000@evitech.evitech.fi>

About radiation damage.

There's no rules for them in TNE. If you have access to TW:2000 (2nd Ed) 
you could see them from there.

Joni


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 23:01:43 +0100 (MET)
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Zhodani pacifism
Message-ID: <199509282201.XAA20147@embla.diku.dk>

Ted7 (Mitchell K Schwartz) writes:
>Ben Lane (toad@ugcs.caltech.edu) writes:
>>finally, the Zho's DIDN'T invade. That's a 'fact'. why is for Regecy era
>>academics to discuss...
> 
>You seemed to have missed the point that it makes sense for the Zho to have
>invaded. In not doing so, GDW adds yet another chunk of inconsistency to
>the TNE universe, which, IMHO, detracts form their product.

The reason why the Zhodani didn't invade is the same reason why they haven't
resumed expansion in 2000 years. Unfortunately, I've been unable to imagine
just why they haven't done that (I suspect MASSIVE internal unrest due to
failure to integrate systems (but for 2000 years...?) or some large
belligerent on the other side of the Consulate (though why we've never
heard of that...?)). 

One possibility is a policy decision not to expand (Indeed, the halt in
expansion 2000 years earlier was the result of just such a descision: to
stop until the worlds already acquired had been integrated into the
Consulate. The enigma is why it has taken 2000 years to do so). The fact 
that it may not be the most logical descision from a wargamers point of 
view is not an inconsistency: there are plenty of historical examples of 
politicians doing things that were less than optimal. One possibility:
The electorate did not want to pay for the cost of invading the Domain.
Never mind that it would be cheaper to do in 1120 than later; later might
not ever come. And if it did, it would be someone else who had to pay.
 

      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk
------------
        "The referee should determine the nature of subsequent
         events based on the individual situation."
                                _76 Patrons_, p. 8


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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 22:40:11 +0100 (MET)
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Grandfather & The Kids (Kubishush)
Message-ID: <199509282140.WAA19426@embla.diku.dk>

Christopher Griffen writes:
>      RICE Paper #DB-0917:  Kubishush System
>The most popular theory, though unfounded, is that Oolvig Naseena was the 
>victim of a latent biological weapon housed there by the Ancients. During 
>the Final War, Grandfather and the children who allied themselves with him 
>were known to use deadly biological weapons.  

I think you're making a mistake in assuming that everybody knows about 
Grandfather and The Kids. AFAIK the theory that the Droyne were identical 
to the Ancients was just barely beginning to percolate through the Imperial
scientific community in 1110. Grandfather was a mythical Prometheus-figure
unaccountably common to all known Droyne mythologies. The reality behind the 
myth and the very existence of The Kids was limited to one set of intrepid 
adventurers who had visited the big G in his pocket universe and returned 
with a wild tale. What's the betting that anybody believed them?

So much for the rational arguments. As a charter member of the _Society for
the Suppression of Grandfather and all that Guff_ I further appeal to all of
you to avoid references to him like the plague. He is one of the lamest plot
devices it has ever been my misfortune to meet, and he does not, repeat NOT,
exist in my personal Traveller Universe.

Seriously, try making references to the Ancients more general in nature. The
average Ancient expert dosen't know half of what we Traveller Referees know.


      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk
------------
        "The referee should determine the nature of subsequent
         events based on the individual situation."
                                _76 Patrons_, p. 8

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 17:31:57 PDT
From: James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Radiation rules
Message-ID: <9509290031.AA09356@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>


>Where can I find radiation damage rules for Traveller?

Twilight:2000 has a good section on radiation, disease and other hazards of that
sort.

James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
              <j.kundert@genie.geis.com>

  "O wad some power the giftie gie us,
   To see oursels as others see us!
   It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
   And foolish notion."
                     -Robert Burns

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

Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 12:32:03 +1100
From: Bill Currie <BILLC@teleng1.tait.co.nz>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Misjumps
Message-ID: <109EDCB0F40@teleng1.tait.co.nz>

There is (sort of) a precedent for misjumps through time.  In one of 
the _White_Dwarf_ magazines from pre-86, there was a CT adventure 
called _Alien_Warewolf_in_London_ in which the players follow a Vargr 

to 19th (18th?) century London via a hand portable time machine that 
I think was based on jump technology.  If any body is interested, I 
can dig it out (or further details).

As to the story line sugested, I think that finding a 70 year old, 
yet to be built Clipper would make for a _very_ interesting find 
(especially if it is of a higher TL (13+)).

Bill
+--------------+-----------------------------------+
|Bill Currie   | "Watch that first step..."        |
|Christchurch  | Jump trooper motto.               |
|New Zealand   |                                   |
+--------------+-----------------------------------+

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 18:50:23 -0600 (MDT)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Radiation rules
Message-ID: <9509290050.AA06013@Rt66.com>


Hi,

I don't have 2300, hmm, maybe I'll have to find a copy.  This reminded
me that my girlfriend had a lecture from a russian MD when her med
school class was doing radiation... the guy had empirical rules for
prognosis.  They went kinda like this:

Vomits within 1 hour of exposure---fatal within 3 hours.

etc., and so forth.  The interesting bit is that he was asked where this
data came from... he said "we have this data."  they said, "yes, we
know, how did you do the study?"  Answer "we have this data."  :-)

My guess is submarine reactor accidents.

I'll ask her for her notes.  If it has estimated exposures, it'll make
for good quick and dirty rules.

-Merrick

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

Date: 28 Sep 95 16:55:16 MS
From: Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
To: traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Regency Musings
Message-ID: <9509282305.AA28204@khan.avalon.COM>

In Traveller Digest 430, Chris Griffen wrote:

>Looking forward to 1206 when the Regency has supposedly 
>begun to gobble up large amounts of wilds space 
 > (see Vamp Fleets conclusion). 

Notwithstanding the potential Zhodani threat, this is going to be a pretty bug 
mouthful for the Regency.  This kind of reminds me of the Ramshackle Empire 
(2nd Imperium) when the Terrans tried to manage the Vilani Empire.  I remember 
a quote from one of the Solomani Sourcebooks (GDW or DGP, not sure which) 
describing how badly stretched the Terran fleet and civil government became 
after the conquest.  There were cities being goverened by naval raings, and 
entire worlds ruled by navy lieutenants.  The Regency is certainly a lot bigger 
than the old Terran Confederation (pre-Thrid Imperium that is, not the more 
modern version), but it has to maintain a Quarantine and strong forces to 
counter potential Zhodani (and maybe Aslan) expansion.

I really would like that damned book now...

Steven Charlton
scharlto@avalon.com
scharlto@rtd.com

My employers have no opinion on this, but I think they 
would also have difficulty absorbing the Third Imperium.

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

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 22:34:55 -0500
From: broussa@ConnectI.com (David C. Broussard)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: General Stuff
Message-ID: <9509290334.AA21667@ConnectI.com>

In regards to a few points that are being discussed in the list.

1.  The World Builders Handbook.  Yes it is true that one can tweak the
numbers to get it to work, and it is also true that inhabitable worlds are
probably few and far between, however...Traveller makes the Universe seem
FULL of inhabitable planets.  Now technology can make a marginal planet
habitable, but as Thanasis Kinias points out, creating a planet that has a
mean temp that makes it inhabitable would make most of the Imperium empty of
life.  Also if I am going to disregard most of the planetary generation to
get an inhabiatable planet, then why not just make it up altogether?

2.  Mass Drivers.  This has rather ticked me off, and made me very close to
dropping my interest in GDW products all together.  I was trying to generate
a MBT that uses a mass driver as the main weapon, and discovered that my
3000m/s mass driver had a short range of somthing like 35m.  I looked at the
formulas in great detail thinking that I had missed something as discovered
to my chagrin that the range was based solely on velocity, and that the
formula resulted in waaaay to short ranges.  This is nothing that anyone
didn't know.  I called up GDW, and got either Loren Wiseman or Marc Miller
on the phone (I can't remember which).  Needless to say I was honored to
speak with one of my favorite game designers.  I told him it was a great
honor to speak with one of the designers of  my favorite game.  He was
unimpressed.  I started to tell him (on my dime BTW) about the problem I was
facing.  He quickly told me to write it up and mail it to them.  I got the
address and wrote a detailed letter with lots of detail etc.  I provided a
self-addressed stamped envelope and requested a response along with a
catalog).  I received neither.  I went out later and purchased Deluxe
Traveller, and then the GM screen with the updated FF&S rules.  I checked
and checked, and NEVER once found any mention of the mass driver problem.
So here I sit fuming again over this stupid MD problem.  In fact I was
rather upset with the entire MD design sequence.  There is no provision for
any type of round other than AP, what about HEAP, Chem, APDS, etc.  You
cannot compute weights and pens easily.  Aaaarrrrrghhhh!  B-(  Sorry had to
get this off my chest.

DCB
David C. Broussard (broussa@connecti.com)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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!
-----------------------------------------------------------------


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

Date: Fri, 29 Sep 95 00:25:29 -0500
From: john.bogan@asb.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Questions...
Message-ID: <9509290025.00LHJ03@asb.com>


> From: Pratt <sandypra@halcyon.com>

> Two questions for those with more Traveller:TNE experience than I:
> First:
> Space is three dimensional, yet in TNE they only really mention two 
> dimensions...How deep is the portion of the milky way that is represented 
> in the main books overview map?  By my calculations, if the map is as 

_Space_ is three dimensional, but _paper_ is (effectively) two-dimensional.
The 2-D starmaps are a vestige of Traveller's early simple-system days, 
but have remained popular because judging distances between star systems
in 3-D, especially during a game session, is complicated unless you happen to
have a handy laptop with you.  Most people don't.

If you can't accept that, you have three options:
1) Invoke mumbo-jumbo science: in jumpspace, stars relate to each other in
some fashion analagous to 2-D, regardless of 3-D relatons. Thus jump
maps are in 2-D;

2) Find a copy of GDW's old game 2300 AD (original title Traveller: 2300),
which uses real star positions within 50 light-years of Earth; or

3) Generate 3-D space yourself.  Been there, done this. I figured a scheme
where subsectors were 8 x 8 x10 parsecs volume, and sectors 4 x 4 x 4
subsectors. I generated one and a half of these 3-D subsectors (with
expanded system generation, ROLLING BY HAND!) before it sank in how 
much work it would be to generate even half a sector. You want to do
this, be my guest, but keep the coffee and asprin handy.

> Second:
> In the copyright material on the title page of the main book they 
> conveniently list the printing place of the book as the 
> USA...Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8).  Does that sound like a 
> correct interpretation of our Earth into Imperial Universal World Profile 
> statistics?   If so, it puts it into a lot better perspective for me (a 
> relative novice to TNE).

Close enough.  Note that the government type-7 is Balkanized (a word
with renewed meaning in the '90's), not Mystic Dictatorship (unless,
of course, one counts the Illuminati :-).

Law level-5 depends on where one lands.


John Bogan

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End of TRAVELLER Digest 431
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