
-------- TML Message #1764 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1764
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 09:28:27 PST
From: Joel Lovell <jlovell@smdvx1.intel.COM>
Subject: 2300AD Adventure: Crowle's Colony

I hope this isn't too large, "split" didn't cut it down any smaller.

[Thanks for sending this Joel; don't worry, max message size for the TML
is about 45K bytes, this one is about 34K.  I edited the subject line so
it was more meaningful -- James]

This is a 2300 AD adventure, but should work well with a number of
things.  Let me know what you think.

CROWLE'S COLONY                              2300AD.1

ADVENTURE DESCRIPTION

The crew of the badly beat up Fast Missile Carrier, the FMC Ollie
North are given orders to return to Terra to decommission the
vessel and be assigned to a new kind of starship, the Military
Survey Vessel class MSV Ranger.  This ship is fittingly named since
it is the first of it's kind to explore new star systems utilizing
the best of military technology.  The new MSV class ship, which
is equipped with the latest in powerplant, drive, hull materials,
sensors, weapons and comfort, has room for fifty civilian
specialists and a press representative.  It's mission is to explore
the outermost reaches of the various arm's of space and beyond. 
This is the first voyage of the MSV Ranger to a world with a lost
colony that has reverted to barbarism, on purpose!  This adventure
includes a new ship class, a table of primitive weapons, and
information on the discovery of a colony that deliberately went
back to a medieval technology level and erased all evidence of
mankinds other homes in the stars.

PLAYERS CHARACTERS BACKGROUND

This adventure is designed for starting player characters with the
following rough description kept in mind when the character is
designed.  The referee should look them over carefully to see if
they are appropriately matching their descriptions.  Names,
homeworld, etc. are all up to the players.  These are just
guidelines.  The referee should feel free to have these be NPC's if
the player's choose to have their own characters take the parts, or
leave them out entirely.

1. Reporter:  This person is from Frontier Times magazine and
should have experience in combat journalism.  He or she will be the
official representative for the presses of over nine colony worlds,
plus an expert in mountain climbing, spelunking or survival, in
addition to a good proficiency in journalism skills.  

2. Ship's Captain:  This Captain will have to be an outstanding
tactician, leader and jack of all trades, plus be an ex-special
forces expert.  

3. Ship's Medical Officer:  This person will have to be one of the
best combat medics/surgeon's around if the crew is to survive the
wounds of battle.  He is also a good scientist in the field of
choice.
4. Ship's Helmsman:  A "Sierra Hotel" Interface pilot as well as a
good fighter, ship's gunner, and starship pilot.  This person
should also be good at sensors and navigation.

5. Ship's Security Specialist:  This character will be highly
trained in space combat and all weapons categories.  He or she will
be an experienced special forces person and must be a survival
expert.  
6. Ship's Chief Engineer: This NPC is an all around genius with
machines, new technology, and he has an almost magical touch.  The
Chief Engineer is extremely skilled.  (Engineering 7+ with all
aspects of ships power and drives).  This person should be an NPC
specialist associated with the MSV Ranger.

PLAYERS BACKGROUND

The player's should be given the information on the new ship, and
if needed and appropriate, read the player's information section. 
The adventure starts where that part leaves off.  If the referee
chooses to not use the situation provided with the ship MSV Ranger
he should feel free to improvise, if he has a vessel capable of
making the voyage with the PC's on board.  A Trilon Special
Services Survey Ship can handle the voyage with a good enough
Engineer tuning the drives and delaying the discharge.  

REFEREE'S INFORMATION ON CROWLE'S COLONY

The Founding of the Colony: The Australian outpost on Ross 863 was
established in the year 2201.  Next, 4.3 ly's away, is Ross 868. 
2.77 ly away from Ross 868 is Ross 867.  In 2188 a colony ship
departed Ross 867 and discarding a drive, was able to cover 8.39 ly
to DM +32 2896, a Class G2 V star out of reach of normal space
craft for the next hundred and thirteen years.  There was only a
brief notation in a little read status report that the Colony Ship
Anachronism departed for ports unknown to settle a world.  Over 200
people disappeared at a time when conflict was over colony world's
much closer and easier to reach.  This group called themselves the
Ancient Earth Society.  They believed that man should forget all
dangerous technology, and that the old ways of living were better
for all.  Their plan was to someday start a world of their own, a
new world where technology would be discarded and completely
eradicated from all records.  It was founded by a charismatic man
named Alexander Crowle's.  The wealthy industrialist organized the
eccentric group.  He spent every credit he could get into a  
colonization effort, and called upon all of his hundreds of    
thousands of followers to raise credits in an effort to allow
the dream to become reality.  The colony group obtained their ship,
a standard colony vessel outfitted with Jerome drives intended to
be discarded once the vessel reached the limit of the drive range. 
By discarding the first drive after it built up to hefty a charge,
they then had their engineers perform the complex task of getting
the next stage on line.  The ship reached DM +32 2896 and entered
the system.  Blind luck brought them to a system with a world not
only inhabitable, but a garden world.  The colony ship was crewed
by Ancient Earth Society members.

They stripped the ship after unloading crew and passengers, and set
the hulk into an orbit around the world's largest moon.  On the new
world, which the colonist's called Erthe, the shuttles were
dismantled and all evidence of advanced technology was destroyed or
reformed into normal tools and materials.  The colonist's built a
thriving medieval technology level community, called Crowle's     
Kingdom.   Overhead, the derelict colony ship's orbit around the
larger satellite slowly decayed, all the while ready to transmit a
message to any ship that entered the system.  No message ever went
out until the colony ship eventually crashed into the surface of
the moon Thonn, which caused the ship's sensors to trigger one
transmission before it was destroyed. This message took over 15
years to reach Ross 863, where an Astronomer's radio telescope
picked up a few words obscured by static.  The static rendered the
message into a plea for help, instead of the intended warning to
stay away.  The log records and other information exist in the
damaged computer banks in the wreckage on the moon. 

Erthe:  The only planet in this system, Erthe is a much older twin
of Terra, with conditions similar to that of Terra thousands of
years in the past.  The dim light from the twin red stars keeps the
world in a perpetual twi-light.  The sky is a bright jade green
caused by a combination of an unusual element in the atmosphere,
which actually protects the surface of the world from the radiation
which would normally make the planet barren.  There is also a spore
that is the product of the civilization which once lived here, who
had left little remaining as evidence of their existence save for
worn carvings in piles of stone that might have been the ruins of
a structure aeons before.  An added side-effect of this new element
is that extended exposure in-curably addictive.  Anyone exposed two
or more weeks to the atmosphere, without taking a week's break,
will never be able to leave.  Those who leave that world after the
safety margin has elapsed risk going into a coma and brain damage
from the body's withdrawals, and then eventually will die.  

The side effect of these spores (which are dependent upon this gas)
is that it prevents any harmful diseases or germs from harming any
carbon based mammal that absorbs it and becomes a host.  Thus,
injuries do not become infected, and disease no longer exists. 
Wounds also heal very quickly.

Colonists:  The colonists who originally landed wasted no time in
settling in with farms, building's and home's constructed out of
local material's using power tool's and machinery to get them
started.  Once the place was comfortably established, the machinery
was stored away for the times it was really needed, quickly
learning to be dependent on themselves to build what they needed. 
All reference material, evidence of technology, weapon's and   
equipment having anything to do with modern technology was
carefully removed from their lives.  Their children were taught
only what children in 16th century England or France learned and
none of them learned of their true home of Terra.  To the children,
this was home, where they have always been.  Erthe was the name of
their world, Thonn the name of their largest moon, and Djonn the
name of the smaller.  They called their star the Sun and that was
the extent of their science and history.  Story's from Terra's past
survived, painting a colorful description of past events on earth
as being vague chronicles of Erthe.  Their religion was simple, and
their strongest belief was incorporated into their religion
described all men from the sky as being tricky devil's that used
men's bodies to try and destroy their way of life with new ways and
sinister machinations.  These beliefs went into cunning detail,
ensuring that any technology based visitor not keeping their
appearance as a native would get a hostile response from the
colonists.  Alex Crowle was no fool.  He knew that only those
complying with his wishes to not disturb this created ecology and
way of life could expect to peacefully communicate with the
colonist's.  The fact that his and the others decedents might not
wish to live such a hard, primitive life never entered Crowle's or
his follower's minds. 

Erthe Life:  The colonist's, in an effort to make their new world
more like the ancient Terra they idealized, brought with them deer,
antelope, cattle, pigs, sheep, hundred's of variety of bird
including geese, ducks, songbird's, pigeon's, and other varieties. 
Supposedly to keep the ecological balance, a cross selection of the
major carnivores such as the wolf, dog, cats and bear were also
added.  Fish of every edible kind were brought to stock lakes and
ponds.  The colonist's did not expect the variety of native life
that already thrived.  Some of the Terran animals adapted and
thrived, others vanished.  Terran crops grew easily and became the
main source of food for the colonists.  One commonly known
dangerous animal is called a "Dragon" by the colonists.  It is
believed that the creature is not a native lifeform but originated
from Wolf-424B-1.  It has a remarkable resemblance to the giant
lizard's on Wolf, which resemble large komodo dragon's on earth.

There are countless other mammalian lifeforms that seem to be
harmless equivalents to rabbits, foxes, and deer.  Other dangerous
creatures probably exist, but since the world for the most part is
largely unexplored, these creatures have yet to be discovered.  
 
Dragons:  The Dragon's are similar to Komodo Dragons or the Monitor
Dragon on Terra, as far as that they are reptiles, have big boned
bodies, and crawl on four legs.  There the resemblance stops for
these 1000 kg plus monsters are lightning fast killers, capable of
sprints exceeding 110 kph.  They are highly territorial and are
extraordinarily tough.  Their hides are prized for armor, for the
silicon base of their cellular structure creates a hide that is
pliable and twice as protective as any non-metallic synthetic armor
yet made by even Terran technology standards.  This hide would    
make an excellent trade good from this world.  The Dragon's inhabit
the desert regions, in rocky areas where wilderness area meets the
desert, eating anything that moves.  No one knows what the Dragon's
diet consists of considering that any of the carbon based life
forms living on the world are highly poisonous if eaten by the
creature.  (The creature eats it's own young, and if a grown dragon
is killed, the harmless younger versions start to grow unchecked
until hundreds of dragons start to compete for food and territory.
These beasts are quite prolific.  If the PC's manage to kill one,
they will have a tough time of it, and the real nightmare will only
then begin as the young quickly mature...) (Read The Legacy of
Heorot by Larry Niven,and etc.)

Number Appearing: 1  Size: 1000kg  Speed: 150 m  Wound: +1    
Armor: (Head: 4) (Throat: 2) (Body/Legs/Tail: 3) Hit: Easy
Conc/Life: (12/21) ClawsDPV: 1.3 BiteDPV: 2.5 TailDPV: 1 BT
Signature:  4 Init: 10/5 

The local's have no weapon's capable of killing a Dragon.  The few
times their records show of successful victory was when a local
hero tricked one into a gorge where it drowned.  Another time one
was angered into eating a cow, it died a few minutes later.  Their
stories tell of the entire village being destroyed months
afterward.  They leave the Dragon's alone.  Fortunately, the
Dragon's rarely wander out of their respective territories.  Except
for this one who keeps getting pushed out of his territory by a
bigger, meaner Dragon...

Referee's Note - Encounters:  The only time a Dragon should be
encountered is if the PC's are looking for it, or with one
exception.  If the PC's shuttle land's in the desert area to avoid
being detected, they might just run right into one on the way
toward's the medieval settlement.  Normal wilderness encounters
should be wolves, maybe a bear protecting their young, or possibly
a pack of wild dogs.  This could be a surprisingly tough encounter
if the PC's have made the decision (or have been ordered) to
utilize local technology level weapons.  It should be noted that
winter has set in and this would be the only reason the canine
encounters would occur.  The bear could have been disturbed from
it's hibernation an earthquake, etc.  (There is an active volcano
near the colony site.) Or if the referee wishes to create something
weirdly dangerous/appropriate, he can sick it on the PC's. 
Especially if they are heavily armed and intend trample all over
the colonists. 

THE ADVENTURE

The Beginning:  The Colony Ship Anachronism, before crashing onto
the planetoid, broke up enough to fool the sensors into
transmitting the message warning.  Fifteen and a half years later,
the radio message reached the instruments of a German Astronomer. 
The message as heard by the Astronomer is as follows and should be
read to the players at the appropriate time:

"..................invaders, keep away..................... with
...... There is nothing ..........save the Anachronism,............ 
.........abandoned ............................... We are colonists
of...............................................................
...............................out of .................. we...
plead...........warn,.................stay away from...............
..............................................   
.............................humans...It has no ......... any
    .........................................................
    ........................die........................"

PLAYER'S INFORMATION:

The Orders: "You and your crew have been ordered to Earth to   
decommission your ship, the FMC Ollie North (Fast Missile
Carrier), which has sustained substantial damage fighting the
Kafer at Hochbaden.  You have been reassigned to a new ship,
the MSV Ranger, a new class military vessel designed to be
used for peaceful exploration but fully capable of defending
itself against hostile forces and acting as a warship against
said forces."

The Mission: "To explore systems previously out of reach of
normal starships and carry out duties of scientific nature
while capable of performing duties of a warship.  It's first
shake down run is to depart from the Australian outpost on
Ross 863, eventually arriving at DM +32 2896, discharging drives at
Ross 868, and Ross 867.  The ship must successfully delay the
discharge of the drives before departing Ross 867.  There are two
reasons for visiting DM +32 2896.  One, is to investigate the
origin of an apparent distress signal from from DM +32 2896.  The
message was an ordinary radio signal that came from the yellow star
system 15 years earlier.  The MSV Ranger is to see if someone
managed to survive the 15 years since the message was sent.  The
other reason to go to the system is to determine if a potential
threat similar to the Kafer's has been or is present in DM +32
2896.

Static obscured nearly the entire message until computer
enhancement and filtering of signals was used to clean up the
message.  The message above should be read to the players at this
time.

If someone with Communications skill of 3 or higher decides to try
to enhance the message further and succeeds, the additional words
"largest moon" will be clarified.  This is to clue the explorers to
check the largest moon around the colonist world of course.  It is
there that the complete actual message can be discovered.  (See
below). 

Task: To enhance message: Routine. Communications. 10 min.

Failure simply means the message cannot be made clearer.

THE WRECKAGE OF THE ANACHRONISM

Entering the System:  Upon entering the system, the MSV Rangers
sensors will indicate the basic information off of the Planetary
Data sheet, such as the stellar data, types of planets at their
various orbits, and the fact that a garden world exists in an ideal
orbit in the life zone. After moving in closer the sensors can pick
up more information about the world.  Initial readings will give
the planetary data given in the Planetary Data sheet.  That is,
that the world is a garden world very similar to earth but having
much less land mass, and two satellites, one of which is larger
than the other.   Once the MSV Ranger is in orbit and begins
cartographic surveys and lifeform scans basic population data is
derived.  The atmosphere has an unusual emerald green tint to it
that is difficulst to analyse.  First hypothesis indicate the
atmosphere has an unknown element mixed in with the gasses. 
Lifeforms vary in size, but movement patterns have yet to be
analyzed to determine probable nature of the alien forms.  A large
variety of Terran animals exist in areas near the colony sites, but
some species have been identified in remote areas.  In particular,
migratory birds.  (note the following tasks are optional.)
 
Task: To disembark shuttle from hangar deck: Routine. Pilot.1
minute.

Task: To enter low orbit, obtain atmospheric samples: Routine.
Pilot. 20 minutes.

Task: To determine effects and properties of gas on humans and
mammals: Routine. Biology. 3 days.

Task: To determine nature of aline lifeforms through sensor       
observation and patterns: Routine. Zoology. 1 day.

Results of studies:  

The atmosphere has three diatomic gaseous elements which are similar to nitrogen,
oxygen, and one new element. The one's similar to nitrogen and oxygen exist in
an acceptor state, which means they are more readily able to bond with other
elements.  The new element, normally as harmless as nitrogen, is bonded with the
other gases forming a molecule that behaves in all aspects as nitrogen and oxygen
does in a normal breathable atmosphere, but when absorbed into the blood stream
of humans it becomes highly addictive within a short period of time.  After this
period of time, which is at least two weeks, the withdrawal symptoms are so
severe they would almost always be fatal.  Extensive exposure would cause no
harmful side effect until lack of the substance caused the withdrawals.  The
third element is the cause of the rich emerald green tint of the sky.  

Sensors directed toward the largest moon would show that it is a rocky core
planetoid with no atmosphere.  The heavily cratered surface is interrupted with
plains and mountain ridges much like earths moon.  The wreckage of the   
Anachronism is relatively scattered in the mountain range.  The largest section
intact is the bridge, and it may be possible to find computer memory chips and
clues as to what happened to the colony. After disembarking from the hangar the
pilot has the additional task of landing.  Task: To land make an low-g
non-atmospheric descent using a VTOL space plane. Routine. Pilot. 5 minutes.  

Task: To land on the uneven surface near the remains of the bridge. Formidable.
Pilot. 1 minute. 

After the tasks of getting to the bridge section in the side of the mountain,
clambering through the wreckage, then finally retrieving the necessary computer
memory storage chips, log-recorders, etc., and returning to the ship, the    
following message and the history of the colony can be determined. 

"We do not welcome invaders, keep away.  We will only welcome those who do not
bring things of technology with them.  There is nothing of value, save the
Anachronism, which we abandoned around our largest moon Thonn.  We are colonists
of the Ancient Earth Society, and claim this world for our own and demand all
outsiders to keep from interfering with our society.  Again we plead, beg, and
warn, all outsiders to stay away from our world.  A chemical exists in our    
atmosphere which is highly addictive in humans.  It has no effect in any way on
a human physiology until it's presence is absent from the body, which will then
die.  There is no known cure.  It becomes dangerously addictive after two weeks
exposure.  You have been warned."

This clue clarify's the "distress signal" as being actually a "Do not tresspass"
message that was transmitted when the colonist's abandoned ship's decaying orbit
somehow set off the message.  The ship's captain should realise now that
there is apparently no threat such as the Kafer in this region of space.  Since
the "survivors" are actually the descendants of the colonists who had prepared
the message over a hundred years earlier, they would need to be educated, not
rescued.  A complete survey and investigation of the conditions down below would
be needed before a message probe could be sent to the nearest command post.  Many 
scientists and specialists will be eager to observe the colonists and others will
be eager to study the world itself.  A basecamp could be setup away from the
colonists where the scientists could wear respirators and perform whatever  
experiments necessary.

Meanwhile, on board the vessel, scientists are presumably busy studying the
colony world.  (NPC) Astrophysicist, Dr. Lester Smith IV, Ph.D.  will report an
amazing find.  The mountain ranges on the continent below show signs of possible
large tantalum ore deposits.  The colonists below could become very wealthy if
they could be convinced of the necessity of trading with the rest of mankind. 

Now the Captain must make decisions.  He can either study and gather information
first hand and after sending a ton of information to Terra await for instructions
or he can do handle the touchy situation of educating the people below with the
aid of the many scientists and specialists on board.  The problems are two fold: 
1) The existance of a gas that after two weeks will kill anyone taken away from
it. 2) The fact that the founder of the colony instilled a fanatical beleif that
technology was "evil" and made his followers prejudiced towards people using
technology as being "devils".  A further complication will be the revelation of
the tantalum ore existing in such large quantity.  This is such a deadly secret
that sabotage, or war could be the end result if the wrong people learned of it.
The perceptive Ship's Captain will probably realize that landing in the colonists
"front door", wearing space suits and armed with high tech weapons, will probably
panic and anger them into attacking.  The only way to prevent a massacre is to
carry only concealable high-technology weapons and outwardly wear the low tech
level weapons and armor.

It is up to the Referee to decide what armor and weapons are appropriate if the
Captain is an NPC, otherwise the Captain would determine the weapons and
equipment he wants the team going into the colonist's city to have.  A complete
table is given describing the characteristics of a variety of ancient melee and
range weapons.  It is suggested that only very easily concealed firearms be
carried if any, with maybe a few variety of gernades in case any large critters
need to be dealt with.  They don't know how the people down there will react to
people who will be as strange as the explorers will act.  Remember Terra's early
history - burning to death people that were thought to be witches.  Note that
High Technology armor is greatly superior to anything made on the Colony.  Some
of this armor can be made to look like the kinds of armor actually used, but the
more advanced inertial or combat armors would be difficult to disquise.  The
machine shop and workshop on board the MSV Ranger are capable of manufacturing
weapons and armor identical to that used on the Colony very easily.  

The referee must decide the types of transport available and equipment on board
the mothership that is capable of being put aboard the space plane Voyager. 
Although the Voyager has a large cargo space (500 m3) and can handle a variety
of large vehicles, it can only carry a one or two vehicles, depending upon the
percentage of available cargo space each takes up.  The following table gives a
good assortment of useful exploration and tactical vehicles, and equipment: 

                            Cargo    Total
    Description   Weight    % Vol   in Ship   Notes
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Light Passenger
    Zeppelin      1000kg     85%       1      Disassembled
    Lukis Mark IX
    Hover Tank   10000kg     60%       2      Full Ready Status
    Military ACV-APC
    Hovercraft    3000kg     68%       2      Full Ready Status
    Bridgeport Swift Songbirds
    Hovercraft    1000kg     32%       5      Fully Deployable
    Explorer
    ATV's         3000kg     49%       3      Fully Deployable
    Full Support
    Gunships      6000kg     52%       2      Partial Dis.
    Camp Equip.    500kg     10%      10      Packed
    Satelites      150kg      5%      50      Variety, packed
    Medical        500kg     10%      10      Variety, packed
    Scientific     300kg      6%      10      Variety, packed

** Variety indicates one or more each of the items described in the adventurers
handbook under equipment, and the appropriate heading.
  
Shuttle's Survival Kits:  Each kit weighs 26kg. It has the following equipment
in each:

Backpack:   Medkit, Hand Communicator, Lrg Life Form Detector,Farsee, Sampling
            Kit***, 7 compact rations, 1 ltr collapsable water carrier(full),
            Flares, metal mirror, compass, watch, firestarter, respirator,
            biomonitor, Goggles, machete, knife, Arno-Five-Fifteen 5mm pistol,
            box w/300 rnds.

*** The sampling kits are varied amoung the packs.

Each pack is attached to the top of the locker where each individual keeps his
or her own p-suit, hostile environment suit, and cold weather suit.  In this
adventure the shuttle's survival gear is not used but this is useful information
for future situations.




    TABLE I. Medieval Weapons and Armor       
                                              Melee       
    Weapon            | Length in| Wgt |Melee|Skill|      
    Description       | cm (Bulk)| kg  |Range| Mod.| DP   
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~|~~~~~|~~~~~|~~~~~|
    Axe, hatchet      |  40cm(1) |  2kg|short| -1  | 0.4 |
    Axe, long handled | 100cm(4) |  4kg|long | -2  | 0.6 |
    Axe, Battle       |+100cm(5) | +5kg|long | -3  | 0.7 |
    Dagger/Knives     |  25cm(0) |  2kg|short| +2  | 0.1 |
    Clubs(avg. Bulk=2)|  varies  |  v  |long | -1  | 0.4*|
    Hammer            |  40cm(0) |  2kg|short| -1  | 0.4*|
    Hammer, War       | 100cm(4) |  4kg|med  | -2  | 0.5*|
    Mace              |  90cm(4) |  6kg|med  | -2  | 0.5*|
    Machete           |  60cm(1) |  2kg|long | +1  | 0.3 |
    Mattox            | 100cm(4) |  6kg|long | -3  | 0.8 |
    Mattox, War       | 200cm(6) |  8kg|xlong| -3  | 0.8 |
    Sabre             |  95cm(1) |  2kg|long | +1  | 0.3 |
    Scimitar          |  80cm(1) |  3kg|long | +0  | 0.4 |
    Spear             | 200cm(4) |  3kg|xlong| -1  | 0.2 |
    Sword, Bastard    | 110cm(4) |  4kg|long | -2  | 0.5 |
    Sword, Broad      |  90cm(3) |  3kg|long | +1  | 0.4 |
    Sword, Short      |  70cm(2) |  3kg|med  | +1  | 0.3 |
    Sword, Two-Handed | 150cm(5) |  5kg|xlong| -3  | 0.7 |
    ------------------------------------------------------
    Medieval      | R |Aimed| D |
    Tech          | O |Fire | P |
    Ranged Wpns   | F |Range| V |        Notes
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~|~~~~~|~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Bow, Short    | 1 | 25m |0.2|Load/Fire = 1 action
    Bow, Long     | 1 | 40m |0.2|Load/Fire = 1 action
    Bow, Compound | 1 | 60m |0.2|Load/Fire = 1 action
    Crossbow, lt  |1/2| 80m |0.3|Recocking/Loading = 1 action
    Crossbow, hvy |1/2|100m |0.3|Recocking/Loading = 1 action
    Dagger/Knife  | 1 | 10m |0.1|Throw = 1 action
    Sling         | 1 | 15m |0.2|Load/Throw = 1 action
    Spear         | 1 | 15m |0.2|Throw = 1 action

    "Melee" skill is a broad category and must be specified, i.e.
    Melee-1 Hand Edged, would cover the weapons which are one
    handed and edged.  Ranged-Bows would cover long, short or
    compound bows but not crossbows.

    Melee Skill                 Ranged Low Tech Weapon Skills
    ~~~~~~~~~~~                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Hand to Hand                Bows
    1 handed edged              Crossbows
    1 handed BT                 missiles, (slings, darts, etc)
    2 handed edged              Thrown (knives, stars, etc)
    2 handed BT                 Thrown (others, spears, etc.)
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    r = rigid            Init.
    Armor/Material| AV  | Pen.| Wt |Area protected on Hit Loc.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~|~~~~~|~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 r  Helmet        | 0.2 | NA  | 2kg|#1(Head), Steel & Leather
 r  Shield        | 0.2 | -1  | 4kg|#9/#10 (either arm) Steel
    Chainmail     | 0.1 | -1  | 8kg|#2,#3,#4(Torso)
    Chain Hauberk | 0.1 | -2  |10kg|#2,#3,#4,#5,#6,#9&#10 (Coat)
    Scalemail     | 0.3 | -1  | 9kg|#2,#3,#4(Torso)
 r  Breastplate   |  1  | -1  | 8kg|#2,#3,#4(Torso)
 r  Greaves       | 0.2 | -1  | 2kg|#7,#8,#9,#10 (lower legs/arms)
 r  Full Plate    | 0.3 | -4  |20kg|(All)(includes helmet)

Once the landing area is decided upon, and the base camp is set up, the
exploration can begin.  Have the "Captain" (or if he is an NPC, have him have
someone (a PC) do this) work out the plan they will follow to accomplish their
objectives, but first make sure they know what their objective is in the first
place.

Outline of Adventure:

Things Needed:  NPC's of Crowle's colony.  There should be three city locations,
one being a keep, another a ruin, and a last the central colony with big castle
and lots of poeple.  Use some old D&D maps etc.  There should be a large gulf,
with the three city locations equidistant from each other and lot of wilderness. 
This crescent shaped gulf shoud be like a 1/2 saucer, with a mountainous barrier
separating the inhabited lands from a vast desert.  No other continents.

Encounters:

o  "Bandits" could strike any walking disquised PC's heading toward the keep.

o  A volcano could erupt, sending panicked nasty creatures toward PC's.  

These two should hold the combat monsters for a while.

The rest should be role playing, have the PC's meet with the locals and convince
them of trade agreement.  The "King" will agree if they can take care of this
nasty "dragon" that keeps causing them greif.

Improvise.  I've given you the bare bones.  This way any players who also read
this won't see anything vital.  I'd suggest having the dragon holed up in the
ruined city.

[This is the end of what I received -- James]

-------- TML Message #1765 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1765
Date:    Tue, 13 Nov 90 14:11 EST
From: PHB100@psuvm.psu.edu
Subject: mail bursters

Hi all,

   Since I get the TML on an IBM 3090-600S running VM/XA, I need a burster that
will run on this type of machine.  I can't find any built-in command for it.
If anyone who uses these machines know of one, please let me know.  If you have
one written, please send it to me.  If not, I'll attempt to write one myself.

   I will write it in REXX (IBM's command language) unless I get overwhelming
(more than 1 :+) response for another language.   Please don't ask for FORTRAN
cause I flat-out won't do it  :).  Requests for Pascal or C cheerfully accepted
but I'd prefer REXX.

   Should I post it to the List?  or just mail it to whomever asks for it?
How about a ruling from the list administrator...James?

>
>Paul, I think that you can use MH on your machine - use that
>to burst each message and then automatcially refile the vehicle
>designs elsewhere - they all have a distinctive Subject: .
>
Is this me or another Paul.  "MH" is not a valid command on VM systems (that I
can find).  I guess I'll just have to write a burster...

========= James says: =======

>
>What Carl Rigney proposed is this: all the messages that have starship
>designs are sorted to the end of the digest.  What do you all think of
>this? Unless there is outcry or a better idea, I am hoping to implement
>this before the middle of next week.  Personally, I don't find the
>complete designs offensive, as long as they are placed at the end.
>
I wouldn't mynd this (since I seem to be one of the problem children :). It
would help, until I get a burster written...I can just stop reading when I come
to the first design message.

Thanx for putting up with me.

- - -------

Disclaimer:  This is me.  Do I sound like anyone else?

Paul Baughman          PHB100@psuvm.bitnet

-------- TML Message #1766 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1766
Date:    Tue, 13 Nov 90 14:51 EST
From: PHB100@psuvm.psu.edu
Subject: black globes,

>TML nightly     Mon Nov 12 20:32:19 PST 1990    Volume 11 : Issue 16
>
>> In any case, to refer to the current Travller black globe as "the ultimate
>> defense" when it will eventually overload and destroy your ship in a huge
>> explosion is, in my opinion, overstating the case a trifle.
>
Well, since I called it the ultimate defense, I'll have to retract the
statement.  I didn't know it blows up when overloaded.  I still prefer the
Langston Field version that gets rid of absorbed energy by blackbody radiation.
Can't hide that very well.  I also like the fact that it (the LF) doesn't
necessarily blow you to atoms, the field generator will go, and depending on
how badly it was overloaded, the ship *could* be destroyed, but it might only
lose the LF generator.  It could also be anywhere in between.

>I'd refer to the MT white globe as "the ultimate defense".  Getting one is
>a neat trick, though! ;-)

Huh?  wazzat?

>
>The way I'd handle this in game terms is, the weapons skill allows you
>to strip and clean the weapon, and replace components with other parts
>taken intact from another weapon or a spares store.  The nature of the
>component would dictate the task difficulty level; e.g. replacing a
>piece of the trigger mechanism is not as easy as replacing the barrel.

yep.  I agree.

>Globe is turned on the ship can't fire, communicate or maneuver. The Ship

Why can't it maneuver?  With reactionless thrusters which don't emit anything
to be absorbed by the field, you should be able to maneuver all you want.  Of
course, you can't *SEE* where you are going, and running into an asteroid
(after you drop the field) could ruin your day, but what is the handwaving-
pseudo-technical explanation for why you can't maneuver?

- - -------

Disclaimer:  This is me.  Do I sound like anyone else?

Paul Baughman          PHB100@psuvm.bitnet

-------- TML Message #1767 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1767
Date:     Tue, 13 Nov 90 12:51:01 EST
From: "Robert S. Dean" <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  What Do You Like?

For those of you who are interested in responding, I would appreciate a direct
reply (even as a carbon copy) in the interest of getting a reply back as fast
as possible to DGP:

A PLEA FOR ASSISTANCE

At the urging of several illustrious members of this group, I recently sent my
entire collection of vehicle designs to our friends at DGP, to see if they were
interested in publishing any of them for the benefit of those unfortunates who
don't have access to INTERNET.  I received the bundle back today with a note
from Mr. Fugate stating that he didn't have time to wade through the entire heap
and would I please resubmit the 25 best designs at my earliest convenience, etc.

This brings up an interesting question: what constitutes "best"?  So, since some
of you have been uysing these things in your games, I'm going to ask you to tell
me which ones you think should be published--presumably the ones that are the
"most useful" to you.  I could also see picking ones that are interesting 
and/or unusual, even if you haven't got a use for them just yet. This may end
up as a running column in the Journal, which would be amusing.

Thanks in advance.

Rob Dean

-------- TML Message #1768 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1768
Date:     Tue, 13 Nov 90 13:15:44 EST
From: "Robert S. Dean" <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Black Globes again

One more round of comments on the black globe.  I went and actually looked up 
the rules for blacvk globes today, and came to the following conclusions:

     The new rules really do say that gravity is absorbed.
     The new rules are also fairly clear in intending that the energy that
        is absorbed is useless for any other purpose.
     The energy absorption system is screwy, using "energy" and "power"
        interchangeably without explicit reference to period of time, which
        is a bit of a problem.
     A 100,000ton Jump-4 battleship or cruiser or whatever will have 27000kl
       of energy sink, which can absorb 17,550,000 MW (I know--one is energy,
       the other power--it dopesn't match.  See above)
     Ignoring the units problem, this means that this ship will not overload 
       and explode with the globe turned fully on until the ship is hit by
       78 Factor-9 nuclear missile salvos, or 59 hits by a Meson Gun T, which
       isn't as bad as I though it might be.  However, a flickering globe is
       still only worth 6 lvels (-2) of armor for each 10% of capability.

Overall then, a black globe is probably most cost effective on a large ship
which is already heavily armored, where the increase in danger is still worth
the enormous increase in cost to uparmor the ship.

I still don't like them.  (-:

Rob Dean

-------- TML Message #1769 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1769
Date:     Tue, 13 Nov 90 13:49:34 EST
From: "Robert S. Dean" <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Displacement

TONNAGE BLUES, or Afloat on a Sea of Liquid Hydrogen

We'll probably never come up with the real reason that Traveller elected to
use a definition of tonnage volume based on liquid hydrogen, all those long 
years ago.  However, as anyone who has fooled around with vehicle designs will
tell you, even under High Guard starships were frequently 50% or more fuel
by volume.  This makes it not wholly unreasonable to base your rating system 
around a fact which is almost as pervasive as the weight of water is in the
real world.

Rob Dean

-------- TML Message #1770 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1770
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 16:05:08 -0500
From: "T. L. Hayes" <al646@cleveland.freenet.edu>
Subject: Reactionless Drives



     I have been following the discussion on correcting the physics of 
Traveller.  This is something to which I can relate.  Being a physicist,
it annoys me that games often ignore physics in places where there is
no reason to ignore it.  Obviously FTL travel can cause some physics
problems depending on how you handle it.  Traveller does what most people
and games do these days - FTL exists because you "leave" the universe as
we now know it and enter jump space (hyper space, warp space, ...).  

     However, what I'm writing to address is the discussion on maneuver
drives.  These have been referred to as "reactionless" drives and people
have been trying to decide how one can have a reactionless drive.  Before
I give my version of the answer, lets step back for a moment and consider
what is going on.

     Maneuver drives get their power from fusion power plants.  In Traveller
the preferred material for fusion is hydrogen and the end result is
helium.  This brings up the first question - where does the superheated
helium go?  The best place is out the engine exhaust but then you don't
have a reactionless drive.  This means that the helium is somehow contained
and cooled then dumped someplace or maybe the hot helium is just vented into
space or used as fine adjustment thrusters the point is something has to be
done with the end product.  I would shoot it out the exhaust and take
advantage of the extra thrust (conservation of momentum you know).  Getting
back to reactionless drives - you now have some (large) amount of energy 
that you want to use for propelling the ship.  How do you do it?  Simple
expend the energy out the exhaust.  Since this is energy and not particles
this would (in some definition) qualify as a "reactionless" drive.  Look
at Star Wars space ships, notice the bright glow in the exhaust of the 
engines and how it gets VERY bright just before "accelerating to light
speed"?  This is still conservation of momentum (energy/speed of light).

     If you prefer some sort of gravity based propulsion system then
consider this:  Gravity can be viewed as a curvature of space or the result
of exchanging gravitons (a form of electromagnetic radiation).  If we 
look at gravitons then anti-gravity is the generation of anti-gravitons
which cause two masses to repell each other.  Then your back to exhausting
electromagnetic radiation (granted a rather interesting form of EM).  So
consider adjusting the curvature of space so that you ship (or grav-
vehcile) will slide down the "gravitational hill".  To get a craft to 
hover you would need to "flatten" the already curved space near a planet.
To rise you would need curve space so that the gravitational potential
is lower in the direction that you want to go.  Assuming that some kind
of machine can be made that can efficiently exchange energy for space
curvature then this is a truely reactionless drive.  All you need to do is
take the energy from the power plants and counteract the gravitation
potential.  The problem is (if I remember by Traveller right) that the
books say that gravity (anti-gravity) drives work better near large masses
(I assume they think you need the gravity to push against) but if you are
curving space, your drives would work better in flat space where you don't
need to nullify existing curvatures (ie far from planets).  However, if
you take the graviton approach then the drives will act like the book says
because the force (repulsive) is a function of the separation.

     In my games, I usually don't try to explain such things but when I
have to I use the graviton explaination.  To me it seems more plausable.
Clearly, "reactionless" maneuver drives is another place where the physics
has to take a backseat to playability or you say that maneuver drives are
not reactionless and be done with it.  In any event this is my two cents
worth on the matter.  Comments?

Tony L. Hayes

- - --
T.L.Hayes                  |
MIT/Lincoln Laboratory     |
Lexington, MA              |

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

