Traveller-digest       Sunday, June 15 1997       Volume 1997 : Number 1428



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

PE Walkthrough... & Recruiting a PBEM game...
Re: Jump drives
Re: Alien Races (was Pocket Empires)
re: Shipyard size (kinda long)
Re: PE Walkthrough... & Recruiting a PBEM game...
Re: T4.1 Chargen: Increasing Skill points
Minor Races (let's do a book)
Re: Fire in Space
PE Formula Flaw
Re: Tech levels and shipyards
Re: T4.1 Char gen system
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Re: PE Formula Flaw
Re: PE Formula Flaw
Re: T4.1 Char gen system
Re: T4.1 Char gen system
Shipyard Size
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist 1

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

Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 22:25:53 -7
From: "Stuart L. Dollar <sdollar@goodnet.com>" <sdollar@goodnet.com>
Subject: PE Walkthrough... & Recruiting a PBEM game...

Hello folks,

As you may be aware I am going to do at least a partial walkthrough 
of PE this week.  Although I plan on touching at least a little 
bit on everything, I will place particular emphasis on the 
exceptionally complex economic rules (since I am at least partially 
responsible for them).  :-)

If you plan on attending, please e-mail me at some point prior to 
Thursday morning.  I have a number of source materials that I would 
like to forward you to make the experience more useful.  These 
include a rather basic spreadsheet to help with some of the numbers 
calculations (with sample worlds filled in), as well as some other 
information I've put together for the session.  

Before you ask, no I can't post them to a web page somewhere, at 
least not at this time.  I'm in the process of reconstructing the 
spreadsheet that I used to test most of PE's economic systems, which 
I unfortunately deleted in a fit of temporary insanity.  I may 
eventually put something together workable enough to let somebody 
post it, but I'm not comfortable with what I have so far.  

In the e-mail, please let me know what word processor and or 
spreadsheet format you want the stuff sent in, as well as whether you 
want it MIME'd or uuencoded.

**********************************************************
Still related to PE, but in a bit different vein:

On a more positive note, I am currently recruiting players or 
testers for a PBEM PE game.  The emphasis in this game will be on a 
more straight wargame/high level role-playing situation.  If straight 
role-playing is what you are looking for, this is NOT the game for 
you.  The game will run one turn per week, but I promise that one 
turn will be entertaining and interesting for you.

I plan on adding some wrinkles I've been toying with since I worked 
on the manuscript, and may be using you as guinea pigs for a set of 
simultaneous movement/hidden movement variants that I might 
eventually try to get published.  In addition, I may be 
running/testing some variant rules.

If you are interested in being a guinea pig for said rules, and want 
to play in a PBEM game run by one of the designers of PE, please 
e-mail me.  Slots for this game will be strictly limited, so get in 
your requests early.  This game will run 1 turn per week, and will 
begin in late July.  Only the serious (and discreet) need apply.

Stu
Stuart L. Dollar                sdollar@goodnet.com
- ---------------------------------------------------
Co-Designer of Products for Marc Miller's Traveller
Including the upcoming release:  Psionics Institutes 
- ----------------------------------------------------
"Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God."
- -Thomas Jefferson

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

Date: Sat, 14 Jun 97 23:32:04 -0600
From: Glenn Hoppe <starcity@sk.sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: Jump drives

On 1997-06-14 03:52 thus spake David Sarkies:

>I have none of the disagreements with the discussion of the jump drives
>and the jump space theory. All of the replies seem to be quite logical.
>The only thing that I still don't understand is why Jump space takes a
>week no matter how far you jump. It would be understandable if a Jump-1
>drive took a week to jump 1 parsec and a jump-6 drive took a week to jump
>6 parsecs, but through my understanding a jump-6 drive still takes a week
>to jump 1 parsec.

Y'know, I've answered this question several times, and one thought occurs 
to me.

Why do people always have a problem with this?

There are many natural physical processes which have a fixed time do 
matter the energy put in. Why should travel time be dependent upon the 
distance jumped? Jump number does not correspond to "speed" or 
"acceleration" or "power". There's no reason to have a relationship 
between distance jumped, or jump drive number and time in jump.

Imagine the havoc such a situation would have upon economics in the 
Traveller Universe. Say, there's a string of three worlds on a "main", 
each 1 parsec apart. You have a J-1 Free Trader, I have a J-3. If the J-3 
could jump 1 parsec in 1/3 week, I could traverse the route in 1 week 
(plus time at each world), stopping at each to trade.

It would take you 3 weeks travel time. I traverse the route 3 times for 
every 1 time you do, making 3x the profit! How long would Free Traders 
stay in business in this universe? Not very long, indeed.

In the Traveller Universe, I take just as long as you do in your "slow" 
Free Trader to traverse the route, stopping at each world. The advantage 
I have, is that if the first and last world in the chain generate more 
trade, I can skip the middle world and ply the richer route. But the 
middle world still needs trade, so I'm not driving you out of business.

That's the advantage of the fixed jump time system, it creates greater 
diversity in the universe, more economic/ecological "niches" if you will. 
Free traders can still do business alongside their higher jump bretheren.

If you *must* have some rationale for the 1 week jump time, you can use 
one of the following analogies:

a) Trajectory model: If you shoot a projectile from a cannon at constant 
velocity, it takes the same amount of time to hit the ground, no matter 
the distance travelled. Jumpspace works the same way, each level of 
jumpspace is analagous to the "angle" of the cannon.

b) Jumpspace bubble decay: The jumpspace bubble is created by the 
jumpdrive pumping energy through a lanthanum grid. The bubble of exotic 
particles is what keeps the starship within jumpspace. The reaction 
within the grid must run its course once started. The crew of the ship 
monitor the decay of the reaction, and manage it the best they can. It 
takes 1 week +/- 10% for the reaction to run its course. At that point 
the jump bubble dissipates, and the starship "precipitates" into normal 
space.


- -- 
===== Glenn Hoppe =====\ /--- MailTo:jumpspace@geocities.com ----
\ . . Enter Jumpspace --X-> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8275 \
 ----------------------/ \========== Eschew Obfuscation ==========

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 16:28:23 +0930 (CST)
From: David Sarkies <oedipus@student.adelaide.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Alien Races (was Pocket Empires)

Minor alien races are "minor" that is why they shouldn't be used much.
They exist and should be used for a bit more colour but if they appear
everywhere you go then they will no longer be minor. I would used minor
races in one of two ways:

1) They are a low tech civilisation and thus being confined to one planet.
The exception to this was with humanity but that is because grandfather
took a number from Earth and scattered them across the galaxy (or charted
space at least).

2) They are a major race but not in this area of the Galaxy. Maybe they
come from an empire 200 parsecs spinward of the Imperium. They may be
explorers or traders but they are not native to the area the PCs are
exploring.

May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all
David Sarkies

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Apollo ordained my fate ... but the hand that struck my eyes were mine
alone." Oedipus Tyrannos
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 02:14:03 -0500
From: "The Druid" <tntsrv@10mb.com>
Subject: re: Shipyard size (kinda long)

>From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@Pharmacy.Arizona.EDU>
>Subject: Shipyard size

>In preparation for my first _really_ hairy FFS2beta design, I need to
know
>if ANYone knows how big a shipyard has to be, physically, to handle a max
>size qsds ship, which is a 5000 Dt open fram hull, which is 179 M long. I
>need to include all the necessary shops, warehouses, etc etc that go with
>it. Are we talking 10, 20, 100 times the size?

>And, yes, I am thinking about a 'jump shipyard'.

In our campaign & in starlink we use the following standard for shipyard
component of starports:
All published minimums for maintenance time pertain; a pop-5 world, if it
had a type A starport would be a type A5; if it failed to qualify, it would
be a type B5 or lesser A rating; except under extremely weird conditions, a
shipyards designator will never exceed its POP number (all the planetary
population are starport personnel, obtaining all their supplies from nearby
ag and ind worlds, Depots, etc.)
Type A1=Capable of making jump repairs on 100-ton Starships; basically,
There is a Jump-Engineer-1 or 2 on call or available, with adequate tools
to effect repairs. Instead of a hanger, a type A1 starport will have a
mobile jump-repair shop (3m x 3m x 6m, .5Mcr, 2t) and sufficient "spares"
(including entire modular J-drive units). Such a facility would have spares
adequate to its minimum task: if the only access to the world was via J-2,
J-2 spares would be available; if J-6, J-6 spares, etc. A type A1 shipyard
will take 21 man/hours per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, 
with average engineer level making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2
= 21 *.8)

Type A2=No major change from a type A1 shipyard; possibly, would contain
spare J-drives 1 class better than the minimum required for a 100-t ship,
If access is J-2 would contain J-3 spares, etc. There is a Engineer-3
available, and 1d6+1 additional support personel. A type A1 shipyard will
take 21 man/hours per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with
average engineer level making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21
*.8). The mobile Jump-repair shop as in type A1 is used.

Type A3=Once again, no major changes; Would contain spares and replacements
2 classes better than the minimum neccesary to repair a 100-ton ship. There
is a Engineer-3 available, and 1d6+2 additional support personnel. A type
A3 shipyard will take 21 man/hours per displacement ton of systems to be
repaired, with average engineer level making a percentage reduction in time
(Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8).

Type A4=May perform repairs on starships up to 500-tons. Would contain
spare and replacements for J-drives equivalent to its technology limit or
minimum J requirement, whichever is greater.A type A4 shipyard will take 21
man/hours per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with average
engineer level making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8).
If groundside, Will have a 10,500 cubic meter repair hanger, 5.42Mcr; If
orbital, will be 540 cubic meters (clamps, ports, etc) and cost 5Mcr. A
type A1 shipyard will take 21 man/hours per displacement ton of systems to
be repaired, with average engineer level making a percentage reduction in
time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8). There is a Engineer 3/4 available, 1d6 Engineer
2/3, and 2d6+2 additional support personel. At no time can a A4 starport
repair a system that is over 10 displacement tons in itself.

Type A5=May perform repairs on starships up to 5000-tons. May construct
starships of 100 tons. Would contain spares and replacements for J-drives
equivilent to its technology limit or minimum J-requirement, whichever is
the greater, plus 1. A type A5 shipyard will take 17.6 man/hours per
displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with average engineer level
making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8). If groundside,
Will have a 105,000 cubic meter repair hanger, 51Mcr; If orbital, will be
5400 cubic meters (clamps, ports, etc) and cost 50Mcr There is a Engineer
3/4 available, 1d6+1 Engineer 2/3, and 3d6+1 additional support personel.
At no time can a A5 starport repair a system that is over 100 displacement
tons in itself.

Type A6=May perform repairs on starships up to 50000 tons. May construct
starships up to 1000 tons. Would contain spares and replacements for
J-drives equivilent to its technology limit or minimum J-requirement,
whichever is the greater, plus 1. A type A6 shipyard will take 5.3
man/hours per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with average
engineer level making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8).
If groundside, Will have a 1,050,000 cubic meter repair hanger, 510Mcr; If
orbital, will be 54,000 cubic meters (clamps, ports, etc) and cost 500Mcr
There is a Engineer 4/5 available, 2d6 Engineer 2/3, and 4d6 additional
support personel. At no time can a A6 starport repair a system that is over
1000 displacement tons in itself.

Type A7=May perform repairs on starships up to 500000 tons. May construct
starships up to 10000 tons. Would contain spares and replacements for
J-drives equivilent to its technology limit or minimum J-requirement,
whichever is the greater, plus 1. A type A7 shipyard will take .7 man/hours
per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with average engineer level
making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8). If groundside,
Will have a 10,500,000 cubic meter repair hanger, 5100Mcr; If orbital, will
be 540,000 cubic meters (clamps, ports, etc) and cost 5000Mcr There is a
Engineer 4+ available, 3d6 Engineer 2/3, and 1d6 x 10 additional support
personel. At no time can a A7 starport repair a system that is over 10000
displacement tons in itself.

Type A8=May perform repairs on starships up to 5000000 tons. May construct
starships up to 100000 tons. Would contain spares and replacements for
J-drives equivilent to its technology limit or minimum J-requirement,
whichever is the greater, plus 1. A type A6 shipyard will take .1 man/hours
per displacement ton of systems to be repaired, with average engineer level
making a percentage reduction in time (Avgeng-2 = 21 *.8). If groundside,
Will have a 105,000,000 cubic meter repair hanger, 50010Mcr; If orbital,
will be 5,400,000 cubic meters (clamps, ports, etc) and cost 50,000Mcr
There is a Engineer 4+ available, 4d6 Engineer 2/3, and 1d6 x 100
additional support personel. At no time can a A8 starport repair a system
that is over 100000 displacement tons in itself.

This is just something we through together to make the starlink game more
playable; If someone see's any holes in it or see's a need for any major
changes, feel free to modify.

I would appreciate it if you posted any perceived necesary changes to
http://www.10mb.com/tntsrv/folder/forum.htm
(and yes, I know my spelling sucks, but Outlook express does not have a
spell checker that works yet.)

I firmly think that the rating system for starports MUST change. It is
ridiculous to suppose that a pop 1 or 2 world would be capable of suppling
the resources, manpower & support to perform repairs on a military cruiser
or similar sized vessel.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 03:29:53 -0400
From: Scott Nolan <nolan@pop.erols.com>
Subject: Re: PE Walkthrough... & Recruiting a PBEM game...

>If you are interested in being a guinea pig for said rules, and want 
>to play in a PBEM game run by one of the designers of PE, please 
>e-mail me.  Slots for this game will be strictly limited, so get in 
>your requests early.  This game will run 1 turn per week, and will 
>begin in late July.  Only the serious (and discreet) need apply.

I'd be interested, Stu.  

Nice work, BTW.

Scott

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 97 02:55:16 -0500
From: eris@pen.net (Eris Reddoch)
Subject: Re: T4.1 Chargen: Increasing Skill points

On 06/14/97 at 10:03 PM,  Richard Hough <rdhough@orca.bc.ca> said:

>My change would require rewriting practically
>every book IG has published; I am not saying that would be a bad thing,
>it's just unlikely to happen.

Of course, it's unlikely to happen. Even if it *should* happen. ;-> 

>Unfortunately, as Kenneth also pointed out, you have to keep track of "the
>number of times a skill has been rolled in character generation" to use as
>DMs in a lot of cases. Sigh.

Not me...I'm rewriting the entire book.  I might stop if T4.1 is good
enough, but it's unlikely a heretic like me will like *anybody* elses
work enough to stop tinkering.  ;-> 


Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
eris@pen.net (Eris Reddoch)    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 01:07:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jim Vassilakos <jimv@e2.empirenet.com>
Subject: Minor Races (let's do a book)

Paul Owensby writes:
> Something that has my curiosity piqued here, how many people
> play with the minor races as common parts of their campaigns? This
> posting got me to thinking about what kinds of adventures I run on
> a usual basis, and I realized that minor alien sentients rarely crop up
> on a routine basis. If my players land at a starport, they get the usual
> background "You see the usual assortment of shapes, sizes, and colors
> from all over the Imperium," but they never seem to ask for anything
> further and I rarely seem to flesh out anything more.

You know, I've come across the same problem when running Traveller.
What I think the game needs is a sort of "monster manual" with just
a page on each minor race along with a picture. That would go a
long way toward giving the GM some easily-digestable races to work
with.

Perhaps we should start working on such a book ourselves, just as a
net-project. I know that various TMLers have already written-up a
few minor races for their campaigns. I'm going to sniff around and
see if I can't locate these in my archives. In the meantime, if
anyone else has any they would like to add, please post 'em to the
list or send 'em to me via email.

Also, it may be useful to come up with a generic format. Anybody
have any ideas?

And are there any artists out there that would be willing to
illustrate some of these? :-)

Incidentally, the next version of "Galactic" is almost finished.
Will be making it available, hopefully within the next few days.

jimv@empirenet.com
http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~jimv

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 18:16:53 +1000
From: Darryl Adams <dadams@tig.com.au>
Subject: Re: Fire in Space

>Post Scriptum; Yeah Battlestar Galactica mucked up the fire in space episode,
>but then that was always a more visual show then anything else. ;)
>
What do you mean??? The stock fire fight film was from a 1950's refinery fire!

Darryl

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 97 09:16:00 GMT 
From: s.johnson107@genie.com
Subject: PE Formula Flaw

Okay so I've created a spreadsheet and I'm playing with the numbers trying make
it work and I just can't... until I look on page 45 at the Civilian Expenses
formula and it suddenly Dawns on me that I'm essentially multipling the
Civilian Expenses by THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENTAL BUDGET!!!
    This has GOT to be Typo, otherwise you are ALWAYS in deficit and the richer
the planet the deeper in the hole you get.  Someone please post the CORRECT
formula!

Stephen

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 13:32:19 +0200 (METDST)
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
Subject: Re: Tech levels and shipyards

SD Mooney writes:
>A query - Regina is not TL 15 in M1100, yet the General Products Shipyards
>are producing TL15 Kinuir class scrap heaps for the Navy. Does this mean
>that the presence of a Naval Base allows shipyards to break the planet's TL
>limit? I'd always assumed that the planet's TL limited the construction
>ability.

That's the general rule, so you have to decide on the way Regina differs
from the general (so to speak). One is to say that Regina's space technology
is higher than its common TL. There are problems with that, since TLs are,
to some degree, interrelated. Or you can redefine the TL of the Kinunirs,
saying that they are not really TL 15 (except for the special experimental
computer which must, in that case, be imported (from Efate?)). There are
problems there, too, since Regina's TL isn't even big enough to build the
jump-4 engines.

IIRC Regina's TL is 12 (it was 10 in the earliest books, but was changed to
12 fairly quickly). I suggest that you use a combination of the two: Regina's
Space TL is 13, one higher than its common TL  --  not implausible  --  and
the Kinunirs are built at TL 13, with some special imported TL 15 parts.

>Also, can a TL12 world really perform the annual maintenance on a TL13+ ship?

Yes and no. Any Class B and Class A starport can perform annual maintenance
(and the Class C's can, too, can't they?). If the planet the starport is on
is not of sufficient TL to provide the spare parts needed, then the parts
must be imported.
 


      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: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 13:43:03 +0200 (METDST)
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char gen system

Marc Miller writes: 
>Pursuing an ED8 certificate increases your Edu to 8.
>Going to an Academy will increase it to 9.
>Going to Univeristy gets you an A.
>Grad School gets you a B.
>Honors gets you+1 Edu.

Does that mean that a character who rolls a B on EDU is allowed to assume
that he has already gone through Grad School? Or that he will be able to 
breeze through it? There should be some interpretation of just what a
'natural' EDU of B and C really means.


      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: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 05:52:34 -0700
From: sfellows@netcom.com (Steven B. Fellows)
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

Please send me a copy.  I am planning on running either Anomalies or
Long Way Home shortly, and I would like t use the new char gen for it.

thanks,
Steve Fellows
sfellows@netcom.com

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 08:34:26 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Joseph E. Walsh" <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Subject: Re: PE Formula Flaw

On Sun, 15 Jun 1997 s.johnson107@genie.com wrote:

> Okay so I've created a spreadsheet and I'm playing with the numbers trying make
> it work and I just can't... until I look on page 45 at the Civilian Expenses
> formula and it suddenly Dawns on me that I'm essentially multipling the
> Civilian Expenses by THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENTAL BUDGET!!!
>     This has GOT to be Typo, otherwise you are ALWAYS in deficit and the richer
> the planet the deeper in the hole you get.  Someone please post the CORRECT
> formula!

It is not a typo, although you seem to be figuring it incorrectly.  Read 
the text accompanying that portion of the rules, and ensure you are using 
the correct numbers for those variables (there are some tables 
associated, etc.).


Total Tax Rate = Base Tax Rate + [(LL + C)/100] + Disc. Tax Rate

Base Tax Rate is derived from a look-up table based on Gov't type.

If you have a Gov 8 word, your Base Tax Rate is .40. Say LL is 8 and 
Culture is 6.  8+6/100=.14.  .40+.14=.54.  So, Total Tax = .54, if not 
using and Discretionary Tax Rate.

So, your GB = GWP * Total Tax, or .54GWP.


For expenses:

Civilian Expenses = [(C + I + L)/100]*A*G*GB

C is 6, as described above, and LL is 8.  Let's say Infrastructure is 6.  
So the first part is (6 + 6 + 8)/100 = .2.  Let's say you succeed on the 
Administration Expense Roll, so A=1.0.  Again, Goverment Type is 8, so on 
the Governmental Expense Table we get 1.3.  Plugging the values in, we get:

.2*1*1.3*GB = .26GB

So, you still have .74GB left over for Military expenses.  After figuring 
those, what remains is what you can spend on Infrastructure and so on.

Hope this helps.


- -Joe
______________________________________________________________________________
Joseph E. Walsh  |  Game Designer for Marc Miller's Traveller
_________________|  Atari 1200XL and Apple IIGS User and Programmer

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 06:34:02 -7
From: "Stuart L. Dollar" <sdollar@goodnet.com>
Subject: Re: PE Formula Flaw

On 15 Jun 97 at 9:16, s.johnson107@genie.com wrote:

> Okay so I've created a spreadsheet and I'm playing with the numbers trying make
> it work and I just can't... until I look on page 45 at the Civilian Expenses
> formula and it suddenly Dawns on me that I'm essentially multipling the
> Civilian Expenses by THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENTAL BUDGET!!!
>     This has GOT to be Typo, otherwise you are ALWAYS in deficit and the richer
> the planet the deeper in the hole you get.  Someone please post the CORRECT
> formula!

**** DESIGN GEEK MODE ON ****

This is not a typo.  You are reading the formula incorrectly.  

The formula lists civilian expenses as 
(C+I+L)/100 * A * G * GB

Where 
C=Culture
I=Infrastructure
L=World Law Level
A=Administrative Factor
G=Government type factor
and GB=Government Budget

Assuming World X has the following: 
Culture: 7
Infrastructure:6
Law: C (12)
Admin Factor will vary from .9 to 1.2, let's call it 1 for purposes 
of our discussion: 1
Government Type Factor comes off the table on the table labelled 
"Government Expense" on the same page as the "Planetary 
Development" factor.  For our purposes, we'll assume a government 
type of 8, which gives a base tax rate of 1.35

So, our formula yields the following:

(7+6+12)/100 * 1*1.35 * GB=
25/100*1*1.35*GB=
.25*1*1.35*GB=
.3375 * GB

This will yield a percentage of approximately 33% of whatever the 
government budget happens to be. 

The highest these scores can ever be is
(15+15+20)/100*1.2*1.4*GB=.84 * GB

This number, as a percentage of government budget, will ALWAYS yield 
a small surplus.  Of course, Military budget could actually cause a 
government to run a deficit quite easily, but that was a design 
decision, not a flaw.

 I hope this helps.

Regards,
Stu
Stuart L. Dollar                sdollar@goodnet.com
- ---------------------------------------------------
Co-Designer of Products for Marc Miller's Traveller
Including the upcoming release:  Psionics Institutes 
- ----------------------------------------------------
"Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God."
- -Thomas Jefferson

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 10:41:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: CardSharks@aol.com
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char gen system

In a message dated 97-06-15 09:07:40 EDT, you write:

<< 
 Marc Miller writes: 
 >Pursuing an ED8 certificate increases your Edu to 8.
 >Going to an Academy will increase it to 9.
 >Going to Univeristy gets you an A.
 >Grad School gets you a B.
 >Honors gets you+1 Edu.
 
 Does that mean that a character who rolls a B on EDU is allowed to assume
 that he has already gone through Grad School? Or that he will be able to 
 breeze through it? There should be some interpretation of just what a
 'natural' EDU of B and C really means.
 
  >>

Edu and degrees are "decoupled." There are many people who have the knowledge
equivalent of a university degree or a masters or something, but because they
don't have degrees, they cannot work in academia, or get admitted to grad
school.

I know some people with that sort of knowledge but who cannot persevere in an
academic environment and so don't have the degree to reflect it.

I was tempted to make it possible for someone to get a degree but not the Edu
increase, but that was a bit too cynical.

Marc

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

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 16:52:49 +0000
From: "Kenneth Bearden" <dreamer@weck.brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char gen system

> I was tempted to make it possible for someone to get a degree but not the Edu
> increase, but that was a bit too cynical.

I don't think this is cynical at all.  I know several people that 
skidded by with a C average and got their degree while I worked my 
butt off and received honors.

There are several areas where I think I got more out of school than 
they did.  I was working for an education, and they were working for 
a piece of paper--just doing enough to get it.

I think Edu increase should be variable, like it used to be--not 
absolute.  Something like a 1 D6-3 increase or a 1 D6 increase would 
be appropriate.

Besides, a character with a real low Edu that stumbles into college 
on a high roll will obtain much more benefit from going than the 
average guy who goes and is successful.

I vote for Edu increases to be a die roll with 0 as part of the 
result (1 D6-1?).

Kenneth.

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 12:30:02 -0400
From: "Michael D. Peters" <Letterworks@Comten.com>
Subject: Shipyard Size

One point I've thought of in this discussion, (it really wouldn't matter
in a mobile yard but does in planet based yards and may have to do with
the difference between A and B class yards). How would a ground based
yard get non-streamlined ships into orbit? Contrarily how would a
non-streamlined ship land to utilize the facilities of a ground based
port?
Since A class ports have space borne facilities I think they are natural
to the construction of non-streamline ships as wellas their upkeep.
Class B ports are more geared for surface to space vehicles.
The only problem with this is that non-streamlined ship should fall
"ahead" of streamlined ships technology-wise? Maybe B class yards fall
in the realm of advanced ground to orbit vehicles, of a non starship
nature. And A class is where the J-drive comes in.
Mike Peters

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

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 14:27:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: CardSharks@aol.com
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist 1

In a message dated 97-06-15 11:14:55 EDT, you write:

<< 
 OCT (Officer Commando School), why is Commando school just for officers? In
every Special Operations unit in the world has Enlisted personnel assigned to
it.  

Enlisted may or may not go to commando school or get to be commandos. OCT is
a special scholl for officers.

 Higher Education: Let me see if I understand this correctly. A.2. 'and
receives one skill for each year spent (in school), but does not receive the
school's education increase or degree.' What does this apply to, all schools
or just ED8 and why doesn't it mention this in the Higher Education tables? I
believe attendants to Higher education should get a skill each year, the
degree, and EDU Bonus; not either / or.

If you fail to persevere, you flunk out. You roll to see how many years you
stayed in scholl before flunking out, and you receive that training. But you
don't get the degree or Edu bump.


The checklist says:

			2. Roll for Perseverance. If this roll is failed, the character spends one
half-die in years (1-3 years) in attendance (including for Education
Certificate) and receives one skill for each year spent, but does not receive
the school's education increase or degree. Re-admission is not possible.

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

End of Traveller-digest V1997 #1428
***********************************
