
-------- TML Message #107 --------

Date: Fri, 27 Feb 87 14:31:02 PST
From: c60a-3dm%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu
Subject: Jock-o-Trades
Archive-Message-Number: 107



I've been playing Traveller for some time now, and I just started GMing a 
campaign with a bunch of friends.  One of the characters rolled Jack-o-T 3
times, and I thought nothing of it.  Then while raiding a frieghter, the pilot
gets killed and the character with JoT jumps into the pilot chair and flys
the ship.

Question:  Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills? 
           (i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
           I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
           so can anyone help me.


Thanks.

Brad Post
UUCP: ...ucbvax!violet!bpost
ARPA: bpost@violet.Berkeley.Edu


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-------- TML Message #108 --------

Subject: Re: Jock-o-Trades [sic] (and MegaTraveller Tasks)
Date: 03 Feb 88 11:42:01 PST (Wed)
From: jamesp
Archive-Message-Number: 108



[This may have failed; I got an error message right back, so I'm retrying.
My apologies if you get two of these. -- James]

> From: c60a-3dm%widow.Berkeley.EDU@lilac.berkeley.edu

> I've been playing Traveller for some time now, and I just started GMing a 
> campaign with a bunch of friends.  One of the characters rolled Jack-o-T 3
> times, and I thought nothing of it.  Then while raiding a frieghter, the pilot
> gets killed and the character with JoT jumps into the pilot chair and flys
> the ship.

> Question:  Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills? 
>            (i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
>            I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
>            so can anyone help me.

Sure! There's a couple ways to interpret the Jack-O-Trades skill; the
standard Traveller way or the MegaTraveller way (MegaTraveller is the
newest revision of the Traveller rules).

The standard Traveller rules I have are very old, being edition one.  I
remember cracking open the set of books that I had ordered direct from
GDW back in 1979, when I was just about to enter High School.  The
printing I have is the 10th print run of the first edition of the Basic
Traveller rules (This was even before the Journal of the Traveller's aid
society existed, I think).  Anyway, my set of Traveller rules has very
general, inspecific skill descriptions (which caused me fits of hair
pulling as a Referee in those days), and this is what it says about
Jack-o-trades:


Jack of all trades-- The individual	    The well-rounded individual (the
is proven capable of handling a wide	renaissance man, so to speak) is
variety of situations, and is res-	uncommon in all societies, but is nat-
ourceful in finding solutions and	urally proficient when he occurs.
remedies.				    This skill is a general ability
					which may be applied to nearly any
					endeavor at the discretion of the
					referee.

Note that this doesn't say that Jack-o-Trades-N means ALL-SKILLS-N.  It
merely vaguely says that you can give the player a chance in situations
where he has little or no skill.  What this amounts to is that you (as
referee) have to figure out your own way to deal with Jack-O-T.  Methods
I have used are treating Jack-O-T as skill level 0 for all skills in
which the player is totally unskilled, and skill level +1 for all skills
in which the player has skill; but perhaps this is too generous.

MegaTraveller interprets Jack-O-T much more concretely, giving the
player a second (or third, or fourth...) throw any time a task throw
fails.  It does not allow Jack-O-T to be used as any kind of DM, and
also the disadvantage due to lack of skill is still felt at full force.
But the Jack-O-T rules allows those resourceful characters who have it
to pull off miracles sometimes, just when everything seems to be going
wrong.

In MagaTraveller a task throw is required any time a character needs to
use skill for something; for example:

Example Univeral Task Profile (made this up in about 15 seconds):

	To dodge asteroids while flying any spacecraft:
	Routine; Pilot or Ship's Boat, Dexterity; 2 sec (fateful).
	If the character is attempting any other action besides
	dodging asteroids, the task becomes Difficult.
	    Referee: If the result is failure, determine damage
	to the spacecraft as per... [etc.]

Long-winded Translation of the above (for those unfamiliar with tasks):

The task is Routine (requires an 7+), or Difficult (requires a 11+).
DMs: + Pilot or Ship's boat skill level, +1 if Dexterity 5+ or +2 if
Dexterity 10+ or +3 if Dexterity 15+.  The length of the time it takes
to perform this task is 2 seconds times (3D - above DMs).  Fateful: If
the task fails, some kind of damage to the spacecraft will automatically
occur (The referee will consult the Task Failure table in these cases).

Note that all Univeral Task Profiles assume a skill level of at least 0
(Pilot-0 or Ship's Boat-0), unless the notation "Unskilled okay" appears
in parentheses like fateful is above.  If you have absolutely no skill
in a particular skill, there is an additional penalty (I believe the
task increases in difficulty one level, making otherwise Routine tasks
Difficult, and Difficult tasks Formidable, but that's from memory as my
MT books are at home).

So if a character with Pilot-3 and Dexterity 7 is attempting to dodge an
asteroid with no other distractions, he can do it by rolling 7+, with
DMs 3 (for Pilot) + 1 (for Dexterity) = +4.  Furthermore, the task would
take 2 sec times (3D - 4) to complete.  If the pilot was evading enemy
weapons fire, he would have to roll a base 11+ with the same DMs.

What Jack-O-T does do, in MegaTraveller, is provide any character which
fails any roll with as many retries as their Jack-O-T level (still
quoting from memory -- I may be a little off here).  So, if your Pilot-3
character is dead and the totally unskilled (at Pilot) Jack-O-T-3
character (Dex 10, just for the sake of argument) tries to fill in, this
is what happens.  Since the character is unskilled, the task difficulty
increases one level (from Routine to Difficult or from Difficult to
Formidable), but he gets as many retries as Jack-O-T skill levels.

So if a character with Jack-O-T-3 and Dexterity 10 is attempting to
dodge an asteroid with no distractions, he can do it by rolling 11+
(Difficult), with DMs 0 (for Pilot) + 2 (for Dexterity) = +2.
Furthermore, the task would take 2 sec times (3D - 2) to complete.  If
the fellow was evading enemy weapons fire, he would have to roll a base
15+ (Formidable) with the same DMs.

Example: Tom Jefferson of Astel Tine has JOT-3 and Dex 10.  He attempts
to dodge an asteroid.  He must roll 11+ with DMs +2.  He rolls an 8 + 2
= 10 and fails.  His first retry he throws 8 again + 2 = 10, failure
again.  On his second retry he throws 4 + 2 = 6 (missing the desired
throw of 11+ by this far is considered exceptional failure, so he
doesn't get any more tries.  The referee assigns some amount of damage
to the exterior of the craft.  Woe to smaller craft, which may suffer a
critical hit from the asteroid collision).

Instead, say on his second retry he threw 8 yet again + 2 = 10, failure
again.  He gets one more retry: he rolls a 12 + 2 = 14, and succeeds
(exceptional success!).

Sorry I can't give a definitive answer, but I think this is close to the
way MT deals with Jack-O-T.  This is also an example of how MT brings
sense and concreteness where the Traveller rules were unbelievably
vague, something I find refreshing.  It also shows how quickly and
easily a referee can make up a new Task (I made up the "dodge asteroids"
task on the spur of the moment as an example).  I also personally find
the MT task nomenclature very easy to understand and find it easy to
express desired character activites with it.

However, I still haven't actually used MT in play, but it seems pretty
neat.

James

 _	___
| |    / _ \   James T. Perkins, jamesp@dadla.la.tek.com, (503)629-1149
| |__ | |_| |  Tektronix Logic Analyzers, DAS System Software, Disk Services
|____||_| |_|  MS 92-725, PO Box 4600, Beaverton OR 97075

Killed processes never die... They just go to the big Bit Bicket in the sky.

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-------- TML Message #109 --------

From: (Adrian Hurt) mcvax!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian@uunet.uu.net
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 88 09:52:37 GMT
Subject: Jack-o-Trades
Archive-Message-Number: 109



>Question:  Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills? 
>           (i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
>           I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
>           so can anyone help me.

Almost. The last time a character in one of my campaigns had JoT skill, I used
JoT skill -1, with a proviso that the character had some chance of knowing what
he was doing. Hence, JoT-3 means Pilot-2, Pistol-2, etc. if the character has
ever been in Navy, Scouts, Merchant, or had some other reason to know about
starship handling. An Army type with JoT-3 would probably not get to use it for
piloting (although a Marine might). I'm sure the -1 modifier came from the
rules, along with the quote "Jack of all trades, master of none".

 "Keyboard? Tis quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk


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-------- TML Message #110 --------

Date: Wed, 3 Feb 88 22:29:05 EST
From: (Charles Martin) martin-charles@yale.arpa
Subject: Re: Jock-o-Trades [sic] (and MegaTraveller Tasks)
Archive-Message-Number: 110


I don't think much of the MT method for handling JoTs.  Allowing retrials
up to the level of JoT is an immensely powerful advantage.  Let's look at
the numbers (you have to do it sometime!):

In JTP's example, the hot pilot gets +4 to dodge asteroids (Pilot-3, Dex-
terity 7).  In a Routine task (7+), odds are 35/36 (97%).

The total novice (Dexterity 7) gets +1; dodging is Difficult (11+), so
the odds are 6/36 (17%).

The nimble novice with JoT-3 now gets 3 additional trials!  What are his
odds?  They are 1-(1-odds for one trial)**4.  Drumroll, please...

    1-(1-17%)**4 = 52%.

Not as high as Pilot-3, whew.  So JoT-N is not equal to Everything-N.
But wait!  What if our the novice had picked up Pilot-0 along the way?
Then the task would be Routine (7+), DM+1, and the odds are 26/36 (72%).
But he still gets four trys at it!

    1-(1-72%)**4 = 99%!
                                   
But wait, there's more!  Suppose they are trying to fix the jump drive
simultaneously.  The task is now Difficult (11+).

    Pilot-3: DM+4, odds 21/36 = 58%.
    Pilot-0, JoT-3: DM+1, odds 6/36 = 17%, after four tries 52%.

Almost as good as Pilot-3, and a lot better than Pilot-2!  So, under the
MT rules, we can safely say

    JoT-N is NOT EQUAL TO Anything-N; however JoT-N and Foo-0 is FAR
    SUPERIOR to Foo-N normally, and ALMOST AS GOOD under stressful
    circumstances.

So JoT becomes the most powerful skill in the game, acting as a magnifying
glass for all other skills.  I suggest we take this literally, and call
such characters "Lensmen": apt, since their abilities far outrank those of
the other puny mortals in the game.

I would suggest the following.  Under no circumstances should JoT replace
or augment existing skill.  Instead, JoT can be used to make up for a total
lack of skill.  Here is the "task descriptions":

    To use Foo-0 when you have NO SKILL at Foo for a PARTICULAR task:
    Routine; Jack-of-all-Trades, Intelligence; varies.
    If the character is attempting any other action besides figuring out
    how to make up for a basic lack of competence, the task is Difficult.
        Referee:  If the result is failure, the character may not make
    another attempt at using JoT in this circumstance.

I.e., if you have NO SKILL, and there is a PARTICULAR TASK (e.g., dodging
asteroids), you may try to apply your JoT skill.  It takes as long as the
task would normally take to figure out how to apply JoT to this task.
(Meanwhile, you may be taking some asteroid hits!)  After that time, throw
for success.  If you make it, you may now perform THIS TASK ONLY with a
skill level of zero (instead of unskilled).

After you dodge the asteroids, and want to get back to the space station,
you'll need another attempt to get Pilot-0 for the steering.  And then
another attempt for docking, etc.

In my opinion, JoT shouldn't be the all-powerful monstrosity that it is.
This keeps those JoTs in line, while allowing them some reasonable talent.
No one should make plans relying on the JoTs to come through in the clutch.

I've only seen MT very briefly.  How do the rankings go?  (What is the
throw for Formidable?)  And what do people think of the "interrupt" idea?
I couldn't figure out what they had in mind.  Anyone want to explain how
interrupts work?

Charles Martin
ARPA: martin@cs.yale.edu
UUCP: {cmcl2,decvax,ihnp4!hsi}!yale!martin
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-------- TML Message #111 --------

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 88 22:14:52 PST
From: ihnp4!ihlpf!zonker@tektronix
Archive-Message-Number: 111


Question:  Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills? 
           (i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
           I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
           so can anyone help me.
This is obviously not true.  JoT is used as an aid to figure out how a thing
works or can be repaired, but it doesn't give you the skill itself.  The classic
use of Jot is to repair a broken piece of equipment.  For example, a person with
Electronics-3 could probably build a radio from spare parts, but a JoT could
never do this.  Both skills would apply toward figuring out how a given
radio worked or repairing the radio. In a dire life or death aliens at the 
door emergency, a referee might permit a JoT skill to be used for survival.
In this case a JoT-3 would probably be able to figure out how to pilot a
spacecraft, but would not have any skill in it i.e. he could probably fire
the engines and go in the right direction, but probably couldn't dock, skim
a gas giant for fuel, or land on a planet's surface.  Anything which
requires practice to get the skill does not fall under JoT i.e. weapons
skills, driving or piloting skills, etc.  As a referee, I would be reluctant
to even let him attempt to pilot a spacecraft except in a case where the
party was fried if they stayed were they were.  For example, if the party
lost its pilot and was headed on manuever drive out into deep space, I might
let the JoT be used to turn the ship around or jump to a system where a
pilot could be called in to take over.   JoT should primairly be used to fix
broken objects where the failure is obvious i.e. a short in a piece of
electric equipment.  Or in an emergency (i.e. life or death) it may be used
as a survival skill i.e. if you figure out how this works you live if not
you die then a JoT might be applicable (skill level should be about were
Capt. Kirk was with a stick shift).
				Non Cuniculus Est,
				    Tom H.



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-------- TML Message #112 --------

Subject: Re: Jock-o-Trades
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 88 9:28:49 CST
From: (Karl Denninger) oddjob!gargoyle!ddsw1!karl@hao.ucar.edu
Archive-Message-Number: 112


> 
> I've been playing Traveller for some time now, and I just started GMing a 
> campaign with a bunch of friends.  One of the characters rolled Jack-o-T 3
> times, and I thought nothing of it.  Then while raiding a frieghter, the pilot
> gets killed and the character with JoT jumps into the pilot chair and flys
> the ship.
> 
> Question:  Do JoT skill levels directly transfer to other skills? 
>            (i.e. JoT-3, means also Pilot-3, Pistol-3, etc...)
>            I don't have any books with me, and I'm playing the rules by memory,
>            so can anyone help me.

Perhaps in some universes they are equivalent (no books handy here either)....

In my games it's 1/2 equivalent -- that is, JOT-3 gets you equivalent of
Pilot-1 (no 1/2s here), JOT-4 gets you Pilot-2, etc.

JOT is thus very useful, but *not* gross.  As the normal 'limit' is -5 for a
skill, it is difficult for a JOT to become very skilled at anything -- but
they can *do* nearly everything.  This seems to be in the original spirit of
the character skill.

- --
Karl Denninger		       |  Data: +1 312 566-8912
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. | Voice: +1 312 566-8910
...ihnp4!ddsw1!karl	       | "Quality solutions for work or play"

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-------- TML Message #113 --------

Subject: MegaTraveller vs. Traveller
Date: 08 Feb 88 09:33:02 PST (Mon)
From: jamesp
Archive-Message-Number: 113



Looks like this was destined to the list, but ended up coming to me anyway!
So here 'tis.

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Tektronix Logic Analyzers	"Load Auto/Evade, Beowulf!"
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Received: by ihnp4.ATT.COM id AA04657; 5 Feb 88 21:00:33 CST (Fri)
Received: from ocean.dec.com by decwrl.dec.com (5.54.4/4.7.34)
	id AA28583; Fri, 5 Feb 88 17:39:53 PST
Received: by ocean.dec.com (4.22.05/4.7.34)
	id AA03976; Fri, 5 Feb 88 17:37:58 pst
From: ihnp4!decwrl!glenn@tektronix (Glenn Thain)
Message-Id: <8802060137.AA03976@ocean.dec.com>
Date:  5 Feb 1988 1737-PST (Friday)
To: traveller-request@dadla.LA
Cc: glenn@tektronix
Subject: MegaTraveller vs. Traveller - Also A Product Request

     Someone else requested this and I'm unsure if the report came
through because of mailer problems. Anyway, how does MegaTraveller
differ from Traveller? Should I be aware of any great and grave 
differences?

     I finally unpacked several things and found all my old Traveller
info. But, in searching through I find that I'm a couple of Alien
modules behind. Did GDW pull them because of the release of
MegaTraveller? Also, the last book I was aware of was Book 6, but I saw
a reference for Book 8? Any info is cheerfully appreciated as I intend
to start the old campaign up again and would like to find out how far
I'm behind.

Thanks to whomever can answer these questions,

Happy Trails,

Glenn Thain
glenn@ocean.dec.com
!decwrl!glenn


- ------- End of Forwarded Message

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-------- TML Message #114 --------

From: (Adrian Hurt) mcvax!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian@uunet.uu.net
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 88 11:16:00 GMT
Subject: Traveller Books 7, 8
Archive-Message-Number: 114



>	But, in searching through I find that I'm a couple of Alien
>modules behind. Did GDW pull them because of the release of
>MegaTraveller? Also, the last book I was aware of was Book 6, but I saw
>a reference for Book 8?

There are Alien Modules 7, "Hivers", and 8, "Darrians". Book 7 is "Merchant
Prince", which gives a "High Guard" standard character generation system for
Merchants, as well as a flawed trade system (see below). Book 8 is "Robots",
and deals with robots as vehicles, giving a design and combat system; and as
characters.

Has anyone else noticed that the "Merchant Prince" system makes it almost
impossible (economically) to go from a low-tech world to a high-tech world?
Just how do high-tech industrial worlds like Efate get their food?
Speculative cargos:
Efate : A-D In Hi Cr2300 (4000 (Base)-1000 (In)-1000 (Hi)+1300 (TL-D)-1000)
			 	(A-class starport)--------------------^
Knorbes:E-2 Ri Ag Cr7200 (4000 (Base)-1000 (Ag)+1000 (Ri)+200 (TL-2)+3000)
				(E-class starport)-------------------^

Regular trade:
Efate (Pop 9, TL D) -> Knorbes (Pop 7, TL 2)
High passages: 3D-1D+13-2 = 8 (Minimum), 18 (Average)
Mid passages : 3D+13-2 = 14 (Minimum), 21 (Average)
Low passages : 5D+13-2 = 16 (Minimum), 28 (Average)     
All probably going to teach the ignorant (TL2) natives how to use the high-tech
machinery they just bought! :-)

Major cargos : 1D+5+13-2 = 17 (Minimum), 19 (Average)
Minor cargos : 1D+6+13-2 = 18 (Minimum), 20 (Average)
The major companies jumping on the bandwagon.

Knorbes -> Efate
High passages: 3D-2D+3+2-13 = 8 (Maximum), -4 (Averaeg)
Mid passages : 3D-1D+3+2-13 = 9 (Maximum), 0 (Average)
Low passages : 3D+3+2-13 = 10 (Maximum), 3 (Average)
Maybe the 3 low passengers got mugged.

Major cargos : 1D+3+1+2-13 = -1 (Maximum)
Minor cargos : 1D+4+1+2-13 = 0 (Maximum)
All the food Knorbes produces is now feeding the mass of immigrants.

And note that this system encourages mass migration from high tech worlds to
low tech worlds, whereas on Earth, now, the reverse is true, with Third World
immigrants coming to high(er) tech U.K. (for example).

 "Keyboard? Tis quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk

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-------- TML Message #115 --------

Subject: Re: Jock-o-Trades [sic] (and MegaTraveller Tasks)
Date: 16 Feb 88 17:43:49 PST (Tue)
From: jamesp
Archive-Message-Number: 115



> From: (Charles Martin) martin-charles@yale.arpa

> I don't think much of the MT method for handling JoTs.  Allowing retrials
> up to the level of JoT is an immensely powerful advantage.  Let's look at
> the numbers (you have to do it sometime!):

Charles has given a very persuasive and (in my opinion) compelling
argument for doing away with the MT method for handling JOT.  However,
I'd be curious to see how the numbers crank out for one change in the
set of assumptions.

The change is this: Charles has assumed that any die roll (+DMs) may be
rerolled if it has failed, even in the cases of extreme failure and
fumble rolls (extreme failure is when you miss the throw by more than
two; ex: you need an 8+ and you throw a 5-; fumble means rolling a
natural 2 on two dice, and always fails: whether it's exceptional or
normal failure is determined normally, I think).  The rules imply this
assumption.  What if you only allow JOT retries if the failure was
normal? This way fumbles and exceptional failures terminate your chances
at JOT-style re-rolling.

Okay, let's crank out some numbers:

> In JTP's example, the hot pilot gets +4 to dodge asteroids (Pilot-3, Dex-
> terity 7).  In a Routine task (7+), odds are 35/36 (97%).

> The total novice (Dexterity 7) gets +1; dodging is Difficult (11+), so
> the odds are 6/36 (17%).

> The nimble novice with JoT-3 now gets [up to] 3 additional trials!  What are
> his odds?

They are 1 - (1 - odds for first trial) * (1 - odds for second trial) *
...  * (1 - odds for fourth trial).

Here's where we get tricky.  The odds for the first trial are 17%, as
above.  The odds for subsequent trials are 17% * (1 - odds for
exceptional failure or fumble in previous trial).  Since exceptional
failure or fumble occurs on a roll of 3 less than Difficult (11+) with
DM+1 (Dex 7) or less (natural 7-), the odds for exceptional failure are
21/36 = 58%.  Subsequently,

    odds for first trial = 17%
    odds for second trial = 17%*(1 - odds for failure) = 17%*(1-58%) = 7.1%
    odds for third trial = 17%*(1 - odds for failure)^2 = 17%*(1-58%)^2 = 2.9%
    odds for fourth trial = 17%*(1 - odds for failure)^3 = 17%*(1-58%)^3 = 1.2%

Hence,

	First Trial (unskilled): 1-(1-17%) = 17%
	Second Trial (JOT-1): 1-(1-17%)(1-7.1%) = 23%
	Third Trial (JOT-2): 1-(1-17%)(1-7.1%)(1-2.9%) = 25%
	Fourth Trial (JOT-3): 1-(1-17%)(1-7.1%)(1-2.9%)(1-1.2%) = 26%

Which is much better than with the non-restricted reroll:

>     1-(1-17%)**4 = 52%.

Here, JOT-N + unskilled is nowhere near as good as Skill-0.  Keep in
mind that this is a Difficult task.

> But wait!  What if our the novice had picked up Pilot-0 along the way?
> Then the task would be Routine (7+), DM+1, and the odds are 26/36 (72%).
> But he still gets four trys at it!

Okay.  The odds for the first trial are 72%, as above.  The odds for
subsequent trials are 72% * (1 - odds for exceptional failure or fumble
in previous trial).  Since exceptional failure or fumble occurs on a
roll of 3 less than Routine (7+) with DM+1 (Dex 7) or less (natural 3-),
the odds for exceptional failure are 3/36 = 8%.  Subsequently,

    odds for first trial = 72%
    odds for second trial = 72%*(1 - odds for failure) = 72%*(1-8%) = 66%
    odds for third trial = 72%*(1 - odds for failure)^2 = 72%*(1-8%)^2 = 60%
    odds for fourth trial = 72%*(1 - odds for failure)^3 = 72%*(1-8%)^3 = 55%

Hence,

	First Trial (Pilot-0): 1-(1-72%) = 72%
	Second Trial (JOT-1): 1-(1-72%)(1-66%) = 90%
	Third Trial (JOT-2): 1-(1-72%)(1-66%)(1-60%) = 96%
	Fourth Trial (JOT-3): 1-(1-72%)(1-66%)(1-60%)(1-55%) = 98%

Wow, slightly better than Pilot-3! In general here, JOT-N + Skill-0 is
slightly better than Skill-N, for a Routine task.

> But wait, there's more!  Suppose they are trying to fix the jump drive
> simultaneously.  The task is now Difficult (11+).

>     Pilot-3: DM+4, odds 21/36 = 58%.
>     Pilot-0, JoT-3: DM+1, odds 6/36 = 17%, after four tries 52%

We get after four tries 26%, which is better than the 17% Pilot-0 only
person, but not as good as Pilot-1 only (which is 27%).  Here, JOT-N +
Skill-0 is at least Skill-0 but not near as good as Skill-1; again, this
is a Difficult task.

With Charles' assumptions: 

>     JoT-N is NOT EQUAL TO Anything-N; however JoT-N and Foo-0 is FAR
>     SUPERIOR to Foo-N normally, and ALMOST AS GOOD under stressful
>     circumstances.

With my restrictions (no retry on exceptional failure or fumble):

	JoT-N is NOT EQUAL TO Anything-N, unless the task is routine or
	simple; JoT-N and Foo-0 is about Foo-N for simple and routine
	tasks, only a little better than Foo-0 for harder tasks.

In this way, Jack-o-T can still be used even if you have skill in some
area, reflecting the general resourcefulness of these people.  It helps
anyone out alot for simple or routine tasks, but when the task becomes
difficult or formidable, the effect of Jack-o-T becomes much less.  I
feel that Jack-O-T should be useful in all situations a character should
encounter, not just those in which he is totally unskilled.

However, even with this (close) interpretation of the rules, JoT is
still overpowering for simple and routine tasks.  I would still not
relish refereeing a character with more than JoT-1.  They would be quite
a Mr.  Bond (James Bond).

> I've only seen MT very briefly.  How do the rankings go?  (What is the
> throw for Formidable?)  And what do people think of the "interrupt" idea?
> I couldn't figure out what they had in mind.  Anyone want to explain how
> interrupts work?

The basic skill levels are:

	Simple		3+
	Routine		7+
	Difficult	11+
	Formidable	15+
	Impossible	--

No accumulation of DMs may exceed +/-8.  Skill level for a task usually
increases one level where there's a total lack of skill, unless the task
is marked "(unskilled OK)".  Lots more detail that I can't remember.

I haven't looked at interrupts that much, but as I understand it, at the
beginning of each combat round, each "side" has the ability to make one
interrupt.  Individuals on each side expend action points one-at-a-time
in strict order.  If the opposing side makes a single-action-point move
that is unfavorable to your side, you may expend your interrupt by
delaying the opponent's action while you make an action.  Hence you can
get a stack of interrupts.

This is supposed to be useful in "covering" a comrade; your comrade
moves out into the hallway, expending an action point.  Opponent
declares he's shooting at your comrade.  You declare an interrupt to
shoot first.  You shoot, THEN opponent shoots.

This doesn't always help: your comrade moves out into the hallway;
opponent declares he's shooting; you declare an interrupt to shoot
first; opponent's comrade declares an interrupt to shoot you.
Opponent's comrade fires, THEN you fire, THEN opponent fires.

As usual, I don't have my books with me, so this is from memory.

James

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-------- TML Message #116 --------

Subject: Science Fiction E-mail RPG
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 88 13:12:00 -0500
From: (Jason May) jmay@alexander.bbn.com
Archive-Message-Number: 116


I'm running one.  If you're interested in joining, send me mail - I
only want to accept one or two players at a time, so that I don't
overload myself.  As it is a PBM game, I won't be using any particular
rules/skills/dierolling system (ie. Traveller) but rather it should
work as a continuing story.

Jason

jmay@alexander.bbn.com 	OR  may@husc7.harvard.edu

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-------- TML Message #117 --------

Subject: TML -- Lost Message
Archive-Message-Number: 117

This message was unfortunately lost

-------- TML Message #118 --------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 88 08:35:44 cst
From: (Brett Slocum) hi-csc!slocum@uunet.uu.net
Subject: SF ERPG
Archive-Message-Number: 118


Sign me up.  Do we need to describe a character to the ref, and then
a general description to the list?  Email roleplaying will be easier
for me than BBS roleplaying, which I'm in two games on the SJG-BBS
GURPS board.

    Brett Slocum
    ...{uunet,ihnp4!umn-cs}!hi-csc!slocum

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-------- TML Message #119 --------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 88 11:40:16 cst
From: (Brett Slocum) hi-csc!slocum@uunet.uu.net
Subject: trading routes
Archive-Message-Number: 119


Are there any good methods for determining major trading routes,
other than just connecting all A and B starports?  I seem to
remember that the rules are pretty vague about this.  
Suggestions?

- --Brett Slocum  "Never bet with a Sicilian where Death is involved."
UUCP: ...{uunet,ihnp4!umn-cs}!hi-csc!slocum
Arpa: hi-csc!slocum@umn-cs.arpa     

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-------- TML Message #120 --------

Subject: Re: trading routes
Date: 24 Feb 88 15:56:47 PST (Wed)
From: jamesp
Archive-Message-Number: 120



> Are there any good methods for determining major trading routes,
> other than just connecting all A and B starports?  I seem to
> remember that the rules are pretty vague about this.  
> Suggestions?

> --Brett Slocum  "Never bet with a Sicilian where Death is involved."

My edition 1 Traveller rules had a probability table for assigning randomized
"Jump Routes":

TRAVELLER, Volume 3, Copyright 1977 Game Designer's Workshop, page 2

	World	--------Jump  Distance--------
	Pair	Jump-1	Jump-2	Jump-3	Jump-4
	A-A	1	2	4	5
	A-B	1	3	4	5
	A-C	1	4	6	-
	A-D	1	5	-	-
	A-E	2	-	-	-
	B-B	1	3	4	6
	B-C	2	4	6	-
	B-D	3	6	-	-
	B-E	4	-	-	-
	C-C	3	6	-	-
	C-D	4	-	-	-
	C-E	4	-	-	-
	D-D	4	-	-	-
	D-E	5	-	-	-
	E-E	6	-	-	-

However, I have reservations in using such a simplistic and
non-deterministic system for generating Trade Routes.  Maybe something
that looks at at least Starport Class and Population, and maybe Trade
Classifications, too? With a great enough number of dependent variable,
the randomness could be almost done away with.

I think it would be an entertaining enterprise to try to come up with
such a scheme.  Perhaps something based on the average profit gain
between two systems, weighted by jump distance and surrounding worlds
(i.e. suppose one world provides a link across a great rift... even were
it Class D now, it would probably be a crucial trade route between the
societies on each side of the rift).

When I get a spare week or two I'll look at this item.  Maybe I'll come
up with something great and (after everyone on the list gets to alter
it, playtest it, add suggestions, etc.) send it off to the editors of
Challenge magazine as a definitive system for trade routes.  And maybe
I'll become President of the United States....  :-) I doubt I'll ever
find time to even start on this myself.  How about a communal effort?

James

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-------- TML Message #121 --------

From: (Adrian Hurt) mcvax!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian@uunet.uu.net
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 88 17:50:23 GMT
Subject: Computers in Traveller
Archive-Message-Number: 121


Who, besides me, is dissatisfied with Traveller's handling of computers? I
have two main gripes.

First, hands up those who still believe Traveller's claim that hand/pocket
computers arrive at TL10. Now put down your hands, those who don't think today
is TL10, or TL9 at least. Why? Because I _have_ a pocket computer. O.K., so
it's not as powerful as a desktop computer, and pocket computers never will be
as powerful as desktop computers, because whatever high tech chips are used to
make the pocket computer powerful, more of the same can be used to make a more
powerful desktop machine. But mine has 32K RAM (expandable), and a built-in
programming language which is a cross between BASIC and PASCAL. And it can talk
to larger machines, if an RS232 interface (which the makers can supply) is
fitted.

Second, the table of computers in Book 5, High Guard, implies that as
technology advances, computers get larger, more powerful and more expensive.
Now it seems to me, in the real world, they either stay the same size and price
and get more powerful, or they get smaller and cheaper for the same price. Take
my pocket machine, for example; apart from display, it'll outclass a PET no
trouble; and what today fills a cabinet would previously have filled a room.
Also, High Guard mentions "fibre-optic backup". In modern computers, and
military ones especially, they use fibre-optics as the _primary_ connection.
Besides, wouldn't the radiation, which fib models are supposed to be proof
against, also zap the chips?

Now, my solutions. Pocket computers are available at TL8, for a few Cr100's.
I haven't worked out a way of translating present computer trends into High
Guard terms without making every published ship obsolete. After all, at TL15,
a Model 3 is probably desktop, and a Model 2 pocket-sized. But instead of "fib"
meaning "fibre-optic backup", it just means "backup", in the form of extra,
redundant components, e.g. processors. For damage purposes, I assume the
ship has two computers. When the computer is damaged, I roll 1D to decide
which one is hit, and always use the least damaged one for that ship's fire
modifiers.

Any comments? Am I overlooking something critical? How does MegaTraveller
handle computers?

 "Keyboard? Tis quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk

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

