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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 521  6398 29-Nov-1993 LTG3878@ZEUS.TA  More Info on Hitch-Hikers << This is an
 521  6399 28-Nov-1993 William White    C S Lewis, Aslan << [Resent to travelle
 521  6400 29-Nov-1993 James T Perkins  Long lines in TML postings << pihlab@cb
 521  6401 29-Nov-1993 Joe Heck         Gopher Survey Results << Well - the sur
 521  6402 29-Nov-1993 James Kundert    Traveller-esque book << I received anot
 521  6403 29-Nov-1993 Emilio Desalvo   re: traveller-esque books << > >Althoug
 521  6404 01-Dec-1993 l.wiseman1@geni  <<       Being in the main a collection
 521  6405 01-Dec-1993 Mike Basinger    Time and Calendars << [This was posted
 521  6406 01-Dec-1993 gsw@aloft.att.c  Re: Lahti AT gun << Lee Eilers writes:
 521  6407 01-Dec-1993 Peter H. Brento  Glory Road << >>>Although the technolog
 521  6408 01-Dec-1993 JOT@CU.NIH.GOV   Re:  TML nightly:  Msgs 6402-6403 V65#3
 521  6409 01-Dec-1993 C. Harald Koch   Re: the hitch-hiker << While most of yo
 521  6410 01-Dec-1993 Bruce E Johnson  sector mapping question <<  Forgive me
 521  6411 01-Dec-1993 rpiper@wri.com   The AMR 15mm Sniper Rifle <<   First a
 521  6412 02-Dec-1993 Jo_Grant.LOTUSI  Re: sector mapping question << >Is ther
 521  6413 02-Dec-1993 Steven Gott      The 15mm ATR << The PTRS-41 was a prett
 521  6414 02-Dec-1993 Adrian Hurt      Big rifles << gsw@aloft.att.com writes:
 521  6415 02-Dec-1993 Mike Basinger    Marketing for Money << When figuring ou
 521  6416 02-Dec-1993 Peter H. Brento  Melissa Scott correction << Mea Culpa M
 521  6417 02-Dec-1993 David Hall, cal  re: Vargr linguistics, kind of << > Var
 521  6418 02-Dec-1993 James Kundert    Aurora & Manta pics << Loren Wiseman sa


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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6398
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 10:07:12 -0600 (CST)
From: LTG3878@ZEUS.TAMU.EDU
Subject: More Info on Hitch-Hikers

This is an article I wrote to expand on the idea of hitch-hiking.
I have yet to have time to update it for TNE.

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Imperium is a wholly remarkable book.
In fact, it is probably the most remarkable book to come out of the
great publishing corporations of Core Sector.

Not only is a wholly remarkable book, it is also a highly successful
one--more popular than the Basic Traveller Set, better selling than
Supplement 3:  The Spinward Marches, and more controversial than the
assissination of Emperor Strephon, Shattered Ships of the Fighting
Imperium, or the Virus.

In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the spinward edge of the
Imperium, the Hitch-Hiker's Guide has supplanted the Imperial
Encyclopedia as the standard repository of all knowledge, for though
it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
widely innaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in
two important respects.

Firstly, it is slightly cheaper; and second, it has the words "Don't
Panic" inscriped in large, friendly letters on its rugged carrying case.

Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
TL___Vol__________Weight___Price_
11   0.2 liters   0.5 kg   Cr 200
The Guide is an electronic book, packaged with a rugged carrying case with
some printing on the front, and a carrying strap.  It features a mini-
screen with full-color graphics, optional stereo sound, and a small mini-
keyboard.

The Guide is a work that is continually being updated by roving reporters.
This "elite" group of "highly" skilled observers roam the Imperium, seeking
out ways to see the Imperium for less than thirty credits a day.  They
send in updates to their local branch office, which edits them and relays
them on up to the central office in Core sector.  These generally make it
into a new edition of the Guide about every ten years.  Updates cost
Cr 20, and are packed in a small cartridge, which is inserted into a slot
on the back of the Guide.

Here is a sample of only a few of the many chapter titles from the Guide.
How to Leave Your Planet
Your Towel and You
Hoopy and Other Hitch-Hiker Lingo Explained
The Best Drink in Existence--the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
How to Eat Free by Pretending to be a Health Inspector
Simple and Cheap Treatments for Food Poisoning
Vargr Poetry and How to Avoid It
Planet of the Ballpoint Pens
What to Do if You Find Yourself Stuck in a Crack in the Ground Underneath
     a Giant Boulder You Can't Move, with no Hope of Rescue.
The Universe--Some Information to Help You Live in It.

Obviously, some of these chapters are more topical than others.  One can of
course read the chapters in order, which might take several lifetimes.  More
likely, you can search by subject heading.  The relevant task role is:

To look something up in the Guide:
Routine, Int, Edu, 2 sec (uncertain).
Referee:  The information contained in the Guide is often rather inaccurate.
For this reason, this task is made uncertain.  For example, in the most recent
edition of the Guide, the information on the policy of Tukera lines regarding
stowaways failed to be updated, resulting in the untimely demise to date of
over thirty Hitch-Hikers, each of them tossed into space.

The Guide has this to say about Towels:
A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker
can have.  Partly it has great practical value.  You can wrap it around you
for warmth; you can lie on it; you can sleep under it; use it to sail a
miniraft; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it round your head to
ward off noxious fumes; you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress
signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean
enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value.  For some reason,
if a strag (strag:  nonhitch-hiker) discovers that a hitch-hiker has his
towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession
of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball
of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, vacc suit, etc., etc.  Furthermore,
the strag will then happily lend the hitch-hiker any of these or a dozen
other items that the hitch-hiker might accidentally have "lost."  What the
strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the
Imperium, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and
still know where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Towel:
TL___Weight___Vol___Price
 2     --      --   Cr 5

Hitch-Hiker Lingo tends to be frought with colorful euphemisms, partly because
such talk impresses the hell out of strags.  For example, rather than simply
say that she has a great deal of respect for someone, a Hitch-Hiker would say:
"Sass that hoopy _______?  There's a frood who really knows where his towel is."
Sass:  know, be aware of, meet, have sex with.  Hoopy:  Really together guy.
Frood:  Really amazingly together guy.

A similar and more frustrating example is the tendency of Hitch-Hikers to
refer to all communicators, but most especially those of Far Orbit range, as
"thumbs."  This origin of this term is lost in obscurity, but this hasn't
prevented willy advertising executives from marking perfectly normal radios
under the brand name Thumb for over twice the price.  Only a strag would buy
a Thumb brand thumb.  Hitch-Hiker's use their "thumb's" to ask ships in orbit
for a lift.  This is especially useful when stuck on some backwater planet,
with no decent surface to orbit transportation system.

The goal of the Hitch-Hiker is to see the Imperium on less than thirty credits
a day.  It doesn't take long to see that even travelling low isn't cheap
enough to stick to such a budget.  Their are several means Hitch-Hikers have
at their disposal to accomplish their goal:

Stoaway - this is perhaps the means that first springs to mind, but it is in
          many ways undesirable.  Some contend that it is contrary to the
          very nature of Hitch-Hiking, not because it is dishonest, but rather
          because the real challenge of Hitch-Hiking, these people insist,
          consists in persuading some unwilling merchant officer to let you
          on board.  Nonetheless, it is available as a means of last resort.
To discover a stoaway on board a vessel.
Routine, Steward/Hitch, Int, 2 min (confrontation).
Referee:  The Steward/Hitch indicates that in this confrontation task roll,
the Steward applies his Steward skill, while the Hitch-Hiker applies her Hitch
skill.  One attempt can be made per day.  Upon discovery, the Hitch-Hiker must
roll for the captain's reaction, applying her Hitch skill as a DM.  A result of
actively uncooperative or hostile behaviour will result in spacing.  The
stoaway is forced out the airlock without a spacesuit.  Potential stoaways
should realize that cargo holds are often depressurized during a trip.

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Imperium says that if you hold a lungful of air
you can survive in the total vacuum of space for about thirty seconds.  However,
it does go on to say that what with space being the mind-boggling size it is the
chances of being picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are two
to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and nine to
one against.

Hijacking - this is even a worse idea than stoing away.  Shame on you for
            even thinking of it.  Just make sure not to steal Hot Black
            Desaitor's Stunt Ship.

Working Passage - this is an extremely common way for Hitch-Hikers to travel.
                  It is for this reason that players would do well to accumulate
                  at least minimal skill in such areas as steward, in order
                  to give them fighting chance at such a job.  There are some
                  Hitch-Hikers who are too proud to take a working passage, as
                  if smacks too much of working for a living.
To locate a ship with a position available:
Variable, Int, Hitch, (30 min).
Referee:  This skill is of variable difficulty, depending on the local starport
classification.  If StarPort A  - Routine,
                    StarPort B  - Difficult,
                    StarPort C  - Formidable.
                    StarPort D- - Impossible
To persuade a starship captain to give you a working passage:
Difficult, Int, Hitch, (confrontation, uncertain).
Referee:  If Extremely Cooperative results, the captain will offer the Hitch-
Hiker the passage.  If Neutral results, the captain will ask for the Hitch-
Hiker to come for a second interview later.  Otherwise, the captain will
refuse to consider the Hitch-Hiker for the position.

Courier - small, fragile cargoes may be escorted from one star system to
          another in exchange for a big rebate on a middle passage, say
          Cr 2,000 instead of Cr 8,000.  Still, this is not as cheap as going
          low, though rather a good deal more pleasant.

Teasers - teasers are rich kids with too much time on their hands and big
          expensive yachts.  They like Hitch-Hikers because when they hang
          around with them, they feel adventurous.  Hitch-Hikers like teasers
          because they provide them with a way of getting from point A to
          point B without having to work for it.  Make sure to show them your
          copy of the Guide and your towel, and watch their eyes bug out.
To locate a teaser:
Variable, Int, Hitch (60 min).
Referee:  This skill is of variable difficulty, depending on the local starport
classification.  If StarPort A  - Difficult
                    StarPort B  - Formidable
                    StarPort C- - Impossible.
To persuade a teaser to give you a lift:
Routine, Int, Hitch, (confrontation, uncertain).
Referee:  If Extremely Cooperative results, the teaser will be willing to give
you, in addition to a lift, a small infusion of cash, in order to help replace
all of the gnat spray you lost on your trip over the falls of Beta Five.

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6399
Date: Sun, 28 Nov 93 21:45:24 EST
From: William White <whitew@eden.rutgers.edu>
Subject: C S Lewis, Aslan

[Resent to traveller@engrg.uwo.ca, was addressed to traveller-request
alone -- James]

Regarding the naming of the Aslan after a character in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles
of Narnia:  that is easy to justify.  After all, "Aslan" is not what they
call themselves, it's what _we_ call them...so one can imagine a well-read
Solomani explorer meeting them during the Long Night and attaching that label
to them somewhere within the Dark Nebula sector...

Bill White	"It's not my goddamn planet!  Understand, monkey boy?"
whitew@eden.rutgers.edu			--John Bigboote

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6400
Subject: Long lines in TML postings
Reply-To: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (TML Administrator)
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 08:19:58 PST
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@sp-eug.com>


pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au writes:
>    Is there any way of massaging soft returns at the TML distributor
>    before they get posted?

I know of an even more nasty idea -- if there are any long lines in the
message it can spit it back at the sender, and NOT digest it into the
TML. In the cases where someone needs to post a message with long lines
(spreadsheet or something) they can give it to me (admin) to place it in
the digest by hand. What do TMLers think? Should I instrument this? If
you have an opinion and want to be heard, respond to me by direct email
reply.

James

__   __/         /   /	    Internet Traveller Mailing List, Administrator
    /     /  /  /   /	   James T. Perkins in Eugene, Oregon, USA
 __/   __/__/__/ _____/   traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6401
Date:         Mon, 29 Nov 93 19:20:30 CST
From: Joe Heck <CCJOE@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject:      Gopher Survey Results

Well - the survey is in (for as long as I'm going to collect it this time).

The survey was _primarily_ for determining if it would be worth setting up a
Gopher or WWW Server for TML,etc lists. The basics of it are: yeah, most
likely it'd be used. Thanks to those who responded - I'm going to have to
assume it's a reasonable sample although it's only 28. Here's the results:

                         SURVEY SAYS:

Gopher                            WWW (Mosaic)
I do    I can   Don't   What      I do    I can   Don't   What
Use it, use it, use it, is it?,   Use it, use it, use it, is it?,
 12       12      3       1         6       6      14       2

Total Reponses: 28
Do use Gopher:  43%               Do use WWW:   21%
Can use Gopher: 86%               Can use WWW:  43%

For those that are interested, I did some 'veronica' searches on Gopher (I
use it more than WWW/Mosaic I'm afraid), and I found bookmarks pointing to
the various traveller archives already. In order to make it a little easier
for you guys who love Gopher (or are willing to use it through WWW), I have
a _basic_ gopher server with the links already listed. You are welcome to
drop through my server to get to the primary archives. And yes, James, I
guess you can include this in your "TML FAQ list". :)

the gopher link is 'ghost.cc.missouri.edu'. Please note, this is NOT an
official archive site - I just keep my project information (i.e. CAT) there.

I may try to set something more up down the road, but I have to get a couple
irons out of the fire first.

Enjoy!

 joe                          University of Missouri - Columbia
 ccjoe@mizzou1.missouri.edu   (314) 882-5000

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6402
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 22:57:45 PST
From: James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
Subject: Traveller-esque book

I received another book from the SFBC (Science Fiction Book Club) on Monday
which qualifies as "Traveller-esque", and so will add it to the list I
posted a couple days back.  This book is called "McLendon's Syndrome", and
is by Robert Frezza (pub 1993).  It falls into the same general category
as the "Angel's Luck" trilogy: the "Hapless Merchant" type of story.  Piles
o' bad puns, SF/F literary references galore (especially the various bars
in the central city), the obligatory funny aliens, and a rather blatant
slam of the modern legal system (American, that is) which points out why
heroes just aren't what they used to be...

James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>

There was a young lady named Bright,
Whose speed was much faster, much faster than Light.
She departed one day in a relative way,
And returned on the previous Night.
   --Albert & the Heart of Gold

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6403
Subject: re: traveller-esque books
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 22:15:22 CET
From: Emilio Desalvo <MC4187@mclink.it>

> >Although the technology was not identical, The novel "Glory Road"
> >by Melissa Scott had a definite traveller feel.
There wasn't a Glory Road by R.A. Heilein?
It was quite fun, too!
> Other books to look for:
I'd add to the list the Falkenberg books by Jerry Pournelle (at least
Mercenary).

        Bye


    /\       Emilio Desalvo
   /<>\      mc4187@mclink.it
  /____\

  FNORD


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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6405
From: Mike Basinger <dbasinge@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Time and Calendars
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:11:37 -0500 (EST)

[This was posted to rec.games.frp.misc, if you read that newsgroup you
have probably seen this already]

How does time and calendars works in Traveller: The New Era. Is it a
basic 24 hours a day clock and a 365 days a year calendar? Are years
divided into 12 equal parts, etc...? Or does the system use things
like Stardates (ala Star Trek)?

Thanks,
Mike
- --
D. Michael Basinger: 	Not speaking for Indiana University
			dbasinge@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu
			dbasinge@arapahoe.ucs.indiana.edu (NeXT Mail)

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6406
From: gsw@aloft.att.com
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 09:50:23 EST
Subject: Re: Lahti AT gun

Lee Eilers writes:

> Speaking of large caliber rifles, I recall that the Finnish in WWII had a
> excellent 20mm Anti-Tank rifle, called the Lahti, I believe.  It was bipod
> mounted and semi-automatic, also.  I'm not quite sure how they handled the
> recoil, or anything else about it, however.  Anybody know anything more?

20mm sounds about right.  I saw one once when I used to work in a gun
shop.  Those things are BIG!  They had a bipod on the front, and I
believe that the butt of the weapon was somehow emplaced in the ground
also.  I think they were fired by either two or three man fire teams,
like machine guns.

They have a short banana-shaped magazine which is mounted above the
weapon, curves forward, and holds (I think) 5 rounds.  The rounds are
huge, looking proportionally like long rifle or machine gun ammo, except
that they are about an inch in diameter.  Actually, the whole gun looks
remarkably like a giant assault rifle, although it is 5 or 6 feet long
(my memory may be exaggerating) and has the magazine on top.

The weapon I always thought was rather impressive is the Israeli
Galil assault rifle.  It fires 5.56mm shells through a very heavy
barrel for an accurate shot.  I forget the details, but I believe
it held an impressive amount of ammunition and had some thoughtful
additions such as an integral bipod which doubles as a wire cutter.

,-----------------.
|Gerald S Williams|
|gsw@aloft.att.com|
|  (215)439-7237  |
`-----------------'

      _  |     ____/    _  |
     /   /    /        /   /      /                     /
    /   /  ____ |     ____/   _  _/    __ |    __ |    /      ____/
   /   /        /    /          /     /   /   /   /   /    ____
______/  ______/  __/         ___/  _____/  _____/  ___/  ______/

P.S.  Ask me someday about armored RVs (ala Stripes) and assault
      ultralites.  It's amazing what's out there in use today.


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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6407
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 10:19:54 CST
From: Peter H. Brenton <pete@biochem.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Glory Road

>>>Although the technology was not identical, The novel "Glory Road"
>>>by Melissa Scott had a definite traveller feel.
>There wasn't a Glory Road by R.A. Heilein?
>It was quite fun, too!

Both Authors wrote books of that name.  Both were very well done.

Melissa Scotts book was about two women who run a go-anywhere salvage and
recovery company (bringing their tech 10-11 salvage equipment to tech 6-9
planets for a fee).  I always thought it would make a great campaign,
but could never get a group of players into it ("We need a BIG grav tank
for salvage operations, don't we?".-"No, you don't".).

- -Pete

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6404
From: l.wiseman1@genie.geis.com
Date: Wed,  1 Dec 93 04:36:00 BST
Subject:

      Being in the main a collection of sundry assorted replies,
 comments, missives, notes, bon mots, and cetera...
      Liber Secundus:

      Garbled Manta Stats: It would appear that the "Eat-The-First-
 Few-Characters-In-Every-Line" gremlin has struck again. One more
 time:

 RCES "Manta" Fuel Skimmer
   Rate:    400
  Total Volume:       5600
  Price (MCr):        119.57359
  Configuration:      Dome/Disc SL
  Armor:   31
  700 MW TL-12 Fusion PPlant, C-G TL-12 Hi-Eff, TL-12 Dynamic
 Linked controls, TL-8+ Avionics, 3xTL-12 Model ST Computers,
 60,000 Active EMS TL-12, 60,000 km TL-12 Passive EMS Processor,
 60,000 km TL-12 Passive EMS Antenna (fixed), EMM Package,
 300,000km Radio, 1,000 AU Maser Communicator, Basic Life Support,
 Artifical Gravity/G Compensators, cargo hold (60 cubic meters,
 usually converted into improvised living quarters for long
 duration missions), small cargo hatch, Fuel Tank (cargo), Airlock
 (4), Scoop.

  600 thrust megawatts,  24.75 GHours.

  Crew: 12 (8xEngineering, 1xElectronics, 1xManeuver,
 1xMaintenance, 1xCommand).
   Bridge Work stations: 3
  Engineering Workstations: 8

  Black Globes will be in FF&S

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

   <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
  > how does a character accquire level 0 skills, aside from the
 default skills?... training? points?
  > Not at all?

  Technically speaking, not at all (training and points all give
 minimum of 1 point, and only with skills you already have).

  I think this comes under the heading of ref's common sense. In
 my games, I'd give a character a skill zero if said character
 succeeded one or more times at an unskilled task attempt (only 1
 for an impossible success, never for any number of automatic
 successes, etcetera).

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


  Jack Dietz,
  jdietz@ucsd.edu, jdietz@egbt.org

  >   Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow.

  What a blast from the past! John M. Ford and I _founded_ EGBT.
 For a while I was giving out EGBT pencils. I was going to get
 some EGBT lollipops [fnord] made up but they turned out to be too
 expensive in the small quantities I wanted.

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

  Lee Eilers
      ---mas@vortex.lgs.lsu.edu
  > the Finnish in WWII had a excellent 20mm Anti-Tank rifle,
  > called the Lahti, I believe.... I'm not quite sure how
  > they handled the recoil, or anything else about it,
  > however.

  Antitank rifles (ATRs) were common in the late 1930s and early
 1940s. The British, Soviets, Germans, Japanese, Finns, and Swiss
 all developed one (there are undoubtedly nations that I have
 forgotten). All I know about the Lahti is what you have already
 stated, but every photo I have seen shows ATRs being fired
 from a prone position. Recoil on the 20mm Soluthurn (Swiss) ATR
 is said to have been particularly punishing.

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

  Mark F. Cook:

  I really don't want to start a flame here, but I cannot let
 this pass by without comment.
 Let me see if I have this straight:
 You think we (Dave Nilsen/me/GDW) ripped you off on the basis of
 a couple of names and a similar function? Isn't this going off
 rather half-cocked?

  > I *am* however, curious to know where the idea for this Manta
  >'fuel skimmer' design originated, since I designed almost
  > *exactly* the same ship (with the same class name) for the
  > TML PBEM over TWO YEARS AGO.

  Unless you posted the designs publicly on the TML, no one at
 GDW has ever seen them. We do not receive the PBEM campaign stuff
 (Mike Metlay offered, but I declined...I had too much to read as
 it was). I've had access to TML for about 18-24 months, so the
 designs may have been posted before I started monitoring. In any
 case, I don't remember anything of the sort.

  What makes you say it is "almost *exactly* the same ship"? The
 fact that it shares a name and skims fuel?  Our Manta is a
 detachable-fuel-tank-with-an-engine that flies ahead of its
 mother ship, skims fuel, and returns to the mother ship. Does
 yours do this? Our Manta design displaces 400 tons. What's the
 tonnage of yours? Ours is 33 meters long with a dome/disc
 configuration, has a crew of 12, no  weaponry, and no fuel
 refining facilities. What about yours? Is yours jump capable?
 What kind of sensors does it have? Why was it named Manta
 (because of its shape, or is MANTA an acronym for something)?
  > I also find it convienently coincidental that the clipper it
  > supports is named after *another* starship in the very
  > same long-running (5 years), international Traveller PBEM
  What is this other Aurora-class starship...how big is it, how many
 crew, what does it do, etc.? I could claim, on the basis of equally
 strong evidence (the name alone, with no notion of function, size,
 or anything else) that you took your Aurora from the Tsarist
 Russian naval vessel or one of the four WWII era vessels of the
 same name). Aurora is not an uncommon name for ships.

 The Aurora-class clippers are named such because one of
 the names for the Reconstruction Coalition was the Dawn League,
 and Aurora was the Greek goddess of the dawn.

  > Where *exactly* did Dave (Nilsen, I assume) get these ideas?

  The basic design of a modular ship occured to Frank about 1977
 (to the best of my reccolection), but we never did anything with
 it. The Clipper (aka Long Ship) has been around for about as long
 as the notion of the Star Vikings. Dave came up with the idea of
 the flying fuel tank. I would not be at all surprised to discover
 that dozens of people have come up with similar notions.

  The class of clippers was named Aurora about 1-1/2 to 2 years
 ago, I believe. _I_ named the skimmer "Manta" in March or April
 of this year, when I converted Dave's notes over to a BL design,
 because the plans that had been drawn up by an outside artist
 (who has never seen your PBEM material either) showed the ship
 with a fanciful resemblance a manta ray (the only other options
 were "Stingray" or "Fifty Mission Crush" neither of which trips
 off the tongue like :Manta").

 A drawing of our Clipper (side view), with the fuel skimmer
 attached, appears in Brilliant Lances on page 44 of the Technical
 Booklet, and a top view is shown on the counters for the game
 (but you don't have BL, so that doesn't help much)..

  > It looks to me as though someone took the original (PBEM)
  > Manta gas mining ships and modified the designs to use
  > the new TNE ship design rules.

  I think you are jumping to an unwarranted conclusion here.

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

  Glenn E. Myers

  > I had the impression that grav actually imparted some maneuver capability.

  The short answer is that it used to but it doesn't anymore,
 something else needs to furnish thrust. In unscientific terms, C-
 G negates the weight, but provides no motive power (unlike the MT
 thruster plates).

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

  Andy Lilly
  > Would anyone be interested in the novel which I am currently completing?

  Perhaps. Email me a land adress and we'll get back to you.

  >If anyone has any advice on how I can become rich selling the
  > rights to this book, I'd be interested to hear from them.

  Sadly, few people ever get rich from a single book.

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

  Paul Murphy
  Burnchrome@aol.com

  Email me your snail mail address, and I'll send you a catalog
 and ordering information.

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

  J Roberson

  > Back to the Aslan thread brifely. . .did anyone metion that
  > the name of the Christ-figure Lion in "Lion Witch & Wardrobe"
  > was named Aslan?

 Marc told me once that the inspiration for the name Aslan came partly
 from the lion/Christ-substitute in C. S. Lewis' Narnia novels, and
 partly from the Turkish word for "lion" which he said was "arslan."
 Vargr, BTW is, I think, "wolf" in some Slavic language (Russian?).

  Bye for Now...

  Loren Wiseman
   for GDW, Inc.

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6408
From: JOT@CU.NIH.GOV
Date:     Wed, 01 Dec 1993  11:56:34 EST
Subject:  Re:  TML nightly:  Msgs 6402-6403 V65#3

> "Glory Road" by Melissa Scott?

There is a _Glory Road_ by Heinlein, which is more of a
fantasy than SF.  Seems to me there is a novel by Scott
called _Mighty Good Road_, but I could be mistaken as I
am not allowed to keep my SF novels here at the office. :)

Andy St. John
JOT@CU.NIH.GOV


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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6409
From: chk@alias.com (C. Harald Koch)
Subject: Re: the hitch-hiker
Date: 	Wed, 1 Dec 1993 17:36:26 -0500

While most of you probably recognize it, the Hitch Hiker class described
recently is obviously directly based on "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the
Galaxy" books/radio show/TV show by Douglas Adams.

Why am I writing this? well, the description in the messages quoted
extensively from the books and/or radio series, and yet nowhere is an
attribution ever given.

Please, people; credit where credit is due. Not only is it polite, it's the
law.

- --
C. Harald Koch, Network Analyst | University: Like a software house, except the
Alias Research Inc. Toronto, ON | software is free, and it's usable, and it
chk@alias.com                   | works, and if it breaks they'll quickly tell
chk@utcc.utoronto.ca            | you how to fix it, and ...

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

Bundle: 521
Archive-Message-Number: 6410
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 16:46:00 -0700 (MST)
From: Bruce E Johnson <bej@gas.uug.arizona.edu>
Subject: sector mapping question


	Forgive me if this is a dumb newbie question, but...

	Is there a program that will take in the sector data from the
ftp.nau.edu site, and generate a map?  I've found a coupla programs
(sub2ps and mapsub (from the TML SW4 package)) but the first will take a
lot of massaging to work, and the second doesn't print the names, and
overprints the hex numbers with two different numbers.


Bruce Johnson
The University of Arizona
bej@gas.uug.arizona.edu play
johnson@tonic.pharm.arizona.edu work

My opininons, Mine, Mine, all Mine!  Bwahahahaha!

------------------------------
BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 522  6421 05-Dec-1993 Stephen Camp     Brilliant Lances Design Notes & Graviti
 522  6422 05-Dec-1993 Jeff Zeitlin     Traveller Calendars << Mike Basinger as
 522  6423 05-Dec-1993 Stephen Camp     Typo in my previous post Re: Brilliant
 522  6424 06-Dec-1993 langsl@cbr.hhcs  vargr & salvage <<                   I
 522  6425 06-Dec-1993 S_DMOODY@pstcc.  << To: IN%"traveller@engrg.uwo.ca"
 522  6426 06-Dec-1993 "Pedro A.C. Tav  Star Cruiser << Hello everybody,
 522  6427 06-Dec-1993 Mark Urbin       FF&S ship date <<   Is there any news o
 522  6428 06-Dec-1993 Mike Basinger    Re: FF&S ship date << >   Is there any
 522  6429 06-Dec-1993 Jerry Sanders    The Traveller Chronicle - Submissions <
 522  6430 07-Dec-1993 j.kundert@genie  Salvage Rights << "Susan M. Shock" <34Z

This is a passively moderated mailing list. All messages sent to the
submission address will be distributed. The biweekly digest is currently
distributed each Wednesday and Sunday at 9:00pm.

Submissions: traveller@engrg.uwo.ca -or- uunet!engrg.uwo.ca!traveller
Administrator: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (James Perkins)

The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6421
From: hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp)
Subject: Brilliant Lances Design Notes & Gravitic focusing...
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 19:00:10 -0700 (MST)

I just picked up Challenge 71 and read 'Brilliant Lances Design Notes'
by David Nilsen.  I have a few gripes I want to throw out to the list for
discussion.

My gripe or gripes mainly has to do with 'gravitic focusing' of lasers.
I appreciate Nilsen stating up front that they try to "break the fewest
laws of physics that" they can when creating a sci-fi game and that the
other law of physics that they broke was the law of optics in that they
introduce gravitic focusing of the laser beam "by creating an _intense_
point source of gravity within the focusing area to bend the light with
gravity."  Now I went futzing around with some basic physics equations:

Law (?) of Gravity

               (m1)(m2)
      F  = -G ---------  where G = 6.672E-11 Nm^2/(kg^2)
                 r*r


Einsteins Equation  :   E = mc^2

I wanted to see how much energy (E) it would take to replace m1 by E/(c^2)
to create a gravity point source that would exert 1g acceleration at 1m
distance.  I came up with 5.09 x 10^21 (!!!) Joules.  That becomes Watts
if it's over time.  So the best I can tell, _IF_ you could create a
gravity well with Energy, it would take 5.09 x 10^12 TERAWATTS to produce
a 1g acceleration at 1 m.

Now, for focusing a laser beam, since they are talking extremely tiny
radian changes in the beam, the distance is probably much smaller than 1m.
However, how much gravity (mass -> energy) does it take to bend light?  All
I can recall is Mr. Spock telling Cpt. Kirk that the selective bending of
light is extraodinarily expensive.  So, I would have been happier if they
had come up with some other explanation:  e.g micromachines control minute
focusing elements in the focal plane array, or electronic advances in
solid state focusing elements or solid state laser emitters combined with
supercomputing power allows the beam to be dynamically focused during a
pulse, thus permitting lasers to reach out and touch someone at hundreds
of thousands of km.

However, since they stated they can "create an intense point source of
gravity", then why not have 'impulse drive' for system travel.  It's the old
idea of space being a fabric, that a gravity well is like pushing a finger
down in the fabric thus creating a 'well'.  Put a marble on the fabric, close
enough to your finger and the marble will fall into the well.  Now, since
we can "create an intense point source of gravity", why not just project
it out in front of the ship.  By shifting the gravity point source around
the ship, we can change our direction.  By intensifying or lessening the
source, we change the  magnitude of our acceleration.  And if we can
do this, why the need for all that reaction mass?

The only problem is the power required to create such a point source of
gravity.  Assuming you can, like I said earlier, at 1m distant, you'd need
5.09 x 10^12 TERAWATTS of power (at 10m, 5.09 x 10^13 TERAWATTS, at 100m,
5.09 x 10^15 TERAWATTS) just to create 1g of acceleration.  Assuming you
could generate 5x10^12 terawatts, your gravity point source would be INSIDE
of your ship!

I dunno, by breaking the laws of optics, it seems to throw their whole
system out of whack.  Maybe there's something in jump technology that allows
them to create an intense gravity point source at moderate energy levels
(that is, if jump space can be thought of as analagous to a worm hole, and
if worm holes are related to black holes or intense gravitic sources).
But still, if so, then why not have an impulse drive like i described above?

If gravitic focusing really throws their system out of whack, I guess I'd
rather have beam weapons restricted in range to tens of thousands of
kilometers.  Then you'd have to get close to do some damage, or you'd
have to rely on missiles more.

I dunno, what do you guys think?

- -steve camp
hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com


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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6422
Subject: Traveller Calendars
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (Jeff Zeitlin)
Date: Sun,  5 Dec 93 16:32:00 -0500

Mike Basinger asks...

TA::>How does time and calendars works in Traveller: The New Era. Is it a
  ::>basic 24 hours a day clock and a 365 days a year calendar? Are years
  ::>divided into 12 equal parts, etc...? Or does the system use things
  ::>like Stardates (ala Star Trek)?

  The Imperial calendar was based on a fixed 365 day year, each day
  being 24 hours.  Days were numbered 001-365, with no other
  official designations.  However, due to the length of time that a
  jump takes, widespread but informal usage of a "week" of seven
  days was common.  Normal notation is daynumber-year (for example,
  123-1201).

  The Solomani Confederation used Terra's old Gregorian calendar,
  and has done so for roughly the past 4,000 years.  This calendar
  is based on the cycle of Terra around Sol, and the day is based
  on the rotational period of Terra, almost exactly one standard
  day of 24 standard hours (there is speculation that this is in
  fact the origin of the Imperial calendar designation.  However,
  the current Imperial calendar is also a very close match for
  the day and year of Capital).  The year is divided into twelve
  approximately equal periods called "months" (with the number of
  days varying from 28 to 31 according to no discernible formula),
  and extra (intercalary) days are inserted approximately every
  four years according to a fairly complex formula.  Normal
  notation is name-of-month daynumber-in-month, year (for example,
  July 4, 5776).

  The Vilani calendar is based on the Vilani year of 500
  32-standard-hour days.  Each day consists of a "dran", or
  daylight period, and a "dir", or night period, each of 16 hours.
  Each dran and dir is numbered separately, yielding a total of
  1,000 distinct numbered entities over the course of the Vilani
  year.  Normal notation is year.dran-or-dir-number (for example,
  7453.293)

  Zhodani and Aslan also have their own calendars.  If you're
  interested, let me know, and I'll dig out that info and post it
  to the List.

  *Credit where due department:  Most of this information has been
  cribbed from GDW's own work, and also work by DGP.  The
  presentation here is totally my own, however.
==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
- ---
 ~ QMPro 1.51 ~ Don't worry: The answer's at the back of the book.



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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6423
From: hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp)
Subject: Typo in my previous post Re: Brilliant Lances Design Notes
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 20:32:48 -0700 (MST)

Apologies,  I made a typo in my previous post regarding power required
to generate an _intense_ gravity point source.  I believe I used
5.09 x 10^12 TERAWATTS.  It should be GIGAWATTS.   or, it could be
5.09 x 10^9 TERAWATTS.  I guess I got dizzy working with such large
magnitudes ;-)

- -steve camp
hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com


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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6424
Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1993 13:26:58 +1000
From: langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: vargr & salvage


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:06-Dec-1993 02:25pm
                                        From:     Alistair Langsford
                                                  LANGSFORD ALISTAIR
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   289 7870

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: vargr & salvage

On the origin of Vargr....
- --------------------------
I once saw a book titled 'Vargr' or 'Vargr Moon', or something similar.

I was at once intrigued, and so had a look: I was of course thinking
it was Traveller based.

It was about Scandinavian wolf creatures - they might have been werewolves.
I think they were supposed to be from Norse mythology. Since it was a
'Horror' story (well it was in the Horror section) I left it alone, as I am
not a fan of most Horror.

This was about 5 years ago, so I don't know how accurate my memory is.
After all, I was 25+ years old at the time....8-)

You might also note the similarity between the word -vargr- and the word
- -warg- (describing a large supernatural wolf) in Tolkien's Lord of the
Rings. A lot of Tolkien is inspired by Norse mythology, including names.

On Salvage....
- --------------

I once had occasion to check about salvage too. I cannot remember the
details, but I do remember I found a lot of quite good information in the
Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

Alistair,
langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au


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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6425
Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1993 11:26:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: S_DMOODY@pstcc.cc.tn.us
Subject:


To:	IN%"traveller@engrg.uwo.ca"
	A few comments about Mr.Goss' jump drive rules.  First off, good job.
Ive always wanted more realistic detail in my games (which is why I love-hate
the MT design sequence, even with the errata). In rewriting some of the rules
(especially the weapons rules to make them Striker compatable), I have realized
the slap-together job they are. Still, they do work.  I am going to incorporate
your ideas into my campaign(with your blessing, hopefully), until I finish my
rewrite of the MT design rules (unfortunately(?) the results will not be
compatable with the MT rules set, being a compination of Striker, MT, and
additions of diminishing-returns rules.)
However, when battering these rules  around the room with my Vargr coursair,
we came up with these comments and questions.

>3.b._Energy_Requirement________________________________________________________
>There are three componenets to the energy requirement:  a portion to power the
>Jump Governor, a portion to 'warm up' the Lanthanum Hull Grid, and a portion
>to actually enter jump space.
>
> To power Jump Governor:            1.625 MW-hr X Jump # X total ship volume(kl)
> To 'warm up' Lanthanum Hull Grid:  0.650 MW-hr X Jump # X total ship volume(kl)
> To_enter_jump_space:_____________+_2.600_MW-hr_X_Jump_#_X_total_ship_volume(kl)
>                                  = 4.875 MW-hr X Jump # X total ship volume(kl)

	In MTJ#4(I think), there is a question in the back about the fuel use
of a jump.  The answer showed that the fuel for a j2 is greater than twice the
fuel for a j1, mostly due to the way the grid works.  A comprimise was stated,
that showed the jump grid took a more constant amount of power irregardless of
the actual jump distance.  Perhaps a hull grid power use of, say, (.5 MW-hr *
ship vol)+(.1 MW-hr * jump * ship vol)?  This would keep the power usage of the
jump grid more constant. Or, pehaps a useage based on the j-rating of the
drive.  Eg- with j4 drive, to perform a j1 takes (.25 the fuel of a j4 + grid
power + (efficiency mod *(4 - 1)).  This would represent the fact that in MT a
ship is more efficient when jumping at the rating it was designed for.  This
makes more sense than the CTrav solution of j4 = 4*j1.

>3.c._Jump_Governor______________________________________________________________
>A dedicated computer system and accompaying connections.  The governor finely
>regulates the transfer of power from the High Yield Fusion Power Plant to the
>Jump Energy Sinks, and thence to the Lanthanum Hull Grid.
>
>                           Percent of    Weight     Price
>            Component______Hull Volume__(mton/kl)__(Cr/kl)
>            Jump Governor       1%          2       75000

	Based on the info in Starship Op Man, the jump gov controls the power
routing from the energy sinks to the hull grid.  Shouldnt the size of the
governor be based on the size of the grid (modifies for hull configuarion, see
below) as well as the amount of power the governor needs to regulate?
eg: size of gov. = (.8 * ship vol)+(HYFPP output * mod)
	(where mod is determined when I can get access to my design table and
determine a number that sounds right.- Damn These Vargrs!)
	Why would two ships the same size use the same size goverenor if one
could jump farther?

>3.d._Lanthanum_Hull_Grid________________________________________________________
>A grid of Lanthanum wires implanted in the outer layer of the ship's hull,
>spaced at about 1 meter intervals.  For design purposes, the grid is assumed to
>occupy no volume and have no weight.  Installation of the Lanthanum grid does
>not alter the hull armor rating.  Cost is Cr1500 per kilolitre of total ship
>volume.
>
>                                           Price
>                     Component____________(Cr/kl)
>                     Lanthanum Hull Grid    1500
>
	Could this be modified for the hull configuation?  A sperical
configuration would need less of a grid than an irregular config, manifesting
itself in the price/kl of ship volume.  Possibly something like:

	Config			Price/Kl
	Sperical		1200
	Needle/Wedge            1500
	Cylinder                1800
	Irregular               2200
	..etc..

These are off the cuff numbers, but as soon as I get access to my geometry
books (I can never remember volume/surface area equations), better numbers can
be calculated.
	Indeed, since the jump grid is the same irregardless of jump rating,
shoud it be calculated before jump govenor so that its size can facter in.

>3.e._Jump_Energy_Sinks__________________________________________________________
>These accumulate the power produced by the High-Yield Fusion Power Plant, to
>later release it rapidly into the Lanthanum Hull Grid during jump.  The sinks
>hold 650 MW-hr per kilolitre of energy sink.  It is also possible to install
>energy sinks for use with a Black Globe.  They cost Cr300000 per kilolitre, but
>are otherwise identical to Jump Energy Sinks.
>
>                                   Weight     Price   Energy Stored
>        Component_________________(mton/kl)__(Cr/kl)___(MW-hr/kl)__
>        Jump Energy Sinks             1       245000       650
>        Black Globe Energy Sinks      1       300000       650
>
>The volume of jump energy sinks required can be computed as follows:
>
>      V = E / 975
	Shouldnt this be V= E/650? If not, why?
>
>V = volume of jump energy sinks in kilolitres
>E = energy required to jump in MW-hr.
>
>The volume of black globe energy sinks required can be computed as follows:
>
>      V = E / 650
>
>V = volume of black globe energy sinks in kilolitres.
>E = energy you wish the black globe to be able to absorb, in MW-hr.

	This, I like.  It condences the BlackGlobe energy absorbtion rules
ionto something useful and easier handled.

>3.f._High-Yield_Fusion_Power_Plants____________________________________________
>Fusion power plants that have been tuned for maximum energy production, at the
>expense of inefficient fuel use.  Power Out, Weight, and Price is per kilolitre
>of power plant.  Fuel is kilolitres of fuel per kilolitre of power plant per
>hour.
>
>                        High-Yield Fusion Power Plants
>
>                 Power       Weight     Price    Minimum
>           TL__Out(MW/kl)___(mton/kl)__(Cr/kl)__Volume(kl)__Fuel
>            9     1300          4      200000     6.750      20
>           10     1300          4      200000     2.000      20
>           11     1300          4      200000     1.000      20
>           12     1300          4      200000     0.250      20
>           13     1950          3      200000     0.150      30
>           14     1950          3      200000     0.100      30
>           15     3900          2      200000     0.090      60
>           16     4600          1      200000     0.080      70
>
	My only comment with this, as with everthing in the MT design rules, is
the courseness of efficiency increses.  Were I to rewrite the table (and I am;
eventually Ill be done), I would take that 650 Mw/kl output increase from TL12
to TL13 an spreasd it around the lower tech levels.  This would make the TL
progression smoother and less of the X til TL-Y then Z from then on graininess
of the design charts.

>3.g._Time_to_charge_Jump_Energy_Sinks___________________________________________
>The process of jumping is essentially instantaneous.  Therefore, the primary
>limitation on how rapidly one may jump is the time required to charge up the
>energy sinks.  Should this time exceed two or three hours, the energy sinks may
>suffer severe damage, initiating a process which concludes in the destruction of
>the ship.
>
>The time to charge jump energy sinks may be computed as follows:
>
>  T = E X 60 / O
>
>T = time to charge jump energy sinks in minutes.
>E = energy required to jump in MW-hr.
>O = total power plant output in MW/hr.
>
>3.h._Jump_Fuel__________________________________________________________________
>All of the fuel consumed by the jump drive is consumed while charging the energy
>sinks.  Once the vessel has entered jump, no more fuel is consumed by the jump
>drive.
>
>The amount of fuel consumed while charging the energy sinks may be computed as
>folows:
>
>  F = V X R X T / 60
>
>F = volume of Jump Fuel in kilolitres.
>V = volume of power plant in kilolitres.
>R = fuel is kilolitres of fuel used per kilolitre of power plant per hour.
>T = time to jump in minutes.

	Very usefgul in the "When will he be in range" and "Can we jump before
they get here" situations.  Also, a partial task roll(off the top of my head):

	To decrease the amount of time to perform a jump:
	Difficult, Engineering, EDU
	REFEREE: if successful, roll on table, applying +2 if except.succ:
	3-5 = reduce jump time by 5%		
	6-8 = reduce jump time by 7%		
	9-11= reduce jump time by 10%
	12-14= reduce jump time by 13%		
	15-17= reduce jump time by 16%		
	18 =   reduce jump time by 20%
	If mishap occurs, superficial: no time decrease, jump relativity error
			  minor: minor damage to jump gov, repair before next
			   	  jump.
			  major: no jump, major damage to jump gov, minor
 				  fractures in Zuchai crystals
			  destroyed:  jump gov slagged, no jump performed,
 				       Zuchai crystals shattered.

	I can imagine times where this could save a lot of trouble for the
characters.

>This variant version of the Far Trader has a smaller High-Yield Fusion Power
>Plant, and a longer time to charge energy sinks.  Also, its HYFPP has reduced
>damaged/destroyed hit points.  The cargo volume is larger, but by only 2.8%.
>In addition, it is cheaper by MCr3.6.

	Perfect modification to a design for the free trader or trading
company.  This is the design 'tweaking' that is possible with the MT rules that
Classic Trav never had and TNE does away with.  When every credit counts, this
might be a better design.
	Indeed, an excellent set of rules, except, perhaps suffering from some
of the same problems MT suffers from only because they are written for MT.
Why couldnt DGP do things like this with MT?

						-Vanya

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6426
Date:         Mon, 06 Dec 93 19:31:04 PRT
From: "Pedro A.C. Tavares" <FTAVARES%PTEARN.BITNET@FRMOP11.CNUSC.FR>
Subject:      Star Cruiser

Hello everybody,

I just bought Star Cruiser and found a few mistakes and omissions in the rules.
specially in the Ship Design booklet.
Does anyone knows where I can find a more complete errata than the one
that acompanies the game?  By the way this errata may not be very complete
but GDW tries to balance that by the amount of erratas: my box had 6 in it!!!

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pedro A.C. Tavares

Faculdade de Ciencias - Universidade de Lisboa

Email: ftavares@ptearn.bitnet
       ftavares@ptearn.fc.ul.pt
       pedro@eltn.utwente.nl
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6427
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 93 13:49:28 -0500
From: mju@ftp.com (Mark Urbin)
Subject: FF&S ship date


  Is there any news on the ship date for Fire, Fusion & Steel?  Last I heard
was GDW shipped it off to the printer.
  Does anybody know what `extra goodies' are going to be packaged in the
Deluxe TNE box?

================================================================
Mark Urbin                      Internet:  mju@ftp.com
FTP Software, Inc.              Phone:   (508) 685-4000 ext 6403
2 High St
North Andover, MA 01845
================================================================

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6428
From: Mike Basinger <dbasinge@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: FF&S ship date
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 14:24:14 -0500 (EST)

>   Is there any news on the ship date for Fire, Fusion & Steel?  Last I heard
> was GDW shipped it off to the printer.
>   Does anybody know what `extra goodies' are going to be packaged in the
> Deluxe TNE box?

I heard it should be sent to distributor on Dec. 20th , and be in
gaming store by the 23th (according to GDW).

Deluxe TNE should be shipped the same day. Other than the errata, I'm
not sure what is new in it.

mike

- --
D. Michael Basinger: 	Not speaking for Indiana University
			dbasinge@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu
			dbasinge@arapahoe.ucs.indiana.edu (NeXT Mail)

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6429
From: Jerry Sanders <xminusjs@indirect.com>
Subject: The Traveller Chronicle - Submissions
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 93 19:27:28 MST

Several people have requested copies of the Submission Guidelines for TTC.
Instead of answering individually, I thought I'd post it here...

THE TRAVELLER CHRONICLE
* Submissions *

Unsolicited manuscripts become the property of Sword of the Knight
Publications and cannot be returned UNLESS accompanied by a large SASE.
Sword of the Knight is not responsible for articles lost in the mail.
Never send your only copy of an article. You will normally be notified
within 30 days of your articles acceptance, rejection, or need for a
rewrite. If you have not heard from us withintwo months, please inquire.
Accepted articles will be subject to editing.

Format: Sword of the Knight cannot consider hand written manuscripts. All
manuscripts must be double spaced on standard-sized white or off white
paper. The first page must contain the author's name. If more than one
manuscript is submitted at a time, please include the title on each page.

Articles and artwork may be submitted on floppy disk, but must be
accompanied by a hard copy of the above format. Sword of the Knight can
accept any IBM format (5 1/4" [360k, 1.2M] or 3 1/2" [720k, 1.44M, 2.88M,
21M] disks). Articles must come in either ASCII, Windows Write, or text
files readable by IBM compatable machines. Submissions by modem are
possible at this time. (Please contact Sword of the Knight about this
option.) Disks cannot be returned UNLESS accompanied by a SASE.

Always include clear, precise sketches of maps, diagrams, or pieces of
equipment for artist reference. If you send photocopies for artist
reference, always include the original source of publication. If your
article includes tables, send a printout of each table the way it should
appear to help our typesetters set it up correctly.

Payment: At this time Sword of the Knight cannot offer more than token
payment for any submissions which are accepted. 1/2 cent per word being
our standard rate. We hope that you will understand that since we are
still new, as well as small that our budget is extremely limited. As time
progresses, and suscribers increase, we will be able to offer more
reasonable rates of payment for your efforts.

*** Please note that if you accept payment for an article, the copyright
belongs to Sword of the Knight Publications. If you do not receive
payment, copyright remains with author/artist.****

Content: Sword of the Knight is interested in articles, adventures,
artwork, fiction, and rules varients from any era of the Traveller
universe as published by Game Design Workshop.

For further information, please contact us at the following address':

Editor:  Kevin Knight
         Sword of the Knight Publications
         2820 Sunset Lane #116
         Henderson, KY 42420
         USA

         Phone: (502) 826-1218
         e-mail: K.KNIGHT1@genie.geis.com

Contributing Editor:  Paul Sanders
                      P.O.Box 4512
                      Apache Junction, AZ 85278
                      USA

         Phone: (602) 982-1264
         e-mail: xminusjs@indirect.com

 Ok, thats it for the submission guideline. I have also had questions from
several people about subscription rates outside the US, and availability
of back issues. the answers to these are:

Subceriptions in North America are $12.00 (US) for four issues.
Subscriptions outside North America are $14.00 (US) for four issues sent
SURFACE mail...and $20.00 for four issues sent AIRMAIL.

Issues #1 & 2 are still abailable. Prices are $3.50 per issue in North
America, and $4.00 per issue (surface) outside North America.

All prices include postage of course.

***  We are presently trying to work out a swap arrangement with
Signal-GK. If all goes well, The Traveller Chronicle will be available in
the UK from Jae Campbell, and we will have Signal-GK available in North
America.....this should make both 'zines more widely available on both
sides of the Atlantic. ***

One last note. I spoke with Kevin on the phone last night, and TTC #3 is
shaping up nicely...we should have it back from the printers and in the
mail by mid-January.

Thanks to everyone for the constructive feedback to date. Please continue
letting us know what you'd like to see in future issues.

I followed the Traveller type books topic with some interest. Thought I'd
use  this chance to throw in a few of my favorite choices.

Hunting Rights, by P.M. Fergusson and G.L. Robson ( ANALOG, May 1988 )
Wenonah's Gift, by Molly Gloss ( ASIMOV, July 1986 )
Shaman, by Maya Kaathryn Bohnoff ( ANALOG, Mid-December 1990 )
Fatal Statistics, by Pauline Ashwell ( ANALOG, July 1988 )

Most are set in what I would call an era of Imperial Decline, and would work
well in the TNE era.

Later all,

Paul Sanders
( xminusjs@indirect.com )

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

Bundle: 522
Archive-Message-Number: 6430
From: j.kundert@genie.geis.com
Date: Tue,  7 Dec 93 05:24:00 BST
Subject: Salvage Rights

"Susan M. Shock" <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> says:
>Are there rules relating to costs involved in salvaging a ship?...
>Are there fees, such as salvage fees, registration fees, etc.? Taxes?
>How much can they expect to sell it for? (They want to sell it to the Imperial
>Navy). Are there any published rules sources, JTAS/Challenge articles, etc.
>that I could refer to?
  The only thing I have is an article on salvage rights and Pocket
Empires (many of whom might consider themselves the rightful heirs
of the Third Imperium, and thus the owners by default of all salvaged
hardware; makes the salvage business unpleasant).  I do have a few
thoughts on the matter, though.
  Since you mention the Imperial Navy as a possible buyer, I assume
you are playing during the Third Imperium.  This leads to an easy
transferance of some of today's salvage laws.  While I don't profess
to be an expert on salvage law, the following comes to mind:
 -Designated "War Grave" sites are off limits to most salvage, and
 any salvaged materials traceable to a War Grave could get the
 salvaging party in a lot of trouble.
 -A salvaged item like a ship has enough of a documented history
 that a rightful owner may be easy to track down.  If such is the
 case, the owner has a certain period of time in which to claim the
 salvaged item as his own.  This claim requires proof of ownership
 and payment of a percentage (like 10% or so; anyone got a better
 figure?) of the item's value to the salvagers.  If no owner claims
 rights to the salvage within the set time (generally a year or more)
 then the item may be kept by the salvagers or auctioned off to the
 highest bidder (or just plain sold, depends on the local laws).
 Cases where ownership is obviously open (such as three-century-old
 privately-owned no-heirs-remaining ships) may be expedited.
 -Salvaged items with no "provenance" (ie. no traceable history or
 owner) may not have to wait the year to be sold.
 -Everybody pays taxes.  For the salvagers, a ship would count as a
 "capital gain" if kept, or "income" if sold or claimed.
 -Salvagers might have a licensing law similar to the procedure
 that starmercs go through, but I doubt it.  Salvage in Imperial
 space can be done by nearly anyone, and trying to license and
 regulate it would be more work than it's worth.  Note that this
 might be different in certain systems, but would only apply to
 salvage _within_ that system.  System governments that license
 salvagers are also probably licensing belters, and are probably
 rather anal about it.
 -In most instances, salvage is Imperial "business" and salvaged
 items like ships would be registered at the local Navy or Scout
 base (Navy preferred).  There may indeed be a fee for registering
 a salvaged item, but it would be determined by your opinion of
 the Imperial Navy.  If the Navy considers salvagers to be scummy
 people in a scummy business, then the fees will be high.  If the
 Navy is less prejudiced about these matters, then the fee is likely
 to be fairly low (either fixed Cr100 or Cr1000 per item, or 0.1%
 of value).
 -Salvage with living persons aboard is considered "Rescue" and uses a
 different set of rules and regs. See the very beginning of _Aliens_
 for the typical salvager's opinion of "Rescue work".
  Of course, if you are playing in unclaimed space, or in the New Era,
all bets are off.  Salvage rights will then depend on local governmental
need & greed.  You have been warned ;)


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

 "It's a monkey thing. You wouldn't understand."

------------------------------
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 523  6431 07-Dec-1993 j.kundert@genie  RE: Laser Focussing << hobbes@spacemans
 523  6432 06-Dec-1993 Caffine Achieve  X-ray lasers, gravitic lenses << [Forwa
 523  6433 07-Dec-1993 Adrian Hurt      Re: Gravitic focussing << hobbes@spacem
 523  6434 07-Dec-1993                  subscribe << subscribe Angela Fuerst
 523  6435 07-Dec-1993 burnchrome@aol.  traveller info << Yo,
 523  6436 08-Dec-1993 davis@licre.lud  Gravity generators and acceleration <<
 523  6437 08-Dec-1993 pihlab@cbr.hhcs  lasers <<                   I N T E R O
 523  6438 08-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Jump Drive Rules Question << Hello All:
 523  6439 08-Dec-1993 "Susan M. Shock  RE: Traveller Chronicle << I received t
 523  6440 08-Dec-1993 Goldman of Chao  Sharing of game ideas. << I'd be intere
 523  6441 08-Dec-1993 Tektronix        TML admin down (and out) << This look p
 523  6442 08-Dec-1993 Caffine Achieve  Hard SF/Soft SF/& Miniatures << Even th
 523  6443 09-Dec-1993 Stewart Eyres    X-ray lasers << Ed Fok--
 523  6444 09-Dec-1993 Glennis Perkins  Robo-TML still open for business << For
 523  6445 09-Dec-1993 The Flynnman     Re: TML nightly: Msgs 6435-6441 V65#9 <
 523  6446 09-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Guns Guns Guns << Hello all:
 523  6447 09-Dec-1993 James T Perkins  Hooray!  I'm back! << Sort of... The ma
 523  6448 09-Dec-1993 Will Hartung -   FF&S << Maybe I didn't catch the latest
 523  6449 10-Dec-1993 David Sansom     re: lo-tech xray lasers << If I remembe
 523  6450 10-Dec-1993 Peter H. Brento  playability vs. reality << Ah, the ulti
 523  6451 10-Dec-1993 Peter H. Brento  skill level effects << I have been wond

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6431
From: j.kundert@genie.geis.com
Date: Tue,  7 Dec 93 07:31:00 BST
Subject: RE: Laser Focussing

hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp) says:

>I just picked up Challenge 71 and read 'Brilliant Lances Design Notes'
>by David Nilsen.  I have a few gripes I want to throw out to the list for
>discussion.
>
>My gripe or gripes mainly has to do with 'gravitic focusing' of lasers.

 <snip>

>I dunno, by breaking the laws of optics, it seems to throw their whole
>system out of whack...

  Only if you know too much.

>If gravitic focusing really throws their system out of whack, I guess I'd
>rather have beam weapons restricted in range to tens of thousands of
>kilometers.  Then you'd have to get close to do some damage, or you'd
>have to rely on missiles more.
>
>I dunno, what do you guys think?


  Frankly, I think I don't care.  Having watched too many of these
"falling damage in D&D" discussions to count, I have adopted an attitude
of "if the _rule_ works, who cares what reality does".  From my point
of view, the rules work.  Reality can go hang.  The intense-gravity-
focusing explanation isn't important to how the rules work in practice,
so it's not important at all.  It is sufficient that lasers can reach
extreme distances at the higher tech levels, and that they can deliver
a great deal of damage when they get there.

  To address the power problem specifically, it has already been
established that a scoutship can be placed under a 1g internal gravity
field for a mere 7 megawatts (Brilliant Lances, pg 19).  That same 7 MW
is sufficient to compensate for 6g of maneuver thrust, provided the
Scout had such engines.  Obviously Imperials know something about
artificial gravity generation that we don't.  The generator capable of
these feats is all of 14 cubic meters in volume.  I have no trouble
believing that a smaller device could generate much higher gravity
fields in much smaller areas for brief instants of time (the discharge
time of a laser turret, in this case), given the "super-capacitors"
that laser turrets have in them and the increased volume of said
turret.
  As for why they don't use this technology for drive purposes, my
answer is that they probably are.  the HEPlaR drive in standard use
in TNE is mighty efficient for mere heat-exchange technology, and
frankly I wouldn't be surprised to find high gravitic fields involved
there as well.  I feel more comfortable with my super-gravity generator
working in a specially prepared chamber _BEHIND_ me than I would if
I were being pulled along by the gravity itself, implying a high-G
field directly _IN_FRONT_ of me.  Alan Dean Foster can keep it.


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

 "It's a monkey thing. You wouldn't understand"


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6432
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 93 22:12:13 PST
From: Caffine Achiever! <fok@scf.usc.edu>
Subject: X-ray lasers, gravitic lenses

[Forwarded to traveller@engrg.uwo.ca.  Came to traveller-request alone.
Watch the auto-reply address, Ed -- James]

>From: hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp)
>Subject: Brilliant Lances Design Notes & Gravitic focusing...
>Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 19:00:10 -0700 (MST)

>If gravitic focusing really throws their system out of whack, I guess
>I'd
>rather have beam weapons restricted in range to tens of thousands of
>kilometers.  Then you'd have to get close to do some damage, or you'd
>have to rely on missiles more.

I also have a problem with the way CT/MT/T:TNE treated artifical
gravity.  I did a little digging in my trusty physics book and found
that there isn't any unique diffculty in creating a X-ray pulse.
(Obviously so since it is routinely used in medical and engineering
equipments.)  Anyway, I found that if a heat source can be maintained at
a temperature of 483000 Kelvin (I see a plasma here) about 66% of the
energy it radiates will be in the upper x-ray band (about 6 x 10-9
meters).  With proper cooling and using the same technolgy used to
confine the much hotter plasma found in fusion reactors, So big
shipmounted x-ray lasers ahould be possible at relatively low tech
levels.

As far as pointing the beam it would be much easier and simpler to
float the emitter mechanism using magnetic suspension technology.
Especially if you game in a "No-Gravity Control" universe...

So In any case, there really isn't any need for the 'gravity lense' in
the current BL.  Imagine a crew person walking by an active grav lense
laser,..THUNK! "Help I've fallen on the ceiling and I can't get down." :))

- -Ed Fok

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6433
From: adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt)
Subject: Re: Gravitic focussing
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 93 18:23:15 WET

hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp) writes:
>
> My gripe or gripes mainly has to do with 'gravitic focusing' of lasers.
> ....
> Now I went futzing around with some basic physics equations:
>
> Law (?) of Gravity
>
>                (m1)(m2)
>       F  = -G ---------  where G = 6.672E-11 Nm^2/(kg^2)
>                  r*r
>
>
> Einsteins Equation  :   E = mc^2
>
> I wanted to see how much energy (E) it would take to replace m1 by E/(c^2)
> to create a gravity point source that would exert 1g acceleration at 1m
> distance.  I came up with 5.09 x 10^21 (!!!) Joules.  That becomes Watts
> if it's over time.

I don't know how the analysis should go, but that looks *extremely* dodgy.
For one thing, that figure doesn't seem to take any account of the mass of
the object being accelerated, and the day someone figures out how to
supply 1G acceleration to 10,000,000 kg of mass for the same amount of
energy as it takes to supply 1G acceleration to 0.0000001 kg of mass is the
day that someone is going to figure out how to make free energy.  For another
thing, you can't interchange Joules and Watts that easily, as someone found
out a few threads ago (remember the stuff about computer power consumption? :-)

> However, how much gravity (mass -> energy) does it take to bend light?  All
> I can recall is Mr. Spock telling Cpt. Kirk that the selective bending of
> light is extraodinarily expensive.

True, mainly because light moves very fast, so to do anything significant to
its path you need a lot of acceleration, i.e. a lot of gravity.  I for one do
not intend to be in a spaceship anywhere near a gravity well capable of doing
something useful to a light beam!

> However, since they stated they can "create an intense point source of
> gravity", then why not have 'impulse drive' for system travel.  It's the old
> idea of space being a fabric, that a gravity well is like pushing a finger
> down in the fabric thus creating a 'well'.  Put a marble on the fabric, close
> enough to your finger and the marble will fall into the well.  Now, since
> we can "create an intense point source of gravity", why not just project
> it out in front of the ship.  By shifting the gravity point source around
> the ship, we can change our direction.  By intensifying or lessening the
> source, we change the  magnitude of our acceleration.  And if we can
> do this, why the need for all that reaction mass?

Newton's 3rd law puts a stop to that.  If the gravity generator is exerting
a force on the ship, then the ship is exerting the same force on the gravity
generator.  Whatever is holding them apart is going to have to be pretty
tough if it isn't going to get squashed.  And if it doesn't get squashed,
then neither the ship nor the gravity generator are going anywhere.  You
don't need a hefty gravity generator to play this trick, anyway - an iron
hull and a large magnet will behave the same way.

> If gravitic focusing really throws their system out of whack, I guess I'd
> rather have beam weapons restricted in range to tens of thousands of
> kilometers.  Then you'd have to get close to do some damage, or you'd
> have to rely on missiles more.

Delete everything before "I guess" in the above paragraph, and you get my
preference. :-)

- --
 "Keyboard?  How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cee
 UUCP: ..!uknet!cee.hw.ac.uk!adrian  |  ARPA:  adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6434
From: <AFUERST@midas.sinclair.edu>
Subject: subscribe
Date: 07 Dec 93 16:59:15 EDT

subscribe Angela Fuerst


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6435
From: burnchrome@aol.com
Reply-To: <burnchrome@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 93 22:05:06 EST
Subject: traveller info

Yo,

In the mid eighties I ran several Traveller Campaigns with the original
rules. I have "fallen" away from RPG's, but am now looking to get back up to
speed with the new rules. What I am looking for are resources for Traveller
products and campaigns in the greater Boston area. Can anyone help?

Paul Murphy
Burnchrome@aol.com

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6436
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1993 14:14:51 EST
From: davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au
Subject: Gravity generators and acceleration

adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt) writes in answer to
hobbes@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com (Stephen Camp):
>Newton's 3rd law puts a stop to that.  If the gravity generator is exerting
>a force on the ship, then the ship is exerting the same force on the gravity
>generator.  Whatever is holding them apart is going to have to be pretty
>tough if it isn't going to get squashed.  And if it doesn't get squashed,
>then neither the ship nor the gravity generator are going anywhere.  You
>don't need a hefty gravity generator to play this trick, anyway - an iron
>hull and a large magnet will behave the same way.

The other problem is that of tidal forces.  For a really powerful point gravity
source (read: singularity) which is that close to you, the difference in force
across the depth of your body will tear you to bits.  Robert L. Forward
postulated a novel way of getting around this, though.  All you need to do is
create a torus out of a black hole which is continually rotating in on itself
(as opposed to radially).  You aim it at a distant star, fly right through the
middle, and because the forces are equal in all directions you can be
accelerated at terrific accelerations without tidal problems.  To stop at the
far end, simply reverse the procedure.  Of course, all of this can be
accomplished with materials found in the average kitchen...

I agree with an earlier poster: if the rules work, forget about reality.  If
you or your players are such sticklers for realism then any game involving FTL
travel must by definition be out of bounds anyway.

Ian Davis                                      davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6437
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1993 13:23:08 +1000
From: pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: lasers


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:1993-Dec-08 02:22pm
                                        From:     Bruce Pihlamae
                                                  PIHLAMAE BRUCE
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   (06) 289-7056

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: lasers


  On lasers:

  The Australian (newspaper) had an article in the computer section on a
  (new?) laser light generation method which does not involve lenses.  My
  copy of the newspaper is gone but somebody might still have a copy and fill
  in the dots and dashes below.

  The pulse is generated at 90 degrees to the emitter rather than 'in the
  conventional way'.  Also , the light is not parallel, it converges at a
  controllable rate.  So you have more control and a smaller emitter.  Its
  geared more to the low power computer communications environment but I was
  just wondering how powerful these could get if we specificly built for
  military use and extrapolated forward a couple of tech levels?

  Anyone else see the article?

  On game realism:

  Many TMLers are truth, justice and the REAL UNIVERSE way supporters and
  I've seen many screens of TML talk about how and why this should work this
  way and how to make things REALISTIC.  Traveller has been very popular
  because a lot of it is believable (with only a few stretches of the
  imagination and the current laws of physics).

  I liked the old Traveller before they started explaining how everything
  worked and had to squeaze and shoe horn things into the real universe.  I
  even had the JUMP and MANOUVER drives rationalised in my games and then GDW
  decide to bring in reaction masses and MORE REALISM.  If you can have a
  JUMP drive, why can't you have a reactionless MANOUVER drive.

  I personally, have no problem with being able to carry around and use a
  mega-watt laser pistol provided the game rules make such an item PLAYABLE.
  I don't want (or need) to know HOW it works.  Even Anti-gravity doesn't
  hurt provided the GM kills off anybody who has plans to make perpetual
  motion machines etc.

  How about putting some FICTION back into SCIENCE FICTION.

  If this really upsets the REALISTIC players then that's not my problem so
  please send all cries of sacrilege and the barbed & witty replies to the
  nearest bit bucket (unless they're really fun to read 8^}).

  Just my 2 cents worth.


  Bruce....      pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au



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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6438
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Jump Drive Rules Question
Date: 	Wed, 8 Dec 1993 01:21:09 -0330

Hello All:

    In regards to Lewis Taylor Goss's Jump Drive Rules, I was wondering how the
High Yield Fusion Power Plant Output figures were arrived at. I mean, I notice
that they are all multiples of 650 Mw, but Why? How do we arrive at the idea
that the Fusion Plants can be run for such an increase in output/Kl volume?

    Further... If we apply this concept to Antimatter Power Plants, to what
degree could we increase the yield of said power plant? The Reason I ask this
is that we could conceivably create jump drives which utilize Antimatter Power
that require much less refuelling (or less fuel space) or Less Drive space.
This would be the way to go in higher tech-level designs, especially for
military vessels.

    Of course, the day of the Antimatter Jump Drive installed on a Free Trader
is still way in the future... 8->

    Anthony

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6439
Date:         Wed, 08 Dec 93 12:50:24 EST
From: "Susan M. Shock" <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      RE: Traveller Chronicle

I received two issues of this magazine in a swap with Kevin Knight for some
Traveller materials I wanted, and I have to say it is an excellent magazine,
better perhaps even than the old Journal! For those of you who DON'T know, the
magazine publishes artciles from Charles Gannon (author of HARD TIMES and the
excellent ASTROGATOR'S GUIDE TO THE DIASPORA SECTOR), and is even publishing
material about the old Far Frontiers sector by one of the people formerly with
FASA who was working on it. (Name escapes me.) I admit, I'd like to see a bit
more New Era content, but that will come in time. All in all, this is a great
magazine for fans of all Traveller eras and versions, and I heartily endorse it
 and plan on subscribing myself as soon as I can scrape together the cash. (I'm
having a money crunch right now...paying $60 for Azhanti High Lightning will do
that to you...)

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6440
Subject: Sharing of game ideas.
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 93 14:13:02 GMT+4622364:40
From: goldman@orac.cray.com (Goldman of Chaos -- postmaster CRI-US)
Reply-To: goldman@orac.cray.com

I'd be interested in sharing campaign idease.  To get the ball
rolling, here is a sketch for a group that will be starting this
Sunday.

If you are one of the lurkers in my group, don't read the rest of my
message.  Please excuse my spelling and grammer errors.



Operation: Imperium

Time: Early in 1105, Imperial calander.

Section 1: Insertion

The main goal of this section of the adventure is to get the players
familiar with the mechanics of getting from place to place.  By the
end of this series of adventures, the players will be in Imperial
space with Imperial identity papers.

Start by giving players a new set of identity papers and travel
instructions.

	Nationality:	Zhodani
	Occupation:	Zhodani Navy Officers
	Travel reason:	Assignment shift.
	Travel orders:	Take naval transportation from Chronor (0303
		Spinward Marches) to Querion (0614 Spinward Marches).
		Check into Radison South Vladivostok and await
		contact.

The first part of their journey will be rather easy.  They will manage
to get transport from the Naval vessel "Long Star".  The planets they
will stop in will be the following:

	Jump 1: Chronor to Atsa
		B4337CA-A Zhodani Military Base, Poor, Non-Ag
		Domed cities, happy very well controled masses.  Very
		strict laws.

	Jump 2: Atsa to Ninjar
		A211666-C Zhodani Military Base, Non-Ag, Non-In
		Most of the people here are connected to the military
		base.

	Jump 3: Ninjar to Sheyou
		B756779-A Zhodani Military Base, Agricultural
		Balkanized government.  A number of farming
		collectives and a large transportation food storage
		co-op.  The co-op controls the area of the starport.

	Jump 4: Sheyou to Rapp's World
		C592320-8 Zhodani Military Base, Non-In
		LA smog like world.  Recovering from a nuclear war.

	Jump 5: Rapp's World to Querion
		B254788-9 Zhodani Military Base, Agricultural
		Vastly overcrouded.  Civil Service bureaucracy.  Great
		place to get lost and/or change identities.

The "Long Star" needs to have at least jump-3, preferable jump-4.
This ship and crew should be reusable at a later time period.  Build
it at tech 13 or tech 14.  This is a ordinary vessel, not a special
souped up spy ship.  (Detailed elsewhere, with deck plans.)

At the Radison South Vladivostok the players will be met by agents of
SORAG.  The players will be given new identity papers and travel
instructions.  They will also be given a sealed box.  If asked the
contact will tell them that the box contains a holy relic of Pavabid.
Up to 30,000 CR will be made available to them _if_they_ask_ for
additional funds.

	Nationality:	Pavabid (independant 1238 Spinward Marches)
	Occupation:	Pavabid religious cult members.
	Travel reason:	Returning holy relic to Pavabid.
	Travel orders:	Proceed to Hrunting (0921 Spinward Marches) by
		available transportation.  Check into the Radison
		New Berlin within 2 months and await contact.
	Background:	Pavabid is an amberzone strictly controled by
		a fanatic religious cult.  Sort of Ninja-Amish.

This next part of the journey will be more difficult.  The players
will need to maintain the illusion of being from Pavabid.  More than
likely they will have to make a number of jumps to get there.

	Hurunting: B463747-9
		Imperial Scout base
		Swords world naval base
		Rich world

At the Radison New Berlin the players will be met by SORAG agents
after a few days.  The players will be given new identity papers and
travel instructions.

Just some other notes:

I run the Zhodani as sort of a cross between the Soviets and the
Japanese.  The slant is that the Imperium *tries* to pass itself off
as a bunch of nice guys; however, see Adventure 1: Kuniur (sp?).

Comments?

Matt
- --
Matthew Goldman  E-mail: goldman@orac.cray.com Work: (612) 683-3061

My day today? Nothing major, just Xenon base gone, Scorpio gone,
Tarrant dead, Tarrant alive and then I found out Blake sold us out.

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6441
From: James Perkins (Tektronix) <jamesp@engrg.uwo.ca>
Subject: TML admin down (and out)
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 93 19:29:34 EST
Reply-To: glennisp@efn.org

This look pretty bad at SPectra-Physics.  The name service is down and
no email, news, ftp, telnet, nothin' is going in... or out.

Since we lost our network administrator in the layoff a couple weeks
ago, we've been operating on borrowed time, and that time is now up.
Here's hoping I get back online sometime -- you will all be the first to
know.

Grump, grump.  Growl.

In the meantime, in a pinch, you can mail me at my wife's account, at
glennisp@efn.org

James Perkins

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6442
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 93 22:21:00 PST
From: Caffine Achiever! <fok@scf.usc.edu>
Subject: Hard SF/Soft SF/& Miniatures

Even though I admit to be one of the "Hard Sci-Fi" people I'd have to
agree that MT/T:TNE has its appeals.  But one of the great thing about
Traveller is that it's so easy to adapt to whatever genra one's gaming
in.

 ....and my group just happens to be a bunch of engineers who spends
way too much thinking about this during their off hours.  You people
won't believe some of the stuff that comes up during game sessions..(8o

BTW, Does any know when the new T:TNE miniatures are due to hit the
streets?

- -EF


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6443
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 08:09:19 +0000 (GMT)
From: Stewart Eyres <spe@jb.man.ac.uk>
Subject: X-ray lasers

Ed Fok--

If I understand your posting correctly, you are talking about a
thermally emitting plasma, i.e. one that is just radiating because it is
trying v. v. hard to cool down.  I don't think this can be used like a
laser.  The X-rays are emitted in all directions, so you don't get a
beam.  The radiation isn't coherent, which means all the peaks and
troughs of the light waves tend to cancel, reducing the average
intensity.  The idea of a laser is that the light is coherent, so that
the peaks and troughs add.  Also, a laser relies on mirrors to bounce the
X-rays back and forth through the lasing-medium, so that each photon has
plenty of chance to create more photons (leading to the all important
amplification).  The trouble with X-rays is that they are a bugger to
reflect, so by conventional Traveller wisdom X-ray lasers appear at TL
13.

Sorry to put a damper on low-tech X-ray lasers :-)

_____________________________________________________________________________
"Traveller Done Wrong
	- Let's get the Fiction back into Science Fiction Roleplaying"

Stewart								N.R.A.L.
								Jodrell Bank
								Macclesfield
spe@jb.man.ac.uk						Cheshire
								SK11 9DL
____________________________________________________________________________


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6444
From: glennisp@efn.org (Glennis Perkins)
Subject: Robo-TML still open for business
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 07:37:04 -0800 (PST)

Forwarded message:
> From: A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk
> Date: Thu, 9 Dec 93 09:01:23 GMT
> To: glennisp@efn.org
>
> Terribly sorry to bother you, but I'd like to ask a stupid question...
>
> Does James' problem with his mail, etc. mean that there's no point me mailing
> to traveller@engrg, etc. or is the system still working? Is it just James
> who is affected?
>
> Hope I'm not one of hundreds contacting you like this?
>
> Andy Lilly
> Commander, PITS Team (Political Intelligence Team, Scout)
> Nothing I say or do here in anyway reflects the views of my very kind,
> understanding and generally wonderful employers
>

The TML is still alive and well, although it is totally on robotic control.
I hope that I will have email back up this week sometime, but it's
hard to tell for sure.

James, TML Admin (posting from wife's account)

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6445
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 93 13:22:34 -0500
From: sco@po.cwru.edu (The Flynnman)
Subject: Re: TML nightly: Msgs 6435-6441 V65#9

>TML nightly     Wed Dec  8 20:30:02 EST 1993    Volume 65 : Issue 9
- -
>
>Bundle: 523
>Archive-Message-Number: 6440
>Subject: Sharing of game ideas.
>Date: Wed, 8 Dec 93 14:13:02 GMT+4622364:40
>From: goldman@orac.cray.com (Goldman of Chaos -- postmaster CRI-US)
>Reply-To: goldman@orac.cray.com
>
>I'd be interested in sharing campaign idease.  To get the ball
>rolling, here is a sketch for a group that will be starting this
>Sunday.
>
>Comments?
>
>Matt


I for one would like to hear the rest of this idea.  If it is available,
could you post it or mail it to me.

The Flynnman

- --
Sean C. O'Toole    | Theta Chi Fraternity | In Service to the Dragon Throne
Political Science  |   Beta Nu  Chapter   |        Flann mac Floinn
sco@po.CWRU.Edu    |   "Men Since 1856"   |        House Bean an Oir
Go POSC - xx087    | CWRU - Go Spartans!! |    Barony of  the Cleftlands
       "All I ask is for a tall ship, and a star to steer her by."



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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6446
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Guns Guns Guns
Date: 	Thu, 9 Dec 1993 16:52:40 -0330

Hello all:

	Could anyone tell me what company put out Guns Guns Guns? I want to order
it but my local Hobby/Gaming/Basket Weaving store has never heard of it.

	And they said with a title like that, they would remember it.

	Thanks,
	Anthony

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6447
Subject: Hooray!  I'm back!
Reply-To: jamesp@sp-eug.com (James T Perkins)
Date: Thu, 09 Dec 93 12:02:40 PST
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@server0.uwo.ca>


Sort of... The machine I usually use (sp-eug) is still kinda wacky, but
I did get it to recognize the existence of the Internet again today, so
email to and from me (jamesp@sp-eug.com) works again. Even better, I
know exactly what went wrong and how to fix it if it happens again.

Please cease and desist from using the glennisp@efn.org address.

Hip-hip-hooray!

James

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6448
Subject: FF&S
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 93 14:26:37 PST
From: Will Hartung - Master Rallyeist <villy@uunet.uu.net>
Reply-To: la4gen!villy@uunet.uu.net

Maybe I didn't catch the latest from GDW, but I did notice that
November came and went and FF&S didn't pop up. Is it going to ship
and be in the stores before Christmas? or should I just wait until
next year. (i.e. should I stop hounding my game store "is it in
yet???")

Thanx!
Will
(la4gen!villy@uunet.uu.net)


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6449
From: David Sansom <david@camscan.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 09:51:03 GMT
Subject: re: lo-tech xray lasers



If I remember right (which is unlikely :-) the US DoD did some experiments
with xray lasers for the "Star Wars" (SDI) program.  These invloved a nuke
as the trigger, surrounded by rods of lasing material.  This was probably
a "single pass" type of laser (ie no bouncing back & forth to get really
good amplification) and relied on the fact that the xrays went faster than
the heat/shock wave which destroyed the laser rods.

I think one was tested in an underground detonation test but I don't think
the results were very good.  Any one remember anything more about this one ?

Dave (going back to lurking :-) Sansom

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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6450
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 10:47:23 CST
From: Peter H. Brenton <pete@biochem.uchicago.edu>
Subject: playability vs. reality

Ah, the ultimate conflict.  More important than Good vs. Evil etc.

If you think this subject has been beaten to death already, skip this msg.

Traveller is a Science Fiction role playing game.  The attraction of the
genre for many has been the potential reality of the stories (and games)
which are a part of that genre.  Now, I can make some pretty far-fetched
things explainable (magic as psionics for example).  However, the
technology used typically in traveller should be easily explainable since
we are relatively close to that tech now.

On the other hand,  I have played some pretty boring games with lifelike
damage ("He shoots you with a handgun (roll some dice), youre dead.").

Play balance is always the most important factor.  But the science in this
game is just as important to many players.  Fortunately, Scientific theory
(and sometimes scientific fact) has the ability to "bend over backwards" to
fit just about any situation.  The major problem with developing your own
scientific 'facts' to substantiate actions is that smart players will get a
hold of them and use them in previously unforseen ways.  (wouldn't a point-
gravity generating device be a great weapon?)

It seems to me that the most important thing to do with any technological
explanation is to explore the implications of the existence of the technology
involved, both the scientific and the social.  This is, in fact, the essence
of science fiction; the social, political, and scientific effects of technology.
The best games (and novels) I have seen emphasize the Social and Political, and
actually downplay the scientific (to the role of background, as it should be).

I have a few suggestions to retain play balance in the face of technology;

1) limit or curtail 'specialized' characters.  After a certain skill level (4 in CT),
I double the cost-per-skill level of all skills.  This is to discourage having
experts in the part inventing new items (High-energy weapons expert inventing
a fusion pistol).

2) Combine different areas of technology to explain the more difficult-to-explain
items.  To explain the 'point-gravity source' I would tell characters it was the
product of gravitics, high-energy physics, Astrophysics, and computer or robotics
technology.  By throwing in astrophysics, as well as a number of different skills
I essentially interdict developing the technology. (Not many PCs take astrophysics
skill).  And by saying that the latest of all of these technologies are being used,
I make further development less likely in the near term.

Happy Travelling!

- -Pete

"The opinions expressed certainly have nothing whatever to do with
the University of Chicago or the Department of Biochemistry (I just
work there and use their toys)."

Peter Brenton					   (312) 702-0030
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	pete@biochem.uchicago.edu
The University of Chicago	


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

Bundle: 523
Archive-Message-Number: 6451
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 11:13:36 CST
From: Peter H. Brenton <pete@biochem.uchicago.edu>
Subject: skill level effects

I have been wondering how people use skill levels in T:TNE compared to
CT and MT.

We had a simple method with CT (and MT);

Skill level	Education
    0		Passing familiarity, 1 basic training session
    1		Familiarity, 1 training session/equal practice
    2           Well acquainted, Undergrad coursework or several year's
			experience.
    3		Field of study, Undergrad Major+grad work, One of only two
		 	or three life study subjects
    4		Graduate degree in subject, life's work (or one of 2 or 3)
    5		Graduate + several year's experience in field
    6		(NPCs only) Top in the field, Lifes work (no other skills above
			level 3 allowed).

To put it as an example, The better the skill the more the character can do with
less;

Skill; Vacc Suit

level 0    can get into one without putting the arms in the leg holes
level 1    can do minor (temporary) repairs with a patch kit only
level 2    can do some permanent patching (with a kit), can improvise minor patches
		from other vacc suits.
level 3	   can do permanent patches from other vacc suits, major repairs with a kit
		minor (temp) patches with improvised items (baggies + superglue),
		can make a vacc suit with the right material and equipment
level 4	   can make a vacc suit from some improvised material, patches and repairs
		with 100% improvised material (plastic shrink wrap, aluminum foil
		and bubble gum, oatmeal).
level 5    can manufacture a vacc suit from a case of condoms, a jar of KY jelly
		and a five rolls of dental floss
level 6	   can teach someone else how to make a vacc suit from condoms, KY jelly
		and dental floss.

What I want to know, is how do the T:TNE skill levels stack up?
The above was what we came up with as a general guide.  Does anyone else
have some humorous examples?

- -pete

"The opinions expressed certainly have nothing whatever to do with
the University of Chicago or the Department of Biochemistry (I just
work there and use their toys)."

Peter Brenton					   (312) 702-0030
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	pete@biochem.uchicago.edu
The University of Chicago	

------------------------------
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 524  6452 10-Dec-1993 Derek Wildstar   Re: X-ray lasers << Stewart Eyres <spe@
 524  6453 10-Dec-1993 James T Perkins  Testing 80-line limit exception << This
 524  6454 10-Dec-1993 TML Administrat  Announcing the 80-character line length
 524  6455 10-Dec-1993 kenhagler@aol.c  3G and a vehicle design << Anthony Neal
 524  6456 12-Dec-1993 Mark Watson      Forthcoming TNE releases << A while bac
 524  6457 13-Dec-1993 pihlab@cbr.hhcs  Miniatures Format <<
 524  6458 13-Dec-1993 langsl@cbr.hhcs  Striker II <<                   I N T E
 524  6459 13-Dec-1993 A.S.Lilly@bnr.c  Re: Books, Loren Wiseman and skills <<
 524  6460 13-Dec-1993 George Herbert   Re: TML nightly: Msgs 6457-6459 V65#13
 524  6461 13-Dec-1993 FELLOWS STEVEN   Chanur series/Merchant Campaign << A.S.
 524  6462 14-Dec-1993 Goldman of Chao  question... << 1) Before I go to the tr
 524  6463 14-Dec-1993 Mark Watson      Striker II << In-Reply-To: <9312140131.
 524  6464 14-Dec-1993 "Ed Sharpe"      Striker II <<     Well I would prefer a

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6452
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 13:07:09 -0500
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@quark.qrc.com>
Subject: Re: X-ray lasers

Stewart Eyres <spe@jb.man.ac.uk> writes:

> If I understand your posting correctly, you are talking about a
> thermally emitting plasma, i.e. one that is just radiating because it is
> trying v. v. hard to cool down.  I don't think this can be used like a
> laser.  The X-rays are emitted in all directions, so you don't get a
> beam.  The radiation isn't coherent, which means all the peaks and
> troughs of the light waves tend to cancel, reducing the average
> intensity.

No, you can't use it as a laser, but you can use it to pump a laser.
Let me explain (see below, the explanation of nuclear-pumped X-ray lasers is
at the bottom, below the general background on laser technology).

> The idea of a laser is that the light is coherent, so that
> the peaks and troughs add.  Also, a laser relies on mirrors to bounce the
> X-rays back and forth through the lasing-medium, so that each photon has
> plenty of chance to create more photons (leading to the all important
> amplification).  The trouble with X-rays is that they are a bugger to
> reflect, so by conventional Traveller wisdom X-ray lasers appear at TL
> 13.

That's for a "conventional" laser, like the crystalline or gas lasers that
you see in a lab nowadays.  However, some pretty interesting work has been
done by the US Department of Defense on unconventional lasers.  One source
of information is the Congressional Research Office's white paper "Directed
Energy Missile Defense in Space", available from the US Government Printing
Office.  This paper presents the basics of the technology in a clear (if
dry) manner, at a level intended to be intelligable by the average
Congressional staffer.

Let me supply some background.  For my purposes right now, I'll call anything
that emits coherent light a "laser", whether or not it actually relies on
the classic Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
principle.  Physicists in the group can skip the rest; it's "popular" level
science (and may well contain some errors, for which I apologise).

Classic laser technology relies on two things: first, a "population
inversion" - that is, there must be more excited ("charged", or ready
to emit a photon) atoms or molecules of the lasing material than in the
ground state ("uncharged").  Second is the principle of stimulated
emission: if a photon passes near an excited atom, the chances are
relatively high that the excited atom will emit an identical
photon (same frequency, same phase, going in the same direction).  This
creates a sort of an "avalanche effect", building to a pulse of coherent
light of respectable size.  For best effect, mirrors are used to make a
"resonant cavity" some exact multiple of the wavelength of the light.  The
photons bounce back and forth, stimulating the emission of more photons,
until the pulse has reached it's peak power.

You can dispense with the resonant cavity if you are willing to put up with
ridiculously low efficiencies, and can provide a relatively long lasing
element that can somehow get pumped all at once.  Of course, such a laser
will emit a beam from both ends (further reducing efficency, unless you have
a use for both beams).  The stimulated emission "avalanche efect" still
happens (resonant cavity or not), but without the mirrors, a longer run is
needed to build up a pulse of equivalent power.  In addition, a significant
number of excited atoms or molecules won't emit a photon, even though the
"avalanche" passes near them.  If a resonant cavity is present, each of
these gets several chances to emit, as the light is reflected back and forth.
Without it, each one of these non-emitters is a lost opportunity, and wasted
pumping energy.

The very first lasers were crystalline affairs.  Impurities in a crystal
(ruby, as I recall) are the lasing element.  The crystal itself formed the
resonant cavity, and the energy to pump the laser was provided by a
flashtube wound around the crystal.

Gas lasers are similar, except that the energy is usually provided
electrically (by sending an electrical current through the gas, like a neon
sign) instead of optically.  Dye lasers use a dye suspended in a liquid (or
other substance, such as Jell-O) as the lasing element, and energy is
supplied by optical pumping (the flashtube again).

Chemical lasers supply the energy for the laser beam by a chemical reaction.
The lasing element can be almost anything, but is typically a gas resulting
from the chemical reaction, flowing into and through a resonant cavity.

Solid-state lasers (ie: laser diodes) don't rely on mirrors, or on a lasing
medium.  They emit coherent light directly, in much the same way that a
LED (Light Emitting Diode) emits non-coherent light (in fact, some LEDs will
emit coherent light if cooled to very low tempretures).  The energy for
these lasers is electrical, and the laser converts it directly to light.

A free electron laser emits coherent light by arranging for an electron beam
to pass down a "wiggler" - a series of magnets that bend the beam into a
series of up-and-down zigzags.  As the electron beam bends, the electrons
emit coherent light.  By arranging the wiggles just right, the light from
each zig and zag adds up to a powerful coherent beam.

In principle the X-ray detonation lasers used by T:TNE missiles are
pretty well understood even today, and such lasers don't seem to be out
ot the realm of possibility (should their production be made a national
priority) at the present level of technology (TL-8 or so).

The general plan calls for a long, relatively narrow rod of laser material
(exactly what material has the right properties, I don't know, and it's
exact composition is probably a secret even if I did).  The rod, and many
like it, are deployed some distance from a nuclear device, arranged in
such a way that they surround it.

When the nuclear device is detonated, the majority of the energy of the
explosion is released as "soft" X-rays.  If in a planetary atmosphere, the
air would immediately absorb these rays (and heat up immensely in the process)
and form the familliar fireball and mushroom cloud.  In space, the "soft"
X-rays travel unimpeded until they are absorbed by the laser rods, charging
them.  The material in the rods is now ready to lase, which it does
spontaneously and immediately.  If everything is arranged right, the laser
rods emit bursts of coherent X-rays (from both ends of the rod) just before
the expanding fireball (made up of vaporized nuclear device, guidance
system, and so on) reaches the laser rods.

You get a single pulse from each rod, at stupendously low efficiency.  BUT,
you've managed to channel some of the energy of the explosion into a
beam (so it won't spread out too much on the way to the target) of coherent
(much more efficient at causing damage) X-rays (which should be absorbed
efficiently by the hull of the target).

Since the energy source is a nuclear explosion, efficiency really isn't a
problem.  The power of the lasers is limited more by how much energy the
laser rods can absorb without vaporizing themselves.  If we assume that
X-ray mirrors are TL-13 technology, the power of the lasers should about
double at that point, simply by putting mirrors at the back of each rod.

> Sorry to put a damper on low-tech X-ray lasers :-)

Just so long as it isn't a nuclear damper, I think things are still OK ;-)


wildstar@quark.qrc.com
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In the Far Future

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6453
Subject: Testing 80-line limit exception
Reply-To: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (TML Administrator)
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 11:22:22 PST
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@server0.uwo.ca>


This is a test. No need to respond, anyone. The following line of this
message is one character too long, but it should be accepted for TML
anyway, because it is sent by me.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

James

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6454
Subject: Announcing the 80-character line length limitation
Reply-To: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (TML Administrator)
From: TML Administrator <traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca>
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 11:28:10 PST

Hi TMLers, I just successfully tested a new feature of the TML. If you
send a submission that has a line longer than 80 characters in the body
of the message, the TML incoming message handler will return a REJECTION
NOTICE to you explaining why the message was rejected.

If you have a spreadsheet or program or some other such thing which
SHOULD be sent with long lines unperterbed, I ask that you send your
message to traveller-request alone, and request that I send it for you.
I know the magic cookie that will make the message be accepted even if
it is too big.

James

__   __/         /   /	    Internet Traveller Mailing List, Administrator
    /     /  /  /   /	   James T. Perkins in Eugene, Oregon, USA
 __/   __/__/__/ _____/   traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6455
From: kenhagler@aol.com
Reply-To: <kenhagler@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 17:35:20 EST
Subject: 3G and a vehicle design

Anthony Neal asks:

> Could anyone tell me what company put out Guns Guns Guns? I want to order
>it but my local Hobby/Gaming/Basket Weaving store has never heard of it.
>
> And they said with a title like that, they would remember it.

It's put out by Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC). The same company
also puts out TimeLords, a time travel RPG, SpaceTime, a cyberpunk RPG,
CORPS, a conspiracy RPG, and some other games with weird names like 'Renegade
Nuns on Wheels.'

3G works quite nicely for designing small arms. The basic design sequences
produce stats for the TimeLords/SpaceTime system, but it's easy to convert
these to TNE or MT stats with the aid of a calculator and a bit of
ad-libbing. In theory, you can design heavy weapons (grenades, rockets,
mortars, etc.) as well, but I find that the time it takes is not worthwhile
for weapons like this (of course, if your Traveller players really like
mortars, it might be worthwhile).

3G also helps in converting vehicles designed in other systems to TNE. The
following design was done using GURPS Vehicles, and was converted to TNE
using 3G and a bit of guesswork.

Some design comments:
The design is for games set in the same universe as Steve Higginbotham's TCS
game. The Neubayern Federation splits power armour into three categories:
hardsuits, which are similar in size to Imperial Battledress; armoured
troopers, which are similar in size to  combat walkers from 2300AD; and
airborne battlemovers, which are really very small mecha.

The AB-2 follows the 'eggshell with sledgehammer' school of design--it is
capable of dishing out far, far more damage than it can take. The idea is
that the pilot will use its high maneuverability and small size (compared to
a conventional armoured vehicle) to avoid getting hit in the first place.

Disclaimer--the idea for this design (not to mention the 'airborne
battlemover' designation) was shamelessly ripped off from an anime series
titled Bubblegum Crisis.

                        AB-2 Airborne Battlemover

The AB-2 entered service with the Neubayern Army in 5621. Since that time
several variants have been developed. Some of the variants of the AB-2,
especially those intended for use by Marine and Special Forces units, are
quite expensive, costing more than some fighters. The AB-2 was designed
using GURPS Vehicles, and converted with the aid of 3G, the TNE rulebook,
and some guesswork. The current 'standard' model is the AB-2C, which
mounts an x-ray gatling laser in place of the original polychromatic
gatling laser. Aside from this change in armament, the AB-2C is otherwise
identical to the AB-2.

TL: 12
Price: Cr3,222,344
Size: 56 kiloliters displacement=4 ton
Weigt: 5420 kg empty, 5715 kg loaded
Power: 717.75 KW Fusion Reactor

Travel Move: 2897 air/257 ground
Combat Move: 101 air/89 ground
Fuel Capacity: Negligible
Fuel Consumption: Negligible (30 days endurance)

                    Combat Statistics
Config: Turretless vehicle
Susp: leg/grav

Armour ratings
HF: 93Cp
HS: 68Cp
HR: 68Cp
Top: 68Cp
Underside: 68Cp

                            Weapon Values
Type                             ROF  Range  Dam   Pen
- --- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
35mm Railgun-APSSDU     SA  2000    56  300-280-260-220
   -Micronuke           SA  2000    C:30, B:60  321C
Hvy. Gauss Minigun               50  900      9 1-2-3
Hvy. Gatling Laser               10  1500    24   12-6-3
Lt. Missile Launcher(x4)-HE       1  7250  C:16, B:24  40C
- -Tac Nukes, 1 Ton 1  7250  -Lots and Lots-

The AB-2C, the current standard model, uses:
Hvy. Gatling X-Ray Laser 10  2000  24   24-12-6

Notes from GURPS design:

AB-2 has a sealed body with NBC kit. It has a limited lifesystem,
duration 48 hours.

When flying, the AB-2 is propelled by a reactionless thruster generating
5351 lbs. of thrust. On the ground, it has a 403.2KW leg drivetrain. It has
advanced controls and improved suspension.

Power comes from a 717.75 KW Fusion Reactor. I cut the endurance on one
load of fuel to the standard 30 days, down from 20 years.

The AB-2 is protected by advanced laminate armour, basic IR cloaking, a
laser sensor, a radar locator, a light deceptive radar jammer, and partial
stealth construction.

It carries a human-spectrum sensor array, a thermograph (range 5 miles),
ladar w/Track-While-Scan capability (range 28 miles), a multiscanner (range
7.5 miles),radar (range 80 miles), advanced low-light TV, and a
terrain-following system for the sensors that allows it to fly as low as
13.7 meters).

The AB-2 has an optical mini-computer (Complexity 5). It has an inertial
navigation system and GPS receiver. It carries an EM communicator, a secure
tactical radio (range 5000 miles), and IFF transponder. It uses a HUD
system with pupil scanner to present data to the wearer and target the
weapons.

The pilot rides in a linear seat--a cramped space surrounded by 'virtual
panorama' of the Battlemover's surroundings. The seat is equipped with a
crashweb.

The AB-2 has two ST840 arms. Mounted on the left forearm is a heavy gatling
X-ray laser. Mounted on the right forearm is a heavy gauss minigun--there
are 10,000 rounds stored in the arm. The minigun can be controlled by the
computer to act as a close-in weapon system if needed.

The AB-2s principal weapon is a 35mm railgun in an auto-stabilized
universal open mount atop the torso. 200 rounds are stored in the
torso--the exact load varies, but generally at least 50 micronuke rounds
will be carried.

The torso also contains four linked light missile launcher and space for 80
missiles. The type of missile carried depends on mission and environment.
Generally, HEAT missiles will be carried in an inhabited area, and 1-ton
TacNuke missiles will be carried any other time.

                        Kenneth G. Hagler
 _________________________________________________________________
|            kenhagler@aol.com           |  My insurance company  |
|             (619) 251-0054             |    is Beretta U.S.A.   |
|   PGP 2.3 key available on request     |                        |
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|   ...study of the military arts will make one who is naturally  |
|   clever more so and one who is born somewhat dull rather less  |
|   so.     --Daidoji Yuzan Shigesuke, _Budo Shoshinshu_          |
|_________________________________________________________________|

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6456
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 93 22:28 GMT0
From: Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Forthcoming TNE releases
Reply-To: watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk


A while back Loren posted a list of forthcoming TNE releases. Then in
Challenge 70, Dave Nielsen, aka Commodore Bwana, published a longer,
different list. The differences are in the 94 plan. Some of them can be
explained by title changes, but some of the other stuff introduced
intrigues me - especially the World Tamer's Guide. Is this an update to
the DGP World Builders Guide (itself an update to Grand Survey/Grand
Census)? Or something different? And given that this plan will
obviously change, is there an even more recent update?

The other thing is Striker II. Most people I know who bought that at
the time bought it for the design rules (and, admittedly, to run the
occasional small scale skirmish) rather than to actually run a
miniatures game with it. But now the design rules should all be in
FF&S, by my understanding. Will it contain additional design rules?
Will RAFM produce both 25mm and 15mm Traveller miniatures? As a bit of
free market research, I'd much prefer a Squad Leader type boardgame to
a set of miniatures rules.

Rgds
Mark

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6457
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 12:43:03 +1000
From: pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: Miniatures Format


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:1993-Dec-13 01:42pm
                                        From:     Bruce Pihlamae
                                                  PIHLAMAE BRUCE
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   (06) 289-7056

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: Miniatures Format

Mark"et Researcher" Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk> writes:
> stuff deleted ........................................... As a bit of
> free market research, I'd much prefer a Squad Leader type boardgame to
> a set of miniatures rules.

Yes please.

But not as complicated or as many rule extensions.

Something like the old Snapshot system for fighting through those
ship corridors.  In our current games the GM hand draws a rough situation
map and we place markers (in the form of potatoe chips, jelly beans,
smarties, dice, erasers, bottle tops) and then move them around with all
sorts of scale problems (not to mention accidentally eating someone's
carefully placed jelly bean  er  character).

Markable/eraseable map sheets would be nice too.

- --

Bruce...       pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6458
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 14:45:09 +1000
From: langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: Striker II


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:13-Dec-1993 03:43pm
                                        From:     Alistair Langsford
                                                  LANGSFORD ALISTAIR
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   289 7870

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: Striker II

Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk> writes:

<Subject: Forthcoming TNE releases
<...stuff deleted
<The other thing is Striker II. Most people I know who bought that at
<the time bought it for the design rules (and, admittedly, to run the
<occasional small scale skirmish) rather than to actually run a
<miniatures game with it.

In my experience most Traveller gamers I knew using Striker used the combat
system for their Traveller games (I did), with some use of the design
rules.

<As a bit of free market research, I'd much prefer a Squad Leader type
<boardgame to a set of miniatures rules.

So would I. By a -big- margin. Especially if the rules were more towards
the simplicity of the GDW First Battle games, not Squad Leader.

<Rgds
<Mark

Alistair,
langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au


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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6459
From: A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 93 09:04:22 GMT
Subject: Re: Books, Loren Wiseman and skills

Hi,

Hope this isn't repeating anything anyone's already said about Traveller-
like books, but if you want a series with an interesting view of FTL drives
and the definitive role-model for playing Aslans, I would heartily recommend
the C. J. Cherryh 'Chanur' series. The first book can be read on its own, the
latter three (which, without popping home to check, I believe were: Chanur's
Venture, Revenge of the Kif, Chanur's Homecoming) are a trilogy which need to
be read as such. They are written from the viewpoint of an Aslan who doesn't
understand her point in the plot, and hence may initially appear a little
confusing. You pick up a lot more information on the second read :)

Other Cherryh books, e.g. Downbelow Station are also quite good; there's one
which I forget the name of, which is about freelance Belters and their fight
against the big Corps and the govt. All useful stuff.

The Chanur books also have some interesting considerations WRT the effects of
travelling close to the speed of light; the resulting combat tactics, etc.
Also, the male/female Aslan split in the Chanur books puts one in the correct
mentality to accept the limitations on Aslan male/female responsibilities in
Traveller.

I seem to recall that A Mote in God's Eye (Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle) had
some Traveller stuff - sandcasters and the like; but it is a few years since
I read that.

NB: To Loren Wiseman at GDW - with regard to my book, do you need to mail
(genuine postage stuff with stamps, etc.) to me, or is there a GDW
representative here in the UK that would be on hand to discuss it with?
Assuming you're still interested, of course... :)

NNB: Does anyone use a winking face ;) during their mailing? As in the Monty
Python nudge-nudge wink-wink, Is she a goer? ;)

I loved Peter Brenton's informative example of vacc suit skill levels. Does
anyone have any alternatives for other skills? e.g. Combat Rifleman:

Skill level    Examples of use
    None       Required to roll under IQ to know which end of gun is dangerous.
                99% likely to be blown over backwards when firing gun. Even
                large barns at close range are safe. Takes gun back to store
                for refund if gun doesn't work properly. Greater hazard to own
                troops than to enemy.
     0         Knows which end of gun to point at enemy. Fair chance of firing
                it without falling over. Moderately hazardous to barn-sized
                targets at close range. Remembers to take receipt with him
                when returning to gun shop; will accept exchange or repair
                rather than refund. Knows vaguely what a 'bullet' is.
     1         Can fire combat rifles without being blown over, with enough
                accuracy to make barns want to stay at long or greater range.
                Knows how one or two selected weapons in the rifle category
                are stripped down, maintained, etc. Can make a good guess
                at others in the same category.
     2         Barns beware! Able to pick off man-sized targets at good ranges.
                Wandering gnats unbothered. Can strip down most weapons in
                rifleman category, possibly some from related (e.g. the non-
                combat rifleman category). Character can start to think about
                aiming for particular parts of an opponent (but without much
                chance of hitting beyond close range).
     3         Barns now find it important to hide behind large solid concrete
                defences. Come to think of it, so do the sensible human-sized
                targets. Characters can aim for particular parts of a target
                and hit it out to medium range if settled in a good firing
                position. Gnats annoyed by bullets buzzing past them.
     4         Barns retiring to other continents to regroup. Character can
                pick target areas on opponents - and hit - while travelling
                in slow-moving vehicles. Natural selection is starting to
                give a preference to those gnats that avoid the bullets.
     5         Mel Gibson's character in the Lethal Weapon films. Can strip
                down any rifle (possibly even alien designs) and rebuild it
                as any other rifle. Can improvise a Gauss rifle from two
                magnets, 5 toilet roll inners and a selection of sewing
                needles. Character can hit specific areas of moving targets
                at medium range while hanging upside down from a helicopter.
                Barns are required to retreat to other planets to remain
                safe from this sharp-shooter. Spends spare time shooting down
                gnats at 500 metres. Gnats attempt to form alliance with barns.
     6         No-one's ever this good (unless your characters are level 5
                sharp-shooters, in which case the arch bad-guys will always
                be level 6). Can teach others to make a Gauss rifle as per 5.
                Can pick-off enemy eye-balls at 500 km with eyes closed.
                Can ruin a gnat's prospects of a fulfilling sex-life at up to
                500 metres. Barns give up and surrender en-masse.

Andy Lilly
Commander, PITS Team (Political Intelligence Team, Scout)
Nothing I say or do here in anyway reflects the views of my very kind,
understanding and generally wonderful employers.

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6460
Subject: Re: TML nightly: Msgs 6457-6459 V65#13
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 17:55:24 -0800
From: George Herbert <gwh@crl.com>


>From: A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk
>Subject: Re: Books, Loren Wiseman and skills

>Skill level    Examples of use
>     6         No-one's ever this good (unless your characters are level 5
>                sharp-shooters, in which case the arch bad-guys will always
>                be level 6). Can teach others to make a Gauss rifle as per 5.
>                Can pick-off enemy eye-balls at 500 km with eyes closed.
>                Can ruin a gnat's prospects of a fulfilling sex-life at up to
>                500 metres. Barns give up and surrender en-masse.

I wouldn't go so far as to say no PCs should ever reach level 5, 6, or even
7 or higher.  Keep in mind that, with very very rare exception, people that
good fall into two categories:
  a) very old and experienced (limitations due to age)
  b) very young and "hot"

The "hot" youngsters will likely be taking risks left and right because
95% of the time they CAN barrel roll the ungainly freighter and get
on the fighter's tail.  That 5% of the time they mess up, though,
they'll probably leave pieces of freighter all over the sky, with
the confused enemy fighter wondering what happened.  If you game
often enough, the really good who play "hot" will self-limit their
usefulness by killing themselves.  A few players are smart enough
to avoid that, but not most.

If not... well, there seems to be this effect in the universe which
brings equally strong opponents together to challenge one another
to find out whos the best....

- -george william herbert
gwh@crl.com

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6461
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 22:10:30 -0700
From: sfellows@slate.Mines.Colorado.EDU (FELLOWS STEVEN B)
Subject: Chanur series/Merchant Campaign


A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk said:

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 93 09:04:22 GMT
Subject: Re: Books, Loren Wiseman and skills

Hi,

Hope this isn't repeating anything anyone's already said about Traveller-
like books, but if you want a series with an interesting view of FTL drives
and the definitive role-model for playing Aslans, I would heartily recommend
the C. J. Cherryh 'Chanur' series. The first book can be read on its own, the
latter three (which, without popping home to check, I believe were: Chanur's
Venture, Revenge of the Kif, Chanur's Homecoming) are a trilogy which need to
be read as such. They are written from the viewpoint of an Aslan who doesn't
understand her point in the plot, and hence may initially appear a little
confusing. You pick up a lot more information on the second read :)

Other Cherryh books, e.g. Downbelow Station are also quite good; there's one
which I forget the name of, which is about freelance Belters and their fight
against the big Corps and the govt. All useful stuff.

The Chanur books also have some interesting considerations WRT the effects of
travelling close to the speed of light; the resulting combat tactics, etc.
Also, the male/female Aslan split in the Chanur books puts one in the correct
mentality to accept the limitations on Aslan male/female responsibilities in
Traveller.

**************

Since I really like her books, especially the Chanur series, I feel I have
to say something here, especially in light of the errors presented.

The Chanur books are listed blow as well as her other books that are
science fiction:
(Titles of books are in all caps, each section has headings :

The Company Wars
DOWNBELOW STATION
HEAVY TIME
HELLBURNER

The Era of Rapprochement
SERPENT'S REACH
FORTY THOUSAND IN GEHENNA
MERCHANTER'S LUCK

The Chanur Novels
THE PRIDE OF CHANUR
CHANUR'S VENTURE
THE KIF STRIKE BACK
CHANUR'S HOMECOMING
CHANUR'S LEGACY

The Mri Wars
THE FADED SUN: KESRITH
THE FADED SUN: SHON'JIR
THE FADED SUN: KUTATH

Merovingen Nights (Mri Wars period)
ANGEL WITH THE SWORD

Merovingen Nights-Anthologies
FESTIVAL MOON (#1)
FEVER SEASON (#2)
TROUBLED WATERS (#3)
SMUGGLER'S GOLD (#4)
DIVINE RIGHT (#5)
FLOOD TIDE (#6)
ENDGAME (#7)

The Age of Exploration
CUCKOO'S EGG
VOYAGER IN NIGHT
PORT ETERNITY

The Hanan Rebellion
BROTHERS OF EARTH
HUNTER OF WORLDS


The sophonts that Lilly describe as Aslan are called hani in Ms. Cherryh's
books.  The are not Aslan.  The similarities to Aslan include the fact that
each political group is composed of an extended family, led by a male
leader.  The leader resides on the home planet where he rules an area of
land with the absolute power of a dictator.  The sophonts ARE Leonine.  Of
particular note is that the hani were given the technology for starships by
another race who introduced them into the interstellar schene of things as
an ally against a third race.  This is similar to the fact that the Aslan
did not develop their jump drive but copied it from the wreckage of a
humaniti vessel.

The differences to Aslan far outweigh the similarities.  The males are only
allowed to hold a certain number of jobs.  Other than leading the family
they can be scientists, lawyers, or artists.  Females do all the labor that
their economy relies upon.  The females crew the starships, they run the
day to day operations of the family compound.  The leader must also rely on
the support of his females if he plans to continue to hold the power in the
family holding.  The leader is either deposed by an usurper or killed by
the usurper.  The females can prevent this by preventing the usurper from
challenging the male.

Males are considered too unstable, too tempermental, and too aggressive to
do anything else.  When a male gets of age they are sent out of the family
compound to fend for themselves in the wilderness.  If they survive battles
with other males and living in the wilderness, then they may be able to
eventually overthrow a male head of household.  That is their ONLY hope of
being a contributing member of their society. They are not allowed on
starships for fear that their temperment would endanger the lives of the
crew.

The aliens that the hani deal with include three other oxygen breathing
species and three methane breathing species.  The first book deals with the
problem of a lone human who ends up on a hani ship.  It is from the point
of few of a hani who does not want to be pawn of alien politics.  The next
three books deal with the return of the human to the aliens and his
involvement with the hani ship from the first book.  The first four books
also deal with the introduction of a male onto the hani ships, and the
political, and psychological problems this causes.  The fifth book deals
with the one of the characters from the first four, as she is now the
captain of her own ship.

These books are extremely well written.  Chanur's Homecoming nearly won the
Hugo award, but was beaten by Ender's Game.  Downbelow Station and Cyteen
each won the Hugo, and take place in the same science fiction universe.
However, they do not involve the aliens.

The books offer an extremely good view of a merchant operation, and
especially how one could run such an adventure and make it interesting in a
Traveller setting.  My own campaign is currently based on a situation
similar to that presented in Cherryh's books.  The players are running a
large merchant company, (five very large freighters), as well as personally
running a exploration vessel.  The exploration vessel is being used to
explore the new market in the alien space.  I have heard comments that
merchant campaigns are boring and go slow, but I suppose people think there
is just the object of buying low and selling high.

The system is a mixture
of 2300AD and Albedo.  Influences are from Traveller as well as the
numerous science fiction books I have read.

And so in this light, how many people out there run merchant campaigns,
or play in them? What is your opinion of merchant campaigns? Are they fun?

Steven B. Fellows
sfellows@slate.mines.colorado.edu

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


Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6462
Subject: question...
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 8:59:06 GMT+4622364:40
From: goldman@orac.cray.com (Goldman of Chaos -- postmaster CRI-US)
Reply-To: goldman@orac.cray.com

1) Before I go to the trouble, has anyone put together a list
   of published planetary maps?

2) Number crunching question: At 4g acceleration, how long would
   it take to get 100 planetary diameters away from a size 10
   world?  What about at other accelerations?

Matt 'I hate math' Goldman
- --
Matthew Goldman  E-mail: goldman@orac.cray.com Work: (612) 683-3061

My day today? Nothing major, just Xenon base gone, Scorpio gone,
Tarrant dead, Tarrant alive and then I found out Blake sold us out.

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6463
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 21:55 GMT0
From: Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Striker II
Reply-To: watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk


In-Reply-To: <9312140131.AA12631@engrg.uwo.ca>
Bruce/Alistair - do you guys sit next to one another?

Bruce: "Something like the old Snapshot system ..."
According to Challenge 70, "Vampire Ship" (one of the 94 releases) will
fulfil the role of Azhanti High Lightning, way back, including "a
combat system optimized for boardgame play". This would seem to cover
the shipboard combat, or that within structures. It would be
interesting to know the proposed scales though - are we still looking
at 15mm?
It's not much good though for squad level combat, which is where
Striker II is presumably aimed. I'm not really that keen on building
and painting a vast collection of 15mm (or for that matter 25mm, or H/O
scale) miniatures, especially as it's unlikely I'd find someone else in
the same position (and if I did, they'd most likely be a collection of
orcs and mechs). So I'll reiterate my desire for a game on the SL
model.

Bruce: jelly beans
Actually I used to use the SJG cardboard heroes a fair bit. I threw in
the traveller ones when I sold my original collection, way back (now
just about reassembled, at some cost, sob). Anybody else remember them?
They were drawn by Kevin Simbeida (sp?), who has since gone on to
greater (or lesser, depending upon your perspective) things. I still
have the Villains and Vigilantes ones somewhere. I'm thinking of making
my own now that I have this vast array of DTP technology at my
disposal. I'll try and get them onto sunbane if and when I do.
By the way, look out for the forthcoming RAFM line of 25mm jelly beans
:-).

Alistair: "Especially if the rules were more towards the simplicity of
the GDW First Battle games, not Squad Leader."
I haven't tried the First Battle series, not being a big wargamer. In
the case of SL, you have to distinguish between the original SL (or
Panzer Leader, which was also brilliant) and ASL, or for that matter
the SL gamettes (the whole armor system changed between SL and Cross of
Iron, as I remember. But then I also liked Cross of Iron - I gave up
after Crescendo of Doom).
I'm beginning to get really turned on to this idea though -
imagine scenario pull outs in each issue of Challenge along the lines
of the ASL ones the General .... hmmm.

Andy: [C J Cherryh's books] "there's one which I forget the name of,
which is about freelance Belters and their fight against the big Corps
and the govt."
I suppose that's Heavy Time (it has a sequel, which is on my shelf but
which I haven't yet read - Hellburner) but there seem to be so many
novels set in the merchanter universe (I count 17, including 5 Chanur
novels. "Downbelow Station" and "Cyteen" both won Hugos) I'm not quite
sure. The Chanur novel you missed was "Chanur's Legacy". I think there
was a posting on TML a short while back about a Cherryh list.

Andy: A Mote in God's Eye
Well, Niven is always good for ideas. Unfortunately Pournelle (or at
least the proximity of Pournelle) seems to dilute them with gung-ho
militarism and jarring anachronisms (viz: the coffee perculator).
Published Traveller material sometimes seems to owe more to this book
than I'd like (viz: the pool table in Arrival Vengeance). Again,
there's a sequel (in the US: the Gripping Hand, in the UK, the Moat
Around Murcheson's Eye) just out, but whereas a few years ago I would
have been picketing the authors' house(s) for the manuscript, I'll be
content to wait till it hits the remainder bins.

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

Bundle: 524
Archive-Message-Number: 6464
From: "Ed Sharpe" <esharpe@hsc.usc.edu>
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 16:25:57 PDT
Subject: Striker II


    Well I would prefer a minatures based game.  I like striker and have a
large investment in 15mm figures.  (I have a whole company of battledress
troopers).

   Also, is there anyone that IS producing 15mm Si-Fi figures currently?

thank you.
//
// esharpe@phad.hsc.usc.edu
//  You keep using that word.
//  I do not think it means what you think it means
//                           - Inigo Montoya

------------------------------
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 525  6465 14-Dec-1993 WADDELL@delphi.  Merchant Campaigns << I hope Merchant C
 525  6466 14-Dec-1993 Steve Gibbons    RE: Misc. << Miniatures and substitutes
 525  6467 15-Dec-1993 mgood@MIT.EDU    Minuatures and Cardboard Heroes << Hi!
 525  6468 15-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Custom MT Armor Generator... << Hello A
 525  6469 16-Dec-1993 davis@licre.lud  Re: Chanur series/Merchant Campaign <<
 525  6470 16-Dec-1993 pihlab@cbr.hhcs  RE: STRIKER II << Mark Watson <watsonm@
 525  6471 16-Dec-1993 l.wiseman1@geni  FF&S << Fire, Fusion, & Steel is shippi
 525  6472 16-Dec-1993 A.S.Lilly@bnr.c  Re: TML biweekly: Chanur << Dear All,
 525  6473 17-Dec-1993 langsl@cbr.hhcs  Skill Levels <<                   I N T
 525  6474 16-Dec-1993 William A. Hump  Imperium Q&A or FAQ? << Greetings,
 525  6475 17-Dec-1993 Mark Watson      Various << Matt: cardboard heroes
 525  6476 17-Dec-1993 Matthew Mactyre  Okay Dumb Question. << Greetings Everyo
 525  6477 17-Dec-1993 Adrian Hurt      Re: Skill levels << langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov
 525  6478 17-Dec-1993 James T Perkins  Re: Okay Dumb Question.  << Matthew Mac
 525  6479 17-Dec-1993 George Herbert   Re: Various << >From: Mark Watson <wats
 525  6480 19-Dec-1993 Mark Watson      Challenge and T/M:2000 << In-Reply-To:
 525  6481 21-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Starship computer questions... << Hello
 525  6482 21-Dec-1993 Ted7@world.std.  comments on various things... << These
 525  6483 22-Dec-1993 Jo_Grant.LOTUSI  Amber Zone, Critter Competition, part I
 526  6484 22-Dec-1993 mgood@MIT.EDU    Computers and Control Points << Hi!
 526  6485 22-Dec-1993 Jason 'Jas' Pac  Brilliant Lances << Hello, all.  I'm lo

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6465
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 22:54:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: WADDELL@delphi.com
Subject: Merchant Campaigns

I hope Merchant Campaigns aren't dull as I am working on one now.  Are there
any ideas for adventures beyond buying and selling, 'special' cargoes,
illegal cargoes, etc.?  I'm using Clavell's Book Taipan for inspiration
and ideas.  Are there any other books to use as reference?

All thoughts and observations welcome!

Thanks,
Allen Waddell

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6466
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 23:30:29 MST
From: Steve Gibbons <steve@nereid.sunquest.com>
Reply-To: steve@sunquest.com
Subject: RE: Misc.

Miniatures and substitutes:

I've got about a section of fully-armed, battle-dressed 15mm lead figures that
I just adore.  'Course the SJG cardboard heros generally fit in much better for
adventure-type scenarios.  I'd also be interested in any current suppliers of
15mm (or 25mm) hi-tech lead/plastic/paper figures.  If something similar to
"cardboard heroes" could be made available via FTP, I'd be ecstatic.  :)


Merchant campaigns:

I'd be up for it, but since I just re-read all 7 of the foundation novels by
Asimov, and he only devoted a few sections of the series to the merchant-
princes, I wonder how much general interest there would be.  OTOH, that was
several centuries of the first Foundation's history, so maybe it'd be
worthwhile.

Books:

Asimov's future history (gotta read it, if not love it.)
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead

Rules:

One of the things that I liked about Striker was that it allowed one to view
(or hide) as much detail of the encounter as seemed necessary.  Small
encounters could be on a smaller scale, with each individual visible while
large-scale encounters (battles) could be viewed on a large-scale map, with the
represented units being considerably larger, as well.

The other part was the design rules, _finally_ (historically) we had a
nutznboltz method of creating things.

I'd also like to see something equivilant to Trillion Credit Sqadron, and Fifth
Fronteir War.

That said, I think I can summarize my feelings by saing that it would be really
really cool to have a system (or integrated set of systems) that would allow
one to interact with various scales of the univers that surrounds, not just
militarily, but economically, politcally, etc.

Excelsior!

- --
Steve@Sunquest.COM

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6467
From: mgood@MIT.EDU
Subject: Minuatures and Cardboard Heroes
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 93 09:53:40 EST

Hi!

Mark Watson asked:
>Actually I used to use the SJG cardboard heroes a fair bit. I threw in
>the traveller ones when I sold my original collection, way back (now
>just about reassembled, at some cost, sob). Anybody else remember them?

Yep, I have the first three sets, and use then extensively now, with
deck plans and an erasable hex mat.  They work fine (you can even write
the Character's name above them), and it's relatively easy to
make more, either by using a copying machine to reduce sillouettes (sp?)
or published artwork, or by drawing your own (which is what I do, freehand).
Cheap and easy!!

Mark: Were there more than the three sets: Adventurers, Imperial Marines,
Zhodani?

Matt "Not Goldman" Goodman


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6468
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Custom MT Armor Generator...
Date: 	Wed, 15 Dec 1993 13:39:56 -0330

Hello All:

	Well, Having gotten Anigen out of my hair, I return to a project of my own
that I think is kinda a neat program. I'm designing a custom combat armor
generator along the same line as anigen (interface-wise) using the generation
rules supplied by Mr. Wilson. They are modified to allow Weight and Volume
calculations now. I am also going to be including options for installed
equipment in the armor (Built in computers, communicators, IR/LI goggles, Data
Display/Recorder Headpiece, etc...) and have run into a prob. I'd like to bring
Power rules into the whole thing, but am lacking power consumption figures for
the various pieces of equipment. Further, with Battle Dress, how much power
does Battle Dress require and for how long? What Strength bonuses does Battle
Dress yield? This would all be nice to know.

	Anyhow, I know this sounds like a Mech Builder, but it's not that detailed.
I'm just trying to allow the design of combat armor with add-ons.

	If anyone has power consumption figures on some common equiment or a method
by which I can derive said figures (legally from the rules), please let me
know. I may end up posting this program, if Loren and GDW give it the O.K.

	Thanks a bunch!
	Anthony

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anthony Neal                |"Lets bring up the cargo manifest. 2300 laser
anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca  | pistols, 1600 laser rifles, 1 ATV, 67 suits of
Memorial University Of      | combat armor and...    What the hell are
Newfoundland                | 'tribbles'?"
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6469
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:23:07 EST
From: davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au
Subject: Re: Chanur series/Merchant Campaign

sfellows@slate.Mines.Colorado.EDU (FELLOWS STEVEN B) wrote about CJ Cherryh and
the Alliance/Union/Compact Universe.

This was a good summary Steven, although oddly enough you left out
_Merchanter's Luck_ and _Cyteen_ itself.  Also _Cuckoo's Egg_ , the Morgaine
books, and _Hestia_, not to mention the Russian novels, all of which CJC says
are also set in the same universe.  Interestingly, the Rusalka series is
probably set around Chernobyl which might explain some of the features of the
forest if it's set in the distant future (which seems likely).  In any case, a
good summary, and worthy material for any space campaign.

This has been posted here before, but the cherryhlist is available for
subscription.  Send mail to jaymin@walton.maths.tcd.ie for info (hi Jo).


Ian Davis                                  davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6470
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 12:23:05 +1000
From: pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: RE: STRIKER II


Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk> writes:
> Bruce/Alistair - do you guys sit next to one another?

Nah.  Alistair sits way down the other end of the building in
the anex with the rest of those cringing system software
beasties.  But he is my GM at the moment ...

My problem with Squad Leader was that I only got into the first
two games and only managed infrequent playing so I had to
continually re-read the rules.  If your heavily into the gaming
then more complex rules are fine but it would be nice to have
a quick/simple version and a more detailed version with the
OPTIONAL rules.

Another variation would be along the lines of Panzer Leader and
Panzer Blitz which worked at the platoon (?) level and had some
nice simple mechanics.  I don't have the games anymore but we
had some Division level engagements that would leave you with
hands full of hair and looking as bald as I do.  Hey, now I know
where the hair's gone and it might also explain those grey bits
too!!


Bruce...            pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6471
From: l.wiseman1@genie.geis.com
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 93 04:17:00 BST
Subject: FF&S

Fire, Fusion, & Steel is shipping from our warehouse, having arrived on
a truck yesterday. Available in fine hobbyshops near you soon.
 It is $16.00 US, shipping and handling to US and Canada an additional
$1.60 US. Other nationalities enquire for shipping costs.

Loren Wiseman, for GDW

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6472
From: A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 93 09:03:25 GMT
Subject: Re: TML biweekly: Chanur

Dear All,

Sorry if my data on the Chanur books seemed a little bit hazy, its a while
since I last read them; I wasn't expecting to get jumped on for not quoting
them verbatim, etc. :)

I merely brought them to people's attention because, as pointed out in
subsequent messages, they provide a good background for merchants, give an
interesting viewpoint on how an alien race might view humans, and also an
insight into what the Aslan society might have been based upon (back in the
mists of time when they owned only a few planets). Okay, so once they spread
out a bit, the males had to take a greater part in society, etc.

The alien races in the Chanur series are equally interesting in that they're
not just the standard anthropomorphic bug-eyed aliens which can magically
talk 'common speak' and either act like humans or are quite clearly marked out
to be the blood-sucking monsters for the players to shoot down. If you want
a good way to confuse your players for a while, get them trying to communicate
with the k'nnn (even sharing the same flying space could be hazardous!)

Yours, quietly hiding in a concrete bunker somewhere...

Andy Lilly
Commander, PITS Team (Political Intelligence Team, Scout)
Nothing I say or do here in anyway reflects the views of my very kind,
understanding and generally wonderful employers.

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6473
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 08:33:14 +1000
From: langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: Skill Levels


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:17-Dec-1993 08:32am
                                        From:     Alistair Langsford
                                                  LANGSFORD ALISTAIR
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   289 7870

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: Skill Levels

A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk writes:
<
<    5         Mel Gibson's character in the Lethal Weapon films. Can strip
<               down any rifle (possibly even alien designs) and rebuild it
<               as any other rifle. Can improvise a Gauss rifle from two
<               magnets, 5 toilet roll inners and a selection of sewing
<               needles. Character can hit specific areas of moving targets
<               at medium range while hanging upside down from a helicopter.
<               Barns are required to retreat to other planets to remain
<               safe from this sharp-shooter. Spends spare time shooting down
<               gnats at 500 metres. Gnats attempt to form alliance with barns.

I would venture to suggest that any 'A-team' member (I'm talking the TV series
here) is somewhere in category 5. So is Agent Pirondello(sp?) from the movie
'Real Men': whose accuracy I would venture to suggest may be enough to qualify
him for level 6.

I would also like to modify the description for 6, in this light. Additions
marked by '|'.


<    6         No-one's ever this good (unless your characters are level 5
<               sharp-shooters, in which case the arch bad-guys will always
<               be level 6). Can teach others to make a Gauss rifle as per 5.
<               Can pick-off enemy eye-balls at 500 km with eyes closed.
<               Can ruin a gnat's prospects of a fulfilling sex-life at up to
|               500 metres. Barns give up and surrender en-masse. Can make
|               informed investment decisions in the middle of a firefight
|               with no loss of accuracy or ability to dodge incoming fire.



<Andy Lilly

Alistair,
langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6474
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 93 19:28:29 -0500
From: wah2@po.CWRU.Edu (William A. Humphrey)
Subject: Imperium Q&A or FAQ?
Reply-To: wah2@po.CWRU.Edu (William A. Humphrey)

Greetings,

   Could someone send me or directme to an FTP site with a fairly
comprehensive set of Q&A for Imperium?  I've recently dusted off my copy
to play by e-mail and remeber why I quit playing.  It's a good, simple
game with good potential, but the rules are attrociously ambiguous.

   Thanks,

- --
					Bill H
50 Years Ago Today (or thereabouts):			13 December 1943
* 710 heavy bombers of the U.S. 8th Air Force attack the port, naval base,
submarine pens, and canal at Kiel, Germany.

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6475
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 01:38 GMT0
From: Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Various
Reply-To: watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk


Matt: cardboard heroes
I'm not aware of any more after the first three, although the ads in
JTAS said to look out for Vargr and vehicles as the next sets. Pity.
If anyone knows of somewhere still selling them I'd be interested

Allen: merchant campaigns
Sigh. Well, merchant campaigns require the same basic rules of campaign
design as most other, although a couple of things are slightly easier.
Take the elements from the classic traveller plot advice: pull, push,
enigma and gimmicks.

The pull is basically a combination of curiosity/exploration and the
desire to make money. They're the basics of a merchant campaign. The
gimmicks might be weird cargoes, but equally they could be stuff
smuggled aboard by passengers, stolen from important people, etc etc.
Also the traditional traveller patron exists to add push/pull. If you
can add people occasionally chasing the PCs for some reason, all the
better. Enigmas are harder to come by, and easier to manage by and
large by introducing important NPCs with something to hide.

Where merchant campaigns are easier are that the pull is more easily
defined than in a more aimless exploratory campaign. Also, if you can
establish that there is a clear trade route which takes the PCs through
a loop of about, say, 8 systems with a profitable cargo each turn,
including the trip from the 8th back to the first, then you have
something that satisfies the players mercantile desires and at the same
time leaves you as a referee to concentrate on detailing a defined
number of systems. Once you have that, fleshing out the NPCs alot more
(start with the starport people, and try to get the PCs to establish
long term trading relationships with the brokers and traders in the
various systems) and developing the character and background of the
respective worlds will generate their own scenarios.

I realise this isn't what you asked for, but it really makes for more
interesting campaigns than a series of scenarios generated off of the
back of gimmick cargoes. If you want gimmick cargoes, then I guess
there are the usual ones - drugs, weapons, secrets, novelty goods and
so on. Artifacts of various kinds are better, the more unique the
better as they will pull various people chasing after them. The best
cargoes for generating interest though are people, IMHO.

By the way, another refereeing rule I used to have when I ran a weekly
traveller campaign was that the session stopped when the PC's jumped
system. Since the jump time was about a week this added a "real-time"
element. It also meant that the players were incented to spend a decent
amount of time in any particular system, so that the stuff I had
prepared got used, and I was given time to prepare for the next
session.

Other stuff:
I bought Challenge 71 a while ago but only got time to read it the
other night. Some comments:
- - when does Challenge go back to monthly status
- - I enjoyed reading the designer notes. In the BL designer notes Dave
Nilsen says that "we will eventually re-release 2300 as a campaign
setting using the TNE rules". This is the closest I have seen to a
commitment on this. Are there dates planned?
- - TNS - I'm as annoyed as some other TMLers seem to be about the last
couple of TNS's. Couldn't GDW have provided some stuff covering the
interim period in the regency, which presumably still has a news
service? Also it seems to comeback online at the end as an interactive
channel, has FTL communication now been introduced? Given we now have a
bimonthly frequency this is pretty shoddy stuff.
- - Space Race is a Megatraveller scenario. The other stuff is TNE. None
of this is actually marked in the magazine. What about the people who
came in new with TNE trying to make sense of the MT ship designs?
- - Straits of Magellan seems pretty standard Challenge scenario fare.
What worries me though is that the subsector map is for a previously
unpublished subsector and only indicates TNE data. As I've said before
I think it good practice for GDW to include both pre- and post-collapse
maps when they publish, as per the TNE book ... one of the
possibilities Loren and others have mooted for those who don't like the
TNE background is to site their campaigns in the pre-collapse era using
the TNE rules. Is this possible avenue being closed off also?
- - Finally, Challenge continues to feature a lot of mediocre material on
games that are treated better elsewhere (basically most of the games
that GDW does not produce itself). I don't like T2000 or Merc:2000
(and I don't really think they qualify as Science Fiction), and I'm not
familiar with Dark Conspiracy, but I accept their presence in Challenge
as that is about the only place they would get support anyhow. But I
think Challenge could be improved considerably by concentrating on the
games it knows best.

Rgds
Mark


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6476
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 00:07:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Matthew Mactyre <mactyre@scs.unr.edu>
Subject: Okay Dumb Question.

Greetings Everyone,

Could someone send me the ftp site for Traveller stuff.  I'd really
appreciate it?

Matthew

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6477
From: adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt)
Subject: Re: Skill levels
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 10:07:24 WET

langsl@cbr.hhcs.gov.au writes:
> A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk writes:
> <
> <    5         Mel Gibson's character in the Lethal Weapon films. Can strip
> <               down any rifle (possibly even alien designs) and rebuild it
> <               as any other rifle.
> <Rest of description deleted to save space.>
>
> I would venture to suggest that any 'A-team' member (I'm talking the TV
> series here) is somewhere in category 5.

What?  They never hit anyone.  The only reason they win is that the bad guys
can't hit them either!

> <    6         No-one's ever this good (unless your characters are level 5
> <               sharp-shooters, in which case the arch bad-guys will always
> <               be level 6). Can teach others to make a Gauss rifle as per 5.
> <               Can pick-off enemy eye-balls at 500 km with eyes closed.
> <               Can ruin a gnat's prospects of a fulfilling sex-life at up to
> |               500 metres. Barns give up and surrender en-masse. Can make
> |               informed investment decisions in the middle of a firefight
> |               with no loss of accuracy or ability to dodge incoming fire.

Sledge Hammer!  Admittedly he has Handgun 6 rather than Combat Rifle 6, but
you get the idea.  Can shoot the gun out of the other guy's hand with a
snap shot.  Can shoot the tyres of a moving vehicle with one hand, and drink
coffee from the cup in the other hand.

Since no-one else seems to have done it, here's my list for Pilot:

None		Needs to roll against intelligence to find the right queue at
		the starport.  Flies as well with his eyes open as with his
		eyes closed, i.e. has trouble finding the seat.  Knows what a
		ship is - it's a big thing which goes "whoosh".  Imagine your
		favourite politician flying a ship.

0		Knows one end of a ticket from the other.  Can make a stick,
		knob or push-button go in the right direction.  Can keep the
		ship straight and level while the ship is in deep space.
		Knows what a ship is - it's over 100 tonnes, goes "whoosh",
		but only in an atmosphere.  Imagine yourself flying a ship.

1		Has a basic idea of what controls to look for, and where to
		find them on one or two ships.  Can perform simple manoeuvres,
		up to and including landing and taking off.  Can keep the ship
		straight and level in an atmosphere with a light wind.  Knows
		what a ship is - it can make interstellar jumps.  Imagine
		yourself flying a ship if you're good at video games.

2		Basic professional level.  Can recognise the controls on a
		variety of ships.  Can perform any manoeuvre in the book.
		Can keep the ship straight and level in any atmosphere.  Knows
		what a jump drive is.  Imagine your favourite airliner pilot
		flying a ship.

3		Advanced professional level.  Can recognise the controls on
		any ship designed by his species.  Can perform any manoeuvre
		in the book, even if the ship has been slightly damaged.  Can
		keep the ship straight and level any time he feels like it.
		Knows where the jump drive is.  Imagine an Air Force fighter
		pilot flying a ship.

4		Really advanced professional level.  Can make an attempt at
		figuring out the controls on a ship designed by any sentient
		species.  Can perform any manoeuvre he feels like.  Can keep
		the ship straight and level, but gets bored doing so.  Can
		yell at the engineer to fix the jump drive, and land the ship
		at the same time.  Imagine your favourite WW2 air ace flying
		a ship.

5		Amazingly advanced level.  Can reliably work out what the
		controls on any ship will do.  Invents new manoeuvres on a
		regular basis.  Straight and level is for wimps.  Can kick
		the engineer if the jump drive isn't fixed real soon, and
		keep on the tail of the enemy ship at the same time.  Luke
		Skywalker is level 5.

6		Disgustingly advanced level.  Ignores the controls.  Gets the
		engineer to rig up switches so he can control all the engines
		manually.  Straight and level is for dead people - this guy
		does loops while asleep, just before landing.  Doesn't need
		to threaten the engineer because the engineer worships him.
		Luke Skywalker would be level 6 if he concentrated on flying
		and ignored unimportant stuff like the Force.

- --
 "Keyboard?  How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cee
 UUCP: ..!uknet!cee.hw.ac.uk!adrian  |  ARPA:  adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6478
Subject: Re: Okay Dumb Question.
Reply-To: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (TML Administrator)
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 07:42:57 PST
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@server0.uwo.ca>

Matthew Mactyre <mactyre@scs.unr.edu> writes:
> Could someone send me the ftp site for Traveller stuff. I'd really
> appreciate it?

Check your email, I sent you the standard how-to-get-archives document.
Anyone else want it?

James

__   __/         /   /	    Internet Traveller Mailing List, Administrator
    /     /  /  /   /	   James T. Perkins in Eugene, Oregon, USA
 __/   __/__/__/ _____/   traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6479
Subject: Re: Various
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 17:50:34 -0800
From: George Herbert <gwh@crl.com>



>From: Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk>
>Subject: Various

[...]
>Other stuff:
>- - Finally, Challenge continues to feature a lot of mediocre material on
>games that are treated better elsewhere (basically most of the games
>that GDW does not produce itself). I don't like T2000 or Merc:2000
>(and I don't really think they qualify as Science Fiction), and I'm not
>familiar with Dark Conspiracy, but I accept their presence in Challenge
>as that is about the only place they would get support anyhow. But I
>think Challenge could be improved considerably by concentrating on the
>games it knows best.

As an occational T/M:2000 author, I object to that characterization.
Science Fiction (and good gaming) are where you find them.

- -george william "Terror in the Light" herbert
("where oh where have my players run?")


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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6480
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 93 22:13 GMT0
From: Mark Watson <watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Challenge and T/M:2000
Reply-To: watsonm@cix.compulink.co.uk


In-Reply-To: <9312190131.AA19919@engrg.uwo.ca>
George objects to my comments on T/M:2000 in Challenge:

Well, firstly on the subject of whether they are Science Fiction, they
would qualify under the inclusion of everything that could possibly
include a science fiction element, and a GM could swing the game into
cyberpunk and other near future SF genres, but is that why people are
playing these games? If they should be included with the comment "SF is
where you find it", then it seems to me that ANY game can be included
and the "Magazine of Science Fiction Gaming" is absolutely meaningless.

To me, the millenial setting seems to be meant to provide a slightly
nastier future in which opportunities for military scenarios are more
prevalent. I don't think it is really to introduce the effects of
scientific or technological speculation.

Having said which, I didn't mean that these games should be taken out
of Challenge (although I'd be happy if they were). Whatever one might
think of the other GDW games, the material for them in Challenge is of
a relatively high standard. It's the stuff for Shadowrun, Cthulhu,
2020, etc, etc which I don't like, because there are other magazines
that provide better coverage of those games.

Mark

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6481
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Starship computer questions...
Date: 	Tue, 21 Dec 1993 01:26:31 -0330

Hello all, and Merry Christmas!

	While heaving a huge sigh of relief after finals, I have reopened another
of my many cans of worms in the Traveller area only to find myself baffled.

	Does anyone out there have any idea how GDW generated the Max Number of
control points for each computer model and the CP multiplier? I have not,
with my limited mathematical background and a hand calculator, been able to
piece any mathematical progression together... Not with Tech Level or Model
Number...

	Now, as I am endeavoring to piece together some set of rules for designing
and producing stats on computers of all kinds (Hand, Personal, Subdermal,
Megacomps, Mainframes, etc...) this, and the inability to figure out just
how many CPU units and Storage units (from the Robots Book) to allot such
creatures based on given knowledge, gives me a major headache.

	So, anyone with the time to send me some info on this stuff would gain my
most maniacal appretiation. I also promise to share these rules once done,
provided they are worth the media they are stored on. (This has yet to be
seen.)

	Thanks a bunch, and have a Happy New Year!

	Anthony Neal
	(anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca)

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6482
From: Ted7@world.std.com
Subject: comments on various things...
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1993 23:42:45 -0500 (EST)

These are answers or comments to stuff sent in earlier in December.

Sorry if it isn't timely enough, but some of us have trouble keeping

reality out of the way of our playtime.



Steven Gott writes:
>I don't think this is the wonder weapon to stop all of the RCES smash and
>grab teams though because Humans can only aquire long range targets up to
>about 800-1000 yards.  This assumes very good conditions.  I've always
>envisioned a smash and grab as a special operation and thus ASSUME that
>the RCES commandos will use common sense and attack at night, use their
>massive electronic warfare superiority, and in general, use every sneaky
>disgusting dirty trick they can come up with to get in and out with the
>goodies...

>I'm not saying that the 15mm ATR is useless.  I certainly wouldn't want
>to be on the wrong end of one!  What I'm saying is that you can't hit
>what you can't see and your not going to stop what you can't hit.

Note that at TL7 & 8, you have a variety of fairly effective IR, ladar, and ground radars.
(See TK2000 as well as various other millitary equipment descriptions for the last 20
years).  While a S&G Team are probably good enough to damp out the radar (usually
a good clue that there's a problem brewing), IR and ladar systems can find them.
S&G Teams have advantages, not milk runs.

- ------------------------------
Mike Basinger writes:
>When figuring out starting money in T:TNE, you multiple a cash base
>value * either your SOC or Gambling rank (higher of the two). Wouldn't
>it make sense to also allow a charater to use Marketing to figure this
>also.

Only if the person chose a mercantile career of some sort.  One advantage to the
TK2000 & DC systems was that several careers provided varying incomes based
on skills needed in that career.  That was something I suggested they keep.

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

Susan M. Shock writes:
>    Are there rules relating to costs involved in salvaging a ship? My group
>of Classic Traveller players managed to salvage a derelict Gazelle class close
>escort. Are there fees, such as salvage fees, registration fees, etc.? Taxes?
>How much can they expect to sell it for? (They want to sell it to the Imperial
>Navy). Are there any published rules sources, JTAS/Challenge articles, etc.
>that I could refer to?

Hmm.  No rules that I can off-hand remember, but various costs that come to mind from
modern salvage over the last 100 years:

1 - Orbit or docking fees for wherever they bring the Gazelle (not to mention for the
    vessel used to get to the Gazelle).  If they connect her up to a base, there is power,
    water, and air; possibly a temporary registration fee (possibly a safety inspection fee),
    spaceport computer fees (if hooked up), food (and other lodging if ship is unlivable) costs.
    Not to mention ship insurance.  These fees can mount up over time -
    and you may be talking about a lot of time.

    Getting the attention of a naval bureacucracy
    can take time (message runs through channels to a procurement branch, who has
    to find a military salvage evaluator, who has to get to the ship to inspect it, return
    his office, write a report on its current condition and value, have the report percolate through
    channels back to the procurement branch, who then has to decide if they want to buy
    the ship, then has to pass a financial board's review of the procurement decision (who
    decides if they will release the money for the ship procurement), then a ships crew has
    to be found and gathered to take possession of the vessel...

2 - If they plan to keep it or operate it:  Registration fees for the ship, research into a title search
    (To prove that the ship wasn't stolen or that there is not a current lien against the ship held by
    another party), safety inspections, weapons licensing, repair costs, plus the docking fees
    mentioned above.

On the other hand, if they DO sell the vessel back to the Navy, they will (eventually) receive
approximately 1/4 the value of the vessel less the cost of damage repair (even if the Navy will
do the repairs, it still costs them resources of people, equipment, facility use, etc.) and a
factor for the wear on the vessel.

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


steve camp writes:
>I dunno, what do you guys think? (about using gravitic focusing for lasers at ranges
>well beyond physics as described in Challenge 71 article)

Before doing the math, and sticking with the concept, I arrived at basically the same conclusion:
If they can so finely manipulate gravity, why not just stick with gravitic drives and
avoid a MAJOR retcon that makes most of the ships from Classic and MegaTraveller cease
to work in TNE?

I just tut-tutted and put it down as another reason not to buy TNE.  Sorry Loren.

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

Bundle: 525
Archive-Message-Number: 6483
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 93 08:59:04 EST
From: Jo_Grant.LOTUSINT.LOTUS@CRD.lotus.com
Subject: Amber Zone, Critter Competition, part I

	The planet of Serabi is a well travelled spot due to its high
tech-level and station facilities. The decks of Serabi Orbital
are well trodden by all spacers. Amongst certain circles,
though, it is best known as the centre of virtual reality games.
The Real-Vision hardware is made here and The Red Wizard
software brand is based on the station.

Red Wizard produces a wide range of virtual reality games and
entertainment software. It leads the field in depth and
complexity of software and inter-playability. The latter is a
strong feature whereby you can carry forth treasures gained from
one Red Wizard game may be carried over into another. Even
occasionally from one genre to another.

This is done by maintaining structured laws of how the world
works. "Phantasy Physics" is the buzz-word amongst the
programmers. On a more general level the different genres are
cross-compatable on many areas and convertible on many more.
This has allowed them to make advances across all genres in
their products. The strong sense of consistency amongst Red
Wizard games had lead to the highest rate of Product Loyalty in
this market.

The company is run by "The Red Wizard" himself, a long-term
games devisor and writer. At the end of any game during the
credits his analogue appears and conducts a satisfaction survey.
What was initially received with irritation developed into kind
of a game where during the last few minutes any players would
expend all remaining ammo in an attempt to destroy the Red
Wizard. There is rumoured to be one set of clues in each game to
reveal how to destroy him.

Technicalities aside, this has made possible the Event of the
Year amongst all "Virtual People" -- The Serabi Critter
Competition.

Each year the best Red Wizard games are taken from each genre
along with the highest scoring players. They are then run in the
Serabi Virtual Centre in parallel with each other. The teams and
critters from each genre compete against each other for overall
supremacy.

After the competition the joint game runs for a few weeks for
the public to try their hand at.

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

The Critter Competition and virtual reality games in general
allow a Referee to take a break from normal play and insert in
any  alternate adventure they wanted to play. I did a post a few
months back on how I used the Virus background as a VR games. It
is a great way of using up old D&D modules.

It also gives you the chance to introduce film, book, and media
nasties from all sources against the players in a non-permanent
environment.

The upcoming Critter Competition in my campaign consists of the
following:

MODERN: Bughunt on Ryleh
Your squad of Imperial Marines hunt vicious acid blooded aliens
across the weird un-human architecture of a recently risen
island...

FANTASY: Dragonriders of Prynn
Your staltward band of adventuring warriors must battle against
the recent invasion of dragons from the mountains...

HISTORICAL ROMANCE: Revenge of the Jheddi
The last survivors of a old Vilani Order battle evil elements of
the Empire of Man in the days before the Psionic Suppression
using the mysterious mental power of The Force...

VAUDVILLE: The Pirates of Parlance
A whimsical band of rogues assault and romp with you through
many adventures. But you can't hit them while they are singing...

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

The Serabi Entertainment service "RED CHANNEL" is please to have
in the studio tonight M. Neil Hart, one of the prime developers
of "Bughunt on Ryleh", winner of this years critter
competition. Neil, are you pleased with your results?

NH:	"It was kind of inevitable."
RC:	"So you were confident from the start that your critters
	would come out on top. Many people were backing the adventurers
	from Dragonriders. This is their third year in the competition."
NH:	"They had the advantage of long range weapons and flight but
	those aren't winning strategies, just delaying tactics. You
	can't win with that, only place."
RC:	"What about the Jheddi Monks?"
NH:	"Pah. My aliens are just animals, not subject to psionic powers.
	Their Weapons of Power are only so much plasma. My aliens just
	breed to fast for them. And the Evil Empire were less equipped
	than the Imperial Marines from its own stomping ground."
RC:	"What about the pirates. There are some accusations that you
	cheated by making your critters immune to their singing."
NH:	"That's a pack of lies. My aliens can only hear certain select
	ranges of sound. It is a defence mechanism against sonic weapons.
	When the pirates hit the chorus the left the active range and
	were only good for incubators", he smirks.
RC:	"It must be disappointing that getting that close it wasn't an
	overall victory. There was one survivor from your own genre,
	Lt. Ellen, the Warrant Officer."
NH:	In agitation, "The ultimate creature of destruction in all the
	universe! And she attacks it with a fork-lift! Fluke, complete
	fluke. She should have been gutted with the rest."
RC:	"You seem quite attached to your critter..."
NH:	Interrupting, "You can't just call it a critter. It really is
	the ultimate in destruction. When I designed it a ran through
	infinite regression tests and self-improving loops. The generator
	was self modifying and self-constructing. My aliens came out
	of the other end. It is the ultimate."
RC:	"I've heard rumours that the Red Wizard himself is talking about
	cutting them down. Surely an ultimate beast, as you put it, is
	to deadly for entertainment."
NH:	Getting angry, "Such shortsightedness. He can't admit when he is
	beaten. It's all because my alien ate his analogue..."
RC:	"Neil, you do take this all rather personally. Surely, no matter
	how devised, you critter, sorry, alien, is just a collection of
	heuristics and behavioural algorithms? There will be other
	projects."
NH:	"Your DNA is just a collection of heuristics and behavioural
	algorithms. Did your mother move on to something else after
	you? Yes, I have other projects in mind." He smiles here. "But
	I'm not telling..."
RC:	"Thank you Neil..."

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6484
From: mgood@MIT.EDU
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 93 09:26:41 -0500
Subject: Computers and Control Points

Hi!

Anthony Neal asked:
- -------
Does anyone out there have any idea how GDW generated the Max Number of
control points for each computer model and the CP multiplier? I have not,
with my limited mathematical background and a hand calculator, been able to
piece any mathematical progression together...
- -------

I've done a pretty through examination of the CT, MT, and TNE computer
progressions, and from what I can tell, there is no mathmatical formula.

This is one of the things that I was hoping FF&S would clear up.  We'll see ;-)

Matt Goodman
mgood@mit.edu

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6485
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1993 12:49:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Jason 'Jas' Packer <jpacker@jupiter.willamette.edu>
Subject: Brilliant Lances

Hello, all.  I'm looking for information on the new era traveller space
combat system.  Particularly as a standalone game.  If anyone has any
info on it, or can point me to some, I'd be most grateful.

Jas

+-----    Jason W. Packer		jpacker@willamette.edu    |
|         Hey, I don't just *claim* to be incredible...           |
|                     I've got references!                        |
|                                                            -----+



------------------------------
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 526  6486 23-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     << Subject: OutLander's Starchart and N
 526  6487 23-Dec-1993 Jo_Grant.LOTUSI  Amber Zone, Critter Competition, part I
 526  6488 23-Dec-1993 Peter H. Brento  Critter Competition << Kudos! Bravo!
 526  6489 23-Dec-1993 mgood@MIT.EDU    Critter Competition << This was the sin
 526  6490 24-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Critter Competition << Hello!
 526  6491 24-Dec-1993 Rob Dean         Merry Christmas!! << Merry Christmas an
 526  6492 24-Dec-1993 James Kundert    FF&S <<  IT'S OUT!!
 526  6493 25-Dec-1993 Keeper Of The L  Fire, Fusion, & Steel << Well, I'm new
 526  6494 25-Dec-1993 WADDELL@delphi.  3D Traveller Map to 25pc from Sol.. <<
 526  6495 27-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     2300 AD star map... << Hello There!
 526  6496 27-Dec-1993 James Buckley    query <<
 526  6497 28-Dec-1993 mgood@MIT.EDU    Armor Etc. << Hi!
 526  6498 29-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Computer Rules << Hello all!
 526  6499 29-Dec-1993 Jerry Sanders    The Traveller Chronicle << The Travelle
 526  6500 29-Dec-1993 Joe Heck         One step short of another odd survey...
 526  6501 30-Dec-1993 j.kundert@genie  Computer rules & TMLs health << Anthony
 526  6502 30-Dec-1993 Joe Heck         Computers in FFS/TNE << Well Anthony, y
 526  6503 30-Dec-1993 mgood@MIT.EDU    MT/TNE compatibility << Hi!
 526  6504 27-Dec-1993 Jerry Sanders    Re: TML Submission << [Resent to distri
 526  6505 29-Dec-1993 Jerry Sanders    The Traveller Chronicle << [Resent to d

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6486
Date: 	Thu, 23 Dec 1993 02:43:57 -0330
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@nadine.cs.mun.ca>

Subject: OutLander's Starchart and Near Star List...

Hello All:

	 Well, just one more problem with having a REAL 3d game of traveller. I
have been fiddling with the idea of running Traveller (Or my Home-brew mix of
stuff) in what I call the Terran Confederation (No ties to any Traveller
meaning). This involves the use of the "Near Stars within 25pc of Earth" list
thing that I found at explorer.arc.nasa.gov (Thanks to some person on the TML
whose name elludes me...).

    I wrote a little C program that changed the format of the data into that of
Starchart and decided to display all 2150 stars at once... What a muddle! So
those that said it would be hell to organize the data in 3D... Hats off!

    At least, if we were to do it, we'd need better mapping software.

    Anyhow, I hadn't heard if anyone else had tried it and just wanted to let
you all know someone did. If anyone wants the package and the star data file,
let me know and I'll arrange for it to be sent ;-) .

    Anthony

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6487
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 93 04:19:53 EST
From: Jo_Grant.LOTUSINT.LOTUS@CRD.lotus.com
Subject: Amber Zone, Critter Competition, part II

In an interview with Neil Hart, creator of the aliens in
"Bughunt on Rlyeh", winner of this year's Critter Competition...

RC:	"You seem quite attached to your critter..."
NH:	Interrupting, "You can't just call it a critter. It really is
	the ultimate in destruction. When I designed it a ran through
	infinite regression tests and self-improving loops. The generator
	was self modifying and self-constructing. My aliens came out
	of the other end. It is the ultimate."
RC:	"Neil, you do take this all rather personally. Surely, no matter
	how devised, you critter, sorry, alien, is just a collection of
	heuristics and behavioural algorithms? There will be other
	projects."
NH:	"Your DNA is just a collection of heuristics and behavioural
	algorithms. Did your mother move on to something else after
	you? Yes, I have other projects in mind." He smiles here. "But
	I'm not telling..."

	Neil Hart has become increasingly dissatisfied in Red Wizard
software. Even his own workgroup which helped with Bughunt have distanced
themselves from him due to his refusing to share the glory of their
program's success. Through hackers he has gotten wind that senior
managment and The Red Wizard (who personally doesn't like him) have made
a committment to the group to change him from being their leader. He
was in the process of fortifying his position when he was approached
by Tersad Bio-Engineering, PLC.
	Tersad is not a very reputable company and has been the subject
of several Imperial investigations. Over its 140 year history it has been
found guilty of experimental testing on humans, selling fatal viruses
without researching cures, eugenics research, environment destroying
bacteria and several other major ethical counts.
	The interview with Neil Hart caught their attention. Many of their
major customers are military bent on destruction by any means possible.
Neil is correct: "DNA is just a collection of heuristics and behavioural
algorithms." What Tersad seek to do is to implement the heuristics of
Neils alien, not in virtual reality, but in a genetic lab.
	Neil doesn't know enough about genetics to tell them it can
definately be done but he is sure that the same self-modifying, etc,
techniques can be applied in genetic simulation to produce the same
result. He has agreed to sell out to them.

Several possibilities for adventures exist:

*)	Assisting in the extraction of Neil Hart. Either Neil or Tersad
	has approached the players. They are to be hired to get Neil and
	several datacards from a restricted area of Red Wizard Software
	on Serabi Spaceport to the Tersad system.
*)	Finding Neil Hart. Red Wizard Software hires the players to find
	out where he has gone and to recover stolen property.
*)	Investigation of Tersad. An inside mole has tipped off the Imperial
	authorities that something is up in Tersad. The players are hired
	as an unofficial agency to infiltrate and investigate.
*)	Neil wants out of Tersad. Either because he can now see the gross
	inhumanity of their operation (they only use "volunteers" now for
	testing) or because he has discovered he can't deliver what he
	promised. He contacts the players to help in his own extraction.
*)	Neil has a change of heart. The alien synthesis is successful.
	After seeing the aliens tested on real people he decideds that
	his creation shouldn't really see the light of day. He hires the
	players to extract him. Their mission is helped by the fact that
	he has engineered one fatal flaw into the creatures (they don't
	like light opera music).
*)	Contact is lost with Tersad Bio-Engineering. The players either
	have to deliver a shipment to the remote base or are called in
	to investigate. The base has been taken over by aliens.
*)	The planet of Tersad is experiencing major problems with an
	invasion of aliens. The players mercenary unit is called in to
	guard or rescue a rich patrons estate.


Next project:
	Can anyone out there design me an Alien?

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6488
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 93 09:50:59 CST
From: Peter H. Brenton <pete@biochem.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Critter Competition


Kudos! Bravo!

The Jo Grant's Critter competition amber zone looks like great fun.
I can *feel* how the presentation to the players should go.  Good
work Jo!

I can't wait for part 2

Merry Whatever to all!

- -Pete the lurker

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6489
From: mgood@MIT.EDU
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 93 16:24:12 -0500
Subject: Critter Competition

This was the single most amusing (and most useful) post I've seen to the
list since I've been on it.  It was great (applause applause) and
usable in my campaign.

Thanks!

Matt

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6490
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Critter Competition
Date: 	Fri, 24 Dec 1993 01:25:43 -0330

Hello!

	 That was one really neat idea! Congratulations! This will see use in my
campaign. (That is, after the post-christmas jump-start!) Please continue
your posts!

	Anthony

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anthony Neal                |"Lets bring up the cargo manifest. 2300 laser
anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca  | pistols, 1600 laser rifles, 1 ATV, 67 suits of
Memorial University Of      | combat armor and...    What the hell are
Newfoundland                | 'tribbles'?"
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6491
From: Rob Dean <robdean@access.digex.net>
Subject: Merry Christmas!!
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1993 15:12:04 -0500 (EST)

Merry Christmas and Holiday Greetings to All,

from Rob Dean and the rest of the Dean Family.

(Hope you find a few Traveller things in your stockings!)

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6492
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 93 18:50:00 PST
From: James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
Subject: FF&S

 IT'S OUT!!

 <ahem>

 160 pages plus a small insert.  Nice cover.  Most everything you want
in tech design (see bottom of page 4).  Some very informative pictures
to go with the text.

 Rather byzantine in spots. No Acronym Table!  Requires some page flipping
(similar to Striker's design rules, if you need an organizational parallel).
A rather amusing idea for fixing a printing mistake on page 75 (Loren
claims a warm radiator is all you need...).

 Final opinion:  Not At This Time...

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

"The only other event marking the journey was the death of Dr. O'Gandhi,
his third for the month." -John DeChancie, _The Kruton Interface_

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6493
From: darkstar@chopin.udel.edu (Keeper Of The Lint)
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1993 21:45:48 EST
Subject: Fire, Fusion, & Steel

Well, I'm new to the list, so let me say "hello" to everyone out there.
I have a few comments about FFS.  I think that it's a great book.
Definitely a must get (well, if you're playing TNE anyway).  One of the
things that I really like is the sections on Alternative Technology.
Yeah, one might argue that stuff like stutterwarp, warpgates, etc. may
not be part of the "official" Traveller universe, but I happen to love
having these available for me to customize my universe.  Also, for
whoever was pointing out that Loren goes to great lengths to describe
the gravitics needed to aim lasers, yet they don't have
gravitic/reactionless drives says that logic seems flawed (did anyone
catch what the hell I'm *trying* to say in all of that?  8)
Well, they put the drives back in under this alternative technology
categories.

But, I must point out how truly disappointed I am that once again, they
have skipped robots!  Damn, I haven't seen a single good product on
robots in Traveller since 101 Robots (which I do not own).  Oh well,
Happy New Year everyone...


	--Jerry



- --
|>  Jerry Alexandratos             **  "vengo de la tierra del    <|
|>  darkstar@freezer.cns.udel.edu  **   fuego ten cuidado cuando  <|
|>  darkstar@bach.udel.edu         **   llamas mi nombre..."      <|

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6494
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1993 22:05:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: WADDELL@delphi.com
Subject: 3D Traveller Map to 25pc from Sol..

Anthony

Have you tried the map that came with Traveller 2300?  The map is done out
to about 16 parsecs so it doesn't cover all the area you want but it is
already done on a handy map sheet.  The stars are already in the database
you have (in fact yours is more accurate!).

Also, if you want some additional detail about stars in the area you
cover look up Burnham's Celestial Handbook.  Three volumes covering stars
in all constellations.  Major stars are covered in detail with orbital
and physical descriptions.  It's in trade paperback and the whole set
runs about $40.00 or should be available in libraries.

Allen

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6495
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: 2300 AD star map...
Date: 	Mon, 27 Dec 1993 02:54:14 -0330

Hello There!

    WADDELL@delphi.com writes:

>Have you tried the map that came with Traveller 2300?  The map is done out
>to about 16 parsecs so it doesn't cover all the area you want but it is
>already done on a handy map sheet.  The stars are already in the database
>you have (in fact yours is more accurate!).

	 Actually, yep I have heard about that map. Had a friend who had it too,
but alas he sold all his stuff before I got my hands on the map. Yeesh. Around
here, the GDW representation is pretty bad (well, for anything other than T2K).

     Also, I'm looking at programming a 3D MegaT star system generation
and display program. I guess it'll be like Library, but I'm looking at
Graphical display of star proximity and distance between stars. I'm also gonna
put in jump route stuff (but if all goes well with the above, that'll be a
piece of cake!). This is still a kicking around idea, but would be neat...

	 First I gotta put together some Computer rules and get the armor generator
done. That should be fairly soon.


     darkstar@chopin.udel.edu (Keeper Of The Lint) writes:

>But, I must point out how truly disappointed I am that once again, they
>have skipped robots!  Damn, I haven't seen a single good product on
>robots in Traveller since 101 Robots (which I do not own).  Oh well,
>Happy New Year everyone...
>
>
>    --Jerry

     Still leavin' out robots rules, eh. Oh well. I just got Book 8: Robots
(Thanks you know who!) and am pleased that I have that. It is a shame that
there isn't a TNE implementation of robots. However, a suggestion for the
GDW dudes: If such a supplement were to arrive, it would be really neat if
there were computer rules, program rules and robot rules all in one supplement.
Physical construction should be along the lines of FF&S (since that's the
current standard) and computer rules and robot brain rules should agree. I'm
trying to adapt the computer rules for my game without fracturing the current
specs for Robots and Ship Computers, but having little success.

	 Anyway, I've ranted long enough. Hope I haven't offended. In the meantime,
belated Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukah and a Happy New Year!

	 Anthony

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anthony Neal                |"Lets bring up the cargo manifest. 2300 laser
anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca  | pistols, 1600 laser rifles, 1 ATV, 67 suits of
Memorial University Of      | combat armor and...    What the hell are
Newfoundland                | 'tribbles'?"
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6496
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 93 14:22:11 -0800
From: James Buckley <hal9000@u.washington.edu>
Subject: query

Hi.


Wow!  I was blissfully unaware until very recently of there being any magnetic
media or email resources available to the Traveller afficionado, such as this
message area.

I haven't gotten the TML orientation message, so I'm unaware of any
resources connected with this message base.  Are there any?

What else have I been missing?



                    Sincerely,

                    hal9000

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6497
From: mgood@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 09:55:07 -0500
Subject: Armor Etc.

Hi!

Anthony writes:
>First I gotta put together some Computer rules and get the armor genera
>or done. That should be fairly soon.

Computer rules would be cool.  If you're talking about armor generation
for TNE, they have them in FF&S.

Also, the logical place for Computer/Robot rules would be in
the Virus book, which we can't expect until late 94... at the earliest.
However, I think if you came up with a good set of rules, you could
get them published (in some form) in Challenge, which would
make them "official".

Matt

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6498
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Computer Rules
Date: 	Wed, 29 Dec 1993 01:36:36 -0330

Hello all!

     mgood@MIT.EDU writes:

>Also, the logical place for Computer/Robot rules would be in
>the Virus book, which we can't expect until late 94... at the earliest.
>However, I think if you came up with a good set of rules, you could
>get them published (in some form) in Challenge, which would
>make them "official".

>Matt

     Hmmm. Never considered the TNE thingy. I've been stuck in Mega for such
a long time that TNE never crossed my mind. I guess anything I come up with
will be cross-compatible. Either way, I'll post them when/if they ever work
out.

	 Published??? Wow! Never considered that either. Who'd publish me! ;->

     Anthony

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anthony Neal                |"Lets bring up the cargo manifest. 2300 laser
anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca  | pistols, 1600 laser rifles, 1 ATV, 67 suits of
Memorial University Of      | combat armor and...    What the hell are
Newfoundland                | 'tribbles'?"
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6499
From: Jerry Sanders <xminusjs@indirect.com>
Subject: The Traveller Chronicle
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 8:57:59 MST

The Traveller Chronicle - News...

*** Issue #1 ***

I spoke to Kevin Knight on the phone last night and he informed me that he
has almost sold out of issue #1 of TTC. He says that there are only about
25 copies left, and that he is no longer selling them retoactively with
new subscriptions. (However, you may still suscribe starting with issue #2
if you want too.) Kevin asked me to post a message here letting people
know that he is now selling issue #1 of TTC individually for $5.00 (US)
each. If anyone is interested in getting a copy before they are sold out,
I'd suggest you act soon.


*** Issue #3 ***

Feature Adventure:

TTC #3 will be going to the printers late next week. The feature adventure
this issue is "Bonnie Venture" and is written by none other than Mark
"Geo" Gelinas. I have not seen a draft of it, but Kevin tells me it is an
excellent adventure set within the Regency in 1120. All stats in the
adventure are in the TNE format. Kevin says it is a LARGE adventure
(30,000+ words), and will likely take up 1/4 of the issue.


Far Frontiers:

Issue #2 will also contain at least two more subsectors (three if there is
room) for The Far Frontiers sector.


Mercury Quest:

Issue #3 concludes "Mercury Quest" pt.3 - Traveller fiction written by
Gary Kalin. I won't give anything away, but I will say that I think most
people will be pleased with the way in which this story ends...(nuff said).

New Artist:

I would also like to take this chance to welcome aboard an artist from the
UK whose work will appear in this issue. His name is Tim Osborne, and you
might has seen his before in Signal-GK. (I thought his cover/deckplans for
S-GK #7 were outstanding! - Now if I can just talk him into submitting a
set of deckplans to us!).

Well, I suppose I've said enough..... :) Happy Travelling!

Strephon Lives,

Paul
( xminusjs@indirect.com )

P.S. Will the person in the UK who offered to pass on messages to Jae
Campbell for me please contact me - I have misplaced your e-mail address.


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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6500
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 93 12:12:23 CST
From: Joe Heck <CCJOE@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject:      One step short of another odd survey...

I've created a spreadsheet from the tables in FFS to help create handguns.
I'm uploading it to SUNBANE, so it should be there within the next couple of
days. It's currently in Excel 3.0 format, so if anyone needs it otherwise,
let me know & I'll get you a translation into some other format (Lotus,
etc).

 joe                          University of Missouri - Columbia
 ccjoe@mizzou1.missouri.edu   (314) 882-5000

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6501
From: j.kundert@genie.geis.com
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 93 04:29:00 BST
Subject: Computer rules & TMLs health

Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca> says:

 >
 >>Also, the logical place for Computer/Robot rules would be in
 >>the Virus book, which we can't expect until late 94... at the earliest.
 >>However, I think if you came up with a good set of rules, you could
 >>get them published (in some form) in Challenge, which would
 >>make them "official".
 >>
 >>Matt
 >
 >  Hmmm. Never considered the TNE thingy. I've been stuck in Mega for such
 >a long time that TNE never crossed my mind. I guess anything I come up with
 >will be cross-compatible.

  Er. Probably not.  The computers in TNE are entirely different.  You
don't pick an arbitrary model number anymore (they were arbitrary in MT,
anyway; the model# >= jump# rule was missing), you install one or more
computers of your chosen tech level.  That's it.  The only differences
within a tech level for the big comps are the flight/standard/optical
progression and the number of comps you install.  Your comps must be
the same tech level as your sensors and control systems.

 >Either way, I'll post them when/if they ever work out.
 >
 >  Published??? Wow! Never considered that either. Who'd publish me! ;->

  Not Challenge, if it's a MegaTraveller article.  According to the
submission guidelines, it's TNE or nothing.  The recent issues have
been printing the backlog of MT articles as fast as is practical.
They don't seem to want any more of them.  With TNE (and now FF&S) in
the stores, I can't say I blame them.
  If your work is still MT-compatible when it's done, The Traveller
Chronicle might print it (see message 6499 from last night).  TTC
is a "Traveller" magazine in the same way this list seems to be a
"Traveller" list.  Not just Classic, not just MT, and not just TNE.
All of them.  Right, Paul?

 That said, I find the lack of apparent enthusiasm for TNE on this
list distressing and annoying.  Distressing because of the "It's
different. I don't like different" attitude which accompanies much
of the discussion, and annoying because all the big-volume posters
seem to have fled to the pocket-empire list (a list with "No Loitering,
Private Property" posted at the door), and abandoned the main TML.
It got worse when the folks who wanted to playtest the FF&S preview
material went and formed _another_ list to follow that activity.
The TML was left a shadow of its former self during this time.  The
enthusiasm for these projects that could have infected the rest of
the list was kept behind closed doors (and still is), and thus was
wasted on those who needed no encouragement.
 Please don't think that I consider these other lists a "bad thing."
Each has a specific mission that it pursues vigorously (I assume,
not being a member of either).  Their isolation from this list is
what bothers me. A Lot.

 James Kundert
 <j.kundert@genie.geis.com>


 PS That's not ALL TNE computers do, mind you, just the beginning...

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6502
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 93 08:16:29 CST
From: Joe Heck <CCJOE@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject:      Computers in FFS/TNE

Well Anthony, you spured me on last night (and one of the players in our
group demanding to know about desktop/handheld computers). I went through
and details out the technology breakpoints and what happened at them
(guessing in some cases) and extrapolated the data out to various forms.
So... here's the rundown. (The format for TL is intro/wide-spread use). My
information is from Classic Trav&Book 8 Robots, MT Referee's companion.

Breakthrough                   Classic Trav   MegaTrav
non-volitale memory               8/9            9
optical storage mediums           8/8            8
massive parallel processing       7/8            8
voice recognition                 9/10           9
voice transcription               10/11          10
synaptic processing               10/12          11
25% synaptic processing           14
50% synaptic processing           16
  (AI breakthrough)
Personality Sims                  15             15
  (Psuedo-Reality)
Holocrystal Storage               12/13          13
Direct Neural implants            14/15          14

Side Technologies
Holovideo                         10             10
Handheld holorecorder                            13
artificial eyes                   11             11

Now the interesting bits: The neural implant computers are rated very
similiarly to the mainframe computers. They both stay similiar in size
from mod 7 to mod 9, then they start growing at mod 10 and peak out at
mod 13. This led me to believe that the TL12 7M neural implant computer
functioned the same as a TL7 Std computer.

Interestingly enough, the breakpoint on size peaked out at TL13 - where the
holocrystal memory has been listed as being a breakthrough in computing.

Another interesting bit is the mention of the TL15 Mod 10M neural computer
is the first model of neural implant computer capable of "hosting" the virus
- - making me suspect that it's compatriot the TL10 Mod 10 Std 'mainframe'
computer (where they start growing 'bigger') is actually introducing the
synaptic processing into the machine. This is essentially hardware that
re-writes itself (a step up from re-configuration) to match the needs of the
application. They also mention that earlier versions can still contain the
virus as "carriers". This leads me to the conclusion that TL9 & previous
computers are largely safe from the virus (just restart them).

Okay - so now I've even more theories on virus which I won't mess with,
cause this isn't about the silicon worm... Here's the extrapolation (in TNE
form) for other sizes of computers (somewhere between the 1000kg and .1kg
versions listed).

         "Mainframe" comps                  Neural Implant Computers
 (listed in Brilliant Lances & FFS)              (listed in FFS)
Model#    TL   Vol(m^3)  Mass(tonnes)   Model#    TL   Vol(l)  Mass(kg)
   7       7       5        1             7M      12   *.1       1
   8       8       5        1             8M      13   *.1       1
   9       9       5        1             9M      14   *.1       1
   10      10      6        1.2          10M      15   *.12     1.2
   11      11      7        1.4    * the volumes weren't listed, so I guessed/
   12      12      8        1.6      extrapolated. I figured .1 liters was
   13      13      9        1.8      still to large to fit in a skull, so it
   14      14      8        1.6      had to be fused in component parts to the
   15      15      7        1.4      spine.

The TL11 hand comp is listed as being rated the same as a "Model 1". I had
to look back to MT to check it, but they spec'd a model 1 as a TL5 computer.
Since we've obviously progressed beyond that point - I equivilant'd it to a
mod 7 flight computer.

So now... the new stuff:
 Desktop/Laptop computers                    These models function as the
Model#    TL   Vol(L)  Mass(kg) Price(MCr)   equivilant to the Model # std.
  7D      9     2       2.5        .02       i.e. a TL11 Mod9D is the equiv
  8D      10    2       2.5        .016      of a TL9 Mod9 Std computer.
  9D      11    2       2.5        .024
 10D      12    2.4     3.0        .04
 11D      13    2.8     3.5        .06
 12D      14    3.2     4.0        .08
 13D      15    3.6     4.5        .1
 14D      16    3.2     4.0        .12
 15D      17    2.8     3.5        .14
 16D      18    2.4     3.0        .16

       Handheld computers                    These models function as the
Model#    TL   Vol(L)  Mass(kg) Price(Cr)    equivilant to the Model # Flt.
  7H      11    .2       .5      1000        i.e. a TL11 Mod9D is the equiv
  8H      12    .2       .5       800        of a TL9 Mod9 Flt computer.
  9H      13    .2       .5      1200
 10H      14    .24      .6      2000        These can be made to function
 11H      15    .28      .7      4000        like the STD model computers -
 12H      16    .32      .8      6000        multiply the volume and mass by
 13H      17    .36      .9      8000        2 and the price by 10.
 14H      18    .32      .8     10,000
 15H      19    .28      .7     12,000
 16H      20    .24      .6     14,000

Some postulated breakthroughs:
TL8    2D virtual reality
TL9    Immersive VR (hardware)
TL13   3D VR
     (holography&gravitic manipulation to give tactile feedback)
TL15   Molecular memories
     (another x10+ increase in storage from holocrystal)

So... thoughts?

What'cha think Anthony?

 joe                          University of Missouri - Columbia
 ccjoe@mizzou1.missouri.edu   (314) 882-5000

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6503
From: mgood@MIT.EDU
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 93 10:53:42 -0500
Subject: MT/TNE compatibility

Hi!

Anthony said:
- -----------
     Hmmm. Never considered the TNE thingy. I've been stuck in Mega for such
a long time that TNE never crossed my mind. I guess anything I come up with
will be cross-compatible. Either way, I'll post them when/if they ever work
out.
- -----------

Ummmm....  from what I've seen of TNE and MT designs, I'd say they
were pretty much incompatible.  I didn't mean to suggest that you
_shouldn't_ design MT rules.  Sorry.  I have publication on the brain.

matt

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6504
From: Jerry Sanders <xminusjs@indirect.com>
Subject: Re: TML Submission
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 93 22:45:02 MST

[Resent to distribution address.  Submissions should be mailed to
traveller@engrg.uwo.ca -- James]

Hello again. I just spoke with Kevin Knight on the phone tonight
and he informed me that he has almost sold out of issue #1 of
The TravellerChronicle.

He asked me to post a message here to let everyone know that subscriptions
for TTC are no longer being taken retroactively back to issue #1. (However,
you may still suscribe retroactively to issue #2).

I was told that he only has about 25 copies of issue #1 left, and that he
is now selling them individually for $5.00 (US) each. If anyone is
interested in getting a copy before they are sold out, I would suggest you
act soon!

Issue #3 of The Traveller Chronicle will be going to the printers late
next week. Altho I don't have a complete table of contents before me, I
can say that the feature adventure for this issue is: "Bonnie Venture" and
is written by Mark "Geo" Gelinas. I have not seen a draft of it, but Kevin
tells me it is an excellent adventure set within the Regency in 1120 -  and
that the stats are presented in TNE format. Kevin says that it is a LARGE
adventure (30,000+ words), and will likely take up at least 1/4 of the issue.

Issue #3 will also contain two more subsectors for The Far Frontiers
sector, as well as the concluding segment of "Mercury Quest" (Traveller
fiction) by Gary Kalin....I think most people will be pleased with the
ending (nuff said).

I would also like to welcome a new artist whose work will appear in
issue #3. His name is Tim Osborne and he is from the U.K. - his work has
appeared in Signal-GK. (I thought his cover/deckplans for S-GK #7 were
outstanding! - Now if I can just talk him into sending a set of his
deckplans to me!).

Well, I suppose I've said enough... :)  Happy travelling!

Strephon Lives,

Paul
( xminusjs@indirect.com )

***** Will the person from the UK that offered to relay messages to
Jae Campbell please contact me - I have lost your email address! *****

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

Bundle: 526
Archive-Message-Number: 6505
From: Jerry Sanders <xminusjs@indirect.com>
Subject: The Traveller Chronicle
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 8:57:59 MST

[Resent to distribution address.  Submissions should be mailed to
traveller@engrg.uwo.ca -- James]

The Traveller Chronicle - News...

*** Issue #1 ***

I spoke to Kevin Knight on the phone last night and he informed me that he
has almost sold out of issue #1 of TTC. He says that there are only about
25 copies left, and that he is no longer selling them retoactively with
new subscriptions. (However, you may still suscribe starting with issue #2
if you want too.) Kevin asked me to post a message here letting people
know that he is now selling issue #1 of TTC individually for $5.00 (US)
each. If anyone is interested in getting a copy before they are sold out,
I'd suggest you act soon.


*** Issue #3 ***

Feature Adventure:

TTC #3 will be going to the printers late next week. The feature adventure
this issue is "Bonnie Venture" and is written by none other than Mark
"Geo" Gelinas. I have not seen a draft of it, but Kevin tells me it is an
excellent adventure set within the Regency in 1120. All stats in the
adventure are in the TNE format. Kevin says it is a LARGE adventure
(30,000+ words), and will likely take up 1/4 of the issue.


Far Frontiers:

Issue #2 will also contain at least two more subsectors (three if there is
room) for The Far Frontiers sector.


Mercury Quest:

Issue #3 concludes "Mercury Quest" pt.3 - Traveller fiction written by
Gary Kalin. I won't give anything away, but I will say that I think most
people will be pleased with the way in which this story ends...(nuff said).

New Artist:

I would also like to take this chance to welcome aboard an artist from the
UK whose work will appear in this issue. His name is Tim Osborne, and you
might has seen his before in Signal-GK. (I thought his cover/deckplans for
S-GK #7 were outstanding! - Now if I can just talk him into submitting a
set of deckplans to us!).

Well, I suppose I've said enough..... :) Happy Travelling!

Strephon Lives,

Paul
( xminusjs@indirect.com )

P.S. Will the person in the UK who offered to pass on messages to Jae
Campbell for me please contact me - I have misplaced your e-mail address.

------------------------------
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by the University of
Western Ontario. All opinions and materials below are the responsibility
of the originator.

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

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 527  6506 30-Dec-1993 Derek Wildstar   Re:  Computers in FFS/TNE << Joe Heck <
 527  6507 31-Dec-1993 pihlab@cbr.hhcs  RE: Computers <<                   I N
 527  6508 31-Dec-1993 Anthony Neal     Computer Controversy... << Hello again!
 527  6509 30-Dec-1993 George Herbert   TNE ENthusiasm... << James Kundert comp
 527  6510 31-Dec-1993 Gino Lucrezi     World remarks << In the spinward marche
 527  6511 31-Dec-1993 Keeper Of The L  Happy Holiday << I just wanted to wish
 527  6512 31-Dec-1993 Britta B. Damwi  Gravitics in TNE << Has anybody noticed
 527  6513 31-Dec-1993 PPUGLIESE@pimac  Annoyed? << In responses to James Kunde
 527  6514 31-Dec-1993 Bruce E Johnson  TNE vs MT; Cavemen vs Han Solo... <<  F
 527  6515 01-Jan-1994 j.kundert@genie  Enthusiasm etc. <<  My my, there's hope
 527  6516 01-Jan-1994 "Susan M. Shock  Thoughts on TNE <<   I'm a TNE fan. I o
 527  6517 01-Jan-1994 Derek Wildstar   Re:  Gravitics in TNE << bdamwitz@lones

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6506
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 93 14:31:52 -0500
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@quark.qrc.com>
Subject: Re:  Computers in FFS/TNE

Joe Heck <CCJOE@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu> wrote:
> So take a look, I wrote out everything I could think
> of, and tell me what y'all think.

It looks good!

> Worth submitting to GDW for TNE?

Definitely!

> Another interesting bit is the mention of the TL15 Mod 10M neural computer
> is the first model of neural implant computer capable of "hosting" the virus
> - making me suspect that it's compatriot the TL10 Mod 10 Std 'mainframe'
> ... They also mention that earlier versions can still contain the
> virus as "carriers". This leads me to the conclusion that TL9 & previous
> computers are largely safe from the virus (just restart them).

Not quite.  The Virus can still leave "eggs" using it's magic silicon
re-designing ability.  Even though a TL9 and earlier computer isn't really
capable of hosting the virus, it can serve as a source of infection, even if
the computer is turned off and restarted.

To clean out the computer, you have to dissassemble it and test the
individual components, replacing any of them that contain a virus "egg".
Then you reformat all the storage media and erase any non-volatile memory
arrays (like CMOS or Flash-EEPROM) before putting the thing back together.
Then, provided you have done a complete and thourough job, your computer
will work, and won't be a Virus carrier.

Computer Types: I'd like to suggest some more characteristics of the
various types of computers you detail.  By the way, I'm using a notation I
find convenient, and similar to the "look" of Classic Traveller computer
designations.  It's explained below:

Example:	Meaning
Mod/7		TL-7 Standard "Mainframe" Computer
Mod/7-Fib	TL-7 Fiber-Optic "Mainframe" Computer
Mod/7F		TL-7 Flight Computer
Mod/7F-Fib	TL-7 Fiber-Optic Flight Computer
Mod/7D		"Model 7" Desktop Computer (roughly equivalent of Mod/7)
Mod/7H		"Model 7" Hand Computer (roughly equivalent of Mod/7F)
Mod/7M		"Model 7" Micro Computer (cyber-implant, equivalent of Mod/7F)

> "Mainframe" Computers

These would be designed for use where volume isn't a problem, but the best
performance is definitely required.  The best contemporary equivalents would
be small supercomputers, or "super-minis" configured for use as servers in a
client-server environment.  The smaller flight computers can't perform jump
calculations, and are limited in the fuctions they can perform.

In Traveller, "Mainframe" computers get used as database servers, dealing
out library data, astrographic information, entertainment, technical
information and a wide range of other services to a large number of client
desktop, laptop, hand, and implant computers.  The other use is similar to
the way supercomputers are used today: to quickly solve problems (like jump
calculations) that are too large or complex to solve on smaller computers.

We can probably get a sense of scale and power for these things by noting
that the Mod/7 (the TL-7 "standard" computer) is probably the rought
equivalent of the biggest late-1970's mainframes or supercomputers.  The
server version is probably the equivalent of an IBM 3080-something, while
the supercomputer version likeley resembles something Seymour Cray designed
for other companies before he formed his own firm.  At TL-8 we have the
Mod/8, which I would guess as being roughly equivalent to either an IBM
3090-400, or one of larger Crays that became available towards the end of
the 80's, depending on whether you're talking about the data server or the
supercomputer version.

> Flight Computers

According to FF&S, these are limited computers, optimized in both hardware
and software to solve a particular set of problems.  One of these
applications is of course running a fly-by-wire (or fly-by-light, in the
case of fiber-optic flight computers) control system: reading attitude,
position, and velocity sensors combining this data with the pilot's control
inputs, and generating the right control surface outputs to both do the
pilot's bidding and keep the vehicle under control.

Flight computers can, of course, be designed for other functions.  Some
common ones would be handling a weapon or sensor system, or performing
diagnostics on all of the installed equipment.

The closest contemporary equivalents would be the various military standard
real-time computer systems used as flight computers, weapon guidance,
and controllers for various missile, sensor, and countermeasures systems
installed on modern combat vehicles.  One that (perhaps) more people would
be familliar with are the flight computers installed on the latest
jetliners, with their "glass cockpits" and sophisticated sensors.  All of
these contemporary equivalents would be roughly equivalent to Mod/7F or
Mod/8F computers.  Proposed new "fly-by-light" systems would be the rough
equivalents of Mod/8F-Fib

> Neural Implant Computers

Would these things really be the equivalent of "standard" mainframes?  The
application (direct interface with the human brain) is *very* different; I'd
guess that the more closely resemble flight computers than the big server
and supercomputer machines.

The Neural Implants would be roughly similar to flight computers in that
most of the software you would use with one of these is pre-installed and
built-in, although with a good bit more storage space for all the
random data that people tend to collect and want available at a moment's
notice.  The implanted computers would also be similar to flight computers
because, like flight computers, they would have to respond to sensor and
control inputs in a "real-time" manner.  Unlike a flight computer, they
would have to have storage and application programs roughly similar to hand
computers, to store and retrieve data for the user.

> Desktop/Laptop Computers

I agree with you on this one: the desktops and laptops are going to be
approximately equivalent to mainframe computers of a tech level or two
earlier.  However, the desktop computers are going to be less optimized for
massive throughput or serving large numbers of clients, and instead designed
towards meeting the needs of a single user.  Therefore, a lot of it's
resources go towards the user interface and presentation of data.  Although
these computers would very possibly be installed on a starship, their design
makes them incapable of being readily adapted to flight control or jump
calculations applications (however, player characters in dire need could
always try some role-playing and a Formidable throw agains their applicable
computer asset).  As computers for one individual go, these machines are
very powerful, and relatively expensive.  Therefore, those that use them
need the extra computer power for their work: scientists, engineers, and the
like will use them extensively.

Since the first listed computer is at TL-9, it's hard to guess at a rough
equivalent, and besides, I have a suggestion: The computers you list seem to
be in the workstation and super-workstation class judging by price.  Cr
20,000 is more than most would be willing to pay to equip themselves with a
computer.  THere is now, and probably always will be, office and home
computers in the $3000 to $5000 price range, equipping the vast majority of
computer-equipped workers.  (see below for a "fix" to this problem).

> Hand Computers

> The TL11 hand comp is listed as being rated the same as a "Model 1". I had
> to look back to MT to check it, but they spec'd a model 1 as a TL5 computer.
> Since we've obviously progressed beyond that point - I equivilant'd it to a
> mod 7 flight computer.

We had a long discussion about that a while back.  It was my opinion that,
interpreted literally, MegaTraveller was trying to say that a "Model 1" was
the rough equivalent of an IBM 705 (which was a very powerful mainframe
computer for TL-5).  By today's standards, the 705 makes an average
programmable pocket calculator (but a little slow).

Again, I agree with your table, and am assuming that the hand computers are
the descendants of the currently-new class of "Personal Digital Assistants".
With better software, more storage, better communications, and other
improvements, these little machines will be indespensable companions for
many people in the Far Future.  Most of the software is pre-installed or
built-in, like other "flight computer" equivalents.  The main job of these
machines is like that projected for the PDAs: to keep the owner in contact
with the rest of the world, and to keep track of all the disparate pieces of
information that the user accumulates and wants instant access to.

I would suggest that the larger and more capable machines derived from the
hand computers (let's call them "Personal Computers") be considerably
cheaper.  As you say, they are roughly equivalent to a "standard" computer,
larger than the hand computers, but much smaller and more portable than the
desktop systems.  But note that at TL-11 such a machine would be the rough
equivalent of a Mod/7, while the Desktop computer is the equivalent of a
Mod/9, and only a tiny bit over twice the price.  Instead of multiplying the
price by 10, multiply by 3.  These "personal" comptuers are the general
access terminals and user interface machines that most people use to get to
their library data and other information stored on the larger mainframes.
Small and cheap, these computers are found literally everywhere at higher
tech levels.  Again, there's no contemporary equivalent, but think of these
things as the ultimate descendant of the home computers like the Commodore
64 and Amiga 600, combined with Interactive CD-ROM, and game machines like
the Atari, Nintendo, and Sega; all rolled into one.

> Some postulated breakthroughs:

These all make sense to me.

> TL13   3D VR (holography&gravitic manipulation to give tactile feedback)

The HoloDeck!

> So... thoughts?

Good!  What do you think of my suggestions?


wildstar@quark.qrc.com
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In the Far Future

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6507
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 1993 15:09:00 +1000
From: pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au
Subject: RE: Computers


                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date Sent:1993-Dec-31 03:08pm
                                        From:     Bruce Pihlamae
                                                  PIHLAMAE BRUCE
                                        Dept:     Information Services
                                        Tel No:   (06) 289-7056

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _traveller@engrg.uwo.ca )


Subject: RE: Computers


    Topic: TNE Computers

    I like the discussion on TNE Computers.

    When I was first learning computers we had a lecturer who was
    responsible for maintaining and programming the ANALOG terrain
    following computers on the Australian f-111 (later upgraded
    to digital).  These were complex boxes of cogs and switches into
    which the pilot would punch their location, destination, and other
    details and this box would fly the craft to the destination.

    Where do you see Analog computers in the hierarchy.

    Although we have given them up for silicon there may be places and
    cases where chemical, biological, analog, or nano-tech style computers
    are developed and advanced to the level of or beyond silicon based
    machines.  What would one of these silicon based life forms make of
    a computer built of nano-tech pieces each with it's own memory and
    acting like a synaps in a large computer brain AI.

    Far fetched?  About as far as THE VIRUS.



    Topic:  RE: Robots  (specificly to GDW designers)

    Please don't make the VIRUS an integral part of any computer/robotic
    creation rules for TNE.  There are some of us who don't live in the
    VIRUS universe and we would like to use the Robotic/Computer rules
    too.



    Topic:  RE: Submissions to Challenge.

    I don't see why they can't continue to take MegaT submissions.  It
    shouldn't matter that your not in the exactly defined TNE universe
    as GDW themselves are offering variations to their own rules AND
    although I haven't seen it yet are apparently defining technologies
    (ala reactionless drives) which DO NOT EXIST in the official TNE
    universe (well they used to).  They (GDW) appear to be trying to
    convert TNE into a generic high-tech role playing system (ala GURPS).

    I have no problem with a generic system, why should Challenge?

    So, anything goes?


    Bruce...        pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au



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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6508
From: Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca>
Subject: Computer Controversy...
Date: 	Fri, 31 Dec 1993 03:08:26 -0330

Hello again!

	 I'd like to thank you all for your responses. Although I have to agree
that most of the major posters have moved, or at least taken vacation from,
the TML to other pursuits, I don't think that should hurt us. As long as we
all get the oomph to post, us lurkers and such, the TML shouldn't dry up
or anything drastic. I guess we'll have to just speak up! 8->

	 Thanks to James Kundert <j.kundert@genie.geis.com> for the reply and...
model#>=jump# ?  No there's something new to me! Oh well. Just another little
modification I have to make to a few designs... Thanks for the info. Wasn't in
the erratta.

     Joe Heck <CCJOE@MIZZOU1@missouri.edu> writes:

>Well Anthony, you spured me on last night (and one of the players in our
>group demanding to know about desktop/handheld computers). I went through
>and details out the technology breakpoints and what happened at them
>(guessing in some cases) and extrapolated the data out to various forms.
>So... here's the rundown. (The format for TL is intro/wide-spread use). My
>information is from Classic Trav&Book 8 Robots, MT Referee's companion.

     Sorry if I opened a can of worms for you... ;->

     I think that you did an excellent job of breaking down the computer scene.
In regards to the Neural Implant Computers, these are new to TNE? I've never
come across such dodads in MT. Either way, Very nice job! I'll have to digest
that further...

	 Matt Goodman <mgood@MIT.EDU> writes:

>Ummmm....  from what I've seen of TNE and MT designs, I'd say they
>were pretty much incompatible.  I didn't mean to suggest that you
>_shouldn't_ design MT rules.  Sorry.  I have publication on the brain.

     No Probs! Yeah, I figured they'd revamp computers in FF&S, but i didn't
realize that it would be as major a change as some of the stuff I saw in Joe's
post! Well, I guess if I had the rule books it'd probably not be that much of
a stretch, but... I'll still give the Mega Thing a shot, but it looks bad at
the moment.


	 A general question to you all, am I horribly misguided in interpreting
a Model/1bis as a Basic Instruction Set Model 1 ?  Or does bis stand for
something cryptic that is not in my books... I'm gonna feel really silly if
it doesn't mean what I think it means and I design rules around this...


	 Derek Wildstar <wildstar@quark.qrc.com> writes:

>The Neural Implants would be roughly similar to flight computers in that
>most of the software you would use with one of these is pre-installed and
>built-in, although with a good bit more storage space for all the
>random data that people tend to collect and want available at a moment's
>notice.  The implanted computers would also be similar to flight computers
>because, like flight computers, they would have to respond to sensor and
>control inputs in a "real-time" manner.  Unlike a flight computer, they
>would have to have storage and application programs roughly similar to hand
>computers, to store and retrieve data for the user.

     Would all programs be previously installed? Well, maybe in base models,
but it could be conceivable to install a small jack in the base of the skull
that we could fit program clips (You know, Microsofts in Gibson's books...)
into and download programs or information from or to them depending on whim.
Yes, I agree that there would have to be special software for the transfers
of information to and from the slots and to change currently running
application programs, but that's minor.

     The rest of your post sounds most reasonable.


	 To this point, most of my rules have been balled up and chucked. Since
I have perused the Robots book, I have found references to programs and CPU
and storage units. I have been trying to find a common base between the
Starship/Vehicle computers and the Robotic brain components. I mean, they are
made of roughly the same electronic technology per techlevel. Unfortunately,
other than knowing that a Jump Calculation, Antihijacking, Security, Gunnery
and other assorted things should run on these beasties, I have no Idea of the
space required for each and if such information was ever made public or not.
So, I have the choice of going into no man's land or giving up.

	 Does anyone have any information on ship computers and progams for said
comps? Would this be available in the Starship Operator's Manual? I'm trying
to get a second hand copy of said publication.

	 Anyhow, I've used up enough space!

     Anthony


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anthony Neal                |"Lets bring up the cargo manifest. 2300 laser
anthonyn@mercury.cs.mun.ca  | pistols, 1600 laser rifles, 1 ATV, 67 suits of
Memorial University Of      | combat armor and...    What the hell are
Newfoundland                | 'tribbles'?"
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6509
Subject: TNE ENthusiasm...
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1993 23:10:34 -0800
From: George Herbert <gwh@crl.com>


James Kundert complained about a lack of enthusiasm for
TNE on the main Traveller Mailing List and that the TNE-Pocket
and FF&S review groups had gone off and done their work
seperately.  I'd like to address what TNE-Pocket is doing,
for real, as opposed to random speculation 8-)

TNE-Pocket is for the most part not discussing TNE.
We did a surge of "how's it going to work" at the
beginning, before TNE was actually on the street,
and a second round of fixes when we got the game.
The TNE-Pocket list isn't there to discuss T:TNE.
We're making a very detailed small corner of the
TNE universe, not discussing issues as a whole.
Believe me, the ongoing arguments about pre-collapse
politics in the Aoeriyya region and how we're going
to get Metlay's Vargr over before the Virus hit
have nothing to do with the TNE game in general.

The traveller mailing list (this list here) is intended
for general discussion of Traveller the game, in all
its guises.  TNE-Pocket isn't about Traveller: The New Era.
It's about Aoerriya, one small corner of TNE which we were
lucky enough to be given to play with.

TNE-Pocket isn't trying to be closed either.  The archives
(which are about 6 weeks out of date, because I changed jobs
about that long ago...) are publically available at the
FTP site ocf.berkeley.edu directory pub/Traveller/TNE-Pocket
and anyone can download them.  They'll be updated next time
I have a weekend to spare.  The reason TNE-Pocket has a
"please don't join if you don't want to work" warning
on the front door is that we actually want to get something
done, not just sit and yak about it.  And we have.  We have
an outline, which may be revised depending on what the publication
arrangements end up being but seems otherwise pretty solid.
We have many thousands of words of first-draft (and some second
and third ...) manuscript for sections of the above.  We have
individuals penciled in for all the sections.  We're not very
busy right now because GDW has about a one-month response time,
and we're waiting on some info from them, but we've been
making good progress on the whole.

That having been said, the list _is_ open, albeit with a slow
reaction time (mine) to add you.  There are two people who
are queued up and will be added real soon now (tm).  We're not
discussing state secrets, and if you will respect the "we're
here to make something" point of the list, go ahead and join.
Subscription requests to gwh@ocf.berkeley.edu, and like I
said I'll add you as soon as I have time.

But don't join TNE-Pocket to chat about TNE.  If you want to do that,
do it here.  TNE-Pocket doesn't need it, and the rest of the TML
people would miss out if general TNE discussion migrated.

- -george william herbert
gwh@crl.com  System & Network Administrator, CRL
moderator, sci.space.tech and co-mod, sci.space.science
occationally a writer, engineer, gamer, other random hobbies


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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6510
From: lucrezi@dsiaq1.ing.univaq.it (Gino Lucrezi)
Subject: World remarks
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 1993 18:41:00 +0000 (WET)

In the spinward marches data on the MT Imperial Encyclopedia,
some worlds have the (undefined) Remark "Fl". What does
that mean?
Also, are there any differences between this set of data and
the "classical" spinward marches (which I don't own)? Can someone
tell me the names of all 16 subsectors (I only know of district
268 since it is described in Tarsus).

Ciao!
                   Gino
- --
Gino Lucrezi @ Universita` "V. Rivera" - L'Aquila - Italy
INTERNET: lucrezi@dsiaq1.ing.univaq.it
FIDO:     2:335/602.1  2:335/601.4
Collect 1.000 of these signatures and you'll win a free trip to Cyberspace!

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6511
Subject: Happy Holiday
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 93 14:35:05 EST
From: Keeper Of The Lint <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu>


I just wanted to wish everyone here a Happy Holiday (okay, this really
only applies to all the Classic and Mega people since the Third Imperium
doesn't exist in TNE).  Well, it's the thought that counts.

I also want to thank everyone whose posted information and ideas on
robot brains and computers.  Gee, I had no idea what a can of worms I
had opened.

Now, I just wanted to comment on something which j.kunder@genie.geis.com
had to say about this list, and Traveller:TNE in general.

: That said, I find the lack of apparent enthusiasm for TNE on this
:list distressing and annoying.  Distressing because of the "It's
:different. I don't like different" attitude which accompanies much
:of the discussion, and annoying because all the big-volume posters
:seem to have fled to the pocket-empire list (a list with "No Loitering,
:Private Property" posted at the door), and abandoned the main TML.
:It got worse when the folks who wanted to playtest the FF&S preview
:material went and formed _another_ list to follow that activity.
:The TML was left a shadow of its former self during this time.  The
:enthusiasm for these projects that could have infected the rest of
:the list was kept behind closed doors (and still is), and thus was
:wasted on those who needed no encouragement.

I may get burned bad for saying this, but I kinda like the TNE rules.
What I really like about them is the new ability to pick different
careers for each term, and the new skill and experience system.  What?!?
Well, I love the old Mega way, but TNE's character generation allows
players to make more unique/customized characters.  And the experience
system is fantastic, because players like to be rewarded, and with this
system, players can actually advance their skills after a little effort
and adventuring (remember what you had to do to raise a skill level in
Mega?).  And even though the new task resolution system doesn't have the
same feel as Mega's system, it's not too different (well other then
rolling with a d20, and a few other things), it still gives that
"on-the-fly" feeling that the old system had.  Don't get me wrong, I
love MegaTraveller, but the changes to the rules (as far as the
characters are involved) aren't too bad.  We'll get the the discussions
about the ship and combat rules some other time.

But now, I feel that I need to burn some bandwith on story line.  I
think the reason that so many people concentrate on pocket empires is
because they don't want the galaxy to be as drastically different as
what GDW has made it.  Think about it, the game centers around Star
Vikings and the Wilds.  My idea of Sci-Fi is not coming from some
backwater world, where we all look like cavemen.  And the RCES seems a
little too military oriented for any to really like.  But by
concentrating on these campaigns, GDW changed the focus of game.  Think
about it, what type of character's do we usually play?  And in what type
of world do we try to adventure and come from?  That's right, I bet that
there are a lot of TL15 Han Solo's out there on this list.  So, the only
way to play these characters now is to either create pocket empire that
kept a high TL, or come from the Regency.  But the Regency has one
problem.  You can't get in, and if you find a way to get out of it, you
can't get back into it without sacrificing your ship (perish the
thought).  So, pocket empires seem the only way to go.

If anyone has any other opinions on the subject, I would love to hear
them.  And for all the TNE players out there, what type of campaign are
you running and why?  And for all you Classic Traveller and
MegaTraveller people out there, have you seen TNE, and if so, why don't
you want to play it?

Thanks for listening to me babble...


	--Jerry


|>  Jerry Alexandratos             **  "vengo de la tierra del    <|
|>  darkstar@freezer.cns.udel.edu  **   fuego ten cuidado cuando  <|
|>  darkstar@bach.udel.edu         **   llamas mi nombre..."      <|

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6512
From: bdamwitz@lonestar.utsa.edu (Britta B. Damwitz   )
Subject: Gravitics in TNE
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 93 13:44:19 CST

Has anybody noticed that there's some inconsistency in
being able to focus light by gravitics and not get
propulsion?  After all, one needs a huge distortion in
gravity to bend light.  The mass of the moon only slightly
bends starlight.

To focus a laser, one would need something like a small
black hole.

Yet we can't use this for propulsion?

Scott 2G Kellogg

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6513
Date: 31 Dec 1993 18:21:43 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
Subject: Annoyed?

In responses to James Kundert's post where expresses annoyance,
let me say that I am also annoyed. I'm *very* annoyed with
those who insist on ascribing my dislike for TNE to the fact
that "it's different". IMO, it's not just different, it's *worse*!
The background is especially worse altho the incompatibility
with either Trav or MT is bad too. I stuck with GDW thru the
MT fiasco in the forlorn hope that they would eventually step
in to straighten things out, but now all I can think of is the
old adage, "Be careful what you wish for, it might come true!".

Phil
Pugliese

ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu


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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6514
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 1993 21:12:52 -0700 (MST)
From: Bruce E Johnson <bej@gas.uug.arizona.edu>
Subject: TNE vs MT; Cavemen vs Han Solo...


	Forgive me for sounding a bit on the bewildered side, here, but
the common thread throughout the discussion here about the two games seems
to be that you have to take them all-or-nothing.  I just joined recently,
haven't played Traveller in a loooong time, and that was with three little
staple bound books.  I'd picked up both MT and TNE to try to get up to
speed on what the game was like now.

	There are things that I like about both systems; why not combine
them?  Pick what you like from MT and add what you like from TNE?  From
what I've seen on this list, most people have problems with the Virus and
subsequent crash of the Empire(s), and therefore chuck TNE. IMHO, the
characters generated with the TNE system are far and away superior to
those generated with MT; the biggest problem I've ever had with Traveller
is that the characters all tend to be rather two dimensional; you're a
scout, a marine, a soldier, or navy, sometimes a merchant.  The characters
of TNE place you into a far richer universe of real people.

	OTOH, the universe as laid out in TNE is absurd...if the Virus
moved as fast as communication, NO ONE could have possibly escaped the
effects, everyone is blown back to the stone age, the end.  I'd much
prefer a TNE Character in a MT universe...so that's what my campaign is
going to be. You want to be Han Solo, go ahead, have at.  Just because GDW
sayeth, doesn't mean I have to followeth.  Or maybe I've been dealing with
TSR for far too long :-) I tend to take any 'official' product with a
grain of salt.

	Oh, and don't worry, my universe will have Virus...where do you
think the Borg come from? ;->

	There...glad to get that off my chest.

	Bruce Johnson
	The University of Arizona
	bej@gas.uug.arizona.edu play
	johnson@tonic.pharm.arizona.edu work

	My opininons, Mine, Mine, all Mine!  Bwahahahaha!




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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6515
From: j.kundert@genie.geis.com
Date: Sat,  1 Jan 94 05:24:00 BST
Subject: Enthusiasm etc.

 My my, there's hope for this list yet!  Most of a Daily and some
private mail, with only one reply even slightly venomous.  Mostly
in order, I reply:

lucrezi@dsiaq1.ing.univaq.it (Gino Lucrezi) asks:

 >In the spinward marches data on the MT Imperial Encyclopedia,
 >some worlds have the (undefined) Remark "Fl". What does
 >that mean?
 ...

 The "Fl" in the Spinward Marches listing stands for Florian
League, a rather opportunistic state sitting between the Imperium and
the Zhodani Consulate.  In my local campaign, nobody much likes them,
but most everyone tolerates them to some extent.  I don't expect the
League to survive to the New Era (but I could be wrong; it's happened
before :)
 The subsectors of the Spinward Marches are named in the MT Player's
Manual, on the inside front cover.  In case your edition doesn't
have this (I notice you're coming from Italy), they are as follows:

 First row (across top): Chronor, Jewell, Regina, Aramis
 Second row: Querion, Vilis, Lanth, Rhylanor
 Third row: Darrian, Sword Worlds, Lunion, Mora
 Bottom row: Five Sisters, District 268, Glisten, Trin's Veil

 I have not perused the Classic and MT world stats so thoroughly that
I can catalog the changes.  Most are Tech level changes, a few will
be population changes, and the entry for 2632 is a duplicate of 2602
(Corfu).  2632 doesn't exist.

 On to the rest:

 pihlab@cbr.hhcs.gov.au says:

 >  Topic:  RE: Submissions to Challenge.
 >
 >  I don't see why they can't continue to take MegaT submissions.  It
 >  shouldn't matter that your not in the exactly defined TNE universe
 >  as GDW themselves are offering variations to their own rules AND
 >  although I haven't seen it yet are apparently defining technologies
 >  (ala reactionless drives) which DO NOT EXIST in the official TNE
 >  universe (well they used to).  They (GDW) appear to be trying to
 >  convert TNE into a generic high-tech role playing system (ala GURPS).
 >
 >  I have no problem with a generic system, why should Challenge?

  As one of those who responded privately put it, this list has trouble
seeing the difference between the rules and the background of TNE. It
makes perfect sense to me that Challenge no longer takes articles
written for the MT _system_.  It's no longer the current edition of the
game, and there are significant changes between editions.  Supporting
those _rules_ is pointless.
  On the other hand, the timeline of the Imperial universe has merely
been _advanced_, not rewritten (though some would argue this point).
If Challenge has a spot for pre-Rebellion or pre-Collapse material,
I wish you only good luck in getting your material published.

 As an aside, last week someone complained about the Traveller
material in Challenge 71, and how they could not tell the difference
between the editions of the articles except by careful reading.  Please
look at the inside bottom corner of each page.  "Space Race" IS labeled
as a MegaTraveller article.


 Next, Anthony Neal <anthonyn@cs.mun.ca> says:

 >   Thanks to James Kundert <j.kundert@genie.geis.com> for the reply and...
 >model#>=jump# ?  No there's something new to me! Oh well. Just another
 >little modification I have to make to a few designs... Thanks for the
 >info. Wasn't in the erratta.

  The rule from Classic Traveller was that your Computer Model Number
had to equal or exceed the rated Jump range of the ship, or it was
incapable of calculating the jumps.  "Bis" type computers counted
as one model# higher for this purpose (Thus the jump-2 Type S mounted
a 1/bis).  This rule was entirely absent from MegaTraveller, replaced
by the CP multiple.  The model number ceased to mean much at that
point, but was kept for sentimental reasons that you can thank DGP for.
Model number was removed entirely for TNE, and installation is now
based entirely on tech level and the number installed.


 Furthermore, George Herbert <gwh@crl.com> says:

 >James Kundert complained about a lack of enthusiasm for
 >TNE on the main Traveller Mailing List and that the TNE-Pocket
 >and FF&S review groups had gone off and done their work
 >seperately.  I'd like to address what TNE-Pocket is doing,
 >for real, as opposed to random speculation 8-)
 ...

 Thank you for the rundown, the clarification of my "No Loitering"
label, and the information about the pocket archives.  I stand
corrected.
 All of the enthusiasm, whatever system it's for, that the folks on
the Pocket list brought to the TML is now absent from the TML.  That
is my primary complaint.


 Continuing, Keeper Of The Lint <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu> says a
variety of things I agree with, so I won't quote him extensively.
 Those of you upset with the change from "bell curve" to "linear"
can certainly change to 2d10, which is just as much a bell curve
as 2d6 is, and allows you to use the rest of TNE pretty much
changeless.
 "TL15 Han Solos"?  Yes, I've got one.  Well, he's from Lunion (TL13),
and he's not much of a pilot (MT level 1), and he sleeps a lot (CON 3),
and...


 Scott Kellogg (or is it someone named Britta?) asks a gravitics
technology question I've already answered to my satisfaction:  short-
duration gravity focusing is one of the elements accounting for the
_rather_ high efficiency of the HEPlaR drive.  It's just not documented
that way...


 And finally, PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu reiterates his opinion of TNE
in an unanswerable and inarguable fashion. I will not try to change his
mind, but neither will he prevent me from discussing TNE on this, the
CT/MT/TNE/2300AD Traveller Mailing List.  To each his way and mind.



 James Kundert
 <j.kundert@genie.geis.com>

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6516
Date:         Sat, 01 Jan 94 12:34:32 EST
From: "Susan M. Shock" <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject:      Thoughts on TNE

  I'm a TNE fan. I own both Classic Traveller and MegaTraveller, although I've
never played or ran the latter. I really feel that TNE is a better system than
either of the others; it has a better character creation system that gives the
characters more skills and increased options. It has a smoother task resolution
system than MT (from appearances, at least). It has a more adaptible system
than MT, and the vehicle design sequences are much easier to understand. The
fact that it's incompatible with CT or MT doesn't really bother me; I use the
TNE rules for all my Traveller adventuring in whatever era.
   That being said, I do think GDW is making a mistake in not supporting the
fans of the older games by providing-early on-sourcebooks to allow TNE to be
used for campaigns in the Third Imperium or the Rebellion period. Also, a lot
of the new folks might not have access to the wealth of historical data from
the original game, and could use the sourcebooks to increase their knowledge
of the rich history of the Traveller universe. In my own Star Vikings
campaign, the characters are exploring the Khulam subsector. In the process,
they have come accross many situations based on earlier events in the Traveller
timeline. It lends a neat sense of history in the campaign; there are now TWO
lost cultures to rediscover; the Ancients and the Imperium.
   On the subject of the Star Vikings background: I treat them more as an elite
force than as regular military; rank isn't as important as respect. They think
of themselves more as explorers and, in a sense, protectors than as soldiers.
The Star Viking background is more action-oriented, and I like that. (I thought
THE ONCE AND FUTURE EMPEROR was an excellent adventure!) I always had trouble
coming up with things to do in a merchant-oriented campaign, and merc stuff is
not my style.
   Someone said something about not liking the Regency because it's "closed".
It's been made pretty clear that it isn't staying that way. For one thing, GDW
said in a recent Challenge that it is working on a book which will tell what
happens when the Regency and the Reformation Coalition meet; I'm assuming this
meeting will take place somewhere between them, in the Wilds. I am currently
working on an idea for an adventure in the Regency where a group of characters
are sent on a secret scouting mission (in a manner similar to ARRIVAL VENGEANCE
by "stealing" a ship) beyond the blockade, to determine if Virus is still a
threat, and also to try to recontact certain worlds. It also was made clear in
the material in the game that the Regency economy cannot survive if the borders
are not opened; economic reality dictates an end to the Blockade. It will have
to happen; the question is when?
  I certainly have no qualms with anyone who enjoys Classic Traveller (I still
run it on occasion myself), but I myself prefer TNE.

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

Bundle: 527
Archive-Message-Number: 6517
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 94 16:20:16 -0500
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@quark.qrc.com>
Subject: Re:  Gravitics in TNE

bdamwitz@lonestar.utsa.edu (Britta B. Damwitz) [Scott "2G" Kellogg] writes:
> Has anybody noticed that there's some inconsistency in being able to focus
> light by gravitics and not get propulsion?  After all, one needs a huge
> distortion in gravity to bend light.  The mass of the moon only slightly
> bends starlight.
> To focus a laser, one would need something like a small black hole.
> Yet we can't use this for propulsion?

Playing devil's (or at least, GDW's) advocate here, the answer as I see it
is that yes, you can.  Allow the "Thruster Plates" alternative maneuver
drive technology in your game, and there you have it.

Actually, there are a couple of "holes" that science-knowledgable players
and referees can poke in the "gravitic laser focussing" pseudo-explanation.
One is the above, that such sophisticated and powerful gravity manipulation
should enable a "reactionless" thruster technology.  Another is that any
gravity well that could focus laser light on a target that far away could
also focus small sensor arrays with very high resolution on such targets,
obviating the need for large-diameter sensor arrays, just as the magic
gravitic focussing obviates the need for large-diameter laser mirrors.

There is only one real answer to this dilemma.  The "magic" laser focussing
was introduced for a specific game purpose: to increase the range of space
combat to the point where the distance and time scales involved made
spacecraft maneuver fuel an important combat consideration.  This makes
Brilliant Lances space combat *much* more "interesting", and is the only
reason for including the technology.

If your players (or your scientific training ;) give you too much trouble
with the gravitic focussing, you can try the following handwaving to try and
clear up the trouble:

Any forces exerted by the gravity field on objects in the field, have a
reaction force, exerted by the field generator on it's mountings.
Therefore, a spaceship can't accellerate itself using the gravity field,
because any net force exerted on the ship by the field will be countered by
an identical and opposite net force exerted on the ship by the generator.

The gravitic focussing can't be used to improve sensor minimum array sizes,
because the amount a photon is bent depends on it's frequency.  So a field
which focusses one wavelength of EMS radiation on the detector array would
scatter all the others, making broad-spectrum analysis (which makes the EMS
sensor what it is) impossible.  Gravitic focussing works on lasers because
they are monochromatic (all one freqneucy) and therefore won't be diffracted
by the gravity field.  While I realize that this isn't much of an
explanation (after all, different frequency bands could use different
focussers and detectors), it might be enough to argue that this approach
isn't practical for sensors.

Finally (and if all else fails) you can disallow the gravitic focussing in
your campaign universe.  This will certainly remove the objection.  The
"magic" gravitic focussing is a "physics nullifier" anyway - it's just more
subtle about it than say, Dean Drive is (I suspect that just about any
"physics nullifier" can have dire consequences for all of physics, if used
in tricky, devious ways - some are just more subtle than others).  On the
other hand, if you go this route, then be prepared to have to rethink many
of the things that "published" sources take for granted.  Things like ranges
in space combat, for example, will be vastly different (either that, or
starships will look very odd).


wildstar@quark.qrc.com
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In the Far Future

------------------------------
