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Subj:   TML biweekly: Msgs 7678-7695 V45#4

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From: traveller-request@engrg.uwo.ca (TML Admin)
Subject: TML biweekly: Msgs 7678-7695 V45#4
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 1994
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TML biweekly    Sun May 22 21:00:02 EDT 1994    Volume 45 : Issue 4

Today's topics:

BUN# =AMN= =DATE====== =FROM==========  =SUBJECT/BODY==========================
 611  7678 19-May-1994 Steven M Bonnev  Imperial Armed Forces, 5FW << Ooh boy, 
 611  7679 19-May-1994 James T Perkins  Admin Q&A, ftp.engrg.uwo.ca status << Q
 612  7680 19-May-1994 "Mitchell Schwa  The Problem of the Regency Blockade << 
 612  7681 19-May-1994 David Johnson    TNE: Regency Naval Organization << Gent
 612  7682 19-May-1994 KenHagler@aol.c  High Guard ship writeup << Recently the
 612  7683 19-May-1994 "Tariq M. Rashi  Re:Would be Earth Colonies Contributor 
 612  7687 20-May-1994 Robert Flammang  Green Virus and Speaker for the Dead <<
 612  7688 20-May-1994 Steven M Bonnev  IA; Multiworld Gov'ts << One thing I ne
 612  7689 20-May-1994 Roger Myhre      Gvurrdon                  << At last I 
 612  7692 20-May-1994 20-May-1994 152  Re: Andy Lilly's Green Virus << Andy Li
 612  7693 20-May-1994 20-May-1994 161  More on Deep Space << David Johnson sez
 612  7694 20-May-1994 20-May-1994 162  Why the Constant Roiling Trav vs TNE <<
 612  7695 20-May-1994 PSUAlum@aol.com  CT/MT/TNE Misc << RJR96326@vax1.utulsa.

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: 611
Archive-Message-Number: 7678
Date: Thu, 19 May 1994 17:24:04 -0500
From: bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
Subject: Imperial Armed Forces, 5FW

Ooh boy, a real can of worms here.

David Johnson <djohnson@geds01.jsc.nasa.gov> writes:

>I agree.  Someone *please* dig out those *5FW* counters!

Hah!  Sure -- it's the best evidence we've got for the Imperial Army 
structure questions.  (It's a different thread, but you did ask....)  :)

The counters in 5FW represent the Imperial forces that are space-mobile; 
in other words, planetary army formations are only represented where 
they have been "imperialized" and released to Imperial deployment.  
(Someone else can look at planets, if they want!)  What does the 
interstellar government have in the primary theater of operations?

* Huscarles: 
     One elite regiment, tech-15, heavy lift infantry, deployed into 
     its' six battalions.  (4518th "Duke Regina's Own".)  Details of 
     composition are in _Spinward Marches Campaign_.  Originally 
     Imperial Marines.
             
* Marines: 
     Seven regiments, two of them elite, all tech-15.  
     
No other large forces loyal directly to the Imperium are elites.

* Regular Army:
     Eight field armies, six corps, eight divisions, four brigades, four
     regiments.  75% tech-15, 25% tech-14.  Regiments are mainly drop 
     troops.  Brigades are all lift infantry.
     
* Colonial Forces:
     RESERVES: Three field armies, six corps, five brigades, one 
        regiment.  TL 10 to 15, average 12 to 13. Larger formations tend 
        to better equipped.  The regiment is a tech-15 heavy lift 
        infantry unit, however!
     PLANETARY:  Two field armies, nine corps, two divisions, one 
        brigade, one battalion.  TL 8 to 13, average 10 to 11.   The 
        tech-8 unit is the Esalin Mechanized Infantry Division.  
        (Remember the "UN peacekeepers"?)  Both armies are from Porozlo 
        -- the only world represented twice!  Assumed to be 
        "imperialized" planetary forces since all here have planets 
        for identifiers.
    Again, all brigades are lift infantry.
    
* Mercenaries:  Yes, the Imperium has this nasty little habit....
     One division, one brigade, one regiment, seven battalions.
     TL 12 to 16, average 14.  Five of the battalions are elites,
     including the tech-16 unit. 

The marines are in first, easy to move to trouble spots, and are better
equipped and have higher morale, but most of the force is in the Army.
(Also note, because of this, the marines might get used more in 
"peacetime".  Remember too, the technological background of the Marches 
when considering the state of equipment in the regular and reserve 
forces.)

>An Imperial Army (or Marine) unit should contain land, water, air and
>orbital elements capable of dealing with combat situations in any 
>planetary environment.

Yes -- at the corps or army level.  But for best effectiveness, expect 
to see the battalions to be a bit more specialized in their training.  
Think about what such a capability would require.

Peter H. Brenton <pete@biochem.uchicago.edu> writes:

>Ok, Now my questions.  How many combat battalions in an Imp. Marine
>Division?  How many companies per battalion?  Platoons per company?
>Troops per platoon?  Are companies combined arms? or are platoons?
>Is artillery organic to the Battalion? or the company?

Usually deployed as regiments.  When the 4518th was given to Baron 
Regina, it was composed of two battalions of lift infantry, one of lift 
cavalry, and one of jump troops.  It probably still follows Marine 
doctrine.  There, some artillery is attached to the infantry/drop 
troops, some to regimental.  HQ also gets a fighter squadron and an 
_ortillery_ (planetary bombardment) squadron.  Organization seems
to follow the modern Western model closely.

>Space transport should be modular.  I envision a "Rodger Young" class
>Company Assault Transport which would be deployable alone, in pairs,
>or in hordes as a division.

Makes sense.  The _Kinunir_ is the closest thing that I can think of 
that's been seen, but it's just not adequate.


   Steve Bonneville
   <bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu>
   

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

Bundle: 611
Archive-Message-Number: 7679
Subject: Admin Q&A, ftp.engrg.uwo.ca status
Reply-To: jamesp@sp-eug.com (James T Perkins)
Date: Thu, 19 May 94 15:27:26 PDT
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@sp-eug.com>


Q: Is sunbane (ftp.engrg.uwo.ca) not responding to ftp from the Internet?
A: Yes, it's down.

Q: Is the ftp site admin aware of the problem?
A: Yes, Dan (sunbane admin) is aware of it.

Q: Is Dan working on it?
A: No, Dan has other important work to do (like, one of the disks has a
   bad sector and is causing occasional server crashes).

Q: Should I keep trying each day until it works?
A: Yes, it will be fixed eventually. Keep trying. Patience is a virtue.

Q: Have there been some small hiccups with TML delivery in the last
   week?
A: yes, a raft of empty messages floated by at one point.

Q: What do I do if my submission to traveller@engrg.uwo.ca returns a
   wierd reponse?
A: Wait, and if doesn't appear in the next TML delivery, resend it.

Q: Is the TML and sunbane supported by the good graces of companies and
   in the administrator's spare time?
A: Yes it is, we just do the best we can with what what time and
   resources we can beg, borrow, steal from those who employ us.

Q: Do we need to kiss up to the admins?
A: No, no need to kiss up.  Instead, just send money to:


                                          XX
                          XX                X
                          XX     XXXXX       X
                                             X
                          XX     XXXXX       X
                          XX                X
                                          XX

James

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7680
Date: Thu, 19 May 94 19:01:04 EDT
From: "Mitchell Schwartz, CVC Communications  19-May-1994 1855" <schwartz@memit.
enet.dec.com>
Subject: The Problem of the Regency Blockade

Since it has been posed as a question, just how does one blockade
against the Virus?  What kind of fleet do you build?  Without getting
into the heavy specifics of weapons (I'll leave that to those more
talented, interested and experienced in ship design),  I'll discuss the
military issues faced by such a defensive blockade and the most economic
means of resolving such issues.

First, let's consider the problems imposed by Vampire ships:

1. Scope of task: You need to produce a complete blockade in systems at 
   least six parsecs deep all along the perimeter.  Based on the map in TNE,
   this is a line some 62 parsecs long in 1200.  Sorry that I don't have a 
   Deneb map, but assuming that the density of systems is the same as the
   Spinward Marches, that's some 70 systems total that the Regency needs to
   garrison.  This does not include systems that the Zhodani watch in    Chronor
   and Jewell.  Nor does it include anything on the Spinward edge of the 
   Regency - as if the Regency would not fear infection from any Virus ships
   having crept across the J5 route from Aslani space or through Zhodani 
   space having made the trip around the Windhorn.  Nor does it include
   naval forces arrayed against piracy or other external threats - like the
   Aslan ihatei from the Trojan Reach or the Zhodani Consulate.  

   Nor does it include guarding the dark between the stars.  Vessels must
   patrol these places, but bases in all the empty hexes is simply too 
   expensive.  
   
   Why must you guard 6 parsecs in depth?  To stop penetration by a J6       ves
sel.  Why must you patrol the empty parsecs?  Its too easy for a 
   squadron of vessels to piggyback fuel to deep space jumps and pierce
   the blockade. 

   The final threat, of course, cannot be effectievly guarded against:
   misjump.  Given a few hundred ships attenpting to misjump, a few will 
   pop in the middle of the Regency.  You know, those "safe" areas without
   excessive impediment to travel so life can pretend its still the 3rd
   Imperium.

   All it takes is one to get through and plant its eggs.

   Note: if you examine the maps in Survival Margin, the safe area of the
   Regency was a much smaller area that did not include the Deneb Sector! If 
   that map was accurate (why else would GDW print it? :-), the Regency        p
ulled out of areas too large for it to defend and left them to the         tende
r mercies of the Virus!  That must have been delightful PR for
   Norris's administration!)
   
2. Location: Given the enormity of space, with the only limit on entry into 
   a system being the 100-diameter limit, there is an awful lot of space 
   in any star system that a Vampire can appear in.  I'm not that up on the
   technical end of MT, but from FF&S, you will need a fair number of

3. Identification:  Vampire ships can be of any class, from a 100-ton
   Scout vessel to a 1,000,000-ton battle rider (complete with Batron
   attached!).  They do not appear or act different than a human-run 
   ship.  Since TL8 computers can do decent voice synthesis, I'll
   assume higher TLs have no such problems.  So, how do you tell a
   Vampire (or worse yet in the beginning a mere Virus carrier) from
   an uninfected ship?  Every ship entering a system must be interrogated,  
   investigated, and determined if it is safe or not - and quickly.
   (in fact TNE says "the first thing a ship sees when it comes out of jump
   space in Regency space is a naval vessel").

4. Defense: Full defense is just about impossible.  Consider - at least 
   in the beginning of the "infection" period when the number of Vampires is
   thickest and defenses against infection are nil, a Vampire simply needs     t
o enter the system and broadcast (download) eggs to any number of
   computer-linked communications systems.  A 1000AU radio is the most 
   dangerous weapon aboard a Vampire - it can start broadcasting as soon
   as it arrives in system to any number of accidental listeners!     
   Certainly, it can begin broadcasting before it can be detected.

   (Ah, three cheers for Imperial standardization.  Mr Virus can easily
   enough write and quickly down load small programs to locate one of
   the few popular imperial comm systems, issue the (well-known) 
   commands to have the comm system point an ear up to the sky, and
   let out a "ready" peep.  While the inspector ships are still closing in 
   on the new ship, it is already down-loading itself to awaiting, open
   systems on the planet.)

   Defense must be prepared to destroy ANY and every ship that enters the
   system.  And any ship that may be in the system before it can leave in
   the event of infection.

Now, for the defenders, there are a few advantages:

1.  Most infected vessels are not military; they should be defeatable by
    light military forces.

2.  The effect of Viral infection is not immediate.  by the late 1130s, the
    Regency scientists should have figured out a bit about how the Virus
    works - enough to have figured out how to detect it dormant in a 
    computer system.  Shutting down the system and removing Mr. Virus at 
    that point may be annoying and inconvenient, but it will beat the hell 
    out of genocide and mass destruction!

3.  After the first ten years or so, the threat should thin out enormously
    as Vampires wear out and become non-functional.



Next, How do you defend a planetary system?


                                        Ted7

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7681
Date: Thu, 19 May 94 18:03:39 CDT
From: djohnson@geds01.jsc.nasa.gov (David Johnson)
Subject: TNE: Regency Naval Organization

Gentlesophonts:

Given the Regency fleets I identified in msg 605/7586 let's look at how
these naval forces might be organized in TNE.

I propose, rather than organization based upon the sectors of the Imperial
era, that the Regency Navy will be organized along the `fronts' of the
Regency: Zhodani, Vargr, Virus and Aslan *ihatei*.  This leads to the
following fleet organization (I'm going to adopt Steve Charlton's
terminology):

The Spinward Fleet (4 groups, 250 ships)
212th Group (Jewell)             213th Group (Regina)
193rd Group (Vilis)              18th Group (Lanth)

The Coreward Fleet (6 groups, 375 ships)
214th Group (Aramis)             23rd Group (Rhylanor)
194th Group (Pretoria)           211th Group (Lamas)
195th Group (Sabine)             257th Group (Inar)

The Rimward Fleet (6 groups, 375 ships)
43rd Group (Lunion)              208th Group (Five Sisters)
100th Group (Glisten)            201st Group (Pax Rulin)
202nd Group (Gazulin)            203rd Group (Sindal)

The 1st Quarantine Fleet (6 groups, 375 ships)
151st Froup (Antra)              61st Group (Million)
125th Group (Dunmag)             88th Group (Atsah)
154th Group (Usani)              183rd Group (Geniishir)

The 2nd Quarantine Fleet (6 groups, 375 ships)
260th Group (Zeng)               55th Group (Kamlar)
184th Group (Vast Heavens)       204th Group (Tobia)
74th Group (Macon)               128th Group (Usher)

The Regent's Fleet (6 groups, 375 ships)
73rd Group (Mora)                207th Group (Trin's Veil)
196th Group (Star Lane)          258th Group (Vincennes)
193rd Group (Gulf)               19th Group (Vestus)

Subsector names merely reflect the Imperial era origins of the groups
and may or may not correspond to New Era designations.  (For example,
one might expect the 203rd Group to now patrol Regency worlds in District
268.)

Does anyone have any idea what the percentage breakdown might be for
battle, cruiser and assault (carrier) squadrons within a `typical' group?

In the above organization one might expect the Spinward, Rimward and
Regent's Fleets to have a higher percentage of BatRons while the Coreward
and Quarantine Fleets would have more CruRons.  AssRons would probably
be concentrated in the Regent's Fleet.

Comments, critiques, suggestions and questions are welcomed and encouraged.

Happy Travelling,

David Johnson
Hoouston, Texas, USA

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7682
From: KenHagler@aol.com
Date: Thu, 19 May 94 19:40:05 EDT
Subject: High Guard ship writeup

Recently there's been much talk about CT/MT material (or lack thereof) on 
the TML. So, I decided to send off this ship from Steve's TCS game:

    The _Mikhail Gorbachev_ class Battlecruiser
    
BC-1 Mikhail Gorbachev BC-P6357F3-490100-60E09-0 MCr46,662.7 50,000 tons
batteries bearing       8  8 1 6  Crew=395.
batteries         A  A 1 8  TL=12.
Low=137. Cargo=644. Fuel=18,500. EP=3500. Agility=5. Marines=150

Notes: All lasers are pulse lasers. Ship has frozen watch, fuel scoops, 
and purification plant.

This is the original design of the _Gorbachev_ class. 24 of these ships 
were built by the Naval Forces of Neubayern, all named for political 
leaders of twentieth-century Earth. This version of the class saw action 
against Amondiage and Sansterre during the Old Islands War, and against 
New Colchis during the Topas War. Following the Topas War, Alliance 
Supreme Commander Sir Isaac Connor described the class as being the 
"workhorse of the Alliance Fleet."

Following the war of 5627, the ships of the class underwent the Series A 
upgrade, which equipped the key ships of the NFN with Alliance technology.

BC-1 Series A BC-P6357H3-490300-(ND)000A-0 MCr42,370.9 50,000 tons
batteries bearing    8   12    4 Crew=370.
batteries      A   13    5 TL=12(14).
Low=510. Cargo=699. Fuel=18,500. EP=3500. Agility=5. Marines=650.

Notes: All lasers are beam lasers. Ship has frozen watch, scoops, plant. 
The refit cost MCr1,351.24 per ship, and took 14 weeks.

The Series A _Gorbachev_ was one of the first warships to incorporate the 
heavy laser technology developed by Sansterre. The letter-code bay 
weapons and highly efficient spinal mounts made possible by this 
improvement in laser technology gave Alliance ships a powerful punch at 
close range.

These refitted ships were also among the first to carry TL14 letter-code 
missile bays. The combination of a letter-code bay and nuclear missiles 
gave the _Gorbachev_, and latter Alliance ships, the ability to crack 
even the heaviest armour.

The Series A version of this battlecruiser saw action in the Serendip 
War. The entire class participated in the Second Battle of Neubayern, 
when the Serendip Belt tried to depopulate Neubayern, and five of them 
were lost or damaged beyond repair.

The surviving 19 ships were among those which fled to Home and Sansterre 
during the Imperial occupation, where they underwent the Series B refit 
which incorporated the tremendous advances the Alliance had made in 
weapons and propulsion.

This covers the "history" of the _Gorbachev_ class. I've got plans to 
write up the "current" status of the class (along with the Series B 
version) in the world of the Islands Cluster, but make no promises as to 
when this will be...

I'll post other NFN designs from the Alliance in days to come, unless of 
course you don't want me to. :-)

                        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: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7683
Date: Thu, 19 May 1994 20:03:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tariq M. Rashid" <spstmr@gsusgi2.gsu.edu>
Subject: Re:Would be Earth Colonies Contributor

Fellow citizens of the Unified Sphere

I have been following the earth colonies discussion.  I think its a great 
idea but you dont need me to tell you so.  I once ran a camp with 
quasi traveller rules (before I had ever seen traveller...I used 
champions hybrid rules) based upon an extensive system of earth colonized 
worlds (100+).  I just joined TML a couple o weeks ago and have some 
questions regarding the Earth Colonies.

Questions-What is the status(if any) of Extraterrestrial Humans or non 
Human sentients?

Could someone post a five point (or more at one line per point) synopsis 
of the Earth Colonies background.  I mean fundamental things.  I can get 
details (historical, political,etc) from the discussions and submissions. 

I would love to join this discussion.  Even if youre only using Terrans, 
there is enough variety in Terran culture to more than satisfy a 
backgrounds need for contrast, depth, and variety.

Tariq

"Hey Soldier do you know who the CO is?......"

"Aint you!?"



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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7684

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7685

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7686

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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7687
Date: Fri, 20 May 1994 10:11:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Robert Flammang <FLAMMANG@vms.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Green Virus and Speaker for the Dead

RE: Green Virus.

        Has anyone read Orson Scott Card's novels, "Speaker for the Dead" and
"Xenocide" ?   Card writes about a disease (the Descolada) that causes
massive mutations in all the life forms it infects.

************************SPOILER ALERT************************

        IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THESE NOVELS, THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WILL
SPOIL SOME SURPRISE PLOT TWISTS.

        The Descolada massively alters the ecosystem of any world it may
happen to be deposited on, making the world more easily exploitable for
the disease's creators. You can think of it as a slow and painfull
biological version of the "Genesis Device" from "Star Trek II, Wrath of
Khan". As is the case with ST2's Genesis, the Descolada is also a powerful
weapon.
        The Descolada makes for a terrifying enemy, but it is not
magical, and it can be fought. It can also destroy entire civilizations
(and species) if it is not fought successfully. It can do much of what
the virus is supposed to do, and Card has already written two novels on
it, working out many of its implications. This might be useful to
someone trying to create Wilds in his Third Imperium campaign.

***********************END OF SPOILER****************************


        Just a thought. I'm a CT referee myself.

                                        -Rob


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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7688
Date: Fri, 20 May 1994 09:34:21 -0500
From: bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
Subject: IA; Multiworld Gov'ts


One thing I neglected to make clear in my posting about Imperial
Army/Marines dispositions is that the planetary forces which are
_not_ "imperialized" are probably greater in number than the
IA forces.

 ---

TCS shipyard capacity was 0.001 * population, in d-tons, roughly.

 ---

Cynthia Higginbotham writes:

> Compared to the Navies of 
>independent single worlds, the Imperium has an incredibly low (factor
>of 100 or more) naval strength in proportion to its population (based
>on my experience playing TCS).  

Agreed.  The Sword World fleets (two of which were in _5FW_) seemed
similarly small, but I forget the figures offhand.

About the multi-world governments in the old Imperium: they weren't
_quite_ illegal.  Worlds were allowed to sponsor colonies on nearby
worlds, to get them going.  A small amount of internal conflict was
allowed, but the second things looked like they might get out of 
hand, the Navy and Marines were called in.  Some cultural regions
had close pre-Imperial ties, but were usually forced to officially
act through the Imperial bureaucracy at the multi-world level.  It's
possible that some exceptions were allowed where it served the 
government's interests.  For instance, the Vegans were given that
huge autonomous region near Sol to counterbalance the Solomani
Confederation.  They were even allowed to maintain an internal 
navy under their control at TL14+, many ships of which were retired
second-rate Imperial vessels, which admittedly often had the most
powerful weapons downgraded.  So it's possible the Imperium did 
this very occasionally on a smaller scale -- but they kept a real
close watch on them.  They probably didn't have too much trouble.

After all, the Imperium was pretty good at object lessons.  What
they did to Ilelish during the early years is an example.  I'm
sure that when the Solomani lost Earth, quite a few people breathed
a sigh of relief that the Imperium didn't dare to put the Terran
tropical regions to the nuclear sword, even after an evac.

 ---

Yeah, I killed the Emperor in one pre-MT campaign, too.  A friend
of mine had just gotten the GDW Zhodani, and I read it cover to
cover and was inspired.  This was the high-power campaign with a
PC playing the "Duke of Egyrn", so I appointed him special ambassador
to Zhodane with instructions to discuss the "Pa'an Question" which
was unresolved after the 5FW.  (He started out as an IISS Imperial
Warrant psionic agent, and worked his way up the noble ladder over   
the course of the campaign, so he was a vehemently anti-Zho psi,
which threw another wrench into the works.)

Essentially, over the course of negotiations, he and his retinue
got to know the Zhodani, and slowly began to "go native".  Then
the news of Strephon's assassination reached Zhodane.  When it
became clear that the Zhodani were more interested in the Core
Expedition (which he had known nothing about, of course) than
the attack on the Marches he expected, he became very confused. 

A replacement arrived to discuss the new situation, and he was   
recalled.  The Imperium collapsed into a Second Civil War, the
Marches dominated by a "Regina Free State" around Norris.  So 
he ended up working to stabilize the area behind the claw....
As I recall, Strephon was killed circa 1117 or 1118, so the
Zhodani found out circa 1118-1120.  It's been a while.

The bizarre thing is, I didn't really _plan_ any of these new
developments in advance, they just sort of *happened* as I went
along, because they seemed to fit the plot so well.

I knew the scenario had worked because afterward, the PC playing
the Duke came up to me and said, "God, Steve, you've not only got 
me *liking* the Zhodani, I might want to ally with them!  The Zho 
are either *incredible* propogandists, or I've lost my mind!" :)
Best campaign I ever ran.  High power campaigns can be fun!

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu>



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

Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7689
Date: Fri, 20 May 1994 16:47:36 +0200
From: Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
Subject: Gvurrdon                 

At last I managed to get trhough to Sunbane. I have put up the following
files. And I have also skaed dan to put them into a seperate directory
for HIWG docs. I'll be uploading HIWG docs when I get a response from
him. The reason for the seperate directory is that all the files are
numbered. Each time I upload HIWG docs I'll send a updated filelist that
contains the number and title to all the HIWG docs uploaded from me.

Files uploaded:

File    Title
- -------------------------------------------------------
6F01    Gvurrdon sector Write-Up
6F02    Kforuzeng, the return of the space wolfs.
6F03    Commonality of Kedzudh, The warmongering state.
6F04    Thirz Empire, the "client state" to Zhodani
6F05    Gvurrdon sector Library data
6F06    Rukh, a short overview of this Zhodani friendly state.
6F07    Society of Equals, or George Orwell 5600AD.
6F08    Oruelaen, psionic forces of Thirz Empire
6F09    Contact: Tirrils
6F0B    Groups in Gvurrdon Sector per 1200
6F0C    Aliens of Gvurrdon Sector
6F0D    Travelling in Gvurrdon Sector
6F0E    Gvurrdon Sector TNE update
0142.14 Building the perfect Dog
0142.16 Have Starship--Will Travel

I intended to put these files into a zip archive, but it seems
local server doesn't handle that too well. Either way during transfer
I get problems and the file is skipped.

For comments, ideas, and other things please E-mail me at:
myhre@oslonett.no, or at Chaos Master Inc BBS on (+47) 22 38 29 37;
Address: StarWolf Da_Corsair

Yours for Traveller,

Roger "StarWolf" Myhre
           

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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7690

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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7691

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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7692
Date: Fri, 20 May 94 15:29:21 EDT
From: 20-May-1994 1527 <mschwartz@asabet.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Re: Andy Lilly's Green Virus

Andy Lilly discusses using a Green Virus that assaults plants or living
creatures rather thn GDW's computer Virus.

That's fine if:

o  You are willing to re-write ALL support items from GDW or any other
   source before you can use them.

o  You are willing to write your own version of the imperial downfall.
   Let me suggest that it would manifest itself in vastly different ways
   from GDW's official universe.  The technologic balance in a TNE-GV
   will be vastly different from GDW's.

If you are willing to be on your own, go to it.

I believe GDW made a large error when they did not (as they promised they
would in Challenge) separate TNE from the game mechanics as they did in Classic 
Traveller.

                                                Ted


Maj Strasser (of the 3rd Imperium): "...As you may have learned, here on 
       Aubaine, human life is cheap.  There an is another alternative:
       Return to gaming in the Traveller Imperium."
Elsa: "Return to gaming in the Traveller Imperium?!"
Strasser: "I give you my company's complete guaranteeof continuity."
Elsa: "You may be aware of what GDW's guarantees have been worth in the past!"

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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7693
Date: Fri, 20 May 94 16:21:31 EDT
From: 20-May-1994 1616 <mschwartz@asabet.enet.dec.com>
Subject: More on Deep Space

David Johnson sez:

>Okay, I've got some sort of 'jump space gravity well detector'

Not if you are in GDW's universe.  That's documented several times.


>(Didn't the "World Builder's Handbook" say I could `scan' systems at
>instellar distances?

Not at TL 15 (or 18 for that matter) to detect more than the presence of
the star.  It has nothing to do with TL and everything to do with signal
differentiation.  At those distances, all you'd receive is light sent from a 
point source.  All signals from that system would appear as the same signal.


>If this is so, how do I explore new territory?

That's easy:  pick coordinates well beyond the 100 diam limit of the star (1000
is a good choice).  Odds are very good that you won't bump into the gravity
well of a planet.  Head slowly toward (take a month or two) the star and 
examine it to determine the system's ecliptic plane.  Then examine the 
ecliptic plane for planets. As you drift in, you will get more data and figure
out the orbits of the planets.

That's part of what the ISS used to do.  No one said all Scout Service work
was exciting.

Next time, someone can use your data to determine where in orbit the planets
will be, and where is a safe jump point.

Hey! I just got an idea for system defense!  Build LARGE artificial grav
generators.  Something Bship sized should be able to generate a large moon-sized
G well.  In war, you can move a few around your system around the 100 diam 
limit of your mainworld and disrupt those coming in - except your folks who 
you can tell where these items and their masses are placed.




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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7694
Date: Fri, 20 May 94 16:34:50 EDT
From: 20-May-1994 1620 <mschwartz@asabet.enet.dec.com>
Subject: Why the Constant Roiling Trav vs TNE

Jeff Davis just asked again.

It seems that every time someone asks "I just went to the store and there's
this new Traveller:TNE - what is it and why is it different?" the same 
arguments and opinions appear and we get vent and counter-vent of rabid
opinions about it.

I vented once, and only once.  I feel no need to do so again.

Someone give Jeff Davis Loren's address or GDW_Support's address and let
him ask there and save us the venting.

My apologies to Jeff Davis who is probably quite nice and is quite welcome
here.  He just asked a decent question just as the round of roiling was 
quieting down.

Unfortunately, this question will continue to be asked - and answered with
equal vehemence on both sides.

And for the record, I did not buy and will not buy TNE because I don't like
the changes made to the setting. I believe the leap to TNE was made because
GDW had two purposes:  1. They wanted to upgrade the rule set to their set of
House Rules (used with TW:2000, cadillacs & dinos, & Dark Conspiracy)
2.  They wrote themselves into a corner with the Rebellion and wanted a fresh
start.  Some folks like it, and others do not.

Ted

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Bundle: 612
Archive-Message-Number: 7695
From: PSUAlum@aol.com
Date: Fri, 20 May 94 17:41:17 EDT
Subject: CT/MT/TNE Misc

RJR96326@vax1.utulsa.edu (J Roberson) responded:
>> Islam       == people who have embraced TNE?
>Depending on your POV, it might be more applicable to equate the
>Mromons with TNE people, making the TNE rules the Book of Mormon.

Not meaning any disrespect but would that make them Latter Day
Travellers?  BTW has anyone else noticed the recent news release from
Iran.  Their High Ayatollah has decreed that it is sacrilege for muslims
to watch TV via sattelite.


SPLITTING GROUP

I am not in favor of splitting the group.  I have CT, Mt. & TNE and have
played all incarnations starting w. CT in the eqarly '80s.  I enjoy
reading the thought's others have regarding all types of Traveller as
well as both official and individual campaigns.  The use of identifying
headers seems a brilliant idea.  If you don't play the game, ignore the
message and why flame the other system when the bandwidth could be
better used to crow about the system you're fond of using.


DEEP SPACE STATIONS: (in a Steve Urquel voice) "Did I do that?"  At
least I think I mentioned something about them that started this round
of discussion.  IMHO DSS's can make economic sense given the right set
of circumstances (distances of systems and the political/economic
situation of those systems) as well as military sense.

I can not remember (in CT, MT, or TNE) anything from GDW indicating the
mechanics of how a ship navigates (astrogates for us Latter Day
Travellers) through jump space.  I can think of three methods:

1) A vector (distance & direction) is always directly related to
jumpspace navigation; if I wish to jump two parsecs 270 degrees from my
current forward position the parameters necessary to achieve that can be
directly calculated.

2) Jumps are made toward gravity sinks.  When I start to enter jump
space the ship is attracted to gravity nodes - the navigator allocates
the proper amount of enery to drop out of jumpspace outside 100
diameters to avoid merging with heavenly bodies.  Or as Han Solo put it,
"It's no mean trick.  Be nice if we rushed it and passed right through a
star or some other friendly spatial phenom like a black hole.  That
would end our trip real quick."

3) Jumps might be calculated toward objects emitting sufficient
radiation (for a sufficiently long enough time - at least a dozen years
or more) to be detected by starship sensors and used to lock in a
course.  Obviously a DSS would not emit enough radiation nor would it be
in existence for a long enough period of time if it did.

Looking at the "official" evidence either methods 2 or 3 seem to be the
correct method, probably 2 since gravitational fields are specified as
being involved in the procedure (one must be at a sufficient distance to
avoid having gravity interfere with the jumpdrive.

As was pointed out during the 5FW neither side made use of DSS's and
while the 3I & Zhos may be a lot of things neither group would be likely
to pass up any advantage, no matter how risky.


PBJuzyk                             | 'Most plans don't even survive
Reading, PA                         |  contact with Reality'
Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8) |   -Hammer Lanthrop, *Smash & Grab*


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End of TML Biweekly
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