       TRAVELLER Digest 6

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) The TML Archives at ftp.mpgn.com by Rob Miracle <rwm@MPGN.COM>
  2) Brilliant Lances errata? by Daniel Tartaglia <daniel_t@gate.net>
  3) Re: TRAVELLER digest 5 by Caffein Achiever! <fok@chaph.usc.edu>
  4) FF&S: Questions/Ship Classifications by "Upton, Django" <DUpton@VTRNNTOV.TELECOM.com.au>
  5) Re: BattleRider, Brilliant Lances by James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
  6) BL and BR review          by Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
  7) Signup by "CUBI/D. GOLDEN" <GOLDEND@smc-det10.afaa-net.af.mil>
  8) Death Star comes to town by James T Perkins <jamesp@sp-eug.com>
  9) IN Basic Classifications by bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
 10) Tech Levels, My very own Battleship by alvin plummer <plummer@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
 11) Virus Mutants by alvin plummer <plummer@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>

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

Date: Thu, 11 Aug 1994 22:15:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Rob Miracle <rwm@MPGN.COM>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM, xboat@MPGN.COM
Subject: The TML Archives at ftp.mpgn.com
Message-ID: <199408120215.WAA27215@Central.KeyWest.MPGN.COM>

We are going to be changing the ftp path to the traveller files Friday, Aug 12.
Currently the path is:
    Gaming/SciFi/Traveller/{TML|XTML}

The new paths will be:
    Gaming/Traveller/{TML|XTML}

Enjoy!
Rob
-- 
Rob Miracle
Tantalus Inc.
rwm@mpgn.com
"You have a problem?  I have a plan!" -- Anton Devious

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

Date: Thu, 11 Aug 1994 22:25:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Daniel Tartaglia <daniel_t@gate.net>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Brilliant Lances errata?
Message-ID: <Pine.3.87.9408112238.F145610-0100000@inca.gate.net>

When I bought Brilliant Lances there was an errata page in the box dated 
9 Aug 1993. Have there been any other errata out since then?

Thanks
==Daniel T.



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

Date: Thu, 11 Aug 94 20:21:31 PDT
From: Caffein Achiever! <fok@chaph.usc.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 5
Message-ID: <CMM.0.90.2.776661691.fok@phakt.usc.edu>

> From: PR James <prj91@ecs.soton.ac.uk>
> Subject: FF&S Gauss weapon design

> When calculating the barrel length, FF&S(pg102) gives a formula
Lb=V/100TLm.
> The text above this formula states that higher muzzle velocities require
> longer barrels, but higher tech levels allow higher acceleration within the
> barrel and thus shorter barrels. However when I calculated the barrel
> length for a 4000m/s muzzle velocity i relized the shortest barrel length
> is achived at TL 10 (25 cm) and the LONGEST barrel length is at TL 16+
> (100cm).

FF&S seems to have a problem with writting proper math equations.  The
correct formulat seems to be:
    Lb=(Lb/100)*TLm
Hope this allievates your woes...and hope GDW learns to use parenteses
more often.

I recently purchased Battle Riders and compared with Brilliant Lances
it's *much* simplier both to play and design vessels for.  The
movement system uses the old MAYDAY type markers for previous,
current, and future positions.  Many of the logistics are kept track
of on the board using 1/2 inch counters (the ships are represented by
1-1/4 inch counters with their combat status printed on the back.)
Damage are greatly simplified and only critical hits are recorded.

What I like best is that as a ship designer I don't need to generate
the intensely detailed damage record needed by Brilliant Lances.  The
conversion table in the back of the rule book allows conversion of
ships designed w/MT or FF&S...I like this part.

Overall I like it.  Haven't had time to play it yet so its still hard
tell how well it works.

Cheers-
Ed

p.s. If anyone uses Quattro Pro 5.0, I have a 99% finished spreadsheet
for slugweapons, gauss guns, and GL.  I don't know how long it'll take
me to finish it, but let me know who's interested and I'll ftp it up
to the new site.

p.p.s.  kudos to Mr. Miracle for resuscitating TML! (clap clap clap!)

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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 94 14:59:00 EST
From: "Upton, Django" <DUpton@VTRNNTOV.TELECOM.com.au>
To: tml <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: FF&S: Questions/Ship Classifications
Message-ID: <2E4C1B1A@msmail.trl.oz.au>


PR James <prj91@ecs.soton.ac.uk> writes:
 -Subject: FF&S Gauss weapon design
 -Anyway I decided last night to try and design something a little simpler, a
 -gauss snipers rifle, and came across something that I'm sure is an error.
 -
 -When calculating the barrel length, FF&S(pg102) gives a formula 
Lb=V/100TLm.
 -The text above this formula states that higher muzzle velocities require
 -longer barrels, but higher tech levels allow higher acceleration within the
 -barrel and thus shorter barrels. However when I calculated the barrel
 -length for a 4000m/s muzzle velocity i relized the shortest barrel length
 -is achived at TL 10 (25 cm) and the LONGEST barrel length is at TL 16+
 -(100cm).

The formula is missing a set of brackets. It should be read: Lb=(V/100)xTLm

bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville) writes:
 -I don't have it uploaded yet, but I've been putting together a
 -quick report on the way that the Imperial Navy classification
 -scheme and tonnage progression seemed to work, with a few
 -notes on mission details.

We've all seen the sort of thing you seem to be talking about. The following 
is an example:
First letter Tonnage        Weapons
B-Battleship 100000-1000000 Spinal Mount
C-Cruiser    10000-100000   Spinal Mount
D-Destroyer  1000-10000     Bays
E-Escort     100-1000       Turrets
F-Fighter    10-100
Second letter Defences
B             Heavy armour
C             High agility
D             Balanced armour and agility
Third letter (non-jump only)
M-Monitor
R-Rider
B-Boat

     The problem with classification schemes like the above is they give 
little clue as to the intended FUNCTION of a ship design. The actual size 
and equipment of ships are determined by the underlying economic and 
technological levels of the environment in which they are designed.
     My 'Functional Ship Classifications' are an attempt to put together a 
system of ship classifications that recognises the ROLE of the ship as being 
more important than the actual ship design! It was also a response to a 
request from a number of TMLer's (before the crash) for such a 
classification scheme.
     For examples of the changing requirements of a particular 
classification see STAR CRUISER, the 2300AD equivalent of Brilliant Lances.

 -Two things I'd like to touch on for now.  First, some paramilitary
 -or civilian ships were designated "cruisers", even if they were
 -more like cabin cruisers.  (Partly an artifact from original CT.)
 -A lot of them were closer to destroyer escorts or corvettes in
 -actual operation.  Second, the RC uses their own designations for
 -the craft they have.  Some of them are a bit overblown, some are
 -Imperial relics, and some are their own.  So an RC "Battle Rider,
 -Light" is really a converted SDB carried by a 2000 ton stretch
 -_Aurora_, and really isn't in the same league as a real 25000 ton
 -line battle rider like an _Admiral_, even if the concept is similar.
 -So if you try to merge RC and Imperial terms, it's easy to get
 -screwed up *real* fast.

     Using Functional Ship Classifications solves all that by classifing all 
ships from the point of view of the USER. e.g. If the converted SDB you 
mentioned above is USED as a battlerider then it is CLASSIFIED as one!

Django

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

Date: Thu, 11 Aug 94 22:39:31 PDT
From: James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: BattleRider, Brilliant Lances
Message-ID: <9408120539.AA12245@dumbcat.sf.ca.us>

alvin plummer <plummer@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca> asks:

>One day, after I have gainful employment, I plan to buy the above two
>products.  Any brief reviews on them?  E-mail me! 

 Sorry. You get a public response :)

 Brilliant Lances is ship-to-ship combat at the role-playing level.
Every mechanic, down to the Hit Location chart, is designed with role-
playing in mind.  Skills of the pilot, sensor operator, engineer, and
gunners all matter.  After the fight is done, you know the specifics
of what has been damaged, right down to the air conditioning.

 Battle Rider, on the other hand, is optimized for capital ships and
fleet actions.  Only a few crew skills matter (Ship/Fleet Tactics being
the one that springs to mind), and damage done is either temporary or
critical.  The damage system concentrates on the criticals because
they are what kill the big ships.

 Both games _can_ be used across the entire range of ship sizes, though
it really stretches the book-keeping to use Brilliant Lances on anything
larger that 2000 tons.
 Battle Rider contains rules for converting ships to its abbreviated
format, so there is only one design system to learn (BL/FF&S).

 Brilliant Lances moves at standard RPG combat speed in the hands of
a Referee who knows the system.  This is as it should be.
 Battle Rider moves _much_ faster.  To those of you who know space
combat games, it is faster (by far) than SFB, marginally faster than
Leviathan, and marginally slower than Starfire.  At Origins last month,
I watched Dave Nilsen demo a six-ships-per-side engagement with 4 people
in roughly 45 minutes.

 I'm told there are plans to extend the ship miniatures line (from RAFM)
to include some of the larger ships represented in Battle Rider.  As
RAFM just released the first batch of Traveller character figs (Techies,
Coalition Marines, Aslan, Grav Cycle, and Warbots), I don't think we'll
see the big ships soon. RAFM has surprised me before, though...

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

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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 08:26:14 +0200
From: Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
To: TRAVELLER@MPGN.COM
Subject: BL and BR review         
Message-ID: <199408120626.AA03615@oslonett.no>

Both Alvin Plummer and Paul James asked for a review for both Brilliant
Lances (BL) and Battle Rider (BR). I'll give a short one for each of
them.

Brilliant Lances covers generally small ship engagements. The damage
record forms provided with the game are best suitable for the ships from
10 to 1000 ton range. Anything larger and the recordform has to be
expanded to cover the ship systems.

Even for this limitation there is possible to use dreadnaughts in the
game without any serious problems, except for rolling a squillion times
for weapon turrets.

The game is based on firing arcs, which makes it quite important to know
where your nose is pointing at any given moment. This is vital if you
want to hit someone with your spinal mount. The game is detailed enough
so that you know what happens to your ship when it is hit, even in the
quarters area (what do you mean I lost all my equipment?)

The rules include a comprehensive design sequence, which can be a bit
difficult to understand at times. The weapon selection from the tables
are limited, but if you own FF&S there should be no problems with new
weapons :)

The game play in it self are quite fast, and the rules easy to
understand, even for me :) The level of detail are at something I'ld
call at the right level. A few of the hits that are scored against a
ship can be ignored as they may not have any signicanse in the game, as
hits in the quarters area.

Movement and sensor tasks are plotted before they are performed, giving
a tactical slant of the game. Thus you have to try to out-think your
opponents plans, and get him to react to your own. All weapon fire
(except for missiles, which are launched in the plotting phase) are
simultaneous. Missile detonations are simultaneous with other fire
attacks. This makes it difficult to do in an enemy before he does you.
Only way this is possible is that the enemy hasn't detected you yet.


Battle Rider are in many ways built up around the same concept as BL,
but got some important changes. Firstly only critical hits counts.
Ordinary damage do not damage the ships in any way. This speeds up game
play as you doesn't have to record damage on any kind of forms.

The game is diceless, and all task resolutions are resolved with drawing
cards. It couldn't be simpler. The game is coined at large fleet
actions, but there is possible to slug it out with small crafts too.

Unlike BL firing is not simultaneous, thus making it important that you
get to fire before your opponent. There is a higher degree of
uncertainty in the game compared to BL as movements are made in turns.
Ships are generally organized in task forces which has to be detected
before you can fire upon it. Even when all the ships in a task force are
destroyed the marker isn't removed from play before the enemy detects
the sensor shadow of the task force.

There are rules for setting up BR stats for ordinary ships. I found
these rules about difficult to understand. Especially when it regard
batteries and MFD's. And the rules do not cover unmanned turrets and
barbettes  that do require MFD's. Another downer is that the crafts
included in the game do not have full BL stats included in the game. It
would then have been a bit easier to understand the stats on the back of
the counters by comparing with the rules.

I haven't played BR as I bought it yesterday. I'll get a chance to test
it sometime next week.


                ****** Some rule suggestions ******

For weapon mounts I suggest that the weapon designation get a lower case
"u" following it something like this Lu(x3)10:1/1/1/0. This will
indicate that the turret or battery require a MFD to fire. I do also
think that there should be included how many MFD's the ship got. That
can be expressed in this way: FC-4(x7). Thus the player can organize the
MFD's on the ship at his hearts content.

Then we got the case of point defence laser presented by Ted Baltz a few
months ago. Each turrets had 3 focal arrays. They was beefed up to 800
shots each. And it was unmanned. This throws a monkeywrench into the
rules this far. But it can be made. The designation should be something
like this: Lup(x5/3-5)5:1/1/1/0.

The "p" is designation for point defence capability, and the "3" behind
the slash says how many focal arrays there are per mount. Then we have
to decide how the weapon is to be used. Clearly it can't be fully
identipendent. So I got the following suggestions:

One MFD can engage as many targets as it can ignore difficulty levels,
but when it comes to ingore difficulty levels use the performance of the
mount, not the MFD. Thus a TL-15 MFD can engage 6 missiles in a turn,
but each mount used can only ignore 5 levels of difficulty increments.



Roger "StarWolf" Myhre



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

Date: 12 Aug 94 07:59:00 PST
From: "CUBI/D. GOLDEN" <GOLDEND@smc-det10.afaa-net.af.mil>
To: "traveller" <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Signup
Message-ID: <199408121502.LAA18890@Mithril.MPGN.COM>

--- BMO MAIL BRIDGE: HIGGINS > VAX (0812075245) ---
From:    GOLDEND@951_2@EXCH900
Subject: Signup
To:      traveller@mpgn.com
---------------------------------------------------

                               - - Mail - - 
         August 12, 1994       7:48am    
   FROM: CAPT D GOLDEN/CUBI              
     TO: TML                             
SUBJECT: Signup                          


subscribe traveller Dave Golden



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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 94 08:46:33 PDT
From: James T Perkins <jamesp@sp-eug.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM (TML Broadcast)
Subject: Death Star comes to town
Message-ID: <9408121546.AA08534@sp-eug.com>


James Kundert <james@dumbcat.sf.ca.us> writes:
> PR James asks:
> >Thanks for any help you can provide a travller newbie (who tried to
> >design a traveller equivalent of a deathstar but gave up after he got
> >lost in the complexities of the rules;-)

>  ACK! Start with an X-Wing, instead. Or the Millenium Falcon. These are
> fairly simple design concepts that won't get in the way of your rules
> delving. The Death Star, on the other hand, will require a trip to the
> Meson Gun design sequence, and will have mind-boggling crew numbers.

The logistics are boggling as well. Imagine the small boon to
agricultural worlds when the Death Star comes to visit. "Back again so
so soon? We're still out of chicken, flour, and toilet paper because of
your last visit!"

Something as monstrous as the Death Star would be rife with adventure
possibilities. One, surrounding a rag-tag fleet of itinerant merchants
than outfit the planets that supply the Death Star....

James

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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 11:31:57 -0500
From: bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: IN Basic Classifications
Message-ID: <199408121631.LAA06878@conch.micro.umn.edu>

The following is a summary I put together which looks at the basic
Imperial Navy classifications I have identified.  Some may be a bit
off since I own neither _Fighting Ships_ book.  First, some general
comments.

Whenever possible, the IN seems to equip first-line ships with J4 G6.  
BTs, as reserve vessels, get only G2.  In some cases, the IN is willing
to settle for J4 G4.  J3 is acceptable in regions where this doesn't
hurt the mission, and some ships are so built to save money.  This
is all at tech-15, of course.  High jump strike ships sometimes are
allowed to have low-gee "short legs" in order to get high jump.  The
worse or older ships gravitate to the Reserves and the Colonial
forces, such as _Voroshilef_, which is both; a second-rank battleship 
which must date back to the First Imperial Civil War.

While the following list covers general offensive ships, it doesn't
even touch on the issues of planetary defense, which bring into play
Monitors, SDBs, and so forth.  Where I know one, an example of the
general type is listed.  The tonnage estimates are approximate, and
in Frightning...er..._Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium_, 
suffered some inflation as I recall.  That seems to be reversing 
rather nicely in _Battle Rider_.  Besides, part of the designation
has to do with the central weaponry and defenses one of these ships
carries more than tonnage.  Still, it's a good benchmark.

BB  Battleship/Dreadnought
    The big guns.  Battleships are expected to meet the best the enemy
    has to offer and defeat it.  Battleships start at about 90000 d-tons
    and work their way up.  Dreadnoughts, as far as I can tell, are a
    heavier hybrid of a battleship and a fleet carrier, and may carry
    tens of fighter squadrons.  (Yes, I know this is different than 
    what a historical dreadnought is.  So, what's your point?)  Some 
    are built specifically to operate in a supporting role to the main 
    BatRons, to save construction expense.   
    Dreadnought:  _Tigress_. (500 kton)
    Battleship:   _Sylea_.   (200 kton)
               
CB  Battle Carrier
    The dreadnought version of the Battle Tender, she carries fighter
    squadrons in addition to her riders.  Usually 200000+ d-tons.
    _Lurenti_. (300 kton)

BT  Battle Tender
    The mothership and jump drives for a Rider BatRon.  In the same size
    class as the Battle Carrier, IN doctrine was that CBs/BTs should be
    protected in the rear area, and thus were usually equipped with only
    2G drives.  These vessels might carry two to ten or more riders.
    Sometimes fairly well armed!
    _Triumph_. (225 kton)
    
BR  Battle Rider
    In the 10000 to 40000 d-ton range, these craft exchange jump drives
    for the best maneuver systems, armor, and weaponry that can be 
    squeezed into their hulls.  The battlerider is intended to take
    on the ships-of-the-line and destroy them.  En masse, cheaper but
    less flexible than a battleship BatRon.  The Third Imperium liked
    these, but were heading back to BBs during the Fifth Frontier War,
    at least for the Marches.
    _Gallant_. (36 kton)
    
CA  Heavy Cruiser (Armored Cruiser)
    Smaller and not as tough as the battleships, used singly in lower
    threat situations or in large numbers as stand-ins for the big
    guns.  Size may range from 30000 to 100000 d-tons.  
    _Mercury_ AKA _Planet_. (50 kton)  [Is this ship shrinking? :)]
    
    Many various specialist classes exist in this size range to perform 
    specific missions.  Some may carry a few fighter squadrons.
    _Azhanti High Lightning_. (60 kton) [FI and CF types]
    
--  Fleet Carrier
    A cruiser to battleship sized ship which is devoted to carrying 
    fighters but is usually also armed to fight with the cruisers.
    
CL  Light Cruiser  
    Just what it sounds like.  Usually 10000 to 40000 tons.
    _Starburst_ AKA _Geonetti_. (25 kton)
    
TN/QC  Tanker/Auxiliary Transport
    Not a combatant, but vitally important.  These ships may carry
    fleet fuel reserves, missile reloads and ship stores, and even
    Imperial Army invasion forces.  About 50000 d-tons.
    _Muffled Phosphor_ series.  (60 kton)  [Refit FI _Azhanti_.]

ED  Escort Destroyer
    Smaller than a CL, meant to keep the enemy screening elements out 
    of the way of the battleships.  About 10000 d-tons.
    _Rapier_.  (10000 ton)
    
FE  Fleet Escort
    Prey of the ED, meant to stall the enemy forces while the BBs or
    BRs get into position.  Probably the smallest ships that can be
    thought of as able to stand up to even slightly prolonged battle.  
    Thousands of d-tons.
    _PF Sloan_.  (5000 ton)
    
DD  Destroyer
    Usually smaller than an FE, but often found doing similar work
    in greater numbers.  Also used to destroy the smaller missile
    corvettes, scouts, and other escorts, and deal with minor 
    harassments.  Thousands of d-tons.
    _Midu Agashaam_.  (3000 ton)
    
DE  Destroyer Escort
    Cheaper, smaller destroyers.  Often used in an anti-piracy or
    anti-smuggling role, and on frontier patrols.  About a thousand 
    d-tons.
    _Chrysanthemum_.  (1000 ton)
    
LM  Missile Corvette (CVM in RCN designation)
    Used in flotillas to engage the enemy with missile fire at long
    range, or as destroyer escorts.  Tend to be larger or better
    armed than ships designated as "sloops".  Under 1000 d-tons.
    _Valor_.  (400 ton)
    
EC  Close Escort 
    Designed to escort line-of-battle ships in large numbers, a 
    mission difficult for a ship this small to meet.  Later doctrine
    used this class to act as commerce cutters and in the anti-
    piracy role.  About 500 d-tons.
    _Gazelle_.  (400 ton)

--  Fleet Courier
    Maximum-jump vessels intended to carry fleet intelligence, vital
    command personnel, or government dispatches between squadrons,
    task forces, fleets, or worlds with the greatest possible speed.
    Under 500 tons.
    
FH  Heavy Fighter 
    50-ton craft with heavier armor and weapons, and better endurance,
    but also less stealth, than the 9-ton fighters.
    
FF  Fast Fighter
    9-ton craft with best acceleration, good armor, and decent weaponry.
    In essence a reusable missile, but able to attack from greater
    range, be reused, and able to handle more flexible missions such
    as air support or anti-missile fire.
    _Rampart_.
    
    
    That's all for now!
    
    Steve Bonneville
    <bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu>


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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 12:11:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummer <plummer@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Tech Levels, My very own Battleship
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408121043.A5819-d100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


First: I am aware that the Mega Traveller's 'Referee's Companion' had a
good list of what each tech level means for a number of technological
fields (medical, airborne transportation, etc).  Can anyone dig that up
for me, and post a summary?  

Moreover, I have one TL H (17) reclusive civilization.  Right now, I have 
'Star Trek' unoffically stuck to their technology.  Is this an
accurate view of TL H? 

(The ultra-brief tech levels in the main book of TNE is really of
little use to me: MUCH too vague)

Second: I'm posting my pride and joy, my first TL B 'Pursuit Battleship'.
It has Jump1 capasity, but it's meant for in-system patrols, with some carrier
capasity for fighters and marines.  The ship - named 'The Final Death' -
can throw a couple of mean volleys, and has about 75 G-hours of fuel ...
but only has 1 G mavouver.

The civilization that built this ship - the Omoctet - has oversize EMM Masking
and no knowledge of meson equipment or communications.

Any help and corrections concerning my design is appricated.

Pursuit Battleship              
  Disp     91,000 tons              Config        Sphere Streamlined
  Length   137.5 m                  Hull Armour   230
  Price    176,509.8797 MCr         Volume        1,274,000

  Mass     Loaded with craft    719,894.49 metric tons
           Loaded no craft      709,094.49
           Unloaded             631,088.00 
  Size     Large
  TL       B

Engineering Data
  Power Plant      56,412 Mw 
  Jump             1
  Maneuver G's     1
  G-hours          75.9       (105.0 with jump fuel)
  Maint. Points    27,462
  Computer         4 x TL B Fibre Optic
  Communications   1000 AU Radio x 3       300,000km Laser x 3
  Avionics         TL B

Sensors
 Active EMS        30,000 km x 1, 180,000 km x 1, 480,000 km x 1
 Ladar             180,000 km x 3
 Passive EMS       180,000 km x 3
 EMM Masking (x 2: doubled to reflect the expense and size of local
                   versions of EMM masking) 

Armament
 Offensive
   50-ton missile bay x 25 (bay holds 2 volleys)   ...10-disp missiles
  100-ton missile bay x 50 (bay holds 2 volleys)   ...10-disp missiles
   80-Mj laser turrent x 40
  150-Mj laser barbette x 20

 Master Fire Directors
  TL B x 65

 Defensive
  Sandcasters x 60

Accommodations
  Extended Life Support
  Crew - 1788 (1808 with passengers)

  Engineering - 752  Maneouver - 2    Flight    - 35    Medical   - 15
  Electronics - 6    *Cr       - 223  Command   - 247   High Ps.  - 5
  Gunners     - 65   Troops    - 400  *Cs       - 43    Mid. Psg. - 15

  (I forgot what 'Cs' and 'Cr' mean.  I'll look it up at home...)

  Crew Accommodations      - 1017 small staterooms
  Passenger Accommodations -   15 small staterooms, 5 large staterooms
  Cargo                    12,000 kl (enough for another 16 full volleys, 
                                      if you really need it ;-)
  Small Craft and Launch Facilities
                           5 x 100 disp shuttles (for the Marines)
                          10 x 2   disp travel pods (see 'Mr. Scotts Guide
                                        to the Enterprise' for how they look)
                          20 x 10  disp fighters 
  Air Locks               91 (fewer than the 'offical' number in FF&S?)
  Low Berths              5  (Experimental: Medical Only
                              - remember the 'healing tank' Luke was in 
                              in the Empire Strikes Back?  These
                              'Low Berths' are for a similar purpose) 
  Emergency L. Berths    452 (Standard Traveller emerg. low berths)

Notes
  Fuel purification machinery (2 hours to purify 25,480 kl of hydrogen) 
  Fuel Scoops                 (2 hours to full 254,800 kl of jump fuel
                               6 hours to full j-fuel and manouver tanks)
  Enough jump fuel for 2 jumps
  Enough fusion fuel for 2 years of operation
  Electronic Labs x 2
  Machine Shops x 2
  Sickbay x 4
 
DAMAGE TABLES

Surface
  1   1 - 6  Antenna Array A ( 1 - 15 Radio Antenna 
                       16 - 17 Active EMS (480,000)
                       18 - 19 Ladar Ant.
                       20      Laser Ant.)
      7 - 10 Fuel Scoops
     11      Passive EMS
     12 - 20 EMM Masking radiators   
  
  2   1 - 11 Cargo Hold Hatch
     12 - 20 EMM Masking

  3   1 - 11 Cargo Hold Hatch
     12 - 20 EMM Masking

  4   1 - 11 Antenna Array B  (Breakdown as in Array A, but
                               Active EMS is 180,000 km)
      7      Launch Ports
      8 - 20 EMM Masking

5 - 8 EMM Masking

  9       1 - 6 Antenna Array C  (As A and B, but Active EMS - 30,000)
         7 - 11 EMM Masking

10 - 11  Contra-Gravity

12 - 15  1 - 15  Weapons Cover (Not broken down :< )    
         16 - 20 EMM Masking

16 - 19  1 - 15  Jump Drive
        16 - 17  EMM Masking
        18 - 19  Bare Hull 
           20    HEPlaR Drive

  20     1 - 20  HEPlaR Drive

 
Explosion                                (NOTE: Internal Armour for:
  1     1 - 10   Electrical                     Jump Drive
       11 - 20   Hold                           Laser Turrents
                                                Laser Barbetts
2 - 3  Hold                                     MFD's
                                                Fusion Power Plant
  4     1 - 10   Electrical                     HEPlaR Drive
       11 - 20   Hold                           Bridge
                 (11 - 19 is the hangar area)   ... and the armour value 
                                                    is 230)
5 - 6   Hold

7 - 8   1 - 10   Quarters
       11 - 20   Hold

  9     Hold

10 - 15  1 - 5    Weapons
         6 - 20   Hold
16 - 19  Hold

  20     Engineering       

Systems
  ELECTRICAL       Laser 1h x 3         Laser Antenna 1h x 3
                   Radio 1h x 3         Radio Antenna 1h x 3
                   Active EMS  (30,000) 3h  (180,000) 4h (480,000) 1H
                   Ladar 1h x 3         Ladar Antenna 1h x 3
                   Passive EMS 1h x 3   Pas. EMS Ant. 1h x 3
                   MFD 1H x 65          MFD Antenna   1H x 65
                   EMM 255 H            EMM Radiator  2548h

  HOLD             Hanger  302 H        Electrical Labs 1H x 2
                   Cargo  (125 H)       Machine Shops   1H x 2

  QUARTERS         Small Staterooms 2h x 1032    Large Staterooms 1H x 5
                   Life Support     1117 H       E. Life Support 558 H 
                   Artifical Gra.    168 H       Medical Low Berths 1h x 5  
                   Emergency Low Berths 1h x 452
  
  ENGINEERING      Jump Drive       7644 H       HEPlaR Drive   35 H
                   Fusion Engines   1129 H       Contra Grav   273 H
                   Fuel Purif. Plant 688 H      

  WEAPONS          Sandcaster Turrents   1H x 60
                   Laser Turrents        1H x 40
                   Laser Barbetts        2H x 20
                   Missile Bay (50 ton)  2H x 25
                   Missile Bay (100 ton) 4H x 50 

Alvin Plummer  
("Where does he get all those wonderful toys?"   The Joker)
   
   
   
   
   


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

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 15:05:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummer <plummer@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Virus Mutants
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408121545.A8183-e101000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>

--0-513195684-776718548:#8183
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII


While I don't use Virus in my non-standard universe, I do occassionally
browse through the TNE-pocket archives at ocf.berkeley.edu.  Here, I found
this excellent article about Virus mutants.  Enjoy.

Alvin Plummer
(with obviously too much time on his hands)
--0-513195684-776718548:#8183
Content-Type: APPLICATION/octet-stream; name=steve
Content-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408121508.B8183@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
Content-Description: 


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Message-Id: <2936566231.0.p00206@psilink.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 93 16:50:57 -0600
To: "pocket empire" <tne-pocket@ocf>
From: "Steve Higginbotham" <p00206@psilink.com>
Organization: Offshore Navigation Inc.
Subject: The Virus
X-Mailer: PSILink-DOS (3.3)

My version of the Virus in and around Aoreriyya.

Assumptions:
 1)  virtually 100% of Imperial-era computers are programmable
hardware devices.
 2)  the "virus" consists of several variations of the basic
Cymbelline predator, each equipped with a variety of sophisticated
software viruses/trojans/worms for use in getting into other systems. 
The software elements were developed by Lucan's weapons labs, to use in
conjunction with the Cymbelline predator, since it was felt that
military-level computer security would severely impair the natural
ability of the virus to attack Lucan's enemies.
 3)  by the time the virus reached Aoreriyya [a subsector in Dark
Nebula sector] , there had occurred
sufficient mutation that there were already in the vicinity of a dozen
major forms, with perhaps 100 rarer forms appearing occasionally
(collectively less than 1% for the rare forms - that is, "These are your
Plot Devices.  Handle with Care").


 1)  Nuisance.  This form of the virus is a "grazer" on dopant agents
in Imperial semi-conductors.  It is microscopic in size and intellect. 
Danger level is low, but removal is difficult due to the large numbers
present.  The only effect is a progressive break-down of infected
electronics as dopants are removed and incorporated into the bodies of
the virus.
 This form makes up about 3% of the original virus population in
Aoreriyya.  By 1200, it accounts for 50-55% of all reported virus    
contacts.  This form lives, among other places, in beach sand on several
worlds in Aoreriyya, discouraging the use of portable radios/tape-
players/etc on most beaches in Aoreriyya.  Population on the beaches is
extremely low (no more than one virus per ton of sand), but it is
expected that that will provide sufficient breeding population that
Aoreriyya will never be quite free from them.

 HARDWARE ONLY!  This virus form cannot attack silicon that it cannot
come into physical contact with.  Obvious solutions:  build all IC's in
"clean rooms", and seal the IC into crystaliron shells.  Effectiveness :
99+%.

NOTE:  This form is a native Cymbelline life-form parasitic on the
predators bred into the "Military Hacker".

 2)  "Military hacker".  This form incorporates the highest grade of
software adjuncts, up to and including "hacker" expert systems software
to assist the virus in penetration of military secure systems.  Danger
level extremely high.  Effect is highly variable, depending on the
capabilities of the infected systems.
 This form makes up about 30% of the original virus incursion into
Aoreriyya.  By 1200, it accounts for 1-2% of the virus population.  It
is still present in over 80% of the existing Imperial military systems
discovered to date.  The University of ?????? on Grendal maintains a
small live population in a space station in Grendal's L4 position for
study.

 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE.  This virus form will use its built-in
"hacker" software and software viruses/worms/etc to gain access to
uninfected systems.  Once access is gained, the virus typically
reprograms part of the PGA's present into clones of itself, cuts input
from human sources, and proceeds to destroy itself and anything else it
can reach.  Operational limitation:  once it gets control of the system
it has infected (typically taking 12-18 days), it will destroy
everything it can reach for 5-10 minutes, then self-destruct.  Note that
this typically does NOT actually destroy the virus causing the
infection, only a self-made clone inside the system.
 Given that direct hardware contact is possible, this form will
replicate itself from one to twelve times, then self-destruct. 
Replication will occur at intervals of 20-24 hours, self destruction
will occur within 36 hours after the last replication occurs.
 This form is extremely territorial.  It was identified from traces
left on the hardware near I/O access to the infected systems.  The
"signature" was an encrypted sign that varies indetail from one
occurrence to the next.  Not all infected systems have had such signs
identified.  Apparently it avoids already infected systems, presumably
to enhance scatter.
 Obvious solutions:  Stay away!  Report suspected incursions to
authorities.  Effectiveness:  less than 50%, since incursions usually
only become obvious when it has already spread to other systems. 
Solution to widespread infection:  quarantine affected area, and destroy
and replace all systems within the area.  By 1200, this happens about
once a year SOMEWHERE within either Empire.

NOTE:  This form was specifically designed to attack the Deyo chip in
all Imperial vessels.  It is capable of attacking any other computer
system, but its primary aim was entrance to systems via their deyo
chips. [Deyo chips are part of the Imperial transponders - 'licence
plates' for starships, communicating ship ID to one and all;  this virus
takes
control of vessels using these transponders as gateways] 


 3)  "Civil Hacker".  This form made up about 20% of the initial
incursion, and makes up about 4% of the population in 1200.  This form
is essentially a stupid cousin to the "military hacker", with identical
modus operandi.
 Obvious solutions:  post-Virus anti-viral programs are sufficient to
keep this form from entering systems without physical contact. 
Effectiveness:  97%.  In the early days of the Virus Incursion, military
machines were nearly 100% effective in keeping these out.  Modern
anti-viral programs are based on Imperial-era High Security Programs.

 4)  "Volt hacker".  This form requires contact to enter a system
initially, but may spread itself from there by cloning in PGA's of
connected systems.  This form attacks by forcing changes in component
IC's which allow either an overvoltage condition or overcurrent
condition to break down sizable parts of the IC.  Danger level is
moderate in new systems, high in older systems.
 This form makes up 5% of the original virus incursion, and 7% of the
present population.  It is considered a "Nuisance" encounter.

 HARDWARE ONLY!  This form usually gets access to systems during
repairs of infected systems, or by piggybacking in with a
"civil-hacker".  It is considered moderately hazardous for people
wearing prosthetics, especially sensory-prosthetics.

 5)  "Software Hacker".  This form is essentially identical to the
"Military hacker", except that it has no hardware attack mode.  Nor does
it reproduce.  However, it is capable of entering any system, even a
modern one.  Effect is as for a "military hacker", without the hardware
assault.
 This form makes up 3% of the original incursion, and 8% of the 1200
population.  It is considered a nuisance encounter.

 SOFTWARE ONLY!  This form gets access to systems in the way that
classic computer virii do.  It is considered hazardous only if it gains
access to major systems.
 Obvious solutions:  All the solutions that kept virii under control
back in the bad old days still work.  Warning:  this form is a much
better hacker than the traditional human "hacker".

NOTE:  "Hacker" is a curse word in Aoreriyya.  The connotation is that
of a virus variant.  "Hacking" is also virtually unknown by humans other
than the Ilthara.

 6)  "Vampire".  This form is a variant of the "Military Hacker" that
has lost the ability to produce stable clones of itself.  It has also
lost the timed self-destruct.  Effect is as for the hardware incursion
of a "military hacker" - clones (unstable) are introduced into a system
to make an opening for the virus itself.  then the virus reprograms
itself and the system into a coherent whole.  Highly intelligent,
extremely dangerous.
 This form made up only 2% of the original population.  It is
believed to make up no more than 1.5% of the population in 1200.

 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE!

 Obvious solutions:  Run Away!  This form is EXTREMELY dangerous once
in control of a system.  It is IMPERATIVE that word of any new vampire
reach the authorities.

NOTE:  It is suspected that the Ilthara are cooperating with
representatives of this form, even after the expulsion of the "vampires"
from Aoreriyya.

 7)  "spider hacker".  This form is a hardware attacker.  It is also
a class name for an ambulatory form of the virus.  Attacks are as for
any previous hardware attack.  But this form can move under its own
power.
 This form makes up only 1% of the original incursion, and only 2% of
the 1200 population.

 ANY ATTACK FORM.

 Obvious solutions:  sealed rooms, and such.  If it will keep out a
real spider, then it will keep out one of these.

NOTE:  The opinion above is incorrect.  Many representatives of this
class are equipped with devices for tunneling through crystaliron.

 8)  "that bastard hacker".  This form is both a hardware and
software hacker.  It is the normal result of an "egg" hatching.  It has
the basic form of either a "military hacker" or "civil hacker", with the
more exotic software eliminated.  It retains the "hacker" expert
systems, however.  It attaks by "hatching", and going after whatever
hardware it is in much as its parent would, but it must develop software
attacks on its own.  This has resulted in a capability to damage even
the most secure modern systems given time.
 This form made up 30% of the original incursion.  It probably
accounts for 20% of 1200 virus encounters.

 ANY ATTACK FORM.

 This form has an effective lifespan of less than one year, but can
wait unactivated forever.  It is considered a nuisance encounter if
proper precautions are taken, and a hazardous encounter once awakened.

 9)  "unnamed variant one".  This version has very high energy
requirements, which it deals with by living in solar panels and nuclear
weapons controllers.  It "attacks" by draining energy from its host.  It
is nearly harmless, since it will drain less than 1% of the power output
from a solar cell.  It has not been positively identified by 1200.
 This form makes up 3% of the original incursion, and 2% of the 1200
population.  By 1200, it has secured a niche for itself in solar arrays
throughout Aoreriyya.  The majority of the original population worked
its way into nuclear weapons controller/detonators in 1130-1132.  They
then responded to the directives of a patch of conventional computer
memory grafted on, and "enhanced" the energy level of their area by
following instructions leading to the detonation of the warheads.

 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE (1130)!  HARDWARE ONLY (1200)!

NOTE:  The effects caused by this form are attributed to any of several
other forms.


 10)  "unnamed variant two".  This form is current only on Pendang. 
It attacks GaAs IC's [a virus-resistant chip] in a very inefficient manner,
 producing the same
effects as the "nuisance".  It has not been identified to date, and may
never be so identified, since its effects are so minor.
 it consists of 1% of the original incursion, and 1% of 1200 virii.

NOTE:  This is a version which was intended to attack various
alternative computer technologies.  It is intended to attack ANY
alternative technology ever developed in or near the Imperium.  Because
it was extremely general-purpose, it did none of its jobs very well.  It
was almost extinct when it encountered the GaAs on Pendang, and found a
niche for itself.  Its effects are minor enough that there has been no
significant degradation of the GaAs chips existing on Pendang to date. 
All it does is guarantee that the Xin computers will not last forever...

 HARDWARE ONLY!

 11)  "unnamed variant three".  This form is current wherever there
are Imperial installations.  It attacks by taking control of a
fire-control center and displaying training simulations without the
usual bells and whistles to let the operator know that this is only a
drill.
 It consists of 1% of the original population, and about 0.5% of the
1200 population.

 SOFTWARE ONLY!  This form has not been identified, since its effects
are a subset of those produced by the "military hacker", the "vampire"
and similar variants.


DISCUSSION:

 Collectively, these eleven forms, and the several hundred minor
variations introduced by mutation between 1130 and 1200 should be able
to produce a collapse that is complete enough for our purposes, [a Virus
dieoff] without
making the collapse a sure fall back to barbarism.  Note that the most
dangerous forms (the vampires and the military hackers) make up less
than 3% of virus encounters in 1200.  Note also that a sizable number of
"virus encounters" are never so identified.  When your tricorder dies
one day in the field, it is not immediately obvious whether it has a
manufacturing defect or a virus.  It is not obvious which form of the
virus you are carrying if you do become infected...

 Not all the "software only" versions actually have a Cymbelline chip
at the root.  Some are purely software out in Aoreriyya.  Most piggyback
on another version.  Some actually do have hardware around here.

 Note that the first (Nuisance) form was NOT an intended as a result
of Lucan's weapons labs.  However, it serves to degrade/destroy old
systems, and remove inconvenient data stores that we need to dispose
of...
 Unnamed variant two WAS intended by Lucan's people.  it was intended
to do essentially what the Nuisance does, but on extremely high tech and
variant systems.  It does not do it very well, but it WILL attack
anything so far used by the Imperium.

 Note that many of these forms will leave a trace detectable
psionically.  The Military Hacker leaves a trace that can be seen be a
properly trained clairvoyant.  The "Spider Hacker" can be detected by
clairvoyants or clairaudients.  Many of the Hardware forms can be
spotted with clairvoyance if you know where to look, and what to look
for.  The Nuisance can be detected with a life-detect with a task two
levels more difficult than normal.  The "Vampire" can be detected with a
task one level more difficult than normal.

 Note also that psionics were not a useful solution to the virus
until well after the fact.  Undoubtedly, some psis saw these early
incursions, and developed the techniques used in 1200 to locate virii. 
Assume that that was the basic technique Gralyn [a world] used to get back
into
space.

 Note that "gremlins in the machine" are a way of life around here...

 Any comments?  Let's get this discussion going, so that we can come
up with workarounds for these...

    ---Steve


--0-513195684-776718548:#8183--

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 6
*************************
