       TRAVELLER Digest 24

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) FTP list by alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
  2) Re: TRAVELLER digest 23 by MSAMUELS@VAXC.STEVENS-TECH.EDU
  3) Killing battledress - probs by Hugh Foster <100326.446@compuserve.com>
  4) Character and Animal generation by alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
  5) TL A,9  clan jump trader by alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
  6) Group composition? by alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
  7) Battledress Doctrine by Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
  8) Double Blind Battle Rider anyone? by ccjoe@showme.missouri.edu (Joseph Heck)
  9) Errata from GDW? & High Energy Weapons by "Upton, Django" <DUpton@VTRNNTOV.TELECOM.com.au>
 10)  by gdw.support@genie.geis.com
 11) Re: TRAVELLER digest 23  by George Herbert <gwh@crl.com>
 12) Trashing BattleDress by Lahtinen Antti <al76188@proffa.cc.tut.fi>
 13) Re: Errata from GDW? & High Energy Weapons by PR James <prj91@ecs.soton.ac.uk>
 14) FTML - a summary by "TOM O'NEILL" <tom@csvax1.ucc.ie>
 15) Re: Group composition? by Shalom Zaidfeld <cs911408@red.ariel.cs.yorku.ca>

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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 16:05:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: FTP list
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408261610.A18597-a100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


I believe that someone out there asked for FTP sites with traveller material.
Thanks to St. Perkins, I do have a partial list (I'm missing the new site
for Traveller: 2300 material; it's in the early new TNE archives
somewhere...):

Mailing Lists:
  TNE-Pocket:  tne-pocket-request@ocf.berkekey.edu
(Still operational?  I sent a request to sign up here, but got no response)
  pbemref@engrg.uwo.ca: (Headed by Mark Cook and metlay)
(Since the disaster, I susect that this play-by-email group is non-functional)
  space-1899-request@mit.edu (ask for Matt Goodman)

Archive sites:
  ocf.berkeley.edu  at pub/games/traveller
  akbar.cse.nau.edu  the directories: fixes, misc, gm
  ftp.cs.pdx.edu    at pub/frp/src/name (get name2.c)
  watnxt3.ucr.edu   at pub/ucrgg  (I couldn't get in...)
  ftp.maths.tcd.ie  at jaymin/trav  (get libdist.zip)
  ghost.cc.missouri.edu   at PUB/Traveller

Alvin Plummer
(Minor Internet Explorer)


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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 16:31:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: MSAMUELS@VAXC.STEVENS-TECH.EDU
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 23
Message-ID: <01HGHKRHGJEU9YE2Y7@VAXC.STEVENS-TECH.EDU>

From: IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 29-AUG-1994 15:34:58.29
To: IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
CC: 
Subj: TRAVELLER digest 23


Remember that a battledress only doubles the strenght, and
average strength of a soldier is 7 or 8. With a base STR of 8 and CON of
7 gives a lifting capability of 45Kg. With a battledress it is 66Kg.

>>>>> Isn't that equivelent to saying that a tank engine is only as
 powerfull as the crew inside?

 IMO the capability of the suit shouldn't be modified by the
 spam in the can.

>The potential energy stored in chemical bonds is much less than the
>ionization energy needed to strip electrons.  An accelerated bolt
>of plasma of low mass could equal an extremely larger mass of chemical
>explosives.  I'd hazard a guess the focused plasma weapons should be
>*much* more destructive than chemical weapons.
Sorry you are wrong, a 4cm ARL loaded weights only a fraction of the
F/PGMP of same penetration rating.

>>>>> I was speaking from a physical sense not a rules sense.

 The rules contradict my line of thinking, but the laws of physics
 seem to point in the other direction.

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

Date: 29 Aug 94 16:58:32 EDT
From: Hugh Foster <100326.446@compuserve.com>
To: "INTERNET:traveller@mpgn.com" <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Killing battledress - probs
Message-ID: <940829205831_100326.446_BHB48-1@CompuServe.COM>

>> Ok, you guys have come up with a great warheads to kill off 
>> battledress, but who/what is going to deliver the warhead without
>> being detected and killed first?  This is the "who gets to bell the 
>> cat" paradox.  What is the guidance system for these weapons?  How do
>> you intend to defeat the countermeasures of the suit?  What is the
>> range of this weapon compared to battlesuit weaponry that could be
>> used against you?

Answer: these matters are what makes the game challenging, interesting and
occasionally deadly....<heh heh>


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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 17:47:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Character and Animal generation
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408291718.E10005-b100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>



I sent the following message to GDW@aol.com.  If anyone wishes to comment,
please feel free...

> 
> Dear GDW: 
> 
>   Could you consider adding the following items to the basic Traveller
> game... 
>   A) Life Paths for PC's and NPC's?
>   B) A way to generate quirks, neurosises and insanities, to 'flesh out'
> characters?
>   C) A _good_ animal generator: i.e animals with shapes, forms, habits and
> intersting behaviour patterns?  How about a way to generate an ecosystem,
in
> some detail?
>   D) Expanding the animal-size table, so I can generate wales, or - if I
> want -  Sea- or Ocean-sized life forms?   Or even the VERY LARGE creatures
> that becomes possible in low-G worlds?
> 
>   Also, how about adding a new skill for Traveller - Apprasial(EDU)?
> This skill would come into play whenever characters need to estimate the
> worth of an item or service.  (Especially good in barter situations)
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Alvin Plummer

  Moreover, I created the skill Currency(EDU) to handle the fact that in one
of my civilisations - the Vaviw (about 20 systems, 160 billion people) -
every
clan, world, system, guild, major military force and notable religion has
it's own currency.  That amounts to about 7,000 different currencies,
with many being inflationary, and none being stable for long.  (Any
Argentines in this group?  How about Brazilians?)

Have any of you created any in-house skills that you find quite useful? 
Post it, please!

Alvin Plummer
(My Canada includes Traveller!)  


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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 16:13:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TL A,9  clan jump trader
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408291649.B10005-d100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


O.K., here it is... 
     the smallest, cheapest jump trader in HISTORY! (so far..)

First, my Hot Rod - the one with a two-G drive on a one-G body.  It's
meant to be the local equivalent of a cheap, fast and dirty smuggler.

It's followed by the standard trader - with LOTS of cargo room, over 40%
of the ship!  Compare with your typical TNE 'trader', with about 25% of
the ship given to cargo.

Finally, the most profitable of all - the in-system smuggler/trader! 
Without the cost of jump fuel to handle, you too can become a millionare  
with the flick of the hand and a roar of the engines!

And not only do these babies are available at the lowest prices around
(can YOU find a more affordable jump ship, right off the construction
docks?),
but they come with a whole SUITE of accessories, to fit any need!

Vaviw smuggler _______________________________ 

Disp    30                 Hull Armour   10      Mass - Loaded
Len     23                 Volume       420             551.2278 mt
Price   13.4715 MCr        Size      V. Small         - Empty
Config  Wedge SL           TL           A/9             373.2918 mt

Engineering __________________________________

Power Plant (Main)   40 MW, fission, 1 year duration
            (Emerg) .01 MW, solar cells
                    .1  MW, batteries, 1 year duration
Jump          2
Man G's       2G,  CG lifters
G-hours       5.8 (12.3 with j-fuel)     Maint points          108 
                                             (the three-man crew would spend
                                              5 hours a day in maintenance)
Electronics __________________________________

Computer    TL 9 x 2 , Standard          Terrain-following     Buy your own!
Commo       Radio (300,000 km)           Sensors         Radar (30 km!) 
Avionics    TL 8+                                        HRT (30,000) 1 band


Accomodation _________________________________

Restricted Life Support (Extended, but for three people ONLY - No more!)
Crew                    3 (2 x Maneuver, 1 x Electronics)
Crew Accomodations      3 x Sleep Tubes   
                        (each: 14 kl volume, 1 mt, .0005 MW, .01 MCr)
Cargo                   162 mt
NO small craft
Air Locks               1

Notes ________________________________________

One 2-disp external grapple
No fuel scoops, No fuel purification
Decoy Dispensor    (TL A Heat Flares x 30)

Combat Move  152/6             Travel Move   3500/240
______________________________________________


Model Two:  1 G engine (550 mt thrust), Jump 1
            
   As above, but...  
   
   Price               13.4857 MCr           MW    35.4063
   Empty Mass         372.0418
   Loaded Mass        540.0653        


Model Three: 1 G engine, No jump       (this craft makes a GREAT in-system
                                        trader ... if you can stand being
   As above, but...                     unarmed) 
  
   Price              10.2998                 MW    35.19634
   Empty Mass        345.7618
   Loaded Mass       526.7853

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

Battle Data

DAMAGE AREA
1        Elect                   6-15     Hold
2-3      Quarters               16-17     Engine
4-5      1-5   Elect            18-19     Hold
         6-10  Quarters          20       Engine
        11-20  Hold

SURFACE AREA
1      1-15   Radio Antenna          11    CG Lifter     
      16-20   Hull                 12-13   Solar Panels
2-3      Hull                      14-15   External Grappler
4-5    1-7    HRT Antenna          16-17   1-10  Solar Panels
        8     Decoy Dispenser             11-20  Hull
       9-20   Hull                 18-19   External Grappler
     [13-20   Drop Tank]             20    1-4   Jump
6-7      Solar Panels                      5-10  HEPlaR
8-9    1-10   CG Lifter                   11-20  Hull
      11-20   Hull
     [ 1-20   Drop Tank]
10       Hull

SYSTEM DAMAGE

Electronics                        Quarters               
  Radio  (1h)     Ant   (1h)         Sleep tubes      (1h) x 3 
  Radar  (1h)     Ant   (1h)         Life Support      1H
  HRT    (1h)     Ant   (1h)         E.L.S             1H
  Decoy  Launcher       (1h)
                                   Engineering 
Hold                                 Jump Drive        1H 
  Cargo (full)           1H          Power Plants
                                         Fission       2H
                                         Solar Cells  (1h)
                                         Batteries    (1h)
                                     Contra Grav      (1h)
                                     HEPlaR           (1h)

=================================================================

DROP TANK  - holds 44.8 kl of fuel  -- enough for one jump, or 
             8.6  G-hours
              49 kl,  16.5 mt, .01485 MCr

FUEL BLADDER - for cargo bay.  Each ship automatically carries two.
             Holds 37.5 G-hours of fuel, or enough for 3 jumps.


Two-displacement modules...

MISSILE MODULE - holds TL9 missile launcher: fires one missile.
              28 kl, 17.57 mt, .1502 MW, .07702 MCr

HIGH PASSAGE MODULE - with extended life support 
              28 kl, 14.3285 mt, .0014 MW, .11028 MCr

CARGO/FUEL MODULE - just what you think.  Holds 5 G-hours of fuel.
              28 kl, 10.3225 mt, .002 MW, .0162 MCr

VECHILE MODULE - holds a 10 kl (wheeled) vechile.
              28 kl, 18 mt, .002 MW, .01388 MCr

=====================================================================

The Canacus -- a 10 kl, TL 9, all-terrain wheeled vechile.  
               (Imagine the Moon Buggy....)
               
TL       9                      Controls        Primitive Mechanical
Price    CR 7286                Life Support    None
Size     10 kl  = .7 Disp       Load            180 kg            
Weight   6.6 mt empty           Crew            1
         7.0 mt loaded          Passanger's     1
Power     .8 MW batteries       

Maintenance Points     2

Fuel Capasity     N/A          Fuel Consumption  8 hours at top speed (70
kph)
                                                 17 hours at cruising (28
kph)

Travel move 130/50          Combat move  30/10

Config:   Susp  W(2)        Deck  Open
          HF (1) 
          HS (1)
          HR (1)            Belly 1


Alvin Plummer
(Pre-owned starships to fit every budjet!) 


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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 18:32:17 -0400 (EDT)
From: alvin plummera <plummera@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Group composition?
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.1.9408291817.B12343-8100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


Just out of curiosity's sake, I'd like to know if the majority of this
group are techies of one sort or another...

Alvin Plummer
(Who himself is a Computer Science student, and a CNA-in-training)


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

Date: 29 Aug 94 14:52:45 MS
From: Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
To: traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Battledress Doctrine
Message-ID: <9408292054.AA06582@khan.avalon.COM>

It seems apparent that I am not the only one running 
into Battledress angst.  If you have PCs or NPCs in 
battledress, they are relatively invulnerable to most 
weapons.  There are some weapons that can affect them,
but these are mostly either lower-tech missile 
launchers or excessively heavy and expensive 
plasma/fusion weapons.  

It seems likely to me that the Imperium probably would
not blow lots of credits on a fusion weapon if a grenade 
launcher gave equal effectivity against 
similarly-armored enemy forces.  On the other hand, I 
would not expect to see a squad of TL15 Marines pile 
out of an APC and load up their TL10 ACRs, either.

I have some problems with the relative invulnerability 
of Battledress, but part of this comes from the lack of 
knowledge about Imperial (or anyone's) doctrine on 
battledress employment and tactics.  Since my PCs 
occaisionally run into high-tech forces, I have tried to 
think out a rational set of guidelines for battledress 
battle tactics.  Here are three different versions;  I tend
to use version 1, but it still makes battledress a very 
game-imbalancing item.

1.  An integral auto grenade launcher/laser designator.  
The grenades would home in on designated targets.  
This would take up much of the extra carrying capacity 
from the enhanced strength, but would serve to give a 
Marine a decent chance against battledress.  The 
Marine could then carry a normal weapon loadout (a 
Gauss Rifle or more rarely a Fusion Gun) to blow away 
the unarmored infantry or light armored vehicles that 
might crop up.  This high volume of personal-level 
Marine firepower would make it virtually impossible for
a low-tech force to even stand up against an Imperial 
force, much less inflict casualties on the Marines.  The 
only drawback is the high volume of ammo resupply 
required for such a battle, but it would be more cost 
effective.

2.  Melee weapons made out of super-strong alloys.  The
combination of the Marine's enhanced strength and the 
strength of the weapon would give the weapon a decent 
penetration rating, but the combatants would need to 
close before fighting.  This would lead to tactics similar 
to those seen in the late Middle Ages; the armies would 
approach each other, attempting to weaken each other's
ranks with heavy weapons (missile and energy weapons) 
until the two forces bumped and became embrioled in a 
melee.  The problem here would be low-tech (TL7 - 
TL10) forces would have to be fought in the same fashion, 
and closing with them would give a higher potential for 
Marine casualties than would be worthwhile for such a 
low-tech objective.  Of course, once the Marines closed 
in, the low-tech troops would be annihilated.  Very cost 
effective, but somewhat silly.  I have trouble with using a
saber in a TL15 battle.

3.  Marines armed largely with Plasma/Fusion weapons. 
These weapons would be capable of taking out regular 
troops, battledress troops and even vehicles.  This is the
option GDW has historically used, but the TNE prices 
and weapons stats make this option rather cost 
ineffective.

There are certainly other options.  I still need to sit 
down with FFS and design the equipment for option 1.  
The problem with all of these options is play balance; a 
battldress unit is basically invulnerable to everything 
except heavy support weapons and other battledress 
units.  Maybe this makes sense from a technical 
standpoint, but it sure can make any combat-oriented 
game sessions brief and unchallenging.  My PCs don't 
have any battledress, but TL 14 heavy combat armor is 
just as bad.  I am placed in a position where I can't 
threatend the PCs with injuries; I can kill them or fail 
to hit them at all, but nothing in between.

Any ideas, suggestions or comments would be most
welcome.

scharlto@avalon.com

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

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 20:28:28 -0500 (CDT)
From: ccjoe@showme.missouri.edu (Joseph Heck)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM (TML Submissions)
Subject: Double Blind Battle Rider anyone?
Message-ID: <9408300128.AA89850@showme.missouri.edu>

Hello TML,

well I'm not sure we're up to former capacity on the TML quite yet, but I 
thought I'd throw out a possibility if people are interested. I'm quite
interested in running a double-blind Battle Rider or Brilliant Lances
game or three over Email.

Now I had some ideas along these lines. I thought I could provide either 
detailed instructions over email (straight text), or I can provide GIF 
files on a turn-by-turn basis, with instructions coming into me over Email.

I haven't a clue how it might work, but I thought I'd give it a try. Minimum
turnover for a game turn would be a work week, but I'm hoping to be able
to complete full turns in one day and really "play" it at a reasonable
speed (over Email anyway).

So... any interested takers? 
-- 
 joe                          (314) 882-5000
 ccjoe@showme.missouri.edu    University of Missouri - Columbia  
 "with a little practice, writing can be an intimidating and
 impenetrable fog!" -- Calvin
 <A HREF="http://www.missouri.edu/~ccjoe">ccjoe</A>

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 11:56:00 EST
From: "Upton, Django" <DUpton@VTRNNTOV.TELECOM.com.au>
To: tml <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Errata from GDW? & High Energy Weapons
Message-ID: <2E63D7C8@msmail.trl.oz.au>


Errata from GDW?
 --------------------
Tariq:
 > Has anyone else noticed that 0.04*(Pi)*r/`2 gives
 > exceptionally light masses for Gauss Rounds.

 Yes. That's why we changed it to 0.02*(Pi)*r/`3. However, go
 ahead and use your formula if you like the results better.
 --------------------
Lets get this straight. Someone at GDW discovered that they had stuffed up 
their gauss round ammo formula and came up with a fix. Then they proceeded 
to NOT tell anybody about it! If they did tell someone then I would like to 
know how they decide who gets to know these things. I don't think I've just 
"missed" it as I own copies of all TNE products currently released except 
for Star Vikings (which has only just appeared over here) and am a member of 
HIWG, TML and Xboat.
 -------------------------
There has been much discussion on the efficacy of H.E.weapons recently so I 
include my modifications to the H.E.weapon design rules that I posted a 
while ago that some people may have missed:

High Energy weapons: Arrgh where do I start! Their disadvantages include:
 -high price
 -short range
 -low penetration
 -heavy
 -high recoil
 -heavy ammo
 -requires high tech maintenance
in short, only a complete moron would use them as they are.

Some mods to make them more viable:
IPR is now calculated from pulse MJ

IPR=MJ^-3  ( /2 at long, /10 at extreme )

Range is calculated using a formula derived from that I worked out for Mass 
Drivers.

Short range (m) = 1/k x ln ( vkt + 1 )
v= 8000 for plasma, 12000 for fusion
t=0.3
k=4 x (10^-3) x MJ^-(2/3)
For small arms use the shorter of either the above or that of an equivalent 
small arms laser.

Fusion guns derive extra energy from the fusion reaction.
Multiply the MJ rating of the fusion gun ammo by 2.25 for the purposes of 
damage, IPR and range.

Ammo is very heavy which means that small arms can only carry a few shots, 
also note that the amount of propellent required to fire a ETC gun with a 
muzzle velocity of say 12 MJ is about a quarter of the mass of a 12 MJ PPC 
Cartridge!
Ammo now has a mass and volume = 0.2 x EPG equivalent mass and volume.

Example ratings:

0.75 MJ Plasma Gun
Dam=10 PR=1,2,11 Pen=10,10,5,1 Range=514m

2 MJ Plasma Gun
Dam=16 PR=1,2,8 Pen=16,16,8,2 Range=763m

12 MJ Plasma Gun
Dam=39 PR=1/2,1,4 Pen=78,78,39,10 Range=1349m

125 MJ Fusion Gun (x2.25=281.25 MJ)
Dam=192 PR=1/7,1/3,2 Pen=1344,1344,576,96 Range=3093m

Note that the above values are closer to the 2300AD concept of a H.E. 
Weapon.

I hope the above will be of some use to people struggling to reconcile the 
traditional concept of H.E. weapons with the complete duds presented in TNE.

Django. 

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 03:47:00 UTC
From: gdw.support@genie.geis.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Message-ID: <199408300511.AA247293504@relay2.geis.com>

               traveller@mpgn.com
               Daniel T.
               > 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?
               Not yet. We have accumulated a few, but we haven't had time to
          collate them all and get a new one printed.
               *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
               Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
               > In my attempt to make a laser to defeat a battledress
          (heavy),
               > and being carriable I have run into a problem.
               You will find it impossible to design a man-portable laser
that
          will penetrate heavy battledress, and that is the intention of
          the rules. See the LSW in the RCEG.
               > I started off with a Discharge Enegry of 1Mj. This gives a
               > penetration of 1. The problem this also meand that the
               > laser get a damage rating of 2.5 which is rounded
               > to 3 against vehicles, and 50 against personell.
               > [see formulas in FF&S] Effective range is 576km.
               1 is the penetration _rating_ not the penetration _value_,
          theus the laser could penetrate an AV of 2 and still  have 1
          point of damage value remaining. This remainind DV is then
          converted into personnel damage dice at 20 per DV.
               Your calculations regarding the 18 Mj laser are correct.
               Dave Nilsen
                    for GDW,Inc.
               *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
               Jeff Franzmann
               > A friend of mine who just got back from GenCon
               > informed me that GDW was in serious financial difficulties.
               > Considering the tone of the Editorial of Challenge 74,
           > I took this a little more seriously than I would any other
           > sort of rumour one might here.
           If you have read the Challenge 74 editorial, you know that in
          it Frank admitted that GDW has experienced some tough going in
          the last few weeks, but that we are _not_ alone in this. All
          companies (large and small) are being hit hard by recent events,
          and rumors of firings and lay-offs are rampant throughout the
          industry. We are taking steps to ensure that GDW will continue to
          produce Traveller products.
           > The fact that this friend was a retailer who had spoken
           >  to several gaming insider also got me a little worried.
           > Could anyone comment on this?
           I'd like to know what "insiders" he talked to. There is no one
          at GDW who is more "inside" than I am. I'm on the board of
          directors, I am a stockholder, and I am a corporate officer. I
          have been with GDW since day one, and I will do whatever I have
          to do to ensure that the company stays in business.
           Any questions?
           *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
           Shalom Zaidfeld
           > did anyone attend GenCon?
           I did
           > what was GDW's section like?
           We rented out usual size booth
           > What was offered there and who, from GDW was there?
           We had Batttle Rider, Star Vikings, and Challenge 74 (for new
          stuff). We had boatloads of old stuff. We left a lot of enpty
          cartons. Sales were up about 20% from last year. Frank, me
          (Loren), Dave, Kirk and Brad from the art department, Susan and
          Lori from the business department were all that at one time or
          another.
           *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
           John Banagan
           > I've been lurking for awhile and I saw a posting from
           > Loren K. Wiseman of GDW, Inc. and I couldn't fail to
           > notice that he mentioned a STRIKER II for the RAFM
           > miniatures. Is GDW going to reprint or re-produce
           > STRIKER rules for use with TNE?
           Yes. Release date in December
           > Or is this just a rumor?
           Nope.
           > BTW, being relatively new to TNE, I was wondering
           > if some kind soul could post the gaming supplements
           > for TNE or if too long, maybe just mail me the list.
           Several people have asked, so here goes.
           Traveller: The New Era
           0300     $27.00    Traveller:The New Era (basic rules book)
           0301     $10.00    Survival Margin (background information)
           0302     $46.00    Deluxe Traveller (basic rules and Fire, Fusion & Steel plus aids)
           0303     $30.00    Brilliant Lances (Traveller starship combat)
           0304     $16.00    Fire, Fusion & Steel (Traveller technical architecture)
           0305     $14.00    Smash & Grab (adventure anthology)
           0306     $  8.00   Players Forms (play aid)
           0307     $  8.00   Referee's Screen (play aid)
           0308     $30.00    Battle Rider  (starship combat, large fleet actions)
           0309     $18.00    Path of  Tears (Star Viking sourcebook)
           0310     $20.00    Reformation Coalition Equipment Guide (equipment)
           0311     $14.00    World Tamer's Handbook (Colonization and Uplift) (Sep1994)
           0313     $30.00    Striker II
           0315     $13.00    Star Vikings
           0316     $17.00    Large Traveller T-shirt
           0317     $17.00    X-Large Traveller T-shirt
           [ yes...I know, there are holes in the numerical sequence.
          You'll just have to be patient for those : )]
           Go to the hobby shop first, and if it is on the shelf, buy it.
          But if it isn't on the shelf (or you don't have a locall hobby
          shop to go to), why not order it direct from us. I'll see if I
          can't get a catalog/ordering instructions put into the Library.
           *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
           >>>It seems these are all good candidates for World Tamer. Has anyone
           >>>heard what it will include?
           >>According to the Ad for it in the back of Star Vikings: Personalities of the
           >>Reformation Coalition, it will include two adventures, a boot strap campaign,
           >>and a full colonization campaign, as well as rules for exploring, surveying,
           >>animals and plants, dealing with natives (xeno/techno-phobs) and colonists.
           This is a pretty good summary of what WTH will contain. Went to press today (monday 29 August).
           *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
           Paul James
           > How are costs for fuel scoops calculated? You
           > work out how many you want as a percentage
           > of the total surface area, but the costs are given
           > per cubic metre. Does one cubic metre of fuel
           > scoop cover 1 square metre of surface area or
           > 10, does tech level affect this?
           You use the total cubic meters of the ship, regardless of how
          much surface area is taken up. For a 1,400 cubic meter ship,
          scoops would cost 0.000075*1400 = MCr0.105. For a 5,600 cubic
          meter ship, scoops would cost 5600*0.000075 = MCr0.42
           Loren WIseman
           *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
           From Dave Nilsen, in response to a number of queries:
           I'd like to take a few moments to explain some things so we can
          avoid some needless heartburn and speculation. This involves the
          nature of copyrights, letters of permission, and, that awful s-
          word: suing.
           I hope that these issues are already pretty clear to most
          people who will read this, and maybe this letter is unnecessary,
          but it never hurts to communicate.
           The same way that Stephen King gets paid when someone makes a
          movie of one of his books, or Elton John gets paid when someone
          plays one of his records, we need to get paid for what we do. If
          musicians had to write songs and do concerts for free, or authors or game
           companies had to spend months writing books for free, how could
           we expect there to be any music or books or games?
           Companies like GDW do not own physical objects like factories
          or gold mines or fleets of aircraft, things that have inherent
          value just sitting still. All that we own are our capacity to
          produce new ideas and games, and our copyrights on the ideas and
          games that we have already produced. Without copyrights, we would
          be working for free, and then how could we pay our rent, our
          utilities, our printers, our color separators, and, of course,
          our employees.
           The problem with copyrights is that their owners must actively
          protect them if they are not to lose them. The law is pretty
          clear that failure to protect copyrights and trademarks is
          tantamount to voluntarily giving them up. Usually this involves
          trusting other people to not attempt to infringe on them, and
          nicely asking them not to if they try. However, if someone goes
          ahead and infringes on your copyright anyway, the only thing that
          you can do to protect it is to sue.
           GDW is not now or ever looking to sue anyone, but our policy,
          and the policy of any company, _has_ to be that if we are forced
          to protect our copyrights, we will do so by the only available
          means, which is suing. Reserving the right to be able to defend
          yourself if required is hardly a threatening or foreboding
          posture.
           Copyright law is becoming increasingly complicated by the
          electronic revolution. Although GEnie for example, has strict
          protocols to protect copyrights, other areas of the "information
          highway" are not necessarily safe. We cannot afford to lose our
          ability to make a living doing what we do by not being careful,
          especially when a project looks like it takes our most valuable
          material and charges straight into the thickest part of the
          hedge, so to speak [LKW: A recent proposal involved someone
          wanting our permission to OCR some of our products and upload
          them to BBSs and FTP sites world-wide...we said we could not
          possibly condone or permit such a large-scale violation of our
          copyrights].
           As far as letters of permission are concerned, we are not
          refusing to give out any more, but we can hardly grant letters of
          permission to do things that may lose us our copyrights. That
          wouldn't make any sense at all.
           David Nilsen
           GDW Chief of Design

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 00:46:56 -0700
From: George Herbert <gwh@crl.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: gwh@crl.com
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 23 
Message-ID: <199408300746.AA26774@mail.crl.com>


Games stores in San Francisco area...

Games of Berkeley is good.  Not terribly enthusiastic about Traveller
anymore, but they've got it.  Gamealot in Santa Cruz.  There are others
around.

-george

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 12:58:58 +0200 (EET DST)
From: Lahtinen Antti <al76188@proffa.cc.tut.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Trashing BattleDress
Message-ID: <199408300959.MAA17973@proffa.cc.tut.fi>

Here is two weapon designs that can be used to damage troopers wearing
battle dress armor.
The gauss rifle bullets can penetrate RCES Ligth Battle Dress, and the
AGL HEAP grenades can penetrate RCES Heavy Battle Dress.

These weapons were originally designed using BTRC G3 rules and converted
to Mega Traveller, and used in "5th Frontier War" and "4th Core Expedition"
campaigns.

----------

4mm Zhodani Gauss Rifle
Unlike Imperial railguns that shoot light finned darts, Zhodani gauss
rifle is based on coil-gun principle, in which a row of electro-magnets
alternatively attract and repel a magnetized projectile. Zhodani gauss
projectile is spin-stabilized steel bullet.

TL: 14
Ammo: 4x20mm/36
Muzzle energy: 12960 joules (Tranq: 7776 joules), Required Power 20736 joules
Weapon length: 69.6 cm
Weapon weight: 3.073 kg empty, with no magazine
        4.801 kg with full 20 round magazine
        6.093 kg with full 35 round magazine
Weapon Price: 881.3 Cr
Magazine Weight: 20-round magazine: 1.688 kg empty, 1.728 kg loaded
   35-round magazine: 2.950 kg empty, 3.020 kg loaded
Magazine Price: Cr4 (20 round) Cr6 (35 round)
Ammunition Price: Cr0.04 (Bullet), Cr0.08 (Tranq), Cr0.12 (APHE, HEAP)
Ammunition Weight: 2 grams per round (density 8 steel)
Features: Gyroscopic compensation. Two-stage trigger mechanism (short pull
fires single shots, deep pull fires full-automatic). Grip safety. Carrying
handle has a scope rail that can mount optical or electronic sight. Barrel
has a mounting rail that accepts large selection of secondary weapons.

Round  ROF Damage Pen Bulk Magazi Recoil Short
4x20mm Bullet SA/5 8 1-2-4 4 20/35 2/4 100 (102.45)
4x20mm APHE SA/5 8 (+2) 1-2-4 4 30/35 2/4 80 (77)
4x20mm HEAP SA/5 8 2-2-2 4 30/35 2/4 80 (77)
4x20mm Tranq SA/5 -1* Nil 4 20/35 1/3 30 (30

Tinkering: APHE round is an exploding bullet with short delay. It strikes a
target like a normal bullet with normal penetration, and explodes inside the
target. This prevents overpenetration and ricochets.
Explosion energy is calculated as HE extra energy, but is not added to muzzle
energy. APHE extra damage is calculated from explosion energy only, and it
affects the target only if the bullet penetrated his armor.
In this case, APHE damage is (SQRT(( 4[mm] + 14[TL] - 7 )^3))/15 = 2.43 => 2.
APHE rounds have same range and price as HEAP rounds.

Note: In our home campaign, this gauss rifle is standard Zhodani military
weapon that is issued to every trooper as their first weapon. It is designed
to be 'soldierproof rifle', having no moving parts or selector switches.

----------

2cm Low-Velocity Automatic Grenade Launcher

This weapon is a cross between grenade launcher and SMG. Short and easy to
handle, it can be used against armored infantry and light vehicles. The main
problem with this weapon is its bulky ammo.
To protect the firer from own fragments, the grenades have spin-based safety
that arms the impact fuse when the grenade has flown 10m. Additionally, to
eliminate possible duds, the grenades have a secondary pyrotechnical fuse
that detonates the grenade 5.4 seconds after firing.
Only HEAP round is used because HE round would have the same fragmentation
effects but lacks the penetration ability of HEAP.

TL: 10
Ammo: 2cm low-velocity propelled grenades
Muzzle Energy: 169 joules
Weapon Length: 41 cm
Weapon Weight: 3.1 kg empty, with no magazine
        4.09 kg with full 15 round magazine (straight box)
        5.08 kg with full 30 round magazine (drum)
Weapon Price: 660 Cr
Magazine Weigth: 15-round box magazine: 0.09 kg empty, 0.99 kg loaded
   30-round drum magazine: 0.18 kg empty, 1.98 kg loaded
Magazine Price: Cr1 (15 round box), Cr2 (30 round drum)
Grenade Price: Cr0.9 (HEAP)
Grenade Weight: 60 grams each
Features: Two-stage trigger mechanism (short pull fires single shots,
deep pull fires full-automatic). Grip safety. Optional laser sight.

Note: FFS states that shoulder-fired grenade launchers must have rifle-like
stocks. However, there are no physical reasons why GLs could not be build
in bullpup configuration, like REA 40mm GL. In addition to that, full-
automatic GLs can be magazine-fed, like the new H&K 40mm Grenade MG.

Tinkering: As this weapon is designed to have self-loading selective-fire
action, the price was calculated with action multiplier 250. The bullpup
configuration reduces the Short range to 90m, but does not affect IRF.
The volume of a 2cm grenade is 12cc, so if we assume that the grenade has
slightly rounded or conical point, the grenade would be about 4cm long.

2cm Low-Velocity GL
Round  ROF Damage Pen Bulk Magaz Recoil Short IFR
2cm HEAP SA/5 C1,B5 17c 2 15/30 0/1 90(100) 400

----------

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 11:20:20 +0100 (BST)
From: PR James <prj91@ecs.soton.ac.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Errata from GDW? & High Energy Weapons
Message-ID: <22063.9408301020@cezanne.ecs.soton.ac.uk>

'Upton, Django writes :'
> 
> 
> Errata from GDW?
>  --------------------
> Tariq:
>  > Has anyone else noticed that 0.04*(Pi)*r/`2 gives
>  > exceptionally light masses for Gauss Rounds.
> 
>  Yes. That's why we changed it to 0.02*(Pi)*r/`3. However, go
>  ahead and use your formula if you like the results better.
>  --------------------
> Lets get this straight. Someone at GDW discovered that they had stuffed up 
> their gauss round ammo formula and came up with a fix. Then they proceeded 
> to NOT tell anybody about it! If they did tell someone then I would like to

> know how they decide who gets to know these things. I don't think I've just

> "missed" it as I own copies of all TNE products currently released except 
> for Star Vikings (which has only just appeared over here) and am a member
of 
> HIWG, TML and Xboat.
I bought TNE delux boxed set, and the new formula is in my version of
FF&S. There are some errata for FF&S in the little booklet provided
with the boxed set, but the gauss round weight is not one of these.


================================================================================
Paul James                                  ____________________
prj91@ecs.soton.ac.uk                      /  __________________O
kraken@mail.soton.ac.uk                   /  /|________________
                                         /  /_/________________O
"Beware the many tentacled one."        /_____________________
                                       |______________________O

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 12:41:21 BST
From: "TOM O'NEILL" <tom@csvax1.ucc.ie>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: FTML - a summary
Message-ID: <00983B8C.E71D3826.3@csvax1.ucc.ie>

Earlier in the year there was a thread on the TML regarding the
definition of a Feudal Technocracy (Government Type 5) in
Traveller. This is a summary of the conclusions of the "Feudal
Technocracy Mailing List", which was formed when the discussion
went to private E-Mail.

This all originated in the beginning of May as a spin-off from a 
discussion between David Johnson and Hans Rancke about the Sword
Worlds. <David Johnson  - djohnson@geds01.jsc.nasa.gov>
        <Hans Rancke - rancke@diku.dk>
(David is no longer available at the address above). 
 
It became clear that different people had very different ideas about
what was and was not a Feudal Technocracy. Hans favoured emphasising
the feudal aspect while David emphasised the technocratic aspect,
using the term 'practise of technology'. He approximately defined
this as requiring industrial activity in all possible areas for a certain
TL, producing sufficient surplus resources to support research, 
development, production and operation and support the expansion of the 
economy and stated that he regarged this as the prime requirement of
a technocracy.

However, Bill White has calculated that the average FT in the Imperium
has a population in the 100,000's, insufficient to support the broad
spread of industry David requires by the above definition( David 
believes a minimum population of the order of millions is required).

Also, a number of people (including me) had expressed the preference
that 'critical technology' governments, who govern by virtue of control
of some critical technology, be possibly describable as Feudal
Technocracies. This type of society is possible at the lower population
levels at which FT's commonly occur in the Imperium.

Given these arguments David made the following comment:     
"Maybe we have to accept that, in Traveller terms, there is
no distinction between feudal technocracy, technocratic oligarchy,
technocratic feudalism, or anything else that might be considered in
any way `feudal' or `technocratic' since neither of these terms
exist in any of the other government codes." Any such government
could be described with a government code of 5. While David dislikes
the vagueness of the resulting government type, it does embrace all
of the proposed examples of FT's, including his own. This was the
compromise conclusion that we reached,

                                        Tom

  Tom O'Neill  |   Tom@CSVAX1.UCC.IE        SCCS6085@IRUCCVAX.UCC.IE 

---------------!--------------------------------------------------------------
                    Fact is stranger than fiction

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

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 1994 12:34:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: Shalom Zaidfeld <cs911408@red.ariel.cs.yorku.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Group composition?
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.90.940830122507.15886A-100000-100000@blue>


On Mon, 29 Aug 1994, alvin plummer wrote:

> Just out of curiosity's sake, I'd like to know if the majority of this
> group are techies of one sort or another...

Umm..  techie?  Not really...  I'm a high school student, intersted in 
computers...  (and using my older bro. Email at York U.)..

take care,
  -Shalom Zaidfeld

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 24
**************************
