			    TRAVELLER Digest 139

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: TRAVELLER Tech 	by Eric Moore <moore@chem.cmu.edu>
  2) Planet III Update 	by Kevin Combs <kevin013@access.digex.net>
  3) Re: Grav Ball (and other games)	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  4) Re: Languages	by Alvin Plummer <plummera@sheridanc.on.ca>
  5) Thanks, Ted7	by Alvin Plummer <plummera@sheridanc.on.ca>

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Date: Wed, 21 Dec 1994 16:36:50 -0500
From: Eric Moore <moore@chem.cmu.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER Tech 
Message-ID: <199412212136.QAA05703@chopin.chem.cmu.edu>


In message <9412211731.AA02564@RT66.com>, Merrick Burkhardt writes:
>BTW, I calculated the KE of HEPlaR exhaust, and it is more than the energy put
>into the reaction mass by the powerplant (by *a lot*), so the HEPlaR drives
>have to be fusion rockets to some degree, because there isn't enough energy
>input to accelerate the reaction mass.

Yeah, I did that too.  I also calculated the drive temperature (from
the exhaust velocity) I got something like 10^8 or 10^9 degrees
Kelvin.  The black body radiation the exhaust stream gives off is
something awful.  (As in most likely more dangerous than the enemy's
weapons).  I think the fix here is to ignore the problem :-)

Another little bit of non-physical nonsence is in the FFS laser rules.
Damage is proportional to intensity.  So the 10 MJ laser with the
10cm^2 spot size does as much damage as the 1 MJ laser with the 1cm^2
spot size.  (but 10 of the smaller lasers do 10X as much damage).  I'd
say the fix here is to make penetration proportional to intensity, and
damage to energy. (And hope nobody starts making lasers with a spot
size larger than their opponent :-)

        -Eric Moore       

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Date: Thu, 22 Dec 1994 07:29:01 -0500 (EST)
From: Kevin Combs <kevin013@access.digex.net>
To: xboat@MPGN.COM, traveller@MPGN.COM, hiwg-list@fwe.com
Subject: Planet III Update 
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.941222072200.3074A-100000@access3.digex.net>


Just thought I'd pass this this on to all interested parties.  I wrote to 
Jeff Davies the other day to confirm the rumor that Planet III was gone.  
He replied that this is nothing more than a rumor and Planet III is alive 
and well.  They are at the end of the first year of a multi-year license 
with GDW.  Nothing more or less.

It seems the rumor of their death was premature.

Kevin


        ******************************************
        * It is an axiom of war that people die. *
        ******************************************

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Date: 22 Dec 1994 14:34:34 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: xboat@MPGN.COM, traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Grav Ball (and other games)
Message-ID: <199412221527.KAA14756@noc.tor.hookup.net>

This being the season for fun and merrymaking, what games and amusements have
been created for Traveller?

I remember reading about grav ball, but can't remember where (references
please!).

The Vilani card game gilkhu is described in High Passage #4.  The complete
rules are given, as well as an illustration of Vilani playing cards (done by
W. Keith) and a 'fast' system using Gambling skill.

What else is out there?

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Date: Thu, 22 Dec 1994 12:33:53 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <plummera@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: David Andrew Lund Thomassen <David@rces.demon.co.uk>, traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Languages
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.941222121559.13935B-100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>



On Wed, 21 Dec 1994, David Andrew Lund Thomassen wrote:

> [in reference to Star Trek]
> :)->:)->They all speak English because of the universal translators

A likely story.
  
<pause>

O.K., O.K, I see your point.
I just wanted to pick on Star Trek, my favourate source of technobabble...
(even their fantasy is utterly outclassed by Star Wars...
and yes, I do know that some of their shows are excellent)

> :)->:)->Also it is only 70 years You can understand me (ok Hollywood helps)

Yea, but in the Third Imperium, Galanglic was a kind of lingua franca, 
shared by the nobility, navy, and the interstellar merchants.  Outside of 
the extraterritorial zone of the starport, there's a good chance that the 
general populance speaks a language other than Galanglic for their 
everyday affair's.  

Now, with no nobility, no navy, and precious few merchants, the local 
language would have absolute dominance.  In many instances, the local 
language _is_ Galanglic, and this poses no translation difficulities.  In 
many other instances, the local language _isn't_ Galanglic, but the 
elite's have learned Galanglic at school via teacher's or low-tech 
audiovisual equipment.  And finally - and most rarely - NOBODY knows 
Galanglic.  This is possible when the Collapse was fast, hard, and 
merciless without *quite* killing everyone off. 

> -- 
> David Andrew Lund Thomassen
> 

Oh yea - 
  don't forget that to use Traveller translators, you need TWO
         - one for yourself (say, Anglic/Vargr)
         - and ONE FOR THE OTHER PARTY (ie. Vargr/Anglic)

Important: just having one for yourself DOES NOT WORK!
         ( remember to punish your players when they forget this!)

Alvin Plummer
(Does anyone here read Dragon?)

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Date: Thu, 22 Dec 1994 14:15:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <plummera@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Thanks, Ted7
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.941222141243.16748A-100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


Tkanks Ted7 for your numerous and neccessary corrections to my post.

Alvin Plummer
(... and my pride was still smarting from the time Rancke pointed out 
that, far from the Aslan only crossing the Rift after the First Civil 
War, they have been with the Darrians since -1000 or something....

Well, you learn something new every day.)

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End of TRAVELLER Digest 139
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