			    TRAVELLER Digest 179

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: any way to make a GG viable	by Derek Smith <Derek_Smith.LOTUS@crd.lotus.com>
  2) Adventure Seed	by Mark Clark <markc@brahms.udel.edu>
  3) Vehicle Design	by John Muir Macpherson <muirmac@uclink.berkeley.edu>
  4) Adventure Seed - Ark of Hope	by pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)

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Date: 30 Jan 95 11:57:01 ES
From: Derek Smith <Derek_Smith.LOTUS@crd.lotus.com>
To: traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: any way to make a GG viable
Message-ID: <9501311636.AA07307@internet1.lotus.com>

Alvin asked:
>Can anyone here come up with the *real* reason why starship's like to 
>jump to & from gas giant's?  Perhaps jump astrogating is easier from 
>their vicinity? 



Someone, I can't remember who, already provided a very good answer to
this.  Using the older world generation system (ie - Scouts), many
"mainworlds" actually ORBITED Gas Giants.

Regina is an example of such a world.

In those cases, GG refuelling would be economical, and an attacking
fleet would have to secure it (wouldn't want to leave all those pesky
SDB's behind you...)


--Derek

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Carpe Joltem! (Seize the Caffeine)

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

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 14:15:39 -0500 (EST)
From: Mark Clark <markc@brahms.udel.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Adventure Seed
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950131130610.25959A-100000@brahms.udel.edu>

PLAYER INFORMATION

While refueling at a gas giant in a remote system, sensors indicate a very
faint incoming transmission.  At first it seems to be a random series of
numbers, but computer analysis indicates it is a data stream, compressed
using a method long out of date (from the Last Imperium if adventure is
set in the New Era universe).  Triangulation indicates the transmission is
just above the pressure horizon (max depth into the atmosphere) for the
ship and spacesuits the party is using.  The source also appears to be
slowly sinking - if the party decides to go down they will only have a
limited time to do so.  The exact time is up to the GM, but should be
short enough to prevent the players from going for help. 

If the players investigate, skill rolls for piloting and sensor ops are
appropriate.  The object will turn out to be a large (1000 ton
displacement) sphere with rather obvious dents and other damage, which
reveal that the sphere is very heavily armored.  Sensors indicate low
power.  If the players have a neural activity scanner, they will get no
readings.  There are no obvious markings.

REFEREE INFORMATION

-Classic Traveller or Megatraveller Version-
The object is a scientific probe used to explore the interior of gas 
giants, collecting data and taking samples.  It is designed to descend 
and ascend on a regular basis - apparently the scientific team that was 
collecting the data is no longer here for some reason (see below).  The 
probe will open for maintnence and sample retrieval if a code is 
transmitted - the players should be given some way of figuring this out 
(a small panel on the hull, an entry in a databank on their own ship, 
decoding the data transmission, etc.) 

1) The scientific team left because it thought the probe was destroyed - 
it was only damaged and took much longer to come to the surface.  If the 
players go on board, they may be able to fix the probe and download the 
data collected.  This will be a race against time, as the probe slowly 
sinks into the atmosphere.  If the players find the scientific 
organisation that placed the probe, they will be rewarded in some 
suitable way.

2) As 1 above, but the probe is damaged beyond repair.  The players may 
be able to salvage some of the sensor equipment.

3) As 1 above, but pirates are using the probe as bait - they will attack 
the players during the salvage operation.

4) As 1 above, but the probe has brought with it some Blobs (tm) from down 
below.  The blobs are unintelligent, fearless, and in pain - they attack the 
players, of course.  Adjust number and strength of Blobs (tm) to 
challenge players.

5) As 4 above, but these are Smart Blobs (tm).  In fact, it's a team of
Smart Blob (tm) scientists and explorers (Smart Blob (tm) player
characters, of course), and they and their friends down below captured the
probe and are now using it to explore the upper atmosphere.  They are
excited to meet these strange carbon-based life forms, and would like to
set up trade relations.  If they play their cards right, the players could
wind up rich and famous. 

6) As 5 above, but these are Evil Super-Smart Blobs (tm).  They want to 
take the players with them as samples, and will stop at nothing.  Good 
luck surviving high pressure.

-New Era Additions-

The above scenarios can be complicated by the presence of a Virus in 
the probe's computer.  The exact type is up to the GM, but a "Hobbyist" 
strain is most appropriate.  The hobbyist virus, if contacted, will be 
happy to talk about the gas giant and how fun it is going up and down 
in the atmosphere, and will even cooperate with the players if they help 
fix its broken systems.


Note: Blobs (tm) appear courtesy of GDW's Azhanti High Lightning game; Smart
Blobs (tm) and Evil Super-Smart Blobs (tm) appear courtesy of several twisted
campaigns run by yours truely. 


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

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 12:42:11 -0800 (PST)
From: John Muir Macpherson <muirmac@uclink.berkeley.edu>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Vehicle Design
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9501311219.B12388-0100000@uclink.berkeley.edu>

	I'm developing a 2300AD-type campaign with no gravitics, heplar, 
or gravitic focusing.  I've run into several technical problems already 
and I hope y'all will be able to help me.
	First of all, are there any guidelines for the max weight or 
ground pressure of ground vehicles?  The current rules make no mention of 
this, but ignoring it gives essentially free reign to have 150 ton 
tanks.  Even worse, there are no rules for how heavy I can make my 
hovertanks.  I assume that at some point the hoverfans cannot produce 
sufficient pressure to keep the vehicle aloft.
	The second question regards AZHRAE vehicles.  The section on 
thrusters states clearly that the RAM stage only works beyond 800 KPH, so 
one needs to use the turbojet stage until then.  I've simply used the 
vehicles g-rating to determine the time it takes to accelerate to this 
point.  Not a problem.  But how do you determine when you need to switch 
over to the rocket motor?  I assume this is related to altitude and 
oxygen levels, but I don't know enough about RAMjets to figure this out 
for a standard atmosphere, 1 G planet, let alone all possible 
variations.  Any ideas?
	Lastly, without gravitic technology I can't very well have SD 
material. What are some possible steps beyone CI?  Crystal Titanium?  
Some kind of composite?  Diamond?
	Oh, yes, to clarify, I'm assuming TL 12, with the above 
exceptions.  Thanks in advance!

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Date: Wed, 1 Feb 1995 23:48:00 +0800
From: pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Adventure Seed - Ark of Hope
Message-ID: <9502011548.AA22329@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

Adventure Seed:  Ark of Hope
---------------

Players' Information :-


Xmission Date:	04/12/5720
Xmission Orig:	CEF HQ Aquitaine
Auth. Code   :  Lima Zero Zero Blue One

EYES ONLY  EYES ONLY  EYES ONLY

To           :	Commanding Officer,
		CEF Contact & Liason Team
		Mirabilis

>From         :	Colonel Kristian Hauptmann
		CO, Contact & Liason Regiment
                Commonwealth Expeditionary Force

Refer your xmission 25/11/5720.  We concur that incoming
craft is most likely sub-light colony ship launched from
Terra in mid 21st Century.

The colonists carry with them tools, materiel and know-
ledge necessary for TL 8 to 10 industrial production.  In
Mirabilis' current context, this is of extreme importance.
The nation that allies with the colonists will, in a short
space of time, dominate the planet.

Given your current mission on Mirabilis, it is vital to
Commonwealth interests that the colonists ally with the 
Republic of Varangia.  Your orders are to do everything
possible to create such an alliance.

Note that current combat and engagement restrictions still
apply.

Xmission ends...


The characters are members of the Near Bootes Commonwealth 
Expeditionary Force, part of a Contact and Liason team on
Mirabilis.  Mirabilis is like many habitable worlds after 
the Virus struck - struggling to maintain a TL 4 economy,
and fragmented into a number of nation-states.

Your C&L team has estsablished relations with the Republic
of Varangia, a (relatively) progressive and democratic 
nation on Mirabilis' eastern land mass.  Varangia is the
nation most likely to countenance Mirabilis' eventual 
incorporation into the Commonwealth.  Your team's ultimate
goal is to bring Varangia into a position of political 
dominance on the planet.

Two months ago, Varangian astronbomers discovered an
unknown object on a hyperbolic course towards the inner
system.  The object was decelerating.  Despite the 
absence of much historical data, Varangian researchers
were able to identify the craft as a Terran colony ship,
launched before Terrans discovered the jump drive in
AD 2089.

Unfortunately for Varangia, unfriendly agents have 
passed this information on to their governments.  Now,
the race is on strike up an alliance.  Rival governments
will stop at nothing to win this race - the stakes are
high.

Referee's Information :-
------------------------

The ship in question is the UNCS "New South Wales", 
launched in AD 2047 by the United Nations Repatriation
and Relocation Agency.  The ship is home to twenty 
thousand colonists in low berths.  Crew is rotated 
amongst the colonists.

The colonists were fleeing one of the most turbulent
periods of Terran history.  Many are political 
dissadents and malcontents escaping repressive regimes, 
others are refugees from war zones.  At any rate, they
are a mixed bunch, and are likely to be as fragmented
as the people of Mirabilis.

Between the Mirabilans and the colonists, the stage is
set for double-dealing, betrayal and intrigue on a 
grand scale.  When so much is at stake, the potential
for a healthy dose of violence can't be ignored either.

The Near Bootes Commonwealth is my own campaign setting,
for the Reformation Coalition or another pocket empire, 
use any habitable world near the empire's borders.  For
added effect, have a rival empire doing the same thing
for one of Varangia's rivals.

========================================================
Cmdr Michael T. Bailey
Task Force Zulu
Commonwealth Expeditionary Force

                   "what the f*** happened?"
                          anonymous c1130 Imperial

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End of TRAVELLER Digest 179
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