			    TRAVELLER Digest 202

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Striker	by "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
  2) Re:  TRAVELLER digest 201	by "Kelly St.Clair" <kstclair@PEAK.ORG>
  3) formats	by "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
  4) The securities markets	by "Glenn M. Goffin" <sudet@well.sf.ca.us>

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Date: Wed, 22 Feb 95 09:41:00 PST
From: "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
To: Traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Striker
Message-ID: <2F4B77B8@MX.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>


  I see great minds work alike.  I am using space marine /ogre/GHQ miniatures
for striker II as well. I think they work great. Unfortunately there are few good
grav tanks/vehs. on the market so they must be conversions.  The heavy
tank for ogre should work well.  Shave off the treads at a reverse angle and
use alot hobby putty, paint and da-daa ! instant grav tank.
  Also for small skirmish actions don't overlook the space marine 25mm line.
(40K)In fact I think the 40K rules are horrible. They scream for a simple  yet
realistic system like striker II. I am currently using FF And S to convert 
Space marines weapons and vehicles to striker. If anyone is interested
just tell me and I will post the weapons and vehicles as they come out
of the factory.....
                           Retief
     *Marines do it face to face*

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Date: Wed, 22 Feb 1995 12:43:50 -0800
From: "Kelly St.Clair" <kstclair@PEAK.ORG>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re:  TRAVELLER digest 201
Message-ID: <199502222043.MAA01448@PEAK.ORG>

re: the "Looker" device

In addition to being able to induce a fugue state of variable length
  (several minutes at least), the strobe could also be set to cause
  an effect very similar to psionic invisibility - the subject would
  mentally 'edit out' the presence of the person who flashed them.

The best example of this was a fight scene where one combatant was
  being hit over and over by an 'invisible' assailant.  By a lucky
  accident, he found that he could partially see his opponent as
  long as he couldn't visually confirm their identity - when all
  he could see was a pair of legs, the hypnotic suggestion didn't
  kick in.

All in all, a rather interesting (and powerful!) item to drop into a
  Traveller campaign.  Any suggestions for the tech level of such a
  device?


--------------------------------
Kelly St.Clair
kstclair@kira.peak.org

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Date: Wed, 22 Feb 95 13:17:00 PST
From: "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
To: Traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: formats
Message-ID: <2F4BAA1B@MX.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>


 I am working on some striker scenarios... I would like to have some maps
to go with them as well. Does anyone have any format/software suggestions
that could be widely used by most people?  Are there any hex /grid 
backgrounds
for any type of dos / windows software??
                    Dan
    * There are daring marines and old marines,
       but never old, daring marines*
               -Retief   1115

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Date: Wed, 22 Feb 1995 23:19:16 -0800 (PST)
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <sudet@well.sf.ca.us>
To: xboat@MPGN.COM
Subject: The securities markets
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9502222241.A7140-0100000@well>

rvtIn a situation where it takes as much as a year from information to get 
from one side of the Imperium to the other -- and then only to the most 
important systems -- how do the financial markets work?  On earth before 
the development of instantaneous communications, the financial markets 
weren't very well developed.  The development of the limited liability 
company didn't occur until -- what -- the 17th Century, and easy 
incorporation and public trading of stock weren't common until the 
mid-19th C.  By that time, the newspapers could get information by 
telegraph, and it was only a few short steps (with a big stumble in 1929) 
to Quotrons, world-wide cross-border equity and currency flows, and 
programmed trading.  That situation then lasts -- becoming more refined 
-- for some three hundred years, until the explosion of the Terrans into 
Vilani space.

How did the Vilani finance empire-spanning companies like Makhidkarun, 
Naasirka, and others?

How did the Solomani finance their explorations and conquests?

More to the point, after three thousand years of a steadily shrinking (in 
terms of time to get information) area of known space, how do the 
megacorporations raise funds?  We know that they are corporations, with 
some stock held by the public (see the Library Data article on 
megacorporations).  Where are the markets at which the public can buy 
stock (and, presumably, debt instruments)?  How do individual investors 
gauge the financial condition and future prospects of the company?  The 
major lenders and institutional investors are in an easier position, 
because they typically aren't going to speculate on the LICs' short-term 
performance, but can do reasonable due diligence.

I suppose that there is a strain of Virus that perverts Quotron machines, 
too.  After the collapse, there will be a need to finance new ventures.  
Some capital will come from taxes, but some will come from investors 
("Buy Regency Bonds and help Norris help us get out of the sticks!").  
How will they assess risk, given communication time lags?  (Time lags 
become shorter after the collapse, because the markets are smaller.)

I solicit any comments about how the financial markets will work in and 
after the Third Imperium, whether directly related to these issues or not.

--Glenn


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End of TRAVELLER Digest 202
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