Subject: #1(2) TRAVELLER digest 236
Date: 95-03-27 21:08:43 EST
From: traveller@mpgn.com
Sender: traveller@mpgn.com
Reply-to: traveller@mpgn.com
To: traveller@mpgn.com (Multiple recipients of list)




			    TRAVELLER Digest 236

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Virus Plausibility (TD#235)	by Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
  2) alternate settings	by jmg141@email.psu.edu (john gardner)
  3) TRAVELLER Campaign Survey (Mk.IIbis)	by Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
  4) Traveller Supplements I'd like to see	by eclipse@ultranet.com (Mark Urbin)
  5) patton class troop transport	by "David A. Nelson" <34TYHPE@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
  6) From the Core; the Zhodani Nemesis?	by "Bob Brown" <Robert.Brown@newcastle.ac.uk>
  7) Re: TRAVELLER digest 235	by Sir George Anonymous <lcdavis@mailbox.syr.edu>
  8) Campaign idea: Reformation Expansion	by Mike Basinger <dbasinge@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>
  9) Virus	by "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
 10) Re: From the Core; the Zhodani Nemesis?	by mryan@foop.mit.edu (Michael Ryan)

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

Date: Sun, 26 Mar 95 21:59:55 -0500
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Virus Plausibility (TD#235)
Message-ID: <9503270259.AA13766@qrc.com>

Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior) wrote:
> Whether or not you believe Virus is plausible depends on who you are.
Sure,
> if you're a computer expert you'll find a lot to disagree with, but then if
> you're a computer expert you've already noticed that Traveller uses a 1970s
> approach to computers which looks kinda dated now.
> [...]
> When playing with a biologist I put in extra
> affort to make my ecologies realistic.  (I certainly can't rely on most of
> the canonical material, which has major problems and inconsistencies.)

Bingo, Rob - you've just hit the nail on the head.

Anybody who's worked in the field of computer hardware architecture, network
design, or computer security can poke many holes in the pseudo-technical
gobbedygook behind GDW's Virus.  So we're left having to accept the virus as
a "magic" item which defies logical explanation or prediction (and therefore
ruins the basis of a hard-SF roleplaying game, just as surely as if someone
had written Alladin's Magic Lamp into _The Hunt for Red October_)

Or we'd have to do as you do, and throw out most of the New Era background,
because its based on a fundamentally flawed (from our point of view) plot
device.  Unfortunately, as both the referee and the person who has
difficulty accepting the Virus, we don't have the option of ignoring the
problem and hoping that none of the players catch it.

On the other hand, an increasing number of people no longer know how modern
technology works, don't care to find out, and aren't bothered that they
don't know.  To many people (the authors of T:TNE included, perhaps?)
technology - from computers to copiers - is a kind of magic item; if one
performs the ritual incantations, the gods will smile upon you and it will
print your document.

> The key thing is that players are now required to do things, rather than
> computers or skilled robots.

This is a very good point, and (assuming you can stomach the Virus), the
Virus does make a handy excuse for requiring the players to become much more
intimately involved in the operation of their ship.
 
> If Virus really turns you off, assume a crash for other reasons, or play in
> the Classic or Rebellion settings, or invent your own setting.

Well, exactly.  My survey of a year ago found approximately one-third of the
purchasers of T:TNE were doing exactly that.

Which reminds me - since my email-box isn't full enough already, I think
it's time for a new survey.  (See the next message).


wildstar@quark.qrc.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Prepare the Wave Motion
Gun!


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

Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 21:59:16 -0500
From: jmg141@email.psu.edu (john gardner)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: alternate settings
Message-ID: <199503270309.WAA15635@genesis.ait.psu.edu>

The alternate setting i am using does not allow for gravitic focusing of
lasers, and once again the range i am using for intership combat is 1200m
per hex.  this may sound close, until you consider that the combat turn i am
using is only five seconds long. (work out the acceleration mathmatics for
yourself to see why).  

yes i am using meson and npaws guns in all sorts of configurations (with
drasticly reduced range factors), and bay type lasers and rapid launch
missiles of differing warhead types, etc.  

because of this, ships tend to be HUGE and very well armored and quite fast.
a few things have had to be tinkered with to make things work fluidly, but i
just couldn't see effective combat taking place at ranges where your fastest
weapons systems take 40 to 80 seconds to reach their maximum ranges.

perhaps it is just the bias of my military background . . . as a tank driver
i found that simulated and real combat tends to be occuring at a
rediculously rapid pace.  for this reason i felt that five seconds per turn
would be more than adequate to express ship to ship combat in space.  

The only time that this system seems to have problems is when very high
acceleration ships enter the board at very high speeds and maintain their
vectors for several turns.  other than that, it works fine.

"Any society which is willing to surrender liberty for security . . . shall
have neither."
                                                           - Benjamin
Franklin.
"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his
steps."
                                                           - Proverbs 14:15
"No matter where you go, there you are . . ."
                                                           - Albert Eienstien
"A chicken is nothing but an egg's way of producing more eggs"
                                                           - unknown



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

Date: Sun, 26 Mar 95 22:16:15 -0500
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TRAVELLER Campaign Survey (Mk.IIbis)
Message-ID: <9503270316.AA13786@qrc.com>


The Great Traveller Capmaign Survey (Mk.IIbis)


I thought it would be very interesting to re-run a survey that was quite
successful last year.  Basically, I'd like to find out who on the list is
playing Traveller, and (generally) what "flavor" of the game you are playing.

If you PLAY or REFEREE a Traveller game, please take a couple of minutes
to respond.  I'll post a summary and analysis of the results to the TML once
I feel like I've recieved all the responses I'm going to get.

If you know someone who's not on the TML, please forward this to them
(particularly the GEnie discussion groups!).  The reply address is:
wildstar@qrc.com, or by postal mail to Guy Garnett, 14007 Eagle Ct.,
Rockville, MD, 20853 *USA*


HOW MANY Traveller campaigns do you participate in:
	As a PLAYER? 
	AS A REFEREE?

HOW OFTEN do you play Traveller?


For EACH CAMPAIGN that you participate in, WHICH RULES set do you use:
	Classic Traveller (including Starter Traveller and The Traveller Book)
	Traveller 2300 or 2300AD
	MegaTraveller
	Traveller: The New Era
	Other (some have reported playing "GURPS Traveller" in the past)

For EACH CAMPAIGN that you participate in, DESCRIBE the SETTING of the game:
	Historical 3rd Imperium (Imperial or alien, set before circa 1000)
	Classic 3rd Imperium (Imperial or alien, since circa 1000)
	Traveller 2300 or 2300AD Universe
	Imperial Rebellion Era
	Hard Times or Collapse Era
	New Era (Reformation Colaition and surrounds)
	New Era (Regency and surrounds)
	New Era (other or Pocket Empire)
	Original Campaign (comments and description welcome!)

For EACH CAMPAIGN, HOW MANY people participate?

For EACH CAMPAIGN, HOW LONG have you been playing this campaign?


Thanks, and I'll post the results to the TML, and mail them to anyone
who asks me for a copy ...



wildstar@qrc.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Di!  Ecce hora!  Uxor mea me
neccabit! 

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

Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 22:32:13 -0500
From: eclipse@ultranet.com (Mark Urbin)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM (The Traveller Mailing List)
Subject: Traveller Supplements I'd like to see
Message-ID: <9503270332.AA12061@remus.ultranet.com>

  Ok, Aliens of the Rim, Volume I (Hivers & Ithklur) has hit the wharehouses
and should be in our hot little hands in weeks.  The Regency sourcebook has
been pushed back from spring to early summer (June according to TML gossip).

  What I'd like to see is Aliens of the Marches, Volume I (Vargr & Aslan).
That would do me the most good personally.   My campain runs in the Spinward
Marches, post 5th FW.  No Rebellion, no Virus.  Ya just don't see a lot of
Hivers and Ithklur out there.  I'll probably have an advance order in for
the Regency Sourcebook, once the release date firms up some more.

  Another book on my wish list is FF&S II.  This is the manual that covers
some ot the vital stuff that the first one missed.  "Wet" ship design,
robots, primitive transport & genetic engineering are the topics that leap
to mind.  A good add on would be "liftwood" rules for "wet" ship design and
Ether Proppeller rules.   That should please the pith helmet crowd with only
a page or two.
  A release of FF&S (I), that is upto date with all current errata and
includes black powder *and* updated plasma/fusion rules would be welcome
also.

  Now on to Challenge articles I'd like to see...

  Conversion rules, SPACE:1889 to House Rules.  This would probably best be
done as a series of articles.  Not only does it cater to the Pith Helmet
Crowd (tm), but it gives good background for worlds at that techlevel in the
Traveller universe (minus the liftwood and Ether Proppellers).

   Imperial uniform designs.  This has been covered in sources before, but
could use a recap in an offical GDW publication.  It would be real darn
handy for GM's like me and Rebellion types.   It would be useful for the
TNE/RCES types as good detail filler on reclaimed relic equipment.

   Critters.  A few pages on some basic animals.  Herd animals, work beasts,
luxury pets, riding animals, etc.  A good spot for an artist with sketchpad
full of animal beasts to provide colour to the article.

  Standards for non-Imperial governments.  The RCES types are going to run
into old Solmani stuff sooner or later.  A page or two on their standards
can put GM's to work churning out some basic equipment.  For example, the
standard Solmani Marine issue Gauss Rifle fired a XxYmm round and mounted a
XXmm grenade Launcher.  The Zhodani issue side armed fired a fu round and
used magazines of bar capacity.

  That's enough for a start.  Any suggestions?




    
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
eclipse@ultranet.com -- These opinions are mine, no one else wants `em.
"[Clinton's] Administration is easily the most reckless in interfering with 
the integrity of Federal investigative agencies since that of Richard Nixon."
   -- NY Times editorial, "White House Ethics Meltdown", 3/4/94
              http://www.ultranet.com/~eclipse/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Date:         Sun, 26 Mar 95 23:23:48 EST
From: "David A. Nelson" <34TYHPE@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: patton class troop transport
Message-ID:   <950327.003007.EST.34TYHPE@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>

Hi, this is a ship i just finished working on.  so enjoy

GENERAL DATA
Displacement:  5500/6000             hull armor: 20
length: 212m                          volume: 77000/84000
price:  2470.75                       size: m
configuration: open frame USL          size: m
mass (loaded/unloaded):  53401.98/36503.75

ENGINEERING DATA
Powerplant:  5510mw fusion power plant (203.4 mw/hit) 1 year duration
jump performanace:  3 (16800m)
g-rating:  2G, (3000mw each)
G-turns:  40g turns (37.5m each) 84.8 using jump fuel
maint:  3085

ELECTRONICS:
computer: 4x fb TL-12 computers (.8mw each)
commo:    3x 300,000km (10 hex) radio 10 mw
          2x 300,000km  (10 hex) lazer communicators (.15mw each)
          1x 100au maser (**, .6mw)
sensors:  480,000km (15 hex ) active EMS  (50mw)
          150,000km (5 hex) fixed array (.2mw)
          90,000km (3 hex) fixed array (.1mw)
ecm/emmc:  none
controls:  bridge with 40 bridge workstations, 80 normal workstations

ARMAMENT
Offensive: 45x Tl-12 120mj lazer turrets (8 at location 1; 15 at location 5
            16 at location 9, 8 at location 18, and 8 at location 19)
           all lazer turrets fire in all arcs and used 3.3 mw each
Masterfire director:  4x Tl-12 MFD [4 diff mods, 4 missles, (7hex)) 1.75mw
each
Defensive:  15x TL-12 sandcaster, {1 at location 1; 6 at location 9,
             6 at location 9, 1 at location 18, 1 at location 19} 1mw each

ACCOMMODATIONS:
LIfe support: extended (8.84), gracitic compensators 3g (221.1mw)
crew:  230:  75x engineering; 4x electronics; 2x maneuvering;
             64 gunnery; 25x maintencance; 12 flight crew; 30 command;
             10 stewards;  10 medical
crew accommodations:
        1 double large stateroom (caption, .002mw)
        7 small staterooms (single occupany, .0005mw each)
        111 small staterooms (double occupany, .0005mw each)
Passenger accommodations:
        1 double large stateroom (single occupnacy, .002mw)
       12 small staterooms (single occupnacy, .0005mw each)
       128 large staterooms, (6 persons per .001mw each)
       8 large staterooms, 5 persons per (.001mw each)
       20 small staterooms (2 person per,  .0005mw each)
       16 rec/traing rooms [large staterooms] .001mw eachh
       1 large stateroom general use (.001mw each)

 cargo:  14104m of cargo with 40 large cargo hatches

small craft and launch facilities:  4x ton landing craft in minumal hangers
      1x 10ton launch in a docking tube, 1x 20tons luanch in a dockign tube
       2x exteral grapples USL for 2x 250 ton fuel skimmers
air locks: 60

                         Damage tables
area    surface hit                 interal exploshion
1         ant         (1-8) electrons (9-18) quarters (19-20) weopens
2-4      1-12 Ch      hold
5                     (1-12 hold (13-14) quarters (15-20) weopens
6-8                    quarters
9                      (1-12) quarters (13-14)weapons (17-20) hold
10-17  1-5 fuel skimmer      hold
18-19                  (1-10) end (11-12 weapons (12-20) hold
20 end                   eng

                             SYSTEM DAMAGE
 AEMS 4H; MFD 1H; JD 100H; MD 6H; FFP 16H PP32H GRAPPLE 3H; 10-TON LUANCH
HANGE
R 3H; LT 1H; MED BAY 1H; ELECTRONIC SHOP 1H; MACHINE SHOP 1H; LS 25H; ELS 12H
 all others 1 minor hit

notes:  Fuel bunkerafge for 32796.5m (2342.6tons) of fuel.
     fuel purification plant takes 93 hours to refine 32796.5m (2342.6 tons)
     the jump fuel can be refined in 48 hours fuel purification plant (12.6mw)
w)   There is a power short fall of 4.05mw, this can be corrected by securing 
one of the the ships radios.   Since the troop embarked on board will operate
independently of the ships's chain of command when in action they are
considered middle passengers for crew requirement calculations.   The ships fuel tank
do not have life support and counter grav.

(from Jane's Star ship of known space, 1108)
   .......The patton class transport was original designed by Jillen ship
yeard in 1037 as a transport for a reinforced battalion.  The patton was
given enought speed and armament for operate sim-independently in low to middle
level theat areas. Never popular with the Imperial Navy, the patton class was
produced on and off, in small numbers, for the next 125 years by various companies
thought the imperium.  The majority of the pattons produced served with local
forces, or mercenary units. ................

        David Nelson
                  "It's o.k. we're staff"

ps next up i'll designe my room mates cat with FFS

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

Date:          Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:57:24 +0000
From: "Bob Brown" <Robert.Brown@newcastle.ac.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: From the Core; the Zhodani Nemesis?
Message-ID: <199503271056.LAA03934@cheviot.ncl.ac.uk>

I don't think the Zhodani are going to be in any position to stop 
Norris from doing anything. According to MJ4 The Zhodani core 
expedition encounters the Sparklers (Primordials), have a failure to 
communicate, promptly launch their Core Fleet at the new arrivals and 
get exterminated for their troubles, well what do you expect, 
considering the Sparklers tech level. This Coreward threat leads to 
the Zhodani pulling much of their fleet from the Domains borders,
why else do you think that during the Rebellion 
the Zhodani didn't capitalise on the Domains weakness? If my memory 
serves me right the Sparklers don't stop until they meet the Domain, 
who not being Pysonic, can talk to them and the matter is finally 
resolved, but not until the Zhodani have been given a damned good 
seeing to for their troubles. Now Norris has 34 Fleets intact and is 
surrounded on three sides by weakened opposition, seams a good time 
to expand to me. Norris in the true traditions of Imperial Nobles has 
a True Daughter to take over, when he is gone, he also has Strephons 
clone child kicking around somewhere, who may want to go back to the 
Imperium, to get back what is rightfully theirs i.e. The Iridium 
Throne,even if it isn't worth much these days.

"The times they are a changing" Robert Zimmerman.

Cheers
Bob.

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

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:26:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Sir George Anonymous <lcdavis@mailbox.syr.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: Multiple recipients of list <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 235
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950327090323.1168B-100000@kong.syr.edu>



[Lurk mode off]

> I  guess  I am probably one of the few people who liked  the
> "virus"  when I first heard of it.  It had interesting  plot
> potential,  and  I ranked it along with the  silicon  eating
> germs  of  the  "Ringworld" series.  I even liked  the  part
> about  the  living computer chips and how the  virus  spread
> through  ship  to  ship like wildfire.

Make that two.  The virus plot device has its problems, and it's not what I 
would have designed had I been in charge, but it works OK for me.  It *is* 
just a game after all.



> >We know that it took the Imperium 20 years to do so, because we are
> >told so in _Survival Margin_.
> 
>    Because they were working from ground zero.  Anyone who
> successfully opens a box will have saved most of that time.

Only if you also manage to steal the "top secret" research notes on the 
project.  Otherwise, yes you will save some time, but I wouldn't think 
you would save *most* of it.  But, then again, I'm not a research 
scientist, so I could be wrong.


> >I am intimately familiar with the technology field VIrus supposedly
> >operates in.  I cannot, therefore, as comfortably drop it.  
> 
>    That#s precisely what I#m implying.  You seem too ground in what
> that device can do in front of you now, as opposed to what a similar,
> much more advanced device could do for you thousands of years from
> now.

In the late 1950's, the creator of "Buck Rogers" postulated a 
weapon that he called a "ray gun" for his fictional universe.  Scientists 
of that day scoffed at the idea.  Less than five years later lasers were 
invented.

I am also "intimately familiar with the technology field Virus 
supposedly operates in."  Since I can't prove that something like this 
can not possibly exist, I am willing to accept it in order to advance the 
story line.

The idea of other interstellar governments tacitly accepting the black 
boxes is another matter all together.  I'm still trying to work this out 
in such a way that I can stay fairly close to canon.  It tends to make 
integrating new information easier.

[Lurk mode on]

>>>  Sir George Anonymous  <<<

**************************************************************************
**                                                                      **
**  The Imperium is not a supernatural force.  The Imperium is not an   **
**  exhibit in a museum.  The Imperium is us.  And the Imperium isn't   **
**  over until we say it's over.  - Norris Aella Aledon 1125            **
**                                                                      **
**************************************************************************

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

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:20:25 -0500 (EST)
From: Mike Basinger <dbasinge@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Campaign idea: Reformation Expansion
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9503271021.A7542-0100000@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>

I have been toying around with an idea I have for my local
Traveller:TNE campaign. I never played much Traveller before The New
Era was released, so I was not as bothered by The Reformation
Coalition like most of the Traveller old timers were. The one thing
that has bother me is that the RC has not expanded since the release
of Traveller:TNE. Going from 11,000 star system to 15 is a major
difference.

[On a side note: I hope that GDW in Challenge magazine will have
articles or at least paragraphs in the Coalition News Service about
Planet x wanting membership or other news items that suggest
expansion of the RC]

The idea I'm thinking about is having the RC making contact with a
pocket empire/coalition that has ideas and goals similar to the
RC. This group would be ask would be asked to join the RC, since it
has a large amount of raw material and one of the planets of this
group has a Class A or B starport.

The main problem is that this group (lets call them the Reformation
Expansion, or RE for short) is not close to the main body of the RC,
but is 12-18 jumps (at Jump 2) coreward and counter-spinward. There are
of course a few usable jump path to get to the RE, but main one that
is the safest to use is called The Corridor, or the Gauntlet (the
slang term, running the Gauntlet could mean making a run between the
RC and RE).

The RC/RE are trying to establish relations with most the inhabited 
worlds in the Corridor. Some have welcomed it, some have violently
rejected it, plus there is always the Guild.

Some RE base concepts:

Size: the number of planets in the RE should be 6 to 10 planets.

Politics: Similar to RC, but maybe for fun the planet with the Class A
starport could be Centrist, and become firm allies with Oriflamme.

Contacts with other races: My original idea was if it was coreward and
counter-spinward, the RE may have made contact with the K'kree. But I
think I'm maybe off on where the K'kree empire/nation is located. What
maybe another idea is to make the RE spinward and slightly
rimward. Maybe the have made contact with the Aslan and Terra.

Vampires and virus: If the RE is more coreward, the vampire and virus
contact would probably be greater.

If you have any comments or ideas, please feel free to mail me. Also
if you like me to develop this more, please let me know.

[If GDW or anybody else likes this idea and wishes to complete it and
publish it, please do so. I doubt if I would ever do so. Since I ain't
a writer :-).]

Mike

--
D. Michael Basinger [N9YYO]
dbasinge@silver.ucs.indiana.edu		
dbasinge@indiana.edu (Binhex Accepted)
<http://bronze.ucs.indiana.edu/~dbasinge/>
"Not speaking for Indiana University"


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

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 95 09:23:00 PST
From: "Post, D L (Dan)" <PostD%HOST2@WLV.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>
To: Traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Virus
Message-ID: <2F76F51D@MX.IIPO.GTEGSC.COM>


>...  I heard rumors that IRAQ had viruses that
>infected their system from eproms that were put into printers...

>        This was actually one of the more successful April Fools pranks
>commited in print in a long time...it was a Computer World April 1
>column that started this rumor.

Sorry , I guess I was wrong about this one!  Maybe a virus infect%$ my
br#in$%^&**(&^%$$##

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

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 1995 15:31:17 -0500 (EST)
From: mryan@foop.mit.edu (Michael Ryan)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: From the Core; the Zhodani Nemesis?
Message-ID: <m0rtLRW-000A23C@foop.mit.edu>

Rob Brown writes:
> 
> I don't think the Zhodani are going to be in any position to stop 
> Norris from doing anything. According to MJ4 The Zhodani core 
> expedition encounters the Sparklers (Primordials), have a fiailure to 
> communicate, promptly launch their Core Fleet at the new arrivals and 
> get exterminated for their troubles, well what do you expect, 
> considering the Sparklers tech level. This Coreward threat leads to 
> the Zhodani pulling much of their fleet from the Domains borders,
> why else do you think that during the Rebellion 
> the Zhodani didn't capitalise on the Domains weakness?

In the _Rebllion Sourcebook_, in the chapter about the Zhodani, there is
brief item about the preceptions of the Zhodani about the Imperials.
It said that they were content to leave the Domain of Deneb as is, not
because of some Coreward threat, but because the Domain was no longer a
threat to them.  The reason for the hostilities originally between the
Consulate and the Imperium was simply an expansion issue.  The Consulate
felt threatened by the possibility of the Imperium expanding into their
space.  And just a side note, psionics was only an issue because of an
Imperial "psycho-history" campaign to sway public opinion against the
"perfidious Zhodani".

[speculations about Norris wanting to expand snipped]

> Cheers
> Bob.
> 

Mike Ryan
mryan@foop.mit.edu

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 236
***************************
