Subj:	TRAVELLER digest 324
Date:	95-06-21 21:46:55 EDT
From:	traveller@mpgn.com
To:	traveller@mpgn.com

From:	traveller@mpgn.com
Sender:	traveller@mpgn.com
Reply-to:	traveller@mpgn.com
To:	traveller@mpgn.com (Multiple recipients of list)
			    TRAVELLER Digest 324

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Photonics
	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  2) Re: TRAVELLER digest 322
	by CyHiggin@aol.com
  3) EMP Guns...
	by Christopher_Griffen@DMCWAVE.COM (Christopher Griffen)
  4) Re: TRAVELLER digest 322
	by aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Boulton)

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

Date: 21 Jun 1995 00:36:30 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Photonics
Message-ID: <262142.38461544@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

> I imagine that it may be posibble to do logic entirly in light (no 
> electronics whatso ever, photonics ?) but the supply of photons still 
> has to come from somewhere, even if it's a constants source (eg 
> photon starage device).

Yup, we have that level of photonic technology now.  For simple switching
circuits (and that's all you need to construct a computer) you're talking
about femtosecond gate delays.  That's fast!  

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

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 08:22:08 -0400
From: CyHiggin@aol.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 322
Message-ID: <950621082205_75176958@aol.com>

From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)

>Do any of you nuclear physics experts know if the electromagnetic 
>     pulse given off by a nuclear weapon would disrupt the operation of 
>     high-tech weaponry that employs electronics?
     
I'm not a nuclear physics expert, but I am a military equipment amateur...

Only if the electronics aren't hardened (i.e., non-military).  Since weapon
systems
are, by definition, military equipment, I would expect them to be
EMP-hardened
as a matter of course.  There is a U.S. MilSpec for it, but I couldn't tell
you what
it is.

In TNE, hardened or non-hardened seems to be represented by using fiber-optic
computer systems, or not, as the case may be.  Assume the extra size and cost
of "fiber-optic" computers represents EMP-hardening of all types, not just
fiber-
optics.  Note that the effect of a Particle Accelerator attack IS a really
massive
EMP pulse, and that the rules cover their effects on ship's systems. (i.e.,
system
resets on non-fib computers and all the other ship systems -- a PA attack or
EMP
pulse can temporarily paralyze a ship).  

Represent your nuke's EMP as a low-energy (it's more diffuse) PA attack on
the \
ship. (or a high-energy one if it is a really big nuke.).  I'll let someone
else with
a calculator handy suggest exact numbers.

There's also an X-ray "shockwave" effect from nukes detonating in vacuum, 
but someone else will have to give you the details on that... Essentially, a
nuke
has a damage radius in space just like it does on the ground....

                                             -- Cynthia


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

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 09:03:53 -0700
From: Christopher_Griffen@DMCWAVE.COM (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: EMP Guns...
Message-ID: <fe843250@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

     On June 20, A.S. Lilly wrote:
     
     >>Why go to the hazardous lengths of using a nuke to generate the EMP? 
     You can quite happily get man-portable EMP generators today (a classic 
     for sabotage - walk into opponent's computer room, activate EMP gun, 
     walk out - enemy wonders why his entire system has been wiped...).
     
     >>Given the power you can store in a laser or energy weapon powerpack, 
     just mount one of these, plus the EMP gun, on a small recon drone 
     (with a suitably low EM signature - ha ha), let it 'drift' up to (or 
     somehow covertly approach) the players' ship. Let it penetrate the 
     ship (drill through hull) and activate the EMP gun - that'll get quite 
     a lot of what's inside. Or attach itself to the main external radio 
     antenna and 'fire' its EMP gun 'through' the antenna. The 'shock' 
     should kill the players' comms and (hopefully) transmit the EMP 
     throughout quite a lot of the ship, without having to actually 
     penetrate the hull directly. OK, so there would be limiters on the 
     antenna amps, directional coupling and all that stuff, but a
     really powerful and high-tech EMP gun, specifically designed for this 
     sort of thing, ought to be able to b*gg*r things up quite a bit.<<
     
     
     Sounds like a rollicking good time!  Now, I have to get my hands on my 
     handy copy of FF&S to create some facsimile to an EMP gun.  Probably 
     robot mounted, so that after the virus-infected ship blasts and 
     invades their merc cruiser, they just send the robot aboard and 
     whammo!  Bye bye electronics!  That'll teach 'em not to have 
     "primitive" back-up shotguns on board for just such an occasion.
     
     I don't like to think of myself as a sadistic ref, but when you allow 
     your players to wield TL-16 gravitic rifles, you have to show them the 
     downside.  Heh heh.
     
     Does anyone have any further input on bri@teleport's idea of using a 
     1-Mj particle accelerator?
     
     --Chris

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

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 95 19:55 BST-1
From: aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Boulton)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 322
Message-ID: <memo.109245@cix.compulink.co.uk>

In-Reply-To: <199506200132.VAA01814@Ambassador.MPGN.COM>


  > From: Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen) To:
  > Subject: HRD? 
  >  
  > In the Deneb sector, there is a world called HRD (1623 A401754-F N
  > Na 
  > Va Ic   110 RE K1 V M3 V). 
  >  
  > There was an article some years back in Megatraveller or somesuch that
  > said something about HRD being a formal Imperial Research Station that
  > eventually went independent.  But as far as I could tell, they didn't
  > say what the acronym "HRD" stood for! 
  >  
  > Does anyone (hey, GDW insiders!) know what the initials HRD stand for?

If we're talking TLAs, how about AECO Starport, Terra?

  > Okay, I'm inquisitive today.  This is my second general query. 
  >  
  > Do any of you nuclear physics experts know if the electromagnetic 
  > pulse given off by a nuclear weapon would disrupt the operation of
  > high-tech weaponry that employs electronics? 

Yes, although military electronics tend to be radiation-hardened as much
as possible.

  > I have no idea how a nuclear explosion behaves in a vaccuum, however,
  > and would like to make the occurrence as realistic as possible. 

Very little blast, EMP as normal.

  > The group uses incredibly high-tech weaponry (gravitic rifles), and
  > I 
  > want to show them that high-tech ain't always what it's cracked up
  > to 
  > be.  But I don't want to deny them use of their rather formidable 
  > weapons if my science is bad (which it may well be!). 

Of course, the best time to let off a nuke is when someone's wearing Battle
Dress, and/or using a grav belt...

"Aaaaaarrrgh...<crunch!>...err, anyone got a tin-opener?"

Yes, it happened to me :-( 

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 324
***************************


----------------------- Headers --------------------------------
From traveller@mpgn.com Wed Jun 21 21:46:09 1995
Received: from Ambassador.MPGN.COM by mail05.mail.aol.com with ESMTP
	(1.37.109.11/16.2) id AA137195568; Wed, 21 Jun 1995 21:46:09 -0400
Return-Path: <traveller@mpgn.com>
Received: from  (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by Ambassador.MPGN.COM (8.6.9/8.6.9)
with SMTP id VAA20910; Wed, 21 Jun 1995 21:38:01 -0400
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 21:38:01 -0400
Message-Id: <199506220138.VAA20910@Ambassador.MPGN.COM>
Errors-To: traveller-request@mpgn.com
Reply-To: traveller@mpgn.com
Originator: traveller@mpgn.com
Sender: traveller@mpgn.com
Precedence: bulk
From: traveller@mpgn.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <traveller@mpgn.com>
Subject: TRAVELLER digest 324
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment: Traveller Mailing List

