Subj:	TRAVELLER digest 327
Date:	95-06-24 21:45:00 EDT
From:	traveller@mpgn.com
To:	traveller@mpgn.com

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			    TRAVELLER Digest 327

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Books n such
	by Michael Llaneza <mllaneza@mercury.sfsu.edu>
  2) FFS & Gravitic Focussing
	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  3) TL 16 Type SZ Scout/Courier (Experimental)
	by pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)
  4) Starship command crews
	by pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)
  5) Re:HELP!!!
	by "Tariq M. Rashid" <spstmr@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>
  6) Re: Arbitrary limitations (Td#325)
	by Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
  7) Alternative Combat Systems
	by DER04123@Jetson.UH.EDU
  8) Lost Subsector!
	by dberry@np1.com

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

Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 20:06:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Llaneza <mllaneza@mercury.sfsu.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: Multiple recipients of list <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Books n such
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950623195631.2693A-100000@orion>

John Brunner: Stand on Zanzibar and Shockwave Rider. (sorry Bruce)

Niven : the usual Known Space books, many stories of which are being 
reprinted. Crashlander I believe is the title of the Beowulf Schaeffer 
collection.

Various: The Man-Kzin Wars series. These are very good examples of 
Traveller-adaptable stories. *Especially* #7 (just out) for the story 
'Prisoner of War' for a description of space combat that could be gamed 
in BL with ease.

Pournelle-Niven: Mote in God's Eye. Of course.

Pournelle: the Falkenberg series

David Drake: most everything especially the Slammers and Starliner



Television

Babylon 5: Good characters, tight plots, continuing story, fantastic 
effects, space war.5 Stars, Maserati says check it out Immediately !

Michael Carter Llaneza
Conceptual Design Services             The Worse it gets,
Pi Kappa Phi                           The more I get used to it.
"I am the NRA"			       Duty Now For The Future
Veteran of the Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force 1990-1951



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

Date: 23 Jun 1995 23:54:16 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: FFS & Gravitic Focussing
Message-ID: <2367291390.53887175@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

On considering alternate technologies, what happens to ship design if you
eliminate gravitics from a universe?  

I've been considering doing that to make planetary operations more
interesting.  (It would also limit ships' maneuvering.)  If lasers are
reduced to close-in weapons and crews don't have intertial compensators, what
would space battles look like?

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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 19:04:47 -1600
From: pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TL 16 Type SZ Scout/Courier (Experimental)
Message-ID: <9506241102.AA08777@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

Ling Standard Products Type SZ Scout/Courier (Experimental TL 16)


General Data

Displacement:           100 tons        Hull Armor:     28
Length:                 35 m            Volume:         1400 m^3
Price:                  MCr 77.391      Target Size:    S
Configuration:          Wedge SL        Tech Level:     16
Mass (loaded/empty):    661.90/409.00

Engineering Data

Power Plant:            147 MW Fusion Power Plant (147 MW/hit), 1 year dur.
(15 kl/yr)
Jump Performance:       2 (210 m^3 fuel)
G-Rating:               2G (50 MW/G), Contra-Grav lifters (10 MW)
G-Turns:                136 (169.6 using jump fuel), 6.25 m^3 of fuel each
Maint:                  16

Electronics

Computer:               3 x TL-16 Mod St Computers (0.6 MW each)
Commo:                  1 x 300,000km radio (10 hexes, 10 MW), 1 x 1000 AU
maser
                        (inf, 0.6 MW)
Avionics:               TL-10+ Avionics
Sensors:                Passive EMS 180,000km folding array (6 hexes; 0.15
MW),
                        Active EMS 480,000km (16 hexes, 13.0 MW)
                        TL 16 Densitometer (0.3 MW)
                        TL 16 Neutrino Sensor
ECM/ECCM:               None
Controls:               Flight Deck with 3xworkstations

Armament

Offensive:              1 x TL-16 Laser Turret (Loc 10 Arc 1,2,3)

Defensive:              

TL-16 400-Mj Laser Turret 10:1/16-50 20:1/16-50 40:1/16-50 80:1/16-50

Accomodations

Life Support:           Extended (0.28 MW), Grav Compensators (7G, 0.7 MW)
Crew:                   3 (1 x Elec, 2 x Maneuv)
Crew Accomodation:      2 x Small Staterooms (0.0005 MW each)
Cargo:                  177.7 m^3, with 1 large cargo hatch
Small Craft:            Air/raft with internal hanger (minimal) and one
launch port
Air Locks:              1

Notes:                  Fuel Scoop, purification machinery (1.05 MW), 
                        31.06 hours to refine 1074.7 m^3

Damage Tables & Systems

Essentially the same as the standard Type S Scout/Courier


Notes:

Ling Standard Products Deneb Division was contracted by the IISS in 1115 to
design an upgraded version of the ubiquitous Type S Scout/Courier design.
The design, incorporating the leading edge of Imperial technology, took
place at LSP's facilities on Vincennes/Deneb.  Three prototypes were
produced by the beginning of the Rebellion, they proved themselves to be a
more than capable successor to LSP's Type S(15) model.

The Type SZ was put into limited production for the Domain of Deneb in 1128.
The 'SZ' designation was retained, as well as the 'Experimental' tag, as the
Type S(15) is still produced in much greater numbers.  

The Type SZ has a number of advantages over it's predecessor, most natably
the greatly upgraded fuel capacity.  The ship's sensor suite has greater
range and capability - one of the SZ's principal functions is to act as a
'picket' ship for the RQS and Regency Navy.  Computer systems are also
enhanced, and there is a slightly larger cargo capacity.  The TL-16 laser
turret is much more powerful than it's predecessor, making the SZ a viable
escort craft for merchant vessels operating under the Regency flag.

Approximately 200 Type SZ's have been produced to date, all for the RQS and
Regency Navy.  This ship is not available to private operators, and much of
it's technology is embargoed under Regency Security legislation.
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)

"...the scum also rises..."
                          Hunter S. Thompson



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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 19:06:18 -1600
From: pd82495@wapol.gov.au (Michael Bailey)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Starship command crews
Message-ID: <9506241103.AA08795@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

Don't forget the good old Political Officer!  The starship 'zampolit' is an
indispensible crew member for Zhodani, Solomani and Lucan's Imperium
starships. (Then again, there's always the Ship's Counsellor...)

While I'm here, sorry for the multiple posting of the TL16 Type SZ
Scout/Courier...I'm having trouble with the mail software _and_ the firewall.

Weird topic for the day:  I had the most stupid dream...I was on board the
Enteprise (Next Gen), and LaForge and I were rewiring the replicator to
spike the ship's coffee with LSD.  Woke up to find myself shouting 'Christ!
Who let Worf near the coffee machine?'
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)

"...the scum also rises..."
                          Hunter S. Thompson



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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 12:31:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Tariq M. Rashid" <spstmr@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>
To: Traveller Submission <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re:HELP!!!
Message-ID: <Pine.3.87.9506241244.B22043-0100000@gsusgi2.gsu.edu>


I will be out of town for a while, could someone tell me how to Unsubscribe!



"There is absolutely no cannibalism in the British Navy...
 absolutely none! and when I say none I mean that there is a
 certain amount."
                                Monty Python




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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 95 12:47:48 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: CyHiggin@aol.com
Subject: Re: Arbitrary limitations (Td#325)
Message-ID: <9506241647.AA23627@qrc.com>

CyHiggin@aol.com wrote:
> Subject: REALLY Exotic Materials....

:-) 

VERY glad to see that I'm not the only one on the list who reads Doc Smith!

On the other hand, if you allow these materials into the game, you should
also allow Duodec warheads and Primary beams!  ;-)  Actually, in my
humble opinion, the right way to play a Doc Smith campaign would be to
use GURPS and GURPS Lensman; T:TNE and FF&S don't really like being
stretched in those directions.


> Subject: Re: Arbitrary limitations
> >> I haven't seen any 50*TL power output limit on Lasers in FF&S;
> >There isn't one.  It was a reasonable limitation ... [from GDW-Beta]
> 
> Actually, it's an unrealistic, completely arbitrary limitation thrown in to
> try to make TNE look like Classic Trav.

Nooo ... (see below)

> The other, represented by myself, Wildstar, and maybe George Herbert,
> is to go with the laws of the universe as represented by the FF&S
> design rules, and see what we come up with, **even if  it doesn't
> look like Classic Trav**. 

Acutually, I'm not sure _who_ on GDW-Beta first proposed the 50*TL rule;
it may very well have come from me. 

Let me explain how the rule came about: relatively shortly after the release
of FF&S, the folks on GDW-Beta were kicking around designs, and generally
exploring the new game system.  This is where the "Bogan Bays" came from,
the meson handgun discussion came here, and so did the first humongous
lasers.  Someone designed a "spinal" laser that had enough penetration to
go through a planet (or at least, a small moon).

After talking about this for a while, we came to the general consensus that
big lasers weren't a good idea - at least from an interest and play balance
point of view.  This is not particularly to make T:TNE "look and feel" like
Classic Traveller, but to make designs from FF&S "look and feel" like T:TNE
and Brilliant Lances. 

Look at the ships provided with BL - there's 1Gj and 2Gj "spinal" particle
accellerators and meson guns, but there's no laser bigger than 450Mj.  Why
not, particularly considering the relatively poor performance of such short
meson guns?  Why aren't there any ships built around high-power long-range
lasers, so that they can stand out at about 30-50 hexes - out of range
for the meson guns, but within long or extreme range of a good laser? (it
doesn't matter than you don't hit as often - if you are hiting them, but
they can't hit you then you're winning!)

The example designs and "standard" ship classes that exist in T:TNE and BL
look very much like what they should - presuming that there is some reason
why lasers more powerful than about 1Gj don't (or can't) exist.  Whatever
house rule we devised had to:

  a) not invalidate any designs published by GDW in T:TNE, BL, or FF&S.
  b) be simple and easy - a formula or a table.
  c) limit lasers to under approximately 1Gj.

Therefore, the suggested ruling is that lasers more than 50*TL Mj can't
be built.  There are _many_ possible PSG (pseudoscience gobbeldygook)
explanations for such a rule, which one you choose is entirely up to you.

Hopefully, this makes it seem a little less arbitrary ... in any case, 
it's our _recommendation_: hardly an official rule, but one that I (and
many others) use as a House Rule in our campaigns.


wildstar@quark.qrc.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          "It's Science Fiction, if, presuming technical 
                           competence on the part of the writer, he genuinely
                           believes it could happen." --- John W. Campell,
Jr.

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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 13:34:50 -0500 (CDT)
From: DER04123@Jetson.UH.EDU
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Alternative Combat Systems
Message-ID: <01HS33PBJVLE920UIG@Jetson.UH.EDU>


I've recently been working up weapons tables to make CT/MT weapons
compatible with Millenium's End (by Chameleon Ecclectic), but the
project was suspended to make time to develop Millenium's End events
for one of our local 'cons in August.

I'd be happy to review the rules system which includes a transparent
overlay system for combat, and a usuable similar skills system, plus
dynamite rules for martial arts, circa 1999; that is, if anyone is
interested.


Dave.

**Player Quote of the Week:
     "What?  More security guys?  I thought we killed 'em all on the
      way in...?"   -Trent "just Trent", Cell Leader

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

Date: Sat, 24 Jun 95 13:37:21 EST
From: dberry@np1.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Lost Subsector!
Message-ID: <9506241337.D2543Fk@np1.com>


       I am planning a campaign set in the Lunion Subsector, and to my
horror, have found that all my listings of stats for that area have
disappeared.
       If some kind soul could email the stats for Lunion, out of either
The Spinward Campaign or MegaTraveller Journal #3 (or any other source
for that matter), they would have my undying gratitude, and a battleship
named for them.

Douglas E. Berry - dberry@np1.com
"luck is only given to the efficient"--Helmuth von Moltke

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 327
***************************


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