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Subject: TRAVELLER digest 396
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			    TRAVELLER Digest 396

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Beginner needs help
	by Joerg Wegener <mspjoerg@swansea.ac.uk>
  2) Jump sequences [noise]
	by Duncan Law-Green <dlg@jb.man.ac.uk>
  3) Re: TRAVELLER digest 395
	by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
  4) EMP
	by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
  5) The Virus Strikes Back!
	by FKiesche3@aol.com
  6) Writing and Simulation
	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  7) Traveller Writing: An Example
	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  8) Re: Plasma Trails, Missiles, and Relativity
	by myhre@oslonett.no
  9) Re: Mertactor and Glisten
	by Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
 10) Alien Characters in TNE
	by David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
 11) New Pocket Empire
	by Aaron DaMommio <aarond@pencom.com>

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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 08:24:31 GMT0BST
From: Joerg Wegener <mspjoerg@swansea.ac.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Beginner needs help
Message-ID: <17DDEA6D62@EBMS3.SWAN.AC.UK>

Hi everybody,

I just got T:TNE (Deluxe Edition with FF&S), BL and BR sent from my 
cousin...
I like the system, esp. the starship rules. However, I'm interested 
in getting the full stats of the ships provided in Battle Riders, to 
give me an idea what to take into account if I want to build large 
ships like Battle Riders, Battleships, Tenders etc (I plan to start 
my own campaign, with my own powers, which I need to desgin ships 
for). Does anybody know where to find such stats?

Thanks a lot in advance

Joerg

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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 10:21:02 +0100 (BST)
From: Duncan Law-Green <dlg@jb.man.ac.uk>
To: TML <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Cc: Stewart Eyres <spe@jb.man.ac.uk>
Subject: Jump sequences [noise]
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950830101416.4415B-100000@fafnir>


>I'd always wondered how the system where the crew pass on the data from one 
>computer to the next computer in line worked to protect systems. If the crew 
>could recognise whether the code is right or not, couldn't they have just 
>generated it themselves with a pocket calculator? This seems to show that the 
>crew could only spot massive and blatant changes in the codes. Anyway, how 
>much can you compress down a jump solution? 

Ah yes, the 1921st reason why I don't like New Era. Relaying a jump
charge sequence which (a) is a highly complex non-linear function of
continuous variables (origin & destination co-ords, time, etc. etc.)
and (b) needs to control the allocation of charge to >1000 Jump grid
elements to nanosecond accuracy... with a spoken single sentence code
phrase? I think not.

Besides, the way I saw it, Jump entry was akin to conventional
aircraft or spacecraft take-off in that it's a continuous
_real-time_ feedback system between the navigational/sensor-ops
computers and the drive control computers --- the system checks what
it's doing and makes continous small corrections as it enters
Jump. New Era drives would have to be strictly "point and shoot",
which is a bit of a scary prospect :-)

This calls to mind the TNE spoof I keep meaning to write, set aboard a
New Era starship where all the fibreoptic conduits have been ripped
out and replaced with speaking tubes: "Wheep! All engines ahead, one
standard gravity, Mr. Scott!". "One grand depravity, d'ye say, Cap'n?
Are ye sure? Well aye then..." ;-)

Duncan
=-=-=-

dlg@ryouko.demon.co.uk
dlg@jb.man.ac.uk

>>>Not gibbering for Demon Internet Ltd _or_ the University of Manchester<<<

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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 12:27:48 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 395
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9508301207.A25411-0100000@evitech.evitech.fi>


Sorry for mailing that MIME file to this list. It was pure accident that 
was caused by my unfamiliarity with my new mail editor.

Sorry again,

Joni Virolainen
jonimv@evitech.fi


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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 12:34:20 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: EMP
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9508301217.A25411-0100000@evitech.evitech.fi>


I have been away from this list for a while so I don't know if you have 
already discussed about this.

Don't you think that Virus is very vulnerable to EMP (ElectroMagnetic 
Pulse)? EMP would fry the Virus like A-bomb blast would fry a human being.

If that is the case, then Vampire ships are very vulnerable to missiles, even
if they don't hit. Any quite nearby nuclear detonation of a missile will 
send EMP that fries Vampire ship's computer chips (as well as uninfected 
computer chips). 

What do you think?

Joni Virolainen
jonimv@evitech.fi


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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 09:22:36 -0400
From: FKiesche3@aol.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: The Virus Strikes Back!
Message-ID: <950830092236_86947825@mail02.mail.aol.com>

O.K., who let the damn virus in here?

--begin pasted mesage--
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--end pasted message--

Big grin. Utterly useless to a computer yutz like myself.

Fred Kiesche
(FKiesche3@aol.com)

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

Date: 30 Aug 1995 14:44:52 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Writing and Simulation
Message-ID: <1460273053.160664078@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Chris, you've stated several times that you "just provide the framework",
leaving others to fill in the details.  (Referring specifically to your paper
on Mertactor.)  Two points spring to mind:


A)  Most of us who have played Traveller for years have had to 'jump through
hoops' trying to make casual details fit into a coherent picture. 
Zero-population worlds with governments, the non-use of killer asteroids, the
real effectiveness of lasers and missiles in space; just check back issues of
this list for more examples!  In each case people have spent a _lot_ of time
and effort trying to fit something 'canon' into reality, or fitting two
contradictory 'canon' facts together.

Having watched Traveller evolve over the years (since the beginning, in
fact), I've concluded that a lot of these problems are caused by writers
failing to consider implications and contradictions.  (Ignoring the physical
law vs. 'canon' conflicts, of course.)  Of course it's more fun to invent
stuff, but keeping track of existing 'facts' and physical laws is part and
parcel of working in a shared universe.

I think anyone writing in a shared universe has an obligation to avoid
conflicts, both in content and style.  (Note: this doesn't apply if you are
writing in your own varient of a shared universe.)  There are enough
contraditions already - we don't need more.  (My 'favourite' is how the
Imperium evolved from the original remote government concerned mainly with
defense that allows wars on its member planets to an intrusive government
that regulates trade and considers murder a crime.  A major reality shift
here!)  


B) My favourite authors all use numbers to back up their prose.  Poul
Anderson's planetary descriptions are possibly the most evocative I've read
-- obviously, rigorously calculating orbits, axial inclinations, insolation,
proportions of elements, evolutionary paths, etc. doesn't interfere with his
writing.  In fact, Anderson recommends doing the calculations as a good way
of getting a real feel for what you're describing.  (As well as being a good
way of getting a truly alien world that seems realistic, not just a mishmash
of exaggerated Earth environments - or worse yet, a planet with only a single
environment.)  John Barnes does the same thing for societies (check out his
essay "How to Build a Future").  

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

Date: 30 Aug 1995 15:01:41 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Traveller Writing: An Example
Message-ID: <2444423134.160664434@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Last post, I stated my position that consistency and number-crunching didn't
interfere with creativity, and indeed were essential when writing in a shared
universe.  

As an example of how this works in practice, I'll use the Sydkai-class Patrol
Cruiser (MegaTraveller Journal 3).  This article describes a new starship
class including: detailed MT design, background history, operational tactics,
and adventure ideas.  When George and I wrote this we put a lot of work into
getting the details 'right'.  (Charles and Tom provided the illustration,
physical description, and did a bang-up editing job.)  

The whole article came out of number-crunching.  George and I were mucking
about with Navy patrols and piracy, and discovered that either there were a
_lot_ of Imperial Navy patrol vessels, or that they had to have predictable
patrol routes (because of the need to resupply).  Neither option looked
reasonable to us: a lot of patrol ships meant that smuggling and piracy
couldn't occur (and according to canon they happened), while regular patrol
schedules left obvious gaps in coverage (and pirates aren't stupid...).   As
there weren't any published vessels capable of an extended patrol, we decided
to design one.

Specifications for jump and endurance came from planning patrol routes
through the Spinward Marches, while armour, weapons, and marine contingent
came from published corsair vessels (we wanted enough to defeat them!).  Once
we had the mission defined, designing the ship was a matter of crunching
numbers until we got a good design that stood up to playtesting.  

There's a reference in the article to construction of Sydkai-class vessels
being "indefinately suspended as the yards were given over to replacing
[Fifth Frontier War] battle damage."  This came out of a calculation of
shipyard capabilities: there wasn't enough spare capability to build new
vessels for a few years after the war (we calculated a reasonable date for
prodution based on replacing major fleet units as a first priority).  A lot
of number-crunching for a minor detail, but it prevented us from creating an
inadvertant contradiction with published material (something that frequently
happens with throwaway references).  

While writing the half-page section on operational tactics, I reread every
article and JTAS news item on the Imperial Navy, to avoid contraditions while
producing a workable system.  A minor reference in an old Journal to an
Imperial battleship "deterring pirates" eventually became the two-tiered
patrol system.  (Which we playtested for viability: lots of small counters
and dice-rolling!)  (By the way, the rules for "gilkhu" were printed in High
Passage 4.)

The last section, a half-page on adventure uses, was added at the insistence
of Joe Fugate.  I didn't like it at the time: after all, every referee can
come up with adventure ideas.  However, I soon decided he was right.  What
was the point of producing yet more background material if it didn't have a
use in the game?  I've since been told (in the only fan mail I got for this
article) that having this section made the ship a _lot_ more useful than most
other designs.  


This may sound like a lot of work.  It was, but then good writing always is. 
I found it easier than other writing I've done, though.  The simulation
aspects acted as a springboard for my imagination rather than as limitation
to it, while working collaboratively meant I never suffered from writers
block.  

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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 17:30:57 +0200
From: myhre@oslonett.no
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Plasma Trails, Missiles, and Relativity
Message-ID: <199508301530.RAA23818@hasle.oslonett.no>

Date: Mon, 28 Aug 1995 20:44:16 -0600 (MDT)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Plasma Trails, Missiles, and Relativity
Message-ID: <9508290244.AA01577@Rt66.com>

>Were our F117s always detected over Iraq (aside from "hey
>there's an F117 up there, the SAM site next door just blew up!"  
>The adavnces in stealth need to be thought about, as well (once 
>they're just pellets, they're not trailing plasma).

That can be fixed. There is radar types that do detect the F117 and the B2. 
And that is microwave radars. The radar-arbsorbing material doesn't handle 
those things properly.


>I think we need to state what rules are being used here.  

I don't thinks the rules are the problem. I have said (written) it before. 
The sensor rules are OK. If you wan't them real realistic I can construct 
some for you, but then you would not play a game with space combat, but a 
game of hide and seak within the frames of electronic warfare (EW). You 
would just have too many things to work with that players would be bored 
before the actual shooting starts.

I find EW interesting, but then I'm also trained for it from the Norwegian 
Navy, but most players would not like to play a game looking at tables, 
calculating cross section of targets, emission levels, ranges, wavelenghts, 
pulse frequency, jamming, deception jamming, drones, chaff, chaff 
dispersion, chaff movement, flare, local disturbances, relative speed, 
doppler effects and so on. Tell you the truth, I would also get bored with 
this. Those above things are done automatically by the system and a few of 
them just happens. In a game you have to simulate most of it, which means 
pre-calculate a lot of factors.

The sensor rules in TNE are not 100% realistic, but they are simple and easy 
to use, and are far better than what we saw in MT.


>And one KE missile at 10-20 hexes a turn will wreak your whole day

When we are on missiles. A contact missile has to spend an awfully lot of 
reaction mass. And faster it goes, more of its mass must be used for course 
correction if the target tries to dodge. A missile would burn out if it was 
fired at too far a range.

Lets talk about missile guidance. First thing first. I don't know what GDW 
means by Semi-independent missile. Either it is or either it ain't 
independent. I will classify missiles like this: Beam rider and Fire and Forget.

Beam rider missiles need to be controlled by the firing unit (usually). This 
unit must have some sort of lock-on on the target. Either active or passive. 
If the lock-on is passive the missile must get course corrections from the 
firing unit. As passive detection and lock on never gives a position, only 
direction (and a general at that) exept for passive image tracking like a 
telescope. When you don't know the range the impact missile will most likely 
miss. And the time lag in Traveller terms will also make it very difficult 
to get a direct hit with impact missiles.

Advantages of this is that the target unit may not know that a missile is 
approaching. Unless it got a radar on.

If the tracking unit track the target by active means you don't need to 
communicate with the missile. The missile follows the returning echo of the 
tracking pulse from the target. Thus the time for control of the missile is 
cut with 1/3rd of the time used above.

Fire and Forget missiles do not need control from the firing unit at all. 
They only need to be told which target they are to track prior to launch. 
They may use either active or passive tracking. Some missiles may have both. 
The active tracking missile will give away its presence when it turns on its 
homing package. Passive missiles follow elecromagnetic emissions from the 
target (IR, radio, radar etc) thus not giving away its presence. 

Both types of missiles (beam rider and fire and forget) may be fooled by 
countermeasures.

Now I will tie this in with missile reaction mass. As starships missiles 
would coats most of the time towards its target. As a missile got limited g 
turns of reaction mass it should be launched in the same vector as the 
firing unit is travelling. The missile should hold a coasting speed that are 
well above the targets so it just can't speed away. It should only fire its 
engine to correct the course when it is on the final approach. If the 
missile are remote controlled time lag has to be taken account for. It may 
be a lag up to 5 seconds. If the target tries to dodge on the final 
approach, there will be a lot of fuel usage. A missile with a vector of 20 
will need 10g turns to change 30 degrees. And if you are trying to steer a 
missile against a target to a point which it will be in 5 seconds you will 
miss, the time taken for the course correction to be in effect is more than 
5 seconds. The missile would burn out. A FF missile would have far better 
chance, but would be shot down most likely, and/or fooled by ECM.


>Repulsors?  I don't have FFS in front of me.  What TL do those 
>start getting used?  Will they be much use to people in RCES at 
>TL12?  All the defenses you mention have a place, but then you 
>have to add them to your ship design, and FFS ships are kinda 
>tight as it is.  ESA will work against pellets, actually. I put 
>ESA on my ships as it is for just that reason.  I bet they are 
>cheaper than the repulsors... 

Repulsors are not available to RCES, but a TL 16 repulsor sends out 600 
tonnes of thrust per 4MW power. How much would a pellet mass at a speed of 
20 hexes? Lets say it weight 500grams to start with. And what penetration 
power would it have? Anyone?


--------------+-------------------+-----------------------------------
Roger Myhre   | myhre@oslonett.no | http://www.oslonett.no/home/myhre/
HIWGmember 142| Some people have one of those days, I got one of 
              | those lifes.
--------------+-------------------------------------------------------


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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 10:50:27 -0500
From: Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Mertactor and Glisten
Message-ID: <199508301550.KAA01587@dino.itlabs.umn.edu>

Christopher_Griffen@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen) wrote:
>     Hmm.  I don't see how Glisten, which is more trailing and settled in 
>     298, could have been settled _after_ Mertactor.  The colonial push 
>     didn't come from the Trojan Reaches did it?  I thought all those crazy 
>     colonists came through Corridor Sector, which implies to me that they 
>     would have probably hit Glisten, Mora, et al _before_ Mertactor.

Glisten, like Aramis subsector, was originally bypassed.  In the case of
Glisten, there's an abyss in the four-corners region of Lunion-Glisten-
Mora-Trin's Veil that makes crossing by jump-3 ships difficult, and in
that era jump-3 was the best the Imperium had.  You have to turn off
through Trin's Veil, or in Lunion for Marastan.  

Also, there were two primary trade lines that most traffic followed.
There was the trade with the Zhodani, which ran up to the rapidly
growing Imperial pocket around the base at Regina, only six worlds
in the 250s, but tripling in size to eighteen by 300.  The other line
followed the Spinward Main into the Sword Worlds and the Darrian
Confederation.  It turns out that a spur of the Main branches off
at Wardn and curves through Mertactor to eventually reach Glisten.

Glisten probably wasn't very well surveyed, since it was off the
beaten track, but once the colonists got there in the late 200s,
they realized it had the potential to be an industrial gold mine.
And silver, iron, tungsten, lanthanum, copper....  So it becomes
a destination in its' own right, and there's suddenly a reason to
send more ships along the shorter route through Trin's Veil and
through Marastan, and drives colonization in that direction.  It
may be coincidence, but shortly after Glisten is colonized, the
settlement of the Marches *really* takes off.

But what about Mertactor?  It's closer to Wardn on the Main, so
it likely was settled by about 300, as the map shows.  The case
for it being an old world is strengthened by the fact that it
is developed enough to be admitted into the Imperium during the
First Frontier War (Spinward Marches Campaign maps).  (Glisten,
on the other hand, almost immediately was in a pocket of Imperial
worlds and then was absorbed by the wave coming through Deneb
into Trin's Veil.  Important world.)  The case for it being 
later is that some of the worlds on the Main coming from Wardn
aren't strongly exploited, even by the 1100s.  For instance,
the "Metal Worlds" the Sword Worlders hold in reserve.

Now that I've said all that, I'll say this.  Why worry about it?
305 is close enough.  You might even be vague about it; "in the
early 300s" or something like that is all that you need to say.
That way, you can say when colonization happened, and still let
people make up their own minds how it worked.  Slight vagueness
keeps the paper more flexible, and useful to more people.

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonn0015@gold.tc.umn.edu>
 

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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 95 13:03:00 PDT
From: David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
To: TML <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Alien Characters in TNE
Message-ID: <3044C40B@pc136>



I wrote the following article to allow TNE referees to use Traveller aliens 
as player characters with the character generation rules given in the TNE 
rulebook. The article assumes that you have access to other material on the 
aliens you choose to use.

This is not as detailed as Andy Lilly's Aslan article (which I understand 
has also been posted here), nor is it intended to be. It is meant to be a 
quick 'fix' to get people playing aliens.

Note: This article appeared in full in the latest issue of Valkyrie magazine 
(which is a very fine read).

The following article is copyright 1995, David Elrick and must not be 
reproduced without my express permission.

 ---------------------------------------
Wearing The Furry Suit
Alien Player Characters in Traveller: The New Era

So far in Traveller: The New Era we have been given the chance to play 
humans from a wide variety of backgrounds - or one solitary alien race (the 
Schalli) - in the aftermath of the Virus. But that catastrophe affected all 
the sentients in the Traveller universe, not just humans (and, in any case, 
there was more than one branch of Humaniti present in the old Imperium). 
What of the irrepressible Vargr? The Aslan Ihatei endlessly reaching for the 
stars? The enigmatic Hivers? In fact, all the Traveller aliens?
The answer, of course, was that there was just not enough space in the TNE 
rulebook to give aliens more than a passing mention as NPCs (and, even then, 
not all the aliens made it into the rulebook). GDW's plans for TNE include a 
series of books called 'Aliens of the Rim', which will cover most of the 
alien races found in Traveller - starting with the Hivers and their Ithklur 
mercenaries. As I write, that first book hasn't appeared yet (although it 
might have done by the time you read this).
In the continued absence of that series, this article expands on and 
complements the descriptions given in the Traveller: The New Era rulebook 
and allows you to create playable alien player characters.
The history briefly presented for some alien races is drawn from my own 
campaign, and may not completely mesh with future TNE releases. Use it as 
you see fit (after all, the object is to have fun).
You may want to use the rules presented in Fusion, Fire & Steel to design 
alien equipment.
Author's Note: Although the stats and attributes presented here are 
extrapolated from the original Traveller and MegaTraveller material, I have 
used the careers presented in the rulebook so that, armed with just the 
rulebook and this article, you can have playable alien characters.

Hivers
Without a doubt Hivers are the most 'alien' of all the Traveller aliens. 
Physically, they have a central body from which extends six limbs, each 
ending in six small appendages. One of the limbs contains the Hiver's eye 
stalks, and another contains the Hiver's reproductive organs (Hivers 
reproduce by exchanging genetic material in a process which humans have 
described as "...shaking hands..." - small wonder then that human 
dignitaries have been wary the first time they meet Hivers!). The remaining 
four limbs function as legs or arms, as the situation requires.
Hivers are justifiably famous for their curiosity. In fact Hivers are like 
small human children: they crave knowledge of any kind, and will often go to 
quite extraordinary lengths to indulge their curiosity - even to tricking 
other races into performing unnecessary adventures just to see what happens!
Hivers are also pacifists, but they do understand that it is an imperfect 
universe and not everyone else is. Although some very exceptional Hivers 
have been known to use violence to defend themselves (and is becoming more 
common in the aftermath of Virus), most Hivers depend entirely on the 
services of their subject races - primarily the Ithklur 'mercenaries'.
Probably the main reason that Hivers are so enigmatic to other races is that 
they cannot speak - Hivers communicate between themselves by a form of 'sign 
language', and to other races through 'translators'. Hiver translators 
convert speech into ideograms which mimic Hiver sign language, and convert 
the Hiver's responses into digitised speech. The Hivers have tried (so far 
unsuccessfully) to make their translators mimic moods and personality, but, 
because of first impressions gained from their translators, Hivers still 
seem enigmatic and aloof to other races.
Hivers use the rules given in the rulebook, except: the weight formula is 
[4x(STR-AGL)]+150 for all Hivers. Hivers have no psionic ability at all, so 
PSI is zero.
Hivers can have a wide variety of careers, but most Hivers encountered 
outside Hiver space will be one of the following: Civil Engineer, Computer 
Operator, Diplomat, Mechanic, Medicine, Professor, Scientist or Trader.
Generate the Hiver's Ithklur companion(s) as NPCs as described in the 
rulebook (page 69).

Vargr
Vargr are, without any doubt, the most widely scattered race in the New Era 
apart from humans. You can encounter Vargr in large numbers almost anywhere 
in the coreward end of the old Imperium, as well as the Regency and the 
Vargr states. As if that wasn't enough, individual Vargr can be found almost 
anywhere in the old Imperium, although very seldom any any other races' 
territory (except the Zhodani Consulate, which has a large native Vargr 
population).
Vargr were originally genetically engineered by the ancients from Terran 
Canines and they still have many similarities with dogs: they don't sweat - 
all heat loss is through the mouth; they prefer to eat small amounts often 
and then snooze while the food is digested; they can only see in black and 
white, so Vargr tend to favour very 'loud' colours (in fact it has often 
been said that a Vargr's taste is entirely in his mouth!). In all, Vargr are 
brash and loud and they favour direct action over talk (this does not mean 
that they will avoid planning things though - Vargr aren't stupid).
Finally, let's lay one common myth to a long-overdue rest. After three 
hundred thousand years of evolution Vargr no longer stick their heads out of 
the window when they're driving (and if you've seen a Vargr drive an air 
raft you'll know why)!
Attributes: STR -1, AGL +1, CON -1. All other attributes are generated 
normally, except social standing. Charisma replaces social standing, and 
starting charisma is generated using 1D6+1. Vargr mass slightly more than 
Humans on average. The formulae are: Male [4x(STR-AGL)]+90; Female 
[4x(STR-AGL)]+70.
All careers and skills are open to Vargr (subject to the homeworld 
restrictions described in the rulebook).

Aslan
Aslan fared better than most against Virus, although they did not escape 
unscathed. The Virus crossed the border from Imperial space into Solomani 
space as if it wasn't there - their computer systems were so alike in many 
ways. But the Aslan Hierate was split up into thousands of clans, each with 
their own computer systems, codes and procedures - and each with their own 
enclaves on Kusyu, the Aslan homeworld. The virus crossed the last eight 
parsecs to the Aslan/Solomani border in three months. It took four months to 
cross the one parsec to Kusyu, where it almost dead-ended.
Now, almost seventy years later, Virus still ravages Kusyu and the 
subsectors immediately around it, but the rest of the Hierate remains 
relatively Virus-free. All Aslan know that the sacrifice of their homeworld 
bought them enough time to save the rest of the Hierate by instituting 
anti-Virus measures. Those measures, coupled with the enormous diversity in 
computer systems, managed to stop the spread of the Virus almost dead. But 
at a terrible, terrible price.
Treatment of captured Virus strains vary from clan to clan: some isolate and 
study it; most destroy it along with the infected system; and some, mostly 
in Reaver's Deep and Daibei, have 'befriended' certain strains and are 
working with them to build new civilisations in that border area.
Aslan treatment of Imperial remnants is another matter, however. Most Aslan 
view the Virus as a made thing - a weapon made by Imperials and released 
without thought. The fact that Virus was not designed to be used against the 
Aslan doesn't matter - they regard all remnant Imperials as culpable.
Because Aslan honour views attacks on an unsuspecting enemy as cowardly, 
most Imperial remnants found by Aslan are revived before being spaced or 
hung. Some clans view the Imperials as being without any honour, however, 
and some remnants are blown up with their ships, never having been revived.
In Aslan society, the first son is groomed to take over from his Father as 
head of the clan. All the other sons (called Ihatei - literally 'second 
son') are expected to leave home and make a new home and clan of their own. 
This has been the basis of Aslan expansion for hundreds of years and has 
barely changed in all that time.
In the past, the majority of the Ihatei struck out Coreward and Trailing 
(towards the Imperium) - indeed, the Emperor Strephon had an honour guard of 
Aslan. Now, although there is some expansion into Daibei and towards the 
Regency, almost all Ihatei have turned their faces Spinward and Rimward, 
expanding away from the Virus.
Attributes: STR +2, AGL -1, CON +1. All other attributes are generated 
normally. Aslan are physically much larger than Humans. The formulae are: 
Male [4x(STR-AGL)]+110; Female [4x(STR-AGL)]+85. Determine everything else 
normally as described in the rulebook, but add +1 to initiative.
All characters use careers from the rulebook.
Most Aslan females encountered outside the Hierate will follow one of the 
following careers: Belter, Bureaucrat, Civil Engineer, Diplomat, Mechanic, 
Scout or Trader.
Aslan males will be one of: Barbarian, Bounty Hunter, Hunter, Civil Pilot, 
Mercenary, Scout or Wealthy Traveller.
Military careers are open to both males and females.
In Aslan society, there is a very strict demarcation of skills, with some 
skills being prohibited to one gender or another. Only Aslan females may 
have skills from the following skill clusters:
Technician, Vice, Space Vessel, Space Tech, Medical, Interaction, Engineer, 
Economics, Charm, Aircraft.
No skill clusters are specifically Aslan male only, the following skill 
clusters are most likely in all Aslan males: Determination, Explore, Melee, 
Perception.
The remaining skill clusters can be used by either males or females.

Droyne and Chirpers
Droyne and Chirpers were once found on worlds widely scattered across the 
old Imperium. Sadly, of all the 'major' races they fared the worst during 
the rebellion and afterwards, being subjected to widespread racism on a 
massive scale. Where they were unable to get right away from human 
settlements, they suffered pogroms, slavery and genocide.
Although their own technology was barely affected by Virus, they were too 
scattered and mistrusted to be allowed to offer assistance in all but a very 
small number of cases.
What Imperial and other xenobiologists failed to realise was that Chirpers 
and Droyne are the same race. Chirpers are merely immature Droyne who have 
not been 'caste'. However, with the genocide visited upon the Droyne and the 
widespread destruction of anything resembling Droyne artifacts or culture, 
the caste system has all but vanished in many areas. As a consequence, 
'true' Droyne communities are very rare - most communities that managed to 
survived to the present day are made up entirely of Chirpers.
Droyne society comprises six castes: Workers, Warriors, Technicians, Drones, 
Leaders and Sports. There are three Droyne genders, designated (by Imperial 
Xenobiologists - nobody thought to actually ask the Droyne) Alpha Male, Beta 
Male and Female. Leaders, Sports and Warriors are Alpha Males; Workers and 
Technicians are Beta Males; Drones are Females.
Chirpers appear to be all one gender, but gender differences must eventually 
surface, because Chirpers are able to reproduce.
All Chirpers and Droyne roll 1D6+1 for STR and CON, and 1D6+2 for AGL. 
Social standing is only applicable in Chirper or Droyne communities, and is 
treated as zero for dealings with non-Droyne who are not familiar with 
Droyne or Chirpers. The weight formula for Droyne and Chirpers is 
[4x(STR-AGL)]+20.
Careers details are only given for Leaders, Warriors and Sports. If your 
players want to play Technicians, Drones or Workers (both roles which are 
heavily involved in Droyne society, but rarely come into contact with 
outsiders) make no stat modifications and choose the closest career from the 
rulebook.
Careers are directly related to caste (ignore stat minimum requirements 
given in the rulebook):
Leaders add +2 to INT and +1 to initiative. Leaders take any career which 
enables them to lead, whether in a military or a civilian role.
Warriors add +2 to STR, +1 to AGL and +1 to initiative. Warriors are trained 
purely for combat purposes (suitable careers include Bounty Hunter, 
Mercenary and Tough).
Sports add +1 to AGL and +1 to EDU. Sports are the adventurers and explorers 
of Droyne society and the most likely caste to be found away from other 
Droyne (suitable careers include Diplomat, Scout and Tough).
Chirpers have no stat modifications and use the Barbarian career from the 
rulebook.

The branches of Humaniti
No-one really knows how many worlds the Ancients seeded with Humans, the old 
Imperium catalogued 50 confirmed seeded worlds and over 300 more which 
required further investigation. The old Imperium was primarily made up of 
two 'branches' of Humaniti - Vilani and Solomani - and most Imperials were a 
mix of the two (although many claimed to be solely one or the other for 
political reasons). The other 'main' branches of Humaniti are the Zhodani 
and the Darrians.

Solomani
Solomani live rimward of the old Imperium. During the rebellion, the 
Solomani Confederation took the chance to regain some of the 'disputed' 
territory (disputed, at least, by the Solomani) from the Imperium, including 
Terra, before Virus overwhelmed them.
Solomani believe themselves to be the only 'racially pure' branch of 
Humaniti. To create a Solomani, use the character generation rules presented 
in the rulebook without modifications.

Zhodani
Zhodani live spinward and coreward of the Regency. Because of the draconian 
anti-virus policies adopted by the Regency and the Zhodani Consulate, the 
Virus failed to get a hold within the Consulate (although many Zhodani 
'protectorates' outside the Consulate borders suffered as badly as 
everywhere else).
Zhodani society is split into three classes: Nobles (social standing 10+), 
Intendants (social standing 9) and Proles (social standing 8-). All Nobles 
are psionic (and all psionics are Noble - social advancement is purely a 
matter of ability) and Proles are not.
To create a Zhodani, use the character generation rules presented in the 
rulebook without modifications. If a character has psionic ability, advance 
their social standing to 10 and treat them as psionics trained.

Vilani
Vilani consider themselves the only 'racially pure' Imperials and their part 
of space, centred on Vland, the 'Fourth Imperium' (sic). Unlike the 
Solomani, the Vilani withdrew into their own little enclave and prepared for 
the worst - it didn't save them. War-weary, ravaged by Virus and overrun by 
Vargr they barely survived at all.
Vilani society is built on three principles: tradition, efficiency and 
community spirit. It was the Vilani who 'built' and ran the great 
megacorporations of the old Imperium, and it's not hard to see why. Most 
Vilani are patient and methodical, which comes back to the three prinicples. 
But Vilani can afford to be patient because Vilani, particularly pure-bred 
Vilani, age more slowly than other humans.
To create a Vilani, use the character generation rules presented in the 
rulebook without modifications, except: for bloodline roll 1D20 and apply 
the following results.
If the result is 1 to 15, the character is of mainly non-Vilani ancestry and 
applies aging effects normally (as described in the rulebook).
If the result is 16 to 18, the character has some Vilani blood and applies 
+2 to all their aging rolls.
If the result is 19, the character is almost pure Vilani and applies +3 to 
all their aging rolls.
If the result is 20, the character is a pure-bred Vilani from one of the old 
Vilani families. These characters apply +4 to their aging rolls.

Darrians
Darrians live in a small group of worlds immediately spinward of the 
Regency. Without a doubt, their survival into the new era was entirely due 
to Norris' policies against the Virus. Such is the cosmopolitan nature of 
Darrian society that, within Darrian borders, you can find 'pure' Darrians, 
Aslan (mostly citizens of the Confederation, although a small number of 
Ihatei have been allowed to settle on Darrian worlds), Zhodani and 
'Imperials'.
Darrian Aslan are sympathetic to, but do not subscribe to, the feelings that 
Hierate Aslan have about Imperial remnants.
Darrian Aslan are created using the Aslan character generation guidelines. 
Darrians are created as follows:
Attributes: Darrians use the rules given in the rulebook, except: STR is 
generated using 1D6+1, CON is 1D6+1 and EDU is +2. Darrians speak Darrian 
and Anglic, Darrian Aslan also speak the Aslan language. Darrians use the 
social standing rules as presented in the rulebooks, because there is no 
stigma attached to nobility as there is within the old Imperium, use the 
titles and landhold rules unmodified.
Darrians mass slightly less than other Humans on average. The formulae are: 
Male [4x(STR-AGL)]+86; Female [4x(STR-AGL)]+70. Darrian Aslan use the rules 
presented under Aslan, above.
All careers and skills are open to Darrians, except where homeworld/region 
does not permit Darrian characters. Darrian Aslan use the career 
restrictions detailed for Aslan.

Finally, use aliens sparingly in your Traveller games. If each player plays 
a different alien, they become just another character 'class'. Aliens should 
present some mystery in your games - their motives and ways of thinking are 
not the same as humans and they should not be played as just humans in furry 
suits. Not only that, each alien (PC or NPC) is an individual, and will 
behave differently to other members of their own race. Use the information 
in the rulebook (particularly the NPC motivation information), and the 
information from this article, to guide you when you first play an alien and 
always think about what it means to be a member of one of these races.
If necessary, referees should present aliens as NPCs until their players 
know enough about them to portray them properly. From the haughty Aslan and 
the chaotic, impulsive Vargr to the mysterious Hivers, make each one 
different and your Traveller games will come alive.

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

Enjoy,

Dave Elrick


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

Date: Wed, 30 Aug 95 17:28:00 -0500
From: Aaron DaMommio <aarond@pencom.com>
To: "Traveller" <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: New Pocket Empire
Message-ID: <9508302228.AA00253@malibu.pencom.com>

Re: TL-9 Vilborg Skimmer submitted by "Svenson G N"  
<svenson_g_n@space.honeywell.com>

Svenson,
I'd be interested in seeing some background material on your forthcoming  
pocket empire. Have you got some themes or social patterns that are driving  
the design of ships like the Vilborg Skimmer?  At the very least, it sounds  
like you've got a mission plan for the Tempere modular transport. I'd like to  
see some of your ideas.

--Aaron DaMommio

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 396
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