TRAVELLER Digest 497

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) RE: Drop Tanks -- the continuing saga by robert.brennan@isocor.ie
  2) Virus & Starports by Andrew Madden <amadden@pcug.org.au>
  3) Tech Levels by ROWAN Iain <wm0iro@acresearch.sunderland.ac.uk>
  4) Jump gates by t01bpa@abdn.ac.uk
  5) Re: Regency UWP's by Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
  6) RE: Spinward Marches TNE UWP Data by David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
  7) Seven Ideas for TNE/RC Gaming by James Kiley <tenzil@io.com>
  8) RICE Paper #SM-1106-A by Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
  9) Re: Seven Ideas for TNE/RC Gaming by Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>
 10) Re: RSB Data by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
 11) Copyright Infringement by jlockett@hanszen.rice.edu (Joseph L Lockett)
 12) TNE fuel utilization rules by RockRatt@ix.netcom.com (Joseph Nassise )
 13) Re: TRAVELLER digest 496 by library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)

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

Date: 27 Nov 95 09:03:58 +0100
From: robert.brennan@isocor.ie
To: traveller@MPGN.COM (Non Receipt Notification Requested)
Subject: RE: Drop Tanks -- the continuing saga
Message-ID: <GUID:QJZJZ+YAmzxG2SAAAwFvilQ*/G=robert/S=brennan/PRMD=isocor/ADMD=e
irmail400/C=ie@MHS>


last issue fcain@st6000.sct.edu (Franklin Cain) wrote loads of intersting stuff about
how droptanks must work.  However Cannon (smirk) quite clearly states
that drop tanks, well, drop.  This means that the J-2 far trader you
described loads up with a full fuel load, straps on full drop tanks, moves to
the 100 dia limit, charges it's hull grid, drops its drop-tanks and jumps 2
parsecs (with it's internal tanks still full).  The tanks you have described were
previously called external demountable tanks, what they are now, I don't
know.  Thus a drop-tank rent service sounds to me like a perfectly logical
thing to occur.  Now why is it that GDW makes it absolutely clear  how
droptanks work and then fails to incorporate them into the way things are
seen to usually work in the Traveller background...well we've been here
before haven't we?

Please note that drop-tanks can also remain attached in the way you described, 
BUT keeping them on for the 1st jump means that a jump-2 ship gets to go only  3 instead of 4 parsecs.
Reference for all of this is High Guard and TCS.
rgds
Rob
=================================================
Countries with divorce have 63% more UFO sightings.
         - Current Anti-divorce Ad in Ireland


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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 21:26:09 +1100 (EST)
From: Andrew Madden <amadden@pcug.org.au>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Virus & Starports
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951127212140.29581A-100000@supreme>

Having thought about the situation with Virus as mentioned on the
bulletin board, and discussing the matter with David (Hyphen)
Jaques-Watson, it has occured to me that the situation with Virus is
*very* similar to the situation with psionics in the MT era.

That is, one area espouses the benefits of beneficial variants, (RC and
some strains of Virus [esp peacemaker]) and one area believes it does not
have any right to existence (the Regency, and RQS, et al.)

This shapes things up to be similar to the Zhodani/Imperium when next the
RC (Zho-like) and Regency (Mini-Imperium) meet (Collide?) Some friction
and possible hostilities are likely in the early periods. One could also
liken the Rape of Trin, to the failed histrionics (sorry, psycho-history)
experiments conducted during the Imperium era (c. 800 I think).

Regarding the building of Starports; Much of the old material in Striker,
MT and High Guard are useful in this area. I suspect that FF&S and
Striker II would serve just as well.  The biggest part of the job is in
actually engineering (in real terms) the structures required. Fuel
tankage is simple. Armour Factor 10 Megaton hulls, buried in the ground;
Fuel purification rigs sited over them, or at least nearby, all close to
water, or ice if possible. Determining the max processing rate vis a vis
the demand for refined fuel requires some estimation (how many ships of
what size need how much fuel each.) This should (in TNE) take into
account the much increased maneuver fuel requirement. Before, Jump fuel
was the major factor, now it is the other way around. The game
ramifications of this have not yet been fully explored I think...

Engineering some of the other structures around the grounds is another
matter altogether. eg. what thickness concrete pad is required to support
say a 200-ton far trader? How much for a 5000 ton SDB? You probably
wouldn't land ships larger than that (at least not often, perhaps only
once each <g>).

Airports are simple; long concrete/ashphalt pad, taxiways of similar
construction, hardstanding is an area of same. Hangars and other
buildings would be made out of standard building materials (I would say
to a max of 5 floors, for armour factor 10 - 1 g field remember, higher
armour factors for higheer buildings.) Of course you don't need to build
your control tower using concrete. Using an equal thickness of BSD gives
a nice armour factor, helpful during accident/emergency, and harrassment.
I never said this would be CHEAP did I?

Some shields (nuke dampers maybe) and some defensive weapons (no lasers
or FG's but missiles and sandcasters would be VERY effective). Remember,
your starport can't maneuver so it might wan't to surrender to what it
can't outshoot. Of course there's always the cavalry (planetary navy). It
should be reasonably easy and relatively cheap to defend from ground
assault. (here is where a ships FG would be nice. I once mounted one on a
tank, but that's another design...)

Ground facilities would be composed of active and passive sensors,
perhaps linked to orbital active/passive arrays, radio communications
(laser is not appropriate, atmospheric effects, and air turbulence would
make targeting a laser comm an EIF) and finally an armored or shielded
powerplant to make the lights flash. Simply add all the power
requirements together and that's your power out requirements.

Now don't forget basic life support is STILL REQUIRED (lights/heat at
least, and what is an air conditioner anyway?) for habitable buildings,
Control Tower, office accomodations, etc but prob not needed in the hangars.

And finally, lets not forget car parking (even grav vehicles take room
when landed), office buildings, barracks for security, guard posts,
terminal buildings, roads, or at least lawns for flying over which will
require gardeners, and law enforcement provisions (bonded storage,
customs & immigration, import/export areas, baggage handling and
inspection, freight handling and inspection areas and equipment, garaging
for equipment, mechanics and workshop for electronic/mech./gravitic
technicians.) You should be near a city (you will need to service your
maintenance points, but not necessarily use your own crew (staff) to do
it). Get a maint contract (you still pay, but don't need to give them an
office or workshop, plus salary expense is reduced.)

Then there is the shuttle schedule; how often, why, where from/to and so
forth.

Then you need to consider what your construction facility looks like in
game terms...

It took David and I a good couple of months to develop the data on the
Tavonni Starport! But it certainly taught us what happens at a starport.
Starport procedures take on a whole new meaning when looked at from SPA
point of view. And it gives you a good idea where your berthing fees go.

Have fun Designing...

One day David will probably publish details for the Beowulf Down
starport, which is an instance of this general design guide.

A P Madden
<^_->

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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 95 12:22:00 PST
From: ROWAN Iain <wm0iro@acresearch.sunderland.ac.uk>
To: tml <traveller@mpgn.com>
Subject: Tech Levels
Message-ID: <30BA1E78@missgate2.sunderland.ac.uk>


Seeing the recent postings about the Tech Level equivalent
of 2300AD has made me think of TL progression within the
Traveller universe as a whole.  I'd be interested to know if
anyone has any canonical information on TL's at various
points in the history of the Imperium - I've  never seen
anything of that sort.  In this century, we've progresed from
about TL5 (is that right? I can't check at the moment), to
borderline TL8, with (in some areas at least) an increasing
rate of technological development.

That's 4 TL's in 1 century - and that's without the added
impetus to technology of dealing with various other
technologically advanced species, with the cross-
fertilisation that this would presumably bring.

According to the GDW universe, it then took about 3000
years to progress toTL 15.

Am I just nitpicking?  Could there be a good reason for
the rate of technological progress to slow way way down?
Or it is it a convenient device to enable a complex plot of
the historical development of GDW's universe to take place.
(and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, after
all, this is science *fiction*...)

Cheers

Iain...........................................iain.rowan@sunderland.ac.uk



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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 12:52:44 +0000 (GMT)
From: t01bpa@abdn.ac.uk
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Jump gates
Message-ID: <S9511271252.AA08607@fs1.abdn.ac.uk>


How accurate are jump gates.  (Alternative technologies).
Do you need two gates, on to receive the package?
If not, could a succesfull plantetary bombardment be inplimented from
sectors away with a jump gate, by sending armaments through the
gate?

Is it possible to produce a controlled mis-jump?  Ie to jump more sectors
than your fuel would allow?  Also in jump space, what is the chance that two
ships could combine, or would such accidents never occour.

And does anyone else think that the hiver's have an alterior motive for
'assisting' the RC :)



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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 21:44:28 -1600
From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Regency UWP's
Message-ID: <9511271342.AA13598@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

Andy Lilly made a very good point, that GDW might object to half of the
Regency sourcebook appearing on an FTP site.  Until I find their position on
this, I regret that I will be unable to release the data file...sorry about
the premature anouncement.

Thanks,

Mick
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)

"I was implying that the Honorable Member for Wentworth was like a lizard on
a rock - alive, but looking dead"
Prime Minister Paul Keating (on former Opposition Leader John Hewson)


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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 95 13:24:00 PST
From: David Elrick <Dave.Elrick@ps.co.uk>
To: "traveller%mpgn.com" <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: RE: Spinward Marches TNE UWP Data
Message-ID: <30BA2C7C@pc136>



Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au> said:

> I'm slowly (I've finished 10 of 16 subsectors) transcribing the Spinward
> Marches UWP data found in the Regency Sourcebook into standard ASCII
format.
> When I'm done it'll be available to anyone who wants it.  Drop me a note
and
> I'll mail the data

I'd be interested in that. Please send me a copy [dave.elrick@ps.co.uk] when
you're finished.

Kind Regards

Dave Elrick

 ----------------------------------------------------
The flatnoses (Humans) have a strange saying: "The way to a man's heart is
through his stomach." This is clearly nonsense - the way to a man's heart is
through his back!

     Unknown Vargr Drill Instructor
 ---------------------------------------------------


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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 09:52:40 -0600 (CST)
From: James Kiley <tenzil@io.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Seven Ideas for TNE/RC Gaming
Message-ID: <Pine.BSI.3.91.951127094946.24619A-100000@pentagon.io.com>


Hi, I'm Jim, joined the list just yesterday.  Lest it be said I'm a
slacker:

Seven Ideas For Traveller: The New Era

Presented in no particular order.  Any Reformation Coalition game I run will
almost certainly involve at least half of the ideas below.

I. Drop the UWPs.  Like, immediately.  The Universal World Profile,
an eight-digit code to describe the basic characteristics of a
planet, was a useful thing to a vast, impersonal Imperium which
didn't care terribly much about its member worlds, nor about their
inhabitants.  But the Reformation Coalition is not like that.  If
anything, it's the opposite; it tries to be life-affirming, and to
recognize the uniqueness and wonder of each person and each world.
UWPs are a useful tool for gamemasters, but for the Reformation
Coalition they should be seen as the dangerous, dehumanizing tool
of the dead, dinosaurian Imperium.

II.  Along the same lines, drop the sector/subsector designations.
I don't like looking at the map of the RC and seeing it split
down the middle between Oriflamme subsector and Aubaine subsector.
It's silly.  Those designations were Imperial tools, and there
are better designations now.

III.  Change the AO strategy.  Sure, right now the Area of Operations
strategy is to expand to core-spinward, and Oriflamme has managed to
con them into limiting it to just seven parsecs, but I think that
going just seven parsecs core-spinward is foolish in the extreme.  My
reasoning is simple:  The Reformation Coalition has NO IDEA what
is going on rimward of them, or trailing, either.  Okay, core-trailing
are the Hivers, and they're theoretically safe, but from straight
trailing to rim-spinward there could be enormous Vampire Aslan Vargr
K'Kree Darrian Star Trigger fleets casually swooping toward
our little republic.  And the RCES doesn't even seem to consider
that doing a little reconnaissance into Alpha Crucis sector might
be prudent.  Come ON.  Expand core-spinward, sure, but don't limit
the reconnaissance AO that much.

IV.  Push to Sol.  Sectorwise, the area immediately around the
RC looks like this:

Diaspora|Old Expanses| Hinterworlds
----------------+---------------+--------------
Solomani Rim|Alpha Crucis| Spica

I gather from old MegaTraveller source material that the
members of the Solomani Rim Confederation were, before the Great War,
fairly racist and xenophobic.  Okay, I can believe that.  But the
RC takes up a small piece of Old Expanses near both Diaspora and
Solomani Rim sectors; I cannot believe that it has never been
suggested that sending some ships toward SOL, you remember Sol,
right?  The one at the bright heart of Solomani Rim Sector, the one
from which all human life originates, that Sol?  Probably with more
relic technology and useful information than the RC could process
in a year, that Sol?  But no, we'd rather expand into Diaspora.
I would put forth that, if nothing else, we should see a
semi-private effort to explore Solomani Rim sector and get to Sol
before the Guild (or worse) does; it has a lot of symbolic meaning,
if nothing else.

V.  Internal Strife.  There is strife in the RC.  There just isn't
enough for my tastes.  More fringe groups, xenophobic, luddite,
or just with a bone to pick with the current leadership, should
exist.  In another post I'll detail a few of these that I've come
up with for my own use.  There's also little description of conflict
between, say, business and government.  In fact, things seem awfully
chaotic in that department, with the RC seeming to be quite willing
to "nationalize" almost any private assets it wants to.  I don't know
about anyone else, but if I had my starship nationalized and was told
to go to Diaspora sector for the government, I would be just a little
incredulous.

VI.  Lon Maggart Must Die.  Is this guy just Mister Perfect Leader
or what?  "Challenge" #77 has him addressing a hostile crowd on
Oriflamme and removing his bulletproof vest in a gesture of solidarity
and love.  Okay, I'll buy that, but wow, does the man have NO flaws?
He seems to be set up to be the Reformation Coalition's George
Washington, but even Washington did some things he later regretted,
and occasionally took flak from his political enemies.  He's a little
too perfect for my tastes, and the best solution I can think of
for this is to have him be assassinated by an Oriflammie.  This could
give us a really nice JFK figure that future leadership would work
hard to replace.

VII.  Expansion Timetable Changes.  The RC expansion timetable (the
"coreward strategy", which the RC seems to be using, rather than
the "consolidation strategy") looks like this:
Phase I: Overt ops in the primary AO with deep covert ops
in Diaspora sector.  Est. time 2 years, so, from New Era 1 - 3.
Phase II: Diplomatic blitz to integrate Diaspora sector
into the RC.  Estimated time 1 year.  NE 3-4.
Phase III: Extension of main AO to Massilia Sector, continued
consolidation of Diaspora. Estimated time 2 years.  NE 4-6.
Phase IV: "Simultaneous Expansion Outward", estimated time
unknown.  NE 6 onward.

O-o-okay.  Let me see if I've got this right, looking over
my handy map.  Let's assume that the typical RCES/RCN ship has
Jump-2 ability, meaning they can get two parsecs in a week; thus,
a two parsec trip would take two weeks round trip.  There are eighteen
important targets in the primary AO, which extends as far out as
seven parsecs from the RC border.  If we assume that each of those
worlds is four parsecs from the border, on average, we're looking
at two jumps per world; thus each mission to each of the worlds in
the primary AO takes a month round-trip, six weeks if you include
time spent on the world.  Twenty-seven ship-months, thus, for one
mission to each world in the primary AO.  If we assume overlapping
missions in some cases, and multiple-world missions, we are still
looking at a big chunk of time.  Consider if you will the amount
of time it has taken to get the Middle East to come to a peace
agreement, or the remnants of Yugoslavia.  With a one-month minimum
time lag on any treaties or agreements, I see a real hard time getting
eighteen worlds consolidated into the coalition in two years.
And Phase II?  Getting ALL of Diaspora sector into the RC
in a YEAR?  At jump-2 you could barely REACH all of Diaspora sector
in a year, much less get back.  And Diaspora is a hostile environment,
between xenophobes, TEDs, Vampires, the Guild, and various pocket
empires.
I think the timeline should be extended to about a ten year
plan, personally.  But then again I'm spending too much time
sympathizing with the Oriflammen.

November 22, 1995
Jim Kiley




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

Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 01:07:32 -1600
From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RICE Paper #SM-1106-A
Message-ID: <9511271705.AA02474@phq1002.wapol.gov.au>

The first in a series of papers providing an 'in-depth' look at Jewell.  As
always, comments and gripes to pd82495@wapol.gov.au

RICE Paper #SM-1106-A

'The Jewell Cup - An ancient Solomani sporting tradition survives on Jewell'
by Lir Shiraa, 047-1202

More than any other human race, the Solomani were a fiercely competitive
people.  Many socioligists attribute the famous Solomani fractiousness to
the fact that they alone rose to civilisation in their aboriginal
environment.  Their suitability to this environment caused population
pressures relatively early in their history.  At any rate, long before they
discovered the jump drive, Solomani competitiveness manifested itself in the
form of nearly constant warfare.  As their weaponry grew in destructive
power the Terran's were forced to subsume their aggressiveness into sporting
contests, but lost none of their aggression in the process.

In the 18th and 19th Terran Centuries (c. -2800 to -2600), the planet-bound
Terran's were divided into rival blocs, the legacy of earlier conquests and
colonisation.  The most powerful of these was the British Empire, which at
it's height covered one-sixth of Terra's land area and encompassed nearly a
quarter of it's people.  The British made efficient enough soldiers, but
were more of a mercantile people than a martial one.  A certain distaste for
violence was embedded in their culture, this led them to channel their
aggression into many sporting pursuits, some of which have survived to this day.

The British played many games, but perhaps their favorite was the game of
cricket.  By the later 20th Century Terran, cricket was played in nearly all
of Britain's former colonial possessions, and was a professional sport in a
dozen nations.

The conquering Terrans took their games with them to the stars.  As the
mantle of rulership passed from the Vilani to the Solomani with the
establishment of the Rule of Man, Terran culture became the new standard by
which other races judged themselves.  naturally, manu aspects of Terran
culture were absorbed by their subjects - including this curious English game.

The Vilani in particular were attracted to this complex and lengthy sporting
pursuit.  Many historians have made comparisons between the Vilani and
Terran English characters, particularly their shared conservatism and
mercantilism.  Whatever the cause, the Vilani took to cricket with vigour.
The first recorded game was played on Vland in -2160, when the crew of the
tCS 'Swiftsure' played a limited overs match between themselves.  In -2157,
Sharurshid sponsored the first recorded match between the Terrans and a
Vilani XI.

As the Rule of Man collapsed, the game survived on a number of worlds, and
was still being played in one form or another when these worlds were
absorbed into the growing Third Imperium.  Imperial colonists took the game
with them to the Spinward Marches, and the game was standardised on it's
original rules following the admission of Terra into the Imperium in 588.
The game is still played today on a number of worlds within the Regency,
including the industrialised world of Jewell (1106/Spinward Marches).

The game is played with a passion on Jewell during the summer months (a
tradition only, as the stadia in which the game is played are invariably
enclosed against Jewell's tainted atmosphere).  From school teams through to
the heavily sponsored Jewell League competition, locals support their teams
with a fanatical fervour.  Towards the end of the season, the leading teams
representing Jewell's Administrative Districts play a knockout competition
known as the Sharurshiid Cup.  The Cup winner wins the right to play in one
of the biggest events on the Jewell social calender - the 'Jewell Cup'.

On the last day of summer, thousands of fans pack into Admiral Plankwell
Stadium to watch the season's leading team play a limited overs contest
against a Regency Navy side (the 'Navy XI').  Those unable to get tickets to
the game watch via holovid broadcast, and large parts of the planet come to
a virtual standstill.  For weeks beforehand, the coming game is the subject
of endless discussion and speculation.

While on Jewell on assignment for the Regency Insitute for Cultural
Education, I was invited by the Navy to view the big game.  I confess to
having only the most basic knowledge of cricket (and that was the product of
an afternoon's frantic research the day before the match).  At any rate, the
social aspects of the event interested me far more than the contest itself.

The talk in Jewell's bars and taprooms was centred on the match in the
preceeding weeks. Much talk centred on the Navy's team, particularly the
inclusion of a Vargr Ensign named Gvouur in the named squad.  Given the
dislike of Vargr and Zhodani on Jewell, it wasn't surprising to hear many
disparaging, some of them quite humourously so, remarks about the Vargr's
abilities and habits.  One particular gem involved a description of the
Vargr picking up the ball with his mouth, then running it (rather than
throwing it) back to the bowler.  The general consensus was that the local
team, from Crerar District, would retain the Cup for the second successive year.

The Navy Team arrived five days before the match, amid much fanfare.  A
press conference was held at the starport, in which the team captain,
Commander Ramon Esterhazy, dismissed rumours that Ensign Gvouur had been
selcted as a 'sop to Regency cosmopolitanism'.  An enthusiastic Gvouur
answered a few questions from the local journalists, then the team was
whisked away to the hotel by grav bus.  Their first training session that
evening was heavilly attended by media pundits and interested locals.  The
Crerar District team arrived the next day, with much the same reaction from
the locals.

Enthusiasm for the game built to a fever pitch over the next few days.  A
few locals who had attended the Navy training sessions admitted grudgingly
that the Vargr appeared to know what he was doing, but the 'smart money'
remained on the Crerar District XI.  A parade of both teams through the
center of Amadan City the next day.  Led by the Imperial 212th Fleet
Marching Band, the two teams travelled by motorcade to a civic reception
hosted by Senator Andries Piett, senior senator for Jewell.  Thousands of
locals crowded the thouroughfare, lending a holiday atmosphere to an
occasion which would better fitted the return of a triumphant army.

On the morning of the match, I took my seat in the Navy boxes while a highly
enthused Subcommander explained the finer points of the game to me.  I was
surrounded by a sea of humaniti - almost two hundred thousand spectators had
packed into the Admiral Plankwell Stadium.  Uncountered numbers of banners
dotted the crowd, many painted in the black and gold Navy colors as well as
the maroon and gold of the Crerar XI.  The two teams eventually made their
way onto the stadium amid tremendous cheering, and stood to attention while
the Navy band played 'Take Hold of the Flame'.  The game was afoot.

I must confess, much of the game was indecipherable to an observer with my
limited knowledge.  As a social spectacle, it was a rival to the coronation
of Regent Caranda in 1090.  As the first bowler began his run up to the
delivery point, the crowd erupted into a chant of 'Lillee, Lillee...' (the
origins of the chant are unknown, but are believed to date back to Old
Earth).  The Vargr Gvouur proved to be an able sportsman, and was a superb
fielder as well as a very capable batsman.

Crerar District never really looked comfortable batting against a potent
Navy attack, but managed to struggle to 9/223 from their allotted 50 overs.
Jenna Amrasil, a 'leg spinner' from the 88th Fleet, took the bowling honours
for Navy with 4 wickets from her allotted 10 overs.  In reply, Navy were
seldom troubled as they surpassed Crerar's total with almost three overs to
spare.  After losing the captain with the score on 0, Mendan Lishinkhu and
Farroughl Gvouur decimated Crerar's attack, putting on a 160 run partnership
before the Vargr's dismissal for 74.  Lishinku, the unquestioned player of
the match, achieved his 'century' (100 runs) off the final ball of the day
as he guided Navy to victory.

As the crowd filed out of the stadium to get merrily drunk, I reflected on
the nature of the contest.  Locals had pitted themselves against the pride
of the Regency Navy and lost, but the real winner was unity.  Solomani
aggressiveness, so often the cause of violence and suffering, had been
turned into a potent tool for forging unity and loyalty within 'Fortress
Jewell'.  Tomorrow, as hung-over workers made their way to the factories and
industrial plants of Jewell, this world would continue to be a vital part of
the Regency.

Lir Shiraa
047-1202

*** Lir Shiraa is an independant journalist currently on part-time contract
to the Regency Institute for Cultural Education.  A previous winner of the
prestigous Digest Touring Award, Shiraa is also the author of 'In Their
Image', an account of democratic reforms in the Regency and their effect on
local populations. ***

Coming up:

#SM-1106-B:  A Free Trader's Guide to Jewell's Distillieries
#SM-1106-C:  Fremantle Shipyards, LRC
Michael Bailey (pd82495@wapol.gov.au)

"I was implying that the Honorable Member for Wentworth was like a lizard on
a rock - alive, but looking dead"
Prime Minister Paul Keating (on former Opposition Leader John Hewson)


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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 12:55:32 -0500 (EST)
From: Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: Seven Ideas for TNE/RC Gaming
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951127125034.23702C-100000@DGS>



On Mon, 27 Nov 1995, James Kiley wrote:

> II.  Along the same lines, drop the sector/subsector designations.
> I don't like looking at the map of the RC and seeing it split
> down the middle between Oriflamme subsector and Aubaine subsector.
> It's silly.  Those designations were Imperial tools, and there
> are better designations now.

Hear, hear.  What government issues maps of itself split down the
middle?  The Imperium is dead.  The RC mapping system should be centered
on the Coalition, not the Imperial Core.

> III.  Change the AO strategy.  Sure, right now the Area of Operations
> strategy is to expand to core-spinward, and Oriflamme has managed to
> con them into limiting it to just seven parsecs, but I think that
> going just seven parsecs core-spinward is foolish in the extreme.  My
> reasoning is simple:  The Reformation Coalition has NO IDEA what
> is going on rimward of them, or trailing, either.  Okay, core-trailing
> are the Hivers, and they're theoretically safe, but from straight
> trailing to rim-spinward there could be enormous Vampire Aslan Vargr
> K'Kree Darrian Star Trigger fleets casually swooping toward
> our little republic.  And the RCES doesn't even seem to consider
> that doing a little reconnaissance into Alpha Crucis sector might
> be prudent.  Come ON.  Expand core-spinward, sure, but don't limit
> the reconnaissance AO that much.

Makes perfect sense to me.  In fact, were I in charge of the RCES, I'd
send my own guys into the AO and hire freelancers to look in the other
direction.

> IV.  Push to Sol.  Sectorwise, the area immediately around the
> RC looks like this:
>
> Diaspora|Old Expanses| Hinterworlds
> ----------------+---------------+--------------
> Solomani Rim|Alpha Crucis| Spica
>
> I gather from old MegaTraveller source material that the
> members of the Solomani Rim Confederation were, before the Great War,
> fairly racist and xenophobic.  Okay, I can believe that.  But the
> RC takes up a small piece of Old Expanses near both Diaspora and
> Solomani Rim sectors; I cannot believe that it has never been
> suggested that sending some ships toward SOL, you remember Sol,
> right?  The one at the bright heart of Solomani Rim Sector, the one
> from which all human life originates, that Sol?  Probably with more
> relic technology and useful information than the RC could process
> in a year, that Sol?  But no, we'd rather expand into Diaspora.
> I would put forth that, if nothing else, we should see a
> semi-private effort to explore Solomani Rim sector and get to Sol
> before the Guild (or worse) does; it has a lot of symbolic meaning,
> if nothing else.

This one I'm not so sure about.  Sure, personally, I'd want to go.  But
the Solomani are horrible, nasty, evil people who rip your head off and
suck your blood, right?  Maybe we don't want to tell them where we are.

Scott

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

Date: 27 Nov 1995 12:18:15 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: RSB Data
Message-ID: <65535.175829028@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Sorry Michael, but I've already done that: typed the entire RSB into Metator
(which can export text files, as well as print sector maps).

Were would be a good ftp site, and how would I upload with only email access?

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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 13:04:32 -0600 (CST)
From: jlockett@hanszen.rice.edu (Joseph L Lockett)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Copyright Infringement
Message-ID: <199511271904.NAA22118@harry-clay.hanszen.rice.edu>

> From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
> I'm slowly (I've finished 10 of 16 subsectors) transcribing the Spinward
> Marches UWP data found in the Regency Sourcebook into standard ASCII format.
> When I'm done it'll be available to anyone who wants it.

This sounds rather like copyright infringement to me.  If you do this,
what reason do most people have to buy the book itself?  Particularly
at a time when GDW seems to be in difficult straits, this seems grossly
unethical as well as unkind.

> When I'm done I'll also do the Deneb, Trojan Reach and Reft Sectors, as well
> as 1202 data for the Solomani Rim and Aldebaran Sectors in the old Solomani
> Confederation (these will of course be unofficial specs, but probably better
> than nothing).

"Unofficial" specs, OF YOUR OWN CREATION, would, of course, be acceptable
by all parties, I'd suspect, including GDW's lawyers.

-----------------------------*-------------------------*-----------------------
   Joseph "Chepe" Lockett    | "Nullum magnum ingenium | GURPS fan, Amiga user,
 jlockett@hanszen.rice.edu   |  sine mixtura dementiae | Shakespearean scholar,
http://www.io.com/~jlockett/ |  fuit." -- Seneca       | actor and director.
-----------------------------*-------------------------*-----------------------

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

Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 19:27:44 -0800
From: RockRatt@ix.netcom.com (Joseph Nassise )
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TNE fuel utilization rules
Message-ID: <199511280327.TAA18605@ix8.ix.netcom.com>

I am new to TNE and am having difficulty understanding the rules for fuel utilization
by starships travelling within system.  As a faithful reader of this mailing list over the
last several months, I was hoping someone out there might be willing to give me a
hand.  If anyone would be willing to paraphrase the rules governing this, or even
point out the right references in the rule book, it would be greatly appreciated.
You can e-mail me at RockRatt@ix.netcom.com or post it to the list in case others
are having a similar difficulty.

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

Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 17:09:14 -0600
From: library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 496
Message-ID: <199511290306.RAA25822@babylon5.dss.gov.au>

Dear Folks -

1.ALVIN'S CREW

In digest 492, Alvin put in some crew stats:
>Psg = 18
>   - 14 Diplomats
>   - 5 staffers
>   - 1 valet for senior dip.
>   - 8 elite troops

I think you mean _4_ diplomats, not 14 (the original design had 1 Ambassador
plus 3 Consuls).

2.DROP TANK USAGE

Franklin said:
>As I understand the rules, using drop tanks works like this:

Actually, no... [prepares to whack people with canon]:
"Disposable fuel tanks may be added to the ship to increase its range. These
L-Hyd tanks are fitted to the outside of the ship, and drop away before jump.
The result is more interior space for crew and passengers. Such tanks must be
replaced each time they are used, so they are practical only on runs to
civilised areas, or to increase fuel capacity to allow several jumps. L-Hyd
tanks are installed outside the hull, and increase the total tonnage of the
ship; drives are reduced in their efficiency based on the total tonnage of the
ship. With tanks retained, efficiency is decreased, and jump capacity is
reduced; when the tanks drop away, tonnage is reduced, and the drive efficiency
is increased."
_Book 5, High Guard_, GDW, USA, 1980, p27.

"A drop tank is designed to be released once it is drained, allowing improved
performance by the ship."
_FF&S_, GDW, USA, 1993, p62.

"Close Escort...Jump varies with situation. With drop tanks installed and
retained, jump-4 and 4-G. With drop tanks installed and dropped, jump-5 and 5-G.
With drop tanks not installed, jump-2 and 5-G."
_Supplement 9: Fighting Ships_, GDW, USA, 1981, p17.

"Gazelle-class Close Escort...Jump Performance: 3 with tanks attached (1120m^3),
5 without (1260m^3)."
_Brilliant Lances Technical Booklet_, GDW, USA, 1993, p23.
(ie. the extra fuel powers the larger jump, but with the smaller displacement)

>From reading the SOM, the procedure is closer to this:
1) The navigator computes a jump at the ship's _eventual_ displacement value
   (eg. a 400-ton J-3 Gazelle will have J-5 capability when it is 300-tons);
2) After the navigator successfully computes the desired jump, the engineer
   fires up the jump drive and charges up the zuchai crystal energy sinks
   (aka "capacitors");
3) When the capacitors are fully charged, the drop tanks are released;
4a) (With hull grid) Part of the capacitor charge is released to "warm up" the
    grid, then the rest is released in an instant to fully power the grid (all
    co-ordinated by the jump governor);
4b) (With coils) The capacitor energy is released into the coils [BORING!];
5) At the critical energy threshold, the jump field forms about the ship, and
   the ship tumbles into j-space...
_Starship Operator's Manual Vol 1_, DGP, USA, 1998, paraphrase of pp12-13, 64.

[whacking mode off]

BTW, I *never, ever* understood the Gazelle-class. OK, it might be fair to have
Al Morai use the things; after all, they are on a standard run, and drop tanks
should always be available. But the vessel is supposed to be a quasi-military
craft - and an escort, to boot! Fair enough for a deep-penetration scout to have
drop tanks - it can bug out at high-jump if it needs to. But the Gazelle has its
"normal" jump cut in half (OK, High Guard stats only)! What a useful design -
NOT!

In other words, I am *NOT* convinced that drop tanks have any place on a
military vessel (Eurisko's results aside). Merchant shipping on standard runs;
yes, this is very feasible. Can anyone explain the benefits to military ships?

Ben said:
>Another point - drop tanks can be used to carry maneuver fuel too...

Just like current-day planes. Wait - what is this I see - p33 of FF&S talks
about "Fuel drop tanks...may be attached...if [the hardpoints] have fuel
intake plumbing"! Hey, it DOES work for planes!

Eric said:
>(possibly using some sort of tiny gas thruster to clear the 1m limit)

They actually need to clear the 100-diameter limit... I just say that they are
designed with a miniscule quantity of excess gas, that is just enough to
propel them away.

I *still* like the image of _The Martian Way_...

3.JAMES' REVIEW OF THE RSB

Now, before anyone flames him, James does have a few reasonable points to raise.
I have said before on this list that to really play a "proper" game of TNE you
should create new characters in the RC, rather than pull your old ones into
the Regency - "you can't go home again". Reading the RSB is both interesting
and sad, much like reading the DGP adventure set on Terra. You realise that if
you pull the characters across, them most of the people they used to know will
be dead. Then you realise that you probably would be better off NOT pulling them
across; it would be better to use new PC's in the Regency as well. THEN you
realise that the original characters will be dead...etc etc.

However, I disagree that Dave broke with his principles. Rather, I think that
the Regency and the RC are an attempt to run two sorts of games. Remember my
post on T$R? What GDW are attempting, I think, is to have two game settings
within the one universe (rather than the T$R multiverse situation). Why not?
It's a big galaxy out there.

I also disagree that the RC is the "main" setting. Dave said that both areas
would be developed in parallel. They are just different (differences don't
necessarily make one thing superior to another, y'know; peas and carrots, men
and women, white and black and yellow, none are superior to the other).

As to including all those subsectors, I agree with Dave's comment that he would
have been apologising to players "for at least 3 years" - I would have been one
of the players. Besides, there is a wealth of information slotted in alongside
the maps in order to bring certain areas to life. If you want more, and have
net access, why not grab all the RICE papers you can and use them? Alvin, you
should point James to this mailing list. Even if he can't use the Regency gear,
there is a heap that he could use - for example, the excellent Dark Century
Amber Zone by Brendan O'Donovan - which IS set in the RC.

I think that James' review is fair, for a person who is new to Traveller.
Really, the RSB is only useful to long-term players who want to be updated to
the New Era. The overwhelming amount of information presented, that is based
on all that has gone before, must be difficult for new starters to get a handle
on. It is as though you only have half (or maybe 70%) of the story.

Alvin, can you post this review-review to James and whatever list he is on?
I don't have newsgroup access.

4.RE: MONKEY SUITS

Poor Tom must have mixed up his mailing lists. I wonder what message the wedding
invitees were sent?!? Anyway, here's opportunity for someone to post another
Olga-like Amber Zone...;-)

I'm tired. Off to bed.

- Hyphen
 (David Jaques-Watson)

PS. re. Tirem:
>But I still like the idea of an asteroid belt created by smashing a gas
>giant... anyone care to describe how such a belt would actually be like?
>Would it contain massive belts of frozen gases?

Thanks for the idea - I've been trying to work out how best to describe
the "Ice-cubes", Tavonni's furthest planetoid belt.

Keep looking, Alvin, and just reduce the size down - remember that Terra
is only size 8. You have plenty of room in between 8 and 22 to put your
planetoid.

- Hyphen
 (David Jaques-Watson)


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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 497
***************************
