TRAVELLER Digest 519

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Black Globes in Atmospheres. by Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
  2) Out of Print Traveller items. by lewis@chara.gsu.edu (Lewis Roberts)
  3) 1) See ya! 2) Ancient Sites 3) Rhylanor, Trin, Chronor by Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
  4) Inane comments by Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
  5) Re: Big Guns by topgenor@worldgate.com (Tom Opgenorth)
  6) Space:  Above and Beyond by Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
  7) Roger Sanger's Email Address by Wesley.Esser@hd62.haledorr.com
  8) Hey, was that a large EMP I saw there?! by Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
  9) Re: Space: Above and Beyond. by Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
 10) Re: by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
 11) Re: Space: Above and Beyond by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
 12) SAAB Is Pretty Bad by kevin.mccarthy@gsfc.nasa.gov (Kevin Mc Carthy)
 13) Re: Inane comments by peterb@superlink.net (Peter L. Berghold)
 14) 3G3 by aswfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
 15) Man-portable weapon systems by Antti Lahtinen <al76188@cs.tut.fi>
 16) Re: S:AAB Is Pretty Bad by mhclark@iastate.edu

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:55:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
To: Trav Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Black Globes in Atmospheres.
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951218162035.9609D-100000@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>

I once ran a scenario where a group of "fifth column" Zhodani took over a
landed battle cruiser by getting into the bridge and turning on the Black
Globe while the thing was still landed.  This kept the outside forces off
their backs for a while (especially since they didn't want to just blow
the thing up with all their men still inside) and allowed the Zho's to try
to hijack the ship.  It made for an interesting scenario, with liquefied
atmosphere dropping like rain from the globe which was covered with oxygen
and nitrogen frost.

I realize the scenario has some logical flaws, but boy was it neat!  I'm
not sure how much energy there would be in the air and dirt immediately
adjacent to the globe, but I assumed that the capacitors of a large
warship could take it for at least a while.  Also, regarding the idea that
the globe would blow up if anything large hits it, I always assumed that
it was taking in the kinetic energy of the body and that only the matter
adjacent to the globe would transmit heat to it in the short term.  Over
time, depending on the nature of the object hitting the globe, all the
heat would get sucked out of it, but this would depend on how fast heat
was trasmitted through the matter itself.


<0>         "The mind is stranger than it can imagine."<0>
<0> Charles Collin (charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca), <0>
<0> Psychology Department, McGill University.  <0>
<0> 1205 Dr. Penfield, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1.  <0>




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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 95 17:22:05 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu (Lewis Roberts)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: xboat@MPGN.COM
Subject: Out of Print Traveller items.
Message-ID: <9512182222.AA09564@chara.gsu.edu>

Hi folks,
In the Regency Sourcebook, GDW mentions that they have
some out of print items still in their warehouse.  I was
curious to see what they had, and sent away for a list.
They have alot of Classic Traveller products. Things like
Aslan Alien Module, The Traveller Adventure, Tarsus, Beltstrike
Research Station Gamma, Safari Ship, and more that I can't
remember off the top of my head.
They also have MegaTraveller products.  They have back issues
of Challange pretty far back. I picked up #28.  Also there
were two volumes of the Best of Journal.
So if you are interested in any older material, this would
be a good place to look.
Lewis

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 17:58:47 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: xboat@MPGN.COM, traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: 1) See ya! 2) Ancient Sites 3) Rhylanor, Trin, Chronor
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.951218173520.24632B@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


Hyperodge asked me a couple of difficult question: I'm referring them to
y'all, as I lack the materials I need to answer them.  Please email him
your responses personally also (at rodge@cyberspace.com), as I'm finally
graduating Sheridan College (big grin!).  This also means that I'll have
to leave your delightful company (big groan!), and I don't know when I'll
be able to hook up with you again.

Well, I know a few people at our IT department, so I _might_ get a
temporary reprieve...

I'll be sounding my Last Post this Friday for 1995.


                    *  *  *  S  O  B  !  *  *  *


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roger Sanger <rodge@case.cyberspace.com>

<snip about copywrite.  FYI, whenever you're posting bit's of old DGP
material, please include

  "the   source  of   the  material   (article  name,
   publication, page  numbers, Digest Group  Publications, and year)
   as well as the following statement: Portions included herein are
   copyright Digest Group Publications, Marc Miller, and GDW."       >


Rodge writes...
> I have a couple questions for you, if you don't mind:

>     Has any  detail ever been published  about Rhylanor, Trin, or
>     Cronor?  These  represent  three   pretty  big  holes  in  my
>     Traveller campaign. ;)

>     Do you have a list of  known ancient sites, especially in the
>     Domain of Deneb? The ones I can recall off the top of my head
>     are at:

>         Pixie/Regina/Spinward Marches        TD #21
>         Victoria/Lanth/Spinward Marches      JTAS #2
>         Rhylanor/Rhylanor/Spinward Marches   MegaTraveller 2 (computer
>                                                               game)

On the obverse, I'm interested in what worlds *have* been extensively
detailed in Traveller.  Anyone cares to take a look?

(Musingly) One Christmas Day, I'll recieve a shiny new CD-ROM from GDW,
containing ALL information concerning Traveller in one, easy-to-browse
location.   Every world, every alien, every sector, every ship: all
hyperlinked, too!

Santa, you know I've been a GOOD boy this year...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin Plummer
"Preserve what we created, Norris, and remember what we stood for."
                               - Strephon, 179-1126

Reply to: alvin.plummer@SHERIDANC.ON.CA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------



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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 18:09:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Inane comments
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.951218180248.24632C-100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


>
> How about as a treat for the holidays we whip up some weapons for
> everyone to use?  8)
>        --Jerry
>

You've been a Bad Boy, haven't you Jerry?

[Meanwhile, I'm madly designing ridiculously overarmed starships for the
sheer joy of it...]

> 8) darkstar@strauss.udel.edu         %   thoughts, and oblivion (8
> 8) darkstar@canary.pearson.udel.edu  %   drives my desires."    (8

****-----*****-----****

> From: gdw.support@genie.com
> To: traveller@MPGN.COM
> Message-ID: <199512180725.AA278011506@relay1.geis.com>
>

The Ultimate Lurker delurks for an instant...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin Plummer
"Preserve what we created, Norris, and remember what we stood for."
                               - Strephon, 179-1126

Reply to: alvin.plummer@SHERIDANC.ON.CA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:28:54 -0700
From: topgenor@worldgate.com (Tom Opgenorth)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Big Guns
Message-ID: <199512182326.QAA14851@valis.worldgate.edmonton.ab.ca>

>From: George Herbert <gherbert@crl.com>
>BFG-2070-B (TL 10 superheavy ACR)
>Fires the 20x70ETCPC cartridge with Ea=90,000J
>Dam=20 Pen=2-2-2 (Ball) 1-1-1 (Ds) Range=300/600/1200/2400
>Recoil: SS:1 3:3 5:3 10:6
>Empty mass: 21.5kg
>113cm hvy bbl=3.4kg
>Reciever: Crystaliron, 0.3125 of "base" wt ( (2/8)/(8/10) )
>Mass=14.2 kg
>Explosive Power Generator CPC HPG built into firing chamber
>Bayonet Lug, Grenade Adapter, Long Muzzle Brake, SA stock, Gyro Comp,
>Image Enhancement Scope, Laser Sight
>Cost: Cr16,830 single
>
>Ammo: 20 round magazine is 0.3kg empty, 4.8kg full
>Ball ammo is Cr 4.94/shot
>DS ammo is Cr9.34/shot
>
>
    <snip>
>Those having been made, just *look* at the weapon.  It's a man portable,
>relatively lightweight (about 100 lbs loaded), controllable on full auto
>*by an un-battledressed-human* light cannon.
>
>I don't know if this models the real world or not; I don't think anyone has
>ever made a weapon of this nature in real life, so I don't know if the design
>rules are accurate or not.

Interesting design.  For a real world model, I would say that no army would
field this weapon as the standard weapon of unpowered infantry.  A loaded
weight of 43.9kg is far to heavy a weapon to wield effectively.  Toss on a
few mag's of ammo, say 4 more @ 4.8kg =  19 kg, and the rest of his field
load, maybe 15kg tops, and you have an infantryman weighing 48 + 19 + 15 =
78kg (about his own body weight) with a very minimalist load.  And this
doesn't count what he would carry in his rucksack, things like socks,
ammunition, food, water, ammunition, sleeping bag/blankets/shelter half,
ammunition, etc.

On the plus side, if you put a bipod on it and give it to a fire-team, it
would make an excellent platoon support weapon.  If you could develop some
kind of HE, HEAT, and flechette round for it, that would round out it's
support weapon role nicely.  Imagine group three or four of these together
in a company assault, armed with a mix of HE and flechette going against
lightly armoured vehicles and infantry.  There would be much wailing and
gnashing of teeth on the receiving end.
==============================================================================
Malek's Law:
Any simple idea will be worded in the most complicated way.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Opgenorth                                  topgenor@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
topgenor@worldgate.com
http://www.worldgate.com/~topgenor/
==============================================================================


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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:39:19 -0800
From: Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Space:  Above and Beyond
Message-ID: <0d60abf0@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

Responding to Mark Clark:

>>Problem is, it seems like it's light on science and heavy on feelings and
character interaction.<<

Heaven forbid we should have actual character interaction! <g>

>>The show reminds me of nothing so much as a bad
World War II buddy movie with women and some odd references to people
raised via clone-like tech.<<

The show may be a bit melodramatic at times, but I don't think it's that bad.  I
guess beauty's in the eye of the beholder.

>>On the other hand, the animation of the space battles looks pretty cool,
and seems fairly Traveller-like.<<

I agree.

>>Anyway, since I've only seen a couple of whole shows, is it worth it to
try and catch it more often, or does it suck consistantly (I assume it
does since I haven't seen it mentioned here)<<

Like most shows, it's hit and miss.  For me it's been about 80 percent hit and
20 percent miss.  For you,...well, by the sound of things, I don't think it's
your type of show, Mark.  They are a bit short on the science, but all in all, I
think it's great space opera and inspiring fare for Trav refs and players alike.

--Chris

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 19:35:27 -0500
From: Wesley.Esser@hd62.haledorr.com
To: Rob Miracle <xboat@MPGN.COM>, Rob Miracle <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Roger Sanger's Email Address
Message-ID: <"818*/G=Wesley/S=Esser/OU=hd62/O=hale and dorr/PRMD=haledorr/ADMD=m
ci/C=US/"@MHS>

Does anyone out there have Roger Sanger's email address?  I am
having trouble reaching him and I suspect I have a bum address.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Wes Esser
wesley.esser@haledorr.com

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:42:12 -0800
From: Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Hey, was that a large EMP I saw there?!
Message-ID: <0d60b820@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

Responding to the shocking appearance of a well-known Trav author:

>>Date: Mon, 18 Dec 95 06:28:00 UTC 0000
From: gdw.support@genie.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Message-ID: <199512180725.AA278011506@relay1.geis.com>

 Dave Golden:
 > And could this possibly have anything to do with GDW's
 > financial problems?

 It has more to do with some personal matters that have soaked up 102%
 of my attention for several months.

 ANd will continue to do so for a while longer.
     LKW <<

Whoa!  Loren Wiseman lurks no more!  Now, maybe we'll have some interaction with
a major voice from the (part-time) GDW fold!  Welcome aboard, Loren.

--Chris

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 20:34:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Space: Above and Beyond.
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951218201430.11180A-100000@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>


Hi All.

>>>>>>>>>>
  I'm curious if anyone else has been watching this show.  It's been on
the Fox network on Sundays before The Simpsons (my favorite 1/2 hour of
TV), so I've watched a few episodes.  When I saw the ads, I thought it
would be a fun, Traveller/Starship Troopers/Forever War sort of thing.
Problem is, it seems like it's light on science and heavy on feelings and
character interaction.  The show reminds me of nothing so much as a bad
World War II buddy movie with women and some odd references to people
raised via clone-like tech..
<<<<<<<<

I've been nursing this show since the beginning, hoping it would
get better.  I've found that most SF shows need at least a year or so to
get their bearings (e.g., B5 and all the new Star Treks).  So I'm
to give it a chance.  I admit that it's a little soap opera-ish, but so
are the Star Trek shows.  Some of the episodes have been more combat oriented
and less devoted to ham-handed so-called character development.  The clone
types are an interesting concept involving soldiers developed in vitro.  I
like the fact that they are not presented as super-soldiers, but merely
good normal-human stock. This makes more sense biologically as well as
socio-culturally.


>>>>>>>
  On the other hand, the animation of the space battles looks pretty cool,
and seems fairly Traveller-like.  The one starship I saw up-close had the
manuever engines mounted out on pylons - very sensible, extra arm for
rotational moves.  The ground actions are more primitive than the space
tech - the troops look like they are wearing current USA field equipment
with a camera stuck on the helmet.
<<<<<<<

The space combat is definately the best aspect, they even have
quasi-vector-like movement (though ships still stupidly do barrel rolls
and other wasteful things).  The ships have a very good "rivets and
plates" look to them which I like.  I disagree with you about the ground
stuff.  I like the "primitive" look.  It makes a sort of sense since the
show's premise is that Terrans are new to the game and have just
developed their off-planet military capabilities.

>>>>>>>
  Anyway, since I've only seen a couple of whole shows, is it worth it to
try and catch it more often, or does it suck consistantly (I assume it
does since I haven't seen it mentioned here)?
<<<<<<<

I would recommend giving it a chance. I think you may have caught
some of the poorer episodes.  Some of them are closer to the Starship
Troopers sort of thing.  On the other hand, if you're looking for good
acting, give it up.  They've picked a bunch of nobodies for actors, and
it's obvious why they're nobodies.
I tend to watch all the SF I can on TV as a way of supporting it.
I'm going to give it a chance.  It's certainly better in terms of
Traveller stuff than anything else on TV (with the possible exception of
B5).  In my opinion, all the Star Trek series took at least a year to get
past the stage where you wince at least twice every episode from
watching bad acting/writing/etc.

Of course, the above is merely my humble opinion.  I was wondering why
this show hasn't gotten mention on the list.  Don't you people get Fox?
:-)

Charles.

<0>         "The mind is stranger than it can imagine."<0>
<0> Charles Collin (charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca), <0>
<0> Psychology Department, McGill University.  <0>
<0> 1205 Dr. Penfield, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1.  <0>



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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 18:52:43 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re:
Message-ID: <199512190152.AA05221@ns-1.csn.net>

At 02:30 AM 12/18/95 -0500, you wrote:
> Dave Golden:
> > And could this possibly have anything to do with GDW's
> > financial problems?
>
> It has more to do with some personal matters that have soaked up 102%
> of my attention for several months.
>
> ANd will continue to do so for a while longer.
>     LKW
>

        Sorry to hear that. Best of luck ... and welcome back, we've missed you.
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www2.csn.net/~goldendj/index.html

 "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his
  enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes
  a precedent that will reach to himself" -- Thomas Paine


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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 18:53:20 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Space: Above and Beyond
Message-ID: <199512190153.AA05282@ns-1.csn.net>

At 12:06 AM 12/18/95 -0500, you wrote:
>
>  Anyway, since I've only seen a couple of whole shows, is it worth it to
>try and catch it more often, or does it suck consistantly (I assume it

        Yep. At least I think it does, for numerous reasons I won't bother
going into (but those "Marines" really need a haircut!)
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www2.csn.net/~goldendj/index.html

 "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his
  enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes
  a precedent that will reach to himself" -- Thomas Paine


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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 22:13:22 -0500
From: kevin.mccarthy@gsfc.nasa.gov (Kevin Mc Carthy)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: mhclark@iastate.edu
Subject: SAAB Is Pretty Bad
Message-ID: <v02120d00acfbd8789d46@[192.225.68.194]>

Mark,

You said:
>  Anyway, since I've only seen a couple of whole shows, is it worth it to
>try and catch it more often, or does it suck consistently (I assume it
>does since I haven't seen it mentioned here)?

Even for the mass public "Space: Above and Beyond" (SAAB) is REAL bad.  My
Ten top reasons/questions (I'm embarrassed to say I've watched this 4
times.  My main excuse is I wonder why I'm not a tech advisor making 6
figures on just an OK Sci Fi TV series) are:
1) How much money did they save by not hiring a military advisor for the
script--let alone a physics graduate student as a science advisor.
2) On Sunday's, show a "Vitro", who even spent most of his life on the
lamb, didn't know what Christmas was.  Did he really live on Earth, let
alone the US--even 100 years from now?
3) Why is there a Saratoga?  It appears that there was no other space
capable .military--precontact.  Why build it?
4) The "58th" has about a dozen LTs and a Major.  Where are the Captains,
let alone the enlisted men?
5) What about grav plates?  When they lose their power they still have gravity.
6) The 2060's look more like the 1980's than what I envision the 2010's will be.
7) Why are fighter pilots used as infantry?
8) Where is every other nations' on Earth forces?
9) Why do fighters bank in vacuum?
10) Why do you catapult fighters in space?

Regards,

Kevin



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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 21:19:27 -0500
From: peterb@superlink.net (Peter L. Berghold)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Inane comments
Message-ID: <199512190219.VAA08142@mars.superlink.net>

>
>>
>> How about as a treat for the holidays we whip up some weapons for
>> everyone to use?  8)
>>        --Jerry
>>
>
>You've been a Bad Boy, haven't you Jerry?
>

Errr... ahhh... what does that make me?   Sounds really good to me!!

>[Meanwhile, I'm madly designing ridiculously overarmed starships for the
>sheer joy of it...]
>


Are you going to post them?

     _]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_
]_]_]_]_]
    _] Peter L. Berghold                         INTERNET: berghop@tcg.com
_]
   _] FAX: (718) 355-4282  PHONE: (718) 355-2722    -or-
peterb@superlink.net    _]
  _] Sr. Unix Specialist, TCG MIS Dept.       UUCP:
tcgny!berghold@uunet.uu.net _]
 _] "Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it..."
_]
_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]_]


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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 19:06:49 -0900
From: aswfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: 3G3
Message-ID: <v01530500acfbe889edd4@[137.229.100.52]>

The biggest problem I have found with the coversions from 3g3 to TNE/T2K
have been the fact that the base powder energies differ so much, even
accounting for the different TL's. 3G3 has no upper limit on powder energy,
FF&S Does. They have different methods for figuing out the effects of ETC
enhancement,and they figure damage differently. Overall, 3g3 is smoother,
cleaner, more realistic. (with 3g3 You can actually reverse engineer real
world weapons and come pretty close!)

However, 3g3 designs, no matter how nice, no matter how much we like them,
aren't good if you want to work with "official" TNE materials, as:
 (1)    GDW has so much out that conforms to FF&S
 (2)    GDW Seems to have cut off all third parties already as far as publishing
        material for traveller
 (3)    FF&S firearms design needs only a new weight formula to be useable.
 (4)    TNE/FF&S damage is UNREALISIC to begin with; I have seen an Unarmoured
        PC take an FGMP-15 to the chest! Same EXACT weapon did criticals to a
        patrol cutter. Hmmm, PC's tougher than 400 ton starships?

-Wil

William F. Hostman

EMail:          ASWFH@Orion.Alaska.EDU
HomePage:       http://orion.alaska.edu/~aswfh/index.html



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

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 12:06:08 +0200
From: Antti Lahtinen <al76188@cs.tut.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Man-portable weapon systems
Message-ID: <199512191006.MAA28237@cs.tut.fi>

After reading the gun thread in this mailing list, I checked
the military smallarm requirements from a MATINE paper
(MATINE = Defense Technical Committee of Finland).

When I compared these requirements with those weapons
presented in Reformation Coalition Equipment Guide, I noticed
that almost all those weapons would be considered unsuitable
of "borderline cases" for military smallarms. The main reason
for this is that RCEG weapons are too heavy.

As a rule of thumb, the (loaded) mass of modern military
smallarms should be with the following limits:

Sidearm (pistol):               1 kg, 1.5 km maximum
Personal Defense weapon (SMG):  3 kg, 4 kg maximum
Basic weapon (Assault rifle):   4 kg, 5 kg maximum
Sniper rifle (Anti-personnel):  5 kg, 8 kg maximum
Squad support weapon (LMG, GL): 6 kg, 10 kg maximum

Note that sufficiently low mass is only one of the
requirements, and the most important requirement is that
there must be a specific reason why a new weapon is needed.


The design rules in FFS assume that all weapons are made of
the same materials. However, it is possible to design lighter
weapons by using optional material rules. These design ideas
were presented in "Materials of Weapons" article in TML-118.


Design example: The following weapon is used in my TNE
campaign. The basic reason why this weapon was needed was
that it could fire a low-tech (TL-7) HMG ammo that was found
in stockpiles in a captured enemy supply dump.

---

12.7x99mm Heavy Automatic Rifle (SAKO 12.7 RasKiv)

Manufactured by SAKO in Vyborg/Capella/Solomani Rim, this heavy
rifle is a high-tech replica of ancient Barrett Light .50
bullpup. Most .50 calibre rifles are too heavy and unbalanced
to be fired without a bipod, but this rifle is build into
"over-the-shoulder" bullpup configuration, which allows it to
be fired from any position. In practice this means that the
pistol grip is placed in the front of the magazine well,
shoulder-rest is placed just behind the magazine well, and the
long receiver frame goes over the shoulder.

In this particular design, the part of the receiver that goes
behind the firer weights 4.34 kg, which is 40% of the weight of
a loaded rifle.

(Note: "over-the-shoulder" bullpup is sometimes called "bazooka
configuration", because the rifle is shouldered in a similar
way as a light rocket launcher.)

The weapon is designed to fire ancient Solomani TL-7 12.7x99mm
round, which is still manufactured in large quantities in some
low-tech worlds. 12.7x99mm round is also called .50 Browning
Machine Gun.

Only Ball and DS ammunition are manufactured, because TL-7 HE
and HEAP rounds do not offer any increase of performance.

Historically 12.7x99mm ball rounds are called ".50 BMG", and DS
rounds are called ".50 SLAP" (Saboted Light Armor Piercing).

TL:10+ (manufactured at TL-14 world)
Ammo:12.7x99-7
Muzzle Energy:20114 joules (20066j average muzzle energy)
Weapon Length:190 cm
Weapon Weight: 7.768 kg empty, with no magazine
10.831 kg with full 20-round box magazine
Weapon Price:Cr2324 (Cr8814 if build in TL-10 or TL-11)
Magaz Weight:3.063 kg loaded, 0.563 kg empty
Magaz Price:Cr7
Ammo Price:Cr2.5 (Ball), Cr5 (DS)
Ammo Weight:125 grams per round
Features:Optic sight, Long Muzzle Brake

Notes:The barrel, receiver, muzzle brake and magazine
are made of Crystal Iron. Hard Steel version of
this weapon would weight 24.416 kg and cost
Cr5874. A steel magazine would weight 1.8 kg
and cost Cr18.
While this rifle is 190 cm long (bulk 12), only
150 cm (bulk 10) of this is in the front of the
firer, and the remaining 40 cm goes over the
shoulder and behind the firer.

RoundROF DamVal PenRtg Bulk   Magaz Recoil SRange
12.7x99 BallSA  10   2-2-3  10(12) 20    4      150
12.7x99 DSSA  10   1-1-2  10(12) 20    4      180

---
---

        Antti Lahtinen    :     Justice is Only a Wish of a Weak
        al76188@cs.tut.fi :


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

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 11:13:51 CST
From: mhclark@iastate.edu
To: kevin.mccarthy@gsfc.nasa.gov
Cc: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: S:AAB Is Pretty Bad
Message-ID: <9512191713.AA08407@las2.iastate.edu>

> Mark,
>
> You said:
> >  Anyway, since I've only seen a couple of whole shows, is it worth it to
> >try and catch it more often, or does it suck consistently (I assume it
> >does since I haven't seen it mentioned here)?
>
> Even for the mass public "Space: Above and Beyond" (SAAB) is REAL bad.  My
> Ten top reasons/questions (I'm embarrassed to say I've watched this 4
> times.  My main excuse is I wonder why I'm not a tech advisor making 6
> figures on just an OK Sci Fi TV series) are:
> 1) How much money did they save by not hiring a military advisor for the
> script--let alone a physics graduate student as a science advisor.

  As crappy as the military scenes are, probably a whole lot of money!

> 2) On Sunday's show a "Vitro", who even spent most of his life on the
> lam, didn't know what Christmas was.  Did he really live on Earth, let
> alone the US--even 100 years from now?

  This is just Hollywood wishful thinking - "we aren't very religeous, so
in 100 years the whole planet will have rejected Jesus."  Either that, or
these "Vitros" are just plain dumber than rocks.

> 3) Why is there a Saratoga?  It appears that there was no other space
> capable .military--precontact.  Why build it?

  Give the military-industrial complex something to do with FF&S version
7.3?  Keep the asteroid colonies in line?

> 4) The "58th" has about a dozen LTs and a Major.  Where are the Captains,
> let alone the enlisted men?

  You need a roll a 12+ for survival each term (a la CT), so very few people
get promoted?

> 5) What about grav plates?  When they lose their power they still have
>  gravity.

  Actually, I think they just have big magnets in the floor, since the
characters are clearly made of cast iron (at least their brains are).

> 6) The 2060's look more like the 1980's than what I envision the 2010's
> will be.

  Well, once you get to post-modern, there are no more terms to use
(post-post-modern? No Way!), so fashion just froze in place.

> 7) Why are fighter pilots used as infantry?

  To get that 12+ survival roll.

> 8) Where is every other nations' on Earth forces?

  Maybe in 100 years eveybody is American due to movies and television.

> 9) Why do fighters bank in vacuum?

  Because it looks cool!

> 10) Why do you catapult fighters in space?

  To get them away from those big magnets in the floor?


  Actually, the more I think about it, S:AAB is really like Melrose
Place in space - mix of cute boys and girls in confined quarters, silly
plots, etc.  Glad I'm not the only one who finds this show silly.

---
Mark H Clark
mhclark@iastate.edu

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 519
***************************
