TRAVELLER Digest 521

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Space: Above and Beyond by Ron Dawson <rdawson@cgc.ns.ca>
  2) Re: Space: Above and Beyond by Rob Miracle <rwm@MPGN.COM>
  3) Space: ABove and Beyond by aswfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
  4) Seeker and Starlance? by E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
  5) Anti-grav design questions by stedee@auto-trol.com (Steve Deemer)
  6) Solomani Rim Campaign by Susan Marie Shock <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
  7) Re: SAAB Is Pretty Bad by mdavis@connectnet.com (Michael Davis)
  8) Space: Above and Beyond... by AQLH90D@prodigy.com (MR JON G FULLER)
  9) More Inane comments by Antti Lahtinen <al76188@cs.tut.fi>

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

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 18:15:25 +0000 (GMT)
From: Ron Dawson <rdawson@cgc.ns.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Cc: Multiple recipients of list <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Space: Above and Beyond
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.90.951220180824.270A-100000@Neptune>


I've watched a few of these shows (including the pilot) and I find it so
bad at times that it makes me cringe.  If I were to compare it to other
SF shows, I'd put it below even ST: Voyager (which also isn't that high
on my list).  Now, Babylon 5, there's a better example of a good SF
show.  At least the military infrastructure in B5 makes some sense (plus
the "Shadows" are a much more interesting enemy).

I liked the post a few days about the magnets in the floor and the iron
brains.

Seasons Greetings!

- Ron

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

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 13:26:31 -0500
From: Rob Miracle <rwm@MPGN.COM>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Space: Above and Beyond
Message-ID: <2.2b10.32.19951220182631.00681eb8@TanSoft.com>

At 01:17 PM 12/20/95 -0500, you wrote:
>I've watched a few of these shows (including the pilot) and I find it so
>bad at times that it makes me cringe.  If I were to compare it to other
>SF shows, I'd put it below even ST: Voyager (which also isn't that high
>on my list).  Now, Babylon 5, there's a better example of a good SF
>show.  At least the military infrastructure in B5 makes some sense (plus
>the "Shadows" are a much more interesting enemy).

Actually, I like the show.  We don't get B5 here, but I saw the pilot and
liked it as well.

I find the military infrastructure to be what I would expect if it were to
happen in the near future.  It is a near mirror of the infrastructure
currently in place, though I am bothered that Marine Aviators are sent in
for ground grunt work, and that a bunch of 2LT's are working together
instead of leading their own squads.  Now if you look at them as not
aviators, but as Marine Special Forces, with aviation abilties, it does get
to be a lot stronger.  I think if they included a bunch of privates and
such, where each of the main characters were in charge of each squad, or
manipulate them into positional roles (communications officer, helmsman, etc
(which they also seem to be doing) then the layout begins to hold more water.

Rob
--
Rob Miracle (rwm@TanSoft.com)| GCS d-->--- !H s:++ !g !p au+ a34 w+ !v C++>++++
Tantalus Inc.  Key West, FL  | UU++++$ P--- L+ 3 E--- N+++ K-  W+ M-- V-- -po+
"You have a problem?  I have | Y-- t++ 5>++ jx R+++ G'''' tv+++ b D B- e++ u**
a plan!" -- Anton Devious    | h---- f r+++ n---- y++++


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

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 11:56:19 -0900
From: aswfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Space: ABove and Beyond
Message-ID: <v01530501acfe263cfdc5@[137.229.100.86]>

[exiting lurker Mode]

The show is about as good a war show as I have seen since Black Sheep
Squadron. Truth be told, every marine is a trained infantry-person. All of
them. Even the fighter jocks.

As for the 58th having too many chiefs and not enuf injuns, remember that
ALL US Fighter pilots are officers. The deck crews, repair crews, etc are
enlisted (I've seen em in both USMC and Navy chevrons on the show.)

The problem is that they are using a WWII marine corps aviation model; for
a squadron from a bunch of raw pilots and give them an experienced
commander.

As for the Saratoga: It seems to be laid out fairly well, but they still
haven't mentioned artificial gravity, which it obviously has. Same goes for
the LCV's! In the cristmas episode, they wind up on minimal power, and
still have gravity. Hmmm.

As for the other nations, we don't see or hear any other nations, but they
might have the different nationalities working different lanes of approach.

As for drifiting into another system, they might be referring to different
planet-moon systems armound the same star, or possible be talking about
binary systems or trinary systems.

Yes, it is space opera. Yes, it needs a science advisor. Yes, they should
be taking the maintenance crew with them on dirtside "grunt" missions, as
the maint crew are no more and no less expendable than the fighter jocks.


-Wil

William F. Hostman

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



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

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 21:09:12 +0000
From: E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Seeker and Starlance?
Message-ID: <0099B2A7.E03CE4A0.2@v2.qub.ac.uk>

Hi,

Does anyone know if Seeker Games Systems or Starlance Publishers are still
in operation? I'm thinking of getting some of their stuff, but if either of
them are defunct, I'd like to know so's I don't waste money on postage.

Thanx,

Eamon.

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

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 95 14:58:26 MST
From: stedee@auto-trol.com (Steve Deemer)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Anti-grav design questions
Message-ID: <9512202158.AA07757@stedee.YP.attc>

Trying is visualize the Traveller future always seems (for me) to end up
looking like today with spaceships. This shouldn't be the case, so I've
been wondering what the effect of having gravitic technology around for
a few hundred years would have on peoples daily lives. We already got
air/rafts and grav belts. Capitol is (was?) an entire complex suspended
in mid-air. FGMPs have a gravitic recoil device. What else?

How small/cheap/low-powered can an anti-grav device be produced? I remember
from somewhere seeing an illustration of a starship common area. There
were hanging plants and light fixtures floating in air, implying some kind
of lift plate or other anti-grav device. Would anti-grav be common and cheap
enough to be used in plant vases and lamps?

What kind of throw-away descriptions would this add to the flavor of the
game? Do engineers have floating work lights? Anti-grav, always close to hand
toolboxes? Would luggage be essentially weightless when carried, or would it
float behind you? Would there be hands-free umbrellas that hovered just
overhead? Would "no visible means of support bras" need batteries?

If anti-grav is commonplace, what kind of adventure seeds does that suggest?
A PC locked up in prison jury-rigs some industrial-sized lighting fixtures
and makes a dangerous escape, maybe? Floating over prison walls on an
improvised air/raft? What would high-security areas look like, if that
was possible? A lot of sensors, or a really, really big razor wire canopy?

Just some random thoughts before the holiday vacation. If there's anyone
interested in designing something other than small arms over the break,
there's a few suggestions.

Steve Deemer
stedee@auto-trol.com

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

Date:         Wed, 20 Dec 95 21:07:41 EST
From: Susan Marie Shock <34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Solomani Rim Campaign
Message-ID:   <951220.211432.EST.34ZBTXQ@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>

I'm putting together a campaign for TNE involving a RCES ship that misjumps
into the Solomani Rim Sector and must survive and find it's way home while deal
ing with the remnants of the Solomani Confederation. Sorta Like Star Trek:
Voyager with more teeth in the Traveller Universe. Earlier tonight, I was
surfin' the net and came across Goeran's new web site. Therein was made reference
to a Near Bootes Confederation campaign and some cool and useful stuff that
with the author's permission, I might incorporate into my idea. (I'm thinking of
having two pocket empires in the SR sector; one "good Guy" empire and one
"bad guy" one, although both terms are highly relative.) However, I can't access
the material! Is there an alternate place where this stuff can be downloaded?
or could the author contact me and e-mail me some of this stuff? Thanks!

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

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 95 10:06:55 PST
From: mdavis@connectnet.com (Michael Davis)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: SAAB Is Pretty Bad
Message-ID: <199512210453.UAA07203@connectnet1.connectnet.com>

On Mon, 18 Dec 1995 22:14:57 -0500 you wrote:

>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?
>
Hi,
I have watched this show and a few answers, and a few questions of my own.

1)I wish that they would get a few GOOD advisors on board.
2)The Vitro is three years old, and skipped his classes at the center
on history/culture.  He was a trouble maker and was sent to the Corp
by a judge.
3)We humans carried our past into space, remember that in 2060 there
are still nations and wars, only this threat got the world together.
4)I see the 58th as a flight wing made up of just the pilots, the rest
are assigned in a different command, much like a current aircraft
carrier which will rotate the flight wing out but the rest keep on
working with the ship.
5)They never said in the show that they lost all power, power was
reduced and they did shut down equipment to conserve power.  They were
out of thruster power which is used to turn the spacecraft, notice
that the main engines were operational and were nuke in design.
6)No comment.
7)This does not make sense to me either, the Saratoga has army special
forces on board for ground pounders.
8)I think that the nations are outfitting their own warships and only
join in fleets.
9)No comment.
10)If you just dropped them out the door and the Saratoga was under
power you might have them hit the ship, sensor, probe, antenna, and
get to near the main drives.  You catapult them out to clear the ship
and its drives, not to get them up to flying speed.
11)Why do the fighters seperate?
12)Why does the captain risk his ship so often?
13)Why does the Saratoga have to have close firefights, a long range
missile fight would be more correct.

There are many mistakes on the show and the only reason I watch is to
get a SF fix.

I think now that they must have a old retired wet sailer advising
them, someone so out of date .....

Well thanks,


**********
Michael Davis
**********

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

Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 01:59:40 EST
From: AQLH90D@prodigy.com (MR JON G FULLER)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Space: Above and Beyond...
Message-ID: <013.07151604.AQLH90D@prodigy.com>

>>  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.

>They have good space animation effects.

Not really -- take a gander at Babylon 5 sometime.  In fact...look at
B5 _anytime_ and you'll see how sadly SAB stacks up.  They could
_really_ use some improvement.  Writing like:  "They're jamming my
LADAR!" just doesn't cut it.

(Sorry to go off topic...but...it *HAD* to be said!)

________________________________________________________
"I know this may sound like an excuse," he said.  "But tensor functions in
higher differential topology, as exemplified by application of the Gauss-
Bonnett Theorem to Todd Polynomials, indicate that cohometric axial
rotation in nonadiabatic thermal upwelling can, by random inference
derived from translational equilibrium aggregates, array in obverse
transitional order the thermodynamic characteristics of a
transactional
plasma undergoing negative entropy conversions."

-Jesse Honey, "Winters Tale" by Mark Helprin



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

Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 12:22:39 +0200
From: Antti Lahtinen <al76188@cs.tut.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: More Inane comments
Message-ID: <199512211022.MAA08201@cs.tut.fi>

>>Now, don't tell me Santa designes squad-support weapons in his spare time!

>Well... he *has* held onto the North Pole for a *real* long time! :)

        Actually Santa must have access to quite good weaponry.

        According to the original story of Santa Calus (not the
        new one that has been marketed to US, first by Coca Cola
        company, later by Disney), the home of Santa (actually
        St. Nicolaus) is at Korvatunturi (North-East Finland).

        Korvatunturi ("Fell Ear") is at the border area between
        Finland and Russia, and about 2/3 of this fell is at
        Russian side.

        As Santa and his helpers (called "Tonttu" in finnish)
        have held the Korvatunturi for last few centuries, they
        mush have some pretty impressive weaponry. The pressure
        at Korvatunturi must be increasing continuously, because
        those russian soldiers that have been pulled back from
        Baltia are now being massed near Finland's border, and
        that area has now probably the highest concentration of
        weaponry in the world.

        Note: "Tonttu" is "Gnome" in english. The reason why
        these guys are called "elves" is just crappy
        translation job.

---

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

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End of TRAVELLER Digest 521
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