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Traveller-digest           Saturday, 27 July 1996       Volume 1996 : Number 294

(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

         1. Tavonni Sidebar: Caradoc LIC (long)
         2. Tavonni Sidebar: Menelvagor LIC
         3. Adventure ideas from books (was Re: Traveller: Terra 1965)
         4. Re: comments and a scenario (was Re: Urban legends)
         5. Re: Traveller-digest V1996 #284
         6. Alien Hardcover
         7. Re: Nuclear Airplane
         8. TNE 1209 (long)
         9. Re: Traveller: Terra 1965
        10. Re: Traveller: Terra 1965 (Td V96 #288)
        11. Re: Adventure Creation 
        12. Announcement and request for help

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

From: David Jaques-Watson <davidjw@pcug.org.au>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 00:43:54 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Tavonni Sidebar: Caradoc LIC (long)

Dear Folks -

Grant Sinclair and Mike Mikesh have had a look at Tavonni, and given back 
some useful and constructive criticism. One point that Grant made is that 
the information is interesting, but somewhat dry.

The main reason for this, I think, is due to the requirement for 
"fast-forwarding" the setting to TNE. This means that all the potential 
NPCs are *dead*, and since we don't actually play in TNE, I have no new 
ones to share.

Now, since the advent of the "Mileau" thing, things might improve. here 
then, is the first of two "sidebars" detailing some of the principals of 
Tavonni.

- --------------------
Tavonni Sidebar: Caradoc LIC

Count Leto Khaanraarshuinki (a retired Fleet Admiral) and Gukushriiken (a
retired Army general) mustered out at Regina (SM 1910) on 001-1099. The
two had met each other during their service lives, and decided to team up
and pool their resources (which included their retirement benefits and
Leto's family fortune). They joined forces with two ex-Scouts and a
merchant, and began trading. 

By 1101, they had grown to include five scout ships and six merchantmen. 
The group moved to the Outrim Void (actually to the Egryn subsector,
Trojan Reach), established Caradoc LIC, and began securing footholds on
various worlds in the region. Experiencing security difficulties (with
pirates, locals, and other merchants), Caradoc hired an Aslan merc company
from the Darrian Consulate. The Aslan were paid in cash, and by land
grants purchased by Caradoc. 

In 1104, miners working for Caradoc made a lanthanum strike in the Egryn
subsector. The announcement made Caradoc's share price rise dramatically,
and the company poured its increased capital back into trading (still the
heart of the business). In 1112, Caradoc announced it had discovered the
Bright Light, an Azhanti High Lightning-class cruiser that had gone
missing in the Outrim Void in 1108. Claiming salvage rights, they were
able to make the ship part of their fleet. By 1117, the trading
corporation was worth TCr 1. 

When Leto and Gunderlinyou learned of the death of Strephon, they foresaw
trouble in the Outrim Void. Guessing at the probable response of the
ihatei - with knowledge gained from trading with them - led them to a
decision to abandon their trading bases and retreat to the Marches. 
Although costly, Leto saw it as a better choice than losing the lot -
which was his forecast. 

While scouring the Marches for a new base, Leto cut a deal with LSP to
become a subsidiary company. This gave Caradoc access to much-needed
contacts within the Marches, and provided another capital base to draw
upon. When the scouts returned, Leto decided that Tavonni was the best
choice for a base. It was uninhabited, with land available for his Aslan; 
it was in the under-developed Vilis subsector, giving the company enough
elbow-room to expand; and it was centrally located. 

Leto travelled to Regina to personally petition Archduke Norris for the
Tavonni system, where he met Baroness Heidi Maria Heyerdahl of Menelvagor
Ltd. 
- --------------------

Next up: Menelvagor!

- - Hyphen
(David Jaques-Watson)
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity".


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

From: David Jaques-Watson <davidjw@pcug.org.au>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 00:51:42 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Tavonni Sidebar: Menelvagor LIC

Dear Folks -

Here is the second of the Tavonni sidebars, detailing the backgrounds of 
some of those involved in creating Tavonni.

- --------------------
Tavonni Sidebar: Menelvagor LIC

Menelvagor Ltd was originally a Sword World company, created by Beowulf
Heyerdahl.. He was the second son of Baron Heyerdahl of Tizon (SM 0922). 
In 1100, Beowulf mustered out from the Sword Worlds Patrol Service on his
homeworld, took his inheritance as a second son and went trading. 
Initially, he simply booked passage and paid for starship freight costs. 
After chancing on a cache of gems at Beater (SM 1424), his wealth reached
MCr 40, and he decided to create a company for financial management
reasons (mostly to lower his tax). 

Beowulf established Menelvagor Ltd on 059-1101, pouring his fortune into
the company. He headed into the Imperium, continuing to trade and to "see
the sights" - a true traveller. In mid-1102, a profitable load of
computers increased Menelvagor's capital to nearly MCr 200. The company
commissioned the Mithril Wanderer, which served as its flagship for the
next ten years. By 1105, Menelvagor was worth over MCr 300, and
commissioned the design of the 12,810-ton armed merchant cruiser,
Bonaventure. 

The outbreak of the Fifth Frontier War led to instability and an eventual
rebellion on Tizon. In 1108, Beowulf's father and older brother were
killed. His older sister Heidi Maria (now Baroness) managed to escape in a
single ship with her closest associates. She took what she could of the
family fortune, mostly transportable items such as gold, gems, and cash,
to the value of MCr 100. Heidi toward Regina, Beowulf's last known
location. Stopped at Garda-Vilis, she managed to obtain clearance into
Imperial space as a "refugee" (after sufficient bribery). However, travel
toward Regina was blocked due to the invading Zhodani 40th Fleet. Heidi
decided to trade around Vilis subsector until 1109, making many trading
contacts. 

Beowulf was actually at Dentus (SM 2201), acquiring a load of weapons
(including ship nukes) from a destroyed Vargr fleet. He used his armed
cruiser to transport these outside the Imperium to Utoland (SM 1209),
trading arms for gems and increasing capital to nearly MCr 500. 
Returning, he traded the gems at Kinorb (SM 2202) for a huge profit,
bringing capital to over MCr 650. 

Heidi headed for Regina in mid-1109, only to be stopped at Equus by the
Zho invasion. She traded in the area, discovering the "Golden Triangle" 
of crowded and industrialised Heroni (SM 2521), rich agricultural Byret
(SM 2523), and poor Fosey (SM 2621). However, pirates from Skull (SM 2420)
discovered that Heidi was shipping valuables. 

In early 1110, Heidi was able to proceed towards Regina. The pirates,
following behind, missed her trail and headed for Regina. Beowulf, in the
meantime, had left the Bonaventure at Kinorb and headed to Regina in the
Mithril Wanderer. Confusing his activities with those of Heidi's, the
pirates attacked and destroyed his ship in the Regina system, killing
Beowulf. The Navy, responding to Beowulf's distress call, destroyed the
pirates. 

Heidi arrived to find her brother dead, with his company fortune left to
his "closest surviving relative". She then had to prove her identity in
order to claim his body for burial and his fortune. Two and a half months
later, her claim was accepted. The combined total of their fortunes was
worth MCr 800. Heidi elected to take over Menelvagor Ltd, and her skilful
handling allowed the company's worth to reach MCr 3,000 by 1117. 

Just after establishing her identity, Baroness Heidi was invited to a 
function at Duke Norris' household. Here she met Count Leto Khaanraarshuinki 
of Caradoc LIC.
- --------------------

Comments are welcome. Enjoy!

- - Hyphen
(David Jaques-Watson)
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity".


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

From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 02:54:13 PST
Subject: Adventure ideas from books (was Re: Traveller: Terra 1965)

In mail you write:

> On 07/25/96 at 10:42 AM,  Roderick Darroch Elliott <gpvll@hk.super.net> said:
>
>>        So: it's 1965 or so... the Cold War is in full swing; President
>>Eisenhower has just been reelected for his sixth term <g>...
>
> Are you Canadian?  <G> It would have been Ike's 4th or 5th, at best.
> Roosevelt's last term went up to '48, and if Ike was elected then instead of
> Truman then he could have been re-elected in 52, 56, 60, & 64 and he'd be in
> his 5th term.  But Ike wasn't back from Europe and retired in time for the 48
> race, so it would likely be that he didn't run until 52.

Besides, the presidential term limit amendment to the Constitution was
in motion almost before Roosevelt's body was cold. That's *really*
unlikely to change.

> Don't forget the NUCLEAR airplane!  <g> Very buildable and it could have
> remained aloft for months on end, with small craft shuttling passengers,
> cargo and crew up and down as the ship continues to fly its route.

I used to have library priveleges at an airbase. One interesting book I
found in the library was a book on the nuclear powered airplane
program. There were a *lot* of different designs. Everything from the
one that used reactor generated steam to drive turbines that drove
propellers (a nuclear turboprop!), to the "nuclear ramjet" (quite
similar to something Clarke described in Prelude to Space).

Picture a reactor built around a ceramic lined air channel and designed
to operate at *very* high temperatures. It heats the air hot enough to
make it work like a ramjet. For startup, you use a "shutter" assembly
to make it a pulsejet. When you get high enough to start running out of
air, you start pumping in some fluid to vaporize and replace air as the
reaction mass. Ammonia works well.

Not NERVA, but a lot nicer to be around for takeoff.

BTW, I was re-reading an old favorite yesterday. Andre Norton "The
Stars Are Ours!" The setting is earth after a disaster that left
much of the more populous parts of the northern hemispere not just
depopulated, but "burned off" (Norton's term for blasting large
segments of a planetary surface into radioactive slag). It was blamed
on scientists, so there were purges and the like. 

It's now decades later and the dictatorship that has control is hunting
down the last of the scientists. They've got a hidden base with a ship
that may be capable of interstellar flight, but would take a *long*
time. They've just worked out "cold sleep", and they manage to escape.

The second half takes place on a the world they colonize. It apparently
had its own war. And the nasties there still survive, but nowhere near
our heroes.

There's a sequel titled "Star Born". It has an expedition using a "jump
drive" reaching the planet. 

Without too much trouble, you could file off some serial numbers and
use large chunks of both for background in exploring the territory that
was lost during the Long Night. Have the "burn off" be due to an attack
on the planet, and keep or get rid of the dictatorship part. You can
also use the planet the folks on the sleeper ship colonized, and have
the same problems with them thinking you are from the "bad guys" their
ancestors had fled.

I also now have the names of the 4 Norton books about the Solar Queen
(a free trader) and her crew.

1. Sargasso of Space
2. Plague Ship
3. Voodoo Planet
4. Postmarked the Stars

In "Sargasso of Space", we see how the Scout Service auctions off
trade rights to newly discovered planets. Basicly, you get the
exclusive right to any trading with the planet for a certain period.
After that, anybody can trade with them. Hopefully, you'll find some
good trade items and some unique ones. And by the time your "lock"
expires, you'll be in *real* good with the natives.

It also has a ship being chartered to haul and archeological expedition
to explore some Forerunner (Ancients) remains on a newly discovered planet.
A planet that has been mostly "burned off".

In "Plague Ship", we get to see a Free Trader trying to open up trade
with natives, and looking for items that are worth hauling. Gemstones
are one, but some of the others may surprise you. 

There's also the not so minor problem of finding something the natives
*want* in exchange for the stuff you want. This too, can have it's
surprises. 

We also see some of the things that can "get" you when dealing with new
planets.

And we get to see the "Big Burn" on Terra (the mess made by the
accident/war in "The Stars Are Ours!". This gives ideas for what you
might find on war devasted planets. Or even just *weird* planets. I
won't spoil the story by going into detail.

Voodoo Planet has the Free Traders visting a planet settled by
Africans. Definitely good for the bit about seeing how a non-Western
culture transplanted to another planet can surprise you.

And "Postmarked the Stars" has the crew discovering the sort of
adventures you can get into while acting as a susidized freighter on a
mail run.

Other Norton books that deal with Free Traders or aliens in a manner
that may be useful to Traveller players. (groups indicated sequels,
trilogies, etc).

The Zero Stone
Uncharted Stars

The Sioux Spaceman

Moon of Three Rings
Exiles of the Stars

Storm Over Warlock
Ordeal In Otherwhere
Forerunner Foray

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 03:43:42 PST
Subject: Re: comments and a scenario (was Re: Urban legends)

In mail you write:

> At 03:48 am 7/25/96 PST, you wrote:
>
>>For those of you who understand the notation, here's a clue....
>>
>>
>>                             /\
>>                            /  \
>>                           /    \
>>                          /   4  \
>>                         /\      /\
>>                        /  \    /  \
>>                       /    \  /    \
>>                      /   4  \/   4  \
>>                      \      /\      /
>>                       \    /  \    /
>>                        \  /    \  /
>>                         \/      \/
>>                          \      /
>>                           \    /
>>                            \  /
>>                             \/
>>
>
>         I've seen them, obviously, but I'm not able to interpret it. Perhaps
> a quickie overview? I like the idea ...

That's the NFPS (National Fire Protection Society?) diamond. The upper
three sections are colored (red, yellow and blue, I forget the order). 
The bottom section is reserved for graphical symbols indicating special
hazards. 

I may have which sub-diamond is which wrong, and I'm only approximating
the explanations of the numerical values.

  Top: Flammability hazard
Right: Explosive hazard
 Left: Toxicity hazard

Each hazard has a numerical rating from 1 to 4. The scheme is roughly this:

1. no hazard
2. some hazard
3. hazardous
4. *extremely* hazardous

Some of the graphical symbols for the bottom diamond are things like
the graphic for "corrosive" (a drop from a test tube eating a hole in
something) and the radiation trefoil.

There are books and booklets available giving the ratings for various
chemicals. I got mine (which is in storage at the moment) from the
local Comunity College bookstore when the firefighter course was
changing textbooks. Mine was one of "outdated" books.

Now you can see why a 4-4-4 rating will give a knowledgable person the
willies! And pity the poor trader who has signed the contract *before*
he finds out the cargo is 4-4-4.

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 03:57:06 PST
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1996 #284

In mail you write:

> On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Les Howie wrote:
>
>> 2. Its "plumbed" for all essential functions -- possibly including sip 
>> tubes for water, nutritional supplements (you could be DAYS at high G).
>
> But can you _swallow_ at high-G?

As I recall, the answer is yes. But you have to do so carefully.

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

From: Nathan  Mezel <hotchip@oeonline.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 11:13:13 -0400
Subject: Alien Hardcover

Did anyone ever see or buy the $170 (US) copy of the Alien Encyclopedia =
from IBR productions?  The ad in Challenge 72 said that it would be =
limited to 200 copies each one signed by Marc Miller.

I would have bought it except that I could get no info on the German =
company and it was a lot of money to risk on a possible "vaporware" =
product.

Does anyone know if it is still available?

Nathan Mezel

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

From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@usa.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 11:30:47 -0600
Subject: Re: Nuclear Airplane

At 12:57 am 7/26/96 -0600, you wrote:
>On 07/25/96 at 11:06 PM,  "David J. Golden" <goldendj@usa.net> said:
>
>>        Funny you should mention that ... my senior design project lo these
>>many years ago was developing a space-based-laser-powered Orbital Transfer
>>Vehicle for NASA, to go from LEO to GEO ...
>
>Oh!  You're *that* David Golden! <g>
>
>You didn't get that published somewhere did you?  I remember seeing something
>like that in some journal years ago.

        Could be, I didn't pay much attention to journals when I first
graduation. There were about 20 of us in the group. We did the work in '88,
for NASA Langley (IIRC). I don't think I even have a copy of the final
report laying around anywhere. Might be nice to reread what we did!
- --________________________________________________________________
   Dave Golden                           PGP Public Key available 
   goldendj@usa.net     http://www.usa.net/~goldendj/default.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


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

From: Nathan  Mezel <hotchip@oeonline.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 13:28:17 -0400
Subject: TNE 1209 (long)

Back when IG first announced T4 I wanted the first miliue to begin after =
TNE with a later book filling the blanks between TNE & T4.

So I started a campaign write up that sort of petered out when Meieu 0 =
was announced.

With the redent discusion on this list about a TNE wrap up I thaought I =
might post what I had written.

Fulcrums' Measure: The Coalition of Worlds Campaign

It is late 1209 and the RC (now part of the Coalition of Worlds and =
Interests) is experiencing growing pains. The establishment of the new =
Subsidized Trader network and a more unified front has allowed the =
Reformers to become the driving force between the New Era. Having =
"tamed" the Empire of Solee and pushed back the Vampire fleet to Core =
subsector attention has been turned to the maintaining the "Cold War =
with the Regency and their expansionist and imperialist mindsets, the =
disturbing genocide attacks on the CWI's  Rimward edge by the K'kree and =
their mercenaries, and lastly to further exploration to the trailing =
edge of the RC boundaries=20

The first, inevitable conflict with the Regency came in late 1204 when a =
squadron of ships from the Spinward Marches made their presence known.=20
In a tribute to the Arrival Vengeance mission eight decades ago, a fleet =
of Azhanti Class ships arrived at the RC's  doorstep. Their original =
mission was to lead a dangerous drive through to Margaret's'
old domain, assessing the virus presence and possible future colony =
worlds. They had made the trip by way of the Great Rift, and a small =
group of Aslan support ships from the New Ihatei rulers had traveled =
with them.  When the Regency fleet learned of the growing RC they were =
not prepared for the stiff anti-imperial resolve of these people.  At =
first relations are
reserved and tempered. Popular opinion of the Regents were of mute =
disgust. The Regents talked of restoring the Imperium and that was =
antithesis of RC doctrine and belief.=20
But to the Regents the chilling fact that  the people of the Coalition =
had accepted Virus as an
ally,  proved to be the most decisive factor in RC and Regency =
relations.
Promise showed briefly for awhile that there may be an acceptable common =
ground for the two powers when the Regency fleet supported  the RC in =
the battle that crippled the power of the Solee.  It was a short lived =
alliance that only further exaggerated the differences between the two.=20

The Regents left with cold words,  any group of people who accept Virus =
as an equal sentient, will have no place in the new Imperium. It was =
obvious now that the Regency planned to reestablish their kinder, =
gentler Imperium on all of humanity. To the RC nothing could be worse. =
The next year was spent busily annexing the Empire of Solee and =
beginning open relations with the Hub worlds.=20

The Covenant of Sufren became a port for forward operations into the =
Frontier (as it was not called the Wilds anymore with news of other =
human pocket empires.) and from this vantage the Vampire fleet was =
driven back to Core.  An alliance born out of mutual, protectionism =
interests,  formed the largest human alliance, outside of the Regency, =
in the old imperium states.  The RC, The Empire of Solee the Hub Worlds =
the Grayln Union, and even the Merchants guild had begun to reclaim =
humanities former glory.  These worlds resisted Regency expansionism as =
well, further perpetuating the "cold war" between the Regency and the =
newly aligned Coalition of Worlds and Interests.

In 1206 a group of Balduri scouts made their way down the Antrallian =
main where,at the
old scout base at Antraillia (Alpha Leonis/ Crucis 0306) they made an =
exciting discovery.  A small population of interstellar travelers who =
were revived Imperial and Solomani Remnants, had established (with =
infamous hiver influence)an interstellar  alliance made up of  three =
worlds  These energetic nomadic explorers would prove to be the vanguard =
mission to recontact Earth in the New Era.

 The adventure as written assumes the players to be both members
of the RC and of Imperial Era Remnants revived by
the RC in 1204.  This is by no means meant to restrict the Referee
to these actions by imposing them on the players, but, they are
an aid in roleplaying that you may find works with your playing
group.  Fulcrums Measure is a campaign that draws a lot from Traveller
history both the RC and the Imperium  and is meant to exploit the
differences in the culture of different eras in ways that
require role-playing.




It is late 1204 and the RC is experiencing growing pains.  With the =
breaking of the guild and the establishment of the now subsidize trader =
network.  Earlier in the year a shocking surprise came to the RC. =
Visitors from the Old Imperial Spinward Marches made their presence =
known.  In a tribute to the Arrival Vengeance mission XXX amount of =
years ago this fleet of Azhanti Class ships arrived at the RC doorstep.  =
The scuttlebutt was enormous and the stories the Regents brought with =
them were astounding.  They had made their way to this area by way of =
the Great Rift.  A small group of Aslan Support ships from the New =
Ihante rulers  had traveled with them.  Their mission was to lead a =
dangerous drive through to Margaret's old domain when they got word of =
the RC.  At first relations are reserved if not a bit "stiff".  Popular =
opinion of the Regents were of mute disgust.  The Regents talked of =
restoring the Imperium and that was antithesis of RC doctrine belief.

Life in the blasted ruins of the Imperium taught the RC taught that in =
order to survive one must make strong allies.  This included the =
Covenant of Sufren, the far off Gralyn Union and word throughout the =
trader league was that  the Hub Worlds existed and was ready for trade.  =
But the chilling fact of having accepted  the Sandman Virus as an ally =
proved to be a dividing factor in RC and Regency relations in the coming =
years.  Though they Regency did support the RC in an attack against the =
Solee that eventually garnered the RC  some sizable battleline ships. =20
=20


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

From: Norm Fenlason <normf@cyberatl.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 14:47:47 -0700
Subject: Re: Traveller: Terra 1965

Roderick Darroch Elliott at <gpvll@hk.super.net> wrote [snipped]
...
> generally the earth-space side of things, with the Army actually competing
> with them for the funding and role (remember, I'm gunning for a darkish
> kitschy future here; interservice intrigue in the corridors of power in
> Washington could actually make for some interesting adventures :)).

That's too bad. I would have preferred golden innocence with brave, but 
uninfomred, heros accompanying egg-headed scientists while facing a 
flurry of unknowns. The politics, while polarized, are clearly cut.

- --Norm Fenlason

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

From: Joe Walsh <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 18:47:01 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: Traveller: Terra 1965 (Td V96 #288)

On Fri, 26 Jul 1996, Derek Wildstar wrote:

> Sounds great!  As a longtime fan of early Clarke and Heinlien, this is the
> perfect setting for a lot of their stuff (and I heartily recommend reading
> up on it when creating the setting).  Check out: Heinlien's _The Man Who
> Sold The Moon_ (and other stories from his "Future Histories" in _The Past
> Through Tomorrow_), _Have Spacesuit, Will Travel_, _Space Cadet_, _Rocket
> Ship Galileo_ (the very first SF I read), and take a look at Clarke's _A

I'm a long-time Heinlein fan as well.  I like his idea for travelling by 
using the gizmo Libby developed in _Methuselah's Children_: Travel very 
near to a star, trigger the device, and it zooms you away using no 
reaction mass.  :)   I believe it was called the "Libby-Sheffield Drive."
(Sheffield being on of W.W. Smith's pseudonyms.)


[Stuff about using fission in such a setting snipped]
> If you want "atomic rockets" to exist, allow some type of drive to exist at
> that TL.  Maybe a modified HEPlaR, changed so that it can be used with
> fission plants, use water instead of hydrogen as reaction mass (but keep the
> same volume, or even increase it).

I like the idea of those "Torch ships" of that era's SF.  


- -Joe
______________________________________________________________________________
Joseph E. Walsh      |  Atari 8-Bit User and Programmer Since 1982
ransom@iconnect.net  |  Classic Traveller Referee Since 1983
Stuck in the '80s    |  Microsoft-Free and Loving It! :)



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

From: Joe Walsh <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 19:02:30 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: Adventure Creation 

On Fri, 26 Jul 1996, Bob Simpson wrote:

> "How do you get the ideas for plot developments in your game?"
> 
> I was asked this once by a player and absolutely horrified him with my
> response.  I told him that, every week, a book full of plot ideas was
> dropped on my doorstep.
> 
> Going to the television, I picked up the program listing and proceeded
> to read the "one line" synopsis of movies playing that week.  After
> finding one that "felt right" I proceeded to warp the description by
> substituting characters and events in the game for the stars and
> elements of the movie.

Now that's one I never thought of. Heck, you could pick up one of those 
huge "TV Movie Guides" that have thousands of movie synopses, and have 
enough plots to draw for the rest of your life. 

Nicely done!  Thanks for posting that.


- -Joe
______________________________________________________________________________
Joseph E. Walsh      |  Atari 8-Bit User and Programmer Since 1982
ransom@iconnect.net  |  Classic Traveller Referee Since 1983
Stuck in the '80s    |  Microsoft-Free and Loving It! :)



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

From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1996 17:12:56 -0700
Subject: Announcement and request for help

Hey all...

I've been working on a Traveller close combat system for a couple of weeks,
It should be ready about the time that MMT is released, and I'll have it
avalible on my web page for downloads.

The system is called _AT CLOSE QUARTERS_, and is designed to simulate
intense fights in small areas like starships, pressure domes, and the like.
I'm using an Action Point system similar to that used in Snapshot and
Azhanti High Lightning, but with a few twists (You can burn up all of you
APs trying to get off the first shot, for example).

What I need from y'all is some feedback on what you want to see in ACQ.
Remember short range for now, so discussion of telescopic scopes and the
like are right out.  I want a combat system that will leave players sweating
as they wonder if they should spend their last two AP and open the hatch, or
cower with gun ready..

Ball is in your court, ladies and gentlemen and Vargr, oops, sorry.. that's
a hand grenade.

+--------------------------------------------+
| Douglas E. Berry         dberry@hooked.net |
|    Professional Driver - Traveller Guru    |
|          Third Shift Kramer Krony          |
|  http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/index.htm   |
|********************************************|
|  "A mountain is something you don't want   |
|   to fuck with"  -Frank Zappa              |
+--------------------------------------------+


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

End of Traveller-digest V1996 #294
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