Traveller-digest     Tuesday, December 17 1996     Volume 1996 : Number 766



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Starship construction figures
Re: Sector Data
Re: Jumping Out
Re: Is T4 Innovative?
Vampire Fleets
But It Doesn't Look The Way _I_ Want It...
Re: 3-siders (well actually d6 with 1-3 twice...)
Re: Fleet Repair Ship
Re: Jumping Out
Adding fuel to the fire about Starships (preferably Starships itself...)
Re: Jumpspace.
Re: Errata Contest Results!
Re: Starship construction
Re: TCS construction times
Re: [T96#748] Wierd Place Names
T4 the Best?
"Special Offers"
Re: Fleet Repair Ship
Last TNE novel
Re: Starship construction
Re: Binder format
Re: Addition to Starship slagging

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 17:25:33 +0100 (MET)
From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>
Subject: Starship construction figures

Thad Coons writes:
>It seems that the rate of ship production depends on the size of the
>shipyard.  In the absence of better data, the economic model of TNE World
>Tamer's Handbook suggests 1 to 2 MCr of starship per hundred line employees
>per month, depending on TL. This does not include the rest of the company
>staff nor any dependents.

A warship costs ~MCr0.75 per ton, so that would translate as 2 tons per
month or 24 per year. Let's call it 25 T of ship per 100 employees.

TCS says that a world's shipyard construction capacity is equial to 1 ton
per 1000 citizens (modified by the government modifier which runs from .50
to 1.2 in peacetime). 

That would be 25000 citizens per 100 shipyard employees. That would make
the shipyard sector from 0.4 to 2% of the population depending on how many
dependents a shipyard worker has (I don't think more than 4 dependents on
the average is reasonable, do you?). Personally I'd say that 1% sounds
about right.

Since the average naval budget is 3% of the GPP I'd say those figures match.

>I've done a couple of estimates of rates of production of a few craft, and
>I like the feel of the numbers I get.
>I'd need to guesstimate the percentage of a world's population devoted to
>starship building and the cost of a 50,000 ton Imperial Cruiser to get a
>number, but I'd have a hard time believing any rate greater than about a
>half dozen of those in a year.

In peacetime it takes 138 weeks to build a 50,000 T ship. So you'd need
about 800,000 T of shipyard construction capacity to build 6 50,000 T
cruisers per year, which requires a population of 800 million. But there
are many worlds with 10 times that many citizens and some with 80 times 
that. So some worlds can produce 500 heavy cruisers per year. (Not for
long, of course. Building 500 heavy cruisers would use up about half
the naval budget for that world.) In wartime the speed could be increased
by about 40%.


      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk
- ------------
        "The referee should determine the nature of subsequent
         events based on the individual situation."
                                _76 Patrons_, p. 8

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 16:32:55 +0000
From: Dhivael <nwhitehe@mic.dundee.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Sector Data

Harald wrote:

>Is there any Sector Data of Core available (not just one Subsector as in
>T4)?

In the same vein, I don't suppose there are any plans to reprint the
"Atlas of the Imperium", are there? Preferably with big wall-filling colour
maps, system details and, while I'm dreaming, different maps for the
different millieus. :)

Nik.

****************************************************************************
                         More deadly than the Male.
           Dr. Nik Whitehead - Seeker of the Lost Island of Munga
                http://www.mcs.dundee.ac.uk:8080/~nwhitehe/
****************************************************************************

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 11:37:54 -0500
From: BrianMays@aol.com
Subject: Re: Jumping Out

In a message dated 96-12-17 08:21:42 EST, you write:

> Joe Fugate expands on this some more in the Megatraveller Journal #1. 
>  Basically he states that since the smaller ship is within 10 diameters of
>  the other ship's gravity well (small though it is), the smaller ship
>  automatically misjumps.


Also, since we're talking about a non-jump capable vessel leaving a
jump-capable vessel, I think the end result would be the same as with
anything else dumped outside of a ship in j-space, i.e., it's lost forever.

Even if the ship's boat managed to return to n-space, it would most likely
apppear in the middle of nowhere, light years from the nearest star system,
with only an m-drive (if it's still in one piece) to run on . . . 

. . . set a course and hop in those low berths!

Brian

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 11:53:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Flammang <FLAMMANG@vms.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Re: Is T4 Innovative?

Hi.

> From: "K.C. Komosky" <kc@mb.sympatico.ca>

> No no no no! Don't bring back advanced character generation (BTW, its ala 
> Books 4-7 for CT). While the characters that were created with Mercenary, 
> HIgh Guard, Scout and Merchant Prince were very interesting, they were just 
> too overpowering when compared to characters generated using the standard 
> rules, or Citizens of the Imperium.

A valid criticism of CT, but T4 has solved this problem by making its
ordinary char-gen system produce power-house characters. If you were to
use Mercenary to generate advanced marine characters now, they would
never be able to compete with their T4 comrades.

I wouldn't mind seeing a beefed-up version of the advanced char-gen
system, one that kept skill levels compatable with the ordinary system.
In fact, I use one right now. I allow my players to use books 4-7, but I
don't require them to roll for skill eligibility; skill rolls come
automatically once per year.

- -Rob

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 12:03:25 -0500 (EST)
From: "Joseph M. Saul" <jmsaul@us.itd.umich.edu>
Subject: Vampire Fleets

Call The Underworld, in Ann Arbor, MI.  (313) 998-0547.  Last I saw, they
had a few copies of Vampire Fleets left.  They over-ordered that title
massively for some weird reason.  Maybe a computer virus.  ;-)

Joe Saul
jmsaul@umich.edu

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 18:32:23 +0000
From: Andy Lilly <a.s.lilly@nortel.co.uk>
Subject: But It Doesn't Look The Way _I_ Want It...

BLAH BLAH BLAH Chris Foss this BLAH BLAH BLAH Chris Foss that...

Isn't it obvious why IG chose Chris Foss as an artist? What does SweetPea
do? Films. Who's a famous sci-fi artist who has worked on some major sci-fi
films? So who do we get in at the start if we're hoping later on to make a
film of this... Chris Foss.

Some people have said "Hey, we're being too fussy - this is 1100 years
before all the previous Traveller literature so it's not surprising the
starships look different." CAN ANYONE RAISE A _SENSIBLE_ ARGUMENT AS TO WHY
THIS SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE?

Some people say other artwork (e.g. Elmore) is better, but also less sci-fi
and more 'mundane'. I think I'd have to agree in both respects with regard
to the T4 rulebook.

Some people say that we on the TML are the customers and thus should be the
final arbiters in any such case. BUT THERE ARE ONLY 500-ODD TML members,
while IG say they have SOLD 10,000-ODD COPIES OF THE RULES. Anyone notice a
discrepancy here? We're not the sole 'keepers' of Traveller, we're just the
lucky few who (mostly) have been playing since the Black Book days and
happen to be able to afford a computer, modem and Internet connection.

So, sure we can _help_ guide IG, but people shouldn't take such a
self-righteous attitude about the whole subject.

Descending from my soapbox (but hoping for more positive input in the future)...

Andy

P.S.: None of what I said above excuses trying to match the wrong pictures
to the wrong deckplans, etc. Let's focus our criticism on the _real_ errors
in books like Starships.

P.P.S. Yes John (Kovalic) - some of us remember the Trigan Empire! I got
"Look & Learn" for years. Only read the Trigan Empire bit, in fact...

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 09:46:51 -0800
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: 3-siders (well actually d6 with 1-3 twice...)

At 04:52 AM 12/17/96 -0500, Allen wrote:
>>Does anyone know of a mail order or online source for honest to goodness
>>D3's?
>>
>>I've check the local stores with no luck, and I'd like to buy some of the
>>real D3's.
>
>Gamescience sells them , Chessex too I believe. I bought three in Lansing
>MI, and plan on buying 3 more....Babylon Project uses 6d3 for it's task
>system (or will if it ever comes out! Sheesh, you thought waiting for
>Starships was bad...)

Hey!  I play HarnMaster.. we're still waiting for *Nasty, Brutish, & Short*
to come out.. it was supposed to be here in 1989!



+----------------------------------------------+
| Douglas E. Berry          dberry@hooked.net  |
|     Professional Driver - Traveller Guru     |
|        http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/        |
|**********************************************|
| "Life's a journey, not a destination."       |
|                                   -Aerosmith |
+----------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 09:46:56 -0800
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Fleet Repair Ship

At 01:53 PM 12/16/96 -0600, Pete wrote:
>
>On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, Dave Strebe wrote:
>
>> Submitted for your perusal and comments.
>> 
>> "Roger Young" Class Fleet Maintanence Ship

>Don't you think the name"Roger Young" should be reserved for a troop
>transport with assault landing capabilities?  Drop tubes perhaps?
>Carrying a Company with a captain named Rico maybe?

Actually, I'm designing a battalion sized drop ship to be named the "Matthew
Ridgeway".  Following soon after will be the "Kenneth McCoy" Marine patrol
ship, and the "Richard Marcinko" Special Operations Lander.

A cookie to anyone who can ID all three names.. hint: one is fictional.

+----------------------------------------------+
| Douglas E. Berry          dberry@hooked.net  |
|     Professional Driver - Traveller Guru     |
|        http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/        |
|**********************************************|
| "Life's a journey, not a destination."       |
|                                   -Aerosmith |
+----------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 12:12:06 -0800
From: Glenn Hoppe <starcity@eagle.wbm.ca>
Subject: Re: Jumping Out

Nathan & Terri Mezel wrote:
> 
> >       Hello to all Traveller fans.  I have a question so to all you Jump
> >space buffs.  I was in a campaign a few years ago (MegaTraveller) and we
> were
> >near the end of an adventure.  We had manage to get on to the baddies star
> >ship just before it went to Jumpspace.  Anyway, we were getting our butts
> >kicked, so we jumped into the cutter (or whatever it was) which didn't
> have
> >a jump drive.  We un docked from the ship and floated of in to Jumpspace.
> >The Ref didn't have any Idea what do do here, so he kinda made some rules
> >up.  Could someone out there please tell me what should of happened?  Also
> 
> Here is some more clarification on that subject straight from Yosodraksay
> (sic?)
> himself.
> 
> JTAS #24 pg. 36, Marc Miller writes:
>         "Some attempts have been made to launch starships into jumpspace from
> other starships (in jumpspace); Problems in properly matching drive fields,
> or even turning them on near other ships, has shown the technique is
> impractical at best, and probably impossible."

The difference is though, that the Cutter isn't jumpspace capable. Marc
was describing one starship "jumping" from another. ie. activating its
lanthanum grid. I would think this is even more dangerous than just
leaving the ship. I envision the jumpspace field as being a very
delicate and precisely controlled thing. To introduce another jump field
within the current one would upset the <handwave ON> tachyon particle
field density and jumpspace vector transit energy <handwave OFF> thereby
destroying both vessels, or at the very least causing both to misjump.

> Joe Fugate expands on this some more in the Megatraveller Journal #1.
> Basically he states that since the smaller ship is within 10 diameters of
> the other ship's gravity well (small though it is), the smaller ship
> automatically misjumps.

Interesting, I didn't recall that. Perhaps Joe's description
unconsciously lodged itself within my brain only to resurface later :-)
According to the rules in T4, though, they changed it so a ship is
*always* destroyed if it jumps within 10 diameters of a gravity well.
(see p.116 of T4 rulebook) I don't like the *always destroyed* change in
the rules. It's too absolute. I prefer MT misjump rules.

Using a x dia. limit for starships is problematic and an
oversimplification, in my mind. In my game, the 10 dia. is a "rule of
thumb" used because making the actual calculations of "gravitic tidal
force potential" (or other such mumbo-jumbo) is too time consuming.
Without doing any calculations, I think the misjump limit for a starship
would be within a few meters from its centre of mass.

- -- 
===== Glenn Hoppe =====\ /--- MailTo:jumpspace@geocities.com ----
\ . . Enter Jumpspace --X-> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8275 \
 ----------------------/ \========== Eschew Obfuscation ==========
     Examine what is said, not him who speaks. - Arab Proverb

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 13:44:53 -0500
From: 34zbtxq@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu (Susan M. Shock)
Subject: Adding fuel to the fire about Starships (preferably Starships itself...)

        No one to this point has commented on THE most glaring admission
from Starships, a feature that had been promised for months
        I quote from the official errata to Marc Miller's Traveller on the
Imperium Games web page:
        "Page 13, Required Materials
        'Scattered throughout several chapters are various prepared forms.'
Well, not exactly: Starhip sheet was going into the main rulebook but got
pulled and will now be in the Starship book-along with subsector map, world
map and so on (Plug, Plug)."
        Has anyone seen this items in Starships? Thought not. And why do you
think these things weren't in the T4 rulebook? My guess (and it is only my
guess) would be because they needed room for the art, so they yanked them.
Some of us old-timers of course have tons of this kind of thing, but a new
person just buying Traveller will not.
        I believe-and maybe I'm wrong-but I believe when you say in public
that you're going to do something, you should do it.
                                                Allen

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 10:56:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Craig Berry <cberry@cinenet.net>
Subject: Re: Jumpspace.

> Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 13:07:34 +1100
> From: Daniel <mrblue@blitzen.canberra.edu.au>
> 
>        Hello to all Traveller fans.  I have a question so to all you Jump
> space buffs.  I was in a campain a few years ago (MegaTraveller) and we were
> near the end of an adventure.  We had manage to get on to the baddies star
> ship just before it went to Jumpspace.  Anyway, we were getting our butts
> kicked, so we jumped into the cutter (or whatever it was) which didn't have
> a jump drive.  We un docked from the ship and floated of in to Jumpspace.
> The Ref didn't have any Idea what do do here, so he kinda made some rules
> up.  Could someone out there please tell me what should of happened?

There's not a lot of canon to draw on on here, and some of what we do have
conflicts.  However, the consensus seems to be that if you leave the "jump
bubble" surrounding a jump-capable ship (and opinions as to the thickness
and shape of that bubble vary widely), you die.  Immediately.

Now, the *details* of what kills you are again open to debate.  My own
homebrew description is that normal matter tossed unshielded into
jumpspace basically "misjumps" on a particle-by-particle basis, with
partial conversion to energy in the process.  In other words, you wind up
turned into a collection of subatomic particles and extremely high-energy
photons, scattered over a 36-parsec radius.  Pretty thorough death,
that...

> Also could someone tell me what jumpspace is supposed to look like?

Again, not much canon to go on.  For my own purposes, I've swiped Larry
Niven's "blind spot" effect -- a window looking out into jumpspace simply
disappears, the windowframe contracting down to a point, so to speak.  For
this reason, most ships keep windows covered while in jumpspace.  This is
a psionic effect; a photograph of the same window will show utter
blackness outside.  This concept makes a nice piece of "color," I think. 

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
   |   Craig Berry - cberry@cinenet.net
 --*--    Home Page: http://www.cinenet.net/users/cberry/home.html
   |      Member of The HTML Writers Guild: http://www.hwg.org/   
       "Every man and every woman is a star."

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 13:16:44 -0600
From: "David Blustein" <dtb@NASCRAG.ORG>
Subject: Re: Errata Contest Results!

My contribution to David Smart's T4 Errata Contest is now available 
at "http://www.nascrag.org./~dtb/traveller/errata/T4.html".

Corrections, additions, omissions, fixes, et cetera, welcome.

Cheers,
     David
- -- 
David T. Blustein
http://www.nascrag.org./~dtb/
mailto:dtb@nascrag.org

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 14:41:19 -0500
From: Thad Coons <104765.503@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Starship construction

From: Hans Rancke-Madsen <rancke@diku.dk>

Hans replies

<snippage throughout>

>> Military vessels cost more than civilian vessels (weapons, armor), of
>> the same tonnage and the cost goes up somewhat faster than the size. 

> Not in Classic Traveller (I never got comfortable with Megatraveller
> designs and FF&S, so it's possible that things are different under
> them). Small ships cost ~0.75 MCr per ton, big ships cost ~0.5 to 
> 0.75 MCr per ton. 

If you insist on using CT rules, you are perfectly free to do so: I was
just trying to propose an alternative for those who don't. Maybe in CT,
military ships don't cost more than civilian types, but there I think
there's ample reason to believe they ought to.

> Besides, I don't really care to defend the time when the Vargr would
> have been kicked out of Corridor too vehemently since I don't believe
> they would ever get far into it. If you want to double the time it
> takes to construct them, be my guest. The Vargr are still out of
> Corridor before 1125.

Since I have TNE but not T4, I can't speak to when the Vargr get kicked out
of corridor. 

> I don't like the high construction rates that TCS can give you for
> heavy military craft. 

>> However those are the ones we have to work with.

We??  Have to??  I'm not saying anybody has to use anything.
My proposal is just so others will have something else to work 
with, in case they feel like I do.

> In one example that I worked out I had Mikesh building 2600 Sloan 
> Class escorts in 72 weeks (and starting on ~2300 more), 1250 20,000 T
> cruisers in 87 weeks (and starting on ~1100 more), and 220 200,000 T
> Plankwell Class Dreadnaughts in 112 weeks. That is with construction
> bonuses for class ships and overtime payments according to the rules.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. IMO, those rates are unrealistically
high for a single world, and ought to be about a tenth that. 

Thad Coons
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Sapience/

  

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 14:41:24 -0500
From: Thad Coons <104765.503@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: TCS construction times

Michael Nutt 


Michael Nutt replied:

<snippage throughout>

> Hmmm... but how are you going to determine the number of "shipyard
> production workers", to coin a phrase? Just by referee fiat?

As a matter of fact, I hadn't worked that out yet. The best I could do
anyway is to suggest maximum probable limits. A world's UWP can suggest its
potential industrial capacity, but whether it builds starhips or asteroid
mining equipment or somesuch else is up to the referee.
Come to think of it, "shipyard production workers" is a bad term: "Starship
construction industry workers" is better, but that's still a mouthful. 

> Well, I can see your point here, but the rate you mentioned earlier 
> was awfully darned slow, IMO ("1-2 MCr per hundred production workers
> per month", as I recall). If it takes 100 guys 1 month to install one
> light laser turret, then the shipyard must have hired them away from
? the Highway Department, where eight guys stand around watching one guy
> swing a pick every 60 seconds.  :)    I'd be much more inclined to cut
> a break for civilian vessels on the time required. 

Maybe four guys could *install* the laser turret in half a day-- but where
I come from, weapon's turrets don't exactly grow on trees. Somebody has to
build the things. Many of the starship's components will be manufactured
elsewhere by different people, and then assembled. By the time you get to
the components of the components, you're talking about a noticeable
fraction of the whole planet's industrial base. That sounds better to me
anyway.

> However, I don't follow your last sentence quoted above... what
> "benefits" are we talking about here?

The "benefits" of a military vessel are, of course, its ability to break
things and hurt people. What can a 17 trillion credit heavy battleship do
that 350,000 armed scout craft at 50 MCr each can't? Maybe bigger is
better, maybe not.

IMO, The heaviest battleships the imperium can build should be roughly
comparable to WWII battleships or modern nuclear aircraft carriers.
There are only a few of them, and once lost, they can't be replaced
overnight. Maybe only one or two worlds in an entire sector can even build
the biggest ones at all.

 

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 14:41:32 -0500
From: Thad Coons <104765.503@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: [T96#748] Wierd Place Names

Once you've seen and heard names like:

Show Low, Tuba City, Snowflake, Christmas, Santa Claus, Congress, Bumble
Bee, Tombstone, The Gap, Sunizona, Arizola,

Huachuca City    (Pronounced Wa-choo-ka)
        (noted for the City of Huachuca City City Hall, antedating the  
Department of Redundancy Department)
Gila Bend,       (Hee-lah Bend)
Tucson           (Two-sahn, not Tuck-son)
Ajo              (Ah-hoe)
Chiricahua       (Cheery-cah-wah)

(All in Arizona) 

or Tooele (two-well-ah), Panguitch, Peoa, Shivwits, Tabiona, Kanab, Axtell,
Dutch John, or Mexican Hat

(all in Utah)

Not even Flin Flon is unbelievable.

 

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 10:38:52 -0900
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@lunatic.asylumbbs.com>
Subject: T4 the Best?

>.
>>      Evidence: despite its technical flaws, I like T4 even *better* than
>>      the previous three incarnations.
>
>T4 is definitely the best incarnation of Traveller yet.
>
>Kenneth.

Once again, Kenneth and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Personally, for basic ruleset completenes, playability, and even editing,
DGP did it best: MegaTraveller.

The more I see of T4, the more I think Marc Miller hath made a HUGE mistake
by not going with DGP for T4, or at least someone who was familiar with
traveller. (No offense to the guys at IG, but y'all just ain't got
traveller in your SOULS.)

What's more, I think that T4 has been Totally integrety-challenged by IG's
production schedule, editing, and such.

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 15:36:22 -0600 (CST)
From: "Joseph E. Walsh" <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Subject: "Special Offers"

Hi,

Someone asked recently about the "Special Offer" items, such as the 
calendar, the t-shirts, etc. etc. etc. that are offered on IG's 
web site.  I just asked Ann what the story is on that stuff, and she said 
they're scheduled to be in stock by the end of December.  She also said 
that any charge orders placed for these items will not be processed 
until the items are actually being shipped to the individuals who 
ordered them.


- -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! :)
       .....Official Reporter of Imperium Games Product Info.....

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 14:01:37 -0800
From: Rich Ostorero <stormhvn@inreach.com>
Subject: Re: Fleet Repair Ship

Douglas E. Berry wrote:
> 
> At 01:53 PM 12/16/96 -0600, Pete wrote:
> >
> >On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, Dave Strebe wrote:
> >
> >> Submitted for your perusal and comments.
> >>
> >> "Roger Young" Class Fleet Maintanence Ship
> 
> >Don't you think the name"Roger Young" should be reserved for a troop
> >transport with assault landing capabilities?  Drop tubes perhaps?
> >Carrying a Company with a captain named Rico maybe?
> 
> Actually, I'm designing a battalion sized drop ship to be named the "Matthew
> Ridgeway".

Ridgeway was a US general, WW2 and Korea. He commanded all US forces in Korea at one 
point or another. 

  Following soon after will be the "Kenneth McCoy" Marine patrol

Not Real, by reason of elimination.

> ship, and the 

"Richard Marcinko" Special Operations Lander.

"Rogue Warrior." Real human. Got a "Red Cell" team of NPCs in my game. Imperial Navy 
_hates_ these guys. ;)
> 
> A cookie to anyone who can ID all three names.. hint: one is fictional.
>  Can't ID McCoy, but I know he's the fictional one.

Half a Cookie??

- --Rich
stormhvn@inreach.com

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 19:13:02 -0500
From: Rob Beck <beck@mail.all-net.net>
Subject: Last TNE novel

I know many of you don't have that great of an opinion of TNE, or for that
matter the novels that were being put out at the very end, but I needed to
ask LKW some questions and I figured I'd throw in the "What happened with
the last TNE novel?" 50 cent question. So, for those who are fans of  TNE
and the novels, this is what he could tell me on that:

>I know nothing of the status of third TNE novel, but I believe a manuscript
>was in the hands of the publisher (who still exists, and may decide to
>publish it).

Well, it's nice to know the manuscript was completed. I might try to snail
mail the publisher of the novels and see what they have to say. Thanks to
Loren on this and the other questions I posed to him. :)

Rob.

                         Robert Beck
                         E-Mail: beck@mail.all-net.net
                         Send E-Mail For My Public PGP Key.

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 19:04:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Flammang <FLAMMANG@vms.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: Re: Starship construction

Hi.

> From: Thad Coons <104765.503@compuserve.com>

> If you insist on using CT rules, you are perfectly free to do so: I was
> just trying to propose an alternative for those who don't. Maybe in CT,
> military ships don't cost more than civilian types, but there I think
> there's ample reason to believe they ought to.

Whoa! Who says military ships cost the same as civs in CT? Not true! Not
hardly!

- -Rob

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

Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 17:24:23 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@usa.net>
Subject: Re: Binder format

At 08:51 pm 12/16/96 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 96-12-16 18:20:50 EST, you write:
>
>> A binder format is a REAL bad idea: 
>
>I personally like binder formats.  For example, I "deconstructed" the T4
>rulebook and placed each page in a protector, then stuck the whole thing in a
>binder.  The result is a much larger construct, but it is beer, pizza, and
>soda-proof, and I can remove pages like the character sheet when I need to
>make copies.  Also, when I turn to a page, it stays open.
>
>Then again, I am an anal-retentive virgo ;-)

        HEY! I resemble that remark! I took all three MT books, sliced them
up, organized the resulting pages the way they SHOULD have been, and put
them into protectors...
- --________________________________________________________________
   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

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

Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 00:22:07 -0800
From: Neil Simpson <catwalk@ibm.net>
Subject: Re: Addition to Starship slagging

E.Watters@Queens-Belfast.AC.UK wrote:
> 
> While I think the 'Starships' debate has been done to death on the list,
> after having a look at the product I wanted to add a few more points:
> 
> Does anyone find the Imperial Navy song featured in the personalities
> section sad? It just reads as an updated version of the USMC song, except
> the lyrics are crap. Here's my suggestion along the same lines for Milleau 0:
> 
> "God save our gracious Emperor,
> Long live our noble Emperor,
> God save the Emperor!
> Send him victorious,
> Happy and Glorious,
> Long to reign over us;
> God save the Emperor!"
> 
> Hmmmmm.......Doesn't read like the far future eh?
> 
> Also, the advert on the back page of Starships would put me off buying any
> more T4 products if I were a newby to Traveller. Any publisher that exhorted
> me to cut out coupons (and therefore destroying the last page of the SSDS) and
> "buy MORE BOOKS!!!!!!!" would get nothing from me.
> 
> Imperium Games had better get its act together. I'm an avid Traveller fan -
> but I had the urge to physically rip the Starships book to bits while I was
> reading it - It's what someone in IG should have done to the final draft.
> 
> Still waiting for someone to tell me it was just a bad dream.......
> 
> Eamon.Okay it was all a bad dream.                                             
                          Neil

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

End of Traveller-digest V1996 #766
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