Traveller-digest     Wednesday, August 18 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 974



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper...
Re: Squad Leader
Re: Squad Leader
RE: Like Andre Norton? Try Elizabeth Moon!
Re: Xenobiology 101 : The Viji (longish)
Andre Norton Suggestions...
Re: Stereotyped Gamers...
GT Micro Templates
Re: Stereotyped Gamers...
Re: Andre Norton Suggestions...
Re: Stereotyped Gamers... 
Re: Fast Food 
Re: Stereotyped Gamers... 
Re: In the News
Re:GT TL8 to TL13 Space Interceptor Missiles
Starship Combat Question...
Re: Ethically challenged merchants or Anti-piracy emergency procedures
Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Inter-racial gettin' it on....
Re: EXN The Exploration Network - Science
Re: Andre Norton Suggestions...

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 12:48:02 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper...

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Sword Worlder <swordworlder@clinic.net>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 12:00 AM
Subject: Re: Ditzie's Chopper-wopper...


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: The Roc <roc@kewl.com.au>
> > Sorry, but where does one find these images?
>
> We do this on purpose, just to make you ask questions.  Makes us feel
> important ;-)
>
> http://www.vision-forge-graphics.com/jesse/traveller/ditzie.htm
>
>

And I did ask... and again, I love the result (being able to put an image to
the infamous Ditzie), I loved the young Ditzie, so, um... yeeeesssss...  And
hasn't she grown into a fine young woman.  Just let me know her travel plans
when I game Trav again, so I can avoid running into her, please.

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 12:51:10 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Squad Leader

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
To: <traveller@mpgn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 1:24 AM
Subject: RE: Squad Leader


> The Roc writes:
> <snipped>
> >though no-one I currently know plays Squad Leader...
> <snipped>
>
> I haven't played for the last 3 years, due to a lack of
> willing opponents.  I do tend to think in terms of SL
> when I do morale checks in Traveller.  Has anybody worked
> out SL squad/support weapon/artillery/vehicle stats for
> Traveller equipment?
>
> Peez
>

You lucky bastard... I've been married for some 20+ years now, and I lost my
SL players just after I got married (no, the missus didn't shoot them, they
changed locations).  Again, not a common game system in my local, not even
ASL is common... :^/

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 23:05:17 EDT
From: KenRoney@aol.com
Subject: Re: Squad Leader

I haven't played Squad Leader or ASL for years, but I'm associated with a 
club here in Indianapolis where it is in play every week.  There are probably 
about five games of it going on at any given time, ranging from little half 
map scenario's up to the monster campaign games.  So it's not dead.

SL can be used to good effect in conjunction with Traveller.  Back in the 
mid-Eighties I was running a campaign based Pournelles "Jannissaries". I used 
SL to resolve the big battles that the players got themselves into.  I used 
individual counters for the players and tweaked the system around a bit to 
reflect the tech differences.  It worked pretty well. 

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 20:27:17 -0700
From: "Jesse DeGraff" <fenris@slip.net>
Subject: RE: Like Andre Norton? Try Elizabeth Moon!

I LOVE those books.  Seem very Traveller-ish to me with a very few
exceptions.

Jesse




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
> [mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com]On Behalf Of
> Diespamer@aol.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 9:00 AM
> To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
> Subject: Like Andre Norton? Try Elizabeth Moon!
>
>
> Greetings:
>
> With the discussion recently about Andre Norton's Solar Queen series, I
> thought I'd bring up Elizabeth Moon.
>
> I'm in the middle of her "Heris Serrano" series (Sporting Chance, Hunting
> Party, Winning Colors). Good stuff, especially for a Traveller game!
>
> While not exactly Traveller space tech, there's a lot here you
> could adapt.
> For example, in the first book, there's a good description of the ship's
> hydroponic system and recycling system. The book I'm reading now (Winning
> Colors) has some great space battles (although the jump system is
> not quite
> the same as Traveller's system, there are a lot of items on sensors,
> missiles, beam weapons, etc. that you could probably make use of).
>
> In addition, you can get ideas on how to play Noble characters from these
> books. There are some screamingly funny scenes about decorating a
> spaceship.
> An invasion by roaches. A lot of stuff about what rich nobles do
> with their
> spare time (whole planets devoted to raising horses, hunting, etc.).
>
> Good stuff. She has also written a second series placed in the
> same universe,
> the "Esmay Suiza" series. So far there are only two volumes out,
> Once a Hero
> and Rules of Engagement (still only in hardcover) with at least a
> third being
> written.
>
> All are from (in the US at least) Baen Books.
>
> Fred Kiesche
>

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 13:18:11 +1000
From: "Robert O'Connor" <robocon@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: Xenobiology 101 : The Viji (longish)

Leonard Erickson wrote :-
> Given the abundance of flurine required to have the HF, I can't quite
> see how any sulphate/sulfide compounds can survive? Id expect them to
> long ago have been converted to metal fluorides and sulfur difluoride.

Sulphates are problematic. The sulphur fluorides (SF2, SF5, SF6) are
going to be significant components of the atmosphere. Some sort of
regenerative process will be necessary for sulphates and sulphides to
survive at all. ?upwelling from the core ; ?biological activity

It will be easier to ditch fluorine altogether and use water as a
solvent, with energy production coming from the transformation of
sulphur compounds. The atmosphere can be like that of Venus, loaded with
sulphuric acid.

I really don't know how to preserve the 'Beyond The Claw' description.

Robert O'Connor
Medico, Gamer

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 12:00:17 EDT
From: Diespamer@aol.com
Subject: Andre Norton Suggestions...

Greetings:

With the discussion of the Andre Norton Solar Queen series recently, I 
thought I'd toss out the titles that have most influenced my Traveller games 
over the years. Unfortunately, not too many of these are in print right now, 
but if you haunt enough second hand bookstores you should score some (if not 
all):

Central Control Series:
Star Rangers (a.ka. The Last Planet)
Star Guard
(good for games set whent the Imperium is in decline...)

Dipple Series
Catseye
Judgment on Janus (also in Janus series)
Night of Masks
Forerunner Foray (also in Forerunner series)

Forerunner/Shan Lantee Series
Storm Over Warlock
Ordeal in Otherwhere
Forerunner Foray (also in Dipple series)
Forerunner
Forerunner: The Second Venture
(I used these to add additional "ancient" races to MTU plus to give a 
archaeological bent to some of the adventures)

Free Trader Series (a.k.a. Moon Magic Series or Moon Singer Series)
Moon of Three Rings
Exiles of the Stars
Flight in Yiktor
Dare to Go A-Hunting
(good for oddball Trader games)

Hosteen Storm Series
The Beast master
Lord of Thunder

Janus Series
Judgment on Janus (also in Dipple Series)
Victory on Janus

Jern Murdock Series
The Zero Stone
Uncharted Stars
(I once ran a early Traveller game based on these...about 1978???)

Pax/Astra Series
The Stars are Ours!
Star Born
(as with Star Rangers, good for declining Imperium scenarios)

Ross Murdock/Time War Series
The Time Traders
Galactic Derelict
The Defiant Agents
Key Out of Tiime
Firehand (with P.M Griffin)

Solar Queen Series:
Sargasso of Space
Plague ShipVoodoo Planet (usually in a double volume backed with another of 
her books)
Postmarked the Stars
Redline the Stars (with P.M. Griffin)
Derelict for Trade (with Sherwood Smith)
Mind for Trade (with Sherwood Smith)
(absolutely required reading for great ideas for a Trader campaign!)

BTW, somebody asked who Sherwood Smith is. She is (as far as I know she is a 
she!) co-author, along with Dave Trowbridge, of the excellent Exordium series 
that Tor books came out with a few years back (The Phoenix in Flight, The 
Ruler of Naught, A Prison Unsought, The Rifter's Covenant, The Thrones of 
Kronos). Good stuff, both as fiction and as inspiration for Traveller. While 
a lot of the tech is different, these have some of the best space battles 
I've ever read. Try these links, if you're interested:

http://www.kentaurus.com/exordium.htm

http://www.sff.net/people/Sherwood/EXO.HTM

http://www.sff.net/people/Sherwood/

Good hunting!

Fred Kiesche

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 00:51:10 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: Stereotyped Gamers...

Beny' says :
- ---
Xenobiology 101: This has been my favorite. Juicy organic bits, yum!
- ---

I agree, I've saved all those posts to CD-ROM.
___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 14:41:41 +1000
From: dadams@parracity.nsw.gov.au
Subject: GT Micro Templates

I had this idea at work, thus I can not flesh it out until later.

For old GURPS players like myself, the Template system in GT is a bit weak,
as us old hands can tweek the system till it sings (like my favourage,
Eidetic Memory and Language Tallent and you can speak 6 languages for
bugger all points).

But IMHO, you loose one of the benifits of Traveller, a history of the
character. (My current character in GT is fleshed out, I have a strong
history for him, but I perfer to play like that, as it also gives the GM
hooks to use).

However, if you design micro templates, say 10 to 20 points worth of
advantages / disadvantages and skills to represent different periods of a
persons life outside of his/her career. Points are allocated to be added to
any skill allready held.

This allows a new GURPS Traveller charater to have some idea on what he/she
did before travelling, and give some skills not normally available to the
templates (this is of cause mainly designed for non millitary characters,
but some may be used for millitary characters , like unemploed)

Quirks cole be spent to explain some of these packages.

eg :

Reserve Army (not pointed in any way, just showing my point)

Reserve Rank
Duty (Activation 6+)
Drive (Any/TL)
Gun(Any/TL)
Sovour Faire (Millitary)
Unarmed Combat

Characters who serve in non millitary careers may join their planetary
reserve militia, or may serve 1 term drafted , yada yada

Unemployed

Social Stigma (Unwashed pleb)
Wealth (-1 or -2)
Aclohilism or addiction (choice of 2 of the above)
Souvoir Faire (begging)
Bard (story Telling)
Survival (Urban/Rural)

Characters who find themselves falling through the gap.

Rebel/Insurgent

Enemy (Occupier 6+)
Paranoid
Reputation (Terrorist and/or freedom fighter)
Gun(Any) (no TL disadvantage, due to arms smuggling)
Demolitions
Survival (Urban/rural)

University scholarship

Social Standing +1
Any 3 Science or Sport Skills (must take all three skills from 1 choice)
Contact - University Professor (6+)
Enemy (rival university)

I will flesh these out in the next 2 days and let you know what comes of
it.

Darryl

Visit our Web Site : http://www.ParraCity.nsw.gov.au

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:18:09 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Stereotyped Gamers...

> It is just as likely  that a sound change will be spread rapidly by such a
>media.

And how does one pronounce Uranus? ;-)
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 01:25:22 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: Andre Norton Suggestions...

Deispamer mentioned :
- ---
Firehand (with P.M Griffin)
- ---

I wasn't aware there was a 5th book to this series.  Is it new?  I've always
loved her Time Traders Series.  When I was younger I used to read a lot of
Norton, but as I got older, a lot of her books started sounding pendantic
and whiney;  Bad, EVIL technology versus sweet, innocent, GOOD cat
critters...or Beaver..or what-not.  :)  Suffice it to say I eventually got
rid of most of my Norton collection with a few exceptions.  The Gamma
World-esque "Breed to Come" is still a good read.  The aforementioned "Star
Guard" and "The Last Planet" are pretty good as well.  I also lean towards
her Crystal Gryphon novels (for purely personal reasons).
___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:28:16 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Stereotyped Gamers... 

> dead tired.
Now that says High Plains Western all over it.
:-)
How much would accents apply in the mature 3I? Say around 900 to 1200 ,
could one tell from which world, system, cluster, subsectot, or sector a
speaker is from? I know this would vary to some degree, but in general?
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:37:34 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Fast Food 

> Obtain a number of fragments (from your Big Book Of Grenades).
> Obtain the textbook value for exposed surface (from your Big Book Of
> Military Facts).
> Pick a radius.
> Calculate the surface area of a sphere at that radius.
> Divide area of body by area of sphere, and multiply by number of fragments.
> That's the number of fragments that will probably hit the body.

You couldn't keep a straight face while typing that all out, could you? ;-)

I'll smile all evening now, with a chuckle here & there. Thanks.
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 01:34:25 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Stereotyped Gamers... 

> > dead tired.
> Now that says High Plains Western all over it.
> :-)

<snicker>

> How much would accents apply in the mature 3I? Say around 900 to 1200 ,
> could one tell from which world, system, cluster, subsectot, or sector a
> speaker is from? I know this would vary to some degree, but in general?

IMTU, regional accents are common.  Somebody from, say, Efate, for instance, 
has slightly different pronunciation and *definitely* different slang than 
somebody from Warinir in Daibei.  One of the players in my PBEM has a 
*definite* 'Marches' accent that comes out when he's excited.

And no, Session 1 guys, he's not with *YOU*, he's in the 2nd Session.  They 
just haven't met him yet.  <grin>

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:48:11 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: In the News

> I ran in to these news articles:

OK, here is another thing I appreciate this list for. Being the game is Sci
Fi, it is awesome to have so many like minded folks posting Traveller
oriented cutting edge stories here. I suspect often the poster gets little
thanks, as once the link is clicked, off one goes on a world of discovery.
Later, after digesting, there are other threads in the works.
Thanks.

Any thoughts on that odd light? A new type of quasar the guy said? And only
one? Odd, very very odd.
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 07:49:44 +0100
From: John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>
Subject: Re:GT TL8 to TL13 Space Interceptor Missiles

> (Has anyone designed any G:T missiles with fusion power, by the way? Using
> the stock rules - which make it too easy to penetrate point defence fire,
> making KKMs practical - they should be Certain Death for just about
> anyone...) 

For the reactor and the sensors required, they are so big you may as well design
them using the modular ship design system.

GTL10 Thunderbolt class shuttle.

2DT
cockpit bridge
1 manouver drive (100 tons thrust, short term access, partially vectored)
appropriate software

Statistics: Emass 14.8, LMass 14.8, Cost MCr 2.8, HP 900, Hull Size Modifier:+5
Performance: Accel 6.76 Gs (6.76 Gs empty), Jump 0, Air Speed  0 mph

A radically stealthed version costs 1.0 MCr more and does 6.49 Gs.

Endurance: 1 year.
Can be launched from the outsystem at a target insystem, by which time it is
going so fast, the target has no time to react.

This is dangerously close to near-c-rock territory.

Short term access maintenance space maeans this ship can also be used as a fast
shuttle. In this case a full space dock is required for maintenance purposes.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 02:19:05 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Starship Combat Question...

OK, I'm gearing up to start my campaign.  I'm going to start off with a
bang (literally) and have the characters involved in a ship-to-ship
combat as well as personal combat on the deck of the ship they are in.

So, I'm going to alternate between types of combat...let's see what
happened to the ship...OK...Now let's see what was going on inside the
ship while that was happening.

I'm using CT rules for personal combat (pretty much), but I haven't
decided on a starship combat system (I'll probably go with CT rules too,
adding a sensor throw to the mix).

So, here's my question...

For personal combat, I'm using a 5 second round (like MT and T4, cutting
the standard CT 15 second round by 2/3).

What I want to do is cut the starship combat system down to a similar
time scale.  For instance, CT uses a 1000 second combat round.  I would
cut this down to a 5 second round also, but I would also cut the range a
ship could travel by 200 to keep things on the same scale.

What I'm trying to figure out is...

How fast can a starship weapon fire?

How long does it take a starship scale laser to recharge and be ready to
go after a shot?  Can missile launchers fire every 5 seconds?

CT starship combat rules allow for a starship class weapon to fire twice
in the 1000 second round.  That's once every 500 seconds.

I'm assuming that system is somewhat abstract, and any damage involved
is the result of several shots that may have missed the target
ship--with a few getting lucky and doing damage.  We make the to hit
throw once, but that throw is representing several times the gunner
fired the weapon during that 16 and a half minutes (the 1000 second
turn).

So, given that, is it do-able to have a starship combat round at 5
second intervals?

Thoughts?

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 03:44:47 EDT
From: tasegeal@juno.com
Subject: Re: Ethically challenged merchants or Anti-piracy emergency procedures

>>To get it there fast enough is the hard part. Let's say a second is too
fast
>>for pirate gunners to respond, acquire and return fire on manual
control.
>>(We better hope they don't have an automatic CIWS system).  Now, even
using
>>HEPlaR, probably the most high-powered missile propellent in the rules,
I've
>>never been able to generate more than a 30G missile. In one second,
that
>>missile can cover 150 metres. And that's assuming the turret is
pointing
>>right at him.
>>
>>It's a pretty difficult system to emply, but far be it from me to say
it
>>could never work.

>Y'all are thinking too much.  You don't need an anti-starship
>missile at 150m.  You don't even need optical sights for a
>30+m long target at 150m.

>Take the ground weapon (cannon, rocket launcher, mortar)
>design rules.  Figure out what sized weapons are needed to
>either HEAP or KEAP (APFSDSCI or better, depending on your
>TL obviously) penetrate a pirate ship hull at close range.........
>...  And the weapons may come in useful on the ground, too... ;-)

- - -george william herbert
gherbert@crl.com

(WARNING:  SINGLE REMAINING SYNAPSE HAS FIRED)

Ya know...... a couple of ballsy vacc-suited crew (with really good
eyesight)
camoflaged under fiberglass domes on the surface of the merchant with a
pair
of splat guns and a case of ammo might be a way to avoid a telltale
systems signature that could be picked up on sensors.  

Who gives a damn if they're banned by an Imperial government (that isn't
stopping the pirates in the first place) if your life/livelyhood is on
the line.  
Given the tone of current opinions about the vagarities of interstellar
cargo
transport, If I knew that I was as likely to be spaced by intruders as
not, I'd
be the first one out there drawing a bead....  If you're gonna go,  go
with guts.

BTW  I am not REALLY stuck on splat guns per se...  I just love saying it
(splatgunsplatgunsplatgunsplatgunsplatgunsplatgunsplatgun) <grin>     
;-)

MikeJ

"What's that Click'n noise?" -Jeff Foxworthy

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 00:59:22 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Inter-racial gettin' it on...

In mail you write:

> On Mon, 16 Aug 1999 21:37:11 -0400 (EDT), "Hughes, Michael"
> <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au> wrote:
>
>>What's the imperial, nay Traveller universe's, opinion on inter-racial
>>coupling? Is it frowned upon? Regarded as degenerate? Actively practiced on
>>some worlds? Has a fine collection on under-the-counter tasteful 'glossy
>>slick' paged publications dedicated to its practice?
>
> YMMV.  Niven also thought of this.  Do you do rishathra?

Let's get our terminolgy right. We are talking about inter*species*
coupling. 

Niven's rishathra, on the other hand, actually *is* "interracial", or
at least involves *closely* related species. Or it did until Ch'mee got
involved. :-)

> Speaking of rishathra, wouldn't it be accurate to apply that term
> to the appropriate interaction between members of _any_ two
> different human races, as well as between human and non-human?
> So, a Vilani and a Solomani - which is clearly not an uncommon
> occurrence...

As I note above, rishathra normally involved different "races". They
were all members of genus homo. If offspring were possible, then it'd
involve "races" (sub-species). If offspring are not possible, then they
are different species. 

*True* aliens are less related to us than we are to redwood trees. But
given known human proclivities, that won't stop people from *trying*.
Succes will depend *strongly* on various biological factors
(pheromones, instinctual triggers for various behaviors, etc). 

Vargr are "merely" a different species. They are humans are both
*mammals*, and that's *far* closer than even Aslan. 

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

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 00:45:00 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: EXN The Exploration Network - Science

In mail you write:

> If you all missed seen this on the tube last night
> here's a link that shows NASA attempting to use
> liquid( actually frozen) hydrogen as a rocket fuel.
> Dave

> http://exn.ca/science/

They've been using *liquid* hydrogen since the mid 60s. Most of the big
brown tank attached to the Space Shuttle at launch contains liquid
hydrogen (it's either 2/3rds or 4/5ths). 

Solid hydrogen would be a problem. Perhaps it's a slurry? 

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

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 01:48:24 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Andre Norton Suggestions...

In mail you write:

> Dipple Series
> Catseye
> Judgment on Janus (also in Janus series)
> Night of Masks
> Forerunner Foray (also in Forerunner series)

Ordeal in Otherwhere also starts out in the Dipple.

> Ross Murdock/Time War Series
> The Time Traders
> Galactic Derelict
> The Defiant Agents
> Key Out of Tiime
> Firehand (with P.M Griffin)

Galactic Derelict would be a great starting point for a "coming out of
the Long Night" scenario. Instead bringing the ship forward via time
travel, have it "preserved" somehow. Then run the players thru the rest
of the events. :-)

I think there's even *more* Norton SF (as opposed to fantasy), but with
my library mostly in storage I can't check.

Other "old" SF that could be useful.

Heinlein:
"Space Cadet" has a *lot* of useful "ship background" stuff in the
section between leaving the Academy, and landing on Venus. It's
somewhat "low tech" for Traveller, but still useful. 

"Citizen of the Galaxy" is good for a *different* culture (the
Sargony(sp)) and for the stuff while Thorby is with the Free Traders.
Especially the "silent auction". Yes, it *is* possible to barter with
natives when neither side speaks a common language.

Now for some *real* old stuff. These were originally part of the
Winston line of SF juveniles. Many of these wound up in paperback, and
others can be found at library sales or SF conventions (these are the
ones with the rocket symbol on the spine, and the neat endpapers).

"Battle on Mercury": by Eric Van Lhin (almost certainly a pen name).
This one is so so, but if you ever find a copy cheap, grab it. It's one
of the few SF novels set on the old "one face"-style Mercury. And
unlike the others, it deals with "Dayside", "Twilight Zone", and
"Nightside" fairly well. It also has some *interesting* aliens. These
almost make up for the so-so plotting.

"Mystery of the Third Mine": Robert W. Lowndes.
Another one that may not be easy to find (if you do, drop me a line, I
want a copy!) As I recall from reading it *many* years ago, it's a not
too bad story involving asteroid mining.

"Trouble on Titan": Alan E Nourse. Worth reading for the environmental
details. Sure, they are mostly wrong now. But that doesn't meanb you
can't set up a planet where they are right. :-)
Contains the interesting concept of a jet plane that flies in a methane
atmosphere. The jets suck in the methane and spray oxygen into the
combustion chamber. Which would work!

"Stadium Beyond the Stars": Milton Lesser
If I recall correctly, this deals with an interstellar Olympics.
Including some of the hassles of *trying* to compensate for folks from
planets with different gravities. 

A book *not* in the above "series" is "Scavengers of Space" by Alan E.
Nourse. It's another asteroid mining story. And one of the few to
realize that asteroids will be far apart, and that an asteroid that is
near you one day will by millions of miles away a few months later.
There's also a *lovely* fight on board a giant mobile ore processing
ship. 

If I had my library out, I could list *hundreds* of other books But
finding a store that has a decent selection of SF and then browsing
thru the stuff by Poul Anderson, and by A. Bertram Chandler would be a
start. 

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

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #974
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