Traveller-digest      Thursday, August 19 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 978



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Starship Combat Question...
RE: Starship Combat Question
Re: Hal Clement...
Re: Ship questions...
Re: Odd Lights in the Sky!!!!
Re: Hal Clement... 
GTL10 Grav Belts
RE: Squad Leader
[none]
Re: Army Bases?
Re: Army Bases?
Re: Army Bases?
Re: Starship Combat Question...
Re: Starship Combat Question...
Re: Army Bases
Re: Army Bases...
Re: Aussie Rules

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 99 21:17:25 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Starship Combat Question...

On 08/18/99 at 07:49 AM,  shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson) said:

>> 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.

Sure 5 second rounds for space combat is possible, but there are
going to be problems...um...opportunities that you might not like.

>> What I'm trying to figure out is...
>>
>> How fast can a starship weapon fire?

There are some lasers rated at 800 shots per turn in FFS/BL.  The BL
turn is ?30? minutes, so...1800/800 = 2.25 seconds per shot.  Of
course, those are considered *very* rapid fire weapons.  At 1 shot
per 5 sec, you need a ROF of 360/30 minutes, still faster than you'd
expect from most lasers or any PAW/Meson weapons.

What you're really interested in, I think, is keeping the players
involved in action, right?  You don't *have* to fire weapons every
turn.  You might want to allow weapons to fire every X turns, where
X is some number larger than one, and let the players continue to
act between shots.  They can try sensor locks, rush to damaged areas
to start repairs, sweat out the wait until they can fire again.

For lasers say maybe...

Turn 1               - Start charging up power cell

Turn 2 through (X-1) - Lock target while finishing the charge

Turn X               - Fire laser


For sandcasters maybe...

Turn 1 through (Y-1) - Move canister to launcher

Turn Y               - Launch canister


For missiles...

Turn 1               - Start moving missile to launcher

Turn 2 through (A-1) - Missile continues to move while the gunner
                       sets up the firing solution        

Turn A through (B-1) - Lock target and transfer data to missile

Turn B               - Arm missile warhead (don't want to do that 
                       until you're ready to fire it)

Turn B+1              - Launch missile         

Events could happen while weapons are being prepared to prevent the
players from following through.  I can see the players sweating out
the turns to see if they can get the shot off before they get hit or
something else "screws the pooch."

Heck, I can see a player saying...

"Abort, that missile sequence, they're lighting us up!  We've got to
get sand out NOW!"

"Argh!  Only 2 turns 'til the the missile launches.  Hold on!  Hold
on!" 

<g>

Having said all that...I still think 5 second rounds will be too
short.  I'm afraid you'll end up with lots and lots of turns without
much happening with an occasional flurry of harried and terrified
action.  

Hum, you know that sort of sounds like combat, doesn't it?  <g>

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 99 21:22:02 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: RE: Starship Combat Question

On 08/18/99 at 11:25 AM,  Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca> said:

>	Ideally, if each space combat "shot" represents a larger 
>	number of shots (most of which miss), then the chance of
>	success for each of the larger number of shots should be
>	lower.  For example, if the probability of getting a hit 
>	with one regular "shot" is 0.42 (roll 8+ on 2D), I would 
>	go for a probability of hitting for each of 100 shots of 
>	about 0.01 (gives a 0.58 chance of getting no hits).  This
>	is difficult to do on 2D, as the lowest probability that 
>	can be generated is about 0.03.

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

>	Yes, but it will tend to be slow, and you might want to use
>	an extra D for to hit rolls (say, roll a 6 on 1D to get a
>	chance to roll 2D to hit the other ship).

Good point! If you're turn is 5 seconds (I think I'd use 6 like Ian, 10/min) and firing every turn then the odds of hitting on any one shot need to be *greatly* reduced.

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 99 21:25:50 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Hal Clement...

On 08/18/99 at 10:39 AM,  "Jason Kemp" <Jason.Kemp@tdh.state.tx.us> said:

>With all the buzz about sci-fi novels from the Golden Age, just 
>wanted to toss out Hal Clement's name, whose novels give some great 
>ideas on new alien races that can be integrated into an existing Trav
> Campaign.  My two favorites, and I'm hoping I remember them 
>correctly, it has been over 15 years, are:

What was the one where an non-coporeral alien criminal escapes to Earth and "hides" in the minds of various Earthlings (there was a bear among others, IIRC) from the policeman who is after him...and has to do the same thing?  Clement wrote it, it was good, but *very* different from _Mission of Gravity_.

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 01:33:35 GMT
From: j_pete@bellsouth.net (Pete)
Subject: Re: Ship questions...

On Mon, 16 Aug 1999 09:04:20 -0400, "Paul Schirf" <Paul@Schirf.com>
wrote:

>(3) 9000 series numbers are reserved for military
>vessels.
>

You wouldn't happen to be an Air Force supply guy would you?


================================================================================
- - Pete                                                      j_pete@bellsouth.net

"If a country is worth living in, it is worth fighting for."   -Manning Coles

Pete 0609 D258A85-3 S kk- hi++ as+ va++ dr++ so zh- vi+ da++ A833

- -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.12
GCS d- s:+: a- C+++ UH++$ P-- L+ E-- W++ N++ o-- K- w++++(---)$
!O M-- V- PS-- PE++ Y+ PGP t+ 5++ X+ R+ tv+ b+++ DI++ D++
G e+ h--- r+++ y+++
- ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

Nova 700

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 99 21:34:16 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Odd Lights in the Sky!!!!

On 08/18/99 at 01:58 PM,  Diespamer@aol.com said:

>Any thoughts on that odd light? A new type of quasar the guy said?
>And only one? Odd, very very odd.

Ah! The ship reached turn-around and is now decelerating.

Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:41:12 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Hal Clement... 

> On 08/18/99 at 10:39 AM,  "Jason Kemp" <Jason.Kemp@tdh.state.tx.us> said:
> 
> >With all the buzz about sci-fi novels from the Golden Age, just 
> >wanted to toss out Hal Clement's name, whose novels give some great 
> >ideas on new alien races that can be integrated into an existing Trav
> > Campaign.  My two favorites, and I'm hoping I remember them 
> >correctly, it has been over 15 years, are:
> 
> What was the one where an non-coporeral alien criminal escapes to Earth and "hides" in the minds of various Earthlings (there was a bear among others, IIRC) from the policeman who is after him...and has to do the same thing?  Clement wrote it, it was good, but *very* different from _Mission of Gravity_.

"Needle", as in, 'needle in a haystack'.

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: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 21:39:44 -0500
From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com>
Subject: GTL10 Grav Belts

Below are some Grav Belts I have constructed for my GT:M0 game 
for your amusement.

I have also included a belt using Fusion+.  For those of you who 
don't know about Fusion+, think of it as a MicroFusion Reactor.  The 
Fusion+ units included are non-standard. The Fusion+ numbers are 
converted from T4:M0 and are actually fairly close to what a 
rechargable battery will get you in GURPS.

Well, at least "I" think all the numbers are correct ...

Note that the Cleon Industries belt is re-chargable in the field ...  just 
add water.

Cleon Industries Mk1+ Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
 2 lbs
Cleon Industries Mk300+ Grav Pack
 0.3 kWs Fusion+ Reactor w/8hr fuel tank (water)
 300 lb ContraGrav unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 12 lbs
Cleon Industries Mk40+ Portable Thruster Pack
 2 kWs Fusion+ Reactor w/1hr fuel tank (water)
 40 lb Vectored Thruster unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 3 lbs
Structure
 1 lb

Total Weight : 18 lbs
Total Cost   : $2900
Top Speed    : 100 mph
Acc          : 3.5 mph/s/s
Dec          : 26 mph/s/s
MR           : 6.5 g
AR           : 3

For those of you who wish to build your own, the following modules 
are available.  
Note: Cleon Industries does not build these modules and as such 
cannot warranty them.

Mk500 Grav Pack
 14400 kWs Rechargable Battery, good for 8 hours of 
operation
 500 lb ContraGrav unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 11 lbs

Mk1000 Grav Pack
 28800 kWs Rechargable Battery, good for 8 hours of 
operation
 1000 lb ContraGrav unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 12 lbs

Mk40 Portable Thruster Pack
 7200 kWs Rechargable Battery, good for 1 hour of operation
 40 lb Vectored Thruster unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 3 lbs

Mk100 Portable Thruster Pack
 18000 kWs Rechargable Battery, good for 1 hour of operation
 100 lb Vectored Thruster unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 9 lbs

Mk500 Portable Thruster Pack
 90000 kWs Rechargable Battery, good for 1 hour of operation
 500 lb Vectored Thruster unit
 Electronic Controls
 Advanced Materials
 43 lbs

Using the above units, the following standard configurations are 
readily available.  Removing the GravPack allows higher 
acceleration in a zero G environment.  Removing the Thruster Pack 
turns the unit into a Zero G belt ... no control over where you go.

Mk1 Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk500 Grav Pack
Mk40 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 17 lbs
Total Cost   : $2500
Top Speed    : 110 mph
Acc          : 3.7 mph/s/s
Dec          : 28 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

Mk2 Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk500 Grav Pack
Mk100 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 22 lbs
Total Cost   : $2750
Top Speed    : 175 mph
Acc          : 9 mph/s/s
Dec          : 28 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

Mk3 Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk500 Grav Pack
Mk500 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 57 lbs
Total Cost   : $4100
Top Speed    : 370 mph
Acc          : 40 mph/s/s
Dec          : 40 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

Heavy Grav Belts are limited by the weight the Harness can carry, 
which would be how much the user can carry.  However, on High G 
worlds, the extra lift provided by the larger GravPacks should prove 
useful.  Just assume that the Harness is strong enough to carry a 
person that weighs 1000 lbs ... who knows what kind of nylon will be 
available at GTL10.

Mk1 Heavy Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk1000 Grav Pack
Mk40 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 18 lbs
Total Cost   : $2500
Top Speed    : 110 mph
Acc          : 3.7 mph/s/s
Dec          : 28 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

Mk2 Heavy Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk1000 Grav Pack
Mk100 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 23 lbs
Total Cost   : $2750
Top Speed    : 175 mph
Acc          : 9 mph/s/s
Dec          : 28 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

Mk3 Heavy Grav Belt :
Standard Harness
Mk1000 Grav Pack
Mk500 Portable Thruster Pack

Total Weight : 58 lbs
Total Cost   : $4100
Top Speed    : 370 mph
Acc          : 40 mph/s/s
Dec          : 40 mph/s/s
MR           : 7 g
AR           : 3

- - - -
FELIX (Thomas L Bont)

- - Encrypt your messages!
  That way only the government knows what you wrote!

- - It is truly the wise man that knows what he doesn't!

- - With your shield or on it ... (Old Spartan Blessing)

- - Fidelitas super omnia, honore excepto

- - Help Stop Forest Fires.  Outlaw Matches.

Be sure to visit The FELIX Cafe at
     http://www.felixcafe.com/

- - - -

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

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 10:52:28 +0800
From: Colin Hutchinson <chutchin@cyllene.uwa.edu.au>
Subject: RE: Squad Leader

I have been playing ASL for years, still waiting on armies of oblivion I
think.  I think about ASL mechanics and traveller too.
Colin

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 23:12:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: [none]

>>
>>         In keeping with the "governing the space between the worlds"
>>         philosophy oft alluded to on the TML, IMTU there is no Imperial
>>         Army.  If ground troops are really needed, the Impy Marines are
>>         sent in.
>
>The problem with this approach is that it invalidates the canon relating
>to the Fifth Frontier War.  As I look through TNS entries for that
>period, there are numerous references to Imperial Army forces.  Further,
>there is a distinction in the FFW board game between regular and
>colonial forces.
>
>Of course, YTUMV, but I prefer to work, as much as possible, within the
>framework of canon.
>
According to COACC and other MT sources, the "Imperial Army" is quite
literally:
1) Just a Subsector (and higher) HQ system
2) Every Imperial Subject world's standing troops, airmen and sailors (and
sometimes police).

So, IMTU, the "Imperial Army" dictates only the JIS ranks, and an
organizational model.... and deployments of local units by command for the
purposes of the 3I. Thus, the IA will NEVER have a "Base" in a system...
but each local world maintains bases for it's own forces, and marine and
naval bases have "Crash Overflow" capacity for units in transit. (Shades of
a certain B5 episode with General Franklin....)

As for the 5Fw forces, they are "Imperial Army" from the moment the unit is
comandeered by the SS HQ from local to imperial duties. IMTU, Regular
forces are forces maintained to "Specification" and often include Huscarles
and Subsector Tax Funded units answerable to the local moot. Colonial
forces are those that are either TL12-, Non-standard equipment,
under-equipped, or poorly trained...

William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis http://www.alaska.net/~mhaa
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:36:37 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Army Bases?

Black ICE wrote:

> Hope this helps....

It does.  Thanks.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:38:06 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Army Bases?

Nick Bradbeer wrote:

> I always assumed that due to the way the Imperium works, the Fleets were the
> big thing, and each world will have its own army (unlike the Zho's, where
> the only Army is under Consular command). That would account for the vast
> majority of ground troops in Imperial space.

When I read between the lines of the various Traveller materials, I get the same
feeling.  I was just searching for something definitive.

Thanks,

Kenneth.

>

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:39:55 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Army Bases?

Douglas E. Berry wrote:

> If you're interested, I can send you an extended write-up I did on the
> subject.

Love to see it.  Please send it my way.

Thanks,

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:49:37 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Starship Combat Question...

Nick Bradbeer wrote:

> Of course, if you're closing to boarding ranges, the whole dynamic changes,
> since each shot has a good chance of hitting the target. At real close
> ranges, I'd agree that kind of turn would be appropriate.
>

Yes, that's the idea.  The ship the PCs are on will be boarded.  A fight will
ensue.  The character's ship will fight the enemy ship, and while this is going
on, the other characters will have to deal with the boarders.

The range for starship combat will take place on a micro scale (not the normal
thousands of kilometers usual in starship combat), so it is important to figure
out how often the opposing ships can hack at each other.

Plus, the dynamic on the PCs inside, dealing with the boarders, will be
something else.  Every round they waste not stopping the boarders their ship is
getting blasted to pieces.

It puts real pressure on the PCs to win the personal combat scenario (the focus
of the game), while in the background, dire consquences wait for their ship.

I wouldn't waste time with this sort of thing if the range was standard
thousands of kilometers.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:56:12 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Starship Combat Question...

Eris Reddoch wrote:

> What you're really interested in, I think, is keeping the players
> involved in action, right?  You don't *have* to fire weapons every
> turn.  You might want to allow weapons to fire every X turns, where
> X is some number larger than one, and let the players continue to
> act between shots.  They can try sensor locks, rush to damaged areas
> to start repairs, sweat out the wait until they can fire again.

Well, my focus is stated in the reply post I wrote to Nick Bradbeer.
Basically, I want to run a round (or a few rounds, as you suggest) of combat
inside the ship, then I want to do one round of starship combat, and cycle like
that.

1000 seconds (16.5 minutes) is way too long for this scenario.  The whole
interior fight will be over, and we're talking about range measured in meters,
not kilometers.


> Having said all that...I still think 5 second rounds will be too
> short.  I'm afraid you'll end up with lots and lots of turns without
> much happening with an occasional flurry of harried and terrified
> action.

Maybe.  This is why I'm asking questions.  I'm happy with a 6 second personal
combat round and a starship combat round lasting a few to several personal
combat rounds.

I just don't want to wait 16.5 minutes for ships to fire.  I want to scale
things down and have that enemy ship pounding on the player's ship while they
are fighting for their lives inside the corridors.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 22:58:04 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: Army Bases

Ian Ferguson wrote:

>         In keeping with the "governing the space between the worlds"
>         philosophy oft alluded to on the TML, IMTU there is no Imperial
>         Army.  If ground troops are really needed, the Impy Marines are
>         sent in.

Actually, the MT Rebellion Handbook has a section on the Imperial Army.
That arm of the military is just not as visible as the Navy and Marines
are, and like many have said already, planetary armies are usually brought
in to supplement the Imperial Army.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:28:52 +1000
From: "The Roc" <roc@kewl.com.au>
Subject: Re: Army Bases...

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 4:06 AM
Subject: Re: Army Bases


> Ian Ferguson wrote:
> >
> > Kenneth Bearden writes:
> > >I'm trying to figure out how likely it is that the Imperial Army
> > >maintains a base on a specific world.
> > <snipped>
> >
> >         In keeping with the "governing the space between the worlds"
> >         philosophy oft alluded to on the TML, IMTU there is no Imperial
> >         Army.  If ground troops are really needed, the Impy Marines are
> >         sent in.
>
> The problem with this approach is that it invalidates the canon relating
> to the Fifth Frontier War.  As I look through TNS entries for that
> period, there are numerous references to Imperial Army forces.  Further,
> there is a distinction in the FFW board game between regular and
> colonial forces.
>
> Of course, YTUMV, but I prefer to work, as much as possible, within the
> framework of canon.
>

I see no reason that the Imperium would not maintain Imperial Armies for
when there is another xFW.  Marines are painted as reaction forces it seems,
so an standing army would not be something the Imperium would overlook.
Those original worlds of the Empire would probably have standing armies just
like we do in our r/w, only they would be united under the Imperial Banner.

Other member worlds of the Imperium would have their own standing armies if
they deemed warranting it/them, but the Imperium would surely maintain a
choice piece of real estate on many worlds for "Imperial Army Garrisons" (as
in the expanded generation system in Merc), as well as training grounds on
those worlds.

They would be RDF for instant deployment (as far as instant, spanning
parsecs goes) while the colonials (armies of the actual world governments)
made ready if needed.  There would be times that the Imperium would have to
field an Imperial Army to a world for deterrent value, to make it harder for
the enemy to establish a bridgehead, or to try and take back a local.

Colonial world armies would be used to bolster the number of IA troops on
the ground, garrison after a fight, or be bolstered by IA forces where
needed as mentioned above (deterrent, etc.).

- -- The Roc

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:16:19 +1100
From: Ian or Katts <ianw@orac.net.au>
Subject: Re: Aussie Rules

>From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
>Subject: Re: Fast Food 
>
>At 07:41 PM 8/17/99 +0100, you wrote:
>>>Yes but at least we don't wear armour while playing football, its also why
>>>the Ithklur prefer to play Aussie Rules.
>
>>"Yes....I've always wondered why a nation which prides itself on its
>>masculinity feels it has to strap on thirty pounds of body armour to play
>>rugby...." -Giles, BTVS
>
>Get hit by a 360lb man who runs 40 yards in a bit under 8 seconds and ask
>me that.
>

It's not the 360 lb men that worry me (only the injured Gibson is that big,
right ... great line by Holmgren 'He's big enough to play guard and tackle.
At once.') ... it's the 240 lb ones that run 40 yards in four point six or so.

Actually, the armour makes things worse, because it allows players to lead
with their skull without risking concussion. Unlike, say, Mark Carroll
(Mark is a rugby league player who actaully likes those day-after-the-game
film sessions. They let him remember what he did over the weekend). 

>BTW: Why do they call it Aussie Rules Football when from what I've seen on
>ESPN the only difference between the game and a bar fight is at the bar you
>at least get a drink?
>

Doug, it's worse than that.

There is no sendoff rule in Aussie Rules. At all. You cannot get ejected
from the game. They can throw the book at you afterwards (one bloke in
country NSW got 500 weeks for thumping an umpire), but you cannot be made
to leave the ground.

Oh, and if a couple of evenly-matched blokes are having a bit of a push and
shove, then the umpires just let play go on. If the ball comes close and
they keep fighting, the coaches will take them off the ground anyway.

The closing quotes go to Andy Platt, one of the hard men from Wigan.
'Australian Rules. I've seen Australian Rules. Rules ? What rules ?' and to
Tony Lockett, one of the greatest ever Aussie Rules players. Tony Lockett
is a goalscorer, literally built like a linebacker (6'3, 240 lbs) in a game
full of safeties and corners, and was known for many years for his quick
temper. His reaction to defensive holding was traditionally 'I'm only going
to tell you this once. Do that again and I'll thump you'. Very few
defenders attempted to illegally hold him, because doing so usually got you
both a 4-6 week break from the game.

Ian Whitchurch

PS If any of you guys know any NFL people ***sign Ben Graham*** ... he's
got a leg on him that makes Darren Bennett look like Daffy Duck. Last week
the guy punted the ball to halfway on a kickout ... 70 yards, easy. And
that was *against* the wind. Oh yeah, and he plays fullback, so you could
put him on man to man against a big slow wideout like Ricks in San Diego.

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #978
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