Traveller-digest      Tuesday, August 24 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 1005



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Hard Times
Re: I Need Some Radiation
Re: Strephon and Iris 
Re: I Need Some Radiation
Re: The Heritage Trilogy
Re: OT : Alarets 
re: Kenneth's Questions
FW: Kenneth's Questions
Re: Thrust effects (was HEPlar lives!)
Re: Strephon and Iris
Re: FW: Kenneth's Questions
Freelance Traveller Question: Buzzword Generator?
Re: Orion Drive Modules 
Re: Strephon and Iris
RE: Hanging on to 3G Starship
RE: Of Deck Plates and G's
re: Grav Pong
Home Page for Traveller Deckplans Webring down
GURPS Traveller EW Module
Oops
FW: FW: Kenneth's Questions
Re: Strephon and Iris
Re: Thrust effects

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 07:01:20 EDT
From: AveNelso@aol.com
Subject: Re: Hard Times

    I used hard Times when it first came out, along with Assignment Vigilante 
and was quite happy with it.   I thought the settign was a good one.  There 
were several advantages:   
    1)  Since the various navies were broken up and plled into small pockets, 
a PC ship was suddenly a significant asset in the spacelanes.
    2) There was a lot of real justification for the superabundance of 
pirates.
    3) There were a lot of hooks for mercenary action.
    4) PC's seemed to feel they could really affect how the future would turn 
out, in a small corner of the universe.

    I was a little irritated when Virus swept the whole thing away, but I 
liked the TNE setting as well when it appeared.


                    Dave Nelson

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 06:15:04 -0500
From: "Snorkey" <snorkey@macol.net>
Subject: Re: I Need Some Radiation

> From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
> Subject: I Need Some Radiation
>
> Wondering about my close encounter with starships coming up....
>
> I've got a PC hanging by the handgrip of the airlock ON THE OUTSIDE of
> the bad guy ship.
>
> The bad guy ship just slammed on full thrust.  It's moving from an
> all-stop position to 3G acceleration.
>
> So, my questions are--
>
> 1)  Inertia.
>
> There are no inertial dampers outside the bad guy ship.  What will
> happen to the PC as he holds onto the bar?  Can he withstand the force
> of the ship moving and ride on the outside of the thing?  Or will the
> ship leave him floating in its wake?
>
3G's of acceleration would make a 100kg (220lb) weigh 300kg (660lb). I would
say that the person would not be able to hold on with their hands but a high
strength rope/cord might hold. However they would also have air resistance
to contend with if in an atmosphere. Personally I tend to think that the
person might be able to hold on for a few seconds and then would be forced
to let. Call it some sort of strength check/task every couple of seconds
with a growing penalty for fatigue. Best to try to ensure that they have a
rope or a niche with a floor to ride out the acceleration.

> 2)  Radiation.
>
> If the PC is left floating (or if he lets go and does not travel with
> the ship), what happens when a person in a vacc suit veers too close to
> the wrong end of a T-plate?  Those things glow blue with the ionization
> (I use the DGP style of T-plates in my campaign).  Will that radiation
> fry anyone who comes to close to it?
>
> If so, how close does one have to get to the T-plates in order to take
> damage?
>
> What kind of damage (how many D) would you put on a PC in that kind of

Unless it is gamma/X-ray radiation it wouldn't get through the space suit.
(If the person is not in a Vacc suit they had best have marshmallows in
their pockets cus' their going to roast in even alpha radiation.) Micro
tides from the gravitic drive might be fun and not immediately fatal. [Best
described as your rump is accelerating away from the ship at 1000 G(*) while
your nose is accelerating away at 999 G(*). Only lasts for a fraction of a
second but should be enough to give the person a bloody nose (nice red mist
on the face plate) and a really bruised rump.

I recall reading that one of the benefits of gravitics was that it had a
consistent strength over an distance and then dropped off rapidly (log
curve). I would also assume that the force was in a relatively tight cone
facing aft of the ship. So our poor space man would let go of the ship. The
ship would accelerate away at 3 G. Our space man would travel towards the
aft of the ship covering 30 m of length in second 1; 90 in second 2 (total
of 120 m) and 180 m in the 3rd (300 m total). At this point he would be in
the drive cone. And would be accelerated at 1000+ G for a fraction of a
second and then just coast with a reasonable net vector away from the ship.

(*) Just numbers I chose: to get a 100 td (call it 28,000 metric tons) ship
at 3G means the ship is producing a thrust of (F=ma) of 84,000,000 N. On the
100 kg person that gives an acceleration (a = F/m) 840000 G at (lets say 1 m
from source). Say the force drops off at 1/r^2 so at 10 meters the
difference between your front and back (a .2 m distance) (Da = Fm/r1^2 -
Fm/r2^2) (a = 8400 - 8074) or 326 g. Ok so that would be fatal. 20 m  it
would be 2100 - 2058.6217038 = 41 g. That would hurt (Allot) but it wouldn't
last for even a fraction of a second.

Please correct an math errors: My calculus was back when CT was still out.

Thanks,
Snork

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 23:35:30 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris 

From:           	"Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Date sent:      	Tue, 24 Aug 1999 06:24:30 -0400

> > Strephon wanted to end the Civil War, but all he could do was save his
> > immeditate followers from it by bowing out.

> > He had to give up his identity, his pride and his claim to the throne (HIS
> > throne). And any chance to put it all back together again. For the sake of
> > the people who still followed him, he did all this.

> > Strephon made mistakes, but in his soul he was a great man.

> Strephon was the most underrated Emperor since Cleon II.

I disagree. Strephon was certainly an honourable and compassionate
character. But I don't see him as being great.

1 - He left Capital without taking basic precautions against the eventuality
    that something might happen to his clone. As far as we know, he didn't
    tell anyone he was away. I guess its safe to assume that Iphegenia and
    Iolanthe knew, but he failed to take the basic precaution of ensuring that
    at least one of them was safe at all times (while Strephon was absent,
    Iphegenia, Iolanthe and Strephon's clone should not have ever been in the
    same place at the same time).

2 - He failed to tell Tranion (the very model of Imperial honour) that he was
    absent. If Tranion could not be trusted, nobody could.

3 - He failed to take even basic steps to ensure that the third in line to the
    throne received even the most rudimentary preparation for public life.

All this might be excused, except for point 4.

4 - When faced with the crisis, he (apparently literally) went to bed, pulled
    the covers over his head and wished the world would go away. A great
    man would have acted decisively, Strephon did not act at all.

I see Strephon as a competent but rather uninspired leader. Perfectly fine
for running the Imperium under normal conditions, but totally unsuited for
a major crisis. My view of Strephon is a rather tragic character. An
honourable man, who failed totally when faced with the crisis and lived
the rest of his life stricken with guilt at his failure and trying futilely to undo
what he had done.


Andrew etc
http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/
    Listening to way too much Dave Brubeck

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 12:35:44 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: I Need Some Radiation

At 20:13 23/08/1999 -0500, Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions
<dreamer@brokersys.com> wrote:

>1)  Inertia.
>
>There are no inertial dampers outside the bad guy ship.  What will
>happen to the PC as he holds onto the bar?  Can he withstand the force
>of the ship moving and ride on the outside of the thing?  Or will the
>ship leave him floating in its wake?

Depends - personally, I couldn't hang on at 1G for very long.
For a strength 12 character, think of a climber hanging on to a rope
with two other fallen guys tied to him (not forgetting equipment).

So it sounds possible. How about rolling 1D per G under strength each
round and another success needed to actually do anything (like getting
a foothold or trying to open the airlock).

I'd suggest a bonus for constant acceleration (as the PC gets used to
the situation) and a bonus in the first round for zero G combat skill.
Alternatively, that's a negative DM in the first round, offset by
Zero G comabt skill and/or dex.

Note that even if the PC fails, the bad guys ship is likely to impart
some velocity to him away from his ship. So unless your vacc suits
have built in thrusters, someone is going to have to come and pick
him up.

Phil Kitching

- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 07:45:43 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: The Heritage Trilogy

>Ah.  I haven't gotten that far yet... I'm currently in the middle of
>Armageddon Inheritance...

Sorry for opening my big mouth then.  <oops>.  Remember there are 3 books in
this series :

Mutineer's Moon
Armageddon Inheritance
Heirs to Empire

I wish he'd write more in this series, and get that sequel to "In Death
Ground" finally published.  I've been waiting to continue that story for
ages.  I never liked his Honor Harrington stuff..too much aristrocratic
detail for me to stomach.  I like a good fight story.  :)


___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 07:47:40 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: OT : Alarets 

Oh I agree with you Kevin.  Keep alarets on a single world.  In fact, I
would think the Imperium would Amber Zone such a world, eh?
___________________________________________________________
 J-Man
 ICQ# 2843475
 New Hampshire - U.S.A.
 Email : j-man@iname.com
 Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 12:42:42 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: re: Kenneth's Questions

At 03:46 24/08/1999 -0400, "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net> wrote:
>>1)  Inertia.
>>
>>There are no inertial dampers outside the bad guy ship.  What will
>>happen to the PC as he holds onto the bar?  Can he withstand the force
>>of the ship moving and ride on the outside of the thing?  Or will the
>>ship leave him floating in its wake?
>>
>
>Holding on: simple... if he can hold on when somebody suddenly tripples his
>weight (Sorta like suddenly removing the counterbalance on a weight around
>his midrif) while rotating him to a new "Down" direction, maybe. I'd say
>rather slim odds, tho... and probably some broken bones.

I'd strongly suggest considering dislocated shoulders, elbows or fingers
over broken bokens

Phil Kitching
- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 20:03:34 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: Kenneth's Questions

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Phil
Kitching
Sent: Tuesday, 24 August 1999 19:43
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: re: Kenneth's Questions


At 03:46 24/08/1999 -0400, "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net> wrote:
>>1)  Inertia.
>>
>>There are no inertial dampers outside the bad guy ship.  What will
>>happen to the PC as he holds onto the bar?  Can he withstand the force
>>of the ship moving and ride on the outside of the thing?  Or will the
>>ship leave him floating in its wake?
>>
>
>Holding on: simple... if he can hold on when somebody suddenly tripples his
>weight (Sorta like suddenly removing the counterbalance on a weight around
>his midrif) while rotating him to a new "Down" direction, maybe. I'd say
>rather slim odds, tho... and probably some broken bones.

I'd strongly suggest considering dislocated shoulders, elbows or fingers
over broken bokens

Phil Kitching

Just think of the poor guys face if after succeeding in holding on he
notices the hull jump grid (in TNE anyway) beginning to energise, and as it
gets blue-white hot he better come up with a plan quick!

Antony

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 13:05:28 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Thrust effects (was HEPlar lives!)

At 21:21 23/08/1999 -0400, Juliean Galak <jg42@cornell.edu> wrote:
>At 12:54 AM 8/24/99 +0100, you wrote:
>>  "Nick Bradbeer" <nickb@ndirect.co.uk> writes:
>> >Well, every single ship in Brilliant Lances (that's all the classic
designs)
>> >has contra grav, except for the Lab Ship, Donosev, Chrysanthemum and
Aurora.
>> >All those four are unstreamlined, and thus not atmosphere-capable.
>>
>>A USL ship can land in an atmosphere with CG, provided the bracings are
>>adequate (ie it is stressed to take local gravity). In most cases this is
>>probably the case as the ship can take accn from the drives.
>
>This brings up an interesting question: why can't an USL ship land in an 
>atmosphere?  Considering the fact that some of them have 6G of thrust, a 
>mere 1G of gravity shouldn't bother them (of course, if it's the AG that 
>provides some of the structural strength, then you'd need to keep that on).

This isn't quite near c rock territory but is close to lasers vs missiles.

;-)

IIRC the only conclusion last time was that the difference in price
between USL and SL spaceships pays for whatever it takes to land on
a planet with an atmosphere. However, I don't recall any agreement
over what it was that you paid for.

Phil Kitching
- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 00:33:44 +1200
From: Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris

On Tue, 24 Aug 1999, you wrote:

> 4 - When faced with the crisis, he (apparently literally) went to bed, pulled
>     the covers over his head and wished the world would go away. A great
>     man would have acted decisively, Strephon did not act at all.

While I think you're right, I'm not sure who you actually mean here -
Varian was third in line, and died in suspicious circumstances. Lucan
was forth in line, but both of them should have had at least some
training, and preferably practical experience.

- --
Rupert Boleyn
email: rboleyn@paradise.net.nz

A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history.

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 00:36:34 +1200
From: Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
Subject: Re: FW: Kenneth's Questions

On Wed, 25 Aug 1999, Antony wrote:

> Just think of the poor guys face if after succeeding in holding on he
> notices the hull jump grid (in TNE anyway) beginning to energise, and as it
> gets blue-white hot he better come up with a plan quick!

Surely you mean T4? TNE doesn't have jump grids, as its Jump Drives
create a field surrounding the ship, thus allowing the piggybacking of
non-jump capable boats.

- --
Rupert Boleyn
email: rboleyn@paradise.net.nz

A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history.

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 05:39:32 PDT
From: "Freelance Traveller" <freetrav@hotmail.com>
Subject: Freelance Traveller Question: Buzzword Generator?

Rhonda Sarver asked Freelance Traveller:

>About a hundred years ago, I found a Traveller buzzword generator in
>some gaming publication.  (actually, it was between 13 and 15 years
>ago).  I can't even remember which publication it was in.  Does anyone out 
>there have one?

Can anyone identify this, and is there some way to get hold of it?

- --
Jeff Zeitlin, Editor
Freelance Traveller, the Electronic Fan-Supported Traveller Resource
http://come.to/FreelanceTraveller
http://www.downport.com/freelancetraveller/Default.htm
freetrav@hotmail.com



_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:07:36 -0400
From: Kurt Feltenberger <kurt@blazenet.net>
Subject: Re: Orion Drive Modules 

At 11:18 PM 08/23/1999 -0400, you wrote:

>Still, it would be interesting to see a group of PCs' faces when they see an 
>Orion launch into orbit and park next to them.  <grin>

An interesting description of an Orion drive was in "Footfall" and then one
was shown in "Deep Impact".  

Kurt Feltenberger

"To our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, 
   may she always be in the right, but our country, right or wrong!"
     ~Stephen Decatur


mailto:kurt@blazenet.net

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 01:12:30 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris

From:           	Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
Date sent:      	Wed, 25 Aug 1999 00:33:44 +1200

> On Tue, 24 Aug 1999, you wrote:

> > 4 - When faced with the crisis, he (apparently literally) went to bed, pulled
> >     the covers over his head and wished the world would go away. A great
> >     man would have acted decisively, Strephon did not act at all.

> While I think you're right, I'm not sure who you actually mean here -
> Varian was third in line, and died in suspicious circumstances. Lucan
> was forth in line, but both of them should have had at least some
> training, and preferably practical experience.

No Strephon was Emperor, Iolanthe was Empress-Consort (and as such
not in line of succession), Iphegenia was first in line of succession, Varian
second and Lucan third. Working from memory Margaret was fourth.

As I've said before, the lack of preparation for Lucan (and probably Varian)
speaks heaps about the nature of the Late Imperial Court, as does the fact
that Strephon did not tell either Tranion or some senior members of the
Moot about his absence. Either Strephon was a total incompetant, or the
highest Imperial officials and the model of Imperial honour could not be
trusted with the fact that the Emperor was away from court. Given the
balance of what we know about Strephon, I'd say he wasn't a total
incompetant, which leaves ...


Andrew etc
http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/
    Listening to way too much Dave Brubeck

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:37:34 -0400
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
Subject: RE: Hanging on to 3G Starship

Kenneth Bearden writes:
<snipped>
>I've got a PC hanging by the handgrip of the airlock ON THE OUTSIDE of
>the bad guy ship.
>
>The bad guy ship just slammed on full thrust.  It's moving from an
>all-stop position to 3G acceleration.
<snipped>

	Imagine that you are standing on a street corner, holding
	a suitcase.  Unknown to you, a rope is attached to the
	suitcase and runs straight down into the sewer right next 
	to you.  There are three guys, each your size, in the sewer 
	who suddenly jump and hang on the rope.  Unless you have
	some kind of warning (perhaps the thrust takes a second to 
	build) IMHO it would be well nigh impossible to hold on.
	Even with warning, it would be very tough.

Peez

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:42:42 -0400
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
Subject: RE: Of Deck Plates and G's

Kenneth Bearden writes:
<snipped>
>1)  I read somewhere that 0-2 Gs is the standard range for variable
>gravity on a starship.  Thoughts on this?  Should the range be
>different?

	If a ship is capable of 3G, I would expect that the grav
	plates can compensate with 3G.  Usually, the acceleration 
	is parallel to the plates, but wave the hands a little.

>2)  What kind of throw should I impose on the PCs as they try to work in
>the increased gravity field?  Some type of STR check each round?

	If the G was steady, I would inflict a penalty if the 
	character's Str was less than a given level.  If it was 
	fluctuating, I would add an additional penalty to anyone.

Peez

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:34:43 -0400
From: Walter Smith <SmithW@HARTWICK.EDU>
Subject: re: Grav Pong

Charles Collin wrote:
>>>>>>>>
IMTU, you have to disable the plant to board effectively (just to wave
cannon around indiscriminately, that's mentioned in HG).
>>>>>>>>
While I have no problems with boarding parties waving aroung cannons
indiscriminately, HG only says you have to disable the maneuver
drives and offensive weapons. Granted, a power plant critical will
do for the maneuver drive and most of the offensive weapons in 
one shot...

Walt Smith

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:42:01 -0400
From: Walter Smith <SmithW@HARTWICK.EDU>
Subject: Home Page for Traveller Deckplans Webring down

Due to a major server upgrade that isn't quite done yet, my Traveller
pages (including the home page for the Traveller Deckplans Webring) 
will be down for the next few days. The webring itself should function OK
without my pages in it, the only thing missing is the informational
page on what the ring is about...and surfing the deckplans webring
should give people that idea.

Walt Smith
http://hartwick.edu/~smithw/deckring.htm for the deckplans webring
http://hartwick.edu/~smithw/traveller.

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 99 13:57:16 +0000
From: igor@truserve.com
Subject: GURPS Traveller EW Module

Can any GURPS-heads out there check this over and make sure I made no mistakes (using 
Vehicles, 2nd ed)? And if anyone wants to comment on the module itself, great! All of 
the items (I believe) are at their maximum strength for the tech level (which matches 
my campaign).

EW Module (TL 10)

The EW module contains equipment to allow a ship to perform electronic warfare. It 
contains:
  An extreme-range, very sensitive radio direction finder.
  Advanced radar/laser detector.
  An extreme-range radio jammer.
  A factor 12 area jammer.
  A factor 12 deceptive jammer.
  Blip enhancer.
  Hardened complexity 8 computer.
  Computer terminal.
  Roomy crew station.
  Power plant and access space.
  Weight: 9377lbs, 4.7tons
  Vol: 248.06 cf.
  Cost: $3,078,979
  Spaces: .5
  

Construction stats:
                              Weight   Volume       Cost     Power
Radio DF (extreme, very sen.) 5000.0   100.00     $7,500     0.005
Adv. Radar/Ladar Finder         15.0     0.30     $1,500     0.000
Radio Jammer (extreme)         250.0     5.00     $1,500     0.400
Area Jammer (rating 12)        250.0     5.00    $50,000  1250.000
Deceptive Jammer (rating 12)   500.0    10.00   $500,000    50.000
Macroframe, Hardened          3000.0    60.00 $2,500,000    10.000
Blip Enhancer                   50.0     1.00     $5,000     2.500
Computer Terminal               10.0     0.50       $250     0.000
Crew Station                    40.0    40.00       $100     0.000
1,312.905 kw Fusion Power      262.6     5.25    $13,129     0.000
Power Access Space               0.0    21.01         $0     0.000

TOTALS                        9377.6   248.06 $3,078,979  1312.905

Thanks

   Andy

+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Andrew Akins                                                       |
| Home: igor@ames.net - http://www.ames.net/igor/                    |
| Work: andya@cms-ia.com - http://www.cms-ia.com/                    |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| IMTU: tc++(**) ru+ ge 3i+ jt- au+ ls+ kk+ hi+ as+ va+ dr+ so+ zh+  |
|       vi+ da+                                                      |
| Geek: GCS d- s+:+ a- C++ W++ w+++(-)$ PS+ PE t- 5++ X+ R+++ tv+    |
|       b+++ DI+ D-- G e+ h---- r+++ y++++                           |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 09:47:25 -0400
From: Walter Smith <SmithW@HARTWICK.EDU>
Subject: Oops

I apologize for the duplicate messages, my site just went from
an OpenVMS Mail server to a Microsoft Exchange mail server,
there appear to be a few bugs left to work out.

Walt Smith

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 21:56:55 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: FW: Kenneth's Questions

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Rupert
Boleyn
Sent: Tuesday, 24 August 1999 20:37
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: Re: FW: Kenneth's Questions


On Wed, 25 Aug 1999, Antony wrote:

> Just think of the poor guys face if after succeeding in holding on he
> notices the hull jump grid (in TNE anyway) beginning to energise, and as
it
> gets blue-white hot he better come up with a plan quick!

Surely you mean T4? TNE doesn't have jump grids, as its Jump Drives
create a field surrounding the ship, thus allowing the piggybacking of
non-jump capable boats.

- --
Rupert Boleyn

Since jump drives in TNE have surface area I always assumed that some of
this was the exhaust from the fast burn reactor and some from "the hull
grid" which turned up in the DGP publication (shh musnt talk about that)
Starship Operators Handbook, besides I like a hull grid explains how
different configurations can enter jump space.

Antony

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 02:01:20 +1200
From: "Rupert Boleyn" <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris

Andrew wrote:
> No Strephon was Emperor, Iolanthe was Empress-Consort (and as such
> not in line of succession), Iphegenia was first in line of
succession, Varian
> second and Lucan third. Working from memory Margaret was fourth.

Ooops, you're right.
 
> As I've said before, the lack of preparation for Lucan (and probably
Varian)
> speaks heaps about the nature of the Late Imperial Court, as does the
fact
> that Strephon did not tell either Tranion or some senior members of
the
> Moot about his absence. Either Strephon was a total incompetant, or
the
> highest Imperial officials and the model of Imperial honour could not
be
> trusted with the fact that the Emperor was away from court. Given the
> balance of what we know about Strephon, I'd say he wasn't a total
> incompetant, which leaves ...

So you're completely ruling out total complacency?

Rupert Boleyn

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

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 10:12:09 -0400
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
Subject: Re: Thrust effects

Juliean Galak writes:
>This brings up an interesting question: why can't an USL ship land in an 
>atmosphere?  Considering the fact that some of them have 6G of thrust, a 
>mere 1G of gravity shouldn't bother them (of course, if it's the AG that 
>provides some of the structural strength, then you'd need to keep that >on).
>
>As for the atmosphere itself, that's only an issue if you do a fast, TL7 
>spacecraft style landing.  Given either CG or Thruster
>Plates/Reactionless thrusters, it should be possible for a ship to take a
>few hours to _slowly_ come down through the atmosphere and land gently.
>Same on takeoff.
<snipped>

	Entering the atmosphere may be possible, though awkward if
	the ship must be pointed straight up all the time, but
	landing requires more than surviving the atmosphere.  I
	have always assumed that "streamlining" includes landing
	gear, wilderness refueling equipment, and general design
	considerations that allow access to the ship when it is
	landed.

Peez

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End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1005
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