Traveller-digest     Thursday, August 26 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 1017



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: 101 Starships
RE: Streamlining
Re: metric units
The Bexley Station
Jump flash
Re: Strephon and Iris 
Re: Strephon and Iris
Re: GURPS Design: Quiet Power Module
Re: Jump flash
X-TEK vs. X-tech Maximus
Re: Plankwell
Re: Plankwell
Re: Atlantis class redesign
Far Trader
Software Update (linux)
Re: The CT Creed
Missing Fleets of the Imperial Navy.
Re: [BITS] The Famille have arrived
Re: 101 Starships
Duplicate Fleets of The Imperium.
Re: Strephon and Iris 
Re: 101 Starships

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 21:27:21 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: 101 Starships

Rob,

I have a real challenge for you! 

How about a mixed technology ship in the 1 - 2 thousand ton range. What
I'm picturing is a Gypsy ship made from add ons to a 2 Imp cruiser. I
have a group of wanderers that refused to give up space during the long
night. Since that time they've lived in a small fleet by cannibalizing
they're own wrecks and any other ships they could find. After the
formation of the 3 Imp they continues they're ways and are a staple (if
somewhat shady) encounter through out most areas of Charted Space.

Ships should be less than Jump 3, with moderate maneuvering. USL is
probably the best configuration. Beyond that, well they are a mongrel.

Mike

Robert Prior wrote:
> 
> 
> Sorry, guess I was unclear. You send me a concept, along with a general
> description, Something along the lines of:
> 
> Concept: 400 dton sub merchant, GTL10, jump 2-3, good acceleration
> 
> The Snartlebart is a general-purpose merchant intended to service
> less-travelled routes in the Somomani Confederation. While larger than most
> tramp traders it uses the extra space to improve performance not capacity.
> As with most Solomani subsidized merchants, the Snartlebart is intended for
> use as a naval auxiliary during wartime.
> 
> I'll then design the ship to GT rules, and then email you back the
> completed design for a final check. This gives you a chance to point out
> where I made any mistakes ("Yeh, you nut, you forgot the jump drive!").
> Once we've got the design hammered out (as far as possible with GT) we
> release it.

- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 18:36:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Terry Mixon <tlmixon@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: Streamlining

- --- Kurt Feltenberger <kurt@blazenet.net> wrote:

> I always figured that it could be done if enough time was allotted to
> the 
> process.  Even in Adv 7, Broadsword, it has the Broadsword "grounded"
> at 
> the starport.

Also in GT: Behind the Claw, the reference on p66 for Tionale has a 
Broadsword landing on the planet and being captured and it has a 
standard atmosphere. Unless, of course, that was a mis-reading on my
part. 

Terry
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 18:51:47 -0700
From: "Shawn Campbell" <shawn@electricstitch.com>
Subject: Re: metric units

I personally like buying 3.78 liter bottles of milk and 2qt 3.6oz bottles of
pop.

Shawn Campbell
shawn@electricstitch.com
IMTU tc+ tm+(++) !tn t4 ru+ ge>+ !3i+ c+ jt au+ st+ ls(+) pi+ ta he+(++)

> Ian Ferguson wrote:
> >
> > Anthony Jackson writes:
> > >Why should it?  Americans mix terms all the time.  Volts, Watts, and
> > >Amperes are all metric units, and used in this country.
> >
> >         Most people will look at you strangely if you ask them for
> >         a 0.08 horsepower lightbulb  :-)
>
> *cups hand to ear* Watt did you say?

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 12:05:53 +1000
From: dadams@parracity.nsw.gov.au
Subject: The Bexley Station

I did this up as a thought exercise at home , thus I do not have the
details here. I can give Rob an utline to see if he could use it for 202
Starships

The Bexly Station (GTL12 Highport)

A 2,000,000 million dton High Port, designed with a strong
compartmentalised hull and .1% armour (around 1000DR)

Space for 250,000 staterooms (I envision this equates to 200,000
population, with more space for the rich and families)
A large medical and scientific facility (100 labs and heaps of sickbay
modulas, enough for 250,000 staterooms)
Swimming pools, social area (bars), theatres and stages
20 bays and 100 turrents (unallocated)
Logistical modulas (to represent space manufacturing facilities)
1/2 of the space allocated to cargo
5 Spacedocks.
Manouver drives (mainly station keeping [I calculated around 940] , but
also used to provide escape thrusters to the staterooms, ie in a disaster,
the habitat modual would thrust away from the disaster, discarding the
logistics/spaceport/cargo)
1 engineering modual
Utility moduals for the whole station.

Rob> If you can use this, I can post my figures so you have a fhumbnail
idea on what I did.

I envision this to look like a Cylon Base Star, with the spacedocks on the
botem, divided into 4 quaters, with the habitat and work areas divided by a
central core.

darryl


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

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 22:22:36 EDT
From: JFZeigler@aol.com
Subject: Jump flash

Folks,

Can anyone who has a copy of (say) the Starship Operator's Manual
confirm the existence of "jump flash" -- that is, the release of visible light
and/or other forms of energy when a starship leaves jumpspace?

I seem to remember the idea as being canonical but I can't find a reference
in the materials at hand.  It's relevant to the GT Solomani Rim book, oddly
enough.

Jon

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 14:28:58 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris 

From:           	"Carlos Alos-Ferrer" <Carlos.Alos-Ferrer@univie.ac.at>
Date sent:      	Wed, 25 Aug 1999 16:15:47 +0000

> > From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>

> > Considering that Longbow II was partially psionic in nature, and it was Imperial policy to stomp on psionics, I'd say it
> > was something *too* serious to trust outside of the 'need to know' circle.  Remember, Longbow II detected the Empress Wave
> > inbound.  That's pretty serious, IMNSFBHO.

> Yep. And still Tranian at least should have known it. Unless he was 
> a convinced anti-psionics type in private as well as in public.

Doesn't matter. All that Tranian needs to know is that Strephon is away
from Capital on important state business, if he's that anti-psionic the
exact details of the reason for Strephon's absence can be left out. Heck
for that matter Dulinor should have been told before his audience with
Strephon too! After all, he's an Archduke of the Imperium, if you can't
trust an Archduke with state secrets who can you trust.

> > Also, Lucan and Varian were never considered to be viable candidates for the Throne, thus were only given the *basics*. 
> > If something had happened to Iphegenia, this 'oversight' would have been corrected of course.

> Hmmmm.... was VARIAN taught only the basics? Is there a source for 
> that bit of data? He was *before* Lucan, so maybe it was just Lucan 
> who was left to himself... and maybe that's the reason he got jealous 
> enough to want to usurpe Varian's right.

Its not, its just an assumption on my part. Hmmm, if Varian had been
taught the basics and Lucan not it would explain alot.


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

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 14:28:58 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris

Date sent:      	Tue, 24 Aug 1999 19:35:22 +0100
From:           	SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>

> Some thoughts - Strephon is (SM source) devastated by the news of the death
> of his wife and daughter by one of his allies/appointed men. In shock, he
> lets them take him somewhere safe. His trust in his aides is misplaced as
> all he really needed to do is get back to Capital and Code Blue the Navy
> base. Lucan would have fallen in line (faced with his uncles' return),
> Dulinor would have been a murderer and the people of the Imperium would
> have 'one clear choice'.

Very true, but this is what distinguishes the great from the competant. A
great leader would have put their grief aside and acted desisively. Strephon
did not. When faced with crisis he faltered (very badly). Strephon was so
badly affected that he had to be sedated and sent to bed, then abdicated
responsiblity to his aides. These are not the actions of a great man.

> The failure in Strephon was to be human and allow his grief to blind him to
> his aides' decisions. On them must fall the blame for the deaths of
> Trillions of sophonts following the Collapse and the release of Virus.

No, to put it bluntly, Strephon was not an ordinary man. He was leader of
the Third Imperium and as such had responsibilities. He abdicated those
responsibilities. Or in other words "The buck stops here".


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

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 21:29:57 -0500
From: "Bont" <felix@felixcafe.com>
Subject: Re: GURPS Design: Quiet Power Module

> >Power Cell Space               0.0   166.63         $0    0
> 
> I don't think batteries require access space. Certainly none of the
> examples in GV gives them any. I think it only applies to power generation
> systems.
> 
> Note that there is a lot of empty space in a GTL10 thruster module (92
> cf). You could actually get 49 stons of thrust in the space available (69
> unvectored), or a lot of batteries, oh yes and some CG ;-)

You can get 892,857,142 kWs in 1 dTon.  This is enough to run a 
(notice I said, "a" as in one)  Thruster Module for 62 hours, 2 for 31 
hours, 4 for 15.5 hours, etc.

IMTU, I would treat it as a "portable battery."  As such, it needs to 
be treated as a Body with Medium Frame and Standard Materials, 
comes to :

25.38 sTons
5.019 MCr
1 space

Recharging is a problem.  I did some rough calculations and found 
you would need a triple laser turret's reactor to recharge one in 
about 5 minutes.  Put too many of these on a ship and you will be 
spending a lot of time recharging.  I did toy around with the idea of 
putting a rx slice with it for recharging purposes, but decided against 
it due to the fact that there isn't a whole lot of power vs weight 
available.


- - - -
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: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 22:42:09 -0400
From: "Thomas Schoene" <TomSchoene@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Jump flash

- ----------
> From: JFZeigler@aol.com
> To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
> Subject: Jump flash
> Date: Wednesday, 25 August, 1999 10:22 PM
> 
> Folks,
> 
> Can anyone who has a copy of (say) the Starship Operator's Manual
> confirm the existence of "jump flash" -- that is, the release of visible light
> and/or other forms of energy when a starship leaves jumpspace?
> 
> I seem to remember the idea as being canonical but I can't find a
reference
> in the materials at hand.  It's relevant to the GT Solomani Rim book,
oddly
> enough.

SOM says yes.  Not exactly a flash, but there is light and presumably other
emissions  "When a ship comes out of jump ... first there's a blue glow,
then the ship appears out of nowhere, and the glow fades a little so you
can see the grid lines, and then they're wiped out one by one."

Also, GT confirms that this is not forbidden canon. "A ship /leaving/ jump
also emits a detectable pulse of energy.  It is possible to determine the
approximate size of the ship, and the time it entered the system." (GT:121)

Hope that helps.

Tom Schoene

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 22:01:59 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: X-TEK vs. X-tech Maximus

shadowcat wrote:

<<snip>>
> 
> And the Staff at X-Tech/Maximus debating which designs need
> a less subtle application of superior firepower....

Given that the topic of discussion is *shudder* Famille Spofulam, I
doubt that your firm can improve much on the firepower of the designs in
question.
> 
> "When it comes to heavy firepower, come to X-Tech Maximus, We
> Dont Kid Around"

A recommendation, if I may?

Change your firm's name, ASAP.  "X-Tech Maximus" is _far_ too close to
the established firm of X-TEK Industries for _your_ comfort.  Trust me
on this....  ;-)

<<snip sig>>

- -- 
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 18:12:29 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Plankwell

>Yup.
>Jesse


    Good.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 18:18:07 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Plankwell

From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: Re: Plankwell


> "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com> writes:l

>Comrade Hudson, the plot is working. Your slogan for the revolution has
>been adopted by the unknowing and has permeated the consiousness of the
>TML. At last we can have revenge, at last we can reveal ourselves to the
>Templars.... Keven is subverted, and soon Legate will be too.


    Hey, I am still a CT/MT player, I will always enjoy CT & MT over TNE, T4
(ever wonder what they are going to call the fourth Terminator movie?), &
GT.
    <LL lights up his Psi Blades & says> "Entaro edune.  I am a Dark
Templer."
    I think I have been playing way too much Starcraft as of late.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 22:33:04 -0500
From: "Andrew Akins" <igor@truserve.com>
Subject: Re: Atlantis class redesign

John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net> wrote
> >the Atlantis is
> >equiped with enough life pods to support the full crew (six pods
> >support 24 people, enough for the crew and a squad of RATs).
>
> Why so many?

Taneian naval doctrine. Life pods are designed for long-term periods - thus
the design is:
    5 ton SL
    Hardened Cockpit
    Maneuver
    4 Low Berths

You are correct that for a mere escape vessel, you can design a better ship.
These pods allow the crew to escape and remain in stasis until recovery - in
some cases, that could be hours, days, or even weeks.

Just a design decision. Of course, the most efficient thing would be to
follow the Imperial Naval method and have no escape vessels - but I prefered
this idea, and it fits in with the culture/society/doctrine of the Taneis
Covenant (the government this ship belongs too).

>You could use advanced armour to lighten the ship, and allow more armor for
the
>same performance.

True, but I was simply using the stock GT rules, and didn't even bother with
specific armor types...might have to look into that...

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 23:51:43 -0400
From: Thad Coons <Sapience@compuserve.com>
Subject: Far Trader

I finally saved up enough nickels to get it...I'm impressed.

I've seen a conversion from GURPS TL to Traveller TL on the list a couple
of times, but I never needed it before. Could someone post it again, or
send it to me? TIA...I'm about a week behind reading digests.
 

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 23:05:27 -0500
From: Mark A Nordstrand <markn@visi.com>
Subject: Software Update (linux)

Mark's Traveller Utilities v. 0.9.3 has been updated and 
is available from

http://www.visi.com/~markn/index.html

The most notable change is improved redraws in the sector
map (a "what was I thinking" error).  

For details about what makes up this software click the
link or even download the tarball.  The above page also 
has an update on some of the other projects I am working 
on.

Mark

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 21:03:55 -0700
From: shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson)
Subject: Re: The CT Creed

>From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
>Subject: Re: Plankwell
...
>>Well, Jesse, it is from High Guard, & you know what Kevin says, don't
>>you?  "There is only one Traveller & High Guard is its product."
>
>Comrade Hudson, the plot is working. Your slogan for the revolution has
>been adopted by the unknowing and has permeated the consiousness of the
>TML. At last we can have revenge, at last we can reveal ourselves to the
>Templars.... Keven is subverted, and soon Legate will be too.

The CT Creed: "There is no Game but Traveller, and High Guard is its' Product"

  <ahem>  Comrade Hudson has been re-educated and is now a productive citizen
of Serendip (gov't type 5; describe fully in three rants or less :> ). Please 
be advised that in addition to the dodgy theology advanced by cheap rip-offs
there is a risk of brand infringement once MiniTru & SoCo-AgitProp decide
which of them gets the trademark; admittedly as both sides still have multiple
surviving Permanent Under-Secretaries this is not an immediate concern.

Serendip Combine Yards, builders of the POPCORN-Class Space Dominance Fighter:
  "When you really, really don't care whether the unit comes back or not"

  S. Hudson, Minister for Social Cohesion, Serendip Combine

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 00:06:15 EDT
From: Clifford N Linehan <cnl.rubicon@juno.com>
Subject: Missing Fleets of the Imperial Navy.

I was wondering if anyone knows the classic Traveller sector / subsector
locations for the following numbered fleets of the Imperial navy.

118th
131st
189th
303rd

Thanks,

Clifford Linehan
cnl.rubicon@juno.com
One man's magic is another man's engineering.
IMTU tc+ tm+ ?tn- ?t4- tg++ ?tt to ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt au st+ ls pi+ ta he+
kk hi as va dr so zh+ vi da sy

___________________________________________________________________
Get the Internet just the way you want it.
Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 00:08:13 -0400
From: Mark Urbin <eclipse@ultranet.com>
Subject: Re: [BITS] The Famille have arrived

This makes me very glad my gearhead design company (Strasse Arms) is safe 
in Reavers' Deep in "The New Era."

ob-plug: http://spacevermin.homepage.com/TRAV/GH/


- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
eclipse@ultranet.com -- These opinions are mine, no one else wants `em.
Joan of Arc: the patron saint of welders http://www.ultranet.com/~eclipse/
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 21:28:20 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: 101 Starships

From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: 101 Starships



>Sorry, guess I was unclear. You send me a concept, along with a general
>description, Something along the lines of:
>
>Concept: 400 dton sub merchant, GTL10, jump 2-3, good acceleration
>
>The Snartlebart is a general-purpose merchant intended to service
>less-travelled routes in the Somomani Confederation. While larger than most
>tramp traders it uses the extra space to improve performance not capacity.
>As with most Solomani subsidized merchants, the Snartlebart is intended for
>use as a naval auxiliary during wartime.
>
>
>I'll then design the ship to GT rules, and then email you back the
>completed design for a final check. This gives you a chance to point out
>where I made any mistakes ("Yeh, you nut, you forgot the jump drive!").
>Once we've got the design hammered out (as far as possible with GT) we
>release it.


    OK.  Got one.
    If the Battle Rider idea can work for military ships, why not for
merchant shipping?
    What I would like to see is this:

The Sharlin class Merchant Tender
Concept:  50,000 dton USL merchant tender, CT TL 13 (I do not know what the
GTTL is, sorry, Rob), jump 3 or 4, & 1 g of acceleration.

    The Sharlin is a bold concept in Merchant shipping, using the idea of
the Battle Rider tender the Sharlin carries 5 Tebryn class Mechant Ships.
Used in the 3I on major Trade Routes.  By using the Battle Rider Concept,
the 5 Tebryn class vessels while still jump capable, are also able to be
dropped off to service planets in the area.
    While service on a Sharlin is a long & hard duty, the crews enjoy their
status as truely far traders, as they go from one end of the 3I to the
other.
    Sub Craft:  several Type S Scouts, several shuttles, and a few fighters.
    Passengers:  between 1,000 to 5,000.
    Defenses:  Good, as the Zho, Alsan, & Solomani would love to get their
hands on one of these ships.
    Extras:  Able to refine its own fuel.

The Tebryn class Merchant Ship
Concept:  10,000 dton SL merchant ship, CT TL 13, jump 1 or 2, good (2 or
3g) acceleration

    The Tebryn is a standard large Merchant ship, but built to be used with
the Sharlin class Merchant Tender.  As a Sharlin moves across a sub-sector,
the Tebryns will go off the main track to trade with other systems nearby.
    Sub-Craft:  A few Type S Scouts, shuttles, and a few fighters.
    Passengers:  between 100 to 500
    Defenses:  Good.
    Extras:  Able to refine its own fuel.

    Rob if you can get a few more passengers on the Sharlin, that would be
great, & a military version of the Sharlin & the Tebryn might also be a nice
idea.
    The idea is that when the Nobles go to Capital, they will take Sharlins
there, so they are very high-class ships & should have the room to take a
few yachts & other noble-owned ships onboard.
    For example, a Sharlin will start off at Regina (for the Trip to
Capital) & all the nobles in the area will converge on Regina, for the trip
to Capital.  As the Sharlin & it's Tebryns move along the space lanes more &
more nobles join up with it, either at starports & board directly, or they
dock with it, using their yachts.  I can see this ship as one, durring this
time at least, that the nobles will be plotting against each other, & the
players could be involved either in doing the dirty work, protecting a
noble, or as a crew member.
    Durring war-time, these ships are easily turned into Troop carriers for
the Army.  But, there might be a dedicated Troop Carrier, if Rob creates it.
    I hope I have given you enough information to work with Rob.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 00:26:15 EDT
From: Clifford N Linehan <cnl.rubicon@juno.com>
Subject: Duplicate Fleets of The Imperium.

Does anyone know the reason why nine of the fleets are located in more
than one subsector, with some of the locations being sectors apart.
I am impressed by the 213th fleet being located in three seperate sectors
at once.

108th - Old Expanses - M
108th - Old Expanses - N

128th - Delphi - M
128th - Reft Sector - E

179th - Illelish - F - at Dlan
179th - Illelish - L

193rd - Deneb - M
193rd - Spinward Marches - F

212th - Spinward Marches - B - at Regina
212th - Vland - O

213th - Corridor - J
213th - Deneb - B
213th - Spinward Marches - C

214th - Corridor - H
214th - Spinward Marches - D

255th - Corridor - G
255th - Lishun - N

260th - Antares - A
260th - Deneb - N


Thanks,

Clifford Linehan
cnl.rubicon@juno.com
One man's magic is another man's engineering.
IMTU tc+ tm+ ?tn- ?t4- tg++ ?tt to ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt au st+ ls pi+ ta he+
kk hi as va dr so zh+ vi da sy

___________________________________________________________________
Get the Internet just the way you want it.
Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 08:08:46 +0200
From: Volker Greimann <volker@greimann.de>
Subject: Re: Strephon and Iris 

>> Yep. And still Tranian at least should have known it. Unless he was 
>> a convinced anti-psionics type in private as well as in public.
>
>Doesn't matter. All that Tranian needs to know is that Strephon is away
>from Capital on important state business, if he's that anti-psionic the
>exact details of the reason for Strephon's absence can be left out. Heck
>for that matter Dulinor should have been told before his audience with
>Strephon too! After all, he's an Archduke of the Imperium, if you can't
>trust an Archduke with state secrets who can you trust.

Hmmm, perhaps he WAS told, but didnt care. Maybe he thought that shooting
the clone would have the 
same effect as no-one knew that the man he shot was the clone, namely
allowing to take control (a plan which backfired as we all know).
Volker
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Volker A. Greimann --- http://www.greimann.de --- volker@greimann.de

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

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 01:30:45 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: 101 Starships

Legate Legion wrote:
> 
<<snip>>
> 
>     OK.  Got one.
>     If the Battle Rider idea can work for military ships, why not for
> merchant shipping?
>     What I would like to see is this:
> 
> The Sharlin class Merchant Tender
> Concept:  50,000 dton USL merchant tender, CT TL 13 (I do not know what the
> GTTL is, sorry, Rob), jump 3 or 4, & 1 g of acceleration.
> 
>     The Sharlin is a bold concept in Merchant shipping, using the idea of
> the Battle Rider tender the Sharlin carries 5 Tebryn class Mechant Ships.
> Used in the 3I on major Trade Routes.  By using the Battle Rider Concept,
> the 5 Tebryn class vessels while still jump capable, are also able to be
> dropped off to service planets in the area.
>     While service on a Sharlin is a long & hard duty, the crews enjoy their
> status as truely far traders, as they go from one end of the 3I to the
> other.
>     Sub Craft:  several Type S Scouts, several shuttles, and a few fighters.
>     Passengers:  between 1,000 to 5,000.
>     Defenses:  Good, as the Zho, Alsan, & Solomani would love to get their
> hands on one of these ships.
>     Extras:  Able to refine its own fuel.
> 
> The Tebryn class Merchant Ship
> Concept:  10,000 dton SL merchant ship, CT TL 13, jump 1 or 2, good (2 or
> 3g) acceleration
> 
>     The Tebryn is a standard large Merchant ship, but built to be used with
> the Sharlin class Merchant Tender.  As a Sharlin moves across a sub-sector,
> the Tebryns will go off the main track to trade with other systems nearby.
>     Sub-Craft:  A few Type S Scouts, shuttles, and a few fighters.
>     Passengers:  between 100 to 500
>     Defenses:  Good.
>     Extras:  Able to refine its own fuel.

One question:

What would be the economic benefit from building such a ship?

Admittedly, AuricTech Shipyards will be _more_ than happy to design such
a ship and build it (using either HG2 or FF&S2).  All you need to do is
pay us.  (Note:  in TML credits, expressing appreciation for a design is
considered payment.)

Your shareholders/bankers/whoever else is putting up the money to build
this ship are concerned with one thing:

Will this make me a larger profit than other ways of investing my
capital?
> 
>     Rob if you can get a few more passengers on the Sharlin, that would be
> great, & a military version of the Sharlin & the Tebryn might also be a nice
> idea.
>     The idea is that when the Nobles go to Capital, they will take Sharlins
> there, so they are very high-class ships & should have the room to take a
> few yachts & other noble-owned ships onboard.

Considering that the AuricTech _Electra III_ yacht has Jump-4, 4-G
performance, at a cost of only MCr 824.07, I would think that most
nobles who would need to travel to Capital would have ships of similar
performance, and would not need to hitch a ride on a _Sharlin_.

Further, were I a noble of such stature that I needed to travel to
Capital, I would be loathe to expose myself to the hazards you describe
below....

>     For example, a Sharlin will start off at Regina (for the Trip to
> Capital) & all the nobles in the area will converge on Regina, for the trip
> to Capital.  As the Sharlin & it's Tebryns move along the space lanes more &
> more nobles join up with it, either at starports & board directly, or they
> dock with it, using their yachts.  I can see this ship as one, durring this
> time at least, that the nobles will be plotting against each other, & the
> players could be involved either in doing the dirty work, protecting a
> noble, or as a crew member.
>
>     Durring war-time, these ships are easily turned into Troop carriers for
> the Army.  But, there might be a dedicated Troop Carrier, if Rob creates it.

Such a ship would, at least, be immune from the profit analysis required
of a purely civilian vessel.  I could see a government providing a
subsidy for a tender capable of providing wartime services.  However, I
doubt that such a ship could earn its keep in peacetime, as a merchant
vessel.

I would gladly change my mind, if the economic numbers work out....

<<snip>>

- -- 
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1017
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