Traveller-digest     Thursday, October 7 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 1166



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Democracy and Traveller
Re: GT: Ship's Lasers Design
Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar
Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar
Re: BRS Class Emergency lifeboat - THUDDD 10 non-Entry
Re: Downport trouble...
Re: Shannon and noise
Traveller Forms (was: XML for Traveller)
S/N Ratio and Errors
Re: Shannon and noise
Re: Traveller versions
Re: Democracy and Traveller
RE: Traveller Versions
Black Globes and Jump was Annic Nova
RE: The Nth Traveller Flamewar
Re: Democracy and Traveller
Multiple Key-code for THUDDD entries
Re: Annic Nova (longish) 
SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Michael's amazing lung heart enthusier and soci al class amendimizer
Re: Annic Nova (longish) 

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 20:04:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: Democracy and Traveller

>What about online democracy?  If everyone has net.access, and the
>representatives are obliged to vote as their constituents direct, this
>might actually work-- mightn't it?  Of course, decisions would be made
>slowly; one couldn't respond to an immediate threat this way.

With a travel time of 4 years to the core (and another 4 back)?

That's why you have the representative in the first place.

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 20:04:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: GT: Ship's Lasers Design

>I'm trying to custom design a space combat x-ray
>laser for GURPS Traveller using Vehicles, 2nd Edition.
>
>My copy appears, however, to be missing some info.
>
>I can't find the rules for figuring beam weapon
>volume or the specifics on building weapons with
>the "compact" option.


p.42: Volume is normally weight/50 cf, except more like weight/20 cf if it
is concealed inside the vehicle.  This is very logically in the chapter
with preedesigned weapons, rather than in the chapter where you actually
design the weapons. My worst complaint about VE2 is the way that keeps
happening.

>In the latter case, p.124 states the compact
>option "substitutes compact, high-tech components
>for more routine systems reducing the weapon's
>weight and volume but increasing cost."

p.126: in the weight formula, factor L is 0.5 if compact, 1 otherwise.

p.127: in the cost formula, the "Options" part says to quadruple the cost
of a compact beam weapon.

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 20:04:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar

>But not British, or Imperial, measurements where 1 ton = 2240 lbs and a
>gallon is defined as the volume of 10 lbs of water (at a certain
>density, etc, etc), or about 277.4 cu. inches. The fluid ounces are
>different, too - there are 20 Imperial fluid ounces in an Imperial
>pint. So in response to whoever posted that the 3I naturally uses the
>Imperial system - GURPS Traveller doesn't do that, either.

Of course, just to confuse non-Americans GURPS claims to use Imperial units.

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 20:04:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Prior <robert_prior@sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar

>also 231 cu. inches = 1 gallon
>
>Those should get you thru 99% of the American measurements.

This is, of course, incorrect.

GURPS Traveller uses _Imperial_ measurements, which means that you must use
Imperial gallons, not American gallons.

This is a disadvantage for Americans, forcing them to convert measurements
that only _seem_ familiar. On the bright side, it means that Traveller
players are entitled to larger pints of Scouts Brew at any SJG-sponsored
event :-)

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

Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 20:43:51 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: BRS Class Emergency lifeboat - THUDDD 10 non-Entry

Phil Kitching wrote:
> 
<<snip>>
>> Finally, it really ought to be 100MCr but I can't think how to make it that
>> expensive.
> >
> >Since I haven't seen the BRS, I can't give you AuricTech advice on
> >jacking up a spacecraft's capabilities, along with price.... >;-)
> 
> It's 20dt, 76MCr and provides escape for *one* overlord + minion

In response to your specifications for the BRS VIP lifeboat:

We don't quite have a ready-to-build design yet, but we have a draft
design for a 20 dton craft that can carry three sophonts (two
crewminions hot-bunking, and an overlord in a small stateroom) at 2G
acceleration, with standard conveniences (armored hull, automated
point-defense laser, sandcasters, etc.) for MCr 105.18.  We expect to
have a completed proposal ready within the next two to three days.

Our design bureau team members suspect that your draft forgot to include
the MCr 50 13.5 sensitivity PEMS (range: 16 mkm).  After all, when
overlords abandon ship, it's usually due to some ungrateful
insurrectionist swine attacking their majesties' vessels.  It wouldn't
do to lose track of said rebel scum, simply because some bean-counter
vetoed the best possible sensor suite.

//signature//

Lola Goetz
Vice President for Public Relations
AuricTech Shipyards

<<snip>>

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

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

Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 21:54:53 -0400
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@pcisys.net>
Subject: Re: Downport trouble...

At 12:08 PM 10/5/99 PST, you wrote:
>In mail you write:
>It's actually derived from *math*, not physics. 
>
>        C= W log2( 1 + S/N )
>
>        C = throughput in bit per second
>        W = bandwidth in hertz
>        S/N = signal to noise ratio
>
>
>300-3000 = 2700 Hz. 300-4000 =3700 Hz
>
>28800 = 2700 * log2(1+S/N)	33600 = 3700 * log2(1+S/N)
>10.67 = log2(1+S/N)		9.08 = log2(1+S/N)
>1625.5 = 1+S/N			541.6 = 1+S/N
>1624.5 = S/N			540.6 = S/N
>
>So it looks like we want an S/N ratio of around 1000.
>
>Why we need such a high signal to noise ratio, I don't know. But we
do.

	I believe it's actually to reduce the error rate. My copy of the
Space Data Handbook presents error rates in terms of normalized S/N
ratio lambda, which is energy per bit / noise spectral density, and
I'm not qualified to convert back & forth ... however, for reference,
the chart for coherent PSK shows that at 0dB, the error rate is one
bit in ten; at 10dB, the rate is one in 10^5.

- -- Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in
   large groups.

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

Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 12:11:08 +1000
From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au
Subject: Re: Shannon and noise

Dear Folks -

"Sword Worlder" said:
>> Probably, but I don't know Shannon's law well enough to say that with
>> any real conviction.
>
>Not that I have any practical experience with it, but Shannon's Theorem
>[C=Blog2(1 + S/N)] applies to a transmission system that introduces noise
>(N).  I suppose it is possible to find a noiseless system.  Back to the
>question of a perfect conductor, eh? ;-)

Not that I know *anything* about comms, but I thought that line noise was
the very thing Mandelbrot was studying at IBM's pure research labs? He
found that even on the quietest line they could achieve, unexplained line
noise occurred. The random nature of the noise is what led him into chaos
theory.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
David "Hyphen" Jaques-Watson        Beowulf Down (Tavonni/Vilis/SM 1520)
http://www.tip.net.au/~davidjw                       davidjw@pcug.org.au
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity"
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQ'D DISCLAIMER - material & opinions contained within are solely those
of the author and do not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the
position of Centrelink or any other Commonwealth Government agency.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 12:11:19 +1000
From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au
Subject: Traveller Forms (was: XML for Traveller)

Dear Folks -

Alex Ingram <ingram@airmail.net> wrote:
>Being a professional graphic designer I have developed dozens of Traveller
>related forms for my Traveller universe. I'd be glad to share them with
you
>or help in designing new ones. Contact me and let's talk.

Are these available on the net?
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
David "Hyphen" Jaques-Watson        Beowulf Down (Tavonni/Vilis/SM 1520)
http://www.tip.net.au/~davidjw                       davidjw@pcug.org.au
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity"
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQ'D DISCLAIMER - material & opinions contained within are solely those
of the author and do not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the
position of Centrelink or any other Commonwealth Government agency.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 22:29:19 -0400
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@pcisys.net>
Subject: S/N Ratio and Errors

>Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 21:54:53 -0400
>To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
>From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@pcisys.net>
>Subject: Re: Downport trouble...
>In-Reply-To: <991005.120803.8H2.rnr.w165w@krypton.rain.com>
>References: <37FA28B0.C7445DC0@brighton.ac.uk>
>
>At 12:08 PM 10/5/99 PST, you wrote:
>>In mail you write:
>>It's actually derived from *math*, not physics. 
>>
>>        C= W log2( 1 + S/N )
>>
>>        C = throughput in bit per second
>>        W = bandwidth in hertz
>>        S/N = signal to noise ratio
>>
>>
>>300-3000 = 2700 Hz. 300-4000 =3700 Hz
>>
>>28800 = 2700 * log2(1+S/N)	33600 = 3700 * log2(1+S/N)
>>10.67 = log2(1+S/N)		9.08 = log2(1+S/N)
>>1625.5 = 1+S/N			541.6 = 1+S/N
>>1624.5 = S/N			540.6 = S/N
>>
>>So it looks like we want an S/N ratio of around 1000.
>>
>>Why we need such a high signal to noise ratio, I don't know. But we
do.
>

	Ah! Should have just read a few more pages. Converting to normalized
SNR (Eb/N0) from S/N should be

	Eb/N0 = T [ C / N0 ]

where

	C/N0 = B C/N

C = Carrier power
B = IF bandwidth
T = bit duration in sec = 1 / data rate

So let's take the S/N from above as C/N. Expressed in dB, that's
64dB. Bandwidth at audio frequencies on the phone is about 4000hz.
Bit duration n seconds is 1/28,800, or 3.5 x 10^-5. So, Eb/N0 works
out around 8.8dB. Binary coherent PSK, 9dB gives a bit error rate of
6x10-4. On average, one bit in about 2000 winds up incorrectly
received. Fortunately, we've all got error correcting modems ...

Disclaimers: I'm not an information theory weenie. I'm using TRW's
"Space Data" handbook for back of the envelope calculations, and may
have made a few mistakes. Specifically,

	- The maximum baud rate for telephone lines is around 2400. To get
28.8k BITS per second (not BAUD--there *is* a difference), you need
to use higher than binary PSK ... and I know higher speed modems DO
use greater signalling density.
	- I'm not completely convinced that Carrier/Noise is the same as
Signal/Noise ...

- -- Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in
   large groups.

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:41:24 -0400
From: "Sword Worlder" <swordworlder@clinic.net>
Subject: Re: Shannon and noise

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au>
> Not that I know *anything* about comms, but I thought that line noise was
> the very thing Mandelbrot was studying at IBM's pure research labs? He
> found that even on the quietest line they could achieve, unexplained line
> noise occurred. The random nature of the noise is what led him into chaos
> theory.

Driven mad by listening to those tiny little noises, I'd imagine.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The TRAVELLER Domain
http://www.downport.com
Colin Michael, WebDev

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

Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 20:44:32 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Re: Traveller versions

>I wasn't being *totally* serious with  that  part,  although  the
>T2K2  system  could  have  become  the  core  of   a   GURPS-like
>multi-gerne system.  All it lacked was a magic system for fantasy
>games.  As such it would have been  superior  as  GURPS  lacks  a
>proper task system (yes,  I  know  someone  tried  inventing  one
>recently).  GURPS is an evolutionarily earlier game ... and isn't
>metric.

So it isn't metric. What's the big deal? Playing GURPS up here where
we use the metric system, we just convert the GURPS measurements into
metric. The most-often used measure in GURPS is the game hex -- one
yard. We use "one metre". We also just use "tonne" (ie, 1000 kg) for
"ton" (2000 lbs), and divide "pounds" by 2 to get kilograms. Not an
exact conversion, but close enough for gaming purposes. And we've 
been doing it for over 10 years now.

BTW, I have no problem with the GURPS skill system. Degrees of
difficulty can be simulated by imposing roll modifiers...

Personally, were it not for GURPS Traveller, I doubt I'd be playing
Traveller now... Traveller would have just been one more in the long
list of games I've played and enjoyed but no longer play...

- -- g


     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn
        "There is no longer any normal to be"
                                 -- Gary Numan

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:37:26 -0400
From: "Terry Carlino" <carlino@home.com>
Subject: Re: Democracy and Traveller

>What about online democracy?  If everyone has net.access, and the
>representatives are obliged to vote as their constituents direct, this
>might actually work-- mightn't it?  Of course, decisions would be made
>slowly; one couldn't respond to an immediate threat this way.

"Slowly" is an understatement. It takes over a year to get from Regina to
Capital (39 Jump-4 Jumps, if you can go in a strait line, which you can't).
A federal state, with each Domain acting as a state might work. Each
subsector sends a representative to a sector legislature, which in turn
sends a representative to a Domain wide congress, each of which sends a
senator to the Moot.

I don't really expect it would work. The elected representative on Capital
would be so far removed from the "folks back home" that your typical
American Senator, who often has lived in D.C. for the past decade and a half
would seem like a hometown boy.

I would expect that the 3I government would become even more fragmented.
Civil war would be even more likely, eventually.

Going farther afield let's look at the other cultures around the Imperium.
None of them are democracies, or even republics. The Solomani Confederation
is much smaller than the 3I and heavily fractionalized. The Aslan have no
true central government. The Zho's follow the Imperial Pattern, with a
Nobility and local control by that Nobility. The Vargr ... need I say more?
The really alien aliens aren't applicable.

Terry C

All that is Gold does not glitter
Not all who travel are lost

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:47:11 -0400
From: "Terry Carlino" <carlino@home.com>
Subject: RE: Traveller Versions

>It should be noted that all "lacks a 'proper' task system" means
>is that modifiers for roles aren't listed in "easy, hard, etc"
>format.  I put a table for this in my GURPS Traveller article
>_years_ ago but it never get that much attention because, frankly,
>it not that big a deal...

I guess I'm clueless. My well thumbed GURPS Basic book list a gazillion
skills relating to tasks with the classifications (mental/hard) or
(physical/easy) with a default to indicate what Joe Genero has to roll to
accomplish a task using that skill. I always thought that was a "task
system".

Terry C

All that is Gold does not glitter
Not all who travel are lost

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:59:18 -0400
From: "Terry Carlino" <carlino@home.com>
Subject: Black Globes and Jump was Annic Nova

>Walter Smith wrote:
>>
>> Hans Rancke-Madsen wrote:
>> >>>>>>>>>
>> That's not the point. If you remember the discussion about drop tanks and
>> jump projectors half a year ago, you will remember that energy storage
>> devices that can build up a jump charge over time and store it for even a
>> few hours makes jump projectors possible and that jump projectors are
even
>> more economically effective than drop tanks.
>> >>>>>>>>>>
>> Did you mean some kind of jump fuel tender - where you run a hose to the
>> ship, have the ship burn the fuel as it comes, then the ship holds the
charge
>> until it reaches a safe jump distance?

>IIRC, jump projectors would beam energy over to the ship that was
>intending to jump.  Once the capacitors were charged up, the ship would
>use the power to initiate jump.
>
>This also ties into the interminable "how does a ship use its jump fuel"
>debate (I choose not to take sides, should that one start up again).

Canonically we know that a BG can be used to build a jump charge. Does that
mean that a ship with a black globe could be built with no fuel tanks at
all? Just get close enough to the system sun to charge the Jump capacitors
and jump. Or is the distance from the star that will produce the necessary
power too far inside the star's 100 diameter limit?

Terry C

All that is Gold does not glitter
Not all who travel are lost

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 23:44:50 -0400
From: "Terry Carlino" <carlino@home.com>
Subject: RE: The Nth Traveller Flamewar

Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 11:02:56 -0400
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>

>So, all we need to remember for the use of Imperial/American units
>are the following conversion factors:
>16, 2000, 12, 3, 1760, 5280, 640, 8, 2, 4, 231, 2240, 10, 20
>(plus a few more).  Oh, and you have to remember which goes with
>which :)

I've got to say I really don't understand SJG's reluctance to publishing
dual unit rules. I mean their stuff is translated into other languages and
use metric (see GURPS Basic p 8) in those languages so somebody's already
worked out the conversions. Generally I use American units to work out any
design's and then convert to metric for player use. I generally fudge it so
yards are meters on hex ship layouts and maps, mass lbs to kilo's etc. The
hardest part is vehicle performance which I generally feel has to be closer.

Terry C

All that is Gold does not glitter
Not all who travel are lost

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

Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 00:46:28 -0000
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net>
Subject: Re: Democracy and Traveller

- -----Original Message-----
From: Terry Carlino <carlino@home.com>
To: Traveller Mailing list <traveller@mpgn.com>
Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 2:47 AM
Subject: Re: Democracy and Traveller


>I don't really expect it would work. The elected representative on Capital
>would be so far removed from the "folks back home" that your typical
>American Senator, who often has lived in D.C. for the past decade and a
half
>would seem like a hometown boy.


Many of these "decade and a half" senators still get elected as a result of
campaigns that convince the voters in their state that they are, in fact,
"hometown boys." To take it a step further, voters are sometimes convinced
that senators from OTHER states are in fact "hometown boys."

As a result, I would think that the hometown factor you're referring to
isn't as important as it looks. Further, we know that the art of advertising
has transformed into the science of psychohistory.

>I would expect that the 3I government would become even more fragmented.


Possibly, but you haven't really made a convincing argument.

>Civil war would be even more likely, eventually.


We already know that it happened with the Third Imperium's noble system, so
what's the difference, really?

>Going farther afield let's look at the other cultures around the Imperium.


Sure. Sounds good to me.

>None of them are democracies, or even republics. The Solomani Confederation
>is much smaller than the 3I and heavily fractionalized.

They were also on the losing end of a war in which they lost their central
rallying point. The government is also presented as one that would make the
U.S.S.R. during the Stalinist regime look like a paradise.

>The Aslan have no
>true central government.

Those crazy anarchist Aslan. Gives the A in a circle a whole new meaning? ;)

>The Zho's follow the Imperial Pattern, with a
>Nobility and local control by that Nobility.

Sort of, but not exactly, considering the fact that their government has
integrated psionics to the extent that... well... democracy would likely be
impossible.

>The Vargr ... need I say more?


Yes. You do need to say more! The Vargr, from where I stand, seem to
practice the truest and most primal form of democracy... a democracy of
charisma.

>The really alien aliens aren't applicable.


Why not? Are you a speciesist? ;)

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

Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 22:04:12 -0700
From: "Jason T. Barnabas" <cybernaut@netzero.net>
Subject: Multiple Key-code for THUDDD entries

Anyone who wants multiple Key-codes 
for multiple companies can have them.
All you have to do is send me multiple
write ups on the multiple companies.
- --
Sincerely,

Jason Barnabas




__________________________________________
NetZero - Defenders of the Free World
Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at
http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html

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

Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 03:41:25 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (longish) 

> > Here's my "evidence":
> [snip]
> > 3. As presented, Annic Nova's design requires a ship's boat
> > to be moved from a pylon to a docking berth before any
> > acceleration can take place. This docking berth is not only
> > empty, but the doors at that berth (IIRC) show signs of some
> > of the only damage on this well-preserved ship.
> > Indicates: A third ship's boat was present, perhaps one with
> > engines better than the other two (for better than the .1-.2 G
> > acceleration the others are capable of when attached to the
> > ship). The pilot was perhaps unfamiliar with undocking procedures,
> > causing him to damage the doors while leaving with a load of
> > supplies, equipment, and survivors.

The boats were fairly standard design CT ship's boats, IIRC.  They had 6G 
capability.  Only the total displacement of the Annic Nova whilst being 
pushed by the boats cut the accelleration down to the .1/.2G that they could 
move the ship at.  I don't see a bigger boat, at the 6G accel limit of CT, as 
being able to move it any faster, but still, it's an interesting idea.  Or, 
it could have been a humongous pod with a manuvering drive sufficient to move 
the entire ship at 1G or so, plus a reactor and enough controls to allow it 
to be controlled from the ship's bridge like the ship's boats are.  If 
somebody screwed up during a manuver and the pod seperated from the ship, it 
could have taken off for 'Never Nervous Land' at a speed too great for a 
ship's boat to catch it.  And that could account for the damage at the 
midship docking port.
 
> [snip]
> > My take on events aboard the Annic Nova:
> > 5. Annic Nova is sent, probably by computer command, into
> > the depths of space as a plague ship. Her indecipherable
> > transmissions are warn-away signals, but some error in the
> > computer controls has made her follow some unknown course
> > through jump-space, rather than simply float off into the void.

I could see this happening, especially if the computer's program was 
instructed by somebody running a high enough fever.  Having had a *bit* of 
experience in that area, I can categorically tell you that you *really* don't 
wanna make any plans under those circumstances.  And you *don't* wanna try 
operating any heavy equipment.  <grin.

> > 6. The survivors make landing on a planet, either uninhabited
> > or beyond the ken of the Third Imperium. It is up to question
> > whether they succumbed to the plague, or whether they have
> > founded a tiny colony and survived.
> 
> They needn't be outside the Imperium, or on an uninhabited world. 
> Consider that if we posit they are of a minor human race from outside the
> Imperium (or far away within it), the 'plague' may be some common virus or
> microbe that infects the mix of humaniti found in the Marches without
> causing more than a case of the sniffles.  So presume they were somewhere
> near Victoria, bound for that interdicted world for some (of necessity) 
> nefarious purpose.  They pick up the plague, and most of the drama occurs
> during the jump to Victoria.  The survivors abandon ship as you describe,
> and take the damaged boat down to the surface -- which is further damaged
> by the atmospheric entry and landing, sufficiently to prevent it from
> flying again.  Let's assume they *don't* develop the plague, or at least
> don't die from it; these may be the ones with natural immunity.

If they were minor humans from the Spinward Marches with technological 
competance, they would have been discovered before now.  They've *got* to be 
extra-Imperial in origin or they'd show up in the stock CT 'library program' 
that you can pick up at most any starport in the Marches.  Also, since the 
Imperium has been around the Marches for about 700 years in M:1100, they 
would probably have been assimulated into Imperial culture by then, thus 
speaking Anglic.
 
> Just before abandoning ship, the pilot sends the Nova off on a semi-random
> walk away from Victoria so as not to call attention to their crime(s).

Not to cover the 'crime', to get rid of the plague infested ship.
 
> Now they are stranded on Victoria, where they are not supposed to be, with
> a poisonous atmosphere other than on the mesas, and most of the mesas
> occupied by likely very suspicious locals.  They sure could use rescuing.
> Maybe with the right hints from the GM, some players could work this out.
> And get these folks back to the Nova.  And join in on whatever scheme they
> had in progress.

Interesting idea.  <grin>  I'll have to loot it...

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: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 17:14:41 +1000 
From: "Hughes, Michael" <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au>
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Michael's amazing lung heart enthusier and soci al class amendimizer

A few weeks/months/probably every couple of years the TML were discussing
that social class phenomenon of 3% are Barons, 8% are knights (ie Soc B & C)
during initial stat rolls. 

Well how about this. Simply take 2 off. In addition to losing this problem,
the bell curve (WARNING Non social scientist/economics person talking) pops
down a couple of notches toward the lower classes where most of us reside. 

Thus the following ensues

SOC	EXAMPLES
0-1	Very Low Class (Street Peoples, people who lose welfare)
2-3	Lower Class (Welfare, Menial labour types, depressed minorities)
4-6	Lower Middle Class (most blue & white collar workers, military
enlisted personnel, me, majority of population)
7-8	Middle Class (Middle management, military field officers)
9	Upper Middle Class (executives, senior officers, regional
politicians etc.)
A	Upper Class (very senior military officers, federal politicians,
senior corporate execs, local nobility)

Of course this doesn't reflect the fact that the more technologically
advanced a world or nation is, the more the bell curve nudges up the social
scale. 

Also, when people do advance to nobility, to get over the Soc C; 'am I a
baronet or a baron' hurdle, those whose initial Soc is 9- are baronets,
those with a Soc of A are Barons. 

Also IMTU you have to go through the noble career to get to Soc D+

Anyway, whaddayathink? 

- - Michael

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

Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 03:56:15 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (longish) 

> > 6. The survivors make landing on a planet, either uninhabited
> > or beyond the ken of the Third Imperium. It is up to question
> > whether they succumbed to the plague, or whether they have
> > founded a tiny colony and survived.
> 
> Sounds very reasonable. But they do not have a large enough gene pool to
> form a viable colony, unless YTU has a way around that. They could be
> stranded though, finding them might make a great sequal adventure.

They seem to be fairly high tech.  They *might* have access to cloning 
technologies or something simular.  But you're right, it *would* make an 
interesting sequel...

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

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1166
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