Traveller-digest      Sunday, October 10 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 1181



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Metric System & GURPS
Re: Metric System & GURPS
Re: Feudal Technocracy
Re: The elusive Feudal Technocracy... ideas!
Re: The elusive Feudal Technocracy... ideas!!
Re: Feudal Technocracy
Re: Feudal Technocracy
Re: Battledress/Battlesuit Protection (GT)
Re: Hamlet in Space was: Re: falkenbergs legions firing intocivilians
Re: Annic Nova 
Re: Parts Quest! ( was Re: Annic Nova (canon)) 
Re: Annic Nova (canon) 
Re: Annic Nova (canon) 
Re: Annic Nova 
Re: Feudal Technocracy
Re: Annic Nova (canon)
Re: Annic Nova (canon)
Re: Annic Nova
RE: Technology Marches On...

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

Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 11:56:56 -0400
From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd@gate.net>
Subject: Re: Metric System & GURPS

Was Writ:

The
>>distance
>>between two towns in a fantasy game should be measured in "leagues", not
>>"miles" or "kilometres".

Nyet, nyet, oh space cadets distances should be measured in "arshines" the
most logical and reasonable unit of land distance ever created and blessed
by the Czar.

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 00:25:15 -0400
From: "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
Subject: Re: Metric System & GURPS

>Nyet, nyet, oh space cadets distances should be measured in "arshines" the
>most logical and reasonable unit of land distance ever created and blessed
>by the Czar.

I'm holding out for good ole cubits.


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

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 00:32:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net>
Subject: Re: Feudal Technocracy

>However, there's got to be something else, some other reason that feudal
>technocracies arise, or else every world with a sufficiently high TL would
>have that type of government. After all, we're beginning to reach the point
>on modern day Terra that it would be difficult for many societies to survive
>without a high tech infrastructure.
>
One key FT basis in canon is the Vilani... the Shugili would clearly be
providing a technical service (making local foods edible), and since
everyone needs to eat...

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: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 21:21:06 -0700
From: "Shawn Campbell" <shawn@electricstitch.com>
Subject: Re: The elusive Feudal Technocracy... ideas!

I had an idea of a feudal technocracy... let me know if this fits that
classification.

T'Chor, a non-canon world,  population has become dependant on Technocrank.
Technocrank is a computer program designed to induce a drug-like state. An
implant is hardwired into the users brain and the TC program is downloaded.
The program last for a set period of time. The populace has become addicted
and now require new TC programs to survive. The "technicians" are those that
can develop the programs and distribute. Obviously, TC is a drug and the
"technicians" are drug dealers. The dealers are organized in a  feudal
manner, with the drug lords providing "territories" for selling TC to their
dealers.

Could the IISS have mistaken a world controlled by drug dealers as a Feudal
Technoracy? Is it a Feudal Technocracy?

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


> An idea:
>
> Exotic Technology: The population of Tanbril (made up non-canon name)
relies
> on a series of massive arcologies to survive. For any number of reasons,
> life outside of these structures is unimaginable or simply impossible.
> There's only one problem: the arcologies were designed and built by a
> corporation that disappeared during the long night. The technicians who
work
> on and repair the complex arcologies know what they're doing. They even
know
> how to replace or bypass systems that have failed. The only problem is
that
> the original plans for the structures no longer exist, or exist in some
> capacity that is impossible to understand or have access to without being
a
> technician. Perhaps the skills are encoded as part of some religion,
perhaps
> they are merely jealously guarded. Perhaps several different guilds of
> technicians have broken up the different systems within the massive
> arcologies and it is this web of interdependencies that provides the
> "feudal" half of the feudal technocracy. On the other hand, perhaps
> different technicians control different geographical areas within the
> arcologies, and it is this that provides the "feudal" half. Maybe a
> combination of both.
>
> I can think of other ideas, but I'm really kind of too tired to type.
>
>

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

Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 21:32:28 -0700
From: "Shawn Campbell" <shawn@electricstitch.com>
Subject: Re: The elusive Feudal Technocracy... ideas!!

I had an idea of a feudal technocracy... let me know if this fits that
classification.

T'Chor, a non-canon world,  population has become dependant on Technocrank.
Technocrank is a computer program designed to induce a drug-like state. An
implant is hardwired into the users brain and the TC program is downloaded.
The program last for a set period of time. The populace has become addicted
and now require new TC programs to survive. The "technicians" are those that
can develop the programs and distribute. Obviously, TC is a drug and the
"technicians" are drug dealers. The dealers are organized in a  feudal
manner, with the drug lords providing "territories" for selling TC to their
dealers.

Could the IISS have mistaken a world controlled by drug dealers as a Feudal
Technoracy? Is it a Feudal Technocracy?

Well... it might not... but hey! might be a cool adventure to drop in on a
planet (or city) like this.

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


> An idea:
>
> Exotic Technology: The population of Tanbril (made up non-canon name)
relies
> on a series of massive arcologies to survive. For any number of reasons,
> life outside of these structures is unimaginable or simply impossible.
> There's only one problem: the arcologies were designed and built by a
> corporation that disappeared during the long night. The technicians who
work
> on and repair the complex arcologies know what they're doing. They even
know
> how to replace or bypass systems that have failed. The only problem is
that
> the original plans for the structures no longer exist, or exist in some
> capacity that is impossible to understand or have access to without being
a
> technician. Perhaps the skills are encoded as part of some religion,
perhaps
> they are merely jealously guarded. Perhaps several different guilds of
> technicians have broken up the different systems within the massive
> arcologies and it is this web of interdependencies that provides the
> "feudal" half of the feudal technocracy. On the other hand, perhaps
> different technicians control different geographical areas within the
> arcologies, and it is this that provides the "feudal" half. Maybe a
> combination of both.
>
> I can think of other ideas, but I'm really kind of too tired to type.
>
>

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 00:51:40 -0400
From: "Sword Worlder" <swordworlder@clinic.net>
Subject: Re: Feudal Technocracy

This is great stuff.  Got me itching to build an FT.  Wouldn't it make a
great module?  You could get into all sorts of trouble :-)  Sort of a Lord
Kalvan of Otherwhen storyline.  Or how about a first contact / first in
scenario where the whole system is shaken to it's foundations by the arrival
of GTL-11 IISS.  no wait, i should probably build it before I destroy it,
right?

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

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 01:17:34 -0000
From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net>
Subject: Re: Feudal Technocracy

- -----Original Message-----
From: William F. Hostman <aramis@gci.net>
To: traveller@mpgn.com <traveller@mpgn.com>
Date: Sunday, October 10, 1999 4:33 AM
Subject: Re: Feudal Technocracy


>>However, there's got to be something else, some other reason that feudal
>>technocracies arise, or else every world with a sufficiently high TL would
>>have that type of government. After all, we're beginning to reach the
point
>>on modern day Terra that it would be difficult for many societies to
survive
>>without a high tech infrastructure.
>>
>One key FT basis in canon is the Vilani... the Shugili would clearly be
>providing a technical service (making local foods edible), and since
>everyone needs to eat...


Y'know... After I posted my message, I was mulling this very idea in my
mind, althought my thought process was rather convoluted in getting there
(from Marxism, to the idea I posted to TravCulture some time back, "food
communism," after all, there would likely be a point that food processing
would have to be industrialized, what would happen if the workers of Vland
figured that one out?). I'd already considered early Vland to effectively be
a feudal technocracy, and I slapped myself on the forehead for missing such
an obvious link.

Doh! ;)

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

Date: Sat, 09 Oct 1999 22:12:00
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Battledress/Battlesuit Protection (GT)

At 11:31 AM 10/9/1999 -0500, you wrote:

>BTW, how goes the writing so far?

Slowly.  It's very difficult to do the great wads of background material
without giving in to my tendancy to lecture.  It doesn't help that Loren
has yet to send me the contract!  He's a bit swamped these days.
- -- 

Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

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

Date: Sat, 09 Oct 1999 22:14:50
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Hamlet in Space was: Re: falkenbergs legions firing intocivilians

At 01:03 PM 10/9/1999 PST, you wrote:

>> It sounds best in the original Klingon.
>
>I've got a GIF of one of Shakespeare's sonnets in Kligon. Character set
>and all. :-)

A few years back i was involved with a group that was trying to restage the
Scottish Play in Klingonese.  All the characters, word-for-word
translations when possible.  It all fell apart, but it was an interesting
excercise.
- -- 

Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 01:29:27 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova 

> >>Everything that everbody already wrote on every email on Annic Nova.
> >>Its all great stuff!
> 
> I never got a chance to see the JTAS article on Victoria. I know from
> Adv 12 that the ancients hung out there, and I know the basic stats for
> the place, but thats it. Can anybody tell me whats going on there?
> 
> How about Corfu (2602 Sp March) as a home system for Annic Nova? Assume
> a couple of discoveries (an 3I ship crash landing, recovery of ancients
> relics) causes people there to send out a diplomatic/explorer type ship
> (can u say Star Trek: Annic Nova). The map chip of Victoria could be a
> copy from the relics mentioned above. Slap together some salvage parts
> from the 3I ship, the Droyne, and their own technology, and !presto!
> Annic Nova.

Corfu         2602 X895674-8    Ag Ni           R  222 Im

Tech looks a bit low, even allowing for useage of salvaged Ancients parts.  
And a 600 ton nonstreamlined hull would be a *bitch* to put into orbit.  My 
only question would be, how did they figure out what the jump drives *were*?  
TL8 is too low for gravitics technology.

On the other tentacle, the onboard computer *is* 3 times the size a normal 
Mod 3 would be.  On the gripping tentacle, it's also got holographic 
displays, which is even higher in TL than J1...
 
> As for no one in the 3I not discovering a "Annic Nova" human minor race,
> who says that they have'nt. Maybe the 3I decides to keep their presence
> secret for some reason. They could be dangerous (think X-files in
> reverse, or the robots from Sabmiqs {Book 8}) or docile (3I interdiction
> to keep the outside universe from destroying them). If so, the 3I isn't
> going to let the PC's keep that ship for very long (possesion of
> Ancients artifacts being illegal {Adv 12}).

IIRC, the 3I would *buy* Ancient artifacts from normal citizens.  Of course, 
they'd set their own price for them...  But there was *no* mention of 
Ancients technology being used in AN.
 
Damn, the more I think about this, the *crazier* it gets...

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: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 01:00:59 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Parts Quest! ( was Re: Annic Nova (canon)) 

> >> >Heh.  All good Quests *should* have the possibilty of resolution. 
> >> >But nobody sez it gotta come *easy*.  After all, getting the ship
> >> >*itself* is relatively easy using the adventure.  So it makes sense
> >> >for the Parts Quest to be a real *muther*.  <grin>  No free lunches,
> >> >remember?
> >> 
> >> Keven, remember *you* said that. <g>
> >
> > And your point is, other than being on top of your head & covered with fur?
> > <grin>
> 
> That I'd like to see! 
> 
> <pedant mode on>
> 
> "Hair" and "fur" are *not* the same thing.
> 
> <pedant mode off>

And your point is?

But foolishly, ya gotta *trust* me on this one.  Eris is *FURRY*, not hairy.

Hey, would I lie to you?  (btw, one of my *all-time* fave lines from 2010)

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: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 00:59:01 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (canon) 

> >> > It seems that the storage capacitors
> >> > used plates of an unknown element. No material known to Imperial science
> >> > could be used and still duplicate the storage efficency.
> >> 
> >> *Please*. Do not use "unknown elements". That's Star Trek BS.
> >
> > Onesium is used in Traveller, guy.  *grin*  Mostly in the FASA supplements. 
> > It's described as being a transuranic element in the 'island of stability' 
> > where the halflives go back up over microsecond duration.
> 
> Well, from what you've said so far, at least they had *some* idea of
> the way things really work. I'd have to know what's so "special" about
> it to say whether or not they've fallen into the typical trap.

IIRC, it's got enough electrons in its outer shell to be a good conductor of 
electricity.  IIRC, they were going to use it to alloy with other stuff to 
make high temperature superconductors.
 
> It's "sort of" ok to use a few new elements, as long as you pick
> properties consistent with the periodic table. 

OK, just stand there a sec & let me point my antichronoton particle beam at 
you (grin).  Ooppss, we used that one in *LAST* week's 
debacle^H^H^H^H^Hepisode.
 
> It was the "here's a new element, with made to order properties that
> have *nothing* to do with the periodic table" style of doing things
> that I was objecting to.

You mean you don't subscribe to the 'Bogus Particle of the Week' and 'Physics As Wishful Thinking' clubs????

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: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 01:06:16 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (canon) 

> >> Sort of like what would happenm to us if we had a captured alien ship
> >> with a jump drive and tried running it inside the 100 diameter limit. :-)
> >
> > You mean like that Vilani freighter that crashed in Roswell back in '47 that 
> > they're still trying to figger out?  <grin>
> 
> "I'm sorry, now I have to kill you."
> :-)

Be quiet.  They're not *supposed* to know we're here!!!
 
> >> You get the idea. Until you have a conversion table for the alien
> >> units, and know which ones they consider significant, you can know if
> >> that 3.58723 megohm resistor has that value because it *has* to, or
> >> because that was a "standard" value, and worked well enough that they
> >> didn't bother with a custom value that'd do better. Which is how the
> >> values of most resistors an capacitors in most electronics are
> >> determined. Except when the value *is* critical. :-)
> >
> > Well, you *don't* need to know the length of a 'wonqad', for instance, to 
> > measure an object with a meter stick.  If you're doing a straight cloning of 
> > the device, it should be relatively simple, *provided* there's no 'cotchas' 
> > like the integrated circuit would be for 1920's technology.  <grin>
> 
> Except that you *still* need to know the units. Because it's not likely
> that you *can* do a "straight cloning". For example, just *try* getting
> screws with the same pitch as the alien ones. 

I used to *be* a machinist.  Trust me, we made 'nonstandard' parts all the 
time.  And if your fastener has a diameter of say, .76 mm (which in Alien 
terms works out to be 5.5 terquats), you can still cut it for .76 mm and 
still have no clue what a terquat is.  And you can measure pitch of a screw 
fairly easily.  Case in point, me & a bud made a custom hash pipe in metal 
shop when I was in high school.  Totally weird measurements on it that 
required some custom threading.  Didn't take us but about 3 days to cut the 
threads in the bowl and the bowl plug.  We just hadda be *careful* while 
cutting them...
 
> Does the screw pitch matter? It sure does for any adjustments.
> 
> And in any case, you *have* to be able to build it using your *own*
> units to be able to mass produce it. At least until we reach the stage
> of the "universal pantograph", "faber", "replicator" or whatever you
> choose to call it. 

Now you know why prototype machinists make the big bucks.  <grin>  It's a
whole 'nuther discipline from *production* machinist.

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: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 01:19:29 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova 

> Keven R. Pittsinger writes:
> 
> >CT rules *do* say that to jump, you need jump drives installed, otherwise 
> >it's a nonstarship.  Which, to me at least, means you *don't* get to leave 
> >them behind.  <grin>  HG continues in this vein.  It's when some of the DGP 
> >'chrome' shows up in MT that 'leaving your drives behind' starts being 
> >'within the rules', so to speak.
> 
> OK, I have no problem with that. The real money-maker is in the jump fuel
> tankage anyway.

Depends on what you use the fuel *for*.  If, as in later versions of 
Traveller, you use part of it as coolant, then Annic Nova's drives couldn't 
work.  But AN was designed *before* HG even came out, which makes things even 
more weird.

The nice thing I like about the CT ruleset is, technology is a 'black box' 
thing.  You don't *need* to know how to build it or how it works to use it.  
Somebody in the game (by which I mean an NPC) knows how to build it and how 
it works.  From a rules standpoint, it's just plug and pray.

> >The 'power plant' I *think* you're refering to is the accumulator alongside
> >Area 33 in the plans (Pg 8 in the supplement, btw...).  
> 
> No, I expressed myself badly. I meant that any power plant is more efficient
> than a jump drive:
> 
> a) A 100 T ship needs 1 T of TL 15 power plant to have a PP number of 1.
>    Such a power plant produces 1 EP per combat turn.

IIRC, HG2 says each ton of fuel can produce 1 EP.
 
> b) One combat turn is 20 minutes. 1 T of power plant thus produces 72 EP per
>    day or 2160 EP in 30 days.

Not sure if that's relevant, but I know where you got it.
 
> c) A 100 T ship with a Factor 1 power plant requires 1 T of fuel to run the
>    plant for 30 days.
> 
> 1  T of power plant thus produces 2160 EP from 1 T of fuel.

Hmmmmmmmm.
 
> d) A 100 T ship requires 7 T of jump drive to achieve jump 6.
> 
> e) Half of a jump drive's tonnage is capacitors (_High Guard_ 2nd Ed, p. 42)
> 
> f) Each T of capacitors can store 36 EP. (Same page) The 3.5 T of capacitors
>    are thus capable of storing 126 EP. 
> 
> g) A jump-6 requires 60 T of fuel. If all the fuel is used for energy, the
>    3.5 T of drive that isn't capacitors turns those 60 T into 126 EP. Each
>    ton of fuel is thus turned into 2.01 EP.

I'm gonna have to work this out when I'm nothalf asleep.  <sigh>
 
> >The accumulator is charged up by a solar panel grid *1 km* in diameter in 1 
> >to 6 weeks.  It stores enough energy to power a J2 *and* a J3 *AND* provide 
> >internal power & life support for 60 days.
> 
> Right, but why use solar power at all? There's nothing magical about the
> electricity you get from solar panels. Why not just install a normal
> power plant and let it fill the accumulators? By _High Guard_ a 600 T ship
> only needs a 24 T jump drive to achieve jump-3; although the Annic Nova
> does have a 50 T drive to provide the same (being designed before HG was
> published), those 30 T are also legal; there's nothing to prevent the
> owners to rip out the old jump drive and put in a more efficient one. So
> the jump only requires energy enough to fill 15 T of capacitors, or 540 EP.
> A factor 1 power plant (6 T) can provide that in 90 combat turns or 30 hours.

I tend to keep using Book 2 drives in Book 2 designs.  But why use the solar 
collectors?  Why do you think I think AN was a prototype that didn't quite 
measure up.
 
> >No, you're not getting it.  Marc specified that the drives in question are a 
> >LBB2 'F' jump drive and an LBB2 'J' jump drive.  Assume they take up the 
> >standard required cubic per LBB2 rules; the deckplan works out about right.  
> >And the accumulator is *specifically* stated to feed power *to* the jump 
> >drives, while implying it's not part *OF* the jump drives.
> 
> I got all that. What I don't get is what difference it makes (Well, about 5dT,
> I suppose).

It means you can scrap out the accumulator and put in a 'real' power plant if 
you *have* to without it screwing up the jump drives.
   
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: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 05:33:10 GMT
From: j_pete@bellsouth.net (Pete)
Subject: Re: Feudal Technocracy

IMTU I usually ignore the "technocracy" part and just make the gov't
feudal. Why should I limit the power base? You can just as easily have
a feudal meritocracy.

The Count Dumpty of Wallingham dies and creates a vacancy. Baron
Buster of Poindexterville gets the highest score on the Count exam and
is sworn in as Count Buster of Wallingham.

It is much too late. Must to sleep. Can't lift fingers from
keyssssssssssssssssss



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

"Don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy, and the
 lash."                                              -Winston Churchill

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------
NOG #74   Nova 700

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 99 01:41:02 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (canon)

On 10/09/99 at 09:50 PM,  Black ICE <wombat@premier.net> said:

>I must admit, I've used the unusual element concept in games I've
>run.

>In my defense, I generally have used such names as "unobtainium",
>"absurdium", and "quiterarium" for these materials, thus indicating
>that I didn't expect to be taken seriously.

>OTOH, it is not inconceivable that alloys using relatively stable
>transuranic elements might be used in niche applications in the
>Traveller Multiverse (including both official and heretical variants
>thereof)....

You don't have to invoke "unobtainium" for this sort of thing.  You
can just have the device have an internal structure that is
destroyed by any of the analyzation techniques the PC's have
available.  They have to invent or discover a whole new set of
technologies just to figure out how the thing works, and by the time
they do that they can *build* one of them.

Eris

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

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 02:39:00 -0400
From: Michael Peters <travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova (canon)

"Keven R. Pittsinger" wrote:
> 
> I used to *be* a machinist.  Trust me, we made 'nonstandard' parts all the
> time.  And if your fastener has a diameter of say, .76 mm (which in Alien
> terms works out to be 5.5 terquats), you can still cut it for .76 mm and
> still have no clue what a terquat is.  And you can measure pitch of a screw
> fairly easily.  Case in point, me & a bud made a custom hash pipe in metal
> shop when I was in high school.  Totally weird measurements on it that
> required some custom threading.  Didn't take us but about 3 days to cut the
> threads in the bowl and the bowl plug.  We just hadda be *careful* while
> cutting them...
> 

Nobody ever "used to be" a machinist, you might be out of practice but
you are still one ;) My degree says I'm an engineer, but my First Class
Machinist certificate is on the wall along side it.

> > Does the screw pitch matter? It sure does for any adjustments.
> >
> > And in any case, you *have* to be able to build it using your *own*
> > units to be able to mass produce it. At least until we reach the stage
> > of the "universal pantograph", "faber", "replicator" or whatever you
> > choose to call it.
> 
> Now you know why prototype machinists make the big bucks.  <grin>  It's a whole 'nuther discipline from *production* machinist.
> 
> Keven
>
Agreed! I've made tools to make tools. Not the same as electronics
though. I'd have to say that while the physical properties could be
duplicated, after very pains taking work, there are still a lot of
varables that can stop it from working. Probably why we aren't using
full fledged scout ships, just dribs and drabs of the technology from
them, as we reach a point where we can understand it enough to duplicate
it and finally get it to work.

- -- 
Mike Peters
travelleri@home.com

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

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 06:57:06 -0300
From: Michel Vaillancourt <misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: Annic Nova

At 04:38 PM 08/10/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>
>> The accumulator is charged up by a solar panel grid *1 km* in diameter in 1 
>> to 6 weeks.  It stores enough energy to power a J2 *and* a J3 *AND* provide 
>> internal power & life support for 60 days.
>
>Okay.  Assuming 1 kW/m^2 incident radiation, a perfectly efficient solar
>collector would generate 1 GW of power if it has an area of a square km; 
>over one to six weeks, that's going to be somewhere between 600 to 3600
>terajoules of energy.
>
>  -- Steve Bonneville
>
        So, how does that compare with our 100% matter-energy converting
Jump drives burning hydrogen?

        --Michel
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	Michel R. Vaillancourt	misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca
				ICQ # 31172292
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	    NET-City Communications....
	         Providing "Solutions for the Common Company"
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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 19:52:48 -0700
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: RE: Technology Marches On...

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
> [mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com]On Behalf Of Smart, David
> J (David)
> Sent: Friday, 8 October 1999 8:56 AM
> To: 'traveller@mpgn.com'
> Subject: Technology Marches On...
>
>
> ScienceDaily has an article on the use of maglev systems
> for launching spacecraft.
>
> Check it out at:
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/10/991007152354.htm
>
> ObTrav: Use of maglev/gravitic launch systems would reduce
> launch fuel requirements but since no version of Traveller
> tracks launch fuel usage, such systems are just interesting
> background detail.
>
> David
>
Actually in TNE ships did have fuel requirement listed for launch. They had
no relationship to the real world, the amounts being broken, but they were
there.
Antony Farrell

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1181
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