Traveller-digest      Friday, October 22 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 1242



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Other System Playability Probs (was Re: Supporting our game)
Re: Cardboard Heroes
Re: Jumpdrives was Re: Norris the Man...
Re: Supporting our game
Re: Cardboard Heroes (was: Re: Traveller Auction Update)
Re: Re Imp Monies
Re: "new" critter [OT]
Re: Fnord, et al....
Re: "new" critter [OT] 
Re: Fnord, et al.... 
Re: Fnord, et al....
Re: Online THUDDD submission form
THUDDD Schedualing
New THUDDD Data Entry Sheet
Re: Online THUDDD submission form
Re: THUDDD Scheduling
Another new 2D Graphic...
Proposal for the Next THUDDD (x-posted to TML)
Re: Another new 2D Graphic...
Mark's new shot
Re: TML Members as resources
Re: Drive destruct sequencing
Re: TML Members as resources

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 22:20:47 -0300
From: Michel Vaillancourt <misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca>
Subject: Other System Playability Probs (was Re: Supporting our game)

At 05:40 PM 10/21/1999 -0700, you wrote:
>On Thu, 21 Oct 1999 15:52:26 -0300, Michel Vaillancourt
><misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca>
>
>>        I know exactly what you mean.  Very recently, I was obliged to
>>re-write the entire drug-design system for Cyberpunk 2020...  one of my
>>players worked out on paper a speed-heal design that invalidated the
>>existance of *hospitals*... 
>
>Wow, you didn't do this until now?  I got as far as "Smash" (future beer,
>with effects far more debilitating than real beer) before chucking the
>whole thing as broken due to Mr. Pondsmith's heavy-handed sermonizing
>("Drugs are Bad, Just Say No").  Oh well, it's his game; if he wants to put
>deliberately crippled rules in it to discourage RL drug use, that's his call.

        Hi, Kelly!
        I was able to ignore the issue until I got a player in my game who
took med-techie/chemist....  IE:  the rules started getting used every
session...

        --Michel
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	Michel R. Vaillancourt	misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca
				ICQ # 31172292
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	    NET-City Communications....
	         Providing "Solutions for the Common Company"
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	***REMEMBER - Always virus-check your emails ***
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-

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

Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 11:20:44 +1000
From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au
Subject: Re: Cardboard Heroes

Dear Folks -

...And now to another topic, Cardboard Heroes:
>Wow.  I just realized that being a SJ Games employee gets me around the
>whole copyright issue.

Exactly why I offered them to _you_.

><on my hands and knees> Can you pretty please with sugar on top scan them
>and email them to me? </on my hands and knees>

Don't you love it when they beg? ;-)

Well, I got home and looked for where I normally stored them, and guess
what - they were MISSING! (just like a lot of my Trav links - oh, never
mind...). So, I pulled the place apart looking for them, finding such
interesting items as an old set of flat (2D) cardboard cut-out grav tanks,
G-carriers, and enclosed air/rafts from Judges Guild! No, they are not
_called_ "G-carriers", or "air/rafts", but it's obvious what they are meant
to look like.

There is a happy ending, I found the Zhos, Imperial Marines, and
adventurer-types. The first two sets consist of three identical cardboard
sheets, only one of which I have cut out, so they should scan OK. The PC's
may take longer - all of them have been separated out, and I *think*
there's about 101 of them ("sit, Ubu, sit! No, wait til I close the cover!
No, don't move, you'll ruin the shot! Arrgh!! #$&^@*!!").

BTW [1] No, I hadn't realised how OOP these were - publishing date is
1982!!
[2] There is a site out there (can't remember whose) that has one set of
military figures on it as a picture file, set up in the same format as the
"Cardboard Heroes". The idea is to print them onto cardboard. If no-one
else can remember where these are, I'll try to locate them over the
weekend.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, 21 Oct 99 17:53:49 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Jumpdrives was Re: Norris the Man...

On 10/18/99 at 04:18 PM,  shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson) said:

>> You know Eris, if you used something like Stutterwarp as jumpdrive, this
>> would be really easy to do <grin>.

>It'd be even easier with Alderson drives. Of course then you have to
>deal with fixed jump points, which change system defence beyond
>recognition.

Also true. <g>  Fixed point jump points are just fine, too.

Eris

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 18:11:39
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Supporting our game

At 05:40 PM 10/21/1999 -0700, you wrote:

>Wow, you didn't do this until now?  I got as far as "Smash" (future beer,
>with effects far more debilitating than real beer) before chucking the
>whole thing as broken due to Mr. Pondsmith's heavy-handed sermonizing
>("Drugs are Bad, Just Say No").  Oh well, it's his game; if he wants to put
>deliberately crippled rules in it to discourage RL drug use, that's his
>call.

Mike Pondsmith has had direct and personal contact with the effects of the
drug culture.  He wanted to be damn sure that the drugs in CP were nasty
and not likely to become the focus of the adventure.

I got to paly in a game he ran at PacifiCon.. While doing an extraction
from the Honda-Ford building in Oakland, The Big One hits and levels the
complex.  H-F did a lot of testing in bioweapons and cyberpsychosis
treatments in that complex.

Yes, it was a dungeon crawl in the ruins!

- -- 

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:35:19 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Cardboard Heroes (was: Re: Traveller Auction Update)

Jesse DeGraff wrote:
> 
> Hey Keith, since you're the "web monkey" (love that term BTW :) for SJG, do
> you think you could see about getting my last name's spelling correct on the
> "Far Trader" page?  They blew it for the print run unless it goes 2nd
> edition, but it'd be nice if the web was corrected ;)
> 
> Best,
> Jesse DeGraff, not "DeGraaf"
> :)

BTW:  Remember when I posted that I had a chance to look at the G:T 2d
edition photocopy draft at CrescentCityCon in August of this year?  They
had made the same mistake.  When I pointed it out to Evil Stevie, he
asked me to watch the SJG booth for a few minutes, went directly to a
phone, and called the office to make sure that the book didn't go to
press that way.  I haven't seen G:T 2d edition in the store yet, so I
don't know whether this error was, in fact, caught in time.  Still, that
was definitely a tres cool thing for Steve Jackson to do, IMHO.

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:38:01 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Re Imp Monies

"William F. Hostman" wrote:
> 
> >>Great pic. The Imperial money was also terrific, but I believe both should
> >>probably have both Galanglic and Bilanidin script.
> >
> >There's always a critic ;)
> >
> >I considered in for the bill, but I kind of dropped the idea. I'm becoming a
> >genuine CT purist these days, and the Vilani seem to play a different role
> >there. Galanglic is the lingua franca, and I'm of the opinion that it should
> >be the only lingua on the Franc! ;)
> >
> Dude, check out the illo in "The Traveller Adventure" in the library data
> area... it has a scipt vaguely reminiscent of Arabic... and arabic (modern)
> numerals.

If someone can e-mail me a scan, I can see if it is, indeed, Arabic.  If
so, I might be able to translate it.

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:43:02 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: "new" critter [OT]

Terry Carlino wrote:
> 
> >I hope that they manage to clone an ankylosaur. I've got a bet with a
> friend
> >of mine that ankylosaurs will have the most succulent meat of all of the
> >prehistoric beasties, by far. I am perhaps the only person who saw Jurassic
> >Park and wished that we could have Jurassic Burger.
> 
> Nah, It'll just taste like chicken. ;)

Reminds me of the joke about the Cajun whose son didn't want to try the
chicken at a restaurant.  The father replied, "Don' worry, che', tastes
just like gator."

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:48:29 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Fnord, et al....

Matthew Bond wrote:
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keven R. Pittsinger <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
> To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
> Date: 21 October 1999 07:42
> Subject: Re: Traveller Auction Update
> 
> >> > > "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn fnord."
> >> >
> >> > Careful.  I just seen the fnord.
> >>
> >> Wait until you start pining for 'em.
> >
> >That's pining for the *fyord*, not pining for the fnord.
> 
> Its "Fjord", fnord <g>

Narf!  Zort!  Poit!  Troz!  (sorry, couldn't resist)

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 22:47:34 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: "new" critter [OT] 

> Terry Carlino wrote:
> > 
> > >I hope that they manage to clone an ankylosaur. I've got a bet with a
> > friend
> > >of mine that ankylosaurs will have the most succulent meat of all of the
> > >prehistoric beasties, by far. I am perhaps the only person who saw Jurassic
> > >Park and wished that we could have Jurassic Burger.
> > 
> > Nah, It'll just taste like chicken. ;)
> 
> Reminds me of the joke about the Cajun whose son didn't want to try the
> chicken at a restaurant.  The father replied, "Don' worry, che', tastes
> just like gator."

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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, 21 Oct 1999 23:01:53 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Fnord, et al.... 

> Matthew Bond wrote:
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Keven R. Pittsinger <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
> > To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
> > Date: 21 October 1999 07:42
> > Subject: Re: Traveller Auction Update
> > 
> > >> > > "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn fnord."
> > >> >
> > >> > Careful.  I just seen the fnord.
> > >>
> > >> Wait until you start pining for 'em.
> > >
> > >That's pining for the *fyord*, not pining for the fnord.
> > 
> > Its "Fjord", fnord <g>
> 
> Narf!  Zort!  Poit!  Troz!  (sorry, couldn't resist)

Pinkie, I think I am going to have to hurt you now...

(Anybody *else* miss that show??)

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, 21 Oct 1999 22:21:22 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Fnord, et al....

"Keven R. Pittsinger" wrote:
> 
<<snip>>
> > >
> > > Its "Fjord", fnord <g>
> >
> > Narf!  Zort!  Poit!  Troz!  (sorry, couldn't resist)
> 
> Pinkie, I think I am going to have to hurt you now...
> 
> (Anybody *else* miss that show??)

ObTrav:  Another aspect of Solomani culture that has Vilani historians
shaking their heads and wondering "Exactly _how_ did these Terran
upstarts manage to defeat us?"  [The answer, of course, is that a
society imaginative enough to produce entertainment about two lab mice
bent on global domination has the intellectual tools to defeat the
hidebound Vilani.  Besides, the genetic engineering that _produced_
Pinky and The Brain demonstrates the Terran lead in the biological
sciences.... ;-)]
> 
> 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


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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:04:59 -0700
From: "Jason T. Barnabas" <cybernaut@netzero.net>
Subject: Re: Online THUDDD submission form

Okay, it's up.

http://THUDDD.homepage.com\submit.html

I'll update the other pages with the new schedule as
soon as I can find the time.  Submissions close with
the end of the month (Pacific DST).  Don't forget the
time change, you have an hour less than you think.
BTW, if any of you don't have a time change coming
up, you don't know how lucky you are.
- --
Sincerely,

Jason Barnabas


- -----Original Message-----
From: Jason T. Barnabas <cybernaut@netzero.net>
To: Trav Tech <trav-tech@qrc.com>; ISBA <ISBA@goldinc.com>; TML
<traveller@MPGN.COM>
Date: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 11:21 AM
Subject: Online THUDDD submission form


>I had some unexpected fence mending to do on Sunday and didn't have as much
>time as I thought I would.  If you have checked, you have seen that I still
>don't have the submission page up yet.  However; I will get it up just as
>soon as I can.
>
>Sorry,
>
>Jason Barnabas
>
>
>
>
>__________________________________________
>NetZero - Defenders of the Free World
>Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at
>http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html
>


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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:05:25 -0700
From: "Jason T. Barnabas" <cybernaut@netzero.net>
Subject: THUDDD Schedualing

How often would you like to have a new THUDDD?

If you are on the TML only, answer this directly to me
<thuddd@netzero.net>.
- --
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, 21 Oct 1999 23:15:01 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: New THUDDD Data Entry Sheet

The new THUDDD data entry sheet is up, and looks as if it covers
everything.  However, I have two questions:

1.  Will those of us who entered our designs for THUDDD 10 on the second
data entry sheet have to re-enter our designs?

2.  What is the new deadline for THUDDD 10 entries?

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 23:22:08 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Online THUDDD submission form

"Jason T. Barnabas" wrote:
> 
> Okay, it's up.

Looks good so far....
> 
> http://THUDDD.homepage.com\submit.html

Of course, that's

http://THUDDD.homepage.com/submit.html

for those of you using normal HTML (hey, typos happen, no big deal).
> 
> I'll update the other pages with the new schedule as
> soon as I can find the time.  Submissions close with
> the end of the month (Pacific DST).  Don't forget the
> time change, you have an hour less than you think.
> BTW, if any of you don't have a time change coming
> up, you don't know how lucky you are.

This answers my second question, but not my first.  Will we have to
re-enter our data?

<<snip>>

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 23:29:00 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: THUDDD Scheduling

"Jason T. Barnabas" wrote:
> 
> How often would you like to have a new THUDDD?

I'm a poor college student now, so I have lots of time.  I can go with a
THUDDD a month.  Announce on or about the first of the month, allow
three weeks or so for entries, and a week for processing.  Then, as
voting begins on that THUDDD competition (about the first of the month),
announce the next one.  Repeat as desired.

<<snip>>

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 21:29:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mark Cook <markc@peak.org>
Subject: Another new 2D Graphic...

Just added a new one to my "Traveller Art" page at:

    http://www.ssgfx.com/traveller/art

entitled "Low Pass Over Inferno."  I'm still plodding along with just
Bryce 4 and Photoshop, but sometime this year (I hope), I'll join
Jesse and Andy in the ranks of Lightwave users! :^)

        - Mark C.
          Instructor, Willamette Small Arms Academy
          EOD, U.S.M.C. 1st MarDiv (Camp Pendleton), Class of '75
          Full-Auto Director, Albany Rifle & Pistol Club, Albany, OR
          NRA (Life), SAF (Life), CCRKBA (Life)
          Front Sight First Family member #1

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 mark f. cook   *   shoestring graphics & printing   *  markc@ssgfx.com
 7160 n.w. somerset dr. * corvallis, or, 97330  *  http://www.ssgfx.com
 Phone: 541-745-5709                                  Fax: 541-745-5818      
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
   "Remember that a government big enough to give you everything
    you want is also big enough to take away everything you have."
    --Col. David Crockett; member of the Tennessee legislature
    (1821-1822/1823-1824); member U.S. House of Representatives
    (1827-1831/1833-1835); and Texas Hero of the Alamo (1836) 

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 23:39:44 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Proposal for the Next THUDDD (x-posted to TML)

Since there are many campaigns set in M:1100 or later (all major
published milieux except for M:0), I suggest that the next THUDDD be for
a 1,000-5,000 dton commerce raider, at TL15 (GTL12).  Parameters would
include:

J4 or better
4G or better
Endurance of at least 26 weeks
Frontier refueling required
At least one carried craft (for boarding parties/prize crews)
Some onboard space for captured cargo/prisoners
Sufficient personnel carried (awake/frozen watch) to act as boarding
parties and/or prize crews

Feedback, anyone?

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 23:46:09 -0500
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net>
Subject: Re: Another new 2D Graphic...

Mark Cook wrote:
> 
> Just added a new one to my "Traveller Art" page at:
> 
>     http://www.ssgfx.com/traveller/art
> 
> entitled "Low Pass Over Inferno."  I'm still plodding along with just
> Bryce 4 and Photoshop, but sometime this year (I hope), I'll join
> Jesse and Andy in the ranks of Lightwave users! :^)

Looks tres hot (in both senses of the word)!  Now I have a new wallpaper
for a while.... ;-)
> 
<<snip sig>>

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

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 22:03:44 -0700
From: "Jesse DeGraff" <fenris@slip.net>
Subject: Mark's new shot

OUTSTANDING!!  Very nice work.

Jesse

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

Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 18:00:38 +1300
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz>
Subject: Re: TML Members as resources

> <snipped>
> >Doug Sinclair
> >Spacecraft Engineer
>
> It has certainly been mentioned before that this list has
> an impressive array of knowledge and skill available.
> Maybe a job description or some such could be included on
> Eris' TML roster.  It would be interesting to see what you
> all do.

I think it might make sense to add a list of core competencies, I mean,
I'm currently a software education consultant, but I spent eleven years as
an Avionics Technician in the Air Force, so can both program, build and
fault-find everything from handheld radios to aircraft

Heck we could even use Traveller terminology, something like :

Electronics 2, Computer 3, Rifle 1, Instruction 1,

might describe me
(might need something to cover general aicraft maintenance as well, but what
the heck)

Frankie

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

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 22:09:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Craig Berry <cberry@cinenet.net>
Subject: Re: Drive destruct sequencing

> Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:13:26 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com>
> 
> Robert O'Connor writes:
> 
> > Check how many energy points you need to jump, if using High Guard. An
> > explicit amount of energy is mentioned in FF&S2 (64 MJ/cubic metre
> > displacement/jump number).
> > 
> > Convert this into a TNT mass equivalent, and... voila!
> 
> Hm.  That's not very much; it probably won't even destroy the entire
> ship (15 kilograms of high explosive per cubic meter just isn't
> enough....) 

The question to ask is:  What does it mean to 'destroy' a ship?  Is it
necessary to reduce it to plasma?  My guess is that it is not.  Rather,
the goal is to render it valueless to the enemy if captured, except
perhaps as scrap metal.  There are two facets to this:

1) Destruction of intelligence value
2) Destruction of material value

The first is easier.  It requires that the most useful intelligence data
aboard ship be kept in a few well-known locations -- specific safes and/or
memory stores -- and that these be rigged with individual explosive or
otherwise destructive charges sufficient to effectively vaporize them on
command.  A few kg of HE with the right design should suffice for this
purpose.

The second is obviously harder, but it can be done.  Make it possible to
deactivate all breaker boxes and the like, and send a few hairy spikes
through the electrical system; you'll burn out half the electronics and
set a few fires.  Use shaped charges to shatter the innards of e.g.
maneuver drives, jump drives, generic computer equipment, and so forth.
Do the same for hard-to-patch bulkhead junctions.  If there's a spinal
mount, knock it out of alignment and puncture it repeatedly.  Vent the
fuel tanks into the living spaces; you'll get a nice flash-explosion when
the H2 reaches your electical fires.  Time it so the hull breaches start
after this phase is done.  And so forth.

The end result, if you choreograph it right, is a ship which is still 95%
intact, but might as well be a large lump of crumpled beer cans as far as
its value to the enemy goes.

Needless to say, a good intel team sweeping the hulk will possibly luck
into some data not destroyed under part (1) above.  But it's all a game of
probabilities.

Btw, the reason Star Trek could credibly have an annihilate-the-ship
self-destruct option was their use of matter/antimatter drives.  With
fusion, you have to work very hard just to coerce your fuel into producing
energy.  With M/AM, you just turn off the magnetic bottle and blam, your
ship is suddenly a shell of plasma and high-energy photons.

Oh, one more thing:  All my HE-based tricks above are a last resort, if
you're in deep space or without maneuver capability.  Best way to lose a
ship is to dive it into a planet or asteroid at speed.  You'd still want
to trash the intel just in case, but the material value is definitely
taken care of. :) 

- -- 
   |   Craig Berry - cberry@cinenet.net
 --*--  http://www.cinenet.net/users/cberry/home.html
   |   "They do not preach that their God will rouse them
      a little before the nuts work loose." - Kipling

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

Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 01:28:45 -0400
From: Juliean Galak <jg42@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: TML Members as resources

At 06:00 PM 10/22/99 +1300, you wrote:
> > <snipped>
> > >Doug Sinclair
> > >Spacecraft Engineer
> >
> > It has certainly been mentioned before that this list has
> > an impressive array of knowledge and skill available.
> > Maybe a job description or some such could be included on
> > Eris' TML roster.  It would be interesting to see what you
> > all do.
>
>I think it might make sense to add a list of core competencies, I mean,
>I'm currently a software education consultant, but I spent eleven years as
>an Avionics Technician in the Air Force, so can both program, build and
>fault-find everything from handheld radios to aircraft
>
>Heck we could even use Traveller terminology, something like :
>
>Electronics 2, Computer 3, Rifle 1, Instruction 1,
>
>might describe me
>(might need something to cover general aicraft maintenance as well, but what
>the heck)

Just to start a religious war, in GT that would be the Aviation skill.  :)

Juliean Galak - Computer 4, Rifle 1, Pistol 1, Fencing(?) 1, Law 1


           -- Juliean Galak (a.k.a. Falcon)

- --
jg42@cornell.edu        "I do not agree with a word you say, but I will
                          defend to the death your right to say it."
                                              -- Francois Marie Voltaire
#include <disclaimer.h> "Imagination is more important than knowledge"
                          			     -- Albert Einstein
for PGP public-key and
more quotes, http://gerfalcon.tzo.com/plan.htm
WWW Page: http://gerfalcon.tzo.com/                

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1242
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