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Traveller-digest    Saturday, November 20 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1369<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>
All rights reserved.<BR>
<BR>
The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR>
<BR>
Re: Tourism in the Marches<BR>
Re: Disabling Weapons<BR>
Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
Re: Culture List<BR>
Re: Looking for Travellers' Digest Adventures 1-21<BR>
Re: Shipping [ot]<BR>
Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
Re: Traveller Nav, Gunnery, and collateral damage<BR>
MONGO NATIONAL GUARD FLEES IN TERROR!!<BR>
Fifth Frontier War <BR>
the drift of humaniti<BR>
Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
Re: No longer totally OT( was Re: Totally OT but ...)<BR>
Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
Re: The naming of things<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 09:40:01 +1000<BR>
From: "Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au><BR>
Subject: Re: Tourism in the Marches<BR>
<BR>
> From: Ethan Henry <BR>
> Not to mention hauling all the, er, shit (for lack of a better word) back<BR>
> out. <BR>
<BR>
There's an old saying:  Where there's muck, there's money.  (Best said in a<BR>
north of England accent, I think).<BR>
<BR>
I suspect that biomass is sufficiently useful that there wouldn't be any<BR>
need to haul it anywhere, unless, unless, (my brain just kicked in here!)<BR>
it's being sold to a less hospitable world.  Hmm, no, I can't see PCs<BR>
accepting this particular cargo, though.<BR>
<BR>
Since the s-word has been used, I can now tell the following story:<BR>
About 10 years ago I was working for a company that produces agricultural<BR>
chemicals and _fertilisers_.  There was an unofficial company motto:  In<BR>
the end, it's all shit. <BR>
<BR>
> Finally, there is a small official Imperial presence on the world's<BR>
> surface. A resort owner lost a chain of islands (near the planet's<BR>
> equator in the semi-tropical zone) to the then Duke of Regina in a card<BR>
> game, in 1002.<BR>
<BR>
What I want to know is:  was the game rigged?  Did the Duke cheat?  Would<BR>
_you_ play cards with Norris, without a psi shield?<BR>
<BR>
Alan Bradley<BR>
alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 01:13:01 +0100<BR>
From: "Jonas Karlsson" <Jonas.Karlsson@baldakinen.umea.se><BR>
Subject: Re: Disabling Weapons<BR>
<BR>
>From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
>Included along with things already mention ed in the thread like sticky<BR>
>foam were EMP grenades.<BR>
<BR>
>Hard to organize a riot if all your megaphones stiop working.<BR>
<BR>
And even harder if your pacemaker goes...<BR>
<BR>
/Jonas<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 19:33:02 -0500<BR>
From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
<BR>
DaveShayne did a lot of snipping:<BR>
> <BR>
> Countries go to war mostly to impose their will on others. Unless a<BR>
> countries<BR>
> aim is genocide less drastic measures will usually suffice. Having to<BR>
> rebuild<BR>
> a conquered teritory and deal with enemies seeking revenge for attrocities<BR>
> commited is a real drag on the economy and way of life.<BR>
> <BR>
> It's so much easier to convince your enemy that you might enhance their<BR>
> radiant luminosity if they don't accept your reasonable offer of<BR>
> protectorate<BR>
> status, and quickly get about the business of import/export, than it is to<BR>
> actually wipe them out, wait for the ground to cool, plant a fresh colony,<BR>
> and then start up the import/export business.<BR>
> <BR>
> This is just the way I see things not holy writ or anything. But it fits my<BR>
> conception of the 3I (and must other empires/kingdoms/nations I've<BR>
> experienced.)<BR>
<BR>
I'm surprised the Imperium doesn't utilize mass-driver technology on<BR>
warships when they need to do pin-point bombardment. It CAN be done, the<BR>
physics prove this. Besides, you don't have to mess with that nasty Pu (plutonium).<BR>
<BR>
Just ask the Narns.<BR>
<BR>
- --<BR>
Josh<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 19:39:26 -0500<BR>
From: Jeff Zeitlin <jzeitlin@cyburban.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Culture List<BR>
<BR>
On Sat, 20 Nov 1999 00:48:31 -0500 (EST), you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>I've seen reference to a culture-centered mailing list, but I don't have<BR>
>details.  Could someone help?  Reply to my personal mail is fine if you<BR>
>think that everyone else on TML already knows, or if you want to avoid<BR>
>having fifteen people answer me on main list.  Thank you.  =)<BR>
<BR>
The Traveller-Culture mailing list is a "working group" for<BR>
developing background material (culture and language) for various<BR>
societies that are part of the Traveller universe. You can<BR>
subscribe by visiting<BR>
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Traveller-Culture or by sending<BR>
email to Traveller-Culture-subscribe@onelist.com<BR>
<BR>
- --<BR>
Jeff Zeitlin<BR>
jzeitlin@cyburban.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 19:35:52 -0500<BR>
From: "Josh W. Spencer" <macmanjws@earthlink.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Looking for Travellers' Digest Adventures 1-21<BR>
<BR>
SD Mooney points out:<BR>
> <BR>
> Be careful - I'm not sure if the characters or event are referred to<BR>
> in any of the GDW published material. I think the MT player's<BR>
> handbook uses them as examples *but* doesn't elaborate on their<BR>
> background. This could put you on a slippery legal slope, as MM may<BR>
> not be able to give permission for you to use them (as DGP's material<BR>
> is owned by Roger <spit> Sanger who is in dispute with MM). The<BR>
> characters were developed in house by DGP...<BR>
<BR>
OK, can you fill me in then on this Roger <spit> Sanger character? When<BR>
did he purchase the DGP materials and why is he in dispute with Marc Miller?<BR>
<BR>
- --<BR>
Josh<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 15:37:27 -0900<BR>
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Shipping [ot]<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
><< When I discovered the carrier was U.S. Postal service, I understood.<BR>
> I don't know about other list members but my experience with US mail has<BR>
> been dreadful.  I always try to use UPS whenever possible as I know that if<BR>
> US mail can screw it up or lose it, they WILL.  Frankly I'm surprised anyone<BR>
> still uses them as inept as they are. >><BR>
><BR>
>Frankly I've had the exact opposite experience. USPS has always been great<BR>
>for me, whereas UPS has absolutely SUCKED. While UPS has much better tracking<BR>
>and missing package procedures than USPS, they need it.<BR>
<BR>
I recently ordered a computer (Newton 130) through a remanufacturer... they<BR>
shiped UPS. It took 4x5minute TOLL CALLS to arrange to get it delivered to<BR>
me. It was clearly marked "Signature Required" and "deliver to adressee<BR>
only". The driver, upon delivery, clearly stated "Oh, if i'd missed ya, I<BR>
woulda left it across the hall." (I had it delivered to my office.) UPS<BR>
will leave anything not listed as valuing $250 or more on doorsteps, even<BR>
whenthe weather is bad.<BR>
<BR>
USPS, however, with their 3rd day service (priority? or is that express?)<BR>
can and will refuse to release without signature and/or picture ID, will<BR>
pick up even from private customers (UPS won't locally, nor will FedEx) at<BR>
no additional charge, and tracks it just as tightly as UPS.<BR>
<BR>
Ob Trav: How much effort are the IISS-X-Boat staffers required to make to<BR>
deliver X-Mail?<BR>
<BR>
IMTU, if the local world has an email griod, they just have to email it....<BR>
<BR>
William F. Hostman  |  "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click<BR>
interface!"<BR>
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-<BR>
533<BR>
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis mailto:wilh@alaska.com<BR>
ICQ:14640742          AIM:AKAramis	ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+<BR>
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls<BR>
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:14:51<BR>
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com><BR>
Subject: Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
<BR>
At 02:21 PM 11/20/1999 -0500, you wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>Yeah, LETHAL WEAPON. There were 4 flicks about Riggs (Gibson) and<BR>
>Murtaugh (Glover). What made the series even more hilarious is the<BR>
>addition of Joe Pesci as Leo Goetz..."whatever Leo Wants, Leo Gets!" or<BR>
>"First they F*** you over with the insurance and then they F*** you over<BR>
>with the paperwork....."<BR>
><BR>
>Can you **imagine** these guys in a Traveller setting????<BR>
<BR>
"You have the right to remain unconscious, anything you say ain't going to<BR>
be much..."<BR>
- -- <BR>
<BR>
Douglas E. Berry       gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:39:56 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller Nav, Gunnery, and collateral damage<BR>
<BR>
- --- Luther Martin <tml@ksarul.com> wrote:<BR>
> ><BR>
> > Anyway, don't you think terror weapons will be<BR>
> more<BR>
> > common? Anybody remember Babylon 5, where the<BR>
> > Centaurans bombarded Narn from orbit, basically<BR>
> > dropiing rocks on their cities? Doesn't prevent<BR>
> > guerilla warfare, of course, but artillery has<BR>
> NEVER<BR>
> > been that useful against insurgencies, do we<BR>
> expect<BR>
> > that to change in the future?<BR>
> ><BR>
> <BR>
> I'm not so sure that this will be the case. One of<BR>
> the lessons which is<BR>
> impressed upon students in their Officer's Advanced<BR>
> Course and C&GS (this is<BR>
> my US Army experience talking here) is that the law<BR>
> of land warfare exists<BR>
> and is generally followed because it makes sense to.<BR>
> Violating it may get<BR>
> you short-term gains, but the long-run result is<BR>
> generally unfavorable.<BR>
> (It's one of the few things I still remember from<BR>
> these schools. That and<BR>
> the bogus class on training management paperwork<BR>
> which I managed to fail by<BR>
> virtue of ignoring all of the content. Well, maybe a<BR>
> few more things, but<BR>
> that would be straying way off topic.) You can find<BR>
> volume after volume of<BR>
> case studies which demonstrate this point.<BR>
> <BR>
> This is the ultimate reason why it is very unlikely<BR>
> that such things like<BR>
> near-c rocks will be regularly used as weapons.<BR>
> Maybe once in a while by<BR>
> renegades, but not as a weapon of choice.<BR>
> Civilizations which progress far<BR>
> enough to reach advanced technology will also have<BR>
> come to the same<BR>
> conclusion.<BR>
> <BR>
Kyle writes: <BR>
true, it is better in the long run, but civilisations<BR>
are often very capable of doing things in their own<BR>
worst interest, because they think it's in their best<BR>
interest. For example has it helped or hindered the<BR>
USA's postion in the world as a dominant superpower to<BR>
be so overbearing with Iraq and Serbia? Only time will<BR>
tell... and terro weapons I think will always be used,<BR>
if the leaders, however democratic and civilised,<BR>
think the alternative is too horrendous, eg, the USA<BR>
nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I genuinely believe<BR>
they would have done the same to Beijing in 1950 or<BR>
Hanoi in 1968, if they'd believed it wouldn't have<BR>
escalated... ie it was not humanitarian or rules of<BR>
land warfare concerns that stopped them, but plain old<BR>
self-interest.<BR>
<BR>
The point is, though nowadays we demonise certain<BR>
regimes and make out that only they use terror weapons<BR>
or kill civilians, it remains a fact that more<BR>
democratic nations do it also. Obviously not to the<BR>
same degree, and not as a matter of policy, but...<BR>
<BR>
And reiterating what's above, in conditions of "total<BR>
war", they will do this also. In WWII the Allies<BR>
deliberately targeted civilian areas, induced<BR>
firestorms (eg Tokyo, Dresden) and so on. If a war<BR>
goes on long enough, you either get sick of it and<BR>
give up (Vietnam) or get depserate and ruthless<BR>
(WWI/II). <BR>
<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:52:16 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Glenn Goffin <gmgoffin@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: MONGO NATIONAL GUARD FLEES IN TERROR!!<BR>
<BR>
MONGO NATIONAL GUARD FLEES IN TERROR!!<BR>
Zhodanis occupy capital<BR>
Ming the Merciless Missing<BR>
<BR>
182-1107 -- Jewell/Jewell/Spinward Marches<BR>
<BR>
Years of tense and uneasy peace along the Imperium's<BR>
spinward border gave way to war last week, as Zhodani<BR>
forces launched a massive invasion of the Jewell<BR>
Cluster.  <BR>
<BR>
In the worst fighting, Zhodani fleet elements,<BR>
believed to belong to the 40th and 65th Fleets,<BR>
bombarded defense forces on Mongo for more than ten<BR>
hours before several divisions of Zhodani troops<BR>
landed over fierce resistance at the downport.  Once<BR>
the Zhodani troops were on the ground, however, the<BR>
Mongo National Guard's morale crumbled and it soon<BR>
ceased to exist as a coherent unit.  The Mongo Armored<BR>
Battalion stood its ground, but was wiped out to the<BR>
last vehicle with heavy loss of life, during a<BR>
desperate holding action at the palace.  <BR>
<BR>
Ming the Merciless, ruler of Mongo for over seventy<BR>
years, is reported to have gone into hiding somewhere<BR>
on-planet.  A holovid broadcast over the airwaves<BR>
before surrender showed Ming in full battle regalia<BR>
promising to carry on the fight from guerrilla bases. <BR>
"I know more about Zhodani methods than an Imperial<BR>
baron should," he stated, "that's why I was sent to<BR>
rule this distant, forsaken rock.  Nivrnditlas's<BR>
troops will not have an easy time here." (Nivrnditlas<BR>
is a Zhodani admiral, but TNS was unable to confirm<BR>
whether he is attached to the 40th or 65th Fleets.)<BR>
<BR>
In other action, Zhodani fleets annihilated Emerald's<BR>
defense forces by bombardment, but curiously did not<BR>
land any troops.  Ruby and Nakege fell to overwhelming<BR>
Zhodani forces after offering token resistance.  <BR>
<BR>
Imperial spokespersons on Jewell, speaking on<BR>
condition of anonymity, stated that appropriate<BR>
countermeasures are being taken, and noted that,<BR>
contrary to Zhodani propaganda, no insurgent forces,<BR>
such as the mysterious Ine Givar, have risen to<BR>
support the invasion. <BR>
<BR>
0<BR>
The Traveller News Service is an Imperium-wide benefit<BR>
of membership in the Travellers' Aid Society.  <BR>
<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 19:02:12 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Glenn Goffin <gmgoffin@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: Fifth Frontier War <BR>
<BR>
Kristian Miller kindly hosted a game of Fifth Frontier<BR>
War at his home in San Jose today.  Luther Martin was<BR>
in charge of Zhodani/Outworld Coalition forces, and I<BR>
was in charge of Imperial forces.  We met at about 11<BR>
a.m., and adjourned about 4 p.m.  We set up and<BR>
plotted moves, and completed turn one (see my press<BR>
release: "Mongo National Guard Flees in Terror!!").  <BR>
<BR>
Kristian has a fine garage set aside for gaming, and<BR>
we have left the board and other charts set up.  We<BR>
plan to reconvene on Saturday 18 December 1999 at<BR>
11:00 a.m.  Anyone interested is welcome to join us<BR>
for team play, other games, or even double-blind team<BR>
play.  Please email Kristian off-list for directions.<BR>
<BR>
We shall be posting press releases for as long as we<BR>
are playing.<BR>
<BR>
- --Glenn<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 19:15:12 -0800 (PST)<BR>
From: Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com><BR>
Subject: the drift of humaniti<BR>
<BR>
- --- "Joseph R. Dietrich" <yikes@evansville.net> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
> 3,000 years is a long time to retain a<BR>
> cultural/ethnic identity<BR>
> (historically, anyway, although information<BR>
> technology may have now changed<BR>
> that). <BR>
Historically, some races disappear, some get absorbed<BR>
into others, some mix and produce new races, some take<BR>
on others' traditions... we, for example, us ethe same<BR>
 alphabet as Julius Caesar, but that doesn't mean we<BR>
call ourselves "Roman"! But identities _can_ survive a<BR>
long time, just look at the Jews... though of course<BR>
the identity is not fixed.<BR>
<BR>
> humaniti<BR>
> seems to me to have become pretty "raceless." Or is<BR>
> this my own<BR>
> wishful-thinking filter kicking in?<BR>
I think that does seem to be the perspective of canon<BR>
Traveller... could be wishful thinking on the part of<BR>
American writers, if you ask me.<BR>
<BR>
One important thing I think is language. Languages<BR>
evolve, change, and reflect and shape culture. Haven't<BR>
you heard the phrase, "well, it's hard to translate,<BR>
but..."? Now print and quick communication will ten to<BR>
slwo the development of language, there devolops the<BR>
idea of "correct" grammar, and so on, but what<BR>
happened in the Long Night? It may be, when they got<BR>
back in contact, they couldn't speak to each-other<BR>
anymore...<BR>
> <BR>
> Do we have a situation in the Imperium where there<BR>
> are 11,000 x n different<BR>
> human ethnic groups, with at least one for each<BR>
> world and possibly hundreds?<BR>
Why not? Seems quite possible to me.<BR>
> <BR>
> Or do we think that social sciences and technology<BR>
> have advanced at pace<BR>
> with the hard sciences (given the way people behave<BR>
> in the canon<BR>
> liturature, I would say not -- except, perhaps, for<BR>
> the Zhodani)?<BR>
As always, I'm sure the _theories_ of how to run the<BR>
world(s) will be great, but the practice...? I imagine<BR>
people will remain as decent/horrible as ever...<BR>
> <BR>
> Okay, I guess this is just a roundabout way of<BR>
> asking: how balkanized is<BR>
> *your* Imperium? Not Douglas's specifically, but<BR>
> anyone's. How do you see<BR>
> issues of culture and ethnicity reflected in YTU? Do<BR>
> you see it breaking<BR>
> down into the big three (Vilani, Zhodani, Solomani),<BR>
> regional (Sylean,<BR>
> Denebian, Solomani), planetary (Capitalian,<BR>
> Regianian, Solomani), or even<BR>
> on sub-planetary basis? Or do you expect a mix of<BR>
> all four? If it's a mix,<BR>
> how is it biased?<BR>
It's all of them, I'd expect. An example from the<BR>
army: we in the army had a prejudice to the other<BR>
services, when they were around... when they weren't,<BR>
we in the infantry had scorn for the artillery,<BR>
tankies, and so on... when the grunts were all<BR>
together, 1st battalion had scorn for 2nd battalion...<BR>
when the 1st was all together, alpha company laughed<BR>
at bravo... etc, etc... and then Corporal Schuant used<BR>
to go to his girlfriend's place and say, "friggin'<BR>
army, they're a bunch of idiots..."<BR>
<BR>
Humans _like_ to be in exclusive groups, however big<BR>
or small...<BR>
> <BR>
> For those of you into genetic drift and the like,<BR>
> how differentiated do you<BR>
> think humaniti will have become (Ancient and human<BR>
> meddling aside)?<BR>
30,000 years is a long time... who knows?<BR>
__________________________________________________<BR>
Do You Yahoo!?<BR>
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:12:07 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> From: Leonard Erickson <shadow@krypton.rain.com><BR>
><BR>
>>I think you misunderstood him. "Law of land warfare" refers to the<BR>
>>rules under which land warfare is conducted (mostly the result of<BR>
>>treaties). It has nothing to do with justifying the existence of<BR>
>>armies or their effectiness. Nor more so than "Law of the sea"<BR>
>>justifies the existence of the sea.<BR>
>><BR>
>>Both are bodies of international law dealing with the subject in question.<BR>
><BR>
> I'll accept the responsibility for misunderstanding him, and I apologize.<BR>
><BR>
> Even so, it's still not readily apparent how that would relate to the<BR>
> practice of "rock dropping", or the usage of cheap excessive force by the<BR>
> Third Imperium. Is the implication that there exists some set of rules and<BR>
> treaties that the Imperium holds itself to? There are the Imperial Rules of<BR>
> War, but they're "unwritten", and the Imperium itself doesn't abide by them.<BR>
> If I recall correctly, the Imperium doesn't let member worlds use nukes, for<BR>
> example, but it does reserve that right for itself.<BR>
<BR>
I'd say that there are likely "laws of space warfare" that the<BR>
Imperium, Zhodani, and Solomani adhere to. Probably the Hivers do as<BR>
well.<BR>
<BR>
The K'kree aren't likely to hold to them, except for the fact that if<BR>
they go up against anybody who *does*, they are already at both a size<BR>
and TL disadvantage. Which means they don't *dare* violate them because<BR>
worse could be done to them than they could do back.<BR>
<BR>
The Aslan likely have *stricter* rules (because they are even more<BR>
strongly against damaging "land"), and consider many things allowed<BR>
under the "laws" to be "dishonorable".<BR>
<BR>
The Vargr don't count because they are a bunch of more or less<BR>
disorganized groups. If one of the groups attacked any of the "big<BR>
powers" and violated the "laws", they'd get clobbered but good,<BR>
especially since many *other* vargr groups would likely join in on the<BR>
winning side.<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:19:45 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller Navigation and Gunnery<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> I'm surprised the Imperium doesn't utilize mass-driver technology on<BR>
> warships when they need to do pin-point bombardment. It CAN be done, the<BR>
> physics prove this. Besides, you don't have to mess with that nasty Pu <BR>
> (plutonium).<BR>
<BR>
Well, there's nothing that says the Imperium *doesn't*.<BR>
<BR>
But there *are* some problems. You aren't going to get nuke level<BR>
strikes from a spinal mass driver. The impact energy is a function of<BR>
the mass of the projectile, and the launch velocity. The launch<BR>
velocity is dependent on the length of the driver and the acceleration<BR>
it can provide (I can dig up the formula). You won't get anywhere<BR>
*near* lightspeed with a ship mounted weapon (I once did the figures<BR>
for a 1000 km longer mass driver and it only got a few percent of c)<BR>
<BR>
But basicly, you have to supply *all* the energy that goes into the<BR>
explosion, plus extra for losses in the mass driver. A nuke doesn't<BR>
cost anywhere *near* as much energy as it releases.<BR>
<BR>
Also, launch from orbit puts in a definite lag between launch and<BR>
impact. This can render the mass driver useless against some targets. <BR>
<BR>
Nudging "big rocks" into impact orbits is a lot more energy efficient,<BR>
but has even *longer* time lags. <BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:04:22 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: How to do a gritty, X-Files-like scenario?<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
>> In mail you write:<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Or just read John W. Campbell's "Who Goes There?" It's the basis for<BR>
>> both versions of "The Thing", and while Carpenter stuck closer to the<BR>
>> story, it's possible for you as a ref to do even better. <BR>
><BR>
> Oy.<BR>
> I read that story as a teenager. It creeped the hell out of me.<BR>
> I always thought it was cool, and I liked Carpenter's remake, as<BR>
> he did actually follow the story.  I always speculated though--<BR>
> was the alien monster a crew-member of the crashed spaceship,<BR>
> or was he something THEY had picked up and been victimized by as<BR>
> well?<BR>
<BR>
Given what they found in the one building when they opened it at the<BR>
end, I'd have to say crew.<BR>
<BR>
(And yes, I'm being deliberately vague, for the sake of the folks who<BR>
haven't read this).<BR>
<BR>
BTW, I'd advise finding a cheap copy (if you can) and loaning it to<BR>
players to read. Then have them find a derelict ship or the like. Even<BR>
if you *don't* include an alien (or *the* alien) they'll be paranoid as<BR>
all heck.<BR>
<BR>
Hmm. For even more fun, loan one "Who Goes There", loan another<BR>
"Alien", and loan a third "Voyage of the Space Beagle". <BR>
<BR>
Not only will they be paranoid, they won't be sure *what* to do about<BR>
it. <BR>
<BR>
ps. I do *not* advise using any of the aliens from "Voyage of the Space<BR>
Beagle". They're a bit too much. The octopoid critter is just too hard<BR>
to defeat, and a coeurl could take on an infestation of Aliens and win!<BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 18:29:04 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: No longer totally OT( was Re: Totally OT but ...)<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> On 11/20/99 at 01:19 PM,  "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com> said:<BR>
><BR>
>>Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions on amazon.com.  I<BR>
>>called them voice today and they were concerned about the order; they<BR>
>>insitsed they had shipped it out promptly and that it was the carrier<BR>
>>who dropped the ball.  When I discovered the carrier was U.S. Postal<BR>
>>service, I understood. I don't know about other list members but my<BR>
>>experience with US mail has been dreadful.  I always try to use UPS<BR>
>>whenever possible as I know that if US mail can screw it up or lose<BR>
>>it, they WILL.  Frankly I'm surprised anyone still uses them as inept<BR>
>>as they are.<BR>
><BR>
> <sigh> The USPS delivers millions of pieces of mail quickly and<BR>
> safely, but once in a while they fail.  It's the failures we all<BR>
> remember.  Here's my USPS failure story...my Mom sent my sister's<BR>
> family their Christmas presents via USPS three years ago.  The box<BR>
> never arrived, but in mid March a *piece* of the box with the<BR>
> address on it was delivered to her with a "Sorry, but this is all<BR>
> that's left" message.  Since than she sends only through UPS.  It<BR>
> happens with the private carriers too, but it seems to happen less<BR>
> often. <BR>
<BR>
Well, I've never heard of UPS or any of the other private carriers<BR>
having their personnel discovered to have been *dumping* mail in huge<BR>
quantities. That is almost a refular occurence with the Post Awful. <BR>
<BR>
I think we'd be better off if they dropped the special rates for "junk<BR>
mail". I'd leave the special rates for actual *catalogs* (which is what<BR>
it was originally established for!) and even for "mini-catalog" flyers.<BR>
But it'd end all those credit card offers and other such dreck. And by<BR>
dropping the mail volume drasticly, I think they'd actually be able to<BR>
deal with mail properly again.<BR>
<BR>
> Ob Trav...Obvious!  Does the X-boat service *ever* fail to deliver<BR>
> their messages? <BR>
<BR>
Only if the ship gets lost/damaged. And I'd include "message receipts"<BR>
in the traffic flow. That is, as messages are logged into the reception<BR>
center upon delivery to a world, a "message XXXX received" goes into<BR>
the package being prepared to be sent back to whether that X-boat came<BR>
from. <BR>
<BR>
So if something happened, the computers would note that they'd gotten<BR>
one or more X-boats back, but that there was a block of messages that<BR>
were overdue for acknowledgement. <BR>
<BR>
This *does* require retaining messages at each link until they've been<BR>
acknowledged by the next link, but that shouldn't be a major problem.<BR>
And it provides *greatly* increased reliability at a small increase in<BR>
cost and complexity. <BR>
<BR>
And if the messages are stored with some sort of checksum or CRC, then<BR>
it also allows for retransmission of messages that somehow get garbled.<BR>
<BR>
> Do they maintain a monopoly on certain classes of message?<BR>
<BR>
Besides official imperial messages (ie mail from the government), I<BR>
don't see much need. Remember, the X-boat network is supposed to have<BR>
*started* much like seberal mail services on Terra. As a way to get<BR>
*goverment* dispatches delivered quickly and reliably. Once in place,<BR>
they started using "extra" capacity for paid civilian traffic.<BR>
<BR>
Even now you *can* send stuff the old fashioned way. Find someone going<BR>
to the right place and pay them to deliver the message. The government<BR>
monopoly on thgis sort of "courier service" has grown out of financial<BR>
difficulties in the mail system. Something that I don't see the X-boat<BR>
service having. <BR>
<BR>
> Are there *specific* commercial carriers of mail and small<BR>
> package in the Imperium, or are those roles subsumed into the<BR>
> operations of the various MegaCorps?<BR>
<BR>
I thought that was a form of "speculative cargo"? :-)<BR>
<BR>
Seriously, I expect that there are megacorps that deliver not only<BR>
across the Imperium, but even into other polities. And there will be<BR>
smaller corps that do sector and subsector level mail and package<BR>
service. And not all the smaller ones will have their own ships.<BR>
They'll almost certainly not have them for deliveries to the less<BR>
important planets.<BR>
<BR>
So part of the cargo tables should be cargo containers of "private"<BR>
packages and/or mail. Also, there should be provisions for ships going<BR>
to out of the way places to have packages or even "letters" consigned<BR>
to them for delivery (to an agent or even to the destination).<BR>
<BR>
That last makes for a nice adventure hook. <BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred<BR>
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 22:40:40 -0500<BR>
From: Kurt Feltenberger <kurt@blazenet.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Totally OT but ...<BR>
<BR>
At 05:14 PM 11/20/99 -0500, you wrote:<BR>
>In a message dated 11/20/99 10:13:09 AM Pacific Standard Time,<BR>
>j-man@iname.com writes:<BR>
<BR>
<<SNIP>><BR>
<BR>
>On USENET rec.guns, everybody is bitching about how UPS employees steal guns<BR>
>constantly (and is the reason UPS won't ship them via ground anymore). I've<BR>
>corresponded with someone who had to send his weapon back to Smith and Wesson<BR>
>for repair (it wasn't his issue weapon so the department wouldn't fix it).<BR>
>When S+W sent it back to him via UPS, it was delivered to the wrong<BR>
>apartment. The instructions said that the package could only be released to<BR>
>the owner via ID and signature. The nitwit driver didn't bother to check the<BR>
>paperwork or ID and gave the weapon to this person. The rightful owner (who<BR>
>is a LEO by the way...) reported it stolen and contacted BATF as well as his<BR>
>department. Both UPS and his neighbor are now in BIG trouble.<BR>
<BR>
IMO, this is yet another net legend.  When shipping a handgun, it must <BR>
leave and arrive at an FFL holder's address so that it can be logged into <BR>
their bound book, and then logged out when you take possession of the <BR>
weapon.  Unless the person in question held an FFL, I highly doubt Smith & <BR>
Wesson would even consider shipping it.<BR>
<BR>
Ob Trav...<BR>
<BR>
That package the players have been contracted to deliver was left at the <BR>
wrong address.  Now they have to get it back...before it is opened...<BR>
<BR>
Kurt Feltenberger<BR>
kurt@blazenet.net<BR>
Morrow Project Campaign http://www.sol-3.net<BR>
WT-L Support Pages http://www.sol-3.net/wt-l<BR>
<BR>
"To our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations,<BR>
      may she always be in the right, but our country, right or wrong!"<BR>
~Stephen Decatur<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 20:45:54 -0700<BR>
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com><BR>
Subject: Re: The naming of things<BR>
<BR>
>> >ObTrav: What kind of name is Alkhalikoi anyway?<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Sounds Hawaiian/Polynesian<BR>
><BR>
>I don't think ~/kh/ exists in the Polynesian languages, but it does in<BR>
>some of the other Austronesian languages.  It ain't Vilani. <BR>
<BR>
I always thought it was Sylean...<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada <BR>
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn<BR>
        "There is no longer any normal to be"<BR>
                                 -- Gary Numan<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1369<BR>
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