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Traveller-digest     Friday, November 26 1999     Volume 1999 : Number 1400<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: off to the Races<BR>
Re: Barbarella<BR>
Re: Superpowers<BR>
Re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
Re Certification of PC's<BR>
Re: Re Certification of PC's<BR>
Re: Remulak<BR>
Re: Ship Cost: How low can you go?<BR>
Re: 3D jump ranges - A solution<BR>
RE: Re Certification of PC's<BR>
Re: Loans and Indentures<BR>
Re: Re Loans and Indentures...<BR>
Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Skipping & ship cost <BR>
Re: ship cost<BR>
Re: Superpowers<BR>
<BR>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 17:06:17 +1000<BR>
From: david.d.jaques-watson@centrelink.gov.au<BR>
Subject: Re: off to the Races<BR>
<BR>
Dear Folks -<BR>
<BR>
Drafted this reply and then forgot to forward it:<BR>
<BR>
Kyle said:<BR>
>Quite right. I am thinking of a classic sci fi story,<BR>
>by Stanislaw Lem, Heinlein or someone, where an<BR>
>astronaut comes back to Earth after a hundred or more<BR>
>years of STL travel<BR>
<BR>
"Return From the Stars", Stanislaw Lem.<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
David "Hyphen" Jaques-Watson        Beowulf Down (Tavonni/Vilis/SM 1520)<BR>
http://www.tip.net.au/~davidjw                       davidjw@pcug.org.au<BR>
"I file things in historical order, with a hashing algorithm of gravity"<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
REQ'D DISCLAIMER - material & opinions contained within are solely those<BR>
of the author and do not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the<BR>
position of Centrelink or any other Commonwealth Government agency.<BR>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 19:47:12 +1300<BR>
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: Barbarella<BR>
<BR>
> I really liked the black queen's scene where switch blades spin in the<BR>
palms<BR>
> of her hands like little propellers.<BR>
<BR>
I just watch Lex, which I feel captures the original Barbarella style even<BR>
better than the movie does.<BR>
<BR>
Add in that film that Sean Connery is embarrassed by, and a few others, and<BR>
we have quite a nice little line in "tacky" SF.<BR>
<BR>
Frankie<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 20:15:24 +1300<BR>
From: "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz><BR>
Subject: Re: Superpowers<BR>
<BR>
> >I also submit that no-one has ever had the ability.<BR>
><BR>
> Here we disagree.  The Cold War was not a bad dream.<BR>
> Both sides did have enough nuclear weapons to wipe out<BR>
> all life on earth several times over.  Actually, that<BR>
> capability still exists, but the reason for having it<BR>
> (that mutual destruction would be assured) does not.<BR>
<BR>
I'm sorry Glenn, but you're completely wrong on this one.<BR>
<BR>
There are not, and have never been, enough nuclear weapons on the planet to<BR>
completely wipe out even a single moderate sized country , say France, let<BR>
alone the entire world.<BR>
<BR>
Your contention is a common fallacy, but in reality it would take some where<BR>
around a thousand times the maximum number of weapons to get close to even<BR>
taking out just the heavily populated parts of the planet, (let alone the<BR>
vast majority of the planet which is not heavily populated) and even that<BR>
would rely on careful placement of the weapons, and wouldn't be possible by<BR>
ballistic delivery.<BR>
<BR>
While it is possible a release of all the available nuclear weapons _might_<BR>
cause major climatic changes, based on previous evidence such as the Taupo<BR>
and Krakatoa events (Taupo being estimated as the equivalent of 5 Gigatons<BR>
of TNT, about what the world's nuclear arsenal is capable of now) , it is<BR>
actually extremely unlikley that the much-touted "nuclear winter" would<BR>
occur for more than one season, if at all.<BR>
<BR>
And even if it did, that would be nowhere near "wiping out all life on earth<BR>
several times over". In fact, it wouldn't even wipe it out once over, as<BR>
previous ice ages  have shown.<BR>
<BR>
I suggest you actually examine the evidence in future before repeating this<BR>
sort of popular bull.<BR>
<BR>
Frankie.<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 08:35:49 +0000<BR>
From: Timothy.Collinson@solent.ac.uk<BR>
Subject: Re: Traveller-like fiction<BR>
<BR>
Boris Cibic wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>I know this is an old thread but it always surprises me that all the<BR>
>old-timers always ignore Jeffereson P. Swycaffer's two Concordat<BR>
trilogies.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Yes I'm surprised at that.  And thought it a bit of a cheek for Askegren's<BR>
novel to proclaim itself as "the first Traveller novel" given Swycaffer and<BR>
Brunette's offerings.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<Snip list of Swycaffer titles><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
>  I have also often wonder if Paul Brunelle is the pen name of JPS.  He is<BR>
>really phenomenal writer who also wrote some short Traveller-inspired<BR>
>fiction for Dragon.  So check it out!<BR>
<BR>
I wonder if you mean Paul Brunette who wrote:<BR>
The Death of Wisdom<BR>
To Dream of Chaos<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Both explicitly TNE novels (the third in the series - The Backwards Mask -<BR>
never saw light of day I understand).  Or did he use a slightly different<BR>
name in Dragon?<BR>
<BR>
tc<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 23:47:05 -0900<BR>
From: "William F. Hostman" <aramis@gci.net><BR>
Subject: Re Certification of PC's<BR>
<BR>
>BTW, in every version of Traveller I think it would be a good idea<BR>
>to list the "requirements" for the jobs that PC's normally do.<BR>
>Things like,<BR>
><BR>
>"If you're going to be considered a for the Pilot position you need<BR>
>these skills at minimum...and having....would be nice."<BR>
><BR>
>"To get hired as an Engineer you should have these skills..., and<BR>
>these aren't required,...,but having them would increase your<BR>
>value."<BR>
><BR>
>Etc<BR>
><BR>
IMTU, under MT, I require the following for holding a ticket:<BR>
Unrated: Computer-0, Vacc Suit-0, Speak Galanglic. (This rating a<BR>
prerequisite for ALL ship crew tickets which follow) There is an exception<BR>
to galanglic made for Droyne. Droyne are required to speak galanglic to<BR>
test for Master's liscences.<BR>
<BR>
Rated Tickets:<BR>
Pilot: Pilot-1, Commo-0, Sensor Ops-1<BR>
Navigator: Navigation-1, Computer-1, Sensor Ops-1, Commo-0<BR>
Steward, General: Medical-0, Steward 1, Admin-0<BR>
Steward, Purser: Admin-1, and General Steward ticket<BR>
Steward, Broker: Trader-0, Broker-1, Streetwise-0, Admin-1<BR>
Medic: Medical-1, Sensor Ops-0<BR>
Steward, Ship's Flight Physician: Medical-3, Admin-1, Sensor Ops-1, Steward-1<BR>
Engineer, general: Engineer-0, Mechanical-0, Electronics-0, Gravitics-0<BR>
Engineer, Systems: Mechanical-1, Electronics-1, Computer-1<BR>
Engineer, Drives: Engineer-1, Gravitics-1<BR>
Engineer, Ship's: Admin-1 and both systems and drives tickets.<BR>
Gunner: Turret Weapons-1, Screens-0<BR>
Ship's Master, 5th Class (<=400Td, Non-commercial only): Complete the prep<BR>
course, &/or own a ship. See below.<BR>
<BR>
Advanced ("Master") Ratings<BR>
Ship's Master, 4th Class (<=400Td): Admin-0, Legal-0, Commo-0, SensorOps-0,<BR>
Interview-0, and any rated ticket, plus 4 years active merchant service or<BR>
2 years as a naval officer, Pirate Officer, or Scout.<BR>
Ship's Master, 3rd Class (<=1000Td): Admin-1, Legal-1, Pilot-1, Nav-1,<BR>
SensorOps-1, Commo-0.<BR>
Ship's Master, 2nd Class (any non-combattant): SM3c Ticket, plus Leader-1,<BR>
Interview-1<BR>
Ship's Master, 1st Class (Combattants): SM2c Ticket, plus Ship Tactics-1,<BR>
Instruction-1, Interrogation-0.<BR>
Engineer, Master: Ship'sEngineer Cert, plus Naval Architect-1, PLUS any two<BR>
skills required by the lower engineering ratings at level 2.<BR>
Steward, Counsel: Medical-1, Admin-2, Legal-3, Steward-2, Broker-1 (this is<BR>
the guy who bails you out in Imperial Admiralty Courts) plus 4 years<BR>
merchant service or Naval Service.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
IMTU, I have the IISS and the IN both run ticket tests, but the ratings are<BR>
actually issued through the scouts. You can get rated at any scout base,<BR>
naval base, or class-A or Class-B Starport within J2 of an X-Boat route,<BR>
and any class C port ON an x-boat route. You may only test any given skill<BR>
once per month. Test attempts are included in the actual card's database.<BR>
<BR>
The Test: Routine, (once each skill) and Edu. Safe, Fateful, Uncertain. 1<BR>
Hour (Expected thus is thus 10 hours, you have 16 to complete the test;<BR>
exceeding time allowed is a failure). DM+1 if repeating test taken within<BR>
past six months.<BR>
Roll this task for each skill required. On Total Truth, rated at skill<BR>
level. On SOme truth, Rating for skill = Skill +1d3-2. On No Truth, Skill<BR>
rated at Level-1d3. Count Level 0 as a step, and no skill at all as one<BR>
level below level 0. Taking the test costs Cr100 per skill tested, plus<BR>
Cr100 to apply for the rating.<BR>
If your Assesed skill levels possess all the skills, but at insufficient<BR>
levels for the ticket sought, you obtain a "Mate's" ticket in that rating.<BR>
If you LACK ANY skill (according to the assessment, not the character<BR>
sheet), you will not pass. If your assessed rating lackssome but not all of<BR>
the skills, it will be noted that you are striking for the rating.<BR>
If your assessed skills equal or exceed the required levels for the ticket<BR>
sought, you will be granted the rating proper.<BR>
<BR>
Note: Skill tests are generally available in any language spoken in the<BR>
local subsector or within J6, plus the following: Vilani, Old High Vilani,<BR>
Sylean, Galanglic, Aslan, Oynprinth, Newt, Virush, Geonee, Vegan.<BR>
<BR>
Getting the Unrated Spacer's Ticket<BR>
Simple, Computer, VaccSuit, 15 minutes, Fateful, Safe. (Expected time is 3<BR>
hours; limit is 4 hours. Increase difficulty by one step per each skill<BR>
missing.) This test is only issued in galanglic or Oynprinth; if taken in<BR>
oynprinth, it will be limited to ships operated by a known Droyne<BR>
Population Center (Read as a droyne government). Any character with<BR>
Merchant, Naval, Pirate, scout, or Marine background ends CGen possessing<BR>
this ticket. This ticket is a lifetime rating, but must be renewed every 4<BR>
years. It may be renewed without retest if not lapsed 4 or more years.<BR>
<BR>
Also, I grant every PC any non-masters tickets they qualify for before<BR>
mustering out, if they have a naval, marine, scout, merchant, or pirate<BR>
background. Anyone else with ship-specific skills may be rated; they have<BR>
to ask the GM...<BR>
<BR>
IMTU, a master's liscence is required to be a ship's captain. The IISS will<BR>
run a certification prep course for both the unrated spacer's ticket and<BR>
the 4th class master's ticket, and a Pilot's Mate Ticket. The combined<BR>
course takes 9 weeks, grants 1AT to each of the following skills if they<BR>
are not possessed: Pilot, Nav, VaccSuit,  Legal, Admin, Steward, Interview,<BR>
Commo, Sensor Ops. You get Computer 0 and VaccSuit-0 automatically. Roll<BR>
standard AT testing rolls at completetion of course. Cost is KCr5 for the<BR>
course, it is residential, and intense; no outside communications are<BR>
allowed during the course. At the end of the course, you get an unrated<BR>
ticket, a "5th Class Master's Ticket" which is limited to 400 tons<BR>
Displacement, non-commercial service, and incedental employment as master<BR>
only. The 5th class will also be issued to anybody with any other rated<BR>
ticket who is in a first mate slot, or a department head. Basically, this<BR>
allows yachters.<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: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 04:09:16 -0600<BR>
From: Black ICE <wombat@premier.net><BR>
Subject: Re: Re Certification of PC's<BR>
<BR>
"William F. Hostman" wrote:<BR>
> <BR>
> >BTW, in every version of Traveller I think it would be a good idea<BR>
> >to list the "requirements" for the jobs that PC's normally do.<BR>
> >Things like,<BR>
> ><BR>
> >"If you're going to be considered a for the Pilot position you need<BR>
> >these skills at minimum...and having....would be nice."<BR>
> ><BR>
> >"To get hired as an Engineer you should have these skills..., and<BR>
> >these aren't required,...,but having them would increase your<BR>
> >value."<BR>
> ><BR>
> >Etc<BR>
> ><BR>
> IMTU, under MT, I require the following for holding a ticket:<BR>
> Unrated: Computer-0, Vacc Suit-0, Speak Galanglic. (This rating a<BR>
> prerequisite for ALL ship crew tickets which follow) There is an exception<BR>
> to galanglic made for Droyne. Droyne are required to speak galanglic to<BR>
> test for Master's liscences.<BR>
> <BR>
> Rated Tickets:<BR>
<<snip>><BR>
> Steward, General: Medical-0, Steward 1, Admin-0<BR>
<BR>
Since some versions of Traveller include Cook as a separate skill<BR>
(FF&S2, page 80, refers to Cook skill), I would include a ticket (that<BR>
falls under the Steward category) for Steward (Cook), which would allow<BR>
Cook 1 to substitute for Steward 1 as a rated ticket.  No more than 1/2<BR>
of required General Steward billets (round up) could be filled by<BR>
Steward (Cook) ticket holders.<BR>
<BR>
I would also allow a Steward (Chef) ticket, based on the FF&S2 reference<BR>
above, which would require the following skills:<BR>
<BR>
Steward, Chef: Cook-3 _or_ Steward-4, and Purser ticket (see original<BR>
post below)<BR>
<BR>
> Steward, Purser: Admin-1, and General Steward ticket<BR>
<BR>
In order to carry High passengers, any ship with six or more steward<BR>
billets would need to carry at least one Steward (Chef), who would fill<BR>
one of the billets.  (Smaller ships are not expected to provide gourmet<BR>
cuisine for their High passengers, and thus are exempt from the chef<BR>
requirement.)<BR>
<BR>
<<snip>><BR>
<BR>
> Steward, Ship's Flight Physician: Medical-3, Admin-1, Sensor Ops-1, Steward-1<BR>
<BR>
I would drop the Steward requirement for this billet.  YMMV.<BR>
<BR>
<<snip engineer tickets>><BR>
<BR>
> Gunner: Turret Weapons-1, Screens-0<BR>
<BR>
For larger ships, I would include a Screens ticket, which would require<BR>
Screens-1, Turret Weapons-0.  Gunner and Screens billets could be filled<BR>
by holders of either ticket, although pay rates would be base on skill<BR>
in the billet, rather than higest skill on the ticket.<BR>
<BR>
> Ship's Master, 5th Class (<=400Td, Non-commercial only): Complete the prep<BR>
> course, &/or own a ship. See below.<BR>
> <BR>
> Advanced ("Master") Ratings<BR>
> Ship's Master, 4th Class (<=400Td): Admin-0, Legal-0, Commo-0, SensorOps-0,<BR>
> Interview-0, and any rated ticket, plus 4 years active merchant service or<BR>
> 2 years as a naval officer, Pirate Officer, or Scout.<BR>
> Ship's Master, 3rd Class (<=1000Td): Admin-1, Legal-1, Pilot-1, Nav-1,<BR>
> SensorOps-1, Commo-0.<BR>
> Ship's Master, 2nd Class (any non-combattant): SM3c Ticket, plus Leader-1,<BR>
> Interview-1<BR>
> Ship's Master, 1st Class (Combattants): SM2c Ticket, plus Ship Tactics-1,<BR>
> Instruction-1, Interrogation-0.<BR>
> Engineer, Master: Ship's Engineer Cert, plus Naval Architect-1, PLUS any two<BR>
> skills required by the lower engineering ratings at level 2.<BR>
<BR>
Note that T4 doesn't list Naval Architect as a skill (although I think<BR>
it should be available; if you include this skill, let your players know<BR>
ahead of time).<BR>
<BR>
> Steward, Counsel: Medical-1, Admin-2, Legal-3, Steward-2, Broker-1 (this is<BR>
> the guy who bails you out in Imperial Admiralty Courts) plus 4 years<BR>
> merchant service or Naval Service.<BR>
<BR>
Why is Medical skill included (assuming that the counselor in question<BR>
is serving as a specialist, rather than as a generic steward with extra<BR>
skills)?<BR>
<BR>
<<snip>><BR>
> <BR>
> Also, I grant every PC any non-masters tickets they qualify for before<BR>
> mustering out, if they have a naval, marine, scout, merchant, or pirate<BR>
> background. Anyone else with ship-specific skills may be rated; they have<BR>
> to ask the GM...<BR>
<BR>
I would allow any character who receives a ship as a mustering-out<BR>
benefit (and also has all prerequisite skills) an automatic Master's<BR>
ticket for the appropriate class of vessel.  Further, I would allow a<BR>
ship owner or primary operator to receive a provisional Master's ticket<BR>
(regardless of skills), which would allow shipment of non-hazardous<BR>
cargo (no passengers) within certain specified shipping lanes.  Routine<BR>
passenger traffic would require a Master's 4th Class or better ticket,<BR>
although one-shot passages would not fall under this category.  (As an<BR>
analogy, if I pick up a hitch-hiker, I don't need a special license,<BR>
even if the passenger pays me gas money.  OTOH, I would need a<BR>
chauffeur's license to drive a bus or taxicab.)<BR>
<BR>
Naval officers with combat commands (if generated using High Guard)<BR>
would automatically carry Master's tickets based on their rank at the<BR>
time of command:  O3 or less, Master 5th class; O4-O5, Master 3d class;<BR>
O6+, Master 1st class.  Note that naval officers with combat commands do<BR>
_not_ have to possess all (or any) required skills to obtain the ticket<BR>
appropriate to their rank; commanding a ship in combat is considered<BR>
prima facie evidence of ability to command a vessel.  Naval officers<BR>
without combat commands at the desired level must possess all required<BR>
skills for a given ticket to receive that ticket; in such a case,<BR>
receipt of the ticket is automatic (this could indicate a peacetime<BR>
command, or preparation for peacetime command).<BR>
 <BR>
> IMTU, a master's license is required to be a ship's captain.<BR>
<BR>
See above for my suggestions on exceptions to this rule.<BR>
<BR>
<<snip>><BR>
<BR>
- -- <BR>
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 02:23:57 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Remulak<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> Then there's a world in the Albadawi Subsector, Solomani Rim 0330,<BR>
> that I wonder about. Specifically, if a native of this world would<BR>
> travel to Terra, would they become super-strong and invulnerable?<BR>
> And when is the planet going to explode? I am, of course, speaking<BR>
> of Krypton...<BR>
<BR>
I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you...<BR>
<BR>
(see address... :-)<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: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 02:17:15 PST<BR>
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>
Subject: Re: Ship Cost: How low can you go?<BR>
<BR>
In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
> On 11/26/99 at 10:01 AM,  "Hughes, Michael" <BR>
> <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au> said:<BR>
><BR>
>>I like the idea of cheaper ships though. That would solve a lot of<BR>
>>problems (especially on the whole collateral issue).<BR>
><BR>
> Getting the price of ships too low, though, has its own problems. <BR>
><BR>
> Military ships will always be much more expensive than civilian<BR>
> (even para-military/pirate) ships. They will have more armor, more<BR>
> expensive weapons and hiediously expensive sensors that the civilian<BR>
> ships won't have.<BR>
><BR>
> So, let's limit our discussion to civilian ships.  For *merchant<BR>
> ships* just how low can we reasonably go and not wreak the feel of<BR>
> the game?<BR>
><BR>
> 20,000 per dton?<BR>
> 10,000 per dton?<BR>
><BR>
> And what systems do we reduce in price to get the total price down?  <BR>
><BR>
> Power plant?<BR>
> Jump Drive?<BR>
> Sensors?<BR>
<BR>
Just extend the age table for ships. A ship that's a century old should<BR>
still be usable, but won't be "worth" as much. <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: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 11:53:32 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: 3D jump ranges - A solution<BR>
<BR>
At 23:49 24/11/1999 PST, Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow) wrote:<BR>
>In mail you write:<BR>
<BR>
>> In the table below, the symbol * means "cubic root of"<BR>
>><BR>
>> Jump rating   Jump range<BR>
>> ===========   ==========<BR>
>>     J1            1<BR>
>>     J2           *3 (1.44)<BR>
>>     J3           *6 (1.82)<BR>
>>     J4          *10 (2.15)<BR>
>>     J5          *15 (2.47)<BR>
>>     J6          *21 (2.76)<BR>
<BR>
Ther's a consistant "off by 1" error, all these drives can reach the hex<BR>
that you start in. Thus the divisor is 7, not 6.<BR>
<BR>
><BR>
>This looks like a *bad* case of "diminishing returns". <BR>
><BR>
>Let's look at this a bit differently. In *real* 2-d space, you don't<BR>
>have fixed hexes. The *area* accessible to you goes up with the square<BR>
>of the jump. J1 = 1X, J2 = 4X, J3 = 9X, etc. In 3d space it goes up as<BR>
>the cune. So without doing the calculations, I think you want the range<BR>
>to increase as the 2/3rd power of the jump number:<BR>
><BR>
>J1	  1<BR>
>J2	 *4 (1.58)<BR>
>J3	 *9 (2.08)<BR>
>J4	*16 (2.52)<BR>
>J5	*25 (2.92)<BR>
>J6	*36 (3.30)<BR>
><BR>
>This looks a bit better than your figures, and I'm pretty sure it has<BR>
>the area/volume relationship right.<BR>
<BR>
Either way, it still destroys canon, simply because it now only takes<BR>
three jumps for a jump 1 ship to go the same distance as a jump 5.<BR>
<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 11:55:06 -0000<BR>
From: "Trevor, Peter" <Peter.Trevor@rb.cwplc.com><BR>
Subject: RE: Re Certification of PC's<BR>
<BR>
William F. Hostman wrote:<BR>
<snip><BR>
<BR>
Splonk!!!  <--- Noise  of  William's  certification  rules  being<BR>
                lifted wholesale and grafted into MTU.<BR>
<BR>
I like.<BR>
<BR>
Of course now I run the risk of a  PC  (with  the  initials  AJR)<BR>
going into the engineering exam, writing "I am a fish" 500 times,<BR>
and passing out.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Regards PLST<BR>
"!"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 12:20:44 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Loans and Indentures<BR>
<BR>
nthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com> wrote:<BR>
>Craig Berry writes:<BR>
><BR>
><sane economics snipped><BR>
><BR>
>Basically, if you wanted to have more cheap, tramp starships, what you'd<BR>
need to do is recognize that 100 dT is BIG, and that the electronics for<BR>
starships are pretty outlandish as well.  An age of sail tramp steamer<BR>
would probably be more like 10-20 dT, and pretty cheaply made as well.  It<BR>
isn't surprising that these enormous, extremely capable ships (your average<BR>
free trader is probably 30-40 meters long) are also expensive.<BR>
<BR>
Craig's response puts it better but it must be remembered that the age of<BR>
sail ships<BR>
didn't get much bigger than a few hundred dT. Your book 2 free trader has<BR>
to compete<BR>
with ships in the tens of thousands of dT.<BR>
<BR>
Apart from canal barges and other local shipping, nobody today would buy a<BR>
freighter much<BR>
less than a thousand dT.<BR>
<BR>
At a guess, even a 747 must be 50dT.<BR>
<BR>
>If you make a 100 T ship actually normally weigh in the 100T range (which<BR>
means, depending on version, a 5-10x reduction in volume) it becomes a lot<BR>
less unreasonable; drop the electronics correspondingly, and you start<BR>
seeing prices which are only in the few millions; still expensive, but much<BR>
more believable than the 20-40 million for a free trader.  Actually, a 5x<BR>
reduction in volume makes things like staterooms come much closer to<BR>
real-world sizes.<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 12:29:58 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: Re Loans and Indentures...<BR>
<BR>
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow) wrote:<BR>
<BR>
<snip><BR>
<BR>
>It's details like this that could turn around and bite the players when<BR>
>they find that their insurance terms aren't quite what they thought<BR>
>they were.<BR>
<BR>
especially if one of the terms is that all the notification is for it to<BR>
be advertised in the media at their registered office. Okay when they<BR>
are based at Regina and the PCs vist there every couple of months.<BR>
But will the PCs remember this when the insurance company is bought<BR>
by a megacorp with a registered office at Core?<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 12:50:32 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED Skipping & ship cost <BR>
<BR>
"Hughes, Michael" <Michael.Hughes@cbr.defence.gov.au> wrote:<BR>
><BR>
>Me:<BR>
><BR>
>> If a vessel has payments remaining, the vessel has<BR>
>> to go to a Bank branch<BR>
>> every payment date to get the running codes for the<BR>
>ship... [etc]<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>Kyle Schuant:<BR>
><BR>
>Again, I don't quite buy it. Codes are crackable. If<BR>
>your PCs have among them an engineer, it's going to be<BR>
>his first priority, I'd imagine.<BR>
><BR>
>* * *<BR>
><BR>
>Me2:<BR>
><BR>
>Absolutely all codes are crackable.<BR>
<BR>
That's not strictly true.<BR>
<BR>
It is possible to devise a code with a completely random<BR>
encription. Ie every letter uses a different key and there<BR>
is no pattern to the sequence of keys.<BR>
<BR>
The problems with this are:<BR>
<BR>
a) the code book is bigger than the message (since you have<BR>
   a substitution table for each letter.)<BR>
<BR>
b) only people with a complete code book can use the code.<BR>
<BR>
c) how do you transmit and secure the code book?<BR>
<BR>
However, none of these stop this being used in the real world.<BR>
(See under one time pad.) The simple example being a spy who<BR>
can collect their code book from their contact.<BR>
<BR>
In Traveller, these code books can be sent out by secured<BR>
transport and only accessed from secure buildings.<BR>
This doesn't stop people stealing them, but it<BR>
stops your computer-8 guy breaking the code.<BR>
<BR>
Now you could steal the code book, copy it and then put it back...<BR>
That would be an interesting scenario.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 13:11:23 +0000<BR>
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com><BR>
Subject: Re: ship cost<BR>
<BR>
Kyle Schuant <kyle3054@yahoo.com> wrote:<BR>
>Eris wrote:<BR>
><<Getting the price of ships too low, though, has its<BR>
>own problems. <BR>
><BR>
>So, let's limit our discussion to civilian ships.  For<BR>
>*merchant<BR>
>ships* just how low can we reasonably go and not wreak<BR>
>the feel of<BR>
>the game?<BR>
><BR>
>20,000 per dton?<BR>
>10,000 per dton?<BR>
><BR>
>And what systems do we reduce in price to get the<BR>
>total price down?  <BR>
><BR>
>Power plant?<BR>
>Jump Drive?<BR>
>Sensors?>><BR>
<BR>
Under T4, ships work out about 100kCr/dT for merchants,<BR>
500kCr/dT for paramilitary and 1MCr/dT for Military.<BR>
Fighters and SDBs (not having all that jump fuel)<BR>
tend to be 2MCr/dT or more.<BR>
<BR>
>Kyle replied:<BR>
>Well, IMTU as I've said it's from the old GURPS:<BR>
>Space, so everything's cheaper... There are different<BR>
>classes of hull available, though. I think we can all<BR>
>imagine the difference between the hull on a four seat<BR>
>Piper and an Apache! Also, the electronics is a huge<BR>
>part of the cost. Military ships have much more<BR>
>sophisticated systems overall. There's a big<BR>
>difference in cost between collision-avoidance radar<BR>
>and military targeting head-up-displays, and so on. If<BR>
>anybody is interested in the exact costs, email me<BR>
>privately and I'll send them, but it works out that<BR>
>your standard free trader, unarmed, no stealth<BR>
>ability, just enough engines to get it off largish<BR>
>earth-type planets, Jump-1, a hull that's internally<BR>
>tough but not armoured, and staterooms for the PCs,<BR>
>about a quarter its volume for cargo, that'll set PCs<BR>
>back, new, 500 kCr. Whereas your military fighter<BR>
<BR>
That's way too cheap. A book 5 party could probably buy<BR>
one outright, just from mustering out benefits.<BR>
<BR>
I don't know how much cargo you can carry, but it's not<BR>
going to be at 1kCr/dT.<BR>
<BR>
Plus all your PCs will have to take a pay cut. No one<BR>
will pay out almost 400KCr/year on the crew for such a ship.<BR>
<BR>
>ship, hugely manoeuverable, well armed and armoured,<BR>
>sophisticated electronics and so on, will set you back<BR>
>18 MCr.<BR>
<BR>
The Gnat class is only sold to people who don't mind being<BR>
shot up by passing free traders.<BR>
The Imperial Heavy Fighter (at 50dT) is well over 100MCr.<BR>
Phil Kitching<BR>
- --<BR>
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/<BR>
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.<BR>
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 09:31:52 -0400<BR>
From: Michel Vaillancourt <misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca><BR>
Subject: Re: Superpowers<BR>
<BR>
At 08:15 PM 11/26/1999 +1300, you wrote:<BR>
>I'm sorry Glenn, but you're completely wrong on this one.<BR>
><BR>
>There are not, and have never been, enough nuclear weapons on the planet to<BR>
>completely wipe out even a single moderate sized country , say France, let<BR>
>alone the entire world.<BR>
><BR>
        [SINP]<BR>
><BR>
>I suggest you actually examine the evidence in future before repeating this<BR>
>sort of popular bull.<BR>
><BR>
>Frankie.<BR>
<BR>
        Um, could you substantiate your postition?  How many warheads are<BR>
there and how many cities?<BR>
<BR>
        --Michel<BR>
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-<BR>
	Michel R. Vaillancourt	misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca<BR>
				ICQ # 31172292<BR>
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-<BR>
	    NET-City Communications....<BR>
	         Providing "Solutions for the Common Company"<BR>
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-<BR>
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	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-<BR>
<BR>
------------------------------<BR>
<BR>
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1400<BR>
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