
-------- TML Message #296 --------

Date: Mon, 10 Apr 89 22:38:08 EDT
From: vu0141@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
Archive-Message-Number: 296


Subject: Maps

I understand that Atlas of the Imperium was not a very good product. If
you want it of course it is possible to find it *somewhere*  The information
does of course exist and is even on computer media.  There are two solutions:
petition GDW to make a real Atlas product for next year sometime, or get
the data from GDW or Digest Group, who are on the Delphi network. I do know
that they have this info on-line although I've never tried to contact them
myself.

Fred Schiff - You can kill and maim with your Zen gun.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= vu0141@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
|        .sig:                |  PO box G207
| Awaiting remodeling         |  Binghamton, NY 13901
|                             | 607/777-7577
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-------- TML Message #297 --------

From: f3w@i.cc.purdue.edu (Mark Gellis)
Subject: Adventure Plot Ideas
Date: 6 Apr 89 17:35:56 GMT
Archive-Message-Number: 297


[Picked this off of rec.games.frp.  Good food for thought -- James]

I thought I would post this, both to give new DM's some advice (if they
want it) and to get suggestions from people.  I may have mentioned that
I run a modified Traveller world, and I replied to a suggestion that
Traveller was a "disposable" game by saying, "No, I disagree."  Both to
back up my claim, and for the reasons just mentioned above, here are
some of the things you CAN do with the Traveller world.

    1) Military mission.  This is one of the most common, so we'll get it
       out of the way first.  Basically, you go in, you shoot the place up,
       sometimes you rescue an important person or steal/recover important
       equipment or files.  If you want to vary this one, use different
       terrains, and give the NPC in charge of the enemy (a) different 
       equipment and defenses and (b) different weapons and troops and (c)
       different skill levels (Tactics, Leader, etc.)

    2) Trader mission.  Actually, I never run these.  But I hear they can
       be interesting.

    3) Exploration.  As I recall, there are 11,000 worlds in the Empire.
       But the Empire is at least 100 parsecs wide (which a brief bit
       of calculation informs us that there are more than 100,000 solar
       systems in that area of space--assume one solar system per 10 cubic
       parsecs and figure it out for yourself; this will vary depending
       on where you are in space obviously, but it is a workable estimate).
       So, there are all these unexplored solar systems waiting to be
       explored, with bizarre lifeforms, unfriendly settlers or enemy
       agents setting up outposts, etc.  AND every solar system has a
       cometary halo, chocked full of raw materials waiting to be charted,
       and maybe a few pirate bases, too!

    4) Espionage.  You think all wars are fought with guns?  No, no, much
       of it is what Kippling called "The Great Game."  Find enemy agents
       stealing secrets.  Steal secrets yourself.  Stop subversion. 
       Subvert the governments of enemy countries.  Assassinations, etc.
       This can be done to/for governments OR corporations (some of those
       money boys play pretty rough)

    5) Crimebusters.  You think the future has no crime?  If there is
       anything like the mafia in outer space, you have a lot of 
       adventures in store--either abetting or solving/stopping 
       (a) assassination, (b) electronic crime, (c) drug pushers,
       (d) racketeers, (e) weapons runners, (f) smugglers, (g) art
       thieves, and many more.

    6) Space military missions.  Be a privateer.  Prey on innocent
       merchants.  Get attacked by navy patrols and armed merchants.
       OR have your group hired by a local government to BE their
       navy patrol or privateers in a blockade/undeclared war against
       another planet.

    7) I love a mystery.  Have your group solve a crime that has already
       been committed, usually a murder or a theft of some valuable item.

    8) Terrorists.  (Actually, this is a variation on military and/or
       espionage and/or crimebusting, but it is different enough to
       deserve separate mention.)   Players can either stop terrorists
       (find them before they strike, etc.) or be terrorists/guerilla
       fighters in a political cause that they believe in, as opposed
       to a merc mission where they're simply being paid.

       These are obviously only some of the things you can do with
Traveller.  The main variations are (a) action adventures and (b) 
thinking adventures, and (c) adventures that require both.  If you 
game once a week, I think you will find that by varying adventure types
(and villains--it might help to have two or three long term bad guys 
with fairly large organizations so it takes a while to finish them off)
Traveller will keep you happy for a long, long time.

I would be happy to hear any suggestions or comments on this subject.
Thanks.

     Mark

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-------- TML Message #298 --------

From: bradsol@tony.ucsb.edu (Bradley Solberg)
Subject: Re: Adventure Plot Ideas
Date: 7 Apr 89 18:52:55 GMT
Archive-Message-Number: 298


[And also from rec.games.frp -- James]

In article <3072@i.cc.purdue.edu> f3w@i.cc.purdue.edu (Mark Gellis) writes:
>I thought I would post this, both to give new DM's some advice (if they
>want it) and to get suggestions from people.  I may have mentioned that
>I run a modified Traveller world, and I replied to a suggestion that
>Traveller was a "disposable" game by saying, "No, I disagree."  Both to
>back up my claim, and for the reasons just mentioned above, here are
>some of the things you CAN do with the Traveller world.
>
>    1) Military mission.  This is one of the most common, so we'll get it
>
>    2) Trader mission.  Actually, I never run these.  But I hear they can
>       be interesting.
	
	I often used this as a carrot...you have such and such cargo, the only
world in jump distance which you can make 500% profit is interdicted, etc. etc.

>
>    3) Exploration.  As I recall, there are 11,000 worlds in the Empire.
>
>    4) Espionage.  You think all wars are fought with guns?  No, no, much
>
>    5) Crimebusters.  You think the future has no crime?  If there is

	Or BE criminals.  One of our best adventures came from a trader
mision when the PC's had forged papers to allow access to a semi-interdicted
world, and for various reasons stuck around long enough for the papers to go
all the way to the subsector capital and back...to be discovered as forgeries.
The PC's were arrested on smuggling charges (they WERE guilty) and had their
ship impounded.  An alternative to a long prison planet term was to infiltrate
a pirate oraganization...which turned out to be backed by Zhodani "advisors"

	(We may be thieves, robbers and Smugglers, but by God we're
	 IMPERIAL thieves robbers and smugglers!)

>    6) Space military missions.  Be a privateer.  Prey on innocent
>
>    7) I love a mystery.  Have your group solve a crime that has already
>       been committed, usually a murder or a theft of some valuable item.
>
>    8) Terrorists.  (Actually, this is a variation on military and/or

	Well...in my game we had (in order) Terrorists/Cultists, Bodyguard,
smuggling/military, mystery/espionage, "detective (ala bogart)" story,
smuggling, jungle exploration/hunting, anti-piracy(drafted), space-disaster,
shopping spree, mystery/starship crash, space-combat/anti-piracy/military,
jailbreak/political prisoner, politics/intrigue, mystery/politics, 
cultists/rescue...then the campaign ended :-(

	Traveller is also a "time travel" game...the cultures are at all different tech levels and have different societies.
	You can do ANYTHING...once you fix the combat system and determine
how new skills are learned :-)

	-Brad

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-------- TML Message #299 --------

From: (Adrian Hurt) uunet.uu.net!mcvax!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian@tektronix
Subject: Adventure Plot Ideas
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 10:13:09 BST
Archive-Message-Number: 299



Here is the list of plot ideas again, but this time I've added the names of the
races which I feel most appropriate for them. After all, Imperial humans aren't
the only characters around!

>    1) Military mission.
Good for anyone, but especially Aslan. It's helpful if you have the old Book 4,
Mercenary, as this has an abstract battle system which helps if you want your
players' action to be part of something big. On one occasion, I ran a group who
had formed a mercenary platoon, and who were one of 6 forces attacking separate
objectives. After they had completed their fight, their was a debriefing session
in which they and the leaders of the other groups compared notes. (The funny
part was, the players had earlier captured a Zhodani fighter which they tried
to use here. It flew a bit too far. One of the other leaders very proudly took
credit for shooting it down!)

>    2) Trader mission.
Imperials are good here, as so much of their territory is mapped out. Unless
you want to combine trade with...

>    3) Exploration.
The Zhodani Alien Module has an adventure in which several Imperial humans are
captured by a high Zhodani noble, who specifically needs Imperials for his
exploration mission. It also has a section on exploring unknown space. Zhodani
and Hivers have the best mentality for exploration.

>    4) Espionage.
Humans (both Imperial and Zhodani) are probably the best to use for this.

>    5) Crimebusters.
Practically anyone except Zhodani, where crime is just a mental illness.

>    6) Space military missions.  Be a privateer.  Prey on innocent
>       merchants.  Get attacked by navy patrols and armed merchants.
Vargr!

>    7) I love a mystery.
Zhodani can have great fun with their psionics, unless the mystery is to solve
a crime. What Zhodani like is exploring alien artifacts, and trying to figure
out what things they find are for. Trying to foil devious Imperial plots is
another pastime.

>    8) Terrorists.
For counter-terrorism, Imperial or Aslan. For being terrorists, Imperial or
Vargr. I once had a group of players hired by a hotel on Efate to protect it
against terrorists. The players captured one, who promptly tried to persuade
them to join his "freedom fighters". They nearly did, but they were informed
that there was no pay in it!

 "Keyboard? How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk

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-------- TML Message #300 --------

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 13:38:58 EDT
From: vu0141@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
Archive-Message-Number: 300


Subject: Review of Digest Group's Referee's Gaming Kit

OK. Its a screen!

I hate screens. I don't buy screens. They're a scheme to keep gaming companies
in the bucks. It cost $8.95 and I went and bought it. The sun was in my eyes.

OK? Disclaimer over.

Besides the screen you get: an introduction with information about what's in 
the package, some hints on playing traveller and an blank equipment data sheet
to be photocopied;  Eight equipment data sheets detailing various and sundry
equipment (portable fusion generator, grav pack (back pack with grav modules),
map box, hand computer, fusion still, inertial locator, etc.) with 1 or 2
paragraphs of description, an illustration, 2 or 3 tasks for operation and
repair and statistics for several TL versions of the product with weight,
volume, price, power requirements, operating noise, and operating duration;
and 2 "folio" adventures which just means that they are short, they happen
to be two parts of one adventure taking place on Deyis II, an amber world of
Zarushagar sector (that's between Lucan's and Dulinor's territory)  You get
a subsector map and the usual bunch of tasks, player info, ref info, etc. in
seven pages.  They also included a piece of cardboard which is currently
backing the sheets in their new location in a plastic bag. The adventure looks
fine. As I said before, I hate screens so its nice they included extra things.

The screens are a set of two fold outs with six surfaces each. Some of the
information is for Ref's while others are for the Players.

Ref's side: 2 1/2 sides of combat.  This includes flow-charts which summarize
Megatraveller combat, range table, other tables and most of the tasks which
are used in combat.  There are a number of tables present which do not appear
in the rules but which summarize the information in the rules: Penetration/
attenuation Guide (%), Penetration and Damage (%), and Movement DM Guide. Some
are marked "simplied restatement of the rules" which was fine by me. It was
nice to see these rules summarized and all together for the first time; I've
finally figured out how combat works.  Which begs the question, as to why the
Penetration and Damage table, for example wasn't presented the way it is on
the screen in the first place (pentration type cross level of success giving
the damage as a percentage to apply) in the rule books.

Someone went color happy with the typepography.  There are color bands beneath
the tables, the pages are not white, etc. You can actually read everything,
which would be much more difficult if everything was in black.

Ref's side: 1/2 page of interpersonal tasks. Everything except estimating
characteristics.

Ref's side: 1 page of demolition table. Identical to rules.

Ref's side: 2 pages of encounter tables. Identical to rules including Starship
tables from Imperial Encyclopedia.(but does not have explanatory passages)
All of the information is there. It is not cluttered and it is very readable;
thank the color.

Player's side: 2 pages of art and advertising. Including an illustration from
the folio adventure.

Player's side: 1 side Traveller's Guide, summarizing all the info in a UWP,
and what all those codes translate to (using Ref's Manual translations, so
the Atmosphere table has 0 Vacuum, 1 Vacuum (trace), etc.) With color panels
to make tables readable. Useful since you keep forgetting what the codes mean.

Player's side: 1 page Combat, with range table, hit value table and task
difficulty direct fire tables.  Yellow panels beneath every two other rows
allow you to see it.

Player's side: 1 page Task format explanation. Less useful info, since you
figure the player will know all of that before too long.

Player's side: 1 page with 2 maps of Third Imperium and Surrounds, cica 1116.
The *real* reason I bought this package.  There are two maps, one small scale
with the names of sectors, names of important worlds and political units. 
These are the smaller 7 across, 5 vertical maps (rather than the 7 x 7 ones
found in the books) only detailing the Third Imperium.  The borders are in
red ink and were done with a plotter--you can *see* the borders. I think I
finally figured out about the claw from looking at these maps.  The larger
maps shows *all* the borders and every star.  Yes "Every star system position
accurately shown" meaning each system gets a little black dot (Deneb, Vland,
Antares, etc. important worlds get red dots) so you can see the stellar
density right away.  You can also see all the borders. Unfortunately, besides
the ones listed on the map I couldn't identify any of them. I found the Droyne
worlds right away. I counted them; they're are twenty. Maps are great. But,
looking at the map, I wondered what are all these groups of 1, 2, 3, 15, etc.
systems on the borders.  Ah, for an atlas.

Summary: should you buy this? Only if you want it. Nothing is presented simply
for effect. They are well-presented and either identical to rules from the
books or summarized better than the rules were the first time. I think the
color makes it more readable. There are extra things included.  But of course
some of us *really* hate screens. (Sun was in my eyes, honest!)

Fred Schiff - You can kill and maim with your Zen gun.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= vu0141@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
|        .sig:                |  PO box G207
| Awaiting remodeling         |  Binghamton, NY 13901
|                             | 607/777-7577
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-------- TML Message #301 --------

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 14:03:29 PDT
From: (Brad Post) c9c-aa@dorothy.berkeley.edu
Subject: PBM: Turn 9
Archive-Message-Number: 301




Well, turn8 was a blast, and here is turn9, even more hints and clues coming 
your way....

*******************************************************************************
				NOTES
*******************************************************************************

1)  Well, this is it, everyone is caught up.  I'll post about 5 days late to
   both rec.games.pbm and the mailing list, only to let you guys not deal with
   reading it 3 times.

2)  I'm going to remind you guys, if you haven't responded, 1 week and 2 days
   before the turn is due.  Or if everyone has responded except you.

*******************************************************************************
			   PLAYERS' MOVE
*******************************************************************************

	"Well, I must say, that that sounds like quite a reasonable price,"
replies the captain.
	"You bet it is," says Hubert coldly.  "It's just that I figure you and
this ship are worth it."
	"Um, captain ...," says Steve.  The captain turns to Steve and he 
whispers into his ear, "Are you sure you want to do this?  I mean this could
lead to even bigger troubles."
	"Trust me," says the captain quietly.  "Continue if you would Hubert,
you were about to tell us your line of work."
	"Well, as I was saying, I'm not a pirate, and those guys aren't IBI 
agents.  My line of work is particular, I'm ... how'd you say it ... an obtainer
of antiquities, living or not.  Yeah, that's how I'd put it."
	"So what have you obtained that requires my assistance?"
	"Well you see captain, those clowns who said they were IBI are the 
competition, not very good mind you, and they want what I've got."
	"The crate," says Steve.
	"Exactly."
	"So what's in it?" questions the captain.
	"Well I'll tell you this, I went way out of my way to get it, and you'ld
probably not even know what it was, if I told you."
	"Try me," says the captain.
	"You think your smart, huh.  Well ...."
	"I don't have to be, I've got a computer library," remarks the captain.
	That catches Hubert off guard, and he continues, "yeah, you've got one,
well then look this up in it, what's in the crate is a Coe (pronounced Kow-ee)
dog."
	"So why do they want it," asks Steve.
	"Because I got it first, and they didn't.  It was art really, their trap
was step up ...."
	"Thanks a bunch, now if you excuse me, I have to go open that crate up 
after ...."
	"What!" screams Hubert, jumping up.  Steve stands to full height and
Hubert semi-relaxes.
	"Well I have to see if you're telling the truth and ...."
	"You can't," says Hubert, looking very nervous.  "I mean the seal, if it
is broken, you might kill it.  It was to be opened someplace other than a cargo
hold on a ship."
	"Why?"
	"How do I know, I was just paid to get it.  The guy picking it up on 
Aramanx told me he'd take care of unsealing it.  Has something to do with the 
dogs metabolic rate, or something like that."
	"Well we'll see what the computer says and then decide whether or not 
to open the crate."
	"NO!  You're not opening that crate.  You said no funny stuff, and that
includes not opening the crate."
	"What I agreed to ...."
	"Here," says Hubert, holding up a card, "take it all.  It's on the bank
card.  We agreed ...."
	Taking the card the captain continues, "I agreed to not to kill you,
that's all.  I'm still the captain on this ship, and my laws hold.  You made an
agreement with me, for money, just to save your life, not your cargo.  I'm fed
up with you and those idiots next door, just be lucky that I'm still in a good
mood to let you live, because if I wasn't, I'd turn you over to Moe and Curly.
Now I'm going to open that crate with or without your permission, the only 
option you have is whether or not you want to be there."  The captain has worked
himself up, and starts to calm down, it's quite evident that he is venting all 
the frustration that has built up in the past few days.
	"Well then," says Hubert, "I don't want to be there, so at least I won't
be held responseable, see I get paid either way, dead or alive."
	"Good, just remember, you can't get paid if you're dead," says the
captain, startling Hubert.  Both Steve and the captain leave.

*******************************************************************************
			     CREWS' MOVE
*******************************************************************************

	"Well guys, before we go any further, let's look at our options, you  
know we got a lot of them," says Erc.
	"Yeah," says Samantha, "we should figure out what to do with all this,
maybe we should scan the computer for planets with this UPP."
	"That could take a while," says Erekosse.
	"But not if we limit the systems, like if we check only Lewis, and 
Aramanx, or maybe just this sector, or subsector," replies Samantha.
	"We could pump that chicken scratch, that Steve made up, into the 
computer also, see what it figures out," says Erc.
	"Well let's first go see how Moe and Curly are doing," says Erekosse, "
since we haven't heard from them, I think we better check up on them."
	"I'll go with you," says Erc.
	"I'll stay here and do the computer work," says Samantha.  "And Erc,
remember to block low," she continues with a giggle.  Erekosse chuckles a little
too, but Erc doesn't look pleased.

	Erc and Erekosse knock once and then enter Moe and Curly's stateroom, 
both are lying down on their beds, talking to one another, they both sit up as
you enter.
	"So what is it this time?" queries Moe.
	"Just checking up on our 'IBI' agents," says Erc.
	"Okay already, we can cut the crap," starts Curly, "we aren't IBI agents
you've probably figured that out already.  We're ...."
	"Yeah, you guys are to stupid to be IBI agents," says Erekosse.
	"What?" exclaims Moe.  "To stupid, I'll have you know that we went hell
of far to make this work, and if you'ld just taken things for granted, none of
this would be happening, he probably owns your captain by now."
	"Who?" says Erekosse.
	"Oh, don't play stupid with us now," says Curly.  "You guys have to be
on his payroll now.  So what are you going to do with us, Jump Space exits, or
just regular space?"
	"I don't know what you're talking about," says Erekosse, "no one has 
bought anybody, and I'm not for sale."
	"Look," says Moe, "we'll double whatever he's paying you."
	"We will," says Curly, giving Moe a quizical look.
	"Yeah, we will," says Moe.  "Look we're bounty hunters, and the guy
that Hubert's got in that crate is worth a hell of a lot, it's just a that we
caught him first, and Hubert stole him from us."
	"Who's in the crate?" questions Erc.
	"Should we tell them," says Moe to Curly.
	"Why not, you've told them too much already.  Go ahead, tell the god-
damned universe for all I care, it's not gonna do us ...."
	"Okay," says Moe.  He motions both Erc and Erekosse closer, they both
lean towards him just a little, and he says, "Jason Pinter."  There is a look
of accomplishment on both of their faces.
	"Who the hell is that?" replies Erekosse.
	"Yeah, who is that?" says Erc.
	"You don't know?" questions Moe.
	"No, we don't," says Erc.
	"Well," starts Curly, "Jason Pinter happens to be the one and only, Yurl
Hagard.  We captured ...."
	"THE Yurl Hagard," says Erekosse is a shocked vioce, "are you certain,
100% sure."
	"Damn straight," says Moe, "see we got this lead ...."
	"We're outta here," says Erekosse.  And to Erc, "The captain has to know
about this, so let's go."
	"Fine," says Erc, and they both leave.
	"What did I say," says Curly to Moe, as Erc and Erekosse walk out the 
door.
	"Don't know," says Moe, "but I got a bad feeling about this."

	Samantha's fingers dance over the keyboard adjacent to the CRT.  There
is a long wait as the computer cracks the 'code' that Steve wrote out.  After
about 5 minutes, the computer responds that there is no know language, or code
that converts this junk (Steve's words) into anything readable.  The computer
scan on the UPP's of the worlds brings up data on a world Regalis IV, but it
was destroyed in 997 when the star in it's system went SuperNova.  She types in
the data on Binary and asks the computer to take an 'educated' guess at what it
means, the computer gives the standard definition of Binary, but also comes
up with these possibilites:

	Binary - a semi-posh restaurant chain that spans the Aramis Subsector
		 main worlds are Pysadi, Aramanx, ....

	Binary - sometimes used as a nickname for the BEDTR Co.  know as the
		 Binary Encoding Decoding Transmitting Recieving Comapny.  They
		 do secret transmission inside solar systems, and sometimes 
		 outside.  Used frequently by both the underworld leaders, and
		 Imperial government.

	Binary - Name given to a ship found floating through the Sword Worlds,
		 technology level was determined to be at least 20+.  No life
		 forms found onboard, ship disappered from the Imperial Impound
		 and is still believed missing.

	This is all she finds out.  You are all now in the common room again,
and you all begin to discuss your findings.


********

Well, wasn't that fun.  I hope you are still intrigued, because there is a lot
more to do, and see, here in Cpt Jordan's neighborhood.  :-)

Responses are due on 4-22-89, and please tell me what you want to do about the
summer time, if you want to continue, just giving everyone more time, or what.

Note:  All materials are copyrighted, Brad Post circa 1989, any use of these
materials without the author's consent is a felony.

********************************************************************************
    __-,                               ___ _________
 __(__)|___                    _______/   |________|          "This is where
`----------|_______________---/       `----_____|___           you are supposed
 (      ___+-----------------<---------_____________-----_  <------ to aim,
  `-----                      `-----------'      |  +---_/      right up their
                                            ____/__/___/_____      shaft!"
 Brad Post: bpost@violet.Berkeley.Edu      |   ======        ||
            ...ucbvax!violet!bpost         |_________________||

*******************************************************************************



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-------- TML Message #302 --------

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 20:10:08 EDT
From: vu0141@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu
Archive-Message-Number: 302


Subject: Passages

The idea of high, middle and low passages has bothered me for a while. If the
passages are not based upon the distance travelled, but instead a single jump,
rhe question is where do you get these tickets? The Traveller's Aid Society
gives them out as dividends to their members and it is doubtful whether every
tramp steamer spaceship sells them.  I thought that they might be sold by
finachial institutions and the T.A.S. in the same manner in which banks sell
Traveller's checks.  This would explain the lesser amount you get on a discount
and the reason why passages are accepted everywhere throughout space; they
are backed by the various banks throughout space.

Fred Schiff - You can kill and maim with your Zen gun.
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-------- TML Message #303 --------

Date: 14 Apr 89 10:26:58 PDT (Fri)
From: Rob Vetter (Controlled, Calm, Concerned) <rob@amadeus.LA>
Archive-Message-Number: 303


> 
> Subject: Passages
> 
> The idea of high, middle and low passages has bothered me for a while. If the
> passages are not based upon the distance travelled, but instead a single jump,
> rhe question is where do you get these tickets? The Traveller's Aid Society
> gives them out as dividends to their members and it is doubtful whether every
> tramp steamer spaceship sells them.  I thought that they might be sold by
> finachial institutions and the T.A.S. in the same manner in which banks sell
> Traveller's checks.  This would explain the lesser amount you get on a discount
> and the reason why passages are accepted everywhere throughout space; they
> are backed by the various banks throughout space.
> 
> Fred Schiff - You can kill and maim with your Zen gun.

	Passage tickets probably work similar to airline tickets
	today.  Most carriers will honor the tickets of another carrier
	(with the possible exception of Eastern Airlines) as a
	courtesy, and as a way to increase their own business.  It is
	assumed that the line which honors the ticket bills the
	issuer.

	This offers the possibility a couple of interesting angles to
	the game.  What if a major line goes T.U. after a tramp has
	accepted several passage tickets?  There may also be the
	possibility of major lines leveraging the small business owner
	into purchasing a special franchise or going out of business
	all together.

	A smart tramp operator may work in a high competition area with
	many major competing lines that cannot allow a bad reputation.
	Other possibilities are special contracts with certain lines,
	or accepting cash only.  I suppose you have to be on the
	look-out for Fly-By-Night Starlines tickets, too.

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

	I always assumed that the Traveller's Aid Society was kind of
	like Social Security or the Veterans Administration.  Probably
	closer to AARP - as a private organization.  One thing you have
	to remember is that it is HUGE.  Suppose 1 person out of 10,000
	in the Imperium pays (or has paid for them) the 1Mcr admission
	fee.  Assume resonable investment, assume also hotel, bar, and
	other revenues.  The society is probably LARGER than most
	(ALL?) Mega-corporations.  They maintain important economic and
	political contacts, possibly have their own fleet for internal
	travel and communication services, and DEFINITELY print their
	own scrip which is legal in most of the Imperial worlds.

	In the Shattered Imperium of Mega-Traveller, a good TAS
	director (likewise good Mega-corporation directors) will
	instruct the people to remain neutral.  This allows the
	opportunity for increasing power.

	    ["Mr. Director, the Emporer is here, will you see him?"
	     "Let him wait another day."]

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