
-------- TML Message #484 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 484
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 14:53 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: GenCon 1989 highlights ala Metlay, ack thphht



Hi gang. Metlay here, back from GenCon 1989 in Milwaukee. So what's to 
report?

Well, the Con was well attended and ran smoothly. As always, the single 
biggest hassle was in obtaining onsite event registration (line lengths on the 
average of one hour or more), and everything else went smoothly. I didn't see 
any other List readers there, but what th'hey. Big sellers were FASA's new
SHADOWRUN game and everything else in their line, and Palladium and Leading 
Edge also made a very strong showing. Big hits of the Con were the MIDIMaze 
Interactive Combat Synthesizer and the FASA BattleTech display. Imagine a 
video game where every piece on the board is being run by a live player, who 
can think, move, and attack in real time! Both games offered this capability, 
and each had its strong points. The MIDIMaze games ran on clusters of up to 16 
linked Atari ST computers, and had tournaments, team or singles play, and open 
gaming for $2 an hour. I actually won one round, which is nothing short of a 
miracle, considering that the game was swamped by expert video game players 
who racked up enormous lists of wins, including one guy who won a 15- against- 
1 round singlehandedly! The graphics were simple but effective, and knowing 
that you were playing against other people made the game extremely 
stimulating. But the really spectacular event was the interactive BattleTech 
display at FASA's booth. Four players in teams of two were seated in realistic 
BattleMech cockpits, with complex display and hand controls taking the place
of the game's "Neurohelmets." They then fought one another on a computer-
generated battlefield, with great graphics, internal status readouts,
surround-sound effects, and total attention to BattleTech rules, including
disabled-unit movement and overheating problems. The game was phenomenally
popular, even at $3 for 5 minutes or until dead, whichever comes first.
Advanced setups allowed torso movement, and perhaps even jumping and kicking,
although I never saw an Advanced game. As usual, FASA demonstrated that the
most cash inflow came to the display with the glitziest setup, and this year
they even beat last year's Steiner-Davion wedding. Yeesh. 

On matters Travellerish, I had a short pair of conversations with Loren 
Wiseman and Marc Miller. Loren's a very nice guy but has such a full schedule 
that it's damned near impossible to get anything out of him, and Marc is just 
too busy to give anyone more than two minutes' attention. Digest Group was not 
there this year, and their "To Kill An Archduke" MegaTraveller event was 
cancelled, but I THINK I saw Gary Thomas there, looking so frayed that I 
thought better of hassling him. Sorry, gang, but I just wasn't in nosy 
reporter mode this weekend. What I did get was as follows.

These are lean times for the Traveller games, my friends. Digest Group is
doing its best to support the rules, but the big emphasis at GDW appears to be
on its other games, the ones with the four-digit numbers in their titles. Let
it also be remembered that Digest Group's people, despite their enthusiasm, DO
have day jobs, and that it's a miracle we get as much as we do from them. But
don't despair; both companies will be putting out their usual two or three
items a year, and let's remember that in the early years we were grateful to
get that much new Traveller material! That having been said, let's look at
what IS out there: 

Currrently in the works from GDW are "Fighting Ships of the Imperium," a set 
of ship descriptions and MegaTrav stats for various and sundry ships in the 
Rebellion. Cutting through the sales pitch, what it appears to be is a reprint 
and expansion of the old Supplement 9, for people (like me) who haven't the 
time and patience to futz around with the new rules for ship generation. 
There's also "Knightsfall," an adventure module for political intrigue(?). I 
haven't any data on that. GDW was also plugging the two new books from Digest 
Group, "The MegaTraveller Alien" and (I believe it's called) "The Black Duke."
No data on either of these, although I believe that the former book will be a 
reprint and expansion of Alien Modules 1,3,4, and perhaps 5. The Aslan, Vargr, 
and Zhodani will be covered; the K'Kree definitely won't, and neither will the 
Solomani or Hivers; the Droyne are iffy, but I'd guess that they will be, 
having been mentioned in detail in the Referee's Companion. For all you far- 
antispinward fans out there, it looks like you're all S.O.L. Sorry.

Representation of the Traveller rules systems at GenCon was pitiful at best. 
Besides my games and the ones sponsored by (and cancelled by) DGP, I counted 
three other Traveller events, and they were all your basic kick-ass mercenary 
contract sessions. The RPGA was supposed to run a Traveller tournament this 
year, but I don't recall whether or not that went through. I'm not complaining
at all about the rarity of Traveller stuff though; as usual, "Near Miss VI:
Radio Free Terra" was a smash hit, sold out on all three rounds long before
the Con opened with Generic Ticket holders lined up for overflow seating. The
sessions went well at first and got better as the weekend progressed, with
Saturday Night's game a real free-for-all, half the players having been in
previous Near Miss games since 1985 and the other half being experienced and
inventive newcomers. Navy Ensign Horace Plimpton and Daisy Ferne of the
Columbia University Music Dept. are now happily married (imagine Rick Moranis
and Shelley Duvall as Romeo and Juliet) and all's well that ends well.

Schedule permitting, "Near Miss VII: Over the Edge" will run at GenCon 1990,
and there will be a Near Miss Book out from either DGP or GDW at some time in
the near future, both Gary Thomas and Marc Miller at least being willing to
entertain the concept if it's well-presented. Meantime, if folx are
interested, I may run bits and pieces of "Borrowed Snapshots," the first
full-length Near Miss story, on the List. 

If anyone else has any questions about GenCon, feel free to ask.

later,

metlay


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-------- TML Message #485 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 485
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 15:38 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: releases



The World Builder's handbook is out. I have it and I like it, even if it
does put the sun at the center of an elliptical orbit rather than one focus.

The MegaTraveller Alien Book will be out later this year.

metlay

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-------- TML Message #486 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 486
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 15:38 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: This is neat! I've never played rules-lawyer before! (*gag*)



In getting ready for running the latest Near Miss event at GenCon, I 
familiarized myself with the new combat system. After about five minutes of 
reading, I came up with the following:

SCENARIO 1:

Hiram Trilby, a con artist, is being pounded into steakumms by Thor Phangle of 
the Imperial Marines. Thor is wearing full Battle Dress, Hi Stellar design, 
with an armor value of 18 over his entire body, and Thor's life force is about 
18, giving him 3 damage points to unconsciousness. (For the purposes of this 
explanation, Hiram's stats and armor are unimportant.) As he frantically 
attempts to save his own worthless life, Hiram manages to get his gun hand up 
between Thor's arms as Thor is attempting to twist his head off, places the 
muzzle of his Gauss Pistol against Thor's eyeslit, and fires.

Hiram's player, a decent kid who's never learned to be crafty and to take 
advantage of gaping holes in rules systems, is doing what appears to be the 
sensible thing: he makes his task to hit one level harder (from simple to 
routine, a safe bet) and allows himself a pinpoint attack, thus halving the 
armor value of Thor's Battle Dress and maximizing his chances to escape.

Okay so far?

He rolls an 11 on his attack. The result, according to the rules, is as 
follows. The attack is with a penetration-4 weapon, against an armor class of 
18 halved or 9. Weapon < Armor, so Zero penetration, and since the armor is 
full-body, no damage occurs. But wait! Hiram needed a 7 to hit, and rolled an 
11! That's a 4+ exceptional success, so Hiram quadruples his damage (4x0=0) or 
takes a minimum of 2 points. Thor can take 3, so the 2-point hit to his face 
doesn't knock him out.

The result: the Gauss needles bounce off the armored eyeslit, except for one 
which manages to penetrate and do damage. Thor is injured, and really mad now. 
Hiram had better hope for an 11 or better on his next roll, assuming he has 
any ammo left in his pistol, or he's doomed. (Note that the choice of shot
placement did nothing here: only the high roll did.) 

SCENARIO 2:

As above, except Hiram has only a 5mm body pistol (with a Penetration value of 
0 at any range!), and Hiram's being played by a different player, say for 
example, me. (Thor's doomed. |-> ) He calmly places the pistol's muzzle 
against Thor's chest, where the thickest armor plating is located, and pulls
the trigger, once. He rolls an 11.

We now consult the rules again. Hiram didn't try anything fancy to maximize 
his chances of getting through the impossibly thick armor Thor was wearing: he 
just fired. At this range, that's a Simple task. He hits, and his weapon 
obviously does no damage (it didn't last time, and 0 vs. 18 is a lot worse 
than 4 vs. 9). But wait! he needed a 3, and rolled an 11, so that's an 8+ 
exceptional success, for octuple damage (8x0=0) or a minimum of 4 points!

The result: Thor's knocked unconscious by the tiny bullet expending its energy 
against his chest. Hiram removes Thor's limp hands from his thoat, places the 
pistol over Thor's heart, and fires until he rolls two 7s or an 11, at which 
point Thor is dead. (Note that he does not declare a coup de grace, as this is 
an automatic zero-penetration hit and hence does no damage. He states he is in 
combat, and thus must roll for his hits, risking a miss but also allowing for 
the exceptional success that knocked Thor out in the first place.)


Neat, huh? I'm leaving this glitch in my rules set. Every player needs a break
every now and then! |->

dim the lights,

******
metlay				| "What'd you hit him for, Hug?" "I asked him
				| what the wallet was made of, and he said,
metlay@pittvms.BITNET		| 'Hide, the cow's outside.' Imagine his nerve,
metlay@vms.cis.pitt.EDU		| suggesting an Aslan is afraid of a cow!" |->


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-------- TML Message #487 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 487
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 16:38:43 EDT
From: (wilson m liaw) macgyver@cis.ohio-state.edu
Subject: Oops



	Sorry about that, and thanks to Paul for point it out. I made a 
couple of typos. 

	World Builder's Handbook has been out for almost a month. And it's not
from GDW, it's from Digest Group. 

			Mac

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-------- TML Message #488 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 488
Subject: Latest Challenge, WB Handbook
Date: 14 Aug 89 14:43:25 PDT (Mon)
From: jamesp



The latest Challenge has a single article on Traveller, but a voluminous
one.  [As Metlay pointed out, Traveller seems as if it's becoming
"Grandfathered"].  Anyhow, the article is a long (about 24 pages)
pullout section describing the Hinterworlds Sector, in fact, you can
remove it from the Challenge issue as a booklet in istelf.  At the front
is about 5-6 pages of discussion, explaining the history, economics,
government, and minor races present in the Hinterworlds.  Following that
is 16 pages devoted to subsector and UWP information in the standard
tabular form, and a two-page map of the entire sector.  I really enjoyed
the article, and it would provide me with an entirely different corner
of the Imperium to go out and explore and flesh out myself, a fresh
change from the ubiquitous Spinward Marches campaigns.

I'm doing a review of World Builder's Handbook for you guys and gals,
and I will try to get it done this week.

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-------- TML Message #489 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 489
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 21:38 EDT
From: B_MAHONE%UNHH.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: _World Builder's Guide_ mini-review


Well, I got my copy of the _World Builder's Guide_ the other day...  I like it.

I have never seen the original Grand Census/Grand Survey set, so I really only
have Digest Group's word that it is improved and expanded.

The book is full-sized (8-1/2 x 11?) and center stapled.  96 pages.  Nice art.

The first half of the book, "Survey and Exploration", details the actual
process the IISS uses to explore new worlds.  This is a detailed treatment of
the subject, including types of surveys and IISS guidelines.  If you are
running a Scout-oriented campaign, you need this book.  A pretty complete
picture of what the Scouts do.  ("Three stars"- and if anyone can tell me why
the IISS doesn't use rank for Field operatives, they get the fourth star...)

Included are several equipment data sheets, in the new format used in the
Referee's Gaming Kit.  (You know- the screen...)  Detailed equipment: (with
pictures)

Handheld Densitometer   Neural Activity Sensor  Image Converter Binoculars
"PRIS" Field Glasses    Med Scanner     Bio-Scanner     Floater  Gyrocompass
Multichronometer        Language Translator     Handheld Communicator
Comdots         Remote Earpiece         Lasercom Relay  Data/Display Headset
General Purpose Vacc Suit       (three kinds of) Portable Life Support Systems
Tailored Vacc Suit      Lt. Duty Vacc Suit      Hostile Enviroment Vacc Suit
Utility Vest    Grav Belt  (*Whew*)

Also: Detailed treatments, with task libraries, for the G-tube, Grav Bike,
Hurricane-class Air/raft, and the Survey G-Carrier.  (Also seen in 101
Vehicles)  One page for each craft.

Then...  Ship plans for the Donosev Survey vessel.  Not as detailed as the
SOG's Trader diagrams, but ok.

The remaining 42 pages deal with "Building a World".  Without going too deeply
into it, it seems pretty complete: Atmosphere, Law levels, Religious issues...

If you're doing these things in your campaign, this book seems like a good buy,
folks.

                                            -Bob

                                  oo
- ---------------------------------m--m-----------------------------------------
Bob Mahoney                           PSC Computer Services, Plymouth NH 03264
BITNET: B_MAHONEY@UNHH                   uucp: [uunet!unhd!,dartvax!]psc90!rem

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-------- TML Message #490 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 490
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 21:41 EDT
From: B_MAHONE%UNHH.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Really?



The folks at Digest Group are only part-time?  Not bad!  They seem to be
running rings around the GDW folks, at least in terms of development...

- -Bob

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-------- TML Message #491 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 491
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 89 04:00:28 -0400
From: (Dumpmaster John) jco@manatee.cis.ufl.edu
Subject: Fueling a jet



First, let me say I've never fueled a jet.  I have fuel a race car (So I
don't know how close these two are.)  But this has never stopped anyone on
the net.   :-)

So I'd say you don't need to make a roll except under combat conditions (or
something real close, like jabba is coming into your landing bay and you
need to get out before he kicks your ass.)  So you can take all the time you
need.  So unless the player was clutzing out.  He could do it.

Now then how much fuel does a plane take?  As for cars you can fuel them
(15-20 gals) in 15-20 sec.  Now then they have special tanks so you can fuel
them fast.  (extra outlets for air and stuff)  So anyway in 2 mins you could
get 120gals in (and change the tires  :-)

Another question on TV they always talk about how many pounds of fuel they
have left.  Is this a more proper unit to use in a/c?

As for setting fuel off.  On a nova from 1 or 2 seasons ago ("How safe is
safe."  I think)  They said that it was the misting of fuel that causes the
problems.  So if you fumble and mist it I guess you could be in for a bad time.

later
jco

"What would Rock and Roll be without feedback?" -- D. Gilmour
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-------- TML Message #492 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 492
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 89 10:40:57 EDT
From: perez%qm7503.genrad.com@qmvs01.genrad.COM (Arturo Perez 508-369-4400 x3239)
Subject: RE:  Refuelling aircraft


>
>   Never having had ANY experience refueling aircraft, I have  only one
>   question...
>   Can an aircraft of any type be completely refueled in only 2 minutes?
>   This seems too low to me, especially if we are talking about hundreds of
>   gallons at a time.  Are they *REALLY* high speed pumps or what?
>----------
>From the Bridge of the NOMAD
>
>Captain Sir Michael Talmoth Commanding     UPP:  BA5A8B
>   AKA Paul Baughman ---> EHT@psuarch.BITNET
>      AKA Unka Paul
>

Now remember, the times included with the task description is typically
10% of the time to perform the task.  You have to role 3d6 to determine
the real amount of time the task really takes.  For the above case, that works
out to 6-36 minutes with an average of 20-26 min..  It is not a flat 2 minutes
unless that task says "2 min. absolute."

Does that make the time needed more reasonable?  Although I must admit,
36 min. to fuel an aircraft, unless it's an Eastern jetliner :-), seems a
bit on the long side; especially when the Imperial storm troopers want to
frag you for stealing the emperor's scepter :-)

arturo perez
qm7503.genrad.com
10:38am 8-15-89


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-------- TML Message #493 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 493
Subject: Re: World Builder's Handbook (very popular)
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 89 10:50:49 EDT
From: uunet.uu.net!zephyr.ENS.TEK.COM!ispi!jbayer@tektronix.TEK.COM (Jonathan Bayer)


[ Yet another message coming to me instead of the list, and duly forwarded.
BTW, The Military Corner has several copies available last time I checked,
if anyone wants to go to the extra cost of shipping, etc.  --James ]

> 	World Builder's Handbook has been out for almost a month. And it's not
> from GDW, it's from Digest Group. 

And its been unavailable for almost a month.  Every place I have called
has been sold out.  I finally managed to locate a copy and should have it
within a week.  

I saw a friend's copy  a few days ago.  It looked _real_ nice.


JB
- -- 
Jonathan Bayer			      Beware: The light at the end of the
Intelligent Software Products, Inc.	      tunnel may be an oncoming dragon
500 Oakwood Ave.				...uunet!ispi!root
Roselle Park, NJ   07204    (201) 245-5922    jbayer@ispi.UUCP


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-------- TML Message #494 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 494
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 89 11:31 EDT
From: B_MAHONE%UNHH.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: MegaTraveller Referees *ONLY*


I don't know how you folks keep published 'spoilers' from your groups,
but for those who can, I thought I'd try to help keep the secrets...

In the Imperial Encylopedia, in the Referee's section, there is a notation
under Imperial Stationary that describes how Norris essentially forged his
appointment as Archduke...  Why is this included, and why here?  Is this some
essential seed for future "official" development, or just a strange idea
someone had?  It is fairly odd, in that all the published material I have
seen would give the impression that Strephon *would* have made the appointment.

Anyone care to speculate on this?  Also, has anyone joined the "History of the
Imperium Working Group" (HIWG)?  To what extent is this group's work going to
be incorporated into the "official" universe?

My campaigns (fantasy and now SF) have always been very history oriented, so
these issues are bound to come up in my group...

- -Bobmah

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-------- TML Message #495 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 495
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 89 16:46 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: re: MegaTraveller Referees *ONLY*



Makes perfect sense to me, actually. He was nearly assassinated by one of
his own admirals (Santanocheev, I believe) and had to take control of the
Navy to save his own hide, to say nothing of the Marches. Also, keep in
mind that the ImpEncyc was written by Norris's own people, and they tend
to paint him in a favorable light. Whether or not his appointment to Archduke
was honest was open to question, but its usefulness is moot (if you'll pardon
the expression |-> ): it's saved the Marches from fragmentation. If ole
Norrie-baby's a crook, at least he's a competent, smart crook. 

Who'd you have picked? Leonard Bolden-Tukera of Aramis? Gag oop ecch!

metlay

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-------- TML Message #496 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 496
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 89 22:16 EDT
From: B_MAHONE%UNHH.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Re: **MegaTraveller Referees ONLY**


metlay relates: (In answer to my Norris "The Pen" forgery question)

>Makes perfect sense to me, actually. He was nearly assassinated by one of
>his own admirals (Santanocheev, I believe) and had to take control of the
>Navy to save his own hide, to say nothing of the Marches. Also, keep in
>mind that the ImpEncyc was written by Norris's own people, and they tend
>to paint him in a favorable light. Whether or not his appointment to Archduke
>was honest was open to question, but its usefulness is moot (if you'll pardon
>the expression |-> ): it's saved the Marches from fragmentation. If ole
>Norrie-baby's a crook, at least he's a competent, smart crook.
>
>Who'd you have picked? Leonard Bolden-Tukera of Aramis? Gag oop ecch!

Hmmm...  I obviously missed a turn here.  I am a new ref, to all new
Travellers- is the above background regarding Santanocheev & Bolden-Tukera
pre-MegaTraveller?  If so, are the publications concerned still available?

Tukera?  Of Tukera lines perhaps?

(I *hate* missing the begining of a good story!)

Any 'lost' info appreciated.

- -BobMah

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-------- TML Message #497 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 497
From: (Adrian Hurt) adrian%cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
Subject: Norris vs. Santanocheev
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 89 10:25:19 BST



>>Makes perfect sense to me, actually. He was nearly assassinated by one of
>>his own admirals (Santanocheev, I believe) and had to take control of the
>>Navy to save his own hide, to say nothing of the Marches.

>Hmmm...  I obviously missed a turn here.  I am a new ref, to all new
>Travellers- is the above background regarding Santanocheev & Bolden-Tukera
>pre-MegaTraveller?  If so, are the publications concerned still available?

>From what I can gather from "The Spinward Marches Campaign" and the board game
"Fifth Frontier War", at the time of that war Santanocheev was Sector Admiral,
in charge of defending the Spinward Marches. He was a complete incompetent, and
had obtained the position more on the basis of social standing and court
connections than any real ability. (In the board game, he's actually a
liability to any fleet that gets him - they're better off with no admiral at
all!)

Before the war, Naval Intelligence (in which Norris was then a minor officer)
had produced a report which was very critical of Santanocheev. Unfortunately,
it criticised him wrongly. As a result, Santanocheev set up a new organisation
to take its place, comprised mainly of yes-men and bootlickers. Being the more
competent organisation, and not being actually disbanded, Naval Intelligence
was the one that got wind of what the Zhodani were planning, and because of his
former connection, Norris received that information. He knew what an idiot
Santanocheev was, and asked the Emperor to do something about the situation,
e.g. sack Santanocheev and put Norris in charge. What Strephon did was to send
Norris an Imperial Warrant, which basically says "This person can do what he
wants because he's doing it in the Emperor's name". Unfortunately, the warrant
didn't reach Norris. He eventually learnt that the ship carrying it had crash-
landed on Algine, which was interdicted, therefore he was forbidden to go
there. He went anyway, his reasoning being that if he found the warrant, it
would allow him to override the interdiction. If he didn't, he was in deep
trouble, but that was a risk he chose to take. Meanwhile, he put about rumours
that he was ill, he was dead, he'd been assassinated or deposed, etc., to
cover his disappearance. Eventually he found the warrant, came back, kicked
out Santanocheev and saved the Marches.

That's the sort of man Norris is. Another of his schemes was the funding of an
"Azhanti High Lightning" class cruiser by getting all the school children of
the Spinward Marches to make donations out of their lunch money. The ship was
named "Children of the Marches" in their honour.

Now, what I want to know is, has anyone written an adventure based on Norris'
expedition to Algine? It looks like a hook just waiting for someone to hang a
plot on 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 #498 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 498
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 89 12:41 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: The shady past of His Grace Norris Aella Aledon, Duke of Regina



Listen up, folx.

The following is my admittedly hazy remembrance of what was, for a while,
the most interesting bit of political intrigue in Traveller, from a time
when the Spinward Marches were the only part of the Imperium about which
anyone outside GDW knew anything (the Solomani Rim still being under prep):

When the Fifth Frontier War began in 1107 (That's about 1981 or so), the 
Imperial Navy was under the command of a sleaze bucket known through the
Traveller News Service as Grand Admiral hault-Santanocheev. He proceeded 
to lose the Jewell Cluster, the Lanth Subsector, and most of the rest of
the frontier regions of the Marches, in a stunning series of Zhodani wins
that ended up threatening Rhylanor itself! 

Norris was not amused, and he told Santanocheev as much.

Santanocheev did the only sensible thing: he had the Duke assassinated.

Or tried to, anyway.

(Insert sound of flung wad of excrement striking rotary air blower here)

It took until after the War was over for us poor readers of the JTAS to
piece everything together, but as nearly as I can work out, what happened
was that Norris's death was reported to the News Service, only to be
followed by a statement that the Duke wasn't dead, just resting |-> .
The rumors of a coverup persisted until Norris himself came on the scene and
forcibly removed Santanocheev from power. He couldn't trust any of the
chiefs of staff, and he needed to be in firm command of the situation
when the Corridor Fleet arrived on the scene looking for someone to kill,
so he took command of the Navy himself. Under his command, the Zhodani were
driven back, Lanth was recaptured, Jewell was freed (it never fell), and
the Zhodani negotiated a ceasefire, followed by an armistice on 001-1111.
No territories changed sides, and that was that. (Oh, by the way, the 
other members of the OUtworld Coalition, the Sword Worlds and the Vargr,
got chewed up and spat out nearly a year before the ceasefire. They didn't
negotiate a ceasefire-- they SURRENDERED! Can you say, "Please don't hurt
me?" You can? Well, SAY IT LOUDER! AND GROVEL!) The upshot of the whole 
business was that Norris, as the real architect of the victory, came out
smelling better than any Admiral since Arbellatra Alkhalkoi stomped the
Zhodani in the Second Frontier War, then took her fleet to the Core and
established the dynasty whose latest child is lying on the floor of the
Iridium Throne Room with Dulinor's slug in his forehead....

But I digress. |->

The point is, Santanocheev was stripped of command, tried, courtmartialed,
cashiered, and exiled. He wasn't killed, nor was a public reading of the
charges made, to hide the depth of the corruption in the Imperial Navy,
which resembles the bad guys in the Star Wars movies more and more as you 
learn how they REALLY operate.... (HISS! BOO!) 

Norris has been an immensely popular and charismatic leader ever since.
He knew that with the proper stamp of authority, he could avoid a lot of
hassles when the assassination became public knowledge. so he made himself
Archduke of Deneb. Simple, wasn't it? It'd be a lot easier to prove if he
could explain why, by the time his appointment was announced, the whole
Corridor Fleet (which was ostensibly his to command) was on its way to the 
Imperial Core, leaving the sector defenseless.... Oh, well, nobody's perfect.

Oh, and Leonard Bolden-Tukera, the Marquis of Aramis, is married to a woman
who's a full-blooded Tukera family member. He has a lot of vested interests
in Tukera, and in Akerut, its local feeder line serving the Aramis subsector.
His chief rival is Marc hault-Oberlindes, Baron of Feri, whose Oberlindes
Lines are making life difficult for Akerut these days. Oberlindes is a sharp,
hardworking businessman whose reputation for taking care of his employees 
is nothing short of legendary. Bolden-Tukera is a fat, stupid slob who
couldn't inspire loyalty in a tribe of Orcs. ("Orcs? What're they?" "Oh, some
minor race from the Hinterworlds. Currently fighting with something called
the Bobbits, or Boggits, or something like that....") The tradewar between
Akerut and Oberlindes of 1105 and 1106 came to an abrupt end when Oberlindes
was able to prove that Akerut's security chief was selling meson guns to a
Vargr corsair band for use against his own country's shipping, and lining
his own pockets with the commission. (See THE TRAVELLER ADVENTURE.) The Duke
wasn't too pleased about that, either.....

Any other questions?

yatta yatta,

metlay

PS. Yes, what the HIWG does becomes gospel. That's why they're so controlled.

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-------- TML Message #499 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 499
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 89 12:51:53 +0200
From: (Maurice Schekkerman) schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl
Subject: Fifty Starbases


This message is forwarded by my friend Maurice. Actually *he*
never refereed a Traveller game and I've been his GM, but never
mind...

I have a question about Judges Guild's playing aid "Fifty
Starbases". Does anybody know what the maps are for? I never
managed to see any use in them. There is a map key with lots
of interesting symbols, but they never appear on the maps.

Am I supposed to create the maps myself? If this is true,
I paid an awfull lot of money for something I still have
to do myself anyway.

I would appreciate if somebody could help me with this.

Eelco

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-------- TML Message #500 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 500
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 89 08:28 EDT
From: B_MAHONE%UNHH.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Norris background


Well!  Thanks to Adrian & metlay for filling in the gaps.  This sort of
backgroud is just what I wanted!

By the way, a while back I was asking if anyone had worked up plans for the
Imperialines TJ Freighter/Courier that appears in the Rebellion Sourcebook.
It seemed that no one had, so...

A friend and I have been diligently working on laying out the ship plans.  This
thing is Big.  (Or maybe I've screwed up the procedure...)  At any rate, once
it's done, I'd be happy to share it with folks for postage & copying cost.  I'd
be interested to see if we've done it "correctly".  Drop me a message if you're
interested- we should have it done in the next week or so.

(Of course, by then there will probably be an official deck plan that makes
ours look ratty, but that's the risk you run.)

- -Bob
                                  oo
- ---------------------------------m--m-----------------------------------------
Bob Mahoney                           PSC Computer Services, Plymouth NH 03264
BITNET: B_MAHONEY@UNHH                   uucp: [uunet!unhd!,dartvax!]psc90!rem


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-------- TML Message #501 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 501
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 89 13:00 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: re the Algine story



Is that story gospel? In which book is it? I've got both FIFTH FRONTIER
WAR and "The Spinward Marches Campaign" and don't remember that from 
either item. Maybe my memory's gone kerflooey; if Adrian's right and I'm
wrong, then please accept my version of the story as the one that is
considered common ex post facto public knowledge in the postwar years.
(The trip to Algine was of course never mentioned to the media, so the
assassination attempt was the most palatable alternative story, and the
one that the news services ran as details of the case were allowed to 
come to light.) At any rate, Adrian's story agrees with mine in one
fundamental area: Norris is used to getting things done, regardless of
whether he has to step beyond the bounds of propriety. We should be glad
that he's a more moral, decent guy than Lucan....

glip,

metlay

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-------- End of TML Messages --------

