
-------- TML Message #1036 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1036
Subject: Re: Mortgage that Starship!! 
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 90 18:16:17 -0500
From: (Arturo Perez x6739) aperez@caribe


> Resent-Message-Id: <9002152004.AA06011@dadla.WR.TEK.COM>
> Archive-Message-Number: 1024
> From: markc%hpcvss.cv.hp.com@RELAY.CS.NET
> Message-Id: <9002151655.AA05801@hpcvss.HP.COM>
> Subject: Re:Mortgage that Starship!!
> To: traveller%dadla.wr.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET
> Date: Thu, 15 Feb 90 8:55:55 PST
> 
> >So, the bottom line is Cr. 49,272.30 for fuel, Cr. 4,900 for Life Support,
> >8,850 in salaries, and Cr. 1,200 in berthing fees, which works out to a
> >total of Cr. 64,222.30.  Out of Cr. 77,503.08, we are left with Cr. 13,280.78
> >for quarterly profit, or Cr. 53,123.12 per year.
> 
> Oops!  I left out the annual maintenance fee!  That was calculated as...
> 
> >The annual maintenance fee cannot be avoided, if the ship is to keep flying.
> >This amounts to 0.1% of the cash price of the ship annually (Cr. 20,535,
> >in this case), which works out to Cr. 5,133.75 per quarter.
> 
> So, the actual total is Cr. 69,356.05.  This leaves (77,503.08 - 69,356.05)
> or Cr. 8,147.03 net profit per quarter.
> 
> But, wait!  Perhaps I'm too generous with the annual maintenance fee.
> Afterall, as a car gets older, it's maintenance costs go up, not down.
> Why not assume the same for a starship?  Lets just use the original price
> as a calculation base, instead of half the original price.  This would
> double the amount shown above (Cr. 10,267.50, instead of Cr. 5,133.75),
> so by subtracting the second half (Cr. 5,133.75) for the net, we get
> an actual net profit of Cr. 3,013.28 per quarter.  Again, before taxes.
> I don't know about you, but Cr. 1,004.43 per month sounds kinda' slim
> to me.
> 
> Later,
> 
>         Mark F. Cook


Y'know, I had this same problem.  No matter what I did with the
numbers, I could NOT get them to come out in any way, shape, or
form to be analogous to what happens today when you buy a house,
which is the model I was using.  

My problems with it were that the interest rates were coming
out far too LOW.   4% just doesn't seem right to me, in these
inflation prone times.

The other thing is, of course, what you mention above.  It
seems almost impossible to make any real kind of profit with
any moderately good ship.

Perhaps we should adopt the tone of many sci-fi books and have
the ships be HUNDREDS of years old.

Anyone care to adventure on a TL12 400 tonner?

arturo perez
<my signature-appending software doesn't work :-(

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-------- TML Message #1037 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1037
Subject: Re: Confusion in MT basic character generation... 
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 90 18:33:13 -0500
From: (Arturo Perez x6739) aperez@caribe


> Resent-Message-Id: <9002160203.AA13550@dadla.WR.TEK.COM>
> Archive-Message-Number: 1029
> Subject: Confusion in MT basic character generation...
> To: traveller%dadla.wr.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET
> Date: Thu, 15 Feb 90 16:27:28 CST
> Message-Id: <9002151627.AA20572@ssbell.IMD.Sterling.COM>
> From: chris%ssbell.imd.sterling.com@RELAY.CS.NET
> 
> Well, I was working on my NPC generator (this one's in ANSI C) earlier this

Sounds great!  I wrote a character generator in GNU Emacs lisp
once (which I no longer have), but it was incredibly difficult
to follow the rules as given in the books.  My hat's off to you!

> 
> In the example, and in the rules in the text describing how to, they use
> a base of one roll per full term served.  However, in the tables giving
> details about each service, the left sidebar contains a note about figuring
> mustering out benifits stating that it's two rolls per term.  Going on an
> assumption that the rules and example are correct, I have used the one roll
> per term rule.
> 
> What this also means is that the characters created for my campaign were
> generated wrong, as we did not read the rules as we went but simply followed
> the (erronous) tables.
> 
> Oh, and about the NPC generator, it creates characters in the same format
> found on the last page of the basic character generation system.  It starts
> out by rolling the characters stats, then the homeworld (in the shortened
> format given earlier in the book).

I found a problem with generating homeworlds for players.  I
wanted to make the homeworld be an existing planet in the
sector and I found that with randomly generated homeworlds they
wouldn't match anything around.  I ended up with a lot of
people from sectors that were unreachable from the Marches.

> Last problem to solve involves tech level of certain skills.  I'm getting
> a lot of nueral weapon skill users from non-extreme stellar tech levels...

Neural weapons are supposed to be a rare and perhaps illegal
aspect of the game, at least according to the <something,
perhaps Imperial Enc.?>

> -- 
>      /// Chris Olson (chris@ssbell.Sterling.IMD.com)|  [My post, my opinions]
>     ///       (ssbell.Sterling.IMD.com!lvkeep!chris)|"Death to the unbelievers!
> \\\///                                              | Join me or die!"

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-------- TML Message #1038 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1038
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 90 20:30:47 -0500 (EST)
From: (William Dow Rieder) wr0k+@andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: Re: Mortgage that Starship!!


Mark F. Cook writes:
>This one ought to draw some interesting comments.
You bet.  This is my specialty.

	The main thing overlooked in your post is speculative trade.  Most
merchant ships can just barely break even on freight, and some (such as the
far trader) actually lose money under the standard assumptions. Speculative
trade is where merchants (from free traders to Tukera lines) make their real
money.  The Ref's guide rules on trade are a bit confusing (so what else is
new :-)), so I'll try to go over all the inobvious stuff. This is from
memory (my
books are at home), so if I goof on the numbers please let me know.

>Let us assume that the merchant acquired a USED Far Trader

	The rules imply it is difficult to finance a used ship (although
you could probably swing something if you have high Admin or Liason),
and more importantly, merchant ships received as mustering out benifits
were financed when new even if they are old now.  So for my figures, I
will assume that the ship is a new far trader, just financed -- ie rolled
once at mustering out. Multiple rolls just mean the ship is older and more
payments have been made, the amounts don't change.
	The far trader list price of MCr. 41.07 is financed as follows:
20% down payment - already made.
1/240 of ship price per month for 480 months (40 years).
This means a total cost of 220%, and a monthly payment of Cr. 171,125.
I think that the monthly ship payment can be dropped off at any A or B
starport, and gets forwarded by Xboat if your bank doesn't have a branch
at that particular port. In the following, I am assuming 2 jumps per month,
and 2 ~5 day stays in port doing business.

	Monthly Expenses (in Cr.)

Mortgage		171,125
Fuel			None - get water (free) and run it thru the
	purification plant. If you don't have one, get one. They are very cheap.
	(30,000 Cr for a minimum size tech 15 plant)
Life support		40,000	2K per statroom, whoever is in it, for every jump.
	I am assuming worst case for expenses.
Salaries			9,000    All crew gets 3,000/mo. (should be plenty)
Berthing fees		200
Layaway for overhaul	3,423   Based on the cost of the ship when new.

Total			Cr. 223,748 per month (4 weeks)

Income

	For speculative trade, there are a number of conditions that you need
to make a profit.  The first is a good route ("good" can be hard to pin
down without
a lot of analysis -- I'll post some comparisions after checking my
books). Probably the
easiest good route to find is two Hi pop worlds with type A starports
within one jump
of another, so I'll give figures for that.

>According to specs. in "Supplement 7: Traders and Gunboats", the ship can
>carry 7 High/Mid passengers, 4 in Low Passage, and 46 tons of freight. 

The far trader specs have changed in MT due to the change in ship design
rules; they now have 61 tons of cargo space. I think the low berths are
gone too,
so I'll leave them out of my calculations.

	Assumptions: The ship is jumping back and forth between two worlds
with pop 9 (Hi), starport A, tech 15. (A lower tech level is actually
better here,
since it reduces cargo cost without changing anything else, and a pop of
A would
increase available cargos, so this is the worst case of "pop Hi,
starport A").  I
also assume someone on the ship has the Broker and Trader skills.

Passengers:
High:	3D-1D+1		avg. ~8
Middle:	3D+1		avg. ~11.5
	Only very rarely will you be unable to get a full load of passengers, so
I will assume a full load of mid. passengers. (Normally, most or all
will be high
passengers - so this will more than compensate for the rare unfilled slot.)

7 Middle passengers		Cr. 56,000 per jump (2 weeks)

Speculative Cargo

	The Freight and Cargo chart (section 5 on p.50 in Ref's guide) is used
once for freight and once for cargo (twice if you have someone with Broker).
The description for the table does not make this very clear, though, and I
think it should be fixed. I will assume that the DMs for destination pop apply
only to freight, although this is not stated.

Lot type			number		average	average tons
Major:	(1D+10 tons ea.)	1D+5 (x2)	17	229.5
Minor:	(1D+5 tons ea.)	1D+6 (x2)	19	161.5
Incidental (1D tons ea.)	1D-2 (x2)	~3	11.6

	This gives a total of ~402 tons of speculative cargo available, in
variously sized lots. At this point, your person with Trader looks them over
to determine the first die roll for each on the actual value chart for sale at
the destination.  1/6 of them, on average, will have a prerolled "6"; for
~67 tons.  He then buys the largest combination of these lots that will
fit in the hold.  I will assume that the ship averages 50 out of 61 tons
of prerolled "6" cargo. In practice, any remaining nooks can usually be
filled with prerolled 4 or 5 cargo.

Cargo cost:  Base 4,000 - 1,000 (A starport) - 1,000 (Hi pop) + 1,500 (TL15)
	= Cr. 3,500 per ton.

Cargo base selling price = 5,000 + 1,000 (Hi vs Hi) = Cr. 6,000 per ton.

	At the destination, the goods are sold with the aid of a Broker-4
(available at all type A starports).  The prerolled 6 gives a total roll of
7 thru 12 +4 for the broker gives 11 thru 16, for an average actual selling
price of 270% x 0.8 (left after broker fee) = 216% of 6,000 = 12,960 per ton.
Profit is 12,960 - 3,500 (cost) = 9,460 per ton for 50 tons gives a total of
Cr. 473,000 average profit on speculative trade per jump.

	Average Monthly Income Estimate ( in Cr.)
Passengers:	56,000 per jump = 112,000 per month
Cargo:		473,000 per jump = 946,000 per month

Total:		1,058,000
Expenses:	-223,748
		----------
Net Profit	834,252 Cr. per month

	This is a lot of money, but remember this is based on average runs
on a good route with no complications (the stuff adventures are made of...)
The point is that it is possible to get rich as a merchant IF you know what
you are doing and choose your route well. In practice, a merchant should be
able to meet the payments and save for a rainy day or time spent off the "good"
routes (ie most places). 
	Comments and corrections welcome.

					W. Dow Rieder
				alias Capt. Kagariilian Grant

 	When the only tool you have is a hammer, all your problems
start to look like nails...

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-------- TML Message #1039 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1039
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 90 08:56:16 EST
From: (Dave Allen) davea@vlsi.ll.mit.edu
Subject: Continental drift simulator


I have just released a new version of my continental drift simulator.
The main improvements from version 1 (released 11 / 15 / 89) are:
    - Added text-only mode to support nongraphics UN*X machines.
    - Graphics ported to Sun 3 and 4 systems.
    - Ported to IBM PC by Peter Lind.
    - Parameters can come from an input file.

The source code is available from the USENET group comp.sources.misc, where
it is archived.  It consists of two shar files.

TEC draws a map of some imaginary world and puts one big continent on it.
The program then graphically simulates the breakup of this supercontinent by
rifts and the drifting of the continents.  Mountains are built by
subsuming and by continental collision, and are reduced by erosion.  As
more time passes, the continents tend to drift back into a supercontinent
and split up again, forming what some authors call a "supercontinent cycle."

The program produces a map of an imaginary world which contains realistic
looking mountain ranges and continents which sometimes look like they fit
together (like South America and Africa on Earth).

Here's an example output file.  0's are ocean, 1's are land, 2's are
mountains.  (Graphics output has up to 256 grey scales.)
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Dave Allen: internet davea@vlsi.ll.mit.edu

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-------- TML Message #1040 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1040
From: (Bertil Jonell) d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se
Subject: Trade & Commerse (Was: Re: Mortage....)
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 11:15:07 MET DST


W. Dow Rieder writes:
> Speculative Cargo
> 
>[Deleted]
>
> variously sized lots. At this point, your person with Trader looks them over
> to determine the first die roll for each on the actual value chart for sale at
> the destination.  1/6 of them, on average, will have a prerolled "6"; for
> ~67 tons.  He then buys the largest combination of these lots that will
> fit in the hold.  I will assume that the ship averages 50 out of 61 tons
> of prerolled "6" cargo. In practice, any remaining nooks can usually be
> filled with prerolled 4 or 5 cargo.
>
> [Deleted]
>
> 	At the destination, the goods are sold with the aid of a Broker-4
> (available at all type A starports).  The prerolled 6 gives a total roll of
> 7 thru 12 +4 for the broker gives 11 thru 16, for an average actual selling
> price of 270% x 0.8 (left after broker fee) = 216% of 6,000 = 12,960 per ton.
> Profit is 12,960 - 3,500 (cost) = 9,460 per ton for 50 tons gives a total of
> Cr. 473,000 average profit on speculative trade per jump.

Hmm, I'd say that allowing a separate roll for each consignment gives the
players a too big advantage. This way, they can be assured of a "6" at the
first roll and a 3.5 average at the second roll.

To moderate this a little, why not let the cargo consist of 1-6 cathegories
(rolled on the types of goods tables), more for Hi In Histellar and possibly
only one or two for a Lo Ni or Ag. The first rolls is then rolled once for
*each cathegory* to reflect the probable price on the market. The when the 
market is reached, roll *one* die for the whole consignment as second die roll
to reflect the markets current view on goods from that source.

Also, a task roll could be required for each estimate:

   To estimate the price of goods on the market world 
   (ie roll a die in advance):
   Difficult, Trader, Edu, 2 min, (uncertain)
   Referee: Lack of accurate data about the market world makes this task
Formidable. On Full Truth, roll one die, this is the first die on the sale price
table. On Some Truth this die is not correct. On No Truth he goods will be
worthless on the market world.
Implement mishaps as legal problems on the market world, ie cargo banned or
disliked for legal or religous reasons. Legal skill can be used to detect this
in advance.
	

- -- 
Bertil K K Jonell @ Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg
NET: d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se 
VOICE: +46 31 723971 / +46 300 61004     "Don't worry,I've got Pilot-7"
SNAILMAIL: Box 154,S-43900 Onsala,SWEDEN      (Famous last words)      
"I say cut his air!" "I say cut his heat!" "I say raise his rent!" "Hey, we're 
trying to get rid of an Alien, not evict a tenant!" Alien - American MAD version

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-------- TML Message #1041 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1041
From: (Parkway) csd096%cck.coventry.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
Subject: SCUBA
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 11:25:46 WET DST



Re: The question on using scuba gear -

    It's just my opinion, but if characters want to use scuba gear
    for anything more demanding than a couple of minutes in a pool,
    then they better have at least scuba-0 ( ie basic training in
    what they're doing ). It may be tricky for characters to have
    got hold of the skill, but trying to do without it altogether
    would lead to the kind of problems you get in trying to use
    a vacsuit without skill, except visibility is a lot worse down
    there. The first minor problem they run into is liable to have
    them breathing water, or being forced to surface in a hurry at
    least, which can cause major problems if they do it too fast.

	Yours Sincerely   :   Simon Anderson	( csd096@uk.ac.coventry.cck )

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-------- TML Message #1042 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1042
Subject: GEnie files are indeed distributable
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 12:43:38 PST
From: (James T Perkins) jamesp@metolius.WR



Well, after much prodding from list members and a call to Digest Group,
I have satisfied my paranoia and distrustfulness regarding the GEnie
files.  I am very interested in getting them posted to the mailing list,
and soon.

However, I would like to control the deluge rather than have megabytes
come poring over the list all at once, in triplicate.  The need still
exists for someone to organize the distribution of the material.
My main concerns are:

    o it be in a digested form; that is, small messages are
      concatenated into a single message not exceeding 50K bytes in
      size.
    o the subject line contains a clear notice that the material is
      culled from GEnie, including a volume/number like the existing
      digests.
    o exactly one copy of each message goes out to the list.
    o all copyrights remain intact, and the origination of the material
      (i.e. GEnie, Genie poster, owner, author) is clearly marked.
    o each part of the material is reproduced in whole, unedited (except
      where necessary to split a file avoid a giant TML message in excess
      of 55K bytes).
    o it be in plain ascii text wherever possible.
    o the material is gradually released (to avoid giant increases in
      TML throughput).
    o and lastly, that everything of interest to the list gets posted,
      without any gaping holes.

The easiest way to assure all the above criteria are met is for me to get
a new TML Topic Coordinator to manage the download and release to the
list.

Would those of you who offered to download the files and redistribute
them PLEASE drop me a line via email? 

James
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Traveller Mailing List Administrator	  James T. Perkins @ Tektronix, Inc
traveller-request@dadla.wr.tek.com	  Beaverton, Oregon, USA
uunet!dadla.wr.tek.com!traveller-request  "Load Auto/Evade, Beowulf!"

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-------- TML Message #1043 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1043
From: ("Mark F. Cook") markc@hpcvss.cv.hp.COM
Subject: Re: SCUBA-diving PCs
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 13:39:20 PST


Simon Anderson(csd096@uk.ac.coventry.cck) writes:

>Re: The question on using scuba gear -
>
>    It's just my opinion, but if characters want to use scuba gear
>    for anything more demanding than a couple of minutes in a pool,
>    then they better have at least scuba-0 ( ie basic training in
>    what they're doing ). It may be tricky for characters to have
>    got hold of the skill, but trying to do without it altogether
>    would lead to the kind of problems you get in trying to use
>    a vacsuit without skill, except visibility is a lot worse down
>    there. The first minor problem they run into is liable to have
>    them breathing water, or being forced to surface in a hurry at
>    least, which can cause major problems if they do it too fast.

Simon is very correct.  Speaking as a trained Rescue Diver with 19 years
of SCUBA experience, I can definitely state that without proper training
(lots of it, if you're planning on anything more than recreational diving),
a little mistake can get you dead, even in very shallow (<10 ft.) water.

First, there's working with the gear itself: watching your tank pressure,
not ascenting too fast (air embolisms, you know), not staying down too long
(getting the bends), not going too deep (again, the bends and possibly
nitrogen narcosis), or just flat running out of air and drowning because
you panicked and forgot how to do an emergency swimming ascent.

Then there's the diving environment itself.  Being underwater for extended
periods is no more natural for humans than being in vacuum for extended
periods.  You have to watch out for currents, low visibility, dangerous
plants and animals, dangerous temperatures (usually, too cold), and then
most dangerous thing of all is your inexperienced dive buddy :-).

For game purposes, the following guidelines would probably work:

        SCUBA-0:  Basic Open Water Certification (the lowest level of
                  diver training), followed by half a dozen dives.
        SCUBA-1:  Advanced Open Water Certification (the next level of
                  diver training), plus 1+ year of diving experience.
        SCUBA-2:  Search & Rescue Certification (or graduation from a
                  Commercial Diving Instruction School), plus 3+ years
                  of diving experience.
        SCUBA-3:  SCUBA Instructor Training, plus at least 5 years of
                  actual experience in a wide variety of dive locations.

Given the above list, most REAL recreational divers would be classified
as SCUBA-1, with Navy frogmen being SCUBA-2, and UDT or Seals being SCUBA-3.

Some examples are given below for tasks in Traveller, using these scuba
skills:

        To maintain control in a heavy current:
        Difficult, SCUBA, Str, 2 sec. (fateful)
        Ref: If control is lost, the diver is swept along in the current,
        possibly taking damage from collisions with obstacles.

        To pry off a tunnel cover (grate) underwater:
        Routine, SCUBA, Str, Dex, 15 sec. (uncertain)
        Ref: If the diver lacks the neccessary tools, the task becomes
        difficult.  Exceptional failure means that the diver has slipped
        and cut himself on the edge of the cover (1D of damage).

and so on.  Hope this info helps out.

Later,

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        1000 NE Circle Blvd.  Corvallis, OR 97330

INTERNET: markc@hpcvss.hp.com
UUCP:     {cmcl2, harpo, hplabs, rice, tektronix}!hp-pcd!markc

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-------- TML Message #1044 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1044
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 02:01:39 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!uunet.uu.net!tnc!m0068@tektronix.TEK.COM
Subject: Psionic help


To: uunet!dadla.wr.tek.com!traveler
From: m0068@tnc.UUCP (Stephen D Smith)
 
Subject: Psionics help
Organization: personal mailbox at The Next Challenge
 
[I tried to send this message to the TML last week, but never ]
[saw it posted. So I'm trying again. Sometimes my local mailer]
[ chokes. If the original was posted, pardon the duplication. ]
 
      Thanks for the several replies on my question for psionic
help. My GM and I will be getting together to work out some 
kind of "scenario" for altering my characters abilities. (I'm
sort of attached as it's my first one.)
 
To Rob Miracle (message 916):
 
      Thanks for the suggestion and the outline of possible point
costs for the "new and improved" ability. Actually it was a VERY 
GOOD psi level (11!), at the time of rollup I didn't know how 
good it was. (Beginners luck.)
 
To Greg Givler (message 928):
 
      So far my character has used her abilities in "public" 
only under extreme circumstances. In the pirate ship I gave as
an example, no one on the ship actually knew WHAT happened, just
that the ship blew up. Actually they didn't have time to think as
we were very close, and had to go into jumpspace to avoid the EMP
and shock wave. Even then we had a misjump.) My character keeps a
tight reign on herself, just imagine what would happen if she had
a nightmare while asleep!
 
To uunet!tess!leonard (message 933):
 
      I'm no expert, but I do have a problem with your message.
First let me say I should have mentioned in my original message
that the GM determined the 1 mg pellet of antimatter hit the fuel
tank of the pirate ship. You mention;
 
> 1. 1 milligram of antimatter is roughly equivalent to 10 kilos 
>    of TNT. That ain't gonna bother the pirate much. 
>    (approximately .01% of the mass in a fission bomb is 
>    converted to energy, a 20 kT bomb has about 10 kilo's of 
>    fissionables. The rest is simple calculations)
 
      I was under the impression that a matter/antimatter 
explosion was a FUSION reaction, and 100% complete energy 
conversion, not .01%. I do puzzle at a ship that could take a 
10 kilo TNT explosion on it's hull and not be bothered. (I 
guess Megatraveller ships are a LOT tougher than I thought.)
 
> 2. This happened in *space*. Therefore, the hydrogen fuel is 
>    no big deal. Hydrogen is *NOT* explosive. Hydrogen mixed 
>    with an oxidizer is. Blow a hole in a fuel tank, and you'll
>    cause a small side thrust due to the escaping fuel. You'll 
>    also make them worry about their fuel reserves.
 
      If a FUSION reaction took place in a hydrogen fuel tank 
might not SOME of the hydrogen participate in the reaction? It
wasn't the oxidation I was referring to, but the byproduct 
H -> He reaction. Even if no fusion reaction took place, wouldn't
the gamma radiation mess up the ship systems, as well as the 
biological systems?
 
To Robert Johnson (message 936:
 
      You're right everything has a price. As mentioned above, 
I keep a tight reign on this character. Of course since she's 
from the Aslan Heirate culture, she doesn't fight much, 
(that's MALE work!).
 
      In another instance, our party was gather in a local 
restaurant before a mission, simply to plan our actions, and 
minding out own business. he bad guys started shooting up the
place, the males of our party (human, aslan, and zhodani), 
returned fire. When the baddies blew a hole in the ceiling, (there
were more on the roof), I simply moved to another table out of the
line of fire, ordered another drink from the terrified waiter, and
watched. When an idiot on the roof took a shot at me, (missed, but
close), I simply looked at him, and turned the carbon atoms in his
head to nitrogen. (It's quicker, less obvious, and quieter than 
sodium.) Since the bad guys were a suicide force, when he died the
self-destruct unit got rid of the evidence.
 
      Thanks again for the help, suggestions, and info.
 
 
            Stephen D Smith   USENET: m0068@tnc.UUCP
                              BIX: sdsmith
- --Name = STEPHEN SMITH  Mailbox # = 68

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-------- TML Message #1045 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1045
From: ("45252-Peter L. Berghold") wrgate.wr.tek.com!uunet.uu.net!allegra!violin!plb@tektronix.TEK.COM
Subject: Re: A Brand New Traveller...
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 90 8:49:48 EST


Operating System: HP-UX A.B7.00 U
Organization: AT&T-BL, Red Hill System Administration Group (HRSAG)
Location: HR 1F138
Phone: (201) 615-4419
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.2 PL16]

*| 
*| 
*|  In message: <9002121901.AA02864@violin> you write:
*|  >
*|  >At 8:01AM this morning (Feb 12, 1990) David Aaron Berghold was born
*|  >to Peter & Ellie Berghold.   Mother and child are doing as well as
*|  >can be expected.   He was dubbed by his maternal Grandmother as
*|  >"Just perfect....".
*| 
*|      Well, congratulations, Dad!  Good for y'all!  So, tell me...when
*| are you gonna get him his own set of books?  ;-)
*| 
*|      Now, where did I put that "Children in Traveller" article...  :-)
*| 
*| 
SHHHH!! Don't say that around his mother! <hehehe!>   

He'll probably start off with Daddy's about the time he can read! :->


- -- 
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/*		Peter L. Berghold					*/
/*		System Administrator					*/
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All opinions and material above is the responsibility of the originator.
Submissions: traveller@dadla.wr.tek.com, or uunet!dadla.wr.tek.com!traveller
Administrator: traveller-request@dadla.wr.tek.com (James Perkins)
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by Tektronix, Inc.

-------- TML Message #1046 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1046
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 90 15:38 EST
From: RWMIRA01%ULKYVX.BITNET@cornellc.cit.cornell.edu
Subject: Questions about Trade and Commerce


Ok, stupid question, who is working on (moderating) the Trade and Commerce
system?

Next questions, do you have any ideas on a simple way to compensate for the
following problem:

Using the Errata Modifyed rules (and assuming a No Trade Class, B starport
world of TL-10:

  1 Ton of Exotic Fluids Costs 5000 cr / ton
  1 Ton of Consumable Milk Costs 5000 cr / ton
  1 Ton of Computers Costs 5000 cr / ton
  1 Ton of Weapons Costs 5000 cr / ton
  1 Ton of Currency Costs 5000 cr / ton

Problem #1
  Players Buy 1 Ton of Weapons at 5000 cr / ton.  Lets say they are autorifles
  for example (5 KG each, I like round numbers).  That is 200 autorifles in the
  1 ton lot.  An autorifle sells for 1000 cr each, that is 200,000 cr for the
  lot.

  Players buy 1 Ton of Consuable Milk at 5000 cr / ton.  (1 L water weighs 1KG
  right?)  That is 1000 Liters of Milk, at lets say 0.5 cr per Liter.  Or 500
  cr for the lot.

Now the system put forth in Merchant Prince (Book 6) is the basic megatraveller
system with one exception, they left out what the items were.  Now, I could say
sure you buy 10 tons of TL-12 Manufactured Goods for 8000 cr / ton.  But they
are going to open the boxes and see what they bought and they find 10 tons of
holo crystals which they can sell for 10 cr each (or what ever) and in the 10
tons of them there are over 100,000 of them.  You know just what the players
will do!!!


Now my delima is this, just were do I put a modifier in?  Do I make a TL for
each item and modify the cost by that?  If so, how do I compensate for some of
the items such as currency and information  in which Tonnage means nothing.
If I do anything different, it isn't standard MT, so GDW may not recognize my
work.  I play to sell/give away (yet to be decided) this nifty Traveller program
for the IBM/PC -- VGA required, it is SHARP!!!  Uses GDW/DGP/Genie sector
files, as well as my own propritary format (based on James P's Sector.C
program, but modified somewhat), and as soon as I discover the TML format, i
will adjust the program to handle that format also.  (I Just love .RC files).

I know this doesn't conform with all of the TML development going on, but I
started this in Turbo Pascal well before I even knew of TML.

HELP (Anyone!!!) (And Thanks in Advance)
Rob

All opinions and material above is the responsibility of the originator.
Submissions: traveller@dadla.wr.tek.com, or uunet!dadla.wr.tek.com!traveller
Administrator: traveller-request@dadla.wr.tek.com (James Perkins)
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by Tektronix, Inc.

-------- TML Message #1047 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 1047
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 90 23:07:06 EST
From: (Andrew Salamon) salamon@sun.acs.udel.edu
Subject: Grav Bike Design


Greetings to All,

  Here's a little present for everyone.  Any suggestions/criticisms etc
are welcome.

Courier Grav Bike
Craft Id:  Grav Bike, Type ZK, TL17, Mcr 4.9309
Hull    :  1/1, Disp=.5, Config=1AF, Armor=0
           Unloaded=1.7613tons, Loaded=1.8593
Power   :  1/2, Fusion=.98Mw, Duration=10hours
Loco    :  1/2, LowPowerLGrav=14tons, NOE=250kph
           Cruise=3150, Top=4200
Commo   :  Radio=Planetary
Sensors :  Radar=Vdistant, EMSpass=Interplanetary, RadarJammer=Vdistant
           RadioJammer=planetary
           ActObjScan=dif, ActObjPin=dif, PassEngScan=Rout
Off/Def :  	        pen/attn	Dam	MaxRange	sig
           Beam laser	6/2		5	Distant(2.5)	low
Control :  Comp=0/bis x2, Panel=Dynamic linked x2, Special=Heads Up Holo
Accom   :  Cramped seat x1
Other   :  Feul=1.4kl, Cargo=.993kl (max 140kg), Size=small,
           EMlevel=mod

There's no armor but I forgot to check the armor table to see if it is
possible to add armor without increasing the weight at all.  Please
note: to calculate CP's for the sensors I used the highest tech level on
the apropriate chart, not tech level 17 (unless that is the tech level
actually used for the calculations).
  Quite the fun (and expensive) toy for any grav vehicle enthusiasts out
there.
  I probably should have used tech level 15 but some characters I just
created are based on a TL17 world.
  
  Jim Baranski (sp?): if you are able to join the pbem game, and your
character has the money (or can borrow it) you should try one of these
out!

  Bye y'all.

Magic in my Mind                     |   /Andrew/
Music in my Heart                    |   soi-disant Bleydion op Rhys
Laughter in my Soul                  |   salamon@sun.acs.udel.edu
And...A Sword in my Fist (sigh)      | 

All opinions and material above is the responsibility of the originator.
Submissions: traveller@dadla.wr.tek.com, or uunet!dadla.wr.tek.com!traveller
Administrator: traveller-request@dadla.wr.tek.com (James Perkins)
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by Tektronix, Inc.

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

