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Subject: TML Bundle #277: Msgs 3349-3362
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Date: Wed Dec 25 21:00:10 PST 1991
From: traveller-request@metolius.wr.tek.com (TML Administrator)
Subject: TML Bundle #277: Table of Contents

-AMN- --Date--- --Sender--------- --Subject-----------------------------------
3349  18-Dec-91 Robert S. Dean    Another Pair of Vehicles << Sword Worlds Wagn
3350  18-Dec-91 Robert S. Dean    Re: (3317) Re: Starship Passengers and... << 
3351  18-Dec-91 Robert S. Dean    Re: (3320) << Carl Fago asks: > > 2000 cr/jum
3352  19-Dec-91 gsw@whservd.att.C Re: potential energy << Adrian Hurt <adrian@c
3353  19-Dec-91 "Doc Kinne: User  Intro & General Questions... << Morning Folks
3354  19-Dec-91 burt@ptltd.COM     << Subject: Travel distances Adrian Hurt Not
3355  19-Dec-91 Ed Sharpe         Shields/Dune << Has anybody ever explained th
3356  19-Dec-91 Adrian Hurt       Re: potential energy << "C. Roald" <HOBBIT@AC
3357  20-Dec-91 Mike.Metlay@ORGAN Welcome, Doc. << "Doc" Kinne writeth: > > Thi
3358  20-Dec-91 Mike.Metlay@ORGAN Re: Shields/Dune << BAD SHARPE! NO BISCUIT! B
3359  20-Dec-91 Cynthia_Higginbot Efate Vehicles << Here are some typical Efate
3360  20-Dec-91 Cynthia_Higginbot Efate System << Here is a system I developed 
3361  19-Dec-91 chuck.mcknight@f1 GENIE << From: david_bolack@f104.n170.z1.fido
3362  20-Dec-91 Robert S. Dean    Missile Boat and Acceleration Comment << Some

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3349
Date:     Wed, 18 Dec 91 13:12:45 EST
From: Robert S. Dean  <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Another Pair of Vehicles




Sword Worlds Wagner class Close Escort TL12

     The Wagner class close escort is in service with the the Sacnoth Navy 
(in the Sword Worlds Confederation).  A few of the ships have been sold to 
Sword Worlds space mercenary units as privateers, but the Wagner is not 
popular in this service due to the limited cargo and accommodation space, 
which makes carrying loot, prisoners, and prize crews difficult.  Like all 
miliatary starships at this tech level, the Wagner is handicapped by the 
large fusion plant necessary for high performance.  In the trade-off determi-
nation, the design team of the Wagner elected to retain a high endurance at 
the expense of cargo space, accommodations, and fast fuel processing.  This 
is a reasonable decision for military use, but did limit the sales to private 
concerns anticipated by the navy as a source of extra revenue.  Similar 
vessels can be found in the Vargr Extents , and among the lower tech worlds 
of the Imperium.

  CraftID: Wagner class Close Escort, TL12, MCr354
     Hull: 360/900, Disp=400t, Config=4SL, Armor=40F, Loaded=7980t,
           Unloaded=6840t
    Power: 48/96, Fusion=4260MW, Duration=30 days 
     Loco: 40/80, Maneuver=4 (Thrusters=28.6kt), 15/30, Jump=3,
           MaxSpeed=1000kph, Cruise=750kph, TrueAcc=3.6G, Agility=3
     Comm: Radio=System, LaserComm=System, MaserComm=System
  Sensors: EMM, EMS Active(FarOrbit), EMS Jammer(Far Orbit), 
           EMS Passive (Interstellar), Neutrino Sensor (1MW),
           HighPenDens (50m), ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout, 
           PassObjScan=Diff, PassObjPin=Diff, PassEnScan=Rout,
           PassEnPin=Form
      Off: Hardpoints=4

               Missiles=x02         BeamLaser=xx3
           Batteries      2                     1
           Bearing        2                     1

      Def: DefDM+10

               SandCaster=x04
           Batteries        1
           Bearing          1

  Control: Computer Mod6*3, 8*HeadsUpDisplay, 360*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=12 (2 bridge, 2 engineer, 2 gunners, 3 flight, 2 command,
           1 medic), Staterooms=6, Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls,
           grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=2614kl (1 jump-3+30 days), Cargo=9kl, MissileMagazine=30kl 
           (50b-r), Fuel Scoops, Fuel Purifier (40hr), ObjSize=Avg, 
           EmLevel=Faint






Sword Worlds Titania class Fighter-Launch TL12

     The Titania class fighter-launch was designed and built by the Yard 
Branch of the Sacnoth Navy.  It is a common auxiliary craft aboard small 
starships of the Sacnoth Navy, and is available for export.  

  CraftID: Titania class Fighter-Launch, TL12, MCr31.1 (24.88) 
     Hull: 18/45, Disp=20t, Config=1SL, Armor=40F, Loaded=632t,
           Unloaded=590t
    Power: 6/12, Fusion=510MW, Duration=36 hours 
     Loco: 4/8, Maneuver=6 (Thrusters=2210t), MaxSpeed=1000kph, 
           Cruise=750kph, NOE=40kph, TrueAcc=3.5G, Agility=3
     Comm: Radio=System, MaserComm=System
  Sensors: EMS Active(FarOrbit), EMS Passive (Interplanetary),
           ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout, PassEnScan=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=1

                  Missile=x01      BeamLaser=xx1
           Batteries        1                  1
           Bearing          1                  1

      Def: DefDM+7

               SandCaster=x03
           Batteries        1
           Bearing          1

  Control: Computer Mod2*3, 2*HeadsUpDisplay, 110*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=2 (pilot, gunner), Passengers=10, Seats=Roomy*12,
           Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp, 
           airlock
    Other: Fuel=9.18kl, Cargo=40kl, MissileMagazine=2kl (20b-r), ObjSize=Avg, 
           EmLevel=Faint

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3350
Date:     Wed, 18 Dec 91 14:42:36 EST
From: Robert S. Dean  <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Re:  (3317) Re: Starship Passengers and...

richard@agora.rain.COM (Richard Johnson) writes:
> Subject: (3317) Re: Starship Passengers and...
> 
> ... and even more on trade and commerce.
> 
> Rob Dean asks about Mike Surman's observation that space flight costs so
> damn much.
> 
> :What do you need to maintain life in space?  Food (cheap), air (cheaper),
> :water (cheap), power (lots of it on a ship), specialized equipment (already
> :included in the cost of the ship--extended life support isn't real cheap,
> :plus we pay annual maintenance on it.)
> 
> Well, if I were running a little passenger line between say Efate and
> Bounghe, or some such, I'd also throw in:
> 
>    salaries of people aboard
>    dead-head space (passengers who won't be there for a return flight)
>    routine bribes
>    PROFIT  (double all yer expenses...)

In fact, all of these costs _are_ already included in the system.  (Well, OK,
bribes would have to implemented by the GM, but that's no big deal.)  My
objection is to paying Cr2000 per occupied stateroom, _just for the life
support costs_, according to the rules.  A little extrapolation at those sorts
of rates would probably be interesting when applied to something like a current
SSBN, which may remain cruising submerged for a couple of months.

Rob Dean


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

Archive-Message-Number: 3351
Date:     Wed, 18 Dec 91 14:48:43 EST
From: Robert S. Dean  <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Re: (3320)

Carl Fago asks:
>
> 2000 cr/jump is the _passenger_ rate, is it not?  The crews' lifesupport
> is already figured in the cost of the ship expenses.  When I was running
> a merchant with a crew, I did not charge the crew for passage.  The cost
> of the crews' life support is figured into the cost of the ticket for
> a passenger.

Actually, according to the rules (and this goes back to classic Trav), you
are incorrect.  It's Cr2000 per occupied stateroom regardless of whether its
occupied by crew or passenger, and Cr4000 to stuff two people into a state-
room on a double occupancy basis.  See page 89, right column, Imperial
Encyclopedia.  Oddly enough, the MT rules are less restrictive.  In Classic
Traveller, you payed per stateroom, regardless of whether or not it was
occupied.

Rob Dean


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

Archive-Message-Number: 3352
From: gsw@whservd.att.COM
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 91 11:23 EST
Subject: Re: potential energy

Adrian Hurt <adrian@cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk> writes:

> Of course, things don't balance out quite so neatly when the destination
> star has more or less mass than the departure star.  Maybe part of the jump
> calculation involves arranging that you exit jump space at a distance such
> that the escape velocity from the destination star at that distance, is equal
> to the escape velocity from the departure star at the distance at which you
> entered jump space.  Using distance from the star to balance out the different
> mass of the star ensures that the escape energy at each end is about the same,
> and the jump drive doesn't get overloaded trying to compensate for the
> different energies.
> 
> The jump drive would then convert the ship's kinetic energy into jump energy,
> and back again when the ship exits jump space.  Kinetic energy would probably
> be meaningless or totally different in jump space.

That was kind of what I was thinking.  If you think of stars and planets
as "gravity wells", then you would jump to a point with the same "depth"
as the other "well".  The 100-diameter rule would be to keep you clear of
planets and stars, no matter what their relative densities are.  I'm sure
you can still imagine jumping from an near a small star into the inside
of a red giant since the gravity is the same (has anyone read A Mote in
God's Eye?  Hope that black globe is working 8-).  The biggest worry I'd
have is being too close to the planet, and jumping out closer to the star
than I expected since the "gravity well" is the same depth there.

I like the idea of requiring that you be at escape velocity first, since
that means your ship is at "zero energy" overall.

Note, if you don't allow direct and immediate conversion of kinetic to
potential energy upon leaving jump space, then it would be impossible to
jump to a point of higher potential energy (further from the star), since
that would require you to add potential energy to the ship.  Also, if you
tried to jump to a point nearer to the star, there would be a great deal
of excess energy, which nature often expresses as heat.  Can you say BOOM?
And a vacuum is a great insulator!

(If you don't want Niven-style jump drives, then you still must account
for the extra energy.  In this case, simply start with enough kinetic
energy to reach escape velocity and end at near rest when well away from
any start, allowing kinetic energy to be converted to potential energy
by the jump.  Similarly, add kinetic energy when you jump towards a
star.  If you jump from deep space towards a large star, you'd end up
hurdling towards the star when you arrived -- don't arrive too close!
Of course if you use this, there is the problem of momentum -- are you
allowing ships to store up momentum in different directions?).

> > Of course, there will have to be extra energy expended for the jump
> > itself.  Probably that energy would be expended as lost heat energy
> > or something.
> 
> That's accounted for by the huge amount of fuel which has to be burned by the
> jump drive.

Now, where does this energy go?  If it goes into the mysterious "jump
space", then jump drives are slowly leaking energy out of our universe.
I think more likely it would be radiated into space as heat.  Of course,
that heat had better be left behind, not brought with you (Have you ever
watched a ship enter jump space?  Well, the ship looks like it's
stretching for a split second as the jump drive activates, followed by
a great white flash when the ship disappears.  No doubt boldly going
"where no one has gone before". 8-)

Jerry Williams
gsw@whservd.att.com

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3353
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1991 10:24 EST
From: "Doc Kinne: User Services Associate" <KINNERC%SNYMORVA.bitnet@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Intro & General Questions...

Morning Folks:

        This is an intro post from the (dare I say it?) newest member
of TML.  James suggested it.

        After about three years of virtually loosing Net access since
I graduated State University of New York at Oswego and comming to
State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at
Morrisville (ever try to write something like that on the little
"employer" lines they give you on forms?) we here at Morrisville have
finally started connecting ourselves to the world.  Now, with our
kids on Xmas break I've had time to do a little exploring and found
the TML.

        I've been "involved" with Traveller since 1980 when I found
the Classic Traveller books.  Previous to this my role playing
experience was dedicated to D&D.  I took to the rules, seeing them as
flexible enough for nearly any scenario save, perhaps, Star Trek.
While GDW had a backround for the game, (the Imperium, of course) the
rules didn't require its use which was another plus to a poor PRE-
college student (Gods, has it been THAT long?!).  If I could make
something myself instead of buying it, I would.  So, I started heavily
using the Steller System Generation rules to create my own Universe.

        Upon comming to College I found one person ((!)  For some reason
I've not found Traveller to be as popular as I think it should be.  I
mentioned to James that I might be hanging around the wrong crowd) who
liked to play.  Allison had worked out some extensive characters and plots
set against the Imperium backdrop.  We infrequently played for two years
using this backdrop until she left college.

        In 1985 that was the end of Traveller for me, except for the
work I continued to do with my Universe, the Terran Empire.  This was
broken for 2 months in 1990 when I ran a short Classic Traveller
campaign with 5 kids from the College I now work for.  It was short lived
but fun.

        Allison and I continued to keep in close contact over the years.
This last Thanksgiving I had to go to Long Island for a wedding and I
stayed with her, especially when she said that her gaming group was
starting a Traveller campaign and if I could make it down by such&such a
time I could play.  I did make it down and I did play.  Alas, it was only
to be for one session since I live in Central New York.

        Allison suggested continuing the game with me playing by email.
Reluctantly I agreed since I feel that email is a very poor medium for
role playing.  Also, during the game I was able to get my first serious
look at the MegaTraveller rules and found out the vast changes that had
occured in the game system in my absence.  As the email campaign started,
on a larc I went and bought a MegaTraveller set that I've been going over
for the past couple weeks.

        While it seems that GDW has make the Imperium backdrop slightly
more intrigal to the rules, they still have that hallmark of flexibility
that I remember so well.  Between the email campaign and this list I'm
hoping for a "rebirth" of my Traveller involvement.
=================================================================

        In going through even the first nights digest I've come across
some questions that I hope the group will take time to answer.

1.      What is the current status of Digest Group Publications?  From
various rumors I've heard they have either gone under or were cutting
back on their Traveller material development.

2.      Does anyone know what GDW's and/or DGP Traveller line will be
for 1992?

3.      I also came across some acronyms that weren't familiar to me.
I assume T:2000 was Traveller:2000.  This was a rule system that I
TOTALLY missed out on.  What relation does this rule system have
with Classic Traveller and/or MegaTraveller, if any?  I also came
across the acronym "TNE:" in a posting that suggested that
GDW was working on yet another revision of the Traveller rules
(Traveller V3.0?).  This is something I have heard nothing about.

                                May you never misjump,
- --
AT&T: (315)684-6161 (W)              Richard C. F. "Doc" Kinne, N2IKR
Compuserve: 70721,636                User Services Associate
InterNet: kinnerc@snymorva.BITNET    Academic Computing Center
PBBS: N2IKR@N2KQN.#WNY.NY.USA.NA     SUNY Morrisville
                                     Morrisville, NY  13408
Quote: "Death is that state where one exists only in the memory of others,
        so it is not an ending.  No goodbyes, just good memories.
        Hailing frequencies closed, sir."
                                        -Lt. Natasha Yar
                        _Skin of Evil_, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Gene Roddenberry: 1921-1991.  Rest in Peace, Great Bird.

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3354
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 91 10:42:01 EST
From: burt@ptltd.COM (Burton Choinski.)

Subject: Travel distances

Adrian Hurt Notes:
[]And now you know why you have to be at least 10 diameters away from the
[]planet before you jump, preferably 100 diameters.  (And probably some
[]significant distance away from the star, too.)  If you're too close to
[]a gravity source, the jump capacitors or jump drive get overloaded.  Boom.

When working on my 2300ad SYSGEN program (I seem to do a lot of these, don't
I?) I had some calculation to figure the stutterwarp limit fro a star.

Given that:
   (1) Stutterwarp limit for a world is 0.0001g influence. 
   (2) Due to the square law, for earth this is 100 radii
   (3) Ergo -- Safe Jump Range ~= Stutterwarp limit

With that in mind, should T:TNE have Jump Limits delimited by MASS instead of
SIZE?  No matter if you have 1 earth mass in one earth diameter or in half an
earth diameter, the 0.0001g radius will be the same from the center of mass.
The only effect size has is how much distance you have to cover before you
reach the limit.

Likewise, for any star, the Jump limit will depend on the solar mass.
I think I calculated the limit for sol to be around 2.44 AU (past Mars),
but that was based on other assumptions.  If SIZE/DENSITY (thus MASS) is 
generated in the world building system, you can simply plug it into the
formula:

   JD = SQRT(mass) * 642 - (size/2)

Where (mass) is earth masses and (size) is diameter (in 1000's of km).

Result is in 1000's of km.  A simple table can be figured (G-Thrust vs. 
JD) to give a simple look-up of time to Jump Distance.

For stars, simply ignore the (size) modifier (you don't care about landing
on the surface!).  Time can be based on star's JD - (world AU * 14900).
If negative, you can jump after reaching the world's JD.

===============================================================================
Burton Choinski                                       Phoenix Technologies, LTD
"All opinions are mine, not Phoenix's"                            Cambridge, MA
===============================================================================

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3355
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 91 16:46:22 PST
From: Ed Sharpe <esharpe@phad.hsc.usc.edu>
Subject: Shields/Dune

Has anybody ever explained the body shields from Dune in traveller terms. 
Tech Level, How they work, cost, and game machincs?

esharpe@phad.hsc.usc.edu

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3356
From: Adrian Hurt <adrian@cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: potential energy
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 91 14:26:26 GMT

"C. Roald" <HOBBIT@AC.DAL.CA> writes:
> >>		On the other hand, GmM/r is the escape energy of Sol, 
> >> which is the kinetic energy required to produce a velocity of ~30 km/s.
> >> For a ship weighing say, 1 T, that's 4.5e11 J, or 450 000 MJ. Not to
> >> be sneezed at.
> >
> >A ship accelerating at 1-G will achieve that velocity in less than an hour,
> >using just its manoeuvre drive.  (To get to 30000 m/s using an acceleration
> >of 9.8 m/s^2 will take 3061 seconds, i.e. 51 minutes.)  Maybe not to be
> 
> You realise what you just said?  A spacecraft with a 1-G maneuver drive
> can produce 4.5e11 J in 3000 s, for an average power output of 150 MW.
> Constant-acceleration drives are scary.

That's nothing.  See what happens if the same ship leaves its drives on for
a week.  (Actually, I'll tell you what happens.  TML gets bogged down with
another discussion of how to destroy a planet.  :-)  But approximately
constant acceleration for about an hour should be possible; and even if it
isn't, a ship with 2-G acceleration should still be able to get to 30000 m/s
without too much trouble.  The ship in question is likely to be the good old
Type S scout/courier, mass at least 840 tons, kinetic energy 3.78e14 J.  Like
I said, these might be big numbers, but they're what you have to deal with if
you want to move starships around.  I'll let you figure out the kinetic energy
available to some of the big warships, mass in the hundreds of thousands of
tons, acceleration 6-G!

> >So the ship expends its 4.5e11 J, and get into jump space.  One week later,
> >it emerges from jump space near Alpha Centauri, and gets 4.5e11J back -
> >what happens to this energy?
> 
> Depending on how jumpspace is supposed to work, I shouldn't think the 
> hundred billion joules of GPE would have to be 'spent'.

Not so much "spent" as "lent" for about a week.  The ship gets the energy
back (or at least, some of it) when it comes back out of jump space.

>							   The only 
> relevent number ought to be the difference in initial and final 
> energies.  If the energy did have to come from somewhere, it would be
> a very blatant violation of the 2nd law of Thermodynamics to get it back 
> in the capacitors.

Why?  The jump drive converts energy, presumably electrical energy and lots
of it, into some sort of "jump energy", in order to get the ship into jump
space in the first place.  It may be able to convert it back into electrical
energy, although some energy will be lost in the process, either as heat or
left behind somehow in jump space.  Otherwise, what happens to all the energy
produced when the jump drive burns up all that fuel?

>		     More plausible would be to get it as kinetic energy,
> but physical reality would almost certainly produce it as heat. Which
> would vapourise the ship, very quickly.

Great.  Every ship that executes a jump gets fried when it re-enters our
universe.  This ought to ruin the day of a good few traders!  :-)

- -- 
 "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

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3357
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 04:08:42 EST
From: Mike.Metlay@ORGAN.MUSIC.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Welcome, Doc.

"Doc" Kinne writeth:
>
>        This is an intro post from the (dare I say it?) newest member
>of TML.  James suggested it.

Yeh, he WOULD. |-> Welcome, Doc. My name's Metlay, and I'm the TML 
Historian, when not separated from my library by 600 miles like
I am now. |-P My credentials are sufficient for the job, IMO.

Now then, to answer your queries:


>1.      What is the current status of Digest Group Publications?  From
>various rumors I've heard they have either gone under or were cutting
>back on their Traveller material development.

They're alive but preparing to push a game of their own, A.I., rather
than continue to support Traveller. Their loss will be missed, despite
the fact that Joe Fugate's blithe editorial comments have shredded any
resemblance between Traveller physics and real physics (Hot Topic #1).

>2.      Does anyone know what GDW's and/or DGP Traveller line will be
>for 1992?

Traveller: The New Era will be released in the fall. See below.

The last issue of the MegaTraveller Journal (3) will be out eventually,
then DGP sews up their Traveller line, maybe for good.

>3.      I also came across some acronyms that weren't familiar to me.
>I assume T:2000 was Traveller:2000.  This was a rule system that I
>TOTALLY missed out on.  What relation does this rule system have
>with Classic Traveller and/or MegaTraveller, if any?  I also came
>across the acronym "TNE:" in a posting that suggested that
>GDW was working on yet another revision of the Traveller rules
>(Traveller V3.0?).  This is something I have heard nothing about.

T:2000 stands for Twilight:2000, a postnuclear game with a different 
rules system than Traveller's and a different history, which leads
into Traveller:2300, renamed 2300AD, also no relation to Trav or MegTrav.

Traveller: The NEw Era is the latest rev of Traveller (v.3.0) that is 
currently in preparation. It will use a new rules system based on the
same principles as Dark Conspiracy and the 2nd edition of Twilight,
and will take place several decades after the Rebellion, in the midst
of another societal collapse. GDW claims to be listening to our input
on these matters; however, they have stonewalled on certain things
that look really terrible, and the outlook (for those of us who use
the Imperium, especially) is glum.

>                                May you never misjump,

Again, welcome.

- ---
metlay                           | It's the week before Christmas, and
just another guy with an Xpander | I'm stuck in Atomic City again.
                                 | 
metlay@organ.music.cs.cmu.edu    | OK, God. What'd I do THIS time? |-<

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3358
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 03:53:28 EST
From: Mike.Metlay@ORGAN.MUSIC.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Re: Shields/Dune

BAD SHARPE! NO BISCUIT! Body shields= force fields= STAR TREK or 
STAR WARS. NOT TRAVELLER. Non-physics. Much useless handwaving.
Enough trouble with thruster plates already. Bad bad bad.

metlay

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3359
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 07:19:37 CST
From: Cynthia_Higginbotham%agwbbs@cs.tulane.edu (Cynthia Higginbotham)
Subject: Efate Vehicles

Here are some typical Efate vehicles:

 
Efate 4-seat car TL 13
 
        Efate 4-Seat Grav Car - the basic personal car.  Like most
popular brands of civilian vehicles, it gets part of its power from
solar panels.  The extra performance is free during the day, and on
Efate, the attitude is that you have no business being out at night,
anyway.
 
Craft ID: Efate Four Seat Grav Car, TL 13, Cr 13,0008
        
Hull:   1/1, Disp=0.5, Config=4SL, Armor=4F,
        Unloaded=0.44 tons, loaded=0.97 tons
 
Power:  1/2, Solar Cells=0.567 MW, Duration=indef,
        1/2, Closed-cycle Fuel Cells=0.045 MW, Duration=12 hours
 
Loco:   1/2, LowPowHiG Thrust=1.6 tons (1.375 w/o solar),
        NOE=40, Cruise=540 kph (360), Top=720 (480) kph
 
Commo:  Radio=Regional x1
 
Sensors: All-weather Radar=Dist x1, LI/Passive IR,
        ActObjScan=Form, ActObjPin=Form
 
Control: Panel=Electronic x4, Environ=BasEnv, BasLS (cabin only)
 
Accom:  Crew=1 (driver), seats=cramped x2, none x2
 
Other:  Cargo=0.13 kl, Fuel=0.0216 kl, Hand Computer x1,
        ObjSize=small, EMLevel=moderate
 
 
Efate 6-ton truck TL 13
 
        The basic medium transport; found everywhere.
 
Craft ID: Efate 6-ton Grav Truck, TL 13, Cr 48,776
        An open-bed truck with a cab.
 
Hull:   2/3, Disp=1.0, Config=4SL, Armor=4F,
        Unloaded=1.3 tons, loaded=7.9 tons
 
Power:  1/2, Solar Cells=0.2835 MW, Duration=indef,
        1/2, Closed-cycle Fuel Cells=0.27 MW, Duration=24 hours
 
Loco:   1/2, LowPowHiG Thrust=13 tons (12 w/o solar),
        NOE=40, Cruise=540 (450) kph, Top=720 (600) kph
 
Commo:  Radio=Regional x1
 
Sensors: All-weather Radar=Dist x1, LI/Passive IR,
        ActObjScan=Form, ActObjPin=Form
 
Control: Panel=Electronic x16, Environ=BasEnv, BasLS (cab only)
 
Accom:  Crew=1 (driver), seats=cramped x4
 
Other:  Cargo=6.2 kl, Fuel=0.0864 kl, Hand Computer x1,
        ObjSize=small, EMLevel=moderate
 
 
Efate Executive Transport TL 13
 
        Grav equivalent of the Lear BizJet - can also transport busy
        executives ground-to-orbit; doesn't have the sensors for deep
        space use.
 
Craft ID: Efate Executive Transport, TL 13, Cr 2,334,016
 
Hull:   9/23, Disp=10, Config=1AF, Armor=10F,
        Unloaded=36.85 tons, loaded=46.56 tons
 
Power:  1/2, Fusion=27 MW, Duration=14/42
 
Loco:   1/2, Std Grav Thrust=200 tons,
        NOE=40, Cruise=1924 kph, Top=2565 kph,
        (Efate: NOE=40, Cruise=2138 kph, Top=2850 kph)
 
Commo:  Radio=Continental x1, MaserComm=Planetary x1
 
Sensors: All-weather Radar=v Dist x1, LI/Passive IR,
        ActObjScan=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff
 
Off/Def: +2
 
Control: Computer=0x2, Panel=DynaLink x20, Special=HeadUp Holo, 
        Environ=BasEnv, BasLS, ExtLS, Grav
 
Accom:  Crew=2, seats=roomy x12, bunks x4
 
Other:  Cargo=8 kl, Fuel=10.162 kl, 
        ObjSize=small, EMLevel=moderate


- -- Via DLG Pro v0.985b

agwbbs!cynthia_higginbotham@cs.tulane.edu

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3360
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 07:16:48 CST
From: Cynthia_Higginbotham%agwbbs@cs.tulane.edu (Cynthia Higginbotham)
Subject: Efate System

    Here is a system I developed for use in our Traveller and GURPS
Cyberpunk
campaigns.  Enjoy.
 
Efate  / Spinward Marches 1107
 
System
 
Primary: K4V
 
0 - Sou Marie   HS00163-C
1 - EFATE       A646930-D B Hi In       8e9
2 - Virenne     Y456232-C   Mn
3 - Naimless    Y403000-0  
        01      (ring)          YR00000-0       100m/1km M
4 - Etienne     Y754303-C   Mn
5 - D'Astrou    F100711-D   Mn Re  SuSag plant.
6 - Neu Marne   F904630-D   Mn Re
7 - Nonfuer     G710201-D   Mn Re
        03      Nonfuer Ay      Y810000-0
        05      Nonfuer Bee     Y430000-0
        25      Nonfuer See     H400000-0
8 - Yarag       Y400252-C   Mn
12 - L'Envoi    Y300000-0   (captured planet)
 
 
        Note: The Efate system is developed, and there is a great deal
of insystem traffic, especially between Efate, D'Astrou and Neu Marne. 
Perhaps more interplanetary transport than interstellar calls at Efate.
        D'Astrou is the site of a major SuSag manufacturing center, and
all the support industry that has grown up around it, and all the
businesses catering to the needs of the employees of those industries,
and their families, etc.
        The research bases noted are mostly corporate facilities, as are
the myriad of mining and other manufacturing sites located around the
system.
 
 
Efate
 
Spinward Marches 1705 / Efate A646930-D
 
    Efate is a Libertarian's dream and everyone else's nightmare.  The
dominant society on Efate was founded by Solomani, possibly of Terran
French or colonial French ancestry, judging from the French names in
common use, but after a thousand years of folklore and revisionist
history, who can tell?  The Charter of Efate established a Libertarian
society -- that is, minimal-to-no government and a totally free market
economy.  The end result has been that (1) anything that can be sold for
a profit can be found for sale on Efate; (2) self-defense is not only
encouraged, it's mandatory; (3) power is in the hands of those with both
money and the respect of their neighbors.   
    Corollaries to (1 & 2): No manner of goods are illegal, including
weapons, drugs, and body modifications.  Everyone is either armed, or
can afford to hire competent armed security.  Long-lived people are
polite.  Certain classes favor cybernetic enhancements; Efate Vargr in
particular consider "chrome" to be the most macho status/charisma symbol
imaginable.  (note: GURPS Efate is my off again/on again Cyberpunk
campaign).  "Jacked" equipment is common on Efate, almost unknown
offworld (many Imperial worlds, and the common Imperial "spacer"
culture, consider plugging computers directly into your brain
distasteful, to say the least).  "Decking" is a common activity on the
Net; Efate computer security tends to be second to none behind the Claw;
so too, run the skills and equipment of Efate "crackers".  Efate
Cyberdecks are highly illegal items on most neighboring worlds of
similar tech levels, and computer experts from Efate are regarded with
suspicion elsewhere.
   Corporations on Efate are utterly cutthroat with each other, but
almost universally provide excellent customer service -- the customer
makes or breaks an Efate Corp or MegaCorp branch office.  Efate has the
finest corporate security, espionage and counter-espionage personnel
behind the Claw -- there is no government protection of trade secrets,
etc.  What would be legal disputes, including criminal ones, elsewhere,
are decided by private arbitration or custom here.
    On the several northern continents, the cities are primarily
inhabited by descendants of the Charter colonists, and immigrants who
have adopted the Libertarian way of life, as well as a large Vargr
community and almost any human or non-human minority imaginable.  Vargr
find the Libertarian ethos most congenial to their way of life.  The
rural areas are controlled by vast Agricorp estates and Aslan land
holdings; Efate is home to three minor Aslan clans.  The Aslan clans
wield power disproportionate to their numbers due to the wealth of the
clan holdings, and the influence of their honorable and thus highly
respected clan leaders.  
    Franklin "Down-Under" is on the Southern continent, which was
settled by peoples of different background than the Charter colonists;
mostly Vilani and mixed Solomani.  These folk have different customs,
and pay lip service to the Libertarian charter but run things in a more
formal fashion, though they are allowed no higher government structure
than local community level by the Charter.  Most of the rural holdings
here are ranches; the grasslands and desert were more suitable for
raising livestock than farming in the early days of Efate.  However,
Northern settlers looking for land in an area not all locked up in
AgriCorp lands or Aslan holdings have been moving down here and
homesteading farms -- at TL 13, farming is feasible and profitable in
some very unlikely areas -- and bringing the Northern, libertarian
social order with them.  The result has been constant conflict between
the "Franklanders" and the "Northerners"; under the Charter, the
Franklanders have no real recourse save violence if they cannot work out
a compromise with the Northerners.  Unfortunately, certain influential
factions of the Franklanders considered any compromise further
corruption of their Way of Life, and resolved to secede from the Charter
of Efate.  In 1105 they attempted to form the Republic of Franklin;
creating a government on the Southern continent where there had been
none before.  This caused very bad reactions from all the other power
groups on Efate (except the Aslan), who saw any form of Government as a
threat to the status quo -- and their perogatives.  The result was a
full-scale war where before there had been constant low-level
terrorism.  Efate being the way it is, the war was waged entirely with
mercenary forces on the one side, and entirely by dedicated rebels on
the other side.  
    The Imperium intervened when the war started infringing on the
Imperial Rules of War, and when the instability on Efate threatened
Imperial strategic interests in the Marches -- Efate is a major
shipbuilder, armaments supplier, and lynchpin of the coreward Marches
economy, after all.  During the Fifth Frontier war, it was discovered
that the Sword Worlds sponsored Ine Givar organization had been involved
in encouraging the "Rebellion".  It should be understood that the
grievances existed before ever the Sword Worlds got involved; the Ine
Givar advisors found volk who had similar views and ethics and played on
their sympathies as brethren in a sea of corrupt and decadent scum who
threatened their Way of Life.  The Sword Worlds connection provided the
financing that gave the Republican forces a fighting chance for so long,
and the Ine Givar advisors provided training not available from the
usual sources on Efate, who were all committed to fighting them.
    One other cultural note: the deadly cold characteristic of Efate
nights has resulted in a deeply ingrained dread or fear of being caught
"outside" at night, with nowhere to take shelter.  It also means that
only the most depraved would refuse someone shelter from the nocturnal
cold.  
 
diameter: 6207 km       density: 1.06   mass: 0.517     surface G: 0.834
Rotation: 30h 11' 33"   year: 87.3 local/116.4 Earth days
axial tilt: 8d 20' 53"  Eccentricity: 0.0       satellites: none
core: molten                                    seismic stress: 3
atm pressure: 0.5 atm   atm composition: O2-N2 & local pollution
Hydro: 57%              Hydro comp: H2O
BMST: 15.0 C            seasonal mod: 5.0/-8.0    Eccentricity mod: 0/0
rotational mods: 6.0/-30.0                        Lat mod: 6.0
Weather Control: yes
 
Mapping: 5 maj cont, 6 min cont, 9 maj islands, 6 archipelgos
Resources: nat agri, ores, radioactives, crystals, agroproducts, 
           non-metals, parts, durables, consumables 
 
population: 8E9         native life: y
 
City/port:                           Port Pop   Orbital City  Port Pop 
 ---------------------------------   ---- ---   ------------------ ---
 New Marseilles-Papeete Metroplex       A 4e9   Orbital          A  2e7
 Gueret                                 A 8e8   Orbital          A  1e7
 Argentat                               A 5e8   Argentat Orbital A  1e7
 Entraygues                             A 4e8   Entraygues Orb.  A  2e7
 Franklin                               A 4e8   Franklin Orbital A  1e7
 
 Secondary x3                           F 9e7   & Orbitals x3    F  e6
 Secondary x24                          F 1-8e7 Orbitals   x14   F  e5
 Tertiary x66                           H  e6
 Tertiary x242                          H  e5
 Tertiary x1485                         H  e4
 
Social Outlook:
        Progressiveness         Att: Conserv            Act: Advancing
        Aggressiveness          Att: Competitive        Act: Militant
        Extensiveness           Global: Discordant      
                                Interstellar: Friendly
 
Customs: urban is Cyberpunk - body modification, extensive body 
         decoration common.  Fear of the night. Other customs based on
         Libertarian tradition.
 
Government:
        Representative Branch - Executive Councils
        "Legislative" Branch - Imperial Counsel 
        Judicial Branch - Judicial Councils
 
Legal: 
        Uniformity - Territorial
        Profile: 0-00000
 
Technological:
        Profile: DB-DDDEF-CCCF-ED-F
 
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
p.s. I have a map of Efate, too, but it's on paper. Has the TML come up
with some standard for uploading/representing world maps & deck plans?

- -- Via DLG Pro v0.985b

agwbbs!cynthia_higginbotham@cs.tulane.edu

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3361
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 91 18:45:14 CDT
From: chuck.mcknight@f104.n170.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Chuck McKnight)
Subject: GENIE

From: david_bolack@f104.n170.z1.fidonet.org
Date: December 19, 1991
Subject: GENIE

About the new revision that is in the works. First let me explain
who/what I am. I have been gaming for a very few years (About 7-8
years) compared to most of people speaking here. I've only recently
begun to look into Traveller, having bought the Megatraveller set
last May and "The Traveller Book" a couple of weeks ago. (Kinda
redundant, but it was a mere $10.) I have yet to acquaint myself with
much beyond character generation, having only played in two games.

Now, how does this relate to the New Traveller.

For one, it places me in doubt as whether or not to continue to buy
any Traveller materials (of any of the incarnations), whether to wait
for this upcoming set, or whether or not to even continue to purchase
ANY Traveller oriented products, including these that are using
related systems.

I have also, the Dark Conspiracy book. I see a vast potential for
loss when changing from the Traveller to the DC system. Despite the
good intentions, if the Task system in Traveller was so horrid, how
could it have last 15 years?  I'm quite sure that Traveller, like any
system, has it's flaws, but it's better to patch a couple of potholes
then to tear up the asphalt and start again. You (GDW and DGP) have
at your literal fingertips access to years of many upon many gamers
who have numbers of different fillers for the potholes.  listen to
them. Not only do they know what they're talking about, they happen
to have a great deal at stake based on your decisions.

Another thought -  There is the possibility of alienating the older
and newer gamers from each other. Diehards from one system may treat
the newer players as players of an alien system, meanwhile, there are
also no old hands to show anyone the ropes - one of the risks of a
new system.

And this virus I've been reading about. Unless you do a good job of
setting it up, you'll lose in the long run.


If it is possible to join a list of playtesters, I would enjoy doing
so. As was mentioned before, it may be better to have newcomers do
such things as a bit of bias is lost.


David Bolack

- --  
Chuck McKnight - via FidoNet node 1:170/500
UUCP: tusun2.mcs.utulsa.edu!tinylk!104!chuck.mcknight
INTERNET: chuck.mcknight@f104.n170.z1.FIDONET.ORG

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

Archive-Message-Number: 3362
Date:     Fri, 20 Dec 91 16:27:05 EST
From: Robert S. Dean  <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Missile Boat and Acceleration Comment

Somebody recently commented that they hoped that the new revision would
remove 'artificial' restrictions on things like starship acceleration.
If you accept my rule of thumb (1 thruster/anti-grav maneuver unit=650t),
you can quickly figure what the maximum acceleration attainable at any given
TL is going to be.  At TL15, for instance, a 'large' fusion plant gives 18MW
per kl, or 9MW per ton.  70/9 tons are required to support a 35 ton
thruster unit with 650 tons of thrust output.  650/(35+(70/9))=15.2Gs.

At 10.4Gs, the Shriek is pretty fast, and would require special missiles--
6Gs probably wouldn't cut it.  (Well, OK, it could _fire_ 6-G missiles,
especially on a different heading, but 6-G missiles would rarely be able to
intercept one...)  It's also up in the range of acceleration that might be
considered to require special couches and high-G tolerance for the crew.





Shriek class Missile Boat TL15

     The Shriek class missile boat was designed for the Imperial Navy by 
ConTech of Glisten in 1112, as part of a proposed test of an 'escort rider' 
squadron.  The theory of course, is that what works well for larger combat-
ants should work well for smaller ones.  However, several delays in funding 
had pushed the projected test date into 1123 by the time that Glisten was 
overrun by the Aslan in 1121.  Only six Shrieks had been built, and they 
served with distinction racking up twenty three kills of smaller Aslan war-
ships at a loss of only one Shriek.  The five surviving boats were evacuated 
aboard a Lobachevsky class fleet tender during the Imperial Glisten Navy's 
final retreat from the system around 110-1121, and are currently (1122) de-
fending the now-strategic starport in the Grote system.

  CraftID: Shriek class Missile Boat, TL15, MCr464.9
     Hull: 720/1800, Disp=800, Config=1AF, Armor=40G, Unloaded=7921t,
           Loaded=8512t
    Power: 42/84, Fusion=11160MW, Dur=53.8 days
     Loco: 123/246, Maneuver=6, NOE=190kph, Cruise=3150kph,
           Max=4200kph, TrueAcc=10.38G, Agility=10
     Comm: Radio=System, LaserComm=System, MaserComm=System
  Sensors: EMM, EMS Active(Far Orbit), EMS Jammer(Far Orbit), EMS 
           Passive(Interstellar), High Pen Densitometer(1km), Neutrino
           Sensor(10kw), ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout,
           PassObjScan=Rout, PassObjPin=Rout, PassEnScan=Simp,            
           PassEnPin=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=8

           BeamLaser=xx4      Missile=x06
           Batteries   1                1
           Bearing     1                1

      Def: DefDm+20

           Sandcaster=xx4
           Batteries    1 
           Bearing      1 

  Control: Computer Mod9*3, HeadsUpHoloDisplay*2, HoloLink*50
    Accom: Crew=4 (1 bridge, 1 engineer, 2 gunnery), Staterooms=4, Env=basic
           env, basic ls, extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=7210kl, Cargo=0, Missile Magazine=180kl (100b-r), Fuel
           Scoops, ObjSize=Large, EmLevel=Faint
     Note: For full MT compatibility, consider acceleration to be 6-Gs,
           agility 0, and DefDM+10.

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

End of TML Bundle
*****************

