miscellanious...

Adrian Hurt:

>Perhaps the Zhodani would not let a full Imperial squadron participate.
>However, I can not believe that I am the only one who read the adventure
>supplied with the old Zhodani Alien Module.  In that, Core expeditions
>were heavily influenced by "visions" which some suitably psionically
>gifted Zhodani had received, these "visions" being effectively messages
>from the Ancients.  One of these "visions" specifically showed humans,
>i.e. Imperial type humans.  So a Zhodani noble went and kidnapped a few
>Imperials to bring along.  The "vision" did not show the humans as
>prisoners - in fact, it showed them having a significant role in the
>expedition.  Translation into game terms: the PC's are grabbed and
>taken along, and allowed as much freedom as possible.

Hmmm...
Yes, I've read it.  I tend to dislike overuse of 'ancient artifacts' as
justification for something odd, but there is merit in what you say.
So why don't you have the Imperials mount their OWN core expeditions?
Perhaps in cooperation with the Vargr, who have got to be the greatest
travelers in Traveller.




Rob Dean: <about the RAM GL>

Good point.  I see the VRF gauss gun, and
the laser rifle/carbine also play that trick.  They are all grosser than
the design sequence strictly allows.  Suggestions?


>Do people feel that Traveller is a gadget/equipment oriented game?  Do you
>actually make much use of the equipment lists in the Imperial
Encyclopedia?

Yes, it is (or can be).  Yes, some of it, and any other good source I can
find.


>I've started making notes a couple of times about things that I actually
carry>with me on a business trip (which I think would be a reasonable model
for a
>lot of Traveller gaming), and then expanding it for those "must haves" in
>the game system (like a vacc suit).  So, if you were a Traveller
character,
>what would you actually lug around with you from world to world?

Of course, I don't go on many business ttrips where I expect people to
shoot at me...
Mostly I go to civilized places.  If your Traveller characters keep
finding themselves in the MT equivalent of backwoods Niger, or Alabama:),
then they might carry a slightly different set of gear than you would for
a trip to San Fransisco.

My list of must haves for MT:  TL14+ tailored vacc suit, TL14+ PLSS 'A';
data display headset, commdot set, multiplexer, hand computer, MR comm,
translator (all linked together through the multiplexer for voice control
and data display without use of hands);  gauss pistol (if the law allows)
(I generally keep a P85 nearby when I travel); LI/IR goggles (preferably
built to look like mirrorshades); medkit and medscanner; filter/respirator;
LOTS of money.


Herbert:

>The SSME has an Isp(vaccum) of about 454, though they're hoping to hit
>460 by the late 1990's.  However, at sea level, that's closer to 390-400.
>IMHO, without explaining the whole specific impulse variation with
altitude
>theory, the only reasonable way is to average and simplify.
>
>Maybe I should state that thrust goes up 5 tons for all liquid rockets
>operating purely in vaccum.  (this is off the top of my head... let me
>analyze it a bit first 8-)  That should help correct things a bit.

Good point.  However, since the Imperium includes a lot of worlds with
atmospheres not like ours, performance levels for different atmospheric
densities are needed - especially since it can make a difference of 25%
in your take-off mass.  I suggest a ten percent increase in vacuum, 5%
in thin atmosphere, -5% in dense atmosphere.  Apply it to ALL rocket-
type devices.


>I was presuming a really low-tech and low-heat resistojet.  I can't
imagine
>wanting to use one at a higher TL (well, ok, maybe, but the chart can't
>get infinitely big 8-).  However, you have a point, which I'll explain in
>a bit...

Keep in mind that a NERVA is a 'resistojet' which heats hydrogen with a
nuclear plant.  And the number I gave you was for water heated by burning
paper.  Even a wood-burner could do better.  For that matter, last
century's
steam locomotives could handle better Isp than 18 (say 150-200).


>build, now) designs.  Those values of 1,000,000 were from physicists, not
>engineers. 8-)

Too true.  But since we ARE talking about the future...


>Because last time I checked, the people working with testing ion drives
>were having reliability problems with the ones that didn't use noble
>gases.  I don't want to presume using something that may or may not
>work.

That's news to me.  Interesting...


>You need to stack round rocks in non round fuel hoppers, and more
importantly,
>rocks don't pack that well unless you make them into cubes or such.
>If someone wants to complain about this, well, if you think you can pack
them
>in more, go right ahead 8-)

You don't need to use round rocks.  Square ones can be fired from a mass-
driver, if you design the thing to fire square rocks.


>Ok, now here's the one question that I've been avoiding talking about:
>"why didn't I do anything about putting Ion drives in?"

I am interested to see what you come up with for ion drives.  I haven't
done any technical reading on them since the early 80s.

Later...

- -- Via DLG Pro v0.985b

[email removed]

I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution.
                                    --W. von Braun