Really silly subject line, eh?
I have a question to the members of TML that i will try to explain below:
How closly shall the parts of traveller that depicts parts of our real
world follow said real world?
The background behind the question is this: I recently bought the COACC
(Close Orbit and Airspace Control Command) sourcebook for MegaT, And while
as a whole, the bok was as expected (No more errors and omissions and
unclear points than usual :-) there was one thing that struck me as strange
In the chapter about Aircraft Maintainance there was a taskroll for refueling
an a/c (airCraft :-) that said like this:
To fuel an aircraft:
Simple, Dexterity, 2 min, (hrzadous, unskilled OK)
Referee: If a fumble failure occurs, static electricity ignites
a fire leading to an explosion in 3D seconds. The aircraft and possibly
any neighbouring aircraft are destroyed by the explosion. The Character/
NPC refueling the aircraft is killed unless he is at least 20 meters
from the fire when the explosion occurs
(My apologies for broken copyrights)
According to the rules, a fumble mishap occurs when you make a throw of 2
with the 2D. Statistically this happens 1/36 (one time in 36). That is:
every 36th time you fuel an a/c it explodes ?!
(As a byline I can mention that I personally have refueled jettrainers
on at least 240 occations (4times a day 5days a week for 3 months, while
doing conscript service in the Royal Swedish Air Force). And no explosion
ever happend, even though I *did* manage a major fumble and got showered
with jet-fuel )
In reality jet-fuel is quite hard to set fire to: It behaves more like
kerosene than gasoline, The *really* scary stuff is high octane prop-plane
fuel, Higly volatile and equally flammable.
Thus my question:
Shall traveller follow reality or is there a reason to keep the xploding
aircraft rule on the grounds of game balance or something like that?
Comments on this case, the question in general and other cases are welcome.
Mail to me, or if interesting to the TML, mail there.
I don't state this question because I have a desire to tamper with the
game system. It's just that in this case the results are so totally ludicrous
that I feel that I have so speak out. Imagine for example a mercenary air
squadron that looses one a/c in 36 because it explodes while being refueled?!
They would go bust in notime.
Here is my suggestion for refueling tasks:
To refuel a ramjet, turbojet, turboprop or turbofan a/c:
Simple, Dexterity, 2min (hazardous, Unskilled OK)
Referee: If a fumble mishap occurs, roll on the mishap table:
Destroyed: a/c catches fire, Major: a/c catces fire if engine has been
running within the last 10 min. (ie engine still hot).
Minor or less: Fuel on the tarmac or somebody got a shower
(The latter could be fatal if that somebody is an officer :-)
To refuel a propeller, rocket or fusion rocket a/c:
Simple, Dexterity, 2min (hazardous, Unskilled OK)
Referee: If a fumble mishap occurs, roll on the mishap table:
Destroyed: a/c explodes immediately (fatal within 20 meters),
Major: a/c catches fire. Minor or less: as for jet a/c:s
Note: If the a/c is rocketpowered and TL 7- this task becomes:
Routine, Dexterity, Mechanic, 2min (hazardous)
(Cryogenic fuels (Liquid oxygen and hydrogen) are extremely
unpleasant to handle)
If the a/c catches fire throw 1D every round, on a 5+ the a/c will explode.
Remember that fuzed munitions may cook off and explode.
To put out a a/c on fire:
Difficult, OFF=(Highest dexterity, +1 per participating person),
DEF=( -1 per previous round on fire), 1 cmbt rnd (absolute,
hazardous, fateful)
Referee: Every participating person must have a flame extinguisher
and be on the site of the fire to be included. Any mishaps mean that
injuries has been sustained. Attempt this task once per round until
the fire is put out (or the a/c explodes)
- --
Bertil K K Jonell @ Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg
NET: [email removed]
VOICE: [phone removed] / +46 300 61004
[address removed]
"During the high point of the Downes Age, they put Ming the Merciless in charge
of designing Carlifornia gas stations" W.Gibson "The Gernsback Continuum"