Re: Traveller Universe History and Background

[This came to [email removed], looks like it was meant for
[email removed].  Watch those automatic reply headers! -- James]

  Hello all.

  This is actually in regards to the weapons debate, though I do have a
question for the list historian if he gets that far.

  In one of my previous games, we had a true point and shoot death beam in the
game.  We were all equiped to TL 17 or 18 before the DM knew what that meant.
He gave the entire merry band "power gloves."  As the name implies, you pointed
an appropriate digit at the offending being, vehicle, or starship that annoyed
you, and an appropriate blast of power removed it from the game.

  While the actual implementation was kinda lame (I can see all of the pocket
computers translating furiously), the idea was handy.  We used a target system
where the thing to be vaporized was telepathicly implanted in the firer's mind,
along with a BIG crosshair.  This gave a major plus on any aimed shot
(Essentialy adding about 20% to your chances to penetrate armor, more if you
had any skill) PLUS making any future shots occur at about a ten percent boost.
It was kind of fun in that it was both concealable and VERY nasty.  Applying
the idea to the proposed laser flashlight/ sword of Damocles, I would boost the
hit chance by a great deal on the first shot, possibly also upping the
penetration due to precision effects.  Later shots may get an advantage, but
the bad guy might decide to get the foo out of the way.

  For another view on this, see David Gerrold's creation in the Chtorr series.
In traveller terms, it would be an upscaled Gauss rifle, perhaps due to law
level restrictions on portable energy weapons, that had full electronic scope
sights and easier precision targetting.  In essence, the rifle sent out a guide
beam that the helmet picked up.  The frequency shifted by a nasty random series
set by some switches in both the gun and the helmet, thuis allowing the fierer
to see instantly where his or her shots were going, while only lighting up the
gun to standard sensors for millisecond flashes.  Still worse than no active
systems at all, and easy to defeat with enough sensing gear and computer power,
but pretty effective against those facing it.

  Metlay: (first name not currently at hand, sorry) What information exists
about Sternmetal Horizons.  In my game, they seem kind of like a bloodthirsty
K-Mart.  Thier equipment is very good for the tech level behind where one is,
thier training is laughable, but thier people are very well trained and
effective.  Almost like thier legal staff.

  Thanks.

             Scott Ellsworth
            [email removed]
Best bet -> [email removed]

ps I am still working on a more sensible equipment list by tech level and
function, indexed by Per Capita planetary product, etc, but I have not had the
time.  My playing group has gotten tired of lasers and wants to get back to
midieval era gaming.  Sigh.