TML:
My name is Glenn Myers and I am new on the Traveller Mailing
List. [Please don't exceed 78 columns in the future, Glenn, and
mail your postings to [email removed], not
[email removed] -- thanks! James]
I am a mechanical engineer who works in the finite element
analysis field. My experience is in structural, thermal, and
electromagnetic analysis. In a previous career I was with the
Navy, where I worked in underwater vehicle design. Needless to
say, the starship design and combat rules are what makes or
breaks a game for me. But I think the campaign setting shapes
those rules in a manner which makes translation to another
setting difficult and perhaps senseless.
I have played Traveller for 10 years, and I do mean Traveller
without any metric prefixes. I recognized the enhanced starship
design rules of MegaTraveller, but I couldn't go with the
rebellion setting. My campaign has been set in a pocket of human
settled space removed from the Imperium (Just about where the
Vanguard Reaches should be located). There is limited contact
with the Spinward Marches. Starships are small and uncommon.
Survivability of designs is of primary importance. The largest
warships my players ever encountered was a 6000 ton "cruiser". I
used the High Guard rules with a smattering of Book 2 thrown in
where it made sense.
I generally agree with Palmer Davis concerning BL rules. I miss
PA barbettes and energy weapons. I dislike the bean counting
approach to G-Turns. And if 12 headings are to be used, I'd
rather just go back to the Book 2 vector system and my
protractor.
I don't want hull cracking detonation laser missles. The High
Guard missles did a nice job of scraping the turrets of the hull
and leaving the useful wreck behind. The existing missles are
what happens when high stellar technology goes berserk without a
society to control it.
The long turns and long ranges are due to the fact that fusion
bombs are being used by combatants to knock each other out of
space. In fact, most of my disputes with the new rules were
spawned by the overkill of offensive weapons.
I dislike the large size of the map and game pieces. I feel that
the cover (and I use that term very loosely) of the rules book
is going to tear every time I open it. Physically, it looks like
something Judges Guild published.
When I bought the rules I thought that what I didn't like I
would be able to fix when FF&S came out. I'm afraid that many of
the problems are side effects of the Virus campaign setting. It
makes no sense for me to continue my campaign, but use the new
rules.
If anyone has alternate vector combat systems floating around
which would be compatable with High Guard designs send me email.
I'm always looking to improve what I use. Also, I'm looking for
copies of High Lightning and Mayday to buy, barter or trade.
I think I'd give anything to see a rack of those little black
books in a games store again.
TIA, Here's my card:
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| Glenn E. Myers |
| [email removed] |
| QA software engineer |
| Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc. |
| [phone removed] |
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