Errata - that difficult subject

[DonM]

PM p.54:
- Assignment Resolution Tables:
- DMs for Assignment Resolution on the Line/Crew and Gunnery tables, it says "For survival, DM +1 if any MOS skill 2+." Here in the Navy, that should read "...if any Branch skill 2+."
- But in general, what it looks like is those DM notes were copied from the tables for Mercenary on MT PM p.50 (Inf/Cav/Arty=Line/Crew, Support=Flight/Eng/Med, & Commando=Gunnery), and though you can make a case for any of them, none makes a lot of sense in the Navy context. I would take a look at replacing the DMs for each branch with those from High Guard, which make more sense, and are more interesting.
- Parentheses around the Promotion throw are mentioned on p.53 (left column, under Promotion). But the only case they appear is in the table you've inserted for Tech branch Training. Presumably the other branches' Training, and some branches' Shore Duty columns should also have parentheses around the Promotion throw, just like in High Guard.
- Technical branch assignment table:
- Note that there are no DMs listed for this table you've inserted. If that is correct, it should still be noted, since every other branch has a DM or two listed. Probably, though, it should have the High Guard "For promotion, DM +1 if any branch skill 3+."

Now here's some good errata. And that isn't a table I inserted -- the insertion is from the GDW 1990 MegaTraveller Errata sheet. And (confession) I don't use the Advanced Character Generation much... The group I played with during the CT days thought the advanced chargen was munchkin-y from LBBs 4-7, so other than stealing the College and Decoration/Court Martial rules, I've never dabbled much here (as I confessed when we discovered the problems with the Advanced Merchant rules)...

So, I'll need to walk through the rules and see what the impacts are, but this is definitely new errata.

Congrats!

 

[DonM]

I'd like to review (and maybe comment on) all the work you've done on Enhanced Merchant Character Generation, but the CD is missing the second page of tables for this.

Oh, and I think sfchbryan's new edition is a grand idea. I hope MWM is open to including it on future CDs... I had thoughts of starting making such a thing myself (mostly just for me), once I get access to all the pages from the actual book.

Ouch... Please go make sure we have the missing pages listed in the "MT CD-ROM Fixes" thread.

And as to sfchbryan's new edition: remember that such a document is a copyright violation (and clearly stated as such in the FFE Fair Use Policy).

Marc's focus is T5, not editing the 1987 MegaTraveller rules, as it should be. He supports our collecting and gathering of errata and even addenda. However, don't expect a re-edited MT ruleset to be on anyone's radar.

 

[DonM]

Two small matters on COACC enhanced flyer character generation:

COACC p.92 left column under Draft: second sentence reads "A throw of 5+ (1D) results in the individual being drafted into his homeworld COACC." Should obviously be "A throw of 5 (1D)..."

The erratum for the Assignments table on p.94 (errata p.59) is a much-needed clarification, but with this version of the correction it results in another confusion. On p. 93 (left column, under Survival), Purple Hearts are awarded on exact rolls of the survival throw "If the character's assignment was combat or base defense..."

Two solutions suggest themselves. Either:

1) alter the Assignments table as you have done in the errata, and change the PH wording on page 93 to read "If the character's assignment was Strike, Missiles, Air Defense, or Hospital, he or she was wounded in action and receives a Purple Heart."

or
2) change "Combat" to "Strike" both in the Assignments Table and in the PH sentence on p.93. Change nothing else in the Assignments table, but add an explanation to the column headings on the Assignment resolution tables on p.94. Headings could then read:

Technical: Training || Base operations (Support) || Base Defense (Missiles)
Security: Training || Base Operations (Air Police/Security) || Base Defense (Air Defense)
Medical: Training || Base Operations || Base Defense (Hospital)

I suppose (1) is simpler and cleaner, but I actually prefer (2). I suppose a third option would be to have a note at the bottom of the Assignments table which translated "Base Operations" and "Base Defense" into all the relevant branch-specific assignment names.

Good errata here as well. I await comments from the board on these as well...

 

[hammerquill]

Ouch... Please go make sure we have the missing pages listed in the "MT CD-ROM Fixes" thread.

Oh, yes. I did that as soon as I saw the thread was there. This page, and the first page of the skill list, is why I started bugging you (and Marc) about the serious issues with the MT CD. Not that I'm the first one to mention them here.

Glad you like my errata (or some of it, anyway). I am wondering about CT errata now. Ever tried to make a Hiver Merchant Prince character using the original Hiver module? ...

Marc's focus is T5, not editing the 1987 MegaTraveller rules, as it should be. He supports our collecting and gathering of errata and even addenda. However, don't expect a re-edited MT ruleset to be on anyone's radar.

Yeah. This forum, though, is an ideal place for the holes in the CD to be fixed, until Marc has the time to put the replacements on some errata page on the FFE site.

 

[DonM]

Ok, strange question for folks...

I've seen Traveller errata, and D&D errata, and a few other games...

Are there better ways of organizing it? The errata document as it is today is really not all that differently organized from the original errata documents DGP and GDW put together.

Just a thought, as I'm tinkering with 2.15... hopefully by the end of October...

 

[sfchbryan]

I don't know of any better way, short of just replacing each page with the errata in it.

 

[DonM]

My friend, I wish it were that simple. Ok, we'll keep the current format.

I did toy with two-column format, and it was more pages!

 

[DonM]

Ok, this was added in v2.12, as a proposal in e-mail by Jeremy Gibson. He found some serious inconsistencies between the existing errata, and the text, and one of his suggestions was eliminating the reference. Here's his comments:

{quote in earlier post not copied}

So, what is the pleasure of the board? Remove the reference, restore it, or modify it?

Hmm... I don't think anyone ever commented on this, but now it's kind of important. Add back in the +1 if retired or not?

 

[Major B]

Don, sorry its taken me so long to post this. This post covers the military drop capsule launchers I designed. I need to follow up to add an entry for the civilian emergancy evacuation capsules...

Feel free to edit this as you see fit for clarity. I had trouble trying to lay it all out and I'm not quite sure this is as clear as I'd like it to be:

The following current errata entry should be deleted and replaced with the information in the below paragraphs. The current entry reads: “Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): The requirements for a drop capsule that is ready for use is: power=0.001Mw, volume=0.4 kl, weight=0.2 tons, price=Cr80,000.”

Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): Planetary Assault (Drop) Capsules: The following devices can be installed to allow a military ship or craft to launch, recover, store, and maintain drop capsules.

[I][U][FONT=Courier New]TL Installation                Power  Volume  Weight  Cost(Cr)[/FONT][/U][/I]
[FONT=Courier New]13 Drop Capsule Launch System  33.75  27.00   13.50*  100,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]14 Improved DC Launch System   30.00  27.00   13.50*  85,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]13 Drop Capsule Feed Rack      0.00   13.50    6.75*  10,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]13 Drop Capsule Recovery Bay   0.01   13.50**  1.00   25,000[/FONT]

* Does not include the weight of a carried drop capsule which can vary by type as shown on the table below:

[I][U][FONT=Courier New]TL Capsule Type                         Volume  Weight  Cost(Cr)[/FONT][/U][/I]
[FONT=Courier New]13 Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule (ARC)    6.75   0.570   16,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]14 Assault ARC (AARC)                    6.75   0.817   33,500[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]14 AARC – High Survivability (AARC-HS)   6.75   1.523   67,500[/FONT]

** The listed figures are for a bay capable of holding one drop capsule at a time. For a bay with a larger capacity, add 6.75 to the committed volume for each additional capsule. For example, a bay capable of recovering three capsules per cycle would require a volume of 27.0 kiloliters and a bay with a five-capsule capacity would require 40.5 kiloliters. Note that power, weight, and cost remain constant no matter what is set as the interior volume of the bay.

Storage space for additional drop capsules requires .5 Td (6.75 kl). There is no cost or power requirement for drop capsule storage. Weights for carried capsules can be found on the above table.

 

[Major B]

And now for something completely different...

IMPERIAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Page 75, Snub Pistol 10mm Auto (correction): The volume and weight for the Auto Snub Pistol should be .4, not 4.0.

 

[DonM]

Some gathered details and responses...

Perhaps this should be per litre since the figures do seem to be off by a factor of 1,000.

Any other comments? To be honest, I'd prefer to keep the table kiloliters and adjust the numbers...

New questions, Imperial Encyclopedia:
page 52: Airlock, portable. The deflated portable airlock at 2000 liters weighs more than 6 kg. I would contend that it weighs on the order of 500kg but am willing to accept any valid weight. (2kl of lhyd weighs 140 kg)

T4 (Central Supply Catalog, p. 28/30) gives 30kg. The other Traveller sources (TNE 338, Chamax Plague 7) match MT.

Air tanks, Underwater: From my research on SCUBA gear, the underwater air tanks are designed to be neutrally buoyant. That is a 5 liter tank should weigh on the order of 5kg.

That seems heavy, not neutrally buoyant. You've basically made the 2-tank 4-hour comb weigh 10 kg. I always lean towards equipment numbers from "The Undersea Environment", and that would actually make a tank 2kg.

PM p.54: Assignment Resolution Tables:

Added all the items you noted here: missing DMs for the branches, and missing parentheses on all the branches as well.

Two small matters on COACC enhanced flyer character generation:

COACC p.92 left column under Draft: second sentence reads "A throw of 5+ (1D) results in the individual being drafted into his homeworld COACC."

Should obviously be "A throw of 5 (1D)..."

That's the easy one

The erratum for the Assignments table on p.94 (errata p.59) is a much-needed clarification, but with this version of the correction it results in another confusion. On p. 93 (left column, under Survival), Purple Hearts are awarded on exact rolls of the survival throw "If the character's assignment was combat or base defense..."

I've gone searching through the old HIWG/DGP pile, and there's some notes here from an old TML post (c. 1992?) that says it should be "Strike, Superiority, and Air Defense". Never used "purple heart" as a search through that pile of text before. Does that make sense?

 

[DonM]

Don, sorry its taken me so long to post this. This post covers the military drop capsule launchers I designed. I need to follow up to add an entry for the civilian emergancy evacuation capsules...

Feel free to edit this as you see fit for clarity. I had trouble trying to lay it all out and I'm not quite sure this is as clear as I'd like it to be:

The problem NOW is that we have no text explaining this. Do I buy one type of system and then racks?

 

[Major B]

The problem NOW is that we have no text explaining this. Do I buy one type of system and then racks?

Ok... I'll try to rework this for better clarity. I deserve it for posting something I wasn't happy with in the first place.

 

[Major B]

Part 1 of 3

The following current errata entry should be deleted and replaced with the information in the below paragraphs. The current entry reads: “Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): The requirements for a drop capsule that is ready for use is: power=0.001Mw, volume=0.4 kl, weight=0.2 tons, price=Cr80,000.”

Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): Planetary Assault (Drop) Capsules and Emergency Escape Capsules: The following types of capsules can be carried to transport troopers from orbit to a planet surface or to evacuate crew and passengers from a vessel in distress. Note that sale of drop capsules is restricted by Imperial authorities, so only military vessels and licensed mercenary organizations can legally obtain them. Escape capsules are unrestricted and sometimes find use with unlicensed mercenaries. Three types of drop capsules and one type of standard escape capsule are widely available:

1. Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule (ARC): Constructed at TL13 and used by military and mercenary organizations. The ARC is lightly armored (8F) and can accommodate one Battle Dress - equipped trooper with some supplies (4.0 kl of space for the trooper with 2.5 kl of additional storage volume and 430.3 kg maximum allowable weight). Battery power lasts one hour, allowing the capsule to deliver the trooper to the surface and return to the pre-designated recovery point. Guidance is by on-board inertial navigation with a hand computer providing guidance and control. A 50km-range radio is installed to transmit and receive voice communication and guidance data during recovery.

2. Assault Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule (AARC): The AARC is an improved version of the ARC constructed at TL14 used by the military and a few well-equipped mercenary units. It is more heavily armored than the ARC (20G) and can also carry more weight (683.0 kg). It is identical in performance and interior space to the ARC but weighs more and is much more expensive. For this reason, the ARC is still widely used for training drops and insertions on worlds that do not pose a significant threat to the assaulting force.

3. Assault Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule – High Survivability (AARC-HS): The AARC-HS is a TL15 design intended for use in very high-threat insertions and is only used by the military. Armor is increased (28G) and a set of ten decoy launchers is installed. During re-entry, these launchers deploy decoys that mimic the signature of a drop capsule, providing multiple false targets to draw surface defensive fire away from the capsules carrying troopers. Additional storage space is reduced to 1.42 kl and is reduced to 476.5 kg, but performance remains identical to the other drop capsules.

4. Emergency Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule (EARC): The EARC is similar to the ARC with identical performance characteristics and armor (8F). However, the single roomy passenger position in the ARC is replaced by three cramped positions in the EARC. Cargo space is reduced to .5 kl and this is used to store an emergency supply kit. Maximum allowable weight for the EARC is 354.6 kg. If launched while a ship is in or close to orbit, battery life of one hour will allow for atmospheric re-entry and safe landing. Otherwise, the batteries will sustain life support systems for 22 hours. The on-board radio system broadcasts a distress signal over all emergency bands and can be used by rescue vessels as a homing point.

Specifications for each type are listed below:

[FONT=Courier New][I][U]TL    Capsule[/U][/I][I][U]Type                           Volume    Weight    Cost(Cr)[/U][/I][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]13    Atmospheric Re-Entry Capsule (ARC)     6.75      0.570     16,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]14    Assault ARC (AARC)                     6.75      0.820     33,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]15    AARC – High Survivability (AARC-HS)    6.75      1.520     67,000[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]13    Emergency ARC (EARC)                   6.75      0.650     22,000[/FONT]

 

[Major B]

Part 2 of 3

Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): Drop Capsules Launch and Recovery Systems: The following devices can be installed to allow military vessels or craft to launch drop capsules from orbit and recover them after return to orbit. Note that the sale of military launchers and ancillary equipment are restricted by Imperial authorities, so only military vessels and licensed mercenary organizations can legally obtain them.

[FONT=Courier New]Military Drop Capsule Launch System:[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]TL[/U]:               13            15[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]Power[/U]:      33.75 MW         24 MW[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]Volume[/U]:        27 kl         27 kl[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]Weight[/U]:      13.5 MT       13.5 MT   (does not include drop capsule weight)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]Cost[/U]:     100,000 Cr     85,000 Cr   (does not include cost of the capsule)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][U]Description[/U]: The Drop Capsule Launch System includes a launch tube, exterior [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]blast doors, environment control seals, operator’s controls, and associated [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]operating and feed machinery. The 2 displacement tons of volume also includes [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]space to hold one capsule that is ready for launch, and space for the [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]equipment and supplies used for refurbishing returned capsules for future [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]missions. Product improvements in the TL 15 model include reduced power [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]requirements and cost over the earlier model. The Drop Capsule Launch System [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]holds one capsule that is ready for launch, but the system weight does not [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]include the weight of the capsule as the capsule weight will vary by type. [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]The system only draws the stated power during launch operations, so it does [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]not need to be powered during normal day-to-day shipboard operations. [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Loading an additional capsule into the launcher takes ten minutes, using the [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]hoist included with the launch system.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]Drop Capsule Ready Racks: [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]TL: 13[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Power: none[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Volume: 13.5 kl[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Weight: 6.75 kl (does not include the weight of the drop capsule)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Cost: 10,000 Cr[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Description: Installation of a Ready Rack System allows drop capsules to be [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]launched at a faster rate using a single Launch System. A Military Launch [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]System is capable of launching a drop capsule every 30 seconds when the drop [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]capsules are connected to the launcher by a Ready Rack. Loading additional [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]drop capsules into the launcher or on to the ready rack takes ten minutes [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]per capsule (necessary lift assisting mechanisms are considered part of the [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]launcher or ready rack volume). The listed volume, weight, and cost are for [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]one capsule. Multiply these figures by the number of capsules needed in the [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Ready Rack.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]Drop Capsule Recovery Bay:[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]TL: 13[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Power: .01 MW[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Volume: 6.75 kl (for controls and operating machinery/equipment)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]       6.75 kl (for each capsule carried in the bay)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Weight: 1 MT[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Cost: 25,000 Cr[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Description: Recovery of returned drop capsules cannot be accomplished [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]through the launch tubes or through standard airlocks. Vehicle or craft [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]bays can be used for this purpose, but this interferes with other vessel [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]operations so normally a recovery bay (essentially an over-sized air [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]lock) will be installed in a location adjacent to the launchers. The [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]automated navigation system on the drop capsule is designed to return [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]the capsule to its point of launch or a pre-determined recovery point. [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Returning capsules will remain stationary in that location, awaiting [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]recovery instructions. A recovery bay includes a regional-range (500 km) [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]radio transmitter to transmit information used to remotely maneuver [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]capsules into the recovery bay. Capsules used to evacuate casualties [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]will have a transponder activated, allowing them to receive priority for [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]recovery. Also, returned capsules are routinely subjected to a [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]densitometer scan to ensure that they do not contain any unwanted [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]passengers or other surprises. The listed power, weight, and cost are [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]constant for all sizes of recovery bay. For volume, allow 6.75 kl for [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]the bay and door operating machinery and equipment, and add 6.75 kl of [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]volume for each capsule required.[/FONT]

 

[Major B]

Part 3 of 3

Page 82, Step 10, Subordinate Craft (addition): Emergency Escape Capsule Launch Systems: The following device can be installed for military or civilian vessels to launch emergency escape capsules. Unlike the military drop capsule launchers, these civilian components can be obtained through normal channels without restriction.

[FONT=Courier New]Civilian Emergency Drop Capsule Launch System:[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]TL: 13[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Power: none[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Volume: 13.5 kl[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Weight: 7.5 MT (includes weight of one EARC)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Cost: Cr 80,000 (includes cost of one EARC)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Description: The EARC launch system consists of a single capsule with a [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]launch mechanism to be used only in an emergency that requires evacuation [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]of a ship. Rather than use vessel power (since a ship in distress may not [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]have a functioning power plant), the EARC launcher relies on the propulsion [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]system of the capsule for launch. Required volume is one displacement ton, [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]half of which is the volume of the carried EARC. The EARC launch system does [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]not include the hoist used to re-load capsules or the refurbishment equipment [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]found on military launch systems. Reloading capsules therefore must be [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]accomplished at a starport rated at Class C or above. The ready racks [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]available for military launchers are not available for EARC launchers – [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]each EARC launcher is a stand-alone unit.[/FONT]

 

[Major B]

Re-done

The problem NOW is that we have no text explaining this. Do I buy one type of system and then racks?

Okay, the re-do is complete and posted in three parts - first the capsule details, then the military gear, and finally the civilian emergency escape system.

Please let me know if this passes muster. If there is anything unclear I'll fix it.

 

[DonM]

I find it very interesting... but does anyone else?

 

[christopher.boote]

This may be an errata, an addendum or me being thick...

I can't find anywhere in the Refs Manual, or your superb combined errata that says that the fuel consumption is per litre of power plant

The only place I can find it is in the worked example

If it IS in the Ref's Manual, please can someone give me a page/column/para reference
Thanx
Chris

 

[atpollard]

I find it very interesting... but does anyone else?

Yes.

I'd like to see one more as a compact civilian escape pod. Requiring 13.5 kl for a 6.75 kl emergency pod still sounds too high - I can fit a gunner, 9+ missiles and 3 launchers in a 13.5 kl turret.

I'd like to see a 2 man escape pod that fits in a single deckplan square (6.75 kl including the booster to launch it). Perhaps a 1.4 meter diameter cylinder in a 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 meter box with 'missiles' in the corners to provide terminal control for the landing.