Well, being the GM in question, I'll jump in.
The distinction between the NPC admirals automatically reporting status and the players NOT doing so is intentional. In part that's to reduce housekeeping on my part (just processing the communications each turn, even with the simplifications of the "virtual" courier network, takes several hours) and in part a flavor issue. There was a bunch of conversation on the TML a few months back about how Traveller comm lag would impact long-distance naval operations. In some ways that motivated my desire to run this game, as an exposition of how that really works. If the players on one side are diligent about communicating while the other side isn't, the chattier side ought to have some sort of advantage. Think of it as a bonus for player participation.
Regarding movement on Turn 1: at one point I toyed with the idea of restricting the Imperials until not moving until the war started. I tossed it out for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it would make life immensely boring for the Imperial players for weeks if not months. Second, both sides know war is imminent, so it's not an unreasonable possibility that the Imperials would be patrolling their border, looking for enemy contact. And let's not forget that the players all have somewhat more of a clue than Admiral Santanocheev did.
Going back to the series of canonical TNS entries, it's obvious that the Vargr started operations several weeks, if not months, before the declaration of war was delivered on 187-1107 (to Norris, and maybe on Rhylanor; I personally think an argument could be made that the Zhodani ambassador's orders were to only deliver it if their forces were detected before the actual attack, which they were, thus perhaps it was news on Rhylanor two weeks later). So I could have taken that route... but chose not to, as I'm not sure it would have made for a better game.
The players did have the opportunity to comment and ask questions about the rules, and some (not all) of their suggestions were incorporated. The players all seem to be enjoying it, and that's the only criteria that matters to me, so I think it's a success so far.
<shrug> If you don't like how it sounds, don't play. If you think it should be run differently, nothing prevents you from setting up a game and running it yourself.
Gaming Glen: got your message and will be in touch. PBI: Turn 6 stuff goes out tonight, one way or another, now that I'm not running a 101 degree fever from the double-ear-and-sinus infection.
John
The distinction between the NPC admirals automatically reporting status and the players NOT doing so is intentional. In part that's to reduce housekeeping on my part (just processing the communications each turn, even with the simplifications of the "virtual" courier network, takes several hours) and in part a flavor issue. There was a bunch of conversation on the TML a few months back about how Traveller comm lag would impact long-distance naval operations. In some ways that motivated my desire to run this game, as an exposition of how that really works. If the players on one side are diligent about communicating while the other side isn't, the chattier side ought to have some sort of advantage. Think of it as a bonus for player participation.
Regarding movement on Turn 1: at one point I toyed with the idea of restricting the Imperials until not moving until the war started. I tossed it out for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it would make life immensely boring for the Imperial players for weeks if not months. Second, both sides know war is imminent, so it's not an unreasonable possibility that the Imperials would be patrolling their border, looking for enemy contact. And let's not forget that the players all have somewhat more of a clue than Admiral Santanocheev did.
Going back to the series of canonical TNS entries, it's obvious that the Vargr started operations several weeks, if not months, before the declaration of war was delivered on 187-1107 (to Norris, and maybe on Rhylanor; I personally think an argument could be made that the Zhodani ambassador's orders were to only deliver it if their forces were detected before the actual attack, which they were, thus perhaps it was news on Rhylanor two weeks later). So I could have taken that route... but chose not to, as I'm not sure it would have made for a better game.
The players did have the opportunity to comment and ask questions about the rules, and some (not all) of their suggestions were incorporated. The players all seem to be enjoying it, and that's the only criteria that matters to me, so I think it's a success so far.
<shrug> If you don't like how it sounds, don't play. If you think it should be run differently, nothing prevents you from setting up a game and running it yourself.
Gaming Glen: got your message and will be in touch. PBI: Turn 6 stuff goes out tonight, one way or another, now that I'm not running a 101 degree fever from the double-ear-and-sinus infection.
John
