OTU Only: History of TL advances in OTU?

[SpaceBadger]

I'm working on a campaign set during the Long Night, and haven't been able to find any historical references for the OTU on approximate dates of different TL advances. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Terrans developed J-3 during the Interstellar Wars, but don't remember if Vilani ever got it or if this was general TL advance for the Terrans or just an advance on their previous TL.

Anybody have any good references or pointers?

What was Sylea's TL when Cleon declared the Third Imperium in Year Zero?

 

[rancke]

I'm working on a campaign set during the Long Night, and haven't been able to find any historical references for the OTU on approximate dates of different TL advances. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Terrans developed J-3 during the Interstellar Wars, but don't remember if Vilani ever got it or if this was general TL advance for the Terrans or just an advance on their previous TL.

Anybody have any good references or pointers?

What was Sylea's TL when Cleon declared the Third Imperium in Year Zero?

According to MT:Referee's Companion, p. 34:

Terrans discovered Jump-3 and reached TL 12 in -2210. No further tech levels are reached by the Second Imperium.

In -1776 Sylea maintains minimal interstellar trade and has a TL of 10.

In -650 the Sylean Federation is established and has a TL of 11.

In -150 Robot manufacturing is reestablished and the Sylean Federation reaches TL 12.

In 300 the Third Imperium reaches TL 13.​

Although the only pocket empire we have information about fell to TL 10 at the beginning of the Long Night[*], I don't think there's any reason why such a slide should be inevitable. I have always, for example, assumed that the Old Earth Union and the Dingir League maintained TL 12 and Jump-3 throughout the Long Night.

Others have disagreed with me, and there's not much evidence either way.

[*] Unless, of course, Sylea never rose above TL 10 in the first place-​

Hans

 

[SpaceBadger]

According to MT:Referee's Companion, p. 34:

Terrans discovered Jump-3 and reached TL 12 in -2210. No further tech levels are reached by the Second Imperium.

In -1776 Sylea maintains minimal interstellar trade and has a TL of 10.

In -650 the Sylean Federation is established and has a TL of 11.

In -150 Robot manufacturing is reestablished and the Sylean Federation reaches TL 12.

In 300 the Third Imperium reaches TL 13.​

Although the only pocket empire we have information about fell to TL 10 at the beginning of the Long Night[*], I don't think there's any reason why such a slide should be inevitable. I have always, for example, assumed that the Old Earth Union and the Dingir League maintained TL 12 and Jump-3 throughout the Long Night.

Others have disagreed with me, and there's not much evidence either way.

[*] Unless, of course, Sylea never rose above TL 10 in the first place-​

Hans

Thanks, Hans! That helps a lot.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Marc Miller's Traveller has much information concerning The Long Night as the default year is 0 with Cleon's ascension to the throne. The best book to get would be Milleu 0

Pg 44:
Sylea (Core 2118) A586A98-C

Pg 47-49 basically talks discusses Vland. By -495 Vland has already dropped to TL 9, giving up technology in return for sustainable Vilani cultural values. The Syleans recontact them which prods them out of Long Night. Slightly. By Year 0 Vland due to its conservative nature has only risen up to TL10.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

There are a few pocket empires of note by Year 0. Described on pages 9-11 of Mileu 0:

Chanestin Kingdom
Based on Keshi/Dunea, one subsector to rimward of Sylea. Carefully husbanded jumpships are maintained then used to create the kingdom. By Year -1250, it contains some twenty-five worlds, all within five parsecs of Keshi. By -200 the Kingdom only has one functioning jumpship left. From there trade with the Syleans allows them the ability to rebuild. By -107 they have a fleet again able to stand up to a 90,000 ton Sylean battleship and two lesser cruisers. They go to war with Keshi finally falling in Year 2.
Implication is that effectively the Kingdom was at TL 9 say by -1250, and say worse (TL8) by -200.

Interstellar Confederacy
Founded in Year -684, the Confederacy occupied thirty-two worlds in the Bunkeria and Cemplas subsectors immediately to spinward of Sylea. The Confederacy centered on three powerful worlds: Marsus, Protalus and Sketola (the capital). As the Long Night drew to an end, these worlds rapidly rose to TL12 and started to forge close bonds among themselves and neighboring worlds on the Sylean Main, lifting several to TL11 . Via diplomacy, several worlds leave the Confederacy by -17. The Confederacy dissolves by -1 and by 5 all worlds are absorbed by the Imperium.
The implication here is that the lifted worlds had fallen to TL 10 or lower.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

More on TL during The Long Night, If you consider GURPS Interstellar Wars part of OTU. Implied, it which touches on what it considers "The Future" after the "Interstellar Wars"

Due during the Wars, the Vilani themselves never go beyond TL 11. Their medicine level is between TL 5-7. (GURPS TL 7 is the equivelent of the years 1940-1979).
Their computers, though TL 11, are essentially hard wired expert systems which can only assist in one skill. Need the computer to help with a different skill roll? You need a different computer.
It is implied in the text and supported by the dice rolling systems and the Vilani do not terraform. They just like living on garden worlds. Terrans are not so picky. Other Traveller material shows that Terrans did terraforming even back then at some points and the dice rolling systems support that.

The Terrans invent meson guns at TL12 during the Eighth War and first use them during the Ninth. They probably do not share this military secret with the Vilani until after Ziru Sirka is absorbed by the Rule of Man.
I realize that there is a much material that shows meson guns are available at lower TL, but perhaps that is just a matter that you can build stuff easily/cheaply once you understand the principles. Still, the implication here is that it is a relatively new technology never before seen, not a very common technology (cause Terrans are not going to just sell it to the Vilani), and perhaps is even lost as maintaining big ships is too much of an economic problem.

 

[shield]

Gurps Interstellar Wars mentions that the TL12 battleship is the first vessel to include a variety of TL12 inventions used adhoc in previous fleet units This includes J3 drive and meson weapons. The 101 robots book also indicates that the Terrans used a variety of TL12 robots in their expansion against the Vilani - primarily to rapidly build new outpost.

I think the solomani rim book mentions a few long night pocket empires including the old earth union (TL9) the Dingir League and the Easter Concord - all probably around the same level of TL (TL9-10) during the long night.