Non OTU: LBB S3 Spinward Marches (re)mapping in 1105

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-fourth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Lunion subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Huh.
Turns out that the Lunion subsector is ... kind of ... BLAND ... when it comes to looking at the variety of trade codes.

• 2 Industrial coded worlds
• 2 Rich coded worlds
• 2 Poor coded worlds
• 2 Non-agricultural coded worlds
• 2 Agricultural coded worlds

And the rest is basically a wash.
At least there are plenty of Non-industrial worlds to feed raw materials from and direct towards Lunion and Strouden.

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Next time ... Mora subsector!

 

[TamsinP]

Forty-third step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Sword Worlds subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Well well well ... isn't this interesting ...
The Sword Worlds, as a collective group, are looking like some of the best and most favorable collection of habitable living conditions clustered up nice and neatly within the entire sector.

I was a bit shocked the other day when I looked at Spinward Marches on Traveller Map with the Importance values switched on - the Sword Worlds were a shining beacon.

 

[Spinward Flow]

I was a bit shocked the other day when I looked at Spinward Marches on Traveller Map with the Importance values switched on - the Sword Worlds were a shining beacon.

Indeed!
The Sword Worlds are (hands down!) the most habitable/farmable worlds in a tight cluster in all of the Spinward Marches ... perfect for homesteading (and getting in fights with the neighbors over). They could "load balance" their collective population among the member worlds and become even richer and more powerful as a trading bloc. It's really quite remarkable. I'm hard pressed to think of another "pocket empire" that is so blessed with as tight a cluster of worlds with favorable conditions for "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" like you see in the (main) Sword Worlds star systems. The fact that all of those worlds lie along the Spinward Main makes them even more extraordinary.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-fifth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Mora subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Well ... looks like the Mora subsector is even more bland and boring with its trade code distribution than the Lunion subsector was.

GATEWAY TO THE MARCHES (and sector capital!) Mora/Mora may be ... but man, do you have to go a long way before stumbling across another trade code that is worth anything to a merchant looking to profit when making a trip! You basically wind up with a "Big Foot Factor" going on, where Mora is "all that matters" throughout most of the subsector, with everyone else vying for scraps of attention (and usually left ignored). Living in the subsector has got to feel like "all ships jump to Mora" with everywhere else just being "jumpover territory" simply because of how unimportant they all are by comparison.

I imagine that there must be some pretty solid trade links going on between Byret/Mora (Agricultural, Non-industrial, Rich) and Fosey/Mora (Non-agricultural, Non-industrial, Poor). If Heroni/Mora (Industrial) wasn't such a pain in the maneuver thruster to deal with (see Government code), you could make a really tight little "2 parsec range" trading business running just between these three worlds ... which because they all have type A/B starports means no Pirate risk and plenty of refined fuel available for purchase to avoid misjumps!

I feel pretty back for Palique/Mora, since they're Industrial, Non-agricultural ... but the closest Agricultural worlds are Peppernium/Trin's Veil (5 parsecs away) or Mercury/Mora (7 parsecs away). I can only imagine that due to the demand for agricultural food product imports that Palique must have its own subsidized merchant fleet operating to prevent starvation on Palique. The world economy is probably more import/export trade heavy than it might appear at first blush.

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Next time ... back to one of my (now) favorite subsectors in the Spinward Marches ... the Five Sisters!

 

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-sixth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Five Sisters subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Oh my ... isn't that interesting!

The Sisters' Reach is looking mighty habitable and agricultural, with a nice cluster of trade codes relatively close to each other in the coreward end of the subsector.

• 5 Agricultural worlds
• 3 Rich worlds
• 1 Poor world

If Mirriam could increase in population from 8 to 9 it would become an Industrial world.

Conversely, if you look at the rimward half of the subsector and focus on the spinward portion of the Collace Arm stretching all way to Wonstar, you find:

• 3 Agricultural worlds
• 1 Rich world
• 1 Non-agricultural world

So there is another opportunity down around Wonstar for another trade route between local systems that can be profitable for everyone involved.

And then there's Raweh.

• If 876-574 ever got an increase in population and an upgrade in government, it could become an Agricultural, Rich world ... which would definitely have developmental trade benefits for Raweh.
• If Wonderay could increase in population, it could become a Rich, Water World.

Point being, that the Five Sisters subsector has all kinds of "frontier colonist expansion" potential to it which could potentially be very lucrative for the investors if they can manage to get (and keep!) things on track. The Five Sisters subsector is relatively well "protected" by the Imperial Navy presence permanently stationed there to secure the subsector against encroachment, so all of the parts and pieces are essentially THERE for the Five Sisters subsector to enter a boom phase if they can just get the immigrants and the merchant traffic flowing to make it happen. All of the necessary favorable preconditions are there, it just needs a bit more development and "help" to get it all rolling.

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Next time ... my OTHER favorite subsector in the Spinward Marches ... District 268!

 

[TamsinP]

Forty-fifth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Mora subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

I feel pretty back for Palique/Mora, since they're Industrial, Non-agricultural ... but the closest Agricultural worlds are Peppernium/Trin's Veil (5 parsecs away) or Mercury/Mora (7 parsecs away). I can only imagine that due to the demand for agricultural food product imports that Palique must have its own subsidized merchant fleet operating to prevent starvation on Palique. The world economy is probably more import/export trade heavy than it might appear at first blush.

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Next time ... back to one of my (now) favorite subsectors in the Spinward Marches ... the Five Sisters!

If you look across the border into Deneb, Wroclaw is another agricultural world 5 Parsecs away.

 

[Spinward Flow]

If you look across the border into Deneb, Wroclaw is another agricultural world 5 Parsecs away.

{ clears throat }

Are you asking me to (re)map Deneb sector too?

{ pointed look }

 

[TamsinP]

No, no, no, no... well, not unless you want to, of course!

I was simply pointing out the presence of another agricultural world within 5 parsecs of Palique.

 

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-seventh step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Five Sisters subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

How interesting!
Look at all the pretty colors now appearing in District 268!

• 5 worlds with a Poor trade code.
• 4 worlds with a Rich trade code.
• 7 worlds with Fluid Oceans and hostile atmospheres!
  
• 3 Agricultural worlds.
• 3 Non-Agricultural worlds that will need to import food to sustain their populations.
• 2 Industrial worlds that I can't imagine being "friends" with each other ... (Collace and Forine).

As promised, early in this thread ... Tarsus/District 268 is not a Rich world, because of government type, only an Agricultural world.
Likewise, Pavabid/District 268 is ALSO not a Rich world, again because of government type.
Dallia is not a Rich world because it has Atmosphere: B, not 8.

If I was a J1 Tramp Free Trader, I would want to steer clear of District 268.
Yes, the Spinward Main spans the subsector through the Bowman Arm and the Collace Arm making 30 of the 32 worlds in the subsector accessible by J1 alone ... I really wouldn't want to be forced to navigate along the J1 main following that circuitous route around the subsector. Either install a Collapsible Fuel Tank to extend your range out to J1+1 (seriously recommended!) or upgrade to a J2 Far Trader so as to be able to radically "shortcut" your way across the map.

Of course, my personal preference would be to use an SIE Clipper (subsidized or privately owned) to both "brave the wilds" of District 268 as well as "bridge the gap" between the Sisters' Reach, the Bowman Arm and the Collace Arm "fast enough" to start raking in the filthy lucre available when rapidly navigating around with speculative goods ... while being well protected against pirate threats (which are plentiful in District 268) and able to wilderness refuel (and refine) so that misjumps are far less of an issue. Of course, a SIE Clipper is a much more capital intensive investment to acquire than either a J1 Free Trader or a J2 Far Trader ... but when you could potentially lose a Free/Far Trader within just a scant couple of years to pirate attacks and/or misjumps, compared to keeping a Clipper operating profitably for 40+ years before selling her to a buyer ... well, let's just say that you get what you're paying for and leave it at that, shall we?

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Next time ... Glisten subsector!
I wonder how the colors of the world icons will look after the edits needed there?

 

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-eighth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Glisten subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Well now! Isn't that an interesting mix and distribution of colors?

• Glisten subsector has 7 Poor worlds, 4 of which are also Desert worlds!
  
• Callia may be on the Glisten Arm of the Spinward Main, but you had better bring extra fuel reserves to avoid getting stuck there!
  
• 2 Rich worlds.
• 4 Agricultural worlds.
• 2 Non-agricultural worlds.
• 2 Industrial worlds.
• 3 Fluid Ocean, Hostile Atmosphere worlds.
• Ffudn is Ice Capped.
• Aster is a Water World.
• Tirem is NOT a third Industrial world, due to Atmosphere: B.

Looks like both the Glisten Arm and the Ffudn Cluster have potential as local tramp J1 Free Trader profit potential for anyone wanting to launch a merchant ship setting based campaign. A J2 Far Trader (or a Free Trader with a collapsible fuel tank for range extension) could potentially circulate between the Glisten Arm and the Ffudn Cluster on a "catch as only cash can" basis, depending on market demands. However, worlds in the Ffudn Cluster will have reduced system defense patrols (except at Ffudn), so best come armed if venturing into the cluster.

Really quite fascinating to see the subsector "come alive" with the New Colors scheme implemented.

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When I get finished with the Trin's Veil subsector, I'll do a final review pass through the Sector data file to cross-correlate remarks with the updated edits to the sector image file to check for any last remaining errors (I've found a few while marching through subsectors). Once I've gotten everything sorted out, reviewed, proofread and finalized ... I'll publish (and attach files here at CotI) all of the assets that went into doing what I've been using for this particular project.

That means that I'll be able to finish everything up on a nice round fiftieth step revision as the final draft of this (re)mapping project ... at which point we'll finally be able to have Nice Things™ as a result of all this effort.

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Next time ... Trin's Veil subsector!

 

[Spinward Flow]

Forty-ninth step revision: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

This step updates the world icons for the Trin's Veil subsector using my New Colors icon set that I am proposing be rolled out more broadly on Travellermap as an alternative option feature.

See posts #133, #134, #137 and #146 to review world icon color scheme guide.
Italics as well as Underlined Italics for are used for mainworld names as markers for Population: 5-6 (Non-industrialized) as well as Population: 4- (Low Population, Non-Industrialized) UWPs, respectively.

NO EDITS Travellermap source: Imgur Link (3602 × 5209 png image) (recommend opening in new tab)

I recommend opening both png images in adjacent tabs in your web browser and then flipping back and forth between them to see just how many edits and changes I was forced to make just to reach this stage of the editing process (and I'm now almost done! ).

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Journey of the Sorcerer ​

Well.
This actually turned out better than I had been hoping or even anticipating.

Even though I've directly edited more than a majority of the visual information available in my sector map revision for the Spinward Marches in 1105 based on LBB S3 (with some fixes and corrections thrown in for good measure) ... and in the process coming up with a whole new color scheme and visual language for displaying information in a readily accessible format on the sector map ... when I look at the results, there is one word that comes to mind when I look at the sector map that I've made.

HOME. ​

Reaching this stage in this project ... it really does feel like I've finally come home to the place that I remember and became so familiar with.

Back in the early 80s, I'd try to get my hands on 8.5x11 blank hex map sheets and using pencil and ink recreate the LBB S3 Spinward Marches on paper (just dots and lines for the express networks) to get a "feel" for the larger context of the sector as a whole ... and always get frustrated when I made a mistake and had to throw away that sheet of paper and start over .

Now, in 2023 ... I have access to better toys and tools ... and can basically do a modernized version of that exercise on a 5k screen with image editing using the Preview application on my M2 Mac Mini computer. Basically the difference between TL=6 and TL=8 with regards to materials and methods (paper vs data).

Using adjustments to the typeface of mainworld names to extend the paradigm along a continuum from High Population down to Low Population was the right choice.

Modulating the color scheme/formula to include both trade code and environmental relevant categories that would be important for navigators and starship captains to know and working out a method where it can all be viewed simultaneously in a simplified yet still information dense visual format symbology was also the right choice.

And it's a little humbling to realize that it's taken me over 40 years(!) to reach the culmination of my earliest efforts of (re)mapping the Spinward Marches in 1105 like I've been able to here.

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Going to take a pause to review, cross-correlate and proofread all of the information and data that I've compiled up to this point. Once I give all of that a final pass through the fine toothed comb to weed out any remaining errors and inconsistencies, I'll finish up with a final draft post.

I wonder if I should put that final draft post into a new thread, along with all the edited world icon images, which could then be optionally pinned somewhere in the CotI forums (somewhere) if the staff (and Marc?) deem my endeavors worthy of the honor?



And yes ... there's a reason why I chose @Spinward Flow as my forum handle.

 

[TamsinP]

I'm currently working through the Spinward Marches (MgT2e) calculating the Importance (Ix) and WPN values using the new-ish World Builder's Handbook formulae. So far, I've plotted out the Ix values on an A4 print of the sector map and the X-boat routes do for the most part match to the most important worlds, with some distinct oddities. I think I need to get the sector map printed out at A3 to do the WTN values as A4 was far too cramped; if there is space I might do Ix and WTN values on the same map.

 

[Spinward Flow]

I'm currently working through the Spinward Marches (MgT2e) calculating the Importance (Ix) and WPN values using the new-ish World Builder's Handbook formulae. So far, I've plotted out the Ix values on an A4 print of the sector map and the X-boat routes do for the most part match to the most important worlds, with some distinct oddities. I think I need to get the sector map printed out at A3 to do the WTN values as A4 was far too cramped; if there is space I might do Ix and WTN values on the same map.

If you want to work with a Sector data file, I just posted the one I used for this project over in post #12 of New Colors for Travellermap resources in the Maps forum earlier today. Same post also includes the Metadata XML file that I used for the Poster Maker API on Travellermap, in case you're interested in playing with my toys (now that I've taken my turn with them).

 

[TamsinP]

If you want to work with a Sector data file, I just posted the one I used for this project over in post #12 of New Colors for Travellermap resources in the Maps forum earlier today. Same post also includes the Metadata XML file that I used for the Poster Maker API on Travellermap, in case you're interested in playing with my toys (now that I've taken my turn with them).

Thanks! I might look into that later on.

 

[Spinward Flow]

As is always the case, you need to make a first draft in order to find your process mistakes/errors.
Then after "seeing what you did wrong" the first time around, you figure out what you need to do differently.

Aside from fixing a few UWPs that still have errors in them ... or additional adjustments to XBoat route lines ... or using the correct (Arial) font for italics and underlined italics of names ... the major visual improvement would be a modification of the world icons.

Specifically, the original world icon set I used tried to adhere as closely as possible to the original icon set (that dates all the way back to the Fifth Frontier War game set). For the icon update to put into a second draft, I figured that making the "outer ring" color twice as thick (and therefore more visible) would be very helpful.

So here's what happens when that change gets implemented.
Multi-posts required due to limits on number of images that can be included in each post.

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Asteroid Belt, Industrial, Non-agricultural

Asteroid Belt, Non-agricultural

Asteroid Belt, No Additional Trade Code Colors

 

[Spinward Flow]

Desert World, Hostile Atmosphere

Desert World, Industrial

Desert World, Industrial, Non-Agricultural, Poor

Desert World, Industrial, Poor

Desert World, Non-Agricultural

Desert World, Non-Agricultural, Poor

Desert World, No Additional Trade Code Colors

Desert World, Poor

Desert World, Rich

Fluid Oceans, Hostile Atmosphere

 

[Spinward Flow]

Ice Capped, Industrial

Ice Capped, Industrial, Non-Agricultural

Ice Capped, Non-Agricultural

Ice Capped, No Additional Trade Code Colors

Vacuum World, Industrial

Vacuum World, Industrial, Non-Agricultural

Vacuum World, Non-Agricultural

Vacuum World, No Additional Trade Code Colors

 

[Spinward Flow]

Water Ocean, Agricultural

Water Ocean, Agricultural, Rich

Water Ocean, Industrial

Water Ocean, Industrial, Non-Agricultural

Water Ocean, Industrial, Non-Agricultural, Poor

Water Ocean, Industrial, Poor

Water Ocean, Non-Agricultural

Water Ocean, Non-Agricultural, Poor

 

[Spinward Flow]

Water Ocean, No Additional Trade Code Colors

Water Ocean, Poor

Water Ocean, Rich

Water World, Industrial

Water World, No Additional Trade Code Colors

Water World, Rich

... and yes, I know that the Blue color for the (now thickened) ring is very hard to see against the white background of these forums due to color contrast (white -> black -> blue), it actually IS easier to see when placed on a black background (such as a sector map).

So I think I'll make a v2 of my Spinward Marches sector map image (as time and inclination permits) to correct any errors I made in the previous draft and to tidy up some loose ends while improving the visual language slightly for easier readability.

 

[Spinward Flow]

So I think I'll make a v2 of my Spinward Marches sector map image (as time and inclination permits) to correct any errors I made in the previous draft and to tidy up some loose ends while improving the visual language slightly for easier readability.

Now that I'm "temporarily done" with Pondering Starship Evolution for a bit, I've decided to turn my attention back to doing a v2 of the Spinward Marches subsector with the latest set of world icons (with the thicker rings denoting hydrographics: 0/1-9/A differences) and to fix a few errors I found on the map in the v1 pass completed earlier in this thread.

Imgur LINK depicting new v2 world colors from Qronor through Jewell, Regina and Aramis subsectors.

The thicker rings on world icons are making the colors a LOT more readable (especially at 100% scaling on screen).
Regina subsector has 2 Hydrographics: A worlds ... and the Aramis subsector has 3. Seen in context on a sector map makes it a lot easier to see the BLUE ring color around:

• Roup/Regina
• Moughas/Regina
• Heguz/Aramis
• Nasemin/Aramis
• L'oeul d'Dieu/Aramis

Likewise the YELLOW for Hydrographics: 0 is also a lot easier to see, as is the RED for Fluid Oceans on worlds with Atmosphere: A-C and Hydrographics: 1+. Even the CYAN for water oceans is more easily discernable (although it's still a challenge to differentiate it from the green center on Agricultural worlds).

Also, I'm using the "correct font" this time (Arial, bold, 5 point) so there isn't as much ... discontinuity ... around the use of italics for Population: 5-6 world names and the use of underlined italics for Population: 1-4 world names.



Now that I've got the process down for how to do all of this, I might be able to finish off this v2 update to the Spinward Marches sector by the end of the week (assuming nothing else crops up in the meantime).