Odyssey ... new chapter

[Hemdian]

Okay, so I’m on a roadtrip across 2 Canadian provinces and 3 US states which means I’m limited on what I can do at the moment (no programming, for example). But for those who are following it the next chapter of The Odyssey Of The Bard Refuge has been posted. All feedback gratefully received, even if it’s just to let me know you want me to continue.

I’ve made a minor global change this time around: “hand computers” are now called “minicomps”. The old name, apart from being a mouthful, implied something you hold in your hand but the illustration DGP (?) did was of something you strap to your forearm.

I’ve rushed the final review of this chapter a bit so I might need to make some minor changes ... I’m not sure. But I’ve just joined a writing group and needed to get this uploaded ahead of the next meeting.

 

[Spinward Scout]

How about 'wristcomp'? (Which is pretty much what your iPhone is going to be once someone figures out you can strap it to your arm...)

 

[Hemdian]

Hmmm ... that makes it sound like a 'Dick Tracy' super-watch kind of thing. This is a whole forearm, which would be a 'forearmcomp' (or maybe a 'vambracecomp'). None of which work for me.

 

[Peter Schutze]

datasleeve ?

 

[Hemdian]

datasleeve ?

Interesting name. I’m not sure it works for me in this instance but I’m going to keep that name in the back of my mind for a similar device. Thanks.

 

[Hemdian]

Here’s a question: A reader who isn’t familiar with Traveller has mentioned that the presence of a 9mm autopistol and an SMG in the story seem anachronistic. (One was on the dead sentry guarding the main bridge, the other was in the initial equipment bins for the frozen watch.) Does anyone else feel they are anachronistic and would something else be better? I’m thinking of a gauss pistol as an alternative. The counterargument is that contemporary style firearms featured in the film “Aliens” yet didn’t seem out of place there ... or were they?

Thoughts?

 

[Spinward Scout]

Here’s a question: A reader who isn’t familiar with Traveller has mentioned that the presence of a 9mm autopistol and an SMG in the story seem anachronistic. (One was on the dead sentry guarding the main bridge, the other was in the initial equipment bins for the frozen watch.) Does anyone else feel they are anachronistic and would something else be better? I’m thinking of a gauss pistol as an alternative. The counterargument is that contemporary style firearms featured in the film “Aliens” yet didn’t seem out of place there ... or were they?

Thoughts?

Depends what the TL is. 9mm autopistol and SMGs exist now at tech level 7-8 (9?). If the TL in the story is higher than that, update the Tech. Gauss rifles and pistols might add some futuristic tech to the story.

I've always had a bit of a problem with slugthrowers in a futuristic game.

 

[HiverLord]

Depends what the TL is. 9mm autopistol and SMGs exist now at tech level 7-8 (9?). If the TL in the story is higher than that, update the Tech. Gauss rifles and pistols might add some futuristic tech to the story.

I've always had a bit of a problem with slugthrowers in a futuristic game.

[I'll preface this by stating that I haven't read the story yet - not enough time in the day...]

Availability is also a consideration. The setting may be in the future, but the guard/person in question may not have access to higher tech for any number of reasons.

Money: the guard may have to purchase his own gear, and the slugthrower was all he could afford, assuming the higher TL items are more expensive.
Legality: Slugthrowers may be perfectly legal, esp for a guard (?), but the near-silent Gauss guns may be illegal for non-police purchase or use. Ditto for lasers, perhaps.
Preference: The guard may prefer the lower tech gear, for any number of reasons, though this could be related to the above reasons as well; maybe he likes the 'kick' of the older tech weapons; maybe they are more intimidating in his line of work...
Reliability: Perhaps the lower tech weapon is hardier in the field (though I don't really see this as an issue at higher TL's).

[I work in the security industry, and I've seen varying instances of each of these over the years.]

 

[Hemdian]

Well these were serving IN personnel on an IN ship. OTU, or near OTU. TL max 14.

For a general naval service sidearm the options seemed to be autopistol (or similar), gauss pistol, or laser pistol. Under MT rules the gauss pistol was slightly more expensive*, had a better range (unnecessary within ship confines) and less recoil (helpful if ever in zero-G), and double the penetration (good against armour but bad for collateral damage on missed shots?). And the laser pistol was 15 times the price* (ouch), had a better range (unnecessary within ship confines) and no recoil (very helpful if ever in zero-G), triple the penetration (yikes), and significantly more bulky (linked to belt mounted battery pack).

* = For price the guard doesn’t pay but if this were a general purchase for all ship’s troops it becomes a budget line item.

For the sentry I’d picked an SMG over a sidearm for a number of reasons but there doesn’t seem to be a gauss equivalent short of a full gauss rifle (which seemed a little unwieldy in a close quarters confined space). I guess I could ‘invent’ a gauss SMG.

 

[aramis]

You forgot the Snub and Auto-snub.

A quick look at the AHL counters PDF shows a LOT of "SP" for the Imperial counters.

Imp Nav: 25 SP, 9 AP, 7 Acl, 2 LC

Imp Mar: 14 GR, 14 FG, 2 LC

SP is snub pistol
AP is autopistol
Acl is Accelerator Rifle
LC is Laser Carbine.
GR is gauss rifle
FG is fusion gun

 

[HiverLord]

Makes perfect sense. (As stated, haven't had time to read the story yet... perhaps one of these years... )
Me personally, I'd stick with your original choices, FWIW.

 

[McPerth]

For a general naval service sidearm the options seemed to be autopistol (or similar), gauss pistol, or laser pistol.

You forgot the Snub and Auto-snub.

Most times I've played Traveller, the standard weapon for ship crews was the Snub. The fact it has low recoil for zero-g cbt and several kinds of ammunition, allowing the user to face many diferent situations and yet have a useful weapon makes it, IMHO, a good ship internal seccurity sidearm.

The most usual variant in our games was the Snub revolver, usually loaded with 5 tranq rounds and 1 HE/HEAP, mostly to be used as internal security weapon (with tranq) or close defense (HE/HEAP). The fact that is was a revolver allowed you to choose the round to fire, while an auto-snub would have a predetermined sequence. Of course, when heavier trouble was expected, the layout of the ammo rounds was quite diferent...

For the sentry I’d picked an SMG over a sidearm for a number of reasons but there doesn’t seem to be a gauss equivalent short of a full gauss rifle (which seemed a little unwieldy in a close quarters confined space). I guess I could ‘invent’ a gauss SMG.

Maybe the gauss weapons just have too much penetration, with the possible collateral damage (to ship systems). I dont believe a magnetic weapon can shoot the non-metallic rounds used when you just try to avoid this damage (as the ones used by the seccurity on a plane). A SMG, on the other hand, could probably use them.