Personal Point Defense

[Icosahedron]

Meson gun battledress??

Nah, I'm a gearhead, but FF&S was too gearheady even for me - and, more importantly, was broken in too many places (eg you can make meson battledress, but can'tmake a body pistol.

Personally, I design most of my gear with houseruled Striker.

My smallest Meson guns are the 1 ton variety from Striker, and I reckon that's the way it should be. YMMV.

You can make personal point defence with Striker, though, especially with my houserules.

 

[sabredog]

Oh, but think of what a babe-magnet a personal meson gun would be!

Or would that just be waaaay over-compensating for something?o:

 

[aramis]

the beam pointer is huge, dude. The tube's only 2m long and 20cm diameter But it needs a couple hundred liter fusion plant...

In short, it's practically harmless, and the size of a TOW.

 

[sabredog]

Reminds me of when some players got the bright idea of painting the nuclear warning symbol on a load of missiles they were having ostentatiously delivered at the port they were in. They figured the word would get around and they wouldn't be messed with by some local pirates they had heard were lurking around looking for free traders to pick off.

They got someone's attention alright, they were paid a visit by a revenue cutter right after launch and had the shipment confiscated and were barely able to talk their way out of a fine and prison.

They kept trying to explain the ploy to the commander but she wouldn't believe them. She said, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, or else you guys think I'm the dumbest person you've ever met. Either way I'm taking these with me and you can count yourselves lucky you never used them."

 

[Ran Targas]

I read some where that the U.S. Army was messing around with high voltage static discharge as a potential anti-projectile defense; sort of a big radar activated, bug zapper. I think the concept is to liquify a projectile before it can impart its kinetic energy on a target. Maybe viable enough for Trav.

 

[Gadrin]

Reminds me of when some players got the bright idea of painting the nuclear warning symbol on a load of missiles they were having ostentatiously delivered at the port they were in. They figured the word would get around and they wouldn't be messed with by some local pirates they had heard were lurking around looking for free traders to pick off.

They got someone's attention alright, they were paid a visit by a revenue cutter right after launch and had the shipment confiscated and were barely able to talk their way out of a fine and prison.

They kept trying to explain the ploy to the commander but she wouldn't believe them. She said, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, or else you guys think I'm the dumbest person you've ever met. Either way I'm taking these with me and you can count yourselves lucky you never used them."

So they were real nukes ? o:

I'd have a court-order to have them examined (especially if it's a costly
load). A civilian should be able to file the papers themselves.

Unless there's a local prohibition about false-marking. Make sure you
research that too. Of course the cat's outta the bag once it gets dropped.

>

 

[sabredog]

So they were real nukes ? o:

I'd have a court-order to have them examined (especially if it's a costly
load). A civilian should be able to file the papers themselves.

Unless there's a local prohibition about false-marking. Make sure you
research that too. Of course the cat's outta the bag once it gets dropped.

>

No, they were fakes. The cutter officer was just making an example out of the players for being so dumb as false marking something like that when they knew it would be illegal to even attempt to buy the real thing. Like how pointing a toy gun (that you painted to look real) at someone and threatening them with it as if it were real can get you thrown in jail or cited even if no on would ever have been hurt.

She knew they were fake the second she laid eyes on them.The players tried to plead their case, but she is a harda$$ and wouldn't have it. "No way I'm that stupid - I think those are real nukes and you guys are in biiiiig trouble! Yup, those babies are coming with me. Nobody would be trying to pass off regular missiles as nukes if they weren't up to something. So either those are real, or you guys are up to no good, Yessiree, you guys are in trouble."

Since then they've started taking law levels and things like not insisting on wearing heavy armor and longarms everywhere they go when dirtside and acting more like normal people would instead of like they are playing D&D In Space. Jeez, some of them practically sleep in combat armor and keep their ACR with them like a security blanket.

I finally had enough when they burnt down a bar in a fight because one of them pulled out a thermite grenade a threw it at a guy who was coming at him with a beer bottle. A beer bottle! Holy Overkill, Batman! The whole place went up in smoke, half the yuppie fernbar next door went up in flames and then the idiots were getting ready to take on the cops with their heavy weapons. Man, they may be out on the frontier but sheesh, things were getting outta hand and I had to rein them in a wee bit. The cops gassed the players into submission and I suggested maybe no more Red Bull and Mountain Dew shooters in the game sessions.

 

[sabredog]

I read some where that the U.S. Army was messing around with high voltage static discharge as a potential anti-projectile defense; sort of a big radar activated, bug zapper. I think the concept is to liquify a projectile before it can impart its kinetic energy on a target. Maybe viable enough for Trav.

I read last year (I think, maybe this year?) that the US and British were both working on some sort of electronic shielding to do that, or create a stand-off shield for ATGM's by setting off the warhead before impact by using a static charge. It was supposed to help defeat two-stage penetrator warheads that way.

I can't find anything about it in my brief search, but I'll keep looking. I wonder what the crew felt when the charge went off? Everyone's hair shoots straight up and they all get a laugh out of zapping the the first guy they see when they get out of the tank with the static build up?

The Russians have that Shtora anti-missile system that seems pretty zoomy. It even automatically slews the turret in the direction of the threat while trying to hijack the missile electronics and fire smoke and laser jammers. One version they were developing even had the reactive armor blocks automatically fire in the direction of the missile to intercept it prior to contact to defeat two-stage HEAP warheads. Kinda tough on the supporting infantry to have the sides of the tank firing off random claymores if you ask me, so maybe thats why the current version deson't do that.

If this sort of thing is being developed now just image point-defense at TL-15.

http://defense-update.com/products/s/shtora-1.htm

 

[far-trader]

...

Nah, I'm a gearhead, but FF&S was too gearheady even for me - and, more importantly, was broken in too many places (eg you can make meson battledress, but can't make a body pistol.

Just curious, could you define "body pistol" in this usage? I'm sure I did it (made one in FF&S1) back in the day. True though, FF&S breaks down severely much beyond the middle it seems meant to be used at. Design a weapon too big or too small (barrel, calibre, etc) and the results are dubious. You probably could make meson battledress but it wouldn't be a balanced design (i.e. you'd be using the rules/formula beyond the realm they are meant to model).

But even so, to make a body pistol (most weapons) in TNE (or any other Traveller game) I'd probably just interpolate and fudge rather than going through the design process (it's a lot of work, and after doing a couple to see how it worked I didn't bother much again).

 

[Gaming Glen]

I finally had enough when they burnt down a bar in a fight because one of them pulled out a thermite grenade a threw it at a guy who was coming at him with a beer bottle. A beer bottle! Holy Overkill, Batman! The whole place went up in smoke, half the yuppie fernbar next door went up in flames and then the idiots were getting ready to take on the cops with their heavy weapons. Man, they may be out on the frontier but sheesh, things were getting outta hand and I had to rein them in a wee bit. The cops gassed the players into submission and I suggested maybe no more Red Bull and Mountain Dew shooters in the game sessions.

Maybe having their characters spending a "4-year term" in jail for such antics would cool their heads, with little if any chance for character improvement. But they might make a new contact, named "Bubba". Also, their expensive possessions might be confiscated to pay for damages and trauma treatment of survivors.

Say, is there a "prisoner" career :smirk:, or close proximity, in any of the versions of Traveller?

 

[sabredog]

That would be great for learning baseball because skills like Pitching and Catching are really important and can help make you more popular with your team mates, er uh, cell mates. Well, you know.

And Liason for being a snitch, Brawling, Armorer (learn how to make shanks and the like), and lots of boosts to strength by lifting weights.

Of course the survival roll might be higher than the Scouts have, but you could use your sports skills and strength to help with positive DM's.

 

[Icosahedron]

I read some where that the U.S. Army was messing around with high voltage static discharge as a potential anti-projectile defense; sort of a big radar activated, bug zapper. I think the concept is to liquify a projectile before it can impart its kinetic energy on a target. Maybe viable enough for Trav.

There was a device of this type in T4 IIRC.

Just curious, could you define "body pistol" in this usage? I'm sure I did it (made one in FF&S1) back in the day. True though, FF&S breaks down severely much beyond the middle it seems meant to be used at. Design a weapon too big or too small (barrel, calibre, etc) and the results are dubious. You probably could make meson battledress but it wouldn't be a balanced design (i.e. you'd be using the rules/formula beyond the realm they are meant to model).

But even so, to make a body pistol (most weapons) in TNE (or any other Traveller game) I'd probably just interpolate and fudge rather than going through the design process (it's a lot of work, and after doing a couple to see how it worked I didn't bother much again).

It was a long time ago, but IIRC there was a minimum receiver length of 15cm or so and I wanted the whole gun to be shorter than this. Also, when I fitted a 2 inch barrel, the effective range went negative, or some such, and the penetration was worse than a cork gun. FF&S wasn't very effective at making small handguns and I ended up houseruling a lot.

I wanted to create a few generic gun types with FF&S, just cos I'm a gearhead, and the BP was one of them. Yeah, I got bored with it quickly too.

Maybe having their characters spending a "4-year term" in jail for such antics would cool their heads, with little if any chance for character improvement. But they might make a new contact, named "Bubba". Also, their expensive possessions might be confiscated to pay for damages and trauma treatment of survivors.

Say, is there a "prisoner" career :smirk:, or close proximity, in any of the versions of Traveller?

4 year jail term and confiscation. I like it. :devil:

I made a Slave career once.

 

[aramis]

Say, is there a "prisoner" career :smirk:, or close proximity, in any of the versions of Traveller?

TNE has one.

 

[sabredog]

Rogues from Citizens of the Imperium maybe? You could just say the skills get picked up in prison and the ref could roll a 4 sided die to see how many "terms" have to be "served". Then let the player continue in "Other" or "Pirate" if they want to.

 

[Gaming Glen]

Rogues from Citizens of the Imperium maybe? You could just say the skills get picked up in prison and the ref could roll a 4 sided die to see how many "terms" have to be "served". Then let the player continue in "Other" or "Pirate" if they want to.

"4 sided die"?

Shame on you!

 

[sabredog]

I'm sorry, I'm weak.

But my polysides look so lonely gathering dust. They cry out to me in the night, "Play with us...give in to D&D...you don't need no stinkin' lasers..."

 

[BlackBat242]

Maybe having their characters spending a "4-year term" in jail for such antics would cool their heads, with little if any chance for character improvement. But they might make a new contact, named "Bubba". Also, their expensive possessions might be confiscated to pay for damages and trauma treatment of survivors.

Say, is there a "prisoner" career :smirk:, or close proximity, in any of the versions of Traveller?

In the Dragon magazine article* on expanded Rogue career generation, one section is for rolls of "prison" assignments during chargen.

There are 3 "general assignment" tables, On-world, Off-world, and Prison. Prison has specific assignments of:
2 Mine labor
3 Factory labor
4 Detention camp
5 Cell confinement
6 Factory labor
7 Job education
8 Detention camp
9 Cell confinement
10 Mine labor
11 special (assigned to inform on other inmates, if refused, then sent to mine labor)
12 special (assigned to inform on other inmates, if refused, then sent to mine labor)

You can gain "connections", either with inmates, guards, or the Warden.

*issue #97, Rogues of the Galaxy.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

No LASERs?

I'm sorry, I'm weak.

But my polysides look so lonely gathering dust. They cry out to me in the night, "Play with us...give in to D&D...you don't need no stinkin' lasers..."

Now that is just sick and incorrect, gentlebeing!

You're a bleeding sophont. Go and explain it to them nicely that a TAS Life Membership, shottie, cutlass and a bloody LASER pistol solves a whooolllle bunch a problems right nice. For everything else there is Imperial Drop Marines. :smirk:

If they refuse to listen, muffle 'em with more D6s, that'll fix 'em!

And a D6 is of course a better directional die, since like space it gives a standard North, South, East, West, with a pip for Up and Down. Much more sensible.

 

[aramis]

I'm sorry, I'm weak.

But my polysides look so lonely gathering dust. They cry out to me in the night, "Play with us...give in to D&D...you don't need no stinkin' lasers..."

That's when you go and play T20!

 

[sabredog]

That's when you go and play T20!

Ahhhhh....noooooo.....

Ok, ok, I just nuked my polyhedrals in the microwave and shall sin no more.

But if I switched just one more house rule, let alone an entire ruleset again my players would throw me a in pond tied in a sack filled with rabid raccoons.