Let's see what I can find with a grep...
"black globe"
TTB 86 TL table entry TL15.
TTB 155 in LD entry on Research stations, reference to subjects.
ST 16 same TL table as TTB 86
A2 p44 same LD entry as TTB155
A4 41 data block for the kinunir class
A5 30 reference for code 4 BG in 1982 TCS tournaments.
A12 14-15 LD entry on BG's...
A12 37 LD entry on "Naval Site" references cache on Kinorbes. page lists 6 known ancient sites in the marches.
AM5 5 LD entry Black Globes (same as A12)
AM5 44 RLD entry on ancients sites in the marches
AM5 46 offhand reference to a BG holder.
5FW 9 reference in rules
5FW 19 rules on use, reference to 4 batrons having BGs.
S5 3 1071 refurb includes AHL's getting BGGs; shortage left two without until 1104, however.
S8 33 LD Imperial Research Station
S9 19, 32, 42: class has variant carrying a BGG.
JTAS6 23. Note that this is High Guard ship system in its JTAS appearance.
JTAS7 18 rule crossreference; this is the combat system for HG in JTAS.
JTAS7 21 BG combat rule for HG.
JTAS8 20,22 HG combat tables
JTAS20 44 only a BG can stop an APAWS.
JTAS24 33 Leroy Guatney's article on HG and TCS campaigns references them.
MTPM 38 skill list entry
MTIE 28 Imperial Research LD entry.
MTRM 60 description of BG
MTRM 80 design tables for BG
MTRM 94 Damage table explanations
MTRM 95-96 combat rules for BGGs
THB004 208-209 combat rules for BGGs in T20
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There is a note on S9 p42 that 50% are nonfunctional as of the date of S9, 1000 to 1107
A12 14-15
Black Globes: Rarely do excavations of Ancient sites produce working artifacts. One site proved to be a treasure trove with more than 2,000 operating black globe generators almost waiting to be installed in Imperial ships. Black globes typify the incomprehensible artifacts of the Ancients: each of the devices found is a small metal device measuring about 300 cm on a side with a shiny metal finish. Two minor discolorations on the surface are the on and off switches.
When the device is activated, it projects a black force field in a sphere around the device at a radius of about one meter. In the first experiments with the device, a researcher was cut in half by the force field when he touched the switch; in the second, it was activated remotely by a rod. Both of the black globes could not then be turned off because the off switch was inside the force field.
The black globe was adopted by the Imperial Navy as a form of armor for its fighting ships. Using the many black globe devices found, the Navy has been able to produce crude duplicates of them, but researchers are still a long way from a good understanding of how these devices work.
A12 37
Naval Site: The lmperial Navy administers a site on Knorbes. Elaborate precautions have been taken to conceal the fact that a site even exists, while similarly elaborate security measures trap and detain intruders.
The Navy has made this site a major excavation project; the Ancient base was originally destroyed when a massive attack cratered the area and then toppled mountains into the craters. In the thousands of years since, erosion has uncovered the
ruined brick and mortar buildings of the site. Of especial interest is the large cache of black globe force field generators discovered here.
Conclusions
1071 clearly is the latest possible date for first marches use of found BGG's; it probably is earlier. I would interpret from both the 5FW and S5 references that in 1104, manufacture began of copies; that's an interpretation, mind you, but I think it fits well, especially given the "date" of rules.
