When were Black Globes found?

[Grognard]

Yes, I Was referring to identifying the TL of the installed BG...TL 15, 25 tons, or TL21 2 tons....

 

[Whipsnade]

Are there OTU Hiver or pre-Maghiz Darrain designs that have BG's?

Seriayne,

I'd say "Yes" for the Hivers having globes because the Hivers have fought wars and they've seen the Imperium using them.

Conversely, I'd say "No" for the pre-Maghiz Darrians having globes because they never fought wars and never saw the Imperium using them.

The globe is an example of "backwards technology". That is, globes are being built at TL15 after already being theorized and invented at tech levels well in advance of TL15. Ever hear the phrase "Knowing is half the battle"? That's what's at work here.

I can build a crystal radio set at TL1 or so, but i won't know about radio until TL4 or 5. Similarly, there's a field expedient "refrigerator" medical missions in the Third Word routinely use to keep vaccines cool. It consists of two pots, some fine sand, and water with the cooling achieved through water evaporation. You can build it at TL0 but you can't envision it until you understand thermodynamics.

The globes are like that. You need to be at a certain TL to even think about developing them but, once you've got the theory out of the way, you can build them at much lower tech levels.

So, the Ancients theorize and build the first globes at TL15+++, the Imperium is able to operate and copy the globes at TL15, and the Hivers are able to see what the Imperium is doing and follow suit.


Regards,
Bill

 

[aramis]

Given that the TL15 BG is described as "experimental," that tends to imply mature BG tech is TL16 or TL17... given that "experimental" designs can be built up to 2 TL's lower.

I tend to agree with Bill that the BGs built by the 3I are reverse engineering at work, and it's probably a TL17 design that the theory is TL16, but knowing it can be done results in being able to do it at TL15.

 

[Seriayne]

I can build a crystal radio set at TL1 or so, but i won't know about radio until TL4 or 5. Similarly, there's a field expedient "refrigerator" medical missions in the Third Word routinely use to keep vaccines cool. It consists of two pots, some fine sand, and water with the cooling achieved through water evaporation. You can build it at TL0 but you can't envision it until you understand thermodynamics.

Gotcha

Or the anti-gorn cannon Kirk made with what was lying around on the surface of a planet (fun Mythbusters btw).

So original tech was high, but you only need a minimum of TL 15 infrastructure to make the first practical black globes if you have the theory down.