errata
Errata
Reading preview
Source wording preserved. The original download is available separately.
From the just-posted (to GEnie) errata files for the TNE rulebook:
The "personal combat" penetration ratings for all Plasma guns is
1-2-10. That for Fusion guns is 1/2-1-4.
The Industrial atmosphere range 2-4 is indeed a typo, as noted.
It should be 2-,4,7,9.
The Laser Rifle-9 has a penetration of nil/3-nil (for the two
modes of fire), and the Laser Rifle-13 has a penetration of 3
(it does _not_ fall with distance).
The currently available errata is described as "interim", so
I hesitate to post it all just yet, especially considering the
huge errata/opinion files posted earlier this week. Starship
Errata will be published in Brilliant Lances. The printing
location of the rest of it has not (so far as I know) been
decided. Loren will probably let the TML know when he gets
back from summer Convention season.
=============================================================================
Bundle: 479
Archive-Message-Number: 5735
From: l.wiseman1@genie.geis.com
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 93 04:44:00 BST
Subject: Errata
Combat starts on page 263, not 363.
Page 38
Stellar Regions DMs Table
Under "Wilds," wear value reference should be 10, not 8.
Page 186
4 World Size
Should be 2D6@2
5 Atmosphere
Should be 2D6@7 + World Size
6 Hydrographics
Should be 2D@7 + World Size
8 Government
Should be 2D@7 + Population
9 Law Level
Should be 2D@7 + Government
Page 187
12 Trade Classification
Atmosphere for Industrial class should be "2@, 4, 7, 9"
Page 191
A number of players have expressed concern that there
are now two parallel sets of government type codes, one for
the Wilds, and one for use elsewhere, as this will cause
confusion when reading UWPs. Players should think of the
government digit not as a firm definition in the same man-
ner as a size or hydrographics code. Rather, it is a
descriptive tool to help create an effective roleplaying
atmosphere. Unlike all other digits of the UWP which are
quantifiable, government type is highly descriptive in na-
ture and is often a judgement call. For example, is a board
of directors a Participating Democracy, a
Company/Corporation, or a Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy?
Future Traveller: The New Era products will expand and
further detail world governmental descriptions. The basic
book was not able to contain such a system for reasons of
space, and because the game had to allow players to gener-
ate pre-Collapse Imperial worlds, the classic Traveller
method of government generation was retained as an interim
system. In providing the Wilds government types, we aimed
to increase the diversity of world types that can be
visited, and further fuel players' imaginations. Like real
governments, UWP government digits can change unpredict-
ably, and exist to help referees create interesting cam-
paigns, rather than existing as ends in themselves.
Page 196
Travel Movement Table
Some of the Travel Moves are off. The correct values
should be:
Heavy cargo truck 85/10
Ground car 260/50
Hovercraft 240/195
Tracked ATV 150/65
Range truck 240/85
Wheeled ATV 175/65
Air raft (open) 1440/260
G-Carrier 2880/260
Enclosed air raft 2880/260
Grav tank 2400/345
Speeder 3360/390
Grav Bike 720/85
Page 199
Effects of Fatigue
For the fatigue effects on fire, it is simpler to think of
the fatigue effects as +DMs used on a normal task die roll
than as subtractions from the target number.
Page 236
5 Sourceworld Trade Classifications
Atmosphere for Industrial class should be "2@, 4, 7, 9"
Page 288
Upon further testing, we have decided that the following
wound effects provide more entertaining and dynamic play,
and suggest that all players use these instead.
Serious Wounds: the roll to avoid losing conciousness every
turn in which the character attempts an activity becomes a
Difficult roll against Constitution. Characters who have
lost conciousness make a Formidable roll against their Con-
stitution each turn to attempt to regain conciousness.
Critical Wounds: The roll to regain conciousness is made
each combat turn, and is a D100 (percentile) roll against
the Constitution attribute.
Page 289
Add the following new rule for the use of the personal
medical kit, immediately before the "Stabilizing Critical
Wounds" section.
Use of a personal medical kit (page 334) allows a character
with neither Medical skill nor a doctor's medical kit to
avoid the unskilled penalty when attempting a first aid task
(thus it is a Formidable task using the character's EDU
attribute). One such use uses up the medical kit.
Page 292
Under Powerboats, the reference to "size one" should read
"Micro or SubMicro."
Page 301
Fire: The task to extinguish a fire should be Difficult
versus CON, not Formidable.
Page 302
In the example of the collision between the car and truck,
the following corrections should be made: "the car is hit
with a value of (95x2)M-v10, or 19," "which means that (19@1=)
18 is referenced," and "As a result, (9@1=) 8 points are
takento the Vehicle Damage Results Table." In the tandem
bicycle example, the check versus Agility should be Average,
not Difficult.
Page 315
In the second-to-last paragraph, delete the reference to
the limit on maximum simultaneous sensor locks.
Page 325
Delete Hit Location table in lower left-hand corner of
page, as it is redundant. Use Ship Facing tables at upper
right for hit location.
On Ship Facing/Beam Weapon Fire table, "Fore Quarter" line
should read: "reroll results of 16 through 20."
Page 340
Communication Equipment
The in-text range of 500 km for both the Communicator,
Laser, and Communicator, Video, should be changed to 300 km,
and all references to the term "regional range" should be
deleted.
Page 348
Laser Turret Table
the TL 14 150 Mj laser turret should have an Extreme range
listing of "16:1/10-30."
Page 351
Slug Rifles and Carbines
The double-barrel rifle mentioned in the note is 12mm, not
13, and its magazine listing in the table should be 2i.
Page 354
Small Arms
Several people have if the recoil figures for the 4mm Gauss
Pistol-13 are in error. They are not. Because Traveller: The
New Era uses a more realistic system (developed for
Twilight: 2000) for rating firearms based on weapon weight,
round weight, and muzzle velocity, than Traveller did,
weapons that were created for Traveller do not always work
well when using their original Traveller specifications. The
gauss pistol listed here is such an example of a weapon
rated into Traveller: The New Era using its original
Traveller specifications. The recoil is high because it is
specified as being such a light weapon for its high muzzle
velocity. We have theorized that this is a light, easily
concealable, hold-out weapon that is hard to control.
Another gauss pistol design, intended to be more control-
lable in combat, is as follows.
----- Weight -------- ----- Price -----
Caliber TL Ammo Empty Lded Ammo Mag Wpn Ammo
4mm Gauss Auto 13 4mm Gs 0.8 1.02 .014515 600 1.3/20
--- Recoil ---
Weapon RoF Dam Pen Blk Mag SS Brst Rng
4mm Gauss Cbt Auto 3 1 1-Nil 1 15 3 5 30
Page 355
Lasers
The Laser Rifle-9 (8cm) should have a Pen of Nil/3-Nil.
The Laser Rifle-13 (4cm) should have a Pen of 3. This
Penetration does not attenuate with distance.
High Energy Weapons
The numbers listed under "Pen" are the weapons' Penetration
Values for use against vehicles, see page 297. The penetra-
tion ratings for use against personnel according to the
rules on page 285 were inadvertently omitted. These ratings
are 1-2-10 for all plasma guns and 1/2-1-4 for all fusion
guns.
Correct range for Fusion Rifle-14 is 50, and Fusion Rifle-
15 is 70.
Pages 360-365
Vehicle Data
Many of the vehicles have no listed configuration or an
incomplete configuration. In addition, Travel Moves and
grav vehicle Combat Moves need to be corrected. Their cor-
rect configurations and Moves are as follows. The notation
Unarmored refers to the Unarmored Vehicles rule on page 301,
and the references to turrets refer to the Hit Location rule
on page 297. Any Travel or Combat moves that are not listed
do not need correction.
Note that travel moves for ground vehicles assume that
the vehicle is moving at a rate of 1.5 times its safe speed
for a period of four hours. This means that a ground vehicle
could go farther than this during a four-hour period. The
absolute upper limit is twice the listed travel move, which
translates to the vehicle's driver making constant For-
midable driving rolls for a period of four hours.
Travel moves for aircraft and grav vehicles are in the
format high flight speed/NOE speed. For NOE speed, the
Travel Move is 1.5 times the safe speed for four hours, just
as for ground vehicles. Because high flight speed is an ab-
solute speed at high altitude, the high flight Travel Move
is four hours at this speed, with no need for
driving/piloting checks (except in the case of bad weather,
etc., at the referee's discretion).
Heavy Cargo Truck: Travel Move: 85/10; Configuration:
Vehicle (Unarmored)
Ground Car: Travel Move: 260/50; Configuration: Vehicle
(Unarmored)
Hovercraft: Travel Move: 240/195; Configuration:
Vehicle (no turret)
Tracked ATV: Travel Move: 150/65; Configuration:
Vehicle (no turret)
Range Truck: Travel Move: 240/85; Configuration:
Vehicle (Unarmored)
Wheeled ATV: Travel Move: 175/65; Configuration:
Vehicle (no turret)
Air Raft: Travel Move: 1440/260; Combat Move: 50/6;
Configuration: Vehicle (Unarmored)
G-Carrier: Travel Move: 2880/260; Combat Move: 100/6;
Configuration: Vehicle (Small Turret)
Enclosed Air Raft: Travel Move: 2880/260; Combat Move:
100/6; Configuration: Vehicle (no turret)
Grav Tank: Travel Move: 2400/345; Combat Move: 83/8;
Configuration: Vehicle (Turret)
Speeder: Travel Move: 3360/390; Combat Move: 117/9;
Configuration: Vehicle (no turret)
Grav Bike: Travel Move: 720/85; Combat Move: 25/2; Con-
figuration: Use "Firing at Riders" (page 277) and
"Motorcycles" (page 301)
Page 363
G-Carrier
20 Mj plasma crade gun Damage should be 16, and Penetration
Values should be 16-8-1.
Page 364
Grav Tank
120 Mj fusion cradle gun Range should be 600*.
Pages 366-379
Starships
Starship errata will be corrected in Brilliant Lances:
Traveller Starship Combat, and will become available at that
time.
=============================================================================
Traveller: The New Era --- ERRATA SHEET, version 1.00, 6/26/93
Compiled by Guy Garnett (GG). Contributions from Joe Heck (JH), Chris
Olsen (CO), Steve Higginbotham (SH), Bertil Jonell (BJ), Grant Sinclair (GS),
John Driver (JD), Mark Gelinas (MG), Kelly Harrison (KH), and Mark Urbin (MU).
Helpful suggestions from the Traveller Mailing List.
Each entry identifies severity of the error and provides enough
information to find it on the page. The severity scale is set out on the
table below.
Severity and Number Occurring
TYPO (19) Typographical or spelling error with no impact on game
play.
NIT (46) Factual or logical error with minimal impact on game play.
MINOR (37) Factual or logical error that may cause confusion, but has
minor impact on game play and should have no impact on
future products.
MAJOR (3) An error which may seriously affect game play, or may have
serious impact on future products.
SEVERE (6) An error which makes a section of the rules unplayable as
published.
Each entry then describes what is in error, and provides a suggested fix
for the problem. In some cases, several different fixes are possible; the
preferable one is listed first, with alternates following it.
Some entries have commentary, which explain why the item is believed to be
in error, provide the rationale used to construct the fix, or discuss the
merits of the alternate fixes.
Each entry closes with an attribution, the person who first reported the
error to me (in many cases, multiple people have spotted each error; many
thanks to all of you!).
SEVERE: pp.186, Step 4: World Size
The instruction "Roll 2D6 for World Size." is incorrect.
Fix: Change it to "Roll 2D6-2 for World Size."
--- CO
SEVERE: pp.186, Step 5: Atmosphere
The instruction "Roll 2D6+Size for Atmosphere." is incorrect.
Fix: Change it to "Roll 2D6-7+Size for Atmosphere."
--- CO
SEVERE: pp.186, Step 6: Hydrographics
The instruction "Roll 2D6+Size for Hydrographics." is incorrect.
Fix: Change it to "Roll 2D6-7+Size for Hydrographics."
--- CO
Commentary: As they currently read, the world generation rules are severely
broken and CANNOT generate some worlds (for instance, it's impossible to
generate a vacuum world and atmosphere codes 0-4 are NEVER possible). As
a matter of fact, you can't generate Earth (a major check I always apply to
world generation systems).
--- CO
SEVERE: pp.186, Step 8: Government
The instruction "Throw 2d6+Population." is incorrect.
Fix: Change it to "Throw 2d6-7+Population.".
--- JH
SEVERE: pp.186, Step 9: Law Level
The instruction "Throw 2D6+Government for Law Level." is incorrect.
Fix: Change it to "Throw 2D6-7+Government for Law Level.".
--- JH
SEVERE: Step 10: Technology Level
The "Technology Die Modifiers" table is incorrect. It currently reads:
Star Atmos- Hydro- Popu- Govern-
Level port Size sphere gra... lation ment
0 +2 +1 - - +1
1 +2 +1 - +1 -
2 +1 +1 - +1 -
3 +1 +1 - +1 -
4 +1 - - +1 -
5 - - - +1 +1
6 - - - - -
7 - - - - -
8 - - - - -
9 - - +1 +2 -
A +6 - +1 +2 +4 -
B +4 +1 -
C +2 +1 -
D - +1 -
E - +1 -2
F +1 -
X -4
Fix: It should read:
Star Atmos- Hydro- Popu- Govern-
Level port Size sphere gra... lation ment
0 +2 +1 - - +1
1 +2 +1 - +1 -
2 +1 +1 - +1 -
3 +1 +1 - +1 -
4 +1 - - +1 -
5 - - - +1 +1
6 - - - - -
7 - - - - -
8 - - - - -
9 - - +1 +2 -
A +6 - +1 +2 +4 -
B +4 +1 -
C +2 +1 -
D - +1 -2
E - +1 -
F +1 -
X -4
Commentary: The table in T:TNE seems to have suffered from missing tabs;
Chris' reconstruction inserted the tabs where they should go. However,
T:TNE has a -2 modifier for Government type E (Religious Oligarchy), where
MegaTraveller and Classic Traveller had a -2 for Government type D
(Religious Autocracy) and no modifier for Religious Oligarchy. I have
changed the table to agree with Classic Traveller.
--- CO, GG
MAJOR: pp.187, Step 12: Trade Classifications table
The "Fl" code should apply only to worlds with atmospheres A-C; types D, E,
and F have regions that are human-habitable, and therefore probably have
liquid water oceans. In addition, a world should only be barren ("Ba") if
its population multiplier is also zero; conversely, a world must have a
non-zero population multiplier in order to be non-industrial ("Ni").
Fix: Alter the "Fl" line of the table; replace atmosphere code "A+" with
"A-C". Add a note to the bottom of the table which states "A Barren world
must have a zero population multiplier; a Non-Industrial world must have a
non-zero population multiplier."
--- GS
MAJOR: pp.190, Step 1: Maximum Sustainable Population
Atmosphere types D, E, and F have regions that are human-habitable, and
therefore the ruling that "human life is not possible and the world is
uninhabited" should not apply to these worlds.
Fix: Replace the sentence with: "If the atmosphere is 0, 1, 2, 3, A, B, or
C, human life is not possible and the world is uninhabited: reduce the UWP
population code and population multiplier each to 0." Also insert the
following line to the Maximum Sustainable Population table, in the
Atmosphere section: "Factor: Atmos D, E, F Modification: -3".
--- GS
MAJOR: pp.191, Step 7: Government (impacts other parts of UWP generation)
The "Government Types in the Wilds" table describes an alternate coding for
government types, to be used in the Wilds. For example, Government 7 is
normally a Balkanized world, however in the wilds it is to be interpreted
as a Mystic Dictatorship. There is unfortunately no way to determine which
interpretation is to be used from any information in the UWP.
Fix: Modifications are made in several places to the world generation
procedures so that the government types for the wilds are more completely
integrated into the Traveller UWP system.
On pp.183, "Government" paragraph, add the following to the end of the
paragraph: "Many balkanized worlds have a most common government type, or a
most important territory. Re-roll the government type throw to generate
this government type (ignore and re-roll any further balkanized results),
and note it with a B:# (where # is the government code) in the world's
trade classifications."
On pp.188, "World Government" table, change the following entries:
Code General Description
0 --- No Government Structure. In many cases family, clan, or tribal
bonds predominate,
D --- Religious Dictatorship. Government by a religious, mystic, or psionic
minority which has little regard for the needs of the citizenry.
E --- Religious Autocracy. Government by a single religious, mystic, or
psionic leader having absolute power over the citizenry.
On pp.191, paragraph 7, "Government", change the entry to read:
"First determine if the world is balkanized. Add the world size and
population code and subtract the tech level to determine the balkanization
number. Roll 2d6; if the number rolled is equal to less than the
balkanization number, the world is balkanized. In this case, the
government type is 7. Determine the most common government type using the
procedure below, and note it in the world's trade classifications, using
the B:# convention (where # is the government code). This most common
government type may be a TED, if conditions are suitable.
"Second, if the world's population code is 5+, determine the presence of
Technologically Elevated Dictators (TED). Find the total number of tech
levels lost in Step 2 and roll 1d10. If the roll is less than the number
of tech levels lost, the world's government automatically becomes a TED.
Place the code Td to indicate this in the world's allegiance code, and roll
2d6 on the TED Government Type table to determine the form of the TED
government. Find the result of the die roll on the table; the
corresponding code is the world's government type.
"If the roll is equal to or greater than the tech level decline, or if the
world's population code is 4 or less, determine the government type by
rolling 2d6 - 7 + Population code. Record this number for future reference
when determining the world's law level in Step 8. Find this result on the
Government Types in the Wilds table; the corresponding code is the world's
government type.
On pp.191, "Government Types in the Wilds" table, replace the current table
with the following:
Die Code General Description
Roll
1- - 0 --- No Government
2 - 2 --- Participating Democracy
3 - 4 --- Representative Democracy
4 - A --- Charismatic Dictatorship
5 - C --- Charismatic Oligarchy
6 - Roll 2d6 on the "TED Government Type" table, and note Allegiance = Td
7 - D --- Religious Dictatorship
8 - F --- Totalitarian Oligarchy
9 - E --- Religious Autocracy
10 - 8 --- Civil Service Bureaucracy
11 - 3 --- Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy
12+ - 9 --- Impersonal Bureaucracy
On pp.191, "TED Government Type" table, add the following new table:
Die Code General Description
Roll
2 --- 5 --- Feudal Technocracy
3 --- 3 --- Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy
4 --- 6 --- Captive Government
5 --- B --- Non-Charismatic Leader
6 --- B --- Non-Charismatic Leader
7 --- F --- Totalitarian Oligarchy
8 --- F --- Totalitarian Oligarchy
9 --- E --- Religious Autocracy
10 --- D --- Religious Dictatorship
11 --- A --- Charismatic Dictatorship
12 --- C --- Charismatic Oligarchy
On pp.191, paragraph 8, "Law Level", change the entry to read:
"If the world is balkanized, the law level represents the most commonly
encountered law level on the world. Roll 2d6 to determine the most
commonly encountered law level of a balkanized world. The referee can
determine the law levels of individual nations on a case by case basis,
using the procedure described below for non-TED, non-balkanized worlds.
"If the world government is a TED, then roll 2d6+3 to determine the world's
law level.
"Otherwise, roll 2d6-7 and add the world government die roll (recorded in
Step 7 above) to determine the law level."
Commentary: There is no digit, field, or position in the UWP which
designates a world as being in the wilds. Therefore it is impossible to
determine (without some knowledge outside of the UWP) the government type
of a world. In addition to being extremely confusing to the referee and
players, this also plays havoc with the trade and commerce rules.
Ordinarily, a world with a Charismatic Dictators, Totalitarian Oligarchy,
or Religious Dictator is disqualified from the Rich classification, but in
the Wilds, Charismatic Dictators, Oligarchies, TEDs, and Mystic Dictators
are required to have a Rich world? Rich worlds make good trading partners,
but I though TEDs were supposed to violently discourage off-world contact.
After discussing the problem on TML, the most reasonable conclusion is that
governments in the wilds are just a different distribution of the same
government types we have seen before. The primary goal was to create a
single table of government types which could be used no matter where the
world was located. An examination of the original "Government Types in the
Wilds" table revealed that all but four of the government types were
identical to ones already in use in the "Normal" government types table
(although with different code values or slightly expanded definitions).
Of the four new codes, "Mystic Dictatorship" and "Mystic Autocracy" were
defined nearly the same way as "Religious Dictatorship" and "Religious
Autocracy", except for two words ("or psionic") in the general description.
Since I, for one, have had psionic religions in my Traveller games for more
than ten years, I didn't see much difference between the two, and folded
them together. Two down and two to go.
The "Tribal Government" is an interesting idea; kind of a half-step between
no government whatsoever and a more formal government. With some
hesitation, I folded it into "No Government"; if a new set of government
codes were to be devised, this one in particular should get its own code.
The last code is "Technologically Elevated Dictator (TED)". The more I
think about this one, the more I feel that this classification isn't
really a government type, but rather a classification decision made by some
other interstellar government or agency. The case of Plaven (setting for
the Classic Traveller "Divine Intervention" double adventure) is a case in
point. If Plaven were a few parsecs outside the Reformation Coalition, it
would be considered a TED; inside the Domain of Deneb, it's just another
Religious Dictatorship.
Any of the more oppressive government types could be (or could become) a
TED, provided that they meet the criteria: use of relic or other advanced
technology to maintain their rule, and a certain amount of unfriendliness
to interstellar visitors (Reformation Coalition in particular).
Thus, the decision that a TED was better represented by a government code
that indicated what form the government actually took, plus a note that it
is considered a TED (or, for those worlds outside the Star Viking sphere of
influence, would be considered a TED, if the RCES knew about the world).
The TED code is placed in the Allegiance field, because it is unused in the
wilds, and also because a TED by definition will not be a part of an
interstellar state.
The retroactive changes required to implement this change should be minor;
only materials produced with the uncorrected T:TNE rules, and which use the
Wilds government type table will need to be changed. The following table
summarizes the corrections needed:
Old New
Code Code
0 --- 0
1 --- 0
2 --- 2
3 --- 4
4 --- A
5 --- C
6 --- Roll 2d6 on the "TED Government Type" table) Allegiance = Td
7 --- D
8 --- F
9 --- E
A --- 8
B --- 3
C --- 9
A couple of caveats are in order, however. First of all, UWPs generated
using the uncorrected procedure provides no way of determining if the world
is balkanized. The table above ignores this; the preferable solution would
be to test for a balkanized world as described in the modified paragraph 7
above.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.18, Homeworld Die Roll Modifiers table
With a starport DM of +9 for characters in the wilds, it is not possible
with a 2d6 roll to get a starport class D.
Fix: Add a statement that the referee can alter the starport DMs, or
mandate a specific starport value.
Commentary: While the rules as published are probably representative of the
types of starports in the wilds, it is probably not representative of the
types of worlds that the PCs will come from in the Wilds.
--- MG
MINOR: pp.18, Homeworld Die Roll Modifiers table
The starport DM for characters in the Old Expanses is higher than that for
a pocket empire.
Fix: Reverse the DMs, so that the Old Expanses is +3, and a pocket empire
is +6.
--- MG
MINOR: pp.18, Homeworld Characteristic Description table
While specific descriptions for UWP code values can be found in the world
building section, no such correlation can be found anywhere for government
type.
Fix: Add the following table:
Government Description Table
Description Code Values
Low Gov 0 - 3
Moderate Gov 4 - 5
High Gov 6 - 8
Extreme Gov 9+
--- MG
MINOR: pp.23, Homeworld Modifiers table
Environment Suit is only available as a background skill on worlds with a
vacuum atmosphere, or if the tech level is Pre-Stellar.
Fix: Change the tech level requirement to "Pre-Stellar+".
--- GG
MINOR: pp.56, Career Entry Requirements table
The Hiver Technical Academy requires INT 7+ or EDU 7+. The table shows
EDU 7+ or CHR 7+.
Fix: Correct the table to indicate INT 7+ or EDU 7+.
--- MG
MINOR: pp.107, Character Attributes and Skills
In the second line of the first column, reference is made to attributes in
the range of 1 to 13. This is incorrect; the attribute maximum is 15.
Fix: The sentence should read: "These numbers range between 1 and 15, with
15 being the best."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.113, pp.115, pp.116: Astrogation skill
Astrogation is listed as (EDU) in pp.115 and pp.116; however it is listed
as (INT) on pp.113.
Fix: Correct the entry on pp.113 to "(EDU)".
Commentary: Other skills may have this problem, every entry has not been
cross-checked.
--- BJ
MINOR: pp.124-125, Pilot Skill
The last sentence on pp.124, part of the description of the Fixed Wing
cascade, indicates that x-wing aircraft use the pilot skill appropriate to
their current mode of travel. However, the Rotary Wing cascade on pp.125
indicates that x-wing aircraft should use the Fixed Wing skill at all
times.
Fix: Convertible fixed/rotary wing aircraft (including tilt-rotor, x-wing,
and other rotary wing vehicles which can lock their blades in flight) use
whichever cascade is appropriate to their current mode of flight. Delete
the portion of the Rotary Wing description which indicates otherwise; the
last sentence should read "Compound helicopters which still derive lift from
moving rotors use this cascade."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.185, top of the page.
The text begins mid-sentence; some text is missing.
Fix: Locate and restore the missing text.
--- GS
MINOR: pp.187, Step 12: Trade Classifications table
Low population worlds were defined in MegaTraveller as those with
populations 3-. My edition of Classic Traveller does not define this code.
T:TNE specifies a population of 4-, but apparently uses the old criteria in
some starmaps (see Kruyter and Fuetz on pp.88).
Fix: Alter the "Lo" line of the table to specify population "3-".
--- GG, GS
MINOR: pp.187, Step 14: Population Multiplier
The procedure described is correct for any world with a population digit of
1+. It is probably wrong for population zero worlds.
Fix: Append to the rules: "If the world population level is 0, roll 1D6; on
a 2+, the world is uninhabited: the population multiplier is 0."
--- GS, GG
MINOR: pp.188, World Population table
There is no population level to correspond to "Incidental", which is used
on the Homeworld Generation Table.
Fix: Population 0 should be "Incidental", not "Low".
--- MG
MINOR: pp.192, Step 5: Decimal Classification
The instructions in the table don't mention the special cases: There are no
O0 through O4 stars, and dwarf stars (class D) don't have a decimal
classification.
Fix: Add the following instruction to the step: "3. There are no O0
through O4 stars; ignore and re-roll these results. Dwarf stars
(luminosity class D) do not have a decimal classification."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.192, Step 15: Orbit Zones for Luminosity Class Ib
Stellar classes K5 and M0 have no habitable zone, and classes M5 and M9
have two.
Fix: Class K5 and M0 stars should have a habitable zone in orbit 11.
Classes M5 and M9 should have an inner zone in orbit 11, and a habitable
zone in orbit 12.
--- GS
MINOR: pp.194, Step 32: Population
Population for minor worlds can be non-zero even if the mainworld is
uninhabited, or has a pre-spaceflight TL. This is a problem, since the
trade classifications are based on the "main world".
Fix: Add to the following sentences to the instructions: "If atmosphere is
not 0, 5, 6, or 8, DM -2. If the main world has already been generated,
reduce the population to one less than that of the main world. Populations
of less than 0 are reduced to 0."
--- GS, GG
MINOR: pp.194, Step 34: Satellite Size
The size of a world's satellites are generated by 1D6 - World Size. Since
this allows size 1 worlds to have as many as several size 2 through 5
"satellites", this is clearly wrong.
Fix: The die roll should be "World Size - 1D6".
--- GS
MINOR: pp.195, Step 42: Facilities
Both Mining facilities and Military facilities use the same code.
Fix: To eliminate confusion, Mining facilities should use code "Mn".
--- GS
MINOR: pp.224, Interplanetary Travel.
The second paragraph of this section indicates that the travel formulae are
provided. They are nowhere to be found.
Fix: Provide the missing formulae.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.228, Step 2: Ship Type
There are no DMs given below the table, but values on the 1d6 table range
from 0 to 6+.
Fix: The table should also use the DMs from the Encounter Likelihood table.
--- BJ
MINOR: pp228-229, Starship Encounters
The DMs for ship encounters in the wilds produce an alarming number of
Vampire ships.
Fix: Add a note to the effect that "The referee should not feel obligated
to implement a vampire, but treat the encounter as 'No Encounter' if he or
she chooses."
-- MG
Commentary: The space travel procedure specifies checking for starship
encounters at least four times during an interstellar trip. In the wilds,
about a third of these checks will result in a ship. This works out to
about a 19.75% chance that no ship will be encountered. To achieve this
rate, that means that there are at least a couple thousand starships
operating in the former Third Imperium, and possibly considerably more. Of
these, about a sixth will be Vampires, giving us three to four hundred
vampire ships remaining in the former Third Imperium. This is exclusive of
all ships operating as part of the Regency, Reformation Coalition, or a
pocket empire.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.236, Step 3: Passengers
No die roll is provided for the number of steerage passengers, however a
die roll modifier is supplied for this (nonexistent) roll.
Fix: Roll the dice as indicated in the "Low" column to determine the number
of steerage passengers. Credit the ship with Cr2500 per steerage
passenger.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.236, Step 4: Freight and Cargo
It is not clear if the die roll modifiers apply to the number of lots, the
size of the lots, or both.
Fix: Add the following instruction to the die roll modifiers: "Apply the
following die roll modifiers to the rolls for the number of lots
available."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.237, Step 7: Nature of Cargo
Some worlds don't have any trade classifications at all.
Fix: Add the instruction "Worlds with no trade classifications use table
8f".
--- MG
MINOR: pp.243, Parts
The rules require the use of replacement parts to repair breakdowns, and
mention that replacement parts can frequently be purchased. There are no
guidelines on the cost, volume, or mass of such parts, however.
Fix: Append some guidelines to help the referee determine the cost, mass,
and volume of repair parts.
--- BJ
MINOR: pp.260, Battle Damage (vehicular robots)
The last paragraph on the page seems to refer to damage to the robot's
weaponry.
Fix: Insert an italicized "Main Armament:" before this paragraph.
--- MG
MINOR: pp.306, Blister Agent
The last sentence of the paragraph states that "both masks and protective
suits" are required to be worn in order to be safe from blister
agents. Particularly in light of the following section, this can be
confusing.
Fix: Change the sentence to read: "Characters wearing both masks and
protective suits, or wearing pressure suits (such as a vacc suit, combat
environment suit, combat armor, battle dress, etc.) are unaffected by
blister agents."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.306, Nerve Gas
The second paragraph of this section states that one must wear "a
protective suit or pressure suit ... and a gas mask" in order to be
protected. I wasn't aware that pressure suits (such as a vacc suit) leaked
when worn without a gas mask.
Fix: Change the last sentence of the paragraph to read: "Characters wearing
both masks and protective suits, or wearing pressure suits (such as a vacc
suit, combat environment suit, combat armor, battle dress, etc.) are
unaffected by nerve gas."
--- GG
MINOR: pp.313, Speed Change and Compute New Range
The rules err by a factor of two when computing the velocity change due to
each G-turn of acceleration. In addition, the velocity change is treated
as if it occurred instantly at the beginning of the turn.
Fix: Modify the "Speed Change" and "Compute New Range" paragraphs on
pp.313-314 to read as follows:
"Speed Change: Each ship may spend a number of G-turns limited by its G
rating (maneuver performance) in order to modify the closing velocity.
Each G-turn of acceleration spent by a ship changes the closing velocity
for the next turn by one. In addition, each 2 G-turns of acceleration
spent changes the closing velocity for the current turn by one (drop
fractions). The closing velocity may be increased or decreased. As
G-turns of acceleration are spent, players must declare whether they are
going to increase or decrease the closing velocity."
"Compute New Range: At the end of each turn, subtract the current closing
velocity (the velocity for this turn as computed above) from the current
range to get the new range for the next turn. When the closing velocity is
a negative number, remember that subtracting a negative number is the same
as adding a positive number, thus actually increasing the range."
Alternate: The above, while accurately reflecting Newtonian physics, may
seem too complicated for some players. Thus, the suggested simplified fix
is to alter the "Speed Change" and "Compute New Range" paragraphs on
pp.313-314 to read:
"Speed Change: Each ship may spend a number of G-turns limited by its G
rating (maneuver performance) in order to modify the closing velocity.
Each G-turn of acceleration spent by a ship changes the closing velocity
for the next turn by one. The closing velocity may be increased or
decreased. As G-turns of acceleration are spent, players must declare
whether they are going to increase or decrease the closing velocity.
"Compute New Range: At the end of each turn, subtract the current closing
velocity (before the speed changes above) from the current range to get the
new range for the next turn. When the closing velocity is a negative
number, remember that subtracting negative number is the same as adding a
positive number, thus actually increasing the range."
Commentary: From basic Newtonian physics, if acceleration is constant,
velocity is acceleration multiplied by time (V=A*T), and the distance
traveled is half of acceleration multiplied by time squared (D=1/2*A*T^2).
If Acceleration (A) is a constant 1g, then A = 10 m/s^2 (1g)
Velocity (V) is acceleration times the time V = 10 m/s^2 * 30 min
spent at that acceleration. = 10 m/s^2 * 1800 s
= 1800 m/s (64800 kph)
The Distance (D) traveled during this D = 0.5 * 10 m/s^2 * (1800 s) ^2
acceleration is half the acceleration = 5 m/s^2 * 3240000 s^2
time the time squared. = 16,200,000 m
Putting this into T:TNE space combat terms, a velocity of 1 is one range
band per combat turn (30,000 km per 30 min; 60,000 kph). A distance of 1
is one range band, 30,000 km, and the unit of time is a turn (30 minutes;
1800 s).
So, each G-Turn of acceleration increases the ship's velocity for the next
turn by slightly over 1 band/turn. The distance traveled in the current
turn during this acceleration is slightly more than a half a range band
per G-turn of acceleration expended, plus whatever distance is traveled due
to the velocity the ship started the turn with.
To help clarify what's going on, the following examples presume that a
standard Scout/Courier (maneuver 2G) is closing in at velocity 4 on a
patrol ship which is station-keeping 8 range bands away. The scout ship
wants to brake to a stop as quickly as possible. In all cases, the ship
brakes at 2g (2 G-Turns of acceleration) at a cost of 1 G-Hour of fuel
each turn.
Newtonian Physics: A = 20 m/s^2. V = 66667 m/s (240000 kph). Solving for
T, we get the time to decelerate to a stop is T = 3333 s (55.6 min; or
about 2 turns). Distance traveled while stopping is 111111 km (about 3.7
range bands). Rounding fraction, we say that the ship is stopped at the
end of the second turn, 4 range bands from the patrol ship.
Using T:TNE as published, in the first turn, the scout/courier begins
braking. Velocity changes by 1; the new velocity is 3, and the new range
is 5. In the second turn, the scout continues braking; new velocity 2, new
range 3. Turn 3: velocity 1, range 2. Turn 4: the scout comes to a stop
at a range of 2.
With the fix, in the first turn, the current velocity decreases by 1, to 3,
and the next turn's velocity decreases by 2, to 2; the new range is 5. In
the second turn, braking continues. Current velocity drops by 1, to 1, and
the new velocity decreases by 2, to 0. The ship will stop at the end of
the turn, and the new range is 4.
In the alternate scenario, the scout begins braking. In the first turn,
the next turn's velocity decreases by 2, to 2. The new range is 6
(remember, the new range is figured with the old velocity). In the second
turn, the current velocity is 2, the new velocity is 0, and the range is 4.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.314, Evasion
The reference to "G-Hours" in the penultimate line on the left-hand column
is spurious.
Fix: Replace "G-Hours" with "G-Turns".
--- GG
MINOR: pp.325, Hit Location table
This table and related notes, located in the bottom left corner of the
page, does not seem to be referenced by the text or by any of the
procedures on the page.
Fix: Delete the table.
--- GG
MINOR: pp.337, Thermal Meteoroid Garments
These garments are listed as "armor 6, cloth-1" on the table. Presumably
this is a hold-over from MegaTraveller. In T:TNE terms, this is protection
equivalent to TL-12 battle dress, and for only Cr 400.
Fix: The armor value of Thermal Meteoroid Garments should be 1.
--- BJ, GG
MINOR: pp.337, Long-Range Thruster Pack
The text, located at the bottom of the left-hand column), states that this
device is capable of 2 Gs of thrust for 48 hours; that's 96 G-Hours.
Fix: Replace the last sentence of the column with: "The Long-Range Thruster
pack (LRTP) is heavy, but it provides up to 1/2 G acceleration for up to 4
hours, using standard starship fuel."
Commentary: Who needs a grav belt! A Long-Range Thruster Pack has enough
acceleration to lift off of any terrestrial world, and with 48 hours
endurance, can hover indefinitely; all for a seventh the cost. To put it
in perspective, this little device is capable of more than 13 round-trips
from the Earth to the Moon without refueling.
--- BJ, GG
MINOR: pp.357, Grenades
The statistics for ordinary Hand Grenades seems to have been omitted.
Fix: Locate and insert this information.
--- KH
MINOR: pp.368, Free Trader Damage Tables
Areas 17, 18, and 19 have no result listed, while areas 5 - 13 duplicate
entries listed elsewhere.
Fix: Remove the "5 - 13" entry, and move the "17, 18, 19" entry up one line
(so that these rolls indicate Engineering damage).
--- MG
MINOR: pp.375, Donosev Class Survey Ship Damage Tables
Areas 12 - 15 do not appear on the damage tables. While dispersed
structure ships may have hit locations which result in a miss, such areas
should be clearly labeled, if for no other reason that to assure the
reader that no mistake was made. In any case, the Donosev Class ship
should not be a dispersed structure vessel.
Fix: Correct the damage table.
--- MG, GG
MINOR: pp.376, Subsidized Liner Damage Tables
Area 13 is listed twice, once as "13 - 17", and once as "11 - 13".
Fix: Alter the first occurrence to read "14 - 17".
--- MG
MINOR: pp.377, Broadsword Class Mercenary Cruiser Damage Tables
Area 12 is listed twice, once as "12 - 15", and once as "6 - 12".
Fix: Alter the second occurrence to read "6 - 11".
--- MG
Traveller: The New Era --- QUESTIONS
Compiled by Guy Garnett. Contributions from Bertil Jonell (BJ), John
Driver (JD), Mark Gelinas (MG), Guy Garnett (GG), and the Traveller Mailing
List.
These questions have come up in the course of playing T:TNE, and were
reported to me along with the errata. They aren't really errors, but just
interesting observations and random rules questions.
Q: Is it balanced that starships take several critical hits from
various weapons (primarily anti-tank weapons) that *might* (or might not)
destroy a much smaller TL-8 tank? Or should the Critical Damage Table
(T:TNE, pp.326) only be used for weapons that are specifically
anti-spaceship weapons?
--- BJ
Q: When firing anti-vehicle weapons at starships, the rules (T:TNE pp.295)
specifically states spacecraft should use the ground vehicle hit tables and
the ground vehicle penetration rules. Shouldn't spacecraft use their own
hit tables and rules, instead of the ground vehicle ones?
--- GG
Q: When generating companion star type and size, the previous roll for
primary star size is a +DM. This will easily lead to values that are above
12, while results of less than 4 are impossible. The rules don't indicate
what to do with values that go off the top of the chart. Should they be
re-rolled, or should values be limited to 12? [Classic Traveller Book 6,
Scouts, has this same problem].
--- JD
Q: When generating a star system, what do you do when there are more
objects to place than available orbits?
--- JD
Q: What about when all the habitable zones are empty orbits?
--- JD
Q: Missiles are now riotously expensive. How about some standard HE
missiles in the starship combat game and the technical architecture
supplement? --- MG
Commentary: We have looked into this problem. You don't want to use HE
missiles in space combat; explosives just aren't effective at the speeds
and ranges involved. However, we have come up with a number of other
alternatives, which will be posted to TML and sent to GDW.
--- BJ, GG
Q: Nearly all of the vehicles listed in T:TNE, in particular the Tracked
ATV, Wheeled ATV, Air/Rafts, G-Carrier, Speeder, and Grav Bike) have
oxygen-breathing power plants of the gas turbine, MHD turbine, and fuel
cell types. No oxygen supply is listed in the vehicle specifications, nor
are any intake compressors. Therefore, none of these vehicles can be used
in Vacuum, Trace, Very Thin, Exotic, Corrosive, or Insidious atmospheres,
or in space. The only listed vehicles which are operable in these
atmospheres is the Grav Tank, and the starships and spacecraft.
Correct?
--- GG
Q: Energy Weapons skill is listed twice, once under Strength and once
under Agility, on the skill list. Shouldn't it be listed only under
Agility?
A: No. STR is the controlling attribute for energy weapons skill when
using Plasma and Fusion weapons. AGL is the controlling attribute when
using lasers.
--- MG, GG
Q: The starship and spacecraft listings don't seem to have an entry for
total fuel capacity. How do you tell how much fuel to purchase if you're
not gas-giant skimming.
A: Under the "Notes" section in the listing, the total fuel volume is
listed in kiloliters. Divide this number by 14 to get displacement tons
of fuel.
--- MG, GG
NIT: pp.17, Homeworld Random Generation Table
The chart of DMs is on the next page, making it easy to overlook and hard
to use.
Fix: Add a mention on the Homeworld Random Generation Table that the table
of modifiers on the next page.
--- MG, GG
Commentary: I recommend that some of the more important charts be reprinted
in a small (16 page or so) booklet form and included in T:TNE Deluxe or the
T:TNE Referees' Screen. If this is done, the Homeworld Random Generation
table and its chart of DMs should be on the same page.
--- MG
NIT: pp.19, Homeworld Effects on Attributes
The modifiers are buried in the text, and difficult to find.
Fix: Place a table of the modifiers on the character generation worksheet.
--- MG
NIT: pp.23, Background Skills
The background skills are not noted on the character generation worksheet.
Fix: Place a table of background skills on the character generation
worksheet.
--- MG
NIT: pp.26, Secondary Activities
According to the information on pp.20, some careers offer the chance for
characters to increase their attributes. However, the only careers that
allow such increases are Athlete and Martial Artist.
Fix: Allow attribute increases as a secondary activity; two skill levels
for one attribute increase, up to a maximum of +2.
--- BJ, GG
NIT: pp.40, Undergraduate University
According to the contacts available, the only people who ever attend
undergraduate universities are the professors and researchers, and
journalists. No engineering, pre-med, history, law, or business students.
Fix: Contacts at Undergraduate University may be from potentially any
career. The referee should decide what that person's field of study was at
the time, and any subsequent career changes.
Alternate fix: Expand the definition of academic contacts to include
students (of potentially any field of study. The refere is responsible for
determining what career the contact is currently pursuing. It may be
completely unrelated to his or her field of study. In this case,
journalist contacts should be removed from Undergraduate University.
--- GG
NIT: pp.40, Graduate University
The comments above about undergraduate university also apply to graduate
university. There is, however, a higher probability that the contact will
be pursuing a career in a field related to his or her graduate studies.
Fix: Contacts at Graduate University may be from potentially any career.
The referee should decide what that person's field of study was at the
time, and any subsequent career changes.
Alternate fix: As above, and Government contacts should be removed from
Graduate University.
--- GG
NIT: pp.56, Career Entry Requirements table
Contrary to the table's explanatory remarks, there are no careers listed
that have an education requirement in parentheses.
Fix: The last sentence should read: "Social Standing requirements in
parentheses show what is required to enter the career with a commission."
The following table entries also need to be changed: Scientist and
Aviation should show a minimum Soc of "(6+)". Army, Marines, and Special
Operations should have a minimum Soc of "(5+)". Navy and Wet Navy should
have a minimum Soc of "(7+)".
--- GG
NIT: pp.57, Table of Ranks
At only one promotion per term, it will take a significant number of terms
to achieve a higher rank. While this may be reasonable for officers, it is
not for the enlisted ranks.
Fix: Use a shorter enlisted rank structure as per Twilight: 2000 (2nd ed.).
--- MG
NIT: pp.88, Nicosa Subsector data
Bhule, at hex 0334, should not be Industrial; it has atmosphere type 1,
which disqualifies it.
Fix: Remove "In" from the trade classifications for this world.
--- GS
NIT: pp.94, Special Wilds Careers
Recommend adding a Psionic Priesthood and a Survivor career. An NPC
template is provided for the latter, and it is one PCs from the wilds are
sure to be interested in.
Fix: Add the careers; possibly in a Challenge article or a special
supplement to Deluxe T:TNE.
--- MG
NIT: pp.103, Khulam Subsector data
Several of the entries contain errors.
Fix: World 049-049 in hex 2839 should be trade class "Po". Gresham in hex
3138 should not be "In". Futok in hex 3140 should be "Ag". The size class
VI stars at Agiruur (hex 3036) and Futok (hex 3140) should be "V".
--- GS
Commentary: Sub-dwarf stars, luminosity class VI, which appeared in Classic
Traveller book 6, have apparently been removed from T:TNE. Presumably this
was done on purpose, as the luminosity class tables (Steps 4 and 5 on
pp.192) have been completely changed. If so, any references to luminosity
class VI stars remaining from Classic Traveller data files should be
revised.
--- GG
NIT: pp.104, Khulam Subsector data
The world Quarry in hex 2933 now has tech level 3, but orbits a class M9 V
star, which has no habitable zone.
Fix: Make the world barren.
--- GS
NIT: pp.106, Task Resolution and Skills
The second paragraph of the overview reads in part: "This chapter is
presented here, before character generation ...". I hate to break the
news, but character generation starts back on pp.14, over 90 pages before.
Fix: Delete references to character generation following this section.
Alternate Fix: Move the section (pp.106-111) to begin around pp.14
--- GG
NIT: pp.168, The Regency
The first sentence of the paragraph implies that Norris used to be First
Regent of the Domain of Deneb, until he renamed it "The Regency", at which
point he became Archduke. This is exactly backwards.
Fix: The first sentence should read: "The Regency is the new name of the
Domain of Deneb by First Regent, then Archduke of Deneb, Norris."
--- GG
NIT: pp.172, Regina subsector data
Several of the entries contain errors.
Fix: Knorbes in hex 1807 should not be "Ag". Pscias in hex 2106 should be
"Ag". Enope in hex 2205 should not be "In", but should be "Ic". Heya in
hex 2402 should not be "Ag". Rethe in hex 2408 should be "In". Kinorb in
hex 2202 should be tech level 8.
--- GS
NIT: pp.172, Regina subsector data
Three worlds have dim stars with no habitable zones, but have world data
inconsistent with their primaries. The worlds are Algine in hex 2308,
which has a tech level 4 civilization. Moughas at hex 2406 is supposed to
be a water world, although liquid water is not possible on its surface.
Uakye was established as a habitable, although cold, in "A Plague of
Perruques" (Travellers' Digest #10) by Marc Miller and Gary L. Thomas.
Fix: Change Algine (hex 2308) to a M9 III. Change Moughas (hex 2406) to a
K9 V. Change Uakye (hex 1805) to a M0 V.
--- GS
NIT: pp.172, Regina subsector map
Yorbund, at hex 2303, is shown as having water. In fact, it has no water;
its oceans are fluid.
Fix: Change the map symbol for the world.
--- GS
NIT: pp.178, Ershur Subsector data
The world of Towering has no trade classifications, and is missing a tab
needed to make its data align with the other entries.
Fix: Insert the tab.
--- GS
NIT: pp.178, Ershur Subsector data
Barren worlds, like Observatory, do not have any trade classifications
other than "Ba".
Fix: Observatory in hex 0807 should not be "Lo", "Ni", or "Po".
--- GS
NIT: pp.178, Ershur Subsector data
There are several errors in the stellar data. Villana has a tech level too
low for survival in a system that has no habitable zone. There are also no
size class VI stars.
Fix: Change Villana at hex 0801 to a M9 III star. Change the class VI
stars at Fournier (0304), Thallium (0307), Cleves (0403), Lebenstraum
(0503), Chamati (0602), and Raldery IV (0701) to class V.
--- GS
NIT: pp.178, Ershur Subsector map
Vilardi, at hex 0205, is shown as having water. In fact, it is a world
with Fluid oceans, and has no liquid water.
Fix: Change the map symbol for the world.
--- GS
NIT: pp.186, Step 4: World Size
The planetary density table is way over on pp.190; hard to find and hard to
remember.
Fix: Add a note to the step referencing the density table on pp.190.
--- MG
NIT: pp.188, World Size table
The table is missing the sizes for large and small gas giants.
Fix: Small Gas Giants have a minimum diameter of 20,000km and a maximum
diameter of 59,999km. Large Gas Giants have a minimum diameter of 60,000km
and a maximum diameter of 120,000km.
--- GG
NIT: pp.189, World Physical Data table
The entry for hydrographics code 3 indicates "Dry".
Fix: It should read "Wet".
--- MG
NIT: pp.193, Step 13: Orbit Zones
No instructions are given for stars whose spectral classification falls
between the table entries.
Fix: Add the instruction "If the spectral class of the star in question is
not on the table, use the column of the nearest listed spectral class. For
example, a G3 star would use the G5 column of the table."
--- JD
NIT: pp.198, Terrain and Travel
Mention should be made in this section that flying vehicles, including
helicopters, aircraft, and grav vehicles may choose to fly above the
terrain, therefore avoiding any terrain effects.
Fix: Mention this fact.
--- GG
NIT: pp.225, Step 6: 100 Diameters Travel Times table
The table is incorrect in almost every entry.
Fix: The corrected table is below:
100 Diameters Travel Times
World size:
0 1 2 3 4 5
G-hours
0.1 50m* 12.7 25.3 38.0 50.7 63.4
0.2 25m 6.3 12.7 19.0 25.3 31.7
0.3 17m/== 4.2 8.4 12.7 16.9 21.1
0.4 13m/== 3.2 6.3 9.5 12.7 15.8
0.5 10m/== 2.5 5.1 7.6 10.1 12.7
0.6 9m/== 2.1 4.2 6.3 8.4 10.6
0.7 == 1.8 3.6 5.4 7.2 9.1
0.8 == 1.6 3.2 4.8 6.3 7.9
0.9 == 1.4 2.8 4.2 5.6 7.0
World Size:
6 7 8 9 A SGG
G-hours
0.1 76.0 88.7 101.4 114.0 126.7 472.4
0.2 38.0 44.3 50.7 57.0 63.4 236.2
0.3 25.3 29.6 33.8 38.0 42.2 157.5
0.4 19.0 22.2 25.3 28.5 31.7 118.2
0.5 15.2 17.7 20.3 22.8 25.3 94.5
0.6 12.7 14.8 16.9 19.0 21.1 78.7
0.7 10.9 12.7 14.5 16.3 18.1 67.5
0.8 9.5 11.1 12.7 14.3 15.8 59.0
0.9 8.4 9.9 11.3 12.7 14.1 42.5
World size:
LGG
G-Hours
0.1 944.8
0.2 472.4
0.3 315.0
0.4 236.2
0.5 189.0
0.6 157.5
0.7 135.0
0.8 118.1
0.9 105.0
Time in hours unless otherwise mentioned.
Accurate to 1/10 hour.
==: is time required to expend the specified G-hours.
time/==: is (specified time OR time required to expend specified G-hours,
whichever is GREATER) OR 25 min, whichever is LESS. Basically a really
short time.
Commentary: Note that the basic assumption that G-hours can be used as a
velocity in these calculations is adhered to, though many of the numbers in
the size-0 column are small enough that the assumption is not really valid.
The value for 0.1 G-Hour and a size 0 world is ASSUMED to be correct,
just because I have no reason to believe that there IS a correct answer to
that particular question. Other values for the size-0 case are based upon
this. It is assumed that Neptune is the size of the generic Small Gas
Giant. Neptune has a diameter of ~49,000Km. It is assumed that Jupiter is
the size of the generic Large Gas Giant. Jupiter has a diameter of
~138,000Km.
--- SH
Commentary: Steve's calculations for large and small gas giants were
corrected to Traveller "Standard" large and small gas giants (120,000km and
60,000km, respectively). For small gas giants, Steve's values were
multiplied by 60/49 (or about 1.224); for large gas giants, the factor was
120/138 (or about 0.8696).
--- GG
NIT: pp.226, Step 10: Emerge from Jump Space
The second sentence of the second paragraph is confusing at best.
Fix: Replace the second sentence with: "Outstanding Success indicates that
no course correction is needed; the ship's exit point is correctly
positioned so its residual velocity will take it from 100 diameters to 10
diameters."
--- GG
NIT: pp.226-227, Step 14: Interplanetary Distance Matrix table
The table as published is incorrect in almost every entry.
Fix: The corrected table is presented below:
Interplanetary Distance Matrix
Outer orbit number
1 2 3 4 5
Inner orbit number
0 (10) 100* 250* 400* 700* 1300*
1 (20) 150* 300* 600* 1200*
2 (35) 150 450* 1050*
3 (50) 300* 900*
4 (80) 600*
6 7 8 9 10
Inner orbit number
0 (10) 2500 4900* 9700 19300 38500
1 (20) 2400 4800* 9600 19200 38400
2 (35) 2250 4650* 9450 19050 38250
3 (50) 2100 4500* 9300 18900 38100
4 (80) 1800 4200* 9000 18600 37800
5 (140) 1200 3600* 8400 18000 37200
6 (260) 2400 7200 16800 36000*
7 (500) 4800 14400 33600
8 (980) 9600 28800
9 (1940) 19200
11 12 13 14 15
Inner orbit number
0 (10) 76900 153700 307300 614500 1273900
1 (20) 76800 152600 307200 614400 1273800
2 (35) 76650 152450 307050 614250 1273650
3 (50) 76500 152300 306900 614100 1273500
4 (80) 76200 152000 306600 613800 1273200
5 (140) 75600 151400 306000 613200 1272600
6 (260) 74400 150200 304800 612000 1271400
7 (500) 72000 147800 302400 609600 1269000
8 (980) 67200 143000* 297600 604800 1264200
9 (1940) 57600 133400 288000 595200 1254600
10 (3860) 38400 114200 268800 576000 1235400
11 (7700) 76800 231400 538600 1198000
12 (15380) 153600 460800 1120200
13 (30740) 307200 966600
14 (61460) 659400
16 17 18 19
Inner orbit number
0 (10) 2457700 4915300 9830500 19665900
1 (20) 2457600 4915200 9830400 19665800
2 (35) 2457450 4915050 9830250 19665650
3 (50) 2457300 4914900 9830100 19665500
4 (80) 2457000 4914600 9829800 19665200
5 (140) 2456400 4914000 9829200 19664600
6 (260) 2455200 4912800 9828000 19663400
7 (500) 2452800 4910400 9825600 19661000
8 (980) 2448000 4905600 9820800 19656200
9 (1940) 2438400 4896000 9811200 19646600
10 (3860) 2419200 4876800 9792000 19627400
11 (7700) 2380800 4838400 9753600 19589000
12 (15380) 2304000 4761600 9676800 19512200
13 (30740) 2150400 4608000 9523200 19358600
14 (61460) 1843200 4300800 9216000 19051400
15 (127400) 1183800 3641400 8556600 18392000
16 (245780) 2457600 7372800 17208200
17 (491540) 4915200 14750600
18 (983060) 9835400
Commentary: Note that any distance over ~120,000 light seconds will take
the fastest ship listed in T:TNE over one year to cross, so the parts of
this table dealing with the orbits 13+ are especially meaningless. Note
also that any ship can jump to any orbit 7+ faster than it can cross the
distance in normal space. Finally, the entries that were correct in the
initial tables are marked with an '*' (all 22 of them)
--- SH
NIT: pp.227, Step 14: Interplanetary Speed table
The table as presented is incorrect in every entry.
Fix: The corrected table follows:
Interplanetary Speed
Time (min)
G-Hours
1 142
2 71
3 47
4 35
5 28
6 24
7 20
8 18
9 16
Commentary: Note that these values are about 25% lower than those on the
original table. Which means transits are 25% FASTER.
--- SH
NIT: pp.241, Potential Breakdowns
The wear and potential breakdown rules are presumably to be applied to
starships as well as other types of equipment. However, there is a rather
sticky problem: consider a starship in jump space. If the ship's power
plant fails, life support will stop, and everybody aboard the ship will die
in a number of hours.
Fix: Unlike vehicles, starship systems should be designed for 24 hour a
day, 7 day a week performance. Roll for potential breakdowns twice per
week (once on leaving orbit, and once on exit from jump space) instead of
once per 8 hours.
Alternate fix: Assume the starships vital systems (power plant and life
support as a minimum) have integral multiply-redundant internal backups, so
that breakdowns are not life-threatening unless ignored for more than a
week.
Commentary: There are 21 8-hour periods in a typical 7 day jump; for a
power plant with a wear value of 1, this is a 74.5% chance that a potential
breakdown will occur within the first 4 days of the jump. Assuming that
the engineer has a relevant asset of 10, there is an 87.5% chance that
there will be an actual breakdown sometime during the next day. Overall
about a 65.2% chance of a power failure sometime during the jump.
--- GG
NIT: pp.242, Increasing Wear; last paragraph in the section
When keeping separate track of the wear value individual components
separately, care must be taken to keep the combination under control.
Fix: When tracking the wear value of components separately, the referee
should assign wear values that are no greater than the overall wear value
of the vehicle. Each period, only one die roll is made. It the number
rolled is greater than the overall wear value of the vehicle, no potential
breakdown occurs. If a potential breakdown does occur, the referee must
randomly choose one component from all those components with a wear value
less than or equal to the number rolled. As component wear values change,
the vehicle's overall wear value is the same as the highest wear value of
any of the components.
Commentary: For example, a vehicle with wear value of 5 is broken down into
4 components, each of which are given a wear value of 5. If 4 rolls, one
for each of the components, are made each period, there is a 93.75% chance
that at least one of the components will have a potential breakdown each
period; effectively a wear value of 10. With the fixed rules, potential
breakdowns still occur only 50% of the time.
--- GG
NIT: pp.248, Psionics Skill Cluster
The Foreboding skill of the arcana sub-cluster is missing from the table,
but present in the text.
Fix: Add it to the table.
--- GG
NIT: pp.258, Psionics
The descriptions of the effects of the different power levels is buried in
the text, and hard to pick out.
Fix: Prepare a table listing these effects.
--- MG
NIT: pp.262, Ling-Standard Products PR-317
This guard robot looks strangely like a Zhodani warbot.
--- MG
NIT: pp.273, SAR (Single Action Revolver)
A single-acting revolver can be "fanned". This consists of holding the
trigger back and rapidly cocking and releasing the hammer with the other
hand (much easier to demonstrate than to explain).
Fix: Single-acting revolvers can be "fanned"; firing up to three rounds per
fire action. "Fanning" also increases the difficulty of all of the shots
by one level.
--- GG
NIT: pp.313, third line from the top in the left-hand column
There are no damage control rules at right, or anywhere else that I can
find for that matter.
Fix: Provide a page number reference (after adding the damage control rules
if they have been inadvertently left out).
Alternate fix: Delete the reference to non-existent rules.
--- GG
NIT: pp.322 and pp.326: Fuel hits
The rules provide a die roll for determining how many tons of fuel are lost
as a result of battle damage. Unfortunately, starship fuel is given in
cubic meters, not tons, in the starship descriptions.
Fix: Insert the comment "(one ton is 14 cubic meters)." to each reference
to tons of fuel lost.
--- BJ
NIT: pp.333, Engineer Demolition Kit
The description states that "Items without a weight, etc. are not available
separately." Strictly speaking, no item listed is without a "weight,
etc.", however many are listed with negligible weight.
Fix: Delete the sentence restricting availability. Everything described
has a price listed and can be bought.
--- GG
NIT: pp.341, Data-Display Recorder Headpiece
In the description of this device, commdots and commdot multiplexers are
mentioned. Unfortunately, the commdots and their multiplexer do not appear
in the equipment listing at all.
Fix: Replace the last two sentences in the first paragraph of the
description with: "Although useless by itself, the headpiece can be
interfaced with any number of Tech Level 13+ devices."
Alternate Fix: Add the information on commdots and commdot multiplexers to
the communications section of the equipment lists.
--- MU
NIT: pp.345: Locator, Inertial; and pp.346: Navigator, Inertial
The same problem as in the MegaTraveller Imperial Encyclopedia. The
Inertial Locator is a heavier, more expensive, TL-9 version of the cheap
lightweight, TL-8 Inertial Navigator. The Inertial Locator also features
slightly less utility and a more cryptic description.
Fix: Remove the entry for "Locator, Inertial" on pp.345
--- BJ
NIT: pp.357, 4cm RAM Shoot-Through Grenade
There is no listing for 4cm RAM grenades for use with weapons that have an
integral grenade launcher.
Fix: Presumably the convention 4cm RAM grenades have the same
characteristics as 4cm RAM shoot-through grenades. A comment to this
effect should be included.
--- MG, GG
NIT: pp.359, Armor
Reflec armor has disappeared. With the new lower penetration personal
lasers, most armor will stop lasers. However, it would be handy to have an
armor specifically designed to stop lasers.
Fix: Add reflec to the table, with an armor value of 0 and a lower price.
--- MG
Commentary: I note on pp.298, "Lasers are more efficient at penetrating
armor than they are at delivering damage". This is certainly true for
vehicle and starship lasers. However, an examination of the small-arms
lasers indicates that they are very poor at penetrating armor, but very
good at delivering damage to an unarmored target. Is this really the
intended effect? Perhaps small-arms lasers should have a penetration value
of 1/4, and about half the damage value listed.
--- GG
NIT: pp.359, Armor: Combat Environment Suit
The suit listed has no associated helmet. Such a suit should have a
visored helmet. A visored helmet does not appear on the chart until TL 10.
Fix: Add an integral helmet to the suit; add H (head) to the coverage
codes.
--- MG
NIT: pp.347, Remote Deployable Sensor
The device has a collapsed volume of 26 kiloliters, and a weight of 260
metric tons. Therefore it has a density of 10 g/cc; slightly less than
that of solid lead. Aluminum (density 2.6) or titanium (density 4.5) might
be more representative of the materials the device is made out of.
Fix: The weight of the Remote Deployable Sensor should be about 100 tons.
Commentary: When estimating the weights and volumes of various items, a
couple of comparisons like those on the following table frequently comes in
handy. From Thomas Glover's "Pocket Ref" (Abbeon Cal, 123-33T Gray Ave,
Santa Barbra, CA). The table shows the mass (in kilograms) of one cubic
meter of each substance:
Ground Cork 160.2
Wood (chestnut) 480.6
Soy Beans 720.8
Pure Water 1,000.0
Crushed Stone 1,601.8
Aluminum 2,643.1
Basalt (rock) 3,011.5
Hematite (iron ore) 3,219.7
Titanium 4,540.0
Bronze 8,153.4
Copper 8.906.3
Iron 7.769.0
Lead 11,389.1
Gold 19,286.3
--- GG
NIT: pp.356, Plasma Bazooka
The explanatory note mentions both a solid rocket motor and using part of
the plasma jet for recoil compensation. Shouldn't it be one or the other,
and not both?
Fix: The next to the last sentence should read: "The bazooka has
considerable back blast, as the rocket exhaust is vented to the rear. The
rocket ignition is synchronized to the firing of the plasma jet, to reduce
recoil to a manageable level."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.38, last paragraph of Stellar Regions (middle of right column)
The earlier text, and the Stellar Regions DMs table, indicate a maximum
wear value (and therefore a maximum total value modifier) of 8. This
paragraph states a value of 10.
Fix: Alter the first and last sentences of the paragraph; replace "10" with
"8" in both instances.
--- GG
TYPO: pp.65, Lancer: Other Assets.
Technician is a cluster skill, and should be boldface.
--- GG
TYPO: pp.112, Skill Descriptions; first paragraph
The specific meaning of "-" is detailed only for Tech Level requirements.
The "-" code is also used for Law Level, where it has a slightly different
meaning.
Fix: Add a sentence explaining that the notation "-" next to a homeworld
description indicates the maximum allowable standard for the skill. The
specific instructions for Tech Level are an exception to this.
--- GG
TYPO: pp.174, Government
The last sentence of the second paragraph seems to imply that Count
Nolanar, or his daughters, have discovered the secret of time travel.
Fix: The sentence should read: "The transition of government will not be
complete until the end of 1200."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.183, Hydrosphere; last paragraph
The last two sentences are missing a "%" sign after the numbers.
Fix: The end of the paragraph should read: "A desert world may have up to
4% free-standing water and still be considered a desert world. Conversely,
a water world may have a 95% hydrosphere and still be considered a water
world."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.189, World Law Level
The entry for law level 6, reads: "Moderate (all firearms except firearms
prohibited)".
Fix: Change the second occurrence of firearms to read "Shotguns".
--- MG
TYPO: pp.192, Step 5: Decimal Classification
The instruction "Roll 1D10 and treat a roll of 0 as ) (instead of 10)."
contains a typographical error.
Fix: Replace the ")" with "0".
--- GS
TYPO: pp.195, Step 41: Subordinate Government table
The entry "Self-Perpetuating Democracy" is not a reasonable Traveller
government type.
Fix: The entry should read: "Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy".
--- GS
TYPO: pp.197: Non-Terrestrial Environments
The penultimate sentence of the first paragraph in this section states that
"The effects of gravity have already been discussed in the context of
combat in the Combat chapter." Unfortunately for the first-time reader,
the combat chapter has not yet been presented at this point.
Fix: Alter the sentence to read: "The effects of gravity in the context of
combat are discussed in the Combat chapter, beginning on pp.307."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.228, Step 3: Non-starship Mission table
Several die rolls are have a caret "^" before the number.
Fix: Delete the carets.
--- BJ
TYPO: pp.291, Water Vessels
What is a "SWATH" ship?
Fix: Remove the reference to "SWATH ships" in the first sentence.
Alternate Fix: Define what a "SWATH ship" is.
--- GG
TYPO: pp.301, Instruments
While I suppose an aircraft or grav vehicle might carry a wind speed
indicator (which would logically enough, measure the speed of the wind in
relation to the ground), a more common device would be an airspeed
indicator (which measures the vehicle's speed through the air).
Fix: replace "wind speed indicator" with "airspeed indicator".
--- GG
TYPO: pp.302, Vehicle Collision Examples
The example states that (95 x 2) / 10 is 35. It is not; 19 is correct, and
is used throughout the rest of the example.
Fix: The correct answer is 19.
--- MG
TYPO: pp.337, Accessories
The following makes no sense: "Batteries power the air recycler achieve
capacity; ..."
Fix: The fragment should read: "Batteries power the air recycler; ...".
--- GG
TYPO: pp.347. "Sniffer" Bioscanner (illustration)
The device illustrated is a NAS sensor handset and backpack.
--- ??
TYPO: pp.348, Bays
The first sentence is ungrammatical, and probably incorrect as well.
Fix: The section should begin "Bays are built ..."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.348, Short
The definition of a range band is given incorrectly.
Fix: The parenthetical comment should be: "(tenths of a light-second)".
--- GG
TYPO: pp.351, Slug Rifles and Carbines
There are no 13mm rifles listed in the table.
Fix: The explanatory note should read: "Most rifles shown are combat
weapons, although the 12mm rifle is a double-barrel big game rifle used
exclusively for hunting and sport."
--- GG
TYPO: pp.360, Vehicle Data
Near the bottom of the right-hand column, the explanation reads "H: Hull
armor. The face of the turret is indicated ...". This is incorrect.
Fix: The sentence in question should read: "H: Hull armor. The face of the
hull is indicated ...".
--- GG