[TML] [Merchant Shipping] Some ideas I came up with tomakemerchant shipping more interesing

[Jerry W Barrington]

On 4/18/08 1:33 AM, "Timothy Little" <tim at little-possums.net> wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 10:45:58PM -0400, Jerry W Barrington wrote:
> 
>> They must not have traveled much to places with low/nonexistent
>> ports...
> 
> If there a port at all, there will probably be fuel - though for the
> lowest ports, the port authority won't supply the fuel itself.  I'm
> sure it would still be available for a price even if it comes by
> groat-drawn water wagons.

Well, LLB 3 did define E ports as "Essentially a marked spot of bedrock
with no fuel, facilities, or bases present."  X isn't even that good.  :)

>> I kind of like the "Lt. Leary" method.  Ships tend to land in water
>> (minimizes plasma blast effects), and run out a tube to suck up
>> reaction mass (water).
> 
> Seems pretty handy in a Traveller context, yes.  Though I personally
> tend toward the "starships normally don't land" idea.  I see starships
> entering atmosphere to be comparable to putting big wheels on ocean
> liners so they can visit inland cities.  IMTU most are purely space
> vehicles, and it's mainly crazies like PCs who have omniphibious ones.

I agree.  Vehicles tend to be specialized, and surface/air/space/jump is
pretty broad.  On the other hand, without omniphibians, the lowtech worlds
would have no connection to the Imperium.  Only those worlds with a highport
would.  I'm not saying that's a bad thing.  Just that it would horrible
mangle OTU.  :)