Grognardia
Emperor Mongoose
Fortunately we're free to ignore that. No Virus, Empress Wave, Rebellion, Hard Times, or even Singularity in my Traveller universe.
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The Core Expeditions - on PDF and Pre-Order!
- Thread starter MongooseMatt
- Start date
Grognardia
Emperor Mongoose
Famous Merchant Prince Lord Blackadder when first told of the Empress Wave;
Arkathan
Emperor Mongoose
I know that I stopped buying Traveller stuff when TNE arrived. That, after significantly reducing spending on Rebellion specific MT products. And it was only in MgT2 that I started buying again.
We either used the LBBs or RP'd BattleTech in the interim.
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CordwainerFish
Emperor Mongoose
Tinfoil, shiny side out, you'll be fine.
I'm pretty sure everyone has things they don't like.
Some people hate that Foreven is a non-published sector.
I don't like USMC style combined armed Imperial Marines or Grandfather.
Some people don't like the Rebellion (but not all for the same reasons)
Some don't like Virus or The Empress Wave or this thing or that thing.
That's what you get when you have someone else doing the work for you. Sometimes they don't make the same decisions you would. You have to decide for yourself if, on balance, the things you like work for you more than the effort of removing the things you don't like.
My problem with GDW's material was not that they were telling a story per se, but rather with the products they released. If they had written the material as "Stuff you can have your players do" instead of "Things that are happening and you can't actually use any of it because you don't know where they are going and none of it is at a player character scale," it might have been okay. GDW didn't release a "how to use this to make your game interesting" until Hard Times. Which was way too late. T:NE, of course, should have just been its own setting. And maybe had a bit more support for "What if I don't want to be a Star Viking?".
I have the same problem with the Mongoose 5FW too. Where's the Naval Campaign Guide to the Fifth Frontier War? Where's the Hard Times equivalent for campaigns that aren't Honor Harrington?
And, to get back on topic, I would have liked more on cool things to have your players do as part of the Core Expeditions than we got. It's pretty cool, but still a bit too "what happened" and not enough "cool things you can do in your campaign!". But it does have some of that stuff.
Some people hate that Foreven is a non-published sector.
I don't like USMC style combined armed Imperial Marines or Grandfather.
Some people don't like the Rebellion (but not all for the same reasons)
Some don't like Virus or The Empress Wave or this thing or that thing.
That's what you get when you have someone else doing the work for you. Sometimes they don't make the same decisions you would. You have to decide for yourself if, on balance, the things you like work for you more than the effort of removing the things you don't like.
My problem with GDW's material was not that they were telling a story per se, but rather with the products they released. If they had written the material as "Stuff you can have your players do" instead of "Things that are happening and you can't actually use any of it because you don't know where they are going and none of it is at a player character scale," it might have been okay. GDW didn't release a "how to use this to make your game interesting" until Hard Times. Which was way too late. T:NE, of course, should have just been its own setting. And maybe had a bit more support for "What if I don't want to be a Star Viking?".
I have the same problem with the Mongoose 5FW too. Where's the Naval Campaign Guide to the Fifth Frontier War? Where's the Hard Times equivalent for campaigns that aren't Honor Harrington?
And, to get back on topic, I would have liked more on cool things to have your players do as part of the Core Expeditions than we got. It's pretty cool, but still a bit too "what happened" and not enough "cool things you can do in your campaign!". But it does have some of that stuff.
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That's just like your opinion... man
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
The wave in TNE is a completely different beast to the wave in Agent of Imperium. It is already retconned.
Grognardia
Emperor Mongoose
What's the retcon? A short summary would be most welcome.
The retconned wave was also because the writer in question didn't do the maths correctly.
IIRC he mixed up parsecs and light years
Theophilus
Banded Mongoose
Here's a question.
Page 32. To Unnamed (subcector N, Sector-7,5)
Is this a misprint?
Fulani-7/0
Yiklerdazhn -7/1
Zhdant -7/2
Zhdiedient -7/3
Driasera -7/4
Zhiensh -7/5
So should it be -7/6? Or does it count from zhdant, with zhdant being 1
Add if from Zhdant why -7
Page 32. To Unnamed (subcector N, Sector-7,5)
Is this a misprint?
Fulani-7/0
Yiklerdazhn -7/1
Zhdant -7/2
Zhdiedient -7/3
Driasera -7/4
Zhiensh -7/5
So should it be -7/6? Or does it count from zhdant, with zhdant being 1
Add if from Zhdant why -7
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Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
You’ll want to post this here to be sure they see it
Not sure this is an error or not, but the TL14 Zhodoni Consulate has a TL15 refueling station during the 3rd Expedition. It even uses TL15 power sources with no prototype disadvantages, so it’s treating this as mature technology. That’s 3,400 years prior to 1105, so it seems out of place as the entire Consulate should be TL15 by 1105 if that is accurate.
The automated scout ship in the 4th expedition is also TL15. 2,965 years before 1105.
The automated scout ship in the 4th expedition is also TL15. 2,965 years before 1105.
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
Not at all.
The speed retcon was because the Wave would have already been known and wrecking the setting in Classic if it were merely lightspeed. 100 ly out from the Imperial border is already well into Gvurrdon, Tuglikki, Julian space, and Zhdant. Two of Mongoose's published sector books under 1e (Gvurrdon in Vargr and Ziafrplians in Zhodani) and one of GDWs (Mendan, IIRC, in Challenge) )would have needed to explain the Wave and show its effects up close, instead of just one of them being able to describe it as a distant but fast moving threat.
As an FTL phenomenon moving at roughly a parsec (one hex) per year, it is farther away in the Classic age, and doesn't affect any published sector.
Also, Marc wanted the Wave out of the way for other reasons, and at FTL speed it departs Charted Space in just a few centuries (c. 1450) instead of nearly a millennium (c.2000).
Those who prefer the Golden Age can ignore the retconned Wave even if it exists in their TU, since it is two-and-a-half sectors away, beyond 99% of Vargr space.
As for its effects, TNE's only words on that were that facilities the Wave reaches "go dark". That's it.
Martin's 1248 version is too weak for that. Marc's might be a bit strong.
The effects are shown in MM's novel Agent of the Imperium. If I remember right, there is technically a cure mentioned.
collins355
Emperor Mongoose
I always expected there to be an epic adventure published where the Travellers would ultimately get to find whatever McGuffin the author dreamed up to turn off the Wave.
(of course, Chadwick and Nilsen would not have got their hoped for future setting with psionic knights, but...)
(of course, Chadwick and Nilsen would not have got their hoped for future setting with psionic knights, but...)
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
The hate of TNR is strong in this one... 
the wave already impacting "charted space" is obvious if the TNE light speed wave is back ported, the fact still remain Don got the maths wrong.
As to the effects already causing problems in parts of Zhodani and Vargr space since we have practically no setting information for either from canon sources then it is an easy addition
And finally we do know that the TNE wave would have done, Dave Nilsen told us when he was kindly answering questions. Sadly there was never an answer to what caused the wave.
This is one of the mysteries we may never get a definitive answer to, does Frank remember, does Dave? Did they ever discuss it or was it something for later. Marc doesn't know, Don never knew.
Another mystery that likely will never get an answer is what was the point of departure between the OTU timeline (now overwritten by Mongoose Charted Space timeline) and the GT ATU timeline. Loren always said he would one day reveal it. He never did.
the wave already impacting "charted space" is obvious if the TNE light speed wave is back ported, the fact still remain Don got the maths wrong.
As to the effects already causing problems in parts of Zhodani and Vargr space since we have practically no setting information for either from canon sources then it is an easy addition
And finally we do know that the TNE wave would have done, Dave Nilsen told us when he was kindly answering questions. Sadly there was never an answer to what caused the wave.
This is one of the mysteries we may never get a definitive answer to, does Frank remember, does Dave? Did they ever discuss it or was it something for later. Marc doesn't know, Don never knew.
Another mystery that likely will never get an answer is what was the point of departure between the OTU timeline (now overwritten by Mongoose Charted Space timeline) and the GT ATU timeline. Loren always said he would one day reveal it. He never did.
mavikfelna
Emperor Mongoose
The Empress Wave and its aftermath features promenantly in the sector I'm working on. According to the wiki, the Wave entered Rzakki Sector in 1033 and exits about 1075. I'm building the information and ships in 1105, so only 4 decades from the wave's passing. Well within living memory.
Now I admit my assumptions about the wave aren't fully canon. I see it as having both Psionic effects as well as gravitic ones that, while generally weak, can affect planets and disrupt systems and possibly jump space slightly. And I don't see a rise in Psionic availability but a suppression because of damage caused by random Psionic awakening causing madness and unconstrained random power manifestations leading to extreme fear of the effect retuning without warning.
I think it's an interesting concept and an opportunity to throw what otherwise may have been a static setting into something more chaotic with more adventure opportunities than just trading and running mercenary tickets. I know the setting has plenty of adventure opportunities without the wave, but I'm curious to see what I can do with it.
Now I admit my assumptions about the wave aren't fully canon. I see it as having both Psionic effects as well as gravitic ones that, while generally weak, can affect planets and disrupt systems and possibly jump space slightly. And I don't see a rise in Psionic availability but a suppression because of damage caused by random Psionic awakening causing madness and unconstrained random power manifestations leading to extreme fear of the effect retuning without warning.
I think it's an interesting concept and an opportunity to throw what otherwise may have been a static setting into something more chaotic with more adventure opportunities than just trading and running mercenary tickets. I know the setting has plenty of adventure opportunities without the wave, but I'm curious to see what I can do with it.
