Black Globe Generator

Black Globe Generators are advanced force field projectors or defensive screen devices, which are more advanced than the TL–15 technology level standard in the Golden Age of Charted Space, but are standard military equipment in the Galaxiad era. Black Globe Generators project a barrier which absorbs all energy (light, heat, radiation, impact).

Description (Specifications)

Traveller5: The Black Globe blocks the entry of matter and absorbs all incoming energy (light, heat, radiation, impact). Absorbed energy becomes heat which raises the overall interior temperature. The globe is black because no energy is re-emitted or reflected. Because a black globe does not emit or reflect energy, it is undetectable by many sensors.

High Guard: Black Globe Generators project a barrier which absorbs all energy, shunting it to on-board capacitors. The barrier prevents all transit across it, and a ship with its black globe activated cannot maneuver, fire its weapons, or communicate. In addition, the field may be overloaded, causing the failure of the storage capacitors and destruction of the ship.

Since a black globe absorbs all energy, a ship with its field on is protected from all fire. Unfortunately, the force field works in both directions; the ship may not fire, maneuver, or even see out. These limitations would make the black globe of little value in battle if not for the ability of the field generator to flicker - switch the field on and off many times per second— giving the ship part-time protection while still allowing it to fire, maneuver, and track enemy ships during the "off" intervals. A black globe screen's Factor is its maximum rate of flicker; a screen may be on up to 10% of the time times its Factor. For instance, a screen with a Factor of 2 may flicker at a maximum rate of 20%; it is on 20% of the time in every second. Unlike normal armor, a black globe also affects meson guns.

Energy striking a black globe screen is diverted to the ship's capacitors. Each ton of capacitors will hold a large quantity of deflected energy from enemy fire. When the screen is flickering, a percentage of the incoming energy equal to the flicker rate is absorbed. The amount of energy a weapon transfers depends on its type and factor.

Black Globe Invisibility

Invisibility: Since a black globe field absorbs all energy, a ship with its field completely activated is, at any range over a few kilometers, effectively invisible. In battle this will have no effect, since a ship that suddenly disappears from enemy sensors in this way will have its course predicted on the basis of its last known position; since the ship cannot maneuver while in the field, the prediction will always be correct.

However, the advantages to a fleet which has not yet been detected by the enemy are immense. Suppose, for instance, that a fleet were to jump into a system with its black globes on and its velocity set upon a predetermined course. It could drift unseen past any defending fleet and drop its screens at a preplanned moment, to bombard a planet or to engage enemy fleets by surprise. Further tactical possibilities are left to the imaginations of admirals, spacers, and ship captains lucky enough to possess such a device.

Ship Agility & Movement With a Black Globe

A ship's agility is reduced by around 10.0% of its performance parameters for each 10.0% of flicker rate of its black globe.

Instead of flickering, any black globe may be completely activated. No enemy fire will affect it, but the ship may not fire or maneuver. While the black globe is on, all enemy fire automatically hits the screen, and 100% of its energy is absorbed. No energy may be removed from the ship's capacitors while the screen is on. If a ship absorbs enough energy to make a jump, and is supplied with sufficient fuel, it may jump at the end of the turn.

Overcoming Black Globe Generators

Non-nuclear missiles typically cannot overload a black globe unless in fired in large barrages; nuclear missiles can typically quickly overload a globe. Meson guns, very large bay weapon batteries, and spinal mount weapons can be very effective against them although a sufficiently powerful black globe can hold out for some time.

If a black globe absorbs energy and the ship's capacitors are already full, the ship is destroyed. A ship without additional capacitors installed has capacitors (for the jump drive) equal to 0.5% capacity.

Stored energy may be removed from the capacitors by using it to power the ship. Energy may only leave the ship, however, when the black globe is off (…or during the off intervals of its flicker). During an inactive timespan, a ship with a black globe generator may dispose of its energy from its capacitors. The screen also affects a ship's ability to maneuver.

Known Globe Device Technologies

The Globe Principle establishes a barrier which prohibits the entry of matter and absorbs (…or in some cases reflects) incoming energy. It derives its name from the characteristic globe-shaped field it establishes centered on the device.

1. Screens & Defenses
   1. Force Field Generator ("Globe Series")
      1. Black Globe Generator
         1. Alpha class Black Globe Generator
         2. Beta class Black Globe Generator
         3. Gamma class Black Globe Generator
      2. Silver Globe Generator
      3. Stasis Globe Generator
      4. White Globe Generator

History & Background (Dossier)

Black globe generators are not available commercially; they are recovered artifacts installed on a makeshift basis or experimental versions installed on Tech Level 15 Imperial warships. Black globes have no energy point cost. The acquisition of any black globe generator is probably the result of a lucky find on the part of a government, individual, or corporation.

It is believed that several Imperial Research Stations are researching Black Globe Generator technology.

Technological Overview of Defensive Ship Technology

Force Field Generator ("Globe Series"):

• Black Globe Generator → White Globe Generator → Silver Globe Generator → Stasis Globe Generator

Damper Series:

• Electrostatic Screen → Nuclear Damper → Meson Screen → Proton Screen

White Globe Generators

A White Globe Generator is a more advanced force field projector or defensive screen device that possesses most of the advantages of a black globe generator, fewer of the disadvantages, and is far more capable. While black globe generators block the emission of all energy rendering a ship’s sensor suite blind, white globe generators can selectively allow the entry or exit of electromagnetic emissions… meaning that sensors can be used unlike the black globes.

The device is much higher tech than the black globe generators, which current industry believes it can better understand and even manufacture within the upcoming TL:16-18 epoch. This is not currently possible as of the year 1105 IC. TL-15 industry cannot create black globe generator devices. White Globe Generators are much more complex devices and might not be viable until the TL:19-21 epoch or later. It is believed that Ancients and possibly several other advanced precursor sophont species possessed white globe generator technology.

References

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Marc Miller. The Kinunir (Game Designers Workshop, 1979), 38.
• Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick, John Harshman. High Guard (Game Designers Workshop, 1980), 19, 31, 42-43.
• Marc Miller. Referee's Manual (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), 60,80,95-96.
• Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. Fire, Fusion, & Steel (Game Designers Workshop, 1994), 59-50.
• Martin Dougherty, Hunter Gordon. The Traveller's Handbook (QuikLink Interactive, 2002), 156-157.
• Jae Campbell. Encyclopaedia Dagudashaag (Signal-GK, 2017), 49.
• Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), 400-403.
• Marc Miller. Agent of the Imperium (Far Future Enterprises, 2015), .
• Ken Pick, Plantier Shields - An Alternative to Black Globes (Freelance Traveller) 2000