Library Data:Black Globe Generator

Library Data Milieu 1116 

Black globe generators are a rudimentary force screen generator that produces a characteristic black globe surrounding its mechanism. Matter and energy are unable to penetrate the surface of the screen and energy impinging on the screen is absorbed within the mechanism, typically to a capacitor bank. When the screen is dropped, the energy is then radiated away as heat.

Unfortunately, the generator has several disadvantages, primarily being restricted in its ability to maneuver, fire weapons or communicate while the field is in operation. In addition, there is a danger of the field overloading the energy banks; when filled to capacity, this causes massive internal explosions, sidestepping any armor the ship may be outfitted with, leading to the destruction of the vessel.

A route around these disadvantages, and extending the time to overload, is to 'flicker' the black globe generator. This flickering, set at any percentage of full absorption, allows limited maneuverability as well as the ability to fire weapons, communicate and radiate some of the energy that the generator has absorbed. The drawback, of course, is the black globe armed vessel will take on damage equal to the percentage that the generator is 'off'.

This is a high-tech item. Early devices are available at TL–15 but are more generally available at TL– 16-TL–19

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.

Other References

• 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), 59-60.
• Martin Dougherty, Hunter Gordon. The Traveller's Handbook (QuikLink Interactive, 2002), 156-157.
• Colin Dunn. Library Data (Mongoose Publishing, 2011), 11.
• Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), 400-403.
• Matthew Sprange. High Guard (Mongoose Publishing, 2016), 33-34.
• Jae Campbell. Encyclopaedia Dagudashaag (Signal-GK, 2017), 49.