TL:7-9

TL:7-9 or the “Middle Technology Epoch,” is one of increasingly advanced technologies including space travel, advanced computers, and increasingly dense cities with higher and higher skyscrapers.

• TL:7-9 tech is commonly known as High Ur-Tech or Mid-Tech.
• TL:7-9 sophonts are commonly known as early or ur-sophonts. They are sometimes called foundationals.

Description / Specifications

Two of the key indicator discoveries of this period include the rocket and the computer. Rockets often lead to peaceful applications including space flight and fireworks, but also can lead to a variety of destructive weaponry and ranged explosives. Computers revolutionize most societies bringing about an information revolution as increasingly difficult intellectual processes can be streamlined and simplified through the processing capabilities of increasingly advanced electronics.

Communications Technology

With the edge of space being explored and mastered, the first communications satellites revolutionize world communications networks. Processors turn older analog systems into more advanced digital ones. Voice recording technologies proliferate. Communication and entertainment technologies grow as never before. Early processor technologies lead to worldwide electronic communications networks often called worldnets or internets.

Power Generation Technology

Hydrocarbon-burning power plants dominate many worlds, but others master the art of creating fission or even very early fusion power plants. Other societies choose to use environmentally friendly power generation methods such as photovoltaics (solar), wind generators, garbage burners, tide generators, and/or hydroelectric dams despite what are often much lesser efficiencies and higher costs. Other more exotic power generation methods exist.

Transportation Technology

Aircraft become increasingly sophisticated and the jet engine is usually mastered by this period. Automobiles and motorcycles are an everyday transportation conveyance on the streets of the most modern cities of this period. Rockets and other flying apparatuses probe the edge of the atmosphere and some even enter low space orbit. The most advanced explore the stellar system.

The first prototype jump drive, an FTL engine, makes interplanetary colonization into a near-time operation instead of a major, multi-decade endeavor requiring enormous expenditure of resources. In many cases, FTL drives allow later colonists to lap the colonists of earlier STL sleeper and generation ships.

Manufacturing Technology

Mid-tech manufacturing begins to use processors and robotics to reduce previous dependence on labor. Processors allow for increasingly exact machined materials to be created and most societies become curious about the depths of space beyond one’s terrestrial biosphere. The most advanced societies in this range explore their star systems developing efficient rocket and spacecraft. Many develop efficient ion engines and/or other kinds of spacecraft propulsion technologies.

Processor Technologies

Programmable computers come into vogue as the analog is replaced by the digital. Desktop processors become a feature of home, business, and school. Massive parallel processors fill entire rooms and supersede earlier technologies. The first supercomputers can often beat even expert humans at games like chess due to phenomenal calculating abilities and vast memory banks. Photonic and gravitic energy transmission as well as bio-computing replace many of the earlier generations of electronics. Voice-activated processors are more user-friendly than ever before. Many societies can build processors that meet the Imperial standards for Model/2, Model/2 bis, and Model/3 processors.

Residential Technologies

Metropolises continue to grow in size, covering entire seaboards, and proliferating with skyscrapers, and some more advanced societies even develop the first archologies. Megacities go from being isolated examples to becoming prolific. The medical arts reach new highs and life expectancy continues to grow in great bounds. Some of the most advanced societies of this epoch explore their star system and develop colonies on satellites and other planets within their system. Some develop early space stations, often toroidal spinning environments.

Medical Technologies

Controlled surgical wards aided by precise robotic limbs make surgery more effective and safer than ever before. The first robo-docs are marvelous contraptions. Slow drugs, fast drugs, organ replacement, advanced metabolics, limb regeneration, and early cryogenics greatly expand the biological sciences.

Martial Technology

Large militaries armed with processor-enabled weapons make global warfare a reality. Command and control are greatly enhanced by processor networks and orbital satellite coordination. Some of the more advanced societies even develop practical laser weaponry. However, most stick with the older and more reliable technology of projectile firearms including the assault rifle and the first ACR’s. Mechanized warfare creates a plethora of martial vehicles that range across every possible environment on a world, from land, to sea, to air, and even beyond into space.

History & Background / Dossier

Many later technologies are developed in this epoch as prototype sciences including the arcology, the jump drive, and the first gravity manipulation devices.

The widespread availability of information processors and integrated electronic circuits makes possible sophisticated devices, including computers and early robots, which largely supplant tedious sophont thought processes.

Hallmark Technology: Space Exploration

Sophonts at this stage of development frequently explore their stellar system, send out probes, use radiotelescopes, and engage their curiosity about the universe.

Hallmark Technology: Exponential Growth of Knowledge

The advent of advanced processors and electronics allow for world nets, post-industrial learning, adaptive learning, and a variety of technologies that allow for exponential proliferation of intellectual curiosity and knowledge.

Hallmark Technology: Interstellar Colonies

Most sophont societies realize that space is the final frontier and, after experimenting with system colonies, send out new colonies to distant stars, often using STL sleeper or generation ships. Some more advanced societies develop prototype FTL Jump Drives and colonize the distant stars at a much faster rate than their NAFAL cousins.

Representative Sophont Species

Many minor races stagnate at this level as interstellar merchants can bring them more technologically advanced goods, obviating the need to better understand and master the knowledge required to produce more advanced goods.

References & Contributors / Sources

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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 Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Marc Miller. Worlds and Adventures (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 14-15.Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Worlds and Adventures (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 14-15.
• Marc Miller. Referee's Companion (Game Designers Workshop, 1988), 28-29.
• Geir Lanesskog. World Builder's Handbook (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), .Joe Fugate, J. Andrew Keith, Gary L. Thomas. World Builder's Handbook (Digest Group Publications, 1989), .
• Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. Fire, Fusion, & Steel (Game Designers Workshop, 1994), 7.
• Citation Missing - Traveller D20
• Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), 502-507.
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science