User talk:Graham2001

Welcome to the Traveller Wiki. If you have questions you can leave a comment on my talk page or on the forum.

- Tjoneslo (talk) 07:19, 20 December 2016 (EST)

World Entry (2017)

When you are ready, let's do a phone call and I can easily explain the confusing parts.

- Maksim-Smelchak (talk) 11:38, 13 October 2017 (EDT)

Adding a subsector map (2016)

Use Template:InfoboxSubsector. If you read the page it has a list of parameters to the template and an example of how to use it. Copy and paste the {{InfoboxTemplate ... }} to the top of the page and replace the (for example) {Subsector Name} documentation descriptions with the actual values. For any value you don't know, leave blank. We can fill the values in later.

---

This won't work quite correctly because the code to select the subsector doesn't work with the far away sectors (as Traveller Maps calls them). But that's for me to fix. Use the template, and I'll fix it. Tjoneslo (talk) 07:44, 21 December 2016 (EST)

---

Ah, for this to work we'll need to put in a "Precipice Sector" page with the correct coordinates using the Template:InfoboxSector, and the x of 69 and the y of -60. This should get us in the ballpark location. Tjoneslo (talk) 07:56, 21 December 2016 (EST)

---

Tried that and it didn't seem to work out. I have downloaded the subsector data from TravellerMap, is there any way to generate the map by transcribing the data?Graham2001 (talk) 07:02, 23 December 2016 (EST)

I have an (offline) map generator for subsectors. You can see an example here: Pretoria Subsector#Politics and Diplomacy : New Era. If you don't mind that map, the nice thing is we can use it to make a clickable image map too. Tjoneslo (talk) 07:42, 23 December 2016 (EST)

Morgonstjärnen 4

Two things, now that I'm catching up:

1. Do we have permission to post the data from this fanzine?
2. I created a {{World summary Im}} for adding these worlds. This omits the domain name.

---

Thomas, thank you for creating the Im file.

• - Maksim-Smelchak (talk) 19:31, 16 October 2017 (EDT)

---

Graham, aww shucks, thx for your kind comment. Yeah them Jaibok really deserve some love, one of the very first Big Bads that came out for Trav, when Theta B emerged back in 1980. They were covered in Grand Explorations too, a never-published DGP supplement by Mike Mikesh, that can be got in plain text format on CotI - those are my primary sources and truthfully the only written ones I actually know of.

Mavuzog itself was named and had polity borders within it, and Grand Explorations (I think, doubt it was Theta B) located and statted Vech, the Jaibok homeworld, but that was it really. So I created the sector and coded it up for Trav Map, y'know, the way you do. Honestly, everything else is pretty much head-canon. I have run everything past Marc of course, just to be sure I'm not stepping on toes or overstepping the mark or anything, and he seems to like it, so that's cool. Other folks have contributed too, and every now and again I discover weird little "easter eggs" in the sector, stuff that other folks have quietly added. Exciting!

I'm fortunate in that I can draw a little too - sometimes a piccie really is worth a thousand words, and doing an image of the Jaibok has really helped make them seem a bit more "serious".

Theta Borealis itself is, like you say, a bit of a can of worms. It really sucks, but also it is a little bit of history. An update was submitted, but we figured that anything we did would really fundamentally change the character of the sector, terrible though it is, so perhaps it was best to leave it alone and let individual referees tackle it as they prefer.

Alagoric (talk) 10:47, 26 September 2021 (EDT)

---

Percavid Marches

Notes eh? Now you've gotten me really intrigued!

My understanding is that the Marches are a huge swathe of territory newly occupied by the Korsumug Empire, under the leadership of one Admiral Percavid (a name that doesn't sound entirely Jaibok, y'know). The region is considered Empire territory but as yet they are unincorporated into that polity, what with the dust still kind of settling after the invasion and occupation, so I imagine the fighting isn't entirely over yet and one or two fringe worlds still might escape the clutches of Korsu domination. I dunno if there was a minor polity there before, if it was empty territory, or what. For sure I'd like to know more.

Would having page entries for the various worlds of the Marches be of any use? I'm very happy to add them but I've shied away a little as an update to the sector data was being considered, though that was almost half a decade ago, so...

Alagoric (talk) 06:59, 16 October 2021 (EDT)

---

It's possible Percavid may not be a Jaibok, but a Cultural Jaibok which might explain the name. As to the notes, it's something to help out making sense of some of the numbers. As with much of the early material there was little attempt to 'design' the sector. But the fact that five of the regions system are subordinate to another (unidentified) system (or systems) is a major clue as to what's going on there.

And given the fact that the authors had clearly watched 'Star Wars' (& Dr Who) I think that the film should be taken into consideration when looking at the area.Graham2001 (talk) 10:08, 16 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Thanks mate, definitely interesting. Is Percavid a Jansa, maybe?

Yeah noticed the subordinate systems, interesting. I've pegged them as former Jelmart colonies and outposts, because Jelmart is the obvious choice and also because how its been done on every other sector I've worked on (big fish in the regional pond and all that). The map below is just speculative, but how does it grab you? I can instate it if it doesn't chew up anything you're doing, or make changes if you feel its missing something important. The Honiara belt is under Military Rule rather than being noted as an owned system, so I've left that as a former "NaHu" world - more story potential, troublesome belters and all.

Re allegiance codes, I've left the KoPm codes in place so the Jaibok occupation can be referenced against former member worlds. I can change that out to a fresh code if that's a better approach. Feedback and opinions very welcome, good sir. (Edit: forgot to mention, there is actually a second map done with the allegiance codes changed to JelM (Jelmiri Marches) and NaHu as appropriate - Jelmiri just kind of sounded more natural than Jelmirt Marches).

Alagoric (talk) 06:26, 17 October 2021 (EDT)

---

I like the map, the fact that the previous state does not cover the whole region of the Percavid Marches, adds the possiblity for complexity in the 'Rebel Alliance', not everyone may want to become free under the rule of Jelmir and some may not be willing to put former disputes aside. As to Percavid being a Jansa, you have to wonder about the circumstances that sees the 'power behind the throne' stepping into the light. I have no doubt the Jansa may be pulling th e strings here, but which race is the facade behind which those strings are being pulled in this case, Humaniti?Graham2001 (talk) 22:28, 17 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Superb stuff, many thanks indeed. Gradually working thru everything, cheers sir. You mention additional notes, for example on Perx. Where might I be able to find these? (want to be sure I'm including everything I can, not sure if I'm being my normal dumbass self and missing something)

With Oujda, I kind of figured the benefits do actually go two ways - the Confederation receives a steady stream of ridiculously discounted ships and equipment, enabling it to replace losses that would be crippling to other polities, and at the same time the activities (and location) of the Confederation serve to give Oudja a reasonably chunky buffer zone between itself and the depredations of the Jaibok.

On that note, it is perhaps a mark of pride to a Jaibok ship or crew that they have "ravaged every world on the Main". Very doubtful any ship could manage it, they'd be well inside Trooles territory for their final run, but perhaps jumping in-system, refuelling at an outer system gas giant, and then firing a few missiles at one of its moons before jumping out again qualifies as "ravaging", dunno. But, point to it being, that sort of "accomplishment" thing would drive a steady stream of Jaibok ships up the Main towards Trooles territory. And that's trouble, especially if there really is some kind of hidden repair base in the rimward part of Astron "Old Spacer's Tales"...

Alagoric (talk) 20:05, 18 October 2021 (EDT)

---

I put the notes on the Talk:Trooles Confederation page, I've put nothing separate yet for Galores, but have started work on an Oujda based shipping line. I might have to dig out the copies I have of Group One products just to see what they say about Sapies, Warbor-Pann & Nithus, although I doubt any of it will be useful.Graham2001 (talk) 20:25, 18 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Excellent, thank you.

Alagoric (talk) 05:29, 19 October 2021 (EDT)

Trooles Confederation Worlds

Been going through your (excellent) notes one at a time. I've only tackled Galores so far, but I've based it off of your suggestions and questions. Do you think that about covers it?

Alagoric (talk) 17:24, 19 October 2021 (EDT)

---

I like what you did with my ideas. I'll admit I hadn't thought about the idea of a recruiting bonus. I'm thinking of doing the same exercise with Oujda that I did with the Trooles Confederation, just go through the possible colonies and see what the numbers suggest. Also I had a look at the original Nithus text and noted that aside from being telepathic bipedal bulldogs (Or at least that's how I interpreted the artwork.) the locals have their own fleet, if you don't have this I'm willing to upload a picture of the relevant page where they give the High Guard stats.Graham2001 (talk) 22:53, 19 October 2021 (EDT)

---

"Dangerous Days" Adventure Tourism Inc, pay your hard-earned credits to voluntarily travel into the heart of Jaibok-infested territory, and if they don't get you to bask in the radiation-saturated glare of the violently unstable stellar furnace that is Theta B. (Gotta be done!!!!)

Interesting to see the two Jaibok "choke points" across the rifts that pinch off the coreward part of the sector. Gives the Troolean defense some structure and direction. Also, the stellar cartography nicely shows up the kind of "swirl" of giant stars clustered around Theta B and the second supergiant. I've been able to "sculpt" some of the other sectors around Theta Borealis to help emphasise the "cluster of giants" effect too, sort of "blend the edges" and make it a feature.

Do you know anything about the Enigma of Theta Borealis by any chance? Inside back cover of hardback T5 v5.00, and effectively sitting on top of the Trooles Confederation.

Thank you so much for all the additional info too, hugely appreciated. I'm sort of structuring everything at the mo, trying to give it a consistent and accessible feel and look. Getting there.

Alagoric (talk) 23:01, 20 October 2021 (EDT)

Big Stars

Edit: going to keep adding the really big stars to this list as I find them, plus the luminosity too, so we have a handy master list of the really very bright indeed ones. Kind of want to know, too, coz of adding some detail and color to the Borealis Group notes. More than 500 sols luminosity seems to be a reasonable cut-off for the really bright members of the group. I've taken the liberty of giving them Greek monikers

• Theta Borealis A7 Ia Supergiant, Lum: 73,000 sols.
• Kappa Borealis A3 Ib Supergiant, Lum: 13,000 sols.
• Mu Borealis A2 II Bright Giant, Lum: 1660 sols.
• Epsilon Borealis A7 II Bright Giant, Lum: 750 sols.
• Sigma Borealis A7 II Bright Giant, Lum: 750 sols.
• Tau Borealis F3 II Bright Giant: Lum: 546 sols.

If you notice any others above that magic 500, tip us the nod, guv'nor.

(Edit): Re Pacadia, way too dim (only a "mere" 280 x the luminosity of Sol...).

Well worth working through, gives us a lower limit on what we might call Borealean stars - no type III star cuts the 500 sols mustard, not even close. Type II or bigger only, and possibly yellow or bigger types of those. Many thanks indeed for flagging that, very useful info and another completed world under our belts too.

Alagoric (talk) 09:17, 21 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Currently going back thru all the world articles we've done, looking for issues and inconsistencies. I know there are a few - on the sector and subsector world listings you'll see a divider spot, then a blank (rather than a name) and then another divider spot - means a world isn't registering properly, some sort of name or (more likely) location problem. Easier to track them down and solve them with 60 entries to go thru, rather than 400 or more...

And, while I'm doing it, I'm slightly restructuring the template too - the 'Importance' extension is going in under the 'Trade' heading, most logical home for it. Really should have been there already tbh. Again, easier to update 60 entries than 400, so makes sense to do it now. Also, I'm taking the time to look over each world article and make sure that there's nothing we've missed. Pretty good so far. And, thank you for doing those worlds too, bonus round (and then some) having stuff I just have to scan through.

Edit: found a biggie: Kline (world) - hate doing redirects...

Alagoric (talk) 17:55, 21 October 2021 (EDT)

---

I've updated the data for most of the worlds now - I want to parse thru it fresh tomorrow just to be sure - and the existing world pages have now got full cites too. The "flat" version that every world gets is:

 
|S1= {{Ludography cite|name= Theta Borealis Sector |page= }} 
|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Aslan |version=Classic Traveller|page=IBC}} (sector named but no further data)
|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Solomani & Aslan |page=50, 51}} (sector named, dot map provided)
|S4= EXTERNAL LINK: [http://111george.com/core/astrogat/g4.htm Goerge.com]
|S5= Author & Contributor: [[Jo Grant]] of [[CORE]] (generated data)
|S6= Author & Contributor: [[User:Graham2001|Graham2001]]
|S7= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus [[Adie Alegoric Stewart]] of the [[IISS]]

Additional cites are added as needed. The Ludography is chronological, the correct pages are cited from Solomani and Aslan, the formerly broken external link now goes to the Theta Borealis page (yay!), and the Author & Contributor order is kind of "who the buck stops with" if we overstep the mark. Max ain't around these here parts no more, but he's traditionally always been last on the list so if he contributed, he's cited, and last it is.

Still need to complete the Importance addition for the existing worlds (nearly done), and I've tinkered slightly with native life too.

=== Native Lifeforms ===
No native life.
No native life: the world has an abiotic oxygen atmosphere.
Primitive [[Lifeform|native life]]. Its metabolic functions drive the process of atmospheric renewal.
Extensive [[Lifeform|native life]]. Its metabolic functions drive the process of atmospheric renewal.
Exotic [[Lifeform|native life]]. Its metabolic functions drive the process of atmospheric renewal.

Primitive native life is kind of like the cyanobacteria, single-celled organisms and multicellular creatures still both plant and animal and not more than microscopic in size. Despite their smallness they can form some pretty big things (algae-covered expanses, stromatolites, coral-like structures, vast slime-mats or strings etc) and they do all kinds of stuff to the atmospheric gases on a truly monumental scale, but in the timescale the characters operate in they keep it full of oxygen (atmos codes 2-9).

Bit of a judgement call on these, within certain sensible boundaries.

• Asteroid belts and vacuum worlds are always no native life
• Garden worlds always have extensive native life
• Species homeworlds, no matter how marginal, always have extensive life.
• Agricultural worlds always have life (could be primitive, hey, who wouldn't want to be a sci-fi slime-harvester...)
• Ic (ice-capped / iceworld worlds) can have conventional life in sub-ice oceans kept liquid by internal heat and pressure and external forces

(choose either Primitive or Extensive) sub-ice [[Lifeform|native life]].

(their metabolisms really don't affect the atmosphere).

I swap out "aquatic" for "sub-ice" on Water and Ocean Worlds. Exotic atmos worlds, I tend to favor life if they have surface fluids.

Pretty sure you can see where I'm going with it. No hard and fast rule really, just figured you'd appreciate knowing how I'm approaching it.

Alagoric (talk) 23:32, 21 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Thanks for letting me know: Mitzene of Sapies / Banderhue fixed / added (I've updated the subsector summary, check out Banderhue subsector - if its still not showing correctly purge the cache for the page, "Subsector Summary" calls are a pain for not showing up without a damn good purging...)

I've had to do a bit of a judgment call on the numbers too, Sapies has a population of 6 million and two "warring species", but no indication of the relative numbers of either species. Where previously the entry said Cygmo 6 million and no mention of the Mitzene, I've set both species at the rather vague value of "less than 4 million" each. Gives a bit of wiggle room.

Alagoric (talk) 04:26, 22 October 2021 (EDT)

Sector Level Summary

Bit of a trick to it...

You're trying to find an article called Theta Borealis Sector/summary

Edit from there. The whole summary is a bit hinky tbh, but that is a world of work without the scripts that extract and sort the data. Do-able, but a lot of effort. Once you're done and your adjustments to the summary are saved, remember to go back to the sector main page and purge the cache to see your updates in situ.

Alagoric (talk) 18:32, 22 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Lovin' the maps sir. Really nice. 'pologies for the lack of commo, real life is hitting pretty hard at the mo.

Alagoric (talk) 04:03, 24 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Red letter day, 100th world done. Triple figures!

Alagoric (talk) 08:06, 24 October 2021 (EDT)

Shipping Firms

Nicely done sir.

Continental Lines and Polygraham Shipping, do we actually believe that they have J-6 ships, or could it perhaps be a bit of advertising and corporate boasting that has gone well beyond the pail and is now instituted in trade route data? Could be a rich vein of scenario-fodder, all those attempts by high-level corporate types to cover up the lies, elaborate plans with two identical ships and lots of very controlled media coverage (one sent ahead while one performs a very public jump, prearranged timing to make it seem like the duplicate pops out of jump a week later J-6 away, y'know...).

And those jump routes are way beyond hinky, and then some. I strongly suspect that they were chosen mainly by whim and by the gaming needs of the moment, y'know.

Rather than tying ourselves in literary and canon knots trying to justify and explain it away, the "big lie" might be a far simpler (and far more fun) way of explaining away all of those problems and inconsistencies, and lends itself rather well to big "conspiracy" type storylines. Just a thought.

Alagoric (talk) 08:04, 24 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Related point - the closest Class A starport, TL–15 world I can find is:

Tsadra Sector
3209 Sizhdriet            A000775-F As Na                               - R  - 204   Zh K4 V

• Important bonus, it's not a nonindustrial world. The "Ni" code effectively "turns off" industry for a world. Conversely, the "In" code indicates a world is an industrial producer above all else. So worlds with populations of 7 or more have an established industrial base, tho its not what characterises them, and (in theory) have factories able to produce materials and components and shipyards able to manufacture starships. I suspect a "Ni" world could only manufacture ships as kind of one-off "mad scientist" projects, even with the appropriate port type and tech level...

So Sizhdriet is about 75 parsecs away, roughly. To perform annual maintenance (assuming J-6 all the way between Theta B and Sizhdriet, with a little time for safe diameters and refuelling each stop, that's about 12 jumps there / 18 weeks roughly, and the same back again) plus of course the time actually having maintenance done (say 1 week). Gives the vessel about 15 weeks commercial operating time within Theta B before it needs to pack up again and set out for its next annual maintenance...

Alagoric (talk) 09:20, 24 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Re industry and businesses

Been setting up the Kingdom of Peladon, slowly but surely, including figuring out their navy (Ron created a few designs for them a couple of years ago).

While doing some work on the Able class War Rocket, I noticed a link on its "manufacturer" in the (still unfixed) details box. Want to chase that up?

Many thanks.

Alagoric (talk) 14:28, 25 October 2021 (EDT)

---

Re Astron Sector, elements to the sector page.

I added a major section entitled Old Spacer's Tales to the sector page for Astron Sector, with the idea being that it contained 6 potential concepts for scenarios and campaigns within the sector in the most barebones format I could manage, sort of add a little flavor and character (6 is kind of "traditional Trav list" of course). I'd like to to the same for Theta B too. The bottom line is that we don't really invent anything, we take previously existing mentions or nuggets we've found, or weird stuff we've noticed, or anything like that, and kind of highlight it and expand on it a little. Pull referees and players into the place a little.

So far we (potentially) have:

1. No idea yet
2. Nope, blank on this one too so far.
3. Corporate lies, big corporate lies, and dark commercial conspiracies.
4. "Battlestar Galactica" type theme with the remnants of the Jelmiri fleet struggling to survive and strike back.
5. The Imperial Korsumug Navy doesn't have the Jelmiri Marches blocking it in any more, its a new golden age for Jaibok raiders on the Korsumug Main.
6. Something star-related. Big active angry stars, Flare Star activity, messed up sensors and commo.

Alagoric (talk) 09:52, 24 October 2021 (EDT)

Percavid Marches, part Deux

Our colleague and fellow contributor Ron Kline has added the Jelmiri Marches, along with their "fleet".

This is full-on original series Battlestar Galactica. So we have a massive carrier and endless squadrons of fighters, plus a few other odds and ends. Honestly, perfect, we can get our teeth into that. Hiding out somewhere in neutral space to trailing of the Percavid Marches, with its mere presence hampering Jaibok raiding - too easy for a small raiding group to have their own tactics used on them - overwhelming numbers of small ships and fighters, death from a million paper-cuts.

Ties in rather nicely with that list, above.

We've got some more corporate entities too - Consolidated Hull Works, Reliable Fleet Limited, and Citizen Fabrique.

Ok, need to tackle turning them into fleet counters and do proper ship work-ups. Ron is pretty good with his designs - they're odd sometimes but they're done properly - I'll get them into a sensible format. Excellent to see an additional opponent for the relentless Jaibok.

Nice one Ron!

Edit:

Alagoric (talk) 12:55, 24 October 2021 (EDT)