I've got to agree with Harold here, while TL8 stuff will be everywhere, they
probably mfg a small amount of TL9 and maybe even TL10 gear. TL11 and 12
gear will be very available at any store, there might be a premium on some
of the larger items simply because of the logistics in shipping them. TL13+
is going to require that you know a guy who knows a guy who found something
that "fell off the back of a truck".
We have to keep in mind that these TL's are a snapshot, a moment in time and
unlike the Imperium where those TL's might exist for decades or even
centuries on a world the RC is "recovering" and they're recovering fast so
it's quite likely that by the time NE3 rolls about Oriflamme might be TL10
or 11 and Aubaine might be TL13 or 14 simply due to the nature of the beast.
Realistically Aubaine might have some TL13-15 manufacturing capabilities at
NE1 but it's so small it doesn't count. IE. There might be a factory making
TL14 tablet computers or blue tooth headsets. These would be way faster and
more advanced than the rest of the world is capable of making but they're so
limited in production that they cost a fortune.
I've been harboring a strong dislike of the Tech codes for ages,
particularly in the TNE setting where things are changing so fast. In my
own things I tend to divide up the planetary capacity in terms of broad
categories, Medical Supplies, Weapons, Vehicles, Starships, Equipment. And
I might break it down further and say things like, well these guys have a
TL15 PRIS goggles factory that's operational, just for flavor.
From: []
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 1:23 PM
To:
Subject: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Tech Levels - 'Splain them to me
I've always played it such that tech level was what was "commonly available
and/or able to be manufactured", rather than it being a hard number where
nothing higher tech was available. The Imperium is/was a start spanning
empire where interstellar travel was very common. Sure there were backwater
areas and worlds that were "off limits", but how else do you explain a world
that has thousands of inhabitants is at TL6 with a very thin, tainted
atmosphere? They import the goods necessary to survive.
Thus, in the TNE setting, a world might be TL 8, but they may have
everything from TL 8 to TL 15 available in terms of merchandise. The TL 12
stuff might come from a nearby TL 12 world (along with some TL 11 items
manufactured as that world progressed--think old computers that people in
the West treat as near junk, but to someone in Ethiopia they are super
powerful PCs), TL 13-15 stuff would naturally be salvaged relic equipment
that would be expensive and finding spare parts could be challenging. Local
people would of course be making TL 8 stuff, and depending on what is was
(say farm equipment or tools) it would be "good, sturdy gear". Not
everything needs to be the latest and greatest technology--indeed locals may
even have a preference for the lower tech stuff.
So if I were on Oriflamme, I'd expect that most things would be TL 8, in
some tech areas there was be a fair amount of TL 11-12 imported gear,
especially electronics (light weight, easy to ship in bulk, ask the
Japanese...). But if "you know a guy who knows a guy", maybe you can get
hold of a precious TL 14 Solomani holo projector. The rest is up to your
imagination and how you "make it work" for the game you are running.
probably mfg a small amount of TL9 and maybe even TL10 gear. TL11 and 12
gear will be very available at any store, there might be a premium on some
of the larger items simply because of the logistics in shipping them. TL13+
is going to require that you know a guy who knows a guy who found something
that "fell off the back of a truck".
We have to keep in mind that these TL's are a snapshot, a moment in time and
unlike the Imperium where those TL's might exist for decades or even
centuries on a world the RC is "recovering" and they're recovering fast so
it's quite likely that by the time NE3 rolls about Oriflamme might be TL10
or 11 and Aubaine might be TL13 or 14 simply due to the nature of the beast.
Realistically Aubaine might have some TL13-15 manufacturing capabilities at
NE1 but it's so small it doesn't count. IE. There might be a factory making
TL14 tablet computers or blue tooth headsets. These would be way faster and
more advanced than the rest of the world is capable of making but they're so
limited in production that they cost a fortune.
I've been harboring a strong dislike of the Tech codes for ages,
particularly in the TNE setting where things are changing so fast. In my
own things I tend to divide up the planetary capacity in terms of broad
categories, Medical Supplies, Weapons, Vehicles, Starships, Equipment. And
I might break it down further and say things like, well these guys have a
TL15 PRIS goggles factory that's operational, just for flavor.
From: []
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 1:23 PM
To:
Subject: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Tech Levels - 'Splain them to me
I've always played it such that tech level was what was "commonly available
and/or able to be manufactured", rather than it being a hard number where
nothing higher tech was available. The Imperium is/was a start spanning
empire where interstellar travel was very common. Sure there were backwater
areas and worlds that were "off limits", but how else do you explain a world
that has thousands of inhabitants is at TL6 with a very thin, tainted
atmosphere? They import the goods necessary to survive.
Thus, in the TNE setting, a world might be TL 8, but they may have
everything from TL 8 to TL 15 available in terms of merchandise. The TL 12
stuff might come from a nearby TL 12 world (along with some TL 11 items
manufactured as that world progressed--think old computers that people in
the West treat as near junk, but to someone in Ethiopia they are super
powerful PCs), TL 13-15 stuff would naturally be salvaged relic equipment
that would be expensive and finding spare parts could be challenging. Local
people would of course be making TL 8 stuff, and depending on what is was
(say farm equipment or tools) it would be "good, sturdy gear". Not
everything needs to be the latest and greatest technology--indeed locals may
even have a preference for the lower tech stuff.
So if I were on Oriflamme, I'd expect that most things would be TL 8, in
some tech areas there was be a fair amount of TL 11-12 imported gear,
especially electronics (light weight, easy to ship in bulk, ask the
Japanese...). But if "you know a guy who knows a guy", maybe you can get
hold of a precious TL 14 Solomani holo projector. The rest is up to your
imagination and how you "make it work" for the game you are running.