Format for Ref's game posts
Move and Game Action - Game-related mailings from me will have the
[Haven] banner, followed by an activity title:
ADMIN = administrative announcements and replies, like this one
MOVE n = a major advancement of timeline with action required of
most or all characters.
MOVE n.n = a minor action or correction, or a step affecting less
than the whole group.
DATA = contains information discovered during play and will be
added to the Data Gathered page on the web site.
PRIVATE = message will contain info not generally known or
individual admin stuff
The Move
I will attempt to post to this site on a weekly basis. I am calling my posts a "Move", meaning simply that I am advancing the timeline here at the site. My posts will include the actions and dialog of the players, edited for flow and readability.
Play
I expect the players to email actions and dialog that will be general knowledge using the "reply-all" method. Questions to me, private actions/dialog and comments should be mailed to me only. Players are welcome to converse among themselves when scheming... er, planning their group actions.
FAQ
Q: Do we know the command structure of the Reclamation Bureau and how military rank works therein (if at all)?
A: No. You know that you will have a Cell Leader. The structure sounds like the CES to you. You also know from life experience that there will be authority figures and occasional secret police agents among any group of people.
Q: Do you have specific ideas about how the HSMC works and its TOE, or should I make it up (subject to your review, of course)?
A: Remember that the HMC is 12 years old and is still thought of as an elite unit of the Navy and/or Palace Guard. Ira spent his first tour in one of those two services. Most current Marine duty is shipboard guard, forward position special forces, and training - training - training.
Q: Does Hemming's 50kg limit duffel include his field gear and munitions, or just his personal effects and uniforms?
A: Note that the Law Level of Haven is very restrictive of weapons ownership. Tech Level 8-10 equipment is readily available. Remember from Move 1 that he expected a very complete search of his gear and person.
Q: Should I create an equipment list?
A: Yes.
Q: Does the HSMC use armor?
A: Armor at TL 10, Weapons up to B
Q: Does the HSMC have:
A: Reference CT Books 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 or The Traveller Book. If you need equipment lists from them, let me know.
Q: What kind of explosives/demolition gear does HSMC use? e.g., advanced plastics a la 2000 AD on Earth, or rudimentary black powder a la 1600 AD on Earth
A: Per Book 4 at TL ~10
Q: What are the standards of civilian Haven romantic/sexual activity and how do they change (if at all) in the military?
A: Officer/Enlisted fraternization is a courts martial offense. Class and Station are important. Women are the traditional decision-makers about marriage
Q: Am I asking too many questions?
A: Actually, these are all good. I will post a copy of this reply on the web site in FAQ form.
Q: (The standard personal computer is either a hand-held or wrist-worn unit) How much data could a hand-held PC hold?
A: ~3.2 TB in the standard issue (5 orders beyond a PocketPC).
Q: (The computers listed above include integrated mid-range communications) Does the integral comm also include video?
A: Yes.
Q: What does Travellers' get Hether, given the alternate background?
A: Okay, this is one of my loose ends. When I generated this character, that came up and I said "Hmm". My thought at the time was that I'd translate it into something comparable. How about this: her "papers" entitle her to First Class accommodations on all transportation, access to the VIP lounge facilities at any depot, and special treatment by government agents and bureaucrats. Think along the lines of "Party Member".
Q: I gather that the year is 1951?
A: The date of Move 1 is 2.1951.7.4, meaning July the 4th, 1951 of the second human scattering. The first scattering lasted 6037 years, and was followed by a 1000 years of gathering. This year coincides with 4991 AD. All times are given as zulu and no local times are used by Havenites.
Q: Given the importance of class and station concerning romantic relationships, are arranged marriages common?
A: Class constrains people somewhat in the upper strata, but family duty and honor make the choice of mate more utilitarian.
Q: How strong is the institution of marriage in Haven society? Is sexual activity between unmarried people strongly frowned upon, even between "social equals"?
A: I would imagine the institution to be very solid and the family size to be growing because of colonization opportunities and the fact that industrial societies need population growth. Because the familial bonds are strong and because this was a traditionally agrarian society, I'd expect that they have a strong work ethic and an aversion to behavior disrespectful of persons and families. Because the government knows everyone's business, I'd also peg crime rates very low, punishment severe and tattling lucrative.
Q: Given the circumstances of the Inhuman War, how do most Havenites feel about robotics?
A: Personally, some are skittish. Suspicious. It was a decisive and heroic victory however, so there should be some of the defeated foe feeling, as well. Officially, robots are tools of progress and, it my best West World voice, "Nothing can go wrong... can go wrong.............. can.... go.... wrong."
Q: does (my character) have an issued weapon, ammo, armor, field gear, etcetera, that he must carry from duty station to duty station; or is the stuff that goes boom issued and returned to each duty station? Obviously our duffel contains uniforms and personal effects, but does (my character) bring his (or her) own (meaning items belonging to (the service) but signed out to (me)) mission/combat gear?
A: The (service) mustered you out, so you have nothing of theirs. The Bureau is like a different service where you maintain your seniority and pension, but it is really a new career.
Q: > What is normal transportation on Haven for civilians? Is there private ownership of horse/ground car/speeder/air-raft?
A: Lots of public transport in the cities, plenty of ground cars for regular folks, grav vehicles for military / government use and wealthier folks.
Q: What is normal transportation in Haven's military?
A: The military has the best toys.
Q: Consumerism on Haven - does it exist? Is it encouraged? While consumer demand would spur economic development it might also take away from industry's ability to meet military/exploration/science demand.
A: Over the past twenty years, consumerism has come back at bit after several decades of rationing. The mindset of people over 35 is probably like those in the US who live through the Great Depression; cautious.
Q: I read the "economic structure" entry in library data. To what extent are "nearly all possessions" recorded? Is the acquisition/possession of items a social flaw? A rather edgy thing for the idle rich (do these exist?) to do? Is there an art market? What about antiques?
A: Unfortunately, most art and many items of historical value were taken by or turned over to the government in years past. There are great museums on Haven, but many things wound up in private collections. The rich are quite rich, but to call them idle would be incorrect. They are a clamoring, grasping and very productive bunch. Their bottom line is both their claim to power and their measure of influence with the government. Yes, they have maintained and even increased their "trappings" of wealth. But they will toss a sluggard to the banal life of a bureaucrat without a second thought.
Q: Having things leads to the need to buy things. Does the State Bank of Haven have branch offices in each city? I take it that consumer credit is non-existent but industrial credit (investment capital for government approved activities or things) is common, yes?
A: No branches, but most businesses can act as agents.
Q: Is specie and paper money in use, or is everything electronic on a debit card or "credstick" or...
A: 100% electronic via facial or hand geometry on Haven proper, but many unofficial methods of storing value are in use on Far Fields and Black Rock.
Q: How do criminals or grey-marketeers do business?
A: There is some unauthorized barter and commodity trading on Haven. There is a small black market (but nothing is ever gray ;)
Q: What is the colloquial term for a Haven E-trade Unit? As in "My brother, that's an expensive bar! A pint'll cost you four etoos! (ETUs)"
A: The official term in Haven Bank Credits, the short form is Credits and the slang is "shakes" because of the odd hand-geometry units first put in place by what was then called The Consolidated Bank of Haven.
Q: Does everybody on/from Haven carry identity papers or an ID chip or something? What about military/government personnel?
A: On Haven proper everyone is in the database and identified via geometry of face and hand. Off world military have dog tags with their geometry and service record. Colonists are all registered, but their systems are looser.
Q: Is there an anti-military faction in government or society at large?
A: The CES is as close as you'll get to anti-military (Navy-types sometimes refer to it as the Civilian Exploration Service.)
Q: How common is domestic security activity (secret police spying)?
A: Always there, but not very heavy-handed.
Q: Is any dissent or free opinion tolerated, or are there immediate repercussions?
A: Your political opinions determines your employability to a great extent.
Q: Are corrective measures taken in an open way, say court proceedings of some type, or are they done covertly (disappearances conducted by special teams)?
A: With so much bureaucracy left over, typical punishments are fines, public apology, restitution of injured parties, community service or short periods of incarceration. Crimes involving treason, serious breaches of security or violent crime are handled by the military. They usually result in long periods of hard labor at small mining camps in the asteroid belts. ;)
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... send more questions :)