Amber Zone

[Random Goblin]

Question:

What gets a world classified as Amber Zone by the TAS?

Does a local war always get an AZ warning, or does it depend on the situation? Or even the tech level?

 

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

What qualifies a world as an Amber Zone according to TAS are the following:
</font>

• natural disasters</font>
• low intensity conflicts</font>
• man-made disasters</font>
• hostile animal, plant, or indigenous people of said planet</font>

Basically, anything that is potentially dangerous to a PCs healthy and wellbeing. A planet is qualied as a Red Zone for the following:
</font>

• war</font>
• interdicted by the Imperium</font>
• quarantined planets</font>

There may be other reasons that the TAS gives an amber or red classification to a world, but I cannot think of them at the moment.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[jappel]

ISTR at least one world classed by TAS as an Amber Zone due to the local Code Duello, under which anyone including visitors from offworld could be challenged to duels for offenses. The world had a fairly arcane legal system based on codes of personal honor or some such. Danger takes many forms...

John

 

[Random Goblin]

What about war, but at TL 3?

Would that make a difference?

Here's the most important one- what about tensions and possible impending war?

 

[Random Goblin]

Also, I thought red zone was always from Imperial interdiction, as in not just a TAS warning, but a notification of Imperial policy specifically, and anything else would be just Amber.

The Imperium doesn't interdict all worlds at war.

And what about Efate/Regina? Low-intensity guerilla conflict almost constantly, but not even Amber.

 

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

The Imperium does not classify worlds in terms of Amber or Red Zones. Only the TAS does that. Any world at war regardless of its tech level will be classified as a Red Zone by the TAS.

As far as Efate/Regina, I do not know what to make of that. I classify it as Amber and go from there.

The TAS is not a police force of any kind. It places the warning on the worlds as a service to its members. If travellers want to go to a world that the TAS has classified as Amber/Red, TAS is not going to stop them, but the travellers have been warned.

As far as the Imperium not interdicting all the worlds at war, it does not. I think the policy is to interdict worlds that cause a problem with trade and/or of high importance.

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Random Goblin:
Also, I thought red zone was always from Imperial interdiction, as in not just a TAS warning, but a notification of Imperial policy specifically, and anything else would be just Amber.

The Imperium doesn't interdict all worlds at war.

And what about Efate/Regina? Low-intensity guerilla conflict almost constantly, but not even Amber.

The Traveller's Aid Society regrets to announce the indefinite closure of its class A facility on the planet Efate...
Travellers are advised, however, to avoid travel to this world if at all possible.

Traveller News Service article, Regina/Regina dated 274-1105 (originally appeared in a JTAS).

Sounds like a red zone to me

And it also shows how the OTU slowly changes from the stats published in supplements, adventures etc.

 

[jappel]

To expand upon what the Marquis said: Red and Amber zone designations are exclusive to TAS. TAS marks all worlds interdicted by the Imperium (or whomever) as Red zones, and the two terms are often used interchangably by the general public. There is a difference.

As a rule, I don't think war at TL3 would warrant an Amber classification by default. Now, if at least one warring party is actively hunting down offworlders to kill, take hostage, sacrifice to the volcano god or whatever, that's a different story.

Sigg makes a good point regarding Efate in particular (though I'd call it an Amber zone, meaning "travel with caution", not Red, meaning "interdicted by the Imperium") but about the OTU in general - it all depends on the date of your material. On about 201-1107 or thereabouts, TAS classified the whole Spinward Marches sector as an Amber zone due to the Fifth Frontier War, for example.

John

 

[kaladorn]

Originally posted by Random Goblin:
What about war, but at TL 3?

Would that make a difference?

Here's the most important one- what about tensions and possible impending war?

Impending war might generate some news items, but maybe not an actual amber zone classification. I'm imagining there'd be some political pressures not to pre-qualify places. However, an actual TL-3 war can still result in visitors being killed if they step out of the extrality area, so yes, I think that'd get an Amber Zone.

 

[kaladorn]

Two points:

I think WBH pointed out that the Imperial Scouts tend to authorize interdiction of a world (which defacto makes it also a TAS Red Zone) when they think it will protect lower TL indigenous people (such as ones who have not had interstellar contact). The Navy, OTOH, does it to protect secret facilities, to hide messes, or just to be vindictive (from time to time).

The presence/abscence of Amber Zoning probably reflects relative risks to random travellers. Efate may be in such a state as to present a risk 'once in a blue moon' to travellers, so not enough to merit an actual Amber Zone. Plus of course TAS may not be entirely above politics and there may be moneyed or politically powerful interests that don't wish an Amber Zone classification.

 

[mike wightman]

Red Zone:... indicates the location is quarantined, interdicted by a higher authority, or at war.

CT Supplement 11: Library data N-Z.

The TAS red zones worlds, not the Imperium.

If the TAS says don't go there, it's a red zone.

If they say travel with caution, then it's an amber zone.

 

[RainOfSteel]

TAS may issue Green, Amber, and Red Zone advisories, but that is not the end of it.

TAS only issues Red Zone advisories for the three conditions noted by Sigg Oddra, above (quarantine, war, and interdiction).

However, it is only Interdiction which actually prohibits people from going to the world. Worlds that are Red Zoned for quarantine and war can still be travelled to (although travel to a quarantine world may result in being unable to go to other ports afterward.

Interdiction itself varies in the degree to which the Interdict is enforced. It still might be possible to travel to a lightly Interdicted world.


Canon says trade is the lifeblood of the Imperium (regardless of what GT:Far Trader statistics show), and we can now see one of the major tools the Imperium has at its disposal to coerce errant Member Worlds (who are engaging is slavery, or not paying their taxes) into doing what it wants, without having to commit active troops on the ground.


However, while the UWP shows TAS advisories, it doesn't show what they are specifically for.


I recommend, at least for worlds Red Zoned by Interdict, the creation of a new Remark: Intr. Two bits of trailing info are present. A number Intr:9 from 0-F (indicating the strength of the Interdict, with a need to throw less than the value on 2d6 to avoid intercept when nearing the 100D limit of the world); and a pair of letter codes, Intr:9:N/Y, where the first code is the entity on public record as ordering the Interdict, and the second code is the private entity requesting the Interdict (if the codes are the same, then there is no subterfuge involved).

The codes would be:
</font>

• N = Navy</font>
• S = IISS</font>
• I = Intelligence Agency</font>
• Y = Nobility</font>

Or, with a little work, we can create a UTRP (Univesal Travel Profile).

Field 1: Cause
</font>

• 0 = Unknown/Not Admitted</font>
• 1 = Low Intensity Warfare</font>
• 2 = Hostile Populace</font>
• 3 = Adverse Local Laws</font>
• 4 = Hostile Populace & Adverse Local Laws</font>
• 5 = Moderate Intensity Warfare (RoW violation may be imminent.)</font>
• 6 = Anarchic/Uncertain Conditions</font>
• 7 = Combination of Above Factors</font>
• 8 = High Intensity Warfare (RoW violations committed.)</font>
• 9 = Quarantine</font>
• A = Interdict</font>

Field 2: Strength
</font>

• 0-F</font>

Field 3: Public Source
</font>

• N = Navy</font>
• S = IISS</font>
• I = Intelligence Agency</font>
• Y = Noblity</font>

Field 4: Private Source
</font>

• N = Navy</font>
• S = IISS</font>
• I = Intelligence Agency</font>
• Y = Nobility</font>

Note: Cause values of 8, 9, and A are all Red Zone worlds, lower values are Amber Zone worlds.

Note: Strength, in this case, requires a roll on 2d6 to be made. If equal or under the value, the traveller has run afoul of problems relating to the Zone condition.


The UTRP code would would appear in the Remarks area of the UWP, prefixed by T:. Where T:A9NY would represent an Interdict world, throw 9 or less to run afoul of problems (or be caught, etc.), publicly ordered by the IN, privately ordered by a noble with sufficient authority (probably Subsector or Sector noble).

 

[Captain Zoom]

Originally posted by RainOfSteel:
I recommend, at least for worlds Red Zoned by Interdict, the creation of a new Remark: Intr.

This is going to run into the issue of some people liking the UWP vague so they can come up with reasons, and those who like everything detailed as possible.

The other issue is that the published UWPs are usually presented as astrographical data put out by a party (e.g. the Scout Service), and it is unlikely that it would include information on the probability of being intercepted by blockading IN or Scout forces. Most Refs I've played with, and myself when I Ref, consider the published UWPs to be public data. Of course, the published UWP might not match the actual UWP since things might have changed since the last survey, or something might have been left out for political reasons (e.g. the Scout Service knows there's an Ancient Site on the world, and is secretly researching it, but doesn't put the Ancient Site in the regular Astrographic data because the Imperial Navy will try to move in and take over the site).

A compromise might be to designate what the Red Zone is for, but leave out other data (such as probability of running afoul of the bloackade if interdicted).

 

[RainOfSteel]

Well, yes.

It's a part of the UWP problem, in general. The line itself tells us a great deal. But, we need a deeper, richer, and more extensive data model/object for storing full system data. Then, when we want individual "views", like the standard and extended UWPs, we can simply call upon them, and in both private GM and public Player versions.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by RainOfSteel:
TAS only issues Red Zone advisories for the three conditions noted by Sigg Oddra, above (quarantine, war, and interdiction).

I don't think so. The TAS redzones for any condition that imposes an unacceptable danger (Plus interdictions).

Note that to give an entire world a red or amber zone requires that the problem affects the whole world[*]. The TAS also awards red and amber zones to countries and regions.

[*] Silly examples from Behind the Claw to the contrary notwithstanding.

Interdiction itself varies in the degree to which the Interdict is enforced. It still might be possible to travel to a lightly Interdicted world.

Witness Andor where the locals are free to come and go as they please and outsiders may visit if invited.


Hans

 

[RobertFisher]

Whether extrending the UWP with such info makes sense or not, I'm still saving RainOfSteel's post to use as a reference while winging it.

Thanks for the ideas, RoS.

 

[kaladorn]

Hans, would you care to cite specifically what silly examples from BTC you had in mind? I don't have that, but I am interested in what silliness might be present...?

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by kaladorn:
Hans, would you care to cite specifically what silly examples from BTC you had in mind? I don't have that, but I am interested in what silliness might be present...?

Well, there's Mirriam/Five Sisters that is said to be rated Amber Zone because of extremely hazardous tides (Just don't go sailing). Debarre/Darrian is rated Amber because it is dangerous to go hunting the Debarre bear (Just don't go hunting). Margesi/Vilis is amber because its atmosphere causes mild allergic reactions that clear up in a couple of days (That is unpleasant, not dangerous). Joyeuse is amber for no reason at all, unless it is the presense of a military base. Corfu/Aramis is amber zoned because of an ubiquitous disease for which immunization shots are available (Just get the shots). Rugbird/Aramis is apparently amber zoned because the atmosphere is so dangerous that the entire population lives in orbit and only a few technicians on hazard pay ever visit the surface (Just stay in the habitats).

Then there are the cases where the Amber rating would make sense if the conditions that caused the rating made sense: Emape/Five Sisters is rated Amber because everything outside the starport is anarchy, but 90% of the population (460,000 people!) works for the starport where Imperial marines keep the peace. Ucella is amber because LSP operates several chemical plants that are big enough to pollute a world the size of Ucella (4,761 miles diameter).


Hans

 

[kaladorn]

Thanks Hans. Some of those are pretty good. Though technically Emape still makes sense because the TAS rating applies to areas outside the extrality zone. This might also explain the groundside/orbital thing. Of course, it does mean that all amber zones are not equal and you'd have to know the details of one to know what the threat level really was....

If Mirriam was a water world or if the dangerous tides included regular Tsunamis, it might well merit an amber zone rating.

But I take your point.

 

[RainOfSteel]

Originally posted by rancke:
Witness Andor where the locals are free to come and go as they please and outsiders may visit if invited.

Hans

I'll bite. Why is Andor Red Zoned?