Armor and technology levels (TL)

[atpollard]

I agree that the dates are pretty fuzzy, but the real test for TL 4-5 was "When could you buy it in the Sears catalog?"

 

[Timerover51]

I agree that the dates are pretty fuzzy, but the real test for TL 4-5 was "When could you buy it in the Sears catalog?"

You can get a copy of the Sears catalogue for 1897 in facsimile edition very readily online. It is very handy for Space 1889, and also early tech and food prices.

 

[Jame]

Not quite. The technology that we had on Earth between 1860 and 1900 corresponds roughly to TL4, but it's not a perfect fit. TL4, for example, covers revolvers, but rifles and pistols (magazine weapons, I presume) are TL5. Yet the first revolver patent was issued in 1836 (TL 3! ) although arguably the kinks weren't ironed out completely until 1847 (Still TL3, though). And the first magazine rifles showed up at the beginning of that 1860-1900 period. So it seems like we on Earth were advanced in weapons technology. Who'da thunk?


Hans

Which is why I use the GURPS 3rd Edition TL scale for TLs 0 - 6/7.

:devil:

You can get a copy of the Sears catalogue for 1897 in facsimile edition very readily online. It is very handy for Space 1889, and also early tech and food prices.

Linky please!

 

[Timerover51]

Search Abe Books under Sears Catalogue.

 

[Jame]

Search Abe Books under Sears Catalogue.

I have never heard of that site; could you give me a web-link for it please?

 

[dean]

E Book, Google Books, currrently $9.99 USD.

LINKY HERE

 

[Jame]

E Book, Google Books, currrently $9.99 USD.

LINKY HERE

Thank you very much!

 

[Frankymole]

From the description of TL 4 mesh, we know that chainmail is heavier and weaker than mesh, so that provides a starting point for stating out the missing armors.

Mesh is TL7 (1970 to 70) in The Traveller Book tech level table.

 

[atpollard]

Mesh is TL7 (1970 to 70) in The Traveller Book tech level table.

Agreed.
However, timerover51 pointed out (correctly) that Striker 1981 lists Mesh at TL4 on page 47, so I was just attempting to compare a TL 4 Mesh with history to offer a possible explanation [like when Titanium was discovered, so a titanium wire mesh between layers of leather is 'PLAUSIBLE'^* with the general technology available between 1860 and 1900 (TL 4) but not with the general technology available between 1700 and 1860 (TL 3) which pre-dates titanium.

Since it says that Mesh is 'like' chainmail only lighter and we know that chainmail was too thick to be easily laminated between leather to form a Traveller 'mesh' armor, this suggests that steel, iron and bronze are too weak to make an effective 'Mesh' armor (as desctibed in Traveller as TL 4, 6 or 7 depending on the source) ... so no TL 1-3 Mesh Armor, the game could use stats for an actual suit of chainmail (TL 2), as well as the Bronze armors of TL 1 and the steel breastplates of TL 3.

[As an aside, multiple layers of silk would probably work as a cloth/mesh armor at TL 0 or TL 1.]

* Mythbuster reference