Aslan Tech Level Timeline

[elbmc1969]

Does anyone have any idea when the Aslan achieved various tech levels?

 

[Garnfellow]

Here's what I have from the Mongoose book:

• -2250: The Aslan reach TL 3, although their military technology is pushing into TL 4. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 56.
• -2160: Second Aslan World War (Nuclear). Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 62.
• -2136: Aslan space travel. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 62.
• -2102: The Aslan establish orbital bases. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 62.
• -1999: The Aslan develop the stardrive at early TL 7, before they even mastered gravitic manipulation technology. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 57.
• -1699 (approximate): The Aslan develop J-2 technology. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 58.
• -1044: First Aslan crossing of Great Rift [using J-3 technology and deep space refueling]. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 62.

 

[steventirey1985]

Here's what I have from the Mongoose book:

• -1044: First Aslan crossing of Great Rift [using J-3 technology and deep space refueling]. Alien Module 1, Aslan, MP, 2009, p. 62.

That is actually Jump-5, not Jump-3.

Jump-3 would make more sense given the date, but both Classic Traveller and Mongoose Traveller say it is Jump-5.

 

[mike wightman]

If the Aslan were TL14 back then they could have conquered the whole of the charted space.

More likely they used jump 3 with extra fuel tankage to achieve a range of 5 parsecs.

An early use of drop tanks makes a lot more sense than a technologically challenged race being the first to achieve jump 5 and TL14.

 

[Garnfellow]

That is actually Jump-5, not Jump-3.

Jump-3 would make more sense given the date, but both Classic Traveller and Mongoose Traveller say it is Jump-5.

What's the Classic Traveller reference? Alien Module 1 gives a pretty clear description of a J-3 crossing as late as 1081 on p 38.

Mongoose does state J-5 on P 62, though GURPS: Traveller Alien Races 2 has a different take: "In 1185 (-1044 Imperial), one of the Cisrift clans was persuaded by a charismatic explorer to build a long-range survey craft capable of five successive Jump-1s. He led it on a three-year mission across the Great Rift, where it found a variety of unclaimed worlds in the Trojan Reach (Aslan: Hlaoirloahaurl)" (p 20).

J-5 just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[robject]

AM1, page 35.

-2190 Non-nuclear World War. So TL 5.
-2160 Nuclear World War. So TL 6.
-2136 Space Travel. So, TL7.
-1999 Jump Drive. So, TL 9, although Mongoose's explanation is possible.

Page 38, as mentioned above:

+1081 at least TL 12 ("ten armed 50,000 ton ships, each capable of jump-3 and 3-G").

To do this, they'd've created deep space caches. The text also says that they took 46 jumps to move their cargo as well as the ships.


+1105 of course, they're at TL 14.


So a whole lotta slow progression for three thousand years. Or maybe more interesting things. Dunno.

 

[whulorigan]

Also, note the following entry from CT: Supplement 8 - Library Data (A-M):
(emphasis mine)

CT: LDAM p. 14 (Entry: Aslan Border Wars):
Aslan Border Wars (-1120 to 380): Series of conflicts between various Aslan clans and human systems as the Aslan expanded toward already settled human territory. The Aslan achieved major race status late (circa -1900) and proceeded to expand into the available territory in their region of space. Contacts along their trailing border necessarily resulted in friction with the human systems in that region. Because the Long Night was already well under way by the time the Aslan encountered humans, there was no central human government to resist Aslan attacks. Since there was no united Aslan authority either, the sides were fairly matched, and numerous small wars were fought between Aslan clans and human splinter states, with alliances among the various powers constantly forming and dissolving. The border between human and Aslan space remained relatively constant, with a few systems changing hands after each war. At this time some clans also launched raids into the interior of the former Imperial domains, conquering and settling worlds as much as 40 parsecs beyond the border.

Once the Third lmperium expanded into the region (circa 200), its superior organization and technology gradually put an end to the Aslan threat.
. . .

Between 200 and 380 when the Border Wars ended, the Imperium was in the process of advancing from TL12 to TL13. If the Imperium's superior TL was a factor in ending the conflict, then the Aslan would have had to have been at most ~ TL 11/12 at the time.

 

[Garnfellow]

Traveller's Digest 17 also describes the first crossing of the Great Rift as using deep space refueling. Does not specify the jump drive or tech level used at the time. The captain of the first expedition, Ktouwaatritoikh, used "large fuel pods equipped with beacons, and sufficient extra tankage in the ships to make the return jump."

Some of this material was recycled into DGP's Alien - Solomani & Aslan.