MT Only: MT Referee's Manual 1987 2nd Printing Extended System Generation

[snrdg082102]

Morning PDT everyone,

I'm trying to puzzle out the MT Referee's Manual 1987 2nd printing Extended System Generation Steps 7 Companion Orbit, 11 Maximum Orbit, and 12 Available Orbits.

Step 1: System is present in a standard density hex.

Step 2: Basically says go to Step 3.

Step 3: The roll returns a Binary system.

Steps 4 and 5: Results in a G5 V primary.

Steps 6 and 5: Results in a M0 V companion.

Step 7: Places the companion in Orbital Position 14.

Steps 8 and 9: Deleted per the Consolidated CT Errata a result of Far determines the orbit using the equation of 13 + 1D.

Step 10: The companion star's orbit determined in Step 7 was not the Far result skipping this step.

Step 11: Determined that the primary has a maximum of 12 orbits.

Step 11: Being a M type star the companion has a -4 DM to the 2D roll which returns a maximum of 5 orbits, I think.

Step 12: Available Orbits I'm not even sure of how to go forward even if the brakes where not applied when Step 11 set the primary as having a maximum of 12 orbits and the companion per Step 7 is in Orbit 14.

I'm fairly sure that I've asked this before, unfortunately a search through my paper files and of the forum has failed to find anything. Can anyone please explain this to me again?

 

[flykiller]

 

[snrdg082102]

Hello flykiller,

Thank you for the comic and advice about winging the MT Extended System Generation rules. However, I've found that my winging rules usually results in being way out of step with the published material.

 

[flykiller]

winging rules usually results in being way out of step with the published material.

an understandable concern, easily alleviated by the realization that much of the published material is out of step with much of the published material. not to mention reality - lbb 6 says that gas giants can exist only in the outer system, a perfectly reasonable game specification until improved astronomy detected gas giants orbiting not only in stars' hot zones but in fact in _contact_ with their stars. think of the rules as guidelines, not as laws of physics.

 

[GypsyComet]

The idea that mid-system companion stars would sweep away or capture planets from the Primary is still likely valid, though.

A few things to realize.

Max orbits does not equal filled orbits.
Max number of orbits does not equal max orbit number.
Max orbits is also for *planets*. Companion stars have their own placement rules.
The orbital exclusion process was first presented in CT Book 6.
Companion Stars are oppressive bullies.

Based solely on the (un-scientific, to be sure) progression of the table in Step 12, a Companion in Orbit 14 will capture or sweep anything orbiting the Primary beyond Primary Orbit 7 or inside Primary Orbit 16, and can have out to Orbit 7 itself.

Max number of orbits minus number of Empty Orbits (Step 24) will determine how many planets or belts are placed. Assuming you have no Empty Orbits from Step 24 for either star, your other rolls will have you placing planets or belts in Companion orbits 0-5 and Primary orbits 0-7. The outer four orbits you had available are technically lost to the Companion, but you could decide to use orbits 16-19 if you really wanted to have notable worlds that far out. Orbit 19 according to Titius-Bode is waaaaay out there.

 

[flykiller]

Companion stars have their own placement rules.

personally I go with this one. astronomical observation shows that companion stars are pretty much anywhere from near contact to a few thousand au distant from the primary. in traveller terms this would mean that there are effectively two star systems in one hex. my first written-up adventure was based on exactly this, and involved the ics jefferson davis.

 

[whartung]

Hello flykiller,

Thank you for the comic and advice about winging the MT Extended System Generation rules. However, I've found that my winging rules usually results in being way out of step with the published material.

Also, frankly, star system generation is the singularly more trivial aspect of the game to swap out with another system, so I wouldn't necessarily feel bound to MTs version.

 

[snrdg082102]

Hello flykiller, GypsyComet, and whatung,

Thank both of you for the recommendations and other comments.

I understand that the World and Extended System Generation Rules in the MT Referee's Manual is based on CT LBB 3 and CT LBB 6 with, in theory, revisions and modifications after about 8 to 10 years in publication.

Not having anything better to do I decided to go through my copy of MT World Builder's Handbook which has side tracked me in to going through the MT Referee's Manual's World and Extend System Generation rules. I vaguely recall a few years back trying to go through the Extended System Generation rules and getting stuck in the same place. Unfortunately, I cannot locate the material I printed out or find the topic thread I think I started back then.

Here is the text for Maximum Orbits in both my softcover and PDF copies of the MT Referee's Manual.

Page 18:
Maximum Orbits: Orbits for planets, gas giants, and planetoid belts are available around the primary star and certain eligible companion stars. The maximum orbits table indicates the highest numbered orbit available for the star.

Page 26
11 Maximum Orbits
Throw 2D for the maximum number of orbits around the primary star.
Throw 2D for the maximum number of orbits around the far companion star (if any).

DMs (for both rolls): If star size 111, DM+4; if star size la, Ib, or II, DM+8. If star type M, DM-4; if star type K, DM-2.

From what GypsyComet and re-reading the rules the placement of the companion star in Orbit 14 is okay. Next, Step 11 indicates the maximum orbital positions that can be occupied by planets, gas giants, and planetoid belts prior to modifications for companion star orbits, placement of empty orbits and captured planets.

In my example the companion star has five orbital positions per Step 11. Since the companion star is in the primary's orbit 14 then the five orbits would cover 15 to 19 and 13 to 9.

CT LBB 6 does allow Gas Giants to be placed inside of the habitable zone, but only when that is the only orbit available.

I am going to think about this a bit more and may be the light bulb will come on.

Thank you all again for the assistance.