Early Terran space exploration
Dates differ a little between different GDW sources, between GDW sources and GURPS sources, and depending on whether the date is referenced in the Imperial or the Solomani dating systems. The translation factor between the Imperial and Solomani dating systems also (frustratingly) differs between sources, and sometimes within a single source.
For most sources (CT:AM6, MegaTraveller GDW and DGP works, TNE), Imperial date + 4518 = Solomani date (A.D.) The means the widely quoted baseline of “-4520 = 1 A.D.” should instead be -4517 = 1 A.D.
Exceptions to this +4518 translation are:
In C:A2 (Research Station Gamma), the first official equivalency of dates was given. Imperial + 4521 = Solomani (A.D.) This equivalency also applies to the Solomani dating chronology in C:A5 (Trillion Credit Squadron).
C:AM6 (Solomani) gives a discussion of the calendar on p.30 with equivalent dates: Imperial + 4523/22/21/20 = Solomani (A.D.); the years do not have a one-to-one correspondence, with +4523 in the 20th century, and +4520 in the 56th century. However, dates of major events before the Interstellar Wars are also given in both Solomani dates (pp.4-5) and in Imperial dates (p.12): Imperial + 4518 = Solomani (A.D.) for the development of the jump drive, and for contact with the Vilani; and Imperial + 4526 = Solomani (A.D.) for the start of the first Interstellar War.
G:T 1st edition gave a comparative chronology that matched most sources (ie. +4518 translation factor), complete with the -4520 = 1 A.D. discrepancy. Published errata explicitly changed this to Imperial + 4521 = Solomani (A.D.)
In the Traveller Integrated Timeline, real-life events of the late 20th century sourced from the Traveller Digest issues use Imperial + 4519/4520 = Solomani (A.D.)
G:IW uses Imperial + 4522/4523 = Solomani (A.D.), except for events around the development of jump drive and contacting the Vilani, which use Imperial + 4519 = Solomani (A.D.)
Most problems come from the various translations (forgiving any fudge of +/- 1 year due to the calendar years not necessarily beginning on the same day). I have used the following interpretations for dates in the different publications.
The Imperial date as described in “most sources”, as described above, is the gold standard.
For “most sources”, using a translation of Imperial date + 4518 = Solomani date (A.D.) will provide the Solomani date in the publication. This is the “gold standard Solomani date”.
Ignore the equivalency of dates given in C:A2, C:AM6, and the G:T errata. The +4521 translation, or its more complicated variant in C:AM6 is no longer gold standard.
The Islands Subsectors chronology in C:A5 is no longer correct. Fortunately, it is corrected by the chronology given in N:RS (Regency Sourcebook) … except the date given for the ESA mission is 2050 A.D. = -2452, a translation of +4502. A translation of +4518, like the remainder of the timeline, gives either an ESA mission date of -2468/2050 A.D., or a mission date of -2452/2066 A.D. The former is more consistent with previous publications, the latter makes more narrative sense (the long-range missions are consequently a few years after the initial mission to Alpha Centauri).
The Timeline in G:T 1st edition as originally published was (mostly) correct. -4517 = 1 A.D. should be in the timelines in both M:IE and G:T.
G:ROF is a dog's breakfast. Dates are given in the Imperial system, but conflict with prior sources for events up until the Interstellar Wars. It seems as though “gold standard Imperial dates” for events were converted into Solomani dates by adding 4518 (or by using the Solomani dates given in “most sources”) then converted back into imperial dates by subtracting 4521. The dates after -2408 (the start of the First Interstellar War) do match prior sources. For published Imperial dates before -2408, add 4521 to get the “gold standard Solomani date”, or add 3 to get the “gold standard Imperial dates”*. For -2408 and after, add 4518 to get the “gold standard Solomani date; no correction is needed for the printed Imperial dates.
The one exception I made to this was to keep the launch date for the generation ship to Alpha Centauri at -2468, to prevent it departing after the generation ships to the Islands subsectors.
For GURPS Interstellar Wars, subtract 4 or 5 years from any precise Solomani date printed to get the Solomani date that concords with other sources. The only exception is that real world events of the 20th century and before keep their real world date, and events around the development of jump drive and contacting the Vilani should have 1 year subtracted to get their “gold standard Solomani date”.
****************************************
If you are interested, I can forward the section of my Traveller Timeline Addendum that spans the -2500 to -2200 epoch.
Apologies for length - the tail of this post is a timeline
On 29/8/20 2:08 am, Thomas RUX wrote:
> Morning (7:33 AM Pacific Daylight Time) kaladorn and Alex,
>
> My apologies for the delay in replying unfortunately one of the factors is that I'm just not as fast as I used to be in replying.
Da Famous Tom R,
Growing old disgracefully?
> <snip>
>>> I figured the IW period put us at about the point where we could,
>>> reasonably, start to see things in other star systems. That might also
>>> imply a minimum TL to be doing that effectively (you can try earlier,
>>> but your resolution and accuity go up as your sensors get better). And
>>> of course, being able to mix optical with various multi-spectral
>>> sensors and any emissions you detect would help in determining what
>>> systems contained.
>>>
>>> I think by about 2200, assuming we don't go all Deep Impact,
>>> Interstellar, Independence Day, or Twilight 2020, we ought to be able
>>> to see into other systems with a decent amount of return on the time
>>> and effort. Of course, nothing takes away the fact that any intel you
>>> get will be (distance in light years) years old by the time you see
>>> it. Your intel may be very accurate, but the speed of light says it
>>> may be quite dated (which means jumping in could find something
>>> entirely other).
>>> <snip>
>>> Tom B / kaladorn
>>> (I will sign like this hereafter just to be distinct from Thomas Rux)
> I thought Tom Rux was distinct from TomB?
If you start going meta, we'll be here all bloody week.
>> Don't I feel like a right pillock.
>>
>> That'll learn me not to hack and post to the TML at the same time - at
>> least for the next 20 minutes or so.
>>
>> Seems that writing an invariant checker pings some of the same neurons
>> in my noggin as distinguishing between Da Famous Tom R and Tom B/kaladorn.
>>
>> Keep in mind that PA is in the _early_ IW period - the TC has just
>> formed, those who were in primary school when Strider et al buggered off
>> have yet to reach flag rank, there are no known Terran-Vilani hybrids,
>> the AZS is still quite capable of administering a proper and thorough
>> shoeing to the TCN, etc.
> Alex can you provide the MgT books that have a timeline I can look at please
>
> Digging into the CT books Alien Module 6 (AM6) Solomani, MT Referee's Companion (MTRC) and MT Imperial Encyclopedia (MTIE) provides the following dates. I cross checked with Donal McKinney's Timeline too.
>
> Imperial -2508 UNSCA established (AM6 p. 12)
> Imperial -2431 J1 developed (AM6 p. 12)
> Imperial -2408 1st IW begins (AMD 6 p. 12 and AD 2118 AM6 p. 5)
> Imperial -2400 UN change to United Worlds (AM6 p. 5)
> Imperial -2400 1st IW ends (AM6 p. 5)
> Imperial -2398 Terran Confederation founded (CT AM6 p. 12)
> Imperial -2398 Terrans discover Jump 2 (MTRC p. 34)
> Imperial -2210 Terrans discover Jump 3 (MTRC p. 34)
> Imperial -2204 Terran Confederation dissolved (CT AM6 p. 5)
> Imperial -2204 The Rule of Man (CT AM6 p. 12)
>
> Tom Rux
> -----
For initial timeline, I've been using GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars
- I've been mining the trade systems out of it (as suggested by
Collision Collinson), and have hoicked the canon timeline out the window
in 2125/2126 AD with Milford, Moustache et al discovering the rogue gas
dwarf Teapot (an IMTU production), permitting a Terran breakout from the
Terran pocket over 100 years ahead of when it happened canonically.
It seems that GT:IW diverges somewhat on the timing from the older material:
(Taking Imperial 0 as 4521 AD - refs are GT:IW unless noted)
2015 AD / -2506 Imperial: UNSCA established (p21)
2052 AD / -2469 Imperial: Terran development of contragrav (p22)
2064 AD / -2457 Imperial: Terran development of reactionless thrusters (p22)
2088 AD / -2433 Imperial: Terran development of J-0, become major race (p22)
2092 AD / -2429 Imperial: Terran development of J-1 (p22)
2097 AD / -2424 Imperial: Strider et al bugger off to Barnard (p23)
2114 AD / -2407 Imperial: IW 1 breaks out (p25)
2122 AD / -2399 Imperial: IW 1 ends (p25), UN change of name to United
Worlds Organisation (p26)
2124 AD / -2397 Imperial: Terran development of J-2 (p26), UWO change of
name to Terran Confederation (p26)
2125 AD / -2396 Imperial: IW 2: Electric Boogaloo breaks out (p27)
2134 AD / -2387 Imperial: IW 2: Electric Boogaloo ends (p27)
2145 AD / -2376 Imperial: IW 3 breaks out (p27)
2148 AD / -2373 Imperial: AZS fleet bombardment of Terra (p28)
2156 AD / -2365 Imperial: Nusku captured by Terran forces (p29), IW 3
ends (p28)
2173 AD / -2348 Imperial: IW 4 breaks out (p32)
2175 AD / -2347 Imperial: ZS forces recapture Nusku (p32)
2176 AD / -2345 Imperial: IW 4 ends (p32), IW 5 breaks out (p32)
2183 AD / -2332 Imperial: Terran forces recapture Nusku (p32)
2186 AD / -2335 Imperial: IW 5 ends (p32)
2195 AD / -2326 Imperial: IW 6 breaks out (p33)
2201 AD / -2320 Imperial: IW 6 ends (p33), IW 7 breaks out (p34)
2206 AD / -2314 Imperial: Alternate In-text date for IW 7 breakout (p34)
2214 AD / -2307 Imperial: IW 7 ends (p34)
2228 AD / -2293 Imperial: IW 8 breaks out (p35)
2231 AD / -2288 Imperial: Terran forces under Manuel Albadassadawi
capture Dingir, capital of the ZS Rim Province
Date unknown, but within IW 8: Terran development of J-3 (p36)
Date unknown, but within IW 8: Terran development of meson weapons (p36)
2238 AD / -2283 Imperial: IW 8 ends (p35), TCN overhauled to utilise J-3
and meson bang bangs (p 36)
2242 AD / -2279 Imperial: Manuel Albadassadawi takes command of TCN
Between 2238 AD and 2245 AD: ZS Core Fleet dispatched from Vland to
wtfpwn upstart Terrans (p36)
2245 AD / -2276 Imperial: ZS Core fleet reaches Shulgiasu
2246 AD / -2275 Imperial: IW 9 breaks out (p36)
2256 AD / -2265 Imperial: Albadassadawi deploys meson-armed J-3 ships
against ZS Core Fleet and delivers wtfpwnage (p37), IW 9 ends (p36),
Albadassadawi retires from TCN (p37)
2256 AD / -2265 Imperial: Continuous warfare breaks out between Terran
Confederation and Ziru Sirka
2288 AD / -2233 Imperial: Terran forces conquer former Rim Province,
former provincial governor dies as honoured guest of TCN (p39)
2303 AD / -2218 Imperial: Ziru Sirka collapses/surrenders to Terran
Confederation (p40)
2317 AD / -2204 Imperial: TCN Secretariat puts pants on head, transfers
rule of former ZS territories directly to Terra (MGT1 AM 5: Solomani, pp
57-59), brassed-off TCN head honcho Hiroshi Estigarribia mounts coup,
dissolves TCN, declares 2I/Rule Of Man (MGT1 AM5: Solomani, p59)
Alex
-----
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