Hi again Alex,
> On 08/26/2020 11:04 AM Alex Goodwin <xxxxxx@multitel.com.au> wrote:
>
>
> On 27/8/20 2:17 am, Thomas RUX wrote:
> > Halo Alex,
> >
> > (My greeting of Halo versus Hello came from one of the trivia shows that indicated that someplace in Texas passed a law that Halo was to be substituted for Hello. The change also adds a new salutation.)
> >
> > My apologies for being slow on the reply, unfortunately there are a number of factors that are impacting on trying to keep up.
>
> This thing called "life" often gets in the way.  No huhu.
>
Thank you for understanding and patience.

>>> For reasons probably relating to lack of sufficient coffee, I read that
>>> as "curried gun powder-impregnated".
>
>> No, your low caffeine level had nothing to due with reading that the paper used in the Bearing Time Recorder (BTR) was supposedly impregnated with a very small quantity of gunpowder. A belt with a metal needle rotated across the paper which sat on top of a metal plate. The sound energy received by the hydrophones got converted to electrical energy. The received electrical energy was split part going to the BTR which as the needle passed over the paper would close the circuit and set off the gunpowder.
>
> That brings to mind a Goon Show takeoff:
>
> *sensors find something*
>
> *needle loses its mind*
>
> *KA-BLAM*
>
> then either:
>
> Da Famous Tom R: "That's why they call 'em bangers".
>
> or
>
> Captain: "Rux, no smoking on board."
>
The skipper would have said Petty Officer or PO Rux and smoking onboard was still allowed.
>
> > <snip range bandage>
> > CRB 2e p. 151/PDF 152 under the heading of Sensor Types provides "the types of sensors commonly found on spacecraft across Tech Levels."
> >
> > Visual (all): Electronically-enhanced telescopes.
> > Thermal (all): Picking up heat emissions.
> > Active Radar/Lidar (all): Detects physical objects. Active use bounces beams off a target and thus makes it easier to be seen (DM+2 to Electronics (sensors) checks to be
> > detected in return).
> > NAS (very advanced): Neural Activity Scanner. Detects neural activity and intelligence.
> > Densitometers (advanced): Determines internal structure and makeup of an object through its natural gravity.
> >
> > I did not find any information in CRB 2e on what EM stands for or what it detects. Referring back to MT I believe EM means electromagnet emissions and detects the emissions in the bands for radio, IR , visible light, UV, and X-ray.
> >
> > CRB 2e does not describe what Passive Radar/Lidar sensors are but as a guess they the receivers of radar/lidar used to passively detect and triangulate a target's bearing and range when it is using actively using them.
> >
> > At ranges over 50,000 km the only sensors capable of detecting a contact would be visual and thermal and would provide minimal details. The visual sensor's minimal detail is a basic outline and a thermal sensor's minimal detail is hot or cold overall.
> >
> > Das Boote has a J-2 drive which places the starship at TL 10 which indicates that it's MgT CRB 2e sensor suite has visual, thermal, EM, and active/passive Radar/Lidar systems.
>
> Yup, the Paradise had fairly basic sensor kit.  They've since upgraded
> to milspec kit (adding jammers, getting rid of the -2 DM and refitted to
> get rid of the non-Jump-drive quirks).
>
> From what I can dig out of the CRB (p150 of the PDF), going active bumps
> up the detail return on radar/lidar by one step, within Very Long
> range.  EM sensors already have that level of detail, and don't light
> you up.
>
> If what you've said about EM sensor arrays holds true, how do they NOT
> subsume plain old radar/lidar?  (IIRC, GURPS called these active/passive
> electromagnetic sensor arrays back in 3E Ultratech days).

Yes, GT does have Active and Passive Electronic Sensor Arrays (AESA/PESA) but, to the best of my knowledge they are based on MT Referee's Manual Craft Design Step 5 Sensors and Electronics Section pp. 68-70

MT Referee's Manual page 70 combines the following EMS systems into two types of arrays.

EMS (Electromagnetic Sensor) Active Array "combines radar, all weather radar, ladar/lidar, radar jammer, active IR, and image enhancement into one integrated and optimized system" beginning at TL 10.

EMS Passive Array, which I goofed up earlier, "combines laser sensor, radar direction finder, radio direction finder, radiation sensor, passive IR, light amplification, and image enhancement into one integrated and optimized system" beginning at TL 10.

Unfortunately, in my first reply I was looking at electromagnetic masking.
>
> >
> > Per PDF MgT HG 2e p. 19 Step 7: A TL 9 Civilian Grade Sensor Suite is composed of LIDAR and RADAR. Combining the CRB 2e information with HG 2e in my estimation Das Boote's sensor suite has visual, thermal, EM, and active/passive Radar/Lidar systems.
> >
> > MgT HG 2e System Defence and Sensors p. 24/PDF 25 extends CRB 2e's range bands as follows
> >
> > Distant (50,0001-300,000 km; Very Distant (up to 5,000,000 km): All Electronic (sensors) checks become Formidable (14+), and Far over 5,000,000 km): At these ranges, sensors can spot the signature of ships making jumps (inbound or outbound), and can determine only whether a contact is a ship or other similar-sized astronomical body. In either case, sensors will only be able to determine the size of the contact to the nearest 10,000 tons.
> >
> > <snip>
> > I have made a quick review of The Great Rift Book DSE Handbook PDF and I did not see how the sensor rules from CRB 2e and MgT HG 2e are being used.
> >
> > snip
>
> Welcome to MGT2's internal umm.... consistency... yeah, that's it.  I've
> been house-ruling with abandon.

MgT is following in the tradition of its forbears.

>
> I had planned to give the PCs some space combat and having to run like
> the clappers from inbound nuclear missiles (one or more nuclear devices
> initiating nearby would explain misjump nicely).  I did NOT count on the
> experienced engineer, Nikki, mucking up the Jump roll and triggering The
> Goofy Holler three jumps early.

In gaming the best laid plans of the referee frequently fails when they come into contact with the players much like the plans made in military actions.

Tom Rux