On 2/8/2022 4:22 PM, Timothy Collinson - timothy.collinson at port.ac.uk (via
tml list) wrote:
>
>
> Hah!  That would rather spoil the tech!
>
> While I'm here, has anyone done any work on 'bug' and tracker ranges?  I've
> looked carefully at the Core Rulebook (MgT2) and the Central Supply Catalogue
> (which just repeats the same details) and there's really nothing.  All it says
> is that range gets shorter as the bugs get smaller.  But NO info on any sizes or
> ranges which is remarkably unhelpful when the PCs have decided to spy on a
> Tukera operation...  (I wonder what the Tukera employees would make of a pillow
> such as the one Bruce has found suddenly turning up in their warehouse or
> accommodation block!
>
> As they're keeping a couple of PCs in visual sight of the place, I'm assuming
> that the bugs can be very small because they're only having to communicate a few
> hundred yards before it's relayed to the March Harrier but it would be nice to
> have some idea.
>
> I even got T5 off the shelves and there seemed to be even less in there.
> (Though there was a table about comms I struggled to comprehend because I'm not
> familiar enough with other segments of the rules.)
>
> One of my players, Tess, keeps threatening to write better comms/sensors rules
> (as that's her day job) but it's been a few years of threatening...
>
	The original source for the "Bug" as a listening device shows up in the CT
Solomani book. This give the range of the miniature bug transmitter about 10
meters and 5 hour duration, but there are larger re-transmitters for extending
the range or simply capturing the audio/video signal and recording it in place.

	A lot of this depends strongly on what your battery technology curve looks
like. Transmitting a short range (at low power) for a few hours is possible
today in an almost invisible bug. Longer ranges or longer durations require a
larger battery.

	One of the back and forth with bugs and their detectors will be how does the
bug hide the transmissions.

	One other option if your players have line of sight would be a Laser Microphone
: https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Laser_Microphone or a parabolic dish for
listening, rather than trying to plant a bug.
--
         Thomas Jones-Low
Work:	xxxxxx@softstart.com
Home:   xxxxxx@gmail.com