From: Christopher Gribbon [c.gribbon@dundee.ac.uk] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 11:22 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Food >Going even further outside my field of expertise... We have lots of gut >bacteria, and I believe that killing them all off is bad for you. I've heard this too - but I'm not certain how bad. I suspect it might simply be bad diarrhoea for a while (though, of course, with no medical treatment, this can kill too) until your intestinal fauna re-establishes and equilibrates. I'm sure that this is one of the major reasons for feeling so shitty when you first arrive on Poseidon. After all, you are thoroughly scrubbed inside and out before the wormhole trip. >On the topic of gut flora, do natives and other long-term residents have >Poseidon protists living there? Does Poseidon have bacteria analogues? They >have fungus analogues, but I don't have Natural Selection so I don't know >what it says about even simpler things. I can't recall what NS says either. I seem to recall in the phylogeny section that it mentions protozoa, but I don't know about prokaryotes. Of course, there will be no terrestrial bugs in your guts, but I suppose that an analogous ecosystem would set itself up eventually. BTW - I remember hearing a couple of interesting statistics about this kind of thing: - there are more bacterial cells in and on your body that there are of your own, and - there are more E. coli bacteria in your intestine right now than there are people in the world. Christopher Gribbon Vision Research Laboratories Medical Sciences Institute University of Dundee Dundee DD1 5EH UK (01382) 344 229 ____________________________________________________________________ "A scientist is meant to be disinterested, pure; his ambition merely to descry the cement of the universe. He isn't meant to use it to start laying his own patio!" - WILL SELF, The Quantity Theory of Insanity *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Paul Lesack [lesack@interchange.ubc.ca] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 10:07 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Sub Combat Christopher Gribbon wrote: > Apparently, one of the reasons that the Russians were so reluctant to let anyone onboard the > Kursk is because it was testing the second generation of Russian supersonic torpedoes. There's an article in Scientific American here: http://www.sciam.com/2001/0501issue/0501ashley.html Paul *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Heivilin, Jim [banzai@missouri.edu] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 11:00 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Sub Combat > -----Original Message----- > From: Troy Gustavel [mailto:troy_nevermore@yahoo.com] > Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Sub Combat > > --- Adam Lewis wrote: > > I'm sure there are a lot of misconceptions about > > underwater combat. All I know is what I saw on Red > > October. Blah! > > I would hazard a guess that the combat in Red October is significantly > more realistic than, say, the mini-subs fighting in Abyss > Until I saw Red October most of my reading about submarines had been WWII era. However following that movie I got Clancy's books and read them. Eventually he wrote a book called "Submarine" which covered the vessel in great (and accurate) detail. In fact many military sources have been quoted as saying his work is very technically accurate. What I've read in other places verifies this. Submarine : A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship by Tom Clancy List Price: $16.00 Our Price: $12.80 You Save: $3.20 (20%) Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Paperback - 328 pages 1 Ed edition (November 1993) Berkley Pub Group; ISBN: 0425138739 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.79 x 8.99 x 6.01 ===== One of the most interesting things I found in it is the graduation exercise for the Royal Navy's Submarine Captain's course. They have to successfully face down three destroyers (and win) before they complete the course. Jim *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Heivilin, Jim [banzai@missouri.edu] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 11:05 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - GURPS Blue Planet > -----Original Message----- > From: kabael@softhome.net [mailto:kabael@softhome.net] > Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - GURPS Blue Planet > > [snip GURPS vs d20/D&D/3e] > I agree. I'd rather not see GURPS _or_ d20 Blue Planet (I want more > straight BP supplements) - but if it will bring in more players, > which equals more money, which equals more of the books I _do_ > want, then I'm all for it. I'll be buying GURPS Blue Planet for > just that reason. > From what Jeff told me they will only do the GURPS main book and four downloaded-for-purchase adventures. So any players lured into our world via this avenue will have to purchase our supplements if they want more watery-goodness. A larger base purchasing supplements will (of course) enable the line to continue even longer! Jim *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Heivilin, Jim [banzai@missouri.edu] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 11:08 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Hello > -----Original Message----- > From: Kraken [mailto:kraken@kaos.es] > Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Hello > Another (somewhat stupid) question: Isn't the GEO Marshall > income far too low, compared to the other profiles'. Aren't > they supposed to be megahyperelite forces? > Keep in mind that there are only 12 marshals on-planet. Hence they have a) considerable ground to take care of, b) considerable resources to do it with and c) considerable reputation. Basically a GEO Marshall can get anything they want, any time, any place as long as it's physically doable (meaning the resources are in-system or that the task is even remotely possible). Of course they eventually have to answer to a Magistrate regarding their use of GEO resources. And with that sort of pull, what is money going to be good for anyway? Jim *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Heivilin, Jim [banzai@missouri.edu] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 11:13 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Sub Combat > -----Original Message----- > From: H L [mailto:haniel_559@yahoo.com] > Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Sub Combat > With dolphins and orcas as NPC's and characters, then > ECM systems would also include sonics, as could some > offensive weaponry. The equivalent of flare sould be > sonar transponders designed to confuse echo location. > Torpedos designed to mimic known subsermisble > signatures is another interesting item. > Keep in mind ECCM as well. Defeating those sound-mimics would create a sort of arms race between weapons systems manufacturers. > Underwater currents also make an interesting feature, > allowing infiltration by powering down and drifting > into areas, using known currents as a way of gaining > advantage in combat etc. > Nice. Silent running would have a whole other meaning in this case. "Stealth and Patience" the motto of the GEO ASF (Archipelago Submarine Force). Keep in mind thermoclines and such. Sound behaves strangely some times when temperatures get involved. Within a thermocline a sound can travel for kilometers. Cross the thermocline and you could be "next door" and still not be heard. Jim *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Paul [ptobia@rorschach.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 12:44 PM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Supercavitiating weapons. I think the more interesting part of the Scientific American article was the possibility of supercavitating bullets. Design a bullet that has a snub nose and swept sides, make sure the muzzle velocity is high enough and you have a bullet that has a fraction drag in the water compared to a normal bullet. Below-the-waterline "phalanx" type gatling guns to intercept incoming torpedos is one idea. Mouting such a gun on a helo (or jumpcraft in BP) for a weapon that is stable in air and water would be possible as well. Also I don't know the exact velocities necessary for supercavitation, but considering that small arms bullets today break the sound barrier (in air) it would be possible as well to have rifles and pistols that "work" in the water (i.e. no damamge or range penalties). Long range supercavitiating weapons might not be as feasible since the weapon could not use sonar itself since it's not "touching" the water except for the nose and might be travelling faster than the speed of sound in water. Such weapons would be straight line, or wire guided, and considering the velocites of BP tech subs, you'd have time to react and change course before impact (unless the weapon is travelling faster than sound, then you wouldn't "see" it before it hit). But for shorter ranges, they'd be deadly (and noisy). IMO supercavitation completely changes the weapon technologies in BP. If you decide to use supercavitation in your games, expect a lot of changes. -Paul *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: John Robertson [libris@lineone.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 3:22 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Supercavitiating weapons. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The idea behind super-cavitation is one of those ideas that is so simple its brilliant. However, having looked at the article I don't think you will be able to produce a weapon that performs equally well in air as it does in water. The super-cavitating nose profile will create a lot of aerodynamic drag compared to a normal projectile. If we took typical 30mm rounds then the super-cavitating weapon would have about half to three quarters the normal range as a standard round in air. Of course, its underwater performance would be about ten times as much. The idea of a super-cavitating torpedo on the otherhand is down-right scary. I've read a reasonable amount on these weapons and the difficulty of guidance and control but while valid points were raised, none of the technical problems seem to be unsurmountable. John Robertson - - It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. Robert Goddard - -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 7.0.3 for non-commercial use Comment: Only he who does nothing makes no mistakes. iQA/AwUBO1Xvr1s/Q8kFa+f4EQJZlQCgnLhtUbP9WMsDFh+cSPBdyGjjU5MAnAvw jr7nxqCuA7qyyfVugJdZLZ06 =2BgX -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: kabael@softhome.net Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 3:35 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - GURPS Blue Planet > From what Jeff told me they will only do the GURPS main book and four > downloaded-for-purchase adventures. I guess they'll be using Blue Planet to experiment with net pulications too. SJG hasn't done much in that field yet, have they? > So any players lured into our world via > this avenue will have to purchase our supplements if they want more > watery-goodness. A larger base purchasing supplements will (of course) > enable the line to continue even longer! Hopefully! Blue Planet forever! Long live Blue Planet! Derek Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 Hope springs eternal like a persistent weed *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: John Robertson [libris@lineone.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 3:40 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Supercavitiating weapons. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 A point that has been made that sonar cannot be used to guide a supercavitating weapon (SCW) since it travels at supersonic speed but surely we are talking about supersonic speed in *air* not water: supersonic *water* speed is much much higher. Sound travels much faster in water so sonar guided SCW might not be impossible afterall. Okay they won't have much time to react but picture a normal wire guided stealth torpedo with search capability carrying such a rocket boosted super-cavitating warhead for its final attack run... By normal torpedo I mean a real life torp like a Tigerfish or Mk48 ADCAP (like 1500kg with a 300kg warhead; a *serious* torpedo). John Robertson - - It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. Robert Goddard - -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 7.0.3 for non-commercial use Comment: Only he who does nothing makes no mistakes. iQA/AwUBO1X0EVs/Q8kFa+f4EQKbUQCfav5lzATZWUKnQjIGXuH4uS7Wj9wAnjAo 2oYZXUhNIc3JkuJYfhpOS7yt =b7Q0 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message.