Traveller Tuesday: Message for you, sir

This post inspired by the fact that I think it's too easy to generate mail with its rather high profit-to-tonnage ratio.

How to Generate Mail the Erin Palette Way
First, throw out the system in the Core Book. In my experience, it generates too much mail too quickly. If you find this is not the case for your particular band of murderhobos, use the rules as written.

Second, use this flowchart:

1. Begin with the Population Rating of the planet you are on.  This is your base number. 
• +2 to base number if this is a High Tech (TL 12+) planet. 
• -2 to base number if this is a Low Tech (TL 5-) planet. 
• -4 to base number (cumulative with above) if both worlds are on an Xboat route. 
2. Consult Passenger Traffic Modifiers between worlds and apply DMs to base number.  
• If modifier of -10 or more:  -2 DM
• If modifier of -9 to -5:       -1 DM
• If modifier of -4 to +4:      +0 DM
• If modifier of 5 to 9:         +1 DM
• If modifier of 10 or more:   +2 DM 
3. This is your Mail Traffic Number. Roll 3d6 and add to Mail Traffic Number. If 18+, mail is available. 
• Optional rule:  a +2 DM to this roll may be given if at a Starport of C, D, or E quality to represent mail piling up without regular outbound service. 
4. See if characters are eligible for mail. 
1. Their ship must be armed. 
2. They must have a full-time gunner aboard. 
3. Optional: Roll Rank (Scouts) or Social Status + Admin (8+) to represent bureaucratic approval.
5. If eligible, see how many tons of mail are available. 
1. Roll 1d6-1, minimum of one [or 1d10/2 if you're polyhedral]. 
2. This is how many dtons of mail in Uniform Mail Containers (1 dton each) are available. 
3. Each dton of mail is worth 5,000 Credits if delivered in a timely manner. 

You've got mail!

Palette's Product Reviews: Halo Pocket Power Charger

I was first alerted to the existence of the Halo Pocket Power Charger (hereafter referred to simply as 'Halo') after Shelby talked about it on her blog back in May. Being a good little prepper, I thought that a gadget with such a small form factor which could charge any electronic device would be useful. That it reportedly held a charge for up to 12 months, however,  was what sealed the deal for me.

Now,  Shelby bought the version with the built-in flashlight ($32.96 + S&H) but I bought the one without it ($29.98 + S&H). I did this for two reasons: One, I already have a small flashlight in my every day carry kit, and my bug-out bag contains a crank flashlight, so I don't need that function; and two, I read that it was pretty easy to accidentally turn the flashlight on, which would of course drain the battery -- and a dead battery in a recharger is useless.

This is of course not a slam against Shelby -- she bought the one which was right for her, I bought the one which was right for me. Diff'rent strokes, world go 'round, etc. I mentioned this solely to make clear that my review doesn't specifically speak for hers, and vice versa.

Appearance
The Halo charger itself is a very basic cylinder that is 3/4s of an inch in diameter and 3.75 inches in length. For a battery it does not seem especially heavy, perhaps as much as a "C" cell. Also included are instructions, a charging cable with a universal mount at one end, a collection of device adapters, and a carrying bag.

Micro USB, mini USB, and 30-pin connector all come standard.

Function
As far as I am concerned, the true genius of the device is the cable. It has not one but two USB plugs, and the Halo can use either one to charge a device. Not only do you not have to worry about which end to use, this also means that you can charge your device from the battery while you're also charging the battery from a USB port or a wall plug with a USB adapter. This is quite convenient, especially when you're in a rented car and your iPhone dies...


Performance
Does it hold a charge for 12 months?  I don't know. What I do know is that I charged the Halo back in May when I bought it, and when I needed it during my drive to the Bidet Shoot nearly 2 months later, it still had a full charge. I used it to recharge my iPhone when, for whatever reason, my iPhone would not take a charge from the rental car's USB port. (This wasn't a problem with my phone's cable -- I bought a new one at a truck stop and it still wouldn't charge. I think that the voltage from the car's USB port was too low.)  Not only did the Halo charge my iPhone so I could listen to music and audiobooks during the drive up, it was also able to take and hold a charge from the USB port, which enabled me to stay in electronically entertained bliss for the 2,000 mile trip up and back.

Since coming back from the Bidet Shoot, I haven't used the Halo charger. Turning it on indicates it still has a full charge, and it was able to take my Kindle Fire from a 45% charge to 50% in only a few minutes.

Things of mine which the Halo will charge:

• 5th generation iPod
• iPhone 3GS
• any flip phone we have adapters for
• Kindle Fire

Things of mine the Halo will not charge:

• my 2010-vintage Nook Color (the Nook is quite power hungry)

Recommendation

So far, I highly recommend this product.  I say "so far" because I have yet to test its claims of holding a single charge for 12 months. So far, it has done what I want it to do and takes up very little space. It is a touch expensive at $30, though, and there are less expensive versions available. However, I have yet to see another model that even offers 12 months to a charge. 

I'm quite happy with my purchase, and I recommend it to everyone. If you try another model, please let me know how well it works and I will include your findings. 

... Yes, I know, it's kind of a boring review. What do you want from me?  The Halo is a charger, it either works or it doesn't. This one works. 

Obligatory FCC disclaimer:  I bought the Halo with my own money, so neener neener. 

Batffleck, or why this might just be a good thing.

     Stepping out into the great big world of nerd culture lately, you'll see there's been a firestorm of controversy surrounding the next Superman film. Given how Man Of Steel kind of quietly sunk when compared to the majority of the recent Marvel films, this comes as a little bit of a surprise to me. I'm a little bit behind the times, and am kind of ashamed to admit I haven't seen Man Of Steel yet. Supes kind of bores me a little, but I am looking forward to that awesome armored Kryptonian depiction of Faora.

     I really hate the term nerd-rage, because it speaks to that whole 'new-wave of geekdom' that's all a little embarrassing (I'll get into why another time), but it's kind of fitting here. The day the announcement was made, my Facebook feed was, quite literally (as Erin had inquired) every other post nerd-raging about the casting news. The unthinkable had happened. Batman was appearing in the Man of Steel sequel, and he'd be portrayed by Ben Affleck.

     When I first spotted this, blearily scrolling through my feed at 5 in the afternoon, it took a few posts for my brain to make the connection. "...Affleck? Really?" I felt no nerd-rage myself, though. In my mind's eye, Batman has been fouled up pretty bad except for two actors: Michael Keaton and Kevin Conroy. Keaton was Tim Burton's Batman, and I think he did a magnificent job, especially considering his primarily comedy background. If you're not familiar with Kevin Conroy's work, this is the part where I say stop reading and go watch an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Heart of Ice or Perchance to Dream, preferably. Two of my favorites. Or go play either of the excellent Batman Arkham Asylum/City games. I won't recommend Arkham Origins yet, as it's a different developer, and I haven't played it yet.

     I didn't like Val Kilmer's gloomy Bruce Wayne. I hated Clooney's goofy-ass Batman. As fitting as Adam West's campy Batman was for the tone of the show, I wasn't a fan. And I sat through three films wishing Christian Bale would a) take a lozenge and b) do some proper detective work.

     So I started fighting back. I started posting memes and images and random thoughts supporting Affleck, tagging the #Batffleck. Initially, this was just a joke. It amused me to be contrarion. Then I really thought about it. Then came a public declaration of "I'm going to sell you people on #Batffleck." I'm deadly serious now. I fully support Affleck.

     If you want to keep Bats true to character, there's exactly two physical features you need. 1) a white guy with 2) a strong jawline. Affleck has that completely locked. He's played a dark and brooding superhero with a flippant alter-ego before in Daredevil, and whether you liked or disliked that film, the point is he's got experience now. He'll have learned from it. Those douchebag roles he's played so well in the past? Can you really think of a better Bruce Wayne? I hear some of his later works, such as Argo and The Town were really quite good films, with a darker tone, too.

     Really, I urge you. Look past Gigli. It was a perfect storm of cinematic excretion. Forget Armageddon. Go dial up that Daredevil DVD and watch the scene when he comes in from his night job, strips off the suit, and you see the scars, how he moves in pain, popping the pills and slipping into that isolation chamber. Batffleck really could be the best live-action Bat we've ever seen.

     And, you know I'm obligated to say: Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms, yo.

WNW: Trippy Fan Mail

I received this email yesterday, and I almost deleted it because I thought it was spam based upon the subject:

Pregnant Portent Clouds strike while the iron's ardor is most incandescent.

I'm so glad I didn't, as this is possibly the best letter I've ever received. At first I wasn't sure if it was just email from a fan whose command of English is... interesting... but profoundly poetic (or maybe just stoned), or if Skynet actually had a profile of my interests and had evolved a sense of context. I mean, it references guns, My Little Pony, Lord of the Rings,  and Firefly/Serenity... that's all of my nerd interests right there!

Strike when the iron is hot.

Well, I hope that the iron has cooled somewhat and that the portent pregnant clouds are troubling the heads and hearts of others more deserving. I intend not to strike but to offer support. I know you not at all save for the blogging; which I find entertaining, thought provoking and informative. For I didn’t know that My Little Pony was still a thing. Pegasus got caught, would this happen to a real pony?

It took a great deal of fortitude to paint yourself into that corner for a friend. And then to come out with it in a twist so twisty that the internet probably had to screw its knickers on the next morning. And then to come out with it in a twist so twisty that the internet probably had to screw its knickers on the next morning. I wanted to lend my voice, or at least, typed words of support; I’ve been reading your blog for not too long, and found it by way of View From The Porch, I think. Point is: I will continue to read. It matters not that my concept of what the one at the helm looks like has changed. It is the internet after all, and if you aren’t comfortable in the skin you’re born in, this realm can allow those thus inclined to fashion a more comfortable mantle; and to have cast that mantle aside for a friend in need is surely an act of nobility.

I do feel a since of camaraderie with many of the bloggers in your sphere that I read, a bit of a late blooming Brown Coat I’ve discovered myself; and the sense of Family and Loyalty you folks foster fits right in the breast pocket of that Brown Coat I’d discovered I occasionally wear. Guns, Books, music, Loyalty and Family, all shapes, all sizes; round, square, straight as an arrow or queer as clockwork oranges, we’re all just folk. Some a little strange around the edges, others so odd it drips all over them, and every smear along a broad continuum.

And in that vein, and though much geography intervenes allow me to join the chorus of people who may have never properly met you but who will wax Gilmli on the subject, anyone gives you any shit, you have my axe…Well, 11-87; at least.

It turns out that it's from a fan whose first language wasn't English and who wrote this while sleep-drunk.

Either way, it's pretty damn awesome. The turns of phrase are so delightfully weird that I'm actually jealous. And I'm definitely going to use the phrase "wax Gimli" in the future.

Traveller Tuesday: Streamlining Space Combat

This blog post does not add additional tonnage to your Space Combat rules, but it does increase their cost by 10%.

After having two space combat sessions in Traveller nearly back to back, I've noticed that things don't flow quite as smoothly as they should. While the Order of Events in the core book makes perfect sense from a layout perspective, in practice things get a little odd -- especially when it comes to damage.

Here, then, is my own work-in-progress system to help make space combat a little less confusing for the harried GM.  For completeness' sake, I shall list the entire order of events; changes to rules as written are indicated through italics. While the outline is longer than the original, this should help prevent the GM having to frantically thumb through the section, looking for what happens when.

Hopefully.


Order of Events

1. Setup
1. Determine range between ships
2. Determine crew positions
3. Determine initiative
1. Commanders make Tactics (naval) check
2. Effect is added to ship initiative score
4. Determine number of reactions based on initiative
2. Maneuver Phase
1. Burn initiative for bonus reactions? Y/N
2. Pilots allocate thrust to movement or maneuvering
3. Position of ships is changed based on thrust
4. Pilot make skill rolls for maneuver actions
1. Dock with another vessel
2. Help line up a shot
3. Perform evasive maneuvers
• Spend thrust as a reaction
• Each point of thrust spent allows Pilot check.
• Each successful check gives -2 DM to attacks against that ship.
• These DMs stack until end of turn.
3. Combat Phase
1. In order of initiative, ships can take actions. Reactions are performed by ship being fired upon.
2. Fire turret weapons (each turret uses a single Gunnery (Turret) roll)
• Reaction: Launch Sand? Y/N
• May only be used as a reaction if Sensors are functional
• If not, sand is launched along with turret weapons
• Sand cloud disperses at end of turn
3. Launch Missiles (if from a turret with mixed weaponry, uses the above roll)
• Reaction: Point Defense? Y/N
• Can only be used in the turn they will impact
• 1 hit = missile destroyed 
• Gunner may keep shooting at missiles until one is missed
• Each point defense roll after the first suffers cumulative -1 DM
4. Attempt boarding action
• Reaction: Point Defense vs. Boarders? Y/N
• Use Quick Resolution of Boarding Actions (p. 148) if desired
5. Repeat until all ships have taken all actions.
6. Resolve damage
1. All energy weapons from one turret count as one incoming block of damage.
2. See if missiles hit (table, p.149)
3. Resolve all missile hits separately.
4. Determine damage to ship.
5. Resolve crew hits from radiation
4. Ship Action Phase
• In order of initiative ships may take actions:
• Increase initiative through Leadership (Captain)
• Repair damaged systems (Damage Control)
• Switch computer programs (Computer/Sensor/Comm)
• Establish sensor lock (Sensor)
• Determine type of missiles inbound (Sensor)
• Perform electronic warfare (Comms)
• Communicate with other ships [including hostile] (Comms)
• Check to see if electronic warfare prevents this
• If so, comms operator must defeat jamming through opposed roll
• Launch/retrieve small craft (Pilot[Small Craft])
• Perform Jump (Engineer [Jump Drive])
• Only one action per crew member each phase
5. Next turn - go to Maneuver Phase, above

Thank You

1)
So, y'know, I came out last Thursday. As you might have noticed from my tone, or from the banners of support which popped up like mushrooms after the rain (thanks, Squeaky!) I was expecting a rather significant pushback from some of my readers.

As it turns out, I received nothing but cheers and words of support here (100 comments and rising! Wow! That's more than I received with my previous big hit, "My So-Called Rights.") and with one small exception, the exact same thing happened with every single blog who posted in support of me -- and those exceptions were pretty quickly told to fuck off by various members of my Pony Posse. To my knowledge, not a single blog has written a post about my coming out in a negative light which, frankly, shocks me.

So, thank you.  Thank you to everyone who said they were proud of me, or who said I was brave, or said that this didn't change how they thought of me. That's a Big McLarge Huge deal to me, and I don't think I can effectively communicate how grateful I am at being accepted like this. I'd like to personally thank everyone who has left a comment or support, but I don't know if I'll be able to. If not, I hope this heartfelt message of thanks will suffice.


2)
Another big "Thank you" to everyone who donated to the "Spay Squeaky" surgical fund. According to her, she has enough to make it to mid-October, which means that aside from unforeseen difficulties (and those always happen) she'll be okay until post-surgery. This means that August was a VERY successful fundraising month, where you guys obliterated all but the most outlandish of goals. Go you! Go, Team Us!  We rock!

The fundraiser will now go on hiatus for the next month, as September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and that means it's time for the annual Kilted to Kick Cancer hijinks! I am proud to throw my support behind Evyl Robot Michael and McThag, as both of them are dear friends and members of my Pony Posse, and (not insignificantly) Bronies. So if you want to donate but aren't sure who you'd like to support -- well, support one or both of them!



3)
Finally... thank you all so very fucking much for picking "50 Shades of Gray" as the source material for my dramatic reading. While it has been pointed out to me that I could simply read the title page, dedication, and perhaps the table of contents to fulfill the letter of my obligation, I have something... special... planned. I warned you my revenge would be epic, and now you're all going to suffer. You're going to be so incredibly sorry that your pain will be legendary, even in Detroit. 

Well, that'll loosen your bowels

It would be in poor taste for me to make a joke about the driver in this video being named Ho Li Shit, wouldn't it?  Yes, it probably would.



For added fun, watch it again and look at the top of the mountain at the 0:02 mark.