Re: Ecology of the Scro

>  I agree it certainly can change the flavor of the game. However
>firearms were already included in SJ. The mechanisms involved in those weapons
>varies but makes little difference overall.

I don't think that's true. There is a very real difference in capabilities
between a lever-action rifle and a Rennaisance musket. In fact, the
differences are so profound that they require a very different style of
warfare.  One 'trick' military historians use for gauging changes in
warfare is this: Take a lieutenant (or junior officer) from one period and
place them in the one you are comparing. Could he operate with the same
tactical assumptions?  If the answer is no, then you have a significent
difference, and a change has occured.  For example, a Brit Lieutenant from
1914 placed on the 1918 battlefield would be very confused, he would not
have then skills to lead a unit.  But if you place a 1918 lieutenant in
1945 he _would_ have the basics, because the battlefield hadn't changed
very much.  Take an English officer from the Hundred Years War and place
him in the Thirty Years War: He still understands the battlefield, and
still has the skills he needs to lead troops. Place him in the US Civil War
(or even the Seven Years War) and he is completely lost.

While the engineering concepts between a musket and a machine gun are
simple and similar, the effect is so different as to cause a change in
warfare.

>Without powder and bullets a USMC M91 .50 caliber sniper rifle is just an
>>expensive (and heavy) rifle.

Actually, it's just a club.

>stage. Just out of curiosity was it difficult to accept because of the
>technology
>level that they granted or was it that a small group with some power was
>tinkering with the entire balnce of power in SJ space?

I guess I just feel SJ has enough 'super-powerful' powers-behind the throne
already:)  But i agree with Adam, the technology really kinda ruined the
usefullness of the article for me personally.

>> It upsets me that so much of my comments are negative.:( The work is
>> good, it is well written, and very detailed. It shows a great deal of
>> imagination.  It just moves Spelljammer in a direction I personally
>> don't like. For those who want a more 'sci-fi' feel though, this seems
>> well designed.
>
>  So I guess thats one thumb up and one thumb down. Not bad for a first
>major
>attempt.

I think two thumbs up, provided it is being considered as an 'alternative'
version of the scro. It would get high marks in orginality and detail, but
low marks in useability if I were judging it for one of the SJ contests
9though it would certainly be a contender:))

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, OSU Dept of History
Adjunct Professor, Columbus State Humanities Dept