Tech books are cumulative

[weby]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Do you find yourself needing not only the book for the current tech level, but also the previous one? Is this generally true? If not, how do you prefer to deal with gaps that would be filled in with the previous book? Improvise? Stick to the Basic Set equipment list?

This TL based thing does not trouble me, it is the least of GURPS equipment list problems. What I find annoying is how the equipment and rules for them are scattered over 20+ books and 30+ pyramid articles.

If it was only "low tech" "high tech" "ultra tech" and maybe 1-5 special supplements for things less likely needed, for a total of <10 instead of >50 it would be so much better.