Binges Frontier Liner Service

[RKFM]

Note, original calcs were correct:


A current thread made me look into the pass/trade rules from LBB2 in more detail. Now, mostly I've used them as a background to adventure rather than an 'adventure' unto itself. However, I tried to see if I could get a decent liner into service in District 268. Here are the results. This is a subsidized liner from Book 2.

Caveats: I'm using some house rules. 1. As many have pointed out, it is never really clear what is meant by 'life support'. My rule says Cr2000 per stateroom (occupied or not) per month. That seems reasonable to me. 2. Freight is Cr1000 per ton per parsec. This has always worked well for me, since it can actually make an A2 see a profit, and it is also simple and doesn't really bend the rule much because it would cost someone that amount anyway. Also, I don't usually count HP baggage against cargo tonnage, however I probably should have for a liner. I don't think it upsets the revenue too much (most of the time the cargo hold was only partially full, maybe knock off ~Cr 100,000 from the revenue). One last thing, remember the Imperium actually has 13 months in a year not 12

That being said here is my business plan and route analysis:

Monthly Expenses:
Cr 987,375 Payment
Cr 0 Subsidized
Cr 19,747 Maintenance
Cr 30,000 PP Fuel
Cr 34,000 Crew Salaries
Cr 60,000 Life Support

Total: Cr 1,131,122
Cr 143,747 Subsidized

Fuel Cost Per Jump:
1 Cr 30,000
2 Cr 60.000
3 Cr 90,000

Total Possible Revenue Per Jump:

Jump 1 – Cr 359,000
Jump 2 – Cr 488,000
Jump 3 – Cr 617,000

Route Analysis:

1635 Binges A/2/A - 2 Lo Na Va
1537 Mertactor B/7/B - 3
1339 Trexalon B/8/C - 1 Ri
1340 Motmos B/6/5 - 3 Ag Ni Ri
1138 Tarsus B/6/A - 1 Ag Ni
1237 Collace B/9/D - 3 Hi In
1435 Dallia B/8/9 - 3 Fl
1533 Forine D/9/A - 3 Hi Na In Ic

Total Possible Route Income: Cr 4,291,000
Cr 2,145,500 subsidized

Route Fuel Expense: Cr 570,000
Route Expense (4 mo.) Cr 4,524,488
Cr 574,988 Subsidized
Total Route Expense: Cr 5,094,488
Cr 1,144,988 Subsidized

Route Income: Cr –803,488
Cr 1,000,512 Subsidized

This breaks down the economics of both subsidized and unsubsidized.
Subsidization takes care of the note, but takes %50 of revenue.
Total possible revenue is assuming a full cargo hold and all High Passengers and Max Low Passengers (which is all but impossible)
The info after the planet name is Starport/Pop/Tech - jump dist to next destination (to calc fuel costs)

This route can be run 3 times a year and allows for the 2 week maintenance plus 1 off-route trip (2 week bloc, this can be used for perhaps speculative trade or charter)

As you can see, unsubsidized you are losing Cr 800,000 per run. However, with the note taken care of, you can possibly make MCr 1.0 per run or ~MCr 3 per year!

However, after running the route a few times I found that it's closer to ~Cr 175,000 per run. Still, not too bad but not the MCr 1.0 the plan envisions.

A bit on why this particular choice of worlds for a route: I started thinking of a route that would connect the Ag Combine worlds with other important worlds in the subsector. I decided to include Binges and make it the 'homeworld' because it has an A class starport, and I imagined that the liner service was created by a local noble that has some economic interest in Binges new A class starport and his holdings on Binges. Clearly it's the weakest spot on the route. But perhaps when the District is incorporated into the Imperium the Duke of Binges will find himself in a good position?

One last thing, any ideas about a campaign with the player characters as employees on a liner? (Not like Love Boat however ;-) ) I'm mean, how much drama could there be on one liner?

 

[robject]

I'm always interested in hearing about local services.

 

[Whipsnade]

RKFM,

Excellent material! Thank you for it and the work you put into it.

"Trade loops" like these are a big part of MTU. The merchantile clans of Grote IMTU operate jump2, 300dTon "Clan Traders" along carefully planned routes whose worlds they visit two or three times a year. Each "loop" ends at an entrepot system which is visited every one or two years by a "highliner" sent out from Grote.

While freight and passengers are carried along these loops, the "Clan Traders" also benefit from speculative trade assisted by long term relationships with local traders in the systems they visit. In some cases these trading relationships have lasted generations and these local contacts give a "Clan Trader" an edge over the tramp traders that also visit.


Regards,
Bill

 

[Max]

Good News - you forgot a revenue source, Low Passengers.

 

[robject]

One last thing, any ideas about a campaign with the player characters as employees on a liner? (Not like Love Boat however ;-) ) I'm mean, how much drama could there be on one liner?

What, a relatively lawless subsector, where a local entrepreneur is managing a tenuous relationship with a grasping and perhaps incompetent Binges government in order to run a subsidized agricultural trade business (and perhaps some smuggling on the side?) between competing, independent worlds, each with its own system of red tape, each with rival fledgling corporate interests, alien threats, military shenanigans, privateering, would-be saboteurs, and sabre-rattling Sword Worlders? No drama there!

 

[far-trader]

Sounds like there might be some opportunities for having the Liner attacked by commerce raiders and then adding a Q-Liner to the route to deal with it too. If the players want more "action" (exploding and shooting and bleeding... ) oriented fun.

Oh, and sabotage too if you want to keep them aboard ship throughout. Half way through jump it's noticed that the fuel is dropping rapidly and at the current rate it won't last the jump. If power goes out it's game over. Find the leak and fix it. What!? Another leak? Saboteur aboard!? Find them if so or whatever is doing it and fix the leak. Etc...

 

[RKFM]

Good News - you forgot a revenue source, Low Passengers.

Actually, at first I thought I had. But the revenue for a jump 1 is:

Cr197,000 (Cargo, not too hard to fill) + Cr210,000 (fill rooms with HPs...yeah right) + 20,000 (Low berths...I mean who really travels this way?) = Cr 427,0000
Of course, with my house rules this is more with Jump 2 and Jump 3.

What, a relatively lawless subsector, where a local entrepreneur is managing a tenuous relationship with a grasping and perhaps incompetent Binges government in order to run a subsidized agricultural trade business (and perhaps some smuggling on the side?) between competing, independent worlds, each with its own system of red tape, each with rival fledgling corporate interests, alien threats, military shenanigans, privateering, would-be saboteurs, and sabre-rattling Sword Worlders? No drama there!

Well, if you put it that way....I guess what I mean is who would want to travel on a liner that is hijacked, a scene of a murder, sabotage, etc. I guess you could just space the adventures in time so there isn't an 'incident' every trip.

What kind of positions on the ship would be good for player characters? I'm thinking the stewards actually, since they interact the most with passengers. Medic for sure. Maybe since this is such a dangerous subsector the liner should have a security detail (cuts into profits tho)?

 

[far-trader]

Well, if you put it that way....I guess what I mean is who would want to travel on a liner that is hijacked, a scene of a murder, sabotage, etc.

Hey, it's the PC's job to cover those kinds of incidents up and deal with them quietly so the public doesn't know about them

...I guess you could just space the adventures in time so there isn't an 'incident' every trip.

Definitely. More than a couple major incidents will strain credulity.

Unless...

...if the timing is right you can always up the incident rate as a preamble to war, and then activate the subbie's auxiliary mobilization clause and throw the ship and player's into the thick of it running supplies, running blockades, or whatever. Just not (intentionally) front line action.

And you can mix in some more minor incidents. Crew accidents requiring damage control and temp replacement while they are treated. Just to break (and make the players wish for) the monotony. A good way to get some zero-level skill experience in too that might come in handy later.

What kind of positions on the ship would be good for player characters? I'm thinking the stewards actually, since they interact the most with passengers. Medic for sure. Maybe since this is such a dangerous subsector the liner should have a security detail (cuts into profits tho)?

Those would be my picks too for the same reasons. Security would be Gunner(s) when not in the turrets of course, so a small cut in the profits but not much (or any) if you've already got a mail contract.

Some of the other crew could also be involved with the pax during their off shift time. The Captain at the dining table. The Engineer relaxing in the bar. Whatever. Not much for the Pilot or Astrogator to do during jump.

Even a simple night on the town in port can be an adventure...

"...you (all) wake up naked in a back alley with no memory of the last night. At least you hope it was only 1 night." :devil:

 

[beowulf2044]

Passenger Liner? Gods, I'm suddenly picturing the high-Social Standing daughter of a rich and powerful patron who is going off on her 'Grand Tour'. Who then constantly tries to ditch her bodyguards, run off on her own, experiment with all the in toxicants she can get her hands on, falls in love with a pirate/crime lord/bad boy and wants to run off, etc.

I'm thinking Paris Hilton in Space.

 

[BlackBat242]

At first that statement made my brain start to de-rez from disgust that someone would think of polluting Traveller with someone like that... but then the image came.

Scene: space, high orbital above planet [insert name]. Enter Paris Hilton, slowly dancing and 'singing'... her clothing undulating from her movements, and her hair floating around her rhythmically-moving hair... twisting gently in the 0-G.

"Earth below us
drifting falling
floating weightless
calling calling home..."

Gee, she looks so lovely there, outside the view window of the Far Trader... floating there in open space without a vacc suit.

Such a lovely image... thanks, beowulf2044!

:rofl:

 

[far-trader]

Another idea struck me for adventure aboard that may be stretched out over several jumps and not stretch credulity too far. A classic burglar drama. At some point during each jump a single wealthy traveller has something stolen. Clues are non-existent at first and spare even with close surveillance. Naturally the passenger losing the item is quietly settled with to avoid troubling the other travellers and embarrassing the victim.

I leave it to you how to play it out. Some possible avenues:

The items are unique but not particularly valuable and seemingly random. After time perhaps they begin to make sense taken as a whole. But a whole what?

While it must be the same thief each time (must it not?) no common passenger can be found in the different rosters.

Why did the mystery thief not strike during the (insert link) leg of the route? Was there no item of desire on board? Or was the thief otherwise occupied?

Surprise! The random senseless pilfering was all just a security test and diversion. The real prize was/is...

 

[robject]

Well, if you put it that way....I guess what I mean is who would want to travel on a liner that is hijacked, a scene of a murder, sabotage, etc. I guess you could just space the adventures in time so there isn't an 'incident' every trip.

What kind of positions on the ship would be good for player characters? I'm thinking the stewards actually, since they interact the most with passengers. Medic for sure. Maybe since this is such a dangerous subsector the liner should have a security detail (cuts into profits tho)?

As Dan mentioned: security. (Hee hee hee!)

Put it another way. This is a dangerous subsector, but governments, high-rollers, research institutes, attaches, mercenaries, treasure seekers, criminals, and wealthy businessmen see opportunity where others see danger. The passengers could be just as tough (or nuts) as the players -- and that's a good thing.

For example, take the riverboat scene from the 1996 movie The Mummy. Who were the passengers? An archaeologist, an American ex-French Foreign Legion Mercenary survivor, a snivelling sell-out, a team of Texas treasure-hunters, a couple of Egyptologist local experts... nobody was aboard without security, and everyone was gun-happy.

(I'm not saying that's reality... but it is a lot of fun to watch.)

As another example, take the "Contact Society" from Jack McDevitt's book Chindi. They were from all walks, but all were wealthy nut-jobs who were in a hurry to "make first contact" with aliens, to the point of not having any good sense and (usually) getting themselves eaten by the first carnivorous species they met.

Cash up front, please.

All starship roles are good for players in these situations, from Pilot to Steward, because at some point the team will need every hand available to avert disaster.

You need a savvy astrogator to avoid known dangers, or to triangulate their position after that near-fatal misjump; a pilot who can spot the classic pirate schemes from a long distance off, or who can ferry that ill-fated research team to the surface for "just one more look at that smouldering mega-volcano...". A crack gunner to pick off missiles or disable a corsair. A Steward to detect poison in the premium foodstocks loaded for the Rajah of Barglesplanet, to overhear bits of the Zhodani language coming from those guys in the turbans, or to realize that that cargo container is full of ripe Zontar eggs. A Medic to treat that guy who's not feeling good... what's wrong with that guy?... Kugganzir, is that some sort of internal parasite inside of him? It's huge! And look at those fangs...

 

[Maccat]

...Maybe they get chartered to haul a platoon of troops somewhere and their sordid APCs n such. They will try n drink up the stores, a lot of potential weapons problems (hull breach anyone?), and maybe they got a case that has a nuke missile in it (Imp customs lloovveess those!). Then again the *other* corporation may try to intercept these reinforcements by using thier own Mercs...

 

[Max]

Adventure idea:

After 3 runs of this route the Noble backing it calls the players in to talk to him. Since before the players joined the crew, immediately after the liner lands om several planets on the run there is a massive increase in the cupply of a nasty street drug. No one besides the noble has put together the ship's route and the spike in drug supply ( he gets all sorts of government reports from the planets on the run since he invested so heavily in the liner) so the noble is the only one who suspects that the liner is being used to run drugs, yet. Unless the drug trade is stopped someone will eventually add 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 and get 5, which would be bad for the noble. The noble cannot afford (financially or reputation wise, maybe even both) to have the liner associated with a drug smuggling ring, and for political reasons it cannot get out that he is involved in the affairs of the subsector any more than he is already publicly on record (involved with the starport and the liner).

Because of the players' backgrounds and existing positions on the ship the noble asks them to take care of his problem. The noble strongly implies, although he does not actually say it, that killing the smugglers is what he wants the players to do, however they must make sure to get everyone who knows the liner is being used by the smugglers. The players do not know who in the rest of the crew is connected with the smugglers, or even of anyone in the crew is connected with smugglers. They have to find the smugglers and stop them in a way in which no one can suspect that the noble was involved in stopping the smugglers or that the liner was involved in the smuggling in the first place. A twist if you want more soap opera melodrama would be to have the noble's son/daughter (working as a steward to learn how the commoners live) be involved with the smugglers, perhaps even the leader.

 

[Hal]

Mom? I lost Kranda

Mom looks about in shock. "Kranda? You know you're not supposed to bring a Bingian Jump spider aboard the ship, those are proscribed! Now we're going to have to let the captain know that Kranda is loose. Just be thankful Kranda wasn't carrying her pod, or she'd be hatching her brood sometime soon."

The boy looked hesitantly at his mother, trying to decide whether or not, to let her know the reason he brought Kranda with him was because she had just finished mating last month and actually did have a pod due in the next two days. Aw shucks, who'd care about baby jump spiders? They're canabilistic at first, and unless you take two or three bites within a 24 hour period, they're mostly harmless. Of course, those odd two or three people who might suffer from analeptic shock from a bite would need the specialized anti-venom, but it is so rare that only 5 people a year die on Binges from bites.

The boy made up his mind that it was better not to tell Mom about the pod, this way, he won't be grounded for more than a day or two. Besides. Jump spiders tend to hide from the light anyhow, so who is going to see one? The next day, before Mom had a chance to inform the captain of the problem, Kranda was found feeding on the Bingian Sandworms that the boy had left out in hopes of luring it back.

"Mom? I lured Kranda back with some sandworms, so I've got it back in the speciman jar again." The mother looked relieved and demanded that she be given the jar for safekeeping. Reluctantly, the boy gave his mother the jump spider, and reconsidered his decision not to tell her that the pod was missing. The spiders will probably [eat] each other up and if they do find out about the jump spiders, no one will know it was his...

Now, if you want, I can create a full write up on the Jump Spiders, how they reproduce, how long it takes for them to starve to death from their last meal, etc. But just the mere fact that these things can infest a ship, hide in the darkness, and prey upon sleeping people not unlike crawly mosquitoes, should be enough to open up a few possible adventures to inflict upon the player character crew aboard the liner. Most passengers won't notice too much about the spiders, and unless people tend to be able to see spiders in the darkness, aren't likely to know they've been bitten by one or two or even three. Since they're small enough to be able to hide under the hair of a person without being noticed while in their "baby form", only when someone takes a shower will they likely notice the spider attempting to jump off them and onto the stateroom cubical walls. More than a few will be stepped upon by accident, or swatted in response to a bite, or just plain outright drown in the showers. But a few, a very few, will likely survive in this "jump spider" heaven - a place with few predators and few alert human beings aware of what they are capable of. Only those who are allergic to jump spider venom, or young children who get bit by 2 or 3 such spiders within a short period of time, will even develop symptoms, let alone symptoms that can be readily identified as posion.

Now imagine if you will, an ambasador's son lying shivering in his stateroom bed. His joints ache, and he's running a fever. He's got a rash in two or three areas on his skin (likely his head, his arms, and possibly his groin/armpit area (they hate light remember?). Was the kid poisoned by another passenger?

Just make the jump spider "results" a running gag for the most part - and only hit them with evidence of a major infestation when more and more jump spiders are surviving into adulthood to lay egg sacs.

 

[Whipsnade]

Adventure idea: (snip)

Max,

This is an excellent adventure seed and it could easily be expanded into a campaign.

The "small package" trade should be part of any merchant ship's life because carrying parcels and messages from port to port is a nice way for the crew to earn extra money. They needn't know what is in the parcels either. In fact, the services of a crewman who ask little or no questions would be in great demand.

The players in this scenario should be more interested in the liner crew's contacts in port. Moving packages from port to port is relatively easy, getting the same packages across the extrality line is where the real fun begins.

A nice twist to the adventure would have an enemy of the noble smuggling the drugs ahead of time and then releasing them in a manner that makes the liner suspect. A further twist would have this enemy, who is familiar with the noble's usual methods, lying in wait for the "wet work" team the noble is sure to dispatch.


Regards,
Bill

 

[aramis]

Bill:

Crossing the extrality line may or may not be the hard part.

Taking, for example, Leedor on Aramis in the Spinward Marches: The port is entirely "internal"... and the various bays isolated from each other. Getting it down to the port, easy. Getting it from ship to ship or ship to person? probably not.

Or high-port stations where the port authority scns everyone coming on or off as a safety precaution.

 

[Whipsnade]

Crossing the extrality line may or may not be the hard part.

Aramis,

True. As with many things, it will depend on the location.

Taking, for example, Leedor on Aramis in the Spinward Marches: The port is entirely "internal"... and the various bays isolated from each other. Getting it down to the port, easy. Getting it from ship to ship or ship to person? probably not.

Again, true. Looking at the posted route, Forine and Dallia look like the best bets for "Leedor" type problems.

Or high-port stations where the port authority scns everyone coming on or off as a safety precaution.

Again, looking at the route, Collace, Trexalon, and perhaps Mertactor are good candidates for "High Port" or "High Security" type problems.

In both cases I would think the local contacts would have methods to safely remove the package from the ship as that job would be only one of the many they need to do to "import" the substance and distribute it.

Again, whether the crew members involved absolutely know they're carrying drugs is moot. They might have chose not to "know" what the contents of the packages were, but the money they've earned and the people they've dealt with should have certainly rung a few bells.

Their patron's "suggestion" that a few deaths might be appropriate could easily land the players in the soup. Arranging for a fatal accident aboard is one thing, a spacer's life is dangerous after all. Knocking off the same spacer's dirtside contact will bring the players to the notice of a larger organization however.


Regards,
Bill

 

[Maccat]

S07 Traders & Gunboats p22
... The usual text of a subsidy agreement calls for the ship to service an agreed upon route for at least 70% of each year; for the remainder of the year, the ship can undertake charters or service routes to other worlds. In all cases, however, the subsidizing government is entitled to 50% of all receipts, before expenses are paid. In practice, however, the shipowner often resorts to smuggling in order to retain higher profits. Alternatively, the shipowner may sell cargo space to himself and ship speculative goods in that space rather than give up 50% of the profits on such transactions...

So 52 weeks a year 36.4 (70%), 15.6 (30%), rounding 1 week there, then take the other in maintenance as from the free portion for nice even weeks, that makes for 18x2 week jumps on the route, 7x2 week jumps off the route/free, with 2 week maint mostly from the free portion. This is what i tend to use for the route planning, as leaving those free weeks makes for good adventuring potential. It needn't be all in one block I presume, so alternately it could allow for hops off the route or variance in the order?

So smuggling here is when off the strict route, carrying cargo without paying the revenues out to the subsidy, either keeping it or not charging at all. Cargo is carried without paperwork for it, so it doesn't count on the manifest/register.

 

[morfydd]

subsidiezed

70% works to 18 jumps with zero room for error and very short Jump in to planet fall ..I see it as about 14 jumps per year for that 70% (36 weeks) realistically (about half of them will be the nice two week turnaround but others will take a bit longer) still leaves the crew with the same (30%) free time (14 weeks) or 5 jump runs realistically mabey less given time for adventure..then its off to the port for annual maint.

IMTU I do straight 12 jumps on the route per annum for the contract ..with any leftover time left to the players to speculate adventure etc..payment is fully turned over at the shipyard each year and the books are gone over as the ships gets refitted. Every 20 years the ships gets to go thru a longer stay in the yards (16 weeks). Any extra yard stays (due to damage to the vessel) comes out of the ship's share of profits and out of the free time. (in a few cases it may not come out of ship's profits (Subsidiser sent them, Extra Patron contract etc.)