far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Merchants Run - Phase 1 - Design and Prospectus
Introduction
“Thank you for coming, I represent a company hoping to expand trade and influence beyond the Imperial border and we’d like to offer you a chance to get in on the initial development of the markets. The company is Querion Quest LIC, we call it 2Q for short, and we’re contacting prospective Free-Traders such as yourself in the Marches. What we want are Captains willing to trade their current ship as the down payment for a new one designed by them based on our requirements. You are free to determine the best ship within our needs and a sound business plan for the area of operations. If we like your proposal we’ll have it built and delivered to our base on Thanber for you. You will then be responsible for the standard payments while you operate as our agent on a 1 year trial basis to determine the true profit potential in the field.”
So begins the first part of the contest. All entries will remain the property of the creator but will be posted upon completion for personal non-profit use by the public. No material presented may be recreated or distributed in any form beyond personal use without securing agreement of the author and copyright holders.
Contest entries for Phase 1 are to be emailed between May 22nd and May 26th with eligibility for Phase 2 to be communicated by reply email as soon as possible. Minor redesign may be allowed within the deadline window, so get them in early if possible. After the deadline the winner of Phase 1, based on the best profit potential will be announced here on the boards. Sorry, no prizes to offer yet, though I’m working on it. Profit potential will be judged primarily on the prospectus but some weight will be given to other design features such as flexibility, range, time to construct and total cost to name a few. This is Book 2 though so you are rather limited in the trade offs and details.
Entry format is to be as shown in the example below with the following key:
(entries in these brackets are notes, delete them after reading)
{entries in these brackets are choices, pick one to fill the space}
[entries in these brackets are for board formatting, keep them]
CC is standard craft code from HG and is optional, if you don’t have it I will fill it in
XX.X is tons of ship element
xxxx.xxx is MCr of element cost
L is the drive element letter code
V is the drive element performance
N is the computer model number, if bis version note it as such
If extra programs are included note them, the space needed, and final total cost of the extra programs
SS is the number of standard staterooms
LB is the number of low berths, Open are for medical use if desired
EB is the number of emergency low berths for emergency use only
HP is the number of hard points, weapons need not be installed in Phase 1 but 1 ton per must be set aside
Tonnage set aside but not filled may be used for incidental cargo or ammunition storage in Phase 2
Weapons added for Phase 2 will be factored into payments and maintenance
email example:
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To: far_trader_mail @yahoo.ca
Subject: Merchants Run - Phase 1 Entry - {your name as you want the credit shown}
Body: (no attachments, plain text, just the facts, other embellishment is for Phase 2)
Design Submission
{Ship Name} class type CC Far-Trader by {your name as you want the credit shown}
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">XXXX.X tons Hull-{Standard or Custom} MCrxxxx.xxx
{Streamlined or Unstreamlined}x.xxx
+XXX.X tons Drives Section
-XX.X tons Jump Drive L-Vj xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Maneuver L-Vm xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Powerplant L-Vp xx.xxx
-XX.X tons reserved/waste (optional)
+XXX.X tons Main Section
-XX.X tons Fuel xVj Parsecs
-XX.X tons Fuel x4 Weeks
-XX.X tons Bridge - Standard xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Computer N xx.xxx
Programs: xx.xxx
Maneuver: 1
Generate (L): 1
Navigate: 1
Jump 1 : 1
Jump 2 : 2
Anti-Hijack : 1
-XX.X tons Staterooms xSS xx.xxx
Crew xSS
Pass xSS
-XX.X tons Low Berths xLB xx.xxx
Open xLB
Pass xLB
-XX.X tons Emergency LB xEB xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Hardpoints xHP xx.xxx
{N, S, D, or T} Turret xx.xxx
{Weapons if any} xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Vehicle hanger
{vehicle type} xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Cargo holds
-XX.X tons reserved/waste (optional)
Prototype final cost: xxx.xxx
Purchase final price: (90%) xxx.xxx</pre>[/QUOTE]Crew requirements:
{crew position/positions} Salary Cr {xxxx.x} monthly (repeat as needed to fill crew requirements)
Prospectus Submission
System itinerary for 1 year:
Week 1-2 Thanber to {system} = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
Week 2-3 {system} to {system} = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
(continue to fill out year)
Week 49-50 {system} to Thanber = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
Week 51-52 Annual maintenance and final trial accounting.
Financial breakdown:
+Cr {xxxx.x} annual revenue at full capacity (total N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual loan payments over 40 years (purchase final price above /240)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual fuel expense (unrefined at Cr100 per ton) for 25 trips (of jump and two weeks per)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual life support costs for 25 trips full capacity (of total N crewpersons, N live passengers, N low passengers per trips at Cr2000 per crew or live passenger and Cr100 per low passenger per trip)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual maintenance (purchase final price above /1000) (requires 2 weeks at Thanber port)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual salaries for crew (including 2 weeks paid leave during annual maintenance)
-Cr5,000 annual berthing costs (calculated as 7 days per port for 25 trips at Cr200 per trip)
=
{+ or -} Cr {xxxx.x} annual {profit or loss} (operating at class C, D, and E ports) before speculative trade factor
[/code]
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End of email example
Phase 1 - Part 1 - Design Requirements:
Design a single starship built to TL-C standards (Drive Letters A through N and hulls to 1000tons) with a minimum of Jump 2 performance. Book 2 revised is the system for all rules.
Atmospheric interface, directly or via carried craft, will be required as some of the ports served may not have orbital facilities or shuttles. If the ship itself is not streamlined you will need a small craft capable of handling a minimum of 10% of your passengers (high, medium and low) OR cargo per trip.
The design must be for mixed service of freight and passengers, no dedicated liners or freighters will be considered.
Each ship will have the following standard program package for its computer. This uses up the first free MCr1 of program credit.
Maneuver, Navigate, Generate (L), Jump 1, Jump 2, Anti-Hijack
The Generate program is a special feature installed free of charge by your creditors. It's a bit of a double edged gift though, being that it is locked (as noted by the L). This means it cannot be removed from the computer (it may be shuffled from active to standby in the case of standard computer models) and no other Generate program may be installed. The Generate program is customized to only allow jump plots within the selected trade area. If you should find yourself outside this area you are in big trouble.
Additional software may be purchased subject to approval. List the programs, their size, and the total added cost in the form above.
That leaves the area of operation to define. You are being given this chance as part of program to expand trade, and influence into a difficult area, the disputed Querion subsector of the Spinward Marches.
Trade Map courtesy of robject: Starchart Link
(note Bael and Nonym have been dropped, if it's no trouble robject an edit will earn you more influence with the judge
)
This area is a frontier region. Sparse in worlds and impossible to navigate with J1. Nearly the entire subsector is claimed by the Zhodani Consulate though they only have a real presence in a few systems on the coreward edge. The Imperium has a presence in four systems in this subsector, two of primary importance. The first is Research Station Delta in the Retinae system. The second is the midpoint for the IN couriers running between RSD and Frenzie. That second system is also your port of registry, Thanber.
Thanber is a small client state of the Imperium, which while outside the border and in space claimed by the Zhodani, is nonetheless a safe port due to the regular IN courier traffic.
It's population of two million operate as a fuedal technocracy with a highly organized citizens militia. Crime is very low and convictions are very high with most of the very few criminals being off-world visitors.
The population lives in large comfortable arcologies and rarely go out in the less than ideal surface conditions.
The mainworld has a class B high and low port with the standard ammenties.
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UPP-0710-B243653-C Ni Po 210 CS - Thanber</pre>[/QUOTE]Your area of operations will be limited to Thanber and the following additional worlds:
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UPP-0114-C6B6431-A Ni Fl 123 NA - Yiktar
UPP-0115-EA95124-4 Lo Ni 910 NA - Xhosa
UPP-0212-C436635-6 Ni 720 NA - Prinx
UPP-0215-E766674-4 Ag Ni Ri 903 VA - Rushu
UPP-0414-C400546-8 Ni Va 810 NA - Attica
UPP-0416-E8C69AA-5 Hi Fl Rs 910 CS - Retinae
UPP-0518-D445436-3 Ni 810 CS - Faisal
UPP-0618-EA8A799-6 Ri Wa 320 CS - Dekalb
UPP-0620-E887573-6 Ag Ni 501 SW - Winston
UPP-0720-E336AAA-C Hi 225 DA - Entrope
UPP-0820-C110588-8 Ni 601 SW - Anselhome</pre>[/QUOTE]The format of the listings above is the standard:
UPP
-
Hex location
-
Starport
Size
Atmosphere
Hydrographics
Population
Government
Law level
-
Tech level
Base codes (not applicable)
Trade codes (see below)
Travel code (not applicable)
Population factor
Asteroid belts (in addition to the main if so)
Gas giants
Allegience code (see below)
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Trade codes:
Ag = Agricultural
Fl = Fluid hydrographics
Hi = High population
Lo = Low population
Na = Non-agricultural
Ni = Non-industrial
Po = Poor world
Ri = Rich world
Rs = Research station
Va = Vacuum world
Wa = Water world
Allegience codes:
CS = Client state of the Imperium
DA = Darrian Confederation
NA = Non-aligned
SW = Sword Worlds
Note that all these worlds are accessible with the minimum J2 but feel free to try a higher jump if you can make it work. You are not required to visit all of them or any in particular. It is left to you to find your best trade links and design your ship accordingly.
Of the worlds noted three deserve a quick note here, Winston, Entrope, and Amselhome. These systems are in dispute with both the Sword Worlds and the Darrian Confederation claiming them. The Zhodani Consulate backs the Sword Worlds claim while the Imperium sides with the Darrians.
Phase 1- Part 2 - Prospectus Requirements:
Complete a one year business proposal as outlined above showing a reasonable chance of profit under the standard trade rules. This means rates are per jump NOT per parsec. One year is defined as 25 trips of 1 week in port and 1 week in transit, with 2 weeks set aside for annual maintenance and crew R&R. Speculative trade will be factored for design approval but base your prospectus on freight and passenger revenue only. If you are close to breaking even you will be approved.
A reasonable chance of profit is defined for this exercise as based on the anticipated trade of the systems you select. You have to show the anticipated trade as an average roll (count each D6 as a result of 4 for this purpose). Actual trade and your real route may vary from this in Phase 2.
You must include expenses as noted above for:
1 - The monthly loan payments of 1/240th of the ship price. You may calculate this as 90% of the total cost of the ship design. You get the 10% discount for a standard design to better gauge the reality of the design if it goes into production. The down payment and architectural fee are already covered.
2 - Unrefined fuel purchase, though in Phase 2 you may be skimming, dipping or buying refined fuel. The reason for the use of unrefined fuel it the lack of refined fuel for most of the ports involved. The lenders are not going to factor in the chances of drive failure or misjump due to unrefined fuel use when determining the eligibility of the design but it may impact actual trade in Phase 2.
Some further notes here, of more importance to Phase 2 if it happens. For this exercise my interpretion of the rules as per MTU:
Class A and B ports sell ONLY refined fuel and do NOT allow dipping.
Class C and D ports sell ONLY unrefined fuel and do NOT allow dipping.
Class E and X ports do NOT sell fuel at all but DO allow dipping and will be located next to a source, if there is one (any Hydrographic digit greater than 0).
All mainworlds are the most habitable world in the system and are located far away from the gas giant(s) if any. A trip between the two (gas giant and mainworld) will take about 1 week. Gas giant skimming is allowed but hazardous so no passengers are allowed aboard during skimming except in an emergency. It is acceptable to put passengers aboard a carried craft with sufficient seating during skimming, or to use a small craft's fuel tankage for the skimming. Most of the time the trip alone won’t make the savings worth the effort but it may come to this in a misadventure.
3 - Life support at the standard rate of Cr2,000 per crew person or live passenger stateroom, and Cr100 per low passenger, per trip. Empty staterooms and lowberths may be charged and not used or extra life support charges may be purchased and carried in the cargo hold to have a reserve if desired in Phase 2, for Phase 1 just use full occupancy for calculations.
Additionally, for Phase 2 only, small craft cabin life support is Cr1,000 per crew person or live passenger per week. Couches include life support good for 2 person hours each and costs Cr10 to recharge per seat. Cargo holds include an inherent life support capacity of 2 person hours per ton which costs Cr10 to recharge per ton. Couch and cargo hold life support does NOT include food and water or freshers.
Cargo holds or quarters opened to inhospitable conditions lose all life support. Airlocks preserve life support by storing the volume in the airlock and preventing the bulk of the volume from being contaminated. Personell airlocks are included in quarters, taken from bridge space. Cargo airlocks may be designated in the design up to 10% of the cargo volume. Cargo airlock volume is taken from cargo space but may still be used for cargo.
A note here on life support charges in MTU to be used in Phase 2. You may purchase life support charges to carry in the cargo hold to do it yourself. Stateroom recharge kits cost the same Cr2,000 per two weeks and the volume is 0.1tons each. Small craft cabin life support kits are half that. Recharge kits for couches and cargo holds come in a kit similar to the stateroom kit and are good for 200 couch recharges or 200tons of cargo space recharge. Low berth recharge kits also cost the same Cr100 but only take up 0.01tons each. None of these kits are reusable. Further:
Class A and B ports will have life support recharging available as well as the do it yourself life support recharge kits for sale.
Class C and D ports will have life support recharging available but NOT the do it yourself life support recharge kits.
Class E and X ports will NOT have life support recharging available and will NOT have the do it yourself life support recharge kits either.
4 - Maintenance at 1/1000th of the ship price. You may also calculate this as 90% of the total cost of the ship design to reflect the discount for standard components. In Phase 2 this section may also have to include additional repairs due to damage through more misadventure.
A note about routine maintenance and emergency repairs in MTU. Each ship comes with a locker of tools and parts to keep the ship running well through the year. This consists of 12 discreet uses, each of which may be applied by the Engineer for a month of normal drive function or used for a single field repair attempt if needed. Replacing this package is a major part of the annual maintenance (50% of the cost).
5 - Salaries are as per the rules. You may fill any two crew positions with one person provided the salary is adjusted accordingly. That means a 10% bonus per extra skill level in each area, then 75% of that total. Single crew positions filled with extra skill levels will also require the 10% per bonus. In addition the section head adds a 10% bonus in the case of multiple crew persons in an area. See Phase 2 notes for actual skill levels and crewing available. This may be important for Phase 2 operations but for the prospectus in Phase 1 just use the minimums required.
6 - Berthing Costs of Cr200 per port of call to cover landing and a full week. That will total Cr5000 for the year. Actual costs in Phase 2 may differ.
A few notes for this exercise related to berthing as per MTU:
As noted in Book 2 cargo and passengers are delivered when they are disembarked in the same condition they were taken on. Of course some sense needs to apply. If taken on in orbit at a Class B port for passage to a Class E port with no orbital facility they can’t be tossed out the airlock into orbit and considered delivered, they will have to be delivered to the ground port.
Class A and B ports have both ground and orbital installations. The captain must choose which to berth at for taking and delivering cargo and passengers. There is no difference in the choice except as it affects streamlined ships versus unstreamlined ones. These ports have regular shuttle service for hire should the Captain choose orbital berthing and need access to the ground port. Cost is Cr10 per ton of cargo hold and Cr 20 per passenger seat. All standard small craft are available but the most common is the 95 ton shuttle with 60tons of cargo space and 20 passenger seats available for Cr1,000 per trip.
Class C and D ports will only have one of either a ground or orbital installation, orbital if TL7+ and ground if less. If orbital there will be irregular shuttle service for hire. Cost is identical to the above with the most common small craft available being the 40 ton slow pinnace with 25tons of cargo and 10 passenger seats available for Cr450 per trip.
Class E and X ports have only ground installations, and precious little of that. There is no charge to land at these ports and there will be no shuttle service for hire no matter the TL.
Merchants Run - Phase 2 - Crewing and Operations
Introduction
“It is good to see you all again. You have been chosen to participate in this exercise because you have the qualities believed necessary by the backers of this initiative. You are each healthy, mature, well schooled in all matters of interstellar commerce and starship operations, and have proven yourself capable leaders.”
“2Q welcomes you to its operations division now that you have passed the initial design and prospectus requirements of Phase 1 of our plan. You will spend the time while waiting for delivery of the ship you designed by preparing for the task of making it work in real trade through recruiting and training a crew here on Thanber at the 2Q base. After your ship is delivered and you have completed a year of trading the one of you who proves to have designed the most profitable ship will have half their mortgage written off by 2Q and be granted full standing with the corporation.”
So begins the game part of this little contest. The format will be play by email turns. Each turn will cover a single trip. You will receive an email of the situation upon arrival in system and a list of the decisions to be sent in reply. Then there will be a follow up email to that with the resolution and current status. I hope to conduct 1 game year of trading in a real calendar month so prompt replies will be important. Don’t worry about missing a day now and then or a weekend though. An example of the email exchange will look something like this:
email 1: From me:
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To: {your email here}
Subject: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course. Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
1 - Hostile (active sensor lock and no transponder signal) - hail them or not
2 - Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - hail them or not
3 - Friendly (passave sensors only and constant transponder) - hail them or not
Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are offered a sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at Cr22,500 per ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration skill, or you may deduct Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of Bribery skill (includes cost of kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for speculation?
You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new passengers and freight.
Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
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email 2: Your reply:
To: {my email here}
Subject: RE: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
>You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course.
>Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your
>approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - we do not hail them
>Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no
>berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are offered a
>sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at Cr22,500 per
>ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per ton to a maximum
>deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration skill, or you may deduct
>Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of Bribery skill (includes cost of
>kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for speculation?
I’ll purchase 3x 1ton crates of the daggers using my Administration-3 for a discount of Cr7,500 per ton. Purchase cost is Cr15,000 per ton, total cost is Cr45,000
>You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
Darn
>You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new
>passengers and freight.
We will stick to our plan and make our next port of call Entrope.
>Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
My Steward/Medic will apply his Administration-1 and Bribery-1 to attempt to speed up the process so we will depart on day 6.
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email 3: Me again
To: {your email here}
Subject: RE: RE: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
>>You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course.
>>Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your
>>approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
>Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - we do not hail them
The type T approaches and slowly shadows you in silence at close range for several minutes then angles off.
>>Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no
>>berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are
>>offered a sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at
>>Cr22,500 per ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per
>>ton to a maximum deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration
>>skill, or you may deduct Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of
>>Bribery skill (includes cost of kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for
>>speculation?
>I’ll purchase 3x 1ton crates of the daggers using my Administration-3 for a discount of Cr7,500 per ton.
>Purchase cost is Cr15,000 per ton, total cost is Cr45,000.
Cr45,000 deducted from balance.
>>You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
>Darn
Next port you can offer those daggers
>>You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new
>>passengers and freight.
>We will stick to our plan and make our next port of call Entrope.
Very well next port of call is Entrope. Refuelling is underway. Being an E class port you run out your dipping hose to the connection and begin pumping and processing the local water, there‘s lots of it around being a water world. There is no charge and your tanks are soon full of unrefined fuel. There are also no life support services so you’ll have to rely on the pre-purchased and stored life support recharge kits.
>>Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
>My Steward/Medic will apply his Administration-1 and Bribery-1 to attempt to speed up the process so
>we will depart on day 6.
After 6 days in port you have attracted 13 high passengers, 17 middle passengers, 21 low passengers, 14 major freight lots, 15 minor freight lots, and 8 incidental freight lots.
Your Steward/Medic has made the best arrangements and you have filled your passenger staterooms with 8 high passengers, filled your low berths with 20 low passengers, and you cargo holds are filled with the 3tons of speculative cargo, 7tons of incidental freight, and 370tons of major and minor freight. You happily lift off at full revenue capacity and head for 100d and jump to Entrope.
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That’s basically how it will go, 3 emails per trip, all done in a day with a little luck. I hope to have the initial email out early morning (local - central time America) and your reply in the afternoon sometime. That will allow me to process and send the final email each evening. There will be hitches I’m sure, weekends and such, and possible overseas time issues, but we should be able to get through the 25 trips in about a month. Not so much RPG as a simple accounting of trade, there isn’t enough time for much more in this contest, though there may be the need for an extra email now and then, such as ship encounters gone bad, drive malfunctions to deal with, and such. Feel free to fill in with imagination and I hope you will find it a little fun. What might be interesting is if each of you build through posts to the board a bit of a Captain’s log. I’d suggest starting your own thread in the Classic Traveller thread, it could be a fun read for others.
Each ship will be judged on the profit of one full year of operations adjusted by the time it takes the last ship to finish its year of trials after construction. The sooner your ship is built the better your edge in the final accounting but volume may win out in the end. Again, no promise of prizes, so for now it’s just for honor and fun.
Phase 2 - Part 1 - Captains Courageous
In the interest of a more or less equal starting point begin by creating your character with the following outline.
You are 38 years old and have just retired after 5 terms in the Imperial Merchant Service after attaining the rank of full Captain and your own ship. However you have traded that ship for the chance to participate in this exercise.
Your initial UPP must meet or exceed a minimum of Int A and Edu 8 using the following rolls: B, A, 9, 8, 7, 6. The other characteristics may be assigned the remaining values as desired. There will be no psionics to worry about. Aging will reduce your Str, Dex, and End 1 point each by the end of you IMS career.
In your years of service you have acquired the following skills as minimums for a Captain of the IMS: Administration-1, Engineering-1, Gunnery-1, Medical-1, Navigation-1, Pilot-1, and Steward-1.
In addition you may have rounded out your experience with skills in some other areas or perhaps specialized in some of the above minimum requirements. Choose 5 more skill levels from the following list:
Administration, Blade Combat*, Bribery, Computers, Electronics, Engineering, Gun Combat*, Jack of all Trades, Mechanical, Medical, Navigation, Pilot, Vacc Suit, Vehicle*, Str +1, Dex +1, End +1
* cascade skills, note the specific skill(s) selected
Not counting the muster out rolls towards the ship you traded to enter this exercise you have 6 more selections from the following muster out choices with no more than 3 of any one allowed:
Cash Table roll, Int +1, Edu +1, Blade Benefit, or Gun Benefit. Let me know how many cash rolls you want and I’ll roll them to keep everybody saintedly honest.
Blade and Gun Benefits allow the acquisition and ownership of any single type of blade or gun, and accessories, of up to Cr5000 value. Accessories may include anything appropriate on the weapons table, such as sights and ammunition, body armor, or other enhancements such as precious metals and rare woods as part of the construction. Additional selection of Blade or Gun Benefits may be more physical armament or a skill level in a previously selected weapon type. Weapons will only be a factor in the case of attempted hi-jack, boarding, or other misadventure. Mutiny?
You are also undertaking personal improvement during this waiting period, selecting from one of the following areas:
Educational Study (grants Edu +3), Skills Training (grants two skill levels of your choice), or Physical Improvement (grants Str +1. Dex +1 and End +1).
Phase 2 - Part 2 - Crews Control
You may build your crew with the following guidelines:
Pilots may have up to four skill levels total in Pilot, Navigation, and Gunnery. Default skills for Pilots are Computer-1 and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to hire a Pilot/Navigator or Pilot/Gunner. The default skills will allow the Pilot to set up the needed computer programs when not busy and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
Navigators may have up to four skill levels total in Navigation, Pilot and Gunnery. Default skills for Navigators are Computer-1 and Electronics-1. This allows you to hire a Navigator/Pilot or Navigator/Gunner. The default skills will allow the Navigator to set up the needed computer programs and handle sensors and communications when not busy.
Engineers may have up to two skill levels in Engineering. Default skills for Engineers are Mechanical-2, Jack of Trades-1, and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to double shift your Engineers and hire half as many if desired. The default skills will allow the Engineer to undertake emergency repairs when not busy and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
Stewards may have up to three skill levels total in Steward and Medical. Default skills for Stewards are Administration-1 and Bribery-1. This allows you to hire a Steward/Medic and the default skills allow the Steward to act as either your passenger factor or freight factor while in port.
Medics may have up to three skill levels total in Medical and Steward. Default skills for Medics are Electronics-1 and Computers-1. This allows you to hire a Medic/Steward and the default skills allow the Medic to perform detailed patient diagnostics.
Gunners may have up to two skill levels in Gunnery. Default skills for Gunners are Gun Combat-1 and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to double task you Gunners and hire half as many, each may fire two turrets at a single target. The default skills allow your Gunners to operate as ship’s troops and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
The ship’s lockers provide one vacc suit and a sidearm per crewperson. In addition there will be one long arm per Gunner. Engineers and Gunners will have armored vacc suits (equal to Combat Armor). This will only be important should it come to misadventure.
Phase 2 - Part 3 - Some notes on important skills:
Administration - May help speed processing of passengers and aid in speculative trade.
Bribery - May help speed processing of freight and assist in speculative trade.
Computers - Is required for smooth exchange of programs if required.
Electronics - Is required for the use of sensors and communications equipment.
Mechanical - Is required for maintenance and emergency repairs.
Vacc Suit - Insures continued function of skilled crew in case of ship damage.
The other skills are either required for crew operation or may prove useful in some circumstances such as attempted hijack or boarding.
Introduction
“Thank you for coming, I represent a company hoping to expand trade and influence beyond the Imperial border and we’d like to offer you a chance to get in on the initial development of the markets. The company is Querion Quest LIC, we call it 2Q for short, and we’re contacting prospective Free-Traders such as yourself in the Marches. What we want are Captains willing to trade their current ship as the down payment for a new one designed by them based on our requirements. You are free to determine the best ship within our needs and a sound business plan for the area of operations. If we like your proposal we’ll have it built and delivered to our base on Thanber for you. You will then be responsible for the standard payments while you operate as our agent on a 1 year trial basis to determine the true profit potential in the field.”
So begins the first part of the contest. All entries will remain the property of the creator but will be posted upon completion for personal non-profit use by the public. No material presented may be recreated or distributed in any form beyond personal use without securing agreement of the author and copyright holders.
Contest entries for Phase 1 are to be emailed between May 22nd and May 26th with eligibility for Phase 2 to be communicated by reply email as soon as possible. Minor redesign may be allowed within the deadline window, so get them in early if possible. After the deadline the winner of Phase 1, based on the best profit potential will be announced here on the boards. Sorry, no prizes to offer yet, though I’m working on it. Profit potential will be judged primarily on the prospectus but some weight will be given to other design features such as flexibility, range, time to construct and total cost to name a few. This is Book 2 though so you are rather limited in the trade offs and details.
Entry format is to be as shown in the example below with the following key:
(entries in these brackets are notes, delete them after reading)
{entries in these brackets are choices, pick one to fill the space}
[entries in these brackets are for board formatting, keep them]
CC is standard craft code from HG and is optional, if you don’t have it I will fill it in
XX.X is tons of ship element
xxxx.xxx is MCr of element cost
L is the drive element letter code
V is the drive element performance
N is the computer model number, if bis version note it as such
If extra programs are included note them, the space needed, and final total cost of the extra programs
SS is the number of standard staterooms
LB is the number of low berths, Open are for medical use if desired
EB is the number of emergency low berths for emergency use only
HP is the number of hard points, weapons need not be installed in Phase 1 but 1 ton per must be set aside
Tonnage set aside but not filled may be used for incidental cargo or ammunition storage in Phase 2
Weapons added for Phase 2 will be factored into payments and maintenance
email example:
-------
To: far_trader_mail @yahoo.ca
Subject: Merchants Run - Phase 1 Entry - {your name as you want the credit shown}
Body: (no attachments, plain text, just the facts, other embellishment is for Phase 2)
Design Submission
{Ship Name} class type CC Far-Trader by {your name as you want the credit shown}
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">XXXX.X tons Hull-{Standard or Custom} MCrxxxx.xxx
{Streamlined or Unstreamlined}x.xxx
+XXX.X tons Drives Section
-XX.X tons Jump Drive L-Vj xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Maneuver L-Vm xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Powerplant L-Vp xx.xxx
-XX.X tons reserved/waste (optional)
+XXX.X tons Main Section
-XX.X tons Fuel xVj Parsecs
-XX.X tons Fuel x4 Weeks
-XX.X tons Bridge - Standard xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Computer N xx.xxx
Programs: xx.xxx
Maneuver: 1
Generate (L): 1
Navigate: 1
Jump 1 : 1
Jump 2 : 2
Anti-Hijack : 1
-XX.X tons Staterooms xSS xx.xxx
Crew xSS
Pass xSS
-XX.X tons Low Berths xLB xx.xxx
Open xLB
Pass xLB
-XX.X tons Emergency LB xEB xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Hardpoints xHP xx.xxx
{N, S, D, or T} Turret xx.xxx
{Weapons if any} xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Vehicle hanger
{vehicle type} xx.xxx
-XX.X tons Cargo holds
-XX.X tons reserved/waste (optional)
Prototype final cost: xxx.xxx
Purchase final price: (90%) xxx.xxx</pre>[/QUOTE]Crew requirements:
{crew position/positions} Salary Cr {xxxx.x} monthly (repeat as needed to fill crew requirements)
Prospectus Submission
System itinerary for 1 year:
Week 1-2 Thanber to {system} = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
Week 2-3 {system} to {system} = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
(continue to fill out year)
Week 49-50 {system} to Thanber = N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight
Week 51-52 Annual maintenance and final trial accounting.
Financial breakdown:
+Cr {xxxx.x} annual revenue at full capacity (total N high passages, N mid passages, N low passages, XXX tons freight)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual loan payments over 40 years (purchase final price above /240)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual fuel expense (unrefined at Cr100 per ton) for 25 trips (of jump and two weeks per)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual life support costs for 25 trips full capacity (of total N crewpersons, N live passengers, N low passengers per trips at Cr2000 per crew or live passenger and Cr100 per low passenger per trip)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual maintenance (purchase final price above /1000) (requires 2 weeks at Thanber port)
-Cr {xxxx.x} annual salaries for crew (including 2 weeks paid leave during annual maintenance)
-Cr5,000 annual berthing costs (calculated as 7 days per port for 25 trips at Cr200 per trip)
=
{+ or -} Cr {xxxx.x} annual {profit or loss} (operating at class C, D, and E ports) before speculative trade factor
[/code]
-------
End of email example
Phase 1 - Part 1 - Design Requirements:
Design a single starship built to TL-C standards (Drive Letters A through N and hulls to 1000tons) with a minimum of Jump 2 performance. Book 2 revised is the system for all rules.
Atmospheric interface, directly or via carried craft, will be required as some of the ports served may not have orbital facilities or shuttles. If the ship itself is not streamlined you will need a small craft capable of handling a minimum of 10% of your passengers (high, medium and low) OR cargo per trip.
The design must be for mixed service of freight and passengers, no dedicated liners or freighters will be considered.
Each ship will have the following standard program package for its computer. This uses up the first free MCr1 of program credit.
Maneuver, Navigate, Generate (L), Jump 1, Jump 2, Anti-Hijack
The Generate program is a special feature installed free of charge by your creditors. It's a bit of a double edged gift though, being that it is locked (as noted by the L). This means it cannot be removed from the computer (it may be shuffled from active to standby in the case of standard computer models) and no other Generate program may be installed. The Generate program is customized to only allow jump plots within the selected trade area. If you should find yourself outside this area you are in big trouble.
Additional software may be purchased subject to approval. List the programs, their size, and the total added cost in the form above.
That leaves the area of operation to define. You are being given this chance as part of program to expand trade, and influence into a difficult area, the disputed Querion subsector of the Spinward Marches.
Trade Map courtesy of robject: Starchart Link
(note Bael and Nonym have been dropped, if it's no trouble robject an edit will earn you more influence with the judge
)This area is a frontier region. Sparse in worlds and impossible to navigate with J1. Nearly the entire subsector is claimed by the Zhodani Consulate though they only have a real presence in a few systems on the coreward edge. The Imperium has a presence in four systems in this subsector, two of primary importance. The first is Research Station Delta in the Retinae system. The second is the midpoint for the IN couriers running between RSD and Frenzie. That second system is also your port of registry, Thanber.
Thanber is a small client state of the Imperium, which while outside the border and in space claimed by the Zhodani, is nonetheless a safe port due to the regular IN courier traffic.
It's population of two million operate as a fuedal technocracy with a highly organized citizens militia. Crime is very low and convictions are very high with most of the very few criminals being off-world visitors.
The population lives in large comfortable arcologies and rarely go out in the less than ideal surface conditions.
The mainworld has a class B high and low port with the standard ammenties.
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UPP-0710-B243653-C Ni Po 210 CS - Thanber</pre>[/QUOTE]Your area of operations will be limited to Thanber and the following additional worlds:
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">UPP-0114-C6B6431-A Ni Fl 123 NA - Yiktar
UPP-0115-EA95124-4 Lo Ni 910 NA - Xhosa
UPP-0212-C436635-6 Ni 720 NA - Prinx
UPP-0215-E766674-4 Ag Ni Ri 903 VA - Rushu
UPP-0414-C400546-8 Ni Va 810 NA - Attica
UPP-0416-E8C69AA-5 Hi Fl Rs 910 CS - Retinae
UPP-0518-D445436-3 Ni 810 CS - Faisal
UPP-0618-EA8A799-6 Ri Wa 320 CS - Dekalb
UPP-0620-E887573-6 Ag Ni 501 SW - Winston
UPP-0720-E336AAA-C Hi 225 DA - Entrope
UPP-0820-C110588-8 Ni 601 SW - Anselhome</pre>[/QUOTE]The format of the listings above is the standard:
UPP
-
Hex location
-
Starport
Size
Atmosphere
Hydrographics
Population
Government
Law level
-
Tech level
Base codes (not applicable)
Trade codes (see below)
Travel code (not applicable)
Population factor
Asteroid belts (in addition to the main if so)
Gas giants
Allegience code (see below)
-------
Trade codes:
Ag = Agricultural
Fl = Fluid hydrographics
Hi = High population
Lo = Low population
Na = Non-agricultural
Ni = Non-industrial
Po = Poor world
Ri = Rich world
Rs = Research station
Va = Vacuum world
Wa = Water world
Allegience codes:
CS = Client state of the Imperium
DA = Darrian Confederation
NA = Non-aligned
SW = Sword Worlds
Note that all these worlds are accessible with the minimum J2 but feel free to try a higher jump if you can make it work. You are not required to visit all of them or any in particular. It is left to you to find your best trade links and design your ship accordingly.
Of the worlds noted three deserve a quick note here, Winston, Entrope, and Amselhome. These systems are in dispute with both the Sword Worlds and the Darrian Confederation claiming them. The Zhodani Consulate backs the Sword Worlds claim while the Imperium sides with the Darrians.
Phase 1- Part 2 - Prospectus Requirements:
Complete a one year business proposal as outlined above showing a reasonable chance of profit under the standard trade rules. This means rates are per jump NOT per parsec. One year is defined as 25 trips of 1 week in port and 1 week in transit, with 2 weeks set aside for annual maintenance and crew R&R. Speculative trade will be factored for design approval but base your prospectus on freight and passenger revenue only. If you are close to breaking even you will be approved.
A reasonable chance of profit is defined for this exercise as based on the anticipated trade of the systems you select. You have to show the anticipated trade as an average roll (count each D6 as a result of 4 for this purpose). Actual trade and your real route may vary from this in Phase 2.
You must include expenses as noted above for:
1 - The monthly loan payments of 1/240th of the ship price. You may calculate this as 90% of the total cost of the ship design. You get the 10% discount for a standard design to better gauge the reality of the design if it goes into production. The down payment and architectural fee are already covered.
2 - Unrefined fuel purchase, though in Phase 2 you may be skimming, dipping or buying refined fuel. The reason for the use of unrefined fuel it the lack of refined fuel for most of the ports involved. The lenders are not going to factor in the chances of drive failure or misjump due to unrefined fuel use when determining the eligibility of the design but it may impact actual trade in Phase 2.
Some further notes here, of more importance to Phase 2 if it happens. For this exercise my interpretion of the rules as per MTU:
Class A and B ports sell ONLY refined fuel and do NOT allow dipping.
Class C and D ports sell ONLY unrefined fuel and do NOT allow dipping.
Class E and X ports do NOT sell fuel at all but DO allow dipping and will be located next to a source, if there is one (any Hydrographic digit greater than 0).
All mainworlds are the most habitable world in the system and are located far away from the gas giant(s) if any. A trip between the two (gas giant and mainworld) will take about 1 week. Gas giant skimming is allowed but hazardous so no passengers are allowed aboard during skimming except in an emergency. It is acceptable to put passengers aboard a carried craft with sufficient seating during skimming, or to use a small craft's fuel tankage for the skimming. Most of the time the trip alone won’t make the savings worth the effort but it may come to this in a misadventure.
3 - Life support at the standard rate of Cr2,000 per crew person or live passenger stateroom, and Cr100 per low passenger, per trip. Empty staterooms and lowberths may be charged and not used or extra life support charges may be purchased and carried in the cargo hold to have a reserve if desired in Phase 2, for Phase 1 just use full occupancy for calculations.
Additionally, for Phase 2 only, small craft cabin life support is Cr1,000 per crew person or live passenger per week. Couches include life support good for 2 person hours each and costs Cr10 to recharge per seat. Cargo holds include an inherent life support capacity of 2 person hours per ton which costs Cr10 to recharge per ton. Couch and cargo hold life support does NOT include food and water or freshers.
Cargo holds or quarters opened to inhospitable conditions lose all life support. Airlocks preserve life support by storing the volume in the airlock and preventing the bulk of the volume from being contaminated. Personell airlocks are included in quarters, taken from bridge space. Cargo airlocks may be designated in the design up to 10% of the cargo volume. Cargo airlock volume is taken from cargo space but may still be used for cargo.
A note here on life support charges in MTU to be used in Phase 2. You may purchase life support charges to carry in the cargo hold to do it yourself. Stateroom recharge kits cost the same Cr2,000 per two weeks and the volume is 0.1tons each. Small craft cabin life support kits are half that. Recharge kits for couches and cargo holds come in a kit similar to the stateroom kit and are good for 200 couch recharges or 200tons of cargo space recharge. Low berth recharge kits also cost the same Cr100 but only take up 0.01tons each. None of these kits are reusable. Further:
Class A and B ports will have life support recharging available as well as the do it yourself life support recharge kits for sale.
Class C and D ports will have life support recharging available but NOT the do it yourself life support recharge kits.
Class E and X ports will NOT have life support recharging available and will NOT have the do it yourself life support recharge kits either.
4 - Maintenance at 1/1000th of the ship price. You may also calculate this as 90% of the total cost of the ship design to reflect the discount for standard components. In Phase 2 this section may also have to include additional repairs due to damage through more misadventure.
A note about routine maintenance and emergency repairs in MTU. Each ship comes with a locker of tools and parts to keep the ship running well through the year. This consists of 12 discreet uses, each of which may be applied by the Engineer for a month of normal drive function or used for a single field repair attempt if needed. Replacing this package is a major part of the annual maintenance (50% of the cost).
5 - Salaries are as per the rules. You may fill any two crew positions with one person provided the salary is adjusted accordingly. That means a 10% bonus per extra skill level in each area, then 75% of that total. Single crew positions filled with extra skill levels will also require the 10% per bonus. In addition the section head adds a 10% bonus in the case of multiple crew persons in an area. See Phase 2 notes for actual skill levels and crewing available. This may be important for Phase 2 operations but for the prospectus in Phase 1 just use the minimums required.
6 - Berthing Costs of Cr200 per port of call to cover landing and a full week. That will total Cr5000 for the year. Actual costs in Phase 2 may differ.
A few notes for this exercise related to berthing as per MTU:
As noted in Book 2 cargo and passengers are delivered when they are disembarked in the same condition they were taken on. Of course some sense needs to apply. If taken on in orbit at a Class B port for passage to a Class E port with no orbital facility they can’t be tossed out the airlock into orbit and considered delivered, they will have to be delivered to the ground port.
Class A and B ports have both ground and orbital installations. The captain must choose which to berth at for taking and delivering cargo and passengers. There is no difference in the choice except as it affects streamlined ships versus unstreamlined ones. These ports have regular shuttle service for hire should the Captain choose orbital berthing and need access to the ground port. Cost is Cr10 per ton of cargo hold and Cr 20 per passenger seat. All standard small craft are available but the most common is the 95 ton shuttle with 60tons of cargo space and 20 passenger seats available for Cr1,000 per trip.
Class C and D ports will only have one of either a ground or orbital installation, orbital if TL7+ and ground if less. If orbital there will be irregular shuttle service for hire. Cost is identical to the above with the most common small craft available being the 40 ton slow pinnace with 25tons of cargo and 10 passenger seats available for Cr450 per trip.
Class E and X ports have only ground installations, and precious little of that. There is no charge to land at these ports and there will be no shuttle service for hire no matter the TL.
Merchants Run - Phase 2 - Crewing and Operations
Introduction
“It is good to see you all again. You have been chosen to participate in this exercise because you have the qualities believed necessary by the backers of this initiative. You are each healthy, mature, well schooled in all matters of interstellar commerce and starship operations, and have proven yourself capable leaders.”
“2Q welcomes you to its operations division now that you have passed the initial design and prospectus requirements of Phase 1 of our plan. You will spend the time while waiting for delivery of the ship you designed by preparing for the task of making it work in real trade through recruiting and training a crew here on Thanber at the 2Q base. After your ship is delivered and you have completed a year of trading the one of you who proves to have designed the most profitable ship will have half their mortgage written off by 2Q and be granted full standing with the corporation.”
So begins the game part of this little contest. The format will be play by email turns. Each turn will cover a single trip. You will receive an email of the situation upon arrival in system and a list of the decisions to be sent in reply. Then there will be a follow up email to that with the resolution and current status. I hope to conduct 1 game year of trading in a real calendar month so prompt replies will be important. Don’t worry about missing a day now and then or a weekend though. An example of the email exchange will look something like this:
email 1: From me:
-------
To: {your email here}
Subject: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course. Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
1 - Hostile (active sensor lock and no transponder signal) - hail them or not
2 - Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - hail them or not
3 - Friendly (passave sensors only and constant transponder) - hail them or not
Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are offered a sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at Cr22,500 per ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration skill, or you may deduct Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of Bribery skill (includes cost of kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for speculation?
You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new passengers and freight.
Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
-------
email 2: Your reply:
To: {my email here}
Subject: RE: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
>You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course.
>Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your
>approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - we do not hail them
>Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no
>berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are offered a
>sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at Cr22,500 per
>ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per ton to a maximum
>deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration skill, or you may deduct
>Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of Bribery skill (includes cost of
>kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for speculation?
I’ll purchase 3x 1ton crates of the daggers using my Administration-3 for a discount of Cr7,500 per ton. Purchase cost is Cr15,000 per ton, total cost is Cr45,000
>You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
Darn
>You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new
>passengers and freight.
We will stick to our plan and make our next port of call Entrope.
>Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
My Steward/Medic will apply his Administration-1 and Bribery-1 to attempt to speed up the process so we will depart on day 6.
-------
email 3: Me again
To: {your email here}
Subject: RE: RE: Merchants Run - Turn 2 - Week 2-3 - Arriving Dekalb
Body:
>>You precipitate from jump without incident. Sensors show a type T patrol cruiser on an intercept course.
>>Flight time to the mainworld is 4.9hours at your ship’s full 2G, time to intercept is 2.9hours into your
>>approach. The ship is not hailing you. Choose your stance and action:
>Neutral (passive sensors only and short transponder squak) - we do not hail them
The type T approaches and slowly shadows you in silence at close range for several minutes then angles off.
>>Upon arrival at the mainworld you settle down on the largest island following the beacon in. There is no
>>berthing charge to land here. The locals gather to see the rarity of a trader from the stars and you are
>>offered a sale of 8tons of (roll 44 - Blades) daggers (packed 2,500 per ton - value Cr25,000 per ton) at
>>Cr22,500 per ton. There are no local Brokers to hire to deal through but you may deduct Cr2,500 per
>>ton to a maximum deduction of Cr10,000 per ton from the asking price for each level of Administration
>>skill, or you may deduct Cr1,250 per ton to a maximum deduction of Cr5,000 per ton for each level of
>>Bribery skill (includes cost of kickbacks). How many 1ton crates do you wish to purchase for
>>speculation?
>I’ll purchase 3x 1ton crates of the daggers using my Administration-3 for a discount of Cr7,500 per ton.
>Purchase cost is Cr15,000 per ton, total cost is Cr45,000.
Cr45,000 deducted from balance.
>>You have no speculative cargo to offer for sale at this time.
>Darn
Next port you can offer those daggers
>>You begin to offload freight and passengers. Declare your next port of call to begin attracting new
>>passengers and freight.
>We will stick to our plan and make our next port of call Entrope.
Very well next port of call is Entrope. Refuelling is underway. Being an E class port you run out your dipping hose to the connection and begin pumping and processing the local water, there‘s lots of it around being a water world. There is no charge and your tanks are soon full of unrefined fuel. There are also no life support services so you’ll have to rely on the pre-purchased and stored life support recharge kits.
>>Will you depart early on day 6 or wait the full 7 days for possible late arriving passengers and freight?
>My Steward/Medic will apply his Administration-1 and Bribery-1 to attempt to speed up the process so
>we will depart on day 6.
After 6 days in port you have attracted 13 high passengers, 17 middle passengers, 21 low passengers, 14 major freight lots, 15 minor freight lots, and 8 incidental freight lots.
Your Steward/Medic has made the best arrangements and you have filled your passenger staterooms with 8 high passengers, filled your low berths with 20 low passengers, and you cargo holds are filled with the 3tons of speculative cargo, 7tons of incidental freight, and 370tons of major and minor freight. You happily lift off at full revenue capacity and head for 100d and jump to Entrope.
-------
That’s basically how it will go, 3 emails per trip, all done in a day with a little luck. I hope to have the initial email out early morning (local - central time America) and your reply in the afternoon sometime. That will allow me to process and send the final email each evening. There will be hitches I’m sure, weekends and such, and possible overseas time issues, but we should be able to get through the 25 trips in about a month. Not so much RPG as a simple accounting of trade, there isn’t enough time for much more in this contest, though there may be the need for an extra email now and then, such as ship encounters gone bad, drive malfunctions to deal with, and such. Feel free to fill in with imagination and I hope you will find it a little fun. What might be interesting is if each of you build through posts to the board a bit of a Captain’s log. I’d suggest starting your own thread in the Classic Traveller thread, it could be a fun read for others.
Each ship will be judged on the profit of one full year of operations adjusted by the time it takes the last ship to finish its year of trials after construction. The sooner your ship is built the better your edge in the final accounting but volume may win out in the end. Again, no promise of prizes, so for now it’s just for honor and fun.
Phase 2 - Part 1 - Captains Courageous
In the interest of a more or less equal starting point begin by creating your character with the following outline.
You are 38 years old and have just retired after 5 terms in the Imperial Merchant Service after attaining the rank of full Captain and your own ship. However you have traded that ship for the chance to participate in this exercise.
Your initial UPP must meet or exceed a minimum of Int A and Edu 8 using the following rolls: B, A, 9, 8, 7, 6. The other characteristics may be assigned the remaining values as desired. There will be no psionics to worry about. Aging will reduce your Str, Dex, and End 1 point each by the end of you IMS career.
In your years of service you have acquired the following skills as minimums for a Captain of the IMS: Administration-1, Engineering-1, Gunnery-1, Medical-1, Navigation-1, Pilot-1, and Steward-1.
In addition you may have rounded out your experience with skills in some other areas or perhaps specialized in some of the above minimum requirements. Choose 5 more skill levels from the following list:
Administration, Blade Combat*, Bribery, Computers, Electronics, Engineering, Gun Combat*, Jack of all Trades, Mechanical, Medical, Navigation, Pilot, Vacc Suit, Vehicle*, Str +1, Dex +1, End +1
* cascade skills, note the specific skill(s) selected
Not counting the muster out rolls towards the ship you traded to enter this exercise you have 6 more selections from the following muster out choices with no more than 3 of any one allowed:
Cash Table roll, Int +1, Edu +1, Blade Benefit, or Gun Benefit. Let me know how many cash rolls you want and I’ll roll them to keep everybody saintedly honest.
Blade and Gun Benefits allow the acquisition and ownership of any single type of blade or gun, and accessories, of up to Cr5000 value. Accessories may include anything appropriate on the weapons table, such as sights and ammunition, body armor, or other enhancements such as precious metals and rare woods as part of the construction. Additional selection of Blade or Gun Benefits may be more physical armament or a skill level in a previously selected weapon type. Weapons will only be a factor in the case of attempted hi-jack, boarding, or other misadventure. Mutiny?
You are also undertaking personal improvement during this waiting period, selecting from one of the following areas:
Educational Study (grants Edu +3), Skills Training (grants two skill levels of your choice), or Physical Improvement (grants Str +1. Dex +1 and End +1).
Phase 2 - Part 2 - Crews Control
You may build your crew with the following guidelines:
Pilots may have up to four skill levels total in Pilot, Navigation, and Gunnery. Default skills for Pilots are Computer-1 and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to hire a Pilot/Navigator or Pilot/Gunner. The default skills will allow the Pilot to set up the needed computer programs when not busy and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
Navigators may have up to four skill levels total in Navigation, Pilot and Gunnery. Default skills for Navigators are Computer-1 and Electronics-1. This allows you to hire a Navigator/Pilot or Navigator/Gunner. The default skills will allow the Navigator to set up the needed computer programs and handle sensors and communications when not busy.
Engineers may have up to two skill levels in Engineering. Default skills for Engineers are Mechanical-2, Jack of Trades-1, and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to double shift your Engineers and hire half as many if desired. The default skills will allow the Engineer to undertake emergency repairs when not busy and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
Stewards may have up to three skill levels total in Steward and Medical. Default skills for Stewards are Administration-1 and Bribery-1. This allows you to hire a Steward/Medic and the default skills allow the Steward to act as either your passenger factor or freight factor while in port.
Medics may have up to three skill levels total in Medical and Steward. Default skills for Medics are Electronics-1 and Computers-1. This allows you to hire a Medic/Steward and the default skills allow the Medic to perform detailed patient diagnostics.
Gunners may have up to two skill levels in Gunnery. Default skills for Gunners are Gun Combat-1 and Vacc Suit-1. This allows you to double task you Gunners and hire half as many, each may fire two turrets at a single target. The default skills allow your Gunners to operate as ship’s troops and continue to function if the ship is damaged.
The ship’s lockers provide one vacc suit and a sidearm per crewperson. In addition there will be one long arm per Gunner. Engineers and Gunners will have armored vacc suits (equal to Combat Armor). This will only be important should it come to misadventure.
Phase 2 - Part 3 - Some notes on important skills:
Administration - May help speed processing of passengers and aid in speculative trade.
Bribery - May help speed processing of freight and assist in speculative trade.
Computers - Is required for smooth exchange of programs if required.
Electronics - Is required for the use of sensors and communications equipment.
Mechanical - Is required for maintenance and emergency repairs.
Vacc Suit - Insures continued function of skilled crew in case of ship damage.
The other skills are either required for crew operation or may prove useful in some circumstances such as attempted hijack or boarding.
