Settler equipment list

[rancke]

I'm working on an adventure involving a small group of settlers. They've bought a piece of prime virgin land on a lightly populated world and will buy transport there for themselves and their equipment on a starship that will deliver them to the spot and unload the whole shebang.

The group numbers 200 people (50 families). Once the starship leaves, they are pretty much on their own. There is a small settlement (roughly the same number of people) nearby that could help a bit (or obstruct, depending on initial interactions) and there is a decent population (several millions) elsewhere on the planet, but they will have little money with which to buy additional equipment. So anything they'll need to set up the colony and survive until the first harvest they need to bring along.

The question I'm having trouble answering is, what do they bring and how much of it? Especially, how much cargo space would the equipment take up?

Housing: Prefab houses? Construction equipment, planning to use local materials? Saws, hammers and nails, planning to build log cabins?

How much food?

Medical equipment?

What else?


Actually, now that I think about it, it might be a good idea (dramatically) if the settlers planned on buying certain things from the locals. Not the local locals, but the far-off locals. That would require an expedition to the civilized region and a trip back through the wilderness with a load of valuable stuff. I'm tentatively setting this adventure on Forboldn around 1105, so the local TL is 4. What would the settlers need that they could get cheaper on Forboldn than on their original world (Regina, Roup, Efate, perhaps Feri are all possibilities).


Hans

 

[E.D.Quibell]

I have a scenario on a largely unihabited T prime world where the players have the opotunity to help set-up the infrastructre for a new colony (if they wish to that is). It's bares a similarity to yours.

The idea behind it is for the players to gather all of their previous resources and contacts together in order to make the colonisasion of the new planet go very easily. The pay off is a knighthood and a planet bound corporation.

So what would I take? a couple of farm bots and a couple of construction bots, tents, enough food to last two seasons, standard survival gear and sustainable farming equipment, and enough seed populations of what every you wish to grow/rear. And then purchase/mine/gather the raw materials you need to create the infrastructure for the robots to get on with it.

The bots would create the initial infrastructure, while the population works on making it sustanable.

Best regards,

Ewan

 

[rancke]

So what would I take? a couple of farm bots and a couple of construction bots, tents, enough food to last two seasons, standard survival gear and sustainable farming equipment, and enough seed populations of what every you wish to grow/rear. And then purchase/mine/gather the raw materials you need to create the infrastructure for the robots to get on with it.

The bots would create the initial infrastructure, while the population works on making it sustanable.

You'd need someone capable of maintaining and repairing robots along, and he then becomes a point failure source. It's a choice, just like the choice between tractors and horses to draw the plows.

Do you know of any canonical writeups of farm bots and construction bots? Or fan writeups with permission to include in a JTAS Online article?

You made me think of something very important: A power source.


Hans

 

[Dragoner]

3D printers, various robotic machining tools, hydroponic setups, air defense lasers and missile systems.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

• 
  Educational materials - the young ones need to learn as well as do their chores
  Recreation materials - all work and no play could lead to a population boom
  Flora and fauna to remind them of home
  Small pieces of equipment like small ATVs and such that assist with taming the land
  Weapons

 

[Spinward Scout]

Seeds (not only farming seeds but also to make orchards), livestock (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, honey bees, etc..), clothing, woodcutting/woodworking gear, metalworking gear, alcohol still, water pumps, pottery gear, settlement defense gear, chocolate, tobacco, medicine, trade items, toilet paper, waterwheels, windmills, solar cells, nutrient food bars, illicit/smuggled goods.

How much do they bring? As much as they can afford to have shipped there.

Forboldn is TL 4 but that doesn't mean it has to stay TL 4.

 

[rancke]

Um... 200 settlers, including children and youngsters. Budget is their life savings plus whatever money they can convince a bank to loan them. Possibly a subsidy from some philantropic institution.

Qualitative suggestions are fine, but I'm also looking for help with the quantities. Including what will NOT be taken along because the settlers can't afford it.

The adventure does assume that the settlers are well equipped, but I still don't think they'll run to air defense lasers and missiles.

But, yes, what weapons they take along and how many is another question. (Forboldn's law level is 4).


Hans

 

[rancke]

Seeds (not only farming seeds but also to make orchards), livestock (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, honey bees, etc..), clothing, woodcutting/woodworking gear, metalworking gear, alcohol still, water pumps, pottery gear, settlement defense gear, chocolate, tobacco, medicine, trade items, toilet paper, waterwheels, windmills, solar cells, nutrient food bars, illicit/smuggled goods.

All useful ideas, and thank you for them.

How much do they bring? As much as they can afford to have shipped there.

Yeah... that much I was able to figure out on my own. My problem begins when I have to figure out how much a generic, decently funded group of 50 middle class families (with perhaps a few upper middle class families) can afford.

Forboldn is TL 4 but that doesn't mean it has to stay TL 4.

Forboldn't tech level tells the settlers what tech support they can count on from the local infrastructure. That is relevant to what they decide to bring.


Hans

 

[Strummist]

Earth moving equipment - something multipurpose like a couple of JCB's.
A smelter, and oh, I dunno, whatever you need to turn rocks into steel/cast iron.
A decent chem lab so you can identify minerals, analyse soils etc.
A dentist plus equipment.
A midwife plus equipment.
A couple of really good teachers and a decent library.
An economist/trader who can work out how to best add value to anything the colony produces.
A diplomat so they can learn to get along with the neighbours.
A brewer.
Dogs, and a good trainer.
A vet (animal doctor, not ex-soldier).
A vet (ex-soldier, not animal doctor).
A sealed and simple reactor that'll provide core power for the first 50 years or so.
Fish eggs (or embryos? I'm not sure).

 

[aramis]

You'd need someone capable of maintaining and repairing robots along, and he then becomes a point failure source. It's a choice, just like the choice between tractors and horses to draw the plows.

Do you know of any canonical writeups of farm bots and construction bots? Or fan writeups with permission to include in a JTAS Online article?

You made me think of something very important: A power source.


Hans

Check 101 Robots. If you can find a copy. (I know of one copy in Anchorage... but it's not mine and not for sale.)

 

[rancke]

Check 101 Robots. If you can find a copy. (I know of one copy in Anchorage... but it's not mine and not for sale.)

If I am to use them in a JTAS Online or a Signs & Portents article, I need to be able to quote the basic information about them.


Hans

 

[McPerth]

It has been hinted, but not specifically said: some transportation (either ATVs, Ship/boat, animal drawn, as to merge with natives...)

It also should be known what TL they come from and why they decide to go where only TL 4 is found, if they come from a higher TL world (if they are an anti-tech group, they're unlikely to bring high tech equipment, if they are fleeing something, maybe they cannot buy al lthey want, if they just want to try for a better world, they're likely to try to tech other people about higher TL, etc...)

 

[rancke]

It also should be known what TL they come from and why they decide to go where only TL 4 is found, if they come from a higher TL world (if they are an anti-tech group, they're unlikely to bring high tech equipment, if they are fleeing something, maybe they cannot buy al lthey want, if they just want to try for a better world, they're likely to try to tech other people about higher TL, etc...)

The motivation is to get their own place where they can run things the way they think they should be run without excessive interference. Only limits on equipment are practical; can they afford them, can they maintain them, can they repair them, do they give benefits commensurate with the cost?

Let's say they are from Regina, i.e. TL12.


Hans

 

[Spinward Scout]

My problem begins when I have to figure out how much a generic, decently funded group of 50 middle class families (with perhaps a few upper middle class families) can afford.

50 households and the Infrastructure to support them
or
How to Raise a Village

Startup Equipment
The Basics - Food, Water, and Shelter
Basically a military setup

50 - Temporary living structures while the village is being built (large tents)
01 - Temporary Command Tent
01 - Medical Tent
01 - Supply Tent
05 - Lumber processing machines (steam engine ok?)
50 - Water processing/filtering devices (or 200 individual)
50 - Food processing kits (or 200 individual)
and/or
01 - Mess Tent/Meeting Hall
01 - Perimeter Fence

Non-Family Buildings which could be built
Town Hall
Constable's Office and Jail
Doctor's Office
Funeral Home
Bank
Food Store
Sundries Store
Clothing Store
Tavern (can't forget the tavern)
Barber Shop
Laundry Shop
Crafts/Pottery Shop
Blacksmith
Stables
Trading Post
Farmer's Market
Church
Leather Shop
Stonemason Guild
Grainary
Schoolhouse

Or you could have them all have modular, more permanent structures that are brought with them instead of having to build. Instant town.

If you assign jobs to the Colonists, it would probably help you quite a bit.

If you can find information about a Medieval or Old West Village online, I'm sure it will help. The old D&D adventure The Village of Hommlet comes to mind.

Forboldn is a Colonial Project from the Core Worlds. Wouldn't they be sent with the best stuff that Capitol would want them to have? Free at the expense of the Emperor?

 

[DaveChase]

Hmm, why has no one mentioned a machine shop
Or Mechanical Engineer/Construction

At the least a mechanic/armor who can fix things that are broken

Dave Chase

 

[rancke]

50 households and the Infrastructure to support them
or
How to Raise a Village

Thank you. That's the stuff!

Forboldn is a Colonial Project from the Core Worlds. Wouldn't they be sent with the best stuff that Capitol would want them to have? Free at the expense of the Emperor?

This would be a side project, designed to supplement the main Forboldn Project.

I've written several articles about Forboldn for JTAS Online. Here's a summary of the setting description I'm using: Forboldn.

It's not canon, because JTAS Online is not canon, but AFAIK it hasn't been overwritten (unlike my writeup of Ruie, <snif> ).


Hans

 

[Garyius2003]

Rations for 2.5 years. (also survival stills at 150 percent of need)

Fusion powerplant and back-up both at 300 percent of estimated need

Shelters that can be erected and then rammed earthed for insulation.

Water treatment equipment and piping (some pumps)

Earth moving equipment that can also be used for farm operations.

Well drilling and ditching attachments to go along with earth moving and farming.

Food processing equipment (mill for gains, preserving line for veggies, what ever the crops will be) unless 3I combines do it all, in which case just storage places for the product

Repair machines/bots for the above.

Light wood harvesting and processing equipment.

Medical and dental gear and supplies

Light transports

 

[Spinward Scout]

Hmm, why has no one mentioned a machine shop
Or Mechanical Engineer/Construction

At the least a mechanic/armor who can fix things that are broken

Dave Chase

At TL 4, that would be a Blacksmith.

EDIT: I was thinking a little more about this and what probably would happen is that a Colonist family would take their life savings and pay into the Colony Project. Whatever they have upfront would go towards their equipment and a 'Common Fund' to support the Settlement (kinda like taxes). Then anything left over would still be their personal savings, if any. That's how I'm picturing it.

 

[CosmicGamer]

I'm tentatively setting this adventure on Forboldn

1) Environment. Starting with air breathability, but this also includes other environmental hazards such as cold, heat, predators, poisonous insects and numerous other possible things which can kill you a lot quicker than dehydration or starving.

2) Hydration. While this is predominantly drinkable water, it is also things like proper clothing and other methods to reduce dehydration.

3) Nutrition. Not just food, but the right balance of vitamins and minerals to keep people healthy.

4) Hygiene. Proper waste disposal and cleanliness to minimize disease.

5) Doctors and medicine.

So, Forboldn. Atmosphere 9 = Dense Tainted?

Dense. Surface pressure too high to support unprotected human life. The low tech level makes it unlikely to maintain enclosed environments with equipment needed to maintain the lower pressures for habitat and farms. A location of appropriate altitude might have a low enough pressure to settle.

Tainted. Population could have an engineered genetic adaptation or implant. They very well may need to constantly wear the appropriate gear which possibly could not be manufactured at the local tech level. Stock lots of spares. Some but probably not all habitats would provide filtering.

This also might limit what farming specimens are brought with the settlers. They may need to rely on local flora and animals.

The law level at the main colony may be 4 but
1) Will everything the settlers bring go through extensive customs inspections upon arrival?
2) It doesn't sound like the main colony will be providing security or law enforcement for the settlers so the settlement could possibly have it's own law level.
3) Security would be likely to have better armor and weapons than the populace but it's also possible a stockpile is available for every able bodied person to take up arms as a militia against local wildlife and possible attack by other settlements.
4) Explosives and other items normally outlawed may have industrial applications, like construction and mining.


Tech. Unless outlawed, there is no reason the settles can't bring some higher tech with them than what is locally manufactured. Key systems should have some spare parts and possibly a backup system. When necessary, a part can still be ordered from off world.
I would think some of the higher tech items would be:
Solar, wind, or hydro power depending on environment.
Possibly a refinery for a hydrogen and a hydrogen power plant.
Equipment for producing drinkable water.
Medical equipment.
Agricultural equipment.
Manufacturing equipment. Machine shop, mining equipment, and so on.
No reason the settlers can't have a high tech vehicle or two (backup) for traveling to the main city.

 

[samuelvss]

Three types of goods: 1. those of a higher tech that will ultimately be unmaintainable, but for the time they last give important advantages; 2. those of a tech level that they can be locally maintained; and 3. those that aim to allow an increase in the local tech level, in certain discrete areas, at a moderate pace. The following are some disjointed thoughts in that direction.

Mining, smelting and forging are going to be too much for such a small group, though machining and manufacturing (2. & 3.) (given the designs) will be possible.

So along with a very basic machine shop, I would bring metal, and a lot of spares for what basic machinery they bring; I would take a couple of steam tractors, beasts of burden, some basic vet supplies, LOTS of books.

Some under 1. would be high TL consumables, like a few miles of light cordage. Small arms under all three. Based on the role that the community saw for itself, setting up shops to manufacture TL5 auto rifles (AK47 types), might be a guaranteed income.

Under 2, beasts of burden, security, and for food. Likewise, seeds for both consumption, and improvement of the local land. A few steam engines, of the same size as the tractors. TL4 revolvers, and carbines that are chambered for the same caliber as the TL5 subguns you bring. Machinery to reload, lots of ammo, lots of powder and lead.

I would say that the fusion powerplant is not needed; I would spend that money on medical supplies. At TL4, all the basic subsistence was taken care of except disease, infection, and parasites.

The higher TL stuff (1.) brought should be like monofiliment line: really cheap but a huge time saver that is also zero-maintenance. Plastic sheeting, likewise.

Under 1., a number of small, tactical radios, (100) solar chargers, and rechargeable batteries; a few night vision units (10); some good sniper rifles (10); telescopic sights (20); a lense grinding machine, and LOTS of blank lenses and eyeglass frames. Everyone should get Lasik-type correction before embarking. A few inertial navigators.

The library will be critical: it will need to be extensive and well thought-out, especially in the areas of education, and techincal material to cover 2. & 3.
A small, manual printing press, and LOTS of paper (10 cases, or 50,000 sheets)(available at TL 4, but MUCH cheaper to bring from TL 12).

A few hand computers (5), printers, and supplies, to create maps from local imagery.

A number of compasses, and a transit, 3 sextants, and any local navigation materials (may have to be purshased locally).

Of the educational materials, about thrice the estimated amounts might be brought, with an eye towards educating some of the locals to help grow the community.