Trade Stations, Scout Posts, Beacons, and Bazaars - the Class E Starport Startown
- Thread starter Spinward Scout
- Start date
Yes, I just took the standard descriptions of starports in TTB.
Possibly. It depends on what the MP rule actually represent. If the sole broker on the world dies, do the Scout really reclassify the starport from D to E? If the only broker with Broker-4 on the world dies, does the Scouts reclassify the starport from A to B? Somehow I doubt it.
Or Scout bases invariably sell unrefined fuel to everyone who calls, thus automatically providing the facilities needed for a D classification.
Hans
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Somehow that doesn't completely make sense. You have a world with say a population of 6+ and an E starport for some reason. There isn't going to be a broker for cargo?
The same goes the other direction. You have a class B to D starport on a world with a population of 2 to 4. There may well be no broker for cargo... There may be no demand for cargo.
I think the system needs to look at the planetary UPC more and take into account population, tech level, government type, even law level more than it does.
An example: You have a government of A, B, or F and a law level of D+. Even with a population of 6+ and a tech code of A+ what realistic chance is there that such a world is going to get much business through their starport?
Its like having an "International" airport at Pyongyang North Korea. That world might have a Class A or B starport but it isn't going to be really accessible to anyone.
Or you have a world with a population of 2 or 3 that has a Class A starport and is Tech level A. How can it be operated? There aren't enough people available for even supervision if it is heavily robotic. The ship's architect that supposedly would be available would starve from lack of work most likely.
Or that same port with a pop of 2 or 3 is on a world with a government type 0 and law level 0. I don't think the starport would remain an A for long...
You're mis-applying the definitions. The definitions are not maximums; they're minimums.
Minimums are:
E Port: a beacon and a landing spot.
D Port: allowed source of fuel†, a broker, some repair parts
C Port: ability to perform major repairs (which implies a drydock or repair crane), better brokers (skill 2)
B Port: system ship‡ construction yard, interstellar banking, refined fuel available for purchase, even better brokers (skill 3), repair yards capable of annual maintenance and overhauls.
A Port: Ability to install jump drives, better brokers still (skill 4)
An E port might have a thriving brokerage with a skill 4 broker, and a branch office of Hortalez et Cie, but still be only an E port because there's no source of repair parts, and the locals like it that way....
Hans: a lake doesn't make an E-port with a broker and repair shop into a D-port - permission to use it as a source of fuel does, but that permission might not exist, and denial of permission might even be enforced with extreme zeal and use of overwhelming force...
That doesn't address my reservation. Does the lack of a broker get a D port reclassified as an E port? Does the lack of a broker-4 get an A port downgraded?
Hans
Obviously it does.
I bet they can stretch the definition of "broker avaliable" though. Don't remember broker skill being a requirement, either. Port class should only be a guideline for what grade of broker you can find.
I don't agree. The evidence that it does could just as easily be a simplification for the sake of gamability.
Just the point I was making.
Hans
pendragonman
Absent Friends Margrave
Further, having the definition of the starport grades spread over several books over several versions of the game is not just unwieldy, it is unfair to the GM, if not the players as well.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
So, what I'm reading is that the definition of a particular port is somewhat amorphous. That is, it is possible that a port classified A is really no better than a B, a B class might really be an A or it might be a C. A D could be an E or C.
I really think the ratings need more linkage to the UWP too.
Like this:
1526 Mishkihier in the Poonch subsector of the Glimmerdrift:
A584200-B.
Here's a world with a few hundred people on it with a Class A starport. It has no government, no law. That would indicate that the people probably don't have much social interaction going on. Yet, somehow there is a starport with brokerage services, refined fuel, ship repair and construction available.
Even at tech level B it doesn't easily fly that it is heavily automated.
Where is the market for cargo for example? Would a few hundred people living largely in isolation or small communities at most need a broker and cargo deliveries regularly?
I really think the ratings need more linkage to the UWP too.
Like this:
1526 Mishkihier in the Poonch subsector of the Glimmerdrift:
A584200-B.
Here's a world with a few hundred people on it with a Class A starport. It has no government, no law. That would indicate that the people probably don't have much social interaction going on. Yet, somehow there is a starport with brokerage services, refined fuel, ship repair and construction available.
Even at tech level B it doesn't easily fly that it is heavily automated.
Where is the market for cargo for example? Would a few hundred people living largely in isolation or small communities at most need a broker and cargo deliveries regularly?
A world like that would be all Starport, Shipping comes to transfer cargo an get their ships fixed & maintained, back in the age of sail there where ports in the Americas, Africa, the Middle-east and Asia that where just like that.
in Port Home Country Rule & Laws where lossly enforced but go out in to the surrounding wilderness and it was free for all, even a little bungalow still within ear shot of the port may have bean nice to get away for a few days but you where SOL if something happened, same if you lived in the slum on the wrong side of the wall or across the river
in Port Home Country Rule & Laws where lossly enforced but go out in to the surrounding wilderness and it was free for all, even a little bungalow still within ear shot of the port may have bean nice to get away for a few days but you where SOL if something happened, same if you lived in the slum on the wrong side of the wall or across the river
Gutav founded the colony with the retirement funds from his career as a ship's engineer to fulfill his lifelong dream of hand crafting exceptional starships one at a time. After 400 years, the Mishkihier shipyard is still owned and operated by the founding family and still builds unique, hand crafted 100 dTon and 200 dTon starships to the most exacting specifications. With a production capacity of only about 400 dT per year and prices averaging 50 MCr per 100 dT, the shipyard brings in over 200 MCr per year giving the 400 citizens a per capita GNP of over 500,000 credits and a median salary of almost 30,000 credits per month.
The small town community enjoys a New England village hall sort of government structure, with most decisions being decided in an organized shouting match and a general consensus of the 50 or so family patriarchs.
The colony relies heavily on imports to sustain the local economy, but they can afford it.
It was a personal challenge.
I actually agree that the Starport code assigning methodology is wacky.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
The small town community enjoys a New England village hall sort of government structure, with most decisions being decided in an organized shouting match and a general consensus of the 50 or so family patriarchs.
The colony relies heavily on imports to sustain the local economy, but they can afford it.
It was a personal challenge.
I actually agree that the Starport code assigning methodology is wacky.
If it has a government similar to a New England town meeting, then it is Government 2 per Marc's article on planetary governments.
Also, with that size of population, all components of any ship built would have to be imported, to include all of the hull structure, drives, power plant, sensors, life support, and armament. No repairs would be possible unless the ship carries the needed spare parts, or can wait until the needed parts and material are shipped in.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
If I post on this thread a small star port that I have worked up for a novel that I am writing, what is the copyright status of it? Does it become property of Far Future Enterprises?
No. Per the terms of use, you'd be granting us a license to keep it on the website, but the copyright remains yours.
COTI Rules said:
My preference as admin is that you not post materials you later plan to sell, because it makes life potentially a real hassle.
try his
Mishkihier is a world inhabited for one reason, the care and maintenance of passing starships the few hundred people who live on world reside in the srtarport and it's near environs, always outnumbered by visiting offworlders. the world is a gross importer across all sectors (including materials needed to run the Port and Shipyards) and completely reliant on the liquidity brought in by Transfer Fees & Duties the planets Shipyards. as the entire population lives in or near the Starport there is no formal goverment outside the Starport nore is ther any Local Law instead Imperial Law is in effect. outside the Starport proper there are no Law Enforcement in use instead hired Security Guards and appointed Peace Officer apprehend trouble makers and criminals with as much force as necessary to bring before the Imperial Magistrate at the Starport to face any charges they may need to for breaches of High Law.
Mishkihier is a world inhabited for one reason, the care and maintenance of passing starships the few hundred people who live on world reside in the srtarport and it's near environs, always outnumbered by visiting offworlders. the world is a gross importer across all sectors (including materials needed to run the Port and Shipyards) and completely reliant on the liquidity brought in by Transfer Fees & Duties the planets Shipyards. as the entire population lives in or near the Starport there is no formal goverment outside the Starport nore is ther any Local Law instead Imperial Law is in effect. outside the Starport proper there are no Law Enforcement in use instead hired Security Guards and appointed Peace Officer apprehend trouble makers and criminals with as much force as necessary to bring before the Imperial Magistrate at the Starport to face any charges they may need to for breaches of High Law.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
Okay then, I will pattern if after what I am working on, without having it exactly or too-closely the same.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Actually, that doesn't work for the area around it. The best I could come up with is that it is really more of a B port and only just. Mishkihier is run by smugglers running high tech goods to several surrounding systems that have pedantic governments that for various reasons have a lock on keeping technology and goods not manufactured locally out off the market. This explains the lack of law and government.
The "starport" is run by and for the smugglers who use its facilities to stealth equip ships, construct small smuggling vessels, and as their warehouse facility for goods that will be smuggled elsewhere.
Being outside the Imperium it is a law unto itself. There is no justice system other than the mob.
Does the population code include all the personnel living and working exclusively with an A-class' highport? Not part of the planet as such, living and working entirely on a station that sits at a LaGrange point or such? That doesn't solve the problem of why it's there, but could it reconcile the port code with the population code?
With respect to the organized council and votes, I did not imagine it like a NE democracy. With respect to the historic reports of the period concerning the New York legislature, I did envision it as a chaotic shouting match that achieved little ... but I admit to only a cursory knowledge of Traveller government codes (and even less interest in splitting hairs over the difference between them).
Can you provide some reference?
With an assumed population of 400, they could reasonably expect a local workforce of about 240 (60% of the population).
Why could a small private shipyard not employ 216 workers? (90% of the local workforce). What is the productivity per worker?
We have lots of small boatyards here in Florida with fewer than 10-20 employees, so this would be an operation 10 to 20 times the size of a local boatyard building 2 to 4 starships per year.
I am calling you on your statements: Fact or opinion?
Spoiler:
Last edited:
