While I agree with the sentiment, we should probably wait until the group has actually formed up into one group, and, maybe, after we've decided what we, as a group, want to do.

While I like the "sandbox" style of play, it does frequently tend to start with a lack of direction; we don't know what the frack we're doing ^_^

All good points, which is why, since we're all here, OOC...we could basically settle on a ship, because if we do this IC..it'll be a mess/lengthy...

And, yes, it's early for a major decision...IE a group ship...

I might be misunderstood in this....

We need a group ship, whatever it might be...but, unless we decide here....doing this IC....I see no reason for that, until we, collectively, make a choice.

Just trying to simplify.

Anyways, I'm up for whatever..rock and roll!!!!

It might be that we need to come to some kind of agreement as to who is in charge before we figure out the vessel as otherwise it going to be hard with 8 Captains. As for the vessel, one ship share equaling a vote/share in the new enterprise works for me.

I was going to push for a Free or Far trader but I like the look of the Corsair with its large cargo load and the same range as the Far Trader. If we were merc commanders, then the Assault ship might be a good choice.

Abiding by the fact it's open ended, at least in my mind, the corsair covers pretty much all the basics you personally had mentioned in MSG#36

Who's the "boss"? relatively...Aggghhhh, that's a really good question.

Honestly, I'd go with the largest ship share holder...being Vonon (6 ship shares?).

However, the practicality of that is problematic.

I volunteer to be the guy in charge.

I'll not waste time on the pros/cons, you guys can figure that out yourselves.

Ah!! I've been Out-ed!!

Yes, after Vonon's long Navy career, he held out exclusively for money and Ship Shares. I was hoping to keep that quiet, so I could reveal it dramatically...

As for determining the Captain...

I suggest we all stand back-to-back, in a circle, holding a large Peacock feather. At the GM's count, we all take one step forward, then turn and tickle. Last person not laughing should definately not be the Captain; too much of a rigid stick-in-the-mud.

Oh, wait...you wanted to know who should be Captain...

Right. Well. That's easy...(pulls out a heavy automatic pistol)...

No SHip shares so no say on the ship - seems reasonable - as I can just as easily walk away from any debt we get into....

As for whose the captain - I think the most Ship shares work, as realistically, if you own it your in charge of it (or even more of it than anyone else) - but they could decide to pass it to someone more suitable if they haven't the skills.

That's almost certainly not Sam tho
This message was last edited by the player at 07:46, Fri 22 Aug 2014.

The Devastator certainly has a lot of redundancies...

I personally do not have that much requirements on the ship we get. I just want to remind you that Grendal lies in a small pocket you can only get out of with Jump-2.
Not that we necessarily will go outside during this game, but imo it is good to have the option.

By the way, what are the stats of that Safari ship?
This message was last edited by the player at 07:42, Fri 22 Aug 2014.

Well, in combat, the Captain should likely be the sophont with the highest Tactics (naval) *looks straight at Vonon*.  Of course, if that person is the pilot, we may have issues (there are some -ve DMs for trying to do multiple actions during space combat).

That said, I would prefer not to get into too much space combat.  Ship repairs are really expensive.

Out of combat, we can have a different Captain - though as others have noted/intimated, PCs are an independent lot.  So, that job is a bit thankless and more than a bit like herding cats (no offense, Khea).  Shar (and her player) are fine if Darrel wants that job.  Hopefully, whoever it is, isn't too autocratic...:)

---

Getting a corsair (which is expensive at 197+ MCr - ~800 KCr/month in mortgage - before ship shares are deducted) is a weighty prospect.  Even with 100+ tonnes of freight every couple of weeks, I don't believe that we can break even (even with Walter's rather prodigious skill as a broker).  That means we need a fair amount of capital to speculate ... or we are taking 'odd jobs' (smuggling, above and below the board courier work, ... er... privateering (?), merc jobs, &c.).

Plus, even the eight of us is not enough to skeleton crew a corsair.  Crew-wise, from what I can see, Vonon is pilot, Kheaiftouaw is engineer and Walter is broker.  Sharik could be astrogator/co-pilot (though I suspect that Quinzella could be that also).  Sam is bridge crew with her Sensors and Comms experience - which Shar and Q also have).  Darrel is a face man.  And Ikram appears to be Chief of Security.

We are (potentially) short engineers (essential, if we are to get a larger ship) - like a corsair that requires three; though I suppose that Walter and Darrel can server as engineers (as well as Shar and Q) in a pinch...:).  And we need a doctor (yes, I am aware that Q and V have Medic/1 and a number of others have Medic/0), which if we are going to take 'odd jobs' and not strictly trading may end up with us getting hurt...  Just saying, we may need to get either an autodoc or hire someone with slightly more medical experience.

Keep in mind that the price of used ships will be a bit less than if they are new.

There are enough shares to reduce the price another 10% minimum. It depends on how many shares will get tossed in.

A though question.

It seems that it is either the Far Trader or the Corsair. Although I found some descriptions for the Safari Ship which also sound interesting so I withhold my vote till I see its specifications.

Both the Corsair and Far trader have their advantages, but in my opinion the lack of fuel scoops and standard hull of the Corsair really hurts.

And just for clarification, are we talking about the Corsair in the main book or a different variant? Because the one I see costs only 142 MCr and not 197.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:33, Fri 22 Aug 2014.

In that case the Far Trader wins. The cost savings alone on being able to use a gas giant or water for fuel will give us a big advantage to keeping it in the red. Once we make the money to pay it off, we might be able to design our own vessel.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 50):

Can a Class C Starport even build ships? If not we need to get to Outpost first.
By the way, should I be worried that our expert trader wants to keep us in the red?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Sat 23 Aug 2014.

Mea Culpa on the confusion.  It was my mistake.  142 MCr is correct (with no weapons).  Only ~600 KCr per month in mortgage (before any ship shares, of course).

More doable, but still a stretch with both cargo (depending on speculative cargo seed - money begets money in this simplified monetary system) and crew.

I believe that the Safari Ship is in Supplement 2: Traders and Gunboats.  Ah, yes here on pp. 50-1.  Unfortunately, I don't have an electronic copy (only paper). If I get the time later tonight, I will try to put the stats up (assuming someone else hasn't done so and/or doesn't have easier access to it).

Future plans. It would take a while for construction to begin let alone designed.

Can we have a ship like The Normandy??

You mean a ship that catches fire on the pier in New York city?

In reply to Quinzella (msg # 54):

It depends on what you mean with "like" the Normandy.

Like stealthy, lotsa weapons, great shields, probes, power reserves, staterooms aplenty, nice warroom, etc.

In reply to Quinzella (msg # 57):

If we have the money for it it is certainly possible to design something like that. Although I do not know if the Normandy was that well armed. It was after all just a frigate.
Anyway, all options you listed seem to be in the book, although some of them are rather costly (more than what the entire far trader would cost) and have a high tech level.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:25, Sat 23 Aug 2014.

The second Normandy had guns that could cut through Collector shields, something no one else could, including the original Normandy.

In reply to Quinzella (msg # 59):

Thats a bit stretching it. It had the firepower of a cruiser, thats all. Meson weapons would probably be equivalent in Traveller but I have my doubts that we will ever be able to afford, acquire or need them. A ship like the Normandy would probably cost more than 500 Million.

but Normady = Awesomeness!!

Yeah, I like the Safari ship, too. And we can easilly convert the "holding tanks" into cargo bays.

And I love the design; it appeals to my old-school sensabilities (shades of The Flying Sub).

As I mentioned before, whatever ships we find on Grendal are not only gonna be stripped of several major systems -- anybody notice that, while the Devastator had the silouettes of a pair of small guns, there were no other weapons shown? -- but, being on a backwater world like Grendal, these ships will probably be old. like, a hundred years old, maybe.

One more plug for the Devastator... ^_^

I take it for granted that all serious weapons will have been removed, but I'm willing to bet the majority of her armor is still stuck to the hull. We're talking Battle-grade armor, not just the defensive stuff on a civilian ship. That means survivability.

Star*Master mentioned he'd added a second deck. I'm guessing that the "original" intent for that space would have been Ship Bays and Troop Quarters. Even if that's what they still are, we could probably convert most of it to cargo bays.

Plus...C'mon!! It looks cool!! ^_^ We fly into a system in that ship and nobody will mess with us! It doesn't matter that we ain't got guns -- nobody has to know that ^_^

And while this may be one of the larger of the ships available, this beast is probably a relic from the Third Frontier War ^_^

I believe the Devastator is only Jump-1 ...  Can't get it off of the local cluster without droptanks (and big ones at that).

Maybe I am reading the entry wrong, but doesn't the Devastator only have 2 points of low grade titanium armor? The Far Trader has more than that, mainly because each batch of Crysaliron armor gives you 4 points or armor.