In reply to Sharik Kaagira (msg # 490):

How do you want to play the Sharik-Indy relationship?

In reply to Inderpal Kumar (msg # 503):

How do YOU want to handle it I think is the question Indy?

I figure a few years down the road, Sylvester would have married Valeska, they may even have children. Uncle Vonon is their favorite, they think he's cool! ;-)

Sharik (and her player) would love to continue with Indy, but recognizes that Indy (or her player) may not feel the same (or her feelings may shift over time - even during the downtime).  If Indy's player wants to continue the game with a different character (and Indy leaves to settle down somewhere - or recuperate) that is fine.  I'd prefer that Sharik not leave with her (if Indy decides to leave), but that is something that we can discuss, if you think that makes sense.  Shar wouldn't be inclined to abandon Indy, especially if she was still suffering some sort of PTSD.  But, she would also like to remain with the Longshot, if possible.

If Indy remains on the Longshot but wants to break-up with Sharik (due to trauma or other issues/reasons) that is fine as well (i.e. Shar's player can work with that).  Any of these option can work, if Indy's player wants to shake things up, if the RP is stagnating and want to do something different (with the relationship - take in a different direction or end it) that is fine, Shar's player should be able to roll with it.

IC, Nothing has changed Sharik's opinion of Indy (whom she deeply cares for), though she knows that the time on Duncinae hasn't been great for her (or their relationship, potentially).  To that end, Shar'll work with what she can, try to help Indy recover - and still try to stay with the Longshot, if possible.

What would Indy (and her player) prefer to happen?  I know that when the game's future seemed less certain, it was expressed that Indy could retire - is that what her player would prefer?

      Really?  I figured Valeska would drop your ass, once we reached Concorde.  Toss you to the curb for Nate...

~_^

Our kids would delight in pulling your tail! ;-P

Sorry,  will be requiring an actual face to be the administrator. In STNG they have a Ship Counselor, Soviet Military had Political Commissars. Longshot Enterprises has Administrative Officers.

Tescha, Valeska, or Sharik would be the candidates I believe. In a few years they could build on admin, advocate, and broker. No one has more than a 1 in any of them from the 'end' of what we just finished.

Other suggestions, and I know there are folks that disagree.

Sound off.

Serge would teach them a game, "Dire Wolf Hunting", with water pistols.
Serge would deny that he did.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:25, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

Did you really mean Tescha? He is currently NPC.

Huh? Say what?

I didn't know Valeska was a masochist. Or geeky enough to appreciate Nate :)

Sam won't be looking to be the face - she'll be happy as long as she gets to continue piloting. SO someone else can do the fake smiling, and business meetings

While Nate doesn't particularly like the idea of limiting future options, he is also not focussed on a ship as a ship. More as a tool, and the resources it makes available.

Nathaniel's backstory reason for joining the Longshot was 2 parts. One was to hitch a ride to Concorde, to get to his own ship. The other was to get some ship experience, to learn how he liked the lifestyle. His previous ship experience was as a passenger, going to his next work assignment. With that as a background, by the time the relevant questions come up, he decides that the volatile Longshot environment is more interesting than trying to run the lab ship as a business of his own. Using it as a resource to buy into the Longshot Enterprises business instead looks more stable, and with fewer headaches. Sir Walter can deal with that instead.

If TAMI's choice is to stay with Longshot as well, that would be part of the 'interesting'.

Speaking about being geeky enough to 'appreciate' tech …

Have you planned the details of what kind of refining and manufacturing Sir Walter would be focusing on? Would that be mainly to supply the needs of Cassandra, or for export? What TL would the output be? I assume that you are aiming at micro-brewery scale, since a 400 ton laboratory ship does not seem suited for mass manufacturing. Especially if you are planning to refine (and smelt?) the raw materials needed for the manufacturing.

The Traveller information (I have) for manufacturing and refining is on page 60 to 62 of Mongoose Traveller 2e High Guard.
GM is of course free to adjust the details, but as a base https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Cassandra_(world) shows the UWP as B000538-C for year 1116. The current in game Imperial Startdata is 317-1114 (plus about a week), which lines right up with that. That puts the population in the 100's of thousands, plus varying transitory residents. The base system TL is C(12). Are you aiming at a higher TL refining and manufacturing, acquired from Concorde? HG shows an increase in efficiency (higher output, lower power, crew, costs) at TL13.
The wiki shows the belt as a solid source of mineral resources, HG shows 25% production rate increase if a manufacturing plant is in a system that can provide the right raw materials. The only case that matches here is Asteroid trade code, Pharmaceutical goods, and Specialist plant.

Hmmm, something that player knows about, but Nathaniel not yet, is the drug samples being researched. Something to slide some small personal batches through? Or would that be Medical Supplies or Biochemicals instead of pharmaceuticals?

A detail that I do not see in the HG manufacturing information, is how much raw material is needed to create a ton of finished goods. Assuming that is 2 to 1, the same as smelting raw ore to raw materials, then working backward from a goal of 1 ton of goods manufactured per day, 2 tons of raw materials are needed, which will need 4 tons of ore. I assume that not all of the ore is suitable to use in the target process, so make that at least 10 tons of ore (likely more), with the rest being sold as is (or smelted and sold).

Scaling the numbers from HG:
A TL 13 specialist manufacturing plant producing 1 ton of pharmaceutical goods per day, in a system with the asteroid trade code, would be 14 tons (rounded up from 13.3), need 1 power (0.56), 2 crew (1.17), and cost 14 MCr.
A smelter producing 2 tons of raw materials per day would be 20 tons, need 20 power, and cost 10 MCr. No crew requirements are shown.
A TL 13 Mineral Refinery producing 10 tons of ore per day would be 5 tons, need 5 power, a crew of 1 (0.2), and cost 20 MCr.
That is 39 tons, 26 power, probably 3 crew, 44MCr

A 400 ton Laboratory ship has 25 ton used for jump engines and 80 tons for their fuel tanks. The above could be tripled, and still keep almost all of the laboratory space.

Tripling, and adjusting the rounding
Specialist Plant: 3 tons per day, 40 tons displacement, 2 power (1.68), 4 crew (3.33), 40 MCr
Smelter: 6 tons per day, 60 tons displacement, 60 power, 30 MCr
Mineral Refinery: 30 tons per day, 15 tons displacement, 15 power, 1 crew (0.6), 60 MCr

115 tons, 77 power, 130 MCr

It is not clear if that accounts for the hangers and facilities for tugs to bring asteroids to the ship to process. Some of that could be handled by the ship being able to move to the asteroid. I assume though that the choice of Laboratory ship as the base, was to be able to do manufacturing that is sensitive to generated gravity fields. Maneuvering the ship while processing was in progress would negate that. Even too much tug activity could cause interference. Careful scheduling, or limiting close work to reaction drives might be required.

There is enough material being moved between refinery, smelter, and plant to need some temporary storage. That could use up more of the ship internal space, but I think external 'cargo nets' would do the job just fine. Along with some drones to move it around as needed.

My own choice for the scenario, would be to keep the gravity sensitive manufacturing off of the ship itself, in a 'true' zero G (micro gravity) environment (a module). Possibly tethered to supply power and access via non gravity drive 'cable car'. Where possible, all control functions would be done by remote access, with only occasional physical visits. Drones and remote operations for most of that. Use the recovered space for drones, remote operations, inventory. As a 'convenience', the above manufacturing plant is 40 tons, the same as the Pinnace. Potentially it could 'dock' in the same location, when it is not on the tether, and still get the advantages of a zero g environment.

I could expand that more, but expect that is plenty for anyone here. I am used to working with the letter the rules, and seeing where I can take it. From what i have seen, most here are more used to using the rules a guide, and not worrying about details.

     If you're talking about the drug samples we got from the old Iltharan research center on Coventry...we ain't got those, anymore!

     We licensed them out to a BioChem company on Invermory -- formulas & all.  Once they work out those formulas & go into production, we start getting a return on our investment.

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 511):

I was just looking at the Admin, Advocate, and Broker numbers, they are the best options to take over for Sir Walter. That was all I was saying. We could either get a new player for Tescha, if he's the option, or someone takes another PC. Valeska is also an NPC. Has been for years.

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 512):

That's just Vonon dreaming, she belongs to Sylvester! <3

In reply to Vonon Ronkunu (msg # 515):

and samples, with a discount to buying! ;-)

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 514):

You are on the right track there Nathaniel. I have to crunch the numbers but so far, the option is to have the ship work done at the same time at Concorde, swapping out the lab spaces and a good chunk of the staterooms into the smelter, pharmaceuticals and such. Ship it off to Cassandra and have the jump engines pulled, using that space as the office/staterooms.

I am hoping to get the rest of the board set up by the weekend and post the link so you can all join.  Part of the time will be advancing the business two years to get an idea as to its size and branches.

I wouldn't mind if Indy and Sharik were married myself.

Yes that is what I was talking about. I also saw though some discussion of items from that list that would not go into production. Things that the group thought were undesirable to have out in the wild, or that would bring down the wrath of the Imperium. Some more that might be able to be done in small batches for personal use.  If the right 'secure' facilities were available to manufacture them. The described Lab Ship would seem to qualify. Once the research and testing is done to make them actually manufacturable.

This message was deleted by the player at 20:36, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

That's true, some of the drugs were borderline 'legal' and couldn't be sold. The Psi drugs were part of that, not sure what else was held out.

Okay, working on the number crunching and want to make sure I have the correct data.

LongShot Enterprises Megacorp.

Board of Directors
Sir Walter
Samantha
Nathaniel
Sharik
Serge
Valeska (Not sure if she's still in the game, not having posted since April)

Investors
Vonon
Sylvester
This message was last edited by the player at 21:43, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 524):

Valeska the player hasn't been here in years, Rob ran her as an NPC.

Memory says some of the high end combat drugs were also nixed.


Does donating the Lab Ship count as investing?

Sharik had 4 Ship Shares invested as well originally at chargen, I believe (making her a minor minority shareholder at best).  And any other speculative funds that were pushed back into the corporation as I recall - which was 1+ from various transactions, if I can remember correctly.  I can try to pull those together for you as I think that they are in various PMs somewhere.