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1999 #3099
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 19:20:06 CDT
From: "James Jensen"
Subject: Merchant Campaigns (newbie)
I'm new to Traveller and don't have much experience as the GM of any game. I like the idea of merchant campaigns, but I'm worried that the gameplay will degenerate into "buy-jump-sell", with little or no roleplaying. If anyone could give me some pointers, I'd really appreciate it.
- -J. Jensen
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#3099
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 20:57:50 -0500
From: Charles McKnight
Subject: Re: Merchant Campaigns (newbie)
Hi,
If the game starts degenerating into buy-jump-sell, you, as the referee, can always throw in little "fun" things that require the players to interact with the denizens, er, citizens of the planet. Anything from a medical quarantine to a military coup is at your disposal to make life "interesting" (Chinese definition). I usually turn to the Stainless Steel Rat series for nasty plot twists, but I'm just bad like that. ;-)
Chuck
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#3099
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 18:40:18
From: "Douglas E. Berry"
Subject: Re: Merchant Campaigns (newbie)
At 07:20 PM 9/26/2000 CDT, you wrote:
>I'm new to Traveller and don't have much experience as the GM of any game.
The secret to a merchant campaign is keeping the players nervous about money.
Put them in situations where they have to make questionable and risky deals to make that ship's payment. Hit them with breakdowns that wipe out their cash reserves. Dangle golden chances in front of them to get them to go in the direction you want them to go.
Sometimes, players will find a safe, profitable route. In this case, give them competition. A larger line doesn't like the competition, the local criminals want bigger and better bribes, a governmental official takes a dislike to the characters.. or all three!
Remember that buying and selling involve people. Merchants on a regular route will make contacts. Set up a few regular NPCs. Dock workers, bar tenders, brokers are all good choices. You then have a good adventure hook when the characters return to planet Blah and find that their old friend Buzz is missing, and his bar is a gutted ruin.
Outside effects can also be great sources for adventure. Wars mean smuggling, dodging commerce raiders, and war profiteering. A disaster on a world may make for a desperate race to get a vaccine or other supplies. Imperial authorities may commander the ship for any number of reasons.
Like any other type of campaign, the keys are to maintain interest and mix up your pitches.
Douglas E. Berry
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html
"I created the universe; give ME the gift certificate!!"
- Lisa Simpson, Overachiever
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#3099
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 18:55:11 -0700
From: "David P. Summers"
Subject: Re: Merchant Campaigns (newbie)
>I'm new to Traveller and don't have much experience as the GM of any game.
A worry I have had. OTOH, Far Trader (a must if you are going to
do this, IMO) has suggestions on "complications" that might arise
during trading (not noticing unrealistic delivery schedules, a
strike by the cargo handlers, etc.)
______________________________
summers@alum.mit.edu
(This is the net. My e-mail address may be in Boston, but I'm in California.)
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#3100
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 02:38:18 -0400
From: "DaveShayne"
Subject: Re: Merchant Campaigns (newbie)
>Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 19:20:06 CDT
I'd suggest keeping the "merchant" stuff in the background mostly.
sure every once in a while a cargo is more (or less) than it's made
out to be (the same goes for passengers) thereby providing the
adventure but mostly being crew on a free trader is just a job. Most
of the exciting stuff hapens off the clock.
Almost any type of adventure can befall our heros in the time between
unloading the hold and discharging passengers and the taking on of
new cargos and passengers for the next destination. Be creative.
Dare to have the crew mistaken for wanted criminals on Jhenghe.
Watch the pc's run for cover when they get caught in the opening
salvos of the civil war on Mongo (or perhaps more likely make a few
friends {and enemies} by choosing sides.) Perhaps some unknown
agency (governmental, megacorporate, foreign, or revolutionary)
takes an interest (for whatever reason) in the travels of the ship
and it's crew.
If all else fails throw a pirate or two at them.
Add in a hijack attempt if things seem really dull.
And let the economics crud sort itself out with a few die rolls.
HTH
David Shayne
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Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 15:30:43 +1000
> I'm new to Traveller and don't have much experience as the GM of any game. I
I want to second everything that everyone else has said, and add a couple of
points.
Firstly, put as much work into cargos as you would with NPCs. In a combat
game, the elite enemy sniper that is giving the PCs so much trouble over so
many sessions will get something more than 'Sniper #3' as his stats, so a
cargo should get more than '3 dtons of Computers. KCr 150 a dton'.
Secondly, put hooks into cargos for all the players. One of the dangers in a
trading campaign is that the purser and the captain will have all the fun.
Getting the players into the Military Surplus business will let
military-type PCs have fun, as they argue with the vendors about the
relative merits of various bits of hardware, as well as taking it for test
drives with representitives of the faction they are trying to sell it to.
Try to set up cargos that get the Engineer, or the Medic, or the Security
guy to go along, to make sure that the goods are as advertised (Hook : "I've
got a good line on a IN-surplus power plant". Sinker ; it's an old fission
plant, damages when a contingent of Imperial Marines took it from a pirate
base in an outsystem. Until it gets repaired, it's a nuclear accident
waiting to happen. On the other hand, if repaired, it's a much better
emergency backup for a belter colony than no backup power plant).
Thirdly, one of the players will probably take a combat monster Marine. Take
his character sheet, and add 'Cargo Handling' skill to it, explaining that
he picked up stuff about loading and unloading ships, because the Marines
dont depend on civilian contractors for that, unlike the namby-pamby
Imperial Army. He's in charge of loading and unloading, as well as liasing
with the local stevedores and upshoremen. This will make sure they dont get
too bored, and when you need a not-too-deadly fight, well, throw in a
strike, or an attempted theft or strongarming by local criminal elements (NB
having someone buy him a Famile Spofulam Light Export Forklift by mistake
could be fun. Whilst complying with all Ministry of Commerce regulations
pertaining to forklifts, it is never the less capable of a straight-line
ground speed of some 400 limometers an hour).
Finally, trade is about relationships. Try to keep the players within a
subsector or so, and encourage them to correspond with their agents on
various planets (NB give them a contact on each planet. It is incredibly
useful for them if they have an import agent, or a lawyer, or their
brother-in-law on each planet they visit. It also means that you can have a
friend waiting for them when they get to planets, telling them about
opportunities on each world).
A campaign set around a military-surplus business can be fun. Especially if
they have to pick up batches of captured enemy equipment from depots that
were in a safe rear area when the deal was struck.
Ian Whitchurch
>From: "James Jensen"
>
>I'm new to Traveller and don't have much experience as the GM of any game. I
>like the idea of merchant campaigns, but I'm worried that the gameplay will
>degenerate into "buy-jump-sell", with little or no roleplaying. If anyone
>could give me some pointers, I'd really appreciate it.
#3115
From: "Ian Whitchurch"
Subject: Re: Merchant Campaign (newbie)
> like the idea of merchant campaigns, but I'm worried that the gameplay will
> degenerate into "buy-jump-sell", with little or no roleplaying. If anyone
> could give me some pointers, I'd really appreciate it.
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