A CONTEST: Mercenary Unit Ticket

[bryan gibson]

Hi, one and all.

I am proposing a contest.

DISCLAIMER: This contest is proposed by Me, Bryan Gibson, idependently, for fun. It is in no way sponsered by QLI ( although it would be nice if they approve it) nor shopuld it be construed that it or its presentation obligates QLI in any way, this is on my hook. That being said:

The Contest is in Three Phases.

Contest- posit,
Phase One:
to build a mercenary unit,
Phase Two: to asses and accept a proposed ticket, and in Phase Three: to plan said ticket.

CRITERIA: Anyone may enter, under the following rules.

any contestant must be prepared to meet deadlines for contest.Failure to meet deadline results in disqualification. Deadlines will be publicly posted.

anyone is eligable, provided that: they are not a judge, and that they are prepared to provide a valid email address for the purposes of confirmation/clarification by the judges.
No contestant may enter more than once- while multple persons may collaborate only one unit may be entered. ( Bill, Bob, and Joe may plan a merc unit jointly, but if they collaborate they may only enter a single unit )

Each contestant may name his unit as he sees fit, within the reasonable realms of good taste. Criteria for this is simple, follow the same rules as this board. Profanity or vulger dispaly is not tolerated.

Each contestant must "declare" his unit, and only one unit per contestant. If collaboration, the team must "declare" their unit. In effect, the contestants sign their work.

The Purpose of the Contest: to test the contestant in the following areas:

Building the unit, assesing the mission and parameters ( thru on board input and email inquiry)and planning the mission ( plan to be examined by the judges)

Prizes: there are three prizes: these are provided by me, for fun, and at no obligation to QLI or any affiliated with Far Future.

1st Place: an original artwork, by myself, to the winners order- a character portrait, in BW pen and Ink.

Prizes for runner up to be announced, donations welcome.

So, any takers?

More to be announced!

 

[Jame]

I'll take it up first, provisionally -I've got something (small) in the works. Does this unit have to be of any given size?

 

[bryan gibson]

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS!

am seeking two persons to serve as judges with myself for the Contest.

Persons MUST have the following qualifications: Miliary experience, either current or ex military. ( an ability to plan, assess and examine mission planning, orders , logistics and execution preferred)
Must be prepared to demonstrate same.
Must also be prepared to field questions on boards and via email.
Must be willing to commit nessecary time to the task at hand.
Must be familar with both the Traveller Milieu and T20

and lastly, must be prepared to publicly post clarifications and presence in position to these threads.

Contest will begin as soon as three judges are confirmed.

any takers? please reply to this thread or via my email sabakakrazny@aol.com

 

[bryan gibson]

I'll take it up first, provisionally -I've got something (small) in the works. Does this unit have to be of any given size?
..........................................

Unit parameters will be posted directly, as soon as I have enough contestants to make it worth while...say, at least six.

anticipate a base funding, explained further in later post, as well as certain uniform parameters for the purposes of tracking.

 

[bryan gibson]

CONTEST PHASE ONE

more will be detailed, but for the purposes of general info, the broad strokes:

SCENARIO

YOU, the contestant, are a merc commander looking to form a unit. Military Assets of Annapabar LLC, a financial institution specializing in military investments has underwritten you to the tune of 24 megacreds.

It is presumed that for our purposes you have spent the last year forming the infrastructure, hireing and recruiting, and are now looking for your very first ticket as an military mercenary entity.
NOTE: this will be the unit the contestants will be committed to to utilze in phases TWO and THREE. ONCE COMMITTED the contestant may not change his unit.

The following criteria apply to all contestants:
You are possesed of a base. Cost: 2 megacreds on a 5 years lease for 1800 hectares. It has all barracking and field nesscary.this is a one time expenditure that will be deducted form the contestants initial fund.

NOTE: a contestant MAY opt to forgo basing costs, HOWEVER< there will be a variable penalty attached to the contestants recruiting ability, to reflect the attendent housing shortage and inability to provide housing for troops.. . should any contestant opt to do so, notify the judges via this thread.WARNING: the variable will be presented by the judges, the player ONCE COMMITTED must abide by their decision.

therefore, all contestants start with an overall fund of 22 megacreds.

Any unit may be built up to a TL 13 standard, but remember, your'e on a budget, and high tech doesnt guarantee success.

Unit can be built or equipped as large or as small as contestant sees fit, within his budget.This includes all vehicles, weapons and facilites he chooses.

NOTE: budget of 22 megacred, barring the above exception, is uniform and non negotiable: no other monetary sources are allowed.

For the purposes of this contest, The following references may be used: Traveller T20 as the standard, as well as TA1 Weapons. While other publications such as Striker or SJG Ground Forces might be appropriate, they are not necessarily always available, and so will not be regarded as the standard.I recognize this will seem a bit loose, but in the interest of uniformity I would stress that these be our standard refernces.

JUDGING CRITERIA: the contestants are judged on the following:
Practicality.possible 5 points
Completeness of unit.possible 5 points
Ability to provide for troops needs.possible 5 points
Commercial Viability.possible 5 points
Under/over budget.possible 5 points, given one point per 2 megacred under budget .
WARNING:as per above statement, contestant must utilize this unit in Phases TWO and THREE> if he renders his unit militarily unviable at this stage, he may not be able to succeed in the following phases. BE ADVISED ACCORDINGLY.

 

[Swordsage]

I'd be interested in joining this contest as well.

 

[far-trader]

ME TOO! ME TOO! I'd love a Bryan Gibson original

What a cool prize. What a fun idea. I'd volunteer to judge too but like the "Billions" Pepsi commercial since that'd leave me out of the running for the prize I'd just have to quit!

<edit> Ah well, teach me to read too fast, I'd be disqualified from judging anyway since I have no RL mil background, just a sideline interest in mil history and some rather vivid dreams over the years (maybe in a past life, would that count )

 

[trader jim]

HHHHmmmmnnn......MY Traders Raiders???? Think, Think, Think!!!......

 

[Blue Ghost]

I'll take a crack at this

 

[bryan gibson]

well, as it stands, interest from the following:

Jame, Far trader, Trader Jim, Sword Sage and Blue Ghost.

One more to go!Remeber, there can be more than six, by all means! Also, still looking for judges.

at this rate, look for the contest to begin by next Weds, the 21st

 

[veltyen]

G'day Bryan,

I am interested, but I am about to shift house next week, so I may have to be disqualified depending on how long I am without network.

Count me as a half for now, depending on deadlines I may or may not be able to put forth a decent entry.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Is the contest strictly limited to T20 stuff?

 

[Liam Devlin]

I volunteer for the Judging./me raises hand.
Mil experience:
enlisted, NCO since 08/94.
14.7 years US Army, INfantry MOS only.11B30
Active duty time: 12 of those years, with overseas deployments* to Panama (4), Scotland (1), Kuwait (1), Egypt (1), and Iraq (current location).
Served in 7th ID (L), FT Ord/ 101ABN [AASLT] Ft Campbell. Currently, Federalized Arkansas 39th IN BCT.
Have been team leader three times, & Squad leader now twice [AD / ARNG once each]

Logistical experience:

Have packed 463-L pallets, and 10' x 20' x10' Sea Air Land connexs [or about 20dtn each] for ALL of the above missions to move unit's gear as private, thru NCO.For this Last dployment [Iraq] shipped unit as their UMO NCOIC [and got to do all the above, PLUS the paperwork to make it legal/ hazmat free!]

Have ordered for, & loaded transport aircraft to move said unit on above deployment.

Have loaded rotary and fixed wing transport vehicles.

Have loaded/ unloaded Trains for overland movement of vehicles

Have organized convoys for overland movement from seaport to operations zones.

*Operations in excess of 30 days.

 

[bryan gibson]

posted July 16, 2004 05:43 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is the contest strictly limited to T20 stuff?

...............................

refer to previous post in this thread.

however, there will be a uniform criteria set in place as a refernce, oposted to this thread that everyone can have a uniform standard. IF everyone can access them, I would consider previously mentioned sources, barring that, uniform input for the contestants benefit ( like what is the hiring cost of officers, vehicles and so on) would be seen here, and would also be the standard.

For now, T20 is the standard reference.

 

[bryan gibson]

attention all contestants:

I am pleased to announce that Liam Devlin, well know to folks on these boards, has volunteered and been accepted asa Judge in the contest!

one more to go...

Welcome aboard, Liam!

 

[Liam Devlin]

Thanks BG. <nods at contestants>, Gentlemen. Some of you I've chatted with here before. Some of you I have never as yet. That will change, in the coming days. /me looks at other empty Judge's seat. Sits in his, and waits..

 

[trader jim]

Well, I never thought i would do this....but i am going to back out of the contest/project. I am backing out for two reasons. #1 I dont own ANYTHING in T20!! .....just "Classic", yes thats right, i finally admitted to it!!! The olny dice i own are "square" with dots on them. #2. To do this contest correctly is going to take TIME!!!
I would NOT submit trash and then put my name on it!!

Who ever does this "correctly" or "right" should be able to publish it as a scenerio and be able to "drop" it into a campaign. This has great possiablitys as a Rollplay exerscise. I could say more, but lets leave it at that. Good Luck!!

 

[Spiderfish]

Trader Jim.

Well done thats a man's game you play none of these modern genetically enhanced decasuperquadrahedral dice involved at all.

 

[Jame]

If anyone wants to team up, just Private Message me and we can swap ideas. 'Cause honestly I need help with this.

 

[Vargas]

While the thought of a Bryan Gibson original makes me drool, I lack the time as well.


dagnabbit . . .