Additional Mustering-Out Benefits

[Golan2072]

I was thinking about adding several more bonuses to the LBB2/S4 Mustering-Out tables, mostly available (via a DM on the table) to high-ranking military officers, but possibly also a "GI-Bill" style benefit.

My ideas so far are:

1) Fief/Fief Extention (for S4:CotI Nobles), probably a 320-km hex on a world. Could also be given to Military veterans if you want a more Ancient Rome flavour.

2) A subsidised merchant, probably Hecate-class; given by the government to ex-military officers it likes in order to foster trade in out-of-the-way areas, and to provide government agencies with covert non-corporate transportation.

3) A Mercenary License (for Army/Marines veterans), which I haven't really decided yet about its exact nature; StarMerc license for Naval veterans.

4) "GI-Bill", that is, automatic admission to the College pre-enlistment option (see my sig), AFTER your career. You'd still have to roll for success/honors, though.

5) Free Psionic testing; free training if your PSI-strength is 8+. Suitable only for polities in which the Institute is legal and overt.

 

[aramis]

6) Active Duty Huscarles: a small number of loyal huscarles attached from active duty and receiving active duty pay. A major honor to be granted to non-enfeoffed individuals in the nobility.

7) Megacorporate Stock. A signficant chunk of stock in a megacorp; worth roughly 1d6 KCr/year in residuals, and 3d6x10KCr total.

 

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

Consider this borrowed and add this to your list.

I recently went through all my T20 stuff, made a list of statted starships, and put them into appropriate list.

8)If they get a starship when they muster out, I have them roll on the new list.
9) Starship of choice.
10) Starship of your dreams. (Someone has decided to build your starship.)
11) Mercenary/Star Merc Recruits. Must have 8000XP gained from receiving medals. Example: a Starburst for Extreme Heroism, two Medals for Conspicuous Gallantry, 4 citations for Meritous Conduct, or any combination thereof. The recruits will also include "specialist" (any multiclaass with a military background). Still working on the details of how many and such.

 

[jawillroy]

Hmm.

Not bad ideas these, as long as they're balanced off with something - there's a whole lot of Free Lunch going on if you're giving somebody the ship of their dreams without their having sweated it out some.

 

[deadlock]

Still working on the details for the "ship of your dreams". Not to worry though, there will be... compensation to the builder(s), the people who fronted the credits, and don't worry about him, The Pimp Named Shaca.

"We'll build your ship, but there are some thngs you need to do for us."

"Don't worry about the vice."

 

[jawillroy]

And remember: Always Protect Your Investment with ShipLoc(tm) Nav Systems: whether your ship's plying a cluster or keeping a fixed route, the ShipLoc(tm) Nav-Generate suite will allow a ship's crew to safely navigate the worlds you, the owner or lender, designate: locks out spurious jumptapes and seals the computer against any other navigational programs.

ShipLoc(tm): It's Ten PM. Do you know where your starships are?

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by Imperium Festerium:
Hmm.

Not bad ideas these, as long as they're balanced off with something - there's a whole lot of Free Lunch going on if you're giving somebody the ship of their dreams without their having sweated it out some.

Yep, always remember that the governments and/or corps that give you ships have a reason for doing so, and most such ships will come with a "built-in patron", or with restrictions, and will always have enough power to go after you in force if you disobey.

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by Aramis:
6) Active Duty Huscarles: a small number of loyal huscarles attached from active duty and receiving active duty pay. A major honor to be granted to non-enfeoffed individuals in the nobility.

You mean that a Noble PC will have several (a fireteam?) Huscarles in her entourage? An interesting idea, and also an interesting way to introduce her to the rest of the PCs (the Huscarles). By the way, who pays the Huscarles? The Imperium, a fund (set aside by recieving this benefit) or the PC?

7) Megacorporate Stock. A signficant chunk of stock in a megacorp; worth roughly 1d6 KCr/year in residuals, and 3d6x10KCr total.

The 1D6 KCr/year will be the dividends, right?
Also, the total worth will probably be a little different every week or so; every month, I'd roll 1D6-6 (that is -5 to +5) to check the change in value in percentage.

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by Marquis Deadlock:
8)If they get a starship when they muster out, I have them roll on the new list.

Good idea, though I count the number of times a ship benefit result is rolled instead (i.e. roll it once, get a Type-S; roll twice or thrice, get a Type-S3; roll four times, get a Donosev).

9) Starship of choice.
10) Starship of your dreams. (Someone has decided to build your starship.)

I'd give it a budget limit and let you choose anything that fits the budget; any leftovers are NOT retained. The ship comes with a "built-in" patron, such as a government agency, a megacorp, or a crime syndicate.

 

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

From Marquis Deadlock:
9) Starship of choice.
10) Starship of your dreams. (Someone has decided to build your starship.)

For 9, I hand them a list of ships I am willing to choose from. I had a player pick a destroyer and argue the point that I said the starship of his choice. I let him have the ship... but he had to recruit the crew and pay them. He got smart and sold the ship to the world government of the planet the PCs were on. Too bad the planet was at war with another planet. The destroyer got shot up in a fight and the buyers wanted most of their money back.
You would think after all the games I have refereed, the players would learn that I am merciless. "You're down right evil," as one player put it.

As far as 10 goes...

"Why am I naked?"
"How bad you want that ship? Now turn around and grab your ankles."
Those two lines pretty much keeps the construction cost to a controllable level. But there are times when I let them go nuts and even then they make sure their Gauss Pistols are loaded, pointed in my direction, and a written agreement is actually written and signed by all involved. Too bad the Rules Lawyer isn't an actual lawyer.
"Excuse me, what is this red liquid?"
"Blood."
PC gives me a funny look.
I do a sales pitch and the PC signs the paper.
"Excuse me, what does the fine print say? I can't read it."
After I make sure the contract is signed, "It says there will be Hell to pay if you miss three payments or refuse a contract from us."
"Man, Satan wants his job back."
"Yes, but Lucifer missed six payments. His contract stated that if he missed three payments that I would take over his position and he would pay a late fee of an additional seventy-five percent. I advise you make your payments on time."

But I have calmed in recent months. They no longer have to strip naked and grab their ankles, but they still have to sign the contract in blood.

It's good to be evil!

 

[JAFARR]

Those who have earned the SEH could be awarded extra opertunities such as chances to purchase seized ships at lower than new prices (with government backing). Multiple SEH awards make even better reasons to provide something extra. After all, these persons have demonstrated loyalty to the Imperium at the risk of their lives isn't it more likely that they will be good citizens/subjects when their patron (the government) needs them to help in some task with the ship that government helped them aquire?

 

[aramis]

Originally posted by Employee 2-4601:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Aramis:
6) Active Duty Huscarles: a small number of loyal huscarles attached from active duty and receiving active duty pay. A major honor to be granted to non-enfeoffed individuals in the nobility.

You mean that a Noble PC will have several (a fireteam?) Huscarles in her entourage? An interesting idea, and also an interesting way to introduce her to the rest of the PCs (the Huscarles). By the way, who pays the Huscarles? The Imperium, a fund (set aside by recieving this benefit) or the PC?
</font>[/QUOTE]1st receipt = FT
2nd = squad
3rd = section
4th = platoon
5th = half-company
6th = company
7th = Battallion
8th = Regiment

Yes, they draw imperial pay. They are, after all, Imperial troops on loan to the Noble's Huscarles. For a reduction of one step, they are paid by the family trust, rather than the Imperium, and thus FAR more directly loyal, and possibly willing to bend the laws. (A single receipt could be used for a single loyal house retainer like Sgt Bothari in Bujold's The Warrior's Apprentice.)

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />7) Megacorporate Stock. A signficant chunk of stock in a megacorp; worth roughly 1d6 KCr/year in residuals, and 3d6x10KCr total.

The 1D6 KCr/year will be the dividends, right?
Also, the total worth will probably be a little different every week or so; every month, I'd roll 1D6-6 (that is -5 to +5) to check the change in value in percentage. </font>[/QUOTE]I doubt megacorp stocks would be all that variable.
2d
2=-1d3%
3=-1%
4-10=NC
11=+1%
12=+1d3%

 

[Domhan]

Uh, why not allow for awards of multiple ships? Maybe a chance for the owner to incorporate, create a mini-fleet that can act as an Imperial auxiliary in time of emergency. Books 2 and 5 are designed to accomodate fleet encounters, and I've had some players that wasted a lot of time and credit in acccumulating auxiliaries in order to do this is regular game time, all the while chomping at the bit for some "fleet action."

 

[aramis]

I've done that, from time to time... had an MT player get 9 results of "Type A"... so he took a Type A paid off, and a Type A2 with 20 years owed...

 

[Golan2072]

My idea for multiple rolls of a ship benefit is the following:

Navy ("Navy Surplus"):
1 rolls = 200-dton Police Frigate
2 rolls = 300-dton Close Escort
3 rolls = 400-dton Patrol Frigate ("Cruiser" in LBB2 terms)
4 or 5 rolls = 600-dton Rapid Troop Transpor
6 rolls or more = 800-dton Mercenary Frigate ("Cruiser" in LBB2 terms)

Navy ships are given stripped of weapons and vehicles; the player recieves full ownership BUT must accept occasional missions for the Navy. Player must supply fuel/maintainance/crew and other expenses for himself - NO free fuel is included.

Scouts
1 rolls = 100-dton Type-S
2 rolls = 100-dton Souped-Up Type-S (such as the Serpent-class from JTAS)
3 rolls = 200-dton Military Courier (Jump-3)
4 rolls or more = 400-dton Donosev-class Scout Cruiser

Scout ships are on "Detached Duty" - meaning that the Scout Service could ask the PC to perform missions for them. Fuel and maintainance are supplied for free in Scout bases; battle damage is repaired at Scout bases (ones capable of doing so, i.e. starport-B and the correct TL) at 50% cost.

Belters
1 rolls = Type-J Seeker w/40 years of debt
2 rolls = Type-J Seeker w/20 years of debt OR a Belter-modified Type-A Free Trader w/40 years of debt
3 rolls = Type-J Seeker without debt OR a Belter-modified Type-A Free Trader w/30 years of debt
4 rolls = Type-J Seeker withot debt OR a Belter-modified Type-A Free Trader w/20 years of debt
5 rolls = Type-J Seeker without debt OR a Belter-modified Type-A Free Trader w/10 years of debt
6 rolls = Type-J Seeker without debt OR a Belter-modified Type-A Free Trader without debt

Debt is 2.5% of the ship's full value per year; remember that ships recieved at CharGen with reduced debt are also older by the number of years of reduced debt - i.e. a debt-free ship is 40-years-old!

Merchants
1 rolls = Type-A Free Trader w/40 years of debt
2 rolls = Type-A Free Trader w/30 years of debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner w/40 years of debt
3 rolls = Type-A Free Trader w/20 years of debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner w/30 years of debt
4 rolls = Type-A Free Trader w/10 years of debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner w/20 years of debt OR 600-dton Subsidised Merchant w/40 years of debt
5 rolls = Type-A Free Trader without debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner w/20 years of debt OR 600-dton Subsidised Merchant w/40 years of debt
6 rolls = Type-A Free Trader without debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner w/10 years of debt OR 600-dton Subsidised Merchant w/30 years of debt
7 rolls = Type-A Free Trader without debt OR 400-dton Type-R Subsidised Liner without debt OR 600-dton Subsidised Merchant w/20 years of debt

 

[deadlock]

Greetings and salutations,

I had another thought for Mustering Benefits for Mercenaries. When they muster out, they could receive mercenaries and/or equipment/vehicle(s). If they receive equipment/vehicle(s), they would be 1-2 TLs lower than the world's current TL. Basically, the Mercenary would receive surplus equipment that is given to the militia (or whatever they are called). What the Mercenary does with it is his/her own business.

Great suggestions everyone! Have any of these been playtested yet?

 

[aramis]

I've done the multiple ships, the huscarles, and the fiefs, as well as the corporate stocks (but those were part of the fiefs).

 

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Aramis:
I've done that, from time to time... had an MT player get 9 results of "Type A"... so he took a Type A paid off, and a Type A2 with 20 years owed...

Nine? NINE? Out of how many rolls? I've known some players with phenomenal (i.e., demonicly empowered) luck, but...

 

[aramis]

Let's see, 11 term MT Merchant Captain (Basic CG).

22 rolls for terms
4 rolls for rank.
26 rolls
9 of 26 is about 2.5x the norm, so only about 2σ out

 

[JAFARR]

Merchant Princs chargen has 3 possible ship benefits depending on what type of line character was in. Subsector & Sectorwide is Fat trader (not subsidized so you have to make the payments on your own),interface line Far Trader, and Fledgling & Free Traders get the Free Trader (note Free Trader rank O6 automaticly has ship so any ship benefit is 10 years off on payments.)

As to the 9 ship benefits , if you save all your browne points in MT advenced chargen for use when mustering out maybe not so unreasonable.

For multiple ship benefits you could also upgrade the ship with weapons, better computer, collapsible fuel tanks, etc.