Expeditionary Trade Convoys

[jatay3]

What about the idea of sending large heavily armed convoys into the back of beyond for trading purposes-analogical to East Indiamen on Earth?
The obvious disadvantage is that such an investment could never be done unless one is sure that their is Something there. However if information from previous probes is used this can take advantage of that.

 

[The Oz]

Well, I could see such convoys proceeding from Imperial space to destinations like the Aslan Hierate, or K'Kree space, and especially to locations in the Vargr Extents.

Not heading out to see what they can find, but knowing where they're going from Day 1 and just working/fighting their way through.

 

[mike wightman]

First figure out what the cargos/trade goods are that can make such a venture profitable?
Are there any minerals/resources that can fetch an astronomical price and so be worth sending your convoy out to get them?

It's a bit of a waste to spend a billion credits on a merchant convoy, only to have it return a few years down the line with holds stuffed full of Hiver grain, K'kree burgers, Vargr bites or what not

Now if the convoy is being sent to a star system far away that may contain mountains of lanthanum, onnesium, zuchai crystals etc. then it may be worth the effort

 

[The Oz]

Sigg is right: you don't undertake such an expensive expedition without some surety that you'll make a profit.

Now, exploratory trade does occur: but I'd think it would be on a smaller scale, someone in a smaller ship (a Far Trader) going to a newly discovered or recently opened-up world and seeing what they have that might be sold elsewhere, and seeing what they will buy.

 

[Theo D Lite]

Frankly a star system should be near sustainable in it's own right given the resouces generally available in a complete system (note not necessarily on the main world) and the technology available to any mature star faring race.

In any event a small cluster almost certainly would be self sufficient and probably wouldn't need to trade much if at all outside of its own confines.

Essentially I've never been entirely convinced of the concept of hauling tractor parts a dozen parsecs, and to some extent I think this is why most trading vessels are of a low jump capacity they are essentially designed to service the needs of a small cluster.

Unless a system offers a single unique product or commodity (such as E Doc Smiths fabled Trencho) then almost all trade will be with near neighbours and supply will match demand.

There is therfore very littel commercial imperative to fund highly risky trade missions into the unknown.

That said exploration (at an appropriate point in the history of YTU expansion) in it's own right is a fine and laudable aim but is usually the province of governments or government underwritten missions.

The primary aim of such missions would usually be diplomatic rather than commercial.

Just my 2c worth.

 

[Piper]

The idea definitely has some appeal; "merchant explorers daring the uncharted blackness of space" sort of thing.
It seems similar to the way Phoenician traders might have worked (bronze age, Mediterranean).

It might fit best in a early stellar kind of setting. Jump drive technology is new and large areas of space haven't been visited before. It opens up a lot of interesting possibilities for alien contact settings and trade empires.

What to carry?
No, probably not tractor parts.
If you set the system generation up so that most cultures you meet are going to be lower tech you can carry a lot of items that would have value. For the return voyage luxury/novelty items would seem a good bet (the beaver hat is an excellent example). You would have to take a chance that any particular item would catch on and become a trend, but gambling is part of the game.

 

[kafka47]

Yes, I agree ever since Deep Space was placed on hold the need for adventures beyyond Chartered Space has been growing. Who knows they may link up with the Honoroverse...that would make the OTU interesting just as a pocket empire beyond rimward expanse of Solomani territory...

 

[RainOfSteel]

Originally posted by The Oz:
Now, exploratory trade does occur: but I'd think it would be on a smaller scale,

I'm affraid I have to agree.

Starships have mortgage loan payments every single month. They must generate the funds to pay that mortgage by turning their cargo and passenger capacity as often as possible.

Grand expeditions over great distances would involve many no-go situations as far as getting full loads, and would lead to short-falls in the mortgage payments.

Even a small division of a Megacorp could cover this, but it would be a bleeding red spot on that divion's bottom line. Promotions given out for non-nepotistic (or old-boys network) reasons are most likely to be given to those who have proved themselves most capable (at lesat up to the sector level, anyway; beyond that, I think there would be a bonded superdense ceiling that only family and particular nobility could get by). Those who prove themselves don't have unusual bleeding red spots on their GL statements, therefore, I think it unlikely that any executive would fund such an operation on a grand scale.

Now, exploratory missions on a smaller scale, like with the Speculative Trader designed in: Speculative Traders, that, I think, would be far more likely. (Personally, I think a Far Trader is not up to the task of exploratory trading.) Teency tiny losses are still red spots on the GL, of course, but they are swamped by all the black and don't have enough zeroes in them to worry anyone. There is probably even an expectation of small losses to further overall development.

 

[Border Reiver]

If your looking for avessel up to the task of exploratory trade missions look no further than Oberlindes Lines' very own merchant flag vessel Emissary.

A Lightning Class Cruiser with most of it's weaponry retained and converted to a merchantman ought to be up to the job.

 

[RainOfSteel]

I wonder what the earnings peformance of that AHL class "merchant cruiser" was?

"Giank Sink 'O Money" is probably what it's performance is, unless it's used exlusively for speculative trading (as if you'd have someone with less than Broker-6, Trader-6 aboard).

 

[Fritz_Brown]

But, ya know, companies have bleeding red spots all the time, if it gains them some other kind of profit. Think of the advertising spots that will naturally flow from it. Think of the name recognition - the news coverage when it leaves, at x-month intervals, when they finally find something.... Think of the Imperial goodwill it might foster. Just like opportunity costs, there are opportunity benefits.

 

[mike wightman]

The bottom line is the bottom line.
Such ventures could be operated using a subsidy of some sort, either from a government or megacorporation.
But when times get hard, or money is tight, then they'll be the first to go.

 

[kafka47]

One also has to remember the economy within the economy. A megacorporation profit is larger than any planetary economy even a rich one. Therefore, as part of an agreement of deferred dividants to the Royal family, they could opt for an exploration with the new markets paying for themselves. In addition, especially the Vilani megacorps do not play free market rules they run themselves like highly efficient centrally planned economies within Imperial Space.