The hardest part of being a merchant in the traveller universe is getting started. Why should there not be companys specifically designed for this.
This system would work in a manner simmilar to the Zhodani method of starting a trader off. A company would provide various services such as capital loans, insurance, consultation and advice, etc for a given fee, profit share etc. It would be like a franchise except the franchisee would be expected to buy his independance eventually. This could also be used as a sideline to a large line. Those who remember the "shotgun tramp" column might remember simmilar ideas.
Another possibility is a "Free Traders Guild"(not to be confused with the Guild in Dune), which would be supported by dues from local Free Traders. The difference between the first metheod and the second is that the first thinks of Jatay Patronage as an overlord, and the other is more an alliance of relative equals. The Free Traders Guild would provide these services to free traders, and might also try to keep some newcomers out of the sector unless they fulfill certain requirements. Which might make life interesting if the PC's are the newcomers.
The point about both these systems is that they address a need not properly addressed in Far Trader. How to get in? A PC who starts with the wealth to buy a ship is hard to imagine as a weary old salt(though there is no logical reason he couldn't become one the GM must take account of stereotype if only to play mind-tricks on the PC's). However it is difficult for someone with the wealth level you would imagine for a weary old space-dog being able to afford a ship.
Possible campaigns:
The players are new traders trying to survive, while secretly breaking the guild rules for newcomers, and avoiding survailence.
Vice-versa the players are detectives hired to prevent the above.
The players are trying to prevent the Imperials, or the Megacorps from getting interfering with the Guild. Or again vice-versa.
The Guild would have some of the qualities of a Megacorps, and some of the qualities of a union. It is geared however to the peculiar qualities of a Free Traders profession which demand more independance.
Some of the guild's rules would have to involve what would be considered fair competition between the members. There would also be a mechanism for one free trader to "sue" another. The guild would have to be large enough to make sure it is taken into account and small enough to avoid annoying to many people.
The Guild would on occasion hire mercs to do whatever seemed necessary(I.E. clearing out Vargr that were picking on them instead of their rivals).
Other arrangments could be made. A local town might raise contributions to put ships in space(Vargrs do this at times with corsairs). A company might specialize in giving short-term leases. Shares could be bought in a ship(a classic method).
However some way must solve the need for getting free traders into the market. The methods provided such as the 40 year installment, need improvement. Or rather there needs to be more options for free traders.
This system would work in a manner simmilar to the Zhodani method of starting a trader off. A company would provide various services such as capital loans, insurance, consultation and advice, etc for a given fee, profit share etc. It would be like a franchise except the franchisee would be expected to buy his independance eventually. This could also be used as a sideline to a large line. Those who remember the "shotgun tramp" column might remember simmilar ideas.
Another possibility is a "Free Traders Guild"(not to be confused with the Guild in Dune), which would be supported by dues from local Free Traders. The difference between the first metheod and the second is that the first thinks of Jatay Patronage as an overlord, and the other is more an alliance of relative equals. The Free Traders Guild would provide these services to free traders, and might also try to keep some newcomers out of the sector unless they fulfill certain requirements. Which might make life interesting if the PC's are the newcomers.
The point about both these systems is that they address a need not properly addressed in Far Trader. How to get in? A PC who starts with the wealth to buy a ship is hard to imagine as a weary old salt(though there is no logical reason he couldn't become one the GM must take account of stereotype if only to play mind-tricks on the PC's). However it is difficult for someone with the wealth level you would imagine for a weary old space-dog being able to afford a ship.
Possible campaigns:
The players are new traders trying to survive, while secretly breaking the guild rules for newcomers, and avoiding survailence.
Vice-versa the players are detectives hired to prevent the above.
The players are trying to prevent the Imperials, or the Megacorps from getting interfering with the Guild. Or again vice-versa.
The Guild would have some of the qualities of a Megacorps, and some of the qualities of a union. It is geared however to the peculiar qualities of a Free Traders profession which demand more independance.
Some of the guild's rules would have to involve what would be considered fair competition between the members. There would also be a mechanism for one free trader to "sue" another. The guild would have to be large enough to make sure it is taken into account and small enough to avoid annoying to many people.
The Guild would on occasion hire mercs to do whatever seemed necessary(I.E. clearing out Vargr that were picking on them instead of their rivals).
Other arrangments could be made. A local town might raise contributions to put ships in space(Vargrs do this at times with corsairs). A company might specialize in giving short-term leases. Shares could be bought in a ship(a classic method).
However some way must solve the need for getting free traders into the market. The methods provided such as the 40 year installment, need improvement. Or rather there needs to be more options for free traders.
