Mission of Gravity

This is a postal (or PBM) game of Star Trader run by Mike Dommett and published in my postal games 'zine, To Win Just Once. This is the web version of the latest turn. Follow the link for an introduction to Star Trader.

Sections: Report, Corporations Table, News, Press, GM Notes, Star map (separate page)

Previous reports: Turn 5 Turn 4 Turn 3 Turn 2 Turn 1 Start-up

Turn 6

    "So, where now?"
    "We plug in the cube to the comp."
    "And?"
    "The missile batteries don't shoot us down!"
    "And we will receive final co-ordinates for landing?"
    "That's the idea."
The Vespasian hung in close orbit above Tau Ceti III as it waited for the final information. The streamlined Flute hull, suited to the atmosphere, works as it headed towards its illegal landing, where a group of men waited for their passport off of the planet.

CAESAR WHOLESALE INC. took OP 28 - their missing hull is believed to have landed at an undisclosed location on Tau Ceti III.

NEIKAN-DO burst into action, as the comatose BO-CO was renamed. Political Connections were improved; Factories were bought for Spice and Isotopes at Sigma Draconis, and for Petroleum at Delta Toucanis, with new warehouses at Delta Toucanis and Sigma Draconis to service them. A new A class crew was hired for NAGI-2, as the Piccolo hull was renamed. Agent Crip joined the staff at Delta Toucanis. The Federation bankers were pleased to grant the rejuvenated Corporation a 476 HT loan over 8 turns for 46 Interest per Quarter. And a new Phoenix Hull with Light Weapon and Cargo Pods, Nagi-3, was laid down at Alpha Centauri Shipyards. For some reason the new publicity shot went down like a lead balloon with no effect being noticed on the Corporation's standing, but the new Director seemed unfazed by this.

SOLAR WINDS TRADING COMPANY bought a Liquor Factory at Alpha Centauri.

TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC. loaded the unique creatures (OP 22) onto the Gowy at Mu Herculis.

SOLAR SPICE, LIQUORS & MONOPOLES paid its loan interest for a change and recruited agent Eleanor at Epsilon Eridani, where she was able to await transport in the Corporation's new Warehouse.

SEMPER DURUS's ships are still believed to be in Delta Toucanis System Space, as patrolling Federation warships proved unable to locate the announced blockade for the second Quarter in succession. However Evidence found at Mu Herculis implicates the Corporation in the sabotage of both ISKANDER's and ISNOT-ISTOO's Warehouses, with goods being lost. An Inquiry was mooted, but slick action by the Corporation managed to divert attention this Quarter. The Reputation loss was still savage.

HONEST DARTH spotted an error in the bank's favour, and paid back funds to which it was not entitled. The result was a massive boost to the Corporation's standing as public approval of their action spread around Epsilon Eridani.

ISNOT-ISTOO laid down a second ship at Tau Ceti Spaceport, a Phoenix hull with Cargo pods - called ISTOO, oddly enough. Bets are being taken on the possible name for a hypothetical third ship.

SWISS MERCENARY FLEET took out a loan for 442 HTs, over 8 Quarters, with 41 HTs interest a Quarter to be paid. This money was used to purchase 12 Liquor Factories at Alpha Centauri.

ZWILLINGE's actions were limited by the compensation it had to pay to disgruntled passengers that it failed to deliver to their destinations this Quarter. The Passenger pods on Twin and Twosome were sold and replaced with Cargo Pods, as the embarrassed Corporation decided to exit the market before it suffered worse. After paying interest on top, it decided against more purchases.

TRANSURANNIC TRADE CORPORATION loaded some passengers.

VOGON INDUSTRIES tried to sell slaves in Gamma Leporis Spaceport, not the wisest of moves. A new Phoenix Hull was laid down at Tau Ceti Spaceport.

ISKANDER FIRE AND ACCIDENT had plans to swap pods around ships, but a failed Hyperjump put paid to their plans.

ISKANDER bought 4 Alloys at Gamma Leporis for 3 HTs each to fill their ship pods, allowing TRANSURANIC to take 6 more units for only 1 HT apiece and gain a Dealership.

Epsilon Eridani saw CEASAR WHOLESALE selling 3 Alloys at a price of 4 HTs and 3 Petroleum for 13 HTs each. HONEST DARTH sold another 2 Petroleum for the same price. Big seller was SWISS MERCENARY, shamed by his inaction last Quarter, who sold 7 Liquor for 13 HTs and 14 monopoles for 15 HTs, the last gaining him a Dealership and also restricting SOLAR SPICE LIQUORS & MONOPOLES to selling only 3 at the same figure.

ZWILLINGE tried to sell Petroleum at Delta Toucanis at 6 HTs, but failed as the price dropped.

Tau Ceti was good for TRANSURANIC, as they bought 5 Isotopes on Contract and then sold 7 Petroleum for 12 HTs each to gain a Dealership. VOGON INDUSTRIES sold 1 Isotope at the closing price.

VOGON INDUSTRIES sold 2 Alloys for 5 HTs apiece at Mu Herculis. ISKANDER sold 2 Liquors for 13 HTs each and SSLM sold 5 Monopoles on Contract, taking advantage, presumably, of pre-knowledge of the price rise.

ISKANDER were buying Isotopes at Sigma Draconis, 7 for 5 HTs each, and acquire a Dealership, while ZWILLINGE sold 7 for 3 HTs back to the market and gained the coveted Market Managership. ZWILLINGE also sold 2 Petroleum at 10 HTs and ISNOT-ISTOO bought 5 Spice for 13 HTs each.

At Alpha Centauri VOGON INDUSTRIES sold 6 Alloys for 5 HTs apiece. ISKANDER sold 4 Isotopes at 9 HTs, followed by VOGON selling a further 8 for 8 HTs to gain a Dealership. ISKANDER wanted to buy Liquors at 9 HTs, but were out-bid by NEIKAN-DO, who bought 6 units for 10 HTs - coincidentally raising the price of the factories that SMF wanted to buy.

VOGON INDUSTRIES sold 9 Alloys for 4 HTs each at Beta Hydri and got a Dealership. SOLAR WINDS sold 4 Isotopes at 8 HTs and then ISKANDER sold 14 Monopoles for 15 HTs apiece to gain a Dealership. HONEST DARTH sold a Petroleum for 11 HTs and SOLAR SPICE LIQUORS & MONOPOLES finished the Quarter by gaining a Contractorship, selling 12 Spice for 12 HTs each.

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Corporations Table

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News

OP 28 was taken by Caesar Wholesale (C), and OP 22 taken by TSTI (D).

EV20 took place with a big boost to Monopoles and a small lift to Isotope prices.

There were no new chits this turn. New chits are shown in Bold:
    Turn 7    B6, C10, C8
    Turn 9    B10

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Press

The technician thumped his keyboard in disgust. The Galactic Cybercrime Force was chronically under funded and the equipment he had available was from the Stone Age in comparison with what cyber criminals were using these days. Not that he thought it would have made any difference - these guys had to be slick to try and extort money from the top 100 corporations on the Galactic Stock Exchange. On the monitor the infotrailer warbled its message over and over in a loop...
"I runna de business distributing product that people don'ta want. Does notta sound very profitable, you think? You'da be right - but itsa notta because people don'ta want to pay not to receive miya product. You see, miya business case is based on thinking outsida da box. In fact, it'sa based on being as far away froma da box as possible when da box stops ticking and goes 'boom'. Anda believe me, some people will paya good money never to have da box delivered. No, miya problem is that miya advertising and public relations just isn'ta reaching all da target audience, despite the fact that miya product is delivered regular as clockwork (ha ha) every month. You don'ta show me no respect! So, I teach you da value of paying 10HT's each month to me for consultancy services inna avoiding de disaster recovery scenario, heh? You needa da object lesson? You see watta happens on Mu Herculis this month. Next month you pay up or you plan for a fire sale, heya!!"
OOC: Corporations paying 10 HTs to the Saboteur (which the GM will re-distribute to my anonymous bank account) will not suffer the consequences. As of next month the Saboteur will carry out multiple sabotage and lay all the blame on a single corporation, thereby reducing the target's reputation to the point where an enquiry will be invoked on it and a crippling fine or even the forcible closure of the corporation ensues. You have been warned!

Pirates will be met with missiles, so vacate System Space, sucker!!

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GM Notes

You only get a roll for a Market Position, with consequent improve¬ment in Reputation and Business Connections, if you buy or sell 6 or more of a commodity. Once your Business Connections reach 10, they do not improve further. Nor will your other Connections improve instead. Illegal commodities, like slaves, can only be sold On Planet; they cannot be sold in a Spaceport.

Paul Wilson has taken up the reins of Corp A, now renamed NEIKAN-DO.

Corporation H has assets that could be turned into cash - it is a playable Corp.

Some Corporations have paid to see News Chits in Phase Three that were taken by other Corporations in Phase Six. Some Corporations have paid in the past to see News Chits that turned out to be OP chits expiring in the next turn. This is perfectly fair. If the News chit turned out to be an Event Chit, you would still be able to react to it in your next turn's orders. You cannot say "I want to see the News Chit if it's an Event, but not if it's an Opportunity." This can be a reason why your cash totals don't seem to be matched with News Chits seen.

Agents: The following agents are in play: Amy, Crip, Captain Kidd, Dragon, Eleanor, JB, Poum, Red Choir, and Willy.

Spaceships are built in Spaceports with Shipyards - see the table at the bottom of page 17 of the rules.

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Page created 19th March 2006.
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