Odessa StepsThis is a postal (or PBM) game of Star Trader run by Mike Dommett and published in my postal games 'zine, To Win Just Once. Below is the latest turn report, as published in TWJO 36 (August 2003). Follow the link for an introduction to Star Trader. Sections: Report, Corporations Table, News, Press, GM Notes, Star map (separate page) Previous reports: Turn 3 Turn 2 Turn 1 Start-up Latest Report Turn 4
"We seem to be landing already. That was a quick flight. And missing out the Spacestation."
The Ambassador's flight is delayed while SHYLOCKS collect some weapons for onward resale. But SHYLOCKS didn't lose their ship as GRAND LARS THENI & T. HEFT did, the Grand Thief being intercepted and captured by NEKEKAMI's squadron in system space at Tau Ceti. As NEKEKAMI made clear, insurance against space piracy is available for a cheap rate. Presumably the TAU CETI EXPRESS are already paying, as their shipping reported no unexpected encounters on their regular runs. Also suffering were NEWBIE, whose Flute hull failed to make planet fall at Mu Herculis. THE CULTURE were celebrating their success in increasing their fleet - perhaps it was the massed banks of weapon pods on a Monarch hull that produced an instant surrender. Trading at Beta Hydri saw THE UNIVERSAL selling 6 Alloys for 7 HTs and a Dealership. THE CULTURE sold 7 Isotopes for 8 HTs and NEWBIE sold 4 Monopoles for 20 HTs. At Alpha Centauri, now free of adulterated Liquor, SMF's trading in the same failed, but KATCORP sold 8 Alloys for 5 HTs apiece and gained a Dealership. TOTAL TRANSIT 2070 sold 8 Isotopes for 7 HTs and a Dealership as well, and TAU CETI EXPRESS's bid of 8 was shut out. Gamma Leporis saw TCX buying 6 Alloys for 5 HTs and a Dealership. Surprisingly, the Alloys were then dumped, as no storage existed for them. INTERSTELLAR METALS bought 7 more Alloys at the same price, and KATCORP's Bid of 3 was ignored. TCX was trying to sell Isotopes at Epsilon Eridani but the bid of 9 was too close to the market to produce results. SWISS MERCENARY's FLEET sold 3 Liquor to the thirsty masses for 15 HTs and could have sold more, while TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC. sold 7 Petroleum for 13 HTs and became Dealers. Spice at Sigma Draconis saw much bidding, but TSTI's bid of 12, and SMF's bid of the same were beaten by INTERSTELLAR METALS bid of 14 to buy, which gained 8 units of Spice and a Contractorship. IM sold 13 Petroleum for 9 HTs as well, and a Dealership, but TSTI got their revenge in the Isotopes when they bought 10 Units for 7 HTs and a dealership, while shutting out bids of 6 by IM and GRAND LARS THENI. At Mu Herculis THE UNIVERSAL sold 2 Monopoles for 13 HTs and INTERSTELLAR METALS bought 1 petroleum for 12 HTs. Tau Ceti saw the second Contractorship of the quarter, as SHYLOCKS sold 7 Isotopes for 3 HTs. KATCORP were buying, 7 for 6 HTs and a Dealership while NEKEKAMI bought 2 more at the same price. TOTAL TRANSIT were selling Alloys, 6 for 8 HTs each. Finally Delta Toucanis saw UNIVERSAL becoming a Contractor selling 8 Spice for 11 HTs each. TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC bought 10 petroleum for 10 HTs and another Dealership and INTERSTELLAR METALS bought 2 more for 9 HTs. GRAND LARS THENI sold 14 Alloys for 7 HTs, undercutting both TSTI and IM's bids of 8 to sell. IM did sell 6 on Contract using Agent Percent at the end of the Quarter, but GRAND LARS got the Dealership. TOTAL TRANSIT 2070 sold their ship, Clarinet hull TT1, to TRANS SOLAR for 168 HTs and bought a Cargo and Passenger pod for the Mogul, for a full complement at last. They also visited the banks to repay their loan. NEWBIE had a welcome recruit to their ranks, agent Eleanor, who may find she has a mission in short order. NEWBIE's loss of their ship was met with a great rise in their Reputation and they also raised their Political Connections and bought a warehouse at Delta Toucanis. The loss of the Weapons may hurt finances hard in the long term however. TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC. hired B crew for their new Phoenix hull, Fiacre, and bought a cargo pod for the newly launched vessel. Their purchased ship was renamed CUTTY SARK, and was re-crewed with A grade crew. Some weapon pods were stripped from the vessel and sold at a healthy profit. New warehouses were bought at Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani and a further new Phoenix hull was laid down at Tau Ceti, leaving the Corporation almost out of funds until their Reputation bonus arrived. INTERSTELLAR METALS became the first defaulters in the Quadrant, failing to meet their interest payments on their loan with consequences to their Reputation. THE UNIVERSAL were very late in acting this quarter and suffered thereby. Though failing a hyperjump to Mu Herculis may have proved to be a blessing. SWISS MERCENARIES FLEET sold 3 Liquor factories and 3 Spice factories, and repaid their loan. Thus free of constraints, they took out a 503 HT loan over 8 quarters and used it to increase their Business connections, to purchase 6 Monopole factories at Mu Herculis, to buy 3 Spice factories at Sigma Draconis (where they had just sold them) before the new owners had removed the Corporation logo and finally increased their Reputation. SHYLOCKS took OP 3 on Tau Ceti and increased their Political Connections and their Reputation. KATCORP took OP 9, unloading Isotopes into their warehouse to make space. The Tiger had a passenger pod added, the Lion had cargo pods, augmented jump and A class crew when it launched and the Corporation's Reputation was increased. BLAND & BRASS had a frustrating quarter as they missed out on OP 9. Rumours of a split between the founders have been ignored. THE CULTURE tried to increase their Reputation, but there are limits to public image making and THE CULTURE seems to have come up against them, as the campaign flopped. TAU CETI EXPRESS hired agent CRIP at Tau Ceti and increased their Reputation with successful financial results. People are suggesting that the Corporation slogan should be updated to "we get you there (usually)!" Corporations Table
NewsOP 9 taken by Corporation H and OP 3 by Corporation G (though what the ambassador thinks…).
There are 5 new chits this turn, shown in bold below. Current chits are:
Press
I am planning to stay in system space of Tau Ceti due to the ineffective Federation sweeps and I am seeking to protect any ships that enter Tau Ceti and I will only charge the paltry sum of 15 HT's a turn to protect the ships of that company.
GM NotesThe S/D modifier for Alloys at Delta Toucanis is -7. The next reprint of the rules will have the correction in it. All players were informed earlier by Pevans. It would help if your orders said "Corporation X, Turn Y" at the top, or in the E-mail title. You cannot transfer Agents between ships in System Space. Captured ships are illegal hulls, don't forget. A captured ship can be resold to its original owner. Agents left are: Alexis, Amy, Poum, Red Choir and Z. Page created 22nd August 2003. Last updated 7th June 2004. This website produced by Paul Evans. © Copyright Paul Evans 2003. All trademarks acknowledged. Problems, comments and feedback to the Webmaster. |
Pevans
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