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 turn 6 report, as published in TWJO 38 (October 2003). Follow the link for an introduction to Star Trader. Sections: Report, Corporations Table, News, GM Notes, Star map (separate page) Previous reports: Turn 5 Turn 4 Turn 3 Turn 2 Turn 1 Start-up Latest Report Turn 6
"So you want more Spice?"
Liquidity problems. Not a major problem, said a spokesman for IM. More important were the series of explosions that rocked Tau Ceti Spaceport, as warehouses belonging to KATKORP and INTERSTELLAR METALS exploded. The Kat is reported to have lost his entire stock of Isotopes, including this quarter's production. IM lost 10 units of Isotopes, but found evidence linking THE CULTURE with the crime. Perhaps it is a Corporation dealing with those it perceives as its trading rivals, but innocent people were hurt too, and Federation forces will be trying to bring those responsible to justice. In the meantime, THE CULTURE suffered a major fall in its Reputation. By all accounts there are at least four Corporations with reason to wish them ill. Gamma Leporis saw INTERSTELLAR METALS buying 4 units at a price 4 HTs. The bid by KAT CORP of 3 to buy was ignored as too low. BLAND & BRASS, trying to sell at 5, were bidding too high. Epsilon Eridani saw TAU CETI XPRESS selling 1 Isotope for 6 HTs. KAT CORP had better success here. They sold 8 Isotopes at 6 HTs each and gained a Dealership. Delta Toucanis saw a second dealership for KATKORP as the Corporation bought 8 Petroleum for 9 HTs apiece. IM bought 5 more on contract. IM sold 1 Alloy for 5 HTs and SHYLOCKS bought 5 at the same price. THE UNIVERSAL wanted to buy 5 Spice on Contract, but didn't have funds. THE UNIVERSAL sold 2 Alloys at a price of 9 at Tau Ceti. KATKORP sold 3 Petroleum for 15 HTs each. The big surprise was in Isotopes, where KAT CORP sold 12 units at 1 HT, driving the price down to one. SHYLOCKS sold 5 on Contract, making less than they'd hoped. TCX bought 5 on Contract - an unexpected bargain. KATKORP were made Contractors for their deal. At Sigma Draconis, NEWBIE bought 6 Alloys for a price of 7 and gained a Dealership. IM wanted to but Isotopes, but their chronic cashflow problems only let them purchase 2 for 5 HTs each on Contract. THE UNIVERSAL and INTERSTELLAR METALS wanted to buy Spice, but both were too impecunious to do so, so the price fell. Alpha Centauri was busy. KAT CORP bought 2 Alloys for 8 HTs apiece as SHYLOCKS bid of 7 to buy was shut out as too low. TCX sold 5 Isotopes at a price of 5 HTs and TT2070 sold 1 at 6. INTERSTELLAR METALS failed to sell any for 7 HTs, one of the reasons their accounts look shaky. IM did sell 3 Spice at 17, but only after TT 2070 had sold 4 for 14 HTs each and THE UNIVERSAL had sold 1 for 16 HTs. THE UNIVERSAL bought 2 Liquors at a price of 13 HTs. SWISS MERCENARY FLEET tried to sell the Liquors it had sold last turn, but found that empty barrels didn't attract much interest. Beta Hydri saw KATKORP selling 6 Alloys for 7 HTs each, undercutting THE UNIVERSAL's bid of 8. TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC. sold 2 Spice at 17 HTs apiece, but only after SWISS MERCENARY had unloaded 12 units at a price of 15 HTs and gained a Dealership. TCX failed to sell Isotopes at 8, a failing shared with BLAND & BRASS and KATKORP, who were looking to sell at 9 HTs. TSTI sold 10 Isotopes for 6 HTs each and gained a Dealership. And a lot of annoyed competitors. Finally Mu Herculis, where THE CULTURE were ramping up the price of Monopoles. This caught several Corporations out, who ended up paying a great deal more for production facilities than they had expected. There were a lot of free Production units because THE CULTURE sold all of its factories. THE CULTURE's price ramping involved purchasing 12 units of Monopoles. The Corporation would have bought more, had one of their ship not failed to deliver some passengers (perhaps THE CULTURE is trying to upset everybody). The resulting penalties reduced their purchasing capabilities. They did become Contractors in Monopoles however. IM wanted to buy petroleum for 11 using Percent, but cash flow intervened and nothing happened. THE UNIVERSAL bought 6 Isotopes at a price of 7 HTs and gained a Dealership. Finally, TSTI sold 6 Alloys for 9 HTs each and took a Dealership. Once again INTERSTELLAR METALS didn't make the Interest payment on its loan, and the Corporation's Reputation continued to reduce. The loss of the Isotopes from the warehouse at Tau Ceti in an unprovoked attack by THE CULTURE would not have helped. Anyway there were insufficient funds to increase Political levels. THE CULTURE had two ships failing their Hyperjumps, but landed the rest of their greatly enlarged Fleet. The Fire remains an Illegal or captured Hull, but since it isn't in a Spaceport, THE CULTURE is not too bothered. The Monarch hull now has 8 LW pods again, and the damaged ships have been repaired. New A class crews have been raised for the Flute Hulls. As mentioned, THE CULTURE sold all 11 Monopole factories. With the proceeds it repaid its loan and attempted to raise its reputation, but it wasn't having a good Quarter. The sabotage of INTERSTELLAR METALS leaves a question mark over the Corporation. TCX were happy to do a deal though, and Captain Kidd is rumoured to have joined THE CULTURE, presumably for some immunity to attack in Tau Ceti system space. TAU CETI XPRESS did raise their Reputation and purchased the Tsar from NEKEKAMI for 134 HTs, renaming it TCX07. TRANS SOLAR TRADING INC sold OP27 using Willy's connections, and gained 120 HTs from the sale. The current loan was repaid, and a new 679 HT loan was taken out over 4 turns. Some of the money was used to raise Political Connections and to buy 14 Alloy Factories at Gamma Leporis. There also was some private trading with B&B. KATKORP took OP36, buying a Dagger Hull and Battle Comm Pod at Delta Toucanis. They then bought 7 Isotope Factories at Tau Ceti at the new low price. NEKEKAMI sold all of its warehouses, as well as the Tsar, and handed a warehouse to TCX. Agents are also rumoured to be on loan. The newspaper articles and advertising campaign were very effective, and THE CULTURE's Reputation lost 4 points SHYLOCKS increased their Political Connections, and had a small rise in Reputation. They repaid their loan, gave some money to TSTI and built a warehouse at Alpha Centauri. NEWBIE hired agent Amy and laid down a new Phoenix Hull at Tau Ceti Shipyards, but ran out of money to put pods on it. There are rumours of problems with the plumbing in the NEWBIE control buildings, but whether this is wet work, or a genuine service related problem is not yet clear. THE UNIVERSAL bought a Spice Factory at Sigma Draconis, paying for this with a 380 HT loan over 4 turns. Cash flow should not affect purchasing next Quarter. BLAND & BRASS tried for OP36, but someone was earlier in the Initiative order. A planned sale of a warehouse and contents did not happen, but they were still easily able to repay their loan to the Federation bankers, and take out a new one for 300 HTs over 8 turns. Finally they increased their Political Connections. GRAND LARS THENI AND T. HEFT Corporation were silent this Quarter, and it appears that the management has taken the company title to heart and fled for another Quadrant laden with HectoTrans. A new owner is wanted for a Corporation with no outstanding loans and a Monarch Hull loaded with goods. TOTAL TRANSIT 2070 put money into manufacturing - 1 warehouse was bought for Mu Herculis and another for Epsilon Eridani, followed by 2 Liquor Factories at Alpha Centauri, 1 Isotope factory at Sigma Draconis, and 2 Monopole factories at Mu Herculis. Let us hope that the last expensive purchases will stay in production for longer than their predecessors. Corporations Table
NewsOP 27 was taken by Trans-Solar Trading. OP 36 was taken by KATKORP for a Dagger hull and Battle Comm pod. EV 20 took place this turn. Current News Chits (new ones in bold):
GM NotesPage created 1st November 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. |
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