Payment for services rendered

[FightingCorsair]

Most of my Star Wars gaming experiences have involved working directly for the rebellion. I've never really had need to worry about finances.

I'm running for a group of smugglers now and was wondering what other people have charged/paid out for ship services.

The only real example I can find is from the film and the very vague charter info in the starships section of the main book.

[Yak Face]

I've found that the Tramp Freighters book was helpful to my group - we/I used it to develop some standard calculations to determine how much it costs to keep the ship running over a given time/distance. Then just add some cash for the characters' time and risk, plus a bit of profit (15 - 20% is common, and in line with a lot of businesses in RL). Granted, that's not much use for someone who wants to fine-tune the bid process, but I figure that the worst that can happen is that they make an extra few thousand for a run, which doesn't really unbalance the game. My players always use disposable income to buy toys, gamble it away, drink it, etc. A few grand split between three or more party members doesn't go far.
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However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. -Sir Winston Churchill

[Rerun941]

15-20% profit in RL?

Most companies are happy if they get about a 3% profit margin.

15-20% might be more appropriate for SW Fringers tho. Don't forget that Tramp Freighter Captains serve a niche market in SW. Small quantities of high-speed, high-risk goods to remote locations.
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Han - "How're we doin'?"
Luke - "Same as always."
Han - "That bad, huh?"

[Yak Face]

There are RL companies that do that poorly (2-3%) and limp along, but plenty do better. If all you were making with a business in recent years (up until this current nastiness) was 3% you'd have been better off investing your capital in a bank CD. Regardless, if I were in a profession that required me to brave the dangers of space then I would want some payola that would give me a healthy ROI. Plus, I suspect that a tramp freighter would probably have a lot of down time to cover - that loan shark still comes a callin' even when business is slow or those cheap-skate rebels sucker you into a high risk/low pay boondogle that eats into valuable shipping/smuggling time.

Anyway, I doubt the players would have much fun scraping by with no hope of riches. If they get too prosperous you can always beat them down with costly bribes, fines, damage, theft, acts of GM, etc.
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However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. -Sir Winston Churchill

[Delkarnu]

Check Out Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters if you can find it. For Drop point deliveries, approx 5-10 credits per ton per day by 2x hyperdrive. Better streetwise rolls can find the more profitable cargo runs.

10 tons of cargo to a planet 1 week away would be 450-900 7 days +1 day for load and 1 for unload. This can be modified with bonuses or fees for early/late delivery, additional payment for dangerous runs.

If players are buying or pirating goods for sale on the black market, buy price on black market in (), modified by bargain rolls.
Legal: .5x (2x)
Fee: 1.5x (3x)
Restricted: 2x (4x)
Illegal 2.5x (5x)

[enderandrew]

How are the players intending to spend the money? Are they working towards a specific goal? How long should it take to reach that goal?

Numbers shouldn't run the story or enjoyment of the game.

Understand that wealth in Star Wars is relative. The players want a faster lightspace drive? Well, you can do 200 boring courier missions, you can assume the players did 200 courier missions and give them the money for free, or even better, you can work in a story hook.

Let's say there is a genius mechanic who can do the job for you. You hunt him down, but he isn't even doing commissions. Price isn't the issue. His daughter was kidnapped and that is all he cares about. Rescue his daughter, and he'll do the upgrade for free.

If players are getting too much wealth and it ruins the story, they can always get boarded by pirates or Imperials, or their hyperdrive can break, etc.
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Nihilism makes me smile.

[garhkal]