Help with cargo runs

[scott2978]

In my new campaign, the players are sort of freelance spacers, they take jobs for anyone who can pay as well as legit cargo runs. Somewhere I recall finding something that gives general stats on what the "typical" cargo run would look like as far as how much money was earned.

So what are your thoughts on how a typical legitimate cargo run would work and how much the PC's should get paid? The game takes place about 3 weeks ABY in Bormea Sector. They have a Suwantek TL-1800 without cargo pods, which can carry 110 tons of cargo, and the crew is a sullustan pilot, a wroonian mechanic and a failed jedi who pretty much just sits around and "supervises" lol.

[CRMcNeill]

Pick up Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters ASAP. It has all the details you need on hauling cargo from A to B. Another useful resource is Platt's Smuggler's Guide...
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Whill]

[vanir]

Concur with our esteemed veterans.

But also to keep in mind is the guide gives you a base value system you can operate like the stock market. Buy cheap, sell dear. That's how it works.

Smugglers don't operate like that, and freight companies don't operate like that. A third party puts up all the bill, buys cheap, sells dear and you make a skim off the top.

That part, is how you design the adventure.

[garhkal]

Another thing to consider for smugglers over proper free traders.

Kick backs or other 'fees' to grease the inspectors.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

That's why I suggested Platt's Smuggler's Guide along with Tramp Freighters.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[cheshire]

I'd taken a few looks at Platt's Smugler's Guide, but at an initial glance I didn't see anything too terribly interesting. What does this book contain that makes it such a valuable guide?
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[Whill]

[cheshire]

I think that makes sense. When I was looking all that time ago, I was looking for something with a fair bit of GM how-tos. I felt like I could simply design smuggling runs just as well without the book as with. Particularly given that there is so much on smuggling or illicit cargo elsewhere in the WEG supplements. At the time, the book was running usually $20-$30 on eBay (as we all know, the markets on these things tend to shift all the time).

I think I'll give the book another look. If I can find it for a good price, I'll probably pick it up, given that a lot of my tastes as far as fluff vs. crunch have changed. Unfortunately, after drifting around the internet for a bit, it seems most used book dealers seem to think that $135-$200 is a reasonable price for the book. I can't help but guess that such an outrageous price is fueled more by collector speculation than on consumer demand.
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[dph]

Those two books are 'king' scott2978, they contain everything you need to run a campaign of that sort, in fact if you check out Obsidian Portal you'll see that the Tramp Frieghter Campaign is VERY popular!

Check out any number of other games in the D6 Star Wars section (including mine in the link below) and especially Rebel Scum which has some awesome house rules in the wiki.
http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/rebelscum/wikis/main-page

HOWEVER... I must say that after reviewing all the expanded rules in those books I instead decided I didn't want something so crunchy; not to mention having to manage the input/output of resoiurecs so as not to outbalance the campaign.

My advice would be to use the info in those charts and tables to determine a kind of list of 'average' cost for the various runs; passenger travel, light specialty/dangerous cargo, heavy no frills runs and tweak them from there. Modify those costs depending on the distances, danger and relationship of with the client... And how rich you want them to be...

I essentially prepare a 'mission' with a base cost taking into account the above factors) and let the players negtotiate form there.

After all, I think most players (and GMs) are more interested in the actual 'mission', rather than playing accountant.

My only other advice would be to remember that a single ship with multiple pilots and gunnars can be very dangerous, even versus greater numbers- And read up on Space Combat!
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Check out my campaign and others on Obsidian Portal!

http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/roguetraders