Beginning

Jaxon's picture
Jaxon
September 25, 2012 - 6:04am
This is to help new characters and GMs. There are some adventures involving space but, they are just deck hands - no straship skills need. As time goes on, the team builds credibility with GVMPI and can see about a loan or charter for a shuttle or small ship (with Chem Drives) ~ maybe 100 - 600,000 credits new or 1/2 used.
This starts them into space. They now have something to train with and barter with. I use the suggested space skill table:
 
Skill Level
Knight Hawks Alpha Dawn 1 2 3 4 56
PilotTechnician223 4 5 6
Computer 12 2 3 3 4
Engineer Technician 2 2 3 3 4 4
Robotics1 1 1 2 2 2
AstrogationComputers2 2 3 4 5 6
Energy WeaponsBeam 2 2 3 4 5 6
Rocket WeaponsProjectile 2 2 3 3 4 4
Gyrojet1 1 1 2 2 2

This will also bring them to a point of contention with Streel Corp. As they will receive more jobs that are more border-line with the law.
Comments:

jedion357's picture
jedion357
September 25, 2012 - 6:25am
More like 600,000; I once priced out a HS 2 privateer taken as a prize from pirates so that I could computer prize money and it the Thruster Class priced out at a little over 1 million credits
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
September 25, 2012 - 10:24am
A system-ship would allow the PC's to travel around the system which limits them racing off to another system, unless of course, they take board a liner :-). Neat idea.

Would you allow them to link their ship up to to a tug to be ferried to another system? 
Perhaps GVMPI has interest in Athor and arrange for a tug to transport the PC's ship there. 

Some thoughts on GVMPI
  • How would the players earn the trust of GVMPI?
  • Who gives them job/tasks within the company? Do they have a liason, manager or foreman?
  • Will the PC's rub shoulders with someone at  Streel Corporation? 
    Hook: An executive in  Streel Corporation Financing division asks someone in the party to spy on GVMPI expenses. 

Ships
I haven't had time to detail this ship, it's a smallish ship I wanted to give the PC's to travel around in. Orion Class Explorer http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/6182



I'm looking forward to this project Jaxon! Smile

Jaxon's picture
Jaxon
September 27, 2012 - 5:08am
Woot! I like the tug idea.

As for the team getting instructions? They would have a handler, manager or a liason to deal with.  The team would build credibility with GVMPI based on the adventures they do. The more important the mission ~ the more credibility they receive.
They would work for Streel Corporation, a kind of subcontract. But as for spying on GVMPI - why? Streel Corporation owns GVMPI.

I have one that I am working on that has GVMPI sending the team to rescue a Streel Corp VP that is kidnapped by pirates. At the end, a Streel armed freighter carrying 4 fighters comes into the edge of the system to pick up the team and VP.

As time goes on, the team would work with Streel more and more. I was thinking of a heart breaker - the team could be given a freighter and if they complete some missions they can have it. They have to smuggle weapons into White Light. Does the team have good guys that refuse? Do they run for it knowing that Streel will hunt them down? Do they want the ship and money more and decide to smuggle the weapons? What happens if the Clarion Militia catches them?

I thought this could be a possible apex for this campaign.

Jaxon's picture
Jaxon
September 27, 2012 - 7:39am

I disagree. A Kri'kkaa-class Heavy Shuttle is about 180,000 to 200,000 credits. It is a HS: 2, 11 person chem drive shuttle. A CU-37 Courier is 476,000 credits brand new. It is a HS: 2, 4 person chem drive shuttle. A Fair Trader merchant vessel is a HS: 4, 20 person chem drive ship. It is 741,580 credits brand new.
The book states that used ships are valued at 80 - 40% of new cost. This puts a Kri'kkaa-class Heavy Shuttle at about 100,000.
So if a group of characters come up with the cash and trade (statues, vehicles, etc) of 100,000 credits, they could get a shuttle. Especially if the group is an up and coming trouble shooting team of PGC or CDC, etc.


Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
September 30, 2012 - 12:47pm
Jaxon wrote:
I have one that I am working on that has GVMPI sending the team to rescue a Streel Corp VP that is kidnapped by pirates. At the end, a Streel armed freighter carrying 4 fighters comes into the edge of the system to pick up the team and VP.

As time goes on, the team would work with Streel more and more. I was thinking of a heart breaker - the team could be given a freighter and if they complete some missions they can have it. They have to smuggle weapons into White Light. Does the team have good guys that refuse? Do they run for it knowing that Streel will hunt them down? Do they want the ship and money more and decide to smuggle the weapons? What happens if the Clarion Militia catches them?

I thought this could be a possible apex for this campaign.

The rescue mission is a great idea. I also like giving characters moral choices. :-)

Regarding giving players a ship:
Bill GM'd a game for some gaming buddies of mine, to our delight we captured a pirate ship Bill sent against us, he couldn't believe it. When we got the ship back to port he wouldn't let us keep it. Said we weren't ready to handle a ship. 
Yell 
LOL!

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
September 30, 2012 - 1:26pm
Jaxon, have you considered having your players create Psych Profiles (SFman #15).

Jaxon's picture
Jaxon
October 1, 2012 - 10:53am
I'll have to read that one and get back with you.

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
October 1, 2012 - 1:21pm
I haven't tried it with my Star Frontiers groups, fyi. 

I use a moral system in my fantasy game, it's related in that it's loose. There aren't "alignments", just a guide for the players' character. However, sometimes they have to make a will check if their action goes against their code. 

Jaxon's picture
Jaxon
May 5, 2015 - 5:21am
I need to try it.