[ ] Plan Sunk Costs Are Sunk
-[ ] Recommend not to build it
-[ ] Ask RMSWC to look into walker designs. (-1 Budget / 1 Turn)
-[ ][Design][1B] Upkeep
-[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Utility Craft
-[ ][Research][2B] Basic Shielding
Recommend not to build it
"Darren, I mean, what did you expect? It isn't anything personal. We had to put it out there according to regulations." The slight smile on the Fast Delivery Parcel service representative was almost a smirk. On the other hand, your father was very calm as the small group stopped in the hangar where the representative's yacht stood. The new Corellian yacht from CEC. "I thought someone like you would read between the lines. Besides, I didn't know that your family was into building ships. Eh, business is business, right?"
"Right," your father said. Then he extended his hand, which was quickly snatched by the representative. "You understand I might have to say some mean things about the FDP, right? Just to reassure the creditors?"
"But of course, Darren, be as mean as you need to be," Ashlin, the representative, said and gave Risa a winning grin. It made him look even more slimy than he did anyway with his slick hair. He even winked at her. "Just don't think this was personal. Anyway, do we see each other in the club?"
"The drink will be on you, Ashlin. After this deal, you can afford it." Your father's answer was almost flat. His laughter was forced, and the farce finally ended when Ashlin got into his shuttle, and the three of you stepped back. You watch on in silence as the yacht leaves the hangar and flies off into the darkness of space.
"Right," your father said in a flat tone. He slowly turned around and looked into the hangar for a moment. He took a deep breath and then exalted slowly.
"Risa."
"Yes?"
"Who is FDP's biggest rival in the sector?"
"Uhm, I need to check, but I think it's Close & Fast."
Your father is silent for a moment and simply stares into the distance, and then he grunts. Turning around, he looks at Risa and yourself, his face a stony mask that doesn't show emotions. "Can you contact them? I will make them an offer they can't refuse."
"Sure, but why?"
"I think I will make them an offer; they can't refuse," your father said darkly. Then his eyes shifted to you. "Wrex, I need you to wrap up the Utility Craft project as quickly as possible. We need a quick cash grab. Finish the plans and push it out as fast as you can."
"Dad, do you think this is the right decision?" You asked carefully with a quick glance towards Risa, who also seemed concerned. "Designing the Aurek costs us a lot, and not producing it will dent our finances. But going for a cash grab? That feels dirty to me."
"Well," your father said slowly and shrugged. "We don't have much of a choice. No matter how dirty it feels, we need that money. The creation of the RMSWC made up for a bit of the loss, but it was never intended to carry the company. We had hoped for Aurek to be our first step forward, but it isn't. Maybe I gave you too much freedom. Perhaps I should have read the signs more pessimistically with the FDP procurement contract. But now we stand where we are and must go forward from here. Just get us a nice, cheap Utility Craft, nothing fancy."
"All right, Dad. Don't worry, I won't disappoint you again."
Ask RMSWC to look into walker designs. (-1 Budget / 1 Turn)
Major retired Lok Bogh was towering over you, as most Trandoshan did. He didn't wear the uniform of the Temari's Planetary Army anymore, but his suit still had the vibe of a uniform. The pride in his work and for his employees was clearly visible as he led you through the testing grounds on the surface of Temaris.
"We're still in an early stage, of course. But the quadruple platform is the most promising so far. A good compromise between stability and speed." He pointed to an awkward design of four mechanical legs connected to a platform as he spoke. At the front of the platform stood a droid that operated the whole setup through a complex obstacle course. "The biggest problem encountered is the correct weight distribution when it moves forward. But if we get that kink out of it, we can move forward."
You nod, impressed with what Lok Bogh has managed to cobble together in this side project. To your understanding, they took the breadcrumbs you gave them and used them to buy materials and tools to assemble the prototype. However, most RMSWC staff did the actual work, planning, and construction in their free time.
"That looks impressive, Lok. Truly, more than I expected would come out of my request. Do you have any ideas for applications for a whole model?"
"Well, we thought of a platform walker for mining operations where the usage of hovercraft or groundcrawlers are limited." Lok Bogh said slowly and carefully. He didn't take his eyes off the prototype and continued: "Or military and security."
"You think there will be a market for that in these areas?"
"More so than civilian. In the case of civilian usage, most areas are covered by other vehicles. However, security forces and the military always need something that can intimidate or bring a new dimension into a situation. Besides, a walker would look impressive, and most PDFs have civilians in oversight that like to be impressed and decide what equipment gets brought." Lok Bogh saw the look you gave him and shrugged. "That doesn't mean that we will design something that is garbage, but I'm enough of a businessman these days to understand how it works. Besides, if we get this off, it might pay off."
"I see," you say, and you watch as the prototype struggles to march over a few tree logs. The droid piloting it barely managed to keep the walker from falling over. It was clear that it would still need some work before any real walker would come out. On the other hand, what you saw was already promising. "I guess that you need future funding?"
If a Trandoshan could tense up, Lok would just do that. On such a large and intimidating figure, it seemed wrong somehow.
"Yes. We will need a constant stream of credits to pay for everything."
Lok Bogh seemed to have something going on here, but could you spare the budget?
[ ] Don't invest in the walker.
[ ] Invest into the Walker. (-1 Budget / 3 Turns)
Plans for a Utility Craft: Progress: 45 of 50
Rolled: 74
Result: Finished!
Gaath was the last to enter the conference room. Dhin had already sat at the table. Her shiny fur and low-level humming showed how pleased she felt with herself. Lazly, she was tipping at her datapad. Lacking her more hectic behavior when she had awful news. It was more tipping through the data on it to skip the time. Thor on the other hand was actively working with the holoprojector in the center of the table. Above it you watch for sometime as he loaded up charts, crude drawings - typical for his attempts at designing - and apparently images of Jedi Trading Cards.
"Gaath," you greeted Mon Calamari with a smile. Following his example as he sits down at the table you press a button that closes the door. "Then we're all here. With the decision not to produce the Aurek we-"
Thor interrupted you by shooting a quick shot of his strange language, leading to a jolt through his droid. "Oh, excuse me, Master Wrex, but my owner wishes to inform you that this is incorrect. Just this morning he received orders signed by your father to begin a limited production run of twenty
Aurek-class vessels."
"What?!" The question burst out of you before you could hold yourself back. Silence fell over the rest of the gathered as they all stared at you. Quickly you forced yourself to calm down. Not that it would make you lose face any better. You would ask your father later about it, now just wasn't the time. "Right, I didn't know that. Thanks for informing us, Thor. Anyway, we should concentrate on the Utility Craft. My father wants us to finish this project quickly. Therefore, we should focus on buying the needed parts and keep our in-house development to a minimum if possible."
"So, a cash grab is it?" Gaath's rhetorical question is the first asked. When you nodded, the Mon Calamari signed. "Sad but we can make it. Maybe it isn't even that dumb of an idea. If anything the Utility Craft is certainly a good choice. We should focus on it being easily built if we truly want to go total for the credits here."
"I don't like it," Dhin said with a hissing undertone. The Bothan woman started to drum on the desk with her claws slightly extended. "I think we shouldn't go for just a cheap build. Even if this is a cash grab. The market is hard fought over and if we can beat our competition with quality this might just give us the edge."
"Do you've something like that, Gaath?"
The old Mon Calamari nodded but didn't look too happy. He quickly used his datapad to send a command to the holoprojector. Two designs appeared above the conference table. One was a ball cockpit surrounded by a cage. The second looked like a box with a wedge as a cockpit. Slowly the leader of the design department stands up. "We've several designs but I think these two fit the ideas of Dhin and myself."
He highlights the first design and enlarges the projected image above the table. "A fairly simple design. The round cockpit can be removed from this utility cage. As the name suggests the cage itself can be equipped by the different tools that are needed and houses the engine. Building the basic cockpit itself and the cage should be cheap. But making modifications to update the ball cockpit will be much harder."
"And the other one?"
"Well, a more classical vessel," Gaath explains as the second design takes the place of the ball cage ship. "We've a wedge-like cockpit which at a first glance gives a worse view but is more spacious. It makes life for the worker more comfortable. Most of the tools needed will be built in the frame itself, making it a bit less versatile. But it also means there is more room in it for on-side modifications. As we build a more classical frame here, it will take longer to assemble this."
You turn to Thor who was intensely staring at the holo projection but hadn't shared his opinion yet. The small alien seemed to not have anything to add to the discussion. His droid stood behind him, waiting for anything to translate should he be needed.
"Thor, what is your opinion?"
A small jolt ran through his body as he suddenly focused his glowing eyes at you. For a moment he stays silent, then he starts to quickly speak in his strange language. His droid listens for a moment, then he starts to translate. "My master feels indifferent to both designs, considering they lack any weapons. You see, Master Wrex, my master likes to build warships more than anything. I think it is an attempt to compensate for his- Oh! Master Thor, that wasn't a nice thing to say to me! And … Please don't recycle my parts!"
Together with Gaath and Dhin you watched on as Thor started to quarrel with his droid. It was an amusing thing to watch as they continued to do so for a moment until the small alien had enough. He pressed a button on a remote and his droid was put into a stand-by mode. Mumbling to himself angry he stood up, opened the head of the droid and worked on its inner parts for a moment. Then he activated the droid again and said something. The droid listened and then turned to the rest of the table and translated again: "Apologize, apparently I suffered a malfunction. My master does not favor either design. But he wishes to inform you that most of his team currently helps in building the
Aurek's. Building a prototype will have to wait for the moment. He suggests that the time until his team can help again is best used to get the needed contracts for the parts we need for the Utility Vessel."
"A good idea," Dhin said with a small nod towards Thor. "For this we should turn on buying stock rather than coming up with an in-house solution. Especially as this will be a cash grab. My department should either turn towards a long term approach in development or continue our efforts where we've already worked."
"The same for my people," Gaath took up the lead from Dhin. "I think we should turn towards the next project"
"Right, thanks for your opinion on these matters," you say and lean back. Your thoughts circled around your fathers decision to build
Aurek's disregarding your thoughts on the matter. After all, when he had given you these departments, he had made it clear that he trusted your judgment when it came to ship building. Why had he disregarded and overruled you so easily? And why hadn't he informed you about it in the first place?
What hull should be used?
[ ] Gaath's Proposal
[ ] Dhin's Proposal
Category | Gaath's Proposal | Dhin's Proposal | Industrial Standard |
Ease of Maintenance | C | C | |
Ease of Manufacture | A | C | |
Tactical Score | F | F | |
Versatility Score | D | E | |
Modifiability Score | E | C | |
Comfort Score | E | C | |
The new system is built around a score system going from A to F. The best score is an A and the worst an F. The different Categories stand for different aspects of a ship. As before you start with a chosen hull and its ratings, in the following updates you will modify the hull with a different system which will influence the score of different Categories. At the end an overall rating will be given to show how good or bad the design is. For each step you will be given an Industrial Standard to give you a comparison to what is currently normal.
Basic Shielding Progress: 59 of 200
Rolled: 116
Result: 175 of 200
You had avoided your father for the last days but when you stepped out of Dhin's office after she had given you an update, there stood you father. Your father stood before a window looking down to the testing area. For a moment you simply stood there. Then you made up your mind and stepped up so you stood to your fathers right.
"How comes Dhin's work along?" Your father is the first to break the silence.
"Good," you say after a moment. "She says it won't take much longer until we have a prototype. The only problem they still need to figure out is the correct alignment of the emitters. Then the shield generator will be done."
"That's good to hear," your father says. Finally he turns slightly and looks searchingly at your face. "You're angry with me, Wrex."
"I … yes! Damn it, Dad, you told me this would be my baby. That I would've a free hand. And yet, when I say the
Aurek shouldn't be built, you overruled me. Worse even, you did it behind my back and hadn't even the nerve to tell me beforehand! I learned about it from Thor, in a meeting."
Your father looked down for a moment then he drew a deep breath. "I did say you had full control. But this wasn't about your departments but for the good of the company. Understand this, I needed something to show to our lenders, we need success! And we can't let the whole with the FDP service be forgotten without getting something from it. So, I made a deal with the FDP service rival. It will get us some publicity as a shipbuilder and allow them to modernize their delivery fleet. Even if we sell them the
Aurek's at production cost the long term benefits outweigh everything else. I acted as the CEO of Rogue Moon Shipwrights, not your father."
Base Budget: 8
Ask RMSWC to look into walker designs. -1 Budget / 1 Turn
Total Budget: 6
Note:
You don't have to pay for the Upkeep
of the Production Department this turn!
Design Department
[ ][Design][1B] Upkeep
Progress: n.a.
Description: You pay the bills and assign working orders, generally ensuring that the department isn't losing brainpower. If this option is not taken, the cost will grow in the next turn.
[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Light Freighter
Progress: 0 of 100
Description: Light Freighters come in all shapes and forms. Some fast, others with a great range, and so on. It is time to design your own.
[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Heavy Freighter
Progress: 0 of 100
Description: Heavy Freighters are the backbone of interstellar trading. They are, in theory, easy to build. You've never built one, just repaired them, so you don't know for sure.
[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Utility Craft
Progress: 45 of 50
Description: In the orbital industry, not only in shipbuilding, small craft are used every day. They are called Utility Craft, and there never seems to be enough despite how many models are on the market.
[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Corvette
Progress: 0 of 150
Description: Corvettes are used by every military in the galaxy to some extent. The market is hard fought over by such names as Kuat Drive Yards and CEC. Entering this arena will be risky, but the profits…
[ ][Design][1B] Plans for a Fighter
Progress: 0 of 100
Description: The new lovechild from the Deep Core to the Mid Rim if it comes to "new" and "hip" military "geniuses." The market hasn't been cornered yet. Maybe you can corner a bit of it.
Research Department
[ ][Research][1B] Upkeep
Progress: n.a.
Description: You pay the bills and assign working orders, generally ensuring that the department isn't losing brainpower. If this option is not taken, the cost will grow in the next turn.
[ ][Research][1B] Class 5 Hyperdrive
Progress: 0 of 500
Description: A Class 5 Hyperdrive is the slowest drive seen on the market, often built-in as an emergency drive should the main one fail. If we want to start building our own hyperdrives, Class 5 is our entry point.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Sublight Engines
Progress: 0 of 250
Description: Every starship needs sublight engines for travel outside hyperspace. We should start learning how to build basic ones ourselves before we go for larger and better sublight engines.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Hull Plating
Progress: 0 of 100
Description: Most people in the galaxy won't give two thoughts about the hull plates that protect them from the void through which they travel. But the truth is, it is hard to come up with the right mixture of metals and other materials to make these plates. We should start with something basic.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Shielding
Progress: 175 of 200
Description: Most weapons used in the galaxy are either blaster or laser-based. Accordingly, any ship manufacturer worth his name will provide basic protection against these. In theory, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with one ourselves.
[ ][Research][1B] Blaster Canon Mk.II
Progress: 0 of 200
Description: The Mk.I has been a great start, but it has many weaknesses and served more as a way for Dhin's team to test the waters. It is time to develop something genuinely usable in the broader market.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Autoblaster
Progress: 50 of 200
Description: Doing the development of the Blaster Canon Mk.I Dhin's team created a crude autoblaster by accident. These weapons fire weaker blaster bolts, but a lot of them in a short time. A good weapon for close combat against weakly armored targets.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Laser
Progress: 0 of 200
Description: Most military ships use lasers, thanks to their ability to fight at longer distances. If we wish to push into the military market, we should first develop basic laser weapons.
[ ][Research][1B] Basic Ion Cannon
Progress: 0 of 200
Description: These days, Ion weaponry is seldom considered practical. But the rise of more war droids means that there might be a market to bring this old technology back.
Production Department
[ ][Production][1B] Upkeep
Progress: n.a.
Description: You pay the bills and assign working orders, generally ensuring that the department isn't losing brainpower. If this option is not taken, the cost will grow in the next turn.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Hyperdrives
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Progress: 0 of 50
Description: Currently the company doesn't have the knowledge or the facilities to produce something like a hyperdrive themselves. That means you need offers from other companies that do build hyperdrives.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Sublight Engines
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Progress: 0 of 50
Description: Any ship requires some form of sublight engine. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with something of your own, but until that is the case, you will need to buy somewhere else.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Plating
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Progress: 0 of 25
Description: It shouldn't be too hard to find someone willing to produce hull plates that your ships require.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Shielding
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Progress: 0 of 150
Description: Some of your designs require shields, not the navigational but actually protective ones. Even civilian variations cost a lot. Hopefully, there are som]]e cheap offers.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Weapons
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Progress: 0 of 200
Description: Weapons are restricted on most Republican worlds and not easily bought in bulk. Still, there are plenty of companies that offer ship-grade weapons. The absolute nightmare is the bureaucracy behind it.
[ ][Production][1B] Ask for Equipment
-[ ] Write-In ship type
Description: Besides the essential parts that make up a ship, other equipment is also needed. Be it a civilian ship or a military ship - both need more than just an hull, engine and weapons. All these items needed to be brought and installed.
Sorry it took so long but I mostly had to come up with a new ship building system.
Please tell me what you think.
Point out any errors you find!
12 hour Moratorium!
