Game in the Brain

So this GM has finally got the time to study Mongoose Traveller. I think the numbers as a business are ad-hoc and not really playtested. This has a pro and a con – con: F*CK i have to home brew it, pro- When I come up with an Open RPG that has Entrepreneurship simulation I am offering something new and will give various gamer mnemonics to allow better mastery of the principles.

Looking at the Hazards of a traveller ship and looking at other businesses with the same hazards, the margins are incredibly thin.

Speculative Trade vs Logistics Services

A Broker typically specializes in Speculative Trade, may buy a limited amount of Leased Dton space and a Stateroom on a ship. This space is negotiated down from the usual “freight space” lease margins.

Example (see Spreadsheet)
Wealthy Broker, buying a stateroom for 3 years for a Far Trader (6000*36 months) + (4500*72 jumps) = 345,000Cr or 28,800 Cr a month (typically 3 months advance payment and 2 months security deposite). The broker calculates these as his expenses; and has network plan. 

The Lowest Risk and Highest Gain is capturing contracts for 3-5 years of freight lease in regions with poor infra. Developed Worlds/Systems have contracts lasting 10-20 years.

Here is the Spreadsheet that looks at Expenses vs Revenue in a year.
Assumptions
Contemporary Economic Benchmarks

• Interest Rates: 4d6% (average is 14%; statistically very unlikely for the extreemes but are known to happen)
• Inflation: 2d6% (exploding die)
• Economic Growth Rates (after inflation): 1-3% (1d6/2 rounded up)
• 20 years is not so long in paying of a morgage when I’ve seen building owners and banks have such deals. 
• That the Interest Rate are factored in the Ship Price, there is already several Financial Margins inclusive of  the price. If there is a Cash down purchase of the ship the price can go down as much as 20% (80% of the price is made up of the “interest” the bank would have earned in 20 years). It is possible to posses a ship that has depreciated more; but i would recommend x2-x10 the maintenance cost. 
• Note on the Prices – Prices are subject to fluctuation; if a bunch of free traders are saturating the market you will be working harder by lowering your margins. The margins given are in a fairly competitive area (in modern comparison South East Asia markets presently); margins are greater in more dangerous frontier area – think about doing business in Africa or SEA 13 years ago. 

Home Brew Rules
* No Stealth in Space – i have enough notes how to modify the system and doctrine for this.
* Market Forces at work on Prices – i can clean up the doctrine for this, and assume only 10% are doing best practice.
* (Death &) Taxes – These rules are free for players to ignore and complicate their lives. Regardless of political belief, there are worlds and entities that require taxes. in a high trade setting, I assume there will be a customs or sales tax on the goods, and income tax and various tax rules by various home worlds and states, not to mention the Imperium has a cut of the action to keep their strength up.

*a Philippine business metaphor for a business that has an expensive overhead. You have to keep feeding hungry dangerous animals. Used to describe factories, aging buildings, and heavy machinery. Cant google a good reference, so I assume its a term used in the Philippines.