Trade Routes (Well I'll be....)

**Lord Eldred** · 03-10-2002, 03:37 PM

Orginally posted by Lawgiver

Orginally posted by Chaos Lord Arioch
Also there should be a random element added to the land routes as there is with the sea routes (eg. foul weather, missing caravan?)
It may sound like it complicates things but I think its better than saying, "OK, you have a land route, every quarter you receive an extra 5 GB".
A caravan would be treated like a ship or a unit of soldiers, with a maintenance cost and everything. It's very simple.

For the 3e rules underdevelopment we have added maintenance costs to trade routes and discussed several methods for adding randomness to GBs generated. However, we wish to keep things simple and reduce the number of rolls.

As far as caravan's comin gup missing I would leave that to the DM's discretion and random events as warlord_nabron suggested.

Why are you complicating things by adding a maintenance cost to a trade route? The Gold Bars produced would account for the maintenance cost or are you trying to make it possible that a trade route loses money. That would just take a minor adjustment in the GB production charts and then every holding should have a chance to lose money for its owner.

**Lord Eldred** · 03-10-2002, 03:40 PM

Orginally posted by Lord Shaene

As the primary guild holder in our campaign, I have to applaud our Dm on this issue. We go by the current system presented in the rules book and yes i do make alot of money as a guilder. but i actually need that money to maintain what i have. its not easy maintaining an underground network while also maintaining a good front. there are so many things you have to pay for. my Dm makes sure that my gold bars arent to numerous. my last underground encounter nearly broke me. fortunatley by luck of the roll i prevailed but at great cost. i am once again trying to rebuild my treasury.
so yes we do get an abundance of money, but its like they say the more you get the more you spend and believe me my character has an expensive taste, nothing but the finest for me. Is my character powerful yes, is he so powerful that i could rule the country no

Stop kissing up to your DM! ;)

I think the main point is that maintenance cost for everything is accounted for in what I throw at the players and thus they have to use their GBs to maintain what they have! If you don't cause them to have stuff that costs them money what is the point in collecting the money in the first place?

**Lawgiver** · 03-15-2002, 04:25 AM

Orginally posted by Lord Eldred
Why are you complicating things by adding a maintenance cost to a trade route? The Gold Bars produced would account for the maintenance cost or are you trying to make it possible that a trade route loses money. That would just take a minor adjustment in the GB production charts and then every holding should have a chance to lose money for its owner.

Sorry, I should have clarified. You are correct GB maintenance would make no sense. The maintenance isn't GBs its RPs. Sort of like the 1 RP per Ley Line thing.

**Lawgiver** · 03-15-2002, 04:26 AM

Orginally posted by Lord Eldred
If you don't cause them to have stuff that costs them money what is the point in collecting the money in the first place?

Haven't you ever heard of Scrooge McDuck? :P I'd love to try that swimming through the gold coins in the vault thing he does!

**jlrogers** · 04-29-2002, 07:07 PM

Gang,

For those who are interested in commodity-based trading (via routes or holdings), you might want to look at the system used in Avalon Hill's bg Age of Renaissance. Not perfect, but simple enough to adopt to your own pleasure.

BTW, my first post :)

**Lord Eldred** · 05-06-2002, 08:49 PM

Orginally posted by Lawgiver

Orginally posted by Lord Eldred
Why are you complicating things by adding a maintenance cost to a trade route? The Gold Bars produced would account for the maintenance cost or are you trying to make it possible that a trade route loses money. That would just take a minor adjustment in the GB production charts and then every holding should have a chance to lose money for its owner.

Sorry, I should have clarified. You are correct GB maintenance would make no sense. The maintenance isn't GBs its RPs. Sort of like the 1 RP per Ley Line thing.

Now that is something I could support.