[TML] Merchant Marine/Merchant Navy in Traveller(was Future wars will be run and won by computer control)

[Richard Aiken]

On Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 4:32 PM, alan hume <threeeyesmcgurk at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Of course they could pass up the contract but that'd make it harder for them > to get a ship.
> true, but then kn owing players they would probably just steal one:.)

So let them steal one.

Then enforce the consequences, particularly if it's a
Merchant-Marine-flagged ship from a wealthy world.

Of course, this means that you'll initially be running a very episodic
campaign, as the players will never want to return to worlds they've
already been to.  After all, The Law might be after them there.  And
they are always going to be carrying illicit cargos, since they can't
afford to try and get the real (or real-enough fake) registry
paperwork necessary to carry legit cargos.  That, too, carries too
high a risk of getting caught.

At first, being constantly on the run might not worry them.  But when
they find themselves never able to secure any really lucrative illicit
jobs either - because they're constantly out-running any "good" rep
which they might begin to establish with local criminal networks -
then they'll probably start seeking ways to get The Law off their
backs.

If you look at it from the right angle, *anything* which the PCs do is
grist for the drama mill . . . :)

-- 
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident." Robert A. Heinlein