On 3/6/21 6:02 pm, Timothy Collinson - timothy.collinson at port.ac.uk
(via tml list) wrote:
>
> For those who don't feel their PCs are spending enough on the ship.
>
> https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hidden-costs-of-owning-a-superyacht/index.html
> <https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hidden-costs-of-owning-a-superyacht/index.html> 
>
> TL;DR:
> Traveller rules are pretty comprehensive on this subject so not much
> will be a surprise.
> (Good) Captains should probably be being paid waaaay more. [1]

Ah, the fun I had with Commander Richard Robert Roll, SEH, BA-M, IN
(ret) in a previous GT game...

One particular thigh-slapper was from the ship's doctor (a PC):

"Captain, I would have taken the Starburst at face value - you didn't
have to _show_ me your guts"

(named for this gentleman:
https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/faculty-and-research/finance/faculty/roll )

> Berthing costs in desirable locations (locations generally or
> locations within the port [2]) should probably cost a lot more.
> An occasional survey cost might be something to throw at players.  Not
> in the basic rules of course because it's less than once a year... ;-)
I get enough bitching about docking fees in Parental Advisory already -
for Das Boot, it's 2 kilosolars per 7 days _or part thereof_.  It makes
whistlestop refuellings a bit more painful.
>
> Favourite quote: "I'd say 99% of all problems on a yacht start with a
> crew member.  The jury's out on the final 1%."
>
> Apparently owning a jumbo jet / helicopter is far more expensive.  I
> wonder what the equivalent in the Traveller universe is?
Fast pinnace?
>
> tc
>
> [1] Your mileage on whether your typical Traveller PC captain is
> 'good' or not may vary.  :-)
>
*koff* Drake Milford *koff*

<SNIP>

>
> I assume the OBTRAV from that last footnote is obvious in adventure
> possibilities for varying where the PCs' ship might be berthed in any
> given port.  (Assuming it's not a Class E where there's two landing
> pads!).  I would suggest the rule book prices for a berth are the
> absolute cheapest on offer...
> - a prostitute emerges from behind shipping containers in an attempt
> to ply his/her trade with crew members
The Risky Dingo Bar & Brothel comes well recommended on Procyon, I'm told...
> - a visitor showing off his 'cycle to a small knot of interested
> bystanders/crew lets someone sit on it, who then presses the wrong
> thing and slams it into a nearby wall/berm/body of water
> - the ship is so far from the dock gate a bus is required to go anywhere
Or Curly's recently-acquired surfboard-carrying kombi.  Am giggling at
the thought of its adventures aquatic.
> - all night container movements and loading cranes keep crew awake
> with noise and vibration
> - the berth is right beside a major shopping mall and visitors want
> pictures with ship and crew thinking it's somehow 'famous'
Ooohhhh... good one to pinch
> - the berth is so awkward to get to amongst other ships and port
> obstructions, it requires a Very Difficult pilot roll to dock without
> cosmetic (or not) hull damage
Does Curly bending a berth in Nusku highport count?
>
> (Yes, all the above are part of my experience.  We spent some time
> with a grappling hook fishing the motorcycle out of the drink.  No
> idea if it ever ran again.)  (And no, I wasn't tempted by the no doubt
> delightful Indonesian lady despite being alone in the small hours on
> nightwatch at the time).
--