Big Burthen

Written By: N.Robin Crossby
Copyright: N.Robin Crossby, 1989

Note: This is a "beta-test" on an expanded version of maritime trade as laid out in the Pilots' Almanac. The expansion allows for bigger operations. Please check it out and get back to me.

Vessels with large burthens may have difficulty surviving off the relatively meagre pickings available with the Cargo Supply system given in Pilots' Almanac. The really big traders are, generally, in another league, carrying larger cargos greater distances. This is not a matter of chance, however. The major haulers make special arrangements, too costly for small operations to copy.

Reputation (VTR)

The ability of a vessel to collect large cargos depends on its reputation in the port (VTR). Whenever a vessel enters a port the GM should assess her (local) VTR as one of the following:

VTR0 BAD REPUTATION: Local mercantylers are reluctant to use the vessel. There are numwerous reasons why this might be the case. Perhaps the ship has failed to deliver on time, or (worse) failed to make profits; perhaps mercantylers believe that the vessel is cursed, perhaps rival(s) have spread rumours...
VTR1 UNKNOWN: The vessel has yet to establish her reputation locally. This is the standard from which all newly built/purchased ships start; from here they can go up or down.
VTR2 GOOD REPUTATION: The vessel has had previous dealings in this port and has a reputation for meeting obligations and making profits.
VTR3 AGENT: The ship and/or her owners pay a local freemaster mercantyler to consolidate cargos. This produces somewhat larger, more valuable lots. Employing a Mercantyler would cost about 240d/month; this includes the agent's stipend for the agent and the cost of purchasing options.
VTR4 DEPOT: To assemble larger, more valuable cargos, the ship maintains a warehouse with a full time bonded master mer- cantyler in the port. This requires the vessel's agent to pay half the Hawking Fee on each lot (option), or purchase the cargos outright. This is the best way to assemble big cargos, but it can be very expensive. The BM mercantyler would live in warehouse (with armed guards). A separate account must be maintained for the depot. The vessel would have the option to specify acceptable direction(s) and/or destination(s).

Supply Tuns Table

The vessel's VTR determines Supply Lot Tunnage, as follows:

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   Market       VTR0      VTR1      VTR2      VTR3      VTR4 
    Size        Tuns      Tuns      Tuns      Tuns      Tuns 
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    <0>          1d2       1d3       1d3       1d3       1d3 
    <1>          1d3       1d4       1d4       1d4       1d4 
    <2>          1d4       1d5       1d6       1d8      1d10 
    <3>          1d5       1d6       1d8      1d10      1d12 
    <4>          1d6       1d8      1d10      1d12      1d20 
    <5>          1d8      1d10      1d12      1d20      2d20 
    <6>         1d10      1d12      1d20      2d20      3d20 
    <7>         1d12      1d20      1d30      3d20      4d20 
    <8>         1d20      1d25      2d20      4d20      5d20 
    <9>         1d20      1d30      2d30      5d20      6d20 
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Value Table

Ships with better also VTRs get more valuable cargos:

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  Lot Tuns      VTR 0     VTR 1     VTR 2     VTR 3     VTR 4 
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      1        8d6*10   10d6*10   11d6*10   12d6*10   12d6*10 
     2-3       6d6*10    8d6*10   10d6*10   11d6*10   12d6*10 
     4-6       5d6*10    6d6*10    8d6*10   10d6*10   11d6*10 
     7-10      4d6*10    5d6*10    6d6*10    8d6*10   10d6*10 
    11-15      3d6*10    4d6*10    5d6*10    6d6*10    8d6*10 
    16-21      2d6*10    3d6*10    4d6*10    5d6*10    6d6*10 
     22+       1d6*10    2d6*10    3d6*10    4d6*10    5d6*10 
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Demand Tuns

Demand Tuns are partly determined by market size, and in part by the skill and knowledge of the mercantyler who assembles the cargo. A skill roll is made against the average of Rhetoric and Intrigue, if known, or against 60 if unknown. EML may be im- proved by good information perhaps provided by the vessel's supercargo, or paid for by the vessel on her journeys, and by the mercantyler from his itinerant collegues. The skill roll is cross-indexed with Market Size to determine Demand as follows:

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   Market Size         CF         MF         MS         CS
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       <0>          1d3-2      1d3-1        1d3        1d4  
       <1>          1d3-2      1d4-1        1d4        1d6  
       <2>          1d4-2      1d5-1        1d6        1d8  
       <3>          1d5-2      1d6-1        1d8       1d10  
       <4>          1d6-2      1d8-1       1d10       1d12  
       <5>          1d8-2     1d10-1       1d12       1d20 
       <6>         1d10-2     1d12-1       1d20       2d20  
       <7>         1d10-1     1d20-1       1d30       3d20  
       <8>         1d12-1     1d25-1       2d20       4d20  
       <9>         1d20-1     1d30-1       2d30       5d20  
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