A FREE SHIP?!?

[Doc, the Weasel 1,777]

Give them a ship, wait until the worst thing that could happen is a disabled ship, THEN hit them with the problems.  Watch them have a blast trying to figure out how to get their ship working at the worst possible time.

 

Now this is a guy who knows where his towel is.

[Voice 194]

Back to the sub-topic of whether the chip is 'cherry' or not.  Odds are, it's not, but odds are equally good that the ship is mechanically sound, if not necessarily pretty to look at.  There's no reason to start with any serious mechanical issues for the PCs' ship, unless you have a plot reason, but there's also no explicit reason why you couldn't have something be 'iffy' as well if it makes for an interesting game.

[Desslok 13,558]

Actually I was thinking of coming at this from another angle. Our game would have the team on a vintage, mint condition YT-1300, flawless and spotless and lovingly cared for - and it stands out like a sore thumb and the owner will be all "Gah! We cant get into a fight! We'll ruin the paint! Don't take cover by the landing gear - go hide behind those shipping crates! You stormtroopers! Stop shooting at us!"

Edited July 30, 2013 by Desslok

[LStyer 70]

Considering the tradition in Star Wars of modifying and upgrading one's ship, owning a ship that is "fresh from the show room floor" strikes me as more of a starting point than goal.

[Lorne 2,021]

Actually I was thinking of coming at this from another angle. Our game would have the team on a vintage, mint condition YT-1300, flawless and spotless and lovingly cared for - and it stands out like a sore thumb and the owner will be all "Gah! We cant get into a fight! We'll ruin the paint! Don't take cover by the landing gear - go hide behind those shipping crates! You stormtroopers! Stop shooting at us!"

 

"Ferris, my father loves this ship more than life itself! We can't take it out."

"A man with priorities so far out of whack doesn't deserve such a fine freighter."

"He never flies it, Ferris, he just rubs it with a diaper!"

 

---

 

"Do you speak Basic?"

"(In Huttesse) Of course, what planet do you think this is?"

 

[Cue the SW theme as the parking attendants take it for a spin around the planet.]

[AK_Aramis 1,002]

It seems rather odd giving the players a shiny new ship when they are such a rag-tag bunch.  It would seem if they own a ship, it would be have some serious problems. 

 

For those of you who have run games, how did you handle the ship given to the PCs?

It ain't new... it's well used, but serviceable.

[eldath 202]

I recently ran a game where everyone woke up in a clone tank in an abandoned Kaminoan facility after having been taken there by a new employer. The last thing they remember is that their new boss took them to a strange alien world where samples were taken and a strange gizmo was put on their head. Once they woke up they worked their way out of the facility, dealing with other creatures which had been released from clone tubes (including beasties which had been paid to be cloned by Hutts for arena fights). Once they got to the facilities landing platforms, they found one had an Imperial shuttle which was deploying Storm troopers (an alarm had been set off while they were wandering the facility and fiddling with things), and another had a couple of cloakshape fighters with basic hyperdrives.

 

This was a con game, if we continue then perhaps they will be able to upgrade to a better ship or maybe even steal one.

 

E

[Sinosaur 50]

I recently ran a game where everyone woke up in a clone tank in an abandoned Kaminoan facility after having been taken there by a new employer. The last thing they remember is that their new boss took them to a strange alien world where samples were taken and a strange gizmo was put on their head. Once they woke up they worked their way out of the facility, dealing with other creatures which had been released from clone tubes (including beasties which had been paid to be cloned by Hutts for arena fights). Once they got to the facilities landing platforms, they found one had an Imperial shuttle which was deploying Storm troopers (an alarm had been set off while they were wandering the facility and fiddling with things), and another had a couple of cloakshape fighters with basic hyperdrives.

 

This was a con game, if we continue then perhaps they will be able to upgrade to a better ship or maybe even steal one.

 

E

Imperial Shuttles are actually really good. It's got three weapons, base, 200 encumbrance (better than the YT-1300), and more armor than the YT and more Hull than the two starting Silhouette 4 ships. In fact, ti's only weak point is a low number of Hardpoints.

[HappyDaze 9,990]

 

I recently ran a game where everyone woke up in a clone tank in an abandoned Kaminoan facility after having been taken there by a new employer. The last thing they remember is that their new boss took them to a strange alien world where samples were taken and a strange gizmo was put on their head. Once they woke up they worked their way out of the facility, dealing with other creatures which had been released from clone tubes (including beasties which had been paid to be cloned by Hutts for arena fights). Once they got to the facilities landing platforms, they found one had an Imperial shuttle which was deploying Storm troopers (an alarm had been set off while they were wandering the facility and fiddling with things), and another had a couple of cloakshape fighters with basic hyperdrives.

 

This was a con game, if we continue then perhaps they will be able to upgrade to a better ship or maybe even steal one.

 

E

Imperial Shuttles are actually really good. It's got three weapons, base, 200 encumbrance (better than the YT-1300), and more armor than the YT and more Hull than the two starting Silhouette 4 ships. In fact, ti's only weak point is a low number of Hardpoints.

 

It actually has 5 weapons! Two twin laser cannons, two twin blaser cannons forward, and one twin plaster cannon aft. It takes a lot of crew to get the most out of all those weapons, which is probably why the thing requires six to begin with.

[pendothrax 0]

so far, our group started with a shuttle and two snub fighters stolen from the soon to explode black sun station from our starting adventure.  we sold the two snub fighters for parts and then black sun caught up and used ion cannons on the shuttle.  one technitian engineered caboom later, no more shuttle.  then we were supposed to buy passage from a bounty hunter, but he took too long to meet with us while still being hunted by black sun, so we stole his yt-1300.  if the campaign continues in the same manner, the cycle may continue.  i don't think starting with a communal  ship is that big of a problem.  circumstances can always change. 

[Dharus 23]

My group started without a ship, stranded on a backwater world after their public transport was destroyed by the Empire, and had to steal a ship with a Hutt's assistance.  That allowed me to give a group obligation separate from personal obligation.

 

I don't really like the idea of a free ship because there is so much potential storytelling in getting one in the first place.  Mos Eisley space port would not of happened if Luke, Ben, and the droids had a ship...

[JaWaMike 14]

My group started without a ship, stranded on a backwater world after their public transport was destroyed by the Empire, and had to steal a ship with a Hutt's assistance.  That allowed me to give a group obligation separate from personal obligation.

 

I don't really like the idea of a free ship because there is so much potential storytelling in getting one in the first place.  Mos Eisley space port would not of happened if Luke, Ben, and the droids had a ship...

 

Alternatively, having a ship is what allowed for our party to meet up in the first place. My ship (though sort of not free because it's the ship we stole in the Beginner's game passed down from Pash to my new character) was used to smuggle one of our party members off Rhodia. The two of us became friends over our interest in salvage and mechanics. We met two more of the players (both bounty hunters) when they hired us to take them out into far fringe uncharted space (where we had experience with salvaging ops) to track down their bounty's tracking signal. The last player of our 5 person party was discovered on an ancient abandoned Star Destroyer (a deactivated Droid at the time, rescued by us). 

 

Having a ship or not having a ship at the beginning does not create or destroy story. Tell whatever story you want to tell.

[Doc, the Weasel 1,777]

 

Imperial Shuttles are actually really good ... only weak point is a low number of Hardpoints.

 

 

Well, that and it being illegal ( R ). Imperials WILL notice you in it.

 

Better get some practice flying casual.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Doc, the Weasel

[Hishgraphics 66]

 

 

Imperial Shuttles are actually really good ... only weak point is a low number of Hardpoints.

 

 

Well, that and it being illegal ( R ). Imperials WILL notice you in it.

 

Better get some practice flying casual.

 

Yeah, the only other people we've seen using Lambda shuttles are the rebels, especially in the X-Wing space combat sim video game. But I suppose getting arrested for "possession of restricted military vehicles" is the least of their problems.

[azato 45]

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

[FangGrip 1,060]

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

 

Hmm...apx 100,000 for the ship, say 4-5 player/owners would be 20-25k credits.  That really isn't enough to retire on.  Maybe if they got some really good investment advice?  Does their Droid have a very high Intellect and Education skill?  Maybe some insider trading knowledge from their force sensitive?

 

Hmm... The Golden Acres Chronicle.

 

[Madcap 181]

 

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

 

Hmm...apx 100,000 for the ship, say 4-5 player/owners would be 20-25k credits.  That really isn't enough to retire on.

 

And that is assuming that the ship is brand new and in mint condition, neither of which are assumed to be true.  For a used ship, especially something like a YT-1300 (a design that is over 70 years old at the time of EotE), you'd be lucky to get the suggested used price of 25,000 credits.  And that is assuming it is in decent shape with no major issues.

[random.brown 70]

There's an important precedent here for at least one character in the group having easy access to a ship:

 

Han Solo won his prize YT-1300 in a hand of cards.

[PaladinSB 11]

Mechanically sound, even cherry, doesn't mean the ship can't have been "previously loved". Perhaps their spiffy luxury yacht was lost gambling by a spoiled rich brat whose eventually going to want his/her toy back. Maybe a smuggler left something in a hidden cargo hold on the player's new YT-1300. Perhaps no matter how hard the PC's try, they just can't get that "dead Gamorean" smell out of the Skipray's prison cells. What I'm saying is that you can give the ship some personality without making the ship start off needing repairs.

Edited August 1, 2013 by PaladinSB

[AK_Aramis 1,002]

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

Your players seriously misunderstand how cheap a ship is, and how little they can get for a used ship. Cr20,000 to Cr50,000. And given that food's about Cr3-Cr10 per day an apartment will probably run Cr300-Cr1000 per month, and they're dividing it at least two ways, it's not going to last. Especially once they pay-off their obligations... THe Hutt finds out they sold the ship... he sends a bounty hunter to collect his 90%... and the bounty hunter takes 10% as a skim above that, and gets to keep half of his "recovery"... And takes their weapons for good measure.

 

They don't own the ship "free and clear" - they either have a reputation as shipjackers, barraters, or smugglers... and either debts or crimes hanging over their heads. They "retire" and they still owe people, people who won't be happy at what they can make in payments working at Wookie-Mart.

Edited August 1, 2013 by aramis

[azato 45]

Well, to be fair....the player who said it doesn't have the book and didn't know the price/cost. I brought it up more as a funny example of a player's automatic reaction to hearing the news.....or at least how he would imagine his character acting. 

[Dogwood2 99]

 

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

Your players seriously misunderstand how cheap a ship is, and how little they can get for a used ship. Cr20,000 to Cr50,000. 

 

"17,000?  We could almost get our own ship for that!"

 

Although, I think it would be OK for the PCs to sell their ship and attempt to retire.  After all, there are a million reasons they might need to get off-planet fast, and having sold their ship and bought retirement condos with the proceeds will just make things that much more interesting.

 

The characters are adventurers.  If they don't go out looking for trouble, then trouble will find them.  It's, like, the first law of GMing or something.

[azato 45]

 

 

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

Your players seriously misunderstand how cheap a ship is, and how little they can get for a used ship. Cr20,000 to Cr50,000. 

 

"17,000?  We could almost get our own ship for that!"

 

Although, I think it would be OK for the PCs to sell their ship and attempt to retire.  After all, there are a million reasons they might need to get off-planet fast, and having sold their ship and bought retirement condos with the proceeds will just make things that much more interesting.

 

The characters are adventurers.  If they don't go out looking for trouble, then trouble will find them.  It's, like, the first law of GMing or something.

 

 

 

Or..they retire and they make new characters...only to sell the ship and retire. Then they make new characters...... Eventually they will tire of that.

[HappyDaze 9,990]

 

 

 

I told one of the players that they would be starting out with a ship. His response? "Our characters sell the ship and retire."  

Your players seriously misunderstand how cheap a ship is, and how little they can get for a used ship. Cr20,000 to Cr50,000. 

 

"17,000?  We could almost get our own ship for that!"

 

Although, I think it would be OK for the PCs to sell their ship and attempt to retire.  After all, there are a million reasons they might need to get off-planet fast, and having sold their ship and bought retirement condos with the proceeds will just make things that much more interesting.

 

The characters are adventurers.  If they don't go out looking for trouble, then trouble will find them.  It's, like, the first law of GMing or something.

 

 

 

Or..they retire and they make new characters...only to sell the ship and retire. Then they make new characters...... Eventually they will tire of that.

 

Or it's a sign that they're already tired of the alternative - playing the game - so you might want to do something else.

[Mr. Flibble 103]

And that's when you reveal that you're really playing Traveller and kill their next characters during character generation!

Edited August 2, 2013 by Mr. Flibble