Greetings fellow commanders!
In this thread I shall document some of my (mis)adventures throughout the known Galaxy. Now mind you, I'm not a beginner, so this will start with me being somewhat well off, with a 6.5 million Cobra stashed away at my home system of Tavgi, and a 15 million Asp as my main ship.
Preamble:
I've done my dues, I've traded, smuggled, bounty hunted and fought my way from a teeny loaned Sidewinder and a measly 1000 credits, to having over 21 million in ships and modules and an additional 2.8 million in the bank. Friendly with the Federation, and have a host of allied systems spread around my main areas of activity. All this in open, though not been particularly picked on by other players. The two little brushes with the insurance-agency I have had, were entirely my own fault. Well, beers fault actually, but details.
Entry # 1 - 13th Jan 3301 "The Rare Goods Grand Tour!" part 1
Sitting in the hangars of home, Gordon Enterprise in the Tavgi system. Browsing the Bulletin Board as usual. 'Salvaging The Future' it says. Head off to Imp space and steal some prototype tech and then smuggle it home. I think not. For one thing, 25 thousand is not enough to risk a fine and the reputation going south if caught, and for another, my big Asp is not really all that well suited for smuggling. Sure, in a Viper or Cobra racing through the slot before a scan completes is easy. In an Asp, with only D class thrusters, not so much.
So... Something different. Something more, uhm, profitable then. Through back-channels I've gotten hold of a trade-route that whilst long and treacherous, should bring in enough credits for some much wanted upgrades. Chief amongst them an A5 shield. The current D3 is fine for protecting the paint going in and out of stations, but that is also about it.
First destination, 39 Tauri - Porta station. 84LY from home, no less than 21 jumps if doing it the economical way. Yeah right, that's not why I nearly emptied my slush-fund for an A5 FSD just recently. The days of taking detours are over. 4 jumps taking the fastest possible route is better. With one stop for some trading. The farmers and workers of Ursitoare will probably like some Consumer Goods and Performance Enhancer, I am sure. And the precious metals they sell will certainly fetch a good price at my destination.
--- Tavgi > Ursitoare ---
Having just entered Ursitoare, my fuel was under the half-full point, so some serious scooping was in order to top it off. Now, whilst going to 'Lucy Young's Orbital Happy Home' sounded fun and all, that is not where the precious metals are sold. The much more boring sounding 'Milestones' station is where I'll get the most bang for my buck methinks.
Docking permission granted, gear out, through slot and land at pad 23. Yes, done, no problem and done. Oh, not good. Only 289 p/t (profit per ton) on the Consumer Goods. Better than a loss I guess. From bad to worse, only 72 p/t on the Performance Enhancers. Crap. Goddamned commies, they never have money to pay top price. I sure hope the citizens of 39 Tauri like shiny metals though. No hedging, I bought 104 tons of gold.
--- Ursitoare > 39 Tauri ---
Arrived at Porta station without any further ado. There's even some actual humans around, not just those dreary droids. Type 6 and Cobra commanders. I'm not one to shy away from some opportune 'lightening a transporters load' activity. But seeing as I need the trade of this system, and not to mention having a full cargo-hold, this is not the place or time. Selling my cargo at 922 p/t gave a healthy addition to my spending money.
Picked up 12 tons of Tauri Chimes. Nothing else to pick up really, unless you like shi... uhm, biowaste. Hmm, actually, my next stop, Fujin, is agricultural, they do like biowaste, don't they? No big profits in it, but empty cargo space means zero profit. Which is worse.
--- 39 Tauri > Fujin ---
Biowaste sold for 31 p/t. Every credit counts, but I do hope future side-cargo will contribute somewhat more to my spending-fund. 5 Tons of Fujin Tea bought. Next stop is TZ Arietis on my way to Altair. TZ Arietis is High-Tech, so some good beef, coffee and tea will surely be appreciated there. Sadly not much of it available, odd for an agriculture system. They got plenty of grain and fish though. The latter will stink up my cargo-room. Do I get paid extra for that? Bought up all the alcohol I could as well, the little of it that was for sale. And some leather. I'm just hoping the fish-stink won't bring the price down on it.
Speaking of coffee by the way, I'll make some for myself before departure. With cow-juice.
--- Fujin > TZ Arietis ---
Three jumps to get here. More refueling. At least fuel is free. I've seen docu-holos' of people in the old days back on Earth paying through their nose to fuel their cars with hydro-carbons, and wrecking the planet in the process. Silly suckers. Hmmm, a couple of traders in orbit here, seeking luxuries. Shame I do not have any. Those independent traders usually pay top-credits.
Overshot Snyder Enterprise station like some snot-nosed cadet straight out of the pilot academy. Not worthy of a Lieutenant Commander of the Federal Navy. To make it even worse some furry monkey crashed into me just as I entered the station. Learn to fly - and yield to the bigger ship goddammit! Good thing I got shields. Fixing hull damage on this thing is not cheap.
I got rid of most my by and large cheap side-cargo. Average profit about 170 p/t or so. Mostly due to the fish - the bulk of my cargo - selling for only 98 p/t. Kept the leather, as it would sell at a loss, and we can't have any of that.
Altair is industrial with a side-order of refining. So some very cheap Auto-Fabricators will probably do well. Non-Lethal Weapons is also remarkably cheap here, so I'm hedging my haul with those.
--- TZ Arietis > Altair ---
The approach to Solo Orbiter station was textbook perfect. Upon arrival though, a big fat Type 7 was parked at the entrance - getting shot at. Had to wait out the station defenses pulverizing it before I could slip through. The leather sold at a meager 170 p/t. Must have been the fish stink. The Non-Lethal Weapons did a disappointing 183 p/t and the Auto-Fabricators a nearly decent 337 p/t.
Picked up 15 tons of Altairian Skin, and the next stop being an extraction economy, some Mineral Extractors at a good price and a batch of Basic Medicines, everyone wants that.
--- Altair > Chi Eridani ---
Three jumps to get there, and two station visits on the itinerary. First, Steve Masters station to drop off the meds and pick up Marine Paste. Then off to The Ascending Phoenix station to drop off the Mineral Extractors and pick up some precious metals. Rumor have it they got a good price on Palladium.
Basic Medicines went for 123 p/t. 6 Tons of Marine Paste picked up, and a side-order of meat, coffee and tea for our friends at the station next door. All of which went down well at about 180 p/t which is ok considering the very short travel distance of a couple of light-seconds. The far longer traveled Mineral Extractors sold at a very disappointing 165 p/t.
At 13,115 Palladium was not as cheap as I'd hope. Only 400 under GA (Galactic Average). So went for Gold instead, at 500 under GA.
---
End of part 1 of this Rare Goods Grand Tour. My spending-fund is at 2.3 million and change. Cargo hold contains 66 Tons of gold, and 38 tons of rare goods. The next leg of this tour will take me into Imp space. Which I do not like the thought of. I have no friends or standing with them. So unlike this little trip through Federation space, where I haven't been interdicted once, I expect some more action on the next installment. Or perhaps pirates just don't like fully armed Asps, who knows?
In this thread I shall document some of my (mis)adventures throughout the known Galaxy. Now mind you, I'm not a beginner, so this will start with me being somewhat well off, with a 6.5 million Cobra stashed away at my home system of Tavgi, and a 15 million Asp as my main ship.
Preamble:
I've done my dues, I've traded, smuggled, bounty hunted and fought my way from a teeny loaned Sidewinder and a measly 1000 credits, to having over 21 million in ships and modules and an additional 2.8 million in the bank. Friendly with the Federation, and have a host of allied systems spread around my main areas of activity. All this in open, though not been particularly picked on by other players. The two little brushes with the insurance-agency I have had, were entirely my own fault. Well, beers fault actually, but details.
Entry # 1 - 13th Jan 3301 "The Rare Goods Grand Tour!" part 1
Sitting in the hangars of home, Gordon Enterprise in the Tavgi system. Browsing the Bulletin Board as usual. 'Salvaging The Future' it says. Head off to Imp space and steal some prototype tech and then smuggle it home. I think not. For one thing, 25 thousand is not enough to risk a fine and the reputation going south if caught, and for another, my big Asp is not really all that well suited for smuggling. Sure, in a Viper or Cobra racing through the slot before a scan completes is easy. In an Asp, with only D class thrusters, not so much.
So... Something different. Something more, uhm, profitable then. Through back-channels I've gotten hold of a trade-route that whilst long and treacherous, should bring in enough credits for some much wanted upgrades. Chief amongst them an A5 shield. The current D3 is fine for protecting the paint going in and out of stations, but that is also about it.
First destination, 39 Tauri - Porta station. 84LY from home, no less than 21 jumps if doing it the economical way. Yeah right, that's not why I nearly emptied my slush-fund for an A5 FSD just recently. The days of taking detours are over. 4 jumps taking the fastest possible route is better. With one stop for some trading. The farmers and workers of Ursitoare will probably like some Consumer Goods and Performance Enhancer, I am sure. And the precious metals they sell will certainly fetch a good price at my destination.
--- Tavgi > Ursitoare ---
Having just entered Ursitoare, my fuel was under the half-full point, so some serious scooping was in order to top it off. Now, whilst going to 'Lucy Young's Orbital Happy Home' sounded fun and all, that is not where the precious metals are sold. The much more boring sounding 'Milestones' station is where I'll get the most bang for my buck methinks.
Docking permission granted, gear out, through slot and land at pad 23. Yes, done, no problem and done. Oh, not good. Only 289 p/t (profit per ton) on the Consumer Goods. Better than a loss I guess. From bad to worse, only 72 p/t on the Performance Enhancers. Crap. Goddamned commies, they never have money to pay top price. I sure hope the citizens of 39 Tauri like shiny metals though. No hedging, I bought 104 tons of gold.
--- Ursitoare > 39 Tauri ---
Arrived at Porta station without any further ado. There's even some actual humans around, not just those dreary droids. Type 6 and Cobra commanders. I'm not one to shy away from some opportune 'lightening a transporters load' activity. But seeing as I need the trade of this system, and not to mention having a full cargo-hold, this is not the place or time. Selling my cargo at 922 p/t gave a healthy addition to my spending money.
Picked up 12 tons of Tauri Chimes. Nothing else to pick up really, unless you like shi... uhm, biowaste. Hmm, actually, my next stop, Fujin, is agricultural, they do like biowaste, don't they? No big profits in it, but empty cargo space means zero profit. Which is worse.
--- 39 Tauri > Fujin ---
Biowaste sold for 31 p/t. Every credit counts, but I do hope future side-cargo will contribute somewhat more to my spending-fund. 5 Tons of Fujin Tea bought. Next stop is TZ Arietis on my way to Altair. TZ Arietis is High-Tech, so some good beef, coffee and tea will surely be appreciated there. Sadly not much of it available, odd for an agriculture system. They got plenty of grain and fish though. The latter will stink up my cargo-room. Do I get paid extra for that? Bought up all the alcohol I could as well, the little of it that was for sale. And some leather. I'm just hoping the fish-stink won't bring the price down on it.
Speaking of coffee by the way, I'll make some for myself before departure. With cow-juice.
--- Fujin > TZ Arietis ---
Three jumps to get here. More refueling. At least fuel is free. I've seen docu-holos' of people in the old days back on Earth paying through their nose to fuel their cars with hydro-carbons, and wrecking the planet in the process. Silly suckers. Hmmm, a couple of traders in orbit here, seeking luxuries. Shame I do not have any. Those independent traders usually pay top-credits.
Overshot Snyder Enterprise station like some snot-nosed cadet straight out of the pilot academy. Not worthy of a Lieutenant Commander of the Federal Navy. To make it even worse some furry monkey crashed into me just as I entered the station. Learn to fly - and yield to the bigger ship goddammit! Good thing I got shields. Fixing hull damage on this thing is not cheap.
I got rid of most my by and large cheap side-cargo. Average profit about 170 p/t or so. Mostly due to the fish - the bulk of my cargo - selling for only 98 p/t. Kept the leather, as it would sell at a loss, and we can't have any of that.
Altair is industrial with a side-order of refining. So some very cheap Auto-Fabricators will probably do well. Non-Lethal Weapons is also remarkably cheap here, so I'm hedging my haul with those.
--- TZ Arietis > Altair ---
The approach to Solo Orbiter station was textbook perfect. Upon arrival though, a big fat Type 7 was parked at the entrance - getting shot at. Had to wait out the station defenses pulverizing it before I could slip through. The leather sold at a meager 170 p/t. Must have been the fish stink. The Non-Lethal Weapons did a disappointing 183 p/t and the Auto-Fabricators a nearly decent 337 p/t.
Picked up 15 tons of Altairian Skin, and the next stop being an extraction economy, some Mineral Extractors at a good price and a batch of Basic Medicines, everyone wants that.
--- Altair > Chi Eridani ---
Three jumps to get there, and two station visits on the itinerary. First, Steve Masters station to drop off the meds and pick up Marine Paste. Then off to The Ascending Phoenix station to drop off the Mineral Extractors and pick up some precious metals. Rumor have it they got a good price on Palladium.
Basic Medicines went for 123 p/t. 6 Tons of Marine Paste picked up, and a side-order of meat, coffee and tea for our friends at the station next door. All of which went down well at about 180 p/t which is ok considering the very short travel distance of a couple of light-seconds. The far longer traveled Mineral Extractors sold at a very disappointing 165 p/t.
At 13,115 Palladium was not as cheap as I'd hope. Only 400 under GA (Galactic Average). So went for Gold instead, at 500 under GA.
---
End of part 1 of this Rare Goods Grand Tour. My spending-fund is at 2.3 million and change. Cargo hold contains 66 Tons of gold, and 38 tons of rare goods. The next leg of this tour will take me into Imp space. Which I do not like the thought of. I have no friends or standing with them. So unlike this little trip through Federation space, where I haven't been interdicted once, I expect some more action on the next installment. Or perhaps pirates just don't like fully armed Asps, who knows?