Freighters, lets make them more desirable

[Shryke]

So I'm sitting around at home nursing a hangover and I noticed there was a Star Wars marathon on Space network. Han Solo has always been my favourite character out of that franchise, and his freighter smuggler ship. Then an idea crossed my mind. A smugglers guild-like faction, but one that would only use freighters as, lets face it, you don't see tankers full of cocaine docking on Miami - it's small planes or powerboats. RP wise, it would make more sense. But then I thought about it a bit more and came to the conclusion that freighters are few and far between for a reason.

Why smuggle ~600 units of Cardamine when you can smuggle ~3500? That's the main kicker right there. As much as someone wants to roleplay, they aren't going to limit themselves to a small freighter and take home a much smaller amount of credits, unless they were downright hardcore. Sure, freighters are smaller than a transport and inherently have much better survivability, but if a smuggler knows what he's doing, he'll never encounter a lawful on his PTrans/Train. (not to mention adding on Armour 8 takes a larger percentage of cargo space on a freighter as opposed to a transport)

So what exactly are freighters here for except a stepping stone to transports? Cargo piracy, as the Bactrian and Correo have shown to do quite well, is an option. Again, why not use a PTrans instead? Much better offensive, defensive and cargo hauling capabilities. You're also much more likely to get a trader to comply if you have a PTrans as opposed to a Bactrian. I know I can certainly take down a transport in my PTrans a lot easier than in a Bactrian.

That leaves us with the freighter being a stepping stone, which isn't right. A civilian or independent trader is much more likely to own a freighter, not a massive transport. Don't get me wrong, I'm not for restricting transports. Civvies and independents get shafted enough as it is.

Here's my ideas:

1) Give certain freighters a fighter torpedo slot. A Bactrian or Correo with a MR would be a much scarier sight. I acknowledge that it would require rebalancing.

2) If possible, through the same server magic that makes mining viable, give properly ID'd (Smuggler for contraband, for instance) freighters a 2x higher sell price. For example, the Camara would effectively smuggle 1260 units of contraband. Hardly game breaking stuff.

3) I don't have a #3 but it makes my post look more complete to those that just skim over the post.

Discussion is the idea behind this thread. Post your own ideas or comment on mine. Oh and I'm quite thick skinned, so if my ideas are outright stupid, say so. You won't hurt my feelings.

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Now as for the faction idea, I was thinking of organizing a Smugglers Guild, a loosely organized group of smugglers that create their own runs via RP and maintain it themselves. Not just slaves and cardi from Liberty to Alpha. The art of good business is being a good middleman, and getting factions items that they wouldn't be able to directly due to geography, diplomacy, etc, should be a profitable venture. The idea would be to limit to freighters, but that isn't something I'm completely dead set on

If anyone would be interested in this contact me via skype. Username is corporateheadhunter

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[Sickboy]

I also think that freighters are useless as much as light fighters. How about changeling tags and profits for smuggling. i.e smuggler ID would have limit for freighters but profit for lets say Cardi run would be 4x bigger.

Looks nice but that would cause lots of troubles with pirate unlawful factions who would need to use freighters for trade only.

Other words nothing will be done with it and in the end freighters will be use only by players who are not interested in profit but in good RP.

[Magoo!]

... I approve.

I have a feeling that the Smugglers Guild might get shot down though (pending any posts that happen while I type) for the same reason the JG did. Any profiteering group willing to work for the dollar and change allegiances as easily as money changes hands is completely out of reason.

Yeah... Sure.

[Shryke]

I have a feeling that the Smugglers Guild might get shot down though (pending any posts that happen while I type) for the same reason the JG did. Any profiteering group willing to work for the dollar and change allegiances as easily as money changes hands is completely out of reason.

It isn't really completely out of reason as a smuggler's only motivation is making a quick buck. Besides, I think you misunderstood. Ideally, factions would contact the guild requesting certain supplies, ones they don't have easy access to.

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[Magoo!]

Precisely. And you'd get a tangled web of the Corsairs griping at the Outcasts griping at the Hogosha griping at the Mollys griping at you for helping the Corsairs.

If the JG couldn't kill for who paid, I don't think you'll be able to send goods around Sirius to supply the people who will kill for who will pay. Call me crazy.

Like I said, profiteering makes perfect sense, but everybody at Disco wants you to pick a side and never move from it. So speaks the death of the JG.

[Shryke]

Like I said, profiteering makes perfect sense, but everybody at Disco wants you to pick a side and never move from it.

Not true. Look at the Mandalorians for example. They've done extensive work for the Outcasts but you still see them in House space.

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[Magoo!]

Mainly in Bretonia.

Who are neutral to the Outcasts.

[Shryke]

I see them in Liberty plenty. But this thread is meant more for freighters.

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[Sprolf]

For option two... why not just double all freighter cargospace?

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[Sickboy]

Or maybe better divide by 2 cargo space in transports?