Oh, it’s not 4 of these?
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^Dorcas McGee, fine recipient of Bubba’s Ski Instruction.
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Okay, I submitted my form.
Here is what I think I did.
Mission 3
Repair Kit: 4 LP
Mechanic repair (Jack “knife” Boyer @drman321 ) 1 LP to raise to 29 HP
1 LP to Jack “knife” Boyer @drman321 for union dues
so, at this point 29HP
17 LP minus 6 LP leaves 11 LP
upgrades:
Chain gun (+2 FP 3LP)
Flame thrower(+3 LP 1 LP)
Light Plating (+3 AR 2 LP)
Window Bars (+1 armor 1 LP)
Plumbing upgrade (+2 TQ 1 LP)
Parts repalce ( +3 EN 3 LP)
Unless I need tires. I am really unclear on that. If I do need to pay up 5 LP for tires,
then omit the chain gain, omit the plumbing upgrade, and only buy two parts replace for only a +2 EN.
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I’m going for that Skunkworks stash. You aren’t going to be able to sway me off that one.
That Stark feller was one hell of a prolific drinker and I have a hunch his stash is some mighty fine hooch.
((ooc: Reposting this here for ease of finding for those running the game. I’m on mission 1b))
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I see my (half)joke about unionizing has been taken somewhat seriously. I am all for trying to put together some sort of Unstable Alcoholic Wrenchers (UAW for short) chapter together, but we need to think on how to establish and maintain the unions power. If we are going to unionize and set a price for labor, what is to stop one of these other slobbering grease monkeys from going rouge and undercutting our prices? Cougar, Blaze, how do you folks feel about murderin? Can we murder scabs? Maybe take their fingers?
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Tweakin’ mah ordah, so disregard the one further up:
Stretch (@jonaseggeater) Repair kit for 4 LP
75% repairs gratis courtesy of Jack ‘Knife’ (+8, up to 40 HP)
1 x Carbon Fiber Hood (+3 SP) for 2 LP
3 x Plumbing Upgrade (+6 TQ) for 3 LP
5 x Part exchange (+5 EN) for 5LP
1 x Screamer Distraction Scrap Metal for 1LP
1 x Light Plating (+3 AR) for 2LP
Mission 1b in the posse, but specifically keepin’ an eye out for Jack ‘Knife’.
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As resident Wasteland Socialist, I am wholly in favor of unionization, redistribution of wealth, and giving power to the workers. However, since the only real power in the wasteland is FirePower, there’s nothing stopping a grey market repair economy from undercutting the union. It’s all fair game, though of course non-union workers can only undercut so much before receiving too little benefit to themselves for their labor.
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So murdering scabs is frowned upon?
Jack. Knife. Proprietor of Third Man Mechanics.
Sure, any of us can, and maybe likely, turn on any of us if our self-interest outweighs our the interest of one’s convoy. I believe @bizmail_public has some fancy quote about such things that sounds like he stole from some scifi book. We’re in the waste, reliant upon our own steam.
See now Knife, Clank @davide405 got it wrong when he said I paid him his quoted rate out of “honor.” What the fuck good is “honor” out in the waste? I did it out of trust, which is the only goddammned thing more precious than fuel since Chelsea’s Sea Change.
And you’d bet your ass that on this death mission, we will see things that cause us to doubt, or renege, our trust in each other. Sure, we’re all KUMBAYA MY LORD now, but if you imagined that we were instead some band of space pirates, well, it takes little to imagine that some might turn upon their comrades.
If you look at the data that good ole Major provided, you’ll see that you readin-folk are far weaker than the rest of us. Now, you need us to keep you alive during the missions, and we need you to get us healthy for the next mission. And for you to stay alive, you need to close that gap between your current weakness and what foes we might face.
Think of it: we’re not going to assault bases full of mechanics. We’re not going to get raided by mutant mechanics. It’s not the Rime of the Ancient Mechanic. All you are the weakest thing on 4 wheels, and if you don’t make enough LP to keep yourself prepared for what seems to be increasingly difficult foes, then we may be left with only one or 2 mechanics. And, if that’s the case, one lucky shot from one gremlin will wipe us all from this place long before we ever see Edwards AFB.
I’ve no interest in being gouged. Shit, that’s what Stretch is for.
I’ve got great self-interest in getting repairs as cheap as I can to add more plumbing to my rig. Especially if I have to eat one.more.pancake.
But I’ve also got great interest in seeing Cougar and her anklebiter realize their dream. Personal interest.
It may not be my dream, as I’ve been called to different pastures, but let’s just say I’ve got great self-interest in not getting wiped.
Jesus, Cougar @Donald_Petersen, this ought be your soap-box. But maybe I’ve at least shown you that money is not my sole interest.
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Well, Cougar told me about a dome-like structure that we speculate has something to do with Drivers murdering each other out by Edwards AFB, but, like, that’s not really my sort of thing so you’ll have to ask her about that. Right now, personally I’d really like to get to Mars, so I’m going to put myself between any Drivers who start scuffling - come on, we need you guys!
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I understand the logic there Burton, but you have to understand the logic of the economy we’ve been given here. Being a reader let me lay it out for you. See we have an unlimited supply of a particular product (our labor) and a limited demand (only so many of you need repairs). If we allow the market to operate as the market will then the mechanic willing to go the lowest (1LP for complete repairs) will get the most LPs right now. As other mechanics begin to die out the remaining mechanics may choose to raise their prices but for now that would be a poor decision as nobody is going to pay more for repairs than they need to under normal circumstances.
We can fix that with a union, but a union without teeth isn’t going to last long. One scab could render it useless.
Now the way I see it right now there are a lot of mechanics. That is going to change as this mission goes on. As mechanics grow more scarce the rest of you folks are going to need to make damn sure that you keep them alive. It doesn’t matter what you pay for repairs now, if you run out of mechanics Stretch is gonna bleed you all dry.
If we can’t murder scabs or at least take their fingers then there are two other options. The first is Stretch getting on board with the union and refusing to sell repair kits to non union mechanics. The second is the rest of you scouts, mules, and escorts cutting off any non union mechanics, letting them die on missions, not patronizing their business, that sort of thing, because if you encourage the non union boys going with a rock bottom repair rate then we are dealing with your expressed worry of the mechanics not being able to keep up and stay alive.
So what is it? I don’t think Stretch is going to back the union, he doesn’t seem the type, so, are we mechanics gonna get a little support from the rest of you kids in setting a standardized price or is it going to be a pure capitalist race to the bottom?
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Thanks for having me. Sorry I’m running late. I took a siesta and it was nearly permanent. Mind scorpions; what can you do?
Getting here must have really done you cats in. You’re talking like a bunch of accountants. Strength in numbers, minimum effort for maximum hit points, unions. Strictly squaresville. If I wanted to hang out with my Dad, I would have stayed in the bunker.
Mission #2 sounds like certain doom. You can count on my steel, Jane. Just do me a solid if we make it through to the other side. I picked up a bunch of Gold Medal paperbacks at a Church of Yog Sothoth rummage sale, and I’d like to put some titles to these crazy covers. They look like a real trip.
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Look, kid.
You don’t call me kid.
I call you kid.
My record on paying a fair trade price for only the finest, artisanal and locally -sourced …mechanicary is already established.
I’d appreciate it if you didn’t treat me as otherwise.
/Over.
Sure, you did pay a decent price for it. I don’t see everyone else lining up behind you to do the same. If we can’t set some sort of minimum rate then I am keeping my rate at the rock bottom because that is the only way I am every going to see a LP from repair work. If we can set a minimum rate then we need some way to enforce it, and we are going to need a lot more than just you behind enforcing it. Don’t take it personal. We are having this discussion out in the open in front of everyone for a reason. It involves everyone. As you pointed out, no mechanics = a bad day for everyone.
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Well, I’m not literate so perhaps my ideas are worth shit, in which case I’d be better off speaking into the crapper and increasing my fuel economy.
But perhaps, if you want to be the Next Jimmy Hoffa, instead winding up like the Last Jimmy Hoffa, you’d best cut a deal with the Escorts.
Give the most favorable rates to Escorts that only patronize Union Approved ™ shops. If the Escort Union boycotts the Scab Mechanics, then you get the best protection this waste has to offer, they get the best repair prices available.
All the rest fall into line.
Until we need the TORQUE to tow that fucking penis-tower-of-tony-stark.
Then you need me.
I’m the best at what I do, and what I do is pretty shitty.
/FLUSH
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This union, there’s gonna be meetings?
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Whoa now, hold up there, Knife. Time to hit the brakes!
I ain’t gonna hide that I’m part o’ the little confab us mechanics are havin’ down ‘t the union hall. And I won’t kid anybody about wantin’ to get better rates for my wrench work.
But I won’t have no part of murderin’ no one, even someone who’s undercutting’ union rates. If bein’ a union member ain’t good enough reason to keep a feller in line, then I’m just gonna havta trust the drivers I been rollin’ with to send enough business my way to keep me in enough plates for my ride to be able to keep up with the tougher missions that Cougar says’ll be comin’ down the pike.
I want a union, but I ain’t gonna kill or maim no one to make it work.
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Breaker Breaker
As we head off into our first mission, I think it appropriate to invite y’all into what is a good luck tradition among us MULES and other Long Haulers.
Now, ole Uncle Egg Chen gave me enough manners to know to keep such chatter outside the main channel.
Which is why I’m broadcasting such extraneous and totally inconsequential episodes in narrative fiction upon a separate frequency.
So, join us if you wannna listen, or even give tell to yer own: Trucker Tales.
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What’s all this fancy talk about? Thems reading words are melting your brain.
It’s real simple. I shoot things. I’m great at it! It’s fun. Bullets and exhaust and things that explode! I make sure you don’t get shot. You patch me up good as new, or haul things, or zip ahead like a squirrel, 'cuz you’re good at it. We’re pals. Pals watch out for each other, even if it gets a bit pricey.
People who are not my pals? People who are jerks? Well let’s just say they won’t see Channing protecting their ride when the shit goes down and you’re getting dogpiled by guard bots, or screamers, or all the other nasties that go bump in the night.
And as for the people who double cross me or mine? Well… that won’t end well.
Folks, remember what our goal is.
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