Nebula Design Contest

The first Nebula contest was to build a small merchant ship capable of surviving in the Wilds. Six designs were received:
  • Athenian Class Trader by Eamon Watters
  • Iguana class Far Trader by Chris Lloyd
  • Pandora Class Freighter byDerek Stanley
  • Sojourner Wilds Trader byLewis Roberts
  • Tycoon Class Modular Wilds Trader by Franklin W. Cain
  • Virtue Class Upgradable Wilds Trader by Franklin W. Cain

    Franklin Cain also posted a rebuttal in the form of the Rebuttal Class Trader.

    The vote totals were:
    Sojourner Wilds Trader 1.0
    Athenian Class Trader 2.17
    Iguana class Far Trader 3.0
    Tycoon Class Modular Wilds Trader 4
    Virtue Class Upgradable Wilds Trader 4.14
    Pandora Class Freighter 5.14
    It looks like the next design contest will be to design a Regency Vampire Hunter ship. It will probably start in the second week of August.

    Here is a small intro paragraph to explain the story behind the Wilds Trader. I used the idea in Guilded Lilly of the RC buying old ships for new ones.

    The RC has decided to institute a program of buying older highly worn vessels from Free Traders, and replacing them with a new ship, which can be maintained much easier and with Coalition supplied parts. The benefits to the Coalition are that there will be a demand for Coalition spare parts, the Free Traders will have to come to Coalition space for repairs and annual maintenance. The Free Traders will also provide a means of communication between the Coalition and the Wilds. This will start a base for further expansion of the RC. The RC will also be able to salvage what ever remaining high tech parts these ships have. It will also provide numerous jobs in the RC, and help spark starport upgrades on worlds with only a B or C starport.

    The benefits to the Free Traders are that their ship will be much newer and easier to maintain, there will be less down time, which will increase profits. They will have a steady supply of spare parts, as opposed to the current situation of scrounging to find new parts at every planet and starport. While the Free Traders will have to come to Coalition space to get the spare parts and maintenance, this will allow them to purchase high tech merchandise that is unavailable in the Wilds, further increasing profits.

    The RCSA feels that the standard Jayhawk Far Trader is unsuitable for this task, for several reasons and is soliciting designs for a new Wilds Trader. The new ship can be built at any of the Coalition's shipyards, at any associated Tech Level, Jump Drives from Aubaine will have to be used and are available at the standard price. At this time the RCSA doesn't want to impose restrictions on the design of the ship. It feels that starship architects best know how to design ships, but it encourages companies to interview Free Traders to get a feel for what they want in a ship.

    The winning design, will be chosen by a panel of experts. They will judge the ship on affordability, survivability, profitability and general usefulness. Designs should be sent to the RCSA headquarters on Aubaine by 14/VII/1202.