Howdy y’all. Andrew here with a blog post about Supply Orders which are a new mechanic for supporting Econ gameplay. Similar to Work Orders, the intent of Supply Orders is to provide players with plot related engagement rewards that they can pursue independently and at their own pace for the Econ sphere of finding resources and creating items.
Supply Order Overview
Here is an example supply order from our test run at the March game to walk through the parts of:
Hiding within the legalese common to all of the San Saba Board documents is important information you need.
Every supply order is going to come from one of the factions we’ve established in the San Saba and the items in the supply order will tie into the narrative of that faction. For March at Queen’s Grace each of the supply orders was for one of the Tribes for supplies they were looking to stock up on while visiting Bravado. As a preview for April, the RRC will have a supply order looking to stock up on things to make the Boatel of Drywater a success.
In the middle of the form is the actual list of what is desired to fill the supply order. Listed in the table are an item or resource, how many batches are wanted, and the payout per batch. The desired items in the list may be a broader category so there are multiple options for how to fill the order, or it may be a specific resource or item. If a single batch specifies multiple items, then for simplicity at the post office each batch will be a multiple of how many are created per crafting or gathering session.
Supply Orders in Play
Supply Orders can start the game posted in a public high traffic location such as the bulletin board at the post office or at the work areas in the depot. Alternatively work orders can be brought out by an NPC to actively look for those willing to work on supplying it.
Going out with the supply order will also be a corresponding set of supply chits with one supply chit for each item that the supply order is wanting filled. Supply chits use the trade voucher template:
Each supply chit will be filled in with a single item from the supply order and also the price offered. If a player wants to fill the supply order and be paid they take the specific supply chit for the item, not the supply order. The supply order stays where it is posted or with the NPC who brought it in.
If a player already has a card for the item specified on the supply chit then it’s as simple as taking the card and the supply chit both to the post office and turning them in together to receive the listed reward.
If a player needs to use a skill to create or find the item specified on the supply chit then they first need to fulfill all the roleplay, time, and material requirements that the skill would normally require. Once those requirements are complete, the supply chit can be taken to the post office where the skill use and materials will be verified as usual for creating a card. But instead of creating a card for the skill use the player will receive the listed reward on the supply chit.
As a point of courtesy only take multiple supply chits if you already have the existing cards to fill all the orders without skill use. If you intend to use a skill to fill the order then just take one supply chit at a time. Once the skill use is complete and the supply chit has been turned in for its reward a player can return and take another supply chit if they are available.
In Summary
Supply Orders are designed to both promote independent econ gameplay and promote tying econ activities into the larger plot.
Supply Orders can be posted in game or enter play with an NPC.
Supply Orders will come with a set of Supply Chits for each item on the Supply Order.
To work on filling an item off the Supply Order take the matching Supply Chit for the item.
Take the Supply Chit to the post office along with either an existing item card or proof of your work to create the item. Once verified by the post office you will receive the listed reward.
Be courteous and only take more than one Supply Chit at a time if you have existing cards on hand to fill all of them.
I hope you give a Supply Order a try and get to put some Brass in your pocket. With Collection Day almost here, earning some extra Brass might be important. Do work, get paid, and see y’all soon.