[PnP] Economic Project, Part 1 (rev 2)

[Scott Adams]

Finally can reply.  With some brain cells though tired today. (less so)
I'll cut off th efull quotes.
Lots of text so I'll handle it paragraph by paragraph rather than
as one document.

 > For all the years my group and I have been playing P&P,

I believe most of the gear from the 1980s was basic very basic.  I never
saw it as perfect but just a baseline.  Obviously gear in Fomoria would
be vastly diferent in type, style, price than say Donara.  Most of the
gear we just did was basic and not in any way long term.  We did not
setup kingdoms or such.  Though recently few years ago I did have some
buy land and one even has a horse ranch.  That ranch I worked on the
full details on upkeep and such with the owner.  It was probably the
biggest thing for this type of system.


 >Well, once you get such a kingdom, they needed to know what

Taxes is something that I'd have to consider.  The GNI thing is a good
start.  But like you say working your way up to the top on the list
also works.  For example if you know that laborer does X then a Duke
might make this one can estimate taxes on things like this.  But this
is beyond a simple thing I'd have to come up with population figures,
average salary, expenses, GNI and such to figure this final tax rate.

 >I am presenting these series of posts as both a presentation of

I may not have great advice on this subject.  It is just something
we normally don't do.  So it will be mostly simple comments.  Sorry
can't do more than that.  Keep in mind on taxes that no taxes are
ever the same year and year.  Famine, fires, plaques, etc will affect
popular, supply and demand.  Can't do 10% tax for a land who just
lost 50% in crops and 10% in people.  Would have revolts.

 >Now, I am not an economist (though some of you out there may be),

I think if I were inclined to do this I'd do a basic manufacturing
system like you have tried.  So what materials, time and such goes
into making a set of crops, shoes or a palace.  Once you have this
bare stuff one can figure out that factors on a chart could determine
time to make, price and such.  When I did my Tanning rules I did something
very BASIC like this and it worked though to be honest it was mostly
guess work.  But now I can figure out how long a X fur can take
to make and a price for the tanner to sell (a few pcs).  This would
be a nightmare for everything item wise.  So a more generic stuff
like materials on wood, silver, etc might be needed.


 >  * A P&P year is 360 days; a P&P week is 6 days, for 5 weeks per month

Hmm.  Some use calendars of various sorts.  Solar, seasonal.  I have
some file that I did for the Culture project that is just on those
things but don't think it will help.

 >  * All occupations are averaged out to the productivity of a single man;

Keep in mind a FREE man works at most cases harder than a slave.  A slave
will be not as determined to help his master.  Aut a free man willl
tend to want to get paid for his owrk.  So some factor for the worker
should be figured for slaves, free man, indentured or even prisoners
in jails work.  That sort of thing.

    * Station 4 -- Specialist (100b), Rare Specialist (200b)

Again station wages will be different for slaves vs free men.
Barbarians vs civilized folks so these factors will affect the
base wages and such.



 >A farmer works 300 days a year on his own farm, spending an

Ahh? 30 days for bad weather.  Seems way way too small. Look at
CA with the heat.  Can't farm weeds.  I think weather should be
much more a factor than 30 days.  If I were to do a random system
I'd some fast charts or write a program for weather (actually I
did a good chart on weather long ago).  I mean 30 days?  I dunno.
Seems like could be as much as 3-4 times than that at times and
depending on the area.  Formoria might have hurricnes like LEmasa
but Ticasi might only have rain.


 >The 1440p income is the same as our 5bb/year. 2900 liters is
 >(NOTE: Is this too little beer?  I have brewed in the past,

Not a drinker.  But I know some can do 3-6 canss a night or 3-6 bottles
a night easily.  Course most ancient folks made their own brew or if
they could afford it they didn't driink much due to religion and such.
Too little?  Seems reasonable.


Sadly the other numbers I have no comment.  They all look good.
But I'm just not into sitting and breaking the numbers down.  Sorry.
They all look reasonable.  Sorry if not a great reply.

your second post on firewood and such was excellent.  I think the
numbers there are finely tuned.  Great job.  I wish I could reply
better but I see little error or issue.

hmm..actually just recalled I don't see factors like on transportation.
did you factor wagons..ships and such for moving such materials?
f

Gee that was a waste of post.  Nothing too detailed...sigh..