Business Traits and Emergent Issues
Traits are characteristics of your biz that affect its monthly outcome and performance, touching your costs or income. There are 2 types: Competitive Advantages, and Lingering Problems.
Emergent Issues, or simply Issues for short, are events that do the same, and need to be somehow addressed. Some of them are solvable, others can be mitigated, and others can affect you in the long run.
Most of the time, Traits and Issues translate in cumulative multipliers to Investment, Monthly Operations, Monthly salaries, Monthly Income, Net Monthly Profit, or Risk. Some of them may involve other types of mechanism, such as paying a lump sum, a little bit of randomness, or stuff that gets worst over time.
Below you'll find the list we propose, although the GM is free to device others.
Emergent Issues, or simply Issues for short, are events that do the same, and need to be somehow addressed. Some of them are solvable, others can be mitigated, and others can affect you in the long run.
Most of the time, Traits and Issues translate in cumulative multipliers to Investment, Monthly Operations, Monthly salaries, Monthly Income, Net Monthly Profit, or Risk. Some of them may involve other types of mechanism, such as paying a lump sum, a little bit of randomness, or stuff that gets worst over time.
Below you'll find the list we propose, although the GM is free to device others.
Business Traits and Effects
| Trait/Effect Type | Trait/Effect | Description | Investment | Monthly Salaries | Monthly Operations | Monthly Income | Net Monthly Profit | Risk | Other Mechanisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage | Premium | Your products are better than average, so you can charge more. You use better materials and pay your people better, but this is compensated, since you can keep a smaller scale. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.01 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Advantage | Massive | You sell cheap, but you sell a lot. This requieres a great scale, which meant greater investment, and means you squeeze your people, and your products tend to be below average quality. | 1.2 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 1.03 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Advantage | Elitist Fuck | Requires Premium. Rich people see your product as a way to distinguish themselves from the rabble. | 1.05 | 1.01 | 1.01 | 1.04 | 1 | 0.99 | 0 |
| Advantage | Monopoly | Nobody else does what you do in your settlement, you are immune to Emergent Issues related to Competition, except New Entrant. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.05 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Unique Asset | Requires Monopoly. Your business is based in a building, equipment nobody else has in town, hence, copying your business is difficult. | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1.05 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Unique Know-how | Requires Monopoly. Your business is based in a know-how nobody else has in town, hence, copying your business is difficult. ¿Who has this know-how? | 1 | 1.02 | 1 | 1.05 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Loyal Customer Base | You don't have customers, you have fans. You are immune to Emergent Issues due to Clients. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.1 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Experienced Staff | The business is run by very experienced and performing staff. Your time investment is halved. | 1 | 1.02 | 1 | 1.02 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Loyal Staff | You don't have staff, you have admirers. If you get a Staff related Emergent Issue, it never happened. | 1 | 1.02 | 1 | 1.01 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Advantage | Risk Manager | You are very cautious, you prevent and manage risks in all senses. You have a lower chance of getting an Emergent Issue, but your measures mean more costs. | 1 | 1.02 | 1.01 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Advantage | Smuggler | Along with your legal biz, you also sell something profitably illicit. State what. This is risky, though. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.05 | 1 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Advantage | Well Connected | You have friends in high places. They require less tributes and bribes out of you. And you are immune to Emergent Issues related with Authorities. | 1 | 0.98 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.95 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Powerful Competitor | You have a tough and bitter rivalry with a competitor. It can even get violent. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.96 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Continuous Shoplifting | Your biz is regular target of shoplifters, bleeding it, drop by drop. Contermeasures would be more costly. | 1 | 1.01 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | High Debt | Instead of covering your Investment by yourself, you got your money from a loan shark. You pay 0,8xNet Profit to the loan shark monthly, until you pay 5 times the Investment. Miss 1 payment, and you'll get a harsh warning, miss 2 and they'll kill you and confiscate your business. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Employee Turnover | Employees don't last long, they come and go before they manage to learn the business. Hence, productivity suffers, and you are exposed to more risks. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.98 | 1 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Chaotic Management | Maybe you are not a good manager, or the hired manager is not very organized. Your operation costs tend to spike and plunge, each month. If you change manager to undo the previous mess, it will be very costly (manager wage, unpaid debts, etc.). | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | roll 1D10: 9-10 -> 0,8xOperations // 1-2 -> 1,2xOperations |
| Lingering Problem | Whimsical Customers | Your demand is not steady. Hence, income is irregular. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | roll 1d10: 9-10 -> 1.1xIncome // 1-2 -> 0.9xIncome |
| Lingering Problem | Commoditization | The product you sell is becoming or has become a commodity, selling price is low, and margins shrink. You are in deep shit if you competed through quality. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Investor | You couldn't afford the investment, so you managed to get a rich investor. He is now your partner, although in not very good terms. You need to give him 0,55xNet Profits for ever, and will harass you if profits are not good. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.45 | 1 | 0 |
| Lingering Problem | Tough Union Negotiation | You had a strike, or your employees threatened to leave, and/or destroy your business. After a tough negotiation, you yielded. You had to significantly raise wages. It slightly increases Productivity, and you can ignore the Strike Emergent Issue for 2 years. Incompatible with Loyal Staff Advantage. | 1 | 1.05 | 1 | 1.01 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Staff) | Strike | Business is paralyzed, if you cease to pay wages, you'll anger them even more. You can negotiate or do something though. If you accept their demands, you get the Tough Union Negotiation Lingering Problem. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Staff) | Drama | Conflict between your staff members runs rampant, morale and productivity falls. Income x0.97 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.97 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Staff) | Flight | A key member of your staff leaves you and goes to work for the competitiion. Income goes at 0.98x until you find a suitable replacement. The GM may determine you lose the Unique Know-how advantage. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.98 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Staff) | Theft | One of your staff is stealing from you. Until you discover who is it and fire him, you get 1.02xOperations. | 1 | 1.02 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Authorities) | Bribe or closing | An authority threatens to close your business unless you pay a huge bribe or tribute of Investmentx0,3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0,3xInvestment |
| Emergent Issue (Authorities) | Tribute Increase | An authority rises the tribute he demands from you. Operationsx1,01 | 1 | 1 | 1.01 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Accident?) | Working Accident | Due to your neglect (allegedly), a staff member suffers a terrible accident. If you don't take care of him or his family, his family and friends may try to take care of you. Outcome depends on negotiation, usually 1 yr without profits. A killed merc is not an accident, it is business as usual. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Accident?) | Murdered Key Staff | A key staff member is murdered in suspicious circumstances. Income goes at 0,98x until you find a replacement and find out what happened. You may lose the Unique Know-How Advantage. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.98 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Accident?) | Fire! | A mysterious fire starts at night. Arson? For a month: No income, no operation cost, but you still pay Salaries. You need to spend 0,3xInvestment to repair and get back to business. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0,3xInvestment |
| Emergent Issue (Crime) | Murder Investigation | A gang kills a client of yours in your premises, authorities come snooping. What will they find? Incomex0,98 during the month, if you have somthing illegal going on, be very careful. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.98 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Crime) | Robbery | An armed robbery stole 50% of your monthly income. Half your staff on site is killed, the families of non-combattants want vengeance. If you run caravans, you lose a whole convoy, you need to buy wagons, animals, and hire more mercs. Unless you successfully retaliate, that trade route is shut for you. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0,5xIncome & a Convoy |
| Emergent Issue (Clients) | Boring | Clients are bored of your product/service, unless you spice things up, you'll suffer Incomex0,99 cumulative each month. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.99 | 1 | 1 | compounded monthly |
| Emergent Issue (Clients) | Disgruntled Influencer | A VIP of influence received bad service or a flawed product. Unless you compensate disproportionately, you'll suffer Incomex0,99 cumulative each month. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.99 | 1 | 1 | compounded monthly |
| Emergent Issue (Competition) | Rumor | A competitor started a noxious rumor about your business. Unless you do something to control it, you'll suffer Incomex0,99 cumulative each month. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.99 | 1 | 1 | compounded monthly |
| Emergent Issue (Competition) | New Entrant | A new well funded and threatening competitor starts in your settlement. Incomex0,95 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.95 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergent Issue (Competition) | Supply Price Increase | The cost of some supply increases significantly. Unless you negotiate or something, Operationsx1,03 | 1 | 1 | 1.03 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
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