Topic: Introduction... (Read 15424 times)

Ice Hellion · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2011, 02:26:07 PM »

Quote from: Klat on April 05, 2011, 10:35:08 PM

Wow, again thanks everyone. I'm going to try to start thread on some if my ideas regarding the "war markets" of the BT universe and how (in theory) the markets drive a state of near constant conflict. I'm thinking this will be the primer to a much more ambitious project to paint a more realistic image of mercenaries and perhaps contribute to a mercenary centric setting where privatized armies are the norm.

Interesting idea.
This is a project I would gladly help you with (and my major was in economics/logistics).

klinktastic · « **Reply #16 on:** April 06, 2011, 02:53:53 PM »

I often find myself referring to economics concepts such as Utility, Supply & Demand, etc. Very interesting area of study. Depending on what you were trying to do, I could be convinced to help as well.

Klat · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2011, 03:16:11 PM »

The next couple of days will be pretty busy for me but I should be able to get the ball rolling on this after that.

A few ideas:

1.) Are the currencies of the Successor States pegged to the C-bill? Are house bills backed by anything or are they fiat currencies?

2.) Assuming that little to nothing backs house bills then would it be safe to say that any major mobilization of military assets, both state and private, would require large sums of money to be created?

3.) If the houses tend to increase liquidity in order to fund major mobilization would it be safe to say that inflationary cycles would follow such actions and result in a "melt-up" in arms industries?

Can you imagine the speculation that would result from any major military action? One could invest in mercenary commands and defense contractors and watch as the added liquidity and demand drives values (both nominal and real) higher and higher. Even better mercenaries would tend to spend money with the state that hired them as they purchased materials (in C-bills that they receive from the state) and thus even though the state paid them in C-bills they would cycle them back through their own economy via the mercs.

Knightmare · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2011, 03:36:50 PM »

Quote from: Klat on April 06, 2011, 03:16:11 PM

The next couple of days will be pretty busy for me but I should be able to get the ball rolling on this after that.

A few ideas:

1.) Are the currencies of the Successor States pegged to the C-bill? Are house bills backed by anything or are they fiat currencies?

2.) Assuming that little to nothing backs house bills then would it be safe to say that any major mobilization of military assets, both state and private, would require large sums of money to be created?

3.) If the houses tend to increase liquidity in order to fund major mobilization would it be safe to say that inflationary cycles would follow such actions and result in a "melt-up" in arms industries?

Can you imagine the speculation that would result from any major military action? One could invest in mercenary commands and defense contractors and watch as the added liquidity and demand drives values (both nominal and real) higher and higher. Even better mercenaries would tend to spend money with the state that hired them as they purchased materials (in C-bills that they receive from the state) and thus even though the state paid them in C-bills they would cycle them back through their own economy via the mercs.

Actually, most of that sounds about right.

As far as I know, House Currencies have never been properly explained in terms of their connection to the actual C-Bill. Sure an exchange rate has been created, but without explanation. This leads me to believe that House Bills aren't pegged to the C-Bill in a "true" manner until otherwise told. I also tend to believe that House Bills could or should be considered fiat currencies, despite vague references to House economies and monetary setups reminiscent of actual real world examples.

I mean you're really talking about two types of currency "controls" when discussing money in the Inner Sphere. You're talking about control and currency worth in a Great House's domestic market and then the Inner Sphere-wide currency exchange. If House Currencies are pegged to the C-Bill or the C-Bill controls currency exchange I'd be interested in learning what arbitrary formula ComStar employs since Terra doesn't regulate or control the Houses' domestic currency market or economy.

Otherwise ComStar would have controlled the entirety of the Inner Sphere a long, long time ago...

Blacknova · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2011, 05:11:57 PM »

The C-Bill was the standard stable currency and preferred interstellar excahnge currency up until around 3052. After the schism, things get murky.

Ice Hellion · « **Reply #20 on:** April 07, 2011, 01:34:19 PM »

C-Bills could simply be the reference money, the only "stable" or accepted money for exchanges.
From what I remember, I think it is backed by ComStar thanks to its communication monopoly.

As for the other powers, they are likely to back their money by their own economical power and their capacity to attract foreign money.

However, this means that money can flow through the Inner Sphere, which seems rather unlikely (otherwise, the Capellan Confederation would be in dire straits).

This makes me think that the C-Bills is used as the reference money for trades and exchanges between the different States, which means that ComStar might also act as the Inner Sphere Central Bank.

Now, the real question would be how do the rates change over time?
Perhaps, ComStar could also act as a notation agency, issuing ratings over the different States and their bonds or other loans.

The real question is who buy these bonds and loans?

Knightmare · « **Reply #21 on:** April 07, 2011, 01:41:51 PM »

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 07, 2011, 01:34:19 PM

C-Bills could simply be the reference money, the only "stable" or accepted money for exchanges.
From what I remember, I think it is backed by ComStar thanks to its communication monopoly.

That is correct. C-Bill = %Text via HPG. A C-Bill's worth is dictated by transmission purchasing power. This is both arbitrary and awesome.

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 07, 2011, 01:34:19 PM

This makes me think that the C-Bills is used as the reference money for trades and exchanges between the different States, which means that ComStar might also act as the Inner Sphere Central Bank.

I won't even touch this.

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 07, 2011, 01:34:19 PM

Now, the real question would be how do the rates change over time?
Perhaps, ComStar could also act as a notation agency, issuing ratings over the different States and their bonds or other loans.

The real question is who buy these bonds and loans?

Forget time. How do rates change between the different economies AND the C-Bill? Fluctuating market exchange with a defacto standard...Again, if ComStar has that kind of centralizing control...well, a retcon would be out of the question since it would literally rewrite most of BT's published history.

Rainbow 6 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 07, 2011, 02:11:41 PM »

Greatings Klat and welcome to the boards.

Now i could be misremembering but aren't the House currencies relitive strengths against each other decided by the ammount of Germainium and clean water controlled by the respective house's?

Knightmare · « **Reply #23 on:** April 07, 2011, 02:26:32 PM »

Quote from: Rainbow 6 on April 07, 2011, 02:11:41 PM

Greatings Klat and welcome to the boards.

Now i could be misremembering but aren't the House currencies relitive strengths against each other decided by the ammount of Germainium and clean water controlled by the respective house's?

I don't think that's the case anymore. It used to be prior to the Third or Fourth Succession War? I know the SL Currency rested some of its stated strength on Germanium, but certainly not all of it. At least with the SL you have a central currency authority.

Blacknova · « **Reply #24 on:** April 07, 2011, 06:21:57 PM »

I think water got dropped out over time and the Germanium Standard was carried through.

Ice Hellion · « **Reply #25 on:** April 08, 2011, 03:11:16 PM »

Quote from: Knightmare on April 07, 2011, 01:41:51 PM

a retcon

A what?

Knightmare · « **Reply #26 on:** April 08, 2011, 04:04:08 PM »

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 08, 2011, 03:11:16 PM

Quote from: Knightmare on April 07, 2011, 01:41:51 PM
a retcon

A what?

A rewrite of original material. In recent years some of the newer CBT products have changed or glossed over previously published material from older sourcebooks.

Klat · « **Reply #27 on:** April 08, 2011, 07:34:26 PM »

Those retcons, while more than likely necessary seem to be the source of about half arguments on the CBT forums

As to the economics: So most powers base their currency off of something... That makes a certain sense then as undoubtedly the need for mobilization in the past led many states to add liquidity without worrying about what was backing it (essentially fractional reserves) only to find themselves in a whole heap of trouble down the road. That trouble could be part of the appeal for further mobilizations; gotta keep those factories going full tilt while we try to grab more resources from the other states to back all this money we're printing to pay for all stuff coming out of all those factories... Oh boy, what a cycle that could be. Throw mercs into the mix and things probably got worse and worse for the successor states.

Bad mojo for sure.

Well, thanks everyone. I think I may have to start an actual thread for this now.

Blacknova · « **Reply #28 on:** April 08, 2011, 08:11:11 PM »

Quote from: Klat on April 08, 2011, 07:34:26 PM

Those retcons, while more than likely necessary seem to be the source of about half arguments on the CBT forums

Bad mojo for sure.

Hence why we are all here.

Knightmare · « **Reply #29 on:** April 08, 2011, 09:16:30 PM »

Quote from: Blacknova on April 08, 2011, 08:11:11 PM

Quote from: Klat on April 08, 2011, 07:34:26 PM
Those retcons, while more than likely necessary seem to be the source of about half arguments on the CBT forums

Bad mojo for sure.

Hence why we are all here.

Nail head hit.

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Author Topic: Introduction... (Read 15424 times)

Ice Hellion

Re: Introduction...

klinktastic

Re: Introduction...

Klat

Re: Introduction...

Knightmare

Re: Introduction...

Blacknova

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Ice Hellion

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Knightmare

Re: Introduction...

Rainbow 6

Re: Introduction...

Knightmare

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Blacknova

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Ice Hellion

Re: Introduction...

Knightmare

Re: Introduction...

Klat

Re: Introduction...

Blacknova

Re: Introduction...

Knightmare

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