This is very much a WIP, and designed to work alongside Infamy, and not replace it. This is from an excel sheet, so presentation might be a bit weird, and sometimes refers to a Massed Combat system that I have not finished writing.

Disclaimer : this is not a replacement for the acquisition system, but parallel to it, designed for massive/intangible quantities of goods. It helps represent the network of the players, and what they can trade and leverage to obtain what they need. Thus, it is linked, but separate from Infamy. Acquiring resources here can be a simple matter of roleplay (stumbling upon some info, looting a cache of weapons, capturing slaves, or "protecting" a manufactorum) or, if the players cannot get what they wish, through Xp Costs, which can be spent during downtime during two compacts, representing the time and effort spent acquiring these resources. Furthermore, the availabilities of personal items are not the same as on the individual level, representing that it is not a personal matter to the characters, but rather business; the rarer items are not available this way: this is a way of getting 1000 basic lasguns, not to get THE master-crafted assault lasgun with all the upgrades you want. Some other categories represent the acquisitions of larger objects, or holdings. The exact mechanics are detailed below.

Resources Key

Availability : 5 grades for each resource, representing an approximative bracket of what is commonly available (no titans included). It helps qualify and "size" the goods, and the number of suppliers within the vortex. A character can only negotiate on his own behalf goods of Availabilities depending on his Infamy (keep in mind this is for massive shipments of relatively common goods) and be taken seriously, and the Time Span before delivery varies with Availability as well (though this is just an indication and up to the GM).


Infamy needed Time span
Ubiquitous 0 1 day
Abundant 5 3 days
Plentiful 10 1 week
Common 15 2 weeks
Average 20 1 month
Scarce 30 2 months
Rare 40 3 months
Very Rare 50 6 months
Extremely Rare 60 9 months
Near Unique 75 1 year
Unique 90 2 years

Shipments : in order; the cost, in xp, that the player must pay during downtime to procure a single shipment of a resource; the shipment's exact size, depending on the availability of the resource. The raw equal commercial value of the Resource is measured in Rp points, and is equal to the base xp cost. It may be largely different from its modern world counterpart, especially at both extreme of the scales: on one side, the mass production at the scale of the galaxy drives prices very low, at the other, technological marvels little understood and thus, little produced, or products in very high demand (weapons and such). The Time Span on the delivery or acquisition of any resource can be shortened by 10% for a 5% increase in price, to a minimum of 10% of the original Time Span. If you find yourself needing less of an item or of a quantity, you can simply divide the price, rounding up. A scale tax might be in order, at the GM's discretion.

Simple Resources are just that, resources, that can be bartered, traded or sold in exchange for other goods, or used in the fabrication of other goods.

Valuable Resources are the same as Simple Resources, but generally need introductions and contacts even before a deal can be made, as the suppliers of these kind of services are generally untrustful of outsiders. Up to the GM.

Service Resources are just that: services. You pay once, get what you paid for, and then the two parties have mutually fulfilled their contracts. Unless they haven't, in which case what comes next is up to the GM. For extended tests, the cost must be paid each time...

Specific Resources provide more intangible benefits. Furthermore, they have no Xp cost, and must always be paid through Rp. If the players want to gather information on their own, it's roleplay time, because the people that provide such services rarely need help and are rarely cowered by threats (thus, no Xp costs). However, depending on the difficulty of the target and the skill of the Specific Resource, there is a chance of failure, in which case, you paid half for nothing (you always pay half up front), and you cannot use the same Resource to the same end in the same Compact. The formula is:
Percentage of success=40%-10%*(Specific Resource Availability purchased - Target Availability). Then roll a 1d100 (secretly).
The Specific Resource Availability purchased is your choice of Availabilities presented in the Specific Resource (with a cost), the Target Availability is up to the GM, and shouldn't be known. Not paying the other half should have consequences. Finally, Specific Resources do not follow the guidelines on Time Spans at all: here, the GM's best judgment is law.

Manpower Resources are peculiar as well. The initial cost is a retainer, something you give or do to convince these people to work, fight or build with or for you (bear in mind however these are not slaves, serfs, minions or acolytes, and won't obey you in everything). Afterwards, they can provide services, offer Resources or find intermediaries for you at a lesser cost. They are generally profitable in the long run if you find yourself accessing a specific kind of Resource frequently. They can be upgraded by paying for the difference between tiers of Availability. This retainer must be payed regularly (about every 5 standard years), or the Resource is downgraded one step.

Resource Grades: The grade denotes the rarity with which these resources are exchanged, and thus the importance of the bargain. You can buy 100 tons of ore from a planet with little problem, but buying main battle tanks usually implies backchannel deals, introductions and go-betweens, as people are more wary of your intentions and the possible consequences. A high-grade resource thus requires a network, and solid credentials, to be bought. The minimal Infamy to be able to simply negotiate for a resource and be taken seriously is modified by the following values, as is the time span. Furthermore, the Barter skill of the other party depends on this Grade.

Infamy Time span Barter
Mundane -30 -30% Fellowship 25, Commerce +0
Very low -20 -20% Fellowship 30, Commerce +0
Low -10 -10% Fellowship 35, Commerce +10
Medium +0 +0% Fellowship 40, Commerce +10
High +10 +10% Fellowship 45, Commerce +20
Very High +20 +20% Fellowship 50, Commerce +20
Precious +30 +30% Fellowship 50, Commerce +30

Basically, the difference in degrees of success and/or failures translates in a 5% increase or decrease of the price depending on the winning party. If the player's Infamy is way greater than needed to negotiate for a specific Resource, it will be available at a much cheaper rate. Basically, each full 10 Infamy above the needed Infamy translates into a 5% decrease in the price. Similarly, simply being below entails a 10% increase, and another 5% for each full 10 Infamy below.


Finally Examples, which are well, examples for each availability within the Resource.

Simple Resources

Raw materials

Availability Ubiquitous Plentiful Average Rare Very Rare
Xp Cost, per shipment 1 4 10 40 100
Shipment size (tons) 100 70 40 10 1

This is a Simple Resource. Grade: Very Low

Examples Ubiquitous Iron ore, wheat, low-grade meat, cheap wood
Plentiful Silver/gold ore, raw promethium, good quality food
Average Banedax ore, rare wood, most plant life
Rare Decavane crystals, adamantite ore
Very Rare Keller crystals, diathine gas

Commodities

Availability Ubiquitous Plentiful Average Rare Very Rare
Xp Cost, per shipment 2 6 15 50 150
Shipment size (units) 2000 1250 750 250 50

This is a Simple Resource. Grade: Low

Examples Ubiquitous Ration pack, a bottle of low-quality alcohol
Plentiful Average clothes, data-slate, furniture
Average Cogitator, good meal, medkit
Rare Hololith, combi-tools
Very Rare Heavy machinery, civilian vehicles

War supplies

Availability Ubiquitous Plentiful Average Rare Very Rare
Xp Cost, per shipment 500 500 500 500 500
Shipment size (months of supply for one unit) 5 4 3 2 1

This is a Simple Resource. Grade: Medium

Examples Ubiquitous PF1 supplies
Plentiful PF2 supplies
Average PF3 supplies
Rare PF4 supplies
Very Rare PF5+ supplies

Refined Materials

Availability Ubiquitous Plentiful Average Rare Very Rare
Xp Cost, per shipment 2 8 20 80 200
Shipment size (tons) 100 70 40 10 1

This is a Simple Resource. Grade: Medium

Examples Ubiquitous Metal sheets, wiring
Plentiful Refined promethium, chemical reagents, steel
Average Bio-solution, complex alloy
Rare Adamantium, expensive reagents
Very Rare Crystal lattices, crysteel, heavy-duty ceramite

Valuable Resources

Weapons and Armour

Availability Plentiful Average Rare Very Rare Near Unique
Xp Cost, per shipment 10 20 40 100 200
Shipment size (units) 1000 700 400 100 10

This is a Valuable Resource. Grade: Low

Examples Plentiful Stub revolvers, basic shotguns
Average Autoguns, stubbers, light flak
Rare Lasrifles, heavy rifles, heavy flak
Very Rare Flamers, rocket launchers, combat shields
Near Unique Bolters, lascannon, carapace

Voidships

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per ship Hull cost * 2000

This is a Valuable Resource. Grade: Precious

Examples Average Small cargo, transport ship
Scarce Destroyer, Raider, Frigate, escort ship
Rare Light Cruiser, Cruiser, Heavy Transport
Very Rare Grand Cruiser, Stealth ship
Ex. Rare Battleship, Prototype Ship

War Machines

Availability Average Scarce Rare Ex. Rare Unique
Xp Cost, per shipment 10 40 200 400 800
Shipment size (machines) 30 20 10 5 2

This is a Valuable Resource. Grade: High

Examples Average Truck, bike
Scarce War bike, armoured buggy
Rare Atmospheric shuttle, walker, APC
Ex. Rare Light armour, interceptor, artillery
Unique Main battle tank, bomber, knight

For flyers and walkers, divide shipment size by two, rounding up.

Slaves

Availability Ubiquitous Common Average Scarce Rare
Xp Cost, per shipment 1 10 50 100 200
Shipment size (units) 100 50 20 10 1

This is a Valuable Resource. Grade: Mundane

Examples Ubiquitous Dregs
Common Undernourished, without skills
Average Able-bodied, well-fed men and women
Scarce Slave bodyguard, pleasure slaves
Rare Prized pitfighters, savants

Archeotech, Xenotech & Daemontech

Availability Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Xp Cost, per item or blueprint 50 250 1000 3000 6000

This is a Valuable Resource. Grade: Precious

Examples Rare A useless, unusable, broken or little understood curio
Very Rare A modest item of some use
Ex. Rare A powerful personal weapon
Near Unique An extraordinary machine
Unique A long-forgotten technology of potent use

This Resource provides something that isn't common in the vortex, machines that can accomplish properly extraordinary feats. Those, however, are rarely functional at first, and hours of research and untold wealth must be expended into their awakening or the production of even a single working prototype. Players beware: the GM is always right.




Service Resources

Mercenaries

Availability Plentiful Abundant Common Scarce Rare
Xp Cost, per Compact 400 800 1200 1600 2000

This is a Service Resource. Grade: High

Stats Plentiful Power factor 1
Abundant Power factor 2
Common Power factor 3
Scarce Power factor 4
Rare Power factor 5

Gives access to the support of mercenaries for the duration of one Compact, with the specified power factor. Once routed, or once they have suffered 50% DC casualties, the mercenaries will not reingage. Battalion-sized. They need transportation, as they won't provide their own, if taken off-world. See Massed Combat Rules for more details.


Scholarly Opinion

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per Medicae roll 1 2 4 10 25

This is a Service Resource. Grade: Medium

Stats Average Int 30, Scholastic or Common Lore +5
Scarce Int 35, Scholastic or Common Lore +10
Rare Int 40, Scholastic or Common Lore +15
Very Rare Int 45, Scholastic or Common Lore +20
Ex. Rare Int 50, Scholastic or Common Lore +25

Gives access to a single Lore test with the specified statistics. This only accounts for the Expertise, not the Time or Materials needed for whatever task is envisionned (as a rule, the time is worth half the materials). If failed, half the fees are reimbursed (Time, Materials and Expertise).


Medicae Care

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per Medicae roll 2 4 8 20 50

This is a Service Resource. Grade: Medium

Stats Average Medicae +10, Int 30
Scarce Medicae (any) +15, Int 40, Corpsman
Rare Medicae (any) +20, Int 45, Corpsman
Very Rare Medicae (any) +25, Int 50, Master Chirurgeon
Ex. Rare Medicae (any) +30, Int 55, Master Chirurgeon

Gives access to a single Medicae test with the specified statistics. This only accounts for the Expertise, not the Time or Materials needed for whatever task is envisionned (as a rule, the time is worth half the materials). If failed, half the fees are reimbursed (Time, Materials and Expertise).


Dark Mechanicum Technology

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per Tech-Use roll 5 10 20 40 100

This is a Service Resource. Grade: Medium

Stats Average Tech-Use +10, Int 30
Scarce Tech-Use (any) +15, Int 40, Unnatural Int (+2)
Rare Tech-Use (any) +20, Int 45, Unnatural Int (+3)
Very Rare Tech-Use (any) +25, Int 50, Unnatural Int (+4)
Ex. Rare Tech-Use (any) +30, Int 55, Unnatural Int (+5)

Gives access to a single Tech-Use test with the specified statistics. This only accounts for the Expertise, not the Time or Materials needed for whatever task is envisionned (as a rule, the time is worth half the materials). If failed, half the fees are reimbursed (Time, Materials and Expertise).

Specific Resources

Information

Availability Abundant Plentiful Common Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Rp Cost, per tip 10 15 30 50 90 150 225 300 400 500
Rp, per tip 1 2 4 8 15 30 60 100 200 500
Useless after 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This is a Specific Resource. Grade: Mundane

Example Targets Abundant The name and location of the nearest Forge World
Average The name and location of a minor warlord
Rare The contact information for a powerful psyker-for-hire
Near Unique The contact information of a temple-grade assassin
Unique The location of a lost planet and its many esoteric libraries

This Specific Resource can be sold several times over, but loses its value with time. It becomes useless/false/ misleading/too well-known when the Rp times the number of times it is given is greater than the Rp cost initially paid for it. This doesn't mean the PC must stop selling it, though the consequences could be dire if they don't (note for GMs: the profits shouldn't be worth the trouble... but the players are free...).


Assassination

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Rp Cost, per tip 25 100 200 400 1000 2000 3000

This is a Specific Resource. Grade: High

Example Targets Average A notable Heretic, a minor Adept
Scarce A random Legionnaire, the ruler of a low-tech world
Very Rare A beginning Inquisitor, a modest Rogue Trader
Near Unique A powerful Dark Magos, an Arbites Judge
Unique An Astartes Chapter Master, a mighty Warlord

You hire an Assassin, or a cabal of them, to carry out a specific assassination. Included in the staggering cost are the tools, bribes and agents needed to make it happen so you don't have to worry about it. However, worry you should. Even if the assassination supposedly succeeds (see the Specific Resource rules section), in this particular case, the GM can rule out a particular success. The assassination takes place within the compact. If you want to specify a time or circumstances, the Availability can be lowered by up to 2 degrees.


Infiltration, Sabotage & Bribery

Availability Plentiful Common Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Rp Cost, per act 1 2 5 10 20 50 100 200 500

This is a Specific Resource. Grade: Low

Example Targets Plentiful Deactivate an electric fence at an appointed time in a low-security facility
Average Wire a Weapon Servitor so he will blow a fuse when activated
Rare Plant a security guard in a Mechanicus-controlled orbital mining facility
Ex. Rare Convince through bribery a junior lieutenant that his guard duty is really not that important
Unique Permanently and discreetly deactivate a specific orbital defence missile silo on a Hive World

This Specific Resource is usually useful only in a short time period, and to only one person or group, since any security check will necessarily result in the security being overhauled.


Intelligence

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Rp Cost, per dossier 50 200 400 800 2000 4000 6000

This is a Specific Resource. Grade: Very High

Example Targets Average The security protocols and patrols of a cultist camp
Scarce The hailing codes of a renegade fleet (but not the docking or security codes)
Very Rare The security protocols and access codes of a Imperial command bunker
Near Unique The location and discreet access points of a hidden Mechanicus shrine
Unique The detailed security measures of an Astartes fortress-monastery

This Specific Resource is usually useful only in a short time period, and to only one person or group, since any noticed intrusion will necessarily result in either the target losing its value or the security being overhauled. It is very complex, very difficult to obtain, requiring agents and professionals, traitors and renegades aplenty (depending on difficulty, of course), hence the cost. However, any and all information becomes available: names, files, codes, maps, protocols, timings, etc.




Manpower Resources

Dark Priesthood

Availability Common Average Scarce Very Rare Near Unique
Xp Cost, per priest 100 300 600 1000 1500

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Medium

Examples Common Local mad beggar/prophet (1%)
Average Ordinary preacher (4%)
Scarce Fiery priest (10%)
Very Rare Possessed cardinal of a Daemon World (15%)
Near Unique Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers (25%)

This Resource gives access to the advice, visions and preachings of a chosen priest of the Dark Gods. Choose Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh or Unaligned. Every time you take an advance of that Alignment, you can choose to substract a percentage of the Xp cost depending on the preacher's Availability. You shouldn't have more than one, however, for the squabbles between them and their contradicting influences will negate any benefit, and wreck your patience.



Sorcerers

Availability Plentiful Common Average Scarce Rare
Xp Cost, per soul 50 100 200 500 1000

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Very High

Examples Plentiful Int 30, WP 30, Forbidden Lore (any 2) +5, Psyniscience +5
Common Int 35, WP 35, Forbidden Lore (any 2) +10, Psyniscience +10
Average Int 40, WP 40, Forbidden Lore (any 2) +15, Psyniscience +10
Scarce Int 45, WP 45, Forbidden Lore (any 3) +15, Psyniscience +15 (any 2)
Rare Int 50, WP 50, Forbidden Lore (any 3) +20, Psyniscience +20 (any 2)

From the witch-doctor of a feral tribe to a 300 years-old Warp-immune pseudo-navigator, this covers pretty much all the spectrum of human non-psychic Warp-potency (These are NOT psykers). While they are not slaves, most mutants and scholars of this kind enjoy the protection and wealth of a patron, and will usually carry out any order baring the most insane or life-threatening (unless adequately motivated). They can search into forbidden tomes, perform rituals, give advice pertaining to the esoteric, or even more valuable services (stats above). Any and all materials must be provided, of course. These do not count as Minions.


Agents

Availability Common Average Scarce Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per group 50 300 700 1000 1500

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Low

Examples Common Hive-trash merchant, smooth talker
Average Local merchant of some notoriety, minor diplomat
Scarce Freelance go-between, connected noble
Rare Herald of a major warlord, slaaneshi envoy
Ex. Rare The Shadow Broker

This Resource provides access to the negotiating, networking and commerce abilities of a group of agents that you can mandate to negotiate on your behalf. Whenever accessing any non-Manpower Resource, make your own Commerce Skill test as you would, and then substract 5% from the price (either Xp or Rp) if the Resource is of equal Availability to your agents, and 5% more for every Availability step further, rounded up. Don't worry, they're taking their cut.


Operatives

Availability Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare Near Unique Unique
Xp Cost, per group 2000 5000 10000 15000 20000

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Precious

Examples Rare A planet-wide military intelligence office
Very Rare A few select men with their own transport capabilities
Ex. Rare A cadre of agents able to deploy anywhere
Near Unique The same, supported by psykers and tech-arcanum
Unique Officio Assassinorum

Assassins, spies, infiltrators, networks of informants fall into this category. This is a very pricy Resource, both to create and to maintain, but oh so very efficient, and unvaluable to any self-respecting warlord with any measure of ambition. An Operatives Resource can, once per Compact, provide one free Information Resource, or an Intelligence Resource with a 80% discount, or an Assassination Resource with a 90% discount, using their own Availability.


Cultists

Availability Ubiquitous Plentiful Common Average Rare
Xp Cost, per group 1 5 10 20 50

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Mundane

Examples Ubiquitous Hive-trash
Plentiful Common citizen
Common PDF
Average Imperial Guard
Rare Imperial Nobility or Adeptus

The very classic cult of the Dark Gods (specify flavor if needed) in the midst of Imperial society. The cult will grow and fester for a time, and when ripe, can be asked to carry out a specific task (any Specific Resource, with the Cult's Availability) . Bear in mind, however, that any missed attempt will likely result in unwarranted attention, such as the Inquisition's and the very probable demise of the cult. A succesful operation can as well, depending on the obviousness and breadth of the target. Of course, a destroyed cult does not grow back...


Warriors & Soldiers

Availability Plentiful Abundant Common Scarce Rare
Xp Cost, per group 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: Very High

Examples Plentiful PF1
Abundant PF2
Common PF3
Scarce PF4
Rare PF5

These warriors pledge themselves to your cause, fighting for you whenever you need it, wherever you need it. Each Warriors & Soldiers Resource gives you a 75% discount on the Mercenaries Ressource (for equal or higher Availability), once per Compact (the remaining 25% representing the cost of ammunition, fuel, food, supplies, etc). However, if destroyed, the Resource is lost, and if rebuilding, the Resource is unavailable until it is complete. See Massed Combat Rules for more details.


Dark Mechanicum Shrine

Availability Average Scarce Rare Very Rare Ex. Rare
Xp Cost, per group 100 300 600 1000 1500

This is a Manpower Resource. Grade: High

Examples Average Lowly tech-adepts with little understanding of what they do, and know even less
Scarce Hereteks who, while they have little imagination, know the workings of some technologies
Rare Specialized Hereteks, dabbling in experimentation, and with sizable knowledge
Very Rare Expert Hereteks, Dark Magi of low rank and power
Ex. Rare A Dark Magos of some renown

This Resource provides access to some understanding, or even expertise, of technology. A Dark Mechanicum Shrine Resource gives 50% off on the Technology Resource and 5% off on the Archeotech, Xenotech & Daemontech Resource of equal Availability or higher. They consider themselves paid by examining the shipment before delivering it to you (+10% Time span, rounded up).

Translation of Infamy and downtime into Resource Xp.

Infamy is supposed to represent many things, from political clout, to genuine threat of violence, passing by actual wealth and trade. It makes some kind of sense on the individual level (give me this thing or I'll punch your teeth in), it stops making sense when the players reach a certain level. If they have no armies, no weapons, no wealth, no power, how can they threaten? Because as it stands, errand boys can rise in Infamy to incredible levels while their status doesn't really improve, or the Compacts are not capable of representing the power-building of the Heretics very well.

Thus, for every period of downtime they have, the Heretics can be building up their powerbase through the system above, buying their resources either through actual xp or with ""Resource xp"", which is given depending on several factors. Basically, the Resource xp after a given Compact should be equal to:

Resource Xp = A + B + C + D + E
where
A= Corruption earned through a Failing * (-100)
B= Infamy earned or lost during the Compact * 250 **** deaths not included!!!! ****
C= Standing Infamy * 25
D= Corruption earned or lost during the Compact * (-80)
E= Standing Corruption * (-8)

If negative, and the Heretic has no Resource Xp left, this represents the fact that he got into someone's debt. This debt can be whatever the GM wishes it to be, to anyone, and not honoring should have consequences…


For example, if a player starts a compact with 35 Infamy, 13 Corruption and earns 5 Infamy and 3 Corruption, he earns:
Resource Xp = 1882

Another player fails his Compact drastically, starting at 54 Infamy and 34 Corruption, earning 6 Corruption (2 through a Failing) and losing 2 Infamy, he earns:
Resource Xp = -200

A powerful player on a more important compact starts with 75 Infamy, 67 Corruption and earns 12 Infamy and 7 Corruption (1 through a Failing), he earns:
Resource Xp = 3923

Which he can :
-spend on Resources immediatly (set plan in motions, gather warriors, purchase supplies, etc..), eventually paying with real xp if the cost is too high.

-keep for later spending or bargaining on the spot during a Compact, depending on the exact nature of the purchase.
-share with his fellow Heretics in a joint venture, with all the benefits and risks that entails.
-use to supplement an Infamy roll (made for something personnal, an item or piece of gear that the Heretic desires for himself), at the rate of a +5 bonus for each 100 spent, to a maximum of +25.


The GM should feel free to "offer" Resources during a Compact, but should probably still deduct a part of the cost from the final amount the Pcs receive. This system also favours small compacts over long, arduous ones, but the rewards for these should be greater, and this represents the increased downtime of which the Heretics dispose.

Keep in mind as well that as pricy as certain Resources might get, the Heretics should expect the same payment to work both ways: these are also guidelines of what they should be paid if they carry out any Service to anyone, unless in debt or servitude. The Resource Xp is simply a way to help the Heretics complement what they obtain through Compacts to tailor it to better suit their needs.


The control of Holdings, such as Manufactora or Shipyards, or alliances with Forge Worlds (which are generally too-well defended and too precious to simply consider conquering) can largely decrease the price on some manufactured resources, weapons, warmachines and voidships. Considering the gigantic worth of these compared to that of the Resources they provide, this is left entirely up to the GM.

Thoughts?

A few thoughts. And I must admit, I will be somewhat critical of this, but that's the nature of asking people's opinions on the internet I also apologize if I got something wrong, but this is quite a bit of density.

I am very wary of using XP as the price for physical goods. It turns XP from a measure of a character's personal growth into a partially physical resource. Secondly, spending it on physical goods is kinda bad, because (especially temporary) services and items disappear. They're destroyed, killed, lost etc etc. This stands in stark contrast to skills, talents etc, which are NEVER lost or removed, barring EXTREME GM fiat. This creates an uneven pricing scheme, were players are given the choice between permanent and impermanent things. This risks creating a power imbalance when one players buys a lot of temporary things and another invests purely personal things. Eventually one player will lose his things, and thus the other player will "race ahead" in terms of total power. This risks creating animosity.

The solution to this is of course a meta contract, were items thus acquired are "untouchable" by the gm, but this creates problems of it's own. Especially when talking of services or mercenaries, who are thus either invulnerable (enjoy that abuse) or removed, angering players because they "wasted" their XP for nothing.

This is especially jarring when you talk of players paying half the cost (in XP?) and getting nothing on a failed dice roll. This is basically gambling with meta currency, which is really ******* weird. It's also a great way to piss the hell out of player who just lost XP for nothing because the dice didn't go his way. This will inevitably lead to players either getting frustrated or refusing to use the system. Neither seems desired.

Lastly, the current infamy system already HAS provisions for the acquiring incredibly vast amounts of items or services. It's right there in the acquisition section. It's a lot less dense than yours, but I think that sorta reaches the crux of a key design philosophy:

BC wants to put the focus on the players. It wants to zoom in on them, even if they do lead a crusade, that's a backdrop to THEM. To THEIR tactical genius, skill on the battlefield and personal charm. The acquisition of guns for their million strong army, the hiring of an assassin to kill a rival, to BC this is all a backdrop or a sideshow to the players, handled either through roleplaying or a quick and dirty dice roll to put the focus back on the personal action.

Your system, meanwhile, creates an almost Empire management system with lots of strategy, complexity and "top down" control. If this is what you and your players want, you're free to pursue it, but I have to say I think you might encounter a lot of resistance from BC as a system, because you're working counter to it's intended design. Something to watch out for, perhaps?

@ Mort

From what I read - if I read it right- Resource XP is a separate pool of xp that a player receives after/during a compact. So you're not using your xp that is normally allocated to buy talents and skills. So, just like infamy/corruption, that xp/resource is meant to be lost and/or gained. So as long as the players accept that, there shouldn't be too much grumbling about lost xp.

@K0balt:

Maybe give it another name to differentiate it: Equity ?

Come to think of it, I wish my Financial Advisor would use the term Resource XP when dealing with my portfolio

Back on topic: It certainly creates a bit of micro-managing, or it seems to for me, but that could just be because it was a huge post. There's a lot of info to take in.

For the Xp part, you didn't read the whole thing, Mort. Then again, I can understand why

As for the other part, I have a really hard time willingly suspending my disbelief when it comes to Infamy and large amounts. So what, you roll to obtain 1000 lasguns, and either get them (at no visible cost??) or you don't (why the **** not, these are everywhere, and more to the point, the player can try again, making it moot?). Do you realize how much that is? At equivalent 1000 bucks a piece (cheap for an assault rifle equivalent, but hey...), that's frigging 1 million dollars handed on a platter to the players for basically no reason. Either they did something for someone or they extorted it from someone, but with the kind of people that can provide you 1000 lasguns (I'm thinking either Dark Magos or Warlord), I don't want it handwaved, or be some kind of magical infinite resource. I want the players to know what they paid to get that.

I find a system like this gives players choices rather than restrict them, and they have an actual representation of their wealth instead of just a completely abstract, and basically flawed, thing such as Infamy. So your players start at x, but as they kill stuff and acquire personal power they also get richer? That makes little sense at best. And while some compacts provide Infamy (I'm thinking the corebook one), they provide no real incentive for people to just bend over and give them stuff. Infamy is a representation of political clout and genuine physical threat, which is perfectly suited to represent how you can acquire, let's say, a single item of incredible rarity and no real worth, but no one will ever give the players a voidship. They either buy it, or they steal it.

Resource xp is just a basic way to say: hey you did that, and that's how much you get as payment/tribute/loot depending on the situation. I don't think of this system as the end all be all of this game, but as a stepping ladder. And it has no bearing on what happens inside a compact, since everything must be laid in advance, it just helps format the preparations the Heretics make. This is purely off-the-scene, between-two-gaming-nights stuff. Infamy stays on as the system to use during a Compact.

As I said, Lecram, it's still much a WIP, I'm trying to streamline it as much as possible, so you don't need an excel sheet to use it, but thanks for the input!

Except far from all trades are in services or even goods on the part of the players.

Think of it as a reputation economy. The players are big, up and coming champions of the Gods, the one a hundred billionth with a true, genuine shot at Fame, Glory, Wealth and, most importantly the divine favor of the gods and possibly even Ascension. If you're anyone who wants a taste of that, you're gonna be looking to get in. And if one of these big, glorious champions of Chaos come to you asking for a big pile o' guns, you might just decide to give them that big pile 'o guns. Not because they give you a big pile of slaves, but because they're active, favored champions of the gods you both serve, and who take a very hands on approach to divinity. Not to mention the prestige of having it be YOUR guns that kill whatever those guns are inevitably going to kill.

In short, helping them spreads YOUR reputation, because, well, yours are the guns that conquered in the universe (in the hands of champions). And, perhaps even more importantly, helping out someone who has caught the eye of the Gods might divert a little of that positive attention onto you, which any proper chaos cultist wants

Once you realize this game of prestige, reputation and divine favor is a huge part of the Vortex economy, infamy starts making more sense. It's not the traditional feudal investment banker system of RT's Profit Factor. It's the kinda next-gen, post-scarcity styled future economic systems that get speculated upon in transhuman sci-fi and really obscure economic magazines.

Reverend mort said:

Power is sure nice. People still need to eat. Very few Champions of Chaos do nice things for each other for the sole reason that they both serve the same gods (look at the imperium and its myriad factions always at internecine war!!). So at the scale you mention, you either give something in exchange, promise something in exchange or do something in exchange.

And yes, I am quite willing to believe they would give those things to glorious champions of chaos more easily than they would a nobody (and high Infamy gives a discount in my system, so by the time you are ready to launch this black crusade of yours, things are indeed much cheaper, but still not free, because that wouldn't make sense), but even Abaddon gets nothing for free when bargaining with powerful warlords. What he can get for free is allegiances, but these are fleeting, I don't think the Dark Mechanicum repairs his ships out of simple fear: they are essential to him, and thus he must bargain, barter and trade. Abaddon gets nothing, I'd wager, out of sheer bullying, cause otherwise he wouldn't be so powerful over the hundreds of warbands that constitute the armies of Chaos. Maybe he could submit one, or two, but if simply demanded and tithed, nobody would follow him. He is so powerful because he gives his allies what they want. The moment he is unable to do that, his power crumbles.