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Caravans and water

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
tyrantlobe
Sep 09, 2010 7:16:30
I've been doing some calculations based on the default 4E rules for water and weight. The amount of water required to supply a group of mekillots, people, kanks, etc. is just enormous. They must have animals (kanks, mekillots) that just drag carts full of water with them.

A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day. At 8.35 pounds per gallon, thats 83 pounds of water per day. Take a mekillot on a week-long roadtrip, that's 584 pounds of water that needs to come with the caravan just for one mekillot.

If I was a desert raider, who cares about the trade goods, I'd be taking the massive supply of water that would be rolling along with the caravan.
#2
mouthymerc
Sep 09, 2010 7:30:50 That's why oases are such a prime commodity. Get one in the right location and you become very wealthy. The map doesn't show them all, but along every trade route and road are multiple oases to service caravans and travellers.
#3
tyrantlobe
Sep 09, 2010 10:47:57 In 2E Dark Sun, there were multiple forts maintained by the various merchant houses. They were used as supply points, many times.

Now, my question: Would a merchant house allow their fort to be used as a supply point by another merchant house? Or would they tell the caravan to keep moving?
#4
Alex_
Sep 09, 2010 10:55:21
In 2E Dark Sun, there were multiple forts maintained by the various merchant houses. They were used as supply points, many times.

Now, my question: Would a merchant house allow their fort to be used as a supply point by another merchant house? Or would they tell the caravan to keep moving?

Being a business and all, I would imagine that they'd charge money. Higher/lower rates depending on your relationship with them.
#5
tyrantlobe
Sep 09, 2010 10:58:34 Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured, too.
#6
atomicbanana
Sep 09, 2010 11:45:30 at the same time the mekillot's strength in the creature catalog is 26, which gives the animal a light load of 306 (a mite less than 4 days of water). combine that with already-stated checkpoints/oases, and they are more than capable of carrying water for themselves AND equipment for caravans.

At the same time, creatures can drag as much as five times their max load, double with favorable conditions (wagons, litters, etc), so at str 26 five times the max load for a mekillot would be 4600 lbs (9800 with the double due to favorable conditions).

you probably wouldn't want to load that much onto a single mekillot, but it already takes care of the week-journey. Sure, the going would be slow, but that's what makes it so easy for raiders to catch up.
#7
OneWeirdCat
Sep 09, 2010 15:51:57
If a caravan is hit, they usually take the water as much as anything else. Anyone remember A Little Knowledge from the original Dark Sun Box? The whole adventure is basically about getting water, and elves, yep elves.
hell, the US Army fricking hauled gravel, yep gravel, in the Iraq war. So, assume the caravan carries enough water for all concerned, it's so much easier!
#8
edwin_su
Sep 10, 2010 4:59:51
A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day.

do they need to drink evry day?
or could they go for water for a few days and then drink 10 gallons for each day they went without water.
like camels
#9
dreamernaut
Sep 10, 2010 5:38:47

A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day.

do they need to drink evry day?
or could they go for water for a few days and then drink 10 gallons for each day they went without water.
like camels

Well, if you figure they are heroic tier with a fort of 25, they probably could handle a couple days without water with no problems. The only thing is that I wouldn't want to be around one the first time it fails it's sun sickness check. If I recall correctly for 2nd Ed., Mekillots have a tendancy to bite the hand (along with the arms, torso, head and legs) that feeds them.
#10
atomicbanana
Sep 10, 2010 12:33:39
If I recall correctly for 2nd Ed., Mekillots have a tendancy to bite the hand (along with the arms, torso, head and legs) that feeds them.

Pretty sure if they take that much off you are now feeding them in an entirely unanticipated capacity.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tyrantlobe Sep 09, 2010 7:16:30	I've been doing some calculations based on the default 4E rules for water and weight. The amount of water required to supply a group of mekillots, people, kanks, etc. is just enormous. They must have animals (kanks, mekillots) that just drag carts full of water with them. A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day. At 8.35 pounds per gallon, thats 83 pounds of water per day. Take a mekillot on a week-long roadtrip, that's 584 pounds of water that needs to come with the caravan just for one mekillot. If I was a desert raider, who cares about the trade goods, I'd be taking the massive supply of water that would be rolling along with the caravan.
#2 mouthymerc Sep 09, 2010 7:30:50	That's why oases are such a prime commodity. Get one in the right location and you become very wealthy. The map doesn't show them all, but along every trade route and road are multiple oases to service caravans and travellers.
#3 tyrantlobe Sep 09, 2010 10:47:57	In 2E Dark Sun, there were multiple forts maintained by the various merchant houses. They were used as supply points, many times. Now, my question: Would a merchant house allow their fort to be used as a supply point by another merchant house? Or would they tell the caravan to keep moving?
#4 Alex_ Sep 09, 2010 10:55:21	In 2E Dark Sun, there were multiple forts maintained by the various merchant houses. They were used as supply points, many times. Now, my question: Would a merchant house allow their fort to be used as a supply point by another merchant house? Or would they tell the caravan to keep moving? Being a business and all, I would imagine that they'd charge money. Higher/lower rates depending on your relationship with them.
#5 tyrantlobe Sep 09, 2010 10:58:34	Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured, too.
#6 atomicbanana Sep 09, 2010 11:45:30	at the same time the mekillot's strength in the creature catalog is 26, which gives the animal a light load of 306 (a mite less than 4 days of water). combine that with already-stated checkpoints/oases, and they are more than capable of carrying water for themselves AND equipment for caravans. At the same time, creatures can drag as much as five times their max load, double with favorable conditions (wagons, litters, etc), so at str 26 five times the max load for a mekillot would be 4600 lbs (9800 with the double due to favorable conditions). you probably wouldn't want to load that much onto a single mekillot, but it already takes care of the week-journey. Sure, the going would be slow, but that's what makes it so easy for raiders to catch up.
#7 OneWeirdCat Sep 09, 2010 15:51:57	If a caravan is hit, they usually take the water as much as anything else. Anyone remember A Little Knowledge from the original Dark Sun Box? The whole adventure is basically about getting water, and elves, yep elves. hell, the US Army fricking hauled gravel, yep gravel, in the Iraq war. So, assume the caravan carries enough water for all concerned, it's so much easier!
#8 edwin_su Sep 10, 2010 4:59:51	A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day. do they need to drink evry day? or could they go for water for a few days and then drink 10 gallons for each day they went without water. like camels
#9 dreamernaut Sep 10, 2010 5:38:47	A mekillot requires 10 gallons of water per day. do they need to drink evry day? or could they go for water for a few days and then drink 10 gallons for each day they went without water. like camels Well, if you figure they are heroic tier with a fort of 25, they probably could handle a couple days without water with no problems. The only thing is that I wouldn't want to be around one the first time it fails it's sun sickness check. If I recall correctly for 2nd Ed., Mekillots have a tendancy to bite the hand (along with the arms, torso, head and legs) that feeds them.
#10 atomicbanana Sep 10, 2010 12:33:39	If I recall correctly for 2nd Ed., Mekillots have a tendancy to bite the hand (along with the arms, torso, head and legs) that feeds them. Pretty sure if they take that much off you are now feeding them in an entirely unanticipated capacity.