"Cool" gear for bribes and trades.
 

There are many situations in the TK2 where PCs either have the opportunity to trade with people or make bribes to smooth the way.

Obviously food, ammunition, weapons and so on make good things to trade but I was wondering about what less obvious things might make for good trades.

As an example, when I played FtF it was taken that Eastern PACT troops and ORMOs really wanted to get their hands on a Western-made high-capacity semi-automatic pistol, preferably with a chrome finish. Western body armour was also in high demand. What Soviet gear might NATO troops consider "cool"or desirable?

So my question is, what else might be considered "cool" among the world's post apocalyptic survivors? I know it's trivial but I always find the little colour details help make a game memorable.

Batteries, well preserved books, and off course Porn-Mags from the good old time - they are all in short supply, i am sure:)

Nice, all very interesting.

Those Spetznaz gun-knives would probably be high-value keepsakes among NATO soldiers. Not least because if you possessed one you could tell (almost certainly BS) stories about the mighty hand-to-hand fight you won to obtain it.

Toilet paper has already been mentioned a couple of times on the board. Tobacco and alcohol probably fall into the obvious category.

For less obvious commodities how about writing paper and pens or pencils, playing cards / board games (e.g. chess sets), personal CD / cassette players, CD's / music cassettes, personal hygiene gear (soap, razors, shaving foam, etc), condoms?

In a game I played, one of our characters had managed, (We did not know HOW nor did we ask) to hang on to a 100 year old bottle of wine he "accuired" from somewhere.

We were able to trade for a tank of ethanol for our 2 1/2.

Any primo booze would be an excellent trading tool.

my $0.02

Mike

Hell.. just the appearence of some primo booze works at times as well. get your hands on a 100 or older bottle and fill it with regular wine, and they'd most likely not know the difference!

"Cool" Soviet items for trading.

Ushanka hat, more than just a trophy it's damned practical in winter!
Soviet officers wool overcoat - same comment as for Ushanka.
KLMK sniper coveralls
Soviet paratrooper knife link
Soviet officers boots
KGB officers identity book
SVD canvas rifle cover link

Soviet mess kit/canteen link
Hero of the Soviet Union and Order of Lenin medals
Afghan issue VOG-25 grenade chest rig link (Could be found on VDV troopers perhaps?)
No I wouldn't want to fire it... Mosin Nagant obrez handgun link link link
Obrez made from SVT40 and PPSh parts link
APS underwater assault rifle link

AS Val suppressed assault rifle link
Unlikely to be found but cool for the rarity... AKM with green furniture and magazines (a limited edition) link link
Soviet WW2 SN-42 steel body armour link link link
Not Soviet but... East German 4 mag AK magazine pouch link

Hope I got all those links right!

Those will all help greatly, thanks!

Something else just popped into my mind - soft drinks.

I could see genuine pre war coca cola / red bull etc, etc being as much of a luxury item as premium booze...

In an old postapocalyptic-comic called "Hombre" (found in an issue of "heavy metal" from the 80 ´s) people bartered even with dentures ...
I mean there is a lack of dentists in our year 2000, right? :D

And (much like after WWII) womens undergarments/pantihose (in good condition!) were kind of a neat luxury-item, too.