Supply Cache Idea...

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by helbent4

Nate,

Ah, no one, much less the poor Project or it's IDEALS, are getting slapped in the face! (Repeatedly, and so violent, too!) Roshambo'd in the balls, maybe.

I think the Project isn't heartless, nor should it be seen to be. Immediate aid for 30,000-100,000 people seems about right. Significantly less isn't worthwhile, significantly more requires diversion of additional Project resources and courts the danger of "mission creep". Project resources may be vast but they shouldn't be practically unlimited (if we want to keep this within the bounds of reality). Hand-waving this concern away is simply dodging the question. As has been mentioned several times, the Project can't feed all survivors, everywhere, even if all possible resources are devoted that end.

Please note, I am separating immediate food aid from the idea of a CIAB, which I otherwise like. So don't take this as a flame for your idea in general. To recapitulate, as it stands, CIAB to my understanding comprises 16x standard ISO containsers: 9 for food/seed stock alone, 7 for the other supplies and facilities. I can't see one of these per team, but one or more per region would be do-able. If I am mistaken, please clarify!

We must keep in mind the main mission is still to aid in long-term reconstruction of the USA. That is the guiding principle to keep in mind. Therefore, short term aid is acceptable as long as it's not a drain on the resources that are available for reconstruction. That said, I agree that the COT and Morrow would see the USSR's continued efforts towards civil defence and postwar reconstruction is deserving of a private-sector response (with some government backing or at least tacit acceptance).

Tony

The plan i had for the "Camp in a Box" is for each Field Team (MARS, Science & Recon Team) to have at least one of these types of supply caches. And this is not a drain on resources. No by a long shot. You are forgetting the fact that this kind of prepping is the easiest and cheapest. You are providing for immediate aide to a community, and news of this will get around. Thus improving the public perception of the project.

Once the "CIAB" has been set up and gets running (something that the team isn't expected to run, just get it started), it will act as a good distribution point for a localized recovery area.

This does something for the PC Team... it's part of the standing orders of the project, and allow them to feel like that even without being able to raise the Project on the radio that they are doing something substantial.

You stated We must keep in mind the main mission is still to aid in long-term reconstruction of the USA. That is the guiding principle to keep in mind. and the CIAB is an important part of that goal.

Look at the big picture Tony. Only providing help for a handful of people would come across as elitist. That the 'Morrow People' are only helping 'those people' and keeping all the good stuff for themselves and those that kiss their asses.

That creates a division in the people you are trying to help.

By providing a field team, who is out in the field and can see where the help is needed RIGHT NOW, the ability and means to do something positive about it... goes a million miles further than just pretty words of 'we've got aide coming'.

Actually having the ability to do something RIGHT NOW, even if you feel it's a 'drain on resources' to feed someone starving, or provide medical aide to someone who is dying and can't 'just hold on a little longer'.. because those words would be seen as hollow, and when that aide doesn't show up as said... well, that turns you into a liar.

The "CIAB" provides a field team composed of PCs something that allows them to get things set up, so they have long-term goals that fall into what the Project is all about.

To break the fourth wall for a moment, having a team of PCs just running from one shoot-first-grab-loot encounter to another is boring in my opinion. and the "CIAB" falls into the entire ideal of the Project with one big box with a nice bow on top. The project's long-term goal is to rebuild the country, and to do that you have to do it one building block at a time. That's what a CIAB is. a building block. It's a starting point.

Back into the game universe now...

Even if the project got started out 5 years after the nukes were exchanged, they would have some people out there who knows how to do high-tech skills. But they need to get find them. To get them into a place that their knowledge can be used.

Thus the CIAB.

It allows the Field Team to see what is needed on the spot, and set up something that will act as a rally point for civilians to come too. And allow the project (who sends someone from the supply & logistics branch to run the CIAB at first to set up the computer hook-ups that will allow them to know who they are helping, their skill set, ect) to start finding out just what human resources they have access too.

Once the CIAB has been set up, this central location will be perfect for the Agricultural teams to go to first, then go to the local communities that really need their help the most.

That's what this has been used for in my campaigns. And it worked. If you don't want to use it, so be it.

But to call something like this a 'Drain on Resources' goes totally against what the Project's goals are.

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by natehale1971

But to call something like this a 'Drain on Resources' goes totally against what the Project's goals are.

Nate,

I don't agree being rational goes totally against the Project's goals. In fact, it's crucial.

I also believe we both see the big picture. To suggest otherwise simply doesn't make sense.

We just disagree on how resources should be allocated, or even what (if any) the reasonable limits to those resources are.

I think the CIAB is a good idea, maybe one per Group or several per region. Minus the enormous food storage, of course! I've even adapted the CIAB for my game, so that's certainly a personal compliment regarding the idea.

We'll leave it at that, and no hard feelings.

Tony