Fate:Supply and Demand

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The supply and demand subsystem for Fate is a set of resource management rules, so that players can secure and control access to the materials they need.

Supply points

Supply points are sites or sources that provide an indefinite amount of a specific material, rated on the Fate ladder. For example, a quarry could be a source of Good [+3] Stone. The material in question does not need to be physical, either. A power plant could be a source of Great [+4] Energy, and a coffee shop could be a source of Legendary [+8] Gossip. The resources provided will depend on the game's specific needs. For example, in a post-apocalyptic survival game:

Orson's Junkyard - Great [+4] source of Scrap Metal
Old Orson won't miss any of this stuff, now that he's gone. We can put it to good use.

Supply points have one stress box, for the purposes of upkeep.

Upkeep

Upkeep represents a constant and continual flow of resources from the supply point, rather than one-off use: a generator keeping the lights on, a farm providing daily food to residents, an air supply for a space station. If the supply point is being used in this way, and the supply point is equal or lower rank to whatever it is supplying, then the upkeep stress box should be checked. The supply point cannot be used for anything else while the box is checked.

The players are the inhabitants of Outpost 9JX, an experimental base on a distant world. The base is currently only a Fair [+2] one, but it does possess manufacturing and refining capabilities. Right now it is powered by a large array of solar panels, drinking up energy from the local sun, which provides just enough Energy to support the whole team on a daily basis. Any research projects or new construction will be next to impossible without first getting more power.

Solar Panel Field - Fair [+2] source of Energy
Without this array of solar panels, Outpost 9JX wouldn't be able to maintain life support for its inhabitants.

If the players in this example wanted more Energy (to expand the outpost or for other purposes) they would either need to find another supply point, or upgrade the existing supply point.

The players explored the planet around their base, and discovered the wreckage of a past expedition's spaceship. Though this raises some questions and concerns about the fate of their mission and what they are doing here, the ship still has one functioning engine that serves as an Average [+1] source of Energy. By running cables all the way back to their base, they've successfully found a way to start producing the advanced materials they'll need to grow their base.

Alternatively, the players could salvage through the damaged ship's cargo and find a way to upgrade their existing solar array. When a supply point rises on the ladder (in this case, from Fair [+2] to Good [+3]) you uncheck the box. This is because the leap from one rank to the next is considered to be significant enough to make the previous levels of upkeep negligible.

Spending with supply

The other way to use supply, besides upkeep, is construction. Construction does not need to be physical, players can construct anything from a ritual spell to a computer program depending on the genre of game they're in, as well as their resources to hand.

The players are a band of dwarven engineers and in order to protect the refugees they are helping, they need to build fortifications. This is considered a construction rather than upkeep because once the fortifications are built, they will not need regular supply to keep functioning. The GM has already determined before the session started that fortifications will require Stone and Lumber, and since the refugees are an Average [+1] sized group, they will need at least that much supply of each resource. The players have already secured one of the necessary supply points: a nearby quarry is their Fair [+2] source of Stone. A quick scouting of the area lets them know there is a woodland that counts as an Average [+1] supply of Lumber. However, it is not a safe supply point, there is a monstrous bear residing there that would make logging far too dangerous. The players will need to find a way to deal with the bear before they can use this supply point to complete their construction.

In this example, it is fairly likely that the players will have to resort to some sort of combat to secure the supply point, but alternative ways are possible. If the woodland had been occupied by a village of gnomes instead, negotiation might have been a better tactic.

Securing, defending, and upgrading supply points becomes a key motivation for player actions, if they need the resources to achieve their goals. Supply points can change in scale depending on the current scale of the game: a ragtag group of space traders might consider a single asteroid to be a Great [+4] source of Metals, an interstellar merchant corporation might consider an entire planetary system to be a Good [+3] source of Metals.

Expending supply

If a supply point is too low a rank for construction (for instance, only Average [+1] instead of Fair [+2]) then it can be expended. For the purposes of the construction, it is treated as being one rank higher than it is, and then it loses a rank afterwards.

The players want to refuel their vehicles, but they only have access to a Mediocre [+0] Fuel supply point. They choose to expend the point, getting the construction done but lowering the supply point down to a Poor [-1] one. This won't be enough for their vehicles again, as they require an Average [+1] supply of Fuel. They will need to look elsewhere for more Fuel, or risk having to abandon their vehicles in the future.

Any supply point lowered past Terrible [-2] ceases to exist as a supply point. This could potentially be useful, under some circumstances.

Upgrading supply points

Upgrading a supply point through construction is a viable option, if you have the right resources on hand. In order to upgrade a supply point this way, the resources used must be equal to or above the current rank of the supply point.

The players are part of an enclave of survivors in the zombie apocalypse. Their dietary needs are currently being met by a Fair [+2] source of Food from indoor grow-beds. But after gaining access to a Fair [+2] source of Building Materials, they use the timbers and tarps to build an extension onto the small farm that will also make use of rainwater.

Farm - Good [+3] source of Food
Salad isn't so bad, if you can find some canned goods to go with it.

Construction Yard - Fair [+2] source of Building Materials
This was going to be another mall or something, a lifetime ago.

Alternatively, the supply point can be upgraded through upkeep. If the supply point being used for upkeep is a higher rank than the supply point being upgraded, it does not need to have its stress box checked.

In the zombie apocalypse it is vital the players keep themselves in good shape, so their supply point of Average [+1] Medicine could be improved. After locating a diesel generator out in an abandoned trailer park, they tow it back to their encampment and set it up as an Average [+1] source of Electricity. They can now provide refrigeration for antibiotics and other delicate medical supplies.

Infirmary - Fair [+2] source of Medicine
Doc Hargreaves is on standby to tend to the injured. Last thing we need is anyone turning inside the walls.

Generator - Average [+1] source of Electricity
A little noisier than we'd like, but as long as it's in the toolshed it's not going to attract any unwanted attention.

Resource lists

Any game that uses this subsystem should prepare a list of resources before the game starts, aiming for around 5-10 total resource types. Care should be taken to ensure that the resources listed are going to be important to the players, and that they fit the genre. Use the following lists as inspiration:

Post-apocalyptic wasteland scavengers Ammunition Concrete Food Gasoline Medicine Scrap Metal

Corporate space traders Data Energy Luxury Goods Metals Plastics

High seas adventure Canvas Freshwater Gunpowder Iron Timber

Grungy alchemists and wizards Curious Powders Forbidden Tomes Foul Ichor Glowing Crystals Runic Carvings Suspicious Herbs