Trade Relations

 This blog uses Quantum Starfarer tech levels. The three levels in particular are Mechanical Age, Atomic Age, and Space Age. Mechanical age is WW1 to middle of WW2. Atomic Age is From the end of WW1 to about now. Space Age is the near Future with extensive interplanetary and Basic FTL. Let's take three planets Mechane, Atomo, and Spatia. Guess what tech levels they are! I'll wait. 

The three worlds are in close proximity. Spatia's free traders and corporations are eager for trade. Spatia figures it can bring nearly anything it produces to trade, as it can make superior versions of everything. Atomus in particular has little heavy industry, is sparsely settled and needs vehicles for explorations, settling, and internal security due to revolutionaries in remote locations. Mechanus has a large population and heavy industry, already trading between its several nations. It also builds vehicles for the various militaries to defend the splintered nations. Spatia as noted has an established space industry and asteroid mining, far beyond what Atomus has set up.

Spatia wound up exporting metals it mined from asteroids to Mechanus. They could produce resources much quicker and without pollution, which was already becoming a problem. Mechanus built jeeps, tanks and other vehicles to export to Atomus. While the Atomans could have built vehicles, they did not develop their industry in that direction, and lacked a firm base. They needed vehicles, and Mechanical Age vehicles were good enough!

Atomus produced electronics, laptops, pcs and even cell phones. They traded these with Spatia, where they were seized as cheap and dependable by civilians. Spacecraft and military used local computers, but Atomus electronics were quite sufficient for every day use. 

Atomus' rebels proved to be an ongoing problem. their chief complaints were about deforestation in their region. The deforestation's allowed to continue and ramped up when plants were discovered with medicinal and anti-aging properties. This also brought raiders to harvest said plants. Spatia began selling advanced small arms to Atomus as well defense spacecraft to protect itself. 

Mechanus continued to suffer from various border disputes. Though backward, it had a high population and several overblown regional armies. The sheer quantity of service personnel and weapons dissuaded any raiders or would be conquerers. They lost little time in supplying several mercenary units to Atomus, In fact the units came from several nations and had to be stationed far apart to prevent hostilities. But they began gaining ground against the rebellion. The various nations rotated personnel through these units as they gained experience to provide cadres to to train units back home. Ironically the Atomans found the advanced weapons granted them by Spatia were very popular with the Mechanans and they eagerly traded them and electronics for their mercenary protectors.

Visitors to Mechanus might see such mismatched tech as a M113 armored personnel carrier analogy, transporting troops with laser rifles and whose commander was using a laptop to navigate. 

Visitors to Atomus might find the same in mercenary units. But those units might be supported by advanced space fighters. 

Spatia visitors could have a skewed view of that world's electronics, such as security systems (until they try to bypass security systems). they may also get a job to explore a region of Atomus and return with flora samples. Visitors with technology beyond that od Spatia might draw attention. Do they represent a culture trying to muscle in on Spatia's trading monopoly?