Difference between revisions of "C-bill"

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Revision as of 23:29, 19 January 2008

C-Bill is the nomenclature for the more common standard of payment between governments and inter-state traders. The term is shortened from 'ComStar bill'. [1]

Origins

During the Star League era (2571-2785), a common currency was used throughout the Inner Sphere in form of Star League scrip which was standardized on the amount of germanium in Fort Knox on Terra (germanium being a key component to early Kearney-Fuchida drives). Once the Succession Wars broke out, each of the five great house leaders began issuing currency bearing their own likeness. These currencies would later become known as House Bills (or H-Bills), the value of which was based on the house's economic fortunes. The Star League scrip was eventually discontinued.

The C-Bill originated from early ComStar's Letter of Credit[2], which detailed the value of ComStar's communication services to the Great Houses and the public. Approved in 2835 the C-Bill was intended as a method of payment for those services, its value based on a fixed amount of ComStar service, transmission time, or delivery distance. Because of the uncertainty of the exchange rates for H-Bills, many mercenary units would request payments for their contracts be in C-Bills to ensure a consistent payment basis. As a result of this and interstellar trade in general, the C-Bill became a common currency throughout the Inner Sphere and the Periphery, in many places replacing the local H-Bills.

Denominations[3]

C-Bills are generally used in an electronic format, but are often commonly encountered as paper notes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 units. Within territories administered by ComStar, coins called demis are issued. In external areas, local currency is used for sums smaller than 1 C-Bill.

Gameplay

Value

In 3025, the exchange rates for the various H-Bills and the C-Bill were as shown in the table below. This is a relative comparison only as actual exchange rates would have varied daily. It should provide the reader with a view of the relative economic successes of the various houses.

Exchange Rates
Currency C-Bill Kurita Davion Steiner Marik Liao
C-Bill 1.00 1.25 1.11 0.91 1.43 2.00
Kurita 0.80 1.00 0.89 0.73 1.14 1.60
Davion 0.90 1.13 1.00 0.82 1.29 1.80
Steiner 1.10 1.38 1.22 1.00 1.57 2.20
Marik 0.70 0.88 0.78 0.64 1.00 1.40
Liao 0.50 0.63 0.56 0.45 0.71 1.00


C-Bill Conversion to U.S. Dollar
Game Year Source Year Current [4]
3025 1986: $5.00 [5] 2006: $9.20
3052 1991: $5.00 [6] 2006: $7.40
3062 1999: $3.00 [7] 2006: $3.63

Notes

  1. MechWarrior Third Edition (1999), FASA, pp 180.
  2. ComStar (sourcebook) (1992), FASA, pp 12.
  3. MechWarrior, Third Edition (1999), FASA, pp 182.
  4. MeasuringWorth.com
  5. MechWarrior, First Edition (1986), FASA, pp 103.
  6. MechWarrior Second Edition (1991), FASA, pp 144.
  7. MechWarrior Third Edition (1999), FASA, pp 131.