C-bill

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

History[edit]

During the Star League era (2571-2785), the Star League Dollar (SL$) was used as a common currency throughout the Inner Sphere, standardized on the amount of germanium in Fort Knox on Terra, the vital component in Kearny-Fuchida Drives. The Star League scrip was eventually rendered obsolete with the dissolution of the state. Beginning in 2823 with House Steiner, germanium stockpiles were not sufficient to back any trade, and resources such as water supplies were used to issue the script. These currencies would later become known as House Bills (or H-bills), the value of which was based on the house's economic fortunes. As the Succession Wars continued, each of the five Great House leaders resumed issuing their original pre–Star League currencies. As of 3025, H-Bills constituted 90% of Inner Sphere currency.[2]

The C-bill originated from early ComStar's Letter of Credit,[3] 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 secondary currency throughout the Inner Sphere and the Periphery, in many places replacing the local H-bills.[4][5]

During the era of the Second Star League, some suggested adopting the C-bill as the currency of that reborn body, only for the idea to be met with considerable resistance.[4][5]

After the collapse of the HPG network in the Dark Age era, the C-bill's value collapsed as the backing of the currency was rendered functionally nonexistent, forcing use of H-bills or barter. In particular, many mercenaries began to use ammunition in place of currency.[6]

Denominations[edit]

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.[4][5]

Gameplay[edit]

Value[edit]

The exchange rates for the various H-bills and C-bill are shown in the tables 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 3025
Currency C-bill Ryu Pound Kroner Eagle Yuan
C-bill - 1.25 1.11 0.91 1.43 2.00
Ryu 0.80 - 0.89 0.73 1.14 1.60
Pound 0.90 1.13 - 0.82 1.29 1.80
Kroner 1.10 1.38 1.22 - 1.57 2.20
Eagle 0.70 0.88 0.78 0.64 - 1.40
Yuan 0.50 0.63 0.56 0.45 0.71 -


Exchange Rates 3067[7]
Currency C-bill Yuan Kroner Pound Ryu Eagle Krona
C-bill - 2.01 1.18 1.21 1.31 1.12 1.66
Yuan 0.50 - 0.58 0.60 0.65 0.56 0.82
Kroner 0.85 1.71 - 1.03 1.11 0.95 1.41
Pound 0.83 1.66 0.97 - 1.08 0.92 1.37
Ryu 0.77 1.54 0.90 0.93 - 0.86 1.27
Eagle 0.89 1.80 1.05 1.08 1.17 - 1.48
Krona 0.60 1.21 0.71 0.73 0.79 0.67 -


Exchange Rates 3076[8]
Currency C-bill Yuan Kroner Pound Ryu Eagle Krona Kerensky TC Bull CP Bull MC Dollar FR Dollar Escudo Talent Skull
C-bill - 2.00 1.18 1.20 1.32 1.12 1.67 0.25 4.00 5.00 4.00 10.00 6.67 7.69 20.00
Yuan 0.50 - 0.59 0.60 0.66 0.56 0.84 0.13 2.00 2.50 2.00 5.00 3.34 3.85 10.00
Kroner 0.85 1.69 - 1.02 1.12 0.95 1.42 0.21 3.39 4.24 3.39 8.47 5.65 6.52 16.95
Pound 0.83 1.67 0.98 - 1.10 0.93 1.39 0.21 3.33 4.17 3.33 8.33 5.56 6.41 16.67
Ryu 0.76 1.52 0.89 0.91 - 0.85 1.27 0.19 3.03 3.79 3.03 7.58 5.05 5.83 15.15
Eagle 0.89 1.79 1.05 1.07 1.18 - 1.49 0.22 3.57 4.46 3.57 8.93 5.96 6.87 17.86
Krona 0.60 1.20 0.71 0.72 0.79 0.67 - 0.15 2.40 2.99 2.40 5.99 3.99 4.60 11.98
Kerensky 4.00 8.00 4.72 4.80 5.28 4.48 6.68 - 16.00 20.00 16.00 40.00 26.68 30.76 80.00
TC Bull 0.25 0.50 0.30 0.30 0.33 0.28 0.42 0.06 - 1.25 1.00 2.50 1.67 1.92 5.00
CP Bull 0.20 0.40 0.24 0.24 0.26 0.22 0.33 0.05 0.80 - 0.80 2.00 1.33 1.54 4.00
MC Dollar 0.25 0.50 0.30 0.30 0.33 0.28 0.42 0.06 1.00 1.25 - 2.50 1.67 1.92 5.00
FR Dollar 0.10 0.20 0.12 0.12 0.13 0.11 0.17 0.03 0.40 0.50 0.40 - 0.67 0.77 2.00
Escudo 0.15 0.30 0.18 0.18 0.20 0.17 0.25 0.04 0.60 0.75 0.60 1.50 - 1.15 3.00
Talent 0.13 0.26 0.15 0.16 0.17 0.15 0.22 0.03 0.52 0.65 0.52 1.30 0.87 - 2.60
Skull 0.05 0.10 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.01 0.20 0.25 0.20 0.50 0.33 0.38 -


Real World C-bill Conversion
Game Year Source Year U.S Dollar[9] Euro[10]
3025 1986: $5.00[11] 2024: $14.07 2021: 10.09€
3052 1991: $5.00[12] 2024: $11.46 2021: 8.22€
3062 1999: $3.00[13][14] 2024: $5.63 2021: 4.04€

Notes[edit]

  • The preferred term is "C-bill" (except on section titles & table headings, where "C-Bill" is favored).

References[edit]

  1. ↑ MechWarrior, Third Edition, p. 180: "Local Currencies and Exchange Rates"
  2. ↑ MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, p. 103: "House Bills"
  3. ↑ ComStar, p. 12: "Operation Silver Shield"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 MechWarrior, Third Edition, p. 182: "ComStar"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 182: "ComStar"
  6. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 176
  7. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 131: "Lyran units of currency and exchange rates"
  8. ↑ BattleTech: A Time of War, p. 256: "Inner Sphere Exchange Rates"
  9. ↑ US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator - utilizing January for both years
  10. ↑ US Dollar to Euro: Average exchange rate in 2021
  11. ↑ MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, p. 104: "Currency Conversion Chart"
  12. ↑ MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, Second Edition, p. 145: "Currency Conversion Table"
  13. ↑ MechWarrior, Third Edition, p. 131: "Exchange Rates Table"
  14. ↑ Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 131: "Exchange Rates Table"

Bibliography[edit]

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