Brethren of the Brick Seas (BoBS) Introduction and Starting Thread

[Garmadon]

I'm trying to figure out how much money I have.

I got 25 DB from posting my fig, 10 DB from posting a FB, but I have 45 DB in the January listing. According to my bank statement, I have 45 DB. Did my Barracks or Challenge entry count as the additional 10 DB for January?

How much money can I spend now? My income was 45 DB, so I assume I have 36 DB to spend after taxes.

Thanks,

Phred

I don't know where the extra 10 DBs came from (do you have some Oleon salary?), but Bregir and Titus is right about the 20% tax

Thanks for clearing that up, Bregir

Petition to raise the tax to over 9000%

However! However anything above the original 20% does come out of the players' pockets! So don't go and raise your taxes to over 9000% percent unless you want the whole nation of Oleanders hanging from their toes on palm trees!

[MKJoshA]

The other factions just want you to think it's 20% on top of what you make that goes as taxes to your faction. It's all lies! Only the Sea Rats have no taxes. The taxes are built into the price of the buildings. So if you buy a 100DB property, your faction gets 20% of that, 20DBs. But what they don't tell you is that really the property only costs half that and then they add on taxes and fees to create the 100DB price tag! If you're a Sea Rat, a 100DB property only costs 50DBs because that's what it's really worth. So, come join us scurvy dogs and reap the profits!

[Kolonialbeamter]

The other factions just want you to think it's 20% on top of what you make that goes as taxes to your faction. It's all lies! Only the Sea Rats have no taxes. The taxes are built into the price of the buildings. So if you buy a 100DB property, your faction gets 20% of that, 20DBs. But what they don't tell you is that really the property only costs half that and then they add on taxes and fees to create the 100DB price tag! If you're a Sea Rat, a 100DB property only costs 50DBs because that's what it's really worth. So, come join us scurvy dogs and reap the profits!

Bwahaha, your freedom will be no match for our first-rate tax-ships and regiments of elite tax-collectors. Prepare to be amortised!

Well, maybe at some point in the future that is... now we're poor

Edited February 24, 2016 by Kolonialbeamter

[Garmadon]

The other factions just want you to think it's 20% on top of what you make that goes as taxes to your faction. It's all lies! Only the Sea Rats have no taxes. The taxes are built into the price of the buildings. So if you buy a 100DB property, your faction gets 20% of that, 20DBs. But what they don't tell you is that really the property only costs half that and then they add on taxes and fees to create the 100DB price tag! If you're a Sea Rat, a 100DB property only costs 50DBs because that's what it's really worth. So, come join us scurvy dogs and reap the profits!

Actually, it's worse than you think The 20% does get vaporized from thin air, but besides that half o' the price of the licences goes to the empire Oh, and 20% of 100 is not 50, by the way!

Bwahaha, your freedom will be no match for our first-rate tax-ships and regiments of elite tax-collectors. Prepare to be amortised!

Well, maybe at some point in the future that is... now we're poor

Boy, is your title ever so spot on!

(Keep it up though because it really is hilarious! )

[MKJoshA]

Oh, and 20% of 100 is not 50, by the way!

That's what makes it so great to be a Sea Rat! We save each player more than 20%, we save them 50%! It's the rest of you factions who can't do math Why take 50% and only turn 20% of it into taxes?

[SkaForHire]

I'm trying to figure out how much money I have.

I got 25 DB from posting my fig, 10 DB from posting a FB, but I have 45 DB in the January listing. According to my bank statement, I have 45 DB. Did my Barracks or Challenge entry count as the additional 10 DB for January?

How much money can I spend now? My income was 45 DB, so I assume I have 36 DB to spend after taxes.

Thanks,

Phred

The Swift. I gave you and other leaders who built intro MOCs to kick this off full salary, even if you did not register the build.

[kabel]

The Swift. I gave you and other leaders who built intro MOCs to kick this off full salary, even if you did not register the build.

ah, that's nice, good to know!

[Garmadon]

That's what makes it so great to be a Sea Rat! We save each player more than 20%, we save them 50%! It's the rest of you factions who can't do math Why take 50% and only turn 20% of it into taxes?

The 50% is the half of the cost of the licence which goes to the faction. The 20% is a tax on what you earn. The 50% of the licence is paid for by the player, but the 20% tax on what they earn is not. Does that make any more sense? (See, its the Sea Rats who don't know their math! )

[CelesAurivern]

So by that logic, the state earns 70% per licenced property? Of which 20% comes from thin air?

[Garmadon]

No! And here I thought at least Corries could do math! When you spend money on a licence you aren't making (that is, earning) anything, so the faction only gets half the price of the licence. Whenever you build something, or reap the profit from your licences - then the 20% tax comes in

[Mike S]

No! And here I thought at least Corries could do math! When you spend money on a licence you aren't making earning anything, so the faction only gets half the price of the licence. Whenever you build something, or reap the profit from your licences - then the 20% tax comes in

Fixed something in your statement to make it clearer... I had thought that all the DBs from the licenses got circulated out of the game. Good to know that Corrington gets a portion of all the property fees I will be paying. Too many rules to keep up with.... but that is what makes it all the more fun!

[dr_spock]

Question:

A small residence costs 5DB to license and yields 2 DB per month.

If you pay 5 DB for the license, 2.5 DB from the payment goes to your fraction. If you're a Sea Rat, you only need to pay 2.5 DB for the license. 50% off the listed price?

On the yield of 2 DB, is that before or after taxes? If it is an after tax amount, then shouldn't individual Sea Rats be earning 20% more per month since they are not taxed? 2.4 DB per month for small residence?

[Kai NRG]

Thanks for clearing that up, Bregir

Petition to raise the tax to over 9000%

If taxes are raised that does come out of your pocket.

[Sir Stig]

Question:

A small residence costs 5DB to license and yields 2 DB per month.

If you pay 5 DB for the license, 2.5 DB from the payment goes to your fraction. If you're a Sea Rat, you only need to pay 2.5 DB for the license. 50% off the listed price?

On the yield of 2 DB, is that before or after taxes? If it is an after tax amount, then shouldn't individual Sea Rats be earning 20% more per month since they are not taxed? 2.4 DB per month for small residence?

What?! A Sea Rat that cries out for justice? Strange days.

Your logic is sound, however, and I have to agree with your point. Because, even though they don't have to pay the licencing fee, the Sea Rats have to buy their own forts, and can expect limited help from their faction leadership. So I support your views, even if it can be said that it may be hard to sell stolen goods for full retail price. 2.4 on a 2.5 cost building is also an exorbitant ROI. Maybe a compromise, to maintain game balance, would be in order.

[Capn Frank]

Question:

I had the same question now that my previous ones were answered.

[BrickOn]

Question:

A small residence costs 5DB to license and yields 2 DB per month.

If you pay 5 DB for the license, 2.5 DB from the payment goes to your fraction. If you're a Sea Rat, you only need to pay 2.5 DB for the license. 50% off the listed price?

On the yield of 2 DB, is that before or after taxes? If it is an after tax amount, then shouldn't individual Sea Rats be earning 20% more per month since they are not taxed? 2.4 DB per month for small residence?

Sounds like you may need to fill out a tax return at some point :-)

[CelesAurivern]

No! And here I thought at least Corries could do math! When you spend money on a licence you aren't making anything, so the faction only gets half the price of the licence. Whenever you build something, or reap the profit from your licences - then the 20% tax comes in

The seven types of property are, Residence, Factory, Plantation, Mine, Artisan, Commerce, and Fort. If they build within their own faction’s territory, a fee is paid upfront to their faction for right to use the land. If they build legally on another faction’s territory a rent will be charged per month, and set by the ruling council / monarch of that faction. IF built on land nobody owns, then the cost for the license is halved (just building materials!)

I see! It's as clear as mud!

No, but seriously, I was mistaken about the tax rate. Seems like 10-20% only apply to mines.

There are no recurring taxes for other properties unless faction leadership collects rents.

[Garmadon]

Looks like I'm stuck with giving all the answers, eh? I thought a bunch of you guys were leaders too and supposed to understand this!

Fixed something in your statement to make it clearer... I had thought that all the DBs from the licenses got circulated out of the game. Good to know that Corrington gets a portion of all the property fees I will be paying. Too many rules to keep up with.... but that is what makes it all the more fun!

Thanks, yes, that is what I meant!

The seven types of property are, Residence, Factory, Plantation, Mine, Artisan, Commerce, and Fort. If they build within their own faction’s territory, a fee is paid upfront to their faction for right to use the land. If they build legally on another faction’s territory a rent will be charged per month, and set by the ruling council / monarch of that faction. IF built on land nobody owns, then the cost for the license is halved (just building materials!)

I see! It's as clear as mud!

No, but seriously, I was mistaken about the tax rate. Seems like 10-20% only apply to mines.

There are no recurring taxes for other properties unless faction leadership collects rents.

Easier question first: Yes, if you are squatting you will only have to pay half price for your for your licences since nothing is going to any faction. However, squatting on other factions territory is illegal, and squatting on unclaimed land is quite risky (if another faction ends up with the island you will quite likely loose your property). About taxes, no, every faction does have the 20% tax:

18. I seem to have read something about taxes. That scared me. Should I go join the Sea Rats instead?

No need! It is true that Eslandola has a flat 20% rate off property and trade runs, but this does not come out of your pocket. If you earn say 100 DB, you receive the full 100 DB and Eslandola also receives 20 DB. This base tax will never come out of your pocket, but if it were ever to be raised, then the raise would come out of your pocket. Don't be alarmed, however; Eslandola's current leaders are far more interested in maintaining a brisk trade than in siphoning money toward the crown.

See the other faction's threads for their rules (which are exactly the same )

Question:

A small residence costs 5DB to license and yields 2 DB per month.

If you pay 5 DB for the license, 2.5 DB from the payment goes to your fraction. If you're a Sea Rat, you only need to pay 2.5 DB for the license. 50% off the listed price?

On the yield of 2 DB, is that before or after taxes? If it is an after tax amount, then shouldn't individual Sea Rats be earning 20% more per month since they are not taxed? 2.4 DB per month for small residence?

Now for the more complicated one. First, everything is rounded up. This means that whenever a member of any faction (except the Sea Rats) buys a licence for a small residence, 3DBs goes to the faction, and only two go out of the game. However, when a Sea Rat builds a small residence, they will be paying 3DBs as well (you can't split a doubloon, at least not in the EGS )

Next, the yield is 2DBs neither before nor after the taxes but at exactly the same time, since it is merely created out of thin air. Individual Sea Rats do not earn 20% more because they do not have that mysterious ability which the factions leaders have to create DBs out of thin air I hope that makes sense, but if it does not I'll claim that it is just hidden game mechanics

[Vedauwoo]

So....would a simpler way of putting it be:

The "20% tax" earned by the faction is a reward from the game for the faction's builders' activity by adding properties to the faction's overall holdings.

[MKJoshA]

So....would a simpler way of putting it be:

The "20% tax" earned by the faction is a reward from the game for the faction's builders' activity by adding properties to the faction's overall holdings.

If that's the case, then why wouldn't Sea Rats have taxes? I thought the idea behind Sea Rats having no taxes was to entice them to join our lovable anarchy? That's why we only pay half price on properties.

[SkaForHire]

Oh and there is the case that the Sea Rats don't actually make money on taxes -- they get 20% FIPs but no DBs, (January was an exception to get a little money in their coffers.) SRs should be the most innovative faction when it comes to making money and defense. The thought was that we would have twice as many pirates as any one faction, but that proved to be not the case right now.

[dr_spock]

Oh and there is the case that the Sea Rats don't actually make money on taxes -- they get 20% FIPs but no DBs, (January was an exception to get a little money in their coffers.) SRs should be the most innovative faction when it comes to making money and defense. The thought was that we would have twice as many pirates as any one faction, but that proved to be not the case right now.

Does trying to justify that the Sea Rats should earn 20% more DB on their monthly property yields based on other faction's tax laws count as innovative money making or at least creative in accounting?

[SkaForHire]

The property yield is considered commerce which results from having that enterprise established. The taxes paid to the crown come not from the owner of the building, but from his customers. So if anything, the customers or clients should have more money in their pockets. (No trickle down here, they just spend it at other places)

[CelesAurivern]

Next, the yield is 2DBs neither before nor after the taxes but at exactly the same time, since it is merely created out of thin air. Individual Sea Rats do not earn 20% more because they do not have that mysterious ability which the factions leaders have to create DBs out of thin air I hope that makes sense, but if it does not I'll claim that it is just hidden game mechanics

Right, that all makes sense.

e.g. I licence a commerce for X DB, X/2 DB goes to the faction coffers, while the other X/2 DB is taken out of circulation.

The monthly yield from this commerce is Y DB, so every month, I get Y DB, while the faction gets Y/5 DB which is created out of thin air.

Which means the faction receives a constant revenue of ∑Y/5 per month.

In that respect, the Sea Rats as a faction are disadvantaged as they never draw the bonus 20% tax or licencing fees.

So what happens to their coffers?

On the bright side, individual players would benefit greatly in terms of personal wealth

Cos with X DB, one can now licence, 2 properties instead of 1, effectively doubling their income in double quick time!

The property yield is considered commerce which results from having that enterprise established. The taxes paid to the crown come not from the owner of the building, but from his customers. So if anything, the customers or clients should have more money in their pockets. (No trickle down here, they just spend it at other places)

So I guess we're charging VAT :p

[Vedauwoo]

In that respect, the Sea Rats as a faction are disadvantaged as they never draw the bonus 20% tax or licencing fees.

So what happens to their coffers?

On the bright side, individual players would benefit greatly in terms of personal wealth

Cos with X DB, one can now licence, 2 properties instead of 1, effectively doubling their income in double quick time!

that's the way I understand it....we will gain greater personal wealth....and have less "faction assistance" or whatever factions use funds for....so more economic autonomy....but also more risk...