| From: | Jani Fikouras <feanor@**********.UNI-BREMEN.DE> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Shadow community Size |
| Date: | Fri, 29 Sep 1995 13:53:32 +0100 |
> magicianss in Seattle, a good number of these work for corps -- say 2000.
> For the sake of ease assume the rest are shadowrunners (most magicians are
> either swooped up by the corps or will have nothing to do with them); that
> leaves 1000 runner-magicians. Most shadowrunner teams have something like
> one magician for every two or three other runners, right? Makes for about
> 3000 to 4000 shadowrunners in Seattle. Add in fixers etc and you reach
> maybe double that. Not a very large community, is it?
Well its actaully smaller, you forgot to take out the children, the
old people and other individuals that simply dont want to be runners.
Being a magician doesnt mean that you automatically run the shadows.
Anyway here is the original article:
ECONOMICS OF SHADOWRUNNING
Corporation Report: Economics of Independent Illegal Operatives --
'Shadowrunners'
earl@***.caltech.edu (Earl A. Hubbell)
Abstract: Statistical analysis applied with some wild assumptions
demonstrates 1) Shadowrunners are not generally a significant
force and 2) They are an economic preferred alternative to 'in-
house' operatives, despite general unreliability.
SEATTLE OF 2050:
Population : 3x106 individuals
Corporate affiliated: 1.5x106
Below Poverty: 1x106
Thus, we see economically independent units compose 5x105
individuals. We rule out the 'Below Poverty Level' population, as
any significantly skilled/cybered/magic unit will be aggressively
recruited/have entered poverty voluntarily/will not be counted in
standard census.
From the UCAS census estimates, we have approximately 1% of the
population having 'significant' cyber-enhancements (so called
'samurai', 'riggers' or 'deckers') or significant magical
enhancement ('physical adepts'). Full mages compose approximately
.1% of the population.
Thus, there are approximately 3x104 units of significant personal
power in Seattle. Of these units, 3,000 are mages. Due to
aggressive corporate recruiting, it is estimated that only 10% of
the 'significant' population may be considered 'independent'.
Thus, we have 3x103 significant units, of which 300 are mages.
For obvious reasons, counting this population is difficult,
however, it seems that only approximately 20% of this final group
engage in high-risk operations (the remaining 'independents'
belonging to various 'normal' occupations).
Thus, the 'significant' population available to 'shadowrun'
consists of merely 60 mages, 60 skilled 'deckers', approximately
120 riggers, 120 physical adepts, and 300 samurai (numbers do not
add due to some overlap in categories, and approximation errors).
Given the near-necessity of 'magical cover' on any significant
operation, we see an operating population of approximately 100
'teams' of runners within Seattle, composed from a pool of
approximately 600 'powered' individuals, and approximately 2,000
skilled personnel in various 'support' positions (so-called
'fixers', 'detectives', 'security consultants', 'cannon-
fodder'...)
This explains the 'close-knit' nature of an otherwise paranoid
profession - the 'teams' generally know of each other, at least by
reputation, and in the case of mages, almost certainly by
individual (deckers as well). They interact with the same
population, travel in the same circles, need the same information,
think the same way.
Thus, we see that although 'runners' form a relatively large force
on the scale they tend to operate, their disorganized nature tends
to leave them with little real impact on corporate operations.
--
GCS d s+: p1 a-->? C++++ UA++$S++L+++>++++ L+++ E--- W+ N+ w(--) M-- !V(--)
PS+ PE Y+ PGP-- @*++ 5++ X++ R+++ tv++ b++ G+++ e++ h+(*) r
"In my mind I see the matrix, and in the matrix is held the power. The lock
to the matrix is my will, and in the matrix my will becomes the power."
