How to improve Stranded as a starter adventure (spoilers)

[Sigtrygg]

The original CT Marooned short adventure had this little lot:
SURVIVAL KIT (individual)
Imperial safety regulations require that one of these kits be carried for each passenger aboard all starships. The lifeboat which the players land in, however, contains only four, although there seems to be space allotted for the required twenty-three.
Each kit contains:
FilterIRespirator Combination: One per kit, as per Book 3. Negligible wt.
Water: Eight half-liter cans of distilled water. 6kg.
Food: A thirty day supply of dietary supplements and food concentrates for one person. 1.5kg.
Cold-Light Sticks: 30 hollow plastic tubes containing two chemical compounds separated by a thin wall. When flexed, the membrane ruptures, and the chemicals react with each other, giving off a soft light, lasting for 24 hours. The light cannot be turned off once started. 0.3kg.
Commlink/Beacon: A combination long range radio (500 km) and signaling transponder. One per kit. 1.5kg.
Flares: 4 per kit. Signaling devices which, when activated, emit a colored smoke and bright light for 15 minutes. 1 kg.
Rifle, Survival:. A light-weight rifle which disassembles into three basic components: barrel, action, and hollow stock in which the other two may be
stored. A five round magazine inserts into the rifle, forward of the trigger guard, and one round is fired per pull of the trigger. The weapon comes with 500 rounds of ammunition and is treated as rifle -2. 2.5kg (including ammunition).
Tarpaulin: As described in Book 3.2kg.
Cord: 2mm diameter x 300 m length, suitable for snares, and so on.
Rope: 1 cm diameter x 50 m length, suitable for climbing and so on.
Grappling Hook: A lightweight three-pronged hook, used in climbing, when attached to a rope.
Climbing Spikes & Hammer: 24 lightweight metal spikes for climbing steep rock faces, and a hammer for driving them in. Cord, rope, hook, spikes, hammer: 1.5 kg.
First Aid Kit: A small package of bandages, splints, drugs, and other equipment for field treatment of minor injuries. I kg.
Machete: Equivalent to blade, as in Book 1. Used in cutting vegetation to clear a path, campsite, etc. 0.35kg.
Binoculars: As in Book 3. I kg.
Sheltersuit: A loose fitting garment with facemask, gloves, and hood which can be used with a battery operated heat pump to provide protection from all but the most extreme conditions of heat and cold.
Heat Pump: Used with the above. When activated, the self-contained battery is good for an average 30 days continuous operation. The heat pump can also be used to heat or cool a shelter, such as a tent or small cave, but its duration is reduced considerably. Suit and pump: 2 kg.
Water Purification Equipment: A small distilling apparatus, filters, and chemical purification tablets, capable of removing harmful components from water and rendering it potable. 1 kg.
Raft: An inflatable raft capable of keeping one person (or 120 kgs) afloat in water. 0.5kg.
Miscellaneous: A compass, fishhooks and line, matches, etc. Negligible weight.
Survival Manual: A hand held portable microfilm reader with self-contained instructions for survival under many adverse conditions. 0.1 kg.
Carrying Case: 50 x 40 x 15 cm. 0.1 kg. Total kit weight is 23 kilograms.

 

[swordtart]

Those CT gun stats (rifle-2) are hard to translate into more modern numbers. 500 rounds plus gun at 2.5 kg is pretty low considering a brick of 500 .22 weighs getting on for 2 KG

Last effort from me.

SW Survival PCC*. Range 20m, 2D Damage, 0.7kg, Cr140. Loaded Mag. 6 Shot, Cr24. Ammunition Cr60/100.

The Schwert Waffenfabrik (SW) Survival PCC was developed from an all but identical model with a more traditional one piece wooden stock, fixed barrel and greater magazine capacity. It is a semi-automatic pistol calibre take down weapon that can be stored in the full polymer stock, marketed to backpackers. As many parts were interchangeable with the more conventional design the company were able to support it more easily than a more novel solution and allowed customers to tap into an well established support environment and a thriving after market modification community.

The receiver can be stored with a magazine fitted alongside the barrel and an additional 2 magazines in snug compartments in the stock for a total of 18 ready rounds. A larger compartment holds a replenishment box capable of holding an additional 50 rounds. Whilst fairly modest in performance the weapon is ideal as a light hunting weapon and cheap sporting weapon. Whilst not fitted with a scope (as the stock has no provision for storing one), the receiver is tapped and some users have drilled out the stock to accommodate a fitted rail, though the limited range doesn't justify more than the provided iron sights.

In an effort to get the weapon down to a magic "sub-Cr100" price point and break into the commercial liner safety market, Schwert Waffenfabrik (registered in Gram) sub-contracted receiver manufacture to the lowest bidder enabling them to offer the weapon at Cr99 per unit. All seemed well until a highly publicised expedition decided to use the weapon and identified an unacceptably high level of failure (one in six shots malfunctioned in some manner). Investigation traced the failure in sub-specification receiver components and later revealed that the sub-contractor had further sub-contracted to a Vargr owned subsidiary without ensuring adequate quality control. Production was halted, but by that point over 500,000 units had been produced to this inferior specification. Litigation destroyed SW within a few years.

The "Vargr" specification variant suffers from the Unreliable-1 trait and is common in survival kits. An aftermarket replacement receiver is available but as it costs Cr105 it is seldom considered worthwhile as the failure modes are rarely catastrophic and the weapon is not intended for high intensity operations.


*Handgun Receiver, Light Handgun Ammunition, Assault Barrel, Full Stock, Ammunition Capacity reduced by 50% to 6rnds if you want to check my maths