Hmm... Okay, one pony per tub.<br/><br/>I think that the knees should harden as well as the soles of the feet, too. Don't you agree?<br/><br/>I think the gross amount that one person could pull, given that the shafts are going to be worn reasonably smooth, would be around 200kg. They are going to be pulling up hill with loaded carts.<br/><br/>Here's a thought. As well as hardening the soles of the feet, the suits should extrude spikes when in contact with the ice to give grip! Ice is slippery stuff after all!<br/><br/>The same carts that take the ore to the surface also bring the pit props and bonding tape (when needed) down. While waiting for the carts to be filled, the ponies should not be doing nothing, but should be assisting in widening the tunnel and shoring it up.<br/><br/>Enyr will supervise this from the section that is already shored up, I would expect...?<br/><br/>In case people haven't noticed, I have posted some background material on The Empire to one of the reserved posts. Following a prompts from piece, i am going to give some thought to how the new arrivals will be arriving.<br/><br/>Two options:<br/><br/>1) In the shuttle, on the way down, woken from chryo, stripped naked and made to lie in a cold slimy bath of stuff, then put into a pod on the outside of the ship and when it lands, kicked out onto the ice....<br/><br/>2) Kicked out onto the ice...