I often have more enthusiasm than ability to properly establish these sorts of things, so I thought I would come to all of you for help! I want to run a new forum game. I recognize that my last effort in this regard was insufficient and generally not good. My bad. So, I am attempting to create a game that is more manageable and enjoyable in theme, scope, and of course in gameplay. The game will take place in the pseudo-Chinese land of Quoyo, and the technology level will be dawn of the twentieth century in some respects, but completely fantastical in others. Quoyo is in the middle of a crisis, and the once-monolithic Empire is fractured and weak. The players, and of course the various NPC powers, will be taking advantage of this situation. Here's a brief intro.
[ic=The Mandate of Heaven]It is the 178th year of the Seng Dynasty, yet no Emperor graces the Celestial Throne. Great Quoyo has fallen to the wrack and ruin of war and strife. In his madness the Imperial Magician, Huen Zho, has murdered the Honwen Emperor and the Imperial Family. In collusion with greedy and envious Generals he strives to cast down the Seng. From their ashes, he says, he will build a new and glorious dynasty to humble all those that have come before. Prince Guoh, the seventh and last son of the Honwen Emperor, resists Huen Zho and the Red Banner Army from the fortress city of Jinjiao. He has vowed to restore the dynasty, and when Huen Zho's head decorates a pike above the Imperial Palace in Anseng, he will mount the Celestial Throne. The Lords of Jai, long subject to Imperial Quoyo, have cast off the bonds of vassalage. With the Emperor's death and chaos on the mainland, there is no longer reason to pay the exorbitant tributes. Jainese pirates run wild on the Sea of Sen, raiding up and down the coasts as far as Set. For Jai to be bound again to Quoyo, the Lords say, the earth must split asunder and their isles must be drowned in blood. The Tiao and the Vet, subject peoples long oppressed, rise up to take back their homelands from the encroaching Yua. Foreigners from the West arrive like the irresistible tide, their strange ships sailing into the harbour cities of the south unopposed. Their ferocity in battle is matched only by their barbarism, and they carve new lands for themselves from the ailing body of Quoyo. Order has fled like smoke on the wind, and any man might seize the Mandate of Heaven as his own.[/ic]
Players will play as a the leader of a rising minor power, with every opportunity for expansion, and perhaps even a chance to take the Celestial Throne. Your options are intended to be those written below, but if you want to play something else, and if that something else is suitable, I will allow it!
A Jainese Sojai, pirate lord of a haven on the coast of Quoyo. Though the Osojai of the League refuse to recognize your authority or right, wary as they are of what may come when either the Prince or the Magician triumphs in the North, you may yet convince them with your growing wealth and power.
- The Jainese traditionally fight with shiveraxe and the quoyo-nu - a repeating crossbow firing bolts laden with explosive charge to drive the head of the bolt into the target on contact.
They eagerly adopt the breech-loading rifles of the Angals, and rumours spread that the Osojai seek to emulate the awesome power of the Anglic ships, raising steel hulks laden with cannon in their harbours. On land, the Sojai wade into battle ensconced within their colossal suits of armour - oyoro. Animated by ritual magic, and fueled by the energy of Keresic, the Earth's Red Blood, they are nigh unstoppable.
An Anglic Duke or Count, enfiefed by right of conquest in this foreign land. You, and all the Anglic nobility, were exiled decades ago from your former home across the Sea. The vile Republic triumphed, and the nobles of Angaland fled, or lost their heads on the block. The Angals have since wandered the world, and have become known in many places as adventurers and fierce mercenaries. Your people flock to Quoyo as word spreads of rich lands for the taking.
- Science and reason rule in Angaland, and the exiled Angals maintain this tradition, and their fearsome technological weapons. Their common infantry fight with the breech-loading rifle, or man rotary guns to reduce their enemies in seconds. Their Lords and Knights rule the battlefield with their treads - metal machines armed with cannon and armoured against it - or afoot, immovable when entrenched and encased in steel, wielding gruesome heatblades. Anglic dreadnaughts, though few in number, are feared on the Sea of Sen, and not even the Jainese dare challenge them.
A rogue Yua General or Governor. The realm has been shattered, and you seek either to preserve your dominion from the spreading chaos, or to profit by it, and have the men and women of Quoyo submit to your will.
- The Yua engage their enemies with innumerable masses of troops armed with shiverpikes, shiverswords and the quoyo-nu. The sheer human mass of a Quoyese army is often sufficient to overwhelm its opponent. Like the Jainese, Yua nobles make use of great animated armours in battle. Taking the form of the wolf, the langshia are rightly feared for their ability to tear apart enemy formations single-handedly. Afoot, the nobles of Quoyo fight deftly with the solar lance, scouring their enemies from the Earth with beams of light.
A King of the Tiao or the Vet (or another ethnic group that you are free to think of!) Minorities who have been oppressed by and subject to the Yua of Quoyo for centuries. The Tiao raid the lands of the Yua from their fastnesses in the mountains and valleys of the western coast, and return home singing of their victories, heavily laden with plunder. The Vet, people of the southeastern jungles, contend with Yua settlers and the invading Men of Sekh for control of their ancestral homeland.
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I have a basic map here: http://kreuzer.pbworks.com/w/page/61882761/Mandate%20of%20Heaven
The borders are of course very rough, and subject to change based on where a player wants to establish their state (within reason). I will also fill the map out with various other minor NPC states when and if players express interest and develop their own states.
If you think this game sounds fun, post in this thread with some of your ideas, or come up with a character and nation to play as! I encourage suggestions, criticism, and as many comments as you care to make. I'm still working on gameplay, and hope to have a post on that up soon.
(PS: if you want to see the flags of the major NPC powers, they are here: http://kreuzer.pbworks.com/w/page/61884038/Your%20Adversaries )
Definitely interested in this game. Going to ponder about what I'd like to play in here and edit this post.
EDIT: So I have a few questions, ideas and whatnot.
First, it might not strike some as important, but I think the main geographical features in the map should be revealed. Also, where are the resource-rich regions?
It begs the question, is it first come first served, and thus in order of "subscription" to the game we will choose the land we want in the vast white areas?
Second, how, exactly, is magic? Is it a sort of High Magic setting or is Magic still a somewhat minor thing with some remarkable people capable of making greater use of it?
Personally, I'd be interested in playing the King of a resource-rich country that would lay somewhere east of Huen Zhuo's region, along the coast or right in the vast mainland. Would that be possible?
I will participate in pretty much anything with your name attached to it so count me in. Would I be wrong in getting a bit of an Escaflowne vibe, albeit less with the catgirls and dragons?
A few character ideas - let me know if any of these sound particularly promising/suitable:
- A half-Anglic, half-Quoyese bastard warlord-poet with a foreign education who leads a ragtag band of Anglic deserters, bandits, and Vet tribesmen who worship him as a deity. Mad, brilliant, capricious, cruel.
- A Jainese she-pirate and fox-witch renowned for her trickery and cunning. Skilled with magic, very enigmatic and inscrutable. Some of her troops are thought to not be fully human, though this may just be rumour.
- A Grand Duke or Minister of War or other General of whoever the Russians are in this world out to advance the imperialist ambitions of the Tsar or his equivalent. Grim, brutal, old-fashioned, patriotic. Maybe you'd have some suggestions about what kind of forces he'd have?
Alrighty, time to answer some questions.
Firstly, Pym, you will notice I have updated the map to include major river systems draining into the Sea of Sen. I will work on finding a non-jarring way of representing mountains tomorrow, but the major ranges are around the far western coast, with a branch going over to around the origin of the tributary river that joins the Huaihan river (that is the river that flows past Senhan going towards the Sea). The second major range separates Velam (that being the region where the Vet are from) from the largely desertified land of Set (that being the land that the House of Sekh holds as a kingdom).
I am going to attempt to distribute starting lands in manner that is fair to all players. I don't expect to have any major conflicts. Quoyo and most of its environs are fairly resource rich, and I don't intend to disadvantage any one player over another when it comes to resources. A general rule of thumb, though. In the western regions there are richer metal deposits, in the southeast there are richer keresic deposits (that is the earth's blood, petroleum equivalent for the Angals, and alchemical compound for the peoples of Quoyo), and the closer you are to the centre of Quoyo the denser the population, and the more silver taels to be had from trade and taxation. There are exceptions to these rules, and every player will have at least a semi-adequate amount of each of these resources, and potentially others.
This is not what I would consider a High Magic setting. Magic is relatively rare and powerful, and functionally unknown to some peoples (i.e. the Angals, and some other Westerners). Rituals to create constructs of war, and other advanced eastern weapons are somewhat well dispersed, but they are functionally just initiators, and the energy to maintain them is obtained from keresic. Certain individuals may have a talent for magic, but those with truly great power are basically unheard of. This is something I still have to work out gameplay-wise.
Steerpike: I like all of your character ideas! Though I kind of lean towards the Jainese pirate of the two firm ideas. Entirely up to you which to play, obviously. As far as Russian analogues are concerned, this setting's Russians are known as Baasks, and live far away to the West (though contiguously by land) in Roukedon. There are some trappers and settlers at the very northwestern edge of the map, who have some contact with the Tiao, but this is not yet anywhere near equivalent to the full diplomatic relationship and geo-political contest between Imperial Russia and the Qing Dynasty. I am very hesitant to allow anyone to play as part of an off-map entity, but I could certainly allow a fledgling settler nation of Baasks established by a Graf and his boyars, sort of like the Republics of Texas or California. Except longer lasting, owing to your astute leadership, and not a republic. I will admit that I have not thought about the Baasks too much, but they would certainly have breech-loading rifles, and perhaps some sort of horrible and unwieldy tread (that is, a tank). As far as unique weapons are concerned, I don't know, but if you could think of something cool and appropriate I would probably allow it.
Okay, cool. I didn't know how closely the world reflected real-world political history and geography, so I won't go for a Baask then (I'd assumed that like the Russian Empire their borders were a stonesthrow away).
I'll keep brainstorming - those were just the first off the top of my head. But a creepy pirate queen with excessively long fingernails whose ships and troops hold an unsavoury and mysterious reputation does sound fun. Does the fox thing fit or is it too blatantly Japanese?
What exactly does "shiver" denote? Vibration?
A shiversword or axe is indeed like a vibroblade. The fox thing isn't really a big deal, though I can't help but think of Horo from Spice and Wolf :p The Jainese are already pretty blatantly based on the Japanese, so I don't think a little more would hurt. I of course always appreciate additional character ideas, at the least, they provide me with some NPCs.
Cool. Another idea:
- A highly contemplative monk who has formed a brotherhood of peasant-warriors, training them in self-defense and ritualistic martial arts. The Crimson Knives Society was formed to protect farms and villages against bandits, pirates, and other assailants, but the aspirations of the monk may be somewhat higher, his spirituality masking decidedly earthly ambitions. A fanatic, mystic public face concealing a coldly calculating mind beneath.
For Mandate of Heaven, I want to keep the game relatively simple. The foundation of the expansion and maintenance of your realm will obviously ultimately be based upon its economy, or more relevantly, your personal economy.
The basic unit of monetary value in Quoyo is the tael. A Quoyese tael is a unit of silver weighing roughly 100 grams, and is not itself currency, but a representation of value. Your taels will not all be silver, but for the purposes of the game each tael is of absolute equality. I will subdivide taels up to fractions of one tenth, if necessary.
Income
Quoyo and its environs are largely agrarian, though it is an incredibly populous region, and thus possesses many large urban centres. Though in reality urban populations and agrarian populations would produce differing revenues for your realm, I am not going to bother distinguishing in this case.
The base measure of tax income for any state is 1 tael per 1000 of population per season.
Depending on the provenance of your realm, there are certain tax modifiers you will experience at the start of the game.
Angals have an incompatible bureaucracy modifier, and receive only half the base tax income from the native population. However, their tenancy modifier allows them to collect twice the base tax income from the Anglic population with no penalty.
the Jainese have the fukushu tribute modifier, and receive an additional 1% of tax income for every thousand men maintained under arms by the state, up to 20%.
There are several other methods of producing income for your realm. Plunder may be gained in war or through piracy, trade agreements for specific resources may be established with other players or NPCs, or you may gain incidental income through the production of resources, in addition to the raw resource itself.
To produce a resource, you must first build an appropriate improvement within the bounds of your realm, and maintain control of this improvement to continue availing yourself of its benefits. There will be limits on the number of improvements you may construct, but I have to give this matter further consideration. An initial list of economic and resource oriented improvements follows:
Vital Resources include metal and keresic. Metal is required for the construction of ships, weaponry, vehicles, constructs, and for certain improvements. Keresic is required for the construction of certain improvements, and the construction and operation of constructs, vehicles, ships, and certain weapons. Vital resources are maintained in reserve, and continue to aggregate over the seasons. Indeed, building up just such a reserve may be vital (ha ha) to your success.
Metal: Low Capacity Mine (Construction cost: 100 taels / Production per season: 25 units of metal and 2 taels) -> Expanded Mine (Construction cost: 400 taels and 10 metal /Production per season: 70 units of metal and 5 taels) -> Mining Complex (Construction cost: 1000 taels, 50 metal and 10 keresic / Production per season: 150 units of metal and 10 taels)
Keresic: Keresic Well (Construction cost: 125 taels and 5 metal / Production per season: 20 units of keresic and 5 taels) -> Tall Derrick (Construction cost: 450 taels, 15 metal and 5 keresic / Production per season: 60 units of keresic and 15 taels) -> Keresic Field (Construction cost: 1200 taels, 55 metal, 20 keresic / Production per season: 120 units of keresic and 25 taels)
Trade resources include textiles, tea, spices, ceramics and precious stones. The amount of each of these resources produced and imported to your realm will result in positive effects for your state, depending on your overall population. These resources do not aggregate, and what is produced each season is used each season.
Income may also be modified through the construction of improvements, and an incomplete list follows.
Tax offices (Construction cost: 250 taels. Increases tax revenue by 3%) -> Established bureaucracy (Construction cost: 600 taels. Increases tax revenue by a further 5%) -> Centralized tax authority (Construction cost: 2000 taels. Increases tax revenue by a further 10%)
National Bank (Construction cost: 2500 taels. Increases total realm revenue by 5%)
Note: Bear with me while I flesh this out. Two further posts on society and the military will also be made in the coming days.
Quote from: TheMeanestGuest"...The second major range separates Velam (that being the region where the Vet are from) from the largely desertified land of Set (that being the land that the House of Sekh holds as a kingdom)."
Where, exactly, is Velam? Their realm doesn't seem to be shown on the currently available map.
Still on geography, the waterway in the eastern part of the map, between the region Huen Zho controls and the Kingdom of Sekh, that ends in a delta; are there valleys there or is it pretty much flat, non-accident-ed, terrain.
Here is an idea of where I want my land, and here are questions relating to that:
(http://i49.tinypic.com/2dqso4j.jpg)
1. Does the size of the region I added correspond to what each player would be allowed to have? Is it too small, or too big perhaps? I remember saying we would have a "minor kingdom".
2. May I take this region?
3. Is the region I added mostly rainforest?
4. Is this region keresic rich?
Am I right if I say that, if I would be given this region, I could be playing as a King?
May I come up with a name for these people if you have none? I do have a good idea in mind that would perfectly fit the context of "Mandate of Heaven", the historic one, superstitious and all. (I just reread some information you already wrote and pondered; maybe that's exactly where you intended the Vet to be. If I am given this region, may I still rename it?)
I've got another question which I think is critical. How are you going to handle the submission of "orders"? In Republic Reborn, we're allies, mostly. In this game, I might just be another player's sword enemy. Obviously, we cannot NOT post orders at the same time, or one may take advantage of OOC knowledge. We can always submit our "orders" via PM, and then when you have em' all you could post them, all in a single post. Or you may even keep them entirely secret! But then it begs the question; how about updates? Will we have individual updates? I see this game could be a semi-PbP, semi-PbPM thing.
Velam is basically the area you have indicated on the map, and by some definitions extends all the way up the Mung river. There are certainly valleys. In that area the terrain generally becomes rougher as you go south, and flatter going north. However, it is not prairie country, and there is variation to the terrain throughout the region.
The size that you've indicated is generally larger than I would allow. A more ideal size would be between one third and one half of the territory you have indicated. It is a heavily forested area, and, owing to the climate, this forest would indeed be classified as rainforest. It is a region richer in keresic than any other save Set, and I could guarantee anyone starting in the region would have at least one rich keresic deposit available to them. At this point I can say with certainty that the territory is yours if you want it. If anyone else wants to start in the region I am sure it would be entirely possible to accommodate them. There will be several nearby NPC states in any case.
You would have the title of king, but that doesn't mean you are the only king in the area. Indeed, it is entirely possible that someone else might also claim the same title as you. While the wider region will still be referred to as Velam, you are entirely free to create your own name for your state and the land that your state occupies. Your people do not have to be the Vet, and could easily be another people entirely, should you desire it.
I think people can absolutely post orders at the same time. I have a very high opinion of everyone on the CBG, and I don't think anyone here would use out of character knowledge to their advantage in the game. Certainly, some matters should indeed be handled secretly by PM, at the least to maintain the pleasure of surprise. Everyone will receive their individual updates, but I fully intend to post these updates in the game thread.
Would that be more appropriate? If it is, I'll take it and start making up a story.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/14vmre8.jpg)
Alright, then I guess we can make use of the Spoiler feature. This comment is concerning the handling of orders.
That is fairly appropriate, yes. When I add your nation to the map it won't be exactly like that, but fairly close. It may also change ever so slightly again when I add any other players or NPC minors in the region.
Ok, well the main thing is; I want control of the delta region. If another player wants it too, though, well then I guess you can separate it. It can make for nice competitiveness.
This is certainly interesting; around the time you were running your sci-fi space opera game I had been considering setting up a game like Polycarps! but set in the world of Exalted where all the players had special powers as Solars, Sidereals, etc. and also effected the world- I never got around to finishing the rules though. So yes, I am interested in this, but I am a bit unclear as to how you see it playing?
Polycarp is to some degree bound by history in deciding events. Are you making up your events on the fly as a usual GM or are you rolling on a table or did you generate all the world with resources, etc. and base conclusions on those types of maps?
As magnus mentions, it would be very useful to know the terrain- e.g. hills, mountains, choke points in passages, villages; and the economics- wheat country, etc. and the statistics for various portions of the world. When I was trying to create my exalted world, I studied the books to try to figure out where to place this information so that the players could plan.
A weakness I personally saw at the beginning of Polycarp's game was that I wanted to figure out trade routes, etc. for planning- until he gave me that information, I didn't have much to build upon.
Also re your building chart; how do you plan to keep track of all the numbers? Do you have an excel formula? I once created a game similar to that aspect of your game and the game's number crunching was absurd. I ended up writing a computer program to enter turn information and to keep track of everything.
Speaking for myself, I'd be just as happy with a slightly more "impressionistic" type of PbP wargame as opposed to one with hundreds of stats and numbers requiring herculean record-keeping efforts. Though certainly terrain information, trade routes, and economic information would be welcome, though I imagine they're probably forthcoming (I'm aware that this is still several weeks from beginning).
EDIT: Question - are there any flying vehicles (planes, zeppelins, flying mecha, etc) or is this a pre-flight world?
I don't see why I would need an excel formula or anything like that. It doesn't seem like an issue to me, even multiplied across five players with multiple instances each. However, if any prospective players feel that it would be irritating to keep track of their own information, even were I to contain it in each update, then I will consider alternate options. Terrain and other information is forthcoming.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by an impressionistic wargame, Steerpike. If you could elaborate I could give more consideration to the matter.
Regarding flight, I am still conflicted. However, if I decide to include it, it will be fairly peripheral.
Ok. looking forward to the terrain and other maps.
Quote from: SteerpikeSpeaking for myself, I'd be just as happy with a slightly more "impressionistic" type of PbP wargame as opposed to one with hundreds of stats and numbers requiring herculean record-keeping efforts.
There is a definite balancing act here. Story-only games can work but they rely very heavily on the GM, because there is no "source of reality" other than the GM's interpretation of orders and events. A player cannot point to any numbers or formulae and say "this is what I have" - and by the same token, the GM has difficulty making anything understood except through prose, which is not everyone's strength and can sometimes take much more time than just adding up numbers. On the other hand, number-crunching can be an absolute chore, as I have discovered in other games like this before.
Excel can make the actual work easier, but relying on formulas might miss the key point, which is that
mechanics are a feedback mechanism. They are intended to tell the player things without the GM having to create prose to do so. When mechanics serve usefully as feedback, they are good; when they complicate things to the point that they impede player understanding, they no longer provide useful feedback, and are bad. This is why a lot of games like this tend not to have formulas as such, but use numbers simply as output (you have an Economy of 6, a Popular Support of 5, etc.). A player has an instinctual feel for how much "6/10" means; less so for the prose required to convey this.
Of course, the GM still has to decide when and under what conditions to change these numbers, and that doesn't sit well with some people who are used to PnP games in which the input is directly connected to output - I have these stats, they say I roll these dice, the dice say I do this damage, and the only job of the GM is to create the scenario in which this happens. If that's the style of game you want, you'll need those formulas to turn inputs into outputs without relying on GM fiat. Just remember that making formulas takes work, to create them and to balance them, and if you get into the process of building a whole system it may be some time before you're ready to run a game (as all of us who have labored to create PnP systems should know!).
On an unrelated note, I, too, would like to see some terrain.
More or less what Polycarp said. By impressionistic I meant sort of imprecise or narrative/prose driven - more a collaborative wargame-shaped story than a numbers-intensive, crunchy simulation where everything gets tracked, logged, and tabulated, especially if that means less of a headache for the GM. Not that some numbers and statistics aren't useful or necessary (they definitely are!) but I just meant that I wouldn't see the game as being less fun if there's not an exact record of how much ammunition my troops have, how many exact square miles my territory is, or precisely how many grams of grain are sitting in the silos of the village I just plundered. By impressionistic I meant I'd be OK with being simply told, for example, that my troop's ammunition is running low or that the grain silos were plentiful, or whatever...
Does that make sense?
And what I was getting at was along the lines of what Polycarp suggested-I'd like a measurable feedback system. It's something I struggled to implement when I was trying to design a game similar to the one you're doing here, so I wanted to make sure that you had given some thought to the inner workings of a feedback system if you had one planned or if you did not have one planned that I would find out exactly how much GM fiat is being made... because in Polycarp's games there are some constraints, but in a fantasy setting, I don't know if some magic macguffin will suddenly materialize... I don't know how many soldiers the kingdom of X or Y has until you tell me; I don't know how much wheat it has; or how likely a disaster may attack my crops, etc. I don't know any of these things and if they change on the fly during the game, that could destroy my plans.
That being said, Polycarp's game borders on the realm of disquiet for me when I play it because I am unsure sometimes how things are decided; I assume Polycarp has a table of events with likelihoods or a D20 and it's not just fiat, so it works, because I know the possible outcomes are influence by historical dimensions; with a fantasy game, there are no borders until they are clearly set... like for example- looking at the map I had no idea there was a russian analogue region until you mentioned it existed.
I'll admit I'm having difficulty understanding a lot of the concerns - or why these things are in fact concerns in the first place - that you guys are mentioning. At least as presented. Particularly, Light Dragon, I am not sure what you would like me to say. You often will not know how many men kingdom A or B would be able to field against you. You might have a guess. That guess might be as simple as 'a lot'. There are also times where you will know precisely how many soldiers are in the army of the guy who has decided he doesn't like you very much. It will all depend on how you play the game.
Also, I have updated the map to include major mountain ranges. Though I do not find it the most pleasing method of implementation, I think it is minimally offensive.
I like the way you described the mountains in the map, it's actually better (in my opinion) than drawing actual 2D mountains everywhere in an actual mountain-range.
I also agree with you, TMG, that knowing something outside of your border HAS to depend on how you play the game. It's just like real life; Qin strategists didn't receive a Zhao messenger telling them: "Hey, my King is deploying X troops to kick your ass, have a good day." Instead, Qin sent diplomats or, most of the time, spied, on neighbor kingdoms. This is just as true today.
Also, magic or not, if this world taking inspiration from actual China is any indication, natural catastrophes are PLENTY and will often determine the Will of Heaven, and thus, the one who's granted the Mandate of Heaven.
From my studies, what I can say is although war, and technology, contributed much to changing China over the centuries, a great part of the changes it went through came from philosophical, spiritual and superficial sources. They were, and still are to some extent, highly superstitious people, in general. Though I'd have to say they became much more pragmatic under Deng Xiaoping.
The Military
Combat is one of the most important aspects of gameplay in the Mandate of Heaven. Military force is a useful and versatile tool, capable of procuring new sources of funding and resources for your state, settling disputes, and convincing others of seeing things from your point of view.
Military units are recruited through the expenditure of taels, metal, keresic, and uniquely, manpower. Manpower represents the number of able-bodied soldiers you can call up to serve in your army. The basic level of manpower that every state possesses is 3% of the total population, though this may change based on specific modifiers or improvements possessed by your nation. Additionally, units marked Elite may only be recruited from the elite manpower pool. Your level of elite manpower is 2% of your calculated ordinary manpower.
The basic military unit is the company, consisting of 100 men (unless otherwise indicated). Up to 5 companies may be formed into a battalion under the leadership of an Officer, allowing them to function better and more efficiently both in combat and outside of it. 6-15 companies may be formed into a regiment under the leadership of a Captain. 16-30 companies may be formed into a division under the leadership of a Commander. To organize more than 30 companies into a single effective unit, an army must be formed under the leadership of a General. Officers, Captains, Commanders and Generals are recruited via increasing denominations of military experience earned by your state through battle, victorious or not. A military formation of any size may be led by your nation's leader without utilizing any of your military experience, though the threat to your leader's life will increase dramatically, and other unanticipated circumstances may arise depending on your leader's personality and ability.
Some units may be marked with the tags Elite or Massive, these tags grant the unit additional advantages in combat outside of its normal combat statistics.
The Yua
Yua states receive the motivated commoners modifier, granting their Quoyese Militia units an additional morale grade over those of other states.
Land
Quoyese Militia: Conscripted or, far less likely, volunteer Quoyese commoners. Unarmoured and given little to no training. Their only redeeming value may be their ease of recruitment, and the number of militiamen that can thus be fielded. However, they may be worse than useless in the field, and are perhaps best left to garrison duty or the defense of well-fortified positions. May be armed with shiverpikes (Defence: Middling) or quoyo-nu (Fire: Questionable, Range: Short).
Attack: Pitiful, Defence: Poor, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Pitiful, Maneuver: Questionable, Morale: Poor, Discipline: Pitiful
Recruitment Cost: 15 taels, 1 metal. Maintenance: 2 taels per cycle.
Banner Infantry: Career soldiers of the Yua states of Quoyo. These men are volunteers who have signed up for a lengthy period of service, often in excess of ten years. Trained, disciplined, and wearing lamellar armour. They have decent staying power on the battlefield, but little initiative. May be armed with shiverpikes (Defence: Good), or shiverswords and quoyo-nu (Attack: Middling, Fire: Middling, Range: Short)
Attack: Questionable, Defence: Middling, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Questionable, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Questionable, Discipline: Middling
Recruitment Cost: 50 taels, 2 metal. Maintenance: 5 taels per cycle.
Quoyo-danu Artillery : The quoyo-danu is an enormous repeating crossbow mounted on a wheeled wooden frame. Its size provides it with the power to fire jianbao capable of damaging armour and tread alike, or sow slaughter and disruption among infantry formations. It is maneuvered by draft animals, or if necessary by its own crews. However, as with most artillery, relocation in the midst of battle is difficult if not impossible. The quoyo-danu must be placed with care for maximum effectiveness. Quoyo-danu crews are among the most professional and highly-motivated members of the Banner Infantry.
Attack: Pitiful, Defence: Pitiful, Fire: Good, Range: Long, Charge: Nonexistent, Maneuver: Pitiful, Morale: Middling, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 70 taels, 7 metal. Maintenance: 10 taels per cycle.
Yua Nobles (Elite): The aristocrats of Quoyo are no strangers to battle. Though other dynasties limited the freedom and power of their nobles, the Seng routinely granted land, title and position in exchange for military service. Given their wealth these men can afford well-crafted Quoyese armour, gifting them with significant protection against shiver weapons and jianbao alike. Yua Nobles exalt ability with the solar lance above that with all other weapons, and these powerful artifacts allow them to atomize lesser foes with impunity. Yua Nobles may be mounted on horseback (Charge: Good, Maneuver: Good) or fight afoot (Defence: Impressive).
Attack: Good, Defence: Good, Fire: Good, Range: Short, Charge: Middling, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Middling, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 130 taels, 10 metal, 6 keresic. Maintenance: 15 taels and 2 keresic per cycle.
Langshia Armour (Elite, Massive): Langshia are forces of unparalleled destruction. These wolf-shaped constructs, imbued with ritual energy, have ruled the battlefields of Quoyo for centuries. The impact of their sheer mass alone will often shatter an army irrevocably, but if not, their shiverfangs and claws will make short work of any who dare to stand before them. Their incredible speed allows for quick relocation and maneuver or devastating charges. Anglic treads and Jainese oyoro alike must take care, lest the wolf chastise them for their hubris.
Langshia are rare and difficult to build. They operate in packs of three.
Attack: Impressive, Defence: Impressive, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Terrifying, Maneuver: Excellent, Morale: Good, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 500 taels, 60 metal, 40 keresic, 3 manpower. Maintenance: 30 taels and 6 keresic per cycle.
Sea
Quoyese Junk: The Quoyese Junk is a relatively small, but sturdy and efficient, ocean-capable ship rigged with distinct fully-battened sails. While easy to sail and maintain, the Junk is functionally obsolete for modern naval combat on the Sea of Sen. Possessing no armor, and armed only with a single bow-mounted quoyo-danu, and the quoyo-nu carried by its crew, the Junk generally fairs poorly against the more advanced ships fielded by foreign powers.
Armor: Nonexistent, Maneuverability: Good, Speed: Questionable, Firepower: Poor, Range: Moderate
Recruitment Cost: 65 taels, 30 manpower. Maintenance: 6 taels per cycle.
Air
Yingsi Orthopters: The famed flying machines of Quoyo, built from little more than wood, silk, string, and an alchemical keresic philactery. Each yingsi is the work of a master craftsman, beautifully carved and embellished. Little more than a curiousity and amusement in the decades since their invention, yingsi have found new use in the contest for the Celestial Throne as observers and scouts, a role in which they excel. When one can look down on the world from two miles up, there is little that can escape notice. Yingsi even have use during battle itself, carrying a multitude of silk banners of many colours, the pilot tossing out the appropriate banner to convey information on enemy movement and position to commanders on the ground. These orthopters are functionally unarmed, though the pilot may carry a quoyo-nu. Yingsi pilots nurse fierce rivalries, and precarious duels in the sky at close range are not unknown.
Orthopters are rare, and are built individually.
Armor: Nonexistent, Maneuverability: Good, Speed: Good, Firepower: Pitiful, Range: Short
Recruitment Cost: 100 taels, 5 keresic, 1 manpower. Maintenance: 10 taels and 1 keresic per cycle.
The Angals
Land
Quoyese Militia: Conscripted or, far less likely, volunteer Quoyese commoners. Unarmoured and given little to no training. Their only redeeming value may be their ease of recruitment, and the number of militiamen that can thus be fielded. However, they may be worse than useless in the field, and are perhaps best left to garrison duty or the defense of well-fortified positions. May be armed with shiverpikes (Defence: Middling) or quoyo-nu (Fire: Questionable, Range: Short).
Attack: Pitiful, Defence: Poor, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Pitiful, Maneuver: Questionable, Morale: Pitiful, Discipline: Pitiful
Recruitment Cost: 15 taels, 1 metal. Maintenance: 2 taels per cycle.
Yeoman Infantry: Recruited exclusively from the Anglic population, and the mainstay of any Anglic force. Yeomen are trained and well-motivated professional infantry. Wearing identical uniforms, a metal helmet, and armed with the breech-loading rifle, these soldiers are distinctive on the battlefields of Quoyo. Yeomen excel at engaging the enemy from a distance, or from prepared trenches and fortifications, where the power of the Anglic rifle can be best demonstrated. Should they be caught in melee combat they will suffer terribly. A bayonet is little match for a shiversword or shiveraxe in a man-to-man fight.
Attack: Poor, Defence: Questionable, Fire: Impressive, Range: Moderate, Charge: Questionable, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Good, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 65 taels, 1 metal. Maintenance: 6 taels per cycle.
Yeoman Rotary Gunners: The rotary gun is a marvel of modern military engineering. Initially used by their Nationalist opponents in the Anglic Civil War, the Loyalists quickly adopted the rotary gun from captured examples. The design has been refined since the Exile, and the modern rotary gun is more compact, lighter, and easier to use then ever before. Tripod mounted, the rotary gun may be carried and assembled by a crew of only 3 men. Its five rotating barrels are powered by a small keresic motor, allowing it to fire over 1500 rounds of ammunition per minute. Multiple rotary guns typically accompany any Yeoman regiment. The rotary gun is routinely hailed - or vilified - as the main tool enabling the success of the Loyalists in their invasion of Quoyo.
Attack: Poor, Defence: Poor, Fire: Excellent, Range: Moderate, Charge: Nonexistant, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Good, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 80 taels, 4 metal, 5 keresic. Maintenance: 8 taels and 1 keresic per cycle.
Yeoman Artillery: Another essential component of the Anglic Yeoman armies, artillery is used for the long-range engagement and disruption of enemy armies, and more importantly, the destruction of fortifications. Firing large explosive shells, these artillery pieces can easily reduce most of the fortifications of Quoyo over the course of several days. Pulled by draft animals, artillery pieces are difficult to relocate and maneuver. They may find additional employment as direct-fire weapons utilized against the armoured constructs of the natives of Quoyo with some amount of effectiveness.
Attack: Poor, Defence: Poor, Fire: Excellent, Range: Substantial, Charge: Nonexistant, Maneuver: Pitiful, Morale: Good, Discipline: Good
Recruitment Cost: 120 taels, 10 metal. Maintenance: 15 taels per cycle.
Anglic Knights (Elite): Anglic Knights eschew the horse, and if unable to afford the construction and maintenance of a tread, will fight afoot with their retainers. Encased in masterfully angled heavy plate armour, the Anglic Knight need not fear most weapons fire. Bullets and jianbao bounce harmlessly off their plate allowing them to exchange fire with shotgun and revolver even when heavily outnumbered, or enables them to close with the enemy and make short work of them with their gruesome heatblades. A charge of Anglic Knights is a fearsome sight indeed, and entire Quoyese armies have virtually evaporated on contact with these butchers.
Attack: Impressive, Defence: Excellent, Fire: Good, Range: Short, Charge: Excellent, Maneuver: Questionable, Morale: Impressive, Discipline: Middling
Recruitment Cost: 210 taels, 15 metal, 5 keresic. Maintenance: 10 taels and 2 keresic per cycle.
Griswold Battle Tread (Elite, Massive): The premier land weapons platform of the Angals, developed and refined over the course of three decades, and operated solely by the Knightly class and their retainers. Quick, well-armoured, and well-armed. Named after the legendary loyalist commander Duke Adrian Griswold, who stymied the Nationalist advances for years until his tragic death. These treads are not identical, nor are they mass-produced, but they are alike in form, function, and aesthetics. Manufactured by independent or associated groups of yeoman forges and workshops. Griswolds are provided with a forward mounted turret, carrying the standardized 50 mm Roat cannon, capable of firing armor-piercing or explosive shells. Additionally, these battle treads are commonly coaxially mounted with a small three-barreled rotary gun, allowing them to more effectively engage enemy infantry.
Griswolds are complicated and difficult to manufacture. They operate in lances consisting of five treads.
Attack: Middling, Defence: Excellent, Fire: Excellent, Range: Long, Charge: Impressive, Maneuver: Good, Morale: Impressive, Discipline: Middling
Recruitment Cost: 400 taels, 50 metal, 45 keresic, 15 manpower. Maintenance: 25 taels and 10 keresic per cycle.
Sea
Monitor: A slow and small warship with a very low profile. The deck of a monitor sits close to the waterline to reduce its chances of being hit by enemy shells. Anglic monitors mount heavy guns - for their size - in turrets at the bow and the stern. The turrets, belt, and deck are completely shielded with armour plating, but this plating is light in comparison to that of other Anglic ships. Due to their shallow draft, monitors are entirely unsuited to combat on the open sea, being used for coastal defence or littoral operations.
Armor: Middling, Maneuverability: Middling, Speed: Questionable, Firepower: Middling, Range: Long
Recruitment Cost: 150 taels, 20 metal, 15 keresic, 50 manpower. Maintenance: 25 taels and 5 keresic per cycle.
Destroyer: Large, fast, and maneuverable, the Anglic destroyer fulfills the need for a smaller attack ship capable of operating far from shore. Well-armoured and armed with six sizable naval guns, the destroyer is superior to any ship on the Sea of Sen save her larger sibling: the Dreadnaught. Destroyers serve ably as commerce raiders, escorts, and naval weapons platforms.
Armor: Impressive, Maneuverability: Good, Speed: Good, Firepower: Good, Range: Substantial
Recruitment Cost: 600 taels, 65 metal, 35 keresic, 210(+10) manpower. Maintenance: 50 taels and 10 keresic per cycle.
Dreadnaught: The world's premier class of naval warship. Enormous, and armed to the teeth with multiple dual or triple gun turrets fitted with artillery of unmatched power and size. Dreadnaughts can engage their targets at ranges of up to 10 miles, and virtually no coastal fortress can withstand their barrage. Few dreadnaughts have been seen on the Sea of Sen since the initial Anglic Invasion. Owing to their advanced age - often of more than three decades! - several have been sold off to Anglic mercenaries uninterested in settling in Quoyo, or broken down for scrap - their guns incorporated into new coastal defences. The Dukes and Counts of Anglic Quoyo have found the smaller destroyer more than adequate for their needs. Should an Anglic Lord build a new dreadnaught, his prestige and power would be unrivaled.
Armor: Excellent, Maneuverability: Middling, Speed: Good, Firepower: Terrifying, Range: Incredible
Recruitment Cost: 2000 taels, 250 metal, 100 keresic, 1150(+100) manpower. Maintenance: 200 taels and 40 keresic per cycle.
The Jainese
Land
Quoyese Militia: Conscripted or, far less likely, volunteer Quoyese commoners. Unarmoured and given little to no training. Their only redeeming value may be their ease of recruitment, and the number of militiamen that can thus be fielded. However, they may be worse than useless in the field, and are perhaps best left to garrison duty or the defense of well-fortified positions. May be armed with shiverpikes (Defence: Middling) or quoyo-nu (Fire: Questionable, Range: Short).
Attack: Pitiful, Defence: Poor, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Pitiful, Maneuver: Questionable, Morale: Pitiful, Discipline: Pitiful
Recruitment Cost: 20 taels, 1 metal. Maintenance: 2 taels per cycle.
Kaizoku Ashigaru: Men of the islands of Jai who have made their living by piracy, and by their service to pirate Sojai. They may be the former soldiers of landed Sojai, hereditary pirates, or from any number of backgrounds. Their training, if any, is not standardized. Kaizoku Ashigaru are fierce and eager fighters, but they cannot be relied upon to maintain disciplined ranks, or to hold their position if they sense an advantage. They are routinely armed with shiveraxes and quoyo-nu, and fight either unarmoured, or with a light lamellar cuirass of leather and lacquered wood.
Attack: Good, Defence: Questionable, Fire: Questionable, Range: Short, Charge: Middling, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Middling, Discipline: Poor
Recruitment Cost: 40 taels and 1 metal. Maintenance: 4 taels
Rōnin Kosojai (Elite): Servants, attendants and retainers to the Lords of Jai, the Kosojai have trained all their lives in the arts of combat to protect and serve their masters. Kosojai who find themselves sworn to pirate Sojai are most often rōnin, having abandoned or lost their previous master. These men are looked down upon in the isles of Jai as honourless, and so make their living as they can - swearing their blades and their service to a new master. Kosojai are fierce and brave in battle, often throwing themselves recklessly upon the enemy - trusting on their ferocity and skill to carry the fight. They are well protected, wearing the thickly plated tosei-gusoku, armour capable of resisting jianbao and even, on occasion, the shot of the Angals. These men are not so bound by tradition as their peers in Jai itself, and readily adopt new weaponry. Rōnin kosojai may be armed with long shiveraxes and companion shiverswords (Attack: Impressive), or with Anglic breech-loading rifles (Fire: Impressive, Range: Moderate).
Attack: Good, Defence: Good, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Impressive, Maneuver: Middling, Morale: Impressive, Discipline: Questionable
Recruitment Cost: 110 taels and 10 metal. Maintenance: 10 taels.
Oyoro Armour (Elite, Massive): The Jainese oyoro is perhaps the greatest construct of war ever seen in Quoyo. Standing upwards of twenty feet at the shoulder - and carrying weapons three times as long as a man - oyoro tower over the battlefield, untroubled by the struggles of the infantry beneath them, sweeping their foes away contemptuously. Masqued with the terrifying likenesses of monsters, and painted in deep reds, blues, or blacks, the oyoro is a daunting sight indeed; men will run when these harbingers of doom take to the field. Though incomparably strong, oyoro are slow and ponderous, and can be outmaneuvered by tread and langshia alike. A wise commander will keep the flanks of their oyoro protected, lest they be destroyed in ambush by these swifter opponents. Oyoro are unmatched when employed against enemy fortresses, easily surmounting walls and tearing down defences.
Oyoro are built but slowly, each being utterly unique. They are rare, and fight in pairs.
Attack: Terrifying, Defence: Fearsome, Fire: Nonexistent, Charge: Good, Maneuver: Poor, Morale: Impressive, Discipline: Questionable
Recruitment Cost: 600 taels, 60 metal, 30 keresic, 2 manpower. Maintenance: 35 taels and 5 keresic per cycle.
Sea
Kobaya: Small and swift, the kobaya is ideal for piracy, and has been used in just such a capacity for centuries by the pirates of Jai. It is propelled by a single lateen sail, and the strength of its rowers. The Jainese Kobaya is two decked, with the rowing benches on the lower. Armed with but a single quoyo-danu, the kobaya relies on its maneuverability to get in close to enemy ships, allowing the kaizoku who man it to rake the enemy with jianbao, or board the ship for a bloody melee. Still, the trusty kobaya is no match for the ships of the Angals, except in ambuscade or treachery.
Armor: Nonexistent, Maneuverability: Good, Speed: Middling, Firepower: Poor, Range: Moderate
Recruitment Cost: 60 taels, 40 manpower. Maintenance: 5 taels per cycle.
Tekkosen Bune: Bune have a long history of serving as the flagships of pirate Sojai. Large for a ship native to the Sea of Sen, the bune is powered by multiple lateen and square sails, and still maintains two decks of rowers to allow it to more quickly catch its prey. The bune maintains large holds, and carries a multitude of kaizoku and rōnin ready to do their vicious work. With the coming of the Angals, the Sojai have reevaluated the effectiveness of their vessels, and the tekkosen is their first step towards improvement. Completely armoured with thick iron plate, the tekkosen is not left entirely at the mercy of Anglic guns. Mounting imitation cannon of its own, it can even return fire with some small measure of effectiveness. Still, the tekkosen lacks the technological propulsion of the Angals, and its design is yet inferior. A wise Sojai would strike when the greatest ships of his enemy were far and away from home.
Armor: Middling, Maneuverability: Questionable, Speed: Middling, Firepower: Middling, Range: Moderate
Recruitment Cost: 200 taels, 25 metal, 140 (+20) manpower. Maintenance: 35 taels.
QuoteI'll admit I'm having difficulty understanding a lot of the concerns - or why these things are in fact concerns in the first place - that you guys are mentioning. At least as presented. Particularly, Light Dragon, I am not sure what you would like me to say. You often will not know how many men kingdom A or B would be able to field against you. You might have a guess. That guess might be as simple as 'a lot'. There are also times where you will know precisely how many soldiers are in the army of the guy who has decided he doesn't like you very much. It will all depend on how you play the game.
Also, I have updated the map to include major mountain ranges. Though I do not find it the most pleasing method of implementation, I think it is minimally offensive.
No worries; what I had to say is less a complaint than a series of questions to better understand what your plans are and how things will run; whatever makes the game fun for you to run is important.
>>I also agree with you, TMG, that knowing something outside of your border HAS to depend on how you play the game. It's just like real life
Actually no. Although you could mis-estimate army strengths (see: McClellan v. Lee in US Civil War), you'd still have relative measures of some sort-even if they are influenced by trickery. You'd know that X's kingdom has "around 100,000 people" or around "10,000 people" and that around 30,000 maybe could be called up as soldiers; you'd know that y's kingdom has a lot of iron mines, or z's kingdom has more of X things. Spying should certainly narrow numbers and if spying is a tool that can be used by an empire that is very useful to know-e.g. how it would be implemented mechanically (investment in espionage,etc. and how success or failure may be determined- i.e. is the GM rolling on a chart or is it determined by GM fiat as in "I figure this is likely to succeed" or if it's determined by numbers (A invested 3 in espionage; and B invested 4 in counter-esp, therefore it fails; it appears that the answer to my question is one of the former two rather than the latter).
It is useful to know what "a lot" would mean in game terms.
What I am concerned is how are things determined; is the game master would be making these things up on the fly (1), or are there preset charts (2) or is this a numbers game where generally investing in something gives a 1:1 reward or a near 1:1 reward affected only by certain events rolled on a randomization table.
Essentially is this data set at the beginning of the game, or if is it made up on the fly?
Thank you for adding mountains. Are there lakes as well? or other major bodies of water? Looking at the map it seems odd that the political boundaries aren't broken up by major geographic features? Is there a reason for this (I may have missed it in the text). I realize that you've been doing a lot of work to set this up.
Right, ok. I think I understand a bit better. I am not going to be presenting every single tiny bit of possibly useful information. However! If you, the player, do not know something that you want to know that you think your character might know the answer to I absolutely encourage you to either ask me on IRC if it is something simple, or put it in your orders if it is more detailed or complicated.
Espionage is an intended tool that you may use, and I am going to include it in the Governance & Society rules progress update once I have finished the Economy and Military rules updates. I think I sort of take issue with the phrase 'rolling on a chart'. I absolutely will be rolling to determine outcomes based on the skill of the agent, the skill of any agents employed in counter-espionage, and various other values, but it is not based on a chart. You succeed, or its a wash, or you fail, or some combination therof, and I make a fluffy description describing exactly how I think that happened.
There are a few additional lakes, and I will be adding them. I have not to this point because I hate doing lakes more than I hate doing regular coastlines. Quoyo was a basically contiguous entity meeting all of its really major natural boundaries (i.e. mountain ranges, the steppe to the east and north), and as this is a game about the disintigration of and civil conflict in Quoyo there are thusly fewer boundaries. However, some polities are still broken up by geographic features. For example, the Meishui largely separates Prince Guoh from Huen Zho, the Huaihan will mostly separate Prince Guoh from the NPC minor and player coastal states that are not currently on the map, and the Red Sand mountains effectively separate Set from Velam. The map is still very much WIP as borders etc. will be adjusted when I have player states to put on the map.
Knowing numbers before spying (or surveying the land/target in any other way) is totally irrelevant. They might just be hiding a ton of resources, whatever these may be. At this point, I guess it's for TMG to make the cut because we think differently on the subject matter.
TMG, I have three questions:
1. How do battles happen? I'm sure there are many types of different battles; like for stealing a given resource, protecting a border, or fighting an all-out war. But let's say it's an all-out war, do we have to "advance" on the field by taking important/strategic ports, keeps and cities or is it an all-out war with maximum troops on each side?
2. How will time be handled? In Republic Reborn it's seasonal. I think that kind of thing would be beneficial here, but did you have something else in mind? Annual could be interesting as well. It just might result in a crap load of PMs before any given update though.
3. How will the movement of troops be handled? (That might not be a relevant question at this point?)
Battles happen via your troops coming into contact with the enemy, regardless of the circumstances under which that contact occurs. In your orders you will tell me what you want to do with your armies, for example "send the fourth regiment to such and such a place to secure the mine", you are aware that there are enemies in the area, so you might give me battle instructions or a strategy of engagement for your army, and I will attempt to adapt the intent of your orders to the situation as it changes. Your armies will never do anything utterly retarded, as they do have their own officers who are perfectly capable of not sticking their heads up their own butts (usually).
I am strongly considering having turns last half a year, or what I am calling a cycle, from equinox to equinox.
Armies will move semi-realistically given terrain, time, equipment, weather, etc. You order them somewhere, I figure out how to do that, unless you have more specific instructions.
Ok, that clarifies that. Works for me, too.
I am definitely going to be Jainese.
Hm. Here's the beginning of an idea:
Xu Minghui (徐明辉）- General Xu the Fair, General Xu the Brilliant Light
Yua General (age 42)
First a noble, then a soldier, then on a whim, he studied for three years for the Exams under the sage Wen Xiping ("Western Bottle") and after the Exams became a Master of Laws and of the Exam system, he served as a Governor for several years; then he was appointed to a command. He rebelled after Huen Zho's atrocity, he sees Prince Guoh as an inept middling child who will send the Empire into decay and destruction. With few other options, he allowed himself to be persuaded to raise an army to restore Order and Law to the Empire.
Xu has called his new country Feifeng (飞凤), land of the Flying Phoenix, the reborn Empire. Xu has adopted the Phoenix as pendant. Feifeng was previously known as the Province of Beihu (North of the Lake, sort of like China's Hubei, but this is a fantasy world so I'm going with the inverse word order).
Xu's father, Xu Erming, is trapped in the lands of Huen Zho and he may already be dead. Xu Minghui is gravelly concerned that his father, who was in the lands for a conference, was killed in the aftermath of the coup or is languishing in a prison somewhere. His mother, Han Peiping, remains in Feifeng. His uncle Han Shenzhou, the brother of his mother, was a key player in encouraging Xu to declare himself in rebellion to Huen Zho.
Xu has seven children; four by his wife (Wname) and three by his concubine (Cname).
Feifeng's populace is a hardy lot and practical. They cultivate millet and wheat in their fields and chew a type of wintry sugarcane that crackles mightily when masticated. The people are renowned for being stubborn as an Ox and straightforward as a Dog. They invented the game, log dancing, where competing teams hoist their competitor on a log, spin it around three times and raise it to certain heights before setting it down; all the while, the log dancer must pirouette and perform traditional Beihu Ballet moves without falling. If both teams dancers fall, then the dancers are scored by professional Beihu Ballet critics.
QUESTION: What is on the other side of the lake to the north of the Red Banner Army? Is that in play? Is it good farmland? If not there, then south of the Red Banner army, across the river and adjacent to the mountains? Another possibility- across the river and near the text that describes the Green Army...although I plan to mostly fight the Red Army, my guy wouldn't be opposed to an occasional skirmish with the Green Army. It's just a little difficult to find a place on the map that is near enough to both... which is why *maybe* the area on the north of the lake might be a good idea.
Thanks for the further elaborations!
I like your character!The area on the north side of the lake is indeed in play. It is good quality farmland, though too cold for rice, with its main crops being wheat and millet. I have no objections to General Xu claiming the territory.
A General Summary
To recap, the base measure of tax income for any state is 1 tael per 1000 of population per season. Population additionally determines your available military manpower, being 4% of the total population. Your available elite military manpower is 3% of your general military manpower. Military units, which are companies of 100 men unless otherwise specified, are recruited via the expenditure of keresic, metal and taels. Keresic and metal are your vital resources, and are produced from the following realm improvements:
Metal: Low Capacity Mine (Construction cost: 125 taels / Production per cycle: 15 units of metal) -> Additional mineshafts (Construction cost: 200 taels / Production per cycle: 25 units of metal) -> Expanded Mine (Construction cost: 550 taels and 20 metal /Production per cycle: 55 units of metal) -> Mining Complex (Construction cost: 1200 taels, 50 metal and 20 keresic / Production per season: 100 units of metal)
Keresic: Keresic Well (Construction cost: 150 taels and 5 metal / Production per cycle: 10 units of keresic) -> Tall Derrick (Construction cost: 500 taels and 20 metal / Production per cycle: 30 units of keresic) -> Keresic Field (Construction cost: 1500 taels and 60 metal / Production per season: 70 units of keresic)
These improvements may only be built on identified sources of their respective resource. Those that reside within or near to your territory will be indicated to you prior to the commencement of the game. At this time, vital resource improvements are the only ones that are stringently regulated by the GM. If you have an idea for another improvement that might impact your state, be it a national bank or a string of fortifications, include an investigation and/or build order (including what you are spending) in your turn orders, and I will see that it is done!
Players may recruit agents to carry out specific tasks. Your agents will have a broad specialty that you will indicate to me in their recruitment (ex. espionage, siege warfare, political repression). To recruit an agent requires the expenditure of 100 taels, and an additional 10 taels per turn to fund their work. Your agents will grow in ability as you employ them in their indicated capacity, or in others.
Each state begins the game with a stability score of 4/10. This score will increase or decrease depending on your accomplishments, political decisions, and any other change in circumstance that might come to pass as a result of your actions.
I will not be implementing trade resources at the outset of the game. The Talic Merchant Republics who were given license to trade in Quoyo by the Honwen Emperor are at war. As such, there is no regular system of export for these goods at this time. As the game progresses, I will consider the implementation of these resources in a regulated capacity.
Prior to their entrance to the game, each player receives 600 taels, 20 metal, and 20 keresic to spend on military units, resource improvements, and - in consultation with myself - unique improvements.
Creating your Nation
To vie for the Mandate of Heaven, you must decide which cultural group is dominant in your realm, and thusly, which group your leader belongs to. Additionally, please indicate to me where in Quoyo the territories of your state are located. Your primary options, and their attendant base modifiers, are as follows:
Anglic: You are an Anglic Count enfiefed by right of conquest in this foreign land. The Anglic nobility was exiled decades ago from Angaland, a nation far away across the Western Sea. The vile Republic triumphed, and the nobles fled, or lost their heads on the block. These exiles have since wandered the world, and have become known in many places as adventurers and fierce mercenaries. Your people flock to Quoyo as word spreads of rich lands for the taking.
- Science and reason rule in Angaland, and the exiled Angals maintain this tradition, and their fearsome technological weapons. Their common infantry fight with the breech-loading rifle, or man rotary guns to reduce their enemies in seconds. Their Lords and Knights rule the battlefield with their treads - metal machines armed with cannon and armoured against it - or afoot, encased in steel plate, wielding gruesome heatblades. Anglic dreadnaughts, though few in number, are feared on the Sea of Sen, and not even the Jainese dare challenge them.
Anglic states possess the incompatible bureaucracy modifier, and receive only half the base tax income from the native population. They also possess the associated tenancy modifier, allowing them to collect twice the base tax income from the Anglic population with no penalty.
Anglic states possess the military obligations modifier, and their base manpower from the Anglic cultural group is 10% of the total Anglic population.
Anglic states possess the exile trade network modifier, and their base income is increased by 5%.
Jainese: You are a Jainese Sojai, pirate lord of a haven on the coast of Quoyo. Though the Osojai of the League refuse to recognize your authority or right, wary as they are of what may come when either the Prince or the Magician triumphs in the North, you may yet convince them with your growing wealth and power.
- Though the Jainese traditionally fight with shiveraxe and the quoyo-nu. They eagerly adopt the breech-loading rifles of the Angals, and rumours spread that the Osojai seek to emulate the awesome power of the Anglic ships, raising steel hulks laden with cannon in their harbours. On land, the Sojai wade into battle ensconced within their colossal suits of armour - oyoro. Animated by ritual magic, and fueled by the energy of Keresic - the Earth's Red Blood - they are nigh unstoppable.
Jainese states possess the fukushu tribute modifier, and receive an additional 1% of base tax income for every 1000 men under arms, up to 10%.
Jainese states possess the wave raiders modifier, and receive additional advantages in combat during amphibious landings and commerce raids.
Yua: You are a rogue Yua General. The realm has been shattered, and you seek either to preserve your dominion from the spreading chaos, or to profit by it, and have the men and women of Quoyo submit to your will.
- The Yua engage their enemies with innumerable masses of troops armed with shiverpikes, shiverswords and the quoyo-nu. The sheer human weight of a Quoyese army is often sufficient to overwhelm its opponent. Like the Jainese, Yua nobles make use of great animated armours in battle. Taking the form of the wolf, the langshia are rightly feared for their ability to tear apart enemy formations single-handedly. Afoot, the nobles of Quoyo fight deftly with the solar lance, scouring their enemies from the Earth with beams of light.
Yua states possess the scholarly meritocracy modifier, and their improvements are completed faster.
Yua states possess the motivated commoners modifier, and their militia units receive an additional morale grade.
Note: You are not required to play as one of the above national types. In consultation with myself you are free to create your own cultural group, within reason.
Your Character
I encourage you to be creative in the establishment of your character. Tell us about his or her history, and how this individual became a military and political leader. What goals does your character have, and how do they intend to accomplish them? Tell us of the establishment of your state amidst the chaos that consumes Quoyo, and what has been accomplished in the two bloody years since the murder of the Honwen Emperor. You will be receiving unique modifiers for both your leader and your nation based on what you write!
If you have any questions, comments, require additional information, etc. do not hesitate to ask.
Somehow this reply got deleted!
LD, north of the lake is a perfectly acceptable location for your state, and you are welcome to it. The land is reasonably fertile, as much of Quoyo is, though it is too cold to grow rice. The primary crops are wheat and millet.
Thank you. That sounds good; what sort of metals or access to trees is there in that location? I may want to tweak my desired location a little depending on the answer.
Also, how will our initial population be decided; I notice that population is tied to income.
Should we start determining how we allocate the money to spend now? Or should we wait until more rules/details are developed?
Everyone will have access to at least one metal deposit and one keresic deposit within or bordering on their realm, to ensure fairness. However, the quality of these deposits will differ depending on rolls that I will be making. Your chances of receiving a rich metal deposit increase as you near the western edge of the map, and your chances of receiving a rich keresic deposit increase as you near the southeastern edge of the map. Population will be determined by me, based upon my amalgamation of the shared narrative the players will be making when they write about their nation during the creation stage. A general rule of thumb is that the nearer you are to the centre of Quoyo, which is roughly around Anseng, the higher your population will be. However, I am going to be ensuring a general fairness of starting conditions, and I will just have to ask all of you to trust me.
At the moment I don't have too much more in the way of rules and details to post, unless you specifically want something clarified. I decided that instead of mechanizing every aspect of the game, that it would probably be more fun and interesting if I left some elements freer in form.
I can honestly say that you probably shouldn't worry about things like availability of timber or food. Unless some kind of exceptional circumstances develop that would warrant you to receive some sort of bonus or penalty in relation to something like that.
Well the timber question is from a tactical standpoint moreso than just a resource standpoint. If there's a forest between me and an enemy- that's a good defense- if it's just plains, then I'm more open in certain areas than in others. (Thus why the availability of woods will affect where I'd prefer to put my country... since I'd rather not get rolled over in the first 10 turns like someone on the Plains of Rohan in the Lord of the Rings RISK game :D).
I appreciate the clarification on the metal and keresic deposits.
I suppose then what you are saying is that it's time for us to make our initial purchases of items?
[ic=People of He]Often thought to be Velams, the people of He consider themselves otherwise. When asked about their story, their tales, passed from generation to generation, tell of a serpentine divinity that emerged from the sea and chose them as the guardians of the world. This god, named Lóng, would bestow powers upon an individual that would allow him to preserve the fragile balance of this world. The house He, chosen in times now forgotten, have ruled since then.
Their rule was not without being doubted, or even challenged. Especially after violent natural disasters, but also during the reign of less ethical or less upstanding rulers. In the end, superstition won over realistic reasoning and they could never muster an adequate opposition to counter the House of He. Besides, the people had grown accustomed to them as rulers, and in fact appreciated them.
The people of He do not think realistically when it comes to borders. As guardians chosen by the heavens, they, in fact, believe the entire world is theirs to govern. However, they tolerate the presence of foreigners, which they more commonly call barbarians, in their world; as long as they keep a reasonable distance from the Shéwén shí héliú, or Serpentine Rivers, their mother-land.[/ic]
[ooc=Notes]He is pronounced like hay, with a very distinctive "H" and a short "ay".
Also, this is the story of the people. I have yet to craft a story of my current ruler. Since this was done I thought I'd post it up.[/ooc]
Additional Improvements
Defensive
Blockhouses - A network of strategically placed blockhouses, serving as strong points along a given line of defence. Blockhouses are situated so as to provide advantageous angles of fire on an advancing enemy. The blockhouse is a near universal fortification, though their appearance may be dissimilar across cultures. A blockhouse is not meant to resist siege equipment or heavy artillery, and will not stand long withstand any such barrage. A blockhouse network is best employed as a component of a wider defensive strategy.
Construction cost - 150 taels to adequately cover 100 li (or 40 miles). Takes two cycles to complete.
Garrison - The garrison serves as both a defensive fort and a permanent military encampment, and is one of the premiere tools for any leader to extend his or her influence over a wide swathe of territory. Capable of resisting a siege for a moderate period of time, and possessing fortifications strong enough to resist a light artillery bombardment.
Construction cost - 250 taels per garrison. Takes three cycles to complete.
Fortress - A true centre of military power, Quoyese and Jainese fortresses are typically imposing monolithic structures of stone and wood, surrounded by walls and lesser fortifications. Bastions are an essential component of any fortress, allowing the quoyo-danu mounted upon them to outrange and destroy those employed by the enemy. A fortress is an enormous structure, capable of withstanding a lengthy siege and resisting an impressive artillery bombardment. Fortresses often protect vital strategic approaches, protect towns and cities, or serve as centres of political power.
Construction cost - 750 taels and 10 metal per fortress. Takes four cycles to complete.
Star Fort (requires the modern engineering modifier) -
Construction cost - 1000 taels and 15 metal per Star Fort. Takes four cycles to complete.
Coastal Gun Emplacements (requires the modern engineering modifier) -
Construction cost: Variable. Monitor caliber guns: 60 taels and 5 metal per five emplacements. Destroyer caliber guns: 320 taels and 15 metal per five emplacements. Dreadnaught caliber guns: 900 taels and 40 metal per five emplacements. Base time to complete: 1 cycle, increasing 1 cycle per caliber of gun.
Essential Improvements
Production
Arsenal - A gathering of craftsmen and labourers under the aegis of the state for the efficient production of weapons, vehicles, and constructs. Reduces the recruitment time of initially available massive units by one cycle. Necessary for the production of massive units more advanced than those initially available.
Construction cost - 250 taels, 10 metal. Takes 2 cycles to complete.
Shipyard - A shipbuilding facility of great size and productive capacity. Possessing the necessary drydocks, cranes and on-site manufactories for the construction of large and powerful vessels. Reduces the recruitment time of naval units of Monitor-level or lower by 1 cycle. Necessary for the construction of ships of Destroyer-level or greater.
Construction cost - 500 taels, 30 metal. Takes 3 cycles to complete.
Here's an inital lineup of spending...
So we won't have an initial mine or keresic well drilled on our property? IF not, how long will it take to construct one (I understand the Yua have an advantage in constructing one faster). This seems to be important given that some items cost maintenance. What happens when maint. can't be paid?
--
Nobles, -130, -10, -6
Banner, -50, -2
Mine, -125
Keresic, -150
Militia, -15
Militia, -15
Bump.
I'll post a character soonish - it would be great to get a quick list of all the things we need to include in a character/nation writeup. It might be good to have some kind of template or common format so that our entries look the same...
Yeah, a template would be really cool. :)