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[Margrave]

(Turn sent.)

You could say this about the Emir Arus al-Din al-Malik, he was no King nor penitent, but he was quite the gambler.

But his most recent test of luck was not in cards, racing or slave-fights. Oh no, today the foppish Emir gambled his life.

Despite being a noble of one of the Five Great Houses, representative of distant Istakhr and for many years Elector of the Imperial Senate; he was not especially brave. So when he ordered the sally from the opulent Fortress-Palace, his personal guards were at first stunned, then proud...then distraught. Nonetheless a lifetime of obedience and martial training had kept them from growing soft in the courts of Byzantium and they charged across the ramparts and into the burned out holding of the Regent. Their numbers were few but surprise was on their side and a blow (albeit an incredibly minor one) was struck.

But it was not the certainty of death at the enemy reprisal which caused the al-Malik Knights to despair, they at first took heart in their Emir at the lead of the charge. But just as soon as the cries of victory faded they turned to see that most generous of patrons, leader in the arts and purest of noble blood, in the distance as he fled to his waiting freighter. Stunned once again as the Emir in his resplendent robes, gaudy jewelry and fashionably puffed pantaloons jog into the hulking transport just before it leapt into orbit, carrying their sworn lord and his favorite furniture safely away.

It had all been a deception, these valiant warriors a decoy to let the Emir flee.

No finer example of the Aristocracy.

[mainiac]

Sent.

[Il Palazzo]

Turn sent

The congregations looked odd indeed. All in gray of the Byzantine nobility, with red coats of the Hazat dotting the landscape like so many cherries on a birthday cake.
"If only the Vau guards could be admitted in", thought Eduardo Maria Jose Enrico Gamboulputty daSilva, now all grown up and already bored with the mundanities of imperial bureaucracy. "That would enliven the room with a bit of green. And pale white on the senators' faces." The master of the ceremony has just finished reciting the law, ending with the traditional: "Let the noble electors approach".
Eduardo sprang up on his feet and boldly strode towards the pedestal where the voting urn awaited. As he walked towards it, a sealed envelope in his hand, he could not help but cast uneasy glances to the sides. Will Lazarus' plan succeed, or is there another house's noble hiding amongst the crowd, concealing his coat of arms under his cloak? He knew all too well his own life was at the stake.

He dropped the envelope into the urn and looked across the room with a challenge in his stare.

[Kebooo]

From all around the galaxy they came, one after another, the maddened archangel squadrons and heavy capital ships donning the Decados emblem. The elite shock troops settled upon the surface of Vera Cruz, waiting their moment of glory. Lady Gorakhan had lost all faith in the usurper Lazarus and planned to dine on his entrails soon enough.

Turn sent.

[Aqizzar]

Turn sent.

Just, what the fuck ever man, I'm on cruise control now.

[Margrave]

(Turn sent.)

From deep within the hallowed halls of the Imperial Senate, another figure clad in crimson entered the August Assembly. Nobles, delegates and court schemers turned to see the Representative of the Urth Orthodox church stride past the Imperial Guards ringing the chamber. This most holy personnage smiled and bowed low to those standing before the Ceremonial Urn and with a deliberate movement, reached into his very expesnive vestaments to reveal...

His handkerchief. He quietly coughed into the embroidered silk tissue before walking to his appointed seat to watch the proceedings unfold.

Oooh this is getting exciting now. I was surprised to see how potent morph divebombers were.

[mainiac]

Sent.  Boring.

[Il Palazzo]

Turn sent

Finally the Regency is mine. Mwahahaha!
Ahem. I gave Margrave the Eye for extra in your face points after he shot down Eye transports.
I presume the rule about not attacking this ministry for two turns after the assignment still holds, or was it just for the first time it is given to a player?

[Kebooo]

Is it only possible to leave the Garrison ministry vacant by re-assigning its previous owner to another ministry? If so, doesn't that seem like a bit of an exploit?

[Il Palazzo]

I had to assign as many ministries as there are players with nobles present on or over Byzantium. If Margrave had none, I'd leave both Garrison and the Eye vacant.

[Kebooo]

Interesting, so the game enforces the rule that a noble is at the planet to be granted a ministry?

[Il Palazzo]

Looks that way. Nova webpage talks about the exception:

A player can't be assigned a Ministry if he doesn't have a Noble on Byzantium, but a Minister doesn't lose his Ministry if he no longer has a Noble there. When he assigns Ministries, the Regent must assign all three of them, unless there are insufficient eligible players.

I can see how there could be a situation where the new regent is the only player with nobles on Byzantium, and the question arises whether or not he should be allowed to vacate all the extra ministries, even though the game allows the ministry to remain under a player's control.
In my opinion it should be allowed.

[Kebooo]

Yeah, I'd say it should be allowed. If it was possible to assign the Garrison to someone then I would say it should be, but apparently it's not. So it's a nice trick for the regent to know who does or doesn't have a noble there.

[Kebooo]

Turn sent.

[Aqizzar]

Sorry for the delay again.  Turn sent.

That's a mighty fine collection of vessels you have there Palazzo.  I believe some thanks are in order for keeping them in good shape all the way into the game's seventh decade.  How often do you see that happen?