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[Kaferian]

Numbers are probably easier to handle than the current system.

I played few king games, with numbers included. They aren't any easier.

Numbers just make everything harder.

[Shootandrun]

I'd actually be in favor of numbers... It doesn't need to be huge stuff, but the "units" we're using are kinda confusing - it's hard to divide large amounts into smaller ones. At least knowing the scale might help.

[Ardas]

Numbers are probably easier to handle than the current system.

I played few king games, with numbers included. They aren't any easier.

Numbers just make everything harder.

they definitely make everything more gamey and munchkiny.

[Grek]

By easier to handle, I mean, easier to wrap your brain around. Saying "You have 1000000g in the treasury, swords cost X, grain costs Y, horses are Z, etc." gives you a much clearer picture of what the kingdom can afford than "You have a Small+ Treasury, and buying swords for the army will require Meagre- funds." I don't know how big Meagre is compared to Small, or if you can afford 3 Meagre purchases on a small budget, or any of that.

[Iituem]

Numbers are probably easier to handle than the current system.

I played few king games, with numbers included. They aren't any easier.

Numbers just make everything harder.

they definitely make everything more gamey and munchkiny.

That's what natural disasters are for.  What do you think happened to the citizens of Penters, after all?

Alright, I'll look into converting it to pounds.  And by pounds I mean classical English pounds, which are literally a pound of pure silver.

[Azthor]

You can roughly measure the current system by converting through a factor of 3 for every tier, dividing by 2 when it is - and multiplying by 1,5 when it is +.

[Alexandria]

Uhm GWG, the blades left already without you.

You can either catch up to the 5 on the road or take the trip alone. That's your choices, since the king as much as said I'm within my rights to send more men for other tasks you have no choice in the matter and the other 10 should be hidden so you won't even know they are around.

If the rolls go well you'll never know your guard was 3x the size it should of been.

[Iituem]

Conversions time.  This should make things a little easier for the book-keeper players.  I've also provided a clearer guide to improving the military for the Commander and the costs it will involve.

Income

Royal Demesne: Covers about a third of the country.  10% Land Tax produces £30 annual income, as Meridia is not terribly developed.  This includes forestry and logging income.  Supplies half of the present levy (300 men, 100% of Royal Demesne levy).

Town of Meridon: Capital.  Has an estimated £100 private income from trade and industry.  10% Urban Tax produces £10 annual income for the Crown.

Town of Penters: Ghost town.  A recent plague nearly eradicated the population of Penters and, even though the plague has since passed, few have dared return to set up business again.  Has a £5 annual private income from trade and industry.  Even with the 10% Urban Tax, it produces No Appreciable Income for the Crown.

Temple of Viridon:  Ogre Papist.  Has an estimated £40 annual income from tithes.  Tax Exempt.

Temple of Highreach:  Twilight Cult.  Administered by Hulen.  Has a mere £5 annual income from tithes and offerings due to its extremely out of the way location.  Tax Exempt.

Earldom of Gol: Feudal vassal.  Tax Exempt.  Supplies a quarter of the present levy (150 men, 20% of Gol's total levy).  Has an estimated £25 annual income from land, bulked up slightly by sub-vassal dues.
 - Town of Brighthall: Urban sub-vassal.  10% Tax to Gol.  Has an estimated £50 private annual income from trade and industry.

Earldom of Breen: Feudal vassal.  Tax Exempt.  Supplies a quarter of the present levy (150 men, 20% of Breen's total levy).  Has an estimated £30 annual income primarily from land.
 - Temple of Asterbury: Religious sub-vassal.  Tax Exempt.  Has an estimated £40 annual income from tithes.

The country is Stable and largely Content.

Total Royal Income: £40/Year


Expenses

Blades/Secret Police: £10
Hillfolk Tribute: £10
Festivals: £10
Military: £0
Royal Household: £0
Misc.: £10

Surplus: £10

Hoarded Treasury: £80

Size: 600 men (Base Wage @ £1/100)
Source: Strictly Levy-Based (Eliminates Wage Requirement)
Equipment: Minimal (Levy: Peasants Provide Own)
Training: Militia (Local Lords' Feudal Obligation to Train: Free)
Discipline: Undisciplined (Result of training)

Current Cost: £0/Year

(Regularity has disappeared because it could be combined more efficiently into general training.)

Upgrading the Military

The first necessary step will be to bring levies up from strict levy to levy reserve.  Before you can apply training any more regular than annual or seasonal or train them with more than minimal equipment, a reserve of the levies must be available for training.  This will re-instate the basic annual wage requirement @ £1/100 men.  The levies are still only available when raised, and take time to gather, but more professional armies are more expensive.

Equipment
Minimal: Sticks, cleavers, whatever the peasants have on hand.  +£0 / 100 men.
Basic: Spears or clubs and light wooden shields, basic leather armour.  +£0.5 / 100 men.
Simple: Maces, axes or pikes, heavier wooden shields, leather armour.  +£1 / 100 men.
Light: Above, with studded leather and reinforced shields.  +£2 / 100 men.

Higher than Light Armour is not available because of the lack of experienced armourers in Meridia.

Training
Militia: The peasants have enough training to hold spears without killing themselves.  Free.
Basic: The recruits are taught to march in order and not hit each other.  £1 / 100 men.
Structured: Formations are taught, as are combat techniques and basic stances.  £3 / 100 men.
Professional*: The troops are taught to fight and kill effectively with their chosen weapons in a variety of circumstances.  £8 / 100 men.
Harsh*: The troops survive in the worst conditions and can kill with anything.  Their discipline is iron.  £20 / 100 men.
Elite*: The best ordinary men can become.  Feared by all.  £50 / 100 men.
Spartan*: Legendary warriors to whom war is a way of life.  Soldiering is all they know.  £150 / 100 men.

Marked * tiers require a Commander assigned permanently to training in addition to the cost.  A Commander assigned to training can reduce the cost of training by £25/year, but cannot contribute by leading battles.

Recruitment
Recruiting essentially means rush-training troops up to a desired standard, whereas the above training merely keeps such training in shape.  To recruit a band of troops within 1 month costs 5x the cost of the training quality, plus whatever equipment costs they require.  One or more Commanders assigned to recruitment can reduce this cost by £10 each.  Commanders assigned in this way cannot lead troops in battle.


Edit: Balls.  Lost the turn I was doing.  Will need to start afresh, probably definitely tomorrow evening.

[Alexandria]

Out of curiosity, is it possible for blades to be equipped with heavier equipment for real battle?

Or for me to recruit men for roles other then as blades? With the kings permission of course.

[Iituem]

If you can get enough money and if the King permits it (or you go rogue).  Sovereigns tend not to approve of private armies, and I assume this is the case with Meridia as well.

[Alexandria]

Well I was thinking more of a small group of blades dedicated to battle, only 8 to use as additional guards to him in combo with the blades, the heavies hold the enemy the blades take them down.
I'd rather not be reliant on wardens and palice guard if it comes to a fight, chain of command issues.

Judging from the money I receive and that you told me before I'm earning just enough to cover my costs then 4 blades cost £1 to train and maintain each right? Or is it a little less and I'm generating a small profit? It does seem a little odd that I'd accept a contract that does not make any profit for me.

Also ( Sorry by all means tell me to stop asking questions. ) do my blades have a similar recruitment style to that of the soldiers? As in ranks of skill, different equipment's and so on?
Or do I just have a single price for a blade and that's all.

[Iituem]

Most of the money assigned to blades/secret police is actually sponsoring the various bribes and petty funds needed to maintain an effective spy network within the country.  A certain amount goes toward training, but your blades aren't a battlefield force and don't count significantly on the field.  They work on a different and entirely arbitrary recruiting system that will remain a mystery because the more rules I give you the more you can lawyer them and the more likely your character is to die horribly in a fire.

You get a small amount of money as a retainer, no more than any other courtier.  King Pelagius shafted you on the contract.  If you want to renegotiate, talk to the king.

[Alexandria]

How much is a small amount of money?
I'm even more confused now then before.

How can I recruit additional blades or start more spy rings without knowing the cost of doing so?

[Grek]

Out of curiosity, how much does equipment/training for archers cost?

[Ardas]

How much is a small amount of money?
I'm even more confused now then before.

How can I recruit additional blades or start more spy rings without knowing the cost of doing so?

Small amount of money for a courtier - i.e pension. Off-screen maintenance and living expenses that allow your character to live in relative comfort at court. Not mentioned and not shown, but assumed to be there.

If you want to recruit more people, roll for it. That's the name of the game.

Out of curiosity, how much does equipment/training for archers cost?

Same as for everyone else. Army is abstracted into men without distinction into units. We can assume knights, archers and the like participate in the battles, but bulk of the army is made p of levies.

Reason for this level of abstraction is to allow RP and free description of things without too much burden on the GM. Don't feel constrained by lack of descriptions guys, take it as an opportunity to describe and fantasize!

I think Iituem will repeat me here, but I hope that we won't need more than money and men in our calculations. Everything else will be RtD and on need to know basis. Lets keep this as manageable as possible.