Turn 1 - A New Dawn
Winter 1000 A.D.
Being a mark of the years under the dominion of the Empire.
Across the world, fledgeling dominions stretch, testing their power against their neighbours whilst building fresh strength from within. Some ventures meet with success, others are humbled.
P.E.P.P.P.R. and North Presst forces engage.
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Presst Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
A North Presst Archers has defeated a P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [53 vs 45]
A P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a North Presst Spearmen! [89 vs 29]
A P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a North Presst Spearmen! [83 vs 35]
A P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen has defeated a North Presst Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [70 vs 65]
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged
North Presst Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
P.E.P.P.P.R. and West Presst forces engage.
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Presst Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a West Presst Spearmen! [84 vs 63]
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Presst Forces
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Leader: Ali Shorabongmad
Your loyal clansfolk have ventured northward in your name, taking arms against the Northern and Western Pressts. Two warbands led by your cousins struck at the town of Broding in West Presst, a small wood-walled fortification upon a hill. The West Pressts rallied what meagre defences they could, but by the time any serious opposition could be mounted your forces already held the Broding fort.
Although winning the allegiance of the Western Pressts through force of arms is a great cultural victory for your people, the lands themselves are not much more fruitful than your homelands. They will need much improvement before they are as attractive to yourselves or others as its northerly neighbour.
Your people have long eyed the wealth of Northern Presst with envy and longing, but up until now have conducted little more than scarce raids against the handful of walled towns in the region. Unlike West Presst however, the clans of the north exist under a tenuous alliance and swiftly came together to assist their kin. Though your forces were able to seize control of the walled port of Dralkay, a coalition of Northerners led against you broke the siege and slaughtered your men within. The battle however has greatly weakened the resistance in Northern Presst.
For all the varied fortunes of your efforts at war, the hunters and herdsmen of your homelands enjoy continued success. Some of the younger warriors in your clans have been developing better ways to hunt and capture the wild game of the forests, as well as to domesticate them and rear them more effectively. You and your kin have rediscovered the ancient art of Animal Husbandry.
Territories
Presst Sou (£500/turn): Palace. [Game]
(+£25/turn from game)
Presst Wes (£27/turn): 2 light Macemen. (upk: -£100)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: 500
Revenue: +£552
Upkeep: -£100 [2 macemen]
Total: £952
Techs
Animal Husbandry I
Taikeni and South Stormer forces engage.
Taikeni Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A South Stormer Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Taikeni Light Macemen! [69 vs 43]
A Taikeni Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a South Stormer Spearmen! [89 vs 56]
Taikeni Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 0 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Taikeni and West Stormer forces engage.
Taikeni Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
A West Stormer Spearmen has defeated a Taikeni Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [69 vs 57]
A Taikeni Light Macemen has defeated a West Stormer Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [73 vs 68]
Taikeni Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged
West Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 2 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Leader: Theris Anataki
You continue to balance the responsibilities of your role with the demands of the elven and dwarven nobility. Over the last month, dwarven and half-caste workers have been successful in re-establishing the old copper mines in the hills. Production is not as it was in Taikeni's heyday, but there is marked improvement over your predecessor's reign.
The campaign spearheaded by the elves to regain their ancestral lands of Storm has met with mixed success. Although engaging the forces in Southern Storm with superior numbers and equipment, nearly half the invasion force was ambushed in a pass and slaughtered to a man by half-castes with nothing more than spears and rocks. The surviving high elven military performed a temporary retreat, then slaughtered the mongrels in turn under cover of darkness. Word spread throughout the south and no further serious resistance was mounted.
Southern Storm was once a verdant expanse akin to that of modern-day East Storm. Alas, centuries of overfarming have only rendered it marginally productive and many of the once-prosperous citizens who farmed here migrated elsewhere. It will take much work to restore to anything approaching its former glory.
Although ultimately a failure, the campaign in Western Storm is being lauded amongst the nobility as a show of bravery and courage against the odds. Regrettably, this is almost entirely propaganda as although the attackers were outnumbered 3-2 they still had an equipment advantage. Though able to severely reduce the strength of Western defense, much of the army was crippled and forced into retreat. Most of the survivors were captured and either executed or enslaved by the surviving defenders.
You continue to prosper greatly from the export of freshly mined copper and copper goods to the Free Storm Republic.
Territories
Storm Cen (£500/turn): Palace, Mine. [Copper]
(+£200: Mine)
Storm South (£16/turn): 1 Light Maceman. (upk: -£50)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £53
Revenue: +£700
Trade Pact (Free Stormers): +68
Upkeep: -£50 [1 maceman]
Total: £766
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Free Stormer and North Terretan forces engage.
Free Stormer Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Terretan Forces
Archers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Free Stormer Light Macemen has defeated a North Terretan Archers, but sustained heavy damage. [77 vs 65]
A North Terretan Archers has utterly destroyed a Free Stormer Light Macemen! [80 vs 41]
Free Stormer Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
North Terretan Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Free Stormer and West Terretan forces engage.
Free Stormer Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Terretan Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
A West Terretan Archers has defeated a Free Stormer Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [90 vs 86]
A West Terretan Spearmen has defeated a Free Stormer Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [89 vs 72]
Free Stormer Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged
West Terretan Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Leader: Speaker Fredrick the Red
Military efforts to expand the Republic's grasp proved horribly inadequate this month. Two pairs of macemen brigades were sent out to spread the rule of the Republic to Terret, only to find that the human townships of the region remain stalwart in their defences. This is in strong part due to the comparatively great wealth of Terret's maritime industries.
Republican forces mounted an attack on the North Terretan port of Artu, finding it encircled with high wood and stone walls and manned by brigades of trained archers. Many of the attacking troops were slaughtered on the charge to the gates, but some were able to break through and disable one of the archer brigades before city militia swamped and captured them.
The siege of the smaller town of Gertrude in West Terret proved equally disastrous as although soldiers were able to get to the city to meet the enemy they were outnumbered. Much of the Terretan defense was broken in the attack, but all of your troops were captured.
The good news for you at least is that both leaders of the attacks were some of your main political opponents. Combine that with the sterling success of your initiative to rebuild the fields and irrigation of Eastern Storm and you remain the golden boy of the Senate, at least as far as internal affairs are concerned.
You continue to prosper greatly from the export of grain to the Taikeni Dominion.
Territories
Storm Eas (£550/turn): Palace, Farm. [Grain]
(+£28/turn from grain)
(+£100: Farm)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £75
Revenue: +£678
Trade Pact (Taikeni): +£70
Upkeep: None.
Total: £823
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Foul and South Foul forces engage.
Foul Forces
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Foul Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
A South Foul Archers has utterly destroyed a Foul Light Macemen! [97 vs 65]
A South Foul Archers has utterly destroyed a Foul Light Macemen! [63 vs 38]
A South Foul Archers has utterly destroyed a Foul Light Macemen! [74 vs 52]
A South Foul Archers has defeated a Foul Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [74 vs 61]
Foul Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
South Foul Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Leader: Emperor Demonic Spoon
You cannot help but overhear the angry, suspicious clattering as you pass through the halls of Foulstrike. The attack on South Foul was an utter failure, leaving your armies completely annihilated for the effort. It seemed a perfectly straightforward endeavour; strike down the entrenched klackon hive at Oilslick, enslave any surviving workers and plough on. You did not count on the approach to the hive being through a narrow pass, or that klackon slingers would be waiting on either side. From the scattered reports of those who escaped, three quarters of the army were slaughtered by darts and spears before they even reached the hive, and those that made it were captured and pressed into service by the defenders.
In the courtyard below at least is a more pleasing fruit of your labours; several draught beetles have been laden with simple leather packs stuffed with loot pillaged from the ruins of Foulstrike. You have scavenged the best you can from the old armoury and most of it now rests on the beetles' backs, awaiting the long journey north in trade.
Some scouts have taken the opportunity to examine your neighbours. It seems that though Lower, East and Upper Foul have declared their independence from the Old Empire, they are still extremely wealthy and extremely well defended. The Old Empire itself seems to keep its borders closed, however - you may need to negotiate passage for your caravan. Information from border officials suggests that they may be able to smuggle your traders through the fens of West Grok for the princely sum of £500. It is daylight robbery, of course, but what alternative do you have?
Territories
Foul Cen (£500/turn): 1 Caravan. Palace. [Iron]
Finances:
Upkeep free for first turn!
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£500
Total: £500
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Grout and East Grouting forces engage.
Grout Forces
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
East Grouting Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
A East Grouting Archers has utterly destroyed a Grout Light Macemen! [82 vs 44]
A East Grouting Archers has defeated a Grout Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [63 vs 51]
A Grout Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a East Grouting Spearmen! [61 vs 36]
A Grout Light Macemen has defeated a East Grouting Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [69 vs 68]
Grout Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 2 Damaged
East Grouting Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Leader: Grand Duke Mortrati
You personally led the full complement of your forces on an assault against the mountain fortress of Stonewall in East Grouting, seeking wealth and glory through force of arms. Your advantage in numbers and equipment gave you all the edge you needed to storm the fort and rout the defending Grouts from within. Half your men were wounded or otherwise incapacitated in the battle and another quarter could not be saved, but those of you still standing feasted in Stonewall's mead hall by dusk.
East Grouting is relatively wealthy for Grouting as a whole, though it lacks the significant mineral deposits of your homeland. The local lords (who have now sworn fealty to you, those that still live) mostly earn their taxes from farmers in the foothills and the handful of operational mines scattered around the countryside.
Territories
Grouting Cen (£500/turn): Palace. [Gold]
(+£50/turn from gold)
Grouting Eas (£140/turn): 1+2 Light Macemen. (upk: -£150) [Second figure is # of wounded.]
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £1050
Revenue: +£690
Upkeep: -£150 [3 light macemen]
Total: £1590
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Arcadian and North Garnlish forces engage.
Arcadian Forces
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Garnlish Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Arcadian Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a North Garnlish Archers! [64 vs 34]
A Arcadian Light Macemen has defeated a North Garnlish Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [57 vs 48]
A Arcadian Light Macemen has defeated a North Garnlish Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [37 vs 36]
Arcadian Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 2 Damaged
North Garnlish Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Leader: Lady Alexia von Kashna
You and your elvish warriors ventured north to the game-filled forests of Garnlish, ironwood clubs in hand. Your northern cousins, ever-suspicious of your kind, began setting ambushes in the forest with bow and javelin. What they did not expect was for your own forces to have already done the same. Under cover of night you snuck elves into hiding places around the treetop town of Ivyleaf, bringing a loud and obvious invasion force in the morn to draw the attention of the defenders. By the time they were preparing to attack, your hidden troops had already sprung their ambush. Some casualties were sustained as expected, but by morning Ivyleaf was yours. Soon after, the remaining elven clans in North Garnlish bowed to your dominion.
Garnlish remains a green jewel in the barren wastes of Southrel (the southern continent) and North Garnlish is no different. Life is abundant in these forests, green and red alike, and deer and antelope are plentiful. Though perhaps not exploited to their full extent, the elves of Northern Garnlish enjoy fuller bellies than many on this continent.
The military successes to the north give rise in part to a growing culture of industry amongst the younger elves, many of whom point to the use of ironwood tools to better harvest and prepare the lumber of their homelands for use in craft and war. Though perhaps not as traditional as many would like, sages put together plans for a series of pedal-powered ironwood saws to improve the processsing of cut lumber.
Territories
Garnlish Cen (£500/turn): Palace. [Lumber]
(+£25 from lumber)
Garnlish Nor (£149/turn): 2+2 Light Macemen. [Game] (upk: -£200)
(+7 from game)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £25
Revenue: +£681
Upkeep: -£200 [4 light macemen]
Total: £506
Techs
Mechanics I
Farlander and South Farlander forces engage.
Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Farlander Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Farlander Light Macemen has defeated a South Farlander Archers, but sustained heavy damage. [74 vs 60]
A Farlander Light Macemen has defeated a South Farlander Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [62 vs 47]
A South Farlander Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Farlander Light Macemen! [77 vs 55]
A Farlander Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a South Farlander Spearmen! [74 vs 53]
A Farlander Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a South Farlander Spearmen! [82 vs 55]
Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 2 Damaged
South Farlander Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Leader: Harticus
You sent your best, most peaceful gnomes to broker an alliance with your neighbours in South Farland, where they were invited to a banquet at the town of Trodden. Unfortunately, you sent them heavily armed and they have no table manners, so the diplomatic process quickly gave way to violent warfare. If you want to engage in actual diplomacy (e.g. bribing neutral territories over to your side) in the future, you will probably need to research diplomatic techniques.
Once war did break out, however, everything went rather swimmingly for you. Although you sustained heavy casualties in the battle, some of whom were lost for good, you crushed the opposition at Trodden so thoroughly that any gnomes in the region still doubting the legitimacy of your rule soon capitulated.
Though able to sustain itself from agriculture, South Farland lacks the sheer verdancy of your homeland. The people there survive above abject poverty, though not by as much as they would like. Compared to much of Southrel, however, they do fine.
You work on developing the farms of your homeland, taking advantage of the fine conditions for growing grain and soon bringing them back to their former health. Some of the more adventurous gnomes, understanding the limited viability of farmland in other regions, work on producing stable and productive farms underground. They make some progress, isolating several strains of mushroom that grow perfectly well without light, but are still having problems with crop diseases that spring up during tests. You do not research Underground Farms this turn.
Territories
Farland Wes (£500/turn): Palace, Farms. [Grain]
(+£25/turn from grain)
(+£100: Farm)
Farland Sou (£159/turn): 1+2 Light Macemen. (upk: -£150)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£784
Upkeep: -£150 [3 light macemen]
Total: £634
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Leader: The Traveller
Eschewing violent expansion for the present, you reopen the Toldrun copper mines to general acclaim. The first stirrings of industry begin to return to your chosen people and trade with the neighbouring territories resumes its admittedly sluggish flow.
Territories
Lower Toldrun (£500/turn): 4 Light Macemen. Palace. [Copper] (upk: -£200)
(+£200: Mine)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£700
Upkeep: -£200 (4 light macemen)
Total: £500
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Mechanics I: Allows construction of Sawmills, Workshops.
Basic machines and tools allow for refining of raw materials and production of improved tools.
Animal Husbandry I: Allows construction of Ranches. Prereq: Agriculture I
Better capturing and rearing techniques enable a stable supply of meat and byproducts.
Sawmill: £500. Requires lumber. Generates £100/turn. Tech: Mechanics I
Workshop: £500. Requires iron, copper or lumber. Generates £100/turn. Tech: Mechanics I
Ranch: £500. Requires and replaces Stables, Pasture or Hunting Lodge. Generates additional £100/turn. Tech: Animal Husbandry I
For clarity, the 'Stables' building has been expanded into three different types for flavour reasons; stables, hunting lodge and pasture. These are all replaced by the Ranch with Animal Husbandry I.
Additionally, spearmen were imbalanced because of their massive advantage in terms of upkeep costs. I have now adjusted most upkeep costs to reflect this; more expensive units will have higher recruitment costs for their strength than cheaper ones, but will have better upkeep value for their strength. Archers/Light macemen retain their upkeep cost of £50, but all other upkeep costs have changed.
Altered Buildings
Stables: £1000. Requires horses or similar. Generates £200/turn. Tech: Agriculture I (Public)
Hunting Lodge: £1000. Requires game or similar. Generates £200/turn. Tech: Agriculture I (Public)
Pasture: £1000. Requires cattle or similar. Generates £200/turn. Tech: Agriculture I (Public)
Changes to upkeep costs.
Basic Unit Types
Infantry
Spearmen: £125. Attack 7, Defense 9. Upkeep £20/turn.
Archers/Slingers: £500. Attack 12, Defense 18. Upkeep £50/turn.
Light Macemen: £500. Attack 14, Defense 16. Requires iron or copper. Upkeep £50/turn.
Light Swordsmen: £800. Attack 18, Defense 18. Requires iron. Upkeep £70/turn.
Light Axemen: £700. Attack 19, Defense 15. Requires iron or copper. Upkeep £60/turn.
Longbowmen: £1000. Attack 16, Defence 24. Upkeep £85/turn.
Heavy Mace: £1000. Attack 19, Defence 21. Requires iron or copper. Upkeep £85/turn.
Heavy Sword: £1400. Attack 23, Defence 23. Requires iron. Upkeep £115/turn.
Heavy Axe: £1300. Attack 25, Defence 20. Requires iron or copper. Upkeep £105/turn.
Heavies
Light Cavalry: £750. Attack 18, Defence 18. Negates infantry modifiers by 4. Requires horses. Upkeep £90/turn.
Heavy Cavalry: £1650. Attack 22, Defence 22. Negates infantry modifiers by 8. Requires horses. Requires stables. Upkeep £150/turn.
Navy
Trireme: £500. Attack 10, Defence 10. Movement 2. Can carry up to 2 units. Negates ground troop modifiers by 4. Upkeep £70/turn.
Sheb, you can join for Turn 3 if you like.
Spoon: Contrary to appearances, I don't have anything against you. You just got really poor rolls in that battle and the random number generator gave South Foul a particularly high (for its category) income, so it could support more troops for defense. The same goes for Criptfeind. Also, I debated on how to get past the fact that the Old Empire splits the continent in two and decided that a bribe would work - it's not particularly 'nice', but then the Old Empire isn't meant to be.
Author
Topic: Fiefdoms @ War: Turn 15 (Read 127509 times)