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[Terenos]

Hey Hubris..yer turn seems to be lacking in detail. Might wanna change that a bit, so Iituem knows what yer doing.

[Criptfeind]

I made a minor turn edit.

[Demonic Spoon]

Me too.

[Hubris Incalculable]

Hey Hubris..yer turn seems to be lacking in detail. Might wanna change that a bit, so Iituem knows what yer doing.

Erm.. what do you mean?

[Criptfeind]

How much money are you spending on research?

[Hubris Incalculable]

How much money are you spending on research?

Ah. thanks. that would do it. I'll edit it in a mo.

It's done.

[Iituem]

Turn 13 - The Brigand Years
Winter 1005 A.D.

I am taking tea in the Green Lute, an Arcadian cafe on the western edge of town.  It is a new blend from Highblood, quite popular amongst the youth today.  I cannot say I am especially taken, but I have yet to turn to that detestable black sludge my brother calls coffee  He assures me it clears the head, but how my head could find its way out of that overpowering smog of taste is beyond me.

Nevertheless, a clear head would have been most welcome earlier this morning.  Stuart and I opened a bottle of the Maver '03 before his return to the capital.  He bought several cases of the red, having heard in court that the King was ready to issue the embargo on the beastmen.  Who knows, it might be the last of the wine we see for a while.  I cannot say for sure if that is a bad thing, the very kick that makes it popular kicks you again when you wake up.

I broke fast on the way here from my lodgings at a roadside stall.  The hawker was a klackon and I suppose I bought from him mostly for the sheer novelty of seeing one in person.  He had that lost, confused look you always get in them when you see them out of their homeland.  At least, I think he looked lost and confused (how does one read an ant's face, after all?).  We 'talked' mostly through gestures as I find that clicking language of theirs utterly opaque, but it was not as if his menu was extensive; fried strips of meat, kebabs, a handful of sausages in bread.  Flesh and fat, roasted or fried.  I bought a kebab and a roll and left him to his work.

I do not have business until the afternoon, so I think I shall spend some time at the docks.  They say the King's new cavalry will be arriving by ship any day now.

-----

Gasket still burns in places, but the worst of the fire is under control now.  My face and arms are covered in soot, but praise the gods neither the pirates nor the flames reached the books in my lodgings.  I may still need to guard them from more home-grown looters, of course.

They arrived in longboats with short cutlasses.  I can only assume they bypassed the Imperial Fleet somehow, but with no defenders the people tried to do their best.  Some fought.  Most ran.  Some fool, I don't know whether it was the raiders or one of our own, started a fire.  Everything went to chaos, maybe for the whole of the day.  Looting just seemed to keep going on, it didn't really matter if it was pirate or local doing it, until it got dark and they rowed back, drunk and sated, with their haul.

The worst part is that they promised to come back.

- Lord Claddagh McClay, scholar, poet and swordsman.  Journals, 1003-1008

The Free Caulders:  Those Free Caulders who were not hired have now split and joined various of the richer neutral territories.

Pirates!:  A pirate blockade has surfaced in the Brentish Channel, severing the global trade network in two!

Spoiler: P.E.P.P.P.R. (Pillow Killer) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Ali Shorabongmad

Gnollish weaponsmiths and merchants arrive to teach your smiths and civil servants valuable techniques.  The knowledge thus gained allows you to set up a network of several marketplaces in several of your territories, though for real returns on them you will need to invest more thoroughly into basic economy.

All troops, including your engineering corps, have moved to Fellrein S.  One of your advisors suggests that if you use the engineers against the fortifications in Fellkeep they will effectively be neutralised, as the two engineer corps together can devise a way to bypass them.

Territories

Presst S (£545/turn):  Palace, Farm, Market.  Game. 
 (+£27/turn from game)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (+£153/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£50)
Presst W (£27/turn):  Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
Presst N (£175/turn):  Farm, Market. 
 (+£100: Farm)
 (+£49/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£50)
Presst U (£17/turn):  Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
Presst E (£38/turn): 
Icedale E (£79/turn):  Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
Fellrein S (£98/turn):  1 light macemen, 7 spearmen, 2 engineers.  Market. 
 (+£27/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£340)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £377
Revenue:  +£1735
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£195 [Access lumber, iron, sheep]
Trade Pact(Farland): +£108 [Access grain]
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£157 [Access gold, coal]
Upkeep: -£440  [1 light macemen, 7 spearmen, 2 engineers.  3 market.]

Total:  £2132


Technologies

Animal Husbandry I
Adaptive Farming I
Infrastructure Ii
Masonry Ii
Masonry Iii
Marketplaces
Weaponsmithy I

Spoiler: Taikeni Dominion (Taricus) (click to show/hide)

Leader:  Theris Anataki

Your gracious sponsorship has funded a grand meet between all the many sects of Islam.  The meet went on for some ninety days as a massive conference on the validity of different holy texts and cultural differences went on, with the chief separation between the High Elven and High Dwarven differences on scripture; particularly which race should lead.  Nevertheless, a concordat is reached and you are able to disseminate the new holy word throughout Central Storm, where it is adopted quickly as the official religion.

Taikeni and West Shadevale forces engage.

Taikeni Forces
Heavy Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Shadevale Forces
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Taikeni Heavy Axemen has utterly destroyed a West Shadevale Spearmen!  [76 vs 61]

A Taikeni Heavy Axemen has utterly destroyed a West Shadevale Spearmen!  [79 vs 37]

Taikeni Forces
Heavy Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged

West Shadevale Forces

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

Your galleon reaches the shore of West Shadevale without trouble, where your troops massacre the locals into utter submission with almost no difficulty whatsoever.  Sadly the thick forests of the region are not particularly fruitful in terms of lumber or the like, but more land always has its uses.

State Religion: Islam

Territories

Storm C (£500/turn):  Palace, Mine, Smithy.  Copper.  [Islam]
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£330/turn from Smithy)
 Islam Holy Site: £40 in tithes.
Storm S (£107/turn):  1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£20)
Storm W (£71/turn):  1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£20)
Storm N (£78/turn):  1 spearmen.  Hunting Lodge.  Game. 
 (+£4/turn from game)
 (+£200: Hunting Lodge)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid W (£154/turn):  1 spearmen, Walls. 
 (upk: -£30)
Astrid C (£30/turn):  1 spearmen.  Mine, Forge.  Iron. 
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£10/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid E (£179/turn):  2 spearmen, 1 galleon.  Walls.  Wine. 
 (+£9/turn from wine)
 (upk: -£140)
Shadevale W (£52/turn):  2 heavy axemen. 
 (upk: -£210)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £744
Revenue:  +£2164
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£228 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Trade Pact(Foul): +£182 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(United): +£318 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£181 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£550  [7 spearmen, 2 galleon, 2 heavy axemen.  2 walls.]

Total:  £3366


Technologies

Metalworking Ii
Sea Travel Ii
Metallurgy I


Armies Away

1 galleon

Spoiler: Free Tempests Republic (click to show/hide)

Leader: Speaker Fredrick the Red

You send money to the gnomes in return for a visit by their city planners, who help you reorganise your internal travel network to improve the maximum size of your economy.  Helpful as this is, the gnomish civil servants have now travelled so far around the world that this has become public knowledge.  You have just helped Infrastructure I enter the public domain.

Nevertheless, the improved travel networks and your suddenly expanded farming initiative have helped your farmers and scholars make great strides in the adaptation of farming techniques to your less-than-ideal lands.

New Tech:  Adaptive Farming II.  Allows you to build Improved Farms in regions without grain/wine/spice.

Territories

Storm E (£595/turn):  Palace, Farm.  Grain. 
 (+£30/turn from grain)
 (+£100: Farm)
Terret W (£144/turn):  Fishery.  Fish. 
 (+£7/turn from fish)
 (+£100: Fishery)
Terret N (£272/turn):  2 light swordsmen, 4 spearmen, 4 fireflies, 2 imps, 1 warlock.  Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£580)
Terret E (£354/turn):  Walls, Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£10)
Terret S (£380/turn):  2 imps.  Fortifications, Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£80)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £1414
Revenue:  +£2282
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£216 [Access copper, game, iron, wine]
Trade Pact(Foul): +£182 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(United): +£318 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£181 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£740  [2 light swordsmen, 4 spearmen, 4 fireflies, 4 imps, 1 warlock, 1 trireme.  1 walls, 1 fortifications.]

Total:  £3952


Technologies

Chaos Magic [Foundation]
Summon Fireflies
Imps
Agriculture Ii
Adaptive Farming I
Adaptive Farming Ii


Armies Away

1 trireme

Spoiler: Foul Empire (Demonic Spoon) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Demonic Spoon

The mercenary horse archers arrive in Upper Ichor, having accepted a bid of £1850 according to your standing orders to outbid other bidders.  They are human, and not used to the direct nature of klackon command to the point where the Avatar was on the verge of having half of them culled as a message to the others until one of the leadership caste indicated that they were not as easily replacable as drones.  Nevertheless, backed up with additional shock troops these mobile archers should prove a most valuable asset in your next conquests.

Territories

Foul C (£660/turn):  Palace, Mine, Forge.  Iron. 
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£211/turn from Forge)
Foul S (£179/turn): 
Ichor W (£60/turn):  Mine.  Stone. 
 (+£200: Mine)
Ichor U (£28/turn):  1 horse archers.  Avatar of the Hive.  Cattle. 
 (+£1/turn from cattle)
 (upk: -£320)
Ichor S (£105/turn): 
Troud S (£19/turn): 
Troud N (£152/turn): 

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £46
Revenue:  +£1815
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£216 [Access copper, game, wine]
Trade Pact(United): +£318 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£228 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£181 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£320  [1 horse archers.  Avatar of the Hive.]

Total:  £2583


Technologies

Necromancy [Foundation]
Curses I
Summon Zombies
Infantry Training I
Infantry Training Ii

Spoiler: Grand Duchy of Grouting (hubris_incalculable) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Grand Duke Mortrati

Your researchers devote £1000 to improving fermentation techniques, producing a better class of brewery and bakery.  To help ensure the high quality of production, brewers' and bakers' guilds are formed.  In future, your researchers would prefer you designate how much money they get for research, as they had to haggle extensively with the Chamberlain for this much.

The various clans of East Terrendale require £828 in bribes, patronages and various other diplomatic greasings of the wheel to get them to agree to annexation.  Sir Charleston has taken the liberty of transferring the first £600 in funds across, with the remaining £228 to follow next turn and complete the annexation.

New Tech:  Fermentation II.  You can progress no further in this branch of the tech tree at this point.

New Buildings:  Brewers' Guild.  Requires and replaces Brewery.  £500, upkeep £30.  Increases the industry bonus to 42% of basic income.  Tech: Fermentation II

Bakers' Guild.  Requires and replaces Bakery.  £500, upkeep £50.  Increases the industry bonus to 50% of basic income.  Tech: Fermentation II

Territories

Grouting C (£500/turn):  1 sorcerer.  Palace, Mine.  Gold. 
 (+£50/turn from gold)
 (+£200: Mine)
 (upk: -£100)
Grouting E (£140/turn):  1 archers. 
 (upk: -£50)
Grouting N (£106/turn): 
Grouting W (£281/turn):  2 light macemen.  Mine.  Coal. 
 (+£14/turn from coal)
 (+£200: Mine)
 (upk: -£100)
Grouting S (£4/turn):  2 archers. 
 (upk: -£100)
Terrendale C (£74/turn):  2 yetis. 
 (upk: -£170)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £1701
Revenue:  +£1569
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£195 [Access lumber, game, iron, sheep]
Trade Pact(Farland): +£108 [Access grain]
Trade Pact(Peaceful): +£174
Upkeep: -£530  [1 sorcerer, 3 archers, 2 light macemen, 2 yetis, 1 diplomat.]

Total:  £3217


Technologies

Glazing I
Glazing Ii
Fermentation I
Fermentation Ii
Diplomacy I
Diplomacy Ii
Sorcery [Foundation]
Trueshot
Windwall
Mariners


Armies Away

1 diplomat

Spoiler: Arcadia (Kashyyk) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Lady Alexia von Kashna

After paying the exorbitant fee for their hiring, you receive hands-down the most deadly band of troops in the entire world beyond the borders of the Old Empire or the richest neutral states.  Against infantry the knight is king and commands a suitably priced wage for his services.  Under strong leadership and with proper anti-siege preparations you can expect them to be virtually unstoppable on the field of battle.

Territories

Garnlish C (£542/turn):  Palace, Sawmill.  Lumber. 
 (+£27/turn from lumber)
 (+£100: Sawmill)
Garnlish N (£159/turn):  Game. 
 (+£8/turn from game)
Garnlish W (£48/turn): 
Garnlish S (£97/turn):  1 archers.  Walls. 
 (upk: -£60)
Sordell S (£209/turn):  1 longbowmen, 1 archers, 1 knights.  Mine, Smithy, Walls.  Iron. 
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£134/turn from Smithy)
 (upk: -£390)
Sordell W (£146/turn): 
Sordell E (£84/turn): 
Bleater S (£189/turn):  1 heavy cavalry, 1 archers.  Walls.  Sheep. 
 (+£9/turn from sheep)
 (upk: -£200)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £8
Revenue:  +£1952
Trade Pact(Farland): +£108 [Access grain]
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£157 [Access gold, coal]
Trade Pact(Peaceful): +£174
Upkeep: -£860  [3 archers, 1 longbowmen, 1 knights, 1 heavy cavalry, 3 trireme.  3 walls.]

Total:  £1539


Technologies

Mechanics I
Mechanics Ii
Diplomacy I
Infantry Training I
Necromancy [Foundation]
Summon Zombies
Weaponsmithy I
Espionage I


Armies Away

3 trireme

Spoiler: Farland Gnomes (adwarf) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Harticus

Excavation of Gizarkill:  £1594 to date.

Farlander and Fastlay forces engage.

Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Fastlay Forces
Longbowmen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Fortifications

A Fastlay Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Farlander Light Macemen!  [76 vs 56]

A Fastlay Longbowmen has defeated a Farlander Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage.  [64 vs 58]

A Fastlay Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Farlander Light Macemen!  [90 vs 57]

A Fastlay Longbowmen has defeated a Farlander Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [86 vs 83]

A Fastlay Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Farlander Spearmen!  [93 vs 41]

Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

Fastlay Forces
Longbowmen: 2 Intact, 2 Damaged

The defenders have won out!

You send your gathered army against the walled city of Fastlay, the largest city in Farland and the last bastion of gnomes not under your influence.  Unfortunately, the heavy fortifications and their ranks of trained human longbowmen (with some irony, mostly slaves to the gnomes) prove more than a match for your invading armies, most of whom are simply slaughtered outright in the attack.

On the other hand, Fastlay must have great wealth to support such an army and defences.  There are rumours of deep iron mines in the region, producing vast quantities of ore from the rich deposits beneath the East Farlander forests.

Additionally, your troops sighted familiar dark sails whilst attacking Fastlay, akin to those rumoured to have been giving your allies such trouble on the high seas.

Your city planners have returned from Brent, bringing with them new ideas on city organisation and infrastructure.  It is not long before they have devised new and efficient ways of organising internal travel to support additional industry in the cities.

New Tech:  Infrastructure II.  Your industry limit expands to 2 industry buildings/region.

Territories

Farland W (£574/turn):  2 spearmen.  Palace, Farm.  Grain. 
 (+£29/turn from grain)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£40)
Farland S (£159/turn):  2 spearmen.  Farm. 
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£40)
Farland C (£15/turn):  2 hail gliders.  Farm.  Sheep. 
 (+£1/turn from sheep)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£80)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £1000
Revenue:  +£1078
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£195 [Access lumber, game, iron]
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£157 [Access gold, coal]
Trade Pact(Peaceful): +£174
Upkeep: -£160  [4 spearmen, 2 hail gliders.]

Total:  £2444


Technologies

Adaptive Farming I
Infrastructure Ii
Mechanics I
Mechanics Ii
Mechanics Iii
Hail Gliders

Spoiler: United Provinces (Terenos) (click to show/hide)

Leader: The Traveller

Commander Bright leads your forces along the Iron Road to the jewel of North Stry, the orcish city of T'sen Ang.

United and T'sen Ang forces engage.

United Forces
Phantom Warriors: 9 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Cmdr Bright the General
T'sen Ang Forces
Longbowmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Fortifications

A United Phantom Warriors [Cmdr Bright] has defeated a T'sen Ang Longbowmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [77 vs 70]
Cmdr Bright the General has been wounded in combat.

A T'sen Ang Longbowmen has defeated a United Phantom Warriors, but sustained heavy damage.  [66 vs 55]

A T'sen Ang Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a United Phantom Warriors!  [100 vs 69]

A T'sen Ang Longbowmen has defeated a United Phantom Warriors, but sustained heavy damage.  [75 vs 63]

A T'sen Ang Archers has utterly destroyed a United Phantom Warriors!  [73 vs 58]

A T'sen Ang Archers has defeated a United Phantom Warriors, but sustained heavy damage.  [81 vs 77]

United Forces
Phantom Warriors: 3 Intact, 4 Damaged
Light Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Cmdr Bright the General [Wounded]

T'sen Ang Forces
Longbowmen: 0 Intact, 3 Damaged
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.
1 Longbowmen has escaped to Central Grok.
1 Archers has escaped to Central Grok.

T'sen Ang is a marvellous work of architecture, as all orcish cities I have ever seen.  This applies equally well to their defensive fortifications.  I wish I could say that grand strategy had been applied today, as it would at least might have avoided another wound sustained on my part, but rather we followed the traditional formula; massed rushes with the phantom soldiers, followed by the patient arrival of our occupation foces.  I suspect that our rivals are taking note of this sort of strategy, however - rumours regarding our apparently inexhaustible supply of troops are floating north to Villvale.

In future, it might be an idea to send the expendable troops in first without leadership, if you would rather conserve me for use against foes with a method of evading our usual rush tactics.

There is a fair amount of trouble keeping order in T'sen Ang at first, but several of your commanders take it upon themselves to bring back the ancient tradition of forced labour and reducing people to the level of property.  Some of your advisors would rather you put a stop to this.  One advisor has rather entrepeneurially devised a scheme by which with a proper institution of slavery one could gain access to a rich, easily available resource and cheap source of labour.  Importantly, it could make you a lot of money.

You pay out a bribe to the border officials in West Grok, but it appears that the soldiers who escaped your attack in T'sen Ang have joined up with a band of local raiders...

New Tech:  Slavery I.  Improves base capture chance for units passively by 5%.  (Future Slavery techs allow units to specifically wound or increase capture chances of units.)

New Building:  Slavers: £500.  Produces the Slaves resource.  Produces an industry bonus of £200/turn.  Reduces loyalty in the region by -1.  Tech:  Slavery I

Territories

Toldrun L (£632/turn):  1 sorcerer, 2 engineers.  Palace, Mine, Forge.  Copper. 
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£202/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£200)
Toldrun W (£387/turn):  Potters, Walls.  Pottery. 
 (+£97/turn from Potters)
 (upk: -£20)
Toldrun U (£371/turn):  2 phantom warriors, 1 light macemen.  Weavers, Fortifications.  Cloth. 
 (+£93/turn from Weavers)
 (upk: -£130)
Pomford N (£250/turn): 
Pomford W (£250/turn):  Walls. 
 (upk: -£10)
Stry N (£378/turn):  3+4 phantom warriors, 4 light macemen, 2 light axemen.  Cmdr Bright the General [W].  Powered Sawmill, Fortifications.  Lumber. 
 (+£19/turn from lumber)
 (+£300: Powered Sawmill)
 (upk: -£545)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £32
Revenue:  +£3179
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£216 [Access game, iron, wine]
Trade Pact(Foul): +£182 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£228 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£181 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£905  [1 sorcerer, 2 engineers, 9 phantom warriors, 5 light macemen, 2 light axemen.  Cmdr Bright the General.  1 potters, 2 walls, 1 weavers, 2 fortifications.]

Total:  £3212


Technologies

Sorcery [Foundation]
Phantom Warriors
Slavery I

Spoiler: Kingdom of Brent (Sheb) (click to show/hide)

Leader: King Sheb McBrent

Your chanellor is able to recruit a band of Free Caulder light cavaliers, but it appears that you have been outbid by the Foul Empire for the services of their horse archers.  The funds prepared for this have been returned to the treasury, as has £400 of the fund set aside for the foundation of Empirism as some of the groundwork for the religion had already been laid.

You formalise the institutions of Empirism, having devised and promulgated a scripture based around acceptance of various different faiths beneath the umbrella of Imperial divinity.  It is met with scepticism in the provinces for now but in the capital at least there is widespread acceptance, perhaps because they are closest to you and most likely to receive your wrath.  Rumours of your continuing descent into madness and solitude are becoming more prevalent, even if they are only ever whispered.

Bearskin marches with his forces north to Lester Central, besieging the fort of Leasebreak where your forces met defeat the prior year.

Brentish and Leasebreak forces engage.

Brentish Forces
War Bears: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Bearskin the Druid
Leasebreak Forces
Archers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Leasebreak Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish War Bears [Bearskin]!  [86 vs 67]
Bearskin the Druid has been wounded in combat.

A Leasebreak Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish War Bears!  [94 vs 67]

A Brentish Light Axemen has defeated a Leasebreak Archers, but sustained heavy damage.  [91 vs 88]

A Leasebreak Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Light Axemen!  [93 vs 76]

A Leasebreak Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Spearmen!  [71 vs 48]

A Leasebreak Archers has defeated a Brentish Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [91 vs 81]

Brentish Forces
Light Axemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Bearskin the Druid [Wounded]

Leasebreak Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 2 Damaged

The defenders have won out!
1 Light Axemen has escaped.

There are two of them, a master and an apprentice.  The few soldiers we have captured will not speak of the master.  The apprentice's name is Sun Pin, an orc commander long exiled from Villvale with his master by the orcish King Wei.  Sun Pin led this battle and the one before it under his master's guidance.

They gathered what seemed to be the body of their force at the front of the fort, ready to meet us on foot and with bow.  We anticipated this and cut around to strike their undefended flank by night.  They anticipated this also, and by the ill light we did not see the many traps dug and barely covered on the approach.  Archers concealed on the far side of the river then rained hail after hail of arrows upon us as we struggled to cross over.  All my bears were slaughtered simply buying us time for the axemen to reach them, but in the end we had no choice but to retreat.  I suffered wounds and was forced to command much of the battle from a pit whilst my guard dug me out.  In the end only I and a contingent of axemen from the survivors of all the regiments were able to escape.

So long as they hold that fort and Sun Pin commands them, it seems we have little hope of taking them.

Commodore Simo leads the fleet east to Alestrom, responding to the rumour of the pirate sails sighted.  As expected, a pirate trireme is waiting...

Brentish and Dread Pirate forces engage.

Brentish Forces
Trireme: 6 Intact, 0 Damaged
Archers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Longbowmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Cpt Simo the Cavalier
Dread Pirate Forces
Trireme: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Brentish Longbowmen [Cpt Simo] has defeated a Dread Pirate Trireme, but sustained heavy damage.  [76 vs 70]

Brentish Forces
Trireme: 6 Intact, 0 Damaged
Archers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Longbowmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Cpt Simo the Cavalier

Dread Pirate Forces
Trireme: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.
1 Trireme has been captured.

It was a feint.  We found a single trireme, skeleton crew, sitting like a duck.  The moment I saw it on the horizon I knew something was wrong; it didn't run, it didn't attack.  It just waited there.  Turns out the crew were slaves with a handful of men with whips ready to escape by longboat the moment we attacked.  We caught up with them and had them strangled, then released the survivors amongst the slaves - we didn't realise the trick until half of them were dead and the ship had taken damage.  The trireme will need repairs, but it is intact enough to sail.  I've had the men take it to the nearby coast for work.

Roberts is not here.  He was never here.  Alas, by the time you get this message I fear this will already be apparent to you.

It is.  Roberts sailed out of the port of Fastlay in East Farland where the locals had been sheltering his fleet.  With your coast now almost completely undefended with Bearskin's attack, the fleet stings the capital ports, Mitre and even Gasket with lightning raids.  The light cavalry hired from the Free Caulders arrives unmolested by the fleet, but only after the raid on Gasket has already been conducted.  Far worse than any of this, with the fleet now present in the Brentish Channel they are able to intercept any trade ships entering the sea lanes.  A blockade is now in effect, essentially sealing the trade hub that has brought Brent such prosperity away from the world and severing the links between north and south.

The only silver lining to this storm is that you now know the full complement of Roberts' forces; four galleons, each with at least a two-third complement of crew.  It is reasonable to expect that all of them are used to fighting on sea.  Roberts' own ship the Queen Mary flies a black flag with a red rose crossed with swords, a defiant or perhaps just taunting statement against the Brentish crown.

State Religion: Empirism

Territories

Brent L (£500/turn):  Palace, Fishery.  Fish.  [Empirism]
 (+£25/turn from fish)
 (+£100: Fishery)
 Empirism Holy Site: £40 in tithes.
Brent S (£234/turn):  1 light cavalry.  Cpt Simo the Cavalier.  Market. 
 (+£37/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£270)
Brent U (£287/turn):  Walls, Deep Mine, Forge.  Coal. 
 (+£14/turn from coal)
 (+£400: Deep Mine)
 (+£92/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£10)
Brent N (£137/turn): 
Sutter E (£252/turn):  Market. 
 (+£40/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£50)
Alestrom S (£275/turn):  0+1 light axemen.  Bearskin the Druid [W].  Market. 
 (+£44/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£293)
Lester S (£256/turn):  Mine, Forge, Fortifications.  Marble. 
 (+£13/turn from marble)
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£82/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£20)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £2282
Revenue:  +£3028
Raids: -£1255
Upkeep: -£1088  [1 light cavalry, 1 light axemen, 3 trireme, 3 archers, 1 longbowmen.  Cpt Simo the Cavalier, Bearskin the Druid.  3 market, 1 walls, 1 fortifications.]

Total:  £2967


Technologies

Weaponsmithy I
Nature Magic [Foundation]
Summon War Bears
Marketplaces
Glazing I
Mariners
Fermentation I
Diplomacy I
Mechanics I


Armies Away

2 trireme (+ 1 wounded)
3 archers
0 longbowmen (+ 1 wounded)

Spoiler: Steel Empire (Johnfalcon99977) (click to show/hide)

Leader:  Dariuoiua

Your scholars attempt to recruit various lowlifes to teach them the techniques of espionage and assassination.  Two of them come back, beaten within an inch of their lives and robbed of all possessions.  The rest don't come back at all.  Clearly more thought is required as to their approach.

The great difficulty of organising Ki'asa comes in the fractured, disorganised nature of the culture.  With virtually every single village having its own traditions and viewpoints on the faith, it is extremely difficult to achieve the necessary adherence to a new, centralised religion.  Nevertheless, through a combination of compromise and subjugation your ministers are able to organise a unified form of Ki'asa in the capital.

Your caravans have met disaster on their travels!

A Bandit Skirmishers has utterly destroyed a Steel Caravan!  [91 vs 41]
A Bandit Skirmishers has utterly destroyed a Steel Caravan!  [69 vs 47]

In Central Beaton and Central Grok alike, lightly armed bandits assault your unguarded caravans from ambush positions.  Their organisation is haphazard, but it appears they had been warned ahead of time of your approaching passage.  The few survivors who return suggest that some of their armour and weaponry looked quite new.  Whatever this may mean, caravan guards will be a wise investment in the future, especially if more such attacks are to be likely.

State Religion: Kiasa

Territories

Steel S (£515/turn):  1 spearmen.  Palace.  Ivory.  [Kiasa]
 (+£26/turn from ivory)
 Kiasa Holy Site: £40 in tithes.
 (upk: -£18)
Maver N (£188/turn):  1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£20)
Maver W (£82/turn):  1 spearmen.  Farm.  Wine. 
 (+£4/turn from wine)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£20)
Maver S (£177/turn):  1 spearmen.  Lumber. 
 (+£9/turn from lumber)
 (upk: -£20)
Maver E (£132/turn):  1 skirmishers. 
 (upk: -£45)
Beaton N (£189/turn):  0+1 skirmishers, 2+1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£105)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £3
Revenue:  +£1462
Upkeep: -£228  [7 spearmen, 2 skirmishers.]

Total:  £1237


Technologies

Infantry Training I
Coastal Defences I

Spoiler: Cadre of Vremya (Phantom) (click to show/hide)

Leader:  Kasr Umirat

Vremya and East Caulder forces engage.

Vremya Forces
Javelineers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Cavalry: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Takticheskii the Kasr
East Caulder Forces
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Vremya Light Cavalry [Takticheskii] has utterly destroyed a East Caulder Spearmen!  [90 vs 72]

A Vremya Light Cavalry [Takticheskii] has defeated a East Caulder Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [57 vs 48]

A Vremya Javelineers [Takticheskii] has defeated a East Caulder Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [67 vs 57]
Takticheskii the Kasr has been wounded in combat.

Vremya Forces
Javelineers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Cavalry: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Takticheskii the Kasr [Wounded]

East Caulder Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.
1 Spearmen has escaped to South Owldale.

The largely disparate forces of East Cauldron banded together long enough to put up some resistance, but nothing that would not crumble before your advancing forces.  East Cauldron itself does not have any particular towns or resources of note, mostly being inhabited by roving bands of nomads.

Territories

Cauldron W (£504/turn):  1 javelineers, 1 spearmen.  Palace, Ranch.  Horses. 
 (+£25/turn from horses)
 (+£300: Ranch)
 (upk: -£70)
Cauldron L (£263/turn):  1 javelineers.  Walls. 
 (upk: -£60)
Cauldron S (£116/turn):  Stables.  Horses. 
 (+£6/turn from horses)
 (+£200: Stables)
Cauldron E (£0/turn):  2 skirmishers, 0+1 javelineers, 1 light macemen, 4 spearmen, 0+1 light cavalry.  Takticheskii the Kasr [W]. 
 (upk: -£390)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £283
Revenue:  +£1414
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£151 [Access copper, game, iron, wine]
Trade Pact(Foul): +£127 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£160 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(United): +£223 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£127 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£520  [3 javelineers, 5 spearmen, 2 skirmishers, 1 light macemen, 1 light cavalry.  Takticheskii the Kasr.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1965


Technologies

Animal Husbandry I
Ranged Training I
Infantry Training Ii

Spoiler: The Greenblood Union (Dwarmin) (click to show/hide)

Leader:  High Shaman Lord Dwareet'ik

The Caulder mercenaries arrive by ship and travel to your capital for Breejilgig to take command.  They provide a demonstration against some slaves and prisoners, impressing the local gnolls greatly with their speed and range.

Meanwhile, engineers from the Peaceful Republic/Empire arrive to oversee the major infrastructural overhauls of the capital and its neighbouring regions, including the development of several new market centres to make Greenblood a member of the trading nations of the world.  It is worth noting that Eastern Highblood will require serious investment before the market there will begin even breaking even, given the costs of its upkeep.

Territories

Highblood N (£550/turn):  1 light cavalry, 1 javelin cavalry, Breejilgig the Shaman.  Palace, Mine, Market.  Marble. 
 (+£28/turn from marble)
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£264/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£285)
Highblood C (£250/turn):  Mine, Market.  Silver. 
 (+£13/turn from silver)
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£120/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£50)
Highblood E (£53/turn):  Farm, Market.  Spices. 
 (+£5/turn from spices)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (+£25/turn from Market)
 (upk: -£50)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £84
Revenue:  +£1808
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£216 [Access copper, game, iron, wine]
Trade Pact(Foul): +£182 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£228 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(United): +£318 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Upkeep: -£385  [1 light cavalry, 1 javelin cavalry.  Breejilgig the Shaman.  3 market.]

Total:  £2550


Technologies

Weaponsmithy I
Weaponsmithy Ii
Marketplaces
Infrastructure Ii

Infrastructure I is now in the Public Domain.  Everyone may now raise their basic income to £500/turn per territory (excluding the capital bonus).

Slavers: £500.  Produces the Slaves resource.  Produces an industry bonus of £200/turn.  Reduces loyalty in the region by -1.  Tech:  Slavery I

New Buildings:  Brewers' Guild.  Requires and replaces Brewery.  £500, upkeep £30.  Increases the industry bonus to 42% of basic income.  Tech: Fermentation II

Bakers' Guild.  Requires and replaces Bakery.  £500, upkeep £50.  Increases the industry bonus to 50% of basic income.  Tech: Fermentation II

Marketplaces now provide a base bonus of 10% to basic economy with a 2% increase in their bonus for most raw resources, a 5% increase to their bonus for manufactured goods and retain their 8% increase for rare resources (gold, spices, incense).

Naval units now have a 10% higher chance of escape from losing battles and a 10% higher chance of being captured intact by a victorious enemy.

Windmillls now no longer need grain as a prerequisite resource, but they do require Farms and do still act as a separate industry.

Breweries and Bakeries are being rebalanced so that they no longer require grain (or grain/wine) as their base resource, but now must be built in regions that already contain a Farm.  They count as a separate industry to Farming.

If there are wounded units in a territory when it is captured (that did not take part in the battle for capture), they are now captured and suborned by the invading force, though their healing is delayed by a turn (i.e. they will still be wounded on the next turn).

Lots of surprises and perhaps disappointments this turn.  What I will say is that this has been building up for several turns now, and I'm not behind all of it.  The pirates operate on very similar rules to you, with a few exceptions (one major one being that they cannot take territory, so even though they have a treasury they have to replenish it through raiding).

I wound like to take a sounding on what players think about turns being submitted via PM.  The results of turns (except for actions such as spy actions) will still be published publically, but this would allow players to take tactical actions without their opponents being aware of it until the action is taking place.

[Phantom]

Actually, Takticheskii is an Arakael. Again, I only have three Kasrs.

[Iituem]

Oh, so he is.  Fixed it in the code for next time.

[Johnfalcon99977]

Son of a bitch. Bandits.

That was a total waste of money, but life goes on. Better get that base up and running.

[Phantom]

And we can implant some resources to territories, right?

[Dwarmin]

I'll add mine.

Oh, fubar.

[Taricus]

  Humbling defeats for sheb. I'd like to note they never got any ships for me. And apart from spying, the only actions I approve of being sent Via PM is mercenary bidding.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Territories

Storm C (£500/turn):  Palace, Mine, Smithy.  Copper.  [Islam]
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£330/turn from Smithy)
 Islam Holy Site: £40 in tithes.
Storm S (£107/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm W (£71/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm N (£78/turn):  1 spearmen.  Hunting Lodge.  Game.
 (+£4/turn from game)
 (+£200: Hunting Lodge)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid W (£154/turn):  1 spearmen, Walls.
 (upk: -£30)
Astrid C (£30/turn):  1 spearmen.  Mine, Forge.  Iron.
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£10/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid E (£179/turn):  2 spearmen, 1 galleon.  Walls.  Wine.
 (+£9/turn from wine)
 (upk: -£140)
Shadevale W (£52/turn):  2 heavy axemen.
 (upk: -£210)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £744
Revenue:  +£2164
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£228 [Access grain, fish]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£99
Trade Pact(Foul): +£182 [Access stone, cattle]
Trade Pact(United): +£318 [Access pottery, cloth, lumber]
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£181 [Access marble, silver, spices]
Upkeep: -£550  [7 spearmen, 2 galleon, 2 heavy axemen.  2 walls.]

Total:  £3366


Construction/Recruitment
One spearmen in Shadevale W
1500 Into Astrid E. we must improve the standard of living there.


Research
1200 Into Researching new metallurgical technologies

Troop Movements
Axemen are to unite Shadevale. Invade Shadevale east with them.
One spearmanfrom Astrid east to astrid west, one spearman from astrid west to storm center.
Both galleons are to move to the sea off the coast of Terret N

Other:
Give metalworking 2 to the foul empire for Infantry Training I and $700

[Criptfeind]

And we can implant some resources to territories, right?

No.

[Johnfalcon99977]

Spoiler: Status of the Empire (click to show/hide)

Territories

Steel S (£515/turn):  1 spearmen.  Palace.  Ivory.  [Kiasa]
 (+£26/turn from ivory)
 Kiasa Holy Site: £40 in tithes.
 (upk: -£18)
Maver N (£188/turn):  1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£20)
Maver W (£82/turn):  1 spearmen.  Farm.  Wine. 
 (+£4/turn from wine)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£20)
Maver S (£177/turn):  1 spearmen.  Lumber. 
 (+£9/turn from lumber)
 (upk: -£20)
Maver E (£132/turn):  1 skirmishers. 
 (upk: -£45)
Beaton N (£189/turn):  0+1 skirmishers, 2+1 spearmen. 
 (upk: -£105)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £3
Revenue:  +£1462
Upkeep: -£228  [7 spearmen, 2 skirmishers.]

Total:  £1237


Technologies

Infantry Training I
Coastal Defences I

Status: We cannot let this embargo stand for now. We need to make a temporary base for the New Empire. Otherwise were doing fine.

Spoiler: Actions of the Empire (click to show/hide)

Research
Put £400 into the research of assassination. This time attempt to train the people that aren't low life scum. Perhaps recruit them among the populance. Make it vonlentary for course. The ability to redemn your honor seems like a good incentive, also pay them money. Never hurts to be safe.

Recruitment
Train a Skrimisher in Northern Beaton.

Infrastructure
Put 380 into Maver West.

SPECIAL
Give Southern Maver to the NE. Tell my people that this is a temporary deal, and that soon they will be safely among the Steel Empire once again.

I am also giving southern Maver to the New Empire for now so that they have a base. This is a temporary deal, and until I conquer Northern Owldale, they better not abuse its people.

Also, the factions look oddly uni-colored. What happened?