Turn 4
Summer 1002 A.D.
Arcanus turns and its people continue to thrive. The first region is unified, a rare occurence since the fall of the Empire. Many wonder if it will last.
Events in the WorldShambles (Sordell): The rumours of trouble over in Western Sornell continue until they spill over the border into Central Farland. A horde of the walking dead slowly shamble their way across the hills, tearing down villages and killing and eating gnomes and humans alike until they stumble upon one of the defensive positions held by the recent occupying army. The defending macemen are able to scatter and eventually destroy all the invading zombies, but suffer some casualties in the process.
A Farlander Light Macemen has defeated a Horde Zombies, but sustained heavy damage. [67 vs 66]Fireflies (Terret/Storm): Explorers sent to investigate the caverns at West Terret bring back burned friends and news of strange blazing lights that attack those who go near, and some undescribed object of power that they seem to be attracted to. Though harmed greatly in the skirmish, the explorers defeated some of the fireflies as well. Cattle losses have decreased and no huts have been burned since the skirmish.
Foul Omens (Foul): The hive responsible for the dark powers has been discovered and drones sent to uncover its secrets.
Desert Winds (Pomford): The temple remains silent for now, but there are rumours of disappearances amongst the nomad bands - nothing out of the usual, but their frequency has increased.
The Ice Queen (Terrendale): Word over the borders with Terrendale suggest that the strange beasts, resembling semi-upright white bears, have begun searching further and further afield for food.
Bearskin (Brent): Bearskin has approached the McBrents and given them his terms.
Leader: Ali Shorabongmad
P.E.P.P.P.R. and Upper Presst forces engage.
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Upper Presst Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A P.E.P.P.P.R. Light Macemen has defeated a Upper Presst Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [71 vs 67]
P.E.P.P.P.R. Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Upper Presst Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
The mercenaries you hire, though responsive, prove somewhat craven and allow your personal guard of macemen to attack first. They sustain some casualties, but single-handedly win the battle and put the hirelings to shame. Not that there was much of a battle to be fought in the first place - Upper Presst remains destitute.
Territories
Presst Sou (£500/turn): - Palace. [Game]
(+£25/turn from game)
(+£100: Farm)
Presst Wes (£27/turn): -
Presst North (£175/turn): -
Presst Upper (£17/turn): 0+1 light maceman, 3 spearmen. (upk: £-110)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: 401
Revenue: +£827
Upkeep: -£110 [1 macemen, 3 spearmen]
Total: £1118
Techs
Animal Husbandry I
Adaptive Farming I
Leader: Theris Anataki
Taikeni and North Stormer forces engage.
Taikeni Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Axemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A North Stormer Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Taikeni Light Axemen! [71 vs 55]
A North Stormer Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Taikeni Light Macemen! [65 vs 50]
Taikeni Forces
North Stormer Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
In a shocking and completely unexpected military defeat, both your elite troops were slain in a pair of guerilla-style ambushes by nothing more than a handful of elf-dwarf half-castes with spears and pit traps. The elven court is brooding in shame and dwarven warlords everywhere are sharpening their axes.
Your dwarven engineers work hard on the task of rebuilding the old Taikeni forges, but though they came close to completion of the new dye-casting foundry technical difficulties look like they will hold them up for some time more.
Territories
Storm Cen (£500/turn): 1 Spearman. Palace, Mine. [Copper] (upk: -£20)
(+£200: Mine)
(+£25: Forge)
Storm South (£16/turn): 1 Spearman. (upk: -£20)
Storm West (£71/turn): 1 Spearman (upk: -£20)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£812
Trade Pact (Free Stormers): +94 (Access Grain)
Upkeep: -£60 [3 spearmen]
Total: £96
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Leader: Speaker Fredrick the Red
You invest in rebuilding the fishing industry in Western Terret, a move that continues to make you popular both with people and treasury.
The two detachments of militia you sent made their way to the cave network close to the border to investigate the disappearances and sightings. They descended into the caves for some time, whereupon in one of the deeper caverns they found
a chamber lit from within, as if by some bonfire. We crept forward and found it filled with tiny, bright lights, each as bright as a candle but floating and swarming in the air like motes or flies. They seemed to be attracted to some sort of object in the centre of the cave. We approached, but that was when they attacked.
A Rogue Fireflies has defeated a Free Stormer Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [28 vs 19]
A Rogue Fireflies has utterly destroyed a Free Stormer Spearmen! [63 vs 50]
The flies swarmed us en masse, burning the flesh off those too slow to escape. Some of us tried to fight back with some success - it looks like they don't hold up too well if they're not on the attack themselves. It ended up being a fighting retreat, though, and we lost good men down there. We think we extinguished quite a few in the process, though.
TerritoriesStorm Eas (£560/turn): Palace, Farm. [Grain]
(+£28/turn from grain)
(+£100: Farm)
Terret West (£144/turn): 4+1 Spearmen. Fishery. [Fish] (upk: -£100)
(+£7/turn from fish)
(+£100: Fishery)
Finances:Cash Reserves: £70
Revenue: +£939
Trade Pact (Taikeni): +£81 (Access Copper)
Upkeep: -£100 [5 spearmen]
Total: £1110
TechsNo non-Public techs.
Leader: Emperor Demonic Spoon
Your armies gathered to cleanse the countryside of Western Ichor, only to find many of the hives already abandoned. One hive remained in force, where the surviving klackon spearmen of the region had gathered amongst a series of dark standing stones, etched with arcane writing. At the entrance to the hive also stood a black-carapaced klackon wielding a staff mounted with the head of one of your kind.
Foul and West Ichor forces engage.
Foul Forces
Spearmen: 5 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Ichor Forces
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Necromancer: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Dark Ward: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A West Ichor Dark Ward has destroyed both a Foul Spearmen and itself.
A West Ichor Spearmen has defeated a Foul Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [46 vs 44]
A West Ichor Spearmen has defeated a Foul Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [61 vs 61]
A Foul Spearmen has utterly destroyed a West Ichor Necromancer! [56 vs 40]
Foul Forces
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 2 Damaged
West Ichor Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 2 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
When the first ranks of drones tried to pass through the ring of stones, the writing on them rose from the rock and slithered into the air like wisps of black smoke. The 'writing' attacked them, passing straight through their carapaces and rotting away the flesh within. Once the wards had laid utter waste to a regiment however, they were spent and unable to do further damage. The drones met in battle, sustaining heavy injuries on both sides whilst their black leader shot more dark wisps from his staff until he was overwhelmed by the drones and torn apart.
The hive was claimed and we located his study. He appears to have been a leadership-caste general who rediscovered some of the ancient dark arts and was working to use them to conquer this region. We have captured his notes, which were extensive, and passed them to the Thinkers to consider.
Bonus Technologies: Basic Necromancy, Curses IAfter weeks of travel, your caravan of looted artefacts arrives in the city of Toll to great acclaim. A feast is held by the inhabitants and much trading takes place. The beetle-riders eventually return with a wealth in copper and worked bronze, amongst other useful items and pave the way for a very profitable relationship.
TerritoriesFoul Cen (£500/turn): 3 Spearmen. Palace. [Iron] (upk: -£60)
Ichor Wes (£60/turn): 2+2 Spearmen. [Stone] (upk: -£80)
Finances:Cash Reserves: £110
Revenue: +£560
Bonus: +£1800
Trade Pact (United): +£100 (Access Copper)
Upkeep: -£140 [7 spearmen]
Total: £2430
TechsFoundation Necromancy
Curses I
Armies-
Leader: Grand Duke Mortrati
Grout and North Grout forces engage.
Grout Forces
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Grout Forces
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Grout Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a North Grout Spearmen! [75 vs 55]
A Grout Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a North Grout Spearmen! [69 vs 50]
A North Grout Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Grout Light Macemen! [90 vs 50]
A Grout Light Macemen has defeated a North Grout Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [77 vs 71]
Grout Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Grout Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Though not a flawless victory, your troops easily outpace the fewer and more poorly-armed defenders of Northern Grouting. The local militia took their stand at the township of Sealbreak, an otherwise undistinguished port, where they manned the crude wooden walls until the invaders were able to break the gates and flood in. The battle began and ended quickly, leaving few defending survivors. Already the nobles of your court are clamouring to take their lands.
After weeks of putting up with gruelling and frustrating courtly balls and the incessant prattling of your inferiors, you have at last isolated those would-be advisors with the more silken tongues and prying minds and employed them in training students to follow in the footsteps of etiquette. This may have been influenced somewhat by the word of unification passing over the Garnlish border, prompting a touch more unity amongst your usually squabbling nobility in response. You should soon be able to train your first diplomatic staff.
Territories
Grouting Cen (£500/turn): - Palace, Mine. [Gold]
(+£50/turn from gold)
(+200: Mine)
Grouting Eas (£140/turn): -
Grouting Nor (£106/turn): 1+1 light macemen, 1 archer. (upk: -£150)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£890
Trade Pact (Arcadia): +£95
Upkeep: -£150 [2 light macemen + 1 archer]
Total: £835
Techs
Diplomacy I
Leader: Lady Alexia von Kashna
Arcadian and South Garnlish forces engage.
Arcadian Forces
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Garnlish Forces
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
A South Garnlish Spearmen has defeated a Arcadian Light Macemen, but sustained heavy damage. [56 vs 55]
A Arcadian Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a South Garnlish Spearmen! [90 vs 27]
Arcadian Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 1 Damaged
South Garnlish Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
Your macemen head out to tackle the last bastion of resistance in the forests of Garnlish, a mountain-edged retreat with a heavy defensive wall of stone and wood. Despite some initial resistance, numbers and superior equipment allow you to scale the walls and conquer the last of the dissent. You have unified your homeland!
Unification Bonus: For unifying the region of Garnlish for the first time in centuries, the wood elf clans assemble at your palace to bend knee to you and swear their oaths of fealty. A council of the wisest elven sages meets and offers you their services in brokering disputes and negotiations with other lands.
Bonus Technology: Diplomacy I
Such are the celebrations, however, that work on refining your machine techniques fails to make much headway. You nevertheless continue to build your people's knowledge of the basic techniques of refinement, paving the way for a future breakthrough.
Territories
Garnlish Cen (£513/turn): 1 Light Maceman. Palace, Sawmill. [Lumber] (upk: -£50)
(+£25 from lumber)
(+£100: Sawmill)
Garnlish Nor (£159/turn): - [Game] (upk: -£100)
(+7 from game)
Garnlish Wes (£46/turn): - (upk: -£200)
Garnlish Sou (£97/turn): 2+1 light macemen. Walls. (upk: -£160)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £8
Revenue: +£947
Trade Pact (Farland): +£86 (Access Grain)
Trade Pact (Grouting): +89 (Access Gold)
Upkeep: -£210 [4 light macemen. 1 Walls.]
Total: £920
Techs
Mechanics I
Diplomacy I
Leader: Harticus
Farlander and Central Farlander forces engage.
Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Central Farlander Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Farlander Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a Central Farlander Spearmen! [76 vs 56]
Farlander Forces
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Central Farlander Forces
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
You storm the heartlands of Farland Central with three mighty legions of gnomish warriors! It is a rousing success, if only because the most resistance you really faced was from impoverished shepherds on the hills. The handful of humans and gnomes surviving here capitulated quickly and you now have control of the severely underdeveloped region of central Farland. Although poor, these are prime sheep grazing lands that have largely been left unsettled in lieu of the more prosperous East Farland.
After months of trial, error and over a dozen cases of food poisoning, your gnomes are ready. They unveil the first underground farm, really just shelves and shelves of dirt and pulped wood and vegetable matter brought down from the surface and stored in underground racks. The compost is baked before use, seeded with carefully cultivated mushroom spawn and then carefully watered and tended to for several weeks before harvesting. Production is plentiful, if bland, and you should be able to start basic underground farms anywhere you go with this technology.
Shambles: The horde of zombies is first scattered and then hunted down individually. It turns out that they are extremely uncoordinated and make worse fighters than even green militia with spears, but tend to attack in packs or a single horde as an advantage. They seem to be completely unintelligent beyond an apparent desire to eat or destroy anything in sight. It seems that these shambling corpses must have been the bodies of long-buried lords or warriors, because some of them carry largely ornamental equipment or even bits of grave jewellery. You gather about £30 in loot from the destroyed undead.
Territories
Farland Wes (£574/turn): Palace, Farms. [Grain]
(+£29/turn from grain)
(+£100: Farm)
Farland Sou (£159/turn): -
Farland Cen (£15/turn): 2+1 light macemen. [Sheep] (upk: -£150)
(+£1/turn from sheep)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£862
Trade Pact (Arcadia): +£85 (Access Lumber, Game)
Loot: +£30
Upkeep: -£150 [3 light macemen]
Total: £817
Techs
Adaptive Farming I
Leader: The Traveller
You gather forces and store wealth, investigating the mysterious temple's background. Records are few, limited mostly to storybooks, but there are indications that over a thousand years ago there was a great city where the temple supposedly stands. The city was razed to the ground and destroyed by the Great Wizard who founded the Arcanan Empire and all of its people killed, as they had supported some unknown enemy of his (possibly another wizard). Beyond this, only rumour and myth remain.
Territories
Lower Toldrun (£550/turn): 1 Light Maceman. Palace. [Copper] (upk: -£50)
(+£200: Mine)
Pomford North (£250/turn): 3 Light Macemen. (upk: -£150)
Finances:
Cash Reserves: £800
Revenue: +£1000
Trade Pact (Foul): +£56 (Access Iron)
Upkeep: -£200 (4 light macemen)
Total: £1656
Techs
No non-Public techs.
Leader: Sheb McBrent
Your son heads north to the highlands, three clans at his back to strike at the seat of the high clans at Sinterness. Winter will set in before long and so the thanes have come for Jarlsmoot at the castle. No doubt they meet out of concern for your recent territorial gains. Shet intends to prevent them making any agreements.
But a Jarlsmoot is not without its defences. When thanes meet, treachery is ever a threat. They do not bring ragged militias and hope, but long bows of yew and claymores.
McBrent and High Brentish forces engage.
McBrent Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
High Brentish Forces
Longbowmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Heavy Swordsmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A High Brentish Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a McBrent Light Macemen! [88 vs 47]
A High Brentish Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a McBrent Spearmen! [87 vs 46]
A McBrent Spearmen has utterly destroyed a High Brentish Longbowmen! [74 vs 47]
A High Brentish Longbowmen has defeated a McBrent Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage. [72 vs 60]
McBrent Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
High Brentish Forces
Longbowmen: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Heavy Swordsmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!For the odds stacked against him, your son fought bravely and well. Two thirds of his men were slaughtered on the approach by High Brentish longbowmen, bondsmen of the thanes come for Jarlsmoot, but the few survivors tell he led the final charge with what remained of his men to cut down as many of the archers as he could before he was captured. His fate remains unknown.
Unfortunately, your Trireme will not be ready to ferry your caravan until next turn.
Your tactic of scattering food and waiting pays off, as the clan of bears that surrounds this mysterious figure are attracted to it, and he through them. After three days of silence he approachees one of your kinsmen and has them deliver this message by word of mouth.
You grow stronger, McBrent, and you would reclaim your birthright. But are you strong enough? I would help the line of kings, the line that would reforge the lands of Brent again. Will that be your line? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
I am one, perhaps the last, of an ancient order devoted to the keeping of the secrets of nature's magic. For centuries we have passed down what knowledge we could, but until the Spell of Mastery was broken all we knew was nothing more than myth and gibberish. Now I am learning how much of it was false - but I have learned also some of what is true.
Reunite Brent. Be king. Reclaim Sinterness and the Throne of Brent the King. Do all this and I will join you, and all my secrets will be yours. Or fight me, prove your strength by sapping my own. I will join you also, as slave not ally, but my power will be diminished. Know though that I will fight hard for my freedom.
TerritoriesLower Brent (£500/turn): 1 Trireme, 1 Caravan. Palace, Fishery. [Fish] (upk: -£40)
(+£25/turn from fish)
(+£100: Fishery)
Brent South (£220/turn): 1 spearman, 0+1 light macemen. (upk: -£150)
2 spearmen, 1 light maceman.
Finances:Cash Reserves: £0
Revenue: +£845
Upkeep: -£190
Total: £655
TechsNo non-Public techs.
Leader: Dariuoiua
Wolven and North Maver forces engage.
Wolven Forces
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
North Maver Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
A North Maver Archers has utterly destroyed a Wolven Light Macemen! [57 vs 43]
A North Maver Archers has utterly destroyed a Wolven Light Macemen! [87 vs 70]
Wolven Forces
North Maver Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Wolven and West Daltoner forces engage.
Wolven Forces
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Daltoner Forces
Archers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
City Walls
A Wolven Light Macemen has defeated a West Daltoner Archers, but sustained heavy damage. [78 vs 76]
Wolven Forces
Light Macemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
West Daltoner Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
Although your generals estimate you could perhaps have won the fight for the townships of North Maver, their plans did not go accordingly. The field in front of the North Maver town of Pride is littered with the bodies of your wolfling allies, cut down en masse by jaguar-kin archers.
The effort to storm the West Daltoner city of Darling met similar failure. Darling's high city walls gave the defenders a significant enough advantage that even though able to scale them and incapacitate one of the massed ranks of defending archers, most of the attackers were killed or captured for slavery.
You are unable to find out the source of who is worrying your cattle and huts because they are not worrying your cattle and huts. That problem is happening in a different part of the world and you are probably not even aware of it.
For all this bad news, however, your generals have had one success. Thanks to your generous funding the military has started a program to train professional soldiers from the general populace, rather than individual training amongst the nobility (as is the norm for most of the world). Their current regime focuses on production of Auxila, a type of lightly-armoured skirmisher with spears and short swords or metal-edged wood or bone daggers. The emphasis of the programme has been on the conservation of Steel's (somewhat ironically) limited supplies of metal, using leather and wood to fill the gap where other armies use heavier metals. The new skirmishers should be comparable to ordinary mace-wielding infantry but easier to produce in large numbers.
Territories
Steel South (£500/turn): 8 spearmen, 1 light maceman. Palace. [Ivory] (upk: -£210)
(+£25/turn from ivory)
Finances
Cash Reserves: £525
Income: +£525
Upkeep: -£210 [1 light maceman, 8 spearmen]
Total: £840
Techs
Military Training I (Skirmishers)
Leader: Kasr Umirat
Despite your harsh but effective regimen of training, your troops do not respond as well as you would prefer to your javelin training exercises, especially on horseback. They still prefer to use sabre, spear and mace. You will have to beat these habits out of them yet.
On the other hand, work with animals comes naturally to your people, especially with horses. You gather the wisest wranglers amongst your people and pay them well to educate a new generation in the old arts of animal handling, providing well-kept stables in your capital for the horses you breed. Many of the younger now call for larger ranches to breed the horses in greater number, preparing for the times of war.
Territories
Cauldron West (£500/turn): 4 light macemen, 1 light cavalry. Palace. [Horses] (upk: -£290)
(+£25 from horses)
(+£200: Stables)
Finances
Cash Reserves: £0
Income: +£725
Upkeep: -£290
Total: £435
Techs
Animal Handling I
New Technologies
(Foundation) Necromancy is the first Pure technology introduced. It provides a unit, Necromancer, which is rather weak for its purchase and upkeep costs. Necromancers are necessary to cast any type of necromancy, however. Without one, the spells in the Curses I technology will not function.
Diplomacy I: Can build diplomats. Diplomat Hero Promotion.
Infantry Training I: Can build skirmishers. Guerilla, Raider Hero Promotions.
Necromancy [Foundation]: Can build necromancers. Necromancer Hero Promotion.
Curses I: Can cast Dark Whisper, Dark Ward.
New Units
Necromancers are both a caster and a support unit. Casters are generally required to cast spells but have poor offensive/defensive abilities unless improved with combat spells (aimed at making casters better in combat, that is). Support units will always stay at the back in a fight; unless no other units present themselves, they will not engage in battle. A necromancer will prefer to let everyone else rush ahead and get slaughtered while he stays at the back of the battlefield - which is quite useful if he is fighting with spearmen, as he costs much more to replace.
Skirmishers: £400. Attack 15, Defense 14. Upkeep: £45. Tech: Infantry Training I.
Skirmishers are lightly armed and armoured infantry trained at using hit-and-run tactics to maximise their offensive ability whilst taking advantage of the freedom of movement their limited armour allows. Cheap, easy to raise and support en masse.
Necromancer: £1200. Attack 10, Defense 8. Upkeep: £100. Caster, Support. Tech: Necromancy [Foundation].
Students of the darker side of magic, necromancers focus on reanimation of the dead, the channeling of black power and other negative, harmful arts.
Diplomat: £500. Cannot attack, Defense 0. Upkeep: £20. Free passage, Scout. Halves passage costs for stacked units. Support. Tech: Diplomacy I.
Diplomats are not designed for combat, but can act in other ways. Their chief advantage is as a scout; diplomats may travel freely through neutral territories without paying any passage costs. They can also move into foreign player territories without it counting as an invasion, though military units in those territories will stop them if the player so wishes (unless it is part of an operation). Whilst in other territories they can see any non-invisible units in that territory, plus any buildings and defences.
Units stacked with diplomats when travelling through neutral territories only pay half the passage costs (£250/unit instead of £500 for an army, £25/caravan+guard pair for caravans).
Diplomats can be expelled from a rival territory without killing them (if the rival so wishes), whereupon they will be returned to the nearest friendly territory, provided there is at least one military or diplomatic unit in the same territory where they end their turn. The rival can of course just kill a diplomat in this situation as well.
Diplomats are also able to conduct Operations. With Diplomacy I only two Operations are available, but research can add more Operations or improve the success chances of existing ones.
Diplomatic Operations
Negotiate Annexe: Diplomats can negotiate the annexing of neighbouring neutral territories, provided they are not at war with the player country. There is a good chance that they will agree to an annexe treaty and a small chance that negotiations go south and war is declared for 3 turns. Otherwise negotiations are stalled or inconclusive that turn. The chance of better outcomes will increase with research.
When an annexe agreement is reached, the neutral territory will demand a certain payment in pounds (usually several times their monthly tax revenue) to 'ease' the transition period. (Some of this might go to the people, but most will be used to pay off vested interests. Such is diplomacy.) The territory will also demand that the money is paid over a certain number of turns so that the people can get used to the idea of government under the new order. Research can reduce the financial demands of the annexe agreement and the amount of time that must be waited before full annexation.
Troops may be stationed in partially-annexed countries without it counting as an act of war (although they can then be used to attack the neutral country from within - be warned). Revenue collection, construction or any of the other benefits of rule will not be available until complete annexation has taken place.
Diplomacy I: 40% chance of treaty, 10% chance of war. Cost: ~10x monthly revenue. Increments: up to £400/turn.
Embezzle Funds: A diplomat may embezzle funds from a neutral or rival territory that he has entered. Diplomats have a base chance of 100% to succeed at embezzling from neutral territories and a base chance of 80% to succeed at embezzling from rival territories. The presence of military units in the territory reduce the success chance by 5% per unit. The presence of another diplomat reduces the success chance by 30% per diplomat. Diplomats will steal up to 50% of that territory's income/turn from the rival side/neutral territory's cash reserves. If the rival side has no cash reserves left, the diplomat will instead attempt to incur a debt of £100 to the rival side, which must be paid during its next accounting period. £50 of the debt goes to the player treasury, the other £50 is spent on bribery and corruption.
On the completion of a successful embezzlement mission, the diplomat will automatically return to the nearest friendly territory. On the failure of an embezzlement mission, the diplomat will usually be executed.
Diplomacy I: Base chance bonus = +0%
Some spells may function like units after having been cast. All spells require a caster in the same territory to be cast. e.g. Casting 'Dark Ward' or 'Dark Whisper' requires a Necromancer unit in the territory where it is cast. 'Instant' spells, like Dark Whisper, function like units but do not take a whole turn to recruit. They can be used/moved from the moment they are summoned. 'One-Shot' spells or units are automatically destroyed when they are used defensively or offensively, regardless of their success or failure. Immobile units or spells are incapable of movement.
NB: Dark Whisper spells and indeed most damaging spells are incapable of subduing a defeated population - they cannot be used to capture territory, only break defences. If invasion is your aim, be sure to stack some infantry or otherwise conquest-capable unit with them.
Ranged Spell: Dark Whisper spells cannot move like normal units, but can be cast on any units within a range of 3 territories from the casting wizard, provided a clear path is available (no enemy units in the way). Passing through neutral territories will still require passage payment, unless of course you just blast them into oblivion.
New Spells
Dark Whisper: £300. Attack 20, Defence 0, Range 3. No upkeep. Instant, One-Shot, Ranged Spell. Requires Necromancer. Tech: Curses I. Cannot capture/hold provinces on its own.
A whisper of darkness, the foul speech of demons taken physical form. Will hunt down and kill a single target or group of targets before expending itself.
Dark Ward: £250. Attack 0, Defence 20. Upkeep: £10. Instant, Immobile, One-Shot. Requires Necromancer. Tech: Curses I.
A series of phrases in the Black Tongue scribed upon stones, archways or other wards. Discharge with lethal effect when crossed by unauthorised parties.
Hero Promotions
Diplomat: £500. Increases upkeep by £20. Allows the hero to act as a diplomat. In situations where a diplomat would be expelled/return to its home territories, the hero must also be expelled/returned. A diplomat hero can resist expulsion if he is able to lead troops in a fight to resist it. In situations where a diplomat would be killed, the diplomat hero is instead captured. Tech: Diplomacy I.
Necromancer: £1200. Increases upkeep by £100. Allows the hero to act as a necromancer. The hero's attack and defence bonuses do not increase. He is able to serve as a caster for necromancy spells and gains any other benefits available to a necromancer. Necromancer heroes may not fight directly, except against other heroes. Tech: Necromancy [Foundation]
Guerilla: £300. Increases upkeep by £20. The hero gains expertise laying ambushes and fighting defensively as a footsoldier. His defensive bonus to leading infantry increases by 3. Tech: Infantry Training I.
Raider: £300. Increases upkeep by £20. The hero trains for quick charges and brutal attacks during raids as a footsoldier. His offensive bonus to leading infantry increases by 3. Tech: Infantry Training I.
Warning: These rules whilst having been determined have not yet been coded in. They are subject to change and rebalancing, as are all rules.
Heroes are a special type of unit consisting of a single character of reknowned skill and leadership. They do not fight individually as units but are instead attached to other units in battle to provide leadership bonuses to attack and defence, amongst other potential benefits. If all other units in a battle are wounded, killed or otherwise incapacitated, heroes will be captured by the enemy side rather than fight.
The exception to this rule is fights between individual heroes. Whenever led units clash, there is a certain chance that the heroes of both sides will meet in single combat first (using their general offensive/defensive bonuses as their attack/defence scores, plus any single-combat specific bonuses). During this sort of single combat one or both heroes may be captured, wounded, killed or escape the battle unharmed. Once single combat has been resolved, heroes still able to lead will return to their units and continue the battle as before.
Heroes are quite difficult to kill. When a led unit is wounded or destroyed there is only a very slight (1%) chance that the hero unit will die, though a larger chance that it will be wounded. Wounded units are captured at the end of play if the enemy side proves victorious in the battle. If the hero unit escapes the destruction of its former led unit unscathed it will immediately attach itself to the next-strongest unit and lead that instead.
Captured heroes will work for the capturing side once they have spent a turn healing from their wounds. Wounded or undefended heroes left in a territory that is conquered will also convert to the conquering side.
Initial Hero units may be purchased for £1000 by a side, have an upkeep of £50 and grant a general leadership bonus to offense and defense of +3 to any units they are stacked with.
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Topic: Fiefdoms @ War: Turn 15 (Read 129871 times)