Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Iituem]

If you can provide me with reliable documented evidence of a tradition of deerback riding in indigenous cultures throughout history, I will consider allowing deer-based cavalry.  Otherwise, no.

Yes, crusade technologies will give you a Crusader bonus to units with your state religion.  (Haven't got any of that coded in, but it shouldn't be impossible.)

[Terenos]

Modified my turn slightly.

[Phantom]

If you can provide me with reliable documented evidence of a tradition of deerback riding in indigenous cultures throughout history, I will consider allowing deer-based cavalry.  Otherwise, no.

Yes, crusade technologies will give you a Crusader bonus to units with your state religion.  (Haven't got any of that coded in, but it shouldn't be impossible.)

He has no hope of obtaining it. The closest is a transportation elk.

[Hubris Incalculable]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Territories:

Grouting C (£500/turn):  Palace, Mine.   Gold.   
 (+£50/turn from gold)
 (+£200: Mine)
Grouting E (£140/turn):  1 archers.
 (upk: -£50)
Grouting N (£106/turn):  1 archers.
 (upk: -£50)
Grouting W (£281/turn):  1 archers, 0+2 light macemen. Coal.   
 (+£14/turn from coal)
 (upk: -£150)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £596
Revenue:  +£1291
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£108 [Access lumber, game, iron, grain, sheep]
Trade Pact(Brent): +£86 [Access fish]
Upkeep: -£250  [3 archers, 2 light macemen.]

Total:  £1831

Construction/Recruitment:
None

Research:
Aeromancy: £1800

Troop Movements:
Archers: Grouting N > Grouting S
Archers: Grouting w > Grouting S

[Kashyyk]

Woo! Now we can start incessantly poking Iituem 
...poke...poke...poke....poke...

[Terenos]

poke. poke. poke.
That done, I look forward to seeing -more- strange events!

[adwarf]

poke. poke. poke.
That done, I look forward to seeing -more- strange events!

* Smacks Terenos * 

[Johnfalcon99977]

*Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Po-

Okay, enough of that.

[adwarf]

ke* 

[Hubris Incalculable]

*Po

[Kashyyk]

ints to Fluff thread*

[Iituem]

Turn 7
Winter 1002 A.D.

Events in the World

Shambles (Sordell):  A brigade of elven soldiers has marched on Western Sordell to put an end to the undead menace there once and for all.

The Ice Queen (Terrendale):  Another yeti attack on Grouting is foiled, but they do not yet show signs of stopping.

Piracy?:  Rumours of pirates attacking small merchant vessels begin to surface around the Brentish Coast.  Right now, the threat is not yet apparent, but the recent lucrative trades with foreign ventures has certainly attracted attention from more than just the merchanters.

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

Leader: Ali Shorabongmad

Your engineers have constructed roads between North and South Presst; units may move into or between said territories at the cost of half a movement point.  (Half movement points left over still let you move a full territory at the end).

Unfortunately, despite the great successes had to date in improving your defensive constructions your engineers have been unable to improve on them with the funds available to them.

Territories

Presst S (£545/turn):  1 engineers. Palace, Farm.   Game.   
 (+£27/turn from game)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£50)
Presst W (£27/turn): 
Presst N (£175/turn):  1 engineers, 1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£70)
Presst U (£17/turn):  1 light macemen.
 (upk: -£50)
Presst E (£38/turn):  2 spearmen.
 (upk: -£40)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £68
Revenue:  +£929
Upkeep: -£210  [2 engineers, 3 spearmen, 1 light macemen.]

Total:  £787


Techs

Animal Husbandry I
Adaptive Farming I
Infrastructure I
Infrastructure II
Masonry II

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

Leader:  Theris Anataki

The artisans of Southern Storm respond very well to the influx of cash.  By summertime the southern Storm village of Al-Kufra, an otherwise undistinguished fishing town, is a hive of activity - new piers are well under construction and it has boomed into a fully-fledged town.  Taxes increase accordingly.

Taikeni and Starling forces engage.

Taikeni Forces
Spearmen: 6 Intact, 0 Damaged
Starling Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
City Walls

A Starling Archers has utterly destroyed a Taikeni Spearmen!  [75 vs 42]

A Taikeni Spearmen has utterly destroyed a Starling Archers!  [90 vs 63]

A Starling Spearmen has defeated a Taikeni Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [63 vs 53]

Taikeni Forces
Spearmen: 4 Intact, 1 Damaged

Starling Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

1 Spearman has escaped to Central Astrid.

Your troops mass at the walled town of Starling, on the West Astridian coast.  The local defences hold for perhaps twenty minutes as your troops approach with ladders and hooks, killing a number of your troops, but eventually you are able to win through sheer numerical superiority.  The defending archers are slaughtered to man and the town militia allowed to flee across the border.

Territories

Storm C (£500/turn):  Palace, Mine, Forge.   Copper.   
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£160/turn from Forge)
Storm S (£107/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm W (£71/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm N (£78/turn):  1 spearmen. Game.   
 (+£4/turn from game)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid W (£154/turn):  4+1 spearmen, Walls.   
 (upk: -£110)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £1
Revenue:  +£1274
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£98 [Access grain, fish]
Upkeep: -£170  [8 spearmen.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1203


Techs

Metalworking II

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

Leader: Speaker Fredrick the Red

Feeling ready to engage in global trading once more, the merchants of Western Terret gather together a large bounty of grain in sealed clay pots and smoked cod for trade.

Territories

Storm E (£595/turn):  3 spearmen. Palace, Farm.   Grain.   
 (+£30/turn from grain)
 (+£100: Farm)
 (upk: -£60)
Terret W (£144/turn):  1 trireme, 1 caravan. Fishery.   Fish.   
 (+£7/turn from fish)
 (+£100: Fishery)
 (upk: -£70)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £44
Revenue:  +£976
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£127 [Access copper, game]
Upkeep: -£130  [3 spearmen, 1 trireme, 1 caravan.]

Total:  £1017


Techs

Chaos Magic [Foundation]
Summon Fireflies

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

Leader: Emperor Demonic Spoon

The drones defending the central hive have now reached maturity and you have instructed the warrior caste commanders to change their training to incorporate faster movement and the use of light armour and weaponry.  Their training is completed before the season's end and so they are sent out as a test of their skills against the hives of Upper Ichor.

Foul and Upper Ichor forces engage.

Foul Forces
Skirmishers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Upper Ichor Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Foul Skirmishers has utterly destroyed a Upper Ichor Spearmen!  [73 vs 51]

Foul Forces
Skirmishers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged

Upper Ichor Forces

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

The test is a rousing success.  Although there was only one, barely surviving hive in the region (quickly subsumed into your own forces) the area is rich in pasture land, and the local aurochs provide an ample source of food for the drones.

Territories

Foul C (£525/turn):  Palace, Mine.   Iron.   
 (+£200: Mine)
Ichor W (£60/turn):  Stone.   
Ichor U (£28/turn):  3 skirmishers. Cattle.   
 (+£1/turn from cattle)
 (upk: -£135)
Troud S (£19/turn): 

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £53
Revenue:  +£833
Trade Pact(United): +£143 [Access copper]
Upkeep: -£135  [3 skirmishers.]

Total:  £894


Techs

Foundation Necromancy
Curses I

Infantry Training I


Armies

-

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

Leader: Grand Duke Mortrati

Grout and South Grouting forces engage.

Grout Forces
Archers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
South Grouting Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

A South Grouting Spearmen has defeated a Grout Archers, but sustained heavy damage.  [87 vs 77]

Grout Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged

South Grouting Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

Southern Grouting is almost completely abandoned.  The yeti attacks from Terrendale have driven everyone across the borders into other parts of Grouting or Borland.  What towns were left have been abandoned and ransacked by a combination of yetis and bandits.  No civilians even remain in the region now; the only resistance your troops face is when several of the local bands of outlaws come together in an effort to resist the law being imposed on their hideouts.  They do not last long.

Unfortunately the yetis return with similar ideas, seeking to pillage what little remains of South Grouting's food.

A Grout Archers has utterly destroyed a Rogue Yeti!  [71 vs 53]

Fortunately your archers were able to prepare a surprise for the half-bears and ambushed them, slaughtering them to a beast.

Grouting has been reunited under the Grand Duchy for the first time since your great grandfather.  The formerly rebellious nobility have all bent knee to you, Duke Mortrati, and gather their support to aid your efforts.

Unification Bonus:  First of all, the gathered nobility of Grouting pay you tribute in honour of your success.  You receive £1000 in silver.  Second, they provide access to books of secret lore that they have long kept concealed even from you.  This aids your current research effort significantly.

With the help of the knowledge revealed by your errant nobility and the efforts of your scholars, your people are to piece together a working technique for the manipulation of wind.  They believe they are able to forge talismans that will create stable cyclones of winds around the main body of attacking or defending troops, greatly reducing the capability of enemy archers, or any other opposed ranged weaponry.  A further refinement has also led to a second talisman which will redirect winds in such a way as to aid the flight of arrows, javelins, slingshots and other friendly ranged weapons.

New Technologies:  Sorcery [Foundation], Trueshot, Windwall.

New Spells:  Trueshot:  Provides a bonus of +5 to ranged units when attacking or defending.

Windwall:  Summons a stable cyclone of wind around troops to deflect enemy projectiles - provides a malus of -10 to enemy ranged units.

[Your investment was enough that it put the percentage chance of success at >100%.  The spillover went into researching the bonus technology, where you were just lucky.  Sorcery[Foundation] was part of your unification bonus.]

Territories

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

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £31
Revenue:  +£1295
Bonus:  +£1000
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£125 [Access lumber, game, iron, grain, sheep]
Trade Pact(Brent): +£165 [Access fish]
Upkeep: -£250  [3 archers, 2 light macemen.]

Total:  £2366


Techs

Diplomacy I
Sorcery [Foundation]
Trueshot
Windwall

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

Leader: Lady Alexia von Kashna

Your armies march into Western Sordell to find it eerily deserted.  Farms are left untended, small mines are abandoned, villages are emptied.  Worse, graveyards everywhere have been exhumed.  Worst of all is the silence; even the birds appear to have fled the region.  It becomes almost a relief when your soldiers stumble upon the occasional lone zombie shambling about in confusion.  They put such strays to rest with great eagerness, as you can tell many are uncomfortable with the sight of the elven dead.

Your soldiers make their way at last to the town of Sourcrest, an unwalled settlement on the side of the mountain.  Smoke still rises from thatched roofs and there is still the bustle of life from within, though it seems awfully muted.  A crude tower has been built in the centre of the town, whilst defenders stand waiting at the gates.  It is only when they approach that your men realise that only a fraction of the town's defenders remain alive.

Arcadian and Sourcrest forces engage.

Arcadian Forces
Longbowmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Sourcrest Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Zombies: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Necromancer: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Arcadian Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Sourcrest Zombies!  [74 vs 52]

A Arcadian Longbowmen has defeated a Sourcrest Zombies, but sustained heavy damage.  [60 vs 50]

A Arcadian Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a Sourcrest Zombies!  [67 vs 37]

A Arcadian Light Macemen has defeated a Sourcrest Archers, but sustained heavy damage.  [58 vs 47]

A Arcadian Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a Sourcrest Spearmen!  [68 vs 37]

A Arcadian Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a Sourcrest Necromancer!  [89 vs 50]

Arcadian Forces
Longbowmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Light Macemen: 2 Intact, 1 Damaged

Sourcrest Forces
Archers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Zombies: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

One unit of archers escapes to East Sordell.

The dead formed concentric rings around the city, converging on our position as we approached.  We were surprised by the co-ordination of such tactics until we saw the figure atop the tower; an elf as any other, but clearly in charge of the creatures.  A small ring of the beasts surrounded him atop his spire, providing a shield of sorts against our archer fire.  Our longbowmen laid down suppressing volleys as the macemen approached, and many of the dead fell to their arrows before they were able to ambush us through the side streets.  Our archers were scattered and many injured, but with relatively few deaths.

We advanced through the mob of the damned, whose lack of individual co-ordination despite the direction of their master made them relatively easy to fell.  Clearly he was hoping to defeat us through sheer numerical superiority.  When we reached the tower itself we were met by the few living troops left in the city, sustaining further casualties as we fought our way to the top.  When we reached the crest of the tower, the necromancer offered himself up for surrender.

Unfortunately, it seems that the top of the tower was very poorly constructed.  Accidental nudges during capture of a prisoner happen all the time, even to vile desecrators of nature.  Sadly in this case the fall was rather a distance and his neck was snapped by the impact of the ground.  The wizard kept a number of personal journals on the subject.  I considered having them burned, but felt that the scholars back in Arcadia might wish to study them.  They are attached with this report.

Western Sordell remains largely abandoned due to the necromancer's depredations, but the town of Sourcrest at least remains intact.

New Technologies:  Necromancy [Foundation], Summon Zombies.

New Units:  Necromancer, Zombies.  Zombies have no upkeep and are cheap to raise, but actually have a -4 penalty to attack and defence.  In any combat that ends with a necromancer (wounded or not) on the winning side, any living units killed during combat (or wounded and unable to escape) are raised again for free as zombies.  Zombies are shock troops and will always attack first.  Zombies are undead units and cannot heal by themselves; if zombies are wounded during combat and a necromancer is not present, they are destroyed at the end of combat.  Zombies wounded with a necromancer present in the territory they are wounded in heal in one turn as normal.

Territories

Garnlish C (£542/turn):  Palace, Sawmill.   Lumber.   
 (+£27/turn from lumber)
 (+£100: Sawmill)
Garnlish N (£159/turn):  1 trireme. Game.   
 (+£8/turn from game)
 (upk: -£70)
Garnlish W (£48/turn): 
Garnlish S (£97/turn):  Walls.   
 (upk: -£10)
Sordell S (£120/turn):  1 light macemen. Iron.   
 (upk: -£50)
Sordell W (£146/turn):  2+1 light macemen, 0+1 longbowmen.
 (upk: -£235)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £0
Revenue:  +£1247
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£129 [Access gold, coal]
Trade Pact(Farland): +£98 [Access grain, sheep]
Trade Pact(Brent): +£165 [Access fish]
Upkeep: -£365  [1 trireme, 4 light macemen, 1 longbowmen.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1274


Techs

Mechanics I
Diplomacy I

Necromancy [Foundation]
Summon Zombies

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

Leader: Harticus

Although the expenditure leaves your borders undefended once again, you plough plenty of investment into improving your nation's infrastructure.  Your efforts are not quite as successful as you would have hoped, as it seems that before you could even successfully improve the travel network within your homelands you must first establish more stable ties of government between the different townships of your demesne.  Nevertheless, progress is made.  [Infrastructure I is a prerequisite for Infrastructure II.]

New Tech:  Infrastructure I.  Allows you to improve basic revenue up to £500/turn (discounting palace bonuses).

Territories

Farland W (£574/turn):  Palace, Farm.   Grain.   
 (+£29/turn from grain)
 (+£100: Farm)
Farland S (£159/turn): 
Farland C (£15/turn):  Farm.   Sheep.   
 (+£1/turn from sheep)
 (+£100: Farm)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £0
Revenue:  +£978
Payment:  +£228
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£125 [Access lumber, game, iron, gold, coal]
Trade Pact(Brent): +£165 [Access fish]
Upkeep: -£150  [3 light macemen.]

Total:  £1346

Techs

Adaptive Farming I
Infrastructure I

Armies

3 light macemen, on loan to the Brentian Counties.

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

Leader: The Traveller

Celebrations rock the streets of North Pomford for nearly a week in response to the victory at the Zephyr Palace.  Trade between your territories gains something of a short boom as a result, with a lasting slight increase in the economy of Lower Toldrun as a result.  This is overshadowed somewhat by the heavy investment you provide into the metalworking and supply industries there, producing the first major metalworking complex (really a collection of small subsidised private forges) in Toll for decades.

United and West Pomford forces engage.

United Forces
Light Axemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Swordsmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
West Pomford Forces
Slingers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
City Walls

A United Light Axemen has utterly destroyed a West Pomford Slingers!  [77 vs 57]

A West Pomford Slingers has defeated a United Light Axemen, but sustained heavy damage.  [60 vs 56]

A West Pomford Spearmen has utterly destroyed a United Light Swordsmen!  [71 vs 56]

A United Light Macemen has utterly destroyed a West Pomford Spearmen!  [71 vs 57]

United Forces
Light Axemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Light Macemen: 4 Intact, 0 Damaged

West Pomford Forces
Slingers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

Your forces meet high stone walls at the city of Godstone, straddling the border between desert and lush flood plains in West Pomford.  Fortunately their number and experience allow them to scale the walls with relatively few casualties as native slingers send rocks down to meet them.  Needless to say, surrender was not accepted.  By the end of the day however you have taken the walls and by morning the city is yours.  It is not a complete success; enough of your division of swordsmen was killed that it cannot be reformed.

Godstone is the main focus of the region, the remainder being relatively underdeveloped, but the city itself flourishes at the limit of what it can manage to sustain.  You will not be able to improve its fortunes much further or those of the rest of the region without serious improvements to the local infrastructure.

Territories

Toldrun L (£555/turn):  1 sorcerer. Palace, Mine, Forge.   Copper.   
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£178/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£100)
Pomford N (£250/turn):  1 light swordsmen,
 (upk: -£70)
Pomford W (£250/turn):  0+1 light axemen, 4 light macemen. Walls.   
 (upk: -£270)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £124
Revenue:  +£1433
Trade Pact(Foul): +£83 [Access iron, stone, cattle]
Upkeep: -£440  [1 sorcerer, 1 light swordsmen, 1 light axemen, 4 light macemen.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1200


Techs

Sorcery [Foundation]
Phantom Warriors

Spoiler: Brentian Counties (Sheb) (click to show/hide)

Leader: Sheb McBrent

A year has passed and Jarlsmeet has returned at the height of winter.  As the lords of High Brent feast and prepare to fight once more, you lead your troops to climb the high reaches to the hilltop fort of Sinterness.  This time they know you will be coming and have prepared accordingly; ranks of longbowmen line the walls and an army of claymore-wielding highlanders from the united clans of High Brent await you in the courtyard.  If you do not break their power here, you have no doubt that the high clans of Brent will unite against you.  Before you signal the attack, a pair of figures come to the top of the walls to parley.

"Sheb McBrent!" cried a huge figure upon the battlements.  His shaggy hair and beard and the thick furs he wore gave him the appearance of some sort of beast, save for the thin golden circlet upon his brow.

"I heed you," called back the figure at the head of the army.  His hair was thick for his age, though long-turned grey, and the lines of care that framed his face gave him an almost tree-like appearance.  "Have you come to offer surrender?"

"Yes, yours!"  The warriors around the brutish figure laughed.  "I am Brian the Blessed, King of Brent oh Sheb the Pretender, and today is the day you will die."

"King?  Brent has had no king for two hundred years!  The allegiance of a handful of hilltop clans does not give you the right to sit on the throne of Brent!"  King Brian narrowed his eyes.

"Those hilltop clans are all that matter.  Soon enough, we will sweep down upon your peasant realm and drive your people into the sea."  Brian's face broke into a smile.  "But I did not come here to brag!  I came here to make you an offer.  Surrender and not only will you live, your son will live as well."

Sheb's eyes widened.  "My... son yet lives?"

Brian gestured and a couple of bondsmen dragged a weakly struggling, emaciated figure to the top of the wall.  His beard was matted with blood and bile and his hair torn or burned away in places.  A pair of rough bandages testified to the loss of an eye, an ear.  Yet there could be no doubt; it was Shet McBrent that stood there.  Sheb grew silent for a few moments, then raised his sword and spoke calmly, but loud enough for all to hear.

"I will make you an offer, Brian the Blessed.  Surrender.  Surrender your troops, surrender your city, surrender my son, kneel before me and beg.  Then, and only then, will I make your death quick."

Brian's face grew cold.  When he spoke, his tone matched his features.

"You wish for your son, McBrent?  Have him."

The pair of bondsmen hurled Shet McBrent over the edge of the wall.  He hurtled, screaming, to the hard ground.  A thick crunch, then he moved no more.

Brentian and High Brentish forces engage.

Brentian Forces
Spearmen: 8 Intact, 0 Damaged
Slingers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 1 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 Brentian Light Macemen!  [87 vs 63]

A High Brentish Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Brentian Slingers!  [86 vs 62]

A High Brentish Longbowmen has defeated a Brentian Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [84 vs 84]

A Brentian Spearmen has defeated a High Brentish Longbowmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [70 vs 62]

A High Brentish Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Brentian Spearmen!  [75 vs 56]

A High Brentish Longbowmen has utterly destroyed a Brentian Spearmen!  [90 vs 60]

A High Brentish Longbowmen has defeated a Brentian Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [75 vs 67]

A High Brentish Heavy Swordsmen has defeated a Brentian Spearmen, but sustained heavy damage.  [65 vs 56]

Brentian Forces
Spearmen: 2 Intact, 4 Damaged

High Brentish Forces
Longbowmen: 0 Intact, 3 Damaged
Heavy Swordsmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

Sinterness has fallen, and your men ensured that not a single one of your enemies made it out alive.  The power of the highland clans is broken, but so are you.  Your son lies dead, as do countless of your bondsmen around you.  Though you held to your word and did not involve the gnomish troops until the very end, your vassals have proved invaluable in securing the city, as most of your own troops that survive you are wounded or exhausted.

Nevertheless, the throne of Brent the King is in your grasp.  One last region is all that stands between you and kingship.  No doubt the wealth of the Brentish Highlands will support you in this matter; the rich coal seams of High Brent are plumbed by deep mines and the forges burn brightly to resupply your troops.  You will do well by this place.

Territories

Brent L (£500/turn):  1 spearmen, Palace, Fishery.   Fish.   
 (+£25/turn from fish)
 (+£100: Fishery)
 (upk: -£20)
Brent S (£234/turn):  1 light axemen.
 (upk: -£60)
Brent U (£287/turn):  2+4 spearmen. Walls, Deep Mine, Forge.   Coal.   
 (+£14/turn from coal)
 (+£400: Deep Mine)
 (+£92/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£130)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £0
Revenue:  +£1652
Caravan Bonus:  +£3000
Trade Pact(Farland): +£98 [Access grain, sheep]
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£125 [Access lumber, game, iron]
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£129 [Access gold]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£76
Upkeep: -£280  [7 spearmen, 1 light axemen, 1 trireme.  1 walls.]

Total:  £4800


Techs

No non-Public techs.

Armies

1 Trireme (Cauldron Coast)  (upk: -£40)

Vassal Armies

3 light macemen [Farland Gnomes]

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

Leader:  Dariuoiua

Your trainers continue to complain about insufficient funding.  Whether this is whining or not, they have made no lasting progress since the previous year in developing training techniques further.

Steel and Clawford forces engage.

Steel Forces
Skirmishers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Clawford Forces
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

A Clawford Spearmen has defeated a Steel Skirmishers, but sustained heavy damage.  [64 vs 56]

Steel Forces
Skirmishers: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged

Clawford Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

Your troops siege the small, largely undefended town of Clawford in Western Maver.  It is overall a success, though about half of your Auxila were injured or killed in the attack; it will take some time to rebuild and retrain their numbers.

Clawford itself is largely underdeveloped and in any case ravaged by the recent civil wars amongst the Ariani; not much remains of its people or settlements.  The hills of West Maver have long been famed for the abundance of its grapes and the fine wines they produce however, so the region is ripe for development should you so wish.

Resource:  Wine.  Provides a bonus of 5% to basic income.  Can build farms here.

Territories

Steel S (£515/turn):  1 spearmen. Palace.   Ivory.   
 (+£26/turn from ivory)
 (upk: -£20)
Maver N (£188/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Maver W (£24/turn):  1+1 skirmishers, 3 spearmen. Wine.   
 (+£1/turn from wine)
 (upk: -£150)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £223
Revenue:  +£754
Upkeep: -£190  [5 spearmen, 2 skirmishers.]

Total:  £787

Techs

Infantry Training I

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

Leader:  Arakel Vyzhyvannya

Unsurprisingly, with the money offered to your men to fund better infantry training techniques they have not been able to make much success.  Even Kasr Nadezdhy seems insufficient as a threat to motivate them, as apparently they can barely afford even enough straw targets for practise.

Vremya and Kostyan forces engage.

Vremya Forces
Javelineers: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Kostyan Forces
Archers: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
City Walls

A Vremya Javelineers has utterly destroyed a Kostyan Archers!  [77 vs 56]

A Vremya Javelineers has utterly destroyed a Kostyan Archers!  [76 vs 48]

A Kostyan Spearmen has defeated a Vremya Javelineers, but sustained heavy damage.  [60 vs 49]

Vremya Forces
Javelineers: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Light Macemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged

Kostyan Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged

The attackers have crushed all resistance.

1 unit of spearmen has escaped to South Cauldron.

Despite being outnumbered 3:2 against improved defences, your new javelin infantry prove the heroes of the day.  Volleys of thrown spears were able to incapacitate the defending archers before they ascended the walls to combat the city militia.  Though your javelineers suffered several casualties, the city of Kostya is yours.  Be warned; luck played a great hand today, as the odds were stacked against you.

Territories

Cauldron W (£500/turn):  2 spearmen. Palace, Ranch.   Horses.   
 (+£25/turn from horses)
 (+£300: Ranch)
 (upk: -£40)
Cauldron L (£261/turn):  0+1 javelineers, 1 light macemen.  Walls.
 (upk: -£110)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £25
Revenue:  +£1086
Trade Pact(Brent): +£116 [Access fish, coal, grain, sheep, lumber, game, iron, gold]
Upkeep: -£150  [2 spearmen, 1 javelineers, 1 light macemen.  Walls.]

Total:  £1077

Techs

Animal Handling I
Ranged Training I

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

Leader:  High Shaman Lord Dwareet'ik

Not one to sit on your laurels, you dedicate the winter months to strengthening your power base by establishing a more structured order to your immediate shaman followers.  Along similar lines you also ensure that two bands of gnolls close to you in allegiance are trained day and night in the use of the longbow, that you may be well-defended in case of attack.  You continue to collect tribute from your followers, putting enough together for a full caravan of goods for trade.

The new structure enables you to train shamans loyal to you (as loyal as kobolds can be) and outside the usual restriction of having to care for a gnollish band.  Once you have codified your religion in a form suitable for proselyting, you should be able to spread its form to neighbouring regions.  Similarly, it will become much easier to gather the support necessary to create dedicated shrines.

New Technology:  Organised Religion.  Allows founding of a religion, construction of shrines and recruitment of priests.

New Building:  Shrine.  Increases loyalty.  Can only be built where a religion is present.  One shrine may be built per religion present.

New Unit:  Priest.  Able to spread religion and conduct other religious activities.

Territories

Highblood N (£500/turn):  4 light macemen, 2 longbowmen, 1 caravan. Palace.   Marble.   
 (+£25/turn from marble)
 (upk: -£370)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £345
Revenue:  +£525
Upkeep: -£370  [4 light macemen, 2 longbowmen, 1 caravan.]

Total:  £500

Techs

Organised Religion

Organised Religion:  Allows founding of a religion, construction of Shrines, recruitment of Priests.

Summon Zombies:  Allows summoning of zombies.  Requires a necromancer present.

Trueshot:  Allows casting of the Trueshot spell.  Requires a sorcerer present.

Windwall:  Allows casting of the Windwall spell.  Requires a sorcerer present.

Shrine:  £300.  Upkeep £10.  One per religion in the region, requires a religion present to build.  +1 to territory Loyalty.  Tech: Organised Religion
A small local shrine to pray at and hold services.

Undead units cannot heal without the help of a necromancer.  If they end their turn wounded and a necromancer is not present in the territory they end their turn in, they are destroyed.  If a necromancer is present, they heal as normal in 1 turn, but the necromancer has to stay with them for that turn.  Undead units are also immune to poison and death magic/effects.

Shock units always attack first, even if there is a stronger non-shock unit available to do the attack.

Mindless units are immune to illusions and any other mind-altering effects.

Priests:  £200.  Attack 0, Defense 0.  Upkeep £10.  Support.
Special:  Priests have one function to start with, though this may be improved with technology.  Priests may pass through neutral regions freely without paying passage costs.  Priests may only be recruited in regions with their religion present.

Proselytism: Priests can spread their religion to new regions.  Priests have a 100% chance of spreading religion to a faithless territory, and the chance decreases by 20% for each religion already present.  Priests are destroyed by this process whether they succeed or not; successful priests stay to guide their flocks, unsuccessful ones are lynch mobbed.

Zombies:  £80.  Attack -4, Defense -4.  No upkeep.  Undead, Shock, Mindless, Summoned (Necromancy)  Tech:  Summon Zombies
Special:  In any combat that ends with a surviving (wounded or not) necromancer on the winning side, all living creatures killed during combat (or wounded and unable to escape) are raised again as zombies for no cost.  These zombies are loyal to the necromancer's side.

As with all spells, these spells need an appropriate caster (sorcerer) present to be cast.

Trueshot:  £500.  Defenceless, Move 2.  Upkeep: £20.  Support, Spell(Sorcery)
Special:  Provides a bonus of +5 to attack/defense for ranged units the spell is stacked with.

Windwall:  £1200.  Defenceless, Move 2.  Upkeep: £50.  Support, Spell(Sorcery)
Special:  Provides a malus of -10 to attack/defense of enemy ranged units during combat.  Must be stacked with other units to function.

NB:  Windwalls and Trueshot have Move rather than Range, so they can move with armies.

Loyalty:  Negative Loyalty figures now give a slight chance of rebellion in a territory.  Rebellious territories will spawn a number of 'peasant' units and attempt to fight for control; if they succeed in overpowering the troops of that region, the region goes neutral.

Founding a Religion:  To found a religion one needs the Organised Religion tech (or any other religious tech).  Founding a religion costs a one-time fee of £2000 and creates a Holy Site in a territory of your choice.  You will be able to spread the religion through Priests to other territories, which will enable you to build Shrines or produce more priests.  A maximum of five (major) religions can be founded in the game - founding more will require existing religions to be wiped out to make space.  Owning a Holy Site will garner you a bonus of £40 in tithes for every territory that has that religion.

Spreading a Religion:  Spreading a religion requires the use of Priests, which can be recruited in any region a religion is already present in.  Priests are expended whether they successfully spread the religion or not.

State Religion:  Any faction that has a religion present in one of its territories can adopt that religion as its state religion.  Loyalty in all areas with the state religion increases by 2.  Other benefits to having a state religion will become clear as the game progresses.

I think that's everything.  As always, balance changes and so on may still be added after the turn.  I will be away through most of tomorrow.

[Taricus]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Territories:
Storm C (£500/turn):  Palace, Mine, Forge.   Copper.   
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£160/turn from Forge)
Storm S (£107/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm W (£71/turn):  1 spearmen.
 (upk: -£20)
Storm N (£78/turn):  1 spearmen. Game.   
 (+£4/turn from game)
 (upk: -£20)
Astrid W (£154/turn):  4+1 spearmen, Walls.   
 (upk: -£110)

Finances:
Cash Reserves:  £1
Revenue:  +£1274
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£98 [Access grain, fish]
Upkeep: -£170  [8 spearmen.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1203

Construction/Recruitment:
Build Heavy axemen in astrid west.

Research:
None.

Troop Movements:
Undamaged Spearmen to Astrid Center to attack.

[Terenos]

Spoiler: Turn 7 Actions (click to show/hide)

Territories

Toldrun L (£555/turn):  1 sorcerer. Palace, Mine, Forge.   Copper.   
 (+£200: Mine)
 (+£178/turn from Forge)
 (upk: -£100)
Pomford N (£250/turn):  1 light swordsmen,
 (upk: -£70)
Pomford W (£250/turn):  0+1 light axemen, 4 light macemen. Walls.   
 (upk: -£270)

Finances:

Cash Reserves:  £124
Revenue:  +£1433
Trade Pact(Foul): +£83 [Access iron, stone, cattle]
Upkeep: -£440  [1 sorcerer, 1 light swordsmen, 1 light axemen, 4 light macemen.  1 walls.]

Total:  £1200

Construction/Recruitment
Raise 4 units of Phantom Soldiers in L Toldrun. (£1040)

Research
N/A

Troop Movements
N/A

Remaining Cash: £160

Techs

Sorcery [Foundation]
Phantom Warriors

[Criptfeind]

Did you ever answer if the territories on the edge of the sea are three or six?