The Syndicate

Also, I noticed I didn't have a section about weapon creation. I'll post that in a bit along with battle and siege rules.

I just want to say that I rolled out all non-player counties in under 30 minutes this time.

One hour, folks.

AceofSpaces wrote:Are changes to a populations happiness persistent? Hypothetically, if I lower my rations to half for -2 and then later bring them up to full again for +1, is the net change in happiness -1? Or does the negative value just go away. And is it -2 happiness per season I stay at half rations, or just a flat -2.

The former.

You don't lose crowns you take through taxation in the next season, do you?

-2 each time.

DharmaHelper wrote:Hypothetically speaking, my robots get +2d10 to damage?

You misread that. It's 10d10x2

Golden wrote:

Epignosis wrote:That, and as fast or as slow as I can do things. This all took three hours today, but that was a lot of me working out kinks and formatting. I'm sure I can whittle things down to a manageable time once I get used to it.

Your time will also be minimised when people like me run out of the million different questions they need to ask.

Nothing wrong with asking questions, mate.

That, and as fast or as slow as I can do things. This all took three hours today, but that was a lot of me working out kinks and formatting. I'm sure I can whittle things down to a manageable time once I get used to it.

Elohcin wrote:I'm okay with diplomacy and with ending the phase as soon as all PM's are in. How do we know who to ask for help if we don't know who has what?

You don't unless you spy or someone tells you truthfully.

Horses now cost 16 crowns (the cost of 4 bags of grain) and cannot be sold. You can spend 4 grain during conscription to train a mounted unit.

Golden wrote:

Epignosis wrote:Diplomacy is fine- just keep it through me.

Does this mean PM you, you PM the next person. Or does it mean copy you in?

Just send it to me. I'll play emissary.

Added a conscription chart, showing how raising an army will affect happiness.

Also, I adjusted the livestock birthrate to 1d4 births - 1d4-1 deaths. Simplified the rules for herd crowing and its affect on birth / death rates.

Also, I took out that 1d4 fields are barren at the start. No county has started with barren fields.

Another change: Full rations do not have a potential health benefit.

Another point to note is that you may send supplies (grain and livestock) from one county to another (but they must travel county to county just like an army). Crowns, resources (iron, stone, wood), and weapons become part of a general treasury that any county can access at any time.

Hope that makes sense.

Also, how do you all feel about me ending the season once I have received all required PMs?

And I edited the map to correct the fact that Dunn was missing fields and a towncenter.

Diplomacy is fine- just keep it through me.

DharmaHelper wrote:We are allowed to reach out and negotiate/help each other if we want?

I've been up in the air on that one, If everyone is okay with it, fine.

AceofSpaces wrote:Will Tom Brady be available for recruitment right away, or will we have to wait two or three seasons?

"New England" in this context represents a new England. If things work well, future "New" countries will be the maps.

"New Iceland" will be #2.

DharmaHelper wrote:Can armed peasants (for example, halberdiers) still work crops/livestock etc?

The army cannot work. Be careful with your allocations.

Check "Livestock" to see crowding rules.

Elohcin wrote:how about if you want to purchase any items? For the checklist I mean.

I'll let you know that a merchant is in your area, and you have that one turn to act. It isn't a regular thing.

Map colors:

Blue = sea
Gray = mountains
Light green = grass
Dark green = woods
Brown = Farms (This number corresponds to the number of fields each county has)
Black = The town

Merchant in Esthershire.
Merchant in Queensbury.

If there's anything that should be on that checklist but isn't, please let me know.

Use this as a guide for sending in actions each season. Note that I need one of these for each county you control.

++++

County Name:
Field Usage (What are you doing with each field? How many serfs are working livestock / crops/ fish?):
Industries (How many serfs are working?)
Tax Rate (What is your tax rate?):
Rations (How are your people eating?):
Weapons (Are you making any?):
Castles (Are you building any?):
Spies (Are you hiring any? Where are they spying?)

All PMs are out. Good luck to you all:

Count Golden
Baroness Leggy of Orlyb
The Earl of Aces
The Marquess of Dharma
The Duchess of Eloh

Let me know if you have any questions. Later on, I will post a form you can use to make everything easier.

Please don't discuss the game. You may discuss concluded battles, as those will be made public. Otherwise, keep everything to PMs.

PMs going out now.

Mountains (gray) are impassable, by the way. There must be one hex of green to pass.

Map is done. Rendering. Posting. Then PMs go out. Thanks for waiting.

Golden wrote:What a shame, no 8?

Are the numbers randomised or do they indicate some kind of consecutivity?

I have a list of counties. I am going to randomize them in a moment, and the number it gets will correspond with the number you choose. That will be your starting county.

Golden was here? He could have selected a number. I'm still putting the finishing touches on le map.

leggyorlyb wrote:

DharmaHelper wrote:

Epignosis wrote:I'm going to go ahead and post the OP stuff. It may look like a lot, but it's just mainly explanations and charts. Let me know if you spot any errors or if anything doesn't make sense.

Your face doesn't make sense

That's from when the acid splash splashed back on his face

My lady.

You are all going to be the Lords of Titville in a minute.

I'm going to go ahead and post the OP stuff. It may look like a lot, but it's just mainly explanations and charts. Let me know if you spot any errors or if anything doesn't make sense.

Thanks. I have one more task ahead of me and then I'll send your PMs and area info.

coo

holla at Aces.

Three of my five players are online. I need numbers from each of you, 1-14. This will determine starting positions. I can roll for Golden and leggy.

Surprisingly, Eloh said she was interested in playing, so that means we're full with 5 players.

I'll finish putting it all together and we should be able to begin around 5 o'clock EST. Maybe a bit later than that. I will update the OP, put up a picture of the map where the action will happen, and PM everyone their titles, starting counties, and information.

If I can get one more participant, I'll generate the map and we can start today.

Three more?

It is 1268 A.D. The king is dead. The five of you have lain claim to the crown. Eliminate the other four to become the new monarch.

Population
Your population grows or diminishes at a rate of 1d20 (births) - deaths per season per 100 people. Deaths are calculated based on public health.

Food
You must feed your people. Each county will start with 8d2 fields. You can restore a barren field with 200 serfs over the course of one year.

Raise food stores in three ways:

Livestock
Livestock must be cared for by herders and milkmaids in order to breed, give birth, and produce food. Each animal’s produce (dairy, eggs, etc.) will feed five peasants for the season. Each slaughtered animal will feed four peasants.

Each animal requires two serfs to thrive. The population adjusts for every field of animals each season according to the chart below. For each absent serf, an additional animal will die.

Crowding in a single field will also affect livestock:

1-20: Spaced out. 1d4 births - 1d4-1 deaths
21-30: Average crowding. 1d4 births - 1d4 deaths
31-40: Crowding. 1d4 births - 1d4+1 deaths
41-50: Massive overcrowding. 1d4 births - 1d4+2 deaths


Crops
Alternatively, fields can grow crops. Ten grain planted will yield 4d4x10 grain provided each field is worked to the maximum year-round. Sixty workers per field are required all year. One sack of grain will feed six peasants for the season. Plant in the winter and harvest in autumn.

Fishing
If your county has a shoreline, you may use 200 wood to craft a harbor, and then 25 wood after that to craft a boat. Each boat, good for one year, can hold four fisherman, and each fisherman can bring in 1d4 measures of seafood per season. One measure of seafood feeds two peasants. Unlike livestock and crops, fish cannot be sold to a merchant.

Fallowness
Leaving a field fallow for one year will improve the soil. Harvests from such fields will include a 2d12 increase.


Happiness
Happiness is affected by rations, health, food, and conscription. For each point below 50, there will be a 2% chance a county will fall into rebellion.


Rations
None = -8 happiness, 80% chance of health decline
Quarter = -5 happiness, 50% chance of health decline
Half = -2 happiness, 20% chance of health decline
Full = +1 happiness
Double = +4 happiness, 40% chance of health increase
Triple = +7 happiness, 70% chance of health increase

Health
Diseased = -10 happiness, 2d20 deaths per 100 people
Sick = -5 happiness, 1d20 deaths per 100 people
Average = 0 happiness, 1d10 deaths per 100 people
Good = +1 happiness, 1d8 deaths per 100 people
Hale = +2 happiness, 1d4 deaths per 100 people

Taxes
Establish the tax rate for each county; it is a percentage of the population rounded to the nearest crown. The tax rate will affect the happiness of your people.

0% = +4 happiness
10% = +2 happiness
20% = +1 happiness
30% = 0 happiness
40% = -2 happiness
50% = -5 happiness
60% = -9 happiness
70% = -14 happiness
80% = -19 happiness
90% = -25 happiness
100% = -32 happiness

Conscription
When you raise an army, happiness decreases. You cannot conscript more than half of a county’s population in one season.

1%-10% = -10 happiness
11%-20% = -20 happiness
21%-30% = -30 happiness
31%-40% = -40 happiness
41%-50% = -50 happiness


Sending Supplies
You may send supplies to any county, including those of other nobles. You must specify the route (county to county) your supply caravan will travel. If your caravan passes through a county controlled by another noble, there will be a chance it the occupying noble will seize your goods (10% for no fortification up to 60% for a royal castle, with ten percent increments in between). If not intercepted, supplies will reach the intended destination in the next season.



Industry
Each county has a blacksmith for making weapons and a mason’s guild for building castles. In addition, each county has two of three industries: Lumberyards, Mines, or Quarries. Each laborer produces one measure per season.

Lumberjacks produce timber for manufacturing weapons and constructing castles.
Miners produce iron for manufacturing weapons.
Quarriers produce stone for constructing castles.


Castles
Castles can protect your county from invading forces. There are five variants:

Wooden Palisade
40 stone, 400 wood
200 masons
Garrison of 100
Motte & Bailey
80 stone, 800 wood
400 masons
Garrison of 200
Norman Keep
1000 stone, 200 wood
800 masons
Garrison of 300
Stone Castle
2000 stone, 400 wood
1500 masons
Garrison of 400
Royal Castle
3000 stone, 800 wood
2500 masons
Garrison of 500

Event Table
There is a 50% chance that a favorable or unfortunate event will occur in each of your counties, which can affect anything. You will be informed of any such circumstances when they occur.


Merchants
Two Merchants travel throughout the land. If one is in a county you control, you may do business with him. Prices are fixed (sell/buy):

Livestock- 12/24
Grain- 2/4
Ale- Population x 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 (for happiness bonus)
Timber- 1/2
Iron- 2/4
Stone - 2/4
Halberds - 13/26
Maces - 10/20
Swords - 23/46
Axes - 36/72
Bows - 16/32
Horses - 16/-


Armies

To build a weapon, you must delegate peasants as blacksmiths. You need one blacksmith per weapon type per four weapons.

Armies are paid at a rate of 20% wages per season
In battle, a 4 or higher is a casualty
Ratio for each weapon type is Iron / Wood

Peasants
Default - 50% of the population if the county is undefended.
1d4

Halberdiers
3/6
1d6
2d6 against Cavalry

Macemen
4/4
1d8

Swordsmen
10/3
1d10

Axemen
17/4
1d12

Bowmen
0/13
2d4 missile
1d4 melee
Defending bowmen get one free missile attack at the beginning.

Cavalry
Weapon cost + 4 grain
Can use any of the above melee weapons (Lancer, Sergeant, Knight, Raider)
Has a second attack at 1d4
Opposing infantry must get a 5 or higher to kill (a peasant must roll a 1 on a 1d8)
Weak against Halberdiers


Mercenaries
Each season, there is a chance that mercenaries will offer their services to you. They have a high initial cost and a high upkeep, but you will not have to furnish them with weapons, nor will enlisting them decrease the happiness of your people.


Spies
For 50 crowns, you may attempt to spy on any county. There is a 70% rate of success. Success means you will learn everything about that county’s present status, including garrisons and production. Failure means that your spy is caught and executed, but not before being tortured to the point of informing his tormentors of who sent him!

Battle
Units are listed on a spreadsheet in order of class (peasant to bowman).
Defense gets a position advantage- halberdiers will fight mounted units first.
Bowmen can only be attacked once the opposing melee force outnumbers the other.
Units attack each other simultaneously.
When a unit survives and kills his opponent, he moves to the next available combatant.


Sieges
A garrisoned castle must be breached before combat proper may begin.

Wooden Palisade- 1 turn to breach
Motte & Bailey- 1d4 turns to breach
Norman Keep- 1d6 turns to breach
Stone Castle- 2d4 turns to breach
Royal Castle- 3d4 turns to breach

During the turns the besieging force is using to break into the castle, enemy archers can fire freely upon the enemy, reducing their numbers. If no archers are present, battle begins normally.