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Ignoramus
01-30-2008, 07:43
I was thinking I should start up a medieval forum game for the Gameroom, and this is the result.

The game is set in 1035 in France. Players represent nobles from one of eight major families during the 11th century. Alternatively, they can choose to take control of small independent counties, or take service with one of the major families.

https://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3576/france1035hr0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

England, the Holy Roman Empire, Navarre, Saragossa, and the Papacy will be in play, but they will be controlled by me.

Movement and Military rules will be up sometime soon, but I need to know how many players I'm dealing with.

Rules:

Timeframe:
Each turn will be one week long and represent one month in game terms. The first three days will be spent sending orders(to me), engaging in diplomacy, and governing your realm. The next three days will be reserved for resolving battles and processing all the players' orders. On the last day the events for the next turn will be posted.

Object:
Simply put, your object is to expand your family's power, through warfare and diplomacy. Obviously, gaining the crown of France is the pinnacle of this.

Economy:
Coinage is scarce in Western Europe at this time, so you'll find that land is chief sign of wealth. Your income will come mainly from taxation and feudal dues, although diplomacy and events may bring you additional income. Money must be physically sent to other states, so you will have to take care that

Military:
The bulk of your armies will be composed of your vassals, who owe you military service as part of their feudal duties. One month of the year, your vassals will do so at their own expense; the other eleven you will have to pay the upkeep of the soldiers. Without vassals, you'll stuggle to afford a respectable army. Companies of mercenary will pop up from time to time, however, their services will be expensive and they are not the most reliable of soldiers.

Movement:
Armies may move 100 miles per month. If they come within 50 miles of an enemey army, then a battle ensues, unless the opposing army has specifically stated in his orders to withdraw if attacked.

Religion:
To begin with, the Pope is controlled by me, as well as the ecclesiatical lordships(unless the normal independent coutnies have all been snapped up. The archbishops are independent of the Pope, reflecting the Pope's weak influence at this stage. Nevertheless, having the pontiff on your side is never a bad thing(Just think of the Norman invasion of England). Having a causus belli, or cause for war, whether it's valid or not, is not necessary, but without one you're unlikely to be perceived as anything other than an greedy, power-hungry, despot.

Titles & Fiefs:
For the most, titles are in name hereditry. If the King of France has an heir of age, then succession should proceed smoothly. If there's not, then the nobles of the realm will gather together and choose a successor.

Fiefs are basically hereditry, but when a vassal dies, the fief reverts back to the lord. If the vassal's heir wishes to keep the fief, he has to pay a tax, called a relief, to the lord. Fiefs can be assigned by the lord to a prospective vassal.

From this list you can choose you relevant family. First in best dressed(I.e. The first player to choose the Capetians becomes King of France, the second becomes Duke of Burgundy, the third the French heir etc.)

Capetians - France, Burgundy
Ramnulfids - Aquitaine, Gascony, Auvergne
Normans - Normandy
Rennais - Brittany
Carolignians - Vermandois
Blaisois - Blois, Champagne
Rouergue - Toulouse
Flemings - Flanders

Capetians: Baby Boomer, Gaius Scribonius Curio
Carolignians: Warmaster Horus
Ramnulfids: Draco Leman
Rennais: Zim, kamikhaan
Normans: The Stranger
Flemings: Ichigo

Or you can choose on of these independent counties:

County of Maine - gibsonsg91921
County of Anjou - shlin28
County of Roussillon - pevergreen
County of Bourbon - Caius
County of Velay - Twilightblade
County of Rouergue & Gevaudan
Viscounty of Narbonne(Gothia)

If all these are taken, you can pick a name and offer yourself to one of the families or independent counties as a vassal.

pevergreen
01-30-2008, 08:16
I could be King, but someone else can have that honour.

County of Roussillon for me please.

Baby Boomer
01-30-2008, 08:19
If you so wish pevergreen; I shall take such honor.

I would like to be King please; or Duke of Burgundy.

Also Ignoramus; that is quite a good map you found there. I always have trouble finding maps, is there any specific way you do so?

Csargo
01-30-2008, 08:31
Normans?

Ignoramus
01-30-2008, 09:22
Normans?

I can't find the family name of the Dukes of Normandy, which is understandable because they were orignally Norsemen. The family names for Blois/Champagne and Brittany and names for the inhabitants of Blois and Rennes respectively.

Baby Boomer: I think this website should be very helpful to you:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/history_shepherd_1923.html

Edit: In answer to your question, I generally search for them on Google, but it does take a bit of time to find maps of the period that you're looking for.

Caius
01-30-2008, 14:41
County of Bourbon to me.

Warmaster Horus
01-30-2008, 19:20
I'll play as a Carolingian, the Count of Vermandois. Check my KOTR record for the reason :bounce:

Sounds interesting.

Ayachuco
01-30-2008, 22:09
I'm greedy so I want Gascony

shlin28
01-30-2008, 22:10
County of Anjou for me please

Zim
01-31-2008, 06:52
Rennais for me. :charge:

Ignoramus
01-31-2008, 07:47
First draft of rules are up.

Twilightblade
02-01-2008, 09:19
the County of Velay for me please but I wish I could find it on the map

Ignoramus
02-01-2008, 23:39
the County of Velay for me please but I wish I could find it on the map

It's to the right of Auvergne. On the border with the HRE.

Twilightblade
02-02-2008, 06:00
Found it ty

The Stranger
02-03-2008, 17:44
I choose then normans, do the normans get adventurers who can raid beyond the borders of the map...

and if Ichigo is already norman, I'll choose Flanders

gibsonsg91921
02-03-2008, 18:58
dibs on County of Maine!

Ignoramus
02-03-2008, 22:37
I choose then normans, do the normans get adventurers who can raid beyond the borders of the map...

and if Ichigo is already norman, I'll choose Flanders

Ichigo isn't Norman, he was just querying the Normans family name(I can't find it).

Well you can decide to go off and raid, however, the French king won't be too happy with you if you get him embroiled in a nasty war. But you get to play as William the Conquerer, so who knows what might happen. :laugh4:

By the way guys, we still need at least 4 more players, although I would prefer it if we had more.

Csargo
02-03-2008, 23:55
I'll take Flanders.

seireikhaan
02-04-2008, 00:32
I'll take the Count of Brittany.

shlin28
02-04-2008, 17:48
Just wondering, are the small counties fiefs to the larger duchys? Or are they completely independent, even from the King?

Ignoramus
02-04-2008, 23:22
They're nominally fiefs of the French king, but at this point of time it means nothing. Unless the French King can enforce his authority, then they're are basically independent.

Gaius Scribonius Curio
02-05-2008, 08:06
If there's no objections I'll take the Duchy of Burgundy. :charge:

Ignoramus
02-05-2008, 08:15
Welcome, Gaius!

Zim
02-12-2008, 06:54
bump

Ignoramus
02-12-2008, 08:16
I need more players before we can start. Sorry for the delay guys.

The Stranger
02-12-2008, 14:01
how many more?

Ignoramus
02-12-2008, 22:59
Well, we need at least two per family(16) and the indepedent counties(7). That means we need another 10. Although for the Capetians and Ramnulfids will need two extra, as they have more than one duchy.

The reason for two per family is because we need to have the heir represented.

Ferret
02-14-2008, 15:28
I'll join the Flemings