Inquiry: Interest in an interactive AAR (details inside)

[mini]

Dear AAR readers :)

I've picked up some interest in an concept of mine which I ran earlier on the old RTR board, and if the interest is high enough i'm willing to give it a go.

First of all: rules & info ;)

This forum will act as the Curia Hostilia, ergo the place where the Senate meets. That means that all discussion are to take place here.
Everyone is welcome to give himself a real Roman name, to be put in his sig or whereever visible to others. Adressing someone is obliged to use the roman name, not the forum name.

Anywayz, people are totally free to measure themselves a Roman senator with all the traits and quirks you want him to, as long as you live up to your character when replying on the thread.
You're also free to make one-post-AAR's inside the thread to give background info on your senator. You know how or why your character is a certain way, but it might prove fun to show others why exactly your character is that certain way :)

So ROLEPLAYING is the biggest requirement. Try to imagine how the senators discussed in the Republic, and try to adhere it :).


Now, about what will there be discussion?
In the beginning, not that much. Pretty much most military matters of course since we have to fight the epirote remnant of the peninsula (who knows, maybe u guys decide to just grant them taras and make peace? :p) and after that the expansion matters (north, south? do we even expand?)

Later on, this goes from recruiting new legions (from where? where to? under whose command?) and types of govs to be installed, who is to govern what province etc. (the latter will even be more important when ppl start adopting FM)

In the beginning I will guide the senate on all non-military matters, to get us up to speed and to reach the more interesting years where Rome gets bigger, and the FM-field has expanded. From there on, it's all yours.

When we do get to the interesting years, ppl who have proven to be active enough, might adopt a FM.
Is it governing a city, they get to decide what to built etc. Isn't it governing, it'll just sit in Rome of course doing jack shit, but when war breaks out, and the senate grants YOUR FM command, well of course you get to play the battles. So you might try to make political alliances amongst yourselves ;) if you get enough friends supportign you in the thread, you actually get to fight!


As to some game mechanics:

Due to obvious restrictions, we cannot have the whole cursus honorum incorporated. Though, I still intend to use 2 offices: the consuls and the tribunes.
Now how do they work?
First of all, the number of these offices vary based on popularity. If we got enough peepz, we can have 2 consuls and several tribunes.
What do these ppl get?

The consuls will (in the early years when no FM have been adopted) be fighting the battles. Furthermore, ONLY the consuls can propose subjects to discuss, and only they can determine when a vote is being called for on a matter (24 real hours are obliged so everyone can have a say, and another 24hrs to vote)
Voting will occur by normal replies, it just asks a little attention from the reader to count up all previous posts:

"I, senator x, vote AYE"
Count so far: Aye: x votes / Naye: x votes

After the vote is decided, it will be implement by me in the game (and in the later game, by whoever is in charge ingame by FM)

Also, once elected consul, you'll be in charge of 2 years ingame (8turns) as 1 year is quite short sometimes. If attendance is low, you'll be in charge longer, as rotation will have to be kept low.
After your term is over, your vote will count triple because you are a consular, and therefor more venerable.
of course, when about 1/3 of the participants have been consul, this will be reset otherwise it won't be special anymore.
An obligated reset will be applied every30 to 50 gameyears (depending on attendance), and ppl without a FM will have to chose a new name (Senators age and die you know). Of course this might be a son of their old char.

A tribune gets to veto. That's pretty much everythign a tribune gets to do, so in the early years it's a pretty worthless office, but later one it might be handy to have a friend as a tribune so he can veto decisions that reflect your own FM. Also it will be the Tribunes who will be able to hand out provinces/commands to FM's after the marian reforms +-
An ex tribune gets a double vote, to make the difference between 'backbenchers' and also less venerable then the consuls.




This is the largest part of my old dynamic, the part which I can remember :)
This is just a poll to see how many peepz are interested to participate, so I can figure out the scales.

If anyone has suggestions or remarks, of course they can be stated :)

[Khazar_Dahvos]

I am definitely in

[V.T. Marvin]

Seems very interesting and long-long-term fun! Count me in.

[Long lost Caesar]

totally in on this, long lost caesar votes aye

[Lysimachos]

Interested, though i can't predict my level of activity.

[Jolt]

I is in.

[Reality=Chaos]

I'm in. Though I most probably won't try to adopt an FM. I like roleplaying a lot , but I have little time to actually play, so here's one senator for you.

[We shall fwee...Wodewick]

As a member of current incarnation of YATS on TWC and of the original AAR (was your RTR name Fuzz?), I'd be happy to join in.

[mini]

yeah my name was Fuzz on RTR :)

I recognize your name aye, you participated on the RTR version of my interactive shizzle didn't you?

[SaberHRE]

in :)

Although I'm thinking perhaps we should use a more turbulent period. Like 170s. As to give a rise to two enemy camps Populares and Optimates?

[PersianFire]

"Sounds like fun and something which I may be interested in. Of course, it will depend on the level of interest in this AAR. Count me in at this moment intime."

[mini]

yup, I think that goes for everyone.
It has no use to do this with less than 20 peepz ;)

[Maion Maroneios]

Sounds good, count me in as well!

[Reality=Chaos]

in :)

Although I'm thinking perhaps we should use a more turbulent period. Like 170s. As to give a rise to two enemy camps Populares and Optimates?

It's rather turbulent in this period as well I think. Rome is trying to control Italy, but is beset by enemies, also the new latin tribes need to be integrated into the republic and that causes tensions. Also there's the tension Of whom to attack. Imagine a grecophile faction, or one that wants to stay friends with the tyrant of Syrakousai. There's plenty of things to get worked up about roleplaying wise. There's also the question of Carthage and what to do with her.

[Justinian II]

Dear AAR readers :)

I've picked up some interest in an concept of mine which I ran earlier on the old RTR board, and if the interest is high enough i'm willing to give it a go.

First of all: rules & info ;)

This forum will act as the Curia Hostilia, ergo the place where the Senate meets. That means that all discussion are to take place here.
Everyone is welcome to give himself a real Roman name, to be put in his sig or whereever visible to others. Adressing someone is obliged to use the roman name, not the forum name.

Anywayz, people are totally free to measure themselves a Roman senator with all the traits and quirks you want him to, as long as you live up to your character when replying on the thread.
You're also free to make one-post-AAR's inside the thread to give background info on your senator. You know how or why your character is a certain way, but it might prove fun to show others why exactly your character is that certain way :)

So ROLEPLAYING is the biggest requirement. Try to imagine how the senators discussed in the Republic, and try to adhere it :).


Now, about what will there be discussion?
In the beginning, not that much. Pretty much most military matters of course since we have to fight the epirote remnant of the peninsula (who knows, maybe u guys decide to just grant them taras and make peace? :p) and after that the expansion matters (north, south? do we even expand?)

Later on, this goes from recruiting new legions (from where? where to? under whose command?) and types of govs to be installed, who is to govern what province etc. (the latter will even be more important when ppl start adopting FM)

In the beginning I will guide the senate on all non-military matters, to get us up to speed and to reach the more interesting years where Rome gets bigger, and the FM-field has expanded. From there on, it's all yours.

When we do get to the interesting years, ppl who have proven to be active enough, might adopt a FM.
Is it governing a city, they get to decide what to built etc. Isn't it governing, it'll just sit in Rome of course doing jack shit, but when war breaks out, and the senate grants YOUR FM command, well of course you get to play the battles. So you might try to make political alliances amongst yourselves ;) if you get enough friends supportign you in the thread, you actually get to fight!


As to some game mechanics:

Due to obvious restrictions, we cannot have the whole cursus honorum incorporated. Though, I still intend to use 2 offices: the consuls and the tribunes.
Now how do they work?
First of all, the number of these offices vary based on popularity. If we got enough peepz, we can have 2 consuls and several tribunes.
What do these ppl get?

The consuls will (in the early years when no FM have been adopted) be fighting the battles. Furthermore, ONLY the consuls can propose subjects to discuss, and only they can determine when a vote is being called for on a matter (24 real hours are obliged so everyone can have a say, and another 24hrs to vote)
Voting will occur by normal replies, it just asks a little attention from the reader to count up all previous posts:

"I, senator x, vote AYE"
Count so far: Aye: x votes / Naye: x votes

After the vote is decided, it will be implement by me in the game (and in the later game, by whoever is in charge ingame by FM)

Also, once elected consul, you'll be in charge of 2 years ingame (8turns) as 1 year is quite short sometimes. If attendance is low, you'll be in charge longer, as rotation will have to be kept low.
After your term is over, your vote will count triple because you are a consular, and therefor more venerable.
of course, when about 1/3 of the participants have been consul, this will be reset otherwise it won't be special anymore.
An obligated reset will be applied every30 to 50 gameyears (depending on attendance), and ppl without a FM will have to chose a new name (Senators age and die you know). Of course this might be a son of their old char.

A tribune gets to veto. That's pretty much everythign a tribune gets to do, so in the early years it's a pretty worthless office, but later one it might be handy to have a friend as a tribune so he can veto decisions that reflect your own FM. Also it will be the Tribunes who will be able to hand out provinces/commands to FM's after the marian reforms +-
An ex tribune gets a double vote, to make the difference between 'backbenchers' and also less venerable then the consuls.




This is the largest part of my old dynamic, the part which I can remember :)
This is just a poll to see how many peepz are interested to participate, so I can figure out the scales.

If anyone has suggestions or remarks, of course they can be stated :)

Count me in, i'm interested...

[Karo]

I'm in, don't got much time so I'll be a senator

[woad&fangs]

I'll join but I won't be real active at first.

[Jolt]

I'll join but I won't be real active at first.

When will FM start being distributed?

[mini]

that depends.

Since people seemly want the game to start when Rome is a bit more powerful, FM distribution will start more rapidly then I originally had in mind.

It also depends on participants/Fm ratio

I don't want 3-4 guys out of 30 to be the lucky ones with a Fm as that wouldn't be fair.

[PersianFire]

It's rather turbulent in this period as well I think. Rome is trying to control Italy, but is beset by enemies, also the new latin tribes need to be integrated into the republic and that causes tensions. Also there's the tension Of whom to attack. Imagine a grecophile faction, or one that wants to stay friends with the tyrant of Syrakousai. There's plenty of things to get worked up about roleplaying wise. There's also the question of Carthage and what to do with her.

"Concur."

that depends.

Since people seemly want the game to start when Rome is a bit more powerful, FM distribution will start more rapidly then I originally had in mind.

It also depends on participants/Fm ratio

I don't want 3-4 guys out of 30 to be the lucky ones with a Fm as that wouldn't be fair.

"Why not? Based on Reality=Chaos' comments, we have a very nice situation to start in right from the beginning. Fair enough, as you say there will only be 4 FM's, but to start the AAR and to test the waters, have 4 FM's with the rest as Senators? Let those persons who wish to roleplay one of the few FM's put their case forwards. (beneficial for those well versed in speech and rhetoric) and let there be a vote from the org community on who would be the initial FM's. After that and in-game, voting would only be from the 'senators' who have signed up.

[SaberHRE]

"Concur."



"Why not? Based on Reality=Chaos' comments, we have a very nice situation to start in right from the beginning. Fair enough, as you say there will only be 4 FM's, but to start the AAR and to test the waters, have 4 FM's with the rest as Senators? Let those persons who wish to roleplay one of the few FM's put their case forwards. (beneficial for those well versed in speech and rhetoric) and let there be a vote from the org community on who would be the initial FM's. After that and in-game, voting would only be from the 'senators' who have signed up.

I agree, this interactive game doesn't have to be so strictly EB campaign based. All we actually need is the Campaign map and the units.

Mini, you could be the GM and control everything on your game.(Which will prevent in-game hickups, when certain people will be absent to perform in their offices).

Everyone would form the Senate. The actual FM's could also be RP, and people would just make their own "fictional" FM's. So let's say Player X plays Cassius Longinus in the game, and is elected consul for this year. In his term the senate orders him to march against the Ligurians(segestica). All we need then is too take a random family member and an army and attack.

This system has it's disadvantages like:

-Players will have too much independence in the formation of their characters, so that in-game traits won't affect the RP.
-Prestige and Command "stars" can't be taken into account.

But with gradual expansion more family members will be produced and therefore "adopted" by the players.

This should work as not all players will want and have the time to lead armies to battle and play per se. Some will only be interested in political in-fighting, passing laws and oratory battles in manners of Cicero.(Yes, expect me to be the Senate's troublemaker mwahahahha )

[We shall fwee...Wodewick]

I like the idea of fighting for a limited number of places at the start, because those who want to lead can bring out bucket loads of rhetoric and charm....*stops and admires the metaphorical image*....to win a character, but also those who don't to control the 3-4 FM directly can do so from the Cvria, in a more powerful way, as they decide what the FM can do!

[PersianFire]

@ mini

What game and campaign difficulty will you be playing on? It is possible that you and a majority willl decide on a Medium for battle and Hard for campaign. I however, prefer Hard/Hard.

Since you're basing this on being as realistic then surely the battles should be as well in terms of losses? I think it is too easy on Medium, even though you would fighting on a par with the AI. The human player has an advantage with initiative and more often than not common sense which the AI lacks at times. I don't mind a battle which results in thousands of men on either side but you annihilating the enemy for a loss of 53 men on your side. Once in a while is OK, but it can get rather tiresome when this could happen 3-4 times on the trot. It makes the fun and the looking-forward-to-a-battle, actually thinking about strategy and double guessing your decisions with more discussion and (heated) debate in the Curia. It will ensure make sure that senators will not pick consuls/praetors who have failed to live up to expectations on the battlefield. Players will also be wary of not having tehir FM being killed off either.

My reason for the above is that despite the off-the-battlefield-debate/politics, we would not lose a battle as most of us here can easily beat a medium-difficulty-level army when at least on a level pegging with units. Reasding some of the AAR's just reinforces that, with massive victories and hardly any losses.

Anyway, it's your AAR, but just my thoughts.

[woad&fangs]

I second the Hard/Hard idea. We need to lose at least a few battles.

I believe we should do this in 1.1 if that's okay with people.

Concerning FMs: I don't really care how FMs get distributed. If we are able to adopt a person than we should do so since the Romans don't get new family members for a long time. Players should attempt to roleplay based on the ingame traits as much as possible.

Check out "King of the Romans" for a good example of roleplaying characters.

[johnhughthom]

I would love to take part in something like this, hopefully it doesn't go the way of the Qarthadast one a few months ago.
I second the roleplaying based on ingame traits as well, perhaps decisions or ideas from FMs should be justified with reasons mentioning the traits used to come to a decision. Also agree H/H would be good to make sure a realistic number of battles may be lost.

[Khazar_Dahvos]

I agree hard/hard and start at the beginning of the campaign.

[mini]

[QUOTE=PersianFire
Anyway, it's your AAR, but just my thoughts.[/QUOTE]

It's actually not MY aar perse :)

Just view me as the instigator of it all.
Basically, once started this thing runs itself :)

As mentioned, it only takes one GM to hover above it as an eagle, but as long as things run properly, i can sit back ,relax and let u do the hard work ;)

Some useful suggestions so far, and ideas i've never thought of.

And interest is growing, nice.

[Jolt]

I wouldn't mind trying to run up for being an FM early on. I have "some" time to RP in the week, but on weekends, since I'm out of net in my home, my participation in those days would be short. Besides that, I've been participating in RP games for ages (7 years, methinks.) And I'm volunteering since it is in the beginning and if I can't follow up on the expectations needed, I'll gladly ceed my FM character to any other who would wish to RP it, while I'd just invent a simple senator.

[Maeran]

Sounds interesting. I'll give it a go.

[Taedius]

This looks fun, count me in. :)