KOTF OOC Thread

[woad&fangs]

Too much reading

[Ituralde]

Should we maybe check whether the Pope would grand us a Crusade before we hold the Emergency Session. It would be a bit anticlimactic if we discussed this thing for days and then nothing happened because the Pope doesn't like us enough or something like that.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Should we maybe check whether the Pope would grand us a Crusade before we hold the Emergency Session. It would be a bit anticlimactic if we discussed this thing for days and then nothing happened because the Pope doesn't like us enough or something like that.

Too gamey, IMHO. That's a part of it.

[TinCow]

Should we maybe check whether the Pope would grand us a Crusade before we hold the Emergency Session. It would be a bit anticlimactic if we discussed this thing for days and then nothing happened because the Pope doesn't like us enough or something like that.

The last Seneschal report showed that we have maxed out Papal favor. I think it's safe to assume a Crusade would be authorized without needing to check in-game.

[Ituralde]

A'ight then!

[AussieGiant]

I'm pretty sure someone has check already.

[OverKnight]

Yeah I'm pretty sure a lot of people have gazed into the "Crystal Ball" on this one.

I'm still a bit iffy on how we went from 3 to 10 reputation in two or three turns, and I'm the Seneschal.

[Ituralde]

I agree that was a bit strange. You did give a lot of money to the Papacy though. Maybe that or something wonky happened with the saves. Not sure how we should investigate/reproduce this.

[TinCow]

I'm still a bit iffy on how we went from 3 to 10 reputation in two or three turns, and I'm the Seneschal.

The mid-turn bump is particularly odd, but if no diplomacy was done when that occurred, I can't see how it could possibly be caused by anything other than the game's own strange internal mechanism.

[econ21]

The rise in our Papal standing is very odd; I have no idea what's been going on. I wonder if there is some kind of save loading bug - e.g. we pay the Pope X amount and get +1 rep, but that +1 accrues each time someone loads up the save until we press end turn? I know some other games that have those kind of bugs. If so, it might be best keeping all the diplomatic stuff until the end of each turn so that we don't upload a save between the diplomacy and the end turn button being pressed. I always thought the sequence was "players act -> Seneschal acts -> turn ends" anyway.

On the crystal ball, if this were a stock market, some folks would be being investigated for front running. Some of us are on the opposite extreme - to a large degree playing this as a forum game without loading up M2TW. Not having an army or settlement, I am not regularly downloading saves and so only know what is going on from what the more active players report in the various threads. I would ask that people bear that in mind when writing those reports or making in character statements. For example, I had no idea we still had two nobles in Wales until the Seneschal balled us out for overlooking them. In fact, I am not sure anyone in the Order knew when their lieutenant was appointed - a post that was supposed to be the deputy in the Company stack - that the avatar was far away (in Wales?!?). Personally, I thought he had been riding with us for the last 10 turns.

[TinCow]

Some of us are on the opposite extreme - to a large degree playing this as a forum game without loading up M2TW. Not having an army or settlement, I am not regularly downloading saves and so only know what is going on from what the more active players report in the various threads. I would ask that people bear that in mind when writing those reports or making in character statements. For example, I had no idea we still had two nobles in Wales until the Seneschal balled us out for overlooking them. In fact, I am not sure anyone in the Order knew when their lieutenant was appointed - a post that was supposed to be the deputy in the Company stack - that the avatar was far away (in Wales?!?). Personally, I thought he had been riding with us for the last 10 turns.

Hehe... when the King accused Christophe of not fighting, I actually had to go read the battle reports thread and check some other posts just to find out what battles I've fought in.

[OverKnight]

In my defense, I did put that Duc Alain's "vassals" were still in Wales. In another section I even had an image showing them in Wales.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I've tried to keep the reports informative.

As for me as Seneschal coordinating the Crusade. . .it's possible, I could make some proposals. It'll have to wait until I've gotten some sleep.

The reason I asked for the Emergency Session is that the situation has outrun the Edicts passed, at least when it comes to England. Most of the past Crusades were a bit more legislated. Command authority was laid out, army framework and such was established. Things like that.

Starting a Crusade or even an unexpected war without some sort of structure invites chaos. I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but both the Prince and Dauphin have strong opinions on how things should be done. I'm unsure that Hugues has the clout IC to actually direct a Crusade without backing legislation.

[Braden]

Yeah, I'm more or less running from the info on the Forums and not the saves. Haven't see the save files in-game for a few days.

I try to address this when I can but that's the good point of these games...you don't need to devote 4 hours a night to them!

[Ramses II CP]

I've deliberately avoided 'look aheads' since the start of LotR, although I did it from what felt like necessity during Fritz's chancellorship in KotR. I do think they change the way you play your character a great deal, almost as much as if you were replaying your battles. The latter is against the rules for a good reason and it can tie into the former as well; for example if I'd looked ahead and known about the prisoners situation at Bern I could've manipulated it to my advantage by allowing the AI to recover it's morale and slaughtering them in the field without taking prisoners. Instead I had to adapt to unexpected circumstances, and it changed Louis' plans and arc dramatically.

I'm fairly concerned about what seemed to happen with the save last turn. I did not believe the English could be excommunicated because they had a full reputation with the Pope the last time I checked. I was concerned enough that I mentioned it to OK, and then I went back and 'tested' it myself by loading the saves after the various moves to check the results. As it turns out the English being excommunicated was essentially predestined, nothing we did during last turn appears to have changed it (Although sometimes the Scottish won).

So somehow the English violated their warning, resulting in a drop in reputation with the Pope, and violated their second warning, resulting in excommunication, during the AI's turn. Or, equally possible, LTC's mechanism is different from vanilla and I just don't know the details.

As far as our increasing reputation, I know a marriage *alliance* could produce that result, but stealing a noble via marraige? I just don't know. Anything we did to spite the Pope's enemy (HRE) might've helped some I think, but that was a very large shift. In economic terms, it would've cost us a chunk of change. I suppose the deal with England could've had some effect as well, the Pope likes Catholics in good standing to cooperate, but it still strikes me as unusual. I can't recall having a shift like that in a vanilla game before without spending lots of florins, and I've manipulated vanilla like a speed rusher at times.

[econ21]

In my defense, I did put that Duc Alain's "vassals" were still in Wales. In another section I even had an image showing them in Wales.

Your reports (and AGs) have been great OK. I didn't mean to complain - just explaining that not all of us are always quite up to speed.

As for me as Seneschal coordinating the Crusade. . .it's possible, I could make some proposals. It'll have to wait until I've gotten some sleep.

That's an in character matter and your IC reasoning for a calling a session is very sound. It's just the cacophony of voices already raised in the Conseil made Hermant inwardly groan when he heard the call.

[AussieGiant]

I understand some are not necessarily up to speed on things but, that's a pretty big crutch when you want to then go and wade into the Council ring.

I'm not going to try and back off a sparring match because someone says "I'm not really sure what's going on with the save."

In that case it's probably best to keep a low profile. It may sound harsh but it's the only way to keep the integrity of discussions in the Council.

Hell I'm at work half the time so I'm PMing people who can see the save for the info I need.

[Braden]

Well, IC I'm near Frankfurt so not sure how I'm going to know what's going on in Wales (for example) except by the reports coming in.

Really good reports by the way, more than enough info to comment IC on things. Hell, I stand by every word Henri says...

...what I say on the other hand, that'll be tosh and bunkem

EDIT - have just examined the latest Save. Alan de Rohan still needs to off load from his ships, sure you said you'd already done that??

[AussieGiant]

I think we can assume there is mean of communication that allow for informed debate. Realism in the Council is suspended for the sake of game play.

It's like Alain being on a ship but turning up to talk the chamber.

[AussieGiant]

On a side note...sorry.

But does everyone know that ETW will eventually be have a multiplayer campaign mode.

Can you imagine each of use playing a separate faction!!? Good lord!!!

[Braden]

I think we can assume there is mean of communication that allow for informed debate. Realism in the Council is suspended for the sake of game play.

It's like Alain being on a ship but turning up to talk the chamber.

Yeah, I know. I started to think about letting a "page" do all the talking but that proved short-lived....still, I try to limit info used IC to what might be available to me IC but that's me and my LRP hat really.

ETW - didn't know that! Sounds good, but can you imagine how many stories that would create!?!

[econ21]

I understand some are not necessarily up to speed on things but, that's a pretty big crutch when you want to then go and wade into the Council ring.

I'm not going to try and back off a sparring match because someone says "I'm not really sure what's going on with the save."

No worries, but I just found it surprising that Hermant volunteering to go on crusade with his King should be interpreted as putting anyone in Wales at any risk. Last I heard the dude is somewhere around Frankfurt and quite unable even to break wind without leave of his Captain/his King/his Seneschal. Of course, if shouting at the Order is a proxy for shouting at the King, I see the point IC but still, I have to vent OOC.

[AussieGiant]

No worries, but I just found it surprising that Hermant volunteering to go on crusade with his King should be interpreted as putting anyone in Wales at any risk. Last I heard the dude is somewhere around Frankfurt and quite unable even to break wind without leave of his Captain/his King/his Seneschal. Of course, if shouting at the Order is a proxy for shouting at the King, I see the point IC but still, I have to vent OOC.

Sure Econ, understood.

I like your description

[ULC]

Ugh...I am so lost and mildly overwhelmed - exact opposite of LotR, when I was underwhelmed

[TinCow]

On a side note...sorry.

But does everyone know that ETW will eventually be have a multiplayer campaign mode.

Can you imagine each of use playing a separate faction!!? Good lord!!!

I stopped waiting for that about 6 months ago... is it finally coming out?

Last I had heard, it was only possible to do a 2 player MP campaign (as in, 2 player controlled factions with the AI controlling all others), is it possible to do more than 2 now?

[AussieGiant]

Don't know about the number of multiplayers but the public beta is in full swing and it's expected soonish. Whatever that means.

[Ituralde]

Too bad the Emergency Session is on a weekend...
Well if I shouldn't answer immediatelly it's more likely for OOC reasons than for IC ones.

[TinCow]

I've got to drive up to NYC for the weekend. Hotel has wifi, but I won't be in it very much so my participation will be a bit reduced once again. I'll be back home tomorrow afternoon.

[GeneralHankerchief]

I've got to drive up to NYC for the weekend. Hotel has wifi, but I won't be in it very much so my participation will be a bit reduced once again. I'll be back home tomorrow afternoon.

Ouch TC, my sympathies. DC to NYC is never a fun drive.

[ULC]

I think I put some more fire into my side of the argument

Waiting for you to back me up GH

[TinCow]

Ouch TC, my sympathies. DC to NYC is never a fun drive.

The NJ Turnpike is certainly most hideous road ever built by man, but at least there wasn't any traffic this time. Now I just have to hope the same is true when I leave tomorrow...