On social drinkers and deranged generals

**Kekkonen** · 10-21-2004, 10:43

Originally Posted by Captain Fishpants

2. Lunacy in all its many manifestations does not have an inherited component. It's a "nurture" aspect of a character rather than a "nature" one.

Thanks. This is good news. The madman is only in his early 20s, so he could still get a lot worse; and while he's obviously insane, he's not too crazy for military duty (4 stars + 1 against rebels from a retainer). I think I'll keep him as the leader of the MRSU (Mobile Rebel Slaughtering Unit), his battle speeches are amusing.

I didn't know a drinker could sober up in RTW. That's a nice touch too.

**Bob the Insane** · 10-21-2004, 13:45

Originally Posted by Kekkonen

Thanks. This is good news. The madman is only in his early 20s, so he could still get a lot worse; and while he's obviously insane, he's not too crazy for military duty (4 stars + 1 against rebels from a retainer). I think I'll keep him as the leader of the MRSU (Mobile Rebel Slaughtering Unit), his battle speeches are amusing.

I didn't know a drinker could sober up in RTW. That's a nice touch too.

I had a General in my Scipii campaign (I have not finished yet , but he is dead) who was bonkers... Half decent general but if you placed him in a city
as the governor it would almost automatically revolt!!! He spent most of his life as "the Mad" but died with "the Mighty"...

Nothing more annoying than a decent general droping and command star just becuase he has given up have the odd drink with his mates...

**Kekkonen** · 10-21-2004, 14:24

Originally Posted by Bob the Insane

I had a General in my Scipii campaign (I have not finished yet , but he is dead) who was bonkers... Half decent general but if you placed him in a city
as the governor it would almost automatically revolt!!! He spent most of his life as "the Mad" but died with "the Mighty"...

I had a real black sheep of the family in the Julii campaign that I started just to learn the ropes. He was an 8-star general, but it seemed like he had collected almost every vice that doesn't reduce your command rating. He wasn't nuts though -- he was just a pervert. At one point I calculated that if management and influence could go into the negative, he'd have -1 management and something like -5 influence -- and that's with a priest of Jupiter -- and +40% in unrest.

But as I said, he was a hell of a general. He was Amulius Victor after destroying the Gauls, and may have gotten another moniker after single-handedly taking out the Spanish faction.

**Captain Fishpants** · 10-21-2004, 14:29

Originally Posted by Kekkonen

Thanks. This is good news. The madman is only in his early 20s, so he could still get a lot worse; and while he's obviously insane, he's not too crazy for military duty (4 stars + 1 against rebels from a retainer). I think I'll keep him as the leader of the MRSU (Mobile Rebel Slaughtering Unit), his battle speeches are amusing.

I didn't know a drinker could sober up in RTW. That's a nice touch too.

Some vices and virtues have counter-traits. A character who starts to sober up will gradually become less of a drunk and may even go teetotal. It's quite possible for a general to waver in his attachment (or not) to the wine amphora over a number of years. Likewise, it's possible for a (marginal) coward to redeem himself and even become known for his bravery, if he does the right thing often enough.

However - and this is an important "however" - for some traits there's an extreme point at which you can't get back to a normal condition. If a man starts drinking heavily (for example), he can go just that bit too far and never be able to completely kick the habit.

Finally some traits will stop you getting other vices or virtues. The four "humours" or basic character types of classical times are mutually exclusive, for example; a man cannot simultaneously be pious and an atheist; and so forth. There's actually quite a clever system under the hood for VnVs this time, and I think it adds quite a lot of character to the characters!

**HicRic** · 10-21-2004, 15:36

I love the way the traits seem to affect the pre-battle speeches, too. Really helps bring out the character from the traits onto the battlefield (I think the bloodthirsty guys talk about "bathing in blood for a week" and the lunatics talk nonsense?)

My Brutii family are certainly a...colourful bunch of people.

A very nice touch to the game.

**Kekkonen** · 10-21-2004, 16:00

Originally Posted by HicRic

I love the way the traits seem to affect the pre-battle speeches, too. Really helps bring out the character from the traits onto the battlefield (I think the bloodthirsty guys talk about "bathing in blood for a week" and the lunatics talk nonsense?)

Yup. If your general is bloody, you'll hear "I want to see blood! I want to bathe in their blood! I want to bathe in their blood for a week! Now go KILL THEM ALL!!"

Deranged: "...but our pointy things are pointier than theirs. Yes, much pointier..."

Social drinker: "The first man to the enemy gets a jug of my finest wine!"

***Ringo*** · 10-21-2004, 16:17

My generals all seem to end up blood thirsty, deranged drinkers!

Maybe it's just the way i play!

Nice to see we'll get no more God Fearing Atheists like in MTW tho!

*Ringo*

/edit for typo, damn!!

**Khorak** · 10-21-2004, 16:30

Oh my God I have to find a deranged lunatic and have him go into battle!
*runs off to play RTW*

**SwordsMaster** · 10-21-2004, 17:30

Lastly Im getting lots of drunkard, deranged, minions, but really good commanders and wall defenders..... Curious.Specially when combined with Understanding of Mathematics and Famous Orator. (And yes, I have a guy who has all of them + Drillmaster). Go figure.....

**SwordsMaster** · 10-21-2004, 17:30

Lastly Im getting lots of drunkard, deranged, minions, but really good commanders and wall defenders..... Curious.Specially when combined with Understanding of Mathematics and Famous Orator. (And yes, I have a guy who has all of them + Drillmaster). Go figure.....

**TinCow** · 10-21-2004, 15:53

Originally Posted by Captain Fishpants

Finally some traits will stop you getting other vices or virtues. The four "humours" or basic character types of classical times are mutually exclusive, for example; a man cannot simultaneously be pious and an atheist; and so forth. There's actually quite a clever system under the hood for VnVs this time, and I think it adds quite a lot of character to the characters!

I have seen a Spartan Connoisseur. Reading their descriptions, those traits should be mutually exclusive but clearly they are not.

**Slyspy** · 10-22-2004, 03:23

Originally Posted by Captain Fishpants

Finally some traits will stop you getting other vices or virtues. The four "humours" or basic character types of classical times are mutually exclusive, for example; a man cannot simultaneously be pious and an atheist; and so forth. There's actually quite a clever system under the hood for VnVs this time, and I think it adds quite a lot of character to the characters!

Doesn't mean there are no stupid combinations though. I have a (bribed) Gaulish leader who is the "restrained" and subject to "uncontrollable rage" for example and no end of childless "fertile" generals. Guess they have lots of bastards running around heh?