The Will of the Senate - out of character thread

[econ21]

The current rules over ancillaries are a bit of a bother, but I don't think they are excessive. Some cities should have regular governors - Roma, big cities, etc - and these governors can regularly "farm" the priests of the temples there. The current rule says it's ok to take a priest off such a governor, provided the governor is going to stay there and so have a chance to pick up a new priest to replace the one they've lost. I suspect it's only really worth making an effort over in the case generals with armies (who should number only 3-4 at the moment - our 3 legates and the Consul) to give them priests of Mars and Jupiter (which raise their command).

Personally, I don't think the First Consul PMing people over ancillary trades is going to work at all. Now that really is a lot of bother. I'm finding Senators are hard bargainers and anyway the First Consul actually has nothing much to bargain with (he can't easily take other people's ancillaries to swop with yours). I think most PBMers probably want to play out their 20 turns as First Consuls fairly promptly - over a weekend or at most two. It's ok to have to interrupt things to give other players a chance to fight battles. That's fun. But horse trading over ancillaries is not something most First Consuls are going to want to delay their reign for.

[Braden]

Yup – got to admit that my idea, if not already, will certainly be utterly “unworkable” when the number of Avatars increases.

D'oh! D'oh! D'oh!

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

I did not intend the first consul to PM with players over ancilliary trades. I suggest that during the senate sessions between first consuls, when the avatar gallery is updated, the senators themselves may negotiate deals among themselves. They could then notify the future first consul of any exchanges they would like him to make.

As cavalry is beyond our budget at the moment, most of the tribunes are used for such a purpose. Still, we could use the upper house avatars (like Tricky_lady) and unassigned ones to transport priests to the front lines from the cities. Problematically, I do not see many lower house avatars volunteering for governorship duties, so we will have to breed them off the students. This will require more building of temples in Rome and Syracuse. Still, this is workable. I can't say I'm enthusiastic, but I will go along with the present rules if there are no other 'dissenters'.

Another problem is that I need to assign cavalry to the 'transport' avatars to keep them moving fast while increasing their active military service. This is rather expensive.

[econ21]

I did not intend the first consul to PM with players over ancilliary trades.

I never meant to imply you intended that, DDW. Rather it was what most of us thought before we started the game.

I suggest that during the senate sessions between first consuls, when the avatar gallery is updated, the senators themselves may negotiate deals among themselves. They could then notify the future first consul of any exchanges they would like him to make.

Neat idea - people are free to do that under the current rules.

Another problem is that I need to assign cavalry to the 'transport' avatars to keep them moving fast while increasing their active military service. This is rather expensive.

I don't understand this point. Why does assigning cavalry to them make a transport avatar faster?

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

I don't understand this point. Why does assigning cavalry to them make a transport avatar faster?

A transport avatar generally goes back to fetch more troops emptyhanded. If I do not assign them a cavalry unit they will lose their tribune ranking and their military experience will stop increasing. I assign them a non-cavalry unit they will travel very slowly.

[econ21]

If I do not assign them a cavalry unit they will lose their tribune ranking and their military experience will stop increasing.

Are you sure of that? Marcus Camillus's notes say:
"Characters do not need to be in command of any troops to advance to the military rank of Tribune."
I thought as long as we keep them out of settlements, they will keep getting experience. I know higher ranks need Roman infantry in their stacks as well as not to be in settlements.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Ah, I see.

Well, I'd better send the cavalry northwards tout suite then.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

For my amusement I've looked further into the Hooting trait of my 'son' Destroyer of Hope.
It is possible to lose this by chance, but it is also possible that it will get worse to Hiding_From_the_World or even Unhinged_Loon. There's no losing the trait when you get to Hiding_From_the_World. (This is part of the Insane trait enum, there are also TouchedByTheGods, Deranged, ReligiousMania and PathologicalLiar enums to name but a few).
It is also possible that our new diplomat will lose his Tactless triat, but if it gets worse to Discourteous there's no going back.

[Wishazu]

I would like to take the Avatar of the unassigned Diplomat if it is still available. However after looking at the vast amounts of information, threads etc. for this campaign im worried i may have over reached myself lol. Alot of it seems to be going straight over my head. If someone could please send me a PM explaining what i must do etc.

Is there a pecking order when it comes to making posts in the deliberations thread?

[Braden]

Well here's hoping for Unhinged_loon then....come on, we can't be Romans without at least one utter nutter.....

....can we??

[Mount Suribachi]

Is there a pecking order when it comes to making posts in the deliberations thread?

Not at all, get stuck in mate

[econ21]

If someone could please send me a PM explaining what i must do etc.

OK, I'll assign you the diplomat, Oppius Vintruvius. TinCow will post a screenshot of him in the Senate library thread, if he's not already there.

Optionally, you might want to PM the First consul, DDW, to find out where your diplomat is and what he is planning to do with him in the next 10 turns. It's ultimately up to DDW, but I am sure he would welcome any suggestions from you.

But the core role you have as a Senator will be deciding the direction of the campaign. You do that by pontificating in the Senate deliberations thread, proposing motions and voting on them. Tomorrow at 6pm, I'll post a poll thread where you can vote yes or no to some motions regarding the last 10 turns of DDW's reign. The poll will be open for 24 hours, then we'll let him get on with it and he'll come back in a few days with a closing First Consul report.

After that, we'll go back to the Senate deliberations thread, have 2 days for tabling fresh motions for the next 10 turns and people will offer themselves up for election as the next player (First Consul). You can vote again and so on.

It only gets really complex if you want to step into the Lower House, where you will be expected to install the mod, play any battles your general gets into and at some point run for First Consul (ie play for 20 turns). Even then, it's not really much more daunting than playing a mod on your own.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Hi Wishazu,
It's quite simple really. One player plays the game for 5 years (with the mods thats 20 turns as the year is divided in 4 seasons). He is the 'first consul'. Every 20 turns we elect a new one. A debate will be started on the 'in character' thread and people can give themselves up as a candidate. After several days of debate we start a new 'election' thread were you can vote for your candidate. Senators can also propose motions during debates and these can also be voted upon. If you check the last two pages of the in-character thread you can see examples of motions being proposed. Tomorrow evening the debate closes and there will be a day of voting. Then the first consul (who happens to be me at the moment) can play on. What's currently going on is the intermediate debate, which takes place 10 turns into a first consuls reign.
Okay, it's not that simple , but I'd advise you to read the first posts of the in- and the out- of character thread where all the current rules and regulations are updated continuously. In the senate library you can see the maps and avatars and so on.
Any questions, just ask.

EDIT : I may be a fast poster, but not as fast as econ21 :)
You can find out what your avatar, the diplomat Oppius Vintruvius, has been up to by reading the first consul reports thread. He is currently not present in the senate library, but that will happen soon. At the moment he's just left Iberia and is marching towards Massilia, as I want to know for sure if it is still in rebel hands or is the Gauls own it by now. Then you are basically a 'loose cannon' as all the necessary trade agreements and map exchanges have been made. I will probably try to make new alliances with you and explore. any suggestions for your character are always welcome.

[Myrddraal]

Sorry to post off topic, this if for your info, not discussion really.

I am trying to follow Myrddraal's multiplayer campaign (information overload ). It looks extremely interesting so far. I have no idea how this will turn out.

In summary, the world has divided into three major alliances:

The Compact of Europa:
Britannia
Gaul
Germania
Macedon
Spain

The Order of the Eagle
House of Julii
House of Scipii
Carthage
Greek Cities
Egypt

The Pan Persian League
Pontus
Parthia
Seleucia


The Compact and the Pan Persian League have an alliance to fight and trade together till the Order of the Eagle is trampled. The Order of the Eagle are defiant.

It's turning out to be an interesting game, and we haven't even started the actual play

This really is a very brief summary, there has been so much diplomatic dealing to get to this stage it's unbelievable really.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Thanks for the heads up, that explains a lot. I will continue to follow this with much interest. [off topic discussion closed]

[Wishazu]

well ive taken a look at my Avatar, he`s young and tactless. Great :)

[econ21]

...tactless

Yes, I suspect there is a personal cost to making diplomatic initiatives that fail. Could be one reason to try to persuade the First Consul (and the fool Senate) not to send you off on some hopeless errand.

[TinCow]

Yes, I suspect there is a personal cost to making diplomatic initiatives that fail. Could be one reason to try to persuade the First Consul (and the fool Senate) not to send you off on some hopeless errand.

Hey, at least he's not being used as expendable cavalry!

[Wishazu]

would it be possible to attach all Consulate candidates manifesto`s to the thread in which we are required to vote? I believe this will help to make things easier for all involved.

[TinCow]

would it be possible to attach all Consulate candidates manifesto`s to the thread in which we are required to vote? I believe this will help to make things easier for all involved.

I put the candidate manifestos in the Vestibule (first post) of the Senate Library during election times. However, in order to keep the thread somewhat readable, I delete them after the election has occurred. Since we are not in the middle of an election now, none are posted.

[Ignoramus]

May I ask to be go somewhere from Parthia? I am still the Republic's best diplomat, and unlike Oppius Vintruvius. I am not tactless in my speech. I am insulted that a tactless diplomat would be preferred to an eloquent diplomat who has secured foreign hostages.

[Avicenna]

For my amusement I've looked further into the Hooting trait of my 'son' Destroyer of Hope.
It is possible to lose this by chance, but it is also possible that it will get worse to Hiding_From_the_World or even Unhinged_Loon. There's no losing the trait when you get to Hiding_From_the_World. (This is part of the Insane trait enum, there are also TouchedByTheGods, Deranged, ReligiousMania and PathologicalLiar enums to name but a few).
It is also possible that our new diplomat will lose his Tactless triat, but if it gets worse to Discourteous there's no going back.

In my 2 RTR campaigns, both times my current character has gotten 'hooting' and once he got 'hiding from the world'.

That should explain why I was reluctant to take him

Back to hiding in an amphora vase for now.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Hi Ingoramus,
Once you've spoken with the egyptians I'm sending you back to talk to the Thracians. Then you will be close to where the action is once again.

[Ignoramus]

My thanks, I am grateful for my return to civilization.

[RickFGS]

Hello everyone, im playing as the Julli faction on the PBEM starting in this forum, i would like to forward an invitation to any members whilling to share their wisdom and knowledge, to post on the Rome Republic alliance subforum.

Comments and constructive critiscism will be must aprecciated.

RickFGS

[Wishazu]

May I ask to be go somewhere from Parthia? I am still the Republic's best diplomat, and unlike Oppius Vintruvius. I am not tactless in my speech. I am insulted that a tactless diplomat would be preferred to an eloquent diplomat who has secured foreign hostages.

I am insulted! try dealing with the stubborn greeks and see where it gets you, lol

[Braden]

“Black List” – I think that some thing can be changed in the way its put forward so that you can give it some In Character validity:

Firstly, we could change the name from “Black List” to perhaps something like “Target Provinces/Dynasties”, and you can validate this by saying you have weighed up the economic advantages of the regions these Dynasties control and have found they have great potential if they were “absorbed into the Republic”.

You can further validate it by noting the civilisating (ok, not a word but you know what I mean) influence of the Republic on the peoples under the “barbaric yoke” of those factions etc etc. I’m sure you can spool out some rhetoric.

We have to come up with some arguments against the Republic being insular, which will be difficult as the Republic was traditionally insular.

We certainly need to streamline the acceptance or otherwise of alliance requests, validating it In Character is a bit harder but as long as the players are aware Out of Character of the real reason behind this list then I think we won’t have an issue.

I would also suggest that a full list of ALL the in-game “known” factions be made and the Senate can vote who we consider “worthy” of alliance.

[Avicenna]

So we should all become xenophobic expansion-driven greedy ambitious senators?

Great, that sounds reasonably Roman to me really.

[Mount Suribachi]

We have to come up with some arguments against the Republic being insular, which will be difficult as the Republic was traditionally insular.

Given the dumb RTW strategic AI, and the fact we've got about 1000 turns to go, I'm sure they'll attack us sooner or later anyway, therefore removing the need to blacklist them.

So I say make merry with the alliances. We don't need to bother engineering wars of conquest, the AI will give them to us.

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

I agree. I prefer simplicity. How about : Diplomacy is free for the first consul unless expressively forbidden by the senate ? So no alliance with Gaul (yet) or Carthage (yet), but the rest is fair game ? Or no alliances with our enemies, only protectorate will be accepted and alliances with everyone else ?