TroG OOC-Thread

[Wasp]

No problem Horus, better to take a bit longer than a rushed victory

I'm moving this week, so if I'm absent for some time, you know the reason.

[Kavhan Isbul]

In the meantime, start thinking about schedules for the next 5 years. Of course, these will probably depend on the outcome of the battle and the distribution of the spoils (if any), but let's make an effort to increase the speed a little. Now it is early in the campaign and there are few troops, provinces and battles, and the pace is slow - imagine what it will be when we have 2 or 3 battles per turn, 30+ provinces and a huge number of troops distributed between all players.

[gunslinger]

Here I am! Fear not.
I haven't been able to fight the battles as of yet, because my family and I went to visit my Grandma from Saturday 'til yesterday afternoon. I'd forgotten my MTW disc, and I had a rather large assignement for school today, which I'd completed yesterday afternoon.
So, don't worry, Genoa will hopefully be victorious tonight!

If this battle isn't won in the next 2 hours, then I will vote to withold funding, or I may vote to provide funding as long as all of the troops are withdrawn according to my time schedule. I know these decisions are supposed to be made by the Consul, but I feel that the Genoan people have given me a mandate to end this senseless war.

. . .Wait, this isn't the backroom?




Crap.

[Martok]

If this battle isn't won in the next 2 hours, then I will vote to withold funding, or I may vote to provide funding as long as all of the troops are withdrawn according to my time schedule. I know these decisions are supposed to be made by the Consul, but I feel that the Genoan people have given me a mandate to end this senseless war.

. . .Wait, this isn't the backroom?




Crap.

My thanks to gunslinger for my biggest laugh of the day.

But back to business.... Any thoughts of what we want to build next in Sardinia, cousin? I don't think we'd really scoped out yet on what to do after the keep, shipwright, and salt mine was completed.

[gunslinger]

It's been awhile since I checked our status, but aren't we going to be flat broke after building the salt mine? If so, then I guess we'll just have to put building on hold for another lustrum while we save up for boats, or a silver mine or something. How much do those dromons cost anyway?

[Kavhan Isbul]

The dromons cost 600, the galleys 500, but the dromons have a lower maintenance than the galleys.
Having a decentralized system of government creates economic difficulties, but makes the game more interesting. At the same time, I do not think I have ever played a game with so many calamities happening in such a short period of time immediately after the start of the campaign - two famines and a flood in less than 15 years (approximately once per 5 years). The fact that the famines hit the two richest provinces and the flood detsroyed the improved farmlands in Genoa made things even worse.

[Martok]

It's been awhile since I checked our status, but aren't we going to be flat broke after building the salt mine? If so, then I guess we'll just have to put building on hold for another lustrum while we save up for boats, or a silver mine or something. How much do those dromons cost anyway?

Good points. I agree that the silver mine should probably be next on our list, although shipbuilding may take priority depending on the military situation. Unfortunately, I also think you're right in that we'll have to hold off on further construction until our coffers have recovered somewhat. (Stupid natural disasters.... )

[naut]

I do not think I have ever played a game with so many calamities happening in such a short period of time immediately after the start of the campaign - two famines and a flood in less than 15 years (approximately once per 5 years). The fact that the famines hit the two richest provinces and the flood detsroyed the improved farmlands in Genoa made things even worse.

[Wasp]

What are my options, Kavhan?

[Kavhan Isbul]

What are my options, Kavhan?

I remember you wanted a keep, and in a few years you should have the money to start it.

[Wasp]

I remember you wanted a keep, and in a few years you should have the money to start it.

Great Just save up until the keep can be built, then. I think that's one schedule already.

[gunslinger]

[Kavhan Isbul]

As I said - if the majority of players votes so, I will autocalculate the battle and we will resume the campaign. If every battle takes more than a week, it will be a looooooooong PBM - perhaps if I have grandkids one day they might be able to finish it.

[Innocentius]

Given that this is actually our first battle, and a very important one, I think we should make an exception for this battle and be patient. Just this one though, like Kavhan said it'll take years if each battle takes us a week.

[gunslinger]

Hmmm. I don't think we ever formally voted on it, but there was some agreement in the parliament awhile back about the Chancellor taking over the duties of Consul if the Consul was "sick" or otherwise unavailable. If it comes down to it, would it be possible for the Chancellor, or someone he designates, to fight the battle? If so, should we make the cavalry from the Consul's bodyguard available to the commander for the duration of the battle? (This could prove to be a stumbling block if the Consul were killed during the battle).

I'm just trying to think of reasonable ways to avoid an autocalc.

[Kavhan Isbul]

I say we wait until the end of this weekend. If we are to take a unit of high valor RKs or even worse, a unit of RKs with a 4-star "Skilled Attacker" commander, then we might be better off leaving all RKs in and autocalculating, as far as a favorable outcome is concerned. Let's give Warmaster Horus a little more time.

[Martok]

I'll go with waiting through the weekend, but no longer. However crucial this battle may be, we really need to get this campaign going faster than the glacial pace at which it's currently moving.

[gunslinger]

Next Monday it is.

[Warmaster Horus]

IT'S DONE!!! I'm finished with it. So sorry it took so long . I sent the file to Khavan this morning, but I'll give a quick report on what happened:
-we won the battle, of course, and captured 208 German men. They were ransomed for a total sum of 332 Florins.
-The expedition to assist Venice had to be stopped. Firstly because of overwhelming opposition (120 against 851) and secondly because Venice didn't even try to save themselves. We would have been alone.
-The court also recieved information that New Armenia existed no more. Their King had been killed, and no heir was found.

Now, I promise you all that such a long wait will not happen anymore.

[Innocentius]

Brilliant!

When can we expect our first write-up in the battle reports thread?

[gunslinger]

Nice work, WH.

Kavhan, when we were forming the outline for this game, you suggested a house rule requiring "retainers" for any heavy cavalry built. Would you find it acceptable to train royal knights without retainers for the express purpose of sending them to wherever our princes are to serve as replacements in the royal bodyguard? Do any of our provinces even have the capability to produce royal knights?

[Kavhan Isbul]

Genoa does. I personally do not have a problem with replenishing already existing princely retinues (or other units, once the princes get old and die). The retainers rule was suggested by Innocentius in order to give a more realistic feeling to the game and to provide an improved challenge, and I really liked the idea. I believe the goal was not to end up with an unrealistic and too strong army - as we play an Italian faction an army with too much heavy cavalry will make even less sense, but since we have no control over princes maturing and their revenues, I believe they should be exempt.

[gunslinger]

Sorry I haven't been around much. Work is getting crazy. Next week looks like it's going to be pretty rough too, so I may have to spend some more time with the "Abbott."

[Martok]

Noted and logged. I'd make up a story about you catching the black plague, but it would 200 years too soon in the campaign.

[Kavhan Isbul]

I am afraid I cannot continue being the Chancellor, and even the good Abbott in Sardinia won't be able to help. I am having problems with the monitor on my laptop, and I am afraid I will have to buy a new one. I have sent a save game file to Warmaster Horus (he needs to fight a battle or retreat), and I can send the excell spreadsheet I was using for calculating the incomes and treasuries of the various houses of nobles to whoever volunteers to replace me. In the meantime, I will not be able to fight any battles either.

[Warmaster Horus]

A pity. You were doing a good job too.
So, I'll hang on to the save, and send it to the next chancellor.
I think as you were the former one, you should be able to nominate a person. If you all agree?

[Kavhan Isbul]

I think it is not about nominating, but about volunteering.

[Warmaster Horus]

In which case, who volunteers?

[Kavhan Isbul]

What I meant is that I do not want to point to someone, especially if this person does not really want to be a Chancellor (or cannot, for reasons similar to mine). Therefore, someone needs to step up and help us all go on with the game. If noone does it, this will be it, I am afraid.

[Warmaster Horus]

If no one comes forward in the next, say, week, then I will abandon my consulship, Innocentius, for example, could be the next consul, and I will be chancellor.