Backwards Logic
Emperor Palpatine
Birth Of An Empire: Game Thread. Again
Hosted by: Pinman and Backwards Logic
Posting Open!!!
Hosted by: Pinman and Backwards Logic
Posting Open!!!
READ THE RULES!!!
Much has been changed since Pinman recruited me to help GM. Read the rules and if you need clarification on something, pm me or Pinman and we will address it.
Order Deadline: Saturday, May 3rd @ 6:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Game has started, sign-ups are closed to forming a new nation, but NPC's are available.
North American, South American, African, and Middle Eastern nations send orders to Backwards Logic
European, Asian, and Australian nations send orders to Pinman
1) Getting Started:
Spoiler :
In the beginning, the Earth was without form. And void. Yadda yadda yadda. Anyway, the year is now 4000 BC. To play, all we need is a country name, capital name, color, and government. When choosing a color, no blacks, whites, grays or blues are allowed. The whites are too close to the blank terrain, grays are for barbarians, blacks are too close to the border colors, and light blues too close to water.
2) The Turn:
Spoiler :
Turns will be done on a one-per-week basis. During the turn, you may discuss trades, deals, wars, agreements, backstabbing (okay, that might go on behind closed doors), or anything else that pertains to the game in the forums. Posts in the forums do not have to be truthful! Only what is sent to your respective GM will count.
3) Orders:
Spoiler :
Orders are your plan of action which you send to your GM. Backwards Logic will handle orders from nations in North America, South America, and Africa. Pinman will handle orders from nations in Europe, Asia, and Australia. It is important you get your orders in to us in a timely fashion. Again, your orders are due before the deadline posted! If you miss the deadline, your nation will be automated. To clarify, automating a nation results in all gold banked for that turn along with no expansion or attack. Missing orders three times in a row results in your nation turning into an NPC.
4) Economy and Infrastructure: Please Read This!
Spoiler :
Your nation's economy is determined in Gold Per Turn (GPT). This is your nation's income per turn. This income is what you will use to improve your nation, either by building cities, researching technology, building your army and navy, or in a limited role, buying infrastructure. You can also bank your gold for spending at a future date, but it will not accumulate interest until a specific tech is introduced by me and researched. Also note your GPT will naturally rise over time due to inflation. If your GPT is in between 1 and 50, it takes 3 turns for it to rise by one. From 50 to 75, it will raise by one every 5 turns. As the game progresses and economies grow higher, I will notify everyone what the growth will be past 75.
Pinman and I have decided to scrap the infrastructure aspect of the game. We have deemed it too powerful and it affects game balance and gameplay. However, as consolation to all nations that have made infrastructure, every nation can make up to nine infrastructure. Period. Once at nine, you cannot build anymore.
Pinman and I have decided to scrap the infrastructure aspect of the game. We have deemed it too powerful and it affects game balance and gameplay. However, as consolation to all nations that have made infrastructure, every nation can make up to nine infrastructure. Period. Once at nine, you cannot build anymore.
5) Technology:
Spoiler :
Technology is very important to your civilization's advancement. Roughly every 6 turns or so, an unspecified number of technologies will be introduced to the game. These will have specific bonuses relating to military, the economy, expansion, or anything else we can think of. To research these, you will need to purchase the required amount of tech points to acquire it. One Tech Point (TP) is = One Gold. Once you acquire a tech, you are allowed to trade it as long as one nation involved in the trade has alphabet researched and trade distance requirements are satisfied. More on this in Resources/Trade section.
6) Special Projects:
Spoiler :
Special Projects are what can make your nation unique to the rest. You are allowed to create a project to do anything realistic to your nation (NO METEOR STRIKES, DIVINE PLAGUES, MAGICAL POWERS, etc). You can, however create projects that boost expansion, attack, defense, etc. Just pm your idea to your GM and we will assign a monetary value to it. Be warned, if you create something deemed too powerful, we can veto it. If you'd like to make a unique tech, again, tell us what you would like and what it's ability is. Again, we have absolute veto power pertaining to techs deemed too powerful. Once your unique tech is created and researched, you can trade this like any other tech. Be warned, if your stability is low (to be covered later), your tech might get leaked to another country.
7) Military Creation:
Spoiler :
As time goes on, units will be introduced and assigned a build value. NOTE: The cost for individual units will be different for each type of unit. Certain techs will allow different units, which will allow for different strategies to be employed by you. The more varied your army, the more options you have at your disposal in battle.
You will notice each military unit has a base strength value. To calculate your army's total strength value, we will add up the total strength present in your army. This will be known as your base strength. Whatever troops you designate for a particular battle, we will add up the base strength present in that army and then add or subtract whatever modifiers necessary.
Also, military will cost you upkeep. 40 military will be free always (this is what everyone started with). Afterwards, every 8 Military Points invested into total military will cost 1 GPT of upkeep, rounded up. Later on, techs will be introduced that will lower this cost.
You will notice each military unit has a base strength value. To calculate your army's total strength value, we will add up the total strength present in your army. This will be known as your base strength. Whatever troops you designate for a particular battle, we will add up the base strength present in that army and then add or subtract whatever modifiers necessary.
Also, military will cost you upkeep. 40 military will be free always (this is what everyone started with). Afterwards, every 8 Military Points invested into total military will cost 1 GPT of upkeep, rounded up. Later on, techs will be introduced that will lower this cost.
8) Unique Units:
Spoiler :
Unique units are allowed! They will give your army unique abilities that otherwise you may not have. To make a unique unit, just pm your GM what you have in mind and what base strength and ability it will have. Keep in mind: The unique unit you create must be realistic to the era and technology situation! No paratroopers, tanks, Imperial AT-AT's (although that would be cool...no, wait, you can't have them), etc. We will assign a project value for this and once the required amount of gold is spent on it, you will be allowed to make it. You are limited to one unique unit per age. These units are also upgradeable, but only to a new unique unit. You will need to create a new project every time you wish to upgrade your unique unit.
9) Military Orders:
Spoiler :
Should you decide to attack someone, in your orders should be a brief summary of how many units you wish to send to battle and where they are going At The Minimum! Since this is a story based game, it would greatly help your battle odds by providing tactics, strategies, and anything else you think will be helpful in your efforts. Going beyond the minimum is a definitely suggested! The more specific you are, the better your results will be. It's that simple. In fact, tactics will be a LARGE part of deciding the outcome of the battle! So, while you could outnumber an opponent, if you aren't specific about tactics you could find yourself with a ton of casualties or worse, losing the battle!
10) Cities and Forts:
Spoiler :
The first of these are cities. Give a name and location, you get a city on the map that adds 2 gpt to your economy. This bonus will increase as the game goes along. Cities cost 5 gold for the first two, and for every two after the cost increases by 5. However, building cities causes instability in your nation (see stability for details). Also, if the city is lost, the gpt bonus transfers away. In other words, if at the time cities give 2 GPT and you lose that city, you lose 2 GPT. You can also build forts for 20 gold, and these give +20% power when defending the area. These are all shown on the map and have an effective radius of about a half inch, so strategic placement is key. Cities are shown as circles, and forts are pluses. Note: cities and forts can be captured, and this will be covered later.
11) Expansion and Attack:
Spoiler :
Expansion: As your nation advances, you will likely want to grow your borders. Any white areas are fair game. However, don't over-expand, as your stability will suffer for it. Expansion overseas has been altered. Fishing tech allows expansion over rivers and inland seas. Sailing will allow expansion along the coast of continents at a much faster rate than if it were to be done on land.
Attack: Already has been covered, but a few things need to be addressed. Cities and Forts can be captured or razed. Capturing a city results allows you to get the GPT bonus for it later. However, this city will be in rebellion for a few turns. Pinman or I will flip a coin, and if it lands heads it will come out of rebellion. Tails, it stays in rebellion and no GPT bonus is added. A cap of three turns is in place should one be that unlucky. However, you can spped this up by spending gold. The cost is 5 gold for the ancient age, then it doubles for each age. Spending the gold brings it out of rebellion that turn, and you will get the GPT bonus next turn. Razing cities will net in the ancient era will net 5 gold, and as each Age starts this bonus will double (5->10->20 etc).
Attack: Already has been covered, but a few things need to be addressed. Cities and Forts can be captured or razed. Capturing a city results allows you to get the GPT bonus for it later. However, this city will be in rebellion for a few turns. Pinman or I will flip a coin, and if it lands heads it will come out of rebellion. Tails, it stays in rebellion and no GPT bonus is added. A cap of three turns is in place should one be that unlucky. However, you can spped this up by spending gold. The cost is 5 gold for the ancient age, then it doubles for each age. Spending the gold brings it out of rebellion that turn, and you will get the GPT bonus next turn. Razing cities will net in the ancient era will net 5 gold, and as each Age starts this bonus will double (5->10->20 etc).
12) Resources/Trade:
Spoiler :
On the map, there will be colored shapes representing resources. Each resource is worth 5 GPT. If traded to another nation, is nets another 5 GPT. This trade bonus may increase with various techs. (Note: All trade bonuses associated with current tech have been removed. There are currently no techs that increase this bonus however...)
Intercontinental Trade: MUST READ
Trading in the old version was ridiculous and unrealistic. Therefore, various changes have been made to reflect realistic trading situations. Certain techs will allow certain trade abilities to open up.
Before anything is researched, nations can only trade from 1 inch away from the edge of your cultural boundary. This distance shall be referred to as the Trade Distance. On the map are various rivers and lakes. Teching fishing will allow trade to travel up these rivers (as long as part of it is in your cultural boundary). From the river, you can then travel that one inch away to another nation. Note: If two nations wish to trade, but the end of their trade movement doesn't end up in the target nation's territory, trade cannot happen. Also, river hopping in neutral territory is NOT allowed. You must start in a river that is in your territory and stay in that river until you decide to get out. Once out, you cannot get back in. However, you can travel the trade distance to a river, get in, then ride that river to another nation. To summarize, you either start in a river in your territory to a point where you can get to another nation in under a 1 inch movement, travel to a river in under 1 inch and ride it to the nation, or without fishing only move the one inch.
For coastal/sea trade to happen, both nations need sailing teched. This opens this avenue of trading up for those nations. Coastal/Sea trade gives your navy a 3 inch/7.6 cm trade distance for your ships to travel. You must start in a port city and end up in a port city. Also note that you are allowed to sail to a river and travel up that river to another nation and trade with them, as long as the river ends up in the target nation's territory. Traveling in a river does not count toward your sea trade distance - only traveling to the mouth of the river does.
This trade distance will be increased with various techs. Also, you are allowed to expand in the direction you wish to trade it before using the trade distance to factor if you make it to the other nation or not - but be warned, expanding has negative effects on your stability.
Also, any trading that occurred previously before this was introduced was fine, but the new rules now forbid this from happening in the future.
Intercontinental Trade: MUST READ
Trading in the old version was ridiculous and unrealistic. Therefore, various changes have been made to reflect realistic trading situations. Certain techs will allow certain trade abilities to open up.
Before anything is researched, nations can only trade from 1 inch away from the edge of your cultural boundary. This distance shall be referred to as the Trade Distance. On the map are various rivers and lakes. Teching fishing will allow trade to travel up these rivers (as long as part of it is in your cultural boundary). From the river, you can then travel that one inch away to another nation. Note: If two nations wish to trade, but the end of their trade movement doesn't end up in the target nation's territory, trade cannot happen. Also, river hopping in neutral territory is NOT allowed. You must start in a river that is in your territory and stay in that river until you decide to get out. Once out, you cannot get back in. However, you can travel the trade distance to a river, get in, then ride that river to another nation. To summarize, you either start in a river in your territory to a point where you can get to another nation in under a 1 inch movement, travel to a river in under 1 inch and ride it to the nation, or without fishing only move the one inch.
For coastal/sea trade to happen, both nations need sailing teched. This opens this avenue of trading up for those nations. Coastal/Sea trade gives your navy a 3 inch/7.6 cm trade distance for your ships to travel. You must start in a port city and end up in a port city. Also note that you are allowed to sail to a river and travel up that river to another nation and trade with them, as long as the river ends up in the target nation's territory. Traveling in a river does not count toward your sea trade distance - only traveling to the mouth of the river does.
This trade distance will be increased with various techs. Also, you are allowed to expand in the direction you wish to trade it before using the trade distance to factor if you make it to the other nation or not - but be warned, expanding has negative effects on your stability.
Also, any trading that occurred previously before this was introduced was fine, but the new rules now forbid this from happening in the future.
13) Wonders:
Spoiler :
In the old version, world wonders were nation-specific and open to just that nation. In this version, I will introduce new wonders available to any nation that wishes to build them. They will have a specific cost and will have powerful ability, so diverting funds to complete them will be worth-while. However, only one can be built. If you wish to build a wonder, just tell the GM which city you wish to build it in. But be warned, if you miss out on the wonder, you will only get back 50% of what you spent. If two nations complete the wonder during the same turn, the tie-breaker will be whoever sent in complete orders first. No "oh spend X to finish wonder, I'll let you know the rest later." Once you send a batch of orders in that includes completing a wonder, that's it. No edits are allowed. Wonder progress will be kept secret from all other nations. The only thing you will know is if the wonder construction has started and where it is. There will be no national wonders assigned. If you want a specific type of national wonder for you, bring it to a GM as a special project. Note: we may ask you to rename a national wonder to something else, since we may add it as a world wonder later. Give it a fancy fictitious name or something.
14) Stability/Rebellions:
Spoiler :
Several things affect stability. Negative modifiers include size of empire, cities, the age the world is in, and different types of government. Bonuses include military presence, government, religion, wonders and techs with stability multipliers. High stability is good. Low stability can cause unique techs to be leaked or worse, a full scale rebellion.
Cities: Cities cause instability, at a cost of 5% per city. This trait can be lowered when appropriate techs are introduced.
Military: Having military increases your stability. For every 6 Gold invested into your current army, you receive a 1% boost to stability.
Techs: Certain techs will increase your stability. Whatever its bonus is will be added to your stability number.
Generally, anything lower than 70% stability can cause small rebellions or tech leakage, and under 60% there's a very good chance of a minor one starting. Under 50% can cause rather crippling rebellions. Note this not concrete, as it may vary depending on situations at the time.
To quell a city rebellion, you can mobilize your army to take control of the city for a cost of 1 gold for every 5 mobilized. The city has a base 50% chance of coming out of rebellion, and every 5 army mobilized adds a 25% chance of the city coming out of rebellion. Note this is on a per city basis. To quell two separate cities, two separate armies will be needed.
Cities: Cities cause instability, at a cost of 5% per city. This trait can be lowered when appropriate techs are introduced.
Military: Having military increases your stability. For every 6 Gold invested into your current army, you receive a 1% boost to stability.
Techs: Certain techs will increase your stability. Whatever its bonus is will be added to your stability number.
Generally, anything lower than 70% stability can cause small rebellions or tech leakage, and under 60% there's a very good chance of a minor one starting. Under 50% can cause rather crippling rebellions. Note this not concrete, as it may vary depending on situations at the time.
To quell a city rebellion, you can mobilize your army to take control of the city for a cost of 1 gold for every 5 mobilized. The city has a base 50% chance of coming out of rebellion, and every 5 army mobilized adds a 25% chance of the city coming out of rebellion. Note this is on a per city basis. To quell two separate cities, two separate armies will be needed.
15) Governments:
Spoiler :
Government types carry pros and cons. Every system has its strengths and weaknesses. In the beginning you will be restricted to a few basic types, but as time progresses you can PM era-appropriate governments you want to switch to and, if approved, they will be implemented for all to use. In the start you are restricted to:
Tribal Council: Penalty to Stability, neutral to Military, bonus to Expansion, neutral to Technology
Anarchy: Large penalty to All. You're only in this government when you switch government types. Nothing happens in an Anarchy.
Despotism: Penalty to Stability, bonus to Military, neutral to Expansion, neutral to Technology.
City-States: Penalty to Stability, neutral to Military, neutral to Expansion, bonus to Technology.
Chieftainism: Large Bonus to Stability, Neutral to Military, penalty to Expansion, Penalty to Technology.
As time goes on and more people invent new governments in their PMs, new forms of government will be available.
Is a 5% bonus or 5% penalty to stability. Is a 5% bonus or penalty to military strength. Is a reasonable bonus or penalty regarding expansion. Technology bonuses add +1 TP or -1 TP per turn. This will start now.
eg for Technology: If you must put in 9 TP to research your objectives, with a government penalty you must put in 10 TP. With a government bonus you must put in 8 TP.
Note: This WILL be kept track of. So please know what bonuses and penalties you have with your specific government.
Tribal Council: Penalty to Stability, neutral to Military, bonus to Expansion, neutral to Technology
Anarchy: Large penalty to All. You're only in this government when you switch government types. Nothing happens in an Anarchy.
Despotism: Penalty to Stability, bonus to Military, neutral to Expansion, neutral to Technology.
City-States: Penalty to Stability, neutral to Military, neutral to Expansion, bonus to Technology.
Chieftainism: Large Bonus to Stability, Neutral to Military, penalty to Expansion, Penalty to Technology.
As time goes on and more people invent new governments in their PMs, new forms of government will be available.
Is a 5% bonus or 5% penalty to stability. Is a 5% bonus or penalty to military strength. Is a reasonable bonus or penalty regarding expansion. Technology bonuses add +1 TP or -1 TP per turn. This will start now.
eg for Technology: If you must put in 9 TP to research your objectives, with a government penalty you must put in 10 TP. With a government bonus you must put in 8 TP.
Note: This WILL be kept track of. So please know what bonuses and penalties you have with your specific government.
16) Religion:
Spoiler :
Each Religion is unique and gives a bonus to all of its members. There is an additional bonus to the leader of the religion based on number of members. This bonus would be designed by the creator of the religion, but it must be reasonable. A list of founded religions and their benefits will be posted on the front page. Also, once a tech to-be-determined in the future is researched, missionaries can be trained to send to convert other nations. The distance they are allowed to travel will be whatever that nation's trade distance is at the time and the missionary's travel will function the same as if the two nations were trading.
If you create a religion, your capital becomes the "holy city." You can spread your religion freely, so long as the other nation chooses to adopt it. However, your religion can be wiped out if your capital is razed by another nation. A three-turn countdown timer will start. This causes mega-ultra-severe instability problems for other nations with that religion (including the nation who just lost the "holy city"). However, you will still get whatever bonus that religion presented for three turns after the capital's destruction. Then afterwards, should you not adopt another religion, you will go religion-less. You are allowed to switch to another religion at anytime with no penalty or anarchy, although you must wait five turns before switching to another.
If you create a religion, your capital becomes the "holy city." You can spread your religion freely, so long as the other nation chooses to adopt it. However, your religion can be wiped out if your capital is razed by another nation. A three-turn countdown timer will start. This causes mega-ultra-severe instability problems for other nations with that religion (including the nation who just lost the "holy city"). However, you will still get whatever bonus that religion presented for three turns after the capital's destruction. Then afterwards, should you not adopt another religion, you will go religion-less. You are allowed to switch to another religion at anytime with no penalty or anarchy, although you must wait five turns before switching to another.
17) Vassal States/Colonies:
Spoiler :
Both Vassal States and Colonies will be allowed. The details though are entirely up to the players to hash out.
18) Objective:
Spoiler :
Before Space Colonization:
Solo Victory-
A Solo Victory is defined as control of 66% of the earth’s land. This can either be totally controlled by your empire, or divided up among your colonies and vassals. Thus the title “Solo victory” is deceptive, as in fact all of the players serving as your Vassals and Colonies would share in the victory. The title is solo as there is only 1 Empire as victor.
Allied Victory-
An Allied Victory is defined as total control of the earth’s land between two separate empires. There can be no more than two empires involved in the victory. Again, this includes all colonies and vassal, as players controlling these would share in the victory.
After Space Colonization:
At some point, humanity will have advanced to the point where space colonization is possible. There may be challenges involved in this, however victory at this point will be less complex.
Solo Victory-
A Space Solo Victory is defined as:
1) A nation landing on the moon. Once you have landed on the moon, you can begin to construct a colony.
2) The first nation to construct all required colony structures. Each colony structure with be a national project, unlocked by researching a particular tech. Once all required colony structures are built, that nation will win.
Allied Victory-
An Allied Space Victory is defined as two nations agreeing to share the moon between them and simultaneously building one colony together. The two nations share the cost and once finished, both nations will win.
Solo Victory-
A Solo Victory is defined as control of 66% of the earth’s land. This can either be totally controlled by your empire, or divided up among your colonies and vassals. Thus the title “Solo victory” is deceptive, as in fact all of the players serving as your Vassals and Colonies would share in the victory. The title is solo as there is only 1 Empire as victor.
Allied Victory-
An Allied Victory is defined as total control of the earth’s land between two separate empires. There can be no more than two empires involved in the victory. Again, this includes all colonies and vassal, as players controlling these would share in the victory.
After Space Colonization:
At some point, humanity will have advanced to the point where space colonization is possible. There may be challenges involved in this, however victory at this point will be less complex.
Solo Victory-
A Space Solo Victory is defined as:
1) A nation landing on the moon. Once you have landed on the moon, you can begin to construct a colony.
2) The first nation to construct all required colony structures. Each colony structure with be a national project, unlocked by researching a particular tech. Once all required colony structures are built, that nation will win.
Allied Victory-
An Allied Space Victory is defined as two nations agreeing to share the moon between them and simultaneously building one colony together. The two nations share the cost and once finished, both nations will win.
Rules Have Been Finalized.
Please Re-Read Them. If you ask a question that is covered in the rules and is not a clarification question, we GM's have the right to have meteors or hurricanes strike your nation! So please read them!
Please Re-Read Them. If you ask a question that is covered in the rules and is not a clarification question, we GM's have the right to have meteors or hurricanes strike your nation! So please read them!
