Grandmaster
Deity
It is the Year of Our Lord 1200, and throughout Europe and the Middle East new empires are arising to rival ancient Rome. In the West, the Franks and Germans vie for dominance of Charlemagnes divided realm, while the Spanish Christians are finally starting to push the Moors back to the south. In Italy, numerous states compete to unify the peninsula, and in Britain the emerging English kingdom is beginning its conquest of the Celtic states. In the East, the Byzantine Empire is the last bastion of ancient Roman glory, defending the knowledge of the ancients from increasingly aggressive Muslim Arabs and Turks. All the while, the eastern wind blows word of an advancing horde of Asian horsemen
The Middle Ages will see the rise and fall of great empires and small states. Can you rule the greatest kingdom of the world? Will you retake Jerusalem for Christendom and attain the blessing of the Pope upon your nation? Will you smash the resistance of the Byzantine infidels and spread the word of the Prophet? It is your Divine Right to rule your people; make good use of it, or history will remember you only as a footnote to the history of a conquered nation.
Economy
Economy is a simple aspect of this game. Your economy is measured in two numbers, your treasury and your income-per-turn. The treasury is the amount of money in your bank at the beginning of a turn; it consists of any money banked during your turns and the money gained from your income the previous turn. YOU MAY ONLY SPEND THE MONEY THAT IS IN YOUR TREASURY AT THE BEGINNING OF A TURN. Your income is the amount of money you gain each turn. It can vary from turn to turn. If you gain land, open trade with a foreign country, implement a positive economic policy, or just get a good random event, your income will increase. If you lose land, take heavy civilian casualties in a war, or institute poor economic policies, your income will decrease. YOU MAY NOT SPEND YOUR INCOME UNTIL THE NEXT TURN, WHEN IT IS ADDED TO YOUR TREASURY.
Military
The Middle Ages was one of the most violent periods in history. As such, your military will play an important rule in the affairs of your nation. In addition to the obvious importance of having an army to fight wars, the military will serve other purposes. NPC nations will respect a militarily strong nation more. Using your military to fight a holy war may curry favor for your nation from the head of your religion. Military is done by numbers, according to the following list:
Swordsmen: The basic infantry of the Middle Ages, lightly armored and wielding swords and shields. Good on the offensive, and still somewhat effective on the defensive. 1000 can be built for 3 credits.
Pikemen: Defensive infantry, wearing heavier armor and fighting with long iron pikes. They are very poor on the offensive, useful only against primitive barbarians or in huge numbers. However, they are excellent on the defensive, particularly against cavalry. 1000 can be built for 3 credits.
Swiss Guards: Unique to the Papal States, the Swiss Guard is the personal force of the Pope, acting as his personal bodyguard and militia. They defend slightly better than regular Pikemen, and are more motivated. 800 can be built for 3 credits.
Halbardiers: Improved defensive infantry wielding long poleaxes (a combination of a pike and an axe), Halbardiers are deadly effective against charging cavalry, and are better offensively than regular Pikemen. So far, they have only been researched by Venice. 700 can be built for 3 credits.
Crossbowmen: Ranged infantry, wearing very little or no armor and fighting with stock-mounted crossbows. When used alone, they are mediocre at offense and very poor at defense; however, when used to support melee forces, they are very powerful. 750 can be built for 3 credits.
Longbowmen: Unique to England, Longbowmen are more powerful and more expensive than the normal Crossbowmen. English Longbowmen are highly skilled elite archers using yew bows, and are much better at attack and defense than the Crossbowmen. Longbowmen are particularly good at ranged defense from fortifications, and ambushes in forests. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Knights: The elite feudal cavalry of Christian Europe, Knights dominate the battlefield on both the offensive and defensive. They are fast, aggressive, and heavily armored. Despite their dominance, well-led Pike/Archer formations pose a significant threat to attacking Knights. 500 can be built for 4 credits.
Ansar Warriors: The cavalry of the (Arabic) Islamic nations, Ansar Warriors are lightly armored, highly motivated fanatics who fight on horseback with spears, javelins, and maces. They are faster than Knights due to their lighter armor, but are less effective on the defense. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Cataphracts: Heavily armed and armored professional cavalry fighting for the Orthodox (and particularly Byzantine) nations, Cataphracts are better defenders than Knights, though at the cost of speed. The Cataphracts are on equal ground with western Knights on the attack, though they are much less vulnerable to ranged defenses. 300 can be built for 3 credits.
Horse Archers: Unique to the Mongols, Horse Archers are unarmored nomadic horsemen armed with mighty reflex bows. They are unmatched on the attack, especially when used for hit-and-run raids; however, the price for speed and offensive prowess is near-uselessness at defense. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Ghazi: The unique cavalry of the Tekishan Empire, the Ghazi's are fierce armored horsemen, fighting with lances, swords, and bows. Their medium armor protects them from both melee and ranged weapons with a good degree of effectiveness, while not weighing them down so much as to decrease their speed. In this way, they avoid the problems of the more heavilly Cataphract. The traditional Turkic bow remains the primary ranged weapon of the Ghazi, but they are also trained and equipped for charging enemy infantry using their lances. Fast, aggressive, and armored, these cavalrymen are a match for any army in the world. 450 can be built for 3 credits.
Cog: The warship/transport of Northern Europe. Not very good at either offense or defense, and limited in its transport capacity. 1 Cog may transport 750 infantry or 300 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Galley: The warship/transport of the Mediterranean. Better at both offense and defense than the Cog. A Galley can transport 1000 infantry or 500 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Dromon: A ship unique to the Byzantine Empire, the Dromon makes use of ancient technology forgotten in the west. The Dromon's unique hull design makes for great speed and stability; but her greatest innovation is the use of Greek Fire as a weapon. Propellelling the burning liquid from tubes onboard the ship, the Dromon can let loose a stream of flaming Greek Fire that can burn enemy ships to the waterline. A Dromon can transport 800 infantry or 400 mounted units; fewer than a regular Galley because of the room needed to store the Greek Fire and its firing mechanisms. 5 can be built for 4 credits.
Dhow: The transport of the Persian Gulf-Indian Ocean nations, Dhows are quicker than the other ships, but only very lightly armed. A Dhow can transport 750 infantry or 300 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Longship: The transport of the Nordic nations. Fast, agile, and capable of navigating rivers, they are very useful for coastal raiding and invasion. A Longship can transport 1000 infantry or 500 mounted units. 5 can be built for 4 credits.
Tactics and Strategy
Medieval armies succeeded and failed based on the strength of their leaders. In this game, your tactics and strategies can be the deciding factor in battle; an inferior force with good leadership may defeat a superior enemy. One major concept that is important in your tactics in this game is combined arms warfare. Swordsmen and Pikemen, on their own, work well enough on the attack and defense. Nonetheless, charging cavalry can overwhelm melee infantry. To counteract this, combining, say, Pikemen and Crossbowmen will increase your defense. Additionally, the more specific you are with your attack orders, the better they will work. If you just say invade xyz, then the invasion will come in a random place, and may not be very successful. However, specifically telling me when, where, and how the invasion will work greatly increases your chances.
Religion
People spent more time in Medieval Europe worrying about death than enjoying life. Religion was an integral part of both secular and spiritual life in the Middle Ages; as such, it plays a major role in this game. NPC nations are friendlier to nations of the same religion; they might also hate you for your different religion. Declaring a holy war might motivate your troops to fight better. The leader of each religion (notated by a * after the religion) has great influence over NPC nations of that religion. You may not change the religion of your nation immediately; however, you will eventually be able to do so. If and/or when I think the time and conditions are right, I may start the Reformation or some other schism. Is that schism effects your religion, you may choose which side your nation will take.
Government
Easy enough. Nations with the same government get along better. If your government is too repressive, your people may revolt. If your government isnt strict enough, renegade nobles may break away from your nation.
Education
Education is another really easy concept. The better your education is, the better your people will live, and the more likely you are to develop better weapons and ships as time goes by. It costs 8c to increase education 1 level. The levels of education are: (1) ignorant, (2) poor, (3) mediocre, (4) average, (5) good, (6) enlightened.
Wonders
Wonders will not play a major role in this game. I will allow 10 wonders to be built, total this may change later. Each nation may only build 1 wonder until future notice. Wonders may be either buildings or abstract ideas; just please make them relevant to the Middle Ages. You say what they do, and Ill decide on the time it will take to build.
Turns
Each turn will be 10 years at the beginning. It might get slower later on.
The Middle Ages will see the rise and fall of great empires and small states. Can you rule the greatest kingdom of the world? Will you retake Jerusalem for Christendom and attain the blessing of the Pope upon your nation? Will you smash the resistance of the Byzantine infidels and spread the word of the Prophet? It is your Divine Right to rule your people; make good use of it, or history will remember you only as a footnote to the history of a conquered nation.
Economy
Economy is a simple aspect of this game. Your economy is measured in two numbers, your treasury and your income-per-turn. The treasury is the amount of money in your bank at the beginning of a turn; it consists of any money banked during your turns and the money gained from your income the previous turn. YOU MAY ONLY SPEND THE MONEY THAT IS IN YOUR TREASURY AT THE BEGINNING OF A TURN. Your income is the amount of money you gain each turn. It can vary from turn to turn. If you gain land, open trade with a foreign country, implement a positive economic policy, or just get a good random event, your income will increase. If you lose land, take heavy civilian casualties in a war, or institute poor economic policies, your income will decrease. YOU MAY NOT SPEND YOUR INCOME UNTIL THE NEXT TURN, WHEN IT IS ADDED TO YOUR TREASURY.
Military
The Middle Ages was one of the most violent periods in history. As such, your military will play an important rule in the affairs of your nation. In addition to the obvious importance of having an army to fight wars, the military will serve other purposes. NPC nations will respect a militarily strong nation more. Using your military to fight a holy war may curry favor for your nation from the head of your religion. Military is done by numbers, according to the following list:
Swordsmen: The basic infantry of the Middle Ages, lightly armored and wielding swords and shields. Good on the offensive, and still somewhat effective on the defensive. 1000 can be built for 3 credits.
Pikemen: Defensive infantry, wearing heavier armor and fighting with long iron pikes. They are very poor on the offensive, useful only against primitive barbarians or in huge numbers. However, they are excellent on the defensive, particularly against cavalry. 1000 can be built for 3 credits.
Swiss Guards: Unique to the Papal States, the Swiss Guard is the personal force of the Pope, acting as his personal bodyguard and militia. They defend slightly better than regular Pikemen, and are more motivated. 800 can be built for 3 credits.
Halbardiers: Improved defensive infantry wielding long poleaxes (a combination of a pike and an axe), Halbardiers are deadly effective against charging cavalry, and are better offensively than regular Pikemen. So far, they have only been researched by Venice. 700 can be built for 3 credits.
Crossbowmen: Ranged infantry, wearing very little or no armor and fighting with stock-mounted crossbows. When used alone, they are mediocre at offense and very poor at defense; however, when used to support melee forces, they are very powerful. 750 can be built for 3 credits.
Longbowmen: Unique to England, Longbowmen are more powerful and more expensive than the normal Crossbowmen. English Longbowmen are highly skilled elite archers using yew bows, and are much better at attack and defense than the Crossbowmen. Longbowmen are particularly good at ranged defense from fortifications, and ambushes in forests. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Knights: The elite feudal cavalry of Christian Europe, Knights dominate the battlefield on both the offensive and defensive. They are fast, aggressive, and heavily armored. Despite their dominance, well-led Pike/Archer formations pose a significant threat to attacking Knights. 500 can be built for 4 credits.
Ansar Warriors: The cavalry of the (Arabic) Islamic nations, Ansar Warriors are lightly armored, highly motivated fanatics who fight on horseback with spears, javelins, and maces. They are faster than Knights due to their lighter armor, but are less effective on the defense. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Cataphracts: Heavily armed and armored professional cavalry fighting for the Orthodox (and particularly Byzantine) nations, Cataphracts are better defenders than Knights, though at the cost of speed. The Cataphracts are on equal ground with western Knights on the attack, though they are much less vulnerable to ranged defenses. 300 can be built for 3 credits.
Horse Archers: Unique to the Mongols, Horse Archers are unarmored nomadic horsemen armed with mighty reflex bows. They are unmatched on the attack, especially when used for hit-and-run raids; however, the price for speed and offensive prowess is near-uselessness at defense. 500 can be built for 3 credits.
Ghazi: The unique cavalry of the Tekishan Empire, the Ghazi's are fierce armored horsemen, fighting with lances, swords, and bows. Their medium armor protects them from both melee and ranged weapons with a good degree of effectiveness, while not weighing them down so much as to decrease their speed. In this way, they avoid the problems of the more heavilly Cataphract. The traditional Turkic bow remains the primary ranged weapon of the Ghazi, but they are also trained and equipped for charging enemy infantry using their lances. Fast, aggressive, and armored, these cavalrymen are a match for any army in the world. 450 can be built for 3 credits.
Cog: The warship/transport of Northern Europe. Not very good at either offense or defense, and limited in its transport capacity. 1 Cog may transport 750 infantry or 300 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Galley: The warship/transport of the Mediterranean. Better at both offense and defense than the Cog. A Galley can transport 1000 infantry or 500 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Dromon: A ship unique to the Byzantine Empire, the Dromon makes use of ancient technology forgotten in the west. The Dromon's unique hull design makes for great speed and stability; but her greatest innovation is the use of Greek Fire as a weapon. Propellelling the burning liquid from tubes onboard the ship, the Dromon can let loose a stream of flaming Greek Fire that can burn enemy ships to the waterline. A Dromon can transport 800 infantry or 400 mounted units; fewer than a regular Galley because of the room needed to store the Greek Fire and its firing mechanisms. 5 can be built for 4 credits.
Dhow: The transport of the Persian Gulf-Indian Ocean nations, Dhows are quicker than the other ships, but only very lightly armed. A Dhow can transport 750 infantry or 300 mounted units. 5 can be built for 3 credits.
Longship: The transport of the Nordic nations. Fast, agile, and capable of navigating rivers, they are very useful for coastal raiding and invasion. A Longship can transport 1000 infantry or 500 mounted units. 5 can be built for 4 credits.
Tactics and Strategy
Medieval armies succeeded and failed based on the strength of their leaders. In this game, your tactics and strategies can be the deciding factor in battle; an inferior force with good leadership may defeat a superior enemy. One major concept that is important in your tactics in this game is combined arms warfare. Swordsmen and Pikemen, on their own, work well enough on the attack and defense. Nonetheless, charging cavalry can overwhelm melee infantry. To counteract this, combining, say, Pikemen and Crossbowmen will increase your defense. Additionally, the more specific you are with your attack orders, the better they will work. If you just say invade xyz, then the invasion will come in a random place, and may not be very successful. However, specifically telling me when, where, and how the invasion will work greatly increases your chances.
Religion
People spent more time in Medieval Europe worrying about death than enjoying life. Religion was an integral part of both secular and spiritual life in the Middle Ages; as such, it plays a major role in this game. NPC nations are friendlier to nations of the same religion; they might also hate you for your different religion. Declaring a holy war might motivate your troops to fight better. The leader of each religion (notated by a * after the religion) has great influence over NPC nations of that religion. You may not change the religion of your nation immediately; however, you will eventually be able to do so. If and/or when I think the time and conditions are right, I may start the Reformation or some other schism. Is that schism effects your religion, you may choose which side your nation will take.
Government
Easy enough. Nations with the same government get along better. If your government is too repressive, your people may revolt. If your government isnt strict enough, renegade nobles may break away from your nation.
Education
Education is another really easy concept. The better your education is, the better your people will live, and the more likely you are to develop better weapons and ships as time goes by. It costs 8c to increase education 1 level. The levels of education are: (1) ignorant, (2) poor, (3) mediocre, (4) average, (5) good, (6) enlightened.
Wonders
Wonders will not play a major role in this game. I will allow 10 wonders to be built, total this may change later. Each nation may only build 1 wonder until future notice. Wonders may be either buildings or abstract ideas; just please make them relevant to the Middle Ages. You say what they do, and Ill decide on the time it will take to build.
Turns
Each turn will be 10 years at the beginning. It might get slower later on.
, not going to argue with u...
What do you mean? If people have ideas for rules they'd like to see implemented, feel free to tell me. I want to make this game the best I can. 
