ART-N.E.S.: Arthurian Never Ending Story

[wilboman]

Well, that's my orders submitted.

 

[The Troquelet]

Yes, just three more

I think I will keep this NES running (hurrah) since the big powers seem to be restraining themselves from running amok but it's only a matter of time before greed sets in! (and as you know running an Nes is a lot of work even if enjoyable!)

I'm thinking (this is in the hypothetical "solution NES") that we could give each Realm 3 stats - one is a number from 1-3 which gives a bonus to defense (0, 10, or 20 %) because of Terrain. Then comes Population, a number from 1-5 which determines the limit of armies possible (a Spearman takes 1 Population Point, a Knight takes 2, a Galley takes 2, a Jester takes 1) and this would determine the limit of your armed forces - for example a country with 7 Population could have 3 Knights and 1 Jester. Finally comes Gold ranging from 1-3 which is used to hire new armed forces (Spearman takes 3, Knight takes 4, Galley takes 4, Jesters are free).

Finally Castles can be built which increase Defense, Population and Gold each by one point, without going over the limit of course, but they cost 10 Gold.

So, running your realm is a constant question of how you should allocate your population and your gold to make your defense and offense most effective.

It also means that gold won't let you run away with the game, although it'll mean faster hiring when you DO conquer territory.

Likewise, just having population is not enough if you don't have money to buy troops, and of course terrain is useless without troops.

I think that's a good system and might help balance the game better.

Also, I think that including Ireland, the rest of Scotland, Brittany, and Calais would be a must and would let LOTS of people play (maybe as many as 10 or 12!) since people seem to like the Realms idea so much. (shameless self-flattery! )


--------------------
DISPATCH FROM MERLIN
That's right, there's just 3 players left! And then I get to reveal a teensy surprise (because of course I can see into the future, so I know what's going to happen).

So get those orders in, please. The suspense mounts...

 

[uknemesis]

Come on guys, everyone get their orders in! I want to see if anyone challenged my claim to Oxford, since Excalibur needs a bit of sharpening on enemy's bones

 

[uknemesis]

Also, Troquelet, I think rather than a number for terrain, this would be better:

no symbol - flat land - no bonus
hill symbols - hills - 50% defence bonus(or whatever)
mountain symbols(AAA etc) - mountains - 100% defence bonus(or whatever)

This would be much easier, and more visual.

Nemesis

 

[Dexter]

I can see that my wants to keep out of the business of my Southern neighbours have disappeared.
Aye, one can not trust the Kingdoms of the South! But a pressing matter has urged me to speak out... The matter of the Saxons.
Aye, this is a matter of deep importance! I want to announce that I for one shall keep my thoughts out of this here conflict. I don't want to be fighting a war against some foreign scum from the South!
Aye, the South be full of scum! That shall be all.


[OOC]Is it too late to add Ireland to the map and Scotland?
It would give more people the chance to play and increase the effectiveness of galley's. Further more it would give smaller nations more room to move into. Just a thought.
Dexter[/OOC]

 

[uknemesis]

TO THE KING OF THE COWARDS(MACHAMISH)

I hear you have no intention to fight any enemy invader.

Well I have received word that the Saxons don't yet march, they have the kingdoms in Brittany still to deal with, so I care not for your cowardice. Dumnonia will be easily strong enough, and the Saxons will be broken on Camelot's walls in London.

But we hear that possibly another enemy marches. I fear it may be the Irish Kings, the Scots to the north, or the Vikings to the east.

The Scots will likely hit your kingdom, as would the Irish, and possibly even the Vikings, and I am afraid none of the "Southern scum" will help you.

I hope your death is quick so you don't have to hear the screams of your wife being raped by the Irish or Scots.

After all, that's what you wished upon us Southern Kingdoms!

King Arthur of Dumnonia
Lord of Camelot and Protector of London

 

[uknemesis]

OOC- btw Troq, who hasn't submitted their orders yet?

Tell us so we can nag them

Nemesis

 

[The Troquelet]

Looks like there's a little feud brewing!

Still need orders from 3 Kings! Suspense suspense!

------------

-I've got good progress on ARTNES II. I have the map and Realms all laid out and named - it shows all of England and Scotland, the Orkneys, Skye, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, all of Ireland, and 6 Realms in Normandy.

I calculate that there is room for 10 players if they split the Realms about 5 to 7 each.

Now of course comes the hard part - putting the numbers in. I do have a pretty good map to go by : http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/british_physical_shepherd.jpg and for terrain I'm thinking a 0 for flat land and small forests, 1 for small hills, swamps, or large forests, and 2 for mountains (with, remember, Castles giving a +1 Bonus!). So for example most of Southern England would be 0 or 1, except Devon which would be 2, and a Castle built in Devon would make it 3.

The combat system would go like this: there would be a Combat Chart, with 1 thru 10 down the side, and a series of odds across the top (3:2, 2:1, 3:1 and so on). The total armies on both sides would be added up in Points. On defense a Spearman is worth 2 points and a Knight is worth 1. On offense a Spearman is worth 1 point and a Knight is worth 3. When you add up the point tallies, figure out the odds, go to the column in the chart, move over a few columns to the defense side of the chart based on the defence number (0, 1, or 2 columns to the left) and then roll a 10-sided dice and look up the result. Simple as that!

It would make combat resolution a breeze, anyway.

After that, of course, I have to put in Population and Gold numbers. Anyone have any idea of sources to go to for that?

 

[The Troquelet]

Um - orders. Let's see. I know I have orders from IceEye, Erik Mesoy, Uknemesis, Dexter, and Wilboman.... go nag the others!

 

[uknemesis]

I say you make a rule(I made them all the time in UKNES, that's how I managed to keep the orders flowing in) that they have to be in by a certain day(ie; tomorrow or the next day).

Then just PM them warning that they must be in by then or their money will be forgotten for that turn(they won't get it). That should speed up responses!

Anyway, it seems that Toasty, Random Passerby and EmperorCoopinus are the people you want.

Emperor I haven't seen in the UKNES for a while, so he may be away, while Random Passerby and Toasty I'm sure I've seen around lately.

If they don't get them in by that date, instead of forgetting the money, just spend it yourself Merlin, so they have their money's worth, but know they have lost their turn really.

Nemesis

 

[uknemesis]

And Troq, I still say you should put little /\ s on for mountains and upside down U s for hills.

It's much easier to see then.

Nemesis

 

[uknemesis]

One last post.

Troq, I think knights should be the same offensively as the spearmen are defensively. As spearmen are cheaper, it will therefore favour defence slightly.

Also, I like the idea of combat odds, but how do you work it out using a 10 sided die? It's too complicated for my feeble mind

Finally, I suggest that you put more population in the lowlands, as this is where most of the people lived. Fewer people lived in the mountains, and not many more on hills.

I'd say 3, 4 or 5 pop for lowlands, 2 or 3 pop for hills, and 1 or 2 pop for mountains.

Then I'd say that mountains would get more gold due to their mines etc, hills slightly less, and lowlands the least. I know this probably isn't historically accurate, but it makes the game better.

So I'd say 3, 4 or 5 gold for mountains, 2 or 3 gold for hills, and 1 or 2 gold for lowlands.

Nemesis

 

[The Troquelet]

A 10-sided die works just like a regular 6-er, except with more possibilities, so I can have 10 possible outcomes instead of just 6.

Also, I am going to change the Knight to 4-1! Hold on and listen to the reason:

Well, the idea for a Knight being 4 offensively comes from a little math. We know that a Spearman costs 2 Gold (yes, I lowered it from 3) and 1 Pop, a Knight costs 4 Gold and 2 Pop. So, a Spearman is half as cheap as a Knight. Or, 2 Spearmen = 1 Knight for upkeep purposes.

Now, if a Spearmen is 1-2 and a Knight is 2-1, It's BETTER to buy 2 Spearmen than 1 Knight, even though they cost exactly the same. Why? Because 2 Spearmen gives you 2 Offense and 4 Defense, while 1 Knight gives you 2 Offense and 1 Defense, all for the same cost!

So, with those statistics, sensible players would never recruit Knights and the game would turn into an all Spearman battle. This does not take into account the fact that Knights move 2 instead of 1, but this is not a huge factor.

By comparison, if a Spearman is 1-2 and a Knight is 4-1, 2 Spearmen gives me 2 Offense and 4 Defense, while 1 Knight gives me 4 Offense and 1 Defense. So, when you want Offense there's no sub for a Knight, and Defense is something only Spearmen can handle.

Note also that the factors are balanced: for the same cost you can buy 4 Offense or 4 Defense points. This would make the battle more even, whereas before sucky Knights would mean that attacking a player equal in money to you was a lost cause since he could buy way more Defense.

Also, it widens the gap between the two units and it means you have to buy Knights AND Spearmen and try to balance them, because one unit can't do another's job.

 

[The Troquelet]

In addition remember that defense is already favored most of the time by terrain, and if you go for their most valuable Realms, probably Castles as well.

 

[uknemesis]

Sounds good to me.

 

[EmprorCoopinius]

Sorry guys, but I must resign as King of Suffolk

Classes starting soon, plus I need to be working, so no time for too many NES's.

 

[uknemesis]

Hmmm...

How about WarlordMatt or someone else be allowed to join as King of Suffolk?

Nemesis

 

[WarlordMatt]

Ok nem I will join, but what nation am I controlling? Where is it?

 

[uknemesis]

Well first you have to get Troq's permission, but I can't see that he'll mind.

Anyway, go to page 3 and there is the latest map on it(btw Troq, how about adding it to the first page with tags?). You're Suffolk, which is a green country north of the red one(mine :) ).

You have to decide whether to continue in the Trinity Alliance with me and Nottingham also.

And one more thing, your southern neighbour is dedicated to peace, so please try and keep the peace with Dumnonia(the Kingdom of London).

Nemesis

 

[uknemesis]

One last thing, you need to get your orders in to Troq(as soon as possible), and you currently have 12 gold to spend.

Nemesis