BTS roleplay idea and advice needed: Queen Victoria

[Bast]

Hi guys,

I've made no secret about my admiration for this 19th century Queen/Empress on this forum and since roleplaying challenges are popular now I thought I'll take her on. Also, sadly Sisiutil said that he won't be playing as her in his ALC games since he has already played her; but as financial and expansive and without stock exchanges.

Just a word of warning that I'll be playing on Prince and this is considered an easy level by most of you. So I'm sure most of you won't learn anything from this but I hope to learn some things for myself and this is also a chance to explore Victorian england together and an attempt to recreate its glory in the game.

So obviously I'm new to this so I'll need advice. Also, I'm new to Prince. I have won a game by space race but this will be a different game I'm sure. I don't want to start this game until after the new patch comes out as I want to play on marathon also this will give me a chance to familiarize myself with Prince. So don't expect a game to start soon. I guess this thread is just to see what people think and get advice and suggestions.

These are my ideas. Feel free to comment and suggest:

Map Script: Big and Small
Climate: Temperate
Resources: Standard
Game Speed: Marathon

Civilization: British Empire (Is there a mod that allows me to use Union Jack as the flag?)
Leader: Victoria (Financial, Imperialistic)
World Size: Large
Opponents: 8
Difficulty: Prince
Victory Types: all enabled (but Britain must win by Domination victory)

Further victory conditions (desirable, not a must): 1. Enter a Golden Age and try to enter as many golden ages as possible to avoid revolutions during civic switches which won't be many I think. 2. Have (Gandhi/India) as a rival and must vassalize this civ, subsequently we will become 'Empress of India'. 3. Empire upon which the sun never sets (must show this in globe view) 4. Create at least 2 colonies.

Civics

Government civic: Initially hereditary rule as at the beginning of Victoria's reign the position of the monarchy was unclear but must switch to representation as soon as it becomes available and keep it for the rest of the game. Never adopt police state and universal suffrage unless forced.
Legal civic: I need help with this. The British Empire has a good argument for Bureaucracy, Nationhood and Free Speech and I think we could use all three as the situation fits. Thoughts? Never adopt Vassalage.
Labor civic: Slavery was banned by the time Victoria came to the throne, serfdom extinct and caste system is not relevant. Thus we must not adopt a labor civic until Emancipation becomes available. (Ouch!)
Economy civic: Free market all the way here with a possibility towards Environmentalism late in the game (Victorian England was famed for its anti-vivisection movement after all - I know, a stretch but still); otherwise only adopt it if forced and never adopt mercantilism or state property.
Religion civic: Free Religion and Organized religion could be adopted here but must never adopt Theocracy or Pacifism. Free religion should be preferred once it becomes available.

Wonders:

Stonehenge. It is a wonder that stands in Britain after all. We shall build it.

Statue of Zeus Boudicca. Queen Victoria was seen as her "namesake". Her poet paureate Lord Tennyson, wrote a poem, Boadicea. This statue will be built in her honour. However, shall we preclude her from appearing in the game?

Great Hadrian's Wall: You get the idea.

I think that will be enough wonder building and henceforth we shall explore and conquer and acquire other civilizations' wonders. Through this game, I shall assume the personality of the Queen herself and the game will be named "Queen Victoria's Diary" - the Queen kept a diary all her life and wrote down her thoughts and impressions on all the big events in her life. We shall do the same with the game's events.

What do you guys think? Will you help me win these wars? Where are my great generals?

 

[madscientist]

I think it si a good idea for a RPC game; SOme of my thoughts as you view Victoira (you are assuming the this leaders historical position rahter than England itself.)

1) I agree with all the civics.
2) Wonders are fine, but you may have some trouble getting Hadrans Wall AND Stonehenge. So going after both is OK, but I would not limit your victory conditions on it.
3) My view of England in general, and the Victorian era is the Navy. I think you should make some statement that you will try to get the strongest/biggest navy in the world. You may want to specifically prioritize the naval tech tree which includes sailing, metal casting (for the Trieme), iron working, machinery, calender, optics, astronomy, steel, combustion. You may also want to state that each city have a drydocks as soon as possible.
4) You may want to have a preference for costal cities to maximize your naval superioity. Since you are financial there is no conflict here. You may also want to toss in a preference for the Great Lighthouse and Colossus to become a true Maritime power (I think these are English style wonders than the others mentioned but not as Historical).
5) I see no problems with your prefered victory conditions.
6) You must not lose any vassals/colonies (Don't repeat King George III's mistakes).
7) You should be required to build scotland yard IF you get a Great Spy (not hard if the do build Hadrians Wall).

These are only suggestions, please take them as that. The only thing I really think is British not mentioned is Navy Dominance (I suggest regenerate maps until you get a costal start).

Enjoy!

 

[slobberinbear]

First of all: have fun with it. It is a labor of love, that's for sure.

When coming up with one of these, I tried to look at the culture as a whole first, and then fold in the leader's aspects. For example, while Victoria didn't have slavery, she also didn't walk around in 4000 BC. I think it's fair to consider an evolution of the society into the cultural ideal you are trying to emulate.

My feeble understanding of the British worldview, culture, and ethos, in no particular order:

1. Stoicism and bravery
2. Maintaining a balance of power among other nations through war and diplomacy
3. Island mentality / selective isolationism
4. Aggressive pursuit of naval superiority
5. Strength in banking and commerce
6. Projection of power into remote locations
7. Alliances are honored

Victoria adds to that:

1. Morality
2. "Family values"
3. Aggressive expansion and colonization

Try to come up with the civ's "core identity" before translating it into game terms.

Also, I'd suggest before you start that you let someone else generate the map for you so that you end up on an island near a bigger continent, to give the proper flavor.

Hope this helps.

 

[madscientist]

Also, I'd suggest before you start that you let someone else generate the map for you so that you end up on an island near a bigger continent, to give the proper flavor.

Now that is a COOL idea.

 

[tboner23]

If you are choosing opponents, you should think about putting in Shaka as well as Ghandi. Though that would kind of mean you would have to loose a city in a war with Zululand....

Sounds good otherwise your majesty!

 

[LingLinsRevenge]

As Queen Victoria, you favor things German (Kaiser Willie was your nephew) and hate things French --
Ironically, just after your reign, the century of anti French feeling and pro-German alliance was reversed -- Your Nephew was a complete idiot

As Victoria -- you are the defender of the English upper class perogative, and will have nothing to do with the levelers

This translates into:
You must never build the SofL or the E Tower
Cultural buildings are not useful -- the English are not interested in Frenchified ways -- You may only build regilous buildings in a single religion (the state religion) and once a state religion is selected, you may never change, except to go to free religion

You can build monuments and universities and any science building improvements --

But no Notre Dame, Versailles, Parthenon (but if you capture the Parthenon you can miss on one of the other requirements!!)

You must be the first to build a
Frigate
Ship of the Line
Destroyer
Battleship

If any of these ship classes are sighted, and you have not built one, you lose

Even tougher -- But this condition will be very hard to evaluate -- but you should always have as many ships as the total number of ships world wide by class.

Maybe structure like this -- you must always have 2x the number of ships visable (by type) you can check this each term by looking in the Miliatry advisor and selecting all your opponents --

You will never build a submarine, (no great loss there), unless a submarine sinks on of your ships.

Your opponents should be --
Napoleon
Bismark
Shaka
either Peter or Catherine
Tokagawa
Ganhdi

Any vassels produced by colonies must aways be given Ship techs (any tech enabling ship units or water related improvements

Good Luck!

 

[madscientist]

As Queen Victoria, you favor things German (Kaiser Willie was your nephew) and hate things French --
Ironically, just after your reign, the century of anti French feeling and pro-German alliance was reversed -- Your Nephew was a complete idiot

As Victoria -- you are the defender of the English upper class perogative, and will have nothing to do with the levelers

This translates into:
You must never build the SofL or the E Tower
Cultural buildings are not useful -- the English are not interested in Frenchified ways -- You may only build regilous buildings in a single religion (the state religion) and once a state religion is selected, you may never change, except to go to free religion

You can build monuments and universities and any science building improvements --

But no Notre Dame, Versailles, Parthenon (but if you capture the Parthenon you can miss on one of the other requirements!!)

You must be the first to build a
Frigate
Ship of the Line
Destroyer
Battleship

If any of these ship classes are sighted, and you have not built one, you lose

Even tougher -- But this condition will be very hard to evaluate -- but you should always have as many ships as the total number of ships world wide by class.

Maybe structure like this -- you must always have 2x the number of ships visable (by type) you can check this each term by looking in the Miliatry advisor and selecting all your opponents --

You will never build a submarine, (no great loss there), unless a submarine sinks on of your ships.

Your opponents should be --
Napoleon
Bismark
Shaka
either Peter or Catherine
Tokagawa
Ganhdi

Any vassels produced by colonies must aways be given Ship techs (any tech enabling ship units or water related improvements

Good Luck!

Boy that would be tough.

Some comments:

First to each type of ship is difficult as you do not know when otehrs have built them, unless you go by getting the tech.

I also thought about suggesting something like have the rgeatest number of ships but realized that is almost impossible to monitor.

So Victoria has to hate the French in the first half of the game, then start hating the Germans?/

The English are not devoid of Culture (how can you not favor theaters from a country that produced Shakespeare). Maybe science/financial buildings should be preferred to cultural ones.

Victorian England was Anglican but did have history of Catholicism, as well as religious persecutions. Really depends on how the OP wants to handle it.

One leader you may want to consider Lincoln. Amercia was independent well before Victoria took over and the two leaders overlapped. Not a fan of Tokugawa being there (no asian leaders overlapped Victoria) but I would inlcude one of the Chinese leaders before Toku.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Quechua]

Maybe you could allow yourself Caste System. Remember the whole 'Empress of India' thing? 'Tribalism' doesn't seem to fit any better. Just a thought.

 

[LingLinsRevenge]

Victorian England was Anglican but did have history of Catholicism, as well as religious persecutions. Really depends on how the OP wants to handle it.

When considering the whole of England's history --
But I was thinking about Victoria and the English upper class of the period --

In this role play, lets behave like a Victorian era leader. So while true, England switched religions, by Victoria era, this issue was resolved --

Theaters are ok -- did not mean to leave them out. But one religion is it -- Once in -- Victoria would never switch (that does not speak to what Henry might do)

As for representing the French -- German switch in relations --

Victoria will despise the French as a default -- but if any country other than France is shown to have 1/2 of the number of major ships that England has --
Relationships with them must deteriorate -- Victoria must cancel trade, close borders -- begin to spy (to determine the number of ships to build) -- try to bribe someone to war against that civ --

So not based on Germany per se -- Any Civ that builds a Navy to rival England's -- Victoria will withdraw and compete with it

Britianna must rule the waves --

As for the number of ships -- rather than losing the game if you have fewer ships -- how about all coastal cities MUST shift production to match 100% of known total count of ship type?

At end of turn -- go into unit screen -- select all AI players -- the count will show the total number of ships on the board --

Production must be altered to start enough ships to have more than the total --
If player cannot meet this rule
count of player's ships + player's building ships > total number of known ships owed by other countries
then the player loses

This means that the role player must build a lot of ships and keep building them --

and you write

First to each type of ship is difficult as you do not know when otehrs have built them, unless you go by getting the tech.

Yes -- first to the tech is fine --

 

[Apollo Franklin]

It goes without saying the British should win the circumnavigation race. Might want to rename a couple cities as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff etc. along with the English cities to get the full U.K. flavor.

 

[KMadCandy]

"Victory Types: all enabled (but Britain must win by Domination victory)"

"2. Have (Gandhi/India) as a rival and must vassalize this civ, subsequently we will become 'Empress of India'.
3. Empire upon which the sun never sets (must show this in globe view)
4. Create at least 2 colonies."

"never adopt mercantilism or state property."

i think those right there might be the hardest restrictions of all when combined. you'll need a lot of land to get domination with a vassal and 2 colonies counting only 50% towards the limit, and no state property when you're that sprawled out ... well, hooray for stock exchanges! you'll want at least 4 per city .

good luck and have fun!