IOT Developmental Thread

[Arakhor]

Positive handicap? You mean a bonus? Why not just say that?

 

[Joecoolyo]

why dont nations choose one positive handicap for a nation as a whole?

for example, Venice will have a positive handicap in navy, the Ottomans have a handicap in army and Byzantium has a handicap of defense.

(since this isn't history, you can choose your own within reason)

Once again, the faster you realize this isn't a historical simulator, the less painless this process will be.

Nothing in this game is historical. All countries are made up by the player. If the player chooses to take the name of a historical empire, good for him. But he won't inherit any of it's "bonuses" that it historically got.

The time period, once again, is just there for flavor. Nothing else.

 

[Mad Man]

I don't see whats wrong with starting out in the Americas, I'd kinda want to play as Piscataway or Zuni Pueblo.

 

[Tee Kay]

Historical accuracy be damned.

On the bonus resources: on second thoughts, I vote NO. I think it will add unnecessary complexity to an already rapidly-becoming-complicated game. I'll leave the poll open for another 24 hours though.

Why does it take longer to get from Spain to Egypt than it does to get from Spain to Florida? The Med is super small, and a lot calmer than the middle of the ocean.

My only gripe with the map is the fact that two provinces in Saudi Arabia are equal in size to 30 provinces in Germany.

For the map: I think it has to many territories in Europe and not enough everywhere else if we will use that scale.

On the map: large provinces generally means they're less productive, that's why they're large. This is so that each province does not need to have a value, ie no distinction between rich provinces and poor provinces. This will, hopefully, simplify the economic system a fair bit (this will become more clear once I post my proposed rules).

As for Double A's issue, no, it won't take longer to get from Spain to Egypt than to Florida. RL travel time won't matter much due to the fact that a single turn will cover between a year up to several years. Different sea tiles will exist mainly to base fleets in and the reason there are many sea tiles in the Mediterranean is to make naval combat more interesting, because I predict Europe will get rather crowded, as usual. Again, before you totally reject the idea, please allow me to post my draft rules (it won't take much longer)

The map is from Victoria (google it if you don't know, it's a Paradox game) which explains the large amount of provinces in Europe which, believe it or not, I deliberately kept on the map for balance reasons. I'll explain this more later if you want.

Also Why don't people like my idea? This game is obviously going to be colonization centered, and IMO its more fun (and historical) if Civs In the Americas are more limited until the Europeans arrive.

Historical accuracy be damned.

Well Yeah I guess. But I was just trying to make it more like this period actually was. Colonization and all that Jazz.

I actually like your compromise where native Americans expand slower than Europeans until they're "discovered". I'll be writing that into the draft rules. But otherwise I say a loud, definite no to any other handicaps or restrictions on native American nations.

You guys wanted it to start later in history oh so badly, so I don't see what's wrong with making it somewhat realistic to that period of history. It makes no sense to have people randomly discover America before the 1400's, especially after whatever happened to destroy all existing countries. I think that if you had wanted the New and Old world to equal, we should have started at a time when they were equal.

Historical accuracy be damned.

The population of America (north and south) in 1500 was
4 million

That's now thought to be unlikely. There's probably at least that many in central Mexico alone, and perhaps even up to 10-25 million. And native American nations were more advanced than you give them credit for. The Europeans were lucky Nature fought on their side.

There is no way a country in America could take on a European power. Thats why we (the Europeans) colonized the world.

Historical accuracy be damned.

IOT is a what if game, but America could not have been technologically advanced as Europe or Asia no matter what, its impossible.

Historical accuracy be damned.

If the majority of people wouldn't start in America then it's not fair to include the mechanic as it will drive people away.

And who cares about the Cataclysm backstory? I just know the world's open. We don't need to care why - just focus on playing the game.

- Lighthearter

How about this.

To stop all the bickering:

-All nations are on equal footing unless the leader chooses not to be
-The date has already been discussed and voted on, it will not change
-IOT is not a historical simulator, the faster you realize that, the better it will be
-The time period is mainly in place for flavor, to give you a chance to roleplay as something different for a change

I'll take this post into account when typing up the draft.

some nations in 1453 were stronger than others. nations liek Byzantium were barely existing, while others such as holy Rome was still strong.

Historical accuracy be damned.

 

[ilduce349]

That's now thought to be unlikely. There's probably at least that many in central Mexico alone, and perhaps even up to 10-25 million. And native American nations were more advanced than you give them credit for. The Europeans were lucky Nature fought on their side.

Wrong. It is estimated to be between 4-12 million. As I was stressing how small the population is I choose to make it the lowest.

Historical accuracy be damned.

I dont care about Historical accuracy. I just care about realism.

 

[Tee Kay]

Wrong. It is estimated to be between 4-12 million. As I was stressing how small the population is I choose to make it the lowest.

Uh... probably not. Population losses suffered by Indian communities due to disease during the Colonial Era is typically around 90 - 96%. These diseases also typically preceded European armies and colonists (as happened to the Incan Empire just before Pizarro arrives). Because of this, population statistics from the Colonial Era reflects a low in population after a wave or several of these disease has already passed through the area. The Aztec Empire alone is now thought to have had 25 million people before epidemics and, to a much much lesser extent, war and massacres decimated the population.

I dont care about Historical accuracy. I just care about realism.

Realism in this case is synonymous with historical accuracy. Historical accuracy be damned.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Wrong. It is estimated to be between 4-12 million. As I was stressing how small the population is I choose to make it the lowest.


I dont care about Historical accuracy. I just care about realism.

I have no idea who's right here, but when making a point, you should make it from the least favorable point to your side. For instance:

There is X million population in Europe, X million population in Asia, and 4-12 million in the Americas, EVEN if there were twelve million.......

See what I'm saying? Assume they are as right as they can be, and go from there.

I REALLY think we should start in 1500. I don't recall when we chose 1453, but a 1500 game would:

1. Allow stronger American Nations

2. Allow you to make a European nation in the Americas, or a former European, independent colony (PS: there should be some kind of mechanic where colonies can declare independence.) For instance, you could make "The former Dutch Colony of New York" or something or another.

3. Allow Europe to colonize the Americas for the start (I know we should darn historical accuracy, but if its as simple as changing a start date I'd prefer the accuracy.) That or make America uncolonizable until 1492, but I don't like that, or we can darn historical accuracy yet again.

EDIT @Taillesskangaru- The upper portion of my post was simply assuming Ilduce was right to make a point to him. I am not endorsing him as correct.

 

[Tee Kay]

I REALLY think we should start in 1500.

The GM has spoken and 1453 is it. You should stop it with this argument.

I don't recall when we chose 1453

Here, and in several pages before that post. Look through it and count the votes if you want.

 

[GhostWriter16]

The GM has spoken and 1453 is it. You should stop it with this argument.



Here, and in several pages before that post. Look through it and count the votes if you want.

OK.

So, how will colonization work then? Will we just ignore that its 1453? Will we prohibit it until 1492?

I think that we should keep the natives out of Europe, and the Europeans out of the Americas, until 1492, and we should do 10 years per turn.

 

[Tee Kay]

Note on the draft:

I try to include as many of the community-approved ideas as possible. I've also included many of my own, so that they look like they can work. I compiled it with the modified Victoria map in mind, so if you guys decide not to use that map, this may have to be changed, too. Specifics such as terrain effects on combat, different GM responsibilities, types of casus belli, etc are not discussed here.

I've divided them into sections. Please vote/comment on/criticise each sections separately. Comments and criticisms are more than welcome, also point out anything that seem to be missing, and I'll try to include them in the next draft.

Edit: final note on colonization - the ability to cross oceans can be researched with military tech (new ships).

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

IOT Etiquette

Spoiler :

We all seem to be civilized people, so let’s act it.
1. Do not flame, troll, or personally insult any other player OOC or IC. At all. You may comment on certain things negatively, but don't take it further than that.
2. Stay on topic. Make sure all comments are relevant to the fictional world of the current IOT and have nothing to do with your personal religious/political beliefs (spammers will be reported)
3. No powergaming. By definition, powergaming is making your country surpass every other country by all terms including armed forces, technology, etc. There was a problem with this in IOT I, but other than that I'm not sure there's been a problem with that.
4. Keep your actions realistic, and don't declare war on someone for a personal reason.
5. Above all else, RESPECT THY FELLOW FORUMERS.

Starting Out

Spoiler :

The year is 1453. New inventions, new ideas, new conceptions about the world are gradually, but surely, transforming societies, and all over the world small states and tribes of the Medieval Era are consolidating themselves into new empires. They are strong, they are ambitious, and they are determined march to glory and greatness, letting nothing stands in their way, only stopping for kittens.

IOT is a turn-based game. Initially, a turn will translate to 4 years in real time. As the game progress, this may change. Update occurs roughly every 48 hours, or after all players have a chance to comment, whichever is earlier (so post, damn it!)

To start the game, first select your capital. From there, you can claim another nine territories. Your starting territories must be connected in some way, either by land or by viable sea routes. Note that in 1453 no one has the technology to cross oceans except for Zheng He and he’s not playing.

I don’t care if your country is inhabited by radioactive sultanas. In other words, feel free to inhabit your nation with whoever or whatever you want, provided it fits with the setting (any leader who tries to form the Soviet Union before Communism is invented will be regarded as a witch and appropriate measures will be taken.)

Each turn, you can claim an additional six territories – they too must be connected in some way. If you must cross oceans from your capital to claim a territory, that territory is worth double the cost of a normal territory, ie two points. If you’re a native american nation, you can only claim three territories a turn until you make contact with the Old Worlders.

Economy

Spoiler :

For every territory you seize liberate, you get income. It’s not much – 1 gold per turn. This is your base income, and this is all you get to work with on your first turn, sunshine. With ten gold pieces you won’t even be able to afford a chocolate bar (mainly because they haven’t been invented and time machines are expensive).

Of course, if you only get base income, that’d be boring. There are numerous income modifiers, from trade agreements, technology bonuses (see below) and industrial level.

You can spend your income on several things:
- The aforementioned industrial level. For each 10 gold you invest your base income increase by 1%. Spend 100 gold and you get a 10% bonus income to your base. It is possible to go pass 100%.
- Diplomacy – diplomatic actions will now cost money because that’s how it is done and because there were no world wars breaking out every second day during the Renaissance. See below.
- Your army. The cost for supporting your army is actually subtracted from your total treasury at the start of each turn. See below.
- Technology. Your investment is cumulative. See below.
- Bank it. Depending on your tech, this might earn you a small amount of interest each turn.

It is actually possible to go bankrupt if your army is too big for your economy to support. Should this happen, your stability (see below) will halve itself every year until you get back into the black.

Technology

Spoiler :

For the purpose of this game, all nations start on equal technological footing. That is, tech level zero.

There are three areas of research: Civics/Culture, Military, and Science. Each level costs a significant amount of cash to reach – 1000 gold each – but the benefits to your civilization will be worth the cost. Hopefully. The first player who reaches a level will decide what new technology/invention/idea will come into the world, and suggest their in-game effects. The GM will then decides whether it’s appropriate and modify the effects if needed (or, alternatively, the GM alone may decide the in-game effects of new technology).

For instance:
- The Ottomans discover Civics Tech level 10
- Padishah Joecoolyo announces the liberalization of the press.
- Joecoolyo or the GM decides on the effects, perhaps something on the line of “increase of +10% on civics tech spending&#8221
- With GM approval, the effects became active for all nations with that tech the following turn (so in this case anyone with Civics 10).

Have fun but please be reasonable. The steam engine or the atomic bomb being researched in the 1500s is not reasonable. Discovering television before the advent of electricity is not reasonable. This mostly applies to science, and to a lesser extent military. If you choose a technology >100 years (give or take a few) before their actual historical date you will be penalized in weird and interesting ways.

The three areas:
- Civics – government, culture, art, religion, trade, economic systems, social trends all come under this category.
- Military – new weapons, new ships, new tactics. Also effects the strength of armies.
- Science – everything else, including new technologies, inventions, methods of manufacturing, laws of physics, new chemicals, new materials, medicine, etc.

Diplomatic Actions

Spoiler :

Diplomacy can be conducted in the open in the thread or in private by VM, PM or social groups. Either way, you’ll have to let a GM know when a treaty is signed.

Most diplomatic actions are free. However, defensive pacts, guarantees, warnings and embargoes now cost 50 gold, joining alliances now cost 100 gold, and funding revolts now cost 200 gold. You can only sign treaties with another player if their territories can be reached from yours by land or sea.

A note about some of the possible actions:
Trade Agreements gives the signatories each other’s bonuses from a % of industry. Embargo cancels it, as well as imposes a negative stability modifier to the receiver. Passage Rights people allow your people to cross other people’s lands, to move troops around or do business in another country. Tech Pact lets two nations research together. Fund revolt is diplomats not being diplomatic, and it has a relatively high percentage of failing.

Stability

Spoiler :

Before we get to the last point, which is combat, a word about stability. Everyone starts with a stability of 100%. Stability can fall due to:
- Bankruptcies – halve your stability every turn
- Embargoes – decrease your stability by -1% every turn
- Starting wars without a casus belli – decrease stability by 20%
- Someone funding revolts in your land – decrease your stability by -1 to -10%

If you let your stability fall, there are consequences:
- At 90%, attacking troops get a -10% strength modifier
- At 80%, defending troops get a -10% strength modifier
- At 70%, attacking troops suffer an additional -10% modifier
- At 60%, defending troops suffer an additional -10% modifier
- At 50%, you lose the ability to research
- At 40%, you lose your industry modifier as your people go on strikes.
- At 30%, you lose all income modifiers
- At 20%, you lose the ability to claim new territories (including attacking in wars)
- At 10%, you may not conduct diplomatic actions.

Additionally, after 50%, you will get revolt risk. At stability zero, you have a revolt risk of 50% in a random province. If you strike unlucky, the GM will roll a dice – a one and you’ll only have a minor strike, a six and you have a civil war on your hands.

Stability is regained with gold. For each 10 gold pieces you invest you earn back +1% of stability. For 100 gold, you get back 10% stability.

War

Spoiler :

Going to War
To go to war without your population going OMGWTFBBQ, you need a good excuse. You get a casus belli if another nation has a different form of government, a different official religion (invalid if they have none), if you have a border dispute, if they declared war on your allies, if they embargo you, attempt to destabilize you or blockade you or deny you access to a sea or ocean tile. Without a casus belli, you suffer a 20% stability hit.

Units
Your main units are armies and fleets. These are physical entities on the map. Each costs 10 gold per turn to maintain, starting right from the turn you recruit one (subtracted from your treasury). The strength of your unit is equal to your military tech level, plus any offensive or defensive modifiers.

When you recruit an army or fleet, you choose where they start. Every turn, you may reposition all your units. Armies may move through up to 10 land territories in friendly territory (all sea crossings in total count as 1 move, oceans count as 2), and only one may exist in a province. Fleets may be reposition anywhere you have ports or can access allied ports, and the number of fleets in a tile is unlimited.

Land Battles
An attack will cost a flat fee of one expansion point. Any army may be used to attack a province as long as they can reach that province by land or sea. An attack count as a move by an army. You may have several armies attacking a province.

The defenders has a number of advantages. First, a province when attacked is considered its own army. Secondly, any armies adjacent to the province being attacked, if not being attacked itself, will also contribute to the total number of defending armies in the battle.

The winner is the side with the greatest strength. Note that strength can be modified by various bonuses and handicaps, and at the end a dice roll will also add or subtract between 5-15% to the strength of the respective sides. If the strength of the winning side is more than 50% of the losing side, the losing side loses any armies they had in the battle. Otherwise, they simply retreat.

Naval Battles
An army may move across seas and oceans to attack a province (as long as that province can be reached by seas and oceans). However, while at sea if enemy fleets are in the area they can simply sink the transports and you’ll lose the army. So navies are important.

Naval battles are similar to land battles – the side with the greatest strength wins.

Alternative Methods
[OOC: If you don’t like this and want to get rid of it altogether there are other methods.
- RNG
- Game simulation. Off tothe top of my head, among those suggested are: Medieval Total War, Civ, Rise of nations
- Also, there’s Lighthearter’s idea for combat, here and here.]

Housekeeping

Spoiler :

Anti-Spam Measures:
Theoretically, there are no limits on the number of posts you can post each turn. However, IOT does get brought down by too much unnecessary content. Think quality of posts, not quantity: you're not getting Post Count, so no need to spam.

Your posts must follow the Etiquette and actually consist of something RELEVANT to your nation and not just one-liner comments, OT content, or spam. Do not quote the entire post. Only quote the relevant parts. It keeps the forum more readable. Also, don't respond to each relevant post individually; use multi-quote to avoid posting like 10 times in a row.

If you are acting inappropriately, you’ll get two warnings from the GMs. On your third infraction, we phone the actual mods. And ban you.

Leaving
Upon resigning from the game, you can distribute your territories to other players, one or more NPCs(or create one or more from your lands), or just flat out make them unclaimed.

If you are just going to be taking a holiday, give us your orders, or ask someone else to do them for you. To avoid migraines, we cannot calculate it all, and will only go on what you give us. Otherwise, your country will be treated as an NPC until you return.


If you are not active for 5 days, or don't have anybody to give your orders, we will PM you that you need to post something - or tell someone else to - to stay in the game. If you don't respond, we will PM you again after 24 hours or so have passed, asking how you want your lands distributed, as you have become inactive and thus cannot continue to play. If we don't receive a reply within 24 hours, we will distribute your lands in a manner as fair as possible.

GMship
IOT is a monster even when kept in check. To ensure smooth operations and sanity for all, there are going to be several GMs.
[OOC: we’ll deal with the details later, but do you agree that this should be the case?]

 

[Zack]

I dont care about Historical accuracy. I just care about realism.

Do you realize how ridiculous this sounded? You might as well have said, "I don't care about killing innocent people. I care about murder." As tailless has said, historical accuracy - and "realism" - be damned.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Note on the draft:

I try to include as many of the community-approved ideas as possible. I've also included many of my own, so that they look like they can work. I compiled it with the modified Victoria map in mind, so if you guys decide not to use that map, this may have to be changed, too. Specifics such as terrain effects on combat, different GM responsibilities, types of casus belli, etc are not discussed here.

I've divided them into sections. Please vote/comment on/criticise each sections separately. Comments and criticisms are more than welcome, also point out anything that seem to be missing, and I'll try to include them in the next draft.

Edit: final note on colonization - the ability to cross oceans can be researched with military tech (new ships).

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

IOT Etiquette

Spoiler :

We all seem to be civilized people, so let’s act it.
1. Do not flame, troll, or personally insult any other player OOC or IC. At all. You may comment on certain things negatively, but don't take it further than that.
2. Stay on topic. Make sure all comments are relevant to the fictional world of the current IOT and have nothing to do with your personal religious/political beliefs (spammers will be reported)
3. No powergaming. By definition, powergaming is making your country surpass every other country by all terms including armed forces, technology, etc. There was a problem with this in IOT I, but other than that I'm not sure there's been a problem with that.
4. Keep your actions realistic, and don't declare war on someone for a personal reason.
5. Above all else, RESPECT THY FELLOW FORUMERS.

Starting Out

Spoiler :

The year is 1453. New inventions, new ideas, new conceptions about the world are gradually, but surely, transforming societies, and all over the world small states and tribes of the Medieval Era are consolidating themselves into new empires. They are strong, they are ambitious, and they are determined march to glory and greatness, letting nothing stands in their way, only stopping for kittens.

IOT is a turn-based game. Initially, a turn will translate to 4 years in real time. As the game progress, this may change. Update occurs roughly every 48 hours, or after all players have a chance to comment, whichever is earlier (so post, damn it!)

To start the game, first select your capital. From there, you can claim another nine territories. Your starting territories must be connected in some way, either by land or by viable sea routes. Note that in 1453 no one has the technology to cross oceans except for Zheng He and he’s not playing.

I don’t care if your country is inhabited by radioactive sultanas. In other words, feel free to inhabit your nation with whoever or whatever you want, provided it fits with the setting (any leader who tries to form the Soviet Union before Communism is invented will be regarded as a witch and appropriate measures will be taken.)

Each turn, you can claim an additional six territories – they too must be connected in some way. If you must cross oceans from your capital to claim a territory, that territory is worth double the cost of a normal territory, ie two points. If you’re a native american nation, you can only claim three territories a turn until you make contact with the Old Worlders.

Economy

Spoiler :

For every territory you seize liberate, you get income. It’s not much – 1 gold per turn. This is your base income, and this is all you get to work with on your first turn, sunshine. With ten gold pieces you won’t even be able to afford a chocolate bar (mainly because they haven’t been invented and time machines are expensive).

Of course, if you only get base income, that’d be boring. There are numerous income modifiers, from trade agreements, technology bonuses (see below) and industrial level.

You can spend your income on several things:
- The aforementioned industrial level. For each 10 gold you invest your base income increase by 1%. Spend 100 gold and you get a 10% bonus income to your base. It is possible to go pass 100%.
- Diplomacy – diplomatic actions will now cost money because that’s how it is done and because there were no world wars breaking out every second day during the Renaissance. See below.
- Your army. The cost for supporting your army is actually subtracted from your total treasury at the start of each turn. See below.
- Technology. Your investment is cumulative. See below.
- Bank it. Depending on your tech, this might earn you a small amount of interest each turn.

It is actually possible to go bankrupt if your army is too big for your economy to support. Should this happen, your stability (see below) will halve itself every year until you get back into the black.

Technology

Spoiler :

For the purpose of this game, all nations start on equal technological footing. That is, tech level zero.

There are three areas of research: Civics/Culture, Military, and Science. Each level costs a significant amount of cash to reach – 1000 gold each – but the benefits to your civilization will be worth the cost. Hopefully. The first player who reaches a level will decide what new technology/invention/idea will come into the world, and suggest their in-game effects. The GM will then decides whether it’s appropriate and modify the effects if needed (or, alternatively, the GM alone may decide the in-game effects of new technology).

For instance:
- The Ottomans discover Civics Tech level 10
- Padishah Joecoolyo announces the liberalization of the press.
- Joecoolyo or the GM decides on the effects, perhaps something on the line of “increase of +10% on civics tech spending”)
- With GM approval, the effects became active for all nations with that tech the following turn (so in this case anyone with Civics 10).

Have fun but please be reasonable. The steam engine or the atomic bomb being researched in the 1500s is not reasonable. Discovering television before the advent of electricity is not reasonable. This mostly applies to science, and to a lesser extent military. If you choose a technology >100 years (give or take a few) before their actual historical date you will be penalized in weird and interesting ways.

The three areas:
- Civics – government, culture, art, religion, trade, economic systems, social trends all come under this category.
- Military – new weapons, new ships, new tactics. Also effects the strength of armies.
- Science – everything else, including new technologies, inventions, methods of manufacturing, laws of physics, new chemicals, new materials, medicine, etc.

Diplomatic Actions

Spoiler :

Diplomacy can be conducted in the open in the thread or in private by VM, PM or social groups. Either way, you’ll have to let a GM know when a treaty is signed.

Most diplomatic actions are free. However, defensive pacts, guarantees, warnings and embargoes now cost 50 gold, joining alliances now cost 100 gold, and funding revolts now cost 200 gold. You can only sign treaties with another player if their territories can be reached from yours by land or sea.

A note about some of the possible actions:
Trade Agreements gives the signatories each other’s bonuses from a % of industry. Embargo cancels it, as well as imposes a negative stability modifier to the receiver. Passage Rights people allow your people to cross other people’s lands, to move troops around or do business in another country. Tech Pact lets two nations research together. Fund revolt is diplomats not being diplomatic, and it has a relatively high percentage of failing.

Stability

Spoiler :

Before we get to the last point, which is combat, a word about stability. Everyone starts with a stability of 100%. Stability can fall due to:
- Bankruptcies – halve your stability every turn
- Embargoes – decrease your stability by -1% every turn
- Starting wars without a casus belli – decrease stability by 20%
- Someone funding revolts in your land – decrease your stability by -1 to -10%

If you let your stability fall, there are consequences:
- At 90%, attacking troops get a -10% strength modifier
- At 80%, defending troops get a -10% strength modifier
- At 70%, attacking troops suffer an additional -10% modifier
- At 60%, defending troops suffer an additional -10% modifier
- At 50%, you lose the ability to research
- At 40%, you lose your industry modifier as your people go on strikes.
- At 30%, you lose all income modifiers
- At 20%, you lose the ability to claim new territories (including attacking in wars)
- At 10%, you may not conduct diplomatic actions.

Additionally, after 50%, you will get revolt risk. At stability zero, you have a revolt risk of 50% in a random province. If you strike unlucky, the GM will roll a dice – a one and you’ll only have a minor strike, a six and you have a civil war on your hands.

Stability is regained with gold. For each 10 gold pieces you invest you earn back +1% of stability. For 100 gold, you get back 10% stability.

War

Spoiler :

Going to War
To go to war without your population going OMGWTFBBQ, you need a good excuse. You get a casus belli if another nation has a different form of government, a different official religion (invalid if they have none), if you have a border dispute, if they declared war on your allies, if they embargo you, attempt to destabilize you or blockade you or deny you access to a sea or ocean tile. Without a casus belli, you suffer a 20% stability hit.

Units
Your main units are armies and fleets. These are physical entities on the map. Each costs 10 gold per turn to maintain, starting right from the turn you recruit one (subtracted from your treasury). The strength of your unit is equal to your military tech level, plus any offensive or defensive modifiers.

When you recruit an army or fleet, you choose where they start. Every turn, you may reposition all your units. Armies may move through up to 10 land territories in friendly territory (all sea crossings in total count as 1 move, oceans count as 2), and only one may exist in a province. Fleets may be reposition anywhere you have ports or can access allied ports, and the number of fleets in a tile is unlimited.

Land Battles
An attack will cost a flat fee of one expansion point. Any army may be used to attack a province as long as they can reach that province by land or sea. An attack count as a move by an army. You may have several armies attacking a province.

The defenders has a number of advantages. First, a province when attacked is considered its own army. Secondly, any armies adjacent to the province being attacked, if not being attacked itself, will also contribute to the total number of defending armies in the battle.

The winner is the side with the greatest strength. Note that strength can be modified by various bonuses and handicaps, and at the end a dice roll will also add or subtract between 5-15% to the strength of the respective sides. If the strength of the winning side is more than 50% of the losing side, the losing side loses any armies they had in the battle. Otherwise, they simply retreat.

Naval Battles
An army may move across seas and oceans to attack a province (as long as that province can be reached by seas and oceans). However, while at sea if enemy fleets are in the area they can simply sink the transports and you’ll lose the army. So navies are important.

Naval battles are similar to land battles – the side with the greatest strength wins.

Alternative Methods
[OOC: If you don’t like this and want to get rid of it altogether there are other methods.
- RNG
- Game simulation. Off tothe top of my head, among those suggested are: Medieval Total War, Civ, Rise of nations
- Also, there’s Lighthearter’s idea for combat, here and here.]

Housekeeping

Spoiler :

Anti-Spam Measures:
Theoretically, there are no limits on the number of posts you can post each turn. However, IOT does get brought down by too much unnecessary content. Think quality of posts, not quantity: you're not getting Post Count, so no need to spam.

Your posts must follow the Etiquette and actually consist of something RELEVANT to your nation and not just one-liner comments, OT content, or spam. Do not quote the entire post. Only quote the relevant parts. It keeps the forum more readable. Also, don't respond to each relevant post individually; use multi-quote to avoid posting like 10 times in a row.

If you are acting inappropriately, you’ll get two warnings from the GMs. On your third infraction, we phone the actual mods. And ban you.

Leaving
Upon resigning from the game, you can distribute your territories to other players, one or more NPCs(or create one or more from your lands), or just flat out make them unclaimed.

If you are just going to be taking a holiday, give us your orders, or ask someone else to do them for you. To avoid migraines, we cannot calculate it all, and will only go on what you give us. Otherwise, your country will be treated as an NPC until you return.


If you are not active for 5 days, or don't have anybody to give your orders, we will PM you that you need to post something - or tell someone else to - to stay in the game. If you don't respond, we will PM you again after 24 hours or so have passed, asking how you want your lands distributed, as you have become inactive and thus cannot continue to play. If we don't receive a reply within 24 hours, we will distribute your lands in a manner as fair as possible.

GMship
IOT is a monster even when kept in check. To ensure smooth operations and sanity for all, there are going to be several GMs.
[OOC: we’ll deal with the details later, but do you agree that this should be the case?]

I think everything is fine except for a few:

Treaties- I think a treaty with someone on YOUR CONTINENT should cost less.

Also, can you create an "unofficial" treaty for free, for instance, create a DP but if someone DOWs them you don't get a casus beli?

If no I see no way to enforce it but I'll follow the rules.

2. Claiming "Across the sea" means claims in the new world correct? If, say, your in England, you can attack France right? I still disagree with slowing the Natives, but whatever, I won't be playing one.

3. I prefer some kind of simulation, however, I'm fine with your system so long as you can handle the Math and I don't have to worry about it. How do you expand your number of armies? Something like the Napoleon Spinoff?

4. @Ilduce- I'm not gonna be Mongolia if they do eventually let me back in. Teaming up at the beginning of the game was kinda unfair, and I think we should take it naturally. I'm warning you in advance. That doesn't mean we can't ally further down the road, but not at the beginning.

 

[Cull]

Rules are good. Multiple GMs sounds a bit too hard to do IMO, but if you guys can pull it off, awesome.

 

[Tee Kay]

Domination, first of all:

Do not quote the entire post. Only quote the relevant parts

Now to the rest of your post:

Treaties- I think a treaty with someone on YOUR CONTINENT should cost less.

Acknowledged.

Also, can you create an "unofficial" treaty for free, for instance, create a DP but if someone DOWs them you don't get a casus beli?

I don't see the harm in that, since it doesn't effect your casus belli. So, yes.

Claiming "Across the sea" means claims in the new world correct? If, say, your in England, you can attack France right?

If you look on the map I posted earlier, I distinguish between "sea" tiles and "ocean" tiles. Ocean tiles cannot be crossed unless you can cross it. You'd claim across "sea" tiles as you normally would, but if you have to go through "oceans" then the cost doubles, as stated.

3. I prefer some kind of simulation, however, I'm fine with your system so long as you can handle the Math and I don't have to worry about it. How do you expand your number of armies? Something like the Napoleon Spinoff?

You can have as many armies as you can afford to pay for. If you want one, just build one (if you have the money, of course).

 

[GhostWriter16]

Sorry about breaking the IOT rules.

Second of all, how much do armies cost.

EDIT: Can you link me your map?

 

[Tee Kay]

Domination, did you actually read my post?

Your main units are armies and fleets. These are physical entities on the map. Each costs 10 gold per turn to maintain, starting right from the turn you recruit one (subtracted from your treasury).

Also, here's the map.

 

[GhostWriter16]

OK dokey. Your battle system sounds good.

EDIT: I think Florida should be able to access Cuba but its good otherwise.

That is assuming I am correct that the box is "Sea" from the land area inside it.

 

[civplayah]

I still don't quite understand why Americans can't expand as much, but I'll just live with it.

 

[W|M]

. Rules are good.

 

[Double A]

EDIT: I think Florida should be able to access Cuba but its good otherwise.

Oh god. Oh god yes. This was a MAJOR FRIKKIN HUGE problem in M2TW Americas. The Natives, no matter HOW much they wanted to, could not get to Cuba from ANYWHERE to finish the Spanish off. They'd just sit there in their capital, getting free family members because all of their generals were killed and free money because they're the AI. And then they could invade you wherever they wanted to because they had ships that the natives couldn't kill. Even if storms reduced the unit to one man and the ship was right next to the land, they still couldn't get rid of them. "Oh, we don't have any CANOES or anything, I guess we'll just let them raid us."