Re: Hyperboria

[ME Brines]

Better talk to the Dredd Pirate Roberts because they'll need a route to get to you and he's the only one anywhere nearby with ships.

On 4/13/2015 6:27 PM, Allen Kelley wrote:

Hyperboria is in need of 2 things.

1) Horses (No not to eat)

2) Merc's that are willing to fight now and get paid later. (yes, I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for an hamburger today)

 

 

 

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[ME Brines]

How do I organize a secret society, or otherwise engage in "illegal" activities?

Pirates, brigands, cultists, secret societies and others can organize secret armies. Secret armies are restricted to single ships or twenty-five or fewer military units equipped only with civilian-type weapons (no chariots or heavy weapons.) Between their love of creature comforts as befitting their societal status, and the train of lackeys toting all their occult references and spell components, magic users count as fifteen units per power level. Minor magic items are treated as a number of military units equivalent to their ability, so a +1 magic sword counts as one unit. Powerful magic items will generally be considered military-type weapons and won't be allowed across by the border guards.

Secret armies cannot control territory. They can move unlimited distances disguised as civilians, crossing territory controlled by other players. They cannot defend territory or make normal attacks or assist defenses or attacks. They can only be involved in spying, subversion, thievery or general mischief. Any of these missions should be listed in the attacks section of your player packet.

Spying can return information about the target area, if enemy inquisitors or other defenses don't catch them first.

Cultists and other subversives can attempt to foment revolt or coordinate with rebellious factions in the target region. They can also get caught by inquisitors and end up drawn and quartered in the town square as a deterrent to treason/heresy.

Thievery can generate a little income. This is more practical for individual characters lacking access to the thieving power of tax collectors.

General mischief includes things like rescuing the princess or swiping the MacGuffin to save the world. (Or maybe dropping it into a volcano somewhere.) These usually involve heroes and a lot of luck or karma.

[Charles Hurst]

I think it would be better just to kill players off so they can go pursue some other hobby or something else they'd like to do.  I mean, no real intel, unmanagable stability system, NPCs with perfect stability at high taxes building large armies... Well, what's the point in staying in?  Your game is about running a nation state, not a dirt poor secret society or mercenary group that the rich nation states can easily swat with some soldiers or secret police swarming the few economic regions of worth.

[ME Brines]

On 4/14/2015 11:03 AM, Charles Hurst wrote:

I think it would be better just to kill players off so they can go pursue some other hobby or something else they'd like to do.  I mean, no real intel,

You can get intel but you need to send spies in using the "secret armies" rules.

unmanagable stability system

Works well. I just need to get across what's happening to the players better

, NPCs with perfect stability at high taxes building large armies...

They don't necessarily. Florin is because they're in the middle of a war. What else are they going to do but build troops like crazy or die?

Well, what's the point in staying in?  Your game is about running a nation state,

Not so much.

not a dirt poor secret society or mercenary group that the rich nation states can easily swat with some soldiers or secret police swarming the few economic regions of worth.

Actually we've got a couple merchant princes who seem to be getting off on trade and inventions, Dizzy is just a diabolical fiend dedicated to chaos, and we've got another necromancer who controls like $15 in production because he wanted to be some lunatic in a desolate tower (Sauron without the Orcs, I guess) You may want to play a rich nation state but not everybody is doing that. And the way the game works you could end up blasted back to six guys in a leaky boat and claw your way back to a throne somewhere - probably through the role playing you disdain.

If you wanna treat it as a economic simulation Struggle clone, yeah, if you get your butt kicked in that you're done. But this isn't the same game. The Ayrian elves couldn't beat their rebels either but she worked out some plausible role playing bullshit (and ran up a huge karma deficit) to get it back. Now she owes the goddess plenty but seems content to role play that anyway. It was pretty much what she was doing to begin with.

If you really wanna be "the Dredd Pirate Roberts" maybe you just sail away to easier pickings? Why beat your head against a wall? Grab a bunch of vacant sea zones and ravage the coast. Land scouts all over and see what's up and then loot juicy targets of opportunity. Charge people protection money. If you've got your heart set on a crown, you can easily turn all that loot into more troops, more ships and eventually big power somewhere. The way this game works you can't die. Your fortunes might be down right now but that can change.

[Wyndraxus]

Why not make them cells and allow multiple cells? 25 to 30  militia are not really going to contribute anything.

You can make the cells cost more, and unable to coordinate, so a large uprising, or other endeavour is more difficult.

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

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[ME Brines]

I don't understand the point.
25 units means no large armies popping up behind the lines that can't be defended against.
Why should I make it easier to grow huge enemy fifth columns? That doesn't seem to be a route to an interesting game where somebody can blindside you with huge secret armies. The point was to allow spies (which you don't need 25 units for) criminal activities by players who've been wiped out and need a little cash, some conspiring by them sneaky cultists and an excuse for some derring do. What I don't want is to create a weapon that works better than regular warfare for fighting other players.

[Wyndraxus]

Ah, I assumed based off comments it was more a way to regain control if you loose your homeland.

[ME Brines]

You could use it for that. But nothing says that's all you can use it for.

[Frank Lordi]

Mike, sir...these rules arguments are one of the things that kills your games.

[ME Brines]

explain?

On 4/15/2015 2:59 PM, Frank Lordi wrote:

Mike, sir...these rules arguments are one of the things that kills your games.

On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 12:49 PM, ME Brines <s...@cox.net> wrote:

[Frank Lordi]

For myself, i see the following drawbacks.

- These things bog the list down

- They give players a feeling of uncertainty.

- They lead to the impression that the side who argues the longest gets its way.