In terms of internal politics, the entirety of the opposition's power rests with one man. This means that if he dies, we will very likely have a civil war on our hands. It is therefore recommended that at least one of the new armies/navies we raise in the future include some opposition leaders.
In terms of internal politics, the entirety of the opposition's power rests with one man. This means that if he dies, we will very likely have a civil war on our hands. It is therefore recommended that at least one of the new armies/navies we raise in the future include some opposition leaders.
There are two factions within our Arverni people: Us, represented by the Elder Chiefs, and everyone else, represented by the Other Chiefs. The faction sheet always has a breakdown of this:
The game approximates how much power each faction currently has, based off of the number of current leaders, their Gravitas statistic(the number next to the little bust of each person), traits, successes if a general, etc. Currently, we wield 50% of the power in Arverni, with the Other Chiefs holding the other 50%. The problem is that, while we have 4-5 leaders that each hold a part of that 50%, the Other Chiefs have all of their power vested in one man. If he were to die, we would seize upon much of that power for ourselves.
If the balance of power sways too far in one direction, it is very likely that a Civil War will erupt. Civil Wars are bad in that you can't really predict where the uprising will take place, and will drag down public order everywhere.
Whenever a new army/navy is raised, the game offers a selection of leaders, each with their own different skills, from either our family or the Other Chiefs. I was merely reminding myself, in writing, that when I raise new armies/navies, I should make the first couple of them from the Other Families.
In terms of internal politics, the entirety of the opposition's power rests with one man. This means that if he dies, we will very likely have a civil war on our hands. It is therefore recommended that at least one of the new armies/navies we raise in the future include some opposition leaders.
There are two factions within our Arverni people: Us, represented by the Elder Chiefs, and everyone else, represented by the Other Chiefs. The faction sheet always has a breakdown of this:
The game approximates how much power each faction currently has, based off of the number of current leaders, their Gravitas statistic(the number next to the little bust of each person), traits, successes if a general, etc. Currently, we wield 50% of the power in Arverni, with the Other Chiefs holding the other 50%. The problem is that, while we have 4-5 leaders that each hold a part of that 50%, the Other Chiefs have all of their power vested in one man. If he were to die, we would seize upon much of that power for ourselves.
If the balance of power sways too far in one direction, it is very likely that a Civil War will erupt. Civil Wars are bad in that you can't really predict where the uprising will take place, and will drag down public order everywhere.
Whenever a new army/navy is raised, the game offers a selection of leaders, each with their own different skills, from either our family or the Other Chiefs. I was merely reminding myself, in writing, that when I raise new armies/navies, I should make the first couple of them from the Other Families.
... wouldn't it make more sense for a Civil War to erupt if the balance of power swung too far in the other direction?
My understanding of it is that civil wars occur because a faction doesn't have enough say in government. It's like the black sheep of a family. You can't really get rid of the whole lot of them. If the elders get too much power, the other chiefs are mad. If the other chiefs have too much power, our own faction gets disgrunted and does something about it.
by the way, I am willing to sign up as an additional spy if you need one. . I am tired of the petty wars from my native Germanic tribes. I suppose I could get.used to your weird Celtic customs...
Sure thing ben, but if you want, we just got more open spots for full-on military leaders if you're interested
I would love to be a general, but I don't think I have the time available to be a general and command the troops like Frei had. (Did you guys swap save files at one point so that Frei could command the battle?)
I have the game now, but I am traveling pretty much every Monday to Friday for the current months to end of the year...
FaranguI am a beardy manWith a beardy planRegistered Userregular
We tried swapping save files, but there was some difficulty due to mod files and what not. You can still be a general and dictate what traditions your army has, as well as its destination, and not play the thing yourself.
as tempting as it is, I think I would fulfill my role better as the new spy. Assassinating prominent leaders, generals, and poisoning troops and cities is more my speed for this thread.
My fellow Elders, I maintain that our single, greatest weakness at the moment is still our lack of information. Accordingly, we should raise a fleet at each of our ports for purposes of exploration and expanding our trade.
@JusticeforPluto is in dire need of an actual fighting force. In light of that, we should also invest in progress to unlock new military units, and give him our finest.
I believe that our longstanding friendship with the Pictones should grant them some manner of clemency. Let us offer them the chance to join with us peacefully, in Confederation.
With our expanding focus on a navy, we should research a shallower keel, allowing better navigation in treacherous or riverine waters, and then, because my feet are tired and my arse is sore, figure out some way to ease the trip between Burdigala and Nemossos - a road or timber trackway or some such contrivance.
When we raise our navies, make sure to name one of our own to their command. If the other chiefs were competent, they would have more weight in our councils. Their current lack is evidence that they have displeased the gods, and I want no more of them than I must stomach.
I would like to sign up as a General, in name only (you guys can control, as I haven't setup the game yet). My ways are to be hyper-aggressive, so if you need someone to aggressively grab new territory, I'm your guy.
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FaranguI am a beardy manWith a beardy planRegistered Userregular
edited October 2013
Terrendos will take command of the Light of Belenos, as they are still searching for a replacement for 1st. Lt. Frei. This also means that, if he so chooses, he can change their name. The next group to be raised will belong to schuss.
Light of Belenos works just fine as the name for my glorious band of warriors. I would like to focus them, if possible, on the siege, sacking, and capture of enemy fortifications.
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FaranguI am a beardy manWith a beardy planRegistered Userregular
Update #7: Blood Moon Rising
Despite becoming a growing power in Provincia and Aquitania, it was decided that we needed to learn more of what was transpiring outside our little corner of the world. Two very small scout fleets were raised: The Drowned Men, based in Massallia and tasked with scouting the Mediterranean, and the Scourges of the Sea, based in Burdigala and tasked with scouting Britannia and Scandinavia, if possible. While they set sail, we recruited another spy(@NotoriousBEN) and another Warmaiden. Both spies began to scout the situation to our North.
While this was occurring, some more construction projects were began. Tolosa finished the Shrine of Toutatis, which makes it a beacon of our culture, and also an ideal training place for spies. Bibracte has completed work on our first Stables, which unlock the recruitment of heavy cavalry and upgrade the horses of our current riders, and is nearly finished with the Shrine of Epona, which will make the city the premier cavalry center. But most importantly, Nemossos has completed their Blacksmithy, which will allow our troops to upgrade their weapons. No expense was spared in accomplishing this task.
In the North, the Scourges have reached the town known as Iska, at the southwestern coast of Britannia. We see that there are at least two faction here: the Dummonnii and the Iceni. This is good news, as this indicates that all of Britannia has not united under one banner yet. The Drowned Men report that Carthage controls Corsica, which strongly implies they have Sardinia as well, but even more impressive is that they have taken a settlement in the Northern region of Italy. It seems that they are the dominant power of the Med at this time.
However, much closer to our door, our spies relay distressing news: The Carnutes, our neighbors to the North, have been busier than we thought. They control all the territory North of us, up to the Eastern end of the Britannian Channel. With two 4+ settlement neighbors to our North and Northeast, we might finally have a real test on our hands. We will need to be stronger. We ask the Pictones if they wish to further cement our bonds of trust and arms, as their support has been rather lacking throughout the entirety of our relations:
And with that, they have signed their own death warrant.
Military:
Both the Light of Belenos and Easy Legion have been fully upgraded with better quality horse and weapons. We are now in the process of retiring most of our levied freemen with higher quality troops, and their survival will not be as high of a priority in future engagements. For the Hand of the Council, we had the funds to enlarge their size by a few regiments, but they will be the first army to have access to Heavy Horse, and are positioned in Burdigala as the spearhead for our(probable) eventual incursion Northward.
The Pictones seem to understand that they have sealed their fate: their strongest army has fortified itself in the field, in range of reinforcement from its garrison. It will not be an easy fight, but with both the Easy Legion and the Light of Belenos marching together, we should emerge victorious.
@Zombie Hero may choose to command either fleet, but he will most likely not be seeing combat for some time, as the only naval unit we can recruit are transports for levied freemen.
@NotoriousBEN spent most of his time trying to woo a Carnutian Warmaiden to our cause. While he was ultimately unsuccessful, he learned from his mistakes, and may choose the following:
Agent - +1 authority, +5% critical chance of success in all actions
Spy - +1 cunning, +5% chance to evade enemy agents
Antagonist - +1 zeal, +6% to movement range when stationed with an army
@rockrngr has become the premier Warmaster of our people, and may choose another ability:
Champion II - +1 zeal, +6% to movement range when stationed with an army
Warfare II - +1 zeal, +15% to casualties when assaulting patrols or town watches
Militancy II - +1 zeal, +30 to unit experience when training, lowers public order
Paragon - +1 Authority, -10% cost to all actions, +5% chance of critical success
Partisan - +1 cunning, +5% chance to evade enemy agents
Strength - +1 zeal, +10% chance of successful manipulation/assassination of enemy agents/generals
The pressing questions: Should we raise a fourth army, or get the Hand of the Council more up to speed? What should be our plan for expansion after taking the Pictones?
Finance:
As you can see, we have spent much of our reserve upgrading the weapons of our troops. However, even with two massive armies and a growing third, and two small fleets to upkeep, we still have a modest inflow. This is also without reducing the taxation levels of our cities, or finding any new trade partners. However, if we wish to bring the Hand up to an...influential level, or raise further armies, we will need to find more money somewhere.
Technology:
We have finished the Warrior Dance, which adds to the attack skill of all our foot soldiers. Here is the following state of the trees:
War Exercises: Chainmail(-15% mercenary recruitment costs, -4% recruitment and upkeep costs, enables Bronze Furnace and Ironworks, 10 turns) or Shallow Keel(-2% recruitment and upkeep costs for naval ships, enables building of a Harbour, 4 turns)
Warrior Code: War Horn(+5% damage for all missile non-siege units, +4% charge bonus for all land units, +6% shots per minute for all land non-siege units, enables construction of Chieftain's Hold, 6 turns) or Crew Training(+5% battle speed for all ships, +10% ramming damage, +20% shots fired per minute for all naval ships, 4 turns)
Siege: Torsion Techniques(30% fewer losses when besieging, -1 to enemy siege holdout time, +15% damage for all siege units, enables construction of Great Builder's Hall, 8 turns) or Great Food Vault(-30% fewer attritional losses when under siege, all settlements can hold out an extra turn before losing a siege, 3 turns)
Tribal Economy: Animal Husbandry(+2% wealth from agriculture in all regions, can build further upgraded buildings in either military or agricultural, 3 turns) or Timber Trackway(+5% wealth from all commerce buildings, +5% tariffs from trade agreements, enables building of Potter and Fishing Port, 8 turns)
Tribal Council: Celtic Calendar(+3% tax rate and +2 public order everywhere, 10 turns) or Stargazing(+15% wealth from all culture buildings, -10% political action costs, -10% corruption in our provinces, +4 cultural conversion, enables construction of Bard's Grove, 8 turns)
Construction: Underfloor Drainage(+3 to growth in all provinces, -1 to provincial capital build times, 3 turns) or Raised Site(+2% wealth to all industrial buildings, can further upgrade town halls, 3 turns)
As mentioned earlier, we have two decently strong factions to our North, and Carthage is making surprising inroads to Rome. It is my belief that we should retake as much of Gaul under our banner as we can before we engage the larger groups. There are currently two one-settlement factions left in Gaul: The Pictones, and their neighbors to the Northwest, the Namnetes. We should get them under our banner before anyone else can, as resources are always in need. Past that, we need to decide who is next to fall, as no-one wants to trade with us at all.
CapsaicinI asked my 2 y/o son to draw a pic of my German mom, and thats what we got.Registered Userregular
I only want to make one decision. SMASH THE PICTONES. Everything else is gravy and defer all decisions until the Pictones are gravel beneath our boots.
Fleebhas all of the fleeb juiceRegistered Userregular
edited October 2013
Militarily the Pictones must be punished for their intransigence. All available armies should be dispatched and spies should be sent to poison wells and supplies. Their skulls should be arranged in piles most pleasing to the gods.
Their lands can then be used as a springboard for an attack upon the Namnetes and the Carnutes.
Financially I believe we are well set, and there is no need to either raise or lower taxes for now.
Technology I believe timber trackways should be our first priority, followed by shallow keel and underfloor drainage. Once those are in place we can focus more on military research.
I believe our main focus in general should now be northward. The maneuverings of Carthage and the other skirt-wearing nations are of no immediate concern. We may want to keep a small force in Burdigala in case the Iberians start casting covetous eyes upon our lush green lands.
Just be aware that if we go north, we will have a long and arduous time of it due to the cultural aversions between Celts and germanics. We may need more cultural special units to spread the Celtic faith faster, or indeed a fourth army that is 2nd garrisoning force so that we could blitz to a capital district.
you want to knock out a Germanic faction early, because while they fight each other like children, they will band together as a family if an outsider causes a ruckus.
While I am dissapointed that our Pictone neighbors did not decide to join with us in Confederation, I wonder if they might still be of use to us. Perhaps we might first direct our efforts against the Namnetes. The Pictones are a close ally of ours, still, and therefore are unlikely to be targeted by our other neighbors, while, to my knowledge, the Namnetes stand alone. If we focus our efforts on the Pictones now, we might find that the Marcomanni have moved on the Namnetes before we are recovered from fighting the Pictones. Secondly, if we persecute war against the Namnetes first, the Pictones might be cajoled into taking part in the battle. Then, each loss they take will be one less soldier we must face, and with a reduced force, they might be more receptive to our entreaties.
I still believe that the most important improvement we can pursue is the creation of a Timber Trackway. I mean, seriously - have you tried traveling between Burdigala and Nemossos? It's terrible! That, and shallow keels for our vessels should be our top priorities.
FaranguI am a beardy manWith a beardy planRegistered Userregular
edited October 2013
Update #8: The Breaking of the Peace
After its most recent session, it was decided from on high that the Pictones, after refusing to contribute to our many war efforts and denying the repeated chances to flourish under our banner, must be put to the sword. They possessed a noteworthy force, of one full army stack, with two more beginning to be created in their city, so the time to act was right then. Fortunately, Cambo(@Terrendos) and Belenos(@Kadoken) were poised on our borders, waiting for nothing but the order to advance.
It was given. One of our scouts attempted to sabotage their encampment, but luck was not on his side:
Deciding that they would rather settle the matter on the field anyway, our generals charged forward. The numbers were just so that it was conceivable the Pictones could win, so Cambo and Belenos directed the matter personally.
The thing to note is that when you look at the map in the bottom right, that tiny little yellow arrow is where our reinforcements will come into play. This means that Kadoken, with his flanking entrance, will put the Pictones in quite a dilemma. We cannot currently see where the Pictones reinforcements will come into play, though, so we should remain cautious.
The battle commences, and within minutes, we see the banners of the Easy Legion arriving from the East, and the Pictones more meager reinforcements from the Northwest:
Both Cambo and Belenos rush forward to try to settle the matter with their superior numbers before the reinforcements arrive. In response, the Pictones send one or two sacrificial units to desperately delay Belenos and buy their reinforcements the time they need to arrive to the fight:
Fortunately, all the training done by our Warmaidens has made them the superior troops compared to these rabble. Belenos leaves a few units to deal with the delaying force, while the remainder of his men smash into the Pictones rearguard:
Cambo's men, meanwhile, are holding their ground admirably. The Pictones attempted a flanking maneuver with their cavalry, but the angle was too narrow, and our spearmen redeployed with more than enough time to brace their spears.
With their backfield scattered, it is not long before the enemy generals are isolated and dispatched.
Soon, Belenos and Cambo meet in the middle of the battlefield, raising their arms in victory, to the cheers of their thousands.
With the first victory that didn't require massive loss of life under their belts, our generals decide to ride the wave of good morale, and siege the town of Lemonum. Within days, it falls to our leaders, we raze it to the ground, and the Pictones have suffered the fate that we tried to spare them from:
As we begin to rebuild Lemonum in our styling, a number of interesting things occur:
1 - With the taking of Lemonum, we have completed our original objective of completely uniting two regions under our colors. (For the time being, the Aquitania province of Burdigala, Nemossos and Lemonum will concentrate on food and public order to restore the lands after our recent conquest, while the Provincia province of Tolosa and Massallia are increasing their taxation efficiency.) With this, we received a large denarii injection as a reward, and were issued a new task:
Before the end of this update, this goal was achieved. Our next goal is to raze or sack 8 settlements, not counting the ones we already have.
2 - The Carnutes, our Northern neighbors, actually agree to a trade agreement with us. This will bring in a small increase to our income.
3 - As we begin to restore Lemonum, we see that the Namnetes, trapped in the Northwest, have gone and done something rather rash: They moved their lone remaining army(for they were at war with two other cultures) out of their last settlement to attempt and bring more land to their name. Cambo, always the opportunist, took his men and brought their town, Namnetum, under our control.
Their army was now without a source of supply, and with a little assistance from Abonios:
The Namnetes are now no more. We raze their lands as well, more for the sake of our long term objectives than anything else.
4. During this most recent conquest, we receive many diplomatic reports. Firstly, the Marcomanni have declared war on the Carnutes. These are both immediate neighbors to us, and both control more than just one province. It shall be interesting to see the results of this conflict. Secondly, @Zombie Hero reports from his scouting fleet that Carthage has complete control over Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily, and as a result, they have stamped Rome out of existence:
They now control the lion's share of Italia, with Rome itself belonging to Cantabria(our Southern Neighbors). Also, Carthage seems to have given most of their African holdings to their client state, Nova Carthago. Quite odd.
And from here, the Council now have a dilemma: Retaba has spent most of his time scouting to the West, and he reports that most of central Europa is free from one-settlement cultures, and has now consolidated into blocks. If we wish to march forward anymore, it will have to be against forces that have the capability to be numerically equal to ours, unless we cross over and take Britannia.
Military:
Cambo, for his part in the taking of Lemonum and Namnetum, has earned a new tradition for his army, and a new personal trait.
Traditions already held: Siege Experts - may construct medium siege engines
Available:
Accomplished Skirmishers - +3% damage from all missile units
Formidable Swordsmen - +5% damage from all sword units
Dread Forest Ambushers - +8% morale when ambushing/fighting night battles in forests
Upgrade Siege Experts - +4% armor for all siege units
Inexorable Horde - -5% recruitment cost, +5% damage for all melee units
Stalwart Defenders - when fortified, receive an extra barricade, set of sharp stones, set of fire balls, and stake wall
Unrelenting Force - +6% movement range, +4 charge bonus for all units
Traits already held: Justice - +1 zeal, -10% resistance to your occupation
Strategist - +1 cunning
Tactician - +1 cunning, +8% movement range
Available:
Upgrade Justice - Double all listed numbers for Justice
Upgrade Strategist - Double cunning gain, +2% defense for all units
Commander - +1 authority
Warrior - +1 zeal
Administrator - +1 cunning, -4% upkeep cost for all non-mercenary units
Covert Action - +1 cunning, enable night battle option for both land and sea
Logistics - +1 cunning, +4% replenishment rate for all units
Siegecraft - +1 cunning, +1 siege hold out time, -1 for enemy siege hold out time
Mercenary Contacts - +1 cunning, -4% mercenary recruitment costs
Kadoken recruited a Celtic Ballista into his group, while @JusticeForPluto now has a solid 16 units under his control(max 20), and he is the only one with Heavy Horsemen at this moment.
Decisions: Should we expand more at this time? Should we wait to expand in Europe until our neighbors are done fighting? Should we scout Britannia and calculate if an invasion there would be prudent? Should we look South, and take over what we can there while avoiding the much larger and more powerful Carthage? Should our Navy continue to act as a scouting force, or should we begin researching the buildings require to build more than just transports?
Finance:
As you can see, the back to back completion of those two objectives has left us with a great denarii reserve(~15,000), and we are still in the black, earning about 2000 more each turn. In order to prevent slums from popping up in our new conquests, I quickly installed both an Artisan's Lodge and a Sacred Grove, as we still have a strong food surplus so agriculture was not needed. Namnetum also has a port. I also took the liberty of upgrading the central Town Hall buildings to both of those settlements.
Since we now have a number of regions, we should look at the edicts we can issue them. Each edict affects all of the settlements in that region:
Bread and Games: +4 food, +4 public order
Migration: +5 growth, -5% unit recruitment cost
Commercial Stimulation: Reduces decline of slave population, +10% wealth from all commercial buildings
Tribute Collection: +9% tax rate
Two major questions here. First, what should we do with the reserve? Should we focus on upgrading buildings? Which kind? (Agricultural - more food, possibly cavalry if we build a certain way, Industrial - split between more money and unlocking more infantry/siege recruitment options, Religious - more public order, number of many different fringe benefits, City Center - different from town hall buildings, mostly more money but a higher quantity than Industrial) Should we raise a fourth army to solidify our holdings/plan for future conquest? If so, are we prepared to be in the red until we do take more land, or stop recruitment right before that path?
I will be happy to list more of the long term benefits of different buildings if you request a particular branch.
Technology:
We have just finished researching the Timber Trackway, which brings us more wealth from trade and commerce buildings. The current options for more research are:
War Exercises: Chainmail(-15% mercenary recruitment costs, -4% recruitment and upkeep costs, enables Bronze Furnace and Ironworks, 10 turns) or Shallow Keel(-2% recruitment and upkeep costs for naval ships, enables building of a Harbour, 4 turns)
Warrior Code: War Horn(+5% damage for all missile non-siege units, +4% charge bonus for all land units, +6% shots per minute for all land non-siege units, enables construction of Chieftain's Hold, 6 turns) or Crew Training(+5% battle speed for all ships, +10% ramming damage, +20% shots fired per minute for all naval ships, 4 turns)
Siege: Torsion Techniques(30% fewer losses when besieging, -1 to enemy siege holdout time, +15% damage for all siege units, enables construction of Great Builder's Hall, 8 turns) or Great Food Vault(-30% fewer attritional losses when under siege, all settlements can hold out an extra turn before losing a siege, 3 turns)
Tribal Economy: Animal Husbandry(+2% wealth from agriculture in all regions, can build further upgraded buildings in either military or agricultural, 3 turns) or Intensified Production(+7% wealth from all commerce buildings, +7% tariffs from trade agreements, enables building of Potter's Workshop, Great Fair and the Sanctuary of Rosmerta, 19 turns)
Tribal Council: Celtic Calendar(+3% tax rate and +2 public order everywhere, 10 turns) or Stargazing(+15% wealth from all culture buildings, -10% political action costs, -10% corruption in our provinces, +4 cultural conversion, enables construction of Bard's Grove, 8 turns)
Construction: Underfloor Drainage(+3 to growth in all provinces, -1 to provincial capital build times, 3 turns) or Raised Site(+2% wealth to all industrial buildings, can further upgrade town halls, 3 turns)
Politics:
A fairly interesting time: We finally have a trade agreement with our Carnute neighbors, right as they begin a war. Rough estimates put the balance of power slightly in our favor compared to most of the European factions that we know about, but only just. We have a slightly better lead on the Brittanic tribes, and we are behind on Carthage.
How should we act? Continue fishing for low-no cost trade agreements? Solidify our bonds with the Carnutes? Offer our help in the war between then and the Marcomanni(slightly further west)?
State of the Tribe is updated. Also, I finally found the link to the in-game encyclopaedia, so if you have any questions about unit capabilities, the tech tree, or building bonuses and costs, you can feel free to look it up here. Pick whichever tab you want to examine, then sort by either Arverni(our people) or Barbarian(our culture) depending on which tab it is.
I've said from the start that we need to unite the Gallic people. If we're trading with the Carnutes, that basically requires jumping to the British Isles. So I support that. Which also means it's time for Shallow Keel and Crew Training.
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
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FaranguI am a beardy manWith a beardy planRegistered Userregular
Also, I think this is a good time to stop and ask: Are you folks enjoying this? Is there anything you would like to see me change(more participation, more explanation about things, etc.)?
Posts
Keep those troops in shape.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
For the sake of brevity, I concur with everything here.
There are two factions within our Arverni people: Us, represented by the Elder Chiefs, and everyone else, represented by the Other Chiefs. The faction sheet always has a breakdown of this:
The game approximates how much power each faction currently has, based off of the number of current leaders, their Gravitas statistic(the number next to the little bust of each person), traits, successes if a general, etc. Currently, we wield 50% of the power in Arverni, with the Other Chiefs holding the other 50%. The problem is that, while we have 4-5 leaders that each hold a part of that 50%, the Other Chiefs have all of their power vested in one man. If he were to die, we would seize upon much of that power for ourselves.
If the balance of power sways too far in one direction, it is very likely that a Civil War will erupt. Civil Wars are bad in that you can't really predict where the uprising will take place, and will drag down public order everywhere.
Whenever a new army/navy is raised, the game offers a selection of leaders, each with their own different skills, from either our family or the Other Chiefs. I was merely reminding myself, in writing, that when I raise new armies/navies, I should make the first couple of them from the Other Families.
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
... wouldn't it make more sense for a Civil War to erupt if the balance of power swung too far in the other direction?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
by the way, I am willing to sign up as an additional spy if you need one. . I am tired of the petty wars from my native Germanic tribes. I suppose I could get.used to your weird Celtic customs...
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
As far as our research goes, I must once again recommend the Timber Trackway, with a secondary emphasis on War Dance and Torsion Techniques.
I agree with my fellow council members in the need to either take the Pictones under our wings or eliminate them as a potential enemy.
I would love to be a general, but I don't think I have the time available to be a general and command the troops like Frei had. (Did you guys swap save files at one point so that Frei could command the battle?)
I have the game now, but I am traveling pretty much every Monday to Friday for the current months to end of the year...
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
So that makes you what, the neck?
3DS: 0473-8507-2652
Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
PSN: AbEntropy
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
@JusticeforPluto is in dire need of an actual fighting force. In light of that, we should also invest in progress to unlock new military units, and give him our finest.
I believe that our longstanding friendship with the Pictones should grant them some manner of clemency. Let us offer them the chance to join with us peacefully, in Confederation.
With our expanding focus on a navy, we should research a shallower keel, allowing better navigation in treacherous or riverine waters, and then, because my feet are tired and my arse is sore, figure out some way to ease the trip between Burdigala and Nemossos - a road or timber trackway or some such contrivance.
When we raise our navies, make sure to name one of our own to their command. If the other chiefs were competent, they would have more weight in our councils. Their current lack is evidence that they have displeased the gods, and I want no more of them than I must stomach.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I'm not sure how you guys got you from we. But anyways, the trick with poison is to just drop it in the wells. :^:
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
Chicago Megagame group
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Edit: Also, hope you're feeling better, ebum.
Chicago Megagame group
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While this was occurring, some more construction projects were began. Tolosa finished the Shrine of Toutatis, which makes it a beacon of our culture, and also an ideal training place for spies. Bibracte has completed work on our first Stables, which unlock the recruitment of heavy cavalry and upgrade the horses of our current riders, and is nearly finished with the Shrine of Epona, which will make the city the premier cavalry center. But most importantly, Nemossos has completed their Blacksmithy, which will allow our troops to upgrade their weapons. No expense was spared in accomplishing this task.
In the North, the Scourges have reached the town known as Iska, at the southwestern coast of Britannia. We see that there are at least two faction here: the Dummonnii and the Iceni. This is good news, as this indicates that all of Britannia has not united under one banner yet. The Drowned Men report that Carthage controls Corsica, which strongly implies they have Sardinia as well, but even more impressive is that they have taken a settlement in the Northern region of Italy. It seems that they are the dominant power of the Med at this time.
However, much closer to our door, our spies relay distressing news: The Carnutes, our neighbors to the North, have been busier than we thought. They control all the territory North of us, up to the Eastern end of the Britannian Channel. With two 4+ settlement neighbors to our North and Northeast, we might finally have a real test on our hands. We will need to be stronger. We ask the Pictones if they wish to further cement our bonds of trust and arms, as their support has been rather lacking throughout the entirety of our relations:
And with that, they have signed their own death warrant.
Military:
The Pictones seem to understand that they have sealed their fate: their strongest army has fortified itself in the field, in range of reinforcement from its garrison. It will not be an easy fight, but with both the Easy Legion and the Light of Belenos marching together, we should emerge victorious.
@Zombie Hero may choose to command either fleet, but he will most likely not be seeing combat for some time, as the only naval unit we can recruit are transports for levied freemen.
@NotoriousBEN spent most of his time trying to woo a Carnutian Warmaiden to our cause. While he was ultimately unsuccessful, he learned from his mistakes, and may choose the following:
Agent - +1 authority, +5% critical chance of success in all actions
Spy - +1 cunning, +5% chance to evade enemy agents
Antagonist - +1 zeal, +6% to movement range when stationed with an army
@rockrngr has become the premier Warmaster of our people, and may choose another ability:
Champion II - +1 zeal, +6% to movement range when stationed with an army
Warfare II - +1 zeal, +15% to casualties when assaulting patrols or town watches
Militancy II - +1 zeal, +30 to unit experience when training, lowers public order
Paragon - +1 Authority, -10% cost to all actions, +5% chance of critical success
Partisan - +1 cunning, +5% chance to evade enemy agents
Strength - +1 zeal, +10% chance of successful manipulation/assassination of enemy agents/generals
The pressing questions: Should we raise a fourth army, or get the Hand of the Council more up to speed? What should be our plan for expansion after taking the Pictones?
Finance:
As you can see, we have spent much of our reserve upgrading the weapons of our troops. However, even with two massive armies and a growing third, and two small fleets to upkeep, we still have a modest inflow. This is also without reducing the taxation levels of our cities, or finding any new trade partners. However, if we wish to bring the Hand up to an...influential level, or raise further armies, we will need to find more money somewhere.
Technology:
War Exercises: Chainmail(-15% mercenary recruitment costs, -4% recruitment and upkeep costs, enables Bronze Furnace and Ironworks, 10 turns) or Shallow Keel(-2% recruitment and upkeep costs for naval ships, enables building of a Harbour, 4 turns)
Warrior Code: War Horn(+5% damage for all missile non-siege units, +4% charge bonus for all land units, +6% shots per minute for all land non-siege units, enables construction of Chieftain's Hold, 6 turns) or Crew Training(+5% battle speed for all ships, +10% ramming damage, +20% shots fired per minute for all naval ships, 4 turns)
Siege: Torsion Techniques(30% fewer losses when besieging, -1 to enemy siege holdout time, +15% damage for all siege units, enables construction of Great Builder's Hall, 8 turns) or Great Food Vault(-30% fewer attritional losses when under siege, all settlements can hold out an extra turn before losing a siege, 3 turns)
Tribal Economy: Animal Husbandry(+2% wealth from agriculture in all regions, can build further upgraded buildings in either military or agricultural, 3 turns) or Timber Trackway(+5% wealth from all commerce buildings, +5% tariffs from trade agreements, enables building of Potter and Fishing Port, 8 turns)
Tribal Council: Celtic Calendar(+3% tax rate and +2 public order everywhere, 10 turns) or Stargazing(+15% wealth from all culture buildings, -10% political action costs, -10% corruption in our provinces, +4 cultural conversion, enables construction of Bard's Grove, 8 turns)
Construction: Underfloor Drainage(+3 to growth in all provinces, -1 to provincial capital build times, 3 turns) or Raised Site(+2% wealth to all industrial buildings, can further upgrade town halls, 3 turns)
@Stilts
Politics:
@Phyphor @enlightenedbum @Capsaicin @firewaterword @Vic @NerfThatMan @Mr Ray @Elvenshae @Fleeb
State of the Tribe is updated.
Chicago Megagame group
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Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
2 authority
3 cunning
1 zeal?
when I know this, I can devote my skill point.
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
Their lands can then be used as a springboard for an attack upon the Namnetes and the Carnutes.
Financially I believe we are well set, and there is no need to either raise or lower taxes for now.
Technology I believe timber trackways should be our first priority, followed by shallow keel and underfloor drainage. Once those are in place we can focus more on military research.
I believe our main focus in general should now be northward. The maneuverings of Carthage and the other skirt-wearing nations are of no immediate concern. We may want to keep a small force in Burdigala in case the Iberians start casting covetous eyes upon our lush green lands.
you want to knock out a Germanic faction early, because while they fight each other like children, they will band together as a family if an outsider causes a ruckus.
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
Ben your agent is set up as 3-1-2
Chicago Megagame group
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I still believe that the most important improvement we can pursue is the creation of a Timber Trackway. I mean, seriously - have you tried traveling between Burdigala and Nemossos? It's terrible! That, and shallow keels for our vessels should be our top priorities.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Ok, pump up my authority then. Geez, with that 1 cunning I really did huck poisoned ragballs at people...
Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
The Council has spoken - The Pictones shall fall.
Chicago Megagame group
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It was given. One of our scouts attempted to sabotage their encampment, but luck was not on his side:
Deciding that they would rather settle the matter on the field anyway, our generals charged forward. The numbers were just so that it was conceivable the Pictones could win, so Cambo and Belenos directed the matter personally.
The thing to note is that when you look at the map in the bottom right, that tiny little yellow arrow is where our reinforcements will come into play. This means that Kadoken, with his flanking entrance, will put the Pictones in quite a dilemma. We cannot currently see where the Pictones reinforcements will come into play, though, so we should remain cautious.
The battle commences, and within minutes, we see the banners of the Easy Legion arriving from the East, and the Pictones more meager reinforcements from the Northwest:
Both Cambo and Belenos rush forward to try to settle the matter with their superior numbers before the reinforcements arrive. In response, the Pictones send one or two sacrificial units to desperately delay Belenos and buy their reinforcements the time they need to arrive to the fight:
Fortunately, all the training done by our Warmaidens has made them the superior troops compared to these rabble. Belenos leaves a few units to deal with the delaying force, while the remainder of his men smash into the Pictones rearguard:
Cambo's men, meanwhile, are holding their ground admirably. The Pictones attempted a flanking maneuver with their cavalry, but the angle was too narrow, and our spearmen redeployed with more than enough time to brace their spears.
With their backfield scattered, it is not long before the enemy generals are isolated and dispatched.
Soon, Belenos and Cambo meet in the middle of the battlefield, raising their arms in victory, to the cheers of their thousands.
With the first victory that didn't require massive loss of life under their belts, our generals decide to ride the wave of good morale, and siege the town of Lemonum. Within days, it falls to our leaders, we raze it to the ground, and the Pictones have suffered the fate that we tried to spare them from:
As we begin to rebuild Lemonum in our styling, a number of interesting things occur:
1 - With the taking of Lemonum, we have completed our original objective of completely uniting two regions under our colors. (For the time being, the Aquitania province of Burdigala, Nemossos and Lemonum will concentrate on food and public order to restore the lands after our recent conquest, while the Provincia province of Tolosa and Massallia are increasing their taxation efficiency.) With this, we received a large denarii injection as a reward, and were issued a new task:
Before the end of this update, this goal was achieved. Our next goal is to raze or sack 8 settlements, not counting the ones we already have.
2 - The Carnutes, our Northern neighbors, actually agree to a trade agreement with us. This will bring in a small increase to our income.
3 - As we begin to restore Lemonum, we see that the Namnetes, trapped in the Northwest, have gone and done something rather rash: They moved their lone remaining army(for they were at war with two other cultures) out of their last settlement to attempt and bring more land to their name. Cambo, always the opportunist, took his men and brought their town, Namnetum, under our control.
Their army was now without a source of supply, and with a little assistance from Abonios:
The Namnetes are now no more. We raze their lands as well, more for the sake of our long term objectives than anything else.
4. During this most recent conquest, we receive many diplomatic reports. Firstly, the Marcomanni have declared war on the Carnutes. These are both immediate neighbors to us, and both control more than just one province. It shall be interesting to see the results of this conflict. Secondly, @Zombie Hero reports from his scouting fleet that Carthage has complete control over Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily, and as a result, they have stamped Rome out of existence:
They now control the lion's share of Italia, with Rome itself belonging to Cantabria(our Southern Neighbors). Also, Carthage seems to have given most of their African holdings to their client state, Nova Carthago. Quite odd.
And from here, the Council now have a dilemma: Retaba has spent most of his time scouting to the West, and he reports that most of central Europa is free from one-settlement cultures, and has now consolidated into blocks. If we wish to march forward anymore, it will have to be against forces that have the capability to be numerically equal to ours, unless we cross over and take Britannia.
Military:
Traditions already held: Siege Experts - may construct medium siege engines
Available:
Accomplished Skirmishers - +3% damage from all missile units
Formidable Swordsmen - +5% damage from all sword units
Dread Forest Ambushers - +8% morale when ambushing/fighting night battles in forests
Upgrade Siege Experts - +4% armor for all siege units
Inexorable Horde - -5% recruitment cost, +5% damage for all melee units
Stalwart Defenders - when fortified, receive an extra barricade, set of sharp stones, set of fire balls, and stake wall
Unrelenting Force - +6% movement range, +4 charge bonus for all units
Traits already held: Justice - +1 zeal, -10% resistance to your occupation
Strategist - +1 cunning
Tactician - +1 cunning, +8% movement range
Available:
Upgrade Justice - Double all listed numbers for Justice
Upgrade Strategist - Double cunning gain, +2% defense for all units
Commander - +1 authority
Warrior - +1 zeal
Administrator - +1 cunning, -4% upkeep cost for all non-mercenary units
Covert Action - +1 cunning, enable night battle option for both land and sea
Logistics - +1 cunning, +4% replenishment rate for all units
Siegecraft - +1 cunning, +1 siege hold out time, -1 for enemy siege hold out time
Mercenary Contacts - +1 cunning, -4% mercenary recruitment costs
Kadoken recruited a Celtic Ballista into his group, while @JusticeForPluto now has a solid 16 units under his control(max 20), and he is the only one with Heavy Horsemen at this moment.
Decisions: Should we expand more at this time? Should we wait to expand in Europe until our neighbors are done fighting? Should we scout Britannia and calculate if an invasion there would be prudent? Should we look South, and take over what we can there while avoiding the much larger and more powerful Carthage? Should our Navy continue to act as a scouting force, or should we begin researching the buildings require to build more than just transports?
Finance:
As you can see, the back to back completion of those two objectives has left us with a great denarii reserve(~15,000), and we are still in the black, earning about 2000 more each turn. In order to prevent slums from popping up in our new conquests, I quickly installed both an Artisan's Lodge and a Sacred Grove, as we still have a strong food surplus so agriculture was not needed. Namnetum also has a port. I also took the liberty of upgrading the central Town Hall buildings to both of those settlements.
Since we now have a number of regions, we should look at the edicts we can issue them. Each edict affects all of the settlements in that region:
Bread and Games: +4 food, +4 public order
Migration: +5 growth, -5% unit recruitment cost
Commercial Stimulation: Reduces decline of slave population, +10% wealth from all commercial buildings
Tribute Collection: +9% tax rate
Two major questions here. First, what should we do with the reserve? Should we focus on upgrading buildings? Which kind? (Agricultural - more food, possibly cavalry if we build a certain way, Industrial - split between more money and unlocking more infantry/siege recruitment options, Religious - more public order, number of many different fringe benefits, City Center - different from town hall buildings, mostly more money but a higher quantity than Industrial) Should we raise a fourth army to solidify our holdings/plan for future conquest? If so, are we prepared to be in the red until we do take more land, or stop recruitment right before that path?
I will be happy to list more of the long term benefits of different buildings if you request a particular branch.
Technology:
War Exercises: Chainmail(-15% mercenary recruitment costs, -4% recruitment and upkeep costs, enables Bronze Furnace and Ironworks, 10 turns) or Shallow Keel(-2% recruitment and upkeep costs for naval ships, enables building of a Harbour, 4 turns)
Warrior Code: War Horn(+5% damage for all missile non-siege units, +4% charge bonus for all land units, +6% shots per minute for all land non-siege units, enables construction of Chieftain's Hold, 6 turns) or Crew Training(+5% battle speed for all ships, +10% ramming damage, +20% shots fired per minute for all naval ships, 4 turns)
Siege: Torsion Techniques(30% fewer losses when besieging, -1 to enemy siege holdout time, +15% damage for all siege units, enables construction of Great Builder's Hall, 8 turns) or Great Food Vault(-30% fewer attritional losses when under siege, all settlements can hold out an extra turn before losing a siege, 3 turns)
Tribal Economy: Animal Husbandry(+2% wealth from agriculture in all regions, can build further upgraded buildings in either military or agricultural, 3 turns) or Intensified Production(+7% wealth from all commerce buildings, +7% tariffs from trade agreements, enables building of Potter's Workshop, Great Fair and the Sanctuary of Rosmerta, 19 turns)
Tribal Council: Celtic Calendar(+3% tax rate and +2 public order everywhere, 10 turns) or Stargazing(+15% wealth from all culture buildings, -10% political action costs, -10% corruption in our provinces, +4 cultural conversion, enables construction of Bard's Grove, 8 turns)
Construction: Underfloor Drainage(+3 to growth in all provinces, -1 to provincial capital build times, 3 turns) or Raised Site(+2% wealth to all industrial buildings, can further upgrade town halls, 3 turns)
Politics:
How should we act? Continue fishing for low-no cost trade agreements? Solidify our bonds with the Carnutes? Offer our help in the war between then and the Marcomanni(slightly further west)?
State of the Tribe is updated. Also, I finally found the link to the in-game encyclopaedia, so if you have any questions about unit capabilities, the tech tree, or building bonuses and costs, you can feel free to look it up here. Pick whichever tab you want to examine, then sort by either Arverni(our people) or Barbarian(our culture) depending on which tab it is.
@Phyphor @Fleeb @NerfThatMan @Retaba @Stilts @firewaterword @Vic @enlightenedbum @Mr Ray @Capsaicin @Elvenshae @NotoriousBEN
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!
Chicago Megagame group
Watch me struggle to learn streaming! Point and laugh!