Year 3 (Phase I)
"Your Highness." Jeanne greets you with her customary seriousness.
"Dame Rowe." You nod at her, taking the folders she's prepared and beginning to skim through them. "So, what kind of options do we have for this year?"
"Well, firstly, I think I should address the maps you've most commonly had out, if I may sire?" Jeanne states leadingly as she looks to the expensive works of art masquerading as maps rolled up to your side. Technically accurate they may be, but they're also beautiful.
"You may." You reply with a nod.
"Then I will be blunt: If your highness intends to expand into Australia, fight pirates, and formally claim the land for the Empire, I would deeply suggest an experience with naval matters." She explains pointedly. "While there are naval command staff who would be happy to loan you the use of some vessels, it would ultimately be at their mercy should they decide to withhold their promises for political favors. Also, while you could in theory simply purchase vessels yourself and acquire a suitably skilled man to captain them, I would be remiss for pointing out that without any working knowledge of naval vessels yourself, you would be trusting in them completely as well. It would be best if you at least knew enough of naval matters to make a certain number of calls under pressure."
You hum thoughtfully. "Dully noted, Dame Rowe. As you've been paying such attention to my cartographical habits, though, I suppose you have recommendations for the map of central Asia as well?"
She nods. "After the inconclusive, yet bloody, battle last year it is unlikely the front will see much action in the coming months, if not years. It is entirely possible for a small force with a dedicated covert operations skill set could run havoc among the Rus Republic's forces and ensure they will not be ready to regroup before the Euro-Britannian forces. However, such tactics would demand a familiarity with airborne insertion and evacuation." Jeanne explains with a firm tone. "The same points I raised earlier also apply here, your highness, in that you could simply acquire people to do so for you, but it would be best to have familiarity with airborne operations yourself."
"I see." You state, flipping through the documents. "...and the rest of this is about ultimately deciding force composition. I'll have decisions for you as soon as possible."
"As you will, sire." Jeanne nods. "The only other note I'll make is that if you plan to expand into Australia, you should make formally founding your base a higher priority. If not, then you should prioritize other matters."
Total Banked Income (Counting This Year): 2100 RBN
Martial: CHOOSE TWO
[ ] Knights & Days: A little pricier than simply raising a regular military unit. Simply put, you'll be taking up the call of any second or third sons of noble families who can afford their own Knightmare Frame and putting them to use on the field of battle. Of course, you'll be paying for a higher price for the housing of both them and their machines. Cost: 500; Upkeep: 300; DC: 50; Rewards: You'll have a squad of knights in giant robots at our beck and call. Martial options increase widely.
[ ] Cross-Training: The more 'cost-effective' option to raising your own unit. Instead of getting mainline combat troops, you'll be taking the men (and women) you already have and putting your spies through formal military training under Jeanne. Of course, you'll also be picking up a few more men and turn the ones you got last year into officers. This will take your specialists and allow them to be used in regular military operations, not just Intrigue operations. Cost: 300; Upkeep 0; DC: 30; Rewards: Turn your spies into soldier(-spies), broaden their uses. (OCCUPIES SPY UNIT FOR TURN THREE, WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR INTRIGUE OPTIONS)
[ ] Raise a Unit: It would be suicide, after all, to plan to head into battle with a mere two people. That isn't to say this would make you ready to go to war, but everyone has to start somewhere. Cost: 300; Upkeep: 200; DC: 20; Rewards: Raise a small military unit from your personal fief, loyal to you specifically.
[ ] Royal Flight: Of lesser prestige to the knightmare frame, air superiority is a field not yet affected by the revolutionary mechanical suits. No matter what others might say, there is still a special magic to soaring high above the land and sea, a peace not found among those fighting below. Cost: 50; Upkeep: 0; DC: 10; Rewards: Learn to fly a jet/Possible Martial Trait/Vary by degree of success.
[ ] Sailor, Soldier: The navy is no less important than the air force, though still not as glorious as the conquest of land for the empire. After all, one can hardly build impressive structure or erect monuments on water. Still, a battle won is a mighty thing. Cost: 50; Upkeep: 0; DC: 10; Rewards: Learn to captain a ship/Possible Martial Trait/Vary by degree of success.
Diplomacy: CHOOSE ONE
[ ] The Aide: David Tarlton is a busy man, but he's not a very important one for all that. You can easily deduce his schedule and where he'll be most approachable. So you'll approach him, obviously, and as the only noble living 'next to you' try to feel out his aims and goals for his fief. Opening talks would be good, and potentially also offer a way to get to Schneizel himself. Cost: 50; Upkeep: 0; DC: 50; Rewards: Information on David Tarlton, route to Schneizel's attention.
[ ] Far East Approachment: Shinozaki Sayoko is the head of your bodyguards as well as the leader of a thousand-year-old martial arts school and a clan. You'd like to get to know her for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that her efforts are keeping you alive. Cost: 50; Upkeep: 0; DC: 10; Rewards: Shinozaki Sayoko SL Increase, increased insight into the Shinozaki clan and their inner workings. Potential trait gain.
[ ] Noble Birth: While not quite as profitable as another royal, a friend among the upper nobility can still be immensely profitable. Also, there are far more targets than those among your siblings. Surely you'll be able to find
someone to tolerate your presence? Cost: 100; Upkeep: 50; DC: 10; Rewards: Make a friend among the upper nobility/Vary by degree of success. Potential trait gain.
[ ] Entente Cordial: You must, as a royal, seize the day. As such, you will endeavor to reach beyond the social circles of the empire and outward to the children of ambassadors and foreign officials to broaden your understand of the world, and how best to rule it. Hopefully without giving any indication of foreign sympathies, of course. Cost: 50; Upkeep: 50; DC: 30; Rewards: Make a friend among foreign visitors/Vary by degree of success. Potential trait gain.
[ ] Translators: Hiring a few people who can speak foreign tongues would be a good idea if you intend to go abroad, but do you intend to? Still, having them available if you run into Chinese pirates in Australia, Russian-speaking tribes in Asia, or other odd tongues in odd places might be a good thing, just to cover your bases. Cost: 100; Upkeep: 50; DC: 20; Rewards: Remove any penalty for attempting diplomacy with non-english speaking foreign groups. Potential trait gain.
Stewardship: CHOOSE ONE
[ ] Investment Opportunities: Making money isn't easy, but it is
simple. All you have to do is find an enterprise requiring startup capital, provide that money, and then reap the rewards. Just... pick carefully. Cost: 200; Upkeep: 0; DC: 30/60/90; Rewards: Earn Greater Income/Vary by degree of success. Potential trait gain.
[ ] Overseas Investment: As above, so below; as domestic, so foreign. Basically, do what you did in Britannia, but
not in Britannia. Just... in a completely foreign market which you are entirely unfamiliar with...
very cautiously. Cost: 300; Upkeep: 0; DC: 40/80/120; Rewards: Earn Greater Income/Vary by degree of success. Potential trait gain.
[ ] Keep or Castle: You need somewhere to set up shop. Preferably, a very secure base of operation from which to run your general affairs out of before you even start considering sallying forth with a military unit in glorious conquest. Plus, it would help if your mother was no longer able to 'check in on you' while you were conducting meetings. Cost: 750; Upkeep: 300; DC: 20; Rewards: Base of Operations, Potential Bonuses.
[ ] Resource Scouting: There are plenty of groups within the empire that make a living simply by tallying the resources of unmapped islands and, well... mapping them. Contact one of them, give them the coordinates to your island, and see what they turn up. Hopefully they'll find something useful or valuable. Cost: 300; Upkeep: 0; DC: 30; Rewards: Determine if there are any potentially valuable resources on your island. Potential Stewardship options increase.
[ ] Sell Sword: Blood for Gold is the ancient creed of the mercenary, known in modernity as a Private Military Corporation. There are a number of lords and ladies in the Empire who see raising armies and fighting wars as a matter of lesser importance to their own businesses and affairs. Solving their problems for them isn't very glorious, but it can win friends and make money. Or you could just set out to raid and pillage unaligned territories using the scum of the earth. Cost: 500; Upkeep: 300; DC: 20; Rewards: Increased Options across many categories, Start your own PMC, fight wars for money.
