Warhammer Fantasy: A Dynasty of Dynamic Alcoholism

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With the Vapour tanks I get the feeling some engineers in Altdorf and Nuln would have an interesting reaction ether of supreme interest or massively unhappy that they didn't come up with it first.
 
Void Stalker said:
Suggestions:

Martial-
Making The Wolfways: The Temple of the Iceborn Flame begins construction this year. You will have to carve paths to it, not just for the supplies but also for the pilgrims who will no doubt be coming to see it. It is time for a violent carving and uprooting through the forests. In the triangle between Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels is where the site lies, and so you will need three different roads. It will be somewhat profitable given that you'll have felled trees for sale afterwards. But damned if it won't be hard. It's many, many miles of forest. You'll start with the first path you carved up, reinforcing it, preparing it, before getting to the others. Ogres will have to be utilized in considerable number for this, but you're sure they'll be happy to be paid for the work. The name of 'Treebreaker' is one that Urgdug was recently granted by his peers due to them suddenly remembering his efforts in Nordland long ago, and one that has already been taken up by others. You'll have help from the Ulricans you'll be letting in at least, so there's that. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Proper paths cut through the trees leading from Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels towards the Temple of the Iceborn Flame. Beastmen/goblins/bandits/etc. curtailed further from forest. Chance of Success: 75%

With two martial options finishing this year we can slot in blastweave upgrades and looking into more beast paths next year. As it is starting the wolfways will be easier the sooner we do it as it gives beastmen and goblins less time to replenish their numbers. Not to mention for blastweave we are still researching a blastweave upgrade so we may be able to do all the upgrading with one action by waiting.

Navy-
Verborgenbucht: Salkalten is as about as expanded as it can be. But there are other coastal settlements. The next largest would be Verborgenbucht, and it has nowhere near the defenses that the largest settlement possesses. For now. But you can change that. It will just take time. Grow its docks, put in a new watchtower, and so on and so forth. It will take another generation for it to grow too much larger, but for now, you can increase the size of its docks. Only a bit, as a test case to see how the area responds and construction ability, but more berths are never something to be given up easily. Expand the docks, build new sections entirely, and so on and so forth. The Salkalten Guard can shift a few of their soldiers to help guard it during the process. For without the walls of Salkalten, they are a far juicier target due to their vulnerability. It must not be like that forever. Starting now. Cost: 1,500. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Verborgenbucht docks expanded, defenses increased slightly. Ship Capacity Increase. Will Increase This Year.

Gauschdorf: A barely acknowledgeable town, more important due to the fact that it is a garrison location for your troops on the border of Kislev. They are more guard station than village, but then those soldiers still have their families. More importantly, they are stuck right on the edge of the Gulf of Kislev and are somewhat nearby – nautically speaking – to Erengrad. A small dock exists there, and it may be time for said small dock to be changed. That close to Erengrad and its formidable defenses mean that, much like Verborgenbucht, it could be a target to naval raiders avoiding the harder targets. The people of Gauschdorf are for the most part soldiers, former and current, and their families. They will likely be more than willing to let you do with the town as you will so long as you are building up the defenses. Some minor diplomatic efforts to get people to head there to assist in populating it won't hurt either. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gauschdorf gains military berthing-capable docks, defenses increased. Ship Capacity Increase.

As mentioned earlier we can quickly add ships in comparison to needing multiple turns on increasing dock space. In addition this increases the defenses of two locations so that anything that gets by has a harder time breaching our province. Also means we will have a turn of saving the stipend (and back at the full 1900 next turn) before taking a ship building action once Verborgenbucht finishes.

Diplo-
Coordinating With The General: Apparently, the Emperor is good friends with the man responsible from keeping Hochland from erupting into civil conflict. Largely by way of having complete control over the military who would be used in said fighting. Gustav Briggs seems a good man, and one willing to cooperate. You will not send troops into Hochland, and he will not do the same to Ostland. It's simply not done unless you are very much on your way elsewhere. While he may be the General in charge, you would have to negotiate with the nobility of Hochland to get permission to do anything more, and given historical precedent – armies of either province 'reclaiming land' which happened to be in the opposite province – it is something you are just as leery of. But you can try to work together in corralling the paths you locate on both sides. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Coordination against beastmen attempting to cross between Hochland and Ostland going forward, penalty to beastmen's rolls. Chance of Success: 80% [Will not work if Army of Forest or Army of Ostland is not present in Ostland. So you'll need at least one present. Obviously.]

An Open Hand: You don't know Count Rommel personally, but then, the same could be said for many of the Electors. But Reikland is one of the strongest provinces in the Empire. It always has been, as befitting the land from where Sigmar himself once roamed. From there the Unberogen arose as a true power, a power they retain today. They are, you know, one of the wealthiest, strongest, and most populous provinces in the Empire and have been for a long, long time. It may be time to reach out to Count Rommel, as while he was not part of that odd little cabal which came up against you in the Meet, he was not one of those who was clearly on your side either. You could try reaching out to him, shoring up amiable relations. He will not simply become a friend out of nowhere, but you could get something out of it. Maybe. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Amiable opening to relations with Count Rommel. Chance of Success: 65%

Horse Trade – Averland: There is something to be said for the stout horses that Ostland's march can produce, with generations spent rushing to the shore and back. But they are not, necessarily, the best horses in the land. But there is a place known in the Empire to be a very good place for finding quality horse flesh. Averland. Land of the Knightly Order of the Black Bear, to be sure, but they supply their horses all over the rest of the Empire and have done for many years. You could just as easily seek them out and see if they'd be willing to trade off some of their finer studs, or at least some mares of a quality bloodline, to you so that you could breed better horses yourself. Averland's Count is likely going to be willing to grant you quite the affordable price on such things considering the events of the Elector's Meet, but such contrition will not last forever. Time to strike while the iron is hot. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Averland horse breeds added to Ostland horse breeds, to mix and strengthen. Increased income in Horse Trade as a result. Chance of Success: 100%

Last one is mentioned to be time limited so lets grab it now, it is both +income but also a boost to horses breed in ostland which in turns boosts any mounted troops we raise. Open hand, will we need to extend our contacts with the other provinces to avoid being cornered like last time, if we instead develop friendships we can more likely count on them to back us. And Hochland well it has a solid chance (80%) and deals with an upcoming martial problem while the other deal with beastmen is 5% (Gunthar, though that may be an error on the success chance)

Stewardship-
Lumbering Heat: Charcoal is one of the most common heating sources in the Empire, and is reasonably cheap. Everyone uses it in winter, even in Wulfenburg. But Sabine has spoken of diversifying your usages of lumber, for while a few minor charcoal producers exist in Ostland, most in Ostland independently make their own. Hamlets and villages make it themselves, and it is not necessarily the easiest work. Sabine has also brought up charcoal companies, entire organizations built around the production and selling of charcoal down in the southern parts of the Empire, where it doesn't even get as cold as it can up in the Trident! If it works down there, it should work here. Normally people do it on their own, but a full company could produce far more, and gain you some funds as well, if done properly. Sabine has, therefore, requested an allocation of funds given over to her to set up such a charcoal company. It would, by necessity, use Nassau traders and caravans, but your treasury should still be capable of making a profit. It will most likely not be based at Wulfenburg proper, but in Roezfels, Vandergart, or Jegow. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Ostland Charocal Company created. New Income Source: Charcoal Sales.

The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg: Once upon a time, there were skaven beneath your city. You would prefer if that was never the case again. As such, speak with the dwarfs of your city and see if they would be willing to apply their expertise on guarding against such things, whilst simultaneously making use of the space to create things such as underground granaries, storage facilities, and the like. Some areas can become permanently livable, if they would prefer it, and you think they might. But also, they need to properly reinforce the entire thing, reroute the sewer systems with dwarf expertise, and completely lock down the underground. Gates, walls, reinforcing pillars and the like. The dwarfs will be happy to have permissions and ownership for buildings that they build down there for their own purposes, and you know that they will be certainly eager to help protect their homes. Plus, as you expand Wulfenburg above, it can only help to expand it below as well to compensate. Thankfully, with all the dwarfs there and the area previously already cleared with some work done in this vein, it is only a continuation of what you've already done. Cost: 2,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Under-Wulfenburg Further Reinforced for safety and settlement for dwarfs and particularly weird humans. Better sewer/plumbing systems.

Mainly because money is not a pressing need to increase I feel we can grab the two turn one for charcoal, plus it works to expand demand for logging industry to further push back the forest. Also securing the under city is a must! Screw skaven!

Research-
Removed as this should be locked (had vapor tanks with a DD on it)

Piety-
A True Mountain Garden: Minor temples are one thing, but Arthur wishes there to be a true Garden of Morr, similar to the greater ones that have been built in Ostland proper, below the mountains. A place not just for internment of the dead, but for sermons on the God of the Dead, his responsibilities to the living and theirs to him, and so on and so forth. As well as wings and areas for augurs to be contacted, rather than having to hope for them to just come by, or wander past. Ever little bit of civilization helps, and you know this well. The more secure the dead, the happier the living. A bit of an odd thing, likely in certain parts of the Empire, but the specter of Zacharias, of necromancy, remains strong. A quiet undercurrent of fear erupted, you find, when rumors of the sacking carried out by one of the abominable Tomb Kings trickled north. Far to the south of Ostland, to be sure, but the threat of an undead naval force spooked a lot of people. Plus, perhaps it will help people with their dreams. For that is one of the purviews of Morr as well. Reassurance goes a long way, if one believes in such things. And a good number do. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Major Temple of Morr built in the Middle Mountains. Morale improvement to the people, hopeful protection against necromancy and the like.

Science of War: Verena and Myrmidia seem to share claims of science and knowledge, but you should investigate further. Because without a doubt, your engineering focus has and will be warfare, which the latter is said to also be more specialized in. But Verena is more known to those of the Empire, without the recent stigma surrounding Myrmidians. And yet, if your experiences have taught you anything about matters regarding the Gods, it is that faith is important in this world. A patron god could go a long way towards ensuring the long term success and regard held towards your school is amicable by the rest of the Empire. Patron Goddess? Patron Goddesses? Either or. A more in depth investigation as to their relationship with the things studied at the school, and the willingness to establish them as such, could go a long way. It can't precisely be Sigmar, it just doesn't quite fit, if only because you don't need the schools becoming an argument point between the cult of Sigmar and Ulric. You won't know for sure without checking. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Study Complete For Deity Usage

Secure the middle mountains and spread Morr's protection while at the same time figuring stuff out for our college while we have time. Next turn grab the Bases of Nature (which may be a bit easier with more paths established into the forest) but also saves us 500 gold.

Personal-
Stabbing With Guns: Okay, maybe you are being a bit presumptuous here. You have only just begun to learn engineering, within the past handful of years. Far less than any senior or master engineer, Anna included. But, more than once, you have seen your handgunners forced to fight at close range. Maybe they aren't able to pull a knife or blade out before the enemy is upon them. Maybe they weren't carrying one at all. An ironfist would undeniably help, but that's largely for defense, and even closer range. You could offer a point beyond that, something that they could fight with to keep the enemy just that little bit further away. Just stick a blade on the end of the gun. How hard can that be? Just mix your knowledge of blacksmithing and engineering, and just…put a stabbing portion on the gun? It's going to take some time, of course, but it's a project that you can do on your own. Your experience in ironfists should help, even, in terms of melding blade with greater masses of metal. Cost: 100. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gun-based Stabbery/Erdolchen (Stabby bit attached to handguns). Chance of Success: 85%

Gold Journeymen: You are reasonably sure you can handle this negotiation, considering it's been done multiple times with the Jade Wizards, and then the Amber. See if any of the Gold College would be willing to send some of their journeymen north to join your forces. Perhaps just helping out in your engineering works, or in combat. It is not an entire year's worth of attention after all, just a few letters, and some coin determination depending on how many of them come north. The ranks of the wizards are still slowly expanding, even though it's been over thirty years since the colleges first began. Cost: 100 at first, fees to come afterwards. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 2+1d4 Gold Journeymen Wizards. Chance of Success: 75%

Stabbing with guns is bayonets which gives our handgunners a last ditch defense when the beastmen breakthrough the front lines and is a multi turn projects so grabbing that and one of the two one turn projects is a good idea. As for the other I favor adding more wizards to our armies (we must have them all!) this turn and next turn grab the other gold college option assuming a better personal option does not show up. Mainly because I favor adding to our force capability before any beastmen show up (I hope that will be a few turns but in that case we may need to take an action or two to best integrate gold mages into our armies and if they show up sooner at least we have them)

Edit
Total Cost: 11,200
1,850 covered by stipend
9,350 remaining + DD option cost

Stipend: 1850 (reduced by 50 do to over capacity)
Reserve: 4,756 Gold Crowns
Net Income: 16,434 Gold Crowns Per Year (not sure if this includes the 200 income we gained in turn summary as the info sheet was updated last Jul 19th)
Available: 21,190

New Treasury: 11,840 - DD option cost
Boosts- +50 to stipend due to no longer being over capacity
+Horse Trade

Edit-
Removed research since it should be locked.

Also considering grabbing a high quality tier 3 merc band as there are no foot bands we want to hire currently and I expect additional fighting in the forests over the coming turns. That would spend 1,500 more but would still be less then our income.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You got everything I want. I'll commit a vote to this.
 
I'm pretty sure that sticking a Titan Canon on a Steam Tank is stupid. Lethally stupid to the crew. See you have to actually reload it between shots. Adding 8-10 feet to the height of the cannon is just going to make it require a second vehicle, with scaffolding and ladders, just to load the thing. Meaning that If you actually fired it the TC would just make jelly out of the crew from the shockwave of firing it, as the crew in going to eat the kickback from firing said TC. Cannons tend to be on wheels so they can be pushed back into position after each shot to handle recoil. Slapping a TC on a steamtank means the crew is going to be bounced around inside the tank. Treads aren't particularly good at free rolling backwards... with means completely redesigning the gearing of the treads...without that recoil can flip the tank... which takes another big vehicle to actually flip it in battle. Meaning you negate the entire mobility advantage of the tank. There are good reasons artillery has those flip out stabalizer feet on them.

As is your looking at flame/steam thrower tanks as the pressure of the guns isn't made cannon fire possible. The best connection between the two devices involves dragging a TC around behind the tank.

Seriously, rifling is new fangled to these people... engineering mechanical recoil compensators isn't a thing they'll be able to handle.
 
Making The Wolfways- This needs doing.
Gauschdorf- more docks,
Greater Wolf Focus- filling our new docks... you know the ones WE ARE ALREADY BUILDING and that finish this turn!!
Horse Trade – Averland- because we should keep building our economy.
Approach The Bright College- because we should keep building our army
Coordinating With The General- because closer ties with our neighbors will help us both in the long run.
(there are several other good choices, Middenland would probably fail but it would show we are taking the high road. Rommel would also be a good choice but he is a bit far away when we have closer and more immediate choices. we could go with one of the other economy choices double barreling would be interchangeable with horses and swapping shipbuilding for the buff to hard drinking could work too but I think horses is the most interesting and the best use of our actions.)
The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg- because upgrading our capital is a good idea and it will spread our actions out a bit.
Agricultural Overhaul- a buff to one of our largest industries. (or we can start a new industry that might lead to local gunpowder production I'm ok with either.)
Cycler Riders- lets walk before we run.
A True Mountain Garden- we've put this off long enough.
Bases Of Nature- help in securing the forests. (this gives an immediate payoff, science of war can wait a bit longer.)
Stabbing With Guns- buff to handgunners
Gold Journeymen- buff to the army (old metal can wait. our treasury isn't in that bad of shape, and stabbing will take 3 years, we need to get started on it.)
 
So as i see it we have some things that need to be done no matter what :

Military : Making The Wolfways
We all know that the temple is (or will be) a target for the beastmen so we need to prepare ASAP

Third Imperial Navy : Gauschdorf and Galley Focus
The Dark Elves are still coming to us i know it ! We need more ships !

Diplomacy : An Open Hand , Coordinating With The General and Approach The Bright College
Friends and fire are the secret of killing many beastmens !

Stewardship : The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg + Lumbering Heat
because we hate the skavens and we love money in good dwarfs fashion

Research : here i have no idea what to take

Piety :Bases Of Nature + Science of War
anything that can be of help against chaos is good in my book, after all everybody and their mother know that one of Ostland's biggest strengh is our weaponry. I would not be surprised at all if Malagor as a plan to destroy our artillery somehow.

Intrigue : well here we can only pray the dice gods XD

Personal :Gold Journeymen + Old Metals
That some good combo here !
 
OK let's see what our options are this turn:

Military: Stephan von Raukov is a quiet yet experienced mercenary soldier, but his dedication to Ostland and family is unquestionable. He strongly believes in honor, preserving the lives of your own fighters, and unconventional tactics. (Choose 1):

Tracking Beast-Paths: The mercenaries found one last year, now it is time to find more. All, if possible. With aid from the Army of Ostland and the Army of the Forest, you need to start locating these assault vectors as soon as possible. With the beastmen hopefully scattered by the fighting at the Blood Fane, it will not nearly be as dangerous as before to investigate. By which you mean send the mercenaries in, and through fire and steel ensure their efforts succeed and that they live to continue doing the job you desire from them. The militia will likely help out as well, in different areas of course. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: At Least One Major Beast-Path Located. Chance Of Success: 75%

- Should be taken if we had two actions to use this turn. We don't.

Making The Wolfways: The Temple of the Iceborn Flame begins construction this year. You will have to carve paths to it, not just for the supplies but also for the pilgrims who will no doubt be coming to see it. It is time for a violent carving and uprooting through the forests. In the triangle between Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels is where the site lies, and so you will need three different roads. It will be somewhat profitable given that you'll have felled trees for sale afterwards. But damned if it won't be hard. It's many, many miles of forest. You'll start with the first path you carved up, reinforcing it, preparing it, before getting to the others. Ogres will have to be utilized in considerable number for this, but you're sure they'll be happy to be paid for the work. The name of 'Treebreaker' is one that Urgdug was recently granted by his peers due to them suddenly remembering his efforts in Nordland long ago, and one that has already been taken up by others. You'll have help from the Ulricans you'll be letting in at least, so there's that. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Proper paths cut through the trees leading from Smallhof, Ferlangen, and Bohsenfels towards the Temple of the Iceborn Flame. Beastmen/goblins/bandits/etc. curtailed further from forest. Chance of Success: 75%

- This will improve the development of The Temple of the Iceborn Flame and also continue our work on expanding the Ulrican faith. Take it this turn.

Combined Training: There were, apparently, some serious synchronicity issues with the Amber Wizards and your soldiery. Permissions, and the like. You'd like it if that doesn't happen again. Set them to training with the Army of the Range, who are at the least constantly patrolling while the Army of Ostland and the Army of the Forest might be otherwise occupied. Test their spells, train them to work alongside your soldiers, and smooth the inherent friction between two formerly foreign elements so that in the future there are less issues. Not a total dismissal of them, after all, the world is not that kind, but Magnus says it is important. And you believe him. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years: Reward: No Further Issues With Amber Wizards Using Spells On Troops. Morale Issues/Etc. Stymied. Chance of Success: 75% Will Complete This Year

- Gets finished this year. Right on time to help keep the Forest Issues in check.

Hard Push: The Army of Ostland and the Army of the Forest will commit to harder pushes into the forests, beyond the usual patrolling and reprisal stance that the Empire has been forced to commit to in the long term since the time of Sigmar's rule as Emperor. The fact of the matter is that you simply cannot, more often than not, deliberately provoke the beasts of the forests. More than one Elector Count has done so, only to lose many in the ensuing bloodshed as beastmen and greenskins rise up in a rage. A deadly stalemate that has, depending on the Emperor and era, leaned one way or the other. You aim to make this one that is better for the Empire than not. The deeper you penetrate, the harder things will be, if only due to terrain issues as well as the intensity of fighting. But you've got two armies, and mercenaries besides to aid them. With the beastmen hopefully reeling after the battles of last year, you will not have another opportunity with such possibility for success before you for some time. Cost: 500 Time: 2 Years. Reward: Forests of Ostland Substantially Cleared Of Threats – Beastmen/Giant Spider Swarms/Banditry/Forest Goblins/??? Chance of Success: 65% Will Complete This Year

- This also completes this turn and gives us a breather from the Forrest Issues.

Blastweave Upgrading: Understandably, it will take time for you to take the cannons you have, of Great and Dash varieties, return them to Wulfenburg, and upgrade them properly. The results would obviously speak to themselves, and you need to do it, but while doing so you will have a varying number of cannons available for usual military work. Nothing too bad, but numbers are numbers. It is simply a matter of authorizing it and extremely exacting work to make sure that the blastweave is as well done as possible. Some of the engineers have begun speaking about more exacting molds and other such machines to make things uniform, or 'standard', but this is what you can do for now. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Great+Dash Cannons Upgraded With Blastweave, and all that comes with it.

- Soon.

Not This Year: Pull your ships back, keep them close to the coastlines, but move the Army of Ostland to the coast, along with elements of the Army of the Range, to defend them. Let the Norscans know that they will not find you easy prey this year. The fishing ships now have their guns, and will be better able to defend themselves. Keep the Norscans out, damn it. Keep the troops amongst the isolated hamlets and villages, not just the bigger settlements like Salkalten. Let them lend their cannons, bows, and guns, to defend the coastline this year. It is not the same as an actual deployment, but this is their homeland, let them defend it. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Bonus To Sea of Claws Rolls For This Year, Slight Lowering Of Roll Requirements For Success.

- No.

Mercenary Office: An office has been established, purely for the purchasing and ending of mercenary contracts, as well as ordering them to aid in different purposes. When one does not require this, the office will ensure that no issue is made of it. When does, it will not take away resources from other offices of the central government of Ostland. [Note: Do not need to act upon this if not desired]

Purchase Additional Mercenaries: You have the money to pay, and you have the need. Mercenaries are omni-present in this world, and you could use some extra bodies. Or expertise, or training, or any other number of things. Send out the call, see who responds, and set up the contracts. Depending on what is being done and who is being hired, they would arrive some time into the year, with an absolute guarantee of arrival by end of the year. Cost: Depends. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Choose Which Mercenary Band To Hire, and For What.

End Mercenary Contracts: Sometimes, you don't have the money to pay. Sometimes, you do but no longer need the assistance of mercenaries. As it is, the time has come for you to cancel some contracts. Probably nothing malicious, unless they screwed up and you need them to get out of your employ. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Year. Reward: At End Of Turn – Choose Which Mercenary Band Gets Fired.

Hm. Let's see:

The Great Wind - [Race: Human] [Origin: Araby] [Description: Fanatical light cavalry and horse archers] [Numbers: 500 Light Cavalry, 500 Horse Archers]

Maybe these guys as a way to keep the Northern Marsh patrolled/defended in case of an attack.

Third Imperial Navy: As the Steward of the Third Imperial Navy, you have a responsibility to build up, maintain, and use the ships of the Empire for its betterment and protection. The First Imperial Navy is based in Nordland, while the Second Imperial Navy is based in Marienburg. Should the material requirements extend beyond that of the Imperial Stipend, they will come from the treasury to fill in the gap. (Choose 2)

Guarding Ships: A number of wolf ships could escort your trade caravans, ensuring that they can be relied upon to gain both more goods and be better protected in bringing them back. This will, obviously, draw away some of your wolf ships from regular patrol duty to do so, but it is not the worst thing in the world when you have a good number of wargalleys, right? Off they'll go, ranging out down the coasts in search of wealth, with some mighty Ostlander Wolf Ships guarding them the entire way. Far better than the simple defenses merchants would otherwise possess, right? Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 50% Chance Of Increased Trade Income For This Turn, Recoup Cost And A Bit Of Extra Profit.

- Other ways to get more profit and this one ties up our ships. So no not this turn.

Verborgenbucht: Salkalten is as about as expanded as it can be. But there are other coastal settlements. The next largest would be Verborgenbucht, and it has nowhere near the defenses that the largest settlement possesses. For now. But you can change that. It will just take time. Grow its docks, put in a new watchtower, and so on and so forth. It will take another generation for it to grow too much larger, but for now, you can increase the size of its docks. Only a bit, as a test case to see how the area responds and construction ability, but more berths are never something to be given up easily. Expand the docks, build new sections entirely, and so on and so forth. The Salkalten Guard can shift a few of their soldiers to help guard it during the process. For without the walls of Salkalten, they are a far juicier target due to their vulnerability. It must not be like that forever. Starting now. Cost: 1,500. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Verborgenbucht docks expanded, defenses increased slightly. Ship Capacity Increase. Will Increase This Year.

- More space after this year is done.

Gauschdorf: A barely acknowledgeable town, more important due to the fact that it is a garrison location for your troops on the border of Kislev. They are more guard station than village, but then those soldiers still have their families. More importantly, they are stuck right on the edge of the Gulf of Kislev and are somewhat nearby – nautically speaking – to Erengrad. A small dock exists there, and it may be time for said small dock to be changed. That close to Erengrad and its formidable defenses mean that, much like Verborgenbucht, it could be a target to naval raiders avoiding the harder targets. The people of Gauschdorf are for the most part soldiers, former and current, and their families. They will likely be more than willing to let you do with the town as you will so long as you are building up the defenses. Some minor diplomatic efforts to get people to head there to assist in populating it won't hurt either. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gauschdorf gains military berthing-capable docks, defenses increased. Ship Capacity Increase.

- Grab this. This will help us coordinate with Kislev fleets down the line and will expand our ship capacity.

Hard Knock Shipping: The ships to Albion were lost last time. It need not happen again. Dedicate some of the wolf ships in extra to guard the trade caravan. It will pull them away from the coastal defenses, but it could still be useful in the run. After all, pirates, raiders, or worse might be an issue. Plus, the marines on the ships might be able to help guard the merchants once they actually hit land. It is up to you, of course, they're your ships to do with as you will, but it might be worth it. Or not, who knows. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: +20 To Hard Drinking Markets Action. Don't Select Unless Hard Drinking Markets Chosen, Because…Like, Don't Be Silly?

- This is like a second double down on an action and we should diversify our markets to adjust to the incoming trade deal.

Wolf Focus: You need Wolf Ships more than you need Wargalleys, you think. They are sleek, fast, and have good rams. Plus, they're capable of ranging further out than wargalleys. Considering how things went last year, it would be better for your naval forces to be capable of ranging out that far. If only to keep them out of the coasts entirely, right? It will take more men to crew them, but that is simply the cost of building things in this manner. Cost: 2000. Time: 1 Years. Reward: 10 Wolf Ships.

Galley Focus: Smaller ships, sure, but Wargalleys are perfect for quickly patrolling the coastline specifically. They might not be as directly powerful as wolf ships, but they can be built in greater numbers due to their size. Being ramships, they are more likely to actually engage Norscan raiders who are looking for a fight, in terms of boarding, while with wolf ships the raiders might try to sail around, or flee to attack from another direction. On the other hand, it is the wargalleys that will have more knights and soldiers on them, for just such a fight. It is a bloody work, but one worth it, you think. Cost: 1500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 10 Wargalleys.

Greater Wolf Focus: You not only need more Wolf Ships, but you need a lot! They are sleek, fast, are good at ramming, and can range further out on the seas than the wargalleys. They are an invaluable and core part of your fleet, of any of the Imperial Fleets, and their usefulness cannot be understated. Plus, with the upgrades of cannons and scorpions, they are actually a bit more powerful than their peers in the other fleets - though you hear Nordland may or may not be changing that. It will take more men to crew them, and cost more to build more, but that is simple mathematics. This is the northern coast of the Emipre! You have plenty of Ostlanders who have grown up along the coast who could be willing, and others from further in who feel the call. Cost: 4000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 20 Wolf Ships. [Due to Production Requirements, Dock Usage, Etc. Counts As Two Actions]

- We keep going over the ship capacity because of justified paranoia. Let's skip doing so this turn or take galleys at least for a change.

Edit: So this action was added after the post went up:

Greatship 2: It's been many years, and the greatship hasn't capsized, exploded, or otherwise run into a disaster. It's proven itself in year after year of naval raids, so it is time to build another one. Considering the size of them and the actual specialized work it requires to make one compared to wolf ships or galleys, it will take a considerable bit of funds to produce another. But, hopefully, it should be worth it. Throw some money in, some lumber, and write up some new cannons to be granted. You can trust the Prince of Salkalten to select a proper captain for the ship. You'll also have to come up with a name for the thing. But, overall, it shouldn't be too hard to make one thanks to the repeated expansions on the docks of your major port city. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 1 New Greatship.

- This is another Greatship for our fleet. Plenty of people have asked for it over the turns since the last one was finished and this is one of the most powerful ships in the Empire's fleets in the original timeline. Should probably take this.

Diplomacy: Natasha is your incomparable wife. She commits to her work with business-like attitude, with no distractions. With Sabine here, what can be done, and with who, has expanded in scope and scale, it seems. (Choose 3):

Hard Drinking Markets: The land of Albion is strange, hard to find, harder to get to, and harder still to land on without dashing oneself against the rocks. Or into swamplands infested with Fimir. You've even heard tale that there exists giant wagon-sized crustaceans on what shores it does possess. Worse at the rumors that one side of the island simply cannot be approached, though the reasons why are unknown. Nevertheless, Sabine has turned her eyes onto the wealth available through the alcohol markets, tapped heavily by Ostland as it is. As such, one of the things that makes the most money is rarity, which in this case means…Albion. You have a fleet, you have ships, and she wants to see if it is possible to establish some sort of post or contact with the strange island, beyond the occasional daring trader who makes it every few years. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Albion Connection, more access to Albionese drinks? Chance of Success: 50%

- Take this for the contact with Albion. Also only take it if Hard Knock Shipping is taken.

Double Barreling: With your double-barreled handguns created, it seems reasonable for you to extract a higher price for selling them, does it not? Some might not see it that way, but the effort must be made to convince certain customers that you are offering a better product and thus require more in payment for it. Or at least, that is what Sabine has stated most firmly in council meetings. Sure, there's a learning curve to the things, and they require greater amounts of black powder, but quite literally it is two bullets instead of one while firing. And given reloading rates? That's more than reasonable, one might think, in terms of stopping power. Still, if it works out, then it could represent a blanket increase in profits from your gun sale. If it fails you might lose customers, but that is the risk one takes when they enter Handrich's realm of influence...or so, again, Sabine says. Though she clearly is hoping that such a thing does not occur in this case. As do you. But, yet, nobody really likes paying more for things. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Double-Barreled Ostland Handguns begin being sold to current customer base, current customer base begins paying more as a result in gun sales. Increase in Income From Gun Sales.

- Could take this for the increase in income, but if i remember correctly people want the Smaller Blastweave done first before taking this option.

Grasping The Comet: You are not blind. Your finances have been running very closely to the wire for a short while now. It would not be the first time that a noble of the Empire has done something like this before. A thought you'd had after discussion with Stephan. But something new for you. Getting loans from the Cult of Sigmar – likely one of the wealthiest individual organizations in the Empire – is relatively simple. Paying them back on the other hand might not be so. After all, if you're asking for loans, you might not have the money to pay it back, now do you? Not to mention possible interest issues, both financially and literally. You cannot simply get money from a cult without them demanding something in turn, and at the least them being responsible for your funds gains them influence in your province whether you like it nor not. But…if you need the money…you know that they would love to provide. Their demands on the other hand, you cannot know until you ask. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Loan Offering Special Choice (Immediate Choice After Vote Closes)

- We have enough other options for money. No.

Approach The Jade College: It's been offered, or rather not offered but opined, that the Jade College might be able to do something for Magnus' son. His shrunken and somewhat twisted son. You've no idea on what his mental ability might be either. It is a horrifying thing to consider, yet one that you are in the smallest way experienced with. Those monstrous things, by description at least, that once nearly slew Natasha from within. But this boy is, at least, free of discernable taint from beyond. Sometimes these things just happen. Noble families give birth to disadvantaged children just as commoners do, they just have more money and the ability to hide it. You do not have to do it, and technically you should not have been told at all. But you know. So you can ask. It may not go over well, but if there is a chance…it may be a chance. On the other hand, perhaps it should not be done. He may grow up well enough, his mind whole and hale, but his body a bit off. But if…but if. Or they might refuse, angry that you would try to ply their secrets. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Jade College ???? Aid Chance of Success: 50%

- The odds for this increased from 35% from last turn to 50% this turn. Only take it if you intend the DD to be used on it. I think I might want to take this one next turn.

Approach The Bright College: You have known, very well, that magic is useful in combat. And nowhere was that more prevalent than with Odelia Flamestar. She was one of the major lynchpins in keeping the fighting going in Nordland, alongside Stephan and a small cadre of devoted priests. Now she is a Magister of her College, and surely she would not say no to helping you speak to the College for perhaps seeing if some of their wizards would be willing to join up with your constantly patrolling and fighting armies? Just a few for the Army of Ostland in the here and now. After all, after your conversation with her on starting up some sort of Bright Whiskey Company – she said she'd approach the College with the idea but told you not to get your hopes up – she did mention that she'd been gathering some journeymen to join with Stephan's armies. Perhaps she could do the same with your own? You'd certainly be willing to pay the retainer. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Bright Wizard Journeymen Join Army of Ostland. Bright Wizard Retainer Fees Added To Costs. Chance of Success: 60%

- Should do this to expand our magister options.

Trying To Speak To Middenland: At the very least, Gunthar's wife seemed less immediately and virulently hostile towards you. Somewhat. A bit. Considering the fact that she has her own reputation as a war leader and harsh law-giver in that she has performed the duties of executioner personally more than once. The beastmen are everyone's problem, and considering the situation going on in the Drakwald, it might be prudent to make plans or at least give the option of making plans for mutual defensive aid against one of mankind's greatest threats since the time of Sigmar. But you'll have to talk to Gunthar as well, because you've learned enough from Talabecland to not even try to go around the main roadblock. In one case, Adolf. In this, Gunthar. Maybe he'll be more considerate if you are a mountain range away and not pissing him off by being in the same city as him. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Middenland approached on working together in defense on the off-chance the beastmen erupt from the Drakwald in greater numbers than the usual. Chance of Success: 5%

- Keep it in mind, but not until the chance increases from taking other options.

Coordinating With The General: Apparently, the Emperor is good friends with the man responsible from keeping Hochland from erupting into civil conflict. Largely by way of having complete control over the military who would be used in said fighting. Gustav Briggs seems a good man, and one willing to cooperate. You will not send troops into Hochland, and he will not do the same to Ostland. It's simply not done unless you are very much on your way elsewhere. While he may be the General in charge, you would have to negotiate with the nobility of Hochland to get permission to do anything more, and given historical precedent – armies of either province 'reclaiming land' which happened to be in the opposite province – it is something you are just as leery of. But you can try to work together in corralling the paths you locate on both sides. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Coordination against beastmen attempting to cross between Hochland and Ostland going forward, penalty to beastmen's rolls. Chance of Success: 80% [Will not work if Army of Forest or Army of Ostland is not present in Ostland. So you'll need at least one present. Obviously.]

- A full on Beastmen action nerf. No matter how small it should be taken.

An Open Hand: You don't know Count Rommel personally, but then, the same could be said for many of the Electors. But Reikland is one of the strongest provinces in the Empire. It always has been, as befitting the land from where Sigmar himself once roamed. From there the Unberogen arose as a true power, a power they retain today. They are, you know, one of the wealthiest, strongest, and most populous provinces in the Empire and have been for a long, long time. It may be time to reach out to Count Rommel, as while he was not part of that odd little cabal which came up against you in the Meet, he was not one of those who was clearly on your side either. You could try reaching out to him, shoring up amiable relations. He will not simply become a friend out of nowhere, but you could get something out of it. Maybe. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Amiable opening to relations with Count Rommel. Chance of Success: 65%

- Maybe this turn, maybe next turn.

Horse Trade – Averland: There is something to be said for the stout horses that Ostland's march can produce, with generations spent rushing to the shore and back. But they are not, necessarily, the best horses in the land. But there is a place known in the Empire to be a very good place for finding quality horse flesh. Averland. Land of the Knightly Order of the Black Bear, to be sure, but they supply their horses all over the rest of the Empire and have done for many years. You could just as easily seek them out and see if they'd be willing to trade off some of their finer studs, or at least some mares of a quality bloodline, to you so that you could breed better horses yourself. Averland's Count is likely going to be willing to grant you quite the affordable price on such things considering the events of the Elector's Meet, but such contrition will not last forever. Time to strike while the iron is hot. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Averland horse breeds added to Ostland horse breeds, to mix and strengthen. Increased income in Horse Trade as a result. Chance of Success: 100%

- Get it now while it's a 100%.

Stewardship: Morgan von Bernhardt is an energetic woman. While her father was not the most creative man, she seems to be more so. With her vigor, she has promised you significantly more than her father was able to stay awake for, though lately she has been coughing a bit more and spending time with her children. (Choose 2):

Agricultural Overhaul: The improvements have already begun, but why not continue them! More specified crop types in every area, as designated, with personalized rotations and fertilization efforts. With the results literally already proven, there should be no issues at all in organizing a widespread overhaul of farming practices. It might take some money to make up the fallout for differences in harvest times and amounts, as well as convincing the farmers to actually do as you ask, but, again, previous results have made such a prospect easier. The only issue, more likely than not, is the areas being in so many different parts of Ostland. On the bright side, trade and prep work will ensure that getting all of the seeds required will work out, as well as what planting efforts will be needed. Experts in the processes designed will be allocated as required. Cost: 1,500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Major Ostland Agricultural Overhall. Major Agricultural Income Per Turn Boost.

- Should take this to increase the population growth.

Lumbering Heat: Charcoal is one of the most common heating sources in the Empire, and is reasonably cheap. Everyone uses it in winter, even in Wulfenburg. But Sabine has spoken of diversifying your usages of lumber, for while a few minor charcoal producers exist in Ostland, most in Ostland independently make their own. Hamlets and villages make it themselves, and it is not necessarily the easiest work. Sabine has also brought up charcoal companies, entire organizations built around the production and selling of charcoal down in the southern parts of the Empire, where it doesn't even get as cold as it can up in the Trident! If it works down there, it should work here. Normally people do it on their own, but a full company could produce far more, and gain you some funds as well, if done properly. Sabine has, therefore, requested an allocation of funds given over to her to set up such a charcoal company. It would, by necessity, use Nassau traders and caravans, but your treasury should still be capable of making a profit. It will most likely not be based at Wulfenburg proper, but in Roezfels, Vandergart, or Jegow. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Ostland Charocal Company created. New Income Source: Charcoal Sales.

- Not this turn. I want it, but not this turn.

The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg: Once upon a time, there were skaven beneath your city. You would prefer if that was never the case again. As such, speak with the dwarfs of your city and see if they would be willing to apply their expertise on guarding against such things, whilst simultaneously making use of the space to create things such as underground granaries, storage facilities, and the like. Some areas can become permanently livable, if they would prefer it, and you think they might. But also, they need to properly reinforce the entire thing, reroute the sewer systems with dwarf expertise, and completely lock down the underground. Gates, walls, reinforcing pillars and the like. The dwarfs will be happy to have permissions and ownership for buildings that they build down there for their own purposes, and you know that they will be certainly eager to help protect their homes. Plus, as you expand Wulfenburg above, it can only help to expand it below as well to compensate. Thankfully, with all the dwarfs there and the area previously already cleared with some work done in this vein, it is only a continuation of what you've already done. Cost: 2,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Under-Wulfenburg Further Reinforced for safety and settlement for dwarfs and particularly weird humans. Better sewer/plumbing systems.

- We've been waiting and working towards this option. Take it. Now.

Walls Of The Wolf: Wulfenburg itself has steadily received immigrants for many years now. Imperial Dwarfs to the dwarf quarter. Estalians rescued from their embattled lands. Ogres funneled from elsewhere in the Empire where they are unwelcome. Those coming to join in the opportunities offered by your engineering school, or your growing settlements. Not to mention the growth of the already present population in the decades after the war against Zacharias. Wulfenburg is starting to strain. You know it, you've known it, really, but it's starting to reach the point where you can do so with greater magnitude, in the sort of scope you truly desire, and actually really need to. Financially, and resource-wise. You know that there are enemies coming to Wulfenburg. Maybe not now. Maybe not in your lifetime. But you wouldn't bet on the latter. They'll come. And this is not Middenheim, which quite literally cannot expand beyond its current bindings, only downwards to a certain point. But you will not simply throw up stone and wattle to be cast down at the nearest provocation. You have ogres. You have good contacts amongst the dwarfs. The amount of high quality stone you can bring in is not inconsequential. You have built plenty of walls around Salkalten. And while no settlement of the Empire with more than a hundred people is without some form of wall or another, Wulfenburg deserves more. Why not expand the city limits while you are at it? An act of civil and defense design, for both providing homes for the people and doing so defensively. Just in case. Cost: 3,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Wulfenburg City Limits Extended, ending with new large and stout walls of thick stone and crafted with the defensive expertise of the dwarfs. Significantly improves city defenses. Will be manned with additional cannons and guard towers as well. Will Complete Next Turn.

This can't crit to complete this turn. Can only crit to be competed better. Maybe.

Research: Helga and her daughter have taken up this position, switching off whenever the other has to be teaching a class or engineering something or other in your engineering facilities. ONE OPTION LOCKED OVERALL DUE TO AVERLAND PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS (Choose 1):

We don't actually have research options this turn. Unless I missed a point in which we gained a fourth action here?

Cycler Riders: Cyclers are a viable creation. However, they are thus far only exceedingly useful on paved roads. Off-road they are less viable for important things. But also there are concerns for weight and the effort it takes to use them. Anna can ride one around, a fully armored soldier never could. So, these two things must be worked upon. A way for the wheels to grip better, as well as testing truly what weights can and can't be used. The latter will determine what use they will have on the battlefield, though you know immediately that they will be of use for passing messages and packages at the very least amongst the roads. They do not require the same things that horses do, though they are not without cost in terms of maintenance. More research is required, but the goal is easily visible. Though the wheels are going to be the greater issue…and Anna is focusing on other projects now. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Functional Cyclers, Road/Off-Road, Further Knowledge For Actual Uses. Chance of Success: 65%

- Take this before Vaporcyclers as it will improve the odd for that option on top of giving us military applications for cyclers.

Vaporcyclers: Okay. You had to read through the proposal a few times. It is known that the steam boilers in both doomspheres and steam/soup tanks work as artificial and powerful motivation to get them moving. It can grind wheels forward harder and faster than legs of flesh could ever possibly pump. Well, human ones at least. You're reasonably sure that Urgdug could simply pick up a steam tank and throw it. If ogres can wrestle giants, after all…but in any case, this one came about as one of a proposal from Idette after a ten-day drinking binge in which she was even drunker than is normally tolerable. Seriously, she was sent home there due to how drunk she was. But she came back ranting about fully metal – or at least mostly metal – cyclers with the vapor engine attached to it. Because the wooden ones, reinforced as they might have been, would be torn apart by the potential strength behind it. No pedaling, only velocity-by-vapor! She won't stop talking about it. If you threw some money at Idette, maybe she'll actually manage it? Anna promises to help when she can, so at least there's that. The engines work, you know that much. But will the cycler? Cost: 2,000. Time: 4 Turn. Reward: Vaporcyclers? A likely highly expensive specialized vapor engine-accelerated cycler made of metal, possibly good for scouts/recon/??? Chance of Success: 50%

- Not for at least the next 5 turns. We have better and/or safer options to take before this one is taken.

Vapor Tanks: You know the Soup Tank intimately. As does Anna. The actual steam system was heavily modified by the halflings over many years. It likely bears very little resemblance to the steam systems present in the other steam tanks in Nuln. Not least of which is because each of the tanks have their own individualized internal components and systems. Leonardo may have been brilliant, but for wide-scale production he was perhaps just a bit less able. But that's fine. You don't need the steam systems anymore, or so Anna say. The 'fucking be-damned skaven', by Anna's own words, managed to create their precious rat tanks with the aid of warpstone. While you'll never touch the stuff out of your own volition if you can help it you don't need it either. You know how the frame works, both skaven and soup tank designs are well known to you for various reasons. You have an engine. Time put all of that knowledge together. Anna is willing to make an effort at it. It will be expensive, but your engineers have had years and years to study the damn tank, with the engine…well. You can fit on a cannon as well, that part is simple. Cost: 2,000. Time: 5 Years. Reward: The Vapor Tank, a war machine powered by alcoholic vapor based upon a foundation of knowledge gained from studying destroyed rat tanks and long-term possession of the soup tank, and knowledge skimmed of the steam tanks in Nuln. Chance of Success: 50%

- Take with DD only if taken this turn.

Smaller Blastweave: This will be much, much harder to do for handguns than for cannons. After all, the sheer fine manipulation of the internal carving despite the size of the barrels will be much harder. Pistols? Even harder. But you can do it. Of course you can, damn it. You've done quite possibly the most exhaustive study of blastweave ever performed. Replication has already been managed over cannons, for handguns and pistols? Entirely within the realm of possibility. The engineers are quite excited about the prospect, and so are already attempting to do so without you. Their private efforts could be channeled quite better, however, and so here we are. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Handguns And Pistols Gain Blastweave Properties. Chance of Success: 70% Will Complete This Year.

- Completes this year and that means that we are doing Double Barreling or whatever option replaces it next turn.

Titan Cannon: The Ironblaster is the most effective proof of concept that could possibly exist. It's made of bronze, however. Extremely advanced, possibly magical bronze, for all you know. But you have pretty damn good steel, if you say so yourself. So it should not be impossible for you to create something like the Ironblasters, but better, or at least something that could be replicated in terms of not having the special bronze. A better, more stable platform, rather than the awful things that the ogres use. Horse-pulled, obviously. Something to help aim. Thankfully, it would come with the blastweave installed, due to its essentially being a lift from the ironblaster design directly, in terms of size at least. Thankfully, the intense studies that Anna and yourself worked on will greatly reduce the time it takes to do this. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Titan Cannons, Ironblaster-sized properly maintained steel-based cannons. Chance of Success: 75%

- Take this next whenever we have the research action.

Imperial Organs, Big: The organ cannon used by the dwarfs was certainly very interesting, though unfortunately the somewhat distasteful business regarding Valma and her revealing apparently illegal secrets at your pressuring has resulted in the majority of the dwarf Engineering Guild to not much liking Anna. As such, at Karak Ungor she was not allowed to examine any of the more exotic and new dwarfen machinery that they had brought to bear. Still, the initial concept was intriguing and the engineers of Ostland are relatively sure that they can manage something similar only…bigger. Instead of four smaller dwarf cannons put together into a single device, they wish to try something with four imperial great cannons, and all that may or may not imply. Still, the better to not annoy the dwarfs any further they are happy to make it not be so blatant a copy. So instead of four they're going to stick three together. In a sort of…tri-barrel design. One on top of two. Testing and creating such a thing would of course take time. Hopefully this would just be a good amount of firepower. Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Years. Reward: The Ostlander Grand Volley Cannon, effectively 3 Imperial Great Cannons worked together. Greater concentrated and more rapid firepower. Chance of Success: 55%

- No. We need an increase in odds first to take this and it might start shit up with Dwarfs. Again.

The Other Two Cannon Types: Valma refused to do anything more and now she's dead. Still, Helga and her daughter Agatha believe that with what they learned working on the Great Cannons they can improve the Dash and Bull Cannon types. Though the Dash Cannon was made smaller to be easier to move and aim and the second was made to be far hardier than the other two types, they are still cannons. It's going to take a while to upgrade them in a similar manner, and though the dwarfs are rather put out with Valma personally, it's likely that they'll justify any further improvements that your daughter makes as Valma's fault again. Cost: 1000. Time: 5 Years. Reward: Bull Cannons and Dash Cannons Improved As The Great Cannons Were. Chance of Success: 30%

- Needs better odds and we will definitely get a background roll for whether the Dwarfs get upset. Again.

Steam Boiler Improvements: Okay, so Valma refused and cannot be expected to release any more dwarfen truths, especially with her death. Still, Helga, and Agatha are willing to try and work on the Steam Boilers of your equipment, usually in the Doomspheres, though you hear that the steam power of the dwarfs helps their impressive Ironclad vessels move about. If you managed to improve your own steam power, your Doomspheres would be faster, and would probably just be far better in general. The more power in them, the harder they can hit things and…well. Who knows what improved steam power could bring in the future? You'll never know if you don't work on it. With the study of the Soup Tank completed so thoroughly, you can use ideas and concepts taken from the soup…boiler…and contribute to this project instead. It should certainly help! And if your engineers can do this, perhaps they can apply the knowledge they've gained on other sorts of engines… Cost: 1500. Time: 4 Years. Reward: Improved Steam Power For Future Projects. Doompsheres improved, though cost will go up equivalently. Better knowledge on boiler systems and engine works for other projects. Chance of Success: 75%. Will Complete In 3 More Turns.

Will be done in 2-4 turns.

Piety: You now have three religious advisors. One, Jorgen Albrecht, is a Priest of Sigmar, Emil Beltz on the other hand is a Priest of Ulric, while Lady Rosa is a Priest of Morr. Having all three prominent advisors from all three of these religions is a powerful statement, and with their own staffs you get a little bit more ability to…well, do things. (Choose 2):

A True Mountain Garden: Minor temples are one thing, but Arthur wishes there to be a true Garden of Morr, similar to the greater ones that have been built in Ostland proper, below the mountains. A place not just for internment of the dead, but for sermons on the God of the Dead, his responsibilities to the living and theirs to him, and so on and so forth. As well as wings and areas for augurs to be contacted, rather than having to hope for them to just come by, or wander past. Ever little bit of civilization helps, and you know this well. The more secure the dead, the happier the living. A bit of an odd thing, likely in certain parts of the Empire, but the specter of Zacharias, of necromancy, remains strong. A quiet undercurrent of fear erupted, you find, when rumors of the sacking carried out by one of the abominable Tomb Kings trickled north. Far to the south of Ostland, to be sure, but the threat of an undead naval force spooked a lot of people. Plus, perhaps it will help people with their dreams. For that is one of the purviews of Morr as well. Reassurance goes a long way, if one believes in such things. And a good number do. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Major Temple of Morr built in the Middle Mountains. Morale improvement to the people, hopeful protection against necromancy and the like.

Want this. But not this turn. Law reform is almost done and we should know the two goddesses before it is done.

Bases Of Nature: You are working now to thoroughly clear the forests, hopefully for at least a few years at least But what will certainly help is making use of the new Longshanks you have in your province to re-establish holy places for Taal and Rhya and create new ones as well where possible. You know, very well, how valuable the influence of the Gods can be in combating the darkness. By doing this, you could hopefully make sure that the said evils will have to at least work just a little harder to encroach on your people when they inevitably come pushing back. Even better, however, is the thought that Urgdug had with putting ogres in the forefront of this. A place for them, to guard with all the zealous fervor his people can be capable of as Taalites. Sure, it will be a harsh for them to live in the forests of the Empire as deep as these places will be, but do not the ogres thrive in the mountains of the east? It is better to do this now rather than wait, in order to take full advantage of the clearing your armies are performing currently. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Re-establishment and creation of new shrines/holy places/hardpoints of Taal and Rhya within the forests of Ostland, to better hold off the possibility of darker powers and their influences encroaching once more.

- Best moment for this action is this turn. Take it.

Morr's Time: Arthur does not often choose to openly wield the hefty amount of influence over the Order of the Garden he truly possesses. He prefers journeying from province to province, sending letters, conferencing, speaking and convincing people rather than outright giving orders. But Stirland, or rather Sylvania, which is now fully decided as Stirland's territory barring a few slivers? It needs Morr. It needs Morr badly. Not as an army that righteously purges, but as builders, and educators, and protectors. Consecrators and augurs to protect and guide. Arthur's willing to do it, to marshal the Order of the Garden's priesthood and strength from across the provinces to Stirland. It is something that would greatly aid Stirland, while simultaneously improving their disposition towards the ones who helped it happen. Arthur, in turn, requests your aid in organizing things, as well as communicating with the rest of the Trident to shift militia and troop movements to watch over temples and gardens that will have, in turn, somewhat reduced garrisons for a time. Cost: 1,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Sylvania Receives Massive Morrite Support/Temple And Garden Construction/Consecration/Education For Anti-Undead Purposes. Stirland Approval. Will Complete Next Turn.

- Completes next turn and gives us better Stirland relation options down the line.

Science of War: Verena and Myrmidia seem to share claims of science and knowledge, but you should investigate further. Because without a doubt, your engineering focus has and will be warfare, which the latter is said to also be more specialized in. But Verena is more known to those of the Empire, without the recent stigma surrounding Myrmidians. And yet, if your experiences have taught you anything about matters regarding the Gods, it is that faith is important in this world. A patron god could go a long way towards ensuring the long term success and regard held towards your school is amicable by the rest of the Empire. Patron Goddess? Patron Goddesses? Either or. A more in depth investigation as to their relationship with the things studied at the school, and the willingness to establish them as such, could go a long way. It can't precisely be Sigmar, it just doesn't quite fit, if only because you don't need the schools becoming an argument point between the cult of Sigmar and Ulric. You won't know for sure without checking. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Study Complete For Deity Usage

- Finish this option before the law reform is done. Take it this turn.

Intrigue: You have two different intelligence organizations. One, Witch Hunter Marlisa, is focused on combating cults, threats, monsters, and generally outside forces. The other is Master Baggins, a very influential halfling cook and champion of the common man. Now, a third, is present in the form of Sabine. Her own experience is different, but that does not preclude her from having value in this. (LOCKED):

Into The Wolf Den: Who the hell is Dolph? What is going on in Middenland? You need more information. And there is someone who has already proven some ability at getting where you have had little success before. Sabine is sure that she can help in this, not least of which due to the small amount of additional trade she was able to establish with Middenheim. Which means spies. And, in turn, a bit of paranoia on your part that every caravan from everywhere might be carrying informants from said places. Sabine chuckling lightly at this did not help matters, though she clarified that the cost expenses would be absurd to ensure such a thing, and it is more likely that every few merchants and traders work for any singular entity in particular. Far more are more freelance, offering word for coin as much as any other good they might be able to sell. You need to know what the hell is going on in there, but can't do much without the groundwork being laid. Have to start somewhere after all. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Information. Chance of Success: 45%

- No. Not this turn we have other stuff to DD on.

Entrenchment: You can't rush this. You simply can't. This isn't a war of swords, it is one of words and shadows. It will take far longer, but you need to actually find spies. Recruit them, gain their nominal loyalty, and it is not something that can be done quickly. Hagrid is confident that he can do it, but that it will take time and work to get it to happen. First off, you aren't even going to start in Marienburg, but in the Wasteland surrounding it, and then work your way towards its heart. You've got to build up the ranks of your previously non-existent spy ring. It's going to take a while to pull off, but it will, hopefully, be worth it. First, Hagrid has to figure out someone in Marienburg willing to engage with you. Then move forward, until you've actually got information you can work with. Cost: 2,000. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Marienburg Spy Ring Established. Chance of Success: 70% Will Complete This Turn.

Finaly done. Dice willing.

Pre-Empting Outrage: You are getting quite close indeed on finishing on your law project. What this means is that you are getting quite close indeed to infuriating a large amount of nobility. The commoners likely won't care too much, other than a hope that they'll be treated a small bit better, that they won't have to pay taxes twice to two different nobles who both claim the land, and so on. But restricting, altering, or outright removing certain 'rights' and shifting authority borders is going to make everyone, just, everyone with a major noble title and some with just middling ones a bit peeved with you. Unless you take steps. Things to hold against them, obvious signs of silliness, and so on. It's been a chunk of years since the time of Zacharias, and you've little doubt that every single person in the aftermath was the pinnacle of justness, piety, and so on and so forth. It would be far better to build up your ability to blunt things than not. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Law Project Blowback Blunted For When Released. Chance of Success: 70% Will Complete This Turn

Again, dice willing, this completes.

Personal: God's above, your family has been through too much. (Choose 2):

The Law Of Ostland: While you could not have imagined the delay it would take you to reach this point, you have at last, reached it. It is time to put your mind to use more than your blade, and shred away this insane wild tangle of laws, points of authority, agency, punishments, and more. It is a beast you are unfamiliar with, to be sure, one of paper and vellum and ink, but it is one that you will fight regardless. Ostland deserves better than that, and its people do as well. Might the nobles dislike how their authority may fluctuate as a result of what you do come up with? Perhaps. At the moment, you haven't put anything into place, and this is a private work, so there is nothing for them to complain about. For now, it is time to begin, sending out your feelers and servants across the province to bring every copy of every corner's legal code forth to you, that you may create a unified Ostlander legal code, rather than one that changes every few bloody feet outside of Wulfenburg! Cost: 1,000. Time: ??? Reward: Streamlined Unified Legal Code For Ostland Province. Will Complete In ??? Turns

Soon.

Stabbing With Guns: Okay, maybe you are being a bit presumptuous here. You have only just begun to learn engineering, within the past handful of years. Far less than any senior or master engineer, Anna included. But, more than once, you have seen your handgunners forced to fight at close range. Maybe they aren't able to pull a knife or blade out before the enemy is upon them. Maybe they weren't carrying one at all. An ironfist would undeniably help, but that's largely for defense, and even closer range. You could offer a point beyond that, something that they could fight with to keep the enemy just that little bit further away. Just stick a blade on the end of the gun. How hard can that be? Just mix your knowledge of blacksmithing and engineering, and just…put a stabbing portion on the gun? It's going to take some time, of course, but it's a project that you can do on your own. Your experience in ironfists should help, even, in terms of melding blade with greater masses of metal. Cost: 100. Time: 3 Years. Reward: Gun-based Stabbery/Erdolchen (Stabby bit attached to handguns). Chance of Success: 85%

-Take this to add another armament to our armies and make our ranged people less squishy and more stabby.

Gold Journeymen: You are reasonably sure you can handle this negotiation, considering it's been done multiple times with the Jade Wizards, and then the Amber. See if any of the Gold College would be willing to send some of their journeymen north to join your forces. Perhaps just helping out in your engineering works, or in combat. It is not an entire year's worth of attention after all, just a few letters, and some coin determination depending on how many of them come north. The ranks of the wizards are still slowly expanding, even though it's been over thirty years since the colleges first began. Cost: 100 at first, fees to come afterwards. Time: 1 Year. Reward: 2+1d4 Gold Journeymen Wizards. Chance of Success: 75%

- Not this year.

Old Metals: The Gold College is willing to pay you to study the Ironblaster. They'd even be willing to send their people north to do it rather than have you deliver it down south. They are simply fascinated by the ancient metals making up its body. The survivability, and so on, are admittedly impressive. You've had something akin to substantial amounts of experience with a lot of magic users, and with metallurgy. You know the value of metals and their study almost as well as you do fighting and war. This is something you can actually negotiate in, though it is a step higher than an upstart young exiled noble shouting with a merchant over ore delivery fees. But your treasury is a bit lighter than it has been for a while, and it is whispered that the Gold College may in fact be quite wealthy indeed as befitting the name. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Large financial fee added to treasury, improved relations with Gold College. Gold College members come north to study [NOT FOR COMBAT, will be stationed within Wulfenburg]

- Money, better Gold College relations and research into magical metals. Take it.

So my tentative plan is this:

[] Plan Into the Roots:
-[] Making The Wolfways
-[] Gauschdorf
-[] Greatship 2
-[] Coordinating With The General
-[] Approach The Bright College
-[] Horse Trade – Averland
-[] Agricultural Overhaul
-[] The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg
-[] Bases Of Nature
-[] Science of War
-[] Stabbing With Guns
-[] Old Metals

This plan has us spread out to grab as many problems as we can this turn while guaranteeing a high chance of success and a use of DD that won't be too problematic wherever it goes.

Edit: Changed Galley Focus to Greatship 2 because most of my voters preferred getting another Greatship over getting 10 Galleys.
 
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[X] Plan Securing the Interior
- [X] Making the Wolfways
- [X] Guarding Ships
- [X] Gauschdorf
- [X] Trying to speak to Middenland
- [X] Approach the Jade College
- [X] Coordinating with the General
- [X] The Stone beneath Wulfenburg
- [X] Agricultural Overhaul
- [X] Vapor Tanks
- [X] A True Mountain Garden
- [X] Bases of nature
- [X] Gold Journeymen
- [X] Old metals

Plenty we have to do to further secure the home province.
 
lets leave middleland alone nothing good is going to come from there for a long long time 5% or 25% is far to low a chance to risk things getting worse or way worse.

lets that options that might help not the ones that will most likely hurt.
 
Marlin said:
For Piety, I really think we should go with Morr's Garden and the Myrmidia option. Leave out the forest shrines this turn because the Garden and the Myrmiddia research will likely not give us anything if we keep putting off taking them. I'd prefer to fortify the action chains we already have built on, instead of more forest work like we did last turn.
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rather disagree. This is an option that seems to only be available because we're clearing out the forest. If we don't do it now, we might not be able to do it later. The Mountain Garden can be done whenever we want, and isn't really a major issue currently. Though figuring out which god/goddess would be best for our engineering school is probably also important. So I'd like to do the forest shrines and the patron goddess thing.
 
[X] Plan Into the Roots:
-[X] Making The Wolfways
-[X] Gauschdorf
-[X] Greatship 2
-[X] Coordinating With The General
-[X] Approach The Bright College
-[X] Horse Trade – Averland
-[X] Agricultural Overhaul
-[X] The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg
-[X] Bases Of Nature
-[X] Science of War
-[X] Stabbing With Guns
-[X] Old Metals

If it is confirmed that we do have a research option I'm taking the Titan Canon since it's only one turn and it gives us noticeable improvements. And I could be talked into switching from Galley Focus to Wolf Focus. That's it. This is the plan I believe is the best for this turn.

Edit: Changed Galley Focus to Greatship 2 by demand of most of my voters.
 
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[] Plan Into the Roots:
on board for most of it not sure about the extra ships ? maybe shift that and say the bright college one to say trade with albion or something?
edit: going to vote somewhere else for something else.
 
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Necratoid said:
I'm pretty sure that sticking a Titan Canon on a Steam Tank is stupid. Lethally stupid to the crew. See you have to actually reload it between shots. Adding 8-10 feet to the height of the cannon is just going to make it require a second vehicle, with scaffolding and ladders, just to load the thing. Meaning that If you actually fired it the TC would just make jelly out of the crew from the shockwave of firing it, as the crew in going to eat the kickback from firing said TC. Cannons tend to be on wheels so they can be pushed back into position after each shot to handle recoil. Slapping a TC on a steamtank means the crew is going to be bounced around inside the tank. Treads aren't particularly good at free rolling backwards... with means completely redesigning the gearing of the treads...without that recoil can flip the tank... which takes another big vehicle to actually flip it in battle. Meaning you negate the entire mobility advantage of the tank. There are good reasons artillery has those flip out stabalizer feet on them.

As is your looking at flame/steam thrower tanks as the pressure of the guns isn't made cannon fire possible. The best connection between the two devices involves dragging a TC around behind the tank.

Seriously, rifling is new fangled to these people... engineering mechanical recoil compensators isn't a thing they'll be able to handle.
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Counterpoint: Skaven technology and Doomspheres work just fine. As has been previously espoused by the QM, Warhammer technology is a little fuzzy on technicalities.

As for this turn, my main thoughts are thus:
  • Titan Cannons and Gold Mage inspections might have some synergies - at the very least, don't do the former before the latter.
  • The improved Steam Boiler action has been altered to explicitly mention its completion will likely affect other engine types. The Vapor Tanks look great, but 50% is a bit low - we should wait for this action to complete before taking them, both for increased chance of success and also because it will likely lead to an improved end product anyway.
  • We should take Agricultural Overhaul - it's a quick action that we've built up towards, and promises to bring in a lot of gold. Don't fall into the trap of thinking "well, we don't really need more money right now"! You never know when another limited-time opportunity to spend an enormous amount of money will turn up. Besides, in the past when our income stream has been improved, Toroar has explicitly changed options to be more effective while costing more - until we reach Marienburg levels, there's no such thing as too much money.
 
Redhead222 said:
[X] Plan Into the Roots:
on board for most of it not sure about the extra ships ? maybe shift that and say the bright college one to say trade with albion or something?
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Next turn. Right now we have so many different diplomacy options that spending one on the Albion trade is just not worth it. We need to keep recruiting the various wizards into our armies and then integrating them one by one and I think we need the gunsword/bayonet research started this turn so I went with getting the Bright College this turn.
 
torroar said:
Research: Helga and her daughter have taken up this position, switching off whenever the other has to be teaching a class or engineering something or other in your engineering facilities. ONE OPTION LOCKED OVERALL DUE TO AVERLAND PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS (Choose 1):
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Um boss, I'm pretty sure this is suppose to be locked unless we gained an extra research action somewhere.
 
[X] Plan Laying the Groundwork
-[X] Making The Wolfways
-[X] Purchase Additional Mercenaries
--[X] High Quality Tier 3 Offer
-[X] Greatship 2
-[X] Gauschdorf
-[X] Coordinating With The General
-[X] An Open Hand
-[X] Horse Trade – Averland
-[X] Lumbering Heat
-[X] The Stone Beneath Wulfenburg
-[X] A True Mountain Garden
-[X] Science of War
-[X] Stabbing With Guns
-[X] Gold Journeymen

Reasoning for this was initial in this post.

I have added a merc add because this still increases our treasury and I feel that we are going to come under a concentrated beastmen attack sometime soon. I just do not know when but basically I want to do a single HQ tier 3 offer each turn as long as it does not push us expenses over net income to have the extra forces on hand. I also feel that if we are not attacked that we will be pushing out into the forest more for additional clearing.

Now if we did gain a research action I am putting in Vapor tanks because I do not have an option that absolutley needs a DD and Vapor tanks if they allow us to produce something around the strength of a steam tank is a huge upgrade to what we and the Empire can do because steam tanks are amazing. Another change I can make is dropping open hand for a DD diplo option for Approaching the Bright College (more battle mages! plus have to collect them all)

I am going for charcoal over agriculture this turn is because if the demand for charcoal is high enough that will encourage further logging at the places we have currently setup with a chance to add additional logging actions we can take. Basically I am trying to pump demand for wood to promote further clear cutting of the forest to reduce the coverage for beastmen and goblins by just that much more. This is part of a long term (multi generation) project for me to reduce the coverage of the forest in our province making it harder for beastmen, goblins and other various gribbles to hide. I also made this call because even if we had vapor tanks this turn with a DD we would still be spending less then net income so net income increase is not as vital to have happen this turn.

For naval- I am taking the chance to improve the defenses in two locations, build up some stipend funds next turn and allow a major increase in ships on turns 3 and 4. Also having better docking facilities allows our ships better range of the coast as they can pull in for resupply and repair at more locations extending endurance. A point is right now we are over capacity by 2.

Science of war seems to be vital to get down sooner so we can learn about the two deities and figure if either are appropriate and may let us into the trouble our sister in law is having in Kislev with followers of Verna. As for True Mountain it further secures the mountain reason and extends Morr protection there. Unless we get some amazing new options Bases of Nature is the pick for me next turn.

As for gold journeymen vs old metals, I would rather do gold journeymen first then old metals next turn going back to the not being sure when we will have the next conflict so getting the gold battle mages a turn sooner is a good idea to me.

Total Cost: 11,700
1,850 covered by stipend
9,850 remaining + DD option cost

Stipend: 1850 (reduced by 50 do to over capacity)
Reserve: 4,756 Gold Crowns
Net Income: 16,434 Gold Crowns Per Year (not sure if this includes the 200 income we gained in turn summary as the info sheet was updated last Jul 19th)
Available: 21,190

New Treasury: 11,340 - DD option cost
+Horse Trade
-Gold battlemages

Naval Capacity: 100
Capacity Used: 102

Edit swapped out the two year port and added greatship number 2
 
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Void Stalker said:
Now if we did gain a research action I am putting in Vapor tanks because I do not have an option that absolutley needs a DD and Vapor tanks if they allow us to produce something around the strength of a steam tank is a huge upgrade to what we and the Empire can do because steam tanks are amazing. Another change I can make is dropping open hand for a DD diplo option for Approaching the Bright College (more battle mages! plus have to collect them all)
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I disagree - the Vapor Tanks option will be improved by the Improved Steam Boilers action completing, likely in both time and results. We should put any free research actions towards something else, like the Cycler Riders or the Titan Cannon.
 
Deathbybunnies said:
I disagree - the Vapor Tanks option will be improved by the Improved Steam Boilers action completing, likely in both time and results. We should put any free research actions towards something else, like the Cycler Riders or the Titan Cannon.
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Steam boilers should complete before the vapor tanks (it has 2 success remaining not three) so I can't see how improvements from those would not be added onto the Vapor tanks. I also don't think that vapor tanks is going to decrease in time. We are trying to recreate from the soup tank and the few other examples we have seen a lost piece of tech but using a vapor engine and not a steam engine. That is going to take time just to figure out how to get an armored machine to move properly but then also how beast to position everything from weapons to engines to crew to be able to do well in battle. And I think it is a fairly significant advance compared to our other options if it gets us a new unit equivalent to steam tanks.
 
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