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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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My opinion on the top five plans:

PLAN: Chaos makes Taal feel peeved!
Max and Johann are the same in pretty much all plans, for good reason.
I'm fine with recruiting the Ambers and the Knights and having them function as outriders. We'll probably find some Dawi Hold willing to finance their feeding in some way.
The Gong Farmer thing doesn't seem all that useful or important to me. If we die during this expedition I'd rather bequeath it back to Roswita with an apology.
Successfully recruiting Damsels seems like a long shot. The Runesmiths on the other hand are something I am in favor of.
I still don't get why we want to scout so little. But it's better than nothing
Developing a new sword style will get us a small boost if we are lucky. I really don't think this is one of the most important things we can do for the expedition.
Our survival kind of matters, so I am okay with attempting the Robes thing. On the other hand I don't know how likely it is to matter, given we cast it anyway.
Penthouse and Serenity is whatever.

Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Rune smiths)

Only differences to the above are navy improvements instead of gong farmer integration and seeing through Pall of Darkness instead of swordplay. I like both marginally more, but they aren't my first choices either.

Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Thorek)

If we try and fail to hire Thorek we don't get anything else, while if we crit on Azul Runesmiths Thorek might just decide to come along. So it's a definite no on this plan variant from me.

Plan Unconvention

I really like going for some Light Wizards over Damsels.
I don't think Adela is a better fit than the Ambers, but I don't care too much. Also, @Vebyast, the EIC action is currently separate from your plan. That said, I like it a lot more than what everyone else has.

PLAN: No Risking Runesmiths

So instead of Damsels and Runesmiths we attempt to recruit... No one? Instead we go full self improvement. Yeah, that's a no from me.

Final verdict:

[X] Plan Unconvention
[X] Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Rune smiths)

I currently like Unconvention the most, though I'd still go for the Ambers instead if given the choice, given that they are both Magisters now and bring the more fearsome fighting force. Adela is simply a less combat-focused kind of girl.
The other plan I am voting for because it's second place and I consider it strictly better than the one in the first place, even if there are a few things in it that I don't like as much.

Edit for new plans of interest:

[X] PLAN: Escape Cavalry
 
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BoneyM said:
Individuals to Clans, Clans to Kings, Kings to High Kings, with inbuilt assumptions of divine right. A lot of rulers claim to to rule by the will of God, but the Karaz Ankor has it in writing. Each Karak is effectively independent already and have been since the Underway was destroyed, but trying to make it official would get ugly.
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What clear, hard and practically applicable rights does the High King actually have over the other Kings and their Karaks? Or for that matter, central Guildmasters and High Priests over regional Guildmasters and High Priests?

Also, I understand that the Runesmiths thing is more complicated because they are the most secretive Cult, the most secretive Guild and a decentralized, yet probably more oathbound than usual Clan all in one. A Dwarf can be stripped of their priesthood, disowned, or kicked out of a Guild, remaining with the choice to either go Slayer or clanless vagabond, but if the Runesmiths literally just execute their worst dissidents who try to run away with Runesmithing secrets still existing in their heads I wouldn't be surprised
 
If the recruitment actions (Damsels/Runesmiths) are regarded as needing a stroke of luck to pull off with a major upside if it is accomplished, there is a perfectly relevant quest mechanic to make that more likely. Toss the coin at it.
 
Well, I guess that the request to get something to "emulate Dragon's Breath" was taken literally including the delivery system, also this is probably a terrible idea but is AV is flammable right? :V
 
Meh, whatever, all the cool kids are doing it.

[X] Plan Perfectly Balanced
-[X] Contains 1 Overwork action
-[X] With the help of a gyrocarriage, personally scout part of the route: Western Great Steppes
-[X] Attempt to recruit assistance for the Karag Dum Expedition: Karak Azul Runesmiths + Light Wizards
-[X] Branulhune's ability to disappear and reappear at a thought allows entirely new forms of combat. Try to create them.
-[X] Enchant an item with a Fiendishly Complex or easier spell: Aethyric Armour Robes
--[X] Goal: Incorporating mastery and persistent effect
--[X] Using powerstone(s) + helldrake scales + We silk as available/necessary
-[X] Continue to work on your 'Fog Path' spell
--[X] COIN: The Gambler
-[X] MAX: Allow him to spend all his time on his own preparations.
-[X] JOHANN: Allow him to spend all his time on his own preparations.
-[X] DUCK: Attempt to recruit Esbern and Seija and their compatriots of the Knights of Taal's Fury.
-[X] EIC: Integrate the Gong Farmers and the Niter Factory into the EIC, and expand production.
-[X] PENTHOUSE: Have a tower built atop Karag Nar: -100gc for 1 room, bonus to room's purpose.
-[X] SERENITY: Write a paper: Warp Lightning observations - shared with Adela (FADING)

It's just the leading plan with Light Wizards instead of Damsels and formatted slightly differently. And I continue my approval voting:

[X] PLAN: Chaos makes Taal feel peeved!
[X] Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Rune smiths)
[X] PLAN: No Risking Runesmiths

I feel moderately strongly about starting the Branulhune style before we leave for KD, and will fight for it next turn if we don't do it this turn; we will not be able to incorporate any insights we get from fighting in Karag Dum unless we at least begin it.
BoneyM said:
Testing a nascent style 'in the field' can lead to useful insights.
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[X] PLAN: Ambers, Damsels, Runesmiths and Multi-wind robes.
-[X] MAX: Allow him to spend all his time on his own preparations.
-[X] JOHANN: Allow him to spend all his time on his own preparations. (NEW)
-[X] DUCK: Attempt to recruit Esbern and Seija and their compatriots of the Knights of Taal's Fury.
-[X][EIC] Integrate the Gong Farmers and the Niter Factory into the EIC, and expand production.
-[X] Attempt to recruit assistance for the Karag Dum Expedition. (Damsels of Bretonnia, Azul Runesmiths)
-[X] With the help of a gyrocarriage, personally scout part of the route specify: Western Great Steppes
-[X] Continue to work on your 'Fog Path' spell.
--[X] The Gambler: specify an action this will apply to: Fog path spell
-[X] Branulhune's ability to disappear and reappear at a thought allows entirely new forms of combat. Try to create them.
-[X] Enchant a Robe with Shadow: Aethyric Armour and Gold: Guard of Steel (5 CF for Gold College enchanter) (Overwork)
--[X] Use Ulgu power stones and drake scales to assist with the enchantment if it would help.
-[X] PENTHOUSE: Have a tower built atop Karag Nar: -100gc for 1 room, bonus to room's purpose.
-[X] Write a paper: Warp Lightning observations - shared with Adela (Serenity)

basically PLAN: Chaos makes Taal feel peeved!, but with the MAX Defence! and cooler Aethyric Armour and Guard of Steel combo.

we can run away on the shadow horse, this is good if we have no choice but to fight it out.
 
BoneyM said:
Left to it's own devices it'll flow as best it can into a more suitable environment, or gradually soak into soil and plants. Without a will to shape it, it doesn't cause fires, it goes to them.
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Hmm. Definitely not something we can look into right away, but it seems like a possible source of Ashqy for Tongs experimentation.
 
LightLan said:
Fire is a possible source of Aqshy and much more accessible :)
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1. Not all fire contains ashqy, just as not all light contains hysh. That's the entire reason our back-up light for Gazul's Sword works at all.
2. We can't be sure we have convenient flames wherever we go such as in battle. If ashqy-ulgu works, having a device that can store and release ashqy as needed can be handy.
 
Rafin said:
What clear, hard and practically applicable rights does the High King actually have over the other Kings and their Karaks? Or for that matter, central Guildmasters and High Priests over regional Guildmasters and High Priests?
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A whole bunch that stopped applying the second the Underway was shattered, because they had a bunch of 'if you cannot safely and reliably communicate with the chain of command, do as you must' clauses built in, and that's just how the world is now. There's an argument to be made that gyrocopters changed that, but it's not one any High King has pursued yet. There's a lot of inertia behind the current status quo of de facto independence.

Rafin said:
Also, I understand that the Runesmiths thing is more complicated because they are the most secretive Cult, the most secretive Guild and a decentralized, yet probably more oathbound than usual Clan all in one. A Dwarf can be stripped of their priesthood, disowned, or kicked out of a Guild, remaining with the choice to either go Slayer or clanless vagabond, but if the Runesmiths literally just execute their worst dissidents who try to run away with Runesmithing secrets still existing in their heads I wouldn't be surprised
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They don't execute automatically, but spreading Runesmithing outside the Guild/Clan/Cult is punishable by death. Kazrik's a technicality, he's not in the Clan but he's royalty and has got a line of descent from Thungni.
 
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LightLan said:
With our Red Tower which runs on Aqshy and recharges with fire the distinction is practically unimportant for access to Aqshy to run experiments with.
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Well, I like to keep the distinctions because how it actually operates does matter those kind of details come into play but I agree for communicating the basic idea you had it works but if we're doing it in the tower of neutrality which most of our experiments should be unless there's an explosion risk that distinction matters a lot.
 
[X] Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Thorek)
[X] Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Rune smiths)
[X] PLAN: Escape Cavalry


Not tremendously invested in this vote, as (for good reason) all the options are in the same general vein of 'get prepared', with just different flavours of preparation and risk/reward decisions.

I do think not enough attention has been paid to making sure Max shores up his personal melee defence. It's something he could be doing with the free action slots, or he could just be piling on more long-range killy stuff to focus on his strengths instead. We don't know, and won't find out until it's too late. But none of the plans go for anything other than total laissez-faire management of Mathilde's direct employees, so eh.
 
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Huh. All damsels and no knights- I'm a bit disappointed. I still think we want as much cavalry as possible, because the real fights are going to come on the way back once everyone is tired, loaded down, and our enemies are aware of the expedition. So I want the ability to punch back through.

So, two main changes. First, the damsels become knights. Easier to recruit, better for actual fighting, and I am confident that we have enough magical punch on hand already; we are weak on the steel side of things.

Second, armor of lead for the golds. I want to be able to run away, and I'm pretty confident that the boys are thinking mainly about offense, possibly a little bit about protection and scouting. Making sure they can facilitate a retreat is important to me.

EIC navy improvement because regardless of the many possible futures, people are dying on the rivers because there isn't enough of a deterrent to bandits of all species. And in warhammer, I'm not worried about a military unit running out of pro-social things it could be used for. The world is set up so there is *always* someone else you need to fight or else it will eat you, and I see that as the major factor making it different from our world. Here, I'm on the less weapons=less death side of the argument, but it doesn't translate when a world is built specifically to make less weapons=more death.

[X] PLAN: Escape Cavalry
-[X] MAX: Learn a spell: Armor of Lead
-[X] JOHANN: Learn a spell: Armor of Lead
-[X] DUCK: Attempt to recruit Esbern and Seija and their compatriots of the Knights of Taal's Fury.
-[X] EIC: Improve the EIC's paramilitary river navy. (NEW)
-[X] Attempt to recruit assistance for the Karag Dum Expedition. (Knights of Bretonnia via Soizic, Azul Runesmiths)
-[X] With the help of a gyrocarriage, personally scout part of the route specify: Western Great Steppes
-[X] Continue to work on your 'Fog Path' spell.
--[X] The Gambler: specify an action this will apply to: Fog path spell
-[X] Branulhune's ability to disappear and reappear at a thought allows entirely new forms of combat. Try to create them.
-[X] Enchant an item with a Fiendishly Complex or easier spell: Robe with AA and AA mastery (with an aim to have physically indefatigable always on (Overwork)
--[X] Use Ulgu power stones and drake scales to assist with the enchantment if it would help.
-[X] PENTHOUSE: Have a tower built atop Karag Nar: -100gc for 1 room, bonus to room's purpose.
-[X] Write a paper: Warp Lightning observations - shared with Adela (Serenity)


Approval:

[X] Plan: Fog Path to Success (Damsels and Rune smiths)

Edit: and no Thorek because I'm not risking him with less than throng of ten thousand.
 
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